The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

The State of U.S. Politics Today

In the past few days, I've run across a number of cartoons pertaining to the state of politics in the United States today. These few cartoons vary across existing programs and the presidential campaign. There is also an image of much more general applicability.

One cartoon has to do with our president and the economy he and his regulators run.

This one is an historical comparison of current events to events from long, long ago. Why can't some people follow the rules?

Here's another variation on the question of why can't some people follow the rules?

Of course, all of this makes us think (or at least makes me think), along with Mark Twain, that

When Words Don't Mean What They Say

An article published on page 3 of the Business Outlook section of the Albuquerque Journal last week sheds light on the current state of the law and the legal profession. The article, written by Joel Jacobsen and headlined Court puts quirky spin on burglary statute, discussed two recent decisions by the New Mexico Supreme Court. But it seems the disease these decisions exemplify is spread much more broadly than just this state.

At issue was whether entering a business for a criminal purpose in a manner that was not authorized, by deception or in violation of an express prohibition, is "unauthorized" as part of the definition of burglary (a felony) as opposed to shoplifting (a misdemeanor). As Jacobsen wrote,

'Unauthorized' doesn't always mean what it seems to say when would-be thieves enter a commercial enterprise with crime in mind. . . . Because entry into Costco without a valid membership doesn't implicate such highly wrought feelings, therefor it's not unauthorized. Even though it's not authorized. . . . Again, as a matter of statutory construction, the court held that the entry into the store wasn't "unauthorized," even though it was prohibited.

What can make sense out of that sort of self-contradictory verbiage? How can English words be made to say things that are so completely at odds with their normal meanings? The answer to these questions is what is called "statutory construction".

Professor Daniel A. Farber [apparently now at the School of Law of the University of California at Berkeley] once explained how statutory construction works. If a person at the table asks you to pass the salt, obviously he or she wants you to pass a common flavor enhancing condiment.

But it would be unreasonable to assume the person is asking to be given a substance that raises blood pressure and shortens lifespan. Therefore, he or she means for you to pass the pepper.

Why is this important? Jacobsen explains at the end of his article.

In constitutional theory, as expressed in Article III of the New Mexico Constitution, courts have no power to rewrite statutes. But, in judicial theory, interpreting a simple word like "unauthorized" to refer to a complex of emotions that "we" supposedly feel doesn't count as rewriting. And that's why New Mexico now has two burglary statutes, one found in the statute books that covers all businesses equally and one existing only in the opinions of judges that carves out an exception for retail stores. Here's your pepper.

In other words, while judges are not allowed to write or rewrite laws, they do it anyway by changing the meanings of words. As I suggested above, that's not something that's limited to the judges in this state. It seems to be a communicable disease — a communicable mental disease. But a remaining question is whether it is communicated judge to judge (or senior judge to senior judge), or whether that occurs in their initial law school training.

A Primer On Socialism

Yes, socialism — in all flavors — is something that sounds great, especially to youngsters. That's because the young haven't yet learned enough knowledge and logic to see that it's a chimera, a mirage. It has never worked and never will, because it violates human nature.

The problem with this, of course, is that sooner or later you run out of other people's money. And then the system (1) backs away from socialism, (2) completely breaks down, or (3) goes full totalitarian.

Despite what President Obama said on his trip to Cuba and Argentina, there is a HUGE difference between capitalism and socialism.

Socialist illogic has showed up multiple times in the current presidential campaign. Here's an outstanding example.

I find it shocking that that people can reach such heights with no concept of either basic economics or human nature.

About President Obama & Cuba

For those who have been paying attention — for those who give a damn — the allegiance of President Barack Obama is plain to see.

If we are charitable, we may describe this as as President Obama's blind spot. Which is to say that Barack Obama just can't see the problem — his ideology gets in the way.

Here's another way to look at this.

What a Contested Convention Looks Like

Ramirez gets it right. Yet again.

Never Felt Safer

I got this from a friend. I'm not sure it's really a joke.

Never felt safer in my life!

I took down my Rebel flag (which you can't buy on ebay any more) tossed the "Don't Tread on Me" flag and peeled the NRA sticker off the front door. I gave the pit bull to my mother in law and stored my A K. 47.

I disconnected my home alarm system and quit the candy-ass Neighborhood Watch.

I bought two Pakistani flags and put them in my front yard.

