Today's Seattle Times includes this article "Canadians arrest 17 in alleged terror plot", syndicated from the New York Times. Or I should say it includes selected portions of the original NYT piece. I marked up the NYT original version to show what the Seattle Times editors added (in yellow highlight) and what they removed (pink highlight). It sure looks like the Seattle Times didn't just trim the article for length, but actively edited it.
Among the details that the Seattle Times left out were any mention that these suspects were Muslims. It did note that most of the suspects were of South Asian origin and included their names (at the bottom), but the overtly Islamist nature of the plot was redacted. Here are just a few bits from the original that do not show up in the Seattle Times sanitized version:
* "The people that were arrested are good people. They go to the mosque
* Mr. Jamal, the oldest of the suspects, is a well-known and fiery figure in the Toronto area's South Asian community, and [was] the imam of the Ar-Rahman Quran Learning Center, a mosque in ... Mississauga.
* Luc Portelance, the assistant director of operations at the Canadian intelligence agency, said the group's members "appear to have become adherents of a violent ideology inspired by Al Qaeda."
* Canada has not sent troops to Iraq, and officials at the news conference said they did not believe the group was angry over Canada's deployment of troops to Afghanistan.Perhaps all those uncomfortable details undermine the whole "religion of peace" shtick.
But the Seattle Times version did include the astonishing assertion that the terror suspects "represent the broad strata of [Canadian] society". Whatever. Another intriguing tidbit that the Seattle Times omitted was how Canadian intelligence discovered the plot:
The Toronto Star reported that in 2004 the intelligence agency began monitoring Internet exchanges, some of which werePerhaps the Seattle Times editor was concerned that this detail would undermine the paper's ongoing campaign against domestic electronic surveillance of terror suspects. Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at June 04, 2006 12:57 PM | Email This
encrypted.
Hi. Did you see on the news about the round-up of terrorists in the GTA. One
of them lives right behind "John" and "Jane". "John" has talked to him many
times, he thought he was abit weird but still said hello. "John" and "Jane" got
some of the neighbours in their immediate area to put up fences, as it's a
new area there are no fences. The guy is coming in a couple of weeks. I
guess "Jane" will have to pay more now, as the man in that house that backs
onto her property is in jail. How scary! The cops came around to tell every
one to lock their doors and stay away from their windows. I guess in case of
stray bullets if there was a shoot-out. "Jane" can see the cops in there in
their white overalls checking the place out. My God, if he had any chemicals
in there and something happened, It could of blown up "Jane's" house. "Jane"
said they were just like any other neighbour, they have a couple of kids,
always outside BBQing like "John". You just never know. I told her she has to
come back home where it's safe with mommy and daddy. She just say's yeah
right. Boy, this is just the year for everything to happen to "Jane". Good
job, she takes everything in stride. Also scary, is the media says that as
early as Mon. They were going to blow up the subway system. "Mary" and "Sue"
take the subway everyday. They drive to Kipling station or Islington and
take the subway the rest of the way. Now I've got more things to worry
about. .....I've got to go, I've got a headache...Love "Ann"
HEY - ANYONE NOTICE THE REAL FRONT PAGE ARTICLE ON THE SUNDAY TIMES -- AREN'T WE WONDERFUL PEOPLE - ALL PAT YOURSELVES ON THE BACK NOW - THE AREA UNDER THE LINE IS ALLOCATED THUSLY: 62% TO A SOB-SISTER STORY RE THE BLINDED IRAQI KID GETTING THE GREAT MEDICAL TREATMENT IN THE US - WHY NOT PAKISTAN OR CUBER OR VENEZUELA OR CHINA OR - OR - OR ???? -- WHOSE PAYING?? DO NOT MAKE THE MISTAKE OF THINKING THIS LARGESS DOES NOT IMPACT THE COST OF MEDICAL INSURANCE - IF YA CAN GET/AFFORD IT -- AT LEAST THE TIMES ISN'T BLAMING THIS ONE ON THE US TROOPS -- THEN 14% TO THE CANADIAN TERRORIST STORY (INCIDENTLY STRONG EVIDENCE IS NOW POINTING TO ONE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS AS A PROBABLE TARGET) SUSPECT LIST LOOKS LIKE A COUPLE PRO BASKETBALL TEAMS -- THEN 10% TO A REAL STUNNING VERY IMPORTANT EARTH SHAKING REVELATION THAT SOME ACCOUNTANT IN MIAMI SHARES DNA WITH GENGIS KHAN - SO HIS GREAT GREAT GREAT GREAT >>>>> GREAT GRANNY WAS RAPED BY GK -- WAIT 'TIL THE SPIN GETS AROUND THAT SHE WAS REALLY A LONG LOST CELTIC PRINCESS - WHHHEEEE -- OPRAH HERE WE COME. THE REMAINING 14% IS CONTENTS AND 'INSIDE SUNDAY' - MORE CONTENTS - DUH
Posted by: Bill on June 4, 2006 02:16 PMIt is about time people get their heads out of the sand now!
