I applaud this decision.

In contrast to the months before and after the 2000 census was conducted, federal officials say they will not suspend raids on illegal immigrants during the population count in 2010.

“We would not even consider scaling back our efforts,” said Pat A. Reilly, a spokeswoman for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. The census counts all residents, legal and illegal.

This month, Preston Jay Waite, the Census BureauÂ’s deputy director, cautioned in an interview that raids during the population count would further discourage an already distrustful group from cooperating with government enumerators. Mr. Waite said federal officials did not conduct raids for several months before and after the 2000 census.

Given how politically volatile an issue immigration has become, however, Mr. Waite was quoted by The Associated Press as saying that enforcement agencies “may not be able to give us as much of a break” in 2010.

We don't suspend other law enforcement activities at the time of the Census so that we can guarantee an accurate count. We still pick up thieves, rapists, and murders, even though it makes them less likely to fill out a census form or answer the door for a census worker. The public would be outraged if we did.

And for the same reason, we should give no quarter to border jumping immigration criminals.

Posted by: Greg at 11:20 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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It is great to see someone you know get good coverage in the paper.

And Al Bates certainly deserves it.

He worked long hours for more than three decades, making good money in the restaurant business. But Al Bates says there was always something more he wanted to accomplish.

Now he's getting his chance. He had to take a detour from his executive's job to a stint as a substitute janitor, but he got there.

Bates, who is 53 and has eight grandchildren, is preparing his classroom for the big day Monday — when he starts his new career as a fifth-grade teacher.

He achieved his dream job at the Galena Park school district's new Sam Houston Elementary by working as a janitor, and later in the warehouse, so he could study in his off hours and earn his alternative certification, an increasingly popular source of new teachers in Texas.

Like many of the pupils who'll show up Monday, Bates expects to have a case of jitters.

"It's new and different," he said as workers scurried to finish the school at 4101 E. Sam Houston Parkway North. "I'm sure, after a couple days and I'm into it, I'll be just fine. For me, it's a huge, huge change, career-wise."

Bates substituted around the district, including my school. We all knew he was seeking his certification, but not all of us knew his story.

I'm glad to see him get the sort of recognition he deserves, and know that his students are getting a fantastic individual as a teacher.

Welcome to the profession.

Posted by: Greg at 11:14 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Unbelievable! Looks to me like Vick's father has even less sense than Vick himself.

My son has a fascination with animals anyway. He's a natural dog lover.

Yeah -- and they say OJ never stopped loving Nicole.

Posted by: Greg at 11:08 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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They are unsightly and look moronic -- but I'm sorry, any government that has nothing better to do than outlaw this fashion trend simply needs to close up shop and disband. Any politician who has nothing better to do than propose such a law needs to resign.

Baggy pants that show boxer shorts or thongs would be illegal under a proposed amendment to Atlanta's indecency laws. The amendment, sponsored by city councilman C.T. Martin, states that sagging pants are an "epidemic" that is becoming a "major concern" around the country

"Little children see it and want to adopt it, thinking it's the in thing," Martin said Wednesday. "I don't want young people thinking that half-dressing is the way to go. I want them to think about their future."

The proposed ordinance would also bar women from showing the strap of a thong beneath their pants. They would also be prohibited from wearing jogging bras in public or show a bra strap, said Debbie Seagraves, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia.

The proposed ordinance states that "the indecent exposure of his or her undergarments" would be unlawful in a public place. It would go in the same portion of the city code that outlaws sex in public and the exposure or fondling of genitals.

So let's get this straight -- not only do you want personal areas covered, but you also want require the covering of the clothing that covers these areas. What next? Will you outlaw "going commando"?

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My dream career was to serve in the US military, following in the footsteps of my father. He was an officer in the US Navy for the first half of my life, and I really wanted to serve. Unfortunately, an injury in an auto accident ended that dream for me.

However, as a teacher I encourage my students to consider the US military, as a career. It is a way to get great training in valuable fields, life experience that will help you grow as an individual, and money for college.

Most important, it is a chance to serve your country. Whether guarding the seas around our nation, guararding the skies above or the nation's borders -- or serving abroad, whether in combat or not -- you are part of a mission greater than yourself, a mission of preserving American freedom.

In the back of my classroom, there is a WWII poster that puts it well -- AMERICANS ALWAYS FIGHT FOR LIBERTY. The men and women in uniform today stand in line with the great host of those who have fought for American freedom since the birth of the nation in the American Revolution.

Cosider the US military. A grateful nation will thank you for your service in defense of us all.

Posted by: Greg at 10:50 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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I've never been comfortable with our nation's relationship with Pakistan's dictator, General Pervez Musharraf. I've never felt we have had his full support in the Crusade Against Jihadi Terrorism. Perhaps this ruling will lead to a return to democracy in that nation -- and a more faithful ally in our fight against al-Qaeda.

PakistanÂ’s Supreme Court ruled today that the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who was thrust into exile in 2000 after a military coup, could return to the country, in what could be a direct political challenge to PakistanÂ’s president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf.

Mr. Sharif, a critic of the current government, leads one of the strongest political movements against General Musharraf, and he wants to run against him for president in elections later this year. The ruling could lend momentum to the return to the country of Benazir Bhutto, Mr. SharifÂ’s predecessor as prime minister, who has also been living in exile and is another potential challenger to the president.

As a rival to both General Musharraf and Ms. Bhutto, Mr. SharifÂ’s return could challenge WashingtonÂ’s strategy of backing the president as the linchpin of its fight against Al Qaeda and the Taliban in the region, and some American officialsÂ’ preference to see the general and Ms. Bhutto in a power-sharing agreement in the country.

General Musharraf seized control from Mr. Sharif in a bloodless coup in 1999. Mr. Sharif was imprisoned on corruption and other charges and then entered an understanding with the government to go abroad for 10 years in return for having the charges against him dropped. He has been living in exile in Saudi Arabia. Today at a news conference in London, he said he intended to return to Pakistan as soon as possible.

“It is the beginning of the end of Musharraf,” he said, according to Reuters.

Bravo to the Pakistan Supreme Court, for its courageous refusal to be bullied by a dictator.

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Back in college, there was this kid in one of my classes who was sold on the benefits of "self-hypnosis" for purposes of self-improvement. I laughed then, but over two decades later his message is one I remember.

I still think back to that presentation today when I see stuff about hypnosis downloadshypnosis downloads to help improve people's lives. Frankly, I'm astounded that there are that many hypnosis downloads available. That indicates lots of people find these programs beneficial, just like my old classmate. You can find hypnosis downloads for memory improvement, skill development, ending destructive personal habits, or even to help cope with pain.

