The Daly Report

What is truly, truly important....

2008-06-14T00:32:00.006-04:00

I didn't know Tim Russert. But from what I have heard not only today but in years past, he was a truly decent man. His love of family as a son, father and husband was well known. This is punctuated by the fact that despite a pretty extraordinary career decorated colorfully by anecdotes that almost any publisher would crawl on bended knee to purchase.....he chose to write about fatherhood in not one, but both of the books he wrote during his short life.

My heart and prayers go out, of course, to Maureen, his wife and Luke, his son, as well as his father, "Big Russ", the subject of Russert's first book.

Father's Day is never the same for those of us who have lost their father, but I am hopeful that once the initial pain and grief subside, Luke Russert can turn this tragedy, just two days before Father's Day, into something remarkable that celebrates the irreplaceable role of fathers. Clearly, Tim Russert's love for his father and of being a father was at the central core of his being and when my father passed, I wanted to find something, somehow that could possibly celebrate who my extraordinary father was. I'm still workin' on it, by the way.

It is an unfortunate reality that death has not been a stranger in my world since I can remember. Faith keeps me from fearing my own demise, but when someone so incredibly full of life leaves it far too soon -- like Tim Russert -- it seems to be a taunting reminder of a far more ominous ticking clock than the one attached to procreation.

I knew from a very early age that my parents were different since they were older than almost any of my friends' parents. But for all the benefits of having older parents, I lived in absolute sheer terror of losing them. Losing grandparents started before I reached double digits in age. My mother started her slow demise from Alzheimers not long after my college graduation and my father only enjoyed an all too brief year as a grandfather.

Seeing the trend grow to have children later, I have read much about fertility issues and pregnancy issues......but not a great deal about what it will take to raise a child to be strong, resilient, capable, independent and truly responsible, financially and otherwise -- able to rise above the truly pathetic concerns that seem to preoccupy some of the younger generation today to handle issues associated with the passing of one's parents which was once reserved for folks in their forties, fifties and sixties.

There is even a financial angle to all of this. Imagine being just out of college, starting on your career and then suddenly having to deal with the health care issues and costs of your older parents. Now don't worry, I'm not even going down the liberal Obamaville path to socialized medicine, but having been through it, I have some serious concerns about the state of nursing home care. It took months for us to find even the least objectionable facility for my mother's nursing care and it cost a fortune.

For those who don't have my father's once legendary financial sense and Depression-era ability to hold onto (or stretch) a dollar, I truly do not know how anyone, much less a recent college graduate saddled with college loans would be able to manage that financial obligation. Those were the Top Ramen days for me.

Lest you think I am begging people not to have children after "a certain age", nothing could be further from the truth. Like my mother before me, I had my daughter at age 40. This little girl joins her two older brothers and they are the light of my life. But so aware am I of the reality of the situation that I took the last year and a half off to be with the children. It may have put my career, political involvement and bank account on hold, but time seems to be speeding up, not slowing down, with age.

I truly loved my career. But that isn't life. I grew up in the shadow of the Hollywood sign and although many comparisons between Washington and Hollywood are made, one clear, stark difference is apparent. In Hollywood, your success is measured by how little time you spend in the office and in DC, your success is measured by how many hours you spent doing blah blah blah for so and so and ooops, there goes the Blackberry buzz every 3 seconds to punctuate just how important you are.

For everything Tim Russert did and the amazing folks he met and the remarkable interviews he conducted....I would bet he was his happiest in Italy this past month celebrating his son's graduation from college and wouldn't trade it to exclusively interview anyone in Washington on live television while they are hooked up to a lie detector gizmo.

The comparison is probably unfair, though. Tim Russert died tragically young at 58. He should have had far more years on this Earth and there will be events from now on for the Russert family that will bring the loss into sharp relief. I would have given anything to have my mother there when I tried on my wedding dress, much less at my wedding. And I would have loved to have seen my former quarterback father teach his two grandsons how to throw a perfect spiral, or look into the deep brown eyes of his granddaughter (a mirror reflection of his own brown eyes) to see that the title of "Princess" had been relinquished to the next generation.

But I digress. A loss is a loss no matter the circumstance. I am still prayerfully hopeful, though, that those who do take on parenting at an older age recognize the special circumstances of the situation and take care not to let the things of the world interfere with what is truly, truly far more important.

In the meantime, I am truly hopeful that this Father's Day, you will not see it as merely another family obligation but a privilege -- a time to thank your father, stepfather, grandfather, godfather, etc. Hug your dad a little tighter this year. Give your father the gift of your time and attention -- maybe some awesome experience that will create a cherished memory. There are a lot of us out here who can tell you that no matter how many years pass since losing a father, we'd give just about anything for the chance for just one more phone call, much less an entire Father's Day!

So God bless all of you who are fathers out there and who do your job with patience, understanding and unfailing love but little thanks for the efforts. You truly are appreciated more than you know!

5-4. Again.

2008-06-14T00:13:00.003-04:00

Not the best decision on Gitmo yesterday. But it should bring into sharp relief just how critical the judicial appointments issue truly is. One more appointment to the Court just might have been the difference. Who occupies the Oval Office in the next term will make quite an impact....let's hope that it is for good (Constitutionalist) and not evil (judicial activist).

The fact that Captain Obstruction, AKA Senator Leahy, and his pals are running out the clock on this President's term in the hopes that Senator "Yes, We Can" Obama ushers in a new New Deal, a new Camelot and his Miss America interview promise for world peace -- all rolled into one liberal blob -- should not necessarily go unchallenged, particularly on the nominations front.

The conservative malaise is not without its completely justified origins. But no matter who will be the occupant of 1600 Penn, the occupants of the various federal benches around the nation will have a massive impact far beyond a lifetime of elections.

The boys in Leahy's crew would like very much for it to remain nice and quiet.

Good for McConnell, and Cornyn, and Specter and all of the awesome grassroots leaders who are pushing this boulder back up the hill, much to the consternation of lefties everywhere who are frantically saying "Ssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Ed Whelan's and Mark Levin's responses from National Review Online are quite interesting. The NRO editors weigh in here. and Senator Cornyn's always timely release on all things judicial is here.

