I voted

My ballot is in the mail. My work is done. The rest is up to you and everyone else to make sure and vote regardless what you think may or may not be the final result.

I remember what it was like for Democrats to have full power in the Executive and Legislative Branches. I know what Carter and Clinton judges continue to try to do to the Constitution. I also know that Carter and Clinton are well to the political right of Obama.

I have no illusions what an Obama Presidency would mean. His ideas are the worst of the academic Left. His instincts are wrong. That simple. He has far less executive experience than even the Republican VP candidate. Our nation is at war, our economic system under assault by the after effects of a government policy instigated by Obama's lead economic adviser Raines. McCain back in '05 actually tried to stop this train wreck.

I will be hard enough for the correct decisions to be made with a McCain Presidency with a Democrat House and Senate - but at least there will be checks and balances.

Obama at 1600 Penn. with the willing eyes of Pelosi and Reid at the other end leaves nothing to counter the aims of the Left. Nothing.

If that is what we are have at the end of this elections, in the Spring and Summer of '09 and anytime later I will have zero patience with people with buyer's remorse. I won't give a d@mn about your, "Gee Phib, I never though this would happen." or "I didn't vote for him to do that."

Zip, zerro, nada. You vote for Obama - you own him.

What a horrible irony it would be. Let me put a little list together for you. Nixon, Kennedy, Goldwater, Johnson, Humphry, McGovern, Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush41, Clinton, Bush43, Obama, McCain.

Who in that list is least qualified from that list? Obama. You could put McCain solidly in the middle of that group - perhaps in the top 5 even.

Who has served their country that involved personal sacrifice the least? Obama. You could argue that McCain is at the top along with Kennedy and to a lesser extent Bush41 and McGovern.

The Greek playwrites couldn't lay it out better - expecially when you consider one of the greatest political opponents of Bush43 for the last 8 years has been ... wait for it ... McCain.

Does this make you mad? If so, Ace has some advice for you.

What ever the result - politics is going to continue to be a full contact sport at a varsity level. If you don't vote - you can't complain or make suggestions. Slaves don't have that luxury.

One last point, when does Joe Wurzelbacher run for a Congressional seat? I'll send him money, just like I did Bill Russell.

Diversity Thursday

This sounds benign at first look, doesn't it?

Congress is urging the Coast Guard Academy to change its admissions process to fall more in line with the other service academies,

Drum-roll please,

...saying a move to a similar nomination process could help boost diversity.

Yep, nothing about increasing the effectiveness. Nothing about mission. No, only 1970s centered racist bean counting.

The Coast Guard, who has done nothing wrong, is trying to remain the sane one.

The Coast Guard is the only service to have an open application process, in which prospective cadets don’t need an endorsement from a member of Congress. Though it welcomes any recruiting help from Congress, the service is not in favor of adopting the new admissions policy, said Rear Adm. Jody Breckenridge, assistant commandant for human resources, in testimony Sept. 10 before the House Transportation subcommittee on Coast Guard and marine transportation.
...
“The organization does see some barriers in there. Any time you have multiple steps, it creates a barrier and, quite frankly, we are concerned many applicants won’t apply,” she said. “Our position is, we prefer the system we have today.”

They are trying to meet half-way.

Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thad Allen released a servicewide message in August outlining plans to improve diversity, not only at the academy but throughout the entire service, including its civilian personnel.

As part of the new initiative, every flag officer and senior executive service member is required to attend one “affinity group” conference a year, which can include organizations such as Blacks in Government or the Coast Guard Women’s Leadership Association.

Senior level officers are expected to build relationships with minority-based “institutions of higher learning.” Also, the Coast Guard is pursuing a new mentoring program with urban youth in the Baltimore area, which offers opportunities for students to visit Coast Guard cutters or aircraft in the hopes of expanding service awareness.

“Mr. Chairman, there is a new level of energy we are generating within the service that we believe will lead to innovation and new programs not being thought about today. We have stepped out smartly to take decisive action,” Breckenridge wrote in prepared testimony.

“As a former Coastie, I was first a little taken back [by the proposed admissions change], but the more I look at the diversity on the House floor ... my personal view is we would expand your pool of recruiters by 535,” said Rep. Gene Taylor, D-Miss. “I have at least 20 great kids vying for five spots.”
...
The Defense Manpower Data Center reported that in 2007 about 14 percent of Coast Guard officers, nearly 17 percent of the enlisted corps and 14 percent of the 2011 class of the Coast Guard Academy were minorities, according to Rep. Elijah Cummings, subcommittee chairman.

Breckenridge said the Coast Guard does not consider women to be minorities, so those numbers mostly include black and Hispanic service members.

But, as we know, paying the crocodile to eat you last is usually not the best choice.

