Category: Uncategorized

Jihad!

A man cycles past a wall graffiti of caricatures of U.S. President Barack Obama (L) and Cuban leader Fidel Castro outside a restaurant in Mexico City, August 21, 2012. REUTERS/ Edgard Garrido (MEXICO - Tags: TRANSPORT SOCIETY) - RTR370OW
A man cycles past a wall graffiti of caricatures of U.S. President Barack Obama (L) and Cuban leader Fidel Castro outside a restaurant in Mexico City

Rumination’s on This Crazy World

By Ernest

Dateline: Havana (53d)- Barack Hussein Obama, President of the United States (acting), basking in the warm afterglow of European-style man kisses with new BFFs the Castro Brothers, was clearly moved this morning when one of the few sober Secret Service Agents on his personal security detail informed him of the carnage which occurred earlier this morning in Brussels, Belgium.

“All Americans stand in solidarity with our Belgian allies on this sad and tragic day. I am directing the full investigative and prosecutorial might of my administration to immediately focus on the identification and ruthless termination of these terrorists. American investigative and judicial might shall relentlessly focus on two very likely perpetrators of these heinous crimes: Free Will Baptists and Climate Deniers. Free Will Baptists who are ALSO Climate Deniers will be prosecuted first. Today we declare Jihad on these merchants of terror.   Some on the right continue to castigate me for failing to falsely accuse “Radical Islam” for these attacks. My administration and I refuse to give in to these misguided calls. Our Islamic friends don’t handle snakes or speak in tongues, for heaven’s sake, nor do they deny settled science!

Sure, cutting off heads, tossing homosexuals off of buildings, and crucifying infidels on live television is a little icky, especially in Hi-Def, but my goodness, these folks are simply misunderstood.   I’ve ordered Director Comey and Attorney General Lynch to immediately halt the misguided investigation into Secretary Clinton’s Top Secret home office E-Mail server…I mean, yo, who would be arrogant and stupid enough to mishandle classified information that way? We will redirect these critical resources to finding the real killers, and I am delighted to report that O.J. Simpson has agreed to lend his considerable experience in this area to assist us.

Today I declare that we will find and finish radicalized Baptists and carbon spewing, Pickup Truck-driving rednecks who are destroying our beloved Gaia. Our Belgian friends deserve no less…..and you Jehovah’s Witnesses and SUV drivers? I’m watching you.” Pointing two fingers towards his eyes and then towards the crowd, BO strode off the stage, a president (little p) on a mission.

Red Pill

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Roofman

It’s a bird; it’s a plane, its Roofman!! With imaginary superpowers rivaling Batman, Superman and Spiderman, Roofman has no superpowers other than sporting green and white leotards that no self respecting man in his right mind would ever consider wearing, let alone under the guise of a mascot. What we have here is a dude that gets his jollies running on rooftops. Marked as a mascot, getting paid minimum wage and loitering around Fifth Third Field, Dayton Dragon baseball fans find themselves amused, disgusted and sometimes disturbed by Roofman’s presence. While the Dayton Dragons enjoy record attendance each season selling out for all their games, a record in the Midwest League, Roofman gets no credit for this.

As the legend goes, Roofman lives on the roof at Fifth Third Field, home of the Dayton Dragons, a Cincinnati Reds affiliate. He collects foul balls that land on the roof and uses his “special magic powers” to turn them into “softee balls,” which he autographs and tosses down to the crowd. Intended for the kids at the games, the softee balls have sometimes generated a scramble among adults fighting for the balls and Roofman’s autograph. Roofman is normally introduced with a musical introduction that let’s you know he is present and ready for battle.

After an exhausting evening of fetching balls, what does Roofman do to calm his nerves and relax after maybe getting 5 or 6 foul balls? Word is he orders up a Cassano’s pizza, picks up another bag of Mike Sells potato chips, and hits a local drive-thru for an eight pack of Little Kings seven ounce bottles of ale, a local favorite. Once a promising Ohio State University (OSU) graduate and punter for the Buckeyes, he has maximized his financial potential as a Roofman.

What do Roofman and Governor Kasich of Ohio have in common? They are both sons of US Postal Service employees; both have political science degrees from OSU and both like running, one for President and one for foul balls. Unlike Kasich who is known for being straight, optimistic and energetic, Roofman is known for questionable behavior, living in his Grandma’s basement in East Dayton and enjoying an occasional night at Katie’s Place, an entertainment establishment. He used to hang out at Clancy’s Tavern, but he got the permanent boot from this fine establishment for fighting with some Derelicts.

Sometimes late at night after several beverages at Katie’s Place, Roofman would tell stories about being an heir to the Wright Brothers, Orville and Wilbur, famous for inventing the airplane. A rival of Roofman’s known as the Dayton Flyer took great offense at this claim and sued him over fraudulent proclamations. Roofman submitted to DNA testing in 2013 and surprisingly it was proven to be true. Roofman, properly known as Rudolf, is in fact a Wright Brother descendant on his Great Grandmother’s side of the family. However, it appears the intellectual gene pool of intelligence and accomplishment ended with Wilbur and Orville. After all Roofman chases foul balls on rooftops and looks for applause to satisfy his quest for some sense of accomplishment. Roofman might not be flying at Kittyhawk but he can be found on the rooftop of Fifth Third Field on many summer nights!

roofman 2

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Tri-Fecta

By EZ21

March 17th 2016 is what my household refers to as the tri-fecta this year. The annual NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament kicks off at noon when two schools from Tobacco Road, on two totally different spectrums of talent, go head to head. The storied programs and history doesn’t necessarily matter in these games, because 90% of America is pulling for the little guy. This is arguably the best sports week of the year, as we watch buzzer beaters drilled from 30 feet, legends born, and heartache for the losers settles in. Nine months of hard work is gone in moments and the dreaded “Surrender Cobra” rears its ugly head for those shocked fans. Don’t know what a “Surrender Cobra” is? Google that phrase and include Michigan vs Michigan State.

