THE MOUNTAIN OBSERVER ON-LINE 

                               ISSUES, PEOPLE, OBJECTS & POLICIES- CLOSE UP

                         "The power to tax involves the power to destroy" Chief Justice John Marshall

          MO Letter 2008-01                  Vol. 08 Issue 01                      Start Jan 07, 2008

 Elections 2008 Tracking Polls: www.realclearpolitics.com

Serious Considerations:

02/29/08  William F. Buckley has left us for his reward.  I owe him my life.  It was in the mid 70's, about the time a certain helicopter lifted off a certain embassy roof in Southeast Asia, and I was at war with myself.  So it happened that I stumbled upon a newspaper column authored by a William Buckley, and the coffee began to percolate. Chunks of a vast array of scattered thoughts began to fall into place.  With Conservative deliberation, it took awhile, but in 1980 I voted for Ronald Reagan, and never looked back.  Thank you Bill Buckley.  JES

02/28/08 Barack Hussein Obama is running for President of the World. He may well prevail in his quixotic adventure. A Jimmy Carter moment may well be at hand with the American electorate, not helped by a John McCain devoid of any guiding principles other than “honor”, which in translation means his own personal ego, so easily offended. The United States, and the world, are face to face with some serious problems (British understatement), and our electorate, largely unprepared by decades now of a dysfunctional education system, has a choice between two empty suits, neither qualified for the job. JES  

02/28/08  Hillary Rodham Rodham, aka nurse Ratchet, and alleged enabler of one sexual predator of women in particular, is falling rapidly from the grace of her own Elite Liberal enablers.  Her victimization explanation, by herself, and her dwindling clutch of 70’s feminist admirers from the upper west side, never squared with her claim to be the smartest woman in the world.  I wonder what Rick Lazio is thinking these days.  Hillary, Margaret Thatcher you are not.  JES

02/28/08  Congratulations to the Department of Defense and its contractors for the successful test of the Aegis anti-missile system.  The cover story, for the tender hearted among us, was that our downing of a failing surveillance satellite, due for re-entry with potentially dangerous consequences, required this firing.  Perhaps so, and very convenient, however the taxpayers got double duty for their money.  It was a very successful test of a system crucial to our national defense in the years ahead.  We know that Russians, Chinese and Iranians took note, and American Liberals, having fought so long against the development of this ability to defend ourselves, must surely be disappointed.  Thank you, Ronald Reagan for your vision of “Star Wars”.  We wonder what a President Barack Hussein Obama will do about this.  JES

02/22/08 John McCain and the New York Times. So you thought you had friends in the main stream media. Presumptively having secured the GOP nomination in the presidential race for 2008, with the endorsement of the New York Times (for the nomination only), they have turned on you. The purpose of this nest of Liberal jackals is to elect Democrats, not GOP flunkies. Conservatives have tried to warn you about this, John, for years, even though you have repeatedly washed your hands of us. Why have the Libs promoted you? Because they are really afraid of actual Conservatives, and in you they saw a sucker, and they were right. They used their media power to propel your candidacy, always demonizing Conservatives with lies and innuendo, and with your help, they succeeded. Having anointed themselves as the Progressive Prosecutorial overseers of American politics, the folks at the New York Times can now be expected to stroke the jury of public opinion against you, John. Their purpose all along has been to get a Democrat into the White House, any Democrat will do, not you John. Now Conservatives will watch as you come begging for support from those who you have consistently trashed. John McCain, your political judgment, for years, has been pathetic, and contrary to your own hyper inflated image of yourself with respect to morals and integrity, you have emptied your own suit. Years ago you emerged from a North Vietnamese prison cell with virtue and integrity without question, and we are all most grateful for your service to our country and the leadership inherent in your example at that time. However, what has happened to John McCain since? A long Bill of Particulars has accumulated, and it is not a list for you to be proud of.

So now, what is best for our country, confronted with the challenges of IslamicFascism and Secular Anti-Americanism within our own walls? What do Conservatives do on election day? Conservatives will continue to measure their judgment of the best way to proceed against the yardstick of what’s right for the country, not necessarily what’s right for you or a compromised GOP. Out of this philosophical and moral soup kitchen, you might emerge a winner, but only with the help of the Conservatives you so despise. Just cut your crap about Ronald Reagan; you can’t even tie his shoes. And if Barak Obama wins, don’t blame Conservatives; look at yourself in the mirror. JES

02/15/08  In the presidential election cycle of 2008, the Mountain Observer sees the makings of a perfect storm. Barack Obama is capturing hoards of admirers with a combination of genuine charismatic charm, good looks, rhetorical obfuscation, and a lock on liberal white guilt.  Couple these qualities with Hillary Rodham's charming personality and narcisstic racist husband, and Obama may very well capture the Democrat nomination. 

