Politics and Freedom

State-Wide Initiatives

2005-11-08T09:20:00.000-08:00

Election Day 2005 has arrived. It is important that all Californians go out and vote yes on Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's state-wide ballot initiatives today (Propositions 74-77).

Proposition 74 extends the probationary period for teachers from 2 years to 5 years, and makes it easier to dismiss teachers with unsatisfactory performance evaluations.

Proposition 75 prohibits public employee unions from using union dues for political purposes without the written consent of union members.

Proposition 76 limits growth in state spending so that it does not exceed recent growth in state revenues.

Proposition 77 changes the way California draws boundaries for Congressional and legislative districts. District boundaries would be drawn by a panel of retired judges and approved by voters in a statewide election.

While those four initiatives (and proposition 73) are most important, here are the recommendations of the Politics and Freedom Blog on today's ballot initiatives.

Proposition 73 (Parental Notification For Abortions) - Yes
Proposition 74 - Yes
Proposition 75 - Yes
Proposition 76 - Yes
Proposition 77 - Yes
Proposition 78 - No
Proposition 79 - No
Proposition 80 - No

The Politics and Freedom Blog is also endorsing San Diego Mayoral Candidate Jerry Sanders over Councilmember Donna Frye. For all readers who live within the city of San Diego, it is imperative that Jerry Sanders be given the opportunity to rebuild San Diego. Moreover, Donna Frye's election would ensure minimal change in the corrupt San Diego bureaucracy, the departure of the San Diego Chargers franchise, and an increase in local taxes.

The most important thing for all Californians who hope and pray for change in Sacramento and San Diego is to go out and vote that initiatives that will make that happen. Good luck to Jerry Sanders and Governor Schwarzenegger.

Priorities

2005-10-19T09:45:00.000-07:00

A good friend of mine forwarded me a short anecdote that I would to share with you. I believe it puts things in perspective.

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar... and the coffee...

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.

When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a infamous "yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed. "Now," said the professor, as the laughter subsided, I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life.

The golf balls are the important things. Your family, your children, your faith, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions. Things that if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter. Your job, your house, and your car. The sand is everything else. The small stuff. "If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first, the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

Groundbreaking Research.....

2005-10-18T17:00:00.000-07:00

Duke University researchers have uncovered a groundbreaking revelation!

Obesity makes people feel sexually unattractive, unwilling to be seen undressed and uncomfortable in the bedroom, but even a little weight loss can change that, according to new research. Duke University psychologist Martin Binks presented the findings this week at a meeting of The Obesity Society in Vancouver. He said even a weight loss of just 10 percent improved the "quality of sex life" for most people.

No kidding. I never would have guessed that losing weight would actually improve one's sex life. Glad to know the money going into Duke University develops into truly groundbreaking results.

Homeland Security Secretary Takes Tough Stance on Illegal Immigration

2005-10-18T11:20:00.000-07:00

In order for the United States to significantly curb illegal immigration, leaders of the American government must begin taking sharper stances towards illegal immigrants. At a press conference today, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff appears to be the first member of President Bush's cabinet to take such a stance.

"Our goal at DHS (Homeland Security) is to completely eliminate the 'catch and release' enforcement problem, and return every single illegal entrant, no exceptions. "It should be possible to achieve significant and measurable progress to this end in less than a year," Chertoff told a Senate hearing.

I sincerely hope that Secretary Chertoff is sincere in his remarks today. While I believe that the United States armed forces should be placed at the border to shut down the flow of illegal immigration, an increasing commitment from Homeland Security is a good start.

Chertoff highlighted on the main problems with the current illegal immigration policy:

"Today, a non-Mexican illegal immigrant caught trying to enter the United States across the southwest border has an 80 percent chance of being released immediately because we lack the holding facilities," he added.

Chertoff understands that not all illegal immigrants are Mexican and that little is being done with those illegals. In order to truly defeat illegal immigration, all aspects contributing to the problem must be curbed.

Now, I will be the first to admit that is difficult to fully accept Chertoff's word. The man still reports to President Bush, who is far from ideal on this issue. However, when leaders being to publicly recognize and attempt to fix the problem, they should be commended. Hopefully Secretary Chertoff will fulfill his pledge to "achieve significant and measurable progress in less than a year." We will all be watching.

Support the Chargers Stadium Proposal

2005-10-17T09:20:00.000-07:00

One of the key issues of the upcoming San Diego mayoral election that continues to be overlooked is the Chargers stadium issue. Let me summarize the latest proposal from the San Diego Chargers.

• The Chargers will construct, at the team's sole expense, a state-of-the-art Super Bowl-quality professional football stadium at the current Qualcomm site. They also will assume the risk of all cost overruns on the stadium's construction.

• The city of San Diego will own the stadium, but the Chargers will be responsible for all operational and maintenance costs.

• The Chargers will pay off in full the existing bonded indebtedness on Qualcomm Stadium (nearly $60 million).

• The Chargers will assume infrastructure improvements -- estimated between $150 million and $175 million.

• The Chargers will sign a 25-year lease to play in the stadium and will include no "out" clauses, ticket guarantees or other like subsidies.

• The Chargers will devote and pay for approximately 30 acres of the site as green space and parkland.

• The development will generate property, sales, hotel and other taxes, and the city of San Diego will be entitled to its full share of the new tax monies.

Is there something wrong with the Chargers proposal? In exchange, the San Diego Chargers are only asking the city of San Diego to provide 60 acres of land at the current Qualcomm stadium site. The city of San Diego is clearly in the wrong on this critical issue. If the Chargers leave for Los Angeles, the San Diego City Council and Mayor will be held responsible for allowing the 7th largest city in the United States without a professional football franchise. Moreover, without a new stadium, the city of San Diego will never again host the Super Bowl, the biggest sports event in the world which typically brings in hundreds of millions of dollars for the host city. Let's hope that one of the San Diego mayoral candidates (i.e. Jerry Sanders, Donna Frye) has the common sense to realize the importance in keeping the Chargers in San Diego.

Some Hope for the GOP After All

2005-10-17T01:00:00.000-07:00

In the past couple of months, the Politics and Freedom Blog has been very critical of the leadership in the Republican-controlled Congress. For a reminder of my sinister comments towards former House Majority Leader Tom Delay, refer to my post back on September 14, 2005.

Due to the rising costs of Hurricane Katrina, the war in Iraq, and other essential needs, the federal government must restrain its uncontrollable spending. While the Democrat Party offers no hope in this matter, the Republican Party has done little to stop pork-barrel spending. In fact, Senator Vitter of Louisiana has attempted to extort the American people by proposing a $250 billlion dollar Katrina Relief Bill that contains billions of dollars in pork including $90 million for oyster research. Senator Vitter was so bold that on Hannity & Colmes back in September he declared that there was no unnecessary pork at all in the bill. This is the type of rhetoric that boils my blood, as well as most members of the Republican Party.

However, as faith in the GOP to cut spending dwindles down with each passing day, a ray of hope beacons this morning.

House Republican leaders have moved from balking at big cuts in Medicaid and other programs to embracing them, driven by pent-up anger from fiscal conservatives concerned about runaway spending and the leadership's own weakening hold on power. Beginning this week, the House GOP lawmakers will take steps to cut as much as $50 billion from the fiscal 2006 budget for health care for the poor, food stamps and farm supports, as well as considering across-the-board cuts in other programs.

While this could merely be a ploy to get back in the good wishes on the party base, GOP leadership may finally be seeing the errors of their ways. There are many Congressional Republicans (mostly in the House) who have been complaining for months at the uncontrollable spending of the 109th Congress. The Republican Party controls every branch of government, with a sizable majority in the House of Representatives and Senate. There is no excuse for the GOP. They must clamp down on reckless spending and if they follow through on their recent proposal, it is a step in the right direction.

Harriet Miers Saga Continues

2005-10-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

More fallout from the potential GOP Revolt over President Bush's recent Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers. According to Matt Drudge, Harriet Miers was not even the President's first choice. Leaks of Karl Rove's conversation with evangelical leader James Dobson sparked the latest twist to this story:

The LA TIMES reports: In that conversation, which has been the subject of feverish speculation, Rove also told Dobson that one reason the president was passing over better-known conservatives was that many on the White House short list had asked not to be considered, Dobson said, according to an advance transcript of the broadcast provided by his organization, Focus on the Family. Dobson said that the White House had decided to nominate a woman, which reduced the size of the list, and that several women on it had then bowed out.

This latest development explains why Harriet Miers ended up as the Supreme Court nominee. By limiting their choices to a woman candidate and by the subsequent withdrawal of more qualified and solidified nominees. For more compelling analysis of this ongoing story, read Edward Morrissey's column in the Daily Standard.

The longer the Bush White House remains silent or spews off comments like critics of Miers are "sexist," the more likely Miers will be shot down by the Senate.

Guess How Much Africa Wants to Fight Poverty?

2005-10-11T22:15:00.000-07:00

The leaders of Africa has come up with a solution to limit the spread of poverty that continues to plague the continent.

Africa has drawn up a $110 billion (63 billion pounds) annual investment plan to meet United Nations goals of halving poverty by 2015 and wants foreign donors to supply at least a third of the cash, a senior official said on Tuesday.

$110 BILLION ANNUALLY!! As outrageous as this request is, the rationale outlined by Firmino Mucavele, CEO of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) is even more ridiculous.

"This is the minimum amount of money we need to grow the continent at a pace that would allow us to sharply reduce poverty in line with U.N. Millennium Development Goals," Mucavele said at an investment conference in Johannesburg.

So if $110 billion is the minimum needed to reduce poverty, what is ideal? $200 billion? $1 trillion? The leading economic powers across the world are already giving enough money to combat poverty. Instead of giving Africa more money, the United Nations and every nation giving money to Africa should ask for more accountability. The amount of corruption evident in that continent is outrageous. For a sypnosis of the false promise of aid to Africa, read the CATO Institute's analysis from this past July during the G-8 concert relief effort.

Based on the recent history of aid to Africa, no amount of money is going to help that continent without accountability. Poverty must be dealt with internally, with may some reasonable aid coming from the developed world. If leadership in the region continues to be poor and corrupt, then there is little hope for the region. The United States and Europe needs to stop throwing billions of dollars into the hands of a few corrupt leaders in Africa and force a harder bargain with African leaders. That is the only way to get Africa back on track.

UC Regents: More "Diversity" Needed

2005-10-11T17:05:00.000-07:00

According to the UCSD Guardian, the UC Regents has established a new task force to evaluate faculty diversity among the different campuses encompassing the UC system.

Headed by UCLA Associate Vice Chancellor of Faculty Diversity Rosina Becerra and composed of professors from each campus in the UC system, the 11-member task force will begin its campuswide tour at UCLA on Oct. 11. The committee will spend two days at each campus reviewing department hiring practices and possible obstacles in the promotion and retention of faculty and staff, according to the UC Diversity Task Force Web site. The committee will address topics through a variety of methods, including listening to faculty members’ opinions and suggestions.

Apparently, this task force defines diversity through the scopes of gender and skin color. Has it entered their narrow minds that diversity also includes political thoughts and viewpoints? While the UC Regents vows to promote and retain more female and minority professors, why is their no effort at all to increase the political diversity of the faculties in the UC System? I cannot name a single conservative professor at UCSD, yet I can name dozens of liberal/left leaning professors in the political science and history departments alone. But as long as there is enough blacks, hispanics, women, Native Americans, and other "oppressed" races to fulfill their quotas, then their notion of diversity is fulfilled.

In addition, this task force may violate Proposition 209 passed by California voters in 1996. Proposition 209 outlaws preferential treatment on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin by government agencies. While the UC Regents say it does not interfere with Prop 209, I have serious doubts about their word.

This task force is unnecessary and though it may not be illegal, it is at the very least misguided. True diversity is both color and gender blind. True diversity allows for the free exchange of all political thought. While the task force may succeed in placing more minorities in tenured positions, it will do nothing to diversify the leftist political views that continue to dominate college academia at UCSD and across the UC System.

Arnold's Propositions Gaining Momentum

2005-10-10T16:45:00.000-07:00

From now until Election Day on Tuesday, November 8, the Politics and Freedom Blog will work hard to advocate Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's four ballot initiatives.

Proposition 74 extends the probationary period for teachers from 2 years to 5 years, and makes it easier to dismiss teachers with unsatisfactory performance evaluations.

Proposition 75 prohibits public employee unions from using union dues for political purposes without the written consent of union members.

Proposition 76 limits growth in state spending so that it does not exceed recent growth in state revenues.

Proposition 77 changes the way California draws boundaries for Congressional and legislative districts. District boundaries would be drawn by a panel of retired judges and approved by voters in a statewide election.

Each of these ballot initiatives is good for the state of California. These measures eradicate the power grips that the teachers unions hold over education in California and the influence of powerful union leaders over their members. And the good news is that each of these measures is gaining momentum as we draw closer to Election Day.

According to the latest Survey USA Poll, here are the latest result (NOTE: Margin of error 4.4% with sample of 529 Likely Voters):

Proposition 74: 55% Yes, 44% No
Proposition 75: 60% Yes, 37% No
Proposition 76: 58% Yes, 36% No
Proposition 77: 59% Yes, 36% No

While this poll is a good sign, the desperation from the Teachers Unions and other groups against Governor Schwarzenegger will only increase because of this poll. It is important to vote in favor of these ballot initiatives in order to help curb the corruption and incompetence plaguing Sacramento.

Who is Harriet Miers?

2005-10-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

Probably the biggest story to hit D.C. over the past three weeks occurred when President Bush tapped Harriet Miers, Deputy Chief of Staff, as his nominee to replace Sandra Day O'Connor's on the United States Supreme Court.

While I have the upmost confidence that Chief Justice John Roberts, confirmed by a 78-22 vote in the United States Senate, will be a superb member of the Supreme Court, I still have lingering doubts about Harriet Miers. The biggest doubt that continues to cloud my opinion of Ms. Miers remains the fact that little is known about her views on any politcal issue.

It is one thing when President Bush and his mouthpieces hit the airwaves, trying to convince me and every other American that Harriet Miers truly represents the values of the conservative base. It is another to see a record of judicial conservatism supporting that notion. Nothing has been indicated to me that Harriet Miers represents the values and judicial philosophy that I believe in, except for the fact that President Bush trusts her. While I highly regard the opinion of the President, this nomination is too important to just go on his word.

John Fund's column in today's Wall Street Journal further highlights concerns over Harriet Miers.

I came away convinced that questions about Ms. Miers should be raised now--and loudly--because she has spent her entire life avoiding giving a clear picture of herself. "She is unrevealing to the point that it's an obsession," says one of her close colleagues at her law firm.

I believe the phrase "YIKES!" comes into play. If John Fund is concerned, then every conservative should be concerned. Unlike some of my fellow conservatives, I do not advocate for a conservative judicial activist. If a justice ignores constitutional precedent on either side of the political spectrum, it ends up hurting our great nation. However, I sure know that I would rather have a justice similar to Antonin Scalia or Clarence Thomas than a justice like John Paul Stevens or Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Since the Eisenhower Administration, one common mistake with ALL Republican Presidents has been their nominations to the Supreme Court. Eisenhower appointed William Brennan and Earl Warren. Nixon appointed Harry Blackmun. Gerald Ford appointed John "Loyal Republican" Stevens. Reagan appointed Sandra Day O'Connor. Bush appointed David Souter. What do all of these justices have in common? None of them were even close to representing the views of the conservative Presidents that appointed them. For a more detailed look at the history of GOP Supreme Court nominees discussed above, read John Fund's column.

History has taught us that we need to pay attention to our Supreme Court nominees. Unless we want more decisions like Roe v. Wade and Kelo v. New London on our hands, we have to make sure the right people are placed in the Supreme Court. We cannot count of the Senate to protect us from a potential disaster. We must hope that more facts are discovered about Harriet Miers before we citizen Miers becomes Justice Miers.

The Politics and Freedom Blog is Back!

2005-10-10T00:00:00.000-07:00

To my readers:

My humblest apologies for not updating this blog during the past month. The reason for the lack of posts comes down to one painful acronym: LSAT. While the outcome of that exam was less than what I had hoped, that stress and acrimony is now behind me. I promise each and every one of your reading my blog that I will make several postings each week, monitoring the events from the world from my perspective. I wish you all a safe October and ask each of you to stay informed about the world around you. I will do my little part to help in that noble cause.

Politics and Freedom Blog

Vista Unified School District Audits Union President

2005-09-17T06:45:00.000-07:00

In an interesting article in today's North County Times, the Vista Unified School district announced that it will soon begin an audit that looks at the salary of the district's teachers union presidents, and the amount of time a president spends on union work versus district work. Here is the breakdown of the current Union heads salary:

Susie Bristow, the union president for the past three years, made $76,000 last year in salary and benefits, including $10,000 in health benefits, said District Superintendent of Human Resources Myrna Vallely. The union covers $41,500 in pay for its president ---- roughly the annual salary of a mid-level teacher ---- and the district pays the remaining salary, about $35,000 in Bristow's case, Vallely said.

So the School Board's contention is that Union President Susie Bristow must spend 45% of her time on school matters and the other 55% of her time on union matters. I think the more pressing question is why the heck is the School District paying $35,000 worth of the Union Chief's salary? Isn't that what union dues are for? How much else does the school district spend on union salaries? I will try to find out.

The Governator is Announcing a Sequel

2005-09-16T17:15:00.000-07:00

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has indicated that he will seek a second term as Governor of California, to the dismay of his many political enemies on the Left. His announcement took place down here in San Diego.

"I'm going to follow through with this here. I'm not in there for three years. I originally got into this ... to finish the job. I'm in there for seven years," he told an enthusiastic crowd of about 200 invited guests. "Yes, I will run for governor." Schwarzenegger had hinted as much for weeks, saying Wednesday he wanted to stay to fix the "broken system" of state government.

