Sneakeasy's Joint

VOTE or the Cat Gets It!

Hello....

Nikita here....

Daddy, and I, come to you, a week before the 1st of 2 of the most important Election Cycles in the history of the United States of America, with an important message.

Don't end the  American Moment.

The future of this republic is in the hands of the American voter.—Dwight D. Eisenhower

We read the paper, and watch the news, and can't help but wonder if too many of us are only good at enjoying the freedom living in the greatest nation the earth has ever seen affords us.

Here is something to think about:

According to statistics from the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance... when looking at Election Turnout, country by country, in all elections, between 1945 and 1998...

The United States, the cradle of modern freedom, is ranked a pitifully disgraceful 114th!

48.3% of us bothered to vote!!

THAT, all you happy people, is a FUCKING SHAME, and an utter disgrace!!

( To say it in any other way would be a sign of appeasement, and so we won't back down from the use of such a harsh word. )

The Brits, the nation whose Ass we kicked for the right to be free, were ranked 42nd ( 74.9% ).

In the 2000 Congressional Elections 46.6% voted, a 12 point increase from 1998.

In the 2000 Presidential Election 49.3% voted, measely 2 point increase from 1996.

No stats were available for 2002 and 2004, but all these numbers speak volumes.

After the 1992 Presidential Election turnout took a dramatic dive below 50%!

Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.—Thomas Paine

If the people fail to vote, a government will be developed which is not their government…. The whole system of American Government rests on the ballot box. Unless citizens perform their duties there, such a system of government is doomed to failure.—Calvin Coolidge

The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all. —John F. Kennedy

Do teachers even mention these quotes  ( And the others you will read here. ) in our schools today?

Justice Scalia Makes Point on Bill of Rights

Scalia said a few things recently that people need to think about in this very contentious political era:

I’m in the business of enforcing democracy. What democracy means is that on controversial issues; even stuff like homosexual rights, abortion, whatever; we debate with each other and persuade each other and vote on it.

Either our representatives or through a Constitutional amendment in the states, we decide the question. Now there are some exceptions to that in any liberal democracy, and in ours most of those exceptions are contained in the bill of rights. But that bill of rights was adopted by the majority which is why it is proper in a democracy to have a bill of rights, because the majority adopted it.

Now when they adopted it what did they take out of that general principle? What did they take out of that general rule of democracy? That we allow open speech, we persuade each other and we vote.

What did they take out of it? They never took out these issues…abortion, homosexual conduct. Nobody ever thought that they had been included in the rights contained in the bill of rights which is why abortion and homosexual sodomy were criminal for 200 years. Now whether thats a good idea or bad is not what I’m talking about. Thats not my job to say that.

It is my job to say whether the bill of rights has taken it out of the realm of democratic debate. Just because you feel strongly about it…it isn’t neccessarily in the bill of rights.

Some issues should be decided by the people in the states, not decided through the courts.

The issues he mentions are just 2 of them, of course, but 2 of the most hotly contested ones.

Forcing  people to accept a law that they do not want to accept only causes backlash, and will hurt the cause more than help it as time goes by.

A Tip of the Hat to Stop the ACLU.

The REAL Media Heroes Covering Iraq

When it comes to Mainstream Media coverage of the war  there are reporters, and then there are REPORTERS:

During my three embeds in Iraq’s vicious Anbar Province, I’ve been mortared and sniped at, and have dodged machine-gun fire — all of which has given me a serious contempt for the rear-echelon reporters.

When I appeared on the Al Franken Show in May, after my second embed, it was with former CNN Baghdad bureau chief Jane Arraf — who complained about the dangers of being shot down by a missile while landing in Baghdad, and the dangers of the airport road to the International Zone (IZ) . . . and how awful the Baghdad hotels were. . . .

CBS News cameraman Paul Douglas and freelance soundman James Brolan were blown up by an improvised explosive device (IED) while accompanying CBS correspondent Kimberly Dozier, herself critically injured.

They were embedded with the 4th Infantry Division. So were ABC anchorman Bob Woodruff and his cameraman, who were critically injured by an IED.

Time correspondent Michael Weisskopf had his hand blown off trying to toss a grenade out of his Humvee when he was embedded with the 1st Armored Division.

These, not the hotel-bound credit-claimers, are the journalist-heroes of the Iraq War.

Read the whole, brilliant, essay: Covering Iraq: The Modern Way of War Correspondence by Michael Fumento.

A Tip of the Hat to Instapundit

Speaking Truth on Radical Islam, and the Fight for Civilization

The madness that is the Middle East, and Radical Islam, has been with us since before the Carter Presidency, but as the years have gone by matters have grown worse.

In the last 15 years Islam, especially the radical, anti-western variety, has spread to Europe, and Britain, and threatens to eventually overwhelm it.

During this time terrorism has spread, alongside anti-Israel, anti-West, and anti-American attitudes.

Western Civilization, and all it stands for, is the farthest thing from the minds of far too many in these parts of the world.

And people wonder why the so-called Cradle of Civilization is so broken, and has been seemingly unfixable for centuries?

In the West those who see the truth, and want to do all that can be done to defeat a major threat to Western Civilization are confronted daily with those calling for appeasement in various ways, and those bringing up everything negative about the conduct of the battle for the last 5 years, while downplaying, or ignoring completely, all the positives, and ignoring, or downplaying all the warning signs about the dangers to the world.

