The Conservative Classicist Says "Merry Christmas"

I rode the WGNS truck's courtesy float today in the Murfreesboro Christmas parade. It was intended as a ride for those siblings and parents of Cub Scout Pack 197 who couldn't march, but not many chose to ride it, so it ended up basically being my family and another scout's mom on the whole trailer. It was quite appropriate since 1)I'm thinking about a Riverdale JCL float with a classical theme next year and needed a good view of the route and 2)I'm a conservative blogger, and WGNS does broadcast conservatives G. Gordon Liddy and Michael Reagan. Thanks to WGNS for the ride, and the "real" Pack 197 float and cub scouts that were behind us did very well in the judging, winning best scout entry.

Jeff's is a Great Example of Smart Growth

You've often heard me preach the virtues of patronizing Premiere 6 rather than the new Carmike. Here's another Murfreesboro "smart growth" choice in the field of restaurants--Jeff's on Hancock. This fairly new restaurant set up in a preexisting building in an older part of Murfreesboro off of Mercury. The restaurant serves good home cooked food, and the people that run it are very nice. The chess pie I had featured a crust so light I thought the plate was going to levitate off the table. The smothered pork chop is their specialty and will make you want to break out into the old Joe Diffie tune "Good Brown Gravy". Try them out. You will like the food and are giving your money to people that care about their customers and their community.

Cason Construction

I submitted this to the Daily News Journal, but as yet they have not printed it. I suppose they accept too much money in ads from out of state volume builders and developers to print it:

In the worst economic crisis of our time, it is easy to simply blame Washington and Wall Street for our troubles, but with the overmarket of construction at the heart of the problem, planning authorities and legislative bodies at the local level must also be accountable for their role in our falling home values. I'm glad I'm not the only one who sees something terribly wrong in approving a massive apartment complex on Cason Lane, one of the most congested streets in town. With major employers in the area slowing down and school enrollment increases lower than projections, you would think we would see a slowdown in sprawl, but as the Daily News Journal reported last week, planners seemingly have "no qualms" about approving anything and everything. I just moved here from the Cordova area of Memphis, and I would hate to see Murfreesboro go down the path of my former city, where corrupt developers completely control public policy. There neighborhoods now start to bust before they have fully boomed. The developers just move down the road and do it all over again, leaving the rest of us to deal with the crime, sprawl, and foreclosures that stem from growth that is not sustainable.

History Repeating Itself with the Economy

Despite the federal government's injection of 700 billion, the economy still continues to fall. This is also precisely what happened in 1929 when first Richard Whitney, and later William C. Durant and the Rockefellers, attempted to inject more money into the system to bolster confidence and stop the fall. In my opinion, the government should buy mortgages directly from the PEOPLE, not the banks. Many people facing foreclosure would like to simply sell their home at appraisal value or less to get out and purchase a cheaper home they can afford. Many people have homes they desperately need to sell so they can purchase another home in another area due to relocation. During the Great Depression, the government had to enact policies to stop overproduction in farming. With the culprit in this downturn the housing overproduction, local, state, and federal government needs to come up with a plan to deal with the oversupply of housing now and a plan to prevent it in the future. To me the glut of subdivisions and strip malls is the equivalent of the stock buying boom of the 1920's. In the 20's people borrowed money for stock that deflated, and now millions of homeowners have borrowed money for homes that have devalued. Buying homes back from struggling homeowners saves the banks and the people from ruin, whereas simply taking toxic subprime mortgages off the bank ledgers still leaves people facing foreclosure of their homes (by the government now rather than the previous private bank owner). The federal government could then use the oversupply of homes purchased for government housing programs through agencies such as HUD or property grants to the states for their own local housing programs. The government still does this for farm products now. That's what commodities are (you know, "government cheese" and the like). It's time to do something like that with houses.

Don't Bail out Banks so Developers Can Do it Again!

Bailing out banks suffering from devalued mortgage backed securities without also addressing the glutted housing surplus that created the financial crisis simply feeds the problem. It is easy to point the finger at Washington and the failing banks who made risky subprime mortgage loans, but local elected bodies and planning commissions in this county and elsewhere must acknowledge their complicity in approving the massive residential volume construction and commercial developments that have proven to be unsustainable. I would hate to see Murfreesboro go the way of Memphis, where developers completely control public policy and have devastated the community with "boom and bust" development after development, irresponsible behavior that has created untenable sprawl and suburban decay.

