Iraq War surpasses WWII in duration

Congratulations to George W. Bush.

Today the war in Iraq has become longer than the American involvement in World War II. And, in about four months, it will surpass the length of the War for Southern Independence.

I am wondering why it is taking us longer to win the war in Iraq than it did to save the world from facism? Instead of winning the war, he lost the U.S. government to liberal Democrats, he plunged Iraq into a bloody civil war with U.S. troops caught in the middle and more than 2,800 Americans are dead?

And for what? What has he accomplished?

Absolutely nothing other than to fuel anti-American hatred around the world.

Way to go George!

The real lesson of Thanksgiving

The real thanksgiving lesson is that private property is necessary for a free people to thrive. Those who voted for a smoking ban and an increase in the minimum wage earlier this month ignored the foundations of private property by telling property owners they can't do what they wish with their properties. The first lesson the Europeans learned when coming here is that people, when giving their own property and made responsible for their own survival will work hard. When everything is handed to you, however, you have no incentive.

The following is from the Foundation for Economic Education. I hope you enjoy reading it and learn the lesson it is trying to impart. Also, may you and your families have a Happy and safe Thanksgiving:


In the middle of December 1620 the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, leaving behind the sinfulness of the “old world” to make a “new Jerusalem” in America. Three years later, in November 1623, they had a great feast thanking God for getting them through an earlier famine, and now for a bountiful crop.

What had created the earlier famine and then the bountiful crops? The story is told in the diary of Governor Bradford, who was one of the elders of that early Puritan colony.



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Sheriff Beck must go

(Lima News Photo/Craig Mack)

Sheriff Beck addresses reporters after his silly raids.Sheriff Dan Beck must go.

According to The Lima News, (http://www.limanews.com/story.php?IDnum=32416) Beck decided to take it upon himself to raid four places that had (gasp!) a few electronic gaming machines. Now, these machines may or may not be illegal. The Attorney General said they were illegal, the manufacturer said they are not and a judge issued an injunction preventing the state from citing people for using the machines until a lawsuit between the state and the manufacturer can determine the legality of the machines.

But Beck doesn't care about the law. He cares more about getting his picture in the paper (perhaps for a mayoral run in the next election?). How else can you explain the fact that before he held the raids, he invited members of the local media along as though it was some sort of publicity stunt?

Beck's reasoning for the raids? He said those who had these machines were thumbing their nose at him and the law.

Hogwash.

As the state case shows, the legality of these machines is in question. Beck should have waited until the outcome of the state case before pulling this cowboy stunt.

Ultimately, it is ridicolous that these machines would even be considered illegal. They are games of skill, not chance. Besides, who was being hurt by these machines? No one was betting the mortgage or spending the grocery money. And no one complained about them, either.

While Beck is going around playing his little publicity games busting small businesses for having an electronic game or rousting Hispanics and asking for their papers like some modern-day storm trooper, the county has real crime problems. Just read the newspaper's Police Calls feature.

If Beck can't do the job we hired him for, looks like we should be shopping for a new sheriff come the next election.

[COLUMN] Don't honor Martin King

With Monday’s groundbreaking on a $100 million memorial for the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., America’s greatest black leader was once again slapped in the face.

Why is it that Americans insist on honoring King, who was at best a scoundrel, while they can’t even, for the most part, tell you who Frederick Douglass was or tell you about his role in abolishing slavery and fighting for civil rights? Where is the multimillion-dollar monument to Douglass?

I find the whole affair appalling.

I realize I risk ridicule here by attacking King, who for some reason in this country is a sacred cow. Call me a racist for daring to question any action honoring King, but I must speak the truth.



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[COLUMN] Ballot initiatives threaten liberty

Tuesday’s election demonstrated once again why pure democracy is no better than a tyrannical government. Pure democracy, i.e., mob rule, is as dangerous as an insane dictator and is simply a license to plunder.

Tuesday’s election proved that Americans, and populations in general, cannot be trusted to protect the rights of individuals. Ballot initiatives across the country ignored the rights of individuals by banning smoking, gambling, gay marriages and a litany of other things.

Here in Ohio, the passing of an increase in the state minimum wage and the banning of smoking were the biggest disappointments of Tuesday’s balloting.

I am not sure why Ohioans would vote for these two measures. While I am sure they are well meaning, either they are ill-informed or they simply do not care about rights.



