My Google Alert tells me whenever someone on the world wide web mentions me, or links me. More often than not I ignore the alerts that tell me that particular lefty bloggers have written about me, but a sick curiosity encouraged me to check out the latest post by Neurotic Tom the Idiot Leftard Blogger. The same day I received yet another idiotic e-mail (actually two idiotic e-mails) from Mudkitty the leftard fur-ball, and moronic comments by Caday5 over at my Townhall site (not to mention that now somebody has hacked into my MySpace site and sent out messages to all my friends with a sex site link attached). So, I guess it is safe to say it has been a banner day for Douglas V. Gibbs, Political Blogger.

When it comes to Neurotic Tom, I tend to ignore the idiot. He's about as bright as Mr. "I Got My Reasons" over at BlogTalkRadio, and usually by ignoring him he places a noose around his neck and tugs the rope without any outside help. The interesting part of it is, however, that more often than not while Tom is hanging himself, he doesn't even notice that the chair beneath his feet has fallen over.

Well, I have copied his post in its entirety below with my comments to show you, the loyal Political Pistachio reader, how idiotic Tom truly can be. And for those of you that wish to tell me that I am simply feeding the troll, perhaps that is true, but every once in a while I become so fed up with the idiot that I feel like standing the chair up under his feet so that he can adjust his noose.

Anyway, here is that latest post he has written regarding me (I have replaced a few letters in the profanity with asterisks), my comments are in red.


Flip-Flop

Doug last week;

"Are we heading into a recession like all of the newpapers and news channels are saying?" I answered with a quick, "No."

Doug this week;.. because of government's tendency to want to save everyone with federal intervention, they will send us into a recession.

I swear, you can't make this sh** up.. what a f***ing idiot.

Okay, here is where Tom proves that he can't see beyond the nose on his face, nor does he understand more than what lies on the surface. And yes, Tom, I know you are reading this, so I will address this directly to you. You, my friend, are the idiot, not I. The first statement, if you will read it carefully, stated that I believe we are not heading towards a recession. But, if you read the post further I explain that our economy will remain strong as long as the government entitlement people keep their paws out of it. Specifically, I said, "The idiot Democrats truly believe our economy is headed for big trouble, and are proposing huge economic stumulus packages that will result in higher taxes, which will take money out of the pockets of the consumers, hence taking away their ability to buy as many products, which will slow down the movement of goods, which in turn will slow the economy and send us into that recession they think they are trying to avoid." In other words, I did not flip-flop, you idiot, I said there will be no recession if there is no government intervention because the economy will adjust itself, but with government doing what it can to save us, it will actually create an atmosphere that will head us straight into a recession. Does your simple mind understand that?

Doug has a weird complex that I don't think has been defined by science yet. Okay, now Tom has decided my ability to have my own opinion which differs from his is some kind of mental fault . . . For example, the people at the Fed that control monetary policy are professional economists that have dedicated their lives to economic issues. These are the cream of the intellectual crop, and while other economists may disagree with the fine print, they generally are exceptionally qualified to make judgements about the economy. Doug is a heavy equipment operator with no formal education. Despite this, he feels eminently qualified to opine on any topic, no matter how complex or arcane, as the economy is. It's really bizarre, this sense of expertise he feels he has on any subject.

The people at the Fed, those professional economists, are so indoctrinated by the socialist agenda that they believe that Government can cure all of our ills, and have lost sight of the truth. . .as for your nice little comment about me being a heavy equipment operator with no formal education, once again, Tom, you show how much of an idiot you truly are. First of all, regarding my education, my transcripts would probably disagree with you. I was helping idiots like you with their homework while I was at it, too. Secondly, regarding my qualifications to understand the economy and economic conditions, do you know what I did for a living before I began working in the construction industry? Take a guess. Buzzzzzz, wrong again. I was a loan counselor at a major financial institution, a licensed securities agent, and financial advisor for six years - all of that just before I worked closely with revenues for a city for four years. Sound like someone that doesn't understand the complexities of economics? But why then would Doug enter the construction industry? Well, that is a long story, but in the end, I made a lot more money operating that 24,000 pound piece of machinery than I did in the office, that is for sure. Or, were you stereotyping me, Tom? Are construction guys just too stupid to understand such things? I thought you libtards had a problem with people who stereotype?

And bonus idiocy..

When the president addressed climate change, I shook my head. The idea of man-made global warming is not only idiotic, but has been proven to be false. In fact, a Russian Scientist has determined that the natural warming cycle has come to an end, and we are heading into a cooling cycle which will peak in 2041.

Because one Russian scientist says it, it must be true.. uh huh.

