Here is a little something for the race-baiters and poverty pimps of the Left (including Bawney Fwank) to consider.

Up here, in the Northern Plains, we just recovered from a Historic event— may I even say a “Weather Event” of “Biblical Proportions” — with a historic blizzard of up to 44″ inches of snow and winds to 90 MPH that broke trees in half, knocked down utility poles, stranded hundreds of motorists in lethal snow banks, closed ALL roads, isolated scores of communities and cut power to 10Â’s of thousands. George Bush did not come.

FEMA did nothing.

No one howled for the government.

No one blamed the government.

No one even uttered an expletive on TV.

Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton did not visit.

Our Mayor did not blame Bush or anyone else.

Our Governor did not blame Bush or anyone else, either.

CNN, ABC, CBS, FOX or NBC did not visit - or report on this category 5 snowstorm. Nobody demanded $2,000 debit cards.

No one asked for a FEMA Trailer House.

No one looted.

Nobody - I mean Nobody demanded the government do something.

Nobody expected the government to do anything, either.

No Larry King, No Bill OÂ’Rielly, No Oprah, No Chris Mathews and No Geraldo Rivera.

No Shaun Penn, No Barbara Striesand, No Hollywood types to be found.

Nope, we just melted the snow for water.

Sent out caravans of SUVÂ’s to pluck people out of snow engulfed cars.

The truck drivers pulled people out of snow banks and didnÂ’t ask for a penny.

Local restaurants made food and the police and fire departments delivered it to the snowbound families. Families took in the stranded people - total strangers.

We fired up wood stoves, broke out coal oil lanterns or Coleman lanterns.

We put on extra layers of clothes because up here it is “Work or Die”.

We did not wait for some affirmative action government to get us out of a mess created by being immobilized by a welfare program that trades votes for Â’sittin at homeÂ’ checks.

Even though a Category “5″ blizzard of this scale has never fallen this early, we know it can happen and how to deal with it ourselves.

In my many travels, I have noticed that once one gets north of about 48 degrees North Latitude, 90% of the worldÂ’s social problems evaporate.

It does seem that way, at least to me.

I hope this gets passed on.

And as one who had family impacted by this mess and the recent winter storms that left family members in Washington and Oregon blacked-out for days in unseasonably cold weather, I won't even try to argue that the lack of media frenzy, massive federal response and presidential visits was based upon racism, incompetence or lack of concern -- or claim that the weather was a government conspiracy or designed to commit genocide.

H/T The Conspiracy To Keep You Poor & Stupid, Areopagitica, Colossus of Rhodey

UPDATE: Want to bet this doesn't rate a presidential visit, saturation news coverage, or left-wing conspiracy theories about how "the Bush Crime Family and CIA did this to distract from Iraq"?

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You know, some mistakes are really not acceptable. This is one.

Fortunately, Wolf Blitzer apologized today for this mistake from yesterday's edition of The Situation Room.

WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: One additional note, I just want to make a correction, an apology, Soledad, for what we did yesterday. In "THE SITUATION ROOM," we had a bad typographical error in one of ourgraphics. We were doing a piece on the hunt for Osama bin Laden in this new year 2007.

Unfortunately there was a graphic, instead of saying where is Osama, it said where is Obama. We want to apologize for that bad typo. We want to also apologize personally to Senator Barack Obama. I'm going to be making a call to him later this morning to offer my personal apology –Soledad.

The KOSsacks are, of course, frothing. They forget who the first national figure was who made that mistake -- fellow Senator Jabba the Drunk Ted Kennedy (D-Chappaquidick).

UPDATE -- 1/6/07: Some loony lefties (and some not-so-loony lefties) are still complaining about this obvious typo on CNN. I bet none of them were so upset when this error was made during an appearance by Congress On Racial Equality representative and Republican strategist Niger Innis appeared on MSNBC in 2002.

Then again, many of them probably think this is a fair description of any black Republican.

H/T Crooks & Liars and Raw Story

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Sort of like Wheaties is the Breakfast of Democrats.

After all, what else do you call a group that votes to supposedly limit lobbyist influence, but then goes to a $1000-a-plate fundraiser full of lobbyists with open checkbooks?

Democrats say they were returned to power in part because of corruption and ethical lapses of the Republican Congress. They promised to clean up the swamp and crack down on lobbyists.

But hours after changing House rules to reduce favors from lobbyists, it was back to business as usual in Washington.

Democrats threw a $1,000-a-person fundraising concert in Washington Thursday night, with Hollywood celebrities, big donors and those lobbyists writing checks to re-elect Democrats.

“Tonight we are having a celebration!” said Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. "Democrats are back!”

You see lobbyists are bad -- until they are giving money to the Democrats, at which point they are a vital, indeed essential, part of the political system.

I particularly love this particular laugh line from Queen Nancy's spokeswhoreperson.

Speaker Pelosi's spokesperson says there were only about 200 lobbyists at Thursday night's fundraising concert, and that this still will be the most open, honest Congress ever.

Taking money from lobbyists at Nancy's Place? I'm shocked! Shocked!

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We folks here in CD22 are a conservative bunch -- so of course our new "representative" voted for Nancy Pelosi for Speaker of the House.

One of only two freshmen in the 34-member Texas delegation, Lampson also praised the importance of the House vote installing Pelosi as the first female speaker in the chamber's history.

He cast that vote with granddaughter Olivia, who turns 2 next month, in his arms.

Yep -- backing that San Francisco liberal certainly is a prime example of representing the beliefs of the people of the district.

It should be a fun two years, cataloging every betrayal of CD22 by the carpetbagger, Nick Lampson.

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I guess that some Democrats want to ensure that the Louisiana Freezer Alligator (Bribus freezeris William-Jeffersonis) remains in Queen Nancy's "ethical swamp".

On the same day that the 110th Democratic-led Congress convenes with a plan to immediately pass lobbyist and ethics reforms, the Congressional Black Caucus Thursday gave a standing ovation to Rep. William Jefferson, the Louisiana Democrat who faces an FBI probe into bribery allegations.

"The haters... and negative nabobs...the people who spoke against him couldn't prevail against the people who spoke for him," Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, master of ceremonies for the CBC's celebratory event, said Thursday morning.

