Warner-Lieberman

So, it looks like the whole "green" craze is finally starting to catch on with more and more people. It seems like every other commercial we see on television these days makes some reference to the environmentally friendly properties of certain products. I don't watch a lot of television, but even I have noticed a marked increase in the number of times the "green" word is uttered in marketing schemes. I used to love the Discovery Channel, but it, along with The Weather Channel, seems to have become the new headquarters for Global Warming propaganda. More and more we see references to the idea of man-made "climate change" as common knowledge, or fact, when in reality it is merely unsubstantiated theory.

The simple fact remains that there are just as many climate scientists who reject the idea that man-made climate change is even possible. Global Warming has become a religion to many, and for the most part, its proponents have come from the left. Supposedly, more and more conservatives, especially conservative evangelicals, are now being won over by the arguments for "doing something" to prevent this impending disaster. I hope to post more extensively on this topic in the near future, when I have time to truly address what I see as the motives behind this movement, and the potential consequences if too many people do give in to its demands.

But for now, lets look at the latest offering from those who would use government (that bastion of efficiency and excellence) to "solve" this supposed problem. Remember when those on the left joined in with Europe and the rest of the world to condemn our president as a heretic and earth-hater for not placing our government under the Kyoto protocol? That was fun. Well, it turns out that those earth-friendly nations under the Kyoto protocol actually increased their carbon emissions by 21.1% between 1997 and 2004, while the big bad U.S. only increased emissions by 6.6% - oops. So, now that we've seen how effective government regulation can be at reducing these emissions, let's take a look at the Warner-Lieberman legislation before congress. In particular, let's assume for a moment that the bill will have its desired effect (all evidence to the contrary aside) and actually decrease U.S. carbon emissions. What then?

Climatologists predicted a whopping 0.07 degree Celsius drop in global temperature would result from worldwide participation in Kyoto! So what would we get in return for this basically negligible drop in temperature? (I would be willing to bet that most of the equipment used to measure our earth's temperature has a margin of error greater than 0.07 degrees) The Heritage Foundation has done an excellent study, complete with a state-by-state breakdown of exactly what this bill would end up costing taxpayers. To paraphrase, this bill would wreak havoc on our already faltering economy nationwide. Check out the effect it would have on Georgia.

Rachel Ray and the Doughnut Wars

I've always been more partial to Krispy Kreme when it comes to the doughnut decision, but I may have to change my mind after reading this article from Michelle Malkin. As Malkin points out, Dunkin Donuts has been one of the few companies to take a strong stand against illegal immigration in this country. Combine that with their latest decision to drop an add showing Rachel Ray in a "kefiyeh" scarf, and I may have to reconsider my allegiance in the battle for doughnut supremacy. (What is it about "donut" places and their apparently willful inability to spell?)

This may seem a little bit over the top - I can't tell if that scarf is meant to be a kefiyeh or not - but if nothing else it serves to highlight a disturbing fashion trend.

"The keffiyeh, for the clueless, is the traditional scarf of Arab men that has come to symbolize murderous Palestinian jihad. Popularized by Yasser Arafat and a regular adornment of Muslim terrorists appearing in beheading and hostage-taking videos, the apparel has been mainstreamed by both ignorant (and not so ignorant) fashion designers, celebrities and left-wing icons."

I kinda doubt that Rachel Ray is a tool of the Palestinian jihad - she may have had nothing to do with the wardrobe decision at all - but there's no denying that many celebs have recently used their choice of clothing to jump up on "Jimmah" Carter's favorite soapbox, supporting Palestinian terrorists at the expense of Israel. No doubt all the college kids will be swapping their Che Guevara t-shirts for Yassar Arafatbastard scarfs now. There's just something about murderous, anti-American thugs that inspires the liberal mind...apparently.

Superlambananas!...?

For those of you who have been longing for serious expressions of artistic genious...I give you a Liverpool original - Superlambananas!