Hopefully his initiatives will pass in this coming November's special election. That would be a start to fixing that "broken system." I am relieved to hear that I will be most likely have a "Governator" until 2010. WOOHOO!!

George W. Bush is Cool!

2005-09-15T23:10:00.000-07:00

While a majority of stories circulating about President George W. Bush are negative in nature, every once in a while I get reminded of why he is such a cool guy. Below lies one of those reminders:

Via REUTERS

The above photo depicts President Bush writing a note to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice yesterday. While the leftist media will most likely moake a big deal about this story, I cannot honestly blame the President. If I had to listen to Kofi Annan and the rest of the United Nations for an entire day, I would probably write the same note. I mean, we all need a bathroom break every once in a while, right?

Victory for Border Security; Defeat for Environmentalists

2005-09-15T15:00:00.000-07:00

Finally, the fence that will protect our border from illegal aliens down near San Diego will be finished.

In a rebuff to California officials and environmentalists, the Bush administration cleared the way Wednesday for completion of a 14-mile-long border fence that will run through coastal wetlands to the Pacific Ocean near San Diego. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff waived environmental laws for the first time since Congress gave him that authority in May. Finishing the last 3.5 miles of fence is expected to cost about $32 million.

While environmentalists, illegal alien activists, and Bush haters will undoubtedly hit the air waves, the main point that must be reiterated is the fact that national security takes precedence over everything else. Border Patrol Chief David V. Aguilar said it best:

"Bottom line, this is about border security," Aguilar told reporters. "We're addressing the vulnerabilities here" in closing a border to potential terrorists. Reducing the territory that needs patrolling also will deter illegal immigration because of the "certainty of arrest in that zone," he said.

Here is the true bottom: Environmentalists, liberals, illegal alien lovers all lose, the rest of America Wins!

Is Tom Delay Kidding?

2005-09-14T13:00:00.000-07:00

According to Tom Delay, the war against "Budget Fat," a.k.a pork-barrel spending, has ended.

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay said yesterday that Republicans have done so well in cutting spending that he declared an "ongoing victory," and said there is simply no fat left to cut in the federal budget. Asked if that meant the government was running at peak efficiency, Mr. DeLay said, "Yes, after 11 years of Republican majority we've pared it down pretty good."

Is he kidding? Normally, I agree with Tom Delay on most issues. But on this issue, he could not be more wrong. I do not honestly understand how he can utter this nonsense with a straight face.

If he needs examples, he should access the Citizens Against Government Waste website. But if Tom Delay needs to see recent occurrences of excess pork, I shall tell him. The two most flagrant examples within the past three months of government waste occurred in the 2006 Senate Agriculture Appropriations Act and the 2006 Federal Highway Bill. All information used below can be found via the Citizens Against Government Waste website.

First, let us look at the Senate Agriculture Bill. Here are some key examples of unnecessary government spending at its finest.

1. Senate Agriculture Appropriations subcommittee members Christopher Bond (R-Mo.) and Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) squeezed in $1.5 million for the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute at the University of Missouri-Columbia and Iowa State University. Since fiscal 1997, the institute has received $8.5 million for economic analysis of food and agriculture policy.

2. Senate Appropriations Ranking Member Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) plucked $7.3 million for his state, including $1 million for multiflora rose control.

3. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) reeled in more than $23 million for Mississippi, including $517,000 for aquaculture research and $217,000 for seafood and aquaculture harvesting, processing, and marketing.

4. Actually, all it takes is Senate appropriator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), who loaded up the agriculture bill with $34.3 million for Alaska, including $26 million for the development of water systems for rural communities and native villages in Alaska, and $500,000 for fruit and berry crop trials for rural villages. According to an August 2, 2005 Government Accountability Office report, Native Alaska villages and nonprofits received more than $3 billion in direct federal aid from 1998-2003. Combined with other federal subsidies, the native Alaskan population of about 125,000 received approximately $10 billion in federal assistance during the five-year period.

The amount of money wasted in just this bill is remarkable. While Tom Delay does not control the Senate, he could certainly use his influence to reduce pork on agriculture bills. Furthermore, there are no excuses in regards to the amount of pork in the Federal Highway Bill.

Hopefully someone can remind the House Majority Leader of the fiscal crisis facing our government and to stop spewing this nonsense to the media. If we cannot even rely on the Republican Party to be fiscally responsible in the future, we are in big trouble. But you already knew that, didn't you?

Highlights of John Roberts Hearings

2005-09-14T00:00:00.000-07:00

Throughout yesterday, I had the pleasure (Yes, PLEASURE) of watching Judge John Roberts assert command over the entire Senate Judiciary Committee. While I expected harsh criticism and bloviating from Ted Kennedy, Joe Biden, Russ Feingold, and Chuck Schumer, none of them even dented the armor of John Roberts. His candor, knowledge, and experience transcended to every single person watching the hearings.

The two most entertaining highlights of the day took place this morning. In the runner-up position, I watched Ted Kennedy struggle to read the words from the pages of notes prepared by his aides and then subsequently not allow the man being considered for Chief Justice to answer any questions. Watching John Roberts remain calm, despite the annoying nature of Massachusetts' senior senator, cracked a smile to my face. Then, Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter successfully executed his authority and forced Ted Kennedy to silence himself (well....as close as anyone can). Expect more of the same tomorrow from Teddy.

And the winning highlight occurred between Delaware Senator Joe Biden, Chairman Specter, and John Roberts. After Joe Biden took over EIGHT minutes to ask his first question, the Senator then interrupted John Roberts explanation over a civil rights case that occurred in the early 1980s. The following dialogue unfolded:

Joe Biden: "His answers are misleading."

Arlen Specter: "Now, wait a minute, wait a minute. They may be misleading, but they are his answers."

John Roberts: "With respect, they are my answers. And, with respect, they're not misleading; they're accurate."

This exchange best summarizes the tone of the day. John Roberts portrayed an aura of confidence that may force many moderate Democrats to re-evaluate their positions of his appointment. After tomorrow's hearings conclude, I expect the Senate Judiciary Committee to approve John Roberts by a 12-6 vote, then I expect a two-thirds majority of the entire U.S. Senate to confirm him as the next Chief Justice to the Supreme Court.

Disneyland - Chinese Style

2005-09-13T11:45:00.000-07:00

Today marked the grand opening of the new Disneyland theme park in Hong Kong. This is the first Disney theme park to be built in a Communist country.

The Washington Times has an interesting piece evaluating the expectations that both the Walt Disney Company, as well as the Chinese government expect from the part.

With a 57 percent stake in Disneyland, the [Hong Kong] government is counting on the park's magic to lure 5 million tourists to Hong Kong within a year, and double that number by 2020. The park is projected to earn $19 billion over 40 years.

In addition, they examine the complex subplot involving the influence of capitalism and the Disney image to citizens of mainland China. It will be interesting to see how successful this park can be with Disney being the minority owner. Only time will tell.

Great Advice

2005-09-13T00:30:00.000-07:00

As the "Blame Game" over Hurricane Katrina rages on, former California Governor Pete Wilson rises above the political moshpit and offers advice on how to fix the problem in today's Wall Street Journal. His primarily basis for this advice rests on how on dealt with the 1994 magitude 6.7 earthquake that rocked Los Angeles.

The Governor offers three suggestions. First, he argues that the Governors of Louisiana and Mississippi exercise emergency powers provided by their state governments. If they are not in place, the legislature must put them in place. Why? He chronicles the importance of these emergency powers from his own experience with the Northridge Quake:

I suspended the operation of statutes and regulations that would have required the protracted public hearings called for before environmental impact reports could be filed and acted upon, and I suspended other normally demanded procedural hurdles. The elimination of these legal requirements drastically reduced purposeless delays that would have impeded recovery and compounded the injury inflicted by the quake.

Second, the Governor suggests that financial incentives be implement to private companies encouraging them to complete the job as soon as possible. The private market must be fully utilized in order for roads, bridges, railroads, and other necessary repairs to be completed quickly. These companies should be given financial incentives to finish earlier and financial penalties if they finish later than they say. Why will this work?

[The State of California] told contractors bidding to repair the bridges that they must submit bids that specified not only the cost but the date of completion, and that they must agree to an added condition: For every day they were late, they would incur a penalty of $200,000; and for every day they were early, they would be rewarded with a bonus of $200,000. The winning bidder, C.C. Myers Inc., put on three shifts that worked 24/7. In order to prevent any delay in the work, they hired a locomotive and crew to haul to Los Angeles steel sitting on a siding in Texas. Myers made more on the bonus than they did on the bid. Incentives work. The reward to the contractor in this instance was well worth the reward to the public in achieving restoration of critical infrastructure two years early.

Lastly, the Governor draws on his experience as the Mayor of San Diego in suggesting that the City of New Orleans open up a "nonprofit corporation in which it can delegate authority to act as the city's agent in making the complex real-estate deals that will be essential to redevelopment." In fact, the non-profit corporation set up by then Mayor Wilson is widely believed to be the biggest reason for the accelerated development of downtown San Diego, "America's Finest City."

Each of these steps should be implemented by those government officials trying to rebuild the region affected by Hurricane Katrina. Governor Wilson's recommendation comes from personal experience and the results from his policies are proven. Let us hope their local governments can produce similar results.

Supreme Court Frontrunner Emerging

2005-09-12T08:45:00.000-07:00

As the John Roberts hearings begin today, Robert Novak reports that a frontrunner is emerging in the race to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Who would that be?

That is a photo of the recently confirmed justice Priscilla Owen of the 5th District Court of Appeals. She made headlines back in May as part of the Group of 14 Compromise that ended gridlock in the Senate. If Robert Novak's sources our correct, she would be a worthy addition to the United States Supreme Court.

Ridiculous Editorial From NY Times

2005-09-11T23:00:00.000-07:00

While most of the time I tend to disagree with the opinion of the editors of the New York Times, this particular editorial should inflame every person in Georgia and the rest of the United States.

Titled "Georgia's New Poll Tax," the New York Times joins the American Civil Liberties Union in arguing the following:

In 1966, the Supreme Court held that the poll tax was unconstitutional. Nearly 40 years later, Georgia is still charging people to vote, this time with a new voter ID law that requires many people without driver's licenses - a group that is disproportionately poor, black and elderly - to pay $20 or more for a state ID card. Georgia went ahead with this even though there is not a single place in the entire city of Atlanta where the cards are sold. The law is a national disgrace.

In other words, requiring people to prove who they are when entering a polling place equates to a "poll tax." I do not see a story anywhere stating that people are being charged to vote. That would be illegal since poll taxes were banned by the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The NY Times and ACLU are grasping at straws by tackling this issue. They are attempting to ignite racial tensions in order to garner attention to this issue.

This is the bottom line. People can afford to pay $20 that they would otherwise pay on cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, and other excesses in order to buy an identification card. An identification card is needed for most daily purposes. Besides, if they truly could not afford to pay for the card, there is a clause in the Georgia bill itself that states explicitly that the State of Georgia would pay for the ID card. How convenient that the New York Times ignores that minor detail. I wouldn't have expected anything less from them.

The New York Times continues:

The Republicans who pushed the law through, and Gov. Sonny Perdue, also a Republican, who signed it, say that it is intended to prevent fraud. But it seems clear that it is about keeping certain people away from the polls, for political advantage. The vast majority of fraud complaints in Georgia, according to its secretary of state, Cathy Cox, involve absentee ballots, which are unaffected by the new law. Ms. Cox says she is unaware of a single documented case in recent years of fraud through impersonation of a voter at the polls.

Of course. This Georgia law is merely a tactic by the Republican Party to cut down on minority votes. Well, if those minority votes are being cast by individuals who are not registered to vote or whom are packing in the votes multiple times, then so be it. If the Republican Party gets wider election victories because groups are prevented from cheating, then so be it.

To conclude, I am arguing that it is a "national disgrace" to disagree with the requirements listed by the state of Georgia. Back on September 5, I stated the following:

The arguments that voter ID laws will reduce voter turnout or that these laws are racially motivated are not strong enough to overturn this laws. If you want to vote in this country, you must be able to prove who you are. Period.

Well, if it is a "political move by the GOP" to end voter fraud in this country, then I guess they are right. No one is stopping "minorities, the elderly, and the poor" from getting valid photo identification. Lawmakers are trying to stop voter fraud. If the Democrats support voter fraud, then they should say so. Otherwise, they should just use their financial resources to help their voters get valid IDs. Wouldn't that solve their dilemma?

I still stand by those words. Voter fraud will decline because of this law and how bad does the New York Times look when they defend the criminal actions of the Democratic Party? They should be concerned with preserving the integrity of election results just as much as making sure each person gets the right to vote.

Shame on the New York Times. Their opinion on this matter is truly ridiculous.

Remembering September 11

2005-09-11T01:15:00.000-07:00

While Hurricane Katrina is dominating news waves, it is important that each of us today take a moment to reflect on the September 11 Attacks that occurred four years ago today.

Each of us most likely remembers where they were on that fateful morning. A senior in high school at the time, I watched in horror as the country that I thought was invincible become engrossed with death, fear, and hell on earth. Before my eyes, a city full of history, culture, and American symbolism crumbled before the entire world. When the Twin Towers both collapsed, New York City was temporarily knocked out by Islamo-fascists. The Pentagon Crash just added to the pain and suffering of that day.

I did not lose a family member. Nor did I lose a friend or even an acquaintance of that fateful day. Yet, I can still feel the shock, anger, and fear that engulfed my very soul on September 11, 2001.

Reflecting back, I can see the true significance of that day for people of my generation. On September 11, 2001, the entire innocence and ignorance of the post-Cold War generation shattered when the glass from the Twin Towers hit the New York City pavement. On that day, it become explicitly clear that people in this world would sacrifice their own lives, families, and friends to take away the freedoms that most Americans take for granted. While I cannot never fully comprehend the fear that Americans during the 1950s underwent during the Cold War, I now feel that I have a better understanding of that "fear".

Things have for the most part resorted back to the way things were before. Partisan politics is as bitter (and arguably greater) than the 2000 President Election. Crises unfold on a regular basis and our government does little to protect us. When our leaders take bold steps to protect us from enemies that wish to take away every last freedom and liberty our Founding Fathers envisioned, they only face resentment and backlash from the mainstream press, the opposing political party, countless special interest groups, and simply Americans who hate their country.

However, that day should have taught us the true meaning of being an American. As we look at the American Flag, ALL AMERICANS should all reaffirm that oath right now:

"I Pledge Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands; One Nation, Under God, Indivisible, With Liberty and Justice for All."

My E-Mail to Congressman Issa

2005-09-10T21:15:00.000-07:00

Congressman Issa,

I believe it is in your interest, as well as the interest of your constituents, to sign the Hurricane Katrina No Pork Pledge. The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste has initiated this process for decreasing pork barrel spending, and your signature was not on the list.

I am the author of the Politics and Freedom Blog (www.politicsandfreedom.blogspot.com), as well as a voter in your district. If you do not sign this pledge, I will report it to my readers and encourage them to not support you in future Congressional Primaries.

I believe you to be a honorable man, as well as a true fiscal conservative. Please sign the pledge and show the people of your district that you vehemently oppose pork barrel spending. Thank you.

Charles Billinger
Politics and Freedom Blog

Hurricane Katrina No Pork Pledge

2005-09-10T19:30:00.000-07:00

With the costs of Hurricane Katrina climbing by the day (possibly as high as $200 billion), it is time to demand action from our government representatives.

Earlier today on this blog, I advised President Bush to start cracking down on pork barrel spending when reviewing future legislation. But in addition to that, we need to begin pressuring our current Congressman and Senators to do the same. That is why it is important that each of you e-mail your local representatives and ask them to join the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) in their "Hurricane Katrina No Pork Pledge."

By signing the pledge, members of Congress vow to oppose any project or provision that is not directly related to the impact of Hurricane Katrina in any supplemental appropriations bill that provides funds for hurricane relief. CCAGW President Tom Schatz was joined by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas), Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD), Rep. Tom Feeney (R-Fla.), Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA), Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio), Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ), Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla), Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-GA), and Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC). Representative Chris Chocola (R - Indiana was unable to attend but has signed the pledge.

Each of these representatives should be commended for their actions today, but there is a startling fact that must be realized. Only 2% of the entire U.S. Senate (2/100) and 2.5% of the entire House of Representatives (11/435) have signed the pledge. In total, 2.4% of the entire U.S. Congress has committed to this vital pledge. And so far, 0 Democrats have signed the pledge.

It is important that each of us write to our local Congression Representatives and ask them to sign the pledge. If they do sign the pledge, they should be commended. If they don't, we will then know their true stance on this issue.

I will be writing a brief letter to Darrell Issa, my local Congressman shortly. I will share that letter later tonight.

President Bush - Choose the Right Course

2005-09-10T07:30:00.000-07:00

For the first time in during his time in offfice, President Bush's approval rating (in the AP poll) has dropped below 40 percent. The AP has their opinion has to why the President's rating is at its all-time low:

President Bush's job approval has dipped below 40 percent for the first time in the AP-Ipsos poll, reflecting widespread doubts about his handling of gasoline prices and the response to Hurricane Katrina.

I agree with the analysis that high gasoline prices has fueled these poll numbers. I also agree that Hurricane Katrina also contributed, but not in the way the AP would want you to believe.

According the the CNN Gallup Poll released earlier this week, only 13 percent of those polled believe that George W. Bush was most responsible for the problems in New Orleans. However, because the situation in New Orleans has been pounded day in and day out by every single outlet of the media, it is hard to have a positive outlook on anything. Most recently, the removal of FEMA director Michael Brown from overseeing Hurricane Katrina relief looks bad for the President, even though I agree with the decision. Why do I agree? If you are giving out $2,000 debit cards to everyone with no strings attached, that's a BIG problem.

Because of this overall negative outlook, it is very difficult for anyone to think the President is doing a good job at this time. I expect that the next wave of polls at the end of the month to be back around the mid-40s for the President, when gas prices decline and the City of New Orleans is no longer flooded.