I guess racial solidarity trumps integrity for the CDC.

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Unless this Massachusetts scumbag has proof of his claim that George W. Bush has committed ethnic cleansing against Americans – and I mean documents or video that prove as much -- he must resign from the House of Representatives in well-deserved disgrace. And if he will not, his colleagues must expel him for such an intolerable statement.

Welcome to the “new tone” in Democrat “bipartisanship”.

H/T Michelle Malkin, Hot Air, Jawa Report, Seven Stripes, Gay Patriot

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But we canÂ’t tell you who to look for.

Police have refused to release photographs of two escaped murderers, claiming it might breach their human rights, it was revealed today.

Killers Jason Croft and Michael Nixon are among 13 inmates to have absconded from Sudbury open jail in Derbyshire in the past two months.

Despite the fact that only two have been caught - and that the killers are still on the loose - Derbyshire Police said the public do not have a right to know what the convicts look like.

A spokesman for Derbyshire Police said: "When making a decision to release any photograph, police forces must take into account numerous factors including the public interest test, whether there is a strong local policing purpose and, of course, the Human Rights and Data Protection Acts.

"Photographs of named people that are in police possession are classed as data and their release is restricted by law.

"Acpo (Association of Chief Police Officers) guidance states that releasing a 'wanted' photograph of a named person should only happen in exceptional circumstances where officers believe that the named suspect may be a danger to the public."

Which means, of course, that for the last two months these criminals have been at large, and the public can in no way assist with finding them. After all, the logic goes, those killers have a human right not to be identified or stigmatized by being identified publicly as criminals.

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DonÂ’t let the door hit you in the turban on the way out, scumbag.

A Muslim leader from Ohio who was convicted of lying about his involvement with a group the U.S. government designated a terrorist organization has been deported to his native Palestinian territories, immigration authorities said Friday.

Fawaz Damra, 46, was convicted in June 2004 of concealing his ties to Palestinian Islamic Jihad when he applied for U.S. citizenship in 1994.

Damra, who served as imam at one of the Cleveland's largest mosques, was deported on Thursday, said Tim Counts, spokesman for the U.S. Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Earlier, Damra had agreed to be deported to Qatar.

He ought to be headed to Gitmo instead. HereÂ’s hoping the Israelis keep close tabs on him.

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First it was maps and a survival guide -- now it seems that some Mexican authorities are going to provide GPS services to border jumping immigration criminals as they seek to break into the United States in violation of American sovereignty.

Two state government institutions are studying the possibility of giving Mexican migrants GPS locators that could be used to call the U.S. Border Patrol for help.

The locators would be given to migrants who are thinking of crossing the border, and would give U.S. Border Patrol agents the location of those in trouble. The U.S. government has yet to sign off on the project, which is still in the planning stages.

Hundreds of Mexicans are killed each year trying to sneak illegally into the United States. Many are lost or succumb to heat exhaustion in the desert, while others are killed trying to swim across the Rio Grande or hide in vehicles.

Supporters of the initiative argue that it could save hundreds of lives. Among those looking at the possibility is Jesus Torreblanca, who works for Puebla state's Commission for the Attention of Migrants.

"This won't guarantee that they won't be detained by the Border Patrol or face deportation, and it won't keep them from facing risks in the desert," he said today. "It is simply an effort at rescuing people while they are still alive."

He denied that the locators would encourage illegal migration.

"Our main purpose is to show people the enormous dangers they risk in crossing rivers, canals and deserts ... but the phenomenon of immigration is something that can't be stopped overnight," he said.

Mexico's Monterrey Tech University is developing the locators, which would be cheap and easy to carry and activate. They would be handed out for free to migrants.

Torreblanca said the locators might be ready by March.

It was unclear whether the U.S. government would approve such a project. In the past, similar campaigns to help migrants in distress have been criticized by U.S. anti-immigration groups as condoning illegal migration.

"The U.S. government has every right to protect its borders anyway it sees necessary," Torreblanca said. "The only thing that we ask is that they respect human rights."

And all we ask is that you folks in Mexican government respect American sovereignty -- and that you begin by acting to stop the incursions by your citizens into the United States, rather than helping them.

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Frankly, the information in this article does not come as any great surprise to me -- the financial oversight policies in place in most dioceses are such that embezzlement is almost certain to be caught at some point. And given that every parish -- plus the diocese and its subsidiary agencies -- have separate accounts, it isn't all that shocking that someone, somewhere, will try to put their finger in the till.

A survey by researchers at Villanova University has found that 85 percent of Roman Catholic dioceses that responded had discovered embezzlement of church money in the last five years, with 11 percent reporting that more than $500,000 had been stolen.

The Catholic Church has some of the most rigorous financial guidelines of any denomination, specialists in church ethics said, but the survey found that the guidelines were often ignored in parishes. And when no one is looking, the cash that goes into the collection plate does not always get deposited into the churchÂ’s bank account.

“As a faith-based organization, we place a lot of trust in our folks,” said Chuck Zech, a co-author of the study and director of the Center for the Study of Church Management at Villanova.

“We think if you work for a church — you’re a volunteer or a priest — the last thing on your mind is to do something dishonest,” Mr. Zech said. “But people are people, and there’s a lot of temptation there, and with the cash-based aspect of how churches operate, it’s pretty easy.”

Specialists in church ethics said they believed this was the first study to assess the extent of embezzlement in a denomination.

The reality is that most large organizations face some sort of attempt at embezzlement at some point. A local public university just lost a lot of money to a crooked professor. The school district where I work recently had a case involving an accounting clerk siphoning off enough funds to pay the salaries of three or four first-year teachers or a couple of computer labs. The Episcopal Church lost millions a couple of years ago to a crooked staff member in their national office. What I'm saying is that financial fraud happens wherever there is lots of money floating around.

Indeed, I'd love to see what a study of other denominations would show.

Posted by: Greg at 11:31 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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Not that we need a fence, a wall, or the full militarization of our nation's southern border or any such thing. After all, it isn't like we take such matters seriously in this country.!

A U.S. Border Patrol entry Identification Team site was overrun Wednesday night along Arizona's border with Mexico.