Posted by: dcat on June 4, 2006 02:23 PMThe incident I'm still wondering about is that knife-wielding teenager in Germany. Was his background ever mentioned (other than to say he was a German citizen)?
Posted by: Peggy U on June 4, 2006 02:41 PMDoes radical Islam appeal that much to Left that they'll gladly forget that it threatens their beliefs in abortion, gay marriage, diversity, feminism and freedom of speech; or do they love the anti-Bush, anti-Republican, anti-Christian, anti Jew, anti-capitalism, anti-American features that much; or are they just too frightened and cowed to speak up against Islamists?
Why do liberals offer support for a religion that's been perverted into a death cult?
Posted by: MES on June 4, 2006 02:56 PMthey are just too frightened and cowed to speak up against Islamists?
NEVER EVER EVER give a moslem an even break - EVER
Posted by: Bill on June 4, 2006 03:13 PMThe German boy is from Neukoelln, a district with a high percentage of Arab and Turkish immigrants. According to the articles, he has a criminal history. That is about all that is available. The press has lost it as far as trying to spare Muslim feelings. They'd be better off at this point to just be out with it; when they omit the background information people jump to the conclusion that Muslims are responsible! The protectiveness toward this group does not work in their favor. It just makes non Muslims angrier when the facts finally do come out.
Posted by: Peggy U on June 4, 2006 03:14 PMNow where is my hat? My ass is getting cold...
Posted by: Peggy U on June 4, 2006 03:31 PMOh - realizing that the vast majority of my readers do not have the luxury of a copy of the Slimes on hand >>> the photo published by the Slimes is the exact same photo released by Canadian authorities and posted on FloppingAces -- with the top about 30% and part of the right side of the photo cropped off to not show the BAG O'FERTILZER -- just shows the entirity of the 'electronics? box' at top of photo but could not get all of the very bottom edge of bag and the thin shadow below bag out of the published photo -- on the other hand we have 3 photos related to the Iraqi kid - ON THE FRONT PAGE -- god the Slimes sucks
Posted by: Bill on June 4, 2006 03:47 PMDo you remember?
1. In 1968, Bobby Kennedy was shot and killed by
a. Superman
b. Jay Leno
c. Harry Potter
d. a Muslim male extremist between the age of 17 and 40
2. In 1972 at the Munich Olympics, athletes were kidnapped and massacred by
a. Olga Corbett
b. Sitting Bull
c. Arnold Schwarzenegger
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40
3. In 1979, the US embassy in Iran was taken over by
a. Lost Norwegians
b. Elvis
c. A tour bus full of 80-year-old women
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40
4. During the 1980's a number of Americans were kidnapped in Lebanon by
a. John Dillinger
b. The King of Sweden
c. The Boy Scouts
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40
5. In 1983, the US Marine barracks in Beirut was blown up by
a. A pizza delivery boy
b. Pee Wee Herman
c. Geraldo Rivera
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40
6. In 1985 the cruise ship Achille Lauro was hijacked and a 70 year old American passenger was murdered and thrown overboard in his wheelchair by
a. The Smurfs
b. Davy Jones
c. The Little Mermaid
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40
7. In 1985 TWA flight 847 was hijacked at Athens, and a US Navy diver trying to rescue passengers murdered by
a. Captain Kidd
b. Charles Lindberg
c. Mother Teresa
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40
8. In 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 was bombed by
a. Scooby Doo
b. The Tooth Fairy
c. Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40
9. In 1993 the World Trade Center was bombed the first time by
a. Richard Simmons
b. Grandma Moses
c. Michael Jordan
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40
10. In 1998, the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed by:
a. Mr. Rogers
b. Hillary Clinton, to distract attention from Wild Bill' s women problems
c. The World Wrestling Federation
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40
11. On 9/11/01, four airliners were hijacked; two were used as missiles to take out the World Trade Centers and of the remaining two, one crashed into the US Pentagon and the other was diverted and crashed by the passengers. Thousands of people were killed by
a. Bugs Bunny, Wiley E. Coyote, Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd
b. The Supreme Court of Florida
c. Mr. Bean
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40
12. In 2002 the United States fought a war in Afghanistan against:
a. Enron
b. The Lutheran Church
c. The NFL
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40
13. In 2002 reporter Daniel Pearl was kidnapped and murdered by:
a. Bonnie and Clyde
b. Captain Kangaroo
c. Billy Graham
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40
Nope, I really don't see a pattern here to justify profiling, do you?