The folks at http://www.instant-hypnosis.com/ offer fantastic discounts for you, and all sessions come with a money-back guarantee – a sign of real confidence in the product. So give them a try today.

Posted by: Greg at 09:51 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Although I suppose can understand that trying to track down possible terrorists might be resented by members of the Religion of Blow-The-Infidels-To-Pieces.

Now the FBI's release of photographs of two men of unknown origin, who the agency says were observed acting suspiciously aboard as many as six different Washington ferry routes in recent weeks, is creating new worries in the community.

Muslim- and Arab-American leaders are upset that the FBI didn't consult them — as it has done in other instances — before releasing the photos on the Internet and to news organizations. They worry that the action may fracture the relationship the agency and the community have carefully built.

The FBI has stressed that the release of the photos is a rare move, taken only after it had exhausted other efforts to identify the men. The agency also has said the men's actions could be innocuous, but it needs to question them.

The photos were snapped by a ferry captain last month after crew members alerted him to suspicious activity. The men seemed inordinately interested in the operation of the vessel, took photographs of the interiors of the boats and went into areas tourists and commuters don't normally go, the FBI has said. The agency has received many tips but has not yet found the men.

Dozens of Muslims and Arabs have complained to community leaders about the photographs. The fallout has led to a meeting planned today between Muslim- and Arab-American community leaders and law-enforcement officials.

"We need to get some type of apology from them and figure out how to get back to where we were," said Rita Zawaideh, head of the Arab-American Community Coalition.

Anyone who objects to the release of the photos is more than welcome to get back where they or their ancestors belongs, as far as I'm concerned.

After all, I'm still pretty resentful about this.

And this.

This, too.

And even this.

So I suggest that you folks get over your resentment as long as we find ourselves at war with jihadi swine acting in the name of Islam. I urge you to think carefully -- are you with us, or are you with the terrorists? I know what your whining response to the release of the photos indicates to me.

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I donÂ’t know any other word for this course of action.

A Mexican Senate committee passed a measure Wednesday urging President Felipe Calderon to send a diplomatic note to the United States protesting the deportation of an illegal migrant who took refuge in a Chicago church for a year.

The committee also approved a scholarship to help her 8-year-old U.S.-born son, Saul, who is an American citizen and stayed in the United States.

Elvira Arellano, 32, became an activist and a national symbol for illegal immigrant parents by defying her deportation order and speaking out from her sanctuary in the Adalberto United Methodist Church. She announced last week that she was leaving to try to lobby U.S. lawmakers for immigration reform.

On Sunday, shortly after she spoke at a rally in a Los Angeles church, she was arrested and deported to Tijuana, across the border from San Diego.

"We cannot remain quiet in view of this injustice and must ask for firm action from our authorities," Mexican Sen. Humberto Zazue said.

He accused the United States of violating international deportation accords by denying her access to the Mexican Consulate in Los Angeles.

Arellano, who was at the committee's session, said Saul is in Chicago in the care of his godmother and will attend a Sept. 12 rally for immigration reform in Washington. She said she would help organize a rally in Tijuana that same day to demand Mexican authorities do more to protect migrants.

"For me it is very important that our government take a strong stand to defend all of us who decide to migrate to another country," she said.

In other words, the US is evil for insisting that it has the right to determine which foreigners enter and stay United States. And as for the closing quote from Arellano, she is calling for nothing less than an act of war against the United States. IÂ’d be much more impressed if Mexico instead chose to punish the United States by forgoing all American foreign aid.

And then there is this gem.

If the US is such an evil place, she should prove she is a fit mother by sending for him so that he can be raised in Mexico, not a lawless criminal nation like the United States. Mexico should be protecting its people by acting aggressively to close the border so that Mexican citizens cannot come to a America, where they are abused, exploited, and disrespected.

And when the diplomatic note arrives, it should be used appropriately and then flushed.

Round ‘em up! Ship ‘em back! Rawhide!

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Posted by: Greg at 08:41 AM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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It seems this guy's message has taken root in Great Britain.

After all, the police took action to ban this humorous entry in a carnival parade.

It probably seemed like a good idea at the time. Stuck for inspiration about what to wear at their village carnival, one group made a last-minute decision to dress up in mock Muslim burkas.

Calling themselves the "Page Three Beauties from the Ramalama Ding-Dong Times", the 17 men and women carried placards with made-up names such as "Miss Hairyarmpitsbad", "Miss Slackistan", "Miss Notbadinbedabad" and "Miss Reallyamanistan".

As they walked the one-mile parade route, the group knelt down in mock prayer and used fake compasses to try to find Mecca.

Their routine impressed carnival judges - a mayor, two district councillors and a parish councillor - and they were shortlisted for the "best entry" prize.

But before any awards were handed out, police told the group to leave after complaints about racism.

And all it took was six unidentified "students from out of the area" to complain and get the group hustled out of the area.

I somehow doubt that a group mocking priests or nuns or Hare Krishnas would have received similar treatment.

But then again, those folks don't threaten you with death for mocking them.

H/T LGF, Jawa Report

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Imagine that -- law enforcement by law enforcement.

And all it took was a highly publicized multiple homicide in a sanctuary city.

Attorney General Anne Milgram today ordered all local police officers in New Jersey to inquire about the immigration status of suspects charged with serious crimes, and to notify federal immigration authorities if there is reason to believe the suspect is in the country illegally.

The requirements, which go into effect immediately, apply to suspects arrested for specific indictable offenses and for driving while intoxicated, Milgram said. If the suspect is unable to prove he or she is legally in the United States, the police officer is required to notify Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, she said. The policy also specifies that prosecutors and courts be notified.

Local officers cannot inquire about the immigration status of crime victims, witnesses to crimes or persons requesting police assistance, she said.

"The overriding mission of law enforcement officers in this state is to enforce the state's criminal laws and to protect the community that they serve," Milgram said. "This requires the cooperation of, and positive relationships with, all members of the community. Public safety suffers if individuals believe they cannot come forward to report a crime or cooperate with law enforcement."

It would have been nice if such rules had been in place before. it might have saved the lives of three very promising young people who were murdered by border jumpers.

For that matter, this policy would save lives nationally if implemented in all 50 states.

When I was a kid, the problem of young people drinking and driving and dying in auto accidents earned the border between Wisconsin and Illinois a nickname that sounds like it should apply to the US-Mexico border, given the spiraling number of bodies left in the wake of the border jumpers -- BLOOD BORDER.

H/T Tammy Bruce, Michelle Malkin

Posted by: Greg at 11:01 PM | Comments (185) | Add Comment
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Sounds like there are a number of good recommendations -- but none that would allow students to defend themselves against a killer on the loose.