Here is the link to the opinion online:
http://www.scotusblog.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/06-1195.pdf

Service connected disability is NOT Social Security disability. Apples and oranges.

2008-04-24T09:22:00.004-04:00

P.S. The numbskull tax attorney from the LA Times piece questioning John McCain's disability had better check his facts.

The law says quite clearly that it is immaterial whether a disabled veteran is working or not, 100% disabled or not, compensation is deserved and untaxable. They receive a check for life based upon the level of service connected disability, period. It is nothing like Social Security disability. To compare it is ignorant of the facts.

The Congress this very week is considering expansion of benefits for disabled veterans. If that tax attorney wants to take issue with this centurys old judgment of the US Congress that disabled veterans should be compensated for their service, then I wish him luck. Perhaps he should take it up with his liberal colleagues in the leadership of the US Senate who have even embraced disabled veterans.

Disability now a disqualifier????

2008-04-24T08:37:00.003-04:00

Outrageous.

This is low, even for the LA Times.

Forget the bizarre notion that the LA Times apparently believes that a tax attorney is medically qualified to make a judgment on who is fit to be a POTUS and just think about how utterly outrageous the logic is for their argument.

The LA Times is actually asserting that a veteran.....a POW...... a decorated Navy pilot....... someone who receives a disability pension because of the injuries received during the ultimate service to our country is not fit to be Commander in Chief.

Frankly, I have been wary of John McCain's candidacy for several policy related reasons. His obstruction of extraordinarily well qualified judicial nominees has been more than frustrating. His participation in the so-called "Gang of 14" (truthfully more like a "Gang of 20" but apparently not everyone wanted to be caught officially plotting and scheming with the "Gang of 14"....but you know who you are....) is a huge bone of contention for those of us who have fought for fair up or down votes for all nominees. McCain's positions on immigration, taxes, and a laundry list of socially conservative issues on the Republican platform are close to unacceptable for many of us who embrace conservative values.

But.

One of the redeeming qualifications of John McCain that outshines all of the other would-be presidential candidates is his military service. As a POW, John McCain endured what far too few Americans are willing to endure for the love of the freedoms that they enjoy. To say that because he is a disabled veteran is a disqualification from the office of Commander in Chief is exactly backwards.

Frankly, I wish that military service was a requirement for a stint in the Oval Office. If there is anyone who understands the horrors of war better than someone who has endured it, I'd like to know who that would be.

So-called experts who rail against war simply because they have read about it hold no charms for me.

I wonder if the LA Times had similar questions about FDR or JFK? That would be an interesting little research project.

John McCain's military service is unmatched in this race and it may, in fact, be the one redeeming factor that will snare my vote. As far as I know, neither Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton have so much as worn a JROTC uniform for a day. (Unless they have worn one as a Halloween costume one year......)

Fact is, articles like the LA Times will serve only one purpose -- to galvanize the vote from those of us who may have serious questions about John McCain's voting record, but are humbled by his military service record.

RIP William F Buckley

2008-02-27T11:39:00.003-05:00

The New York Times and Fox News Channel are reporting that William F. Buckley passed away today at the age of 82. According to National Review online, he was at home in his study in Stamford, CT, at the time of his passing. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends and colleagues.

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MTE4NGRlOGM1NmYxYjdmNjk1MjliOTE2MTYxOWZkZjc=

My mother was a huge fan of William F. Buckley. She was a loyal subscriber to National Review and voraciously read his books both fiction and non-fiction. When I was around 10 years old or so, she bought me my first "grown up" book to read -- "God and Man at Yale". I became an instant fan -- both of the ideas presented and the way those ideas were expressed. There is no doubt that the clarity and genius of Buckley's writing influenced me tremendously as a conservative. For several generations of activists, he defined the meaning of conservatism and to be frank, the loss of Mr. Buckley at this time is yet another blow to the movement.

Although perhaps now, with his passing, those who were once devotees of his ideas but perhaps who strayed from the cause may now have an opportunity to review the body of his work as his life is examined in the coming days. Perhaps those stray lambs will come home to the principles that once made the conservative movement great.

One can only hope.

Indiana Jones is BACK!!!

2008-02-14T09:15:00.002-05:00

For 19 years we waited for some sign, some hope that Indiana Jones would don his tattered fedora, take up his whip and slide on his worn leather bomber jacket and return to us for at least two action filled hours.

Oh, I had heard the rumors. But I have been let down before. And frankly, this is Indiana Jones we are talking about here, friends. This isn't just any ordinary wanna-be sequel.

So here it is. The JUST RELEASED trailer for......"Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull."

No doubt this is true.

2008-02-07T08:57:00.000-05:00

At least I.....think it is....but I can't remember....
http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/conditions
/02/05/pregnancy.memory/index.html

Year of the Rat, indeed.

2008-02-06T21:52:00.000-05:00

Happy Chinese New Year!!! It is the Year of the Rat -- traditionally a favorite in China. According to every Chinese placemat I have ever seen, I was born in the Year of the Horse.

So what does the Year of the Rat mean to those of us who are holding our breath convulsively until November?

With the exception of 1984 (Reagan's landslide and reaffirmation of conservatism), Chinese Calendar's Year of the Rat (starting every 12 years on New Moon in February) has not been kind to Republicans - 1948 ("Dewey Wins!"), 1960 (JFK-Nixon), 1972 (Nixon's Watergate begins), 1996 (Bob Dole), 2008? (Bob Dole, part 3 1/3 ?).

Sigh.

Readings for the Year of the Rat Nation Multimedia Group
(Bangkok's Independent Newspaper) ^ December 29, 2007
Eugenia Last

The Year of the Rat is for the opportunist, the proactive, the profiteer and the politician.
This, indeed, will be a year to keep a watchful eye on those who run the world financially, intellectually and dictatorially.

The Rat year is also one of change, reform and the year to put
well-thought-out strategy to work.