On one side are people of principle, and patriotism, and on the other are more than a few folks at the New York Times, and CNN, and too many others that have been catalogued, and exposed to the light of day.

Today, one of the Good Guys has written several profound essays that are ABSOLUTE MUST READING by anyone who can find the pieces, and cares about the future...

Lileks on Family Outings, and Genealogy

James Lileks does it again.

A weekend trip with family to the Mall of America, a trip to church, and an exploration of family history with his Father, all are tied together in an entertaining, and fascinating, way in todays edition of The Bleat.

Read it, and enjoy. ;-D

Critters, Critters, Everywhere! 2

House of the ( Mostly ) Black Cats  presents Carnival of the Cats #134.

The Modulator has its usual extensive collection of Critter pics in Friday Ark #108.

The Cat Blogosphere has the Weekend Cat News #9.

Rosa's Yummy Yums has Weekend Cat Blogging #71.

The Prayer and Praise list for the week of 10/15, and a Sermon for good measure, are up at the Pet Prayers and Praise Blog.

Do You enjoy YouTube?

Then check out Kitty Movie Monday for a growing collection of Cat Videos. ;-D

Raising a Ruckus in My Backyard

In recent weeks, as a result of comments and e-mails related to my BikeBlog, The Cycling Dude, I've been looking into, and writing about, 2 major stories of concern to recreational, and commuter, Bicyclists in Orange County.

If you are a cyclist, or know people who are, I believe the issues I'm bringing up will be of great interest.

They are issues of safety.

1 series deals with Cycling on Shared-use Trails, and the other deals with Motorist vs Cyclist accidents on city streets.

Prelude: I've Got 2 Major Local Stories on My Hands.

SERIES 1:

Back Bay Bicyclists Bad Bikers?

Back Bay Bicyclists Bad Bikers? Part 2.

SERIES 2:

Motorists vs Cyclists in Orange County.

Why You Should Go To the Polls

Conservatives, from Moderates, like me, to those leaning so far Right they can touch the floor with their hand, are mad as hell at the GOP, and some are threatening to stay home, or vote for Democrats.

Punish the GOP, and you only punish yourself, and the country.

I want to share 2 sets of opinions on the upcoming elections that pretty much say all that needs to be said about why I will be voting, and voting Republican, and why no Conservative should stay at home:

From Jay, at Stop the ACLU:

I understand the frustration with the GOP, RINOs, and President Bush on the border issues, over-spending, the ports, and even on the Iraq war. What I don’t understand is the strategy of staying home, or in some case even voting Democrat, to teach them some kind of lesson. First of all, what makes anyone think they will learn from such a symbolic lesson? More importantly, what sense does it make to give the loony left control of one or both Houses of Congress for the sake of one or more issues the GOP has failed in? We are at war here, and if you expect the left to lead us in the right direction on that you will be in for a scary wake up call when it is too late to do anything about it. Think hard on the consequences before sitting this out.

We have the Democrats milking the Foley scandal for everything its worth because they know they can’t win the argument on real issues that matter. Why should your representative suffer because of what one Congressman did? I don’t see how that is fair.

If illegal immigration is the pressing issue for you, please tell me how allowing the amnesty supporting left to gain power will further that cause.

And the ACLU runs adds promoting candidates that toe their, and a Liberal leaning, line on a host of issues.

Want more reasons to vote in November?

Ted Turner Spews More Idiocy

The latest proof that Ted Turner is a Minion of W.A.C.K.I.E.:

TED TURNER: There are a lot of things about this war that disturb me and one of them is the attitude, that you know, that was well expressed by our President. He said it very clearly, he said either you’re with us or you’re against us. And I had a problem with that because I really hadn’t made my mind up yet. You know, what if you haven’t made your mind up? You know, what if you’re thinking about it, doing some studying, doing some reading because it’s an important decision to go to war or whether or not to go to war. I mean, you’re either with us or you’re against us, that’s pretty black and white.

Forget for a moment, that, for any sensible American, being for The War Against Terror is a no-brainer, Ol' Ted distorts just who the Prez's words were actually aimed at.

Ol' Ted has had other idiotic opinions spew from his lips recently, and you can learn about them, and see the video of the above, over at Stop the ACLU.

Coincidence or Censorship?

Not to mention an apparent reversal of the decision. ;-D

Hmmm...lemme see Google buys YouTube and AlGore sits on the Google board.

Google obviously doesn't care that half of it's users are not leftie Kool-aid sippers, and assorted Minions of W.A.C.K.I.E..

The popular video-sharing YouTube site, which is being purchased by Google for $1.65 billion, limited access to a political ad that mocks the Clinton administration's policy on North Korea, but contains no profanity, nudity or other factors generally thought objectionable.

To learn more about the controvery over the David Zucker Albright Ad go here:

WorldNetDaily = YouTube blocked video mocking Clinton administration: Limits imposed on access to clip critical of Albright-run North Korea policy.

I viewed the video on YouTube, this morning, without any problem.

Maybe whatever brainfart caused the blockage was cured.... until next time.

The clip is absolutely dead-on, and hilarious. ;-D

Why Republicans are running away from using it is beyond me.

Now, though, they don't have to bother.

Thanks to others the word is out, and everyone can see it through various sources, including YouTube. ;-D

And people ARE watching it in droves. ;-D