Of Safe Havens, The Duke and Elliot Moore

“I will wash the dishes while you go have a beer...”

“Where is my John Wayne?
Where is my prairie son?
Where is my happy ending?
Where have all the cowboys gone? "
-Paula Cole (from This Fire, 1996)

"All battles are fought by scared men who'd rather be some place else."
-John Wayne (Capt. Rockwell Torrey, “In Harm’s Way”)

When a jolt of bad news hits me hard enough, I usually have a hard time getting it out of my head for a while. I still have no clue why I get the unavoidable odd pop-culture references, but that’s therapy for another time.

In “The Happening” M. Night Shyamalan used shockingly violent imagery to set the tone of his 2008 film depicting a pandemic of unexplainable, self-destructive behavior. Shyamalan excels at building suspenseful, compelling and gripping stories whose subplots deliver extremely poignant underlying messages. If you haven’t seen this film, a good scan of IMDB will reveal why today the following situation sent my movie-thinking brain into a tailspin.

On November 14th Nebraska lawmakers will begin a special session to address problems growing out of that state’s “Safe Haven Law". It seems there’s been a rash of “returns”, and children as old as 17 are being “dropped off” at emergency rooms. “Safe Haven” laws stem from well-intentioned efforts aiming to protect newborn infants from troubled parents tempted to terminate them or abandon them in trash bins and alleys. It is common for these laws to include anonymity and immunity for the parent or person depositing the unfortunate child. It is expected that Nebraska lawmakers will seek to add age limitations where none previously existed…focusing the program on infants.

I find no fault with any legislative effort that promotes a culture of life. More concerning to me is that the laws are necessary. Texas passed the first act in 1999, paving the way for 44 more states that adopted similar laws. Intended as a rescue measure for infants who might otherwise be terminated or eventually abused or neglected, Safe Haven measures do provide an answer to a sickeningly apparent need. As critics of these laws note, providing sanction for abandonment only invites the behavior. Involuntarily, other big government solutions to societal ills still run through my mind. It just so happens that the Nebraska dilemma has given us an opportunity to look up as the bodies begin to fall from the buildings.

What hit me harder than teenagers and infants being abandoned to the state was just how much of today's "solutions" actually encourage self-destructive behavior. Are real men an endangered species?

Paula Cole’s 1996 hit single “Where Have All The Cowboys Gone” tells the story of a woman who experiences the romance of being swept off her feet, only to end up being distraught, abandoned and lonely. Whether you listen or read the lyrics, ask yourself…is she lamenting her loss and crying out for “policies” or “programs”?

In “Stagecoach” John Wayne’s character [Ringo Kid] says “Well, there are some things a man just can’t run away from.” I’m sorry to say that in 21st century U.S.A he most certainly can, and he does. More Homer Simpson than Monte Walsh, we of Monday Night Football and "pull my finger" fame have an uphill battle to fight.

We should worry just a bit. I mean, how depressing is it that in our search for “true grit” and the leadership of rugged individualism we find ourselves hanging on to the promise of a feminine ass-kicking Governor from Alaska? Wake up, boys! It’s time we held our fellow man accountable for what he does wrong, and what he does not do, for the fairer gender of our species.

We won't make progress asking the state or U.S. governments to take over for us.

Tell them to “Keep The Change”.

Chivalrous Bob

treo_bob@yahoo.com

Life is hard; it's harder if you're stupid.”
-John Wayne

“If everything isn't black and white, I say, "Why the hell not?"
-John Wayne

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Jackass: Not the Movie

Children are born with tremendous potential, receiving gifts from their generational pool. Becoming the best of surprise packages as they grow, learn and achieve, our own personalities are challenged. The parental interface to deal with their successes and failures season us. Our expressions of joy and sadness when we look into their little faces and see our own image and hidden fears provides the backdrop of the human condition. Secretly, we hope they surpass us and validate our own lives. So we extend to them opportunity. But in seeking enriched learning experiences for a child should we hand them a weapon?

That is exactly what a father allowed when his eight year old son was handed a weapon at a gun show. It would have been nice if the intended target, a pumpkin, had been the recipient of the high velocity projectile. Sadly, a family is laying a child to rest and the only jackass in this real life scenario is the father.

We are not reading about a bow and arrow or a small and easily palmed “Saturday night special”. Think Uzi. I remember my first opportunity to fire off an M-16 at a target 200 yards down range and a morning familiarization session firing from standing, kneeling and prone positions. Navy instructors spent approximately an hour teaching us how to sight up the scope, load the magazine and tap it more snugly into place with our boot. We learned about trigger pressure, needed concentration, and the awareness of our buddies on the range. Our weapons were on safety until the command was given to shoot. We fired on command, laid down our weapons on command, and everything but breathing and the sweat pouring off our faces in Texas summer heat were controlled by the range master. The next morning my shoulder was tender from using a weapon which had quite a recoil kick to it. I am an adult. The whole thing made an impression on me.

There is a rather cute video clip making the rounds of a young girl rapidly dismantling and then performing a reassembly of a weapon. She pulls it off in less time than it takes to drink a Dr. Pepper. She has been trained to perform a task. But then I have to pull back and evaluate. Is she engaged in an age-appropriate activity? Do advanced tools and weapons belong in the hands of children, or are they the domain of adults? Does a child have the wisdom to handle a weapon with awesome power and deadly potential?

We would never consider strapping an eight year old boy into a race car that accelerates from zero to sixty in nine seconds and handing him the car keys. The velocity of a bullet leaving the chamber is just as dangerous.

In trying to make Papa proud, a father recreated “Jackass, the Movie”. But in this case, it is not a movie. A child is dead. Please take a moment to assess age-appropriate activities for your progeny.

Tammy Swofford

Three Little Senators: Stevens, Obama and McCain

House of Straw - Senator Ted Stevens
Ted Stevens was found guilty of 7 felony counts of corruption on Monday, just eight short days before he faces off with popular Democrat Anchorage Mayor, Mark Begich, for the seat Stevens has held for 40 years. The defense's numerous requests for a mistrial were not granted. Stevens's pleas of ignorance of the extravagant gifts he received from Bill Allen were not credible. Not even testimony from Colin Powell that Stevens's character is "sterling" could make the jury believe that Stevens acted ethically. (As a side note, Powell is also endorsing Obama.) The "Plan B" appeals process was probably on the defense team's agenda, even before the jury selection process began. Be assured, we haven't heard the last of this case.

On Tuesday, McCain and Palin called on Stevens to step down. True to his nature, Stevens is stubbornly staying on the ballot. It's ironic that, as a convicted felon, he will not be able to vote. I think Stevens is overestimating his popularity. Alaskan voters may be loyal, but after the political corruption cases and convictions our state has already been through, some involving Allen, this might be the last straw. Stevens came out with radio ads on Tuesday, hoping to clear his name in the court of public opinion and win the election next week. These felony convictions might be the gust of wind that blows the Stevens house down.

House of Sticks - Senator Barack Obama
Obama is maintaining his lead in the polls, more an outline than a final draft. We should know the decision next week. Aside from Obama being the first black or mixed-race candidate on the ballot, he is also pulling in more donations than any candidate in history. This is mostly because he decided not to accept public financing. (It's that little box on your tax form that you can check to donate $3.) He is the first candidate since the creation of the Federal Election Campaign Act to go this route. Before he received the nomination, he said he would limit campaign fundraising. As the Democratic candidate, he has, so far, raised over $603 million. Some big donations have come from large corporations, but 90% of his funds have come from individuals. One of his donors, listed as "Doodad" who is employed by "Loving", has donated $17,000, an amount above the federal limit. Anything under $200 can be anonymous. It makes you wonder about the validity of those rumors of donations from Hamas. I'd also like to know how much money Rev. Wright, Bill Ayers and Rashid Khalidi, et al, have donated. I'd be a fool to think they haven't. I may be many things, but I'm not a fool.

On Tuesday Obama campaigned in Chester, PA. Where was Joe Biden? I saw footage of "Joe the Plumber" on the stump, replying in agreement to a citizen's concerns that an Obama presidency would be detrimental to Israel. I haven't seen much from "Joey the Shark" since the October 23 interview with WFTV's Barbara West. Obama's talent for giving speeches is inarguable. He projected through the "chilly" rain. (50 degrees? Ha!) Not surprisingly, there was no mention of taxing the rich to give to the poor. Maybe he's rethinking his socialism strategy? Don't get your hopes up. In this final leg of the race, Obama seems to be borrowing from McCain's plan. Like McCain, he now promises to go line-by-line through the federal budget to reform government spending and, like McCain, he now promises to develop a rescue plan to stop foreclosures. I'm not sure how he will afford his planned "middle class tax cuts", while proposing new government spending that will reach $1 trillion. I fear we are being promised a carrot, but in the end all we'll get is the stick.

House of Brick - Senator John McCain
McCain is somewhat behind in the polls. Nobody polled me or anyone I know. (Did you participate in a national poll? If so, please write a comment and tell us about your experience.) McCain is limited to $84.1 million in spending, since he agreed to traditionally accept public financing. However, a telling fact might be that the Republican National Committee has raised $337 million, as compared to the Democrats' $206 million. I'd be willing to bet there aren't many "Doodad" family members on the GOP forms. Due to campaign finance rules, McCain can only accept $19 million of RNC money directly into his campaign. Now, I see Obama's face everywhere, in online ads, TV ads, newspaper ads, and the upcoming, World Series-delaying, infomercial. Does it bother you that terrorist funds might be pushing back America's Game? (My team didn't make it this year.) McCain's campaign is not flush, but his message has been consistently steady. Sure, Sarah Palin has had some help with her campaign wardrobe, but this is an important job interview. Anyway, you've seen her. She could wear a burlap sack and be as attractive and as effective.

