Former vice-president Dick Cheney hit it out of the park last week in a speech delivered at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington last Thursday. At almost the same time President Obama was speaking about what he considers the “Bush-Cheney team setting aside American values and the rule of law” in dealing with terrorists, Cheney took Obama to the oratorical woodshed. Now Cheney’s dour demeanor and the endless pounding he has taken from the liberal media has made Dick Cheney a tough guy to like but that doesn’t mean he’s wrong.
Let’s start with terrorism itself and work towards 9-11 and the Bush-Cheney response. Prior to 9-11 there had been a series of well financed and coordinated attacks on American interests abroad as well as the first World Trade bombing. Partly because the Clinton administration chose to ignore or downplay the significance and scope of these attacks, most Americans paid very little attention to terrorism or their surroundings. That all changed on September 11th 2001. The beast had come out of the forest. Am I saying Bill Clinton encouraged terrorism? No. But he didn’t use the intelligence available to him to put the nation on a more vigilant course.
By the time George Bush took over much of the planning and training for 9-11 was well underway. 9-11 did indeed come out of the blue for most Americans, out of a beautiful blue sky on that awful morning. President Bush and Dick Cheney reacted swiftly, identifying the perpetrators and the source of their funding. While there was an element of beating up the guy who beat up your brother, America demanded we lash out at the terrorists in Afghanistan. Bombing Afghanistan and our subsequent war there hasn’t caught Bin-Laden but he’s not rubbing our nose in it poolside in Saudi Arabia like so many other nefarious characters. He’s either dead or receiving visitors by candlelight in a cave.
We may all be dead by the time historians sort through what happened under Bush- Cheney but one fact is clear. There was not one incidence of domestic terrorism on their watch. How many of you can remember the number of doomsday scenarios played out on television and living rooms around this country. They’re going to bomb the subways, Grand Central, more planes or they’re going to lace the Croton reservoir with some kind of killer bacteria. Nothing was off the table and Americans feared for their lives and those of their children. But nothing happened, did it? Can you say thank you to Bush and Cheney for making and keeping us safe. Some can but the left wing loonies wanted to try Bush and Cheney for war crimes, some still do. How nuts is that?
Now why do you suppose the same terrorist organizations responsible for 9-11 and bombing the Cole never appeared again domestically after 9-11? Because we either locked the enemy combatants we caught up or extracted the information necessary to prevent further loss of American life. Remember how everyone marveled at the dramatic reduction of crime in New York during the Giuliani years? What a genius, they said. Actually, all he did was lock up the criminals and keep them locked up. Pretty basic math-career criminal in jail, appreciably less crime.
But here’s where Cheney won the day in his critique of the Obama crowd’s reaction to so-called “enhanced interrogation techniques.” Incidentally, hats off to the wordsmith who came up with that ridiculous phrase. It’s right up there with liberals who now insist on being called “progressives.” Please, we know what both mean. It was Cheney’s use of the phrase “contrived indignation” to describe the left’s horrified reaction to water boarding that made me smile. Because that’s exactly what it is.
We water boarded three grown men in an attempt to get information on pending or planned attacks on U.S. soil. These weren’t 14 year-old boys looking at Al-Queda the way some urban kids look to gangs for structure. These were three men dedicated to killing as many Americans as they could. One masterminded 9-11 while another bragged about personally beheading journalist Danny Pearl. This wasn’t Lenny Briscoe sweating a murder suspect on Law and Order. I don’t care if we strapped these guys to a porpoise at Sea World and rode them around for a week. They had a proven evil intent and the information we gained saved untold lives.
And don’t tell me about American values and the rule of law. These were extraordinary times and required extraordinary measures. Would American values have prevented us in World War II from doing whatever was necessary to known Nazi commanders in order to save GI’s? So spare me the “contrived indignation” and accept it for what it was…a terrorism free 7 years.
Jim Langan can be reached at Jimlangan@thehudsonvalleynews.com
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Thursday, May 14, 2009
FYI
For those who don't know I have been remiss posting my column because I have srted a weekly newspaper in Dutchess County New York. I will resume posting columns here and advise you when The Hudson Valley News goes on line. The website will be thehudsonvalleynews.com and it should be up and running shortly.Thanks for your patience. Jim
PRIVILEGE OR RIGHT
While reading an article on lobbying efforts by gay groups to secure passage of Gov. Paterson’s proposal to legalize same-sex marriage, I was struck by a quote from State Senator George Onorato, a Democrat from Queens. “They can have all the other privileges, but not marriage.” Now the purpose of this column is not to debate the merits of Gov. Paterson’s initiative but that quote got me thinking about the concept of privilege versus right.