That one story was the one I decided to reference. Thousands of scientists have come out against the man-made global warming lie. Actually, all you have to do is take some basic classes to understand that the warming of the planet is caused by the sun, and the cycles are dependent upon solar flare activity/sunspot activity to be specific. It is much more complex than that, but Tom, I don't think your simplistic mind could handle it, so I will give you only two materials to read regarding this. Holly Fretwell's "The Sky's Not Falling!" and Chris Horner's "The Politically Incorrect Guide to Global Warming and Environmentalism."

The best bit though...

I am now once again actively pursuing representation by literary agencies. Now, in this free country of fairness, the rejection letters I am receiving read: "Real page turner, well written, but I cannot represent anything that glorifies Bush's 'illegal' wars." I know a few writers that have gone through the same problem (two of those writers are my guests on Thursday's radio show).

The list of conservative books in the last 8 years are endless. Doug doesn't seem to understand that it's possible the literary agents are just being kind.. because, in reality, he's a sh***y writer. I'm not referring to the content, or the opinion, I'm referring to the mechanics of writing. He puts out a sizable volume, but the skill is borderline child-like.

Idiot, of course the list of conservative books in the last 8 years are endless - but notice they are all by folks that have face and/or name recognition by publishers that DO NOT accept first time writers - second of all, you are referring to non-fiction. The Fiction industry is even more inundated by liberal agents and publishers that place their opinions above the quality of the work. As for you sh**ty writer comment, after reading your site and your necessity for profanity to get your point across, I may be a crappy writer in your opinion, but compared to you, I am a freaking pulitzer prize winner. And if my skill is so borderline child-like, you moron, then why in college did I not only excel at research papers, but helped others write theirs as well, with A's as the results? And if I am such a sh**y writer, then why are my blogs so popular? You believe I am not a good writer because what I write does not agree with your idiotic view of the world. How about you set aside allowing your emotions to dominate your politics, and look at things from a rational point of view for once. Heck, Tom, you may actually notice the truth for once.

Okay, on to the next moron. Mudkitty is a name I am sure you longtime readers will recognize. Well, guess what, she still e-mails me. First e-mail she sends says "your guy is considered liberal," with a link to this VIDEO. No kidding, you idiot. I've been telling people McCain is liberal for a long time. Thanks for the video, it proves my point. Obviously, he is not my guy, but honestly, as liberal as McCain is, he is still not the Marxist that Hillary is, nor the racist socialist that Obama is.

The other e-mail from Mudkitty really cracks me up. The subject line says "Doug's adult site." This is the second time she has tried to pull this. Apparently, over at my Yahoo 360 site, if you find where I have on my site my interests and you click on the one that says "Time With My Wife," one of the ads that Yahoo uses in relation to that is a less than moral site. That's her claim of my adult site? Mudkitty, you are an idiot. That is an outside advertiser used by Yahoo 360 in relation to what I put.

Now I am not even going to go into the details of the idiocy my troll at my townhall site puts, but if you are curious, he's the commenter that goes by Caday5. Read it and laugh.

Oh, one more thing, some moron, speaking of which, at MySpace has hacked into my MySpace page and sent out sex-site links to all of my friends in my name - so for those of you that are my MySpace readers, I apologize, and if this continues, I will close the site and open a new one.

Okay, I think I am finished ranting about the idiots and morons and libtards (oh, my). Tomorrow I will be back to my regular conservative commentary.

God Bless, and please pray for the troops.

In Florida, John McCain has won the entire plate-full of delegates in this winner-take-all state, which came to a surprise to many because Florida does not allow Independents to vote in Party Primaries. Giuliani's staggering defeat will no doubt encourage him to step out of the race, and Mike Huckabee should be not far behind. The stubborn little, big eared, Ron Paul will probably keep tootin' along, but the race has basically come down to Mitt Romney and John McCain. . . and Super Tuesday on February 5th will be the day that may determine who will take the Republican Party nomination for President of the United States.

Hillary Clinton won in Florida as well, but it doesn't matter because the Democrat Party stripped Florida of its delegates mattering in the Democratic Party Nomination.

With additional Liberal lunacy, check out this video where CBS asks Ted Kennedy if he fears an Obama assassination, and like the typical Liberal, he is unable to answer the question because his talking points control his mind. . .

Tonight President George W. Bush delivered his seventh, and final, State of the Union Speech. For the transcript of the 2008 State of the Union address click HERE. That link will take you to the New York Times where they have published the full text of the 2008 State of the Union speech.