On Tuesday McCain and Palin campaigned in Hershey, PA, with their spouses. I think they are aware that people are wondering what their working relationship will be, as they have both certainly proven that they work well independently. Not surprisingly, they agree on some major issues facing our nation. According to McCain and Palin, the government should take less of our earnings in taxes, across the board. They want to double the child tax exemption, cut the capital gains tax, and cut business taxes for companies that don't outsource to foreign countries. (Personally, I think a flat tax with exemptions might work. Steve Forbes for Treasury Secretary!) We should stop buying foreign oil, beyond the energy we can produce here. McCain and Palin are for offshore drilling, safe nuclear energy and clean coal technology. Does that sound like new jobs to you? We know they want to cut excessive government spending and earmarks. These sound like rock solid ways to shore up our economy. McCain's foreign policy and national security strategies will add stability to our nation.

The only thing I haven't heard from McCain or Obama, because they need the Hispanic and Asian votes, is how they will deal with the issue of illegal immigration. Like town square projects around the nation, I'd donate money for a brick in that particular wall.

-Blackfoot

Insurgency and Reconfiguration of the Battlespace

The limited U.S. military surgical strategic strike into Syria was not a heel-crushing endeavor. But with limited excursions into Pakistan it demonstrates how warfare is evolving to one without borders. If porous borders allow for non-state players to move freely from danger to safety zones in hours, not days of time, a changing doctrine of warfare must be mounted. Operationally we will continue to upgrade our own capabilities to engage the flexible and fluid nature of insurgency which allows rapid movement across borders leaving only the smallest of footprints.

It is not likely that deep strikes will be made into urban centers of commerce or that tanks will roll across the sands again in the ongoing efforts to secure the future of Iraq. But it is reality which dictates what moves across the planning table these days. Regions bordering those where we have strategic interests, whether Iraq or Afghanistan, will most likely continue to see a bit of operational pruning to sustain border stability.

Operationally there will continue to be civilian casualties, again, due to the nature of insurgency operations. The movement of fighters depends on supportive operations from the civilian population along the border regions. It is miniaturized guerrilla warfare. This type of warfare always exacts a civilian toll.

The administration of president Bashar al-Assad retains the right to lodge either complaint or concern against the breach of Syrian territory. Undoubtedly it will be countered with real time intelligence showing the necessity of a brief show of force. Maintenance of border security is good for all sides. Seeking to extract something from our American hide which exposes their own Syrian flank will most likely not produce much more than a ripple within the international community. Reasonable men, understand these issues. Border security requires the cooperation of neighbors on both sides. But the side which is being threatened is willing to make the border a permeable membrane for military action. Just my thoughts, folks.


Tammy Swofford

When a Little Girl Chooses Prostitution

She was five years old entering our temporary custody in the hall assigned to children in the lock-up ward of a psychiatric facility. There wasn’t much to treat except family dysfunction. Kassie (fictitious name) was a sweetheart. The state was trying to find placement for her. She came in as did many other children: with only the clothes on her back, no toothbrush, dirty, and the voracious appetite seen among little tykes who have figured out that meals come only when their caregiver is in the mood to feed them. Eating until they practically throw up, these kids eat like bears storing adipose for winter.

The question was innocent enough. The counselor asked Kassie what she wanted to be when she grew up. Her answer stunned us. “I want to be a whore, just like my mother.” At five years of age this child had developed the ability to make correlations. When momma had men over and closed the bedroom door, the men were something special. When they scuttled on out of the apartment, momma had money on the pillow. Just like the Tooth Fairy!

My guess is that Kassie is “a whore” today…. just like her mother. It is a choice which does not solely dwell in the realm of morality or immorality. For many prostitutes the decision to enter the sex industry has little to do with conscience and a whole lot to do with lack of education and sustainable life skills. It has to do with unbearable childhood experiences and home environments where children can receive less nurturing than that extended by a mother in the animal kingdom toward her young.

Maria Shriver hosted the 2008 California Women’s Conference last week. The website is full of beautiful people. Glamorous pictures and biographical sketches provide a glimpse of both women and men who have achieved noteworthy success. They smell good, look great and have nice health plans. The group did sponsor a food drive for the poor of California. But I cannot find anything on the site to address a critical women's health issue: Prostitution.

Naturally, the ladies at the conference don’t look like the prostitutes I have cared for as a nurse working at a charity hospital with a high demographic of poor. Women being trafficked into prostitution rarely have the successful look of Julia Roberts, the actress in the film “Pretty Woman”. They prefer a tattoo over a manicure, use a toothbrush for reasons other than periodontal health and sometimes show up in the emergency room to get a work-related injury checked out. High risk ventures can bring a few extra bucks. Should we be reviled thinking of these things? Or is it another little Kassie, all grown up, who has just come across my path again? All my self-righteous indignation went out the window when I fell in love with a little girl who wanted to grow up to be a whore.

I wish the California Women’s Conference agenda had addressed the push in San Francisco to decriminalize prostitution. I wish there had been a conference speaker educating the attendees on human trafficking of women. But of course not! Nice women don’t discuss these things. We discuss how to dress for success, decorating and juggling our careers and children.

Should we be willing to move past our discomfort? Can we talk about the health dangers associated with prostitution? Can we speak, not in hushed terms, of what it says about America when we move prostitution into the mainstream? Can we consider how to dissuade our own daughters from this career path if prostitution is just a legal fee-for-service? Or is it easier not to dirty our hands? What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, I guess.

Alongside decent American men there resides a small demographic, a segment of men who look at women and think “all terrain recreational vehicle”. No brain required, just let me pay ya' by the mile, er.... for the sexual act. I think Kassie probably has a lot of mileage put on her at this point. I hope she hasn’t also used abortion as birth control. I hope she is safe.

Prostitution has been around since the world started turning. The existence of the sex trade is a reality. But when I found out that little Kassie decided to be a whore at age five, this issue started to intrude into my private thoughts. No longer was prostitution just an issue of the “rebellious teen” being cast adrift from a loving home and deliberately mocking her upbringing. No longer was it about hookers needing to support a drug habit. Prostitution became an issue of little girls; little girls who knew seduction before femininity and sex before love. Kassie really never had a chance, did she? Decriminalizing prostitution is bad for society. It will certainly make things worse for little girls.

We Empower link to speakers

Tammy Swofford
tammyswofford@yahoo.com

When Chickens Come Home to Roost

October 23rd passed quietly for most of us. For some American military families it was the 25th anniversary of the death of a child wearing the cloth of our nation. The Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon came under attack on that day. A new front was dramatically opened to the public eye, that of suicide bombings.

Sometimes the chickens come home to roost. On the heels of the suicide bombing of the Marriott in Islamabad, a concerted effort is underway to install surveillance cameras in major market areas. High traffic areas such as the Jinnah supermarket region will receive metal detectors, drop down barriers, and rerouting of traffic access to the side markets.

James Oppenheim runs a great site for coverage of news coming out of Pakistan.

For the reader looking for Hadith on whether it is halal or haram to have gold teeth implants, the best book on this topic is the one by Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi titled "Al-Halal Wal-Haram". Looking to the Qur'an: Al-Imran 180. Pay your zakat and get your teeth fixed. smile

San Francisco, cultural epicenter and beacon of enlightened and genteel citizenry wants to decriminalize prostitution. Let's talk about that Monday. Why is it a bad move? Remember, the chickens come home to roost when we least expect it.

Tammy Swofford

McCain: Had You Sold Them The Rope?

“The capitalists will sell us the rope with which we will hang them.”
- Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov (a.k.a. Lenin, on what became "useful idiots" usage)

"I would rather have a clean government than one where quote First Amendment rights are being respected, that has become corrupt. If I had my choice, I'd rather have the clean government."
-John McCain

I have a visceral distaste for the use of the left-right continuum, but since we've been conditioned by political elites and liberals to believe being "Moderate" is virtuous, then why did the Democrat[ic] Party choose a staunch, principled socialist to run for president? Why did Republicans run from principled conservatism? Try studying democratic socialism. Follow that link and try to ignore the chill on your spine as you read about Hugo Chavez, Daniel Ortega, Sandanistas, market socialism, economic planning, and "Third Way".

Here is a quote from the page: In contrast, in other definitions, democratic socialism simply refers to all forms of socialism that follow an electoral, reformist or evolutionary path to socialism, rather than a revolutionary one .

Oh! Well that makes it all better. Why was I worried? For those who for months shouted us right-wing nuts down, allow me to first say “I told you so”.

In 2002, Congress passed the “Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act”. It passed the Senate on a 60-40 vote, barely obtaining the necessary votes to stop a filibuster. It was signed into law by neo-conservative George W. Bush, and for the most part has weathered continuing challenges in court. Also known as the “McCain-Feingold bill”, it limits free political speech and contribution. It continues to be one of several trophies John McCain polishes in public when highlighting his “reaching across the aisle” skills.

John McCain honestly believes his credibility and leadership is demonstrated in his many differences with Republican peers. He touts this independence to differentiate himself from his rival, Barack Obama. It is accurate to point out that Obama has never challenged the leaders of his own party, and also true that challenging your own party can provide a measure of credibility regarding your internal locus of control. At what frequency, however, does visiting the other side look more like sitting there?

