Framing the Dialogue

Archive for May, 2009

President Addresses Rising Gas Prices

The President addressed the rapidly rising fuel prices by asserting that he is both aware and deeply concerned about the rising price of gasoline.  After consultation with his teleprompter he offered a solution today that offers no immediate relief and in fact may remain a long way from approval on Capitol Hill: Pedal Cars.

As he and his family watched White House workers weed the White House Vegetable Garden he acknowledged that gas prices have shot up over 25 percent in recent weeks.  He did note that drilling for more oil in our territory or constructing additional refining capacity would offer a great deal of hope in boosting oil production and eventually cutting the price of gas.  “Supply side economics works, but will not push us toward our goal of really small plastic car for all people and by people I mean except for us elites.” 

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Don’t Leave A Message After The Beep

I have the sort of job that takes me out of the office four or more days a week.  I actually get to to out and accomplish things (usually) and work with people who are also trying to accomplish things (usually).  It takes a great deal of coordination and running around, but I love it.  I really get the sense of accomplishment when a project gets built. 

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Liberty and Tyranny

“That some should be rich shows that others may become rich, and hence is just encouragement to industry and enterprise.  Let not him who is houseless pull down the house of another; but let him labor diligently and build one for himself, thus by example assuring that his own shall be safe from violence when built.”

                                          Abraham Lincoln

Mark R. Levin’s “conservative manifesto” spent many weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.  It may have been the biggest selling book that the MSM ignored, at least since the last best-selling conservative book that the MSM ignored.  It is very interesting how conservative books find there way to the back shelves. 

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There Is Something About Cheney

Finally someone from the Bush Administration is firing back.  Sorry that may be in poor taste considering Dick Cheney’s hunting accident a few years ago.  Cheney’s buddy survived the face full of buck shot, but Nancy Pelosi may not.  Anyone who watches the former VP and is not impressed by his tone, knowledge, straight forwardness, and gravitas is in denial.

I was frankly often disappointed at the Bush White House for not being more proactive in defense of their policies.  As a Bush supporter, I felt abandoned when they would not defend themselves even against the most vitriolic attacks.  This policy was generally attributed to W’s respect for the office of the president and not wanting to lower the office to that level.

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Don’t Give Me Your Tired Immigration Debate

“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
with silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

                                                  Emma Lazarus

The next few years promise to include a lively debate about immigration.  The mainstream media can be expected to paint conservatives as anti-immigration and liberals as pro-immigration.  These are typical media narratives and highly predictable.

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Update – I Got My Stimulation…Sort Of

Update May 14, 2009 – My subsequent paycheck reflected a more modest increase of around $15.00.  By the way, I took my daughter to Subway for dinner tonight and I had a few cents left over from the $15.00.  I confess that we splurged and opted for the meal deals that cost an additional $2.25 each. 

I never received any explanation of the larger bump that I discussed in my original post.  The bottom line remains the same, however, all of this increase is not a tax cut as is being protrayed.

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Vitriol (vit – ree – all)

Vitriol is defined as:

“Bitterly abusive feeling or expression, language expressing bitterness and hatred.”

Synonyms:  insult, revilement, invective, vilification, or abuse

Quotable:

“Abuse a man unjustly, and you will make friends for him..”

                                                                                   Edgar Watson Howe

Can you use it in a sentence?

The frequent vitriol displayed by many liberals must indicate a basic insecurity in their beliefs, intelligence, policies, and positions.

Can you give me an example?

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Update – True American Hero – Carrie Prejean

Update May 12, 2009 – In what is now my quickest update, The Donald decreed that Miss Prejean’s photographs were “acceptable” and that she may keep her Miss California crown.  As I searched for news reports on today’s events, I was struck by this blurb:

“Donald Trump will announce whether he will let gay-bashing, born-again beauty Carrie Prejean keep her crown.”

The MSM and the vitriolic left just cannot let it go.  I’ll finish this short update using Mr. Trump’s words:

“Carrie is totally beautiful, and her answer, because of that, took on greater importance. Unfortunately, that’s the way the press works. You should be ashamed of yourselves.”

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True American Heroes – Carrie Prejean

The Miss USA Pageant is not high on the list of anyone’s must see television.  It seems like a kind of antiquated show from the past.  Many probably did not know that it was even still on the air.  My only real memory of the contest was when long-time host Bert Parks sang the theme song as that year’s winner took her victory lap.  Actually thanks to Glenn Beck this morning, I learned that there is actually a Miss America Pageant (that’s the one Bert Parks hosted) and Miss USA Pageant (Trump’s version).

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Pelosi’s Pernicious Peril

There is daily news implicating House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) in the “scandal” over Enhanced Interrogation Techniques (EIT).  Rep. Pelosi (D-CA) had been a long-time opponent to EITs and the practice of water boarding in particular.  In an article that she wrote for Washington Monthly in March 2008, Pelosi (D-CA) was clear in her opposition to enhanced techniques.

“The use of torture violates fundamental American values. It damages the reputation of the United States in the eyes of the international community, and it increases the risks for our military personnel, diplomatic officers, and intelligence agents around the world. Many intelligence professionals have stated that torture is ineffective: it is unlikely to produce the kind of timely and reliable information needed to disrupt terrorist plots. The negative consequences of the use of torture far outweigh the supposed benefits.”

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