They are coming after the Coast Guard Academy.

However, Cummings wasn’t completely pleased with the Coast Guard’s initiative, saying the service needs to better outline its goals to truly achieve great diversity.

“It became clear that the Coast Guard lacks clearly defined goals and measures. When an organization cannot clearly see its end destination, it becomes difficult to efficiently and effectively complete the journey,” he said in a statement released Sept. 11.

Quotas and a desire for active discrimination. Simple and to the point.

I would say more, but I can't call Congressmen names methinks.

They hated Reagan too

First of all; there can be only one Reagan. Reagan was neither as good or as bad as both sides say he was - but he was right on the big issues. From the Soviet Union, to BMD, to the nature of Socialism and its fellow travelers ---- and so on.

There is one thing that drove the anointed Left nuts about him though; he wasn't one of them and he didn't really care. Make no mistake, Class can make a big difference for both Left and Right. If you come from the right family and go to the right schools - you get cut a little slack as long as you maintain proper social connections and if you are on the right, don't try to get too much power. If you are a beautiful loser that serves as an easy foil - like Minority Leader Bob Michel, you're ok.

But if you come from fly-over country and did something besides be a lawyer or professional politician - then they will tear you apart.

Hey, I know I have been a Palin since earlier this year when almost no one knew who she was - but does she really deserve the attacks from CBS to The View that she is getting? Is she really as bad as all say - the Governor of Alaska? The most popular Governor in the USA? Just because her father was a teacher and she had to put herself through college? Just because she is still married to her High School sweetheart and has five kids? Even though she pulls in the crowds she does?

I read most of the negative stuff about her - but I also watch and read her. I want you to read this speech she gave on 02 AUG 08. Just read it and then come back.

Is this the person you read about in the MSM? At least I know that I am in good company. I am going to quote in full Bill Dyer of BeldarBlog fame - another Palin fan.

I am sorry, he is exactly right.

I'm watching Sarah Palin address a campaign rally in Scranton, Pennsylvania, live on Fox News, and I can't recall ever seeing a GOP rally like this. The crowd is genuinely pumped, which is rare enough. But what's particularly amazing is watching and listening to Gov. Palin. I can't recall ever seeing a politician who so clearly relishes campaigning. She's animated and enthused. I know she's speaking from a teleprompter, and she's probably delivered large chunks of this same speech before many times, but she's tuned in on every line.

She is simply infused with joy. And it flows off the stage, and it's picked up quite powerfully by the TV cameras.

On his best occasions, Reagan had this same quality, but it was more muted, more of a twinkle from behind his carefully maintained stage presence. With Gov. Palin, it's nearly continuous and much more obvious. And I think that's a big part of why she inspires the same harsh counter-reactions from political opponents that Reagan did — the same desperate need to ridicule and belittle, to delegitimize. (You'll see it in the comments to this post within minutes after it goes up, of course.) She has to be shouted down and scorned, because if people are allowed to listen to her, that damned joy might turn out to be ... contagious!

It's a quality that was almost entirely missing from the speeches of, for example, Hillary Clinton, who turned every speech into a siege and whose grim purpose was impressive but slightly scary. Bubba, however, could work himself into joy at the drop of a hat.

Sarah Palin is just haviing a grand old time. If she's afraid of looking foolish, or of her elitist critics, or of her ticket's chances on November 4th, then she's entirely suppressed those fears. I freely admit that with me as a listener, and probably most of the folks at this rally, she's preaching to the choir. But so, too, are lots of politicians, in most of their speeches. And they just don't come across with this same zest.

When the right has someone that doesn't fit the hate-speckled boogie-man that the Left has in their head to justify their own hate - they just become unhinged. That is what Palin does, just like Reagan, unhinges people - even some on the right.

I am convinced that people like Hitchens, Brooks, and Buckley do not care for her because she isn't one of "them." Why do I say that? Because I am one of "them." I grew up with "them." Thank goodness I am a Southeastern and not a Northeastern one of "them." Perhaps that is why "Joe Sixpack" comments don't give me the vapors watching it on my flat screen at my beach house in The Hamptons.

Sure, it got old to me early - but everything isn't about me. I and my "them" usually have a few close cousins who fit the "Joe Sixpack" description - as I think the Southeastern version of "them" cross-breed through Class lines a bit more than the Yankee version. And my "them" actually have Republicans at something close to 50/50 min.

At least at my High School reunions I just get pitied for picking such a non-lucrative career field and not admonished for being a baby-killer - well maybe one baby-killer snarl from "her" ... but I think that has to do with the fact I wouldn't date her in '82 and picked her friend instead ..... women can hold a grudge. Debutantes wearing Patchouli oil....you know the type - "tax the rich, but stay away from my trust fund" type...but I digress.

