My day’s blogging plans have been interrupted by a nasty little migraine that hit late this afternoon. I spent the afternoon down at the parents’ house in San Patricio playing cards with my mother and my 18 year old niece (the graduate) and her friend Hannah.  Hondo Kitty had to get into the act and jumped up on the table, going from one person to the other demanding attention.  I admit he was cute.

I’ve changed my blogging plans, transferring things from one day to another, trying to keep up my theory of theme-blogging at least for the next two weeks or so.  

I wish I knew how to concentrate on the “Cheney” thing.  I’m not a big Dick Cheney fan.  Sometimes it seems to me he had created more problems for GWB than he has solved.  I’ve also discovered I have limitations as a blogger.  I am going to try and stick to subjects I know something about.  I think only a foolish person attempts to be all things to all people.  I’m not that smart, nor that wise. Let’s face it, it looks good to be all things to all people, all knowing, omnipotent.  But – sometimes a person can be too many things to too many people and spread themselves thin. There are some things I feel I am doing quite well at – and maybe a little better than others.  I am going to continue with those things.  But – I’m not an expert on terror.  I’m not an expert on Islam.  I know terror and I know wrong when I see it.  I’ll give a shout-out to others, but let’s face that fact that someone can do it better than can I.  

Strange as it seems, I’ve become something of an ‘expert’ on the subject of immigration and the organizations involved.  I appear to be the only one working to link one group of tawdry conservatives to another.  I am going to continue down this path.  I know politics.  I am going to hit it.  I am also going to continue my campaign to try and keep conservatives intellectually honest.  It is a dirty job, but it seems like very few others are doing it.

Now I know why my head hurts….

In the only in New Mexico files – Yes, Lancelot, there is a school for jousting in NM!

MY FIRST MINI-RANT
I don’t mind Trent Lott chastising conservative talk radio and complaining about their use and (in my humble opinion – at times) misuse of power.  Trent Lott is as conservative as they come.  A former, and I emphasize FORMER, associate of the Council of Conservative Citizens, Lott is conservative enough, and at times reactionary enough to complain all he wants.  The perfect analogy is being a Braves fan today, when I spent those horrendous years of the 1970’s and 1980’s attending games there in Atlanta, almost all of them with dugout level seats.  I still have the ticket stubs, consequently, I’ve paid my dues.  I can complain all I want about the Braves.  When the going was tough, I put my money where my mouth was.

It is the same thing.  Trent Lott, over the years, has put his money where his mouth is, so to speak.  He’s been there and done that.  Lott, by the bases of his most excellent conservative credentials, has a 92.4 lifetime ASU rating.  I know it isn’t perfect, but it does prove he is a conservative.

If a conservative United States Senator wants to complain about conservative talk radio, in my mind he gets a pass, especially when he is telling the truth.  Face the fact – and be honest here – Neil Bortz is out of control.  Mark Levin sounds like a crackpot.  Michael Savage is, well savage.  Mike Gallagher and I have had our differences since he was doing local talk in Greenville, SC.  When he locks on to a subject he is like Rumsfeld shaking one of his squeaky toys.

Consider this AP article about immigration, conservatives, Trent Lott, Hugh Hewitt, and the manipulation of public opinion.

“…"Neal Boortz, he popped us pretty good," said Lindsay Mabry, a spokeswoman for Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., who shifted from qualified support to opposition to the bill in recent days. She said Chambliss consulted with Boortz on immigration even though the senator was not an on-air guest during the debate.”

I for one can not think of anything more repulsive than my REPUBLICAN United States Senator being told what to do by an avowed LIBERTARIAN.  There is something tawdry, nasty, venial, almost obscene about it.  

The problem with this is the fact that Republicans in the House and Senate are being spoon-fed a bill of false goods by a few manipulators with hidden agendas.  The other problems is our blessed talk show hosts are too self-serving and too egotistical to admit they are being manipulated.

The perfect example of what is going horrible wrong is the way “conservatives” in the House are threatening to desert the President on Iraq if HE DOES NOT DO WHAT THEY TELL HIM TO DO on Immigration.  AJ Strata has an excellent commentary about this.

“…Got that? If Bush continues to work with moderates and democrats as duly elected representatives in our Congress these turncoats will stop supporting the military and their efforts in Iraq. How dare these people call those of us who simply support a bill they oppose traitors! They are the ones who are threatening the lives of our military men and women on the front line with punishment if they do not get their way on a totally independent matter.

