See, this is why I read Order of the Stick.

It isn’t because of the D&D jokes, although those are fun.  It’s because it’s clever.

And because Rich Burlew actually takes moral questions seriously.

Moe Lane

PS: I’d also like to note for the record that this is exceptionally self-referential:

…but it sounds really cool.

Lee Stranahan wishes to justify his antiwar position…

…and he thinks that Rush Limbaugh will help him with that.

By now, you’ve probably read Stranahan’s little attempt at self-justification for cheering on the death of American troops (you can read it via Glenn Reynolds, if you must: it’s not worth the direct link to a pro-torture site*) by seeking to associate it to Limbaugh’s often-repeated observation that he wants Obama’s economic plans to fail.

I’d just like to establish this point for the record: no, Stranahan can’t actually do that, and for a very simple reason. Our military personnel have voluntarily given up some of their right to choose their own actions in order to serve the country.  That gives us the collective responsibility to ensure that the choices that we make for them are the right one. It is perfectly acceptable to think that our collective choice was wrong; not so much to work to minimize the chance of it being the right one after all. The antiwar movement chose to do the latter… and those miserable wretches lost anyway, which is why they’re trying to avoid the consequences of their moral failure. Limbaugh and Obama (to use the usual examples), on the other hand, are merely having a policy dispute… and the Right swore no oath signing over our right to choose. We recognize and respect the authority of the President of the United States, but he does not command us in the same way that he commands the troops – and we will not concede the difference.

Particularly when doing so will give cover to people like Stranahan.

Moe Lane

*Repudiated Obama yet, HuffPo? No? Going to support him in 2012? Yes? Then that’s what you are. Deal.

Crossposted to RedState.

Advice for the President: how to handle the antiwar Democrats.

No, really.

I read with some interest this article which describes a supposed Blue-on-Blue fight looming over the upcoming reduction of troops:

Congressional Democrats’ misgivings about President Barack Obama’s plan to reduce troop levels in Iraq has set the stage for potentially major conflicts between Capitol Hill and the White House in the months ahead.

Obama’s announcement Friday that he will leave between 35,000 and 50,000 troops in Iraq after August 2010 brought lukewarm responses from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.

Both leaders have publicly questioned the decision to leave that many troops there indefinitely.

Also causing consternation is the president’s decision to finish the drawdown in 18 months. As a candidate, Obama had promised a complete withdrawal within 16 months.

Being a kind and generous soul who understands that we’re all in this together, on behalf of the neoconservative movement I am here to offer the President a little advice on how to keep antiwar legislators in line. We did it for eight years, after all; two of which were years where our party was ostensibly not the one running Congress. Heck, our best work was done between 2006-2008. So you can believe that we know that we’re talking about. Continue reading Advice for the President: how to handle the antiwar Democrats.

TCOT Report: Interesting new site.

TCOT Report. Remember when I mentioned that this would be a great time to find a clearinghouse for the national Tea Parties? Well, even if that site doesn’t end up being that it’ll still probably link to whatever does become that clearinghouse. It’s certainly gearing up to play with the shiny new online toys that we get to have now.

Via Mark Tapscott (H/T: Instapundit), who made at least one suggestion that I endorse:

* Where are House Minority Leader John Boehner, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnel and Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele? They should be challenged to get involved because the Tea Party Protests represents their greatest leverage against the Obama policy onslaught.

Actually, I endorse all three suggestions, but you should read the whole thing.

Moe Lane

Crossposted at RedState.

Overqualified, the book.

Well.

It’s a book and it’s called Overqualified; it’s based on a series of cover letters that author Joey Comeau has written over the years (an archive of some of them are found here; not all of them are safe for work).  The cover letters are very… well, it’s impossible to explain them without explaining the webcomic known as A Softer World; and I don’t think that I can explain A Softer World.  It just is.

All I really know in the end is that I want this T-shirt, dammit.

Peter Visclosky’s (D IN-01) links to PMA pay-for-play?

NAME!
THAT!
PARTY!

“Troubled.” How droll. It’s Pete Visclosky (D, IN-01), by the way. I repeat it because the AP can’t seem to.

Visclosky’s ties to troubled PMA Group run deep.

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky has promised to return money from donors with ties to a troubled lobbying group, but critics say his ties to PMA Group run deep.

The northwest Indiana congressman’s former chief of staff worked as a lobbyist for the firm, and Federal Election Commission reports show he received at least $100,000 in contributions from donors tied to PMA Group between 2006 and 2008. PMA Group was the top donor to Visclosky’s 2008 re-election campaign.

Continue reading Peter Visclosky’s (D IN-01) links to PMA pay-for-play?

I admit that the war rhino was a bit much…


(300, and with apologies to Brother Pejman)

…but as Dan Collins helpfully notes, when it comes to expressing sentiments that offend a people we’ll see you a “over the top, digitally enhanced midriff sporting, completely anachronistic Spartan soldiers versus the Fetishist Horde” and raise you a “kill the Jews.”

Just saying, Ahmadinejad regime.  Just saying.

Crossposted to RedState.

Some un-asked for practical advice for Tea Party folks.

Since I temporarily have some people’s attention:

  • If you are a website design-type person: now would be an excellent time to either promote the site that you have designed to act as a national clearinghouse for upcoming Tea Parties, or to actually sit down and design one.  I suggest something lean, stripped-down, has an easy-to-remember link, and designed to let people easily post their own locations and contact information.
  • If you are a deep-pockets conservative/Republican looking to fund something: here you go.  Won’t cost you much to fund the above suggestion, and it’d be frankly a help.  Alternatively, you could bankroll a local Tea Party group; that’s even cheaper at this stage (donuts, coffee, and megaphones).
  • If you are a non-nasty candidate for any office, or a staffer for same, or a campaign manager for same: get yourself and your candidate to the next one of these.  Bring a megaphone.  Have your candidate tell the crowd that he/she is just as tired of this as they are.  (This advice also works for people already in office.)
  • If you are just a regular person: first, I apologize for the ‘just;’ elitist of me, and we’ve had quite enough of that lately.  Second, go find a local Tea Party group.  If you happen to know how to run an office, organize a meeting, or coordinate things over the phone, please find a local Tea Party group now.

I think that this should cover it – oh, yes, almost forgot: megaphones. Twenty bucks. Good for when you forget the bullhorns.

Moe Lane

Crossposted at RedState.

Thought of the Yesterday.

From RS McCain:

Conservatives are now a guerrilla resistance. Harassing the enemy — staging raids and ambushes that prevent him from enjoying his conquest at leisure — is basic to guerrilla resistance. If we are doomed to destruction, as least let it be said that we died fighting. But those who never fight, never win.

In a word: “Wolverines!”

Yup. Just… yup. And allow me to outgeek Mr. McCain, here: I don’t know about him, but I aim to misbehave.

Crossposted at RedState.