Officials at Virginia Tech University issued a set of mild recommendations for campus security Wednesday, suggesting the university provide more counseling for mentally troubled students, erect Internet-based message boards across campus to alert students of emergencies and install more surveillance cameras and better internal door locks.

These are all good, as far as thy go. But until students and staff are permitted to freely exercise their rights under the Second Amendment -- especially those already holding a concealed carry permit -- there is no safety on the Virginia Tech campus.

Posted by: Greg at 10:50 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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30-3

But it isn't a football score.

It is a baseball score.

Damn.

The Texas Rangers rounded the bases at a dizzying pace and became the first team in 110 years to score 30 runs in a game, setting an American League record Wednesday in a 30-3 rout of the Baltimore Orioles.

"This is something freaky. You won't see anything like this again for a long, long time. I am glad I was on this end of it," said Marlon Byrd, who hit one of two Texas grand slams in the first game of a doubleheader.

* * *

Texas kept right on hitting in the second game, too, although at a decidedly tamer pace. Travis Metcalf drove in four runs and the Rangers used a three-run eighth for a 9-7 victory and a sweep.

Texas set an AL record for runs in a doubleheader, surpassing the 36 scored by Detroit in 1937.

The second game, however, will forever be regarded as a postscript to the incredible opener.

It was the ninth time a major league team scored 30 runs, the first since the Chicago Colts set the major league mark in a 36-7 rout of Louisville in a National League game on June 28, 1897, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

That's 110 years, folks.

Some random reflections.

1) What did this do to the ERAs of the various Orioles pitchers?

2) How do you go out and play the second game of a double header after such a loss?

3) I wonder if we should blame this on global warming?

Posted by: Greg at 10:39 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Sponsored Post

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How bad can it be, even at a young age? Not long ago, in fact, one of my students had to enter rehab because her drinking had gotten so out of control that she was smuggling alcohol into class in a bottle of apple juice -- she could not make it through the day without drinking! After this, we at school became aware that she had a much wider-ranging substance abuse problem.

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Within the GOP, there is a wide-range of positions on abortion. And while the official platform position is one supportive of a Human Life Amendment to the Constitution, there is a sizable group that simply believes that Roe v. Wade needs to be overturned and the matter left to "the several states". This latter group includes folks who are vocally pro-choice and vocally pro-life, but who agree that the major flaw of Roe is its nationalizing the so-called "right to an abortion" in a manner that cut off political debate and imposed a "one size fits all" policy on a sharply divided nation. Such folks prefer that the issue of abortion be dealt with as a question of federalism not federal preemption.

Mitt Romney seems to have placed himself in this camp with his latest statements about abortion.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said Tuesday in a Nevada television interview that he supports letting states "make their own decision" about whether to keep abortion legal.

"My view is that the Supreme Court has made an error in saying at the national level one size fits all for the whole nation," Romney told Nevada political columnist Jon Ralston in a televised interview. "Instead, I would let states make their choices."

Asked by Ralston if it was "OK" with him that Nevada is a "pro-choice state," Romney said, "I'd let states make their own decision in this regard. My view, of course, is I'm a pro-life individual. That's the position I support. But, I'd let states have this choice rather than let the federal government have it."

Some are going to accuse Romney of waffling on the abortion issue. I don't think that is fair, and believe that such criticism is coming from those who were opponents from the get-go -- both from the hard-core pro-life advocates who cannot be reconciled to his previous pro-choice rhetoric and the liberals who would never have supported a clean-living conservative Mormon under any condition.

Frankly, I fall into the same camp as Romney. There is no way that a Human Life Amendment is going to pass in the short term. And the legislative solution of a congressional resolution stating that the 14th Amendment applies to the unborn would be legally weak and politically unsustainable as partisan control of Congress shifts back and forth. The best we who are pro-life can hope for is a situation in which we can fight and win the battle on the state level, with the ultimate goal of creating a political reality in which stronger defenses of the unborn can be enacted. That doesn't indicate tepid support for a pro-life position -- it reflects a reasoned strategy towards the goal of protecting innocent human life. And I say that as someone who has been involved in pro-life activities for over 30 years, including service as the founding vice president of the pro-life group at my college.

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As a teacher, my only reaction is scorn for those who made this absurd decision.

Chandler school officials have suspended a 13-year-old boy for sketching a picture that resembled a gun, saying it posed a threat to classmates.

But parents of the Payne Junior High School student said the drawing was a harmless doodle of a fake laser, and school officials overreacted.

"I just can't believe that there wasn't another way to resolve this," said Paula Mosteller, the boy's mother. "He's so upset. The school made him feel like he committed a crime. They are doing more damage than good."

The Mostellers said the drawing did not show blood, bullets, injuries, or target any human. They said it was just a drawing that resembled a gun.

But Payne Junior High administrators thought the sketch was enough of a threat and gave the boy a five-day suspension, later reduced to three days.

Chandler district spokesman Terry Locke said the sketch was "absolutely considered a threat," and threatening words or pictures are punishable.

The school did not contact police and did not provide counseling or an evaluate the boy to determine if he intended the drawing as a threat.

The clincher is that last sentence above. If this were considered a real threat, the school would be morally and legally obligated to call in the police. If this student were believed to be somehow dangerous, a psychological evaluation would be mandated before he could return to campus. The fact that neither of these took place settles the matter for me.

Does my school have a similar sort of weapons policy? Yes, especially insofar as the dress code is concerned. And yes, I have been obligated to send a kid to the office for wearing a Marvin the Martian t-shirt if the cartoon character has his ray gun out (the same for Scarface shirts with a weapon shown)-- but the punishment is a stern warning (detention for repeat offenses) and being required to wear a day-glo yellow shirt with "Dress Code Violation" printed on it until the end of the day. But a suspension? Good Lord -- not in a million years!

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While many of us have been concerned about the unilateral imposition of homosexual marriage upon the nation by judges, there is a much more insidious threat to the traditional family wending its way through the federal courts. If the ruling in question is upheld, it would eliminate any notion of traditional family as a special institution.

Let's give a little background. Two men were arrested on drug charges and accepted plea deals. This subjected them to certain federal rules while on probation and parole.

When they were released, both were subject to Standard Condition No. 9 of federal probation, which says that a convicted felon on probation "shall not associate with any person convicted of a felony, unless granted permission to do so by the probation officer." Mangini's and Roberts' probation officers did not give them permission to associate with each other.

This is when the conviction of two drug dealers was converted into an opportunity to change the legal status of the traditional family.

Assisted by attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union, Roberts and Mangini brought a case in federal court.

The rules for enforcing Standard Condition No. 9, it turns out, include a blanket exception that allows a convicted felon on probation to associate with another convicted felon if they are spouses or blood relatives. Mangini and Roberts claimed this unfairly discriminated against them, violating their rights to "due process" and equal protection of the law under the Fifth Amendment.

