Saturday, June 24, 2006

Kerry

Investor's Business Daily: And This Guy Was Almost President?: "Sen. John Kerry has spent a career taking the side of America's enemies. His call last week for a pullout from Iraq was the latest evidence he is unfit to serve in the Senate — never mind the White House.

Kerry's proposal to withdraw us completely from Iraq by July of next year was resoundingly defeated in the Senate by a vote of 86 to 13. And just days before, he said the deadline should be the end of this year.

But Kerry's idea is the exact opposite of what he was calling for in late 2003 while running for president. Back then he was accusing President Bush of planning to prematurely withdraw from Iraq.

'I fear that in the run-up to the 2004 election the administration is considering what is tantamount to a cut-and-run strategy,' Kerry told the Council on Foreign Relations. He said it would be 'a disaster and a disgraceful betrayal of principle' to allow 'a politically expedient withdrawal of American troops.'"

41 comments:

buddy larsen said...

Great short, punchy essay at IBD, urge you to follow the link.

It's a little lite on Kerry (and Tom Harkin's) 80s campaign to help the Sandinistas to install Soviet military bases in Central America.

The full story (including Kerry's lying to Congress about Soviet/Sandinista financial deals of which he, Kerry, undoubtedly knew, from his private meetings with Daniel Ortega) will stand your hair on end, provided you have any hair left after watching this guy all these years.

Rick Ballard said...

Buddy,

Someday I would like to find and read a history of what actually transpired between '78 and '88 - from the Church committee, through the Boland amendment to Iran/Contra. We really had some termites working on the foundation in those years - Kerry and Harkin plus a number of others.

Unknown said...

I wonder if Kerry would have ven had a career in politics if not for Viet nam. The man is just so shallow.

buddy larsen said...

Rick--the book has yet to be written, and when it is, it will be hard to believe. Just as Kerry's presidential candidacy, in the light of his anti-war activities re VietNam, are themselves sufficiently unbelievable that people who support him must either literally not believe their own eyes--or are open and blatant anti-Americans.

The man has left no middle ground, for anyone with even the vaguest grasp of history.

Terrye, yes, Kerry certainly parlayed his stint in service into a dis-service infinitely, immeasurably, greater in effect.

If we could go back in time, I think he would be deferred; the interests of national security being that he not serve.

vnjagvet said...

I think a lot of this is the "one world" internationalist outlook so loved by northeastern "intellectuals" for so many years.

It is so gauche, dontchaknow, to acknowledge one's American national identity.

Anonymous said...

Vnjagvet:

It is so gauche, dontchaknow, to acknowledge one's American national identity.

Yeah, until the cop in Mexico wants $100 to tear up their speeding ticket in Baja or when their kids get caught for dope in Singapore.

Then suddenly they want the US Navy to send down five aircraft carriers.

buddy larsen said...

The problem with "one world" is that the people who should run it--the democratic constitutionalists--don't want "one world", while those who DO want "one world" seem to coalesce under the opposite political model. AKA, rule by a supreme soviet (of some sweeter-sounding name).

Anonymous said...

And I agree that the definitive history of the late 70s and the 80s remains to be written and probably won't be until Communism passes from Vietnam and more Soviet archives are opened. Pieces of the truth may well appear abroad well before they are produced here.

buddy larsen said...

The most apt analogy I can think up, would be if erstwhile American hero Benedict Arnold had overcome that unfortunate side-switching episode mid-war, and had stayed in-country (Arnold actually moved to England, as Kerry should've moved to Hanoi--we'd be happier, he'd be happier, and Heinz Ketchup would be tastier), and had later run for president. Of the USA, that is.

buddy larsen said...

But really, can we blame a Kerry for being a Kerry? after all, the malady is almost clinical--dyed in the wool--he's the kid in high school who was just smart enough to calculate his every move but too dumb to realize his game was all wrong from the get-go (and excruciatingly obvious to boot).

No, the blame accrues to the leadership of the Democratic Party, for not ridding of his like before such a career could ever get started.

Anonymous said...

Buddy:

as Kerry should've moved to Hanoi ...

Well, yes, there is the rub. Arnold at least went from a nascent democracy to a place with a strong tradition of some representative government.

