10/29/2009

Next Week We'll Know More

There are four major elections coming up next week as the "off year" cycle mercifully winds it way toward a conclusion. (If you share my misfortune of living in a media market with an election, you're probably as sick of polictical ads as I am, and I doubt if any of us "normal" people approve those messages.) The reasons these elections are so important goes far beyond a couple of governorships and a couple of House seats. Here's why:

1) Off year elections can be a harbinger of change. The GOP's success in 1993 proved to be prophetic as the Contract with America swept the Republicans into power in 1994. Conversely the Dems' success in 2006 was the herald of bigger things to come in last year's cycle. If the Democrats lose the governorships (VA and NJ), both currently held by Democrats, it will go a long way to answering those who suggest the Republicans are in permanent retreat. Polls suggest a squeaker in NJ (and it's never a good idea to get involved in a close race with the Dems in a state like that) and a GOP blowout in Virginia. President Obama carried both states...so it's at least something of a test for the transferability of his aura as well.

2) The NY-23 House race is a fascinating case study. It revealed the gaping fault lines within the Republican Party. It's a test of the power of the Internet, Sarah Palin, the GOP establishment and the Democrats ability to take a GOP seat when the other party is divided. I frankly have no idea what's going to happen. If Democrat Bill Owens wins, the GOP may well be looking at a civil war. Each side will blame the other for the loss. Can that particular Humpty be reassembled? Don't know. If the RINO wins, business as usual will have prevailed and disheartened conservatives will mutter again about being ignored and taken for granted. If Hoffman pulls off the improbable upset, Palin's stock will soar. The only possible path to the White House for her is to build a power base across the country during the 2010 elections, and this is an early test of the strategy. She doesn't have to have Hoffman win, but it would sure help.

3) The CA-10 race has gotten almost no attention. The district is D+11 or D+18 depending whose numbers you use, and the Democratics are running the Lt. Governor of California. The only question here is the depth of discontent California voters might be feeling with the malaise of the economy and their state's crushing deficits. Electing one of the chief architects of higher spending and taxes is like steers voting for meatpackers...yet the people of California continue to do so. If there's going to truly be a full-scale "throw the rascals out" election next year, a GOP upset here might be an early sign.

If there's an election where you are, vote. It is both your privilege and your duty to do so.

10/24/2009

God's in His Heaven; All's Right with the World




Phat Phil is gone. Lame Kitten has come. And though the creamsicle hillbillies deserve their due for a hard-fought game, there are no moral victories in football (though there certainly is crying in Knoxville tonight) and the forces of good and light triumphed over the forces of evil. In the end, Mt. Cody was too high for the Viles to climb and they go home defeated again. That's three in a row for those of you keeping score at home.

ROLL TIDE!

10/22/2009

Sarahcuda Goes Rogue

If you don't follow politics closely, you're probably not aware of (or perhaps even interested in) the special election that will be held on November 3 to fill the NY-23 US House seat. The seat opened when President Obama nominated the Republican incumbent to be Secretary of the Army. To try to hold the seat, the local GOP nominated a far-left RINO (Republican in Name Only) who is pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage, and pro-Obama's "stimulus" package. She is running against not only a standard issue New York Democrat, but a 3rd party challenge as well.

Today Governor Sarah Palin announced her endorsement of the 3rd party conservative candidate Doug Hoffman in the race over the "Republican" candidate. This is going to be very, very interesting. It's a brilliant move on Palin's part. Any 3rd party candidate is always going to be a long shot. But it's a special election, there's not much else on the ballot, and so passion on the part of supporters goes a long way toward winning. And if there's anything Palin proved in last year's election, it's that she generates passion.

She's backing a candidate almost no one expects to win, so if he doesn't, she won't take a fall. But if Hoffman wins...the shattering of crockery against the walls of the GOP establishment in Washington is going to be something to behold. She is taking direct aim at the party "leaders" who did so much to undermine her. I'm getting the popcorn ready. This is going to be one to watch.

Who Thinks This Looks Good?

There's been a firestorm of threats and charges raging on the Internet (and isn't that a shock?) over the criticism of Ralph Lauren's rather badly photoshopped recent model picture. When people published the photo as part of their critique, they received threatening legal notices warning of copyright violations. Now I am not a lawyer, nor do I play one on television, but even before we get to the fair use question, if you publish an ad, it's pretty hard to argue that you don't want people to see it. But leaving that aside...

You can see the ad, and some of the commentary (language warning applies) here at one of the more notable critic's haunts. After you look at the ad...go ahead, I'll wait...back? OK...then please help me answer this question: Who thinks this looks good? I mean if it were the picture of a real person who really looked like this, who outside the grip of terminal anorexia would be happy with it? Yet this same Ralph Lauren company fired a model (5' 10" weight 120) for being too "fat." Does not compute.

The only appropriate response, aside from mockery and the offer of "nutrious soup and sandwiches" is found in the words of the brilliant Ogden Nash:

It's fine for women to be lithe and lissome
But not so much so that you cut yourself if you happen to embrace or kiss 'em.

