Osbaldo Aldrete-Davila, the Bush Cartel drug smuggler given immunity to
return to the United States and testify against two Border Patrol
agents, was involved in smuggling a second load of marijuana into the
United States after he was given court protection, records have
confirmed. Newly released transcripts of the trial of Jose Compean and
Ignacio Ramos have corroborated WND reports that the Mexican illegal
alien was involved in the second drug case, this one involving a load of
marijuana brought into the U.S. in October 2005. The incident followed
his grant of immunity by U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton in return for
truthful testimony against Ramos and Compean. The former agents are
serving 11 and 12 year prison terms for their actions in a Feb. 17,
2005, incident in which they shot Aldrete-Davila as he was fleeing
across the border into Mexico....Read
More
[All Osbaldo has to do now is flash his Bush Cartel ID card and "Get
Out Of Jail Free" cards to pass back and forth on his marijuana delivery
route! It is amazing what having the top chief executives of two
countries backing can do for business.I wonder if his id packet included
a CIA ID too? Or maybe Mexico issued him papers so he can claim
diplomatic immunity?]
Rene Sanchez - The Bush Cartel Mole in the US Border Patrol
Cop called 'double agent' in Ramos-Compean case
Border Patrol officer accused of helping drug smuggler who was boyhood
friend
Posted: February 23, 2007
By Jerome R. Corsi
The father-in-law of imprisoned Border Patrol Agent Ignacio Ramos is
calling for an investigation of Border Patrol Agent Rene Sanchez – a
longtime friend of the Mexican drug smuggler granted immunity to testify
against Ramos and incarcerated fellow agent Jose Compean – as a possible
"double agent."
"I believe Rene Sanchez acted as a 'double agent' in the Ramos-Compean
case," Joe Loya, father of Ramos's wife Monica, told WND. "He was doing
everything he could to protect his life-long friend, Osbaldo
Aldrete-Davila, but at the same time he was working with Johnny Sutton
to make sure Ramos and Compean were convicted."
Loya further charged that he had reason to believe "Rene Sanchez's
actions make it look like he could have been in the drug business with
Aldrete-Davila all along. The Department of Homeland Security never
investigated, and from the beginning of this case Johnny Sutton was out
to prosecute the Border Patrol, not the drug smugglers."
As WND has previously reported, Sanchez and Aldrete-Davila grew up
together in Mexico, prompting some observers – including Friends of the
Border Patrol chairman Andy Ramirez – to question the propriety of a
family friend of Aldrete-Davila playing such a major role in reporting
the Ramos-Compean incident involving the drug smuggler.
Yet later, during the trial, Aldrete-Davila testified that Rene Sanchez
suggested he should get immunity to testify against Ramos and Compean,
get medical attention in the U.S. for his injury and consider filing a
lawsuit against the Border Patrol. The drug smuggler further testified
Sanchez was the person who helped him find an attorney in the U.S. to
represent him when he testified for the prosecution at the Ramos-Compean
trial and to sue the Border Patrol for violating his civil rights.
WND asked Loya what he believed Sanchez’s motivation was.
"The DEA should investigate whether Rene Sanchez was a partner to
Aldrete-Davila in the drug smuggling business," Loya responded. "The DEA
should investigate whether Rene Sanchez is a mole planted by
Aldrete-Davila's drug connections to be their operative from within the
Border Patrol."
WND made repeated calls for comment from Rene Sanchez, phoning his
office in Willcox, Ariz., and being referred to Rob Daniels, the Border
Patrol's public information officer in Tucson. Daniels told WND he had
no comment on the story.
Loya cites a July 7, 2005, memo from Border Patrol Agent Nolan
Blanchette as support for the need for an investigation of Sanchez. The
memo, says Loya, makes one wonder how Sanchez, working in Willcox,
Ariz., could have come by such accurate, early knowledge of drug
smuggling runs on the border near Fabens, Texas, where Ramos and Compean
were convicting in the Feb. 17, 2005, shooting of Osbaldo Adrete-Davila
as he fled across the Mexican border.
"For a long time, I have believed that Rene Sanchez acted as a
'double-agent' in the Ramos-Compean case," Loya charged to WND. "Now we
have evidence in writing to back up that suspicion."
"The Blanchette memo," Loya said, "raises the question whether Rene
Sanchez was passing on information to Blanchette so the Border Patrol
could bust Aldrete-Davila's competition that was operating with a truck
and horse trailer rig along a route that Aldrete-Davila wanted kept open
for himself."
Loya said that since before the trial he believed Sanchez was working to
promote life-long friend Aldrete-Davila in the drug smuggling business.
"He was part of what I believe was a conspiracy launched by prosecutor
Johnny Sutton to convict agents Ramos and Compean at any cost, even if
it involved lying," Loya said.
The Blanchette memo was a report to his supervisor, R. Banjamin
Robinson, at the Fabens, Texas, Border Patrol Station.
In the memo, Blanchette wrote:
On 07/07/2005 I received information from Rene Sanchez by telephone
regarding a possibility that a Border Patrol Agent, working at the
Fabens Station, was involved in narcotics smuggling.
Blanchette explained Sanchez told him narcotics were being smuggled into
the Fabens area "using a truck and horse trailer" and that Sanchez
believed a Border Patrol agent was involved in the operation that
involved "driving the vehicle and trailer through the river into the
United States on a regular or weekly basis."
Blanchette noted Sanchez had contacted him on previous occasions "with
information that I believed to be erroneous which later turned out to be
factual."
He also expressed surprise that Sanchez told him about the Ramos-Compean
shooting incident before it became common knowledge.
Blanchette ends his memo by noting Sanchez "seems to be unusually well
informed but gives me the impression that he is reporting all this
information."
Loya said he believes Sanchez was "working both sides of the street."
"He was doing everything he could to protect his life-long friend,
Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila, but at the same time he was working with Johnny
Sutton to make sure Ramos and Compean were convicted," Loya said.
Loya insists the Drug Enforcement Agency should investigate whether
Sanchez was a partner to Aldrete-Davila in the drug smuggling business.
"The DEA should investigate whether Rene Sanchez is a mole planted by
Aldrete-Davila's drug connections to be their operative from within the
Border Patrol," he said.
Acknowledging to WND that these were serious charges, Loya said Sanchez
"is not as innocent as he maintains."
"Take a look at the trial transcript and do some digging," he said.
"You'll see why I'm calling for a DEA investigation."
The trial transcript and evidence newly developed by WND suggests the
Sanchez family has ties to drug traffickers in San Ysidro, Mexico. WND
has obtained records from the U.S. District Court in El Paso which show
Rene Sanchez's brother, Hector Omar Sanchez, was convicted Jan. 23,
1996, on one federal charge of possessing marijuana with the intent to
distribute or dispense and a second federal charge of importing
marijuana into the U.S.
On March 18, 1996, Hector Omar Sanchez was sentenced to 22 months
imprisonment and five years of supervisory release on each count, with
the sentences to run concurrently. He resides in San Ysidro, Mexico,
where he runs a car wash and a restaurant.
Loya said Hector Omar Sanchez and Rene Sanchez continue to stay in
contact with Aldrete-Davila and his family in San Ysidro, despite Rene
Sanchez's assertions to the contrary.
Rene Sanchez's mother-in-law grew up with Aldrete-Davila's mother in San
Ysidro, he noted.
"That's a very tight community down there in Mexico and a lot of drugs
pass through," he said. "You have to believe a lot of people know what's
going on."
'Highly irregular'
A Department of Homeland Security investigative report written by
Special Agent Christopher Sanchez (no relation to Rene Sanchez) March
14, 2005, documents that Rene Sanchez accessed the Border Patrol
Tracking System to query for any internal information concerning a load
of marijuana seized by the Border Patrol on Feb. 17, 2005, the day of
the Ramos-Compean incident.
"This is highly irregular," Loya said. "Rene Sanchez is a Border Patrol
agent, not a Border Patrol investigator or internal affairs officer.
What is Rene Sanchez doing accessing a Border Patrol computer system
that gives him access to all Border Patrol drug interdictions across the
country?"
A second DHS investigative report written by Christopher Sanchez July
18, 2005, documents that Rene Sanchez, who on Feb. 17, 2005, was
assigned to the Border Patrol station in Willcox, Ariz., called
Blanchette, who was temporarily assigned to the Border Patrol station in
Fabens, Texas, near the drug crossing location of Aldrete-Davila on Feb.
17, 2005.
The July 18, 2005, Christopher Sanchez memo documents that Rene Sanchez
had called Blanchette to ask if he knew "anything about a shooting that
occurred on February 17, 2005, involving a van loaded with dope in which
BP agents shot at the driver."
Once again, Loya told WND these contacts were highly irregular.
"Rene Sanchez trained Nolan Blanchette at the academy," Loya explained.
"Why is Rene Sanchez, a Border Patrol agent way over in the Willcox,
Ariz., sector, calling an agent back in Fabens, Texas, to ask about a
drug incident Rene Sanchez suspects involves his friend, Osbaldo
Aldrete-Davila? This is highly suspicious."
An examination of the Ramos-Compean trial transcript yields the
following support for the contention Rene Sanchez and Osbaldo
Aldrete-Davila were old and continuing friends:
* In direct examination by prosecutor Debra Kanof, Rene Sanchez
testified (trial transcript, Vol. VI, beginning at page 225) that
although he was born in the United States, he was raised in San Ysidro,
Mexico, a town he left when he was 15 or 16 years old.
* Sanchez further testified he first learned of Aldrete-Davila's
involvement in the Feb. 17, 2005, incident through a phone call he
received from his mother-in-law, Gregoria Toquinto, in late February or
early March 2005.
* Sanchez said his mother-in-law called him from El Paso and reported on
a phone call she had with Aldrete-Davila's mother, Macaria, in Mexico.
Sanchez said Toqinto and Macaria Aldrete-Davila had been friends since
childhood.
* Sanchez further testified that while growing up in San Ysidro, he was
a friend of Aldrete-Davila's brother, Sergio, and that he knew Osbaldo
when Sanchez was "a little kid."
* In response to a question from prosecutor Kanof, Sanchez denied he
kept in contact with the Aldrete-Davila family after he came to the U.S.
at 15 or 16 years of age. Still, Sanchez admitted he was the chamberlain
for Osbaldo's sister's quinceanera (15th birthday party). Sanchez
testified he had not seen Sergio Aldrete-Davila since Sanchez was 18
years old.
* Yet, in cross-examination by Ramos' attorney Mary Stillinger (trial
transcript, Vol. VI, beginning at page 238), Rene Sanchez characterized
San Ysidro as a small community of some 2,000, where families typically
know one another.
* Rene Sanchez also admitted (Vol. VI, pages 255-256) he saw
Aldrete-Davila in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico – across from McAllen,
Texas – in 2004, when Sanchez was visiting another friend, Jose Osuna
Toquinto, an engineer and another boyhood friend from San Ysidro.
Sanchez testified Jose Osuna Toquinto was a cousin of his mother-in-law.
* Rene Sanchez further testified he keeps track of his old friends from
San Ysidro and he frequently went to Tres Sacales – across from Fabens,
Texas – with his wife, who also grew up in San Ysidro.
* No questions were asked of Rene Sanchez about his brother, Omar Hector
Sanchez. WND has learned Stillinger and other defense counsel had no
knowledge, at the time, of the trial of Omar Hector Sanchez.
On Feb. 22, 2006, under cross-examination by Stillinger at the
Ramos-Compean trial, Aldrete-Davila contradicted Rene Sanchez by
testifying he last saw Sanchez at Aldrete-Davila's mother's house, some
six months prior to the trial (Vol. VII, page 208).
Aldrete-Davila also testified (Vol. VII, pages 214-215) that Rene
Sanchez suggested to him Aldrete-Davila should get immunity to testify
against Ramos and Compean, get medical attention in the U.S. for his
injury and consider filing a lawsuit against the Border Patrol.
Aldrete-Davila further testified Rene Sanchez was the person who helped
him find an attorney in the U.S. to represent him when he testified for
the prosecution at the Ramos-Compean trial and to sue the Border Patrol
for violating his civil rights.
"It's all a lie that Rene Sanchez didn't know Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila
very well," Loya maintained to WND.
"I believe Rene Sanchez probably even coached Aldrete-Davila what to say
at trial, to maintain he was only delivering this load of marijuana
because he needed money to buy medicine for his sick mother, to say he
wasn't a drug professional and that he was only scared, trying to get
back to his family in Mexico," Loya said.
When Rene Sanchez was called back to the stand March 2, 2006, Stillinger
pursued a line of questioning with him that suggests Sanchez's first
response after learning from his mother-in-law that Aldrete-Davila was
involved in the Feb. 17, 2005, incident was to go into the Border Patrol
computer system to get information that would help his friend.
The trial transcript at Vol. XIII, page 116, has the cross-examination
of Rene Sanchez by Stillinger.
The defense counsel's questions were framed to suggest Rene Sanchez's
motive in searching the Border Patrol database, the BPETS, was to see if
Aldrete-Davila might have a basis for a lawsuit against the Border
Patrol.
Stillinger: Okay. And it was important to you to find out whether or not
the shooting had been reported, right?
R. Sanchez: Yes, ma'am.
Stillinger: Okay. Because there might be a good lawsuit, if the shooting
wasn't reported, right?
R. Sanchez: If the shooting wasn't reported?
Stillinger: Right.
R. Sanchez: If it wasn't reported, I guess, ma'am.
Stillinger: I guess what I'm asking you is: What you were really doing
was investigating the viability of a lawsuit, wasn't it?
R. Sanchez: No, ma'am.
Stillinger: Okay. So even if you saw there wasn't any chance for a
lawsuit, because the shooting had been reported and it had been declared
a justified shooting, you weren't going to tell them, Yes, but I knew
who the smuggler is, anyway, were you?
R. Sanchez: At the point when I saw the seizure on BPETS, I didn't know
who the smuggler was.
Stillinger: Well, you were only looking at it because you knew that
Aldrete-Davila had been involved in an incident there, right?
R. Sanchez: I wasn't – yes, ma'am.
Stillinger: Okay. And then you connected it to a seizure, right?
R. Sanchez: The first time I looked at BPETS, I didn't have any
knowledge of the shooting incident being connected to the seizure.
Loya remains suspicious that Rene Sanchez's motives were to find the
drug smuggler.
"Rene Sanchez wanted to protect his friend," Loya said. "Frankly, I
don't believe the whole story about the mother-in-law. I've always
thought it was a cover.
"What I think really happened is that Aldrete-Davila picked up the phone
and told Rene Sanchez that he had been shot by Border Patrol," Loya
continued. "From that moment on, Rene Sanchez figured there just might
be a way for them to cash in with a lawsuit."
An examination of the trial transcript shows a discussion about the
Blanchette memo, even though Judge Kathleen Cardone ruled the memo
inadmissible.
In a sidebar with Cardone, Stillinger expresses her concerns directly
(Volume XI, page 139): "And Rene Sanchez, I think his credibility
whether he was acting as a Border Patrol or as a friend to
Aldrete-Davila is a very important question for this jury to hear about."
In cross-examining Christopher Sanchez March 1, 2006, Stillinger begins
to question him about Blanchette's memo. Cardone objects that no ruling
has been made about the admissibility of the memo.
Still, in the sidebar between Kanof and Stillinger at the bench, the
trial transcript records (Vol. XII, beginning at page 65) that
Blanchette's memo indicated Rene Sanchez seemed to know a lot about drug
activity in the Fabens, Texas, sector, especially for an agent who was
stationed in Willcox, Ariz.
Kanof tells Cardone, "Nolan Blanchette told his supervisors that Rene
Sanchez had information about horse trailers being used to traffic."
Stillinger objects to Cardone that when Christopher Sanchez got the
Blanchette memo he shared it with Rene Sanchez rather than begin an
investigation of Rene Sanchez himself.
Stillinger says in the transcript:
This guy (Christopher Sanchez) gets a memo in July, where somebody is
saying – not terrible, but saying, I have concerns about Rene Sanchez.