Now John McCain has a problem.  First, he is an old white guy who knows much about the mechanics of Washington DC, the military, and the real threat of IslamicFascism, however he is confronting an electorate generally ignorant of these things and more inspired by a deep emotional hatred of George W. Bush and all things Republican. 

However, let us move back to Barack Obama for a moment.  For the sake of discussion, let us stipulate that Barack is a good and well intentioned fellow, as no doubt are many (not all) of his enthusiastic supporters.  The problem here, both with his resume and his rhetoric, is that there is a zero indication of substance or policy development, good, bad or indifferent, or even knowledge as to how our system of government actually works.   In a period of history when Secularism appears to rule, I am reminded of G.K. Chesterton's observation the "once men believe in nothing they will believe in anything".  Emotion and ignorance trump reason and dispassioned analysis, at least this time. 

It is a bitter sweet irony for Conservatives to contemplate the possibility of Hillary Rodham Rodham, aka nurse Ratchet, and alleged enabler of one sexual predator of women in particular, to be undone by a fellow Lefty Democrat.  It is not with pleasure that Conservatives contemplate more than the possibility that Obama or Hillary will likely be the next President of the United States.  Conservatives cannot rescue John McCain, a slavish supplicant of the Left wing crowd, nor should Conservatives try, only to themselves be sucked into the vortex of Liberal pretension.  Conservatives have no responsibility for the disaster that will ensue, regardless of who wins.  Americans in pursuit of "change" and "hope", unqualified, will be granted what they deserve.

Sooner or later in this campaign, if McCain can leave the rhetorical dock of white guilt, and of black fear mongering, and pursue the obvious and necessary path of substantive inquiry into the meanings of "change" and "hope", perhaps then mister Obama will be hauled back down to earth.  However, this is unlikely in the comprehensive sense necessary, given Mr. McCain's own resume.  Why should Liberals vote for 50% when they can vote for the real deal.  My fellow Conservatives, whoever wins, we have already lost this presidential election.  Face it.  JES

02/12/08  You see, the main stream Liberal media, the east coast elite GOP Rockefeller types, and certain Libertarian/neo-conservatives, all have conflicting agendas among themselves.  The agenda of the main stream Liberal media all along has been to return Democrats to power.  The agenda of the east coast elite GOP Rockefeller types has been detent with the Liberals sufficient to ensure their own peaceful and "respectable" place at the table undisturbed by the peasants.  The agenda of the Libertarian/neo-conservative wing of the GOP has been ownership of two of the three legs of the Reagan coalition, again exclusive of those pesky social conservatives.

Now, having set things up on the GOP side, they think, for the general elections in the Fall, this raggedy alliance of convenience is beginning to become unstuck among themselves.  The Mountain Observer is not so foolish as to make hard predictions as to how this spectrum of possibilities is going to work out politically in detail, except to say that a national train wreck is about to occur and that the chorus on the Left, whatever happens, will say that it is all Bush's fault.  Actually, I think there is a good chance that Barak Obama may run way with the whole thing, white Liberal guilt triumphant, exclusive of the lack of his own substantive qualifications.  Stay tuned.  JES

02/09/08  Yesterday, at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, Sen. John McCain's Straight Talk Express followed down an impossibly crooked track.  Now east coast elite GOP Rockefeller types, and certain Libertarian/neo-conservatives, having succeeded in positioning McCain for the GOP nomination, with the help of their "friends" in the main stream Liberal media, come begging at the doorstep of actual Conservatives for help.  John McCain, suckered by way of his own enormous ego has been wooed by these same folks for years as their favorite candidate for the common purpose of shedding off those pesky right wing social conservatives who still believe in God and His relevance. However, now we come to a fork in the road, and Yogi Berra's ancient advice to "just take it" isn't going to work. JES

02/08/08  It would perhaps be useful to go back and repeat what we said as a final comment on Conservative Answers.com last Fall:

