Democrats Arrive in Promised Land, Start Attacking Each Other

Ah yes, they've reached the promised land. The only problem is it's beginning to look like a cross between Gary, Indiana and Camden, New Jersey. You've got the Steny Hoyer Bloods faction
doing drive-bys with the John Murtha Crips posse. As the old adage goes, "when you're enemy is busy destroying himself, don't do anything to stop them." Or something along the lines. Anyway, get the porcorn ready. This should be fun.

We begin with today's Opinion Journal, where John Fund delves deep into John Murtha and Congress's "culture of corruption,", and what a fetid cesspool it is.

House Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi's endorsement of Rep. John Murtha for majority leader, the No. 2 position in the Democratic leaderhsip, has roiled her caucus. "She will ensure that they [Mr. Murtha and his allies] win. This is hardball politics," Rep. Jim Moran, a top Murtha ally, told the Hill, a congressional newspaper. "We are entering an era where when the speaker instructs you what to do, you do it."

But several members are privately aghast that Mr. Murtha, a pork-barreling opponent of most House ethics reforms, could become the second most visible symbol of the new Democratic rule. "We are supposed to change business as usual, not put the fox in charge of the henhouse," one Democratic member told me. "It's not just the Abscam scandal of the 1980s that he barely dodged, he's a disaster waiting to happen because of his current behavior," another told me.

As for Abscam, a recent book by George Crile, a producer for CBS's "60 Minutes," provides damning evidence that Mr. Murtha escaped severe punishment for his role in the scandal only because then-Speaker Tip O'Neill arranged for the House Ethics Committee to drop the charges, over the objections of the committee's outside prosecutor. The prosecutor quickly resigned in protest.

Outside observers are equally aghast that Mr. Murtha could win tomorrow's election. Thomas Mann, a Brookings Institution scholar who is co-author of "The Broken Branch: How Congress Is Failing America and How to Get It Back on Track," told the Los Angeles Times that "John Murtha is not the right poster child" for a Democratic House that says it wants to sweep away corruption.

Melanie Sloan, the liberal head of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, was cheered on by Democrats six weeks ago when she helped reveal the Mark Foley scandal. Now she says that "Ms. Pelosi"s endorsement of Rep. Murtha, one of the most unethical members of Congress, show that she may have prioritized ethics reform merely to win votes with no real commitment to changing the culture of corruption."

Read the rest. An exhaustive piece on the rampant corruption of the Democrats and the rank hypocrisy of the media for turning a blind eye.

Meanwhile, the battle between Murtha and Steny Hoyer is bubbling. More from The Hill

Another House Democrat supporting Hoyer was incensed that Pelosi was exerting her influence in the caucus, asserting that it will further divide House Democrats.


"It's an incredible display of hubris," the member said, using a phrase Pelosi herself sometimes employs. "It's incredibly egotistical. We all got us here. We all got us to the promised land and Steny's not going to the promised land?"

The member said regardless of who ultimately wins the Thursday election, the effect of Pelosi actively getting involved in the race would reverberate for some time.

"Either way, it's damaging," the member said. "She will have a tremendous road to hoe to repair the damage she's done."

They've reached the vaunted promised land and the internecine warfare is just beginning.

Have at it, boys and girls.

Update 3:45 11/15

More fun to come as Carville takes on the Nutroots:

Carville Says Dems Should Dump Dean over “Rumsfeldian” Incompetence

Abramoff Mentions Democrats; Put on Express Train to Prison

Well, now that the elections are over, it can be reported. The Evil Man in the Black Trenchcoat was pretty friendly to the Democrats as well as the GOP. Of course, as soon as he mentions Democrats, he's whisked off to the joint. Next thing you know, he'll have suffered a mysterious aneurysm.

Abramoff Reports to Prison Tomorrow; Offers Testimony on Democratic Senators

Convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff is scheduled to report to federal prison tomorrow, over the objections of federal prosecutors who say they still need his help to pursue leads on officials he allegedly bribed.

Sources close to the investigation say Abramoff has provided information on his dealings with and campaign contributions and gifts to "dozens of members of Congress and staff," including what Abramoff has reportedly described as "six to eight seriously corrupt Democratic senators."

The sources say Abramoff was about to provide information about Bush administration officials, including Karl Rove, "accepting things of value" from Abramoff.

OK, well, that was last night. Today the AP simply notes Jack Abramoff reports to Md. prison

CUMBERLAND, Md. - Disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, convicted of federal charges after using expensive gifts, campaign donations and exotic trips to win access to the powerful in Washington, went to prison Wednesday.

Abramoff arrived at about 6:30 a.m. EST at a relatively secluded prison facility in western Maryland and began to serve a nearly six-year prison sentence for a fraudulent deal to buy a fleet of casino ships in Florida.

Abramoff was delivered out of sight of waiting reporters and camera crews and his arrival was announced in a two-paragraph statement by a prison representative.

Nowhere in the AP report is the word Democrat mentioned, though they painstakingly go through the litany of Republicans affected by affiliations with Abramoff.

