Ted Cruz to DOJ: The American People Deserve Better
[guest post by Dana]
Senator Ted Cruz does not take things lying down. Most recently, we have seen him here , here, and here bluntly and forthrightly speaking his mind. Some might even call it rocking the boat. So, it should be no surprise that last week when the DOJ denied his request that a special prosecutor be appointed to investigate an abuse of power by the IRS and their targeting of conservative groups, he came out swinging,
It is the height of hypocrisy for the Obama Administration to claim that the investigator leading the investigation into the IRS’s illegal program has no conflict of interest. The investigator is a partisan Democrat who has donated over six thousand dollars to President Obama and Democrat causes. Just as nobody would trust John Mitchell to investigate Richard Nixon, nobody should trust a partisan Obama donor to investigate the IRS’s political targeting of President Obama’s enemies. Sadly, “in the discretion of the Attorney General,” Eric Holder has chosen to reject the bipartisan tradition of the Department of Justice of putting rule of law above political allegiance.
Both Nixon Administration Attorney General Elliot Richardson and Clinton Administration Attorney General Janet Reno appointed special prosecutors whose integrity was beyond reproach; Eric Holder should do likewise. To date, nine months after a damning Inspector General report, nobody has been indicted, many of the victims have not even been interviewed, and Lois Lerner has twice pleaded the Fifth. And yet the Attorney General refuses to allow a genuine–and impartial–investigation.
The integrity of the Department of Justice deserves better. The American people deserve better.
Also, last week in a penned Wall Street Journal opinion piece, Republican congressman from Ohio, Jim Jordan, seconded the request for a special prosecutor to investigate the IRS. In a nice turn, he used Democratic Senator Elijah Cummings’ own words to fortify his request,
When Congress is thwarted in our attempts to get answers—as is clearly the case given Ms. Lerner’s willingness to speak with the Justice Department but not to the public’s elected representatives—we have an obligation to hold accountable those hiding the facts.
…
Additionally, it is necessary to appoint a special prosecutor. Mr. Holder called the IRS matter “outrageous and unacceptable” and ordered a Justice Department investigation to be conducted in coordination with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. No one can have confidence in this investigation, started by a politically appointed attorney general and led by a campaign contributor to his boss.As Elijah Cummings, my Democratic colleague on the Oversight Committee, said on May 22, 2013—the day of the committee’s first IRS hearing—getting the truth and restoring trust must be paramount. “This is more important than one election,” he explained. “The revelations that have come forward so far provides us with a moment pregnant for transformation; not transformation for a moment, but for generations to come and generations yet unborn.”
I hope Mr. Cummings and fellow members of his party will join me in acknowledging the time has come for the appointment of an independent and unbiased special prosecutor.
Most certainly, Jordan is not expecting a different response from the one Cruz received, yet it is heartening to see another elected official not let this go.
More boat rockers, please.
–Dana
To question the integrity of AG Holder, and indirectly our President, I just must ask the Senator:
askeptic (2bb434) — 3/24/2014 @ 1:07 pmHave you no shame, Sir; have you no shame?
Yeah, he wrote a letter—that will help.
Beg the state, as it slips into the tyranny of a massively militarized police-surveillance state. Good on these very few for their efforts, but without massive, vigorous support from the people, it means nothing.
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/24/2014 @ 1:19 pmChristoph Dollis,
With regard to Cruz, seems to be rocking the boat and I would like to see more of that. Sadly, a congressman writing a letter is not much in the big picture, but perhaps that’s a reflection of where Congress is at these days.
Dana (9a8f57) — 3/24/2014 @ 1:24 pm*he* seems…
Dana (9a8f57) — 3/24/2014 @ 1:24 pmEverything about your last comment shows what is wrong with your thinking.
It’s all Congress this, Congress that. You’ll never get more than a tiny minority of politicians to do anything courageous unless it’s in their obvious and unavoidable best interest, and that requires a sustained wave of pressure from the people.
Ultimately that wave should be so great that if the government doesn’t act, the people will. Without that, the government ain’t acting in the face of tyranny.
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/24/2014 @ 1:31 pmDid I hear the word “boy” at the end of that Cruz press release?
daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 3/24/2014 @ 2:53 pmNo, Daley, you heard “suckah”.
felipe (6100bc) — 3/24/2014 @ 2:57 pmDog Whistles all the way down.
askeptic (2bb434) — 3/24/2014 @ 2:58 pmI heard “capiche”.
felipe (6100bc) — 3/24/2014 @ 3:00 pm5. ==and that requires a sustained wave of pressure from the people. Ultimately that wave should be so great that if the government doesn’t act, the people will.==
What do you have in mind Christof? And how much time do you think we have left to exert that great wave of pressure?
elissa (b0299e) — 3/24/2014 @ 3:00 pmI still don’t understand why Lois Lerner took the fifth.
Elephant Stone (6a6f37) — 3/24/2014 @ 3:04 pmA great wave of pressure…
A Million Man (armed) March on DC!
askeptic (2bb434) — 3/24/2014 @ 3:04 pmI’m saying that by focusing on this politician or that, you relieve pressure from the people as it’s not their responsibility.
