Posted on 06/25/2008 2:35:59 PM PDT by Fox_Mulder77
My friends, I have just read the most disturbing words from someone purporting to be an American Congressman, Alcee Hastings, an impeached Federal judge. His words, regarding the soaring price of gasoline, "There ain't no answer, OK? ... All the talk is feel good talk.", is the most pathetic and abyssmal response I have heard, recently. Perhaps I can offer Congressman Hastings, and his cohorts, a lesson from American history.
On the second day at Gettysburg, a young Professor of Rhetoric from Bowdoin College in Maine, LTC Joshua Chamberlain, was told he was the end of the Union line along Seminary Ridge. He was given a position at a place called Little Round Top. Chamberlain and his Maine Men took repeated attacks from the Confederate forces on that hot July day. Chamberlain's 20th Maine Regiment eventually ran out of ammunition, and as the Confederates prepared for another charge up Little Round Top, Chamberlain gave a simple order.............."Bayonets!"
Imagine Alcee Hastings at Little Round Top? "We aint got no bullets and there aint nothin we can do", and the salvation of our Union would have taken a different course. Because the victory at Gettysburg was the first defeat of Gen. Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia, turning them back from an eventual attack on Washington DC.
If Congressmen Hastings, Klein, Wexler, Mahoney, and Congresswoman Wasserman-Schultz all share this defeatist attitude, then South Florida, and indeed America need them no longer. This is not leadership, not to mention bad english, it is abject failure, and the lack of intestinal fortitude to take responsibility and accountability to find a solution. As there are many solutions to our Country's energy independence.
Having served this Country in several combat zones, I can attest to this, when in a firefight a bad decision is better than no decision at all. There can be no doubt as to why this Congress- under the presumed leadership of Speaker Pelosi- are a collection of whining losers, and we as the American people should not have to suffer for their lack of courage, competence, and character.
Finally, as to the issue of timelines for solutions; in World War II Pacific theater, the USS Yorktown had received incredible battle damage, I believe at Midway, and limped into Harbor. It was estimated that the damages would require 6 months to repair. The USS Yorktown made headway back into the fight three days later.
Americans are not quitters Congressman Hastings, we find a way to win!
Best Regards, Lieutenant Colonel Allen B West (US Army, Ret) Candidate, Florida's US Congressional Distict 22When
Good attitude. Perhaps he will win and help lead the fight.
Love it, love it LOVE IT!!!!!!!
90% of the idiocy in the world comes out of Congress.
The less they think they can do the better.
I'll go him one better....
"I get tired of hearing people, politicians, friends of mine, Democrats, Republicans, liberal, conservative, all of them telling you they have the answer [to everything]," said Hastings, serving his eighth term in Congress. "There ain't no answer [to everything], OK? ... All the talk is feel good talk [from politicians]."
Fox’s Friends Mega Ping!!
Anyone who can't figure out what to do needs a few simple lessons in basic economics. After they master that, try these simple steps:
1) Announce that ANWR, the OCS, and all federal lands for exploration and drilling.
2) Announce that the permitting process for new power plants and refineries will be reduced from 8+ years to 90 days.
3) Announce that the EPA has restricts the "blends" of gasoline from 38 to 3 (regular, high-test, and diesel).
4) Announce that Maxine Waters (et al) will be prosecuted for high treason for suggesting nationalization of the oil or any other industry.
5) Announce that a windfall profits tax, wage and price controls, and other measures of this ilk will never again be permitted in the US economy.
A final step would be to throw out any Congress person who can't pass Econ 101.
You can't "fight" your way to lower prices. The only real way to lower prices is to A) Decrease demand, or B) Increase supply.
Economics isn't an enemy rushing up a hill. It's a set of immutable laws, bayonets or no.
Thanks for the ping Fox!
I love the logo! Good deal!
We need some common sense in Washington! Go West Go!
btw, just donated to the cause.
The Sun-Sentinel is excerpt/link only.
Very nice speech by Colonel West but I didn’t see a solution anywhere in there. Unless it’s to fix bayonets and charge the Shell Station.