"They considered, and still consider, themselves to be spouses," Judge Katz explained in his July 31 opinion. "Defendants were in every way a family."

The judge pointed out that the two men took in Roberts' niece as a foster child; and at one point in his opinion, he called them the niece's "two fathers."

After some legal wrangling, a federal judge has ruled that, under Lawrence v. Texas, any people who claim an "intimate association" must be given the same rights as a married couple or a family. Forget homosexual marriage -- this opens the door for any many of relationship being magically transformed into a legally recognized "family".

Dude -- who stole my country?

Posted by: Greg at 11:53 PM | Comments (42) | Add Comment
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Since we mentioned the reading survey, let's take a look at it.

One in four adults read no books at all in the past year, according to an Associated Press-Ipsos poll released Tuesday. Of those who did read, women and older people were most avid, and religious works and popular fiction were the top choices.

The survey reveals a nation whose book readers, on the whole, can hardly be called ravenous. The typical person claimed to have read four books in the last year — half read more and half read fewer. Excluding those who hadn't read any, the usual number read was seven.

"I just get sleepy when I read," said Richard Bustos of Dallas, a habit with which millions of Americans can doubtless identify. Bustos, a 34-year-old project manager for a telecommunications company, said he had not read any books in the last year and would rather spend time in his backyard pool.

That choice by Bustos and others is reflected in book sales, which have been flat in recent years and are expected to stay that way indefinitely. Analysts attribute the listlessness to competition from the Internet and other media, the unsteady economy and a well-established industry with limited opportunities for expansion.

This reflects what I saw when I taught English -- the comment that stood out to me came from a student seven or eight years ago.

"Mr. RWR, books today are called movies."

Younger folks today have a variety of media sources for getting information and entertainment. At 44, I was raised with books and television. Those who are two decades younger have many more outlets vying for their attention, and the book is simply an archaic communication form for them.

The study notes that men don't read books -- something I have long found to be true, though I am very much an exception. Other than "purposeful reading" (work and education), I never saw my father read a book growing up. Mind you, he was a career military officer, and earned a masters and a doctorate during the latter part of his military career and in retirement, but I just never saw him reading for pleasure. Indeed, neither the book about a colleague's experiences as a POW nor Tom Clancy's jack Ryan novels interested him when I got them for him. In fact, the Clancy books went home with me in my suitcase three years later -- without the cellophane having ever been stripped from the boxed set. I think this is true of many men -- reading is a work skill, not a leisure activity.

But again, I will caution folks that not reading books does not necessarily translate to not reading at all.

Posted by: Greg at 11:17 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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Sponsored Post

One of the key things you need to do to sell your product or service is to get your bran out in front of the consumer. One way of doing this is through imprinted promotional products, such as mugs, pens, keychains, and clothing. After all, people subliminally internalize the brand names they see, and sometimes use a company just because of the promotional item. I know, for example, that my choice of where to buy tires was influenced by a pen that one of my students left in class -- when I got a flat, I just had to reach into my pocket and find the number to dial.

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This headline looks just awful.

Book chief: Conservatives want slogans

Certainly more so than this one which would disclose more information

Longtime liberal pol: Conservatives want slogans

Unfortunately, the first headline is the one placed on the article, while the more honest one was left on the scrapheap along. I suppose that is because it would make the criticism much easier to dismiss.

Liberals read more books than conservatives. The head of the book publishing industry's trade group says she knows why — and there's little flattering about conservative readers in her explanation.

"The Karl Roves of the world have built a generation that just wants a couple slogans: 'No, don't raise my taxes, no new taxes,'" Pat Schroeder, president of the American Association of Publishers, said in a recent interview. "It's pretty hard to write a book saying, 'No new taxes, no new taxes, no new taxes' on every page."

Schroeder, who as a Colorado Democrat was once one of Congress' most liberal House members, was responding to an Associated Press-Ipsos poll that found people who consider themselves liberals are more prodigious book readers than conservatives.

She said liberals tend to be policy wonks who "can't say anything in less than paragraphs. We really want the whole picture, want to peel the onion."

The book publishing industry is predominantly liberal, though conservative books by authors like former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., and pundit Ann Coulter have been best sellers in recent years. Overall, book sales have been flat as publishers seek to woo readers lured away by the Internet, movies and television.

I suspect that a lot of that has to do with what is being published today. How many conservatives have given up on the publishing world because of the amount of crap coming out? And I'm also curious how many of those conservatives have, in fact read a book in the last year -- the Bible, cover to cover -- but do not count it as "reading a book" due to its sacred nature?

Oh, and speaking of my personal habits, I certainly meet the conservative average of eight books.

Oh -- that was eight books a year. I'm sorry -- I've read that many from cover to cover just in the month of August.

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Remember -- at the time 9/11 happened, George Bush had been President of the United States for less than 8 months -- George Tenet had been CIA director for over 4 years, having been appointed by Bill Clinton.

The former head of the Central Intelligence Agency, George J. Tenet, recognized the danger posed by Al Qaeda well before the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, but failed to adequately prepare the C.I.A. to meet the threat, according to an internal agency report that was released in summary form today.

Mr. Tenet was sometimes too occupied with tactics instead of strategy, and he was lax in promoting an information-sharing environment within the C.I.A., the inspector generalÂ’s office of the agency says in a report released today.

An inspector general’s team that reviewed the agency’s performance found that C.I.A. officers “from the top down” worked hard against Al Qaeda and its leader, Osama bin Laden, before the Sept. 11 attacks.

“They did not always work effectively and cooperatively, however,” the team concluded, in what amounted in part to sharp criticism of Mr. Tenet’s management skills and style.

The smoking in in this report regarding how far back the failure goes?

The head of the C.I.A. was once in charge of all federal intelligence agencies. That was the case during Mr. Tenet’s tenure, and the report noted that he said as far back as 1998 that “we are at war” with Al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden.

However, the document went on, Mr. Tenet and his top aides failed to create “a documented, comprehensive plan to guide the counterterrorism effort at the intelligence community level.” One meeting “soon devolved into one of tactical and operation, rather than strategic, discussions,” the report said.

It concluded that Mr. Tenet “did not use all of his authorities” in leading a strategic effort against Osama bin Laden, and that “the management approach” within the C.I.A.’s counterterrorism center “had the effect of actively reinforcing the separation of responsibilities” among key units.

When did Tenet finally get a strategic planning system together to deal with counter-terrorism? Less than two months before 9/11, at the specific orders of George W. Bush and Condolezza Rice. Prior to that, Tenet had taken no significant steps in that direction.