How does it get better you ask? Throw in the fact that the Big Dance kicks off on St. Patrick’s Day. For those of us Irish sports fans, it gets better because you can enjoy these games with a refreshing green beer or Guinness that you only drink one day out of the year. It’s a legitimate excuse to ease towards your degenerate side for a few hours on a Thursday afternoon, while working perhaps from home through the myriad of excuses you made to work from home and watch basketball, albeit making a living from the man while being unproductive. One excuse I received today from a team member was that he needed to work remotely, because there was a FedEx package that requires a signature with no exact time of when it would arrive. Well played, Sir. Enjoy your day of unproductivity. I salute your passion for sports and lack of integrity.

The third part of the tri-fecta is likely a bit of a wrinkle and any father’s nightmare. You see today is my little girls 1st Birthday. Now, while it will be great to celebrate and its wonderful being Irish and having a child born on St. Patrick’s Day, I am terrified of what this means down the road. A girl, St. Patrick’s Day birthday, typically falls around Spring Break time…what could go wrong? Given that they don’t party too hard in the convent and she has already decided to give herself to the Church, this eases the pain a little bit. I will lean on those who have been there before and take the outlook of Bob Marley with his lyrics “Don’t worry, about a thing, ‘cause every little thing, gonna be alright”. I also pray she doesn’t really get into that type of music!

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Landau

Elegant, stylish or a car top hairpiece, the Landau Top was a sign of the times. In the 1970’s, the vinyl top added panache to many Fords, Chryslers and GM cars. You could pick largely from two styles, the Landau which covered about a third of the roofline or the canopy that covered the whole roof. Two door coupes usually had the Landau top and four doors usually sported the canopy version. Chrysler even had a version called “the Up and Over” which put fish gills over the back windows on their coupes. Can you picture those 1970 era Ricardo Montalban Chrysler Cordoba commercials? When I think of the Landau top, the Cordoba is one of the first cars I think of followed by a Cadillac Deville or a Lincoln Continental.

The Landau fit the decade of the 70’s and into the first few years of the 1980’s. Disco, silk shirts, bell-bottom jeans and the Landau top all seem to fit together. Even Toyota and Nissan started importing their cars sporting the hairpiece. Many Toyota Celica’s could be found sporting a version of the canopy top.

The 1970’s were a great decade of invention. This decade includes the Sony Walkman, the Apple Computer, the digital camera, the digital watch and the Atari game system. Many great bands got their start; the Eagles, Electric Light Orchestra, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Ban, Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band and Kiss. But, can you picture the 70’s without the Landau top sporting around on America’s highways? The Landau Top made the cars of the 70’s!

Ask a teenager today about the Landau Top and they would likely be lost, puzzled or give you a quizzical look about what it is. They may even think it is an App. Understandable. The Landau is a lost part of America’s automotive landscape  unless you happen to see a classic automobile sporting one. It could be time for the Landau Top to make a comeback. Can you picture a Chrysler 200, Ford Fusion or Buick Regal sporting the Landau Top? It may be time to bring back America’s automotive hairpiece, the Landau Top. I know some dudes in Leisure Suits that would pay top dollar for a Landau.

 

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Rule of Law in Jeopardy?

 

One of the greatest qualities of our constitutional republic is that no one is above the law. Rich or poor, privileged or ordinary, famous or infamous, if you break the laws of the land you will be held accountable and punished if found guilty. The US citizenry really has arguably had confidence in the system up until this current administration. Even a US President was found guilty of lying over Watergate in the 1970’s and if it weren’t for being pardoned by President Ford, President Nixon would have gone to jail. So where are we today?

Between 2009 and 2014, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) was targeting Conservative Tea Party Groups for their political activities supporting conservative political candidates. There is much evidence toward this end through the Freedom of Information Act, Congressional testimony of witnesses and even whistle blowers. The IRS targeted companies owned by conservatives whom were politically active and these companies have been financially harmed. Have there been any indictments or grand jury proceedings? No, there have not been. Has Louis Lerner, the Head of the IRS, been indicted for her political targeting activities by the Department of Justice (DoJ)? Has the DoJ even adequately investigated the IRS targeting of Americans or conservative political groups? It has not. When President Obama declared “not even a smidgeon of corruption” he in essence gave marching orders to the IRS and his Administration to close ranks around the issue.

So where are the republicans and the media? While the republicans have held hearings they have marginalized themselves by failing to take stronger action and demanding accountability. The media continues to protect the president and his administration by letting this issue die in the press. Historically, if the left-wing media wants an issue resolved, they keep it alive. When they want to play ball with the party they favor and vote for (99.4% democrat), they stop reporting on the subject. Case and point, has Louis Lerner been in the news lately? I hear crickets!

This brings us to present day and the FBI’s investigation of Hillary Clinton’s decision to establish a private server and email account for State Department business instead of using the required government computer systems for the nation’s business, both classified and unclassified networks. Not only is this unlawful but it is unprecedented. One must also ask, why would you do this? Clinton has used the argument about this being more convenient for her. As a career soldier, this is insulting. When you’re the Secretary of State, you have a whole apparatus serving you. You have maximum convenience from day one. You have security, transportation, staff, special communications and a whole host of privileges that make your life convenient. Plus it is a privilege to serve your nation and to some degree, hardship is expected when you accept the role of Secretary of State. This private server is really about control and because Clinton knew she’d run for President, she wanted to keep her communications from the public record or future scrutiny.

So, will justice be served in the case of Hillary Clinton establishing a private server to conduct government business, and passing over two thousand classified messages over an unsecure personal network? She put at risk secrets of the nation that could result in serious or grave damage to the nation, or security of the lives of agents and troops in harms way. This is the price of Clinton’s convenience excuse.

There are millions of military veterans and government service (GS) employees watching how the DoJ and Loretta Lynch handle Hillary Clinton. If Clinton were a private in the US Army she would already be in jail. If Clinton were a GS-13 she’d be in pre-trial confinement. If Hillary Clinton were a republican the press would already have indicted her.

