Yes, my one or two loyal readers will be delighted to discover I now have internet in my home. Which means more commentary as available.
So let's talk about what's on everyone's mind: the election of Scott Brown to the US Senate. Naturally, the best coverage came from Stacy McCain, at his new site. Lots of good analysis all around, and I must say- the Daily Caller doesn't suck. Sorry, Mr. McCain. I know you dislike Tucker Carlson.
So what can yours truly add to the discussion? A Canadian perspective, naturally. What does Scott Brown's election mean to those of us on this side of the 49th? It's a tired old saw in Canadian politics that parties run elections from the wings, and govern from the centre. It's generally true. Conservative (CPC) policies are very similar to Liberal (LPC) policies, which is why in the grand scheme our parties tend to win based on the popularity of the Leader. They make their promises and then get judged on how well they keep them. Mr Harper is currently beating the snot out of Mr Ignatieff because we know exactly what he stands for and what he will do. He'll play fast and loose with procedure to get what he wants. Mr Ignatieff? He vacillates too much to pin down. Better the devil you know, etc.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Aiport Kabuki Theatre Gets a Little More Interesting
So, what do we know? Apparently, a Nigerian man sews a complex liquid/powder explosive device into his underwear, and airport security reacts with a fresh set of restrictions.
-Only one carry-on bag.
-Nothing in your lap and no moving around in the last hour before landing
-Getting searched again before actually boarding the flight.
Also, apparently, despite the fact that he claims Al-Qaeda ties, he is just one crazy man and the "system works".
-Only one carry-on bag.
-Nothing in your lap and no moving around in the last hour before landing
-Getting searched again before actually boarding the flight.
Also, apparently, despite the fact that he claims Al-Qaeda ties, he is just one crazy man and the "system works".
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
It's been a While
..But I'm momentarily back. Work keeps me busy. A quick roundup: Copenhagen fails- all shocked and appalled. Senate manages cloture on healthcare- normal americans understandably upset. Not much new on the Jihad Front, but really you should be checking Jihad Watch for that.
What to say about Copenhagen? Well, Climategate was an obvious spike to the wheel. Unsurprisingly, many environmentalists claim it means nothing. One of my own friends mentioned that he would rather err on the side of halting global climate change and find out it wasnt necessary, or even possible. Fun. You enjoy your healthy serving of tyranny in the name of "well, it might happen, and we have a minuscule change of stopping it anyway". More irritating to Ezra Levant's "severely normal" people was the hypocrisy. 1200 odd limousines flown in for the summit? Not one on California emission standards, I'll bet. And as far as I know, the most popular and inexpensive freight planes in Europe are Antonovs. So you have a diesel-devouring military cargo plane flying gas-guzzling limos to overpaid diplomats debating... reducing consumption to save the planet. But it's OK- we can do what Diane Francis wants and limit ourselves to 1 child, nevermind that replacement is 2.1. But that's more Mark Steyn's gig than mine.
On to the Senate. Cloture, as I understand it, is the finalization of a Bill so that it has to be voted on as is. One more lumbering step for the Juggernaut/Abomination that is the Healthcare bill. Even leftist groups are distancing themselves from it, as the only thing worse than bad legislation is Poorly Written Bad Legislation. I'm looking forward to the 2010 midterms.
That's enough for now, more to come once I get internet in my house. In parting, a special thanks to Monique Stuart, who keeps me in her blogroll despite my sporadic posting. I'm sure it has nothing to do with how much easier it is to leave things alone than delete them. Enjoy the snow, Monique, and do what my DC friends do; claim it's too dangerous to go to work so you can hit the pub and make drunken snowmen!
What to say about Copenhagen? Well, Climategate was an obvious spike to the wheel. Unsurprisingly, many environmentalists claim it means nothing. One of my own friends mentioned that he would rather err on the side of halting global climate change and find out it wasnt necessary, or even possible. Fun. You enjoy your healthy serving of tyranny in the name of "well, it might happen, and we have a minuscule change of stopping it anyway". More irritating to Ezra Levant's "severely normal" people was the hypocrisy. 1200 odd limousines flown in for the summit? Not one on California emission standards, I'll bet. And as far as I know, the most popular and inexpensive freight planes in Europe are Antonovs. So you have a diesel-devouring military cargo plane flying gas-guzzling limos to overpaid diplomats debating... reducing consumption to save the planet. But it's OK- we can do what Diane Francis wants and limit ourselves to 1 child, nevermind that replacement is 2.1. But that's more Mark Steyn's gig than mine.
