The Blog In Review

Mike McKain does a great job of summing up this semester of blogging:

As the year winds down, I thought I would take a moment to thank all of the blog contributors, Democrat, Republican and otherwise, who have used these forums to advance the political dialogue on campus. When we created our blog, we had no idea the Republicans would follow suit so quickly or that both sites would take off in the way that they did. We now receive comments from students and professionals from across the country, all bringing their own unique perspectives and experiences to the table.

I think, through these blogs, that we have found that when the dialogue is open and civil, we can find areas of agreement or, at times, simply agree to disagree while respecting the ideological viewpoints of the other group or individual. We can only hope that the public dialogue will follow suit and migrate away from the bitterness that plagues the mainstream debates of today.

What we do is important. Though we are, in the end, just college students, many with the same experiences, who engage in the same activities, listen to the same music, and watch the same shows, the blogs have provided an outlet for our political passions. We have progressed interest and the dialogue on campus, hopefully while raising awareness of the critical issues that face the nation today.

I encourage everyone, Republican and Democrat alike, to remain active on the blogs throughout the summer and into next year. At the very least, I will continue posting on this site, and hopefully others will join me. And yes, sorry my Republican friends, I will continue to plague your site as well.

I hope everyone has a great summer...happy blogging!

Hezbollah Is a Problem

Looks like Hezbollah is not a legit political movement:

Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah Wednesday acknowledged for first time that his Lebanese guerrilla group has more than 12,000 rockets and that all of northern Israel is within reach.

"All of the north of occupied Palestine, its settlements, airports, seaports, fields, factories and farms is under the feet and hands of the Islamic resistance," Nasrallah said.

Nasrallah also said that Hezbollah, under mounting international pressure to disarm, would fight anyone who tried to take away its weapons.

Also:

[H]e added that Hizbollah, backed by Syria and Iran, would only use its weapons in defense of Lebanon.

I wonder what Hezbollah's definition of defense is. Does it come with or without suidicide bombers? Or how about on the side?

Awesome Post at SavetheGOP

This post at SavetheGOP is a must read for all "Progressives" and "Liberals." It's also a great post for any CR to check out and see just how right we are on the issues of today.

[EDIT: Link Fixed. Ryan]

Last Week

Well this is the last week of school at UD. Good luck to all of our UD readers on finals this week.

I will keep blogging both here at at my blog, Jokers to the Right, over the summer.

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Help End the Obstruction of Justice in the Senate May 19, 2005
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Dear Friend,

Right now, the US Senate Democrats, including Senators Biden and Carper are obstructing justice by blocking a simple up-or-down vote on President Bush's highly qualified judicial nominees.

Now, I'm asking for your help conducting a grassroots petition drive. The petition is simple, ask Senators Biden and Carper to give President's Bush's judicial nominees a fair up-or-down vote.

Click Here to view and print the petition.

Will you please help protect our Judicial system from political gamesmanship of Senators Biden and Carper and their Democratic allies by collecting signatures on this petition?

After all, it was Joe Biden himself who said, "everyone who is nominated is entitled to have a shot, to have a hearing and to have a shot to be heard on the floor and have a vote on the floor." (Congressional Record, 3/19/97)

Let's remind Joe Biden of his forgotten principles by collecting signatures on this petition.

Some ideas to complete these petitions include spending time at local grocery stores or shopping center, festivals, and friend-to-friend contacts. The finished petitions should be returned to State Headquarters in Wilmington by mail (3301 Lancaster Ave., Wilmington, DE 19805) or fax (302-651-0270) as soon as possible.

Thank you for your hard work and dedication to our party.

Sincerely,

Dave


Executive Director
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email: dcrossan@delawaregop.com
phone: 302-651-0260, ext. 3
web: http://www.delawaregop.com
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The Ceder Revolution

An individual from Lebanon discusses how Bush policy relates to their recent revolution.

Fun-filled close of Semester at UD

The College Republicans at the University of Delaware came together to bid each other good luck for finals, to wish each other well in summer internships and jobs, and also to have some good old athletic competition in the form of Kickball.

Easton Randall, the current executive director at the University of Delaware and Kristin Murray, the Co-chair of the Delaware Federation of College Republicans headed up the first energetic team while Steve Spence, the current vice president at the University of Delaware Chapter and former chairman and current chairman emeritus of the DFCR led the second team of inspiring CR's.

