Local Terrorism Didn’t Amount to “Twisted Logic”

Alleged cop-killer and suspected fire-bomber Christopher Monfort was described by Seattle Assistant Police Chief Jim Pugel as a “lone domestic terrorist.” And, from everything that it is alleged he did in the early morning hours of October 22 and on Halloween night – as well as the evidence found in his Tukwila apartment – it appears the label Pugel placed on Monfort is very accurate. At the very least, if the allegations against Monfort are true, he is a homegrown assassin who hoped to do more to hurt police officers and the communities they protect; or, in other words, terrorize. Less than two weeks after the senseless and horrific murder of Officer Tim Brenton and the attempted murder of officer trainee Britt Sweeney, Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan opened fire at Fort Hood killing 13 and injuring many others. In response, President Barack Obama described Hasan’s rampage as a result of “twisted logic,” refusing to put the tag on Hasan that Pugel so aptly – and swiftly – placed on Monfort.

I suppose the only real difference between Christopher Monfort and Nidal Malik Hasan at first glance is that Monfort, allegedly, was in possession of bombs and bomb making materials after he was shot and apprehended by police. He could only have those materials for one reason: to murder and terrorize. On the other hand, Hasan simply walked into a holding facility at Fort Hood and opened fire with two handguns before being shot himself. But Hasan’s actions before his rampage tell a deeper story.

He holds significant ties to a pro-al Qaeda imam who, in 2002, went to Yemen (where he now describes Hasan as “a man of conscience”) and still lectures against Western ideals and the United States to this day. Reports out of Fort Hood say Hasan yelled out “Allahu Akbar!” (Arabic for God is great!) before and during his murderous rampage. The man was a ticking time bomb and, somehow, people with knowledge of his alarming actions and words leading up to the rampage helped in shielding his true motivations in life. It looks like President Obama felt it necessary to do the same.

President Obama had time to reflect on his words before delivering his “twisted logic” address. Apparently, his reflections didn’t work. Any reasonable, clear-minded individual can see what Hasan did amounts to terrorism, domestic or otherwise. Assistant Police Chief Pugel didn’t hesitate at all putting the “T” label on Monfort’s actions; why did President Obama hesitate on Hasan? Obama is renowned for his deep rhetorical eloquence and his penchant for reciting Shakespeare (if you don’t believe me, read the latest issue of GQ). I suspect his vast linguistic skills could help him pull out the right word to describe Hasan’s actions. Instead he uttered “twisted logic.” It appears President Obama is the one inflicted with “twisted logic.”

Rep. Durst: Budget Cuts to the Bone

Recently, as I listened to Gov. Butch Otter once again announce that he would be cutting state government, I wondered what was next. I remember a similarly eerie feeling from the announcement from the year before. At that time, Gov. Otter assured us all that he was acting in the best interest of Idahoans and was doing the “fiscally responsible” thing. At that time, as now, I wasn’t sure which Idahoans he was talking about.

During the previous legislative session, Democratic legislators advocated against cutting vital programs including state police, Medicaid and higher education. At that time, we pointed out, in both the committee process and in floor debate, that doing so would lead to bigger problems and end up costing us more. The strain on these services is proof that we all, especially someone who has been around state government as long as Gov. Otter, should have seen it coming.

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The Noble Prize for Stupidity

The award for Barack Obama may be the most stunningly undeserved use of the Nobel Peace Prize. When you add it up, the Nobel Prize Committee is giving Obama an “A” for effort, and even that’s not deserved when the President of France is calling you naive and making fun of you.

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Twittering Away Our Past Lives

Want to take a course on how to use Twitter or Facebook or learn about your reincarnated past as Marie Antoinette’s cousin. Then Boise Community Education might be for you.

I just received the catalog in the mail from the Boise School District. I don’t mean to trivialize the program. In fact, there are some facinating courses out there that teach useful skills. Others provide fairly low cost physical fitness courses.

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General Welfare Queens

When challenged to explain what part of the Constitution gives them the power to even pass health care reform, I’ve heard at least a couple liberal talk radio callers rest their defense in the Preamble to the Constitution’s use of the term “General Welfare.”

But does General Welfare really mean that health care reform is constitutionally permitted? Well, as it happens the Father of the Constitution, James Madision, became President and was presented with a public works bill which he vetoed and in that veto message he addressed the meaning of the General Welfare clause…

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