Alcee Hastings, the man picked by Speaker-in-Waiting Pelosi to chair the House Intelligence Committee, has sent a letter to his colleagues telling them that he was acquitted of charges in federal court. Of course, that’s only part of the story. Here’s the part that Alcee Hastings doesn’t want people to remember:

A Miami jury acquitted Hastings (while convicting the friend), but three different federal judicial panels later referred him to Congress for impeachment. “Judge Hastings attempted to corruptly use his office for personal gain. Such conduct cannot be excused or condoned even after Judge Hastings has been acquitted of the criminal charge,” concluded one panel, composed of five circuit court judges. It added:

There is clear and convincing evidence that Judge Hastings sought to conceal his participation in the bribery scheme and to explain away evidence connecting him with the sale of justice and that he pursued these objectives through concocting and presenting fabricated documents and false testimony in a United States District Court.

That sounds to me like Hastings’ acquittal wasn’t based on his being innocent but rather that the jury wouldn’t convict. Frankly, the fact that a panel composed of five circuit court judges said that there’s “clear and convincing evidence that Judge Hastings sought to conceal his participation in the bribery scheme and to explain away evidence connecting him with the sale of justice” is far more compelling to me than a jury verdict. (continue reading post »)

The more that comes out about the Flying Imam Fiasco, the more apparent it is that it was a stunt designed to give political cover to Democrats who want to weaken airport security. Here’s what IBD opines in their editorial:

All six claim to be Americans, so clearly they were aware of heightened security. Surely they knew that groups of Muslim men flying together while praying to Allah fit the modus operandi of the 9/11 hijackers and would make a pilot nervous. Throw in anti-U.S. remarks and odd demands about seat belts, and they might as well have yelled, “Bomb!”
Yet they chose to make a spectacle. Why? Turns out among those attending their conference was Rep.-elect Keith Ellison, (D-MN), who will be the first Muslim sworn into Congress (with his hand on the Quran). Two days earlier, Ellison, an African-American convert who wants to criminalize Muslim profiling, spoke at a fundraiser for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the Muslim-rights group that wasted no time condemning US Airways for “prejudice and ignorance.” CAIR wants congressional hearings to investigate other incidents of “flying while Muslim.” Incoming Judiciary Chairman John Conyers, (D-MI), has already drafted a resolution, borrowing from CAIR rhetoric, that gives Muslims special civil-rights protections.

I hope that Conyers’ legislation gets extensive coverage on CNN, FNC and conservative talk radio. I pray that the NY Times makes this legislation its next major cause. I’d be positively giddy if there’s a recorded vote on this so we can use it in commercial after commercial in 2008. Giving “Muslims special civil-rights protections” would tell Americans that (a) Democrats are in the back pockets of radical Muslim ‘civil rights organizations’; (b)Democrats care more about appeasing a fringe group than about maintaining tight airline safety and (c)Democrats will neither be tough nor smart in the GWOT. In fact, this debate will show them to be the appeasers that they’ve always been. (continue reading post »)

It’s obvious that the Russians wanted former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko silenced. Today, they got their wish:

Mr Litvinenko fell ill after meeting a contact, an Italian journalist, in a sushi restaurant in central London. Dramatic photographs released this week showed him lying in intensive care. His hair had fallen out and his complexion was jaundiced. Last night he suffered a heart attack and doctors said his condition had worsened. Friends and relatives were said to be rushing to his bedside fearing the worst.

Doctors still do not know what caused his illness, although they have said he was poisoned. Initial reports suggested he had been poisoned with thallium, or with a radioactive material, but doctors have now said this was not the case. His friend Oleg Gordievsky, a former high-ranking KGB agent who defected to Britain, said Mr Litvinenko had been killed by two Russian secret agents who poisoned his tea during a meeting at a London hotel. Mr Gordievsky told Sky News: “He was fighting against the evil forces in Russia, against the authorities which are depressing democracy and liberal freedoms in Russia.”

Based on what I’ve read, the Kremlin’s love of control and secrecy played a major role in their poisoning him after they killed Russian reporter Anna Politkovskaya. What’s ironic is that Litvinenko was looking into her murder:

Mr Litvinenko, an outspoken critic of President Vladimir Putin, was probing the murder of Ms Politkovskaya, who had become famous for exposing Russian atrocities in Chechnya. Thirteen journalists have been murdered in Russia since Mr Putin came to power in 2000. None of the cases has been solved.
Two years ago the Russian government denied any part in the poisoning of Viktor Yushchenko, the pro-Western presidential candidate in neighbouring Ukraine. He won the presidency after his pro-Russian rival was accused of trying to rig the elections. (continue reading post »)

I just got an email from my sister-in-law that included this link to an article in the Fairmont (MN) Sentinel. Here’s what’s ruffling Fairmont’s citizens:

Fairmont City Council members may not have known all the details last week when they endorsed a U.S. Department of Peace. They’ve been hitting the books since. Councilman Andy Lucas said Monday he is still researching the issue, studying online and keeping his options open when it comes to reconsidering his vote. Lucas and colleagues voted 5-0 to approve a resolution supporting a Department of Peace.