I purchased the black flag of ISIS (which you CAN buy on ebay) and ran it up the flag pole

Now, the local police, sheriff, FBI, CIA, NSA, Homeland Security, Secret Service and other agencies are all watching my house 24/7. I've NEVER felt safer and I'm saving $69.95 a month that ADT used to charge me.

Plus, I bought burkas for my family. when we shop or travel everyone moves out of the way and security can't pat us down.

Safe at last — Is America getting greater every day or what?

A Dose of Reality About Socialism

We have been hearing A LOT about Socialism — and praise of Socialism — in the current political campaign. A lot has been from Hillary Clinton, and a lot more from Bernie Sanders, and their supporters. A significant amount of the discussion has been lecturing by our Moral Betters of the Younger Generation, who mostly support Sanders.

This has produced a response on Facebook from former chess champion and current freedom activist Garry Kasparov, which has been repeated by Thomas Lifson:

I'm enjoying the irony of American Sanders supporters lecturing me, a former Soviet citizen, on the glories of Socialism and what it really means! Socialism sounds great in speech soundbites and on Facebook, but please keep it there. In practice, it corrodes not only the economy but the human spirit itself, and the ambition and achievement that made modern capitalism possible and brought billions of people out of poverty. Talking about Socialism is a huge luxury, a luxury that was paid for by the successes of capitalism. Income inequality is a huge problem, absolutely. But the idea that the solution is more government, more regulation, more debt, and less risk is dangerously absurd.

Lifson goes on to note that

Socialism rewards laggards and penalizes strivers, so naturally you get more of the former and fewer of the latter. It isn’t terribly complicated.

Young people, full of energy, idealistic, and inexperienced in human nature, are seduced by the vision of an egalitarian paradise with less suffering. What they don’t see is the decline in wealth, and the focus on gaming the system and winning political approval (instead of actually producing wealth) that inevitably produce decline and corruption.

How has this happened to so many of our young people? I think, as Lifson suggests, that it's because

The virtually complete takeover of public and higher education by the left has resulted in a vast cohort of the American public completely ignorant of the failure of socialism everywhere it has been applied. Thus we have public opjnion polls indicating that younger voters are not averse to socialism and younger Democrats supporting Sanders.

To me, the most important truism in all of this is one short line:"Talking about Socialism is a huge luxury, a luxury that was paid for by the successes of capitalism." That's a line from Kasparov's original Facebook post, speaking from experience.

Socialism kills, in all its forms from Democratic Socialism to Fascism and Communism. It's just that some forms of Socialism kill more quickly and efficiently than others.

The $50 Lesson

Recently, while I was working in the flower beds in the front yard, my neighbors stopped to chat as they returned home from walking their dog.

During our friendly conversation, I asked their little girl what she wanted to be when she grew up. She said she wanted to be President someday.

Both of her parents, Democratic Party members, were standing there so I asked her, "If you were President what would be the first thing you would do?" She replied... "I'd give food and houses to all the homeless people."

Her parents beamed with pride! "Wow...what a worthy goal!" I said..."But you don't have to wait until you're President to do that!" "What do you mean?" she replied.

So I told her, "You can come over to my house and mow the lawn, pull weeds, and trim my hedge, and I'll pay you $50. Then you can go over to the grocery store where the homeless guy hangs out, and you can give him the $50 to use toward food and a new house."

She thought that over for a few seconds, then she looked me straight in the eye and asked, "Why doesn't the homeless guy come over and do the work, and you can just pay him the $50?"

I said, "Welcome to the Republican Party."

Her parents aren't speaking to me anymore.

"The truth is like a lion.
You don't have to defend it.
Let it loose. It will defend itself."

Happy Easter!

Wishing all a Very Happy Easter!

But remember also what made it possible.

If you don't believe it, or are on the fence, there are a few historical facts you must account for. To help you, consider this.

Hillary on Libya

p>Democratic presidential candidate and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is claiming the U.S. "didn't lose a single person" in Libya during her time in office. Of course, it's true she didn't lose a single person in Libya — she lost four. Or maybe she means it the way cartoonist Michael Ramirez interprets her statement.

UPDATE: See this as well.

End update.

It's hard to know if Hillary is so divorced from reality that she actually believes no one was lost in Libya or if she's continuing to lie about this for her personal benefit. Either option would make her unfit to hold any position of trust in the U.S. government.

Phoenix Aurora

The Astronomy Picture of the Day site has an absolutely spectacular picture today. It's an aurora in the shape of the mythical phoenix, captured digitally over Iceland. It's so spectacular I had to share it.

