Steyn On Thompson

I usually agree with Mark Steyn and often enjoy his wry sense of humor. But in this instance, I wonder if he is putting the cart before the horse. In the grand scheme of things it would seem more important to have great ideas first and then campaign by talking about those ideas. Instead we are treated to a relentless 24 hour news cycle of who said what about whom, who got softball questions, who planted questions, blah, blah, blah ...

I refer you to Newt Gingrich's comment about this early, early campaign season when he pointedly said "This is stupid." After all, are you voting for the candidate with the best ideas or the one that comes off the best in some meaningless YouTube debate?

From NRO:

Fred's sails in the sunset [Mark Steyn]


I wrote about the Republican and Democrat presidential candidates last weekend, and got a lot of mail from Fredheads and others demanding to know why I hadn't mentioned Senator Thompson. The reason is I've no handle on what it is he thinks he's doing. Every time I see a Fred policy plan, he seems to have by far the best ideas, and the necessary zeal for reform, on taxes, Social Security and much else. But every time you see him in these TV debates he has the listless air of a bored grandparent at a dreary school play.

And seeing him live in person isn't that easy to do. I get campaign e-mails about New Hampshire appearances by John McCain and Mrs Clinton and lots of others. Mitt's guys clogged up my in-box with so many urgent releases in the hours after last night's debate that it's seriously impacting my ability to order generic Viagra and e-mail my bank details to Nigerian dictators' wives. But nary a word from Fred.

What's the strategy here? Why does he have great ideas but no campaign?

Can The Republic Survive?

Bruce Fein offers these observations in a recent Washington Times article:

"In “Federalist 55,” James Madison observed that, “Republican government presupposes the existence of [qualities in human nature that justify esteem and confidence] in a higher degree than any other form.” Those qualities include wisdom, honesty and courage; a subordination of egomania to the common good; moderation; self-doubt and self-discipline; and, charity toward the shortcomings of others. A culture that pays homage to these qualities, as in the time of the American Revolution, gives birth to towering leaders like Cincinnatus, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.

As president of the Constitutional Convention of 1787 amid petty bickering and maneuvering for political advantage, Washington admonished the delegates: “If to please the people, we offer what we ourselves disapprove, how can we afterwards defend our work? Let us raise a standard to which the wise and honest may repair.”

The delegates did not jeer. They did not retort, “We don't have the votes.” Instead, they labored to subordinate their parochial interests to the common good and achieved a miracle. A century later, the United States Constitution was acclaimed by Lord Gladstone as, “The most wonderful work ever struck off at a given time by the brain and purpose of man.”

American culture has degenerated since the Founding Fathers into a celebration of vice, ignorance, drivel and self-promotion. Money, beauty, sexual indulgence, athletics and fame are saluted as the summum bonum of existence. Exemplary are the wild enthusiasm for “American Idol,” obsession with the tawdry comings and goings of Britney Spears or Paris Hilton and the apotheosis of professional athletes who contribute nothing to preserving government of the people, by the people, for the people. It is inconceivable that a Washington, Madison or Jefferson or Lincoln could emerge from the contemporary culture."

Team of Rivals

I just finished listening to Team of Rivals - The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin. While, admittedly, not for those with just a passing interest in Lincoln and the Civil War era of US history, Team of Rivals presents an intriguing look at Lincoln's cabinet which was composed mostly of men that felt they were better suited to be president than he.

Throughout the book Goodwin shows how Lincoln intuitively understood people and then placed them in positions where they could best serve during a time when their country needed them most. Lincoln exhibited a leadership style which was almost egoless and likely without peer in the history of our nation. Couple that with his legendary political acumen and you have the story of a man that seemed to have been plucked out of obscurity by Providence to lead the country through it's most difficult hours. Eventually, even Lincoln's most bitter rivals understood that he was the only man that could have held the Union together.