However, this is a crucial point in the Bush Administration. Instead of using politics to get his poll numbers back to respectable levels, he should re-evaluate some key policy decisions, including energy, economic, and immigration policy. We should be building more oil refineries here in the United States. We should be expanding production and research of alternative energy sources. We should be instituting a flat tax here in the United States. We should be cracking down on illegal immigration here in the United States. We should be cutting pork barrel spending in all federal legislation (i.e. no more Federal Highway Bills).

Mr. President, use this difficult period as a staging point for the "Bush Revolution" in American politics. Adopt the policies you oultined throughout your election campaign in 2004 and during your State of the Union and pass them into law. Mr. President, you have the power to dictate how you will be remembered in history. Choose the right course.

Alan Greenspan's Reign Will End

2005-09-09T14:00:00.000-07:00

According to an article released by the Associated Press, the Federal Reserve has agreed to shorten its meeting in January from 2 two days to one. You are probably asking why this development is significant? Here's why....

The Federal Reserve decided to shorten a key monetary policymaking meeting in late January in what amounts to an acknowledgment by the secretive institution that Chairman Alan Greenspan is leaving then. The Fed said in a terse announcement Friday that the discussions of the Fed's interest-rate setting panel would take place on Jan. 31 only, rather than during a two-day time frame of Jan. 31-Feb. 1. The idea would be that the meeting would not overlap the departure of Greenspan the arrival of his successor.

Therefore, Alan Greenspan's reign as the Chairman of the Federal Reserve will end this upcoming January. There have been whispers in D.C. and across the blogosphere that Greenspan had wanted to leave, but this development seals the deal. Alan Greenspan has served as Fed Chairman since the Reagan administration, serving three Republican Presidents and one Democratic President.

Greenspan's departure has started speculation over who will replace him. Many political scientists, historians, and economists believe that the Chairman of the Federal Reserve is the most powerful position in American politics behind the Presidency.

The $100 Billion Scandal (That's not on the News!)

2005-09-09T09:00:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, I discussed the breaking news of the Volcker Report, which highlights the corruption and incompetence that has engulfed Kofi Annan and the entire United Nations. I have joined numerous others in asking the Secretary General to resign from office.

Today's Wall Street Journal highlights and analyzes the specifics from the Volcker Report in a piece entitled "Oil For Food as Usual." Here are some of the key points to take away from the report that truly demonstrate the devious intent of Kofi Annan:

But the program itself was designed by members of the U.N. Security Council following protracted negotiations with the government of Saddam Hussein. It was the Security Council, for example, that approved Saddam's right to choose the companies, contractors and middlemen with whom Iraq would do business, and through which the entire program was corrupted. The Security Council also ran its own supervisory "661 Committee," named after the 1990 Security Council resolution that imposed sanctions on Iraq following its invasion of Kuwait.

We all know that Saddam Hussein violated numerous U.N. resolutions and did not respect their authority. So why did the United Nations give Saddam the power to choose which companies could do business with Iraq? Wasn't there sanctions in place against Iraq following the first Persian Gulf War? But rather than answer those questions, let put the focus back on Kofi Annan:

Mr. Annan is also on record telling the Committee he viewed Oil for Food as "a very transparent operation." Yet as the report shows, Mr. Annan was himself complicit in covering up Iraqi violations of the sanctions regime. Specifically, Mr. Annan was aware of the kickback issue from at least February 2001, yet "the Secretary General's quarterly reports never mentioned the emerging problem." Why Mr. Annan chose to see no evil on Iraqi sanctions violations, much less use his bully pulpit to denounce it (as he later denounced the Iraq war as "illegal"), is an interesting question. Our sense is that the U.N. Secretariat as a whole took the view that the sanctions regime was immoral and that Saddam was within his rights to break free of it.

Accord to the report, Mr. Annan was "complicity in covering up Iraqi violations of the sanctions regime." In other words, he did not want the rest of the world to know his true actions or intent. Most likely, he was simply protecting his powerful friends (France - Chirac, Germany - Schroeder, Russia - Putin), all of whom has extensive business relationships with Saddam Hussein during the "Sanctions Regime." However, is it too far fetched to think that the Secretary General was not receiving some sort of kickback for his role? While I can only speculate, money tends to be a powerful influence over individual actions, especially to those with power.

This brings us to the main conclusion of the Volcker Report and the Journal's Editorial:

So it was that the largest fraud ever recorded in history came about. Press reports often cite the overall size of Oil for Food at $60 billion, but Mr. Volcker's report makes clear that the real figure was in excess of $100 billion. From this, Saddam was able to derive $10.2 billion from illicit transactions. But the important point is that he was able to steer 10 times that sum toward his preferred clients in the service of his political aims.

$100 billion dollars! You have to ask yourself why this scandal is not on the cover of every major news forum across the globe. I believe it demonstrates what lengths the powerful will take to bury the spread of the story that should have brought down the entire United Nations. Instead, this story will blow the wind and enter the abyss that is the past. What a shame.

Jerry Sanders Calls for Mass Resignations

2005-09-09T01:15:00.000-07:00

The man that the Politics and Freedom Blog is endorsing to be the next mayor of the city of San Diego, Jerry Sanders, made headlines today. Jerry Sanders announced that if he is elected mayor, he would ask for the resignation of over 300 city managers and directors.

"If I am elected as the new CEO – the mayor – it is my intention to create a city government based on high ethical standards, accountability and openness," Sanders said at a news conference outside City Hall. "Real change can only occur if senior management fully supports it.

This is a huge sigh of relief. If the city of San Diego is going to fix its pension crisis, as well as its image, the people that were causing the crisis must be removed from their positions. Hopefully Jerry Sanders will get the opportunity to clean house with an election win in November.

Councilwoman Donna Frye was also available to voice her opinion yesterday:

"If Jerry is calling for openness and accountability, I think he needs to be open and accountable and let people know if this will create any staff reductions," she said. "Without that, it's just empty rhetoric when the people of San Diego are asking for substance."

Apparently, Donna Frye did not understand what Jerry Sanders was saying. He said that he would remove all city employees that were not doing a satisfactory job and those who contributed to the city budget crisis. That inherently means a "staff reduction" because most of the people working now will be asked to resign or otherwise be fired. Instead of worrying about protecting those staffers who should not have jobs anyways, Donna Frye should stop with the "empty rhetoric" coming from her campaign. As one of the leading figures in the city of San Diego, shouldn't she claim some responsibility for the pension crisis? Shouldn't anyone in the city council?

It is because of people like Donna Frye, Michael Zucchet, Ralph Inzunza, and other members of the San Diego City Council that we are involved in this mess. Jerry Sanders has to tell the voters of San Diego that Donna Frye was a central part of the San Diego financial crisis and should not be given an opportunity to make it worse.

Politics and Freedom Blog's Book of the Week

2005-09-08T16:50:00.000-07:00

Every Thursday, I will post the Politics and Freedom Blog's Book of the Week. Last week, I recommended Dr. Marvin Olasky's The Religion Next Door.

This week, I am recommending George Weigel's The Cube and the Cathedral: Europe, America, and Politcs Without God.

Author George Weigel is a Roman Catholic theologian and has written over a dozen books included the international best-seller Witness to Hope: The Biography of Pope John Paul II. He is also a consultant of Vatican Affairs for NBC News and was on the air frequently following the passing of the late John Paul II.

In this book, George Weigel contrasts the current cultural conflict that is accounting for Europe's demise. This conflict occrs between the secular civilization that produced the modernist "cube" of the Grand Arch of La Défence in Paris and the religious civilization that produced the "cathedral," the great Norte Dame Cathedral. Weigel's central argument rests of his belief that Europe's embrace of a narrow and cramped secularism has led to a crisis of civilizational morale that is weakening Europe with each passing day and is contributing to serious doubt for the entire future of Europe.

There are three key aspects of this book that I believe are worth sharing with each of you.

1) George Weigel demonstrates why we as American citizens have a vested interest in what he terms "Europe's problem." This country's fate has been intertwined with Europe since our country was born. If Europe continues down its secular path, Weigel points that Islamist extremists who are currently taking advantage of that Europe system could overtake Europe through mere population and hijack the continent. It is important that the leaders of Europe reconnect society with Christianity, otherwise their civilization will dwindle during the course of the 21st century. And the United States may need to play a key role in order to prevent Europe's decline.

2) George Weigel spends a lot of time discussing the concept of freedom. The most important part of his analysis includes describing the basic difference between freedom of excellence and freedom of indifference. Freedom of excellence, as developed by Thomas Aquinas, 'is a means to huiman excellence and human happiness; it is the capacity to choose wisely and act well as a matter of habit and virtue. Freedom of indifference, as developed by William of Ockham, freedom is "simply a neutral faculty of choice; and choice is everything, for choice is a matter of self-assertion, of power." The first freedom has a spiritual connection, the second freedom does not. Weigel's contention is that the latter of these two freedoms has won thus far in Europe, and the consequences are just being realized.

3) Lastly, George Weigel chronicles how the leaders of France, Belgium, Germany, Spain, and the Netherlands are trying to eliminate any reference to Christianity in the European Union Constitution. Weigel argues that is impossible to ignore the influence of Christianity within Europe. To ignore Christianity significantly weakens any authority a potential European constitution would have, especially when the nations of eastern Europe have voiced their overwhelming disapproval of such an omission.

George Weigel's historical perspective, well-drawn out analysis, and down-to-earth writing style all contribute to the powerful message he outlines in The Cube and the Cathedral. I will close this review with an question that Weigel asks his readers:

So we come, once again, to the question of the cube and the cathedral. Which culture is more likely to protect human rights, promote the common good, defend legitimate pluralism, and give an account of the moral commitments that make democracy possible---the culture that produced the coldry rationalistic Grand Arch of La Défence? La Grande Arches embodies in a visually striking way, metaphysical boredom; it speaks to us of politics without God, indeed it celebrates politics without God as a great liberation for humanity. The holy unsameness of Norte-Dame, with its combination of stately stone and luminous glass, embodies, by contrast, the openness of the human spirit to the transcendent---to God. It took a long time for the people who built the cathedral to articulate, from within their own religious convictions, a persuasive, compelling case for democracy. But they have done that.

For how he reaches this conclusion, you have to read the book.

New Democratic Fundraising Tactics

2005-09-08T15:40:00.000-07:00

Apparently the Democrats have found a new means of fundraising. According the NYNewsday.com:

A new Democratic effort to whip up indignation about the Bush administration's handling of Hurricane Katrina also tried to raise money for Democratic candidates. Sen. Charles Schumer, a New York Democrat and the head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, issued an appeal Thursday urging people to sign an online petition to fire the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency over his handling of the Katrina response.

This is so typical of the Democrats. Instead of focusing on that fact that is was the DEMOCRATIC Governor of Louisiana and Mayor of New Olreans that are most responsible for this mess. If either of these positions were held by Republicans, their incompetence would continually be on the front page of major paper in America. Instead, the Democrats are fundraising to remove the head of FEMA. Quite remarkable.

Who Will Replace O'Connor?

2005-09-08T00:00:00.000-07:00

Now that John Roberts has been slated to replace William Rehnquist as Chief Justice, Sandra Day O'Connor's seat must again be filled. Today's column by Wall Street Journal contributor Manuel Miranda speculated over the different choices that the President has available to him that in his opinion would make terrific justices. Here are some of my favorite picks that he outlines:

Priscilla Owen. A Texan who joined the Fifth Circuit earlier this year as part of the filibuster compromise, Judge Owen has more appellate experience than past Supreme Court nominees, but having served on a state supreme court with limited jurisdiction, she has written on few hot-button issues. She has the attributes of wide name recognition as the subject of three years of Democrat obstruction, and she is well known in the White House. Karl Rove ran her campaign for election to the Texas Supreme Court.

Janice Rogers Brown. Judge Brown joined the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia as part of the filibuster compromise. Her principled writings over nearly a decade as a California Supreme Court justice have made her a hero to conservatives, especially after the U.S. Supreme Court's unpopular decision in Kelo v. New London on taking of private property, a topic upon which she has famously opined. The White House would score several points by nominating a brilliant, eloquent and charming black woman raised in the Deep South.

These two judges, along with Michael Luttig compile my short list of acceptable candidates. I believe Michael Luttig's chances are slim because he is a more hard-nosed version of John Roberts. Priscilla Owen would also be difficult since she was just confirmed in the D.C. Court of Appeals. I also believe that the Democrats may succeed in demonizing Janice Rogers Brown as an extremist, though it would hurt their clout within the black electorate.

Though I would thrilled with any of the candidates, I believe that this man should be the next justice to the Supreme Court.

Emilio Garza. A Texan of Mexican descent who has served since 1991 on the Fifth Circuit, Judge Garza has all the attributes and clear judicial record for which conservatives are looking. Judge Garza has the additional gift of being friendly, affable and gracious.

Emilio Garza would be the best choice for the last vacancy on the Supreme Court. While he is older than President Bush may like, 58, his potential appointment and confirmation would make him the first Hispanic to ever serve on the Supreme Court. Garza has a proven conservative track record and has indicated that he would overturn Roe v. Wade. However, he cannot be labeled an extremist because he has upheld decisions following the Roe v. Wade precedent, respecting the judicial precedent established by the Supreme Court.

Though a more thorough analysis will come, I am throwing my support to Emilio Garza for the nomination to the Supreme Court.

Governor Schwarzenegger Vetos Gay Marriage

2005-09-07T23:05:00.000-07:00

In a victory for those of us who still believe in the sanctity of marriage, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced explicitly that he will veto the bill passed yesterday by the California legislature.

Schwarzenegger said the legislation, given final approval Tuesday by lawmakers, would conflict with the intent of voters when they approved an initiative five years ago. Proposition 22 was placed on the ballot to prevent California from recognizing same-sex marriages performed in other states or countries.

It is fortunate that we have a Governor (who personally supports gay civil unions) that listens to the will of the people of this great state. The people explicitly made their voices heard when they passed Proposition 22 back in 2000. For a more detailed analysis of this issue, please refer to my post from last night.

Lastly, let us look at how the proponents of this bill reacted to the Governor's decision:

Kate Kendell, executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, said she was not surprised by word of Schwarzenegger's pending veto. "Any girlie man could have vetoed this legislation," she said, referring to a term Schwarzenegger used previously to mock Democratic legislators. "A real man demonstrating real leadership as governor of the most populous state in the nation would have chosen a different course of action."

I think a majority of us Californians would disagree with you, Ms. Kendell. You are just upset that the coolest Governor in the Union does not share your views. I bet that the Governor disagrees with your views quite often. Do not expect a chnage of opinion from the Governor on this issue.

Governor Blanco and Mayor Nagin Must Be Held Accountable

2005-09-07T15:45:00.000-07:00

Earlier this morning, I posted that the American people have spoken and do not blame President Bush for the disaster that unfolded after Hurricane Katrina erupted. Moreover, I stated that Mayor Nagin and Governor Blanco deserve the brunt of the blame.

A column in today's Wall Street Journal by Bob Williams reiterates the same message:

The actions and inactions of Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin are a national disgrace due to their failure to implement the previously established evacuation plans of the state and city. Gov. Blanco and Mayor Nagin cannot claim that they were surprised by the extent of the damage and the need to evacuate so many people. Detailed written plans were already in place to evacuate more than a million people. The plans projected that 300,000 people would need transportation in the event of a hurricane like Katrina. If the plans had been implemented, thousands of lives would likely have been saved.

Neither of these representatives should be re-elected to their current positions when they are up for re-election. Like Bill O'Reilly said, "Government leaders are in the performance business." If politicians perform poorly, they should be held accountable. I believe the voters will speak out during the next election regarding their performance.

United Nations Oil-for-Food Scandal

2005-09-07T08:10:00.000-07:00

Though the United Nations Oil-for-Food scandal has been a topic of discussion in the blogosphere for the past two years, the rest of the world appears to be catching up. According to the Associated Press:

In a devastating assessment of the U.N. oil-for-food program in Iraq, investigators strongly criticized Secretary-General Kofi Annan, his deputy and the Security Council for allowing Saddam Hussein to bilk some $10.2 billion from the giant humanitarian operation. The Independent Inquiry Committee's definitive report on oil-for-food said those managing the program - both U.N. member states and the world body's staff - failed the ideals of the United Nations, ignoring clear evidence that corruption and waste flourished after it was created in 1996.

It will be interesting to see how the results of this assessment will be portrayed in the main stream media. With the focus on Hurricane Katrina and the Supreme Court vacancies, I am doubtful that this will receive any attention at all. Though the reports main conclusion is worth noting:

"The inescapable conclusion from the committee's work is that the United Nations organization needs thorough reform - and it needs it urgently," the report said.

The "urgent reform" that is needed in the United Nations is for Kofi Annan to resign as Secretary General. Amidst one of the largest scandals in U.N. history, it is imperative that its leader take responsibility for his actions. As long as Kofi Annan stays as Secretary General, that organization will be covered with a cloud of scandal and corruption.

But I almost forgot a crucial question. Do politicans, whether here in the United States, the U.N., or anywhere else, ever own up to mistakes when they do not have too? Expect Kofi Annan to stay aboard in the U.N.

People Do Not Blame President Bush

2005-09-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

Matt Drudge has just released the results of the most recent CNN/USA Today Gallup Poll.

A CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll of 609 adults taken September 5-6 shows:

Blame Game -- 13% said George W. Bush is "most responsible for the problems in New Orleans after the hurricane"; 18% said "federal agencies"; 25% said "state and local officials"; 38% said "no one is to blame"; 6% had no opinion. -- 29% said that "top officials in the federal agencies responsible for handling emergencies should be fired"; 63% said they should not; 8% had no opinion.

If polled, I would have voted that state and local officials should share in the brunt of responsibility, followed closely by the federal agencies. For the moment, it is clear that the American people are not going to hold President Bush responsible for this disaster, which is good considering he had little to do with it.

