Video: The real Newt Gingrich

(via The Liberty News Network)

Government Records $229 billion deficit for a month

Elections matter folks, this is why. Greece, here we come!

The U.S. government just notched its highest ever monthly deficit, with the red rink running to an estimated $229 billion in February.

The Congressional Budget Office, in a preliminary analysis, reported that the February 2012 deficit broke last year’s monthly record of $223 billion.

The office attributed the shortfall in part to a decline in revenue — mainly because of a $25 billion increase in income tax refunds thanks to disbursement timing issues.

According to the CBO, processing delays pushed refund payments that would have been distributed in January off into February. And the additional day in February this year allowed for extra refunds to be distributed during the month that otherwise would have been paid out in March.

The CBO projected that for the first five months of the fiscal year, the federal government is running a $578 billion deficit.

The projected deficit this year is once again projected to top $1 trillion

via Government Records Highest-ever Monthly Deficit | Fox News.

The only thing I can truly say about this one is this; elections matter. This is what happens when you put progressives and moderate Republicans in Government, they spend on your dime and you get stuck with the tab and most usually, you do not get a thing for it in return.  This is why we have to get people elected to political office, in City, State and Federal levels; who at the very least, have the American people’s interests in mind and not their own political fortunes in mind. Because when the political veterans are running the show; both Republican and Democratic Parties; this is what you get —- Debt.

China cannot buy our debt forever, or eventually they will own this Country. Not to mention, China is not exactly a free Country. All China would have to do, is tell the United States that they will not be buy anymore of our debt and we, as a Nation, would be history. We, as Conservatives have no one to blame, but ourselves for this fine mess.  The Republican Party elected a moderate Republican by the name of Richard Nixon, who wanted so badly to make a name for himself and that idiot liberal Republican just had to go to China and normalize relations with those Communist bastards. Which is pretty darned ironic, considering what the Communists in China did to John Birch.  This is one Conservative who felt Watergate was nothing more than sweet justice. (…and No, I am NOT being snarky!)

This why we the American people, the silent majority; need to vote differently this coming November. Our Nation’s future might just depend on it.

 

 

I must take a stand for Israel

There is a time when one must be silent and there are times when one must speak out against what he knows is morally wrong; this is one of those times.

Those of you who are daily readers of this blog know that I voted for Ron Paul in the Michigan primary.  I did this mainly because of my personal Christian (as lousy as I am at that practice) convictions and my anti-statist convictions; believe me when I tell you, I know full well about Ron Paul’s position of Israel, I know full well about his idiotic position of terrorism and foreign policy.  I do not support that aspect of Ron Paul at all.  However, I was just not willing to throw out the baby with the bathwater, so to speak.

I am a very open-minded person, anyone who has followed my political blogging career, knows that.  However, I just will not tolerate blind hatred of Jews, Israel and its right to exist as its own state.  I am a born-again Christian of 29 years.  I happen to accept, believe, and will defend to my dying day; that land of Israel is for God’s chosen people.  I realize that some people might have a hard time believing that; but it is the truth and I would be willing to spend time in jail for the very purpose, if it ever became needful to do so.

Therefore, I am removing all links on this website to “The American Conservative.”  I respect the opinions of Rod Dreher and of Daniel Larison.  However, for me to have a link on this website to that website might signal to some that I totally agree with the editorial board with their position on Israel.  Let me state emphatically in the strongest terms that I can present to my readers.  Anyone who assumes that I agree with the idiotic position of the “American Conservative” is a moronic fool and does not know me or values that were instilled in me is a child in the Church.

The reason I have decided to this is that Scott McConnell, who is one of the founders of The American Conservative took to the magazine’s blog and boasted of the fact that he participated in the Anti-Semitic “Occupy AIPAC”  demonstration in Washington D.C.  This is inexcusable in my opinion, the occupy movement has been a hotbed of hatred, class warfare and Anti-Semitism.  If Mr. McConnell believes that the occupy movement is even remotely a Conservative movement or a pro-American movement then he has a serious problem.

If Rod Dreher and of Daniel Larison should ever decide to leave the American Conservative and blog elsewhere I will consider linking to their posting and writing about it on this blog.  Until this, I will not be linking to any of their writings anymore.  Because there is one thing that I will never support and that is Jew hatred and that is what this “occupy APIAC” is all about, hatred of Israel, hatred of Jews and hatred if everything related to that — including American’s capitalistic system.