Hooah.
the republicans should run a string of “we cant..” sound bytes from every rat in congress. that ought to help put some of them down for good, and out of office
I hope this overstatement was a simple instant of overzealousness; there is no need to exaggerate the accomplishment.
I believe that it took three weeks. No less remarkable, and the point still valid.
You need to remove the blinders, Mac.
The main point is quite valid: doing nothing or claiming that nothing can be done, clearly can't solve anything.
Doing nothing is all that our so-called leadership can dream up.
As an aside, the Yorktown was damaged at the Battle of the Coral Sea and was repaired in time for Midway.
Much to the surprise and dismay of the opposition.
Alcee Hastings — once again proving he’s an inempt, incompetent and ignorant a$$hole....
Oh - and a member in good standing of the Congressional Black Caucus as an impeached corrupt former Judge.
Folks — the morons you send to Congress are LITERALLY destroying America..
If McLame only had 1/10 the spunk this guy has he would win in another 49 state landslide...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYDhAmjmxYk
The Wikipedia article on the Yorktown claims 72 hours.
References cited for this are:
Cressman et al., A Glorious Page in Our History, pp. 37–45; Lord, Incredible Victory, pp. 37–39.
Three weeks includes time to steam from Coral Sea to Pearl Harbor, and thence to Midway.
Just dont call me Josh in front of the men.
They don't make professors like they use to.
I disagree.
Imagining that "don't just stand there, do something!" will produce a magical solution to a deeply-engrained problem that took 30 years to build, that's dreaming.
There is, realistically, nothing the government can do to make gasoline prices lower.
...unless you count eliminating 30 years worth of environmental laws, or maybe the whole EPA.
That's a good dream.
Strengthening a weak dollar isn't an unrealistic idea is it?!?
“There is, realistically, nothing the government can do to make gasoline prices lower.”
The mere announcement of reducing regulation and opening up new areas to oil production would almost instantly lower the price of oil. Even if it didn’t, we have gotten here by doing nothing. When we were told 20 years ago that it would take 10 years to get oil from new wells, we did nothing, and here we are.
DUH! Increasing supply is the equivalent of “fixing bayonets”. Congress CAN do it, Congress MUST do it, and any Congresscritter that says it can’t be done needs to resign. I agree that the solution is NOT legislating prices or subsidizing jackass schemes, but they should remove the artificial barriers to a balanced market that were placed there by the Puddingheaded Ecostocracy.
(Actually, I’m rather proud of the phrase “Puddingheaded Ecostocracy”. Maybe I’ll get a trademark on it.)
If it were the Civil War, over half of Congress would have already been hanged for Treason.
Pray for W and Our Troops
Well said.
LOLOL!
No they don’t!!
The government creates problems in order to create solutions. It is the goal of government to get as many people dependent on it as possible.
I absolutely loathe politicians of all parties.
I sent West a donation to his post office box 30786, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33420
His web site only lists donations by credit card and I have not used a credit car for over two years.
They don’t make professors like they use to.
AMEN.
It wasn't their first defeat, but it was the turning point of the war. After Gettysburg Lee was unable to launch a genuine offensive. All he could do was play defense.
In 1893 General Chamberlain (ret.) was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his display of conspicuous gallantry leading the men of the 20th Maine on July 2, 1863. He wrote the following about his experience:
“The roar of all this tumult reached us on the left and heightened the intensity of our resolve. Meanwhile the flanking column worked around to our left and joined those before us in a fierce assault, which lasted with increasing fury for an intense hour. The two lines met and broke and intermingled in the shock. The crush of musketry gave way to cuts and thrusts, grapplings and wrestlings. The edge of conflict swayed to and fro, with wild pools and eddies. At times I saw around me more of the enemy than of my own men; gaps opening, swallowing, closing again with sharp, convulsive energy; squads of stalwart men who had cut their way through us, disappearing as if translated all around me, strange, mingled roar- shouts of defiance, rally and desperation; and underneath, murmured entreaty and stifled moans; gasping prayers, snatches of Sabbath song, whispers of loved names; everywhere men torn and broken, staggering, creeping, quivering on the earth, and dead faces with strangley fixed eyes staring stark into the sky.
