GayPatriot

The Internet home for American gay conservatives.

Archives for October 2007

Bush Economy Rolls On In Historic Growth

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In September we heard the news that President Bush’s economic and tax policies not only brought us out of the Clinton Recession (started Nov/Dec 2000), but have also led to the 49th consecutive month of job growth — a new record for the longest uninterrupted expansion of the U.S. labor market.

It is almost hard to believe now that in the aftermath of the 9/11/2001 attacks the economy took at least an $83 billion hit and over 1 million jobs were lost.

Well, folks the Bush “Goldilocks” Economy (credit to Larry Kudlow) rolls on….

Economy Logs Brisk 3.9 Percent Growth – Associated Press

The economy picked up speed in the summer, growing at a brisk 3.9 percent pace, the fastest in 1 1/2 years and an impressive performance even as a credit crunch plunged the housing market deeper into turmoil.

The latest snapshot of the country’s economic health, released by the Commerce Department on Wednesday, suggested that the economy is demonstrating much resilience and thus far holding up well to the strains in the housing and credit markets, which had intensified during the third quarter and rocked Wall Street.

A second report from the department showed construction spending rose 0.3 percent in September, the best showing in four months.  All-time high spending in both commercial construction by private builders and government projects more than offset weakness in home building.

For the entire July-to-September quarter, individuals ratcheted up their spending.  U.S. businesses sold more goods abroad and boosted some investment at home.  Those were some of the main factors helping to push up overall economic activity during that period.

The third quarter’s growth rate was up slightly from a 3.8 percent pace logged in the second quarter.  It marked the strongest showing since the first quarter of last year.

I’m presuming this news will lead all three major network news programs tonight, as it would have between 1993 and 2000.   Right Katie, Charlie & Brian?

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

Happy Halloween, Philadelphia!

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This may take a bit to set up…. so bear with me.

Two weekends ago, our friends Mark & Cory from Philadelphia (my hometown) came to visit. PatriotPartner (John) and I decided to surprise them with a pre-Halloween cake.

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For those of you not following news from The City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia’s murder rate has skyrocketed in 2007 and is at an all time high. On Friday, October 19th Philadelphia’s death count due to murder hit Number 323. Thus, the cake marking the occasion for our visiting Philadelphia friends.

We didn’t really celebrate, but instead derided Philadelphia Mayor John Street for his complete lack of leadership from the New Orleans-esque crime wave to economic development issues. You may recall earlier this year that as the murder rate shot up, Mayor “Nero” Street stood in line for his iPhone.

I figured it was appropriate to post this cake photo today since last night Philadelphian’s got an even worse scare by all of these folks showing up to waste the precious air of the city by sucking it in and exhaling hotter air to replace it.

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HAPPY HALLOWEEN, PHILADELPHIA! Scarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry.

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

Help Force The New Republic To Print The Truth

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I have been happy to support the efforts of Bob Owens at Confederate Yankee to expose the fraudulent stories of Scott Thomas Beauchamp since the first items from his fiction piece, “Shock Troops”, were published by The New Republic.

Since TNR refuses to retract the story and stands by the made-up lies about our troops from Mr. Beauchamp, I am now happy to join Bob in urging that those who advertise at TNR feel the pressure.  That’s what the marketplace of truthful ideas is all about.  Bob sums it up well.

The New Republic doesn’t have an obligation to support the troops, or support the war in Iraq. It does have an obligation to retract stories for which they can provide no support.

Canwest MediaWorks, the Canadian company that owns The New Republic, does not have an obligation to decide the editorial policies of The New Republic, but it does have an obligation to discipline all editors who have refused to act ethically, who have misled readers, and who have attacked the military for defending itself from proven falsehoods and gross exaggerations (email Canwest Global CFO John McGuire at jmaguire@canwest.com, and be polite but firm).

We cannot force The New Republic to behave honorably, but we can make their dishonesty come at a price.

Here is the list of TNR advertisers.  I join Bob in asking anyone affiliated with these organizations to urge their management to pull advertising from The New Republic.

