Brian Baird: Coward (III) When you're in a hole... STOP DIGGING.

.
It's unfortunate that the people of this district are stuck with a coward for a Congressman.

Baird's cowardly decision to avoid facing the people of his district was surprising on a variety of levels.

There's absolutely zero justification for such a move; but the reason it's surprising is because back when he had balls, he came back from Iraq and told the truth (unlike now) knowing he would walk into a fringe-leftist buzz saw... and he did it anyway.

Now, because the massive opposition the empty suited moron running this country is causing with his neo-communist actions is coming from the other direction, he all of a sudden develops feet of clay and won't face us.

He sites a bunch of irrelevant nonsense as excuses for his cowardice... what's happened in a few places elsewhere with others... and then he paints all the opposition with a broad brush of "brown shirt-sim" and "Nazi-ism."

Well, Congressman, let me tell you something.

Unlike you and that clueless idiot running the show, I actually care enough about this country to have served in it's Armed Forces. I am also strongly opposed to the massive damage you and your party have caused this country in a few short months.

But for a cowardly scumbag like Baird to call ME a "Nazi" or compare ME with the "brown shirts," particularly when such a description is much more apt for the unions and ACORN doing Obama's bidding... That is the ultimate insult to me and every other of the millions of veterans standing in opposition to this idiot.

Was Dr. Baird hit in the head with a soft ball a few weeks ago? Does he honestly believe that cowardice is the solution, or inflammatory name calling of the people that he would represent is the way to sell this crap?

Baird DOES have reason "to be concerned." But the reasons he should have to be concerned have nothing to do with his constituents. The reason he should be concerned is because he's voting yes for bills he hasn't read in violation of his own rules; because he's been far too much of a coward to take a stand on the organized crime casino the Barnett Mafia wants to build here, and now because he's effortlessly managed to offend 10's of thousands of us in his cowardice... his concern needs to be for his post election, post-Congressional career... because he needs to start polishing that resume' today.




Local News

Baird draws heavy criticism
Congressman stands by choice to not hold town hall meetings
Thursday, August 6 11:47 p.m.

BY MICHAEL ANDERSEN
COLUMBIAN STAFF WRITER

U.S. Rep. Brian Baird faced a deluge of criticism Thursday for his decision not to hold live town hall meetings on health reform and for his Wednesday comparison of disruptive anti-health-reform demonstrators with Nazis and murderers.

"The congressman should be ashamed and embarrassed," said Ryan Hart, chairman of the Clark County Republican Party. "Portland police used to bring in extra people when Bush came to town, but I never heard President Bush call people Nazis or Brown Shirts."

In Wednesday conversations with the Olympian and Columbian, Baird said he's holding "telephone town halls" instead of live meetings to avoid an "ambush" by people with a "lynch-mob mentality" and "close to Brown Shirt tactics."

Baird, D-Vancouver, referred to an effigy of a conservative Democrat that was photographed hanging from a noose last month in Maryland.

Two of Baird's Republican challengers issued news releases on the issue Thursday.

"There appears to be a leadership void on national issues which will impact residents of Southwest Washington," wrote candidate Jon Russell of Washougal, in announcing a series of town hall meetings he'll host in late August.

Candidate David Castillo of Olympia, who is black, said he was "disgusted" by Baird's "lynch mob" remark.

McVeigh comparison

Baird stuck to his rhetorical guns Thursday.

He invites civil disagreements over health reform, he said.

"I've had 300 town halls," Baird said. "That's more than anyone else I know on either side of the aisle."

But Baird said a "coordinated national effort" to disrupt public meetings with shouts and demonstrations, which he said Republican leaders were "egging on," was reminiscent of the kinds of things that drove Timothy McVeigh to bomb the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in 1995.

More if you can stomach it.

Brian Baird: Coward (II) You know when the Columbian smacks you that you screwed up.

.
Today's Columbian (finally) criticizes Baird (And how often have they done that?) for his cowardly action in making the stupid decision to avoid facing us.

This miscalculation will cost Baird his re-election. A barn-headed ape could see the treasure-trove of mailers and TV ads... a combination of cowardice, stupidity and tying this clown to Obama in ways that make tying candidates to Bush look, well, bush league in comparison.

That said, I have, and no doubt will continue to, hammer the Columbian like a nail. And when even a democrat newsletter like our local paper smacks you upside the head... you know you've screwed the pooch. This time, even this paper, which reflects Mars better then they reflect this community, finally got it right.

No excuses for Baird or the leftists make such weak, pathetic efforts to spin this for him.

Baird was a man of courage. But it seems that Pelosi has his testicles in a glass jar in her office.

Now he is worthy of our scorn and contempt.

I've stayed out of it for the past 4 terms. But now, I'm part of the Mob. Now, I'm in it.


