Courtesy of Ion Mihai Pacepa at OpinionJournal.com.
Pacepa is a former intelligence agent from Romania who used to work with the KGB in West Germany as part of the Soviet bloc's spy games against the West (and yes, we played those spy games, too). Pacepa is actually the highest ranking intelligence officer to ever defect from a Warsaw Pact nation.
Pacepa believes that the liberal left's propaganda machine is very similar in tact to the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc's anti-American propaganda tactics.
The ending of the column says it all...
"On July 28, I celebrated 29 years since President Carter signed off on my request for political asylum, and I am still tremendously proud that the leader of the Free World granted me my freedom. During these years I have lived here under five presidents--some better than others--but I have always felt that I was living in paradise. My American citizenship has given me a feeling of pride, hope and security that is surpassed only by the joy of simply being alive. There are millions of other immigrants who are equally proud that they restarted their lives from scratch in order to be in this magnanimous country. I appeal to them to help keep our beloved America united and honorable. We may not be able to change the habits of our current political representatives, but we may be able to introduce healthy new blood into the U.S. Congress.
For once, the communists got it right. It is America's leader that counts. Let's return to the traditions of presidents who accepted nothing short of unconditional surrender from our deadly enemies. Let's vote next year for people who believe in America's future, not for the ones who live in the Cold War past."
Very, very true.
(h/t to one of The Podium's sources of interesting news and opinion, Paul Cave)
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Stunningly Simple Interpretation of Words
Eddie thinks I'm attempting to "spin" his statements.
When I said that you "abhorred your own listeners", I'm referring to the fact that your listeners are the residents of the Valley, are they not? Anyone within the range of your radio station's towers are, at the least, potential listeners.
Anyway, in the post I linked to above, Eddie did manage to clarify his statements (at least, he narrowed his scope of who he was referring to as bigots and hatemongers). Whether he knows it or not, though, his statements come across more sweeping and generalized to the objective eye than he may have realized.
Did I intentionally spin your comments to mean something different? No, I simply read them for what they were, and interpreted them as they stood.
Eddie finishes up his "reaction" with this...
"What I do think is that the haters are louder around here, and greater in number.
But at the end of the day, I see people as individuals.
And Phil Chroniger should know better than that kind of crap."
Exactly...what you think is that there are more "haters" around here than anywhere else you've lived. Again, that's your opinion/experience, you're entitled to that. However, given MY experience, I'm inclined to disagree. I don't think you realize that your own words were much broader in their targets without your recent "clarification."
However, I'm not one for "blog wars". I've said my piece and you've said yours. You believe one thing, I believe another. I guess we'll just have to leave it at that.
And those people you believe to be haters, you'll have to answer to them...not to me, because I am not one that spews hate or spins statements in ways that aren't true for the sake of doing so.
And Eddie Garcia should know better than that kind of crap.
When I said that you "abhorred your own listeners", I'm referring to the fact that your listeners are the residents of the Valley, are they not? Anyone within the range of your radio station's towers are, at the least, potential listeners.
Anyway, in the post I linked to above, Eddie did manage to clarify his statements (at least, he narrowed his scope of who he was referring to as bigots and hatemongers). Whether he knows it or not, though, his statements come across more sweeping and generalized to the objective eye than he may have realized.
Did I intentionally spin your comments to mean something different? No, I simply read them for what they were, and interpreted them as they stood.
Eddie finishes up his "reaction" with this...
"What I do think is that the haters are louder around here, and greater in number.
But at the end of the day, I see people as individuals.
And Phil Chroniger should know better than that kind of crap."
Exactly...what you think is that there are more "haters" around here than anywhere else you've lived. Again, that's your opinion/experience, you're entitled to that. However, given MY experience, I'm inclined to disagree. I don't think you realize that your own words were much broader in their targets without your recent "clarification."
However, I'm not one for "blog wars". I've said my piece and you've said yours. You believe one thing, I believe another. I guess we'll just have to leave it at that.
