Month: April 2005

The Cross on the County Seal

The Cross on the County Seal

In 1957 Los Angeles County redesigned its County Seal. The Seal was designed to reflect a broad spectrum of icons of significance in Los Angeles. Among the items included on the County Seal were the Hollywood Bowl and a very small cross to signify an old Los Angeles landmark – a cross atop a hill near the Hollywood Bowl. The cross was also an homage to the missionary origins of Los Angeles, whose original name was “El Pueblo de Nuestra Señora la Reina de Los Angeles de Porciúncula.”
Continue reading “The Cross on the County Seal” →

The ‘We’re Smart, You’re Dumb’ Principle

This essay by David Gelernter in today’s Los Angeles Times is so on the mark that I am posting the essay in its entirety:
Continue reading “The ‘We’re Smart, You’re Dumb’ Principle” →

Democrats Propose Elimination of Filibuster

Democrats, led by Sen. Tom Harkin (D.,Iowa)and Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D.,Conn), offer a proposal to amend Senate Rules to eliminate all filibusters, not just those against judicial nominees. The sponsors of the proposal announced that “the filibuster rules are unconstitutional” and that “the filibuster is nothing short of legislative piracy.”

Despite its support by senior senators you didn’t hear about this proposal from the ads by Moveon.org blasting Republican Senators. You also didn’t hear about it from Democratic Senators, like Sen. Lieberman who today held a press conference to criticize Republican Senators for attempting to restore Senate tradition to the judicial confirmation process.

Why? Because it was proposed in 1995.

Read Sean Rushton’s article on “Filibuster Rules: Then and Now” for an interesting treatise on how, when it suits the Democrats, they are willing to change Senate Rules, but when it isn’t in their best interest they will oppose any rule change. The history of the filibuster is interesting.

Sen. Jon Kyl (R.,AZ) said today that Sen. Majority Leader, Bill Frist (R.,TN)will try to negotiate with Democrats to arrive at some reasonable accommodation to permit the President’s judicial nominees to have a fair up or down vote. Failing that, he will propose that the filibuster rules be changed to permit a simple majority of the Senate to be able to confirm a judicial nominee. Sen. Kyl said that it will come to a vote in the next few weeks if something can’t be worked out.

Pope Benedict XVI: Whats In Two Names?

Catholicity gives some background on the new Pope and his choice of name:

It is interesting the Holy Spirit chose a man baptized Joseph, and, that he, Joseph Ratzinger, chose Benedict as his pontifical name.

Mr. and Mrs. Ratzinger, having no idea that their newborn son would one day be called to run the Catholic Church, decided to name their baby after Saint Joseph. Surely, Providence inspired their choice. Saint Joseph, among his many other titles, is known as the Terror of Demons. Beside the very reality of the meaning of that phrase (evil spiritual forces fear the intercession of Saint Joseph), this title reflects the grave responsibility Joseph took upon his shoulders to protect Our Lady and their son, Jesus. It also reflects Saint Joseph’s purity, and his willingness to order his will toward whatever was best for his family. Spiritual bad guys can’t abide by the light of holiness and purity, and no man born to Original Sin was holier and more pure of heart than Joseph.

Furthermore, Saint Joseph’s primary title is Patron (Father) of the Universal Church. His is first place among the saints.

Saint Benedict, who lived in the sixth century, was the founder of the Benedictines (the very first religious congregation), and is also famously known for his power to intercede against the forces of spiritual evil. The Saint Benedict Medal, perhaps the most popular Catholic medal after the Miraculous Medal of the Immaculate Conception, is considered lead-pipe-lock insurance against the forces of evil for those who wear it. The medal itself, designed by Saint Benedict, contains the first letters of Latin words which make up phrases that castigate and even humiliate spiritual beings. One of our favorites among them is directed to the head bad guy himself, Lucifer: “Go bark at the moon!”

Saint Benedict is the Bruce Willis of Catholic Saints. “Yippie Kai Yay!”

Many scholars honor Saint Benedict with another title. As a result of his history-making deeds and the legacy of the founding of religious congregations, which provided the social, educational, and organizing basis for Christendom to slowly rise from the chaotic remains of the Roman Empire, Saint Benedict is also known as the Father of Western Civilization.

Saint Joseph is a holy father.
Saint Benedict is a holy father.
Joseph Ratzinger, now His Holiness Benedict XVI, is our Holy Father.

We have a man named Joseph. We have a pope named Benedict. Bad guys, on earth and under the earth, you’re in for a scrap. Expect the world, the flesh, and the devil to commence their attacks upon Joseph/Benedict in short order.

Expect them to fail.

The Democratic Underground comments on the new Pope

Powerline, announcing the new Pope, notes that Confederate Yankee has found pretty much what you would expect from the Democratic Underground:

Fox News reports that the Cardinals have selected 78 year-old Joseph Ratzinger to be the new Pope — Pope Benedict XVI. The new Pope is expected to adhere to the policies and approach of Pope John Paul II, with which he was closely associated.