Meanwhile, over at Hot Air, Allahpundit is all over this from many angles.

The Capital Eye has a breakdown of Abramoff's contributions from 1999 to 2006. Seems to me the guy was spreading the largesse around.

Captain Ed also weighs in.

I'm not going to pretend Republicans taking money from the guy wasn't a problem. What annoys me to no end is the relentlessly unfair coverage given to this story in how it affects the GOP. It's used by the media and the Democrats to pound over the heads of Republicans, yet the same people exploiting the issue had their hands in the cookie jar.

The media is so lazy, they can't even look at simple reports easily available to them and honestly report the facts.

So now if Abramoff does offer up some Democrat scalps, he'll just be referred to as a "disgraced lobbyist" who shouldn't be believed.

Grim News For Those Paying Attention

Disturbing news all around where Iran is concerned. Although many people would prefer not to hear these things, the enemies we face didn't just go away now that Democrats have assumed some power.

In fact, they're getting a whole lot worse. But try and get through to the average Joe, and consider what we're facing.

Netanyahu: Ahmadinejad is preparing another Holocaust

LOS ANGELES - Drawing a direct analogy between Iran and Nazi Germany, Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu asserted Monday that the Iranian nuclear program posed a threat not only to Israel, but to the entire western world. There was "still time," however, to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons, he said.

"It's 1938 and Iran is Germany. And Iran is racing to arm itself with atomic bombs," Netanyahu told delegates to the annual United Jewish Communities General Assembly, repeating the line several times, like a chorus, during his address. "Believe him and stop him," the opposition leader said of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. "This is what we must do. Everything else pales before this."

While the Iranian president "denies the Holocaust," Netanyahu said, "he is preparing another Holocaust for the Jewish state"

"Ah, just some extremist rhetoric. C'mon, Dancing With the Stars is coming on. I have important things to worry about."

But what about the Plutonium Found in Iran Waste Facility?

VIENNA, Austria -- International Atomic Energy experts have found unexplained plutonium and highly enriched uranium traces in a nuclear waste facility in Iran and have asked Tehran for an explanation, an IAEA report said Tuesday.

"Please. Everyone likes us now, the Democrats are back. What do I have to worry about? Hold on, that's my cellhpone."

Still, doesn't news about Iran plotting to groom bin Laden's successor cause any concern?

Iran is trying to form an unholy alliance with al-Qa'eda by grooming a new generation of leaders to take over from Osama bin Laden, The Daily Telegraph can reveal.

Western intelligence officials say the Iranians are determined to take advantage of bin Laden's declining health to promote senior officials who are known to be friendly to Teheran.

"Hey, what time is Lost on?"

Oh, I think I'm feeling sick. Finally, they snap to it.

"Hey, great news. We're all going to get free healthcare!"

Clinton Outlines Legislative Priorities

In her remarks, Clinton outlined a range of challenges she said Democrats would tackle in the coming months, such as trimming the federal deficit, reducing dependence on foreign oil, and improving the image of the United States abroad.

She also said Democrats would focus on improving the quality and affordability of health care _ a touchy matter for the former first lady, who in 1993 led her husband's calamitous attempt to overhaul the nation's health care system. The failure of that effort helped Republicans win control of both the Senate and House the following year.

"Health care is coming back," Clinton warned, adding, "It may be a bad dream for some."

Nightmares all around.

Did Nancy Pelosi Hire Illegals?

It's generated nary a blip on the antique media radar, but Hot Air has video, as well as several links within the piece.

Linda Chavez was jettisoned for hiring an illegal and I recall one of Clinton's first names floated for Attorney General was kiboshed for an illegal nanny. Kimba Wood, IIRC, or perhaps his second choice, whose name escapes me.

Times are different though. Democrats can do anything, get away with anything. It doesn't matter. They have the protection of the media. Pelosi could have stocked her ranch with 10,000 illegals, and it wouldn't make a difference.

She's the anointed one. Coupled with her choice of John Murtha of ABSCAM fame for Majority Leader, and it appears two ethically-challenged individuals will lead the Democrats to further glory while the media turns a blind eye, more interested with where Pelosi gets her hair done and her feud with Jane Harman.

But, as things get tense between Pelosi and Harman over whether the speaker-to-be will appoint Harman to head that key committee, could they end up settling scores at ... the Four Seasons?

It turns out that both members are known to frequent the posh Georgetown luxury hotel. Pelosi likes to get her hair done at George's Salon in the five-star property ($220 for a haircut, highlights and blow dry ... not that we're implying Pelosi is a closet gray or anything). And Harman frequents both George's and the fitness center (one-time initiation fee of $6,000, monthly fee of $250 and a membership list capped at 250 people that has created a six- to eight-month waiting list).

Pelosi was just there last week in order to perfect her 'do in preparation for her victory lap on Tuesday. And, with Harman all but assured of getting denied her committee position of choice, she'll be itching for a good, stress-reducing workout at the Four Seasons any day now.

