Kerry gets REJECTED: Hat tip to Blogs for Bush

"Earlier, their bus convoy pulled over at a Wendy's fast food restaurant for a photo opportunity lunch that provided an awkward moment.

Spotting a group of US Marines, Kerry, who has made his Vietnam War service a cornerstone of his campaign, went over to chat. The Marines, who all turned out to be staunch Bush reporters, were not impressed.

"He imposed on us and I disagree with him coming over here shaking our hands," one of them told reporters afterwards. "I'm 100 percent against" Kerry, he said. "We support our commander-in-chief 100 percent.""

You won't see this on the alphabet networks or Cnn!

A few things about John Kerry's speech: I thought his style was much better than Edwards', his timing was better but he did rush some important applause lines. Now, as for substance, I have a problem with a few things:

I did not like the bio part in the beginning, all week they have been Hammering on themes of his life, the movie before the speech said the same things he did, His web site says the same things. By the end of the bio I heard the loud stamped of people turning the channel before they got to hear what his plan was.

The speech talks about his childhood and of course Vietnam But Just happens to SKIP HIS 20 years in the Senate than he says "Trust Me about my record" Sorry Johnny Boy, but THOMAS will be VERY Busy for the next few weeks.

Now is when we get into the Michael Moore part of the speech:
"I will be a commander in chief who will never mislead us into war." {The same war he voted for, the same war he had information on as a member of the intelligence committee, the same war in which you yourself have been claiming that Iraq had WMD, the same war in which you voted for the Iraqi liberation act in 1998 setting US policy towards Iraq as regime change?}
"I will have a Vice President who will not conduct secret meetings with polluters to rewrite our environmental laws."{So he considers anyone in the energy industry a polluter? Should not a VP when designing an energy strategy, you Know TALK TO PEOPLE IN THE INDUSRTY, who should he talk to, Elmo? How exactly does the Executive Branch write laws? I suppose if had been in the Senate for the last year he would have Known what laws were passed}
"I will have a Secretary of Defense who will listen to the best advice of our military leaders."{Has he any proof that Rumsfeld has not?}
"And I will appoint an Attorney General who actually upholds the Constitution of the United States."{AHH YES BLAME the AG for the Patriot act, which is not the evil act people thing, while hiding the fact THAT KERRY VOTED FOR IT, and even the ACLU has not found one violation of a person's civil rights under it.}

"I am proud that after September 11th all our people rallied to President Bush’s call for unity to meet the danger. There were no Democrats. There were no Republicans. There were only Americans. How we wish it had stayed that way."
{So do I Johnny, but You and your cronies started campaigning about 2 years ago and soured the well of good faith, it was you and your party that poisoned the political scene(with the exception of lieberman)}

"Saying there are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq doesn’t make it so." {No But when the CIA, France UN, England, Russia, and most of the other world's intelligence services say they have WMD, only a blind prophet would believe they Don't have them}

"As President, I will ask hard questions and demand hard evidence. I will immediately reform the intelligence system - so policy is guided by facts, and facts are never distorted by politics." {The 911 commission found NO EVIDENCE that the administration Pressured intelligence services to distort fact for policy He is inferring an untruth}

"the United States of America never goes to war because we want to, we only go to war because we have to." {hmm well we did not Need to go to war in 1918, nor did we in Korea or Vietnam nor in the Spanish American War, So is he saying that he only wants to go to war when attacked?)

"As President, I will wage this war with the lessons I learned in war. Before you go to battle, you have to be able to look a parent in the eye and truthfully say: “I tried everything possible to avoid sending your son or daughter into harm’s way. But we had no choice. We had to protect the American people, fundamental American values from a threat that was real and imminent.”"{So much for the doctrine of preemption. SO Johnny, when will the threat with Iran become imminent? When they have Nukes, When you actually address the fact that Iran had a link to 911 according the 911 commission report?}

"And on my first day in office, I will send a message to every man and woman in our armed forces: You will never be asked to fight a war without a plan to win the peace." {I hope he understands that no military plan survives the first engagement with the enemy! Also I would say that election plans, a turn over of sovereignty, and a growing new democracy all in under two years is not bad! Better than the UN did in Bosnia or Kosovia oh wait we are still there)

