I, unfortunately, cannot take credit for the following. It was writen by a good friend who finally had to set the record straight on Iraq with his liberal friends. It created quite a dialog via e-mail and so I thought I would post it here for your insights. Enjoy.

it begins:

To my left-leaning friends:

I've stayed quiet for a year on the Iraq issue, but I can't anymore: I am completely bewildered by the average democrat's position on Iraq. Smart observers know that a pull-out would invite disaster and snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, especially on the eve of the largest democratic election in the history of the Middle East. Sunnis are engaged in the process, and afterwards I expect that there will be a legitimate process-oriented government whereby moderates can begin to win the "war of ideas" within Islam, which Thomas Friedman has argued will be required before terrorism ultimately gets defeated from within Islam (an idea to which I fully subscribe).

So why all the hand-wringing from the left? On the evidence, it seems to me the answer is either one of two things: first, in large part the left truly doesn't want us to win this war and so is comfortable with language in that regard (such as Dean's prediction that we are losing and cannot win it), or two the left cannot stand the idea that we'd be unpopular with anyone, for any length of time, in order to achieve a difficult, historically-unprecedented outcome; this is why Americans (not only the left in this case) have become so pessimistic about the war over the summer. History has shown - in the U.S. and elsewhere since - that this process is always messy, bloody and prone to subsequent revision (anyone recall the Articles of Confederation of 1781?).

So for those who do not want Americans to pay the price of democracy in Iraq today (alongside the Iraqis, who pay an even dearer price), what is the source of this unwillingness: it is either ignorance of history (which breeds an unwillingness to stomach the unpopularity and missteps), lack of belief in the cause (this is an illegal war, or perhaps one just doesn't believe Middle Easterners deserve democracy), lack of belief in the outcome (Iraqis are incapable of democracy), or perhaps more insidious and disingenuous reasons: 2006 elections are coming and politics is not served well by a country united on the Iraq issue; or, anger at the reasons we went to war in the first place (yet remain irrelevant as to what to do now).

The only intellectually astute voice I've heard from the left is Joe Lieberman, who acknowledges that a pull-out is an idiotic idea and one that ignores the advice of those on the ground in Iraq, including the Iraqis (Sunnis and Shiites alike). And what reply does he get? Scorn and derision from his own party, which is so bereft of any workable strategy of its own that it has to condemn anyone that seems to be validating the one President Bush has chosen.

It is easy for me to look at the Republican party and say that the party positions on abortion, intelligent design, deficit management, Greenhouse Gas policy, and church/state separation are A) stupid, B) uninformed, C) destructive and D) out-of-touch with many in their own party. When it comes to the Iraq issue, however, the Democrats are downright embarrassing in their idiocy. Can someone persuade me that this isn't the case with a specific set of alternatives that we aren't already pursuing?

Robb

I write this as someone who recently changed his viewpoint on the death penalty.

I used to adamantly support it. Kill the criminal bastards; send a message that it will happen to others who are thinking about killing someone.

But the death penalty has simply become state assisted suicide. It's different for Tookie, he wants to live and has run out of options.

The act of carrying out the death penalty has also become sanitized. no more firing squad, electric chair, or gas chamber. Now a doctor puts a needle in your, you fall asleep. That's it.

I'd rather see'em rot in the hell of prison rather than get such humane treatment.

Sleep well Tookie!

I already find myself thinking about my tax bill, due on the ugliest of days, April 15, 2006. I'm a business owner, I will work until April 15, 2006 just to pay that bill. I expect to pay my fair share for the services I receive from our government, especially Defense. But I firmly believe we have been overtaxed for 20 or so years. That's why I like headlines like the one I saw today in the Washington Post: "56 Billion in Tax Cuts Passed by House, 234-197"

However, the Headline is wrong. The taxes aren't currently being collected. They voted to extend cuts made that ad already been made. You can't really cut what doesn't exist.

What do these cuts include:

Tax Rate of 15% for capitol gains made on dividends.(37%).

Business Research and Development tax credit (18%)

Write-offs for small business (13%) THANK YOU!

Deduction for local and state taxes (4%).

Deduction for tuition and educational purposes (3%)

The federal government will have to operate with 94.5 billion dollars less over the next five years. That's just under 20 billion per year. To put that into perspective the federal government spent 24.5 billion in 2003 on something, by someone, but no one could justify how. See: See U.S. Department of the Treasury, 2003 Financial Report of the United States Government, pp. 126, at fms.treas.gov/fr/ 03frusg.html (March 28, 2005).

The federal budget is trillions of dollars. Spending has doubled since 1997. We, as Americans, deserve some relief.

And it's not just for the rich. Rich people aren't the only people that invest their money and earn dividends, own small businesses, pay state sales taxes or have kids in school.

For most American's their taxes aren't a bill they pay every month or quarter. money is simply removed from their check each week and they budget based on what they get. Then they let the government hold onto what was paid in excess until taxes are filed. I think if more people paid their taxes like I do, we'd have a revolution on our hands but that's for another time.

Thanks for visiting!

Hello friends, pundits, political junkies!

As this is my first Blog, let me tell you, I am very much looking forward to filling you all in on my political beliefs (conservative) where I stand on issues and information that can be used to line your e-bird cage if you like.

I want to stir debate.

I want to make big ripples in your political pond.

I want to make you think about issues ina little bit different way.

See you soon!

NV Lobbyist