Let’s hope he does. He meets next week with the President’s of Pakistan and Afghanistan. John Bolton gives a fair assessment of the grave situation in the region and of our poor decisions there.

To prevent catastrophe will require considerable American effort and unquestionably provoke resistance from many Pakistanis, often for widely differing reasons. We must strengthen pro-American elements in Pakistan’s military so they can purge dangerous Islamicists from their ranks; roll back Taliban advances; and, together with our increased efforts in Afghanistan, decisively defeat the militants on either side of the border. This may mean stifling some of our democratic squeamishness and acquiescing in a Pakistani military takeover, if the civilian government melts before radical pressures. So be it.

Obama cannot look here to score more political points by Bush bashing. Listening to diplomats whom favor empowering themselves by never ending talks hasn’t provided solutions Nor can he continue to attempt to influence people by acting like fraternity rush chairman. Failure to act will damage our security.

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Good. Rubio is a tremendous candidate and a more reliable Republican. Govenor Crist is unpopular with many Florida Republicans including me. He’s more of a John McCain-Lindsey Graham Republican who has a tendency to fire on his own troops.

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Pick the target. Freeze it. Personlize it. Polarize it.

One of many memorable Saul Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals that Americans should find as common place since the Clinton years. The legendary communist still influences they way Democrats make political hay. Alinsky Rules are still at work with another true believer in Barack Obama. But no where do we see this frightening tactic at its zenith but in the continuous Democrat party attacks on Sarah Palin.

If one looks closely its easy to see this Democrat technique is easily transportable and is currently being used on other conservatives and GOP pols whom they consider dangerous. What better explanation is there for the demonization that occurred to George Bush? Or the never-ending assault on Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity. Have you ever seen an appearance on college campuses by David Horowitz or Ann Coulter?

It works to a large extent as even strong conservatives often find themselves referring to any and all of these communicators of principles as “devisive” or “polarizing” or “controversial”. Said often enough the propoganda works and even conservatives are seeing themselves this way.

They target the one’s with ideas whom communicate like Limbaugh, Hannity and Horowitz. Or the one’s they fear as a potential leader like they do Palin. We should never forget the never ending comparisons to Hitler and snide remarks about George Bush’s intelligence.

If the vast political middle can finally realize that this is the way the Democrat Party rolls, it could help stall the abrupt slide to socialism and its one-party rule they want.

UPDATE: A must read from John Hawkins of Right Wing News on this post in Pajamas Media Here’s some:

Even if it isn’t, it may at least convince them that such tactics ought to be off limits on both sides. We can say, “Gee, what if Bush had done this” or “That’s a cheap shot” all day long, but until our political opponents feel the brunt of the same savage incivility that it dishes out on a regular basis, nothing is going

Recall that a revolution that put the GOP in charge of both Houses took place when the electorate learned the truth about the criminal behavior of Bill Clinton and his wife. It might also be that it is the evidence of the same helped bring down Hillary Clinton’s White House bid.

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Oh, ok.

Amother false choice myth dispelled.

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Democrats, MSM and certain republicans (and former republicans) are being allowed to define the GOP and conservatives in a less than positive light. South Carolina’s Senator Jim DeMint has been one of the poster children of late, the Wall Street Journal gave DeMint a forum to define himself, his party and to offer some clear principles to lead the GOP.

What went wrong is an item that puzzles many of us and DeMint offers this:

No Child Left Behind didn’t win us “soccer moms,” but it did cost us our credibility on locally controlled education. Medicare prescription drugs didn’t win us a “permanent majority,” but it cost us our credibility on entitlement reform. Every year, another Republican quality was tainted: managerial competence, fiscal discipline and personal ethics.

As a public school teacher, I concur with respect to NCLB. The intent was to improve student performance in areas such as reading comprehension. But it became and ends and not a means, and giving Washington more power over the actual implementation of education in classrooms. One wonders what would have happened if there had never been a US Department of Education in the first place. The bill for public education is payed for locally, and intrusion by the federal government ultimately serves only politicians be empowering them. No directive that comes from Washington empowers anyone at the local level.

DeMint expands upon my theme of the intrusive government by effectively defining what the GOP being a “big tent” party really means.

