I can’t help it, but I really, really like Fred Thompson. He’s got that old school charm and common sense that are sorely lacking in most of our political representatives, and when he left the Senate I was very sad to see him go. Most Americans were. But now it’s looking more and more like Thompson might toss his hat into the Presidential arena, so I’ve added a new link to my sidebar — ABC Radio Networks hosts Fred Thompson’s blog. Here’s Fred’s entry from April 30, 2007. Among other things, he rightly points out that the democracy in Russia is in more than a little trouble:
It bothers Americans when we’re told how unpopular we are with the rest of the world. For some of us, at least, it gets our back up — and our natural tendency is to tell the French, for example, that we’d rather not hear from them until the day when they need us to bail them out again.
But we cool off. We’re big boys and girls, after all, and we don’t really bruise that easily. We’re also hopeful that, eventually, our ostrich-headed allies will realize there’s a World War going on out there and they need to pick a side — the choice being between the forces of civilization and the forces of anarchy. Considering the fact that the latter team is growing stronger and bolder daily, while most of our European Union friends continue to dismantle their defenses, that day may not be too long in coming.
In the meantime, let’s be realistic about the world we live in. Mexican leaders apparently have an economic policy based on exporting their own citizens, while complaining about US immigration policies that are far less exclusionary than their own. The French jail perfectly nice people for politically incorrect comments, but scold us for holding terrorists at Guantanamo.
Russia, though, takes the cake. Here is a government apparently run by ex-KGB agents who have no problem blackmailing whole countries by turning the crank on their oil pipelines. They’re not doing anything shady, they say. They can�t help it if their opponents are so notoriously accident-prone. Criticize these guys and you might accidentally drink a cup of tea laced with a few million dollars worth of deadly, and extremely rare, radioactive poison. Oppose the Russian leadership, and you could trip and fall off a tall building or stumble into the path of a bullet.
The hundreds of demonstrators the Kremlin has had beaten and arrested in the last few weeks alone, we are told, were not pro-democracy activists but common criminals — like world chess champion Garry Kasparov. Demonstrating without a permit is a serious crime and, luckily for the Kremlin, it turns out that pro-government youth groups seem always to have permits for rallies at the exact times and places that anti-government protesters gather.
Another group that seems to be having trouble with permits is the media. Newspapers and television stations that aren’t smart enough to know that America is the enemy and that things are great in Russia can’t seem to get their paperwork in order. It�s some sort of IQ test, I guess.
President Vladimir Putin, though, shows no sign that he feels defensive about his remarkable string of luck. He knows who’s really to blame for “meddling” in Russian “internal affairs.” It’s the United States.
He’s lambasting us for yielding too much power. One example of this excessive power is the missile defense radar system we want to install in Poland and the Czech Republic — to give the free world early warning of a missile attack by terrorists or a rogue nation like Iran. Perhaps it�s just a coincidence that the Russians have been supplying Iran with both nuclear and missile technology while using their UN veto to block sanctions that would force Tehran to back down. Regardless, we’re clearly at fault, he says, for putting a defense system close to Mother Russia.
So I wouldn’t worry too much about the criticisms we receive. We make mistakes and at times the “carping” may even be on target, but it seems to me that we ought to look at a lot of the complaints as a badge of honor.
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Thanks for the links Hammer. I too like Fred Thompson and am hoping to see a President Thompson soon.
I’m British btw - but I’m one of those Brits who believes the president of the United States is also leader of the Western World, for better or worse, so I take a bit of interest in American politics (in my life it has usually, but not always, been for the better).
This was my favourite part:
It bothers Americans when we�re told how unpopular we are with the rest of the world. For some of us, at least, it gets our back up � and our natural tendency is to tell the French, for example, that we�d rather not hear from them until the day when they need us to bail them out again.
It’s a shame the U.S.A can’t just leave France to its own demise. I mean, they’re not a very grateful lot, are they?! But I suppose the fate of the rest of the Western world is interwined with theirs, so hear from them you no doubt will…very soon, I’d say.
By the way, I went to Paris a few years ago (I was based in the U.K at the time). It’s architecturally beautiful, but that’s where the appeal starts and finishes if you ask me. I’ve never felt more scared or vulnerable whilst on holiday (especially on the Metro).
Well, considering that I try to be a defender of the West and not just the USA alone, it’s always good to hear from citizens of the UK that consider Americans allies and kinsman. I worry about the fate of Europe and I am critical often of policies that come out of the UK, France, Spain, Germany, et al, but it’s generally because I care.
I’m not sure I can say the same for our own state of California.
:D
LOL, Foehammer! As a very long time resident of California [as well as having lived in most states of the USA + Canada]I’m not too fond of the MEDIA’s view of my state, which seems to me to prevail among those not familiar with the status quo here. We dedicated Conservatives living in this incredibly diverse state are exposed to not only Moonbat Left-Wing Liberals [read DAMocRATS], the BollyWood crowd and citizens from every conceivable nation of this world, but also exposure to some of the most thoughtful minds prevailing anywhere. Therefore, one might say we are citizens caught between extremes but largely thriving as moderates in the middle with perhaps a broadened exposure not only of world views among our neighbors and co-workers, but also a lot of just plain common sense! The latter may be a defense mechanism, but nevertheless it is very real and strong. Outside of New York, California is perhaps the most cohesive area from which to obtain access to extremes from all sides as well as an old-fashioned sense of “right and wrong” in the middle with most of us choosing that Middle Ground so seldom recognized from those unfamiliar with California. Regardless of actuality, most of us Californians are familiar with preconceived opinions based upon lack of knowledge, whether they are correct or not; therefore we are largely forgiving souls, but please come visit us to find out.
Oh, I’ve been to California, Sheila. I’ve been to the UC Davis campus and Berkeley and San Francisco. I feel your pain, believe me.
Several friends of mine have attempted to convince me to move to Los Angeles in the past, and I just laughed. I know there are good people in California, so make sure the roads leading east are never blocked!
*chuckles*
Worrying signs that Fred Thompson might not be a good candidate:
debbieschlussel.com/archives/2007/07/jihad_fred_fred.html
http://www.amnation.com/vfr/archives/008398.html