The real problem lies in the fact that Senator McCain’s “moderate” achievements cannot be changed. His past makes it far too easy for Obama to flank him or neutralize otherwise legitimate charges. They can be countered with simple misdirection tactics, which Obama has used with the help of a willing press. When McCain finally invoked "socialism" thanks to Obama’s candid remarks to “Joe the Plumber”, John nervously clings to the phrase "spreading the wealth around" to be nice. When dragged into the open, Obama calls out McCain on the stump for being disingenuous because he supported “the bailout”. Notice that Obama changes the subject to McCain “being socialist” as well instead of disputing the charge. Two wrongs don’t make it right, guys.

Senator Obama has raised over $150 million in his campaign, having refused public financing as he vowed to do initially, surpassing John McCain who shook hands across the aisle. Why can’t moderates understand that leftists see politics as war by other means? As a result the all-important “ground game” kicks in with “The Maverick” at a disadvantage. From ACORN’s generation of excess ballots (for stuffing) in battleground states to the largest-ever assembled team of lawyers (knowing where to run their routes), the defense of our democratic republic from the forces of “Third Way” hybrid socialism falls heavily upon those of us who have caught McCain’s arrows for many years. Should we be fortunate enough to have a President-elect McCain on November 5, he should be grateful to a vast number of people who today say “I AM JOE”.

Only now are people beginning to see what has been self-titled the "Third Way". Perhaps now people will accept that “moderate” is a fallacious and moving target created by leftists to avoid the negative stigma of liberalism/socialism labels and to lure less-principled conservatives into wonkish traps of incrementalism. If “foot soldier” McCain had been paying attention to Reagan when he should, he wouldn’t be cramming for this exam and cheating off of the popular girl in the next row.

Senator, you have my vote. I hope you appreciate us now.

Bob Miller

treo_bob@yahoo.com

Additional Reading:

Crisis is the Friend of the State, John Stossel

Lenin's Useful Idiots, Patrick Joubert Conlon

I Just Can't Do It

I can’t vote in the presidential election this year. I have so many disagreements with so many people in power that I just cannot do it. Obama is a socialist in my view. Now, this is nothing new to our country. We already have socialism all over the place, but they are called “entitlements”. Medicare, Medicaid, SSI, public education for legal and illegal students and of course the mother of all entitlements: insurance for the elected officials. Obama makes me nervous. He reminds me of a used car salesman that is a little bit too slick. Too many promises to a great many people have come from his camp. Imagine that: a politician feeding you rainbow stew (to quote Merle). This is different, though. People believe that he is going to deliver on these promises immediately upon entering office. That is not going to happen due to the severe economic conditions of the country. Why is Obama so popular since the economic crash? Likely because he represents what voters feel is a change. Obama is working for change, and you will be working for change too because he is going to tax your butts off. There is no doubt in my mind that any middle class tax cut will be offset by other government programs that require increases sooner rather than later. The middle class has always claimed to be oppressed and for the most part, they probably are pulling a heavy share of the load. That is part of being an American. You pay your taxes and get warm fuzzies doing it. Local, state, federal, hospital district, school district and other taxes are killing the middle class. So, I agree with Obama’s idea to give relief to the guy on the bottom. However, I don’t think it will happen and I doubt seriously if it will work to restore confidence in the economy. You do not enhance the middle class by taxing the people who create jobs to excess. Obama doesn’t have many positions I agree with and I believe him to be the Trojan Horse that he has been proclaimed to be recently.

John McCain is a military man who spent time in prison camps during the Vietnam era. Nothing that McCain has said gives me confidence that he will be able to pull our country together and end the financial crisis. He is 72 years old and has had several health problems. That will leave us with an uncertain future if Sarah Palin becomes president. I admit that I absolutely adore Sarah. She has been the brightest spot in this election because she doesn’t take herself too seriously yet she is a tough woman who will not be pushed around by a bunch of liberals. However, her experience level worries me. Mayor, governor and then VP are not out of line for someone’s ascension to a position of power. However, doing so in only 4 years or less is a cause for concern. My admiration for Gov. Palin is shared by many, but I just do not think she is ready for prime time. That being said, I am unnerved by the lack of a fiscal policy by the Republicans. I am a believer in the free market enterprise system and I believe that creation of jobs comes from those who invest in businesses. But I would like to hear more about how to create jobs, lower taxes and balance the budget. At this point, all I see is more of the same deficit spending and tax refunds to “kick start” the economy.

Neither candidate for president brings anything to the table that makes me want to vote for him. Biden is an absolute no-no for me. Palin is charming, but inexperienced. My days of voting for a party instead of principles are over. I believe that Obama is the next president. I believe that within the first 100 days we will regret it greatly. John McCain is a war hero, but pretty much describable as a jerk. His first 100 days would be no better than Obama. While I am not voting in the presidential ballot, I encourage you to do what makes you feel comfortable within the booth. The great thing is, either way you vote you probably will regret it. I won’t. I might be a bit optimistic here, though.

Rev. Mr. Bro. Dr. Jeff Cunningham, DC

First Lady 44: Cindy McCain or Michelle Obama?

Fast forward to January 20, 2009. Depending on the outcome, this is the First Lady we can expect:

Cindy McCain might follow in the footsteps of Laura Bush.
Laura did not start out as a political spouse, and was even a bit reluctant to be a national public figure; but she grew into the role nicely. She came into the White House with a strong focus on her family. She is a supportive spouse who lets George do his job, and who has found her own way to contribute in her particular areas of interest and of national concern. She is close with her daughters, which is reflected in their chosen career paths, and with her mother and in-laws. Mrs. Bush is a selfless steward of the title of First Lady, a welcoming presence and avid preserver of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, and a gracious hostess to foreign guests.

Cindy McCain, 54, grew up in comfortable surroundings and is now part owner and Chairman of the lucrative Hensley & Company. However, her parents must have done something right. It would be simple enough to be the rich socialite wife of a U.S. Senator, but Cindy had a calling. Before meeting John, she earned degrees in Education and Special Education. She published "Movement Therapy: A Possible Approach" in 1978. She founded the American Voluntary Medical Team in 1988 and ran it until 1995, leading 55 medical missions to foreign countries. She has recently worked with HALO, Operation Smile, and CARE. In her humanitarian works, her passport has been stamped for many countries, including Bangladesh, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Mozambique, Angola, Morocco, Tanzania, India, Kuwait and Viet Nam. She has seen the bigger picture, firsthand. Cindy McCain would be a compassionate envoy and a great asset to our nation.

Cindy is supportive of her husband's career, but is content to remain separate from it. Her values are reflected in the McCain children. Meghan McCain is a well-spoken young woman who has taken an interest in her father's campaign. She gives speeches and interviews, and regularly posts on her blog. Cindy has, likely, had as much influence as John did on their sons' decisions to enter into military careers. She is quoted in the NY Daily News in August 1999 as saying:
"I have four children, and I hope and pray they'll have the opportunity and honor to serve our country in the Armed Forces. If that happens, I want a leader who would send my boys and girls into combat, who understands what combat means."
Bridget, who was adopted from a Mother Teresa orphanage, is now a happy and healthy teenager. With the kids grown, Cindy would be able to focus her attention on her White House duties. With her Education background and her interest in helping less fortunate people across the world, Cindy McCain would be a wonderful First Lady.

Michelle Obama might be more of a Hillary Clinton.
There was a component of Hillary's duty as First Lady that almost made you wonder if she thought she was Co-President. She was a highly-educated Ivy League lawyer and was outspoken enough to not let you forget it. She offered up a health care plan, which failed. She and daughter Chelsea took the opportunity to travel to India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. The trip was scrutinized as a glorified vacation, but I'm sure the two ladies softened some opinions of the U.S. We have to take small victories where we can. A shrewd businesswoman, it was probably Hillary's idea to rent out the Lincoln Bedroom, and I still wonder what "gifts" left the residence in her suitcases, never to return. Bill's marital indiscretions aside, both the Clintons and the Obamas seem to have chilly, if not antagonistic, relationships.

Michelle Obama, 44, was raised in a blue-collar household. Her parents held intellectual conversations around the dinner table, and Michelle and her brother were encouraged to get good educations and to give back to the community. Michelle has degrees in Law and Sociology, with a minor in African American studies. She has an impressive work resume, including corporate law at Sidley Austin, Assistant to Mayor Daley, Assistant Commissioner of Planning and Development, Executive Director of Public Allies, Associate Dean of Student Service for the University of Chicago, and VP of Community and External Affairs for the University of Chicago Medical Center. Now, I don't know the details of why she keeps switching jobs. I'm guessing she is climbing the ladder of success, but am not so sure there aren't some personality clashes involved. As we've heard on the campaign trail, Mrs. Obama can be pretty direct at times. If her husband is elected, I hope Michelle Obama is able to convey her "newfound pride" (Feb. 18, Milwaukee) in our country.

Michelle met her husband, when she was assigned to assist him when he was an associate at the law firm. Through her statements, I get the feeling she still "assists" him. There was the statement on the campaign trail about him leaving his dirty socks on the floor, which drew one of the frowns and sideways glances that Obama is known for. (See any joint interview with Biden.) One good house rule is that when he's on the road, he calls their daughters every evening before bedtime. As a First Lady, I think Michelle would be professional and courteous. Maybe if she took a reprieve from her career and took on the White House duties, she would loosen up and gain a sense of humor. An African-American First Couple would break the racial glass ceiling, albeit she would have a supporting role. Michelle Obama might not be the most approachable woman, but I don't take her as the type that would steal the White House china. After all, she could just borrow some from Hillary.

link to Meghan McCain's Blog

-Blackfoot

Richard Don Simms: The Sacrifices of War

Richard Don Simms is a blog reader who hails from a military family. He requested that I honor his father. The picture above shows a Navy man with his son cut from the same cloth. Omer Dee Simms lost his life when the USS Franklin came under attack during WW II. At seven years of age Richard became a fatherless child of war.