Worldwide, it's a time when security will count and when political
giants will want to protect what's theirs.

As for the average Joe, the Year of the Rat means 12 months to
turn losses into gains and instability into security. It will be a time
to enjoy the simple pleasures and to be confident enough to be a
contributor to the Rat revolution.

Rat revolution???? Mao Tse Rat?

McCain-Gramm???

2008-01-30T01:44:00.000-05:00

Just thinking out loud here. Since the blogs are practically on fire both for and against John McCain, I wonder if one of McCain's old Senate buddies, Phil Gramm, would do anything to assuage the angst of both me and my true-blue conservative brethren.

I used to work for Phil Gramm and truly, the man is stone cold brilliant. We could frankly use an Economics PhD as a Veep. The beauty of Phil Gramm is also that he is that miraculous blend between the fiscal and social conservative -- like the mythical beast....the unicorn....they truly do exist! Gramm actually introduced a Constitutional Amendment every year to protect the unborn. He is a top notch conservative. Usually mentioned for Treasury Secretary or even laughably as a Chief of Staff. (Edit: Please understand that whatever job Phil Gramm would obtain....he would do remarkable things and be extraordinarily successful. But Chief of Staff just isn't a big enough job for that monumental brain!)

Nope. I figure if the trend is going toward McCain.....at least put someone in the understudy chair that would truly fire up conservatives.

I dunno. What do you think?

Florida. Yawn.

2008-01-30T00:27:00.000-05:00

Those who know me will truly find this jaw-dropping.

I am so detached from politics that I didn't watch one microsecond of the Florida results. And since we are confessing here....I didn't watch the results in South Carolina, New Hampshire, Iowa or even Wyoming.

For me, this whole election is sort of like watching the Super Bowl without a team on the field -- semi-interesting from a historical point of view but my heart just isn't thumping as the decisive moment of victory or defeat takes shape.

Watching the debates has been infuriating. Not an unscripted, unrehearsed-t0-death moment yet. While that hasn't bothered me in political years of the past, it bothers me to the point of rage this year.

Here's the cold reality of the situation -- if the best conservative portions of the Republican candidates could be blended together, then I wouldn't be so horrified at what we are facing this fall. Last year I walked away from this process not only because of a new baby in our lives but also because I was truly disgusted by all things political.

It wasn't the ugliness of politics -- heaven knows I am unfortunately used to that unsavory part of the business. Perhaps it was being too close for too long to watching the sausage being made......needed a break from the sausage factory.

(Note: Truth? I'm being coy. I know pretty precisely why I took the year off. After all, I had some time to think about it. I'll let the reasons why come out when the time is right. In the meantime, speculate away. The sausage factory theory is pretty close, though.)

The situation is truly impossible. There is the correct political thing to do and then, there is the correct moral thing to do and frankly, for the first time in my voting life, those two things have not converged in the slightest. In fact, in the past, we have faced Presidential choices that we have "settled for" but at least at the margins, the political and the moral edges touched, even if it was ever so slightly. There was hope and at least a passing aquaintence with conservatism that didn't smack of political expedience and a fist full of talking points.

There are reasons to vote for and against each and every one of the Republican candidates and each case is compelling. I have friends involved in all of the races and the divisions run along the fault lines of the Republican Party itself.

There have been columns and blog postings by the dozens predicting the demise of the Party. While I wouldn't ever wish for the demise of the Party, I do not believe that change is a bad thing. Perhaps some really blunt conversations can take place now. There have been several factions within the Party that sit around tables in Washington and throughout the nation that smile at each other across the room and as soon as they are out of earshot from each other, plot to get the upper hand. The minefields and fault lines are exhausting to navigate.

Family fights can be cathartic. Even purifying. There may not be a resolution that everyone likes, but at least things can finally be truly discussed. Social conservatives have felt like red-headed stepchildren of the Party and fiscal conservatives have felt as though social conservatives never stop whining and demanding. Then there are some other factions running about that are also part of the family and have their list of complaints as well.

Growing pains can hurt, but they aren't always a bad thing. Some good things can come out of them even though the changes might seem drastic at the time.

Watching all of this, popcorn in hand, I try to keep the adage that my wise mother used to tell me about elections....."No matter who is elected President, we'll be washing the same dishes the next day..."

Did you ever think you'd actually long for a Bob Dole candidacy again?

Beware the Ides of January....

2008-01-15T21:32:00.000-05:00

It is January the 15Th.....a day that many of us have been waiting for....

It is a veritable fun-fest of narcissism and an overload of self-esteem gone wild. Some have arrived with an entourage of supporters and well-wishers and some who are particularly desperate for attention show up in the wildest of costumes. Some have talent and others have unbelievably never been told that they haven't got a speck of it. They all have strong beliefs and are not afraid to tell you all about them. The scariest place on the planet is between them and a television camera (or a free plane ticket). Some are certifiably, over the top, little-men-in-the-white-coats nuts.

Some do have genuine talent and deserve our attention, even if it is just for a moment. But for others, this may be the last stop.

So once the freaks in the costumes are weeded out and the nuts finally are convinced that they really aren't going to make it and give up and go home, then America finally weigh in and vote.

And America has been voting in droves! Some have claimed that it is rigged but the winners have claimed their titles unmolested.

That's right....it is time for another season of AMERICAN IDOL!!!!

(What....did you think we were talking about Michigan or something???? )

My 500th post -- appropriately dedicated to Ronald Reagan.

2008-01-14T00:23:00.000-05:00

500 posts! Woo-hoo!

"A political party cannot be all things to all people. It must represent certain fundamental beliefs which must not be compromised to political expediency or simply to swell its numbers."
- President Ronald Reagan at CPAC, 2/15/75

So sayeth the Book of Gipper. Amen.

My husband's right foot.

2008-01-14T00:14:00.000-05:00

Remember the movie "My Left Foot"? Well, my husband's right foot has dominated my existence since last Thursday night.

He was taking out the Christmas tree. Our beautiful, 12-foot Christmas tree. The children were mourning its passing, but it was well past Twelfth Night and it was starting to look like procrastination on our parts!