President Bush only can be held responsible for not getting the armed forces there as soon as possible. Governor Blanco should have ordered the National Guard in sooner to get as many people out of New Orleans as possible. In addition, New Olreans mayor Ray Nagin should have better prepared the citizens of New Orleans for a disaster of this magnitude. The shortcomings of the latter two individuals cost many more lives than the shortcomings of the President of the United States.

This blame game will continue for many days, weeks, and months ahead. While some may argue that we should move on past the faults of government, I believe that a thorough discussion of what went wrong is necessary in order to prevent it from happening in the future.

Gay Marriage Passes in California Legislature

2005-09-06T21:35:00.000-07:00

After years of trying, the gay-rights lobby has succeeded in having a state legislature pass a gay marriage bill.

The California Legislature on Tuesday became the first legislative body in the country to approve same-sex marriages, as gay-rights advocates overcame two earlier defeats in the Assembly. The 41-35 vote sends the bill to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. The bill's supporters compared the legislation to earlier civil rights campaigns, including efforts to eradicate slavery and give women the right to vote.

This is a devastating psychological blow to the majority of Americans who believe in the sanctity of marriage, even though Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is not expected to sign the bill into law. While I support equal protection under the law for homosexual Americans, marriage must remain between a man and a woman. There are several key points to examine:

1) The definition of marriage is a permanent and exclusive partnership of a man and woman for their whole lives for the good of both spouses and for the procreation and education of children. In 1977, the California state legislature explicitly defined marriage as a legal tie between a man and a woman. Reversing this decision not only offends a majority of Californians and Americans, it also goes against the very definition of marriage itself.

2) In March 2000, the voters of California passed Proposition 22, an initiative statute which states: "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California." Even though California is considered one of the more liberal states of the union, the voters overwhelmingly passed the initiative, 61.4% to 38.6%. So this law directly contradicts a state-wide referendum voted directly by the people. Apparently, our state legislature has no regard for the will of the people anymore.

3) The reason this issue remains vitally important is simply because the sanctity of marriage remains one of the great pillars of American society. To strike down this pillar would weaken America as a whole. President George W. Bush said it best in his speech on this issue back on February 24, 2004:

Marriage cannot be severed from its cultural, religious and natural roots without weakening the good influence of society. Government, by recognizing and protecting marriage, serves the interests of all.

The President is absolutely correct. The supporters of the bill passed tonight want to portray this issue with slavery or denying the right to vote. That is preposterous. Their rights are not being taken away. No one is stopping same-sex couples from engaging in life-long partnerships. Moreover, the individual rights of these individuals is not being sacrificed. Instead, the California legislature succeeded in taking away the rights of everyone else in this country that supports traditional marriage by changing the very definition of marriage.

The President again summed it up best:

America is a free society, which limits the role of government in the lives of our citizens. This commitment of freedom, however, does not require the redefinition of one of our most basic social institutions. Our government should respect every person, and protect the institution of marriage. There is no contradiction between these responsibilities.

This is an issue that citizens within our great state, as well as Americans across this great nation must fight to protect. The will of the people will be heard, regardless of activist judges or extreme lawmakers. If lawmakers are able to override the Governor's expected veto, it is up to us as citizens to reject the philsophy of "tolerance, equality, and fairness" as articulated by State Assemblyman Mark Leno. They are no being tolerant or fair to the opinion explicitly stated by an overwhelming majority of people in this state.

I guess we will just have to make it clear once again. Gay Marriage is not permitted in this state or this country.

Fantasy Football

2005-09-06T12:32:00.000-07:00

A little personal favor to ask each of you.

A friend is starting a fantasy football league in which I am participating. We have 3 people signed up for the league so far, but we need at least 6 people in order to start the season. The draft will be held this Thursday. Buy in for the league is $40 and will be run through Yahoo! Fantasy Football. Here is the information you will need if you are interested. I hope you will want to participate and leave a comment if you are interested. Thanks.

League ID: 614065
Password: dude5134

NOTE: You will have to create a Yahoo! ID in order to join the league. Its free and only takes a couple of seconds.

Hollywood Left Lashes Out

2005-09-06T10:00:00.000-07:00

As I have gotten older and wiser, I have come to the realization that my favorite entertainers remain those who NEVER open their mouths about politics. It seems that when actors or musicians open their mouths and start rambling on about the world around them, they lose another customer.

Recently, the Rolling Stones have released the song "Neo-Con" which bashes the current Bush foreign policy. On NBC's telethon Friday night benefitting Hurricane Katrina victims, rapper Kayne West blamed President Bush for the crisis.

Today, two more intellectual giants from Hollywood stepped onto the political stage.

Actor Sean Penn, no friend of the current administration or this blog, said the following:

Oscar-winning Hollywood actor Sean Penn, who has been assisting rescue efforts in New Orleans, said the US government did not "seem to be inclined to help". "We were pulling drowning people out of the water, it's the ultimate distress and human suffering ... dead bodies," he told GMTV." There are people that are dying right now and I mean babies and old people and everybody in between - they're dying. There are people dying and (the US government are) not putting the boats in the water, I think that's criminal negligence. I don't think anybody ever anticipated the criminal negligence of the Bush administration in this situation."

US Government not inclined to help? Criminal negligence? Sean Penn needs to go back to his alternative universe because in the past few days I have seen this adminstration, the armed services, local police and government officials, and thousands of volunteers trying their hardest to lend aid to the victims. Sean Penn is just a liar, plain and simple.

And if you though Sean Penn's "commentary" was rancid, here comes Pierce Brosnan to steal the show:

"This man called President Bush has a lot to answer for," the former James Bond actor told reporters Saturday. "I don't know if this man is really taking care of America. This government has been shameful."

Has the recently departed James Bond been so sheltered in his universe that he has never heard of the President of the United States. While I know it would be best to ignore comments like these, I have to remind my readers that millions of people look up to these actors and will simply repeat what they tell them. It is important to identify these actors as "extremists" and spread the word that any comments that they say should be ridiculed, ignored, or the start of a joke. These comments should NEVER be a source of fact used in a political argument.

Hollywood is supposed to entertain us, not educate us. They do not have the God given ability to educate. Can anyone please this information along to Kayne West, Mick Jagger, Sean Penn, and Pierce Brosnan?

President Bush and Hurricane Katrina

2005-09-06T00:00:00.000-07:00

The subject of today's Wall Street Journal Editorial analyzes President Bush's handling of Hurricane Katrina and how this event marks a pivotal point in his presidency. There are key points worth examining from their editorial.

Mr. Bush is going to have to recognize the obvious initial failure of the Department of Homeland Security in its first big post-9/11 test. The President created this latest huge federal bureaucracy, against the advice of many of us, and we're still waiting for evidence that it has done anything but reshuffle the Beltway furniture. If FEMA can't now handle the diaspora out of New Orleans to Houston, Baton Rouge and other cities, the political retribution will be fierce.

Their analysis is correct. But what is more important than acknowledging President Bush's "reshuffle [of] Beltway furniture" is resisting the attempts of Democrats and even some moderate Republican lawmakers is to further increase government bureaucracy. Like I examined yesterday, Senator Hillary Clinton has suggested making FEMA a separate cabinet department. The President must squash these suggestions before they gain political momentum.

The WSJ editorial continues by connecting this disaster to economic leadership:

Economic leadership also means instructing Americans on the link between tax cutting and the economic vitality needed to fund both Katrina relief and the war on terror. Predictably, the Bush tax cuts are under attack for denying revenue to the government and because they don't require "sacrifice" in wartime. But the truth is that federal revenues are rising by an estimated $262 billion--or roughly 14%--this year thanks to the growth that followed the 2003 tax cuts. Republicans have been far too defensive on tax cuts, and Katrina is an opening to explain their necessity and to push for making them permanent.

The WSJ correct states that without the Bush tax cuts, $262 billion worth of revenue would no be there, making Hurricane Katrina an even more devastating disaster. The Bush tax cuts should be made permanent and Republicans should go on the offensive on this issue. Do not allow the Democrats to frame the debate like they did with Social Security. Show the people that they have worked in increasing revenue and giving people back more of their money. Show the people that everyone who pay taxes benefits, not only "the top 1%."

The Journal editorial ends with this forceful conclusion:

As the initial polls are showing, most Americans aren't yet blaming Mr. Bush for Katrina's aftermath. But with war in Iraq and terrorism, rising energy prices and now a natural disaster, these are also anxious times. Voters will forgive a President many mistakes but no leader can survive a public judgment that he is unsure of himself and hostage to events. We've thought for some time that Mr. Bush's reticence was hurting him on Iraq, and that he needs to be both more visible and more assertive in making his case to Americans. After Katrina, we'd say that's imperative.

The President, who has been tested often during his Administration, must respond with strong leadership and a clear and coherent message to the American people. The 2004 election taught us that this President Bush has the ability to capture and inspire our hearts and minds. He needs to remind each of us of that fire that led the American people to vote him back into the Presidency. The President must go out each and every day, articulate his vision, and lead us out of this disaster. Moreover, he must move on from his mistakes and retool his agenda with regards to Iraq, social security, energy, and immigration. He has the heart and ability to make his case. Just do it already!

Voter ID Law Being Challenged

2005-09-05T18:20:00.000-07:00

In a case that could have big implications both politically and socially, voter ID opponents in Georgia are challenging its state law.

Opponents of a new Georgia law requiring voters to show photo identification at the polls are planning a federal court lawsuit challenging the measure, which they fear will lower voter turnout. The bill requires voters to show photo identification at the polls. It eliminates the use at the polls of formerly accepted forms of voter identification, such Social Security cards, birth certificates or utility bills.

The arguments that voter ID laws will reduce voter turnout or that these laws are racially motivated are not strong enough to overturn this laws. If you want to vote in this country, you must be able to prove who you are. Period.

Social Security cards, birth certificates, utility bills, credit cards, etc. are not valid forms of identification. You cannot use these items to cash a paycheck on your local bank, purchase alcohol at your local grocery store, or purchase any item at a shopping center using means other than cash. You should not be able to use them to try and vote. Every voter must provide picture identification in order to prevent voter fraud from occurring in this country. It is not difficult to provide a picture identification.

Furthermore, the argument that voter ID laws are racially motivated is absurd and is merely a tactic to distort the truth. The AP outlines the main argument of Democrats:

Democrats had argued the idea was a political move by the GOP to depress voting among minorities, the elderly and the poor - all traditional bases for Democrats.

Well, if it is a "political move by the GOP" to end voter fraud in this country, then I guess they are right. No one is stopping "minorities, the elderly, and the poor" from getting valid photo identification. Lawmakers are trying to stop voter fraud. If the Democrats support voter fraud, then they should say so. Otherwise, they should just use their financial resources to help their voters get valid IDs. Wouldn't that solve their dilemma?

One last note, the ACLU is representing the plaintiffs in this case. Anyone surprised that the Anti-Americans for Crooks, Liars, and Underachievers is representating the opponents of voter identification? Another reason why the ACLU remains the most dangerous organization in America today.

Why We Do NOT Need a Katrina Commission

2005-09-05T15:45:00.000-07:00

I was wondering when Senator Hillary Clinton would return from the shadows and back into the public eye. The Senator from New York has been unusually quiet during the past week, but she returned with a fury today.

According to the New York Daily News, Senator Clinton wants to establish a "Katrina Commission" similar to the 9/11 Commission to evaluate what went wrong in the past week and what can be done in the future. Besides the fact that Republican Senator John Kyl of Arizona proposed the same idea last week, why do we need another commission to examine what went wrong and how to fix it when we already know what is wrong?

1) Government (federal, state, local) has been and will continue to remain reactive rather than proactive in averting disaster situations. This continues to be the case in securing our borders, changing the tax code, fixing social security, fixing Medicare/Medicaid, etc. Government never plans for the future, a trend that needs to be fixed, but may never happen.

2) More money (that the federal, state, and local governments do not have) will have to given to FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) and other government agencies. A general disaster fund (that cannot be borrowed against or tapped into) must be established by Congress for rainy-day situations like Hurricane Katrina. This does not require raising taxes, but can be done by eliminated pork-barrel spending or inefficient government agencies that should have been eliminated anyways. For instance, within the President's and Congressional Budget Proposals, 2% of the total budget should be set aside for emergencies every single year and NOT touched except for these scenarios. If that were the case, President Bush would not need to run to Congress to ask for $10.5 billion dollars just for the first three weeks of dealing with a disaster.

3) More National Guardsmen will have to be on duty before a natural disaster hits (if possible) and be dispatched quicker than was the case in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The analysis by some pundits that there was not enough members of the National Guard because of the War in Iraq is ludicrous. There are more than enough National Guardsmen on duty at all times to deal with situations like this. The governors should always err on the side of caution and should be overprepared rather than underprepared if possible.

4) Looters and armed thugs have to dealt with immediately and forcefully. Allowing criminals to shoot at ambulances, innocent victims, or members of the armed services is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated. These criminals need to be disarmed and killed if necessary. The government simply does not have enough time to be distracted with individuals who are promoting chaos in disaster areas.

While I can definitely go into more detail about how to effectively deal with natural disasters (and even terrorist disasters) should they arise, another Congressional hearing is not necessary. Members of Congress should simply propose legislation, debate the issue, and then vote. That is all!

What we do NOT need is what Hillary Clinton proposed today:

Clinton has decided at least one thing without waiting for any commission reports. She said she plans to introduce legislation to split the Federal Emergency Management Agency out of the Department of Homeland Security and give it back a cabinet-level director like it had in her husband's administration.

More government bureaucracy would only worsen the problem. FEMA should remain under the control of the Department of Homeland Security and should NOT be given a cabinet-level position. It is not only not necessary, but adds more red tape to disasters when they arise. But instead of proposing common-sense legislation like I proposed, members of Congress propose this nonsense. I guess that is politicians being politicians. They simply want to show the people they are doing something when they really are not.

John Roberts Nominated as Chief Justice

2005-09-05T13:18:00.000-07:00

The Politics and Freedom Blog is very pleased with the announcement that John Roberts has been nominated by President Bush to be the next Chief Justice, replacing the late William Rehnquist. Though my preference with have been with either Justice Scalia or Justice Thomas, John Roberts has a proven track record and will make an excellent Chief Justice.

There are a couple main reasons why President Bush made this decision. The first one was described accurate by the Associated Press.

The swift move would promote to the Supreme Court's top job a newcomer who currently is being considered as one of eight associate justices. It would also ensure a full 9-member court, because retiring Justice Sandra Day O'Connor has said she will remain on the job until her replacement is confirmed.

Since the Supreme Court reconvenes next month, it would been very difficult for the President to push through two confirmation hearings through the Senate by October. Unfortunately, bad timing kept both Scalia or Thomas from becoming Chief Justice and benefitted John Roberts greatly. It is important that a full 9-member court be in place to hear cases, otherwise a number of crucial decisions could be decided on a 4-4 tie, meaning the percedent either rejected or upheld in the lower courts would remain. On crucial decision, the Supreme Court MUST make the final decision, for better or worse. Now, O'Connor will be able to serve until a ninth justice is confirmed.

One last comment I would like to share with you. Now that John Roberts is replacing William Rehnquist, many Democrats will try and argue that a "moderate" conservative should be nominated to replace Sandra Day O'Connor.

This line of reasoning should be forcefully rejected by President Bush and the Republican Senators. This is their chance to stamp out the judicial philosophy of the Supreme Court for the next twenty-thirty years. O'Connor must be replaced by someone like Michael Luttig or Janice Rogers Brown, who both have proven track records of upholding a strong, conservative judicial philosophy that does not use the Constitution to make laws or use European laws as precedent here. Anything less than those two individuals would scare me and make me think President Bush is trying to avoid a fight in the Senate, especially a fight that he could easily win.

The Importance of Judicial Conservatism

2005-09-04T22:28:00.000-07:00

Besides coverage of Hurricane Katrina, the Senate confirmation hearings on John Roberts will be the big story of the week, especially following the death of Chief Justice William Rehnquist.

The Opinion Journal features a column by Cass Sunstein defending John Roberts as a minimalist, not a fundamentalist. However, his main contention is fundamentally false:

But at this point in our history, the most serious danger lies in the rise of conservative judicial activism, by which the interpretation of the Constitution by some federal judges has come to overlap with the ideology of right-wing politicians. For those who are concerned about that kind of activism on the Supreme Court, opposition to the apparently cautious Judge Roberts seems especially odd at this stage. The far more reasonable path is to keep an open mind and to hope for a serious and substantive confirmation process.

The most serious danger lies in the rise of conservative judicial activism? Mr. Sunstein must be confused because true conservatives who are strict constructionists do not make up laws to fit one's political views.

It is not an extremist position if you believe that prayer should be allowed in schools by those who voluntarily choose to participate. It is not an extremist position to believe that a "fundamental" right to privacy does not exist. It is not an extremist position to believe that the Ten Commandments should be allowed to be displayed inside a classroom or a courthouse. If Cass Sunstein or any other law professor feels these are extreme positions, then s/he is an extremist themselves and is simply playing partisan politics. While living in a world that upholds these positions may drive them crazy, it is not as bad as living in a world where private property does not exist, or where the ACLU dictates what is acceptable in this country.

Though we may be in agreement that John Roberts will be confirmed and will be a great justice to the Supreme Court, we disagree on what the "most serious danger" at this point of history is. He believes that "conservative activism" is the most dangerous problem; I believe it is "liberal activism." Hopefully, I will get to live in his worst fear, rather than live in my worst fear.

Decisive Victory in German Chancellor Debate

2005-09-04T20:25:00.000-07:00

In one of the most pivotal elections taking place in 2005, the German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder appears to be in big trouble in his re-election bid. According to the European Press, Germany's conservative party challenger Angela Merkel tonight scored a decisive victory over Chancellor Gerhard Schroder in the only live debate of the German election campaign bid.

