Native Madness

By Senator Lamar Alexander
Posted at Redstate.org

“Becoming an American has always meant giving up allegiance to your previous country and pledging allegiance to your new country, the United States of America.”

Wednesday the House of Representatives passed H.R. 505, the Native Hawaiian Reorganization Act, a bill that would create a new, race-based government within the borders of the United States.

This legislation may seem insignificant, but embedded in this bill is an assault on the original national motto of this country which is inscribed on the wall above the desk of the President of the Senate and on every quarter, dime, nickel and penny: E Pluribus Unum, one from many.

H.R. 505 would, for the first time in American history, create a new, separate sovereign government within our country based on race, putting us on the path to becoming the United Nations instead of the United States. This bill will set a precedent for the breakup of our country along racial lines, and it ought to be soundly defeated.

I’m sorry to report that this legislation is also advancing in the Senate, where it is known as S. 310. It was passed by the Indian Affairs Committee in May. While it was considered and rejected by the Senate last year, it was a close call and the outcome this time around is far from certain. 56 Senators – just four short of the requisite 60 – voted in favor of considering this bill in June of 2006.

This bill would undermine our history of being a nation based not on race, but upon common values of liberty, equal opportunity, and democracy.

Read on . . .

House GOP: Rangel Tax Bill 'Largest Tax Increase Ever'

Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) has unveiled his tax reform plan, saying it will "fix" the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) and provide tax relief to millions of Americans, but House Republicans say the bill is the "mother of all tax hikes" and will stymie economic growth.

Rangel introduced the ......

Constitutional Ignorance?

“Congressmen, openly refusing to live up to their oath of office, exhibit their deep contempt for our Constitution. The question I’ve not been able to answer satisfactorily is whether that contempt simply mirrors a similar contempt held by most of the American people. I’m sure that if founders such as James Madison, John Adams or Thomas Jefferson were campaigning for the 2008 presidential elections, expressing their vision of the federal government’s role, today’s Americans would run them out of town on a rail. Does that hostility reflect constitutional ignorance whereby the average American thinks the Constitution authorizes Congress to do anything upon which they can get a majority vote or anything that’s a good idea? Or, are Americans contemptuous of the constitutional limitations placed on the federal government?”

-- Walter Williams

Senate OKs Internet Tax Ban, E-mail Protected

Glenn Beck Fires Back at Liberal Critics

It’s a sign of success when you are a TV or radio star and become a target of the liberal bloggers. Think Imus, O’Reilly, Limbaugh.

Who is the latest target?

Apparently, the wildly popular CNN talk host and nationally syndicated radio host Glenn Beck.

Sen. McCain Takes a Stand Against United Nations Law of the Sea Treaty (LOST)

"I do worry a lot about American sovereignty aspects of it, so I would probably vote against it in its present form.” -- John McCain

W. Thomas Smith, Jr: Lebanon Inching Closer to War
Lebanon - one of the most critical fronts in the war on terror - is on the brink of a full-blown shooting war. Few Americans living or traveling outside of that country seem to have any prescient understanding of this.

John Hawkins: The End of America As We Know It
The lack of seriousness our politicians and much of our populace display towards the grave issues we face as a nation has grown to such an extent that it may become a threat to this country's very survival in the coming years.

Author Dinesh D'Souza Debunks Atheists

By David Limbaugh


My goal here is to convince as many of you as possible to read Dinesh D'Souza's compelling new book, "What's So Great About Christianity."

Since I wrote my book chronicling the war against Christianity in our culture, many atheists have come out of the closet to admit their hostility toward Christianity and formally declare war against it.

Anti-Christian books have cropped up like alien pods in "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," not only disputing Christianity but arguing that it is a societally destructive force.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY

Sen. Inhofe Slams Gore and Climate Alarmism in Historic Two Hour Speech

Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), the Ranking Member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, delivered a startling and historic two hour speech on the Senate floor Friday about "recent developments which are turning 2007 into a ‘tipping point' for climate alarmism."

The Senator cautioned that bills being proposed by various members of Congress "come at a time when the science is overwhelmingly taking away the basis for alarm." These "so-called ‘solutions' to global warming...will have no measurable impact on the climate," and "will create huge economic harm for American families and the poor residents of the developing world who may see development hindered by unfounded climate fears."

In addition, Inhofe went right after the Global Warmingist-in-Chief Al Gore, as well as others in the media responsible for inciting all this hysteria.

Continue reading.

An Iraqi Citizen Tip Leads to Massive EFP, Explosives Cache

A concerned citizen led coalition forces to the largest cache of explosively formed penetrators ever found in a single location Oct. 23 in a home in Saada village, Iraq, officials reported. Continue reading story.

US Forces Withdrawing From Iraq and Democrats Prepare to Take Credit

UW regent resigns over Doyle's treatment of illegal immigrants

wcco.com - Wisconsin Wire

MADISON, Wis. (AP) A University of Wisconsin System regent has quit because he's upset over how the governor has treated illegal immigrants. Jesus Salas sent his resignation letter Friday morning as Gov. Jim Doyle signed....

Read more.

Hillary Clinton: I Will Change Our Country

In the spring of 1993, shortly after her husband and political benefactor Bill Clinton took office as the nation's 42nd president, Hillary Clinton delivered the commencement address at the University of Texas. In her speech, Hillary reiterated the theme that has been at the heart of her political vision from the start:

"We are at a stage in history in which remolding society is one of the great challenges facing all of us in the West."