America is watching Ms. Lynch. We are going to find out if this nation still stands for the rule of law or something significantly less. We are going to find out if the rich, privileged and famous Hillary Clinton is held accountable to the Rule of Law like the rest of us would be!

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HHR

Style, practical, and elegant? The Chevrolet HHR, an American 21st Century classic powered by a mighty four-cylinder engine. Was the HHR a beauty of an American automobile or an embarrassment to the driver? She got the job done, no argument there. Some basic transportation with decent fuel economy styled after the Chevrolet 1949 Suburban, but in the form of a small car, the Chevy HHR,  stood for Heritage High Roof (HHR). One either loved it or hated it. You either felt cool driving the silver bullet or the little “hearse” embarrassed you, as my son’s friends called it at college. The HHR got three kids through high school and college off and on. It had a seven-year run before we decided to sell her. At about 107K miles, the engine needed some serious work, and we chose to move in a different direction.

The HHR had a seven-year production run manufacturing 489,780 cars. We had a 2008 version, an HHR LT, the second highest production year. Three sets of tires, two sets of brakes and a new battery were about all it took to keep the Silver Bullet running. The girls blew the speakers out after four or five years blasting some really, really, really bad noise that was classified as music. Other than that, the HHR delivered as a people mover that could haul a little extra cargo configured as a little station wagon. With a moonroof to boot, all she needed was a little rock-n-roll, a country road and sunshine. Cruising American style …

So, a couple questions:

  1. HHR or AMC Pacer, which car would you choose?
  2. Two classic HHR colors, silver or orange. Remember orange is the new black. Which color would you chose?
  3. Is the HHR an American classic & a collector’s item or a Ford Edsel?
  4. Are you ready to drive an HHR down the Woodward Dream Cruise north of Detroit this August in 2016? The price is right!

 

 

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Mercenary

by Stalwart 2 (Always Straight and Stalwart, by God!)

Mercenary (definition 1) – a person primarily concerned with making money at the expense of ethics

Mercenary (definition 2) – a soldier who will fight for any group or country that hires him

Mercenary (a Soldier’s personal definition) – a soldier who blindly follows orders without care for or thought of universal ethics

During last night’s Republican Primary Debate (held 3/3/16), GOP front runner Donald Trump was repeatedly asked various forms of the same question – In response to Michael Hayden’s statement that the military would not follow your orders to kill terrorists’ families [read: commit a war crime], how would you respond?

Rather than backing off of his previous advocacy in favor of violating the Geneva Convention, Trump was defiant in his answer. “They’ll do what I tell them to.” When pressed harder, he stated again: “They’ll do what I tell them to.” Later, he repeated it a third time. His words were the true definition of unbelievable, and we need to stop and think about exactly what Donald Trump said. His answer was not that of a man running for democratic office; his answer was that of a tyrant. And this exposition of Trump is only a surface revelation; the undertones of his statement are equally disturbing. A closer reading reveals that, effectively, Trump debased our military to a mercenary force. He damned our generals and admirals to blind followers, guns for hire whose sole purpose is to fulfill his fleeting wishes as a tyrannical government leader. Trump showed he does not believe, as those who serve our country do, that the American military is a force for good, designed with the ultimate goal of bringing peace through strength. He does not believe in just war, or in nation building, or in eradicating terrorist ideologies. He believes the American military is a tool, and intends to use it as such.

Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of the entire exchange, though, was the fact that he was allowed to get away with it. The Fox News moderators, who up until that point had displayed a surprising commitment to upstanding journalism, remained quiet rather than challenging Trump for his demeaning and ethically empty statement. The three remaining candidates, meanwhile, debased themselves to personal attacks, ignoring the low hanging fruit that could’ve exposed Trump’s true nature. I was left wondering how a group of men, with 152 years between them, self-proclaimed students of the law, upholders of the Constitution, and former members of the national defense committee, men supposedly intelligent and courageous enough to become the leader of the free world, could not recognize the implications of the words the dictator-to-be spoke before them, nor make a point to call him out on them?

Their inaction speaks loudly of the preposterous nature the political process has taken, where every sound bite must be vetted and market tested before being approved as campaign rhetoric, and no candidate has the plums to go off script when necessary (In Trump’s case to have the foresight to think about what he is communicating). It is no wonder this calamity of a primary has trudged on for so long – between the media’s craving for ratings and candidates’ constant efforts to simply not misstep, we’ve created a monster. Our political process has reached the brink of folding on itself.

I began this article with three definitions of the word “mercenary” for a reason. In the first definition, we see Trump for who he has been for his entire life – a man who builds on the backs of illegal and underpaid labor, a man who creates fraudulent “opportunities” to scam the naïve, and a man who will do or say anything to hold an office he would defile. The second definition is how he views the rest of the world – as pawns he can control through the power of greed. Those of us who have actually put on a uniform, who value service and work for the betterment of our nation and others, should be appalled. And the third definition, my own, expands upon the second. The third definition is what we are not, but is what Mr. Trump intends for us to be.

The Donald Trump charade has gone on far too long. It is time America sees him for who he actually is – a mercenary.

 

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Thank You!

An “Appreciation” By LTC (R) Ernest

Mr. President, in the hustle and bustle of trying to start and run a new small business in your rather tepid economic recovery (shovel ready projects!!!); I forgot to say thank you! For years I have shied away from owning weapons. I did not grow up around firearms, none of my relatives were hunters, and if we felt the need to kill something, our weapon of choice was a Fenwick casting rod, Mitchell Garcia reel, some 6 Lb. test line, and an Eagle Claw brand hook….and an unwilling, sacrificial night crawler…but I digress. I hope that the very nice people at PETA will forgive me for the trout I have eaten. I am a catch and release failure, no doubt.

I served in the Army for 20 years, so carrying first an M-16, and then a pistol, became second nature to me. However, unlike many of my fellow Soldiers, I never became a “gun guy”…weapons were a part of the job. I never felt the need to own weapons. The Army always had a very useful one for me. My wife was quite happy with this arrangement.

