The Death of American Conservatism?

There are a million different stories to tell about the events of yesterday, every one of them compelling in their own way. The election of our first African America President. The fundamental alteration off the electoral map. The Blowout of John McCain. The victories of Kay Hagan and Jeanne Shaheen. The tightest race of the day, between Norm Coleman and Al Franken. Sen. Ted Stevens resiliency in the face of being found guilty of seven felonies.

I’m going to look at one thing which bears some looking at. I’ve heard the words “Death of American Conservatism” when talking about this victory of President-Elect Obama. But I tell you that I do not for a minute believe it. We are not at our heart a liberal nation, politically, even if we have moved to the left somewhat. We still believe in smaller government, we all want to pay less taxes, we all want to make sure everyone gets the best of what this nation has to offer. This election showed more of our changed national mood than a change of our basic political philosophy. Both parties believe in the same things, freedom, liberty, justice.

The reason the Republicans were defeated so soundly yesterday is that George Bush ran the Republican brand into the ground for 8 years. That, more than anything else, made it easier for the Democrats to do to the Republicans exactly what they did. By following the extreme right wing policies and big government ideology that George Bush and the Republicans did, that made it much easier for the average person, who may have in past called himself Republican to drop that veneer and call him or herself independent instead. In the last few years the independents rosters swelled while the Republican ranks shrank. Coincidence? I don’t believe in coincidence, not here anyway.

The American people did not leave the Republican party, the Republican party left the American people. The beliefs those people hold has not changed tho. Barack Obama became something of a populist centrist, and in this way garnered more support from those jilted former Republicans. The word Obamacan does have meaning, it is more than just a cute neologism.

By supporting tax breaks for the middle class and promising to retool business to make them green and to keep jobs here, he seemed to be hearkening back to a day when Americans cared about the little guy, back before the days of Dubya, and Rove, and Rumsfeld.

Barack Obama even stole from the Republicans the “Strong national defense” argument that they have always made so well for the last quarter century with his talk of beefing up the fighting forces in Afghanistan and his aggressive stance towards elements of Al-Qaeda in Pakistan. He reclaimed that title that the Republicans themselves took from the Democrats a number of years earlier in the 1960’s, with LBJ and another unpopular war, that one in Vietnam.

The views that conservatives espouse are very much still there, they have simply moved out from under the umbrella of conservatism. It is the Ideological aspects of conservatism, which tend to skew towards semi-fascism, at least as they are espoused by right wing nutjobs like Karl Rove, that were skewered yesterday, the main concepts are still alive and well in the people and places that they have always existed in before.

Wow, I spoke about American Conservatism, and didn’t once mention the christian conservatives, who are the heart of the future of the Republican party, and were the one coalition that held tight for the republican party in the South and Mid-west.

What do you think made for the drastic turn that America took yesterday…or was it even a drastic turn at all? Talk to me about the good things that happened yesterday, and the bad things too, America! Drop me a Line!

Uncle Mikey

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I have to say first off that I am happy at the way both parties have responded to this Hurricane. The Republicans have rolled up their sleeves and decided that the right thing to do is to help those in need rather than to have what amounts to a four day party while New Orleans and the Gulf Coast get slammed with a Major hurricane with millions evacuated hundreds of miles from home. They are going to have fundraisers throughout the week, and monies that would normally have gone to convention related activities will instead go to relief. Truly a class act on the part of the Republicans.

Before I get to the Democrats actions in reaction to this hurricane, I feel compelled to make the point that the reason it is Necessary for the Republicans to react this way is in no small way influenced by the lack of repsonse 3 years ago to Katrina, which in the minds of many was a major turning point in a negative way for the Republicans. Between the Hurricane itself and it’s aftermath almost 2,000 people died, an entire major coastal city flooded and it took DAYS for the Government to repsond, and the initial response was woefully inadequate. It left an extraordinarily bad taste in the mouth all Americans, and was THE clinching evidence that Republicans in general and the Bush Administration in particular just didn’t really care about it’s people, least of all it’s African-American population.