Yeah, right!
So, to ensure we Americans never offend anyone, particularly fanatics intent on killing us, airport security screeners will no longer be allowed to profile certain people. They must conduct random searches of 80-year-old women, little kids, airline pilots with proper identification, secret agent who are members of the President's security detail, 85-year old Congressmen with metal hips, and Medal of Honor winner and former South Dakota Governor Joe Foss, but leave Muslim males between the ages 17 and 40 alone because of profiling.
Posted by: Cheryl on June 4, 2006 04:50 PMThey like to use a raciest card but it won't fly! They have to prove it in a court of law. They were random!
But you are right they tried to play that card. Liberals pushed that one! They lost!
Too many people like you and I would scream as well!
Tomorrow's edition of the UW "Daily" will have a front page article claiming these are just seventeen loveable guys with a "struggle within oneself."
Our local TV news will show caring and highly intelligent Seattleites preparing to travel to Toronto to stand guard at mosques with interlocked arms singing "Kumbaya."
Posted by: ¡ay carumba! on June 4, 2006 07:38 PMJeff Siddiqui, please come back so we can talk about why we should trust Muslims! What rational words do you have that can counteract this? How exactly is it bigotry to be suspicious when supposedly "good people" pull crap like this?! Perhaps, even, some of of your own "friends" have you fooled.
Posted by: Peggy U on June 4, 2006 08:32 PMI thoroughly enjoyed your multiple choice test.
Posted by: Fed Up on June 4, 2006 09:16 PM1) Yes I question the patriotism of Democrats/ Libs/ Progressives who campaign for peace and the Lamestream media that covers for them and supports the agenda.
2) Islam: Not a religion of peace.
3) Young Muslim men are making a great case for interment.
4) It's going to take another 9/11 before people as stupid as McDimwit, Pelosi, Murray, Cantwell, etc. wake up and realize that the West is under attack by Islam.
5) It's not a war on terror, it's a war on fanatical Islam.
6) Iran is the keystone. Take it out. We should blockade their incoming oil and begin airstrikes to disable their nuclear capability and end the Nutbar Ahmad-n'-Jihad's regime.
7) "Broad Strata" my ass. "Not about Muslim faith" my ass.
8) Every mullah in every mosque worldwide should be put under audio surveillance. One more hatred sermon from any mullah should meand that he suddenly "disappears."
9) Gee, I wonder if the RCMP was monitoring foreign calls? Duh, of course they were, and thankfully so.
But it's nice to see you implying that the New York Times is objective.
What do they think they are doing? Protecting us from reading anything that might scare us? Or, is it really that they are playing the politically correct game of pretending that the simple fact that all of these violent terrorists are muslim and inspire by islamic extemism.
This area always brags that it has the highest educated citizens of any city in the country. Highly education people want their news dumbed down? Really?
Posted by: BananaLand on June 5, 2006 12:31 AMSo let's review how the war on terror is going since 9/11.
1. Taliban are removed from Afghanistan ... score one for the US.
2. Islamo-facism defeated in the Philipeans ... score one for the US.
3. The Northern half of Nigeria is taken over by Islamo-facists and Sharia-law implimentated. The killing of Christians starts. GWB does nothing. Score one for the Islamo-facists.
4. The country of Mauritania is taken over by Islamo-facist in a coup, Al Queda prisoners are freed. ... score one for the Islamo-facists.
5. HAMAS (the 2nd worst terrorist group after Al Queda) is elected in Palestine. ... score one for the Islamo-facists.
6. Islamo-facists expand into the Darfur region of Sudan elminating the more moderate black Muslims. ... score one for the Islamo-facists
7. Sharia Law is established in Afghanistan ... score one for the Islamo-facists.
8. In the Islamo-facists country of Iran, an apocalyptic leader is elected. Iran declares itself a nuclear power. ... score one for the Islamo-facists.
