The latest "leak" case to come out of Washington D.C. this week has served to be a reminder that Democrats cannot be trusted with national security.
Highlights:
- Mary McCarthy was fired from the CIA last week after being caught for leaking classified information in her care to the media. Mary McCarthy is a former Clinton Administration official with antipathy for the Bush Administration. She leaked information to cause damage to the Bush Administration.
- the story that she leaked to the media was the story that the CIA was running secret prison camps in Easter Europe where terrorist were kept outside of the restrictions of U.S. law.
- the media that she leaked it to was the Washington Post
- the Washington Post just won a Pulitzer Prize for it's coverage of the secret prison story. Coverage, I might add, that is illegal since it published classified material against the interests of the U.S. while we're at war
- the secret prison story has caused great harm to our relationship with allies in Eastern Europe who were, until the leak, willing to help us in the War on Terror
- the secret prison story has not been proved to be true. In fact, European Union authorities charged with investigating it reported last week that the could uncover no evidence to support it.
So, how did Democrats respond to Mrs. McCarthy leaking classified information damaging to the U.S. in wartime?
They excuse her, saying - as John Kerry did this week on a Sunday talk show - that she was just "telling the truth".
Make no mistake - this leak by Mary McCarthy of classified CIA material ( if there was indeed any truthful material in what she leaked) was damaging to the interests fo the United States in a time of war. CIA director Porter Goss has testified to this damage.
She should be prosecuted immediately, along with the responsible newspaper officials who published it.
And Democrats who excuse her unlawful behavior should never be trusted with our national security.
Monday, April 24, 2006
New Orleans Historic Vote
I have three brief thouhts on last weeks Mayoral election in New Orleans"
1. I'm amazed that voters in the "Big Easy" would choose old line party insiders after the political structure there completely failed them in Hurricane Katrina. Sixty years of failed policy and deep endemic poverty were exposed by the flood, and yet voters chose more of the same. Whether it's Mayor Nagin, who let buses sit and get flooded rather than use them to evacuate people, or Landrieu, who is part of the old line corrupt party bosses there - it's more of the same. Bad choice.
2. I like the run-off system they have in place. Since no candidate achieved a majority, the top two vote getters will face a second election.
We could have used that in the Republican primary in Illinois where Judy Barr-Topinka won with 36%, while the four non-Judy candidates split the remainder. If you had a run-off election with Judy and the winner of the non-Judy votes (Jim Oberweiss), there's no way that Judy would win. Yet we're stuck with her in the general election, where her ties to convicted Governor Ryan will sink her. Nice.
3. Did all the people who voted in New Orlean's election still live there? Are the evacuees going home?
1. I'm amazed that voters in the "Big Easy" would choose old line party insiders after the political structure there completely failed them in Hurricane Katrina. Sixty years of failed policy and deep endemic poverty were exposed by the flood, and yet voters chose more of the same. Whether it's Mayor Nagin, who let buses sit and get flooded rather than use them to evacuate people, or Landrieu, who is part of the old line corrupt party bosses there - it's more of the same. Bad choice.
2. I like the run-off system they have in place. Since no candidate achieved a majority, the top two vote getters will face a second election.
We could have used that in the Republican primary in Illinois where Judy Barr-Topinka won with 36%, while the four non-Judy candidates split the remainder. If you had a run-off election with Judy and the winner of the non-Judy votes (Jim Oberweiss), there's no way that Judy would win. Yet we're stuck with her in the general election, where her ties to convicted Governor Ryan will sink her. Nice.
3. Did all the people who voted in New Orlean's election still live there? Are the evacuees going home?
Thursday, April 20, 2006
Ashamed of My Vote
It's healthy every now and then to look back and re-evaluate the votes that you've cast. And, I'll admit. I'm ashamed by the vote I cast years ago for George Ryan to be Governor of Illinois.
That would be the same George Ryan who was convicted by a jury in Chicago this week on all counts of corruption.
I can't claim that I didn't know he was corrupt when I cast my vote. I knew, even then. Everyone knew.
