At White House ceremony in which a press association will be giving Barry Hussein an award as the top newsmaker of 2008!

Barack Obama was elected commander in chief promising to run the most transparent presidential administration in American history.

This achievement and the overall promise of his historic administration caused the National Newspaper Publishers Assn. to name him "Newsmaker of the Year."

The president is to receive the award from the federation of black community newspapers in a White House ceremony this afternoon.

The Obama White House has closed the press award ceremony to the press.

I'm curious -- what is The One trying to hide here? the fact that he is newsworthy? The fact that he got an award? The fact that it is from a black organization? I just don't get it -- this is the sort of non-controversial photo-op type of thing that the White House Press Office ought to be opening up for the media. It would be a feel-good story.

I wonder -- could Obama's teleprompter have a prior engagement?

H/T Surber, NewsBusters

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Yep -- they are now "man-caused disasters".

SPIEGEL: Madame Secretary, in your first testimony to the US Congress as Homeland Security Secretary you never mentioned the word “terrorism.” Does Islamist terrorism suddenly no longer pose a threat to your country?

NAPOLITANO: Of course it does. I presume there is always a threat from terrorism. In my speech, although I did not use the word “terrorism,” I referred to “man-caused” disasters. That is perhaps only a nuance, but it demonstrates that we want to move away from the politics of fear toward a policy of being prepared for all risks that can occur.

Another incompetent in the administration of the Obamateur. What this fool does not realize is that by refusing to call terrorism by its proper name, she makes it implicitly less serious. By refusing to call it an attempt to use terror to achieve the political and religious ends of the Islamist horde, she minimizes its importance and significance.

But then again, this ranks right up there with the dropping of the term "enemy combatant" -- presumably to be replaced by some more neutral term like "undocumented adversary" or "future Democrat voter".

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Is your web hosting contract is up in a couple of months? Are you thinking about adding additional domains, and not sure about the impact on pricing? Maybe you are seeing increased bandwidth and traffic on you site or sites. If so, you need to make sure that your web hosting service is actually the best one for you. You need to make sure the company you work with really is the best webhosting company for you. I’m therefore suggesting to you that you need to start checking out reviews of hosting companies to find out about different webhosting companies. It is called comparison shopping, folks – and it is what any good consumer should do.

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Would this be a national scandal if the perps were Republicans? And wouldn't the party labels appear sooner than the SIXTH paragraph?

According to the indictment, Democratic election commissioner Charles Wayne Jones and election officer William E. Stivers helped extort money from candidates. In some cases, candidates were apparently asked to pool money so votes could be bought.

Thompson, the county clerk, allegedly provided money for election officers to buy votes. Thompson also told election officers how to change votes at the machines, according to the indictment.

Some voters were bribed at the voting booths. Some officials told voters to use booths incorrectly, so that they could go back and change the tallies, the indictment says.

William and Debra Morris are also charged as associates who helped dish out money to buy votes.

Now Sister Toldjah wants to question whether some of those involved might be Republicans -- but given the lask of any other party ID, it seems pretty clear that only one party was involved.

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Are you looking to pimp your ride? You know, really make that vehicle of yours into something special? Well, then you might consider looking under the hood, too, not just concerning yourself with appearances. After all, what is the big deal about a car tha tlooks good but doesn't have enough horses to really move? What I'm trying to tell you is that you might want to turbocharge your ride as a way of making it into something special. Just get yourself a good turbo attached to your engine and you have a vehicle that is something special -- street legal but ready for the track.

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Barack Obama praises the work of his incompetent Secretary of the Treasury.

President Barack Obama says his embattled treasury chief, Timothy Geithner, is doing an “outstanding job.”

In a taped appearance on “The Tonight Show”, he told host Jay Leno that Geithner is a smart guy who’s been handed an incredibly full plate. But he’s handling it all with grace and good humor. Listing the recession, the banking crisis and the need to coordinate with other countries, Obama acknowledged Geithner’s “on the hot seat”. But he says too many in Washington are trying to figure out who to blame for things — when they should be focused on fixing them.

I guess Barry Hussein doesn't read the papers -- little Timmy and his subordinates approved the AIG bonuses, even got them written into the legislation by a friendly Dem senator. And Timmy has failed to exercise appropriate oversight over TARP funds.

Wanna bet that the media gives the Obamateur a pass on this one, too?

H/T Malkin

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Blue tarps are still a common sight here in Houston, over six months after Hurricane Ike. After all, there were a lot of damaged roofs in this area as we faced a hurricane that did major destruction to so many parts of southeastern Texas. The amount of damage done has led to a backlog at most roofing companies -- and so many folks might end up going for a year with that stylish fashion statement on their home. What has amazed me is how durable those blue tarps really are. Six months in the elements and they still appear to be in great shape. I understand from friends who have them at their home that they still have no leakage, despite the passage of time.

What else can you use these tarps for? How about a shelter from the elements during a party or on a camping trip? Maybe protection for your boat or that old car that you are working on. Heck, I hear that if you wet them down they can even make a good surface for sliping and sliding on a hot day! But regardless of your need, for tarps, I'd encourage you to make sure you get yourself some -- because you never know when you might need them.

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No, not his mother -- I can take or leave her.

No, I mean the newest Biden, Champ.

Better looking than the Vice president, and probably smarter, too. Also less likely to say something stupid to embarrass the Obama Regime.

But I am disturbed by this detail in the story.

The veep's wife told People magazine she intends to tear up the off-white carpet installed by the Cheneys in favor of kid-and-pet-friendly hardwood floors.

In these hard economic times, with the Obama Regime spending more on bailout programs than George W. Bush spent on the entire Iraq war, is it really appropriate for the government to spend a bundle to redecorate the Vice Presidential residence when the current decor is perfectly serviceable?

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If I ever leave the Houston area for another part of Texas, I think that San Antonio might be at the top of my list. It is a great city with a wonderful history and fantastic cultural diversity. it also has a strong economy, with jobs available in a number of fields. It has a fantastic medical center for those interested in that field, and has a number of Fortune 1000 companies hiring in town. The economy of San Antonio has stayed strong over the years, and has bounced back quickly from difficult times in the past. So if you are looking for work, check out these available San Antonio Jobs.