The same goes now with these GOP blackmailers as it did when the Surrendercrats tried to pull the rug out from the military a few weeks back and stop the war funding. At least the surrendercrats were arguing from an anti-war position - germaine to the matter at hand. But these amnesty hypochondriacs are not arguing Iraq, they are simply using it to blackmail Bush and the country.

This is truly the last straw with these so called conservatives. They cannot be for America if they are willing to make these kinds of threats when all America is doing is following the representative process outlined in our Constitution to determine policy. …”

Well, if anything proves Trent Lott correct, this does.  Our gutless, mindless conservatives have been so manipulated by proverbial handful of haters and egos they would rather threaten the future of our nation in war than listen to reason.  When did LIBERTARIANS start calling the shots for REPUBLICANS? The likes of Bortz and Savage have nothing – absolutely nothing to do with the Republican Party.  They are now joined by Rush Limbaugh, Laura Ingraham, and Michael Reagan in destroying our country rather than take a little time to look into the backgrounds of those who are now calling the shots.  

Unfortunately George W. Bush is no longer the most powerful man in America.  That honor goes to John Tanton a master manipulator and foe of the unborn.  Our precious little conservatives who wax poetic on the issue of abortion and castigate Rudy Giuliani because of his position on abortion do nothing but pander and lick the feet of John Tanton. What is going on here?

When did men like Rush Limbaugh and Michael Reagan surrender their minds?  

When did good people stop thinking for themselves?

(Sigh) I know when.  The likes of Rush Limbaugh, Michael Reagan, and Laura Ingraham have become such ego driven commodities they would rather betray our nation at a time of war – and sit down with the enemy of the unborn.   They have become so bigoted and so manipulated by white supremacists and the purveyors of anti-Hispanic hatred that they are harming the nation.

If you want to know just how powerful the anti-immigration conservative voters actually are, and how strong their numbers actually are, just check out the final vote in Georgia’s 10th Congressional District’s special election. William Greene, endorsed as the top anti-immigration candidate pulled THREE PERCENT of the vote.  Saxby Chambliss had better stop and read the numbers.  He is making a fool of himself and the GOP.  

When people like Rush Limbaugh have become so important that they absolutely refuse to consider their sources they have forfeited the right to their power.  Bill O’Reilly is looking the truth squarely in the eye and has changed his position.  Evidently O’Reilly is one of the few conservative talk show pundits who has any wisdom and intellectual honest.

MY SECOND MINI RANT
Barack Obama Complains about Christians

“…Barack Obama told a church convention Saturday that some right- wing evangelical leaders have exploited and politicized religious beliefs in an effort to sow division.
"Somehow, somewhere along the way, faith stopped being used to bring us together and started being used to drive us apart. It got hijacked," the Democratic presidential candidate said in remarks prepared for delivery before the national meeting of the United Church of Christ.

"Part of it's because of the so-called leaders of the Christian Right, who've been all too eager to exploit what divides us," the Illinois senator said.

"At every opportunity, they've told evangelical Christians that Democrats disrespect their values and dislike their church, while suggesting to the rest of the country that religious Americans care only about issues like abortion and gay marriage, school prayer and intelligent design," according to an advance copy of his speech.

"There was even a time when the Christian Coalition determined that its number one legislative priority was tax cuts for the rich," Obama said. "I don't know what Bible they're reading, but it doesn't jibe with my version."…”

Our “Conservative” bloggers are slobbering all over themselves NOT to investigate Barack Obama’s religious heritage.  A year ago everyone was making fun of me because I was telling the truth about our anti-immigration leaders and exposing their ties to the KKK, white supremacists, and neo-Nazis.  I don’t care what you think of me.  I am going to say what I think.

I am suspicious of Barack Obama and has Islamic (and I stress ISLAMIC) roots.  I do not want a United States Senator, let alone a POTUS candidate who has ties to the enemy of our civilization via religious heritage, lecturing the Christian Right about their hijacking of Christian politics.  Sorry.  While I think they have manipulated and are not exactly all that Christian, I go back to the fact that because my Christian political heritage is impeccable, I can criticize them all I want.    The Bible tells us not to judge.  I am not judging.  But I am SUSPICIOUS.  When I hear someone like Barack Obama, who was educated in schools financed by Wahabi Islam – Islam that is completely intolerant of my Christian faith – I find it chilling.

MY THIRD MINI RANT
If Moderation is good for Islam….why not for the GOP and  conservatives?