The Degeneration of Democracy

Thomas Sowell    "When Adolf Hitler was building up the Nazi movement in the 1920s, leading up to his taking power in the 1930s, he deliberately sought to activate people who did not normally pay much attention to politics. Such people were a valuable addition to his political base, since they were particularly susceptible to Hitler’s rhetoric and had far less basis for questioning his assumptions or his conclusions.
“Useful idiots” was the term supposedly coined by V. I. Lenin to describe similarly unthinking supporters of his dictatorship in the Soviet Union.
"Put differently, a democracy needs informed citizens if it is to thrive, or ultimately even survive. In our times, American democracy is being dismantled, piece by piece, before our very eyes by the current administration in Washington, and few people seem to be concerned about it."
Again we refer you to those attending rock concerts in 2008 who were directed straight to voting booths after the music ended.

How Nikki Haley Survived Scandal

Political Wire "Haley's survival was partly due to her gender (women rallied around her), and the fact that she is a conservative Republican (Sarah Palin was for her). Haley was also helped by the backing of the estranged wife of former governor Mark Sanford -- the irony was potent -- who was made a laughingstock by his own sex scandal." I wonder how many Democrats voted for her just because she seemed like one of them.   

Afghanistan links; more to come later (UPDATED)

Mr. President, Don’t Waste this Crisis ; Win the war. "The imposition of a troop-withdrawal deadline, in particular, has poisoned our Afghanistan strategy. McChrystal has, understandably, behaved like a man under pressure to produce quick results to get good marks in the administration’s December Afghanistan strategy review."  Thomas Donnelly and William Kristol

MCCHRYSTAL  "This whole thing will be going down whilst I'm on the air. If you've been following me on Twitter you'll know how I feel. I grew up in a military family ... and the very idea of this community organizer browbeating a four-star general disgusts me. I'm a fan of this civilian control of the military stuff ... and McChrystal crossed the line. But it pains me to see an army career ended by a commander-in-chief who isn't fit to polish his brass." Neal Boortz

On the Carpet Mudville Gazette:  Reasonable people can conclude, and many have, that the comments in the article are just not at the level where a dismissal is warranted. Everyone can read them, and no one can point to any line uttered by the general that challenges the president's strategy or undermines confidence in McChrystal's willingness to implement it. Greyhawk

McChrystal: “I’ve compromised the mission” "Hamid Karzai yesterday issued a strong statement of support for McChrystal, calling him the best American commander in the last nine years in Afghanistan. Will his NATO colleagues feel the same, especially the French, whose social and diplomatic efforts were derided by McChrystal’s team in the article as “f***ing gay”? Or will he be seen as too tightly leashed to the White House now for any reliable independent judgment?"

Analysis: Gen.'s remarks echo troubled Afghan war  "The Republican opposition will likely seize on the McChrystal flap as evidence of Obama's weakness as commander in chief, even though the party supports the president's Afghan policy."

 General Stanley McChrystal has been stitched up by Rolling Stone "If anything, the case for dismissing McChrystal is strengthened by what the article exposes as his failure to win over the hearts and minds of his own men. There is considerable doubt among ordinary soldiers that counterinsurgency is the right strategy, and their commander does not come out of confrontations with them very well. But for insulting behaviour towards the administration? Look elsewhere."

Second-Day Information on the Rolling Stone Article "If you read the Rolling Stone article carefully, you can see that the reporter, Michael Hastings, has woven three stories together. One story is the story of General McChrystal trying to keep up morale in a tough war with his troops thinking he is too worried about civilian casualties and he is forcing them to accept too many risks as consequence. This is also the story of McChrystal feeling under time pressure from Washington. I bet this is the story Hastings pitched to McChrystal's staff and the story McChrystal thought was being reported."

Obama: McChrystal showed poor judgment but the mission is paramount

Hot Air "A senior Pakistani government official said Monday that many in Pakistan already believe the Americans lack a long-term strategy in Afghanistan. The possibility of McChrystal’s being removed only deepens Pakistan’s skepticism about chances for a U.S. victory in Afghanistan, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive policy assessment.

