As we get closer to the Democrat and Republican conventions, the rhetoric regarding the John McCain and Barack Obama vice presidential picks looms large.

In recent days, there have been names mentioned that are patently absurd. On the McCain side, Joe Lieberman and Tom Ridge have been tossed out there for public consumption. Lieberman, although strong on national defense and a supporter of the war, is very liberal on many domestic issues. And the bitter aftertaste left from the McCain-Lieberman Climate Stewardship Act has most conservatives who pooh-pooh the global warming junk science appalled at the prospect of putting Lieberman on the ticket.

Conservative Republicans would be outraged at the prospect of a McCain-Lieberman ticket. The only way they might tolerate the idea is if Lieberman was part of a McCain pledge to serve only one term, so that there would not be a possibility that Lieberman would succeed McCain as president. And if Lieberman were to ascend to the presidency, he would have to promise to honor McCain’s domestic priorities and appoint constitutional judges. This is highly unlikely.

There has been talk in the McCain circles that he intends to serve only one term, which is why Lieberman’s name has been floated.

The other name that has been mentioned this past week is Tom Ridge, former Pennsylvania Governor and Homeland Security Secretary. Again, he comes with baggage of his own. He is pro-choice, which would not sit well with most conservatives and the evangelicals whose vote McCain has been courting of late.

Selecting Lieberman or Ridge would indeed cement McCain’s reputation as a maverick, but is that really the image that he wants to imprint on the minds of the conservative base at this most crucial time?

Even more of a shocker that emerged this past week was the possibility that Barack Obama would pick John Kerry as his running mate. Are you kidding me?

The idea here is that Kerry brings more name recognition to the ticket than any other name on the list so far. He apparently solves the problem of Obama’s lack of foreign policy experience because he is a decorated veteran and a longtime member of the senate foreign relations committee. The thinking is also that America loves a comeback kid. Kerry ran a very sloppy campaign in 2004, and was soundly trounced. Apparently Obama must really believe he is the second coming of Christ because choosing Kerry as his running mate would be the equivalent of raising Lazarus from the dead.

We are getting down to the wire here. The conventions are almost upon us. And the vice presidential lists have turned into a circus which may amuse most Americans, but will not serve them well in making a voting choice come November.

Listen to America Talks Monday through Friday at 6 pm eastern time at www.blogtalkradio.com/americatalks. Visit our website at www.americatalks.com.

Friday night on Political Pistachio Radio Dr. Jerome Corsi, author of “The Obama Nation, Leftist Politics And The Cult of Personality,” was my guest. He was on for about a half an hour, after which time he lost his cell phone signal. He was giving me this interview while travelling on a train to Washington D.C.

At the beginning of the program I asked Dr. Corsi about the criticisms The Obama Nation has been receiving. I pointed out how liberals and conservatives alike have been hammering it, saying that the book has untruths in it that, in their opinion, make it nothing more than just another attempt to use smear tactics to discredit Barack Obama. I pointed out that Media Matters and Hugh Hewitt are for once in agreement on something. The Next Right wrote a blistering criticism of Corsi, calling him a “smear artist,” and “embarrassing for conservatives.”

I also brought up Debbie Schlussel’s past criticisms of him, to the point that she has accused him of plagiarism, and Corsi said simply, “Well, I don’t read Debbie anymore.”

Dr. Corsi was immediately on the defense when the interview delved deeper into the criticisms of The Obama Nation, proclaiming that he doesn’t know “why” the response is as it is, after all, “I am no psychiatrist.” Media Matters, as recently as face to face with Corsi on Larry King Live, has been one of the left leaning sites that have been most critical of the book, and in response, Corsi said, “I don’t read Media Matters. If asked would I rather read Media Matters, Debbie Schlussel, or jump off a tall building, I’m gonna ask you, ‘well, how tall’s the building?’ Because it is the best choice of the three.” He later said, “This group of radical leftists paid by [George] Soros with a mission to discredit conservatives, this isn’t the kind of group I think we should feel compelled to be answering all the time. Our side seems to think, ‘Well, I don’t want to be criticized, we don’t wanna look bad.’ The more Media Matters criticizes me, the better I like it, and the less I intend to read it. . . we can talk about Media Matters about as long as I can tolerate it, and I’m already close to my limit.”

When I mentioned that Media Matters has gone into questioning a lot of items in the book, meaning to state that they have detailed individual items as falsehoods, Corsi quickly responded, “Who cares. I don’t care. . . my comment on Media Matters is, Who Cares?” Later in the show he also added, “I think that Media Matters wouldn’t know a serious flaw if it bit ‘em in the behind. I can’t stand Media Matters. I don’t think Media Matters does anything of worth. . . If you think there’s a serious flaw, what is it? When you mention Media Matters, I am thinking that I am wasting my time listening for the next two minutes. . . if you want to talk to me about Media Matters, I’m out.”

When the Obama Campaign was mentioned, Dr. Corsi proclaimed, “Barack Obama’s people don’t want people reading what’s in this book,” because it’s “over the target.”

He was also careful to explain that he is not some cocktail drinking Washington Elitist, saying: “I’m not a part of the Washington Establishment…name dropping, Washington, cocktail party establishment, and I’m never gonna be a part of that, because that is not who I am.”

