Obama Quits Church - Why? - Because He's a Politician

Today comes news that Barack Obama has formally resigned from Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.  It's about time, of course, but does anyone believe that Obama's motives are pure?  Does anyone actually believe that after twenty plus years of loyal support he finally realized that the positions consistently taken by the church and its pastors, including Jeremiah Wright, were at odds with his own positions?  

I certainly can't believe that.  Instead I believe the obvious.  Barack Obama is willing to say or do anything in an effort to obscure his true beliefs.  In cutting ties with Trinity and with Wright, Obama is attempting to quell the ongoing controversy and paint himself as mainstream when he's anything but.

As Rev. Wright himself put it, Obama is "a politician, I'm [Wright is] a pastor.  We speak to two different audiences.  And he says what he has to say as a politician."

Well Rev. Wright, now Obama is not just talking the talk.  He's walking the walk and doing what he has to do as a politician.  But don't worry.  He doesn't mean it.  It is just for show to fool the electorate.  Obama's still a fan . . . but only in private.

Calling Steelman Out For Political Pandering

The Joplin Globe threw a hard but accurate punch at Republican candidate for governor Sarah Steelman in an editorial today for staging "a political stunt."  

Steelman, according to the Globe, invited reporters to a store where she made a show of purchasing a rifle as a birthday present for her 13-year-old son.  She "posed for the cameras, holding various rifles while pretending to set her sights on a target.  She then posed for a news conference in front of display cases of shells."

The Globe supports gun rights but called Steelman's event "nonsense" since her support for the Second Amendment is "a given."  And probably since both her political rivals also claim to support gun rights.  The editorial concluded with a request . . . "Next time, Sarah, don't call a press conference unless you really have something to say."

Kudos to the Joplin Globe.  Well said.

Good News for Hulshof and Steelman

In a development (or non-development) sure to be cheered by Kenny Hulshof and Sarah Steelman, Governor Matt Blunt has decided not to endorse either GOP candidate at this time.  But unfortunately, his spokesman says he hasn't ruled out doing so in the future.

Blunt, despite his stated reasons, dropped his reelection bid because he could read the writing on the wall.  Democrat Jay Nixon would have destroyed him in the general election.

Everyone, even Blunt, knew that.  It would not have been pretty.  Though his endorsement could help with fundraising and possibly push Hulshof or Steelman to the Republican nomination, associating too closely with such an unpopular governor would hurt that nominee's chances against Nixon in November.

Governor Blunt, please stay out of this.  For the sake of the party, it is time for you to head back to Springfield and just fade away.

(Link to source blog at stltoday.com.)

Is Al Gore Up to the Challenge?

The president of the Czech Republic has challenged Al Gore to a debate over global warming.  Vaclav Klaus has written a book, now available in English, titled Blue Planet in Green Shackles - What is Endangered: Climate or Freedom.  The answer . . . our freedom.

According to an article posted at earthtimes.org, Klaus is "opposed [to] the 'climate alarmism' perpetuated by environmentalism trying to impose their ideals."  He compares the extremists of today to communist rule in Czechoslovakia.  "Like their (communist) predecessors," Klaus said, "they will be certain that they have the right to sacrifice man and his freedom to make their idea reality."

But it may be too late for rational debate.  Klaus worried that "it could be even true that we are now at a stage where mere facts, reason and truths are powerless in the face of global warming propaganda."

Let's hope not.

Here's What We're Up Against

Lest we forget what American, Iraqi and allied forces are fighting against in Iraq, take a look at this AP article printed in today's St. Louis Post-Dispatch.  The article describes six boys (four shown here) ranging in age from 14 to 18 who were kidnapped by al-Qaida in Iraq and forced into training to become suicide bombers.  The Saudi militant training them had threatened to rape the boys' mothers and sisters and kill their fathers if they did not cooperate.  Luckily for the boys, that Saudi was recently killed in a military attack.

This is the type of evil that our brave men and women are fighting to destroy.  We should not forget that the cause is just and our military (including the commander-in-chief) deserves our support.

I Want to Support Hulshof But . . .

In the GOP race for governor, I've been leaning toward Kenny Hulshof - mostly because I believe him to be the inevitable Republican nominee and because instead of attracting positive attention to themselves, Hulshof and his primary opponent, Sarah Steelman, have been directing negative attention to one another.  (Both Hulshof and Steelman should contrasting themselves with Jay Nixon instead of helping Nixon by intra-party bickering - but I digress.)  

