Reason Number 4,764 Why I am Not a Democrat

I think this article in the Wall Street Journal speaks for itself:

The Greenist Show on Earth: Democrats Gear up for Denver

Here is my favorite part:

But Matt Burns, a spokesman for the Republican convention, looks on with undisguised glee at some of the Democrats’ efforts — such as the “lean ‘n’ green” catering guidelines.

Among them: No fried food. And, on the theory that nutritious food is more vibrant, each meal should include “at least three of the following colors: red, green, yellow, blue/purple, and white.” (Garnishes don’t count.) At least 70% of ingredients should be organic or grown locally, to minimize emissions from fuel burned during transportation. “One would think,” says Mr. Burns, “that the Democrats in Denver have bigger fish to bake — they have ruled out frying already — than mandating color-coordinated pretzel platters.”

Democrats say the point is to build habits that will endure long after the convention. To that end, the city has staged “greening workshops” attended by hundreds of caterers, restaurant owners and hotel managers. “It’s the new patriotism,” Mayor Hickenlooper says.

Laura Hylton, general manager of Biscuits & Berries catering, agrees in principle. But she has been testing her recipes using local ingredients for weeks and still can’t get the green peppercorn sauce right when she uses white Colorado wine. The state’s high-altitude wine industry took off in the early 1990s and produces some award-winning labels, but Ms. Hylton says diplomatically, “It’s a little…lacking. Our wineries out here aren’t what you’d see in California or France.”

Joanne Katz, who runs the Denver caterer Three Tomatoes, will take one for the green team by removing her fried goat-cheese won tons with chipotle pepper caramel sauce from the menu. But she questions whether some of the guidelines will have the desired earth-saving effects.

Compostable utensils, she says, are often shipped from Asia on fuel-guzzling cargo ships. As for the plates: “Is it better to drive across town to have china delivered to an event and then use hot water to wash it, or is it better to use petroleum-based disposables?” she asks.

The convention’s greening gurus say they’re doing the best they can with the most current information available.

It is almost sad that so much time and effort is going into this farce.  Fortunately the entertainment value of it all more than makes up for the pity. 

Personally I would have Krystal Berger cater my national convention.  Nothing says eco-friendly like a sack (plastic) of 12 Krystals (with cheese, hold the pickles) contained in individually wrapped paper boxes (recycled paper of course) along with a Styrofoam box of chili-cheese fries (along with plastic silverware).  Now that is going green….well it is if you add the pickles back…….ahh the sacrifices we make for the environment!

Peace be with you,

Bishop Joe     

Gay Marriage Groups Enemy Number 1……Voters!

In a recent memo laying out the future stratagem for legalizing gay “marriage” in the remaining states, the nations largest GLTG groups have stated the number one roadblock to nation-wide recognition of gay “marriage.”

“A loss on the initiative in California — a loss at the hands of voters  (my emphasis)– would be particularly damaging to work in other state legislatures and other state courts,” the statement says. “That makes the California campaign of prime importance. … Marriage in California will transform the national debate on the freedom to marry. It will do that because the decision is well-reasoned constitutional law from the most influential state court in the nation. It will do that because California is an American trendsetter. But marriage in California will do those things only if we can hold onto it.”

It’s always those pesky voters that get in they way of pushing radical social agendas.  Who needs them anyway!  Here is the full article at Baptist Press.

Peace be with you,

Bishop Joe

The “HE SAID WHAT?” Moment of the Week

From Baptist Press 06/19/2008

CBF presenter questions Christ’s deity

Posted on Jun 19, 2008 | by David Roach MEMPHIS, Tenn. (BP)–Salvation once meant belief in a series of doctrines about Christ, but the advance of society has caused it to become a quest for self-fulfillment, John Killinger said June 19 in a workshop at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly in Memphis, Tenn.

“Now we are reevaluating and we’re approaching everything with a humbler perspective and seeing God’s hand working in Christ, but not necessarily as the incarnate God in our midst,” Killinger said. “Now, that may be hard for you to hear depending on where you are coming from, but we can talk more about it.”

What Makes Profit Obscene?

In the news we hear a lot about the “obscene” profits of the oil/gas industry.  But what is it about those profits that makes them obscene.  According to the running narrative it is the amount of profit that gives them that dirty flavor.  But one question no one ever seems to ask is how much profit is required to reach the classification of obscene?  Another important question is who determines that line where profits become immoral?  How and why do the obscene profit standards vary from product to product or service to service?

The Industry of “Big-Abortion”

You have probably heard about “Big-Oil” or “Big-Tobacco” or even “Big-Firearms.” But, have you seen any news reports or articles profiling the obscene profits and mega-bucks made by “Big-Abortion?”  Michelle Malkin (blogger) has a great article over at Real Clear Politics about the tax payer funded profit machine that is Planned Parenthood.  It also brings up a great discussion about the moral nature of profit, and what exactly makes profit “obscene.”  I will discuss this issue in my next post.  I have reprinted the article below:

Would you like some eggs with your poverty?

The Coopoertaive Baptist Fellowship (CBF) General Assembly will be meeting June 19th-20th.  Apparently this year they are taking the time to do some internal soul searching on how they should proceed as a group (denomination) over the next few years.  I read an article about this over at ABP and found one line at the end of the article particularly humorous:

A leadership summit, a poverty-emphasis breakfast, a CBFAIDS Network luncheon and several other auxiliary events will be held in conjunction with the General Assembly.

A poverty emphasis breakfast!  Now that my friends is irony.  The SBC would probably be scorched for being a group of over-fed, over-paid, capitalists if we scheduled something like this at our convention. 

The best part about this is that by applying real economics to the situation, having the breakfast will do more to alleviate poverty than any programs they discuss at the breakfast.  Wealth is generated at every stage of the event.  From the money paid to the serving staff, to the wages of the support workers at the convention center, to the salaries of those producing and transporting the food for the breakfast, wealth is being created at every step.  Jobs and prosperity are real methods of fighting poverty, not some round-table forum on how people make too much money and the goverment should be able to tax them to subsidize other people’s poverty (i.e. welfare).  If the CBF realy wants to fight poverty I suggest they scrap the meeting and just order more pankakes.

Go with God,

Bishop Joe

Baptist Identity and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts

I love Krispy Kreme Doughnuts.  Back home in Lafayette I was often criticized for my love of this “chain” doughnut place instead of the local home grown doughnut shop.  There is just something about a Krispy Kreme that sets it apart from other doughnuts, no mater the flavor.  In fact I would like to put forth the hypothesis that Krispy Kreme Doughnuts can teach us a lot about the importance of a firm Baptist Identity.