I doubt they'll be following her around when she's getting her Botox injections.

2008: Let the Games Begin

Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani has formed his Presidential Exploratory Committee. On Sunday, Arizona Sen. John McCain said he was taking the initial step in that direction.

Under federal election law, an exploratory committee allows an individual to travel and gauge the level of support for a candidacy without formally declaring themselves a candidate and adhering to all the federal rules of fundraising. An individual who spends money only to test the waters -- but not to campaign for office -- does not have to register as a candidate under the election law.

The GOP field is expected to grow with other presidential hopefuls, among them Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Sen. Bill Frist of Tennessee, Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and New York Gov. George Pataki.

Democratic Gov. Tom Vilsack of Iowa has filed to establish a full-blown campaign committee and will make a more formal announcement of his candidacy later this month.

Giuliani has said for months that he would wait until after the 2006 elections to decide whether to embark on a White House bid. The former mayor is a moderate who supports gun control, same-sex civil unions, embryonic stem-cell research and abortion rights -- stands that would put him at odds with the majority of the GOP conservative base.

In 2006, the Giuliani brand remained strong. He headlined fundraisers for Republican candidates nationwide, and his travel has done little to deny 2008 ambitions.

Naturally, the media immediately seeks to divide the GOP by citing Giuliani's stance on certain issues, as noted above. Indeed, those positions would be difficult to overcome when it's the base who votes in primaries. Still, you can throw out any notion of George Pataki and Bill Frist.

Pataki was inept in his final term as New York Governor -- the NY GOP is in shambles -- and Frist was rolled time and again by Democrats in his stint as Senate Majority Leader.

Huckabee is an unknown quantity from my view in the Northeast, but I will say I like many of the qualities both Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich bring to the field.

Still, at this extremely early juncture, I do not see a dream candidate that would electrify the GOP.

Getting back to Giuliani, however, none of his moderate or even liberal stances on some issues overrides the chief concern of our times -- national security -- without which nothing else even matters.

The media and the Left can chirp all they want about gay marriage, gun control and abortion, their most sacrosanct of all issues, but in the big picture, those issues are insignificant.

I'd like to know any thoughts people have and who they would prefer at this point in time.

Liberal Talk Radio Continues to Fail

Over at The Radio Equalizer, Brian Maloney notes a couple more stations abandoning Air America due to paltry ratings.

Already, left-wing activists are crying foul and cooking up particularly kooky conspiracy theories to explain away the bad news.

Making the moves particularly hard to swallow for so-called "progressives" is the fact that both markets are considered to be very liberal, with Madison about as far to the left as a city can be.

If the format isn't viable in these places, then where can it work?

Some in the Wisconsin capital city are pointing to recent ratings gains scored by WXXM-FM, but one can imagine the station's owners expected it to fare far better than eleventh place in such a hotbed of liberalism.

This comes as a surprise to absolutely nobody.

Liberal talk radio fails for a myriad of reasons. The media is already saturated by the left, their talent base is pretty weak, and they simply are not entertaining.

The Left will never quite grasp why conservative talk radio succeeds: it's entertaining, informative and funny.

Air America will continue to pour money into the sinking franchise, but it never will challenge the dominant names in the medium. The Democrats may manage to win some elections now and then, but they will never win the battle of the radio airwaves.

This Week in the NFL

As a public service, I will now provide the NFL picks for Week 10. Sure, everyone will only be playing their ninth game, but you can figure it out. These picks are for recreational purposes only, and should not be used as the basis for any actual cash wagers. Home team in CAPS.

PATRIOTS -10.5 over Jets: The Manginis stumbled badly in their last game in Cleveland, and coming off a bye visit the angry Patriots, smarting over their loss to the Colts. New England hasn't lost two straight in over 50 games, and figure they take it out on the Jets. Actual final score: Patriots 38, Jets 17

Chiefs -1 over MIAMI: The Fish were a trendy Super Bowl pick before the season, but then a really bad thing happened. They started playing games. Daunte Culpepper showed all the mobility of a tree stump and backup Joey Harrington, despite his valuable Irish bloodlines, isn't the answer. Two words of advice here: Larry Johnson, Larry Johnson, Larry Johnson. OK, that six words, but you get the point. Actual final score: Chiefs 27, Dolphins 19

Texans +10.5 over JAGUARS: I was impressed by the scrappy young Texans when they visited the Giants last week. A decent young defense should keep it close against a Jacksonville team they doiminated a few weeks ago. Actual final score: Jaguars 20, Texans 16

BENGALS +1 over Chargers: Bengals are watching season slip away, and are desperate for a win. If they lose this, they'll fall apart. Chargers will begin missing Shawne Merriman. Actual final score: Bengals 27, Chargers 24

FALCONS -8 over Browns: Enigmatic Falcons were waxed by lousy Detroit last week, but need the win here to stay in the NFC South race. The Browns just can't score and won't be able to keep up. Actual final score: Falcons 33, Browns 10