So it seems pretty clear where the failure occurred -- not under President Bush, but under President Clinton. Given the failure of leadership and vision that dated back at least three years before Bush became president, there can be only one conclusion.

There is an interesting debate on the blogosphere right now about how much we should be pointing fingers at the Clinton Administration for these clear failures to protect the US. Captain Ed says that it is "not healthy" to do so, but Lifelike Pundits points out that this report demonstrates the Bill Clinton and Madeline Albright lied to the American people when they claim that they left a detailed plan for the Bush Administration. I tend to agree with the latter's approach, since the front-runner status of Senator Hillary Clinton to be the Democrat presidential candidate means we could be facing the return of the same Clintonoids who failed to protect America and then lied about it following 9/11.

Over at the Sundries Shack, we get this very important quote from the report.

The CIA’s analysis of al-Qaida before Sept. 2001 was lacking. No comprehensive report focusing on bin Laden was written after 1993, and no comprehensive report laying out the threats of 2001 was assembled. “A number of important issues were covered insufficiently or not at all,” the report found.

Can we really afford to return to the failed policies that left us unprotected from terrorism even as it mouthed platitudes about seriousness of purpose in combating it?

UPDATE -- 8/23/2007: More today from Captain Ed.

I've written before that pursuing partisan blame for 9/11 is a waste of time. It gets in the way of determining where failures occurred and developing the proper approaches to avoid them in the future. The truth is that the issues that created these failures stretched back for years, probably decades in terms of interpretation of intelligence law.

However, it gets difficult to remember that when former presidents essentially lie about their roles on national television. Given Clinton's unique history, this prevarication and self-aggrandizement comes as no surprise, but it is still pretty disappointing. It leaves the historical record muddied, right up to the point when independent investigations reveal the truth. Worse, his shouted fabrications contribute to the partisan atmosphere.

One has to sympathize with CIA officials who had read the classified report in 2005, but were unable to respond to his exaggeration in 2006. He once gave the same kind of finger-waggling tirade to the nation, which turned out as false as his Wallace interview. It's a sad reflection on a man who somehow cannot bring himself to tell the truth, even when his nation needs it.

And again, I disagree to the extent that Clinton's wife is now seeking to the presidency. To the degree that Clinton's failures and lies led to 9/11, we must make the record clear -- because Hillary Clinton is running, in part, on Bill Clinton's record and with him as a top adviser.

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Talk Radio helped defeat the shamnesty immigration bill.

Opposition from key talk radio and cable TV hosts helped kill the immigration bill in Congress, a study out today concludes.

“What listeners of the conservative talk radio media were hearing, in large part, was that the legislation itself was little more than an ‘amnesty bill’ for illegal immigrants, a phrase loaded with political baggage,” it says.

The study by the nonpartisan Project for Excellence in Journalism quantifies what White House and Capitol Hill phone lines and e-mail inboxes already indicated: Talk radio focused on the immigration debate more intensely than the mainstream media did from April to June.

Conservative hosts touched off a brushfire in the Republican base that President Bush and other party leaders were helpless to contain.

"If media attention translates into political pressure, the argument that talk radio helped kill the immigration bill in Congress has some support in the data," the study says. "Thanks to energetic opposition from Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Michael Savage, immigration was the biggest topic, at 16%, on conservative talk radio in the second quarter."

But I have to question something about this report. Was talk radio leading the way in opposing the legislation, or was it actually reflecting the sentiment that existed. Most folks I know opposed the legislation on principle before ti became a talk radio topic due to the amnesty provisions -- and were already inclined to do so without any prompting for talk radio. It strikes me, therefore, that the real impact of talk radio was not in creating opposition, but was rather in mobilizing that which already existed by providing more information and encouraging action.

H/T Captain Ed

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After all, isn't a cut-off of 250% of the poverty line sufficient?

The Bush administration, engaged in a battle with Congress over whether a popular children's health insurance program should be expanded, has announced new policies that will make it harder for states to insure all but the lowest-income children.

New administrative hurdles, which state health officials were told about late last week, are aimed at preventing parents with private insurance for their children from availing of the government-subsidized State Children's Health Insurance Program. But Democrats and children's advocates said that the announcement will jeopardize coverage for children whose parents work at jobs that do not provide employer-paid insurance.

Under the new policy, a state seeking to enroll a child whose family earns more than 250 percent of the poverty level -- or $51,625 for a family of four -- must first ensure that the child is uninsured for at least one year. The state must also demonstrate that at least 95 percent of children from families making less than 200 percent of the poverty level have been enrolled in the children's health insurance program or Medicaid -- a sign-up rate that no state has yet managed.

These and other steps must be implemented within a year, Dennis G. Smith, director of the federal Center for Medicaid and State Operations, advised state health officials in a letter on Friday.

As written, the current legislation could allow families making over $82,000 -- 400% of the poverty level for a family of 4 -- to enroll their kids in the program. And without the changes being implemented here, the law would also allow/encourage parents to dump the health insurance they are paying for through an employer plan and shift the burden to the taxpayers. After all, the reauthorization legislation will declare 75% of American families to be "poor" for purposes of the program.

Now, if we can just find a way to keep illegal immigrant kids from getting the benefits, eliminating one more incentive for folks to jump the border.

What I find particularly interesting, though, is that the Democrats are complaining that folks they call "wealthy" when they got tax cuts pushed by the Bush Administration in 2001 are now considered "poor" when the Democrats want to expand government-funded insurance. Setting aside the hypocrisy of the Democrats (which is never in short supply), could it be that they simply don't like folks to be able to choose how they spend their ow money, and prefer for the government to decide how to spend it for them?

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1 Hey Greg I've been to that site... nice. I know of a secret HAUNTED HOUSE backdoor that gives your a discount coupon. HA! It's right there in your face and nobody knows about it. Should I tell you? OK twist my arm.

Backdoor: Go to their homepage halfway down and click on the comma in the line that reads “Our Store now has over 14,000 masquerade items for you to choose from!”

...but shhhh it's a secret.
Susan

Posted by: Susan West at Tue Aug 21 17:06:22 2007 (wh2Cz)

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It really seems too soon to be planning for Halloween this year, but since it is the end of August, I suppose it makes sense to start looking ahead. After all, failure to do so will leave you without a decent costume for the big night, and that simply won't do.

As a kid, there was always some adult in the neighborhood who would give out candy wearing a costume. I haven't done that yet, but I think I might just start that tradition. After all, even if I don't have kids, I don't want to miss the fun. So what can I wear that would make the night interesting -- and maybe scare the pants off of some of the kids from the neighborhood.

That leads me to one of two Halloween Costumes that I think might serve my purpose just right. more...

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I've been waiting for this.

