Bob Barr is a Full Fledged Idiot

Why I don't take Libertarians very seriously:

The decision today by the Supreme Court of California [regarding the state's law defining marriage as between one man and one woman] properly reflects this fundamental principle of federalism on which our nation was founded...The decision in California is an illustration of how this principle of states' powers should work.

Talk about being clueless and missing the point. Message to Mr. Ron Paul-lite (who, btw, is a trained lawyer): The California Supreme Court's ruling is not an illustration of federalism, but of anti-democratic judicial activism.

Just Awful

I'd like to say I'm surprised about the California high court's ridiculous ruling today regarding the "ban" on g@y marriage in this state, but I'm really not.

The effort to qualify the California Marriage Protection Act for the ballot this November is now even more critical.

C.D.O.

Catholic Dissidents for Obamessiah (who apparently also have reading comprehension issues).

More Mixed McCain

Nice speech on judges; WTF is he thinking here?!

Addendum: The full text of McCain's speech on judges can be read here.

Dallas, Texas?

When you get there, you can go back to the "beginning" without putting in anyone's name or e-mail address.

Tough Guys Wear Powder Blue Ascot Scarves

Welcome to my weekend childhood nostalgia trip.

Reason #898238923 Not to Be Enthused About John McCain

Unless, of course, you're a politically correct liberal. What I find particularly egregious in this instance is that McCain has condemned this perfectly acceptable political ad produced by the North Carolina GOP, even though he hasn't actually seen it.

(h/t)

Hillary and Catholics

This blatant act of pandering by Mrs. Clinton is pathetic, though not surprising. (h/t)

An Eyebrow Raiser

This coming Sunday, 60 Minutes will be airing an interview with Justice Antonin Scalia. (h/t) Among a variety of different matters he addresses, here's what Justice Scalia said about abortion:

“On the abortion thing, for example, if indeed I were…trying to impose my own views, I would not only be opposed to Roe versus Wade, I would be in favor of the opposite view, which the anti-abortion people would like to see adopted, which is to interpret the Constitution to mean that a state must prohibit abortion.” “And you’re against that?” asks Stahl. “Of course. There’s nothing [in the Constitution to support that view].”

I'm frankly a little disturbed by this. It seems Justice Scalia either thinks there is no constitutionally protected right to life, or the issue of whether the unborn are persons is totally subjective.

The B-XVI CEO Model

As formulated by Hugh Hewitt, who despite being a fall-away Catholic, is generally irenic toward the Church.

The One Time I'll Admit to Listening to Kelly Clarkson

Papa Ratzi - Plugged In

The Vatican website has all the speeches and homilies Pope B-XVI delivered this past week during his Apostolic visit to the U.S. Wouldn't surprise me a bit if the Pope wrote every last one of these by himself.

Foul!

Michelle Malkin's alter ego blog and Rep. Tom Tancredo mindlessly ascribe unfounded motivations on the Pope for his recent, and subtle, pro "open borders" comments.

Update (4/19/08): Very subtle. Possibly even imagined. (h/t to Michelle Malkin herself, though her "Look, I was raised Catholic" defense to charges of anti-Catholicism, which probably aren't fair, is pretty weak.)

Update Two (4/21/08): More on what the Pope really said and the knee jerk reaction of Congressman Cantankerous.

Continuing a Tradition Like No Other

He throws granny under the bus, calls small town America a bunch of bitter, gun toting, Jesus freaks, and now equates U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, a pro-life Republican, to a domestic terrorist.

Obamessiah: The best the Dems can do.

Like Russell From "Fat Albert" Would Say...

N.C. - No Class. (h/t)

Catholic members of Congress who publicly support the right to abortion will trek to Nationals Park Thursday for a Mass celebrated by a pope who has said such lawmakers should not receive Communion.

Leading these lawmakers, some of whom have repeatedly complained about remarks by Pope Benedict XVI and a few bishops on the subject, will be House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the government's highest-ranking Catholic and a supporter of abortion rights. Nowhere in her remarks or her actions this week has she referred to strains with the new pontiff.

Instead, she bent to kiss his ring at the White House Wednesday as Benedict arrived in a blaze of pageantry, and later she spoke glowingly on the House floor about his commitment to truth, justice and freedom. A week before he arrived, the House passed a resolution welcoming him to Washington.

And yes, her spokesman said, she intends to receive Communion from one of the 300 priests and lay ministers who will offer it to the gathered flock of 45,000.

Beer Tax?!

The time has come, it seems, for a suds version of the Boston Tea Party. (h/t)

California Assemblyman Jim Beall, Jr., D-San Jose, said Thursday he has proposed legislation that would increase the excise tax on beer that could generate $2 billion in the state.

"The fallout from alcohol consumption costs Californians nearly $36 billion a year in increased health costs, crime, lost productivity, and injuries from accidents and abuse," Beall said. "It’s time for the beer industry to help us with the staggering burden it has helped to create."

Note that Beall hasn't proposed increasing the taxes on wine which, of course, is a significant industry for California, particularly in the northern part of the state.

An Elitist Liberal Caricature Unto Himself

Obamessiah explains why small town folk in America are angry, crazy gun toters, Jesus freaks, racists, "homophobes," xenophobes or economic isolationists.

You go, Barry!

How Do You Say "Asshat" in Canadian?

Dick Warman.

For some reason, there doesn't seem to be any sort of ACLJ-type organization in Canada. It certainly can use one with idiots like Dick running around.

Hey There America!

The teleprompter must have been on the fritz.

Mr. Terrorist Enabler

Also known as possibly the worst President in the history of the United States.

Former President Jimmy Carter is reportedly preparing an unprecedented meeting with the leader of Hamas, an organization that the U.S. government considers one of the leading terrorist threats in the world.

The Arabic-language newspaper Al-Hayat reported Tuesday that Carter was planning a trip to Syria for mid-April, during which he would meet with Khaled Meshal, the exiled head of the Palestinian terror group Hamas, on April 18.

(...)

Some Carter critics called the latest reports typical of the ex-president.

“It’s about par for the course from President Carter, demonstrating a lack of judgment typical of what he does," said John Bolton, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. "To go to Syria to visit Hamas at this point is just an ill-timed, ill-advised decision on his part."

“I’m not surprised that Carter would do this, as he has been supporting Palestinian extremism for many years,” said Steve Emerson, director of the Investigative Project on Terrorism, a watchdog group.