BISHOP IS A SCARY SIGN OF THE TIMES

In Gordon Bishop’s column on the Atlantic Highlands Herald [www.ahherald.com] on JUNE 20 “To Destroy, Bush, Liberal Media Lies About Iraq War” the man goes too far as usual.

Mr. Bishop said, “The rise and fall of the United States of America can be traced directly to liberalism and the liberal media undermining our once great Constitutional Republic.”

I find that hard to believe since Liberals haven’t been in charge of the government since Clinton, and he had a Republican house. So, where have Liberals had their hands on the wheel? And when they were in charge this country had a surplus and not a deficit.

Bishop talks about Iraq and said America’s taxpayers and voters have been brainwashed about the global War on Terror, specifically the war on Iraq. I don’t see how that is possible, since the government pretty much controls the media today.

He said, “What the liberal media purposely forgets to report is that the United Nations was responsible for the disappearance of the so-called ‘Weapons of Mass Destruction.’” Are you for real? The United Nations hid weapons of mass destruction. No sir, I think that’s a lot of nonsense.

“Hundreds of trucks and trains were sighted by satellites leaving Iraq before President Bush could declare war on Iraq because of the UN’s policy regarding dictators. Guess what was in those trucks and trains?” That’s what Mr. Bishop said. But I am more than confident that if Mr. Bush had that piece of information it would have been all over Fox. It hasn’t because it didn’t happen. Pundits under George Bush have taken to more than exaggeration, they’re down to lying.

He said that “Cleaning up the mess in Iraq with suicidal terrorists willing to blow themselves up, along with their own mosques and innocent children, women and men, has been difficult because America and its allies are forced to mass-murdering terrorists under the “rules of war” in the Geneva Convention.” The Geneva Convention was established to help countries by making war crimes illegal. It’s because of war crimes that nations stay in war for centuries. This pact helps to be able to keep a peace after a war is over.

He said that “the rules of war don’t apply to blood-thirsty terrorists.” Well, if the U.S. is fighting a war in another country then our service people must be fighting someone. If they take them prisoner, and the other side can only expect to be killed or tortured then what’s the use of anyone surrendering at all?

He said, “They are fighting a religious war in civilian clothes: Kill all those who won’t convert to Islam and the Koran, including all Americans who they consider ‘infidels.’” Well, actually, according to most polls over in Iraq, people don’t want us there. So, if some people take it to an extreme and start shooting people it’s terrible but Iraqis aren’t “good Americans.” They’re Iraqi and there’s this great big army that’s over there. And, to tell you the truth, I don’t know if that was a good idea in the first place.

The U.S. didn’t help France during the Revolution because we didn’t have the money to do it. Most early founders believed that foreign wars were a bad idea and that we should conserve our resources and strength. Those people called themselves conservatives. I’m not really sure what Mr. Bishop is.

He said, “Liberals better change their anti-religious attitude toward “God, Jesus, prayer, Christmas and anything connected with the Judeo-Christian ethical-moral code of behavior” before they find themselves as the “enemy” of a free society committed to the “rule of law.”

Well, that’s an interesting point. So, everyone better listen to George and not make a ripple on the water because then they’ll become enemies of the state…is that it? That doesn’t sound like a great idea. I’ve heard Hitler talked a lot like that. Only instead of talking about Germans, Bishop is naming presidents that didn’t believe in the nonsense he’s talking about.

He said “Liberals have become the enemy of “rule of law” contained in our Constitution. The Greek philosopher Plato was right: Democracy (liberalism) leads to anarchy, which is “Mob Rule.” And that’s where America is headed if liberalism prevails in our socio-economic-political system.”

Well, Plato wasn’t American and his ideas weren’t incorporated into our country. Guys like John Locke and Thomas Payne said a lot of good things, though, and maybe Mr. Bishop should look them up.

He said: “America became infected with liberalism in the 20th Century, led by President Franklin Roosevelt and his Marxist “New Deal,” which violated the U.S. Constitution and created a society of illegal “entitlements” that have made the people more and more dependent on bigger and bigger government for their survival.”

Franklin Roosevelt won the Second World War. Under his terms of office, this country went from a depression to the greatest power in the world. I don’t see the problem.

“Bush believes in freedom, liberty and opportunity for everyone, with a work ethic, can be the best they can be by not becoming a helpless ward of the State.”

Does he mean “helpless,” like hopelessly in debt, caught up in so many wars around the planet that if a country like North Korea or Iran did want to fight then there’d be a lot of good questions about how we’re going to do it? That kind of helpless?

He said, “Conservatism breeds independent individuals with a work ethic and strong motivational aspirations.” Well, that’s strange because the only people getting a living out of this war are Bush’s old companies and their affiliates. He sent all of our jobs overseas and now he wants to let every immigrant in the world into the country to finish off the economy.