UPDATE: Carpe Bonum has what looks like a nice rundown on the new Pope. Meanwhile, for those who like crazed, unreasoning hysteria, Confederate Yankee has descended into the sewers of the Democratic Underground for reactions to Pope Benedict. What he found, needless to say, isn’t pretty. “It’s a sad day when the best aspect of a new pope is that he’s likely to die soon” is one of the less offensive entries.

If you want to get an idea of what the radical left is like, take a look at some of the quotes from the Democratic Undergound on the Confederate Yankee site. These are the same people who hope that the United States fails in Iraq.

Luxury for the Homeless

The Christian Science Monitor reports today that the Midnight Mission in downtown Los Angeles has completed and opened its new $17 million state-of-the-art facility for the homeless, which has a full-sized gymnasium, library, playroom, hair salon, education center and professional kitchen.

Is this the best way to get the homeless off the streets? Bob Erlenbusch, vice president of the board for the National Coalition for the Homeless says that what these people need is affordable housing, not a way to institutionalize their homeless status.

I wonder what the result of spending $4 Million on a kitchen facility, and $13 Million on providing low-cost housing would have done for getting the homeless off the streets? Just a question.

Keep your hands above your hips!

Do yourself a favor, read Mark Steyn’s article in the Chicago Sun Times: “Bolton’s just too hip for scaredy-cat Dem’s”

I can understand why Barbara Boxer thinks Bolton needs “anger-management lessons.”

Huh?

Not. One. Dime.

Send a copy of Captain’s Quarters essay, “Not One Dime.” to our Republican leadership.

Ed Morrissey says that this is an off-year. We can safely let our leaders know that they have to get some spine or they don’t get our money.

Excerpts:

News flash: if we can’t reverse the generations-long trend of increasing judicial activism, the act of passing legislation will eventually be rendered meaningless. The judges, as we have seen, will simply continue to legislate from the bench, ignoring Congress and the Executive and transforming us from a representative democracy to a secular mullahcracy, where lifetime appointments in black robes make all the decisions for us.

That’s what the Republicans warned about when they campaigned in 2002 and 2004. Now it’s time to step up and do something about it — but despite their greater numbers and a clear signal from the electorate that rejects obstructionists (see Tom Daschle’s enforced retirement), the GOP suddenly quails at the thought of taking action.

I have been a loyal member of the GOP since I cast my first vote. I have worked campaigns and championed candidates well before I ever posted anything on my blog at CQ. However, with the defection of John McCain and the lack of any real response from party leadership on the issue, I have to take a stand and demand either action or accountability — and this is the time to do it.

Not. One. Dime. The next time Ken Mehlman sends you a request for money, that’s the message he needs to get back. We ponied up in 2004, and in 2002, and in 2000. The GOP not only has not delivered, its current leadership won’t even try. Frist and Rick Santorum claim they don’t have the votes. Balderdash — they don’t have the leadership to get the votes. I’m not going to fund or support people who won’t try to win, especially when the issue is so important.

Not. One. Dime. We’re not in an election year, so this makes it easy for the Republicans to get this message to party leaders. No balls, no Blue Chips, boys. I don’t mean just for the Senate, either. I mean for the entire Republican party. Feeding a fever may be good medicine, but feeding a failure only makes it last longer. Perhaps hunger will work where courage has so obviously failed.

Not. One. Dime. And when a vote does come, those Republicans who wind up supporting the minority’s extortion over the majority in defiance of the Constitution will never see another dime from me — but their opponents will, at every level of contest. Honestly, with Republicans like these in the Senate, we may as well have Democrats.

Not. One. Dime. If Bill Frist can’t lead the GOP, then let’s get rid of him now and find someone with the stomach for it. As long as he dithers, he’ll never see a dime out of me for any election. Kay Bailey Hutchinson would have more guts and could pull the troops in line better; maybe we should give her a try as Majority Leader for a while.

It’s time to send a real message to the Republicans about their priorities and their lack of leadership. This fight has been brewing for months, and it should have already been resolved by now. If they can’t hack it, then we will find — and fund — the leaders who can.

This is an effective way to get the attention of our leadership.

But Hugh Hewitt says:

But not as effective as letting the senators on the fence know that they are crossing a line with this vote if they vote against the party –a line that means huge financial losses to the party and outright opposition to their re-election or leadership

We need leadership! Now!

Still have doubts about privatization of Social Security?

If, after reviewing the web site of the New Social Security Institute you can still have any doubts about what a boon personal accounts would be for the American worker, you have been drinking the Kool-Aid of the liberals.

Take a minute and look at the differences between the present system and what personal accounts will mean for the average American in just a few years.

Who could oppose an entirely voluntary system where everyone benefits?

Democrats, I guess.

Modern Liberalism is like a virus

Evan Sayet has it right. He likens Modern Liberalism to a disease, such as AIDS. Read his post about how it infects the body like a virus and slowly destroys it.

Great diagnosis, Dr. Sayet.