For starters, are the terms mutually exclusive or do most privileges eventually evolve into rights. Voting for instance is often referred to as both a right and a privilege or is it both. For a considerable part of our history voting was indeed a privilege extended primarily to whites. In the years following the Civil War (I always find that term odd), as blacks began to assume the trappings of full citizenship, states began passing legislation making it difficult or impossible for blacks to vote. Those obstacles took the form of literacy tests and onerous poll taxes. So for too many years voting for some people only happened if someone extended the privilege. Eventually public sentiment coupled with the civil rights movement of the 1960’s secured the right to vote for African-Americans. It’s hard to argue voting should ever have been considered a privilege but it certainly is a right.
Other things once considered a privilege have evolved into rights as well. The recent bursting of the housing bubble is a good example. Owning a home was always considered a hard earned privilege and accomplishment. You worked hard, saved up the money for a down payment and then crossed your fingers the bank would extend you a mortgage. In the last 25 years as politicians began mining for votes, that all began to change.
The cynical political strategy was simple. A vote cast by the poorest, least productive resident of my district counts every bit as much as the doctor in the big house on the hill. I just need to get 51% of anybody and I’m in. So politicians, particularly democrats took the old campaign slogan of “A chicken in every pot” and turned it into “A house in every pot.” Home ownership was redefined as a right not a privilege, telling people they were entitled to a house.
Congress even created agencies like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to finance and backstop the mortgages of people who had no business owning a home. The politicians either knew or didn’t care about the long term ramifications of giving poor people the means to buy something they clearly couldn’t afford. All they knew was these folks were going to say thank you with their votes. As we have seen that “right” blew up in everyone’s face and we’ll be paying off that tab for years to come.
Health care is another tough call. Is cradle to grave health care a right? Does the Constitution say “Life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness and free health care?” If you listen to some of the demagoguery out there, you’d have to believe it does. Or is health care like most things in life, an expensive privilege you work hard to pay for? But like the mortgage crisis, politicians know giving the American people something for nothing is going to help them at the ballot box. The fact that we can’t remotely afford it is of no concern to the powers to be. When that baby blows, they’ll all be long gone and we’ll be handing the bill to our grandchildren.
You can also debate the evolution of FDR’s temporary assistance programs of the 1930’s which have morphed into a perpetual welfare state augmented by virtually year round unemployment benefits. What was once considered a helping hand and privilege has become a way of life for large segments of society. Social Security is a far easier call. It’s a right because we paid into the fund during our working lives. Then there’s Medicare. It’s right up there with Social Security with the senior set in terms of entitlement. I have elderly relatives who go to the doctor for any and all real or imagined ailments. Would they go if they were paying for it? Not in a million years. I’m sorry because I’ll get there myself someday but reaching a certain age shouldn’t give you the right to stick everyone else with the bill.
Lastly, here’s my personal pet peeve in the privilege or right department. Just how long do these people in Louisiana think they’re entitled to money and trailers from Uncle Sam? If a natural disaster befalls you, there is no constitutional right to sit on your butt for the rest of your life snapping up checks. Get a job and move on and for God’s sake stop whining. There’s a very bright line between a right and a privilege.
Jim Langan can be reached at Jimlangan @thehudsonvalleynews.com
For starters, are the terms mutually exclusive or do most privileges eventually evolve into rights. Voting for instance is often referred to as both a right and a privilege or is it both. For a considerable part of our history voting was indeed a privilege extended primarily to whites. In the years following the Civil War (I always find that term odd), as blacks began to assume the trappings of full citizenship, states began passing legislation making it difficult or impossible for blacks to vote. Those obstacles took the form of literacy tests and onerous poll taxes. So for too many years voting for some people only happened if someone extended the privilege. Eventually public sentiment coupled with the civil rights movement of the 1960’s secured the right to vote for African-Americans. It’s hard to argue voting should ever have been considered a privilege but it certainly is a right.
Other things once considered a privilege have evolved into rights as well. The recent bursting of the housing bubble is a good example. Owning a home was always considered a hard earned privilege and accomplishment. You worked hard, saved up the money for a down payment and then crossed your fingers the bank would extend you a mortgage. In the last 25 years as politicians began mining for votes, that all began to change.
The cynical political strategy was simple. A vote cast by the poorest, least productive resident of my district counts every bit as much as the doctor in the big house on the hill. I just need to get 51% of anybody and I’m in. So politicians, particularly democrats took the old campaign slogan of “A chicken in every pot” and turned it into “A house in every pot.” Home ownership was redefined as a right not a privilege, telling people they were entitled to a house.
Congress even created agencies like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to finance and backstop the mortgages of people who had no business owning a home. The politicians either knew or didn’t care about the long term ramifications of giving poor people the means to buy something they clearly couldn’t afford. All they knew was these folks were going to say thank you with their votes. As we have seen that “right” blew up in everyone’s face and we’ll be paying off that tab for years to come.