And it's not terrible, but he seems unusually well informed.
This witness (Christopher Sanchez) does – instead of investigating it,
he turns the memo over to Rene Sanchez, so Rene Sanchez can call
Blanchette and say, Why are you writing these things about me? It's not
normal behavior.
It's not normal behavior, I don't think, for an OIG (Office of the
Inspector General) agent to turn over an investigatory memo within hours
of having received it, to turn it over to the subject of the memo. And I
think that shows his bias in this investigation.
In the sidebar discussion that follows, Chris Antcliff, attorney for
Compean, adds (Vol. XII, page 69), "And Rene Sanchez is a line agent in
Willcox, Arizona, who has – apparently comes regularly into information
about illegal drug activities in the Fabens sector of the Border Patrol
here. The question is, Where is he getting that information?"
WND asked Stillinger to explain her suspicion concerning Rene Sanchez.
Stillinger replied she was under an order by the court not to discuss
information about Rene Sanchez that was sealed at the trial by Judge
Cardone.
Stillinger's comment confirmed for WND that information about Rene
Sanchez had been kept from the jury by Cardone. WND previously reported
Cardone also sealed information about Aldrete-Davila's second October
2005 drug incident involving Cipriano Ortiz-Hernandez.
Stillinger wanted to call Blanchette as a witness in the Ramos-Compean
trial, to question him on the July 7, 2005, memo, but Cardone ruled the
testimony would not be relevant.
Somehow I got the word that Newt and Rudy would be sparring at Cooper
Union. I just read over at "That's Saul Folks!" the the contestants are
Newt and Mario. I guess the heavy weight belt is not on the line after
all. This is just a warmup and not a preliminary bout for any future
title shots
An email from Karl levin, via the DSCC giving spin as to why they want
to micromanage Iraq and command the troops instead of the
Commander-in-Chief.
Dear JAMES,
George Bush's strategy in Iraq has failed. It is long past time to
change it, and with the Democrats' takeover of the Senate last November
the momentum is building to do just that.
That's why a number of us are drafting binding legislation which would
modify the broad authority Congress gave the president four years ago to
execute the war in Iraq. Our proposal is based on the recommendations of
the Iraq Study Group and would change our mission from one of combat to
a limited one that supports the efforts of the Iraqis to govern and
secure themselves. Our proposal would keep us out of an Iraqi civil war,
and limit our mission to training and logistics support of the Iraqi
military, to counterterrorism, and to helping the Iraqis secure their
international borders. We would set a goal of March of 2008 for the
removal of all our combat troops.
Our resolution wouldn't cut funding for the troops in Iraq. We will
continue to give our men and women serving in Iraq everything they need
to protect themselves and carry out their missions. Our differences lie
with the policies of George Bush in his role as commander-in-chief.
Here is the naked power grab. Senate democrats want to hold the
controls to the military or at least be the puppet masters. The
resolution is the "Slow Bleed" and would not equip troops being sent in
new or as replacements.
Our proposal would keep us out of an Iraqi civil war [which the
Democrat Party and its MSM propaganda organs have promoted and cheered
on].
We would set a goal of March of 2008 for the removal of all our combat
troops [giving our terrorist allies the chance to properly re-arm
and resupply in readiness for our pullout. Then just like the fall of
Saigon, as US troops pull out the Islamofascist allies of the Democrats
can take over.]
Four years of George Bush's failed strategy have led us to the brink of
chaos. [40 years of failed Democrat social and fiscal policy have
left the USA teetering on the brink of chaos.]
The Senate Democrats can achieve real results in Iraq. [Remember
that power grab I told you about up above?]
This is cross posted from - GrasstopsUSA.com [ed:
...with some emphasis and commentary added. It appears that Mitt has
leased Kerry's flipflop machine and wants to be known as Slick Willard!]
MITT HAPPENS
[Slick Willard trying to out flip Slick Willy and Flipper Kerry?]
By Don Feder
02-21-07
Try to imagine an updated version of the old TV show “To Tell The
Truth,” where three contestants claimed to be the same person and
celebrity panelists tried to guess which was the real whoever.
Here, all of the contestants are W. (for Willard) Mitt Romney.
Kitty Carlisle: “Contestant #1: What is your name?”
“I’m Mitt Romney and I support a woman’s right to choose, gay rights and
gun control.”
Carlisle: “Contestant #2: What’s your name?”
“I’m Mitt Romney, and I’ve always been pro-life (except for the times
when I wasn’t). I’m a champion of traditional marriage and a proud
member of the NRA.”
Carlisle: “And Contestant #3: What is your name?”
“I’m Mitt Romney, and you can trust me – to say anything to get
conservatives behind my presidential campaign.”
The Romney who announced his candidacy last week has a favorite
throw-away line: “On abortion, I wasn’t always a Ronald Reagan
conservative. Neither was Ronald Reagan, by the way. But like him, I
learned from experience.”
He also wasn’t a Ronald Reagan conservative on taxes and spending, by
the way. In 1994, to distance himself from Reaganomics, he told
audiences that during the 1980s, he’d registered as an independent.
That aside, Ronald Reagan didn’t become Ronald Reagan in 1979, in
preparation for the 1980 race. The Gipper’s conversion was principled.
Romney’s is expedient. Catholic activist Larry Cirignano says Romney’s
conversion came not on the road to Damascus but the road to Des Moines.
On abortion, Romney has changed his mind so often he makes Honest
John Kerry seem consistent.
[flip]Running for the Senate against Ted Kennedy in 1994, Mitt
announced: “I believe that abortion should be safe and legal in this
country (Hello, Bill Clinton!). I have since the time that my mom took
that position in 1970 as a US Senate candidate. (Abortion -- a Romney
family tradition since 1970). I believe that since Roe v. Wade has
been law for 20 years we should sustain and support it.”
[flop]That was when he was a candidate in the PRM --- People’s Republic
of Massachusetts. In Utah, in 2001, Romney sang a different tune with
the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, telling The Salt Lake City Tribune, “I do
not wish to be labeled pro-choice.”
[flip]By 2002, he was back in the Bay State, running for governor, and
the label fit just fine: “I respect and will protect a woman’s right to
choose…. Women should be free to choose based on their own beliefs, not
mine and not the government’s.”
Willard Mitt's position on the most important moral question of our
times doesn’t just change from year to year, but month to month.
[flop]In January, campaigning in South Carolina, Romney acknowledged
that in the past, “I have been effectively pro-choice.” In February, he
insisted: “I am firmly pro-life … I was always for life” – except for
the times he wasn’t.
Romney attributes his conversion on abortion (the second or third, but
who’s counting?) to an alleged discussion he had on stem cell research
with a Harvard researcher.
What do you suppose that researcher could have told him that he didn’t
know before – that at 10 weeks the unborn child has a heartbeat and
brainwaves, and that under Roe v. Wade, the difference between abortion
and infanticide might be measured by inches and seconds, as the child
traverses the birth canal?
Apparently, at age 57, Romney knew none of this – until his mythical
encounter with an unnamed Harvard researcher, a conversation about which
he’s conveniently vague.
If you’re confused by Romney’s evolving position on abortion (with many
missing links), consider Mitt’s shifting stand on marriage.
[flip]In January, Romney was Ozzie and Harriet on the campaign trail. “I
opposed then and I do now, gay marriage and civil union (sic.),” Romney
alleges. “I am proud of the fact that my team did everything within our
power and within the law to stand up for traditional marriage.”
Well, not quite everything.
[flop]As a candidate in 2002, he opposed a defense-of-marriage amendment
to Massachusetts' Constitution, which preceded the decision of its high
court mandating same-sex marriage. (It was, Romney sniffed, “too
extreme.”)
As governor, there were any number of things he could have done to stop
same-sex marriage after the Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) discovered a
right to same lurking in an 18th century constitution.
Article V of the document drafted by John Adams provides, “All causes of
marriage, divorce and alimony… shall be heard and determined by the
governor and council,” meaning the courts can’t change the definition of
marriage. Yet, as the Commonwealth’s chief executive officer, Romney
never attempted to enforce that provision against a clear case of
judicial usurpation.
Article X of the constitution declares: “The people of this Commonwealth
are not controllable by any other laws than those to which their
constitutional representative body have given consent.”
The state’s constitutional representative body never consented to gay
marriage. The Massachusetts legislature never passed enabling
legislation, as mandated by the court. Romney could have simply rejected
the decision on the grounds of either constitutional provision. Instead
– echoing his earlier pro-choice position – Romney chose to do nothing.
Or, Romney could have used a “bill of address” to try to remove a gang
of judicial autocrats who were forcing their radical views on the state.
He didn’t. (Mitt currently travels around the country railing against
activist judges. Talk is cheap.)
So, what did the champion of traditional marriage do?
The court ordered the legislature to pass a law providing for same-sex
marriage within 180 days. The legislature did nothing. When the time
limit expired, Romney acted as if the legislature had acted and told
town clerks to issue marriage licenses to gays. He further ordered
justices of the peace whose conscience wouldn’t allow them to perform
such ceremonies to resign.
Except for offering lip-service to traditional marriage, Romney did
exactly what gay activists wanted him to do -- nada.
For the last two years, Romney has supported an amendment to overturn
the court-imposed deconstruction of marriage. His support consisted of
grandstanding at a state house rally and making public statements. When
he could have acted, he didn’t.
Romney is proud to support traditional marriage – as long as he doesn’t
actually have to do anything to preserve it.
Then there are gay rights, aside from marriage – where Romney
experienced yet another miraculous conversion.
Running against Kennedy in 1994, Romney told the
I-Want-To-Sing-Show-Tunes Log Cabin Republicans that he favored the
so-called Employment Non-Discrimination Act (which would force employers
to hire men who come to work dressed like Carmen Miranda), saying he’d
make a better advocate for gay rights than the incumbent.
“We must make equality for gays and lesbians a mainstream concern. My
opponent cannot do that. I can and will,” the future family-values
champion intoned. During a debate with Kennedy, Romney said the Boy
Scouts should accept gay scoutmasters -- which would make for tense
times on camping trips. (Romney was then a member of the BSA’s executive
council.)
As a gubernatorial candidate in 2002, Romney supported domestic
partnership benefits for gay couples – another name for civil unions,
which presidential candidate Romney says he’s always opposed. During Gay
Pride Week, the Mittster’s campaign distributed pink flyers announcing,
“Mitt and Kerry (his running mate Kerry Healy) wish you a great Pride
Weekend!”
As governor, Romney refused to disband the Governor’s Commission on Gay
and Lesbian Youth, dutifully signed annual proclamations for “Youth Gay
Pride Day” and did nothing to stop his Department of Health from
underwriting the publication of “The Little Black Book…Queer in The 21st
Century,” a publication with graphic instructions for performing “safe
gay sex” in language which would make a gerbil blush.
The homosexual publication Bay Windows noted in a March 3, 2005 article
that Romney’s early appointments might be mistaken for a summer-stock
production of “The Birdcage.”
“Romney also continued Weld’s (former Governor William Weld’s) tradition
of appointing openly gay people to key positions in his administration.
One of his first cabinet appointments was Daniel Grabauskas, who Romney
chose to serve in his cabinet as secretary of the Executive Office of
Transportation and Construction. The new governor’s transition team also
included several openly gay people, including Grabauskas, former
lieutenant governor candidate and current president of the national Log
Cabin Republicans Patrick Guerriero and former Mass Log Cabin president
Mark Goshko.”
As, president, Mitt would support traditional marriage – and give away
the rest of the store.
Gun control is another issue on which Romney has had a change of heart
comparable to bypass surgery.
[flip]Romney ’94 embraced the Brady Bill, which imposed a 5-day
waiting-period for handgun sales and a ban on certain semi-automatic
weapons (called “assault weapons” by gun control advocates).
“That’s not going to make me a hero of the NRA,” Romney declared, while
heroically pandering to the soccer-mom vote.
Romney ’02 was darned proud of his state’s draconian gun laws. “We do
have tough gun laws in Massachusetts; I support them,” Mitt averred. “I
won’t chip away at them; I believe they protect us and provide for our
safety.”
[flop]You will be shocked – shocked! – to learn that Romney now
“believes Americans have the right to own and possess firearms as
guaranteed under the US Constitution,” according to a campaign
spokesman. Furthermore, he’s a proud (there’s that word again) member of
the organization he refused to be a hero to in 1994. He even designated
May 7, 2005 as “The Right To Bear Arms Day,” in Massachusetts – a right
to which he never alluded in 1994 or 2002.
But, let’s give Mitt the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps he didn’t
understand what a gun was until a Harvard ballistics expert explained it
to him. (“You see, governor, it has a cylindrical barrel. When the
‘trigger’ is depressed, it fires a metal projectile, called a ‘bullet.’”)
[flip-flop-flip-flop-flip-flop]Don’t listen to all of the RINO stuff I
said back in 1994 and 2002, when I was appealing to liberal voters in
Massachusetts, instead “look at my record as governor,” W. Mitt pleads.
Fair enough. He was governor when the courts ordered Catholic Charities
– the state’s largest adoption agency – to give same-sex couples an
equal opportunity to adopt, or get out of the business. Romney did
nothing.
He could have saved the Church from this bizarre scenario. Even one of
his Democratic predecessors, former Governor Mike Dukakis, said Romney
could have exempted Catholic Charities by executive order. Dukakis
urged, “The state’s anti-discrimination statutes do not preclude an
exemption for the Catholic organization.”
Instead, Governor Romney delicately averted his gaze while Catholic
Charities stopped providing adoption services after more than 100 years.
That wasn’t the only time Romney could have fought for his alleged
principles, but instead pretended that his hands were tied.
In July of 2005, while remaking his image for ’08, Romney vetoed a bill
making the abortion-inducing “morning-after-pill” available
over-the-counter at state pharmacies and requiring hospitals to provide
it to rape victims. The legislature overrode his veto.
Catholic hospitals demurred. That December, Romney’s Department of
Public Health determined that Catholic and other private hospitals could
opt-out on religious grounds. When the media raised a ruckus, Romney’s
counsel found that all hospitals in the state had to dispense the pills
-- after due deliberation, to be sure.
“Look at my record as governor,” Ronald Reagan Coolidge Romney pleads,
hoping that won’t lead to scrutiny of his judicial nominations.
According to a 2005 story in The Boston Globe, at that point in
his administration, Romney had “passed over GOP lawyers for
three-quarters of the 36 judicial vacancies he has faced, instead
tapping registered Democrats or independents – including two gay lawyers
who have supported expanded same-sex rights.”
Is this the man conservatives want to trust with Supreme Court
nominations? If so, I see a flock of David Souters circling the runway
at Reagan National Airport, waiting to land.
In the 1983 movie “Love Sick,” Dudley Moore plays a psychiatrist who has
an affair with a pretty patient (Elizabeth McGovern). Guilt-ridden, he
seeks his mentor’s counsel.
“Good God, man, you’re her therapist!” says the older shrink, played by
John Huston. “I’m not now,” Moore defensively replies.
“Really?” says Houston. “When did you stop treating her? Before you
slept with her? After you slept with her? While you were having sex with
her?”
When exactly did W. Mitt Romney become a conservative -- When he started
thinking about a presidential campaign? While he was testing the waters?
When he was polishing his stump speech?
It won’t be Elizabeth McGovern who gets – well, you know – if
conservatives hop into bed with Romney.
All of this has been made possible by corrupt politicians pandering to
illegals and corrupt bankers and businessmen grubbing for dollars and to
hell with the USA!
I just read at the Giuliani Blog (reporting that they got the word from
Full-Flaps [ ;^) ] at Fulloseus Flaps Dental Blog) that Rudy is supposed
to be attending the CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) in
Washington DC. I hope that no one thinks that this signals a rightward
shift for center to left moderate Rudy. There is no mention of him on
the CPAC web
page.
Doing a little tracking... the report of Rudy's attendence at a
conservative confab comes from a left winger, The
Politico ...
