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!

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.

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.

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?

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

Big Brother Really Is Watching You

(H/T Brass Balls Radio Episode 61)

For those of you not in the know, President Obama has set up a new White House email server to track those spreading "disinformation" on his new healthcare plan. He asked that anyone who sees "fishy" activity report it to flag@whitehouse.gov. Nice. Aside from his obvious discrimination against fish (do I report Crustaceous activity? The dilemma!), there are some serious legal issues with this. The White House as an entity MUST keep a record of all communications in or out. However, the White House is strictly forbidden from compiling information on those who disagree with its policies. Oops. Smart move there, ol' buddy. It's ok, though. The Wise Latina got confirmed, despite a 60% rate of failure as a judge. Somehow, barring Antonin Scalia going on a murderous rampage and assuming the role of SCOTUS Highlander style, I just don't think the White House is going to get spanked for this.

More important than the mechanical aspects of this, however, is the moral. President Obama has unilaterally declared that anyone spreading opposing points of view are actually agents of disinformation. It's "fishy", just like the peaceful protests at town halls are "Angry Mobs". The whole effort to demonize opposition seems to be getting desperate, and quite frankly ludicrous. Furthermore, President Obama is in effect asking people to Name Names. Doesn't it strike anyone as odd that the Democratic Party is using exactly the same tactics they've always accused Republicans of using? "Something must be done now or thousands will die of poor healthcare coverage"- the Politics of Fear, and false dichotomy. "My opponents are angry mobs spreading disinformation- or they are Nazis"- demonization of the opposition.

Interestingly enough, various Rasmussen polls have between 65 and 80 percent of Americans satisfied with the healthcare system as it currently stands. So in effect, we are going to punish 354 million Americans so that 46 million can have healthcare coverage. Except that at no point are these 46 million refused essential care because they can't pay. No one is lying on the sidewalk bleeding out as paramedics shake their heads and say "His credit didn't clear".

People always make the mistake of assuming that Capitalism isn't compassionate. This is patently false. Every poll administered, from the UN right on down to Gallup, has found that right wing Christian conservative Americans give on average at least twice as much of their income to charity as anyone else. Liberal Americans give next to nothing. Why? Because liberals think that charity is a government responsibility. But it is demonstrably true that dollar for dollar, government cannot give as much to charity as NGOs. Government inevitably has higher overhead, as they must create a Department of Charitable Works. Then it must be staffed, and stationery must be made. The staff will be unionized, so it has absurd sick days and wage rates. Meanwhile, a Methodist housewife donates 20 hours a week of her time on a rotating schedule with the rest of the ladies from the Parish council at the cost of...a couple of tins of instant coffee and a few boxes of cookies a month. The same thing applies to healthcare. Private sector health providers want to make money. Being efficient leads to making money. Doctors in private clinics do their own paperwork, nurses can also act as receptionists. They get paid by the hour, so they work longer. Meanwhile, at a public hospital, you have a unionized employee who does nothing but answer phones. The doctors work long hours because they are desperately understaffed, not because they want to. The janitors get paid as well if not more than the nurses.

Voluntary associations work better than government. Government healthcare is the epitome of Involuntary association. It. Doesn't. Work.

Killing mehsud not enough, but still a good start

From the field ( brewbaker's in freddy)

Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud is probably dead. News wires are already speculating as to the impact of his death, and naturally the Taliban claim no pain. The truth is that his death's impact has yet to be determined. Mehsud was young and charismatic, which is both a strength and weakness. His power came from the narrative of his life. Now that it is over, others now control the story. Will he become a martyr?

For the jihadi, faith is everything. Victory as proof it it, and defeat as proof of its absence. For the coalition to claim a win, mehsud's narrative must read that his fsith was a sham and allah guided the hand of his enemy as punishment for all the civilians he killed. Perhaps its time the coalitipn started employing theologians for psyops.