Weekly Open Thread

Democrats are setting the stage for failure in Afghanistan:

Afghan war divides Congress and a nation

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/722713e6-af87-11de-ba1c-00144feabdc0.html

Adviser downplays threat of renewed al-Qaida haven

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20091004/D9B4GL1G1.html

“There isn’t a military solution alone to any of this,” Gibbs said, but rather “a series of solutions.”

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091005/ap_on_an/us_obama_afghanistan_analysis

I wanted to follow-up on my correspondence with my congress-critter, The Honorable Hank Johnson. He wrote a letter and attached an op-ed he wrote for the Atlanta Journal-Constipation.

In the letter he writes:

Thank you for writing to express your sentiments regarding my September 15, 2009 remarks related to race and American politics. As always, I appreciate hearing from my constituents and I value your views.

You will find enclosed with this letter a copy of my op-ed on this subject, which was published by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on September 21. I encourage you to read my thoughts as express by this piece.

I fully understand why my remarks were controversial. However, I would urge you to re-examine them in full and read the enclosed op-ed. While I do not necessarily expect you to agree with me, I hope you will see that my remarks were far from a blanket condemnation of those who oppose President Obama’s policies.

Once again, I appreciate your comments. Please feel free to contact me in the future.

Hank Johnson

Here’s the link in the AJC:

AJC Op-Ed

Aqua, the AJC is fit only for lining the bottom of bird cages.
My remarks since retirement have never been less than controversial here or in the barbershop in town.

Open Thread? OK. Some folks that I admire can be found here:

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1407952648/bctid1664436922

My opines are my Own and well justified. But for overly sensitive FA readers I stand by them and John McCain did not get my Vote in the last election. Sarah Palin did. Just so We understand that.

I am in Cheyenne, WY selling some cattle right now. Got My War Face on and am doing Capitalist business on My Dime and not Community Organizing on Your Tax Dollars.

Skookum, Cut a 3 year deal at fixed price for weight “on the hoof” for my steers. They are grass and grain fed (corn) and as organic as they come. I have a customer base
established and they buy “marbled” beef because it is tender and tastes better than standard “range fed” and I refuse to sell to anyone that has a Liberal clientele base or contributed to any Democrat in the past Election. Let Them Eat Cake or ACORNs.

(I do discriminate) I slaughter for my own table only and buy fowl and pork at a local source. I do not do veal. In season I hunt deer and upland game. I was asked about cross breds. Buffalo and Beef. Nope. Buffalo hunting was for my ancestors and I refuse to fight a buffalo for what it takes to inseminate any of my breed heifers.

On the train back to Big Sky Country now. The Market fluctuates from time to time as We know too well on every commodity. I make a profit despite the Government interference and my Beef is USDA approved and exported to the US Military at a discounted rate and Domestic consumption at Market price.

And Yes, that Bull is very darned ugly.

With regards to Cash for Clunkers, an update from a friend in the auto business. At least at this particular dealership, it is worth noting that when each of the poor clunkers were hauled off after FINALLY receiving reimbursement from the Government (you know, those clunkers of cars that were emitting so much in greenhouse gas pollutants?), they had to be hauled off by tow trucks ONE BY ONE!!! So, figure approximately 100 clunkers per dealership on the average, for every dealership in the country–well, you do the math. Maybe just a wee bit hypocritical?

Old Trooper, do you ship your steers on the rail road?

What about your heifers?

What breeds are you using?

How big of a herd on how big of a ranch?

I had a cow calf operation in Northern British Columbia before I made too much money and had to give it up.

Honest curiosity. I know horses, really well.

@Missy:

That’s too funny, Missy. I have a good picture in my mind from your description. Sounds kind of like the Beverly Hillbillies type of scenario!

As I said, I know this is true with this particular dealership, but not sure about all others. Would be curious to find out, though.

depressing as hell – what part of “enough to do the job” does Obama not understand?

From the Daily Telegraph:

Barack Obama may send just 10,000 troops to Afghanistan

Speculation is growing that Barack Obama will send only 10,000 extra US troops to Afghanistan, well short of the number requested by his military commander.
According to reports, Sen McCain added: “This should not be a leisurely process.”

Mr Obama replied: “John, I can assure you this won’t be leisurely. No one feels more urgency to get this right than I do.”

Speaking after the meeting on Tuesday, Sen McCain said: “I am very convinced that General McChrystal’s analysis is not only correct but should be employed as quickly as possible. There is no middle ground. Half-measures is what I worry about.”

He said Mr Obama should dispatch thousands of more troops, just as President George W Bush did for the successful “surge” in Iraq begun in 2007.

After the meeting, one official appeared to be preparing the ground for disappointing the general and Republicans who think the commander’s advice should be followed.

“He also made it clear that his decision won’t make everybody in the room or the nation happy, but underscored his commitment to work on a collaborative basis,” the official said.

A military expert who is advising the administration told the Daily Telegraph he doubted the president would fully support Gen McChrystal.

He said: “My sense is they won’t go all in but will support a counter-insurgency strategy. Something close to 10,000 would be my guess.”

Presidential aides said Mr Obama had ruled out a troop reduction.

A like-minded acquaintance just sent me the following link to a very brief story that I believe will be interesting to FA Readers.

A civics lesson taught to a third grade teacher by her students…could it really be this simple? Food for thought.

“One Of The Best Explanations Of Why Obama Won The Election
From a teacher in the Nashville area”

http://tcotblog.ning.com/profiles/blogs/one-of-the-best-explanations

@aqua — definitely parallel feelings !!

hopefully the 2010, 2012 election outcome will be determined by voters who finally figured out the “ice cream promised was not free” or that the “packaging did not represent the contents.”

@Blast:

Good grief, do you really think third graders would ask such a question or have any idea of what a leading Republican would have said? You are really going off the deep end, now you are talking just to be talking, making sense doesn’t appear to matter much.

@Blast

Again, thanks for the smile you put on my face at the end of a long day — with
your response today on an innocuous story about a third grade teacher’s observations.

You seem to be unable to carry on a decent conversation without twisting, spinning,
ad hominem attacks, strawmen, etc…yup you are a Lib!

Since you have all the answers to everything-all the time and everyone else is always
wrong about everything-eternally…why aren’t you standing up and running for office.

Surely the masses would marvel in your glorious pontifications and start singing
praises to you…maybe even an appearance of children singing your praises on CNN!

You need to get a life…get out much? Life is too short to be so bitter….go enjoy
Costa Rica — looks absolutely beautiful and restorative!