Originally, Rudy and Johnny "Loose Cannon" McCain were going to take a
pass on showing. I just did another search of the CPAC site... no
mention of Rudy. Either they are hiding him in the janitors closet or he
will not be there.
Well, we had a couple months of relative quiet on the amnesty scene...
time to rejoin the fight to keep the USA a sovereign nation! Here is
an email I received from NumbersUSA.com
From: Roy Beck, President, NumbersUSA
Date: Saturday 24FEB07 11:30 p.m. EST
The Kennedy Amnesty Reign of Terror Begins This Next Week --
Only Citizen Action Will Stop It
DEAR FRIENDS OF AMERICA,
CONSTANT
ACTIVISM BEGINS AGAIN ON MONDAY.
You
will soon be getting customized Alerts from us asking you to send
specific faxes and make special phone calls to build resistance to
the amnesty that Sen. Kennedy (D-MA) plans to announce on Wednesday.
Last
year at this time, about 120,000 of you (we're double that size
today) began a three-month constant battle to stop Congress from
passing a massive amnesty for illegal aliens and the addition of 60
million foreign workers and dependents over the next two decades.
Last
year, you won.
Kennedy and congressional Democratic leaders
are saying they hope to try again, starting this coming week. They
are counting on President Bush to round up enough Republicans to
make up for all the Democrats you already are turning against the
amnesty.
They say they will ram the amnesty through the
Senate Judiciary Committee in March and pass it through the full
Senate in April. Presumably the House would try to pass it in May.
We
have a web
page that already is tracking the Kennedy effort. Read
more.
Our top Senators of concern this week who need very specialized
phone calls and faxes from you are these:
No.
1 -- Republican Senators who voted FOR the S. 2611 amnesty last May.
Have to switch at least five of the 20.
No. 2 -- New Senators
(both Democrats and Republicans). Need at least four of the seven.
No.
3 -- Democratic Senators who OPPOSED the S. 2611 amnesty last May.
Need to keep all four.
No. 4 -- Democratic Senators who will
face re-election in 2008. Need to pick up two or three in case we
fail to meet goal in the other categories.
No. 5 --
Republican Senators who OPPOSED the S. 2611 amnesty last May. Need
to hold all 28.
From
those groups, we have to persuade 41 to vote against "cloture" on
the amnesty bill. ("Cloture" is the word for ending a filibuster and
allowing a final vote on the bill. You can kill a bill with only 41
NO votes on cloture, out of the 100 Senators.)
Last year, the
great activism of the half of you who were already on this team
helped us get 36 NO votes -- five short of blocking the amnesty
(thankfully, the Republican-controlled House refused to take up the
bill).
I hope you will take a minute to look at this in a little more
detail so you will understand how your work the next few months fits
into the overall strategy to spare our nation from yet another
immigration disaster.
Will you make a pact with me right now
that you will stick with this battle until we have 41 NO votes to
block the amnesty?
HOLD
28 REPUBLICANS: We
start with the Republican Senators who OPPOSED the S. 2611 amnesty
last May.
Of
the 32 who voted NO last year, 28 are back. If you are in their
states, you can leave them no doubt that their constituents
overwhelmingly approved of what they did last year and would regard
any support for the amnesty this year as a gigantic flip-flop.
Several
of these have significant weaknesses on immigration issues and might
have voted last year with the Kennedy/McCain/Bush amnesty team if
not for your pressure.
*****I have put asterisks by Senators
who may need some extra push to stay in the anti-amnesty camp,
especially if there are some compromises and Pres. Bush makes an
all-out effort to push the amnesty.
HOLD
4 DEMOCRATS: These
four courageously opposed most of their Party last year.
It
will be even more difficult for them to stand against their Party
this year because the Democratic leaders are in control now and can
withhold perks if these four threaten to be the key votes that would
block the Democratic leaders' open borders agenda. They need a ton
of praise and appreciation.
Byrd
(D-WV) Dorgan (D-ND) Nelson (D-NE) ******Stabenow (D-MI)
Stabenow
was a surprise last year. Most considered her vote in May a sign
that she felt she was facing a potentially tough re-election bid to
a second term. Now that she has won easily, will she turn her back
on the workers of Michigan and side with the wage-lowering business
lobbyists in order to satisfy her Party leaders?
RECRUIT
4 OF THE 7 NEW SENATORS: These
seven replaced four Senators who voted NO on amnesty last year.
Corker,
McCaskill, Tester and Webb all ran as hard-liners against illegal
immigration, but there are reasons for doubt with each of them as to
their true commitment, especially with the freshmen Democrats who
may feel a need to stay in good graces with their Party's leadership.
Don't
let them ever forget for a moment that the public remembers their
campaign rhetoric from last fall.
And I wouldn't let Casey
and Brown off the hook. They are in strongly competitive states.
Voting for this Kennedy amnesty could lose them major blue-collar
worker support that they might never win back.
If
you meet all three of those goals, you have produced 36 NO votes,
the same as last year. Now, how to get the last five votes?
SWITCH
5 PRO-AMNESTY REPUBLICANS
There were 23 last year, and 20 of them returned this year.
I
know that you in their states have given them a really tough time
since last May. Can you move at least five of these?
Bennett
(R-UT) Brownback (R-KS) Coleman (R-MN) Collins (R-ME) Craig
(R-ID) Domenici (R-NM) Graham (R-SC) Gregg (R-NH) Hagel
(R-NE) Lugar (R-IN) Martinez (R-FL) McCain (R-AZ) McConnell
(R-KY) Murkowski (R-AK) Smith (R-OR) Snowe (R-ME) Specter
(R-PA) Stevens (R-AK) Voinovich (R-OH) Warner (R-VA)
If
you are in any of these states, you have a huge responsibility
immediately.
We are in a game of psychological chicken here.
The Democrats are taunting Pres. Bush to use the full arm-twisting
power of the White House to hold these 20 and ensure an amnesty
passes. They and their open-borders allies -- Chamber of Commerce,
Catholic bishops, ACLU, most newspaper editorial boards, national
origins identity groups and unions -- are calling Bush a wimp for
urging amnesties in his speeches but never delivering his Party's
support in Congress.
It is imperative that Pres. Bush not be
goaded into making this the White House fight of the year.
A
key way to do that is for you to create so much angst in the offices
of these 20 Republican Senators that they send strong signals to the
White House that they want it to stay out of the fight.
For
this to work, you have to act immediately and regularly.
One
reason some of these Republicans may switch is that it looks like
Kennedy may deliver a bill that is even worse than last year's. That
will give them an excuse to switch and perhaps save face with their
big business donors.
Another reason for hope is that several
of these Republicans may not be ideologically committed to open
borders and wage depression. Rather, their pro-amnesty vote may have
been mainly a loyalty vote at the request of last year's Party
leadership of Pres. Bush, Senate Majority Leader Frist (R-TN) and
the No. 2 Senate leader McConnell (R-KY).
But Frist is gone.
McConnell is the head Republican now. With McConnell not having
control of the Senate or responsibility for it, he could be
persuaded that there is no reason to help Kennedy and the Democrats
win a big victory. At the very least, McConnell may not push other
Republicans to follow Kennedy and Bush, releasing them to go with
where their constituents are most pressuring, perhaps.
In
addition, Sen. Lott (R-MS) is now the No. 2 GOP leader. He voted NO
on amnesty last year and may help tip the balance within leadership
circles. Last year saw the strange circumstance of the Senate GOP
leaders pushing for an amnesty that the majority of their Party's
Senators opposed.
There are a lot of reasons for the GOP
leadership this year to line up with where the majority of their
Party's Senators are -- especially with your constant response to
our Action Alerts to put pressure on them.
FOR
INSURANCE, SWITCH 4 PRO-AMNESTY DEMOCRATS
The
four goals above would add up to the Magic 41.
But that's too
close, when our nation's future is at stake, don't you think? We
could easily miss the goal in one or two of those above four
categories. So, those of you with Democratic Senators who voted for
the amnesty last year need to make life miserable for them the next
month, even if you don't think there is any chance they could switch.
About
a dozen of them will be facing re-election bids next year. We will
be sending special opportunities to those of you in their states as
some of them will need to think twice before voting again for a
giant amnesty.
Here are the Democrats who voted for last
year's amnesty:
I know most of you prefer to do the easier action -- clicking to
send faxes.
That's good.
But we also need a lot more
phone calls which tend to have several times the impact of faxes --
especially in conjunction with the faxes.
When you get alerts
asking for phone calls, please look them over carefully and at least
try making one. Most people are surprised at how easy it is. Once
you have done it, you will tend to feel quite empowered.
Last
year, the open-borders groups complained after they lost that our
side had out-phoned and out-faxed them by as much as 100-1. They
have spent the last year trying to build up the tools and troops to
at least match you.
Fortunately, NumbersUSA's membership
development team has not taken a break since last May and has more
than doubled our membership. But we are going to need every one of
you.
The North American Community is not considered a formal union of
the three countries, Mexico, Canada and the United States, as the
North American Union is. However, there was a February 16
conference devoted to the development of a North American legal
system, according to Cliff
Kincaid of Accuracy in Media. He says, "The holding of the
conference was itself evidence that a comprehensive process is
underway to merge the economies, and perhaps the social and
political systems, of the three countries."
[Robert] Pastor said that he favors a "North American Community,"
not a formal union of the three countries, and several speakers at
the conference ridiculed the idea of protecting America's borders
and suggested that American citizenship was an outmoded concept.
Wearing a lapel pin featuring the flags of the U.S., Canada and
Mexico, Pastor told AIM that he favors a $200-billion North
American Investment Fund to pull Mexico out of poverty and a
national biometric identity card for the purpose of controlling
the movement of people in and out of the U.S.
So the "conspiracy" is now very much out in the open, if only
the media would pay some attention to it. (source) >
One problem is that the media is not interested in this topic.
Perhaps they think it's a good idea, but are afraid to publicize
the fact that it is actually a possible reality for fear Americans
will stand up and protest. Imagine for one minute that there is
ONE legal system for all three countries? What a disaster that
would be.
The conference, conducted in cooperation with the American Society
of International Law, an organization affiliated with the Economic
and Social Council of the United Nations, was held at the American
University Washington College of Law. A large number of speakers
came from American University. [snip]
Academic literature distributed in advance to conference
participants about a common legal framework for the U.S., Canada
and Mexico included proposals for a North American Court of
Justice (with the authority to overrule a decision of the U.S.
Supreme Court), a North American Trade Tribunal, a North
American Court of Justice, and a Charter of Fundamental Human
Rights for North America, also dubbed the North American Social
Charter.
Do any of you want a "North American Parliament", a "permanent
tribunal" on trade issues, or anything even slightly similar to
the European Union, European Parliament or European Court of
Justice? Talking about the suggested wall between Mexico and the
U.S., Stephen Zamora of the University of Houston Law School said,
"What does citizenship mean anymore?" Obviously it doesn't mean
much to Mr. Zamora. To me being an American citizen means
everything. It is a matter of pride, it means we have a special
history, a special form of government, a special form of legal
system. All that would change with a North American Union.
Another speaker, Tom Farer, Dean of the Graduate School of
International Studies at the University of Denver said , Tom
Tancredo "was a backward thinker and could be seen dragging his
knuckles along the ground." I believe Tom Tancredo is a brave
leader in the fight against illegal aliens here in the United
States. Of course with a North American Union, there would be no
such thing as "illegal".
The article is long, detailed, and well worth the read. Go read
it all here.
Well, it's time again to enjoy some great chili and even better company.
Last years cook off was a HUGE success so were doing it again, but this
year it will be even better. More categories to vote for, an event coin
(see below), another great presentation and door prizes.
Last year the White Chili's dominated by taking 1st and 2nd place, we
can't wait to see what great chili's we get to enjoy this year. So start
your experimenting and come up with your best recipe. Post to the page
that your going to bring a pot of chili, give it a name and we'll add
you to the list. The cook off will be limited to the first 15 people to
respond with what type of chili they will be bringing. A note posted to
the cache page will work.
The event page will be updated with a list of who’s brining what. All
preparation will need to be done before hand and brought to the event in
crock pots to keep it warm. If your not into making chili we would
welcome some 2 liters of Non-alcoholic beverages for everyone to enjoy.
I just found a web service I am thinking of joining.
Elite TV Downloads... they say that they supply all tv shows and current
dvd movies. It is a subscription service so I am checking them out
before digging out the credit card but what I see so far looks good.
I wonder what form the movies and tv shows come in? DO I use the Windows
media player utility or one that they supply?
note: A WHOIS lookup shows the domain elitetvdownloads.com
operating from a server in Vancouver, BC, Canada, name registration via
GoDaddy.com and name shielded rgistration by domainsbyproxy.com. Any
time a business hides behind something like this, I get a little
suspicious. I think I will pass on this at this time.
Rumored ex-Marine John Murtha, Democrat congressman
from Pennsylvania, has become the darling of the
cut-and-run crowd for trying to place absurd
restrictions on our troops, amounting to withdrawal
from Iraq. Were Arab sheiks whispering into his ear?
On Valentine's Day, Chrysler sent a bouquet to its
North American workers. Eleven thousand manufacturing
jobs will be eliminated in the next 24 months -- 9,000
in the states and 2,000 in Canada -- and 2,000 white
collar workers will be let go, permanently.
Okay. Confess. Even though Stephen Colbert is really
funny and Jon Stewart may make you cringe, you want
more. You want a conservative satire on the news, and
haven't seen one since, well, since time began. Why?
Both houses of Congress have now gone on record opposing
Bush's dispatch of 21,500 more troops to Iraq. Yet neither
house is willing to end U.S. involvement by cutting off
funding for the war.
10. The U.S. is going it alone on Kyoto and global warming.
Nonsense. The U.S. rejects the Kyoto Protocol's
energy-rationing scheme, along with 155 other countries,
representing most of the world's population, economic
activity and projected future growth. Kyoto is a European
treaty with one dozen others, none of whom is in fact
presently reducing its emissions. Similarly, claims that
Bush refused to sign Kyoto, and/or he withdrew, not only are
mutually exclusive but also false. We signed it, Nov. 11,
1998. The Senate won't vote on it. Ergo, the (Democratic)
Senate is blocking Kyoto. Gosh.
We all remember the embarrassing list of presidential
pardons that finalized Bill Clinton's legacy of sleaze. It
was a tawdry list of 145 drug dealers, income tax evaders
and the notorious Marc Rich, who fled the United States in
the midst of his trial on charges of making oil deals with
Iran during the hostage crisis.
Rudy Giuliani became what was once known as a "Reagan
Democrat" in 1980, when he switched his party registration
from the consciously ambiguous New York City "Independent"
to the bold and rare New York City "Republican." Giuliani
remembers his conversion as a response to the inspiring
candidacy of Ronald Reagan, who that year overwhelmed the
struggling President Jimmy Carter to become the 40th
President.
Almost 37 years ago, long before Congress thought to pass
non-binding resolutions as a first step to cut off funding
in Iraq, the Senate passed an amendment sponsored by Sen.
John Sherman Cooper (R.-Ky.) and Sen. Frank Church
(D.-Idaho) to restrict funding for operations in Cambodia.
The standard liberal rap on President George W. Bush
includes the often-disproved allegation that he failed to
deliver on his military service commitment during the Viet
Nam War Specifically, the left accuses the President of
signing up for the National Guard to avoid being sent to
Viet Nam and then reneging on his Guard duties to go off and
do something frivolous while American draftees were fighting
and dying in Asian jungles.
After scoffing in my last column about the ridiculous Nobel
Peace Prize nomination of former Vice President Chicken
Little (aka Al Gore), I really had no intention of wasting
any more time or thought on the issue of global warming for
the foreseeable future. But then columnist Ellen Goodman
weighed in with her arrogant opinion, and I just couldn't
let it go.
FLORENCE, S.C. - U.S. Sen. John McCain, campaigning in South Carolina
for the third straight day, picked up the endorsement of longtime state
Sen. Hugh Leatherman during a campaign stop on Tuesday.