Truly, it was a beautiful tree, loaded with tiny white lights and ornaments that echoed Christmas' past. But that tree also will forever be linked to my husband's misstep that cracked one of the multitude of bones that are in the foot.

At first, he sucked it up and limped through a meeting with his boss. But upon awaking on Friday morning, he fell back onto the bed with a yelp that signalled pain and shock. I looked at the foot, which now was a rainbow of colors and realized quickly that we needed to get to the emergency room.

So that is my excuse for not blogging on Friday. A day filled with x-rays, splints, runs to the drug store and full kid duties. The doctor's orders clearly said for him to stay off the foot and keep it elevated. Monday will be "permanent cast" day at the orthopedic surgeon's office and I'm truly hoping that surgery isn't in his future. My husband does many things well -- but staying down for any length of time or anything to do with hospitals, doctors, etc. and he is completely out of his element.

The kids are excited about the possibilities of drawing on his cast.

Man. It is going to be a LONG six weeks.

Unimpressive.

2008-01-10T18:34:00.000-05:00

When I first saw this, I thought it had to be a joke.

http://www.menshealth.com/cda/article.do?site=
MensHealth&channel=guy.wisdom&category
=career.money&conitem=5d4f6063304d6110
VgnVCM10000013281eac____

But it isn't.

This is the most pathetic thing I have ever read. Literally, this chick makes me want to apologize for my entire gender. Where are the feminists to slap her upside her coifed hairdo? Oh, that's right. They support a woman's right to choose prostitution as a profession.

In all seriousness, check out any reality show and you will see women saying precisely this sort of thing. They all have the "what have you bought for me/done for me lately" attitude. Ladies, if this is what you are telling the man in your life, you needn't wonder why he hasn't popped the question.

Feminism has done such a disservice to women. They haven't taught women where their true power lies. It isn't in getting stuff from men or going to work and leaving their children to be raised by someone else or even in their ultimate Nirvana of "equality." All women have done is debase themselves by trying to be "equal". They have sunk to "equality" and in the process have orphaned a generation of children, gotten the privilege of getting themselves killed in the line of duty, found out that men really don't call back when you sleep with them, and spawned entirely new strains of the most virulent STDs the world has ever known. Congratulations.

Exactly what part of "equal" is defined by filling the empty soul one has created through meaningless liaisons with material possessions. We have now established what this woman clearly is, it is now just a matter of price. She wants to travel, have her parents travel and herself and her friends all treated to spa days and expensive shopping trips.

Apparently what this gal doesn't get is that when a man is truly committed to you -- I mean down to the bone marrow -- and you are equally committed to him......amazing, wonderful things happen without you even having to ask. But all of it -- the trips, the money, the material possessions, the jewelry, the gifts -- pale in comparison to the importance of the little moments that love creates.

Truly, I can't tell you what my husband got me for our last anniversary or even Christmas. It was spectacular, I'm sure. But the thoughtful things he does for me every day and the considerate, sweet, loving things he does for his family constantly, mean more than all the trinkets in the world. Frankly, I don't even think in terms of "what can I get from him next?" Instead, my concern at the moment is how his sprained ankle is. (He sprained his ankle badly this morning taking our 12-foot Christmas tree out to the curb.....a 12-foot tree, by the way, that the children still talk about going to get with him. Far more important than the fact that the tree was 12 feet was the time he spent with his children. They will always remember that.)

I don't know. It just seems like women today are more interested in the temporal things rather than the permanent and it is so sad.

This article didn't impress me in the least. In fact, it impressed upon me the amount of work that truly has to be done to reverse this sad state of mind that seems to have permeated women's psyches.

An Alzheimer's miracle drug?

2008-01-10T13:09:00.000-05:00

What a blessing this drug would have been in the case of my mother:

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23431610-details/Drug%20'can%20reverse%20Alzheimer's%20symptoms%20in%20minutes'/article.do

Just about two decades ago, when my mother started down the pathway to Alzheimer's, it wasn't much discussed. It was happening to my friends' grandparents, but not many of my friends had mothers in their sixties. Early fifties, maybe.

At any rate, my mother started down the pathway of dementia in her early sixties. She had me at age 40 and there was some part of me that felt a little cheated. I didn't get to pick out my wedding dress with my mother. I didn't get to share the ups and downs of pregnancies with her or get that valuable advice on mothering that one can only get from a mother.

I did get to realize a few things earlier than others my age who didn't lose their parents in their 20s or 30s. When my mother first forgot my birthday, I discovered that a birthday isn't just about you....but your mother marks it as a terribly special day in her consciousness as well....losing that bond....that annual phone call that you know you are going to get and roll your eyes about.....when that goes away somehow the birthday is never quite complete again.

Many friends of mine who are having babies in their late 30s and early 40s may not have considered the cost of late parenthood. You have to raise your children a wee bit differently -- ready to take on significant responsibilities and able to handle things at a far younger age. And you might be around for a very short time so it is incredibly important that you be there. Nannies, night nurses, etc., are wonderful, but the fact is, an older mom should know that the clock is ticking. Not trying to be morbid here, but friends, no one knows the cost of having older parents better than I do. I wouldn't trade it for the world, and the benefits outweigh the costs by a long shot, but there are costs that one cannot deny.

And then there are the fiscal costs. At the time my mother was ill, my father took care of her until his health finally gave out. Health insurance wouldn't cover her costs at the nursing home and in the early 1990s, the nursing home we found for her cost $10K a month and that didn't include a host of extras.....like diapers. You haven't lived until you have changed your own mother's diapers. Frankly, it was a privilege and I wish I had the opportunity to do so again if it meant I could have her back for just a little while longer.

When someone you love is in the throes of dementia, you keep hoping to see some sign of clarity, a flicker of recognition or just some measure of hope that your loved one has somehow done the impossible with the irreversible.

