Monday, December 31, 2007

No Guts?

Just came across this discussion in a professional journal:
Appointments to five-year terms on the board require Senate confirmation. The president can make shorter appointments without confirmation only when the Senate is in recess, which the Democratic-controlled body has refused to do. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) announced Dec. 19 that the Senate will convene for brief pro forma sessions until Dec. 31, when it will officially end the 2007 session, and then will continue holding pro forma sessions until Jan. 22, when it will begin active work in the 2008 session.
It doesn't really matter to what "Board" the article refers. The point is, why aren't Republicans protecting Presidential prerogatives by challenging this practice?

The Board at issue is one important to millions of Americans, and American business. Democrats are trying to run out the clock in the hopes of a Democrat President who will appoint more crypto-Socialists to that Board.

Now, I'm no expert on Senate rules, but it seems to me that even "pro forma sessions" require a quorum. Wouldn't one Republican Senator with the courage to show up and suggest the absence of a quorum be all that it would take to end this fraudulent practice? Doing so would require Senators to show up and enter their presence. Wouldn't failure to do so result in declaration of a recess?

Perhaps the problem with the question lies in the premise: "one Republican Senator with ... courage."

Thursday, December 20, 2007

A Lump Of Coal For Christmas

Well, the guy at TVGuide said it best: USA Network is delivering its viewers two lumps of coal for Christmas.

It seems that the NBC/Universal cable network is cancelling The Dead Zone after six seasons, and The 4400 after four.

Both have been great continuing sagas that have the Youngs glued to the television on Sunday nights.

The Dead Zone is based upon characters created by Stephen King in his wonderful novel of the same name. The movie version starred Christopher Walken as Johnny Smith, Brooke Adams as his love interest, and a chilling Martin Sheen as Greg Stillson. My autographed version of the novel, which I got when I was 18 and a senior in high school, is one of my prized possessions.

The 4400 is a quirky sci-fi vehicle about the return of over four thousand missing people who had been transported to the future, and returned with special abilities to save it.

They will be missed in our household.

Friday, December 14, 2007

Hollywood's Odd Choices

I've been seeing numerous ads for the upcoming movie Charlie Wilson's War, starring Tom Hanks.

Now, anything with Hanks is likely to be worth seeing. But it just strikes me as rather odd that Hollywood finally finds a story about a Cold War hero worth telling, and it's about a Democrat?!?!

I guess it's necessary to throw all of those nasty facts about the McGovernites and their policy of appeasement (circa 1972-1991) down the proverbial "memory hole."

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Mr. Deeds Runs For Governor

Must've gotten on this list out of some blogger fishing expedition, but for some reason, Senator Creigh Deeds has me on his mailing list. In an apparent effort to get a jump on fundraising before next year's legislative session begins, he has just formally announced for the Democrat nomination for Governor.

Dear Friends,

Under the leadership of Governors Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, we have experienced significant progress in the last few years. Because of their optimistic, commonsense approach to solving problems, we have all been proud to call Virginia our home. Today I’m announcing my campaign for Governor to continue that tradition of moving Virginia forward.

Please visit my new website at www.DeedsforVirginia.com to view my announcement video and join my campaign.

The election for Governor in 2009 will offer every Virginian a choice: do we continue and build upon the work of Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, or do we chart a different course that embraces the attack politics and policies of George W. Bush’s wing of the Republican Party?

I believe that Warner-Kaine approach is the better way to keep Virginia the best place to live, work and raise a family. And, that better way is how I will lead us forward if given the privilege to serve as your next Governor. For me, it’s about creating opportunity in every corner of Virginia: building a modern transportation system that moves our state and our economy forward, creating a research-based economy that develops new sources of alternative energy by investing in our colleges and universities, and retooling our community college system so we can train for the jobs of the 21st century.

I invite you to please join me.

His website is here.

Of course, his announcement makes the obligatory homages to Governors Marky Mark and Timmy!

One has to wonder whether he will wage the same dishonest campaign to con the voters of Virginia into believing that he is not, and will not govern as, a tax-and-spend Liberal.

Sunday, December 09, 2007

Somebody Didn't Get The Memo

Doing a little Christmas shopping today, and ran into Bill Ryland, defeated PW Democrat candidate for Clerk of the Court, and the wife of winning Democrat Paul Nichols, who won the seat for the 51st District House of Delegates district.

In Sam's Club.