Back to Gov. Palin though; maybe it is just me and my blindness - but I don't think so. Am I wrong? Is she better than Sen. Biden? I think there is no question.

---

I am with Laura here - but I have to deal with Heather. Here it is in a nutshell. Of note - Laura is one of "them" even more than I am - by a factor of 10 as she is of the Northeastern variety - and I am with Laura. Oh, BTW - like Laura I was never a McCain guy either - until the other option was Obama.

From NRO, this is the "they" I know:

Sarkozy: lost in Arabia

I guess he is better than Royal would be as President of the Republic.

"We must invest in the Arabic language (because) to teach it symbolizes a moment of exchange, of openness and of tolerance, (and it) brings with it one of the oldest and most prestigious civilizations of the world. It is in France that we have the greatest number of persons of Arabic and Muslim origin. Islam is the second religion of France,"

France does have the history. The tomb to the right is in Paris at Les Invalides; AKA "Napoleon's Tomb."

It isn't Napoleon's though, but off a wing and of Louis Hubert Gonzalve Lyautey (November 17, 1854 - July 27, 1934) was a French general, the first Resident-General in Morocco from 1912 to 1925 and from 1921 Marshal of France.

The picture is from the Salamander archives (yes, I have been to Paris quite a few times - love the place and, seriously, the French people).

The Arabic writing is roughly,

Here lies F., inhabitant of France in Morocco, and who never in his life forgot to respect Islam.

So, not too far from the French norm - but that was when Muslims were French colonial subjects OUTSIDE France proper. Different context.

Interesting times.

Hat tip The Brussels Journal.

An objective sincerity

What is an objective sincerity? How do others outside the Navy see us? Bookie gives you a real good example.

I know it almost seems like Bookie week here - but she is worth every bit. Please read it all.

I’ve always chosen the safe, risk-free paths in my life. I’ve done pretty well, too: good jobs, good family, good community, etc. But I’ve missed that sense of purpose that makes life more than just creature comforts and material acquisition. My life revolves around me and those directly dependent on me, but it doesn’t have any greater sense of meaning. For the people in our American military, and this is true even if they leave after a short stint, they will have spent part of their lives working for something greater than themselves, and I envy them that fact.

She was one of the first on my blogroll back in the summer of '05 - I hope she is on yours.

A Russian import we need

Looks like Russia is getting lean from the top down.

Russia's defense minister announced Tuesday a sweeping reform of the military that will cut hundreds of generals and disband nine of every ten army units, the defense minister said Tuesday.

Though downsized to 1.13 million from the 4 million-member Soviet Army, the military has done little to reduce its number of officers. It maintains almost the same number of military units as in the Soviet era, though many exist only on paper.

Serdyukov said the Russian military now has 355,000 officers – about one-third the total strength of the military. That's a far greater share than in other nations, he said.

Serdyukov said the number of generals will be cut to 900 from the current 1,100 by phasing them into retirement.

He said the armed forces will abolish the balky Soviet-era structure, disbanding divisions and regiments and forming brigades instead. The number of army units will be reduced from 1,890 to 172, Serdyukov said.

The number of Air Force units will be cut from 340 to 180 and the number in the navy will be cut from 240 to 123, he said.

The Defense Ministry will cut its Moscow headquarters' work force by 60 percent, to 8,500; the number of military academies will drop from 65 to just 10, he said.

At the same time, the military will boost the number of junior officers, such as lieutenants, by 10,000 to 60,000. Officials and military analysts long have pointed that the military is facing a shortage of junior officers because of low pay and meager conditions.

You can take my floor of 200-220 ships or Galrahn's number of 150-177 ships, but either way our Admiral to ship ration is an abomination.

It isn't just Admirals though. I'll just use my favorite example of Staff bloat just because everyone enjoys picking on the P-3 guys and they can't defend themselves on this issue.

In the Cold War, there were four P-3 Wings in the USA (Major Command at Sea, CAPT Commands) for two dozen squadrons roughly of VP, VPU and VQ(P). In addition, each VP squadron had many more aircraft and aircrew.

Here we find ourselves in 2008 with half the number of squadrons, more than half the number of aircraft and aircrew - yet still four Wings in Brunswick, ME Jacksonville, FL, Whidbey Island, WA, and Hawaii.

That is just one example of fat sucking O2 from the rest of the Navy.

Good for Russia and bad for us. We should want a top-heavy, inefficient Russian military.

Oh .... THAT voter fraud

Nothing to see here, move along ....

Note that you have a bunch of college kids doing the work the MSM won't. Why? We know why; all the proof is in the tank.

Hat tip Michelle.