NTSITB #1

I have a pretty high tolerance for Rudy's boasting of accomplishments while Mayor of NYC. He turned that city around, not alone of course but with the help of many community leaders and administrators, but all of it under his bold leadership, and in spite of an extremely liberal and entrenched power structure. I've indicated that my enthusiasm of Rudy for Pres has waned somewhat, though I think he has many cards yet to play and a street fighter's instinct for gutting thru to a win. If Rudy's not the guy, I hope someone will act on the key principle by which Rudy turned the crime situation in NYC around. That was the BROKEN WINDOWS PRINCIPLE. The idea is that by dealing aggressively with small crimes you get the happy result of a sharp reduction in major crimes.

In my administration, this principle will be followed in most every area I am given responsibility. The principle, as my people and I shall execute it, will be called 'Nip That S**t In The Bud' (or NTSITB, for short).

I've never understood why conservatives gave Pres Clinton and Atty Gen. Janet Reno so much crap for the Waco "standoff". I would have agreed with it had the criticism been directed at the amount of time it took until the situation was brought to its conclusion, but most of the criticism was that the gov't went after Koresh and the Davidians at all. As I understand it, the ATF had probable cause to search the compound. The moment 3 ATF agents were shot and killed was the moment all debate was over. From that moment on, I would have used whatever was necessary to bring those people out as quickly as possible, WITH NO ATTEMPT AT NEGOTIATION, with maximum regard for the safety of my agents.

One armored, tracked vehicle and one sufficiently protected driver and one bullhorn could have done the job. I would have said, "You in there! You are coming out in the next 5 minutes or the west quarter of your building is coming down. I know there are women and children in there but their safety is your problem. If you decide not to come out you'd be smart to move everybody to the east side." They either come out or they lose 25% of their building and whoever's in it. Following this procedure ends the matter in 20 minutes, max.

Worst case scenario you've got a lot of dead people THAT WERE KILLED BY A CRAZY MAN, and its over in a day. As it was, you had a lot of dead people after a lot of negotiation and 51 days of aggravating and demoralizing the American people. I guarantee you that the next wacko group with guns and Armageddon on its mind has less reason to think they can prevail against the authorities.

NTSITB!

Which brings me to my real topic- Russell Means and the Lakota Tribe declaring themselves to no longer be citizens of the United States of America.

My Indian friends, come into the 21st century, where life is good. Many, many of your brothers and sisters have and will tell you the same thing. There's plenty for everybody. Just be willing to work, obey the laws, raise your kids right, take your pleasures in moderation and leave your space better than you found it. You can worship God or the Great Spirit as you understand Him and in whatever manner you wish. I know, I know, it wasn't fair that some people came over here a long time ago and they and your ancestors couldn't get along. But, whether you accept it or not, there was plenty blame to go around on all sides. Whether you accept that or not, the clock's not turning back. Citing some United Nations declaration doesn't mean squat, its not the law of this land. Mexicans aren't getting back Texas or Southern California and you're not getting absolute independence. It just isn't going to happen! Not. Going. To. Happen.

I don't have any more than a laymen's knowledge of the Federal rights of "Native Americans" on designated reservations, but however the laws that pertain to these things are written, politically it does not serve the interests of the citizens of the USA to permit the undoing of the status quo.

So, NTSITB! If the Lakota truly want to dissolve all ties with the U.S. and back out of the treaties, however badly they're written or however badly they've been mismanaged, then fine. No more reservation, no more casinos. You got those because of the deal. You don't want the deal, you don't get the benefits. The history of the world is replete with conquest and shifting of populations. America's nothing special in that regard.

Civilization is a delicate thing. We're dealing with many threats to it from without. We don't need to have to defend it from within.

NTSITB!