In defense of the accusation of Jerome Corsi appearing Sunday on the show, The Political Cesspool, which is being called by Media Matters an example of Jerome Corsi associating with White Supremacists since the show’s host is admittedly pro-White and has stated in the past that “Interracial sex is white genocide,” Jerome Corsi responded: “Appearing on a show is not an endorsement of the host. . . I do a 120 shows, and do most of the shows that come to me. If I had to agree with every talk show host. . . I’d never go on any shows. Being on a show does not mean I endorse a host’s views. . . I have even been on Liberal shows, and I sure don’t endorse them.”

When I stated in the interview that I agree with him for the most part regarding his theories regarding “The North American Union Conspiracy,” Jerry responded with a smile in his voice, “That’ll make you a nut to those guys, you better be careful about agreeing with me about anything.”

Tony Rezko was brought up near the latter part of the interview, and when asked about Rezko, Dr. Corsi became more comfortable in the interview, and began to show me his skills as the investigative reporter he has become so known for. The connections between Obama, Iraq, and Rezko is staggering, according to Dr. Corsi. The timing of the deal regarding Obama’s property is more than coincidental. He said in the interview, “It certainly looks more than suspicious. And now Obama is trying to explain how all of this relates. And what is the relationship? I don’t know if I was working with anybody, first of all, I can’t imagine that I would ever want to be associated with someone like Rezko, let alone taking campaign contributions from him, or, um, letting him be involved in buying a property with me. I’m asking — what I am saying is, I am not definitively concluding anything, I’m just saying that these questions aren’t being sufficiently asked in the Chicago newspaper’s research, they are reporting them. I’m asking the same questions the Chicago papers are asking, which Obama has not truly answered. To answer them fully, you might need the authority of a prosecutor. You might need the authority of a criminal investigator. You might even need the authority of a Grand Jury.”

What has risen is questions that are not being answered, and that is what Jerry Corsi is trying to do with this book. The anger about his book, Corsi claimed on Political Pistachio Radio, is because he’s asking questions that the left may not want to answer. He is raising questions, and in response his attackers are claiming he is saying that each of those questions are his definitive argument. Specifically, Corsi said, “I’m an investigative reporter saying, ‘Okay, here’s the issue,’ and I’m raising a question about [these issues]. Now, I’m not a prosecutor, I don’t have subpoena power. I don’t have grand jury power. I can’t tell testimony. But, you know, if I were in those positions, I might well consider doing so. [But,] I’m not. I’m an investigative reporter. I just raise questions. And I don’t say anywhere in the book, I don’t say anything definitive about it more than ‘this looks suspicious.’ There are some things that are pretty definitive. You know, I’m positive that the Frank in Dreams of my Father is Frank Marshall Davis, but even in his rebuttal it confirms that. I don’t think there is any question that Frank is Frank Marshall Davis, we’ve established that. Now, whether the loan was involved in the purchase of the Obama dream property, I can’t say for sure one way or the other. I just ask questions.”

Dr. Corsi also told me on the show that it is hard to understand this man, meaning Obama. He has enough intelligence to get a Harvard Law Degree, but he can’t figure out in twenty minutes that something was not right with Rezko.

In short, this book raises questions on particular issues, suggests evidence to what the answer to the questions may be, to the extent that there are some serious problems with Obama’s character and history, but Barack Obama won’t answer the questions. Usually, when he does respond to these questions, the response is either a lie, or a different tale from the last time he answered the question. Obama doesn’t like the fact that he is being associated with people like Rezko or Ayers. It’s not that he regrets the connections, he simply regrets they have been found out, and is now trying to talk his way out of these alleged connections with criminals, communists and terrorists.

Corsi believes he has provided more than enough evidence in this book to substantiate many of the questions raised in The Obama Nation. Corsi asks, “Why did it take Obama so long to conclude that Rezko was a shady character?” As I brought up later in the interview, it goes along with allowing twenty years before he decided his pastor was a racist, anti-American blow-hard. And Obama only made the decision to separate himself from Wright when the pressure to do so became too great.

Did you miss the show? Check out the archive of the program HERE.

The Russians are coming! The Russians are coming! And they have more than just Georgia on their minds.

And this….

….is NOT Vladimir Putin.

Saturdays 1PM Eastern/10AM Pacific

and/or 

Sundays, 6PM Eastern/3PM Pacific

Obama Nation Book by Jerome Corsi Draws Criticism - Corsi is my guest tonight on BTR

Tonight on Political Pistachio Radio Dr. Jerome Corsi must meet controversy head on!

Dr. Jerome Corsi, staff writer for World Net Daily, has suddenly found himself in the midst of a violent storm of controversy. The WND writer, this week alone, has been the object of numerous television and radio shows as the media tries to wade through the information contained in the book, and determine if the book is truly filled with falsehoods, or is a well researched piece of literature that takes a close and hard look at the Democratic Presidential front-runner, Barack Obama.

The book at the center of the controversy is, The Obama Nation: Leftist Politics and the Cult of Personality. The Huffington Post calls the book, “…one of the worst political books ever written. Corsi piles distortion upon innuendo to create a gigantic heap of right-wing garbage, with a seemingly endless parade of basic factual errors running through the text like rats. Corsi’s book is an embarrassment to the craft of journalism, and any of the conservatives who have praised and promoted it should feel humiliated at how bad it truly is.” Media Matters writes that The Obama Nation “contains numerous falsehoods about Sen. Barack Obama.” Even Conservative talk show host and Townhall writer Hugh Hewitt exclaims about the book, “Corsi’s from the fringe. . . the book contains errors.”