It is different than any other kind of death. When my father died, he was clear as a bell until the day he died. The lymphoma had devoured his frame down to 140 pounds from a strapping 200, but he was actually doing laundry and running errands until he finally laid down for his final sleep that night. They are there, eyes still somehow twinkling with the history of your relationship with them, no matter how ill they are. Then when death comes upon them, the soul is just gone in an instant.

But when you are dealing with dementia, the person that your loved one once slips away very slowly, chipping off memories and personality, scarcely allowing you to acclimate to the "new" person they have become before they slide completely into a hollow shell with vacant eyes.

You want to will it to stop. You want them to fight against it. But there is no "raging against the dying of the light" because they truly do not know or understand what is happening. So you are left, hoping for a miracle but trying to come to grips with the fact that there is simply nothing you can do but make them absolutely comfortable as possible.

That, friends, is a lot for a 20-something to take in. And I wonder, given the state of young folks today, if they are prepared to handle the reality that could come crashing into their world? Currently, it would seem that they are overdosing on self-esteem but don't seem to have a lot of self-reliance and more importantly, they seem completely engrossed in the temporal rather than the permanent. Instant gratification and acquisition of the material seems to make America hum on all engines, but when the chips are down, what spiritual strength do they have to draw upon?

Children are not Pomeranians and having them later in life does not make them accessories or fashion statements. They require a concentrated dose of parenting to withstand what life will throw at them. And for heaven's sake, prepare them for responsibility.

So......this miracle drug sounds great. God bless the scientists who have discovered it and I pray that it will be the miracle that people have been praying for. But at the risk of sounding skeptical, at the time my mother was "diagnosed" (true diagnosis doesn't come until the demise), I believe the treatment of the day was some other miracle drug combined with some super doses of vitamins. Didn't work.

So rather than counting on a miracle, I'm going to do my job and raise my children to be outstanding human beings, godly to the core and tough as a boot (as my grandfather would say! :) ) Standing at the foot of your mother's grave can be very clarifying. It brings life's priorities into crystal clear focus. And like my mother before me, my gravestone will say "wife and mother." No other job will be more important than that. Miracles are the cherry on top.

Quoteapalooza

2008-01-09T22:08:00.000-05:00

"That's what a Congressman or a Senator is for---to see that too much money don't accumulate in the national Treasury." ---Will Rogers

"Freedom was given to humanity by God. But, governments, if they can help it, never give freedom. They just hand out slavery with slogans." ---Taylor Caldwell

"To prevent inquiry is among the worst of evils." ---Thomas Holcroft

"The titans of the major media don't see themselves as in need of reform. They think the voters have to be reformed, not the media." ---Brent Bozell

"The question of what kind of President each candidate would makeis infinitely more important than all the 'horse race' handicapping that dominates the media." ---Thomas Sowell

"Liberal voters want desperately to cast a history-making vote and, if that's your priority, Barack Obama is a much more appealing way to cast it than Hillary. Don't worry about this 'Change You Can Believe In' shtick. Obama doesn't believe in it, and neither should you. He's a fresh face on the same-old-same-old---which is the only change Democrats are looking for." ---Mark Steyn

Live Free or Die

2008-01-09T12:13:00.000-05:00

That's always been the greatest state motto of all time. I have heard liberals state that they either don't like it -- too violent -- or they don't "get it." It strikes me that perhaps the only thing they want to die for is in the realm of self-interest. Now that certainly doesn't go for all liberals, of course, but there are an awful lot of liberals who are terrified of death. Perhaps they are scared of death since their religion is science. I cannot imagine facing this second half of my life thinking that this is all there is. What a deary existence.

But I digress.

New Hampshire sure did put a bunch of pundits and pollsters in their places, didn't it? And what did I say yesterday? That wins and losses would be misinterpreted and outcomes are not all they appear to be......remember?

New Hampshire is one bizarre state. Lovely place, but virtually unpredictable when it comes to voting patterns. Remember Bill Clinton's results there? And John McCain's victory in the last round? Fact is, a victory or a defeat in New Hampshire is not dispositive, it is merely an indicator of what messages are resonating with the "I vote for the person, not the party" crowd.

There was no one more surprised than Hillary Clinton last night, unless it was Barack Obama. The problem with believing punditry or your own press releases is the subjective nature of both. Now there is no doubt in the world that Barack Obama has a charisma that is astounding and he brings tons of otherwise apathetic young folks into the process, but perhaps those folks are there for the free eats rather than the loftier goals of the democratic process.

Now perhaps Hillary did know that there was going to be quite an upset because Sean Hannity called Mary Matalin to find out if the headlines of the day were true. According to Mary, her Ragin' Cajun hubby was not going to this Clinton campaign to film "War Room: The Reunion."
It is sort of a shame, too, because James would be the second most interesting person on that campaign team. Bill takes first place by far. He sure does want a second crack at that intern pool, now doesn't he?

Barack Hussein Obama, the Left's idea of Ronald Wilson Reagan but without the clear moral compass and the concise ideas that penetrated even the most cynical political animal and the overwhelming passion for the goodness of America and her people.......was supposed to put the stake in heart of the Clinton campaign. Based upon faulty polling, panting reporters who breathlessly reported from Obama campaign events and a whole lot of wishful thinking, it is clear that the graphics guys at the mainstream news departments had some scrambling to do to change their mistaken headlines reminiscent of "Dewey vs. Truman" quickly.

As for the Republicans, it was pretty clear that McCain had things sown up, but this is a really weird year and heaven knows that it is a pretty flawed field of players. Every one of them has problems that makes them less than ideal candidates despite their fervent desire to claim the "Reagan conservative" mantle.

Truth is, I am already popping popcorn for what is probably going to be a brokered convention. It would actually be kind of nice to have a bit of intrigue rather than the sappy, tired, trite, worn, dull speeches that make up conventions on both sides of the aisle. Is it any wonder that broadcast channels hesitate to change their regular programming for the dry, dull, boring, sing-song speeches that no one, not even the convention participants, actually listen to?

Injecting a bit of passion into things would be nice. A bit unscripted. A bit of humor, for once, people! Political types take themselves far, FAR too seriously.