In contrast, our recent equivalents never could quite walk down the jetway on that one way flight on Aeroflot or Cubana or Linheas Aereas do Mozambique or Dear Leader's Air Koryo to spirit them off to socialist paradise.

That is because it is all at base a fantasy. And their knowing it to be a fantasy only deepens the agony.

So for a certain kind of leftist, life is always Angst Central. Too bad. Here's your ticket, pal.

buddy larsen said...

Really. Arnold at least voted with his feet; we knew where he stood. With a Kerry, ya hafta elect him to find out. And then what? Go shoot up Fort Sumter again?

loner said...

I have no regrets. I thought he was the better choice, given the options, in 2004 and I still think that to have been the case.

Carry on.

buddy larsen said...

One of us is missing something, Loner. Maybe it's me.

Charlie Martin said...

One of us is missing something, Loner. Maybe it's me.


Nah.

Rick Ballard said...

Buddy,

Kennedy handpicked Kerry for the Senate - secondraters often pick secondraters - no risk of being outshone. After Kennedy picked him there was really nothing the party could do. There still isn't. Schumer was none too happy about that pullout vote farce. Menendez made an error that may cost him his seat. He should have faked a heart attack.

loner said...

buddy—

Not at all. As far as I'm concerned, it's a matter of how you read history and what constitute your primary concerns regarding the future.

I wasn't despondent or outraged when the President won. I don't doubt the country (even if not I) will still be here when some other knave and/or fool wins the job in November 2008 and takes over in January 2009.

Seneca—

"—Look it up in the book stupid! Don't you knw that you may sleep with your half-sister at Athens, and that at Alexandria it can be the whole one?"

Original Latin please.

Unknown said...

loner:

Well I disagreed then and I still do. Kerry is a disgrace.

Gephardt would have been a better choice and at least his photo is not up in some museum in Viet Nam with a great big thank you from the communists.

You know if the Democrats would have been half as interested in getting the president of the United States to resolve our ongoing dilemna with Iraq back when a Democrat was the President I would be a lot more patient with them now.

Imagine how different the world would have been if Clinton had killed Osama when he had the chance and if had either taken out Saddam or resolved the whole thing a decade ago.

I mean after all it seems completely unimportant to most Democrats that the UN was used like a cheap whore and they could care less that their own party was responsible for most of the intel they call lies today and it is obvious that they do not care what happens to the people over there as long as they can rag on Bush, so why didn't they just turn Saddam loose ten years ago?

loner said...

Seneca—

I know you know it's know. No hurry.

buddy larsen said...

You have to wonder what in the world Kerry has been thinking of late. The last couple of weeks just make no sense whatsoever. "Rule or Ruin", gone 'round the bend?

loner said...

terrye—

I know you disagree. Is there anyone on the contributor list who doesn't disagree? That's life. I don't think I'm sleeping and I don't think I'm anti-American. You're free to disagree.

Best.

Unknown said...

loner:

I do not think you are anti Aemrican. Not at all. I just think you are wrong. But I like your movie reviews enough that I will try not to be obnoxious about it all.

Besides I do think you have a right to your opinion. Sorry if I left any other impression.

loner said...

terrye—

You didn't. I only commented because buddy was so definitive regarding Kerry supporters in his 12:28 comment.

Mexico and Argentina are in OT and I'm done with this thread.

Best.

Rick Ballard said...

Buddy,

The hard antiwar theme from January to May actually paid off in increased contributions - the best that Dean has done (although Miz Clinton is doing better with the sneak wink, wink, nudge nudge). The core of the Dem party remains centrist but they are not in the habit of contributing - Kerry is just singing for supper.

Remember - there were two votes - Kerry's 'cut 'n run like a rabbit and Levin's cut 'n jog quickly to the exit. I haven't looked at the 40 votes for cut 'n jog but Menendez was the only Senator at risk who voted with Magic Hat.

It wasn't a bad move by Kerry if it keeps checkbooks open - and it is totally consonant with his lack of charactor and ability to emulate a weathervane.

loner said...

...aside from looking for some Latin from Seneca.

buddy larsen said...

Loner, it's not the politics so much as it's the lack of principle and character.