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Well, it is rodeo time here in Houston, which means that there are a lot of horse lovers and riders gathered together in one place. Those folks share a common bond of love for those magnificent animals. And then there are folks like my niece, who is into the more traditional horse show style of riding . There are also folks out there who use horses for sporting events like polo. And last but not least, there are those who still use horses as working animals, whether around a farm or pulling a carriage or wagon. But the bond all of these folks share is love for the horse.

Now since all of these equestrian activities can be a life-long passion, those involved in such activities often look for mates who share that common interest and love. That is where the Equestrian Cupid singles site comes in. It is designed so that you can meet other horseback riders for romance and life-long partnerships. It allows you to meet-up on a ride and discover new territory trails to ride. it also helps horse lovers to meet that special someone who shares the same life passion for horses. Equestrian Cupid has FREE sign-up, so you can meet another horse lover at no cost.

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Why hasn't the Justice Department -- and Attorney General Eric Holder in particular -- made much of a decision by the Fifth Circuit upholding the conviction of politician who engaged in an egregious campaign of racial discrimination to disenfranchise voters based upon their race?

Is it because of incompetence?

Is it because the perpetrator is a Democrat?

Or is it because the perpetrator is black and his victims white?

Attorney General Eric Holder calls the U.S. “a nation of cowards” because we “do not talk enough about race.” I find this ironic, since the Justice Department seems embarrassed about a recent judgment in its favor by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. U.S. v. Ike Brown is a major Voting Rights Act case involving intentional race-based discrimination by local officials in Noxubee County, Miss.

When the Fifth Circuit issued its decision on February 27, there was complete silence from Justice. The department typically issues a press release after any significant litigation victory, and the Civil Rights Division trumpets every success. But not here. The silence from the nationÂ’s leading news outlets was also deafening: Not a word was published about the case by the New York Times, the Washington Post, or any other major publication. Why? Because the offensive conduct at issue did not conveniently track with the LeftÂ’s view of race discrimination.

* * *

If the races had been reversed, does anyone doubt this would have been front-page news? Or that Eric Holder would have been prominently quoted in a Justice Department press release calling attention to this outrageous discrimination? The Department of Justice should be proud of this victory. If Attorney General Holder is serious about talking about race, perhaps he could start with this case.

So, let's have that dialogue about race. Is racial discrimination at the voting booth an evil for the federal government to eradicate only when the victims are non-whites -- or is each and every American worthy of having his or her right to vote protected without regard to race or ethnicity? Why were careerists in the Civil Rights Division so opposed to taking and prosecuting this case? And why the failure to talk about race -- and racism -- when the opportunity exists to demonstrate that our nation's government is prepared to act in defense of the liberties of every American when they are the victims of pervasive acts of racism under color of law (as Attorney General Holder claimed was a department goal in a recent speech in Selma, Alabama)?

H/T Discriminations

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With it being rodeo time here in Houston, I've been so busy that I've neglected to post lat Friday's results from the Watcher's Council vote. Well, here they are. There's some good stuff here, so you definitely want to take a look at the winners and the other nominees.

Winning Council Submissions

• First place with 3 1/3 points! - The Provocateur - The Financial Crisis White Paper
• Second place with 1 2/3 points - Mere Rhetoric - Four Theories Why Obama Is Throwing Britain Under The Bus


• Third place with 1 1/3 points - Joshuapundit - About Those Israeli ‘SettlementsÂ’
• Fourth place with 2/3 points - (T*) - Right Truth - Poll on World Equal Rights for Women


• Fourth place with 2/3 points - (T*) - Bookworm Room - A couple of thoughts about the American Revolution
• Fourth place with 2/3 points - (T*) - The Colossus of Rhodey - National Review OnlineÂ’s Top 25 Conservative Movies of the Last Quarter Century

Winning Non-Council Submissions

• First place with 2 points! - This ongoing war - “I was born into a Bedouin tribe…”
• Second place with 1 2/3 points - Zenpundit - ObamaÂ’s Foreign Policy Trifecta of Foolishness


• Third place with 1 1/3 points - (T*) - Gateway Pundit - Cuba Si, Colombia No?
• Third place with 1 1/3 points - (T*) - American Thinker - The New American Class Structure


• Fourth place with 1 points - The Investigative Project On Terrorism - Are Acts of Staged Controversy an Islamist Strategic Tactic?
• Fifth place with 2/3 point - The Economist - Lexington: Anger Management


• Sixth place with 1/3 point - (T*) - Pat Dollard - The Founding Fathers Would Want Obama to Fail
• Sixth place with 1/3 point - (T*) - BigaÂ’s Rants at Townhall.com - We are divided. So Be it.


• Sixth place with 1/3 point - (T*) - The Mudville Gazette - Diversions (III)

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Just a couple of quick notes about the sorts of things going on in the name of "The Religion of I'm Gonna Cut Your Head Off, Infidel Dog".

First, this example of fatherly love for a daughter.

We are all too familiar with the persecution of Christians in countries such as Pakistan and Afghanistan. Yet sitting in front of me is a British woman whose life has been threatened in this country solely because she is a Christian. Indeed, so real is the threat that the book she has written about her experiences has had to appear under an assumed name.

The book is called The Imam’s Daughter because “Hannah Shah” is just that: the daughter of an imam in one of the tight-knit Deobandi Muslim Pakistani communities in the north of England. Her father emigrated to this country from rural Pakistan some time in the 1960s and is, apparently, a highly respected local figure.

He is also an incestuous child abuser, repeatedly raping his daughter from the age of five until she was 15, ostensibly as part of her punishment for being “disobedient”. At the age of 16 she fled her family to avoid the forced marriage they had planned for her in Pakistan. A much, much greater affront to “honour” in her family’s eyes, however, was the fact that she then became a Christian – an apostate. The Koran is explicit that apostasy is punishable by death; thus it was that her father the imam led a 40-strong gang – in the middle of a British city – to find and kill her.

Yep -- the incestuous rapist religious leader was at the head of a mob that planned on beheading this young woman for the "crime" of exercising her fundamental human right to determine her own religion and practice it freely. This is but one more example that flies in the face of the oft-repeated claim that Islam teaches that there shall be no compulsion in religion. If such is the case, then someone ought to tell the paragon of Islamic manhood of Islam who led that murderous mob, a religious leader in the Islamic community, about that particular tenet of the Muslim faith.