"Here is the reality: that won’t happen until we have a president who restores America’s respect and leadership — so we don’t have to go it alone in the world."{ A list of nations who contributed to the operations in Iraq: Afghanistan Albania Australia Azerbaijan Bulgaria Colombia Costa Rica Czech Rep Denmark Dom. Rep. El Salvador Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Georgia Honduras Hungary Iceland Italy Japan South Korea Latvia Lithuania Macedonia Micronesia Netherlands Nicaragua Palau Philippines Poland Portugal Romania Spain Solomon Isls. Tonga Turkey Ukraine UK Uzbekistan USA,. This is Going it alone? Leadership is not following the will of a handful of nations, it is leading others.}

"And we will end the backdoor draft of National Guard and reservists." {Well he and is ilk, after Vietnam, designed the Military so that WE CAN'T GO TO WAR without the National Guard and reserves since all the support units, MP. Supply, Medical, air lift, public affairs ARE mostly RESERVE UNITS}

"We need to lead a global effort against nuclear proliferation - to keep the most dangerous weapons in the world out of the most dangerous hands in the world." {And what do you do When Iran refuses to follow the will of the UN if WAR IS reactive rather than proactive?}

"The future doesn’t belong to fear; it belongs to freedom."{Freedom does not just happen, it is fought for and died for}

"And the front lines of this battle are not just far away - they’re right here on our shores, at our airports, and potentially in any town or city. Today, our national security begins with homeland security."{Kerry wants to fight the war on Terror on the streets of NY and LA and Boston rather than where the enemy is coming from? By the time the threat is already here, it may be too late, fight the war abroad, not here}


"And we shouldn’t be opening firehouses in Baghdad and closing them down in the United States of America." {boosting up our ability deal with an attack IS NOT FIGHTING THE WAR ON TERROR, it is preparing for defeat! Not to mention that, Although President Clinton's last budget allocated only $100 million to firefighters, President Bush has already awarded over $1.1 billion directly to local firehouses in firefighter grants and President Bush's budget provides $3.56 billion in funds for state and local preparedness. That is a 680% increase over the funding in President Clinton's last year)

"You don’t value families if you force them to take up a collection to buy body armor for a son or daughter in the service,"{This story was debunked long ago AND is not true, I am surprised it made it past vetting!}
"Or if you deny veterans health care, "{Funding for Veterans up 27%, But Kerry Calls It A Cut?
"or if you tell middle class families to wait for a tax cut, so that the wealthiest among us can get even more." {An across the Board Tax Cut is NOT A TAX CUT FOR THE Wealthy, Nor is Kerry's plan to Increase the dividend tax rate, the capital gains tax, or increasing the marginal rate for people who make over $28,000 a TAX cut for the middle class}

That is all for now, Some more later:

The DNC has a Mob connection ? Go figure!

"As Sens. John Kerry and John Edwards arrived in Boston today for the Democratic National Convention, so did the California man who is their single biggest contributor."

"He is Stephen Bing, a wealthy film producer who, with little fanfare, has managed to steer a total of more than $16 million of his money to Democratic candidates and the supposedly independent groups that support them...."

"Democratic Party officials said they knew nothing about the man who law enforcement officials tell ABC News is Bing's friend and business partner — Dominic Montemarano, a New York Mafia figure currently in federal prison on racketeering charges...."

"After a recent private lunch with Democratic vice-presidential candidate Edwards, Bing also declined to answer questions about his relationship with Montemarano."

There are those who scream foul when a former CEO of Haliburton becomes Vice president. I guess for Democrats, its better to be a criminal than a CEO! But then again, the Democrats have never really had a problem with taking money from shady characters before.

Why John Kerry will hurt Corporate America

Senator Kerry believes that outsourcing needs to be ended. This, from his site is his plan to end it:

"Current tax laws allow American companies to defer paying taxes on income earned by their foreign subsidiaries until they bring it back to the United States. If they keep the money abroad, they avoid paying U.S. taxes entirely."