“Now, the person who helped craft that strategy, if he’s not on the scene, how will you take this process forward?” the official added."

General McChrystal Has Offered to Resign: Reports (Updated)

NY Mag "General Stanley McChrystal has offered to resign in the wake of the Rolling Stone debacle, according to Time's Joe Klein, and subsequently confirmed by CBS News' Mark Knoller.
"Crucially, both CBS and Klein are reporting that McChrystal has merely offered his resignation, which would hardly be a surprise: Given the quotes attributed to McChrystal and his staff, going to the White House with a resignation letter seems like the minimally polite thing to do. But President Obama doesn't have to accept the resignation if he wants the general to stay on. "

Helen Thomas — Thanks

By Ala al-Din Abu Zeineh "Because she said what few of us dare to say, even though it’s not her responsibility, from my heart I give a thousand thanks to Helen Thomas, and to all that speak the truth in the face of power." Al-Ghad, Jordan.    H/T to WatchingAmerica.com

Obama White House Claims Kyl’s Comprehensive Immigration Reform vs Secure the Border Not True

ScaredMonkeys.com "So we are supposed to believe Barack Hussein Obama that he is not holding US border security hostage to Comprehensive Immigration Reform? Obama WH says Kyl lied. Who to believe, Barack Obama who sues the state of Arizona over their recent Immigration law only to have the federal government do nothing to protect its borders and citizens?"

Latest on General McChrystal

Col. Jack Jacobs: Most In Military Will Say McChrystal 'Was Right'  "But while the Medal of Honor recipient readily agreed that McChrystal was out of line, and would probably pay with his job, Jacobs also went out of his way—twice—to add an inconvenient truth: that when it comes to the substance of the criticism, most in the military think McChrystal "was right.""

General McChrystal and Rolling Stone: Suicide by Interview? "Notice that even in his apology above,the General does not take back the comments, he simply apologizes for making the comments. The Military commander was sending his troops and the administration a message. To the troops he was saying ” I have your backs even to the point of hurting my own career.” The message for the administration was, “Your way isn’t working, let us do what is necessary to win this war. Even though this was a violation of the Code of Honor, the General’s statements were a service to America and to his men by confirming what we all suspected, the President and his administration does not have a clue."

Media Promoted Military Criticism of President Bush "McChrystal was of course out of line. But media liberals who are only distraught at potential insubordination when the subordinate does not aid their political goals in speaking out are commentators whose opinions must be taken with a few grains of salt."

Mike Ramirez, Townhall

Time to Dump the Afghanistan Timeline

Heritage "President Obama’s strategy has provoked serious questions among military leaders and our allies, it has posed serious problems for our troops on the ground, and it has undermined America’s ability to win the war. In short, we do not need an artificial timeline for withdrawal. We need a strategy for victory."

And so it begins

American Thinker  This document is an actual letter that was received by a good friend of mine just yesterday. Needless to say, this 60-year old didn't sleep much last night. Her policy with this insurance company dates back 12 years. Because of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act passed by this Congress, she will no longer have insurance effective December 15, 2010. Where does she go now, Mr. President? Her policy was affordable. Can you assure her that the next one will be?  D.L. Hammack

Doctors limit new Medicare patients USA Today

Obama’s Straws And Our Tired Back

Victor Davis Hanson "Every president attracts the unhinged. So why, the voters thought, not give a pass to all that — or even to Obama’s own embarrassing “beer summit” (presidents, you see, have free afternoons and so can involve themselves in campus politics when favorite academics rail about racial unfairness). This presidency, you also see, was going to be one long beer summit, where Obama listened and then gave a 50/50 hope and change speech while he rammed through an Ayers agenda.

Things happen, so such a little straw like that added little weight to our collective backs — no more than the strange stuff like the “wise Latina” remark of Obama’s new Supreme Court judge, or the “nation of cowards” blast from the attorney general."