via Instapundit, Victor Davis Hanson highlights the Obama administration’s contribution to the “deficit of trust.”
The problem with Obama’s new hedging on taxing those who make below $250,000, or his administration’s taking credit for victory in the Iraq war that they so once fervently tried to abort, or the flip-flop on renditions and tribunals, or the embarrassments over closing Guantanamo and trying KSM in New York or Mirandizing the Christmas Day bomber,or trashing/praising Wall Street grandees, is not that presidents cannot change their minds as circumstances warrant, or even that all politicians are at times hypocritical. No, the rub is that Obama is not merely flipping and triangulating on issues in a desperate attempt to shadow the polls, but he is doing so on matters that he once swore were absolutely central to his entire candidacy and his signature hope-and-change agenda, critical to the future of the U.S., and proof of his opponents’ either ignorance or disingenuousness
Indeed.
February 12th, 2010
Posted by
ricjames |
Economy, GWOT, Medicine, Military, Politics |
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Remember those high-tech body scanners that were developed and deployed so as to catch the next group of terrorists trying to turn passenger aircraft into missiles or trying to light their shoes or underwear on fire? You know, that group that through bizarre coincidence just happens to consist of completely of Islamic/Muslim extremists? They’d rather not have to go through those scanners, thank you.
Saying that body scanners violate Islamic law, Muslim-American groups are supporting a “fatwa” — a religious ruling — that forbids Muslims from going through the scanners at airports.
The Fiqh Council of North America — a body of Islamic scholars — issued a fatwa this week that says going through the airport scanners would violate Islamic rules on modesty.
Do tell. Well, here’s a ruling I’d like to see enforced: go through the scanners or don’t fly. Period. And if you have a problem with these scanners from a modesty or religious viewpoint, take your complaints up with the people responsible for them being there in the first place – Muslim terrorist groups.
February 12th, 2010
Posted by
ricjames |
Aviation, GWOT, Politics, Technology |
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I’m not entirely sure how I got on the mailing list for a candidate for VA’s 2nd Congressional District in Virginia Beach but I apparently did. GOP Candidate Kenny Goldman announces that he’s delivered a draft resolution to the General Assembly on the matter of a proposed move by the US Navy to relocate one (or possibly more) of its nuclear aircraft carriers from Norfolk to Mayport, FL. Goldman’s resolution was crafted and delivered because, “Congressman Nye and Senators Warner and Webb have failed to make a cohesive argument against the Navy’s proposed move of at least one carrier to Florida,” says Goldman in the e-mail I received. He continues, “The resolution I delivered to Delegate Robert Tata of Virginia Beach lays out the logical case against the relocation of any aircraft carrier to Florida, and why such a move would be a disaster for national security, fleet preparedness, and fiscal sensibility.”
Fair enough. But it’s resolutions like this one that, frankly, make me cringe when I see a Republican offer them and suggest they’re doing so as a matter of national security. Honestly, folks, I understand full well what they’re trying to do and, as a fellow Virginian, I want to support them. But when you start mixing in hotbutton items of local concern in with the rest of it, you actually wind up diluting the argument. Here’s the resolution, annotated with my thoughts as I read it:
Whereas the recent release of the Quadrennial Defense Review calls for the relocation of a Navy nuclear-powered aircraft carrier from Hampton Roads to Naval Station Mayport, Florida;
Whereas such a move portends the loss of more than one carrier from Hampton Roads;
And? How does Hampton Roads losing a carrier to take care of cause a national security issue for Ohio, or Iowa, or Wyoming?
Whereas the loss of a single aircraft carrier would have a significant negative impact upon the economy of the Commonwealth, to include the loss of a minimum of 10,000 jobs and over one percent of Hampton Roads’ gross regional product;
That’s certainly bad news for Hampton Roads. But, considering that it’d be good for Mayport, FL, how is this supportive of a national security argument?
Whereas the cost to American taxpayers to convert Naval Station Mayport into a port capable of handling a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is estimated to be as high as $1 billion;
Now, there’s an argument. There had better be a compelling reason for the Navy to be doing this, and it better be a helluva lot better than that some Floridian congresscritter managed to squeeze something into a bill during the commitee write-up.
Whereas there has been a troubled history of maintaining conventional aircraft carriers at Naval Station Mayport;
Oh? I’d certainly like to hear more about this. If there’s been issues in competence at Mayport then that’s a real good reason to keep the carriers away from that port. Does the Navy not know about these issues, or do they already know about them and found they’re not as severe as Mr. Goldman thinks they are?
Whereas the move of an aircraft carrier from its industrial base in Hampton Roads would involve increased maintenance costs for the Navy and, thus, an increased burden upon the American taxpayer;
Again, that’s a good argument.