Still, Hannah Shah does seem to have come out of her experience of Islam much better than Aasiya Z. Hassan -- whose 'moderate Muslim" husband entered a plea of Not Guilty in a Buffalo courtroom to charges of murder after he beheaded her.

Of course, it isn't just those who have had the misfortune to be born and raised Muslim who are subjected to violence for daring to act in a manner contrary with the barbaric tenets of that faith and the sharia law it inspires.

A Christian minister in London who has clashed with Muslims on his television show says he was brutally attacked by three men who warned him, "if you go back to the studio, weÂ’ll break your legs," the Daily Mail reported on Sunday.

The newspaper said Reverend Noble Samuel was driving to his studio when a car pulled over in front of him. A man got out and came over to ask him directions.

"He put his hand into my window, which was half open, and grabbed my hair and opened the door," Samuel said. "He grabbed my cross and pulled it off and it fell on the floor. He was swearing. The other two men came from the car and took my laptop and Bible."

While the article goes on to describe the perpetrators as "three Asian men", please be aware that this is British PC-speak from southern Asia -- and in this case undoubtedly Muslims. After all, you can be reasonably certain that the perps were not Buddhists or Shintoists, because they would have no reason to attempt to intimidate a Christian opponent of Islam into silence.

But of course, such acts of violence against those of us who oppose the teachings of Islam and the atrocities committed in its name may soon face a different sort of retribution for the exercise of our civil liberties and human rights -- criminal charges mandated by the UN.

Egypt sought to outmanoeuvre Canada at the United Nations Human Rights Council Friday as it began pushing for a "free-speech" resolution the West says deviates from traditional norms.

Egyptian diplomats effectively hijacked the recurring measure Canada has traditionally sponsored by acting three months before their Canadian counterparts were preparing to move.

* * *

The Egyptian draft expresses "concern" at what it calls a "rise of instances of abuse [of the right of freedom of speech]," and highlights a need for "limitations [on that right]." It also calls on countries to co-operate with the Special Rapporteur by handing over "all (requested) necessary information."

"The text of the (Egyptian) resolution is pretty much what one would expect from a country that throws its bloggers in jail for no reason at all," said Hillel Neuer, executive director of the Geneva-based monitoring group UN Watch.

At its heart, the proposal calls for laws restricting speech which insults and denigrates a religious faith -- and singles out Islam as the specific faith that needs this protection. Interestingly enough, it is written in such a way that the post you are reading would be illegal as a matter of international law -- but Muslim religious texts that refer to Christians and Jews as pigs and monkeys would be exempt, as would the repetition of the blasphemous (from a Christian perspective) claims that Jesus was a mere man, did not die on the cross, did not rise from the dead, and will return in the future to destroy Christianity and condemn Christians to Hell. On the other hand, blasphemy as defined by Islam would be illegal. So if such a measure is ever accepted as a part of international law, expect freedom of speech and religion to become meaningless concepts -- and for Americans to become subject to Islamic law and not the laws and Constitution of the United States.

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I've long had a problem with those who disclose confidential -- even classified -- executive branch information to the press. That said, I've never objected to executive branch officials and employees taking such information to either agencies set up for internal review or to members of the appropriate congressional oversight committees. Such actions are well-within the provisions of both federal law and the US Constitution.

Apparently Barack Obama thinks differently, and so he wants to strip much of the protection of federal law from whistleblowers who go to Congress.

A leading Republican senator maintains that President Obama is violating a campaign promise with his claim that he can bypass whistle-blower protections for executive branch officials who give certain information to Congress.

The lawmaker, Senator Charles E. Grassley, Republican of Iowa, sent a letter to Mr. Obama on Friday that condemned a signing statement the president attached to the $410 billion catchall spending bill he signed into law last week.

A signing statement, occasionally issued by presidents upon their signing a bill, is a document that instructs executive branch officials on how to carry out the new law. In this statement, Mr. Obama flagged a provision that protects officials who give information to Congress about their jobs or agencies. He said the statute could not limit his power to control the flow of certain information to lawmakers.

The disclosures that Barack Obama seeks to punish are those that disclose illegal or unethical actions, or activities that are arguably not in the best interest of the American people. What nefarious activities does the new president have planned that he needs the power to intimidate those who are aware of it into silence?

And, of course, Obama has engaged in this course of action using one of those eeeevvvviiiillll signing statements that he condemned back during the campaign. Smells like hypocrisy to me.

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Ron Silver was one of those Hollywood faces i always enjoyed seeing in films and television shows. He was guaranteed to give a competent performance that audiences would enjoy. And even though he was a liberal, his political activity was in the best tradition of America in that he respected his opponents, unlike so many of his fellow performers who view their fame as a sign of their moral superiority over the rest of America.

After September 11, Ron Silver understood the nature of the jihadi threat against America and spoke out about it. In 2004, he spoke before the GOP convention and offered his full support to president George W. Bush and his reelection campaign. In his speech he offered an assessment of what happened on 9/11 that still defines what I consider to be the only patriotic view of the jihadis and their supporters.

Just over 1,000 days ago, 2,605 of my neighbors were murdered at the World Trade Center — men, women and children — as they began their day on a brilliantly clear New York autumn morning, less than four miles from where I am now standing.

We will never forgive. Never forget. Never excuse!

Ron Silver has died after a courageous two year battle with cancer. May he rest in peace, and may his loved ones be comforted in their time of loss. He will be missed by his fans, and by those who love this country.

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She obviously is getting what she has coming to her under Islamic law -- after all, she did accept an unaccompanied ride from a man who was not her relative.

Saudi judge has ordered a woman should be jailed for a year and receive 100 lashes after she was gang-raped, it was claimed last night.

The 23-year-old woman, who became pregnant after her ordeal, was reportedly assaulted after accepting a lift from a man.

He took her to a house to the east of the city of Jeddah where she was attacked by him and four of his friends throughout the night.

She later discovered she was pregnant and made a desperate attempt to get an abortion at the King Fahd Hospital for Armed Forces.

According to the Saudi Gazette, she eventually 'confessed' to having 'forced intercourse' with her attackers and was brought before a judge at the District Court in Jeddah.

He ruled she had committed adultery - despite not even being married - and handed down a year's prison sentence, which she will serve in a prison just outside the city.