According to the Border Patrol, an unknown number of gunmen attacked the site in the state's West Desert Region around 11 p.m. The site is manned by National Guardsmen. Those guardsmen were forced to retreat.

The Border Patrol will not say whether shots were fired. However, no Guardsmen were injured in the incident.

The Border Patrol says the incident occurred somewhere along the 120 mile section of the border between Nogales and Lukeville. The area is known as a drug corridor. Last year, 124-thousand pounds of illegal drugs were confiscated in this area.

The Border patrol says the attackers quickly retreated back into Mexico.

Not, of course, that the US government would have done a damn thing if the gunmen had decided to stay. After all, they were just here to violate borders Americans are unwilling to violate.

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Three heartbeats from the presidency.

"Rather I should die a thousand times, and see Old Glory trampled in the dirt never to rise again, than to see this beloved land of ours become degraded by race mongrels, a throwback to the blackest specimen from the wilds."

Robert Byrd

The Democrat Party -- Making America Proud!

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I enjoyed JonÂ’s show during his radio years, but am revolted by the sordid activities in which he engages and the disgusting conduct to which he has admitted. Hopefully he will be locked away from society soon.

A court hearing to determine if probation will be revoked for former radio talk show host Jon Matthews was rescheduled for next month.

Matthews, 61, appeared in a Fort Bend County court room today where prosecutors had planned to ask state District Judge Brady Elliott to revoke his probation and sentence him to prison.

However, Lee Cox, the attorney for Matthews, asked the judge to reschedule the hearing. Elliott reset the case for Feb. 9.

"There are some things I am investigating and I need more time to prepare," Cox said after the hearing which lasted only a few seconds.

The state alleges that Matthews violated several terms of the probation he received two years ago after he pleaded guilty to exposing himself to an 11-year-old girl.

Matthews, a fixture on Houston's radio scene for almost two decades, was jailed in August after prosecutors filed a motion to revoke the probation and send him to prison. He was later released on bail.

Court records show Matthews violated several probation conditions the court set in 2004 when he entered his plea on the charge that stemmed from the October 2003 incident.

I’ll refrain from reprinting the illegal &/or immoral conduct in which he has engaged in violation of his probation (which I do not believe he should have received to begin with). It is simply too depraved for belief. Indeed, Matthews has made himself a “poster child” (forgive the term) for why those convicted of sex crimes with minors should be shown no leniency whatsoever.

H/T Lone Star Times

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The editors of the Rocky Mountain News are spot-on in their analysis of the Darrent Williams murder – it isn’t the guns or their availablity, it is the cultural message that demands their use at the slightest provocation. You know, the glorification of the thug found in “gangsta culture”.

What makes someone spray a limousine with bullets even though he has no idea who might die? A "gun culture," answers The Denver Post, under the headline "Williams' murder a cowardly gun crime."

Suffice it to say that the murder of Darrent Williams would not have occurred, at least in the fashion it did, without a gun. But that fact in itself explains little. What is most horrifying about this crime was the killer's casual targeting of people he hardly knew or didn't know at all over what perhaps was a disagreement or a perceived slight - an example of "disrespect" that had to be avenged.

It may be "culture" at the bottom of this tragedy, all right - gangster culture. Criminal culture. Culture in which lethal violence is considered the accepted if not the anticipated response to, for example, a heated argument.

One need look no further than rap music to find this message reinforced day after day. Too many of my students show up at school in their “Scarface” shirts and claim that the Al Pacino movie exemplifies their philosophy of life. And if I hear one more story of a fight of a student getting into a fight with another kid because “he/she was talking mess about me”, I’ll surpass the million mark.

We’ve always had guns in this society, and we always will. What we didn’t have was the message that violence and killing are the first response rather than the last and the mark of manhood. Let’s eradicate that message, not eliminate a tool with many legitimate uses.

Posted by: Greg at 10:34 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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The editors of the Rocky Mountain News are spot-on in their analysis of the Darrent Williams murder – it isn’t the guns or their availablity, it is the cultural message that demands their use at the slightest provocation. You know, the glorification of the thug found in “gangsta culture”.

What makes someone spray a limousine with bullets even though he has no idea who might die? A "gun culture," answers The Denver Post, under the headline "Williams' murder a cowardly gun crime."

Suffice it to say that the murder of Darrent Williams would not have occurred, at least in the fashion it did, without a gun. But that fact in itself explains little. What is most horrifying about this crime was the killer's casual targeting of people he hardly knew or didn't know at all over what perhaps was a disagreement or a perceived slight - an example of "disrespect" that had to be avenged.

It may be "culture" at the bottom of this tragedy, all right - gangster culture. Criminal culture. Culture in which lethal violence is considered the accepted if not the anticipated response to, for example, a heated argument.

One need look no further than rap music to find this message reinforced day after day. Too many of my students show up at school in their “Scarface” shirts and claim that the Al Pacino movie exemplifies their philosophy of life. And if I hear one more story of a fight of a student getting into a fight with another kid because “he/she was talking mess about me”, I’ll surpass the million mark.

WeÂ’ve always had guns in this society, and we always will. What we didnÂ’t have was the message that violence and killing are the first response rather than the last and the mark of manhood. LetÂ’s eradicate that message, not eliminate a tool with many legitimate uses.

Posted by: Greg at 10:34 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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The Dems now control both Houses of Congress.

The 110th Congress convened Thursday with Democrats in control of both the House and Senate for the first time in a dozen years. "Today we make history. Today we change the direction of our country," exulted Rep. Nancy Pelosi, poised to become the first woman speaker in history.

With her grandchildren joining her for the historic moment, Pelosi beamed as her name was placed in nomination and the party-line roll call commenced.

I cannot help but notice the difference in how the AP treats this power change as opposed to the 1994 shift of partisan control.

Dingell administered the same oath to former Speaker Newt Gingrich, R- Ga., 12 years ago when Republicans seized the House after 40 years of Democratic control _ and he's set to get back his gavel as the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Democrats are “in control”; Republicans “seize power”. No bias in that language – none at all.

MORE COVERGE of this national tragedy.