9. The country of Somalia falls to the Islamo-facists. (Today).
Close calls in the war on Terror.
1. Uzbekistan nearly fell to Islamo-facist. Instead of praising the Uzbeki government, the US was critical of the Uzbeki crack down. As a result Uzbekistan kicked the US out of the country. We lost our largest military base in Central Asia and the primary base we fought the war in Afghanistan. Uzbekistan has warmed relations with Russia and China.
2. Islamic Government elected in Turkey, currently being held in check by the secular military.
3. Chechnya was rescued from Islamo-facism by Russia in the face of severe terrorist acts done to Russia by Islamic Chechians. The US being critical of Russia's efforts and provided aslymn to Russia's Chechen Islamo-facist enemies.
4. Southern Thailand continues to fight Islamic Facism.
5. Indonesia is being radicalized by Islamic facists. Numerous anti-Christian massacures and terrorist events have occured there since 9/11.
6. Iraq will likely right an Islamic facist constitution with the blessing of GWB, so we will have removed a secular government and put in place a Islamo-facism ... unbelieveable.
We are losing the war against Islamic facism and terrorism under GWB. Primarily because GWB doesn't understand it. You can tell because he continues to invite a number of very radical Imams to the White House and more often then not supports the efforts and ideals of Islamo-facists.
Posted by: John McDonald on June 5, 2006 07:09 AMYou are wrong to assert that we need to do something in every area where there is Islamic Fanaticism. As bad as the situation is in Darfur, there is no direct threat to the US in Darfur. Not that it wouldn't be nice to take out yet another totalitarian regime that's slaughtering its own people. But we've got bigger fish to Fry in Iran, North Korea, etc.
The more we defer to the pacifist, defeatist and unpatriotic mentality of Democrats and Progressives in this country, the closer we come to losing the war. The solution is not to retreat, appease or tread softly. What we need to do is redouble our efforts to confront Islam head on. Every single case of terrorism in recent memory has been perpetrated by Muslims. Radical Islam preaches hatred and anti-Western sentiment every day. Saudi textbooks teach hate.
Until we confront this head on it's going to continue to grow.
One thing is for sure though, and the American people know this well, electing a Democrat to the Presidency is the surest path to defeat.
Posted by: Jeff B. on June 5, 2006 08:34 AMI appreciate your comments completely. One problem with Islamo-facism is that it will use bases where ever it can find them. There was nothing particularily strategic about Afghanistan, yet Osama used it as a base to strike the US. The problem with so many of these countries falling into the hands of Osama types (besides the fact it means we are losing) is that they will be used as training bases, money laundering centers, acquistion of weapons, etc. I agree that there is nothing strategic about Darfur, but will it be used as a future bases and a place of rest of the terrorist?
Iran is a huge fish to fry ... I agree. I don't see anything out of the current White House that looks like a real plan. And we still continue to piss off nations that could be allies. Over the weekend we "urged" China to re-evaluate Tiannamen Square. It is the morally right thing to say, but do we have to jab them in the eye when we need their vote at the security council on Iran. Can our state department ever just shut up? Every 3 or 4 days they bash Russia for Chenchnya (a. the state department is wrong to complain b. they do more damage then good -- as Russia has just gotten pissed off and we haven't changed anything.) We still won't offer India much support for their fight against Islamic facism, we could make real nice with them. Good Grief, Bill Gates is a better ambassador for American then the entire state department.
This country needs the Democrats to support the war, we cannot ignore or have 45% of the population opposing the fight and win this alone. The cold war was won with a combination of Democrats and Republicans (but God Bless Reagan as he had a lot to do with driving the victory home, and because we were right and communism is a losing idea). Part of me would cringe to see Democrats put in place all over the government, but on the other hand they would have to be responsible for fighting and winning too - the American Public will hold them accountable for fighting terrorists, for security etc.
Finally, I have a hard time imagining things much worse under Democrats. We have an exploding budget, we make nice with Islamo-facist, we can't seem to run a competent government (Hurricane Katrina, the aftermath of Iraq, Energy, etc.) Bush is damaging the conservatives badly, it could be 20 years before the damage is undone. I fear the party of Reagan is lost for a generation.
Posted by: John McDonald on June 5, 2006 09:11 AMWhat an idiot....