Hugh Hewitt, however, also points out that the Obama Campaign has given us an “absurd set of non-responsive responses,” and that, “Now they botch a gimmie — defining Corsi as a nut while not putting attention on the charges he leveled.”

Sean Hannity has stated that The Obama Nation “may have made his [Obama’s] campaign a bit nervous.”

Joseph Farah, founder of World Net Daily, says about the controversy surrounding the book, and Jerome Corsi, “Unlike most of the critics of The Obama Nation, I have actually read the book from cover to cover. It is a thoroughly well-documented piece of first-rate journalism. Are there mistakes in it? Show me a first edition that doesn’t have some – other than the Bible. But is it truthful? Does it add considerably to the public’s knowledge of the front-running candidate for the presidency? Do we know much more about Obama than we would had we relied exclusively for our information from the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post and the Associated Press? I offer a resounding ‘yes’ to all three of those questions. I am privileged to call him my friend, colleague and co-worker. I stand with Jerry Corsi today as he is viciously maligned by an attack media that would prefer to aim its potent artillery at a man who dared to do their job when they refused, when they laid down, when they sucked up, when they failed to ask the tough questions, when they took sides.”

In response, Barack Obama’s advisers have been tracking Corsi’s media appearances, quickly telephoning producers to react to the book’s charges, and last night, the Democratic presidential candidate’s campaign issued a 40-page response to the book.

The Democratic National Committee has its own rapid response team to take aim at Corsi’s book, saying, “One of the most vile smear peddlers of the 2004 election has found a new target. We cannot afford to let Corsi get away with the same dirty tricks that fooled so many people in 2004. We can’t rely on the media to hold him accountable – in fact, the sheer brazenness of the lies is attracting even more coverage. The media have shown that they aren’t going to stop him. It’s up to you to spread the truth.”

So, what is the truth? Is this book a classic smear job? Or is Corsi’s book simply caught up in the crosshairs of the leftists because it hits a chord? Is Dr. Jerome Corsi a discredited liar peddling garbage in order to help continue Bush-Cheney politics? Or is he a simply being lynched by the mainstream media and Democratic Party for daring to write the truth? Be the judge yourself. Read the book, and listen to what Dr. Jerome Corsi has to say tonight on Political Pistachio Radio.
The show airs live at 10:00 pm Eastern Time, but will be archived for later listening for those unable to listen live. Access the program HERE.

www.blogtalkradio.com/politicalpistachio

What do evangelical voters want in their president?

That’s what Fox News has been asking all day in the cable news channel’s promos for tomorrow night’s McCain/Obama face off at Pastor Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church in California.

This ought to be interesting. Christians are solidly anti abortion, first and foremost. Barack Obama voted three times while a state senator to allow late term abortions, including partial birth. You know, the kind that wrap a gurgling infant in paper and stick it in a broom closet to die if the poor thing survives the abortion procedure. Another word for it is infanticide or fetal homicide. (Obama has received an A+ rating from the National Abortion Rights Action League and Planned Parenthood.)

Religious conservatives believe marriage is a sacred pledge between a man and a woman, thus are vehemently against same-sex marriage.

So… in anticipation of tomorrow night’s “Saddleback Showdown”, we’ve invited Deal Hudson, director of Inside Catholic, an online journal for Catholics, to join us tonight to talk about the candidates, their records and actions on behalf of Christianity.

Deal Hudson was with us last March to report on the Pope’s activities during his visit to the United States. We enjoyed Deal’s observations then, and expect he’ll be just as interesting and informative tonight.

Join us — we get started at 9 p.m. ET — and get prepped for the big showdown.

It all happens when you CLICK here.

*****

Tonight we’ll take a look at the growing controversy — should the Feds have oversight of the Internet? Why? Will legislation result in a loss of First Amendment rights of the broadband Internet service providers (ISPs)? Dr. Daniel Ballon, a Policy Fellow in Technology Studies at the Pacific Research Institute has some answers.

The debate over Internet neutrality rages on tonight at The Andrea Shea King Show.

Click here to get there.

On August 1st, Speaker Nancy Pelosi displayed just how in tune with her book, Know Your Power, she truly is. She decided there would be none of the customary five-minute ‘Special Orders’ speeches made at the end of the session - thus squelching the voices of House Republicans eager to leave some typical parting shots, for the Congressional Record, before the commencement of the five week August recess.

House Republicans, just a dozen or so to begin with, began speaking aloud in the near-empty Chamber. Tourists, a few press in the gallery, were all listening. But Speaker Pelosi turned off the lights, turned off the cameras, and shut off the microphones. The Old Dominion’s own, Rep. Eric Cantor (and potential McCain Veep) was speaking when Speaker Pelosi’s edict “No more debate” came down. She denied direct communication between our elected Representatives with the American people.

The question begs asking: What is she afraid of?