Ravens -7 over TITANS: Steve McNair has revenge on his mind, and testy Ravens defense leads the league in pickoffs, which makes for a long day for Vince Young. Surely he's down after watching UT get beat last night, and seeing Ray Lewis & Co. won't make him any happier. Actual final score: Ravens 30, Titans 13

COLTS -12 over Bills: Bills lost Willis McGahee to a rib injury, and no way J. P. Losman can't keep up with Peyton Manning. Blowout. Actual final score: Colts 45, Bills 7

Redskins +7 over EAGLES: Lord, how I despise both these teams. But I won't let hatred cloud my judgment. Eagles are staggering after three straight losses, but play well after the bye week. Skins coming off miracle win keep it close, but Eagles, in a unique twist, get the late FG to win. Actual final score: Eagles 20, Redskins 17

Packers +5.5 over VIKINGS: Vikings put up three points against the dreadful 49ers last week, which should qualify them for demotion to NCAA Division III status. But in a late ruling, Jane Skinner's husband, the NFL Commissioner, said the Vikings can stay in the league. Brett Favre looks like he's having fun these days. Upset special. Actual final score: Packers 23, Vikings 20

LIONS -6 over 49ers: If you're one of the five people to watch this game, congratulations. You've qualified for a discount on your next visit to the psychoanalyst. Go rake leaves. Actual final score: Lions 38, 49ers 17

Broncos -9 over RAIDERS: Raiders have replaced thier vaunted vertical passing game with the trendy new horizontal passing game. Their QB is always on his back. Mike Shanahan loves sticking it to Al Davis, who really needs to retire and sell the team. Actual final score: Broncos 34, Raiders 3

Saints +4.5 over STEELERS: Ben Roethlisberger is suffering mightily from the junior jinx. That, and he misses The Bus and Antwaan Randle-El. The Saints, vastly improved, will stumble here, but still cover. Actual final score: Steelers 21, Saints 20

SEAHAWKS -3.5 over Rams: Seattle is also stumbling through a post-Super Bowl hangover, but are getting by without Matt Hasselbeck and Shaun Alexander. Another shootout with these two.Actual final score: Seahawks 30, Rams 26

CARDINALS +7 over Cowboys: I hate T.O. But then again, who doesn't? Cardinals stink, but every now and then, they manage to win a game. Parcells fantasizing about retirement. Actual final score: Cardinals 27, Cowboys 24

GIANTS Pick over Bears: Will be rainy and miserable in the Meadowlands, but Eli knows how to play there. Rex Grossman looking over his shoulder at Brian Griese. Actual final score: Giants 21, Bears 17

Bucs +9.5 over PANTHERS: Both teams were in the playoffs last year, but are stuggling. This game will reflect that. Go to bed early on Monday night. Actual final score: Panthers 13, Bucs 10

UPDATE: 7:15 pm 11/12

Good Lord, now I remember why I don't gamble. Many upsets today. I could always go and delete this post, but I'll be a man about it. A beaten man. But there's something perverse about public humiliation, so I'll leave it.

Democrats and Terrorists, Perfect Together

If you had any doubt the terrorists are emboldened by the Democrats winning the House and Senate, look no further than here.

In Friday's message, Muhajer said he had mobilized 12,000 fighters for the Islamic state and was grooming 10,000 more.

"I tell the commander of the faithful, the honorable Sheikh Abu Omar al-Baghdadi: I have put 12,000 Al-Qaeda fighters at the disposal of the Islamic state of Iraq," Muhajer said, pledging allegiance to the state's emir.

The Al-Qaeda chief appealed to major Iraqi Sunni insurgent groups, notably the Army of Ansar al-Sunna, the Islamic Army of Iraq and the Mujahedeen's Army, to endorse the self-styled state and pledge allegiance to its emir.

Muhajer slammed US President George W. Bush, gloated over his Republican party's defeat in mid-term elections widely attributed to US involvement in Iraq, and said US forces occupying the country were preparing to cut and run.

"The enemy is now teetering under the blows of the mujahedeen... and preparing to pack up and flee," he said.

"I thank the most stupid and worst president America -- the country of slaves and drugs -- has ever had for giving us this great historic opportunity," said the voice.

"The American people have taken the first step on the right path in order to get out of their impasse and have started to realize the treachery of their president and his subordination to Israel, voting for a measure of reason in the latest elections," Muhajer said.

"I tell (Bush): don't hurry to flee like your defense minister (Donald Rumsfeld, who resigned Wednesday). We have still not quenched our thirst for your blood."

Muhajer also charged that Bush's policies had enabled Shiite Iran to spread its influence in Afghanistan, Iraq and other countries.

Meanwhile, Democrats are working furiously to prevent us from using all means of catching the enemy.

Warrantless wiretaps unlikely to be OK'd

Legislation aimed at President Bush's once-secret program for wiretapping U.S.-foreign phone calls and computer traffic of suspected terrorists without warrants shows all the signs of not moving ahead, notwithstanding President Bush's request this week that a lame-duck Congress give it to him.

