May
31
2006
Reality Check- A Comprehensive Solution
Filed Under Politics | 3 Comments
Reality Check- A Comprehensive Solution
Filed Under Politics | 3 Comments
Every once in awhile it is worth it to open an e-mail. Yesterday, for example, Steve sent this funny spoof.
Today I was rewarded with this short and truly resourceful fix.
This makes sense….. something our government rarely does……….
Why didn’t I think of it……….or better yet, why didn’t the Government?WIN WIN WIN……
A win win win situation: Dig a moat the length of the Mexican border, take the dirt and raise the levies in New Orleans, and then put the Florida alligators into the border moat!
Any other problems you would like for me to solve?
Clever.
Another solution of note comes from Mike Pence (R) Indiana, who, btw, is the only person besides myself to be calling for an end to citizenship for children born to illegals. aka “birthright citizenship”
From a speech he made on Memorial Day:
” One week ago President Bush set out his views on immigration reform to the American people. He stated: “There is a rational middle ground between granting an automatic path to citizenship for every illegal immigrant, and a program of mass deportation.”
I agree with the President that a rational middle ground can be found between amnesty and mass deportation, but I disagree with the President that amnesty is the middle ground. Amnesty is not the real rational middle ground. In the coming days I will introduce the Border Integrity and Immigration Reform Act, which as I will discuss today sets forth a real rational middle ground between amnesty and mass deportations.
The Border Integrity and Immigration Reform Act is a bill that is tough on border security and tough on employers who hire illegal aliens, but recognizes the need for a guest worker program that operates without amnesty and without growing into a huge new government bureaucracy. I believe that it is a strong alternative to the amnesty plan being debated by the Senate and pushed by the President, and I hope that it will serve as an attractive alternative to Members of the House.”
and then later this:
“Imagine for a moment asking millions of people to line up at the U.S. Consulate in Mexico City to obtain a visa to come to America and work as a guest worker. It would be a disaster. Now, imagine private companies competing against each other to process guest worker applicants and match the applicants with open jobs. Imagine the application of American business ingenuity to this process. That, my friends, is why this program will work.
Let me give you a few other details on the guest worker program. The visas will be referred to as “W Visas.” (No kidding.) I think it is obvious whose support we are trying to garner here. Seriously, the W Visa results from a fortuitous instance of bill drafting. The code already has visa categories for letters A through V, so W is the next open letter. The W Visa, without amnesty, would be the real rational middle ground that the President has called our nation to in this debate. “
Now that is some American thinking going on there. If we can get the “birthright citizenship” fixed too, then my work on this issue is done, (until Congress screws it up with future amendments to unrelated Bills, as is their way).
May
30
2006
A Dem nightmare indeed!
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A Dem nightmare indeed!
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It seems that we have caught the eye of syndicated columnist Robert Novak! Well, not us per se, but it is still good to see more and more of the movers and shakers on the right side (as in both conservative and correct) of the MSM highlighting this phenomenon.
Steele, Blackwell, and Swann are just the beginning, and while they may or may not win their respective elections, the national Democratic leaders cannot escape the fact that three prominent, confident, and capable Black faces appeared on three different statewide ballots, all with a (R) beside their name.
May
29
2006
Thank You
Filed Under Liberty and Democracy | 3 Comments
Thank You
Filed Under Liberty and Democracy | 3 Comments
The great picture Rick posted reminded me that I too have a picture that is appropriate for this day.
The gravestone there in the foreground is that of my Uncle Buddy; Kenneth Richard Weber. From the time I was old enough to understand history, and the importance of the heroes that protect this country in war and peace, my Uncle Buddy was my personal hero – my John Wayne, my Audie Murphy.
He flew P51s in the Philippines in WWII as well as in Korea, where he was shot down and spent over 3 years as a POW. As for what he actually did in VIetnam, I haven’t been able to find out anything definitive. All I know is that when I was seven or eight (1968/69) his Air Force footlocker – with most of his personal affects, DD214, and stacks of other official looking documents – was sent to our house for safe keeping, along with a brief note saying that he was ok, to not let anyone know that we had this, and that if we ever got word that had been killed that we were to destroy everything in there.