The Democrats reaction has been at once curious and uplifting. Curious in that Sen. Obama is not going down there right away, which is what President Bush did. His reason however is a good one. He doesn’t want to pull resources that would be called for when a Major party candidate comes into an area away from any potential rescue and or recovery efforts. Put in that Light it is understandable. What the Democrats are doing to help is this, He is going to use his e-mail database to collect money from people to give for rescue and recovery efforts. This is a database of people that is over 2,000,000 strong and one that has shown the capacity to drive Millions of dollars towards the Obama campaign efforts, and they are hoping it will do the same for efforts to combat the aftereffects of Hurricane Gustav.

FYI, President Bush will be doing it the same way. He will be in Texas as the Hurricane hits and will not be anywhere near the area because he doesn’t want to serve as a distraction to relief efforts in the Immediate area.

Are the efforts here of the two political parties adequate? Inadequate? necessary? Is there anything that isn’t being done that should be? Drop me a line and let me know.

Uncle Mikey

First things first, a Quote from the RNC Website

John McCain’s commitment to his fellow Americans, a commitment forged in service to his country, is one of the defining hallmarks of his life. Monday’s events will highlight John McCain’s record of service and sacrifice and reflect his commitment to serving a cause greater than one’s own selfinterest.

It looks like that commitment to service and sacrifice includes the sacrificing of face time for the party and service to potential hurricane victims. Convention Plans have changed with the strengthening of Hurricane Gustav, which looks at this point like it will make landfall in a few hours as a category three hurricane in the New Orleans Area. Day one has been cancelled, and days two and three may be in jeopardy, due to hurricane Gustav.

Quoting a report on the Wall Street Journal website :

The program for the first day of the Republican National Convention has been canceled in the wake of Hurricane Gustav, the first dramatic change as planners scrambled to cope with political and practical implications of the mammoth storm.

Headliners President Bush and Vice President Cheney both called off appearances scheduled for Monday in St. Paul, Minn. Ohio Rep. John Boehner, the House minority leader and chairman of the convention, said the legally required business, including approval of the rules and the platform, would take place but “there would not be much beyond that.”

There is also a Possibility that the Convention will be compressed into a single night, according to statements made by South Carolina Republican Senator Lindsey Graham on “This Week” with George Stephanopolous. We’ll see.

Several gulf coast governors have already returned home to batten down the hatches, those being Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, Charlie Crist of Florida, and Rick Perry of Texas. In light of the circumstances and the Statements by Sen. Graham, I do not know how long the delays will be or how much convention there will be. If and when there is news, I will pass it on to you.

Let’s all pray for this to go away as quickly as possible and pray that everyone stays safe and everything turns out alright for the residents of New Orleans and the other affected areas.

Uncle Mikey

First, the Basics. We have 3 sides here. Georgia, South Ossetia, and Russia. South Ossetia is a province in the nation of Georgia that has been trying to break away from Georgia for the better part of 18 years. It has declared independence, along with an area called Abkhazia. This independence has not been diplomatically recognized by any nation. For a history of the Georgia-South Ossetia conflict, click here.

The Beginning of this Conflict is Kind of Murky. Both sides claim the other started shooting first. At this point it doesn’t really matter, because what started out as dueling sniper fire now has thousands of combatants, and is drawing the increasing ire of a great many nations, calling for an immediate cease fire. A few selected statements:

President Bush said on Monday:

“Russia has invaded a sovereign neighboring state and threatens a democratic government elected by its people. Such an action is unacceptable in the 21st century,”

From this Report from Reuters there was also a statement from a “Senior U.S. official” that this looked like it had been planned out by the Russians for some time.

Great Britain’s Prime Minister, Gordon Brown on Sunday said:

We will continue to press for international action to help bring this conflict to an end, and we urge both parties to agree an immediate ceasefire.”

Almost All the nations of the G-8, Which include not just the Two above-mentioned nations, but Japan, Germany, Canada, Italy and France, are also calling for International mediation over the growing crisis. Notice I said Almost. Russia was noticeably absent here.

I do not know how much you know about this place, I am only really learning about it myself, But there are a few things that strike me here. Vladimir Putin is quoted as saying that this war will be taken to it’s “logical conclusion”, and that there are two very profitable oil Pipelines, The Baku-Supsa and the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, that run through Georgia.

Can you say war for oil? It is being talked about. One or two more fast facts.

