Freedom. It isn't free and it's isn't a gift

I heard President Bush on TV other day repeat a phrase he is known for: "Freedom is God's gift to every man, woman, and child."

I understand Bush's intent here, but he is clearly wrong.

What got me to thinking about this is a quote BigDog sent me:

"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same." - Ronald Reagan

The only freedom God gives to us as a gift is the freedom to choose Him or not in this life. And that choice can and is made whether we are free or in bondage. Apostle Paul wrote in scripture that “there is neither slave nor free” in Christ (Gal. 3:28). It tells us that our unity in Christ transcends all identity on this earth. This includes political and class identity.

Freedom is not a gift, as Reagan's quote points out, it is something that man must fight for. And when obtained, we must protect it.

The freedom we relish in this country, we clearly take for granted. But freedom requires discipline. It is entirely separate from our belief in God. Believers and non believers benefit from freedom. Freedom is universally wonderful in that it enhances lives and brings more prosperity and happiness to those who live under it's banner. That is why it is always right to do what we can as a a nation to help those in the world enjoy the same freedoms that we enjoy.

I worry about the future of our freedom. It can be taken away inch by inch. The more we allow government to control aspects of our lives, the less freedom we have. We must be on guard the coming years.

It is our task as citizens of a country that proved to the world that freedom works.

Smart Girls

I joined a conservative woman's site and thought I would share the blogroll with you if you want some more rightwing chick reading!

A Traditional Life Lived
Amanda Carpenter
Anyway, I digress
BlacknrightBrain-Jockey
Buckeye Conservative
chicagobluesgirl
Conservative United Women
Conservative Women's Movement
Crystal Clear Conservative
Decidedly Right
Doctorwifemom
Excuse Me For Kickin'
Good Work Works
Lasso of Truth
Lipstick Underground
Michelle McIntosh
Moms 4 Sarah Palin
Moms in the Right
Peach Girl Politics
Pink Elephant Pundit
Politics for Moms
Read My Lipstick Network
Real Women for Sarah
Red Blooded American Girl
Red Right and True
Smart Girl Politics
SWAC Girl
Young Red Elephant
FreakyNewsDaily

The site is called Smart Girl Politics.

Life

Dave bones sent this to me. It was made by a "hippie mate" of his. I love the ending. It says it all. A pro-abortion President may have won, but that doesn't mean we stop fighting for those innocent and most vunerable of our society, who have no voice of their own. We should always be their voice, even when the world is against us.

Texas Nation

Hey, it could happen:

via The Travis Monitor

In part:

Please note that Texas is the only state with a legal right to secede from the Union . (Reference the Texas-American Annexation Treaty of 1848.)

So what does Texas have to do to survive as a Republic?

1. NASA is just south of Houston , Texas . We will control the space industry.

2. We refine over 85% of the gasoline in the United States .

3. Defense Industry--we have over 65% of it. The term "Don't mess with Texas ," will take on a whole new meaning.

4. Oil - we can supply all the oil that the Republic of Texas will need for the next 300 years. Yankee states? Sorry about that.

5. Natural Gas - again we have all we need and it's too bad about those Northern States. John Kerry will have to figure out a way to keep them warm....

6. Computer Industry - we currently lead the nation in producing computer chips and communications--small companies like Texas Instruments, Dell Computer, EDS, Raytheon, National Semiconductor, Motorola, Intel, AMD, Atmel, Applied Materials, Ball Miconductor, Dallas Semiconductor, Delphi, Nortel, Alcatel, etc, etc. The list goes on and on.

7. Medical Care - We have the largest research centers for cancer research, the best burn centers and the top trauma units in the world, as well as other large health centers. Dallas has some of the best hospitals in the United States .

8. We have enough colleges to keep us going: University of Texas , Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Rice, SMU, University of Houston , Baylor, UNT ( University of North Texas ), Texas Women's University, etc. Ivy grows better in the South anyway.

9. We have a ready supply of workers. We could just open the border when we need some more.

10. We have essential control of the paper industry, plastics, insurance, etc.

11. In case of a foreign invasion, we have the Texas National Guard and the Texas Air National Guard. We don't have an Army, but since everybody down here has at least six rifles and a pile of ammo, we can raise an Army in 24 hours if we need one. If the situation really gets bad, we can always call the Department of Public Safety and ask them to send over Chuck Norris and a couple of Texas Rangers.

12. We are totally self-sufficient in beef, poultry, hogs, and several types of grain, fruit and vegetables, and let's not forget seafood from the Gulf. Also, everybody down here knows how to cook them so that they taste good. Don't need any food.

This just names a few of the items that will keep the Republic of Texas in good shape. There isn't a thing out there that we need and don't have.
Now to the rest of the United States under President Obama:

Since you won't have the refineries to get gas for your cars, only President Obama will be able to drive around in his big 9 mpg SUV. The rest of the United States will have to walk or ride bikes.

You won't have any TV as the Space Center in Houston will cut off satellite communications.

You won't have any natural gas to heat your homes, but since Mr. Obama has predicted global warming, you will not need the gas as long as you survive the 2000 years it will take to get enough heat from Global Warming.Signed, The People of TexasP.S. This is not a threatening letter - just a note to give you something to think about!

SLEEP WELL TONIGHT THE EYES OF TEXAS ARE UPON YOU!!

One Nation Under God

Pretty impressive. We would have to find a way to deport all the liberals in Austin to Vermont, where they belong, but other than that I don't see a downside....;-)

Badass Marines

This is why we are the best.

250 insurgents against 30 Marines. Guess who won?

“The biggest thing to take from that day is what Marines can accomplish when they’re given the opportunity to fight,” the sniper said. “A small group of Marines met a numerically superior force and embarrassed them in their own backyard. The insurgents told the townspeople that they were stronger than the Americans, and that day we showed them they were wrong.”

via HotAir

Dancing....

This is my daughter at a dance in New Orleans this weekend. I had to post it because it's such an awesome pic!

Thanksgiving doesn't just happen, you know.

Today women (and yes, it's women) across America begin a week of hectic chaos that only the holidays can bring. Like me they are looking forward to visiting relatives and only have a few things to attend to.

Make a menu, not only for Thanksgiving day, but for breakfasts and lunches while visitors stick around for the weekend. Go the grocery store where hundreds like yourself check off 2 notebook pages of items. The grocery store never has enough checkers. Why should they? Are you just going to leave? Not likely. So while standing in line you catch up on what Brad and Angelina are doing with their brood, while your head is filled with what else you have to do.