Oh, foresooth! I wonder if Ben Tribbett wants to launch a jihad against them, too, for disrespecting the goonion ... er, union base of the Democrat Party?

After all, unions are apoplectic over their inability to force ... er, persuade, Sam's Club and Wal-Mart employees to grant to them monopoly bargaining power.

Saturday, December 08, 2007

Christmas Party Season

It truly gets crazy this time of year, and one frequently finds one's self with more parties to go to than there are hours in the day.

Jeff and Amy Frederick held a wonderful open house in their home this evening, with a gift for Toys for Tots as the "price" of admission. Good thing the Fire Marshall was not among the guests.

We also attended a very nice affair at the home of friends in Fairfax. Among the guests was Howard Phillips, former third-party presidential candidate. What a fine gentlemen. It was my first opportunity to meet him, though Mrs. Young had a much more lengthy conversation with him. We exchanged stories about mutual friends.

He was Conservative when Conservative wasn't cool.

Thursday, December 06, 2007

The Latest In Bush Derangement Syndrome

This is really funny. Now the boys and girls at Ranting Kids ... er, Raising Dough ... er, "Raising Kaine" are blaming President Bush for the slight uptick in teen pregnancy rates.

Yeah. I guess they're confusing him with the last Democrat President.

Saturday, December 01, 2007

A Reflection On Democrats And Christianity

Isn't it ironic that the only time Democrats invoke Christian principles is when they can beat Republicans over the head with it?

As Mel Brooks famously observed, "The Inquisition ... what a show!"

They seem so all-fired-up to defend the "wall of separation" ... until it comes to spending other people's money. Of course, "Christian charity" is an individual choice, and has nothing to do with forcibly taking other people's money and handing it out to discrete groups in order to buy their votes.

And the author of the above-linked post is confusing his caricature of the GOP --- I don't know anyone who claims that the GOP is the "party of Christian people" --- with fact.

SCC Turns Its "Advance" Into A "Retreat"

Well, that should have been the headline in the WaPo.

Some are celebrating. One who scrupulously hides his identity so his record (or perhaps, lack thereof; other than his nihilistic rantings) is not subject to equal scrutiny. My guess is he's not a Republican at all, and that, if his identity were known, it would be revealed to those who read his comments that his goal is not in accord with the GOP, but is more closely in alignment with those who seek to destroy it.

In fact, when I chaired the committee to write the PWC Party Plan, we were quite adament in our efforts to ensure that the grassroots controlled the County GOP (barring things like slating and instructing), something that John Light seems to have forgotten with his irresponsible and inaccurate reference to "the proletariat." Wasn't he one of those who complained when some unwashed proles dared to sign up for and vote at a recent GOP Convention?

I don't care whether the pledge is required or not. I'd much rather see that result achieved by the device of party registration, but not so much that I am willing to allow the perfect to become the enemy of the good and discard any effort to ensure that Republicans select Republican nominees available under current law.

What I DO care about is the conspiracy-theory rantings and nihilistic efforts which seem to be the coin of the Realm in some places (others have raised responsible criticisms which, while I disagree with them, are certainly not off the deep end). Most from people scrupulously hiding their identities. It causes those of us who actually have built something to question whether they come from those who have ever built ANYTHING (other than a giant case of phallus-envy, that is). I don't know much about, for instance, Help Save Manassas or its operations, but one has to wonder whether it would retain as a member an individual who regularly hired illegal aliens, or who publicly advocated amnesty or other things opposed to its stated goals.

The SINGLE purpose of the pledge is to ensure that Republicans selected the Republican nominee. It has nothing to do with "the ability of a few party leaders to control the outcome," or barring participation of "the proletariat" (other than those who aren't Republicans, of course). Those are the plaintive whinings of those who find themselves in a minority. All of the sound and fury offered here never really addressed that point, but instead, suggests that having Republicans select Republican nominees is some sort of bad thing. Likewise, it sanctimoniously and inaccurately suggests that primary voters are somehow more likely than convention-goers to become actively involved in party operations. From whence that assumption arises is something of a mystery. Convention-goers have already demonstrated their commitment by going to the time and, frequently, expense of showing up to support their candidate or candidates. What to primary voters do? Stop by their local schools for 15 or 20 minutes? Which demonstrates a stronger commitment to the process or to the Party (any party)?

The single reason to eschew such a device is to remove any impediments to those uncommitted to Republican goals and principles from participating in the GOP nominating process.

Congratulations. Your goal is achieved.