It has been my observation in recent weeks that while Ron Paul can’t poll over 5% anywhere he sure has a vocal and active internet army. While I think a large many of his supporters are more libertarian in the classic sense I do not consider many to be true conservatives. Look at the commentary in many of the blogs that mention the Congressman’s name, qualifications and/or positions. I love much of his domestic agenda but his foreign policy positions are dangerous. Some make sense, like taking direction from an unelected foreign body such as the United Nations but the isolationist bent could be catastrophic. His stance that we are the cause of the terrorist attacks against us (including 9/11) will ultimately invite more of the same. He is not a nutcase like Rosie O’Donnell that claims we attacked ourselves, rather he believes our foreign policy decisions caused others to hate us and our support for some of the dubious characters that were enemies of our enemies in the past has come back to roost.

Paul is a principled and intelligent man but I believe his positions are not only dead wrong they are dangerous to our National Security. Islamofascism is a particular brand of hatred that strictly adheres to the convert or die theory. It does not deal in reason and is driven by a perverted philosophy. No amount of diplomacy can change this fact. Al Qaeda has no country or position to bargain from and countries that support them and their terrorism cannot be reasoned with either. That is the fatal flaw in Ron Paul’s position and it could get Americans killed. While one could argue that the war is killing Americans as well, it should be duly noted that these are largely military men who volunteered for the job. This makes their sacrifice great but doesn’t work in Mr. Paul’s argument. Outside of the first responders on 9/11 the remainder did not know the danger they faced by going to work that morning. Mr. Paul himself likens his stance to that of Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel , hardly a mantle I would claim.

An interesting observation of the Congressman’s supporters is that anytime an entry comes out on a fairly well read blog (that would exclude this one) they come out in droves to flood the commentary. This shows me a fervent and vocal following but not a large one. I can provide examples here and here. I realize that he had a record one day haul in fundraising but it belies his true lack of mainstream support. He’s got some solid conservative bonafides that make him an attractive candidate in a lot of ways but I cannot get over the danger his way of thinking poses to the American people. Many of his supporters remind me of the Howard Dean groundswell in late 2003 before he imploded. Not in philosophy but it tactical methodology. One exception is jimmyb of the Conservative UAW Guy blog who is no moonbat and a person I respect. People like jimmyb give a certain validity to Paul and show that his following is not entirely the irrational mob some characterize it to be. This highlights the true need for a solidly conservative candidate that will also enact or prolong policies that protect America. One of these is much of the Patriot Act, something Dr. Paul voted against.

Ron Paul is important to the process in the fact that he tries. The problem with American politics over the last 20 years is that we have quit striving for ideals and accepted a status quo based upon party lines. There is room for disagreement but we too often cave and are forced to accept a package that is “electable” but flawed beyond all practicality. “Compassionate Conservatism” led to runaway spending and increased entitlements while Paul’s brand of conservatism would leave our security in doubt. At least he opens up the dialogue and brings forth a valuable point. We will never get there in we don’t try.

I like Paul for his idealism and principle but couldn’t ever consider voting for him unless he were the Republican nominee because Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards present an even worse choice. Unfortunately this leaves me without a candidate at present. In the primary I’ll probably pull the lever for Duncan Hunter as closest full conservative package.

My final question is why must conservatives compromise? Are we that fractured that we cannot find a candidate that can pair a workable social/domestic agenda with a foreign policy that would keep us safe? Flawed or not, Ron Paul has at least enlivened the debate and got us thinking again.

Posted by Biloxi in Politics at 11:42 AM EST

13 Comments »

Happy Thanksgiving from the Republic. May you be surrounded by your blessings daily. God Bless you all.

Posted by Biloxi in Biloxi Says at 9:25 AM EST

2 Comments »

Appeasers of radical Islamists and those who seek to blame our relationship with Israel for all of the troubles in Central Asia need look again at some of the acts being perpetrated in the name of Islam. While the hand-wringers in the United States fret over waterboarding, Taliban militants continue their routine of inhuman acts to those who don’t bend to their special brand of Islamic purity. An Associated Press story relates the gory details of torture and mutilation.