Go home unload the groceries, clean the house, change the sheets (get out the good ones), wash clothes and the tablecloth you haven't used in a year, run buy some candles for the centerpiece, make sure the bathrooms have towels that match, run buy wine and beer, wash the dust off your good china and crystal, and don't forget.....you have to make dinner tonight, you know. Did you get something at the grocery store for that? Of course not. You run back to get some pork chops for tonight. Then you remember that if you can get some presents for family and wrap them before they get here, you can give it to them to take back and you won't have to mail them. So you run to the mall, buy the gifts, run home and wrap them and then forget to give them to your relatives when they leave and you have to mail them anyway.

You come home, fold the towels and clothes and iron the tablecloth. Make dinner for tonight and contemplate starting to drink early, like today.

Wednesday comes, you've made dinner, and soon relatives and friends arrive and everyone is so excited to see each other they laugh and drink and eat and no one helps you clean up. That's fine. You love that everyone is having fun. You drink too much too because cleaning up is more fun when you do, and wake up Thanksgiving day with a headache.

But that's what bloody mary's are for, right? You get up early, shower and get ready because you know you won't have time later. You make breakfast for everyone and then clean up while they get dressed. Then comes the cooking and serving of the turkey, dressing, corn casserole, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, cranberries, salad, bread, cakes, blueberry crisp and fudge pie.

Everyone eats and drinks too much and falls asleep in front of the TV watching football while you and your sweet sister-in-law, mom, and mother-in-law help you clean up, thank God.

Friday morning the crazy women in your family get up at 5am to go shopping and the men sleep late. In the afternoon you lay out the leftovers and wash the towels everyone has used.

Some leave on Saturday and some stay till Sunday, but it's been wonderful and exhausting and maybe, despite it all, your thankful that this holiday forces us to get together with the people we love.

Oh yeah, Monday is Dec. 1st. Now you can get ready for Christmas. Don't worry, you can sleep in January.

Buy Obama Memorabilia Crap

Pretty funny. Believe it or not, the commercials shown here ARE NOT part of the skit. They are actual commercials.

Fox News IS Fair and Balanced

From Wired:

The web is the most trusted news medium (over TV and print combined), and Fox News is the most trusted TV news source, according to results from a new Zogby poll commissioned by the Independent Film Channel.

Fox ruled with 39.3 percent of those polled beating out CNN at 16 percent and MSNBC at 15 percent.

These results are good fodder for Fox in defending its claims of being "Fair and Balanced" -- it's also interesting to note that more people in the poll described themselves as Democrats than Republicans -- but the majority of Americans seem to also have little faith in the media at all.

via Libertarian Republican

No surprise here at all. The liberal Democrats, who whine incessantly about Fox News, just hate that the media bias for Democrats is finally countered with a balanced look.

Warning! Heh.

A Great Man, President Bush

The media, the left, and hollywood have tried, successfully I might add, to paint Pres. Bush as a not so intelligent bungler. But the truth is the opposite. Cassandra over at Villainous Company has an excellent overview of the reality of Pres. Bush. Read the whole thing.

I'll only add that I am so grateful for a leader who rose above politics and did the one thing he promised, he kept us safe. No matter what manner of garbage that has been thrown at him, he has been gracious and kind. He is an upstanding and loving father and husband. He always did what he thought was best for the country. History will see him as he really was, not the way the left and the media, who hated him and his values so much, saw him.

As he leaves office, he leaves a grateful nation where at least half of us understand all that he gave us.

Thank you President Bush

I think the French get us...

This is from a French OMLT infantryman in Afghanistan describing our soldiers:

“We have shared our daily life with two US units for quite a while - they are the first and fourth companies of a prestigious infantry battalion whose name I will withhold for the sake of military secrecy. To the common man it is a unit just like any other. But we live with them and got to know them, and we henceforth know that we have the honor to live with one of the most renowned units of the US Army - one that the movies brought to the public as series showing “ordinary soldiers thrust into extraordinary events”.
.......................

Heavily built, fed at the earliest age with Gatorade, proteins and creatine - they are all heads and shoulders taller than us and their muscles remind us of Rambo. Our frames are amusingly skinny to them - we are wimps, even the strongest of us - and because of that they often mistake us for Afghans.

Hey. At least they admit it. Wimps and all that.
.........................

And they are impressive warriors ! We have not come across bad ones, as strange at it may seem to you when you know how critical French people can be. Even if some of them are a bit on the heavy side, all of them provide us everyday with lessons in infantry know-how.
......................

And combat ? If you have seen Rambo you have seen it all - always coming to the rescue when one of our teams gets in trouble, and always in the shortest delay. That is one of their tricks : they switch from T-shirt and sandals to combat ready in three minutes. Arriving in contact with the ennemy, the way they fight is simple and disconcerting : they just charge ! They disembark and assault in stride, they bomb first and ask questions later - which cuts any pussyfooting short.
We seldom hear any harsh word, and from 5 AM onwards the camp chores are performed in beautiful order and always with excellent spirit.
.................................

To those who bestow us with the honor of sharing their combat outposts and who everyday give proof of their military excellence, to those who pay the daily tribute of America’s army’s deployment on Afghan soil, to those we owned this article, ourselves hoping that we will always remain worthy of them and to always continue hearing them say that we are all the same band of brothers”.

Pretty cool, huh?

via Arrgghhh

Communication of the Culture of Death

Obama has picked as his communication director, Ellen Moran, the executive director of EMILY'S List, whose number one concern is abortion rights.

Did you know........

.....raising taxes and spreading the wealth has a smell?

Well, it does.

Liberal Hypocrisy

Is anyone surprised? Obama's daughters will attend the pricey exclusive Sidwell Friends school in Washington D.C. The same one Chelsea Clinton attended.

School choice for the liberals who can afford it, but not for you.

You might ask, what President would send their kids to public schools? That would be George W. Bush.

Too Funny

Here is video (it's making the rounds) of Palin being interviewed after pardoning a turkey at a Wasila poultry farm, and in the background they are killing the turkeys! Like LST points out. SNL is writing the script as we speak.

I didn't realize that MSNBC used this video to denigrate Palin (as usual) instead of just poke fun. But since no one watchs MSNBC except leftwing loonies, I figure most of you haven't seen it.

A Run on Guns

Confederate Yankee talks about the rush of gun buyers recently. When I was shopping for my gun last weekend, the gun shop owner said the same thing. He had never seen anything like it.

Some might say this is irrational fear. Gabriel at Ace's asks this: Does the Supreme Court's recent firearm jurisprudence holding that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to firearms reassure anyone?

No, it doesn't. Because there was only ONE vote assuring us of that protection. Given that Obama is likely to have to appoint at least one, if not more, judges to the Supreme Court in the coming years, I don't think it's irrational to assume things could change in reference to the 2nd Amendment.

Take this for example. Eric Holder, Obama's choice for Attorney General, co-signed an amicus brief in District of Columbia v. Heller. It was filed in support of DC’s ban on all handguns, and ban on the use of any firearm for self-defense in the home. The brief argued that the Second Amendment is a “collective” right, not an individual one.