Health care is another tough call. Is cradle to grave health care a right? Does the Constitution say “Life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness and free health care?” If you listen to some of the demagoguery out there, you’d have to believe it does. Or is health care like most things in life, an expensive privilege you work hard to pay for? But like the mortgage crisis, politicians know giving the American people something for nothing is going to help them at the ballot box. The fact that we can’t remotely afford it is of no concern to the powers to be. When that baby blows, they’ll all be long gone and we’ll be handing the bill to our grandchildren.
You can also debate the evolution of FDR’s temporary assistance programs of the 1930’s which have morphed into a perpetual welfare state augmented by virtually year round unemployment benefits. What was once considered a helping hand and privilege has become a way of life for large segments of society. Social Security is a far easier call. It’s a right because we paid into the fund during our working lives. Then there’s Medicare. It’s right up there with Social Security with the senior set in terms of entitlement. I have elderly relatives who go to the doctor for any and all real or imagined ailments. Would they go if they were paying for it? Not in a million years. I’m sorry because I’ll get there myself someday but reaching a certain age shouldn’t give you the right to stick everyone else with the bill.
Lastly, here’s my personal pet peeve in the privilege or right department. Just how long do these people in Louisiana think they’re entitled to money and trailers from Uncle Sam? If a natural disaster befalls you, there is no constitutional right to sit on your butt for the rest of your life snapping up checks. Get a job and move on and for God’s sake stop whining. There’s a very bright line between a right and a privilege.
Jim Langan can be reached at Jimlangan @thehudsonvalleynews.com
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Swine Flu Was Hogwash
NANNY STATE PIGS OUT ON FLU HYSTERIA
By Jim Langan
If there was ever a definitive example of the nanny state America has become, it’s been the 24-7 obsession and reporting about the so-called “swine flu.” When did we become a nation of cowering weenies? Watching this thing play out on television has been surreal. As this is being written, there have been a grand total of 226 confirmed cases in 30 states. That’s it and the only death has been a two-year old Mexican boy visiting Texas. Sad but no real cause to hit the panic button.
But hit it we have. From the networks to the cable channels, it’s been the only story. It reminds me of the last few hurricane seasons. The media loved Hurricane Katrina. From Anderson Cooper emoting to reporters bashing President Bush’s slow response, it was a ratings bonanza. Now as soon as the media potentates spot a thunderstorm off the African coast, they begin speculating whether the tropical disturbance is headed for New Orleans. Nothing would make them happier.
The same with the flu coverage. The fact that it hasn’t and won’t come close to affecting a fraction of the people the regular winter flu’s does is brushed aside. Official statistics indicate nearly 13,000 people die annually from the flu in the United States. The fixation on the Mexican origin of the swine flu has a less than subtle undercurrent of racism and stereotyping.
Also lost in the hysteria is the fact this flu is by all accounts a mild one. No American has died. Did you see all the cameras in front of that school in Queens? Some students had apparently been to Cancun for spring break and came down with the flu shortly after they returned. (BTW, when did high school kids start going to Mexico for spring break?)
The fascinating thing was watching the media interview these kids. They were talking to kids who had already recovered and one kid I saw had it but said he felt OK. But if you were stuck in your house with only the TV for information, you’d have thought small pox had made a comeback. I kept looking out the window for the plague of locusts to go by.
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any crazier, the government got in the act. There’s nothing politicians love more than appearing wise and omnipotent in a real or perceived crisis. You needn't go back any further than Rudy Giuliani on 9-11. To be sure, he comported himself admirably during a difficult time but so would any other Mayor under those circumstances. But it hasn’t prevented him from making a career out of 9-11.
Most of the usual suspects did their predictable thing. Chuck Schumer headed for the TV cameras, Bloomberg intoned solemnly and Gov. Paterson said he was taking precautions. Various officials from the Center for Disease Control trotted before the microphones as well as a few cabinet secretaries. Vice-President Joe Biden weighed in about sneezing, subways and airplanes, making a perfect fool of himself.
Perhaps my favorite overreaction to date came from the good folks in Fort Worth, Texas or as a Texas friend of mine says, Fort Worthless. Upon one child being diagnosed with the flu, city officials closed the entire school system of 85,000 children. With reactions like that they should call this thing the chicken flu. But that’s the world we live in and our politicians, particularly democrats, encourage and want us dependent on the government. That’s where they derive their real power. Whether it’s welfare, guns, unemployment, food stamps or health care, liberal democrats want you to look to them for guidance and a handout.
As of late Sunday Margaret Chan, head of the World Health Organization lashed out at those with the temerity to suggest her organization may have overreacted to the swine flu outbreak. While conceding it isn’t nearly as virulent or widespread as her earlier forecast suggested Ms. Chan said “that doesn’t mean it won’t be back with a vengeance in a few months.” Sounds like she might rather be right than wrong.