"Remolding society." This is the terminology of a utopian socialist, one who seeks to remake society according to a narrow and dogmatic ideology that claims to eliminate injustice, poverty, and unhappiness, once and for all. Hillary's ideology is an amalgam of New Left marxism and grievance feminism, the kind of unwholesome stew that is commonplace on elite college campuses.

Significantly, the term "remolding" -- unlike such terms as "reform" or "renew" -- reflects a sweeping......

Continue reading...

Bowing to the Islamists

By Paul Belien

Last Thursday, a group of 80 people from 15 European countries, plus Israel, Canada and the United States, convened in a conference room on the seventh floor of the European Parliament building in Brussels for a "counterjihad" meeting.

They listened to speakers such as the Egyptian-born scholar Bat Ye'or, author of the book "Eurabia," who explained how the European Union (EU) has become a vehicle for the Islamization of Europe and how the EU has promoted "a massive Muslim immigration [...] hoping that the Euro-Arab symbiosis through economic development, soft diplomacy and multiculturalism would guarantee [Europe] peace, markets and oil."

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Turks Set Cars Alight in Brussels

By Paul Belien

Tonight (Wednesday evening) heavy rioting erupted in Turkish quarters of Brussels, the capital of Belgium. Buses and trams were attacked. Several cars were torched and shops destroyed. Police forces were unable to restore law and order in the boroughs of Sint-Joost-ten-Node and Schaarbeek where since last Sunday the animosity among Turks is running high. Turkish flags are omnipresent. In some streets the Turkish crescent and star adorns almost every house.

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Dispatch from the Eurabian Front: Riots in Amsterdam and Brussels

By Paul Belien

Europe’s no-go zones or SUAs (“sensitive urban areas”) are multiplying. These are areas where the police no longer dares to venture and where Islamists hold sway. Every night since the beginning of last week, immigrant youths have been torching cars and clashing with police in Amsterdam’s Slotervaart district. The incidents started on Oct. 14 when a policewoman shot dead Bilal Bajaka, a 22-year old ethnic Moroccan, whilst he was stabbing her and a colleague with a knife. The officers were stabbed in the breast, face, neck and back. Surgeons could only narrowly save their lives.

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Why Europe Needs a Hard Power Reality Check

By Soeren Kern

Europeans are hoping a new European Union treaty will help raise their profile in international affairs. But unless European elites bring their postmodern fantasies about the illegitimacy of military “hard power” into line with the way the rest of the world interprets reality, Europe is unlikely to have much of a global voice at all.

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How to Achieve Extremist Status

By George Handlery

Vested interests make scores of our problems insoluble. The screeching brakes blocking modern societies tell how those who are allowed to pull ethical levers exploit guiding symbols. This dissident elite, which legislates attitudes and interprets values, wishes that our system fails. The capacity to hinder solutions is the upshot of the aggressive use of taboos. Accordingly, numerous countries find themselves helpless to confront challenges that exploit their values.

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Regime Change, Peacefully

We must continue to support the Iranian people.

By Rick Santorum

Multicultural Racism

The insidiousness of Hawaiian separatism.

The House of Representatives is poised to pass the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act (known in the Senate as the “Akaka Bill”), the apogee of an aggressive multiculturalism that has manifested itself in local, state, and federal legislation in the last two decades. The bill faces a certain White House veto, but it’s unclear whether there are enough votes in the Senate to sustain it. If the Senate overrides the veto, it will speed the country’s embrace of a form of post-nationalism (already held by many elites) — a confederation of various races, ethnicities and interest groups competing for special privileges, exemptions and recognition.

Read more..

Settling Down

Rashid in transition.

By Michael Yon

Baghdad — The Rashid district of Baghdad is one of the most dangerous areas of the country. Violence has plummeted in Rashid over the past months but the area remains dangerous. Meanwhile, reconciliation is occurring and I have been able to witness meetings and results first-hand. Certain areas of Rashid that were previously war-zones already are nearly free of violence. This is a direct result of American-led reconciliation and follow-on. There are immediate consequences for those areas that settle down; they begin receiving support in the form of micro-grants, civil projects, and easy dialogue with the government, and so these neighborhoods are getting a head start on those who lag. On a larger scale this has happened at provincial level: The examples of Kurds up north, and the citizens of Anbar more recently out West, are causing Iraqis to pay attention.

Read on.

Getting Reagan Right

Charles Krauthammer misses the crucial distinctions
By Mark Levin

I often agree with Charles Krauthammer, but I think this time he is off the mark. What people loved about Ronald Reagan was that he was a statesman, not just another politician. Reagan didn't grant three million illegal aliens amnesty because he was pandering to the Hispanic community, or believed in a pathway to citizenship. He did it because he believed that the other part of the deal, securing the border, would follow. So, he reluctantly accepted what he considered to be a one-time amnesty. Ed Meese has explained this repeatedly. Unfortunately, the security part of the deal faltered. No excuses, but let's get the facts right.

Others have suggested that Reagan flip-flopped....

Read more at National Review Online.

PUTIN IN IRAN

Red Army Dreams
By Michael Ledeen

"If you were Vladimir Putin, what would you think of Iran? You'd worry a lot about it, that's what. Your own Russia is losing Russians, due to the usual grim demography that characterizes most of Europe. And, like the others, you've got a Moslem problem, with surging birthrates both within Russia and all along its borders, from Chechnya to the ‘Stans. Lots of those Moslems are under Iranian sway. The Iranians want to build on that foundation to extend their power deeper into your domain. You therefore want to see this regime destroyed. The last thing in the world that you want is a gigantic Chechnya, armed with nuclear weapons, launching waves of fanatical terrorists against infidels like you. But you don't have much of an army any more, and anyway you don't want a war with the mullahs. Direct attack is not your way; you prefer cunning. You'd rather have someone else do your dirty work for you. Someone like Israel, or better yet, the United States. And best of all would be to get the Americans to do it in such a way that the whole world condemns them for it."

