Reuters is reporting that El Jeffe Barack Obama refused to comment on the pirate situation brewing off the coast of Somalia. Huh?
In case you don’t know, pirates seized an American-flagged ship and its American crew about two days ago. The crew regained control of the ship, but the pirates, as of right now, still hold the American captain. The USS Bainbridge, a guided missile destroyer, is on the scene now, so we’ll see how it turns out.
The facts are thus: Americans were being held for ransom; one is still being held. A US warship is on the scene. Like it or not, President Obama is our Commander-in-Chief. Refusing to comment on the situation because you want to “focus on housing” is pretty poor military leadership. He could have said that his comments on the situation are limited because of security concerns; that would be understandable. But instead, he just wanted to steer the conversation to the issue was more rehearsed on. Doesn’t this make you wonder what the President will be like when he is finally forced to speak off the cuff? Or will that time never come? It’s up to the media to decide whether pre-packaged speeches and answers are really what the American people want to see.
I've written about Pat Buchanan here many times. In case you're new, know that I don't like him and think his politics are beginning to reek of Antisemitism. He has sailed right off the table of rational debate.
Buchanan's latest column is essentially more of the same. Please take a moment and read the piece; I think you'll agree. PB tells the story of a Hitler who ONLY wanted Germany to be given the lands denied her at the end of the First World War. He fails to mention Adolf's intentions as he specifically spelled them out in Mein Kampf. More importantly, Herr Buchanan fails to mention the Nazi's characterization of Jews as the people who caused all their nation's problems. To not mention these two factors tells me all I need to know about Pat Buchanan.
Yes, Buchanan is correct about the cowardice of Europe. This is grist for the conservative mill, and I am among those who believes the Second World War could have been avoided had Britain and France stood up to Hitler in 1935. But we will never know. In the meantime, Pat Buchanan makes all conservatives look like Antisemitic revisionists. Thanks.
I spent a lot of time with my dad over the past few days. He's 76 now and despite the fact he seems younger, he is starting to slow down in terms of physical activity. As we loaded the remains of our deck into his truck yesterday, I began thinking about the year of his birth: 1933. He has seen a tremendous amount of change, and I have to wonder if our lives will see the kind of momentous advances that his life has.
1933 was the worst year of the Great Depression by almost any standard of measurement. I hope we don't see that again.
In 1933, there were still men alive who had fought in the Civil War. Some of those men's grandfathers had fought in the War for Independence.
In 1933, radio technology was changing the US and the world much like the internet would do 60 years later. Television only existed in labs.
In 1933, the idea of a nuclear weapon was the stuff of science fiction. In fact, even the concept of a chain reaction was unknown. I wish we had maintained some ignorance on this point.
In 1933, the interstate highway system did not exist.
In 1933, women had only had the right to vote for 12 years. Many blacks in the South were kept from voting by violence or the infamous 'poll tax'. This would continue for another generation.
In 1933, kids called each other 'Republican' and it was almost a dirty word. I'm not kidding. The Democrats were not the socialists we know today, but were actually for working-class Americans and a strong nation.
In 1933, only the very wealthy and people in the military ever flew in planes. The jet engine was still a few years away.
In 1933, only Buck Rogers flew in space and that was only on the radio. The idea of an International Space Station was unimagineable.
What will we see?
BHO met with the Queen of England today and gave her an iPod. It contained video of her 2007 US visit, which at least made the gift somewhat unique. When Prime Minister Gordon Brown visited the White House last month, he was given a set of DVDs that do not work in UK DVD players. Tacky.
I'm not complaining about the gifts the Obamas are giving to foreign dignitaries. But those gifts represent something else much more important: a sense that the President has zero respect for traditions and relationships formed long before he was born.
Liberalism brings with it an arrogance of pseudo-knowledge and I don't think the administration in the White House is any different. Screw history---we know better. Bush was an idiot and we're here to fix it. We're going to make the US look better around the world because, by golly, negotiation works with Islamo-fascists and third-world dictators.
I fear that in the race to "repair" our relationship with the world, we are going to destroy what makes this country unique. The United States has freed, fed and educated more people than any other nation in the history of man. We do this because we are a kind people who are fierce when crossed. Obama, I believe, wants to give with one hand and throw the sword away that used to be in the other one. Despite all his socialist intentions, the sword can never, ever go away.