Just a few things today - Our illustrious governor is back from Iraq where he visited the troops from Wisconsin. He went on an invitation from Secretary Rice along with two other governors. It was a good opportunity for him to show how much he loves the military?!
While he was in Iraq he was notified that his administration was coming apart at the seams. He found out that he wasn't the only one that was selling the state of Wisconsin for cold cash to fatten up the party coffers.
He, and most of the country now know, that he is up to his neck in corruption over illegal 'letting' of travel contracts by a members of his administration. Illegal in that the contract was given after campaign donation were made to the governor. After all, there are more important things here than just state contracts to consider.
Mr. Doyle has since cancelled the contract and started an inquiry into contract-letting procedure, but he made it clear that the investigation was not to include looking for a paper trail that would lead to political motivation. That would be a waste of time as Wisconsin is corruption free.
It is also very interesting that he decided not to give the $20,000 back.
Also, Mr Doyle vetoed the Concealed Carry Law that the legislators put on his desk a few weeks ago, and today the sponsors of the bill tried to over-ride his veto but lost by two votes, both Democrats.
These two Democrats voted for the original bill, but decided not to go against the governor by voting for the over-ride. I'm sure their families feel much safer now that the two wayward law makers have discovered, at the last minute, what is best for them and the great state of Wisconsin.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Monday, January 30, 2006
An Auto Industry Partnership
It's interesting that Ford and General Motors are laying off thousands of workers and closing dozens of plants in an effort to compete in the globel market.
The market is dominated by manufactures from over seas that have built facilities in this country to compete directily with the American manufacturer.
So what is so good about the imported cars? Why are the imports slowly but surely dominating a market that traditionally has always been American? The designs aren't any better, I don't believe. The American manufactures have some goofy looking cars, but so do the imports.
If you listened to the "experts" in the media they all seem to sing the same song about Detroit not having what the consumer wants. In reality, Detroit can't produce a car with the same quality at the same price as the imports. There are cost constraints that must be meet for a manufacture to produce a particular car for a certain price range.
Just think about something for a minute, if each manufacture spent the same amount of money building similar cars, and then sold them with nearly the same price tag, the customer would only have to make a decision based on the looks of the car. Manufacturing techniques are similar and the same materials are available to each. So, design alone would determine success. But that isn't how things are in the real world.
If the manufacturer can only sell a particular car at a certain price to meet competition, because the materials that will be available and the labor costs will determine how that car will be built, and that's rub. To be competitive, they have to sell the car at price that meets the competition.
Ford and General Motors can not compete with the other car manufactures because the cost of labor is not the same for each competitor. The American manufacture has about $1100 or more in labor costs per unit than the import manufacture. Why, you ask? That's an easy one to answer. The import manufacture doesn't have a labor union. The American industry is being chrushed by a huge heatlh care and retirement contract agreements.
The reason for these huge labor costs are not just the union's fault. The American manufacture from the beginning never really got down and dirty in the negoitions for new contracts. They thought it was easier to just give the unions what they wanted and then pass the costs on to the customer. They did this for years and now it has come back to bit them in the rear.
It's bad enough that the hourly rates that the workers get is some of the highest in the country. But the retirement and health care costs that the management agreed to over the years has proven their undoing. The labor unions, to their credit, have shown that they are the strongest negotiators. They squeezed the best deals for the workers out of a back sliding management. But now, faced with massive lay-offs and a shrinking industry, how will the unions deal with the possibility of even further reductions in their ranks, maybe, if things get worse, even the total collapse of the United Auto Workers itself.
The question that remains is 'can the union change with changing conditions, or will they stand fast and maybe go down with the ship'. I believe that the union has to change. The union and management has to develop a bridge that will allow a true picture to develop of how bad the situation really is and how, together, they can get back to were they can become competitive again.
One of the most important things the union can do at this point is to start taking on more responsibility for health care, and postpone some retirement benifits. In other words, they will need to convince the membership that a new contract, giving up some of these benefits that they now enjoy, is the only way for the union to persevere the industry and it's own well being.
If the union and management can not see their way clear to form a partnership for survival, then, I believe, the American side of the auto industry will become a mere shadow of it's former self.
The market is dominated by manufactures from over seas that have built facilities in this country to compete directily with the American manufacturer.
So what is so good about the imported cars? Why are the imports slowly but surely dominating a market that traditionally has always been American? The designs aren't any better, I don't believe. The American manufactures have some goofy looking cars, but so do the imports.
If you listened to the "experts" in the media they all seem to sing the same song about Detroit not having what the consumer wants. In reality, Detroit can't produce a car with the same quality at the same price as the imports. There are cost constraints that must be meet for a manufacture to produce a particular car for a certain price range.
Just think about something for a minute, if each manufacture spent the same amount of money building similar cars, and then sold them with nearly the same price tag, the customer would only have to make a decision based on the looks of the car. Manufacturing techniques are similar and the same materials are available to each. So, design alone would determine success. But that isn't how things are in the real world.
If the manufacturer can only sell a particular car at a certain price to meet competition, because the materials that will be available and the labor costs will determine how that car will be built, and that's rub. To be competitive, they have to sell the car at price that meets the competition.
Ford and General Motors can not compete with the other car manufactures because the cost of labor is not the same for each competitor. The American manufacture has about $1100 or more in labor costs per unit than the import manufacture. Why, you ask? That's an easy one to answer. The import manufacture doesn't have a labor union. The American industry is being chrushed by a huge heatlh care and retirement contract agreements.
The reason for these huge labor costs are not just the union's fault. The American manufacture from the beginning never really got down and dirty in the negoitions for new contracts. They thought it was easier to just give the unions what they wanted and then pass the costs on to the customer. They did this for years and now it has come back to bit them in the rear.
It's bad enough that the hourly rates that the workers get is some of the highest in the country. But the retirement and health care costs that the management agreed to over the years has proven their undoing. The labor unions, to their credit, have shown that they are the strongest negotiators. They squeezed the best deals for the workers out of a back sliding management. But now, faced with massive lay-offs and a shrinking industry, how will the unions deal with the possibility of even further reductions in their ranks, maybe, if things get worse, even the total collapse of the United Auto Workers itself.
The question that remains is 'can the union change with changing conditions, or will they stand fast and maybe go down with the ship'. I believe that the union has to change. The union and management has to develop a bridge that will allow a true picture to develop of how bad the situation really is and how, together, they can get back to were they can become competitive again.
One of the most important things the union can do at this point is to start taking on more responsibility for health care, and postpone some retirement benifits. In other words, they will need to convince the membership that a new contract, giving up some of these benefits that they now enjoy, is the only way for the union to persevere the industry and it's own well being.
If the union and management can not see their way clear to form a partnership for survival, then, I believe, the American side of the auto industry will become a mere shadow of it's former self.
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Smile for America -
I've been surfing some old sayings that I have collected over the years and I think some of them have a significant impact on the political scene that we see on television and in the media today -
The Democrats of today are a sour lot to be sure - you never see or hear them except when they have something hateful to say, or they want to take something from you by force, so here is something that I believe will help a little but not cure them.
"A keen sense of humor helps to overlook the unbecoming, understand the unconventional, tolerate the unpleasant, overcome the unexpected and outlast the unbearable" ( author unknown)
The Republicans by contrast are usually up-beat and positive about their agenda mainly because it is forward looking and grounded in principles based on Christian ethics of behavior. Ethics that were in force for the last two thousand years. Ethics that are the bed rock of our civilization. Conservatives have a bright future to look forward to.
"A joyful heart is good medicine" Proverbs 17:22
Unfortunately the liberal agenda in founded in mistrust and hate. There is nothing to smile about here.
The liberal Democrats are mean and hateful because they are out of power and have no one that they can look to for guidance and consultation. They are godless except for their unquenchable thirst for control.
"A wise man does not grieve for the things he has not, but rejoices for the things which he has" (author unknown)
"He who guards his mouth and his tongue, guards his soul from trouble" Proverbs 21:23
This one won't help the liberal - remember they are Godless, and therefore have no soul.
And in the end - this was written thousands of years ago, but if you didn't know that, one might think it was written just yesterday.
"So be careful how you act; for these are difficult days. Don't be fools; be wise: make the most of every opportunity you have for doing good" Ephestians 5:15,16
Always remember, America is the bed rock of freedom - it is the latch-pin for Democracy. Take a few minutes and think about the alternatives, and then wonder why the liberal Democrats want to pull that latch-pin to take it all away.
The Democrats of today are a sour lot to be sure - you never see or hear them except when they have something hateful to say, or they want to take something from you by force, so here is something that I believe will help a little but not cure them.
"A keen sense of humor helps to overlook the unbecoming, understand the unconventional, tolerate the unpleasant, overcome the unexpected and outlast the unbearable" ( author unknown)
The Republicans by contrast are usually up-beat and positive about their agenda mainly because it is forward looking and grounded in principles based on Christian ethics of behavior. Ethics that were in force for the last two thousand years. Ethics that are the bed rock of our civilization. Conservatives have a bright future to look forward to.
"A joyful heart is good medicine" Proverbs 17:22
Unfortunately the liberal agenda in founded in mistrust and hate. There is nothing to smile about here.
The liberal Democrats are mean and hateful because they are out of power and have no one that they can look to for guidance and consultation. They are godless except for their unquenchable thirst for control.
"A wise man does not grieve for the things he has not, but rejoices for the things which he has" (author unknown)
"He who guards his mouth and his tongue, guards his soul from trouble" Proverbs 21:23
This one won't help the liberal - remember they are Godless, and therefore have no soul.
And in the end - this was written thousands of years ago, but if you didn't know that, one might think it was written just yesterday.
"So be careful how you act; for these are difficult days. Don't be fools; be wise: make the most of every opportunity you have for doing good" Ephestians 5:15,16
Always remember, America is the bed rock of freedom - it is the latch-pin for Democracy. Take a few minutes and think about the alternatives, and then wonder why the liberal Democrats want to pull that latch-pin to take it all away.
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Bill Clinton Revisited
First, I must apologize for the crudeness of this magazine cover. I hope I haven't offended anyone, but I'm sure that Time gave a lot of consideration before releasing this to the public. I think they are serious about this.This is easy to understand given Bill Clinton's history as governor and recent revelations about his presidency, that were hidden from the public by zealots in his administration, this cover is what I would call a "coming out" statement of the main stream media.
Normally they wouldn't do this as they have always covered for Mr. Clinton, no matter what he did or didn't do, but with all of the nasty things that we know about him, the media has decided to have a change of heart and start playing hard ball.
No more Mr. Nice Guy! Let the chips fall where they may is the new philosophy of the big media - the gloves are off, it's time to get down and dirty -
Oh gosh - heh - I just love Saturday.
Friday, January 27, 2006
The New / Old John kerry
I just love this - John Kerry calls in from Switzerland to make a statement concerning the Alito confirmation - he wants the Democrats to filibuster the Alito's confirmation.
He is out of the country, skiing or what ever, enjoying the good life of the rich and famous, but still has the gall to demand disastrous action of his fellow obstructionists on the front lines. If it all went bad, as most Democrats think it would as there are already enough votes to get the job done including three Democrats so far, John Kerry would do what he does best; he would lie about what he said and do it with a straight face.
The puppet masters are in a tough spot - the Alito nomination has gone south on them, and the NSA intercept revelation has turned sour as the investigation will expose liberal activists in the media and or government that are willing to betray their country by revealing national security secrets, that puts the country at risk, for personal gratification and advancement. This kind of thing can not help the Democrats in November especially if it's a member of congress.
Looks like John Delay will walk in April after he has his day in court with the corrupt Ronnie Earle, and George Bush's approval numbers are on the way up again. Of course the economy is going great and the war is progressing nicely. All bad things for the liberal left. What can they use now to try and destroy us.
I think the state of the union address will be a dandy this year -
He is out of the country, skiing or what ever, enjoying the good life of the rich and famous, but still has the gall to demand disastrous action of his fellow obstructionists on the front lines. If it all went bad, as most Democrats think it would as there are already enough votes to get the job done including three Democrats so far, John Kerry would do what he does best; he would lie about what he said and do it with a straight face.
The puppet masters are in a tough spot - the Alito nomination has gone south on them, and the NSA intercept revelation has turned sour as the investigation will expose liberal activists in the media and or government that are willing to betray their country by revealing national security secrets, that puts the country at risk, for personal gratification and advancement. This kind of thing can not help the Democrats in November especially if it's a member of congress.
Looks like John Delay will walk in April after he has his day in court with the corrupt Ronnie Earle, and George Bush's approval numbers are on the way up again. Of course the economy is going great and the war is progressing nicely. All bad things for the liberal left. What can they use now to try and destroy us.
I think the state of the union address will be a dandy this year -
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Terrorists Win Election
I wonder if the election in Palestine was honest? I mean, given that terrorist and criminals won and that the over feeling among the voters was that the current leaders didn't afford enough protection against the attacks from the Israelis.
I guess I can understand where they are coming from. The terrorists send suicide bombers into Israel to kill women and children on buses and in restaurants, fire rockets into Israelis cities, and in retaliation, they attack the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and in the West Bank. That's not fair - Palestinians should have the right to kill as many Jews as possible without worrying that they will be attacked in return.