President Obama has again acted like the grown-up in a room full of people shouting fire in a crowed theater. While conceding the flu could become a more serious issue, he has tamped down speculation and hysteria from the media. Then there has been the politicization of this outbreak. Conservatives have tried to make this about the border and immigration to the horror of democrats. In Egypt, Christian pig farmers are accusing the majority Muslims of trying to hurt them economically by ordering the slaughter of pigs. The fact that Muslims don’t eat pork has further hardened feelings.
Here’s my read on all this. What we have is a relatively contained outbreak of a mild flu. Developed countries like the United States are in no real danger of a serious epidemic. Like the Avian flu a few years ago, this too shall pass…until the media finds another situation to exploit.
By Jim Langan
If there was ever a definitive example of the nanny state America has become, it’s been the 24-7 obsession and reporting about the so-called “swine flu.” When did we become a nation of cowering weenies? Watching this thing play out on television has been surreal. As this is being written, there have been a grand total of 226 confirmed cases in 30 states. That’s it and the only death has been a two-year old Mexican boy visiting Texas. Sad but no real cause to hit the panic button.
But hit it we have. From the networks to the cable channels, it’s been the only story. It reminds me of the last few hurricane seasons. The media loved Hurricane Katrina. From Anderson Cooper emoting to reporters bashing President Bush’s slow response, it was a ratings bonanza. Now as soon as the media potentates spot a thunderstorm off the African coast, they begin speculating whether the tropical disturbance is headed for New Orleans. Nothing would make them happier.
The same with the flu coverage. The fact that it hasn’t and won’t come close to affecting a fraction of the people the regular winter flu’s does is brushed aside. Official statistics indicate nearly 13,000 people die annually from the flu in the United States. The fixation on the Mexican origin of the swine flu has a less than subtle undercurrent of racism and stereotyping.
Also lost in the hysteria is the fact this flu is by all accounts a mild one. No American has died. Did you see all the cameras in front of that school in Queens? Some students had apparently been to Cancun for spring break and came down with the flu shortly after they returned. (BTW, when did high school kids start going to Mexico for spring break?)
The fascinating thing was watching the media interview these kids. They were talking to kids who had already recovered and one kid I saw had it but said he felt OK. But if you were stuck in your house with only the TV for information, you’d have thought small pox had made a comeback. I kept looking out the window for the plague of locusts to go by.
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any crazier, the government got in the act. There’s nothing politicians love more than appearing wise and omnipotent in a real or perceived crisis. You needn't go back any further than Rudy Giuliani on 9-11. To be sure, he comported himself admirably during a difficult time but so would any other Mayor under those circumstances. But it hasn’t prevented him from making a career out of 9-11.
Most of the usual suspects did their predictable thing. Chuck Schumer headed for the TV cameras, Bloomberg intoned solemnly and Gov. Paterson said he was taking precautions. Various officials from the Center for Disease Control trotted before the microphones as well as a few cabinet secretaries. Vice-President Joe Biden weighed in about sneezing, subways and airplanes, making a perfect fool of himself.
Perhaps my favorite overreaction to date came from the good folks in Fort Worth, Texas or as a Texas friend of mine says, Fort Worthless. Upon one child being diagnosed with the flu, city officials closed the entire school system of 85,000 children. With reactions like that they should call this thing the chicken flu. But that’s the world we live in and our politicians, particularly democrats, encourage and want us dependent on the government. That’s where they derive their real power. Whether it’s welfare, guns, unemployment, food stamps or health care, liberal democrats want you to look to them for guidance and a handout.
As of late Sunday Margaret Chan, head of the World Health Organization lashed out at those with the temerity to suggest her organization may have overreacted to the swine flu outbreak. While conceding it isn’t nearly as virulent or widespread as her earlier forecast suggested Ms. Chan said “that doesn’t mean it won’t be back with a vengeance in a few months.” Sounds like she might rather be right than wrong.
President Obama has again acted like the grown-up in a room full of people shouting fire in a crowed theater. While conceding the flu could become a more serious issue, he has tamped down speculation and hysteria from the media. Then there has been the politicization of this outbreak. Conservatives have tried to make this about the border and immigration to the horror of democrats. In Egypt, Christian pig farmers are accusing the majority Muslims of trying to hurt them economically by ordering the slaughter of pigs. The fact that Muslims don’t eat pork has further hardened feelings.
Here’s my read on all this. What we have is a relatively contained outbreak of a mild flu. Developed countries like the United States are in no real danger of a serious epidemic. Like the Avian flu a few years ago, this too shall pass…until the media finds another situation to exploit.
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