Posted by: alphabet soup on June 5, 2006 10:10 AM"The 40-50 Muslim families who worship at the mosque were astonished, he said, to learn that police had arrested 12 adults, ages 19 to 43, and five suspects younger than 18 on Friday and Saturday, charging them with plotting an attack in southern Ontario. Two Americans who met with the suspects also are in custody. "
Two Americans eh? Since when are there Islamic "militants" in America?
http://www.forbes.com/entrepreneurs/feeds/ap/2006/06/05/ap2793971.html
Even more interesting (I think) is this: "...and at least 18 other Islamic militants detained in the United States, Bangladesh, Bosnia, Britain, Denmark and Sweden."
So when is the Lamestream Media going to report on alleged arrests in America?
Posted by: alphabet soup on June 5, 2006 11:56 AMSome of your points:
Ignoring certain Islamic areas will allow them to become strongholds for future terrror activity. A good military strategy goes where the biggest problem lies. We should have gone to Iraq first, but ignoring Darfur for the sake of Iran makes complete sense. The US has zero obligation to fight wars strictly for humanitarian reasons. It's touchy feely when we do, but not sound strategy. Ignoring Darfur does not mean that terrorism grows overall if we are instead confronting terrorism at its front door in Iran, or at its many more significant points such as in Candad, Britain, the US, etc. Don't confuse Darfur or any other Islamic outpost with the main goal of confronting Islamic Fanaticism where it is rooted and financed.
Re: China. Execpting out state department to "shut up" is pretty naive. We ahve an obligation to defend the US both diplomatically and militarily. The reason Condi confronted China is that we need them as diplomatic partners along with Russia on the UN Security Council if we are to secure sanctions against Iran. I don't agree w? the Administration, we should not be wasting time on diplomatic sanctions while Iran works on the bomb. However, the administration is logically pursuing sanctions as a course of action, and gaining the coalition of the major players. We called Russia's bluff in the Cold War, and we can do the same with China. Remember, as bad as things are in the US, they are always way worse in our enemies countries. Look at Russia. Largely in economic ruin. Still having a lot of difficulty establshing any real semblance of a functioning economy and society. China, for as much as it is an emerging capitalist entity, still has vast amounts of it's population in abject poverty, living in huts with animals. There are serious issues that any country must face internally as well as externally. Our biggest immediate weapon in dealing with Iran is to blockade their net import of oil, before they negotiate a deal with Hugo Chavez. They know that is their weakness.
The Dems will not even be given the chance to preside over the war effort. Americans can see that the Democrats are a party rooted in pacifism and that they have offered zero strategy towards confronting Islamic hatred. John Kerry continually said he had a plan, but never revealed what that plan would be. That's the issue. Americans are not going to trust our security to loose bromides, weak knee appeasment, the UN, etc. 45% doesn't mean jack when electing the President. The founders in their genius assured that the electoral college will do the job properly and that's the way it should be. A lot of Dems like to rail on about the popular vote. Might as well be talking to a wall. It does not matter. We only need the required resolve of a majority of electoral votes. Contrary to the Dem myth of Blue States, it's really more like Blue Cities. There just are not the needed votes to put a peacenik in office. And then Canada rounds up another 17 guys with Islamic sounding names. Problably a lot of whom were tracked by phone tapping, etc. Americans don't give a rip about Dem grandstanding when they can clearly see there's an outstanding problem with Islamic fanaticism.
If you've got a hard time imagining things as much worse under Dems, you need to get a more active imagination. Remember Jimmy Carter? Highest inflation ever, the man who put the capital A in appeasement of terror, stagnation of the economy. Yeah, sure, you might cite the 8 years of Bill Clinton, and Clinton was far more centrist than Carter, but the reality was that the 1990s, were like the 1920s, and temporary dream state. It was a lot of fun, but it was not reality, and while we partied and let our stocks grow in the bubble, Islamic Fanaticism grew and grew, completely unchallenged by Clinton. Now we've got at least a resonse to Islamic Nutjobs, albeit weaker than many would like to see. And we've got real growth in the economy, not growth from a bubble, but solid growth. Bush is doing no more damage to Republicans than Clinton did to Democrats. There's a lot of hysteria, but it's mostly just the largely left leaning press venting over their inability to admit that the left is not winning over Americans any more.
Make no mistake. Republicans may be frustrated with many of the administration's current pursuits. And the US in general is frustrated with both sides of Congress. But when people go to the voting booth, as a whole they are only going to be thinking about one thing: Who's gonna continue to address the Muslim Wackos. With laughable actions like the WA Dems calling for a "Peace Department" the choice is quite clear. The R's will remain in control.
