Conservative Donnybrook

Forgive the shameless plug, but my most recent book – a first foray into fiction — has been released today. I’d pen more, but my good friend & editor over at www.midwestsportsfans.com has already done a great “promotional” job, so take a gander:

http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2009/11/marble-city-by-ari-kaufman/

Synopsis:

Isaac Hyde’s life is in flux. He has a wonderful wife and children, but necessity has taken him away for a year. Suddenly transplanted from familiar environs into a unique cultural arena of America, Isaac must adjust to an unfamiliar pace of life and form relationships with different individuals who become intertwined in his journey. What transpires during the next nine whirlwind months reawakens his sense of purpose and reminds him what matters most.

One early review:

“This tender story about a couple from distinctly different ethnic backgrounds is Kaufman’s first venture into fiction. His strong characters provide insight into the struggles of living, growing, and addressing problems that confront the modern family living in a metropolitan area. The Jewish husband, Isaac, and his Catholic wife, Ana, wend their way through difficult times in their marriage and life’s work, struggles with their teenaged children, and politics within their working environment. When Isaac realizes that he has no upward mobility in his present job, he decides to pursue his Masters Degree at a university in “Marble City.” He strikes up a lovely personal friendship with a pregnant college student that enriches both of their lives. Meanwhile, Ana is pink-slipped, forcing the couple to consider relocation in theMidwest, which has drawn them to seek a quality of life they’ve come to value. The book provides the reader with an appreciation for the beauty of America’s land, its history, its people, and the importance of travel in confronting issues of consequence, which play a strong role in molding their characters and providing a solid basis for decision-making. A most interesting study, story line, and a very good read.”

Thank you, and Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Let’s hope so. This may be, as the writing notes, the “Greatest scandal in modern science.” I prefer we’all return to real  issues, not lies, nor divisive distractions and name calling.

More links:

The FACTS

The Humor

Like KSM, al-Gore should have his day in court.

Jaime Daremblum has a short but sweet article on the Weekly Standard outlining the heroic efforts by the Honduran government to obey the rule of law and support its democratic process.  It is wonderful that Team Obama has changed its stance on the Honduran situation but it is unacceptable that they had it so very wrong in the first place. 

One would expect a Harvard educated attorney to understand the rule of law… I said one would expect….

PJB provides perspective on the trial of KSM.

President Obama has once again disgraced the Office of the Presidency and the prestige of the United States by bowing to a crowned head.  You may recall how Obama bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia earlier this year.  Now the President has bowed to the emperor of Japan. 

The United States was founded on the rejection of royalty and imperialism and yet our very own has lessened the stature of the United States by assuming a submissive position to arrogance and demagoguery… not once but twice.

Let’s see if the White House denies this bow.  Was Barack admiring the emperor’s shoes?  This is disgusting.

William Jefferson (Convict, LA) was sentenced to 13 years in prison for bribery and money laundering (which may be the first time in history someone demonstrated such utter incompetence by utilizing a freezer instead of a washing machine).

There is now, officially, no more reason to ever tune to CNN.

Lydia McGrew has a salient word on the “command” structure of “today’s military” that allowed, even enabled, Hasan the terrorist. The President empowers them.

Speaking of the President and his Marxist/Maoist advisory staff, he was forced to throw another one under the bus. Make that two.

This should (but won’t) assuage any lingering doubt that “free trade” is globalist socialism.

Speaking of which, we have a newly-coined self-descriptive for President Obama: “Pacific” American. (That he may be all in all.) This comes in the President’s groveling admission that we are, in fact, no longer the world’s superpower nor anything like a creditor nation. In point of fact, we do “not seek to contain” China, a “strong, prosperous China can be a source of strength for the community of nations,” and we will continue pretending to insist on reciprocity in trade. (Be sure to watch the brief video excerpt of the President’s remarks embedded in the BBC article.)

Here’s to another exciting week! Some of us here at the Conservative Donnybrook will be meeting with our attorney this week to finalize some details and continue making tentative plans for the inevitable funeral for the constitutional republic. Thanks to all who have expressed their thoughts and prayers for Uncle Sam. If he were capable, I’m sure he would thank you himself.

UPDATE: Uncle Sam has taken a sudden downturn. It doesn’t look good, friends.

Ha’aretz informs us of a U.S. State Department study. The actual study is here.

While insisting that Iran open itself completely to inspections of their nuclear sites to demonstrate compliance, perhaps we ought to insist that our “biggest ally” (and possessor of a real nuclear arsenal, not just a potential one) open itself fully and cooperate with investigators such as those who tried to compile the Goldstone Report, for objectivity’s sake.

