Redstate

Posted at 1:18pm on Mar. 14, 2007 Politics and the US Naval Academy

By Lamplighter331

For the purpose of full disclosure, I am a graduate of that fine public institution located at the junction of the Severn River and the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland called the US Naval Academy. The Naval Academy has produced a long line of leaders for the Navy and the Marine Corps. For some reason, the qualities that make Naval Academy graduates the finest example of military leadership do not translate into great political leaders. Take a look at the list of political entities produced by this fine institution:

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Posted at 6:16pm on Mar. 7, 2007 Sports Illustrated and Global Warning

By Lamplighter331

Is nothing sacred? I went to my mailbox and pulled out this week's issue of Sports Illustrated and what do I see? Is the cover about the recent NFL Combine? Is it about the new HGH scandal in baseball? Is it even about the upcoming saga of March Madness? No, it's about the impact Global Warming on the sports world and why we have to act.

Against my better judgment, I opened to the multi-article section on how green sports can be and was shocked to see the virtual map of my home state of Florida and to see what the melting ice caps would leave underwater. Being that this was Sports Illustrated, they made sure to highlight all of the sporting venues that would be submerged because of man's inhumanity to nature. I'm sure the result is supposed to be that I should demand an immediate refund of my Jaguars season tickets, but then I thought, my seats are in the upper tier, so they won't be submerged.

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Posted at 9:20am on Feb. 12, 2007 Dixie Chicks, Jimmy Carter and Al Gore

By Lamplighter331

I know,I know, what should have I expected? I confess, I was too drawn into the prospect that a group from my youth, The Police, were making a historic comeback, so, naturally, I HAD to watch last night's Grammy's. Instead of a celebration of my youth, I found a front row seat INSIDE the celebrity bubble that is the entertainment industry. I found a rather classless retort from Natalie Mains in winning an award for country music, when the Chicks' music can't be found on the country airwaves. I found a music industry giving Jimmy Carter an award for his atrocious anti-Jewish book. I found a standing ovation for Al Gore during his appearance.

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Posted at 9:15am on Nov. 8, 2006 Resolutions for 2008

By Lamplighter331

Alright, I'll admit it, I'm angry, frustrated and a little depressed over last night's results. That being said, I have some observations about 2008 that I will follow in order to recapture our lost glory:

1) I WILL NOT vote for any former, soon to be former or current Senator for President. Are you hearing me Sen. McCain, Sen. Frist or Sen. Allen? The Senate approach of collegiality and "bipartisanship" is essentially Democrat-lite, and there is not a single viable leader in the ranks of the Senate that I can back.

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Posted at 10:30pm on Jul. 20, 2006 Dems could learn from Israelis...

By Lamplighter331

Not many political circuses match the vitriol of an Israeli election.  The Left and the Right are very polarized and their differences usually blow up into a political theater of interesting proportions.  

In that light, I find it very intriguing to watch the line of Israeli politicians make the rounds of the news outlets during this current Hezbollah/Hamas crisis.  The Israelis understand the stakes.  Whether it be Ehud Barak from the Left or Benjamin Netanyahu from the right, all recognize that their country is fighting a vicious enemy and voice unqualified support to their government and specifically, to the Prime Minister, whose party defeated them recently.

There are no Al Gore moments here.  No prattling about how this crisis was a result of the incompetence of the current administration.  There were no "I told you so's" or "I would have done this..." and definitely, no calls of "a war of choice".  

The juxtaposition here is startling.  How much closer to victory would we be, were there no Murthas, Pelosis, Kerrys?  How much better the message if the Democrats only followed the example of the Israelis?

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Posted at 7:54am on Jun. 20, 2006 National Guard to New Orleans, Good...National Guard to the Border, Bad?

By Lamplighter331

Okay, perhaps I'm touch daffy, but why is it alright for Louisiana Governor Blanco (at the request of that stalwart municipal leader, Ray Nagin)to send National Guard troops to the city of New Orleans, armed and providing security against American citizens, but a violation of Posse Comitatus, the Bill of Rights, Human Rights Act, etc, to deploy armed National Guard troops to the southern border to defend against ILLEGAL Aliens?  