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How, precisely will they do this? By decreasing freedom, of course!

American companies can expect proposals mandating increased wages and health care, a boost in union membership and greater scrutiny of trade agreements, a key Democrat promised Wednesday.

It's all part of the new Democratic congressional majority's agenda to reduce what Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) calls "inequality" that inhibits economic growth.

"Inequality is not necessarily a bad thing. It's necessary in the capitalist system, and I'm a capitalist," Frank said during a speech to the National Press Club. "But we do not have to have a government that reinforces it."

Frank has a definite agenda, though – letting the government tell business how to do business.

Frank was not specific on every proposal, but he said he intends to hold hearings into income disparity and what the government can do about it. He is also proposing a "grand bargain" that will tie trade bills, regulatory relief and other business-friendly legislation to mandates on increased wages, union empowerment and health care coverage.

"Government doesn't have to interfere with the free enterprise system, but we can work along with it to reduce inequality," Frank said.

Of course, everything Frank is proposing does interfere with free enterprise.

Government will tell businesses how much they must pay heir workers and what benefits they must offer. Government will force in unions, even upon workers who don’t want to be a part of them. And government will impose conditions and restrictions upon how they do business.

I believe that is generally called socialism by economists, Barney.

Posted by: Greg at 10:26 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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How, precisely will they do this? By decreasing freedom, of course!

American companies can expect proposals mandating increased wages and health care, a boost in union membership and greater scrutiny of trade agreements, a key Democrat promised Wednesday.

It's all part of the new Democratic congressional majority's agenda to reduce what Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) calls "inequality" that inhibits economic growth.

"Inequality is not necessarily a bad thing. It's necessary in the capitalist system, and I'm a capitalist," Frank said during a speech to the National Press Club. "But we do not have to have a government that reinforces it."

Frank has a definite agenda, though – letting the government tell business how to do business.

Frank was not specific on every proposal, but he said he intends to hold hearings into income disparity and what the government can do about it. He is also proposing a "grand bargain" that will tie trade bills, regulatory relief and other business-friendly legislation to mandates on increased wages, union empowerment and health care coverage.

"Government doesn't have to interfere with the free enterprise system, but we can work along with it to reduce inequality," Frank said.

Of course, everything Frank is proposing does interfere with free enterprise.

Government will tell businesses how much they must pay heir workers and what benefits they must offer. Government will force in unions, even upon workers who donÂ’t want to be a part of them. And government will impose conditions and restrictions upon how they do business.

I believe that is generally called socialism by economists, Barney.

Posted by: Greg at 10:26 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Is Sean Hannity the ascendant voice of American conservatism? Well, it could be, given his increasing talk time.

If 2007 is supposed to be a big year for liberals, conservative voice box Sean Hannity didn't get the memo. The man not only keeps going and going, but he's also growing and growing.

Already heard 2-5 p.m. daily on KPRC 950 AM and 8-9 p.m. on Fox News Channel, Hannity will now appear 8-9 p.m. Sundays starting this weekend on FNC, as well. Unlike his weeknight gig opposite Alan Colmes, he'll host Hannity's America solo.

"What I want to do with this are things I couldn't do on Hannity & Colmes," said the Man Who Loves to Talk. "We're going to have reporters assigned to the show, and we're going to go out and find stories nobody else is covering."

The show will also include, he said, an on-the-street segment, a Sunday "rewind," a two-on-two political debate and a segment called the Hannity Hot Seat.

I do not watch H&C, and rarely listen to his show for more than a few minutes in the afternoon -- but i wish him well.

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Kids do dumb things all the time -- that is part of being a kid.

It is sad when those things result in their death.

A 10-year-old boy who apparently was mimicking the execution of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein accidentally hanged himself on New Year's Eve, authorities said.

Webster police Lt. Tom Claunch said officers were called to an apartment in the 800 block of NASA Parkway about 7:30 p.m. on Sunday and found the boy dead.

Sergio Pelico's mother told police he had watched a report on Saddam's death on a Telemundo news broadcast before he hanged himself, Claunch said.

"It appears to be accidental," he said of the boy's death. "Our gut reaction is that he was experimenting."

My deepest condolences to the Pelico family.

Posted by: Greg at 11:21 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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is their own constituency.

House Democrats tried to unveil their lobbying reform package today, but their press conference was drowned out by chants from anti-war activists who want Congress to stop funding the Iraq war before taking on other issues.

Led by Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a slain soldier, the protesters chanted "De-escalate, investigate, troops home now" as Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., began outlining the Democrats' plans to ban lobbyist-funded travel and institute other ethics reforms. The press conference was held in the Cannon House Office Building in an area open to the public.

Emanuel finally gave up trying to be heard over the chants, and retreated to a caucus room where Democrats were meeting.

Sheehan says she has nothing against lobbying reform, but she and her fellow anti-war activists want Democrats to know they will keep pressuring Congress to end the war in Iraq.

"We wanted the Democrats to know they're back in power because of the grass roots," Sheehan says.

The anti-war activists held their own Capitol Hill press conference earlier in the day before deciding to attend the lobbying reform press conference as well.

Not that this pathetic woman who has made a career of whoring her dead soldier-son is necessarily in favor of ethics reform.

Before the chanting started, Sheehan got a hug from Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., the new chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.

After all -- Conyers has just owned up to abusing his government-paid staff by using them for personal and campaign purposes.

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Are they not the most annoying thing on television today?

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Signaling that the university recognizes the dubious nature of the charges against them, two of the students charged in the Duke Rape Frame-Up Case have received letters from a senior administrator at Duke University welcoming them back to campus as students in good standing for the spring semester.

Duke University will allow two former lacrosse players accused of sexual assault to return to campus as students in good standing.

The university informed Reade Seligmann and Collin Finnerty in letters dated Jan. 2 that they were welcome to come back to Duke for the coming semester. They they had been placed on interim suspension and then administrative leave of absence. The third accused player, David Evans, graduated from Duke last year.

It's unclear whether Seligmann and Finnerty will accept Duke's offer to return this semester. The next court hearing in the case is scheduled for Feb. 5.