Furthermore, I have removed Ron Paul’s graphic and link to his site from this blog.  As much as I agree with Ron Paul’s federalism, as much as I agree with Ron Paul’s disagreement with the Wilsonian foreign policy crowd.  I do not want to be associated with anyone who has associations with Jew haters and Ron Paul is often lauded by the American Conservative magazine.

I am an avid supporter of freedom of speech and diversity of political opinion, but there are just some political opinion and some kinds of speech that very unsuitable for mainstream consumption.  The American Conservative is one of those publications and I do not wish to be associated with it.  In other words, I would not link to neo-Nazi website on this blog, and I will not link to a website or publication that shares these sorts of views when it comes to Jews and Israel.

I believe that Ron Paul does not win Presidential elections for a very good reason, and this that I have highlighted is one of them.  For the record, I do not know that Ron Paul totally agrees with the nonsense spewed at this magazine or its website.  However, his position of Israel speaks volumes.  Again, my vote for Ron Paul was a protest vote against the big government statism that has become the norm in the Republican Party.  Nothing further, than that, should be derived, from my voting for Ron Paul.

I just will not support bigots, hate mongers, or racists; I was not raised to think like that, anyone who might have assumed anything other than that which I have written above; was quite highly mistaken.  My battle on this blog is limited to the far liberal left in this Country and its politics, how they poison the minds of the black community and other minorities as well.  My battle is not one of skin color at all.  Nor is it against the Jews or Israel.  If anyone happened to come to this blog and assumed that, you were wrong and I apologize for the confusion.

 

Sorry Tina, But that is not what the Bible says!

Here I go again, criticizing what I know to be wrong and it coming from a so-called Catholic and Christian; not to mention a so-called Conservative blog. I have done this before, and now it appears that I have to do it again.

Tina Korbe discussing how Catholics are up in arms about the Obama Administration’s Birth Control mandate:

Ms. Fluke, I resent that you think women are incapable of controlling themselves, of sacrificing temporary pleasure for the sake of long-term success. You make us sound like animals, slaves to our instincts and able to be used, but we’re better than that. We’re persons, equal to men in dignity and love.

via Georgetown co-ed: Please pay for us to have sex … We’re going broke buying birth control « Hot Air.

Yeah, they’re equal, the classic feminist argument. Trouble is, it is not even remotely Biblical.

Quoting the Word of God:

Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. For Adam was first formed, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety. — (1 Timothy 2:11-15 KJV)

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.  (Ephesians 5:22-24 KJV)

This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. — (Ephesians 5:32-33 KJV)

If I were Tina’s fiancee, and I saw that she wrote this; and I would head over to Tina’s house, take my ring back and inform her that I was breaking off the engagement. Because when a woman says the word “equal” she usually means “as great or greater than the man.” Which usually means that she intends to rule her man, like most feminists usually do.  This is not a Christian mentality, this is a Satanic and quite ungodly mentality that is usually associated with the liberal left in this Country.

But then again, we are dealing with the blog that is quite known for its Neoconservative political positions and also for it’s quite ungodly friendliness to the Sodomite lifestyle.

I voted for Ron Paul in Michigan’s Primary

Yes, I voted for him in the primary. I had to, I would be sinning otherwise.

I know that Ron Paul will not win the primary race here in Michigan.  I also know that Ron Paul will not be nominated as the Republican Party’s choice for candidate for President of the United States of America.  However, I voted for him in the Primary here in Michigan. Please, allow me the time to explain why.

