What is truly, truly important....

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.

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.

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????

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

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!!!

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.

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.

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 RatNation 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???

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.

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?