I would really like to be a full-blown, 100% Hulshof supporter but today I noticed an article from Friday's St. Louis Post-Dispatch headlined "Hulshof moves to criminalize cyberbullying."  His proposal would make it a federal crime for a person to use electronic communications with the "intent to coerce, intimidate, harass, or cause substantial emotional distress" to another person.

This may seem like a good idea on the surface.  The bill is designed to criminalize the disgusting behavior of individuals who used a fake identity to taunt 13-year-old Megan Meier to the point of suicide in 2006.  Unfortunately, it would criminalize much more than that.

What constitutes "emotional distress?"  And, for that matter what is "substantial?"  And how are we going to define "intimidation" or "harassment?"

Let me paint a picture . . . let's say a blogger points out that a candidate for public office has never voted before.  Such a post could be considered "harassment" by some.  It might even cause the candidate to become upset or stressed.  Could such emotional reactions constitute "substantial emotional distress?"  We don't really know.  And we wouldn't know until such cases were litigated.  (Oh happy day for trial lawyers.)

This bill seems to be, on the one hand, little more than an effort to pander to voters upset by the Megan Meier case.  On the other hand it is a vague law that could directly infringe upon all American's First Amendment right to free speech.

Memorial Day, Belgian Style

Now that the charcoal has cooled and the BBQ settled, anyone who hasn't already done so should take a minute to remember the reason for the three day weekend just concluded.  (Even if you don't read this until Tuesday, take a minute.)  Memorial Day is set aside to remember and honor those men and women who have given the highest sacrifice to protect and defend our freedom in this great country.  Without their willingness to fight and die for me and for you - from Lexington and Concord to Kabul and Baghdad - we would not have been able to fire up the grill in a free country this afternoon.  We certainly wouldn't be able to post or read uncensored newspapers, websites or even this blog without the heroic sacrifice of valorous soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines throughout the course of American history.  Thank you to each and every one of them.

But enough of my shallow words . . .  instead read the words of two men writing in today's St. Louis Post-Dispatch.  Joseph H. Bisher's letter to the editor began with a brief history of the holiday, then concluded:

"As America's older war veterans fast disappear from society's landscape, there are fewer and fewer standard-bearers left to carry the torch of remembrance.  Such traditions [as Memorial Day] will live on only if there is a vibrant movement to which the torch can be passed.  Now, more than in recent years, the enduring relevance of Memorial Day should be evident.  With two wars under way, the public has no excuse not to remember.  This much is owed to the more than 4,500 Americans who have died thus far in Afghanistan and Iraq."

It is important that we who owe so much accept the torch of remembrance.  Indeed, we should value and honor American heroes as much as the citizens of Belgium honor American heroes.

Sam Fox is a St. Louisan who now serves as U.S. ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium.  Fox's op-ed today carried home the point that the friendship between the United States and Belgium is solid and unbreakable.  In fact, the Belgian people are so thankful for the blood shed by Americans to protect their freedom that there "Memorial Day is actually a misnomer, because the Belgians devote two full days to their observation of the American holiday."  This is done to allow American dignitaries to participate in ceremonies at each of the three American military cemeteries in Belgium.  Fox continues:

"At each of these ceremonies, Belgian veterans, now in their 80s and 90s, line the long entrances on both sides.  Standing erect in whatever remnants of their uniforms they still own, they hold the flags of their regiments and battalions and shake hands with representatives of the U.S. armed forces, as well as with the American ambassador and members of their own government.  Thousands of other Belgians - men, women and children - join the veterans in paying their respects to the representatives of America and her war dead.

"In a remarkable tradition, the Belgians also visit the graves of individual fallen Americans whom they have 'adopted.'  For years, thousands of Belgians have been corresponding with the families of those American soldiers.  They tend the individual graves and, often on Memorial Day weekend, serve as hosts to visiting family members of the fallen.  At last years ceremonies, I shook hands with more than 100 of these visiting Americans.

"There are wreath-laying ceremonies, speeches, color guards, military bands and 21-gun salutes.  There are Missing Man formations flown by F-16s in which one of four jets in a group points its nose up and disappears into the sky.

"But perhaps the most moving of all the ceremonies involves the children who live near Flanders Field, where so much dying took place during World War I.  In a longstanding tradition, third-graders volunteer to learn English and sing the "Star-Spangled Banner" while waving Belgian and American flags.  The children then plant the flags of both nations at every American grave.  It's difficult to imaging a sight more simultaneously wrenching and heartening.

"A tiny country of about 10.5 million people crammed into a space about one-sixth the size of Missouri, Belgium suffered horribly during both world wars.  Those experiences have left an indelible mark - and an indelible appreciation for the United States."