There are a number of reasons why and they are the following:

  1. Spending: Rick Santorum, Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich all talk a mean game about cutting spending out of one side of their mouths, and out of the other, they all speak of strengthening our Military and of future conflicts with Iran.
  2. Religion: I realize that Religion is not supposed to be a litmus test for Presidential elections.  However, I believe that Religious influence is an issue in selection of one’s vote.  It is a fact that Mitt Romney is of the Mormon faith.  It is a fact that Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich are both of the Roman Catholic faith.  As a Protestant Christian, as a Fundamentalist Christian and as an Independent Fundamental Baptist, I must unequivocally say that I do not consider Mormons or Roman Catholics to be true born again Christians at all.  I realize that this position might offend some, to them I simply say; I must follow what I know in my heart and soul to be right.  I believe a vote for any of these other three men would be a slap in the face to the Almighty God and to his Son Jesus Christ, who came to save and deliver all from the bondages of sin and from false Christian doctrine; including Mormonism and Roman Catholics.  Furthermore, I could think of no greater grievous Sin than to vote for a man, of whose religion is, what my Religious convictions consider a false form of Christianity.
  3. Wars:   As someone who spent over 7 years blogging against a war in Iraq, of which I felt was very unjustified and quite immoral — I just cannot support Republican candidates who wish to steer us into further conflicts in the Middle East.  This not to say that I do not support Israel, anyone who reads this blog, knows that I totally support the idea and preservation of the Jewish State of Israel.  However, I am wholeheartedly opposed to the continuation of fighting Israel’s battles for them.  I believe that the United States of America needs to stop being the World’s police officer and let these Countries fend for themselves.  Furthermore, I believe that the United States of America needs to stop funding the feud between the Arabs and Jews, which the United States has done for years.

For these reasons and for these reasons alone, I have cast my lot to the man, who I feel best represents my beliefs as an American, as a Christian, and as a libertarian-minded Conservative.  I feel personally that any other sort of a vote would be Anti-Christian and Anti-American.  This is not to say that I do not have some minor differences of opinion with the Representative from Texas; I do have a few.  However, I am not, as some are, to toss out the proverbial “baby with the bathwater.”  Because of this, I have voted for and will continue to support Ron Paul for President of the United States in 2012.

These Statements are true and are a true representation of my political positions and opinion.

Signed,

Charles Patrick Adkins

Owner and Publisher

Thought and Rantings

Http://www.thoughtsandrantings.com

KJV Hosting and Web Design

http://www.kjvhost.com

Video: Ann Coulter smokes Jeb Bush and gets it wrong like always

Via Daily Caller:

Here is where Ann Coulter is full of crap, as always; Mitt Romney is as much of a Big Government Conservative or Statist as Rick Santorum, I have written about this Here, Here, Here, Here, Here, Here, and Here

The only reason that Ann Coulter is in the tank for Romney is because she believes, for whatever reason, that Mitt Romney is electable. Perhaps Ann should look at this picture and Video here taken at Ford Field here in Detroit: (via C4P)

and now said video:

Ann might want to rethink that idiotic position, and quick. The man has no hope of being elected President of the United States at all. Now does Rick Santorum stand a chance? As much as I would like to think so, I just do not think that Independents, which make up a good deal of the American voters in the Country, will vote for Santorum. Newt is toast, he will not win Michigan either. Ron Paul will not win either, because of the power of the various lobbies that control the Republican Party. So, it’s either hold your nose and vote for Romney or suffer another four years of Obama. Which would you do?

Why do Christians do stupid stuff like this?

The reason I ask this, is because every time a Christian does something as ignorant as this; it never ends well.

Videos: (Via Mediaite)

The Story:

On Tuesday, Franklin Graham appeared on Morning Joe and made some statements that threw the show’s panel — which included Alex Wagner, Willie Geist, and John Heilemann — into disarray. Graham questioned President Obama‘s faith and contentiously explained why Mormons aren’t considered Christian.

Graham, throughout the interview, repeatedly said he didn’t know if President Obama was a Christian.

“I asked him when he was running… how he came to faith in Christ. He said that he was working in the South Side of Chicago in the community and they asked him — the community — asked him what church he went to, and he said ‘I don’t go to church.’ They said, ‘If you’re going to work in the community, you have to join one of our churches.’ And of course, he joined Reverend Jeremiah’s church. So that’s what his answer to my question was.”

“So therefore, by your definition, he’s not a Christian,” Geist said.

“You have to ask him,” Graham said. “I cannot answer that question for anybody.”

Mike Barnicle then asked why Graham couldn’t just say, “Yeah, I believe he’s a Christian,” in light of him saying he is, going to church, and practicing his faith.