My gun ownership perspective has changed dramatically as I have watched radicalized Islamic Terrorists (can we say that without fear of arrest?) wreak havoc in this land that I love. Ft. Hood, Boston, San Bernardino, the list goes on. Coupled with the accelerating collapse of our society (pick a shooting incident carried out by home grown lunatics), and your administration’s astonishing inability to enforce the gun laws already on the books, or even control our borders, I no longer feel safe in my own home or “out and about” with my wife and children. The animals now run the zoos (Baltimore!). One wonders how many ISIS fighters will infiltrate America along with the Syrian refugees you seem so intent on importing. I’m sure they are perfectly nice folks, however, who just need free college, an IPhone, a nice American Girlfriend/Boyfriend, and welfare to turn from their misguided “kill the infidel” ways and return to the religion of peace.

So what is a dad to do? I do not enjoy Secret Service protection for life, so the logical step for me was to purchase weapons. I am now the somewhat unwilling owner of a Mossberg 12 Gauge Shotgun and a Springfield .45 pistol. In steps unthinkable to me before your administration, I am now an NRA Life Member and have a concealed carry permit. My wife is not quite as happy with this arrangement.

Thank you, sir. You have opened my eyes to the reality of near post-Obama America, and Mr. LaPierre and the wonderful folks at Mossberg and Springfield Firearms are the ultimate benefactors of your policies. I should add that the folks at Federal Ammunition are doing pretty well, too. While I understand that your supporters (Feel the Bern!) are zealous in their belief that guns are the problem, I think this is analogous to blaming fast food for obesity, or cars and alcohol for DUI. The logic fails. Sad, I think, that in your America personal responsibility in parenting, and the personal responsibility and accountability necessary for living in a civil democracy have become so passé!

P.S.—Dave Petraeus wants to talk about personal e-mail servers for Senior Government Officials. Go Figure!

Cheers,

Ernest.

 

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Voter’s Guide to the 2016 Presidential Primaries

       by: James Reacher

As a loyal 53rd Regiment reader, I suspect you probably live or have official residency in one of many Southern states that will be voting on March 1. Now, as a practicing member of the political class, I urge you to review the websites of the candidates, watch debates and candidate forums, and make an informed decision on whom to support. However, I also know that the hectic lifestyle of the average 53rd Regiment reader does not support this type of political junkie level obsession. With that in mind, please find a proponent and opponent case for each of the remaining candidates. Please note at the outset that my work has led me to develop very strong opinions about all of these candidates, so do not take it personally when I light up your current favorite. I can assure you that I am lighting up my current favorite as well.

THE DEMOCRATS

Should you be in the incredibly narrow demographic of Democratic primary voter and 53rd Regiment reader, your choices are pretty simple — Secretary Hillary Clinton or Senator Bernie Sanders.

Hillary Clinton

The pro-Clinton case is based on experience. She has been in public service in one form or another since 1983. She has been the First Lady of Arkansas and of the United States as well as a U.S. Senator and Secretary of State. If you want the Democratic Party to nominate the candidate with the most experience and greatest likelihood of winning, you should vote for her.

The anti-Clinton case for primary voters has two main components. The first component is stylistic. Even in a primary, she seem unwilling to fully embrace the progressive wing of the Democratic Party. She is like the wary parent who will dole out a little freedom, but only in moderation and with close supervision.

The second anti-Clinton case is management. She has proven herself to be an utter failure at management. During President Bill Clinton’s first term, Hillary Clinton led the group that attempt to craft a health care reform measure. What she came up was so unpalatable that it never even got a vote in either the House or the Senate, despite the Democrats controlling both chambers. Republicans had their best mid-term elections in generations running against her efforts.

And, I cannot close out this section without mentioning Benghazi. Others in the 53rd Regiment roster can write with greater knowledge and experience on this issue, but it is my strong belief that she failed to provide adequate oversight or concern for U.S. diplomats in harm’s way and this failure directly led to the deaths of Americans. Her continued unwillingness to acknowledge her role in this tragedy is an enormous black mark on her record as a public official.

Bernie Sanders

There is a saying in politics that there are few joys greater than running a campaign in which you have no chance of winning. This seems counterintuitive until you realize how much fun it would be to be able to promise anything you want, say anything you want, and attack your opponent in any way you wish. Make no mistake, this is the type of campaign that Bernie Sanders is running.

The pro-Sanders case is that he is promising everything a liberal has ever dreamed of — universal healthcare, free college tuition, increased minimum wage, punitive taxes on wealthy people and corporations. He is like an Aaron Sorkin character brought to life.

The anti-Sanders case is also twofold. The first side is strategic. He openly admits that he plans to raise taxes on everyone, even middle class voters, to provide universal healthcare. The Democrats already ran a candidate who promised to raise everyone’s taxes. His name was Walter Mondale and he lost 49 states in 1984.

Beyond this strategic concern, were I a Democratic primary voter, I would be wary of voting for someone who has spent so much of his Congressional and Senate career loudly complaining while getting little to nothing done. The Senate has show horses and work horses. Sanders is unequivocally a show horse. Show horses do not know how to close deals and do not know how to marshal their allies for legislative battles. It feels good to vote for the “ice cream for dinner” candidate, but there is a reason no responsible parent allows a diet like that one.

THE REPUBLICANS

This is the deepest Republican Presidential candidate field in my lifetime. With two exceptions, I think all of these men are qualified and would do a fine job as President. GOP primary voters are deciding among the very good and not merely affirming the anointed acceptable choice. I think my writing will reveal the two I find unqualified. The pros and cons of the remaining Republican Presidential candidates proceed below in alphabetical order.

Ben Carson

Were some sort of traumatic brain injury to befall me, I want Ben Carson to be my surgeon. He is a brilliant and accomplished man who success in the medical field has literally inspired books and movies. He is a man of impressive faith and his love for his wife is inspiring.

However, the campaign, debates, and candidate forums have made clear that he is completely unprepared for the Presidency. He appears to have little to no knowledge about foreign affairs and has used his time in debates to give non-seneschal answers including reciting the preamble to the Constitution as his closing statement at a recent debate.

