Snake Wise

THE WAFFLE KINGS

2006-01-18T17:01:00.000-06:00

In 1990, Samuel Alito was UNANIMOUSLY confirmed as Judge for the 3rd Circuit Federal Court of Appeals. 19 of the Democrats in that unanimous vote are still in the U.S. Senate. The list:

Christopher Dodd
Joseph Lieberman
Joseph Biden
Daniel Inouye
Tom Harkin
Paul Sarbanes
Barbara Mikulski
Edward Kennedy
John Kerry
Carl Levin
Max Baucus
Harry Reid
Frank Lautenberg
Jeff Bingaman
Kent Conrad
Patrick Leahy
Robert Byrd
Jay Rockefeller
Herbert Kohl

DEMOCRATIC SENATOR LAUTENBERG ON JUDGE ALITO:

2006-01-18T16:45:00.000-06:00

Transcript of Congressional Record from
April 27, 1990:

Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, I rise in support of the nomination of Samuel Alito, Jr. to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.

Sam Alito is an accomplished and distinguished lawyer. He has dedicated himself to Government service and he has excelled. He is a graduate of Princeton University. He was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. He attended the Yale Law School, where he contributed to the Law Journal. He served in the Army Reserves after law school, and then worked briefly in private practice. He then clerked for Judge Leonard Garth, whom he would join on the third circuit.

Sam Alito has extensive experience as an appellate litigator. He served for almost 4 years as an assistant U.S. attorney in New Jersey. He went on to the prestigious office of the Solicitor General. He served in the Office of Legal Counsel as a Deputy Assistant to the Attorney General. He then returned to New Jersey, as U.S. attorney in 1987. I supported his nomination for that position. As Chief Federal Prosecutor for one of the largest districts in the country, he has led the effort to fight bigtime drug rings and organized crime. He has made environmental crimes a high priority.

He has the respect of the bar in our State. The ABA panel that reviewed his nomination rated him “well qualified.” Mr. President, I note for the Record that for virtually all of his professional career, Sam Alito has had just one client — the Government of the United States. He has represented his client with skill and integrity. He has been a strong and effective advocate.

As a judge, Sam Alito will have to make an important transition. He will have to shed the loyalties he’s had to the office he led. When the law and the facts demand it, he will need the strength to rule against the Government. Mr. Alito was asked about this in the hearing on his nomination. He assured the committee and the Senate that he recognized the significance of the transition that lies before him, and that he would shed those loyalties and above all else, he would be guided by the law.

I believe Mr. Alito has the experience and the skills to be the kind of judge the public deserves — one who is impartial, thoughtful, and fair. I urge the Senate to confirm his nomination.

GAY RIGHTS GROUPS TO CRASH KIDS' EASTER EGG HUNT AT WHITE HOUSE (click here for story)

2006-01-17T15:12:00.000-06:00

And we are supposed to believe that people who would take scenes like this away from little children in order to advance their radical political agenda are harmless "victims", who need to be protected by special laws?

Of course, this sort of uncivilized behavior is not unusual among radicals in the "gay rights" movement. In April 2005, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia gave a lecture at NYU law school. During the subsequent question and answer session, one student, a gay rights activist unhappy with Scalia's rulings, asked: "do you sodomize your wife?" After Scalia calmly replied, "next question" the student began screaming into the microphone and insisted on disrupting the entire event.

(Click here for full story)

Perhaps it is time for special laws to protect the public from these shameless sleazeballs?

Democratic "moderate" spews hate speech

2006-01-17T14:50:00.000-06:00

The big corporate media has been positively schoolgirlish in their fawning over Iraq war veteran and Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, Paul Hackett. Based upon the following quote, one wonders if this poor man experienced just a bit too much trauma overseas and lost touch with reality:

"The Republican Party has been hijacked by the religious fanatics that, in my opinion, aren’t a whole lot different than Osama bin Laden and a lot of the other religious nuts around the world," he said. "The challenge is for the rest of us moderate Americans and citizens of the world to put down the fork and spoon, turn off the TV, and participate in the process and try to push back on these radical nuts – and they are nuts."

It's great to know that this man has critical thinking skills, huh? He equates a bloodthirsty killer with those who peacefully seek to preserve life -- you know, those dorky, dowdy, harmless, "Ned Flanders-like" churgoers whom the media loves to ridicule.

What are you smoking, Comrade Paul?

GOD and PRIVATE PROPERTY (click here for link)

2006-01-14T06:32:00.000-06:00

Bible Quiz --

Jesus taught his followers to go throughout the entire world and .....

A. Stage sit-ins at government buildings.
B. Get arrested while thwarting the normal operation of free government
C. Force the poor into oppressive socialism that is a proven failure
D. Twist scripture to support leftist self-serving political schemes
E. PREACH THE GOOD NEWS!

If you answered "E," I congratulate you upon not being a moron. So, what is the point of my silly quiz? The real question is this: does the Bible support the idea that the government should seize and redistribute the wealth of society?
Jesus taught that employers, like the vineyard owner depicted above, have the right to do as they wish with their own property (we'll get back to that parable in a minute). Taken as a whole, the rest of the scriptures consistently re-enforce the notion that God loves and values individuals enough to entrust them with their own private property. He does not wish for them to be mere pawns in some half-witted left-wing social engineering project.