Taliban militants tortured five abducted policemen in southern Afghanistan and then strung up their mutilated bodies in trees in a warning to villagers against working with the government, officials said Sunday.

Kind of makes GITMO look rather mild doesn’t it? The misdeeds at Abu Ghraib at least left the prisoners alive and intact. This is the group that gave aid and comfort to Osama bin Laden and this is why they must be stopped.

The Taliban told the people that whoever works with the government will suffer the same fate as these policemen,” Himat said. “This village is under Taliban control. There are more than 100 Taliban in this village.

Kind of warms the cockles of one’s heart doesn’t it? This example of a group closely aligned with Al Qaeda should explain to all why it is important that we finish the job both in Afghanistan and Iraq. This is not self created, nor is it entirely about oil. It is about humanity and survival as a country. No amount of “diplomacy” or negotiation works in the face of unmitigated evil such as this. As we move into Thanksgiving be thankful for the country in which we live and those who protect and defend her so atrocities like this may never become the accepted practice.

Posted by Biloxi in Radical Islam, War on Terror at 8:07 AM EST

No Comments »

Thank You and God Bless you all.

Happy Veterans Day!

Posted by Biloxi in Biloxi Says at 1:47 PM EST

No Comments »

Anyone who knows me knows how I advocate for adoption and respect for life whether the adoption be domestic or international. I have always looked at each life and child as their own unique treasure that just needs the environment to flourish.

Today I write with heavy heart but great pride about a different kind of adoption. We met Pat Lapka at church and noticed her friendliness in a very short period of time. At the time we had two children and were a young but growing family and Pat took a little bit of a shine to us. We were always friendly but our relationship largely centered around church activities. I got to know her better after joining a Bible study group that she also attended. After Pat’s husband Bob passed away Pat seemed out of sorts as one would expect so we began inviting her to our house for dinner or holidays and sometimes for no reason at all other than to be blessed by her presence and enjoy conversation with her. As she and I had vastly different political outlooks the topics could sometimes become spirited but never rancorous. Pat wasn’t shy in taking her positions but was never argumentative about the differences. Quite often we agreed to disagree and left the politics at that while we could still enjoy each other’s company.

Subsequently our family grew to 6 children and our Pat loved every one of the kids. Each has a unique personality and as such each had a unique relationship with Pat. She would often invite my oldest son to her house to help her with yard or repair work that consisted of 15 minutes of work (for which she overpaid him) and an hour at the ice cream store or some other eating establishment. At varying times she would take the other children, sometimes alone, sometimes 2 at a time for these special “help” visits. Pat was generous but the kids true pay was the experience and the lesson that there is more to life than ourselves.

In the process Pat adopted us, and we reciprocated. Nothing was planned, it just developed. As such we couldn’t have been more blessed. Pat left the earthly shackles this past August to be with our eternal father. We all miss her in more ways than we can articulate. Adopting a child is most certainly a lifetime commitment borne of love but so too can be this “different” type of adoption. There are people throughout our life and world yearning for the contact, love and companionship that humans provide each other but this is often overlooked as we move about the bustle of our daily lives. These people can offer more than you’ll ever know in ways you could never imagine. Reach out and you will be blessed.

Our entire family has a heavy heart over losing Pat but a joy in knowing she is with God. We are also assured that we are better off than we could ever have imagined because of the times we were graced with her presence, love and immense heart. Don’t ever close your mind, these kind of “adoptions” can happen every day and we can be richer for the associations. Reach out and you will be truly wealthy. We miss and love Pat but have learned a valuable lesson. We also know we will see her again in due time and because of that she is never truly lost.

Until we meet again Pat, keep smiling as will we at the remembrance of you and our time together.