During this speech the president reminded Congress to trust and empower the American People, he recognized there is a bit of a slowdown in some aspects of the economy, stated that in regards to housing "We must trust Americans with the responsibility of homeownership and empower them to weather turbulent times in the housing market," said a few words about his beloved "No Child Left Behind Act," emphasized his opinion of the importance of free trade, commented on improving our energy security, offered ideas regarding combating climate change, warned about spending on entitlement programs, and offered his two cents regarding illegal immigration. Then, President Bush turned his speech to the Surge in Iraq, and completed his address on our 2008 objectives in Iraq.

I agree that the Congress, and government as a whole, should trust and empower the American People, but I am not sure Bush, or the rest of those in office, fully realize that means in relation to the intentions of the founding fathers of this nation. "We the People" means more than just our ability to elect representatives and live our lives. "The People" is who the government is for, and by. . .

Acknowledging problems in the economy seems to be huge with the political pundits other than myself when it comes to Bush's speech. I do recognize a slowdown in the housing industry, and that the economy as a whole has become sluggish, but unless there is government intervention, I don't believe we are heading toward a recession in the immediate future. That's right, you heard me correctly. The economy will correct and adjust itself without the government sticking their noses into it, but I hardly expect that to happen, and because of government's tendency to want to save everyone with federal intervention, they will send us into a recession. Bush's stimulus package is one such government interference. Granted, eventually our economy will fall apart under the weight of the current habits of consumers, and any attempts to save it is actually like putting a bandage on a cancer. We have become a borrow and spend society - just like our trusted leaders when dealing with the growing global economy, hence one of the reasons for our large national deficit.

I do applaud President George W. Bush for his call to make the tax cuts of 2001 and 2003 permanent, but the question is, will he be willing to fight for them? Tax cuts grow economies. Reagan proved it, and John F. Kennedy believed it. Today's liberal does not understand it, nor do they wish for it.

Balancing the budget was also a topic he mentioned at one point, but I wonder why President Bush waited seven years before determining that balancing the budget is suddenly a good idea? Is he suddenly fearing that history would notice he never made an attempt when it came to balancing the budget?

I agree with Bush that we must trust students to learn if given the chance, and that we must give the parents the power to demand results from our schools. A big government program like the "No Child Left Behind Act" is not the way to accomplish that, however. Unfortunately, Bush is a big spender, and is willing to pile up dollars on the attempts to find solutions to problems, rather than just solve them. So tell me this: How can a government eliminate a deficit when every time there is a problem they throw money at it?

Trade is an important component in surviving in this growing global economy, but when free trade agreements are not structured properly, like NAFTA, they can spell disaster for economies. The current tendency of corporations to open operations elsewhere rather than here in the U.S. is one such consequence to such poorly written agreements. George W. Bush is a globalist, and cannot be trusted to protect the sovereignty of this nation. Hopefully the next president can be trusted to do so.

President Bush stated in his speech that we must trust in the creative genius of American researchers and entrepreneurs to pioneer a new generation of clean energy technology. Our security, our prosperity, and our environment all require reducing our dependence on foreign oil. I agree, but feel the need to add two additional comments. First, we must be willing to use some of our own oil (such as drilling in Alaska); and second, government interference will not create the environment necessary for our researchers and entrepreneurs to succeed in their tasks. As the free market economy has proven over and over, the driving force for new inventions is necessity and profit, not government mandates.

When the president addressed climate change, I shook my head. The idea of man-made global warming is not only idiotic, but has been proven to be false. In fact, a Russian Scientist has determined that the natural warming cycle has come to an end, and we are heading into a cooling cycle which will peak in 2041. So, Bush (and McCain) is in error to jump on the global climate change bandwagon, and I believe did so out of an attempt to appease the other side - a poor choice in my opinion.

Entitlement reform. Congress fails to address this issue because Congress desires to expand entitlement programs. Spending on these programs is growing faster than we can afford, and the solution does not lie in more government programs as the Democrats desire.

Illegal Immigration was not called by the proper name by the president, in my opinion. Illegal Alien Invasion is the term that better fits this problem. Problem is, the complexities of this issue are not complex at all. President Bush's globalistic leanings once again cloud his vision on this issue. The solution is simple. Seal the borders, and enforce the laws on the books. With no work available, and benefits withdrawn, we will not have to worry about the millions of illegals in this country, because with the opportunities and freebies withdrawn, they will deport themselves, and return whence they came.

The evidence that the surge in Iraq is succeeding is so strong that even the Democrats are beginning to admit the success. Bush was careful when speaking of the surge, however, trying to be careful not to be misunderstood as he was during his "Mission Accomplished" speech. Back then the mission was accomplished, but he failed to explain the necessity of continuing our presence. Saddam Hussein was like a cancer, and after being removed, it was not prudent to leave the body open and susceptible to infection, but the Democrats failed to recognize that because Bush did not verbalize it properly. The statement that summed up the surge best was this: "Some may deny the surge is working, but among the terrorists, there is no doubt."