Many on the so-called Christian left, nonetheless, want the government to take MORE control over your private property. They make a Messiah out of the federal government, focusing more upon "social programs" than upon the source and giver of all good things. If you are a Christian and believe in the free market, you might reconsider your financial support for certain denominations that seem more interested in left-wing activism than upon saving souls and meeting the needs of the poor through actual Christ-centered charity.

Last week, leaders of five denominations -- the United Methodist Church, the Episcopal Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Presbyterian Church USA, and the United Church of Christ -- demanded that Congress to go back to the drawing board and come up with a budget that brings "good news to the poor." They then sent approximately 300 religious activists to block the entrance to one of the U.S. Congress' office buildings and remain there until arrested. Within a few days they were arrested. Of course, I guess that's what happens when you try to impose your morality upon the majority of the population who disagrees with you. Note how the left talks a good game about tolerance and diversity and openness, but they don't practice what they preach. They don't walk the walk. Jesus would call such specimens "hypocrites."

The troublemakers' ringleader was Jim Wallis, a radical leftist who never saw a photo-op that he didn't like. According to Wallis, as the protesters were led off, they chanted a phrase from Isaiah: "Woe to you legislators of infamous laws . . . who refuse justice to the unfortunate, who cheat the poor among my people of their rights, who make widows their prey and rob the orphan." Of course, in that particular verse Isaiah was speaking of individuals who actually stole from and took advantage of the weaker members of society. Isaiah was not referring to the nuances of government policy in a country already having a very generous welfare state. But, hey, why get technical, right? It's only the holy word of God Almighty. Right, Jim?

Are such "Christian left" ideas and behavior biblical? Despite what you may hear from religious political activists who would use Jesus merely to promote an extreme political agenda, the Bible indicates that God would have you exercise wise stewardship over your own money as the Spirit leads you.

Read Matthew 20. In this parable, Jesus describes a landowner who agreed to pay a group of men one denarius each to work in his vineyard for the day. Later in the day, the landowner hired other men for the same wage..for the same work..for..fewer hours. When the men who were hired earlier complained about the equal pay for the others, Jesus describes the landowner as responding (in verse 13):

"Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money?..."

We see the same point of view in the account of the death of Ananias in Acts 5 (God struck him down for lying to God). If you don't remember the details, you might remember Raphael's artistic rendition which you see nearby.

Ananias and Sapphira intentionally misled the other Christians and then blatantly lied to try to cover up their wrongdoing. They sold property and pretended to give all of the money to the church but secretly kept some for themselves.

Note Peter's words to Ananias: "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God."

There it is. The Bible declares that the Apostles respected the right to own private property. Communal living is a wonderful expression of Christ's love if it is Spirit-led, God-centered, and voluntarily conducted.

The Bible does not require involuntary collectivism. We will leave that to the Nazis and communists of the world because it takes such an evil type to forcefully impose what even God does not demand.

TRUTH IS STRANGER THAN FICTION

2006-01-13T12:27:00.000-06:00

Beware scary weird guys, whether their fictional aspects relate to their very existence...or every word that spews forth from their mouths.

Sometimes, scary weird guys are easy to confuse with one another. Take the common mistake of confusing Senator Chuckie Schumer with Moe the Bartender from the Simpsons.

Speaking of the Simpsons, others have mistaken Senator Pat Leahy for our good ol' buddy, Homer.

And, when you are a Supreme Court nominee and you find yourself staring down the likes of Homer Simpson's hard-boiled sister, Selma Bouvier, er, I mean Senator Dianne Feinstein...you know that it promises to be a long day.

If that indeed happens, rush to Church and pray that God protects you from these lunatics. Of course, you never know who you might run into in church -- Reverend Lovejoy...or Reverend Al.

DON'T SAY I DIDN'T WARN YOU.

CHAPPAQUIDDICK--ulous...

2006-01-13T09:18:00.000-06:00

I called in to the Laura Ingraham show this morning and coined the above word to describe the travesty that is the behavior of Democratic Senators toward Judge Samuel Alito.

In the recent Senate hearings, we have seen the repugnant face of lefist McCarthyism as "Cannonball Ted" (SPLASH!) Kennedy (below left) strives to out-McCarthy the late Senator Joe (seen to the right).

Judge Samuel Alito is, by all accounts, a decent, God-fearing, intelligent, thoughtful, honorable, Christian family man. Born poor, he has given up a lucrative career to pursue public service.

Further, HE IS A SITTING FEDERAL APPELLATE JUDGE. He already holds a position in the American judiciary that is merely one step below our nation's highest court. As a human being, he is worthy of a modicum of respect. As a genuinely decent man, he is deserving of more deference and respect. As a sitting federal appellate Judge, he deserves AT LEAST a respect for the dignity of his office. But...he has not gotten that from the radical Senators who deign to call themselves Democrats. They have behaved in a scandalously feral/uncivilized manner toward this good man. Of course, his wife, being a loving and decent woman was reduced to tears -- AND WHO IN THE WORLD COULD BLAME HER!