There were some key events to take from last night's debate:

Germany's conservative challenger Angela Merkel last night scored a decisive victory over chancellor Gerhard Schröder in the only live debate of the German election campaign. In a gripping 90-minute TV duel, Mrs Merkel repeatedly got the better of a stumbling Schröder - telling Germans that the only way to get the country out of its present mess was to vote for her Christian Democrat party. "You can't be satisfied with the situation in this country," she told the chancellor bluntly. "I don't see anything in your programme to address this."

Angela Merkel represents the Christian Democrats, a party that promotes conservative values and pro-American relations. Gerhard Schröder has consistently run on a platform condemning the United States' involvement in Iraq, and has not been a strong ally in the War on Terror. Moreover, Germany's economic figures, including economic growth and job figures has declined significantly since the German Chancellor defeated Helmut Kohl in the 1998 election. Mrs. Angela Merkel reiterated this point during tonight's debate:

Looking relaxed in a black suit with white buttons, Mrs Merkel said that she and an increasing number of voters believed in a Europe with clear boundaries. This didn't include Turkey, she said. In a closing address to the cameras, she said that if voters were happy with Mr Schröder's record on jobs, growth and pensions over the past seven years they should vote for him. If they thought Germany could do better, however, they should vote for her.

This election could signify a major shift in the balance of power in the European Union. Right now, France and Germany control a narrow majority in the power balance of the European Union which hurts U.S. interests. If Angela Merkel and the Christian Democrats regain power in Germany, than Jacques Chirac's influence would be significantly weakened within the European Union.

If Angela Merkel is re-elected, the mending of fences between the continental European nations and the United States could begin to be mended.

ROME

2005-09-04T17:30:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to let each of you know that the best new television program this season is ROME on HBO. If you want more information on the show, here is the link.

The show is as realistic as a television program can get and is highly entertaining. It airs at 6pm West Coast time every Sunday night. I hope you enjoy it.

Knowing Who Our True Friends Are: Part II

2005-09-04T10:54:00.000-07:00

More and more donations are coming in to help the United States deal with the damage inflicted by Hurricane Katrina. On Friday, I highlighted the contributions of Australia and Japan.

Today, I am updating that list to show the contributions of other U.S. allies that we have aided in the past and that are returning the favor. Kuwait, whom U.S. forces helped survive an invasion from Saddam Hussein back in 1991, has pledged $500 million dollars to help those affected by Hurricane Katrina.

In addition, Qatar has pledged $100 million to the efforts as well. Both of these nations who have benefitted from U.S. protection are really coming up big in their efforts today and should be commended by every American.

On an individual level, best-selling author John Grisham has personally pledged a donation of $5 million dollars to a relief fund they established to help Mississippians rebuild.

"But in these very, very rare circumstances — this tragic time — we hope the gift will get some attention and inspire other people to contribute money and help our fellow Mississippians on the Gulf Coast," said Grisham, who maintains a home in Oxford, Miss.

Hopefully the large donation will work in his effort to inspire more and more philanthropists across America and the entire world.

Today, the Politics and Freedom blog commends and thanks the donations of the governments of Kuwait and Qatar, as well as author John Grisham.

Get Off His Back

2005-09-04T10:38:00.000-07:00

Noted economist Ben Stein of "Win Ben Stein's Money" fame has just written a tremendous column for the American Spectator. The title "Get Off His Back" is a defense of President Bush amidst all of the criticism that has headed his way in the past week.

Here are some of my favorite "truths" that he makes:

2.) George Bush did not cause the hurricane. Hurricanes have been happening for eons. George Bush did not create them or unleash this one.

4.) There is no overwhelming evidence that global warming exists as a man-made phenomenon. There is no clear-cut evidence that global warming even exists. There is no clear evidence that if it does exist it makes hurricanes more powerful or makes them aim at cities with large numbers of poor people. If global warming is a real phenomenon, which it may well be, it started long before George Bush was inaugurated, and would not have been affected at all by the Kyoto treaty, considering that Kyoto does not cover the world's worst polluters -- China, India, and Brazil. In a word, George Bush had zero to do with causing this hurricane. To speculate otherwise is belief in sorcery.

7.) George Bush is the least racist President in mind and soul there has ever been and this is shown in his appointments over and over. To say otherwise is scandalously untrue.

12.) The entire episode is a dramatic lesson in the breathtaking callousness of government officials at the ground level. Imagine if Hillary Clinton had gotten her way and they were in charge of your health care.

Witty, yet truthful commentary from Ben Stein.

Biography on William Rehnquist

2005-09-03T20:37:00.000-07:00

Here is a brief biography on Willliam Rehnquist.

Once again, the big news of this Saturday, September 3, 2005 is the passing of Chief Justice William Rehnquist at the age of 80.

Chief Justice William Rehnquist Dies at His Home

2005-09-03T20:21:00.000-07:00

It has just hit the wires that Chief Justice William Rehnquist has died in his home at the age of 80.

Rehnquist was appointed to the Supreme Court as an associate justice in 1971 by President Nixon and took his seat on Jan. 7, 1982. He was elevated to chief justice by President Reagan in 1986. He also presided over President Clinton's Impeachment Trial.

He will be remembered as a beacon of judicial conservatism and will be remembered for many years. More details on the legacy of Chief Justice William Rehnquist to come.

Was Race a Factor?

2005-09-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

There is a new spin being outsourced by the media this morning. Is the fact that the victims are overwhelmingly black the reason the delays have taken so long? This question is just a slap in the face to every member of government trying to help. Rhetoric like this continues to echo throughout the main stream press:

"Love has no color," Cassandra Robinson said huddling with her family in a parking entrance along New Orleans' Convention Center Boulevard. "But I've seen where this is all black and everybody else who is Caucasian, they're up high in the hotels."

In fact, those in hotels complained bitterly they also were neglected. But Robinson's comment echoes those of others who question the part race may have played in New Orleans' crippling crisis.

Now, I think frustration with how slow aid is arriving and several days of personal discomfort lead to comments such as those made by Cassandra Robinson. Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and other racial dividers will be looking in the next few months to spark racial tensions and make race the central issue. The more racial anger that develops, the more money that goes into the pocketbooks of Reverend Jackson and his coalition.

I believe Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, analyzed the situation best:

Although she agreed that the black community has been heavily affected, Rice said "nobody wants to see Americans suffer, and I think everybody understands that."

The slow reaction time in getting help to those suffering in New Orleans has nothing to do with the color of your skin. The main reason is the fact that the city, state, and federal governments being severely underprepared in dealing with a disaster of this magnitude. When it is time to assess the causes of this disaster, the Mayor of New Orleans, the state legislature of Louisiana, and the Governor's office will have to answer lots of questions.

But for now, let us continue to hope and pray that those still in New Orleans get help soon.

NBC Concert a Bust

2005-09-02T22:48:00.000-07:00

NBC should have been commended for being the first of the major networks to hold a telethon benefitting the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Instead, the comments of one participant will slant any potential public relations victory for NBC:

But "A Concert for Hurricane Relief," a heartfelt and dignified benefit aired on NBC and other networks Friday night, took an unexpected turn thanks to the outspoken rapper Kanye West. Appearing two-thirds through the program, he claimed "George Bush doesn't care about black people" and said America is set up "to help the poor, the black people, the less well-off as slow as possible."

Without question, Kanye West's comments crossed the line. But in an event that is supposed to be solely about raising money for those in need, why did NBC tolerate any political comments? By allowing Kanye West to rant about the President for any period of time, you are in effect discouraging conservative viewers from donating to this cause.

NBC should be ashamed of itself, but I cannot say I am surprised. In fact, I am surprised that more Hollywood lefties did not reiterate the same rhetoric.

But one thing can be concluded from tonight's fundraising effort: it did not raise as much money as it was capable of raising. Shame on NBC.

It-Dah-Gan Now Available

2005-09-02T20:08:00.000-07:00

While I know each and every one of you hangs by the edge of your seat awaiting each new political post, I would like to take a moment and do a plug for a couple of my close friends. John Altick and David Peske are co-creators of the game "It-Dah-Gan."

It is a new card game that has just hit stores. Here is the description they provided:

A unique card game of trump and trick play where everybody wants to be at DAH-top! Players collect uh-DAH points by playing lower and lower cards until the lowest card takes the trick. Get rid of your cards first to become DAH-top, but be careful make a mistake and be toppled to DAH-bottom and owe DAH-top your 2 best cards. Win by being the first player to get 50 uh-DAH points. 3 to 6 players ages 8 and up.

This game should be in stores in the United States very soon. It-Dah-Gan can entertain both genders and people of all ages. If you are a fan of casual card games, this is for you. Congrats to John Altick and David Peske, and I wish them all the success in the world.

Knowing Who Our True Friends Are

2005-09-02T19:46:00.000-07:00

Over the past century, the United States has given trillions of dollars in aid to help nations in Europe, South America, Asia, and Africa when they were in trouble. The Marshall Plan, implemented to help rebuild Europe after World War II and the curent relief package to help combat AIDS in Africa are just a couple of examples. Over the past few days, I asked myself if any of these nations that received American aid in the past would return the favor in our time of need.

Now, there is word that over 30 nations have offered aid to the United States.

By Friday, offers had been received from Russia, Japan, Canada, France, Honduras, Germany, Venezuela, Jamaica, Australia, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Greece, Hungary, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, China, South Korea, Israel, the United Arab Emirates, New Zealand, Guatemala, Paraguay, Belgium, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Italy, Guyana, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Austria, Lithuania, Spain, Dominica, Norway, Cuba and Bahamas.

But of all these nations, two of them stand out: Australia and Japan.

Australia announced a donation of $8 million to the American Red Cross. "The United States is so often at the forefront of international aid efforts to help less fortunate nations," Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said.

Japan said it would contribute $200,000 to the American Red Cross for its relief operations. Upon request, Japan is prepared to provide up to $300,000 in tents, blankets, power generators, portable water tanks, and other equipment, the Japanese Embassy said.

It is commendable that several nations and even the United Nations have pledged financial resources to victims of Hurricane Katrina. However, it is clear that Australia and Japan are true friends of the United States. The rest of the nations could be donating money for purely political reasons, but the intent of the Australians and Japanese exceeds mere political motives.

Truly Ungrateful People

2005-09-02T14:31:00.000-07:00

The attitudes of some of the victims in New Orleans is absolutely appalling. Each day brings more members of the armed forces and national guard to New Orleans. The federal and state governments, along with countless volunteers are working around the clock to rescue people, bring supplies, and/or help people get out of New Orleans. Instead of being grateful for the amount of time and effort spent by the workers, I am reading comments like this:

"Hell no, I'm not glad to see the [National Guard}. They should have been here days ago. I ain't glad to see 'em. I'll be glad when 100 buses show up," said 46-year-old Michael Levy, whose words were echoed by those around him yelling, "Hell, yeah! Hell yeah!" "We've been sleeping on the ... ground like rats," Levy said. "I say burn this whole ... city down."

I say these people should not be helped. If they are this selfish and this ungrateful, then let them suffer. They are thousands of other people who are happy to see order return to the city and who are relieved that they are helped. These people believe that the entire world revolves around them and have no understanding of the bigger picture. Truly unbelievable.

If any person holds the opinion of Michael Levy, they should not get aid. Period. There are too many other people who can better use the aid. People like Michael Levy just want an excuse to complain and will always want preferential treatment. One of the negative side effects of a entitlement-based society I suppose. But that discussion is for another day....

Let's Hope Senator Vitter is Wrong

2005-09-02T12:46:00.000-07:00

Louisiana Senator David Vitter has just announced that he believes the death toll of Hurricane Katrina could exceed...

10,000 people.

If his estimates are correct, that would make Hurricane Katrina the deadliest hurricane to hit the United States since 1900.

With each passing moment, it seems the estimates seemingly get higher, the amount of order lower. Hopefully, Louisiana can recover from this horrific ordeal.

World Reaction to Katrina

2005-09-02T09:12:00.000-07:00

Instead of lending a helping hand to the U.S. amidst one of the worst natural disasters in our nation's history, the rest of the world's press seems content to enjoy the mild case of anarchy that has erupted in New Orleans and exaggerate it to seem like the U.S. is going to collapse. Here are a few headlines:

"Anarchy in the U.S." --- British Sun

"Apocalypse Now" --- Germany's Handelsblatt

Brit's Hell Inside the Terror Dome --- Daily Mirror

While conditions are dreadful in New Orleans and appear to be getting worse, this articles make it seem that the end of the United States is imminent. In addition, the AP is reporting the following about France's Liberation publication:

"A modern metropolis sinking in water and into anarchy -- it is a really cruel spectacle for a champion of security like Bush," France's left-leaning Liberation newspaper said. "(Al Qaeda leader Osama) bin Laden, nice and dry in his hideaway, must be killing himself laughing."

It is commentary like this that cause such anti-French rhetoric here in the United States. If they really want Bin Laden his jihad against the United States, then they should publicly join his side. Then we could see how brave France truly is.

Other comments include a South Korean woman equating this disaster as some sort of punishment for the man-made disaster in Iraq.

Apparently, the rest of the world does not quite understand the meaning of a "natural disaster." They happen. It is not because the U.S. is in Iraq. It is not because the U.S. failed to sign the Kyoto Agreement. It happened because hurricanes occur every year during this time of year and the city of New Orleans was underprepared to deal with a Category 4 Hurricane.

Maybe I just had to state that clearly so the rest of the world could understand.

New Orleans Out of Control

2005-09-02T00:48:00.000-07:00

For the past few days, New Orleans has been out of control. Here is yet another example:

New Orleans descended into anarchy Thursday as corpses lay abandoned in street medians, fights and fires broke out, cops turned in their badges and the governor declared war on looters who have made the city a menacing landscape of disorder and fear.

The National Guard should be there in overwhelming numbers restoring order to the region. But based on the events being reported by the Associated Press, this is simply not happening.

The chaos deepened despite the promise of 1,400 National Guardsmen a day to stop the looting, plans for a $10 billion recovery bill in Congress and a government relief effort President Bush called the biggest in U.S. history.

Apparently $10 billion is not enough to stop this problem. Unless looters and criminals are dealt with effectively enough, this will continue to stagnate progress in New Orleans. These thugs should be shot on sight, no questions asked. Otherwise, thousands of innocent live will be lost. Hopefully President Bush will rise up and realize the solution to this problem. Otherwise, this will be a long month.

Book of the Week

2005-09-01T19:42:00.000-07:00

Each week, I will recommend to you a book that fulfills one of two criteria. First, it can enhance one's knowledge of history, religion, philosophy, or politics. Second, the message being expressed in the book will be one that I generally agree with or believe should be thoroughly discussed.

Bearing that in mind, the first book I will be recommending for the Freedom and Politics Blog is Dr. Marvin Olasky's The Religions Next Door.

Dr. Marvin Olasky is a professor of journalism at the University of Texas at Austin and editor-in-chief of World magazine. His analysis of how religion is covered by the American media is outstanding. He begins by describing the basic tenets and beliefs of the four largest non-Christian religions in the world: Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam. Dr. Olasky spends four chapters discussing those basic beliefs and spends another four chapters discussing how the media covers these religions and what aspects of their history the media does not report when discussing these religions. Some of these omissions are quite astounding.

The most impressive parts of Dr. Olasky's analysis comes during the last two chapters. In chapter 9 he shows specific examples of how the media misses the mark on covering these religions. In the final chapter, he describes what the media can do to fix these problems and better cover stories that have religious significance.

Dr. Olasky's main conclusion is that the media's portrayal that all of the major religions all hold to different variations of the same basic tenets and beliefs is false. Moreover, the media is doing a grave injustice to all Americans by promoting this agenda.

By reading this book, you can learn a lot about some of the world's major religions and aspects that either the media or religious leaders may omit during their discussions.

New Orleans Refugees Blog

2005-09-01T16:52:00.000-07:00

I would like to give some attention to the folks at the New Orleans Refugees Blog.

They have numerous links to relevant news, contact info, charities, success stories, and missing person information.

I believe that this blog may provide the best information of this crisis for the next couple of weeks.

Islam's View of Katrina

2005-09-01T16:47:00.000-07:00

While this article by Muhammad Yousef Al-Mlaifi may not represent the views of all Islamic believers, it does represent the views of many who call Allah their god. Some excerpts from the director of the Kuwaiti Ministry of Endowment's Research Center:

"But how strange it is that after all the tremendous American achievements for the sake of humanity, these mighty winds come and evilly rip [America's] cities to shreds? Have the storms joined the Al-Qaeda terrorist organization?

Apparently, Yousef Al-Mlaifi believes that Allah has sent Hurricane Katrina to the United States to aid the world's leading terrorist organization in their crusade to end American Imperialism. Why you ask? His answer:

"But before I went to sleep, I opened the Koran and began to read in Surat Al-R'ad ['The Thunder' chapter], and stopped at these words [of Allah]: 'The disaster will keep striking the unbelievers for what they have done, or it will strike areas close to their territory, until the promise of Allah comes to pass, for, verily, Allah will not fail in His promise.' [Koran 13:31]."

The answer is simple: because the Koran said so. Allah promised that "disaster will keep striking the unbelievers for what they have done."

This is just another striking example of why Islam is a truly hate-filled religion that seemingly celebrates the suffering of Western Civilization and more specifically, non-Muslim societies. I will remember this article when either a huge natural disaster or terrorist attack occurs at an oil site in the Middle East, or when Kuwait gets invaded again. Why should be given foreign aid to countries where a majority of their citizens may actually believe in this nonsense?

Where are Black American Leaders?

2005-09-01T16:08:00.000-07:00

New Olreans has one of the largest black populations of any major American city. Where are the major black leaders in this country? I have not seen them at all. You would at least to expect to see them trying to gain some publicity. But besides helping out those in need, shouldn't they be out there condemning the actions of thugs in the streets of New Orleans?

