The Resignation of Alberto Gonzalez

Now that Alberto Gonzalez has resigned, I'd like to take a quick look at the incident that caused the crosshairs to be focused upon him by the Democrats.

He fired some people.

Yes, it's a crime to fire people. Well, only if it's "politically motivated". Well, OK, it's not really a crime, per se. But it's wrong, and as soon as you do it, you should resign. You can't fire people who you don't agree with. It's wrong.

Now, Bill Clinton fired ALL of the justice department prosecutors when he took office. But THAT was different, you see, because... well... he fired them ALL... and that's DIFFERENT... it's not politically motivated, you see, because they were appointed by somebody ELSE, a REPUBLICAN... yeah! That's it! Now I get it!

It's OK to fire prosecutors, but only if they were appointed by a Republican. If you fire prosecutors who were appointed by a Democrat, it's "politically motivated", and you should resign.

This is, far and away, the most ridiculous non-scandal that I can remember. The guy canned a bunch of people because his boss didn't want them working there anymore. That's IT.

This is really unfortunate, because I think the only people who were really calling for the guy's head were the liberal Washington press corps and the deranged Bush haters. Alberto Gonzalez is a good man, but the liberal press simply cannot countenance a successful Hispanic Republican. It doesn't fit the narrative.

Forest-fire Terrorism?

In Greece. Makes you think, doesn't it? About all of the ways that we could potentially be attacked here.

To me, it makes me more committed than ever to pursuing those who would destroy us.

Of course, I'm sure to some others this means that terrorism is unavoidable, so we shouldn't bother fighting back.

Sigh.

Friday Morning Tide

Black Sand Beach, the Big Island, Hawaii, August 2005.

Elvira Arellano arrested in LA

This story is big news in the Chicago area. It seems that Elvira Arellano is an illegal Mexican immigrant who has been seeking (and receiving) sanctuary for over a year at her church in Chicago.

Earlier this week, she announced to the world, through the press, that she would be traveling to Los Angeles to take part in a demonstration.

Yesterday, the press reported that she had left her sanctuary at the church.

Earlier today, the press reported that she had arrived in Los Angeles.

And now, the press is reporting that about 4 PM Chicago time, Elvira Arellano was arrested in LA.

OK. This is the part where those who unconditionally support amnesty (the press) decry the evil cruelty of the oppressive government (she was ONLY trying to PEACEFULLY PROTEST!), those who fear Latino immigrants announce that this is more evidence that we should spend all of our resources as a country to expel every illegal immigrant immediately...

...and reasonable people with no agenda will observe that if you break the law, and you publicly announce that you are not subject to the law because you are hiding in a church, and then you tell the world you're leaving the church, and you tell the world where you're going, and then you go there...

...well, you'll probably be arrested.

What's really funny is that as the press explains the travesty of justice that has occurred, and the overreaching performed by the INS, it will never once occur to them that this was ALL THEIR FAULT.

You see, if they hadn't publicized her trip, she probably could have gone to LA, protested, and returned to Chicago without incident.

However, that's not what this is about.

This is about the press finding a sympathetic immigrant and throwing her under the bus in the name of making people AWARE.

And it sucks.

Fed cuts discount rate by 50 basis points

In reaction to the current liquidity crisis, the Federal Reserve has cut the discount rate, the interest rate that the Fed charges to make direct loans to banks, to 5.75 percent, down from 6.25 percent. The target for the Federal Funds rate remains unchanged at 5.25%.

In a statement explaining the board's action, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and his colleagues said that while incoming data suggest the economy is continuing to expand at a moderate pace, "the downside risks to growth have increased appreciably."

Today might be a good day to measure investor optimism by the reaction to this. If the market is strongly up today on this news, that's potentially an indication that investors believe that the recent market corrections represent an overreaction and a buying opportunity. If the market is sharply down, that might tell us that skittishness is overwhelming the urge to capitalize on an opportunity.

Stay tuned.

Thursday Evening Storm

Big McKenzie Lake, near Spooner WI, Date Unknown.

The mainstream media - letting us know exactly who they are.

There has been quite a bit of outrage on the right about a question asked by CBS White House correspondent Bill Plante as Bush and Rove were leaving the podium. Plante apparently shouted "If he's so smart, how come you lost Congress?". Snarky, huh?

I think people have a right to be offended by this. There's been a vibrant debate about whether a reporter needs to be respectful of a President or not. That's great, but the truly remarkable thing is that Mr. Plante has done the public a huge favor.

He has let us know who he is, and which way he leans.

So now, anyone who suspects he's offering biased reporting will be able to quickly confirm it. He's at least given us clear behavioral evidence that he is rooting against the current administration. Now, those so inclined can easily take criticism of the President from him with a grain of salt going forward.

Kyle Busch will drive the 18 car for Joe Gibbs Racing

As a diehard Bobby Labonte fan, the 18 car is very special to me. And now, Kyle Busch will drive it.