The attempt by extremist politicians to slander this decent man -- falsely accusing him of being a bigot and a liar and absurdly attempting to attribute to him the ideas of people he has never met -- is nothing short of DESPICABLE and DISGRACEFUL. Were I a Democrat like my not-too-distant ancestors, I would be ashamed of my party and would either resign it or DEMAND a change in tactics.

If anyone doubts that the Democratic party has been reduced to the most base level of integrity in its pursuit of worship at the altar of the abortion lobby, consider just this one example of documented LYING among the Democratic leadership in the Senate when it comes to the issue of Judges who are Christian and pro-life:

Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senate Judiciary Committee, 7/23/2003:

"As a person who was raised Catholic and is a practicing Catholic, I deeply resent this new line of attack from the right wing that anyone who opposes William Pryor is guilty of discrimination against him because he is a Catholic."

LATER...Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Senate Floor, 4/15/2005:

"I cannot tell you the religious belief of any of the ten nominees that we have filibustered."

[Note re Durbin's first statement above: Durbin's comments were in response to Republican objections to Democrats expressing concern that Pryor's "deeply-held beliefs" would prevent him from applying the law impartially. Insinuating that a conservative Catholic's deeply-held beliefs are grounds for concern IS religious bigotry by Democrats and IS reason for any devout Christian to be alarmed. Also note the deceptiveness of Durbin's statement. Republicans never claimed that Pryor was opposed for being Catholic -- they rightly asserted that he was being smeared for being a CONSERVATIVE CATHOLIC, something that Pryor is and Durbin is not. Durbin's attempt to compare himself to Pryor was unfounded and he knew it].

I take particular offense at what you just read regarding Durbin and Pryor because I used to work for Judge Pryor. I can say, without hesitation, that he is one of the most straight-arrow honest, moral, brilliant, flat-out nice individuals I have ever met. He is the sort of guy you would trust with your daughter, your wallet, or your life. Yet, the Democratic Star Chamber slanders and persecutes good people like him and Sam Alito.

When such utterly corrupt behavior is tolerated (it would probably be more accurate to say "encouraged" or "standard practice" instead of "tolerated"), by a group of people, America's future does not look bright.

As a citizen of the state of Illinois, I am beyond ashamed to know that Dick Durbin is my Senator. The truth is not in him. Folks, HE IS THE SECOND RANKING DEMOCRAT IN THE U.S. SENATE. I urge intelligent people of faith who are willing to look beyond their own political self-interest to reconsider the wisdom of supporting a political party that produces thuggery of this magnitude.

Proverbs 14:25:
A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.

ECONOMIC FREEDOM -- RANKING OF WORLD'S COUNTRIES (click here)

2006-01-12T20:53:00.000-06:00

The link above will show you the latest ranking of nations according to the level of economic freedom allowed by each country's government. Notice the obvious correlation between economic freedom and the per capita GDP of each country (average individual wage). Note: for data on rankings of countries by per capita GDP, see the NEXT post.

It seems that free market capitalism is what best helps the poor. Socialism, on the other hand, has been a miserable failure and makes the plight of the poor even worse. Extremists on the political left who piously tout themselves as advocates of "the poor," such as Jim Wallis of Sojourners magazine, are dead wrong. Whether or not he is a false prophet (his exegesis of the scripture sure is sketchy), he is just plain wrong.

Countries in the bottom 10 (all socialist-run dictatorships) and their respective scores:

Gabon 5.0
Central Afr. Rep. 4.9
Congo, Rep. Of 4.8
Algeria 4.6
Burundi 4.5
Guinea-Bissau 4.5
Congo, Dem. R. 4.3
Venezuela 4.3
Zimbabwe 3.3
Myanmar 2.8

Myanmar? Formerly known as Burma, its people suffer under a socialist military dictatorship. Does this look like the work of a "worker's paradise"?

In stark contrast are the countries in the top 10 and their respective scores:

Hong Kong 8.7
Singapore 8.5
New Zealand 8.2
Switzerland 8.2
United States 8.2
United Kingdom 8.1
Canada 8.0
Ireland 7.9
Australia 7.8
Estonia 7.8

What sort of wealth does a free-market economy produce?

Well, in Hong Kong you might see this:

Estonia was only recently one of the economically-troubled Soviet satellite states. How things change! Estonia now has a business-friendly government. It even has a flat tax. Its formerly troubled economy is now booming.

Let's ignore the left's shrill and incoherent rhetoric. Their extreme policies would turn our country into the next Myanmar.

Let's attack the evils of poverty the biblical way: through (1) generous private charitable empowerment that breaks the cycle of poverty and requires accountability, and (2) allowing entrepreneurs to thrive and, consequently, to employ the needy out of their poverty.

WEALTH follows ECONOMIC FREEDOM

2006-01-12T20:45:00.000-06:00

GDP Per Capita for World's Countries (click here)

The above link shows the latest figures on each country's per capita GDP (in other words, the amount of money the average person in that country earns in a given year -- the "standard of living").

