Texas Independence Day

March 2, 1836

    By Elvis Chupacabra

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When I was a mere lad, Texas Independence Day was celebrated in schools with patriotic songs, readings of the Declaration by schoolkids and grave lectures on our role as Texans by our teachers. Even the Mexican kids participated, because anyone who’d read the  hallowed rolls of the Alamo and Goliad dead knew that there were plenty of martyrs with Spanish surnames. We also knew of Lorenzo de Zavala and Juan Seguin, both Texian heroes of the Revolution.

It was understood by the youngest of us that Texas went from being just the mostly empty northern part of the Mexican state of Cohuila-Texas to the independent Republic of Texas with the signing of this document. Like the beloved United States, from whence the spirit -and some would say impetus – of revolution had come, we won our right to be free through the force of arms, wielded by brave and bold men. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, the despot which our Texas Forefathers overthrew was ever bit as evil and prone to predations as Britain’s George III. His one saving grace, that he invented that most American of oral fixations, chewing gum, was more than off-set by his cruelty and duplicitous nature. The self-proclaimed Napoleon of the North, he boasted an army well-officered and well-equipped that had spent the past couple of years putting down rebellions in Mexico. It wasn’t just the Texians who longed for the return to a government who respected the liberal Constitution of 1824.  (more…)

This series of articles is guest posted by Elvis Chupacabra!

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February 23, 1836:

General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna reaches San Antonio with a large body of his troops, mostly cavalry. Much of his assault infantry, engineer troops and siege artillery are strung out along the road back to the Rio Grande. Of these, many of his native troops, lightly dressed for the warmth of Mexico, have suffered in a late and particularly harsh winter storm along their hasty, forced march towards the rebellious province of Tejas. (more…)

WASHINGTON — A draft of a White House immigration proposal obtained by USA TODAY would allow illegal immigrants to become legal permanent residents within eight years.

The plan also would provide for more security funding and require business owners to check the immigration status of new hires within four years. In addition, the nation’s 11 million illegal immigrants could apply for a newly created “Lawful Prospective Immigrant” visa, under the bill being written by the White House.

The draft was obtained from an Obama administration official who said it was being distributed to various agencies. The official requested anonymity because he was not authorized to release the proposal publicly.  (read more)

WASHINGTON DC – Jose Antonio Vargas, an illegal immigrant and former reporter, scolded a congressional panel on Wednesday, saying that he should not be called illegal, and saying it is an insult to his family who brought him here.

“When you inaccurately call me illegal, you not only dehumanize me, you’re offending them,” he said. “No human being is illegal.”

Mr. Vargas testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee alongside Chris Crane — a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent and president of the ICE agents’ union — who is unable to arrest him under the administration’s new non-deportation policies.

Mr. Vargas, who “came out” as an illegal immigrant several years ago, delivered an emotional plea for the country to legalize him. (more)

Several weeks ago when doing research into Denis McDonough, Obama’s pick to be his Chief of Staff, we ran accross this older insightful comment from a former member of Chuck Hagel’s staff.   I book marked it to review again during the confirmation hearings. Wow, this former employee of his staff really hits the nail on the head.

Watch this segment of his confirmation hearing first:

Now consider this from one of his staffers from March 2007:

At one time I worked in Senator Chuck Hagel’s office. I believe readers may be interested in my observations of Senator Hagel.

He has a limited educational background, and worked as a local broadcaster in Nebraska before getting his start as an aide to a Nebraska congressman in the 1970s. Before that, he fought in Vietnam, where he was seriously wounded. With his Capitol Hill background and war record, he obtained a high position in the Reagan administration’s Department of Veterans Affairs. Then he had some friends who were investing in the new cellular phone field; he sold his car to raise the funds to invest with them. That’s how he became a millionaire. And in a small state like Nebraska, that’s how a person possessed of the requisite ego, regardless of other qualifications, including intelligence, becomes a United States Senator. (more…)

I doubt anyone could ever watch a more categorically inept nominee face questioning than former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel.    President Obama appears to have nominated Hagel for only one reason – ideological synergy:   Lead from behind, follow the principle of flawed R2P mindset, and intentionally diminish the capacity of the U.S. Military.

Clueless would be the best descriptive.

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Breaking: Senate confirms Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry as secretary of state. http://t.co/FlFT59lx

— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) January 29, 2013

It was crystal clear when Republican Senator Marco Rubio announced his intent at constructing a bi-partisan immigration bill last November that President Barack Obama would not allow Rubio to steal one of the divisive political arrows from his quiver.

Nothing upsets the current administration more than having an alinsky-type talking attack point removed from their arsenal before they have the opportunity to use it.  [One only needs to look at the “Alligator Moat” Speech in 2011]  Such is clearly the case with the current immigration proposals.

Yesterday the bi-Partisan initiatives Senator Rubio had previously discussed were outlined.  The general process includes a pathway to “legal status” and eventually to a “green card”.   The foundation of his proposal is contingent upon enforcement and border security first, then a pathway to legal immigrant status.

Just like May 2011 – President Obama is HAVING-NONE-OF-IT !

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If you are a person who follows U.S. foreign policy, even tangentially, you must watch this video of Hillary Clinton discussing the terrorist attack / hostage crisis in Algeria:

Couple of thoughts. (more…)