Senate Democrats, emboldened by Election Day wins that put them in control of Congress as of January, say they would rather wait until next year to look at the issue. "I can't say that we won't do it, but there's no guarantee that we're going spend a lot of time on controversial measures," Democratic Whip Richard Durbin of Illinois said Thursday.

In Senate parlance, that means no.

Yes, it was once a secret. But the New York Times decided to risk national secutiry by leaking it.

Just remember the next time the terrorists stike in the country, who did everything they could to enable them: The liberal media and the Democrats.

Salute a Veteran Today

Patriotism seems so passe nowadays in certain circles, but for those of us with family or friends who have served, take the time today to thank them, be it in person, by phone or email. Tell them thanks for their service to this country and remind them how much they are appreciated. Today I salute my late father and brother, and remember them fondly.

The New York Post has a nice editorial this morning: Salute a Vet...

November 11, 2006 -- Today is Veterans Day - when America stops to tip its collective hat to those who've answered the call to serve their country.

Here in New York, the day takes on a special feeling, with one of the most moving parades of the year. The march kicks off at 11 a.m., heading up Fifth Avenue, from 23rd Street through to 59th.

Many of the brave men and women of America's wars take part - whether aging soldiers from conflicts long ago, or the younger veterans of Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom.

They march united under the shared experience of having put their lives on the line for their country - and for the liberty it spreads across the globe.

Making this particular Veterans Day even more noteworthy, Marines from the 2nd Battalion, 25th Reserve Regiment, based in Garden City, just arrived back from duty. They had fought in the Iraqi hellhole of Fallujah for seven months.

Welcome home, guys.

Yesterday, President Bush bestowed what is only the second Medal of Honor in the Iraq war to a Marine corporal from the upstate town of Scio: Jason Dunham.

Cpl. Dunham gave his life by smothering a grenade in 2004, saving the lives of two fellow Marines.

These are the courageous sons and daughters of America who ignore vacillating whims of popular opinion over foreign missions or the quivering voices of spineless politicians.

They go where they are told.

They go where they are needed.

They do what is required.

And, when permitted to do their jobs, they do them better than anyone.

America surely owes an incalculable debt of gratitude to its veterans. It is because of them - and their willingness to go in harm's way for their country - that Americans enjoy enormous freedoms and safety.

Indeed, it is because of them - to a wholly under-appreciated extent - that the entire world enjoys its measure of liberty and security.

So go out and salute America's vets today. If you get the chance, stop and shake the hand of one who's served - and say the only words that are needed.

"Thank you."

How about Rutgers?

Give the boys some credit!

Ugly Reality Update

Thomas Sowell: Where is the West?

The great Thomas Sowell is never afraid to ask the difficult questions or speak the harsh truth. Too many in this country and in the rapidly dwindling pockets of the civilized world are just too afraid to face the ugly realities of the monster that is radical Islam. Here is an excerpt, but read the entire piece. Disturbing, but painfully true.

Having overwhelming military force on your side, and letting your enemies know that you have the guts to use it, is being genuinely anti-war. Chamberlain's appeasement brought on World War II and Reagan's military buildup ended the Cold War.

The famous Roman peace of ancient times did not come from negotiations, cease-fires, or pretty talk. It came from the Roman Empire's crushing defeat and annihilation of Carthage, which served as a warning to anyone else who might have had any bright ideas about messing with Rome.

Only after the Roman Empire began to lose its own internal cohesion, patriotism and fighting spirit over the centuries did it begin to succumb to its external enemies and finally collapse.

That seems to be where western civilization is heading today.

Internal cohesion? Not only does much of today's generation in western societies have a "do your own thing" attitude, defying rules and flouting authority are glorified and Balkanization through "multiculturalism" has become dogma.

Patriotism? Not only is patriotism disdained, the very basis for pride in one's country and culture is systematically undermined in our educational institutions at all levels.

The achievements of western civilization are buried in histories that portray every human sin found here as if they were peculiarities of the west.

The classic example is slavery, which existed all over the world for thousands of years and yet is incessantly depicted as if it was a peculiarity of Europeans enslaving Africans. Barbary pirates alone brought twice as many enslaved Europeans to North Africa as there were Africans brought in bondage to the United States and the American colonies from which it was formed.

How many schools and colleges are going to teach that, going against political correctness and undermining white guilt?

How many people have any inkling that it was precisely western civilization which eventually turned against slavery and began stamping it out when non-western societies still saw nothing wrong with it?

How can a generation be expected to fight for the survival of a culture or a civilization that has been trashed in its own institutions, taught to tolerate even the intolerance of other cultures brought into its own midst, and conditioned to regard any instinct to fight for its own survival as being a "cowboy"?

Western nations that show any signs of standing up for self-preservation are rare exceptions. The United States and Israel are the only western nations which have no choice but to rely on self-defense — and both are demonized, not only by our enemies but also by many in other western nations.

