Tuesday, June 1, 2004

Just a few thoughts on the convention itself.  First, I was impressed, as always, by the intelligence of the people gathered at the Marriot Marquis in Atlanta.  There were no quotas here.  The state delegations were under no orders to see to it that there were a certain number of black delegates, a certain number of gays, lesbians and people who just aren't sure.  It was also very encouraging to see the number of younger people.  I talked to a few of them and they were very bright indeed.  There was one common denominator.  These people were ready to accept the responsibility for their own lives and they wanted the government off their backs. 

I spent a good bit of time on Sunday watching the convention on CSPAN.  Again, as in years past, I noticed that a lot of attention was paid to America's drug policy.  There was a feature of medical marijuana refugees who had fled to Canada because of our country's indefensible policy on drugs that was compelling.  The problem is, however, that this emphasis works against the party on the national scene, not for it.

Allow me to repeat here just one point I tried to make in my speech Saturday morning.  The Libertarian Party needs to grow.  We're not going to be able to grow on our own.  In order to grow we have to be able to convince friends and strangers to give consideration to the Libertarian philosophy and principles.  So, let's say you meet someone who is willing to listen ... for awhile.  This person is going to base his decision on just how long he's willing to give you to state your case based on the first words out of your mouth.  Let's say that those first words are "We need to end the war on drugs in this country."  Now, if you had 30 minutes to make your case success would be almost guaranteed.  You didn't have 30 minutes.  You had 10 seconds, and you've lost him.  He changes the conversation and leaves with the idea the all Libertarians want to do is sit in the corner and smoke dope.

But what if you use those first 10 seconds to say "The Libertarian Party doesn't believe that government should be able to take your private property away from you and hand it over to a private developer"?  Then you have his attention.  His next words might be "Can the government do that?"  Set the hook and reel him in.  Or what if you say "The Libertarian Party supports a tax reform plan that would allow you to receive 100% of your paycheck every two weeks ... with no deductions for income taxes, Social Security or Medicare"?  Your friend is going to want to learn more.

The message, folks.  Attract people with the message, and make it a message that can apply to everyone.

AL-QAEDA ATTACKS SAUDI ARABIA

Lest the world need reminding of their viciousness, Al-Qaeda struck again over the weekend, murdering 22 people in the Saudi oil city of Khobar.  The attackers slit the throats of nine hostages at Oasis Residential Resorts, one of the buildings housing the workers. Among the victims of the attacks were one American.  Three of the four attackers got away, reportedly because the Saudis let them go in a hostage negotiation after they threatened to kill 242 people being used as human shields.

The U.S. embassy in Riyadh has advised all Americans to leave Saudi Arabia.  Good.  It's time that the Kingdom deal with the problem of Islamic terrorism, and confront the killers in their midst.  Most of the 9/11 hijackers came from there, Al-Qaeda originated from there.  They have an image problem, and it's time they join the war on terror and do their part to eliminate Islamic terrorism.  A great quote from the father of a 10-year-old boy killed in the attack: "What is this?  Terrorism?  Islam?  Those are not Muslims."  Where has he been hiding?  Yes ... these most definitely ARE Muslims.  Too bad this father wasn't as worked up when it was Americans who were getting killed.

Hopefully this will be a wake-up call to those in the Arab world that doubt the war on terror, but probably not. After all, it is really America's fault.

HERE WE GO WITH HALLIBURTON AGAIN

This is turning into a farce, but then again that's a liberal specialty.  The media has once again climbed aboard the Halliburton merry-go-round.  This is the oil services company that Vice President Dick Cheney headed before he took a gigantic pay cut to become President Bush's running mate.  The latest accusation:  Dick Cheney coordinated a huge government contract for Iraq. 

The "smoking gun" is apparently an e-mail over a year old stating that the contract for Halliburton was "coordinated with the VP's office."  Cheney's spokesman said the e-mail was sent as a heads-up in anticipation of the controversy over awarding the contract, since he used to head the firm.  That's it. Nothing really to it.

Once again ... Halliburton was awarded this services contract under the Clinton administration.  In the 1990s the Army wanted to get outside help handling the logistics associated with actions overseas.  That's when the Army came up with LOGCAP, the U.S. Army Logistics Civil Augmentation Program.  Halliburton first won the competitive bid for LOGCAP in 1992.  It lost the contract in 1997.  Who was president in 1997?  Someone named Bill Clinton.  Halliburton was out, but Clinton needed help with his logistics efforts in Bosnia.  Who did he turn to?  Halliburton?  He gave another contract to Halliburton with NO COMPETITIVE BIDDING.  Halliburton then won the competitive bidding process again in 2001.  So .. which party seems to favor Halliburton?  In 1992 and in 2001, under Republican presidents, Halliburton wins competitive bids for LOGCAP.   In 1997, under a Democratic president, Halliburton gets the contract without a bid. 

So ... Bush haters.  Get over it.  If anyone was showing favoritism to Halliburton, it was Clinton, not Bush and Cheney.

It's interesting that the Bush-haters think Cheney is some sort of evil mastermind ripping off the government and enriching his buddies at Halliburton, while at the same time accusing him of being stupid enough to coordinate a huge contract with a company with which they say he has a conflict of interest.  So..which is it?

The order has been given: get Cheney.

Neal's guest today ... Ron White

READING ASSIGNMENTS

Some Congressional Republicans want to privatize the TSA.  Fabulous...the government should have never been put in charge of airport security in the first place, and as predicted, they've been a failure.

Taco Bell says the term "left-of center" printed on their sauce packets is not meant to be a political statement, but just a statement about the way they "think outside the bun."  What's next? Liberal chalupas?

A guy approached a pizza delivery driver with a gun and tried to rob him.  Bad move, because that pizza delivery driver pulled out his 9mm and loaded up the perp with at least 10 bullets, killing him.  He's been fired for carrying a firearm (even though he had a permit.)

Upset with the price of gas?  Look no further than the following fact:  in the last 20 years, the number of refineries in the U.S. has fallen two-thirds to about 150.  The answer: ignore the environmentalists and build more.

Lost in all the doom and gloom media hype over Iraq is this fact:  things are getting better in Iraq.  William Safire looks at the progress being made.

The United Nations lashes out at the abuses at Abu Ghraib, but doesn't pass resolutions when an American's head is sawed off on TV.  Armstrong Williams says there's no excuse for the Anti-Americanism.

The mainstream continues to ignore the UN oil-for-food rip-off and the growing link between Saddam Hussein and Al-Qaeda.  Jay Bryant says it's time to tell the truth.

Cracks are starting to show in the Democratic establishment, with centrist Democrats not at all happy with the party's increasingly leftist tilt.  Donald Lambro looks at the differences.

With all eyes in the world on Iraq, Robert Novak reports that things aren't going that well in the other front in the war on terror: Afghanistan.

There is a plan in Washington that would make the cost of Hillary's health care look like pocket change.  It's a scheme to save Social Security and Medicare, and Jack Kemp sounds the alarm.

Despite any setbacks, including the non-stop barrage of negative media attacks, the plan in Iraq is moving forward.  This from Fred Barnes.

Letter From Camp

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