Read more.

THE ONLY ISSUE

By Dr. Jack Wheeler

"Until a few nights ago at a small dinner at a private home in Washington, it never even occurred to me that I might someday actually call the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court by his first name. Yet for several hours as we sat next to each other, it was "John" and "Jack" for the evening.

I cannot tell you what we talked about, and he of course did not say anything untoward or inappropriate. What I can tell you is that besides being seriously smart and having a funny albeit dorky sense of humor (he came up with some real groaners), he is a Great American in every sense that you and I understand it. He is one of us.

I couldn't help glancing at his profile inches from me in gratitude to President Bush for placing him in his office - then shuddering to think of who his next fellow Justices will be should Bill Clintons' wife get to choose them.

For a large number of voters, one issue is of overriding importance to them. Judicial appointments is a good example. National security is another. Or illegal immigration. Or abortion, homosexual marriage, cultural degradation, increasing government control of our lives and economy, the list goes on.

For me, the only issue that matters is preventing the Democrat Party, the Party That Hates America, from winning the White House."

ET go home.........

Rep. Dennis Kucinich Saw UFO, Shirley MacLaine Writes

"The Ohio Democrat and presidential candidate “felt a connection in his heart” when he saw a strange object floating in the sky while visiting Shirley MacLaine in the 1980s in her Washington state home, according to a new book by the actress-turned-clairvoyant.

In the book — to be released Nov. 6 — MacLaine writes, “He saw a gigantic triangular craft, silent and observing him. It hovered for about 10 minutes or so and sped away with a speed he couldn’t comprehend. He felt a connection in his heart and heard directions in his mind.”

Full story.

Socialized Medicine Anyone?

(1) NHS: The fatal lottery of childbirth in Britain

(2)Trust me I’m a junior doctor
With patients dying from superbugs, the Government's priorities are out of focus.

“A just fear of an imminent danger, though there be no blow given, is a lawful cause of war.”

-- Sir Francis Bacon --

“We judge ourselves by what we feel capable of doing, while others judge us by what we have already done.”

-- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow --

“Failure is only postponed success as long as courage ‘coaches’ ambition. The habit of persistence is the habit of victory.”

-- Herbert Kaufman --

Forbes Predicts Bloomberg-Gore Ticket

Publisher Steve Forbes predicts that former vice president and recent Nobel laureate Al Gore will endorse New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's independent bid for president.

Bloomberg will return the favor by naming Gore his running mate, Forbes says.

As Campaigns Chafe at Limits, Donors Might Be in Diapers

Valdosta State Expels Student for Free Speech

Valdosta State University has expelled a student for peacefully protesting the school's decision to construct two new parking decks on campus.

After the Georgia college's President Ronald M. Zaccari labeled student T. Hayden Barnes a "clear and present danger" and mandated that he submit certifications of his mental health and on-going therapy as conditions of his readmission, Barnes contacted the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) for help.

'A kind of madness seems to be gripping our colleges, one in which merely claiming a student poses a "threat" -- no matter how absurd or attenuated the allegation may be -- is enough to punish even the most clearly protected speech,' FIRE President Greg Lukianoff said.

'This case represents the extreme of this troubling trend. Hayden Barnes did nothing wrong; the claim that his speech was threatening is specious, and the university's decision to expel him is truly chilling.' Continue ...

What I Learned About Liberalism From Barry Manilow

By Andrew Tallman

Barry Manilow recently gave a seminar on liberalism. Oh, not intentionally, of course. But sometimes unintentional seminars are the most instructive of all.

It all started when the singer suddenly cancelled his September 18th appearance on the television show “The View.”

So what did Barry Manilow teach me about liberals through all of this?

1. Liberals are very confident in their views. In fact, Manilow is so confident that he doesn’t even feel the need to demonstrate the fact in a public discussion. He’s like the kid on the baseball team who is so much better than the other players that he doesn’t even want the coach to put him in the game. Some people think this is because he can’t really play his position, but that’s only because they don’t realize how good he is.

2. Liberals really believe in free speech. Regrettably, truth is fragile and must be protected from dangerous people like conservatives. Free speech, therefore, means letting a wide variety of liberals speak as freely as possible. This is called diversity. As a good liberal, Barry Manilow opposes all forms of censorship and wants to ensure that everyone who agrees with him has full freedom of speech.

3. Liberals think clearly. Barry said that he really supports the show, which can only mean he believes in robust debate. When he also says that appearing on “The View” with Hasselbeck would compromise his principles, we must infer that he has an even stronger personal conviction that’s it’s wrong to actually be a participant in such debates. One wonders whether Barry thinks that Barbara, Joy, and Whoopi are also compromising their values by being on stage with her. Then again, their value systems probably just aren’t as refined and contradiction-free as his.

continue...

Emmett Tyrrell:
Limbaugh's Laughter

My guess is that the Democrats' threats to the First Amendment will continue. Yet an even better bet is that Rush will continue to get the better of these brutes.

Maggie Gallagher:
The Cost of HillaryCare

Canada has universal single-payer national health insurance. In theory, Canadians who get free health care as a government "right" should be much healthier than Americans, who face more barriers of cost to accessing health care, right?

George Will:
McCain-Feingold in the Ivory Tower

The speech policeman's lot is not a happy one, as the University of Montana at Missoula is learning. Herewith a tale about the mess that institution has made by regulating political speech.