Are we getting this? This man will be our Attorney General. He does not see the Second Amendment as an individual right.

The way people look at it is that if they have their gun now there is simply no way the government will be able to take it away. But the government can make it difficult or impossible to buy a gun in the future. Why wait and take the chance?

There is a sad (delicious?) irony in that by voting in a President who wishes to restrict gun rights, it triggers (pardon the pun) a flood of gun buyers. Someone like myself who probably wouldn't be buying gun now otherwise, not only buys a gun, but gets a CHL as well. I know I am not alone. Since I put up my post on gun shopping I have heard from tons of women who have never owned a firearm and feel they should get on now.

I'm hoping to get my gun this weekend. I shopped last weekend and I think I have decided. I'll post a picture when I get it. Stay tuned.

Thank you Sarah Palin

The Texas Insider has an excellent article on Palin titled and true: GOP Needs More Sarahs And Fewer Arnolds

In part:

At the recent Republican Governors Conference in Florida, one superstar (Sarah Palin of Alaska) was center stage, while another (Arnold Schwarzenkennedy of Caleefornia) was conspicuous by his absence.

Fresh off her rollercoaster ride as the 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee, Governor Palin gave a speech that was simultaneously humorous and serious, confident yet self-deprecating.

Unshackled from the nitwits who ran the disorganized John McCain for President Campaign, she was relaxed and back in her element. She spoke of the states as a proving ground for the future leadership of the nation, and of the governors as the alternative to Washington's visionless business-as-usual. She is truly a political rising star in the midst of several political rising stars.

This is Change?

People we thought were gone (or wished were gone) from the political stage are back. Transition chief John Podesta? Tom Daschle for HHS? Hillary for Sec. of State? Eric Holder for Attorney General? Rahm Emanuel for Chief of Staff?

Wow. That is some change. Old school Democrats, Clinton cronies, and Hillary herself.

31 of the 47 people so far named to transition or staff posts are associated to the Clinton administration.

If you thought Obama was going to bring a new kind of Democrat to Washington, you were sadly mistaken.

Everything old is new again.

What's Love Got To Do With It?

This article has been getting a lot of attention. It's about men no longer wanting to marry. They would rather watch Southpark re-runs and play video games. The men blame it on the women, and I can see their point to a degree. When your average twenty something year old woman cannot be distinguished from your local hooker in dress or in manner, then I can see a reluctance to go down the aisle.

I could write all day about how I think that society has done just about everything wrong in encouraging happy marriages and welcoming children into this world.

The best and truest spiritual look at sexuality that I am aware of is "The Theology of The Body." But we are about as far from that as a society as I could ever imagine.

On a less serious note, isn't it ironic that at a time when heterosexual men are trying to avoid marriage, homosexual men are fighting to get married?

It's like Kinky Friedman said when running for Governor of Texas, "Gays should be allowed to marry. They have a right to be as miserable as the rest of us." Heh.

In the article linked above the author recieved a response from males that looked like this:

Their argument, in effect, was that the SYM is putting off traditional markers of adulthood—one wife, two kids, three bathrooms—not because he’s immature but because he’s angry. He’s angry because he thinks that young women are dishonest, self-involved, slutty, manipulative, shallow, controlling, and gold-digging. He’s angry because he thinks that the culture disses all things male. He’s angry because he thinks that marriage these days is a raw deal for men.

Wow. Pretty harsh. I'm sure single woman could state an equally damning accusation, because it does go both ways.

It all reminded me of something my very wise Father told me when I was a teenager. He asked me to think of the kind of man I would like to marry. And I did. He then said, "Go and be the kind of woman that man would want to marry then."

These were powerful words spoken by the man I admired and loved most in the world. Those words never left me.

I don't think young women today are trying to be that kind of woman. They are trying to be the kind of woman a man would want that night, not forever. And it seems to me, men are not trying to be any kind of a man, except what brings them instant gratification.

Of course, all of this is a generalization. I know there are many exceptions. But in this sea of confusion and wrong ideas, I wonder how they will find each other?

Stuff

This local story is getting national attention. A Texas preacher is encouraging married couples to have sex for seven nights straight.

Why is this national news? Does the msm think married Christians don't have sex?

Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth 4th to secede since '03. When a church stops preaching the gospel and instead going against it then they should expect to lose parishioners.

In the Minnesota Senate election drama, Norm Coleman will be certified as the winner today (thank God) but a recount will be underway. Maybe they will find more ballots in the back of cars for Al Franken? My mind just cannot wrap itself around the fact that Al Franken would ever be seriously considered for the Senate even by Democrats. I mean, this is Al Franken. A non funny comedian. Democrats should be properly embarrassed and Minnesota should be ashamed for it even being close.

Gay activists are so ticked about Prop. 8, the gays are the new Code Pink. Vandalizing Mormon Churches with obscene graffiti and sending "white powder" to Church offices, interrupting church services of evangelicals by hollering, pulling a fire alarm, and throwing pamphlets.

Related. Obama's hope and change website never addressed gay rights. In fact it never mentioned the words 'gay' or 'lesbian' until after the election that is.

You have probably seen this, but if you haven't, it tells us all we know to know. How Obama got elected. The nice way of putting it is that no one really knew or cared about the issues. The media's constant attack on Palin made it's mark.

We were suckered

No doubt about it.

It's like trusting a drunk to stay sober.

I was competely wrong.

As for the $25 billion bailout for the auto industry, are we going to let ourselves be conned again???

We've Won

You didn't hear about Iraq during the Presidential campaign because we were winning and that never fit the mainstream media's narrative, so they pretty much ignored it and continue to do so. But if you want to hear from Michael Yon and our boys like Greyhawk, please read and offer a prayer of thanks that our boys are coming home in honor and not in defeat as many on the left predicted.

From Mudville:

"THE WAR IS OVER AND WE WON:" Michael Yon just phoned from Baghdad, and reports that things are much better than he had expected, and he had expected things to be good.I've been saying "we won" for some time now, so no argument on that point from me. But if there's any war left in Iraq, it's up north. No one has been reporting from Mosul for a while. That's usually a good sign (recall how news from Anbar disappeared during the surge, as that province tipped into the "win" column) but I'd still like to hear from a trusted source on how things are going up there.
...................

Victory in Iraq Day - November 22, 2008 -- [The Liberty Boys]I declare November 22, 2008 to be "Victory in Iraq Day." (Hereafter known as "VI Day.") By every measure, The United States and coalition forces have conclusively defeated all enemies in Iraq, pacified the country, deposed the previous regime, successfully helped to establish a new functioning democratic government, and suppressed any lingering insurgencies. The war has come to an end. And we won.