When I read the phrase “U.S. Department of Peace”, red flags immediately went up. Here’s why:

Department of Peace

The United States was founded on hope, optimism, and a commitment to freedom. We can once again become a beacon of hope for the world. To do that, we must reject the current administration’s policies of fear, suspicion, and preemptive war. It is time to jettison our illusions and fears and to transform age-old challenges with new thinking. This is the idea behind my proposal to establish a Department of Peace. This is the idea to make nonviolence an organizing principle at home and abroad and dedicate ourselves to peaceful coexistence, consensus building, disarmament, and respect for international treaties. Violence and war are not inevitable. Nonviolence and peace are inevitable.

My first reaction to Kucinich’s proposal was that I hoped that bin Laden and like-minded terrorist organizations wouldn’t mind unilaterally disarming themselves before joining us in singing Kumbaya around the campfire. Since I thought the chances of that happening were less than nil, I pretty much just got a laugh out of his proposal. (continue reading post »)

The Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation’s Mahdi Bray has weighed in on the Imam fiasco with this quote:

“The detention of these religious leaders, and the refusal of the airline to allow them travel, is a gross example of blatant Islamophobia and the violation of the civil rights of Muslim passengers”, said Imam Mahdi Bray, executive director of the Muslim American Society Freedom Foundation.
“These religious men had already gone through the airport security screening, like all other passengers on the aircraft. The fact that some of them chose to openly pray did not warrant, by any means, their removal from the plane. We call on all decent Americans to speak out against this bigotry and attacks on religious freedoms.”
“Last time I checked, public prayer was still protected by the U.S. constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion and speech. It’s a shame that as an African-American and a Muslim I have the double whammy, I have to worry about driving while black and flying while Muslim. We charge the airline with not only discrimination, but with an action that is insulting and demeaning to these Muslim religious leaders, and to all people of faith.”

Imam Bray has some nerve talking about bigotry and religious freedom considering some of his past actions, like this:

In American Jihad, Emerson notes that when Abdurahman Alamoudi of the American Muslim Council, who is now serving a 23-year prison sentence for a terrorism financing conviction, encouraged the Muslim crowd at an October 2000 rally cosponsored by MPAC to declare their support of the jihad terror groups Hamas and Hizballah, “MPAC’s Political Advisor, Mahdi Bray, stood directly behind Alamoudi and was seen jubilantly exclaiming his support for these two deadly terrorist organizations.” (continue reading post »)

“Last month American soldiers captured a Mahdi Army death squad leader in Baghdad — only to be forced to turn him loose on order of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. Two weeks ago, we were ordered, again by Maliki, to take down the barricades we had established around Sadr City in search of another notorious death squad leader and a missing American soldier.”

— Charles Krauthammer

This on top of Nancy Pelosi’s statement that the Iraq War is not a war to be won, but a situation to be solved. We are no longer fighting a war, we are playing games.

A decisive victory in Iraq is still the best possible outcome, but without the political will on either the Iraqi or American side to do what is necessary, staying is madness. With the Democrats in power and Bush rolling over for them (not that he had the initiative anyway), there is no mission. Not another American soldier’s life should be wasted in Iraq under these circumstances.

We were better off with Saddam in power. He was easily containable and prevented the Iranians from having their run of the region. [Editor's note: And most importantly, Saddam was a ruthless blood-thirsty dictator, who ruled by instilling fear among everyone. With public executions, rape rooms, and putting people through plastic shredders -- evidently, that's the barbarism it takes to contain the savages that are carrying on the terrorist activity.]

This should be a clear message to any country that supports terrorists who threaten or attack the US. We will come into your country, kill you and destroy your government, and leave you with the mess.

I received the following email from:

CONGRESS.ORG WEEKLY UPDATE November 20, 2006
CONGRESSMAN: “BRING BACK THE DRAFT”
TELL PRES. BUSH AND CONGRESS WHAT YOU WOULD BE THANKFUL FOR CONGRESSMAN CHARLES RANGEL PROPOSES MILITARY DRAFT

Incoming Ways and Means Committee Chairman Rep. Charles Rangel proposes reinstating the military draft for everyone over 18 to bolster troop levels and deter Congress from getting into further wars. Write to Congress and President Bush to share your views. We will tabulate the views daily and display them on Congress.org.

