My first thought upon waking this morning was that things are falling apart in the Republican party.  That was until I turned on C-SPAN and saw a Tuesday speech that President Bush gave to the American Legion.  What a speech my friends!  Visionary, articulate, focused, steadfast and delivered almost flawlessly.  It reminded me that President Bush can hold things together no matter how bad they get because he is a man of character who controls the bully pulpit and is immune to sophomoric "lame-duck" allegations because of his status as a wartime president. 

In honor of our president and the vital role he has fulfilled for the past 6 plus years, I have decided to re-post the article I wrote on July 6th 2007, our President's 61st birthday.  Enjoy!
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I believe the Washington DC Fire Department is on high alert today as a cake with 61 candles is about to be lit!  It seems that one George W. Bush, a man who has had a "presidency from hell", is doing a little celebrating.  And why shouldn't he?  Think of what this guy faces everyday in the post 9/11 world as he walks a razor's edge between keeping America safe and not exceeding the limits of his Executive Power as granted by the United States Constitution.

On the one hand, he has to deal with the attacks of the subversive reprobates on the left wing who hate him and everything he stands for.  But more importantly, on the other hand he has to deal with the gravest threat this nation has ever faced, potentially far more devastating than the threat posed by the Soviet Union or Nazi Germany.  This nation could be attacked on any given day and to a degree that makes 9/11/01 pale in comparison.  Just look to our ally in England to see what might have occurred here, had President Bush not taken a tough and undaunted stance with regard to renewal of the Patriot Act, wiretapping overseas phone calls by possible terrorists and detaining unlawful enemy combatants in a place many Americans couldn't find on a classroom globe, Guantonomo Bay.

As history unfolds, after we are long gone, President George W. Bush will be regarded as the poor SOB who was unlucky enough to assume the presidency at a time when everything was about to come unglued!  Eight years of flawed leadership by a cowardly, philandering perjurer has got to take its toll right?  Well it certainly did as our stock market imploded, our beautiful towers collapsed and our economy went into a tailspin.  Our 1990's world of "irrational exuberance" crumbled before our very eyes and everyone except the "dunderheaded douchebags" in our population, realized how we'd been duped!

You want a specific item by item rundown of just how Clinton decisions were directly responsible for the ABSOLUTE MESS that President Bush inherited? Well, you message me and I'll be happy to respond with a 16 inch gun sized volly that will make your head spin.  But the point of this blog today is to make the necessary point that President Bush has taken care of this country in its most desperate times and he deserves all the credit we can muster!  You may argue that World War Two was far more trying, I vehemently disagree.  The nation was much, much stronger in the 1940's and much more unified.  Roosevelt was presiding over a population and media complex that was totally in his corner and supported each of his decisions.  President Bush presides over a divided, angry, bitter and worst of all ignorant population that is loaded with subversive SOB's who only want one thing:  to see him fail so that his legacy can be as tarnished as the legacy of a loser named William Jefferson Clinton, referred to by me as "The Father of 9/11"!

President Bush may not be a gifted speaker but he is a man who is bedrock in his belief that it is his job to protect this homeland.  He is a capable administrator who placed excellent advisors in his inner circle to shape and disseminate policy as we fought a war against a viscious and fanatical enemy that will never attend a "surrender ceremony" aboard the USS Missouri!  Names like Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, Karl Rove, John Bolton, Tony Snow and General Peter Pace come to mind when I think of the noble people who have had this country's safety and security in the palm of their hands.  If you're an ACLU type who is on the side of the terrorists, I can practically hear you grinding your teeth.  My advice to you?  Go read your U.S. Constitution, jackass!  Everything President Bush has done is within his power under Article 2 Section 2 because we are a nation at war and we will remain at war until this enemy is vanquished or until we are defeated!  Either one is a possible outcome at this point, I'm sad to say.

So long as "Birthday Boy" is at the helm in our nation's capitol, losing the War on Terror is not a possibility but who knows what the future may hold for us after the 2008 elections.  What if voters elect an anti-military, liberal candidate who doesn't appreciate the threat posed by terrorists (like Bill Clinton)?  Things could get ugly really quick in this country as Al-Qaeda makes a resurgence and finds a way to smuggle in a weapon of mass destruction like a "suitcase nuke".  This is why the Presidential Election of 2008 is so absolutely critical to our nation and its future.  Prepare now, pay attention to these candidates as they make speeches and vacillate in the wind.  Determine how they would confront the threat posed by Islamo-Fascism in places like Iraq, Afghanistan, Gaza, Iran and Pakistan.  This is a different world since 9/11 and even though we have enjoyed SIX YEARS of safety, you need to pick the candidate who will make protecting the homeland their number one priority.  And while you're at it, take a minute right now to raise your glass and wish our Commander-In-Chief, the happiest of birthdays!  I think it's a safe bet that he deserves it.