And those people you believe to be haters, you'll have to answer to them...not to me, because I am not one that spews hate or spins statements in ways that aren't true for the sake of doing so.
And Eddie Garcia should know better than that kind of crap.
Hahaha!
You've gotta love Mortman, in a recent post, he displays this picture of CNN wishing Helen Thomas a happy birthday.
Too funny, in my opinion.
Monday, August 6, 2007
C'mon Guys...
I didn't watch the most recent GOP debate, which was on Sunday's edition of "This Week" with George Stephanopoulos (spelled it right on the first try, yeah baby!), but I read a recap of the debate, courtesy of The Washington Times. Anyone want to guess as to which debate topic got talked about first in the Times article?
If you said abortion, you get a virtual cookie. And if you guessed that this topic involved mostly talking points from Mitt Romney and Rudy Guiliani (because of their previous or current pro-abortion stances, depending on who you're talking to), you get some virtual chocolate chips thrown in with that cookie.
Why so many within the GOP continue to make abortion such a huge talking point, with much more pressing issues out there, I don't know.
Guiliani's statements about bad economic policies from the Democrats (that the kneejerk liberal reaction is to simply raise taxes) were on-point.
Mike Huckabee's analogy about health-care should focus more on prevention, and not just treatment, was interesting. Huckabee said "It's almost like having a boat that's taking on water, and rather than plugging the hole, we want to get a bigger bucket to take the water out of the boat,"
McCain's losing it...the man actually said "The respect and commitment to the rights of the unborn is something I've fought for, and it has a lot to do with national security. It says very much what kind of country we are," Read that again, folks. He actually tried to tie his stance against abortion to improving national security!
(W)hiskey (T)ango (F)oxtrot, John McCain, (W)hiskey (T)ango (F)oxtrot.
If you said abortion, you get a virtual cookie. And if you guessed that this topic involved mostly talking points from Mitt Romney and Rudy Guiliani (because of their previous or current pro-abortion stances, depending on who you're talking to), you get some virtual chocolate chips thrown in with that cookie.
Why so many within the GOP continue to make abortion such a huge talking point, with much more pressing issues out there, I don't know.
Guiliani's statements about bad economic policies from the Democrats (that the kneejerk liberal reaction is to simply raise taxes) were on-point.
Mike Huckabee's analogy about health-care should focus more on prevention, and not just treatment, was interesting. Huckabee said "It's almost like having a boat that's taking on water, and rather than plugging the hole, we want to get a bigger bucket to take the water out of the boat,"
McCain's losing it...the man actually said "The respect and commitment to the rights of the unborn is something I've fought for, and it has a lot to do with national security. It says very much what kind of country we are," Read that again, folks. He actually tried to tie his stance against abortion to improving national security!
(W)hiskey (T)ango (F)oxtrot, John McCain, (W)hiskey (T)ango (F)oxtrot.
Iraq, You Break
Ok, the title doesn't make too much sense compared to what I'm saying, but it goes back to an old joke and I couldn't get it out of my head...but I digress.
We're less than 60 days away from receiving the "Petraeus Report" that will determine the course of action we will take in regards to the post-war occupation of Iraq. Now that we know that the Dems are anxious about what a positive report could do to the party's stance on the whole occupation, it's time we start laying out the paths that we can take to end this deal.
A Positive Report will lead to further military action, no doubt about it. In fact, we should start looking at building upon "what has worked" and capitalize on that. In the meanwhile, efforts should be made at bringing the different sects of the Iraqi government back together to form some kind of a functional body of government. In fact, this would be a good time to implement my strategy for fixing Iraq to a suitable condition.
A Negative Report will probably be the last straw for fixing Iraq. We will then have to consider leaving Iraq and focus more on national security within our borders for the time-being. However, making a timetable for withdrawal public would be a poor course of action. Of course we don't want our enemies knowing that we're leaving. Just starting bringing troops home, but keep our forces ready if the situation improves due to outside effects (such as the Iraqi government getting their stuff together).