On a personal level, I know a few of his former campaign staffers a little bit and the manner in which they were treated was appalling to me. If this is how he runs a campaign, I shudder to think how he would run the Executive Branch and how he would serve as Commander in Chief.

Ted Cruz

Ted Cruz has the most impressive resume of any of the remaining candidates. He attended Ivy League schools for his undergraduate degree and for law school. He was the editor of the law review journal at Harvard and served as a clerk for the Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. He also argued multiple cases before the Supreme Court while serving as the Texas Solicitor General. Cruz was also senior staffer for the 2000 Bush Presidential Campaign.

In politics, the campaign Cruz mounted for the U.S. Senate in 2012 is one of the greatest political upsets ever. Cruz ran against the sitting Lieutenant Governor and was outspent almost 3-to-1. He did line up the impressive support of a myriad of political “outsiders” to help nationalize this campaign.

He immediately parlayed this win into a role as a national conservative leader. First term U.S. Senators often keep their heads down and focus on making gains on minutiae. Cruz instead turned himself into a national leader and conservative talk darling. This is quite the feat for someone who had been working as a lawyer in esoteric corporate law prior to the campaign.

The opponent case for Cruz is simple — by all accounts, he is thoroughly unlikable. This is seen in small ways like his college roommate who routinely tweets out derogatory information about him and the DC lobbyist/staffer/consultant world is filled with “you didn’t hear this from me, but…” stories about how unlikable he is. This is also seen in big ways like the fact that zero of U.S. Senate colleagues have endorsed him and the fact that Nikki Haley met with him in private last week and then decided to endorse Marco Rubio.

Someone who cannot get along with what should be his allies and in fact wears his lack of professional respect as a badge of honor is going to have an awful hard time getting anything done as President. I learned long ago that my political opponents and those who disagree with me believe just as strongly as I do in the merits of their case. To get things done, sometimes you need to acknowledge the merits of your opponent’s view and try to find some middle ground. Cruz seems unwilling or unable to do this.

John Kasich

John Kasich is a proven success as a leader in both Congress and as Governor of Ohio. During his time as a member of the House of Representatives, he rose to Chairman of the House Budget Committee. In that role, he got President Clinton to agree to a balanced federal budget, an achievement not seen since men had been walking on the moon and not duplicated by Congressional leaders of either party since.

As Governor of Ohio, he has led the state through an economic renaissance while also balancing budgets and implementing conservative policies. He won two tough statewide elections in a state that a Republican Presidential candidate has not won since 2004.

As a Presidential candidate, he has campaigned with dignity and compassion — two qualities that have been sorely lacking on both sides of this contest to date.

There are two sides to the opposition argument against Kasich. First, despite his recent conversion to campaigning with kindness, Kasich has a lifetime of having a somewhat volatile temperament. He has belittled his political opponents, including questioning their commitment to Christian values and joking to Ohio lobbyists that they are advised to metaphorically get on the Kasich policy bus lest they be run over by said bus.

The second main argument against Kasich is that he is less conservative than the other candidates left. He stretched Ohio law to the limit to get the state to accept Obamacare provided funds to expand those covered by Medicaid, a federal/state program that provides subsidized health insurance to children and to poor people. Opponents of this maneuver were met with the aforementioned question about their commitment to Christian values when they protested to Kasich about it. Kasich has also taken a much more benign view about how to handle illegal immigrants currently in the country who are working and being otherwise law abiding.

Marco Rubio

I had the good fortune to see Marco Rubio speak to a large, receptive audience in Florida in 2010 and can attest that he is one of the most electrifying, engaging, and impressive speakers that I have ever seen. I am positive that he won a lot of supporters, donors, and volunteers that day.

His 2010 campaign for the U.S. Senator also ranks as one of the most remarkable success stories in American political history. Despite having served in elected office since he was 26 years old and serving as Speaker of the Florida House when he was only 34 years old, Rubio was out of elected office and working as a lawyer and adjunct college professor in 2010.

This story gets lost in our “every day a new battle” political culture, but what Rubio pulled off in that 2010 U.S. Senate Election is awe inspiring. He defeated Charlie Crist, the sitting Governor of Florida in the GOP primary and drove Crist out of the Republican Party, a worthy achievement on its own. In the general election, Rubio then won a tough three-way race with Crist now running as an Independent. It takes a lot of courage to look at a seemingly insurmountable electoral challenge and still try. Rubio had the courage to try in 2010.

In addition to his skills as a campaigner and orator, Rubio made friends and influenced people in the Senate. On immigration reform, he spearheaded an effort on immigration reform that got Congress closer to a solution than they had been since 2005. His Senate record is filled with efforts where he brought together disparate voices and worked with his colleagues to propose solutions. Washington is broken and as President he could fix it.

Like the other candidates, there are two main fronts on why a GOP primary voter should oppose Rubio. First, Jeb Bush tried to brand Rubio as the “GOP Obama” and in many ways the label fits. Like Obama, Rubio is relatively inexperienced at federal politics and despite his impressive rhetoric and bridge building skills, he has very little in actual accomplishments as U.S. Senator. For example, his vaunted bipartisan immigration reform effort fell apart in large part because Rubio walked away when the debate over the bill became heated.

The other half of the “GOP Obama” dig is stylistic. On matter big and small, Rubio always seems to be on the verge of being too cute by half. His town hall answers are often two parts — “here is what I would like to do (what the voter clearly wants to hear)” and “here is what I think could actual be done (a more disappointing compromise solution)”. His reputation is that he is on your side until things get tough and then he starts looking out for himself. On a more personal level, Rubio has been a Catholic, a Mormon, and an evangelical Protestant. He now attends both Catholic and Protestant services while identifying as Catholic. Religion is a deeply personal matter, but I do wring my hands a bit about someone who seems unwilling to choose an option.