Hamas leaders, I'm sure, have promised the poor disadvantaged souls in the refugee camps that once they get elected and have access to the millions of dollars that the stupid Europeans and Americans gives them to build a new life, the poor souls that have been in the refugee camps for the last thirty years, can have a future for themselves and their children. heh heh heh The poor souls in the refugee camps are screwed again! They are dead meat!
The biggest terrorist in history, Arafat, stole all the money that the stupid Europeans and Americans gave him for the poor souls in the refugee camps and bought arms to kill thousands of poor souls around the world. Munich - Lebanon - Syria - Israel - America. He even tried to kill the President of the United States. Nobody cared though, he was a Republican.
There has never been another time in history when a complete people have been sustained in refugee camps for as long as the Palestinians. Not the Jews, the Germans, the Poles or anyone at any time. They always had the will to get themselves out of bad situations and improve there lot. Not so with the Palestinians. They are there because Arafat wanted them their so he could sustain the conflict with Israel and steal millions for himself.
But I believe the frosting on the cake is having Jimmy Carter there to supervise the election. Remember, he was on hand to watch the recall referendum in Venezuela, and we all know what happened there, a full blown communist remained in power. The referendum was a farce.
Wonders of wonders, Jimmy Carter gave the election of the Palestinians his blessing to, smiling from ear to ear and showing all of his teeth, proclaiming all is good, all is pure. Murders and killers are now in power.
As I have stated many times in the past, Jimmy Carter is a Marxist Democrat, and so loves communists. Jimmy has every reason to love Hamas. Little wonder he turned a blind eye on the election of Hugo Chavez. He did the same thing with the Russians when he was president.
I guess I can understand where they are coming from. The terrorists send suicide bombers into Israel to kill women and children on buses and in restaurants, fire rockets into Israelis cities, and in retaliation, they attack the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and in the West Bank. That's not fair - Palestinians should have the right to kill as many Jews as possible without worrying that they will be attacked in return.
Hamas leaders, I'm sure, have promised the poor disadvantaged souls in the refugee camps that once they get elected and have access to the millions of dollars that the stupid Europeans and Americans gives them to build a new life, the poor souls that have been in the refugee camps for the last thirty years, can have a future for themselves and their children. heh heh heh The poor souls in the refugee camps are screwed again! They are dead meat!
The biggest terrorist in history, Arafat, stole all the money that the stupid Europeans and Americans gave him for the poor souls in the refugee camps and bought arms to kill thousands of poor souls around the world. Munich - Lebanon - Syria - Israel - America. He even tried to kill the President of the United States. Nobody cared though, he was a Republican.
There has never been another time in history when a complete people have been sustained in refugee camps for as long as the Palestinians. Not the Jews, the Germans, the Poles or anyone at any time. They always had the will to get themselves out of bad situations and improve there lot. Not so with the Palestinians. They are there because Arafat wanted them their so he could sustain the conflict with Israel and steal millions for himself.
But I believe the frosting on the cake is having Jimmy Carter there to supervise the election. Remember, he was on hand to watch the recall referendum in Venezuela, and we all know what happened there, a full blown communist remained in power. The referendum was a farce.
Wonders of wonders, Jimmy Carter gave the election of the Palestinians his blessing to, smiling from ear to ear and showing all of his teeth, proclaiming all is good, all is pure. Murders and killers are now in power.
As I have stated many times in the past, Jimmy Carter is a Marxist Democrat, and so loves communists. Jimmy has every reason to love Hamas. Little wonder he turned a blind eye on the election of Hugo Chavez. He did the same thing with the Russians when he was president.
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Alito Inches Closer -
The debate goes on and on and on - the last time I listened to find out what the score was it stood at 47 in favor and 26 against. This can on for sometime until all 100 senators have had a chance to vote. Alito needs 51 votes for confirmation and there are 55 Republican senators in the chamber.
As I stated yesterday, I fear that some the more wayward Republican senators that are media jockeys might what to make a splash by voting against or ' present '. If they voted 'present', then the number of senators that could vote in favor will fall, which means the margin between success and failure falls by the same number.
Everyone seems confident he will be confirmed. I wonder if any Democrats will vote in favor of the nomination?
I believe it was back in 1993 when the senate confirmed Ginsburg, the vote was 96 to 3. Even though the Republicans knew that she was an active member of the ACLU they still voted to confirm. They thought since it was the presidents choice they should go along. Make sure the system functions as designed.
Things have changed a lot since the Democrats lost both houses of the legislature and the Presidency. The new liberal Democrats have no sense of duty to make the system function as designed. The new theme is cut and slash and burn. Go for the throat. Don't give an inch. Destroy everything in your path to gain power. No behavior too abhorrent.
As a result, the Democrats have no sense of duty or honor or country. But this is one of the things that the Democrats could rely on the loyal opposition to do to make the country run when they were in control, they always knew that most Republicans would put honor and country ahead of self. The Democrats found this behavior unthinkable and laughable.
So no matter how corrupt and underhanded liberal left Democrats were, they could always rely on the Republicans to safe guard the country. They could be assured that duty to the people and to the constitution would be paramount.
To see how this worked, look what Clinton did for eight years - his behavior as President of the United States was criminal - contrast that to what the Democrats are doing today in the senate - it's criminal. It's their culture. It's who they are.
As I stated yesterday, I fear that some the more wayward Republican senators that are media jockeys might what to make a splash by voting against or ' present '. If they voted 'present', then the number of senators that could vote in favor will fall, which means the margin between success and failure falls by the same number.
Everyone seems confident he will be confirmed. I wonder if any Democrats will vote in favor of the nomination?
I believe it was back in 1993 when the senate confirmed Ginsburg, the vote was 96 to 3. Even though the Republicans knew that she was an active member of the ACLU they still voted to confirm. They thought since it was the presidents choice they should go along. Make sure the system functions as designed.
Things have changed a lot since the Democrats lost both houses of the legislature and the Presidency. The new liberal Democrats have no sense of duty to make the system function as designed. The new theme is cut and slash and burn. Go for the throat. Don't give an inch. Destroy everything in your path to gain power. No behavior too abhorrent.
As a result, the Democrats have no sense of duty or honor or country. But this is one of the things that the Democrats could rely on the loyal opposition to do to make the country run when they were in control, they always knew that most Republicans would put honor and country ahead of self. The Democrats found this behavior unthinkable and laughable.
So no matter how corrupt and underhanded liberal left Democrats were, they could always rely on the Republicans to safe guard the country. They could be assured that duty to the people and to the constitution would be paramount.
To see how this worked, look what Clinton did for eight years - his behavior as President of the United States was criminal - contrast that to what the Democrats are doing today in the senate - it's criminal. It's their culture. It's who they are.
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Alito Moves Out of Committee
If all goes well Alito will be the next Supreme Court Justice. The straight line party vote in committee was expected. Now it's up to the Senate for an up or down vote to complete the process. If all of the Republicans vote for Alito, he will be confirmed, but that is not a sure thing.
There are some Republicans that can not be trusted, they are called RINO's. Republicans in name only. The Democrats don't have that problem. If they have some guy that thinks he should do the right thing and vote with the majority, they take care of problem in the bathroom or the coat room or where ever. They will get the message across on how to vote.
I don't trust these RINO's to do the right thing. The Republicans don't threaten their loose cannons, so it's easy for them to always have their finger in the air testing the Strength and direction of the political wind. They think it's a good thing to show some doubt about what to do because then the press will be all over them. Some Politicians love that.
One of the biggest media hogs is McCain, and when he starts wringing his hands you know he will have several other Republicans tagging alone to collect some of droppings from the big mans lime light table. These guys will probably be the seven from the gang of 14 that struck the non- filibuster deal.. heh heh - sure - right!
Where the problem now comes in, or so it seems, the Democrats are talking filibuster anyway because these are 'extraordinary' circumstances. That was part of the deal that the gang of 14 had decided on. Since when do seven nitwits have the power to decide what is going to happen for all of the other Senators? The Democrats took these guys for the chumps that they are.
Since liberal Democrats have no chance to get one of their guys on the court this time, and so lose the opportunity to project the liberal agenda, they have no choice but to be as obstructive as they can. Their base demands it. The puppet masters pull the strings and the Democrats do the dance. It's all part of the program. The play-book has to be followed.
Did anyone see or hear the performances that Kennedy, Khol and Feinstein put on today? There were others to, but these were some that I heard. If so, you will understand what is meant by the play-book - Khol never lifted his head - he read the whole thing. Khol originally said that he would vote for Alito but that was before they explained to him what would happen to his first born if he did. 'Just do like your told and read the damn thing Herb, don't try and think - every time you do it gets you into trouble.'
Now we wait for the vote. It will interesting to see how each views their duty to honor and country.
There are some Republicans that can not be trusted, they are called RINO's. Republicans in name only. The Democrats don't have that problem. If they have some guy that thinks he should do the right thing and vote with the majority, they take care of problem in the bathroom or the coat room or where ever. They will get the message across on how to vote.
I don't trust these RINO's to do the right thing. The Republicans don't threaten their loose cannons, so it's easy for them to always have their finger in the air testing the Strength and direction of the political wind. They think it's a good thing to show some doubt about what to do because then the press will be all over them. Some Politicians love that.
One of the biggest media hogs is McCain, and when he starts wringing his hands you know he will have several other Republicans tagging alone to collect some of droppings from the big mans lime light table. These guys will probably be the seven from the gang of 14 that struck the non- filibuster deal.. heh heh - sure - right!
Where the problem now comes in, or so it seems, the Democrats are talking filibuster anyway because these are 'extraordinary' circumstances. That was part of the deal that the gang of 14 had decided on. Since when do seven nitwits have the power to decide what is going to happen for all of the other Senators? The Democrats took these guys for the chumps that they are.
Since liberal Democrats have no chance to get one of their guys on the court this time, and so lose the opportunity to project the liberal agenda, they have no choice but to be as obstructive as they can. Their base demands it. The puppet masters pull the strings and the Democrats do the dance. It's all part of the program. The play-book has to be followed.
Did anyone see or hear the performances that Kennedy, Khol and Feinstein put on today? There were others to, but these were some that I heard. If so, you will understand what is meant by the play-book - Khol never lifted his head - he read the whole thing. Khol originally said that he would vote for Alito but that was before they explained to him what would happen to his first born if he did. 'Just do like your told and read the damn thing Herb, don't try and think - every time you do it gets you into trouble.'
Now we wait for the vote. It will interesting to see how each views their duty to honor and country.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Big Jim Doyle Knows the Tune
Jim Doyle, Governor of the great State Of Wisconsin. How embarrassing. This is a good state and under the control of a good governor it could be great.
But that isn't the case for "Diamond" Jim Doyle - why "Diamond" Jim Doyle? Well, he has taken millions from the Indian Tribes in this state for his campaign funds in return he has promised fantastic deals for the operations of casinos.
It has gotten so bad that Big Jim Doyle is willing to sell anything to get money for his campaign. He will sell the entire state to anyone that is will to kick in money for his reelection, and the worst part is, he has already sold large chunk of it to out of state concerns. This may be hard to believe, but this is a large part of his problem right now. Jim Doyle has never had a problem raising money, just ask Jack Abrimoff about that.
I heard today that there is a Federal Grand Jury formed to investigate him. I wouldn't think this would be a good thing so close to an election, but then again, one has to remember this is Wisconsin, and, along with being a tax hell and litigation nightmare, is renowned for being the 'voter fraud capital' of the country. Big Jim knows a thing or two about how to win elections.
So Jimmy isn't too worried about being investigated for corruption, stealing, fraud and several other and assorted felonies, he has the Democratic machine to back him up, including the state supreme court. After all, this is were the laws are made and changed in this state. The legislature is there only to approve them. They can't disapprove them; not aloud.
When Big Jim "Two Face" Doyle has a problem, he sends one of the boys over to talk to the judges and explains what needs to be done to make things right. Since Big Jim just appointed a liberal judge to the court a few years ago and changed the balance in his favor, it has been smooth sailing ever since.
Besides if there ever was a problem with one of the judges that had some stupid idea concerning conscience and ethics, the boys would explain to his honor how some things can go wrong in peoples lives and, poof, everything is hunky dory. No problems. We are just one big happen family.
If all else fails, Big Jim has a back plan that is fool proof, he has the trial lawyers of this state in his pocket. How do you think Wisconsin got in the headlines of the Wall Street Journal twice now in the last two weeks.
Remember when the State Supreme Court ruled that when you sue someone they don't have to have anything to do with the problem, all you have to do is show that some how your problem is relative to their companies. Now you can take them all to the cleaners.
The article in the Wall Street Journal of last Thursday made the point that lawyers will flock to Wisconsin given the new climate of litigation. The lead paint case is making headlines as we speak.
The plaintiff is suing seven paint manufactures but he can't identify which company made the paint that he ate years ago and he can't identify which, if any, of the companies made the lead that was in the paint. Under Wisconsin law now, after the ruling of the supreme court and Big Jim Doyle vetoed the claims cap that the legislators sent him, all seven can be sued and with no limit to the award.