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Only 12 World War I vets left

A dozen vets of WWI still soldier on

According to the above-linked story, of the 4.7 million American World War I vets only 12 are known to still live. Their average age is 108. At the beginning of the year there were 24.

This may very well be the last Veterans Day — which was originally created to mark the end of hostilities in World War I on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month — in which American veterans from the war are still alive.

These 12 men, including one Ohioan, should be remembered for the exceptionally horrible war in which they fought. The men and their hometowns are (Click here for a brief biography of each veteran):

Lloyd Brown, 106, lives in Bethesda, Md.

Russell Buchanan, 106, lives in Watertown, Mass.

Frank Buckles, 105, lives near Charles Town, W.Va.

Russell Coffey, 108, lives in North Baltimore, Ohio.

Samuel Goldberg, 106, lives in Greenville, R.I.

Moses Hardy, 112 or 113, lives in Aberdeen, Miss.

Emiliano Mercado del Toro, 115, lives in Isabella, Puerto Rico.

Antonio Pierro, 110, lives in Swampscott, Mass.

Ernest Pusey, 111, of Bradenton, Fla.

Howard Ramsey, 108, lives in Portland, Ore.

Albert Wagner, 107, lives in Smith Center, Kan.

Charlotte Winters, 109, lives in Boonsboro, Md.

[COLUMN] Despite hardships, there are many reasons to serve

You can tell much about a society in how it honors the men and women who serve in the armed forces.

Here in the United States, one of the ways in which we recognize the sacrifices of those who have answered the call to defend the Constitution is Veterans Day. What began as Armistice Day, a day to recognize the end of hostilities during World War I — the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month — it has through the years morphed into a recognition of all veterans of all of America's wars.

In fact, I would argue it honors anyone who has ever spent one day in uniform. Anyone who is willing to accept the burden and sacrifice of defending this great nation deserves recognition.

This is the sixth Veterans Day following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and the fourth Veterans Day after the invasion and occupation of Iraq. It also happens to be my 22nd Veterans Day as a member of the National Guard and my third since returning from the Iraq War as a war veteran myself.



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Bush longest wartime president in history

History was made this week.

For the first time in U.S. history, a second-term president watched both the House and Senate go to the opposition party during the midterm elections. (I love it when the government is split. Gridlock is a friend of liberty!)

Also for the first time, a woman is set to become Speaker of the House; Nancy Pelosi, the political foil of George W. Bush, is second in line to the Oval Office should something happen to the 43rd president. (Despite all her flaws, and there are many, she is an Italian and Catholic. Have to grasp for something.)

A third historic threshold the nation crossed this week: As of today — the eve of Veterans Day — George W. Bush becomes the longest-serving wartime president in U.S. history, passing the previous record set by Lyndon Johnson during the Vietnam War.

I suspect that the third item was directly responsible for the first two.

Rumsfeld stepping down!

Finally, some good news after Tuesday's election.

Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld, architect of the failed, unjust, immoral and illegal war in Iraq is stepping down.

So long, Donald, don't let the Pentagon's door hit you in the butt on your way out.

And someone better check his briefcase and make sure he isn't taking any office supplies on his way out.

Strickland win very disappointing .. and frightening

(AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ted Strickland thanks volunteers at his campaign headquarters in Columbus on Tuesday. Strickland defeated Republican Ken Blackwell.
The most disappointed statewide race had to be Rep. Ted Strickland's defeat of Secretary of State Ken Blackwell for governor.

Unfortunately, too many people were voting against Republicans, which is understandable considering the widespread corruption and incompetence. However, voters should really consider each race and each individual and his or her merits rather than party affiliation. Blackwell, unlike most Ohio Republicans, is a true conservative and was free of scandal. He opposed the Taft administration on many issues, especially on taxes. Too many people voted against Republicans without considering the consequences of their actions. If Ohioans wanted to cast an anti-Republican vote, they should have tossed their support to Bill Peirce like 2 percent of voters (53,000 votes) did.

Ohioans, who are some of the most-taxed people in the country have chosen a liberal with a proven tax-and-spend record.

I fear for the future of the state because I don't know if the Ohio economy can handle more taxation and more spending.

Hang on to your wallets because it is going to be a fiscal roller-coaster ride.

Army Stupid (A Video)

Yes, SOME American soldiers might not be the brightest the nation has to offer, but MOST serve their country with honor. Perhaps this is the lesson Sen. John Kerry needs to learn.