Australia recently told its Muslim population that, if they want to live under Islamic law, then they should leave Australia. That makes three western nations that have not yet completely succumbed to the corrosive and suicidal trends of our times.

If and when we all succumb, will the epitaph of western civilization say that we had the power to annihilate our enemies but were so paralyzed by confusion that we ended up being annihilated ourselves?

Now They Tell Us

I had to chuckle Wednesday when media reports triumphed the glorious new age of gridlock as the reason the stock market went up.

Now, however, the cold reality is setting in.

Stocks Fall On Election Worries

NEW YORK - Wall Street's three-day winning streak came to an end Thursday as investors, taking a second look at election results, questioned whether a Democratic Congress would be friendly to business.

Um, here's your answer: No, they won't be friendly. In fact, they'll be downright hostile.

The losing session, which was also influenced by rising oil prices and a drop in consumer confidence, was to be expected after the rally that lifted the Dow Jones industrials to a new closing high Wednesday. Investors had driven stocks broadly higher this week on optimism that Democrats taking control of Congress would cause political gridlock that would be favorable to businesses.

But after more time to mull over the election, investors are starting to become concerned about an "anti-business stance" among Democrats in Washington, said John O'Donoghue, co-head of equities at Cowen & Co.

"The market's been looking for a reason to go to the downside, and a change in Washington is as good an excuse as any," O'Donoghue said.

For years now, the President's economic and tax policies were downplayed and downright misreported as the reason why the economic numbers had been so good since 2001.

Still, this dose of reality will soon give way to yet another: Bush will be blamed one way or the other. Mark my words.

Coming Soon: Concentration Camps

It's hard to fathom the lunacy coming from the mind of a Ted Rall, but I never thought even a nut like him could concoct a scenario so deranged.

OUR LONG NATIONAL NIGHTMARE HAS JUST BEGUN

You'd think this drooling moron would sit back and savor the election results from Tuesday, but no, the psychopath has worked his fevered mind into thinking the enemies of George Bush will now be rounded up and hereded into concentration camps.

Of course, a nice comfy mental facility would probably suffice in his case.

A Frightening New Security State

We'll be cleaning up Bush's mess long after his scheduled abdication on January 20, 2009. But the trillions of dollars in national debt he has run up and his two losing wars will drain our economy for decades to come. We've provoked a new generation of terrorists. Yet even more damaging and nearly impossible to unravel will be the threats to Americans posed by the neofascist national security apparatus the Bushists will leave behind--unless they use it to remain in power.

Shortly after 9/11 Bush began the first of a long series of power grabs that have transformed him from the leader of a country beholden to its people to an authoritarian despot. He signed a secret executive order granting himself the right to declare anyone in the world, including a U.S. citizen, an "enemy combatant"--without proof--and order him assassinated. Violating federal law and privacy rights, Bush authorized the NSA to listen to our phone calls and read our e-mail. FBI, CIA and HomeSec goons "disappeared" thousands of people into a horrible new matrix of concentration camps and secret prisons.

On October 17, 2006 Bush signed the Military Commissions Act. The new law, scarcely mentioned in the media, is breathtaking for the breadth of its attack on basic rights. Under the MCA either the president or the secretary of defense may declare you an "enemy combatant"--as usual, without proof. Under that designation you may be jailed, without the right to an attorney, for the rest of your life. You can even be tortured. Your U.S. citizenship can't protect you. And it's all "legal."


Concentration Camps

In January 2006 HomeSec awarded a $385 million contract to Kellogg, Brown and Root, the subsidiary of Halliburton Co., to build "temporary detention and processing capabilities"--internment camps--"in the event of an emergency influx of immigrants into the U.S., or to support the rapid development of new programs."

The question, asks Progressive magazine editor Ruth Conniff, "is what is the government planning to do with mass roundups of people?" After all, Bush and other Republican leaders have spent five years calling Democrats and others who disagree with them traitors and terrorists. Following so much hateful rhetoric, you can't blame liberals for wondering whether they too are about to be declared "enemy combatants." They're not paranoid; they're just paying attention.

If you can stop laughing, read the rest.

Deranged is putting it mildly.

How did the GOP lose to these idiots?

And Now, The Aftermath

OK, so we've had the better part of a day to digest the results from last night. Opinions vary wildly, and I'm of the mind the Democrats were smart to target vulnerable GOP seats held by moderates/RINO's, running perceived moderate candidates who in some cases ran to the right of the Republican.

The Democrats generally have no use whatsoever for pro-lifers, except when they can use them to further advance their agenda.

They're Democrats, they use people. Nothing new there. However, those pro-life candidates who won better not expect to have their voices heard once they get to Washington. They owe their victory to the party, and they better tow the party line or they'll be back home in two years.

Over at NRO, The Editorial suggests a number of things that went wrong could have been prevented.

Republicans lost roughly 29 seats in the House. If party leaders had forced Don Sherwood, Bob Ney, and Mark Foley out in 2005 or early 2006, they would have cut that total by three and been able to spend more resources turning narrow defeats into narrow victories. Tom DeLay and Curt Weldon should have left earlier, too. In the Senate, Conrad Burns should have been forced out. Had Ohio governor Bob Taft been pressured to resign early, a number of races there might have turned out differently.