The gesture reflects the university's new stance toward the three former players. After rape charges were dropped in December, Duke President Richard Brodhead issued a statement calling into question Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong's handling of the case and the fact that kidnapping and sexual assault charges remain against the three men.

In a letter to Seligmann, Larry Moneta, vice president for student affairs, wrote: "As circumstances have evolved in this extraordinary case, we have attempted to balance recognition of the gravity of legal charges with the presumption of your innocence. Now with the approach of a new term, we believe that circumstances warrant that we strike this balance differently."

The return of these young men to school is a complicated question. Both are still facing serious charges, and could stand trial during the coming semester. Would their return to school be an additional complication as they prepare to defend themselves against the increasingly flimsy charges brought by DA Mike Nifong? Will they really be welcome on a campus where a large group of professors have publicly issued a statement declaring them guilty – a statement that has never been retracted? Given the race-baiting engaged in by Nifong and others, will these young men be physically safe in Durham? Frankly, I’d be surprised to see either of them return prior to their full acquittal or the dropping of all charges – and even then I wonder if it would be more appropriate for them to make a clean start somewhere else.

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The paperwork for the “exploratory committee” has been filed, making it all but official that Mitt Romney will actively pursue the 2008 GOP presidential nomination.

Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said Wednesday he's taking the first step in a 2008 presidential bid, joining an increasingly crowded field of Republican hopefuls.

"We've filed exploratory papers today, so the process is moving forward on that front," he told reporters Wednesday, his final day in office.

A spokesman for Romney later said the paperwork officially would be filed late Wednesday afternoon in Washington with the Federal Election Commission. The formation of an exploratory committee allows Romney to raise and spend money for a presidential run.

Romney's confirmation of his plans comes after a 10-day period of contemplation during a family vacation in Utah and follows several years in which he acknowledged he was considering a White House run but hadn't made a final decision about pursuing the presidency.

Forming an exploratory committee is the prelude to a full declaration of candidacy for the presidency,

Posted by: Greg at 11:19 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Jack Kelly nails it – and explains why the Ethiopians are so successful in Somalia and the US is bogged down in Iraq.

Ethiopia won in short order because it unapologetically used force against vicious people who understand only force. They killed the people they needed to kill without worrying overmuch about collateral damage, and not at all about world opinion. And though the Ethiopian soldiers are Christians, they were hailed as liberators in this overwhelmingly Muslim country.

What is more important – victory, or appeasing the unappeasable critics of military action?

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I’m not one of those who has a problem with Keith Ellison using a Koran for his ceremonial swearing-in – indeed, I have been critical of those who do. But even if I did, I think I’d have to admire Ellison’s decision to tie himself to one of America’s greatest Founding Fathers with this brilliant choice.

Rep.-elect Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, found himself under attack last month when he announced he'd take his oath of office on the Koran -- especially from Virginia Rep. Virgil Goode, who called it a threat to American values.

Yet the holy book at tomorrow's ceremony has an unassailably all-American provenance. We've learned that the new congressman -- in a savvy bit of political symbolism -- will hold the personal copy once owned by Thomas Jefferson.

"He wanted to use a Koran that was special," said Mark Dimunation, chief of the rare book and special collections division at the Library of Congress, who was contacted by the Minnesota Dem early in December. Dimunation, who grew up in Ellison's 5th District, was happy to help.

Jefferson's copy is an English translation by George Sale published in the 1750s; it survived the 1851 fire that destroyed most of Jefferson's collection and has his customary initialing on the pages. This isn't the first historic book used for swearing-in ceremonies -- the Library has allowed VIPs to use rare Bibles for inaugurations and other special occasions.

Ellison will take the official oath of office along with the other incoming members in the House chamber, then use the Koran in his individual, ceremonial oath with new Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "Keith is paying respect not only to the founding fathers' belief in religious freedom but the Constitution itself," said Ellison spokesman Rick Jauert.

Whatever one’s view of Islam, it is hard not to see this as a well-intended move to pay homage to the founding principles of America – and the men who established the nation whose Constitution Ellison will swear to uphold.

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I’m not one of those who has a problem with Keith Ellison using a Koran for his ceremonial swearing-in – indeed, I have been critical of those who do. But even if I did, I think I’d have to admire Ellison’s decision to tie himself to one of America’s greatest Founding Fathers with this brilliant choice.

Rep.-elect Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, found himself under attack last month when he announced he'd take his oath of office on the Koran -- especially from Virginia Rep. Virgil Goode, who called it a threat to American values.

Yet the holy book at tomorrow's ceremony has an unassailably all-American provenance. We've learned that the new congressman -- in a savvy bit of political symbolism -- will hold the personal copy once owned by Thomas Jefferson.

"He wanted to use a Koran that was special," said Mark Dimunation, chief of the rare book and special collections division at the Library of Congress, who was contacted by the Minnesota Dem early in December. Dimunation, who grew up in Ellison's 5th District, was happy to help.

Jefferson's copy is an English translation by George Sale published in the 1750s; it survived the 1851 fire that destroyed most of Jefferson's collection and has his customary initialing on the pages. This isn't the first historic book used for swearing-in ceremonies -- the Library has allowed VIPs to use rare Bibles for inaugurations and other special occasions.

Ellison will take the official oath of office along with the other incoming members in the House chamber, then use the Koran in his individual, ceremonial oath with new Speaker Nancy Pelosi. "Keith is paying respect not only to the founding fathers' belief in religious freedom but the Constitution itself," said Ellison spokesman Rick Jauert.

Whatever one’s view of Islam, it is hard not to see this as a well-intended move to pay homage to the founding principles of America – and the men who established the nation whose Constitution Ellison will swear to uphold.

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Well, there have always been false prophets, claiming to speak in the name of God.

In what has become an annual tradition of prognostications, religious broadcaster Pat Robertson predicted Tuesday that a terrorist attack on the United States would result in "mass killing" late in 2007.

"I'm not necessarily saying it's going to be nuclear," he said during his news-and-talk television show "The 700 Club" on the Christian Broadcasting Network. "The Lord didn't say nuclear. But I do believe it will be something like that."

Robertson said God told him during a recent prayer retreat that major cities and possibly millions of people will be affected by the attack, which should take place sometime after September.