WOW Everyone wins except the state of Wisconsin and it businesses. And the winners are Big Jim "Two Face" Doyle, trial lawyers, the Democratic Party, (full coffers), and the plaintiff, to some degree, if the lawyers leave him anything after they take their cut.
On top of all this, remember the School Choice problem that the black community is hammering him on and the Milwaukee radio station we discussed recently is still giving him fits. With the WEA screaming that they want School Choice capped where it is and the fact that Big Jim in the pocket of the WEA, he has little room to maneuver. heh
What a great state to be from.(not really) I hope and pray we can dump this man in November, but I won't hold my breath.
But that isn't the case for "Diamond" Jim Doyle - why "Diamond" Jim Doyle? Well, he has taken millions from the Indian Tribes in this state for his campaign funds in return he has promised fantastic deals for the operations of casinos.
It has gotten so bad that Big Jim Doyle is willing to sell anything to get money for his campaign. He will sell the entire state to anyone that is will to kick in money for his reelection, and the worst part is, he has already sold large chunk of it to out of state concerns. This may be hard to believe, but this is a large part of his problem right now. Jim Doyle has never had a problem raising money, just ask Jack Abrimoff about that.
I heard today that there is a Federal Grand Jury formed to investigate him. I wouldn't think this would be a good thing so close to an election, but then again, one has to remember this is Wisconsin, and, along with being a tax hell and litigation nightmare, is renowned for being the 'voter fraud capital' of the country. Big Jim knows a thing or two about how to win elections.
So Jimmy isn't too worried about being investigated for corruption, stealing, fraud and several other and assorted felonies, he has the Democratic machine to back him up, including the state supreme court. After all, this is were the laws are made and changed in this state. The legislature is there only to approve them. They can't disapprove them; not aloud.
When Big Jim "Two Face" Doyle has a problem, he sends one of the boys over to talk to the judges and explains what needs to be done to make things right. Since Big Jim just appointed a liberal judge to the court a few years ago and changed the balance in his favor, it has been smooth sailing ever since.
Besides if there ever was a problem with one of the judges that had some stupid idea concerning conscience and ethics, the boys would explain to his honor how some things can go wrong in peoples lives and, poof, everything is hunky dory. No problems. We are just one big happen family.
If all else fails, Big Jim has a back plan that is fool proof, he has the trial lawyers of this state in his pocket. How do you think Wisconsin got in the headlines of the Wall Street Journal twice now in the last two weeks.
Remember when the State Supreme Court ruled that when you sue someone they don't have to have anything to do with the problem, all you have to do is show that some how your problem is relative to their companies. Now you can take them all to the cleaners.
The article in the Wall Street Journal of last Thursday made the point that lawyers will flock to Wisconsin given the new climate of litigation. The lead paint case is making headlines as we speak.
The plaintiff is suing seven paint manufactures but he can't identify which company made the paint that he ate years ago and he can't identify which, if any, of the companies made the lead that was in the paint. Under Wisconsin law now, after the ruling of the supreme court and Big Jim Doyle vetoed the claims cap that the legislators sent him, all seven can be sued and with no limit to the award.
WOW Everyone wins except the state of Wisconsin and it businesses. And the winners are Big Jim "Two Face" Doyle, trial lawyers, the Democratic Party, (full coffers), and the plaintiff, to some degree, if the lawyers leave him anything after they take their cut.
On top of all this, remember the School Choice problem that the black community is hammering him on and the Milwaukee radio station we discussed recently is still giving him fits. With the WEA screaming that they want School Choice capped where it is and the fact that Big Jim in the pocket of the WEA, he has little room to maneuver. heh
What a great state to be from.(not really) I hope and pray we can dump this man in November, but I won't hold my breath.
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Pirate Coast by Richard Zacks
Just finished another book called the Pirate Coast by Richard Zacks. This is a true story of the first Marines and William Eaton, which I have to believe can be considered to be the very first Marine of our country, and his war on the pirates of the Barbery coast.
These bandits had been attacking commercial shipping along the coast off Tunisia and Libya. Tripoli was a small Kingdom along the coast that was a center for the pirates as well as other areas of the Mediterranean. The only way to stop them from attacking and taking the crews and cargos was to pay Tribute. All nations, including the United States, did this but didn't like it in the least.
But it was the easiest way to stop the pirates from taking your ships and enslaving the crews on which you had to pay ransom to get them back anyway. But something happened in 1804 that started William Eaton on his epic journey across the desert to attack Tripoli in 1805 which changed William Eaton and our foreign policy for ever.
The United States sent the frigate Philadelphia to the Mediterranean to try and bring some order to this area, but to the captains dismay it ran around outside the harbor. Well, in short the crew was taken prisoner and enslaved for over year.
President Thomas Jefferson wanted that to end this tragedy but he didn't want the United States to get involved in war in that area. So he sent Eaton as a special agent to try and effect a solution to the problem that would be below the radar, so to speak. Jefferson was an isolationist and believed that all things can be negotiated.
Eaton was a very aggressive former Marine Captain that was a 'can do' type A person, so with eight other marines and several hundred mercenaries and tribesmen, marched across the desert, nearly died doing it, attacked the city of Derian, close to Tripoli, and won against great odds. This scattered the enemy and when word got back to Tripoli, everyone got very nervous.
Jefferson sent a diplomat to Tripoli to negotiate a treaty to resolve the pirate problem and get back the crew of the Philadelphia. What happened during the negotiations and after is very intriguing to anyone that finds the workings of our early government appealing. Also you will find that not too much has changed in how government works or how politicians can find the smallest reason to be self serving, even Thomas Jefferson.
Eaton loves country and honor above all. I found his sprite and candor so refreshing even when all else was failing him. I highly recommend this book. It is superbly written and just a joy to read.
My next book is the Unholy Alliance by David Horowitz - It's about how radical Islam and the American left are working together to defeat America. This book tries to answer one of my most troubling questions; why do so many people that live in this country, and have everything, want to destroy the very foundation of their existence. Why are they are actively trying to destroy this country? I hope I find some answers.
These bandits had been attacking commercial shipping along the coast off Tunisia and Libya. Tripoli was a small Kingdom along the coast that was a center for the pirates as well as other areas of the Mediterranean. The only way to stop them from attacking and taking the crews and cargos was to pay Tribute. All nations, including the United States, did this but didn't like it in the least.
But it was the easiest way to stop the pirates from taking your ships and enslaving the crews on which you had to pay ransom to get them back anyway. But something happened in 1804 that started William Eaton on his epic journey across the desert to attack Tripoli in 1805 which changed William Eaton and our foreign policy for ever.
The United States sent the frigate Philadelphia to the Mediterranean to try and bring some order to this area, but to the captains dismay it ran around outside the harbor. Well, in short the crew was taken prisoner and enslaved for over year.
President Thomas Jefferson wanted that to end this tragedy but he didn't want the United States to get involved in war in that area. So he sent Eaton as a special agent to try and effect a solution to the problem that would be below the radar, so to speak. Jefferson was an isolationist and believed that all things can be negotiated.
Eaton was a very aggressive former Marine Captain that was a 'can do' type A person, so with eight other marines and several hundred mercenaries and tribesmen, marched across the desert, nearly died doing it, attacked the city of Derian, close to Tripoli, and won against great odds. This scattered the enemy and when word got back to Tripoli, everyone got very nervous.
Jefferson sent a diplomat to Tripoli to negotiate a treaty to resolve the pirate problem and get back the crew of the Philadelphia. What happened during the negotiations and after is very intriguing to anyone that finds the workings of our early government appealing. Also you will find that not too much has changed in how government works or how politicians can find the smallest reason to be self serving, even Thomas Jefferson.
Eaton loves country and honor above all. I found his sprite and candor so refreshing even when all else was failing him. I highly recommend this book. It is superbly written and just a joy to read.
My next book is the Unholy Alliance by David Horowitz - It's about how radical Islam and the American left are working together to defeat America. This book tries to answer one of my most troubling questions; why do so many people that live in this country, and have everything, want to destroy the very foundation of their existence. Why are they are actively trying to destroy this country? I hope I find some answers.
Saturday, January 21, 2006
The Economy Looking Good
The Dow really made us take another look at the economy when it took the hit for 213 points. I wondered just what made all this happen in one day - was it the price of oil that is being artificially inflated by speculators, or is it just some traders that think GE and some other large companies that had some bad quarters were important enough to start taking profits big time?
What ever the reason, I started to look around to see what some experts were thinking about this drop in confidence. Some are saying that it is just an adjustment in the system and others think that it is good that it happened so as to make sure we know where the base numbers are for future decisions. hmmmm Could be - - but I have confidence that our economy is strong as I remember watching the Dow come from 7800 back in 2001 to 10,800 now. We lost five years of earnings, but at least we have gained back and moved beyond those losses and can have confidence that the economy is strong. This is very important for future decisions.
Of course, I didn't do anything, what could I do, when I saw what little that I have in the system take a hit, not huge of course, not like back in 2001 or anything like that where I lost 50% of everything, but still it set me back a few weeks which I don't like in the least at this time in my life, but what can I do about except punt! Old fears die hard.
But take heart, child, some state governors have released some astounding figures for their states.
Governor Pataki of New York state announced that he will wind up with a 2 billion dollar surplus this year.
Governor Schwarzenegger of California, of all places, announced that he will have 5.2 billion dollars in reserves at the end of the year. Remember the horrible record that state had before Arnold took over?
See, things aren't as bad as one might think - This is just one of the great results of President Bush's tax cut at work. Everybody gets a chance to make a difference. You are in control of your own destiny - more money in your pocket - - opportunity knocks - remember how that works - sink or swim - you choose. It looks like millions have decided to swim - cool!
Arkansas, Florida, Maryland, Oklahoma, Virginia and three dozen other states are reporting revenues above forecasts. All of this out of the Wall Street Journal - I wonder why it never made it into the main stream? heh How does it go, " no news is good news" especially when it's good news for the country.
What ever the reason, I started to look around to see what some experts were thinking about this drop in confidence. Some are saying that it is just an adjustment in the system and others think that it is good that it happened so as to make sure we know where the base numbers are for future decisions. hmmmm Could be - - but I have confidence that our economy is strong as I remember watching the Dow come from 7800 back in 2001 to 10,800 now. We lost five years of earnings, but at least we have gained back and moved beyond those losses and can have confidence that the economy is strong. This is very important for future decisions.
Of course, I didn't do anything, what could I do, when I saw what little that I have in the system take a hit, not huge of course, not like back in 2001 or anything like that where I lost 50% of everything, but still it set me back a few weeks which I don't like in the least at this time in my life, but what can I do about except punt! Old fears die hard.
But take heart, child, some state governors have released some astounding figures for their states.
Governor Pataki of New York state announced that he will wind up with a 2 billion dollar surplus this year.
Governor Schwarzenegger of California, of all places, announced that he will have 5.2 billion dollars in reserves at the end of the year. Remember the horrible record that state had before Arnold took over?
See, things aren't as bad as one might think - This is just one of the great results of President Bush's tax cut at work. Everybody gets a chance to make a difference. You are in control of your own destiny - more money in your pocket - - opportunity knocks - remember how that works - sink or swim - you choose. It looks like millions have decided to swim - cool!
Arkansas, Florida, Maryland, Oklahoma, Virginia and three dozen other states are reporting revenues above forecasts. All of this out of the Wall Street Journal - I wonder why it never made it into the main stream? heh How does it go, " no news is good news" especially when it's good news for the country.
Friday, January 20, 2006
Oil is in Control -
WOW - the market sure took a hit today! Did you ever wonder what is the trigger that sets these people off to start selling everything is sight. The conventional wisdom is the war in the Sudan and Nigeria? Well, some place in that area anyway, but still, will this effect the oil production of the rest of the world and drive the price of oil up? Remember when the price of a barrel of oil was three dollars?
I thought that Iran was one of the largest producers of oil in the world, and if they decide to cut production, we would be in some hurt. I also believe the hurt would worsen if Iran got together with their communist buddy, Venezuela, in the top five of oil producers, to causes trouble because both are rouge states and want us dead, well maybe not everyone in Venezuela, but at least Hugo Chavez wants us dead. Hugo hates President Bush to but loves Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. How come? Oh, that's right, Jimmy helped Hugo get elected.
I have never understood how the speculators can drive the price of oil in any direction that they want. I understand if there is a war in some area that produces large quanties of oil, things could be come tight. But when the major producers keep increasing the supply, or at least they say they do, and the supply is ahead of demand or steady, why does the price still go up?
I think we need to have our own supply of oil especially now that China is taking such a huge chunk of the total out-put. We need to become energy independent. Wind power is good and natural gas is good and clean, but please no more oil wells - they are so dirty! Heh heh heh
Hillary Clinton gave a speech where she stated that we have to become energy independent because the foreign suppliers could and would hold us hostage. But almost with the same breath she said we can't drill off shore and we can't drill in Alaska because of the damage to the environment that would cause. How do we become independent? That's easy, turn down the thermostat's and wear more clothes. Drive less, walk more and ride your bike to work.