We are turning a page in history that may be ignored for political reasons by the left and the media, but in the history books yet to be written, the real story of honor, courage, sacrifice, will be told and our children's children will know how it made all the difference for their future.

An Open Letter to Obama from the insurgents in Iraq

Here in part:

The reason why you won the presidency is not because the Americans suddenly found out that they should not be racist, it is because of the many mistakes that the Bush administration fell under which didn’t leave for the American citizen any room, not even for a second to think about keeping that administration and the least proof for this is the large numbers of votes against them. Your campaign promises were built on change and the time for it has come, and we say with that the time has come… therefore we ask for change and do not listen to those who tell you that a withdrawal from Iraq is a defeat. We say to you that a withdrawal will mean a triumph of reason and logic… You must correct your mistakes and work with courage to pay compensation to all those who you have destroyed, their families or their house or their psychology. And you must release all those you have as prisoners until the last Iraqi of them, and you must order the sectarian government to release all its prisoners and to return the balance of security to Iraq. Without this we will not think that you will be coming with the change that you have promised, and if you do this you will be written down in history as the courageous one.”

These bloodsuckers have determined that we haven't proved we aren't racist just by electing a black President as the leader of the free world.

Huh.

I'm wondering if they will also "pay compensation" to all those they destroyed with their bombs, their cutting off of heads, or the hundreds of Iraqi military interpreters they have tortured and slaughtered.

Maybe they haven't gotten the memo that we are slowly withdrawing from Iraq and if Obama is more intelligent than he is radical, we will maintain a large presence there. I believe that Obama will do that.

Gun Shopping

I Finally went gun shopping today. The guy who helped me said the gun show in Conroe last weekend was so packed that you were shoulder to shoulder with people as you tried to walk through. He said he has never seen anything like it. He said people were buying ammo by the cases.

I can't imagine why that is.......*snort*

Anyway, since I decided to learn to shoot and get my CHL I've been asking advice on the net and researching guns. I have a 45 semi-automatic, but it's too big for me. I have really small hands. The guns above are what I looked at today. The bottom one is a BerettaPX4 STORM 9mm. It felt good in my hand but is a bit complicated. I could easily get used to that though. The pink one in the middle (so cute, like a MaryKay gun...heh.) is a Taurus PT-111 9mm. The top one is a Revolver model 640 and it was my favorite as far as how it fit my hand and how easy it was to handle. But the salesman didn't think I would like the kick. So my next step is to go to a shooting range that rents guns and try these out. Any advice is welcome.

The Reality Show of Politics

Did you get the feeling that this Presidential race was a lot like a reality show? But only for the minor players, because we never saw the reality of Obama or Michelle.

When did people become celebrities just for being a part of it? I saw William Ayers doing the morning shows to promote his book that he is re-releasing (which I would NEVER link here, and if you buy it I hope the teeth in your head rot out). Ayers knew that this was his 15 minutes of fame (without blowing anything up anyway) and he is taking advantage of it.

I'm waiting for Rev. Wright to do the same. Why waste your 15 minutes of bigoted fame?

Joe The Plumber said that he has received 2000 marriage proposals since he asked that one question of Obama. Maybe they had him confused with Mr. Clean?

Just kidding. I liked Joe The Plumber.

I'm sure someone has offered a talk show to Piper Palin by now or at least a fashion handbag line since every leftie looney on the planet seems to think she has high dollar taste.

It's a crazy world.

via GOC

The biggest myth of this election is that our country will be united under Obama. That isn't going to happen. It will seem so because it's our side on the other side and we won't be making films about Obama while he is in office distorting his words and bashing him. We won't be drawing pictures of him with monkey ears and calling him Obamahitler like the other side did. We won't have people running up to Obama's Sec. of State with 'blood' on our hands like Code Pink did. We won't parade paper mache images of Obama and Biden in prison uniforms down streets of our towns.

And one thing is for sure. The classy and gracious staff of Pres. Bush won't be pulling the "O" off all the computers and vandalising offices like the Clinton staff did. The Bush family won't be stealing furniture from the White House either. You won't have country music artists slamming Obama on foreign soil or agreeing with our enemies about how awful he is.

It will seem better because of the class of Republicans, but it will still be as divided because our ideology and vision is so completely opposite of Democrats and nothing is going to change that.

Perfect Description

From Camille Paglia via NRO: (emphasis mine)

Liberal Democrats are going to wake up from their sadomasochistic, anti-Palin orgy with a very big hangover. The evil genie released during this sorry episode will not so easily go back into its bottle. A shocking level of irrational emotionalism and at times infantile rage was exposed at the heart of current Democratic ideology... One would have to look back to the Eisenhower 1950s for parallels to this grotesque lock-step parade of bourgeois provincialism, shallow groupthink and blind prejudice...

As for the Democrats who sneered and howled that Palin was unprepared to be a vice-presidential nominee — what navel-gazing hypocrisy! What protests were raised in the party or mainstream media when John Edwards, with vastly less political experience than Palin, got John Kerry's nod for veep four years ago? And Gov. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas, for whom I lobbied to be Obama's pick and who was on everyone's short list for months, has a record indistinguishable from Palin's. Whatever knowledge deficit Palin has about the federal bureaucracy or international affairs (outside the normal purview of governors) will hopefully be remedied during the next eight years of the Obama presidencies.

Well, let's hope to God it isn't 8 years. But the description of the Democrats regarding Palin couldn't be more perfect. Shallow groupthink is also at the heart of electing Obama.

Palin Power Lives On!

I thought in my post "The Tar and Feathering of Sarah Palin," that that would be the end of it, but no. The bashing continues with "anonymous sources" now within the McCain campaign. If those scumbags think they can convince us that Sarah is the reason McCain lost, instead of how badly they handled the campaign, they are fooling themselves. We will never buy that. She had the star power. She was the one conservatives were excited about. McCain we all respected and knew was a great leader, but Palin was the one who we all agreed with on all the issues important to all of us. And more importantly, she was never afraid to stand up for those issues.

As with the other smears, these weren't true either. She knows which countries are a part of the North American Free Trade Agreement. She never answered the door wrapped in nothing but a towel. She knows Africa is a continent.

But that won't keep the left from repeating the lies over and over just as they did with the previous lies. They find Sarah such a threat that they feel a vicious need to smear her personally. It's disturbing.

Even now they still go on and on about her clothes. As if that is important. Never thinking to ask how much Obama's or his wife's clothes were. The entire thing is absurd. But the left thrives on the absurd. They vote for the absurd, so why I should I expect them to be any different here?

The joke is that Biden was the one who was completely wrong on the role of the Vice Presidency in the debate (let's hope someone tutors him on it soon). Biden was the one who thought that Roosevelt went on TV in 1929 to talk about the market crash. Biden was the one who thought JOBS was a three letter word. Biden was the one who bragged and implied that his helicopter had been forced down by al-Qaida in Afghanistan, when it was actually a snowstorm that forced it down. Blow hard doesn't even begin to describe him. The media went nuts over Sarah's clothes, but not a word about Biden's hairplugs, bleached teeth, and self tan.

