GOP Hot Air... takes them far, but where are they?

A woman in a hot air balloon realized she was lost. She lowered her altitude and spotted a man in a boat below. She shouted to him, "Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don't know where I am."

The man consulted his portable GPS and replied, "You're in a hot air balloon, approximately 30 feet above ground elevation of 2,346 feet above sea level. You are at 31 degrees, 14.97 minutes north latitude and 100 degrees, 49.09 minutes west longitude.

"She rolled her eyes and said, "You must be an Obama Democrat." "I am," replied the man. "How did you know?"

"Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is technically correct. But I have no idea what to do with your information, and I'm still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help to me."

The man smiled and responded, "You must be a Republican."

"I am," replied the balloonist. "How did you know?"

"Well," said the man, "you don't know where you are or where you are going. You've risen to where you are due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise you have no idea how to keep, and you expect me to solve your problem. You're in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but somehow, now it's my fault."

This joke has circulated by email, been posted on numerous blogs, and passed on verbally... so I guess it now resides in the public domain and I don't need to cite a source. Besides, it rings so, so true. Especially here at Republican Ground Zero in the Shenandoah Valley. ;>)

Where's George when we need him?

There are times during our contemporary political disputes when it would be great to call on our Founding Fathers for wisdom and guidance. Such is now the case. Republicans have become the party of "No" and seek political gain by obstructing virtually every initiative of President Barack Obama. The "national interest" is no longer part of their vocabulary or agenda. President George Washington, in his Farewell Address, warned about the "mischiefs of party." His words should resonate with Republicans who are taking the "spirit of party" to obscene extremes... some Democrats should listen as well.

...the common & continual mischiefs of the spirit of Party are sufficient to make it the interest and the duty of a wise People to discourage and restrain it.

It serves always to distract the Public Councils and enfeeble the Public Administration. It agitates the Community with ill founded Jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot & insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence & corruption, which find a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions.

The politics of fear and hate

Was this just over-the-top talk at a hyper-partisan picnic or does Del. Steve Landes really believe his own fear mongering words that help spread distrust and hate among neighbors?

"They're afraid because they're afraid their neighbors are going to tell on them. When you've got a White House that's keeping names of people that don't agree with them, that reminds me of what went on the Soviet Union and in Nazi Germany."

Politics and politicians can be better than this trash talk. Landes is being challenged by Greg Marrow for the 25th House of Delegates seat. It is time for positive leadership in the 25th - for a change.