Monday, May 31, 2010

Lt. Charles Sweeney - KIA

On this Memorial Day, I was remembering my cousin Charley; son of my Dad's brother, Charles. Charley was a pilot in WW-II. He was killed early in the South Pacific campaign. The cemeteries are filled with millions like him; decent young men who gave up their lives for what they believed was their duty and their country.

And then you have the Clintons of this nation, those who "loathe the military"; and the Obamas for whom service was never even considered and the Kagans who refuse to allow the military to come onto their workplace.

I've chosen my side, my Americans.

And you?

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Barack Obama: CEO?

Americans from loudmouth James Carville, the Clinton hatchet-man, to the man-in-the-street now see a major presidential problem on display. Barack Obama has no clue about how to go about managing the Gulf oil spill. Not a bloody clue and it's obvious to all. Sans teleprompter, he is naked before us, wholly without executive experience and incompetent thereby.

An executive would have organized an ad hoc team of experts with spill clean-up experience, local Louisiana officials who live with the spill minute-by-minute, Coast Guard, Army Corps of Engineer and other federal resources, all under the helm of one senior person who has Presidential authority to get stuff done. Instead, we are treated to the emptiest of sound bite rhetoric: "Just plug the damn hole!" Why didn't someone else think of that? Surely Obama is The One.

One almost wants this farce to continue so that voters see what it means to employ a community organizer to lead 300 million Americans, to manage a $13 trillion economy and to deal with world leaders who do have the experience of running something other than their mouth.

Barack Obama is a fraud; a feckless, bewildered fraud: he simply does not know what to do or how to organize the resources available to do the job before him.

We told you so.

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Pipsqueak in the Gulf

The current alleged disaster in the Gulf of Mexico is a pipsqueak considering the effects of natural events. The Gulf is immense in cubic size and is easily handling the several thousand barrels entering into it each day. As hydrocarbons float to the surface, bacteria begin their feast and growth in the trillions thus providing nourishment up the animal foodchain. BP laps up the surface oil in ships and trundles it off directly to the refinery. Hurricanes kill far more birds and fish, destroy more buildings, ravage more land and kill more people.

Nevertheless, politicians boringly sound off about oil companies and look for more ways to tax or fine them. That's simply another way to tax you, the consumer. The environmental crowd screams about egrets or dolphins but yet those and other birds and fish are never threatened with extinction by an occasional oil spill. Like politicians, Greenies just want to make your driving more expensive so you walk or bicycle to work and play. Pay no attention.

Drill, Baby. Drill.

Dear President Calderon:

Drop Dead.

Cordially,

Jim Sweeney

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Europe: A Geographic Construct

The notion of Europe as a union of nations is over. It was never a good idea as the people of no country thought of themselves other than as Italian, French or German. (Dare I say Greek?) It was a bad idea, nurtured from false premises by bureaucrats and power-mongers, backed by the usual academics and liberals, those who also love the United Nations above their own country. Nations, like Finland or Spain, are not states like Utah or Florida. There is no national unity between the former as in the latter. And a currency does not unite them. The reverse is true: a currency is reflective, not creative. The continent of Europe is returning to its true self: a host of different nations. Vive la Difference!

Sunday, May 16, 2010

LEGAL MALPRACTICE

As a lawyer, clients often are irked when I don't give my view on an issue until after I've read the file or documents of a case and had time to consider what I've read. Imagine a judge asking if your lawyer has read the contract at issue and your lawyer says: "No." That is the position our nation's top lawyer is in. Attorney General Eric Holder admitted before Congress that he had not read Arizona's controversial legislation about local police authority to enforce illegal immigration law.

Nevertheless, Holder has been outspoken in opposition to the law he has not bothered to read. That is reminiscent of Speaker Nancy Pelosi's remark that Congress needed to pass the healthcare bill in order to find out what's in it.

It is incredible that no storm of protest has arisen from the liberal media as to Holder's malpractice. Imagine the flogging Ed Meese, John Ashcroft or Clarence Thomas would have been subjected to had any been guilty of such conduct.

But we all know why that hasn't happened: Holder is a liberal democrat, a close friend of Obama and he's black. Only conservative blacks are held to any account. [Cf: Jackson or Sharpton) Holder can and does get away with legal malpractice despite admission of guilt.

Shameful.