Their names are Larry Craig and Mark Foley and they'll fit right in at your Democratic table!  Heck, you might even give them a chairmanship if they can get elected in 2008!  So what if one guy likes airport bathrooms and the other guy is a diddler who used the internet to flirt with a teenage Congressional intern.  That should be a qualifier for membership with the Democrats, so adopt them already!  They can rub elbows with other prominent Democrats who have graced the party through history such as Gerry Studds, Barney Frank, Jim McGreevey and Mel Reynolds (who Clinton pardoned....that's our boy Bill!)  

Speaking of the bombastic former president, this is the party who stood up for Clinton in the late 90's and dismissed all of his similar pecadillos with the classic quote:  "its all about sex".  Remember that little gem?  Well it could be resurrected for Craig and Foley as they join their new party of hypocrites, the Democrat-Socialists!

Whatever happend to Foley anyway?  Last I knew, he was attending alcohol rehabilitation just like our favorite Democrat, Patrick Kennedy.  Remember him?  He was the one who decided to become a crash test dummy with his Ford Mustang and taught us that driving your car and taking Ambien doesn't mix all too well!

Lately, the world is erupting at every corner it seems.  The middle east has been a major trouble spot for 5 years now but other parts of the globe have been troublesome, yet unnoticed. 

Russia has always resented the USA for forcing freedom down its throat during the 1980's and has been working behind the scenes with China, France and others to undermine the USA's authority.  Even worse, China who holds a great deal of financial leverage over the USA (by financing our debt), has been playing footsies with North Korea as it's nutcase of a dictator works towards getting nuclear ballistic missiles. 

But by far, the worst player of all is Iran.  Iran's fingerprints are on almost every terrorist plot, they have supplied weapons to Syria, to the Hezbollah and to the terrorists flowing through porous borders into Iraq.  The leaders of Iran, who make Hitler look like a girl scout, have made crystal clear their intention to gain nuclear weapons, destroy Israel and then turn their sights towards the "Great Satan" itself, the United States of America.

What does President Bush do in such a situation?  Well, let's apply a real world situation that any one of us could face tonight.  You're out at a local watering hole having a "couple of pops" when you suddenly find yourself surrounded by several threatening reprobates whose only intention is to beat the pulp out of you.  You look at your buddy, he looks at you and you both realize that things are about to get really nasty.  What do you do? 

I remember hearing this story once from a friend of mine, who is very adept at finding trouble when it suits him!  He told me, you pick out the biggest, toughest, most threatening individual and you TAKE HIM OUT, no questions asked!  The others will see it and think twice about getting involved.  The handwriting is on the wall folks, question is when are we going to start reading it?

Would it shock you if I made the claim that Michael Vick is a great man and a great football player?  Sure, he is a standout in his field and deserving of the name "superman".  This amazing individual rose from life in the projects, the son of a shipyard worker, to become a top overall draft pick from Virginia Tech in 2001.  His style of play is unparalleled as he combines a rocket-like arm with the agility and speed of a gazelle.  Do you know how many records this guy has already set in his short NFL career?  Take a look at his stats and see if you're not impressed by all of his magnaminous accomplishments, this man does his job well that's for sure.

Of course, there is just this little thing about engaging in barbaric behavior that is all too "Al Qaeda-like" with man's best friend!  Keep in mind that his proclivity for mistreatment of animals is nothing more than an allegation at this point and we have to give this all-star quarterback the legalistic benefit of the doubt, should we not?  But let's say that the proof behind the charges, once unveiled in a court of law, convinces some of us or maybe even most of us that Michael Vick is guilty of said charges, what then?  I say that we give Mr. Vick a "pass", after all, we were taught in the late 1990's that it is not how you live your personal life, it is how you do your job that matters.  And Michael Vick does his job quite well, right?

President Clinton, although not growing up in the projects but came awfully close, rose to do so many wonderful things as the governor of Arkansas and President of the United States.  I can't name any of them except pushing though NAFTA and GATT (which shipped our jobs overseas) but I'm sure there's something that escapes me at the moment.  When he committed the reprehensible acts of adultery and perjury, our media sold us that masterful line of brainwashing and 1,000's of Americans digested it hook, line and sinker!  So, now that our society has set the "Clinton Standard" of personal conduct, we must apply it equally in the future to all of those people who have issues of their own.  Michael Vick will be the benefactor of living under the "Clinton Standard" and I'll bet he loves the former president for it!