Notice that the countries with the highest levels of GDP are those with the highest levels of economic freedom -- THE LEAST SOCIALISM. The idea that government programs are the key to helping the poor is the biggest bill of goods, but people keep buying it. Free markets increase wages, which is what really helps the poor. Socialism is fraudulent, evil, and dangerous.

For a slightly different estimate of the numbers, which nevertheless shows the same overall results, see

GDP Per Capita for World's Countries -- #2

More evidence of the stupefying idiocy of gun control (click here)

2006-01-12T13:54:00.000-06:00

Saudi Professor of Islamic Law on Saudi TV Exhorts Muslims to "Positive Hatred" of Christians (click here)

2006-01-12T10:37:00.001-06:00

Click on the link directly above for a very disturbing article worth reading. Do you ask yourself, as I do, why our big corporate media networks and papers do not report things like this? Could it be that, in their mind, when the bigotry is directed toward Christians it is deserved and, therefore, not upsetting or even newsworthy? Is that where leftist secularism has brought us? Since it obviously has, why do professional radical-left activists who profess to also be Christians, such as Jim Wallis, want to move this country even further to the left?

Let's not wait until this happens to start taking seriously the unambiguous agenda of an ever-growing radical Islam.

The following verses ("Sura's") of the Quran indicate what we are really up against:

'When the sacred months are over, slay the idolaters wherever you find them. Arrest them, besiege them, and lie in ambush everywhere for them...' (Sura 9:5).

'Unbelievers are those who declare.. ‘Allah is the Messiah, the Son of Mary' (Sura 5:17).

Fight against them until idolatry is no more and Allah’s religion reigns supreme ... (Sura 2:193).

'Those that deny our revelations, we will burn in Hellfire ... As for those that have faith and do good works, we shall admit them to gardens watered by running streams, where, wedded to chaste virgins, they shall abide for ever ... the believers who do good works, whether men or women, shall enter the gardens of Paradise' (Sura 4:55-7,124).

'The true believers fight for the cause of Allah, but the infidels fight for idols. Fight then against the friends of Satan' (Sura 4:76).

'...make war on the leaders of unbelief...' (Sura 9:12).

'...the Christians say the Messiah is the son of Allah. Such are their assertions, by which they imitate the infidels of old. Allah confound them! How perverse they are! They worship.... the Messiah the son of Mary as gods besides Allah; though they were ordered to serve one God only. There is no god but Him. Exalted be he above those whom they deify beside Him! ... It is He who has sent forth His apostle with guidance and the true faith to make it triumphant over all religions, however much the idolaters may dislike it' (Sura 9:30-3).
'Prophet, make war on the unbelievers and the hypocrites and deal rigorously with them. Hell shall be their home: An evil fate' (Sura 9:73).

'Believers, make war on the infidels who dwell around you...' (Sura 9:122).

'O you who believe! Do not take the Jews and the Christians for friends; they are friends of each other; and whoever amongst you takes them for a friend, then surely he is one of them; surely Allah does not guide the unjust people.' (Sura 5:51)

'Allah has given those that fight with their goods and their persons a higher rank than those who stay at home. He has promised all a good reward; but far richer is the recompense of those who fight for Him...' (Sura 4:96).

WAKE UP, AMERICA!!! (click here for MUST READ article!)

2006-01-11T12:27:00.000-06:00

Thanks to Scott R. for finding the article.

Mark 3:27:
But no one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man; then indeed he may plunder his house.

Proverbs 24:33-34:
A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest -- and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.

JOHN BOEHNER'S ARROGANCE

2006-01-11T12:03:00.000-06:00

John Boehner is currently gunning to become the next House Majority Whip now that Tom DeLay has abdicated the position, so to speak. Let me share with you my personal observations of the man who would be "Leader."

About 10 years ago, I attended a local GOP dinner in North Carolina where Boehner was the featured speaker. Boehner arrived early enough that he observed the preliminary segments of the program from the dais. As part of the program, each local GOP candidate was introduced and allowed to speak to the crowd for a few minutes.

One particular gentleman -- we'll call him George -- was dressed in an out-of-fashion suit and spoke with an unusually pronounced Southern drawl. None of the locals seemed to notice or care, especially since George seemed like an extremely likable and funny individual. At the end of his little pitch, George urged the crowd to stand and join him in singing the state song, "The Old North State." Though George was a bit melodramatic, he enthusiastically showed off his excellent baritone and the crowd joined in and loved it. Corny? Somewhat. Most of the crowd probably thought so too, but it made for good fun and livened up the gathering. Isn't that a major goal of such events anyway -- to rouse the troops and create enthusiasm?

I will never forget the expressions on John Boehner's face during George's presentation. His demeanor led one to believe that it was well beneath his dignity to be subjected to any hometown horsing around. I should use stronger language in order to be accurate: John Boehner's face was contorted in an expression of utter contempt for George and his little routine [Note: It goes without saying that the picture above does not begin to do justice to what he looked like that night]. John Boehner sneered at a man who, chances are, spent a good deal of time knocking on doors and making phone calls in order to ensure that the South shifted to the GOP and made it possible for Boehner to even TRY to run for MAJORITY leader. Maybe you remember the movie Gladiator? If so, think of the little brat Commodus' arrogant and flippant attitude toward the Roman Senators and maybe you will get a feel for John Boehner's attitude toward the common folk on that night.