Saturday, May 15, 2010

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS - V

Once again, facts are stubborn things.  My home state of California is broke, insolvent, basically bankrupt.  None disagrees with that description.  As to the question of why, there are many opinions.  One view is that decades old Proposition 13 has failed to produce sufficient property tax revenues for the political class to rain down more goodies on  impoverished Californians.  In truth, California has suffered its financial death from some major blunders and an endless parade of earmarked, targeted goodies for some favored group.

One favored group - illegal immigrants - is rarely mentioned in the major media as a cause of California's fiscal woes.  Facts, however the chattering class tries to ignore them, keep getting in the way.

Consider.

There are 19,000 (!) illegal immigrants in California's State prisons.  They cost the State $860,000,000 a year even after accounting for federal support.  And this does not count illegal immigrants in county jails.  Think of the total as nearly $1,000,000,000.

A billion is still a lot of money where most Americans come from.  And if Arnold could cut a billion here, a billion there, pretty soon we'd be in better financial shape.  But he won't cut this billion.  The Terminator is afraid.  Afraid of his "legend", his wife, her family and the media: afraid of being called a racist, anti-immigrant or bigot.

A real governor would execute the killers in this bunch of criminal illegal immigrants  and return the rest to their home country; i.e., kick the Mexicans over the line at San Diego and dump the rest on the doorsteps of their respective country's consulates.  Alternatively, a governor could sub-contract their care to Arizona's Sheriff Joe rather than spend 45,000 California dollars on each and very criminal illegal immigrant.

And Voila!  Two birds with one stone!

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

OVER THERE, OVER THERE

Like the World War I song, "Over There", we Yanks are over there where we are really not wanted.  In fact, jihad against America is alive and well because we are on land Muslims deem sacred.  So the jihadis are bringing the war to our sacred soil.  What to do?  Leave, that's what.  Been there too long with no end in sight.  Sure, easy to say but where do you leave first?  Let me count the places and ways.

First place to leave:  Afghanistan.  There is no point to a fighting a civil war in that remote and god-forsaken place.  It is valueless to America and Americans.

Second:  Iraq but only after taking enough oil to repay what we've spent plus money for the families of our dead.  Then we do what we should have done with Saddam.  Make a deal for cheap oil in return for our protection against Iran or others.  Let them have their tyrants, who really cares?  George Bush?  You?  I don't

Third:  Out of Korea in a trice.  We've been there since June, 1950; 60 years.  Is Washington serious?

Japan:  Out of Japan instantly; been there since August, 1945; 65 years.  Is Washington serious?

Europe:  What are we doing defending Italy et al?  Great place to visit but let the Mafia defend Italy.  We've been in Europe since 1945; 65 years   Is Washington serious?

And then all the Muslims can return to their sacred soil and get off of ours.

Sunday, May 9, 2010

On Being a Lone Wolf

Promptly upon the failed Times Square bombing attempt, our elite "leaders", such as New York's Mayor Bloomberg, instantly identify the perp as someone who didn't like the health care bill.  Other "leaders" followed suit in the vicious vein of Bill Clinton's smearing of conservatives as responsible for the Oklahoma City bombing.  Major media, CNN, AP, Washington Post e.g., wrote empathetically of Shahzad's difficulies in making his mortgage payments.

The facts, though, are simple and observable, even from some distance.  Shahzan is of the same stripe as other terrorist types: militant Islamists who dislike the United States, say so and then act accordingly.  They are of a type: young, male and Islamic.  Just as the allegedly reverend Jesse Jackson once opined that being followed by young, black males would scare him, so too should we be concerned about Isamic males who express dislike of America.  Being Islamic, however, provides them with an immunity from our "leaders" who are petrifed of accusations of racism or worse from any source.  Even when such Islamists act, their brothers are excused when "leaders", such as Bloomberg, ignorantly mischaracterize them by political whitewashing and where the media apologists follow suit en masse.

Now, when people such as Attorney General Holder, flatly state that evidence shows Shahzad as part of the Pakistani Taliban, our "leaders" neither apologize and nor stop making similarly uninformed statements.

One wonders what happens to formerly sensible people upon election to public office.