Speaker Pelosi failed to realize something. The House Republicans - finally - were going to take a stand for the American People. For the folks in flyover country. For the long-haul truck drivers and the entry-level commuters. For the single moms and the working dads, whose paychecks barely cover child care and gas, let alone the mortgage and utilities and food. A few enterprising Members of Congress decided they would take the opportunity at hand - and bring Americans onto the Floor of Their House. Boy Scouts, German tourists, Americans on vacation in the Nation’s Capitol, all were escorted onto the Floor to hear passionate and inspiring speeches - not because the words were pretty - but because the Ideas were real.

House Republicans were not debating a controversial social or religious issue. All they wanted… a simple up or down vote on The American Energy Act.

Key provisions:

To increase the supply American-made energy in environmentally sound ways, the legislation will:

• Open our deep water ocean resources, which will provide an additional three million barrels of oil per day, as well as 76 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, as proposed in H.R. 6108 by Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC). Rep. John Peterson (R-PA) has also worked tirelessly on this issue.
• Open the Arctic coastal plain, which will provide an additional one million barrels of oil per day, as proposed in H.R. 6107 by Rep. Don Young (R-AK);
• Allow development of our nation’s shale oil resources, which could provide an additional 2.5 million barrels of oil per day, as proposed in H.R. 6138 by Rep. Fred Upton (R-MI); and
• Increase the supply of gas at the pump by cutting bureaucratic red tape that essentially blocks construction of new refineries, as proposed in H.R. 6139 by Reps. Heather Wilson (R-NM) and Joe Pitts (R-PA).

To improve energy conservation and efficiency, the legislation will:

• Provide tax incentives for businesses and families that purchase more fuel efficient vehicles, as proposed in H.R. 1618 and H.R. 765 by Reps. Dave Camp (R-MI) and Jerry Weller (R-IL);
• Provide a monetary prize for developing the first economically feasible, super-fuel-efficient vehicle reaching 100 miles-per-gallon, as proposed in H.R. 6384 by Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT); and
• Provide tax incentives for businesses and homeowners who improve their energy efficiency, as proposed in H.R. 5984 by Reps. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD), Phil English (R-PA), and Zach Wamp (R-TN), and in H.R. 778 by Rep. Jerry Weller (R-IL).

To promote renewable and alternative energy technologies, the legislation will:

• Spur the development of alternative fuels through government contracting by repealing the “Section 526” prohibition on government purchasing of alternative energy and promoting coal-to-liquids technology, as proposed in H.R. 5656 by Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), in H.R. 6384 by Rob Bishop (R-UT), and in H.R. 2208 by Rep. John Shimkus (R-IL);
• Establish a renewable energy trust fund using revenues generated by exploration in the deep ocean and on the Arctic coastal plain, as proposed by Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA);
• Permanently extend the tax credit for alternative energy production, including wind, solar and hydrogen, as proposed in H.R. 2652 by Rep. Phil English (R-PA) and in H.R. 5984 by Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD); and
• Eliminate barriers to the expansion of emission-free nuclear power production, as proposed in H.R. 6384 by Rep. Rob Bishop (R-UT).

The American Energy is an All of the Above approach. More American energy = More American jobs. It’s not complicated - its real. Since President George W. Bush listed the presidential moratorium on domestic drilling, the price of oil - and gas - has been on a steep decline. Speaker Pelosi likes to use the word ‘hoax’ in relation to expanded oil drilling - but the truth is right in front of us. Lifting the presidential ban had a critical, and postive, effect on the pocketbooks of average Americans.

The American Energy Act represents the ‘compromise.’ It is more an ‘all of the above’ — it’s the Kitchen Sink strategy. Speaker Pelosi continues to play chicken with the American people. And We the People have had enough.

We the People have told the House GOP (and Democrats honestly concerned about a comprehensive energy plan) “#dontgo.” And they have answered back. So far, 100 Members have gone to the House Floor and defended the best interests on the American People. This is our nation.

—Media Lizzy

(David Mdzinarishvili/REUTERS)

Misery. A mother and child in the ravaged Georgian city of Gori, where at least 17 people were killed at the weekend when Russian jets bombed apartment blocks.

This is not good. Russia has attacked the democratic country of Georgia, brutally devastating that small nation of 4 million, it is believed, to show the world and the former Soviet republics that they’re next. And to grab hold of the precious gas pipeline that feeds Europe.

Lt. Gen. W. “Jerry” Boykin and I spoke briefly about it Sunday evening. He is scheduled to be with us Monday night on my radio program to talk about his career (see post below) and his book Never Surrender. Gen. Boykin has Pentagon contacts and will tell us what he knows about Russia’s invasion of Georgia, and what it portends.

So what are doing to help Georgia which is outnumbered and overpowered by Russia? What can we do to come to answer its cries for help? Not a damn thing. ThreatsWatch reports:

“Given the stakes, the United States has called for a moratorium on all armed hostilities. In a statement issued by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the U.S. urged “an immediate ceasefire to the armed conflict in Georgia’s region of South Ossetia” and for Russia “to cease attacks on Georgia by aircraft and missiles.”

[…]

“Georgia’s status as a U.S. ally further complicates matters. Approximately 130 American military trainers are presently stationed in the country, and upwards of 1000 Marines and soldiers had billeted at the Vaziani military base in July to train Georgian troops. Meanwhile, a contingent from Georgia is currently serving alongside allied forces in Iraq.”

What are our presidential candidates saying? Not surprisingly, Zero-Bama wants to negotiate and mediate. McCain is flexing rhetorical muscle.