Robertson said God also told him that the U.S. only feigns friendship with Israel and that U.S. policies are pushing Israel toward "national suicide."

But given that the predicted tsunamis hitting the US didn’t happen in 2006, I think we can safely categorize Robertson – and disregard this claim.

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Some folks have absolutely no shame -- and Duke Rape Frame-Up Case prosecutor Mike Nifong is clearly one of them. He claims that he is not part of the problem in Durham, and that he will help heal the racial wounds and divisions that exist.

District Attorney Mike Nifong said after a private swearing-in Tuesday that he intends to help Durham heal the wounds of the Duke University lacrosse case.

The prosecutor, who faces ethics charges for his public statements about the sexual assault case against three former lacrosse players, began his four-year term of office in a ceremony closed to avoid reporters.

Nifong answered questions after the ceremony but declined to discuss the lacrosse case or whether he will remain its prosecutor. He said his work as Durham's top law enforcement official will be to help the community recover from the case, which has drawn international attention.

"I don't feel that I'm part of the problem. I feel that I have assisted in revealing the problem," Nifong said. "Durham has some healing to do. And I need to be part of that healing process, and I need to have something to do with how we move forward."

Let's see, mike -- you've taken a case that had potential to inflame racial tensions if mishandled and exploited it to get votes in the black community, while at teh same time engaging in prosecutorial misconduct that appears to violate a number of laws and the civil rights of the defendants. But you are the healer?

No, Mr. Nifong -- you are the carrier of the pathogen.

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And so the people may actually get their say on the issue of gay marriage in that state.

Massachusetts legislators approved a measure yesterday that next year could allow voters to overturn a historic same-sex marriage law in the only state in the nation where such unions are legal.

A bitterly divided state legislature voted to advance a proposed amendment to the state constitution that defines marriage exclusively as a union between a man and a woman. If the measure survives another legislative vote, it will go on the statewide ballot in 2008, a presidential election year.

And I'll say it quite clearly -- the outcome of that election is less important to me than the issue of allowing the people's voice to be heard. Gay marriage was imposed upon Massachusetts by the courts -- it is hardly unreasonable to let the true source of political power in the state weigh in on the issue.

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Look at what counts as “an unreported independent expenditure or a prohibited corporate expenditure."

In a decision announced Tuesday, the FEC sent an “admonishment letter” to Kirk Shelmerdine Racing. Kirk Shelmerdine, a former pit boss for the late Dale Earnhardt, has been an unsuccessful, underfunded and undersponsored driver. He has never finished higher than 26th.

So back in 2004, in a move perhaps designed to draw some attention to his car, he placed a “Bush-Cheney ’04” decal on his rear quarter panel, which was otherwise unencumbered by advertising. Democratic activist Sydnor Thompson complained to the FEC, and the agency found that Shelmerdine “may have made an unreported independent expenditure or a prohibited corporate expenditure.”

This literally amounts to a ruling that a bumper sticker can count as a regulated contribution, if it is placed on a commercial vehicle. So rather than being permitted to engage in the sort of political speech clearly envisioned by the Founding Fathers when they adopted the First Amendment, we have a pathetic gang of government bureaucrats determining that such political speech violates laws designed to suppress and regulate political speech.

Former FEC commissioner Bradley Smith makes an observation about the placement of the sticker by Shelmerdine – in light of the fact that no one was willing to pay to place a logo or other sponsorship decal on that part of the car, “evidence is strong that the market value of Shelmerdine’s rear quarter panel was approximately $0, give or take $249.”

UPDATE -- 1/3/2007: Ryan Sager makes this pointed observation about how far this absurd ruling could go in allowing the regulation of political speech -- and the danger of just such absurdity.

With this case, the FEC has opened a new and disturbing door. If the agency claims oversight over any endorsement that it sees as valuable, what's next? Celebrities routinely get paid for endorsements. Is a rock star wearing a "Kerry for President" or "Impeach Bush" shirt now fair game?

It seems that, so long as trouble-makers are ready to write up the complaints, the FEC is happy to take any nutball theory for a few spins around the track - no matter how ludicrous the repercussions for free speech in our democracy.

Indeed -- this case proves that "campaign finance reform" has become less about ending corruption than it is about regulating speech and the ability of Americans to freely participate in the American political process.

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Last April, we Houston Texans fans expected that the defensive rookie of the year would be wearing our uniform. After all, we had just taken Mario Williams with the first pick of the draft. Surely it would be him.

Well, we were half right.

The winner of that honor is a Texan -- but not Williams. It is DeMeco Ryans.

DeMeco Ryans came into the NFL as Houston's second choice to bolster its defense. He leaves his first pro year as The Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year.

The linebacker, chosen at the top of the second round of last April's draft — 32 spots after the Texans made defensive end Mario Williams the first overall selection — was a runaway winner of the award announced Wednesday. Ryans led the league in solo tackles with 126, and his 156 total tackles were 33 more than the next-best rookie, Detroit linebacker Ernie Sims.

In fact, no rookie in the last 20 years had more tackles than Ryans, who was an All-American at Alabama in 2005. And Ryans had more tackles than any of the other five linebackers who won the award this decade, including Brian Urlacher and Shawne Merriman.

"It's always nice to be touted as one of the best and have a big-time stat, but I credit that to the other 10 guys that are around me on defense," Ryans said. "We wouldn't be talking about me without those other 10 guys out there."

This young many has bee absolutely incredible -- and clearly outshined Williams. he's also become a fan favorite, with a winning personality and a genuine warmth shown towards the people of his professional home. And the great thing is that we know there is more to come from this kid, that he has yet to reach his full potential.

So congratulations, DeMeco -- you earned this one.

And I'll keep that autographed football in the place of honor it deserves.

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Initial reports indicate it was lost by an aide this fall, and leaked to the press by a supporter of another GOP hopeful.

It's clearly laid out in 140 pages of printed text, handwriting and spreadsheets: The top-secret plan for Rudy Giuliani's bid for the White House.

The remarkably detailed dossier sets out the budgets, schedules and fund-raising plans that will underpin the former New York mayor's presidential campaign - as well as his aides' worries that personal and political baggage could scuttle his run.