You need to make the ethical and pragmatic argument to the people and let them take it from there (which may well include pressuring their politicians). Anything else is a type of cop-out.
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/24/2014 @ 3:07 pmNo, I think everybody is supposed to flush simultaneously or something.
felipe (6100bc) — 3/24/2014 @ 3:09 pmIt isn’t based on the absurd argument people make that if everyone agreed with me, x would change. Well of course. And never.
Look, did revolutionary pamphleteers send their message to the people or to the British parliament? (They more or less did the first, but it failed, so where was the bulk of their communication directed at?)
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/24/2014 @ 3:11 pmAnd was their message focused on, “Try to convince politician z to join the 1.2% of politicians in our liberty camp in the British parliament,”—which is easily as removed from the people as the American government is today?
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/24/2014 @ 3:18 pmI got that reversed, but you get the idea—the Congress is much more removed from the American people than the British parliament ever was.
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/24/2014 @ 3:19 pmCongrats, Cristoph.
JD (5c1832) — 3/24/2014 @ 3:36 pm“I’m saying that by focusing on this politician or that, you relieve pressure from the people as it’s not their responsibility.”
Christoph – Sort of like that old saw if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem, or something?
daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 3/24/2014 @ 3:39 pmSo in other words, blah blah blah, eh Christof?
elissa (b0299e) — 3/24/2014 @ 3:45 pmI’m ready for Hillary !
Elephant Stone (6a6f37) — 3/24/2014 @ 4:45 pmIs Scott Wagner R write in candidate from Pennsylvania, winner in a special election over the dem and established R for a state seat, a sign of things to come?
mg (31009b) — 3/24/2014 @ 4:45 pm==I’m ready for Hillary !==
“Historic” elections are so exciting to be a part of.
elissa (b0299e) — 3/24/2014 @ 4:52 pmmg,
If you want to spearhead a write-in campaign for Ron Paul’s next presidential campaign, go knock yourself out.
Elephant Stone (6a6f37) — 3/24/2014 @ 4:57 pmGood Grief, Charlie Brown.
22. One can only hope.
gary gulrud (e2cef3) — 3/24/2014 @ 4:57 pmelephant stone- fuck off
mg (31009b) — 3/24/2014 @ 4:58 pmelissa,
I’m ready for Hillary because I know she’s ready for that 3AM phone call.
Elephant Stone (6a6f37) — 3/24/2014 @ 4:58 pmShe’ll make a lot of difference in the world !
Or something.
Great, now we have two people who are on board with write-in campaigns.
It worked so well for Christine O’Donnell in Delaware in 2006, after she lost the primary.
She took 4% of the vote from the GOP nominee in the general election.
Winning !Losing !Here’s an idea…win the primary, so you don’t have to resort to a write-in campaign.
Elephant Stone (6a6f37) — 3/24/2014 @ 5:02 pmYes, why didn’t they tell Mike Castle that piece of advice?
narciso (3fec35) — 3/24/2014 @ 5:05 pmWhen did Mike Castle run as a write-in ?
Elephant Stone (6a6f37) — 3/24/2014 @ 5:11 pmWhen he lost the primary, he pouted like a two year old, his henchmen, Ross engineered the ethics complaint in part against her,
narciso (3fec35) — 3/24/2014 @ 5:14 pmnarciso,
Mike Castle did not run as a write-in candidate in 2010, but Christine O’Donnell did run as a write-in candidate in 2006.
Elephant Stone (6a6f37) — 3/24/2014 @ 5:17 pmOutraged letters are okay, but can the House begin impeachment proceedings against the AG? Is that a possibility?
Colonel Haiku (eb2f08) — 3/24/2014 @ 5:18 pmEric Holder belongs in jail.
Elephant Stone (6a6f37) — 3/24/2014 @ 5:20 pmI think they’d raised that possibility in the past. They’d sure have this voter’s support!!!
Colonel Haiku (eb2f08) — 3/24/2014 @ 5:21 pmHolder would look good in federal pinstripes.
Besides, if GM is doing as well as the Administration claims, then that means there’s a huge demand for new license plates.
“Mr. Holder, here’s your hammer—get to work !”
Elephant Stone (6a6f37) — 3/24/2014 @ 5:25 pmAnd which DC jury are you going to render that verdict?
narciso (3fec35) — 3/24/2014 @ 5:37 pmWow, if only you can nominate, nay elect, a senate candidate like Christine O’Donnell, only better, things will change!
Because the answer clearly lies in marginally improving an institution that has single-digit approval ratings, which probably fall far short of the approval ratings King George had with Colonists.
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/24/2014 @ 5:38 pmnarciso,
I don’t actually believe that Eric Holder will end up in federal prison—it’s just lighthearted wishful thinking.
Elephant Stone (6a6f37) — 3/24/2014 @ 5:42 pmBut it’s still more likely than seeing Ron Paul or whomever become President as a result of a write-in campaign.