Is this a history replay? Stalin? Hitler? 1938.

Will Congress return to Washington to address this dangerous development? What will the media report? What’s the United Nations planning on doing?

As THIRDWAVEDAVE put it, “The whole world is on fire. And where exactly is our Congressional leadership? Eating ribs at an election BBQ fundraiser or partying in Beijing?”

Or trying to hawk “Know Your Power”, a book whose author is expert at abusing hers.

Stratfor Intelligence wrote the following report two days ago:

Given the speed with which the Russians reacted to Georgia’s incursion into South Ossetia, Moscow was clearly ready to intervene. We suspect the Georgians were set up for this in some way, but at this point the buildup to the conflict no longer matters. What matters is the message that Russia is sending to the West.

Russian President Dmitri Medvedev summed this message up best: “Historically Russia has been, and will continue to be, a guarantor of security for peoples of the Caucasus.”

Strategically, we said Russia would respond to Kosovo’s independence, and they have. Russia is now declaring the Caucasus to be part of its sphere of influence. We have spoken for months of how Russia would find a window of opportunity to redefine the region. This is happening now.

All too familiar with the sight of Russian tanks, the Baltic countries are terrified of what they face in the long run, and they should be. This is the first major Russian intervention since the fall of the Soviet Union. Yes, Russia has been involved elsewhere. Yes, Russia has fought. But this is on a new order of confidence and indifference to general opinion. We will look at this as a defining moment.

The most important reaction will not be in the United States or Western Europe. It is the reaction in the former Soviet states that matters most right now. That is the real audience for this. Watch the reaction of Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Nagorno-Karabakh and the Balts. How will Russia’s moves affect them psychologically?

The Russians hold a trump card with the Americans: Iran. They can flood Iran with weapons at will. The main U.S. counter is in Ukraine and Central Asia, but is not nearly as painful.

Tactically, there is only one issue: Will the Russians attack Georgia on the ground? If they are going to, the Russians have likely made that decision days ago.

Focus on whether Russia invades Georgia proper. Then watch the former Soviet states. The United States and Germany are of secondary interest at this point.

We’re keeping a close watch on what’s happening in Eastern Europe. The news reporting has been minimal over the weekend, but a few sites with good info can be found at:

The Belmont Club
Threats Watch
Counterterrorism Blog

*****

A real, genuine, 99.44% hour of crosstalk with Jenber about how environmentalist fundamentalism and buyers’ remorse about their assumptive presidential nominee is transforming Democrat “hopeandchange” into fear and loathing.

And this….

….may finally become a regular right-wing ectoplasmic blue plate special.

Sundays, 6PM Eastern/3PM Pacific

This is my hill

By J.J. Jackson

Eventually, if you want to enact positive change you have to fight for that change. If you don’t, you’ll just get more of the same. Right now America is in full retreat, being chased from each hilltop by anti-American forces touting their weapons of class warfare, rights descendant from bureaucrats and mob rule where the minority is not protected.

I firmly believe that one of the problems we have in our society today is that we are compromised by compromise. At some point people began believing that compromise, much like change, is carte blanche good and never to be questioned. Others though seem to believe that compromise should be questioned, but only as a formality to look like they were seriously considering the consequences. But if you keep compromising with people that don’t agree with you on core issues all you are doing is moving towards their position and away from yours.

And if your position is a core belief what happens when you are no longer upholding it because you have compromised to the point where your opposition has basically gotten their way? It doesn’t take a rocket surgeon to figure it out.

We see where compromise has gotten us on a variety of issues from abortion, where a child isn’t a child if it is only so many weeks old in the womb but magically becomes a child one nanosecond after that, to the second amendment where it is now only ok to keep certain types of government approved arms despite the clear and unambiguous term “shall not be infringed” staring us in the face. We have been led to a place where arbitrary and capricious standards that make absolutely no sense reign. And it has all been in the name of the vaunted goal of compromise.

America has, over the years been a victim of an extreme leftward lean in our policy. Those that have pioneered this policy have played on the desire of Americans to simply want to get along with everyone. They exploited that desire with perfection.

This became blatantly apparent in the years after FDR’s social programs to the point where today the continually modified and expanded FDR plan for socialism is favored by the majority of Republicans where as in the early twentieth century it was favored by the Democrats. Today, after decades of compromise on the Constitution and with the Republicans as a whole filling the position of the Democrats of old, the Democrats have marched solidly even further to the left.

They then cry out for even more compromise with their new and more intrusive government programs such as Hillary Clinton’s plan for socialized medicine. Every election cycle they propose even grander socialist wealth redistribution policies. And why shouldn’t they? They’ve eventually won nearly every battle they have fought when it comes to such ideas by drawing enough people into compromise for compromise sake and promising them a piece of the pie they offer.

Everything has shifted. Because once our decision was made to compromise on the core principles which founded this great nation we have been in a constant state of retreat from the fight for individual liberty, equality and unalienable rights. Americans are in retreat and those that want to turn America into some form of socialist nanny state with themselves at the controls are on the attack.

As we retreat we keep passing up hills and giving them to the enemy.

The hill named “Right to property”? Gone. Overrun by the forces of FDR charging forward with his plans for confiscating the wealth of one American to pay retirement benefits to other Americans.