Did you know that it takes at least 15 years to build a refinery because of all the regulations, and that we haven't built a new one in the last thirty years? Do you think demand in the United States as gone up in the last thirty years? Does anyone remember what happened after Katrina hit?
Who will step forward and tell us what to do now about our shortages of oil? The enviros that have the Democrats by the short hairs and live in tents don't care if we all freeze or roast, and, damnit, it's not really about the environment at all.
That's right, you got it, it's what control is all about. But still, I have to wonder, how so few people can have so much control over so many? Why are we so easily lead?
I thought that Iran was one of the largest producers of oil in the world, and if they decide to cut production, we would be in some hurt. I also believe the hurt would worsen if Iran got together with their communist buddy, Venezuela, in the top five of oil producers, to causes trouble because both are rouge states and want us dead, well maybe not everyone in Venezuela, but at least Hugo Chavez wants us dead. Hugo hates President Bush to but loves Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. How come? Oh, that's right, Jimmy helped Hugo get elected.
I have never understood how the speculators can drive the price of oil in any direction that they want. I understand if there is a war in some area that produces large quanties of oil, things could be come tight. But when the major producers keep increasing the supply, or at least they say they do, and the supply is ahead of demand or steady, why does the price still go up?
I think we need to have our own supply of oil especially now that China is taking such a huge chunk of the total out-put. We need to become energy independent. Wind power is good and natural gas is good and clean, but please no more oil wells - they are so dirty! Heh heh heh
Hillary Clinton gave a speech where she stated that we have to become energy independent because the foreign suppliers could and would hold us hostage. But almost with the same breath she said we can't drill off shore and we can't drill in Alaska because of the damage to the environment that would cause. How do we become independent? That's easy, turn down the thermostat's and wear more clothes. Drive less, walk more and ride your bike to work.
Did you know that it takes at least 15 years to build a refinery because of all the regulations, and that we haven't built a new one in the last thirty years? Do you think demand in the United States as gone up in the last thirty years? Does anyone remember what happened after Katrina hit?
Who will step forward and tell us what to do now about our shortages of oil? The enviros that have the Democrats by the short hairs and live in tents don't care if we all freeze or roast, and, damnit, it's not really about the environment at all.
That's right, you got it, it's what control is all about. But still, I have to wonder, how so few people can have so much control over so many? Why are we so easily lead?
Thursday, January 19, 2006
School Choice - Maybe -
What a beautiful day today - temperatures in the upper 40's and mostly sunny. I should have ridden my bike, road bike that is, but I figured what the heck, seeing that by tomorrow we are in line for two inches of snow, I'll think of something else to do instead of busting my butt.
On top this, I really didn't want to take the time to get into all of those cloths that you have to have when riding in temperatures under fifty degrees. And, what good will one day of outside riding do to help me loose the five pounds that I have put on this winter? Zip! I went to town shopping at Menards.
On my way to town, I listened to a radio personality from Milwaukee, Charley Sykes, who has championed the 'School Choice' program here in Wisconsin, due to the prospect of this program not being extended to cover increased enrollment.
Some local black school students and the editor of a local black newspaper, decided to do something after Sykes made a challenge days earlier to the black community to become involved in this problem, made a devastating commercial attacking the governor for his stand on School Choice. The radio station that Sykes is on, and where the commercial would be broadcast, is the largest in the state.
Our governor, Jim Doyle, is the center piece of this discussion, of course, because he has decided that 'contract schools' and other avenues of choice, do not have enough controls and so accountability and credibility is lacking. Again, this isn't the real reason, but it sounded good when he sang this tune to the choir. The members of the choir all belong to the WEA.
Mr. Doyle has championed the Wisconsin Educational Association in the past for their political support, and this year is no different. This year he even raided the transportation fund of at least 450 million to give to the teachers over and above what the legislature had already given them.
It seems that our good governor is in the pocket of the WEA, among other organizations too numerous to mention now, and has no intention of doing anything to upset the teachers just before an election.
Signing a bill that allows students to go to schools that are not part of the public school system or better than the ones in their neighborhoods, whether they are good for the students doesn't matter, is bad politics. Not signing the bill will force 4500 mostly black kids out of these schools of choice and back into the failed school systems run by the WEA and the State of Wisconsin.
The governor and the Democratic Party are furious with Mr. Sykes for taking this stand and have threatened him with the McCain/Feingold bill that states corporations can't not become involved by name in supporting or opposing a political candidate. ( I believe this is what the law states, but I not positive )
Mr Sykes stated that no money changed hands in making the commercial, and that he challenged the governor to come after him if he thinks he is so sure that he has broken the law. Sykes also stated that he will not back down on this, and will run the commercial repeatedly.
Interestingly enough, the threat from the Democrats never mentioned the black students or their plight of being dumped back out into the street that they had fought so hard to leave behind. A street of no hope for academic excellence and advancement in the larger society.
This situation also begs the question of why do black people continually vote for Democrats when the Democrats don't have their best interests at heart?
Another question is why hasn't this gone national? Maybe it's the media again deciding what is best for us, do ya' think? The puppet masters and the liberal Democrats at their best.
As if this wasn't enough, Wisconsin has just been rated as the worst litigation hell in the whole country by the WallStreet Journal as well as a tax hell - more on this later -
On top this, I really didn't want to take the time to get into all of those cloths that you have to have when riding in temperatures under fifty degrees. And, what good will one day of outside riding do to help me loose the five pounds that I have put on this winter? Zip! I went to town shopping at Menards.
On my way to town, I listened to a radio personality from Milwaukee, Charley Sykes, who has championed the 'School Choice' program here in Wisconsin, due to the prospect of this program not being extended to cover increased enrollment.
Some local black school students and the editor of a local black newspaper, decided to do something after Sykes made a challenge days earlier to the black community to become involved in this problem, made a devastating commercial attacking the governor for his stand on School Choice. The radio station that Sykes is on, and where the commercial would be broadcast, is the largest in the state.
Our governor, Jim Doyle, is the center piece of this discussion, of course, because he has decided that 'contract schools' and other avenues of choice, do not have enough controls and so accountability and credibility is lacking. Again, this isn't the real reason, but it sounded good when he sang this tune to the choir. The members of the choir all belong to the WEA.
Mr. Doyle has championed the Wisconsin Educational Association in the past for their political support, and this year is no different. This year he even raided the transportation fund of at least 450 million to give to the teachers over and above what the legislature had already given them.
It seems that our good governor is in the pocket of the WEA, among other organizations too numerous to mention now, and has no intention of doing anything to upset the teachers just before an election.
Signing a bill that allows students to go to schools that are not part of the public school system or better than the ones in their neighborhoods, whether they are good for the students doesn't matter, is bad politics. Not signing the bill will force 4500 mostly black kids out of these schools of choice and back into the failed school systems run by the WEA and the State of Wisconsin.
The governor and the Democratic Party are furious with Mr. Sykes for taking this stand and have threatened him with the McCain/Feingold bill that states corporations can't not become involved by name in supporting or opposing a political candidate. ( I believe this is what the law states, but I not positive )
Mr Sykes stated that no money changed hands in making the commercial, and that he challenged the governor to come after him if he thinks he is so sure that he has broken the law. Sykes also stated that he will not back down on this, and will run the commercial repeatedly.
Interestingly enough, the threat from the Democrats never mentioned the black students or their plight of being dumped back out into the street that they had fought so hard to leave behind. A street of no hope for academic excellence and advancement in the larger society.
This situation also begs the question of why do black people continually vote for Democrats when the Democrats don't have their best interests at heart?
Another question is why hasn't this gone national? Maybe it's the media again deciding what is best for us, do ya' think? The puppet masters and the liberal Democrats at their best.
As if this wasn't enough, Wisconsin has just been rated as the worst litigation hell in the whole country by the WallStreet Journal as well as a tax hell - more on this later -
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
The New York Liberal Times
Looks like the New York Times is suffering some set backs these days. Sales have dropped in local markets over 20% this last quarter. It's also reported that the Times over-all sales is up due to a much wider distribution world wide. Profits have suffered though due to increased transportation costs related to the expanded exposure.
This latest scandal with the NSA secret intercepts release won't help sales much, especially when the grand jury calls the editors on the hot seat and then throws them in jail along with the reporters and the leakers for treason.
At the same time, the New York Post's sales are up 29% and, at the same time, the Post has dropped their price to the local markets. Let the good times roll - market share!
The Times saw fit to raise their prices by 30% locally and the price to read the weblog also went up.
So with the layoffs and the closing of several plants around the country and sales going south it doesn't bode well for the gray lady in this new age of modern communication.
But why should we care? It's a destructive organization founded on distortion's and supposition and out right lying. She is the mount piece for the socialist left party in America.
In other words, as I have stated before, she is a whore for the liberal Democrats that are determined to destroy the very foundation of this country, the Constitution of the United States. They don't like this one anymore. It doesn't serve their purpose.
It doesn't cover the new needs of the people as determined by the puppet masters, the new elite. It must be rewritten by the those that are in touch with the main stream population - a population that is willing to allow government to dictate their future.
They aren't hard to find - 48% of the voting public stood up last November and shouted, 'hear we are, come get us.' Not a pretty sight.
This latest scandal with the NSA secret intercepts release won't help sales much, especially when the grand jury calls the editors on the hot seat and then throws them in jail along with the reporters and the leakers for treason.
At the same time, the New York Post's sales are up 29% and, at the same time, the Post has dropped their price to the local markets. Let the good times roll - market share!
The Times saw fit to raise their prices by 30% locally and the price to read the weblog also went up.
So with the layoffs and the closing of several plants around the country and sales going south it doesn't bode well for the gray lady in this new age of modern communication.
But why should we care? It's a destructive organization founded on distortion's and supposition and out right lying. She is the mount piece for the socialist left party in America.
In other words, as I have stated before, she is a whore for the liberal Democrats that are determined to destroy the very foundation of this country, the Constitution of the United States. They don't like this one anymore. It doesn't serve their purpose.
It doesn't cover the new needs of the people as determined by the puppet masters, the new elite. It must be rewritten by the those that are in touch with the main stream population - a population that is willing to allow government to dictate their future.
They aren't hard to find - 48% of the voting public stood up last November and shouted, 'hear we are, come get us.' Not a pretty sight.
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Abramoff plus Democrats
Here is an update on the Abramoff thing and the Democrats and why they want to keep a low profile - This from the American Thinker-
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D.-Nev.) sent a letter to Interior Secretary Gale Norton on March 5, 2002, asking her to veto an agreement between the state of Louisiana and the Jena tribe of Choctaw Indians that would have allowed the tribe to open a casino in Louisiana.
The day after Reid sent the letter, according to the Associated Press, Louisiana’s Coushatta tribe, which already operated a casino, and which was a client of lobbyist Jack Abramoff, but which did not want competition from the Jena tribe, sent a $5,000 contribution to Reid’s tax-exempt Searchlight Leadership Fund. A second tribe represented by Abramoff, the AP reported, also sent Reid’s group a $5,000 contribution. Ultimately, according to the AP, Reid collected more than $66,000 in Abramoff-related contributions.
Now, Reid is asking the Senate Ethics Committee to review the matter and clear him of any impropriety, insisting that he intervened to stop the Jena tribe’s Louisiana casino to protect the interests of casinos in his home state of Nevada and to urge the Interior Secretary to apply Reid’s strict interpretation of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 (IGRA). Reid sponsored IGRA, which sought to limit the development of Indian gaming around the country and to disallow such gaming, with few exceptions, on land not already part of an Indian reservation as of 1988.
According to an analysis of Federal Election Commission reports by OpenSecrets.org, (See chart above.) Reid, between 1989-2005, received more than a million dollars in contributions from PACs and individuals connected to the gambling industry.
The analysis indicates that Reid received $158,450 linked to MGM Mirage, a company that not only operates casinos in Nevada, but also runs the Beau Rivage casino in Biloxi, Miss., which might have been a nearby competitor to the Louisiana casino contemplated by the Jena tribe. Contributions linked to MGM Mirage comprised the single largest bloc of contributions to Reid.
Clarice Feldman 1 17 06
Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D.-Nev.) sent a letter to Interior Secretary Gale Norton on March 5, 2002, asking her to veto an agreement between the state of Louisiana and the Jena tribe of Choctaw Indians that would have allowed the tribe to open a casino in Louisiana.
The day after Reid sent the letter, according to the Associated Press, Louisiana’s Coushatta tribe, which already operated a casino, and which was a client of lobbyist Jack Abramoff, but which did not want competition from the Jena tribe, sent a $5,000 contribution to Reid’s tax-exempt Searchlight Leadership Fund. A second tribe represented by Abramoff, the AP reported, also sent Reid’s group a $5,000 contribution. Ultimately, according to the AP, Reid collected more than $66,000 in Abramoff-related contributions.
Now, Reid is asking the Senate Ethics Committee to review the matter and clear him of any impropriety, insisting that he intervened to stop the Jena tribe’s Louisiana casino to protect the interests of casinos in his home state of Nevada and to urge the Interior Secretary to apply Reid’s strict interpretation of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 (IGRA). Reid sponsored IGRA, which sought to limit the development of Indian gaming around the country and to disallow such gaming, with few exceptions, on land not already part of an Indian reservation as of 1988.