As Americans we should have such and indelible appreciation for our own country and for the men and women who fought and died to establish and preserve it.  May we celebrate Memorial Day next year . . . Belgian style. 

How Long Until Al Gore Blames SUV's?

Jupiter (the planet, not the city in Florida) is experiencing its own global warming.  

I'm Back

Business kept me away from the blog Monday through Thursday.  One note from my time away, Senator Kit Bond was on my flight to D.C. on Monday afternoon, flying commercial and flying coach.  Good to see you haven't lost touch with the people Senator.

Special thanks to The Tim Man for his posting to keep the site fresh.

If the Obama-Swooning Media Reported the Preakness Results...

...it would look something like this:

Huge Success as Long-shot Macho Again Bests a Field of Eleven Thoroughbreds

Horse and Jockey to be Honored in Ticker-tape Parade
"Best effort I've seen in my life," says owner, "We're unstoppable!"

In related news, Big Brown tallies win as expected. Not nearly as impressive, though, say experts.

Hulshof and Steelman Pledge to Abandon Blunt's Clone and Kill Policy

The Post ran a story today covering the Southwest Missouri campaign trail for Kenny Hulshof and Sarah Steelman. Both candidates have announced that they will oppose so-called embryonic stem cell research in favor of more promising stem cell research that doesn't kill innocent children in the womb.

From the full story at STLToday:

Missouri's two Republican candidates for governor flexed their anti-abortion muscle in the GOP-rich southwest part of the state Monday, offering competing proposals on abortion and stem cell research.

State Treasurer Sarah Steelman and U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulshof both endorsed an abortion bill that failed in the legislative session that ended Friday.

[...]

Hulshof was traveling through southwest Missouri seeking support for his idea of promoting more research in Missouri into umbilical cord stem cell research. The research is seen as a less controversial alternative to embryonic stem cell research, which Hulshof and Steelman both oppose.

The congressman said a visit to Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center spurred his proposal. Hulshof wants to use state money to help create more cord-blood banks like the one at Cardinal Glennon, and then pair researchers with those blood banks so Missouri becomes a leader in cord-blood research.

[...]

Legislative Sausage-Making

The St. Louis Beacon posted an interesting story on the Missouri legislative process in 2008, including some coverage of the unfortunate and redundant immigration bill.

Obama: Modern-Day Jimmy Carter

Forget the media reports that Obama could be the next Michael Dukakis. It's far worse. Judging by his published statements he is the new edition of (as Homer Simpson would say) "history's greatest monster", Jimmy Carter.

Malaise will be the buzzword come January 20, 2009. From the full story at AFP:

Obama camp spies endgame in Oregon

...

During a rally in Roseburg, Oregon, Saturday, Obama presented himself as the front-runner almost without question, attacking presumptive Republican nominee John McCain on foreign policy, the environment and healthcare.

Reviving Friday's furious row sparked by President George W. Bush's suggestion that Democrats wanted to appease terrorists, Obama said that not talking to North Korea and Iran had only made those states stronger.

"I want everybody to be absolutely clear about this because George Bush and McCain have suggested that me being willing to sit down with our adversaries is a sign of weakness and sign of appeasement," he said.

He also attacked McCain's plan for a gas tax holiday to cope with rising pump prices, which Clinton supports, as well as his other environmental plans, saying the Republican had consistently opposed fuel efficiency standards.

"For him to come to Oregon as an environmental president, but his big strategy is to do more drilling and to have a gas tax holiday for three months, that's a phony solution," he said.
Pitching his message to Oregon's environmentally-conscious voters, Obama called on the United States to "lead by example" on global warming, and develop new technologies at home which could be exported to developing countries.

"We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times ... and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK," Obama said.
"That's not leadership. That's not going to happen," he added.

_____________________
Ahh, yes... shades of the great Jimmy Carter, whose solution to the economic woes caused by a stifling welfare state was to learn to do with less and stop complaining as your taxes are raised. I would like to know why I should care what any other country thinks of how Americans decide to govern themselves.

Will we see Obama in a cardigan one January to come asking us all to turn down our thermostats as the Chinese roll into South Korea? It will be too late by then to further emulate Carter by boycotting the Beijing Olympics.

Guest Host

I'll be out of town on business until Thursday but have invited a guest host for you're reading "pleasure."  Note that his views are his own and not necessarily mine.  More on that when I return.

MO Legislature Passes Flurry of Bills on Friday

Friday was the final day of the 2008 legislative session in Missouri.  Several bills were passed and sent for Governor Blunt's signature.  Among them was an immigration bill - good job folks.  Property tax relief also passed.  Kudos on that too.