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Legal Immigrants - I

Liberals frequently cite international law when they seek to have SCOTUS veer from precedence.  Similarly, liberals have plumped for Europeanization of the United States.  [How is Europe doing, btw?]  On the question of legal immigration, liberals are nowhere to be found citing other country's rules or international law.  Japan, e.g., permits no legal immigration; China returns illegals to North Korea and the Europeans allow few other than from present or former colonies.  There is substantial illegal immigration into the major European countries, not so much, say, into Norway, Finland, Latvia, Poland or Italy.  Let's look at some undeniable facts about legal immigraton into the United States:

1.  In 2009, the United States issued over 1.1 million green cards, more residency permits than all the other countries of the world combined.

2.  From 2000 through 2009, the United States issued over 10 million green cards.

3.  In 2008, the United States issued 920,000 temporary work permits in addition to the green cards issued that year.

4.  More than one of every eight persons you see in America is a non-citizen immigrant.

5. 92% of the green card holders are people without special skills, a college education or financial resources.

Add to these numbers, the illegal immigrants and you begin to see one major reason for the unraveling of the American economy: too many immigrants displacing citizens from employment.  The best jobs bill for Obama to pass would be a moratorium on legal immigration and, when re-opening the Golden Door, to admit far fewer people, especially those without skills, education or money.

The statistics cited are from data released by the Department of Homeland Security.  If you have any doubts, you could look it up.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

The Other Bubble

With the recent Times Square bombing attempt being resolved by the capture of a guy named Faisal something,  politicos in Manhattan must be chagrined.  First, a runt named Bloomberg allowed that the perp was probably a right-wing nut job who disliked Obamacare.  This was followed by some New York Congressman with similar instant accusations against conservative stereotypes.  It's a familiar theme.  Connect conservatives to any heinous act whether there's a scintilla of fact about the accusation or not.  Who cares?  The media won't hold them to account: in fact, media will enable and encourage that type of talk.  Recall Clinton's blaming Rush Limbaugh for the Oklahoma City bombing?  It turned out that guy had Al Gore's books in is cabin.

These folks live in their own world; a bubble within which like-minded folks stereotype conservatives - conduct prohibited to others such as police officers - much as Obama did at that San Francisco dinner party when he referred to Pennsylvania conservatives as consoling themselves with rifles and bibles.  It's okay to stereotype conservative white males but nobody else.  Try to make a comment about Obama eating watermelon, Bloomberg charging usurious interest or that people named Faisal should be suspect at airport security and Voila!  You're a racist; a Nazi or worse.

Talk about double standards or, perhaps, no standards at all.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS - IV

In Los Angeles, Roger Cardinal Mahoney, the Prelate for Pedophile Priests, is out front on his love of and support for other illegal activities.  This, of course, is his promotion of illegal immigrants as being of great benefit to the United States and Americans in general.  This Protector of Sodomite Priests calls Arizonans and others who support Arizona's new law for controlling its illegal population Nazis and worse.  Thus, I find no problem in calling him what he is: a slimeball protector of pedophiles.  One wonders why any decent, moral person would protect pedophiles?  And not just one errant priest but dozens to hundreds of those scum.  You are permitted one, and only one, guess.

Mahony has a lackey pr type, Tod Tamberg, who has been lauding Mahony's bona fides as to Mexican immigrants by talking up Mahony's association with the late Cesar Chavez as being part of Mahony's long-term favoritism toward illgals.

Only one problem with that: Chavez fought against illegals as they were contrary to the interests of Chavez's union workers as they undercut them on wages. 

More lies from the pedophile Prelate.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS - III

A close friend of 40 years is yet a British subject despite living in the U.S. since around 1970.  He carries his "green card" with him at all times.  It is how he proves he has a legal right to be here.  It is also a federal law, on the books since 1952.  Over the years, he has had to produce it to various authorities.  Is there one rule for English-speaking aliens  and another for Spanish-speaking aliens?

If so, why?

Saturday, May 1, 2010

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS - II

Those of us who believe in amnesty for illegals, open borders or no borders at all are quick to decry those who disagree with us as racists, bigots, apartheidists, Nazis or worse.   Those of us who believe in controlled immigration don't seem to have the derisory language skills of our opposition.  Nonetheless, it is heated rhetoric from all sides, none of which is likely to persuade opponents to change or substantially ameliorate his or her position.  Who, then, is the audience?  Is there a large pool of undecideds to try to bring to one side or the other?  I don't think so.  Almost everyone as a point of view, few of which are nuanced.

If there is no mass of undecideds, to whom do we speak and why?  Why not just vote on it and be done with it?