I'm not a smart man, but the Left's juxtaposition on this issue seems a little skewed.  And as an aside, did anyone notice that the MSM barely blinked when the Guard was sent to patrol New Orlean?

Hmmmmmmmmmm.........

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Posted at 6:57pm on Feb. 11, 2006 Past as Prelude: Republicans Win in 2008

By Lamplighter331

The past portends the future, perhaps, if one looks at this scenario:  During a controversial American conflict, the nation is divided and a struggling Republican President is being questioned on his assertion of Executive Power.   A popular Democrat is selected by his party to be the candidate to unseat the Republican.  The radical antiwar element of the Democratic Party shove a harshly Antiwar plank into the Party platform.  Despite the Democratic candidates best attempts to avoid the Antiwar plank, he loses the election and the Republican President wins the election.  He perserveres and wins the war.

The scenario I describe happened during the Civil War.  McClellan, a popular if inept Union General, was that Democratic candidate.  His candidacy was derailed by the radical antiwar Democrats known as the "Copperheads" who prominently stole the Party's controls at their Chicago Convention and called for the immediate cessation of hostilities with the South.  The Republican President was, of course, Abraham Lincoln, who suspended habeous corpus among other measures in his efforts to win the Civil War.

Today's Copperheads are the moveon.org's of the world, the Cindy Sheehan's of the world and, of course Howard Dean.  If past is prelude, I would expect the Democrats in '08 to again get waylaid by a vocal, but radical antiwar minority who would sound the deathknell of any candidate.  An aside to this scenario is that the only former General who the Democrats could tag is Clark, and I don't think he fits the bill, but you can't have everything in history repeat itself, can you?

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Posted at 11:06am on Apr. 21, 2005 The SENATE is the real issue here....

By Lamplighter331

Would someone please explain to me how the Republicans can hold a 55 seat majority and not get anything substantive done?  From judicial nominations to illegal immigration to social security, there doesn't seem to be much "there" there.  Who is the Newt Gingrich of this Senate?  Frist seems to be a non-player, not really leading.   McConnell?  Santorum?  Warner?  The Senate seems to be a go along to get along crowd, mired in the semantics of the Beltway Brotherhood.  For the love of God, I would love to see at least 1 Don Quijote Senator who would do his damnedest to tilt at our windmills.  

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Posted at 11:21pm on Apr. 19, 2005 The RINO's in the Senate Strike again!!!

By Lamplighter331

Here we go again,

The Republicans in Name Only, in the US Senate have "indefinitely" suspended the nomination of John Bolton as ambassador to the UN.  This time, the leading culprit was Voinavich of Ohio, who didn't even bother to attend the hearings last week.  He said that he didn't feel comfortable voting today.  It is Senators like Hagel, Voinavich, Chaffee, et al who waste having a majority.  What exactly are we going accomplish with such spineless weasels.  

WHERE IS THE WHITE HOUSE???

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Posted at 6:19pm on Oct. 4, 2004 Jennings, Rather, Brokaw

By Lamplighter331

Did anyone hear the three anchors at a forum at the New York Public Library?  Among other things, when the crowd was applauding a Jennings defense of Rather, Jennings opined, "I guess we are all blue here..."  To which Brokaw said, well there is nothing "red" about New York.  

Let me get this straight, there isn't media bias, but all three anchors consider themselves "blue staters"?

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Posted at 3:05pm on Sep. 27, 2004 Anxiety in Florida

By Lamplighter331

As a resident of Florida, I lived and suffered through the indignity of the 2000 fiasco.  I thought that the state redeemed itself with its delivery of a substantial victory for Jeb Bush in the 2002 gubenatorial elections.  Today, I am feeling a great deal of anxiety over the way trends within our state are moving vis a vis the presidential race.  

First, we have President Carter setting the table for doubting any election result that may come out of Florida.  Second, the Kerry campaign seems to be spending the sum total of its advertising budget on retainers for every single trial law firm in the state.  Lastly, no one seems to be working on the issue of dual voters coming down here from New York.  

I'm usually the most optimistic person, but can we survive the dirty tricks being prepared?

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