"Islamist empire...finally buried"

"That is the opportunity we have in Afghanistan today: to make that country into a quagmire, not for America but for al Qaeda, the Taliban and their fellow Islamist extremists, and into a graveyard in which their dreams of an Islamist empire are finally buried." - Lieberman

Nice to see leadership on this. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123388747399555397.html

For Daniel Pearl

"But somehow, barbarism, often cloaked in the language of "resistance," has gained acceptance in the most elite circles of our society. The words "war on terror" cannot be uttered today without fear of offense. Civilized society, so it seems, is so numbed by violence that it has lost its gift to be disgusted by evil."

For Daniel Pearl. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123362422088941893.html

Jason Chaffetz sleeps on a cot

Republican Congressman Jason Chaffetz of Utah sleeps on a cot in his office which he bought for $45. He had no paid staff, no campaign debt, no consultants, only volunteers. He won 66% of the vote. That's awesome.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Chaffetz

Keep the Obama products

Hats, shirts, pins, posters, paintings, you name it, Obama's on everything. During the inauguration, one could buy Obama products on nearly every street corner. I was hoping that this display of entrepreneurship and unfettered capitalism would serve as a prime example of the power of the free market. Now I'm hearing that rather than recognize the beauty of the forces at work, the Obama administration may move to "crackdown on Obama paraphenilia" in order to protect the "President's brand".

1.) As if it weren't clear how little Obama and Democrats understand the concept of stimulus and how to create wealth/prosperity, the administration is evidently considering putting its hands in the market for products which include Obama's name and picture. I don't have the data, but I'd like to see how much money was created and earned by individuals who took advantage of the demand for Obama. I bet it did more for their welfare then would a $50 million handout to the National Endownment for the Arts.

2.) Where was the effort to protect the President's brand when Bush's face was being burned and tshirts made with "Buck Fush"?

3.) As a public servant, the President, does not have a "brand" that he owns, nor should it ever be okay for the government to meddle in political speech, including deciding when, where and how he can be pictured.

All 177

So glad to see every single Republican (and 11 Democrats) vote against a hideously destructive act of big-government liberalism. Keep it up!!!

http://michellemalkin.com/2009/01/28/gop-holds-the-line-244-188-this-crap-sandwich-is-all-yours-dems/

Del Toro out

This article made my day. http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jan/27/del-toro-walks-away-from-questions-on-che/

So glad to see this film not getting away with glorifying a collectivist, murderous psychopath.

"New Deal narcissism is killing us."

Thank you, Amity Shlaes. Courtesy of a new favorite show of mine, the Glenn Beck program.

If I could vote in Israel

Netanyahu.

"'We grieve for every child, for every innocent civilian that's killed either on our side or on the Palestinian side. The terrorists celebrate such suffering, on our side because they openly say they want to kill us, all of us, and on the Palestinian side because it helps them foster this false symmetry, which is contrary to common decency and international law.'"

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123275466964911679.html

Support Geert Wilders, at least on this

A very poignant example of threats to our liberties by Islamic ideology.

"There are of course limits to free speech, such as calls for violence. But one doesn't need to agree with Mr. Wilders to acknowledge that he hasn't crossed that line. Some Muslims say they are outraged by his statements. But if freedom of speech means anything, it means the freedom of controversial speech. Consensus views need no protection."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123258473846504459.html

Thinking about the narrative

That narrative of American history and nationhood, understood by so many in such simple, basic terms - a story of overcoming challenges and adversity in a struggle for freedom and equality.

American history and life is indeed not so simple and able to fit into a nice, fluid narrative. History is more complex and very often understood in ways that are more convenient and comforting, rather than 100% truthful.

Where will George Bush as an individual fit into the narrative? Where will his presidency?

Where will the narrative go from here?

When will we learn the hard truths about our country's narrative? When will we come to grips with the intrusions and abuses of liberty, equality and justice by the hands of individuals in government with good intentions but failed, destructive results?