In his home in Fort Worth is a wall of honor which helps him remember a man who lived long enough to marry and put a branch on the family tree before giving his life in defense of our nation.

While we honor the greatest generation, it is important we acknowlege that residing in their strong shadow are a host of children who lost a parent in WW II. Things were different in that era. Richard knew his father had died because his mother cried all day when she received her telegram. But when he returned to school, nobody mentioned his Dad. No one said a word. He couldn't figure out why his world had stopped yet everyone else kept going. Young friends did not pause to acknowlege his loss. He learned years later that classmates had been instructed to "act like nothing happened". Too many deaths in that war, impossible to grieve on grand scale. Families in every community were effected. But children like Richard were at times left to sort it out for themselves and form their own opinions.

Richard Simms formed his convictions and grew up to be a man with deep devotion to country. You will find Mr. Simms at the USO at DFW International Airport every week in support of our troops. He brings piping hot cinnamon rolls and carries along his banjo to sing for our soldiers.

Richard, we remember your father today. Thank you for sending along this picture. And with gratitude, we acknowlege the sacrifices and hardships you endured as a child of war.

LCDR Tammy Swofford

A Lesson from Sophocles

"Faith dies; distrust is born.
And imperceptibly the spirit changes."

Oedipus at Colonus, from the “Theban Plays” by Sophocles.

Our nation has moved through a few tumultuous years. The latest blow to our national psyche was delivered last month. The collapse of our financial markets produced a mind-boggling government initiative to secure greater than 700 billion dollars for a massive salvage of the private financial sector. Many of us still oppose the bailout. We view it as encroaching federalism giving substantive new and invasive powers to a government which requires reduction and not expansion to be healthy. We are moving steadily away from the Republic envisioned by the signatories to our national Constitution.

Earlier, in “Oedipus the King”, Creon recounts the murder of King Laius with the words of the sole survivor of the attack:

“This man said that the robbers they encountered were many and the hands that did the murder were many; it was no man’s single power.”

As we look at the collapse of our financial structure we realize that it was not the power of a single man which caused the collapse. It was “the many hands” extended in greed. These were our own citizens. Some of our elected officials are complicit because of their neglect to perform duty as a sentinel of the public trust. Others remain distinct accomplices because of their acceptance of monetary compensation to raise less than a peep as opposed to a hell of a stink in light of the facts. Our elected officials who have actually had the backbone to send out an early warning were as lucky as canaries released into the shaft of a coal mine. They had the oxygen sucked right out of their lungs by the mockery of the "guardians of the public trust" who chose to respond like three little monkeys to a crisis of their own making.

Faith dies; distrust is born….the spirit changes. I have a creeping fear for Americans. I know this fear because I have had to weigh my own thoughts to sift the things that would bring an imperceptible, yet slow change, in how I view my nation.

The conclusion I have reached is the following. We must continue to demand accountability but without a spirit of bitterness. We must seek the punishment of those whose financial dealings have deliberately harmed our nation. Yet it must be done with humility and not arrogance. We must continue to move forward with conviction but never malice against our government. We must vote in November and not stay home. But vote we must. And a few scoundrels inside the Beltway must find themselves in need of new employment. Not to worry though.... they will become powerful lobbyists. O.K. I can feel the bitterness creeping in again. Time to check my own heart.

In the opening scene of “Oedipus the King” the stage is set much like the stage of our nation today:

“Children, young sons and daughters of old Cadmus,
why do you sit here with your suppliant crowns?
The town is heavy with a mingled burden
Of sounds and smells, and groans and incense;”

We have work to do. Our nation is heavily burdened. The mistress of debt is never satiated by her many lovers in our government. We need to clean our own House. But we must not allow distrust to be our overriding reason to cast the vote. Let us vote with faith in the process that has served us well for so many years. But let us engage the process with vigor and personal passion for this nation we love.

Tammy Swofford

Tying off Loose Islamic Threads

For those of you searching for the blogs on the Ayatollah structure, they can be found in the archives, June 16-19th. Just access them from the link on the right side of the page.

Earlier this week I expressed a concern for the welfare of children who were orphaned because of parents facing judicial punishment. I found the answer in my archived files of personal correspondence with Islamic scholars. Took me awhile.... but here is the concise answer.

"Children become the responsibility of near relatives. If there are no such relatives to take care of them, they become the responsiblity of the Islamic state....The details about the court system is open for the Islamic experts to decide. This is the matter of ijtehad, meaning analogical deduction to suit to a given time and situation. It is, therefore, obvious that an Islamic state may have various levels of courts and a supreme court for the final determination whether a given decision meets the Islamic criterion or violates it."
June 27, 2004 Dr. M. Amir Ali, Ph.D

For those who do not know, the Qur'an is also known as "the criterion" or Al-Furqan. smile

Everyone have a great weekend and the team will return on Monday.

Tammy Swofford

Freedom

While the State exists, there can be no freedom. When there is freedom there will be no State.
-Lenin, "State and Revolution", 1919

It’s what the junkie needs that the needle can’t give
The oppressed and the forgotten are praying for it
It’s what the brave and courageous are fightin’ for
An open sail on a distant shore
Freedom.
-Kenny Chesney, Freedom

One could argue that we have forgotten it. It is the value measurement of mankind. It is the hunger we should have but have lost, and it is the dream shared by every soul. In the mirror that is history it has been given and it has been taken. It has been bought and it has been sold. Man has been born and he has died not knowing its flavor or its aroma, and he has lived lifetimes drinking it in with such abandon that it spills in excess. It is the thankless man who wastes it, not the oppressed. How is it that such a gift, one so strong and yet so fragile, may be squandered?

What is it? Is freedom the power to control one’s own destiny? Is it, as Alan Dean Foster says, just chaos with better lighting? Or was Ronald Reagan more accurate in describing freedom as “the right to question and change the established way of doing things”? Most today utilize economic metrics to measure freedom’s footprint in our lives and through our myopia we rob ourselves.

Real freedom is having nothing. I was freer when I didn’t have a cent. -Mike Tyson, Sports Illustrated, March 1988

Today our leaders seem to ponder freedom so little they scarcely mention the word. In his acceptance speech of around 5000 words Barack Obama said "freedom" twice. In slightly less than 4000 words John McCain managed, through root and derivative, to mention "free" and "freer" once each. In each case, the speechwriters and candidates paid accurate and adequate lip service to freedom’s meaning and its intended use in standard political oratory. But I am left lacking when both left and right “agree to disagree” over who will fight harder to oversee the continued metastasis of an overbearing Federal government.

In my frustration I reached beyond the oft-quoted statesman and politician to challenge myself and reach for expressions of freedom's meaning. You may be surprised, should you be similarly motivated, to see how many of us actually would agree if we could see beyond simplistic affiliations. Was Lenin correct to set freedom and the state at odds? When you vote in November, whether it be candidates for executive office or local ballot measures, what result favors freedom if so?

Today I tell you to forget about campaigns, reporters and commercials. Seek freedom in all its expressions and forms. Read about it. Listen to it. From “freedom songs” of the civil rights movement to the defiant and reightous anger of country songs penned after “911”, music is but one artistic source where man pours out his emotion and his soul. Try a movie that springs to mind. Call up a passage from a book. I dare say that you will find a common thread, and you will surprise yourself in what moves you. Here’s some of what I found:

I saw a man on a TV
In a mask with a gun
A man on the TV
He had a ten-year old son
I Saw a man on the TV
His son had a gun
He says that he's coming for me
John Ondrasik (Five for Fighting), from Freedom Never Cries

When liberty is taken away by force it can be restored by force. When it is relinquished voluntarily by default it can never be recovered.
-Dorothy Thompson

Nobody can give you freedom. Nobody can give you equality or justice or anything. If you're a man, you take it.
-Malcom X, Malcolm X Speaks, 1965

Today I encourage and I challenge you. Do you love freedom? Do you seek more or less of it? If Lenin is right, do you owe it to your self and your children to surrender more, or less, of your freedoms to the state? Consult the founders should you wonder what its role should be. Only then should you vote.

Don’t let freedom die the death of indifference.

Happy hunting, and feel free to share what you find.


Bob Miller
treo_bob@yahoo.com

More Depressing News from Iran

Retained in my files is the OSD “Precedence List”. It is a nifty little address book, should I decide to invite Defense Secretary Robert Gates and his wife to the homestead for a big plate of Texas ribs n’ brisket. I would make my best potato salad to go with it too. It is always nice to send out a batch of invitations to the leaders who count. Now I know the nature of these things. Internet journalism gamblers all over the world send out “public letters” to people who would never spit on them if they were on fire. They hope to capture a bit of fame with a public rant which nobody cares to read. So I keep my own little list safe from prying eyes. I also keep it safe from me. I don't want to be spit upon either. smile

I would love to get my hands on the Precedence List for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei. But the hand that rocks the Persian cradle is a secretive kind of guy. Regardless, he sends out little blurbs into my email which I enjoy. I subscribed to his site years ago and it is one of many shards of glass which provide perspective when studying the kaleidoscope of changing mystery and beauty in the Middle East.

