The national dems have a double-edged problem with their political base. That base is extreme left-wing. That is, it is way to the left of the American people, thank the Good Lord, as least for the present, at least for the time being.
On the one hand, that base is solid. It can be depended on. But it can be depended on to be radical, extreme, wrong, and even dangerous at times.
It would be, no, it must be, very difficult to be a national democrat leader these days. That party is so given over to so many special interests, many of which conflict with the good of the nation.
I can only imagine the frustration of having as your only hope of election victory being the failure of US policies at home and throughout the world.
Bill Clinton is a piece of work. He is popular with folks who do not know any better. He is a disgrace. But he is popular. What does that say about a problem with our body politic?
Hillary is a woman. It is too bad that that might still be a handicap. But it may well be. It may not be.
Barrack is young. He says unwise things. He is black. This last quality should not be a problem for him, but it might be. His youth and unwise sayings are legitimate targets for his opponents.
Regarding Huckabee, a pundit said it the other night:
Huckabee might be the only candidate participating in these early silly debates who realizes that they are indeed silly and is willing to treat them as such.
He is witty. He is funny.
He will not be the final candidate.
Rudi still looks good to me.
Friday, November 30, 2007
THE ARCHBISHOP AND THE PROFESSOR JUST DON’T GET IT
The Archbishop of Canterbury and a professor of theology at a prestigious university have seen fit recently to criticize the United States for a host of failures on domestic and international fronts.
To read their comments, you would think that the US is anything but a success in areas that count the most.
I suggest it is just possible that these folks make the mistake of thinking that expertise in one area makes for expertise in a lot of other areas.
It just ain’t so.
Diplomacy, geopolitics, military science, and foreign policy of all sorts are all disciplines in their own rights.
Doctorates in theology just do not cut it in military or political science, regardless of what the good doctors think.
For the good professor to say that the nation state system and its dynamic is in itself inimical to a Christian way of dealing with the world is nonsense.
For the Archbishop to condemn the US as an imperialistic menace is nonsense as well. He condemns the British Empire as well, but says the US is even worse.
Poppycock!
Both men, Archbishop and professor, credentialed in their in their own spheres of interest, have looked and they have not seen.
They have failed to do what Kipling says he and his brothers and sisters have done:
If England was what England seems,
‘N not the England of our dreams,
But only putty, brass ‘n paint,
How quick we’d drop ‘er.
But she ain’t.
The US is not England, but the US has accepted the mantle formerly carried by that little Island off the coast of Western Europe.
It is operating within a framework of law and order that has endured for centuries and which is now under attack.
The US is not a force of evil, preying on the helpless of the world.
On the contrary, the US is very likely the last real hope for justice and order in this increasingly anarchical world.
Isn't it nice to be on the right side of things?
The formers guardians of the gates have either been incapacitated or have given up the effort.
US outreach of all sorts deploys to the far corners of the earth: medical; military; economic; technological; charitable;, etc., etc., and on and on. And I could go on with specificity.
I say to the listeners and readers of the Archbishop and the professor and to others of their type, take what they say on matters foreign to their training and profession with a grain of salt.
They do not know what they are talking about.
They just don’t get it.
To read their comments, you would think that the US is anything but a success in areas that count the most.
I suggest it is just possible that these folks make the mistake of thinking that expertise in one area makes for expertise in a lot of other areas.
It just ain’t so.
Diplomacy, geopolitics, military science, and foreign policy of all sorts are all disciplines in their own rights.
Doctorates in theology just do not cut it in military or political science, regardless of what the good doctors think.
For the good professor to say that the nation state system and its dynamic is in itself inimical to a Christian way of dealing with the world is nonsense.
For the Archbishop to condemn the US as an imperialistic menace is nonsense as well. He condemns the British Empire as well, but says the US is even worse.
Poppycock!
Both men, Archbishop and professor, credentialed in their in their own spheres of interest, have looked and they have not seen.
They have failed to do what Kipling says he and his brothers and sisters have done:
If England was what England seems,
‘N not the England of our dreams,
But only putty, brass ‘n paint,
How quick we’d drop ‘er.
But she ain’t.
The US is not England, but the US has accepted the mantle formerly carried by that little Island off the coast of Western Europe.
It is operating within a framework of law and order that has endured for centuries and which is now under attack.
The US is not a force of evil, preying on the helpless of the world.
On the contrary, the US is very likely the last real hope for justice and order in this increasingly anarchical world.
Isn't it nice to be on the right side of things?
The formers guardians of the gates have either been incapacitated or have given up the effort.
US outreach of all sorts deploys to the far corners of the earth: medical; military; economic; technological; charitable;, etc., etc., and on and on. And I could go on with specificity.