Victor Davis Hanson:
So Who's Afraid of an Iranian Bomb?

At first glance, it would seem a straightforward thing to stop a relatively weak but volatile Iran from obtaining a nuclear bomb. It would also seem to be something a concerned world community would be actively working to do. But in truth, most players don?t care enough to stop Iran from getting the bomb.

Senate Rejects DREAM Act

In spite of supporters' claims that the bill had broad bipartisan support, a cloture motion to proceed with debate on the bill failed 52-44. A cloture motion requires 60 votes to pass. Durbin had previously predicted that support for the motion would be in the "mid-50s."

In a statement on the Senate floor after the vote, Durbin thanked the 11 Republicans who voted for cloture. He called the bill's failure "a sad and troubling moment in the history of American history." He vowed to keep pushing the issue he's been supporting for five years.

They are so out-of-touch with the American people. The American people spoke loud and clear already on this matter. But Durbin and his colleagues that support this "Nightmare Act" don't care what we think.

And what makes it "a sad and troubling moment in the history of American history" now at this particular moment in time? Since our independence, some 230+ years ago, we have not had the "The Nightmare Act."

How did we get along this long without it? Was it a troubling moment in history 6 six years ago before he started supporting and pushing it?

India, Russia, China Want a 'Multi-Polar' World

India joined China and Russia Wednesday in calling for a "more just and rational" world order but, in a now familiar refrain, also insisted that their trilateral cooperation was not intended to target "any other country."

A meeting in northern China of the three countries' foreign ministers ended with a joint communique containing veiled references to U.S. domination of international affairs.

India's Pranab Mukherjee, China's Yang Jiechi and Sergei Lavrov of Russia "emphasized that they would continue to promote democratization of ......

Read more.

Senators Ask Mukasey to Clarify Waterboarding Position

Democratic members of the Senate Judiciary Committee sent a letter to Judge Michael Mukasey on Tuesday asking the attorney general nominee to clarify his position on waterboarding, an interrogation practice that simulates drowning...

Bill Aims to Help States Catch Criminal Aliens

Pennsylvania is now experiencing an "invasion" of illegal immigrants, which is producing heightened criminal activity and rising costs for taxpayers, said a Republican state representative. He is backing pending legislation that would "shut off the economic faucet that attracts illegals into Pennsylvania" and provide local law enforcement with additional tools...

US Sanctions Iranian Military Groups and Banks

"Embrace the path of cooperation" --- or else, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned the Iranian government on Thursday. Rice announced that the Bush administration is designating major elements of the Iranian military as terrorist groups and weapons proliferators...

African AIDS Statistics Overblown, Experts Say

With World AIDS Day just around the corner on Dec. 1, many AIDS activists continue to portray the 25-year-old epidemic as out-of-control. But some epidemiologists say that view of AIDS isn't borne out by the statistics...

Syria, Iran Influence Lebanon Elections

A U.S. ambassador in Beirut fears the worst for Lebanon — that elections for a new president will be postponed to allow time for Iran to place a straw man candidate, or will be canceled altogether, causing unrest in the unstable region.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY

Petraeus Didn't Promise a Quick Fix

By Hugh Hewitt

Even as news from Iraq continues to point to dramatic and far-reaching successes in the mostly Sunni provinces of Anbar and Diyala, news reports continue to suggest chaos in the Shia-dominated south in the wake of a British pull back from the region. On the ground, commanders dispute these characterizations and point to increasing stability in Basra as evidence that directly contradicts this alarmism.

General Petraeus never promised a quick or easy solution to Iraq's post-Saddam reconstruction, but what he did promise--real and measurable security progress followed by political reconciliation--is in fact taking place, sometimes at a tempo we had no right to expect and for which we should be grateful.

In the face of real progress, defeatists in the West are doing their best to obscure these important gains won at great cost and infused with great significance for long-term peace in the Middle East.

Americans don't want happy talk, but they don't need or want unduly pessimistic attempts to skip over genuine accomplishment in Iraq. Less agenda journalism, please, and more facts. Many, many more facts.

Dream Act

Tancredo says "Dream Act is a nightmare:

The “DREAM” (“Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors) Act, that will grant amnesty to the millions of illegal aliens who entered the United States before the age of 16.

My friend, the “DREAM” Act really is a nightmare!

It makes a mockery of our immigration laws, and it will cause a further flood of illegals into this country, who will know that their children can enjoy key benefits of citizenship without being citizens. It is a massive amnesty bill – the Center for Immigration Studies estimates it will grant amnesty to at least 2.1 million illegal aliens currently in the United States!

What’s worse, this bill makes it possible for the newly-amnestied aliens to secure green cards for the parents who illegally brought them into the country in the first place!

The fight for the “DREAM” Act is being led by Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Illinois), one of the most intensely open-border members of Congress. This measure was part of the Kennedy-McCain-Bush “comprehensive immigration reform” bill that we defeated earlier this summer.

Just like we predicted, the Hispanic and big business lobbies are not giving up on their pro-amnesty agenda…..they’ve just decided on new tactics to get around their inability to pass an omnibus amnesty bill. Instead, they are trying to chip away at our immigration laws one piece at a time!

Let me restate this: the “DREAM” Act is amnesty!

If cloture passes, [It did not, but it is not dead; and they will keep trying] and the Senate is preparing to vote in the next day or two on the “DREAM” Act, you and every American should be on the phone to your Senators telling them to vote “NO!” And if cloture fails, and Senate debate resumes, then we all should be ready to make our voices heard as well! We must fight just as hard against the “DREAM” Act as we did against the Kennedy-McCain-Bush bill this summer.