It seems Iran is having a difficult time accessing top tier international leadership to dine at their table. Their address book is thin these days. This week they worked off what was definitely not the A-list, but what appears to be a lower grade list of dignitaries. Now certainly topping the list was "Hojjat-ul-Islam" Sayyed Mohammad Khatami, as listed in the news brief. If you read the blogs on the Ayatollah structure the honorific title of Hojjat-ul-Islam is discussed. Khatami is the prior Iranian president, deemed more moderate than current president Ahmadinejad, who has a phobia about women and elevators dating back to his days when Mayor of Tehran.

Former Norwegian premier Kjell Magne Bondevik was in attendance as was former premier Sadiq-al-Mahdi from the Sudan. Ex-Portuguese president George Sampaio was present alongside ex-Italian premier Romano Prodit. Thus reads the grand list of “formers and exes”. An interesting addition to the mix is Bishop John Bryson Chane, most likely engaged with interfaith dialogue. It is a good time for him to make his presence known since Iran is ramping up for a sturdy addition to their penal code. Judicial punishment for apostasy will soon be on the books to pounce on the unsuspecting. I have tried to access information as to how the state organ will provide for orphaned children if a mother receives a life sentence in prison. So far, no clear answers are forthcoming, but the statute is still in draft status, albeit heavily supported among the Majlis-al-Shura.

Tehran’s access to “formers and exes” is as valuable as "farmers with axes". They are tearing up the soil of thought with hand-held tools while the combines are traveling down the international road possibly ready to thresh their human wheat if they threaten our own human crop with nuclear annihilation.

I remain within the camp which supports active engagement and negotiation to keep all of us from watching our hair fall out in clumps should we survive a nuclear attack by an enemy. But it is depressing news coming our of Iran which does not highlight the successes of isolationism, but rather its deficits. A reinvigorated foreign policy stance is sorely needed. The leaders who showed up at the table with Ayatollah Khamenei provided variety, but not much substantial gain nor bargaining power for the looming issues at hand.

Tammy Swofford

ACORN Grows to be a Mighty Poison Oak

You thought Elvis was dead? ACORN, the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, thinks The King should have the right to vote. And why not? A woman in Indiana received two voter registration cards in the mail in her husband's name, one Democrat and one Independent. The only problem is that her husband is deceased. To add insult to injury, she plans to vote for McCain. The stories are pouring in from around the country. The Dallas Cowboys' starting line is registered in Nevada. A 7-year-old is registered in Connecticut. In addition to duplicate applications, they have registered deceased citizens, incarcerated citizens, and, yes, even Mickey Mouse.

ACORN boasts that they have registered 1.3 million people this year, the largest number in their 38-year history. When the fraudulent applications are weeded out, how many will remain on the books? In 2006, they registered 1,800 new voters in the state of Washington. Six were legitimate. What started out as a grassroots advocacy to help low-income people and communities with issues like fair wages, better housing, public school improvements, and community development, has become a greedy, voter-plundering entity with no regard for the fair election process. The American voter registration process has been hijacked.

Having just been awakened to the subprime housing crisis, we have contemplated who was more at fault: the banks, who loaned money for which they knew the applicant was not qualified, or the home buyers, who should have been more aware of what they could actually afford. The same might be said of the citizens who registered multiple times with ACORN. One young, urban African-American man who was interviewed said he didn't know it was illegal to register more than once and that he was merely trying to help out the ACORN employee. Now, ACORN pays by the hour, not by the vote, but employee evaluations are based on the number of names each employee gathers. One story out of Cleveland is that ACORN employees would wait at a bus station near the public assistance office to gather signatures. To further "encourage" people to register, they would offer cigarettes or cash.

According to Philadelphia's Deputy Election Commissioner, Fred Voight, and Philly's ACORN Director, Junette Margano, in keeping with helping the underprivileged, ACORN often hires people who are homeless or who have substance abuse problems. Now, I'm just as supportive of giving people a second chance as anyone, and I believe in EOE. Is it a "fair hiring practice" to hire employees, who might be at the end of their ropes, and thus will more likely to commit registration fraud? Is that what ACORN calls "affirmative action"? Someone should go to jail over this, but who should it be? The young black man, who didn't know the law? The homeless, recovering addict who was merely trying to keep her job and feed her children? Maybe they should get a slap on the wrist, but the Community Organizers with the word "Reform" in their title are the ones who should be the real focus of reform.

Speaking of Community Organizers... (You knew I'd get to this, didn't you?) ACORN has endorsed Barack Obama and pledged to spend $35 million this fall to register new voters. I'm curious to see the final tally. In the primary, Obama's campaign paid $800,000 to Citizen Service, Inc., an ACORN subsidiary. That's the news in 2008. Before entering law school, Obama worked as an ACORN organizer in Chicago and New York. In 1992 Obama was asked by ACORN to run a voter registration program. He soon became a regular speaker at training sessions. Toni Foulkes of Chicago ACORN, said: "We have invited Obama to our leadership training sessions to run the session on 'power' every year and, as a result, many of our newly-developing leaders got to know him before he ever ran for [state senate] office ... By the time he ran for U.S. Senate, we were old friends." In 1995 Obama represented ACORN and won in a lawsuit against the State of Illinois, regarding federal laws restricting voter registration, the "motor voter" bill. Between 1998-2001 the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, of which Obama was chairman (remember the link to Bill Ayers), granted $350,000 to Grassroots School Improvement, a group operated by You-Know-Who.

Obama was in Toledo on Tuesday and addressed the issue of voter registration fraud, but did not condemn ACORN's actions. He blamed the hirees for [direct quote]: "not wanting to actually register people, because that's actually hard work, just went into a phone book or made up names and submitted false registrations to get paid. So, there's been fraud perpetrated on, probably, ACORN, if they paid these individuals and they actually didn't do registrations." Now, if ACORN vetted and trained their employees properly, it seems like this wouldn't be an issue. If Obama is truly against these practices, he should devote part of the half-hour primetime program his campaign is funding, which will broadcast on October 29, to explain to voters how to lawfully vote on November 4.

Ohio's Cuyohoga County Board of Elections has a system to determine the validity of their 18,000 new voter registrations, of which 1/3 were turned in by ACORN. Perhaps we should adopt a federal system for national elections. Here's one suggestion: Instead of giving millions of dollars to partisan non-profit organizations (Newt Gingrich pegs the annual amount at $500 million), every 4 years the federal government should allot that earmark to public libraries. Each state would get a piece of the pork pie, based on population. The state would then divide their pie piece equally among their population (Detroit would get more than Flint), but ALL of the money has to go to public libraries.

Knowing that people are concerned with getting their taxes done before April 15, and also that there is inclement weather in the northern states, the libraries would accept applications from January 1 - June 30. This allows four full months before the general election for the state to verify applications. (In Alaska, we file for our Permanent Fund Dividends from January 1 - March 31. This gives applicants time to fill out the form and the PFD Division time to verify applications before making direct deposits and sending out checks in the fall.) During this time, libraries would have certain days and times when registration assistance is available by qualified library staff, and would also hold voter workshops. We could even spring for a mobile program to go into areas that are so-many-miles-away from a public library. A citizen could register at the local library, post office, or election office on any day of the year. This would solve the registration problem, so anyone else collecting signatures would be breaking the law.

Short of a national system, the only clear-cut way to ensure that each voter who pulls the lever in November is a legally-registered citizen, who votes only once, is the method used in Iraq in 2005. Instead of walking out of the polls with an "I VOTED" sticker, Americans would have the honor of displaying an indelibly-inked purple finger.

-Blackfoot

America the Beautiful: Cheers for Aledo, Texas!

My mother fed a beggar when we lived in Oaxaca, Mexico. He did not have the use of his legs and provided himself with locomotion by means of a small cart with four wheels. Lying on his belly he moved along the streets. With dirty rags wrapped around each hand he grasped blocks of wood to propel himself forward. Clumping along with a bit of arm action he slowly moved through the crowds.

He exuded charm as his only means of survival. Each day he could be spotted in the open air market. Begging for a piece of bread, a mango or whatever was offered this disabled beggar was part of the daily landscape of the bustling street commerce. One afternoon my mother decided to follow at discreet distance to see where he lived. Several streets from the commercial hub he entered through a low hole in a thick adobe wall. The owner of the home allowed him to sleep along the perimeter of a garden. I remember my mother showing me his little "gate" and the lump in my very small throat.

One day he did not make his usual showing in the market. After about a week my mother made enquiry. Her friend had taken ill and died. To this day I cry thinking of his little cart, the hopelessness of his life, and his lonely death with none to hold his hand.

America is a good place. It is a place where the disabled can find a better network of support than in most nations. We are a nation of acceptance for the disabled; good-hearted and compassionate in nature. Much of our compassion comes from our root system of Christianity. Beggars, misfits and prostitutes found refuge within the shadow of a merciful God-made-flesh. The Word dwelt among us and a message of love and kindness was born.

While being mocked as the “Bible Belt” it must be noted that Christianity does not have Dalits. What cannot be assailed by the mocking crowd is the distinct kindness and warmth of people who dwell within the plains of Texas, the "buckle" of the "belt". This warmth in our regional culture is felt in the grocery queue, at the gas pump, and especially with the camaraderie of the small town high school football game. Last week this sense of community had strong pulse in the town of Aledo. The student body elected Kristin Pass for Homecoming Queen. Kristin has Down syndrome. But she is one of the “beautiful people” in Aledo, Texas. What a great place to raise a kid!

It was disconcerting to read the New York Times live blogging for the Palin-Biden debate and have one individual post a comment that they hated how Sarah Palin used her (Down syndrome) baby for a stage prop. A stage prop? I thought Trig Palin was merely a baby! The comment was anomalous to our national character and respect given to the weaker members of society.