The Real Surge

This post by Wretchard at The Belmont Club makes an appropriate bookend to my previous post about Chris Hedges. Wretchard discusses an article by DJ Elliott at The Long War Journal (emphasis added):

"The Real Surge DJ Elliott describes is really a relief in place of US Forces by a newly generated Iraqi Army. The difference between a relief in place and a rout disguised as a redeployment is very significant.

Even if the US never takes any military action against Iran the creation of a new and modern Iraqi Army, well supplied with artillery and logistics (as appears to be the case) will create a threat in being for the Ayatollahs. From a situation in which the Teheran could contemplate virtually annexing southern Iraq (as would have occurred if the US had admitted defeat in early 2007 and left) the Ayatolahs now face the prospect of having to maintain large permanent standing forces on their border with Iraq. Nor is this all. If most US ground forces are freed up by the Real Surge the Iranians will suddenly face the prospect of dangerous mobile US reserve. All in all it would be a nightmarish burden for Teheran to shoulder.

Does this mean war in the Middle East? Ironically the Real Surge may actually reduce the prospect of war considerably, while at the same time improving the prospects for the peaceful resolution of the Iranian nuclear problem. While it is possible that Iran, watching its window of opportunity closing, may become suddenly reckless and launch an all-out attack to destabilize Iraq, it is probably too late for banzai measures. The odds are that Iran has been strategically beaten, first by the American Surge and worse, by the follow-on Iraqi resurgence.

The intolerable burden of maintaining a war-footing against the new Iraq, guarding against possible American action, Western sanctions and the need to refurbish its collapsing oil industry while maintaining a nuclear program may collapse the theocrats in Teheran in the same way it did the old Soviet Union.

That might be a good thing. For Iran, Iraq, America and the whole world."

CWCID: TigerHawk

What Would The Founders Do?

"Who is Chris Hedges? Not only was he a New York Times reporter for 15 years, he was its Middle East bureau chief in the 1990's." CWCID: NRO.

Can you say Walter Duranty?

Here is the latest example of his drivel published in The Nation:

"I will not pay my income tax if we go to war with Iran. I realize this is a desperate and perhaps futile gesture. But an attack on Iran--which appears increasingly likely before the coming presidential election--will unleash a regional conflict of catastrophic proportions. This war, and especially Iranian retaliatory strikes on American targets, will be used to silence domestic dissent and abolish what is left of our civil liberties. It will solidify the slow-motion coup d'état that has been under way since the 9/11 attacks. It could mean the death of the Republic."

Would you like some cheese with that whine?

I mean, seriously - "I will not pay my income tax"? If the fate of the Republic is at stake, I am fairly sure tax court isn't the appropriate venue to decide it's future. At the very least, have the testicular fortitude of your convictions and, oh wait a minute, you don't believe in the Second Amendment either, I'll wager.

Mr. Hedges, I think your side is already at a distinct disadvantage.

Pioneer Woman Cooks

Since we are just sitting around this morning suffering from fairly serious tryptophan hangovers, I thought I would pass along this recipe. M'Lady and I tried it for the first time at yesterdays feast and it met with a considerable number of "Ooohs and Ahhhhs". We substituted butternut squash for the sweet potatoes since we still have quite a few left from the garden and it came out great.

You might also want to check out Pioneer Woman's blog - good recipes, wonderful photography and a great "how this all came to be" story to boot.

Stem Cell Breakthrough

I was very pleased to read that researchers in Japan and the United States have developed a method for creating stem cells from skin tissue. Regardless of your position in the debate, this news has to be viewed as a major scientific breakthrough which will have a huge impact in the medical community for years to come.

Update: Charles Krauthammer, one of the truly wise men writing political commentary in this country, has an article on this topic. It is a must read.

No Direction, Period.

Another YouTube video recommendation from the young squire. The premise is that Bob Dylan not only wrote all those great songs we associate with him, i.e. Blowin' In The Wind, All Along The Watchtower et. al - but he wrote every pop music hit of the last 35 years as well!