Sadly missing was the photo i.d. amendment for voting.

Get Your Thickburgers While You Can . . . Obesity Now Claimed to Cause Global Warming

I wondered if I was being paranoid yesterday when I posted about the new Hardee's Prime Rib Thickburger being an example of fleeting freedom to be enjoyed while it lasted.  Nobody would really try to take our choice of burgers away, would they?

Don't be so sure.  

According to an article published by Reuters today, British scientists are now claiming that obesity is a cause of global warming.  One of those schmucks, a guy named Phil Edwards, is quoted as saying, "obesity is a key part of the big picture."  This because bigger people eat more food, drive more and walk less.  Edwards and his cohort call for "promotion of a normal distribution of BMI (body mass index)" to "reduce the global demand for, and thus the price of, food."

"Promotion of a normal distribution of BMI" sounds like government bureaucrats telling us what to eat and what not to eat.  And doing so to fight the current bogeyman - global warming - all but assures liberal support.  Al Gore will be calling for calorie police soon.

Be careful and vigilant.  Your freedom is threatened.  I'm not kidding.  And I'm not paranoid.

George W. Bush Speech to Israel's Parliament . . . Well done.

A friend of mine recently lamented that when the next president takes office in January we would long for the "good old days" of George W. Bush.  The current president's legacy will be marred by his own appeasement of American liberals on most domestic issues, but some days I'm still proud to have voted for him.  

Today is one of those days.  In a speech before Israel's parliament marking the 50th anniversary of that nation's latest independence, President Bush delivered a remarkable speech.  It is too bad that the major media is focusing only on what it saw as a veiled reference to Barack Obama.   

Bush's speech deserves more.  It was not a political snipe.  It was powerful address from a man who, this day anyway, proved to be a statesman.  President Bush, believe it or not, we'll miss you.

The speech is excerpted below with my added emphasis.  If you would like to read the full text, click here.

Prepared Text of Bush's Knesset Speech
May 15, 2008 4:04 a.m.

As Prepared for Delivery: Remarks by the President to Members of the Knesset

The White House 
Office of the Press Secretary

(Jerusalem)

Shalom. Laura and I are thrilled to be back in Israel. 

. . .

We gather to mark a momentous occasion. Sixty years ago in Tel Aviv, David Ben-Gurion proclaimed Israel's independence . . . eleven minutes later, on the orders of President Harry Truman, the United States was proud to be the first nation to recognize Israel's independence. And on this landmark anniversary, America is proud to be Israel's closest ally and best friend in the world.

The alliance between our governments is unbreakable, yet the source of our friendship runs deeper than any treaty. It is grounded in the shared spirit of our people, the bonds of the Book, the ties of the soul. When William Bradford stepped off the Mayflower in 1620, he quoted the words of Jeremiah: "Come let us declare in Zion the word of God."  

. . .

Earlier today, I visited Masada, an inspiring monument to courage and sacrifice. At this historic site, Israeli soldiers swear an oath: "Masada shall never fall again." Citizens of Israel: Masada shall never fall again, and America will always stand with you.

This anniversary is a time to reflect on the past. It is also an opportunity to look to the future. As we go forward, our alliance will be guided by clear principles – shared convictions rooted in moral clarity and unswayed by popularity polls or the shifting opinion of international elites.

We believe in the matchless value of every man, woman, and child. So we insist that the people of Israel have the right to a decent, normal, and peaceful life, just like the citizens of every other nation.

We believe that democracy is the only way to ensure human rights. So we consider it a source of shame that the United Nations routinely passes more human rights resolutions against the freest democracy in the Middle East than any other nation in the world.

We believe that religious liberty is fundamental to civilized society. So we condemn anti-Semitism in all forms – whether by those who openly question Israel's right to exist, or by others who quietly excuse them.

We believe that free people should strive and sacrifice for peace. So we applaud the courageous choices Israel's leaders have made. We also believe that nations have a right to defend themselves and that no nation should ever be forced to negotiate with killers pledged to its destruction.

We believe that targeting innocent lives to achieve political objectives is always and everywhere wrong. So we stand together against terror and extremism, and we will never let down our guard or lose our resolve.

The fight against terror and extremism is the defining challenge of our time. It is more than a clash of arms. It is a clash of visions, a great ideological struggle. On one side are those who defend the ideals of justice and dignity with the power of reason and truth. On the other side are those who pursue a narrow vision of cruelty and control by committing murder, inciting fear, and spreading lies.

