A couple months back I wrote a small item about the military tradition among Britain’s aristocracy.  I lamented that, with a few notable exceptions, that tradition no longer exists in the U.S.  We no longer see Gen. Teddy Roosevelt Jr’s charging ashore Utah Beach scenarios.  For the most part, we leave our fighting to the poor and lower-middle classes.

Today out of The Sun in London we learn that Prince Harry soon will be back behind the controls of an Apache attack helicopter in Afghanistan — despite stern opposition from military leaders. He will be the number one target for rocket-wielding Taliban in the Afghan theater. Harry knows that, but his honor comes first.  Princess Diana raised some fine boys.

*Brandmill.org

Despite what the Michael Moore’s of the world want us to think about our country, the U.S. remains the most successful experiment in cross-cultural brotherly love in history.  Centuries of the most deeply ingrained hatreds and resentments are shed like old garments upon reaching our shores, with seeming effortlessness.  That is as true today as it was 100 and 200 years ago.  The American experiment is nothing short of miraculous in this regard.

Politics Daily cites today a new FBI report showing that hate crimes are at a 15-year low in America — in the middle of the worst economic crisis in 80 years.  Millions are Americans are unemployed; families are losing homes, and still, we do not turn on one another.  (One striking statistic, though. Seventy percent of reported hate crimes in America are against Jews.)

It is an amazing thing to watch sworn enemies — Hatfields and McCoys from more than 100 nations — instantly abandon their feuds upon arriving here.  Protestant and Catholic Irish live in perfect harmony here — they don’t even think about it — as do Sunnis and Shias and Croats and Serbs. That is because we cease being what we used to be when we arrive here.  We become Americans.  As corny as that may sound, it is true. If anyone needs proof of American exceptionalism, they need only stroll new immigrant sections of Brooklyn to see it.

This may be the best news out of the FBI since Dillinger was captured.

Ayman al-Zawahri was just tapped as the new leader of al Qaeda. I wonder how this will affect Pakistani polls which show that a huge percentage of that country’s population still disbelieves that bin Laden is dead.

* mavenity.org

Scary study out of Pew Research today, if you haven’t seen it, just in time for Father’s Day.

Almost half of all fathers in America under the age of 45 have at least one child out of wedlock in America today.  That’s a startling figure — almost as startling as recent New York City Health Department statistics showing that 41% of all pregnancies in New York are now aborted; more than 60% of African-American pregnancies.  Those statistics surely have something to do with fathers skee-daddling at the first sight of a pregnancy test.  What’s even scarier, according the study, is that the trend against marriage is growing.  The institution is waning dangerously throughout Western civilization.  It’s all the more ironic then that the major issue of the day in New York State is extending marriage to same-sex couples. At least one segment of the population understands its significance.

Saw Texas Governor Rick Perry give the keynote talk at the annual Manhattan Republican Lincoln Day Dinner tonight.

Perry sure sounded like a candidate to me. His speech was all jobs, jobs, jobs, which happens to be both Texas’s strength under Perry — his state leads the nation in job growth — and the top national issue leading into the 2012 presidential race. It’s an enviable coincidence.

One small criticism of Perry, though.  He gave a 12-minute speech in about 22 minutes. Must be a Texas thing.

My great grandfather was a Texas Sheriff (Duval County) and my grandfather was a Texas lawyer, but my ears were trained in rat-a-tat-tat New York. Our ears aren’t geared to pregnant pauses, and I found myself compiling shopping lists in my head between the governor’s words. So maybe a little more pep north of Mason-Dixon would be in order should he run for the White House.

Perry’s line of the night:  “I’m honored to be here in stead (he conspicuously split that into two words again) of Donald Trump” (who pulled out of the dinner some weeks ago.) “Donald Trump got famous for saying ‘you’re fired.’ In Texas, we’re famous for saying you’re hired!”

Not bad. On message already.

http://youtu.be/NYqXoST6u8I

The vote on gay marriage in New York State may be just a day away. The issue, as would be expected, is tearing Republicans apart in the State Capitol.  Anyone voting for gay marriage will automatically lose the Conservative Party line, and that easily can cost a legislator his career.

Two Republican state senators, James Alesi (R-Monroe) and Roy McDonald (R-Saratoga), have now crossed over to support the bill. They will pay for it at election time.  But we elect people to vote their consciences, right? Even in the face of adversity and personal anguish.

Republicans like McDonald have worked closely with the Conservative Party for decades.  Its leaders are his friends and steadfast supporters. Breaking with them over such an emotionally-charged issue must be extremely difficult.

Whether you support gay marriage or not — I do — I hope you can recognize McDonald’s courage in this State of Politics interview today. His is the face of bravery.

http://youtu.be/TDh2iKzBh4E

This video reminds us how quickly presidential aspirations can be dashed.  In this famous 1979 interview, Roger Mudd asks Ted Kennedy why he wants to be President. Kennedy initially appears stumped. (What he says upon recovery isn’t half bad, but Kennedy’s delivery is vague and circuitous.)  Every candidate fears a moment like this one — and every candidate since the Mudd interview has been drilled by his handlers, over and over again, “why are you running for office?”