Christoph,
You have no idea how popular Christine O’Donnell actually is around these parts. Sharon Angle, too !
Elephant Stone (6a6f37) — 3/24/2014 @ 5:43 pm“Wow, if only you can nominate, nay elect, a senate candidate like Christine O’Donnell, only better, things will change!”
Christoph – Still waiting for your plan. Oops, I forgot, it’s to get the people to act.
daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 3/24/2014 @ 5:44 pmAs opposed to Sue ‘chicken bartering’ Lowden, Rove did take her under his wing, for what that was worth,
narciso (3fec35) — 3/24/2014 @ 5:45 pmWith the wonderful hiatus provided by the Reagan and Gingrich revolutions, from the time of Nixon, the GOP has given us Nixons all the way down. As recently as a year ago, Gingrich remained the only forward thinking, transformational leader in the entire party who had not been completely marginalized (e.g., Sarah Palin). What a difference a year makes.
What made this transformation possible? The Tea Party deserves much, or most, perhaps all the credit. How quickly we forget that the Tea Party organized itself during the Bush presidency and was a reaction to “compassionate conservatism,” as much as anything. The idea that now we should discount the leadership of Cruz and the other “children of Reagan” seems odd and ill informed.
Nice post, Dana.
ThOR (130453) — 3/24/2014 @ 5:46 pm27. Fighting the DE, NV, MO, IN, battles all over again is totally unnecessary.
You’ve got more new battles to fight than you can handle, Sport.
gary gulrud (e2cef3) — 3/24/2014 @ 5:46 pmThere is no immediate, next-election solution. Individual resistance and forming a movement, making the case to people, is it.
Kind of like libertarians are doing now, actually.
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/24/2014 @ 5:46 pmBut more. Lots more. And you all should get involved too.
Less focus on politicians, more on people.
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/24/2014 @ 5:48 pmThe goal isn’t to change the government, it’s to change society, with government along for the ride.
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/24/2014 @ 5:49 pm41. Right now, the frontrunner for Rep. Bachmann’s open seat has the GOP endorsement.
That is a powerful black mark. My State Assemblyman was the first to personally endorse.
That might save my vote, but running as the frontrunner and failing to address issues at all is not promising.
gary gulrud (e2cef3) — 3/24/2014 @ 5:54 pm46. You have a point, but we’re not writing Moby Dick, a good story is just a ‘nice to have’.
gary gulrud (e2cef3) — 3/24/2014 @ 5:57 pmI’ll tell you what will happen next election. You’ll win the senate. Whoop-de-doo. Here’s Obama’s government.
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/24/2014 @ 5:59 pmHolder’s inaction is, by itself, obstruction of justice. They seem to be betting that the sun will never set on their party.
Kevin M (b11279) — 3/24/2014 @ 5:59 pmWell seeing how the Carlson clique got the vapors over Emmer’s run, I understand the sentiment,
narciso (3fec35) — 3/24/2014 @ 6:01 pmKevin M, my very nice (I mean that), but credulous man—what is this “party” thing you speak about?
Sure, the left and right of the Dems and GOP can rightly be described as parties, but the power brokers and majority of elected legislators—the ones in charge of an institution with a single-digit approval rating who, as gerrymandered incumbents, keep on getting sent back to office with its perks—are not going to impeach AG Holder … alighting a racial backlash on top of everything else.
This is not a plan.
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/24/2014 @ 6:04 pm51. A good point, driving bats and loons into blood frenzies is a positive.
Mr. Emmer thanks you.
gary gulrud (e2cef3) — 3/24/2014 @ 6:06 pmThey made it possible for Governor Target to sneak in,
narciso (3fec35) — 3/24/2014 @ 6:07 pmfacepalm
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/24/2014 @ 6:08 pm54. MN babies are not spanked at birth, it is too unkind. They are dropped on their heads.
gary gulrud (e2cef3) — 3/24/2014 @ 6:09 pmGingrich
Colonel Haiku (4a5fff) — 3/24/2014 @ 6:09 pmmarginal… neutered himself as Speaker back in the ’98 timeframe. Many good ideas, quite brilliant, in fact, but fatally flawed as a person.It always works out the same way, don’t it;
http://therightscoop.com/mark-levin-mcconnell-just-cut-the-legs-right-out-from-under-house-republicans/
narciso (3fec35) — 3/24/2014 @ 6:10 pmActually considering how Hastert bobbled the ball, for the next eight years, I would reconsider that verdict, did he fall for some foolish notions while in exile, probably, did he implement any, no,
narciso (3fec35) — 3/24/2014 @ 6:11 pmA “racial backlash” from the Barbara Lees and Al Sharptons of the world. Eric Holder is an EPIC FAIL as the AG. Are you listening Toensing and di Genova?
Colonel Haiku (4a5fff) — 3/24/2014 @ 6:13 pm55. Grasshopper, your central cities will burn. There will be no food on the shelves, no gas in the petrol stations, no cash in the ATMs and no one to redeem the EBT credits.
