Isn’t it odd that Democrats — who also just elected Congress’ first Muslim, who immediately snubbed President Bush — have run for almost four years on a constant platform of surrendering to the Arabs, and then once in power, immediately hand the House committees overseeing Defense Appropriations and Intelligence to two men most noted for having previously taken bribes, one explicitly from men he thought to be Arabs?

John Murtha — whom San Francisco Nancy favored over Steny Hoyer for Majority Leader only to be defeated today 149-86 — was an “unindicted co-conspirator” in ABSCAM, the FBI’s effort in 1979-1980 to trap Congressmen willing to be bribed by Arab sheiks.  Pelosi handpicked him over one of the most respected Democrats in the House — and despite the near-certainty of defeat — because of his constant vocal calls for withdrawal and surrender over the past two years.  He will now “serve” (serve whom?) as Chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, where he says he will do his best to cut off funds for our troops.

Again, one has to ask why?

No one has to ask why Alcee Hastings took bribes while a federal judge in Miami, or whether he did:  he was impeached from the federal bench — one of only three federal judges impeached in the entire 20th century — by a thoroughly Democratic Congress in 1989, after which his brilliant local constituency decided that he was exactly the sort of man who could bring home the bacon for them in the House.  He’s been there ever since, and today stands poised to take over the House Intelligence Committee, where Nancy Pelosi has conveniently out-maneuvered his chief opposition.

A man impeached from the federal bench for taking bribes taking custody of America’s deepest secrets?

It’s insane.  It’s also not exactly what most Americans imagined Pelosi meant by “cleaning the House”.  No scandal — real or imagined — on the GOP side came close to anything like this (and many, like “Plamegate”, were completely made-up).

It bears repeating:  we clean our house, they don’t.  The Abramoff malefactors got sent home, without the slightest support of their party.  Mark Foley went home on his own:  not one Republican failed to condemn him.

And now, the “reform Democrats” immediately elevate their most prominent bribe-takers to authority over Defense authorizations and Intelligence, all in a time of war.

Well look closely, folks:  these two clowns — and Ms. Pelosi — have been supporting our enemies from the beginning of this conflict.  Pelosi has gone to unnecessarily great (and personally hurtful) lengths to put them where they are.  Can anyone honestly wonder why?

Josh Manchester (in TCSDaily) asks: “What should we make of the idea that we should only fight wars that we know in advance that we’ll win, even though no such creature exists? And that we only do so with an “exit strategy,” which in every other part of the world means that sooner or later the Americans will bail?”

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It is a sad thing indeed to have to note the passing of one of the greatest economists of our time, but more importantly, one of the most influential advocates for liberty who has ever lived.

Milton Friedman revolutionized economics, drove a stake through the heart of Keynesianism, and most of all, convinced millions of regular people he was right.  He was that unique combination of brilliance and charisma around which movements are made, and he truly moved the world.

Steve Forbes has an excellent video tribute to Friedman here, which I hope you’ll watch.  And if you haven’t already, pick up a copy of Friedman’s Capitalism and Freedom or Free to Choose.  You can see very quickly how he changed the world:  you can also see how much we have left to do, and how we ought to go about doing it.  How better to honor such a giant of our times?