My mother forbade me to go into that footlocker – which naturally meant that I was in there every chance I got. In there was an empty pistol holster (I think my Mom had the weapon stashed somewhere, though I never found out where) and several empty ammo pouches, his dress and battle dress uniforms, rank insignia, patches and other uniform attachments. There was also several small carved African animals – elephants, giraffes, rhinos, etc. – which to an eight year old were like gems from a treasure chest. Had I known then, however, what I know now I think that the real treasure was probably contained in the stacks of military papers I had to dig through to find those figurines.
I know for a fact that Uncle Buddy spent a lot of time in Laos. Given that, and having seen the Discovery Channel documentary on The Ravens, and having read about the original Air America operations there, I am fairly certain that he was somehow involved with one or both of those operations. You see, officially, Uncle Buddy retired from the Air Force in 1959 – before our official involvement in Vietnam. And yet Vietnam is clearly listed as a service location on his headstone.
My Uncle Buddy and his wife were visiting us for Thanksgiving in 1973. the day after he arrived, the phone rang and I answered. The man on the other end asked for my Uncle. My memory is a bit foggy on this, but I’m pretty sure he said a rank – Colonal Kenneth Weber. He left that night and soon was on a flight to Rome, Italy. Two days later he was dead. Only years after this did I realize the significance of the rank. Rank? In 1973? For a man who had supposedly retired in 1959.
My Uncle received a full military funeral, with the honor and respect that The Old Guard gives to all their charges. GIven the affiliation of both The Ravens and Air America, It may also be that one of these stars may be in his memory. Who knows? Perhaps some old soldier reading this will recognize the name and help to shed a bit more light on my Uncle’s service. But even if that does not happen, my Uncle Buddy is still and will always be my hero, as are all of those who, like him, stood watch in the dark places, walked a wall in the dead of night, and fought the battles that would have paralyzed most of us with fear… and those who do the same today. I always thought myself lucky to have those of the Greatest Generation to teach me about duty, honor, and loyalty. How much luckier am I now – are we all – that we have another Greatest Generation standing guard over us today!
To all of you, past and present, Thank you.
May
29
2006
Prsident Bush is expected today to sign into law a bill which prohibits groups from protesting at funerals, about time, and it is disgusting to think we have people who need to be reminded of common decency this way.
May
28
2006
I heard this mentioned on Fox News this morning, and having heard it before I remain skeptical, but within this article, Kerry Pressing Swift Boat Case Long After Loss – New York Times, Zernike states:
“Mr. Kerry has signed forms authorizing the Navy to release his record “
The last time that news broke the records were shown only to one Boston area reporter who was forbidden from reproducing any part of the record, hardly the sort of verifiable release which Kerry promised the American public, on national television, some 483 days ago.
And, when one needs to reach paragraph fifteen of a thirty-four paragraph piece in order to read that Kerry has signed the release, one has cause to be skeptical. Afterall, the release was the proof Kerry promised would make liars of the Swiftees, and he has so far failed to keep his promise. Not that breaking a promise is tantamount to being a liar yourself, if one is a Democrat. But keeping that promise should have been heralded with trumpets blaring from Martha’s Vineyard, or at least presented early in the piece, Instead it was buried halfway down that rambling apology.
Kerry and his supporters have many excuses for why they did not refute the Swiftees with the evidence contained in his records, I’d still prefer the evidence rather than the excuses.
May
28
2006
It is reported that on Friday, White House spokesman Tony Snow compared illegal aliens to speeding drivers, saying:
“”If you had a traffic ticket and you paid it, you’re not forever a speeder, are you?…
So the fact is, you have paid your debt to society,…And we have come up with a way to make sure that the debt to society gets paid. Then you move forward.”
Of course you are forever a speeder, just as if you kill someone and serve your prison sentence, you may pay the price and then regain your freedom, but you remain a killer. What else the press secretary left out of that analogy is the presumption that the driver was in possession of a validly issued license to drive. I mean, surely he is not suggesting that if a person is caught speeding, but does not have a driver’s license, that that person should pay a fine for speeding and then drive away, still without society’s approval to be operating a motor vehicle?