"Kerry would require companies to pay taxes on their international income as they earn it rather than being allow to defer it. The new system would apply to profits earned in future years only, not retroactively."

Left out of this plan is the fact that US corporations would be double taxed in that they will pay US taxes AND Host nation Taxes! The current system now allows a corporation to us Foreign profits for capital improvements in those foreign operations. This allows for more efficient operations and encourages the maxim utilization of limited resources. This increases the corporation's profit margin and increases its stock value which helps out US investors.

Kerry's plan will Tax those foreign profits. If that is to occur, a US corporation will have no incentive to keep its foreign operations managed from the United States. Therefore, that corporation will split, with its foreign operation moving overseas and its domestic operation remaining here in the US. That would result in Support staff such as accountants, lawyers, and engineers loosing their jobs and being replaced with foreign workers with the new foreign corporation. His plan may also, depending on the amount of foreign business a Corporation does, force some corporations to leave the US all together, allowing them to pay just one tax rather than two.

The fact is, John Kerry's economic plan is DANGEROUS and could destroy our economy.

Earth to John Kerry! Via Blogs for Bush
Kerry's Dukakis moment?

Only a Democrat wife of a Democrat candidate can get away with telling a reporter to "shove it"

Here is a link to the video

Ann Coulter, too hot for "Today"


To borrow a phrase so often used by Glen Reynolds, More crushing of dissent, this time by USA Today.

Take a look at the comments that the editor wrote in the unpublished column. And they say Conservatives lack a sense of Humor!

Michelle Malkin has a great rant about people stating that Annie Jacobsen overacted in her Event
with 14 Syrian "musicians"
This is why I was ecstatic when I heard that Michelle was starting a blog! I could not agree with her more. I for one am not willing to sit on a plane and sleep quietly with full confidence that the government is going to protect me. The government has a key roll in providing protection, but that does not mean that our social contract dictates that we relinquish ALL SOVERENTY for protection. Just look at the recently released tapes of 911 where the hijackers were going through security and you will see that the government CAN not protects us in all circumstances. In this war the greatest defense is the American people not Homeland security!

Mark Pasquale, Owner of Halftime Pizza, is miffed at the DNC, and his sign lets his displeasure known to the those who plan on attending the DNC Convention. Halftime Pizza is located across the street from where the DNC convention is being held. Pasquale is forced to close his business for the week due to the availability of free food and security concerns. City inspectors have threatened to fine himif he does not take the sign down. Does anybody believe that if the sign was pro Kerry he would receive such a threat from city inspectors?

TREE BITES MAN.


I had to post this

"a Tulsa lawyer and environmental activist, died Monday at his home when a tree supporting a hammock fell and crushed him."

OH Sandy
Former Clinton national security adviser, and CURRENT foreign policy advisor to Senator Kerry, Sandy Berger, is the focus of a criminal investigation after admitting he removed highly classified terrorism documents from a secure reading room.
"Berger and his lawyer said Monday night he knowingly removed handwritten notes he had taken from classified anti-terror documents he reviewed at the National Archives by sticking them in his jacket and pants. He also inadvertently took copies of actual classified documents in a leather portfolio"
 
With Joe Wilson, a proven liar, and Sandy Berger, an admitted thief, on his foreign policy team, how can Kerry be trusted to keep this nation safe!

Annie Jacobsen has just published the follow-up to her previous story,Terror in the Skies Again. Nothing new is added, but it appears that the story is credible. Michelle Malkin is all over this again Also, here is another story of Strange occurrences on a flight.
One thing I see in common between the two stories is that the alleged bad actors were focusing in on the Emergency exit. I wonder, if these were in fact dry runs, are they planning to bring down an airliner by opening the emergency exit in flight?

Terror in the Skies!