Posted by: Jeff B. on June 5, 2006 12:06 PMliberals and the press are ingoring the fart in the church; let's call it what it is before it's too late; how many black eyes does America need before it kicks the TRUE bully's arse AND EVEN IDENTIFIES the bully at that?! sadly, citizens are truly on their own; politicians and the press are too afraid--we know they are reading these threads and probably silently nodding in agreement; and the 'Peace Dept?' more like the Pizz (on Citizen Safety) Dept; what's the new logo for that Peace Dept.? a 'kick me' sign on one's back?
Posted by: Jimmie-howya-doin on June 5, 2006 12:55 PMOk, I agree with do the big problems first. You state "main goal of confronting Islamic Fanaticism where it is rooted and financed." That would be Saudi Arabia #1, Iran #2, (already took out Iraq #3), Pakistan #4. Since we can't seem to even stop Saudi Arabia from writing hate text books or stop their imams from spreading hate, or even stop public TV fundraising for terror groups ... hmmm. Well, Iran. I don't think we are going to do anything. I hope I'm wrong, but I doubt it. The adminstration will probably come up with something that seems like action so they can have a talking point headed into the election, but in reality nothing will happen.
I agree that our State Department won't be quiet and stop pissing off all our major allies except France. I just wish they would.
You need to update your info about Russia. Their economy has been booming, a lot of oil is helping. Putin's ratings are near 70%, security is better, and corruption is down.
You also need to update your view of China, were I regularly travel a lot (all over even into Central China). China is very modern, very business oriented, and corruption is down, with very few internal problems. Most of the internal problems are completely overblown by our media. I talked about Tiananmen Square in Tiananmen Square less than one month ago with Chinese, even wore a Mao-style Chinese military hat through the Square (pretty funny stuff).
Oil is a huge problem, so were is the Aggressive Energy Bill? Where are the MPG limits, Where are efficiency standards, Where are the wavers from lawsuits and standards on dams, nuclear, solar, wind, ethanol, etc. Why doesn't GWB talk about it everyday, he would have my support. Call for a moratorium on regulations until the US X% less dependent on foriegn oil. Tell the Democrats that if they don't like the war, then support the energy independence solutions. This is a winner at the polls, except that our President can't pronounce moratorium or ethanol ... oil is a 3 letter word which probably explains his support for it.
10M+ new (formerly illegal) citizens might help a Democrat get elected as GWB tries to change the US demographics to support Democrats. I wonder how many more electorial college votes California will get.
I think you are missing just how pissed off the Republican base is. You think we are going to be rational in the voting booth come November - no way. Right now, I not voting Republican, I'll vote conservative on the down ballot issues like bonds, etc. I'm not sure if I will vote for Democrats yet, but I'm thinking about it as we need to send a major protest signal this November.
If you think my anger at GWB is press generated. You are completely dreaming. My anger is because I've believed that if only Republicans could gain control of the government we could get sanity back into spending. GWB has blown away a dream of millions of conservatives that they have held for 20+ years. GWB has been given the biggest conservative majority in my lifetime and not only squandered the power, but has increased government spending faster than anyone in my lifetime. This type of anger does not subside quickly or forgives easily. This was a chance of a lifetime, and come November the Republicans may not see a majority for the next 20 years. I'll be nearly retired then ... yes, I'm pretty pissed off.
Yes, in the voting booth I'll be thinking about Muslim Wackos, and I'll be thinking about the president and party that has done nothing about the Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, Hamas, Darfur, S. Sudan, Maurtania, Indonesia, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Al Jazzera, still hasn't shut down many "Muslim Charities", set up Sharia law in Afghanistan. Yes, it's hard to think of the Democrats doing a worse job.
You are dreaming if you think the R's are not going to lose the house and senate this year. I'll post a you won, i was wrong comment here in November if you are right. I think it is going to be a huge political bloodbath, I can't find a single Republican at work you will admit they are Republican anymore.
As trolls go, you are one of the better ones. What with all of your "inspirational" messages, you represent the last person I would ever suspect as being even a moderate, much less a Republican. Your "I wet my pants, now look at me!" rants only make you look foolish and simple-minded.
Sure the Republicans have issues (so do the Dhimmicrats), but nothing that you have said would go toward improving anything. Perhaps we should just call you "Eyeore".