I've been a fan of Liverpool Football Club for several years now, and I've become pretty much obsessed with English Premier League football. The internet and new media have made it so easy for me to follow my team, even though they play across the Atlantic, and I spend a fair amount of time learning about the unique culture of the residents of Merseyside.

The Scouse are a unique lot, and the city of Liverpool has been named the European Capital of Culture for 2008. Apparently, superlambananas like the one bearing the likeness of LFC manager Rafa Benitez above, have become quite popular in Liverpool.

Ted Kennedy

I wanted to take a moment to comment on the sad news about Senator Kennedy. There couldn't be a greater contrast between two people than the one between the Senate's "Liberal Lion" and an unknown political junkie like myself. I disagree with pretty much everything the Senator has supported in his impressive career. But sometimes it's important to be reminded that these politicians are people just like us...people with families and friends who care about them. I've never met the man, but this article speaks to his personality and the impact he has had on every member of the Senate.

Unfortunately, the comments section of the article has drawn out the lowest of the low. It didn't take long for the charge of "this is God's judgement on him for his Liberal ways" to surface. I always wonder how it is that these people have access to the mind of the Almighty God. How else can they be so certain about His motives? The bottom line is we are told to love and pray for our enemies - period. If this disease claims Senator Kennedy's life, then he will answer to God for his actions - as will all of us.

Fight for the Party

I still consider myself to be a Fred-Head, and maintain that he, out of all the candidates originally under consideration, would have made the best president. But it was not to be.

Articles like this blog post over at Townhall.com only serve to reinforce my position. It's good to see that he's still making his voice heard in the political realm. True conservatives are in need of an icon. A leader whose ideas inspire them to remain politically active in times when it seems that our voices are being ignored by those in power. The GOP leadership has ignored the warnings of those who have their hands on the pulse of conservatism in everyday America. And they will suffer for it in November. I really dread the coming elections, as I know it will be painful to watch. But in a way it represents an opportunity. If the results are as anticipated, and the GOP looses significantly more ground in the House and Senate, heads will roll at the top of the party. And that can only be a good thing. The current leadership has failed, and we must do everything we can to ensure that the new leadership will fight for smaller, more responsible government.

Men like Fred Thompson and Newt Gingrich still have much to contribute to our political system, and I hope they continue to do so. We need strong, conservative leaders who can articulate our ideas to the masses. This nation, as a whole, still leans center-right. Just look at the Democrat strategy in the recent special elections. In each case a Democrat ran as a conservative, and won in a conservative district. Attempts to tie them to the national liberals failed miserably.

The GOP as a party fell prey to the bandwagon phenomenon, especially in the South. The rise of the Conservative cause between 1994 and 2004 presented an irresistable opportunity for professional politicians everywhere, filling the GOP ranks with those who could talk the talk if it meant a seat in congress. I suppose that's inevitable for any party who remains in power for so long, and though I have always supported our President, he hasn't been the best leader when it comes to conservative policy within the party. November may not be pretty, but we have to take this opportunity to regain control of the GOP.

I will support John McCain because he is what this nation needs right now, and the nation is more important than any political party, but his election wouldn't exactly help our cause. Don't get me wrong, we must do everything we can to ensure McCain is elected. The last thing our nation needs at this point is higher taxes, more government control over our lives, and a foreign policy that consists of tea parties with Ahmadinejdad and Hugo Chavez...and that is exactly what a Democrat-controlled legislature and executive office would give us. So we must ensure that one branch remains in Republican control. As a result, if the party is to return to conservatism, it must be at the grass roots level. We have to fight for our individual congressional districts, and ensure that the imposters are weeded out in the primaries. And with only moderate leadership at the head of the party, we will need Fred, Newt, and other such leaders to step forward and rally our support at the national level. Thankfully, the rise of the new media will continue to facilitate our efforts.

It's frustrating to see the party, that used to represent us so well, so far from our own principles; but we must not abandon it. Let's make sure John McCain wins in November, but continue to fight for the soul of the party.