Whereas the proximity of Naval Station Mayport to the mouth of St. John’s River makes it more vulnerable to potential terrorist attack;
More vulnerable than Norfolk?
Whereas no aircraft carrier or any other naval vessel has been damaged by a terrorist attack or manmade disaster in Hampton Roads;
The previous item made it sound as if Mayport hasn’t suffered a terrorist attack, either. For that matter, I’ve not heard of any at San Diego, San Francisco, or any other domestic military port. If none of them have, why is it significant that Norfolk hasn’t?
Whereas no aircraft carrier, conventional or nuclear, has ever been damaged by a hurricane or any natural disaster in Hampton Roads;
That’s an excellent point. Has any such damage occurred at Mayport? Does Mayport have a greater history of getting hit by such events than Norfolk?
Whereas the Hampton Roads area is known as the “birthplace” of nuclear aircraft carriers;
Uhhhh… so? Kitty Hawk, NC is the “birthplace” of aviation. Does that mean the Air Force should only keep our strategic bombers there?
Whereas the Hampton Roads area has the largest navy base in the world, and is renowned for its industrial support capacity and professional workforce;
That’s a good point. Based on the news item I linked, above, it appears that several hundred million will need to be spent at Mayport just to bring it up to the same capability Norfolk has today. That’s definitely something to keep in mind.
Be it therefore resolved that We, the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia, unanimously call upon the Governor and the Commonwealth’s congressional delegation to take immediate and necessary action to ensure the Navy’s East Coast aircraft carriers remain in Hampton Roads.
I’m curious as to why Golden thinks Gov. McDonnell, the General Assembly, and our Congressional delegation isn’t doing this already? I mean, it’s one thing to note that the Navy hasn’t issued a retraction of their plans to relocate a carrier but another thing entirely to suggest that proves our Congressmen, Senators, and Governor aren’t trying to do anything about. By all means, feel free to ask someone in the GA to submit a bill like this but understand this: it’s not really calling for any specific action to be performed. Which, frankly, makes it sound less like a real resolution and more like someone standing up in a room and yelling, “Do something!” rather than actually doing something.
We Republicans were very successful in the last elections because we appealed to the Virginia voters’ sense that we were interested in getting real solutions enacted to real problems Virginia is facing. We need to stay on that track. I’m not saying this resolution is terrible or that we shouldn’t be fighting to keep carriers based here (I think we should) but we need to be careful about looking like we’re only concerned with bringing the dollars home to our districts while making the argument that it’s all about national security.
February 8th, 2010
Posted by
ricjames |
Economy, GWOT, Military, Politics, Virginia Politics |
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Just saw this on Fox News: Texas Nuclear Plant on Lockdown.
According to the story, the plant activated a security response (their “Emergency Response Organization”) at 0800 their time this morning, which would have been about an hour ago now. This plant is a nuke weapons assembly and disassembly facility.
More to come as more is known.
Update: Apparently the alarm was sounded because hunters were spotted across a field from the facility. I’m guessing someone saw people in the distance with rifles and hit the alert.
January 15th, 2010
Posted by
ricjames |
Energy, GWOT |
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On January 4th a power outage at Washington’s Reagan National Airport caused the cancellation and delay of several flights. The problem was traced to a nearby substation but, so far as I can tell, the actual cause was either never discovered or never announced. Now comes this story about Cleveland Hopkins Airport in Ohio where the power apparently went out at about 0600 this morning:
A power outage at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport has canceled several flights as electric crews investigate what caused the early morning failure.
Airport spokeswoman Jackie Mayo says power went out about 6:50 a.m. Sunday and Continental and US Airways canceled flights until 6 p.m.
Mayo says the cause of the outage is unknown and crews from Akron-based FirstEnergy Corp. were on site trying to figure out what happened.
I’ve worked at major airports in the commercial aviation field during my career. Power backup is a serious issue for airports for a variety of extremely obvious reasons. So when I hear about airports suffering blackouts in fairly close proximity in terms of time (these 2 within a week or each other) I have some alarm bells going off. Lighting one’s boxers on fire in an attempt to blow up a plane isn’t the only method of disrupting the nation’s transportation grid.
Increased vigilance is called for and a more detailed explanation of what happened is certainly due the public.
January 10th, 2010
Posted by
ricjames |
Aviation, GWOT, Human Interest |
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On this date in 1941, America was attacked by the naval forces of Japan. President Franklin D. Roosevelt addressed Congress the following day:
Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, Members of the Senate, and of the House of Representatives:
Yesterday, December 7th, 1941 — a date which will live in infamy — the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.