"In the opinion of the Mountain Observer, the fundamental moral question of our time binding us to God, and God to us, is, at what point does our recognition and acceptance of the need for redemptive suffering collide with the issue of the enablement of evil?  Or is there collision at all, properly inspired? The Mountain Observer does not pretend to have the answers to these fundamental questions.  Consideration of these weighty matters cannot be avoided as we confront the challenge of the collision of Western Secularism with Islam, and more specifically IslamicFascism with Christendom. 11/28/07. JES"

02/07/08  Romney is out, McCain is in, and Huckabee continues to make a fool of himself, busy shopping for something.  I have said what I have to say below.  JES

Current Reading Recommendation:                                                            

IRAN AND THE BOMB: THE ABDICATION OF INTERNATIONAL RESPONSIBILITY

THERESE DELPECH

COLUMBIA                    160 pgs                  $26.95

x

A LEADER BORN: THE LIFE OF ADM. JOHN SIDNEY McCAIN, PACIFIC CARRIER COMMANDER

ALTON KEITH GILBERT        HOW WOULD HE RATE HIS GRANDSON?

CASEMATE                    288 PGS                 $32.95

Serious Considerations: 

02/07/08  Italy.  Good news for Conservatives.  The far Left wing government of Premier Romano Prodi has collapsed, and our good friend, former Premier Silvio Berlusconi appears to be in a good position to pick up the pieces.  I wish him the best.  JES

02/07/08  Mike Huckabee.  Notice that the mainstream press, never missing an opportunity to chase Christians out of the public square, is deliberately trying to confuse Evangelicals with all Christians as well as Mike Huckabee with all Evangelicals.  There are a lot of Roman Catholics in the country, and other Protestant denominations, that do not subscribe to the perspectives of either Huckabee, Evangelicals or other assorted "born again" Christians for reasons both theological and secular.  The Mountain Observer should point out that I am a serious Roman Catholic who happens not to support Huckabee for reasons entirely exclusive of his religious affiliation or mine.  The constant Progressive effort to brand people, and groups of people, is offensive, destructive of the public interest, and not useful to understanding of what is actually going on or how people actually think.  It is a tool of demagoguery.  JES

02/07/08  My previous comments are not to be confused with a recommendation to do nothing.  This website is directed at the education and intellectual stimulation of a future generation that will need to eventually pick up the pieces.  Meanwhile, today, there is much that legitimate Conservatives can do, building the ground work for eventual recovery beginning this Fall with the current round of elections.  I suggest we focus our efforts and resources on the House and the Senate, and the States.  Where particular opportunities present themselves we should lean into the task of rebuilding from the bottom up.  I mean not only in supporting the election of the most qualified people, but continuing to pursue the correction of disfuctional education policies and agendas and many other similar issues long familiar to Conservatives.  The long battle in behalf of the pro life movement, inching toward success, stands as an example.  (Don't believe for one moment that a President McCain will be inclined to nominate better candidates for the courts than either Democrat.  We will just have to struggle through that one, making my point about focusing on Congress.)  We have some good people scattered about in office now.  We need to support them as we can, as we do our military, and work to add to their numbers.  As the marxist tide rolls over our heads, there is much good Conservatives can do, husbanding our resources as we are able.  Take heart, my friends, eventually we will prevail, as the Truth is on our side.  JES

02/06/08  A day after "Super Tuesday".  It is time once again to review some things about the Republican Party that I have commented on, or alluded to many times before.  (Visit ARCHIVES, from the beginning, however, especially since the 2006 election).  We have heard and read much lately about the so-called 3 legged stool of the Reagan coalition: Economic, National Security, and Social.  It has been my point all along that a legitimate American Conservative embraces all 3 areas of concern.  In doing so, a legitimate American Conservative embraces the JudeoChristian perspective on the social issues as the fundamental foundation of our Republic.  As the Second Amendment trumps everything else in the Constitution, our God trumps the Secular Progressive agenda.  And so it must be.

Today we are confronted with the real possibility of a John McCain facing off against either Barack Obama or Hillary Rodham.  What is a legitimate American Conservative to do?  For years we have gone along with a list of arguments for continuing to support the national political, social, economic and security train wreck.  This time around, I think we may have finally reached the point where it is actually in the long term interest of the nation, and the future of Conservative principles, just to stand back and let the train wreck.