“I accept him as what he says. If he says he’s a Christian, I accept that, I’m not going to say he’s not,” Graham said. “All I know is what Jesus Christ has done in my heart and how he’s changed my life.”

Graham also explained how the Muslim world sees President Obama as a Muslim, but he doesn’t believe he’s a Muslim. He did stop short of categorically saying he wasn’t a Muslim. “I can’t say categorically because Islam has gotten a free pass under Obama,” Graham said, pointing out the Christian minorities throughout the entire world coming under attack by Muslims, especially after the Arab Spring.

[….]

“His values are so clear on moral issues,” Graham said on Santorum. “No question about it.”

“[That’s] an amazing double standard that you just applied,” an incredulous Heilemann said. “Your reaction to the difference — The question about Rick Santorum and President Obama, I think, just exposes an incredible double standard you’re applying to those people. They’re exactly the same situation!”

“No, I asked President Obama how he came to faith in Christ and he said, ‘I don’t go to church,’” Graham replied.

“Have you had that conversation with Rick Santorum?” Heilemann asked.

“I’ve talked to Rick Santorum, yes.”

“And he was just more persuasive to you?”

“I think so,” Graham said. “But you have to look at what a person does with his life. Anyone can say he’s a Christian. But you look at [how] do they live? Where do they go? And act? Listen, Obama is a nice man, I’ve met him on several occasions–”

“But you think he behaves in an un-Christian way,” Heilemann interrupted.

“No, he is a nice man. And his wife is a class act and their kids are class — You can’t help but like them,” Graham said. “So I have no idea what he really believes and I really don’t have any idea other than what Rick Santorum stands for or what he really believes.”

“What about Mitt Romney?” Wagner asked.

“I like him,”

“Is he a Christian?”

“He’s a Mormon.”

“He says he’s part of the Judeo Christian faith, do you take him at his word?”

“Most Christians would not recognize Mormonism as part of the Christian faith.”

“So he is not a Christian…”

“I’m just saying most Christians would not recognize Mormonism. Of course they believe in Jesus Christ, but they have a lot of other things that they believe in, too, that we don’t accept theologically,” Graham explained. He then added that Romney, “would be a good President if he were the nomination, because I think the man has got the ability. He’s got the strength, business-wise, political-wise — he’s a sharp guy, and he’s proven himself. Any one of these candidates–Newt Gingrich, all of them. Now, newt’s been married several times, he’s had those issues, but he could make a good candidate. And I think Newt is a Christian…at least he told me he is.”

“So Newt Gingrich is a Christian,” an exasperated Geist asked, “but you’re not sure that President Obama is!”

Again, I am not saying that these men not do not have the right to believe what they do; they do, and I also happen to agree with their assessments of Romney and somewhat on Obama. However, to haul themselves to the biggest liberal network in America and do something like this, makes these men, Christianity, the Church — look like complete buffoons. Perhaps Rev. Graham and his Ministry should concentrate more on furthering the Gospel of Christ and not be going to a liberal network and making statements which, in all honesty, does more to hurt the cause of Christ, than it ever does to help it.

In other words my friends, as a 29 year veteran of the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ; I just do not see the Godly wisdom of doing this sort of thing. It just does not strike me as something helpful for the body of Christ. Let those who have ears to hear; let them hear.

Memo to Rick Santorum: This is not helping your cause

This is not a smart move, Mr. Santorum.

Via the Detroit News:

Washington — Rick Santorum on Sunday condemned what he called President Barack Obama’s world view that “elevates the Earth above man” and requires insurers to pay for prenatal tests that will encourage more abortions.

A day after telling an Ohio audience that Obama’s agenda is based on “some phony theology, not a theology based on the Bible,” the GOP presidential candidate said he wasn’t criticizing the president’s Christianity.

“I’ve repeatedly said I don’t question the president’s faith. I’ve repeatedly said that I believe the president’s Christian,” Santorum said in a broadcast interview. “I am talking about his world view, and the way he approaches problems in this country. I think they’re different than how most people do in America.”

The former Pennsylvania senator said Obama’s environmental policies promote ideas of “radical environmentalists,” who, Santorum argues, oppose greater use of the country’s natural resources because they believe “man is here to serve the Earth.” He said that was the reference he was making Saturday in his Ohio campaign appearance when he denounced a “phony theology.”