This story circling the bloggsphere today is enough to make ones hair stand on end!
The story began to take off last night when brought to the attention of Instapundit.
It was later picked up by The Command Post

Michelle Malkin has been driving it today and doing some hard-core journalism to track down the story.
Michelle even exposes a Gaffe by the Washington Post in that they have sat on this story for almost a week!
If this story, as it appears to be, is true, it should raise some concerns for the travailing public.

I am of the opinion that this was a dry run, similar to that witnessed by James Woods prior to 911. Some have raised the Question that 14 men seem like an awful lot to bring down on airliner. I believe that this is an adaptation to the Beamer Flight 93 event in which the passengers were able to take down the plane before it reached it target. It seem only logical that the terrorists would adapt and add more security to carry out their nefarious attack.

Today is International Link to Frank J Day!

Frank is sporting a new look for his two year Blogiversary. I kinda like it.
I am however jealous of Frank, He now has a picture of Michelle Malkin wearing his NUKE THE MOON T-shirt! Dam him....DAM HIM TO HELLLLLLLLL!

Senator Kerry concedes Pennsylvania with the selection of John Edwards as his running mate.

As anyone who lives in Pennsylvania knows, Medical Malpractice is an important issue in the state. The cost of Medical malpractice insurance has risen to such a level that some doctors in certain areas of practice are forced to leave the state. Furthermore, as Doctor's premiums rise, they are forced to pass on their costs on to the Health insurance providers, mostly HMO's. As HMO's and Health insurance providers' costs rise, they are forced to pass on their costs on to the consumer, average working class people.

At the heart of the exodus of surgeons and practitioners from the State and the ever increasing cost of Health insurance in PA is the vast number of lawsuits and the escalating amount jury awards.

Enter John Edwards into PA's Medical Malpractice Crisis. John Edwards was a plaintiff's attorney who focused on Personal injury and medical malpractice cases. He opposes a cap on Malpractice awards and wants to extend liability to include HMO's.
Edwards has worked against all the solutions that could be used to rein in the ever-increasing cost of Healthcare in the state and was an active participant in creating the current Healthcare crisis.

By choosing John Edwards, John Kerry demonstrates that he is out of touch with the plight of Pennsylvania residences and small businesses who are forced to pay the ever increasing costs associated with healthcare.

Opposition research 1, John Edwards:

108TH CONGRESS – 2004 SENATE VOTES
For Reauthorization Of Assault Weapons Ban. (S. 1805, CQ Vote #24: Adopted 52-47: R 10-41; D 41-6; I 1-0, 3/2/04, Edwards Voted Yea)

For Higher Taxes For Increased Education Spending. (S. Con. Res. 95, CQ Vote #35: Rejected 46-52: R 0-51; D 45-1; I 1-0, 3/10/04, Edwards Voted Yea)

For PAYGO Rules. Edwards Voted To “Restore Pay-As-You-Go Rules, Which Would Create A 60-Vote Point Of Order Against Any Direct Spending Or Revenue Legislation That Would Increase The On-Budget Deficit Or Cause An On-Budget Deficit. Tax Cuts And New Entitlement Spending Would Have To Be Offset With Revenue Increases Or Spending Cuts.” (S. Con. Res. 95, CQ Vote #38: Adopted 51-48: R 4-47; D 46-1; I 1-0, 3/10/04, Edwards Voted Yea)

For Single-Victim Version Of Unborn Victims Of Violence Act. (H.R. 1997, CQ Vote #61: Rejected 49-50: R 4-47; D 44-3; I 1-0, 3/25/04, Edwards Voted Yea)

Against Final Passage Of Unborn Victims Of Violence Act. (H.R. 1997, CQ Vote #63: Passed 61-38: R 48-2; D 13-35; I 0-1, 3/25/04, Edwards Voted Nay)

108TH CONGRESS – 2003 SENATE VOTES
Against $87 Billion Supplemental For Postwar Iraq. (S. 1689, CQ Vote #400: Passed 87-12: R 50-0; D 37-11; I 0-1, 10/17/03, Edwards Voted Nay)

Against Overhaul Of Medicare Program And Creation Of Prescription Drug Benefit. (S. 1, CQ Vote #262: Passed 76-21: R 40-10; D 35-11; I: 1-0, 6/27/03, Edwards Voted Nay)