I say to the listeners and readers of the Archbishop and the professor and to others of their type, take what they say on matters foreign to their training and profession with a grain of salt.
They do not know what they are talking about.
They just don’t get it.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
WEBSITES OF INTEREST...ESPECIALLY TO EPISCOPALIANS
Below are four websites of interest, especially to Christian readers, especially to Episcopalian Christian readers.
There is a world of conversation going on out there.
So much to read and think about and so little time.
http://www.northernplainsanglicans.blogspot.com/
http://www.kendallharmon.net/t19/
http://episcopalchurch.typepad.com/episcope/
http://www.frjakestopstheworld.blogspot.com/
There is a world of conversation going on out there.
So much to read and think about and so little time.
http://www.northernplainsanglicans.blogspot.com/
http://www.kendallharmon.net/t19/
http://episcopalchurch.typepad.com/episcope/
http://www.frjakestopstheworld.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
PREVIOUS ADDRESS/NAME OF BLOG
The link below will or should take you to Two Flags, the predecessor of this blog which lived for about two years.
I make it accessible for whatever insight it may provide.
http://journals.aol.com/alsrgarnie/TwoFlags/
A longer version of the same address may be helpful if the above address does not serve:
http://journals.aol.com/alsrgarnie/TwoFlags/;jsessionid=EEAAE9284F634E6BB809069A95921B12
Two Flags is now inactive.
I make it accessible for whatever insight it may provide.
http://journals.aol.com/alsrgarnie/TwoFlags/
A longer version of the same address may be helpful if the above address does not serve:
http://journals.aol.com/alsrgarnie/TwoFlags/;jsessionid=EEAAE9284F634E6BB809069A95921B12
Two Flags is now inactive.
PREDICTIONS
It looks like Rudi v. Hillary in 2008. Both have baggage. She has more.
A lot more.
The Iraq War will continue to be won. Yes, the word is won. Casualties will continue to decline. National democrats will grow progressively quiet on their calls for an idiotic early withdrawal.
Iran will either abort the nuclear weapons program in a manner acceptable to US and the West or suffer more than it wants to. This will happen sooner rather than later.
US airpower has begun practicing the dropping of the bunker busters. Iran should take notice.
If it is true that the United States Army and Marine Corps are stressed by their current responsibilities, it is also true that the United States Navy and Air Force are totally unstressed. We are talking naval battle groups and squadrons.
The American public will become educated about the importance of private security forces in war zones. They will be seen to be essential and not out of control in any sense of the word. If this is not seen to be the case, it will be a blow to public understanding of what is necessary in this new world of ours.
The most dire predictions of global warming will be seen to be nonsense.
Algore will be seen to have played fast and loose with reality. The awarding of his prize is a disgrace to the process.
The faithful who believed the above two apocalyptic sources of ignorance will be embarrassed if they have the sense to be aware of reality.
The Presidential Election of 2008 will prove to be a fascinating one.
Not long ago, it could be argued that to some degree at least, the two national parties were tweedle-dee and tweedle-dum.
Believe me, this is not the case today.
A lot more.
The Iraq War will continue to be won. Yes, the word is won. Casualties will continue to decline. National democrats will grow progressively quiet on their calls for an idiotic early withdrawal.
Iran will either abort the nuclear weapons program in a manner acceptable to US and the West or suffer more than it wants to. This will happen sooner rather than later.
US airpower has begun practicing the dropping of the bunker busters. Iran should take notice.
If it is true that the United States Army and Marine Corps are stressed by their current responsibilities, it is also true that the United States Navy and Air Force are totally unstressed. We are talking naval battle groups and squadrons.
The American public will become educated about the importance of private security forces in war zones. They will be seen to be essential and not out of control in any sense of the word. If this is not seen to be the case, it will be a blow to public understanding of what is necessary in this new world of ours.
The most dire predictions of global warming will be seen to be nonsense.
Algore will be seen to have played fast and loose with reality. The awarding of his prize is a disgrace to the process.
The faithful who believed the above two apocalyptic sources of ignorance will be embarrassed if they have the sense to be aware of reality.
The Presidential Election of 2008 will prove to be a fascinating one.
Not long ago, it could be argued that to some degree at least, the two national parties were tweedle-dee and tweedle-dum.
Believe me, this is not the case today.
THANKSGIVING 2007
Thanksgiving Weekend has come and gone and it went well, as expected and as hoped for, thank the Lord.
Cousins, children, grandchildren, significant others, and spouses thereof gathered at the family seat, as it were, the home of Grandma and Grandpa.
There was turkey and taters and the whole traditional lot and folks all brought their individual specialties.
We enjoyed cocktails and main course and dessert.
We looked out the windows at the frozen koi pond and the bird feeders and the Two Flags.