You would be better served if you spent more time with the like-minded fellas over at Horse's-Patoot...(and take your little black cloud with you ;'}
Posted by: alphabet soup on June 5, 2006 03:39 PMWhat's the positive agenda.
1. A Balanced Budget or even better a balanced budget amendment.
2. A serious Energy Bill (major one) with a firm plan to achieve Energy Independence in 10 years, as big as the Eisenhower Interstate Bill. I'd rather us spend billions in the US, then transfer payments to the middle east. This would cover nuclear, oil, gas, coal, solar, new dams, and wind and efficiency regulations for cars, computers, applicances, buildings, and lights.
3. A new and real space program.
4. A Water Bill for selling Washington, Oregon, and BC Water to the Southwestern US.
5. Outsource Federal prisons to foriegn countries.
6. Death penalty for spammers and Nigerian email fraud.
7. Two strikes and they are off Bill for sexual predators.
8. Seamless travel between the EU and US. Or at least the UK, Germany, Italy. etc.
9. Ban non-conforming home loans, rising real estate prices are hurting the youth and forcing many to make extremely risky financial decisions to achieve the dream of home ownership. And eliminate the title insurance industry, which is not needed now (but often required by law) that we have computers and satalitte maps, total title insurance payouts are near zero now.
10. Ban most hedge funds, as these do nothing to create wealth and nothing to contribute to creative destruction.
11. Tax Hollywood movies, cable shows, video games, magazines, etc. that are fictious and show random violence towards innocent people, cops, etc. in a new suite of social taxes.
12. Re-introduce forced housing for the cronically homeless and insure they get proper medical treatment. Eliminating insane aslymns was a terrible crime by the liberals in the 60's. Yes, it meant less government, but having 1000's of people wandering and dying in the streets who are mentally sick is not right for a 1st world nation.
13 Preview every initiative that has the proper number of signatures for making it on the ballot for constitutionality before the vote. The review would be by a randomly selected panel of judges. After which it cannot be challenged.
14. Issue pardons for those soliders who are in legal jepordy in Iraq or have already been convicted.
15. Special tax for all things French, with a sliding scale such that every time they piss us off we a vote of 10% of congress to raise it.
There is a lot more positive stuff too, but that would be a good start.
Posted by: John McDonald on June 5, 2006 04:43 PMOh yeah. The main reason he can GET insight into logical fallacies is because we homeschool. (This is not quite a true statement, because there are a few private schools which offer courses in Logic (not "critical thinking"), but allow me the luxury of an overstatement, just this once. OK?
Posted by: Patty in WA on June 5, 2006 08:27 PMThe Seattle Times just applied an exchange rate on the original Canadian story - 4 page Canadian equals only 3 pages U.S. They actually cut out a section where a guy with an Arab sounding name complained that one of the accused had taken over a peaceful mosque and started all sorts of "hate speech". I wonder why that wasn't news worthy.
Posted by: SouthernRoots on June 5, 2006 08:44 PMDid you pay any attention to what Jeff B. was saying? (he was much gentler than I would have been!) Do you have any clue as to how politics works?
It isn't like wishing for a pony (no matter how much you'd like it to be!)
Why am I even asking these questions - of course you don't! Otherwise you wouldn't be spouting the insane crap that you do!
Did your mama feed you lots of NyQuil when she wanted you to be quiet?
Posted by: alphabet soup on June 5, 2006 09:20 PMJeff had a few good points and a couple I disagreed with, and he is still optimistic about the current Republican Party -- as I was last year. As far as your comments go, I haven't read a single idea in any of your postings on any subject. It is seems you just hang around to satisfy a primative superiority urge by anonymously insulting people. You probably need a date, as there is one explaination for your random rage.
Posted by: John McDonald on June 5, 2006 10:03 PMYes, I am enthusiastic about the future of the Republican Party. Unlike you, I am pragmatic, patient, and able to hold my water. I will continue to work to favor those whose interests most closely align with mine, and oppose those who do not.
In that vein, I stand in stark contrast to you, who (as far as I can see) stands for nothing!
Like they say, "A mind is a terrible thing to lose"
Maybe you could get yours retreaded...
sidebar--i'm personally offended by that term--can I sue someone? where is the Equity and Diversity Dept to help ME? why isn't it called brown, black, yellow or 'rainbow noise?'
Posted by: Jimmie-howya-doin on June 6, 2006 10:38 AM