A Mixed Report is dependent upon what the Iraqi government's situation is looking like at the time. If it is something that is worth salvaging, we attempt to salvage it. If their government refuses to cooperate with efforts to get the nation up-and-running again...then it's time we start to leave.
Since the left swears the surge is not working, and the right swears it is...the only real person we can trust to give us the truth is General Petraeus. Then we will have a much better idea of the situation that is going on over there.
We're less than 60 days away from receiving the "Petraeus Report" that will determine the course of action we will take in regards to the post-war occupation of Iraq. Now that we know that the Dems are anxious about what a positive report could do to the party's stance on the whole occupation, it's time we start laying out the paths that we can take to end this deal.
A Positive Report will lead to further military action, no doubt about it. In fact, we should start looking at building upon "what has worked" and capitalize on that. In the meanwhile, efforts should be made at bringing the different sects of the Iraqi government back together to form some kind of a functional body of government. In fact, this would be a good time to implement my strategy for fixing Iraq to a suitable condition.
A Negative Report will probably be the last straw for fixing Iraq. We will then have to consider leaving Iraq and focus more on national security within our borders for the time-being. However, making a timetable for withdrawal public would be a poor course of action. Of course we don't want our enemies knowing that we're leaving. Just starting bringing troops home, but keep our forces ready if the situation improves due to outside effects (such as the Iraqi government getting their stuff together).
A Mixed Report is dependent upon what the Iraqi government's situation is looking like at the time. If it is something that is worth salvaging, we attempt to salvage it. If their government refuses to cooperate with efforts to get the nation up-and-running again...then it's time we start to leave.
Since the left swears the surge is not working, and the right swears it is...the only real person we can trust to give us the truth is General Petraeus. Then we will have a much better idea of the situation that is going on over there.
Defecating Where They Eat
Some people have no problem with doing exactly that.
Eddie Garcia (aka kestrel9000 of Cobalt6/Dailykos fame) is a proud liberal. In fact, in many ways, he is a socialist in the Vermont sense of the word. I've pretty much agreed to disagree with Eddie on practically everything, because we do. In fact, I've long-thought that I was one of the few Valley conservatives to have a relatively civil relationship with ol' Eddie.
However, his statements in a recent article in The New Dominion raised the hairs on the back of my moderately-conservative neck just a little.
Namely, this one..."'This is the fourth state that I’ve lived in - and the politics of division, the hatred, the pointing the fingers. Democrats are traitors, homosexuals will destroy your marriage, the Muslims will kill you when you sleep - and people take this seriously. I find it disgusting. It’s revolting,” Garcia says.
'It goes against everything that I believe in, everything that I was raised to believe was right, proper, true and correct. Bigotry and hatred in this area seems to have a license - and all I can do is stand against it.
'If there are consequences, then there are consequences - but I am who I am. I have my values, and I compromise them for no one.'"
Eddie, you and I both come from out-of-state. I come from College Park, Maryland (just outside of D.C.) by way of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. I've resided in the Valley for 10 years. Yes, I've had my run-ins with some who have closed minds towards minorities...but those were very few-and-far between. The bigotry and hatred you describe, to be quite honest, invokes images of the pre-Civil Rights era of the South.
You claim to be about "the community", but all of the communities throughout The Valley are very tight-knit, and very welcoming...especially in comparison to when I moved to Pennsylvania, where things are a bit more "closed off" to those coming in from outside the area (though, the people there are still very nice once you get to know them).
I've found most of the people of this area to be God-fearing, hard-working, blue-collar, no-nonsense, proud individuals who, pardon my language, couldn't give a damn about politics, gay marriage, or anything else you have a problem with...but you choose to degrade them all in a sweeping generalization.
To hear you describe these people in such a way is detrimental to the image of these generally good, honest people. I will gladly stand up and defend the dignity and honor of these people, even though you would rather perpetuate stereotypes that really only reflect a minority of those that live in our general area.
Don't believe me, then read this.