The hill named “Right to Privacy” with regards to our personal affects and records? Gone with the invention of the income tax because each and every year you are required to lay your personal records bear for the government to scrutinize.

The hill named “Second Amendment”? The daisies on that hilltop were trampled into the ground long ago with laws that infringed on the rights of the people to freely keep and bear arms.

The hill named “First Amendment”? Blown right past when McCain-Feingold became law.

And we just keep retreating and giving ground like it doesn’t matter. I’ve been yelling for years but the generals leading this charge backwards have ignored me. But now my legs are getting tired. In my arms there is a loaded rifle that has been rarely fired under official orders. Although I have fired it many times on my own and with other Americans also fed up with the situations that arise much to the chagrin of those who claim to be our “leaders” of course. And all about me I am watching my fellow Americans retreat as the orders are given time and again.

We are told to rally around our anointed leader, whoever it may be, come election time. We have the specter of a Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama presidency thrown in our faces to scare us into voting against them and not for something. We are told not to question. We are told to sit down and shut up. We are told, as conservatives, to vote for whomever the GOP nominee is, even if it is someone like John McCain who is basically using the John Kerry strategy of running on the fact that he served in Vietnam and how dare you question him. Don’t you know he is a war hero?

If you point out that he has a penchant for violating the Constitution and joining arm in arm with some of the most liberal members of Congress you are branded a troublemaker, a racist or whatever nonsensical term he and those that support him think they can get away with.

But there is one problem. The problem is that I am not actually enlisted in this army and I don’t really mind being labeled a troublemaker. I have sworn no deep allegiance to the Republican Party aside from simply registering with the party so that I can vote in their primaries and have a say in who their nominee is. But I am not a good little soldier and I do not recognize their authority to order me to vote for their candidate if I disagree with the ultimate choice. I’ve merely been here as someone that has sought to lend my rifle to defeating bigger foes of America.

But now I am not certain that the Republican Party is my kindred spirit in the quest for restoring this Republic. So I’m stopping; right here. No more running. This hill on which I now come to rest will be my hill. This is where I will make my stand.

And I know we as Americans can do it. We can make this stand. Remember when we were told to accept comprehensive immigration reform and amnesty for illegals? Remember how we were told that stopping that atrocious piece of legislation was impossible? That it was a done deal? Remember what happened when the foot soldiers revolted against McCain and others who did not have America’s best interests in mind?

That’s my point.

I was there for that battle. I fought on the front lines. And I saw what happens first hand when Americans rally even as their leaders cower and retreat. Mere foot soldiers rose to the status of general through battlefield promotions and led the counter attack. So my legs will not run another mile. They don’t have another mile left in them to run.

I will not be blown off this hill. I’m setting myself here, preparing my powder and cleaning my rifle. I am confident in my shot. And make no mistake, I will fire every last bullet at those that are about to come over the rise and try to take this hill from me.

This is my hill; one of the last vestiges of our once great country slowly being ripped from us. And I know that there are many who will stand firm if only they see others willing to stand their ground and know they are not alone.

Sure, others will blindly follow the calls for retreat. I will not.

I am tired of being told to suck it up and grow up and accept the compromise placed before me by those that are worried they will lose if I do not follow. Yet at the same time they are unwilling to compromise with me and my fellow Americans and reveal their own hypocrisy. They don’t want compromise. They don’t want what is best for this country. They want their power. And I will not be party to that folly.

It will not be easy. There will be suffering. There will be pain. There will be blood spilled this day and probably for many days, months and years to come. We may even enter into terrible darkness and the deepest of winters and fear that all is lost. But to make things better I am willing to suffer. If I am not, then the enemy has already won and defeated me.

This is my hill and I claim it for Lady Liberty. This is where I make my stand for what is right. And John McCain? He will never have my vote. Promises today and deathbed conversions cannot undo the history he has.

To Hell with worrying if anyone else has the courage to stand by my side and fight. The only way you are taking this hill is over my dead body. Today is a good day to die, but since I don’t plan on dying on this hill, that means there is only one question to ask of those about to charge over this hill and try to take it. Are you willing to die on this hill trying to take it from not just me but all the other Americans you are about to come face to face with?

Well? Are you?

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J.J. Jackson is a conservative/libertarian author writing about events in the United States and around the world. He is the owner of Conservative News & Opinion – The Land of the Free and also The Right Things – Conservative T-shirts & Gifts. His weekly articles can be found at Liberty Reborn

The author of this piece is my guest tonight on Political Pistachio Radio.

“The Case Against Barack Obama” book by David Freddoso

The record of Barack Obama, throughout his political career, demonstrates conclusively that Obama is hardly a reformer. His image of “Hope and Change” is actually a huge lie. There is not a single instant in Obama’s political career where he did something for the sake of reforms and change.

Obama also has a shady history. The skeletons in his closet are of far-left positions, and political corruption. His campaign, like those of most left-wing Democrats, is about using the taxpayer’s money to stay in power, and benefit his political cronies.

The Barack Obama Campaign is very much about the old politics, not some new swing of hope and change. He is the epitomy of the corrupt politician, and he is surrounded by the corrupt as well.

David Freddoso is a reporter that was watching his fellow columnists and journalists fawn over Barack Obama, and it seemed a little overboard to him. So he began to investigate Obama, looking closely at Barack’s record. The resulting conclusion, and many detailed revelations about Barack Obama, has been put into the book, “The Case Against Barack Obama.” David is my guest tonight on Political Pistachio Radio to discuss the book, and Barack Obama.