All in all in was a very formidable game of kickball that would decide the winners of a semester-long competition. To date Randall's teams and Spence's teams had drawn to a 1-1 tie and this was going to be the game to decide the victors of the semester. As the teams warmed up you could smell the competition in the air as both teams got ready for a close match up with only one coming out victorious.

Randall and Murray's team jumped out to an early 9-1 lead really on the back of Easton Randall who at that point had homered twice, and a solid defense. That 8 run lead however would soon wither away. As Spence and Mapson's team would consistently chip away at their lead. The turning point, as agreed by many, was the moment between innings when Randall got his team together and produced a woefully sad "victory chant." Mapson responded by inducing three pop-ups to retire the side with no runs.

Fast forwarding to the Top of the 9th inning, light was starting to fade and the score was 18-16 in favor of Randall and Murray. As Spence's team got up to bat both Ryan Silberstein and Steve Spence hit incredibly long balls that were spectacularly caught by the defense. With 2 runs out in the top of the 9th, their last chance and down by 2 runs, Megan Burgess came to the plate with hope fading and many people expecting an easy-out. Megan however PROVED THEM WRONG, singling safely. Her single was followed by 2 more spectacular infield singles by Rose Overbey, the DFCR secretary, and Mike Selss bringing Jeff Mapson to the plate.

The pitch by Mike Stacey was incredibly bouncey, and the second pitch wasn't seen due to lack of light. The third pitch however was just right as Mapson kicked the ball deep and to right field over Murray's head clearing the bases in a THREE RUN triple! Silberstein then redeemed himself with a single and Spence homered to bring in yet another run. All in all the side would be retired with team Spence-Mapson in the lead for the first time all game with an awe-inspiring 6-run 2-out rally in the top of the ninth inning. Team Randall-Murray scored 2 runs in the bottom half of the inning but it just wasn't enough as the final score of 22-20 was shouted in jubilation by the victors. What a game!

More Highlights of the Game

• On occasion, Mike Selss charged the mound to argue calls made by then-pitcher Mike Stacey. In stunning MLB-form he tossed his hat, pointed to the plate and kicked grass.
• Kristin Murray was TWICE out at the plate on throws by Mapson that were deemed too-close-to-call leading team Randall to complain and ask for a "do-over."
• Mapson's diving almost-catch.
• Steve Spence and Easton Randall's powerful bases-clearing home runs
• Mike Selss falling on his back
• Kristen Murray's tag to a sliding Jeff Mapson at first base
• Easton's failed attempt to catch a pop-up as he stumbled backwards arms-flailing and completely falling on his back
  

Also, word is it that both Murray and Randall, due to their deafening loss, must wear signs that state "I lost an incredible game of kickball to an inspiring team led by Steve Spence and Jeff Mapson."

CR in the News: College Republicans learn about conservative values

College Republicans learn about conservative values

I was very disappointed in Megan Lehman's May 8 Community View column about the College Republicans organization. The College Republicans at the University of Delaware is one of the most respected political groups on campus. It provides a voice to individuals who believe in conservative values.

It also educates members about issues locally and nationally. We participate in many activities on campus, including panel discussions, meetings with elected representatives from Delaware, and community service.

College Republicans are conducting a fund-raiser to buy essential supplies such as toothpaste and soap for U.S. soldiers overseas.

The organization is the youth of the party. Their energy and enthusiasm inspires state and nationally elected representatives. Lehman needs to rethink her words, because College Republicans are leaders here at the University of Delaware and throughout the nation.

Italo Carrieri-Russo, President, College Republicans, Newark

Well this settles it...

Could you actually flush a book down the toilet? No.
Here's the proof.

This College Republican is optimistic about the party

One of our state officers, Audrey Dandoy, recently had a letter published in The News Journal.
Here is her letter (and I think all of us here at RW&BH would agree with her):

As an active College Republican at the University of Delaware who donated a huge amount of time to Delaware Republican campaigns last fall, I experienced Republican values firsthand during the campaign -- a vastly different picture from that presented in the recent Community View column, "A College Republican confesses."

President Bush's record during his first term is honorable. Bush did not ignore critical issues, but rather faced them head-on despite strong opposition. He cut taxes across the board to help stimulate the economy. He created a prescription drug benefit plan, and put money into promising fuel cell research while searching for ways to reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

Bush made one of the hardest decisions a president has to make, taking us to war in order to protect the American people and prevent another attack like that on Sept. 11, 2001.