You seem to have a great, and very misplaced, disgust with this area...especially your comments in this article are directed towards those who listen to your radio show. I don't think I've ever heard of a radio DJ who abhorred his own listeners with this kind of ferocity.
Since your listeners = your paycheck, your tact in attempting to implement such radically-leftward change in the minds of listeners in such a conservative area should be reconsidered. Instead of opening minds to your point of view, you're insulting those you want to reach out to.
As you said, you have your values...and you compromise them for no one. However, don't be so surprised if people don't compromise your values for you, either.
Once again, I guess you and I will have to agree to disagree. You think people of the Valley are nothing but bigots and hatemongers...I, on the other hand, feel differently.
Eddie Garcia (aka kestrel9000 of Cobalt6/Dailykos fame) is a proud liberal. In fact, in many ways, he is a socialist in the Vermont sense of the word. I've pretty much agreed to disagree with Eddie on practically everything, because we do. In fact, I've long-thought that I was one of the few Valley conservatives to have a relatively civil relationship with ol' Eddie.
However, his statements in a recent article in The New Dominion raised the hairs on the back of my moderately-conservative neck just a little.
Namely, this one..."'This is the fourth state that I’ve lived in - and the politics of division, the hatred, the pointing the fingers. Democrats are traitors, homosexuals will destroy your marriage, the Muslims will kill you when you sleep - and people take this seriously. I find it disgusting. It’s revolting,” Garcia says.
'It goes against everything that I believe in, everything that I was raised to believe was right, proper, true and correct. Bigotry and hatred in this area seems to have a license - and all I can do is stand against it.
'If there are consequences, then there are consequences - but I am who I am. I have my values, and I compromise them for no one.'"
Eddie, you and I both come from out-of-state. I come from College Park, Maryland (just outside of D.C.) by way of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. I've resided in the Valley for 10 years. Yes, I've had my run-ins with some who have closed minds towards minorities...but those were very few-and-far between. The bigotry and hatred you describe, to be quite honest, invokes images of the pre-Civil Rights era of the South.
You claim to be about "the community", but all of the communities throughout The Valley are very tight-knit, and very welcoming...especially in comparison to when I moved to Pennsylvania, where things are a bit more "closed off" to those coming in from outside the area (though, the people there are still very nice once you get to know them).
I've found most of the people of this area to be God-fearing, hard-working, blue-collar, no-nonsense, proud individuals who, pardon my language, couldn't give a damn about politics, gay marriage, or anything else you have a problem with...but you choose to degrade them all in a sweeping generalization.
To hear you describe these people in such a way is detrimental to the image of these generally good, honest people. I will gladly stand up and defend the dignity and honor of these people, even though you would rather perpetuate stereotypes that really only reflect a minority of those that live in our general area.
Don't believe me, then read this.
You seem to have a great, and very misplaced, disgust with this area...especially your comments in this article are directed towards those who listen to your radio show. I don't think I've ever heard of a radio DJ who abhorred his own listeners with this kind of ferocity.
Since your listeners = your paycheck, your tact in attempting to implement such radically-leftward change in the minds of listeners in such a conservative area should be reconsidered. Instead of opening minds to your point of view, you're insulting those you want to reach out to.
As you said, you have your values...and you compromise them for no one. However, don't be so surprised if people don't compromise your values for you, either.
Once again, I guess you and I will have to agree to disagree. You think people of the Valley are nothing but bigots and hatemongers...I, on the other hand, feel differently.
TND: Abuser Fee Winners and Losers
Chris Graham has a "Winners and Losers" column up at The New Dominion in regards to the Abuser Fees. Here's a few of his winners and losers over this whole debacle...
"Winner: General Assembly Republicans
How they’ve been able to turn the driver-fee thing around on Gov. Tim Kaine without eliciting a peep of retort from the governor’s office is beyond me.I don’t agree with their position on transportation funding, but I have to admit that I admire their style.
...
Winner: We, the people
Not that the petitions have actually forced anybody in Richmond to change the course on the driver fees, but they have been successful in generating scads of attention to how upset the vast majority of us are about what is obviously a boondoggle.