On to the Senate. Cloture, as I understand it, is the finalization of a Bill so that it has to be voted on as is. One more lumbering step for the Juggernaut/Abomination that is the Healthcare bill. Even leftist groups are distancing themselves from it, as the only thing worse than bad legislation is Poorly Written Bad Legislation. I'm looking forward to the 2010 midterms.
That's enough for now, more to come once I get internet in my house. In parting, a special thanks to Monique Stuart, who keeps me in her blogroll despite my sporadic posting. I'm sure it has nothing to do with how much easier it is to leave things alone than delete them. Enjoy the snow, Monique, and do what my DC friends do; claim it's too dangerous to go to work so you can hit the pub and make drunken snowmen!
Sunday, November 15, 2009
The purpose of Political Correctness
Recently, much has arisen to make me want to write. Two stand out in my mind, frankly. Firstly, our culture's mass cowardice regarding Mr. Hasan (whom I deliberately strip of rank, as befits a traitor and a murderer) and the continued folly of the Copenhagen summit. Both are cases of imprecision of language being enforced so as to prevent an informed public.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Continued Absenteeism and Musings
I can only imagine at this point that my readership must be zero. Alas. Anyway, sporadic updates will be forthcoming. When I feel like it. Life comes first, as always.
For those of you not in the know, you should head over to The Other McCain for some truly excellent reportage on the NY-23rd. It really does look to be a watershed moment in American politics. If I may, I'd like to give an outsider's perspective on it. The fact of the matter is that American politics have never officially been two-party, but in effect it has evolved as such. Canadian politics has always been a game of balance of power. While not to the coalition-building degree of other parliamentary democracies, Canadian parties require the assistance of other parties to get things done. Majority Governments, while gaining a majority of seats, almost never have a majority of the vote. Thus the continued existence, and dare I say relevance, of the NDP and more importantly the Bloc Québécois. What Doug Hoffman may be creating is a crucial Third Party in the US. The Northeastern wing of the Republican party is packed with RINOs, it really is. Understandably, conservative voters continue to vote Republican because the NRCC and NRSC keep feeding them garbage about electability and moderation.
It's crap.
Here in Canada, we had the Reform Party. They went from a marginal voice in the wilderness party, decrying the lack of true conservatism, to the driving force of the ruling party. This is not to say that Alberta Reformers drive policy. The Conservative Party of Canada still governs to the left of their hardest workers. While not ideal, they still govern firmly to the right of previous parties. Reformers, over a period of about 10 years, managed to drag the faltering Conservative movement back to the right where it belongs. This is the real opportunity Hoffman in the NY-23rd represents. The Tea-Party/Conservative movement needs to hold out. Resist the urge to be folded into the Republican party. If the Republicans keep going the way they are going, their leadership will suffer the same fate as Joe Clark. Elect your representatives. Start nibbling away at RINO seats. Steal from the Blue Dogs. I can guarantee you, if over 2 or 3 electoral cycles, Americans start seeing representatives with the tag (C-NY) and (C-AZ) and even (C-CA), the Republican party will sit up and take notice.
So Stacy, listen up- from a man who grew up with no conservative alternative to having voted for the first real Conservative in power since 1954- keep following the Hoffmans. Use your connections to encourage charismatic new conservatives to run against Republicans. It will pay off. One day, the DNC will wake up and realize that they aren't facing an elephant anymore; a tiger will be at the door.
For those of you not in the know, you should head over to The Other McCain for some truly excellent reportage on the NY-23rd. It really does look to be a watershed moment in American politics. If I may, I'd like to give an outsider's perspective on it. The fact of the matter is that American politics have never officially been two-party, but in effect it has evolved as such. Canadian politics has always been a game of balance of power. While not to the coalition-building degree of other parliamentary democracies, Canadian parties require the assistance of other parties to get things done. Majority Governments, while gaining a majority of seats, almost never have a majority of the vote. Thus the continued existence, and dare I say relevance, of the NDP and more importantly the Bloc Québécois. What Doug Hoffman may be creating is a crucial Third Party in the US. The Northeastern wing of the Republican party is packed with RINOs, it really is. Understandably, conservative voters continue to vote Republican because the NRCC and NRSC keep feeding them garbage about electability and moderation.
It's crap.
Here in Canada, we had the Reform Party. They went from a marginal voice in the wilderness party, decrying the lack of true conservatism, to the driving force of the ruling party. This is not to say that Alberta Reformers drive policy. The Conservative Party of Canada still governs to the left of their hardest workers. While not ideal, they still govern firmly to the right of previous parties. Reformers, over a period of about 10 years, managed to drag the faltering Conservative movement back to the right where it belongs. This is the real opportunity Hoffman in the NY-23rd represents. The Tea-Party/Conservative movement needs to hold out. Resist the urge to be folded into the Republican party. If the Republicans keep going the way they are going, their leadership will suffer the same fate as Joe Clark. Elect your representatives. Start nibbling away at RINO seats. Steal from the Blue Dogs. I can guarantee you, if over 2 or 3 electoral cycles, Americans start seeing representatives with the tag (C-NY) and (C-AZ) and even (C-CA), the Republican party will sit up and take notice.
