Sword and Sextant

The Senate finance committee met today, and they discussed an interesting topic. The issue was the public option, and it was given a thumbs down.

The Senate Finance Committee has just rejected the Rockefeller amendment in favor of a public option by a 15-8 margin. All the Republicans voted no, and they were joined by Baucus, Conrad, Lincoln, Nelson, and Carper. Nancy Pelosi may still try to overcome blue-dog objections to the public option in the House, but I think this makes it pretty clear that proponents lack the votes in the Senate.

Pelosi can do whatever the Hell she wants (and she most certainly will), but the public option’s defeat today will take some wind out of liberal sails in the House, and it further signals that she will lose further support in the Senate should she try to force this in the bill.

Huge shout-out to the GOP Senators, who stuck to their guns. This nation is speaking loudly, and some of the Congress has heard. No rest for the weary, however. Time to finish this bill once and for all.

The liberals in control of the Democrat Party are completely insane at the moment, and the insults are flying everywhere. I won’t catalog them here, as everyone knows by now, but I will comment that watching this metamorphosis is shocking and terrifying, but about as interesting as anything I’ve seen in 25 years of life, politically speaking.

Recently, the tea party movement has ignited again, and with it the ichor and brutality of liberalism is scared and enraged by the Right using their own tactics against them. For a century, Nixon’s silent majority was the reality, and the liberals made all the racket in public. Party heads, notably the Democratic Party of Wisconsin’s Head, have again flown off the handle:

“These are extremist elements pulling together, distinct vocal minorities that frankly don’t believe in this country,” Tate said. “They don’t want to see more people have access to quality affordable health care; they don’t want clean air and water. They fundamentally don’t understand how the American government, economy and capitalism work.”

Wow. You’re really going to say we don’t understand capitalism? Hillary Clinton, the current SecState, once said that the most destructive force in America today is “the unfettered free market”. Obama said “spreading the wealth” was something good, etc., etc., etc.

Anyhow, the veracity of these statements isn’t the issue. The issue is that union members, full-bore Dems, and all manner of people actually showed up at last weekend’s rally, which totaled around 8,000 people, according to estimates. Calling them all names and marginalizing these people is not sound political strategy. Moreover, its the easiest path to losing power in the government as quickly as possible.

Polls are very clear that the tea party movement has sympathy in the general public, and derisive coverage of them has only increased the fervor. Independents’ support and attendance at the rallies has increased over time just as Obama’s numbers trend very negatively, and drop with each passing day. How on Earth are the liberals missing this? As a conservative, I’m delighted to watch the Democrats essentially demand to be removed from office by pressing forward on Cap and Trade and Health Care Takeover 2009. Is it a lack of self-control? I’m largely speechless.

The main goal of any political movement is to gain and maintain power. Whether its an abortion lobby, a human rights group, the NRA, or the Green Party, grabbing influence and holding on to it is the only real achievement worth noting. In that light, why are the Dems so gleefully alienating as many people as possible by throwing the race card all over Hell, and directing the anger of decades at anyone scared or angry about monstrous deficit spending or government takeovers?

I wish I had an answer, other than to say that liberals are scared to death by conservative activism, and their only response is anger and rage. At any rate, I cannot imagine a surer path to losing power than this one. Its so bad, I feel compelled to tell the liberals to calm it down. Its like seeing a plane crash hours before the wheels leave the tarmac.

Cleared for takeoff!

McChrystal has definitely dropped a bombshell on the Obama administration, and on our nation as a whole.

With his report, he clearly states that the war in Afghanistan will become unwinnable if we do not make clear moves to leave or to strengthen our position. Moreover, he will resign if the President doesn’t send more troops.

The question is: What now?

The three options, completely boiled down, are to leave now, do nothing different, or turn up the heat to win the war. Of the three, the easiest by far is to leave.

Leaving now prevents our further expenditure in the war, and removes us ostensibly from Afghan affairs. The area will almost certainly become a terrorist stronghold, with the Taliban coming back into power. It will also teach rogue nations that, at least under this President, simply resisting and being obstinate will make us leave. Ask Poland about that.

Doing nothing is a horrible idea, as we will continue to lose ground, lives, and money as we struggle below water in a land quite unkind to the USSR. This is hardly an option, as the General and the President aren’t willing to agree on that at the moment.

Door #3 is winning the war with superior force, troops all over hell, and what some righties would be delighted to call a “surge”. Sadly, this option is not near as wonderful as it looks, even though I wish it were. We have the money and troops to overrun Afghanistan, for sure, but we’re probably going to be at war with Iran very soon. Let’s discuss.

We will not allow Iran to get weapons to wipe Israel off the map, yet we cannot allow Israel to attack Iran, which they certainly will if we don’t step in. The major difference is that we must hit first because if Israel attacks, every Middle Eastern nation will declare war on Israel, we will have to step in, and Russia will probably step in against us, with North Korea and Venezuela, all nuclear nations, scary as that might be.

In that light, Obama has a Hard-mode choice to make. He’s the main guy, regardless of what anyone thinks of him, and he’s got three tough options on the table. But what would a conservative blogger do? Glad you asked.

