Robbed of benchmark-rage, the Democrats have been floundering in their search for a substantive argument against the evident progress in present-day Iraq. Hoisted by their own petard, the anti-war crowd has become the enemy of cold, hard facts. Today they talk of John McCain’s “neo-imperial” ambition to keep peacetime troops in Mesopotamia, as if the U.S. didn’t already have thousands of troops stationed around the globe serving in just that capacity.
An employer told employees that they would either quit smoking or be fired. But he didn't stop there -
he extended his smoking ban to employees’ spouses and monitored compliance through mandatory random blood testing.
I smoked for 17 years and have quit for eight; I'm now disgusted by the habit and can't believe I went so long smelling so bad. But this is ridiculous. What next, firing employees whose spouses have high cholesterol?
As a goodwill gesture in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision to grant writs of habeas corpus to detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, al Qaeda today announced it would grant its beheadees what it called “writs of habeas corpse.”
Pet peeve: the expression, “Happy 4th of July,” and all variations thereof. Every country in the world has a 4th of July. Only the United States celebrates our Independence on that day. Today is the day we celebrate the fact that a handful of men, amidst a huge political controversy and many serious internal disagreements, decided to risk their lives and fortunes to try to create a new nation.
It took another eleven years to get the Constitution written and signed, and longer still to get it ratified by the States. John Adams was one of the Founding Fathers who is only now really receiving the credit to which he was entitled. Here are some quotes from a few of his letters to his wife Abigail:
Yesterday the greatest question was decided which ever was debated in America; and a greater perhaps never was, nor will be, decided among men. A resolution was passed without one dissenting colony, “that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States.”
I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will triumph in that Days Transaction, even although We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not.
I am surprised at the suddenness as well as the greatness of this revolution… It is the will of Heaven that the two countries should be sundered forever. It may be the will of Heaven that America shall suffer calamities still more wasting, and distresses yet more dreadful. If this is to be the case it will have this good effect at least. It will inspire us with many virtues which we have not, and correct many errors, follies, and vices which threaten to disturb, dishonor, and destroy us. The furnace of affliction produces refinement in states as well as individuals. And the new Governments we are assuming in every part will require a purification from our vices, and an augmentation of our virtues, or they will be no blessings. The people will have unbounded power, and the people are extremely addicted to corruption and venality, as well as the great. But I must submit all my hopes and fears to an overruling Providence, in which, unfashionable as the faith may be, I firmly believe.
The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epocha in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forevermore.
If you’ve been following the Louisiana pay raise outrage… WE WON!!!!
I’m exhausted. It was two weeks ago today that I started the LegeWatch website. People started signing on and volunteering. We scheduled a rally. On the advice of a more experience local politics watcher we canceled that rally and he scheduled one for two weeks later that a lot of groups like ours could pitch in on. LegeWatch did media interviews, arranged for billboards and a TV spot, got a permit to march in a parade, worked together with people organizing recalls, organized volunteers to get the word out and generally kept the heat on in every way we could. Quite a few legislators began to beg Governor Jindal to veto the pay raise, and today he finally did.
It’s a real testimony to the fact that representative government can work when people engage. I’ve met some incredible people who worked their butts off, people who got creative and dug in and spent their own money, and figured out ways to accomplish all kinds of interim goals to get us to this point of winning the larger victory. We all worked together, Democrat, Republican and Independent alike, and didn’t argue about things that weren’t pertinent to the goal at hand.
As for me… now that the phone has stopped ringing and the celebrations are calming down… after two weeks of nearly nonstop work and sleeping four hours a night, trying to keep up with my own obligations and do what I needed to do for LegeWatch… I’m taking a nap. I’m thanking God that it all happened, and thanking God that it’s all over.
And wondering what it would be like if I devoted myself to ministry with the same sense of energy and purpose I gave to this political movement.
Before launching a panel discussion with some of the nation’s top industry and economic leaders participating in the event, Obama told the invitation-only crowd: “For America to succeed, we’ll have to join together to harness the energy and ingenuity of the American people. “
exploit the power of; “harness natural forces and resources”
a support consisting of an arrangement of straps for holding something to the body (especially one supporting a person suspended from a parachute)
control and direct with or as if by reins; “rein a horse”
rule: keep in check; “rule one’s temper”
stable gear consisting of an arrangement of leather straps fitted to a draft animal so that it can be attached to and pull a cart wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
I suspect that Obama’s version of harness will have a great deal more to do with “rule: keep in check;” than with “exploit the power of.”
I’m not sure exactly how the AMT fits into this (does anyone really understand the AMT?), but figure the top marginal tax rates for residents of NYC, DC, California, and similar high tax areas will be 60% or higher. Yikes!
If that happens we’ll all want to join this guy because if we’re going to be poor anyway, we might as well relax. It certainly brings Isaiah 59:14 to mind.
I mentioned in Overwhelmed that I have stumbled into a local political project and am in way, way over my head. Things are actually getting better. A few thousand visitors in the last 48 hours, 100+ registrations, and maybe five active volunteers. It’s kind of like the radical Islamic math I’ve posted on so many times - a percentage of a percentage of a percentage of people will actually DO something. But with the assistance of a volunteer who did the legwork, I just applied for a permit for my first political rally.
If you’re interested, go check out the site - LegeWatch. For some reason, many people use the word “lege” when referring to our state legislature. I don’t know why - I looked it up and it’s not a real word. Maybe it’s one of those local things that make no sense but everyone says, like “Chicagoland area.” So - LegeWatch. A nonpartisan site to track the offenses of the Louisiana state legislature. And they are legion.
Anyone who’s been reading this blog for a while probably just snorted the beverage of their choice right out of their nose. Yes, nonpartisan. When it comes time to elect replacements for the legislature, I’ll be as partisan as you’d expect, over here on my personal site. But we’re aiming for LegeWatch to be a resource for everyone.
The site is entirely secular, and yes, the header graphic is quite rude. At some point that’s going to have to be changed when we settle down and try to become a respectable watchdog organization, but at the moment it reflects the mood of pretty much the entire state. Our legislature just attempted to triple their already generous salary, then settled for more than doubling it. They are trying to set themselves up as a full time legislature when our constitution states that they are part time, and they are being dishonest about what they get paid; whining about their “base pay” which is low, but not discussing the fact that it’s more than doubled by per diems and other things. Louisianians are furious and recall efforts have been started to get these bozos out.
Other than voting and volunteering for various politicians, this is the first time I’ve gotten involved politically - the first time I’ve been part of organizing anything political. It’s very strange.
Okay, so I’m up to my ears in actual, paying, Work That Must Be Done, and a local political project that I stumbled into last night has taken off like a rocket this morning and I’m in way, way over my head. I’m certainly no leader, so I’m hoping that among the hundreds of responses I’ve had in the last six hours to that project, somebody else is - and more coming in every minute as the word gets out. I haven’t a clue what I’m doing, so the first thing I’m going to do is pray. And if anybody knows any of y’all know anything about running a statewide grassroots political campaign, please contact me - laura@pursuingholiness.com.
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