a running commentary by our trusted contributors...

[4/30/04 Friday]

[Streetsweeper - into the opinion bin] 5:11 am [link]
Sorry, gotta go: Well, well. The 9/11 Commission wanted to question the President – made a big deal about it, in fact, right? So, they had their opportunity yesterday... And oops, the interview went a little long and Bob Kerrey had to duck out because he had a meeting with Senator Pete Domenici. And Lee Hamilton had to make an intro speech for a visit from Canada’s Prime Minister Paul Martin. Hmm... I’m surprised that Jamie Gorelick didn’t have a previously scheduled hair appointment... Thank goodness this is a non-partisan commission... Glad to know that this is oh-so important for the country...

[Nick Winter - CRO administrative editor] 5:01 am [link]
Today’s Democratic Talking Point: Liberals please note – use this talking point whenever discussing the 9/11 Commission’s interview of Bush - “Why did Bush and Cheney have to go in hand in hand to this very important commission hearing?” It's especially importanat to use this question if your conservative jerk friend says anything about Kerrey or Hamilton leaving the Bush-Cheney interview early...

[4/29/04 Thursday]

[Streetsweeper - into the opinion bin] 5:13 am [link]
Chickenhawks!!! Senator Frank Lautenberg is oh-so right! "We know who the chickenhawks are.  They talk tough on national defense and military issues and cast aspersions on others, but when it was their turn to serve, where were they?  AWOL. That's where they were...”

Yeah! You tell ‘em Frank! What is it with these civilians who never served in battle getting all gung-ho to go war??? Chickenhawks! Bush and Cheney didn’t serve a day in combat, yet they’re calling the shots (so to speak). Yeah, that’s right, Bush and Cheney are Chickenhawks just like those Chickenhawks before them!

Yeah! Like the granddaddy of all Chickenhawks Franklin Roosevelt! Never served a day in his life, but boy was he ready to pull the trigger! He was just itching to get into it. I mean think about it... Sure there wasn’t a UN to help out, but he could have negotiated with the Japanese and smoothed over that Pearl Harbor thing – but no... And what did the Germans and Italians do to us? Nothing. But FDR had to jump right in and declare war on them too. I mean it’s like Bush could have probably worked it out with Al-Qaeda. The World Trade Center was a tragedy and all, but let’s Move On. But the Chickenhawks can’t Move On... No, they had to show they’re big men and declare some phoney “war on terrorism” and trash Afghanistan and then Iraq claiming that somehow “giving aid and comfort” to so-called “terrorists” was now considered aggression...

...FDR jumps on Germany and Italy for no good reason and Bush jumps on Iraq for no good reason except maybe for his oil buddies. Big bad American presence in the middle of the Arab world, right next to Iran and Syria... Do they really think this kind of intimidation works???

Bush and Cheney are Chickenhawks like that corrupt FDR was a Chickenhawk... And oh, yeah! What about that Chickenhawk Clinton? He was sorta AWOL when it was his time to serve! Clinton goes messing around in Kosovo, Serbia and whatever... He didn’t even talk to the UN about it, he just sent our planes right in to handle it... You call ‘em out Frank!

[Chuck McVey] 5:01 am [link]
War and the Supreme Court: Buried beneath the question of legal representation for Jose Padilla is the more important issue, brought out in this Wall Street Journal piece, of the ever-increasing power of our judicial system. We all know our country was based upon checks and balances between our judicial system, the legislative system, and the Presidency. A legal scholar would point to the fact that a Supreme Court Justice could be impeached but would also have to admit that such an action would be very unlikely. Our liberties are not protected by a moral definition extending from the Declaration of Independence, that concept died long ago. It is now man who decides what liberties we are allowed to have... or not have. And increasingly, it is the Justices who take it upon themselves to make that decision. Justices who have no real check or balance, and they tell us we have a "living Constitution."

