Tag Archives: World War II

Banana Republic

If you know me personally this may come as a shock to you.  When I was in high school I was involved in Drama.  I know,  I know.  Shocking.  I, the introvert, the chronically shy person you know, was once somewhat of an extrovert.  I had zero acting ability, but I loved hanging out with people who did.

In high school I was involved with a group the school district put together.  It was called PRIDE.  Pride stood for “Peers Responsible In Drug Education.”  It was a lot of fun.  We would drive around to other schools, mainly elementary or middle schools, and we would sing, dance and teach workshops on how to “say no” to drugs, have self-esteem, stuff like that.  I got to meet and work with kids from other high schools.  I made lifetime friends.

One time we were invited to Washington, D.C. to perform in front of the Presidential council.  It was REALLY cool.

We had a really full schedule, and one day to sight-see.  LOVED, LOVED, LOVED Washington, D.C.

On the sightseeing day a group of friends and I walked into “The Banana Republic.”  It was maybe the second time in my life I bought myself clothes.  The girl who helped me pick out the clothes made me feel smokin’ hot when I was wearing them.

On September 20, this year, at a Ford Stamping plant our “campaigner-n-chief” said “We’re not some banana republic.”  Upon hearing these words I found myself in an odd position.  I completely agreed with the President.  America is definitely NOT a Banana Republic.  Have you ever been to the DMV?  Most of America dresses like they belong in a leper colony.  Definitely not a high fashion retail store.

And then I thought, “Maybe there is something I don’t understand,” so I went to the source of all knowledge: “Wikipedia.”  According to Wikipedia a “Banana Republic” is apparently a political term used to describe a country where the political leaders are in cahoots with corporations, where government employees exploit there posts for personal gain or favors, and where the Press is either corrupt or state ran.

Hmmmmm?

In just the last few weeks:

We have World War II vets being turned away from a memorial built in their honor, but a Pro-Amnesty group was still allowed to use the National Mall for a reform rally.

Enemy of the State

We have a busload of elderly tourist ordered back on the bus at Yellowstone National Park, and then detained at their hotel by armed park rangers.  The park rangers were ARMED.  (Quick side note: have you ever wondered where park rangers go on vacation to “Get away from it all”?)

We recently had a report of emails from 2012 where the IRS shared confidential taxpayer information with the White House.

On October 8th the President had a press conference.  Just days after the disastrous roll-out of Obamacare, any guesses how many questions the press asked the President regarding it?  Anyone?  Anyone?  If you guessed zero you would be right.  ZERO questions were asked about the nightmarish start of the biggest social policy program in history.  Zero.

sinking ship

Normally, within 36 hours, families of fallen U.S. service members receive a death benefit of $100,000.  The night before the shut down a bill was passed to include funding for the military. Five families of loved ones recently killed in Afghanistan were forced to wait for the death benefit because the Pentagon insisted the funding for the military didn’t include death benefits.

So, to recap, we have certain groups allowed to use the National Mall, we have park rangers acting like thugs, the White House and the IRS playing footsies with each other, we have the press in bed with the government, and Washington bureaucrats playing games by delaying benefits.

I’m admittedly not the brightest penny in the pond, but that kinda sounds like a banana republic.  At a minimum it appears we are on the road.  Or is it just me?

“But Danny,” you whine, “it’s the Republican’s fault for shutting down the government.”  Yeah…not so much.  Granted, it is being reported that way.  And if you listen to the Democrats it’s even worse.  Nancy Pelosi said the Republicans are “legislative arsonists”; White House press secretary Jay Carney said the Republicans are engaging in “blatant extortion”, and my personal favorite, senior White House adviser Dan Pfeiffer said the Republicans are trying to negotiate “with a bomb strapped to their chest.”  It seems like every time I turn on the TV every Democrat says the same thing, “We refuse to negotiate with a gun being held to our head.”

Gun?  What gun?

on and off

First, the House Republicans voted to fund all of government, except Obamacare,  Obama gasped in horror and Senate Democrats refused to pass it.  That started the government shut down.

Then the Republicans said “okay,” voted to fully fund the government, but wanted to delay the implementation of Obamacare for one year. Obama gasped in horror again and Senate Democrats refused to pass it.

Finally, the Republicans voted to fully fund the government, but added a requirement that there be no special waivers for big business, no special waivers for members of Congress and their staff.  That everyone live under Obamacare. If anyone gets a waiver then everyone, every individual is eligible to the same waiver.  Obama and the Senate Democrats fainted like Victorian virgins, then refused to pass it.

Clearly it’s the Republicans that are effing everything up.

If the Republicans had a brain in their collective head they would say the same thing every time a microphone was in front of their face.  “How can Obamacare be the ‘Law of the land’ if certain, hand-picked, privileged groups and individuals, and their families, are exempted?  Not murdering is the law of the land, there are no waivers for that.  Not stealing is the law of the land, there are no waivers for that.  If Obamacare is the law of the land, there should be no waivers.”