Biden was the embarassing one, but it was Sarah they went after. If they couldn't smear her with the truth, they would do it with lies. They think they can throw water on her star power by creating a false image. It isn't going to work.

I kept wanting to post on the various interviews Sarah has given since the election. But all I could think of to say was, "OMG, I love this woman." Did you see the one at her home? Just a down to earth regular home. She was serving chili, which you know she has stood there and made and served so many times over the years. I would LOVE to see Nancy Pelosi in her kitchen. I'm betting it's as big as Sarah's entire house and that Nancy has never set foot in it, except to ask the help to bring more coffee for the guests. The same can be said of Hillary.

Sarah is the real deal. She isn't a polished politician groomed from the ground up like Obama. She isn't a rich plastic elitist like Pelosi. She isn't a power hungry politician willing to sell her soul in ambition like Hillary.

She energized this party. She brought out the massive crowds, got us excited to be Republicans again, and got SNL their biggest ratings in 14 years. News stations were scrambling to get interviews with Sarah, not McCain or even Biden for that matter, after all this was over. Has that ever happened before with a VP pick? No. If I were a Democrat, I'd be scared of her too.

The most amazing thing about her was never really talked about in the media much at all during the election. How she fought corruption in her own party. She quit in protest a great position on the Alaska Gas and Oil Regulatory Commission because a fellow Commission member and Chair of the Alaska Republican Party misused his office and position. Within weeks, the corrupt guy was gone. She went on to beat Governor Murkowski, from a deep seated good ole boy political family. She then went after corrupt legislators, and with the FBI's help, put four of them in prison and indicted six more.

Did you know any of this? Of course not. Reporting on her clothes was just so much more important, right?

She is fearless, focused, and a woman of the people.

I feel so strongly about her that if her staff called me tonight and asked me to work for her for this next year without pay, I would do it. I would fly across this country to make sure our nation understood what a gift Palin is to us. She is us.

It's time for us to get back to who we really are. Keeping our military strong. Fighting government bureaucracy. Fighting the spending. Getting government out of our lives. Fighting for family values. Believing that America is that shining city on a hill and making sure Americans don't forget that, as they listen to the Democrats who see little in America to be proud of.

Sarah Palin is the face of our party as we face this new administration that sees government as the answer to our problems, who doesn't value the sanctity of human life, who thinks raising taxes will make things better, who refuses to understand the war on terror.

Let the left froth and snarl about our Sarah. Let the media continue to distort and lie about her. Would we expect anything different from them?

Sarah has proven herself to be up for the fight. She is our fighter. Thank God. It's about time we had one.

"Good people sleep peaceable in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."

My Father was a punk kid from a broken home born to a teenage mother. He was full of anger and nothing but trouble at the age of 18. If you have been here long, you know his story.

The Army made a man out of him. It taught him discipline, hard work, and respect for himself and others. When he became a Sargent quickly it proved to him what no one had bother to mention to him, that he was intelligent and a leader. He ended up training men older than he was. The Army literally saved my Father's life and gave him a brand new one. One filled with college, law school, a career in politics and a loving wonderful marriage and three children he adored.

He was the greatest man I ever knew. I will always be thankful to our military for all it gave my Father.

I thank all the Veterans today for your sacrifice and your dedication to our country.

In honor of our Veterans, let's take a look at this story that tells us much about our boys in Iraq and all the soldiers and Marines that have served us so well:

In roughly 10 days' time, the first of four 101st Airborne Division brigades will be completely redeployed from combat — about a month ahead of schedule.

About 550 soldiers with Fort Campbell's 3rd Brigade Combat Team returned from a 15-month deployment to Iraq on Friday, and in a few days the brigade will finish its redeployment.

One of his fellow 3rd BCT soldiers, Staff Sgt. Christian Martinez, said when he found out he was coming home early it was a weight off his and his family's shoulders. "It was a relief because you can start seeing the beginning of the end," Martinez said.

He said it was difficult, though, to leave their Iraqi counterparts, who now control the area almost entirely themselves.

"The Iraqi army started crying and shaking our hands," he said.

"I think a lot of us were caught off guard by it," he added.

Imagine that scene for a moment. The men of the Iraqi Army crying. I know why they cry. I bet my Father could tell you.

It's a new life. A much much better one.

via Mudville

Heh

Focus

I've been trying to figure out what to say about the ongoing and untrue bashing of Palin. It seems every time a smear comes out about her, it's quickly debunked, but that doesn't keep them from continuing.

I'm trying to think if any of the smears were true? None that I can think of, including the most recent ones from McCain's own camp.

I was also trying to figure out what to say about the articles coming out now showing a clear over the top bias in news reporting for Obama vs McCain.

But in the end, what does whining do? The media and liberals and others will continue to bash Palin because her popularity among conservatives and refreshing personality pose a threat to them. That is never going to change. And neither is the bias coverage against conservatives and conservative candidates. We can't change any of that and it doesn't help to complain about it.

We, as conservatives, just have to work harder to get out message to the people. If you can't beat the system, work around it.

It's time for conservatives to find their voice again. Maybe when all the college students finish their mandated 100 community service hours for the government, they will be ready to listen to our message of less government control in our lives.

During Bush's years we were all angry and frustrated with the spending, but it was difficult to say that our party would stop spending when Bush was in our party. That won't be a problem now. Now we can make our case against spending and waste as the opposition party.

Looking for a silver lining here, we can re-group and put our party back on track with less government involvement in our lives, less taxes, less spending, and more accountability.

Winning the War of Words

From The Center For Immigration Studies:

Illegal-alien and open-borders advocates may succeed in getting the Arizona Supreme Court to ban numerous immigration-related phrases, including “illegal alien” and “open-borders advocates.”

In a significant blow to the First Amendment and the use of legally-correct terminology, Arizona Supreme Court Chief Justice Ruth McGregor has advanced the demands of the Arizona Hispanic Bar Association by moving to ban the following language from all of the state’s courtrooms:

Aliens
Illegal aliens
Resident or non-resident aliens
Illegal immigrants
Illegal immigration
Illegals Immigration epidemic
Immigration crisis
Immigrant invasion
Pro-illegal immigration activists
Open borders advocates
Anchor babies
Proponents for amnesty

Many of these terms have a precedent in the law that reaches back to the origins of this country. The first five terms are used repeatedly throughout federal immigration statutes and case law. In place of these words, the Hispanic Bar Association demands the use of legally-enigmatic terms such as “unauthorized workers.” Of course, use of inaccurate and activist-created terms only creates confusion and legal uncertainty.
............................