[4/28/04 Wednesday]

[Canon Reverend Dale Owens - CRO's Token Progressive] 12:05 pm [link]
Choice=Love: Talon News -- Pro-Life Activists Make Stand at Abortion March: "Father Dayton Reynolds stood along the route blessing marchers and making the sign of the Cross." - I know many "conservatives" drop by my blog. I know from the hate mail I receive. I just wanted you to see the kind of idiotic and hateful things people in your movement do. How could "Father" "Reynolds" act in this way?. Does he know the scarring that a "blessing" from a man can bring to some women? He stood there all day disturbing the party. . . and the love that was coming from the podium. I wish I could have been at the march to talk to this "priest." I would have said, "Today I stand with my sisters, because my own mother did not have the right to abort when I was born." I have found that this silences an entire room when it is said.

Pro-choice people tried to explain to "Father" what they were doing in affirming Christian truth through denying it. The subtleness, I fear, of their argument escaped "Reynolds." The news story cited above says these bright young protesters, "they grabbed their crotches." They used colorful metaphors, many with only four letters to try to get "Reynolds" to understand their power. They tried to shout out the truth that taking life is affirming life! Did "Reynolds" hear? Did their message of love and freedom get out? I fear not. "Reynolds" answered their loving words with "blessings" and "Bible verses." He refused to marry two lesbians who came to him in sincerity on the street to perform this gracious act. Here was a chance to reach out! But no. He could not see beyond his truth. He heard shouts of joy, yes even the f-word, and heard only profanity. Such is the way of the Right.

Later:

Imagine my shock as I got ready to post this piece when research turned up that "Father" "Reynolds" is the father of John Mark Reynolds of Californiarepublic.org! (I protest being called "Reynolds" friend by the biased, useful idiot who edits the californiarepublic.org site. . . he hates everything I stand for. . . and it might be better to call me "'Reynolds' better twin". . . his angelic doppleganger. One more mistake like that and I will stop writing for them. As a pastor, I have to be careful with my associations. )

It did not take long to discover that "John" "Reynolds" is a close personal friend with Frank Pastore! "John" is Pastore without the wit or the charm. A sort of chubby Pastore with a word processor. It all connects in my mind. A right wing conspiracy indeed! Pastore's hand is creeping into our churches. These people must be silenced. I commend those who in a dignified manner at the protest responded to these hate mongers. We should all "grab our crotches" to make our points. "Logic" and other "patriarchal" means of discourse just play into their little trap. In all love, this entire Reynolds family is an excellent argument for legalized choice.

Canon Owens (blog) - Founder of the Progressive Episcopal Church (Fontana California) and the Cathedral of Saint Chad and close personal friend better twin and angelic doppleganger of John Mark Reynolds...

[Canon Reverend Dale Owens - CRO's Token Progressive] 10:32 am [link]
Stopping Terrorism - one terrorist at a time: Violence is never the answer. Never. Our pretend-cowboy faux-President thinks he can stop terrorists by killing them. Instead he makes them stronger. Every terrorist that dies produces ten more. At our current rate of killing in Iraq, I calculate that soon every person in the world will be a terrorist. And then what will Bush do?

I have a story to illustrate the correct way to deal with evil. Yesterday someone laughed at my new "naval ring." I was standing in my orange velour jump suit warming up. As I stretched at the local high school track, the ring began to flash attractively in the sun.

"Hey fat man," said one confused young lad. "Why draw attention to all that flab?"

I sighed to myself knowing he was another Fox television viewer and moved elsewhere. So far even a member of the religious right could have acted as I did, most understanding that they should turn the other cheek in their own cases, but then I acted even more courageously.

The angry young man moved down the track to where an older woman was working out. "Give me your purse." he growled. The lady tried to stop him, using force. Justifiably angry at this uncharitable act, the man snatched the purse and ran away. I ran after him. "Here is my wallet." I said thrusting mine out to him. "Thanks," he said.

I returned to the woman and said, "You must learn to turn the other cheek. You will notice that I turned it for you." She did not thank me, but I think she will in time.