In my world (and I'm an animal lover by the way), Michael Vick is a reprehensible scoundrel for getting caught up in this whole mess but I was in the minority with regard to President Clinton's pecadillos in the "Oral" office.  Unlike most of the dunderheads out there who drank the media and Clinton "spin machine kool-aid", I never bought the "its all about sex" line, nor did I buy the "its just how you do your job" line.  This is liberal psychobabble designed to confuse people about ethical behavior that should be demanded of ALL PEOPLE, especially those in the public eye or in positions of trust, leadership and power such as politicians, judges and police officers. 

So, while some of us condemn Mr. Vick for his behavior that is nothing but barbaric, the not-so-critical thinkers out there who buy the media deception can continue to live in their world of NFL player idolotry and President Clinton admiration for that matter!  You see, for some of us out here in the REAL America, the mark of a man is what he does when nobody is looking.  This is called character, something Michael Vick or William Jefferson Clinton would know nothing about.

With Hillary "the artful dodger" Clinton and Osama Obama beating each other up day after torturous day, it's easy to forget a guy out there named Edwards.  Yeah, remember him?  The lawsuit happy, slip-n-fall lawyer who lives in a 24,000 square foot house.  I wrote about him several weeks ago in a column named "Maybe Edwards can sue the terrorists!"  Did you happen to give it a gander?  If not, shame on you!  Allow me to summarize what I said.

My thesis was that John Edwards would be the 2008 presidential nominee for the Democrats because his populist message, delivered by a forked tongue, would surely resonate with Democrat voters.  Since this prediction, Edwards has slipped lower in the polls so it would appear my thesis was way off the mark and I should be hanging my head in shame.  Au contraire, I may have jumped the gun a little bit on my prediction and indeed, I was remiss in not mentioning the following important proviso.

For the Edwards message to work its magic, the dunderheads must be paying attention!  Right now, they are all so fixated on the Hillary and Obama "dust up" that Edwards' "poverty tour 2007" is not really getting any play in the media.  You know it's getting bad when your wife has to go out and start up little catfights with people like Ann Coulter.  Come on John, dip into your own millions, don't be so desperate for campaign donations!

Populist rhetoric always works with dunderheads because people by their nature tend to be jealous creatures.  There's a reason that envy is one of the seven deadly sins!  The fact that Democrats almost religiously resort to using envy is even greater insight into their hideousness as human beings.  Edwards is absolutely no exception and he is smart enough to know that history repeats itself.  Think back to 1992 and remember the populism spewed by then candidate Clinton.  "We're going to make the rich pay their fair share....." was the battle cry from Slick Willie and his minnions.  Ahhhhh, the memories!

Hang in there candidate Edwards.  As the celebrity of Clinton and Obama starts to wear thin, you will be able to put that forked tongue to good use.  You'll begin to mesmerize the dunderheads with your mendacious diatribe and in no time you'll be moving up in the polls like greased lightning!  Question is, will the money run out before then?

As could be expected, the Democrat party is in a meltdown over Iraq.  This should not be confused with the Bill Clinton "Chernobyl-style" meltdown last year on Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace.  That was in a class all by itself!

No, this meltdown is a slowww, painful one that started right after the new year and has increased considerably over the past few weeks.  Although it has the potential to distract our troops from their mission overseas, I am enjoying each minute as it illustrates my belief that most liberal Democrats are cowardly, unprincipled, hypocritcal and underhanded.

Their sorry progression is well documented and with today's internet you can "google" each step they've taken to subvert the War on Terror.  The ultimate climax of these antics is to cut-off the funding that our troops need to fight off these terrorist SOB's.  Democrats have thus far, authored 55 resolutions to try to limit the president's war-making powers under the U.S. Constitution.  With each resolution, they've become as divided as a group of children fighting over who gets the biggest cookie!  A cookie that is crumbling in a legislative sense and taking public confidence in the new Democrat leadership with it! :-)

Now, these defeatist Democrats are not stupid, no no.  They will not cut-off funding because they know that increases their culpability.  Instead, they will slowly and stealthily ROB our president and troops of the tools they need to fight the war effectively.  They will also throw up new restrictions, stumbling blocks and the like to help facilitate failure.  Allow me to illustrate with an analogy. 