Russia moved 5 battalions of the 58th Army to the Russia/Georgia Border several days before The Georgians began their all out assault on South Ossetia, when this was still just a few snipers on both sides going at it.

The United States has airlifted the Georgian troops that were serving with us in Iraq directly to Georgia after the Russians Invaded.

Word that I am getting is that the Georgians have pulled back, but that the Russians have not.

For their Part, both Barack Obama and John McCain have also joined the chorus of voices around the world calling for a cease fire. Both men have spoken to Mikheil Saakashvili, President of Georgia and issued terse statements condemning the war. Read them for yourself. First from McCain:

“Russian President Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin must understand the severe, long-term negative consequences that their government’s actions will have for Russia’s relationship with the U.S. and Europe,”

Barack Obama makes an even stronger statement:

Russia has escalated its military campaign through strategic bombing and the movement of its ground forces into the heart of Georgia. There is no possible justification for these attacks.
I reiterate my call for Russia to stop its bombing campaign, to stop flights of Russian aircraft in Georgian airspace, and to withdraw its ground forces from Georgia. The Georgian government has proposed a cease-fire and the Russian government should accept it.

A Video for you, from the scene.

The Questions I think need to be asked are as follows. Do the Candidates statements have any real meaning outside the campaign trail? Do you think the world is really listening to them? They are still only senators after all.

Do you think this conflict could possibly draw the United States into it on the side of Georgia?

There are reports that have the Georgians opening fire on civilians, and even aid workers in the area, and killing Hundreds and possibly over 1,000 people, and of Russians doing the same, firing rockets, mortars and small arms at Georgian civilians, and of doing this for the Oil and not for the South Ossetians. Is there really any such thing as a good guy here, or in any war for that matter? Can there be?

Could the old Cold War, once dead, come back to life, and become Hot? I want to hear from you!

Uncle Mikey

Story Edit ETA 9:00A.M. 8/12 : Russia orders halt to fighting: Georgia Skeptical

I’ve been bamboozled!

Scott McClellan Lied to me! He Lied to America! Last Friday Scott McClellan gave what was to me the Unerring Impression that the White House had handed Fox News talking points, and gave the impression that fox ate it up by agreeing with Chris Matthews when he asked if the White House had given talking points to Fox..

NOT!

Mister McClellan went on yesterday onto Bill O’Reilly’s radio show and recanted, and apologized to Mister O’Reilly. On Hardball with Chris Matthews, yesterday, they played that portion of the show where he actually said he was sorry to Bill. And Bill deserved an apology. You don’t tell a blatant lie about a man in front of the entire nation. There’s this thing called ethical behavior. Mister McClellan decided to not to use it on Hardball when He lied to America.

But to be honest the man was baited into it, and if you watch and listen, HE never actually said O’Reilly was given Talking Points, Matthews did, and McClellan agreed, which he should not have. One has to now wonder about the authenticity of the mans words here, If he’ll let himself be pushed like this On National television, how much was he pushed around when he was writing that book?

And before I go any further, I would like to Apologize for Tuesday’s post. I called out the Bush administration and called them Nazis for propagandizing. They didn’t do it. I fell for it and I was wrong. I apologize, to you dear reader, to the President, To Fox News, and to America, for being so quick to demonize before facts were out and the dust settled.

Today’s Video is from Bill O’Reilly talking about this subject yesterday.

O’Reilly attacks NBC at the beginning of this video and is a bit silly there, but beyond that he is right. He was besmirched. Chris Matthews baited Scott McClellan into answering the way he did, and Matthews was wrong. He went below and beneath the standards that should exist in journalism and he should apologize to America, To Bill O’Reilly, and Scott McClellan. Scott McClellan should have shown more backbone and stood up to Chris Matthews and said No, and said He never gave or heard of anyone giving talking points to particular individuals at The Fox Network, if that was the case, as it appears to be..

I was wrong to jump so hard and so fast on the anti-fox anti-Bush bandwagon on this particular subject. I have plenty of other reasons to heartily dislike Fox and The President. I don’t need made up ones.