Later I saw the young lad pushing down an old lady further down the block, but much less confidently than before. I forgave him in my heart and wished him well. "God bless you, young lad!" I cried. He turned and looked at me. I knew in my heart that I had won, more love would soon make this lad a changed being.

Canon Owens (blog) - Founder of the Progressive Episcopal Church (Fontana California) and the Cathedral of Saint Chad and close personal friend of John Mark Reynolds...

[4/27/04 Tuesday]

[Streetsweeper - into the opinion bin] 5:13 am [link]
Medals – Ribbons – Medals: What is it with John Kerry? It is hard to imagine this equivocator becoming our Commander-in-Chief. I don’t get it. He says it was only “ribbons” he threw over the Capitol Hill fence. So what did that mean? Didn’t it mean that he and his anti-war veterans were renouncing the symbols of war?

Okay. So he threw his ribbons over the fence... Oh, but not the medals. He was honored to have been awarded the medals...

WRONG! The ribbons ARE the medals - just an everyday version.

So, what is it? Does he renounce the symbols of war or does he feel honored by them? If he renounced them, then fine, he’s sickened by the symbols of war and he should take down the bloody symbols from his wall!! If he wants them on his wall, then he wasn’t serious 35 years ago and he has been living a lie every day since...

On the one hand, it’s a tempest in a teapot. If he’s anti-war, then he’s anti-war, right? Ribbons, medals, what does it matter? He was so anti-war he gave aid and comfort to the North Vietnamese and brought on the death of our soldiers and the deaths of millions across Indochina.

He was so anti-war he voted against authorizing the Gulf War meaning that today Saddam would lording over the province of Kuwait. That’s kinda consistent for a guy who throws his symbols of war over the Capitol Hill fence. I get that.

Hmm... But now it seems he’s not anti-war when it’s not politically expedient. So now he’s the gung-ho guy who’s got his medals proudly displayed on his wall. Medals that are the symbols of war – medals that represent the so called “atrocities” he committed.

So we want a Commander-in-Chief who can’t figure out what he truly believes about warfare, valor and honor? Is this the guy we want leading the fight against a wide-ranging gang of terrorists who want nothing less than the total destruction of the U.S.?

The man has no credibility. Simple: weasel.

If he can weasel like this on the little stuff, imagine what he’s gonna do with the big stuff... What nightmare will he lead us into when he weasels as President?

[Found in the ebag-Aaron Gross] 5:01 am [link]
Re - Woe is Pepperdine: Thanks for the kudos.

I am not a big-L libertarian. I can't stand libertarian ideology concerning foreign policy (way too naive and allows the bad guys to ramp up to hit us hard). But government has gotten WAY too big for our own good.

I think restaurants and stores should be allowed to refuse service to anyone. And the bad press a discriminatory reputation and press coverage will hit them in the wallet.

Forcing private owners to succumb to government pressures is not a good precedent. Heck, let the government publish a "poop list" of the nastiest businesses so that businesses can't get away with serving customers who are ignorant of their vile practices.

I can barely remember voting for a Libertarian Party candidate but there are important principles that can help innoculate Republicans from veering too much to the populist left.

I wish Larry Elder had children the ages of mine (16, 14, 12, 10, 6 & 1) so that I could hear what a "Republitarian" thinks about the pervasiveness of sexual content in the media. That's an area where I think he's still very naive. In a world of adults, his ideas are fine, but he doesn't do much to protect kids from ideas they aren't ready to handle. [Go to Aaron the Liberal Slayer]

[4/26/04 Monday]