How the U.S. Helped Putin

Now I would say that Esquire magazine is definitely not a source conservative bloggers rush to for insightful political commentary, but I found some of the articles in the October issue refreshing for a magazine that panders to the Dolce & Gabbana crowd of out of touch liberals. In a stunning article, C.J. Chivers chronicles the rise of Vladimir Putin and Russia's growing dominance, all thanks to the U.S. military. How, you ask? Well, before we went on the offensive and took the fight to the Islamic homeland, jihadists were flocking to Chechnya and, as 9/11 would prove, the United States. Smugglers in former Soviet republics made a pretty penny trafficking in illegal immigrant Muslim freedom fighters. The U.S. decision to invade Iraq created a new front and reduced the numbers of Muslims travelling to Chechnya, allowing the Russian military to take control of the region and claim victory. Instead of thanking the U.S., however, uninformed Russians came to the conclusion that Putin was behind the sudden turn of events. Now Putin is poised to begin a reassembly of the Soviet Union, beginning with Georgia. Now folks, we need a Ronald Reagan, and while McCain may not be an exact fit for Reagan's shoes, he's definitely more qualified to protect America than Barack Hussein Obama.

Palin's Power Has Democrats Pouting

Barack Obama continued to attack Sarah Palin on the campaign trail. You'd think that Palin was running for President, and McCain was the Vice-Presidential candidate. If Obama keeps this up, he may just give the Republican electors a great idea, because an elector can actually do that. In 1988 a Democratic elector voted for Lloyd Bentsen for President and Michael Dukakis for Vice-President. Seriously though, the focus on Palin is proof that she has attracted attention from the undecided and has invigorated the party's conservative base who up to this time were "calling in sick" when asked to work on this campaign. Obama attempted to go after Palin on "earmarks", but can a Democratic candidate who proposes massive tax increases and entitlement expansions really take her to task on that issue and expect voters to take him seriously? One thing that was stated at the GOP convention rang true, and it was nice to hear--we sent the GOP to change Washington, but Washington changed the GOP. Palin's presence on the ticket is a strong move in correcting the damage, and the Obama camp knows it, which is precisely why they are acting as if she has to be defeated, not McCain. With Palin taking the side of the oldest President elected to a first term, she would be the most populist and politically active VP since Teddy Roosevelt, and we all know how that turned out. Is this barracuda the bull moose the GOP has been looking for?

In local news I would encourage everyone to patronize the Premiere 6 theatre in Murfreesboro. The popcorn is great, there is less traffic than on that awful Cason Lane, and the theatre has less traffic. Going to Premiere 6 is also the environmentally friendly, anti-sprawl thing to do, since Premiere has been here for years, and Carmike represents new construction in a congested, sprawling area that could have negative effects for Murfreesboro in years to come.

Palin Poised to Court Conservatives (and Women)

McCain's choice of Governor Palin was a great strategy on two fronts. Disenchanted female Hillary supporters now have a woman on the national ticket who has a record of standing up for herself as a woman, such as responding to criticism in Alaska over her pregnancy while in office. On the other hand, Palin is a member of the NRA and hails from the state where the .357 Magnum is considered a wimp load; her selection now energizes the right wing of the GOP already incensed at solidly anti-gun Joe Biden's placement on the Democratic ticket. In my opinion Palin was the perfect choice to both play to Hillary's voters and to the conservatives who've been waiting for a reason to vote for McCain. Even outspoken liberal media outlets have admitted that Palin is a "totally regular person", so she will likewise draw independent votes as well. The Vice-Presidential candidacy is all about attracting votes and not about experience; thus McCain and his advisers chose prudently. Palin can herself use the candidacy to bolster her own career, putting herself in an excellent position to contend for the nomination and control of the Republican Party in 2012 whether she is living in the U.S. Naval Observatory at that time or not.

Biden Choice May Bite Obama Camp

While the GOP searches for a way to activate its apathetic base, the Obama campaign may have just given them a much needed shot in the arm. All of Obama's progress toward reaching out to disenchanted Republicans may have just taken a U-turn with his selection of Joe Biden as running mate. Joe Biden's "F" rating with the NRA, coupled with his vociferous support for gun control measures of all flavors, make it highly unlikely that any gun owner will now be able to vote for the Democratic ticket, no matter how great the ambivalence toward McCain. With Biden a staunch liberal, the Democrats have elected to go with a double "L" ticket, gambling that anti-Bush sentiment is so high they can comfortably veer to the far left with impunity. Perhaps they are correct, but likewise it virtually guarantees that the first term of an Obama administration would create such an ideological sea change that would fail so demonstrably, the country would be begging the GOP back in 2010. Indeed, I'd look for the biggest turnout in an off-year election in 2010 since 1994.

On a lighter note, I attended the inaugural Battle of the Boro last night. Oakland took advantage of Riverdale's smaller, weaker defense and snapped the Warriors' seemingly perpetual winning streak. Riverdale defenders couldn't even use their small size to their advantage, as several tackles were missed as the Warriors just couldn't catch up to heavier Patriot runners. Warrior offense seemed OK except for some foolish penalties, but of course the Riverdale "O" was only on the field for a few minutes of the entire game. Well, you can't win them all (defending champ Smyrna dropped a loss as well). Antioch is next on the Riverdale "chopping" block. What other surprises await Middle Tennessee this season under the Friday night lights?

Smart Growth Needed in Murfreesboro?