Freedom will mean different things to different Republicans, but it can tether a diverse coalition to inalienable principles. Republicans can welcome a vigorous debate about legalized abortion or same-sex marriage; but we should be able to agree that social policies should be set through a democratic process, not by unelected judges. Our party benefits from national-security debates; but Republicans can start from the premise that the U.S. is an exceptional nation and force for good in history. We can argue about how to rein in the federal Leviathan; but we should agree that centralized government infringes on individual liberty and that problems are best solved by the people or the government closest to them.

Herein lies the essence of conservatism, and DeMint explains why it nor republicans should not allow themselves to be defined by democrats and the media.

A Republican recommitment to freedom and limited government will foster an agenda that will strengthen and invigorate our party. Freedom has worked for our party and our country before. It will again, if we let it.

There is no leader of the conservative movement as there is no real leader of republicans. When we allow democrats and the MSM to name one, they allow themselves the ability to demonize. DeMint’s piece is a very good one. But he and others like him who share his vision need to be heard not just only on the pages of the conservative leaning Wall Street Journal, but on television where they can directly confront the intentionally delivered false messages that both democrats and the media advance.

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During the 1986 season, I was in the clubhouse at the beginning of the game doing something in San Francisco. The only way to the field was an entrance right next to the Giants’ bullpen down the right field line. A little chicken coop cage is where the pitchers sat during the game. I got to the heavy steel door and watched us hit in the top half of the first. When Wally Backman came up, a voice from the Giants bullpen said, “hit him in the f….ing head.”

I told Backman about it later and he laughed loudly. In fact several players did. It meant mission accomplished. Backman got under the other team’s skin. How many current Mets spark this sort of response.

Matt Cerrone’s reporting on Minaya’s commnets was excellent in that he noted how Minaya made his initial pointed comment that clearly was intended to point to this club’s particular passion and intensity. Another more appropriate word would be moxie, a term that measures one’s ability to face difficulty with spirit and courage.

Minaya’s use of the word, “edge” is more subtle and more ill defined. But to use my word, moxie, on the surface only a few current Mets clearly appear to have it: Johan Santana, Francisco Rodriguez and David Wright. When Jose Reyes is playing with his devil may care attitude and the other team hates him, he has it. But these times are not seen often enough. Essentially only one of these is an everyday player.

Yes, here is where that other ill defined term, chemistry comes in. It’s not just liking and getting along and/or respecting each other. Whatever the particular personalities, a sense of shared purpose needs to exist. Resolve to acheive you goals.

And yes, you are what you appear to be – to opponents, to fans and yourselves.

With the current batch of players, all of these issues and subsequent questions are out there. The 2006 team that reached Game 7 of the NLCS had two players with which played with the aura of these intangible qualities in Cliff Floyd and Paul LoDuca. Pedro Martinez was also still around.

Omar Minaya did indeed walk back from his thoughts not because he believed he was wrong, but beacuse he knew he was right and there isn’t a whole lot he can do about it.

Chemistry can develop though as a team begins to find its way. But this team’s starting rotation will have to do more. The model for victory in last’s night’s game – needing three relievers to win – cannot sustain itself over a season. The line-up cannot continue to watch leads they’ve gotten during the early innings fade while they are playing defense during the middle of the game. There will be way too much psychological drama and the bullpen’s most talented pitchers will be spent by the time August gets here.

Daniel Murphy’s first inning two-run homer held up last night. Its these sorts of things that can help build something. Murphy is batting 3rd alot and its a traditionally an important spot in the batting order for the Mets. See Keith Hernandez and John Olerud. He’s done nothing but hit since he’s arrived. Maybe it will be that his emergence as a young star the Mets will have a badly new source of positive energy.

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This nonsense about Rodriguez tipping pitches while with the Rangers is more than folks in baseball are going to be able to handle. Where does she get this crap? Robert’s book is filled with “might haves” and “maybes”. No wonder Rodriguez filed a complaint against her. Roberts has a serious credibility problem as she continued to go after Duke lacrosse players after the story came out.

I hope that ESPN pulls the plug on Roberts’ appearances as her continued over-the-top “reporting”, well, “might be” slanderous.

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