According to an analysis of Federal Election Commission reports by OpenSecrets.org, (See chart above.) Reid, between 1989-2005, received more than a million dollars in contributions from PACs and individuals connected to the gambling industry.
The analysis indicates that Reid received $158,450 linked to MGM Mirage, a company that not only operates casinos in Nevada, but also runs the Beau Rivage casino in Biloxi, Miss., which might have been a nearby competitor to the Louisiana casino contemplated by the Jena tribe. Contributions linked to MGM Mirage comprised the single largest bloc of contributions to Reid.
Clarice Feldman 1 17 06
Democrats run for Cover
This funny little ditty came to light the other day and I thought it was something that would play well for the Republicans, but, again, it might bit them in the rear at the same time it bits the Democrats.
In an on-going investigation, a former congressman, and a criminal or sorts, Duke Cunningham, was persuaded to ware a "wire" for the FBI to get evidence on some congressman, which he did for certain compensations, I'm sure.
He was able to collect incrementing evidence against leading members of congress. It didn't say what side of the aisle these fearless leaders were on, and just what the investigation was about, I'm not sure.
But as it turns out, and funnier still, there appears to be details emerging that connect Cunningham to Abramoff and all of the money that he passed around. Maybe this is why we don't hear a lot about this scandal other than it is Republican culture of corruption.
The fact that 40 out of the 45 Democrats in congress are involved might have something to do with a some-what low profile that the case has in the main stream media right now.
So now we, in the media, don't know how many of the good guys are caught up in this mess so we have to use a little common sense on how much bad ink we spread around.
In an on-going investigation, a former congressman, and a criminal or sorts, Duke Cunningham, was persuaded to ware a "wire" for the FBI to get evidence on some congressman, which he did for certain compensations, I'm sure.
He was able to collect incrementing evidence against leading members of congress. It didn't say what side of the aisle these fearless leaders were on, and just what the investigation was about, I'm not sure.
But as it turns out, and funnier still, there appears to be details emerging that connect Cunningham to Abramoff and all of the money that he passed around. Maybe this is why we don't hear a lot about this scandal other than it is Republican culture of corruption.
The fact that 40 out of the 45 Democrats in congress are involved might have something to do with a some-what low profile that the case has in the main stream media right now.
So now we, in the media, don't know how many of the good guys are caught up in this mess so we have to use a little common sense on how much bad ink we spread around.
Monday, January 16, 2006
Along Party Lines
More statistic as if we don't get enough already -
Question; Does the President have the authority to do wire or wireless intercept without a court order?
50% should
36% not 6% not sure
Question; Should the President have the power to do computer searches of phone calls in and out of the country?
60% should
34% not 7% not sure
Question; Is the Patriot Act a good thing for the country?
53% good
30% bad 13% mixed
Question; Should the Patriot Act be extended?
57% support
31% oppose 11% not sure
These numbers are similar to those that I gave you yesterday and, I believe, the reasons they look similar, for the same reason. Everything seems to come down to party lines. Common sense doesn't play a large role.
The liberals and the Democrats see America's role in the world as limited to minding our own business until something bad happens, then they work over time to find a scape-goat for not being able to take the responsibility to safe guard the country. It has always been this way.
Some people will always vote to save their own skin regardless of the consequences, claiming they don't see a problem or refuse to admit that one exist. There own little worlds are all they care about. Cars Houses Jobs Friends laughter Movies Parties More laughter -
Conservatives and Republicans see America as a responsible member of a world community, and, as the only super power, has to take a world responsibility outlook of protecting ourselves against all those that want us dead or powerless so they can take what they want from whom ever they want.
Conservatism see America as an anchor of freedom. Without American influence, there can only be chaos in the world. There isn't even anyone close that could do what we have to do to maintain world order.
So where does that leave us on the war, the economy or just about anything that one can think of that is important enough to debate?
The Democrats see the glass as half or completely empty, while the Republicans see the glass as half full and filling.
The Democrats see the war as lost and wrong no matter what is at stake, and the Republicans see the war as something that has to be fought to protect ourselves and our children from the worst enemy in our history.
The economy to the liberal Democrats is going into the dumper, the conservatism see more employment and less unemployment then in the last ten years. Facts in black and white and proven over months and months make little difference to the socialist left. Blind is as blind does.
Who's right? Who's on the wrong track? Which side makes more sense? How can a poll find this out? They can't. They can only approximate a guess. No one will really know for sure until it's time to vote.
Question; Does the President have the authority to do wire or wireless intercept without a court order?
50% should
36% not 6% not sure
Question; Should the President have the power to do computer searches of phone calls in and out of the country?
60% should
34% not 7% not sure
Question; Is the Patriot Act a good thing for the country?
53% good
30% bad 13% mixed
Question; Should the Patriot Act be extended?
57% support
31% oppose 11% not sure
These numbers are similar to those that I gave you yesterday and, I believe, the reasons they look similar, for the same reason. Everything seems to come down to party lines. Common sense doesn't play a large role.
The liberals and the Democrats see America's role in the world as limited to minding our own business until something bad happens, then they work over time to find a scape-goat for not being able to take the responsibility to safe guard the country. It has always been this way.
Some people will always vote to save their own skin regardless of the consequences, claiming they don't see a problem or refuse to admit that one exist. There own little worlds are all they care about. Cars Houses Jobs Friends laughter Movies Parties More laughter -
Conservatives and Republicans see America as a responsible member of a world community, and, as the only super power, has to take a world responsibility outlook of protecting ourselves against all those that want us dead or powerless so they can take what they want from whom ever they want.
Conservatism see America as an anchor of freedom. Without American influence, there can only be chaos in the world. There isn't even anyone close that could do what we have to do to maintain world order.
So where does that leave us on the war, the economy or just about anything that one can think of that is important enough to debate?
The Democrats see the glass as half or completely empty, while the Republicans see the glass as half full and filling.
The Democrats see the war as lost and wrong no matter what is at stake, and the Republicans see the war as something that has to be fought to protect ourselves and our children from the worst enemy in our history.
The economy to the liberal Democrats is going into the dumper, the conservatism see more employment and less unemployment then in the last ten years. Facts in black and white and proven over months and months make little difference to the socialist left. Blind is as blind does.
Who's right? Who's on the wrong track? Which side makes more sense? How can a poll find this out? They can't. They can only approximate a guess. No one will really know for sure until it's time to vote.
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Bush's Numbers Slide - maybe
This is from NewsMax today - I have to pass it along even though I don't believe it's accurate. Polls can give you what ever result you want - the last time an ABC/Time poll came out with bad numbers for the President, it was found leaning to the left by a 60 to 40 percent margin. The result were predictable. Democrats didn't like Bush or what he is doing but Republicans did - go figure.
This poll by Zogby seems, on the surface, to be note worthy but I still think they are not capturing the true American public. I refuse to believe that only 34% of the American public feel Bush is doing a good job of managing the war. People can not be that unaware of what is going on around them.
I know that 48% of the voting public went for Kerry in 2004, which shook my confidence in basic common sense, but I have to believe that that election was a high water mark for Liberal Democrats. Anyone with half a brain can see that this country is going in the right direction when they look at employment is up, unemployment is at historic lows, wages are rising at 3.2% on the average, exports are up, the deficit is shrinking, the market went over 11,000, the GDP rising for twelve straight quarters etc. I have to have faith that in the end people will see how well off they are, as well as safer.
When the results, taken in historic perspective, like how long did it take to rebuild Japan and Germany, and why we still have troops there, are beyond anyone early estimates as to how far the Iraqi people could come in two years, even with the great loss of life from the terrorist. What reasons could the American people have to say we are not managing the war effort properly.
The following is interesting at first blush, but always keep in mind, even pollsters have certain biases no matter how hard they may try to keep them out. Some pollsters make sure the the numbers come out the way they want to. In past years it was possible to have this kind of thing go unchecked - that's over -
In the face of rising gas prices, partisan sniping over Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito, and a resumption of insurgent violence in Iraq, President Bush's job approval rating has slipped into a post-holiday funk, again dipping below 40%, a new telephone poll by Zogby International shows.
His approval rating almost mirrors the percentage of respondents (40%) who said the nation overall is headed in the right direction.
The deterioration in the President's numbers appears to be the result of eroding support among the investor class and others who supported him in his 2004 re-election bid, said Pollster John Zogby, President and CEO of Zogby International. And the problem is the Iraq war - just 34% of respondents said Mr. Bush was doing a good or excellent job managing the war, down from 38% approval in a Zogby poll taken in mid-October.
Bush's overall job approval rating in that poll was at 46%.
Among investors, Bush's support for managing the war dropped five points since October, from 45% to 40%, Zogby data shows.
But Zogby said the glaring split between how Republicans, Democrats and independents think the President is handling Iraq is remarkable.
"The numbers in support for the war in Iraq are extremely low among Democrats and independents," Zogby said. "This is a partisan war."
While 61% of Republicans said he was doing a good job managing the war (down from 70% in October), just 11% of Democrats and 28% of independents gave him good marks in that area. Among Democrats, 71% said Bush was doing a "poor" job with the war, while 17% said he was doing only a "fair" job.
Among men, 36% said the President was handling the war well, while 31% of women agreed.
Bush has retained a base of support for his handling of the broader war on terror, as 46% said he is doing a good job, down just one percent since October. His management of the war on terror had been a consistently bright spot for the President since the aftermath of the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, before dipping below 50% last year.
However, half of those surveyed said they feel safer with Bush as President, compared to 38% who said they feel less safe.
Respondents rated the war in Iraq and the war on terror as the two top issues facing America. Jobs and the economy were also important, they said, with health care coming in a distant fourth, followed by concern over gas and fuel prices.
Asked about his leadership of foreign policy in general, 36% said Bush was doing a good job.
Asked about which party they would support when making a decision about the race for Congress in their home district, Democrats maintained a 33% to 26% edge over Republicans.
But as the nation's capital sinks further into scandal talk revolving around Congress and allegations of improper gifts doled out by lobbyist Jack Abramoff, the poll shows the public has yet to hold one party more responsible than the other.
Despite Democratic efforts to paint the Abramoff influence-pedaling case as a Republican scandal, the GOP holds a slight advantage in the minds of respondents when it comes to integrity - 35% said they believed Republicans have more integrity, while 34% gave the nod to Democrats. 19% said neither party had integrity.
The nationwide Zogby poll, conducted Jan. 9-12, included 1,030 interviews and carries a margin of error of + / - 3.1 percentage points.
This poll by Zogby seems, on the surface, to be note worthy but I still think they are not capturing the true American public. I refuse to believe that only 34% of the American public feel Bush is doing a good job of managing the war. People can not be that unaware of what is going on around them.
I know that 48% of the voting public went for Kerry in 2004, which shook my confidence in basic common sense, but I have to believe that that election was a high water mark for Liberal Democrats. Anyone with half a brain can see that this country is going in the right direction when they look at employment is up, unemployment is at historic lows, wages are rising at 3.2% on the average, exports are up, the deficit is shrinking, the market went over 11,000, the GDP rising for twelve straight quarters etc. I have to have faith that in the end people will see how well off they are, as well as safer.
When the results, taken in historic perspective, like how long did it take to rebuild Japan and Germany, and why we still have troops there, are beyond anyone early estimates as to how far the Iraqi people could come in two years, even with the great loss of life from the terrorist. What reasons could the American people have to say we are not managing the war effort properly.
The following is interesting at first blush, but always keep in mind, even pollsters have certain biases no matter how hard they may try to keep them out. Some pollsters make sure the the numbers come out the way they want to. In past years it was possible to have this kind of thing go unchecked - that's over -
In the face of rising gas prices, partisan sniping over Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito, and a resumption of insurgent violence in Iraq, President Bush's job approval rating has slipped into a post-holiday funk, again dipping below 40%, a new telephone poll by Zogby International shows.
His approval rating almost mirrors the percentage of respondents (40%) who said the nation overall is headed in the right direction.
The deterioration in the President's numbers appears to be the result of eroding support among the investor class and others who supported him in his 2004 re-election bid, said Pollster John Zogby, President and CEO of Zogby International. And the problem is the Iraq war - just 34% of respondents said Mr. Bush was doing a good or excellent job managing the war, down from 38% approval in a Zogby poll taken in mid-October.
Bush's overall job approval rating in that poll was at 46%.
Among investors, Bush's support for managing the war dropped five points since October, from 45% to 40%, Zogby data shows.
But Zogby said the glaring split between how Republicans, Democrats and independents think the President is handling Iraq is remarkable.
"The numbers in support for the war in Iraq are extremely low among Democrats and independents," Zogby said. "This is a partisan war."
While 61% of Republicans said he was doing a good job managing the war (down from 70% in October), just 11% of Democrats and 28% of independents gave him good marks in that area. Among Democrats, 71% said Bush was doing a "poor" job with the war, while 17% said he was doing only a "fair" job.
Among men, 36% said the President was handling the war well, while 31% of women agreed.