These photos demonstrate some of the behavior that needs to be condemned:

Via Foxnews

Via CTV.ca

The caption reads: "Two young men rush out of a store as a policeman approaches on Canal Street in New Orleans."

Via Associated Press

Via Associated Press - Eric Gay

Via Associated Press

If you browse through cable news channels and news publications, you could find countless more. There are reports that people have raided gun shops and and are now armed with AK-47s and are shooting at police, civilians, and even ambulances. Trucks bringing aid to New Orleans are being highjacked by looters (as reported by Shepard Smith, FOXNEWS anchor). More reports of rapes and murders are being reported by CNN, FOXNEWS, ABC News, and nola.com. Furthermore, Louisiana police are stepping aside and allowing the looting to continue. Unfortunately, there are no place to put these criminals. Since we cannot arrest them, any looters caught with weapons trying to inhibit the rescue attempts or those bringing aid to victims should be disarmed by the national guard on sight and if they endanger any lives, should be killed immediately. There are too many lives at stake to allow these thugs to continue.

One thing that is common with all of these photos and videos is they are overwhelming black Americans. While many left-leaning readers of this blog will undoubtedly call me a racist for asserting this, the facts, photos, videos, and reports all support my contention Calling me a racist does not change this.

This is why Black American leaders must use their tremendous influence with their followings to vehemently condemn this actions and support efforts to minimize the damage caused by these thugs. If they do not do this, they should be chastized immediately and condemned by every media outlet in the United States. They have a responsibility to help prevent these looting attacks. Silence implies consent to these actions. Do you hear me Jesse Jackson? Al Sharpton?

Katrina Costs Continue to Rise

2005-09-01T15:33:00.000-07:00

According to a report just released by the Associated Press, the cost of Hurricane could hit as high as $50 billion.

The damage from Hurricane Katrina could reach $50 billion, once damaged infrastructure is considered, according to a report from credit rating agency Standard & Poor's. Estimates of damages covered by insurance are as high as $25 billion, but "S&P believes this figure could easily be doubled" once damages to bridges and roads are assessed, S&P chief investment strategist Sam Stovall said in the report.

President Bush has already asked Congress for an emergency bill of $10 billion in immediate aid, that appears to be far short of what is needed to bring New Orleans back to life.

Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert has already posed the question: Is New Orleans worth saving? While I personally believe New Olreans should be saved, the money being poured into rebuilding efforts should be used to prevent disasters like this from EVER happening again. Otherwise, all resources should just be used to rescue people and help them move on. While that is a tough reality to face, a decision must be made quickly.

Bush Taps Strategic Reserve - Markets Respond

2005-08-31T23:12:00.000-07:00

On Monday, I stated on this blog that President Bush should tap into the strategic oil reserve. The purpose of the oil reserve is to supply oil to the markets when a significant portion of oil resources are disrupted by major events. Hurricane Katrina certainly fits this criterion, considering almost 1 million barrels a day of U.S. oil production has been halted. While it would have been wrong to tap into the reserve just to lower the prices of gasoline at the pump, that would be a pleasant consequence of this decision.

Crude oil prices dipped Thursday after the Bush administration's decision to tap U.S. strategic reserves to help companies hurt by Hurricane Katrina, but gasoline futures jumped 3 percent because of worries about storm damage to refineries in the Gulf of Mexico.

And now, some more good news may be on the way.....

While the details were being worked out about how much oil would be loaned from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve _ and which refiners would receive it _ European nations began considering the release of their own government-controlled stockpiles of gasoline and heating oil, according to officials at the Paris-based International Energy Agency.

President Bush should start putting political pressure on European nations to help lower energy costs. Moreover, the President should put pressure on both OPEC to lower the cost of oil and U.S. Oil Companies to stop gauging the American consumer during the next few months. He certainly has the ability as a second-term President to put pressure of these two groups that are causing the American people so much pain.

His ability to handle both the Katrina crisis, as well as the energy crisis will contribute greatly to his Presidential legacy.

Stayed tuned in the next few days, for I will begin posting on the men, wome, and groups that are most responsible for the oil crisis in America today. But identifying who these people are, we can begin the process of bringing down energy costs and arriving at long-term solutions to the problem.

Ann Coulter's Column

2005-08-31T20:45:00.000-07:00

Ann Coulter posted her new column today and its titled: Teddy Kennedy Private Parts: Part I. Here's a sample:

Interview with client Teddy Kennedy, July 19, 1969:

Teddy: May I approach the bench?

Lawyer: It's not a bench, Teddy. It's my desk. And no, you can't have another Chivas Regal.

Teddy: (Hiccup)

Lawyer: Let's start at the beginning.

Teddy: I'm going to say you were driving.

Lawyer: No, you are not saying I was driving.

Teddy: OK, someone in your family was driving.

Lawyer: They weren't even in Massachusetts that week. Can we move on? Why didn't you call the police after the accident, Teddy?

Teddy: I had to protect my political career, obviously. But this wasn't just about me! I was thinking about future drunk, philandering U.S. senators who may or may not have just drowned some chick they met at a party.

I have not laughed so hard in a long time when reading a political column. I guess you can always count of Ann Coulter to deliver humor.

New Orleans in a World of Pain

2005-08-31T14:57:00.000-07:00

With each passing hour, it seems that conditions in New Orleans and across the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama continue to worsen. Within the past few hours, the following headlines have hit the news wires:

1) New Orleans Chaotic, Texas to Get Katrina Refugees

2) Mayor: Katrina May Have Killed Thousands

3) Gulf Coast Declared Health Emergency

4) Bush says Katrina Recovery to Take Years

These headlines do not inspire must hope to the situation. It is disheartening to see so many people suffering, as well as seeing many people take advantage of vulnerable people. As of Monday morning, damages were supposed to peak at $9 billion. Now that figure is approaching $30 billion and can climb even higher.

The thoughts and prayers of this blog are with those suffering. Moreover, I hope justice will be served to those looters who are exploiting the situation. They misdeeds will soon catch up with them.

Looting Unacceptable

2005-08-31T09:10:00.000-07:00

Even amidst the worst disaster to ever hit New Orleans, there will always be thugs and miscreants who will cheat and steal if the opportunity presents itself.

A local Philadelphia television station has captured video of the rampant looting occurring in New Orleans, reminiscent of the looting that occurred during the aftermath of the Los Angeles riots of the early 1990s. I can understand taking some food or water, especially fresh produce since those supplies will spoil in the next couple days. But these people are stealing television sets, electronic equipment, computers, etc. What good are those things if you don't have electricity or a place to live? And why is it the case that the people being caught looting on camera are overwhelmingly African-American? While I cannot conclusive prove that a majority of looters are African-American, the footage seen on cable news and the internet sure points to this conclusion.

If members of any ethnic background continue to engage in relentless looting, no matter how angry they may get, it will negatively hurt the entire New Olreans community. People all across the United States will not be symphathetic to their cause nor donate money to charitable organizations if they continue to see looting on cable news channels.

I understand the point that the national guard has no place to put the looters, but if this behavior is allowed to continue, it will push back the recovery efforts in New Orleans. If looters cannot be placed in prisons, handcuff them and place them in detainment tents. Lawbreaking cannot be tolerated, no matter what the circumstances.

New Orleans Devastation

2005-08-31T08:28:00.000-07:00

Here are some photos of the destruction of New Orleans and Biloxi:

Via NOLA.com

Via New York Times

Via The Associated Press / Houston Chronicle

Via the Associated Press / Houston Chronicle

For more photos, the NY Times, Washington Post, and Houston Chronicle each have great photo essays that truly capture the horror that this natural disaster has caused.

We Need a Flat Tax!!

2005-08-30T23:30:00.000-07:00

I want to begin this blurb by stating to each of you reading this with the following declaration:

I am an ardent and zealous capitalist!!

It is my belief that capitalism with as little government control as possible is the best economic system in the world. It gives every individual ample opportunity to transform from rags to riches without having to cross moral or ethical barriers. Moreover, capitalism has given birth to the greatest nation this planet has ever known (USA! USA!). Capitalist nations continue to expand throughout the world, spreading liberty, freedom and democracy through technological innovation and human creativity.

However, in order for capitalism to fully thrive, governments must fulfill its duty to promote this economic philosophy. Keeping that in mind, it is time to reform the federal tax code. The federal income tax has become so outrageous and archaic that it is actually stagnating economic growth in this country. The current tax code should be thrown out and replaced with a FLAT TAX of 17%.

Today's Wall Street Journal features a column by former Delaware Governor Pete Du Pont, who basically summarizes the importance of implementing Steve Forbes Flat Tax Proposal. You can purchase Forbes' book, but here is a brief summary of the proposal:

Under a flat income tax there would be one rate--Mr. Forbes recommends 17%, with a personal exemption of $13,000 per adult and $4,000 per child or dependant, along with a $1,000 per child tax credit. Thus a family of four would pay no federal income tax on its first $46,000 of income. There would be no double taxation of dividends, no capital gains taxes, death taxes, or taxes on Social Security benefits. The tax return would be simpler and easier to fill out: From your wages and salary subtract your personal and dependent exemptions and multiply the result by 17%. It would almost be a tax on a postcard, a huge improvement over the massive complexity of the Internal Revenue Code. (Corporate profits would be taxed at a flat 17% too.)

To critics who would argue either for a national sales tax or believe that this system would only benefit the rich and hurt the poor, read the column. Governor Du Pont and Steve Forbes address these arguments in full. However, if you think that having a family of four not have to pay taxes for the first $46,000 on their income hurts working families, you are truly illogical and do not care at all for working class Americans.

Hopefully, each of you will join me as members of the FLAT TAX REVOLUTION!!! If you are with me, please comment on this article.

California Democrats = Very Desperate

2005-08-30T16:55:00.000-07:00

This is quite amusing to read. The Democrats in Hollywood and across the Golden State have been strategizing for months on who they would like to "recruit" to run against Arnold Schwarzenegger. Despite low poll numbers in the past few weeks, the Governator would be a huge favorite in the 2006 gubernatorial election, if he choose to run for re-election.

And now, we get a glimpse of who they are trying to persuade to run....

Forget Robin Williams, forget Rob Reiner … the superstar that big money Los Angeles Democrats want to run for governor of California is … Bill Clinton. Yep. Some of the Southland's deepest Democratic pockets are busily trying to persuade — some would say "hire" — Clinton to move to the Golden State and take on Schwarzenegger. They figure that Bubba can beat the faltering Terminator here in 2006 in a New York minute. …

Yes, Bill Clinton. Can't the Democrats get a better candidate then the former President? Don't they know he has other ambitions, like getting his wife elected President? If Los Angeles Democrats are hoping Bill Clinton will run against Governor Schwarzenegger, I guess the 2006 election is in the bag. Thanks to the Dems for once again tipping their hand.

German Papers: Katrina a Lesson on Global Warming

2005-08-30T16:30:00.000-07:00

Well, you can sure count on the left-leaning European press to kick the United States when they are down. Instead of offering their condolences to those victims who are suffering, I am reading comments like this:

The toughest commentary of the day comes from Germany's Environmental Minister, Jürgen Trittin, a Green Party member, who takes space in the Frankfurter Rundschau, a paper owned by the Social Democrats, to bash US President George W. Bush's environmental laxity. He begins by likening the photos and videos of the hurricane stricken areas to scenes from a Roland Emmerich sci-fi film and insists that global warming and climate change are making it ever more likely that storms and floods will plague America and Europe.

So if we take action to lower greenhouse emissions, hurricanes will no longer plague the Earth? What about the hurricanes that have been taking place over the past THOUSAND years? You were not complaining about the greenhouse effect then? Besides the ludicrous nature of the German Environmental Minister's comments, to use a tragedy like this for political gain is outrageous. Fortunately, Gerhard Schroeder and the SPD (Socialist Party of Germany) are in big trouble in their bid to keep control of German Parliament. Hopefully, the Christian Democrats will once again take back control of Germany.

For an accurate summary of the commentary of German newspapers, read this article.

Hurricane Costs Enormous

2005-08-30T10:31:00.000-07:00

The New York Times reports that the costs of Hurricane Katrina could top over $9 billion dollars, making it one of the most damaging hurricanes on record. While this figure is down from estimates made Sunday (ranging from $15-20 billion), it is demonstrates the true devastation that natural disasters can have on communities all across the United States.

Fortunately, that is why we have insurance. Preparing for the worst case scenario always makes it easier to handle.

Private Accounts Will Save Medicaid and Social Security

2005-08-29T22:57:00.000-07:00

Great article by Brendan Miniter in today's Wall Street Journal. Miniter begins by depicting the problem with Medicaid.

The federal government started Medicaid in the 1960s as part of the Great Society to provide a "safety net" for poor people who couldn't afford health care. Its costs are split between Washington and the states, and each state administers its own program subject to federal regulations. Medicaid wasn't intended to grow into a behemoth, but today it consumes a fifth to a third of many state budgets. So far nothing--not "managed care," not "preventive care"--has been able to check its growth.

After accurately summarizing this enormous problem facing many state governments, he provides the example of Governor Sanford of South Carolina. Governor Sanford has already rolled out a preliminary plan for private Medicaid account that individuals could use to help pay their health costs.

The advantages would be twofold. The state would be able to draw a line around the portion of the budget Medicaid gobbles up, reserving other pieces of the pie for education and other priorities. It would also enlist the help of those best able to judge what care they really need, the patients themselves, in the effort to control costs. And, of course, there will be safeguards. The state will require the health insurance bought under the program to provide at least the level of care Medicaid offers now, and the federal government as well as the state Legislature will have to weigh in before any reforms can move forward.

Can anyone tell me what is wrong with this plan? More governors across the nation should take the course of action that Governor Sanford has implemented in order to deal with the rising costs of Medicaid. Moreover, just look to the examples of Tennessee and Maine to see what can happen if you don't deal with the problem. These examples provide further proof as to why universal health care cannot work. The government cannot afford it.

Miniter hits it right on the head with his article. If we are going to prevent Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid from driving our federal and state governments into bankruptcy, we must turn to privatization.

Absolutely Disgusting

2005-08-29T19:40:00.000-07:00

Over in New Jersey, apparently illegal aliens feel outraged that they have to pay out-of-state tuition prices in order to attend college here in the United States.

Jaime Juarez believes he should be at Rutgers University, studying to become an engineer. Instead, the 18-year-old Mexican is waiting tables at an Italian restaurant in Piscataway. Rutgers had already accepted Juarez into its new freshman class by the time he graduated with high marks from New Brunswick High School on June 23. But even though he's lived in the city six years, Juarez learned from his guidance counselor that because he's an illegal immigrant, Rutgers would charge him out-of-state tuition.

"In high school, I studied very hard because I want to make something of myself," says Juarez, who has been forced to put his dreams on hold.

For starters, why is Rutgers University accepting Jaime Juarez in the first place? Universities should NEVER accept students who do not have legal residency or citizenship in this country. In fact, if universities are aware that an applicant is an illegal alien, they should be forced to tell federal authorities of their whereabouts so these illegal aliens can be given a one-way ticket back to where they came from.

Second, it does not matter whether or not people like Juarez study hard and want to make something of themselves. They can either work hard in their home country or come here legally, like millions of other Americans did. They cannot enter this country illegally and expect to be welcomed with open arms.

The article gets better.....

All over New Jersey, as in 40 other states, thousands of illegal students share Juarez's plight. They believe they are shut out of public universities and community colleges because they will have to pay two and three times the tuition charged legal residents of New Jersey. Their gloom is well-founded. The 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act forbade states from granting in-state tuition to illegal immigrants based on residency because those students would be paying less than out-of-state U.S. citizens.

Bear in mind that this article is not an editorial. You wonder if this newspaper is capable of being impartial if they are using phrases like "thousands of illegals students share Juarez's plight" and "their gloom is well-founded." I have no respect for this New Jersey publication nor the writers of this article. They make it seem like the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act violates the civil rights of these people. The problem is that non-citizens are not protected by the United States Constitution. Apparently the newspapers in New Jersey just don't get it.

I will continue to keep my eyes open for stories like these to report to each of you. Knowing those who are contributing to the ABC (American Border Crisis) is crucial if we expect to bring back security to our borders. People like Jaime Juarez should not be working here in this country, let alone studying here.

Tapping into the Oil Reserve

2005-08-29T11:54:00.000-07:00

First, even though Hurricane Katrina that has swept through Louisiana and Mississippi has been devastating, its effects have not been as bad as it could have been. Just before the hurricane reached New Orleans, it was reduced to a Category 4 hurricane and now the hurricane is at a Category 3 level. For continued updates, watch FOXNEWS or click on the DRUDGE REPORT website.

Now, the central debate that has arisen from this disaster is whether or not President Bush should tap into the strategic oil reserve. Now, the President should not tap into the reserve simply because the price of oil has reached the $70 level. However, Press Secretary Scott McClellan said it best:

"Obviously, the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is there for emergency situations, and that would include natural disasters," McClellan said.

I do think that the events unfolding in the South today qualifies both as an "emergency situation" and a "natural disaster." Hurricane Katrina already forced the shutdown of an estimated 1 million barrels of refining capacity. This drop in domestic productivity will cause a short-term spike in oil prices. Today alone, the price of crude oil, which open at $66.13, did reach a right of $70.80, but has since declined to $67.15, a difference of $1.02 instead of almost five bucks. But the price of crude oil is expected to rise throughout the remainder of this week because of this hurricane.

In order to counteract this 1 million barrel loss of U.S. productivity, President Bush should open up the oil reserve. The use of the reserve would be a psychological victory in the minds of many Americans, as well as a political victory for President Bush. It would show American that he is doing what he can to help us with energy costs and helping those hurt by the hurricane in the short term, along with FEMA aid, etc. Besides, once this disaster is behind us, Bush can refill the reserve back to 100% capacity. If this natural disaster does not force us to use the strategic reserve, what will? Two hurricanes at once? Ten tornados? Do all of the U.S. oil refineries have to be destroyed?