She is still pregnant and will be flogged once she has had the child.

But let me remind you that we here in the West should not make any negative judgment about nations or religions that countenance such barbaric practices -- that would be hateful, ethnocentric, and imperialistic. After all, Islam had something worthwhile to offer the world a millennium ago, so who are we to judge it simply because it remains mired in that time period? WRONG! Civilized people must speak out as one against such things.

I'm curious -- where are the cries of outrage from the feminists of the world? What does Barack Obama think about this disgusting action, and will he have Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton voice our nation's revulsion at treating the victims of crime as criminals.

H/T Gateway Pundit

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Seen somewhere in North Carolina.

But even better than the picture is this comment on Don Surber's blog on the picture.

Countdown to some Leftard calling this guy a raaaaacist!!!!111!!!! in 5Â…4Â…3Â…2Â…

Countdown to some Leftard pointing out that he is driving a WHITE pickup truck so he must be a “redneck racist moron” in 5…4…3…2…

The scary thing is that the master-race-baiters would likely make the argument.

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The worst part is that I know this guy, and helped campaign for him. Now he wants to treat me as a suspected drug user as a condition of my continued employment.

Pasadena state representative Ken Legler filed a bill on Feb. 2 that would require all current teachers, principals, counselors, school nurses and teacher's aids to submit to random, unannounced drug tests.

Additionally, any Texas public school teacher applicant would also be required to take a drug test during the hiring process.

Legler was inspired to file the bill, HB 975, after learning that drug testing was not required by state law.

Legler said feedback on the proposed bill has been largely positive from parents and former teachers -- though some teachers union officials are against the bill.

I can guess where Ken has come up with this idea. He has no doubt taken the much ballyhooed suspension of a number of HISD teachers after drug dogs hit on their cars and decided to call for drug testing. But they were a mere handful of the thousands of teachers and other district employees – under two dozen. A number of them were exonerated when they were able to prove that the drugs were prescribed to them or another user of the vehicle. It has all been a tempest in a teapot. I therefore don’t view this as a cost effective measure – just as I don’t view my district’s decision to test huge numbers of students in extracurricular activities for drug use to be worth the cost – especially since this legislation, like my district’s policy, doesn’t really spell out the consequences of failure in such a clear manner to facilitate consistent enforcement.

UPDATE: A quick note to folks from John's blog -- please note that nowhere do I mention any violation of constitutional rights. I've tried to comment to that effect at his blog, but he won't approve my comments. Is that a sign of cowardice or dishonesty? You decide.

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After all, using the Department of Housing and Urban Development definition of homelessness would have produced a very low number. ThatÂ’s why the authors grabbed a different definition, one from the Department of Education, that was sure to increase the numbers to create a crisis.

A well publicized report this week that an estimated 1.5 million American children experienced homelessness in 2005-06 did not use the federal definition of homelessness. Instead, it used a different definition that grossly inflated the actual number.

The report — released Tuesday by the National Center on Family Homelessness and reported by numerous news organizations, including FOXNews.com — estimated that one out of every 50 children in America experienced "homelessness" during that two-year span.

But rather than using the definition of homelessness established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Massachusetts-based organization used a standard adopted by the Department of Education that includes children who are "doubled up," or children who share housing with other persons due to economic hardship or similar reason.
The difference? About 1,170,000 children.

An estimated 330,000 sheltered and unsheltered homeless children were identified in HUD's July 2007 report to Congress as those who are "literally homeless," or those living in homeless facilities or in places not meant for human habitation, according to the report.

The remaining 1.17 million — those who are precariously housed or who may be doubled up with friends and relatives or paying extremely high proportions of their resources for rent — are not included in HUD's report.

LetÂ’s consider what this really meant.

Did Mom take the kids to grandma’s house when she left their dad? Then the kids are homeless under the definition. Ditto if their folks are paying high rent. For that matter, every kid who evacuated from New Orleans and the surrounding area qualified as homeless – even if their home was undamaged and they were out of their place for as little as a week.

Now please understand, I’m not unsympathetic to folks in such situations, especially the latter one. My wife and I have been out of our home for six months following Hurricane Ike, and are still a couple of weeks from getting back in. But were we really “homeless” in 2005 when we were out of our home for four days when we evacuated for Hurricane Rita?

But what I find really interesting is that the folks responsible for the story admit that they chose the definition in order to inflate the number. Requiring that someone actually be homeless if one is to count them as homeless is just too strict a requirement. Want to bet it is all about squeezing some more taxpayer cash out of the government?

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I realize that all lawyers represent some clients that the public might view as unsavory. Indeed, most lawyers will at some point represent clients who they KNOW are guilty. So maybe IÂ’m overreacting to the appointment of C. Anthony West to an Assistant Attorney General post in the Obama Justice Department,

This appointment of a terrorist's defense lawyer to the Department of Justice announces that Barack Obama is in favor of a more lenient stance on terrorists. As Lileks says, it is evidence of a going back to 9/10 thinking. Also, since the Old Media have not made a single peep about this, it announces to the world that neither the crimes of 9/11 nor terrorism are any longer of interest to those that make the news. Says Lileks, "It just seems like one of those things that might have stuck out, once upon a time."

So, in a era when most of us still acutely feel that Islamic terrorism is an important worry that should still feature prominently in our planning, Barack Obama is appointing a terrorist's lawyer to one of the very agencies that is supposed to protect us all.

And interestingly enough, the MSM is not looking into this issue at all. Where have the stories been exposing this link – and the fact that West still defends his little terrorist puke of a client as being innocent? They have been nonexistent.

Now maybe West has a good explanation for his position. Maybe he took the Lindh case out of the belief that “someone has to do it”. But to still be defending him now, after the verdict has been rendered and appeals exhausted strikes me as a negative in regard to that nomination – and one that the Senate should examine closely during the confirmation process.

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When news broke last summer about the pregnancy of GOP VP candidate Sarah Palin's unmarried teenage daughter, I wished her, her unborn child, and the child's father all the best of luck. I pointed out my attitude towards the young couple was that of most conservatives I knew towards most out-of-wedlock pregnancies -- and that it was not condemnation

I work with teenagers every day. Every year I have a bunch of pregnant girls in my classes, and also fathers-to-be. I don’t condone the actions that got them there, but I do my best to give them all the love and support I can. I’ve done the same with students who have aborted – some of whom think they were correct, and some of whom come to realize they were tragically wrong. . . . It is called compassion. It is called love.