Republicans in Congress do not like budget deficits any more than I do. But while Democrats in Congress are blocking healthy debate, it will be tough to get rid of decades' worth of ineffective programs and restore fiscal discipline.

Republicans are a party of optimists whose primary interest is in bettering our country. We are not afraid to stand on our principles.

Our party's beliefs are far from uniform. The Republican Party embraces people from all walks of life who have a wide range of opinions. I am proud of the diversity of the Delaware Republican Party and the open debate it creates.

Audrey Dandoy, Executive director, College Republicans, Newark

News Blurbs 5/13

No one told Vicente Fox that good fences make good neighbors.

God wins in court.

Kerry: Sore Loser

You all need to watch this ad. (Windows Media Player req.)

Red/Blue Refugees?

I wrote a post over at my blog that got a little out of hand on political polarization, but well worth reading to both our conservative and liberal readers, I think. Well, at least if you are into that kinda thing.

IRAQ: Changing the Rules of the Blame Game

From StrategyPage:

The Sunni Arab media in the Middle East has gotten tired of blaming the United States for everything that doesn't work in Iraq. More and more stories blame Iraq's Sunni Arabs for the terrorism, corruption and tyranny in Iraq, and other parts of the Middle East. This is part of a trend, the growing popularity of Arabs taking responsibility for their actions. This is a radical concept in Middle Eastern politics. For several generations, all problems could be blamed on other forces. The list of the blameworthy was long; the United States, the West, Colonialism, Infidels (non Moslems, especially Jews), Capitalism, the CIA, Israel, Democracy and many others too absurd to mention. Giving up this crutch is not popular in the Middle East. Oil wealth has made it possible to sustain, for decades, the belief of all these conspiracies to keep the Arab people down and powerless. But the invasion of Iraq, and the overthrow of Saddam, forced Arabs to confront their long support for a tyrannical butcher like Saddam. Here was a dictator who knew how to play the blame game, and position himself as an Arab "hero." Saddam's supporters turned to terrorism to restore themselves to power. Two years of killing Iraqis has shamed an increasing number of Arabs into admitting that this is an Arab problem, not the fault of the United States (who, in the most popular delusion, should have waved a magic wand and made all problems in Iraq disappear.) Even the Sunni Arab media are in awe of the Iraqi Shia and Kurds, for not slaughtering large numbers of Sunni Arabs in response to the terrorism, or simply as revenge for centuries of torment at the hands of Sunni Arabs.

This is also why morale in al Qaeda is low.

Social Insecurity

Democrats complain about the Bush plan making Social Security insecure, but you are not legally entitled to any benefits anyway.
From the CATO Institute:

Social Security is a payroll tax on the one hand and a set of transfers from the government on the other. The two are connected in the way David Blaine levitates: He doesn't; they aren't; it's illusion.

Despite the fact that your payroll taxes are called "federal insurance contributions," they are nothing like insurance policy premiums because there is no policy, no contract, and no legal claim benefits. Your payroll taxes are nothing special, just taxes. They're spent right away on checks to current retirees and items in the general budget, like the war in Iraq and subsidies for mohair producers.

The money that comes out of your paycheck buys you nothing, not even a right to retirement benefits. That's the upshot of the 1960 Flemming v. Nestor (search) Supreme Court decision. Whether you're going to receive a Social Security check from the government at all depends entirely on the good grace of folks like Tom Delay and Ted Kennedy. Social Security provides no "guarantees." Every serious plan to make Social Security solvent involves higher taxes, smaller benefits, or both. You may feel that you've earned a right to Social Security benefits by paying all those taxes all those years, but all you've really got is a feeling, because the right, legally speaking, ain't there. Social Security is not secure.

Personal retirement accounts, however, would give each worker genuine property rights to his or her retirement savings. The money that goes into a PRA goes straight from your paycheck into an account that you own. It's not a promise; it's property. Instead of paying taxes for missiles and mohair, you get a tax cut that allows you to save and invest for your own retirement. And because what you save is yours by right, you can, unlike Social Security, pass it on to your loved ones when you die. With PRAs, you literally own the source of your retirement security, and it cannot be held hostage, whittled down, or bargained away by future Congresses

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