This struggle is waged with the technology of the 21st century, but at its core it is the ancient battle between good and evil. The killers claim the mantle of Islam, but they are not religious men. No one who prays to the God of Abraham could strap a suicide vest to an innocent child, or blow up guiltless guests at a Passover Seder, or fly planes into office buildings filled with unsuspecting workers.  

. . .

That is why the founding charter of Hamas calls for the "elimination" of Israel. That is why the followers of Hezbollah chant "Death to Israel, Death to America!" That is why Osama bin Laden teaches that "the killing of Jews and Americans is one of the biggest duties." And that is why the president of Iran dreams of returning the Middle East to the Middle Ages and calls for Israel to be wiped off the map.

. . .

Some seem to believe we should negotiate with terrorists and radicals, as if some ingenious argument will persuade them they have been wrong all along. We have heard this foolish delusion before. As Nazi tanks crossed into Poland in 1939, an American senator declared: "Lord, if only I could have talked to Hitler, all of this might have been avoided." We have an obligation to call this what it is – the false comfort of appeasement, which has been repeatedly discredited by history.

. . .

That future will be a dramatic departure from the Middle East of today. So as we mark 60 years from Israel's founding, let us envision the region 60 years from now. This vision will not arrive easily or overnight, and it will encounter violent resistance from our enemies. But if we and future Presidents and Knessets maintain our resolve and have faith in our ideals, here is the Middle East we can see:

Israel will be celebrating its 120th anniversary as one of the world's great democracies, a secure and flourishing homeland for the Jewish people. The Palestinian people will have the homeland they have long dreamed of and deserved – a democratic state that is governed by law, respects human rights, and rejects terror. From Cairo and Riyadh to Baghdad and Beirut, people will live in free and independent societies, where a desire for peace is reinforced by ties of diplomacy, tourism, and trade. Iran and Syria will be peaceful nations, where today's oppression is a distant memory and people are free to speak their minds and develop their talents. And al Qaeda, Hezbollah, and Hamas will be defeated, as Muslims across the region recognize the emptiness of the terrorists' vision and the injustice of their cause.

Overall, the Middle East will be characterized by a new period of integration and tolerance. This does not mean that Israel and its neighbors will be best friends. But when leaders across the region answer to their people, they will focus their energies on schools and jobs, not on rocket attacks and suicide bombings. With this change, Israel will open a hopeful new chapter in which its people can live a normal life, and the dream of Herzl and the founders of 1948 can be fully and finally realized.

This is a bold vision, and some will say it can never be achieved. But think about what we have witnessed in our own time. When Europe was destroying itself through total war and genocide, it was difficult to envision a continent that six decades later would be free and at peace. When Japanese pilots were flying suicide missions into American battleships, it seemed impossible that six decades later Japan would be a democracy, a lynchpin of security in Asia, and one of America's closest friends. And when waves of refugees arrived here in the desert with nothing, surrounded by hostile armies, it was almost unimaginable that Israel would grow into one of the freest and most successful nations on Earth.

Yet each one of these transformations took place. And a future of transformation is possible in the Middle East too, so long as a new generation of leaders has the courage to defeat the enemies of freedom, make the hard choices necessary for peace, and stand firm on the solid rock of universal values.

Sixty years ago, on the eve of Israel's independence, the last British soldiers departing Jerusalem stopped at a building in the Jewish quarter of the Old City. An officer knocked on the door and met a senior rabbi. The officer presented him with a short iron bar – the key to Zion Gate – and said it was the first time in 18 centuries that a key to the gates of Jerusalem had belonged to a Jew. His hands trembling, the rabbi offered a prayer of thanksgiving to God, "Who had granted us life and permitted us to reach this day." Then he turned to the officer, and uttered the words Jews had awaited for so long: "I accept this key in the name of my people."

Over the past six decades, the Jewish people have established a state that would make that humble rabbi proud. You have raised a modern society in the Promised Land, a light unto the nations that preserves the legacy of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And you have built a mighty democracy that will endure forever and can always count on America to stand at its side. May God bless Israel.

An Example of Freedom - For Now Anyway

Today Hardee's rolled out a new sandwich . . . the Prime Rib Thickburger.  (Post-Dispatch/AP article)  It is described on the menu as "a 1/3 lb. 100% Black Angus Thickburger topped with melted Swiss, then piled high with slices of Prime Rib, grilled onions and finished with Horseradish sauce, all on a bakery style Ciabatta roll."  I think I'm hungry.

Thankfully there's one restaurant out there dedicated to selling people what they want . . . food that tastes good . . . instead of what the health-nuts are telling us we should be eating.  And what some of them think we should be required to eat.

