I Know What I Am, So What Are You?

I have finally come to the understanding that I am “stupid.” On Hannity and Colmes, guest Norman Mailer, the All-American purveyor of pointlessness, stated that President Bush was re-elected because, as he put it, “52% of America is stupid.”
Okay, I’m probably too stupid to realize that the best way to avoid having to state your case is to call those who disagree with you “stupid.” So, I’ll just accept the fact that I am stupid and plod on.
I’m stupid because I believe that our rights under the constitution are better protected by exercising personal responsibility, and by showing respect for other people and their property. I’m too stupid to realize that the best way to protect our rights is to enact laws that take natural rights from some to give special rights to others.
I’m stupid enough to think that the First Amendment means that Christians, Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Taoists, Wiccans, and Native American Spiritualists have as much right to practice their religion as do Atheists.
I’m so stupid that I thought that a tour of duty in Vietnam was one year, not two months, as John Kerry showed us.
It’s pretty dumb to think that private sector and community charities can better care for the disadvantaged and needy than taxpayers’ money and bureaucracy.
My stupidity has led me to believe that the free flow of capital is the best way to create more jobs and to better the quality of life.
I am not smart enough to understand that it’s okay for a tyrant to commit genocide, and to use money which was meant to feed his people for new palaces and bunkers. I always thought that such criminal behavior should be punished. How was I to know that the smart people would just sit back and watch, or at best, ignore such atrocities, while denying that it was even happening?
And how dumb was I to think that it was better to take the war to the enemy, rather than wait for the enemy to bring the war back to our shores?
I’m too stupid to use hate speech as an argument against those with whom I disagree, and I even let those who oppose my views speak their thoughts without interrupting or shouting them down.
Okay, now that I’ve admitted all of that, I think I’ll show what Mr. Mailer might consider a flash of brilliance: Norman, I know what I am, so what are you?

Rock Star Simmons Pulls "Fast One"

“You might want a nice hair-cut French Poodle, but when you’re in a tough neighborhood, you better have a Rottweiller.” - Kiss front man Gene Simmons on why he supports President Bush.
I was in the midst of writing an article on why I strongly support George W. Bush, while listening to Your World, With Neil Cavuto, on Fox News Channel. Simmons was a guest on the business news and information program to promote his venture into the Indy Racing League.
Cavuto often tests his guests on current events issues and opinions, because he is of the philosophy that if one doesn’t have faith in America, one wouldn’t have much faith in the market. Thus, he qualifies his guests on the accuracy of their market and investment suggestions.
“Bush isn’t a politician who does whatever the polls say he should do,” Simmons explained, “he does what he believes is the right thing to do. Whether you love him or hate him, he stands by what he believes in.”
That is very, very close to what I had been writing. So there it is--some of us stand by President Bush because he isn’t a politician, he is a man of principle. I don’t have to finish writing the article I was writing, because what I wanted to say has been said by one of much more celebrity than I, and probably much more succinctly.
Incidentally, Gene Simmons was the guitar player with the wild black on white makeup and the tongue extension who was married to Cher for four months.

I should get to work on my next rant before someone steals my thunder on “Not Conservative, Not Liberal, and Not Moderate.” What, Drew Carey has already explained that on The O'Reilly Factor? Rats!

Is Anybody Paying Attention? Dubai Ports Deal, Take 2

Some people just don’t listen. I still hear and read about “port takeover” when it has been made clear that Dubai Ports World (DPW) is in the process of acquiring management of six port terminals in the United States. The company which currently owns that position is Peninsular and Oriental Steam Ports (P&O, or Penor), is a British owned company. DPW has no plans to replace personnel who now hold positions in the US operations. In other words, the same people who work for Penor will be working for DPW. All of this has been clearly spelled out in the past week. How does that constitute a “port takeover” if nothing changes except for the name of the company?
Senators and congresspersons are still demanding US Customs inspections at the point of embarkation, but last week, President Bush informed us that UAE was the first foreign entity to allow Customs inspectors to check 100% of high risk containers at the point of embarkation. Legistlators have been suggesting that that UAE may actually be a hostile nation , even after President Bush assured us that UAE is the strongest ally we have Middle East. General Tommy Franks even informed us that we have a US Air Base in the UAE, and that the US Navy docks more ships in the Port of Dubai than in any other port in the world outside of the United States. But that is all moot. Security and port ownership at the US ports remain and will remain in US hands. Even today, these congresspersons are noting the concerns the Coast Guard had about gaps in intelligence on DPW, concerns which were withdrawn after they were briefed by the CIA. Are our representatives ignorant? Are they behind the rest of us in receiving news?
I don’t think so. I believe these representatives consider we, the people, ignorant. After all, many of us do fall for the myth that the Democrats are for the poor and the Republicans are for the rich, so why shouldn’t we swallow more of the crap they feed us? As I have said before, it is merely politics, another chance to take a position in the upcoming elections, and to have a platform on which to stand while advocating the creation of the Soviet Socialist Union of The United States.
DPW has requested that another 45 day review of the business transaction be conducted. This, hopefully will clear all of the questions and doubts about the deal. But leave it up to Congress, more ways will be found to use the deal to criticize the current Administration.