Your farina of Liberty will hardly be the thing that changes the game.
gary gulrud (e2cef3) — 3/24/2014 @ 6:14 pmI agree Holder has been a terrible AG, the worst I have ever heard of. But the GOP isn’t going to impeach him, certainly not retroactively.
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/24/2014 @ 6:14 pmDereliction of duty. Selective enforcement… failure to uphold the oath he took when sworn in. This applies to Preezy Armslength Momjeans, too.
Colonel Haiku (4a5fff) — 3/24/2014 @ 6:16 pmWell what are the odds of that?
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/24/2014 @ 6:16 pmYes, but the world does not operate based on what’s written on slips of paper, or we could all move to China for their human rights protections.
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/24/2014 @ 6:17 pmThe GOP is peach-less.
mg (31009b) — 3/24/2014 @ 6:18 pmI think spankings were withheld from little Eric during his formative years. He lacks a fundamental understanding of what’s right and wrong.
Colonel Haiku (4a5fff) — 3/24/2014 @ 6:19 pmif this little IRS thing doesn’t bother McConnellwhore and Boehnerpoofter, why should it bother Mr. Cruz?
This makes no sense.
happyfeet (8ce051) — 3/24/2014 @ 7:07 pmLibertarianism is the wrong way to go. The people have gone too far down the path of irresponsibility and self-indulgence to be trusted with any more freedom. They will destroy themselves and the country. A strong hand is needed to get the sexual libertines back into their bedrooms (and bathrooms) and the welfare drones off their fat behinds and to work. Unless we want to go the way of post-Republic Rome.
We could, actually, go the way of post-Republic Rome, and survive for a while longer as a nation of indolent pleasure-seekers ruled by plutocrats, the way Rome did. By
nk (dbc370) — 3/24/2014 @ 7:08 pmconqueringannexing our neighbors. Canada will provide us the natural resources and Mexico the labor force. But that will last for only a few generations until the Canadians and Mexicans start thinking of themselves as Americans and want the same ease and licentiousness as the rest of us. And eventually we will just kind of — not dissolve, not disintegrate — dilute.we try not to think of Garfield and McTurtle, either,
narciso (3fec35) — 3/24/2014 @ 7:13 pm69. Thank you.
Could you also work something in about empowering sociopaths?
gary gulrud (e2cef3) — 3/24/2014 @ 7:13 pm@ #5, Christoph Dollis ,
Christoph, you took my comment and ran with it in a direction that fit your narrative, didn’t you? I don’t mind, of course, but to accuse me of wrong-headed thinking based on your assumed conclusion of my brief comment, diminishes any subsequent thoughts you might have.
I would like to make sure I’m understanding you lest I rashly jump to any conclusions:
a) I’m too focused on Congress because the post regards two congressman and their actions – both of which I find positive.
b) With the exception of very few, the majority of Congress is self-serving. They are not willing to do the jobs they were elected to do unless they benefit from it.
c) Congress will only act in the interest of the people if the people apply significant pressure
d) the pressure exerted by the public needs to be so immense that Congress has no option but act – lest their be a revolt of some kind (just how this revolt would manifest, was not explained)
If this is correct, I would respond this way: My post points to two congressmen who have actually made a public stand with regard to the DOJ and their refusal to appoint special counsel. Both of them responded to the same event and in the same week. It seemed a natural tie-in. I don’t see where I have stated or inferred that my faith is in Congress to do its job. Rather, I was pleasantly surprised to see two congressmen be pro-active for a just cause in the same week. That’s noteworthy to me.
Is Congress representing us how we would like? No, not really. But, are there a few men and women willing to push back and fight? Yes. And I think they should be spotlighted, and we should support them. More importantly, remember them at the next election.
Furthermore, as Jim Jordan serves on the House Committee on Oversight and Government, he is doing his job. Ted Cruz’s immediate public response to the refusal draws more and continued attention to the conflict of interest and lack of ethics the DOJ is exhibiting. To me, those are two congressmen doing their jobs. My question to you is, is it possible that they are doing their jobs precisely because of pressure from their constituents (e.g. the Tea Party (“The Tea Party is a grassroots movement that calls awareness to any issue which challenges the security, sovereignty, or domestic tranquility of our beloved nation, the United States of America. From our founding, the Tea Party represents the voice of the true owners of the United States: WE THE PEOPLE”)
Dana (9a8f57) — 3/24/2014 @ 7:14 pmAnd which DC jury are you going to render that verdict?
Didn’t some people around here argue that trying to repeal ObamaCare or delay the imposition of the individual mandate was a fools errand because the Senate would never pass it and Obama would never sign it?! But now impeaching an AG is just fine?!
JD (534747) — 3/24/2014 @ 7:15 pmCristoph never fails. Never.
JD (534747) — 3/24/2014 @ 7:16 pmWho are these people?
Colonel Haiku (4a5fff) — 3/24/2014 @ 7:16 pmDana- you were commendably ultra polite and precise and professional in your post just above. More than most of us would have been able to be to him.
elissa (b0299e) — 3/24/2014 @ 7:33 pmCould you also work something in about empowering sociopaths?
