Notes from all around
April 23rd, 2009 - 6:29 pm
- Gunfire exchanged on Georgia-South Ossetia border — “The reported shootings occurred before talks with international monitors Thursday on efforts to diffuse tensions in the region following last year’s war between Georgia and Russia, which backs South Ossetia.”
- Ray guns: not science fiction any more — First comes the crackle, then the pop. “The technology … uses an ultra-short pulse laser to create an ionized channel through the air; down this channel, you can then send bursts of energy. It’ll conduct electricity. And it can also act as a waveguide for an intense pulse of microwaves. These could be used to destroy the fuze of a roadside bomb, fry the electronics of a missile, or burn out the ignition on any unshielded vehicle.”
- Meanwhile, Russia manufactures an “anti-democracy” truck — It’s the ultimate crowd control juggernaut. It’s a little lower-tech than the Active Denial System, which is the anti-anti-democracy truck which only goes to show while it’s the singer not the song, it’s not the truck but the trucker that counts. Right, Hugo Chavez?
- “Spengler” outs himself. The masked man of the Asia Times tells the world who he is. You would never have guessed what he was. It’s further proof of the power of the Internet to push writers and ideas to the front where they would never have prospered otherwise.
- Presidential Poison? — The WSJ writes in an editorial: “Mark down the date. Tuesday, April 21, 2009, is the moment that any chance of a new era of bipartisan respect in Washington ended. By inviting the prosecution of Bush officials for their antiterror legal advice, President Obama has injected a poison into our politics that he and the country will live to regret.” My guess is that the potential prosecutions will go beyond any question of morality go straight to the roots of politics. The first rule of tribes is that you can’t let another tribe raid your camp with impunity or you might as well disband. Dashiell Hammett, who was as left wing as they came, understood how the logic of groups trumped reason and even passion. “When a man’s partner is killed he’s supposed to do something about it. It doesn’t make any difference what you thought of him. He was your partner and you’re supposed to do something about it When one of your organization gets killed it’s bad business to let the killer get away with it. It’s bad all around – bad for that one organization, bad for every detective everywhere.” Whatever the merits of the case, Obama is setting up a zero sum game, and in those structures, when you’re not winning, you’re losing. Bipartisanship is a Pareto optimum and maybe that has already lost the zero sum contest with absolute partisanship.
Again we see the ultimate Gonnabee in Chief.
This is a terrible, terrible Rubicon to cross.
And Barry Soetoro is no Caesar.
The normal outcome of Gonnabee leadership is the destruction of the organization, the scale is unimportant.
The Democrat Party has impaled the Republic by not vetting this Citizen of the World. Barry views his higher calling as representing the other 96% of the global population — the aggrieved party — in all of their relations with our society.
This animates his being — it’s his ego-compass.
Hence his resolve to sustain muslims as against America. They attacked us most violently, hence they must be the most injured party. Implicit with such an outlook is the belief that EVERYTHING that leads to suffering is PRIMARILY due to American values and actions.
I wonder how long Georgia will be able to hold out until Tiblisi falls once Russia starts its push. A week? Two? And will we get the same spin that it’s all Georgia’s fault that Russia just had to invade it? And Obama will do…what? Not much, I’d guess.
I know, I know, Clinton gave them that reset button, so this must be Bush’s fault somehow, or maybe just a misunderstanding, maybe by reset they thought we meant reset back to the 1970s.
Any bets on when Mr. Kazakov gets a letter from DHS for a bulk discount quote?
Of course, when questioned about it, Napolitano will will explain…”it’s to keep those rascally Canuks at bay.”
I read the first part of that Spengler article. Quit half way through when he was burbling on and on about Chinese children memorizing music written by Westerners, and how superior that makes them.
WHY can’t people understand that as long as China is stealing ideas from the West — whether it be nuclear or computer or music — they are *not* a threat???
We are witnessing a systematic destruction of our institutions and economy and the Republicans in the House and Senate are whimpering in their chairs. Even Rush is suggesting that we can’t do anything. I think he is wrong but it will take something bold. I am suggesting that every single (real) Republican in Washington should walk out of their offices and gather in front of the Washington Memorial and DEMAND that there be a full accounting for every dollar spent on the TARP and in the STIMULUS BILL before another item is taken up in either house. Shut it down. Make this boycott the lead story every day. Ask the citizenry angered about this incredible irresponsibility to come out and join them. Make this about accountability. Every day until everyone in this country understands that the Congressmen and Senators that voted for the TARP and STIMULUS have betrayed the public trust. They did not read these bills and don’t have a clue as to where our money is going. There are already 20 investigation underway involving fraud with the TARP funds. And this is only the beginning. This is going to blow up like a giant rotten carcass. The Republicans must do this now before it is too late. Stand and fight.
I happened to see the Pike and Church Committees from the inside of the CIA. It destroyed the institution. I remember telling my boss that I would be happy to bring pressure to bear on Sen. Church. He laughed at me and told me not to worry, Church had terminal cancer. I was filled with joy.
This latest round of gotcha is really a reheating of the cauldron that began in 1973-74 with the aforementioned investigations. The cleavage those caused never reached closure for both sides and our politics and systems have never recovered.
The difference this time is that there are plenty of old but not broken down former CIA operatives who could really throw some sand in the gears. As CIA operative and Watergate defendent James McCord said, “If they try to lay this at the feet of the CIA every tree in the forest will fall .
First thing the heat will come to obama about his true citizenship. The Supreme Court cannot dodge it’s reponsibility forever.Should it try then the original document will surface if it hasn’t been destroyed. Nancy Pelosi’s ties to the Communist and Socialist will get a larger megaphone by virtue of money from men like Richard Mellon Scaife.
NSA intercepts of Democrats talking and planning with communists to thwart US policies will surface. It will be open war on Capitol Hill harkening back to when Rep Preston Brookes beat down Senator Charles Sumner using a fire poker. It took Sumner two years to recover.
http://tinyurl.com/csswgv
Apologies for the mixed metaphor …heating cauldron and cleavage? Gads.
Kingston53, that sounds like a great idea. That said, are there enough votes to enact what you suggest? (rhetorical, the answer is no, and there in lies the problem)
“I wonder how long Georgia will be able to hold out until Tiblisi falls once Russia starts its push.”
Interesting question is why should Russia care about little Georgia?
Shut down the oil pipeline to Turkey & boost the price for Russian oil, maybe. Or demonstrate to Ukraine that resistance is futile, perhaps. Or remind the EU who has the power to control their gas supplies, perchance.
It will be interesting to see which approach turns out to be more effective with the ‘international community’ — Putin’s gloved fist or Obama’s apology tours.
One more thing. The tribal thing. Many of us older operatives belong to The Association For Intelligence Officers and various other more sub rosa associations.
Those of us who served prior to Jimma Carter consider ourselves directly linked to the OSS since it was the men from that organization that were our bosses. We are tribal, atavistic in our thinking, an example of which would be that a traitor is first squeezed for all he knows and then dispatched.