Uncle Mikey

This ladies and gentleman, takes the cake. Absolutely steals every last possible hope that there is anything “Fair and Balanced” over on Fox news, or at least from their commentators. Fox News commentators got talking points from the White House and The Administration uses the fox network as a propaganda outlet.

Scott McClellan, in an interview with Chris Matthews on Hardball, said there were “others there, commentators, pundits who were helpful to the White House, and certainly, we got talking points to those people”. When mister McClellan was asked if they were using “The commentators as spokespeople” he responded “certainly, but i think it happens both ways, to networks that are favorable to democrats.”

I don’t know about that. The democrats aren’t in power and aren’t using the White House to put out their brand of propaganda.

This is bad news for Fox, and for Sean Hannity and Bill O’Reilly, whose names were specifically dropped in this interview, and their fans as well. I don’t have a problem with Conservatives and neo-cons taking their message to the airwaves. Not at all. We all have the freedom of speech, BUT I do not think that Propaganda in the name of news is protected anywhere in the Constitution. There is something entirely sinister about this. How can they claim to be “fair and balanced” when they are on the end of the Bush administration’s leash?

This is all very Nazi-like. Yes. I said it. George Bush is here in this instance acting Like a Nazi. Control of the airwaves, BY THE GOVERNMENT, to put out it’s own version of the truth is NAZI Behavior. Joseph Goebbels would be proud. This is how The Fascists did it prior to WWII in Europe. Control what they hear and you control how they think. That same Kind of thing seems to be happening here now.

Lucky for Us we have more than that one source of Information.

This network, and this administration, have yet to say a Single word about it. Do they think we don’t pay attention? Do they think we don’t care? Do they think they can brush this under the carpet and have it just all go away?

Millions of unsuspecting people get their news from this now clearly tainted source, and frankly, someone with a critical eye needs to watch what Fox and The Bush Administration are saying, not just watch and nod in agreement. Someone who cares enough about the American people needs to keep an eye on the propaganda masters here. Someone needs to see what these evil bastards are foisting on the voting public, and tell the world when and where and how much they are being lied to.

I’m on it. And you should be too.

Here’s a Clip from Countdown with Keith Olbermann, which includes an excerpt from “Hardball with Chris Matthews”, speaking to Scott McClellan, with the damning statements from that interview:

Do you think Fox is in any way “Fair and Balanced”? Do you Think any Network out there is really fair with their news political news coverage? Am I blowing this out of proportion? I don’t think so, but you might, and I think I’d like to fight about this one with someone.

Uncle Mikey

A.N.W.R.: Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. 19,049,236 acres of Pristine land in Northern Alaska. With Billions of Barrels of oil Underneath. To the big oil business interests, there is Gold in them thar hills! The Area that they drill in now in Northern Alaska near there, Prudhoe Bay, produces 17% or so of U.S. domestic oil production, and conservative estimates have the total amount of recoverable oil in the ANWR region is 4,300,000,000 Barrels of oil, with some estimates as high as 11,800,000,000 barrels of oil. There’s a Minor Problem for those who want to tap this “Black Gold Mine”.

The Locals, The indigenous populations say no.

The Ecologists say no.

The Democrats say no.

Now you would have to be $illy to not understand why the big oil companie$ want to drill there. Profit$. They $tand to make billion$ and billion$ on any oil exploration, even if it would take them year$ to work with it and get production ramped up to help them.

ENOUGH with the dollar signs.

The Oil companies also argue that the addition of the ANWR oil to America’s oil arsenal would give leverage against Oil market speculators, and it would drive the price of oil down significantly, potentially saving Americans Billions of dollars overall. One more positive, according to President Bush. A quote from President Bush:

With a drilling footprint of less than 2,000 acres – about 0.01 percent of this distant Alaskan terrain – America could produce an estimated 10.4 billion barrels of oil. This is the equivalent of roughly two decades of imported crude oil from Saudi Arabia.

Time for a rebuttal I think….

Last point First.

BULLSHIT. the 1002 region, which is the area Oil companies want to drill in is Not less than 1% of the Total size of the ANWR. It is maybe .01% The Size of Alaska. To throw out the information out there the way Georgie Porgie threw it out there is entirely disingenuous and just plain wrong.

