Is this the smoking gun story that anti global war on terrorism crowd has been waiting for? Quiet often you hear people compare the Vietnam War with the war being waged against terrorism. Notice how I didn’t say Iraq, because you can’t forget Afghanistan or the threat of Iran looming in the shadows.  This war is being fought on multiple fronts. Yet, no matter what counter argument you can make the comparisons to Vietnam will not cease.  Enter Murtha’s Mi Lai…Mi Lai was a small village in Vietnam where American soldiers opened fire and killed over 350 men, women, and children.  Recently, Congressmen Jack Murtha (D, PA) held a press conference stating that "Our troops overreacted because of the pressure on them, and they killed innocent civilians in cold blood." The highly decorated Vietnam Veteran wasn’t talking about Mi Lai, no; the Representative insidious statement was in response to an incident in Haditha, Iraq where  One Marine and 24 Iraqis died in the wake of a roadside bombing, which hit a Marine convoy. Fifteen of the 24 casualties were civilians, some women and children. 

What is being dubbed as “Marine Rampage” has sparked a House committee and Pentagon investigation into this alleged “rampage”, which left 15 Iraqi civilians dead.  Since Murtha has insinuated that the Marines overreacted. I must lay forth the claim that the congressmen overreacted in a hasty rush to judgment.  Thus, condemning these Marines before any thorough investigation has been completed. 

Unless, done in the court of public opinion, rendering a verdict before a trail, sets a dangerous precedence, Subsequently, the main stream media and Al Jarzera will unknowingly use this as a feeding frenzy to fuel the insurgence in Iraq and the left wing idiots in America, whereas the atrocities committed by the former regime and the blowing up innocent Iraqis by Zarqawi’s thugs, will be overlooked and or downplayed. 

If not this handled fairly I am afraid that Haditha could turn out to be the Mi Lai of my time? , .  In retrospect, the Massacre at Mi Lai is remembered more than the slaughter at Pol Pot’s killing fields.  Will Haditha follow the same path with regards to Saddam’s massive grave yards?  If so we would have lost all we have fought hard for.   

Robert Novak’s latest article on Town Hall.com talks about how Michael Steele (Lt.Gov of Maryland) has the Democrats concern over his bid to become US Senator. Michael Steele is a black Republican Senator  who is running for a  Senate seat out of Maryland which will soon be vacated with the retirement of Paul Sarbanes (Maryland)

As Novak writes:

“Maryland typifies the pattern of blacks supplying nearly unanimous support for Democrats but getting little to show for it in the way of major offices. The party's choice this year to fill the Senate seat left vacant by the retirement of Paul Sarbanes is Rep. Benjamin Cardin of Baltimore, a hard-working toiler in the vineyards during 40 years as a state legislator and congressman. The feeling in political circles is that Cardin's time was due after so many years of tireless if unexciting service.

 The flamboyant Kweisi Mfume, former head of the Congressional Black Caucus and the NAACP, has waged a serious Democratic primary challenge on Sept. 12 against Cardin. Mfume is so underfunded that he is unlikely to win, but the scars of the intraparty conflict could drive blacks to Steele in November. “

Michael Steele is virtually running un-opposed on the Republican side.  Just recently a principal at a local high school in my area endorsed Mr. Steele for U.S Senate. What does this mean? Well if you live in a state that is heavily Democrat, especially in a large African American county such as Prince George’s then, every little vote here and there will add up.  As some are saying, if Steele can steal 25 percent of the black vote, there is a chance he will win.

 Sources:

Democrats' worst nightmare (Robert Novak)

I am now at the point that I believe Washington needs an overhaul.  Apparently there is a big disconnect between Washington leadership and its constituents.  From border control to the partisan games being played on Capitol Hill, Congress is out of touch with the American voter.  Ironically the only principled stance taken was an egregious claim of the separation of powers doctrine.  One stance out of 11 million, with those odds, I am more than likely to hit the lotto than see if congress can come up with a plausible solution to sensibly address the concerns of the American people.  The two things congress will agree on is; first giving themselves a pay raise and second, condemning the FBI raid and demanding that the FBI return the documents of a disgraced Congressman who was caught on videotape receiving a $100,000 bribe and subsequently hiding all but $10,000 in cash in a freezer at his Washington D.C. apartment.  Besides that, what about taking the principle stance of being responsible for your actions?  The Republicans in congress need to take this short recess to do some soul searching you are losing the conservatives. If not, than you will definitely get fired in November and the new speaker will be Nancy Pelosi.   

I was wondering what it would be like if I had my own comic book title.  Forget Superman I always wanted to be Luke Cage "Hero for Hire".

Hopefully Marvel will bring back the title of one of my favorite character. This New Avenger needs his own series.

Ole Sarge’s Washington Entertainment Beltway Beat.

Rep. William Jefferson the rapper with a stage name “Hunnit Thou” (short for Hundred Thousand). Is on pace to out sell “Fiddy” (50 cents) with the critically acclaimed song “It is hard out here for a REP” from the Bureau nominated movie he stars in called “Frozen and Flow” with a hook song by Cynthia McKinney that goes like…..

“You know it is hard out here for a REP

Where my cold a** money is being kept

Gangsta leaning in the Lincoln to the left

You punk politicians watch your step”

“Hunnit Thou” will have all of Congress to include D-Rock (Dennis Hastert) and Hollywood singing its tune and his praises.  Rumor has it that Sean P. “Diddy” Combs wants to sign “Hunnit” to his newly formed Bad Boy Bayou label along with Cynthia McKinney aka C-Kin.