Be grateful that for the time being we still have the freedom to eat what we want.  The rest of you can have your salads.  I'll have a burger instead - or popcorn cooked in peanut oil - or whatever else the do-gooders tell me to avoid next.

P.S.  Hardee's didn't pay for me for this post.  But if they want to send me some free Prime Rib Thickburgers, I'd certainly take them.  

P.P.S.  I tried to find find a loadable photo of the sandwich at issue.  I couldn't.  To see it, look quickly when linking to hardees.com here.  Note that you can also print a coupon for $1.00 off.

Inspiration for Brock Olivo

Yesterday, the voters of Muskogee, Oklahoma, elected John Tyler Hammons to be their mayor.  Like 9th District congressional candidate Brock Olivo had never before voted.  

If it is good for Oklahoma, why not Missouri?

Well, first, serving as Muskogee's mayor isn't quite like serving in the U.S. Congress.  And second, unlike Olivo, Mayor-elect Hammons has a good excuse for not voting previously . . . he's just 19 years old and wasn't old enough until now.

Brock, I admire your ambition.  But I think you're starting to high.  You should be running for mayor of Columbia - not congress.  If you were looking to start in an "entry level" position, I wouldn't be so hard on you.

(Link to Muskogee Phoenix article)

Surprise, Surprise - Democrats Oppose Voter I.D.

According to a post at Prime Buzz in the Kansas City Star, Democrats Jay Nixon and Robin Carnahan are strongly opposed to the proposed photo identification requirement for voting.  Secretary of State Carnahan went so far as to call the proposal "absurd."  Is anybody surprised?

I would like to call the Democrats' opposition absurd but it is worse than that.  It is cold and politically calculated.  Requiring the people casting votes on election day to actually be the voters that they claim to be seems like common sense.  But that common sense would prevent the Democrat party machines in St. Louis and Kansas City from tweaking the election results by trotting out operatives to "vote early and vote often."  If this type of vote fraud were prevented, Democrats would lose one of their historic advantages.  But democracy would be better served.

Jay Nixon (Attorney General and candidate-in-waiting for governor) thinks that photo i.d. legislation is "unfortunate."  What is actually unfortunate is that voters won't be required to be who they say they are to cast a vote for Nixon in November.

Embryonic Stem Cell Research Has Opened Pandora's Box

Scientists from Cornell, researching embryonic stem cells, have genetically altered a human embryo.  (AP article)  Allow me to repeat . . . scientists have genetically altered a human embryo.

If that doesn't give you pause and make you wonder if this type of research has gone too far what will?

Creation of designer babies?  Want only blue-eyed children . . . no problem.  

What about athleticism?  Let's tweak the DNA for more power, strength and endurance.

What about race?  The Nazi's have loved to have this tool for the creation of a "master race."

Think that my fears are unfounded?  I hope you're right.  But I'm not sure that there is a technology or scientific discovery in the world that somebody won't try to use in an immoral or unethical ways.  Unfortunately, it is human nature to do so.

Enough is enough.  Shut the box while there still may be time.  Stop the madness.

Ron Paul - Irrelevant or Emerging Leader

I'll admit, I wrote off Ron Paul early in the Republican presidential primaries.  He was a fringe candidate who seemed to have no shot of winning the GOP nomination or the presidency.  As it turns out, I was right.  Paul didn't win or even come close.  

But despite losing the election, Ron Paul has not faded away.  He's still out there and his operatives are still working.  According to a blog at the L.A. Times, his "forces" are planning to stir things up at the convention in September.  They're planning platform fights and pushing for their guy to get a prime speaking slot.

What's behind Ron Paul's staying power?  That's an easy one . . . the "moderation" of the Republican party.  Through the efforts of the Bush family and now John McCain, the Republicans have discounted their conservative base and counted on us to vote for them because we have no viable alternative.  We have, and will again this fall but we're getting a bit fed up.  I'm tired of the party trying to outspend the Democrats and tired of it succeeding.  I'm tired of appeasing liberals but that is how Republicans have chosen to try and gain or keep political power.  McCain is the poster-child for that kind of thinking.

Ron Paul's supporters are tired of that too.  They've had enough and want to make a stand now.  I give them credit.  I'm not sure that their efforts will benefit the country, now or in the long run.  I'm certain that those efforts will hurt McCain and, by hurting him, make the election of Barack Obama (ugh!) or Hillary Clinton (ugh! ugh!) more likely.