For the life of me, I cannot understand how an aspiring GOP leader could harbor such enmity toward the party's base. I could (MAYBE) somewhat understand Boehner's behavior had he been a Congressman from, say, Connecticut who had never visited the South. However, John Boehner grew up in SOUTHERN Ohio which, culturally, is not too different from Kentucky. Boehner was familiar with guys like George. He just can't stand being in the same room with the common folk. He thinks he is better than they are. If he would prefer to mingle with the limousine liberal crowd, perhaps he should switch parties and challenge Madam Pelosi in the next election.

If you ask me, people like John Boehner are the reason that the Republican Party was impotent for the many years it was controlled by the Rockefeller crowd.

I strongly believe that if Boehner becomes Majority Leader, his title will switch to MINORITY leader within two terms.

John Kerry -- A story in pictures

2006-01-01T13:31:00.000-06:00

As we start a new year and face the prospect of a continued struggle against terror, we might want to remember to give thanks that we are not being led and protected by this individual...

Senator Flinch

Notice that he does not have the stock of the gun pressed against his shoulder, as any real hunter would (as any novice enlisted man would!). And he expects us to believe he really WAS a war hero in Vietnam? Maybe he just played a soldier on TV...among other things.

Separated at birth?

Jeeves and Kerry: great clowns look alike.

Jimmy Carter's friends

2005-12-29T15:34:00.000-06:00

Jimmy Carter's uses his recent book as a platform to attack conservative Christians. The U.S. press usually describes him as an "evangelical" without any reference to the fact that his political idealism has always colored his statements about religion. A look at who Carter likes to associate with can tell us a lot about what he truly values.

With current Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez

With Yasser Arafat.

Carter and Mahmoud Abbas.

Carter with former Nicaraguan communist dictator Daniel Ortega

Carter and...JACKO!!!

You may react to this post by saying, "Yeah -- but didn't Reagan and other Presidents make public appearances with leaders who may not have been great people?" Of course. But, as you may remember, in such situations men like Reagan would adopt a serious and businesslike demeanor appropriate to such circumstances, so as to avoid giving the false impression that he condoned the views and behavior of such thugs. Further, note that the pictures above were all taken AFTER Carter had left office. While official business may have REQUIRED that he meet with slimeballs like Leonid Brezhnev, for instance, while he was STILL IN OFFICE, the pictures above demonstrate with whom Carter FREELY CHOOSES to spend his time as a private citizen.

Ronald Reagan was stern to Gorbachev, and Gorby was fairly progressive for a communist. Remember Reagan demanding, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" In contrast, when Carter is photographed with oppressors, the result leaves one wondering how many wedding pictures feature a groom looking more infatuated and proud. Carter meets with savages and poses for photos with a grin reminiscent of a used car salesman who just made bonus!

Jimmy Carter is a man whom serious Christians have no reason to take seriously. If the company he keeps does not convince you, read carefully the many statements (and, very often MISstatements) which he has made in the past about evangelical and fundamentalist Christians.

JIMMY CARTER & FIDEL CASTRO

2005-12-24T18:41:00.000-06:00

President Strange-love: Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and
Thank God for Ronald Reagan (my apologies to Stanley Kubrick!)

Jimmy Carter has a new book that the liberal media touts for its criticism of conservative Christians. Hmmm.... Is this really a man whose opinion we want to trust?

Maybe he should start by criticizing his friends, but I guess then he wouldn't get invited to throw out the first pitch at Cuban baseball games.

God only knows what other perks he would give up if he kept his criticism close to home.

"On May 27, [1966,] 166 Cubans -- civilians and members of the military -- were executed and submitted to medical procedures of blood extraction of an average of seven pints per person. This blood is sold to Communist Vietnam at a rate of $50 per pint with the dual purpose of obtaining hard currency and contributing to the Vietcong Communist aggression.

"A pint of blood is equivalent to half a liter. Extracting this amount of blood from a person sentenced to death produces cerebral anemia and a state of unconsciousness and paralysis. Once the blood is extracted, the person is taken by two militiamen on a stretcher to the location where the execution takes place." -- InterAmerican Human Rights Commission, April 7, 1967

Debunking a big, fat, stupid white man

2005-12-23T13:05:00.000-06:00

Weekly Standard Article

In case you had any doubt...

the article referenced above points out how dishonest propagandist Michael Moore really is.

Just in case you think the title to this post is mean, remember that Moore is the one who titled one of his books "Stupid White Men."

Better yet, read the book "Michael Moore is a Big, Fat, Stupid White Man." The authors meticulously point out the seemingly endless number of deceptive factual flaws in Moore's many movies. By the end, it is obvious to anyone other than a closed-minded Moore partisan that Moore is a first-class liar with a far-left agenda. He is anything but an impartial "documentary filmmaker." What a load of garbage (...I meant the notion was a "load of garbage, but I guess the description also fits Moore himself)!

DON HENLEY'S RICH LIBERAL ELITISM

2005-12-23T13:02:00.000-06:00

Do you really want to take political advice from this clown? Or, would you feel comfortable allowing him to determine who gets elected?