"I don't make decisions hastily, especially important decisions," said
Leatherman, the Florence Republican who chairs the state Senate Finance
Committee and who seven years ago supported George W. Bush in the S.C.
primary.
Over at the Myrtle
Beach Insider blog, SC State Senator Leatherman is mentioned as
"Senator Pork". This sounds like a match made in heaven.
U.S. Democratic presidential hopefuls including (L-R) former U.S.
Senator Mike Gravel (D-Ak), U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Oh), former
Senator John Edwards (D-Sc), Senator Joseph Biden (D-De), New Mexico
Governor Bill Richardson, former Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack and Senator
Hillary Clinton (D-Ny) pose together onstage during a 'Democratic
Presidential Candidates Forum' sponsored by AFSCME in Carson City,
Nevada, February 21, 2007. (Kimberly White/Reuters)
Would you believe that of all these politicians, only Hillary owns up to
her vote to support the war in Iraq? Whooda ever thunk that?
If Hillary ever gets into the White House, der Schlickmeister will have
a kennel in the basement. He will wear a tether.
The Republicrats have Little Johnny McCain (Keating Five and other
liberal Democrat connections)...
The Demicans have Little Johnny Kerry (VVAW, Agent Provocateur for North
Vietnam, BCD'ed out of service, elected to federal office in violation
of the constitution 14th amendment section 3 "No person shall be a
Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and
Vice-President ... having previously taken an oath ... to support the
Constitution of the United States, [who has] engaged in insurrection or
rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies
thereof.")
The Demicans also have Little Johnny Murtha (Murtha hoped that everyone
had forgotten ABSCAM. He is as corrupt as Dingy Harry Reid, the
Godfather of Nevada...)
How many other infamous Little Johnny's do we have in the House and
Senate? How about some Little Johnny wannabes?
It seems that the Democrat fox now has the keys to the door of the
Club Gitmo chicken coop... the pro-islamofascist Democrats want to
release all terrorists and enemy combatants. So far the appeals court
says "NO"!
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Detainees' bid denied
Split appeals court ruling rebuffs hundreds of Gitmo prisoners vying
to challenge cases in U.S. civilian courts.
Josh White / Washington Post
WASHINGTON -- A federal appeals court ruled Tuesday that hundreds of
detainees in U.S. custody at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, do not have the right
to challenge their imprisonment in federal courts.
This is a victory for the Bush administration that could lead to the
Supreme Court again addressing the issue.
In its 2-1 decision, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of
Columbia upheld one of the central components of the Military
Commissions Act, the law enacted last year by a then-Republican
controlled Congress that stripped Guantanamo detainees of their right to
such habeas corpus petitions.
Lawyers have filed habeas petitions on behalf of virtually all the
nearly 400 detainees still at Guantanamo, challenging President Bush's
right to hold them indefinitely without charges. Tuesday's ruling
effectively dismisses the cases.
Attorneys for the detainees vowed to quickly petition the Supreme Court
to hear the case.
Judge A. Raymond Randolph wrote in the majority opinion that to overrule
the new law, which Bush signed in October, would "defy the will of
Congress."
He and Judge David Sentelle also found that historical interpretations
of habeas corpus do not apply to foreign nationals not on U.S. soil,
determining that the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay is a leased
property that falls under Cuban sovereignty.
In a lengthy dissent, Judge Judith Rogers raised two central questions
of constitutional law that could form the basis of arguments before the
Supreme Court, if it chooses to hear the case. She wrote the writ of
habeas corpus can apply to foreign nationals outside the United States
and that Congress has not properly suspended habeas corpus, something it
has done only four previous times.
Democrats have vowed to quickly amend the Military Commissions Act.
Democrats are eager to apply foreign law to the USA, even to turn
over sovereignty to the UN. This also appears to be a dream of El
Presidente Jorge Boosh at least as far as dissolving our borders with
Canada and Mexico. For now, civilian courts have had their hands slapped
for attempting to oversee military legal affairs. The "compassionate
conservatives" and "Wacky Democrats" seem to be in concert, trying to
give every aid and comfort to the enemy. Thank God for a few level heads
on the bench of the court of appeals. I am not so optimistic about the
Supreme Court.
MITT ROMNEY (from a town hall event of sorts): "I believe the American
people are overtaxed and the government is overfed. I believe we're
spending too much money and that's got to stop. I believe our laws ought
to be written by the people and not by unelected judges. Look, these are
critical times we face. We face attack from jihadists. We face tougher
competition than we've ever known before coming from Asia. We're
spending too much money here. We're using too much oil here. Our schools
are failing too many of our kids. This is not a time for more talk and
dithering in Washington. It's a time for action. I believe in the people
of America [and Mexico?]. Free American people [and illegal
aliens? Bush thinks so!] are the source of this land's great
strength."
What is wrong with Mr Romney?As far as we can determine, he
is one smooth SOB that will grant amnesty to tens of millions of illegal
alien criminals.
A path to citizenship for a border jumper is JUST PLAIN WRONG! Saying
it is impractical to deport law breakers is JUST PLAIN WRONG! Any
politician that thinks he can woo me with smooth talk on other subjects
while staying silent on treatment of illegal aliens will discover that I
will be a VOCAL opponent. We have already established laws for dealing
with illegal aliens. We do not need new laws. The panderers want new
laws allowing the criminals to stay and become citizens as a reward for
their tenacity at long term criminal activity.
If Mitt Romney is an overt or covert panderer to illegals he is
NOT a candidate that I will support.
Yup, yup, yup, uh-huh, sure, gotcha, you know it! Sure the Dems support
the troops.
This seems to sum up the impression that everyone has of the Demnocrats.
They have been anti-victory from the get-go. Except when we were
atttacked on September 11, 2001. Go back and listen to ALL of them. They
are shifting into their old party line of supporting their friends, that
is whoever is enemies of the USA, and to hell with the consequences.
Their friends have fallen repeatedly, USSR, Nicaragua, and anywhere that
their socialist dream was represented. They are not sure about Mao's
little red book yet or they would be in full support of Chinese
communism. The dems have flirted with it though during the Clinton
presidency. Slick Willy did seperate them from a little cash for his
re-election campaign and in return he gave them the needed MIRV
technology and heavy lift launch technology that they just couldn't seem
to get right. The doomsday clock of the nuclear scientists has been
restarted closer to the endgame thanks to der Schlickmeister.
The Dems are dusting off the "We jest wanna be frends!" stategy for use
with Islamofascists in general and Al Qaida in particular now that they
have majorities in the house and senate once again.
The Granholm tax monster only wants 3 Billion of your money...
You suck it up so the state doesn't have to! Why should the state have
to make cuts when it is so much easier for you to just stop eating or
driving your car? Better yet, leave Michigan and the Granholm will
lose her hold on you. What, you cant just up and move? Your property
will not sell for what the state has assessed you at... according to
the state (and Granholm) that is tough shitski.
They just upped my property equalized value $1,800. AND the guv is
still hungry. She wants MUCH bigger tax increases!
Thanks and a hat tip to Saul Anuzis at "That's Saul Folks!"
They're Back! Church Bulletins: Thank goodness for church ladies with
typewriters. These sentences actually appeared in church bulletins or
were announced in church services:
- - - - -
The Fasting & Prayer Conference includes meals.
- - - - -
The sermon this morning: "Jesus Walks on the Water." The sermon tonight:
"Searching for Jesus."
- - - - -
Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those
things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.
- - - - -
The peacemaking meeting scheduled for today has been canceled due to a
conflict.
- - - - -
Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community. Smile at
someone who is hard to love. Say "Hell" to someone who doesn't care much
about you.
- - - - -
Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help.
- - - - -
Miss Charlene Mason sang "I will not pass this way again," giving
obvious pleasure to the congregation.
- - - - -
For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery
downstairs.
- - - - -
Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the
help they can get.
- - - - -
The Rector will preach his farewell message after which the choir will
sing: "Break Forth Into Joy."
- - - - -
A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music
will follow.
- - - - -
At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be "What Is Hell?"
Come early and listen to our choir practice.
- - - - -
Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of
several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.
- - - - -
Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled.
Proceeds will be used to cripple children.
- - - - --
Pleas place your donat ion in the envelope along with the deceased
person you want remembered.
- - - - -
The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and
gracious hostility.
- - - - -
The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may
be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.
- - - - -
Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10 AM. All ladies
are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B.S. is done.
- - - - -
The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the congregation would
lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.
- - - - -
Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the
back door.
- - - - -
The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare's Hamlet in the Church
basement Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to attend this
tragedy.
- - - - -
Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church.
Please use large double door at the side entrance.
- - - - -
The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new tithing campaign slogan
last Sunday: "I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours"
An illegal alien got a "get out of jail free card" plus U.S. legal
documents and monetary compensation from federal prosecutors in exchange
for his testimony against a U.S. Border Patrol agent accused of using
excessive force during an arrest.
Former agent David Sipe, who was convicted and fired, recently won an
acquittal at a court-ordered retrial.
A federal appeals court in Texas ordered the new trial, saying
prosecutors gave the illegal alien and two others additional inducements
not disclosed at the time for their testimony, including Social Security
cards, witness fees, permits allowing travel to and from Mexico, living
expenses and free use of government phones.
"The government stated in writing the aliens were allowed to remain and
work in the United States pending trial and specified that 'no other
promises or advantages' had been given," the court said. "That was not
true."
Mr. Sipe, 35, of Bethany, Okla., was convicted in 2001 after a five-day
jury trial in McAllen, Texas, before U.S. District Judge Ricardo
Hinojosa. U.S. Attorney Mervyn Mosbacker Jr.'s office charged the agent
with using excessive force and causing bodily injury in the 2000 arrest
of a Mexican national, Jose Guevara.
Mr. Sipe's attorney, Jack Lamar Wolfe, sought a new trial, accusing
prosecutors of "misrepresentations and nondisclosures." After a hearing,
Judge Hinojosa ordered a new trial, a ruling upheld by a 5th U.S.
Circuit Court of Appeals panel in Austin, Texas.
The appeals court agreed that prosecutors suppressed evidence that would
have been favorable to Mr. Sipe's defense. The new trial was moved to
Brownsville, Texas, before U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen, and an
acquittal was handed down Jan. 26.
The court said that in its pre-sentence report, prosecutors disclosed
information to a probation officer they had not given to the defense,
including evidence that the illegal aliens had received numerous
benefits in exchange for their testimony.
"They were essentially given all, and more, of the benefits they were
arrested for trying to obtain illegally benefits so valuable that they
took great risks to obtain them by crossing the border illegally," the
court said.
Mr. Sipe, through his attorney, is seeking to be reinstated. Mr. Wolfe
said his client was fired because of the conviction "and for no other
reason, so with that conviction now gone, he ought to be able to get his
job back."
In its ruling, the court also said the government failed to disclose
that after Mr. Sipe's arrest and before the trial, Mr. Guevara was
caught by Border Patrol agents in the company of illegal aliens, and the
arresting agents released him when he displayed a card given to him by
prosecutors.
"Since Guevara had been granted free passage in his deal with the
government, his arrest with illegal aliens was evidence that he was a
transporter, as well as evidence of the extent of the government's
support accorded him in order to obtain his testimony," the court said.
"As the defense termed it, Guevara was given a 'get out of jail card.' "
The Bush Cartel flew under the radar for quite a while. I wonder how
many more cases of this type of abuse will be found now that we are
alert and searching for them? Also, does that illegal alien still have
his "Get out of jail card free" and immunity from prosecution?
The weekend is over but what the hell, here is something to lighten the
mood a little!
Seven Degrees of Blonde
FIRST DEGREE
A married couple were asleep when the phone rang at 2 in the morning.
The wife (undoubtedly blonde), picked up the phone, listened a moment
and said, "How should I know, that's 200 miles from here!" and hung up.
The husband said, "Who was that?"
The wife said, "I don't know, some woman wanting to know if the coast is
clear."
Two blondes are walking down the street. One notices a compact on the
sidewalk and leans down to pick it up. She opens it, looks in the mirror
and says, "Hmm, this person looks familiar."
The second blonde says, "Here, let me see!"
So the first blonde hands her the compact.
The second one looks in the mirror and says, "You dummy, it's me!"
A blonde suspects her boyfriend of cheating on her, so she goes out and
buys a gun. She goes to his apartment unexpectedly and when she opens
the door she finds him in the arms of a redhead. Well, the blonde is
really angry.
She opens her purse to take out the gun, and as she does so, she is
overcome with grief. She takes the gun and puts it to her head.
A blonde was bragging about her knowledge of state capitals. She proudly
says, "Go ahead, ask me, I know all of them." A friend says, "OK, what's
the capital of Wisconsin ?"
Bambi, a blonde in her fourth year as a UCLA freshman, sat in her US
government class. The professor asked Bambi if she knew what Roe vs.Wade
was about.
Bambi pondered the question then finally said, "That was the decision
George Washington had to make before he crossed the Delaware ."
Returning home from work, a blonde was shocked to find her house
ransacked and burglarized. She telephoned the police at once and
reported the crime.
The police dispatcher broadcast the call on the radio, and a K-9 unit,
patrolling nearby was the first to respond. As the K-9 officer
approached the house with his dog on a leash, the blonde ran out on the
porch, shuddered at the sight of the cop and his dog, then sat down on
the steps.
Putting her face in her hands, she moaned, "I come home to find all my
possessions stolen. I call the police for help, and what do they do?
This last November (and the months before, in the run-up) I was active
in the Republican party and was one of the poll watchers for the
election.
I filed to be a precinct delegate for my precinct which had not
previously been an actively sought position. I familiarized myself with
my precinct... where houses were for sale as these would be prime
addresses to check for party affiliation. I had lists of business
addresses. I had lists of how many houses on the residential streets in
my precinct. I was totally familiar with my area.
I spent many hours at the Kent County Victory Center phone bank
attempting to elect a Republican as governor of the state of Michigan.
Now I am having other thoughts about membership in a party which appears
to be controlled from the top by corruption at the national level. There
is the bad smell of this corruption when you look at what they have done
in attempts to suppress any hope of border security. The boss-of-bosses,
the nominal head of the party, installs his hand picked men
(pro-amnesty) as chairman and other high positions, converting the
national party into the national cartel.
Bush talks of a need for border security. He can do it if he wants but
all he does is wave his arms as a distraction while actually doing
nothing. He makes the mistake of thinking that we are good little
Democrats and that the thought of something is the deed. His distraction
of sending unarmed National Guardsmen to the border with orders to
retreat is in the open now. His AG's pet prosecutor has incarcerated
border patrol agents for attempting to arrest his drug mules. The
kangaroo court aided in suppressing evidence so that the border patrol
agents could be railroaded and squirreled away in a federal prison.
Recently a news item has surfaced from back in 2001 of another border
patrol agent being railroaded. He has been finally acquitted. We can
only hope that this will happen for Ramos and Compean... and that it
wont take 6 years to sort out. We need to put Sutton and all others who
participated in the miscarriage of justice against these law men behind
bars.
Until we can regain control of the Republican Party, I will not be
contributing any money to the cause and will be very selective as
to how and who I support.
Here is information that the national MSM ignores. I found this over
at Texas Fred's Blog and am cross posting from there.
It seems that the Bush drug and human smuggling cartel is busy
suppressing whatever is left of law and order that is not under his
thumb on the Mexican side of the border too. His cartel is persecuting
any law officers that attempt to apprehend his drug mules or
human-smuggler coyotes.
MEXICO
CITY
— Assailants shot dead four police officers in the western Mexican
city of Aguascalientes on Thursday, the latest in a wave of
slayings of law enforcement officers across Mexico.
The city police officers had arrived at the scene of a car crash
when they encountered several men unloading firearms out of a
vehicle and tried to arrest them, Aguascalientes state attorney
general Xavier Gonzalez told a news conference.
A second vehicle arrived at the scene with about eight armed men,
who fired on the officers, Gonzalez said. Three died immediately
and the fourth died later in a hospital, he said.