[Michael Levine] 8:10 am [link]
...Fifth Column: "When I watched those planes go into the Twin Towers, I felt elated. That magnificent action split the world into two camps: you were either with Islam and al-Qaeda, or with the enemy. I decided to quit my job and commit myself full-time to al-Muhajiroun. I am a Muslim living in Britain, and I give my allegiance only to Allah. When a bomb attack happens here, I won't be against it, even if it kills my own children." - Sayful Islam, British citizen. | "I agree with you, brother. I would like to see the Mujahideen coming into London and killing thousands, whether with nuclear weapons or germ warfare. And if they need a safehouse, they can stay in mine - and if they need some fertiliser [for a bomb], I'll tell them where to get it." - Abu Yusuf, British financial advisor. [via Levine Insider E-lert]

[4/24/04 Saturday]

[Chuck DeVore - columnist] 8:04 am [link]
Pat Tillman - Army Ranger, Patriot, KIA in Afghanistan: In the aftermath of 9-11, Pat Tillman, a multimillion dollar NFL player with the Arizona Cardinals, joined the U.S. Army to become a Ranger. He made the cut, earned his Ranger tab, and became a member of this elite fighting force. As a citizen-soldier since 1983, I greatly admired Tillman for giving up his considerable wealth to become a full-time warrior to protect the United States' Constitution.

His death is a great loss to America.

Let us not forget the spirit of his sacrifice.

We are in a long, tough war against determined foes who aim to remake the world in their image -- a world where women do not vote and have few, if any rights; a world where other religions are not allowed and even many Muslims are considered infidels; a world of ignorance and hatred, homicide bombers and brutality.

I salute Pat Tillman and I honor his memory.

Ex-Football Star Killed in Afghanistan - Official WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former U.S. professional football star Pat Tillman (news <), who gave up a $3.6 million sports contract to join the military's elite special forces, has been killed in a firefight in Afghanistan, a U.S. official said on Friday. The official, who asked not to be identified, said Tillman was killed on Thursday. The 27-year-old soldier abruptly quit his National Football League career following the 2002 season and joined the Army a year after the attacks on America. Enlisting with his brother Kevin in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks on the Pentagon and World Trade Center, Tillman turned down a $3.6 million contract from the Arizona Cardinals to become an Army Ranger for an annual salary of $18,000. The 5-foot-11, 200-pound Tillman played for five seasons with the Cardinals from 1998 to 2002. He was selected by Arizona with the 226th pick of the 1998 draft -- the league only selects 241 players -- but the Arizona State University star emerged from training camp as the Cardinals' starting strong safety on defense.

[4/23/04 Friday]

[Found in the ebag-Michael Levine] 5:11 am [link]
DUDE, WHERE'S YOUR WEBSITE? Michael Moore Out-Sourcing Design, Server To Canada! Advocate Michael Moore may have released a book titled "Dude Where's My Country?", and may have vaulted to stardom documenting worker's rights and corporate malfeasance in Flint, Michigan, but that has not stopped Moore from outsourcing his website design and servers -- to companies based in Canada! Cannes-bound Moore, the great protector of the U.S. working class, has outsourced the design of his Web site to a foreign company in Canada, records show. [via Levine Insider E-lert]

[4/22/04 Thursday]

[Chuck McVey] 5:01 am [link]
The Oil-for-Food Scam: What Did Kofi Annan Know, and When Did He Know It? Opinion Journal’s Claudia Rosett has a significant piece in May’s Commentary Magazine on the scandal of widespread corruption in the UN’s oil-for-food program. This scam is central to several critical considerations on both the American and international stage.

For example: - Many blamed the US for starving children in Iraq, saying the oil-and-trade restrictions caused starving Iraqi babies. Not only has the fact of starving Iraqi babies not been proved, but Saddam was awash in money. So were the people Saddam was bribing, including senior UN functionaries and Americans. - There are those who wish America to be bound by the UN, for America's policies to be controlled and approved by the UN, and America to be legislated by the World Court. It is important to understand that this UN corruption is not unique; in fact, the UN is rife with corruption.

And to see who profited from this, not a lake but an ocean of money, take a look at this post at Stephan Sharkansky’s site.

