The Rear View...July '06

After a long hiatus, I want to introduce what I will call "The Rear View". This idea was inspired by Thomas Sowell and his columns entitled Random Thoughts on the Passing Scene. The Rear View will [perhaps] be odd observations of current events that I have pondered during an “absence”, but not written about. So, the Rear View for July 2006…

Why did no high profile black activists come to the aid of William Jefferson, like they did for Cynthia McKinney? Did it have anything to do with the seriousness of the crime that either is alleged to have committed? Why does she get the ‘rock star treatment’ from the Harry Bellefonte crowd, but William Jefferson only gets support from his colleagues in Congress…both Democrats and Republicans?

Speaking of William Jefferson…much has been made about the FBI raid of his office. While I do understand the Constitutional implications of this raid as they relate to the speech and debate clause, I also understand that the guy was caught with $90,000 (in cash) in the freezer at his residence. Does anyone else keep that much cash in their freezer? I will consent to the notion that this is still only alleged bribe money. I would hope that everyone else might consent to the notion that, since the guy was ignoring a subpoena, perhaps the FBI had probable cause to conduct such a raid. I am guessing that, given the same evidence and ignoring of a subpoena, I might be the “victim” of an FBI raid as well. I for one think that our lawmakers should be afforded some Constitutional ‘protections’, but this one might be a bit ridiculous.

Speaking of the ridiculous protections given to Mr. Jefferson…how about the way that congressman all circled the wagons around him? Talk about bi-partisanship! Is this what our Founders had in mind when they set out to establish a republican form of government? My guess is no. I think that the federal government has become the ultimate money laundering machine and this case pretty much proves it. Maybe Nan Pelosi is on to something with her “culture of corruption”. Unfortunately, the apples seem to fall pretty close to the tree when it comes to money in politics.

Speaking of money in politics…shy of debating “campaign finance reform”, is anyone else sick of the ongoing attempts to silence the dissenters? It seems that each party wants to keep the other side’s view hushed. Again, I am not about to debate this at present; perhaps as the November elections draw closer. But gosh, most of the ongoing discussion about campaign finance reform makes the gerrymandering that takes place in drawing congressional districts seem almost fair. [Insert overtly sarcastic tone please.]

Back to Cynthia McKinney…does anyone else think that they could “engage” a police officer in the manner she did and NOT be charged, much less not be convicted of anything? As an aside, what about Patrick Kennedy and his “drive” to the Capitol where he side-swiped a few cars? Again, apparently the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree and it is obvious that his mother didn’t teach him how to drive. But, it is standard operating procedure for the Capitol Hill police to drive an intoxicated person home when something like this occurs. I think I might go take a cruise around the Capitol after I’ve had a few martinis and put the theory to the test.

What about all of this global warming nonsense? For the life of me, I cannot believe that so many people are taken in by all of this. I mean, I realize that the political agenda of the environmentalists has succeeded in squelching any scientific dissension, but is no one out there curious? Are Americans so dumbed-down that they cannot think out-of-the-box on this issue? (Don’t answer that.) There is tons of evidence that this global warming phenomenon is likely naturally occurring (if occurring at all) and that human produced “greenhouse gas emissions” likely don’t contribute extensively to what may or may not be happening. I’ve heard that Brad Pitt is encouraging the reconstruction in New Orleans to “go green”. Like Brad Pitt is a scientific authority on anything (see below). I have even heard suggestions that we should eat less red meat to decrease livestock herds and thus decrease the methane that these large herds produce. I am not kidding! Is that an alliance of the left or what? (The Greens and PETA tell us all how to live.)

Speaking of global warming…I will consider that it might be a problem when Al Gore and his hangers-on and all of the leftists who are on the global warming bandwagon COMPLETELY abandon everything that they do that contributes to said alleged global warming (that is allegedly caused by human initiated CO2 emissions). Again, everything. No flights on jets (private or commercial), period. You have to cross an ocean…sailboat. No limos. Get rid of the mansions, not to mention multiple homes. Do a movie where everything is done in the enviro-friendly manner you support. (I guess you’re going to need some windmills to generate electricity. Just don’t build them off the coast of Massachusetts.) And then, suggest a treaty to replace Kyoto that places extremely harsh standards on all nations, not just the USA, and keep these demands going. When I see Al Gore living in a teepee, riding a bike everywhere he goes and truly leaving the absolute minimal “carbon footprint” that any human could possibly leave, then, and only then, will I consider giving up my gas-guzzling pick-up.

Is anyone else perplexed by the “outrage” over Ann Coulter’s latest book, Godless? Ann is just expressing her opinion and exercising her First Amendment rights in doing so. No one is mad at the New York Times for doing [supposedly] the exact same thing “in the public interest.” [Oops. Quite a few people are mad at the Times; myself included.] Ok, nobody is mad at Valerie Plame or Joseph Wilson for their (obviously frivolous) lawsuit regarding Valerie’s “outing” as a CIA “operative”. Man, did they not get the memo that the special prosecutor didn’t find that the “alleged crime” of “outing an agent” was committed? Note to Val and Joe, your fifteen minutes of fame are over…unless the New York Times decides that it is in the public interest to give another fifteen (God forbid). [Note to complainers: I am not a lapdog for Ann Coulter. I just find it refreshing that she is not afraid to say what she thinks and her ‘no holds barred’ style is refreshing in its own right.]

I must end this edition with a comment on the world scene. Why is it that the UN can immediately issue a resolution against Israel and the action being taken by the Israelis in response to the ongoing terrorists’ attacks that they face, and yet resolutions against obvious terror states never materialize? The UN is a non-factor in global issues. It has failed on so many levels that it isn’t even relevant anymore. The UN cannot even support its own resolutions (unless of course it is by US military might). It is time to abandon a failed “institution” and develop a union of nations who will try to lead other nations to a more unified and peaceful world (even if it means it is sometimes done by military force). We need a union of nations that will fight terrorists, rogue states, and corruption (read Oil For Food) around the globe and truly advance a peace. The UN wants global government and control of the masses. I want American sovereignty and peace through superior firepower. Here’s to expelling the UN from New York and being global leaders for a true global good.

God Bless America!