Last week, more than a dozen armed men killed five agents and two
secretaries in simultaneous attacks on two offices of the state
attorney general in Acapulco.
Since Jan. 1, assailants have also killed six state and municipal
police officers around the northern industrial city of Monterrey.
Investigators say the attacks on police are related to drug
cartels that make billions of dollars smuggling narcotics to the
United States.
President Felipe Calderon has sent more than 24,000 police and
soldiers to areas ravaged by killings and promised there will be
“no truce or quarter” against crime gangs whom he called the
“enemies of Mexico. However, his offensive has not stopped the
violence against police officers.
As Nixon had his "Watergate" for the Watergate Hotel break-in, and Slick
Willy had his "Zippergate" for keeping his zipper open in the oval
office to air other issues, we now have "BorderGate" for El Presidente
Jorge Boosh. I can't claim it as original because there is a book out
that uses that as the title. One of the links at the bottom of this
article takes you to the web site of th author(s) of that book.
Unfortunately BorderGate doesn't imply that there is a gate that can be
opened and closed at the border. Quite the opposite, there is not even a
fence/wall to which a gate may be attached. The Bush Department of
Homeland Security is beginning to look like a crimelord's cartel control
center with El Presidente as the boss of bosses. Close the border,
deport illegals? Don't be silly. Any roundups of illegals that have
taken place since Jorge has been el presidente were purely for show. A
border fence, deportations, enforce immigration law... Bush wants to
dissolve any semblance of a north and south border.
Jorge refuses to enforce immigration laws... its impractical. A majority
of RINO senators are in his pocket and agree!
Jorge's drug smugglers must have freedom to move across the border where
they choose. That is why El Presidente had his AG prosecute border
patrol agents that had the juevos to attempt to arrest one of Jorge's
drug transportation enablers. There are two border patrol officers in
prison as I write this because of a kangaroo court, a crooked
prosecutor, false charges, a Mexican drug smuggler who was given
immunity from prosecution, and a prosecution that involved both the US
and Mexican governments. The corruption runs deep on both sides of the
border.
It is time for the kid gloves to come off... before any more damage can
be done, Impeach Bush, and remove him from office. Then he needs to be
investigated, prosecuted, and introduced to "bubba".
additional links:
BorderGate The
Story the Government doesnt want you to read.
Now an even more important report raises this
question: How high in our government does this Ramos
and Compean scandal go?
You recall how Watergate
started with a minor event. Some non-entity
burglars broke in the offices of the Democratic National Committee
in Washington’s Watergate apartment complex and were caught. What ensued
from there made
American history.
Now, in an exclusive interview with www.FireSociety.com,
Jerome Corsi—author of the best-seller Unfit
for Command,
--says that “the Mexican government was directly involved in the
initiation of the investigation against Border Patrol Agents Ramos and
Compean which led to their arrest, conviction
and imprisonment.”
Firesociety reports: “Corsi, quoting
members of Congress and sourcing Hill staffers, reports that Department
of Homeland Security investigators informed Congress that it was the
Mexican Consulate that initiated the events by contacting the U.S.
Consulate”.
Why would there be pressure
from Mexico to prosecute
two distinguished Border Patrol agents long after they had tried to
apprehend a fleeing drug dealer—whom they shot and wounded but who
escaped, leaving his drug swag behind?
This story is just breaking and will doubtless be
subject to amplification. But—
“In an interview with Grassfire.org's Steve
Elliott (see audio above, transcript below), Corsi explained that no
action was taken for days following the incident at the border. In fact
the agents' actions were considered ‘normal’ and the reporting
‘acceptable’ until Mexico
intervened. Says Corsi, ‘Then on March 4, 2005 the request came
through from the Mexican
Consulate to the U.S. consulate in Mexico demanding an investigation
on the basis that the Mexican Consulate was bringing forth Davila and
wanted the agents to be punished.’ [Mexican
Government Involved In Initiation Of Prosecution Of Agents Ramos And
Compean]
What Corsi is saying suggests the same thing.
Follow the money–the big money which big
business has paid to keep our borders open--because the apparent
motivation for this outrageous prosecution of these two Border Patrol
agents is to intimidate all our Border Patrol agents from apprehending
these illegal crossers. Obviously, Bush
wants an open border, as does Mexico. [See Mexico
demanded U.S. prosecute sheriff, agents| Documents show role
of consulate in cases of Gilmer Hernandez and Ramos-Compean,
WorldNetDaily.com, By Jerome R. Corsi, February 13, 2007]
But what is the real motivation? According to
Corsi, the real agenda remains part of the ongoing discussions by
Mexico, the USA, and Canada to create
a single trading bloc called the North American Union (NAU) which
would permit
free passage of goods and people throughout the three nations.
Much pressure is coming from big business. We are
told various US Government entities are hard at work on ways to accomplish
this dangerous plan, obviously without any US voter or Congressional
approval. The open-border-minded Democrats have certainly not tried to
join the numerous Republicans trying to get to the bottom of the
Ramos/Compean affair.
These two hapless Border Patrol agents might well
have been caught in the gears of this giant NAU push. If achieved, many
feel NAU would prove a mechanism designed to steal our Constitutional
rights for power
and monetary gain?
Will subsequent events well expose this dastardly
plan for what it is, stealing American sovereignty without our approval?
Well, obviously, by his own admission, Bush plans
to grant another huge amnesty as soon as he can sign the “comprehensive
immigration reform”bill which the Democrats may
pass in this session.
From everything we can hear from sources like the Lou
Dobbs CNN Nightly Newscast, the evidence against these poor agents
is flawed, the testimony has been either suppressed or lied about and
one victim, Agent Ramos, was put in jail with convicted illegal alien
criminals where he could be easily assaulted and badly hurt.
What were the Texas Federal Prosecutor, Johnny
Sutton, Attorney
General Gonzales and our President trying to accomplish?
Tom Clancy and Len Deighton write stories like
this, but the heroes always end up winning in the end. These Border
Patrol heroes could end up dead.
This looks to me like a cover-up of the worst kind.
Go to the Firesociety.com website and listen
to the testimony from Jerome Corsi yourself.
Will this investigation reach the White House? Stay
tuned.
Donald A. Collins [emailhim], is a freelance
writer living in Washington DC and a board member of FAIR, the
Federation for American Immigration Reform. His views are his own.
We have enjoyed the redneck jokes for years. It's time to take a
reflective look at the core beliefs of a culture that values home,
family, country and God.
If I had to stand before a dozen terrorists who threaten my life, I'd
choose a half dozen or so rednecks to back me up. Tire irons, squirrel
guns and grit -- that's what rednecks are made of. I hope I am one of
those. If you feel the same, pass this on to your redneck friends. Ya'll
know who ya' are...
You might be a redneck if: It never occurred to you to be offended by
the phrase, "One nation, under God."
You might be a redneck if: You've never protested about seeing the 10
Commandments posted in public places.
You might be a redneck if: You still say " Christmas" instead of "Winter
Festival."
You might be a redneck if: You bow your head when someone prays.
You might be a redneck if: You stand and place your hand over your heart
when they play the National Anthem.
You might be a redneck if: You treat Viet Nam vets with great respect,
and always have.
You might be a redneck if: You've never burned an American flag.
You might be a redneck if: You know what you believe and you aren't
afraid to say so, no matter who is listening.
You might be a redneck if: You respect your elders and expect your kids
to do the same.
You might be a redneck if: You'd give your last dollar to a friend.
Maybe, just maybe, because we have so many faux-conservatives that when
you start looking for the middle, it is left of where everyone thinks
the middle should be. Thus conservative here is moderate elsewhere, by
our state party paradigm. Even when we had a Republican Governor and
Republican Senate and House we were a blue state. Look at the who's who
that fell all over themselves to endorse Mitt Romney... the ex-governor
of the Peoples Socialist Republic of Massachusetts. Didja notice that
instead of coming back to Michigan to be a politician, Mitt instead
chose one of the top 5 socialist peoples republics in the USA? I guess
he didnt want to ride daddy's coattails and instead wanted to make his
own legend. Michigan, a UAW and AFL-CIO controlled state (via the blue
I-75 Detroit-Saginaw Democrat corridor or it used to be before the hard
times of the auto industry) was not blue enough for Mitt.
The MiGOP party members know Mitt is no conservative but he is the son
of a past Michigan Governor and that is good enough for most of them.
They do not give a damn about his baby blue, warm, cuddly brand of
Republicanism. Mitt is currently triangulating on positions that will
resonate with true conservatives. Well, he has a little over a year to
convince real conservatives. The out-of-the-closet moderates of Michigan
are already revved up.
Check out this report on Romney. It details how Romney is really a
commited moderate/liberal. The
Mitt Romney Deception
Analysts wonder if voters will notice his endorsements from GOP state
legislators.
Gordon Trowbridge / Detroit News Washington Bureau
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has wrapped up
endorsements from nearly half of the Republicans in the Michigan
Legislature, a show of force that analysts said may impress political
insiders but has little impact on voters.
"Most voters don't even know who their own state legislator is, let
alone care who they pick in the nomination fight," said David Dulio, a
political scientist at Oakland University.
The list of endorsements released Thursday by the Romney campaign
includes 34 state House Republicans -- more than two-thirds of the House
GOP caucus -- and eight of the state Senate's 21 Republicans.
Among Metro Detroit lawmakers endorsing Romney: Rep. Craig DeRoche,
R-Novi, the House minority leader; state Sens. Nancy Cassis of Novi,
Bruce Patterson of Canton and Alan Sanborn of Richmond; and 14 GOP House
members.
Romney has endorsements from several GOP members of Congress, and he
kicked off his campaign this week in Dearborn.
Practically, though, the lawmaker endorsements make little difference,
Dulio said.
Congressional endorsements can funnel volunteers to a campaign, and long
endorsement lists might build credibility with some donors of campaign
cash.
But "at this point, the public is so far from focusing on who to vote
for in the primary," he said
The Michigan "Romney" Caucus comprises members of the Michigan Senate
and House who are supporting Romney for President.
There are 21 Republican senators and 52 Republican representatives in
Michigan.
The Michigan Who's Who of Romney Supporters
Members Of The Michigan Senate Endorsing Governor Romney For
President
Cameron Brown, Nancy Cassis, Valde Garcia, Jud Gilbert, Roger Kahn,
Bruce Patterson, Alan Sanborn, Tony Stamas
Members Of The Michigan House Endorsing Governor Romney For
President
Craig DeRoche (Co-Chair), Dan Acciavatti, Fran Amos, Dick Ball, Darwin
Booher, Jack Brandenburg, Tom Casperson, Bruce Caswell, Bill Caul, John
Garfield, Geoff Hansen, Dave Hildenbrand, Jack Hoogendyk, Ken Horn, Joe
Hune, Rick Jones, Martin Knollenberg, Phil LaJoy, Jim Marleau, Kim
Meltzer, Tim Moore, Chuck Moss, Neal Nitz, Paul Opsommer, Brian Palmer,
Dave Palsrok, John Pastor, Phil Pavlov, Tom Pearce, Tonya Schuitmaker,
Rick Shaffer, Fulton Sheen, John Stakoe, Howard Walker
ConAgra announces a recall for Peter Pan Peanut Butter
Salmonella outbreak linked to peanut butter
Updated: Feb 15, 2007 11:39 AM
ATLANTA (AP) -- Consumers should throw away certain
jars of Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter after the spread was
linked to a salmonella outbreak that has sickened almost 300 people
around the country, ConAgra said.
Lids of jars produced by ConAgra Foods with a product code beginning
"2111" can be returned to the company for a refund, the company said.
The salmonella outbreak, which federal health officials said
Wednesday has sickened 288 people in 39 states since August, was
linked to tainted peanut butter produced by ConAgra at a plant in
Sylvester, Ga. How salmonella got into peanut butter is still under
investigation, said Dr. Mike Lynch, an epidemiologist at the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention.
ConAgra officials haven't said how much peanut butter is covered in
the recall, which it called a precaution.
"We are working closely with the FDA to better understand its
concerns, and we will take whatever additional measures are needed
to ensure the safety, quality and wholesomeness of our products,"
spokesman Chris Kircher said.
CDC officials believe the salmonella outbreak to be the nation's
first associated with peanut butter. The most cases were reported in
New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Tennessee and Missouri.
About 20 percent of all the ill were hospitalized, and there were no
deaths, Lynch said. About 85 percent of the infected people said
they ate peanut butter, CDC officials said.
Salmonella infection is known each year to sicken about 40,000
people in the United States, according to the CDC. Salmonellosis, as
the infection is known, kills about 600 people annually.
Symptoms can include diarrhea, fever, dehydration, abdominal pain
and vomiting.
The latest outbreak began in August, with no more than two cases
reported each day, CDC officials said. Only in the past few days did
investigators hone in on peanut butter as a source, Lynch said.
Other states reporting cases are Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona,
California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana,
Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan,
Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Nebraska, New
Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South
Dakota, Texas, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and West Virginia.
To get a refund, consumers should send lids and their names and
addresses to ConAgra Foods, P.O. Box 57078, Irvine, CA 92619-7078.
Many of you have asked me for a copy of the text of Attorney
General Mike Cox's speech the the delegates at our last state
convention. Here it is:
AG COX REMARKS February 10, 2007
Thank you so much for that warm welcome. It is great to be here
with you this morning, in the company of the great men and women
who make up our Republican Party, this Grand Ole Party. I am
always excited to get an opportunity to talk with you. Without
you, I would not be the Attorney General. My job begins and ends
with your faith in me. The simple truth is that without your
encouragement, without your push, I would never have had the
confidence to go before the voters of Michigan and seek their
support.
I am tempted to talk about all the accomplishments of our office
over the past four years - all the things we have done to fight
for consumers, for children, and for seniors &ndash all the things
we have done for the people of Michigan. I am tempted to talk
about my election, and how your tireless efforts brought me a
resounding victory. But I want to put that aside and talk about
something else, something that is certainly bigger than me, and
bigger than my victory.
I want to talk today about our Party and where we are headed.
Despite my own victory, like you, on election night I felt
despair. Many of us have talked in groups, big and small, since
that humbling Election Night, questioning and wondering, where did
we go wrong? What should we change? And it is understandable.
Four years ago we lost the Governor&rsquos seat, four months ago
we lost the House. And in two years, we face a presidential
election that will test the direction of our party, and the future
of our country. So we must ask ourselves, are we on the right
road? And if not, where do we go from here?
Earlier this week, we all heard the Governor talk about the
deficit. All the talk in Lansing is what to do about the budget
deficit. Granted, it is an important issue. But I believe there
is one issue that poses a greater challenge to our state, that
issue involves a different type of deficit. A deficit in
principle that leads to a deficit in leadership.
Because while we face a budget deficit, our larger shortfall is a
deficit of principle. Or rather the willingness to fight for
principle. Our Party is based on nothing if not a bedrock of
shared principles. We believe that there are some absolute
truths, some things that are right, some things that are wrong,
and some things worth fighting for. Of course, none of us is a
perfect servant to principle, but what sets our Party apart is the
central idea that we aspire to live up to our beliefs, even if we
may-on occasion-fall short.
It is a rule of human nature that if one stands on principle that
person will, let me repeat myself, that person will become a
leader. When we look at the greatness of Ronald Reagan, we see a
person of great warmth and a person who had great communication
skills. But without a message, without a core set of beliefs,
those skills would have been but an empty vessel. It was Ronald
Reagan&rsquos rock solid principles that gave life to those
communication skills, that illuminated his character, and created
the leader he became.
Now, we lost races four months ago. We lost seats four months
ago. We have a deficit of political seats. But we need not have a
deficit of political principle. We need not have a deficit of
political leadership. The great thing about principle is that you
do not have to appoint a commission to have it. The great thing
about principle is that you don't need a political consultant to
have it. While principle is not free - and sometimes it comes at
a high cost &ndash it does not require any money or any political
power to possess it. To have principle you need only exercise it.