Donald Trump

If you have made it this far, thank you. I will confess that I have an objection to Donald Trump as a candidate that is based both on disdain for his policy pronouncements and on disgust for his boorish personal behavior. However, like any political science graduate, I can argue it round or square. Just know that the round argument is not sincere on my part.

The proponent case for Donald Trump also comes from Jeb Bush. Jeb is a lot more successful in this essay than he ever was in the campaign! The Bush folk’s people spent weeks trying to derisively label Trump as a “chaos agent”. This supposed insult is one of the fundamental tenets of Trump’s campaign — he will bring tumultuous change to Washington and the world at large with the singular goal of improving America. To voters drawn to Perot in 1992 and to Buchanan in 1996 and to the Tea Party in 2014, this disdain for Washington and promise of massive change and upheaval to the establishment in Washington is a siren song calling them home. If you think the country is failing and your station is life is declining because of that failure, this promise to restore the American greatness of the past holds enormous appeal. You’re incorruptible and bold leader will single handedly run roughshod over all the vexing obstacles in the way to make America great again.

The two fold opponent case against Trump is both personal and policy based. By any objective standard, Donald Trump is a loathsome human being. His ex-wife, Ivana, listed “cruel and inhuman treatment” as the grounds for their divorce. More recently, he has mocked a disabled reporter, responded to his critics with childish name calling and threats of violence, and implied that Megyn Kelly’s menstrual cycle was the primary cause of her tough questioning of him. Presidents have to spend vast amounts of time and energy convincing would be opponents to support Presidential policies. Someone who cannot handle the crucible of a Presidential campaign is going to have a difficult time being strong enough and wily enough to outmaneuver his opponents.

On policies, Trump is proposing things that are not possible. Mexico is not going to send payments for the construction of a border fence. Presidents cannot unilaterally impose trade tariffs on imported foreign goods. He needs laws, treaties, and trade agreements to advance these goals. You need two sides willing to negotiate to make deals. I have serious doubts that Mexican leaders will want to meet with someone who characterized their immigrants as violent criminals and that Congressional leaders who have spent the past year being called do nothing losers will be eager to join Trump at the negotiating table.

In addition, during the debates and the candidate forums, Trump has both demonstrated a frightening lack of understanding of even basic federal policies as well as a willingness to change his positions on the fly to better appeal to his audience. For example, until 2012 he was a forceful pro-abortion advocate. Then, when he thought about running for President in 2012, he declared himself pro-life. This year he has urged Congress to fund Planned Parenthood and said recently that Planned Parenthood does “wonderful things having to do with women’s health.”   Someone this thin on policy who also seems to lack a moral core for policy decisions gives me a lot of pause about what they would do as President.

So now we have mercifully come to the end and I hope this has been helpful. Armed with this knowledge, I want to urge you to vote. Your vote does make a difference both cumulatively and individually. All of the states voting between March 1 and March 14 will be awarding delegates on a proportional basis, so even if you candidate does not win your state, they could still win delegates. Also, some of these races have been very close. The Iowa Democratic caucuses actually went to coin flip tiebreakers in several locations.

Your vote matters. Use it!

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Ranger

Loyal, loving, high energy, on guard, mischievous, playful, stubborn, and always ready to go;  these are but a few of the qualities that describe our two year old Australian Sheppard, Ranger. Born on Veterans Day in 2013 and joining an Army family, we named him after an elite US Army organization, The Army Rangers. It is clear to us now that the name fits the dog.

Like US Army Rangers, our Ranger embodies the heart, soul and spirit of an intense warrior or a playful herding dog. He will accomplish extraordinary things other herding dogs can only dream about. He’ll play field hockey in the family room with a plastic bone in his mouth and slap the tennis ball from field goal to field goal (wall to wall). If he hears something in the backyard, he begins with a soft grumbling bark to let us know there is trouble lurking out back, get the door open and let me take care of it. He doesn’t need a scouting report or an Intel Brief, he’s old school, and he just rolls at full speed! If the doorbell rings, we have a five alarm fire and max volume barking to boot. Until he meets the “intruder” and gives him the old fashion sniff test, Ranger’s radar is up and he is fully prepared for battle at a moment’s notice.

A US Army Ranger never rests on his laurels and this Ranger is no different. He will continue to prove himself to be the best of his breed each and every day. Self-sacrifice and sheer determination at overcoming obstacles (i.e. closed doors that he has learned how to open), completing his job, and protecting his herd (his family) is what Ranger lives for day in and day out.

Like US Army Rangers, our Ranger too works hard and plays hard. His mischievous side gets the best of him at times. After going out and playing in the snow, he’ll sneak into a winter coat pocket and steal away with a glove. Or he’ll go into the kitchen and swipe a hand towel to chew on. If he encounters a laundry basket he’ll capture a sock and hold it prisoner under his paws. When you catch him in the act, he’ll look away as if to deny “the false allegations that have been made against him.” No doubt about it, he has a major league rascal streak that runs right through that tri-merle coat of his. Perhaps as best explained by a dog trainer we used to help train him a year ago, “Ranger is that party guy who parks himself at the keg and goes all night talking to everybody” and I’ll add, is the last guy to crash and fall asleep with a bottle in his paw.

Ranger is always in the middle of the action. If he’s not invited, he’ll invite himself. If you keep him exercised through walks and throwing a ball, give him a job and work him a bit, in the end he’ll relax and be a little calmer at the end of the day. If you fail to keep this grand bargain with Ranger, his high energy will get the best of him and you, he just can’t help himself. In the end, Ranger is a keeper. He’s a loving companion wired to please but also wired to work. He’s not Airborne but he is a Ranger!

Ranger Pic

 

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Justice Antonin Scalia

It is the practice of The 53rd Regiment to post original content. After much deliberation, the editorial board has decided to make an exception for the homily given by Antonin Scalia’s son, a catholic priest, at his funeral mass on 20 February 2016. These next 15 minutes are well worth your time and a superb spiritual reflection on Father Scalia’s words. May the Lord bring Antonin Scalia quickly into His kingdom.

Please find the link to the Homily in the comments section below the article.