The language war is nothing new. Open-border, pro-illegal immigration activists have invested way too much time coming up with euphemisms for illegal alien amnesty. These proponents for amnesty believe that they will be successful in tricking the American public into supporting mass legalization if only they can find the right wording.
Despite the public’s continued overwhelming opposition to amnesty, the immigration language police have been successful in one realm: the media. In its letter to Justice McGregor, the Arizona Hispanic Bar noted the work of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. For at least the past decade this journalism group has sent memos to news publications across the country, demanding that they refrain from using the term “illegal alien” and other legally-accurate terminology. Anyone who follows the news knows that many journalists on the immigration beat regularly supplant legally-correct terminology with activist-created language.

Although, as many of you know, I disagree with my conservative brethren on the illegal Alien issue (if I can still say that), I was in agreement with Bush on his temporary worker program.

But this has nothing to do with that. Banning words and descriptions??? Good grief. It's unbelievable. Even worse is journalists bowing to this kind of censorship.

via NRO

Thoughts on our election

A look at what some of our enemies thought of our election:

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The leader of a jihadi group in Iraq argued Friday that the election of Barack Obama as president represented a victory for radical Islamic groups that had battled American forces since the invasion of Iraq.
The statement, which experts said was part of the psychological duel with the United States, was included in a 25-minute audiotaped speech by Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, leader of the Islamic State of Iraq, an umbrella organization that claims ties to Al Qaeda. Mr. Baghdadi’s statement was posted on a password-protected Web site called Al Hesbah, used to disseminate information to Islamic radicals.
In his address, Mr. Baghdadi also said that the election of Mr. Obama — and the rejection of the Republican candidate, Senator John McCain — was a victory for his movement, a claim that has already begun to resonate among the radical faithful. In so doing Mr. Baghdadi highlighted the challenge the new president would face as he weighed how to remove troops from Iraq without also giving movements like Al Qaeda a powerful propaganda tool to use for recruiting.

A look at what some of our soldiers thought of the election:

Sitting on a couch in front of the television in the early hours of the morning, an Army Captain watched as the election results were being reported. He shook his head in disgust. "This is proof that the media can elect a President." The room walls were grey concrete, the floor covered in a red Afghan rug, the sofa and love seat torn and worn down from constant use. The dusty television was set in a plywood box; a field made "entertainment" cabinet. The Captain continued, "I take [Obama's] not wearing the flag on his lapel and his reasoning very personally. Fuck him. That flag is more than just about a country and its ideas; it is about the man on your left and right that you fight with and die for." The Master Sergeant sitting in the room commented,"He has no use for soldiers. He never took the time on his tours to spend time with soldiers, only senior commanders and foreign politicians."

A look at what some Iraqis thought of our election:

'In Kurdistan, some Iraqis were inspired by Obama’s historic rise, 44 years after racial segregation was outlawed in the United States. “America has opened a new page,” said Tawana Othman, an intellectual in Sulaymaniya, Kurdistan. “Today, a black man has reached the White House.”Some Kurds pined for Sarah Palin, McCain’s running mate, famous for her pointy glasses and snug red dresses. “Obama’s victory froze my heart. I liked Sarah Palin, her leadership, with its mix of innocence and courage. She was beautiful and sweet,” said Shadman Rafiq, who works in a computer repair shop in Sulaymaniya.Rafiq believed that McCain and Palin would protect the country’s Shiites and Kurds, but he feared Obama would abandon them.

via Mudville

Should I care?

A friend asked me yesterday what I thought of the continued Palin bashing. I didn't know what she was talking about.

You see, from the moment Obama won I haven't watched one second of news. I just couldn't bear it. I knew it would depress me. What I didn't realize that watching other things would depress me too.

Have you seen "The Housewives of Atlanta?" are some such nonsense. It's like the "Housewives of the O.C." It follows around a bunch of wealthy women. It proves that money cannot buy class or intelligence. I was horrified that people like this existed. Then there is this show about some skinny horribly dressed freak who, for some reason, is given the task of teaching dweebs how to pick up women. It's like watching a torture scene.

If it weren't for Scrubs re-runs and Reno 9-11 I think I may have thrown a brick into the TV.

I'm trying to only listen to the positive, upbeat and funny right now. I listen to "The Walton and Johnson Show" in the morning on the radio. If you aren't lucky enough to be in their listening area, I just feel sorry for you. They are naughty and hilarious. If you are feeling like me and need a good laugh, I would suggest you listen live online here.

Right now I don't want to care. I want to be one of those women who lose themselves in shopping. I want to care if my nails are done perfectly. I want to be the one who Tivo's Oprah so I can know what book to read for the year. I want to care who wins Project Runway. I want to want to read People magazine and care whether Brad and Angelina Jolie are happy (gee, I think I just described the "Wives of Atlanta"). I want to be shallow and uniformed. Let's face it. Life is easier that way. Caring about our country is too hard.

Caring about our country means being horrified that our media became a propaganda machine for Obama this election that would have made the 1980's Soviet Union proud. It means realizing that this same media can bribe state employees to get any kind of personal information on any of us and display it to the world and no one cares. It means that a Presidential candidate can spend $650 million dollars to get elected with hundreds of millions of those donations completely anonymous and no one sees anything wrong with that. It means that the momentous incredible fact that the surge worked and we decimated Al Qaeda inIraq and are bringing our boys home in victory instead of defeat, isn't important enough to get a mention in a Presidential election where the media's preferred candidate was completely wrong about it.

I can't ignore reality for long, I know. Bill Whittle has a beautiful piece over at Eject! Eject! Eject!. It ends with this:

There is much to do. That a man with such overt Marxist ideas and such a history of association with virulent anti-Americans can be elected President should make it crystal clear to each of us just how far we have let fall the moral tone of this Republic. The great lesson from Ronald Reagan was simply that we can and must gently educate as well as campaign, and explain our ideas with smiles on our faces and real joy in our hearts, for unlike the far-left radical who gained the Presidency on Tuesday, we start with 150 million of the most free and intelligent and hard-working people in the history of the Earth at our backs, with a philosophy that -- unlike theirs, which has resulted in 100 million dead in unmarked graves -- has liberated and enriched more people and created more joy than any nation or combination of nations in our history.

How can we lose this greater fight, my friends? How can we lose, unless we give up?


He got me.

I can't give up now, can I?

What The Pro-Life Movement is Really About

I posted this over at my Houston Chron blog because frankly I was amazed at how so many on the left haven't a clue about what we do. They have bought into the media and leftwing lie about the pro-life movement. One of my commenters asked me why pro-lifers don't just help women! Good grief. So here is my post.

I can tell from my comments that there is a great deal of ignorance and misconceptions of what the Pro-life movement is about and what it has done.