So what does that mean for our Party? Well, first we must face
reality and admit we took a beating four months ago. The Governor
and the Democrats whupped us - there is no denying that. But why
did we fall short? Where were the deficits? As I look across
this hall and see the great grassroots of this Party, the people
who created and elected me four-years-ago, I know there is NO
deficit in the grassroots. I look across the stage and I see our
Party Chair. I see someone who, along with his staff, worked
endless hours and was a tireless advocate for our Party and our
cause, I know that there is NO deficit in our party chair. If
there is no deficit in our grassroots, if there is no deficit in
our party leadership, where did we go wrong?
To answer that question perhaps it is best to look at when we got
it right. I think we must look to our past, look to the leaders
who came before us. We need to recapture what has been lost. We
need to recapture what Ronald Reagan and John Engler possessed. If
we recapture what they had, we will once again lead this state.
Both Ronald Reagan and John Engler were leaders because they were
not afraid to be Republican, to talk about and fight for
Republican ideals and principles. If, once again, we decide to
fight, decide to fight for our principles, we will win. But more
important than just winning, we will provide leadership that
Michigan so desperately needs.
How do we begin? We begin by telling our candidates to NOT be
afraid of being Republicans. We begin by telling our candidates
to NOT be afraid of being conservative. I am not the best at
remembering Scripture but I do know that the Bible tells us, BE
NOT AFRAID! Be not afraid of our principles; be not afraid of our
beliefs. BE NOT AFRAID of being conservative! And, most of all,
be not afraid of being Republican!
Republicans have always stood for equal opportunity. We have
always stood against the idea of government picking winners and
losers. We have always been against government picking sides,
especially if government uses race or gender.
Last year when a young woman by the name of Jennifer Gratz spoke
up against preferences here in Michigan, I expected that
Republican officials would stand up with her. I expected that
Republican candidates would rally around her, to stand with her on
principle, to stand with her for reining in government at its
worst. Yet I found that despite the overwhelming support of our
party's grassroots, too many of our candidates did not want to
deal with this issue. I understand that some, on principle,
believed these preferences were still needed to address past
wrongs. But, too many, unfortunately, refused to stand with her
out of fear. One Republican politician actually told me that my
position could hurt my fundraising because so many corporations
were funding the other side. He went on to tell me that it could
also hurt me politically because so many newspapers were against
it.
And truth be told, after that conversation, I did get a little
nervous. But I could not turn away from my beliefs. I could not
turn away from our beliefs. I had to stand with her on Proposal 2.
Let me ask YOU, my fellow Republicans, are there not some issues
worth fighting for? Are there not some issues that are worth the
risk? After all, what is the point of having the honor of an
office if I will not stand up for what I think is right? If we
Republicans will not stand up for fair treatment, tell me, who
will? If we Republicans will not stand up for the unborn, the
weak and the vulnerable, tell me, who will? If we Republicans
will not stand up for the little guy against big government, I ask
you, please tell me, who will?
If we want to find our way back to positions of power and put into
place policies that will take our State out of despair, then we
must act like Republicans, not just talk like Republicans. We
must act on principle. If we want to redeem our Party, if we want
to lift up this State, we must, MUST stand up and act like
Republicans. And we must demand that our candidates for office
stand up for those principles as well.
Our state is facing great challenges. Our country is facing great
challenges. Our Party cannot afford to sit on the sidelines and
not fight for our State&rsquos future and our Country&rsquos
future. We must look to within, and ask ourselves, what is it
that we believe? Where is our line in the sand? Then we must go
out and fight for what we believe, because that is what being a
Republican is all about, acting on principle, leading our State
and our Nation in the right direction.
The People of Michigan are looking to us. They need us. They
need us to join the fight. If we fight for our principles, if we
look to the People and not to polls, if we look to the People and
not to the political consultants, if we look to our needs of our
neighbor instead of the negativity of some newspaper columnist, if
we are willing to rise and fight, and yes, even sometimes lose, on
the basis of principle, the People of Michigan will reward us. If
we are not timid, if we are not afraid, if we follow the old
biblical command to Be Not Afraid, we will win, and we will make
Michigan the vibrant, dynamic state it once was.
So today let us resolve in this hall, to be not afraid, to lead
Michigan once again. How do we begin? We begin by telling our
candidates to NOT be afraid of being Republicans. We begin by
telling our candidates to NOT be afraid of being conservative. I
am not the best at remembering Scripture but I do know that the
Bible tells us, BE NOT AFRAID! Be not afraid of our principles;
be not afraid of our beliefs. BE NOT AFRAID of being
conservative! And, most of all, be not afraid of being
Republican!
Republicans have always stood for equal opportunity. We have
always stood against the idea of government picking winners and
losers. We have always been against government picking sides,
especially if government uses race or gender.
Last year when a young woman by the name of Jennifer Gratz spoke
up against preferences here in Michigan, I expected that
Republican officials would stand up with her. I expected that
Republican candidates would rally around her, to stand with her on
principle, to stand with her for reining in government at its
worst. Yet I found that despite the overwhelming support of our
party&rsquos grassroots, too many of our candidates did not want
to deal with this issue. I understand that some, on principle,
believed these preferences were still needed to address past
wrongs. But, too many, unfortunately, refused to stand with her
out of fear. One Republican politician actually told me that my
position could hurt my fundraising because so many corporations
were funding the other side. He went on to tell me that it could
also hurt me politically because so many newspapers were against
it.
And truth be told, after that conversation, I did get a little
nervous. But I could not turn away from my beliefs. I could not
turn away from our beliefs. I had to stand with her on Proposal 2.
Let me ask YOU, my fellow Republicans, are there not some issues
worth fighting for? Are there not some issues that are worth the
risk? After all, what is the point of having the honor of an
office if I will not stand up for what I think is right? If we
Republicans will not stand up for fair treatment, tell me, who
will? If we Republicans will not stand up for the unborn, the
weak and the vulnerable, tell me, who will? If we Republicans
will not stand up for the little guy against big government, I ask
you, please tell me, who will?
If we want to find our way back to positions of power and put into
place policies that will take our State out of despair, then we
must act like Republicans, not just talk like Republicans. We
must act on principle. If we want to redeem our Party, if we want
to lift up this State, we must, MUST stand up and act like
Republicans. And we must demand that our candidates for office
stand up for those principles as well.
Our state is facing great challenges. Our country is facing great
challenges. Our Party cannot afford to sit on the sidelines and
not fight for our State's future and our Country's future. We
must look to within, and ask ourselves, what is it that we
believe? Where is our line in the sand? Then we must go out and
fight for what we believe, because that is what being a Republican
is all about, acting on principle, leading our State and our
Nation in the right direction.
The People of Michigan are looking to us. They need us. They
need us to join the fight. If we fight for our principles, if we
look to the People and not to polls, if we look to the People and
not to the political consultants, if we look to our needs of our
neighbor instead of the negativity of some newspaper columnist, if
we are willing to rise and fight, and yes, even sometimes lose, on
the basis of principle, the People of Michigan will reward us. If
we are not timid, if we are not afraid, if we follow the old
biblical command to Be Not Afraid, we will win, and we will make
Michigan the vibrant, dynamic state it once was.
So today let us resolve in this hall, to be not afraid, to lead
Michigan once again.
###
I am disapointed when I look around Michigan. I see a number of
"large government" Republicans with varying degrees of fiscal or
social moderate tendencies posing as conservatives. I see
Republicans who should be for law and order, you know, the rule of
law. They instead are so in thrall to business interests that they
disregard the law and instead pander to law breakers, the illegal
aliens who are in our midst. All they see is potential voters if
they can wangle a way to give citizenship to those whose claim to
being here is that they knowingly and willfully broke our
immigration laws at the minimum. They come here for jobs with
employers who gladly look the other way because the greedy
bastards can pay substandard wages and pocket the difference. This
has the effect of driving down wages for honest citizens who are
trying to support families here in Michigan. This state is taking
on the complexion of a sanctuary state because we have a
sympathetic SOS in Terri Lynn Land, and I suspect the same for
Mike Cox. I have not heard any language from him suggesting that
he would go so far as to support measures to remove illegal aliens
from our midst. We also have a number of supporters of John
McCain, an avowed panderer to illegals. Chuck Yob and Dave Dishaw,
plus a few county officers from a number of counties, count
themselves as McCain's Michigan cabal but they do not speak for
the grassroots. I am in a real quandary about where to look for
true conservative leadership. Congressman Pence of Indiana showed
his true colors on immigration with his "no amnesty" amnesty also
known as "The Pence Ploy". Except for Senator Sessions and a very
few others, virtually all the Republican Senators are large
government Republicans who have drifted from the the core party
soul of limited government, limited spending, and law and order.
The best source remains in the U.S.House if we are going to find
someone to be our standard bearer.
My advice for a starting point, over a year away from the
election...
Watch closely for who jumps early to support the moderate
candidates (Romney, Giuliani and the faux-conservative "Loose
Cannon" McCain) that have declared so far.
If these are our party's only offerings, I think we will lose.
If the roles were reversed (a Democrat administration) and a Republican
said this, the howls from the MSM would be deafening! Most of the
conservative media sources outside NewMax seem to have let it slide. We
do not capitalize on the mistakes of the socialist Democrats in the way
that they do to everyone they consider to be their enemies. Whenever
they screw up, Republicans do a "Cut and Run", bending over and allowing
them to escape with a simple "I am sorry".
Sen. Barack Obama Apologizes for Saying U.S. Troops 'Wasted'
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is apologizing for saying
the lives of the more than 3,000 U.S. troops killed in the Iraq war were
"wasted."
During his first campaign trip this weekend, the Illinois senator told a
crowd in Iowa: "We now have spent $400 billion and have seen over 3,000
lives of the bravest young Americans wasted."
He immediately apologized on Sunday, saying the remark was "a slip of
the tongue."
Bush refuses to close our borders to illegal immigration.
Bush refuses to prosecute employers of illegal aliens.
Bush refuses to deport illegal aliens... it is impractical.
Bush deploys disarmed national guardsmen to the border with orders to
retreat.
A Bush toady federal prosecutor is the hit man persecuting any law
enforcement officer who tries to use the laws of the land as they were
intended. As a result, Ramos and Compean, two border patrol agents are
behind bars while the governments star witness, a drug smuggler with
immunity, walks free. There is another case of a Deputy Sheriff
currently being persecuted by the same Bush federal prosecutor.
Border Patrol Agents Jose Compean and Ignacio "Nacho" Ramos have been
falsely convicted and sent to prison for doing their jobs.
The Bush prosecutor's star witness was the drug smuggler that the border
patrol was trying to apprehend. The drug smuggler walks free while the
law enforcement officers are sent to prison. The most telling feature of
this tale of injustice is that Bush refuses to do anything, leading to
speculation that he is part of the cartel that is importing drugs into
the USA. Everyone thought the Bush fortune was oil money. Is it really
laundered drug money?
Besides being a panderer, is Bush a drug kingpin?
Impeach Bush and send him to Yazoo Federal Prison for a little
"re-education".
Also please read
the report on the condition of "Nacho" Ramos after his beating by
inmates at Yazoo Federal Prison.
Mexican politicians travel to DC to negotiate immigration law changes
Are these politicians negotiating to allow the free flow of drugs and
other illegal items across the border? It seems so as we permit our
law enforcement agents to be sent to prison for enforcing laws while
the druggies are given immunity. The El Presidente and his "attourney
general" are both directly responsible in the case of Ramos and
Compean being persecuted. [Side note to Jorge... are you getting
kickbacks from the drug cartels or are you more imtimately involved?]
On February 5th, 2007, it
was announced in the Mexican media that three members of the
Mexican Congress would be traveling to Washington to work with
Hispanic and other members of the U.S. Congress to craft changes in
U.S. immigration policy.
The three Mexican congressmen, one from each of the three
major parties, plan to fly from Mexico City to Washington on
February 6th (Tuesday). On Wednesday (February the 7th) they are
scheduled to meet with both Democratic and Republican congressional
representatives. On Thursday the 8th the Mexican congressmen are to
meet with U.S. representatives Joe
Baca, Luis B. Gutierrez, Hilda Solis and Nancy
Pelosi.
The goal is work toward a migratory accord before the U.S.
presidential elections advance any further.
The server was down for a few hours today for a software upgrade and
maintenance to the hardware. Hopefully this will fix the problems I have
had recently with the server.
For those who have fought for it, freedom has a taste the protected
will never know!
Click on the banner to go to a site with more information...
Leftist activists who march to the Pentagon next month will discover
that their path won't be as clear as it has been in the past.
The group, led by Cindy Sheehan, Jane Fonda, Ramsey Clark and their
ilk, plan to gather March 17 at the Vietnam Memorial Wall to begin a
march to protest America's involvement in the Iraq war. The date marks
the fourth anniversary of the war's beginning.
This time, however, protestors will see objectors if they spit on
Iraqi veterans again, or throw paint on a war memorial. This time,
they will encounter a buzz saw of Vietnam veterans and supporters who
will gather to protect the Wall, and show their support for U.S.
troops. The counter-protestors are calling themselves the Gathering of
Eagles. ...
If you decide to help protect the Wall from the Fonda/Sheehan ilk,
parking in the DC area can be a problem. Here is a web site for the Washington
Metro Area Transit Authority... check it out.
The best humor always has some element of truth to it...
Did you hear about the illegal alien who complained that his pay check
was much smaller because child support was being garnished?
He claims that he does not have any children.
He is using a stolen social security number!
Who says crime doesn't pay? The mother and child are getting support
from someone.
Or maybe she is getting double checks?
One from each employer account, the real father and the illegal alien
who is donating to the cause.
Like I said, this is funny!
I feel for the victim of this crime though.
It took me over two years to clear my name after a case of ID theft
happened to me. It royally screwed up my credit report.
The person whose SS number is being used is the victim. He will have all
sorts of bad stuff tacked onto his records because of someone using his
SS number. He could lose if the IRS comes after him for additional taxes
for income that was reported on his account that he did not earn.
REMEMBER: You are guilty until proven innocent before the IRS, Homeland
Security, and other federal agencies and prosecutors.
[Hmmm Prosecutors... that reminds me of the joke about the homosexual
Irish special prosecutors, Gerald Fitzpatrick and Patrick Fitzgerald.]
;^)
Be sure and order an annual report from the SS administration to see if
there are entries to your account that are not yours.
###
Be sure to check the wehirealiens.com web site to see if any businesses
in your area are employers of illegals. If you know and can document the
illegal employment of undocumented aliens, be sure and report the
business.
Here in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area we had some road work done on
West River Road last summer(2006). The curb and gutter concrete work was
all crewed by mestizos. When I commented on this at the www.mlive.com
Grand Rapids forum, I said I was going to go back out to take pictures.
The next day the crew was all anglos. Hmmmm do ya think that someone in
that paving company reads info like this? It has made me more aware of
it though. I will be armed with my digital camera from now on.
[note: mlive.com is owned by the Booth News Group.]
It is small and a bit awkward looking. Some have said it is cute and
ugly at the same time. In this age of two dollar a gallon and up prices,
cute and ugly can be attractive. The Volkswagen Beatle used to have this
observation made about it, and then the Volkswagen Thing came out to
really cement the thought. How about the Cooper Mini? They were a niche
type of transportation, but this niche is expanding to be a wider shelf
from which to gain acceptance. Expanding and growing families will
probably not need one except as solo commuter transport to employment.
The price range for models is affordable, from the releases I have seen
so far. Mileage? About 40 mpg.
Yes... I am seriously considering one. This will be a real change from
my Ford T-bird.
A woman was enjoying a good game of golf with her girlfriends.
"Oh, no!" she suddenly exclaimed. "Look at the time! I have to rush home
and fix dinner for my husband! He'll be so pissed if it's not ready on
time."
When she got home, she discovered all she had in the fridge was a wilted
lettuce leaf, an egg, and a can of cat food. With no time to go to the
supermarket, she opened the can of cat food, stirred in the egg, and
garnished it with the lettuce leaf.