Bush has retained a base of support for his handling of the broader war on terror, as 46% said he is doing a good job, down just one percent since October. His management of the war on terror had been a consistently bright spot for the President since the aftermath of the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, before dipping below 50% last year.
However, half of those surveyed said they feel safer with Bush as President, compared to 38% who said they feel less safe.
Respondents rated the war in Iraq and the war on terror as the two top issues facing America. Jobs and the economy were also important, they said, with health care coming in a distant fourth, followed by concern over gas and fuel prices.
Asked about his leadership of foreign policy in general, 36% said Bush was doing a good job.
Asked about which party they would support when making a decision about the race for Congress in their home district, Democrats maintained a 33% to 26% edge over Republicans.
But as the nation's capital sinks further into scandal talk revolving around Congress and allegations of improper gifts doled out by lobbyist Jack Abramoff, the poll shows the public has yet to hold one party more responsible than the other.
Despite Democratic efforts to paint the Abramoff influence-pedaling case as a Republican scandal, the GOP holds a slight advantage in the minds of respondents when it comes to integrity - 35% said they believed Republicans have more integrity, while 34% gave the nod to Democrats. 19% said neither party had integrity.
The nationwide Zogby poll, conducted Jan. 9-12, included 1,030 interviews and carries a margin of error of + / - 3.1 percentage points.
United Nations for Whom?
I believe the United Nations must be reorganized completely from top to bottom before the United States gives them one more dime! The alternative, which I have mentioned in a previous post, is to move the whole operation to some other location.
In light of a letter sent to Kofi Annan from John Bolton, our ambassador to the UN, concerning a meeting that was organized by the Palestinian Solidarity Division of the UN that presented a map of the area without the state of Israel, Mr. Bolton wanted to know who in the UN approved the map and who decided to display it for all to see? Of course, if they didn't displayed the map would that have made the situation okay? Hardly.
The organizers stated the the maps has always looked this way because it is a map from 1948 before the Israeli state was formed. This makes sense as it is the way they want the situation to look now as well.
With Iran openly committed to the total annihilation of Israel, along with the declarations of Hamas to destroy the state of Israel by shoving them into the sea, this organization, and it's map, are taking the destruction of the Jewish state to it final conclusion with tax payers money.
At this time the UN had budgeted $5,449,000 in 2004 - 2005 to the Division of Palestinian Rights organization along with another $566,000 to the Information Activities On the Question of Palestine committee. Hang on, there's more and it gets better. $245,500 was budgeted to the committee to Investigate Israeli practice's Affecting Human Rights of the Palestinians and other Arabs of the Occupied Territories. The new budget for 2006 is similar.
I wonder how much was budgeted to investigate how many Israelis have been killed in rocket attacks and suicide bombings? Maybe they don't need funding for that - it's just something the Arab states find fun to do.
The organizers of this incredible biased and anti-Semitic committee stated that most of the members states thought it was correct to display a map of the middle east without Israel. Apparently this has been the practice since 1977 even over the objections of the US and Israel.
Question: why have we let this go on this long, and how can we stop funding this terrorist organization, the United Nations, that's operating in our own country?
In light of a letter sent to Kofi Annan from John Bolton, our ambassador to the UN, concerning a meeting that was organized by the Palestinian Solidarity Division of the UN that presented a map of the area without the state of Israel, Mr. Bolton wanted to know who in the UN approved the map and who decided to display it for all to see? Of course, if they didn't displayed the map would that have made the situation okay? Hardly.
The organizers stated the the maps has always looked this way because it is a map from 1948 before the Israeli state was formed. This makes sense as it is the way they want the situation to look now as well.
With Iran openly committed to the total annihilation of Israel, along with the declarations of Hamas to destroy the state of Israel by shoving them into the sea, this organization, and it's map, are taking the destruction of the Jewish state to it final conclusion with tax payers money.
At this time the UN had budgeted $5,449,000 in 2004 - 2005 to the Division of Palestinian Rights organization along with another $566,000 to the Information Activities On the Question of Palestine committee. Hang on, there's more and it gets better. $245,500 was budgeted to the committee to Investigate Israeli practice's Affecting Human Rights of the Palestinians and other Arabs of the Occupied Territories. The new budget for 2006 is similar.
I wonder how much was budgeted to investigate how many Israelis have been killed in rocket attacks and suicide bombings? Maybe they don't need funding for that - it's just something the Arab states find fun to do.
The organizers of this incredible biased and anti-Semitic committee stated that most of the members states thought it was correct to display a map of the middle east without Israel. Apparently this has been the practice since 1977 even over the objections of the US and Israel.
Question: why have we let this go on this long, and how can we stop funding this terrorist organization, the United Nations, that's operating in our own country?
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Koppel Joins NPR -
I just was reading about Ted Koppel leaving ABC after 25 years on Night Line to join the NPR network. What a news flash! Where else could he go -
I recall when he first started on Nightline, he was pretty even handed But then, in the last ten or so years, he started to mind-meld with the more news indigent left wing commentators like Dan Rather and Peter Jennings.
As a result, as anyone could see by watching the show, he was transformed from tell the truth to telling what he thought was the truth, or should be the truth.
When your ego takes over your soul and you start listening to what the critics say about how wonderful you are, especially when the critics are in the same business that you are, you begin to believe that no matter what you say, it's gospel.
You are the soul embodiment of what is important and right. You have given your blessing to this version of the truth as you understand it, so, therefore, it is the truth. No questions asked. We have to believe it - after all, Ted is a professional journalist, and has been for 25 years, just like Dan Rather.
What happens to these people when they finally come to the realization that they are the very center of the universe? When they sit in front of the camera, the world falls silent because Ted Koppel is about to speak the truth, according to the gospel of the liberal left puppet masters. The very fabric of the universe has become clearer, hasn't It? Hmmmm - maybe not - maybe he had to leave after all of those years, because the general public became too stupid to understand how insightful he had become. Could be -
But don't feel to bad for our boy, Ted is headed into his second career now as he joins NPR as commentator and analyst on breaking news stories. What better place than on a tax supported news network that supports all things left of Lenin - just as they hired Daniel Shore after he exposed the top secret pentagon papers that Daniel Elsberg stole while working for the government. Sound familiar?
What is it that Yoga Berria said about this sort of situation - "it's deja vue all over again" - but this time it will be harder to get away with it -
I recall when he first started on Nightline, he was pretty even handed But then, in the last ten or so years, he started to mind-meld with the more news indigent left wing commentators like Dan Rather and Peter Jennings.
As a result, as anyone could see by watching the show, he was transformed from tell the truth to telling what he thought was the truth, or should be the truth.
When your ego takes over your soul and you start listening to what the critics say about how wonderful you are, especially when the critics are in the same business that you are, you begin to believe that no matter what you say, it's gospel.
You are the soul embodiment of what is important and right. You have given your blessing to this version of the truth as you understand it, so, therefore, it is the truth. No questions asked. We have to believe it - after all, Ted is a professional journalist, and has been for 25 years, just like Dan Rather.
What happens to these people when they finally come to the realization that they are the very center of the universe? When they sit in front of the camera, the world falls silent because Ted Koppel is about to speak the truth, according to the gospel of the liberal left puppet masters. The very fabric of the universe has become clearer, hasn't It? Hmmmm - maybe not - maybe he had to leave after all of those years, because the general public became too stupid to understand how insightful he had become. Could be -
But don't feel to bad for our boy, Ted is headed into his second career now as he joins NPR as commentator and analyst on breaking news stories. What better place than on a tax supported news network that supports all things left of Lenin - just as they hired Daniel Shore after he exposed the top secret pentagon papers that Daniel Elsberg stole while working for the government. Sound familiar?
What is it that Yoga Berria said about this sort of situation - "it's deja vue all over again" - but this time it will be harder to get away with it -
Friday, January 13, 2006
Some See No Evil - Others ?
Just a small thing to think about - for the first time, news caster are beginning to refer to the person or persons that released the NSA top secret intercepts as traitors.
The latest poll indicates 50% think they are traitors and 27% think they are just whistle blowers. 23% don't know what to think -
Progress -
The latest poll indicates 50% think they are traitors and 27% think they are just whistle blowers. 23% don't know what to think -
Progress -
Thursday, January 12, 2006
Empty Suits
What a day in the life of a Supreme Court nominee! The liberals became unhinged making accusations that were meant to de-humanize Judge Alito and crush his reputation, but instead it demoralized his wife to such a degree that she left the room in tears. Actually she left after Senator Lindsey Graham apologized for the behavior of some of the panel members that suffer from diminished capacity.
Probably what happened was she teared-up because, after Graham's apology, she saw that she and her husband weren't alone against the dirty dozen of Congress. It was a release from the stress of the gut-wrenchingly brutal attacks that she felt when they questioned her husband.
Orrin Hatch also got a few jabs in on the intellectually challenged Democrats with his statement that Mrs. Alito was very up set by the over-the-top attacks that her husband had to endure and that she should not have to put up with it.
Why was it even necessary to have to say that about our finest leaders, mental midgets, while they are questioning an intellectual giant for our highest court?
The Democrats came into this fight without any weapons except an unbridled hate for anything conservative. They came in without any self discipline or common sense. They are intellectually and morally bankrupt. They an embarrassment to the nation.
Here is something that's over-the-top as well. Ted Kennedy and Russ Feingold are getting together to discuss how they can impeach the President. Eight Democratic congressmen have indicated that they will join in the effort. They have stated that they believe that there is some violations of Presidential powers and that constitutes high crimes and misdemeanors which, if proved, are an impeachable offenses.
These members of Congress are not to be trusted in any capacity in our national government. They have proven, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that they do not have the best interests of this country as their most important objective.
Russ Feingold is running for President of the United States? - conferring with Ted Kennedy on anything makes Feingold ineligible even for dog catcher.
Probably what happened was she teared-up because, after Graham's apology, she saw that she and her husband weren't alone against the dirty dozen of Congress. It was a release from the stress of the gut-wrenchingly brutal attacks that she felt when they questioned her husband.
Orrin Hatch also got a few jabs in on the intellectually challenged Democrats with his statement that Mrs. Alito was very up set by the over-the-top attacks that her husband had to endure and that she should not have to put up with it.
Why was it even necessary to have to say that about our finest leaders, mental midgets, while they are questioning an intellectual giant for our highest court?
The Democrats came into this fight without any weapons except an unbridled hate for anything conservative. They came in without any self discipline or common sense. They are intellectually and morally bankrupt. They an embarrassment to the nation.
Here is something that's over-the-top as well. Ted Kennedy and Russ Feingold are getting together to discuss how they can impeach the President. Eight Democratic congressmen have indicated that they will join in the effort. They have stated that they believe that there is some violations of Presidential powers and that constitutes high crimes and misdemeanors which, if proved, are an impeachable offenses.
These members of Congress are not to be trusted in any capacity in our national government. They have proven, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that they do not have the best interests of this country as their most important objective.
Russ Feingold is running for President of the United States? - conferring with Ted Kennedy on anything makes Feingold ineligible even for dog catcher.
Terrorists in the Media
This is from Power Line blog and says that we have more to fear from domestic terrorists, the media and certain legislators, then we do from bin ladin - this is long but well worth the effort as we come to grips with the threat that we face in this country.
The mainstream U.S. media outlets have failed to report a major terrorist plot against the U.S. - because it would tend to support President Bush's use of NSA domestic surveillance, according to media watchdog groups.
News of a planned attack masterminded by three Algerians operating out of Italy was widely reported outside the U.S., but went virtually unreported in the American media.
Italian authorities recently announced that they had used wiretaps to uncover the conspiracy to conduct a series of major attacks inside the U.S. Italian Interior Minister Giuseppe Pisanu said the planned attacks would have targeted stadiums, ships and railway stations, and the terrorists' goal, he said, was to exceed the devastation caused by 9/11.
Italian authorities stepped up their internal surveillance programs after July's terrorist bombings in London. Their domestic wiretaps picked up phone conversations by Algerian Yamine Bouhrama that discussed terrorist attacks in Italy and abroad.
Italian authorities arrested Bouhrama on November 15 and he remains in prison. Authorities later arrested two other men, Achour Rabah and Tartaq Sami, who are believed to be Bouhrama's chief aides in planning the attacks. The arrests were a major coup for Italian anti-terror forces, and the story was carried in most major newspapers from Europe to China.
"U.S. terror attacks foiled," read the headline in England's Sunday Times. In France, a headline from Agence France Presse proclaimed, "Three Algerians arrested in Italy over plot targeting U.S."
Curiously, what was deemed worthy of a worldwide media blitz abroad was virtually ignored by the U.S. media, and conservative media watchdog groups are saying that is no accident.
"My impression is that the major media want to use the NSA story to try and impeach the president," says Cliff Kincaid, editor of the Accuracy in Media Report published by the grassroots Accuracy in Media organization.
"If you remind people that terrorists actually are planning to kill us, that tends to support the case made by President Bush. They will ignore any issue that shows that this kind of [wiretapping] tactic can work in the war on terror."
The mainstream U.S. media outlets have failed to report a major terrorist plot against the U.S. - because it would tend to support President Bush's use of NSA domestic surveillance, according to media watchdog groups.