So Stacy, listen up- from a man who grew up with no conservative alternative to having voted for the first real Conservative in power since 1954- keep following the Hoffmans. Use your connections to encourage charismatic new conservatives to run against Republicans. It will pay off. One day, the DNC will wake up and realize that they aren't facing an elephant anymore; a tiger will be at the door.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Apologies, and Musings
Gentle readers (if you still exist), I apologize for being absent so long. Between moving, and a new course, I have been out of touch for quite a while. It would be pointless for me to try to jump right back into the scene, so instead I will do a bit of a musing roundup. There are a few issues which have caught my attention over these past few weeks, and deserve some attention even in passing.
Obama-Care: As I seem to have no access to "real media", I have no idea what propaganda the Televised President has been spouting. What I do know, however, is that the Democratic Congress has catastrophically overreached in their almost religious desire to ram a new health system down the collective American gullet. Frankly, it comes as no surprise to me that the Dems have ignored two crucial issues. The first, of course, being that the vast majority (between 60 and 80 percent, according to Rasmussen last I heard) of Americans are happy with their health care, which is why President Obama repeats that they can keep it. This is patently false, as in general it is employers that select health care providers. Employers can get more reasonable rates because they get large groups insured at the same time. Provide employers an opportunity to offload that cost to the taxpayer at large by offering a public option, and even if it isn't mandatory you can bet private insurers will get burned. Secondly, the Dems have underestimated just how furious the average American is that illegal immigrants will not be explicitly excluded from this option. The average American knows that the Hippocratic Oath means that even under the most ruthlessly capitalist plan, a Mexican migrant worker bleeding out from a lawn mower accident will get emergency care. What offends them is that this same worker can get pre- and post-natal care for his illegal children, asthma medication, and in some states even psychiatric care without paying taxes. The Dems are going to take a beating in the 2010 Congressionals.
Big Brother is Still Watching- Apparently, the Obama administration can't get enough of being invasive. First there was the "fishy" incident, then the interference with local policing. Now? Apparently the White House wants to be a Facebook/Twitter Nanny. Well, Mr Axelrod, you have my permission to Suck It. I'm Canadian, and I say your socialist President has gotten into the nasty habit of compiling lists and getting people to Name Names. Eerily familiar, no?
Apparently, Even Blacks are Racist if they Dislike Euro-style Mega-Government- Accuse the President of lying? You're a racist. Disagree with his policies because you think that government is generally a wasteful morass? Racist. Find the President's constant presence on the airwaves exactly the opposite of reassuring (shouldn't the man, I don't know, be executing his office perhaps)? Oooh, looks like you have a nasty case of racist. And if you're black? Well, you must be a self-loathing Uncle Tom. Funny that everyone is trying so desperately to protect the President from hurt feelings, while accusing Republicans of lowering the tone of the debate. You would think they would have done the same when a President with many Jewish friends and supporters was being compared to Hitler. Oh, no wait, he was white. Also, when ACORN activists were using government money to teach pimps how to run brothels and escape IRS attention, it was all in the name of a more accurate (read: pro-Dem) census.
And I haven't even started on the latest capitulations to Jihadism. I'm reading "Surrender" by Bawer right now. It makes me sad. Who will stand for freedom when America doesn't?
Obama-Care: As I seem to have no access to "real media", I have no idea what propaganda the Televised President has been spouting. What I do know, however, is that the Democratic Congress has catastrophically overreached in their almost religious desire to ram a new health system down the collective American gullet. Frankly, it comes as no surprise to me that the Dems have ignored two crucial issues. The first, of course, being that the vast majority (between 60 and 80 percent, according to Rasmussen last I heard) of Americans are happy with their health care, which is why President Obama repeats that they can keep it. This is patently false, as in general it is employers that select health care providers. Employers can get more reasonable rates because they get large groups insured at the same time. Provide employers an opportunity to offload that cost to the taxpayer at large by offering a public option, and even if it isn't mandatory you can bet private insurers will get burned. Secondly, the Dems have underestimated just how furious the average American is that illegal immigrants will not be explicitly excluded from this option. The average American knows that the Hippocratic Oath means that even under the most ruthlessly capitalist plan, a Mexican migrant worker bleeding out from a lawn mower accident will get emergency care. What offends them is that this same worker can get pre- and post-natal care for his illegal children, asthma medication, and in some states even psychiatric care without paying taxes. The Dems are going to take a beating in the 2010 Congressionals.