Their are many socialists and communists in our government.
Yep.
Apparently Obama is planning to release a big batch of prisoner abuse photos in the coming weeks, which will accomplish…what?
Kinuachdrach: All of the above. Of course, even if Georgia is conquered quickly, they could still make things messy for Putin with a long nasty guerrilla campaign. But, they’d need to get weapons and support from somewhere…
Kingston53:
Excellent idea.
But it’ll never happen.
We’ve been sold so far down the river we’re in the middle of the ocean!
Obama, Nancy, & Harry are where they are to bring down the USA, amazing how each and every action they take is anti-American! And anti-allies.
The Jews are on their own now, and at least they know it.
And the red part of the world, does anyone notice that they are still building nuclear tipped missiles?
We’re past the point of no return, but maybe it’ll be worth it when the welfare/disability freeloaders are dumped by a bankrupt system.
Chavez (and the rest of those tin pot dictoators) was glad to see Obama ’cause “Cap and Trade” will give him billions upon billions, and you can make damn sure he’ll make the requisite “political donations”.
All this legal mumbo jumbo, well it’s a distraction, so we won’t notice when Putin’s gang re-takes Georgia.
Mom was right, she always spoke about how the schools were going to sh-t, how you couldn’t keep the mental in institutions anymore, all those medical system drugged kids in the neighborhood turned out terrible, and so forth.
MOM, what do we do now?
Re: Someone
No, our side does not have the votes. However, if we can get them off balance and on the defense, defending every indefensible line item in the STIMULUS, reacting to every fraud investigation involving TARP funds, we might be able to stall this distruction until we can start peeling off the moderate democrates. There are some very nervous southern democrats out there.
I wish Spengler had remained incognito, he has turned it up to obnoxious under his real name. Mr. Goldman (I would have called you Dr. Goldman but you didn’t finish the Ph.D.! Ha!) learning the piano and playing classical music does not make you a better human being and if the goal is to improve academically, the time would be better spent studying the subjects at hand. Better yet the time would be spent playing basketball or soccer.
#2 & #9
There is an interesting breakdown of Russian tactical objectives and means of accomplishing them, and a breakdown of the few things that the Georgians can do at
http://www.yankeesailor.us/. I recommend it.
The consensus is that Georgia will cease to exist within two weeks of the commencement of hostilities. Neither the US nor Europe [under the guise of either the EU or NATO] will lift a finger.
The Russians have strategic goals here too. They wish to reimpose a healthy fear in their neighbors of the ‘near abroad’. This is preparatory to further acts to reabsorb them into the Russian sphere exclusively. They wish to physically intimidate Western Europe. This they will succeed in. And they wish to continue their ongoing attack on our interests. And they will succeed in that, and we will pay a nasty price for this.
I submitted the following to YANKEE SAILOR, which raises some questions we might want to think about too:
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# Subotai Bahadur Says: Your comment is awaiting moderation.
April 23rd, 2009 at 16:31
There is no doubt that, despite the pro-Russian posting on the thread about the other side of this coin, that independent Georgia will be gone within a couple of weeks of the commencement of hostilities. Neither Europe nor the United States will intervene in any way to aid Georgia.
The next thing to ponder is what the second order effects will be.
a) the effects on any dependent allies of the United States.
b) the effects on NATO.
c) the effects on the EU, given that Western Europe is dependent on Russian energy already.
d) an especial emphasis on the affects on the “near abroad”. How far are the former Warsaw Pact countries going to go in yielding sovereignty out of fear of Russia and knowing that there will be absolutely no help from the West.
e) economic effects. The EU has never been happy with the free market ways of the Eastern Europeans, viewing their work ethic and belief in less socialism and more capitalism a threat to the hegemony of the EU. Many in the EU would be glad to be rid of the competition. Further, since so much of the European banks’ problems are related to real estate deals in Eastern Europe, their loss to the West could be used to allow a ‘write down’ combined with government bailouts that would mitigate the EU’s problems.
Just some ideas for discussion.
Subotai Bahadur
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I have been watching this since an acquaintance named RURIK sent me word on April 17 that the Russian Black Sea Fleet had sortied in mass the day before with all the amphibs fully loaded with naval landing troops. They did not head for the Dardanelles, and the only other reasonable goal for a very rare fleet sortie is Georgia. The Russians have just completed a new rail line to the border and are massing troops. They have also warned NATO not to exercise troops in Georgia. I do believe NATO has complied, but I would be glad to be proved wrong.
Evil days are coming, perhaps in a matter of days or hours, and being a US ally makes you an undefended target.
Kyrie Eleison
Subotai Bahadur
#14: I would think that Ukraine would see the writing on the wall and would acquiesce to being a pro-Russian satellite. Their economy is in the crapper, the US would have proven it has no interest in providing them with either conventional or missile defense, and it would solve the gas disputes. There might be some demonstrations and limited bloodshed, but I don’t think the Russians would have to invade to change the government at that point.
And Europe seems to have convinced itself that high gas prices are just something they’ll have to live with. Instead of spending money on defense they pay a form of protection money to Russia in the form of inflated gas prices, might be one way of viewing it.
“I thought him a dangerous lunatic, and immediately signed on.”
“Working in the inside of the financial world, ultimately as a member of the executive committee for fixed income of America’s largest bank, I saw how easy it was to prejudice the efficiency of markets and to introduce distortions that eventually would have awful consequences.
I no longer quite belonged with my old friends the economists. I had left economics for music, and left music for finance, ” – Spengler
Thanks DPG!
Re: Presidential Poison
Has President Obama heard of the Prisoner’s Dilemma? Presidents face a similar situation.
Any prosecutions of Bush era officials will necessarily raise the stakes for the Obama administration. If Obama administration officials get caught committing high crimes, misdemeanors, and felonies, they will likely face the same variety of justice faced by their predecessors.
Habu @6: Rep Preston Brookes beat down Senator Charles Sumner using a fire poker.
I’m very tired tonight, and reading that my brain saw “Senator Charles SCHumer,” and for a brief moment I thought something truly wonderful had happened.
Rats.
blert/1
Again we see the ultimate Gonnabee in Chief.
He has no idea, he thought he is opening a can of peanuts–instead it is a can of worms, a very lethal type. He is gonna be gone faster than you think.
peterike I can imagine how disappointing it was.Every dog has his day though.
I elsewhere wrote one of the angriest comments I ever posted on the sheer unmitigated disgracefulness of these persecutions. But I calmed down a smidge after reading something at ‘The Corner’ i thought well worth passing on. It is by Mario Loyola, whose name I do not recognize. He begins by noting that the GOP DID once try to do something similar to the Truman administration:
http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=ZDBlZjVjN2EwNjYwNzQ1MDMwZjk5NjMzNzY0ODk1ZTU=
He writes: The Republicans rode the conspiracy theories all the way to the White House and a congressional majority. The chickens came home to roost immediately, in the form of the McCarthy hearings, essentially an attempt to smear and prosecute officials of the previous administration, as well as sitting members of the armed forces and the State Department. Dean Acheson called it “the attack of the primitives,” and despite Eisenhower’s personal opposition to the witch hunt, he had partly brought it upon himself. The shameful spectacle went on for two years, until the GOP lost its Senate majority — which it would not regain until three decades later.