And that area, 1002, has a Native American Indian tribe living there, where they would drill. Ya Know, I’m all for helping out the Average American in just about any way I can. But taking away hunting area and living space for people who live there is NOT one of them. The Inupiat Eskimos who live there don’t want this done. It would take away from them their way of life, disturb the way they live. Destroy their calving grounds. Which they need so the Animals they depend on for survival, The elk, can raise their young so they can thrive and the Inupiat can hunt.

Let’s look at this another way. Even if we start moving men and material up there TODAY, it will take YEARS to get any kind of return on our investment. And it would be a fight every step of the way. It would be easier and more helpful to the economy to find another source of energy that we can use. We the people are ADDICTED to oil. The Answer to our Oil problems is not MORE OIL. The Answer is in finding a way to make us more self sufficient and less dependent on oil of ANY Kind. There are answers out there.

Solar.

Nuclear.

Wind.

Geothermal.

There are a great many ways for us to get what energy we need, if we just learn to harness it and learn to adapt it. It will probably take as much time to get the power we need from those other sources as it would for us to get useful product from ANWR.

Both John McCain and Barack Obama are against drilling in ANWR, Barack Obama had this to say:

“I strongly reject drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge because it would irreversibly damage a protected national wildlife refuge without creating sufficient oil supplies to meaningfully affect the global market price or have a discernable impact on U.S. energy security.”

John McCain had this to say:

“If people have new information or want me to review policies…no matter what those policies are, I’d be glad to review them,” he said. “People have said to me, ‘I’m going to bring you new information about ANWR, how environmentally we can make it safe.’ I’ll be glad to accept new information but my position has not changed.”

Think I have it wrong? Think either Candidate has it right? Think you know a better way? Drop me a Line!

Uncle Mikey

These are the Things John McCain says he will do, should you elect him President in November, all taken directly from his Website:

Comprehensive Spending Controls: John McCain will institute broad reforms to control spending:

The McCain administration would reserve all savings from victory in the Iraq and Afghanistan operations in the fight against Islamic extremists for reducing the deficit. Since all their costs were financed with deficit spending, all their savings must go to deficit reduction.

A one-year spending pause. Freeze non-defense, non-veterans discretionary spending for a year and use those savings for deficit reduction. A one-year pause in the growth of discretionary spending will be imposed to allow for a comprehensive review of all spending programs. After the completion of a comprehensive review of all programs, projects and activities of the federal government, we will propose a plan to modernize, streamline, consolidate, reprioritize and, where needed, terminate individual programs.

Take back earmark funds. The McCain Administration will reclaim billions of add-on spending from earmarks and add-ons in FY 2007 and 2008.

Notes for this section: FY 2006 total discretionary budget was $843,300,000,000 of which Veterans Affairs and Defense appropriations totaled $444,400,000,000.

FY 2007 total discretionary budget was $870,700,000,000 of which Veterans Affairs and Defense appropriations totaled $475,700,000,000.

Click here for more Budget details.

Total earmarks for last year totaled slightly over $18,000,000,000 last year.

My Take: I am on record as saying that I think that earmarks are a drop in the bucket, it being barely 2% of the total discretionary budget of the nation on average, but with the economy in the shape it’s in, we need every drop. Every Dime Helps and I am absolutely on board with completely slashing earmarks. This is just common sense.

With the deficit this year looking like it will be $357,000,000,000 ,the worst on Record since the two worst years we’ve ever suffered deficit wise, it is, I think the right thing to do to slash the disrectionary budget, albeit temporarily. There are needs that must be met and the only way to meet them is through discretionary budget spending. And as much as it sounds like a plan, I am sure there will be a need for some other program to be run as well. Technology, transportation, and health services, to name but a few, will need a fair share of Financial help from the government. Ya can’t cut Everything, Senator.

BTW, The two worst deficits in this nations history are both under Dubya as well, being 2003’s $377,100,000,000 and 2004’s $412,800,000,000.

Your going to have to show me, Mister McCain, how and where savings are going to accrue in Iraq and Afghanistan. That, I’ll need some help with, much as I’d LOVE to see Victory, I am just wondering how long we are talking about here before we see Financial benefits.

All in all I am fairly well Impressed with what I see here. Are You? Like It? Hate it? Want More? Drop me a Line and Let me know!