Of course we must deal with the sociopaths, but empower is not the word I would use. There are sociopaths, sociopaths, and sociopaths. Three different kinds. The first two kinds, who revel in wealth and power, the bourgeoisie and the politicians and the generals, we will kill. The third we will enlist in the service of the revolution to be their executioners. The state will always have need of executioners.
nk (dbc370) — 3/24/2014 @ 7:35 pmChristoph pines for Occupy Wall Street and its unachieved glory.
Public pooping and rape tents for all!!!!!11ty!!!!!
daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 3/24/2014 @ 7:52 pmTed Cruz and a very few others are undoubtedly doing their job. But without support from enough people, they have nothing. If the people don’t care, then it’s hard to blame the politicians.
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/24/2014 @ 7:53 pmOccupy Wall Street
Colonel Haiku (4a5fff) — 3/24/2014 @ 7:57 pmLeft combats teh Tea Party
and sh*t hits teh fan
leave it to teh Left
Colonel Haiku (4a5fff) — 3/24/2014 @ 8:03 pmto fight decent people with
dirty corksoakers
Holder and the whole Obama gang is so goddamn corrupt — both philosophically and probably in financial terms too — it’s beyond words. I’d say and feel that even if these people were on my side of the ideological divide.
The crappola that the left tries to get away with — whether here in the US, in Venezuela, in Argentina, etc — appears to be much greater than anything out of the rightwing, probably because crooked liberals believe their hearts at least are in the right place. For example, are there conservative counterparts to the city of Detroit?
It took me awhile to finally realize the truly bitter, ludicrous irony of liberalism and corruption.
Mark (93107d) — 3/24/2014 @ 8:48 pmAlthough Cruz does appeal to a lot of American people, his problem is that a lot of people in America do not like America.
I honestly don’t know the Americans who do not like America want, but they are pretty vocal about it.
My observation is that they want it to be Italy, Greece or Spain without the troublesome immigrants harshing the party along with but some sort of economy that supports their lifestyle without the work or irritating elections.
Ag80 (eb6ffa) — 3/24/2014 @ 8:58 pmThis was my country
Colonel Haiku (b68f4c) — 3/24/2014 @ 9:31 pmmight be yet but something’s come
‘tween it and the Sun
Mr. Ted is wrong though the American people do NOT deserve better
they’re mostly a bunch of insipid slack-jawed food stamp dependent obamasluts
Me personally I deserve better, as do several of you here. And my friend F, who is a recent immigrant to this country.
happyfeet (8ce051) — 3/24/2014 @ 9:56 pmNow that winter is over, with fully half of all Detroit public water & sewer utility bills in arrears-businesses, schools, residences-the city will begin cutting service to 1500 to 3000 delinquent accounts per week.
Remember, urine is sterile on relief.
gary gulrud (e2cef3) — 3/24/2014 @ 10:03 pmAmericans are for Cruz, The rest of you progs deserve Mexico.
mg (31009b) — 3/24/2014 @ 11:59 pmKneeling at the alter of Karl Rove must be tasty, huh, daleyrocks.
mg (31009b) — 3/25/2014 @ 12:04 amelephant stones team
mg (31009b) — 3/25/2014 @ 12:16 amhttp://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/03/24/Report-Top-GOP-Benghazi-Investigator-In-Business-With-Clintonistas
“Kneeling at the alter of Karl Rove must be tasty, huh, daleyrocks.”
mg – What are you talking about dickbreath?
daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 3/25/2014 @ 12:43 am91-your an establishment b.b.
mg (31009b) — 3/25/2014 @ 1:14 amCorpulent Kart is now advising the Whigs against criticizing 404Care.
Silent running crew.
gary gulrud (e2cef3) — 3/25/2014 @ 6:54 amAccording to Christoph, we aren’t doing enough to encourage our fellow citizens to act. The people I hangout with feel the same way I do, and I assume vote in a similar way. I doubt browbeating my fellow parishioners regarding their politics is going to sway them.
Amalgamated Cliff Divers, Local 157 (f7d5ba) — 3/25/2014 @ 8:03 amA fellow student, who is also a project mate, said he hated the Tea Party, but couldn’t articulate why he felt that way. I didn’t think it was appropriate conversation when trying to finish a school project, and I’d rather graduate then “get in his face” with regard to his politics.
Besides, Christoph offers no real solutions, just inane platitudes which accomplish nothing(as usual).
Good comments, Ag80 #83 and Dana #72.
DRJ (a83b8b) — 3/25/2014 @ 8:18 amSo go outside of your social group, as libertarians are increasingly doing, challenging people with ideas, but also with reasons for them (current events in context).
The key is ethics and pragmatism. Who said f— all about “politics”? I pretty much eschewed politics in the classic sense. It’s incidental.
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/25/2014 @ 8:30 amoff hand, i’d say at least half the country deserves everything it’s getting, whether it be the fools that voted for Obumbles, especially those that *STILL* support him, and those idiots who don’t bother voting at all…
i just resent them trying to drag me down with them.
redc1c4 (abd49e) — 3/25/2014 @ 8:34 amAlso, I am offering keys to solutions: honesty and courage.