A liberal blogger has filed a federal complaint against former Sen. Fred Thompson, the actor and unannounced Republican candidate for president, accusing him of violating election laws as he ponders his entry into the race.

The blogger, Lane Hudson, submitted his complaint to the Federal Election Commission on Monday saying Thompson has raised far more money than he needs to explore whether to run for president.

Federal law allows potential candidates to raise money to travel, conduct polls and pay for other expenses related to "testing the waters" for a political campaign. During that exploratory period, a potential candidate does not have to file financial reports with the FEC.

The law prohibits anyone who is "testing the waters" from hoarding the money for use during his actual campaign. Potential candidates also cannot refer to themselves as candidates, can't run ads that publicize their intention to campaign or take steps to qualify for the ballot in a primary or caucus state.

According to a financial report filed late last month, Thompson had raised nearly $3.5 million and had had spent $625,000. Thompson must raise money within federal contribution limits and must report it to the FEC once he becomes an official candidate.

"We're following the law," Thompson spokesman Jim Mills said in response to the complaint.

Under federal guidelines, the FEC will now give Thompson 15 days to respond to the complaint. Following Thompson's response, election commissioners will decide whether to dismiss the case or investigate further.

I pointed this out when Fred's contribution numbers came our last month.

2) Exploratory committees are only supposed to raise "what could reasonably be expected to be used for exploratory activities”. As Captain Ed has pointed out, Politico (which now is questioning the "low" numbers) raised that issue weeks ago -- and there have already been accusations by the KOS-sacks are, in fact, accusing Thompson of raising TOO MUCH money under that provision.

I'm just surprised that it has taken so long for someone to file a complaint. I suppose this will help clarify the incredibly vague rules on such activities -- as well as making it clear that efforts to regulate political contributions are fatally flawed no matter what you try to impose beyond full disclosure.

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I've encountered a number of fantastic fellow PayPerPost Posties over the last several months, and have found that the exposure to some of the other bloggers has been one of the greater regards of being associated with that organization.

One of the blogs I've particularly admired is Shadowscope, where Richard maintains a beautiful blog with a somewhat conservative tilt that mirrors my own. Indeed, I'd visited and linked to his blog from time to time before, but this new association led me to look at his very successful blog and try to take some lessons from it.

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By the way, Richard, I just want to tell you that I love that dragon banner. That is primo stuff!

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In what may be the height of political correctness run amok, the BBC has ordered that terrorists in an upcoming episode of a popular drama be changed to animal rights activists instead of Muslims.

The BBC has dropped plans to show a fictional terror attack in an episode of Casualty to avoid offending Muslims.

The first show of the hospital drama's new series was to have featured a storyline about an explosion caused by Islamic extremists.

I suppose such a change might be warranted if, for example, there were no Muslims engaged in terrorism and the religion actually espoused peace. however, given the propensity of a certain strain of Islam to lead its followers to self-detonation and self-immolation in the name of the faith, I don't see where this change makes any sense.

In the last two years, there have been multiple terrorist attacks by jihadis, and others have been thwarted by good intelligence and good luck. Why not portray the reality that exists? Why sugar-coat it in order to avoid giving offense?

Unless, of course, the terrorists have achieved one of their goals -- the domination of Western institutions so that they defer to Islamic sensibilities.

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Vick is accepting a plea deal that will net him prison time. I can't wait to see him behind bars. His actions are sub-human.

Michael Vick agreed Monday to plead guilty to federal dogfighting conspiracy charges, a deal that leaves the Atlanta Falcons quarterback facing up to 18 months in prison and puts his NFL career in jeopardy.

Under the plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend Vick be sentenced to between a year and 18 months in prison, according to a government official who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the terms have not yet been made final.

That would be a higher penalty than is usually recommended for first-time convicts, and reflects an attempt by the government to show that animal abusers will receive more than a slap on the wrist for their crimes, the official said.

Speaking as a fan with season tickets, I can tell you that I will be most unhappy if the NFL does not ban this cretin for life.

And I'd like to note that Lucianne.com has the best comment on the subject of any I've seen.

Now, let's see how Michael Vick likes it

Indeed -- and let's hope he spends every day in prison experiencing the same sort of fear that the poor animals he and his fellow conspirators tortured and killed did in their sad,a bused lives.

H/T Tammy Bruce, Captain Ed,

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I can always handle a little good news -- and getting this immigration scofflaw out of the country definitely qualifies.

An illegal immigrant who took refuge in a Chicago church for a year to avoid being separated from her U.S.-born son has been deported to Mexico, the church's pastor said.

Elvira Arellano became an activist and a national symbol for illegal immigrant parents as she defied her deportation order and spoke out from her religious sanctuary. She held a news conference last week to announce that she would finally leave the church to try to lobby U.S. lawmakers for change.

She had just spoken at a Los Angeles rally when she was arrested Sunday outside Our Lady Queen of Angels church and deported, said the Rev. Walter Coleman, pastor of Adalberto United Methodist Church in Chicago, where Arellano had been living.

"She is free and in Tijuana," said Coleman, who said he spoke to her on the phone. "She is in good spirits. She is ready to continue the struggle against the separation of families from the other side of the border."

Personally, I believe that the doors of Adalberto United Methodist Church should have been kicked off their hinges a year ago so that she could be removed pursuant to a long-standing deportation order -- and that Coleman and his co-conspirators should have been taken into custody and charged for their part in this sham as well.

And if anything, this story points out to the need to do away with automatic birthright citizenship for the children of border jumping immigration criminals like Arellano -- for without it, she would have had no basis for even making a claim to stay.

More At Malkin, Surber, Stop the ACLU, Stix, Jammie Wearing Fool, Captain Ed

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You are the head of an agency that
1) put out incorrect information;
2) tried to hide the error;
3) tried to deny those who question your conclusions access to government data; and
4) refused to publicize the fact that your conclusions were wrong after revising your conclusion.

What do you have to say about those who were right when they irrefutably proved you to have made a serious scientific error?

The real deal is this: the 'royalty' controlling the court, the ones with the power, the ones with the ability to make a difference, with the ability to change our course, the ones who will live in infamy if we pass the tipping points, are the captains of industry, CEOs in fossil fuel companies such as EXXON/Mobil [sic], automobile manufacturers, utilities, all of the leaders who have placed short-term profit above the fate of the planet and the well-being of our children. The court jesters are their jesters, occasionally paid for services, and more substantively supported by the captains' disinformation campaigns.

No mea culpa.

No thanks to those who advanced scientific accuracy.

Instead we see condemnation of those who advanced us closer to the truth on the basis of their alleged nefarious agenda and connections -- and a refusal to admit that the basis for your conclusions has been seriously undercut.