With respect to the establishment of a military, our constitution provides that Congress has the authority to levy taxes to “provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States” and

To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water;

To raise and support armies, but no appropriation of money to that use shall be for a longer term than two years;

To provide and maintain a navy;

To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces.

The president is imbued with the authority to implement military strategy in his role as commander-in-chief of the military by Article II, Section 1 of the constitution.

Clearly, the raising and equipping of a military force is authorized by the constitution. What the constitution does not say is how that military is to be used. In the debates that led to the adoption of our constitution, issues surrounding the raising of armies and navies were hotly contested. Generally the debating parties fell into one of two camps: the Federalists and the anti-Federalists.

The Federalist position on the military was mainly represented by Alexander Hamilton’s writings. In Federalist 23, Hamilton argued that the federal government should be imbued with an unlimited authority to raise armies and navies “for the common defence.” Nonetheless, it was clear from his writings that the military’s role was defensive, that the military should be powerful enough to address any contingency in order to deter aggression from other quarters. Hamilton saw the American people as essentially a commercial people rather than an imperial or martial people. In Federalist 34, he stated:

But if we mean to be a commercial people, it must form a part of our policy, to be able one day to defend that commerce. The support of a navy, and of naval wars must baffle all the efforts of political arithmetic admitting that we ought to try the novel and absurd experiment in politics, of tying up the hands of Government from offensive war, founded upon reasons of state: Yet, certainly we ought not to disable it from guarding the community against the ambition or enmity of other Nations.

Clearly, the idea of engaging in offensive wars was an absurd notion to Hamilton, who believed that the military’s role should be to protect our nation’s commerce from attack. Continue Reading »

Genesis 25:27-34  (MRAV – modern revised American version):

27                As the boys grew up, Esau became a Democrat, a man who loved big government; whereas Jacob was a simple man, who kept to his tents.

28                The people loved Esau, because they were fond of largesse; but the founding fathers preferred Jacob.

29                Once, when Jacob was treating a wounded sheep, Esau came in from the open, with a hangnail.

30                He said to Jacob, “Give me some of that medical treatment, I am uncomfortable.” (That is why he was called America.)

31                But Jacob replied, “First give me your birthright in exchange for it.”

32                “Look,” said Esau, “I’m on the point of dying. What good will my freedoms and liberties do me?”

33                But Jacob insisted, “Swear to me first!” So he sold Jacob his birthright under oath.

34                Jacob then treated his hangnail, and Esau sighed in relief, got up, and went his way. Esau cared little for his birthright.

Brian Reese, the scumbag wanted for beating an old man to death (think about how hard that is to do for a minute, how up-close, personally violating, how grossly violent) who then led police here in Indianapolis on a chase (first in a van with his mother who lied for him and concealed his whereabouts) and then lay in wait after continuing to flee on foot by hiding between houses, whereupon he shot Officer Jason Fishburn in the head and chest in a cowardly ambush, has been convicted of all three counts in the matter concerning the attempted murder of Officer Fishburn. It is a miracle that Fishburn survived his traumatic injuries, and he continues to struggle to rehabilitate himself (although even he knows his life will never be the same, as does his wife and the rest of his family, friends, and compatriots on the force). Justice still largely prevails here in the Midwest, and as we approach Veterans’ Day, I wish to salute my fellow veterans of military service, my fellow veterans of foreign wars, and my fellow police officers who bravely dedicate themselves – many as Oath Keepers – to protecting our way of life. Godspeed.

As you need an account to read, I’m posting full text of David Frum’s November 2009 essay. It tries to define conservatism (the point of this site, right?), and I should point out that I agree with half of it at most, but it merits consideration as the comparison is realistic — since conservatism is succeeding in Britain of all places. Heed it. Good one, Gentlemen:

[ed. note: Due to copyright laws, I have taken the text of this article down. Please use the link above to read Mr. Frum's article.]

{Wanted to post tomorrow, but will refrain since it’s Veterans’ Day}

Nordlinger explains that:

“I don’t know about you, but I have never had much patience with the argument that the Republicans “deserved” to lose in 2006. You know the line: “We spent too much, there was too much corruption in the House, George W. Bush was sloppy in his immigration proposal . . .” Well, in American politics, there is always a choice, or most always. If your beef is spending, will the Democrats spend less, or more? Will the Democrats be less corrupt, or more? (Think of the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, Charlie Rangel.) Are the Democrats more to your liking on immigration?

Consider last year’s presidential election, too. The line here, from many Republicans, is, “Oh, our candidate was an old coot, and Sarah Palin messed up in some interviews.” Therefore, the country had to go Obamite? Did the Republicans not offer an honorable and credible choice? I think they did.

