November 26, 2008

Thanksgiving

And you know what that means. Yeah, the War on Christmas, and our friends at Focus on the Family are more worried about whether your local retailer says "Merry Christmas" than they are the impact their layoffs will have on ~149 families of former employees. When you are King Dobson, you expect your subjects to simply submit, and nothing works better than distracting them with the War on Christmas. That is our biggest concern right now? Really? Or even a legitimate concern?

I don't think so.

*****

Speaking of religious nonsense, I see that Bob Jones University has apologized for its past racism. I expect they want to be patted on the back and congratulated for joining the 20th century, even if that century is over. In the same vein, I would like to be commended for the fact that I have decided not to run people over with my car. I will take my Person of the Year Award now!

****

The progressive blogosphere is buzzing over the idea that Obama will keep Bob Gates on at Defense. Some worry that it sends the message that Democrats are weak on defense and have to turn that over to conservatives. Others say it is ridiculous after an election devoted to change to keep someone from the worst administration in history.

I care about those sentiments about as much as I do the War on Christmas. Gates has easily been Bush's best and, perhaps, only good decision. I don't care if he used to run Texas A&M University, and worked for Daddy Bush. The man is obviously very good at his job. In every other position, W favored loyalty and party ideology over competence. We should not replace one ideological administration with another. The President Elect said this yesterday about the budget, but it could easily apply to every other issue facing the nation:
people don't want to continue argument about big government or small government, they want smart government and effective government.
Exactly. I remember reading in horror that Bush's people filtered employees for Iraq's reconstruction team based on their stance on abortion. Really? Had it been me, I would have instructed those people to hire the very best. I would have said, "get this done, and I don't care if you have to hire Chelsea Clinton or Karl Marx to do it. Just make it right. We will get the credit."

But he didn't do that, of course, and preferred ass-kissing minions to competent staff and administrators. Bob Gates has been the one shining exception, and to not use his expertise simply because he is connected to Bush is ridiculous. The change we need here is not partisan, it is about competence and good governing.

****

I sincerely hope that you all have a good Thanksgiving.

5 comments:

Tony said...

I hope you and yours have a GREAT Thanksgiving.

Bootleg Blogger said...

Hey Streak- Happy Holidays. Get out your maroon and white and practice your Aggie yell!
Later-BB

Anonymous said...

Happy Thanksgiving (a bit late) Streak and all other bloggers here.
Just a comment on the ridiculous "War on Christmas". A Walmart worker was killed in Long Island, NY, very close to here, on Friday when he opened the doors at 5AM and the crowd of 2000 people waiting outside trampled him to death. They shoved employees out of the way who were trying to get to him. They even stepped on the paramedics who arrived to help him. Many got belligerent when police announced the closing of the store due to the death. A 34 year old man died trying to do his job at the hands of people looking to find a bargain on gifts for a holiday that is now nothing more than a materialistic commercial opportunity for stores to break even for the year. And these fruitcakes are worried about the companies wishing someone other than a Christian a happy holiday? These Christians are going to be offended when someone wishes them a Happy Holiday, and then will go home and celebrate with a pagan evergreen tree, pagan mistletoe, pagan caroling, celebrating the "birth of the Son" at the time of the Winter Solstice, which they stole from pagans, and is nowhere near the actual birth date of Jesus? Please. Any Christian griping about being wished anything other than a Merry Christmas is a bigoted hypocrite, plain and simple.
Happy Holidays. :)

leighton said...

How cute, one Utah state senator wants to pass legislation "encouraging" businesses to use Merry Christmas rather than Happy Holidays or Season's Greetings. I guess having the state meddle in churches' business is okay if you're a Republican.

Streak said...

Leighton, I saw that too (briefly). Irony alert on several levels, eh. Not only completely contradicts the conservative message, but somehow thinks that the way to make people like Christmas and respect the Christian influence, is to force them.