Editorials
In Our View, August 7: Kitchen Too Hot?
Baird takes wrong approach on town hall meetings

Friday, August 7 | 1:00 a.m.

Brian Baird’s decision not to hold regular town hall meetings during a time when his constituents need them most is baffling and misguided.

The Vancouver Democrat has been a champion of accessibility and open government throughout his 10 years in Congress, but as Michael Andersen reported in Thursday’s Columbian, that will change during Congress’ August recess. Baird will hold only "telephone town halls" with selected participants to discuss the crucial and controversial health care reform issue.

Why this sudden change in constituent involvement? "There is this national movement in blogs and on the Internet to go to town hall meetings solely to attack people and intentionally disrupt the ability to have a real discussion," Baird said in a Wednesday telephone interview. "It’s not troubling to me personally; I’ve certainly been to tough town hall meetings in my time. But it’s troubling to those who come with the intent to have serious discussions but get badgered by disruptive tactics, where the sole purpose is to give extremists the chance to shout and make YouTube videos."

But this was also Baird’s chance to show leadership and courage, by facing the meanest crowds of critics. Instead, his stance looks like no stance at all. It looks more like surrender, or retreat, no matter how he tries to paint it as some kind of devotion to decorum. Here’s a better solution: Work with the concept that some rowdy crowd behavior will happen and figure out how to best manage it. These are, after all, Baird’s meetings. He is (or was) the one in charge. The mistake has been made, but it’s not too late for Baird to correct it. He should change his mind and schedule public town hall meetings in August.

If Baird thinks this too shall blow over, well, he’s only kidding himself. Another flaw in his decision is that Baird sets himself up for giving up public town hall meetings permanently. He insists that’s not the case, and he vows to resume regular town hall meetings in the fall. But who says his critics won’t be even more infuriated a few months from now, especially now that he’s aggravated them further by denying them public hearings?

This tactic is unBaird-like, to say the least, considering his track record. He’s no recluse. In fact, it was only last January that this page commended Baird for conducting his 300th town hall meeting in 10 years. That’s an uncommon achievement in accessibility by an elected official. He must know that, as tensions rise, as the rhetoric becomes more bombastic and as the volume soars, the best leaders will meet the challenge, not avoid it.

Such a bold and aggressive approach has been taken by Baird’s fellow Democrat Adam Smith, a Tacoma Congressman. Smith will continue public town hall meetings and will accept the heat. "It comes with the job," he said in a story in The Olympian newspaper. "They aren’t protesters. They are constituents speaking their minds." Smith also told The Olympian that, even if the protests are organized, "what’s wrong with that?"

Baird’s concerns are not without merit. "One colleague of mine recently was hung in effigy at a town hall meeting," he said. "Others needed police escorts. The blog and Internet traffic suggests that some people very much like to do that." But Baird has been there. He’s seen and heard it all. Two years ago, several leather-lung left-wingers let him have it, but good, at a town hall meeting after his stance on the Iraq war was not liberal enough to suit them. He survived, and it was to his credit.

Baird has shown he can handle bullies, at home and inside the Beltway. But unless he reverses course, he won’t be handling them this summer. It’s too hot.

Brian Baird: Coward.

.
We look for many characteristics in those representing us. Ideally, they have at least some tenets that reflect those of us they work for.

I have frequently disagreed with Brian Baird. I respected his decision to face the fringe left nutters infesting the democrat party when he came back from Iraq. That was not an easy thing to do... but he did it.

Unfortunately, his decision to "phone it in" instead of facing us has destroyed that respect.

Brain Baird is a political coward. And when David Castillo takes him out, this may well be the thing we can point to as BAIRD'S Waterloo.

Baird's cowardice is inexcusable. This isn't "safe ball." Is there any wonder that even after 5 terms, this guy remains a back-bencher, instead of a committee chair who can actually do is some good?

Baird's cowardice includes a failure to oppose the massive criminal enterprise known as the Barnett/Mohegan/Cowlitz/Paskent megacasino; a failure to demand a vote for the massive waste of money known as the I-5 Bridge/loot rail scam; a failure to vote "NO" when he's confronted with bills he hasn't read because of a violation of his self-imposed and frequently bragged about "72 hour rule."

And NOW... he's become yet another leftist scumbag afraid to come back and face his constituents because he "fears an ambush." Comparing those smart enough to oppose your crap to "Nazis" and "Brown Shirts" is the same kind of crap that REAL Nazis, like you and Durbin, engaged in to demonize your opposition.

While I have opposed your positions politically, I have always respected your desire to face us.

But your characterizations of those of us smart enough to oppose the empty-suits socialism is inexcusable and, frankly, makes me sick.

Well, guess what, Brian. I GUARANTEE you an "ambush" in November of next year, you gutless little worm.