I am not a supporter of Ron Paul.  A friend of mine is and has been threatening to make me read Paul's latest book.  I've been laughing him off.  I'm not laughing anymore.  Now I'm curious.  I'll read the book to try and figure out if this unlikely man is likely to remain on the fringe or if there is a chance that he will some day lead the Republican party back to the right and back to doing what is right for the country.

MO Voter I.D. Update - Volume II

Following the U.S. Supreme Court's April 28 decision upholding Indiana's photo i.d. requirement for voting, I expressed my hope that the Missouri General Assembly would do something to put our state's similar law back into effect in time for the November elections.  Unfortunately, that was not possible since the Missouri law was struck down by our state Supreme Court based on the state constitution, not the U.S. Constitution.

Well, kudos should go out to our state legislators for doing the next best thing . . . the House of Representatives has already passed a bill that would place a proposed amendment to the Missouri Constitution on November's ballot that would require photo identification in all future elections.  The measure has also passed through a state Senate committee, which recommended passage, and should be taken up by the full Senate very soon.

Here's hoping that this common sense amendment makes it to Governor Blunt's desk, onto the ballot, and into the constitution.

Mother's Day

I hope that all the mothers out there had a great day yesterday.  Sorry about my failure to post.  I was hosting a barbeque for my mother and my mother-in-law.  After that, and a very long and eventful weekend, I failed to post.  But rest assured . . . I'm baaaaack.

Revitalized Arch Grounds?

The National Park Service, which operates the Gateway Arch and 91 acres surrounding it in downtown St. Louis, seems finally to have realized that it is mismanaging that property.  Right now, there is nothing to do on the Arch grounds but visit the Arch and the museum beneath it.  And, by the way, there isn't an easy way to get from downtown St. Louis to the Arch without risking your life dodging traffic. 

According to an article by Jake Wagman in today's Post-Dispatch, however, the Park Service "will begin taking public input on what to do with the grounds surrounding the Gateway Arch."  It is about time.

Downtown needs to be the hub of this community . . . and not just when there's a sporting event.  The Arch could be the focal point and gathering place.  But a few food vendors and restrooms aren't enough.  We need to think big and add attractions to the are for locals and tourists alike.  Give people a reason to head downtown.  Restaurants, rides and games, shopping, etc.

By the way, it would also make sense to make it easy for them to get there on foot or in a car.  And if they choose to drive - - don't make them pay to park.

Revitalizing the Arch grounds should be something every St. Louisan can agree on.

Conservative or Not, McCain is an American Hero

John McCain is a national hero.  His military service pales in comparison to no one.  He did his duty and endured unbelievable horrors as a prisoner of war in Vietnam.  His presidential campaign has emphasized his military service and I have no problem with that.  But there have been times that I've been critical of Senator McCain for focusing on his past military accomplishments rather than his not-so-stellar (from a conservative perspective) career in the Senate.  At times, I've also felt McCain was a bit too proud of enduring his years as a prisoner of war.

It appears that I've been unfair.  The Associated Press reported today that John McCain's military record was released today by the Navy - not at his or his campaign's request but in response to a Freedom of Information Act request filed by the AP.

The AP was probably looking for dirt but instead reporter Jim Kuhnhenn found that "John McCain's Navy record boils down to a series of unadorned photographs that bestow upon him some of the nation's top military honors."  

From 1958, when he graduated from the Naval Academy and entered the active service until his retirement in 1981, McCain received 17 awards and decorations.  These included a Silver Star Medal, Legion of Merit with a combat "V" and one gold star, a Distinguished Flying Cross, and a Bronze Star Medal with a combat "V" and two gold stars.  He also received a Purple Heart.

John McCain deserves some credit for humility.  His military accomplishments are worth bragging about far more than he or his campaign has.

McCain's military service and accomplishments in the Navy (even taken by themselves) make him a better choice for president than Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton.

Will Democrats and Independents Regret Pushing McCain to the Republican Nomination?

I've just been perusing the Drudge Report.  Four links seemed remarkable to me for the connections to be drawn between them.

First, there's Lynn Sweet blogging from Washington for the Chicago Sun-Times.  She has posted a memo from the Barack Obama campaign laying out their talking points on their candidate's expected loss to Hillary Clinton in the Indiana primary.  One of the points tells Obama supporters to say, "if I were the Clinton campaign, I don't think I'd be celebrating too hard tonight.  Winning a state on the strength of voters who want to see you defeated isn't exactly the kind of win you want."

But this is exactly what happened in the Republican primary back in New Hampshire.  John McCain was elected largely on the strength of Democrat cross-over voters and so-called independents backing him against his conservative rivals.  McCain won that state - and with the help of the liberal media hype-machine - the G.O.P. nomination soon thereafter.  But he did so on the strength of voters who want to see him defeated in November.

