Memo to Rick Santorum: This is not helping your cause

This is not a smart move, Mr. Santorum.

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.

Terrorist Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab sentenced to 4 life sentences plus 50 years.

I wish it were the death penalty, but this is good:

DETROIT — The Nigerian man who tried to blow up a Detroit-bound airliner with explosives concealed in his underwear on Christmas Day in 2009 was sentenced on Thursday to life in prison by a federal judge who said his crime and subsequent lack of remorse demanded the maximum possible punishment.
Prosecutors sought a life sentence for Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who pled guilty to federal charges in connection with a failed bombing attempt.
The man, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who pleaded guilty in October and admitted to working on behalf of Al Qaeda, shouted “Allah Akbar,” or “God is great,” five times during the sentencing hearing. He asserted that Muslims were “proud to kill in the name of God, and that is what God told us to do in the Koran.
via Would-Be Plane Bomber Sentenced to Life – NYTimes.com.

So, great, The United States of America is now going to have to feed, cloth, and shelter this little cretin for the rest of his life. This is why this trial should have been in military court, where he would have been sentenced to death. It would have been cheaper to do; than to do this here.

Here is the money quote:

Mr. Abdulmutallab, who wore a white T-shirt and tan pants, spoke for about three minutes. He claimed that Osama bin Laden and other Al Qaeda leaders who have been killed “are alive and shall be victorious by God’s grace.” He also said terrorist attacks would continue “until the Jews are driven out of Palestine.”

Frankly, I am shocked that the NYT even bothered to include that quote. But that right there is the crux of why we have Terrorism at all; because of our support of Israel. Someone needs to show Ronnie Paul that quote too. Because his bat-shit insane position on terrorism is the narrative of the left.

Open Message to Bill Donahue: Where is the fatwa on Nicki Minaj?

I am shocked he did not issue one, after this asinine performance:

21221223435 by YardieGoals

Gateway Pundit calls this “brave.” What a fool. 😡

Rod Dreher says it is part of the Anti-Christian and Anti-Catholic culture in America. Which is very true.

Dreher also says this:

It’s tiresome when Christians respond to things like this by saying, “They would never consider doing something like using Islāmic imagery.” But you know, it’s true. It’s always true. Let those with eyes to see.

Amen to that; and it is true, had this been a song mocking the religion of Islam. This young woman would be either in hiding wishing she was dead or would be dead. It is too bad that Bill Donahue, who did issue a statement about the performance, which I feel was totally inadequate for the scope of mockery here — did not issue a fatwa against this woman. I mean, it should have read something to the effect of, “The Catholic League will pay someone 1 million dollars, if someone will take this little black mocker of God out.” I believe it would have caused an uproar, but it would have gotten her and her managements attention.

A few days ago, Whitney Houston died of unknown causes. At the moment I found out, I thought, “How unfair.” For all Whitney’s problems and personal issues; she was still a wonderful talent that had so much more to give to her fans. Such is not the case with this idiot mocker of the Faith. So, seeing that I am a controversial blogger; I will say this — Here is hoping that this little classless black hoe meets the same fate as Whitney Houston and I mean very quickly. Anyone who mocks religion, does not deserve the breath the they keep in the lungs. This was not art; this was open mockery of Roman Catholicism, The Church, and Christianity in General.

Again, had this been a song about Islam and its repressive Religion, she would be in hiding; but, because it is a mockery of the Christian faith, The “LA CROWD” was fine with it. This tells you how far that the music industry, Hollywood and the L.A. Scene has fallen in the last 50 years. This wasn’t cool, this wasn’t ironic, this wasn’t funny, this wasn’t hip; this was a disgraceful attack on God, organized Religion in general, the Church as a concept, Christianity and the Roman Catholic Church. Because of this; I found Mr. Donahue’s statement a bit lacking. Could it be that Bill Donahue has lost his edge? I sure haven’t, nor will I ever.

I end this blog posting with this, a Bible scripture that says:

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. (Galatians 6:7 KJV)

Here is hoping that Mr. Minaj reaps the whirlwind of her actions and quickly.

