The RINO Roundup

Welcome to this weeks edition of the Rino Roundup, where we showcase the best, the brightest, the most interesting, or simply the mere opinion of the Blogsphere's Rino Brigade. While your here (after reading the Roundup), fell free to take a look around the Countertop Chronicles.

But first, to start it off, a lyric. For a long while, on and off, the Countertop Chronicles has hosted a Monday Morning Song Lyric. It originally began as a tribute to Juan Non Volokh's Sunday Song Lyric - but seeing as he has long since ceased to continue the lyrical output, mine has served as a gentle (if infrequent) reminder that music does sooth the soul.

This week's lyric comes to us from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers who offer's life advice on the value of Rhino Skin. From 1999's Echo.

Rhino Skin
Music and Lyrics by Tom Petty

You need rhino skin
If you're gonna begin
To walk
Through this world
You need elephant balls
If you don't want to crawl
On your hands
Through this world

Oh my love if I reveal
Every secret I've concealed
How many thoughts would you steal
How much of my pain would you feel


To get over things
That make no sense
In this world

You need rhino skin
If you're gonna pretend
You're not hurt by this world

If you listen long enough
You can hear my skin grow tough
Love is painful to the touch
Must be made of stronger stuff

You need rhino skin
To get to the end
Of the maze through this world

You need rhino skin
Or you're gonna give in
To the needles and pins
The arrows of sin
The evils of men
You need rhino skin


Now, Der Commisar suggested I come up with a Theme for this Roundup. Sorry sir. I simply am not that creative, though maybe it should be something to make us stand at attention. Instead, as many of my regular readers might not be aware of what exactly a RINO is, I am gonna use this as an educational tool.

We begin with one of history's great RINOs.



And I can assure you that Teddy R, a man's man - called it like he saw it, which, apparently the Canadian Broadcast Company isn't doing. Not that anyone is real surprised about that, Canada lost its testicles about the time Wayne Gretzky came south of the border. Its time they grew a new pair, no?? Frankly, this PC bullshit has got to stop, but so do the distractions of the Christian Right. We are invovled in a life or death struggle for the sole of civilization and sometimes bigger issues rise to the top. Thats sort of what being a RINO is all about. Larry his it square on the head:

I don't care if Team Red or Team blue wins, I only care if this country wins. And all around I see people who play games with this country over politics. Right and Left both have their hands tainted in this affair for the heart of our nation. The more I see it the more it sickens me at a deep part of my personhood.We have a government that does things that look right or sound right instead of doing that which is right.

Free Speech and the First Amendment

At Decision 08, they are looking at one of these issues right now, the wasteful efforts to regulate blogging and the shameful extent that members of the MSM will go to protect their turf. Its outrageous. Shouldn't the FEC and CJR and CNN and NYT expendtheir energies not on shutting down a citizens media, but on important things like, ya know, protecting the first amendment??? (BTW, Decision 08 is also keeping track of emerging candidates for the 2008 presidential nomination. Too bad they are missing a biggie - former Utah Governor, former EPA Administrator, and current head of the Department of Health and Human Services within the Federal Government and will be (and has been) making plenty of use of those in paving the way to Iowa and New Hampshire victories - I'm just saying, thats all).

The belief that the government ought to stop wasting its time and resources is a rather important prerequisite to membership in the Rino Brigade (but, apparantly, spelling isn't). Of course, the items individual members see as wasteful varies by blogger, but I would hazard to guess that most of my fellow Rino's are rather disgusted by the recent efforts to regulate video games as pornography.

Hey. Betch'ya didn't know a new Harry Potter Book was released. Unlike Dean, I am a big fan (and I also like the Yankees). What are the chances it makes it onto the Banned Book List?

Finally, Bernie Goldberg put out a book (its his right) about 100 people who really aren't ruining America. Oh wait . . . . While we do appreciate their right to say whateverthehelltheywant - we get awfully upset when the MSM is so wrong, so often.

National Security

RINO's simply don't understand why the left continues to waste its energies attacking Bush when it could otherwise engage with the real enemy at hand. In particular, Gay Patriot has the balls to take the gay lobby to task for seriously misstating the real threats of violence in the world towards gays. I've always thought the Pink Pistol's had a pretty good position on the issue though (there's that pesky 2nd Amendment thing - hint, its a theme around here).

Some RINO's are using the blog medium to for constructive purposes - focusing on important historical markers as a way to make sense of the current situation.

A lot of people keep focusing on whether Karl Rove leaked anything. Considering how badly the press has blown this one - and how little credibility they have left on it - I simply don't care anymore. Joe Wilson is a lying scum bag, his wife ain't much better, and they are both publicity hounds. The press of course has been all over the place on the story - based solely upon what is in its (the MSM's) best interest. If Karl Rove released the info - good for him. If he didn't, well then I hope everyone apologizes.

I suspect that there are items on which I would agree with Orac - though I think he may be a bit myopic in his understanding of some peoples feelings. One of my concerns with electronic communication in general - and email and the blogsphere in particular - is that people are too easily annoyed, taking everything at its face value and as a nation we have lost the ability to read between the lines. Other cultures thrive on hyperbole - Orac seems frightened by it. Of course, Chris and Tom Tancredo may have actually meant what they said, but I doubt they really expect their suggestions to come to fruition. Either way, Orac's posts are very interesting, and your bound to learn something from them. My only question though, is, does he not like the second amendment???

