Two vanity posts with ideas that might revolutionize the United [but competitive] States of America.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1015717/posts

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1015869/posts

Random Rants

Kofi Annan of the United Nations chaperons a field trip for the Democratic senators of the 108th Congress. The location of the trip is the Black Hills in South Dakota site of the Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Senate minority leader Tom Daschle is happier than a pig in sh*t because he lives nearby and is eager to tell the others just how great the trip is going to be. You know, kind of like watching a movie for the first time with an eight year old that has already seen it.

Side note: Because Senator Zell Miller is an adult; he does the cool rebellious thing and writes his own note to Mr. Annan, excusing his absence from the field trip.

Anyway, when Kofi, Tom, and the rest of the boys and girls arrive, which of the follwing is most likely to happen?

A) President Washington sheds a tear of sadness as he reflects on the brutal conditions during the Revolutionary War and remembers why it was important to gain our independence.

B) President Jefferson squints his eyes in anger as he reflects on the heated debates over states’ rights and remembers why a limited government is important to individual freedoms.

C) President Lincoln has a far away stare of disbelief of as he reflects on the bitter divisions that occurred during the Civil War and remembers why sometimes it’s necessary to fight for what you know is right.

D) President Roosevelt – Make no mistake that would be Theodore – looks around frantically and tries to recollect where he left his ‘big stick’. Teddy knows that its location is important because he really wants to beat the snot out of Tom.

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The recorded events of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus created a schism in Judaism in much the same way other schisms have manifested in the Christian churches since. Not that I’m condoning intolerance of any kind toward anyone but strangely it seems as though some members of the various churches and religions have less tolerance for their fellow believers of God than they have for those who don’t believe at all.

But, we should also remember that we are not the ones who ultimately judge others in matters of faith and religion but thankfully - though flawed as it may be - we have a court system to judge in secular matters. Christians that are angered by what I've written might want to read and internalize the parable of 'The Weeds among the wheat' found in verses 24-30 of chapter 13 in the Gospel According to Matthew.

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There will be a time - probably two generations from now - when a child in say Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan, even Iran, will be reading their textbooks on the subject of World Civilization. They will learn that for eight years, in the early part of the century, there was a dynamic leader from the West whom had a vision of market-based economies and freedom for a region that was formerly centrally planned by brutal tyrants and 'mad men' despots. The children will no doubt be inspired and they'll develop some ambition to do whatever it takes to maintain their newly found freedoms. That wise and perceptive child might even ponder: "If much of what is good was because of the vision of a 'miserable failure', imagine what I can accomplish?" ~ 2/10/2004

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Let me be the contrarian here; I think it might work. The Democrats can smell a major rift in the Conservative Movement between libertarian leaning conservatives and the religious leaning Right. There are a few items of contention between those groups but oddly enough it's key wedge issue[s] [are] trade and immigration. The Democrats will exploit this somehow - they're not that dumb - and tighten up future political races. ~ post #11

The minute they [Democrats] perceive that there are more votes to be had by courting others, they will drop [their] staunch agenda for national level gay & reproductive rights and then say they believe these choices should be made at the state level...and then they'll court the anti globalization crowd where a great many on the Right, line up right now. Before you know it, this thing can turn leaving the GOP to scratch it's head.

"Why would they do this", you ask. We went to Vietnam because we feared the spread of Communism...the Dems will do this because the fear the spread of Capitalism. if America came derailed from the free(er) trade process, it would be huge step in ensuring disparities, hate, and lack of cooperation around the world. These are things that might just be in the Dems long-term interests. ~ post #16

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Did Marx really support trade?

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What I am reading now

After War: The Political Economy of Exporting Democracy ~ Christopher J. Coyne
Three Cups of Tea ~ Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
Globalization ~ Donald J. Boudreaux