Having served as a staffer in the U.S. Senate, I can think of nobody better suited to hold McCarthy-style hearings than Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont. Never willing to have a policy disagreement with people when insinuations against their ethics and loyalty play just as well, Leahy was the perfect person to lead the Democrats into a political minefield with his “Truth Commissions” project, just as McCarthy did to Eisenhower. For this reason, I was somewhat disappointed that the idea never got anywhere — the scheme could not have been better designed to backfire, as Obama realized almost from the start.
But there is still hope, as the latest round of torture controversies shows. Obama’s unerring sense of immediate political advantage has led him to adopt two positions that are ultimately incompatible. On the one hand, just like Dulles, he abets the impression that crimes were committed by the previous administration, insinuating that we “lost our moral compass” and that our government abandoned “the rule of law” and that he’s going to restore both. But on the other hand, he realizes that he has nothing to gain from doomed attempts at prosecution (because there really is no case) so he comes up with the rhetorical device of “we must look forward, not backwards.”
RTWT
#21 Andrew X
I also wrote elsewhere on the persecutions/prosecutions. If I may cross post:
The question of interrogation methods was determined by the means provided for under American law. All three branches of the government were involved, including the Democrats who headed the appropriate committees in Congress. If this is to be prosecuted or if there are to be show trials, any effort that does not put the Democrat leadership in the dock is obviously a kangeroo court. There is the question of venue for the trial. Since there was no violation of United States law, it cannot be tried in the Judicial Branch, and there is the added matter that in time of war, decisions on the conduct of the war have been ruled by the Supreme Court to be beyond its purview. It cannot be tried in Congress, because the leaders of Congress themselves also approved the means of interrogation. And it cannot legally be tried by a special Volksgerichthof empanelled by the President due to the problem of command influence [the court will do as the boss wants].
So let us say that this proceeds. That crosses a line. An administration that is willing to flout the law and the Constitution to prosecute/persecute its political enemies is not an administration that ever intends to leave office by any means. The hopes of such “eternal” regimes never come true; be they Chinese dynasties, Western empires, Reichs of whichever kind, or Peoples’ Republics. Someday/somehow they fall from power.
Two quotes. The first from Robert Bolt’s play about Sir Thomas More titled A Man for All Seasons.
William Roper: So, now you give the Devil the benefit of law!
Sir Thomas More: Yes! What would you do? Cut a great road through the law to get after the Devil?
William Roper: Yes, I’d cut down every law in England to do that!
Sir Thomas More: Oh? And when the last law was down, and the Devil turned ’round on you, where would you hide, Roper, the laws all being flat? This country is planted thick with laws, from coast to coast, Man’s laws, not God’s! And if you cut them down, and you’re just the man to do it, do you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then? Yes, I’d give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety’s sake!
Rest assured, that if this is done, someday Democrats will not be in power. And you can be sure that whatever they mete out now will be returned to them ten-fold and more. Much more.
The second quote is something I heard somewhere recently. I wish it was mine:
With the exception of death camps and anti-Semitism, there is not much in the domestic policies of the National Socialists that modern Democrats would object to. And the anti-Semitism exception is in doubt.
——————–
Subotai Bahadur
Any prosecutions of Bush era officials will necessarily raise the stakes for the Obama administration. If Obama administration officials get caught committing high crimes, misdemeanors, and felonies, they will likely face the same variety of justice faced by their predecessors.
For the paranoid (and just because you’re paraniod doesn’t mean they aren’t out to get you), this is an indication Obama doesn’t intend to relenquish power.
Or maybe he’s just an idiot who doesn’t think things through. His agenda is flailing and he needs a distraction. Quick, show trials!
The old saying is don’t attribute to malice what can be explained by incompetence, but at some point, the results of the two are the same so why make a distinction. Just assume he’s out to destroy the country and you’ll be better able to predict his actions than if you start with any other premise.
Here we live in a country that has a fabulous constitution and all these guarantees, a contract between the citizens and the government – nobody knows what’s in it. It’s one of the best kept secrets. And so, if you don’t know what your rights are, how can you stand up for them? And furthermore, if you don’t know what is in that document, how can you care if someone is shredding it?” – Frank Zappa (1940 – 1993), as quoted by Spin Magazine, July 1991
“Whatever the merits of the case, Obama is setting up a zero sum game, and in those structures, when you’re not winning, you’re losing.”
That was always the game. I was never so deluded as to think otherwise. Others may have hoped he would come to the center as the campaign said he would but many of us never believed it.
He “Won”. And the pathological narcissist that is BHO thinks it is because he has some higher mandate, I believe. He may. He thinks they are the better angels. I know they are the opposite. Do you see the yawning abyss yet? Feel the heat?
@1 blert
Given Obama’s “white man’s greed” perspective coupled with Mrs O’s only-recently experienced pride in country coming from Mr O’s successful campaign, it’s not hard to imagine that they view his election as proof of him being some sort of messiah fully supported by the Supreme Diety…
Such an individual would be unable to view his goals, and the actions taken to achieve them, as anything short of God’s Will… he would think himself infallible, and hence any opposition he faced would be considered to be true evil, deserving of being crushed out of existence.
We are merely pawns on this man’s chess board, to be used or discarded on a whim.
I just read David P. Goldman’s article at
http://www.firstthings.com/article.php3?id_article=6564
It’s a funny thing that Spengler is a much better author than David P. Goldman even though they’re the same guy. I guess Spengler is an alter-ego. I hope David Goldman allows Spengler to keep on writing.
Triton’sPolarTiger/26
We are merely pawns on this man’s chess board, to be used or discarded on a whim.
That is how 0 thinks. But that is not what constitutes the reality. The chess game is more complex than anyone imagines. He’s made some very bad moves, strategically. In a way, we are in luck that we are dealing with a bunch of semi-literate (literacy of life, not erudition, albeit that is somewhat scanty as well) , self-absorbed and narcissistic dolts. The does not mean painful times are not coming. But their arrogance carries with it an inherent exit strategy, imposed from without by the non-linear nature of how society works.
True, there will be a lot of people that would be innocent by-standers when things would get quicker. Be careful what you wish for, the saying goes. The most affected people would be the urbanites, the 0 base.
Funny, on some retrograde (a.k.a. progressive) blogs, a claim seems to be taking a hold that there is now an ODS. But that is not the case. They are not the pragmatists they think they are. They couldn’t recognize reality if it hit them into their faces. The BDS was not a reflection of reality, but a projection. The traits that were attributed to the right are, in reality, home on the left.