She greeted her husband warmly when he came home, and then watched in
horror as he sat down to his dinner.
To her surprise, he seemed to be enjoying it.
"Darling, this is the best dinner you've made me in 40 years of
marriage! You can make this for me any day?" Needless to say, every golf
day from then on, the woman made her husband the same dish. She told her
golf partners about it, and they were all horrified.
"You're going to kill him!" they exclaimed!?
Two months later, her husband died. The women were sitting around the
clubhouse, and one of them said, "You killed him! We told you that
feeding him that cat food every week would do him in! How can you just
sit there so calmly knowing you murdered your husband?"
The wife stoically replied, "I didn't kill him. He fell off the
windowsill while he was licking his ass."
wehirealiens.com - a list of employers of illegal aliens
While following links from the apache access log, I found this one:
WehireAliens.com
It is a web site dedicated to outing employers of illegal aliens. There
are currently 2986 employers in 47 states listed.
This is a good place to start your boycott list. Look to see who is
listed from your home state and go from there. Also if you know of an
employer that is not listed, leave them a message about it.
Here is the Michigan database from the site. The [click here] link below
to add an employer takes you to the wehirealiens.com web page.
WYOMING -- For lots of people, November means hunting. But it's not deer
or even mourning doves Joe Cramer has on his mind -- it's the annual
hunt for treasure he orchestrates under the guise of The Wyoming Riddler.
Thousands of people worldwide have played the game which begins today as
it has for 26 years -- with a riddle today and a clue per month until
the treasure is claimed.
"I have to be constantly on guard so as not to become too predictable,"
Cramer said. "It did take me quite some time to settle on this year's
spot."
Cramer, a Wyoming car and boat detailer and bicyclist, developed the
riddle as a way to keep his mind sharp after surviving accidental carbon
monoxide poisoning in 1980.
He releases clues that allow puzzlers to find an oval metal medallion
somewhere in the greater Grand Rapids area. The contest started with a
few dozen people but has grown to include about 40,000 people from
around the world.
The puzzle can be solved by using a map of the Grand Rapids area to
decipher the clues. That has been the method used by people from as far
away as South Africa and London.
Cramer said people tried to get early information on the riddle, but he
remained mum.
He said the game is as fun for him as it is for the people who look for
the medallion. The medallion is returned to Cramer in exchange for a
treasure-trove of silver items -- including silver dollar coins -- but
the fun is in the hunt, not the treasure, he says.
"I feel selfish at times (because) there are so many people that tell me
how much they enjoy reading about it and participating," Cramer said.
The medallion is on property accessible 24 hours a day by the public and
is within walking distance of a bus stop.
This year's riddle: "I had to stop my bicycle, however from where I
could see they were fixed, and right. Don't go any farther, I didn't.
Whatever you do, don't look by Aquinas College. It's not there! I really
mean it! Now bring it to me."
The December clue: "Now that you see it's in Kentwood, and you know
you must use that approach to find it, well then you can see how it's
fixed. Right?"
The January clue: "A ways East of the blessed tree, North of four for
good reason and close to what I viewed as a well-planted corn field."
The February clue: "You can't solve it in French. English brings you
closer. All those woods are simply confusing. The fixes must be right."
Final Update: The medallion was found attached to a power pole at
the corner of Griggs Rd and Observatory Dr. This is just east of Calvin
College and is just inside the city of Kentwood.
Bush Administration resisting calls for clemency for border patrol agents
In a show of compassion for illegal alien criminal drug smugglers, the
Bush administration had Border agent Campos transferred back into
general population in prison where he was severely beaten. Bush is still
resisting calls to release the Border patrol Agents.
I occasionally use Congress.org to send letters to the editor to various
news outlets. Obviously the MSM (including news rags) are experiencing
shrinkage of audience/ readers/ subscribers. My latest short missive went
to the Grand Rapids Press, Detroit News, and Lansing State JoUrinal.
Most times when a comment doesn't match the hot topic of the day they
just ignore you or file it for later use.
The shrinkage at the LSJ is so severe that they notified my via postcard
that "We do not print letters from writers living outside the
circulation area of the newspaper."
Obviously the LSJ is really hurting but I do not feel that they deserve
a subscription from me in the Grand Rapids area. They are a liberal rag
and thus I refer to them now as the Lansing Community JoUrinal
since they only service the Lansing community now and are not a
statewide news outlet.
It is more of Algore's hot air and bull$#!+ than actual global warming.
If there is such a thing, give me a good dose of global warming right
now. We have had temps at or near zero degrees for more than a week now.
Algore's "An Inconvenient Truth" is more of a very convenient socialist
BIG LIE.
Here are some scientists that agree that Algore is full of bull...
Thanks to the Canada Free Press, the independent thinkers in the
scientific community have a place to offer their version of the “truth”
about global warming and other related topics. Be sure to check it out.
Here are some comments from Canada
Free Press about the “science” of An Inconvenient
Truth made by scientists and experts that seem to debunk some of
Gore’s statements.
Dr. Chris de Freitas, climate scientist, associate professor,
University of Auckland, New Zealand: ”I can assure Mr. Gore that no
one from the South Pacific islands have fled to New Zealand because of
rising seas. In fact, if Gore consults the data, he will see it shows
sea level falling in some parts of the Pacific.”
Dr. Nils-Axel Mörner, emeritus professor of paleogeophysics &
geodynamics, Stockholm University, Sweden: “We find no alarming sea
level rise going on, in the Maldives, Tovalu, Venice, the Persian Gulf
and even satellite altimetry if applied properly.”
Dr. Paul Reiter, Professor - Institut Pasteur, Unit of Insects and
Infectious Diseases, Paris, France, comments on Gore’s belief that
Nairobi and Harare were founded just above the mosquito line to avoid
malaria and how the mosquitoes are now moving to higher altitudes: “Gore
is completely wrong here - malaria has been documented at an altitude
2500 m - Nairobi and Harare are at altitudes of about 1500 m. The new
altitudes of malaria are lower than those recorded 100 years ago. None
of the “30 so called new diseases” Gore references are attributable to
global warming, none.”
Dr. Mitchell Taylor, Manager, Wildlife Research Section, Department
of Environment, Igloolik, Nunavut, Canada: “Our information is that
7 of 13 populations of polar bears in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago
(more than half the world’s estimated total) are either stable, or
increasing …. Of the three that appear to be declining, only one has
been shown to be affected by climate change. No one can say with
certainty that climate change has not affected these other populations,
but it is also true that we have no information to suggest that it has.”
Dr. Petr Chylek, adjunct professor, Dept. of Physics and Atmospheric
Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada: “Mr.
Gore suggests that Greenland melt area increased considerably between
1992 and 2005. But 1992 was exceptionally cold in Greenland and the melt
area of ice sheet was exceptionally low due to the cooling caused by
volcanic dust emitted from Mt. Pinatubo. If, instead of 1992, Gore had
chosen for comparison the year 1991, one in which the melt area was 1%
higher than in 2005, he would have to conclude that the ice sheet melt
area is shrinking and that perhaps a new ice age is just around the
corner.”
Dr. Gary D. Sharp, Center for Climate/Ocean Resources Study,
Salinas, California: “The oceans are now heading into one of their
periodic phases of cooling. … Modest changes in temperature are not
about to wipe them [coral] out. Neither will increased carbon dioxide,
which is a fundamental chemical building block that allows coral reefs
to exist at all.”
Dr. R. M. Carter, professor, Marine Geophysical Laboratory, James
Cook University, Townsville, Australia: “Both the Antarctic and
Greenland ice caps are thickening. The temperature at the South Pole has
declined by more than 1 degree C since 1950. And the area of sea-ice
around the continent has increased over the last 20 years.”
Dr./Cdr. M. R. Morgan, FRMS, formerly advisor to the World
Meteorological Organization, climatology research scientist at
University of Exeter, U.K.: “From data published by the Canadian Ice
Service there has been no precipitous drop off in the amount or
thickness of the ice cap since 1970 when reliable over-all coverage
became available for the Canadian Arctic.”
Rob Scagel, M.Sc., forest microclimate specialist, Pacific
Phytometric Consultants, Surrey, British Colombia, Canada comments
on Gore’s belief that the Mountain Pine Beetle (MPB) is an “invasive
exotic species” that has become a plague due to fewer days of frost:
“The MPB is a species native to this part of North America and is always
present. The MPB epidemic started as comparatively small outbreaks and
through forest management inaction got completely out of hand.”
We have been under a blizzard warning for the past two days. Yesterday,
the police agencies were asking people to stay inside, off the roads if
you did not absolutely have to be going somewhere. The roads were icy
with snow on top. BAD! I had made a trip out to pick up some chili
makin's - 3 lbs of ground beef, a big sweet onion, a large green pepper
and a couple jalapenos, a can of tomato sauce and another of stewed
tomatos, a large can of red beans, and finally a package of Carrol
Shelby's chili spice mix. It makes the best tasting chili I have tried.
Perfect for this cold weather. Current temperature is 6 degrees F, wind
chill is -20 degrees. This is perfect weather for penguins, polar bears,
and snowmobilers!
On the television, when the weather is like this, there is a continuous
scroller on the bottom of the screen listing events that are closed due
to inclement weather... one of them was a church, which shall remain
nameless here. They announced that Sunday worship services were
cancelled due to the terrible weather. It was followed by an
announcement that the Super Bowl party was still on as planned.
10. The illegal
aliens in the United
States have a crime rate that's two and a half times that
of white non-illegal aliens. In particular, their children, are going
to make a huge additional crime problem in the United
States. http://transcripts.
cnn.com/TRANSCRI PTS/0606/ 12/ldt.01. html
11. During the
year of 2005 there were 4 to 10 MILLION illegal aliens that crossed
our Southern Border also, as many as 19,500 illegal aliens from
Terrorist Countries. Millions of pounds of drugs, cocaine, meth,
heroine and marijuana, crossed into the U. S. from the Southern
border. Homeland Security Report: http://www.house.
gov/mccaul/ pdf/Investigaion s-Border- Report.pdf
12. The
National Policy Institute, "estimated that the total cost of mass
deportation would be between $206 and $230 billion or an average cost
of between $41 and $46 billion annually over a five year period." http://www.national
policyinstitute. org/pdf/deportat ion.pdf
14. "The Dark Side of
Illegal Immigration: Nearly One Million Sex Crimes Committed by
Illegal Immigrants In The United States". http://www.drdsk.
com/articles. html
15. Every day 12 Americans are murdered
by an illegal alien. Another 13 Americans are killed by uninsured
drunk illegal aliens and Eight American Children are victims of a sex
crime committed by an illegal alien each day! (Toto, we're not in
Kansas anymore.) http://www.house.
gov/apps/ list/hearing/ ia05_king/ col_20060505_ bite.html
16.
Today, criminal aliens account for over 29 percent of prisoners in
Federal Bureau of Prisons facilities and a higher share of all federal
prison inmates. These prisoners represent the fastest growing segment
of the federal prison population. Incarceration of criminal aliens
cost an estimated $624 million to state prisons (1999) and $891
million to federal prisons (2002), according to the most recent
available figure from the Bureau of Justice Statistics. http://www.fairus.
org/site/ PageServer? pagename= iic_immigrationi ssuecenters0b9c
17.
"Illegal Aliens and American Medicine". "Many illegal aliens harbor
fatal diseases that American Medicine fought and vanquished long ago,
such as drug-resistant tuberculosis, malaria, leprosy, plague, polio,
dengue and Chagas disease." The Journal of American Physicians and
Surgeons http://www.jpands.
org/jpands1001. htm
18. In 2002, HIV/AIDS was the third
leading cause of death among Hispanic men aged 35 to 44 and the fourth
leading cause of death among Hispanic women in the same age group.
Most Hispanic men were exposed to HIV through sexual contact with
other men. Source (CDC): http://www.cdc.
gov/hiv/resource s/factsheets/ hispanic. htm
19. If enacted
the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act (CIRA, S. 2611) would be the
most dramatic change in immigration law in 80 years, allowing an
estimated 103 million persons to legally immigrate to the U.S. over
the next 20 years &ndash fully one-third of the current population of
the United
States. http://www.heritage
.org/Research/ Immigration/ wm1076.cfm
20. U.S. Sen. Jeff
Sessions (R-AL) today unveiled an impact analysis that shows the
Senate immigration bill &ndash should it become law &ndash would
permit up to 217.1 million new legal immigrants into the United
States over the next 20 years, a number equal to 66
percent of the total current population. http://sessions.
senate.gov/ pressapp/ record.cfm? id=255553&&
21.
The number of illegal immigrants in the United
States may be as high as 20 million people, more than
double the official 9 million people estimated by the Census Bureau.
1/3/05 http://www.bearstea
rns.com/bscporta l/pdfs/undergrou nd.pdf
"Freedom
Isn't For Everyone, Only Those Who Are Willing To Fight For It."
"For
those who have fought for it, freedom has a taste the protected will
never know." **This was a production of The
Coalition Against Illegal Immigration (CAII). If you would like to
participate, please go to the above link to learn more. Afterwards, email
the coalition and let Brian know at what level you would like to
participate.
Bush appointee Johnny Sutton favors illegals over law enforcement officers
So you think that the story of the two border patrol agents going to
prison is a fluke. Here is another example of the same Bush appointee
prosecuting a law enforcement officer for doing his job while
apprehending illegals. I would bet that there are more examples of this
sort of abuse of power that have not come to light. It is very much time
to impeach Bush! This has been cross posted from the CAII Yahoo Group.
A Texas
deputy sheriff who fired shots at a fleeing vehicle after the driver
tried to run him down faces 10 years in prison for injuring one of
the passengers, a Mexican national being smuggled illegally into the United
States. The U.S. attorney, who won lengthy prison terms last year for
two U.S. Border Patrol agents in the shooting of a drug-smuggling
suspect, also prosecuted Edwards County Deputy Sheriff Guillermo F.
Hernandez, who is to be sentenced next month.
The deputy's
boss, Sheriff Donald G. Letsinger, said his officer &mdash who had
been on the job for a year &mdash "followed the letter of
the law" in defending himself in the April 2005 incident and questioned
why the government brought charges.
We have the same US Attorney
(Johnny Sutton) here as in the Ramos and Compean case.
U.S.
Attorney Johnny Sutton, appointed in October 2001 by President Bush,
said Hernandez fired shots at the vehicle as it sped away "knowing it
was occupied with the nine individuals, " at least seven of whom
were illegal aliens &mdash some of whom later were called to
testify for the government. Hernandez was convicted after a jury
trial in U.S. District Court in Del Rio, Texas, 75 miles southwest of
Rocksprings &mdash found guilty of violating "under the color of
law" the civil rights of Maricela Rodriguez-Garcia, a Mexican
national.
snip&hellip.Sheriff Letsinger said an investigation
found that Hernandez approached the vehicle and found only the driver
was sitting upright and suspected the others were illegal aliens. He
said the driver, after being asked to step out of the vehicle, pulled
forward and turned into Hernandez &mdash fleeing from what the
sheriff described as the deputy's "legal stop."
Thinking
the driver had tried to run him over, he said Hernandez fired at the
vehicle's rear tires. He said at least one of the people inside the
vehicle confirmed that the driver had turned it into the deputy.
snip&hellip.Sheriff
Letsinger also said the Rangers and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agents, using dogs and metal detectors,
found four shell casings at the traffic stop site but none at the
crash site &mdash discounting claims by two of the vehicle's occupants
that Hernandez fired shots at them as they fled the vehicle.
snip&hellipNoting
that prosecutors offered the deputy probation in exchange for a
guilty plea, the sheriff said, "This young man didn't do
anything wrong and wasn't about to say he had. I think that speaks to
his character."
The inmates are indeed running the asylum
with our southern border!
**This
was a production of The Coalition Against Illegal Immigration (CAII).
If you would like to participate, please go to the above link to learn
more. Afterwards, email the coalition <mailto:brianbonner90@
gmail.com> and let us know at what level you would like to
participate.