No, that is not how it works. The driver would be fined for speeding, and would face additional penalty for driving without a valid license, and when all of the fines and time served were met the illegal driver would not be allowed to just jump behind the wheel again, but would rather be given the opportunity to demonstrate that said individual understood and could obey the rules of the road, and could safely operate the vehicle. And, only after passing the requisite tests to receive a driver’s license would the illegal driver be allowed to, “then …move forward”, or backwards, park, or pass, and otherwise drive on the public roadways.
And just as we have procedures to obtain permission to drive, we have procedures for obtaining permission to be within our national boundaries. And, to fine a person for speeding, or for being here without permission, and to then ignore the rest of the infractions committed and to forgive the absence of attempt or success in following the procedures in place to give the individual the opportunity to behave within the law is not done with speeders, and should not be done with invaders. That would be capitulation to criminal behavior, which is also known as amnesty.
Now, we already know that the Senate can not get their heads around the problem in a satisfactory way, having this week passed a comprehensive amnesty which now goes to arbitration with the other legilative branch, so thank God we have people like James Sensenbrenner in the House of Representatives. He understands the problem. And he is saying that he does not want it to be part of his legacy in Congress that he signed off on another Simpson-Mazzoli type bill which does not solve the problem.
“What’s going on now, in calling it a pathway to citizenship or earned legalization, is not honest because it is amnesty,”
And every single issue surrounding the problems instigated by the foreign invasion can be solved without granting the illegals amnesty, or “earned citizenship”, or by ignoring their comprehensive list of crimes in the name of political expediancy.
The best policy is to enforce existing laws, and keep high standards for becoming a citizen. A person who broke the law to enter already has one strike against them. They have exhibited the will to scorn our rules. We need more people who honor our laws, not more people who speed past them.
May
27
2006
The headline reads:
ABC News: Dying ‘Dr. Death’ Has Second Thoughts About Assisting Suicides.
I read this headline and assumed that Kervorkian, aka Dr. Death, was having a change of mind about the concept of assisted suicide, however, a reading of the story makes it clear that is not the case, he only regrets getting caught performing assisted suicide.
Well, DUH! Why is that news? I think we all knew that after enough time in jail the homicidial physician would decide that he did not like prison life.
“”He did what he did, and it brought it to public awareness [of physician-assisted suicide],” said Kevorkian’s attorney, Mayer Morganroth. “He now realizes that having performed it when it was against the law, wasn’t the, probably, appropriate way to go about it.”
Paging, Dr. Obvious.
I’m now of the belief that one need not be the sharpest scapel in the tray to become a doctor. The old man is trying to get out of prison due to liver failure. He doesn’t want to die in prison. I can’t quite explain my reaction, but sense a bit of irony in his pleadings.
‘He Gets Depressed at Times’
……. doctors had told Kevorkian he had less than a year to live……….. Hepatitis C,………Kevorkian’s liver enzyme levels were three to four times above normal ……..Kevorkian has requested a commutation of his sentence
and,
“Stands by His Position, but Wouldn’t Do it Again
While Kevorkian stands firmly by the cause of physician-assisted suicide….. he would never perform it again,…..
Even on himself? Not that I am promoting the idea. But, isn’t that the irony? When others were dying he wanted to kill them. Now that he is dying he wants his freedom. Or is the plea for freedom just a ruse so that he gain access to the tools to off himself? Best to leave him where we can monitor him. And otherwise forget that he exists.
May
27
2006
As if we don’t have enough native pedophiles, now we learn that one of those people who, “are doing jobs Americans don’t want to do”, was actually doing a job nobody should be doing.
So much for the myth that they are just hard-working people looking for a job and a better life.
And, now we can add being short, and being undeportable to the list of excuses from the penalties of justice which includes, being a Kennedy, being a member of Congress, being a Democrat, and being a traitor. Enough to make one a skeptic, I say.
May
26
2006
Some rules are made to be broken
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Some rules are made to be broken
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There’s an old saying in “flyover country” that once the government puts a toll on a bridge, it’s impossible to get the tolls booths removed. Apparently, we’ve just won a small victory on the bridge to the 20th 21st century.