If only we could channel this into actually getting people to get out to the polls this November...
...
Loser: Democratic Party of Virginia.
Have you seen the new DPVA website poking fun at the Republican Party of Virginia? (www.theydontgetva.com)
Let me spare you - one of its key features has to do with pointing out how various Republicans have flip-flopped on the driver-fees issue that has hundreds of thousands of Virginians preparing for a run on Richmond.
Earth to Virginia Dems: How much of a role did Tim Kaine, aka the Democratic governor, have to do with creating the furor with his amendment limiting their application to Virginia drivers?
Hmmm...
Not that I would pin it all on him, because the GOP-majority legislature had to do its part to pass the amendment to get us to where we are now. But..."
Tim Kaine was also a "loser", while Virginia Media Outlets come out as pretty big winners in this whole deal.
I would say that, in the grand scheme of things, this is pretty accurate. One thing that was missed, however, is the fact that there was a higher percentage of GOP delegates against the final version of the Abuser Fee legislation than there were Democrats.
That also makes the DPVA big losers in this whole deal.
"Winner: General Assembly Republicans
How they’ve been able to turn the driver-fee thing around on Gov. Tim Kaine without eliciting a peep of retort from the governor’s office is beyond me.I don’t agree with their position on transportation funding, but I have to admit that I admire their style.
...
Winner: We, the people
Not that the petitions have actually forced anybody in Richmond to change the course on the driver fees, but they have been successful in generating scads of attention to how upset the vast majority of us are about what is obviously a boondoggle.
If only we could channel this into actually getting people to get out to the polls this November...
...
Loser: Democratic Party of Virginia.
Have you seen the new DPVA website poking fun at the Republican Party of Virginia? (www.theydontgetva.com)
Let me spare you - one of its key features has to do with pointing out how various Republicans have flip-flopped on the driver-fees issue that has hundreds of thousands of Virginians preparing for a run on Richmond.
Earth to Virginia Dems: How much of a role did Tim Kaine, aka the Democratic governor, have to do with creating the furor with his amendment limiting their application to Virginia drivers?
Hmmm...
Not that I would pin it all on him, because the GOP-majority legislature had to do its part to pass the amendment to get us to where we are now. But..."
Tim Kaine was also a "loser", while Virginia Media Outlets come out as pretty big winners in this whole deal.
I would say that, in the grand scheme of things, this is pretty accurate. One thing that was missed, however, is the fact that there was a higher percentage of GOP delegates against the final version of the Abuser Fee legislation than there were Democrats.
That also makes the DPVA big losers in this whole deal.
Will Someone Tell Raising Kaine That I Am Hispanic?
They failed to realize this when attempting to make judgments on how "monolithically white" conservative bloggers are, and I'm not going to register over there simply to correct them.
With all the posts that I've made that clearly state this, you'd think Lowell would've figured this out. I guess the fact that I support conservative politics and am against illegal immigration somehow makes me "not Hispanic".
Or maybe it's the Dutch last name from my father's side :) However, considering my skin tone, facial features, and my mother's place of origin...it's a pretty safe bet that I'm Hispanic.
UPDATE...upon re-reading the post (and upping RK's page hits...doh!), I read that Lowell said that this was among "clearly Republican blogs". Since my blog is only "cloudy Republican, clearly somewhat-conservative", I'm assuming this is why I was not counted towards the "minority count".
With all the posts that I've made that clearly state this, you'd think Lowell would've figured this out. I guess the fact that I support conservative politics and am against illegal immigration somehow makes me "not Hispanic".
Or maybe it's the Dutch last name from my father's side :) However, considering my skin tone, facial features, and my mother's place of origin...it's a pretty safe bet that I'm Hispanic.
UPDATE...upon re-reading the post (and upping RK's page hits...doh!), I read that Lowell said that this was among "clearly Republican blogs". Since my blog is only "cloudy Republican, clearly somewhat-conservative", I'm assuming this is why I was not counted towards the "minority count".
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