The 2008 State of the Union speech was not the best speech Bush has delivered by far, but it was accompanied by sitting Democrats refusing to rise and clap, and by Pelosi behind the president seemingly put out by having to attend the speech.

Looked like more of the same in Washington.

Perhaps that is why the focus of the upcoming election for president seems to be "change."

My friend Dan wrote to his e-mail list recently:

Dear Friends,

Especially those of you (the vast majority) likely to vote in the Democratic primary on February 5.

Until now, I've been strongly inclined toward John Edwards. Not only because of his strong populist message over the past months, but also because I've been convinced that he would be the most electable. And though I still feel that way, and do have concerns about the electability of Obama in a still very racist America — and much stronger doubts about the electability of Clinton — I would now urge everyone still considering voting for Edwards to switch to Obama.

With Edwards only getting 18% of the vote in a state where one might assume his natural base would lie, and since I've always felt that he and Obama have very similar outlooks, I feel that with the winds of change blowing in Obama's direction, and with the kind of enthusiasm he clearly inspires, he deserves the support of as many as possible.

Obama, like Edwards, represents big changes. Clinton represents more of the same politics that got us into Kosovo, that supported programs like NAFTA, and that would make possible little more than band-aid applications to the gaping wounds our world suffers from. We need someone willing to look beyond, someone with whom there exists the possibility of a truly significant difference. Obama stands a real chance of being that person.

Below, a comment from the CNN website, which suggests a bit more about the way in which the Clintons will likely be continuing to conduct their campaign in the days ahead. With this in mind, I suggest that this coming vote may be the most crucial one you cast in your lifetime. I urge it be for Obama.

All the best, Dan

From CNN: The former President was actually the first Clinton to speak in the wake of Obama's triumph Saturday evening, and it only underscored how his outsized, vocal presence on the trail has threatened to overshadow his wife. Earlier in the day, Clinton had churlishly compared Obama's victory to that of Jesse Jackson in 1984 and 1988, a remark that will likely further fuel disaffection about the Clintons amongst African-American voters. There was evidence that Obama's victory was also a repudiation of the brand of hard-knuckled politics that both Clintons had brought to the South Carolina contest. Exit polls indicated that Bill Clinton's campaigning made a difference to about 6 in 10 South Carolina Democratic primary voters. But of those voters, 47% went for Barack Obama, while only 38% went for Hillary Clinton. Fourteen percent voted for John Edwards. The Obama campaign gleefully noted that in the mostly black precincts that Bill Clinton visted in Greenville, as much as 80% of the vote went to Obama.

***************************************

MY RESPONSE:

My dear friend Dan,

Thank you for your concern regarding my vote, and I assure you, I have taken a lot of time to study the candidates and determine who will receive my vote. However, since I am a registered Republican, and a strong Conservative (as well you know), I am inclined to vote for Mitt Romney. As a candidate he has the strongest Economic Background, recognizes the successes the surge has brought in this difficult war against the Islamic Jihad, and has grown to recognize his past errors on the social issues. He, also, unlike any of the moderate Republicans and any of the Democrats, understands that the U.S. Constitution was designed to "limit" the size of the Federal Government, and though atrocious laws like legalized abortion (which is actually unconstitutional since the Judicial Branch is not supposed to be the branch making law according to the U.S. Constitution) should be turned around, he also recognizes that it is none of the Federal Government's business, and that such laws are supposed to be Constitutionally left up to each individual state. The fact that he is a Mormon does not bother me nearly as much as it bothers many of my Christian Conservative brethren. The only religion (well, political ideology under the guise of religion in this case, anyway) I would reject for the presidency is Muslim. Honestly, my original favorites were Jim Gilmore, Tom Tancredo, and Duncan Hunter, but since they have all dropped out for various reasons, and I cannot in my good conscience vote Democrat, Mitt Romney has become my candidate of choice.

I hope all is well for you in France, if you still remain there, and would like to inform you that my blogs and Internet radio show, as well as my list of viable references in the entertainment industry (writers, actors, radio personalities), has grown to such a number that I am now once again actively pursuing representation by literary agencies. Now, in this free country of fairness, the rejection letters I am receiving read: "Real page turner, well written, but I cannot represent anything that glorifies Bush's 'illegal' wars." I know a few writers that have gone through the same problem (two of those writers are my guests on Thursday's radio show).