10/16/2009

Oh Snap!

You know the jobless numbers we get every month? The one that last month showed unemployment at 9.8% (the highest since 1982)? The one that shows over four million Americans had lost their jobs since the recession began? Turns out they're wrong...probably way wrong...and not for the better. Check this out (from Seeking Alpha, via Instapundit) regarding the adjustments the Bureau of Labor Statistics makes each month to the numbers to account for small businesses starting and failing:

For the six months since March 31st the birth/death adjustment has added 815,000 jobs, an average of 135,000 per month. Since small and medium sized firms are suffering from severe credit restrictions, they are much more likely to have reduced employment significantly rather to have added that many jobs. That means current monthly job losses may be running as much as 135,000 higher than is currently being reported. While we won’t know the true number for another year, those being laid off will know, and they will be reducing their spending accordingly. The Fed certainly knows what’s happening and that’s one reason they are promising near-zero interest rates indefinitely. (emphasis added)

The next time you hear some talking head proclaiming the recession is over and recovery is "just around the corner" remember that he (or she) is probably using these overly optimistic numbers the government is giving out. Things are going to get worse before they get better.

The NFL Is Saved

Now that the danger of having someone like Rush Limbaugh involved with one of their teams has past, the NFL is safe once again as a haven for dog fighters, wife beaters, vehicular homicide committers, drug abusers, serial drunk drivers, wildly immoral cheaters and other assorted thugs. I'm so glad things worked out that way.

10/14/2009

Another Flag Post



Not a joke. Not a parody. It's for real. And it's very, very sad. (found from Mr. Indispensable himself)

10/13/2009

Does the Obama Administration Understand This?




I am not at all sure our current leadership in either the White House or Congress understand this. I think there are enough of us left who do to keep the country from going entirely off the rails...but that's certainly not a sure thing. And the biggest question of all is where those who do or would fly this flag find a political home. The GOP has drunk deeply of the poisoned Washington well, and they aren't much (if at all) more friendly to the twin and inseperable concepts of liberty and responsibility than the Democrats are. But since the electoral game is rigged, people who want to have an impact are pretty much stuck with the two parties we have. So is it possible to remake the Republican Party in the image of Reagan? If not, the Gadsden Flag is going to be flying in a lot of unfriendly skies...

10/10/2009

Bama Rolls to 6-0

The Tide completed a perfect first half of the regular season today with a 22-3 victory over Ole Miss. The performace of the defense was close to perfect. The offense stalled repeatedly in the red zone, limiting the final margin. Credit to Ole Miss for an excellent defensive effort, but it's wasn't nearly enough to keep up with Bama.

Unlike last year, this year people expect us to be good. The last two games have revealed some weaknesses, but overall, there just isn't too much to complain about. Here's why: last year we beat Kentucky by 3 and Ole Miss by 4. This year: 18 and 19 points respectively. This is a very good team. If we play up to our abilities, we are going to be hard to beat. It's looking more and more like a rematch with Florida in the SEC Championship Game is in our future.

ROLL TIDE!

10/09/2009

President Obama Given Nobel Peace Prize

The college I attended once gave an honorary "Doctor of Horse Sense" degree to the favorite horse of one of the founder's friends. (Yes, this is a true story. Please don't ask me any questions about the college I attended. Thank you for your cooperation.) During the ceremony, the horse left behind a present to express his appreciation.

I couldn't help but think of that story this morning when I heard the news that President Obama had been given (I cannot in good conscience use the term "won") the Nobel Peace Prize. It is (what has become) a meaningless award given to someone who had done absolutely nothing to merit it, and all it accomplishes aside from the rather obvious joke is to leave behind a steaming mess for someone else to clean up.

And I can't help but note this irony. On behalf of America, President Obama failed to win the Olympics. On behalf of himself, he is given an international prize. Seems somehow fitting for the "me first" president. But perhaps someone should remind him of the ultimate fate of Narcissus.

10/03/2009

Ladies and Gentlemen, the President of the United States



Before the election I noted that one of God's judgments on nations was to give them immature and unqualified rulers. After the already near-eternal first eight months of his term (please God forgive us and limit it to one!) in office, it has become abundantly clear that President Obama is exactly that. The economy is still in the tank (that tends to happen when the only possible outcome of the steps you take is to make things worse); the war in Afghanistan, the one candidate Obama declared crucial to the war on terror, is about to be abandoned; and the world community, the group that was supposed to love America again after Bush was replaced just snubbed the Obamas' personal plea for Chicago to get the Olympics.

We are in deep trouble here folks. And we deserve it. Repentance, like judgment must begin at the house of God. It was not in the end the wickedness of Sodom that led to destruction, but rather the failure of Lot to see to the rightousness of his own family. We can't fix this problem by voting in a new President. What we need is for God's people to have a King ruling over their hearts and lives. That's the only solution. In the meantime, pray like David that God will withhold the judgment we deserve.