I think this is a easy decision for the President. Let us hope he makes the right one.

May God Save New Orleans

2005-08-29T00:30:00.000-07:00

It is important this morning that each of our thoughts and prayers be with those who are in the direct path of Hurricane Katrina. The AP chronicles the scene down in New Orleans:

Winds whipped downtown New Orleans and blasts of thunder were heard early Monday as a monstrous Hurricane Katrina charged toward the low- lying city with 160-mph winds and the threat of a catastrophic storm surge, prompting residents to flee in bumper-to-bumper traffic or huddle in the Superdome for safety. Mayor Ray Nagin said he believed 80 percent of the city's 480,000 residents had heeded an unprecedented mandatory evacuation as Katrina threatened to become the most powerful storm ever to slam the city.

Today will be one of the scariest and most traumatic day in the lives of many Americans. Hurricane Katrina is one of the five most powerful storms in recorded history and may wreak havoc that could take months to recover from. Let us hope and pray that the loss of life caused by this storm stays low. We will all be watching tomorrow....hoping and praying.

Laws Professors Lean to the Left......Anyone Stunned?

2005-08-28T22:17:00.000-07:00

Interesting article by Adam Liptak in today's New York Times, even if it just validates something I have always assumed. The articles discusses a study that will be published in the Georgetown Law School Review chronicling donations to political parties by law professors at the nation's most prestigious law schools. Some of the findings are very telling:

The percentages of professors contributing to Democrats were even more lopsided at some of the most prestigious schools: 91 percent at Harvard, 92 at Yale, 94 at Stanford. At the University of Virginia, on the other hand, contributions were about evenly divided between the parties. The sample sizes at some schools may be too small to allow for comparisons, though it bears noting that by this measure the University of Chicago is slightly more liberal than Berkeley.

It is important to note that this study does not conclude with certainty that a significant majority of professors at all law schools are overwhelmingly liberal. Moreover, there is no evidence as of yet showing whether or not the student populous at these schools is overwhelmingly liberal either. However, it is interesting to note that at the most prestigious law schools in the United States (Yale, Harvard, Stanford), over 90 percent of the faculty contributes to Democrats.

Now these are private institutions and their faculty can do whatever they please with their money and their vote. But students have a right to know the political leanings of the faculty of whatever schools they apply to and should be able to use this knowledge when making a decision about law school.

It is also good to hear that being taught by liberal law professors does not lead to a huge outgrowth of liberal lawyers. Maybe most law students just know more than their teachers about politics.

Hopefully, more studies like the one conducted in the Georgetown Law Review will be conducted detailing the political affiliations of professors not only at law schools, but other graduate and undergraduate institutions as well.

Wanna Buy a Home? Be Careful.

2005-08-28T14:39:00.000-07:00

Great editorial from the San Diego Union Tribune today discussing how so many people here in San Diego can afford to buy new homes.

Of the 19 metropolitan areas in the United States with the greatest rise in the cost of buying a home since 2000, 18 were in California – no surprise to anyone in San Diego. But here's a shocker: despite this remarkable run-up in prices to unprecedented levels, homeownership rates in the state are also at their highest level in at least 45 years. What's more, an impressively large number of young California adults are still managing to buy homes.

How are so many able to spend so much? How are younger adults, in particular, managing to avoid being priced out of the market?

A big part of the answer is a four-letter word: debt. Much more debt than perhaps many can really afford. Debt structured in a way that, if interest rates rise, making the payments could be scary.

That is the key element to pay attention to: "if interest rates rise." There is nothing wrong with getting into debt in order to buy a home. Right now, homeowners can handle the monthly payments. However, Alan Greenspan and the Federal Reserve are expected to continue raisng interest rates a quarter point every time they meet. Therefore, families who purchased homes with interest-only loans or who got a home equity loan that was not fixed (i.e. variable loan), payments could increase substantially.

Some people will undoubtedly be unable to pay those payments if they are already maxed out now. For everyone else, higher monthly payments mean that homeowners will pay less towards the principle of their loan. In addition, discretionary spending will decrease since consumers will have less cash in hand, decreasing their purchasing power. This could have devastating effects on the United States economy in the short term.

I sincerely hope that the bubble is now bursting in the real estate market because that would cause a lot of suffering to many families here in San Diego and across the United States. But real estate costs cannot increase forever and eventually families will not be able to buy houses. The dream of becoming a homeowner can turn the lives of many families into a nightmare. Potential homeowners should use caution before entering the real estate market at this time.

Governor Richardson Fulfills His Pledge

2005-08-28T12:18:00.000-07:00

On Friday, I posted on this blog that New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson would press for the razing of border town Las Chepas, a known staging point for illegals trying to enter the United States.

According to the New York Times, Bill Richardson has succeeded in fulfilling his pledge.

The governors of New Mexico and its southern neighbor, the Mexican state Chihuahua, agreed Friday to bulldoze or board up buildings in a semi-abandoned town just inside Mexico that is a haven for would-be immigrants and smugglers. Gov. Bill Richardson and Gov. José Reyes Baeza of Chihuahua also said they hoped to establish a police presence to end lawlessness in the border town, Las Chepas, which has been used as a staging ground for migrants and drug and human smugglers.

This is both an important symbolic victory, as well as an essential one. Governor Bill Richardson has demonstrated that with the right amount of political pressure, Mexican leaders can be swayed to cooperate with U.S. officials. Hopefully, other governors will follow in the direction of Bill Richardson, even if their motives are only political in nature.

Rising College Costs

2005-08-27T21:40:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow's Wall Street Journal features a great article in the Opinion Section discussing factors causing high college costs. Richard Vedder, an economics professor at Ohio University begins by outlining the main causes of high tuition prices.

1) Rising Demand
2) Lack of Market Discipline
3) De-emphasizing undergraduation instruction
4) Price Discrimination
5) Stagnant Productivity
6) "Rent Seeking" Behavior and Better Lives for the Staff

I believe that the first, fourth, and sixth reasons are the biggest factors contributing to higher college costs. In order to get a high paying job in this country, it is become almost a necessity to have a college degree, so long as you plan on working for a company and not starting one of your own. Furthermore, many professions require a Master's Degree or Doctorate in addition to an undergraduate degree. The universities have used this to their advantage over the past decade in raising tuition costs at a rate higher than the rise in family income levels. While this trend cannot continue in the long term, it still affects each of us going to college in the short term.

Professor Vedder also discusses the stake many professors have in seeing a continuing increase in tuition costs. If universities continue to charge students more and more to attend their school, their salaries will continue to increase.

Faculties have shared in the increased income of universities. Salaries of full professors at research universities are up well over 50% in real terms since 1980. Mid-six-digit salaries are becoming commonplace for superstar faculty, coaches and university presidents. Teaching loads have fallen (a typical full professor at a major public university is in class no more than five hours per week).

Their is no way that mid-six-figure salaries should be "commonplace" for someone who teaches his students five hours a week and does not even grade exam papers. Especially when there is no risk of them EVER losing their jobs, even if they are horrible teachers.

The Professor then moves on to proposed solutions to rising school costs.

What is the solution? New forms of competition (e.g., for-profit institutions, online schooling, more use of community colleges, new approaches to certifying skills) are emerging. State legislatures have sharply reduced their share of funding for public universities, forcing some schools to slash costs, reduce bureaucracies, increase teaching loads, get rid of costly underutilized graduate programs and more. Some schools are talking of using buildings more than eight or nine months a year, or are cutting down on the use of expensive tenured faculty. Colorado is shifting funds away from institutions and into student hands in the form of vouchers, reasoning that the student-customer, not the producer, should be sovereign as in nearly every other transaction.

Only time will tell if any of these solutions will alleviate the problem. But as long as demand continues to rise for a college education, costs will continue to go up. It is also important to remember that having a college education does indeed open up many opportunities to graduates. Employers will be impressed with all college graduates who prove they can work long hours and put in the years of work to get a college degree.

So while the long-term benefits of a college education outweight the short-term costs, the short-term costs are still substantial. So for each of us that is preparing to go to undergraduate school or graduate school, the words "student loan" will soon become a permanent part of our vocabulary.

The Fairy Tale Ends.....

2005-08-27T15:53:00.000-07:00

Well, every great ride always reaches its end.

After a terrific run that will be remembered in Vista for many years to come, the Rancho Buena Vista Little League All-Stars were defeated in the United States Championship 6-1 by Ewa Beach, Hawaii.

Though the Hawaiian team only managed a handful of hits, their terrific pitching and patience at the plate was enough to do them in. It did not help that RBVLL made two crucial errors and walked in three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Their only significant rally occurred in the top of the fifth inning, but was thwarted by an inning-ending double play.

This truly special group of eleven and twelve year olds should forget about this loss. They are the best team to EVER come from Vista, CA and they are the 2nd best team in the entire United States. The RBVLL All-Stars will be showered with well-deserved parades, interviews, and parties when they return home. Most important, they will be remember this childhood experience for the rest of their lives and pass it on to their children.

GO RBVLL!!!!

More Nonsense from the NYT

2005-08-27T00:00:00.000-07:00

After reading Paul Krugman last night, I was afraid to read Maureen Dowd's column tonight. I should have trusted my gut. While Krugman decided that he would discuss how our economy is as bad as the Great Depression under Herbert Hoover, Maureen Dowd's task was to demonstrate to the world that everyone has given up on Iraq and that we can no longer "stay the course on staying the course." Confused? So am I.

W. has jumped the couch...According to UrbanDictionary.com, "jump the couch" has now become slang for "a defining moment when you know someone has gone off the deep end. Inspired by Tom Cruise's recent behavior on 'Oprah.' Also see 'jump the shark.' "

She is NOW saying that President Bush has jumped off the deep end? What was all of their other bickering before? They have been shouting out from the start how much they hate the War in Iraq and hate President Bush. Members of the elite press corps attempting to coach Senator Kerry and contually wrote column after column, article after article, showing how great John Kerry would be and how awful George W. Bush is. So even during that time, Bush had yet to go off the deep end? Come on.

In addition, Dowd deserves to be ridiculed for referring to the President as "W." I don't remember her referring to President Clinton as "Bubba" or "J" (President Clinton's middle name is Jefferson). Furthermore, lay off Tom Cruise. His movie came out in June and he is now out of the news. You are a little late to join the lefties bandwagon ridiculing Tom Cruise. However, Ms. Dowd is not done.

You'd think that by now, watching the meshugas in Iraq, the Bush crowd would have learned some lessons about twisting facts to suit ideology, and punishing those who try to tell the truth. But they're still behaving like Cinderella's evil stepsisters, who cut their feet to fit them into the glass slipper: butchering reality to make the fairy tale come out their way.

Maureen Dowd is lecturing "the Bush crowd" about twisting facts to suit ideology. That is what Maureen Dowd does in EVERY SINGLE COLUMN SHE WRITES. I doubt she has sincerely written a single column that hasn't manipulated some detail in order to help her communicate her message. References to Disney characters are not enough to distract me from her true goal: diminish this President at every opportunity she gets.

No one thinks Iraq is a fairy tale, but most Americans do wish for a fairy tale ending where Iraq possesses a stable and secure democracy and becomes a staunch ally of the United States in the Middle East. To hope against this makes you a bad American. Are you a bad American, Ms. Dowd? I think you are. Prove me wrong.

Hugo Chavez Issues Threat to Bush

2005-08-26T23:18:00.000-07:00

Hugo Chavez is seemingly attempting to capitalize on this minor shred of political capital he has gained amidst the Pat Robertson controversy.

"If something happens to me, the responsible one will be George W. Bush," said Chavez, who has repeatedly accused the Bush administration of plotting to overthrow him. Chavez brought up Robertson's remarks while addressing supporters at the presidential palace, saying "he has expressed the desire of the elite that governs the United States."

Are you kidding me? Hugo Chavez had better worry about his many enemies, namely the ones he removed from power in Venezuela. Moreover, as he continues to deprive his citizens of basic freedoms and liberties, the list of political foes will rise with each passing day. Moreover, if Venezuela (the only South American member of OPEC) is found liable in any way for the substantial increase in energy costs, you may have a band of Americans heading over to Venezuela to finish the job themselves. Instead of the Minutemen Project, we would have the KFC (Kill Fidel and Chavez) Project. Imagine the media's reaction to the formation of that group?

Chavez must not understand the fact that President Bush has far more important things to deal with then removing him from power. But if he allows Al Qaeda forces to seek refuge in his country, you had better believe his rule in Venezuela would end immediately. If Bush did not order in that circumstance, I know for a fact their would be a mutiny in this country.

ABC Update California - State of Emergency?

2005-08-26T13:28:00.000-07:00

Another update in the ongoing American Border Crisis (ABC). Yesterday, a group of Republican lawmakers, including State Assemblymen Mark Wyland and Ray Haynes, and Senators Bill Morrow and Dennis Hollingsworth, stated that they will introduce legislation to give Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger the power to declare a state of emergency along California's border with Mexico.

The lawmakers said they were prompted to act by what they called the growing threat to public safety posed by illegal immigration, as well as the added costs of incarceration, education and providing health care. State law currently allows the governor to declare a state of emergency for events such as war, epidemics, natural disasters and "local emergencies," a category that is defined broadly.

Obviously, the "local emergencies" category is the one being sought by lawmakers here. Dealing with the ABC should be a federal obligation, not one placed upon the states. The United States Constitution states explicitly that protecting the borders is a federal responsibility. These lawmakers do indeed have a daunting task in convincing a Democratic-controlled state legislature to pass this bill, considering the Democrats do not believe there is anything wrong with the status quo on this issue.

Ignoring the moral/ethical debate on this issue, the fact of the matter is the state of California, as well as the rest of the United States cannot afford to give free health care, education, food and shelter to illegal aliens. If the U.S. Government allows this chaos to continue, it will bankrupt most state governments and drag down the American economy. Furthermore, our health care system will collapse, as will Social Security and education. The pressure is building on lawmakers to deal with this issue, but will they?

Greenspan Warns of High Budget Deficits

2005-08-26T12:26:00.000-07:00

When Alan Greenspan speaks, people listen. Today, the Federal Reserve Chairman discusses the long term status of the United States economy.

"Developing protectionism regarding trade and our reluctance to place fiscal policy on a more sustainable path are threatening what may well be our most valued policy asset: the increased flexibility of our economy, which has fostered our extraordinary resilience to shocks," the Fed chief said in a speech to an economic conference here, sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.

In other words, creeping trade protectionism and a substantial increase in Congressional budget deficits pose significant risks to the long-term strength of the U.S. economy. Greenspan believes that the United States economy must be as flexible as possible in order for economic growth to outweigh bloated budget deficits. I think the Bush Administration made progress in this regard when President Bush signed the Central American Free Trade Agreement. However, I agree with Mr. Greenspan that we must do more to expand our trade markets and less to protect American companies that cannot survive through economic competition.

More important to the long term health of the United States economy is reducing the budget. Since medicare, medicaid, and social security costs will increase substantially over the next few decades, it is CRUCIAL that the Republican Party return to the days of being the party of fiscal responsibility. Maybe another "Contract with America" is needed, but it is becoming more and more difficult to discern which members of Congress are Republicans and which members are Democrats. The Democratic Party offers no hope for fiscal responsibility, so long as the Socialist Wing of the Party controls power. The Republicans must lead an effort to cut back on pork barrel spending (i.e. the pork within the recently signed Highway Bill), as well as other unnecessary government programs. If the Republicans fail to do this, our economy will begin to suffer substantially and the Republicans will be swept out of power.

Fiscal responsibility. Is that too much to ask?

ABC Update

2005-08-26T08:50:00.000-07:00

As the American Border Crisis (ABC) continues, a minor victory may soon be coming. New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, who is likely to run for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in 2008, announced today that he will press for the razing of Las Chepas.

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson will use a meeting with his Chihuahuan counterpart this week to press for the demolition of Las Chepas, the semi-abandoned Mexican hamlet used as a staging area for hundreds of undocumented immigrants who cross daily into the United States west of Columbus.

Even if Governor Richardson is trying to gain some publicity by doing this, this single event is still a victory in ending the ABC. Hopefully the 2008 election will force politicans of both political parties to deal with this critical issue, otherwise suffer electoral defeat. Places like Las Chepas cannot be allowed to exist and should be destroyed immediately.

If "immigrant rights" groups have a problem with this course of action, they should be reminded that "illegal aliens" DO NOT have the same rights as American citizens. Moreover, if they continue to support illegal immigration into the United States, their actions would be considered detrimental to the national security of the United States, thus "treasonous." They should spend more of their time helping those immigrants who come to this country legally instead of helping those who attempt to break the law and ruin our country.

Duke Deserves Right to Explain Himself

2005-08-26T08:28:00.000-07:00

Congressman Duke Cunningham will likely have to deal with Federal Prosecutors for the remainder of his term and possibly after he leaves office.

In a civil suit made public Thursday, the U.S. attorney's office in San Diego alleges that Cunningham demanded a bribe from MZM Inc. owner Mitchell Wade, requiring he pay far more for the congressman's Del Mar Heights home than it was worth in exchange for using his influence to deliver Pentagon business to MZM. The government's suit seeks to seize the Rancho Santa Fe mansion Cunningham bought with the proceeds from the sale of his Del Mar Heights home to Wade. The house was listed for sale for $3.5 million last week, almost $1 million more than he paid for it.

We will have to wait to see how strong the Federal Government's case is against Congressman Cunningham. If he is found guilty of the charges, then his house should be seized. But a majority of media outlets here in San Diego continue to depict the Congressman as if he were already guilty of the charges. Certainly, there are some details about Duke's relationship with MZM Inc. and owner Mitchell Wade, especially regarding the timing of certain events.