Report: Dennis Hastert to retire

Denny has scheduled a press conference in Kendall County for Friday.

Sentinel Money Market Halts Redemptions

The market is selling strongly following the news that Sentinel has halted withdrawals from a money market fund.

New York Times editorial: "The United States cannot walk away"

Usually, when the New York Times editorial page prints something I agree with, I'll do a teaser here, and make you click through to see who wrote the article. Not this time, though.

That's because I want it in the title. I want everyone to know that even the New York Times understands that abandoning Iraq would be suicide for the West, and the the US is the only one that can prevent that.

My friends over at NewsBusters are predicting that as the Democrats, and the press, warm up to this new conventional wisdom, that we'll hear a lot of "I always said..." and "I've always believed..." related to the continued effort in Iraq, and that the press will give the Democrats a pass on the flip-flop. I agree with this, and it's their job to focus on that.

However, as someone who's quite fond of Western civilization, I am very happy about a couple of things that seem to come from this.

For many months, those of us with our head on straight have been asking those who would quit on Iraq what they thought would happen to Iraq after we left. They didn't really answer, because the truth is ugly and nasty, and conjures images that deeply offend liberal sensibilities... genocide, civil war, ethnic oppression, aggression by neighbors, and the potential for an Al Qaeda stronghold in an advanced, educated Middle Eastern society that has had chemical weapons, biological weapons, and a nuclear program that was ready to go.

So, instead of answering the question, they changed their position. They put their own emotions aside, and saw reality, and they are starting to recognize the job that lies ahead of us.

It's also interesting that the press - and the Democrats - don't seem to think that giving up and going home is the key to winning elections.

This is good news.

Karl Rove is leaving

From the Wall St. Journal, by way of Drudge.

Karl was a brilliant political strategist, and really seemed to understand how to capitalize on the Republican base while keeping focused on issues that the Republicans were strong on, rather than getting pulled into fighting whatever battle the Democrats picked. Also, if your game is politics, and your political opponents constantly demonize you, and envision your face on their image of Satan, you're a winner.

For many people, the 2006 midterms shattered Karl's winning legacy, but let's take a look at the bigger picture. Karl presided over 4 elections. He won 3. The first one was contested in the courts, and he won. The second one was an almost-unheard-of gain of congressional seats by the President's party in a midterm. The third one got a President with a so-so approval rating the most Presidential votes in history, ever, and more congressional seats. The fourth was, by historical standards... nothing more than typical.

Congratulations and best wishes to Karl and his family.

Cindy Sheehan (D-Absolute Moral Authority)

Cindy Sheehan is running for the Senate, against Nancy Pelosi.

You see, that's one of the problems with winning. When you win, as the Democrats have done, and when you furthermore believe that it was your destiny to win, it's very easy to simply write off your opponents as irrelevant, and cease to be united against them.

Once you have the power, your internal differences become more magnified...

...and you begin to self-destruct.

So now, Cindy Sheehan, upon whom the media hath bestowed absolute moral authority, takes on the evil, warmongering DEMOCRAT establishment.

This is so excitingly delicious that I can hardly contain myself. DailyKos, the representative underground netroots of liberalism, has already evicted Cindy for her threats.

Can the mainstream media be far behind?

When you're robbing a store...

...never, ever...

...put down your gun.

The President is a tyrant who violates our civil rights

No, sorry. I'm not talking about President Bush. President Bush is not a tyrant.

This is a tyrant.

You see the difference? Wanting the tools to arrest terrorists... not a tyrant.

Summary executions of opposed religious leaders, students, and civilians... That's a tyrant.

So, if you've railed against the Patriot Act, but not against things like this, it's time to wake up and get serious. Taking off your shoes at the airport isn't 'oppression'. Having your family learn that you've been executed after you're already dead is oppression.

Poor child molester... no place to live...

Newsbusters directs us to ABC News, where they are decrying the Georgia sex offender law as "too tough". You see, to ABC News, it's Georgia's fault that a convicted child offender who's homeless can't find a legal place to stay, because the law won't let him hang around places with lots of kids. Now he's off to prison, and ABC News says it's 'not fair'.

The article continues by citing to unnamed critics who "say the law places people in a catch-22 by rendering nearly the entire state unlivable for sex offenders, while at the same time insisting that they register a permanent address."

How about this? Don't sexually assault kids, and you can stay anywhere you want in Georgia.
Life can be 'too tough', and 'not fair' sometimes, especially if you're found guilty of unleashing sexual harm upon a child, which, by the way, is 'too tough' and 'not fair' to the child you victimized.

Tuesday Morning Scrub

Sonoran Desert near Tucson, AZ, date unknown.

Environmental Activists. Think. Please.

This almost made me pee my pants. Of course, it's possible I've just been exposed to too high a dose of Dihydrogen Monoxide, a chemical used by styrofoam manufacturers, nuclear facilities, and even in pesticides. Dihydrogen Monoxide has, after all, been known to trigger urination.