Emulate Michelle Malkin and Ted F’n Cruz. Come out under your own name, encouraging others, and advocate for your ideas shamelessly. Engage with people online and in your social circle. Encourage others to do the same, understanding its for a long haul.
Also, examine some of your own beliefs and determine if they are guided by fear of criticism by leftists and society or by what you earnestly believe is true. For example, importing millions of likely Democratic voters is, no matter what the GOP tells you, likely to lead to the increased future defeat of ideas you hold dear. If you believe that, stand up and say it—as well as for other things you care about.
You can support people’s rights to live freely and better their lives without believing you must turn America into a nation likely to break up into ethnic enclaves, likely to be egged on by this in your neighbor to the south. This is just one example, but if not this, your only alternative is the GOP, or whatever replaces it, rapidly moves left to have any hope of getting elected.
Those are your options.
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/25/2014 @ 8:37 amDeep Thoughts by Christoph Handy…
Colonel Haiku (068e2e) — 3/25/2014 @ 9:04 am97. ” I am offering keys to solutions ”
We are not worthy.
gary gulrud (e2cef3) — 3/25/2014 @ 9:08 amMany of the social ideas, at least, that I hold dear are taking hold and often at quite an accelerating pace. So are some of the more political ideas, actually. One of the reasons for this is others and I are talking to people who don’t already agree with us and making the case. This is usually a long-term process, not a one-shot deal. It’s hard, too, but when it works, it’s rewarding.
And just saying what you believe is true and overcoming the fear of criticism is its own reward.
If ACD or whomever thinks this is a waste of time and, by golly, they couldn’t talk to people and persuade them, then I don’t know what to tell you. Pin all your hopes on Ted Cruz and Jim Jordan, I guess. They’ve got your back.
Other way ’round? Yeah, not so much.
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/25/2014 @ 9:10 am100. Fairy dust and unicorn neatsfoot oil.
gary gulrud (e2cef3) — 3/25/2014 @ 9:11 am“Children need encouragement. So if a child gets an answer right, tell him it was a lucky guess. That way, he develops a good, lucky feeling.”
– Christoph Handy
Colonel Haiku (068e2e) — 3/25/2014 @ 9:15 am“I wish outer space guys would conquer the Earth and make people their pets, because I’d like to have one of those little beds with my name on it.”
– Christoph Handy
Colonel Haiku (068e2e) — 3/25/2014 @ 9:24 amFurther, if you aren’t very persuasive on a given occasion, someone else may be. But we’re social animals and naturally timid—e.g., that’s why the west is giving up our liberties as other people did in the face of growing tyrannies.
So as you know we look to see what other people is doing in making our decisions, most people anyway: the persuadable ones. So if you talk to someone and can’t persuade them, but some time later you publicly hold the same position and in the meantime they’ve come across several other people who hold that position, well … now you may have persuaded them. And if so, their being persuaded increases the odds of other people being persuaded.
So just because you don’t see an instant bang for the buck when talking to someone doesn’t mean it’s not working. However, if you believe you’re ineffectual ….
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/25/2014 @ 9:33 am*
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/25/2014 @ 9:34 amis doingare doingCome out under your own name,
LOL. From someone who used a fake name to get around being banned previously. Comical.
JD (534747) — 3/25/2014 @ 9:36 amCan you imagine the power if 10% of anonymous conservative commenters and people at home keeping their thoughts to themselves did that and started regularly engaging with others who didn’t already agree with them?
That’s worth a few senators, easily.
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/25/2014 @ 9:43 am“Emulate Michelle Malkin and Ted F’n Cruz.”
Christoph – Didn’t you start off this thread by saying don’t bother with politicians?
Sudden change of course again?
daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 3/25/2014 @ 9:48 amMichelle Malkin isn’t a politician—they’re both courageous and while I know more about Malkin than Cruz, they both come across as candid (which is part of courage: they go together).
Surely you followed that I’m not talking about parliamentary strategy here?
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/25/2014 @ 9:51 am“When you are trying to persuade people it helps if you do not act superior or smug even if you know you are the smartest person in the room you don’t have to broadcast that fact. Humility works.”
Christopher Handy
daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 3/25/2014 @ 9:52 am“Michelle Malkin isn’t a politician”
Shut.Up.
daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 3/25/2014 @ 9:54 ami’m not sure you know what you’re talking about, but it is painfully obvious where you are talking out of…
i’m just trying to figure out how the words get past your head.
😎
redc1c4 (abd49e) — 3/25/2014 @ 9:55 amI don’t think that it takes honesty, courage, and talking to people who don’t yet agree to cause changes in society is a thought requiring great smarts. It’s a simple truth, oft-seen in history, that could again bear some recognition.
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/25/2014 @ 9:56 am106. What is particularly galling about CD’s presentation is the representation of, e.g., courage and honesty, in a context of ‘social darwinism’.