Many believe that pro-lifers mainly focus on changing the law, but I would say that about 70% of pro-life work is helping women in crisis pregnancies.
On the legislative side we have worked for over 30 yrs for reasonable restrictions that most Americans agree with, like a 24 waiting period, informed consent, and parental notification for minors seeking an abortion. But Planned Parenthood and the abortion lobby has fought us every step of the way. But with the help of Republicans we have been able to pass these restrictions in many states. I'm afraid that is all about to change though with a Democratic President and a Democratic congress.

But I digress. The main focus of the pro-life movement has always been to help women and their babies. I will give you 4 examples because I have worked with these organizations personally, but there a many many more. In fact there are 3 crisis pregnancy centers for every abortion clinic in the U.S. All are run on a shoe string budget with no paid staff. They are usually funded through churches and private donations.

The first is The Nurturing Network. TNN has 48,000 volunteer Resource Members that provide homes, legal help, counseling, financial aid, educational and employment opportunities for women in crisis pregnancies. Whatever the need is, TNN provides it. Mary Cunningham Agee started TNN 20 years ago after serving in Senior Management of two Fortune 100 Companies. She was voted twice by World Almanac as one of the "Twenty-five most influential women in America." It's an incredible organization whose sole focus is women and their babies.

Next is Birthright. I worked as counselor at Birthright right here in Houston many years ago. Birthright has been around for 40 years. When I worked there we didn't have the money to provide medical care, but we found Doctors who would and we referred the women there. The same with referrals to help women meet legal, medical, financial, and housing needs. We kept a room full of donated cribs, high chairs, diapers, formula, bottles, and baby clothes. If we didn't have something a women needed, we found it. Working there was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Women would come back and visit after their baby was born so grateful to have had the support they needed to choose life.

I now work with the Gabriel Project through the Catholic Church which helps women in much the same way with practical needs.

Lastly, The Gladney Center in Dallas. It is not volunteers though. They have paid staff. When I lived in Dallas I worked with them with young girls who weren't ready to be mothers. It has to be one of the best adoption centers in the country. They have beautiful facilities and provide on site housing and medical care for young girls. They handle all of the legal, educational, and counseling issues as well. I remember going to a Christmas party there one year and all the adoptive parents were there with their adopted children. It was brimming with happiness. I love this place.

So, I wanted to give you an idea of what the pro-life movement really does. The media likes to portray it in a negative light, but it really always has been about helping women choose life.

No Gay Marriage in California

Isn't it interesting that Prop. 8 banning gay marriage lost in California?

From what I have read the Prop. 8 question was on the "no" side of the ballot. Obama carried California by 61%. So people had to make the effort to check yes, if you see what I mean. And let me say again...this was in California.

This was quite a victory for those who oppose gay marriage. It will put off legal gay marriage for many years.

Perhaps.

Obama has said he was for gay marriage before he ran for President and changed his tune, but make no mistake about it, he will do what he can to make it legal.

It's only a matter of time anyway. TV and movies have spent years mainstreaming the gay lifestyle into the culture of entertainment. Like most people, I have no problem with civil unions and I don't understand why that isn't enough. I feel that changing the definition of marriage will open a pandora's box that cannot be closed with people allowed to marry as many as they wish and all sorts of "marriages." No doubt in my mind about that.

I have taught my children to not judge gays. That is God's job, not ours. And after all, we are all sinners. Sexual sin is sexual sin no matter whether it is homosexual or heterosexual. I have taught my kids to respect others no matter how different. Respect is not the same as condone though. We can all respect each other even if we believe differently. Once again, it's all about the choices we make. We are blessed by our choices or we regret our choices. It's up to us. It always has been.

Given that and add the mix of our culture enforcing the belief that it is simply an "alternative lifestyle," The younger generation is fine with gay marriage, so it is only a matter of time.

In a humanistic society there is no reason to not have gay marriage or any kind of marriage. Marriage is religiously based. So as we move away from faith and religion, we move away from those constraints. We started moving away from those constraints with no fault divorce.

I wish we could focus our energies on strengthening marriage instead of changing it. But I really feel it doesn't matter to us much as a society anymore. I'm not sure what matters to us anymore.

For believers it reminds me of 1 Peter 5:8 "Control yourselves. Be on your guard. Your enemy the devil is like a roaring lion. He prowls around looking for someone to chew up and swallow."

We forget that. Even as Christians we only want to focus on the positive. We don't want to think about what we should be on guard for.

We hardly have the moral high ground when our divorce rate is 50%. We hardly have the moral high ground when we ignore when our children live together before the wedding. We aren't on guard. We just aren't.

Now, before it gets too depressing here, I'll offer this. There is a wonderful program in the Catholic Church called the Retroveille program. I've referred people to it and it has literally saved their marriage. It's not just for Catholics and it doesn't cost anything (I don't think). It isn't counseling in the traditional sense. Anyway, if you are about to give up on your marriage I would strongly suggest you give it a try. I've seen couples that were absolutely divorcing but just went so they could say they tried and came out of it renewing their marriage vows.

I guess I'm being more spiritual here than usual. That's the place I usually go when I am upset about the state of the world.

Just Get Back To Fighting For What Is Right

Growing up in the middle of the civil rights movement in the 60's in Mississippi with a politically active family gave me a great perspective on how so many felt about the possibility of the first African American to become President. I felt and understood the historic nature of it. I wrote a few really positive pieces about Obama, as you may recall.

But, as all of you know, life is my issue. We are living in a culture of death. The more I learned about Obama and his promise to Planned Parenthood to sign the Freedom of Choice Act, which would destroy 30 yrs of pro-life work, I knew that he was a part of that culture of death. I wished it weren't so. I wished that at least he was moderate on the issue. But he isn't. From federal funding of abortions to partial birth abortion, he was for them all.

So there never was a way that I could get excited about how incredible it is that we have come so far in race relations. And that just made me sad.

I'm a very positive person, as you all know. I don't let things get me down. I've been blessed with a wonderful family and a wonderful life. When God called me into the pro-life movement 23 years ago, I wanted nothing to do with it. It had nothing to do with me and I didn't want to be seen as "radical." But all of you who have faith and relationship with God, knows about 'the hound of heaven." He just doesn't let up. I went into this battle against the culture of death reluctantly, but of course, it has brought me so many blessings in a hundred different ways. I met my best friends through it. I wanted more children because of it, and nothing has brought me more joy than that. That is the way it always is with God. "All things work toward good for those who love and serve the Lord" Romans 8:28. My favorite verse. It has always been true in my life.

I thought no one would be more beholden to abortion and the abortion lobby than Clinton, but I was wrong. Obama is. That is simply a fact that Obama would be proud to tell you. So today I have a heavy heart for this culture we live in and the President that we have elected that doesn't see what abortion has done to our society.

