Mike's America Year in Review: December 2004 to March 2005

While the one year blogaversary of Mike's America occured in November, year's end is perhaps a better time to reflect. Recently, I perused the archives of past months examining the common threads of our discussion here and will over the course of the next few days post some reminders, mostly photographs and videos to profile the year that was.

Readers Make The Difference

More important than the number of times the BBC, or the Washington Post links to Mike's America, the real honor for me is the dialogue, participation and contribution of so many of you kind readers. When this adventure began a year ago, there was an early attempt by the moonbat colonies to shout down and intimidate this discussion. Yet, seemingly out of nowhere, so many of you came to offer the balance and perspective that is more clearly representative of the American people.

I'm particularly grateful for those in the military, whether active duty or retired who have joined this discussion, and whose voices carry much more weight than the moonbats who have never served their country yet presume to speak for all of us on the life and death issues we now confront. Your continued participation in the year ahead will be crucial to securing our VICTORY in Iraq.

Warmest blessings of the New Year to all Mike's America readers, and a belated Happy Ramadan to the Defeaticrat Moonbats.

Mike's America 2005 Review

December 2004 found us talking about some of the same issues that continue to roil the political landscape a year later. The problem of Iran, Syria, or energy independence and ANWR are as unsettled as they were then. The campaign to outlaw Christianity was in full swing too.

One example: The story of the three bears at Prudhoe Bay in Alaska. Walking merrily along the heated oil pipeline, they apparently didn't get the memo from the Priests of the left's environmental religion which decree that wildlife would be traumatized by sensible oil production in the Arctic.

Mike's America in January focused on the second inauguration of President Bush as well as the astounding outpouring of support for democracy experienced in Iraq with the first of three elections.

A

A billboard outside the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, site of the Academy Awards, thanked the entertainment community for their help in proving why only Republicans could be trusted with the reigns of government in a time of war.

In the runup to the first Iraqi election at the end of January 2005, Senator Edward Kennedy (Defeaticrat-MA) said: "We are losing the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people." Oh really? Apparently the Iraqi citizen above didn't get the memo. Later in the year, Congressman Jack Murtha (Defeaticrat-PA) said just before the even larger outpouring of democratic support in December that the "Iraqi people have turned against us." Seems no matter how much progress there is in Iraq, no matter what good news, Defeaticrats in 2005 were comitted to seeing the dark lining to every silver cloud. Al Queda mastermind Zarqawi was no doubt pleased.

One of the most moving moments from February came during the State of the Union speech, when President Bush spoke of:

Safia Taleb al-Suhail (pictured foreground left in the House gallery with Mrs. Bush). She says of her country: 'We were occupied for 35 years by Saddam Hussein. That was the real occupation. Thank you to the American people who paid the cost but most of all to the soldiers.' Eleven years ago, Safia's father was assassinated by Saddam's intelligence service. Three days ago in Baghdad, Safia was finally able to vote for the leaders of her country. And we are honored that she is with us tonight.
...
One name we honor is Marine Corps Sgt. Byron Norwood of Pflugerville, Tex., who was killed during the assault on Falluja. His mom, Janet, sent me a letter and told me how much Byron loved being a Marine, and how proud he was to be on the front line against terror. She wrote: "When Byron was home the last time, I said that I wanted to protect him like I had since he was born. He just hugged me and said: 'You've done your job, Mom. Now it's my turn to protect you.'
Ladies and gentlemen, with grateful hearts, we honor freedom's defenders and our military families represented here this evening by Sergeant Norwood's mom and dad, Janet and Bill Norwood (pictured center).

There is no greater love than a man who lays down his life for his country and to protect the innocent. 2005 was a year to honor those who volunteer to undertake that solemn duty.

February 2005 also saw a Tsunami of hope and freedom emanating in the wake of the miracle of Iraq's first free election. Lebanese long oppressed by Syria rose up to demand their right to self determination and freedom.

A young Lebanese demonstrating with a crucifix in one hand, the Koran in another. Being on the right side of history is pretty cool isn't it?

Mike's America for March witnessed the Defeaticrat campaign continue to turn up the volume of bitterness and blind opposition. Howard Dean brought us his usual warmth by following up earlier comments that he "hates Republicans and everything they stand for" with a new twist: "This is a struggle of good and evil. And we're (Democrats) the good."

But even more telling were the remarks by former Clinton National Security Council member Nancy Soderberg: "Well, I think, you know, as a Democrat, you don't want anything nice to happen to the Republicans, and you don't want them to have progress.
She adds: "Well, there's still Iran and North Korea, don't forget. There's hope for the rest of us." While admitting that Bush might be on the right track she says: "He's gonna be a great--pretty soon, Republicans are gonna be like, 'Reagan was nothing compared to this guy.' Like, my kid's gonna go to a high school named after him, I just know it." But not wishing to totally depress the Daily Show viewers, she added: "There's always hope that this might not work."

The Defeaticrat theme spelled out by Senator Kennedy in January, seeped slowly into the soul of a once great political party. It's a theme that continues to buck the tide of history, hope and freedom.

More to come this week, stay tuned! 2006 looks to be a bumpy ride!