Alfred A. Knopf Allstate Amazon.com American Gas Station
American Petroleum Institute AstroZeneca (current issue) Auto Alliance  
Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (current issue) BP (current issue) Chevron (current issue) CNN
FLAME (current issue) Federal Express The Financial Times Focus Features
Ford Motor Company Freddie Mac GM Grove Atlantic
HBO Harvard University Press History Channel Hoover Institution (current issue)
MetLife Microsoft Mortage Bankers Nuclear Energy Institute
The New School New York Times Novartis Palgrave Macmillan (current issue)  
Simon & Shuster John Templeton Foundation (current issue) University of Chicago Press University Press of Kansas (current issue)
U.S. Telecom Visa (current issue) The Wall Street Journal Warner Brothers
Warner Brothers Home Video W.W. Norton Wyeth Laboratories Yale University Press (current issue)

Paul Krugman Proved A Fool By British Islamists

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Paul Krugman, New York Times’ resident Bush Hater & Appeaser (and man, that’s quite an accomplishment) wrote a widely discussed piece on Monday:  Fearing Fear Itself.

It features all of the now-routine liberal rhetoric designed to undercut and de-legitimize our war effort and our American government itself.  But the key line of the piece was this:

For one thing, there isn’t actually any such thing as Islamofascism — it’s not an ideology; it’s a figment of the neocon imagination.

What is it with Krugman and Andrew Sullivan suddenly taking themselves into “Imagination” world?  As if 9/11 never happened…. and 3,000 of our citizens weren’t killed by an organized, worldwide radical movement. 

But I digress….

It didn’t take long for those imaginary Islamofascists to prove Krugman a fool.

Hate Literature Easily Found at UK Mosques – Telegraph (UK) …. (h/t – The Corner)

Researchers for the centre-Right think tank Policy Exchange claims it found the literature in a quarter of the 100 mosques and Islamic institutions they visited.

Many of the publications allegedly called on British Muslims to segregate themselves from non-Muslims and for unbelievers to be treated as second-class citizens wherever possible.

The literature also allegedly contained repeated calls for gays to be thrown from mountains and tall buildings and for women to be subjugated.

Policy Exchange said that among the documents were the anti-Semitic forgery, The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion, and other publications peddling bizarre conspiracy theories.

Anthony Browne, the director of Policy Exchange, said: “It is clearly intolerable that hate literature is peddled at some British mosques.

“I am sure the majority of moderate Muslims will be as horrified as everyone else that pamphlets advocating jihad by force, hatred for insufficiently observant Muslims, Christians and Jews, and segregationhave found their way into the UK’s mosques.”

Yep, I’m sure.  We’ve been waiting for the moderate Muslims to take back their religion for quite some time.  I have no doubt this will be the latest tipping point.  (*sarcasm off*)

Someone please help me…. I don’t recall the last time any similar hate propaganda has been easily found at Christian churches or Jewish synagogues.   I’m happy to be proved wrong.

What is so funny (if it weren’t pathetic) is that Krugman has been played the fool by the very folks he says don’t exist and aren’t a threat. 

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

PS – Krugman’s separation of Iran from the larger Islamic terror threat is very disingenuous as both Iran has been documented to support Islamic terror groups around the world with cash, troops and weapons.

Media Bias in Coverage of Israeli Response to Terrorist Attacks from Gaza

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In few areas is the media as biased as it is in its coverage of Israel. Almost from the moment Israel turned over control of the Gaza Strip to Palestinian authorities in 2005, residents of the territory have fired rockets into sovereign Israeli territory. Last year, terrorists crossed into Israel murdering several soldiers and kidnapping another. They’re still holding that man hostage.

In order to tighten the screws on Hamas, the terrorist organization which controls the Strip, and get it to comply with international law, Israel is reducing the amount of electricity and natural gas it supplies to the territory. But, instead of focusing in Hamas’s toleration (indeed, sanction) of rocket attacks (from territory it controls) on civilian targets in Israel for two years, a McClatchy newspaper report (featured on Yahoo!’s home page) focuses on the toll of the Israeli cut-off on the Palestinians.

At the same time, this “news” service gives short shrift to the toll of the Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel.