At the center of his efforts: a massive fund-raising push to bring in at least $100 million this year, with a scramble for at least $25 million in the next three months alone.

The loss of the battle plan is a remarkable breach in the high-stakes game of presidential politics and a potentially disastrous blunder for Giuliani in the early stages of his campaign.

The document also examines the possible skeletons in the Giuliani closet.

One page cites the explicit concern that he might "drop out of [the] race" as a consequence of his potentially "insurmountable" personal and political vulnerabilities.

On the same page is a list of the candidate's central problems in bullet-point form: his private sector business; disgraced former aide Bernard Kerik; his third wife, Judith Nathan Giuliani; "social issues," on which is he is more liberal than most Republicans, and his former wife Donna Hanover.

The concerns appear to be listed as issues for Giuliani law partner Pat Oxford to address and are followed by the central question of the campaign:

Are there "prob[lem]s that are insurmount[able]?" it asks, adding, "Has anyone reviewed with RWG?" Giuliani, whose middle name is William, is referred to throughout the document by his initials.

"All will come out - in worst light," the memo continues. "$100 million against us on this stuff."

The Giuliani campaign has fired back, claiming the document was stolen from an aide's luggage, not mislaid and forgotten.

Giuliani spokeswoman Sunny Mindel claimed it was actually pilfered from a piece of airline luggage.

"This wasn't left in a hotel," Mindel told The Associated Press. "This is clearly a dirty trick. The voters are sick and tired of this kind of thing."

Ms. Mindel said that while working on the 2006 campaign trail, a Giuliani aide lost a piece of luggage containing the paper.

"After repeated requests over the course of a few days, the bag was finally returned with the document inside. Because our staffer had custody of this document at all times except for this one occasion, it is clear that the document was removed from the luggage and photocopied," she said.

If that is the case, I am not pleased. This sort of crap is bad for the GOP, and I will not look kindly on anyone involved in stealing the document, if that is what happened.

Regardless, though, the document presents some fascinating insights into the Giuliani machine.

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Just to show you that Nazi Jew-hatred and Jihadi Jew-hatred have a long connection, according to British documents from the 1930s. Indeed, Hitler sought to arm the Arabs to aid in his war effort.

Historical documents in BritainÂ’s National Archives in London show that Nazi Germany attempted to ship arms to Palestinian forces in the 1930s.

A British Foreign Office report from 1939 reports of “news of a consignment of arms from Germany, sent via Turkey and addressed to Ibn Saud (king of Saudi Arabia), but really intended for the Palestine insurgents.” Britain’s chief military officer in Mandatory Palestine also noted reports “regarding import of German arms at intervals for some years now.”

British documents from the same period, and German records photographed by an American spy and sent to the British government, said that a number of Nazi agents were sent to Mandatory Palestine, in order to forge alliances with Palestinian leaders, and urge them to reject a partition of the land between the Jewish and Arab populations.

One Nazi agent, Adam Vollhardt, arrived in Palestine in July 1938, and was reported to have gained strong influence with Arab leaders, meeting with Palestinian leaders throughout 1938. Vollhardt held several meetings with leading Arab politicians and told them “that the Palestine question would be settled to the satisfaction of the Arabs within a few weeks,” adding that “it would be fatal to their (Palestinians’) cause if at this juncture they showed any signs of weakness or exhaustion.”

“Germany was interested in the settlement of the (Palestine) question on the basis of the Arabs obtaining their full demands,” Vollhardt was reported to say to Palestinian leaders, according to a report by the British War Office. Vollhardt also assured Arab leaders that “the Germans could continue to support the Palestinian Arab cause by means of propaganda.”

German documents photographed and sent to Whitehall by an American spy revealed that in 1937, German officials had calculated that “Palestine under Arab rule would… become one of the few countries where we could count on a strong sympathy for the new Germany.”

And sadly, this affinity between Arab and Nazi resulted in the abandonment of Jewish refugees by the British.

German records show that the Nazis viewed the establishment of a Jewish state with great concern. A 1937 report from German General Consulate in Palestine said: “The formation of a Jewish state… is not in Germany’s interest because a (Jewish) Palestinian state would create additional national power bases for international Jewry such as for example the Vatican State for political Catholicism or Moscow for the Communists. Therefore, there is a German interest in strengthening the Arabs as a counter weight against such possible power growth of the Jews.”

The records also show that the news of increased Nazi-Arab cooperation panicked the British government, and caused it to cancel a plan in 1938 to bring to Palestine 20,000 German Jewish refugees, half of them children, facing danger from the Nazis.

Documents show that after deciding that the move would upset Arab opinion, Britain decided to abandon the Jewish refugees to their fate.

“His Majesty’s Government asked His Majesty’s Representatives in Cairo, Baghdad and Jeddah whether so far as they could judge, feelings in Egypt, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia against the admission of, say 5,000 Jewish children for adoption… would be so strong as to lead to a refusal to send representatives to the London discussions. All three replies were strongly against the proposal, which was not proceeded with,” a Foreign Office report said.

“If war were to break out, no trouble that the Jews could occasion us, in Palestine or elsewhere, could weigh for a moment against the importance of winning Muslim opinion to our side,” Britain’s Minister for Coordination of Defence, Lord Chatfield, told the British cabinet in 1939, shortly before Britain reversed its decision to partition its mandate, promising instead all of the land to the Palestinian Arabs.

Shameful -- and part of the reason why Israel even today must fight for its survival in the face of those who would destroy it while others stand by and do nothing to stop the completion of Hitler's Final Solution.

Posted by: Greg at 11:27 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Just when you think Iran's government couldn't sink any deeper into the abyss of anti-Semitism, one of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's top aides has come out with a real whopper.

Just when you thought the Iranian leadership could stoop no further: A top advisor to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claimed in an interview with Iranian website Baztab that Nazi leader Adolf Hitler's parents were both Jewish and that Hitler himself was one of the founders of the State of Israel.

n the interview, translated by MEMRI (Middle East Media Research Institute) Mohammad-Ali Ramin, a chief aide to Ahmadinejad, told Baztab that Hitler's paternal grandmother was a Jewish prostitute and his father even kept his Jewish name until finally changing it to Hitler when he was 40.

