Day: January 29, 2010

Friday night videos episode 21

It’s time for another edition of Friday Night Videos. This one will be mostly political, since these were the items which piqued my interest.

We’ll start out with Washington News-Observer’s chat with Rep. Darrell Issa of California on a number of subjects.

WNO also asked an assortment of Congressmen about the fate of the health care bill after Scott Brown’s election. My guess is this was taped during the pro-life rally last week since they were outdoors.

Just a little name dropping about the cast of characters: Bob Latta was my State Representative when I last lived in Ohio. I’ve done a couple conference calls with Cathy McMorris Rodgers and she’s quite well-spoken. (You’ll see more of her.) And last night one of the other guests on the radio show I did with Melody Scalley was Rep. Louie Gohmert. Small world.

Here’s the second video with Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers. Obama talked about transparency, the Republicans put it into action.

We go from current members of Congress to a past member talking about how future members should run for election. This would be one Newt Gingrich.

It’s all about the ’80-20′ issues, huh? Let’s ask Dede Scozzafava or Wayne Gilchrest about that. If those two were 50-50 I’d be shocked.

In other news, the Center for Individual Freedom was among many who were pleased with the Citizens United ruling. The group’s Renee Giachino explains in their “Freedom Minute” (which is actually about 4 minutes.)

President Obama was among those who dissed the Supremes’ decision, and Americans for Prosperity put together a video of their members’ reaction to the State of the Union at gatherings across the country.

It’s probably a good thing they didn’t do the local gathering. *ahem*

Finally, it’s time for local music to wrap this up. This is the cover band Gravy, doing their version of the CSNY protest song “Ohio.”

I have two or three more videos from the event, but as the old Hollywood saying goes, “always leave them wanting more.” So I will, until next week!

Senator Jeff Sessions speaks out on interrogation

Those on the left may think Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama has his own underwear in a wad over the decision to treat “panty bomber” Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab as a civilian and accord him Miranda rights. But Sessions, who is Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, makes some brilliant points.

First, though, a bit of background is in order.

In most cases, enemy combatants captured on the battlefield remain in some sort of detention facility until cleared for release. This practice makes logical sense because those who took up arms against us may have useful information about other enemy operations – data which could save untold lives both in the field of battle and among innocent civilians otherwise caught in the crossfire.

However, Abdulmutallab was captured in a unique venue, one which most wouldn’t associate with the shadowy war between radical elements of Islam and our nation. Instead of carrying a rifle or rocket-propelled grenade launcher, the Nigerian national who trained for his assignment in Yemen boarded the flight from Amsterdam to Detroit without luggage or a coat, but with underwear lined with explosive material. In short, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was destined to be a suicide bomber in a bid to kill hundreds of Americans on Christmas Day.

We all know what happened on Flight 253, but because the Obama administration has taken the unwise course of treating the war on Islamic terror like a civil case, the Nigerian national had a brief 50 minutes of questioning before he was informed of his Miranda rights. Not surprisingly, Abdulmutallab clammed up.

Understandably Sessions is fuming about the decision. “Instead of trying to excuse the inexcusable,” he said, “the administration should take responsibility for the dire consequences of its decision to swiftly grant civilian rights to this foreign terrorist. Civilian interrogation means that a suspect must be told he does not have to answer any questions and that he will be provided a lawyer. Captured combatants do not enjoy these same privileges.”

By changing the rules of the game and granting Constitutional rights to non-citizens, Obama and his dovish allies may cost more lives in the name of granting “justice.” Instead, Sessions is calling for, “a clear protocol…for the detention and interrogation of captured terrorists so these dangerous mistakes are not repeated.”

Apparently the only clear protocol we have now is bending over way too far backwards to those who would never even consider allowing us similar rights if the situation were reversed. Sessions is correct in pointing this out, but unfortunately isn’t in a good position to change the policies in place just yet.

This article ran on the Red County national page yesterday.