Local News
Baird fears foes may plan ‘ambush’
‘Telephone town hall’ will replace meeting
Thursday, August 6 11:13 a.m.
BY MICHAEL ANDERSEN

COLUMBIAN STAFF WRITER

Over 10 years in Congress, U.S. Rep. Brian Baird has stayed tethered to his district, flying back to Southwest Washington for more than 300 sometimes-bruising town hall meetings during Congressional recesses.

But this year, he's literally decided to phone it in.

U.S.Cowardman Brian Baird, D-Vancouver

Instead of appearing in person, where "extremists" would have "the chance to shout and make YouTube videos," Baird said Wednesday, he's holding what he calls "telephone town halls" instead.

Baird said he's using the new system because he fears his political opponents may be planning "an ambush" to disrupt his meetings, using methods Baird compared to Nazism.

"What we're seeing right now is close to Brown Shirt tactics," Baird, D-Vancouver, said in a phone interview. "I mean that very seriously.

"The coming telephone conference call would be Baird's third this year.His office used its Congressional allowance to buy the necessary software around the start of 2009, a spokesman said.

Secret schedule

Here's how it'll work: if you happen to be sitting near a publicly listed Clark County telephone line on the right day at the right time, your phone will ring.

In order to avoid software problems, Baird's office says, the exact date and time will be kept secret from the public.

If you answer your landline, an automated message will ask whether you have a question for your Congressman.

Press *3, and you'll be asked your location and the subject of your question. Sitting at his own telephone at an as-yet-undisclosed location, Baird then will choose a name based on its location and the topic.

More:

Craig Williams continues to bury himself politically.

.
One of the many old axioms of politics includes the old saw: "When you find yourself in a hole.... stop digging."

Williams' continuing moronic and unsupportable position on the I-5 Bridge/Loot rail scam just means he's using a bigger shovel:

by Craig Williams : 8/4/09 3:28am - Report Abuse

Paul,

I think your thoughts on the I-5 bridge are well motivated, but unfortunately they are based upon the popular, but inaccurate assumption that the problem is all on the Oregon side.

During the public candidate meetings for county commissioner, one candidate would repeatedly say that we don't have a problem, Oregon does. Then as an example he would point out that Northbound traffic is backed behind the bridge far to the south every afternoon, but once it gets on the Vancouver side - whoosh! no problem.

But his example didn't prove his point, it refuted his own statement. The only way that traffic can be backed up from the I-5 bridge south into Portland is if the Oregon road is fine and the bridge is a chokepoint. You get trapped at the chokepoint and once you get beyond the chokepoint then whoosh - you are on your way again. It's an arguement FOR a replacement bridge, not against.

In the morning commute traffic often backs up Northbound on the Vancouver side. Why? Because the bridge is a chokepoint in both directions. The Portland area does have traffic problems that I don't enjoy commuting in, and they need to be fixed. But fixing all of Potland's congestion won't fix the chokepoint at the I-5 bridge.

The other fallacy often promulgated as truth is that the bridge won't reduce congestion. That is a deceptive half-truth. It is partly true that the planned replacement bridge won't reduce the congestion - but only when you compare the future congestion levels of a new bridge in 2030 (about 3 hours) to today's levels (about 3 hours). If we don't build a replacement bridge, the congestion will increase to about 15 hours a day in 2030. A new bridge will reduce that to 3. The two comparisons are apples and oranges.

IMHO the I-5 bridge is outdated, inadequate, and unsafe. We are spending more money in ****** traffic jams due to "bridge-caused" congestion than a new bridge would cost, so we won't "save" any money by delaying its replacement. In fact, the longer we delay the higher the cost of a new bridge will likely be.

Williams' position here is a classic of self-delusion that flies in the face of the facts. How anyone could possibly expect to get elected running against an anti-bridge candidate (The unarmed candidate that Williams is refering to is Tom Mielke. Williams stupidly (and quite wrongly) indicated after Mielke qualified for the general that he, Mielke, could not win. The title for the unnamed candidate is now "Commissioner," proving that WIlliams knows even less about politics than he doers bridges... and this babble indicates that's nothing at all.) by spewing this downtown Mafia nonsense that directly contradicts Don Wagner, Region 6 DOT Administrator, is beyond belief.

Williams position, which sentences 65000 commuters to an ADDITIONAL $1300 per year in tolls (to start) completely overlooks THE most efficient, cheapest alternative: build a 3rd and 4th bridge somewhere else to relieve congestion on the I-5 Bridge... a fact that puts the lie to all Williams' nonsense.

Further, experts have concluded that the replacement bridge, which will have precisely the same number of through lanes as the current bridge, will do absolutely nothing to relief congestion.

Williams is a classic example of a politician that hasn't yet grasped the concept that while figures don't lie... liars figure.

