WILL AMERICA BE A SERIOUS COUNTRY AGAIN?
Soufriere, St. Lucia. Thirsty? How about a cool one? Will this place do? 
I'm here on business (along with Chile, the Caribbean island nation of St. Lucia has the freest economy and lowest taxes in the Western Hemisphere), but who could resist taking a break at this place? Looking out onto a view like this would certainly, I thought, give my brain a break from anxiety over November 2nd. No such luck. Not even this place will shut my brain up, nor quell the disquiet. I've been going around the world for two months now - and it's caused me to think more than ever about America and her place among the nations of the world. The one question that keeps reverberating in my head is: Will America be a serious country again?
A CONGRESS OF CHILDREN
If Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and their fellow members of Congress were children, what might they have done?
Children like to spend other people's money on themselves and their friends without thinking about how it was earned and the hard work that went into earning it. A childlike mind might believe in the fantasy that you can take money from the pocket of someone who worked hard to earn it, give it to someone who didn't earn it and that, magically, everyone will be better off. A fully developed, mature brain would understand that voting to enact laws without having read or understood them was irresponsible and likely would lead to bad consequences
Free-market democracy cannot succeed if those who hold elective office act and vote like children. We can do better.
REP. JAMES OBERSTAR, D-SPECIAL INTERESTS
Jonathan Allen of the Webzine Politico found a datum in the most recent Federal Elections Commission report which to me illustrates why politicians in Washington have gotten so out of touch with the concerns and opinions of their constituents.
Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn., is chairman of the House Transportation Committee. He’s represented his northeastern Minnesota district since 1975.
Between June 22 and Sep. 30, Rep. Oberstar raised $233,102 for his re-election campaign.
Just $500 of that -- in a single donation from Jane Robbins of Pine City -- came from residents off his district. Most of the rest came from political action committees in Washington.
THE INCREASING IRRELEVANCE OF ISRAEL’S OPPOSITION
Olmert's and Livni's assaults on Netanyahu made clear that like most of their colleagues on the Left, they believe that relations between countries and relations between governments are the same thing. Leaders of the Israeli left believe the major determinant in the quality of the U.S.-Israeli relationship is the view of the U.S. president.
Luckily for Israel, Livni, Olmert and the Left they represent have no idea what they are talking about. As a poll released last week makes clear, Americans are far more likely to ditch leaders they believe are harming the US-Israel alliance than they are to ditch the alliance.
POLISH YOUR CRYSTAL BALL
We’re now just less than a week away from a midterm election in which GOP prospects range from pretty good to Biblical. So it’s time for a TTP Clairvoyance Contest.
What do you win besides bragging rights if you win?
Not much. The winner will be announced on Friday night at the rendezvous, and I will buy him or her lunch on Saturday. If you don’t attend the rendezvous, I’ll send you a coupon for Burger King. Maybe. Be there or be square.
HALF-FULL REPORT 10/15/10
If you kill them, they will die. Rowan Scarborough of the Washington Times reports the troop surge in Afghanistan is starting to work.
There is a simpler way than Stuxnet to stick it to the Iranians, says Spengler.
Joe Miller is losing altitude in Alaska faster than a 747 struck by a heat-seeking missile.
The publisher of the Las Vegas Review-Journal said: “Angle mops the floor with Reid.”
You don’t need me to tell you there aren’t any rocket scientists in Congress. But that might change.
So far, the person most thrilled with the attacks on Karl Rove is Karl Rove.
In what may be the unkindest cut of all, Politico compares the Obama/Democrat campaign in 2010 to the McCain campaign in 2008.
UPDATE ON THE TTP VICTORY RENDEZVOUS FROM JACK WHEELER
Our Victory Rendezvous in Washington Nov. 05-07 is shaping up to be an extravaganza. Here’s the latest. In addition to the TTP regulars – Jack Kelly, Dr. Joel Wade, Richard Rahn, Marco the Wizard, famed intel analyst Alex Alexiev, and yours truly – we have:
- Frank Gaffney, president of the Center for Security Policy in Washington (you’ve seen him on Fox News)
- Ariel Cohen, the Heritage Foundation’s expert on Russia and global energy policy (Ariel will tell us what’s it like to have a personal conversation with Vladimir Putin on a balcony of a dascha on the Black Sea)
- Robert Agostinelli, the billionaire investor of a major global private equity fund (there is no one who knows more about where the global economy is headed than Robert)
- A special guest whose name we cannot announce, but whom we guarantee you’ll be excited to meet. No one knows more about corruption in Washington than him.
CAN YOU SUPPORT OUR VETERANS AND OUR ENEMIES AT THE SAME TIME?
The Veterans of Foreign Wars Political Action Committee has endorsed "Senator Ma'am for re-election. Scott Swett finds this odd. So do the leaders of the VFW, who have asked the VFW PAC to rescind that and other endorsements of anti-military Democrats, and who are contemplating abolition of the PAC, which is run separately from the VFW.
WHITE KNUCKLES ON THE GUNWALE
The Member of Congress most responsible for our current economic troubles may pay for his sins in November.
Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass, is chairman of the House Financial Services Committee. No one insisted more strongly on the lax lending standards at the heart of the subprime mortgage crisis. No one fought more vigorously against oversight of the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac), whose bankruptcies triggered the economic collapse.
Rep. Frank has a reputation for arrogance President Obama might envy, a product of representing a safe Democratic district since 1981. But he seemed flustered and defensive in a radio debate Monday (10/11) with Sean Bielat.
A major in the Marine Corps Reserve who holds two masters degrees and is a former program manager for the iRobot Corporation, Mr. Bielat is one of the most impressive Republican challengers this year.
In an ordinary year, this wouldn’t matter much. But this is no ordinary year.
PARADISE LOST
Majuro Atoll, Marshall Islands, Pacific Ocean. What is your vision of a coral atoll paradise? A lagoon of crystal clear turquoise water, a beach of pure white sand edged by coconut palms, their fronds rustling in the gentle trade winds? Friendly, welcoming islanders skillfully sailing their outrigger canoes beyond the reef to capture a bounty of fish which they happily share with you? An underwater aquarium that's a snorkler's or scubadiver's dream? A thatch hut, a hammock, a perfectly made mai tai or piña colada with which to enjoy a perfect sunset in the glistening ocean? There are such places on this planet. If you are searching for one of them, don't come here to Majuro. This place was a paradise once just as described above. Now it is a dump. Literally. This is one of Majuro's more pristine beaches: 
This atoll - this country, the sovereign independent United Nations member nation of the Republic of the Marshall Islands of which Majuro is the capital - is Paradise Lost. It is the vision, the goal, the template that Democrats have for America. The future they strive for and dream they have for our country is the Paradise Lost of Majuro Atoll.