Another strange thing about David P. Goldman is his being a Germanophile to the point of using Oswald Spengler’s name as a pseudonym along with doing German graduate work while at the same time claiming to be a religious jew. Goldman further adds to the contradiction by his very favorable stance towards the Catholic Church. Goldman is more of a Heinrich Heine than an Oswald Spengler.
quite right, twoby –it’s not Obama derangement, it’s Obama recognition. Comes from reading a little history, esp in the human nature frame. What we’re doing right here –and the people everywhere marking this thing up –is doing at least some good. The paths of least resistance being already garrisoned, at least while we idle wating for direction we can paint things in their true colors.
good link, the yankee sailor, subotai –thanks.
Wonder if the Chekists mean to hold Georgia hostage against the Israeli countdown vs Iran?
Looks like to be on the Rus border is to be vassal or hostage.
Ok for them –PRC has ten times the population and needs Siberian resources –the Kremlin has very little time left to quit living by the sword and hope for a more noble foreign policy all around. Otherwise the rest of the world will be delighted to see the Mongol Invasions come again –and that delight will be a significant geopolitical factor.
#13 Thrasymachus:
I concur, the confessional is so schmaltzy, thats why I guard my anonymity with pitchers of water and a fire poker. (and don’t mention the war)
#22 Subatai Bahadur:
It sounds like JonJayRay. He drew the same conclusion many times and had beaucoup examples. I don’t know if the actual quotation is from JJR, but maybe.
Spengler a/k/a David P Goldman has an, um, interesting background. As economic advisor to Lyndon LaRouche, he and LaRouche co-authored a book accusing Milton Friedman of fascism. Very perceptive! Also, he spent time in the firm Polyconomics with Jude Wanniski, another character whose career included both brilliant and perceptive analysis and advocacy, and batshit crazy rantings.
Goldman/Spengler can be an entertaining read, but as always what he says needs to be received and analyzed with a reasonable degree of skepticism and empirical cross-checking.
This is a fascinating article… I don’t believe anyone has linked it before. An excerpt:
…”The US is working on the idea of ferrying cargo for Afghanistan via the Black Sea to the port of Poti in Georgia and then dispatching it through the territories of Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. A branch line could also go from Georgia via Azerbaijan to the Turkmen-Afghan border.
“The project, if it materializes, will be a geopolitical coup – the biggest ever that Washington would have swung in post-Soviet Central Asia and the Caucasus. At one stroke, the US will be tying up military cooperation at the bilateral level with Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.”…
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=13101
Dan/34; well, there it is –the pressure on the Kremlin to provoke another war on Georgia. And we thought it was just the weather –Spring Offensive season.
Habu quoting Zappa. SB and Dan dot connecting at the BC. Mr. larsen, what does spring on the upper Brazos look like this year?
NahnCee, Thrasymachus you are missing Spengier’s point. The Chinese are disciplined. Mostly, we aren’t. They are studying the hard stuff our students are mostly avoiding.
You know, I don’t really buy the whole Obama’s birth certificate thing. The controversy smells like it’s made of the same stuff as Bush’s plastic turkey. But I’m curious what you all think it would look like if, at this late date, someone stepped forward and was able to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Obama is not a born citizen of the US.
Me? On top of the economic crisis, Russia’s recent moves, China getting restless about our tab, and everybody else milling around looking for trouble, Biden would be our president.
I say we’d be cooked. For real. Same thing if Obama was assassinated. This republic is stumbling on very shaky legs right now.
“NahnCee, Thrasymachus you are missing Spengier’s point. The Chinese are disciplined. Mostly, we aren’t. They are studying the hard stuff our students are mostly avoiding.”
LarryD — YOU are missing the point. Disciplined memorization does not lead to blue sky thinking and making the next intuitive leap into what is possible. May be why Einstein and von Braun ended up as American citizens instead of goose-stepping ones.
Asia Times pseudonymous columnist “Spengler” has self-identified as David P. Goldman. And he is moving…to First Things?
I’m afraid I can’t approve of this development at all. Spengler was sometimes interesting to read, but he was never the sort of balanced thinker whose analysis I would feel comfortable taking to the bank. His metaphysics was materialistic, his historical outlook whiggish, his sociology crass, his foreign policy dubious, and his commitment to Israel fanatical. This is hardly the sort of person to be heading up a periodical “whose purpose is to advance a religiously informed public philosophy for the ordering of society.”
Whether or not this move injures the reputation of that magazine is not my concern. I am more disturbed by the tacit assumption that a man like Goldman somehow “belongs” in this guise, as if his were the views that the conservative and/or religiously-minded intelligentsia wants reflected back to them. Something rigid and ruthlessly urbane, some House of Usher-like morbidity, has crept into the minds of these self-styled guardians of culture. What exactly do they think they’re guarding? The deteriorating remnants of bourgeois respectability? The lie of a necessary existence for them in the present, wrapped up in the lie of a happy past? Goldman mentions the friendship of George Weigel in his autobiographical piece. If he and the interminably monotone Mr. Weigel are the new voices of intellectual conservatism in this country, I can only say, in the words of Samuel Goldwyn, “Gentlemen, include me out!”
I have further reasons for mistrusting Goldman’s bona fides. No one who has truly absorbed the soul of Western instrumental music could possibly settle into a career as an economist, basta finito; however, musically inclined sidemen like Alan Greenspan have been known to become great economy-wreckers, and I suspect something similar has happened in Goldman’s case. We look in vain for any evidence that a swinging sense of melody has animated his public life. He lacks the gaiety, the rhythmic pulse and pound of the cavalry charge, retaining only the frozen syllogisms of game theory. He has probably read Godel Escher Bach. He probably agrees.
While we’re on the subject, I’m not sure that a similar charge doesn’t lay against the late Fr. Richard John Neuhaus. I’m not very familiar with the voluminous writings of Fr. Neuhaus; having been a Catholic for only a little over a year, I’m still picking up the threads of what passes for Catholic intellectual culture in this country, but what I’ve gleaned from him in summation (thanks in no small part to blogger John Reilly’s recent review of American Babylon) hasn’t endeared him to me. Like Goldman, he seems to value the church primarily as a means of cultural preservation. The real religion playing before the inner eye of such men is the autonomous machinery of Whig history, not the heavenly city of St. Augustine.
Something entirely new is needed in conservatism, something that avoids both the curatorial neocon mandarins like Goldman and the First Things crew, and the snarky pharisaism and hypocrisy of Thomas Fleming & Co. over at Chronicles. There must be a truly innocent conservatism: unselfconsciously faithful, forgetful of self, eschewing all worldly compromises. Wall Street mavens, furrow-browed grumps, and “literary men” will have no inheritance therein. The future belongs only to those who come into the faith as little children, not to the worldly wise men who give the polite congé to God.