Ramin also claimed that the reason Hitler developed such an aversion to Judaism was because his Jewish mother was a promiscuous woman. Hitler therefore, says Ramin, tried to escape his religion.

Ramin cites a 1974 book by Hennecke Kardel titled 'Adolf Hitler: Founder of Israel', which alleges that Hitler strived to create a Jewish state as a result of being influenced by his Jewish relatives and his cooperation with Britain – which also wanted to drive the Jews out of Europe.

I'm speechless.

American Thinker Blog has additional coverage and quotes.

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Holy Crap!

I go out to the yard to build a covered swing (remember, I do live in Houston) and return 90 minutes later to discover an extra 500 page hits!

I've been FARKed!

Please FARK me again any time you want!

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When you are in such disgrace that everyone is calling for your head, make your swearing-in a private event that occurs when the courthouse is closed to the public.

The swearing-in ceremony for embattled Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong apparently took place inside the Durham County Courthouse this morning while the press and other observers stood outside on the courthouse steps.

The ceremony was scheduled for 8 a.m. But the courthouse doesnÂ’t normally open until 8:30 a.m., and a sheriffÂ’s deputy told reporters and others that the doors would remain locked until then.

Nifong, who kept a low profile for the first 27 years of his career as a prosecutor in Durham, is now nationally known for his involvement in the sexual assault case against three former Duke University lacrosse players. The players deny accusations that they assaulted an escort service dancer at a party.

The swearing-in ceremony comes a week after the State Bar accused Nifong of ethics violations for his early public statements about the Duke lacrosse case. The agency regulates and licenses lawyers.

Nifong, appointed Durham District Attorney by Gov. Mike Easley in 2005, was elected to a four-year term in November.

So much for open government -- but then again, Nifong has made the wrong move and set a new low for prosecutorial conduct, so why should we be surprised?

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I'm not sure the folks at the LA Times are really sure. Look at this headline.

Dignitaries, Commoners Pay Respects To Ford

Commoners?

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I cannot agree more with this column written by former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Shalikashvili -- and indeed believe that he does not go far enough in his support for a change of policy.

TWO weeks ago, President Bush called for a long-term plan to increase the size of the armed forces. As our leaders consider various options for carrying out Mr. Bush’s vision, one issue likely to generate fierce debate is “don’t ask, don’t tell,” the policy that bars openly gay service members from the military. Indeed, leaders in the new Congress are planning to re-introduce a bill to repeal the policy next year.

As was the case in 1993 — the last time the American people thoroughly debated the question of whether openly gay men and lesbians should serve in the military — the issue will give rise to passionate feelings on both sides. The debate must be conducted with sensitivity, but it must also consider the evidence that has emerged over the last 14 years.

We know that there are homosexuals int he military -- they are fighting and dying in Iraq. There are others who would gladly serve in our nation's military, if only they did not have to deny their sexuality. And ultimately, there is no legitimate reason for barring homosexuals from service.

But I think Shalikashvili does fall a little bit short.

But if America is ready for a military policy of nondiscrimination based on sexual orientation, the timing of the change should be carefully considered. As the 110th Congress opens for business, some of its most urgent priorities, like developing a more effective strategy in Iraq, share widespread support that spans political affiliations. Addressing such issues could help heal the divisions that cleave our country. Fighting early in this Congress to lift the ban on openly gay service members is not likely to add to that healing, and it risks alienating people whose support is needed to get this country on the right track.

By taking a measured, prudent approach to change, political and military leaders can focus on solving the nationÂ’s most pressing problems while remaining genuinely open to the eventual and inevitable lifting of the ban. When that day comes, gay men and lesbians will no longer have to conceal who they are, and the military will no longer need to sacrifice those whose service it cannot afford to lose.

Frankly, I believe that the American public and members of the armed forces would be less troubled by this change than the general suggests. Our society is more accepting of homosexual persons than it was 14 years ago, even though there is a line drawn at marriage. What is needed is an initiative as bold as that of Harry Truman when he desegregated the -- because now, like then, it is the right thing to do.

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Another Democrat promise bites the dust.

As they prepare to take control of Congress this week and face up to campaign pledges to restore bipartisanship and openness, Democrats are planning to largely sideline Republicans from the first burst of lawmaking.

House Democrats intend to pass a raft of popular measures as part of their well-publicized plan for the first 100 hours. They include tightening ethics rules for lawmakers, raising the minimum wage, allowing more research on stem cells and cutting interest rates on student loans.

But instead of allowing Republicans to fully participate in deliberations, as promised after the Democratic victory in the Nov. 7 midterm elections, Democrats now say they will use House rules to prevent the opposition from offering alternative measures, assuring speedy passage of the bills and allowing their party to trumpet early victories.

So, when it comes down to a choice between passing their cornerstone legislation and keeping their promise to the American people to operate in a new spirit of bipartisanship and openness, Queen Nancy and her merry band of left-wing jesters are going to allow no GOP input on ethics reform, the minimum wage or other major proposals.

Brian Daly, Queen Nancy's spokeswhoreperson claims that the first 100 hours is not the test of his boss's commitment to bipartisanship in the House.

"The test is not the first 100 hours," he said. "The test is the first six months or the first year. We will do what we promised to do."

No, Brian, you will show that the Democrat commitment to bipartisanship is a sham, and that when it comes down to anything significant, the Democrats will use their power to freeze out the GOP, despite the guarantees of a new tone in Washington.

H/T GOP Bloggers

UPDATE -- 1/3/2007: And now the Washington Post takes the Dems to task for their promise-breaking!

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1

Sounds like sour grapes to me, but lets face it you'd never be happy with anything the left would do. You guys just don't have it in you.

Posted by: Not Dick but Richard at Tue Jan 2 07:58:57 2007 (1HuM5)

2 When and if the Dems do the right thing, I'll be all for it.

The problem is that I rarelyr expect them to do the right thing.

If they were usually going to do the right thing, they'd be Republicans.

And you may notice that I can and do praise and support Dem proposals from time to time. Look around the site for a while and you'll find examples -- including one just below about Ted Kennedy.

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