Finally, it is worth a moment to shift subject and note that before the war, Saddam controlled what was reported from Iraq by removing the visa(s) of any reporter or media organization that displeased him. Thus, most reporters knowingly reported false information. However, I guess old habits die-hard; remember the furor RE the "pillaging" of the Iraqi museum? All false.

[4/21/04 Wednesday]

[Bill Leonard] 5:01 am [link]
Workers’ Comp “Reform": I have learned two lessons from the countless workers’ compensation reform negotiations I have participated in and witnessed over the years. First, the law of unintended consequences cannot be repealed. We really do not know and cannot anticipate accurately the long-term results of this latest round of reform resulting form Governor Schwarzenegger’s push for legislation. The “reform” signed Monday will have impacts that themselves will need reforming in a few years. That said, the second thing I know is that you can try to estimate the consequences of the reform by looking at who is happy and who is upset at the proposals. Workers’ comp, unlike most sports games with one winner and one loser, is a multi- ringed circus. In one ring are the businesses who pay the bills; in another ring is labor who get treatment for injuries and the comfort of knowing such treatment is available; in a third ring are the lawyers who represent a small number of injured workers but to whom are attributed a disproportionately large amount of the system’s costs; in another ring are doctors and medical providers; and in yet another ring are insurance companies. The early responses to the reform package indicate that business and labor are more happy than not; lawyers and doctors are more unhappy than happy; and insurance companies are waiting for other shoe to drop on their heads. Watch each of these interest groups as they study the legislation and as they try to steer the intended and unintended consequences in their own direction.

[4/20/04 Tuesday]

[Carol Platt Liebau - editorial director CaliforniaRepublic.org] 8:51 am [link]
Uh...My Records...? After months of acting like baying hounds, howling for President Bush's military records, it will be interesting to see the press' reaction to the news that John Kerry is declining to release any new documents related to his military service. This means that Kerry is declining to provide the evaluations of him by his Navy commanding officers, some medical records, and possibly other material.

Kerry has relied on his military service as a major credential in his fitness to serve as Commander-in-Chief. So it is hypocritical to the point of arrogance to withhold the documents that would presumably reinforce his claims of heroism and worthiness -- unless, of course, the documents contain information that the Senator wouldn't want the American people to know. Withholding evaluations from his commanding officers looks particularly bad -- especially given the news, last week, that one of Kerry's commanders doubted his eligibility for Kerry's first purple heart. And -- now that we are fully in the realm of speculation -- would his medical records show the justice of that officer's misgivings, if they in fact revealed that Kerry had not been meaningfully wounded at the time he put in for his first Purple Heart?

Yes, this could all be a Kerry "rope-a-dope" strategy -- a "don't throw us in the briar patch" effort to maximize the drama and coverage of glowing contents of the withheld documents. But I doubt it. Such subtlety seems completely beyond Kerry's preening ken. For him, despite his undoubted heroism at least once, Vietnam was largely a photo-op -- why else would a young man arrange to have someone film him emerging from Vietnam's dark jungle?

[Streetsweeper - into the opinion bin] 8:14 am [link]
Woe is Pepperdine: Bear Flag member Boi from Troy has a major post regarding a Pepperdine student named Grant Turck - a gay student at Pepperdine who has a real problem with the lack of “diversity” at that Christian school.

Hmm.

Mr. Turck’s attempt to start a gay club at Pepperdine was turned down by the administration. Mr. Boi from Troy “would like to generate a buzz on the blogosphere to put pressure on the University.”

Uh-huh.

Aaron the Liberal Slayer, has a long, long post in response... And he’s right, right and right. (Gee, I’d only quibble with Aaron’s libertarian streak that keeps rearing its ugly head every once and a while.)

My take. Why would a practicing homosexual go to Pepperdine? And then why would he try to start a gay club? Seems somewhat dense to me. Unless it’s some kind of agenda-driven thing – sort of a gay missionary movement to convert the backward thick-headed Christians. Gay guy goes to Christian school that won’t let him start a gay club. Strategy behind club i