News of a planned attack masterminded by three Algerians operating out of Italy was widely reported outside the U.S., but went virtually unreported in the American media.
Italian authorities recently announced that they had used wiretaps to uncover the conspiracy to conduct a series of major attacks inside the U.S. Italian Interior Minister Giuseppe Pisanu said the planned attacks would have targeted stadiums, ships and railway stations, and the terrorists' goal, he said, was to exceed the devastation caused by 9/11.
Italian authorities stepped up their internal surveillance programs after July's terrorist bombings in London. Their domestic wiretaps picked up phone conversations by Algerian Yamine Bouhrama that discussed terrorist attacks in Italy and abroad.
Italian authorities arrested Bouhrama on November 15 and he remains in prison. Authorities later arrested two other men, Achour Rabah and Tartaq Sami, who are believed to be Bouhrama's chief aides in planning the attacks. The arrests were a major coup for Italian anti-terror forces, and the story was carried in most major newspapers from Europe to China.
"U.S. terror attacks foiled," read the headline in England's Sunday Times. In France, a headline from Agence France Presse proclaimed, "Three Algerians arrested in Italy over plot targeting U.S."
Curiously, what was deemed worthy of a worldwide media blitz abroad was virtually ignored by the U.S. media, and conservative media watchdog groups are saying that is no accident.
"My impression is that the major media want to use the NSA story to try and impeach the president," says Cliff Kincaid, editor of the Accuracy in Media Report published by the grassroots Accuracy in Media organization.
"If you remind people that terrorists actually are planning to kill us, that tends to support the case made by President Bush. They will ignore any issue that shows that this kind of [wiretapping] tactic can work in the war on terror."
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
The Alito Smackdown!
Judge Alito is turning the attack of the bimbo Democrats into a 'smackdown' of the bimbo Democrats. Turn-about is fair play - the tables are turned - it's a topsy-turvy world. The puppet masters hate it when this happens, because they wrote the script that the Democrats are using to make fools out of themselves.
What's really out standing is they have been preparing for this for months. Ted Kennedy even brought in a special guy to help him dig up dirt on Alito, and still they have their heads handed to them.
It seems that he is just a regular guy. His whole family are at the hearings. It is said that he has the smarts of Roberts but not the polish. So what! I believe that is what is needed on the court. Someone that can interpret the constitution as it is written, and then decide a case using the rule of law. Judges do not make laws. A Supreme Court judge is the last word on conflict within the law.
If we wanted someone that stood for nothing, was very political, could be bought off and put on a good show for the committee, we could have gotten any Democrat to fill the spot. Instead we demanded, and got, a solid judge that has a great record of experience to back him up, and one that will serve him well into the future.
So far he has the support of 8 liberal Democrats. Not all of the Republicans in the senate will vote for him when it comes to an 'up or down' vote. I don't understand why that is. They are called RINO's. (Republicans in name only) But it's estimated that there are enough votes over-all to get him confirmed. It shouldn't even be close. I hope so as I want this to be over and done with so we can turn our attention to other things.
What's really out standing is they have been preparing for this for months. Ted Kennedy even brought in a special guy to help him dig up dirt on Alito, and still they have their heads handed to them.
It seems that he is just a regular guy. His whole family are at the hearings. It is said that he has the smarts of Roberts but not the polish. So what! I believe that is what is needed on the court. Someone that can interpret the constitution as it is written, and then decide a case using the rule of law. Judges do not make laws. A Supreme Court judge is the last word on conflict within the law.
If we wanted someone that stood for nothing, was very political, could be bought off and put on a good show for the committee, we could have gotten any Democrat to fill the spot. Instead we demanded, and got, a solid judge that has a great record of experience to back him up, and one that will serve him well into the future.
So far he has the support of 8 liberal Democrats. Not all of the Republicans in the senate will vote for him when it comes to an 'up or down' vote. I don't understand why that is. They are called RINO's. (Republicans in name only) But it's estimated that there are enough votes over-all to get him confirmed. It shouldn't even be close. I hope so as I want this to be over and done with so we can turn our attention to other things.
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Did Someone Ask a Question?
The liberal left seems to be in some kind of rut these days. They always say the same thing and their basic philosophy is one of reaction, never one of action. When was the last time a liberal Democrat made a proposal for positive change?
What Democrat, in either house, has the media shown to be a leader, and you need the media to be impressive and correct, on any of the basic human needs in this country like social security, health care, trade or anything else that really makes a difference?
How about the war? Have Democrats made any proposals that demonstrates common sense or any native intelligence?
There has to be some members of the congress, on the left side of the aisle, that has a clue besides Joe Lieberman. Some Senator or Congressman that we have never heard of, that works hard to do the thing that is right but doesn't have a need to be a media star to make it his mark in congress, will have to emerge and save the party.
And speaking of Lieberman, I think that in the near future we will see this man become a Republican. He may as well - everything he says makes sense. He can't be a Democrat and make sense!!
The Alito confirmation hearings are just one more chance for the media stars in the congress to show off their stupidity. Today was a banner day for us to see the idiots on parade. How can these Democrats on the judicial Committee get up in the morning and look themselves in the mirror and have the balls to say 'I am my own man?' They can't be this clueless without help.
Ted Kennedy was like a fish out of water and displaying the same mentality. He made no sense. I truly believe that he has some kind of mental disease that has dissolved what little cranial capacity that he might have had years ago, I mean the stuff that the booze didn't get, but now he can only show what he has left and it isn't much. Half of the time he didn't pronounce Alito's name correctly, and the other half of his critique on left wing politics in general, was read from a prepared script and he screwed that up as well. Maybe he would have given a better showing of his talents if the hearings would have be later in the day, like after happy hour.
The rest of the wrecking crew gave their best as well which, of course, turned out to be more of same, statements from the play book of the puppet masters. They didn't seem to interested enough in this forum to ask real questions about Alito's back ground. They were more concerned about their own time in the eye of the camera. Everything else is secondary.
From some statements of others that were tuned in on this cavalcade of dunces, their was one senator that actually asked a question and that was Diane Feinstein. Go figure. Critics said it was a question and then again it wasn't, but it was closer than the other puddin' heads ever came to being inquisitive.
Alito must groan under the weight of these condescending and self-centered ingrates that have the audacity to call themselves representatives of the people.
Please don't get me wrong, Ms. Feinstein is part of the wrecking crew that sits on this committee, it's just that at this time she slipped up and started acting like a responsible member of congress. I'm sure she will be severely chastised by the puppet masters for this flagrant act of democracy.
In the end, if the Democrats ever want to become players again on the national stage, they have to get serious about how they are. Right now they are just puppets that dance at the end of a string. The far left liberals that pull the strings have an agenda that is not in the best interest of this country.
If the Democrats fail to regain their footing and break that string that is changing their parties philosophy, then all they have to look forward to is lost elections, and worst of all, the Democratic party of Roosevelt will no longer exit.
What Democrat, in either house, has the media shown to be a leader, and you need the media to be impressive and correct, on any of the basic human needs in this country like social security, health care, trade or anything else that really makes a difference?
How about the war? Have Democrats made any proposals that demonstrates common sense or any native intelligence?
There has to be some members of the congress, on the left side of the aisle, that has a clue besides Joe Lieberman. Some Senator or Congressman that we have never heard of, that works hard to do the thing that is right but doesn't have a need to be a media star to make it his mark in congress, will have to emerge and save the party.
And speaking of Lieberman, I think that in the near future we will see this man become a Republican. He may as well - everything he says makes sense. He can't be a Democrat and make sense!!
The Alito confirmation hearings are just one more chance for the media stars in the congress to show off their stupidity. Today was a banner day for us to see the idiots on parade. How can these Democrats on the judicial Committee get up in the morning and look themselves in the mirror and have the balls to say 'I am my own man?' They can't be this clueless without help.
Ted Kennedy was like a fish out of water and displaying the same mentality. He made no sense. I truly believe that he has some kind of mental disease that has dissolved what little cranial capacity that he might have had years ago, I mean the stuff that the booze didn't get, but now he can only show what he has left and it isn't much. Half of the time he didn't pronounce Alito's name correctly, and the other half of his critique on left wing politics in general, was read from a prepared script and he screwed that up as well. Maybe he would have given a better showing of his talents if the hearings would have be later in the day, like after happy hour.
The rest of the wrecking crew gave their best as well which, of course, turned out to be more of same, statements from the play book of the puppet masters. They didn't seem to interested enough in this forum to ask real questions about Alito's back ground. They were more concerned about their own time in the eye of the camera. Everything else is secondary.
From some statements of others that were tuned in on this cavalcade of dunces, their was one senator that actually asked a question and that was Diane Feinstein. Go figure. Critics said it was a question and then again it wasn't, but it was closer than the other puddin' heads ever came to being inquisitive.
Alito must groan under the weight of these condescending and self-centered ingrates that have the audacity to call themselves representatives of the people.
Please don't get me wrong, Ms. Feinstein is part of the wrecking crew that sits on this committee, it's just that at this time she slipped up and started acting like a responsible member of congress. I'm sure she will be severely chastised by the puppet masters for this flagrant act of democracy.
In the end, if the Democrats ever want to become players again on the national stage, they have to get serious about how they are. Right now they are just puppets that dance at the end of a string. The far left liberals that pull the strings have an agenda that is not in the best interest of this country.
If the Democrats fail to regain their footing and break that string that is changing their parties philosophy, then all they have to look forward to is lost elections, and worst of all, the Democratic party of Roosevelt will no longer exit.
Monday, January 09, 2006
Alito and Mother Sheehan
We are off to the races or something like that now that Samuel Alito is finally going to show what he is made of. The confirmation hearings that started today were by any standards, pathetic. Each member of the judicial committee got to speak for 10 minutes or so to set the stage for the question and answer period tomorrow. My goodness, these people are several pickles short of a barrel.
Ted Kennedy's performance was like he had just stepped off a train in the wrong station but he didn't know it. Ted was so completely out of the loop that if you didn't know better you would think he was deranged or on drugs. He made no sense. I didn't see him, of course, but I can imagine his chubby face and red nose bent over the dais, while his jaw moving in perfect time to each yank of the string from the puppet masters hand. Disgusting!
Schumer and Feinstein weren't any better. Old and worn tirades of racism and sexism in his past decisions, which, even on the face of it, are false, but that's in the play book, so they have to run with they have. You can never fault the Democrats for being too original.
I don't know if Reid and Durbin got their shots in today, but I'm sure if they did, their ten minutes before the cameras was much the same as all the other proclaimed 'do-gooders' that are so concerned about everyone's civil liberties being lost if Alito is confirmed. In reality, they are the ones that want to be able to steal your liberties for themselves in the future.
The questioning will start tomorrow which will prove to be stellar performances by the babbling buffoons on the judicial committee. Alito will, I'm sure, make them out to be the simpletons that we always knew they are.
In a different venue, did you hear about 'mother Sheehan's' frolic in beautiful Hawaii? The press on the main land was all-atither because, in her most serious and stressed voice, I'm presuming here as I didn't read her speech but from passed showings, she probably proclaimed the President was at fault for everything that has gone wrong with the war and, of course, the death of her son, but still he died for no good reason. We are losing the war and all the troops have to come home, now! We have to lose the war to cleanse our souls.
In reality, her son volunteered to go and then, I believe, he volunteered for a second stint in Iraq, which was fatal. From all the evidence that the army released about his service, he was fine soldier and he deserves better press for his services to the country then is his getting from his mother.
The actual rally was held in a meeting hall that, according to reporters, was attended by 750 people. Again, in reality, at best there were 200 crammed in this small room. Someone took pictures and put them on the internet.
The whole travesty was arranged by Carolyn Hadfield and the Communist Revolutionary Party. Is this what the Democrats are coming to, or has Cindy decided the Democrats are just not up to her speed anymore? Maybe Cindy was confused. Maybe she thought the Communist party was who she has been dealing with all along.
The real sad part in this whole nightmare is the legacy Cindy Sheehan will leave for her son. A man that served his country with distinction and died for a belief in freedom and democracy.
When future generations talk about the Sheehan's, the true meaning of his death will be completely lost in the bright lights that his mother stood in, before the whole world, for her fifteen minutes of fame, while she sold her very soul to the devil.
Ted Kennedy's performance was like he had just stepped off a train in the wrong station but he didn't know it. Ted was so completely out of the loop that if you didn't know better you would think he was deranged or on drugs. He made no sense. I didn't see him, of course, but I can imagine his chubby face and red nose bent over the dais, while his jaw moving in perfect time to each yank of the string from the puppet masters hand. Disgusting!
Schumer and Feinstein weren't any better. Old and worn tirades of racism and sexism in his past decisions, which, even on the face of it, are false, but that's in the play book, so they have to run with they have. You can never fault the Democrats for being too original.
I don't know if Reid and Durbin got their shots in today, but I'm sure if they did, their ten minutes before the cameras was much the same as all the other proclaimed 'do-gooders' that are so concerned about everyone's civil liberties being lost if Alito is confirmed. In reality, they are the ones that want to be able to steal your liberties for themselves in the future.