Whether this was really what derailed Kennedy’s Primary campaign against President Carter is debatable, but it’s a classic moment in American politics. Worth a look back as the 2012 cycle kicks in.

* Daily Beast

My biggest takeaway from last night’s GOP debate in New Hampshire is that, like her or not, Michelle Bachmann is now a candidate for President.

Mitt Romney did a fine job; so did Tim Pawlenty. Either can beat President Obama in my opinion. Everyone on that stage did well, except Herman Cain, who seemed unprepared, and grouchy Gingrich whose lips said the right things while his body language said “screw you all” — characteristically.

Bachmann announced her candidacy for President on stage last night, but that’s not what made her a candidate. Her performance did. She was beautiful, confident, and articulate in the spotlight, and they don’t get much hotter or brighter than in opening presidential debates. In short, the Minnesota congresswoman showed that, at least on this earliest of stages, she can hack the heat.

Bachmann invokes strong feelings in people because she has firm opinions (and because she is a she. She’s tend to do that in politics.) I disagree with Bachmann on substantial issues, but I find it impossible not to be impressed with her resolve. Here is a person who ran and lost a race for her local school board just a few years ago, and last night she stood, feet firmly planted, on stage as a candidate for President of the United States.  That doesn’t happen by accident.

We spend a lot of time grousing about American politics, but our democratic process remains breathtaking to watch at times.

Barack Obama became president just four years after serving as an obscure Illinois state senator. (I’ve had every one of my ties longer than that.) Lincoln, Nixon, Reagan, and Clinton came from perfectly unremarkable backgrounds and went on to occupy the Oval Office.

All ideology aside, last night once again showed that meritocracy is alive and well in American politics. It doesn’t always get you elected, but it puts you in the show.

Bachmann is now in the show.

Here’s a pretty good video primer by WMUR TV on tonight’s GOP Primary debate at St. Anselm College in Manchester, NH.

There’s not a lot of buzz on this debate, but a few things to look for:

• Watch Newt Gingrich to try to make news.  He just lost most of his campaign team, and if he’s not the headline after tonight’s debate, he may not be a presidential candidate much longer;

• We’ll see if Tea Party congresswoman Michelle Bachmann can hold her own among the big boys. She doesn’t need to dominate the debate, just show command of the issues.  Her job will be to gain respectability as a candidate tonight;

• Mitt Romney has the most to lose.  He is the front runner in front of a hometown crowd. Expect Newt Gingrich and others to gang up on him.  He’s been here before; he’ll need to stay cool;

• Tim Pawlenty will look to shine, too.  But I wouldn’t expect him to be over aggressive.  His job is to look like a viable establishment alternative to Mitt Romney should the front runner stumble, and

• Herman Cain, Ron Paul, and Rick Santorum will fill out the field.  Santorum and Cain will fight for the most conservative status, and Ron Paul will be Ron Paul.

Candidates are still missing in the GOP field, but slowly but surely it is narrowing.

*abelleabroad.blogspot.com

Associated Press is reporting that a Pennsylvania school district (Carlisle, home to the US Army War College and beautiful Dickinson College) has come up with a novel way to save money.

Baaa, you say?  Well yes; that’s pretty much right.

The Carlisle school district believes it will save $15,000 this year on landscaping by letting area sheep eat some of its grass. The hungry ewes, on loan from Carlisle farmers, already are hard at work grazing a field filled with solar panels (it’s time consuming to get around the things with a lawn mower evidently.)

It’s a great idea — obviously — but it does come with risk. Some in government might be  so taken with the idea that they are tempted to expand and bureaucratize it. (I say that only half-jokingly.)

Can’t you see it?

The conversation would start with required insurance against sheep bites, and extend into proper care for the sheep themselves, led by animal rights activists and The Senate Special Committee on the Treatment of Farm Animals on Loan.   The committee would, of course, require signage warning the public that such and such field is being patrolled by the little ovi – right before initiating a study into the dangers of sheep poop.  Questions that need answers: Is it polluting our public spaces? Does it cause asthma?  Does poop have carbon? And who is responsible for scooping it up?  The farmers?  And, if so, what should be the penalty for failing to do so?

Come to think of it, shouldn’t the farmer’s being paying us to let their animals graze? And if they resist that, screw ’em.  Local governments can get their own sheep.  We’ll just hire a few people to manage them. A few people and some veterinarians. And a supervisor or two. And a trainer.  And a union rep. (They’ll need to be unionized, right?) Do they need hazard pay? Do the sheep?

This may require a Blue Ribbon Panel…

Hang in there, Carlisle.