I believe Governor Palin has performed a crucial role. Whether or not she becomes our next vice president, she has endeared herself to parents with special needs children. They can stand a bit straighter against the few ruthless critics who whisper that they should have aborted as opposed to supported the pregnancy of a special needs human being. She exemplifies that Americans do not support a caste system for disability.

Humans only have value when we extend to each one the gift of love and kindness. The reader commenting over at the New York Times would have never voted for Kristin Pass. But then again I can’t blame her. She never met my mother.


Homecoming Queen!

Tammy Swofford
tammyswofford@yahoo.com

Perspective on War: 22 minutes and 712 souls

General Quarters sounded at 0505. Flight crews were on the deck ready for dawn launchings.
At 0513 two explosions rocked the ship. Twenty-two minutes later the USS Liscome Bay (CVE-56) slipped beneath the waters. On her fiery descent into the depths she took 658 enlisted sailors and 54 officers to their deaths. In less time than it took this morning for most Americans to shower and eat breakfast, war stripped us of our own flesh on that day in 1943.

According to eyewitness accounts on the BB Mississippi, the first explosion on the escort carrier tossed aircraft into the air upwards of 200 feet. A second explosion followed shortly after, a gift of torpedoes from a Japanese sub shadowing the Fleet which was maneuvering along for the invasion of the Gilbert Islands. This Grand Lady had previously participated in the rescue of survivors from the Hornet, Lexington and Yorktown in earlier days of WW II. But today her own steel groaned under the assault. Chaplain Carley, who survived the sinking of his vessel, was tasked with notifying the families of the deceased.

“In over 400 replies to my letters I was amazed to find only two which might be called bitter. All the rest indicated that the writer was being comforted by faith in God, by the knowledge of the fact that their loved one had been doing what he thought to be right in his own heart, or by belief in the cause for which we were fighting.”

America! Those of us who stand in rank are neither reticent to share our love for her nor thoughtless to remember the sacrifices of our comrades who have perished in war. The echo of their cries reverberates in our ears as we read the account of their death. My Navy hymn has a line which says, "Oh hear us when we cry to Thee." Many a cry went up on November 24th of 1943.

The media, many of whom have never served up more than a pot of coffee to their brave peers in the office, cannot grasp our perspective on the oath, duty and honor with which we serve. We all know that media can be either friend or foe of administration policy or military doctrine. But it seems that a state of harrassment has been inflicted upon the Pentagon by the media. When was the last time you opened your local newspaper to find a bold headline above the fold, in support of our administration? Please send it to me. Memorial Day and Veterans Day do not count. smile

In WW II many families had to wait for days or weeks to receive confirmation of the status of their member in uniform. The slowly moving chain of custody of information created a quiet endurance among our people. Today, we endure the deceitfulness of DSL as we are flooded with small pieces of information fed into our computer networks by both known and anonymous hands.

One of the anonymous hands at work today to bring us the news is the Taliban, which has emerged in media-savvy manner. If you begin to see an increase in breaking news stories of civilian deaths in Afghanistan, things which paint our troops as feckless monsters without chain of command, there is a concerted effort to turn public opinion against our men and women in uniform. The “war desk” is now manned 24/7 by a cast of characters across the globe. You are only one click away from diversified views. Some assessments are accurate and others pure journalistic swill. So do learn to step back with perspective. War remains the human dilemma. It cannot be glossed and it will never be pretty. But we must also read in cautious manner that which is available in this day of global access.

Off the coast of the Gilbert Islands 712 American men lost their lives when the Liscome Bay gave souls to the sea. It was the day before Thanksgiving. Twelve hundred pounds of turkey also went down with the ship.

The next day, Chaplain Carley shared the Thanksgiving meal of a few bites of turkey with the survivors of the Liscome who had been rescued from the waters by a nearby destroyer. He reflected, “….I thought of the families of all the men who had perished. I knew they would be celebrating the occasion at home in the States not yet aware of the loss of a husband, father, or a son.”

Each life ended by war is accounted for in cold statistical manner. But on the heels of each death we must pause to reflect. Our men and women have engaged great struggles in the past. They are still serving the needs of our nation across the world today whether by air, land or sea. When will our troops come home? I don't think any of us really know the answer to that question. But they serve, because of this place called home, America.

Tammy Swofford

Greek Classics, War and Big Dogs

Readers,

My jaw dropped when Bob posted the Friday blog. In atypical manner, he platformed his piece with classical literature. As I am reading Sophocles and have a quote in mind for a future blog his venture into the same, caught me off guard. Meanwhile Blackfoot is studying missiles and strange things most of us don't think of from day to day.

Speaking of reading..... most of you who are regular readers know that I read things out on the fringe, more specifically things from the other side of the globe. So I was somewhat hopeful that at least one of you would pick up the trail with the latest Adam Gadahn video. Sadly, not a bread crumb into my email. So I will put the crumb out here. The title of his award-less winning performance is, "The Believer isn't Stung from the Same Hole Twice". This translation, actually correlates with a Hadith which states "The Believer is not Stung Twice from the Same Burrow". This statement can be found in both Muslim and Bukhari Hadith, which are considered "Sahih" or the gold standard as far as text and chain of transmission of narrators.

Why is this important? Have you read Book of a Mujahiddeen by Shamil Basaev? It contains this hadith under the section on experience. Although the translation uses the word "hole" the word "burrow" carries more political weight if you have studied these issues. So nuances are not understood when just viewing the YouTube.

What is happening in Pakistan? Are you following the Jamaat-e-Islaami "Train March" protesting price hikes and U.S. strikes into Pakistan? It started on Tuesday in Peshawar and will wind down in Karachi next week. Why is this important? You must understand Pakistan's history. Again, read, read and read more. And Monday, let me put war in perspective.

But just for fun, check out the latest. Click on this link.

Tammy Swofford

tammyswofford@yahoo.com

Ayers, School Reformer: `Come forth the Horse!'

"Whether you like it or not, history is on our side. We will dig you in."
Nikita Khrushchev

Then, when all others feared, a man far-famed
Made answer, Sinon, marked of destiny
To bring the great work to accomplishment.
Therefore with worship all men looked on him,
The loyal of heart, as in the midst he spake:
"Odysseus, and all ye Achaean chiefs,
This work for which ye crave will I perform –
-Quintus, The Fall of Troy

It was morning. Today felt different. For nine years, the battles had raged. Under siege, the great city’s warriors had become few but the gates and walls had not been breached. The bright sun reflected on the wave tops as it danced, glistening from behind, off of the incoming waves of the sea. For the first time, the sea stood… alone. The soldiers, the tents, and the fires…were no more.

So they ran. Hundreds ran to the edge of the sea as the ships disappeared. Most stopped only briefly to look at the immense Idol left behind for them, nor did they worry much for the eloquent Greek left stranded who called himself Sinon. He said the horse of wood was a gift to Athena. There were arguments whether it should be burned or to pull it within the gates. It did not matter. The long war has passed. It is gone and their city is saved.

The sea was once again clear, as if it had been lowered. The sun shone bright. This was change…change they could believe in.
* * * * * *

Khrushchev later clarified that he meant our own workers would "bury us". Historical materialism dictates that the class struggle will inevitably progress towards communism. Do you hear its hoofbeats? Barack Obama would like us to think that the “change” is “who” he is and what optimism will exist because of him. I once thought this to be an oversight, or condescension. I am afraid he actually does intend substantive change. Whether Barack Obama is Odysseus or Sinon, behind those fabulous Greek columns is an army that has been at sea in the dark...waiting for Troy to breathe the sigh of relief and let down her gates.

There is a reason they have employed a classic Cult of Personality promotional strategy. Dictators, totalitarians, and those hoping-to-be have employed them for centuries.

There is a reason why William Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn are important in this election. He cannot answer straightforward questions as to his relationship with unrepentant domestic terrorists, other than to say he was eight when “despicable” acts took place and the guy just lives down the street. Never mind that they hosted a fundraiser for him to kick things off in 1995. Perhaps he watched their Connie Chung interview where Dohrn lamented not being more militant:

"We made mistakes. And we'd do it again. I wish that we'd done more. I wish we'd been more militant. I wish a lot of things. But taken as a whole, we were so lucky to be born into that moment in history."
…or the more popular 2001 quote where Ayers said, “I don’t regret setting bombs. I feel we didn’t do enough.”

...and Tom Brokaw says he's a "school reformer". Cute!

The Obama-friendly media is being forced, perhaps too late, to come to the table with this. The days of traditional media are numbered, unless "Sinon" is successful. Ayers is a clue and a link: not to a person, but to a way of life. For kickers, take a look at Bill Ayers’ bio from the 2006 World Education Forum, hosted by none other than Hugo Chavez (translated):

William Ayers was the leader of the revolutionary and anti-imperialist group The Weather Underground which initiated armed struggle against the government of the USA during most of the 10 years from inside the empire.

Now, he's a professor of education and executive investigator of the University of Illinois in Chicago. He's developed courses around the urban reform of schools, problems of capitalist education, and investigation. He is the author or editor of more than 11 books, including a memoir titled Fugitive Days on the struggle against the government of the United States

Barack Obama may not be personally connected to Hugo Chavez (he’s not an actor yet), but as I have read at Redstate.com he has professed opposition to the Columbian Free Trade Agreement and is viewed by many including Chavez, the FARC, and others as being more “aligned” with the communist regime. I wonder if youths march in classrooms in Caracas chanting Chavez slogans.