 

 

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Life

A 12 Year Old Boy’s Response to this question:

A friend of yours says to you, “I think women should have the right to get an abortion if they want to.” How would you respond?

I’d first ask “why?” Then I would say that the fetus is a human being, its not just a cell. I would tell them it is a distinct, living, whole organism. I would also say that the fetus has just as much of a right to the woman’s body as she does at the time.

Editor’s note: A twelve year old gets it why can’t the rest of us?

 

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Candidates for Dummies

by Black Jack Pershing

We have witnessed plenty of change in the last 30 years. We have seen the end of the Greatest Generation’s stewardship of the country, the Boomers’ chaotic attempt to lead the country and the first Gen X’er President, the unlikely Obama. Anyone who falls even slightly to the right has to be feeling similar to me: bewildered, irritated, disgusted, worried.

· Bewildered at the disappearance of our founding principles as a basis civil society and government in the US

· Irritated at the opposite: the emergence of real selfishness and self-indulgence as the basis for the way the country is run

· Disgusted at the disappearance of strong ethical leadership in most large institutions. I’d add the emergence of a ‘screw the little guy’ ethic among business leaders.

· Worried: that it may be too late to turn any of this around. If it is to be turned around – who will lead it articulately, genuinely, ethically, effectively?

· The passing of Judge Scalia inspired this essay. I don’t think I have ever been more worried about the US; the passing of Scalia once again opens the door to even more radicalization of how government is led.
The Candidates:

Clinton: Awful. The longer the primary season goes on, the more she will seem like a bad throwback and reminder of low brow nonsense. Just. Awful. The Democrats should be embarrassed and ashamed and many are. Criminal.

Bernie: he is emblematic of the spoiled brat generation coming into view. He is the ultimate socialist Santa Clause to the griping entitled. We cannot even blame welfare recipients for Bernie. His fans are predominantly young and white. They were never taught history or civics. They are mobile device staring self-obsessed zomboids. Created by dopey over managing Boomers who can’t let them make a decision without therapy sessions and micro-management. And they want free stuff. Free education Bernie? Why – so they can get a Women’s’ Studies or Art History degree and be even more useless? How about tech school and learning a trade so you can at least be useful, you little jerks?

Trump: the ultimate outgrowth of reality TV and all the dummies that hang on ‘what’s on TV tonight?’. He is the hero of the uninvolved dummies of society that watch TV as pastime and have nothing going on socially. He is a product of the entertainment industry – gone rogue. He is the champion of those who are pissed off but don’t know why. They don’t know why because they never read anything and watch CSI Whatever and Celebrity Apprentice. But they’ve been screwed for real and they want to get back at those who did it. Trump is great at calling out the easiest targets, oversimplifying everything and mastering sound bites. He reflects the USA well right now: bellicose, inarticulate, seemingly angry, and kind of a fat slob. I am guessing many trumpians voted for Obama because they felt we needed a black president. These kinds of people are the worst kinds of Americans because they combine being uninformed with being confident about their choices. They are always right until they are not. Many trumpians are independents and smug about it. Of course we all know that the middle of the road is for dead armadillos and yellow stripes. If I have to – I will vote for Trump but it still seems surreal – or – maybe if Lyndon LaRoushe is on the ballot again I will consider that.

Jeb: Bush fatigue is real. The low energy thing is legit – at least when he is talking. He likely could have been more effective than his brother or father but people are staying away from him in droves. Good guy. Has integrity. Just not his time. Too bad for Jeb. I could vote for him. He is not too old, but he seems to represent something that is almost gone – I’d call them caretaker republicans. They usually don’t screw things up but they don’t make anything better.

Carson: Hard to take him seriously given his quiet and almost sleepy persona , but he’s smart, patient, accomplished, and has integrity. If he drops out we will have lost the best example of class in the republican pool. Was great to see a guy like him run. I could vote for him. I wish he had a real chance. He lacks killer instinct.

Rubio: Great on paper. Not so great in reality. Seems like an over eager Cub Scout, or a senior on the high school debate team trying too hard to be glib. His ears are simply too large for him to be president. I could vote for him and if he does break through I hope he grows up fast and can defend himself. Allowing himself to be depantsed by the New Jersey Sumo showed real weakness and lack of preparation. Let’s face it – Senators are too compromised and argue about meaningless nonsense. All of them.

Cruz: certainly a favorite among the conservatives that vote 100% principle or against a long list of ‘must have’ views. The problem with that kind of inventory is that it leaves out likeability, of which, Ted has very little. Ted is the guy everyone hated in high school, who asked if there was homework at the end of class. Ted was also one of the early targets in any gym class dodgeball game; he usually got hit in the crotch or the face and limped off to the side in disgrace. He is the know-it-all we all deal with at work that you pray will just shut up at meetings. He is also unacquainted with pushups, running, or any kind of fitness. Hard for me to support him but I will if he gets the nomination.

Kasich: reasonable. Kind. Positive. Experienced. Great record as a governor. Gets legitimate criticism for enacting parts of Obama-care in his state. He may be another caretaker republican. Currently he’s the only one I can endorse, now that Fiorina is out. He has charisma and persona could counter Hilary’s nastiness with a bemused attitude about all of her fascist views. Kasich strikes me as the only Repub that could make a legitimate claim to be a champion for the little guy.

Regrets: Fiorina is smart as heck but has come across as shrill and mean at times. Has not broken through. Likely lacks requisite charisma to win. May have gone overboard on the Botox.