I was just reviewing some things that I have promised to track, such as
the tax shift perpretrated by a group of Michigan Republicans and
Democrats. They voted to shift the collection of county taxes SIX
MONTHS EARLY back in 2004, phased in 1/3 of the tax at a time so as
to make you forget that they have done it. This summer (2007) the FULL
county winter tax (due in the winter of 2007-2008) become the
county summer tax (of 2007) collected SIX MONTHS EARLY. I
wonder what other taxes they will want to collect like this? Granholm
was in office when this was done and signed it! She is absolutely HUNGRY
for tax money to piss away right now. Any time Democrats (and some
Republicans) get hands on new tax funds they start plotting how to spend
it other than what it was intended for. Here is the list of Michigan
Legislators who authorized EARLY collection of taxes. This was a lame
duck session for many and they were absolutely FEARLESS! Nothing could
sway them from voting for this tax increase. A tax collected EARLY is an
increase because your current tax bil increases and it leaves a gaping
hole where a tax used to be for the tax-and-spenders to fill with a new
tax, fee, or other euphamism for money out of your pocket. Now the bastardstaxers
will have to fill that hole with a new tax this coming winter
(2007-2008). There was a Republican majority that did this to us in
2004! Michigan is a "blue state" even with a GOP majority. Even when we
had a Republican governor... On many social and fiscal issues there's
hardly any difference but how you spell the party affiliation. It is
less opposition and more a matter of degree of agreement.
We have so many pseudo-cons supporting big government RINOs and hard
blue state moderates for the 2008 presidential nomination that we don't
know what to do.
Anyhow back to the intent of this post... to relist all the culprits who
foisted this tax on us. The only thing worse is a retroactive tax like
Jimmy Boy Blanchard (D) pull on us.
We will have to be vigilant so that these 'servants of government' do
not slip the green weenie to us again. Remember...from now on when you
pay the county summer tax it is really the winter tax collected six
months in advance
Our tax and spenders in Lansing hope that you will not remember any of
this as they come up with new innovative ways to abscond with your
wallet.
I love the internet! Here is something that I just stumbled across. It
is a five minute speech by Richard Lamm, former Governor of Colorado.
Governor Lamm is a Democrat. This speech is two years old. In today's
political reality, a majority of Democrats and a supporting minority of
Republicans (US Senate and White House) are diligently working to make
the USA into a salad bowl instead of a melting pot. Multiculturalism is
a disease that the US is infected with and it will take us down unless
something is done. We can make a big hit on this by starting to deport
illegal aliens!
I HAVE A PLAN TO DESTROY AMERICA RICHARD D. LAMM - June 2005
I HAVE A SECRET PLAN TO DESTROY AMERICA. IF YOU BELIEVE, AS MANY DO,
THAT AMERICA IS TOO SMUG, TOO WHITE BREAD, TOO SELF-SATISFIED, TOO RICH,
LETS DESTROY AMERICA. IT IS NOT THAT HARD TO DO. HISTORY SHOWS
THAT NATIONS ARE MORE FRAGILE THAN THEIR CITIZENS THINK. NO NATION IN
HISTORY HAS SURVIVED THE RAVAGES OF TIME. ARNOLD TOYNBEE OBSERVED THAT
ALL GREAT CIVILIZATIONS RISE AND THEY ALL FALL, AND THAT "AN AUTOPSY OF
HISTORY WOULD SHOW THAT ALL GREAT NATIONS COMMIT SUICIDE." HERE IS MY
PLAN:
I. WE MUST FIRST MAKE AMERICA A BILINGUAL-BICULTURAL
COUNTRY. HISTORY SHOWS, IN MY OPINION, THAT NO NATION CAN SURVIVE THE
TENSION, CONFLICT, AND ANTAGONISM OF TWO COMPETING LANGUAGES AND
CULTURES. IT IS A BLESSING FOR AN INDIVIDUAL TO BE BILINGUAL; IT IS A
CURSE FOR A SOCIETY TO BE BILINGUAL. ONE SCHOLAR, SEYMOUR MARTIN LIPSET,
PUT IT THIS WAY:
THE HISTORIES OF BILINGUAL AND BICULTURAL SOCIETIES THAT DO NOT
ASSIMILATE ARE HISTORIES OF TURMOIL, TENSION, AND TRAGEDY. CANADA,
BELGIUM, MALAYSIA, LEBANON-ALL FACE CRISES OF NATIONAL EXISTENCE IN
WHICH MINORITIES PRESS FOR AUTONOMY, IF NOT INDEPENDENCE. PAKISTAN AND
CYPRUS HAVE DIVIDED. NIGERIA SUPPRESSED AN ETHNIC REBELLION. FRANCE
FACES DIFFICULTIES WITH ITS BASQUES, BRETONS, AND CORSICANS.
II. I WOULD THEN INVENT "MULTICULTURALISM" AND ENCOURAGE IMMIGRANTS
TO MAINTAIN THEIR OWN CULTURE. I WOULD MAKE IT AN ARTICLE OF BELIEF THAT
ALL CULTURES ARE EQUAL: THAT THERE ARE NO CULTURAL DIFFERENCES THAT ARE
IMPORTANT. I WOULD DECLARE IT AN ARTICLE OF FAITH THAT THE BLACK AND
HISPANIC DROPOUT RATE IS ONLY DUE TO PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION BY THE
MAJORITY. EVERY OTHER EXPLANATION IS OUT-OF-BOUNDS.
III. WE
CAN MAKE THE UNITED STATES A "HISPANIC QUEBEC" WITHOUT MUCH EFFORT. THE
KEY IS TO CELEBRATE DIVERSITY RATHER THAN UNITY. AS BENJAMIN SCHWARZ
SAID IN THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY RECENTLY:
...THE APPARENT SUCCESS OF OUR OWN MULTIETHNIC AND MULTICULTURAL
EXPERIMENT MIGHT HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED NOT BY TOLERANCE BUT BY HEGEMONY.
WITHOUT THE DOMINANCE THAT ONCE DICTATED ETHNOCENTRICALLY, AND WHAT IT
MEANT TO BE AN AMERICAN, WE ARE LEFT WITH ONLY TOLERANCE AND PLURALISM
TO HOLD US TOGETHER.
I WOULD ENCOURAGE ALL IMMIGRANTS TO KEEP THEIR OWN LANGUAGE AND CULTURE.
I WOULD REPLACE THE MELTING POT METAPHOR WITH A SALAD BOWL METAPHOR. IT
IS IMPORTANT TO INSURE THAT WE HAVE VARIOUS CULTURAL SUB-GROUPS LIVING
IN AMERICA REINFORCING THEIR DIFFERENCES RATHER THAN AMERICANS,
EMPHASIZING THEIR SIMILARITIES.
IV. HAVING DONE ALL THIS, I
WOULD MAKE OUR FASTEST GROWING DEMOGRAPHIC GROUP THE LEAST EDUCATED - I
WOULD ADD A SECOND UNDERCLASS, UNASSIMILATED, UNDEREDUCATED, AND
ANTAGONISTIC TO OUR POPULATION. I WOULD HAVE THIS SECOND UNDERCLASS HAVE
A 50% DROP OUT RATE FROM SCHOOL.
V. I WOULD THEN GET THE BIG
FOUNDATIONS AND BIG BUSINESS TO GIVE THESE EFFORTS LOTS OF MONEY. I
WOULD INVEST IN ETHNIC IDENTITY, AND I WOULD ESTABLISH THE CULT OF
VICTIMOLOGY. I WOULD GET ALL MINORITIES TO THINK THEIR LACK OF SUCCESS
WAS ALL THE FAULT OF THE MAJORITY - I WOULD START A GRIEVANCE INDUSTRY
BLAMING ALL MINORITY FAILURE ON THE MAJORITY POPULATION.
VI.
I WOULD ESTABLISH DUAL CITIZENSHIP AND PROMOTE DIVIDED LOYALTIES. I
WOULD "CELEBRATE DIVERSITY." "DIVERSITY" IS A WONDERFULLY SEDUCTIVE
WORD. IT STRESSES DIFFERENCES RATHER THAN COMMONALITIES. DIVERSE PEOPLE
WORLDWIDE ARE MOSTLY ENGAGED IN HATING EACH OTHER-THAT IS, WHEN THEY ARE
NOT KILLING EACH OTHER. A DIVERSE," PEACEFUL, OR STABLE SOCIETY IS
AGAINST MOST HISTORICAL PRECEDENT. PEOPLE UNDERVALUE THE UNITY IT TAKES
TO KEEP A NATION TOGETHER, AND WE CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS MYOPIA.
LOOK AT THE ANCIENT GREEKS. DORF'S WORLD HISTORY TELLS US:
THE GREEKS BELIEVED THAT THEY BELONGED TO THE SAME RACE; THEY
POSSESSED A COMMON LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE; AND THEY WORSHIPED THE
SAME GODS. ALL GREECE TOOK PART IN THE OLYMPIC GAMES IN HONOR OF ZEUS
AND ALL GREEKS VENERATED THE SHRINE OF APOLLO AT DELPHI. A COMMON
ENEMY PERSIA THREATENED THEIR LIBERTY. YET, ALL OF THESE BONDS
TOGETHER WERE NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO OVERCOME TWO FACTORS . . . (LOCAL
PATRIOTISM AND GEOGRAPHICAL CONDITIONS THAT NURTURED POLITICAL
DIVISIONS . . .)
IF WE CAN PUT THE EMPHASIS ON THE "PLURIBUS," INSTEAD OF THE "UNUM," WE
CAN BALKANIZE AMERICA AS SURELY AS KOSOVO.
VII. THEN I WOULD
PLACE ALL THESE SUBJECTS OFF LIMITS - MAKE IT TABOO TO TALK ABOUT. I
WOULD FIND A WORD SIMILAR TO "HERETIC" IN THE 16TH
CENTURY - THAT STOPPED DISCUSSION AND PARALYZED THINKING. WORDS
LIKE "RACIST", "XENOPHOBE" THAT HALTS ARGUMENT AND CONVERSATION.
HAVING
MADE AMERICA A BILINGUAL-BICULTURAL COUNTRY, HAVING ESTABLISHED
MULTICULTURALISM, HAVING THE LARGE FOUNDATIONS FUND THE DOCTRINE OF
"VICTIMOLOGY", I WOULD NEXT MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO ENFORCE OUR
IMMIGRATION LAWS. I WOULD DEVELOP A MANTRA - "THAT BECAUSE IMMIGRATION HAS
BEEN GOOD FOR AMERICA, IT MUST ALWAYS BE GOOD." I WOULD MAKE
EVERY INDIVIDUAL IMMIGRANT SYMPATRIC AND IGNORE THE CUMULATIVE IMPACT.
VIII.
LASTLY, I WOULD CENSOR VICTOR HANSON DAVIS'S BOOK MEXIFORNIA
— THIS BOOK IS DANGEROUS — IT EXPOSES MY PLAN TO DESTROY
AMERICA. SO PLEASE, PLEASE — IF YOU FEEL THAT AMERICA DESERVES TO BE
DESTROYED — PLEASE, PLEASE — DON'T BUY THIS BOOK! THIS GUY IS ON TO MY
PLAN.
"THE SMART WAY TO KEEP PEOPLE PASSIVE AND OBEDIENT IS TO STRICTLY
LIMIT THE SPECTRUM OF ACCEPTABLE OPINION, BUT ALLOW VERY LIVELY DEBATE
WITHIN THAT SPECTRUM." — NOAM CHOMSKY, AMERICAN LINGUIST AND US MEDIA
AND FOREIGN POLICY CRITIC.
Here is a clipping from the February 1, 2007 issue of the Crapitol News,
Aztlan East Edition.
El Presidente Jorge Boosh provides constituent services for a Mexican
drug smuggler and dealer, allowing him to go free while imprisoning two
border patrol agents who had the audacity to try to interfere in the
free flow of drug commerce across the border.
Governor should stop raiding family wallets to feed overstuffed
government
Rep. Craig DeRoche
Listening to Gov. Jennifer Granholm sound the alarm bells over yet
another budget deficit is becoming old hat for those of us who work in
Lansing. January predictions of doom and gloom from the Granholm budget
office are becoming as frequent as New Year's weight-loss resolutions,
with similar results.
Every year the governor tells us we need to take a few pounds off the
budget, followed by a lot of talk about tough and drastic action needed.
We hear a lot about cutting waste and bureaucracy, but after much
fanfare and hubris, what follows is a business-as-usual budget approach
for the same old government we have rather than budgeting for what we
wish to become.
The result is the equivalent of yo-yo dieting. The administration talks
a good game for a while, but at the end of the day we end up right back
where we started -- back with too many pounds of fat in the state's
budget.
Spending rises
Despite the rhetoric about deep and massive budget cutting during the
first term of the Granholm administration, the facts tell an entirely
different story.
In four years, the state budget has actually increased from $39.3
billion to $41.7 billion. Michigan is spending $300 million more on
state employee salaries and benefits, $1.5 billion more on the
departments responsible for managing welfare and Medicaid, and $250
million more on our state correctional facilities.
Last year the departments of Human Services, Corrections and State
Police spent even more money than they were budgeted -- to the tune of
almost $70 million. This kind of fiscal mismanagement by three of the
governor's top cabinet level officers is unprecedented -- and it
happened without so much as a slap on the wrist for the offenders.
Structural change avoided
The governor talks a great game about cutting spending. But a little
research and some simple arithmetic points out the obvious: Our state
waistline is growing, not shrinking.
As jobs and families continue to leave our state this administration
continues to spend more, and the result is a budget that is bursting at
the seams. Rather than find solutions to our structural problems, the
governor sought short-term measures and one-time fixes to keep us
hobbling along from year to year. Our problems haven't gone away, and
every New Year brings a new crisis.
Early indications from the Granholm administration point to a remedy
that would have dire consequences for families and businesses already
struggling to stay afloat. With the state budget ready to pop, Granholm
is suggesting we're not spending enough. She argues we need to spend
more -- and to do it she wants more of your tax dollars.
Instead of putting the state on a sensible diet to live within its
means, the governor has decided it's not possible for the state to cut
any more fat -- she's resigned to buying a bigger wardrobe. She wants a
larger budget to fit our state's growing waistline, and by the way,
you'll be getting the tailoring bill. While the state budget gets
fatter, your wallet gets smaller.
Live within our means
Michigan has been in dire straits for some time now, much of it having
to do with the restructuring of our auto industry and the changing
global economy. But while other states have adapted and become more
efficient, Michigan is still operating with a bloated and costly state
bureaucracy.
We won't get out of this mess unless we make the tough decisions
necessary to force our state to live within its means. We certainly
won't turn things around by taking more from the wallets of Michigan
families to feed the needs of an overstuffed state government.
We had an election a few short months ago, and spending the next four
years bemoaning the outcome will not do any of us any good. We all share
a responsibility in Lansing to seek common ground; too much is at stake
to spend time pointing fingers. Republicans in the House will work
toward solutions to this challenge without asking Michigan families to
foot the bill. I challenge my Democratic colleagues to do the same.
But leadership needs to start with the executive office. The governor
needs to come clean with the people of Michigan, stop blaming our
state's shortcomings on her long-departed predecessor and start leading
a true transformation of state government that puts our state in a
position to succeed in the global economy.
This is not a New Year's resolution we can afford to blow off.
State Rep. Craig DeRoche, R-Novi, is the House minority leader.
--says that “the Mexican government was directly involved in the
initiation of the investigation against Border Patrol Agents Ramos and
Compean which led to their arrest, 
It is small and a bit awkward looking. Some have said it is cute and
ugly at the same time. In this age of two dollar a gallon and up prices,
cute and ugly can be attractive. The Volkswagen Beatle used to have this
observation made about it, and then the Volkswagen Thing came out to
really cement the thought. How about the Cooper Mini? They were a niche
type of transportation, but this niche is expanding to be a wider shelf
from which to gain acceptance. Expanding and growing families will
probably not need one except as solo commuter transport to employment.