You may argue that the voters, in electing the Democrats, were not asking specifically for national health care, “cap and trade,” mammoth spending, “card check,” and the rest of it. And you would have half a point, or a quarter of a point. But choices were pretty clear, district by district and nationally. And, in a democracy, very often, people get what they deserve.”

Correct. It is nice that “Paleos” want to bring back conservatism. Ideally, we all would, though with strong national defense, as Reagan, a staunch neo-con who ran up the national debt more than any non wartime leader, sought. But that is not possible in 2009, as is proven over and over, and just last week in NY-23. So, for better or worse, we’ll continue to send out electable candidates, while you’all dream of Ron Paul, Bob Barr and some “Conservative Party” that will scare away 100% of liberals, 100% of moderates and 75% of Republicans, keeping us out of power for decades — just like from 1932-1952. I find the radical right just as quixotic as the radical left, though the radical left is more dangerous…slightly.

Happy anniversary, conservativedonnybrook.com!

Conservative Donnybrook wishes the United State Marine Corp a happy 234th birthday.

Pfizer got New London, CT to screw people out of their homes for a private land-grab benefitting only themselves, and now they are closing shop and taking all those jobs elsewhere while leaving the abandoned lots from which they destroyed homes and lives after the Kelo family and others lost at SCOTUS.

A buddy of mine emailed me his reflections on last week’s shooting this morning. Interesting, and I think that while many Americans might find these over-the-top, I believe this group can handle it:

“The more and greater the terror murder by muslims in this country gets, and it will, the more the US government will seek to protect muslims and go after decent Americans — in an Orwellian turn that even Orwell couldn’t countenance, outright killer savages are treated as victims, all wrought by entrenched liberalism (in this case, specifically, the non-white, non-Christian can do no evil, ever, on account of his oppression by white Christians…and Jews, too — this “oppression”, further, is historical AND never-ending)

“You can mark that down as fact — already, the US Army Chief of Staff, George Casey, is solidly Dhimmi on this front — American suicide marches on, its leaders diseases of corruption and the madness of the liberal mind. And if anyone thinks the terror masterminds here and abroad don’t recognize this, you’re either ignorant, naive, or, of course, an insane liberal.

“Muslims in America are divided into 2 categories:  1) they are closet jihadists who agree with the islamofascists  2)  they are not but are too scared to say anything.

“However, category 1 is the majority, not a tiny minority — and we’re not talking 51-49 here but more like 75-25 at least, maybe even 95-5.”

A symbol of oppression and intolerance fell in Berlin.

I remember being in 5th grade, watching on the classroom television. Doubtful that will occur today across America — what with all the multi-cultural dance festival preparations and such!

thanks to immigration advocates or libertarians like Lindsey Graham, John McCain, and, sad to say, Ron Paul.

Our country was yet again grievously wounded because of “free trade,” “tolerance,” and interventionism.

Would that the myriad soldiers — in Texas, of all places — had availed themselves of the duty to protect themselves and their comrades and loved ones by carrying concealed weapons, this comatose piece of excrement would have been dead after the first shot was fired.

I weep for the country that used to be the United States of America but which is now the United State of Aetna, indivisible, with tyranny, oppression, and “free” “healthcare” for all.

Article I, Section 8 of the United States Constitution (see Dead Letter) defines the powers of Congress. It reads:

Section 8. The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

To borrow money on the credit of the United States;

To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several states, and with the Indian tribes;

To establish a uniform rule of naturalization, and uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies throughout the United States;

To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and fix the standard of weights and measures;

To provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securities and current coin of the United States;

To establish post offices and post roads;

To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries;

To constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court;

To define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas, and offenses against the law of nations;

To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water;

To raise and support armies, but no appropriation of money to that use shall be for a longer term than two years;

To provide and maintain a navy;

To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces;

To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the union, suppress insurrections and repel invasions;

To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the militia, and for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of the United States, reserving to the states respectively, the appointment of the officers, and the authority of training the militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

To exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cession of particular states, and the acceptance of Congress, become the seat of the government of the United States, and to exercise like authority over all places purchased by the consent of the legislature of the state in which the same shall be, for the erection of forts, magazines, arsenals, dockyards, and other needful buildings;–And

To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof.

What provision above grants Congress the power to provide health care to Americans?

I’m afraid that if the House’s arrogation of powers not delegated to them stands, even the most obtuse of us will come to the (belated) realization that the United States is not a free country and its citizens are but slaves the fruits of whose labors are enjoyed by their slavers.