Black Jack Pershing’s Republican Wish List: Trump’s punishing message to companies that move operations out of the country should be maintained. Border must be sealed regardless of the disposition of the illegals. (too much technical goofy and uninteresting arguments are going on among the candidates about their orthodoxy related to amnesty. Yeah yeah yeah.) Rand Paul’s talk about loss of liberty is legit. Most repubs are ignoring it. ISIS must be eliminated and the US needs a permanent and sizeable base in the Middle East – permanently. BO blew it in Iraq where we could have done this. Regardless of whether you believe in Climate Change – cheap renewable energy must be developed both for conservation and security reasons. A post oil world benefits all of us. The large energy companies should be incented to work on this long term. The size of the US government should be cut by a third through the implementation of simple policies and technology. There are too many ignoramuses in the US. The teaching of American history and civics must be improved. Corporate tax rates must be brought down to at least 20% and permanent laws about what fair taxation consists of should be written. What is fair? Likely no more than 25% of anyone’s income should ever be confiscated by the state. Ever. We need to get it defined and stop arguing about it. On the social side – almost all is lost due to changing norms. Republicans should strategically focus on liberty and individualism. Science will likely prove the true genocide than abortion is and it should decline. Repubs should stay where they are on that issue. All others? Rely on federalism to let the states work the issues out. Let the churches speak out in society on all issues about personal morality – Republican politicians should just focus on limiting the scope and creep of government control. Finally – unless a republican group emerges that can engage the Hispanic population, they will be lost for decades – much as the Irish were in the early 20th century. I am not hopeful about any of this, but I hope I am surprised as the coming year unfolds.
Disagree? Write your own column, snapperhead!

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Cowards Burn in Hell

 

The Islamic Sick Imbecile Society (ISIS) is growing. Let’s just refer to them as Imbeciles for short, or perhaps the JV Team as President Obama refers to them. Their message of hate, Islamic extremism and cowardice is somehow attractive and appealing to the feeble minded Muslim intolerant community along with other losers. ISIS rages against freedom, women that dare go in public not wearing a burka or Christians that are faithful to God. These are but a few of ISIS’s grievances against civil society and for these “crimes” they rage war against innocents – children, women and elderly.

The formerly named Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, and newly minted corrected name of Team Imbecile, offers poor living conditions, 72 mythical virgins and a lifetime of moral depravity, self loathing and a one way ticket to hell. But yet, somehow Team Imbecile is attracting westerners to join them? Why?

A few questions:

  1. Is the Obama Administration doing enough to counter the Imbecile message? For that matter, is the Administration doing anything to counter the Imbecile message? Apparently not, they’re the “JV Team.”
  2. Would it be difficult to develop a public service add campaign and for the government to run PSA’s in Muslim communities countering these messages? Absolutely not! Why hasn’t this been done? The Obama Administration has underestimated the threat and lacks imagination.

So there’s that.

The tactics of the Imbeciles are barbaric. They sever heads with knives and swords; they rape innocents including children and then shoot them in front of their parents; they compel young men to fight with them or they kill them; they persecute Christians and force Christian women into being sex slaves for their coward force of jihad’s; they strap bombs on innocents and force them to blow themselves up in suicide attacks against other innocents; they talk other imbeciles into blowing themselves up in the name of their god. Let’s pause at that thought a minute — so their god is happy that they took innocent lives killing themselves along the way? Sounds more like the devil to me!

Yeah, these jackasses really have a lot to offer and I find it hard to fathom that the Unites States of America can’t counter what these geniuses are selling. So what we have established here is that 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue lacks imagination, lacks the will to fight and lacks credibility when it comes to countering the Imbecile message. We have a Commander-in-Chief that telegraphs US military strategy and is resistant to putting “boots on the ground.” But yet we have boots on the ground back in Iraq (close to ~5K service members that is not being reported in the news) because he withdrew boots on the ground prematurely after we achieved victory in Iraq (… and the US news media fails to point this out too). This single action led to the creation of the Islamic Sick Imbecile Society (ISIS), made up of former Al Qaeda, terrorist affiliates and other low life’s recruited from despot situations and Imams driving hate.

I leave you with this thought to ponder from one of our great presidents who understood the promise of America, his duty to his country and his commitment to the next generation of Americans:

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”– Ronald Reagan

 

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Baggers

Undervalued, underappreciated and arguably overworked, the American Bagger, formerly known as a “Bag Boy” back in the day, is one of the under celebrated entry jobs in the American work force. While the position has grown in complexity and scale over the past decades, the best grocery chains continue to invest in these junior positions to identify skills and talents that can progress to cashier (think banking skills), stock clerk (think fulfillment center) and or management material. It is much more than just “paper or plastic,” baggers must have the mental agility to organize, anticipate and forecast content packaging before placement in the bag. You either “have it” or you don’t.

Bagging is never as simple as bread and eggs on top, give me a break. This is actually insulting to those of us who have lived the life, earned the stripes and been there in the trenches inheriting three carts worth of groceries backed up on the conveyor belt with an angry cashier and customer looking at you when you arrive like “hello, where you been?!” In a word, pressure. The clock has been ticking and one of your bagger-mates allowed this problem to manifest by not having the courage to jump in and meet the challenge. It’s just like anything in life, there are always a few slackers not carrying their weight. It really chaps my ass! To my fellow baggers, get in the fight, grab the mantle and seize the moment. This is your opportunity for greatness.

Many in the bagger community feel targeted by the Obama recession. In the 1980’s the American Bagger Society had 327,543 active contributing members spread across all 50 states and US territories. Morale was high, positions were valued and opportunity abound. Today there are less than 97,000 members beat down by out-sourcing, no sourcing and self-service aisles. Bagger nation is on the run. Some in the bagger community have even reported being targeted by the IRS for their tips undergoing audits and backroom pressure. We have been blamed for everything from Global Warming to polluting landfills with paper and plastic. It’s outrageous. The biggest scheme going on these days are those crappy recycle bags the big store chains give out guilting customers away from classic paper bags. Stores charge you a buck each for these lousy bags and then you leave the damn thing in the car or house every freaking time you go to the store! Then the cashier looks at you like, “forget your bag again dumbass?”

Baggers deserve an opportunity to earn a living wage. Between the insults, the lack of appreciation and the pressure, we are finding solidarity with garbage men. Their industry too is under assault through automated garbage trucks with mechanical arms that are displacing the garbage truck back-enders. From Super Bagger to no bagger leaves one question — can the professional be rebuilt or is this one more loss to the American fabric that goes away like the milkman?

 

 

 

 

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