Join us live at 10:00 pm Eastern Time for the interview, or you can check out the archive later. Go HERE for the program.

~Snooper~

Ladies and gentlemen, Leftinistra not included, there are many a speculation as to whom McCain is going to pick as his VP choice. On the right-hand sidebar of our blog, there is a place where folks can do their own speculation and Cantor isn’t on that list. Cantor emerged from the shadows and has pretty much side-swiped the opposition…the Maverick strikes again.

Through the years I have garnered much experience in both casual and intensive observation of the political arena in the USA. One of the most interesting things I have learned is being able to read the press - no pun intended - and I have learned to smell fear hidden within the verbiage.

For instance, some are all atwitter - again, no pun intended seeing that I am now all hooked up with the Twittermania of #dontgo, #dontgomovement and #yeswecantor - about this young lad Eric Cantor. What is interesting in the Lame Stream Media is the CONSTANT reference to his age because he is 2 years younger than Czarbama and there are some that say that Czarbama is inexperienced. Well, as far as I am concerned, it isn’t “age” per se that grants folks “experience”. I am 53 years old and have watched every space launch of NASA since I was a kid. That doesn’t mean that I could go up against a trained astronaut 10 years younger than I because I am “older” and have more “experience”. That is just silly.

By far, Eric Cantor towers over Czarbama in the political arena, and Czarbama is indeed inferior to Eric Cantor. I know the moonbats and Leftinistra won’t like to hear that but, too bad and so sad.

A New York Times piece in the Caucus has a peculiar title…I am not sure if I am barking up the wrong tree but the title is as follows: “Singing Cantor’s Praises”. I wasn’t the only one that noticed this but, does anyone see the “cuteness” in the title? Remember, Cantor is Jewish.

The Jewish Press is also writing about this as is Haaretz. The significance of Jewish press coverage of Eric Cantor escapes me so it must be either blogging fatigue, #dontgo fatigue or something else. As per our Constitution, one’s “religious affiliation” isn’t supposed to be one of those litmus test items of contention.

The three linked articles give good reviews of Eric Cantor but, the fun has only just begun. The more I look into Eric Cantor, the more I like him. Why? Because the Leftinistra are scared silly about him. That’s why. And, whatever will send a Leftinistra socialist hack over the edge frothing at the mouth with venom spewing from their hateful pores and spittle dripping from their scrawny chins, I am all for.

Media Lizzy from Heading Right broke this story on a possible Cantor VP slot LONG before the Lame Stream tried to claim it. Since then, the following have also reported, in the order of which I ran across them and this is the Short List: Gateway Pundit - Right Truth - STACLU - TAB - Hot Air - TWT - more to follow. These are just a few that I have collected. AS time goes by, I will store other notable articles and posts in my public reader.

Not one VP possibility on the GOP side has received the kudos that Eric Cantor has received in the hundreds of posts and articles that I have read. All of the others have received kudos but they have also received very negative responses from the Conservasphere. Eric Cantor, in my opinion is a Three-Legged Conservative.

Holy Beguiled! The Leftinistra, as the one and only Snooper predicted about 5 years ago, have painted themselves into a corner with no way to get out clean. They are going to get dirty and they are going to get bloodied. Of that there is no doubt. NATURALLY, as Americans go broke because of Leftinistra policies on oil, it is more important selling failed books. What is up with Leftinistra and failures, anyway? They seem to be happier when they fail.

In an article in The Hill, it has been revealed that the GOP will be continuing the rebellion for the American People - so we don’t have to do it our way - right up until the DNC Convention. That is just totally rad, dude! What The Hill piece didn’t really reveal is that the rebellion will continue the entire 5 weeks of summer recess. I guess that is to be expected coming from The Hill, n’est pas? I got a kick out of how it ended…

[…] The GOP effort has triggered strong reactions from Democrats this week. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the Democratic National Committee issued releases Wednesday that mocked the Republican energy plan. [END]

Strong reactions? I would call it massive whining and Nanna’s “rebuke” was so packed full of idiocy even some moonbats wondered what it was she said exactly. When a moonbat gets confused, something is very terribly wrong someplace.

Don’t forget to continue to support the historical #dontgomovement and the #dontgoreader. We have the enemy within on the run and they have nowhere to go. It is both sad and hysterical to watch and I am loving every minute of it. I can hardly wait for the GOP to shut the government down over this issue of rising fuel costs which could have been averted YEARS ago. I suppose the happy-happy times of Nanna-Newt are now officially over?

Apparently, while Nanna is in a pressure-induced wide awake coma, our friend across the pond makes an observation that I know for a fact that I have made many times for a very long time…we have seen it before and it turned very ugly, very fast. Sometimes it takes an outsider looking in to see clearly.

[…] Liberals will become more liberal and more dismissive of conservatives and vice versa. The result will undoubtedly be that the culture war will increase in passion and severity. [END]

The question is, who will back down first? The GOP has backed down since RWR was in office time and time again and the country is now nearly split 50-50. We cannot afford to back down one millimeter…EVER again.

In another article, I hear my own words coming back to me and I wonder, “WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?”