If this news outlet were less biased, they might also consider how the policies of the terrorist administration of the territory drain the lifeblood of Gaza’s economy away. For example, author Dion Nissenbaum writes, “Greenhouses along the coast lie abandoned.” He doesn’t note that Israelis built those greenhouses when they controlled the territory and that Palestinians looted them right after the Jewish State ceded control. That is, the greenhouses have not been abandoned because of Israeli policies, but because of the failiure of Palestinian authorities to secure and rebuild them.

Nissenbaum does include two quotations from one Israeli official defending the reductions (at the end of the article), but largely focuses on the economic privations of the Gazans. Since he includes speculation that the Israeli cut-off may violate international law, he should also point out that the Palestinian rocket attacks clearly violate international law and note as well the United Nations has done nothing to stop them.

If he were an honest reporter, he would begin by noting that Israeli is limiting the supply of electricity and natural gas to Gaza in response to terrorist attacks coming from Gaza, rather than waiting until the end of his article to introduce this information.

The Clintonite Responses of Some Readers (& Others)

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A couple weeks ago, while I was driving in the Northeast, The Hill newspaper reported the response of Hillary Clinton’s campaign to allegations that the former First lady “listened to a secretly recorded conversation between political opponents“:

Clinton’s spokesman panned the book [Her Way: The Hopes and Ambitions of Hillary Rodham Clinton, detailing the allegations] but declined to discuss the allegation that Clinton had reviewed secretly recorded calls. “We don’t comment on books that are utter and complete failures,” said Clinton’s press secretary, Philippe Reines.

How typical of the Clintons, attack the messenger without responding to the question.

It seems that some of our critics have developed a similar strategy to deal with our points, attack us (as self-hating or motivated by currying favor with other conservatives) rather than respond to our arguments. Indeed, a recent comment reminded me that that was how Log Cabin leaders used to respond to criticism (and suggestions for improvement) that I, other chapter presidents and even board members (when half the board was elected by the clubs) made about the national office.

Instead of addressing our points, they ascribed our motives as personal.

That is perhaps the main reason that I have been quick to praise new Log Cabin President Patrick Sammon’s manner (e.g., here) while disagreeing with his method (e.g., here). It is partially in tribute to his attitude that I’m going to the Log Cabin meeting tonight in LA when I would rather stay at home and relax.

It makes a huge difference in the morale of the organization when its leader shows understanding for the diverse viewpoints of its membership.

All that said, I still think Log Cabin would be better served if it had not run the Romney ads and if it did something to distinguish itself from HRC and the other gay groups on gay issues. At the same time, it needs develop a strategy with media fanfare similar to that of the Romney ads to show its commitment to electing Republicans — and defeating Democrats.

Back when I was involved in Log Cabin the greatest problem we club presidents had was the failure of the national office to solicit (or even consider) our viewpoints while claiming credit for successes at the local level.

Perhaps, I just wrote this post because when I blog, I put my ideas out there, hoping others will respond to them in the spirit they are offered. I had done so when I was more actively involved in Log Cabin, but too often found my ideas ignored or misrepresented and my motives attacked. I response I encounter all too often from our critics on this blog.

Our regular readers should be well aware of how much I appreciate civil discourse. And those who attack us, particularly Republicans, should be aware of how much their attitudes smack of Clintonite tactics: when faced with criticism, dodge the issue and attack the messenger.

Let us hope that the American people wake up to Mrs. Clinton’s eagerness to dodge a real discussion of her record. And that our harshest critics, many of whom spend so much time on this blog, open themselves up to our ideas.

I am more optimistic about the good sense of my fellow Americans.

Five Minutes from Recovery

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When I was planning my cross country trip, I set the dates based on prior obligations I had at the end of the month, thinking that after this journey, I could ease right back into the swing of things. How wrong I was!

After this type of excursion, especially given the difficult drives through the mountains after a snow storm and into Southern California during the fires, I really needed a day, just to relax, read and recover. But, I’ve been busy with events (and dinners with family and friends) every night since my return. Indeed, tonight, I’m off to the Log Cabin meeting to hear Patrick Sammon. (More on that in my next post.)