Agoraphobic Plumber, while I am also not sure about the birth certificate thing, I really don’t see Biden as being in any way worse for this country then Obama.
Wretchard states that “The first rule of tribes is that you can’t let another tribe raid your camp with impunity or you might as well disband.”
But you must pick your battles carefully. Fighting the enemy where and when HE chooses is unwise. Also, to motivate your warriors, it is often necessary for the threat to be clear. That is, they need to see real casualties before they prepare seriously.
The GOP needs to focus on the next Congressional election cycle. Develop its narratives now. Figure out which issues have resonance, use bumper sticker style slogans that separate them from Obama. Have them loaded and ready, gather your money, select Congressmen as targets and strike.
Most of this is obvious but the overall point is contrary to Wretchard’s statement (though no doubt he normally would provide more ‘nuance’): you must let an enemy overreach, often taking casualties without immediate retaliation, to achieve victory. A smart tribe “shapes the battlefield.”
Regarding our personal lives, the retaliation theme is directly opposed by the teachings of Christ. Forgiveness is desirable (though not required) if an opponent repents. We are to seek justice through the government when practicable. You can possess a sword, but personal justice (“by the sword”) requires much circumspection. Still, the Christ of the Second Coming will execute justice, and doctrines regarding Hell recognize that there can be no true love without justice. Putting wolves inside the sheepfold is not heaven.
So, while I appreciate the need for tribal/organizational collective security and the artistry of the Dashiell Hammett quote, I (like the Bogart character) prefer to shoot from a prepared position and get a clear “sight picture” before I pull the trigger.
Evanston – those of us who are not Christians have a problem with being ordered about by those of you using Jesus Christ as your commander in chief. I don’t have a problem with Jesus, per se, as long as you keep it to yourself. I *do* have a problem with insisting that the Bible has the same scientific validity as the Periodic Table of Elements, and must therefore be followed verbatim.
#38 Agoraphobic Plumber
I did a rather lengthy analysis of everything I could find about the birth certificate before the election, and I believe I posted it here at BC. I am a retired Peace Officer and have spent decades dealing with felons and sociopaths, and breaking down their stories and alibis.
Short form, his story and actions do not match up. If you look at his exact words, in detail, and those of his adherents, you find that they don’t quite say what you think they say at first hearing. He is a master of weasel wording. Made me downright nostalgic for some of the felons I have dealt with.
Still and all, much turned on the statement by the Hawaiian government spokesman. But if you look at the exact words in the press release [as published by Reuters and AP], all he says is that they have his birth certificate and he has seen it. There is only the implication that it says he was born in Hawaii.
Hawaii specifically allows the registration of resident’s infants born overseas. The Hawaiian birth certificate itself does not confer citizenship or “natural born” status under the Constitution, unless in Box 7C ["County and State OR Foreign Country of birth"]on the long form it lists a location on US territory. That one box is the key to it all. It would have been simplicity itself, and probative, if they would have said,”We have his birth certificate and it says he was born in ‘X’ County, Hawaii.”. At that point the whole problem collapses. Since he was making a statement on behalf of Obama to confirm his birth, it would not have breached his privacy rights. But if untrue and discovered later it would have left the Hawaiian government open to charges of deliberate lies.
Until Box 7C is revealed, my working assumption based on analysis and cop sense is that he is not “natural born” at least. At other points in his life, he may have renounced his citizenship or had it renounced for him as a minor, but the question of his “natural born” status could be answered instantly at no cost, in camera in court if he did not want to have it published. Instead he is spending horrific sums of money to avoid what should be a freebie if he really was born in Hawaii. Go figure.
In any case, if he is shown not to meet the Constitutional requirements; then he and the media have thrown this country into a crisis of succession unlike any other, in the middle of a war and a depression. The argument for Biden could be countered by the claim that people vote for the Presidential ticket, and therefore Biden was falsely sworn in. It could be also claimed that McCain really won if Obama is ineligible. It could be claimed that since Biden was sworn in, he IS the ex officio vice president and should be president. And Nancy Pelosi could claim that since she was elected without reference to the presidential tickets; she should be president. And there could be an argument made [albeit less persuasively] that since no president was elected and properly inaugurated, Dick Cheney is acting president until Congress sorts it out. And that last situation would be a squirrel-screw of the first order.
Oh, yes. And by the way. Everything done by the Executive Branch since January 20, 2009 would be null and void. Which problem expands every day. If it is to be discovered, ‘twer best if it were done right smartly.
I will note that if McCain became president, there would be immediate street insurrections by the Democrats. Of all the other choices, I would favor [and this shows how truly and deeply scrod we are] Biden getting it. (shudder!). While he would need long term tutoring and a last minute cram session to qualify as a blithering idiot, unlike either Obama and Pelosi; he does not appear to actively hate this country.
We can deal with stupid alone a lot better than stupid and malign.
FUD
Subotai Bahadur
Matt Beck makes excellent point re “coming back” –it has to mean so much more if the irony can be banished –or transformed — in the postmodernism-fleeing pilgrim’s mind and heart.
Matt Beck (Man of the West),
What a prolix pile of steaming waste that was. There are grounds to worry about Goldman’s judgement, if he really has a LaRouche connection I’d start there. What you have done is ex cathedra and without any reasoned argument condemned Neocons (read Jews), the Materialistic and Whigs (read Business/Jews), the Urbane (read Cosmopolites/Jews) and Economists and Intellectuals (read, Oh everyone gets the picture.) You then wander into a series of “He has probably…” assumptions. What is the Conservatism that you are left with? Sounds like Solzhenitsyn’s mystical Czarism. No thank you.
Subotai, this problem –if it is real –would have taken BHO out of contention years ago, in the Dem back rooms, early enough that none of us here would likely know him not at all or maybe as an Illinois congressman. Unless:
1) he was so stunningly talented that the chance would be taken that the problem could be squelched. This would leave a lot to chance and hazard, and i think thus unlikely.
2) mischief –nay, civil breakdown –over the issue is intended and we now are running true to that form.
Is there a third?
Subatoi Bahdur,
Fear not if Barack H. Obama, or Truman Burbank, or Raymond Shaw, or any other personality he chose to exhibit, was declared ineligible or unqualified, the Constitution provides an answer. Joseph Biden remains the duly elected Vice President of the United States and in the event of a vacancy he would assume the office of the President. God help us all. If it was revealed that he was aware of Mr Obama being ineligible for his office before the election then that might lay Mr Biden open to an Impeachment charge. Those appointments, findings and other acts, that were made over Mr Obama’s signature would be void but they could be reinstated in a matter of minutes.
Personally I do not believe that we do ourselves any good by dwelling on the possibility of Obama’s ineligibility, as opposed to the certainty of his performance. The issue is no longer his qualification but his quality. After and if we get control of the government back into adult hands then one of the Amendments we can consider would be to remove the ambiguity from the election process that made it possible for person to pass through without proving their eligibility. The definition of citizenship and natural born must be made clear and the Court rulings that have denied citizens standing in these cases must be overturned.