The truth is, she will, whether in this life or the next; the fact remains is she will face a Holy and Righteous God, and will have to explain her actions. Based upon what I saw last night, this will happen, before she is cast into a godless hell and then the Lake of Fire.

Revelation 20:11-15 KJV:
(11) And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
(12) And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
(13) And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
(14) And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
(15) And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

The quicker, the better; if you ask me.

Update: Heck even TMZ didn’t even like it!

Here’s the roundup, mostly of liberals mocking Bill Donahue’s statement: Speakeasy, CBS Los Angeles, Rolling Stone, Big Hollywood, Religion Dispatches, BuzzFeed, The Raw Story, Joe. My. God. and Gothamist

Catholics are not the only ones raising cain about the healthcare issue

The Baptists are raising a stink about it too.

There is this:

WASHINGTON (BP) — The issue at the center of the swelling controversy over the Obama administration’s refusal to protect the conscience rights of employers in its “contraceptive mandate” is “about as basic as it gets,” especially for Baptists, says Richard Land.
“Does the government have the right to intrude on the consciences of people to force them to pay for that which they find unconscionable? This goes contrary to our tradition in this country and contrary to our understanding of the First Amendment’s religious freedom protections,” Land said Feb. 9 in explaining what is at the heart of the debate.
“In my opinion, a Baptist needs to take a stand on this issue. Our Baptist forefathers went to prison and died for the freedoms that we have, and now it’s our responsibility in the providence of God to defend these freedoms lest they be taken away by government fiat,” said Land, president of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.
via Baptist Press – Land: Obama mandate is a Baptist issue – News with a Christian Perspective.

Then there is this, also via Baptist Press:

“I’d go to jail rather than cave in to a government mandate that violates what God commands us to do. Would you? Acts 5:29,” author and pastor Rick Warren wrote on his Twitter account Feb. 7 before adding, “I’m not a Catholic but I stand in 100% solidarity with my brothers & sisters to practice their belief against govt pressure.”

Like I wrote earlier about the Catholics; my advice to my fellow Baptists, do not settle for anything other than a FULL and Complete exemption to this rule. I have to admire the Baptists and other Christian who are showing their boldness in this very important issue. Although, I really wished they would have shown the same sort of boldness, on the issue of the Iraq War. But, at this point, I will take any kind of boldness I can get. 😀

Retreat: White House to offer ‘Accommodation’ to religious groups on contraception issue

That was quick….

The Video:

The Southern Avenger on American Empire and Israel

Note to all my readers: I am posting these videos here, because I happen to believe in a diversity of opinion and discussion. The opinions expressed in these video should NOT be considered an opinion of the owner of this blog. I simply believe that ALL VOICES, not just a collective few, should be heard in the continuing discussion that is post-Bush Conservative Politics.

—————

Transcript Here

Chilling to Watch: Black Students being Brain-Washed into saying, "I am an Obama Scholar"

(H/T to Gateway Pundit)

Jim Hoft says:

Obviously, that separation of church and state rule only applies to Christianity.
Praising their demagogue Obama is OK.

The kids are saying:

For I, am an Obama scholar.
An Obama scholar.
And I will strive to be.
Outstanding. Brilliant.
I will achieve. I will be motivated with a positive attitude.

Bill Hennessey says:

Quick quiz: name five countries, past or present, where the youths were required to chant praises to their omnipotent ruler? Any five. Then add together the number of innocentpeople those regimes slaughtered for political expediency.