Good people, including those raised with conservative moral values, make bad choices and find themselves living with unintended consequences of those choices (not “punishment”, Barack). It is the obligation of the rest of the good people in the world to lend them our support when that happens. And the first line of support has to be the family – even when those teens went against the values which their parents tried to teach them and which they failed to live up to.

When it was said that the young couple planned to marry, I had my doubts, but I kept my silence on that point -- after all, working with teenagers I've learned that many of those planned marriages don't happen, even though the young couples may sincerely mean it when they make the initial plan in the face of an unplanned pregnancy. Still, I've seen some happen, and I've seen some of those be successful marriages.

Well, as folks now know, the wedding is off. As I indicated above, I'm not surprised. What I hope for is that these two young people manage to figure out how to conduct themselves so that their son has two involved parents. While the ideal home is for a married mother and father, then they need to act in such a manner as to ensure that their string of bad decisions has as little negative impact on their child as possible.

Hypocritical? Hardly. Call it practical -- and identical to the advice I have given to students and former students who have been in exactly the same situation.

Now there are those on the Right and the Left who want to throw stones and make cheap points based upon whatever agenda they may have.

One local Lefty blogger wants to brand the GOP as hypocritical while throwing around ethnic slurs and hateful rhetoric. If he really feels as he claims he does, I'm sure that John will soon be arrested in front of the local high school for shouting "whore" and "slut" at pregnant girls on their way to class. It's just more of the same low-class ugliness we've come to expect from he and his ilk.

And on the Right, we've got Debbie Schlussel taking what I consider to be an utterly wrong-headed position on the matter, attacking working moms and immature teens who fail to control their hormones and have babies. Frankly, I don't consider her rhetoric any more elevated or helpful than that of the liberal cited above. Indeed, I could almost see her cuffed to that liberal after an arrest in the same incident.

Let's be honest here. Nobody, Right or Left, approved of Bristol Palin getting pregnant. Nobody celebrated it on the Right (though some on the Left did, since they didn't mind attacking a young girl in order to tear down her mother). And while many of us hoped that there might be an eventual wedding, what we on the Right generally said was that we were hopeful that the couple would draw on the resources of their families (sorely lacking in the case of Levi Johnston, we later found out) in order to successfully parent their child. And while we praised her decision to have and keep her child, rather than aborting, that didn't constitute approval of unwed teenage pregnancy -- but rather an affirmation of the miracle of every new life. This is not, and should not, be about politics at all -- and I would say the same thing about the daughter of a prominent Democrat, though some might argue differently.

So my advice to folks on all sides is simple -- shut up. This is not a political happening to use to score points one way or another. It is a human tragedy for two young people, their child, and their extended families. At most, it is one more lesson on why sex outside of marriage is not a wise choice, especially for teens -- and that even those who were raised with and who profess certain beliefs about the morality of sex outside of marriage do fall short of the proper standard.

And so I go back to what I said at the very beginning of this saga and again at the birth of young Tripp -- I offer my prayers and best wishes to them all in the hopes that the child becomes a happy, healthy, well-adjusted and loving adult.

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For a guy who said he wants to honor the service of our veterans, this policy proposal from the VA sounds an awful lot like abandoning them

Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki confirmed Tuesday that the Obama administration is considering a controversial plan to make veterans pay for treatment of service-related injuries with private insurance.

IÂ’m left nearly speechless by this news. Not even Bill Clinton, who loathed the military, would have ever dreamed of making vets pay for treatment of service-connected injuries and disabilities. Even if one were to suggest that veterans generally are owed nothing by the nation after their term of service is over, no individual with even a shred of human decency could argue that those vets with injuries, illnesses and disabilities attributable to their military service are not entitled to the care of a grateful nation.

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James Carville has been one of the Democrat point-men questioning the patriotism of Rush Limbaugh (and, by extension, all conservatives and Republicans) for his statement that he hopes Barack Obama fails.

Consider his comment here, from February 25, 2009:

As I point out the most influential Republican in the United States today Mr. Rush Limbaugh said he did not want President Obama to succeed. So at the very top of the Republican Party, heÂ’s not being wished well here.

In other words, there is something wrong with not wanting Obama to succeed – and indeed, the Demo-meme has been that it is unpatriotic, if not downright treasonous, to hold such an opinion.

How, then, does Carville justify his words. And those of Democrat pollster Stanley Greenberg, from September 11, 2001?

On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, just minutes before learning of the terrorist attacks on America, Democratic strategist James Carville was hoping for President Bush to fail, telling a group of Washington reporters: "I certainly hope he doesnÂ’t succeed."

Carville was joined by Democratic pollster Stanley Greenberg, who seemed encouraged by a survey he had just completed that revealed public misgivings about the newly minted president.

"We rush into these focus groups with these doubts that people have about him, and IÂ’m wanting them to turn against him," Greenberg admitted.

The pollster added with a chuckle of disbelief: "They donÂ’t want him to fail. I mean, they think it matters if the president of the United States fails."

They wanted President Bush to fail – and their goal was to make the American people want him to fail.

Of course, minutes later they received word of the attack on the World Trade Center. And Carville demanded that the assembled reporters not report their words – and they obliged him. But while he said that the 9/11 attacks changed everything, I’d argue that Carville’s words and deeds over the following seven years indicated that he still wanted Bush to fail – and that he acted to bring about that failure for partisan advantage.

So tell me, how are the words and actions of James Carville materially different than those of Rush Limbaugh? Are Democrats prepared to denounce and repudiate Carville? Or are they willing to concede, by their silence, their own hypocrisy?

H/T Patterico, Hot Air, NewsBusters, BizzyBlog, Gateway Pundit

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What is the legitimate basis for funding a memorial to a drunken philanderer who couldnÂ’t even get the presidential nomination of his own party when he challenged the worst president of the last half-century?

More than one out of every five dollars of the $126 million Massachusetts is receiving in earmarks from a $410 billion federal spending package is going to help preserve the legacy of the Kennedys.

The bill includes $5.8 million for the planning and design of a building to house a new Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the Senate. The funding may also help support an endowment for the institute.