#46 Buddy larsen
Keep in mind that there is an innate assumption that if you live here, went to school here, appear American, and speak “American” English, that you are an American. For whatever reason [which I think was related more to his mother's less than serious lifestyle] she did not care or know the law of the time. She may have actually believed that because he was her son, he was automatically a citizen. Given the laws of the time, all she would have had to do to make him one was file a piece of paper with the State Department stating that he was her child, and he would have been naturalized immediately, the same way our military dependents born overseas on a non-consular territory base are. There is no evidence that she had done that, which if he was born in Mombasa, Kenya would mean he is NOT technically a citizen. It would take some paperwork to make him one now, but he still does not then fit the “natural born” requirement.
My guess is that it strained her attention span almost to the breaking point to file for a birth certificate when she got back to Hawaii, and that was the extent of it. I also figure that she believed that once she had that birth certificate, he was a citizen.
Now, how often have you had to use your birth certificate once you passed 21? Especially before 9/11 when we became a little pickier? I’ve only had to twice, once to get a passport, and once to get a replacement Social Security card.
When he was going to school, primarily elementary school to prove age, they may have asked for a birth certificate, gotten one from Hawaii, and took it for proof; because especially in Hawaii it is not uncommon for US citizens to have foreign birth places [a lot of military dependents]. The same for getting a drivers license.
In point of fact, there is no requirement to prove citizenship at any point in the process of filing to run for office, just a sworn statement. Up until he ran for President, the “natural born” clause never impacted his life.
Once he ran for President, he probably signed the papers and forgot about it. Once again, it is conjecture, but if he had a campaign staff worth anything, when they challenged McCain over his birth in the Panama Canal Zone [then fully US territory, both parents US citizens, and born in a hospital on a base that even now has consular status.] and he replied by furnishing his birth certificate, medical records, and legal papers about the status of the Zone and hospital; someone probably thought, well we had better have our stuff together just in case McCain fights back with the same thing [McCain? fight back? not bloody likely] and had Obama sign off on getting his certificate. When someone saw Box7C, I suspect that the organic waste impacted the rotating airfoil.
At that point, he is already a candidate and has been running for months. He has a nationwide organization, and he is fighting for his life. Once they [he and his campaign staff] realized that a) he is not “natural born” and b) maybe is not a citizen at all, they realize that everything would be gone if it came out. The natural response [these are politicians after all, and also Democrats which defines a lack of morals and scruples] would be to cover it up. They were just lucky that the first questions about his birth were a few months later so that they could plan. Can you imagine the First Teleprompter trying to answer that one off the cuff on the campaign trail unbriefed?
Thus the ongoing coverup and legal stalls.
That is the most charitable reading. It is also possible that he knew and was bluffing, because if he was adopted in Indonesia, he lost his citizenship, and if he did enter Pakistan while in college on an Indonesian passport, he knew that his citizenship status was …. unclear.
Then there is the Manchurian candidate scenario, which is supported largely by the mysteries around his funding his education at Columbia and Harvard, neither of which are cheap and there have been reports of certain sponsorship. I prefer to stick to details we can quantify and try to get.
In any case, the problem remains that he may not be a “natural born” citizen [likely is not, but that can be easily proved or disproved which he is blocking, which argues that it would be proved not to be so]. There is a possibility that based on adoption as a minor he is an Indonesian national, or he may have effectively renounced his US citizenship by using an Indonesian passport [Neither the US nor Indonesia have ever recognized the concept of dual citizenship between the two. Indonesia requires a renunciation of all other citizenships.]
However he got there, his legitimacy in office, and every act of the Executive Branch, and all legislation he signs is to put it mildly questionable, and more truthfully non-existent. If he comes up with a long form birth certificate stating he was born in Hawaii, even if it is a credible forgery, that avenue of question will be effectively foreclosed for all practical purposes.
Two side questions. Most financial aid in college is for citizens only. What is the statute of limitations on defrauding the Federal government? Second, if he was NOT born in Kenya …. why has the Kenyan government declared anything to do with his birth to be a state secret? And why were there nationwide celebrations there on election night and after the inauguration?
Just wondering.
Subotai Bahadur
Cheezz, the birth cert thing will destroy us; you are being had, the Hawaii people said no one with standing has requested it and BHO has already reviewed it. These are not classified documents, guys, under custodian control laws with originals in vaults, the state gives you a certfied copy of information on record, which you must have legal standing to request. Some of you know better than to fall for this con from BHO’s people; it is a distraction.
subotai, very interesting –thanks. The credible forgery would work, as you say, so one wonders, inside the hypothetical, why this doc wouldn’t have long since been ‘uncovered’.
you have to watch this Axelrod –pheromones of his game MO are in the air here –for an example note how adroitly O has been able to use the waterboarding issue he had sent forward, both to besmirch the Bush/GOP/congressional pubs oppo (“torturers!”) AND to simultaneously elevate himself as the merciful and future-oriented (“but we shall not pursue the issue”) wiseman.
First, lay out the leftovers and call the dog, then when the dog has fully eaten them all, claim the leftovers were valuable but you forgive him for the transgression, for his previous owner trained him to be bad and now he know not what he do.
IOW, O could continue to fade this issue, and let an attack build up momentum, then pop up with the credible forgery (have to assume this is no trick to procure) and (*poof*) have stolen a march on a panting –and weakened –enemy. In front of the world and an embarrassed nation. Just speculatin’ here, but –still. His reponses don’t add up that he is innocent, but they don’t quite add up that he is guilty either –unless no credible forgery could be procured –which would change everything and katy bar the door.
“I really don’t see Biden as being in any way worse for this country then Obama.”
I would quibble. Obama has smarts, at least in some areas. He would understand, for example, that less said is better in many cases.
As far as I can tell, Biden is a drooling moron and it isn’t a given that he would understand that. Moreover, he seems to think nothing of throwing any idea that finds in his head straight out his mouth, without thinking.
If I was an antagonistic foreign leader with nukes and this guy became president, the first thought I would have is that here is an opportunity to nuke the US without them being smart enough to answer in kind.
On the bright side, if I was a conservative congressman with a silver tongue, I would smell opportunity in a Biden presidency as well.
Frank Marshall Davis is the biological father of Obambi.
http://i481.photobucket.com/albums/rr173/palominopinto/Barry.jpg
More on his student days in Indonesia…
http://tinyurl.com/437ef6
And putting it all together…
http://tinyurl.com/5l79cn
The real tragedy is that the founding fathers never anticipated that a natural born American boy would be REMOVED FROM OUR CULTURE and counter-indoctrinated by a mother and a grand-mother who hated the Constitution and our polity.