P.O.’ed Patriot says:

When I first started watching this video I was impressed with the positive message, that is until the Adult Directed the Students to Chant “I am an Obama Scholar”. That is what we call Brain Washing.
Before all of the Haters leave their Comment remember this, Would it still be OK if the Kids were Chanting “I am a Regan, Bush or Clinton Scholar? …Um No…

Cassy Fiano says:

Indoctrination of children in schools is really nothing new, especially since Obama has been elected. Liberal teachers can’t contain themselves, I guess.
[…]
And what kind of scholar is Barack Obama, exactly? The kind that doesn’t exactly move a mountain of drugs away, that’s for sure — he admitted doing cocaine. He’s the kind of scholar who thought that there were 57 states during the 2008 election. The kind of scholar who can’t understand why we can’t just plug the damn hole to stop an oil spill. The kind of scholar who spends all of his time on the golf course instead of displaying any kind of real leadership.
Oh well. Chanting songs of allegiance to leaders is nothing new, I guess. It’s just new to us ignorant rubes here in the United States who actually love freedom and democracy.

I might be wrong, but, did not Hitler force kids in Germany to chant slogans? Did they also do that in Communist Russia?

I don’t know about you all; but this whole idea of a black liberal President just got a whole bunch more scarier to me. I mean, we have oil gushing out of a busted well in the gulf and they are STILL praising him, like he is some sort of a Messiah!

When will the American people wake and realize that they have been duped? It is beginning to happen; but still you have this sort of nonsense. It is trouble unbelievable.

The 2010 elections and the 2012 elections cannot come soon enough. I just hope and pray that the GOP does not screw it up; like they did in 2008.

So much for Obama and the U.N. flexing its muscles on Iran

(H/T to Gateway Pundit)

YNet News reports:

Iran says Wednesday’s Security Council decision to impose further sanctions on Tehran is worthless, stressing that it will not be abandoning its nuclear program.
The UN resolution “is worthless for the Iranian people,” President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said following the vote.
The Iranian leader said that the latest Security Council decision will not be harming Iran’s citizens, slamming the US for using its own nuclear weapons to threaten other countries.
“Those who possess a nuclear bomb themselves and used it in the past, are now using it to threaten others,” he said. “These decisions are like a used piece of paper that should be thrown to the garbage.

So much for the muscle of the U.N. and the Obama White House. I guess Ahmadinejad is not going to be intimated by the United States after all.

Good Job Barry! Between the Oil Spill, Illegal Immigration, and your undying support of Israel; you’ll be easy pickings come 2012. 😀

The Obama White House pokes a finger in the eye of their biggest base

I’m sure by now that you have heard about the Left’s attempt to unseat blanch Lincoln, which ended up in epic failure.

A senior White House official just called me with a very pointed message for the administration’s sometime allies in organized labor, who invested heavily in beating Blanche Lincoln, Obama’s candidate, in Arkansas.
“Organized labor just flushed $10 million of their members money down the toilet on a pointless exercise,” the official said. “If even half that total had been well-targeted and applied in key House races across this country, that could have made a real difference in November.”
via White House official: ‘Organized labor just flushed $10 million down the toilet’ – Ben Smith – POLITICO.com.

I don’t know about you, but I think that statement has Rahm Emanuel written all over it.

Of course, the Unions are not taking that little statement sitting down:

The major labor federation AFL-CIO took sharp objection tonight to a White House official’s assessment that they’d “flushed $10 million of their members’ money down the toilet” in the “pointless exercise” of supporting the failed bid of Bill Halter to unseat Sen. Blanche Lincoln.
“If that’s their take on this, then they severely misread how the electorate feels and how we’re running our political program. When we say we’re only going to support elected officials who support our issues,” said AFL-CIO spokesman Eddie Vale. “When they say we should have targeted our money among some key house races among Blue Dog Democrats — that ain’t happening.”
“Labor isn’t an arm of the Democratic Party,” Vale said. “It exists to support working families. And that’s what we said tonight, and that’s what we’re gong to keep saying.

Heh… That’s pretty funny. Labor is not the arm of the Democratic Party — But they have been strong-arming the Democratic Party since about —oh, the beginning of the Auto Industry! Espeically here recently, during the election of President Obama. Does anyone remember Kenneth Gladney? Nice to see these bastards getting a dose of their own medicine for a change and getting told, “Don’t call us, we’ll call you….” Could not have happened to a better bunch of people.

I doubt the Obama White House would want to hear it from me. But Kudo’s to the Obama White House for telling these thugs, “You do not control us…”