We thanked God for our blessings and lamented and tried to understand the reverses to friends and family and the world.
We talked of family gatherings of the past.
On Friday we breakfasted and shopped and dined and enjoyed fellowship till late hours.
On Saturday we withdrew to the 19th Century by means of a short drive to a small town and did lunch; a walkabout amidst Victorian trappings; and returned home for leftovers.
On Sunday we enjoyed fine dining and a superb professional stage production of Christmas Carol.
How sweet it is/was!
Thank the Good Lord.
And the national and international news was upbeat.
The Democrat leadership in the Congress was absent from the headlines.
Casualties were down in the war zones.
Shopping in the nation’s malls was proceeding at a brisker-than-expected pace.
Oil prices appeared to be leveling off .
All the old problems were still out there, but the family gathered and for a moment at least, a lot seemed right with the world.
We prayed for those in need and thanked God for His blessings.
It seemed that we could utter the Elizabethan prayer with some confidence:
These are the days that the Lord hath made.
Let us rejoice and be glad in them.
... paraphrased
Cousins, children, grandchildren, significant others, and spouses thereof gathered at the family seat, as it were, the home of Grandma and Grandpa.
There was turkey and taters and the whole traditional lot and folks all brought their individual specialties.
We enjoyed cocktails and main course and dessert.
We looked out the windows at the frozen koi pond and the bird feeders and the Two Flags.
We thanked God for our blessings and lamented and tried to understand the reverses to friends and family and the world.
We talked of family gatherings of the past.
On Friday we breakfasted and shopped and dined and enjoyed fellowship till late hours.
On Saturday we withdrew to the 19th Century by means of a short drive to a small town and did lunch; a walkabout amidst Victorian trappings; and returned home for leftovers.
On Sunday we enjoyed fine dining and a superb professional stage production of Christmas Carol.
How sweet it is/was!
Thank the Good Lord.
And the national and international news was upbeat.
The Democrat leadership in the Congress was absent from the headlines.
Casualties were down in the war zones.
Shopping in the nation’s malls was proceeding at a brisker-than-expected pace.
Oil prices appeared to be leveling off .
All the old problems were still out there, but the family gathered and for a moment at least, a lot seemed right with the world.
We prayed for those in need and thanked God for His blessings.
It seemed that we could utter the Elizabethan prayer with some confidence:
These are the days that the Lord hath made.
Let us rejoice and be glad in them.
... paraphrased
BUMPER STICKER OF THE DAY
TO ERR IS HUMAN
TO FORGIVE DIVINE
THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS DOES NEITHER
TO FORGIVE DIVINE
THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS DOES NEITHER
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
NEVER TRUER WORDS
During the Second World War, the President of the United States sent the following to the British Prime Minister:
Sail on, O Ship of State!
Sail on, O Union, strong and great!
Humanity with all its fears,
With all the hopes of future years,
Is hanging breathless on thy fate!
Of course, FDR was using the verse to acknowledge the importance of Britain to the war effort and to encourage continued heroic efforts.
The Longfellow verse was accurate with regard to Britain in 1941.
It is at least as accurate with regard to the United States in 2007.
It is a no-brainer that there is only one force on the planet with the ability and the determination to suppress world anarchy.
The US did not help the allies defeat the Axis in WW2. The Allies helped the United States do so.
The same is true today.
We do need the help of allies. But they will be helping us.
The US has to do the heavy lifting.
That part of Humanity which knows the score is, or should be, hanging breathless on thy fate!
Sail on, O Ship of State!
Sail on, O Union, strong and great!
Humanity with all its fears,
With all the hopes of future years,
Is hanging breathless on thy fate!
Of course, FDR was using the verse to acknowledge the importance of Britain to the war effort and to encourage continued heroic efforts.
The Longfellow verse was accurate with regard to Britain in 1941.
It is at least as accurate with regard to the United States in 2007.
It is a no-brainer that there is only one force on the planet with the ability and the determination to suppress world anarchy.
The US did not help the allies defeat the Axis in WW2. The Allies helped the United States do so.
The same is true today.
We do need the help of allies. But they will be helping us.
The US has to do the heavy lifting.
That part of Humanity which knows the score is, or should be, hanging breathless on thy fate!
GREETINGS
Welcome to The Study.
The Study is a blog I have created for my purposes.
Main areas of interest, prejudices, point of view, etc., will quickly become self-evident and will not be discussed at this time.
All visitors to this site are welcome and all are encouraged to comment on any postings in an appropriate manner.
The Study is a blog I have created for my purposes.
Main areas of interest, prejudices, point of view, etc., will quickly become self-evident and will not be discussed at this time.
All visitors to this site are welcome and all are encouraged to comment on any postings in an appropriate manner.
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