I don’t care how many awards Mr. Bishop has won. He is entitled to his opinions. But in his ideal world, and the world of his right wing friends, my ideas would be banned and outlawed. I would probably be in a camp somewhere for writing this column, being tortured until I started to spout the garbage he’s saying or I’d be dead in a hole someplace after digging my own grave. Yeah, I can do without that kind of freedom and without Mr. Bush’s.

The founders didn’t believe in the nonsense he’s talking about. No one with their head screwed on straight does.

Eminent Domain is Everyone's Problem

In Middletown, eminent domain abuse by the county is something that has to be fought. It's plain that the county has a pretty arbitrary way of viewing eminent domain statutes. They use them in the most frivolous of cases. Private property has to be a lot more important than the way it is being treated in several cases, not the least of which is in the matterof the Walsh property involving the West Front Street Bridge. Meanwhile, the township is no better. I do not know of any cases where the township is imposing eminent domain but until there are relatively strong and reasonable guidelines involving private property in Middletown there should be a moritorium on the imposition of any eminent domain locally and a strong lobby against the county imposing eminent domain too. This governing body's view of property rights is fairly irresponsible in my opinion and should be a real concern for residents. Committee people here are very much in line with Freeholders at the county who want to take peoples' property pretty much at the drop of a hat.

Republicans are choosing a new leader

The Republicans are holding a convention tomorrow at Brookdale. It's going to be a hot one and, if it goes the way it could, they could get someone back in the chair that is a lot like Dowd. If a guy named Puharic ends up becoming the chairman, it represents an opportunity for Democrats. I don't have anything bad to say about either Adem Puharic or John Gimel, the Red Bank chairmen. It seems like their both people interested in the community. Puharic even runs a charity of some kind with the hospitals.

There are Demcorats who will tell you that getting registration from unsatisfied Republicans is a bad way to do it. I disagree with that point of view entirely. Most Republicans want to serve their towns in a straight-forward kind of way. Maybe they don't agree with Puharic or Gimel. If they do not then maybe there's another alternative. If any Republicans do become disillusioned, there is a place in the Democratic Party for people who want to make a difference in their communities in the right way. I know in Middletown and in The Bayshore clubs are looking for people who want to put their two 2 CENTS in and if this is the way to make the clubs grow larger with experienced people then I think anyone should be given an opportunity to help after Democratic leaders have a chance to sit down and talk with them. That's just my opinion. But I know in Middletown I'm around and can be reached at (732) 299-6470. If someone from the other side wants to call and talk about anything. Then I'm around. In other towns, Republican losses have equaled Democratic gains. I see no reason why that's bad at all.

Things are a lot more open in the Democratic Party than the Republican Party if what I'm reading is true. So I thnk young people and older people have something to think about.

O'Grady Case is Rested

So here I've been saying that one party rule might not be such a hot idea for some years now. It's no secret that the Feds have been all over Monmouth County. In Middletown, they netted Committeeman Ray O'Grady on corruption charges and the case has just rested and gone to the jury. I think one party rule is a bad idea in Middletown, and it's led to a lot of abuse. Whether it's something as small as the township administrator, Bob Czech, having a vehicle that is too expensive, or as large as Peter Carton's law firm getting the business for the bonding work in town and the committee bonding at nearly every meeting, Middletown has a lot of problems and I think most of them have to do with one party control.

Sports Complex Issue in Lincroft

Pat Short is going to be taking his case about the proposed Lincroft sports complex issue to the Middletown Committee this Monday night at 8 p.m. He has been in touch with the residents over at the Lincroft Village Green Association and has listened to some area residents.

A big part of this isn't just about leveling blame at the committee for not really telling anyone in the area about this project, though that is there. Patrick is proposing the committee take a look at the idea of helping to refurbish some ball fields that the school board has had to retire and then open them up not only to students but to the public at times. In this way, Lincroft doesn't have to accept a sports complex it doesn't want, the residents get the ball fields they want from around the township, and the kids in school get more fields back.

The worst sign of bad leadership is for elected people not to go with an idea simply because of who suggested it. Since Patrick is a candidate for the Middletown Committee this year, I am more than a bit cynical about this committee's ability to do what is right for residents based on partisan interests.

One party rule is what is wrong with Middletown, it is what has been wrong with Middletown and, unless residents go about the business of making a change, it is what will continue to be wrong with Middletown. However, I just don't believe that this Republican Party is as popular as it once was.

Middletown Committeeman Ray O'Grady is in the middle of a federal corruption trial, and he's bringing witnesses about more corruption that has taken place in the county and in Middletown. I think it's reasonable to say that if corruption is this big of a problem in the GOP that people should take a hard look at where they are casting their vote, and for whom.