I haven't lived in Murfreesboro long, but some questions come to mind when looking at all the new development going on. Why did Krystal need a new restaurant? Why did Old Navy need a new building? Why are there two Shoney's within a stone's throw of each other? Most have already heard about the nationwide downsizing of Starbucks which will affect most cities including Murfreesboro. Such unwise business practices in collusion with city planners are not in the best interest of Murfreesboro. In this economic recession, we are sure to see more and more vacancies and businesses going out of business. It doesn't make sense to give developers a blank check to develop open property when there are a growing number of vacant existing structures ready to be leased. One only has to look at my old community in Cordova(Memphis)to see where this type of "boom and bust" development leads--straight to an overabundance of commercial and residential property, lower property values, rising crime, and the desire of many to "move down the road". Don't get me wrong--I love Murfreesboro, but I see some Cordova-ish development practices that are going to ruin the city if they aren't restrained.

Britain's "Labour" Party- For the People Working Hard or Hardly Working?

Today I read an interview with Sir Michael Caine in GQ. Caine spoke out about Britain's high income tax on the wealthy, which he claims at one time was 82%, leading many celebrities like him to emigrate. Caine also mentioned the UK's bloated welfare state, where 1 in 6 households is supported by Britain's handouts. A survey found that in 4 out of 5 of those households "on benefit", the people aren't even looking for jobs, content to let foreign immigrants do the work while the British government (supported by high taxes on the working) pays their way for the rest of their lives. While the problem is nowhere near as bad in the U.S., thanks to people like Ronald Reagan, we still have large numbers on some sort of welfare and a simultaneous influx of illegal alien workers to fill vacant positions. One wonders if U.S. liberals would like to continue to make America more like Britain. As Caine remarked, the way the UK runs its economy, "why wouldn't people want to sit on their arse?" Isn't it quite ludicrous that the left in Britain is called the LABOUR party?

Parents Displeased with Public School Discipline

An AP poll released June 27th revealed that some 85% of parents feel that a general lack of student discipline is a serious problem, edging out "gangs and violence" as the number two problem, just behind getting and keeping good teachers (at 87%). Of course, the teacher retention problem is consequential to the discipline problem. If 85% of parents are dissatisfied with school discipline, what do you think the percentage of teachers who feel the same way would be? I personally just left the Memphis area after teaching in the public schools there for over ten years. My reasons for leaving were many and varied, but the atrocious behavior of disrespectful students coupled with anemic board disciplinary policies and administrators apathetic to classroom disorder were extremely motivating factors. Parents, students, and teachers can all agree on one thing, though; according to the survey, only 58% of parents thought that a need for more instructional time was a serious problem, second only to the availability of athletic facilities as the least pressing problem. The poll could be helpful if school boards would take a hard look at the data in these results and promulgate tough policy changes to address the fact that more than 83% of parents think that school boards set low expectations for students, leading to both low test scores and inappropriate behavior in school.

D.C. vs. Heller May Help Democrats

Yesterday's Supreme Court decision striking down D.C.'s ridiculous gun ban was a great affirmation of the 2nd amendment and does restore a little sanity and credibility to the high court, especially after SCOTUS blew it on the Louisiana death penalty case. After all, the 2nd amendment is one of the shortest and easiest to read in the Constitution. It says what it says and is what it is in plain English. The municipal gun bans in liberal cities across the nation were in defiant opposition to the rule of law and have been in need of judicial review for decades. Now armed with the right to defend themselves, law-abiding citizens of D.C. just might be able to make the nation's capital a fairly nice place to live and visit. The landmark decision is one of only a scant few achievements Bush has in his legacy, as the Scalia decision was supported by his appointees Justices Roberts and Alito. Democrats, however, have much to gain from the decision. With the decision firmly putting gun owners at ease, and if the Democrats can suppress the anti-gun extremists from within their party, Obama could effectively go after millions of votes of gun owners upset over the economy and the Iraq war, with the gun issue taken out of the electoral equation. McCain possibly could benefit, but only if he gets voters to realize that 5-4 decisions like D.C. vs. Heller won't be going conservatives' way in the future if Obama gets to replace a justice or two during his administration.

Obama Can't Play on a Level Playing Field

For the first time in recent history, a presidential candidate will not accept the $85 million in public funding for the presidential campaign. Obama has elected to forfeit the public money so he can spend double or triple the amount raised in private donations. McCain has pledged to use the public funds, limiting the GOP to that amount. Obama's behavior should make voters take a hard look at Democratic values. Isn't the Democratic Party always harping on "leveling the playing field" with their liberal policies? Yet now Obama is setting the stage to cheat by being able to outspend McCain. As his excuse Obama basically said that the GOP has learned to win on a level playing field, so he has to cheat to win. Also, aren't the Democrats the "working man's" party? Yet Obama is electing to give up public funding so that he can accept millions from liberal celebrities, entrepreneurs, and trial lawyers. Obama has affirmed what conservatives have claimed for years, that the DEMOCRATS are the party of rich and privileged crybabies.