Let's  suppose you have a stepchild in college and because you have no love lost for this person, you'd like to see him fail.  Now, you can't come right out and stop paying for the education because you would be obviously culpable for the resultant failure.  Being a subversive, cowardly, unprincipled SOB, you choose to take another, craftier route.  You tell the child that you cannot afford the money for books in the new semester due to a shortfall.  No problem, the damn kid is resourceful and manages to hawk some stuff he no longer needs.  Next you tell him of new, laborious chores he must complete in order to remain living at home for free.  He informs you the next day that he will be moving in with one of his friends down the street.  You counter with the decision that you have decided to take away his car because yours isn't running so well.  Guess he'll have to buy a car so he can get back and forth to the campus.  With each progressive step, you are becoming more and more stressed as you attempt to achieve your overall objective of bringing about his failure. 

Now, you understand why these Democrats are in a meltdown as they tear themselves apart in an unbridled form of hysteria.  How sweet it is!

Everyone out there knows someone who's starstruck, right?  You know the kind of person I'm talking about.  They see a face on TV and say "Wow, how cool it would be to meet that person in real life!"  Well I had my brush with a rising star once and I blew my chance to really make an impact on him.

It was 1998 and as I sat there, literally exhausted from a night of freight hauling in the troublesome skies over upstate New York.  In walks then Congressman, Charles "Chucky" Schumer.  He was on the campaign trail with his motley crew of young leftist idealogues (college students working on his staff).  He talked on what was then a shoe-sized cell phone while his band of animals chased each other around a facility at the Buffalo airport called Prior Aviation.  Prior had been my home, off and on for 3 years.  A night freight dog's gotta have somewhere to bed down every now and then right?

Maybe ole Chucky's cell phone was too complex for him to operate but in any case he strode up to the payphones to make a call right next to me as I was on the phone trying to reach my dispatcher.  He looked at me, I looked at him and he knew that I knew who he was.  By the late 90's I had awakened from a state of political hibernation (i.e. ignorance) and learned that Chucky Schumer, now Senator of New York, was a contemptible and viscious political foe.  A committed "Stalinist", who stopped at nothing to destroy people standing in his way.  I also knew that the most dangerous place a human being can stand is between Chucky and a TV camera as he will most assuredly run you down to get in front of it.  Hence, this has earned him his much beloved title as the one and only "TV Asswhole". 

Since taking over contol of our nation's Legislative Branch last November when the U.S. electorate had what I've called "A Momentary Lapse of Reason", the Democrats have used Sen. Chucky Schumer as their battering ram.  If you view C-SPAN or other news venues even a minimal amount, you'll see him on there with the half-glasses hanging off the end of his nose, acting high and mighty while making mountains out of molehills!  Guess who's paying for this?  YOU!

I finished my phone call and walked over to the popcorn machine, a popular destination for any civilian pilot when stuck sitting at the airport.  Up walks Schmucky, uh I mean Chucky and he says "How are you today, sir?"  After letting him know I was tired but ok, he said "I'm Chuck Schumer, running for U.S. Senator and I'd appreciate your consideration when you vote." I watched his animals, still running wild around the facility, jumping over chairs, throwing paper airplanes and screaming at each other.  Then I let loose with my classic response, "Let me put it this way, I listen to Rush Limbaugh."  Always the quick wit, Chucky laughed and screamed to his clan, "Hey everybody, we're already down by ONE!"

Looking back on that moment in my life, I know now that I blew it big time!  So close to Schmucky, I could have just made a nice, solid fist and given that guy the roundhouse of his life.  Sure, I would have gone to jail but think about the "impact" I could have had on this douchebag's life and had an even better story to tell!

As I caught part of the sophistry at last night's collection of intellectual nitwits, (i.e. the Democrat presidential debate) it suddenly dawned on me who will emerge as the Democrat presidential nominee.  Believe me, this election is a choice between dumb, dumber and dumbest but I think there is one individual who will rise to the top and the explanation is quite simple, as to why.

John Edwards will be the Democrat nominee for president, despite what you read about in EARLY polling.  This "slip and fall" lawsuit happy lawyer has the kind of "forked tongue" that will be music to the ears of Democrat voters, the majority of whom are hopelessly ignorant about political issues.  Many of these fools aren't even paying attention yet, they're too busy watching re-runs of "The Simpsons", "American Idol" or "The View"!

It is not that Edwards provides any kind of inspiration or vision that is normally required of a leader.  Unsophisticated Democrat voters never asked for it from Bill Clinton, Al Gore or John Kerry.  Why would they start now?  Rather, Democrat voters typically seek a handsome candidate with a nice smile who LOOKS presidential.  Add to that a penchant for smooth talking that could rival any used car salesman and you arrive at the perfect candidate.  Remember the way Mister Perjury could twist a reporter's question in such a way as to make the question look stupid and embarrass the reporter?  Well my suspicion is that Edwards, a fellow lawyer and slicker than whale snot, can perform in the same deceptive fashion!