Anyway, today, as I began the day, I did feel I was getting back up to speed, beginning the morning with my pre-trip reading routine, getting back to John O’Sullivan’s The President, the Pope, and the Prime Minister: Three Who Changed the World, a book I didn’t have time to get to on the trip and about which I hope to blog later in the week. And this reading for knowledge (as opposed to reading for pleasure alone) should help me get back into the background reading for my dissertation.

This morning, I felt if I could get just one full night’s sleep, I’d be back to normal. And as soon as I am, I’ll be back to blogging at a regular pace.

A somewhat related piece, but not related directly to loss of focus from cross country drives: Extra Rest Helps You Recover.

Poor Al Gore…. Hurricane Doom Not At Hand

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It looks like the folks who really know about weather were right:  the meterologists that are guided by science and not by ideology. 

If you recall, over the past two years (since Katrina) the scientific weather experts (again… they are called meterologists)  including former Hurricane Center directors, were saying we were coming to the end of a 20-Year Hurricane Cycle.

They, not Al Gore, were right.  2006 and 2007 have been some of the lowest activity level for Atlantic Hurricanes in HISTORY.

With October nearly done circling the drain, I figure it is about time to bring out the broom : Northern Hemisphere tropical cyclone activity is at historically low levels .

In fact, September 2007 suffered the lowest ACE since 1977 ! Even scarier, so far 2006 and 2007 have the lowest October ACE since 1976 and 1977.  And, unnaturally, Sept-Oct 2007 is the lowest since 1977.

Yet, the tropical cyclone season was not shaping up to be such a ghastly bust.  For about a week in June, NH ACE was exceeding climatology but then bit the proverbial dust until mid-August when a noticeable comeback ensued. It has been downhill since.

So, a naysayer over at the Huffington Post or the Daily Green may wonder why we use such metrics such as ACE/PDI or Tropical Cyclone days when we could use better metrics like number of category 5’s making landfall or storms that have intensified the fastest or perhaps number of pumpkins.

There are even some spooky hints that the 2007 (Atlantic) Tropical Cyclone season is being “spun” to appear “dead” and inconsistent with the predominant trend.  Also, a “storm pundit” would remind that us that the year is not in the grave and we may see hyper-activity (a.k.a. global warming proof) to come.

*cue dramatic music*

Global Warming enters the room with flowing black cape behind:  “Dammit all to Hell.  How am I supposed to live up to my end of the bargain with Al Gore when God keeps throwing us curve balls?  Gore and I will never be able to completely brainwash those stupid humans at this rate!”

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

Conduct Unbecoming A Candidate

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This is a campaign sign for Carlos Del Toro, who is the Democrat candidate running against incumbent Delegate Mark Cole (R) in my Virginia district. Notice anything unusually tacky about it? It is one thing to use one’s military service as a commendable part of their resume for public office it is quite another to do so in this fashion. The “(RET.)” may skirt DoD regs and election laws, but his use of military rank like this violates the spirit of them and is certainly crass behavior on the part of a retired officer. It should be noted that Cole himself is a retired US Navy Commander, yet nowhere on his campaign signs do I see this kind of crude display as I do with Del Toro. Now since I am voting for Cole due to his views on many issues all of this may seem just a wee bit partisan on my part. Nope, not at all. When Republicans do this it is just as bad and I invite everyone to bring this to the attention of the offending campaigns and the public-at-large. I honor those who serve or have served in the military and while it isn’t a requirement, do see it as a bonus when choosing a candidate. Yet military service should not be cheapened like this.

— John (Average Gay Joe)

Help Out Southern California!

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As we Americans have shown time after time…. we open up our hearts and give our resources in times of need — whether its New Orleans or Thailand.

The good folks in Southern California who survived the brushfires, but may have lost all of their possessions, now need our help.

I donated to Direct Relief International on Friday to help those in Southern California.

Direct Relief International provides medical assistance to improve the quality of life for people victimized by poverty, disaster, and civil unrest at home and throughout the world. We work to strengthen the in-country health efforts of our partners by providing essential material resources – medicines, supplies and equipment. 

I chose this organization because my company matches my personal contribution dollar-for-dollar. 

There are of course many other good and reputable organizations, like the American Red Cross.  Just please take a moment today and do some good for your fellow Americans on the West Coast.  Give what you can.

-Bruce (GayPatriot)