Well, it is disheartening, to say the least, because the poor dears don't understand the law as provided by the U.S. Constitution. Although Congress is tasked with "declaring" war, the President is tasked with "waging" war, and can do so without Congressional okay. This is in place because when the U.S. Constitution was written our Representatives did not enjoy lightning fast communication or transportation technology, and if a war needed to be waged, and a large number of members of Congress were in their home states, the President couldn't very well wait for all of the members of Congress to return before waging war. Also, in the case of Iraq, the invasion was justified by Saddam Hussein breaking numerous provisions in the cease fire agreement signed after the Persian Gulf War during which we protected Kuwait. Breaking these provisions, in the text of the agreement, gave the United States legal cause to return to the region with guns blazing.

Please remain safe, and I look forward to the next opportunity to sit and talk shop with you regarding writing, publishing, and of course a little smidgen of politics.

God Bless,

Doug
www.politicalpistachio.com

********************************

By the way, for those of you wishing to learn more about how the U.S. Constitution applies to our government, and about how today's American Government has it wrong in a lot of way when you take in consideration what the founding fathers intended, join Loki and myself on a new radio talkshow on BlogTalkRadio called Founding Truth coming up on Saturday, February 2nd, 2008.

Until I came across The Nibble today, I didn't even know that National Pistachio Day existed. According to the article linked above our beef with Iran after the rise of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, dated in 1979, resulted in better pistachios. Following the hostage crisis a U.S. trade embargo against Iran stopped the pistachio import from Iran. As a result, California farmers needed to plant the crop here in the United States, and as a result, using America's superior farming methods, a better pistachio resulted.

Thus, was the beginning of the California Pistachio in the increased number it enjoys now. That is a great story about nuts. Now, since it is National Pistachio Day, I thought this post ought to also address more nuts in the world than just pistachios.

The nuts over at the ACLU have decided that in an effort to assist Senator Larry Craig (the toe tapping Republican that got caught in a public restroom hoping for a gay sexual rendezvous) they would declare that sex in restroom stalls is private, and that Larry Craig is not only guilty of nothing, but should counter with the argument that in the public restroom he should have an expectation of privacy. Let me get this straight. The ACLU believes that public sex in a bathroom is okay? And they are willing to support a Republican to prove it? Not only was Larry Craig nuts for getting himself into such a stupid mess, but the ACLU is nuts for actually arguing such an idiotic point.

Those nuts over on the Democrat side had a primary today in South Carolina, and amazingly, Barack Obama kicked Hillary Clinton's butt, taking over half of the total vote, and gaining 25 delegates over Hillary's 12, and Edward's 8. Don't get me wrong, I don't like Barack Hussein Obama, but for some reason I derive pleasure from any setbacks the Clinton Machine receives.

Microsoft has decided that an increase in technology means they should take more of a Big Brother attitude with their workers. That's right, Microsoft is developing software capable of monitoring people's heart rates, body temperatures, movements, facial expressions, and blood pressure all in an effort to determine the employee's productivity, physical well-being, and competence. This type of intrusion can only mean two things. First, we are heading into an Orwellian Society that even George Orwell would find shocking; and second, the Democrats are inching closer to the elitist led, socialistic society of human automatons they have been dreaming of.

In Iowa a Muslim Imam gave a prayer in the Iowa Legislature (which to me is like asking a Nazi to do the same during World War II) and the prayer asked for "Victory over those who disbelieve," and "Protection from the Great Satan." (Remember, the Great Satan is the good ol' U.S. of A. Many of the local citizenry and some of those elected officials in the session were concerned about the Muslim prayer. Well, I don't blame them for being concerned. I would also be wondering who the idiot was that asked an Imam to open the session with a Muslim prayer in the first place. That is just nuts!

A week ago in New York City (Queens borough) Shi'ite Muslims flagellated themselves during a procession marking the festival of Ashura outside the al-Khoei Islamic Center. Ashura is the 10-day festival that marks the death of Prophet Muhammad's grandson (and revered saint) Imam Hussein in Karbala, Iraq over 1,300 years ago. That's right. This happened here in America, ghastly, bloody, self-mutilation on public streets.

Over a year ago (and I finally learned about this now) an Islamic Prayer Center was opened at the Quantico Marine Base in Virginia, accompanied by a huge dedication (could you imagine the ACLU's outrage if a Christian Church was given a dedication on a military base?), and in the shadow of the Haditha Marines situation, no less. My God, how much more nuts can this get?