I have to ask -- given such clear intellectual dishonesty, why is James Hansen, head of the Goddard Institute for Space Studies, still on the government payroll. After all, he is clearly manipulating the data to reach a preconceived conclusion that supports his policy preferences based upon his adherence to the cult of man-made global warming.

H/T Fumento

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The government sees it as a way to ensure that minors are not being sexually exploited. Porn producers worry that it is a way to regulate and harass their industry.

Ron Jeremy, Jenna Jameson - get ready to stand and be counted.

The Department of Justice wants to come up with an official list of every porn star in America - and slap stiff penalties on producers who don't cooperate.

The new rules, proposed under the Adam Walsh Child Safety and Protection Act, would require blue-movie makers to keep photos, stage names, professional names, maiden names, aliases, nicknames and ages on file for the inspection of the department's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.

"The identity of every performer is critical to determining and ensuring that no performer is a minor," according to the new proposal.

The adult film industry plans to challenge the new rule as a violation of the First Amendment, said Paul Cambria, a lawyer for Hustler and other adult film companies.

He sees it as a way to harass legitimate stag-film producers.

"If they can't get you for obscenity, they'll get you for violating record-keeping," he said. Such a violation would carry a five-year penalty.

It does raise some interesting questions, especially when one deals with the internet. After all, who will be responsible for keeping the records -- the original producer, a website owner, or the person who posts the picture? Will this record keeping law become the equivalent of the tax evasion statute used to put away Al Capone? And ultimately, how far will the US government be able to go in imposing requirements on foreign producers of porn? These are interesting questions from a First Amendment standpoint.

However, the question that impacts me more directly is this -- will it help stop the flood of comment spam from porn sites that I have to deal with daily on this blog?

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You know, the scientific issues may be much less complicated than the moral, ethical, and legal issues that go along with this scientific advance.

Around the world, a handful of scientists are trying to create life from scratch and they're getting closer.

Experts expect an announcement within three to 10 years from someone in the now little-known field of "wet artificial life."

"It's going to be a big deal and everybody's going to know about it," said Mark Bedau, chief operating officer of ProtoLife of Venice, Italy, one of those in the race. "We're talking about a technology that could change our world in pretty fundamental ways — in fact, in ways that are impossible to predict."

That first cell of synthetic life — made from the basic chemicals in DNA — may not seem like much to non-scientists. For one thing, you'll have to look in a microscope to see it.

"Creating protocells has the potential to shed new light on our place in the universe," Bedau said. "This will remove one of the few fundamental mysteries about creation in the universe and our role."

And several scientists believe man-made life forms will one day offer the potential for solving a variety of problems, from fighting diseases to locking up greenhouse gases to eating toxic waste.

Now scientists expect that artificial lifeforms will have short lifespans and will be unable to escape controlled settings and take over like in a sci-fi flick. However, this begs the question of how far such research should be taken -- after all, might more durable life forms eventually be created? What is their status? And should the secrets of life itself be proprietary information?

Ultimately, the question becomes very basic -- is there a place where our science should not go?

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I've mentioned that I spent several years in the seminary, studying to be a priest. That nearly didn't happen because of a problem I had not long before I was set to enter the seminary. No, not the sort of problem you read about in the papers. It was a credit card debt problem.

You see, when I finished graduate school I ran into a big problem. The teaching market was glutted, and I had priced myself out of many jobs by getting that masters degree. I spent the next two years working at a homeless shelter, making very little money. During that time, I slowly ran up my credit cards and was in need of debt help. However, a current bankruptcy filing s not looked upon as a plus for a prospective priest, and filing for bankruptcy while in the seminary would have been even worse.

What to do? Well, I was fortunate to be able to find debt help in the form of a debt consolidation loan. Having set up a debt management plan, I found a second job and payed off that bill consolidation in just a few months by applying every penny I could towards it. I was also able to draw my bank balances down to a minimum to repay every penny I owed and received an unexpected gift from a family member who had no knowledge of my situation. That let me go into the seminary debt-free a year earlier than I had anticipated. It was one of the greatest blessings -- and lessons -- of my life.

Now not everyone is in a position to do what I did. But through the use of a home equity loan and debt consolidation credit counseling, people can get out of the debt dilemma. And there are other options that can work for you, if you really interested and try.

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I have a difficult time imagining the city of San Francisco allowing a Christian school to operate on city land -- especially not one that hews to orthodox Christian teachings. And I certainly cannot imagine the city doing so if the group operating it were one with a long and well-documented history of racist and anti-Semitic teachings coming out of its top leadership.

But that is happening in San Francisco right now. Except the religious school in question is operated by the racist, anti-Semitic Nation of Islam -- and it has been allowed to operate on city land RENT FREE for five years.

The Nation of Islam school in San Francisco's Hunters Point, now at the center of a controversy over whether asbestos-laden dust from a neighboring development is sickening residents, has quite a history - not to mention a curious lease arrangement with the city.

It sits on city land, and the school was supposed to pay rent - but in the five years since it opened, it hasn't been billed a dime.

It's a classic example of how the patronage politics that defined the Willie Brown era at San Francisco City Hall still rattle around to this day.

Read the rest of the story -- it is sickening.

Oh, and by the way -- it appears that the organization's mosque may also have been paid for with city and federal state tax dollars. I wonder if San Francisco would cut such a deal for a Baptist Church in the city's Castro District?

Seems to me that the Nation of Islam has become the officially established religion of San Francisco -- without a word of outcry from the ACLU or others that these mosque-itos have been sucking the taxpayers dry for years.

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After all, we've been told that the President's low approval rating is indicative that he is a failure. But if Bush has numbers more than twice as high as Congress, how can we argue that they are a success?

President George W. Bush's overall job approval rating has taken a small dip, dropping to 32% positive, down from 34% who gave him positive job marks in mid-July, a new Reuters/Zogby International telephone poll shows.

The survey also shows that the overall job approval rating for the work of Congress remains far below the President's, as just 15% give the national legislature a collective positive rating, up one point since last month. Changes in both the ratings for the President and Congress are statistically insignificant.

This latest Reuters/Zogby poll included interviews with 1,020 likely voters between August 9-11, 2007. It carries a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percentage points.

What i find really interesting, though, are these numbers.

Just 35% said they are pleased with current U.S. economic policy, but 60% said their own personal economic situation is good or excellent. Overall, 65% said they feel secure in their current jobs, and most are optimistic about the long-term future of the nation: 64% said they expect their children to have a better life than them.

More than three-quarters - 77% - said they feel America is facing threats from abroad, while 21% said they are not concerned about such things.