But we have to give the Congressman the benefit of the doubt until the Federal Prosecutors outline their case. The Congressman has already announced he is not seeking reelection. His political enemies that were trying to bring him down have succeeded. However, on all criminal and/or civil litigation, the press and every citizen following the case has to give Congressman Cunningham the opportunity to explain himself. Regardless of what others may seem to think, everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Lets give Duke a chance. He has earned it.

Paul Krugman Wrong Again

2005-08-26T00:21:00.000-07:00

Paul Krugman's latest column for the New York Times focuses on a subject that he is supposedly an expert on, the U.S. economy. He spends the first part of his column attempting to explain why many Americans are not happy with the American economy. He equates this notion to the fact that people don't care at all about rising G.D.P. (Gross Domestic Product), but only care about whether or not jobs are available and if they pay well. He continues:

About employment: it's true that the economy finally started adding jobs two years ago. But although many people say "four million jobs in the last two years" reverently, as if it were an amazing achievement, it's actually a rise of about 3 percent, not much faster than the growth of the working-age population over the same period. And recent job growth would have been considered subpar in the past: employment grew more slowly during the best two years of the Bush administration than in any two years during the Clinton administration.

Here once again, Krugman reminds us of the "wonderful" Clinton years where the times were "good" and everyone made money. First, it was during the Roaring Nineties under President Clinton when many Americans who have not the first idea about the stock market began to invest their savings in tech stocks that had yet to make a single cent. Second, the end of Clinton's administration coupled with the September 11 attacks brought about a significant dip in our economy. It took President Bush's tax cuts to save us from a painful recession. But remember, it was the noted economist Paul Krugman who told us that the Bush tax cuts would only benefit the rich and would drive down our economy. Do you call "four million jobs in two years" a dip in the economy under your own definition, Mr. Krugman? He continues:

Because employers don't have to raise wages to get workers, wages are lagging behind the cost of living. According to Labor Department statistics, the purchasing power of an average nonsupervisory worker's wage has fallen about 1.5 percent since the summer of 2003. And this may understate the pressure on many families: the cost of living has risen sharply for those whose work or family situation requires buying a lot of gasoline.

After using the example that Wal-Mart was quickly able to fill its job openings at its new store in Northern Calfornia, he concludes that wages lag behind the cost of living. First of all, every worker is not entitled to a living wage. Many positions at Wal-Mart or other such corporations are entry-level positions. If you required corporations all across the country to raise wages in correlation iwth the cost of living, our economy would collapse and enter recession. Then no one would able to afford the gas to get to work. Lastly, Krugman concludes:

The bottom line, then, is that most Americans have good reason to feel unhappy about the economy, whatever Washington's favorite statistics may say. This is an economic expansion that hasn't trickled down; many people are worse off than they were a year ago. And it will take more than a revamped administration sales pitch to make people feel better.

Krugman appears to be throwing in the towel. Instead of offering his readers a solution to this "unhappy economy," he simply says that nothing will improve so long as George W. Bush remains President. What kind of grand conclusion is that? Even if Krugman did give a proposal to solve the economy problems of this country, it would involve government entitlements, rolling back the Bush tax cuts, and raising the tax burden on the "wealthy" Americans. Moreover, Paul Krugman has a horrible track record in predicting economic trends.

Krugman and the New York Times continue their quest to brainwash the minds of all Americans into thinking that the economy is doing poorly and that we live in an era equivalent to that of the Great Depression. If Bill Clinton were President with the same economic data, Krugman and his ilk would all be singing a different tune. But alas, they are Socialist Democrats and the man in charge is a Conservative Republican. Let their misery continue if it must. Just don't buy into it.

Illegal Aliens on the Attack

2005-08-25T19:54:00.000-07:00

It is stories like this that really burn at my side.

Illegal aliens threw rocks at a Border Patrol helicopter, forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing when one of the rocks damaged the rotor, the agency said.

If any illegal alien is threatening the safety and life of any border patrol agent, they should be dealt with forcefully. This type of behavior cannot be tolerated. EVER! But somehow, I do not think that is going to happen.....

After the incident, 17 people were apprehended for illegally crossing the border, and two of them were being investigated for smuggling. Ten immigrants evaded capture.

If the border patrol cannot even capture all of the illegal aliens, how can they even punish them for their actions? Another striking case demonstrating our need to deal with the ABC (American Border Crisis).

Think Dark.....

2005-08-25T00:19:00.000-07:00

There are always two things I am guaranteed whenever I read anything written by Peggy Noonan:

1) A superbly written piece; and
2) Something to ponder.

Before I read today's column, I generally supported the Pentagon's plan to cut down the number of bases in the United States for two main reasons. First, the Pentagon's plan would save tens of billions of dollars over the next two decades. Second, there are some bases across the United States which were built either before or during the Cold War and I thought were either useless or at the very least, no longer necessary.

Peggy Noonan has severely crushed this line of thinking, but in an eloquent way. And she does so with a powerful and effective hypothetical:

Imagine [the terrorists] planning that on the same day in the not-so-distant future, they will set off nuclear suitcase bombs in six American cities, including Washington, which will take the heaviest hit. Hundreds of thousands may die; millions will be endangered. Lines will go down, and to make it worse the terrorists will at the same time execute the cyberattack of all cyberattacks, causing massive communications failure and confusion. There will be no electricity; switching and generating stations will also have been targeted. There will be no word from Washington; the extent of the national damage will be as unknown as the extent of local damage is clear. Daily living will become very difficult, and for months--food shortages, fuel shortages.

After reading that scenario, don't you feel scared? I know that since I live in San Diego, I will be near a military base in case Peggy's hypothetical unfolds. But what about folks in other parts of the country who may not be so fortunate? Though this scenario is extreme (Noonan says so herself), it is plausible. There are enemies of the United States throughout the world (Iran, North Korea, Syria to name a few) that would be more than willing to carry out his scenario if they had the means to do so. Shouldn't we be prepared for this extreme circumstance?

After careful consideration, Noonan's conclusion is correct. On matters on national security and defense, it is better to be overprepared than underprepared. Closing military bases would leave certain parts of the country underprepared in case of a massive terrorist attack. There are plenty of other areas within the Congressional Budget where we can cut spending (pork-barrel projects, welfare, foreign aid, etc.). Don't mess with national defense. Like Peggy says:

Think Dark.

RBVLL ROCKS!

2005-08-24T23:25:00.000-07:00

The Rancho Buena Vista Little League All-Stars are truly one amazing team. In the United States semifinal game played earlier tonight, RBVLL defeated Maitland, Florida 6-2. I didn't see the game because I was at work, but apparently, Lady Luck is on RBVLL's side.

A disputed call went its way, and now the team from California is on the way to the United States title game at the Little League World Series.

Every great teams needs a break to go their way in order to win a championship. Maybe this was theirs. Rancho Buena Vista's next game will take place on Saturday, August 27 at 12:30 PM against the winner of the West Oahu, Hawaii vs. Lafayette, Louisiana contest. The game will be televised on ABC. Good luck to RBVLL!!!!!

Why Don't We Hear More About This

2005-08-24T16:33:00.000-07:00

Drudge's Recent Headline should be on the headline of every major newspaper across the United States, but instead Cindy Sheehan gets all the attention. Shows you the true motives behind the Main Stream Media in the United States. Like President Bush said:

Tammy has four sons serving in Iraq right now with the Idaho National Guard: Eric, Evan, Greg and Jeff. Last year her husband, Leon, and another son, Aaron, returned from Iraq, where they helped train Iraqi firefighters in Mosul. Tammy says this -- and I want you to hear this -- 'I know that if something happens to one of the boys, they would leave this world doing what they believe, what they think is right for our country. And I guess you couldn't ask for a better way of life than giving it for something that you believe in. America lives in freedom because of families like the Pruetts.

AMEN! Everyone say a prayer to Tammy Pruett and the rest of her family. We owe a lot of debt to them.

Real Estate Market Still Booming

2005-08-24T13:39:00.000-07:00

The U.S. Commerce Department reports today that new home sales reached a new high for the month of July.

New-home sales in July soared to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.41 million units. That represented a 6.5 percent increase from June's pace of 1.32 million units, which had been the previous record.

The real estate booms shows no end in sight, but didn't economists and leading Wall Street guru's say the same thing during the tech boom of the late 1990s? I urge each of you to use caution when evaluating the real estate market, for the glory days could end at any moment.

In addition, the U.S. Commerce Department also threw in some less than stellar numbers about the manufacturing sector.

In the department's second report, new bookings to U.S. factories for "durable" goods _ big-ticket items expected to last at least three years _ declined by 4.9 percent in July from the previous month. It marked the biggest drop since January 2004, when durable-goods orders fell by 5.7 percent.

Like economist Clifford Waldman indicated, oil prices may be the short term cause for the decline in manufacturing last month. It is still amazing how strong our economy continues to perform considering increases in inflation and the cost of necessary goods. We shall see how long this trend continues.

Good News from Texas!

2005-08-24T09:52:00.000-07:00

It appears that Texas's tuition policy "that offers in-state college-tuition rates to illegal aliens who live in the state, but denies them to out-of-state students who are American citizens," is going to be challenged in the courts. According to the Washington Times:

WLF (Washington Legal Foundation), a public-interest law and policy center, filed the complaint two weeks ago with the Department of Homeland Security's Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, which is responsible for investigating complaints of violations of rights arising from federal immigration laws. The group charges that Texas' tuition policy for students attending public colleges and universities violates the civil rights of U.S. citizens who live outside the state.

While illegal aliens should not even be allowed to attend colleges at all in the United States, this is an important step in protecting the rights of Americans who are citizens of this country. The fact that this case even needs to go to the courts is beyond me, but it's definitely a battle that needs to be waged. Victory is essential in this case.

Lance Armstrong Versus French Media

2005-08-24T08:40:00.000-07:00

Even though the Seven time winner of the Tour de France has retired from cycling, that has not stopped the French media from once again attempting to discredit the man that has won that country's main sporting event every year since 1999. The latest turn came today, when the director of the Tour de France stated the following in L'Equipe (A French sports daily) today:

"For the first time - and these are no longer rumors, or insinuations, these are proven scientific facts - someone has shown me that in 1999, Armstrong had a banned substance called EPO in his body," Leblanc told L'Equipe. "The ball is now in his court. Why, how, by whom? He owes explanations to us and to everyone who follows the tour. Today, what L'Equipe revealed shows me that I was fooled. We were all fooled."

First of all, the burden is on Leblanc, L'Equipe, the Tour de France, the French government and whom ever else is trying to tell the world Lance Armstrong used illegal performance enhancing drugs. It is very unusual for the director of the sport's biggest event and the company that runs the event to both be hoping for Lance Armstrong to fall. Usually they try and defend their sports stars during times of crisis, or the very least give the benefit of the doubt. But we must remember that Lance Armstrong is not French. You may laugh at how I simply state the obvious, but if Lance were a French citizen, you would not hear a peep from the media. Moreover, any potential drug use by a prominent French cyclist would be covered up immediately.

But there are several other issues at play here. For starters, even the Associated Press acknowledges the following:

L'Equipe is owned by the Amaury Group whose subsidiary, Amaury Sport Organization, organizes the Tour de France and other sporting events. The paper often questioned Armstrong's clean record and frequently took jabs at him - portraying him as too arrogant, too corporate and too good to be real.

The paper that ran the tests has been going after Lance Armstrong for years. They have proven that they will stop at nothing to discredit the American champion that has dominated their event for the past seven years. The main point I want you to consider here is the fact that L'Equippe is far from a neutral source in this debate and when they make allegations, their motives must be examined. Furthermore, does an impartial paper normally say this on the day after the greatest cyclist of our era wins for the final time?:

"Never to such an extent, probably, has the departure of a champion been welcomed with such widespread relief," the paper griped the day after Armstrong won his seventh straight Tour win and retired from cycling.

One last observation I would like to share with you. Have you noticed that all of these stories of alleged doping occurred immediately after Lance's bike ride with President Bush last Saturday? I guess that was the straw that broke the camel's back in France. I mean, how dare Lance Armstrong have a bike ride with one of his good friends and the President of the evil United States. The French will not stand for such "arrogance" and "corporate" behavior.

A Dish of Irony, Anyone?

2005-08-23T22:48:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Sendhil for this article. This is just too funny to pass up.

The web site for the so-called "Clinton Global Initiative" - set for Sept. 15-17 in Manhattan - is hawking tickets for $15,000 a-piece.

So in order to attend former President Bill Clinton's conference to combat global poverty, you have to fork over 15K just to attend. Don't most people who live in poverty (Africa especially) live off less than 1 dollar a day? Guess they won't be attending. But if they were, here is what they would be doing:

"The group will strategize on the best methods to reduce poverty; use religion as a force for reconciliation and conflict resolution; implement new business strategies and technologies to combat climate change; and strengthen governance."

Sounds very exciting!!!! I am sure each one of you reading this blog would love to give Mr. Clinton 15 thousand dollars to spend three days discussing solutions to reducing poverty. But seriously, shouldn't there be some representatives who are actually living in poverty attending the conference? Maybe that is too much to ask.

Reaction to Robertson and a Reminder of Why Hugo Chavez is Dangerous

2005-08-23T22:16:00.000-07:00

Well, as I warned less than 24 hours ago, the media has had a field day with Pat Robertson's remarks. Last night I stated the following:

The substance of Pat Robertson's will go ignored by the mainstream press. The press will focus on how he is a right-wing nutcase who goes against the "Christian" belief in calling for the assassination of a world leader.

Well, the media lived up to its billing today. Instead of focusing on the evils of Hugo Chavez and how his control of Venezuela continues to hurt U.S. interests, the focus has remained on Pat Robertson and how the religious right threatens the moral high ground of the United States. Even Hugo Chavez's puppets in Venezuela carry on the banter:

In Venezuela, however, Vice President Jose Vicente Rangel said the U.S. response to Robertson would be a test of its anti-terrorist policy and that Venezuela was studying its legal options... Rangel called Robertson "a man who seems to have quite a bit of influence in that country," adding that the comments "reveal that religious fundamentalism is one of the great problems facing humanity in these times."

Is Jose Rangel serious? Is the mouthpiece for the murdering Communist dictator actually attempting to equate Pat Robertson as one of the biggest problems facing humanity? Is Hugo Chavez really serious when he has his cronies is trying to blame Robertson's rhetoric on President Bush and blaming the U.S. for the poor relations beween Venezuela and the United States? This is a complete joke. Hugo Chavez and Jose Rangel are thugs who are holding a country captive behind the cloak of Communism. However, more important to us here is the fact that Hugo Chavez consistently works to disrupt U.S. interests within OPEC (driving up the prices of oil) and disrupting our interests in the Western hemisphere. For a more complete discussion of how dangerous Hugo Chavez is to the United States, read Patrick Devenny's piece from last May.

But instead of focusing on the actions of Hugo Chavez and the current Venezuelan government (murders, corruption, the dearth of freedom amongst its citizens, etc.), the MSM focuses on the words of a private citizen who has little influence over American foreign policy. In addition, the press in the U.S. treats the Venezuelan leaders as if they were equals to the United States. This is truly outrageous, but unfortunately, not surprising.

Quick San Diego Sports Blurbs

2005-08-23T21:13:00.000-07:00

As each of you becomes more acquainted with this blog, you will begin to learn that I am a huge sports fan, especially of San Diego related teams. Two quick shout outs.

One, major props to Jake Peavy, who pitched a complete game shutout tonight in the Padres 2-0 victory over the Houston Astros. It should be noted that Jake Peavy outpitched Roger Clemens tonight, who is arguably the best pitcher in baseball (even at the age of 43!). The Padres are now in first place by five games.

Second, everyone who is from San Diego and loves the game of baseball has got to throw their support around the Rancho Buena Vista Little League All-Stars. They continued their magnificent ride in Williamsport with a 9-3 victory over Lafayette, Louisiana. Kalen Pimentel, the guy who struck out 18 batters in his first game and hit a game winning grand slam in his second game, hit another grand slam tonight in the victory.

Rancho Buena Vista plays their next game tomorrow night in the United States semifinal against Maitland, Florida at 4:30 PM on ESPN.

Could it be true?

2005-08-23T15:02:00.000-07:00

Drudge's recent post will definitely make headlines.

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, acknowledging public frustration over illegal immigration, said Tuesday that the federal government's detention and deportation system must be fundamentally restructured. "We have decided to stand back and take a look at how we address the problem and solve it once and for all," Chertoff said during a breakfast meeting with reporters.

It appears that the political pressure exerted on the Bush adminstration is finally taking effect. Secretary Chertoff's decision to start cracking down on illegal immigrants is an important first step in securing our borders. Hopefully, this will show a shift in President Bush's strategy.....though I doubt it.

Understanding Voter Fraud Tactics

2005-08-23T09:30:00.000-07:00

Great article from the American Thinker (Thanks Mom for the heads up).

The author, Selwyn Duke, uncovers inside information from a Washington D.C. Community Leader who is referred only as "Deep Vote." Here is a sampling of the tactics Democrats use to win elections:

A high rate of transiency inevitably leaves a large number of people who no longer live in an area on the voter rolls. The local authorities, says Deep Vote, “are always somewhat late on removing non-residents.” All the Democrat operatives need do then is ascertain who these people are and vote for them. Deep Vote explains the mechanics of this process.

What we first need to know is that the Democrat operatives who are central to this fraud are known as “block captains” and “apartment captains.” Deep Vote tells us that a captain is a GOTV (Get out the vote) term for a campaign volunteer who knows the territory and is given a list of voters on his block or in his building who are believed to be sympathetic to his candidate. He is then charged with the task of driving these partisans to the polls.

These article is so crucial in explaining to the general public how voter fraud takes place. If this were the Republican Party using these tactices, this story would be on the front page of New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and every other major media outlet in the United States. However, since "Deep Vote" depicts tactics employed by Democrats, you hear nothing from the MSM.

In order to counter and minimize voter fraud, you have to understand how they cheat. This article is a great start to that process and hopefully we will learn more before the next election cycle begins.