So Soetore spent his formative years completely outside America in an entirely alien culture — not even European or African. Next, he spends his adolescence under the grand-parentage of a vicious ‘tutu’ — [ I ought to know, being her neighbor, I'm a first person witness. You can sweep the web for commentary on the bitch. ) while attending a prep school loaded with anti-haole pious bigots.
[ Obama's behavior with Ortega is completely unchanged from his stoicism in front of his rant-raving grandmother.
This is deeply informative since it shows how he shields his inner-being from hectoring/ counter-information.
This is foundational for his narcissistic self-talk, auto-enrapture. He reasons that ANYONE that rails against him is as deranged as grandma.
Equally dangerous is to feed his ego with mindless flattery; this generates an even more amped up and distorted emotional high.
Events that harsh his mellow may provoke startling responses. In Obama's shame and honor inner-world he does not suffer insults or affronts. BTW, when a tin plated dictator rails against America, Obama does NOT regard that as anything but an AFFIRMATION. To insult him you must puncture his balloons.]
blert that’s an ice-person –lofty and disengaged –grandiose –like herr shicklegruber –
Ortega launching against America must have brought back the good ol’ days of Trinity Church.
How fortunate Daniel didn’t ask him to kneel or tithe.
yeah. guys i think we should drop the birth certificate thing. fo shizzle.
I’m afraid that even if we have the issue, it would in the end looking back be “What, you make the case AFTER the election? And accept civil disorder for a technical that if important AFTER the election, was by definition MORE important BEFORE?” –that’s my fear but i could be all wet of course. Ears stay open –would be good to know and then keep the genie in the bottle, make that public gesture. Could even be healing –and weaken our brave new tyranny-in-the-making. But lightning in a bottle –tough to control. Not everything that shines light on our oppo is good for the preferred end result –a sane nation whose attributes are once again to the fore and seen in true light.
Why the birth certificate matters.
This is personal history.
I was born in Mexico City in 1952 to married parents both American born. That makes me a dual citizen, at that time. Under the law at that time, because I was born to natural born American citizens, I was a natural born American citizen. Why do I know? In 1972, being drafted was on the horizon. I decided to enlist for reasons of my own. To do that, I was made to prove to the Army that I was a natural born American citizen by supplying copies of birth certificates or passports or (etc) of both parents. Well, Daddy-O could not be found at that time. Mom worked for a Federal judge. She knew a Federal circuit judge in El Paso and contacted him. We went to El Paso to meet with this judge. He explained to me in great detail the ramifications of the law. He could naturalize me on the spot but that had consequences and I could enlist in the Army.
1. If I was to be naturalized, I could not be President of the US nor hold any office in the chain of succession.
2. If I did not choose naturalization then I could be POTUS or any of the other offices.
Here is why this is important. Under that law at that time, a natural born citizen was a person who was born to natural born citizens or was born in the US or it’s territories or other official lands. So Barry Soetero is a natural born citizen IF he was born in the US or it’s territories, etc. OR if he was born to two (2) natural born citizens.
The linchpin for me is that I could not find the errant father. THAT is another story you do not care about, believe me. It is interesting to me and maybe two other people in the world.
Bottom line:
IF Barry Soetero was born in Hawaii = no problem. He is a citizen.
IF Barry Soetero was not born in Hawaii = BIG problem. He is not a natural born citizen (sometimes called a birthright citizen).
Why the now BHO does not release records of his birth escapes me. There are no good reasons not to. Nor are there reasons to not release his other records, things like college transcripts. The stench of deception runs strong there. Like Habu says and Subotai details. This stuff MATTERS folks.
#31 buddy larsen:
I am rather puzzled why Russia isn’t trying to strengthen ties with major outside powers to ensure that it continues to control Siberia. Russia may need an alliance with the United States someday.
Robohobo:
For the sake of argument, let’s say that BHO wasn’t born within the United States of America or its territories. What then? Even if he did get elected under false pretenses, he is the President of the United States now.
Let’s say for the sake of argument that BHO was born in Kenya. What can anybody do now?
Alexis:
The Constitution says that he cannot serve. There would be a Constitutional crisis of massive proportions. BHO and the Dems would be exposed as frauds. Not moral frauds but legal frauds. The trust of the American people would be violated. I think the outcomes would be very messy and possibly quite violent.
But, exposure of the Left’s complicity in this massive defrauding of America would be the end of them as a viable force in the political life of the country.
Just my 2 cents worth. That and $1.50 will get you a cup of coffee.
a damn good 2 cents worth, Rh –you navigated some adverse times –glad you made it ok –
Speaking as an outsider, and I admit it, and maybe I should not be weighing in:
The religion of Islam is an all-or-nothing affair. A good Moslem should (and usually does) work towards the establishment of sharia law as far as possible. It is quite inconceivable that the empty suit would not have been required to recite the shahada while at school in Indonesia; and once done, he is a Moslem forever and becomes an apostate if he strays from the “true faith”. Once that happens, he then becomes automatically subject to the death penalty as far as Moslems are concerned.
It is also fairly obvious, given his actions, that he is a Moslem in deed as well as in fact. Which means that he is ineligible to be President, because his oath of office was a lie. In fact, if he is a Moslem he probably committed perjury in the act of reciting that oath.
Manchurian candidate – you betcha.
#59 Robohobo: None of hussein0′s records were made public, and MSM tried to counter this by bringing up the fact that McCain was born in Panama, (to American born parents, of course), on assignment there.
His college application records, and he went to two colleges (Occidental, Harvard,) either show he applied as a ‘foreign’ student’ (from Indonesia) or they don’t; release of those records would clear up a lot. Or they would bring into question what and why he used to prove his foreign status, to get accepted there.
#46 buddy, if 0 never updated his status from Indonesian citizen, to naturalized U.S. citizen, in order to become a senator, then his senatorial background is void and fraud as well.
Many, who serve as state congresspersons and senators, as well as U.S. congresspersons and senators, can serve once they become naturalised U.S. citizens, they just cannot serve as POTUS, or VPOTUS. Arnold Schwarzenegger is an example of those who become naturalised, and go on to be eligible for elected office, just not potus.
I’m sure ward heeler Emil Jones, cleared up 0′s records problem soze 0 could become state senator (without 0′s becoming a naturalised citizen, which is otherwise required), Once they cleared that hurdle, the task was to repeat the fraud when/if 0 became a presidential candidate, and the media came through as accessory to that crime.
If both 0′ state senator career, and especially his U.S. senator career come in to question, and as someone pointed out, become null and void, then the act of congresspersons bagging U.S. tax revenue for their district/state comes into question as well, not to mention the equal protection clause, as to who pays taxes, and who does not, But also why some pay more than others do based on artificial tax bracketts. A constitutional crisis indeed: A case for equal application of tax law to all. Perhaps the elimination of tax money going to any district or state not specifically enumerated by the constitution. Defense is the only inter or intra state activity I can cite as constitutionally mandated.
Also, the constitution mandates the death penalty for treason.
The truth is that Soetoro is the Sorosian Candidate.
