I’m not sure why the Republican Party so set against my ever joining common cause with them, but here goes reason number 2,345:

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele may be misremembering exactly how and when the Afghanistan war began.
At a Republican Party fundraiser in Connecticut on Thursday, Steele declared that the war in Afghanistan “was a war of Obama’s choosing” that America had not “actively prosecuted or wanted to engage in,” in a response to an attendee’s question about the resignation of Gen. Stanley McChrystal — which Steele called “very comical.”
“The McChrystal incident, to me, was very comical. And I think it’s a reflection of the frustration that a lot of our military leaders have with this Administration and their prosecution of the war in Afghanistan,” said Steele. “Keep in mind again, federal candidates, this was a war of Obama’s choosing. This is not something the United States had actively prosecuted or wanted to engage in.”
“It was one of those, one of those areas of the total board of foreign policy ["in the Middle East"? -- Note: The audio is not quite clear in this section.] that we would be in the background, sort of shaping the changes that were necessary in Afghanistan as opposed to directly engaging troops,” Steele continued. “But it was the president who was trying to be cute by half by flipping a script demonizing Iraq, while saying the battle really should be in Afghanistan. Well, if he’s such a student of history, has he not understood that you know that’s the one thing you don’t do, is engage in a land war in Afghanistan? All right, because everyone who has tried, over a thousand years of history, has failed. And there are reasons for that. There are other ways to engage in Afghanistan.”
TPM

Mike…..Mike….Have you forgotten the grammatically challenged swaggering CinC who executed the invasion and ‘land war’ in 2001…then turned away to pursue an unrelated military adventure in 2003? Have you forgotten all of the pretend patriotic bluster when anyone came close to questioning the strategies for both? Way to go in illustrating how intellectually stunted your party is to keep you on as head mouthpiece. I mean, we all expect political hacks to lie, deceive and bloviate, but you’ve taken dishonesty to a new level. Bravo….

H/T to SK for sending this editorial to me.

Pure Genius:

I was going to write about this topic myself, but they I saw Uncle Jimbo’s video and figured I couldn’t say it any better than he did. He has such a way with words. How could I do better than this? Caution- Uncle Jimbo uses some salty language.

I was just as surprised as you are that the there are enough patriotic Americans in the Bay area to hold a Tea Party. Eric runs a blog called the Tygrrrr Express. It’s a hilarious and entertaining conservative blog that tells it like it is without the nonsense of trying to be politically correct. He was the headliner at the event on April 15th.

Recently Sarah Palin spoke at an Evangelical Women’s Conference and made the following comments:

“God shouldn’t be separated from the state.”

“Hearing any leader declare that America isn’t a Christian nation and poking at allies like Israel in the eye — it is mind-boggling to see some of our nation’s actions recently, but politics truly is a topic for another day.”

“This nation needs you,” Palin told the women. “Know the facts. Stand for what’s right. Don’t be discouraged by the mocking of those who want to claim we just cling to our religion. I’m the first to admit — yeah, I do cling to my faith. That’s all I’ve got.”

Courier-Journal

Now, one may be tempted to claim that she was merely speaking to her audience….but as she makes these same assertions at her frequent political rallies and media appearances, it would be off the mark to dismiss it as such. So her remarks [and similar remarks by other right wing pols and pundits] beg some simple questions:

Are we a “Christian nation” and what does that even mean? And why is making that claim so important to so many people?

I am a firm, unyielding proponent of religious freedom, and I give due to our founders and national leaders who have contributed to this nation, while believing in God. But if I am not a Christian, am I not an American? If I were Jewish, or Hindu or Rastafarian, or an Atheist…….would I not be an American, or would I be a second class citizen? Are we so vain as to believe that a God ‘blesses’ our nation and that good fortune comes not through our actions but because of an invisible guy in the sky?

I don’t have an issue if an elected official proclaims a belief in an unprovable omnipotent deity, but I have a metric ton if issue when that elected official attempts to direct policy not through law, but through religion. The modern interpretation of the bible makes it clear that it does not encompass equal rights and civil liberties for all law abiding citizens of a nation, so why do we bestow such credibility upon politicians who place an inordinate amount of stock in a belief system that does not aim to protect all of their constituents? And why are good, intelligent and caring citizens realistically denied a chance at holding office based on the fact that they are not [at least publicly] a member of the faithful flock?

I understand that people draw inspiration and perseverance from their faith, but does it objectively make sense to admit following the alleged guidance from the unseen hand of an invisible deity? Hold any issue to that same standard, and see where it gets you…..just replace the word God with another unprovable being.

We readily rail against theocratic regimes such as Iran, Saudi Arabia and the Taliban….but with exception to the chosen means for an end, there doesn’t seem to be difference between Sarah Palin and her ilk, and your average Mullah.

The Obama administration has taken the rare step of authorising the killing of a US citizen, Anwar al-Awlaki, a radical Muslim cleric linked to the attempt to blow up a US airliner on Christmas Day.

The decision to place Awlaki on a US hit list followed a national security council review because of his status as an American citizen.

Guardian

I have tried to think of a similar order given by a POTUS against and individual American citizen, and have come up with nothing….so this decision appears to set a precedent for sure. The problem lies in the fact that a sitting POTUS had with a few words changed a criminal act to a state of war, and a cowed Congress bought the bill of goods. If one act so drastically changes that dynamic, and the precedence has been set, what is in place to prevent a similar ’state of war’ against other groups….christian militia’s, tea parties who advocate overthrow of the government, violent anti-war protesters…..?

It will probably be held up as Constitutional however. I don’t care if al-Awlaki lives or dies, we simply need to use some visionary application to ensure that this precedent does become abused in the future.

So those of you who voted for Obama and a Democratic majority in Congress because you wanted “change” are now wondering if you made the right decision. This situation reminds me of the old parable about the “grass looking greener on the other side of the fence”.

…yet, sometimes you can reach too far. Now, you find yourself over-extended and stuck in a situation that you can’t get out of easily!

So, the lesson you should NEVER forget is:

Not everyone who shows up…

Watch this video. Michelle Obama actually admits that Obama is from Kenya.

I thought a president’s “home country” was supposed to be America according to the Constitution.

Don’t you know that the extreme environmentalists are crapping themselves today with this announcement. Their “man” has let them down. All of those wannabe “environmentalists” from the media and Hollywood who enjoy their Hummers and limos, yet all try to act like they are Green must be livid.

Al Gore probably blew a blood vessel.

In a reversal of a long-standing ban on most offshore drilling, President Barack Obama is allowing oil drilling 50 miles off Virginia’s shorelines. At the same time, he is rejecting some new drilling sites that had been planned in Alaska.

Read the whole story at:
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/03/31/obama-unveil-offshore-oil-drilling-plans/