This man supports Democrats with a passion. Passion backed up with mucho moolah.

He gave a total of $117,550 to candidates since George W. Bush first entered the White House...all to liberal Democrats...Kennedy, Hillary Clinton, Barbara Boxer...and $10,000 in the "soft money" that liberals so constantly moan about...excuse me while I go barf.

You get the picture. For the details, go to this link:

www.opensecrets.org/indivs/search.asp?txtName=Henley

If you don't want to help Don Henley put liberals in office, don't attend his concerts or buy his products. I know, I know -- the Eagles rock! Yes, they do. If you must buy their albums, could you try a used music store? As far as the concerts, I attended one in my less intelligent days and my opinion is that you won't be missing much. I like his music, but what a pompous jerk on stage!

GUN RIGHTS: Protection of Property & Freedom

2005-12-23T13:00:00.000-06:00

This man wants to take your gun:

And then maybe he will turn it on you:

But he certainly will deny any blame!

Because, in his mind, YOU are the criminal...and you deserve it.

THE SECOND AMENDMENT: PROTECTING AMERICA FROM THE CHUCK SCHUMER'S OF THE WORLD FOR FOR 216 YEARS.

LET'S KEEP IT AROUND.

FEDERAL "POVERTY" PROGRAMS: SANTA CLAUS OR SHERIFF OF NOTTINGHAM?

2005-12-19T19:12:00.000-06:00

This man represents the government. Do you really trust the government to "help the poor"? Remember what he did to the little kid's "birthday penny" in the Robin Hood Disney stories? Wouldn't we rather let private citizens like...er, Robin Hood do the job of helping the poor? If we pay the government to do it, the government becomes "the rich" and a very grave threat to all who value freedom!

If this line of thinking is not intuitive to you, read through the various data on this site and elsewhere. Keep an open mind, and I think you will be convinced.

MERRY CHRISTMAS MR. PRESIDENT

2005-12-19T11:59:00.000-06:00

"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy course; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat." Theodore Roosevelt.

And he came to Nazareth...and there was given to him the book of the prophet Isaiah. He opened the book and found the place where it was written, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. And he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."

And the King will tell them, `I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these, you did it to me.' Matthew 27:40

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

No one has greater love than the one who gives his life for his friends. John 15:13

MOST DANGEROUS STATES (2005)

2005-12-15T13:36:00.000-06:00

Researcher Morgan Quitno recently determined the most dangerous U.S. states by comparing the following indicators to the national average in each crime category: murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, and motor vehicle theft.

Interestingly, the bottom 10 states -- the "least dangerous" and safest -- generally have high rates of gun ownership and comparatively lenient gun ownership regulations. States ranked #40-50 were:

40 Montana
41 Idaho
42 Wisconsin
43 Iowa
44 West Virginia
45 Wyoming
46 South Dakota
47 New Hampshire
48 Maine
49 Vermont
50 North Dakota

Notably, in Vermont, the nation's second SAFEST state, all citizens are allowed to carry concealed weapons without government interference. That's right, no approval process, no training class, no red tape.

Whatever might be the cause of violent crime, it sure as hell isn't gun ownership.

IS JESUS PRO-RICH?: Part I: Examining the OLD TESTAMENT

2005-12-06T22:37:00.000-06:00

Jim Wallis, if you don't know, is a radical leftist political activist who touts himself as a minister and hopes you will therefore view him as impartial and trustworthy. He goes to great lengths to let you know that he hates poverty, which means he is breathing, because all human beings hate poverty. We can agree that God does not want us to let other humans suffer. We disagree, however, on the solution. Wallis' solution to every poverty-related problem (and EVERY problem, for that matter) is for us to give the government more of our money so that they can hire bureaucrats to study the problem and then maybe give away some money (if any is left). I, like many others, believe that the Bible clearly states that poverty relief is to be conducted voluntarily by individuals and the church -- NOT by heavy-handed governmental coercion. So, there are many reasons for us to disagree with Jim Wallis.

Worth mentioning: he is a "former" (he claims) communist and friend of Fidel Castro. His political views have not changed much since he was a member of SDS in the 1960's. Of course, the liberal media loves him. They hope that we are gullible enough to see him as the "Christian voice." The truth is that what he proposes is not supported by the Bible.

His recent bestseller "God's Politics" includes a section entitled "Part IV: SPIRITUAL VALUES AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE -- When Did Jesus Become Pro-Rich?" Wallis' writing in this section of his book could serve as an object lesson on the meaning of the term

STRAW MAN

, but it is flawed in almost every other respect as well. I am fascinated that a man with such little understanding of economics, if any, would see himself qualified to pontificate on "economic justice," but I digress. Let's focus on what Wallis said and why it is wrong.

Wallis starts by basing his whole argument around the American church's supposed misinterpretation of Jesus' statement that we will "always have the poor with [us]." He also makes big hay out of the fact that he allegedly cut out of his Bible all of the verses which dealt with "the poor." He claims that not much was left. What he doesn't mention is that a large percentage of Bible verses that deal with the issue of poverty do so in a context that involves other topics as well -- sin, disobedience, faith, holiness, etc. -- though he would lead you to believe that they all deal with radical government redistribution of wealth or "social justice." Not surprisingly, Wallis does NOT encourage the reader to read all such verses for herself. Read them. You will see that what God is telling us is very different from Wallis' radical leftist agenda posing in sheep's clothing.