There have been countless articles and blogs written which chronicle the progression of the Fannie/Freddie socialist plot. I'll steer clear for time's sake, but suffice it to say it is the mechanism by which Khrushchev's "change" begins. Why do we have to accept the inevitability of communism masquerading as “hope”?

We share the belief that education is the motor-force of revolution. . . . I look forward to seeing how . . . all of you continue to overcome the failures of capitalist education as you seek to create something truly new and deeply humane."
-William Ayers, to Humanitarian Hugo Chavez

Bob Miller
Treo_bob@yahoo.com

Penpal Letter to American Cousin Adam

Hi Adam!

It has been a little while since I have seen you in a video. It is always a thrill to see your head and shoulders pop out of a hole again. You are looking a little pudgy so do take care of your weight, considering your star appeal. Your beard looked great, though. That is definitely “your look” and that barber of yours is keeping it nicely trimmed! I also love how your agency always goes for the classic black and white lines for all of the actors in your guild. You can never go wrong wearing that combo.

Well, now to the delicate portion of the letter. I am just a bit worried about your mental health. You ran off and cut all ties with the family to pursue this big dream but your father really misses you. He can’t quite understand how one day you were here and suddenly you were gone. As he is getting a bit older it weighs more heavily on his shoulders these days.

We are also worried because it seems your career trajectory is following that of so many wannabe actors who end up waiting tables in a diner. You haven’t gotten any big breaks lately and it seems you are somewhat reduced to cameo roles in films. I know this is also a delicate matter, but you have always cast yourself in the role of a warrior. But in this latest video it looks like you just stepped out of a day spa and had a nice manicure to boot. You need to get a little dirt under your fingers and lead from the front buddy, if you want respect. If you hide behind Al-Sahab, your old lady's skirts, it just looks bad for the rank and file in the film industry who are doing all of your stunts for you.

I guess that powerful union, the USMC, is doing their best to keep you out of play. I bet you resent that more than a little bit. “Fun” is just NOT the word that comes to mind when I think of those guys. What a bunch of killjoys.

Anyway, do tell the lead actors in your guild, Osama and Ayman, that we all send up a Hawaiian Good Luck sign to you guys. In fact, let me just pull my middle finger off the keyboard for a second so that I can go ahead and greet them. Good Luck, Cuz!

LCDR Tammy Swofford, USNR, NC

McCain-Obama Debate: Economic and National Security

During the debate on Tuesday evening, both candidates were true to their characters. McCain did, indeed, throw out a couple of witty zingers to set the audience at ease. Obama managed to not get too demanding, although he was impatient with Tom Brokaw regarding management of the clock. It reminded me of his my-way-or-the-highway statement in the Senate last week [paraphrasing]: "I move for a unanimous decision to give me more time to speak." The range of topics were limited, due to time management, and precious time was spent repeating statements. There is "being thorough" and then there's beating a dead horse. The evening's discussion concentrated mostly on the economy and national security, but also touched on health care, energy, and Social Security and MediCare. There were a couple of vague references to education, but no real discussion.

Economy
McCain is calling for reform. As home values continue to decline, he would like to renegotiate mortgages at the new values of the homes. He specifically mentioned retirees. Not a bad idea, but we need to have a clear-cut plan. McCain called for the resignation of the SEC chairman Christopher Cox. He named Warren Buffett and Meg Whitman as possible candidates for Treasury Secretary. Buffett seems to be ethical and would add gains to confidence in our market, Whitman obviously knows her way around the financial world. According to him, "Obama was the 2nd highest recipient in history of money from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac." As far as the economy getting worse before it gets better: Obama said no, McCain said it depends. Cautious optimism makes sense.

Obama focuses on middle class tax cuts, but has not defined a strategy for people or small businesses earning over $250K. If I were the owner of a small business which earns about $200K a year, I would be careful about growing my business, for fear of stepping into a deep ravine. Obama stated in the last debate that because of loopholes, our businesses pay one of the lowest tax rates in the world. (McCain counters that our businesses pay 35%, the second highest.) Obama seems to have socialist ideas about taking from the few to feed the many. The only person I've ever known that to work for is Jesus Christ. Maybe Obama has bit of a Robin Hood idea of being popular. He probably gave his notes to the less intelligent people in his classes at Harvard, just to be "liked". (See popularity issues in National Security below.) I'm not sure what he's talking about when he said he "went to Wall Street and said we've got to reregulate". Was there a meeting? If so, what was the result?

In the first debate, John McCain quoted Tom Coburn as calling earmarks a "gateway drug" because they lead to out-of-control spending. The federal government spent $3 million for DNA on bears in Montana. He said, "I don't know if it was a criminal issue or a paternal issue." He went on to say, "I've got this pen. This one's kind of old..." He promises to use that pen to cut down on spending. Obama has asked for $932 million in earmarks for Illinois, "nearly a million dollars for every day he's been in the Senate." Now, honestly, I don't mind paying for a $3 million overhead projector for a planetarium that I'll never visit, that's low on the list of outrageous pork projects, and is an educational instrument. However, I think the statement by McCain was meant to show us that every state has requests like these, requests that they can pay for themselves. Along with states' rights, there are also states' responsibilities.

National Security
Obama wants us to pull our troops out of Iraq and move them to Afghanistan. By this point, everyone knows Iraq is a war we're not going to "win" ... and Obama wants to win. Listen to how he pronounces Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, and Taliban in a British accent and pronounces Afghanistan in the familiar American dialect. He wants Afghanistan to be a war he can win. "Give me a 'V' for Barry." Sorry to burst his bubble, but the 8,000 Peace Corps volunteers (members who cannot join the NSA or CIA because of security concerns) are not going to bail him out. Obama said he told Karzai, "You are going to have to do better by your people in order for us [the U.S.] to gain the popular support that's necessary." It is not going to be that easy. We may never be "popular" in the Middle East, and we don't really need to be. We do, however, need to be respected. Obama has announced that he wants get bin Laden at any cost, and will even cause an international incident with Pakistan to do so. You know it had to bother him when, early on, people were accidentally calling him "Osama". As far as we know, bin Laden is a figurehead at this point. al Qaeda is a Hydra; when you cut one head off, another head grows in its place.

McCain understands that our military presence around the world is necessary. We can't just start a project like Iraq and leave it undone. He gave Afghanistan as an example. We trained Freedom Fighters, who defeated Russia, then left them to fend for themselves. The Taliban and al Qaeda flourished. In a sense, we created the monster, Osama bin Laden. Some nations need assistance in "catching up" to the rest of the world. Afghanistan is one, and Iraq is another. McCain said we need to have a strong economy to remain strong in the world. He is not going to sacrifice our domestic stability for any foreign nation's stability. Yes, we are currently throwing alot of money into this war. The surge has worked, albeit at a sacrifice to our military families. As McCain said, he puts our country first, but will not put our troops in harm's way unless absolutely necessary. His own experience as a POW has led him to work toward fair treatment of our enemy combatants. He has travelled to many countries, as a diplomat. I also see "KGB" in Putin, and I'll take McCain's word that Russia now has its sights on Ukraine. We cannot afford to let these countries fall back under Communist rule.

Who do you trust?
Obama closed in saying, "We're going to have to have the courage, the sacrifice, the nerve, to move in a new direction."
McCain closed in saying, "The great honor of my life is to always put my country first."
My disclaimer to you, is that I'm not an undecided voter. I know I'm voting for McCain. I would trust him with my wallet, if I accidentally left it on the table, and I would trust him to throw punches alongside me, if we were jumped in a dark alley.

-Blackfoot

Countdown to the Showdown

Nashville is hardly the Wild West, but tonight's Presidential Debate will require some sharpshooting. I can hear the theme to "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" cueing up. The audience will be given the chance to ask questions in the Town Hall setup. In this relatively less formal debate, I expect McCain's one-liners to garner more of a response than at the University of Mississippi debate on September 26. I expect Obama to bite his tongue more than a couple of times, to harness his impatient responses and to try to keep his ire under his saddle. We might see McCain using his spurs, at times, to get more lively responses. Both John McCain and Barack Obama will have to think on their feet. They'll need to catch the tumbleweed of questions that will be coming their way. This isn't the last stagecoach before the election, but each candidate needs to try to catch this one. Let's see which one can tame the bucking bronco of public opinion. Obama needs to not be left holding the Dead Man's Hand. I'm still betting on the Maverick.

Tammy has allowed me to lead the debate discussion tonight. I'll try to be more Buffalo Bill Cody than rodeo clown. Check in later for my first impressions and wild mustang analysis. I'm looking forward to comparing notes with the rest of you.

-Blackfoot

Domestic Violence: Break the Chain

"The weakest link in the chain is also the strongest. It can break the chain." -Stanislaw Jerzy Lec

Over the past 30 years, Alaska has remained in the top five states, per capita, for domestic violence. It's an ugly ranking for such a beautiful place. 75% of Alaskans have experienced or know someone who has experienced domestic violence. We lead the nation in the rate of men murdering women. According to the Alaska Bureau of Investigations, there were 49 homicides between July 2006 and August 2007, of which 14 involved domestic violence. There are many theories as to why Alaska is stuck in this terrible rut. Maybe it's the dark winters, the desolation of living in remote villages, unemployment, or abuse of alcohol and drugs. Maybe it is the fact that the cycle of violence in families carries over from one generation to the next. National statistics show that children who have grown up under the shadow of violence in the home are 5 times more likely to commit or to be the victims of domestic violence as adults.