The Treasury Department, conceding that it has no right to continue collecting a 108-year-old tax on long-distance telephone calls, announced Thursday that it will drop its legal fight for the tax and instead refund as much as $13 billion to callers who have paid the tax in the past three years.At this rate, we should have the Social Security mess fixed just in time for the American tricentennial. Good thing the Senate is requiring illegal aliens to pay some of their back taxes… though one wonders if, before they get their new “earned citizenship”, they’re only going to be 3/5th of a person.The 3 percent tax, enacted in 1898 to help pay for the Spanish-American War and revised in 1965, has been declared illegal by five federal courts of appeal during the past year as the result of challenges brought by companies forced to pay it.
May
26
2006
Evil, uncaring conservatives!
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Evil, uncaring conservatives!
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Boy, this batch of conservatives in Congress sure are a heartless bunch, aren’t they? And that Mike Gallagher, he’s a Fox News Channel contributor and a right-wing talk radio host! That not only makes him heartless, but an agent of evil. Isn’t that what the enlightened ones in the MSM and on the left keep telling us?
May
22
2006
Lately I have been at odds with President Bush on several domestic issues, for instance on stemming the foreign invasion, but I have never wavered in my total support for this great leader. Opinion polls are supposedly telling us that his popularity is down, I don’t care, he is the man for these times and I am fully behind him. In fact, as I told my anti-Republican brother-in-law back in February; since George W. Bush hasn’t won the Presidency yet (the Democratic meme), I think he should run again in 2008. And if he does, he has my vote.
Btw, my brother-in-law knew he was forked between his favorite put-down of GWB, and his fear that Bush might actually serve four more years, and he could not muster a response. That moment still makes me laugh.
To understand why I support Bush 43, read this piece by Canadian writer Paul Jackson.
“President George W. Bush strides across the world stage as much as the U.S. dominates the world’s stage.
This is very good news for those of us who still believe in decency and democracy.
So forget what some slanted opinion polls say about the leadership of the 43rd president and his patriot countrymen.
Recall, Sir Winston Churchill was once one of the most detested men in Britain, then went on to save the free world.
That’s Churchill’s undisputed legacy.
In another era it may be Bush’s legacy, too.”
Jackson goes on to remind us what we would have if we left the world leadership to the heads of many of the world’s other nations, and it would be disaster. What he leaves out, perhaps because it is so apparent, is that we would face the same tragedy if the world was lead by Bush’s American opponents, for they would capitulate rather than fight back.
While many are worrying about the coming mid-term Congressional elections I am looking ahead to 2008 and wondering who will be there who can fill Bush’s role? I don’t yet see anyone with the vision to understand the peril, the resolve to defend us, and the guts to take the barrage of political slings and arrows that will surely descend upon anyone who takes up the battle flag and marches on. Perhaps we need to take the Dems at their word, and agree that Bush hasn’t won yet, and then run him again in ‘08.
May
19
2006
Talk like an Affliction
Filed Under Lies, Corruption and Scandals | 5 Comments
Talk like an Affliction
Filed Under Lies, Corruption and Scandals | 5 Comments
I’ve been pretty upset with Laura Ingraham all day, because of her obnoxious ranting this morning over “amnesty”. I can’t stand that some people want to grant real amnesty – total forgiveness of the crime – to these self-important illegal alien lawbreakers, and then immediately reward the bad behavior by granting an easy path to citizenship and the franchise. But it’s another thing entirely to misrepresent the president’s position, and that of many fair-minded Republicans, as “amnesty”. At one point, Laura screamed at a caller, “So you think just a fine is an acceptable punishment for violating immigration laws?!”
I made the mistake of watching Brit Hume before going to sleep, which reminded me about all this all over again. Tossing and turning in bed, it occurred to me that I hadn’t a clue what the actual penalty is for violating immigration laws. Shouldn’t that be a good ruler to measure what exactly constitutes “amnesty”?