What are we to make of what the Bible REALLY says on the topic of wealth?

Exodus 30:13-15 states:
"Everyone who crosses over to those who are numbered is to pay this: a half shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (a shekel weighs twenty gerahs). The half shekel is to be an offering to the Lord. Everyone who crosses over to those numbered, from twenty years old and up, is to pay an offering to the Lord. The rich are not to increase it, and the poor are not to pay less than the half shekel when giving the offering of the Lord, to make atonement for your lives."

Notice that God assessed the same amount for both rich and poor. He then explicitly stated that the rich are not the increase the amount (presumably to the detriment of the poor), nor are the poor to pay less. God does not support the idea of a system of progressive taxation because he does not even impose one Himself!

The Bible teaches that human beings are not to oppress the poor, but it clearly does not teach that the poor are to get preferential treatment:

Leviticus 19:15:
"You must not deal unjustly in judgment: you must neither show partiality to the poor nor honor the rich. You must judge your fellow citizen fairly."

Proverbs 22:2:
The rich and the poor meet together; the Lord is the Creator of them both.

The Bible certainly does not indicate that government is to play any role in social welfare. God clearly places that burden upon the Church (I will discuss this topic in Part II: Examining the New Testament).

2 Samuel 12:2-3:
"The rich man had a great many flocks and herds. But the poor man had nothing except for a little lamb he had acquired. He raised it, and it grew up alongside him and his children. It used to eat his food, drink from his cup, and sleep in his arms. It was just like a daughter to him..."

In that familiar account, the rich man (a metaphor for King David) is rebuked for stealing property from the poor man. Such is not only morally wrong, but it is a crime. Unfortunately, people like Jim Wallis twist the Bible's prohibition of actual stealing to somehow mean that we should all favor giving more power to a centralized government via taxes and government "programs" (bureaucratic power centers). If even a man as great as King David (the Bible describes him as a man "after God's own heart) can succumb to the temptations to abuse his political power, why, pray tell, are we to think that our contemporary government is any more trustworthy?!! Jim Wallis has praised Fidel Castro and the Soviets in the past. Perhaps he believes them to be trustworthy. One must wonder about his motives.

What about when Christian leftists imply that it is somehow immoral to acquire wealth at all, regardless of how you use it? What would King Solomon say?

Proverbs 10:22:
The blessing from the Lord makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow to it.

If wealth is a blessing from the Lord, Jim, why do you constantly throw around rhetoric that is no more than a thinly-veiled attempt to play on people's emotions and make them feel guilty...when they may have done nothing wrong?

God does criticize the rich in the Bible. He criticizes them for gaining wealth dishonestly or immorally.

Proverbs 22:16:
The one who oppresses the poor to gain his own increase and the one who gives to the rich both end up only in poverty.
Jeremiah 5:27:
Like a cage filled with the birds that have been caught, their houses are filled with the gains of their fraud and deceit. That is how they have gotten so rich and powerful.
Habakkuk 2:6
"But all these nations will someday taunt him and ridicule him with proverbial sayings: 'The one who accumulates what does not belong to him is as good as dead (How long will this go on?) he who gets rich by extortion!'"
Micah 6:10-13:
"I will not overlook, O sinful house, the dishonest gain you have hoarded away, or the smaller-than-standard measure I hate so much. I do not condone the use of rigged scales, or a bag of deceptive weights. The city's rich men think nothing of resorting to violence; her inhabitants lie, their tongues speak deceptive words. I will strike you brutally and destroy you because of your sin.

Notice that Micah is decrying ill-gotten wealth -- NOT wealth per se.

God also rebukes those who make an idol out of their wealth and ignore the fact that God is the source:

Jeremiah 9:23:
The Lord says, "Wise people should not boast that they are wise. Powerful people should not boast that they are powerful. Rich people should not boast that they are rich.

He speaks harshly of those who would hoard wealth and ignore suffering, helpless people who are "right under their noses." He also warns against the "get rich quick" mentality:

Proverbs 13:11:
Wealth gained quickly will dwindle away, but the one who gathers it little by little will become rich.

He warns us against hedonism:

Proverbs 21:17:
The one who loves pleasure will be a poor person; whoever loves wine and anointing oil will not be rich.

What conclusion are we to draw from the Old Testament verses dealing with wealth? God detests the dishonest accumulation of wealth, the misuse of wealth, and the failure of those with wealth to remember those truly in need.

At no point does God direct His people to make a Messiah out of their government. God wants to be the one we look to. God wants His people to be the vessels of love and charity. Governments oppress and enslave when given broad economic power. They assume the role of provider and cause people to forget about God. Don't believe it? Compare church attendance rates in the European social welfare states (traditionally Christian countries) to those in economically open nations like the United States. Of course, that is another topic for another time!

