Daily Archives: 16 November 2012

Governor Bobby Jindal and the GOP

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Governor Jindal (R, LA) had some blunt words for his fellow Republicans.  Among other things, he had this [emphasis added]:

It is no secret we had a number of Republicans damage our brand this year with offensive, bizarre comments—enough of that.  It’s not going to be the last time anyone says something stupid within our party, but it can’t be tolerated within our party.  We’ve also had enough of this dumbed-down conservatism.  We need to stop being simplistic, we need to trust the intelligence of the American people and we need to stop insulting the intelligence of the voters.

He added:

[S]top reducing everything to mindless slogans, tag lines, 30-second ads that all begin to sound the same.

Part of that “trust the intelligence.”

He made a number of other points; RTWT.

Europe and Terrorism

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In preparation for the upcoming meeting between the European Union’s various foreign ministers and their Arab League counterparts, Spiegel International Online interviewed Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn on, among other things, Israeli settlement building.  This exchange, in particular, was interesting [emphasis added]:

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Violence is also escalating in the Gaza Strip.

Asselborn: No one can or should justify violence—not even if it originates with Palestinians in Gaza.

Not even if it originates with terrorists.

And this exchange:

SPIEGEL ONLINE: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has offered to meet the Palestinian president immediately in Ramallah or Jerusalem for peace talks.  Why are the Palestinians rejecting this offer?

Asselborn: Because it is just lip service. The Israeli settlement policy is an affront to every Palestinian because it is a constant provocation.

But, of course, the constant rocket attacks and the steady drumbeat of suicide bombing attempts from Gaza aren’t at all provocative.

No, if it’s an Israeli move, it’s just lip service; if it’s a PLO or Hamas move, it’s entirely innocent and sincere.

Hmm….