It should be painfully obvious to everyone that these qualities, most spectacularly in evidence during our experience in extremis, will soon be met, not in our accustomed wealth and comfort, but in want and strife.
gary gulrud (e2cef3) — 3/25/2014 @ 9:57 amI mean, what—on the one hand, Concord; on the other hand, can’t talk to people ’cause it might not work?
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/25/2014 @ 9:58 amI think I’d like a place on the internet to– as an American– foolishly discuss and opine on Canadian politics.
elissa (27f83f) — 3/25/2014 @ 10:01 amlol, elissa.
felipe (b5e0f4) — 3/25/2014 @ 10:02 amIs “anonymous” commenting unique to conservatives?
I encourage nobody to utilize Cristoph’s method of persuasion, unless you are trying to sway people to not follow you.
JD (534747) — 3/25/2014 @ 10:03 amExcept many of my ideas are on the ascension.
No, but very many have been browbeat by leftists and leftist-influenced Republicans to be afraid to say what they think openly—and in some cases even to think it.
I may be very unexpert, but I do know this:
isn’t the way.
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/25/2014 @ 10:10 am“I think I’d like a place on the internet to– as an American– foolishly discuss and opine on Canadian politics.”
elissa – CNN gave Piers Morgan, a pompous Brit, a television show to do something similar. It did not end well.
daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 3/25/2014 @ 10:16 amDepends on the Brit, Niall Ferguson, Stuart Varney would do well, Martin Bashir, Lewis, Musket Morgan, less so,
narciso (3fec35) — 3/25/2014 @ 10:23 amExcept many of my ideas are on the ascension.
Full of yourself much? First off, they are not your ideas, and second IF they are ascending, they are doing so in spite of your efforts.
JD (534747) — 3/25/2014 @ 10:40 am11. Comment by Elephant Stone (6a6f37) — 3/24/2014 @ 3:04 pm
I still don’t understand why Lois Lerner took the fifth.
She previously lied to Congress. Darrell Issa apparently thought she wasn’t going to do that because she was talking to the Justice Department.
Now what would explain talking to DOJ but taking the 5th amendment when it comes to Congress?
A. She’s negotiating a plea bargain, or immunity — she needs that.
And they’ll try to conceal important facts.
Sammy Finkelman (d6ef88) — 3/25/2014 @ 10:52 amThank you Sammeh for clearing that up for E.S.
elissa (27f83f) — 3/25/2014 @ 10:55 amTed Cruz said:
Ted Cruz said that the special prosecutors Janet reno appointed were above reproach??!!!
He’s either an ignoramus or a liar, protecting the Clintons.
Or what- it’s convenient now to say that the Clinton Administration was more honest than the Obama Administration??
I don’t trust Ted Cruz.
Sammy Finkelman (d6ef88) — 3/25/2014 @ 11:05 amJanet Reno appointed Robert B. Fiske Jr., a lawyer whom Bill Clinton could trust, to take control of all investigations dealing with the Clintons.
He had successfully protected Robert E. Rubin and Goldman and Sachs from the Giuliani insider trading investigation.
In the end, by giving them a false story whih they used to indict the man below Robert Rubin. A story that could never lead anywhere.
But he was supposed to be fair.
After all, Robert B. Fiske Jr. was a Republican!
She did that with the idea that the choice would later be ratified by federal judges. (But she didn’t set that process in motion until he had completed a report about the Vincent Foster case. He came in handy for that.)
Sammy Finkelman (d6ef88) — 3/25/2014 @ 11:07 amRobert B. Fiske Jr. was a Republican! Like Lawrence Walsh had been. You remember Lawrence Walsh. He just died, at the age of 102.
He indicted Casper Weinberger right before the 1992 election for perjury so as to affect the election. The indictment cited a memo – and it was claimed by Democrats that this proved that George H W Bush lied when he said he was “out of the loop”
You don’t know how many lies are involved here.
First, when GHWB said that, that meant he was out of the chain of command. That’s what that phrase meant in 1986. But Democrats redefined it to mean ignorant. so that supposedly George Bush the Elder had claimed at one point that he had not known arms were being sold to Iran.
Second, the indictment was for perjury because the so called contempraneous notes that Casper Weinberger had submitted to the Library of Congress contradicteds his testimony.
They indeed contradicted each other. But there was no perjury – the lie was not in his tetimony but in his “contemporaneous notes!!”
He had given them to the Library of Congress at the instigation of Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the United States.
The memo which became famous falsely claimed 1) Ronald Reagan had approved the sale of arms to Iran on January 6, 1986 2) at a meeting at which George Bush the Elder was present, and that 3) the idea for selling for selling arms to Iran came from Israel.
Ronald Reagan did not approve the sale of arms to Iran on January 6, 1986. He only approved it and January 17, 1986, as is clear from his diary.
And what happened between these two dates would probably reveal a lot – the sale instead of being direct throgh the department of Defense was done through intermediaries.
Neither was it true that this was an Israeli idea.