But I will move forward. I'll tell you why with a personal story. Many years ago a girl at my husband's office was pregnant with twins. She had cheated on her husband while they were separated and didn't want the children. My husband and I spent a lot of time trying to convince her not to abort. We offered our home where she could stay and offered to adopt the children. But she went ahead and aborted them.

I laid in bed that night and cried. I thought of the twins that would never see a sunset or swim in the ocean. I thought of all that was lost. I asked God how could he let this happen? We had prayed so hard and tried so hard. This work He had sent me to do wasn't working. Certainly not in society. In my grief, I heard that still small voice in my heart say, "I only asked you to fight the fight. There is free will and people choose the wrong path. You may never see laws change or hearts change. But you are called to fight the good fight. Let me take care of the rest."

It was then I realized that is all we can do. We can try to open society's eyes to the horror of things like abortion and pornography, but in the end we are a free people and we choose. In the end we all either pay for our choices, or we are blessed by our choices.

I pray that Obama will govern more moderately than his past tells us. I pray that he won't overturn 30 yrs of pro-life work.

And I will just get back to fighting for the rights of the unborn children. Because that is what I am called to do. We are blessed, not in winning, but in doing what is right. You guys keep doing what is right and let God take care of the rest.

The Machines Have Won

JOIN THE RESISTANCE.

WHERE IS JOHN CONNER WHEN YOU NEED HIM!?

Ok, you lefties can gloat. You deserve it.

Someone is mad!

And they should be. Z Ryan sent me these from Lakevill, MN. After they tore down his signs he put up the one that says, "I fought for Obama's & your freedom, so you can do this to us? Thanks. Real Class!!! Sgt. Dan Gust

They tore down that one too.

VOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

VOTE!

VOTE!!

VOTE!!!

................

Read this. It will keep you warm all day.

This will make you practically giddy.

Some Good News

I just got this from "Our Country Deserves Better:"

"Fantastic News! The brand new Fox News/Rasmussen battleground poll shows Sen. John McCain has surged ahead to tie or lead in key battleground states where Sen. Obama had held a lead just a few days ago.

The undecided voters are breaking for McCain and the McCain/Palin campaign clearly has the momentum to win this race!!
McCain now leads Florida (50%-49%) and North Carolina (50%-49%) is tied with Obama in Missouri (49%-49%( and Ohio (49%-49%). And in two other states McCain is within the statistical margin of error to be tied with Obama: Colorado (51%-47%) and Virginia (51%-47%).

We have a little more than 5 hours left to place one final TV advertising buy to defeat Obama. Let's give this campaign everything we have and win this election. This is our final appeal for contributions to put into our TV ad campaign before voters go to the polls. You can contribute anywhere from $5 to $5,000 online - HERE."

How Sad

Obama's Grandmother has died at age 86. This is the woman who helped raised Obama.

If he wins, how sad that she would miss that by one day. My heart goes out to Obama and his family.

60 yrs ago today!

Actually this is 60 yrs ago tomorrow, but it so similar! I forgot to put these up the last few days. Thanks to The Raving Atheist for all these!

November 2, 1948

Tucson Daily Citizen (Tucson, Arizona):

..................

NATION REPORTS VOTING IS HEAVY

Polls, Experts and Odds See Victory for Gov. Dewey

...................

Here is an excerpt:

.....................

"Mr. Truman hinted that he believed that the presidential race will be close, contradicting poll-takers who look for a sweep for Gov. Thomas Dewey."

'What We Are Fighting For'

John McCain.

Reason 157 I love Texas

I have been reading about arguments in early voting lines and yard signs stolen everywhere and I have to think that maybe I love Texas because people are so friendly.

When I was standing in line voting we all chatted with each other. No one mentioned who they were voting for. It would have been rude I think.

I have a neighbor and a friend who is a BIG Obama supporter. We joke about it with each other, but we don't really talk about it other than that.

I also have neighbors on either side that I am pretty sure are Obama supporters (although I can't say for sure).

Because of this I decided not to put a McCain/Palin sign in my front yard. I wanted to. But I knew that if I had to drive into my driveway everyday and see an Obama sign in their yard, that it would irritate me. I figured they would feel the same way if I had a McCain/Palin sign. So I didn't.

Maybe that's why they didn't put an Obama sign out front?

I'd like to think so. Neighbors and friends thinking of each other's feelings.

That is what I like about Texas.

Why I Know We Will Win

This is from a thread at Ace's:

THE PATH TO VICTORY FOR McCAIN IS IN OUR HANDS

The media polls are heavily weighted towards Democrats in terms of Party ID. With that kind of heavy weighting, it would be impossible for McCain to show any lead even if he had a small led among independents. For example, Rasmussen currently assumes the following party id break down: Democrats 40%, Republicans 32.8%, and Independents 27.2%. He is assuming a whopping 7 percent advantage in party id for the Democrats. This is a big barrier to overcome in these polls. If we assume a 85% Democrat support for Obama and 85% Republican support for McCain and a 50/50 breakdown among independents (ignore undecided and third party candidates) this would translate to a poll finding of 52.5% for Obama and 47.5% for McCain which incidentally gives the same 5% spread as in the current Rasmussen poll.

Note that all of this is simply from the 7% party id advantage. If we reduce the party id spread to 3%, the numbers would change to 51% for Obama and 49% to McCain. Now if we assume that McCain picks off more Democrats than Obama does Republicans, 85% Democrats for Obama and 90% Republicans for McCain then the outcome will be 49.3% for Obama and 50.7% for McCain, a clear LEAD.

Now, I could see that this could seems like someone stretching it, desperate to put on the best face. I don't know much about statistics or about the science of polling. But I do know that the McCain camp knows something we don't. It's clear in their speeches and how they are in places like Pennsylvania. And Obama isn't acting like he has this thing in the bag. I see a lot of concern in their camp. So it makes me wonder if they also know something we don't.

Now, all this could be wishful thinking, and I know that. But there is just a feeling out there that Americans aren't sure about Obama. And they are sure about McCain. My feeling is that the undecided will break McCain's way in a big way.

I can't explain my optimism. I didn't have this kind of optimism with Bush the last two times. It's about momentum (which I think McCain has) against Obamamania. It will be close, but I think there will be surprises no one saw coming. Blue states red. That's my prediction.

Here is why.

McCain on fire!

Have you guys been watching McCain these last few days or so? I just finished watching his speech in PA and either yesterday or the day before in Ohio. He is fired up like I have never seen him!

His speeches have been fantastic. He seems to have really found a way to bring home the points and issues in a brief exciting way. It's been awesome to watch. Watching him just now in PA he practically had me jumping up and down and the crowd was going crazy.

Keep the faith my conservative friends. I always told you that McCain has fought bigger battles than this and come out a winner. He will be a winner here too.