So now we go to South Carolina where everyone claims an edge. Poll numbers I saw today go something like this........

Huckabee is way ahead of everyone else, much to the horror of anyone who is not a Christian conservative. Big debate in Myrtle Beach, S.C. tomorrow night.
Huckabee: 32%
McCain: 19%
Romney: 16%
Thompson: 9%
Giuliani: 9%

So here are a couple of questions. Was it really wise for Guiliani to sit out these past few rounds? How does one win a Republican primary with just New York and Los Angeles? Does McCain always poll at 19% in South Carolina (same number post NH against Bush 43, actually) despite spending lots of time hanging out in South Carolina with his number one lapdog, Lindsey Graham? How energized are the Huckabelievers and are those numbers solid? Is this Fred's last campaign effort or is he really planning to continue to stick it out?

So everyone chant with me now "Brokered convention, brokered convention, brokered convention, brokered convention..."

Not really a catchy beat, is it? Got to think of something clever for that....

So, I'm back.

2008-01-08T13:17:00.000-05:00

After a year long haitus, a self-imposed sabbatical, a contemplative pause........I'm back.

Truthfully, I never meant for it to be close to a year before I wrote again but having my daughter changed something for me. It is my third child and possibly my last and so, I decided that absolutely nothing would divert my attention from this new, challenging arrangement of three children under the age of six running underfoot in the Daly household.

We've gone from a man-on-man defense to a zone defense, truth be told, and some things just simply had to be let go. Since I don't employ a battalion of nannies, night nurses, assistants and maids, the housework and child duties really did triple. I also duly took note of the extremely hurt look of son #2 as he realized he was no longer the baby. We guided him gently through "middle child syndrome" (or at least we hope that is over.....).

This precious baby girl has brought an entirely new dimension to our family and despite a few bumps in the road, the boys have taken to her with their whole hearts. She is sweet and delicate, but also determined and tough and is doing everything she can to blow the development charts right out of the window and catch up to her big brothers as fast as possible. Babyhood is far behind us now as we are fully into toddler mode now.

I am my mother's age when she had me and I wonder if she had the same feelings that I do. Baby book entries shed some light onto her psyche, but I'm wondering if she had a wholescale change of heart as I have had.

As more and more of my departed parents' friends take their final journeys into nursing homes and assisted living facilities, I realize just how short life truly is. I recognized the phenomenon, of course, when my parents passed away, but now that I have had a baby in my fortieth year just as my mother did, there is some kind of time clock that has kicked in and I realize with absolute clarity that there is only so much time left and the list of things I would like to accomplish does not seem to be getting any shorter. Diversions, however tempting, should not keep goals distant.

So the new me has gone from blond to brunette and has zeroed in on those things that truly matter. Regularly writing -- be it columns or this blog -- will be one of those things. Family will always be the top priority and if it overtakes the efforts here or elsewhere, so be it, but I will certainly make the effort and I hope you will make the effort to visit here often.

I will comment daily on things -- sometimes political, sometimes not. But even that has changed. I am not interested in the least in spin or anything slightly less than the truth. And sometimes the truth hurts. So be it.

It strikes me that both Democrats and Republicans have screwed things up to a point where I truly wonder if the pendulum will ever swing back to sanity again. The depth of the "malaise" among conservatives is deeper than most folks know, write about or are willing to even admit.

Even those who have extensive experience in elections, etc. haven't seen it this bad before. Those of us still looking for a saviour are wondering about the cost of settling yet again for a candidate who will yet again disappoint. More disturbingly, the true nature of conservatism strays from the original definition as additional adjectives are added to the word "conservative". There are now "economic" conservatives, "Christian" conservatives, "compassionate" conservatives, "South Park" conservatives, black conservatives, conservative women, "Reagan conservatives" (which truth be told incorporated ALL of those things....).....and the list goes on and on as we Balkanize into an untenable Tower of Babel, losing what we really are over the pathetic desire to win an election at all costs.

Oh sure, they say, but then, once we have the Oval Office, we can do those conservative things that matter! But somehow, the price for selling one's soul to get into the Oval Office is, in fact, selling one's soul. And that leaves us, as conservatives, out in the cold as everyone but conservatives are embraced and a new patchwork quilt of socialism, liberalism and every other "ism" are thrown into the pot to create a new definition of "conservatism."

Here's the thing.....there is no doubt that the President has an obligation to listen to all points of view. But does he have to embrace whatever theory was the last one in the room? Or the one that some biased poll question says is the way to go? Why should Ted Kennedy, or a bunch of feminists or union thugs ever get to dictate policy to a Republican President? Will the Family Research Council, Tom Coburn, home schoolers and free marketeers get to even meet with a Democratic President? Doubtful, but I'm willing to hold out hope.

They say that the Reagan coalition is dead. I don't think so. Open up a Supreme Court vacancy and watch it come together pretty quickly. Everyone in this so-called Reagan coalition is either attached to a candidate based upon that one thing that appeals to them, or because ambition and opportunity collided or they are sitting out this round, horrified at everything they see.

I found it fascinating that the one guy who uses the best email list of evangelicals, Huckabee, becomes the big winner in Iowa. Then, of course, every "economic" conservative had kittens over the victory, not comprehending in the least the power of email among Christian conservatives. Christian conservatives don't watch TV very much. They are with their families. Traditional methods of reaching them don't work. Economic conservatives are more likely to watch commercials and having been subjected to the barrage of Romney ads probably thought he was a done deal.

New Hampshire is a whole other story, as many candidates have found out. Predictions are all over the place for both Republicans AND Democrats as the independents have a blast playing independent reindeer games. The analysis is sure to be slightly off as they fail to realize the gamesmanship of independent voters. They actually take a huge amount of pride in "voting for the person, not the party" and spend an enormous amount of time in the details -- either the details of the positions of the candidates or the sheer strategy of voting for one person in a primary over another.

Oh what fun this year is going to be, friends.