Additionally, without questioning the veracity of my wrists, I can admit to the obvious.  That Edwards is "easy on the eyes" with a hairstyle, so carefully coiffed that it makes his wife the envy of American women from coast to coast!  Studies have proven that women vote for the attractive candidate who makes them feel safe, comfortable and even loved!  Now, how in the heck would Hillary Clinton ever achieve that?

Speaking of "Shrill-ary", she's an empty suit who couldn't articulate her way out of a paper bag.  When she attempts to make a valid argument, it sounds as if fingernails are being dragged across a chalkboard.  EEEEK!  I can almost hear it now, can't you?  During the debate last night, she sounded monotone and robotic, as if every answer was rehearsed with her "handlers".  When a scenario didn't fit what her preparations could handle, she coyly answered "I'm not going to get into any hypotheticals tonight."  Say what Hill?  Being the president is all about hypotheticals, particularly in the post-9/11 world!  For her to not be able to discuss them is further proof of her lack of qualification to be president.

"Osama" Obama isn't really much better.  His lack of qualfications manifest themselves each time he opens his mouth and utters the same old, hackneyed rhetoric that has been used by Democrat presidential candidates throughout time.  No vision on keeping America safe, no new ideas on how to make government more efficient, no leadership on restoring American values to our culture and nothing that INSPIRES voters to vote FOR him.  Just divisive comments that utilize populist rhetoric with one objective in mind:  to divide America on a racial, ethnic and especially income basis.  Dividing Americans is an age old tactic of those whose allegiances are with socialistic thought because it makes government much more powerful.  A more powerful govenment naturally gives more power to those in positions of authority, its just common sense folks.  The truth about Obama is so similar to the truth about Hillary.  THEY ARE BOTH EMPTY SUITS WITH NO REAL EXPERIENCE BUT THEY CAN'T HIDE IT!  All they can do is smile for the camera, try their best to look presidential and say the right things when the dunderheads are paying attention. 

So, unless another candidate jumps in (hello Al Gore, the Tennessee Two by Four), Edwards will win the nomination by default. Why, you may ask?  Edwards, as a one term senator from NC who couldn't win re-election, is just as unprepared to serve as commander-in-chief as the other two idiots but there is one critical difference.  EDWARDS IS SLICK ENOUGH TO HIDE IT!!  From the first moment I laid eyes on John Edwards in 2003, he scared the living "dog-squeeze" out of me for one singular reason:  he reminded me of Bill Clinton to a tee!  The guy has the skills to deceive and with the right team of "spin-meisters", he can woo the dunderheads right out from under Hillary and Osama Obama's political tent.  Perhaps you doubt my logic here, well let me ask you a question.  While working as a trial lawyer, how did Edwards win one multi-million dollar settlement after another with apparent ease?  The answer is that he was able to persuade jurors who are only marginally smarter than Democrat voters.  If he was able to pull it off so many times in the past, what's to stop him from pulling it off one more time?

Note:  The following classic is a reprint of a blog I wrote on Myspace, September 28, 2006 after The Father of 9/11 had a veritable conniption on Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace.  Enjoy!
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Move over Chernobyl.........there's a new meltdown in town!  A nuclear reactor gone wild, the Bill Clinton performance on Fox News Sunday IS the talk of the nation and will go down in the history books as "classic Bill"! 

Oh yes, classic in so many ways.  The sophistry, the alternate reality, the righteous indignation and of course, the outright lies!  Claiming that Chris Wallace was on a right wing jihad of sorts just like Hillary claimed about the GOP response to "Monica-Gate" of the mid to late 90's?  Oh, that was rich!  But even better was the repeated claims by Slick that he wanted to kill Bin Laden.  If that's the case, then why did he refuse to give the CIA permission to do just that in late 1998 when they had him surrounded?  Could it be that the draft dodging wimp flinched when times got tough?   According to the NY Times bestseller "Dereliction of Duty" by Colonel Robert "Buzz" Patterson, that was indeed the case. (page 130-131)

The 1990's will be remembered as a decade where America stuck it's head in the sand (thanks to a "lapdog" US media that kept us ignorant about  threats to our security) while an indecisive Bill Clinton worried about what other countries thought of us.  After 9/11 happened, we all learned that such a policy would lead to our own destruction by suicidal maniacs who use their religion to justify killing us!  Evidently, Bill Clinton hasn't learned this lesson and only thinks that scrutiny of his utterly ineffectual terrorism policy is driven by politics, nothing more.  Wake-up Bill, I know this will come as a shocker, but its not about you, its about our precious country!