“I think that is a phony ideal. I don’t believe that is what we’re here to do,” Santorum said. “We’re not here to serve the Earth. The Earth is not the objective. Man is the objective.”

Obama’s campaign said Santorum’s remarks were another attack on the president’s faith by Republican rivals in a nominating contest that has grown increasingly bitter and negative.

“It’s just time to get rid of this mindset in our politics that, if we disagree, we have to question character and faith,” said Robert Gibbs, Obama’s former press secretary. “Those days have long passed in our politics. Our problems and our challenges are far too great.

I really hate to be the one to bring this out; nothing bothers me more than to have to point out the obvious.  However, because I am a Lincoln Conservative, a libertarian-minded Conservative and because I happen to believe that all forms of bigotry are simply immoral, I must address this issue.

Mr. Santorum, your dog whistle racism needs to stop.  This idiotic notion that President Barack Obama is not a Christian because he happens to disagree with your political stance is asinine at best.  Mr. Santorum your use of the word “worldview” is troubling.  Because I happen to believe that what you are actually saying is that because President Barack Obama is a man of color, because he is a black man; that somehow or another he views American differently than say yourself or even me.

My simple question to you sir is this; would you make the same statement of that nature to a Democratic Party Presidential candidate who was of the White race?  I happen to believe that the answer to that very important question would be a resounding no.  Because sir, it is a fact that your Party and the Conservatives that happen to reside in have been fanning the flames of an belief that because President Barack Obama is a black man and has ancestral ties to the African nation of Kenya; that somehow or another he is a communist.  Further that he somehow or another loves the Nation of Kenya more than he loves the United States of America.

Mr. Santorum because I grew up on the southwest side of the City of Detroit, in the state of Michigan here, I find all of this to very mightily offensive.  Furthermore, sir, I have a solemn warning to you and your campaign, and to the Republican National committee.  If you do not drop this idiotic and utterly contemptible pursuit of dog whistle racism in your pursuit of the White House, you sir will lose and the Democrats will win the election in 2012.

Because there is something that you, your campaign and the Republican National Committee need to know, Michigan is a very diverse state; racially, politically and economically.  Good portions of the residents of this wonderful state of ours are neither Republicans nor Democrats; many of them, like me, indentify ourselves as political independents, who usually vote for other third parties, if the candidates in the two major parties do not meet to what we feel meet our needs as citizens of this great Country of ours.

Mr. Santorum, if you continue this practice of “dog whistle” racism during this primary, you might actually succeed in defeating Mitt Romney in the primary here in Michigan.  You might just also successfully be able to win the nomination of your own party.  However, I assure you that you will lose the general election, not only here in Michigan, but nationally as well; because the America know when nuanced racist language is used against a black man.  We knew in 1964, when the southern Democrats wanted to keep blacks in the south from being truly free and we know it now. We knew it during World War 2, when people from your own party objected to rescuing Jews from the insanity of Hitler. Sadly, some of your people in your party are still bigots of that sort.

So, please sir; stop this madness while you still can maintain control of your own message.

 

 

War Drums: Iran Stops Oil exports to France, UK — still developing nukes; attack from US or Israel possibly soon says UK paper

Any other time, I would dismiss this as saber-rattling, but this first development here, has me very worried.

The first story via Reuters:

(Reuters) – Iran has stopped selling crude to British and French companies, the oil ministry said on Sunday, in a retaliatory measure against fresh EU sanctions on the Islamic state’s lifeblood, oil.

“Exporting crude to British and French companies has been stopped … we will sell our oil to new customers,” spokesman Alireza Nikzad was quoted as saying by the ministry of petroleum website.

The European Union in January decided to stop importing crude from Iran from July 1 over its disputed nuclear program, which the West says is aimed at building bombs. Iran denies this.

Iran’s oil minister said on February 4 that the Islamic state would cut its oil exports to “some” European countries.

The European Commission said last week that the bloc would not be short of oil if Iran stopped crude exports, as they have enough in stock to meet their needs for around 120 days.

Industry sources told Reuters on February 16 that Iran’s top oil buyers in Europe were making substantial cuts in supply months in advance of European Union sanctions, reducing flows to the continent in March by more than a third – or over 300,000 barrels daily.