It is congressional Republicans, more than the president, who are responsible for the loss of the party’s reformist credentials. Republicans were perceived not just as the party in government, but as the party of government. That perception, deadly for the relatively conservative party in our politics, was accurate. When it came to earmarks, or Social Security reform, or the Foley scandal, or lobbying reform, the Republican Congress seemed more interested in preserving its own power — or sticking with dysfunctional Hill traditions — than in the public good. The Senate inexplicably dropped the issue of judges. There will, and should, be changes in the Republican leadership now, starting with Denny Hastert’s departure.

And of course, they blame the war and the myriad mistakes made there. I can't disagree with much they say, and recommend reading the rest.

Meanwhile, for all the drivel about congeniality and a moderate tone coming from Pelosi and her cabal, don't buy any of it. We know what they want, and it's going to get ugly, and fast.

Halliburton, the CIA and big tobacco companies are among the early targets identified by top Democratic staff to ABC News as likely targets for investigation once the Democrats take control of the House at the beginning of next year.

The staffers say Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), now expected to become speaker, has told top Democratic donors there is a "100-hour agenda" she wants to push through -- taking on the minimum wage, drug and energy prices and corruption.

Defense contractors, including Halliburton, the intelligence rationale for the war in Iraq and CIA secret prisons are what one staffer called "uninvestigated scandals."

This isn't necessarily what people voted for, but that's what they'll get.

It's a dilemma for them. They're beholden to the nutroots who fantasize about frogmarches, Bush and Cheney in jail, and all sorts of oddball stuff. So they have to throw them a bone. Besides, their hatred for all things Republican clouds their better judgment, so they'll move straight ahead with investigations, aided by their willing accomplices in the drive-by media.

Though the quandary it presents, not grasped by them, is such behavior will blow back on them fiercely, and their heady glory of the 100 hours had better be savored, because it will be over quickly.

Two years is a short time, and Pelosi and her minions will have to fight for facetime with Her Thighness, who will be fawned over by the slavish media. Before Nancy realizes it, her ratings, currently at 24%, may be in single digits, as the GOP plots their return, chastened by their defeat.

Stay Positive

Despite the election results last night, now is not the time to go wobbly. Keep a smile on your face, like one of my alltime heros always did. Perhaps he's rolling over in his grave, but he never wallowed in self-pity.

Stay positive folks. It is time to go on offense.

So the Democrats won? Fine. Scrutinize every move they make, but do so positively and constructively. Do not act like the babies on the left, who are sure to be sore winners.

This is not permanent. We have elections every two years. Let's look at the Senate races and the presidential race for 2008 and focus on winning.

I know, it will be difficult to avoid slapping gloating moonbats. But turn the tables on them.

Be gracious, smile, congratulate them and remind them they now have to act like adults and govern, and they will be subject to criticism and accountability.

Acting like them is not the solution.

They only know how to take the low road and after a couple years of their ugliness, people will reject them.

There will be plenty of time to assess the damage as to where things went wrong. But give the Democrats credit for being smart about recruiting moderate candidates in red states. They tired of being in the House minority since 1994 and did something about it.

The GOP needs to regroup and target districts that were close this year, recruiting strong conservative candidates. Mushy-headed moderates and RINO's are not the answer.

You try to run in the middle of the road and you get run over.

Ignore the media pronouncements about the end of conservatism, work hard, keep you chins up and proceed ahead toward 2008.

I will live my life, practice capitalism every day and focus on the positive. I hope you all will do the same.

He Overslept and Missed Rocking the Vote

Now this would have been a great October surprise if Rove could have pulled it off on a grand scale, especially with the slacker vote, which, according to exit polls hates Bush, has no idea who Nancy Pelosi is, and just wants to get stoned and pig out.

A rare syndrome that typically strikes during adolescence can keep sufferers asleep for days, sometime as many as 14 days, according to a Local 6 News report.

The report featured central Floridian Spencer Spearin, 20, who is sometimes afraid to shut his eyes. The Ormond Beach man was diagnosed with Kleine Levin Syndrome -- a rare but debilitating disorder.

Every four months or so, Spearin climbs into bed and sleeps for days or longer, the report said.

"I might not be with you for a couple weeks," Spearin said. "I missed my birthday. I missed my graduation. I can't remember what I ate yesterday. I can't remember what I did yesterday."

On the upside, he doesn't look a year older.

Many times, the disorder appears after a flu-like illness.

Dr. Emanuel Mignot said patients suffer from periodic episodes of extreme sleepiness and abnormal, child-like behavior.

Translation: They wake up with a sudden urge to write a Kos diary.

Just think of the ramifications if a wave of sleepyhead swept the left. Hordes of groggy moonbats would've awakened on Thanksgiving babbling about nightmares of Diebold machines chasing after them, causing more arguments than usual on Thanksgiving.

