Home > Perspective

Reviewing an Interesting Week

by Conservativity Staff,
Originally Posted: 1/20/2006 11:57:21 AM

What a week.  We’ve heard from Hillary Clinton that the House of Representatives is run like a "plantation."  We’ve heard from Harry Reid that the GOP is akin to the Mafia.  Nancy Pelosi tells us of the alleged "culture of corruption," over and over and over and over and over and over, as if repetition will make the lie true.  We’ve heard from Osama Bin Laden that he wants a "truce."  We’ve heard from Iran that they will try to disrupt the world’s oil supply if we attempt to interfere with their plans to create atomic weapons (Yes, yes, I know, they’re only doing this for "peaceful" purposes.  And if you believe that, perhaps you can buy this bridge in Brooklyn I’d like to sell you!) or involve the U.N. for sanctions.  We’ve also heard that Iran is getting its money out of Europe before it’s frozen by the U.N.

"What Hillary is really complaining about is that conservatives have the power to defeat the ridiculous legislation that the extreme leftists (read: Democrats) propose."

Ann Coulter, that wonderful goddess, has hit the "plantation" issue right in the center of the target.  Hillary moaned that the House "has been run in a way so that nobody with a contrary view has had a chance to present legislation, to make an argument, to be heard."  Not true.  What Hillary is really complaining about is that conservatives have the power to defeat the ridiculous legislation that the extreme leftists (read: Democrats) propose.  Elections have consequences.  The House of Representatives represents the people of the United States.  The people have decided that they don’t want the demi-totalitarian Democratic Party again in power.  Therefore, the Democrats cannot enact legislation over the will of the people.  This is a good thing.  As to Hillary’s corollary argument that the Democrats cannot "be heard," the media seems to quote Democrats at every chance, as it actively tries to damage the GOP, and also, the United States itself.

Then come the manufactured corruption scandals.  The Washington Post’s ombudsman made a comment on the WP blog that Jack Abramoff contributed to Democrats as well as Republicans.  He was attacked, quite viciously, by so many extreme leftists, touting out their trove of obscenities (when one resorts to obscene words, one lacks the intellect or vocabulary to respond with reason).  The attacks were in fact so malicious and peccant that the Post shut down the blog.  Did Abramoff contribute to Democrats?  Indirectly, yes.  Directly?  I’m unsure.  Either way, the GOP is moving rapidly to stamp out all hint of corruption.  This is hardly what happened in the House Bank scandal, or any of the other scandals that plagued the Democrats in the Jim Wright / Tom "I sued my own constituents" Foley era.  There is no "culture of corruption" save for the Democrats’ spin-and-wishful-thinking-land.

"Perhaps President Bush remembers Spain, who as a nation bowed to the Al Qaeda threat, changed to an extreme Leftist government, and pulled out of Iraq.  As a reward, Al Qaeda bombed Madrid."

Osama Bin Laden releases a video tape and offers a non-specific "truce."  Our President wisely flouts this non-offer.  Perhaps President Bush remembers Spain, who as a nation bowed to the Al Qaeda threat, changed to an extreme Leftist government, and pulled out of Iraq.  As a reward, Al Qaeda bombed Madrid.  Star Jones can call the war on terror a battle of egos and urge each leader to "put it back in his pants" and stop "posturing."  She’s deluded if she thinks that Bin Laden is serious about the so-called truce.  He wants to buy time.  He wants us to be complacent and uncaring, and then, BAM!  We’ll get hit again.  The fact that it has been more than four years since 9/11 shows that our valiant and wonderful President has been vigilant.  He deserves joyous praise, not the odious abusive rage of a Left wing that feels that absolute power is its birthright.

And then there’s Iran.

Iran has absolutely no need for nuclear power.  The only reason that this terrorist-sponsor is fiddling with nukes is to make atomic weapons.  While Iran is Shi’ite and Shi’ites are the mortal enemies of Sunni Al-Qaeda, this is meaningless.  They both hate the U.S.A.  There is credible evidence that the sitting President of Iran is one of the 1979-80 embassy kidnappers -- eyewitness testimony of the hostages!  That would make the Iranian regime not only a terrorist sponsor, but led by a terrorist.  The old saying "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" may apply.  Or worse, Shi’ites and Sunnis get into a spat, ala the Iran/Iraq war, and the Iranians pull out the nukes.  Now understand this:  You blow off nukes in Iran or Iraq, and the fallout will fall on Illinois and Indiana.

"Iran with nukes means a radioactive wasteland in Tel Aviv.  Or a radioactive wasteland in New York when Al-Qaeda or some other group smuggles a nuke into the country and blows it off."

Iran with nukes means a radioactive wasteland in Tel Aviv.  Or a radioactive wasteland in New York when Al-Qaeda or some other group smuggles a nuke into the country and blows it off.  This is why we want to nip the concept of terror-nukes in the bud.  Should we be making it impossible for a terror sponsor to dabble in nuclear power?  Yes.  Absolutely!  Their involvement in terror makes them, as a matter of world safety, ineligible to have WMDs, or any of the components thereof.

As this week unfolded, I at first feared for the future of conservatism.  This was my folly, especially after the superb Alito hearings, and the complete thud with which the NSA wiretapping non-scandal (and Al Gore’s belly) hit the ground.  None of these things represent a true threat to conservatism or its intellectual foundations.  The Democrats are still meeting to try to decide what they stand for (aside from abortion on demand).  The war protestors are not making the front pages anymore.  Cindy Shee-who?  The Democrats are not winning with any of their arguments.

"Now we do need to continue to get our message out.  We need to constantly answer the question Why."

Now we do need to continue to get our message out.  We need to constantly answer the question Why.  Why is Conservatism better at giving people true equality?  Why is Conservatism better at giving people economic freedom?  Why is Conservatism the better philosophy to govern?  Why is Conservatism more faithful to both the spirit and the letter of our Constitution?  Why is Conservatism more able to keep us secure?  Why is Conservatism more sensible than liberalism?  We have answers for these questions, but the Liberals don’t have cogent responses to the converse questions.  That is our bromide. 

The best that Liberals hope for is a scandal so onerous that the people repeat Watergate’s ejection of the GOP.  A few wrinkles.  The President broke no laws.  The Congress is rapidly moving to implement strict new rules.  The extreme Left no longer has a monopoly on the media.  If the Dan Rather forged document scandal happened in 1992, CBS would have gotten away with it.  Nowadays, there are bloggers who can dissect B.S. in minutes, and who diligently do so.  Nonetheless, Andy Rooney bemoans the people and wishes that they "were smarter than they are."  Mr. Rooney, we are far smarter, and wiser, than you give us credit for.  And that is why the Left is doomed, notwithstanding Dick Morris’ statements to the contrary.

So all in all, the week wasn’t bad for us.  The Left has no traction and no hope for any.  Perhaps we need to help them figure out what they stand for.  Then we can have an actual debate on the issues.