On October 1, President Bush recognized October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Cities and states around the nation are hosting organized events. Last Friday, victims were remembered during a candle-lighting ceremony at a Lutheran church in Decatur, Illinois. On Monday, South Carolina held its 11th annual Silent Witness ceremony on the Statehouse steps in Columbia, where family members and volunteers carried 32 life-sized cutouts, representing the 28 women and 4 men who died in DV-related cases last year. Madison, Wisconsin, hosted a silent march. Council Bluffs, Iowa, will hold a candlelight vigil on Thursday. Contained in the articles, where I learned of these events, are stories of our neighbors. They are citizens like us, whose lives have been touched by the most brutal kind of assault, stalking, rape and murder. Most brutal, because this violence comes at the hands of a "loved one".

We are familiar with the famous cases of Nicole Brown Simpson, Laci Peterson and Lori Hacking. These women put a face on the most extreme cases, and the latter two were murdered with their unborn babies. Sgt. Christina Smith's is the 3rd DV-related death in four months' time at Fort Bragg. (Sgt. Richard Smith and Pfc. Matthew Kvapil are charged with one count each of 1st degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder.) But domestic violence does not always end in murder. There are many, mostly women, who live their daily lives, wondering when the next verbal barrage or beating will come. According to the CDC, each year 4.8 million women are physically assaulted and/or forcibly raped by their intimate partners, and 2.9 million men are physically assaulted. The true numbers can only be guessed at, since many DV victims are reluctant to report these assaults, out of fear or shame. Men are especially reluctant to report being victims, and especially in rape cases.

IF YOU ARE IN IMMEDIATE DANGER, CALL 9-1-1
If you recognize yourself or a friend or family member in these stories, please seek help. Possibly the best way to combat domestic violence crimes is through education and counseling for victims ... and offenders. There might not be a resolution in your household. Unless your partner is willing to get help and stops the abusive behavior today, you may have to leave. Easier said than done, I'm sure, but most cities have crisis intervention centers and shelters. If you don't have a plan, it might be time to start forming one. Confide in family members or close friends. Remember that your children are sponges, who not only remember everything, but are building their own personalities and patterns of behavior. Rhode Island enacted the Lindsay Ann Burke Act, which requires health classes in grades 7 - 12 to teach students about dating violence. No amount of classroom lessons will undo what these young adults learn at home. Domestic violence is a drain on our law enforcement, judicial system and social resources. More importantly, it is a drain on our most valuable resource: the American family.

-Blackfoot

National Domestic Violence Hotline
1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
1-800-787-3224 (TTY)
http://www.ovw.usdoj.gov/

National Center for PTSD
802-296-6300
http://www.ncptsd.va.gov/ncmain/ncdocs/fact_shts/fs_domestic_violence.html

700 billion, 7 billion and 70 cents

“That thou doest, do quickly.”

Almost as quickly as Judas Iscariot negotiated the thirty pieces of silver, our Houses of Congress negotiated a bailout for the worst financial crash of a new century. The Lehman Brothers announced bankruptcy on September 15th. Within two weeks the bill for the bailout was on President Bush’ desk for signature and the rest is history. Why worry how the “drama” played out? The whole thing smacks of stagecraft. (Sept.15-Oct.3) So if you are against the bailout, just check voting records to see how your representatives voted. Meantime, I can only imagine…

The Judas Principle: An Off Broadway Play

Act I: Cast of Characters - Members of the Lower Chamber

Actors on the stage give a stunning performance against the bailout. We feel their angst for “the peasants”. Empowerment here we come!

Intermission: We all head out to relieve our tight bladders and take an aspirin.

Act II: Cast of Characters – Members of the Upper Chamber give the best performance of their lives passing an "improved" bailout.

Curtain Call: Bailout bill passes with Senate and House all bowing to a nearly empty hall with only their aides offering up a “golf clap”.

On the day President Bush signed the bill, the L.A. Times reported that Governor Schwarzenneger warned that California may require their own seven billion dollar emergency bailout. Granted, he and his staff were struggling with this mess weeks before the Lehman Brothers announcement exposed the tip of a bone-chilling-cold financial iceberg. So going from 700 billion of cash infusion into the national financial markets, to seven billion for the state of California is beginning to look like 70 cents left, jingling in the pockets of the middle class. Remember, sixty-two percent of Americans polled were against this bill prior to passage. Remember, we cast our votes very soon.

Let’s look at additional hideous business cycles where our economy bombed to see what we can expect in the days ahead. Money doesn’t grow on trees and this financial collapse will still take it out of our hides. The graphs noting Indexes of the Cost of Living and Its Components (food, clothing, rent, fuel and electricity) for subsequent years will show an upward climb in spite of the bailout. Trust me. The middle class will drive old cars and the wealthy keep their land yachts.

History does indeed repeat itself with regularity. The panic of 1819 was a cluster. This panic was preceded by a glut of wild speculation in Western lands, commodity inflation, “bold” yet unwise overextension of investments in manufacturing, mismanagement of the 2nd Bank of the U.S. and contraction of credit. Various state banks collapsed and it was in the South and along our Western boundaries that the collapse played out with greatest severity. Legislators intervened to enact bills providing debt relief. In the state of Kentucky this produced the “relief war”, which put the legislative branch at loggerheads with the judicial branch over issues of constitutionality of replevin and stay laws. The panic had a subtle effect in the hardest hit rural enclaves where the National Bank became known as “The Monster” among the local folks. Thomas Hart Benton coined the term when he claimed that the flourishing cities of the West were mortgaged to the money power (banks) and in the jaws of a monster and a lump of butter in the mouth of a dog.

Barely recovered from that ordeal our nation suffered another financial collapse in 1837. Guess what was the cause of this financial collapse, dear readers? Yep. It was reckless speculation. Not only did the price of cotton grown in the South fall by approximately fifty percent on the New Orleans market but real estate collapsed, stock and commodity prices plummeted and the British bankers started calling in their loans. The English are rather bright, don't you think? Within a year our nation went into a protracted depression with the rock bottom reached in Jan/Feb of 1843.

Interestingly, early in 1837 the crisis was being felt in such dire manner in New York City that mobs broke into city warehouses and took off with bags of flour. In watching the local news a few nights ago a report was given and appeal made that our own area food banks' shelves have practically been stripped of food items. Possible panic of the poor which precedes the slow hemorrhaging death of the middle class?

So what will the next few years hold for Americans in regards to opportunity or even maintaining a pre-existing standard of living? I don’t know. I only took three semester hours of economics in college. But I am smart enough to know one thing. Our nation needs to embrace a rather old-fashioned concept: prayer.

Tammy Swofford
tammyswofford@yahoo.com

The Judas Principle

"That thou doest, do quickly."

Let's take another look at the bailout later tonight. What does this mean for Americans in the heartland? What can we expect from this business cycle?

The Houses of Congress moved quickly. Bold move or betrayal? Be ready to move into the comments tonight and create the flight vortex.
(See October 19, 2007 blog: Free Speech: Geese in Flight!)


Tammy Swofford

Sarah Palin: One Heartbeat Closer to the Vice Presidency

The lead-up to the Vice Presidential debate was foreshadowed by the economic crisis and bailout bill, but the media still had time to speculate on how first-term governor, Sarah Palin, would hold up under the pressure of a verbal sparring match with seasoned senator, Joe Biden. It seems the expectations weren't very high for Palin's performance. After the world saw Palin speak at the RNC on September 3, I'm surprised there was any doubt that she knows how to work a political podium. There were a few nerves, at first, but I knew Palin would be fine when she began her opening statements by saying, "I appreciate this privilege of being able to be here and speak with Americans." Palin is at her best, when she is speaking to and with the people.

Throughout the next 90 minutes, I felt her responses were not so much a debate with Biden, as they were an opportunity to give the American people another chance to get to know her better. Let's not forget that America's first introduction to Palin was on August 29. The following five weeks have included the expected scrutiny of her life in public service and the blatant intrusion into her private family life. Through all of the half-witted impersonations and personal attacks, Palin has concentrated on her professional career. She has been learning the ropes and making regular appearances around the country, while keeping an eye on what's going in our beloved state of Alaska. She was able to stop the tongues from wagging and started the jaws dropping during her debate with Joe Biden.

We had heard all week that Biden should treat Palin with kid gloves, or he might come off as being disrespectful. I could be mistaken, but throughout the evening, Biden seemed to be alternately exasperated and amused at the way Palin handled herself. She maintained a poker face, while he sighed heavily into the microphone a few times, put his hands into his pockets, and smiled that famous shark smile we've all come to know. Biden is an experienced debater. There was no question that he would take the stage with his normal swagger and confident attitude. I dare say Palin surprised him a bit. In past debates, Biden has often been a good source of comic relief. I was looking forward to hearing him cast a couple of zingers Palin's way. After being tongue-tied when responding about McCain's health care plan, I was glad when he came up with the "bridge to nowhere" line.

Palin is not merely a prop to shore up the Conservative base or to sway women voters' opinions. In reality, Palin's gender does not seem as much an issue as, let's say, Hillary Clinton's. That is, unless you're President Asif Ali Zardari. Palin's physical appearance is attractive, but she doesn't play that card. When on the job, she is all business. She is a hardworking, self-made woman, whose husband supports her career; whereas Clinton's experience as a First Lady "standing by her man" may have helped her win her coattails Senate seat. Palin's reputation as a blue-collar worker and rugged sportsman enables men to identify with her as a peer. Biden could ask for Palin's bipartisan cooperation or for assistance in field dressing his moose. But, first, he'll have to out-shoot her, or at least out-debate her.

-Blackfoot