On the other hand, if some of these exit polls tonight are to be believed, I might want to take an extended nap.

I doubt I'll be awake more than a couple more hours and I'll sleep like a baby.

Every couple of hours, I'll wake up crying.

It Came From Diebold

Just a quick afternoon Election Day post.

The folks at Hot Air present It Came From Diebold.

Meanwhile, the ubiquitous Michelle Malkin has a post on Diebold hysteria, including an update noting Harold Ford is blaming Diebold machines for his inevitable loss.

Memo to Harold: Don't call me and I don't want to talk about that Iraq thing.

My town has been using the touchscreen machines for several years and it's a piece of cake. I was in there around 6:30 this morning, 15th person to vote, and was out within 90 seconds.

It says little about the Democrats when they're out pre-emptively whining and caterwauling about people stealing elections before the voting is even complete.

Like I said last night, chaos will ensue when they don't get their way. Their true colors they've been desperately trying to conceal will be out in full force come Wednesday.

Nasty, vicious, contemptible. Then if they don't get their way in court, they'll just go back to calling you stupid if you didn't vote for them.

Election Prediction: Not a Stretch

As we close in on election day, I'm going to predict a net loss of one Senate seat for the GOP: Mike DeWine in Ohio and Conrad Burns in Montana losing and Michael Steele picking up a Democrat open seat. Robert Novak's latest projection is two seats, but I'm getting a strong hunch about Rick Santorum's massive GOTV efforts and his rapidly closing numbers, the latest at 4% down. Bob Casey is such a lightweight and I expect a strong rural turnout.

Perhaps I'm spitting in the wind, but it's just my gut feeling.

Michael Steele has run a tremendous campaign and will be a star in the GOP, even if the media condescendingly ignores or belittles him.

In the House, I'm sticking with a -12 loss for the GOP. I've been stuck on that number for awhile, and just don't see the doom others are forecasting. On FNC tonight, the panel (Barnes, Kondracke and Kristol), all had the GOP losing at least 20. I'm not seeing it.

So in the end, I figure the GOP retains both houses, and a massive freakout ensues come Wednesday from the usual suspects.

Hopefully, Nancy will be looking down come Wednesday.

UPDATE 11/7 8:38 pm ET

Oh well, Santorum went down quickly, so I was spitting in the wind. FNC is projecting Menendez to win in NJ as of 8:35 pm ET. Menendez is so corrupt (yes, a corrupt Democrat in NJ), he probably won't last the six years.

Watch the Lefty Poll Watchers

The leftwing agitators will be out in full force tomorrow, just begging to get slapped while sticking their noses in your business.

Michelle Malkin notes here about the efforts by some, ahem, nonpartisan groups with the innocent sounding names such as Election Protection Coalition and Voter Action.

The Wall Street Journal calls them a New Breed of Watchdog.

When Americans go to vote tomorrow, a new breed of activist will be on guard, monitoring polling stations for everything from voting-machine glitches to long lines to registration snafus.

Energized by disputed results in 2000 and 2004, they have left jobs as music conductors, real-estate agents and software engineers to form groups that expect to turn out thousands of volunteers who don't trust the country's ability to count its votes and have decided to do something about it.

"This is going to be the most heavily watched election in history," predicts Marybeth Kuznik, who founded a group called VotePA after the 2004 election to monitor voting issues in Pennsylvania. Ms. Kuznik, a former arts educator, calls herself a "progressive," but says VotePA includes members of both major parties, two minor parties and independents.

Let's hope they're too busy minding everyone else's business that they forget to vote.

Member of Religion of Peace Plotted To Kill Thousands

The Islamofascists never tire of seeking ways to inflict mass murder upon innocent people. The plot involved detonating dirty bombs on the Heathrow Express or on a Tube train under the Thames, among other methods.

Al Qaeda terrorists planned to use "dirty bombs" to blow up the Heathrow Express or a Tube train passing under the Thames, a court heard today.

Dhiren Barot, 34, also plotted to strike at the West End's leading hotels and mainline railway stations.

The catastrophic results would have produced "another black day for the enemies of Islam and victory for the Muslims", he wrote.

Barot expected the devastation and loss of life to match 9/11 and the Madrid bombs, the court heard.

The attacks would have been coordinated in a series of back-to-back explosions with further strikes on landmark buildings in Washington, New York and Newark, New Jersey.

Barot costed every aspect of the terrorist outrages, then travelled to Pakistan to present them to al Qaeda bosses "like a business plan", the court was told.

But Barot and other conspirators were stopped by a brilliant police operation and meticulous detective work pieced together exactly what the terrorists planned for London.

The would-be mass murderer was born a Hindu but converted to Islam.

Of course, many in the UK close their eyes to such activities, fail to speak out, or reflexively blame George Bush, Tony Blair, the War in Iraq, or some other such lame excuse.

They never will get it.

Until it's too late.

UPDATE 11/7: This piece of human garbage was sentenced to life.