“In the very deepest of the struggle while our shattered line had pressed the enemy well below their first point of contact... I saw through a sudden rift in the thick smoke our colors standing alone. I first thought some optical illusion imposed upon me. But as forms emerged through the drifting smoke, the truth came to view. The cross fire had cut keenly; the center had almost been shot away; only two of the color guard had been left, and they fighting to fill the whole space; and in the center, wreathed in battle smoke, stood the Color Sergeant Andrew Tozier. His color-staff planted in the ground at his side, the upper part clasped in his elbow, so holding the flag upright, with musket and cartridges seized from the fallen comrade at his side he was defending his sacred trust in the manner of the songs of chivalry. It was a stirring picture...”
“Not a moment was about to be lost! Five minutes more of such a defensive and the last roll call would sound for us! Desperate as the chances were, there was nothing for it but to take the offensive. I stepped to the colors. The men turned towards me. One word was enough- ‘BAYONETS!’ It caught like fire and swept along the ranks. The men took it up with a shout, one could not say whether from the pit or the song of the morning sat, it was vain to order ‘Forward!’. No mortal could have heard it in the mighty hosanna that was winging the sky. The whole line quivered from the start; the edge of the left-wing rippled, swung, tossed among the rocks, straightened, changed curve from scimitar to sickle-shape; and the bristling archers swooped down upon the serried host- down into the face of half a thousand! Two hundred men!
“It was a great right wheel. Our left swung first, the advancing foe stopped, tried to make a stand amidst the trees and boulders, but the frenzied bayonets pressing through every space forced a constant settling to the rear. Morrill with his detached company and the remnants of our valorous sharpshooters... now fell upon the flank of the retiring crowd. At the first dash the commanding officer I happened to confront, coming on fiercely (with) sword in hand and big navy revolver (in) the other, fires one barrel almost in my face. But seeing the quick saber point at his throat, reverses arms, gives sword and pistol into my hands and yields himself prisoner.
“Ranks were broken; some retired before us somewhat hastily; some threw their muskets to the the ground- even loaded; sunk on their knees, threw up their hands calling out, ‘We surrender. Don’t kill us!’ As if we wanted to do that! We kill only to resist killing. And these were manly men, whom we could befriend and by no means kill, if they came our way in peace and good will.”
http://www.nps.gov/archive/gett/getttour/sidebar/chambln.htm
Thanks Fox!
PING
Wow! Thanks so much for that post.
fix bayonets and charge the Shell Station.
If you are gonna fix bayonets and charge, you have to have a sensible target - and the gas station ain't it. The gas station is the only place you can get gas for about $4 a gallon - try to get it anywhere else and they will only go to a gas station for it, and charge you a markup over the $4 that they had to pay there. So attacking the gas companies is a fool's errand.In the short run there's nothing you can do about the price of gas unless you ration it - and that is an illusory solution in that the ration cards are really a form of money, and all you do with rationing is to give the government more opportunity to make stupid/corrupt decisions with scarce resources, in this case gasoline.
The one thing the government can do in the short run is rebate the gas tax - thereby helping Americans outbid foreigners for gas supply. But to say that drilling is not the answer because it takes time is pennywise poundfoolishness. Anything other than drilling is a paper tiger in the short and (other than nuclear) long term.
Thank you for supporting Lt. Col. West in his run for Congress. We need him in the House of Representatives.
For Allen West’s solution, just check out his website.
www.allenwestforcongress.com
THAT IS A VERY GOOD IDEA!
Thanks for the ping!
Lt. Col. West isn’t afraid to say what’s on is mind! Glad to see he directly mentioned Ron Klein.
All these articles keep getting posted at night when my husband has me on FR lockdown. *LOL*
GO WEST!!!!!!!!
LOL!! Next time I’ll post in the early afternoon..... just for you! ;-D
McVain has to start talking like this. Start heaping abuse and ridicule on these Donk morons and their no-drill policy
*L* Thanks Fox. I get to check FR at night, but I’m banned from posting. *L* (My husband says I’m long winded even when I type - haha)
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