In the meantime, in Iraq, Shiites of the crazy kind slashed their heads to bring on blood in the hopes of hastening the return of the Hidden Imam (or Mahdi, or 12th Imam), a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad who disappeared as a child in the ninth century. The Mahdi will only return during a time of global chaos, and is predicted to bring about seven years of peace, and then will destroy all of the infidels (kind of sounds like the anti-Christ to me).

The fairytale, the "Three Little Pigs," has been found to be offensive to Muslims. Well, I suppose Little Red Riding Hood offends Wolves, Little Jack Horner offends plums, Jack Be Nimble offends lovers of candles, and Three Men In A Tub offends Gays who aren't promiscuous too.

And Finally, the final nut on National Pistachio Day: American al-Qaeda militant Adam Gadahn urged Islamist militants in a video to welcome George W. Bush when he visited the Middle East with bombs and traps, not flowers and applause.

--------------------------------------------

Okay, now for a non-nutty piece of information. . . did you miss today's broadcast of Political Pistachio Radio? Check it out. My guest was Gary W. Moore, author of Playing With The Enemy.

Have you heard? The New York Times has endorsed John McCain. To be honest, when a liberal newspaper that is willing to aid the enemy by releasing American Intelligence information endorses a Republican Candidate, red flags go up. The left has a crush on McCain because they remember when he voted against the tax cuts in 2001 and 2003, and they remember that he was a key player in trying to push the Amnesty Program through. Even McCain's mama has admitted that John McCain is getting no support from the conservative base.

But here's the real kicker. . . Open Borders Advocate Juan Hernandez has joined the McCain Campaign - - - that's right, those that wish for our borders to become nothing more than a dotted line on a map are in McCain's corner.

Yes, Romney may be a Mormon, but he is more of a Conservative than McCain will ever be.

Sorry, McCain supporters, I know John is a war hero and all, and I respect him for that, but he is too weak on border security, the economy, and way too chummy with Liberals (like Kennedy and Feingold) to get my vote.

With the loss of Duncan Hunter and Fred Thompson from the Republican Presidential race in Election 2008, the Republican Party has left little remaining for America's Conservatives. As the Florida Primary approaches on Tuesday, January 29, it is becoming clear that the battle has narrowed to Mitt Romney, John McCain, Mike Huckabee, Ron Paul, and Rudy Giuliani.

Rudy has placed everything on Florida, and a poor outing in that state will force him out of the race. Ron Paul never had a chance. Mike Huckabee has not campaigned in Florida due to a lack of funding, and his comment that he wishes to close Gitmo knocked him out of my support circle.

This leaves Mitt Romney and John McCain.

I have not forgotten McCain's Congressional record and his band of fourteen. I have not forgotten the fact that he was against Bush's tax cuts, and voted against just about every conservative item to cross the floor. He has produced bills with Kennedy, Feingold, and Leiberman. McCain supports amnesty, and believes in the Global Warming lie. He is hardly a conservative.

Though Romney is a Mormon, he has shown that he is a fiscal conservative that is in full support of the tax-cuts. Mitt was a successful governor of Massachusetts in a hostile, liberal environment. Romney has shown that he supports the surge, and the war against the Islamic Jihad. Although he has changed his position on a few issues, they have been in the right direction, and he has not flip-flopped back.

As much as I hate to say it, the remaining candidate that I am willing to support is Mitt Romney.

Today was a Federal Holiday. The Post Office was closed, and my mailbox is empty. Students remained home from school. The Banks enjoyed a day of rest. Why? Because today was the day we have set aside to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his message of hope and America's departure from segratation, and the attempt to finally become a society of one people: Americans.

I was considering writing a nice long post about how the idea of multi-culturalism actually teaches the opposite of what Dr. King preached, and how today's society seems to be more intent on segragating people in an attempt to not "offend" anyone. The sad thing is, Dr. King's dream is in jeopardy. We have forgotten how to be Americans.

But, as I was thinking about this, a fascinating article crossed my desk.

During a service at the Convent Avenue Baptist Church yesterday to honor Dr. King, Bill Clinton, who was in attendance, decided it was more important to take a nap.

When you go to the site above that I linked, be sure to watch the video too, or you may access the video by clicking on the picture of Bill Clinton napping above.

It seems that the mainstream media has forgotten what the primaries and caucuses are all about. The idea that it takes delegates, not percentages, to win the nomination, has apparently slipped their minds. This morning's newspaper proudly proclaimed that McCain and Clinton won the battles yesterday on January 19, 2008.

But did they?

On the Democrat side, even though Hillary Clinton won a total of 51% of the vote, and Barack Obama pulled off 45%, in reality, Obama was the winner because he gained 13 delegates over Clinton's 12.