The questioning will start tomorrow which will prove to be stellar performances by the babbling buffoons on the judicial committee. Alito will, I'm sure, make them out to be the simpletons that we always knew they are.
In a different venue, did you hear about 'mother Sheehan's' frolic in beautiful Hawaii? The press on the main land was all-atither because, in her most serious and stressed voice, I'm presuming here as I didn't read her speech but from passed showings, she probably proclaimed the President was at fault for everything that has gone wrong with the war and, of course, the death of her son, but still he died for no good reason. We are losing the war and all the troops have to come home, now! We have to lose the war to cleanse our souls.
In reality, her son volunteered to go and then, I believe, he volunteered for a second stint in Iraq, which was fatal. From all the evidence that the army released about his service, he was fine soldier and he deserves better press for his services to the country then is his getting from his mother.
The actual rally was held in a meeting hall that, according to reporters, was attended by 750 people. Again, in reality, at best there were 200 crammed in this small room. Someone took pictures and put them on the internet.
The whole travesty was arranged by Carolyn Hadfield and the Communist Revolutionary Party. Is this what the Democrats are coming to, or has Cindy decided the Democrats are just not up to her speed anymore? Maybe Cindy was confused. Maybe she thought the Communist party was who she has been dealing with all along.
The real sad part in this whole nightmare is the legacy Cindy Sheehan will leave for her son. A man that served his country with distinction and died for a belief in freedom and democracy.
When future generations talk about the Sheehan's, the true meaning of his death will be completely lost in the bright lights that his mother stood in, before the whole world, for her fifteen minutes of fame, while she sold her very soul to the devil.
Sunday, January 08, 2006
Winter Ride
In contrast to my last post about riding in the fall of the year, here is a scene that wasn't what I would call a lot of laughs. Still - -In any event, it was better than sitting at home on the week end, I think, although I didn't crash, I did have to get off on some of the hills as it was too slippery. Shame
Probably the real shame is we should not have been out there in the first place as it does damage to the trail when it is wet like this.
The park did close the next day. We made it just under the wire.
Still, it was fun being in the woods with some good friends and just having good time.
Saturday, January 07, 2006
Biking Training Time
It's that time of year when I start to really get fired up to get back on the bike - this doesn't help much when I see this fantastic single track like the shot on the right that is in the Wisconsin State forest called the South Kettle Moraine, near Granger, WI. This shot was taken in the early fall -I have posted on this area in the past as being one of finest mountain bike rides in the country. It's a little rocky, but for the most part, even for the modest rider, it's doable. There are several trails available to suit every skill level. This particular trail is 10 miles long and requires some good skills to ride it well.
As with any trail, if you get yourself into a jam, get off the bike and walk. We all do it at some point in time, even now - heh.
Beautiful and challenging, but you don't take your life in your hands to ride it. One thing here though, you must have a suspension bike, at least in the front. With the rocks in some places it would really hard on your arms and rear, maybe your back as well.I ride on the road as well and love that too. So now I have to start thinking about getting into a spin class and doing some work outs on my weight machine, mostly leg curls and presses. Keep the weight down and the reps up -
- - - and it's away we go - - enjoy the ride.
Friday, January 06, 2006
Coping With Conflict
Did you ever hear the saying, "Peace is not the absence of conflict but the ability to cope with it"? George Bush is doing just that. He has faced up to his responsibilities of being the President of the United States which means it is his job to defend this country from all enemies, foreign and domestic. We are at war!
This means foreign enemies like the Islamofasists, and domestic terrorists like Harry Reid, John Murtha and Nancy Pelosi.
How can any of us forget that just a few years ago, we were attacked and three thousand men, women and children were murdered by Islamic terrorists. This was the worst attack that this country has ever endured in it history. This attack was worse than the attack on Pearl Harbor back in 1941. Yet, we have leading government officials defending the very people that did this by proclaiming the attack was our own fault. We are the worlds worst enemy. Conflict avoidance.
The methods that they are employing is disinforamtion or outright lies, release of classified information that aids the enemy and actively seek to disrupt the war effort by submitting legislation that will help bring defeat to our troops in the field. This would mean defeat for our country and for freedom and democracy.
We should also remember that it was the absence, or should I say avoidance, of conflict that brought us to where we are now. Bill Clinton had no intention of doing anything when we were attacked the first time at the World Trade Center. Then the embassies attack that killed several hundred in Africa, and the attack on the USS Cole. Clinton never lifted a finger to go after them. He knew who they were but he was more concerned with his image as a liberal, which translates as not being too concerned about the problem as it was only foreigners and military personal that were killed. Clinton hated the military.
Jimmy Carter was even worse than Clinton, if that's possible. There was the fall of the Shah of Iran in 1979, which had supported us in the passed, but Carter never lifted a finger to help him. Then there was the Iranian hostage fiasco with the failed rescue attempted which killed our troops and completely humiliated us in front of the world. As I have stated in the passed, Jimmy Carter love tyrants and ruthless socialists regimes like the Iranian Islamofascists and the soviets. His latest hero is the communist Hugo Chavez.
Islam views those that do not have the will to fight as sheep to be enslaved or slaughtered.
Since the beginning of time, it has been conflict that settled most major world problems. Just look around the world today and ask your self what country doesn't have to deal with conflict in some form to settle problems within their borders and with their neighbors. It has always been that way. The key is to be able to control the outcome of that conflict in a lawful manner. But if you ignore the problem and insist that it can always be solved by negotiations and surrender, disaster will soon follow. Carter and Clinton proved that.
This means foreign enemies like the Islamofasists, and domestic terrorists like Harry Reid, John Murtha and Nancy Pelosi.
How can any of us forget that just a few years ago, we were attacked and three thousand men, women and children were murdered by Islamic terrorists. This was the worst attack that this country has ever endured in it history. This attack was worse than the attack on Pearl Harbor back in 1941. Yet, we have leading government officials defending the very people that did this by proclaiming the attack was our own fault. We are the worlds worst enemy. Conflict avoidance.
The methods that they are employing is disinforamtion or outright lies, release of classified information that aids the enemy and actively seek to disrupt the war effort by submitting legislation that will help bring defeat to our troops in the field. This would mean defeat for our country and for freedom and democracy.
We should also remember that it was the absence, or should I say avoidance, of conflict that brought us to where we are now. Bill Clinton had no intention of doing anything when we were attacked the first time at the World Trade Center. Then the embassies attack that killed several hundred in Africa, and the attack on the USS Cole. Clinton never lifted a finger to go after them. He knew who they were but he was more concerned with his image as a liberal, which translates as not being too concerned about the problem as it was only foreigners and military personal that were killed. Clinton hated the military.
Jimmy Carter was even worse than Clinton, if that's possible. There was the fall of the Shah of Iran in 1979, which had supported us in the passed, but Carter never lifted a finger to help him. Then there was the Iranian hostage fiasco with the failed rescue attempted which killed our troops and completely humiliated us in front of the world. As I have stated in the passed, Jimmy Carter love tyrants and ruthless socialists regimes like the Iranian Islamofascists and the soviets. His latest hero is the communist Hugo Chavez.
Islam views those that do not have the will to fight as sheep to be enslaved or slaughtered.
Since the beginning of time, it has been conflict that settled most major world problems. Just look around the world today and ask your self what country doesn't have to deal with conflict in some form to settle problems within their borders and with their neighbors. It has always been that way. The key is to be able to control the outcome of that conflict in a lawful manner. But if you ignore the problem and insist that it can always be solved by negotiations and surrender, disaster will soon follow. Carter and Clinton proved that.
Thursday, January 05, 2006
A Strong Economy
One of the major themes that Clinton ran on in his second term was the slogan ' it's the economy, stupid'. The economy in the late 90's was on the move, but the sad thing about it, in hind sight, it was founded on thin air. The dotcoms generated so much investment that was based on paper alone, no fixed assets, it was bound to come crashing down. The experts warned us about what was coming, but we were making so much money we were deaf to their shouts of STOP.
As we all know now that in 2001, that sucking sound we all heard was actually the sound of our money going down the huge sink hole that was the 'dotcoms'. I believe the experts estimated we all lost about two and half trillion dollars or more nation wide. Some people lost everything and some people, like me, lost about half of everything that I owned in stocks and mutual funds. Not a good thing when you are in your late fifties, but some people that I know where so heavily invested that they will never be able to retire.
Since those eventful days in 2001, and in the years that followed, the economy has come back with a vengeance. The prime mover was the tax cuts that George Bush made, and the smart moves that Allen Greenspan made with the nations money supply, that gave us this last quarter a GDP of 4.1% growth rate. That was the twelfth straight quarter for increased growth.
Even better maybe, or because of, the unemployment rate is lower than any other time in the last twenty years at 5%. Keep in mind that this is all taking place after the two devastating hurricanes down south.
Even when the economy was supposedly going great guns in the late 90's, and everyone was making a ton of money, the the rate never was below 5.4%. The Democrats, along with their their dogs in the media, point a finger at how bad the unemployment rate is now and how many unfortunate people are out of work, never once indicating or believing that the rate is better than in any year of the Clinton administration.
This new economy, more importantly, is founded on solid ground this time. The past economy, like the Clinton's, was built on thin air and empty promises of better times ahead. Investment in new equipment and stock turn-over in inventories has been the true test of what it takes to build for the future. The stock market has also shown it's metal since the crash in 2001, it has risen almost thousand points. That.you would think, should reassure people that the economy is really on the move, but that is not what one hears when you listen to the media. Just the usual, doom and gloom.
Anyway, a poll was taken to see if people are paying attention to what's going on around them. The findings are very interesting. Unfortunately, I don't have all of the results but what I can attest to, I will deliver.
When asked if you are doing any better now then in 2005 than you where in 2004, 65% of Republicans said YES and 22% said NO. 41% of Democrats said YES and 45% said NO.
Asked what you thought about 2006, over all, 79% of the population surveyed said they thought it would be better, while 10% thought it would be worse.
I wish I still had the figure that showed the break down between the Republicans and Democrats as to the direction the nations was taking and the economy in general. I can tell you that universally, the Republicans see the future, by a large majority, as bright and moving forward, while the Democrats, also by a large majority, see us going in the wrong direction, both on the economy and our foreign policy.
You decide what is going on here. In the face of the facts on the economy that is doing very well and a foreign policy that has proven to be a winner, everyone in the world hates us, the Democrats can not have a positive attitude. They have more money then ever, their jobs are more secure and the future for their children is bright, but they still can't smile or feel good about themselves.
Maybe the liberal puppet masters are pulling too hard on the strings, chocking all of the life out them.
As we all know now that in 2001, that sucking sound we all heard was actually the sound of our money going down the huge sink hole that was the 'dotcoms'. I believe the experts estimated we all lost about two and half trillion dollars or more nation wide. Some people lost everything and some people, like me, lost about half of everything that I owned in stocks and mutual funds. Not a good thing when you are in your late fifties, but some people that I know where so heavily invested that they will never be able to retire.
Since those eventful days in 2001, and in the years that followed, the economy has come back with a vengeance. The prime mover was the tax cuts that George Bush made, and the smart moves that Allen Greenspan made with the nations money supply, that gave us this last quarter a GDP of 4.1% growth rate. That was the twelfth straight quarter for increased growth.
Even better maybe, or because of, the unemployment rate is lower than any other time in the last twenty years at 5%. Keep in mind that this is all taking place after the two devastating hurricanes down south.
Even when the economy was supposedly going great guns in the late 90's, and everyone was making a ton of money, the the rate never was below 5.4%. The Democrats, along with their their dogs in the media, point a finger at how bad the unemployment rate is now and how many unfortunate people are out of work, never once indicating or believing that the rate is better than in any year of the Clinton administration.
This new economy, more importantly, is founded on solid ground this time. The past economy, like the Clinton's, was built on thin air and empty promises of better times ahead. Investment in new equipment and stock turn-over in inventories has been the true test of what it takes to build for the future. The stock market has also shown it's metal since the crash in 2001, it has risen almost thousand points. That.you would think, should reassure people that the economy is really on the move, but that is not what one hears when you listen to the media. Just the usual, doom and gloom.
Anyway, a poll was taken to see if people are paying attention to what's going on around them. The findings are very interesting. Unfortunately, I don't have all of the results but what I can attest to, I will deliver.
When asked if you are doing any better now then in 2005 than you where in 2004, 65% of Republicans said YES and 22% said NO. 41% of Democrats said YES and 45% said NO.
Asked what you thought about 2006, over all, 79% of the population surveyed said they thought it would be better, while 10% thought it would be worse.
I wish I still had the figure that showed the break down between the Republicans and Democrats as to the direction the nations was taking and the economy in general. I can tell you that universally, the Republicans see the future, by a large majority, as bright and moving forward, while the Democrats, also by a large majority, see us going in the wrong direction, both on the economy and our foreign policy.
You decide what is going on here. In the face of the facts on the economy that is doing very well and a foreign policy that has proven to be a winner, everyone in the world hates us, the Democrats can not have a positive attitude. They have more money then ever, their jobs are more secure and the future for their children is bright, but they still can't smile or feel good about themselves.
Maybe the liberal puppet masters are pulling too hard on the strings, chocking all of the life out them.
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