The Lost Lesson Of Thanksgiving

John Stossel has an article about this little known piece of early American history at RealClearPolitics:

"Every year around this time, schoolchildren are taught about that wonderful day when Pilgrims and Native Americans shared the fruits of the harvest. "Isn't sharing wonderful?" say the teachers.

They miss the point.

Because of sharing, the first Thanksgiving in 1623 almost didn't happen.

The failure of Soviet communism is only the latest demonstration that freedom and property rights, not sharing, are essential to prosperity. The earliest European settlers in America had a dramatic demonstration of that lesson, but few people today know it.

When the Pilgrims first settled the Plymouth Colony, they organized their farm economy along communal lines. The goal was to share everything equally, work and produce.

They nearly all starved."

Fantasy Car

The young squire showed me this video clip the other day. Now, for the record, I am not a "car guy". Generally, I am quite happy when a car takes me from point A to point B without failing somewhere in between - I've had my fair share of those automobiles in the past. With that said, I can appreciate a truly fine car - from the female inspired lines and beauty of design to the brilliance of automobile engineering at its best - even if I will never make enough money in this lifetime to own one.

But this you have just got to see. M'Lady looked over our shoulders and said "It looks like the Batmobile!" and I replied "Darling, IT IS the Batmobile."

Gun Thoughts

I have recently been thinking of adding my first non-hunting gun to the collection. I have come across two posts in as many days that reinforce my thoughts.

The first post is from SayUncle regarding his AR-15 and the local politicians who would take it from him:

“There’s no rhyme or reason to have civilians with this type of firepower,” Lang said. “It’s not something that you could ever possibly justify. It’s insanity and it doesn’t fit in society in any way.”

SayUncle’s response:

“The beauty of being a free man is I don’t have to justify a fucking thing to you.”

Now that’s my kind of response.

Then there is this post from Marko:

“When I carry a gun, I don't do so because I am looking for a fight, but because I'm looking to be left alone. The gun at my side means that I cannot be forced, only persuaded. I don't carry it because I'm afraid, but because it enables me to be unafraid. It doesn't limit the actions of those who would interact with me through reason, only the actions of those who would do so by force. It removes force from the equation...and that's why carrying a gun is a civilized act.”

Zeppelin Man

"Simply put, no other band has done more to ignite my passion for music than Led Zeppelin."

So begins the post at Mainstream Isn’t So Bad … Is It? and I could not agree more. My own passion for music burst into flames in the early Seventies when I first heard Led Zeppelin at a friend’s house. My life would never be the same.

I was privileged to see Led Zeppelin perform three times - once in 1975 and twice in 1977 on back to back evenings. I saw Jimmy Page during a solo tour after the band dissolved in the Eighties and took my then very young children to see Page and Plant circa “Unledded” during the Nineties.

Over the years my musical tastes have grown substantially but I still come back to my roots – which will always be Led Zeppelin. And while mass popularity has never been my personal gauge for great music, in this instance I am one with the vast unwashed.

David Browne in a recent article for The New Republic tries to make sense of why this band has had such a hold on us for almost forty years. While I think he makes some good points I believe it all still comes down to three very basic things – that guitar, that voice and those drums.

Ralph Peters Rules

Ralph Peters rebuts the "12 Myths of 21st Century War":

1. War doesn’t change anything.
2. Victory is impossible today.
3. Insurgencies can never be defeated.
4. There’s no military solution; only negotiations can solve our problems.
5. When we fight back, we only provoke our enemies.
6. Killing terrorists only turns them into martyrs.
7. If we fight as fiercely as our enemies, we’re no better than them.
8. The United States is more hated today than ever before.
9. Our invasion of Iraq created our terrorist problems.
10. If we just leave, the Iraqis will patch up their differences on their own.
11. It’s all Israel’s fault. Or the popular Washington corollary: “The Saudis are our friends.”
12. The Middle East’s problems are all America’s fault.

CWCID: The Belmont Club.