Maternity leave

2007-02-16T10:28:00.000-05:00

Forgive the sporadic posts, but I will be busily getting ready for the impending arrival of our third child. I will post as time and circumstances allow, but posting will not be regular until mid- to late- March or so. Then I will be back with a vengeance!

KRD

Pelosi: Do as I say.....not as I do....

2007-02-07T12:57:00.000-05:00

From the Republican Study Committee:

As you may have heard, Speaker Nancy Pelosi pressed the Department of Defense to provide her a military aircraft for flights - including trips back to San Francisco.

But Did You Know?
Who Pays for Speaker Pelosi's travel? You do.

Speaker Pelosi is driven by a government owned SUV that is exempt from the gas tax when used for business related travel. Thus, Speaker Pelosi not only avoids paying for auto travel (paid for by Capitol Police) she doesn't even pay the gas tax that millions of Americans pay each day. (Internal Revenue Code Section 6421E). §

Rep. Pelosi has voted to raise gasoline taxes at least five times. Speaker Pelosi has requested an Air Force C-32 - a plane from a fleet that that typically carries the vice president, the first lady, and Cabinet officials. Operating Costs are approximately $15,000 an hour. Speaker Pelosi is not responsible for paying for the use of her "personal" Department of Defense jet - which will be used to transport not just herself, but staff, family, other members and friends. That bill is paid for by taxpayer dollars allotted to the Department of Defense.§

"...For one of those planes to fly the speaker home to San Francisco, drop her off, and fly back and get her, would cost taxpayers around $300,000 - while round-trip commercial fares start at $233." (DC Examiner, 2/5/2007)§

The larger plane requested by Speaker Pelosi would include 42 business class seats, a fully-enclosed state room, an entertainment center, a private bed, state-of-the-art communications system and a crew of 16. (CNN, 2/5/07)·

In contrast, Speaker Hastert "...used a smaller jet that seats 12 and has five crew members and none of the amenities." (CNN, 2/5/07)§

"U.S. Air Force travel for VIPs such as members of Congress is first-rate. The planes are staffed with stewards who serve meals and tend an open bar." (Washington Times, 2/1/2007)

To borrow her own words, it's time for Speaker Pelosi to "Walk the Walk" on her beliefs and priorities: Speaker Pelosi maintains that that, "The science of global warming and its impact is overwhelming and unequivocal." (Boston Globe, 1/22/07). "It's an issue that the speaker thinks is critical to address," said Pelosi spokeswoman Jennifer Crider. (AP, 1/18/2007)·

In his State of the Union this year, President Bush proposed tackling the issue by aiming to cut gasoline consumption by 20% in 10 years... And Democrats remained skeptical about his commitment. "It's not just about what he says. It's about what he does." [Speaker] Pelosi said. "In the past ... he has talked the talk on climate change. But he hasn't walked the walk." (Los Angeles Times, 1/24/2007)

There seems to be a lot of confusion about the motives behind Mrs. Pelosi's landmark request - including some within her own office. But, Defense Officials seem to have an answer. · ".... [Pelosi's] safety would be best ensured by using a plane that has the fuel capacity to go coast-to-coast.... "There's a certain amount of inefficiency and risk involved in stopping and having to refuel," said Dew Hammill, Spokesman for the Speaker. (Roll Call, 2/5/2007)

"...sources, who include those in Congress and in the administration, said the Democrat is seeking regular military flights not only for herself and her staff, but also for relatives and for other members of the California delegation." (Washington Times, 2/1/2007

"...According to reports, Speaker Pelosi requested the use of a military plane to attend a retreat in Williamsburg, Virginia, last week. That's 150 miles or a two-hour drive from Washington, D.C. That request, by all accounts, was denied." (CNN, 2/5/07)

"The Department of Defense offered Speaker Pelosi the same aircraft' as the one used by Hastert...." "She found it was not big enough for staff, supporters and other Members." (Roll Call, 2/5/2007)

The defense source, who asked not to be named, termed her request "carte blanche," saying "she wanted a plane that could carry an entourage just like President Bush, who flies on Air Force One, and Vice President Dick Cheney, who also always flies on military planes." (Washington Times, 2/7/2007)

A case of contradiction and wasteful government spending? You be the judge.

Happy Birthday, Mr. President. You are missed.

2007-02-06T18:49:00.000-05:00

"I learned from my father the value of hard work and ambition, andmaybe a little something about telling a story. From my mother,I learned the value of prayer, how to have dreams and believeI could make them come true... I was raised to believe that Godhas a plan for everyone and that seemingly random twists of fateare all part of His plan. My mother... told me that everythingin life happened for a purpose. She said all things were part ofGod's plan, even the most disheartening setbacks, and in the end,everything worked out for the best. If something went wrong, shesaid, you didn't let it get you down: You stepped away from it,stepped over it, and moved on." ---Ronald Reagan

"So now we declare 'war on poverty'... Now, do they honestlyexpect us to believe that if we add $1 billion to the $45 millionwe are spending... one more program to the 30-odd we have---andremember, this new program doesn't replace any, it just duplicatesexisting programs---do they believe that poverty is suddenlygoing to disappear by magic?... Yet anytime you and I questionthe schemes of the do-gooders, we are denounced as being againsttheir humanitarian goals. They say we are always 'against' things,never 'for' anything. Well, the trouble with our liberal friendsis not that they are ignorant, but that they know so much thatisn't so." ---Ronald Reagan

"And I hope that someday your children and grandchildren will tellof the time that a certain president came to town at the end ofa long journey and asked their parents and grandparents to joinhim in setting America on the course to the new millennium---andthat a century of peace, prosperity, opportunity, and hopefollowed. So, if I could ask you just one last time: Tomorrow,when mountains greet the dawn, would you go out there and winone for the Gipper?" ---Ronald Reagan

"I've spoken of the shining city all my political life, butI don't know if I ever quite communicated what I saw when Isaid it. But in my mind it was a tall proud city built on rocksstronger than oceans, wind swept, God blessed and teeming withpeople of all kinds living in harmony and peace, a city with freeports that hummed with commerce and creativity, and if there hadto be city walls the walls had doors and the doors were open toanyone with the will and the heart to get here... And how standsthe city on this winter night? More prosperous, more secureand happier than it was eight years ago. But more than that;after two hundred years, two centuries, she still stands strongand true on the granite ridge, and her glow has held steady nomatter what storm. And she's still a beacon, still a magnetfor all who must have freedom, for all the pilgrims from allthe lost places who are hurtling through the darkness, towardhome. We've done our part. And as I walk into the city streets,a final word to the men and women of the Reagan revolution, themen and women across America who for eight years did the workthat brought America back. My friends: We did it. We weren't justmarking time, we made a difference. We made the city stronger,we made the city freer, and we left her in good hands. All inall, not bad. Not bad at all. And so, good-bye. God bless you,and God bless the United States of America." ---Ronald Reagan

Why doesn't Gov Perry get it over with......