What this will cause is a spike in prices in the oil market; which of course, will cause gas prices to go up in the U.K. and in France.  The bad thing is, the U.K.’s and France’s gas prices are alright incredibly high, because of the high taxes that are being tagged on to the sales of gas. This, of course, is making United States and I would imagine international officials very nervous. So, talk of war is imminent.

Which brings us to our next story, which comes via the U.K. Guardian:

Officials in key parts of the Obama administration are increasingly convinced that sanctions will not deter Tehran from pursuing its nuclear programme, and believe that the US will be left with no option but to launch an attack on Iran or watch Israel do so.

The president has made clear in public, and in private to Israel, that he is determined to give sufficient time for recent measures, such as the financial blockade and the looming European oil embargo, to bite deeper into Iran’s already battered economy before retreating from its principal strategy to pressure Tehran.

But there is a strong current of opinion within the administration – including in the Pentagon and the state department – that believes sanctions are doomed to fail, and that their principal use now is in delaying Israeli military action, as well as reassuring Europe that an attack will only come after other means have been tested.

“The White House wants to see sanctions work. This is not the Bush White House. It does not need another conflict,” said an official knowledgeable on Middle East policy. “Its problem is that the guys in Tehran are behaving like sanctions don’t matter, like their economy isn’t collapsing, like Israel isn’t going to do anything.

“Sanctions are all we’ve got to throw at the problem. If they fail then it’s hard to see how we don’t move to the ‘in extremis’ option.”

The White House has said repeatedly that all options are on the table, including the use of force to stop Iran obtaining a nuclear weapon, but that for now the emphasis is firmly on diplomacy and sanctions.

But long-held doubts among US officials about whether the Iranians can be enticed or cajoled into serious negotiations have been reinforced by recent events.

“We don’t see a way forward,” said one official. “The record shows that there is nothing to work with.”

Scepticism about Iranian intent is rooted in Iran’s repeated spurning of overtures from successive US presidents from Bill Clinton to Barack Obama, who appealed within weeks of coming to office for “constructive ties” and “mutual respect” .

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s claim this week that Iran loaded its first domestically-made fuel rod into a nuclear reactor, and Iran’s threat to cut oil supplies to six European countries, were read as further evidence that Tehran remains defiantly committed to its nuclear programme. That view was strengthened by the latest Iranian offer to negotiate with the UN security council in a letter that appeared to contain no significant new concessions.

If Obama were to conclude that there is no choice but to attack Iran, he is unlikely to order it before the presidential election in November unless there is an urgent reason to do so. The question is whether the Israelis will hold back that long.

I hated to quote so much of that; but I wanted see what it is that I am talking about.  Everyone that reads this blog for any length of time; knows that I am not a huge fan of so-called “Military Action.” I believe if we are going to have war with Iran, we need to formally declare war against Iran in Congress and then go fight the Iranians.  Not just have some sort of “Military Action.” Because as we all know from history, those “Military Actions” can turn into a meat grinder real quick; case in point, Iraq.

Also, if anyone who happens to read this, and is a Ron Paul supporter and thinks this is a big scam. (Update: Perfect example here!)  Check this report out via the Associated Press:

VIENNA (AP) — Iran is poised to greatly expand uranium enrichment at a fortified underground bunker to a point that would boost how quickly it could make nuclear warheads, diplomats tell The Associated Press.

They said Tehran has put finishing touches for the installation of thousands of new-generation centrifuges at the cavernous facility – machines that can produce enriched uranium much more quickly and efficiently than its present machines.

While saying that the electrical circuitry, piping and supporting equipment for the new centrifuges was now in place, the diplomats emphasized that Tehran had not started installing the new machines at its Fordo facility and could not say whether it was planning to.

Still, the senior diplomats – who asked for anonymity because their information was privileged – suggested that Tehran would have little reason to prepare the ground for the better centrifuges unless it planned to operate them. They spoke in recent interviews – the last one Saturday.

The reported work at Fordo appeared to reflect Iran’s determination to forge ahead with nuclear activity that could be used to make atomic arms despite rapidly escalating international sanctions and the latent threat of an Israeli military strike on its nuclear facilities.

Fordo could be used to make fissile warhead material even without such an upgrade, the diplomats said.