Prince Charles' Deadline

Thank God for the Prince of Wales. It had been so quiet on the "Celebrity Warns of Imminent Disaster Concerning Matters on Which They are Remarkably Unqualified to Speak" front. No doubt he read it on the internet...the Queen must be so proud. The United Kingdom, and the world, are truly fortunate to have such a brilliant scientific mind in such an important role.

Cross posted at Redstate.

Democrats: Raping Small Business

The Patriot Tax. I'm almost at a loss for words. But not quite...

I would say it's hard to know what's going on in their minds, but by now I know too well how the mind of a Democrat works. Hey, here's a great idea! Our economy's in the tank, so let's find a way to destroy one of the most reliable sources of economic growth by hitting small business owners in the wallet! Sure, it'll punish those who create 60 to 80% of all new jobs, and employ half of all Americans, but the voters don't know that. They'll see that we're increasing taxes on the Evil Rich - those who make more than $500,000 a year, and they'll love us for it!

Never mind the fact that many small business owners file their business income on their personal tax return. In fact, 83% of all tax returns with incomes over $1 million are business owners. Small businesses are already suffering from the credit crunch, and the Dems want to pile on for political points. It's not surprising, but still pathetic.

And the worst part of all: 31 GOP jackasses voted for it. It's things like this that will cause me to shed few tears over the impending November bloodbath that awaits the GOP.

What to do...

Well, the election picture seems to be finally taking some shape. I realize it's a long time until November, at least in terms of politics, but I can certainly see certain themes beginning to develop as we come closer to the Democratic nomination. First of all, I definitely see evidence that the long drawn-out Dem battle has given at least John McCain a shot at the White House. Whether that translates into anything other than a total bloodbath for Republicans down the line...well, not so much it seems. Before the knock-down drag-out between The Obamessiah and Hillary!, I saw very little chance for anything but a defeat for McCain. A perceived inability to excite the base (which still looks to be accurate), and the mind-altering Infatuation With Obama virus that had reached near epidemic proportions before the cure was introduced in the form of Rev. Wright Youtube footage, led me to believe that McCain's prospects were almost non-existent. But thankfully, the world was exposed to Rev. Wright's disturbed mind, and questions about Obama's judgment, if not character, were rightly raised. Despite what many in the media would have us believe, it has damaged Obama with a very large portion of the voting population. Too bad that doesn't seem to be contributing to a rise in the GOP brand...more on that later.

The other trend I see shaping up in this election is the distance McCain seems to be putting between himself and the conservative base. It's no surprise that he's moving to the center before the general election. Any candidate on either side knows they have to win the squishy middle of the voting public - those who could care less about the details of political policy or even politics in general until 24 hours before the election. But how well will this strategy work for someone who's support from the party's base was never really solidified? McCain seems to have forgotten, or just doesn't care, that hard-core conservatives, those who got out and beat the streets for W in 2000 and 2004, are having trouble getting behind his candidacy.

And thus, I find myself in a pickle. I really have tried to get fully behind McCain as a candidate. I joined his website email list, volunteered to help out at my local campaign office, etc. But every time I think I can get on board, he does something to deflate any enthusiasm I had built up. First, the N.C. GOP debacle; now, his apparent enthusiasm for saddling our already struggling economy with the requirements of the Kyoto Protocol and cap-and-trade emissions control policy is a big turn-off. Don't get me wrong, we all know how successful Kyoto has been at actually accomplishing anything other than unnecessarily burdening economies. Take a look at the projected economic impact of policies designed to "fix" a problem that we can't even prove exists. And yet, John McCain is jumping on the Global Warming hysteria bandwagon instead of having the courage to stand up for a little common sense. I realize we Americans should be guilty about our success and clearly excessive use of natural resources, but the people in charge need to stay rooted in reality.

I just have to keep telling myself that McCain would be better than a surrendering socialist...maybe that'll get me through until November.