The number of veterans who saw that day with their own eyes is dwindling, of course, and that makes it all the more important for those of us who wish to avoid repeating history’s mistakes to mark well this day. An interesting development is taking place in today’s remembrances, however. It turns out that one of Pearl’s veterans is making his 1st return to Pearl Harbor since the end of WWII.
Retired firefighter Ed Johann was a teenage apprentice seaman on Dec. 7, 1941, when he spotted Japanese planes coming in over Pearl Harbor.
He thought they were U.S. aircraft conducting drills until explosions and flames erupted from stricken ships in the harbor.
Then came screams of sailors; the stench of burning oil and flesh.
The 86-year-old is due to return Monday to Pearl Harbor for the first time since World War II to attend a ceremony marking the 68th anniversary of the attack on the U.S. naval base that pulled America into the war.
“I really don’t know how I’m going to handle it,” said Johann, from his home in Oregon. “When I think about it, all I have is unpleasantness. I’m sure it’s not like that now.”
It’s not. But I’m sure the memories will come back plainly enough. Welcome back to Pearl Harbor, Mr. Johann. We salute your service and your return.
December 7th, 2009
Posted by
ricjames |
GWOT, History, Human Interest, Military |
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With the passage of the Pelosi version of “healthcare reform” details are starting to come out about what Congress has in mind for you. For starters, if you refuse to buy health insurance of a type and quantity Pelosi and crew think you should, you can get jailed – for up to 5 years.
That’s what a 1st-time offender convicted of rape gets.
That’s starting to become a construct, now, in pithy sayings flying around the Twittersphere. Erick Erickson had something similar to say over at RedState.
November 13th, 2009
Posted by
ricjames |
Crime & Punishment, GWOT, Law, Medicine, Politics |
4 comments
Finally.
A judge has set a Nov. 10 execution date for John Allen Muhammad, mastermind of the 2002 sniper attacks in the Washington, D.C., area.
The attorney general’s office had requested a Nov. 9 execution. But Muhammad’s attorney Jonathan Sheldon says Prince William County Circuit Judge Mary Grace O’Brien delayed it one day.
That’s because Nov. 9 is a Monday and they want government offices to be open the day before in case of last-minute court action.
Oh, I’m sure there’ll be some attempt to game the system by Muhammad and/or his lawyers. He’s had his run. It’s time to be done with this, and him.
September 16th, 2009
Posted by
ricjames |
Crime & Punishment, GWOT, Human Interest, Politics, Virginia Politics |
one comment
It’s been 8 years, now, since the attacks on the morning of September 11, 2001. If you’re too young to remember the events or you’ve just found that today’s remembrance snuck up on you, unaware, head over here to this site and watch, listen. It’ll take a few moments to load and a few more to display but it’s worth the time.
There are those already trying to rewrite the history of that day and those who would rather it fade into the grey haze of forgotten minutia. Not here and not with me. I will remember what happened and I will recall those who didn’t come home. I will not forget that the enemies that laughed and danced that day are still out there, though fewer in number. I will not forget the actions taken to protect us all from a repeat of that day.
I will remain vigilant. And I will remember well this day.
September 11th, 2009
Posted by
ricjames |
GWOT, History, Military, Politics |
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Van Jones, the President’s now-former “Green Jobs” czar has resigned, the Washington Post reports this morning. Typical of his ilk, it’s everyone else’s fault that they didn’t just ignore the facts and accept his word on things:
“On the eve of historic fights for health care and clean energy, opponents of reform have mounted a vicious smear campaign against me,” Jones, special adviser for green jobs at the White House Council on Environmental Quality, said in a statement announcing his resignation just after midnight Saturday. “They are using lies and distortions to distract and divide.”
What lies? Jones’ signature is right there on that petition, exactly where these misnamed “opponents of reform” have said it was. It didn’t get there as a result of AP-style photoshopping of a picture and it’s not unsupported bombast – it’s there, it’s real, and Jones put it there. Where’s the lie?
The only outright lies I’ve seen in this entire episode have come from Jones – most recently in the statement reported above – and he should never have been in the position of unelected power he enjoyed in the first place.
Which brings us to the more important question of how, exactly, this Truther nutjob made it into the administration’s graces to begin with. Did the administration just horribly hose up the vetting process? (Again?) Or did they know about this part of Jones’ past and consider it a net positive? As Senator McCain has famously said, Obama’s got more czars than the Romanovs. What’s in their resume that we’ve just not found yet? Can we trust the vetting process used on them that places them close to the President’s ear and in command authority over billions of taxpayer dollars?
How about some of that vaunted government transparency, Mr. President?
(Hat Tip: Weekly Standard)
September 6th, 2009
Posted by
ricjames |
GWOT, Politics |
no comments
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