The Democrats find themselves on the wrong side of the most important issue to Americans right now. Now is not the time for a compromise. Its time to keep applying pressure. […]

That would be an almost there type a thing and I will take this to its proper place; the Leftinistra have been on the wrong side of every issue since GWB beat them in two elections. The Leftinistra have placed the nation at risk due to their “udder” hatred of GWB. The Leftinistra have placed the nation at risk and have been directly the cause of Troop casualties all for the sake of political aspirations fomented by their “udder” hatred of GWB. Period. End of discussion. It isn’t time to apply more pressure…it is time to destroy them for decades and decades. Expose them for what they are…Marxists and Control Freaks. Period. End of discussion.

If the GOP needs some help, I have THOUSANDS of documents proving it. Give me a call, OK?

If at all possible, get to DC and get onto the floor of the People’s House. The “how to do that” instructions are in the linked post.

AGAIN, I AM TAKING DONATIONS TO GET THERE TO COVER THIS EVERY DAY UNTIL IT IS OVER!! CLICK THE PAYPAL BUTTON AND SEND CASH! THANKS!

Let the Leftinistra whine, challenge and bluster. They have already lost and they know it.

Snooper

“Team Darfur is an international coalition of athletes committed to raising awareness about and bringing an end to the crisis in Darfur, Sudan .

“A campaign leading up to the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, Team Darfur aims to educate the global public through the unique voice of elite athletes. Team Darfur brings together the world’s Olympic and professional athletes to put international pressure not only on Sudan, but also on those countries that support the policy of inaction in the face of this dire humanitarian crisis.”

I would urge everyone to visit the Team Darfur site - to get involved, to purchase an arm band, to support the athletes, to reach out to help these people.

Team Darfur was started by Olympic Gold Medalist Speed Skater, Joey Cheek and UCLA water polo player Brad Greiner. In 2006, Joey announced that he would donate his Medal bonuses and encouraged other athletes and sponsors to do the same. He raised over $1 million for the relief effort.

Joey Cheek had planned to travel to Beijing for the Olympics and to show support for the 72 Olympic athletes who are part of Team Darfur, but the Chinese revoked his visa today without explanation. A list of the 360+ athletes of Team Darfur can be found here.

Joey’s statement:

“I am saddened not to be able to attend the Games. The Olympic Games represent something powerful: that people can come together from around the world and do things that no one thought were possible. However, the denial of my visa is a part of a systemic effort by the Chinese government to coerce and threaten athletes who are speaking out on behalf of the innocent people of Darfur. Team Darfur’s main efforts have been to advocate for an Olympic Truce for Darfur, and to raise awareness about the crisis and ask for lasting peace on behalf of the children of Darfur.

“The Olympic Truce captures the spirit of the Olympics: around the Games, the world should come together to work for peace and speak out against conflict. The Chinese government’s efforts to suppress athletes, even those who are competing in the Olympic and Paralympic Games, who speak about essential human rights issues, is a violation of that core Olympic spirit.

“I still remained convinced of the great role the Olympics can play as a force for promoting peace around the world, including in still raging crisis in Darfur. Yet, despite the fact that I’ve always spoken positively of the Olympic ideal, and never called for a boycott or asked an athlete to break an IOC rule, my visa was revoked less than 24 hours before my scheduled departure.”

Meet Lopez Lomong. He was one of the ‘Lost Boys’ of the Sudan. Eight years ago, he came to the United States. Thirteen months ago, he became a citizen. He runs the 1,500 meters. He is a member of Team Darfur. Friday night, he will carry the flag of the United States of America in the opening ceremony in Beijing.

ESPN has a story about Lopez Lomong - http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/summer08/news/story?id=3521480

While Joey Cheek will not be there to give support to the Team Darfur athletes, the athletes will be visible to the Chinese government, especially when Lopez Lomong leads the United States contingent into the arena.

Cell phones. How did we get along without them?

I remember my first — a mobile phone that weighed at least five pounds. It was a company phone, assigned to me when NASA returned the space shuttles to flight status. We had learned our lesson after the Challenger disaster when in the ensuing panic, all phone lines went into overload. No calls in. No calls out.

This black Motorola brick that I carried around in its accompanying black shoulder-strapped case gave me unprecedented communication ability with my corporate counterparts, which was essential in the event of — God forbid — another space shuttle disaster.

What a novelty it was to talk on it while driving! The handset was much like our home phones — or “landlines” as they’re now called. An antenna affixed to my car’s exterior gave me extended range, and I was looking for excuses to use it!

Fast forward twenty years and today’s mobile phones are palm-sized and multi-functional in ways we couldn’t have imagined in 1988. And they are ubiquitous.

Now we learn that cell phone usage could increase our risk of cancer.

Dr. Ronald Heberman, director of the U of Pitt Cancer Institute, recently warned cell phone users to limit their usage. He’s basing his claim on early data that contradicts studies that have not found a link between cancer and cell phone use, and a public “lack of worry by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration”.

Tonight we’ll explore those claims with Shelly Kalnitsky, who’s taking the warning seriously, and has created a device called Waveshield. He says the device reduces the emission of cell phone radiation up to 97%, and has similar devices for portable home phones too.

After the interview, we’ll talk about today’s top stories and I’ll take your calls.

The show begins at 9 p.m. ET and you can listen to it live, or later in the archive. Hit the button below to get there.

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