Cross Posted at Redstate.com

Reverend Wright and Other Gospels

With all the furor surrounding the Reverend Wright over the past few weeks, I'm sure everyone's tired of hearing about it. But this raises a more important issue for the American church - whether black or white. Rev. Wright certainly isn't the only pastor out there leading his flock astray, but he's the most visible and extreme case we've seen in a while. One of my pet peeves as an evangelical in America today is the evidence that many pastors of all denominations seem to be turning deaf to Paul's warning to church leaders in Galatia - from chapter 1:

6I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel;
7which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
8But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed!
9As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!

I suppose it's no surprise, at least not to this Calvinist, that the church continues to deal with the same issues that have hindered it's mission and purpose for thousands of years. Until Christ returns, we will continue to operate under the curse of The Fall. But that is all the more reason to pay close attention to the warnings and instructions provided by those who received the Gospel directly from Christ. Paul's credentials, as listed in the verses following v.9, cannot be disputed. The Gospel message he brought to the Galatians, and to us through his writings, is the only message any biblical pastor should seek to convey.

Paul was speaking specifically to the immediate problem of certain church members imposing Jewish ceremonial law as additional requirements for justification before God, but the same principal of preaching, as the NIV says, "a gospel other than the one we [the apostles] preached to you" applies to the issues we face today. I would find it difficult not to classify Rev. Wright's brand of Liberation Theology as anything but "other than" the Gospel of Christ. But there are many other, more subtle versions of this dangerous trend. The Prosperity Gospel of Osteen and Co. comes most readily to mind, along with the rise of Red Letter Christians and the Social Gospel of those who would turn Christ's teachings and example into mere lessons for morality.

Don't get me wrong, many of the teachings associated with these movements are valuable, and even biblically based in my opinion. However, they should never constitute the sole message, or even the driving principle behind any pastor's teachings. That role should be filled only by the one true Gospel message brought to us in the Scriptures, and briefly described here in the Westminster Confession:

Ch. VII, Part V. The Lord Jesus, by His perfect obedience, and sacrifice of Himself, which He through the eternal Spirit, once offered up unto God, has fully satisfied the justice of His Father; and purchased, not only reconciliation, but an everlasting inheritance in the kingdom of heaven, for those whom the Father has given unto Him.

The only true Gospel is that Good News of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, and the resulting justification we receive as believers. According to Paul, only through the proclamation of the Gospel of Christ does God call men and women to faith in Him. The American church is paying for its long held aversion to doctrine, but if the sad state of preaching in many of our churches today doesn't produce a return to strong doctrinal standards, then I don't know what will.

Evangelicals and the GOP

I thought this might make for a nice introductory post for my new blog. It seems that a certain branch of the GOP base may still harbor some resentment over the results of our primary:

"An element of the Christian community is not reconciled to McCain's candidacy but instead regards the prospective presidency of Barack Obama in the nature of a Biblical plague visited upon a sinful people. These militants look at former Baptist preacher Huckabee as "God's candidate" running for president in 2012. Whether they can be written off as merely a troublesome fringe group depends on Huckabee's course."

Now I'm no fan of Mike Huckabee*, but I have to say that if this ends up hurting the GOP in the November election, some within the establishment will have had it coming. The disdain for those of us who hold to the traditional Christian faith, and our past and future role in the party we helped propel into the majority, was widely evident among many of conservatism's most established names and publications. Much was written about this at the time, and most of us have since moved on, but it seems that there is a faction of hardcore former supporters who have resigned themselves to a necessary time in the wilderness. I would never advocate such a course, and though I am not necessarily excited about McCain as our nominee, I will support him fully as the infinitely superior alternative to either Democrat.

*While I can certainly understand Huckabee's appeal to fellow evangelicals, I consider myself to be an "across-the-board" conservative, and Huckabee's policy and rhetoric on fiscal issues seriously bothered me. The spin from his supporters never managed to convince me over his tax record as governor; and his populist ideas about using government to regulate CEO salaries, among other things, pretty much ended any ideas I had about supporting him early on.