By now, most folks (even the dumb ones) realize that we were stroked with one hand and stabbed in the back by the other during the Clinton era.  What was it that did the convincing?  That's an easy one to explain, if you can read.

- The crumbling stock market in March 2000 which caused a loss of wealth unseen since the Great Depression of 1929.  People lost their nest eggs and in the worst case, their home which is the basis for everything in our society.

- The attacks of 9/11.  Even liberal historians are now admitting that Bill Clinton did absolutely nothing about Bin Laden, Yasser Arrafat, Iran, Islamic Jihad, Al Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah, and all the other radical Islamic groups that had one central premise to their existence:  Do physical damage to the United States and Israel! George W. Bush has had one hell of a presidency, guess why?  Could it be that not one single foreign policy achievement was made during the 8 years of Clinton?  Think about it!

- Our culture slid down the drain.  More parents had to explain oral sex to their 7, 8 and 9 year olds than you can shake a stick at!  Oral sex among schoolkids rose alarmingly as they watched the example set by their role model, the commander in chief of the United States.  Lying under oath became the "in" thing as well, keep in mind that Slick Willie was impeached for just that and suffered no REAL consequences!

Amidst all the chaos, malfeasance and sheer incompetence that WAS the Slick Willie administration, there is ONE GUY who benefitted.  That's right, one guy whose career was enhanced and made out like a freaken bandit! That man? The Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff.

In 1993, the "Trojan Horse Candidate" took over the Executive Branch.  His first major action was to fire 93 of 94 U.S. Attorneys that prosecute crimes under Federal Jurisdiction.  Which one remained you might ask?  Well it was none other than Michael Chertoff.  At that point in his career, a firing would have undoubtedly sent him back to the private sector and he might have bid the public limelight farewell.....forever.  But no, The Father of 9/11 owed Senator William Bradley (a basketball hoopster) the favor of a lifetime and decided to spare ole Chertoff the axe!  Chertoff stayed in his position until another Clinton sponsored event vaulted him to even greater fame!

On September 11th, 2001, hi-jacked airliners slammed into both WTC towers, turned our fellow Americans into dust and changed countless lives, in an instant.  This event WAS avoidable if steps were taken by the Clinton administration to engage Al Qaeda as they grew in size and ferocity.  Sadly, the admitted draft dodger and COWARD did nothing about the threat and the seeds were sown for a future date with disaster!  Who knew that 9/11 would create a whole new government bureaucracy, the Department of Homeland Security and eventually one Michael Chertoff would end up in charge of it!

So, if you were Michael Chertoff, would you think to yourself.....damn, I owe Bill Clinton my entire lot in life?  The answer is yes and if you think otherwise, you're an unadulterated idiot!

Note:  The following is a reprint from a blog I wrote on Myspace, August 22, 2006, the Ten Year anniversary of Welfare Reform.  This entry is a tribute to my hero, Newt Gingrich.

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I really don't know but I'll tell you what!  My big behind sure was, as Bill Clinton (aka "The Father of 9/11") signed the "Personal Responsibility Act" into law.  Why is this SOOOO important that I must make a blog entry about it?  Well let's imagine a favorite co-worker or friend who we really respect.  Have you picked one yet or do you need a minute? :-)

This fabulous person has a secret that has never been revealed, one which he'll take to his grave. That prior to 1996, he was a jobless maggot who lived off welfare for YEARS as a way of life!  Simply put, he was relying on everyone else in American society for his support.  You're thinking to yourself:   "That's preposterous, he's a pillar in the community, I'd let him babysit my kids for crying out loud!"

Now this is just a hypothetical situation but it's true for millions of people who were literally KICKED OFF WELFARE by the stroke of Clinton's pen that August day.  But the credit for Clinton is no more deep than the ink on the paper he signed.  The real credit goes to a person who I've best described as a "revolutionary visionary", it does have a nice ring to it, don't you think?

If you've not heard the name Newt Gingrich, you're not too late, he's still alive and kicking!  I suggest you type his name into "Google" and do a little learning because he'll be running for President in 2008.  "Mister Newt" as he was known, almost single-handedly RAMMED welfare reform down the throat of President Clinton not once, not twice but THREE TIMES!