For Limiting Size Of Economic Stimulus Tax Cut To $350 Billion Through Fiscal 2013. (S Con. Res. 23, CQ Vote #93: Adopted 51-48: R 3-48; D 47-0; I: 1-0, 3/25/03, Edwards Voted Yea)

Against Oil Exploration In Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. (S. Con. Res. 23, CQ Vote #59: Adopted 52-48: R 8-43; D 43-5; I 1-0; 3/19/03, Edwards Voted Yea)

Against Permitting Confirmation Vote On Miguel A. Estrada. (CQ Vote #40: Motion Rejected 55-44: R 51-0; D 4-43; I 0-1, 3/6/03, Edwards Voted Nay)

Edwards Sponsored Amendment To Delay Implementation Of Bush Clean Air Rules For Six Months. (H. J. Res. 2, CQ Vote #12: Rejected 46-50: R 6-45; D 39-5; I 1-0, 1/22/03, Edwards Voted Yea)

107TH CONGRESS – 2002 SENATE VOTES
For Use Of Force Resolution Against Iraq: Edwards voted for the Congressional resolution granting the use of force against Iraq. (H. J. Res. 114, CQ Vote #237: Passed 77-23: R 48-1; D 29-21; I 0-1, 10/11/02, Edwards Voted Yea)

Against Trade Promotion Authority: Edwards voted against trade promotion authority. (H.R. 3009, CQ Vote #207: Adopted 64-34: R 43-5; D 20-29; I 1-0, 8/1/02, Edwards Voted Nay)

Against Permanent Estate Tax Repeal: Edwards voted against a permanent repeal of the estate tax. (H.R. 8, CQ Vote #151: Motion Rejected 54-44: R 45-2; D 9-41; I 0-1, 6/12/02, Edwards Voted Nay)

107TH CONGRESS – 2001 SENATE VOTES
For Education Reform Bill: Edwards voted for the “No Child Left Behind” Act. (H.R. 1, CQ Vote #371: Adopted 87-10: R 44-3; D 43-6; I 0-1, 12/18/01, Edwards Voted Yea)

Voted For PATRIOT Act. (H.R. 3162, CQ Vote #313: Passed 98-1: R 49-0; D 48-1; I 1-0, 10/25/01, Edwards Voted Yea)

For Democrat Patients’ Bill Of Rights: Edwards co-sponsored and supported the Democrat Patients’ Bill of Rights. (S. 1052, CQ Vote #220: Passed 59-36: R 9-35; D 50-0; I 0-1, 6/29/01, Edwards Voted Yea)

Against President Bush’s Tax Relief Package: Edwards voted against passing a $1.35 trillion tax cut package to reduce income-tax rates, alleviate the “marriage penalty” and gradually repeal the estate tax. (H.R. 1836, CQ Vote #165: Passed 62-38: R 50-0; D 12-38, 5/23/01, Edwards Voted Nay)

For Reducing Tax Cut Ceiling: Edwards voted to reduce Bush’s proposed tax cut ceiling by $448 billion over 10 years. (H. Con. Res. 83, CQ Vote #69: Adopted 53-47: R 4-46; D 49-1, 4/4/01, Edwards Voted Yea)

For McCain-Feingold: Edwards voted for the McCain-Feingold campaign finance bill. (S. 27, CQ Vote #64: Passed 59-41: R 12-38; D 47-3, 4/2/01, Edwards Voted Yea)

Against Ashcroft Nomination: Edwards voted against confirming John Ashcroft to be Attorney General. (Ashcroft Nomination, CQ Vote #8: Confirmed 58-42: R 50-0; D 8-42, 2/1/01, Edwards Voted Nay)

106TH CONGRESS – 2000 SENATE VOTES
For Granting China Permanent NTS: Edwards voted to grant China permanent normal trade status. (H.R. 4444, CQ Vote #251: Passed 83-15: R 46-8; D 37-7, 9/19/00, Edwards Voted Yea)