Uncle Mikey

Economics: This president has overseen the single most disastrous economic downturn since Herbert Hoover was in office at the beginning of the great depression. Since the signing on of Henry Paulson as Dubya’s Treasury Secretary in July of 2006, The Dollar has seen an amazingly dramatic Downturn. Now, anyone who looks at this data with anything approaching a trained eye can see that as the dollar deflated, Investors and people looking to protect their Investments sought to put their equity onto more solid footing by buying commodities.

Like Oil. And Gold.

As the Value of the dollar has dropped like a stone, we have seen the largest increase in Oil and gold prices in recent memory. Gold Prices have Jumped 400% during this Administration’s tenure. Oil Prices were at a more or less stable $30 a barrel at the beginning of this administration. Oil, as of last Friday, was selling at $144, a more than 400% increase. I have heard and seen forecasts that put the price of Oil by year end at $170 and I have heard talk of $200 a barrel oil!

Due, In part, to reactionary economic policies of Henry Paulson and the Bush Administration.

These men think that all we have to do is be America and everything will be fine. That backwards, and again I will use the word, REACTIONARY, policy, has undermined our economy from the beginning of this administration, but especially of late.

Though I greatly dislike government intervention in personal matters, it bothers me not at all when it comes to business or itself. It is time, I think, for the dollar to receive government protection of the sort that the Stock Market receives from executive order #12,631 “The President‘s working group on Financial Markets“, AKA the “Plunge Protection Team“.

Protecting the dollar in a similar manner would Insure that Commodities Price spikes like the one we have seen since Henry Paulson came to be Treasury Secretary would be a thing of the past… Or would at the very least curb and control fluctuation in the value and strength of the dollar enough to keep commodities prices from killing the dollar.

But lord, please let that come from the next president. President Bush doesn’t know his A$$ from his elbow as far as economics is concerned, he’d screw the whole damn thing up.

Dislike what you read here? Have an Issue with anything said here? Drop a Comment on me and let me Know.

Uncle Mikey

Former Democratic Candidate for President and Representative Dennis Kucinich has once again decided to offer up an article of Impeachment for President Bush, this time on the Terrace of the Cannon Building, and then later bringing said impeachment resolution to the house floor.

This would have been much better happening five years ago, or three or even two years ago. Now it’s a little too late to make a real difference.

Do I believe this President should have been Impeached? Well, yeah, but with only 6 months to go before he’s gone anyway, it’s just a bit silly to do it now. It is a distraction when the democrats can ill afford one. It’s a side show during what should be a one man show. The democrats should be talking about being behind Obama and not about Kucinich and his one man crusade to stop a man who is done.

I admit, the points he made on the floor of the house last Thursday were both varied and potent, and mostly from where I stand at least, true. All of it is well known. Mobile Facilities that the Bush administration claimed were chemical weapons factories were in fact nothing of the sort. Niger was not in the process of providing Saddam Hussein with Nuclear material. Iraq was not involved in 9/11. Al-Qaeda was no where in Iraq at the time.

Old News.

The Real issue here is timing. Most, if not all, of the things he speaks of here have been known for years. Why wait until now, when Bush is a Lame duck with only a few months to go before leaving office? Too Little too late here, Mister Kucinich.

It’s nuts what Bush did to get us into the war in Iraq, But it’s nuts to try to kick him out when you’ve tried before and failed, last month with a 35 piece article of Impeachment that hasn’t gone anywhere, and he’s almost out of office anyway. Yes, it is always right to hold the president accountable for his actions, but now? What do you do here beside political grandstanding? It’s nice that he at least tightened up his delivery a bit here, and it is a single article of impeachment, instead of the 35 article lungbuster from last month.

Six of one, half a dozen of the other, Mister Kucinich. Let the Dem’s concentrate on Getting Obama into the White House, The Current Occupant is leaving on his own soon enough. You can The President for the crimes you say He committed after he leaves office.

It’s silliness, Mister Kucinich! But for those who are Interested, here is a portion of the speech the man gave last thursday:

Any interesting stories you want looked at? Anything out there that you think should be covered here? Drop Me a line!

Uncle Mikey