That Pesky Second Amendment

Speaking of the Second Amendment, one of my favorite bloggers - Says Uncle - has two great posts this week on what else, firearms. It seems that sales of ammo are up at Wal Mart (I know I have bought my fair share of Winchester White Box - $19.95 for the100 round bulk pack in .45 ACP around here). Oh, and 60 minutes is lying about terrorists and domestic gun retailers again.

Incidentally, you can win a Barrett from the NRA. Its not one of their .50 calibers (too bad) but it sure is sweet.

Wouldn't it be nice if the military chose an American Made Barrett rifle in a manly cartridge to replace the M-16 instead of some ferner's plastic toy gun.

Of course, RINO's aren't simply interested in Terrorism to the exclusion of all other issues. Some of us actually care about other important things:

Fiscal Responsibility

Saving money and investing wisely is the corner stone to fiscal responsibility. One of the most important investments you can make in your lifetime - the kind of thing that prevents you from being a slave to the likes of the Social Security Administration (and Congress generally) is to purchase your own home or other investment real estate. Here's some advice on making sure the Closing goes as planned. In my case, the settlement company screwed up in 3 or 4 places. They gave me a hard time while I sat and read each and every word in our mortgage contract(and especially focused on my wife, who in turned told me to hurry up). Of course, after I discovered tens of thousands of dollars in errors in their paperwork my wife apologized (and no longer criticizes me when I read every word of every contract I sign)

Seems that the generally disarmed populace of Yemen (oh, there's that pesky 2nd Amendment again) aren't too happy about fiscal irresponsibility either but the government there is pretty good at clamping down on dissent.

Simply Outrageous. Will they put anyone on the government dole?

Leave Me Alone

Say Uncle (see above) likes to say RINO's are Republican's who don't care what you do in the bedroom. Thats part of it. Christopher Battles has some thoughts on being left alone.

Idiotic Laws

Here's a doozy for you. The Federal Become a Snitch or Go to Federal Pound Me In The Ass Prison Law. They don't really call it that, but they should. Any member of Congress who votes for this ought to be dragged out and shot - after being subjected to the booty bandit (That last statement could be a hyperbole, I really do believe anyone who votes for the law ought to be punished, but perhaps not to that extent. Well, perhaps they should).

Speaking of idiots, here's a whole list of idiotic laws.

Moronic Government Programs

Another area Rinos get pissed off at is when some local Government (and indeed, the federal government) starts wasting its time (and your money) on moronic subjects. While Les Jones was talking about the Scopes Monkey Trial, Ballon Juice (neat blog I'd never seen before) is all over an educational conference, which is so dumb - no snarking is necessary. As a Virginian, I want to apologize for these morons right here and right now.

Sometimes the action's of the Federal Government are simply so outrageous and self serving your left only to shake your head. In the case of the continuing theft of Indian Trust Funds I'd suggested a general tarring and feathering of the entire Department of Interior's workforce.

For those harboring hope that the stories of murder, dispossession, forced marches, assimilationist policy programs, and other incidents of cultural genocide against the Indians are merely the echoes of a horrible, bigoted government-past that has been sanitized by the good deeds of more recent history, this case serves as an appalling reminder of the evils that result when large numbers of the politically powerless are placed at the mercy of institutions engendered and controlled by a politically powerful few.

By the way, while my thoughts may be another example of hyperbole - the conversation I had last week with an acquaintence at Interior who showed no remorse for the victims of the Government's misdeeds but only anger at Judge Lamberth for authorizing a "fishing expedition" that is "preventing the agency from doing its important work on behalf of all Americans" simply strengthened my desires to abolish large parts of the federal government. Of course, this woman (whom I shall not name, but who is a life long Democrat and was an alleged advocate for native americans when it was advantageous for her in law school) couldn't understand how little trust I had in the Government to do the right thing going forward when it had failed - and continues to fail - so astonishingly over the past 120+ years.

Unions

I saw a great bumper sticker today.
The Labor Movement
The Folks Who Bought You The Weekend
Its brilliant and covers the entire spectrum. Yes, Unions have made important contributions to society. However, those important contributions occurred in the past - in many instances nearly 100 years ago. As a result, organized labor keeps seeing their numbers decline as American workers reject the idea of the forced extortion that they represent. Ioesn't help that most Union's are simply tools of the Democratic Party these days and as a result, fail to get results regardless of which party is in charge. Anyway, the AFL-CIO is breaking up in an especially painful and public manner. Looks like their death is at hand - though I suspect that isn't a good thing (perhaps simply a massive house clearing is in order - like 100% of their leadership).

Overflow

Don't really have an opinion I care to express here on the CNOOC's bid for Unocal (pesky conflict of interest issues), but the Big Cat Chronicles does.

Here's some thoughts on travel.

Finally, lets not forget those who have come before us - and sacrificed so much - to allow freedom to ring.

Day by day, their voices fall silent, but we are all indebted to them.

Thanks for visiting, its getting pretty late. I'm gonna throw the trackbacks up tomorrow morning. I'f you don't see yours by noon - shoot me an email with your track back code and I will resubmit it.