And even though McCain has won South Carolina (which, by the way, the winner in South Carolina has always won the nomination), in the overall numbers, Romney (who won in Nevada) is still the leader in total delegates (even though the media will proclaim he's in serious trouble).

As a closing note, it is a shame that Hunter has stepped out of the race. Due to the lack of fire in his belly, Fred Thompson (as much as I hate to say it) may be next. Giuliani needs to step down. Yet another failed showing tells me he's done.

this is making its rounds through the e-mails, thought you'd find it interesting (note my commentary at the end):

("Only") 8th Grade Education

Let's give this to the Mexicans or all immigrants, for
citizenship.
(of course we wouldn't pass either)

What it took to get an 8th grade education in 1895 ...

Remember when grandparents and great-grandparents stated that they only had an 8th grade education? Well, check this out. Could any of us have passed the 8th grade in 1895?

This is the eighth-grade final exam from 1895 in Salina, Kansas, USA. It was taken from the original document on file at the Smokey Valley Genealogical Society and Library in Salina, and reprinted by the Salina Journal.

8th Grade Final Exam: Salina, KS - 1895

Grammar (Time, one hour)

1. Give nine rules for the use of capital letters.

2. Name the parts of speech and define those that have no modifications.

3. Define verse, stanza and paragraph.

4. What are the principal parts of a verb? Give principal parts of
"lie,""play," and "run."

5. Define case; illustrate each case.

6 What is punctuation? Give rules for principal marks of punctuation.

7 - 10. Write a composition of about 150 words and show therein that you understand the practical use of the rules of grammar.


Arithmetic (Time, 1 hour 15 minutes)

1. Name and define the Fundamental Rules of Arithmetic.

2. A wagon box is 2 ft. deep, 10 feet long, and 3 ft. wide. How many bushels of wheat will it hold?

3. If a load of wheat weighs 3,942 lbs., what is it worth at 50cts/bushel, deducting 1,050 lbs. for
tare?

4. District No 33 has a valuation of $35,000. What is the necessary levy to carry on a school seven months at $50 per month, and have $104 for incidentals?

5. Find the cost of 6,720 lbs. coal at $6.00 per ton.

6. Find the interest of $512.60 for 8 months and 18 days at 7 percent.

7. What is the cost of 40 boards 12 inches wide and 16 ft. long at $20 per metre?

8. Find bank discount on $300 for 90 days (no grace) at 10 percent.

9. What is the cost of a square farm at $15 per acre, the distance of which is 640 rods?

10. Write a Bank Check, a Promissory Note, and a Receipt.


U.S. History (Time, 45 minutes)

1. Give the epochs into which U.S. History is divided.

2. Give an account of the discovery of America by Columbus .

3. Relate the causes and results of the Revolutionary War.

4. Show the territorial growth of the United States.

5. Tell what you can of the history of Kansas.

6. Describe three of the most prominent battles of the Rebellion.

7. Who were the following: Morse, Whitney, Fulton, Bell, Lincoln, Penn, and Howe?

8. Name events connected with the following dates: 1607, 1620, 1800, 1849, 1865.


Orthography (Time, one hour)

1. What is meant by the following: alphabet, phonetic, orthography, etymology, syllabication

2. What are elementary sounds? How classified?

3. What are the following, and give examples of each: trigraph, subvocals, diphthong, cognate letters, linguals.

4. Give four substitutes for caret 'u.' (HUH?)

5. Give two rules for spelling words with final 'e.' Name two exceptions under each rule.

6. Give two uses of silent letters in spelling. Illustrate each.

7. Define the following prefixes and use in connection with a word: bi, dis, mis, pre, semi, post, non, inter, mono, sup.

8. Mark diacritically and divide into syllables the following, and name the sign that indicates the sound: card, ball, mercy, sir, odd, cell, rise, blood, fare, last.

9. Use the following correctly in sentences: cite, site, sight, fane, fain, feign, vane , vain, vein, raze, raise, rays.

10. Write 10 words frequently mispronounced and indicate pronunciation by use of diacritical marks and by syllabication.


Geography (Time, one hour)

1 What is climate? Upon what does climate depend?

2. How do you account for the extremes of climate in Kansas?

3. Of what use are rivers? Of what use is the ocean?

4. Describe the mountains of North America.

5. Name and describe the following: Monrovia, Odessa, Denver, Manitoba, Hecla, Yukon , St. Helena, Juan Fernandez, Aspinwall and Orinoco.

6. Name and locate the principal trade centers of the U.S.

7. Name all the republics of Europe and give the capital of each.

8. Why is the Atlantic Coast colder than the Pacific in the same latitude?

9. Describe the process by which the water of the ocean returns to the sources of rivers.

10. Describe the movements of the earth. Give the inclination of the earth.


Notice that the exam took FIVE HOURS to complete.