I Support Bringing Back the Draft

I Oppose Bringing Back the Draft

What did I write? I think that my readers have an idea…

I support reinstating the draft.

America would benefit from this two ways…

1) We would have the forces to sustain the War against Terrorism at home and abroad; National Guard = Home, Active Duty = Abroad

2) Our youth may stop being so narcicistic, self-centered, and anti-military.There will be no colleges to go to if Radical Islam has it’s way in America.They will all be Mosques…

Rightfielder Out

Cross-posted at Rightfielder

This article is great news to any conservative who’s still ‘recovering’ from this past election. I know it did my heart good.

The radical realist who defied conventional wisdom 12 years ago by stealing the House out from under the noses of entrenched Democrats now plans a surprise attack for the presidency. “I’m going to tell you something, and whether or not it’s plausible given the world you come out of is your problem,” he tells Fortune. “I am not ‘running’ for president. I am seeking to create a movement to win the future by offering a series of solutions so compelling that if the American people say I have to be president, it will happen.” So he’s running, only without yet formally saying so.

Newt’s never been bashful in laying out his vision for America. Though some say that that’s his biggest flaw, that isn’t a belief I share with Newt’s naysayers in the GOP. Frankly, I wish more Republicans were as eloquent in laying out their conservative vision for America as Newt is.

I remember a Strib article from Newt’s book tour following the 1994 landslide election. I remember it because the liberal reporter (that’s the only type of reporter they’ve ever had at the Strib.) said that “Whether you agree or disagree with Gingrich, you’re drawn towards him because he’s first and foremost a teacher.” I’ve always thought that that’s the most apt description of Newt that I’ve ever heard. (continue reading post »)

Today, with a news headline this silly, it almost sounds believable.

And that’s not funny. But as usual, Scott Ott reports:

(2006-11-21) — In the wake of a civil rights crisis sparked when culturally-insensitive passengers on a U.S. Airways flight Monday became alarmed at the sight of six praying Muslim Imams, a consortium of major airlines has agreed to set aside Muslim prayer sections on all domestic and international flights.

“From now on, we devote our former first class sections to the use of our faithful, peaceful Muslim customers,” said an unnamed airline industry spokesman. “Most of the time, when a group of Muslim men suddenly stands up on an airplane chanting ‘Allahu Akbar’, they’re simply praying. Although the memories of 9/11 are still fresh in the minds of many Americans, if we’re going to heal those wounds, we need to move beyond religious intolerance.”

Flight attendants will alter their safety instructions to inform passengers that “seat cushions can be used as prayer mats,” and pilots will make every effort to point planes toward Mecca five times each day.

The industry source added, “We ask our devoted Muslim customers only to remember that all domestic flights are non-smoking, and we’d like to keep them that way.”

“What’s the point? They’re all crooks.”
– My father, on voting.

As the U.S. Capitol custodial staff scrubs bloody chunks of the Republicans’ former majority from chamber walls, the more informed among us are left to our (hopefully more informed) conjecture. Have we moved into another dark age of far-Left preeminence, or will the Democrat leadership crash and burn, engendering even more disgust and disappointment in voters than existed two weeks ago, thus turning the tables yet again?

Should the latter occur anytime within the next, oh, two to four years, it is evident that Americans will no longer tolerate Republican politicians who transmogrify into Democrats as soon as they attain a majority; the midterm election was all the proof we need of that.

Q: How do you turn a Republican into a Democrat?
A: Get them elected.

Not any more. And well it should be. “Death to the RINOs! [Republicans In Name Only]” is a call I’ve been hearing a lot over the last week or so in varying forms.

“Proretrogressives”, I believe, is an apt designation for what the Democrat leadership has become - for the moment. A year ago, no one but their base would have voted for them in the numbers they did on November 7. The Democrat leadership figured out that they needed to appear more centrist to retake the Capitol - and it worked. Their international socialist agenda remains the same, however: They will continue to press for suicidal economic and social programs and policies at home, and continue to smooch the buttocks of the likes of Kim Jong-Il, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and other profoundly dangerous enemies of the U.S. - as they have for the last 40 years. The American people will suffer the consequences; they’ve got fat pensions, bunkers and stored food prepared for Nancy Pelosi, Ted Kennedy and their RINO bedfellows.

Perhaps they’ll suggest that America convert to radical Islam en masse. That, after all is the only alternative to annihilation or victory. It is sad that the Democrat majority left to their own devices will ultimately force the U.S. into the position of having to incinerate several million misled souls in order to save ourselves. When we get backed into that corner, someone’s going to start pressing buttons, no matter which party is in charge. We are already in a more precarious position than we were concerning the Japanese threat in World War II; far Left politicians and the media are the reason most Americans are shielded from this fact. (continue reading post »)