Shelby Steele on why the GOP can't win minorities

At the Wall Street Journal.

Steele expertly articulates what I have long believed: minorities are anti-GOP because we're not promising them anything special. That's not a bad thing. Yes, we want minorities in the tent with us, but we want them because they agree with our principles, not because we've promised them some funding here or special access there.

Government action based upon one's racial status is inherently racist. If we want to live in a world where race is no longer an issue then we have to stop making it one. No, we don't bury our heads in the sand and pretend that racism and discrimination doesn't happen; obviously it still does, albeit on a much lesser scale than in times past. As the old cliche goes, two wrongs don't make a right. We can't make up for actions and attitudes against one set of minorities from the past by instituting those same actions and attitudes but in the wronged minorities' favor.

As Steele says, standing on principle is the ultimate way to show minorities not racial dignity but "human dignity". And we have to get a lot better at articulating those ideas or we will forever lose minority communities to those who perpetually promise to "right" the wrongs of the past with fascist government intervention.

Very Frightening Stuff

This was posted at Manly's Republic. Basically a bill has been introduced into the House that, if it passes, will require citizens to spend 3 years in some type of "community service" and will create the "civil defense force" that Obama talked about in his campaign last year.

No, no, no. No one's gonna do that. That's just crazy talk!

Well, read it and weep people: HR 1388: The GIVE Act

Also courtesy of my frequenting of Manly's site, Thomas Sowell gives quite the response to the idea of mandatory community service.

Hang on a sec....

Between closing in on 30 and my bouts with Momnesia I'll admit that my memory may be going; but I'm pretty sure I remember McCain being slammed by Obama and the Democrats for suggesting the same exact thing last summer:

Let's tax our HMO's!

Two excellent articles

The first is the Keynote Address to the 2009 ICCC, as delivered by Lord Christoper Monckton, who was an advisor to Margaret Thatcher and is currently the Chief Policy Advisor to the Science and Public Policy Institute.

Read it and weep.

The second article is a wonderful bit of satire/snark by Kyle Smith, found in the NY Post.

With Republican Friends Like These...

Read and enjoy!

Nice

Michael Ramirez is a gem! (h/t to: Manly Rash)

Gardening fun!

The Hillbilly Housewife is talking about gardening on her blog this week. I'm really interested in starting a vegetable garden and I even have a nice spot picked out on the north side of my house. Growing my own food would definitely start cutting down on some produce costs at the grocery store. I'm wary to start though because we're getting ready to start trying for baby #2 and the books and doctors now warn against gardening for fear of getting toxoplasmosis.

I have done some preliminary research on the subject and found some helpful sites:

The Garden Helper

The Helpful Gardener

Home-Vegetable Garden

Anyway, I'm thinking that when I do start my garden I will do a raised bed. That way there's no digging and treating the ground for ph and such. Info on raised bed gardening here.

In these times, it may be a good idea for anyone who is able to start planting their own food. As I said above, it's a money saver and having your own fresh fruits and veggies right outside your door should encourage you to start eating healthier.

Healthier Eating + Money Saved = WIN!!!

This is pure awesome

The most powerful oven ever

I laughed.