They said that although older than Iran’s new generation machines, the centrifuges now operating there can be reconfigured within days to make such material because they already are enriching to 20 percent – a level that can be boosted quickly to weapons-grade quality.

It is quite obvious the Iranians are not just bluffing when it comes to making nuclear warheads. The problem is that this puts the United States in a very difficult position. The United States and NATO got involved with Libya and that did not end very good at all. The United States has basically stayed out of the Syrian conflict.  If the Obama Administration does decide to act against Iran, its critics would savage the President for acting against an oil rich Nation like Iran, as opposed to coming to the aid of people being oppressed in a Nation like Syria.

The Obama Administration seems to be hedging its bets on sanctions on Iran and if there an attack that it would come from Israel. The problem with that is this; the President of Iran, quite bluntly, is crazy —- as in psycho kind of crazy. If Iran is attacked by Israel, they will most assuredly fire missiles at the United States, the UK and everyone else. So, there you have it. This is where we stand. The libertarian in me is praying someone in Iran blinks and backs off. However, the realist in me is not that optimistic. Something tells me that we are headed for another conflict, which saddens me greatly.

Because the question that Americans will have to ask ourselves and the Obama Administration will have to ask itself or if one of the Republicans just happen to win — they will have to ask themselves this question here: Would it be honestly worth putting our youngest treasures out there again to be turn into a meat grinder, just to put down another out of control Arab Country? This is the question that responsible people in all levels of Government have to ask themselves. We just do not need another Iraq again. We, as a nation cannot afford it monetarily, and our Military is still recovering from the last General’s war that was fought.

Something, somewhere has to give and for the sake of this Country — I hope it is them, and not us.

 

 


 

This is the way that politics used to be

I think that this is a great story.

Via NYT:

LAKE JACKSON, Tex. — Once there was a challenge of a softball game from the Ron Paul clan to the Mitt Romney clan. “They didn’t show up,” Mr. Paul says. “We didn’t schedule it. We really razz them about that, ‘You guys chickened out!’ ”

This is the way that politics should be today!

In a Republican presidential contest known for its angry rivalries, the Romney-Paul relationship stands out for its behind-the-scenes civility. It is a friendship that, by Mr. Paul’s telling, Mr. Romney has worked to cultivate. The question is whether it is also one that could pay dividends for Mr. Romney as he faces yet more setbacks in his struggle to capture the 1,144 delegates needed to win the nomination.

Ideological similarities among supporters of Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich suggest that if Mr. Gingrich dropped out, many of his backers would coalesce behind Mr. Santorum. But as Mr. Paul steadily collects delegates, one thing that remains to be seen is whether his affinity — at least on a personal level — for Mr. Romney could help the former Massachusetts governor as the fight drags on.

Mr. Paul, a 76-year-old congressman from Texas, sees his three Republican rivals as more or less the same politically. He can be tough on Mr. Romney, whom he describes as a flip-flopper with a dubious political core.

“He’s been all over the place on some of this stuff,” Mr. Paul said in a recent interview near his Texas home. But he seems to segregate those views from his personal feelings for Mr. Romney, whom he sees as a steady, dignified personality whose devotion to wife and family reflect his own values.

I would recommend that you head on over and read the rest of that; it is a truly great story of how two men who disagree on much and still are friendly to one another. This is the way that it was back in the days of Ronald Reagan, him and Tip O’Neil would fight like dogs during business hours and then after business hours, Tip and Ron would have a drink at the White House and discuss the days events.

Again, at the risk of sounding like a nostalgic old fogie, this is the way things were done in the olden days. When leaders were statesmen, and not the idiots we have today. We could learn much from these people of old, it is tragic that people like Ron Paul are not more followed in the way they do things. Not that I support all of Ron Paul’s policy positions, but his statesmanship is something to be admired.

By the way, yes, I did give Althouse a little grief on her blog; she is a two-bit phony, in my humble opinion. She gives Ron Paul and Mitt Romney grief for their kindness toward each other. I think Ann Althouse could learn a little about what true Conservatism is from Rep. Paul. Because it is surely not what she pawns off as Conservative; that is for sure. Sorry, but voting for a liberal socialist Democrat is not conservative, not even close.