For starters, there is reason to believe that were the GOP to nominate the Apostle Paul himself, that Democrats will win the election.  However, Should there be a McCain victory, what is left of principled Conservatism, and what will be left of the nation?  For myself, I refuse to "go along" any further with this ongoing march to the Left, traceable at least as far back as Teddy Roosevelt.  To make the point, my option is to write in the name of Duncan Hunter, the only legitimate American Conservative in this year's race.  Should thousands of us do that, and McCain loses, who is really to blame?  The Perot analogy from 1992 doesn't work for this observer. Would we have handed the election to the Dems?  I think not.  What I am proposing is not a third party effort; this is an issue within the GOP.  A distinction without a difference?  Hardly.  Perot was independent and about his Secular self.  Principled Conservatives are only recognizing the inevitable collapse of a self invested Secular GOP elite that over the decades has been more comfortable playing golf with a morally and intellectually corrupt Left than pursuing the actual interests of the nation. Shame on us for letting that happen.

National security implications of a Dem win. Terrible.  However, the public at large has yet to understand the nature of the IslamicFascist threat or the strategic importance to our national security of Iraq, Iran, North Korea and other cousins of this triangle of Evil.  We have a public with its head in the sand.  Sometimes folks just have to learn the hard way.

Economic implications.  Folks, the US government is bankrupt.  Most folks either haven't figured that out yet, or prefer not to think about it.  We can only print so much paper money before the Sheriff appears at the door.

On all these matters the Mountain Observer would prefer to see the Left left holding the bag.  I believe in accepting responsibility for one's own actions.  The culture of Wilson, Roosevelt, Johnson and OJ Billyboy was and is what it is, and they deserve themselves.  You can go along with Obama, Hillary or McCain; I'm not going there.  JES

01/30/08 A day after the Florida primary.  Those of you familiar with the Mountain Observer will have found me strangely quiet on the subject of politics recently.  This has been largely due to the website change over, however not entirely.  More than one way to skin a monkey.  Frankly there has been little to say that was not said in recent previous letters on the old site.  Fact of the matter is, that with the exception of Duncan Hunter, there are no Conservatives in the GOP race.  As a practical matter, the nomination will most likely go to either McCain or Romney, perhaps better clarified after "Super Tuesday", a week from today.  Either way, I perceive the country to be in a lot of trouble.  I admit my depression on the whole subject.  JES

 01/27/08 Went online today.  Now I have to straighten this all out. JES

Current Reading Recommendation: 

LIBERAL FASCISM: THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN LEFT FROM MUSSOLINI TO THE POLITICS OF MEANING

JONAH GOLDBERG

DOUBLEDAY                  487 pgs                  $27.95

Serious Considerations: 

 01/26/08 Finally the east coast conservative elite are catching up with the Mountain Observer.  Go pick up a copy of the January 28th, 2008 issue of National Review and look at the cover. From the very beginning of ConservativeAnswers.com, I have been beating on this issue of the association of Liberals with fascism. Finally Jonah Goldberg has it almost right, and while I would quibble with some details, I offer my heartiest congratulations. This book of his is a "must read" for everyone.

01/07/08 Well, the launch off of our new website is getting close. www.mountainobserver.us; coming in fits and jerks.  Perhaps techies will better appreciate some of the difficulties, and at the same time be somewhat amused.  That's ok.  This site replaces ConservativeAnswers.com, which was built using Microsoft FrontPage 2003, long since obsolete and with a checkered technical history. It was also developed over a period of time with an evolving series of Microsoft operating systems on a series of computers by yours truly, of dubious competence, much of it on a truck while driving 10,000 miles a month.  To myself, that it continues to exist at all, I give thanks to the Lord. Enter this new website, MountainObserver.us/index.html, now that I am finally home to stay in Jefferson. However, absent FrontPage, designed for dummies such as myself, I am being forced to actually learn how to do this stuff, and in between snowstorms and continuing to work, at least until I can make this project produce some income for itself, the fits and jerks will likely continue for awhile.  So continue to be amused as this stubborn old iconoclast of political Progressivism stumbles forward. I do it with pleasure, and with the hope that it may someday prove helpful to a new younger generation determined to recover the wisdom and Godly inspired gift of our original national founding.  JES  

Go to: LETTER 07-04 (ARCHIVES - 2007) for previous letter

God Help America                                                             

Jim      Jim@mtnobsvr.us

American Nationalist Conservative

Jefferson, CO 80456