retreated -- becoming a speechwriter for Ron Reagan, later, bearing a letter from on high, got elected in conservative HB. His comment at the time to YAFFERS about why he was "selling out" to the establishment? Reputedly, "...heck, I'm boring from within!". That's what the Comrades used to say. Dana seems careful to back issues of interest to real veterans. So do many big, visible, vocally "patriotic" Repubs who did not serve.

Now, the YAF, while not itself, of course, deigning to go to war, is attacking Mayor Debbie Cook of Huntington Beach, for her common sense statement that to support the troops it might be better to cook them a cake or send them an email of sympathy. Dana and the YAFFERS want to put yellow ribbons on trees in an ecstacy of Jingoistic frenzy.

This is all in character. Symbolism above reality, as Bush himself waited out the war in a "golden unit" -- the Texas Air Guard -- that flew obsolete F-102. If he could fly nothing but such a plane, he could never be activated, because it was out of inventory, and no logistics support existed! So, it seems, all the golden boys got into that unit, if they could, and party, party, party! Leave the mud-slogging to the poor, perhaps.

Cheney himself did not serve. Neither did Trent Lott, who spent the war, it seems, as a cheerleader ("spirit crew") at Ole Miss. Newt, perhaps not finding a place for barrage balloons, also missed the war (darn!). So it is in character for YAF to cheer-lead the war-dogs (oops, but not actually participate!).

In fact, examining the service "record" of the big Repubs, it is found lacking, in general. Poor Dems seem to have done more of the heavy lifting, perhaps because it was "their" war. It has been opined that "patriotism and piety is the last resort of scoundrels and villains" who might tend to use it as a cover for rather more nefarious activities.

Debbie Cook, ironically enough, is a genuine Republican -- who worked to save some of America's treasures, such as Bolsa Chica, for the next generation instead of desecration for the profit of a few.

Debbie Cook is, perhaps, a conservative in the real sense, not in the symbolic, verbal way that appears to pertain to the YAFFERS. That kind of YAFFERism may have led to the "redevelopment" trashing of Huntington Beach (and other cities) for the profit of the few -- and the cost of the Taxpayer. It's convenient, maybe, for them to be seen as "conservative" or "patriotic" when used as cover for looting the public and draft-dodging.

Ms. Cook, on the other hand, honestly and forthrightly fought hard for "measure C" which seems to stop legal looters from selling off pieces of HB precious Beach without bringing it to the people (now, they lease, bringing to mind Plato's paraphrased "...no matter how well-thought out the laws, weasels will find a loophole"!).

Here is one rather impolite letter sent by the YAFFERS to the very competent, effective and upward-bound Cook. By its very ludicrous mis-statements, the author appears less than fully cogent. If you wish, you could answer their "flatuus vocis":

>From: "Leon McKinney"
>CC: "'Kurt English'" , "'Jim Ball'" , "'John Kurzweil'"
>Subject: FW: View Video of Huntington Beach Councilwoman's Anti-American
Comments
>Date: Fri, 25 Apr 2003 08:12:29 -0500
>Ms. Cook,
>When I lived in Huntington Beach (1982-1997), I
>thought you were a typical empty suit bimbo with
>a sozzled little pumpkin for a brain, who couldn't
>get elected to pick up dog poop except for the fact
>that you're a woman and most other women will
>vote for any and all women candidates every time
>just because they're women.
>
>Now, I can see that you're not just an ordinary idiot,
>but, worse, an idiot who really doesn't like America
>very much. In other words, a liberal.
>
>Like all liberals, you suffer extreme angst that
>someone might take offense when the vast majority
>of Americans want to express their appreciation for
>our military men and women as they put their lives
>on the line in Iraq and Afghanistan. And who might
>those someones be? I can only come up with two
>possibilities: (1) Islamicist rag-head sociopaths who
>would impose their version of the Taliban on us except
>that people like me would shoot them, and
>(2) blame-America-first, last, and always liberals
>like yourself.
>
>Frankly, I don't give a good goddamn about the
>delicate sensitivities of either group.
>
>You should be ashamed of yourself, but I know that's
>impossible because liberals are completely shameless.
>Leon McKinney
>McKinney Associates
>Tel: (314) 514-1352
>Fax: (314) 514-1353
>E-mail: leonmck@mckinneyassociates.com
> >Cal-YAF@lists.rgronline.com

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