Gives the saying "he only had an 8th grade education" a whole new meaning, doesn't it?

Also shows you how poor our education system has become!

END OF EMAIL

--------------------------

Political Pistachio's added note: Though this fascinating display of questions makes one think that we have been dumbed down, it takes one to consider the obvious to realize that this does not necessarily prove anything. I am not disagreeing that our schools are not what they used to be. I agree we are far from providing the level of education that was received over a hundred years ago. But think about it. . . how many of you could truly pass the same test with the same flying colors you passed years and years ago? Besides, education and tests have changed over the years. Take into consideration the lack of questions regarding, for example, literature, in the exam above. Or, do you really need to know in this day and age how many bushels of anything fits into something?

I am not questioning that an eighth grade education in 1895 was more than eighth graders receive nowadays. I am just pointing out that with the passing of years the questions have needed to change, and also with the passing of years we do not retain all that we learned, nor could we pass many of the tests we took when we were younger. The only reason I am up on what would be in an exam of this nature at all is because I read a lot, recently helped my wife finish pursuing her collegiate degree, and have a daughter in high school of whom I help with homework. . . and I still doubt I could pass the tests needed now to graduate from middle school.

As for the Mexicans, willingness to follow the law, and assimilate into American Society, is all I ask.

Just a thought.

According to the Associated Press, radical Islamic militants have overrun a Pakistani fort near the Afghanistan border, killing at least 25 soldiers. After the attack the Islamic insurgents abandoned the fort and disappeared into the hills.

This attack raises concern over the security of the area, and is evidence that the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto is seen as an opportunity by the Islamic Jihadists to chip away at President Pervez Musharraf's administration. After all, how long before the Jihadists begin to oppose the Pakistani more openly at larger military complexes?

The insurgents who attacked the post are believed to represent Baitullah Mehsud, an Islamic hard-liner who is the leader of a group of Taliban sympathizers and who is thought to have links to al-Qaida.

The attacking force on Fort Sararogha consisted of about 200 militants who charged the fort from four sides. They used rockets to break through the fort's wall.

The military claimed the defenders killed 50 militants before being overwhelmed.

There was no way to verify casualty numbers. Both sides have long accused each other of exaggerating such figures.

Musharraf first deployed the army in Pakistan's semiautonomous tribal regions along the frontier in late 2001 to chase down al-Qaida militants fleeing the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan.

The big question is, how long before the Islamic Jihad moves beyond the frontier, and sets its sights on the population centers of Pakistan, and Musharraf's presidency?

Tonight I was going to originally post about the Michigan Primary, but I think a link and a quick explanation is good enough. Romney won, with McCain in second.

Tonight's post, however, actually began to grow within the depths of my gray matter during my eventless drive to the construction jobsite I was to labor at today. The place I had to go was a long drive south from where I live. Normally, in the morning, to go down to San Diego and her many suburban neighbors, it takes me about an hour and a half. Sometimes it takes me longer, rarely shorter. Yesterday morning and this morning I arrived very early to my destination.

Here in Southern California a freeway void of heavy traffic during rush hour (and often during any hour, for that matter) is relatively unheard of. Sometimes around certain holidays the traffic will be light, but the norm is heavy, bumper to bumper, nauseating, horn blowing, head-splitting, I just can't take it anymore traffic. But not yesterday, and not this morning.

As a result of the housing slowdown I am not on the freeways as often anymore, and I suppose I just never noticed before today how light the traffic had truly become. Today, I brought this up to one of my co-workers, and he says, "Of course the traffic is light, with the slow-down all of the laborers are in Mexico."

I thought about it. Hmmmm, he might be right. So, when I got home, I began to do a little research. Apparently, many illegals are departing the United States and heading back to Mexico, but not just because of the housing slow-down, but also because of the tougher new legislation regarding illegal immigrants.

Another interesting development is that with all of these American manufacturers heading to Mexico with their manufacturing plants, many of the jobs illegals came here hoping to land are popping up back in Mexico.

So, to answer the question of those that say we can't just deport all of the illegals in the United States, and that's why we need to give them amnesty - - - I say that we don't have to deport them. Along with the current conditions all we need to do is penalize employers for hiring illegals, quit handing out freebies to them, and enforce the law that is on the books, and they will all go back to Mexico willingly.

------------------------------------

and don't miss the next installment of Political Pistachio Radio on Wednesday night @ 10pm Eastern (our guest is Paul Ibbetson, author of Living Under the Patriot Act: Educating a Society).