Well, here is the relevant portion of US Code 8, Section 1325, Improper entry by alien:
(a) Improper time or place; avoidance of examination or inspection; misrepresentation and concealment of factsFor the record, “fined under title 18″ is apparently specified under US Code 18, Section 3571
Any alien who (1) enters or attempts to enter the United States at any time or place other than as designated by immigration officers, or (2) eludes examination or inspection by immigration officers, or (3) attempts to enter or obtains entry to the United States by a willfully false or misleading representation or the willful concealment of a material fact, shall, for the first commission of any such offense, be fined under title 18 or imprisoned not more than 6 months, or both…
(b) Improper time or place; civil penalties
Any alien who is apprehended while entering (or attempting to enter) the United States at a time or place other than as designated by immigration officers shall be subject to a civil penalty of -
(1) at least $50 and not more than $250 for each such entry (or attempted entry)…
(A)n individual who has been found guilty of an offense may be fined not more than….Since the House bill (that liberals have been crying is so atrocious) caught so much flak because it designated the offense a felony, we can assume we’re talking about a misdemeanor under current law.
(5) for a Class A misdemeanor that does not result in death, not more than $100,000;
(6) for a Class B or C misdemeanor that does not result in death, not more than $5,000; or
(7) for an infraction, not more than $5,000.
misdemeanorSo, the current penalty under law, prior to deportation (which, technically, isn’t a part of the punishment for the criminal offense) is as much as a fine of $5000 or less or no more than 6 months in a non-prison detention facility, or both. And it could be as little as $50.
['mis-di-'me-ner]
a crime that carries a less severe punishment than a felony
specif
a crime punishable by a fine and by a term of imprisonment not to be served in a penitentiary and not to exceed one year
The president’s proposal would require illegals to pay back taxes – something that doesn’t appear to be required by current statute. I don’t know about you, but despite being an American citizen with a decent salary, I still pretty much live paycheck to paycheck. If the IRS told me I had to pay unpaid back taxes for a period of more than a few weeks, I’d be screwed. I honestly think many illegals will run home to Mexico to avoid paying the taxes, or at the least, they’ll try to remain part of the underground economy as they have been. So, far from being amnesty, the president’s proposal is harsher than current law.
What the hell are these people complaining about?
UPDATE: I just heard the Senate approved an amendment that – for the first time in history – establishes English as the official language of the United States of America. Frankly, I’m stunned. I’ve been waiting 30 years for this, and conservatives are complaining this is too liberal??? This debate has gotten patently insane.
May
16
2006
Crossing the line into madness
Filed Under Liberty and Democracy | 4 Comments
Crossing the line into madness
Filed Under Liberty and Democracy | 4 Comments
I’ve never been a huge fan of the immigration debate. I never thought the President was totally off the mark by trying to transform our laws into a managable system to organize labor (pardon the expression). I thought his speech last night was a perfectly reasonable and rational defense of his position, even if I don’t believe much of his “guest worker” plans will be enforced in the way that’s necessary to get the job done right. And I’ve always liked good conservatives like Michelle Malkin too much to get into a scuffle over an issue I truly believe most of them champion without any racial animosity. But this is why I’m not on the bandwagon over this issue. Ed is right on the mark.
UPDATE: Cox & Forkum have a cartoon and commentary running parallel to my thoughts.
May
15
2006
Reaction To GWB’s Speech Tonight
Filed Under Law and Ethics | 1 Comment
Reaction To GWB’s Speech Tonight
Filed Under Law and Ethics | 1 Comment
This will be a short post.
I am encouraged by the President’s promise to secure our borders. A tougher stance, backed up by more personnel and added techniological tools sounds like a good start. I did not agree that an expanded guest worker program is a function of border protection, though it is true that easing the restrictions could encourage more announced visitation, and fewer people trying to sneak in makes border enforcement less complex. But, a guest worker program is an economic function, not border control.
I was disappointed by the explanation of how illegals would be treated. At one moment he was speaking of the repatriotation of apprehended illegals to their native land, at another point he spoke of allowing those who have been here illegally to pay a fine and stay and even get on track to become citizens; contradictory approaches.
Allowing those who have been here to stay is amnesty. And the fines they will be asked to pay will not even cover the expense to this nation to process them. Even sending them to the “back of the line’ to gain citizenship is wrong, they will still be served ahead of the people who legally request entry and citizenship on the day after the illegal is placed in line.
