But we can’t put history on hold while we get our act together. The Russians are bastards, but they aren’t necessarily dumb bastards. They know the demographic timebomb is ticking, and might be very interested in the assistance of a large superpower to help them preserve Russia against growing neighbors like China and Islam. Gas for muscle.

The three strategic weapons of the 21st Century. Oil. Nukes. Wombs. US-Russia can produce all three, if they bury the hatchet. Now.

Research could change the world.

dhimwit on May 8, 2008 at 12:07 PM

Energy dependence makes free countries less free. You are correct that it is troubling that “Our traditional allies” can be immobilized by turning a gas faucet in Siberia.

Likewise, we are at the mercy of less-than-friendly oil exporters. We need to be energy independent.

Putin has been restarting Cold War practices like flights that test the perimeter of Britain’s airspace. Putin is not trustworthy.

We need Russia. Russia needs us. We just don’t realize it yet

IMHO,they shouldn’t be allowed to vote.
JiangxiDad on May 8, 2008 at 10:54 AM

Your humble opinion is accurate. There is very good reason to restrict voting to those who own property. They have something to lose, are generally better educated, and care about what happens to our country as a whole, rather than just caring about what they can get from the government.

We seem to be on the same page, so the following is not a response to you, so much as it is a statement to be made…

Government is a necessary evil. There are certain roles we need it to play, but if we allow it to grow bigger than that it begins taking things away from us, not giving things to us. Government can never give something to someone without first taking that something from someone else. When some people get “something for nothing”, other people get “nothing for something”. When the balance tips too far, where more and more people are getting “something for nothing” while more and more is taken away from a smaller and smaller group who get “nothing for something”, the system collapses and it’s game over. The Ponzi scheme eventually blows up. We are getting precariously close to that tipping point, and a Democrat or RINO in the Presidency, combined with a filibuster-proof Democrat Senate and Democrat House, could push us past that tipping point.

Yes, I know the spiritual end of the story, and I know we win, but until that time I still love and care about my country.

God bless America, land that I love!

dhimwit on May 8, 2008 at 8:48 AM

Yeah, look how well Russia turned out last time they got US aid. /sarc

Ressurecting your arch-enemy, which pretty much defined the United States’ role in the world as the flagship of Democracy is pure insanity.

So, why is John Kerry allowed to be a Senator without a vote of two-thirds of each House of Congress?

He took an oath, as an officer in the Navy, and then proceeded to meet with, and give aid and comfort to, our enemy during a time of war!

Red Pill on May 8, 2008 at 10:03 AM

Because it’s just words. People back then didn’t live in a secure, long-established nation. They knew that without these kinds of words written into laws, and without the participation of a politically educated populous, the democracy experiment would probably fail. Today, the average person doesn’t understand that the pillars that uphold our democracy are rotting. They don’t even know there are pillars. They don’t know and don’t care. They just want more gov’t assistance (income re-distribution)– bread and circuses. IMHO,they shouldn’t be allowed to vote. But I’m not King around here, only a knave. Sorry Red Pill. As you know, the path we’re on leads to annihilation. Lucky for you though, you believe in God.

Our primary threat is from within.
JiangxiDad on May 8, 2008 at 9:39 AM

Agreed. That is why we require the following Oath of Office:

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.

And also why we have section three of the 14th Amendment:

No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.

Anyone who holds any office under the United States, civil or military, has taken an oath to support the Constitution of the United States. If any of them have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof, the only way they can be constitutionally allowed to stay in office is with a vote of two-thirds of each House of Congress.

So, why is John Kerry allowed to be a Senator without a vote of two-thirds of each House of Congress?

He took an oath, as an officer in the Navy, and then proceeded to meet with, and give aid and comfort to, our enemy during a time of war!

Is “dhimwit” really Ed or AP?
Are we truly to believe that anyone would choose “dhimwit” as their login name?

I think it’s clever. Tweaks the Muslim nose nicely. Perhaps dhimwit is Mark Steyn. Hi Mark. Keep up the good work!

The problem is that in the US liberalism = socialism/communism.

Why do you think there is an active Communist Party USA?
Why do you think they have a “Road to Socialism USA” plan?
Why do you think they have a “Constitution”?
Why do you think they want amnesty and held massive rallies of illegals on May 1st?

The Soviets have always wanted to “bury” us. They don’t have to do it from outside if they can bring us down from the inside. I see a pattern that has less to do with political party and more to do with those who stand up against our enemies vs. those who assist our enemies in making us weaker.

Red Pill on May 8, 2008 at 9:01 AM

Not just in the US.Liberalism always opens the door for socialism/communism. My only point was that we have shown that we can fight any ideology, including however you wish to define Russia, with traditional, conservative,democratic capitalism. So Russia isn’t the our primary threat– foreign existential threats will always exist. Our primary threat is from within. Either the libs here naively and perhaps inadvertently open the doors wide for our enemies to enter, or they actively collude with them and we have a soft takeover. Either way, I still believe it’s the libs and their mushy ideology that is our biggest danger. It prevents us from robustly opposing our enemies by weakening our moral compass and clouding our judgements.

dhimwit on May 8, 2008 at 8:48 AM

Is “dhimwit” really Ed or AP?
Are we truly to believe that anyone would choose “dhimwit” as their login name?

Playing along, it is not true that

We and they have common enemies

Rather, the USA is the common enemy of the Communists and the Islamic fascists. It is they who are working together against us.

Why?

I realize this is what many consider to be “radical right-wingnut” thinking, but I see it as Spiritual Warfare. One triune God (Father, Son Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit) is real. Satan is real. There can be many lies, but there is only one truth. God works through His people, and Satan works through his people. Go re-read all of the Declaration of Independence. Notice the inclusion of “God”, “Creator”, “divine Providence”, and “sacred”. Like it or not, the United States of America was founded by deeply spiritual Christians who wanted a nation where the Government could not take away our God-given rights.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Kennedy Strength (but assassinated to promote…)
Johnson Weakness
Nixon Strength (but taken out by liberals)
Ford Strength, but from a weakened position
Carter Weakness
Reagan Strength (but assassination attempt early on)
Bush 41 Weakness (did not finish the job in gulf war, appointed Souter)
Clinton Weakness
Bush 43 Strength (in my opinion, because he follows his Heavenly father, not his Earthly father)

The most pressing problem facing the US is liberalism. That problem isn’t exacerbated by what is happening in Russia.

JiangxiDad on May 8, 2008 at 7:35 AM

The problem is that in the US liberalism = socialism/communism.

Why do you think there is an active Communist Party USA?
Why do you think they have a “Road to Socialism USA” plan?
Why do you think they have a “Constitution”?
Why do you think they want amnesty and held massive rallies of illegals on May 1st?

The Soviets have always wanted to “bury” us. They don’t have to do it from outside if they can bring us down from the inside. I see a pattern that has less to do with political party and more to do with those who stand up against our enemies vs. those who assist our enemies in making us weaker.

Kennedy Strength (but assasinated to promote…)
Johnson Weakness
Nixon Strength (but taken out by liberals)
Ford

We always got along fine with the first Czarist Russia and there’s no reason why we can’t with this new one. We and they have common enemies and common dangers, which is plenty enough foundation for a beautiful working relationship.

Not only should Russia get its empire back or most of it, we should help them to. It would pay us richly.

And a true stongman can’t afford himself to be overly friendly with other powers. That said, Putin is MUCH better than the alternatives they have in store. Democratic movements are not second runners there, the Fascists and the Communists are.