Replacing this bridge, which is being done only and entirely to bring loot rail into Vancouver, will accomplish nothing that Williams believes it will, and it will suck hundreds of millions of dollars out of our local economy to boot.

Like most political scum that do not want the people to have a say in our lives, Craig Williams is from the "save-us-from-ourselves" school of thought; much more suited to leftist democrats then this, yet another faux Republican.

John Kerry? Meet Brandon Camacho... Staff Sergeant Camacho of the 10th Mountain Division

.

We all remember John Kerry back in '04... his fake Purple Hearts, his faux heroism and that steaming pile of "reporting for duty."

Well, Kerry... here's a man you ought to meet. Here's a man not only of strength, but a man who puts the courage of his convictions to the test... a man who could scam his way out of a combat zone... just like you did... for REAL wounds, suffered in REAL combat... But he's a man... unlike you... who wants to "Charlie Mike" and go far betond and above his duty.

Meet Staff Sergeant Brandon Camacho... holder of FOUR Purple Hearts... and a real, genuine, American Hero. And, Mr. Kerry?

You ought to be ashamed of yourself.

‘The Bullet Magnet’ is back in the fight in Afghanistan
By Dianna Cahn, Stars and Stripes

Mideast edition, Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Dianna Cahn / S&S
Staff Sgt. Brandon Camacho, 22, shows off his 10th Mountain Division patch that was pierced by a bullet in a near miss in April. A month later, the squad leader with the 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment,was shot in the same arm, earning him a fourth Purple Heart for combat wounds.
LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan — Staff Sgt. Brandon Camacho was in a "pissing contest" with the enemy. He shot one guy, then another popped up.

He threw a grenade, but it bounced off the man and exploded in a ditch.

As the squad leader then zigzagged through a field, he felt someone tug at his shirt sleeve. Hours later, after the firefight, he’d discover that a bullet had whizzed right through it, narrowly missing his bicep. It tore a hole through his 10th Mountain Division patch and through a pack of cigarettes in his arm pocket, destroying all but one.

"So I pulled it out and had myself a cigarette," Camacho says, holding the patch over his arm. Then he lifts the patch to expose a scar. It’s not from that bullet in April, but from another one a month later, earning the 22-year-old his fourth Purple Heart for wounds in a war he just won’t quit.

Struck by shrapnel during heavy mortar bombardment in Iraq in 2003, Camacho has since been grazed by one bullet, hit in the shoulder with a tracer round and finally, in June, shot in the arm. His men call him "The Bullet Magnet" and joke that since all his injuries have been on his left side, if they just stand to his right, they’ll be fine.

The most Purple Hearts received by one person is eight, according to various sources, but receiving four remains a rare occurrence.

A soldier’s soldier with a penchant for military history, Camacho has risen from private to staff sergeant with the 3rd Brigade Combat Team’s Company B, 1st Battalion, 32nd Infantry Regiment, through three deployments and four combat wounds. He’s been shot, mortared, came within seconds of being struck by a rocket-propelled grenade. He’s watched colleagues die.

“He’s the most experienced guy I know,” said Sgt. Daniel Hernandez, 23, of Odessa, Texas, who is in Camacho’s squad. “He can take any bad situation and use it in our favor. If we could fight this war and pick a dream team, I’d pick him.”

Camacho dreams of digging his toes in the sand and sipping a drink by the ocean in his native Saipan, in the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. territory. And while he toys with the idea of getting out next year, he’s still in awe of the U.S. Army.

“I remember when I was a private. I’d look at my squad leader and think, ‘Look at him. He’s a staff sergeant. No one can touch these guys.’ Now I think, ‘God, I am the same,’ ” he says.

He recites the names of the men who didn’t make it: Maj. Douglas Sloan, the company commander with a great sense of humor they used to call “Lunch Box” because he was always looking for snacks, killed by a bomb in Wygal Valley, Afghanistan, on Oct. 31, 2006; Pfc. Alex Oceguera, who was killed with Sloan in the blast; Sgt. Russell Durgin, who died on June 13, 2006, in Korengal Valley, Afghanistan, when his unit took small-arms fire; and Sgt. Brandon Adams, Camacho’s first roommate at Fort Drum, who taught him how to clean his boots and was killed in Iraq. Adams died of injuries sustained Feb. 16, 2004, when a grenade exploded as he was clearing a house in Fallujah.

“You meet the best people in the world in the Army,” Camacho says.

His first combat wound came in 2003, when his Army base near Fallujah came under mortar fire. Shrapnel was screaming into flesh and lit the tents on fire.

While Camacho was running to the bunker, a shard of burning metal struck just above his left knee, and a rocket hit the structure. He headed for another bunker but fell. Sgt. Ryan Haskins, who is deployed with him again now in Afghanistan, picked him up and pulled him to safety.

More:

Major Hat Tip to Soldiers Angels Germany.