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Gifts for all occasions in the Galleria! The "What is the Deal?" Deal-of-the-Week: Mrs Fields Valentine’s Gifts For Her February 6, 2005 What is the Deal with the Black Knights? By Jan A. Larson Some readers may remember the 1975 cinematic classic, Monty Python and the Holy Grail. There is a scene in the movie in which King Arthur encounters the "invincible" Black Knight. Arthur, on his quest for the Holy Grail, engages the knight in a battle of sabers. Even after Arthur has cut off both of the knight's arms and one leg, the Black Knight will not give up. He continues to harangue Arthur and only suggests calling it a draw after he has been relieved of his remaining leg. The Democratic response to President Bush's State of the Union address, presented by Sen. Harry Reid and Rep. Nancy Pelosi, reminded me of that scene with Reid and Pelosi playing the parts of dual Black Knights. They continue to fight, that is oppose everything that the President can propose. Much like the knight who was literally unarmed, they are unarmed with alternative solutions. Reid took the first shot, but came up empty. He made the ridiculous assertion that the President's economic policies have left Americans and American companies "struggling." What? The President's economic policies have been decidedly tilted in favor of American businesses and workers. Reid didn't elaborate, but the only thing to which he could have been referring to was the overblown "problem" of outsourcing. Reid likely favors a policy to "protect" American jobs, but in the long run, the laws of economics dictate that more will lose jobs than the number of jobs saved. Was Reid lamenting the President's tax cuts? Maybe, but I don't think even Reid could believe tax cuts are anti-business. Then again, I could be wrong. Reid called for Americans to have a "world class education" but it is his party that opposes school choice that could, through competition, actually make American public education competitive, although unless current trends are reversed, world class is but a pipedream. The Senator took on the President's plans to reform Social Security. Reid cited a commonly accepted figure of a $2 trillion "cost" of reform, calling it an "immoral burden" to place on future generations. In current dollars, the unfunded liability of the Social Security program is $11 trillion. Pay me now or pay me later. Reid, of course, is part of the "ostrich caucus" that would rather ignore the problem because it is too "expensive" to fix now. Reid closed by saying the Democrats will offer real solutions in the months ahead. I wish they would because they certainly haven't thus far. Pelosi was and is particularly amusing. I'm constantly amazed at how she can continue to be reelected term after term. Then I remember ... she's from California and it all makes sense. Pelosi never offers anything other than the straight party line on virtually every issue and rarely says anything that isn't simply an echo of something that Ted Kennedy or another party stalwart has already said. In responding to the President's address, Pelosi clearly had no ammunition. She said that the United States cannot stay in Iraq indefinitely and "continue to be viewed as an occupying force." I don't know of anyone, particularly the President, that suggests we stay in Iraq indefinitely. In fact, the President clearly said that when the "result is achieved, our men and women serving in Iraq will return home ..." As far as being viewed as an occupying force, I believe that the only ones that view the United States as occupiers are the terrorists that we're fighting and some members of Pelosi's party. Pelosi bemoaned that she hadn't heard a plan from the administration for bringing the troops home. I guess she wasn't listening when the President said they would come home when the job is done. Pelosi seems to think that the war is scripted like a movie but for some reason the President hasn't shown her the next act. Rep. Pelosi complained that there is no comprehensive plan to protect America from terrorism. Where was she when the Department of Homeland Security was formed? She also droned on with fluff about being friends with countries in Latin America, bringing hope to people in despair and how the Democrats were committed to national security, building alliances, collecting intelligence, yada, yada, yada. As easy as it is to pick on the Democrats, we really do need a viable opposition party - one that offers real ideas and, when the situation calls for it, will work with the President to solve problems. Senator Reid and Rep. Pelosi are the leaders of the Democratic Party. Is this the best they can do? I wonder if the Black Knight was a Democrat too? . -- Send feedback to the author. The "What is the Deal?" column will appears weekly on the Pie of Knowledge website. Guest submissions are welcome and encouraged. To submit an article to "What is the Deal?" click here. To subscribe to the "What is the Deal?" mailing list and receive early notification when a new column is available, click here. The Pie of Knowledge will never, ever divulge email addresses to any third party for any reason unless so ordered by a court of law. Contributions to the Pie of Knowledge are greatly appreciated. 
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