The second two links that I noticed on Drudge are links to today's primary results in Indiana and North Carolina.  They show, of course, the contested race in the Democrats' primary but the links also show the results in the Republican primary.  Remarkably, the only candidate still running, McCain, received only 78% of the vote in Indiana and 74% in North Carolina.

Significant numbers of Republicans are unhappy with the choice of "Maverick" McCain as the party's standard-bearer this year.  McCain was a poor choice for the party.  He is not conservative and not right for the country.  Lots of people know that and, despite the futility of their vote against him, lots of people in Indiana and North Carolina chose to lodge a protest vote for Mike Huckabee, Ron Paul, Mitt Romney or even Alan Keyes.  They're protesting against this candidate who was selected for them by Democrats and "independents."

Apparently the message of conservative dissatisfaction has gotten through to the McCain campaign.  That shows in the last Drudge link I'll mention tonight.  According to this article in the Financial Times, McCain is seeking to reassure conservatives that he intends to appoint conservative judges to the Supreme Court and other federal courts.  He says that he will use John Roberts and Samuel Alito as his models for McCain appointees.  

I would love to believe McCain.  I really would.  Maybe the folks who got him nominated will regret their choice.  

I'll vote for McCain this November because I'll have no other real choice.  He is certainly the best option of the three remaining but I'm likely to cast my ballot holding my nose.  If McCain means what he's saying about judicial appointments, maybe he won't smell as bad as I fear.

Hillary Wants to "Take Care of You" . . . Has the time come to vote her off the island?

Hillary Clinton gave a speech in North Carolina today digging at Barack Obama's oratorical gifts.  "In the end of the day," she said, "you don't hire a president to make speeches.  You hire a president to solve problems."  This is the money quote from the speech and is being widely reported.  (Example)  I can't find the rest of the speech anywhere so I can't link to it.

But I heard a longer quotation in the car this morning on CBS Radio News.  Hillary stated her position that in addition to hiring a president to "solve problems," she also said that you hire a president to "take care of you."

I don't know about the rest of you but I don't want Hillary taking care of me.

It isn't the role of the president to "take care of" the citizens of this country - or did I miss that somewhere in Article II of the Constitution.  And it shouldn't be the role of the president, the government or anybody else.  An individual is responsible for taking care of himself or herself.

Hillary's comments about the role of the presidency show her to be a true big-government liberal.  She believes that the federal government ought to have its hands in your life and mine as much as possible because we can't take care of ourselves.  Thankfully Hillary and her liberal friends are willing to impose a nanny state and take care of us.  After all, "it takes a village . . ."

I know that conventional wisdom is that Republicans should be favoring a Hillary nomination because she would be easier to defeat in November.  But I'm beginning to worry about that.  McCain's election isn't a lock against anybody.  And I'm not sure the country could take four years with Hillary back in the White House.

Shouldn't we learn a lesson from the first season of Survivor and vote Richard Hatch off the island at the first opportunity?

Foreshadowing Hillary's Fate?

Fillies don't usually win horse races running against colts.  And women have never won a presidential election running against men.  But this year Hillary Clinton is trying to win the presidency and Eight Belles tried to win the Kentucky Derby.  Unfortunately for the horse, she finished second, broke down and had to be euthanized after the race.

According to Jake Tapper, blogging on abcnews.com, Hillary was an Eight Belles fan who suggested that everybody bet on her.  She even sent daughter Chelsea to the track with instructions to do so.

Let's hope that Hillary follows her favorite horse's path - but only partway.  Here's to Hillary coming in second.  After losing the election, she may break down and cry but there's no call for euthanasia.

I'm Getting My Wish . . . An Hour of Hillary

Early in this presidential election cycle, back when Hillary Clinton receiving the Democrat's nomination seemed inevitable, I commented to a friend that the best way to stop her would be to give her time on television.  The more she talks and the more people listen to her the more they see just how horrible she is.  Barack Obama, John McCain and the GOP should offer spend their money on TV time for Hillary instead of running their own campaigns.

But maybe they won't have to . . .

Matt Drudge is reporting that ABC is giving Hillary and hour on Sunday.  She'll be appearing in a town hall format hosted by former Clintonite turned impartial (Ha!) journalist, George Stephanopoulos.  

I'm quite certain that ABC thinks an hour of free airtime will help Hillary or they wouldn't be doing it.  But trust me . . . the more people who watch Hillary speak, the more people will want to vote for anybody else.