Big Brother is Still Watching- Apparently, the Obama administration can't get enough of being invasive. First there was the "fishy" incident, then the interference with local policing. Now? Apparently the White House wants to be a Facebook/Twitter Nanny. Well, Mr Axelrod, you have my permission to Suck It. I'm Canadian, and I say your socialist President has gotten into the nasty habit of compiling lists and getting people to Name Names. Eerily familiar, no?
Apparently, Even Blacks are Racist if they Dislike Euro-style Mega-Government- Accuse the President of lying? You're a racist. Disagree with his policies because you think that government is generally a wasteful morass? Racist. Find the President's constant presence on the airwaves exactly the opposite of reassuring (shouldn't the man, I don't know, be executing his office perhaps)? Oooh, looks like you have a nasty case of racist. And if you're black? Well, you must be a self-loathing Uncle Tom. Funny that everyone is trying so desperately to protect the President from hurt feelings, while accusing Republicans of lowering the tone of the debate. You would think they would have done the same when a President with many Jewish friends and supporters was being compared to Hitler. Oh, no wait, he was white. Also, when ACORN activists were using government money to teach pimps how to run brothels and escape IRS attention, it was all in the name of a more accurate (read: pro-Dem) census.
And I haven't even started on the latest capitulations to Jihadism. I'm reading "Surrender" by Bawer right now. It makes me sad. Who will stand for freedom when America doesn't?
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Dear Mr McCain
Sir,
I found your recent commentary on David Frum insightful and honest, as usual. However, your closing argument was in effect an ad hominum attack based on Frum's Canadian nationality. As a man of impeccable honour, I am sure you understand completely when I say that I take umbrage.
I remember clearly the horror and rage that swept our communities the day the towers came down. Since that day, army recruiting (previously anemic) has grown to the point that training centres are housing candidates in tents for lack of barracks. This hasnt happened since WW2. In an army with approximately 12k combat troops, we have almost 3k in theatre, another 4k supporting them domestically and another 5k training. Most canadian soldiers, in a ten year contract have hit afghanistan four to six times. our troops, chronically underfunded and underequipped, have held the back gate for you in a land that ate three british armies of a kind that would have ended your revolution, and so frightened Alexander's army that it turned back. Our best have bled and suffered for you, with the same blend of insane courage and indomitable humour that kept our nations bonded in Korea and the fields of Europe. For all the draft dodgers we housed, remember that 30k Canadians volunteered for Vietnam. Visit the Wall in DC again. You will find small Canadian flags planted at its base wherever one of our fallen is listed.
David Frum is a pretentious blowhard, deserving of ridicule and public shaming. He is as much, if not more, of a blight on Right-thinking Canadians as he is on Americans. He has no right to question the fervour of any American's response to 9/11. However, it is his personality that drives his vitriol. Canada is no more responsible for his lunacy than America is for David Brooks.
I remain your humble servant in the Wilderness,
Morgan
I found your recent commentary on David Frum insightful and honest, as usual. However, your closing argument was in effect an ad hominum attack based on Frum's Canadian nationality. As a man of impeccable honour, I am sure you understand completely when I say that I take umbrage.
I remember clearly the horror and rage that swept our communities the day the towers came down. Since that day, army recruiting (previously anemic) has grown to the point that training centres are housing candidates in tents for lack of barracks. This hasnt happened since WW2. In an army with approximately 12k combat troops, we have almost 3k in theatre, another 4k supporting them domestically and another 5k training. Most canadian soldiers, in a ten year contract have hit afghanistan four to six times. our troops, chronically underfunded and underequipped, have held the back gate for you in a land that ate three british armies of a kind that would have ended your revolution, and so frightened Alexander's army that it turned back. Our best have bled and suffered for you, with the same blend of insane courage and indomitable humour that kept our nations bonded in Korea and the fields of Europe. For all the draft dodgers we housed, remember that 30k Canadians volunteered for Vietnam. Visit the Wall in DC again. You will find small Canadian flags planted at its base wherever one of our fallen is listed.
David Frum is a pretentious blowhard, deserving of ridicule and public shaming. He is as much, if not more, of a blight on Right-thinking Canadians as he is on Americans. He has no right to question the fervour of any American's response to 9/11. However, it is his personality that drives his vitriol. Canada is no more responsible for his lunacy than America is for David Brooks.
I remain your humble servant in the Wilderness,
Morgan
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