Posted by Biloxi in Biloxi Says at 11:15 AM EST

No Comments »

How is it we get all of the BushHitler analogies and erroneous cries of eroded freedoms from the left at the same time many of the same people are cozying up to freedom-crushing leftist dictators? As a person that operates solidly in logic I cannot fathom this phenomena. Let’s start with Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez. Since his election, he has engineered a totalitarian takeover that is nearly complete. He is in the process of re-writing the constitution to remove term limits giving himself the ability to remain in power in perpetuity. Further he can create new provinces that he can pack with cronies allowing for complete control of the entire country. The “reform” also allow him to take control of the Central Bank. In recent years he has seized private property and shut down nearly all opposition media. Now the ability to protest peacefully is met with violence. To top it all off it appears that Venezuela has become a refuge for global crime. With all of the evidence one would think Chavez would be a pariah among the freedom loving people pf the world yet the American left is crawling over each other in their attempts to sidle up to the dictator.. Sean Penn, Harry Belafonte, Cindy Sheehan and a host of others can’t wait to sing his virtues and have their pictures taken with him.

How is it that they cannot see the Socialist utopias are always headed by a power structure that lives lavishly while the masses eat stale bread? Socialism and Communism are proven failures both as political and economic systems wherever they are tried yet the left cannot seem to get enough of them and those who push these failed apparatus. Much of the Cuban population lives in poverty 48 years after Fidel Castro’s Cuban Revolution. People are literally dying to leave that haven of socialist virtue. Now the people of Castro’s utopia are being detained and arrested for wearing a white bracelet with the word “cambio” which is the Spanish word for change. Many think a loosening of the trade restrictions against Cuba would lead to a better life for her people but the truth is governmental change is the only way. This is faulty because many European countries have no such restrictions and things have not improved for the average Cuban. Castro knows it or the charges of the wristbands being counterrevolutionary wouldn’t be necessary. Any system requiring the arrest of her people to keep it in place is faulty on its face yet the left can’t get enough of the aged autocrat or the romantic idea of a socialist paradise. What’s with this “revolution” anyway? If you’ve been in power for going on 50 years wouldn’t the revolution be over and the system be considered status quo?

The fact of the matter is this “we are the world” all for one and one for all approach looks attractive to those at the top, including much of the Hollywood left because they are the haves and they are not being asked to sacrifice their status or wealth, they simply want others to forfeit theirs. Socialism takes away the incentive for achievement and progress and in the end is a stumbling block if not an outright barricade to progress. In the end it is obvious the fascination with totalitarianism being presented to be for the good of the masses is more sloganeering and theory over practicality and substance. The truth of the matter is they want a system for others that they are not willing to live themselves.

Posted by Biloxi in Liberal Illogic at 9:34 AM EST

No Comments »

Chicago Mayor Richard Daley has now stated that he is scaling back his plans for a massive tax increase. Under the new plan he will only take 83 million dollars in extra property taxes instead of the original estimate of 108 million. Interesting in the news article is the way the administration presents the numbers. The city estimates that under the new, slimmer, plan that it would only cost the owner of a $250,000 home an additional $60 per year, down from the original plan’s estimate of $80. This method of selling an increase isn’t unique to Chicago but I challenge you to find me all of those $250,000 homes in the Chicago city limits. Maybe in the Englewood neighborhood with boards on the windows but darn sure not in Garfield Ridge, Beverly or Edison Park. It is always easier to sell a tax grab using an unrealistic scenario lending the appearance of frugality. Da Mare also plans to reduce his tax request on a bottle of water from $.10 to .$05 making a case of bottled water only 25% more expensive instead of 50. While he claims the property tax increase will be dedicated towards building libraries it hardly imbues one with confidence that the money will get to its designation without the Mayor’s friends and family program getting their share.

A decrease in the amount requested is a tactic used, whether by design or consequence, to make it look like a deal when considering the original proposal but it cannot be considered so when contrasted to the status quo. That being exorbitant taxation and little to show for it beyond the wrought iron and flower boxes in the loop. Of course, that is unless you are one of the privileged.

Try an austerity budget Mr. Mayor. When you’ve trimmed all of the fat, perhaps you may already have enough.

Posted by Biloxi in Chicago, Government at Work at 7:43 AM EST

3 Comments »