By Theodore King

On October 7, 2001 the United States began military operations in Afghanistan. That was 10 years ago. We overthrew the Taliban regime that was giving safe harbor to Osama Bin Laden and his terrorist network; we killed Osama bin Laden in neighboring Pakistan. It is past time to end military operations in Afghanistan. The British could not succeed in Afghanistan; nor could the Soviets, and neither will we despite our best intentions. We are broke; we cannot afford this entanglement any longer. The troops should be brought home not only from Afghanistan, but also from Iraq, where we have been for eight years now.

The Oklahoma National Guard alone has lost 12 soldiers just since July 29th! How can we as a nation send our neighbors who volunteered for service off to fight in a theater half a world away and perhaps die when there seems to be no feasible military outcome except eventual withdrawal? Now the president has, without congressional approval, sent troops to Africa to get us into another war! He should, instead, send our troops to our border with Mexico, which is a real problem for American security because of the drug wars along the border and millions of illegals crossing every year. President Obama will not do this. Let's get a president who will.

2012 Is Not Here Yet

After the summer issue of the Oklahoma Constitution came out, Texas Governor Rick Perry entered the GOP presidential race, received the endorsement of Sen. Jim Inhofe at a speech before the Tulsa Press Club, made front runner status in the polls, raised 17 million dollars for his 2012 campaign, and blew himself up in a debate in September by telling conservatives we don't have a heart if we don't support taxpayer subsidies for the kids of illegal aliens at state colleges. Rick Perry has never lost a race for public office. He's about to lose this one.

Herman Cain, the former chief executive officer of Godfather's Pizza, has energized a lot of people on the right. In an ambush interview with Lawrence O'Donnell of MSNBC in October, he proved he can take on the opposition in a head to head debate. By way of disclaimer, if I were a Republican -- I no longer am; I am an independent, constitutional, conservative -- I would vote for Texas Congressman Ron Paul.

Smearing the Tea Party

Former Vermont governor, presidential candidate, and Democrat National Committee Chairman Howard Dean, who always has an intense (i.e. crazed) look in his face, earlier this year called the Tea Party the last gasp of old white people. So much for the politics of inclusion. In September, a psychiatrist suggested on one of the cable networks that the Tea Party is made up of undisciplined children who eventually resort to violence. The Republican establishment in New Hampshire was able to oust their party chairman, Jack Kimball, who came from the Tea Party movement. Kimball resigned on September 1st rather than be ousted by the state GOP executive committee. Kimball had not been chairman of the New Hampshire GOP a whole year. He was ousted because he chose to pay off old party debt rather than create new debt for the party. He also signed a petition allowing Libertarians ballot access. In other words, he supports democracy.

The 2008 standard bearer, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, said this from the Senate floor on July 27th regarding the vote raising the debt ceiling: "...Democrats would have no choice but to pass a balanced budget amendment and reform entitlements, and the Tea Party hobbits could return to middle earth having defeated Mordor. This is the kind of crack political thinking that turns Sharon Angle and Christine O'Donnell into GOP Senate nominees." Many "hobbit" types campaigned for this ungrateful man when he was trying to be elected president, knocked on doors for him, made phone calls, donated money, etc. He treated them the way he treated his first wife, who lobbied for his release from a North Vietnamese prison, but after his release divorced her.

Congressman Andre Carson of Indiana, who is black, told a Miami group on August 22nd that the Tea Party wanted to see blacks "hanging on a tree." Saying the Tea Party is racist wouldn't even make for a good punch line to a joke. For a joke to be funny, there has to be a kernel of truth to it. The Tea Party is a threat to the status quo, which has failed us miserably. The Tea Party are regular Americans who want a return to our values of freedom and individual responsibility. If you are in the Tea Party, you are a force for good as evidenced by the fact that the establishments in both parties are terrified of you. Get your own people elected and once in office hold them accountable, and then you can take your country back. You might start by removing Oklahoma's congressional delegation.

On August 1st, Dan Boren, who is retiring from Congress, John Sullivan, Tom Cole, Frank Lucas, and James Lankford, a freshman, all voted to increase the debt ceiling, which essentially allows the federal government to borrow more money from China. The vote was 269 to 161. Congressmen Ron Paul of Texas and Michele Bachmann of Minnesota voted no. On August 2nd, the Senate voted to pass the debt ceiling by 74 to 26. Senators Coburn and Inhofe voted no.