Of course, you can count on me to lead the fight against the “DREAM” Act if it makes it to the House of Representatives.

Senator Durbin’s attempt to rush the “DREAM” Act through the Senate is just one more example of how committed the pro-amnesty forces are to achieving their goals……we must be as committed and vigilant as our opponents!

As long as we are fighting to win Republican primary votes in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina, we are giving law-abiding Americans a powerful vehicle to make their voices heard against the Hispanic/big business lobbies that are pushing for amnesty.

Dems Plan for Massive Tax Hike

It’s easy to see the disguises that the Democratic Party is planning to don for Halloween.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL STORY

Climate extremist James Lovelock says Global Warming Will Kill 6 Billion

Gaia theory creator says 'dark time' will leave only 500 million, 'but for those who survive, I suspect it will be rather exciting.'

By Dan Gainor

Read more.

I know you've heard it before.. but ...

The sky is falling!! The sky is falling!!

CNN Predicts Possible ‘Century of Fires’ Due to Global Warming.

Commentary

Journalists See 'Crisis' Where Even Economists Aren't Sure

Is the economy half-full, half-empty or even empty? The experts disagree, but reporters made up their minds a long time ago. Read on.

Are You Afraid of the News?

Happy Halloween. News reports are a fright fest these days with “Planet in Peril,” a “freefall” in the stock market and the threat of “superbugs.” The media make it sound like the end of the world. Yes, you should be afraid – of the news.

Read more at The Balance Sheet.

Mexico: Dynamics of the Gun Trade

The number of drug related killings this year in Mexico has topped 2,000 and has exceeded last years' same point in time killings (drug related) by 300. And it could even be more than that, but we don't know. Reportedly, police officials are knowingly underreporting such drug related killings.

The drug cartels, that we hear about occasionally, are kidnapping, raping, torturing, and killing; and that includes beheadings. Some claim Mexico is the "kidnapping capital of the world." To say that these criminal gangs are "armed and dangerous" would be a gross understatement.

Because of this, the most wealthy in Mexico own armored cars and employ heavily armed security teams to protect themselves, their family members, and their homes. So if you just happen to be in the business of manufacturing armored vehicles, you have a wanting market in Mexico just waiting for you to take care of their needs. You can probably turn a good buck or two down there.

Stratfor Terrorism Intelligence Report has written on this topic. One paragraph of their article states:

The one constant in these violent crimes is guns. Mexico's robust gun culture stretches back to revolutions, counterrevolutions and revolutionary bandits such as Pancho Villa. Because of this culture, guns are common in Mexico -- despite strict gun-control laws and licensing procedures. This demand for guns has created an illicit market that not only is intimately related to the U.S. market for illegal narcotics but also, in many ways, mirrors the dynamics of that market. Drugs flow north and guns flow south -- resulting in handsome profits for those willing to run the risks.

I highlighted (bold emphasis) one sentence that jumped out at me.

So despite the fact that Mexico has strict gun control laws and licensing procedures, guns still fall (shock - shock) into the hands of the murderers, drug runners, and thieves. This does not enhance ones' argument for trying to undo our 2nd amendment.

Read their full article, "Mexico: Dynamics of the Gun Trade" here.

Laws that forbid the carrying of arms...disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes...such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man."

--- Thomas Jefferson quoting from 'On Crimes and Punishment' by criminologist Cesare Beccaria, 1764

I've Hit the "Big Time" Now

Heh. I have been linked to on CNN's website for an article I posted and have had a number of hits from them.

John Leo:
Who Will Stand Up For Campus Free Speech?

Free speech has a very small constituency on the modern campus, particularly if the speaker under attack is conservative.

Read more.

David Horowitz:
Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week Already a Success

The focus was on the violent oppression of Muslim women as thousands of students campuses across the country on attended and in some cases protested against speeches and panel discussions marking the first day of Islamo Fascism Awareness Week.

Read more.

Walter E. Williams:
Congressional Constitutional Contempt

In each new Congress since 1995, Rep. John Shadegg, R-Ariz., has introduced the Enumerated Powers Act (HR 1359). If enacted, the law would require Congress to specify the basis of authority in the U.S. Constitution for the enactment of laws and other congressional actions.

Read more.

John Stossel:
The Global-Warming Debate Isn't Over Until It's Over

If you must declare a debate over, then maybe it's not. And if you have to gussy up your agenda as "our greatest opportunity to lift global consciousness to a higher level," then it deserves some skeptical examination.

Read more.

Intelligence Chief: New Terror Threat Is Real

The Department of Homeland Security is tracking a serious terror threat to the United States.

Charles E. Allen, chief of intelligence at DHS, would not disclose details of the threat. But his office focuses on a wide range of threats to the homeland, including the oil and gas industry, the electrical industry, the financial and banking industries, ports, airports, and commercial facilities such as theme parks.

Read on.

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Michael Medved:
How government expansion worsens hard times

For those Americans who know anything at all about the history of the Great Depression and the New Deal, the story line seems simple, dramatic, inspiring and familiar:

Read on.

The Only Guardian

"The right of freely examining public characters and measures, and of free communication among the people thereon . . . has ever been justly deemed the only effectual guardian of every other right."

-- James Madison

A Victory for Common Sense

By David Davenport

"It's rare, but score one for Washington bureaucrats who actually recognized the voice of common sense and listened.

You may have heard about this summer's new policy removing religious books from prison libraries out of fear that fundamentalist texts encouraging violence were part of their collections. Talk about throwing out the baby with the bathwater--and many did talk and go to court, pointing out that such a policy was overly broad.