The first two times, Clinton used a tactic to reject the legislation called a presidential veto.  Each time welfare reform was rejected, Newt Gingrich stood up in front of television cameras and announced to the world that the legislation would go right back to Capitol Hill for another shot.  Newt made it clear to Clinton that forcing people into work and off of welfare was a REPUBLICAN PRIORITY and the bill would become law sooner or later!  Well Newt was right, on the third try (which is always the charm, right?) Clinton signed the "Personal Responsibility Act" because he had been advised that another veto would put his re-election against Bob Dole in jeopardy.  Simply put, Clinton sold his party out with regard to welfare reform so that he would be re-elected.  THAT'S OUR BOY BILL!

Almost daily, Newt Gingrich was pilloried by prominent Democrats (who loved expanding dependency programs like welfare) and the dominant liberal media culture who despised him with a vengeance!  Predictions were made that people would be dying in the gutter and the prisons would be filled to capacity by people who couldn't find work and were desperate for money.  Did Newt flinch when presented with these scenarios by reporters eager to make him look stupid?  Not for a second!  He remained steadfast in his convictions and never, ever waivered.  He would look at the media as if to say "Give me welfare reform or give me death!"  For this reason, I have often referred to him as the "Patrick Henry of our time" and I stand by that analogy, to this day.

Note:  The following is a reprint from my July 13th 2006 blog on Myspace where I discussed the visit to Graceland by President Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi.  Enjoy!
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Those who read this blog know that I am no big fan of popular culture.  When it comes to who won the latest episode of "American Idol" or who Jessica is now dating, I feel no shame in admitting my status as an ignoramus!  I prefer to pay attention to things that may kill me or destroy the country I love, but I'm just silly that way.....

However, when popular culture intersects politics I'm all ears (and for those of you who have seen my ears, you know what I'm talking about).  Did you hear about the visit last week by President Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi to Graceland?  No doubt you saw the entertaining antics of Koizumi as he donned Elvis sunglasses, strummed his air guitar and even belted out a couple of lyrics.  It was great fun and made for a terrific "photo op" but there was something much more important in play.

Just think about it!  We had the son of a man who had killed the enemy during World War II, hanging out with the son of a man who was the enemy.  Go back 60 years and ask someone if these barbarians from Japan, who commit suicide with their aircraft will ever be our friends.  They'd say that you're crazy right?

Fast forward to present day where our brave men and women battle a fanatical enemy during much different times.  The media stands by to undermine every success and alert the enemy when new tactics are utilized.  The American public is divided bitterly and many are UNinformed about what is at stake!  It would be easy for our troops to become disenchanted and lose hope unless they become students of history and look to the lessons of the past. 

This visit by Koizumi provides just such a lesson.  It reminds the deep thinkers in our society that enemies can become friends but only if they are vanquished by the opponent who holds the moral high ground.  Just as we helped Japan rebuild its burned and smashed cities so they could become a manufacturing TITAN, we will help the middle east rebuild so their oil supplies can bring them untold riches. 

This will require vision and steadfast leadership, which we are thankfully getting from President Bush.  Living by his own words stated the day after 9/11, "We will not tire, we will not falter and we will not fail", he is remaining committed to spreading freedom so that terrorism cannot survive over the long-term and America will remain FREE!

Note:  I have been a blogger on Myspace for over a year.  The following is a blog I wrote on June 1, 2006 about the Haditha incident involving our U.S. Marines.  I have reposted it here to provide the background cited in "Rolling Rock Makes Me Wanna Puke".

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Folks, this will be a blog entry like no other.  I'm exhausted from a string of late night flights and I've had it up to here with the useless curmudgeon from Latrobe, Pennsylvania.  Simply put, I'm loaded for bearrrrrr!

No, "Ole Latrobe" isn't just known for its production of tasty Rolling Rock brew, it also has the dubious honor of being home turf for Jack "I was a war hero so I can shoot my mouth off" Murtha!  This is the fella with a huge head who cannot possibly say one good thing about the people who have given up everything, in some cases even their lives, to spread freedom and thereby protect ours.

Do yourself a favor and turn off the reality TV for a few minutes and listen to the things that this crotchity, old misanthrope is spitting out.  His latest rant is over an ALLEGED "cold blooded killing" (his words not mine) of Iraqi civilians in a town called Haditha.  Murtha and others are advancing the misguided notion that the events at Haditha, the details of which I am not going to get into here, are established fact.
In our country, any offense is initially an allegation, nothing more.  You get a speeding ticket, the cop sees you and you're obviously guilty.  Yet, you still get a chance to go before a judge, plead your case, offer a defense and receive a decision on your guilt.  The police officer didn't know the specific circumstances of your predicament, that your son fell down the front steps of your home and your wife called in massive distress.  Once the judge hears an explanation, he slams his gavel and states "I find you not guilty".  Notice he did not say the word INNOCENT, there is a difference.
So too, with these U.S. Marines at Haditha, there are all sorts of details that need to be discovered and taken into account by investigators.  It is a terrible injustice for people like the "big mouthed curmudgeon" in PA to be making outlandish judgements about what went on without having all the facts of the case!  Regardless of your feelings on the war, this should outrage you beyond belief as it does me.  These brave souls deserve every benefit of freedom as they risk their lives to protect it! 