This NASA site changes its picture each day. After today you can find this image, with identified constellations and a description, here. And the picture on the NASA site is bigger and in higher resolution. Superb.

A Lesson on Motivation — and Irony

This makes sense to the bureaucrats. It's part of the reason the voters are so angry this year, explaining the success of both Trump and Sanders. And for that, see this.

Michelle Makes an Endorsement

Michelle Obama has decided to make an endorsement in the race for the Republican presidential nomination — expressed, as usual, in a hashtag.

There's also a much more detailed statement from Michelle, explaining her endorsement.

OK, they're obviously both photoshopped. But I still like them, especially because there is now so much mess to clean up.

Our National Problem -- 1

“Europe, the soil on which Fascism took root, is watching the rise of Donald Trump with dismay. Contempt for the excesses of America is a European reflex, but when the United States seems tempted by a latter-day Mussolini, smugness in London, Paris and Berlin gives way to alarm. . . . It’s not just that [Donald Trump] could become Silvio Berlusconi with nukes. . . . America’s Weimar-lite democratic dysfunction is plain to see.”

Wall Street Journal, Best of the Web
quoting Roger Cohen, New York Times, March 1

Our National Problem -- 2

There's been a lot running around about our problems if Donald Trump is either nominated or elected to the presidency. And all that is true. But there's another side to this problem, and it is shown in the bumper sticker below.

I'd say this is absolutely the best bumper sticker of this election cycle. And I think it is highly unlikely to be improved upon.

The Science Is Settled

Argentina — A History Lesson

This link was received by e-mail. The video it links to is worth watching and thinking about.

        Don't Cry for Me Argentina America

This echoes some of the concerns I (and others I know) have had for a long time. I'd seen some of these figures and comparisons before, but this is a more striking and elegant presentation.

A friend I forwarded the e-mail to agreed with me and said this:

Simply an elegant presentation. I've been screaming in the wilderness about the propensities of governments to over-promise benefits for three decades. As far as I can tell, my screaming has done absolutely no good, because politicians are still mortgaging our future beyond any ability to every pay off the debt. Argentina conveys the message, but much more elegantly than I ever did.

I have forwarded to many friends. Regrettably, all of my friends are in the same camp. Those people who most need to get this message are those who are the least likely to watch the video (much less heed its conclusions).

There is still time for us to avoid sliding into Argentina's fate, I think. But this country is a very large ship and slow to turn — as Argentina once was. It will take a lot of effort to get us back onto a positive slope. But we must try.

Battling Bastards of Benghazi

Received by e-mail. Worth passing on.

A short poem you won't forget

Do you recall the President referring to the Benghazi incident as "a bump in the road?" Today I heard an ex-Navy Seal being interviewed on Fox News regarding a book he has written about how to handle crisis situations in our lives. At the end of the interview he asked if he could make a comment on Benghazi and, of course, the anchor said "yes."

He then thanked Fox News for keeping the Benghazi story in the news, since other news organizations are not. He said the Seals who died deserve the public knowing the truth about the whole affair. He read a short poem he said was written by an anonymous Marine Corps officer:

THE BATTLING BOYS OF BENGHAZI

We're the battling boys of Benghazi,
No fame, no glory, no paparazzi.
Just a fiery death in a blazing hell,
Defending our country we loved so well.

It wasn't our job, but we answered the call,
Fought to the Consulate and scaled the wall.
We pulled twenty countrymen from the jaws of fate
Led them to safety and stood at the gate.

Just the two of us and foes by the score,
But we stood fast to bar the door.
Three calls for reinforcement, but all were denied,
So we fought and we fought and we fought 'til we died.

We gave our all for our Uncle Sam,
But Barack and Hillary didn't give a damn.
Just two dead Seals who carried the load
No thanks to us . . . we were just
      "Bumps In The Road".

So, will this reach every American with a computer? Or do we act like the press and give a pass to the people who literally sat there in the White House and watched the Seals' execution on live streaming video and did absolutely nothing?

"What difference does it make?"

And she wants to be the next President!

No further comment is necessary.

How Stupid Are We?

This was received by e-mail. The comment with it suggests it should be hung in every public place so people can read it and just maybe the danger we face will sink in. This war is ongoing, and will continue as long as Muslims continue to follow what the Quran commands.

