Memorial Day 2009

Veterans: Thank your for your service and sacrifice!

Pelosi's Medicine

This is really unbelievable. From the Politico article Dems: CIA briefers may have broken law we find these paragraphs:

Reyers and other Democrats currently on the committee told reporters Thursday that the GOP is waging a politically motivated attack on the speaker — and that she has received an unfair ride in the press.

The Democrats are complaining about politically motivated attacks and an unfair press? Are you kidding me?! Have they been on this planet for the last 8 years?!

The CIA and Porter Gross both contradict Pelosi's many changing statements, but suddenly it's a witch hunt and the CIA is lying.

"I tell you who you need to get — that's Hoekstra, who is running for governor
with irresponsible undertakings, and you tell him I said so," said Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.), referring to Rep. Pete Hoekstra, the ranking Republican on the committee and a leading Pelosi critic.

Alcee Hastings gives the motivations of the Dems away when he tries to tell the media to "get" a Republican. That is what they are trying to do with these investigations into so-called "torture" - get Republicans and former Bush officials. This is all nasty political payback that threatens our national security and that's ok in the name of getting Republicans, but now that it's in the process of dragging down the Speaker, it's out of bounds.

Sounds like the Democrats don't like the taste of their own medicine. Perhaps they shouldn't be so quick to prescribe it.

What does empathy have to do with the Supreme Court?

I'm not that upset about Justice Souter retiring - it doesn't change the Supreme Court, just replacing one liberal for another. But I do want to talk about the ridiculousness of what Obama says he is looking for in a justice.

During the campaign, he said:

"We need somebody who's got the heart, the empathy, to recognize what it's like to be a young teenage mom, the empathy to understand what it's like to be poor or African-American or gay or disabled or old—and that's the criterion by which I'll be selecting my judges."

Well, first of all, all the justices are old, so they can all understand that. Justice Clarence Thomas KNOWS what it's like to be poor and African-American - but that doesn't count to Obama, it has to be a liberal without first hand experience who feels enough guilt to empathize with the perceived weaker side and rule in their favor no matter the circumstances. To him, empathy is more important than truth, heart over head.

Speaking of Justice Thomas, Obama has pretty much called him stupid:

"I don't think that he was a strong enough jurist or legal thinker at the time for that elevation. Setting aside the fact that I profoundly disagree with his interpretations of a lot of the constitution. I would not have nominated Justice Scalia though I don't think there is any doubt about his intellectual brilliance. Because he and I just disagree."

(Of course it's only racist to question the intellect and qualifications of a black person if they're liberal, black conservatives are fair game for the worst racial taunts imaginable.)

When officially announcing the retirement of Souter, Obama again spoke of empathy:

I view that quality of empathy, of understanding and identifying with people's hopes and struggles, as an essential ingredient for arriving as just decisions and outcomes. I will seek somebody who is dedicated to the rule of law, who honors our constitutional traditions, who respects the integrity of the judicial process and the appropriate limits of the judicial role. I will seek somebody who shares my respect for constitutional values on which this nation was founded and who brings a thoughtful understanding of how to apply them in our time.

Empathy has nothing to do with justice. You can empathize with someone all day long but they could still be wrong. Judges are supposed to be dispassionate and objective; empathy is all about emotions and subjectivity. I don't believe Obama in his second sentence where he pays lip service to the rule of law and constitutional traditions - his view of those are far different from the rest of the country.

I think the last sentence is telling; he seems to be saying, "I respect the constitutional values this country was founded on, but they need to be updated and I need someone to think of creative ways to do this." One example of a potential Obama update on our constitutional values would be to say, "the 2nd Amendment was great in the 17th century when people hunted for food or needed protection on the frontier, but today guns kill too many people and we need to control them."

Another Obama criteria is that the justice has to be as militantly pro-abortion as he is. I don't need to get into this except to say, maybe more empathy wouldn't be so bad:

Dr. Obama's prescription for swine flu

Obama on swine flu:

Keep your hands washed. Cover your mouth when you cough ... Stay home from work if you are sick. Keep your children home from school if they are sick.

Isn't this kinda like his "solution" to our oil problem?

Making sure your tires are properly inflated, simple thing, but we could save all the oil that they’re talking about getting off drilling, if everybody was just inflating their tires and getting regular tune-ups.

What an inspirational leader!

Obama wants to remake US

To mark the 100th day of his rule as president, Obama took the opportunity to declare his intention to "remak[e] America.” (Reminds me of when Obama spoke of a "fundamental flaw" in the Constitution or when Michelle said it was the first time in her life she was proud of her country.) Thanks, Obama, but the Founding Fathers made this country just fine the first time. Apparently, he wants to be the Founding Father of the USSA.

I loved this comment by an Obama impersonator on Twitter:

RT @obamasthoughts We must re-make America; because we got off track somewhere along the line. (Personally, I think it was 233 years ago.)