My opinion is not yet set in stone, but here are some pithy comments. I suppose I would set up shop in Afghanistan with the intention of launching the eventual attack on Iran from that area. I would expend enough energy to set up a massive base of operations in Afghanistan. We must simply swallow the bitter pill of backing that horrid regime, but Iran is the biggest fish in the sea at the moment, and we cannot let Iran drive the world in to a World War, not to mention oil going to $400 a barrel or higher.

While we borrow money we do not possess to pay off Obama’s pals and cut the defense budget wherever possible, China has been building weapons and ships.

Now, Secretary Gates warns that China is becoming a threat to our Pacific operations in the area. Read: North Korea, the New Soviet Union, etc. If they decide to flex a bit of muscle, or the NORKs want to test another missile, wouldn’t it be nice if China scared us from protecting an ally for any reason? I’m stoked.

In response (not really, but soon after), Obama hangs the Czechs and the Poles out to dry on missile defense. Before, we had the Russians on their heels, and we were safeguarding nations formerly invaded by the Soviets with an entirely defensive system that could also defend assaults from anything Iran may launch in the future. Now their heads sit next to Honduras’ and the Israelis on their ceremonial pikes, trophies for Obama’s pro-tyrant agenda worldwide. Now our allies get yet another lesson that you cannot trust the United States with Obama in power. Sound familiar?

This is Jimmy Carter all over again. Does anyone still believe that Obama being elected isn’t the worst thing in 30 years of American history?

Health care is in a tailspin, and even though the President doesn’t know it, more of him on television doesn’t actually change the realities of this bill, and the ugliness that will transmogrify our nation into something much less worthwhile. The Blue Dog Dems, happy to take power under Obama’s new wave of utopia, are now faced with two potential issues:

1) they are actually conservative democrats (thought they were all dead), and they dislike the bill on principle, or
2) they are going to lose their jobs immediately if they vote for it, regardless of their views.

Both doors lead toward staunch resistance from Obama’s own party. No matter how many times the media and their masters on the Left condemn the GOP for not going along on health care, which they have not wavered on, it is the Democrat Party that has the real crisis over health care. They promised to “go it alone” and yet nothing has happened, has it? I wonder why?

The reality is they haven’t the votes even in the House, should the bill get revisited, and are nowhere near (even to 50 votes, by some measures) in the Senate with HR 3200. Even the bastardization of the reconciliation policy will result in most of HR 3200 getting chopped, as Blue Dogs will not pass anything that will slit their own throats. This leaves a wonderful dichotomy for the GOP.

The far Left is too crazy to support a version without a public mandate/option, as they rightly believe this is their last, best chance at this for several years. The near Left is too sane to allow anything that will kick all their asses out of office in 2010, and not even Olympia Snowe is wandering over to see how the other side of the fence is doing. The “Party of NO” has become the only bipartisan force in this nation on health care, and the Dems within are ensconced, having already been burned badly on Cap and Trade legislation, since parked in the Senate.

Not only does the GOP carry the day hand-in-hand with a plurality of the nation, but they are using part of the Democrats against themselves, allowing them ground to complain that nothing is getting done, even when they compose the opposition. Very rarely does a party have nothing to lose by opposing an issue on such strong grounds. So far they haven’t screwed it up yet.

Yeah, Iran is still trying to get a nuke, even in the face of Obama trying to overhaul the American nation. Despite their lack of respect for the President and his cause, they’re going to try to wipe Israel off the map, after all.

This time its Sarkozy shitting in the Cheerios.

So, uh, Barack? Are we going to do anything to stop these crazy bastards? We too busy with health care? Yeah?

Let’s think about doing the entire job of President, please.

Democrats, frayed and dismayed on health care despite massive majorities in Congress and the golden boy as President, are increasingly leaning on yelling about or suggesting racism to defend their shoddy workmanship.

Maureen Dowd has recently said so, quite vehemently. So has Jimmah Cartah, notable for being the worst President in history, a crown Obama chases daily. Conservatives are simply racist, and their stands are only on hatred, and never principle.

Let’s ask the other question, however. Is it working? It certainly did during the campaign, as everyone skittered away from the issue. But what about now? It seems the President has true opposition out there, and a real crisis of honesty with the American people. Does reminding them of their perceived racism have any positive effects? Does a continual diversion from the nuts and bolts of any debate ever lose its luster?

I submit that the American people are losing their sensitivity regarding the R-word, and grousing against it. It is very possible, and likely according to Gallup and Rasmussen, that most citizens’ objections to the President’s policies are based on their inner feelings and nothing racial. Personally, I don’t give a shit about his skin color. Let’s not even forget that the man is black AND white, despite the fact we’re never to mention it.

So keep it up, Dems. Soon enough you’ll find that poo-pooing and marginalizing the beliefs and concerns of millions of Americans pisses them off, regardless of your aim.

Recently, Obama made no real news by extending a huge amount of money to Brazil for offshore drilling. Sarah Palin is the only person in mainstream America who has noticed, apparently. That’s right friends, the green-collar jobs hero is allowing drilling in other countries. What a rational, realistic, honest man.