How I am going to vote today

This is how I am going to vote today. Feel free to print this out and take it to the polls with you.

U.S. Senate
Mike DeWine

State Representative
Matt Huffman

County Commissioner
Greg Sneary

State Issue 2
NO

State Issue 3
YES

State Issue 4
NO

State Issue 5
NO



If you are going to vote, PLEASE, regardless of how you vote, make an INFORMED decision. Do not vote just to be voting! Voting is a responsibility that should not be taken lightly. ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES!

For which gubernatorial candidate should you vote?

With the election just hours away, the Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch is running a great feature on its Web site. You simply answer 30 questions and, based upon your answers and how important those questions are to you, it calculates which gubernatorial candidate most closely aligns with your thoughts. In addition to telling you the best candidate for your belief system, it also tells you how each candidate answered each question so you can see where you agreed and disagreed.

Now, the system is only taking into consideration the four candidates actually on the ballot, ignoring the two write-ins. Still, it is a pretty handy tool.

Of course, when I did it, it overwhelmingly matched me to the Libertarian Party's candidate, Bill Peirce, for whom I was already planning to vote. In fact, I would encourage all of you to vote for Mr. Peirce because neither Strickland nor Blackwell deserve the job, though I prefer Blackwell to Strickland (as the Columbus Dispatch survey demonstrated).

Try it out. You may be surprised with the results. And if you like, let us know how it turned out for you. This could be a fun exercise and an informal poll of sorts.

http://www.ohioelects.com/default.php?story=dispatch/thirdparty/election/questionaire.php&race=ohgovx2006

[COLUMN] Opposing war a moral imperative

I am the short guy on the right.Let me say this as bluntly as I can: I am a soldier and a veteran of the Iraq War who finds the war immoral, unjust and illegal.

Some have called me an unpatriotic traitor for saying such a thing. Others have accused me of treason.

In reality, I am a patriot honoring my oath of enlistment:

“I, Thomas J. Lucente Jr., do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.”

The key phrase in that oath is “support and defend the Constitution of the United States.” That is where my allegiance lies, not to the temporary occupant of the Executive Mansion.

Let me give you another quotation from Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution: “The Congress shall have power … to declare war.”

Despite misguided laws and court rulings meant to circumvent this authority, the Constitution is clear: only the U.S. Congress has the power to declare war. There has been no congressional declaration of war so the invasion and occupation of Iraq is, by definition, illegal.



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Bush, not John Kerry, is the one who should apologize

As a lifelong soldier and a veteran of the Iraq War, I find Kerry's comments ignorant, inane, irrelevant. In other words, typical John Kerry.

However, and this is an important point, he has every right to say what he wants. His comments, in truth, carry no weight and simply demonstrate why we were lucky he did not win the 2004 presidential election.

President Bush, on the other hand, said Kerry owed the U.S. troops an apology for his comments (watch the video).

However, it is Bush who owes an apology to the troops. It was Bush who sent the armed forces into harm's away for his own political gains. It is Bush who is waging an illegal, immoral and unjust war in Iraq. It is Bush who is responsible for the deaths of more than 2,800 of America's finest. While defending the intellectual level of America's armed forces, Bush still sends them in to die for nothing.

Kerry made a stupid remark and Bush killed thousands. It is crystal clear to me who owes the apology.

John Kerry gave Sherrod Brown $150,000

Through October 18, 2006, John Kerry's Leadership PAC, Keeping America's Promise, Has Bundled $148,306 For Sherrod Brown. (Federal Election Commission Web site, www.fec.gov, Accessed October 31, 2006)

Does Ohio really need a senator beholden to the likes of John Kerry?

Where are the lost weapons?

If you are wondering where the Iraqi insurgency is getting all its weapons, it could be we are providing the very weapons being used against U.S. forces.

Following an audit, it was learned that the Defense Department is unable to account for 14,030 weapons -- almost 4 percent of the semiautomatic pistols, assault rifles, machine guns, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and other weapons it began supplying to Iraq since the end of 2003. Of course, in typical government fashion, the Defense Department registered the serial numbers of only about 10,000 of the 370,251 weapons it provided -- less than 3 percent. Missing from the Defense Department's inventory books were 13,180 semiautomatic pistols, 751 assault rifles and 99 machine guns.

A small band of insurgents can do a lot of damage with 99 machine guns.

If we can't even conduct the simple task of keeping track of our weapons, how can we possibly expect to ever win the war?