Let Teddy raise money for his own memorial project – or better yet, let him leave some of his daddy’s bootlegging money to finance the project. Or even assign the rights to his soon-to-be-released memoir to a foundation creating the program.

And that $5.8 million? Spend it on establishing the Mary Jo Kopechne Institute for the Study and Elimination of Drunk Driving.

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How bad are Chicago Public Schools? Pretty bad, my friends. My buddy Hube linked to a piece showing that 4 of the 25 worst public schools in the nation are found in Chicago. And what's more, 14 of the worst 100 schools are part of the Chicago Public School system.

Who has been running these schools? Obama buddy Arne Duncan, who everyone describes as a great reformer. I think results show that isn't the case. But he's been brought in to do for the students of the entire nation what he did for kids in Chicago.

Call it one more example of Obama-class incompetence.

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Winning Council Submissions

• First place with 2 points! - The Colossus of Rhodey - How did I get a bad grade? I was here!


• Second place with 1 2/3 points - (T*) - Mere Rhetoric - The “Iran Lobby” Moves Into The White House Moves
• Second place with 1 2/3 points - (T*) - Bookworm Room - The codependent liberal party


• Third place with 1 points - Cheat-Seeking Missiles - Class Warfare
• Fourth place with 2/3 points - (T*) - Soccer Dad - Puncturing PeretzÂ’s balloon x 3


• Fourth place with 2/3 points - (T*) - Rhymes With Right - The Arrogance Of The White Liberal
• Fourth place with 2/3 points - (T*) - The Razor - PandoraÂ’s Box Opened by Democrats, Obama


• Fourth place with 2/3 points - (T*) - Joshuapundit - ObamaÂ…Wading In It Hip Deep
• Fifth place with 1/3 point - The Provocateur - Reporting From ChicagoÂ’s Chicago Tea Party

Winning Non-Council Submissions

• First place with 3 points! - Michael J. Totten - Christopher Hitchens and the Battle of Beirut
• Second place with 2 1/3 points - Melanie Phillips - Liberal Derangement


• Third place with 1 points - (T*) - The Sundries Shack - A Tale of Two CPACs
• Third place with 1 points - (T*) - Dr. Sanity - The Neo-MarxistÂ’s Modus Operandi: Redistribute The Wealth And Enslave The Human Mind


• Fourth place with 2/3 points - (T*) - GayPatriot - The Prejudiced Minds of Those Who Call Us, “Self-Hating”
• Fourth place with 2/3 points - (T*) - John Christian Ryter - What happens when the entire economy sinks underwater?


• Fifth place with 1/3 point - (T*) - Random Thoughts - Israel on College Campuses
• Fifth place with 1/3 point - (T*) - New York Post - The War on Prosperity


• Fifth place with 1/3 point - (T*) - The Nose On Your Face - Stimulusol XR
• Fifth place with 1/3 point - (T*) - Stop the ACLU - A New Judicial Absurdity

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Now that the Obamabots are in charge at the Justice Department, law enforcement agencies that actually seek to enforce the law against criminals deemed "PC-protected classes" will be subject to witch-hunt investigations.

Federal authorities have told a high-profile Arizona sheriff that they will investigate his department over allegations of discriminatory practices and unconstitutional searches and seizures.

The U.S. Justice Department said in a letter delivered Tuesday to Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio that the investigation will focus on alleged patterns of discrimination based on a person's national origin.

Arpaio told The Associated Press that he will cooperate with the Justice Department.

Got that -- going after illegal aliens will get you investigated for discrimination based upon national origin now that the Obama Regime is in power. After all, the overwhelming majority of illegals in Maricopa County are from a single country, and so any attempt to see to it that our nation's immigration laws are enforced will automatically produce enough of a statistical disparity to get you investigated. Watch for other law enforcement agencies to quit making such arrests because of this move.

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Gotta love Charlie Rangel when he gets asked about his illicit financial activities.

And to think that there was once a day when it was generally acknowledged that good government was the business of every citizen – and that elected officials were servants of the people, not peons to be brushed aside by an arrogant aristocracy.

And then there is another corrupt Democrat – this one in Chicago. Alderman Ricardo Munoz doesn’t think much of the rights of citizens to petition their government seeking a redress of grievances.

Your office, pendejo? I do believe that is the peopleÂ’s office, paid for with taxpayer money. Seems to me that youÂ’ve forgotten that all power in this nation comes from the people, and that you are their trustee, not their master.

Is it any wonder I call it the Jackass Party?

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Hang ‘em high, boys, and bury ‘em wrapped in bacon.

The five detainees at Guantánamo Bay charged with planning the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks have filed a document with the military commission at the United States naval base there expressing pride at their accomplishment and accepting full responsibility for the killing of nearly 3,000 people.

The document, which may be released publicly on Tuesday, uses the Arabic term for a consultative assembly in describing the five men as the "9/11 Shura Council," and it says their actions were an offering to God, according to excerpts of the document that were read to a reporter by a government official who was not authorized to discuss it publicly.

These scum-sucking Islamo-Nazis have acknowledged what we have long known – they planned the attack based upon their malignant religious ideology, murdering innocents in the name of Islam. If they want to be martyrs, let’s oblige them by sending them to the infernal regions where their false god and false prophet dwell. Time to quit treating these barbarians like victims, and instead dispense with them with as little guilt as we feel when we wipe out bacteria with hand cleanser.

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IÂ’m not one for re-writing history. There is, however, a question of how to appropriately present history in the context of a display about an event or time period. Decisions must be made about what to include. Sometimes, that means excluding things that may offend unless they can be further explained or contextualized. Such is the case here.

A VA hospital director who upset veterans by removing a framed newspaper with the headline "Japs Surrender" said last week that he had permanently replaced it with the next dayÂ’s edition bearing the headline "Peace!"

The The Indianapolis TimesÂ’ Aug. 14, 1945, front page has been replaced with the next day's edition featuring the "Peace!" headline because it better reflects what soldiers who served in World War II were fighting for, said Tom Mattice, director of Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center.

He said the new display was also not offensive to any particular group of veterans.

"What we really want to do is honor all of the veterans who come through our medical center to make sure that they feel respected and to make sure that their service is just as honored as everybody else who has served this country," Mattice said.

He said he consulted the VA's National Center for Ethics for advice and he said they supported his decision to permanently remove the initial newspaper display.