Sammy Finkelman (d6ef88) — 3/25/2014 @ 11:16 amOh dear Allah. Another wormhole.
JD (534747) — 3/25/2014 @ 11:26 amIt’s an interesting state of affairs when a witness feels confident to talk to the DOJ without fear of being charged, but not to Congress.
Christoph Dollis (6e026c) — 3/25/2014 @ 11:33 am129. The fix could be in, of course.
Sammy Finkelman (d6ef88) — 3/25/2014 @ 12:03 pm“Depends on the Brit, Niall Ferguson, Stuart Varney would do well, Martin Bashir, Lewis, Musket Morgan, less so,”
narciso – I agree. Which ones are similar to Christoph?
daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 3/25/2014 @ 12:11 pm128. Comment by JD (534747) — 3/25/2014 @ 11:26 am
Oh dear Allah. Another wormhole.
Well, it is true, that Ronald Reagan only approved the sale of arms to Iran on January 17, 1986, not January 6, 1986, like the Weinberger memo said, something nobody semed to have caught in 1992.
GHWB didn’t even catch the change in the meaning of “out of the loop” that Demcrats created.
And what is Ted Cruz doing saying that Janet Reno appointed special prosecutors whose integrity was beyond reproach???
She did not. She just appointed, in one case , a Republican to take control of all Clinton-related investigations, as if that proved impartiality, which it didn’t in his case, and in the case of Lawrence Walsh, and even a prosecutor being honest doesn’t prevent him from being manipulated by people he trusts, but shouldn’t.
Janet Reno’s effort failed when 3 judges appointed Kenneth Starr instead.
How could it be that Ted Cruz does not know this history??? Was he living under a rock in 1994?
If Robert B. Fiske Jr. had been “abobve reproach” the judges would ahve ratgified her appointment.
http://thefederalist.com/2014/03/24/six-lies-the-leftist-media-tells-about-the-contraception-mandate-cases/
Sammy Finkelman (d6ef88) — 3/25/2014 @ 12:14 pmhow about them Dodgers?
redc1c4 (abd49e) — 3/25/2014 @ 12:48 pmI assert, therefore I are smart! I work here is done!
Christoph, I tell those I encounter exactly what I think, politically or otherwise. If I disagree, I try to do it respectfully. It’s difficult to convey tone in an email, or blog comment section for that matter. There’s nothing more unpalatable than someone who proselytizes.
Amalgamated Cliff Divers, Local 157 (f7d5ba) — 3/25/2014 @ 7:07 pmThere’s nothing more unpalatable than someone who proselytizes.
Apparently you have not read Christoph’s comments.
JD (534747) — 3/25/2014 @ 7:11 pmNone, those were effective Brits, Mark Steyn would be another.
Lawrence Walsh was an early RINO, opposed to Nixon, Reagan, et al, Fiske, had been one of the ABA standing committee, who downgraded Reagan nominees, not for their credentials, but for their ideology,
narciso (3fec35) — 3/25/2014 @ 7:14 pmnarciso – Oh, I would contend Bashir and Morgan convey the unearned sneering superiority which Christoph does here. The others, not so much.
daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 3/25/2014 @ 7:50 pmThere’s that aggressive side of the passive aggressive Christoph we all know and . . . uh, we all know.
I had the same thought.
Back to moderation with you!
Patterico (c29bec) — 3/25/2014 @ 8:17 pmNo tears will be shed.
elissa (27f83f) — 3/25/2014 @ 8:20 pmHow did I miss that he was that Christoph… and to think I put a lot of thought into my 72 response. Meh.
Dana (9f8700) — 3/25/2014 @ 9:24 pmThat’s exactly why I wrote that particular statement. Nothing gets the “talk to the hand” treatment faster than someone spewing inane platitudes. I’ll admit to getting a chuckle about Christoph’s ascending ideas, but he never gets to a workable solution.
Amalgamated Cliff Divers, Local 157 (f7d5ba) — 3/26/2014 @ 1:49 amMy take is that conservatives need more ownership of media and presence in academia in order to promote the beneficial aspects of conservatism&namely freedom and rewarding accomplishment.
Christoph…SEK. Ever see them in the same blog comment section—just saying!
136. Comment by narciso (3fec35) — 3/25/2014 @ 7:14 pm
Lawrence Walsh was an early RINO, opposed to Nixon, Reagan, et al, Fiske, had been one of the ABA standing committee, who downgraded Reagan nominees, not for their credentials, but for their ideology,
Which gets us back to:
Why is Ted Cruz exonerating Janet Reno?
Sammy Finkelman (d6ef88) — 3/26/2014 @ 2:44 pmAnd Janet Reno didn’t apoint any special counsel at all when it came to 1996 campaign finance violations.
Sammy Finkelman (d6ef88) — 3/26/2014 @ 2:45 pmBy 1996, she couldn’t. She could only recommend federal judges do.
In 1993, she tried to sort of name one before, with the idea the judges would later ratify the choice when she called for a fully independent one.
Sammy Finkelman (d6ef88) — 3/26/2014 @ 2:46 pm