In the face of lawsuits, the federal prison folks now say religious books can stay, but only until experts finish a list of what's acceptable. We'd better keep an eye on the list makers, in case they feel that stories about prison doors opening and chains falling off the Apostle Paul and his brethren from the book of Acts are unacceptable.

Crazier things have happened when political correctness and Washington censors are turned loose on religion."

Phyllis Schlafly:
Law of the Sea Treaty Would Swamp U.S. Legal System

A case now before the U.S. Supreme Court proves why the Senate must defeat the United Nations Law of the Sea Treaty.

Happy U.N. Days

Proponents of the United Nation’s Law of the Sea Treaty (LOST) came up with a brilliant idea. Led by the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, they hoped to celebrate the 24th of October – also known as UN Day – by having that panel rubber-stamp LOST.

Fortunately, one of the Senate’s most knowledgeable and determined opponents of the Treaty, Republican Sen. David Vitter of Louisiana, exercised his right to defer its consideration, from the committee business meeting scheduled for Wednesday to at least the next one. Whether this will amount to more than a fleeting stay-of-execution depends on how many other Senators – and their constituents – become aware of the implications of making the day in this manner of the United Nations and affiliated organizations.

Sen. Vitter is certainly doing his part. He has asked for additional hearings before the .... More.

The anniversary of Robert Bork's failed nomination reminds us what's at stake in the coming election.

BY GARY L. MCDOWELL

Democrats Playing Politics With Veterans Funding Bill?
Congressional Democrats are stalling a veterans funding bill, and Republicans want the nation to know about it, as Veterans Day draws near...

"Hillary Uncensored" Film Draws Huge Web Audience

The trailer to a new film about Democratic presidential frontrunner Hillary Clinton, "Hillary Uncensored -- Banned by the Media," has garnered big audience numbers -- about 1 million viewers -- on the Internet. The movie documenting alleged campaign finance violations soon will have several screenings in the Northeast, including three in New Hampshire, the state that will hold the first presidential primary.

The trailer to the documentary was the most-viewed video on Google Video for eight straight days (Oct. 13-20), and dropped to the number two slot on Sunday, Oct. 21. (Google Video is an online video-posting service offered by the highly popular Internet search engine Google.) The trailer also was the only political video to make it onto Google's Top 100 video list. Read on.

Microsoft Wants Your Medical Records

Microsoft says today's health care recordkeeping is messy and not ready for the digital world. The company plans to do something about it. But the idea that your most private medical records may be housed by a private company, and accessible to strangers with a few keystrokes, has privacy advocates concerned. Read more.

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TURKEY AS A REGIONAL POWER

Stratfor - Geopolitical Intelligence Report

Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) guerrillas based in northern Iraq ambushed Turkish troops near the border Oct. 21, killing 12 soldiers and suffering 23 casualties in the ensuing firefight, according to the Turkish government. For its part, the PKK said it captured eight Turkish troops, though Ankara has not confirmed the claim.

Based on prior PKK attacks, the Turkish parliament last week authorized the use of force in Iraq. This latest attack, therefore, was clearly designed to challenge that decision. Even before the dust had settled Oct. 21, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, a Kurd, rejected an earlier demand from Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Baghdad shut down all PKK camps in Iraqi territory and hand over PKK leaders. Talabani said Iraq cannot solve Turkey's problem, given that PKK leaders hide out in rugged mountains and even the "mighty" Turkish military has failed to kill or capture them. Specifically, he said, "The handing over of PKK leaders to Turkey is a dream that will never be realized."

If that position holds, it is difficult to imagine that the Turks.........

Read full article here.

Bolton Fighting Bush on N. Korea Nuke Deal

According to The Hill newspaper, Bolton's effort is believed to be the first time a former top adviser to President Bush has opposed a key aspect of the administration’s current foreign policy. Other officials have criticized Bush after leaving the administration, but Bolton is the first to meet with groups of GOP lawmakers to explain his opposition and possibly sway them. More.

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Hillary VP Will Be Bill Richardson

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Olmert, Sarkozy Said Identical on Iran

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Poll Results

I took a poll which analyzed my positions on various issues and compared them to the current crop of U. S. Presidential wanna-bes and their positions. I graded most closely with Duncan Hunter of California with an overall score of 73% compatibility on issues. I agreed on social issues at 81% with Hunter and 67% on economic issues.

Dennis Kuncinich (no surprise here) finished at the bottom of the chart in terms of compatibility on the issues.

Total	73.00%	Duncan Hunter
		Rep. (R-CA)
Social	81.00%
Economics	67.00%
Total	68.00%	Sam Brownback
		Sen. (R-KS)
Social	69.00%
Economics	67.00%
Total	68.00%	Tom Tancredo
		Rep. (R-CO)
Social	63.00%
Economics	71.00%
Total	65.00%	Fred Thompson
		Sen. (R-TN)
Social	63.00%
Economics	67.00%
Total	65.00%	Mike Huckabee
		Gov. (R-AR)
Social	63.00%
Economics	67.00%
Total	58.00%	Mitt Romney
		Gov. (R-MA)
Social	81.00%
Economics	42.00%
Total	55.00%	Jim Gilmore
		Gov. (R-VA)
Social	81.00%
Economics	38.00%
Total	50.00%	Tommy Thompson
		Gov. (R-WI)
Social	69.00%
Economics	38.00%
Total	48.00%	John McCain
		Sen. (R-AZ)
Social	56.00%
Economics	42.00%
Total	48.00%	Rudy Giuliani
		Mayor (R-NY)
Social	38.00%
Economics	54.00%
Total	40.00%	Bill Richardson
		Gov. (D-NM)
Social	56.00%
Economics	29.00%
Total	38.00%	Ron Paul
		Rep. (R-TX)
Social	31.00%
Economics	42.00%
Total	18.00%	Barack Obama
		Sen. (D-IL)
Social	19.00%
Economics	17.00%
Total	15.00%	Joe Biden
		Se. (D-DE)
Social	31.00%
Economics	4.00%
Total	13.00%	John Edwards
Social	19.00%
Economics	8.00%
Total	13.00%	Hillary Clinton
Social	6.00%
Economics	17.00%
Total	8.00%	Chris Dodd
Social	0.00%
Economics	13.00%
Total	8.00%	Mike Gravel
Social	0.00%
Economics	13.00%
Total	3.00%	Dennis Kucinich
Social	0.00%
Economics	4.00%