Against Repealing Marriage Penalty: Edwards voted against cutting taxes for married couples. (H.R. 4810, CQ Vote #226: Adopted 60-34: R 53-1; D 7-33, 7/21/00, Edwards Voted Nay)

For Delaying National Missile Defense: Edwards voted to delay implementation of a comprehensive national missile defense system. (Amendment To S. 2549, CQ Vote #178: Motion To Table Agreed To 52-48: R 52-3; D 0-45, 7/13/00, Edwards Voted Nay)

Against GOP Managed Care Plan: Edwards voted against approving the GOP managed care plan, including limited right to sue for damages in federal court. (Amendment To H.R. 4577, CQ Vote #166: Amendment Adopted 51-47: R 51-4; D 0-43, 6/29/00, Edwards Voted Nay)

Against Restricting Use Of Genetic Information: Edwards voted against approving the GOP plan to restrict use of genetic information by health insurers. (Amendment To H.R. 4577, CQ Vote #165: Amendment Adopted 58-40: R 55-0; D 3-40, 6/29/00, Edwards Voted Nay)

For Expanding Federal Hate Crime Protections: Edwards voted for including gender, sexual orientation and disability in federal hate crime protections. (Amendment To S. 2549, CQ Vote #136: Amendment Adopted 57-42: R 13-41; D 44-1, 6/20/00, Edwards Voted Yea)

Against Extending Trade Benefits: Edwards voted against extending certain tariff benefits to the nations of the Caribbean, Central America and sub-Saharan Africa. (H.R. 434, CQ Vote #98: Adopted 77-19: R 47-6; D 30-13, 5/11/00, Edwards Voted Nay)

Against Limiting Federal Discretionary Spending: Edwards voted against limiting fiscal 2001 discretionary spending to $600.3 billion. (H. Con. Res. 290, CQ Vote #85: Adopted 50-48: R 50-4; D 0-44, 4/13/00, Edwards Voted Nay)

For Increased Minimum Wage And Bankruptcy Reform: Edwards voted to overhaul the bankruptcy law and increase the minimum wage. (H.R. 833, CQ Vote #5: Passed 83-14: R 50-2; D 33-12, 2/2/00, Edwards Voted Yea)

106TH CONGRESS – 1999 SENATE VOTES
For Abortion Rights: Edwards voted to support Roe v. Wade’s right to abortion. (S. 1692, CQ Vote #337: Adopted 51-47: R 8-44; D 43-2; I 0-1, 10/21/99, Edwards Voted Yea)

Against Banning Partial-Birth Abortion: Edwards voted against passage of a bill to ban partial-birth abortions. (S.1692, CQ Vote #340: Passed 63-34: R 48-3; D 14-31; I 1-0, 10/21/99, Edwards Voted Nay)

Against Reducing Federal Taxes: Edwards voted against reducing federal taxes by $792 billion over 10 years. (S. 1429, CQ Vote #247: Passed 57-43: R 52-2; D 4-41; I 1-0, 7/30/99, Edwards Voted Nay)

Against GOP Patients’ Rights Plan: Edwards voted against approving the GOP proposal to increase rights of patients in managed-care health plans. (S. 1344, CQ Vote #210: Passed 53-47: R 52-2; D 0-45; I 1-0, 7/15/99, Edwards Voted Nay)

Against Prohibiting Ground Troops In Kosovo: Edwards voted to kill an amendment to prohibit deployment of ground troops to Kosovo without congressional approval. (Amendment To S. 1059, CQ Vote #145: Motion To Table Agreed To 52-48: R 17-38; D 35-10, 5/25/99, Edwards Voted Yea)

THE PATRIOTS!

A FEW BRAVE MEN, THE SIGNERS OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, RISKED ALL so that we may be free, let us not forget their stories!

Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.

Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army, another had two sons captured.

Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War. They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. What kind of men were they?

Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated. But they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.

Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton. At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months. John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a broken heart.

Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates.

Such were the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution. These were not wild eyed, rabble-rousing ruffians. They were soft-spoken men of means and education.
They had security, but they valued liberty more.