Be on the lookout for the forthcoming Beltway Bandits Congressional Compilation album on “Capital Records” titled “Culture of Corruption” With artists like “Nancy and the Kool-Aid Band”, “Crooked Kennedy”, “No-Delay”, “C-Kin” “Hunnit Thou” “The Frist Prince” and “Reid –n- Lott”  The album will surely fly off the shelves. To date there have already been 11 million illegal (undocumented) downloads of this album.  A good firewall can prevent that.  

Until the next time, I am entertained in DC…….. Ole Sarge is out!

BREAKING NEWS:  "The Mutha Ship Clearwater Revival" has agreed to sign on to the Corruption Compilation Album with a remake of "Fortunate Son"

As a child my grandmothers use to take me to the horse track in Temple Hills and Laurel Maryland just about every other weekend.  Back then I was more interested in playing Ms Pac man and Defender than betting if a horse named “Charlie” would “Win”, “Place”, or “show”. I could care less about what an “exacta” was.  I would help my grandmother pick the horse based on how pretty the colt looked. I can’t recall if I ever won her any money. I just remember the good hot dogs and that all time high score in I got playing Defender at the horse track. 

Just like Kentucky, Maryland has a rich tradition when it comes to thoroughbred horse racing.  Every year close to hundreds of thousands of people flock to Maryland’s 136 year old Pilmico Race Course to see the second stage of horse racing’s Triple Crown series “The Preakness Stakes”.   This years’ 131st running of Maryland’s famous race drew a record crowd of 118,402.  I sat there and watch as Kentucky derby winner and triple crown favorite Barbaro suffer a devastating leg fracture which more likely ended this colt’s racing career but is also life threatening. 

The race was won by Bernardini, a horse that had raced just three times in his career and is owned by the ruler of Dubai Sheik Mohammed al Maktoum.  Bernardini overpowered Sweetnorthernsaint in the stretch and drew away to win by 5 1/4 lengths, However it appeared that most of the record crowd of 118,402 were focused on Barbaro.  I was too.

Once a year the state of Maryland can shows the country that we are a major player in horse racing, but as the Washington Times stated...

“Attendance has declined 50 percent at Pimlico and Laurel Park since 1989, according to the Maryland Jockey Club. The amount of money wagered dropped to $337 million last year from $433 million in 1999. Several of Maryland's top trainers still are headquartered in the state, but they more often are sending their horses to run in richer races elsewhere. “

Maryland is slowing turning its back on the Horse racing industry.  As thousands of people converge to this area each year for the job opportunities the sense of history about this region and its rich tradition fades.  As each year passes the position of horse racing in Maryland becomes more perilous.  Some argue that the future of horse racing hinges on whether the legislators of Maryland will pass a bill to bring slots to various race tracks in the state.  Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., a Republican, pledged when he took office four years ago to bring slots to Maryland tracks. However, a measure to approve slots died in the General Assembly in March, the fourth straight year gambling legislation failed.  The Maryland General assembly is controlled by anti business Democrats who could care less about horse racing.  As Ryan O'Halloran of the Washington Times writes…

“Maryland racing faces ever-increasing competition from out-of-state tracks that have slot machines. Racetracks in the neighboring states of West Virginia and Delaware added slots in the past decade, generating revenue used to increase the purses awarded to winning horses and attract better fields. Harness and thoroughbred tracks in seven states already have slots or video lottery terminals, and tracks in three other states, including nearby Pennsylvania, plan to add gambling as well.”

I’ve been to Race track in Charles Town West Virginia (which is only an hour drive from my house) I can’t even begin to count how many people from Maryland I’ve met there.  The consensus is that they would definitely stay home if they had the chance.  Furthermore, in the Washington Times Article…

 “Local thoroughbred owner Ted Theos lives in Baltimore and, like Miss Goodall, thinks the state will lose its top talent if purses don't keep up.
    "It would help the industry, and I sure hope it happens," he said. "If we don't get it, all of our trainers would leave for the better money. It's a must. ... I guess everybody is waiting for the right time to pass it so they can take credit for it."  If slot machines are ultimately approved, Miss Goodall said it will be time well-spent, not wasted.
    "It's been frustrating for a lot of reasons," she said. "It's hard for us to understand how the state politicians can watch other states implement it and reap the benefits. ... It's hard to see all of this money flowing out of our state."

Yet, the Obstrcuticrats (Obstructing Democrats) in their efforts to ensure Gov. Ehrlich doesn’t get re-elected are the ones that are blocking the passage of the slots bill.  If the slot initiative was put on a ballot, to be voted by the people of Maryland, then I would not have any problems with the outcome.   I don’t want to see the “Preakness” leave Maryland, but if it does this should be a wake up call to Marylanders to elect officials who give a damn about the Old Line State.  We sent a message to Annapolis when we elected Gov. Ehrlich and Lt Gov. Steele.  It is time to send another message to Annapolis and fire the legislatures, starting with the Speaker of the House.

If my grandmother was living today, I know she would still want to go the race track.  She would probably have me take her to West Virginia or Delaware instead.  I will make sure I get to the Preakness next year, this might be one of last chances to see on of the greatest horse racing events in my state. Unless it goes to West Virginia, which only takes me 15 minutes longer to get there than Baltimore.

 Sources:

Betting On Slots (Washington Times)

Favorite Fractures Leg at Preakness (Washington Post)

Congratulations to Barry Bonds for tying the most celebrated second place athlete in sports history.  Only in baseball is the second place homerun hero talked about more than the first.