But this rabbit hole goes a bit deeper. It just so happens that George Soros, of MoveOn.org fame, invested heavily in Petrobras in recent months. Petrobras is, of course, a Brazilian Oil Company. That was a really lucky move for Soros, who will waltz into a nice windfall based on pure chance and good fortune.

So, not only does Obama not seem to care about the environment once it ceases winning him votes, but he’ll use our money to help another country’s economy during our recession, AND he’ll scratch Papa Georgio on the back, so that MoveOn money can flow freely at the midterm elections.

This is insider trading at best, and criminal influence peddling at worst. Our President appears to be using taxpayer money to enrich a Democrat backer, ensuring free cashflow for this party for years to come. Obama is a Chicago politician at heart, and nothing is apparently too low for that man.

This weekend and early this week, the Obamanauts are marching on the nation, determined to seize control of their own citizens. Despite pitifully decaying support (in the red now), divisions between partisan fronts, and similar divides between Democrats themselves. Obama knows the clock is ticking loudly, and when the alarm goes off, health care won’t have the juice to pass any longer.

Unfortunately for them, the Dems aren’t the monolith all the liberals thought they were getting. Most/All politicians like being in power at least as much as helping their nation in their own way, and the Democrats that recently arose from normally red districts are already in dire straits from spending, general partisan regression to the mean, and what is so far a failed stimulus. Add in health care, probably the most despised and vilely hated reform by conservatives, and this bill looks very much like seppuku. Beyond that, some of these Dems actually ARE somewhat conservative, and they have no love for the bill’s ideas.

The fight rages on, and this nation’s soul is at stake. When every large insurance company, unions, the AARP, AMA, AHA, AHIP, etc are lined up against the populace and their interests, the battle is on. Is there any stronger indication of the government’s interest in you than their continual drive forward on health care, when approval is below water? When they enlist and buy off large entities to silence and fight against you? When they send MoveOn.org and Organizing for America goons to town halls to shout down the elderly? When they collect information on you if you dissent from their goals?

These liberals have got a hell of a battle on their hands, however. The power of focused public opinion on a nationwide scale is the scariest force in this country, and unless they can fracture us and break us down, they will have little choice but to cave. This vicious fight is getting worse, but we have the upper hand, because we grant them their jobs.

There is always a common wisdom regarding midterm elections. People continually point toward 1994 as proof of what happens when Dems seize all three houses. The cause is misdiagnosed as the country desiring more balance in government. The reality is that liberals pathologically lack self-control, and they go Teen Wolf in the candy shop the moment someone lets them in. 1994 is a particularly good example, as things like HillaryCare were elements that scared the voters into the Gingrich Revolution.

We will stop them, and use their recklessness against them in a sweeping return to power in 2010.

Fight the good fight, my friends. We’ve got them running scared.

President Obama may be pulling the public option from the table.

First off, here’s a frightening quote:

“I think there will be a competitor to private insurers,” Sebelius said. “That’s really the essential part, is you don’t turn over the whole new marketplace to private insurance companies and trust them to do the right thing.”

Oh, liberals. Momma government will save you from the mean capitalists.

Anywho, this is a monster victory because it allows all the other changes Obama wants to make to happen without transforming our entire nation. The government will still be unable to make any health care decisions for its citizens, and it will prevent several taxes from hitting the books, although some yet loom.

It also reveals that Obama isn’t quite the partisan firebrand I may have thought him to be. Nay, when it became obvious that a public option would be hemlock to his lips, it was dropped. Under the bus, if you will. He wants a “win” on this, of course, and he’ll pass any piece of paper that says health care on it, regardless of whether he’s able to pull off ANY of his original intent. It is another glaring sign that he’s simply another politician. On the heels of the Gatesgate deal, Obama looks very common suddenly.

But there’s more. The hits just keep on coming! Lookie:

Congress’ proposals, however, seemed likely to strike end-of-life counseling sessions. Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has called the session “death panels,” a label that has drawn rebuke from her fellow Republicans as well as Democrats. [...]

“In all honesty, I don’t want a bunch of nameless, faceless bureaucrats setting health care for my aged citizens in Utah,” Hatch said.

Sebelius said the end-of-life proposal was likely to be dropped from the final bill.

Its a pretty surefire sign you’ve won an argument when, despite continual denials of the opposition, they remove the thing you attack within their bill. Palin again shows her powers of populism with the ‘death panels’ comment, and Democrats flinch again. She’s a very blunt instrument, lacking the polish of a refined advocate, but still quite influential, as we’re capable of seeing.

In summary, the good work of a true grassroots uprising has finally poked the beltway hard enough to make them reconsider their ruinous path. This nation is far more resilient than anyone knows, and no amount of poopooing from the MSM, the White House, Congress, or anyone else can make us go against our wishes. Just as Obama swept into office by public opinion, he was beaten down by it when he left the national consensus.

This fight isn’t over, but rest on your laurels for a moment, happy warriors. This is a monumental victory.