Mattice removed the "Japs Surrender" headline earlier this year after receiving a complaint from an employee offended by the term "Japs," a common slur during World War II.

If this were a larger display on WWII, I’d disagree with the decision to remove the newspaper. After all, terms like “Jap” and “Kraut” were a part of the ethos that pervaded the US as we fought in that war. The demonization of our enemies should and ought to be dealt with in such a display. But here it appears to be a display of newspapers, plucked free of that greater context. As such, the choice of the “Peace!” headline over the one with an ethnic slur is preferable.

At the same time, I don’t condemn the vets who wanted the other headline to remain. They want to make sure that our nation’s history is not whitewashed. That isn’t an evil motive – it is an expression of a legitimate desire to remember that earlier era and the sacrifices that began at Pearl Harbor and continued throughout the War in the Pacific. But in this situation, they are fighting a battle that they ought to lose, because a newspaper hung in a hallway does not a museum exhibit make. And ultimately, the peace that comes with victory was exactly what the heroes who fought in that war – and in every war – sought with every ounce of their strength.

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Not, of course, that we should be surprised by such things – but it is impossible to reconcile the “unshackling of science” by funding fetal stem cell research with this position, which could be seen as equally “anti-science”.

President Barack Obama says human cloning is "dangerous, profoundly wrong" and has no place in society.

Obama made the comments as he was signing an executive order that will allow federal spending on embryonic stem cell research.

Some critics say the research can lead to human cloning. Obama said the government will develop strict guidelines for the research because misuse or abuse is unacceptable.

He said he would ensure that the government never opens the door to the use of cloning for human reproduction.

Why shouldn’t we clone? Moreover, why should government restrict cloning? After all, isn’t that a question better left to science and not politics, just like experimentation on fetal stem cells? And if not, why not – and how do you differentiate between the two sorts of scientific experimentation?

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Rush Limbaugh made the following statement.

So [Barack Obama has] moved on to health care. This is highly visible, it's news leading, gets a great focus, plus it has the great liberal lion Teddy Kennedy pushing it. Before it's all over it will be called the Ted Kennedy Memorial Health Care Bill.

Democrats and other liberals are outraged.

Let's examine this statement really quickly.

First, Senator Kennedy has been an advocate of socialized/nationalized medicine for a couple of decades now. He remains so in what are undoubtedly his last days, as he battles a very serious form of cancer that is likely to take his life sooner rather than later. There is nothing wrong with acknowledging those facts, is there?

Secondly, it has long been a strategy employed ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE to name a piece of legislation in such a way as to make a vote against it seem wrong rather than principled. For example, the renewal of the Voting Rights Act had the names of several prominent civil rights leader attached to it, including that of Rosa Parks. It doesn't matter that the reauthorization was seriously flawed because it used 1964 election data rather than 2004 election data to determine the existence of racial discrimination today -- how do you justify a vote against legislation honoring Rosa Parks? Similarly, names like the Freedom of Choice Act, Employee Free Choice Act, and USA PATRIOT Act are intentionally designed to make a vote against a piece of legislation difficult. Why wouldn't supporters of whatever legislation ultimately emerges on healthcare name it after Ted Kennedy? They would be utterly foolish if they didn't -- especially if Kennedy has taken a turn for the worse or passed on when the legislation reaches the floor.

What you really had then was a fair comment on the strategy likely to be used to get this legislation through Congress when the time comes for it to be voted upon.

So where is the problem in what Limbaugh said? I don't see one -- well, except for one. That is that the comment can be twisted into making fun of Kennedy's medical issue and impending death. Limbaugh does neither -- but that doesn't stop folks from claiming that he has done so. Indeed, one liberal I know was absolutely outraged by the Limbaugh comment, as presented by liberal commentators/"journalists", until hearing the actual comment -- which is why the media is not placing the phrase "Ted Kennedy Memorial Health Care Bill" in context. After all, the media still remains in the tank for Obama.

I'm curious, though -- would it be possible to pass the Mary Jo Kopechne Anti-Drunk Driving and Bridge Safety Act at the same time as the health care bill?

H/T NewsBusters (twice), Radio Equalizer, STACLU

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Rather than smoothing over relations with one of our closest ally, Barack Obama has managed to insult the UK, not to mention British PM Gordon Brown personally.

Sources close to the White House say Mr Obama and his staff have been "overwhelmed" by the economic meltdown and have voiced concerns that the new president is not getting enough rest.

British officials, meanwhile, admit that the White House and US State Department staff were utterly bemused by complaints that the Prime Minister should have been granted full-blown press conference and a formal dinner, as has been customary. They concede that Obama aides seemed unfamiliar with the expectations that surround a major visit by a British prime minister.

But Washington figures with access to Mr Obama's inner circle explained the slight by saying that those high up in the administration have had little time to deal with international matters, let alone the diplomatic niceties of the special relationship.

Allies of Mr Obama say his weary appearance in the Oval Office with Mr Brown illustrates the strain he is now under, and the president's surprise at the sheer volume of business that crosses his desk.

A well-connected Washington figure, who is close to members of Mr Obama's inner circle, expressed concern that Mr Obama had failed so far to "even fake an interest in foreign policy".

Yeah, you read that right -- the Obamateur is surprised that he actually has work to do as president, and he is therefore overwhelmed and exhausted by it less than two months into his presidency. What's more, his aides don't know what to do and apparently don't care -- therefore insulting a major world leader.

As I asked earlier in a different post -- will there be a United States worthy of the name in 46 1/2 months when the next president is scheduled to be sworn in?

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Maria Conchita Alonso about her former co-star, Sean Penn:

"He's an amazing actor. I can't take that away from him," she said of Penn, who worked with her on the 1988 cop film Colors. "It's just that he has no clue at all what's going on in Venezuela. He's been praising Hugo Chavez, who is a dictator and a killer. He should shut up about what he doesn't know."

Will Sean Penn listen to an actual Venezuelan about the nature of the Venezuelan dictator? Or will he and the rest of the Hollywood Left continue to figuratively fellate the man who has made Venezuela less free?

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Well, it certainly seems that way to me.

President Obama declared in an interview that the United States was not winning the war in Afghanistan and opened the door to a reconciliation process in which the American military would reach out to moderate elements of the Taliban, much as it did with Sunni militias in Iraq.