---

Ask any person not your child between the ages of 18 and 25 if they ever heard of the Nuremberg Trials. Most answer "never heard of them". Or consider that 1 in 13 will not be able to tell you the name of the Vice President.

Unfortunately, 84% of those who receive this will not read it completely, or at all. 10% will but will also chose not to forward it. The remaining 6% will forward it. But the truth is re-emphasized as..... Stupid is as stupid does...

Ohhhhh YES!! The war started in the 7th century and lasted through the 17th century. I would contend it never stopped but historically the facts below are correct.

This is why I choke when I hear someone say we will defeat or contain these Islamic terrorists in a few years or even 30 years as recently stated by Leon Panetta. If the latest batch of murders, beheadings, and killing of innocent Christians has shocked you, maybe you should read this compilation of historical facts about the hatred of Muslims.

WE, THE STUPID: This is factually (and historically) correct - and verifiable:
In 732 A.D. the Muslim Army, which was moving on Paris , was defeated and turned back at Tours, France, by Charles Martell.
In 1571 A.D. the Muslim Army/Navy was defeated by the Italians and Austrians as they tried to cross the Mediterranean to attack southernEurope in the Battle of Lepanto.
In 1683 A.D. the Turkish Muslim Army, attacking Eastern Europe, was finally defeated in the Battle of Vienna by German and Polish ChristianArmies.

This crap has been going on for 1,400 years and half of the politicians don't even know it.

If these battles had not been won, we might be speaking Arabic and Christianity could be non-existent; Judaism certainly would not exist.

Reflecting: A lot of Americans have become so insulated from reality that they imagine that America can suffer defeat without any inconvenience to themselves. Pause a moment and reflect back.

These events are actual events from history. They really happened! Do you remember? 47 years since 1968 and this just keeps going on and on.

1. In 1968, Bobby Kennedy was shot and killed by a Muslim male.
2. In 1972, at the Munich Olympics, Israeli athletes were kidnapped and massacred by Muslim males.
3. In 1972, a Pan Am 747 was hijacked and eventually diverted to Cairo where a fuse was lit on final approach. Shortly after landing it was blown up by Muslim males.
4. In 1973, a Pan Am 707 was destroyed in Rome , with 33 people killed, when it was attacked with grenades by Muslim males.
5. In 1979, the US embassy in Iran was taken over by Muslim males.
6. During the 1980's a number of Americans were kidnapped in Lebanon by Muslim males.
7. In 1983, the US Marine barracks in Beirut was blown up by Muslim males.
8. In 1985, the cruise ship Achille Lauro was hijacked and a 70-year old American passenger was murdered and thrown overboard in his wheelchair by Muslim males.
9. In 1985, TWA flight 847 was hijacked at Athens , and a US Navy diver trying to rescue passengers was murdered by Muslim males.
10. In 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 was bombed by Muslim males.
11. In 1993, the World Trade Center was bombed the first time by Muslim males.
12. In 1998, the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed by Muslim males.
13. On 9/11/01, four airliners were hijacked; two were used as missiles to take down the World Trade Centers and of the remaining two, one crashed into the US Pentagon and the other was diverted and crashed by the passengers. Thousands of people were killed by Muslim males.
14. In 2002, the United States fought a war in Afghanistan against Muslim males.
15. In 2002, reporter Daniel Pearl was kidnapped and beheaded by - you guessed it - a Muslim male. (Plus two other American journalists who were just recently beheaded).
16. In 2013, the Boston Marathon Bombing resulted in 4 Innocent people, (including a child) being killed and 264 people injured by Muslim males.

No, Obama, I really don't see a pattern here to justify profiling, do you? So, to ensure we Americans never offend anyone, particularly fanatics intent on killing us, airport security screeners will no longer be allowed to profile certain people.

So, ask yourself "Just how stupid are we???"

Absolutely No Profiling! They must conduct random searches of 80-year-old women, little kids, airline pilots with proper identification, secret agents who are members of the Obama's security detail, 85-year-old Congressmen with metal hips, and Medal of Honor winner and former Governor Joe Foss, BUT........leave Muslim Males alone lest we be guilty of profiling. Ask yourself, "Just how stupid are we?" Have the American people completely lost their minds or just their Power of Reason???

Let 's get this to as many people as we can so that the stupid defense attorneys, along with Federal Justices, that want to thwart common sense, feel ashamed of themselves — if they have any such sense.

As the writer of the award winning story Forrest Gump so aptly put it, "Stupid Is As Stupid Does."