Even a “Dancing with the Stars” watching, low information voter will understand that.

(The wife and I love “Dancing with the Stars.”)

 

LIFEZILLA:  Let’s face it.  Without ME the internet would just be AWESO

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Obama voters

Justice Dept: Mirandize ’em all and let God sort it out

Several brilliantly written articles ago I had a friend who shared a link to my site on her Facebook page. Because I was tagged I was able to view the conversations back and forth between her and one of her friends.  In the conversation my friend’s friend referred to me, your humble narrator, as a woman not once, but twice.  Me?  As a woman?   When my friend corrected her as to my gender she said something to the effect of, “Well, his writing and his site are very feminine.”  Gasp.  GASP!!!  Feminine?  Moi?   I was so offended I was tempted to climb on my Vespa, drive to her residence and smack her with my whimsical floral print tote.  But I decided to take the high road and forgive her (despite my best “sherlocking” I was unable to find out where she lived).

So, in an attempt to MAN this article up a little bit, I will try farting several times while typing it.  Please don’t be offended.

Several days ago I was driving to work and did something I haven’t done in months.  I listened to Glenn Beck.  It was obvious, as I listened, that Glenn was upset because 19-year-old suspected Boston Bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev hadn’t been read his Miranda warning yet.

Since the time of my listening, the Obama administration has made the decision NOT to try this guy as a military combatant.  Tsarnaey has been read his rights and has stopped talking.  The administration sent Press Secretary and apologist Jay Carney out with this statement:

“He will not be treated as an enemy combatant. We will prosecute this terrorist through our civilian system of justice… So this is absolutely the right way to go and the appropriate way to go. And when it comes to United States citizens, it is against the law to try them in military commissions.”

So it appears both Glenn Beck and the Obama administration are in agreement.

I’m not sure I agree.

Carney

I can see Beck’s point of view.  I agree with putting restraints on the Government.  That is the point of the Bill of Rights.  And I’m not calling Carney a liar (this time), but he is completely wrong.

Let me explain.  Six months after the bombing of Pearl Harbor (1942) the Supreme Court upheld the use of military tribunals for eight German spies captured on US soil, two of whom were United States citizens.  In this case Ex parte Quirin the court found that where suspected enemies have entered (or after entry) engaged in acts of belligerency against the United States, military tribunals were appropriate.  The Supreme Court unanimously decided Quirin in less than twenty-four hours.  Three days after the Court’s decision a military tribunal found the saboteurs guilty.  Five days after that, six of the eight were executed including Herbert Hans Haupt, a US citizen.  Only the two who ratted out the plot to the FBI were given prison sentences.

Because I’m the stupidest person I know, I hate to be the one who has to point out the blatantly obvious (especially when just the obvious will do).  We are at war.  We have been at war since thousands of Americans were attacked and killed, without warning, on September 11, 2001. In case some of you were unaware of this fact President George Bush told us (in one of his best speeches ever) we were at war in a joint session of Congress shortly  after 9/11.  “On September the 11th, enemies of freedom committed an act of war against our country.”

In other words, you cute little buggers, the President does have the authority to have those suspected of belligerence against the United States tried in military tribunals, even if they are citizens of the United States.  Because we live in a land of checks and balances, if Congress has an issue with this, the Constitution gives it two choices.  It can cut off funding, or impeach the President.  It is not against the law as Carney and Beck suggest.

Quick side note: Is it just me or has everyone noticed there has been a huge absence of polls regarding the use of military tribunals?  What’s up with that?  As Americans, we are inundated with polls on every imaginable topic, but on this, silence.  As a rule of thumb whenever polls are NOT being taken on a particular subject your walls of defense should go up.  Somewhere there is a big, fat, commie rat.

 

Sorry

Do I think this 19 year old is the mastermind behind the Boston Bombings?  NO.  Do I think we could have gotten more information from the guy had the Justice Department not stopped the investigation?  Yes.  Will we be able to get intelligence of other radicalized Muslims from this guy, now?  I doubt it.  Do I think he should be put to death for his role in the bombings?  Absolutely. In the current judicial system it could take YEARS before this guy is brought to justice.  I guarantee in the coming months we are going to have to hear about this young man’s feelings being hurt because a teacher or fellow student couldn’t pronounce his name, or some bull crap like that.  Reporter Bob Woodward has already said the Boston bombings were “not that big of an event,” as if we need to have 5000 die to set the new watermark.  We are already having to endure crap like this headline: “Budget Cuts Could Delay ‘Boston Bomber’ Trial”   Makes me crazy!!!  It is stupid, stupid, stupid.

I’m not sure if the President is afraid of trying this guy with the military, or is this just one more example of the pussification of America.  Our enemies already view us as a paper tiger.  Putting this scared little, baby faced, 19-year-old (guilty as sin) boy to death swiftly will show the world we take care of our own, and more than likely deter future acts of terrorism.  Let’s pull up our big boy pants and make some hard decisions.

 

LIFEZILLA: A doughnut a day keeps the ads away.

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