And it's not the foreign policy alone.

The Kennedy/Kerry wing, in its approach to the problem of political economy, is the little guy's worst enemy--even while crying floods of crocodile tears in his (staged) behalf.

The policies seek to keep plenty--hopefully a majority--of voters poor, ignorant, angry, and voting class warfare in a political economy that, given its head, does nothing so well as create class mobility, and is nothing if not the only proven system (besides an alliance with a secret-police) that offers individual (in the aggregate, 'class')upward mobility.

IOW, the Kennedy/Kerry wing is not just another political idea, its a spiritually dark play on the worst aspects of human nature, and in control of the country, would create a hellish chaos which would then justify the bootheel like you ain't ever imagined it.

buddy larsen said...

IMHO, hasten to add.

buddy larsen said...

A lot of the bootheel would come out of the agencies, which are in the executive branch of the government, and operate under administrative law.

buddy larsen said...

Put a special-interest pander-bear ward-heeler in the White House dealing favors to some, always at someone else's expense, as the highest function of government, and ya gotcher USA-as-UN, all in one fell swoop.

Unknown said...

buddy:

barefoot and pregnanat.

I think their problem is that this is not Dicken's England.

I heard Biden talking about this, he said Democrats need the middle.

Rick Ballard said...

Terrye,

In 1940 44% of Americans owned their own home, in 2000 66% did. The Dems succeeded themselves right out of business - Biden is right about needing the middle but in order to get it the Dems have to find a new idea. Robbing Peter to pay Paul only works when the Pauls outnumber the Peters.

buddy larsen said...

One thing about Kerry, he does make Biden look good. Almost nothing else could.

It's just possible that this building attack on Joe Lieberman will finally take down the moonbats.

buddy larsen said...

Federal tax receipts have been up about 15% every year since the "tax cuts for the rich"--up 13% so far in 2006, year-over-year. Deficits are shrinking, and still only @ 2.5%--at the mean. Corporate profits As a percent of GDP are at all-time highs, and personal income is growing @ twice the inflation rate. We're right at full-employment as economists say structurally it can't go below 4+%.

Absorbed the dot-com bubble, 911, Katrina, and OIF, which is sure to dwindle in future cost. Real-estate and commodoties bubble being shaved off by Bernanke as we speak, and US Dollar rebalancing in an orderly manner against the other currencies--slightly lower due to our remedial liquidity-injections, but good for our exporters--and a slight upward rate bias by the EC and BOJapan. Iran coming slooowly to the table. Palestinians being forced to join the 21st century. Zark dead and Zawaheri putting out bombast videos almost weekly now. Kerry and the moonbats disgracing themselves.

I think Monday the mkts will start looking @ long again.

The new government in Iraq is functioning, and the jihad seems to be losing its claimed moral position.

By gosh, if I didn't know better, I'd think the old USA, in this wild & wooly & fast-changing world, ain't doin' so dang bad.

buddy larsen said...

just don't mix up "rice" and "ricin", janey!

Charlie Martin said...

Look it up in the book stupid! Don't you knw that you may sleep with your half-sister at Athens, and that at Alexandria it can be the whole one.

Hmmm. Something familiar ....

Charlie Martin said...

I mean after all it seems completely unimportant to most Democrats that the UN was used like a cheap whore ....

Terrye, hon, a couple of billions dollars takes the UN entirely out of the category of cheap whores.

We did get screwed, though, no question.

Charlie Martin said...

...aside from looking for some Latin from Seneca.

Sadly, Loner, my admiration for the Stoics doesn't translate into that kind of fluency in Latin.

Charlie Martin said...

Barbara Boxer thinks sarin is like Drano.


Sadly, and unexpectedly, that was Jane Harman, who usually has more sense than that.

buddy larsen said...

I'm sure he gets plenty of practice at listening! (*groan*)

Unknown said...

seneca:

Okay Okay.... really expensive whore and a drug habit to boot.

Speaking of drug habits how long befoe the coke head dictator of Venezuala gets his comeupence? OT I know, but it just kind of popped in my head.

buddy larsen said...

Maybe John Kerry can get a senate resolution on when Hugo has to pull out of Venezuela.