George has monster currency plays in mind. There’s no fiat he’s unwilling to short.
whoee –youz guyz is cooking –good –everything but everything needs a new hard look –or we will lose.
free association:
tax bracketts
tax b,racketts
tax barack ettes
tax pirates
tax pyre ettes
Bar Echo Bomber
Bar Ragoo, seen a bomber?
brag who’s seen a bomber
hope that don’t git me data mined
dado mined
NahnCee: thank you for your observation, although I believe you miss my point. My comments were directed at the desirability of ‘tribal revenge.’ First I critiqued it from the perspective of a group/organization. I was a Marine Corps officer for 22 years, retired as a LtCol. I know a little about force, when and how to apply it.
Then I critiqued the notion of revenge from the perspective of an individual person. That’s when I brought up personal choice regarding vengeance — that you don’t HAVE TO pursue it. Let me make this clear: I’m NOT advocating that nations pursue policies according to fanciful notions of What Would Jesus Do.
Why not? Because the Bible doesn’t ask Government to do so. Government (like everything) is indeed ultimately accountable to God, and many passages deal with being a just judge, etc. But when addressing the issue of “the sword” it’s good to read Romans 13:1-7 and 1 Pet 2:13-16. These “obey the Government” passages DEFEND the use of the sword and assert that government is expected to punish evil.
So, I was trying to address distortions regarding revenge from 2 extremes: one is the theory that hitting back, immediately & hard, is always the best policy for an organization. Second is the notion that Government and individuals are commanded to always “turn the other cheek.” Neither extreme is true.
So, to address a question you didn’t ask, what should Christians expect from government? I recommend reading 1 Tim 2:1-2 “…I urge that supplications…be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.”
A Christian should hope for a government will let us lead a peaceful, quiet, and dignified life. We used to have that luxury in America, probably took it for granted. That era is ending, in large part thanks to people like you who rely on (what you believe to be) ‘scientific validity.’
In sum, I agree with you: the Bible was written for Christians, not for you. A Christian shouldn’t ask for a government that imposes our beliefs, just one that lets us practice our beliefs without being put in jail, etc.
I would like to thank those commenters that gave the details on the natural born citizen requirement. I did not know about box 7c on Hawaiian birth certificate. I assume that if born from an American woman then her child no matter where it was born is an American citizen, the difference between natural born and birthright citizenship I was not aware about.
Obama should settle this matter if he was born in Hawaii. If he was not then his actions avoiding this issue become clear. The primary problem compelling release of the Hawaiian birth certificate is standing. So far the courts do not want this issue including SCOTUS and have declined any review based on standing.
I do not know who could have standing to bring this to a court to compel the birth certificate to validate his qualifications. That needs a lawyer.
If he is a fraud and is deposed, the VP Biden is the Constitutional successor. That is why they are sworn in separately. Even the succession to House Majority Speaker Pelosi could be challenged since than was a statute and not a constitutional change. Hilary as Sec of State could challenge Pelosi and probably would.
Stupid as Biden is, he does love the country and we could muddle through. He may pick good people and actually do a lot better than the foolish Obama.
Thanks for the excellent commentary.
As to the Georgian issue. Putin has a personal revenge motive against Saakashvili and wants him strung up by his balls, I believe he said, and will not stop until Saakashvili is dead or at least remove from office.
The NATO exercise may be cancelled due to Russia objections and Obama’s weakness.
I had suggested last year that transportation network across Georgia to the Azerbaijan was a good idea but that would have to cross Armenia a Russian protectorate. If we could get into Tajikistan then that would spike China’s ambition of oil in theta area. We could then move supplied south into Afghanistan.
I appreciate the link http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=13101. I think this is a good policy but I doubt that America in it current problems will be inclined to put any major will to this end. Bush might have and Palin would but not Obama, Biden, Clinton or Pelosi or even McCain.
The reality is that Obama is focused on domestic issues and wants to rearrange our society into a more socialist and communist direction with National Health Care and the Banking crisis. So any foreign contentions will be slighted and suppressed to not interfere in his goals for his domestic agenda.
I think 0′s student application (nationality) status, in particular, make it harder to keep (t)his story straight even if they start forging documents to cover all (his) the stops on the paper trail.
And there is far more to it than whether or not the invention that is barry barack Davis soetoro obamo starts to “wind down”, shall we say (for reasons listed above, in #’s 70, 71).
Therefore, the thought that the very rackets that the chicago bagman is now trying to run, as well as all previous ones at well fed, and even, and especially, state level, might be, at some point, in jeopardy, and threatened as to the very idea of running any kind of racket at well fed level in future, must surely…
Also, in present and future nibble away at the purpose and definition of the progressives at fed level altogether. Not to mention the psyche of congress people themselves: everybody is each others ‘useful idiot’, but its obvious that Peloski is in charge for the moment.
Congress people in redder states must weigh whether, but more importantly when is the moment to bolt from the circling drain that 0 is to their congressional livelihood(s).
As to those comparison photos, the most striking feature in two of them [Barry and Frank Davis] is the, for lack of a better term, cleft, or perhaps vertical reverse cleft at the bridge of each’s lip, below the cleft of the ‘mustache’ part of the lip.
So, if everything else falls through, then 0′s last option is to claim to be the bastard son, of what would be statutory rapist Frank Davis, because, if Frank Davis is said father, then his birth would likely have been in Hawaii (and therefore on U.S. soil), just not as originally stated, and purported, as the biological son of Barack Obama Sr., and he would then switch to being called President Barry Davis, or Barry X, because the creds that provide for him to be called Obama have been based on the (now proven false) reputed claim to have been (a) biological son of Ann Dunham’s husband (Barach Obama Sr.), who, as NOT the (biological) father in fact, never adopted him either, to BECOME his [adopted] son by law, nor neither did of course Frank Davis, nor barry’s grandparents, nee his “grandparents”, as sometimes grandparents do [adopt their grandchildren], in cases where their offspring become unable to care for their child, or children.
All of which is a problem, (for us and him 0, for opposite reasons) because the law was skirted, or in fact flouted, in favor of irresponsible “custom”, which is what they (and the pundits) will say as well, when the time comes to start changing stories, or narratives, and that the whole thing is just “too confusing”, (so they will say also, and obfuscate), when such a time occurs.
The fact that it is supposed to be “confusing”, when legal clarification is needed, will demonstrate just what ‘progressives’ think of the law altogether, especially when the law or a situation that needs legal clarification applies to them.
And of course that’s why, according to them (progressives), we will just need to just drop the whole thing and all just “move on”.
thanks to all for great discourse, readers appreciate the clarity & effort evident. and a perfect capper by Gaffe prices, sums up what would be the likely ”best” outcome of a full-frontal expose. Bad but best, unless of course that other thing is true (& if i had to guess i’d place it as a still open question in the heart of the man himself), that he is a deliberate Manchurian Candidate. then, were back to katy bar the door.