It's funny, but it's sad because it's true. Lord, help me, I don't know how I'm going to get through the next 100 days, never mind next 3 1/2 years!

Miss California is the true Miss USA

Hot conservative mama

When I saw this headline: Miss California Sparks Furor With Gay Marriage Comments on Miss USA Telecast I immediately knew the only position that would cause "furor" and controversy would be that of support for traditional marriage. Of course, I was correct in my assumption.

From the article:

When asked by judge Perez Hilton, an openly gay gossip blogger, whether she believed in gay marriage, Miss California, Carrie Prejean, said "We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite. And you know what, I think in my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that's how I was raised."

SHOCK! HORROR! How controversial she express such a mainstream view that is shared with a large majority of Americans! Apparently, she gave the "wrong" answer:

Keith Lewis, who runs the Miss California competition, tells FOXNews.com that he was "saddened" by Prejean's statement.

"As co-director of the Miss California USA, I am personally saddened and hurt that Miss California believes marriage rights belong only to a man and a woman," said Lewis in a statement. "I believe all religions should be able to ordain what unions they see fit. I do not believe our government should be able to discriminate against anyone and religious beliefs have no politics in the Miss California family."

"Saddened?" Really, saddened? She is merely expressing the view of a majority of Californians and the laws of that state. Does he realize that his belief that "all religions should be able to ordain what unions they see fit" must allow for religions that exclude gay marriage? Or that "government should be able to discriminate against anyone" means that people who think gay marriage is wrong should also not be discriminated against? He says, "religious beliefs have no politics in the Miss California family" - so what is his beef, then? Never mind that Miss. California never expressly cited her religion as a reason for her answer. Gay marriage proponents never consider the many non-religious arguments against it.

And what were they expecting, really? As a generalization, the women who compete in pageants tend to be conservative in their values, seeking to be as American as apple pie. Feminists routinely criticize pageants "objectification" of women and especially protest the swim suit competition. Apparently gay men are huge fans of pageants, but it would have been truly controversial to the American people if she had expressed support for gay marriage. Perhaps the Miss USA pageant should not have allowed a question it would not accept a certain answer to.

Miss California's answer sparked a shouting match in the lobby after the show.

Does anyone think there would have been such a ruckus if she had given the politically correct answer?

But Prejean told FOXNews.com that she has no regrets and is happy with the answer she gave.

Good for her for standing up for what she believes in, even when it's not popular to a certain audience. I pray she has the strength to withstand the hatred and protest that will be directed at her in the coming days. If anyone knows of how we can send messages of support to her and her family, please let me know.

What I saw at the DC Tea Party Revolution!

I had the distinct honor and privileged of standing together with hundreds of thousands of Americans across the country today to voice our frustration over the massive expansion of government, it's reckless spending, taxes and "user fees" on everything, and general intrusion into our everyday lives and liberty. We chose to mark Tax Day with a national Tea Party!

I went to the DC Tea Party at Lafayette Square, which is a grassy park across from the White House. It was cold and rainy but that did not dampen the crowds' spirits. Unfortunately, because of the huge crowds, it was near impossible to see the stage or hear the speakers, so I walked around taking pictures of the scene.

Here is my visual diary of the DC Tea Party!

The first pics from the DC Tea Party as you're walking up the street to Lafayette Square. TONS of cars were honking for the sign that asked if you're over-taxed. (You can read signs better by clicking on the pictures)


Part of the crowd as I was walking toward it in Lafayette:



View of the Tea Party crowd with the White House as a back drop:



Look out! Right-wing extremists!



You can almost see the stage through all of the people:



Now there's a tax we can all get behind:


Kids say, "Don't steal our future!"


A smaller group of protesters in front of the White House:


A modern day patriot:


The grassroots protest were anyone could take the megaphone was in front of the White House, while the protest with national speakers was yards away in Lafayette Square across from the White House:


I enjoyed this sign:


Some basic economics for Obama to know about small businesses:


This is what TEA really stands for:



A sea of umbrellas around the stage:


Part of the crowd as I was leaving Lafayette Square:

Live Tweeting the DC Tea Party!

Please follow me, (@AlexaShrugged) on Tax Day, April 15, as I live Tweet and TwitPic the DC #teaparty!


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The Queen receives an iPod from Obama

Blogging on AIP

Please check out AIP's blog as I blog there twice a week, typically Mondays and Wednesdays. Look for a new one out today on Earth Hour.

My pieces so far:

“Stunned. Stunned is the word.”

Rep. Barney Frank: March Porker of the Month

Lessons from Massachusetts: Health Care Reform

“Restoring Integrity?” Not Quite.

“Utterly Bemused” by New Diplomacy

Deducing Obama’s Plans Through Deductions