2007-02-06T18:42:00.000-05:00

.....and mandate that every Texas teenage gal get on the birth control pill and have done with it? Good heavens, has the world gone completely mad? If these little girls aren't exposed to the disease, then they won't have the problem (along with every other STD and pregnancy issue), now will they?

Sheer insanity to mandate this. And Perry is a Republican? Sure.

www.cwfa.org
CWA: Texas Governor Mandates STD Shot for Young Girls, Abuses Parental Rights

Washington, D.C. — In an extreme executive order that circumvents parents and the Texas legislature, Governor Rick Perry (R-Texas) has mandated that before entering the 6th grade girls must receive the HPV vaccine, a shot that prevents sexually active girls from becoming infected with an STD linked to cervical cancer. Concerned Women for America (CWA) believes that it is the right and responsibility of parents—not government—to choose whether or not their daughter receives the vaccination.

The flu virus kills over 60,000 people every year in the United States, as opposed to cervical cancer, which accounts for 4,000 deaths annually. The flu vaccination, which would statistically save 15 times more lives than the HPV vaccine, is not required. The HPV vaccine should be optional as well.

CWA President Wendy Wright said, “The Governor’s order forces little girls to be shot with a sex virus vaccine. He has circumvented debate on this controversial matter to the financial benefit of Merck, one of his campaign contributors. An opt-out provision puts parents in the position of having to resist forceful government officials, and puts the burden on parents when it should be on the vaccine maker.

“While we support the vaccine itself, a government mandate that little girls must be shot with it well before they’re sexually active, with the likely consequence they would have to get another expensive booster before they’re sexually active, is an outrageous assault on girls and their parents.”"Educate parents about all the risks of HPV and the vaccine. Enable parents in lower economic levels to have the vaccine available with government funding," said Anne Hettinger of Concerned Women for America of Texas. "But the Governor of Texas has gone far beyond that. With the stroke of his pen, parents have been coerced into compliance unless they can convince the bureaucracy otherwise. The burden of proof should not be on parents."

Concerned Women for America is the nation’s largest public policy women’s organization.
--30--

Now that I know that it bothers them....

2007-01-30T11:47:00.000-05:00

Just when you think the Dems can't get anymore petty, petulant and self-involved.....it is truly hard to believe that any ink has been shed over this junk:

*http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/
la-na-democrat30jan30,0,2751671.story?coll=la-home-headlines

I'd like to know when the LA Times is going to spend as much space explaining why every conservative mentioned in a story is "ultra-conservative" or "extreme" and every liberal is "moderate" or "progressive".

Please. When I was a journalism major, you could not use adjectives (except for "a", "an" or "the") in a story unless you were specifically writing an op-ed. You had to use the word "said", rather than "opined", "complained" or any other verb that conveys any other image that was less than objective. You had to actually learn to do 25 word leads with the five "w's" compactly contained within. Then again, you actually had to learn to write effectively and efficiently.

If you strayed from basic rules of reporting, you were snarled at, failed, and told to report to the feature story class down the hall. Now? Pick up any newspaper and the agendas hit you full in the face. So do the Dems really want to talk about the usage of adjectives?

Republicans have been getting the raw end of THAT deal for decades now.

Too bad journalism isn't taught in J School anymore.

References to judicial nominations -- 2001-2007

2007-01-24T13:49:00.000-05:00

FYI, the references to judges in GW’s State of the Union Addresses.
2001 – nothing
2002 – nothing
2003 – nothing
2004 – reference related to marriage, not appointments
2005 – substance and process
2006 – substance
2007 – process

References to Judges in President Bush’s State of the Union Addresses

January 24, 2007

A future of hope and opportunity requires a fair, impartial system of justice. The lives of our citizens across our nation are affected by the outcome of cases pending in our federal courts. We have a shared obligation to ensure that the federal courts have enough judges to hear those cases and deliver timely rulings. As President, I have a duty to nominate qualified men and women to vacancies on the federal bench. And the United States Senate has a duty, as well, to give those nominees a fair hearing, and a prompt up-or-down vote on the Senate floor.

January 31, 2006

A hopeful society depends on courts that deliver equal justice under the law. The Supreme Court now has two superb new members -- new members on its bench: Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Sam Alito. (Applause.) I thank the Senate for confirming both of them. I will continue to nominate men and women who understand that judges must be servants of the law, and not legislate from the bench.

February 2, 2005

Because marriage is a sacred institution and the foundation of society, it should not be re-defined by activist judges.

Because courts must always deliver impartial justice, judges have a duty to faithfully interpret the law, not legislate from the bench. (Applause.) As President, I have a constitutional responsibility to nominate men and women who understand the role of courts in our democracy, and are well-qualified to serve on the bench -- and I have done so. (Applause.) The Constitution also gives the Senate a responsibility: Every judicial nominee deserves an up or down vote.

January 20, 2004

Activist judges, however, have begun redefining marriage by court order, without regard for the will of the people and their elected representatives. On an issue of such great consequence, the people's voice must be heard. If judges insist on forcing their arbitrary will upon the people, the only alternative left to the people would be the constitutional process. Our nation must defend the sanctity of marriage.

January 28, 2003
nada

January 29, 2002
nada

February 27, 2001
nada