Why I Don't Go To The Movies Anymore

I think JD Johannes pretty well summarizes my feelings about the recent spate of Iraq war films - as well as why I won't be in the audience:

"Every morning I go to the gym and run on the treadmill.

Every morning I am subjected to at least a dozen commercials for the new anti-war movie 'Lions for Lambs.'

Despite spending several million dollars on advertising and marketing, 'Lions for Lambs' will flop--just like 'Rendition' & and 'Valley of Elah.'

They will flop because the human psyche, especially the American variety, prefers real heroes--like the original hero of the Valley of Elah, a young shepherd named David who killed Goliath then cut off the giant's head.

In the latest round of war movies the heroes are not the Soldiers and Marines who every day fight and defeat a vicious and barbaric enemy--the heroes are reporters, lawyers and activists.

And since every story requires a villain, the real enemy--Mohammedan Jihadists--are replaced by neo-cons, politicians, Soldiers and Marines.

This substitution of the traditional mono-myth away from a hero who faces physical danger and conquers an enemy is a result of cowardice of the modern story tellers."

This Blog's Reading Level

This is humorous. Click on the logo, plug in the URL and get your blog evaluated.

I guess that if I am only at the post-graduate college level it means I still have some work to do!
(CWCID: Tigerhawk)

Quote Of The Day

"My point is not that liberals swear publicly more often than conservatives. That may be true, but that's not my point. It is that the netroots often argue from anger rather than reason, and too often, their object is personal release, not political persuasion."
- Karl Rove

Family News

M'Lady and I found out this evening that our young miss is now betrothed to her longtime love. A date has yet to be set for the nuptials but we could not be happier with the news as well as the addition to the family of another son and fine young man.

We hope that their life together will be filled with much love and happiness.

I'm Somebody Now!

When we were out pheasant hunting this past Friday morning we ran into none other than D'Arcy Egan, the outdoor writer for The Plain Dealer. We had a great half hour conversation about many of the places we had been fishing and hunting around the country. As a result we got a nice mention in the Saturday paper which you can read here. D'Arcy mentioned that M'Lady was one of just a few women hunters though I have always thought of her as a feminist pioneer.

It just goes to show you that some of the nicest people you will ever meet are often hunters and fishermen.

Daily Fred Thompson Fact

I haven't posted a recent Fred Thompson Fact, so here you are:
"Fred Thompson's plan for the U.N. is to wait for a big conference and then melt down the entire headquarters, uniting leaders from all nations into a nice little paperweight for his desk."

Heinlein's Razor

While looking through the Wikipedia entry for Hanlon's Razor I came across this possible antecedent called Heinlein's Razor:

"Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity, but don't rule out malice."

I think I like this one better.

Connection

While reviewing some of my, admittedly sparse, recent posts I saw this one on treason and then realized how I had missed the link to this Quote Of The Day.

New Podcasts

I had grown a bit bored by my collection of hard-core political podcasts so I recently decided to broaden my horizons. In doing so, I found two wonderful podcasts which aptly illustrate the wide range of subjects covered by podcasting as well as, perhaps, the unusual range of my own hobbies.

My new found interest in vegetable gardening is being fed by Emma Cooper at her podcast, Alternative Kitchen Garden. Emma lives in Oxfordshire, England with her husband and her two chickens, Hen Solo and Princess Layer. She covers a great many useful and informative subjects in a very entertaining way.

I am also listening to Bird Dogs Forever, which, as it's name implies, is all about bird dogs and upland hunting. Since it is now pheasant season, the most anticipated time of the year here, this podcast has me in a fine froth. Dogs, guns and birds - it doesn't get much better than this.

Surely, these podcasts will cure me of my political ennui.

Quote Of The Day

"Over the years, I have come to understand a critical difference between the world of fear and the world of freedom. In the former, the primary challenge is finding the inner strength to confront evil. In the latter, the primary challenge is finding the moral clarity to see evil."
- The Case For Democracy by Natan Sharansky