The deal reached between the White House and Congress calls for $2.4 trillion in savings over the next decade and allows the government to borrow until the end of 2012. It also creates a congressional panel to enforce those $2.4 trillion in cuts. About the $2.4 trillion in savings promised, I point out that the federal government made treaties with Indian tribes, and they didn't work out for the Indians until the advent of casinos.

Useful Idiots and an Election Upset

President Obama proposed his $447 billion dollar "jobs bill" in the first week in September, and one of his claims for passing this legislation was that the very rich must pay more in taxes. About a week after his propsed legislation, the Wall Street protests began. Hey, I smell a rat! The protests were planned months in advance in order to take place in mid-September, just after the President's call for the rich, as the saying goes, "to pay their fair share."

And here is a fact the corrupt mainstream media will not mention: the Tea Party movement has been around for over two years and not resulted in any arrests by police. The Wall Street protests, otherwise known as "Occupy Wall Street," have been around for over a month and have resulted in hundreds of arrests in several cities for disorderly conduct. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has in the past told reporters of her fear of tea partiers, said at a press conference on October 5th regarding the Occupy Wall Street crowd: "God bless them," and she went on to say: "It's independent ... it's young, it's spontaneous, and it's focused. And it's going to be effective." By mid-October, the Wall Street protesters decided to take their protests to the wealthy neighborhoods on the upper east side in Manhattan. They probably just wanted to go home. For a very good analysis on the protests, read Wayne Allen Root's column on his Web site: rootforamerica.com

Speaking of New York, on September 13th the Republicans won a special election in the 9th district of New York with Robert Turner. The seat was made vacant with the resignation of Congressman Anthony Weiner, a noxious liberal who was caught in a scandal last spring sending vulgar photos of himself to female "admirers," not his wife. The district, once represented by Chuck Shumer (unfortunately now a U.S. Senator) is blue collar with a large Jewish, Puerto Rican, black, and Slavic population. They have not had a Republican congressman in almost 90 years. If a Republican can win there, then the 2nd district of Oklahoma will be represented by a Republican after the elections next year. The real contest in the 2nd district will be in the Republican primary next July.

Turning off Mark Levin

Recently, I made the easy decision not to listen to Mark Levin's radio show any longer. Talk Radio is vitally important in the American conservative world. It is how we get informed on the latest issues, exchange ideas, and proselytize the general listening public. Because of conservatism's dominant status in Talk Radio, we have many hosts to choose from. My decision to turn off Mark Levin is due in part to his shrill attitude towards Congressman Ron Paul and his supporters. Rush Limbaugh, to whom Levin tied his sail years ago, and Sean Hannity are merely dismissive of Ron Paul, but Levin is hateful toward him as much as he is toward many of our opponents on the left.

The establishment on the conservative side as represented by Rush, Hannity, and Levin is uncomfortable with some libertarian views. They don't like Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid, but they all have made their peace with these programs. Better to reform them than abolish them and risk the wrath of the voters. When it comes to the Federal Reserve, Rush, Hannity, and Levin cannot understand all this talk about its being illegitimate (i.e. unconstitutional). On the issue of military spending, the establishment of the right balks at any talk of curtailing our military entanglements overseas. If there is any government spending program, the right likes it to be for the military.

Ron Paul and his youthful supporters are a long term challenge to this status quo, and people like Levin know and fear it. This is one reason Levin goes out of his way to attack Jack Hunter (a.k.a. The Southern Avenger), a Charleston, South Carolina columnist and radio talk show host who works on the Paul campaign. Mark Levin refers to him as a "freak," "effemininate," "punk," etc. This is one example (and he has attacked the man since) of Levin's inner rage. Jack Hunter is a local writer and commentator who posts on YouTube and The Daily Caller. He's about as big a player in the media as I am. In politics you need passion, not hatred. I disagree with some of Congressman Paul's foreign policy views, but I'm not going to spew bile over them.

For further information on Levin's battles with the Libertarian right, read about Thomas Wood's exchange with Levin regarding The War Powers Act on LewRockwell.com

Mark Levin is a Reagan true believer who loves dogs. There is a lot to be said about both, but Levin is a yelping miniature pinscher day in, day out. He is a nasty, shrill, little man.