Another Bad Hitlary Idea

It seems that Democrat frontrunner Hitlary Clinton wants to create a national public service academy.

This is the kind of thing that demonstrates the truth in stereotypes, since it only serves the purpose of government control and self-perpetuation of Big Government. After all, the kind of indoctrination for bureaucrats that Hitlary wants to promote is already occurring at many major universities and teachers colleges.

Aside from that, we already have three academies which serve the purpose of training Americans for national public service nicely, thank-you-very much. One is on the banks of the Hudson; another is at the foot of the Rockies; a third is on the shore of the Chesapeake Bay.

Utterly Predictable

There are some people who, when you meet them, you immediately identify as being twenty pounds of crap in a ten pound bag.

One such individual is among the Holy Fathers of Montclair, the property owners' association in the community in which I live. It has just reinstalled as its president an individual whom I had the displeasure of meeting about ten years back, an individual whose sanctimony is exceeded only by his ignorance. He has, two or three times, run as a write-in for the Dumfries District seat on the Prince William County School Board.

I received the Association's monthly magazine in today's mail. That monthly journal regularly includes a President's page, a rah-rah section for our little community which had heretofore appeared on the first inside page.

A few month's back, it started appearing on the front cover.

In the edition delivered today, right up at the top, it features a quotation which, I suppose, is intended to be some kind of words of wisdom. Much like the TR quotation appearing to the right.

The author of the quotation? The gentleman in question!

I suppose it is, sadly, not unexpected.

It does, however, speak volumes about the character of the man, or the lack thereof.

One wonders whether to just laugh, or to cry.

Now THIS Is Funny

Hillary Clinton and her driver were cruising along a country road one evening when an ancient cow loomed in front of the car, the driver tried to avoid it but couldn't --- the aged bovine was struck and killed. Hillary told her driver to go up to the farmhouse and explain to the owners what had happened. She stayed in the car making phone calls to lobbyists.

About an hour later the driver staggered back to the car with his clothes in disarray. He was holding a half-empty bottle of expensive wine in one hand, a rare Cuban cigar in the other, and was smiling happily, smeared with lipstick.

"What happened to you," asked Hillary?

"Well," the driver replied, "the farmer gave me the cigar, his wife gave me the wine, and their beautiful twin daughters made passionate love to me"!

" My God, what did you tell them?" asked Hillary.

The driver replied, "I just stepped inside the door and said, I'm Hillary Clinton's driver and I've just killed the old cow."

H/T to Nealz Nuze.

More Far-Left Guilt-By-Association Tactics

So now the boys and girls at Ranting Kids ... er, Raising Dough ... er, "Raising Kaine" are attacking Jeff Frederick because he was endorsed by former Dumfries Mayor Mel Bray, recently accused of "keeping a bawdy place," a misdemeanor under the Virginia Code.

I don't know Mel well, though I've met him a few times over the years, and I have to say that, knowing his record, I am dubious about the charge and his knowledge of the activities in the business. But the assertions of Ranting Kid James Marting is assuredly interesting:

The only thing I can say is, "The best judge of a man is the company he keeps."

I guess the point is that Jeff simply didn't notice --- assuming Bray's guilt, as Martin appears to (never mind that pesky Sixth Amendment presumption of innocence) --- the scarlet "P" that is issued to keepers of a bawdy place. Perhaps Bray kept it hidden under an article of clothing (assuming his guilt, which I don't). Perhaps he wears in as a tattoo, in a region where "the sun don't shine."

In any case, I'm certainly happy to play the Martin game, and apply his standard, though, to him: wing-nuts Cindy Sheehan, Mike Gravel, and Dennis Kucinich; adulterer Jesse Jackson; adulterer and prevaricator Bill Clinton; convicted tax-evader Dan Rostenkowski; Democrat David Duke; former KKK member Robert Byrd.

I don't know who comes out worse in this game, but Martin doesn't come out so well, based upon the above listing of the flower of Democrat pulchritude.

I, for one, am fully prepared to reserve judgment on the charges against Bray, as I assume (but don't know) Frederick has.

You can play, too!

Michael Vick --- The Appropriate Sentence

One is something at a loss to understand the level of depravity necessary to underlie the type of cruelty of which Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick is accused. One needn't be a member of PETA (that's "People for the [so-called] Ethical Treatment of Animals," not People for the Eating of Tasty Animals) to be repulsed by it.

Of course, Vick is presumed innocent until proven guilty, but the question does arise: What is the appropriate punishment should he be found guilty of the charges against him?

For the answer to that question, though, I harken back to the late Lewis Grizzard, of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, who offered his suggestion for the appropriate punishment for Jim Bakker, for his misdeeds related to the Jessica Hahn imbroglio. In this regard, Grizzard was a man ahead of his time.