ON CARBON OFFSETS

“Before reviewing Gore’s various inanities that won him the Nobel, it is worth taking a look at one of his related projects: carbon offsets. As chairman and founder of Generation Investment Management, a firm that purchases carbon dioxide offsets, Gore stands to profit further from what he sees as mankind’s misery—which is OK by me. I’m glad to see he finally has developed the capitalist instinct (like his dad did with Occidental Petroleum and Armand Hammer). But carbon offsets are a rather strange concept. Let me use a simple metaphor to explain it: Let’s suppose that Al Gore goes to an Italian restaurant and eats a loaf of garlic bread, a plate of lasagna, a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs, an extra-large pizza with seven toppings, a couple bottles of Chianti and a large assortment of pastries. As a result, he puts on 10 pounds. But he is deeply concerned that mankind is getting too fat. So he pays 10 peasants in Asia $10 each to eat nothing for a week. Although they are already thin, by starving themselves for a week, they each lose a pound. As a result, after a week, mankind is weight neutral. Al Gore weighs 10 pounds more, 10 Asians weigh 10 pounds less—and Al Gore is given another Nobel Peace Prize for his leadership in keeping mankind’s waistline in check.”

—Tony Blankley

ON CONTEMPORARY LIBERALS

"Liberals are almost uniformly defined by their hypocrisy and dissociation from reality. For example, the wealthiest U.S. senators -- among them the Clintons, Kerry, Gore, Kennedy, Rockefeller, Feinstein, et al., -- fancy themselves as defenders of the poor and advocate the redistribution of wealth, but they hoard enormous wealth for themselves and have never missed a meal.

Liberals speak of unity, but they seed foment, appealing to the worst in human nature by dividing Americans into dependent constituencies. Just who are these liberal constituencies? They support freedom of thought, unless your thoughts don't comport with theirs. They feign tolerance while practicing intolerance. They resist open discussion and debate of their views, yet seek to silence dissenters. They insist that they care more about protecting habitat than those who hunt and fish. They protest for nature conservation while advocating homosexuality. They denounce capital punishment for the most heinous of criminals, while ardently supporting the killing of the most innocent among us -- children prior to birth. They hate private-gun ownership, but they wink and nod when it comes to WMD in the hands of tyrants. They advocate for big government but want to restrain free enterprise.

Liberals constantly assert their First Amendment rights, except, of course, when it comes to religion. Here, they firmly impose the doctrines of secular atheism on everyone else. They believe that second-hand smoke is more dangerous than marijuana and crack smoke. They believe that one nut accused of bombing an abortion clinic deserves far more law-enforcement attention than Jihadi cells planning the 9/11 attacks. They call 9/11 victims "Hitlerian" while calling their murderers "oppressed." They hate SUVs, unless imported and driven by their soccer mom constituents. They advocate mass transit but commute on private jets. They believe trial lawyers save lives and doctors kill people. They believe the solution to racism is to treat people differently on the basis of the color of their skin rather than the content of their character. They deride moral clarity because they can't survive its scrutiny. They promote peace but foment division and hate."

-- Mark Alexander --

Sufferring from NPD (Narcissistic Personality Disorder)

“Al Gore, the latest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, is a poor choice, one likely not to stand the test of time. Leaving aside the school-marmish, preachy, superior attitude that makes him such a magnet for parody, Gore is a phony. On the basis of his actions and writings over many years my guess is that Gore suffers from Narcissistic Personality Disorder. The criteria for this diagnosis, as described in the psychiatrist’s bible, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, include a ‘pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy... a grandiose sense of self-importance (e.g., exaggerates achievements and talents, expects to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements)... a preoccupation with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love; believes that he or she is special and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions), and... shows arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes.’ People who suffer from Narcissistic Personality Disorder are tough to be around. They make terrible bosses, unbearable in-laws and insufferable neighbors. That’s why I don’t want Al Gore to be president—or to live next door to me.”

—Hoover Institution fellow Dr. Henry Miller

IT'S THE CULTURE, STUPID

“On CNN the other night Anderson Cooper was worrying about the homicide rate in Philadelphia. The City of Brotherly Love is the murder capital of the nation, and CNN had dispatched a reporter to interview the grieving mother of a young black boy killed while riding his bicycle in the street. Apparently, a couple of cars had got backed up behind him, and an impatient passenger in one of them pulled out a gun and shot the kid. Anderson Cooper then went to commercials and, when he returned, introduced a report on how easy it is to buy guns in Philadelphia and how local politicians are reluctant to do anything about it. This is, again, an argument only the expert class could make. In the 1990s, the number of guns in America went up by 40 million, but the murder rate fell dramatically. If firearms availability were the determining factor, Vermont and Switzerland would have high murder rates. Yet in Montpelier or Geneva the solution to a boy carelessly bicycling in front of you down a city street when you’re in a hurry is not to grab your gun and blow him away. It’s the culture, not the technology.”