While Barry Hussein may think that this is just like what was done in Iraq (by the way -- didn't he argue that we lost in Iraq?), thee is a big difference. In Iraq, the Sunni militias were not the major enemy we faced -- our nation's major concern by that time was with the al-Qaeda forces there -- and our president declared that we were in it to win it.

But in this case, the commander-in-chief has come out and said that the US is losing the war and wants to reach some sort of agreement with the very group we are fighting -- the very group that harbored Osama bin Laden and appointed them the head of their military at the same time he was preparing to attack the US on 9/11. In other words, this IS negotiating with the major enemy to end a war that he has publicly stated we are losing. That, my friends, indicates that Barack Hussein Obama is preparing to negotiate from a position of weakness with those who side with al-Qaeda -- and presumably end our involvement in Afghanistan on their terms. That constitutes surrender.

So, my friends, I must ask -- will there be a United States worthy of the name in 46 1/2 months when the next president is scheduled to be sworn in?

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I came across this video the other day, and just feel like I ought to share it with the rest of you.

Yeah, a bit weird -- and truncated from the original -- but sort of cute.

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This time it is Rachel MadCow.

RACHEL MADDOW: "It is one thing to say, ‘I hope that this guy's proposed policies don't pass. I hope those don't become the policies of our country.’ But once they become the policies of the country, and they are designed to save us from this economic collapse, you ought to hope they succeed, unless you are hoping for your country to suffer worse in an economic collapse. I mean, actually rooting for the failure of your own federal government is pretty creepy."

Oddly enough, this was not her view when the president was George W. Bush. She actively rooted for him to fail – especially in Iraq. Now she wants to deny others the very right she claimed for herself not too long ago – the right to be viewed as more patriotic because of one’s opposition to the policies and personnel of the president.

Oh, and on a related note, God bless Ari Fleischer for this zinger.

Are you going after Democrat members of Congress for why they aren't distancing themselves from Keith Olbermann?

That would never happen – such a denunciation would kill any Democrat’s chances among the crucial “tin-foil hat” constituency of the Democrat Party.

But we’ve seen that before – one local Democrat Party official and liberal blogger publicly wished for the execution of our nation’s elected leaders, urged the lynching of Ari Fleischer AND received a long suspension from his NASA job over his violations of the Hatch Act, but is still embraced by his fellow Democrat leaders and local elected officials. I guess the standard is different when you are a liberal – after all, you are presumptively such a good person that illegal activity and calling for the murder of your political opponents is simply seen as exuberance rather than anything to be condemned.

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Once Obama’s inflationary policies kick in, your wages may increase dramatically. Unfortunately, your purchasing power may not – and may drop. But you’ll still be rich according to Dear Leader Obama. Here’s why.

With a guarantee that only those making more than $250,000 a year will see a tax increase it is probably a good time to talk about something that has not been a problem for decades: Bracket Creep.

Bracket creep is the result of a progressive tax system in an inflationary environment. In a progressive tax system the rate at which income (or whatever the basis for taxation is, but for this discussion it is income) is taxed at a greater rate as income goes up. The increases are incremental in a discreet number of brackets, of which there are currently six. The net effect is that the last dollar earned is taxed at a greater rate than the first dollar earned as long as enough is earned to advance out of the lowest bracket.

So don’t worry – your rising salary will make you rich. And your government will therefore be able to take a large bite of your paycheck.

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If bishops carry through on this, will it lead to the repeal of a law designed to force participation in abortion by religious groups and medical professionals morally opposed to the taking of innocent human life?

A proposed bill promising major changes in the U.S. abortion landscape has Roman Catholic bishops threatening to close Catholic hospitals if the Democratic Congress and White House make it law.

The Freedom of Choice Act failed to get out of subcommittee in 2004, but its sponsor is poised to refile it now that former Senate co-sponsor Barack Obama occupies the Oval Office.

A spokesman for Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., said the legislation "is among the congressman's priorities. We expect to reintroduce it sooner rather than later."

FOCA, as the bill is known, would make federal law out of the abortion protections established in 1973 by the U.S. Supreme Court's Roe vs. Wade ruling.

The legislation has some Roman Catholic bishops threatening to shutter the country's 624 Catholic hospitals — including 11 in the Archdiocese of St. Louis — rather than comply.

Speaking in Baltimore in November at the bishops' fall meeting, Bishop Thomas Paprocki, a Chicago auxiliary bishop, took up the issue of what to do with Catholic hospitals if FOCA became law. "It would not be sufficient to withdraw our sponsorship or to sell them to someone who would perform abortions," he said. "That would be a morally unacceptable cooperation in evil."

Bishop Paprocki is a top-notch canonist with a firm grasp of the nuances of moral theology. He is exactly correct on this point.

But if 13% of all hospitals in the country close down, meaning that the 1/6 of Americans who use them are forced to fall back upon pubic or other private hospitals, that might just force the repeal of a law that is, in part, designed to force hospitals that donÂ’t provide baby-slaying services to do so.

I’ve long urged that Catholic bishops and religious orders (as well as non-Catholic Christian schools) do something similar to move the country forward on the issue of school choice. Simply announce failure to provide students with their fair share of the tax funds designated for their education will result in the closure of their schools – and the resultant flood of these students into the public schools. The shortage of space and increased costs associated with accommodating these students would quickly lead to the public demanding voucher programs for all students as the cheapest and easiest way to deal with the issue. Likewise, the closure of all these hospitals will make the policy choice crystal clear – allow religious groups to operate hospitals in accordance with their religious principles or accept the financial burden that goes along with driving them from the field.

More At Clayton Cramer's Blog, Hot Air. Athanasios Christian Ministries, Southern Appeal

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Yep, itÂ’s Wexler, taking illegal donations from non-citizens to finance his campaign.

After he proposed to expand the visas available to foreign models so they can work in New York, Rep. Anthony Weiner's mayoral campaign took contributions from some cat walkers from abroad.

Problem is, the models aren't allowed to donate because they're not US citizens or permanent resi dents.

Remember – compliance with the law is the responsibility of the campaign.

But what is particularly interesting is that at least one of the donors has no recollection of making a contribution at all. DidnÂ’t stuff like this happen in New York City during HillaryÂ’s campaign?

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