You're in shock as you think of the tasty brew from "ole Latrobe" gliding gently across your taste buds.  "How in the world could anyone puke at the thought of Rolling Rock beer, that's preposterous!"

I'll tell you how my friends, as it's all about the power of association.   Rolling Rock brew reminds me of Congressman Jack Murtha (D-PA), otherwise known here as the "big mouthed curmudgeon" because Latrobe is in his district.  So when I see the lovely green 12 pack nestled in the cooler, I suddenly feel the need to heave my freaken guts! 

As many of you "Meat and Potatoes Blog" loyalists know, I am a deeply devoted patriot who adores all of our soldiers and their families.  They are a precious resource our country relies on for the protection of its freedom.  We sit on the comfy wumfy sidelines as they risk their lives for us!  Our duty is to stand up for them and support them against the subversive forces in the news media, Hollywood, college campuses and sadly, even Congress who seize any opportunity to demonize them and their mission. 

Over a year ago, on 1 June 2006, I wrote in the "Meat and Potatoes Blog" that our Marines who were accused of murder in Haditha deserved the same kind of justice they were fighting to protect.  Well last week, several of them received just that!  If you google the name LCpl. Justin Sharratt, USMC, you will see that all charges were dropped against this young defender of freedom after he was so callously "convicted" by Jack Murtha on national TV last year.  Did you miss it?  Just go to YouTube and search for "Jack Murtha on Meet The Press" and you'll find the clip of Congressman Murtha throwing "due process" right out the ole window!  What is "due process" you might be thinking?  Please go back to my column on 6/1/2006 and I give a highly illustrative example of how important this principle is to our freedom.

Now, there were several Marines involved in the Haditha incident and some of them have not yet been exonerated for the shootings.  The reason I picked Lcpl. Sharratt is that he happens to be from the same region of the country as the "big mouthed curmudgeon", Jack Murtha.  In fact, the Sharratt family may even be in Murtha's voting district.  HOW IRONIC  IS THAT?  You would think that any time an event happens which involves a member of your voting constituency, as a typical politician, you would handle it with "kid gloves", right?  Mishandle it, and you might build up a public relations "tsunami" that would wash you right out of office!

So, why did the "big mouthed curmudgeon" run right out there and have his own little "blab-fest" on national television?  Why did he convict American soldiers in the court of public opinion without ANY investigation, let alone a military trial of some sort?  Why did he put soldiers and their families through a living hell for over a year?  I'll tell you why:  HE WANTED IT TO BE TRUE SO BADLY FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES and even if it wasn't true, he knew that making it seem true would achieve short-term political objectives!

Let's go back to last year for a moment if you'll indulge me.  The Democrats were in the minority and desperately seeking what they always seek (besides higher taxes and more dependency), power.  The 2006 election was coming up and they knew that the Iraq War was growing increasingly unpopular.  What better way to drum up more anti-war sentiment than create a "Mi Lai Massacre" style story and rally the Woodstock nutcases who are now in their 60's but can still push a voting booth button!  It worked, the hard left-wing nutcases came out in droves last November and enough of the moderate dunderheads (who never really pay much attention to the news with so much other good stuff on TV) were convinced that giving Democrats control of Congress seemed like a good idea.  The rest is history, my friends.

But now, we have to look to the future.  Where does Justin Sharratt and his Marine Corps faithful go to get their reputations back?  How do we prevent this from happening again and remind our brave troops that we will stand behind them when a similar event like Haditha occurs?  You hesitate in combat over worries about a possible court-martial back home and BAMMO, you're dead!

We do it by trumpeting from the rooftops the following message:  Congressman Jack Murtha is a "cold blooded" liar and he should be run out of office in utter shame!  Just as the British Parliament turned its backs in shame on Chamberlain as he left, each member of the House of Representatives should give Murtha the cold shoulder, along with the American people as well.  We should demand an apology from Murtha on the floor of the "People's House", where he candidly admits how he jumped the gun, convicted these men without a trial and begs for their forgiveness.  Only by making a hideous example out of this guy can we ensure that it does not happen ever again.