Mostly, what bothers me about the President’s plan is that there were no provisions to prevent this situation from recurring in another few years. A law which states that anyone who enters illegally is forever forbidden from achieving citizenship is one sensible approach which would halt people from entering our ranks through a break-in at the back door. The President did not propose such legislation. Another law, in this case it would require a Constitutional amendment, is to close the loophole which permits illegals to gain citizenship for their newborns by entering illegally and delivering the child within our borders. In those cases the 14th Amendment is interpreted to grant the newborn citizenship, and this needs to be changed to deny citizenship to any person born to parents who are in this country illegally.
So, to conclude. Better border enforcement good. Amnesty bad. Absence of prevention of repitition terrible.
Addendum:
Was this speech itself a repeat? 
Cap’n Ed
May
15
2006
Perhaps the greatest impediment to resolving the matter of foreign nationals sneaking into our country has been the emotionalism which has entered into the debate. Nothing confuses like emotions. And, in this country emotions are exceptionaly prominent in political debate. We hear the emotional plea that the foreign invaders are economically oppressed people’s in their homeland so they must come here for relief. We hear the emotional plea the we need the foreigners here to fill jobs Americans won’t do. We hear the emotional plea that these people have rights under our Constitution, even though they were neither invited to come, nor did they announce their arrival. And, we hear the emotional plea that says anyone who opposes these people are racist, though no evidence of that sort is presented. Enough with the emotional. Enough with the confusion. For the emotional approach does not separate the problem into distinct elements, which can then be managed independently, it lumps the whole thing into one bucket, and then denies any response that is not universal.
It is somewhat understandable that this emotional approach is so successful in confusing the issue, afterall, when we discuss foreigners breaking into our country, or when we talk about increasing labor pool to meet demand, or when we talk about immigration reform; we are generally talking about the impact presented by the same people on each of these elements. That, however, doesn’t make the situation into one problem, it simply reveals that we are presented with many problems as a result of one population. The way to transcend the confusion is to see the matter as individual challenges, each needing an independent solution. That each challenge is created by the same population is irrelevant.
So, it is important to see the individual problems as separate issues. And, to then offer independent solutions to each problem. So, here is how I break out the problems.
Border Enforcement
Economics
Immigration
Each time a solution is proposed, ask which element is being addressed. Be selfish, and be stubborn. If the discussion is border security, for example, do not let concerns about the cost of labor enter into the talk, that only mixes the figurative apples and oranges. If the talk is about immigration policies, then only consider aspects of how we wish to delineate our standards for visitor, permanent resident, and citizenship status, everything else, including the numbers of people accepted each year, is not part of the discussion.
I know that there is a habitual reflex to include peripheral subjects, for example, the desire for more workers into the immigration consideration, but, the volume of immigrants is a separate decision from the protection of standards for entry into this land. The same analogies can be made for each of the three elements; there exist peripheral subjects which are habitually meshed into the discussion of the actual element. And confusion ensues.
So, as you listen to our, so called, leaders pontificate on the foreign invasion, break down their analysis of the problem, and the solutions they present into the three elements and your perspective will grow. You might ask, which element are they addressing? What solution do they propose? Does the solution match the stated subject? Chances are, they won’t match. Chances are, habit, and the emotional influence, will pollute their reasoning.
And, while, chances are, any solution to the problems posed to each element will have an effect on one or more of the other elements, don’t be confused, each element can be resolved on its own merit without trampling on the resolution or standards of the other elements. We can secure our borders, and we can supply business with a labor pool, and we can respect immigration law; each can be accomplished without impedence of the other objectives. It is not necessary, or productive, to group the problems together. Remember, the only comprehensive solution to the invasion is found in the cumulative effect of independent solutions to each element. The only way to keep the solutions independent is to keep the problems separate.
Tonight the President will address the nation on the invasion, and it is being said that he will present a comprehensive plan, don’t be fooled, a collection of solutions is not a singular comprehensive solution. Pay attention to how each issue is addressed, and discount the peripheral subjects while considering each element in an independent fashion.
Oh, and one last thing, immediately discount any emotional pleas, they only serve to confuse.