Stay tuned for an analysis of the New Testament verses on this topic. If anything, they make a MORE compelling argument that Jim Wallis is distorting the scriptures.

IS JESUS PRO-WAR?

2005-12-06T19:19:00.000-06:00

That's the question that many professing Christians on the left want you to answer. Jim Wallis of Sojourners magazine even used the title "When did Jesus become Pro-War" as one of the chapters in his recent book.

For now, let's leave aside the fact that the scripture solidly supports the idea of a just war. Even Jesus told his disciples that He was sending them out into the world carrying swords (after ordering them, earlier in the Gospels, to leave their swords at home).

For now, let's focus on how misleading it is to frame the question of the Iraq war around the query "When did Jesus become pro-war?" You see, Mr. Wallis has a history of silence when it comes to certain wars -- those waged by Castro, Pol Pot, and the Nicaraguan Sandinistas come to mind right away. In Mr. Wallis' mind, apparently, war is OK as long as it is being waged by a communist butcher. Maybe he is just a legalist and figures that the communists don't violate the Geneva Convention since they never sign on to such human rights protections in the first place! On the other hand, maybe "Reverend Jim" is hoping to break into Hollywood as a comedian?!

Wallis' ugly secret is that he does not oppose war per se -- just any war that serves the interests of a free-market democracy. What Wallis really wants you to believe is that the current Global War on Terrorism is an UNJUST war. He and his friends on the left want you to think that our war is unjust based upon their accusations that President Bush "lied."

For the sake of brave women and men like the one in the nearby picture, read the following article by Norman Podhoretz and decide for yourself -- based upon FACTS rather than pious, emotional INNUENDO -- who is lying in this debate. You might be very surprised.

Click here

RICH PROFESSORS -- WHAT IS THEIR ANGLE?

2005-12-06T16:50:00.000-06:00

Faculty Salaries:

An April 22, 2005 article in the Chronicle of Higher Education (the periodical of record for Professors) disclosed the following information:

The average salary in 2004-5 for a full-time professor at a private doctoral university was $127,214.

That doesn't even factor into account all the various additional sources of income that many of America's top professors enjoy: book royalties, speaking fees, great pension plans and medical plans, discounts on everything from housing to tuition, etc.

This places such people into an income bracket the Democrats love to inaccurately describe as "rich." Could it be that our leftist university prof's don't really have any problem with people making a good living? Could it be that their leftist propaganda is nothing more than greedy SELF-INTEREST since Democrats usually favor throwing more money at government educational institutions? Could it be that professors are as self-interested as anyone else. I guess the difference is that most other people don't try to throw a self-righteous veneer over their naked self-interest.

You can search the data for yourself at:

http://chronicle.com/stats/aaup/

Also of interest is the following link:

http://www.insidehighered.com/workplace/2005/04/25/pay

STATE BUSINESS TAX CLIMATE INDEX

2005-12-06T13:53:00.000-06:00

The Tax Foundation has rated all 50 U.S. states based upon how business-friendly their tax structures are.

Notice the correlation between a business-friendly tax system and the state of the economy: most of the highly-rated states have experienced comparatively high levels of growth recently along with increased in job opportunities and wages. Isn't that what "the poor" need most: economic opportunity?

Corporate Tax Rates -- Comparing by Country (click here)

2005-12-06T13:50:00.000-06:00

The link above contains an interesting report comparing the corporate tax burden in various industrialized countries. Compare the tax rates on corporations in, say, Ireland and Germany. Then, take a guess as to which country enjoys super economic growth as of late with very little unemployment?

Socialism does not help the poor. It helps the professional poverty bureaucrats.

BEST AND WORST BOOKS -- Intercollegiate Studies Institute (click here)

2005-12-06T13:00:00.000-06:00

Any additions to the list?

Stay tuned for more links on outstanding books.

Richest and Poorest U.S. Counties

2005-12-05T10:39:00.000-06:00

Do Democratic policies "help the poor"? The poor certainly don't all think so. Is the GOP the party of "the rich"? More of the 10 richest counties voted for KERRY in 2004 than for Bush. Hmmmmmmm........!!!!

The Richest (with 2004 Vote in parentheses: "Blue"=Kerry; "Red"=Bush)

1. Fairfax County, Va. (Blue)
2. Montgomery County, Md. (Blue)
3. Morris County, N.J. (Red)
4. Howard County, Md. (Blue)
5. Monmouth County, N.J. (Red)
6. Somerset County, N.J. (Red)
7. Westchester County, N.Y. (Blue)
8. Chester County, Pa. (Red)
9. San Mateo County, Calif. (Blue)
10. Nassau County, N.Y. (Blue)

The Poorest (with 2004 Vote in parentheses: "Blue"=Kerry; "Red"=Bush)

1. Hidalgo County, Tex. (Blue)
2. Cameron County, Tex. (Red)
3. Bronx County, N.Y. (Blue)
4. El Paso County, Tex. (Blue)
5. Philadelphia County, Pa. (Blue)
6. Orleans Parish, La. (Blue)
7. Baltimore, Md. (Blue)
8. Caddo Parish, La. (Red)
9. Nueces County, Tex. (Red)
10. Kern County, Calif. (Red)