It is fair to say that the doom and gloom pronouncements of the Democrats have managed to convince people that our nation's economic policy is bad, despite the fact that they are finding their own economic status to be pretty good. Indeed, a closer look by these folks would probably force them to admit they don't know anybody facing serious economic issues (unless they bought too much house on too much credit using a gimmicky loan, like this WaPo reporter). And contrary to the notions promulgated by John Edwards, most Americans recognize that the Crusade Against Jihadism is not merely a bumper sticker.

H/T Don Surber

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I don't know how else you can characterize these firefighters.

Two firefighters were killed yesterday battling a blaze in the Deutsche Bank skyscraper, a vacant relic of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack that was in the process of being dismantled.

The firefighters were among hundreds who poured into ground zero all afternoon to fight the high-rise fire, which was finally brought under control after seven hours. At least five others were hospitalized, but were expected to recover.

The building, at 130 Liberty Street, had stood as a ghost since parts of the twin towers crashed into it, leaving it severely damaged and filled with toxic debris, including asbestos, dioxin, lead and chromium. For residents nearby, the acrid smoke brought back memories of the grim dust clouds that lingered after the attacks.

The demolition work created difficulties for firefighters trying to reach and put out the blaze, which started on the 17th floor, allowing the fire to mushroom out of control, fire officials said. The building did not have a working standpipe, which runs through high-rise buildings to provide a source of water for firefighters.

Let's see who the liberals blame -- Osama bin Laden or Bush and Giuliani.

Posted by: Greg at 05:06 AM | Comments (19) | Add Comment
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It's a cute stunt -- bringing in a waitress to give the Democrat's message this week. The only problem is that she betrays her ignorance as she parrots the Donk talking points.

A North Carolina waitress on Saturday lauded the Democratic-initiated increase in the minimum wage, saying in the party's weekly radio address that the extra money will have a ripple effect on millions of lives.

Fawn Townsend, a nightshift server in Raleigh, N.C., criticized Republicans for blocking efforts to raise the minimum wage over the last 10 years. The Democratic-led Congress approved the increase earlier this year and President Bush signed it into law in May.

"Millions of Americans now have a little more in their paychecks to help pay for basic necessities like food and clothing. And now more Americans can save to build a better future for themselves and their families," Townsend said.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics says about 1.7 million people made $5.15 or less in 2006. The federal minimum wage increased from $5.15 to $5.85 an hour last month. Increases of 70 cents are scheduled each of the next two summers.

And I wonder what Ms. Townsend will have to say over the next couple of years as prices rise following these increases. Will she thank the Democrats for the inflation? Or will she blame greedy business owners (Dem code-word for Republicans) for daring to raise their prices to cover the higher labor costs? Or when she (or a co-worker) gets fired because the restaurant can't afford as many employees? How about when her employer closes because teh new, higher costs make him less competitive?

But there is more.

Townsend criticized Bush for threatening to veto a bill that would provide more money for the Children's Health Insurance Program. The Senate has voted to add 3 million lower-income children to the plan at a cost of $35 billion, and the House has approved a more ambitious and expensive version. Bush has proposed spending just $5 billion more on the program.

Yep -- now parents who make $82,000 a year and currently have private insurance for their children will be able to shift the burden on to the American taxpayer. Are these the "lower-income" families and children that Townsend thinks ought to be getting a share of the tax dollars taken out of her check?

In the future, Townsend said she hoped to attend nursing school — and she applauded Democrats for passing legislation to make higher education more affordable.

I encourage her to enroll in an Economics class, where she might discover hatt every time the government has acted "to make higher education more affordable" we have seen massive increases in college costs -- both because of the increased federal mandates on colleges and universities, and the economic reality that the cost of an item will increase to match the number of disposable dollars available to purchase it. That is why education costs have spiraled well-ahead of the rate of inflation for decades.

"I'm grateful that our Democratic leaders in Congress are taking our country in a new direction," she said. "They have accomplished more this year than Republicans accomplished in the past six years combined — including giving people like me a long-overdue raise."

Now that Townsend thinks that it is the place of the government to give her a raise, I also suggest that the take an American Government class along with that Economics class. That way she will read the US Constitution and will be shocked to find that nowhere is the government granted the power to raise anyone's pay, unless they are a government employee.

But she is right about one thing -- the Democrats have and will lead us in a new dircetion.

Towards higher taxes for all Americans.

Towards a substantial weakening of an economy that has grown strong under a GOP Congress and a GOP President.

And towards a surrender in Iraq and the Crusade Against Jihdism.

Yep -- they had to find someone pretty ignorant to deliver this weekly address. No one with a lick of sense would have believed a word of it.

Others commenting include Carolina Politics Online, The IDIOT, and The Media Blog. The last of these also notes that Fawn Townsend isn't some random waitress -- she is an activist with ACORN, a radical left-wing group that is noted for its efforts to subvert American elections through registering face voters and other sorts of election fraud.

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Posted by: Greg at 01:54 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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After all, every administration has engaged in the sort of political calculus and activities that angered Democrats over the last several years.

Many administrations have sought to maximize their control of the machinery of government for political gain, dispatching Cabinet secretaries bearing government largess to battleground states in the days before elections. The Clinton White House routinely rewarded big donors with stays in the Lincoln Bedroom and private coffees with senior federal officials, and held some political briefings for top Cabinet officials during the 1996 election.

But Rove, who announced last week that he is resigning from the White House at the end of August, pursued the goal far more systematically than his predecessors, according to interviews and documents reviewed by The Washington Post, enlisting political appointees at every level of government in a permanent campaign that was an integral part of his strategy to establish Republican electoral dominance.

Under Rove's direction, this highly coordinated effort to leverage the government for political marketing started as soon as Bush took office in 2001 and continued through last year's congressional elections, when it played out in its most quintessential form in the coastal Connecticut district of Rep. Christopher Shays, an endangered Republican incumbent. Seven times, senior administration officials visited Shays's district in the six months before the election -- once for an announcement as minor as a single $23 government weather alert radio presented to an elementary school. On Election Day, Shays was the only Republican House member in New England to survive the Democratic victory.

"He didn't do these things half-baked. It was total commitment," said Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (Va.), who in 2002 ran the House Republicans' successful reelection campaign in close coordination with Rove. "We knew history was against us, and he helped coordinate all of the accoutrements of the executive branch to help with the campaign, within the legal limits."

And while the Democrats are demanding investigations and shouting about possible Hatch Act violations, it thus far appears that Rove's work violated no law -- simply was more coordinated and more effective. Indeed, there is only one meeting which may have strayed over the line -- and the individual who did so was not even a part of Rove's staff.

Indeed, despite the tone of the article, the reality that comes through is that Rove's offense is not the breaking of the law, but rather his effectiveness.

Posted by: Greg at 01:26 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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