I cast my vote as a party-line vote. I believe in voting for a party, and not just "the man". Because a position like Governor involves nominating a lot of people to office, and I want the people he brings with him to be from the group that thinks most like me. So, I held my nose and voted for him.
It was close. Very, very close. I really wanted to vote for Glenn Poshard, even though I didn't know much about him - but he was affiliated with the wrong party. Turns out I've learned a lot more about Poshard since then. He's a very honorable man who would have served the state well.
My mistake, and it was a big mistake.
Not only did Ryan bring corruption with him to office, but bad judgement as well. Now we have to live with a disfunctional justice system after he pardoned all of the death row inmates and placed a moratorium on the death penalty. Some Republican.
Of course, he's a media darling because of the death penalty thing. And the media is stunned by his conviction. They want to eagerly report that it may be overturned because of suspect jurors. At least, they hope it is.
The most often used statement by the media was that it was "a sad day for Illinois" that he was convicted.
No it wasn't. It's a great day when corrupt politicians face judgement. George Ryan first among them.
I'll do better voting in the future. Lesson learned.
That would be the same George Ryan who was convicted by a jury in Chicago this week on all counts of corruption.
I can't claim that I didn't know he was corrupt when I cast my vote. I knew, even then. Everyone knew.
I cast my vote as a party-line vote. I believe in voting for a party, and not just "the man". Because a position like Governor involves nominating a lot of people to office, and I want the people he brings with him to be from the group that thinks most like me. So, I held my nose and voted for him.
It was close. Very, very close. I really wanted to vote for Glenn Poshard, even though I didn't know much about him - but he was affiliated with the wrong party. Turns out I've learned a lot more about Poshard since then. He's a very honorable man who would have served the state well.
My mistake, and it was a big mistake.
Not only did Ryan bring corruption with him to office, but bad judgement as well. Now we have to live with a disfunctional justice system after he pardoned all of the death row inmates and placed a moratorium on the death penalty. Some Republican.
Of course, he's a media darling because of the death penalty thing. And the media is stunned by his conviction. They want to eagerly report that it may be overturned because of suspect jurors. At least, they hope it is.
The most often used statement by the media was that it was "a sad day for Illinois" that he was convicted.
No it wasn't. It's a great day when corrupt politicians face judgement. George Ryan first among them.
I'll do better voting in the future. Lesson learned.
Monday, April 10, 2006
Federal Government Derelict on Immigration
Note to Congress on your break:
Yada, Yada, Yada. You can debate all of the bills you want to in Congress on Immigration reform. Doesn't matter. You have no credibility on the issue.
You can't be derelict in your duties for two decades, and totally abdicate serious enforcement of our immigration laws currently on the books now - resulting in a crisis of 12 million illegal aliens - and expect us to give any credence to any legislation you're proposing now. Guest worker. Amnesty. Whatever. Doesn't matter.
Secure the borders first. Congress and the Bush Administration. Build the wall, or whatever it takes to stop a million people a year from entering our country illegally every year.
Until you can do that, you're just continuing in your dereliction of duty.
Yada. Yada. Yada.
Yada, Yada, Yada. You can debate all of the bills you want to in Congress on Immigration reform. Doesn't matter. You have no credibility on the issue.
You can't be derelict in your duties for two decades, and totally abdicate serious enforcement of our immigration laws currently on the books now - resulting in a crisis of 12 million illegal aliens - and expect us to give any credence to any legislation you're proposing now. Guest worker. Amnesty. Whatever. Doesn't matter.
Secure the borders first. Congress and the Bush Administration. Build the wall, or whatever it takes to stop a million people a year from entering our country illegally every year.
Until you can do that, you're just continuing in your dereliction of duty.
Yada. Yada. Yada.
Saturday, April 01, 2006
Not Funny
My son came to us this morning to tell us that he had accidentally taken two doses of his medicine.
This was followed, as we raced for the phone to call a pharmacist or poison control, by an exuberantly shouted "April Fools!".
Not funny. At the time, at least.
Hope you had some fun with April Fool's Day.
This was followed, as we raced for the phone to call a pharmacist or poison control, by an exuberantly shouted "April Fools!".
Not funny. At the time, at least.
Hope you had some fun with April Fool's Day.
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