—Mark Steyn

ON EDUCATION

“Big Brother’s ideas about what and how children should be taught are not always those of mom and dad. Americans differ on same-sex marriage and evolution, on the importance of sports and the value of phonics, on the right to bear arms and the reverence due the Confederate flag. Some parents are committed secularists; others are devout believers... Americans hold disparate opinions on everything from the truth of the Bible to the meaning of the First Amendment... With parents so often in boisterous disagreement, why should children be locked into a one-size-fits-all, government-knows-best model of education? Nobody would want the government to run 90 percent of the nation’s entertainment industry. Nobody thinks that 90 percent of all housing should be owned by the state... Yet the government’s control of 90 percent of the nation’s schools leaves most Americans strangely unconcerned... In a society founded on political and economic liberty, government schools should have no place... Education is too important to be left to the government.”

—Jeff Jacoby

REASONABLE DOUBT

............ “And that gets me to my more philosophical or principled reason for being pro-life: I just don’t know. I confess that I lack passion about debates over RU-486, Plan B and other measures that terminate a pregnancy in the first few hours or days after conception, because that’s when I’m least sure that a life is at stake. But when it comes to, say, partial-birth abortion, I am adamantly pro-life. I don’t know if a fertilized egg has rights. But I am convinced that a baby minutes, days or weeks before full term is, simply, a baby. And despite what you constantly hear, Roe v. Wade doesn’t recognize that fact. In death penalty cases, ‘reasonable doubt’ goes to the accused because unless we’re certain, we must not risk an innocent’s life. This logic goes out the window when it comes to abortion, unless you are 100 percent sure that babies only become human beings after the umbilical cord is cut. I don’t see how you can be that sure, which is why I’m pro-life—not because I’m certain, but because I’m not.”

—Jonah Goldberg

ATTAINING SUCCESS

“Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success. When you do a thing, do it with all your might. Put your whole soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. Be active, be energetic, be enthusiastic and faithful, and you will accomplish your objective. Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.”

—Ralph Waldo Emerson

No ID? No problemo! Mex to deliver badges

But mayor says consular card won't stop arrests of suspects.

WHAT'S UP WITH THIS?

I try and stay away from 'black helicopter' stories, but this one caught my eye. Can this be? Seems a little bizarre to me.

Accusation: U.S. trained terrorists
Jihad group armed, funded with American tax dollars.

LISTEN UP

Hey ... I wanted to highlight a site .... a web forum ..... an open forum .... where you can go and debate politics called Argue With Anyone.

Go check it out.

HILLARY AND HER HIGH NEGATIVES

According to Hillary and pollster Zogby, 50% of American voters would never vote for Hillary. Bill Richardson (D) a Mike Huckabee (R) faired best.

Even weirdo Dennis Kuncinich faired better Hillary (although not by much) at 49%.

The poll was done October 11-Oct 15, 2007 and had a 1% margin of error

Here are the results:

Clinton (D)
50%

Kucinich (D)
49%

Gravel (D)
47%

Paul (R)
47%

Brownback (R)
47%

Tancredo (R)
46%

McCain (R)
45%

Hunter (R)
44%

Giuliani (R)
43%

Romney (R)
42%

Edwards (D)
42%

Thompson (R)
41%

Dodd (D)
41%

Biden (D)
40%

Obama (D)
37%

Huckabee (R)
35%

Richardson (D)
34%

Not sure
4%

Interestingly, back in March of '07, Zogby did a telephone poll, and in it, 46% said they would never vote for Hillary. So her high negatives are taking her in the wrong direction. (Not that I mind.)

Why Islamic Fascists Get Away With Hate Speech

By Mike S. Adams

When, in class one day, a student said that “hate speech” was not free speech, I asked him the following: “Can you even define hate speech?” After a long silence, I assured him that I, too, was unable to define hate speech. But, since then, I think I have come up with a suitable definition that helps me understand both the failure of speech codes and the success of Islamic terrorism.

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Dinesh D'Souza:
The atheist indoctrination project

It seems atheists have developed a comprehensive strategy to win the minds of the next generation.

Michael Barone:
We're Not in 2006 Anymore

Things are not working out as Democratic congressional leaders expected. For the first eight months of this year, they struggled to find some way to shut down the American military effort in Iraq.

Debra J. Saunders:
Was the Recall Worth It?

Was the recall worth it? California government is still spending more than it takes in.

George Will:
The Supply and Demand for Government

Explaining a simple proposal to help people squirrel away gold for their golden years, Hillary Clinton said that a person "should not require a Ph.D. to save for retirement." But can even Ph.D.s understand liberalism's arithmetic and logic?

Walter E. Williams:
Academic Cesspools

The average taxpayer and parents who foot the bill know little about the rot on many college campuses. "Indoctrinate U" is a recently released documentary, written and directed by Evan Coyne Maloney, that captures the tip of a disgusting iceberg.

John Stossel:
Turning Kids into Sex Offenders

Imagine how DeMarcus Blackwell felt when he was told that his son Chris had engaged in "sexual contact and/or sexual harassment" at school. Well, before you can imagine this father's reaction, you need to know one other fact: His son was 4 years old when the "sexual" incident occurred.

“Education never helped morals. The smarter the guy, the bigger the rascal.”
-- Will Rogers --

Paul Jacob:
The late great Social Security swindle

Before politicians touch our health care system, make them fix the BIGGER mess of our pension system.