Grizzard suggested that Bakker's punishment should be very simply: he should be locked in a room, naked, with a raw pork chop tied around his neck... along with four female pit bulls, with extreme PMS.

Sounds about right to me as far as Vick is concerned.

Since You Asked....

1. I am a fair to middlin' singer, and sing in my church's choir (Bass II).

2. I acted in high school plays and musicals, and in one college play... giving evidence to the observation that all litigators are frustrated actors.

3. I am an Eagle Scout, Phi Beta Kappa, and a singularly lousy athlete... but I really enjoy playing softball with my church's team.

4. I think Thomas Jefferson was overrated; this nation is more reflective of the intellectual contributions of James Madison and Alexander Hamilton.

5. I was chosen as the speaker at my high school graduation ... by a committee that included a lefty English teacher who threw me off of the forensics team for an incredibly stupid reason.

6. I'm a lifelong Pittsburgh Steelers and Penn State Nittany Lions fan.

7. I have conceptual objections to paying $5 for a cup of coffee.

8. My idea of Heaven is: a Fuente Fuente Opus X Double Corona in one hand; a tall tumbler of Crown Royal Special Reserve (or a draft Alaskan Amber) by my side; a Tom Clancy novel in my lap; and my wife and the beautiful sons she has given me surrounding me.

Why am I telling you all this? Because Leslie Carbone tagged me with a meme, the rules of which are: list eight habits or facts about yourself, then tag eight more people.

Tagged are:

Jim Riley

Citizen Tom

Charles Reichley

Ben Tribbett

Greg Letiecq

Waldo Jaquith

Vivian J. Paige

Doug Mataconis

The World's Number One Terrorist Target?

Dubai, a nation in the Persian Gulf, now boasts the world's tallest building.

Another reason to pursue vigorously the War on Terror.

Targeting the Vile Weed

Got a couple of e-mails over the past few days about this proposal, apparently another Democrat scheme to buy the votes of one group by screwing another, smaller group:

Currently before the United States Senate is a proposal to fund health insurance on the backs of tobacco products to the tune of $35 billion (that's Billion with a B). Most egregious is the proposed tax rate on cigars of 53.1%, including a ludicrous 20,400% increase in the overall cap. This would make handmade cigars - a true mom-and-pop industry, a product enjoyed by "choice", an average 3 times per week - the single largest excise taxed item in the entire Internal Revenue Code....by a long shot.
This piece of legislation is called SCHIP (State Childrens Health Insurance Plan). Tonight this bill is being marked up in the Senate Finance Committee and is expected to come to the Senate floor for a vote as early as end of week.
We urge you to call both of your U.S. Senators today and express your opposition to funding "SCHIP legislation" with punitive cigar taxes. As a constituent your voice will be heard. Please see phone numbers below for your Senators.

Another e-mail pointed out how this will devastate the economies of places like the Dominican Republican, Nicaragua, and Honduras.

I suppose I'll give up cigars (the only vice Mrs. Young allows me) if this ridiculous tax passes. Aside from the absurdity of the price (my average cigar is now less than $5) with this ridiculous tax, government should get the Hell out of the business of socializing medicine. To the extent that I may refuse to fund it, I will.

As If There Were Any Doubt

You Are a Smart American

You know a lot about US history, and you're opinions are probably well informed. Congratulations on bucking stereotypes. Now go show some foreigners how smart Americans can be.

Are You a Dumb American?

H/T to J's Notes.

Biden Insults President

The estimable Senator from Delaware thinks our President is "brain dead."

Geez. Next thing you know, he'll be plaigarizing has-been British politicians.

Give Biden credit, though: he knows from whence he speaks.

Two Great Movies For Independence Day

Just got home from the Independence Day festivities, and turned to Turner Classic Movies. There are two for the day, which truly bring home the message of the sacrifices made by the Great Men and Women who made the Nation:

1776, a musical starring Ken Howard ("The White Shadow"), Howard da Silva, Blythe Danner ("The Great Santini"), William Daniels ("St. Elsewhere"), and John Cullum ("Northern Exposure"), a movie which manages to capture so much of the relationship between Jefferson and Adams (whose disputes were significant, but who both were indispensable to the Founding, and both who died fifty years to the day after the signing of the Declaration);

The Patriot, starring Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger, Joely Richardson ("Nip/Tuck"), Jason Isaacs ("Armageddon"), Tcheky Caryo, and Chris Cooper, a movie which manages to capture the sacrifices made by the Founding Generation.

Completely unrealistic. And moving representations of America's Founding. Required viewing.

Perhaps the best lines: "Treason is a crime created by the winners as an excuse for hanging the losers." Benjamin Franklin, 1776.

Or "Stay the course." Colonel Henry Burwell, The Patriot.