Red Right

Terri Shiavo

2005-03-25T07:11:00.000-07:00

During this holy week for Christians, I am constantly reminded of the sanctity of life and the tremendous miracle of its creation. Let first say that I support the actions of Congress, the Republican Party, and the many Christians out there working to save Terri Shiavo's life.

I do not wish to conjecture on the subject of her former husband other than I believe his role of guardian is compromised by the conflict of living with another women with whom he has two children.

I have been stunned to watch the events unfold as they have. First, denials at the state level. Then pride watching a Congress act to protect life. Then disdain as judicial tyrants circumvent the intent of the law Congress had passed. My faith in the Supreme Court is already badly shaken, so I expected no relief from them today.

As dissented in the 11th Circuit appeals court, what harm comes from erring on the side of life and restoring food and water to Terri Shiavo as her case is tried? None that I can see. Her imminent death will indeed send chills through our government and this population - as it should. It does not escape my attention that Christ's death will be observed this Friday - a death he freely accepted - but was brought in part by the inaction of local politicians. Though the parallels are not exact, the similarities exist. This is an important week to take note of actions occurring around you.

Mexico accused of abusing its illegals / The Washington Times INSIDER

2005-03-24T15:38:00.000-07:00

Mexico accused of abusing its illegals / The Washington Times INSIDER:

"'Since when are 'Neighborhood Watch' citizens 'vigilantes'?' Mr. Tancredo asked. 'President Fox thinks we should tear down the fence that keeps illegal aliens out? Then why doesn't he put up a welcome sign on his southern border with Guatemala instead of using his military to keep poor Guatemalans out? Such hypocrisy about borders defies historic parallel.' "

You've got to love Tom Tancredo.

I'm For An Open Boarder With Mexico - IF:

2005-03-24T11:56:00.000-07:00

All this recent news about the meeting with Canada and Mexico in part to discuss boarder control is maddening to say the least. As I thought of any good to come of it, I started wondering if I could in fact support an open boarder policy. The answer, surprisingly, is yes. Here are the conditions:

1. Mexico agrees to US oversight of a strict documentation process to track immigrants. If it can be reasonably ensured that both governments will work hard to detain undocumented (terrorist or smuggling threats) persons, I think we could live with this. After all, with the boarder as porous as it is, this would be better than what we're doing now.

2. The US-Mexico-Canada agree that no foreign worker is entitled to benefits of the country they are working in. Specifically, healthcare and social security. Any services rendered would be charged to the country of origin (US workers included).

3. Free trade across all boarders is assured.

4. US ownership of Mexican land. This is the deal breaker. Mexico must allow US individuals or corporations to own (not lease) land in Mexico. Why? With investment dollars pouring in, Mexico's untapped natural resources could be harvested. With land prices low, corporations could move in, create jobs for local Mexican workers (alleviating the need for emigration), while sending profits back to the US (the reverse is true now of illegals). This should jumpstart a change from the socialism of the Fox regime to capitalism. Once that change is made, we would have about the same boarder relationship with Mexico as we do with Canada.

Once again, a free market could come to the rescue. Vicente Fox is just crazy enough to go for it.

Border Issues

2005-03-24T11:46:00.000-07:00

Bush decries border project - The Washington Times: Nation/Politics - March 24, 2005

President Bush: "I'm against vigilantes in the United States of America," Mr. Bush said at a joint press conference. "I'm for enforcing the law in a rational way."

How about enforcing the law at all?

The article also mentions:
"He (Bush) said he would pressure Congress to further loosen immigration law."

Bad news all around.

Back

2005-03-24T11:36:00.000-07:00

I am back. Sorry for the long delay, but travels and other commitments have kept me away.

Bankruptcy Reform

2005-03-11T09:46:00.000-07:00

Senate passes reform measure / The Washington Times INSIDER

I'll never understand why expecting people to repay their debts is considered a corporate hand out on the left. If I buy a sweater at the mall using a credit card, I should be expected to pay the credit card company that cost plus interest. The point of credit is to allow you to purchase something today and pay over time, thus allowing higher dollar items to be purchased earlier in life (most common example: your house).

Most creditors and independent companies offer insurance to repay credit debts in the event of death, illness, etc. Choosing to not carry such insurance is a risk that each individual must evaluate. Carrying a $50 balance probably doesn't warrant it. Carrying a $10,000 balance just might. In any case, why should the creditor be left holding the bag?

A point missed in the conversation is that this actually helps low-income families. Currently, credit (and the corresponding interest rate) is approved based on credit scores. The creditors looks at those scores and determines the risk they are assuming in issuing an individual credit. If you remove some of that risk in the form of bankruptcy, the creditor will be forced to compete with other creditors and lower the interest rates for traditionally higher credit risks.

Out

2005-03-11T08:59:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of commentary - I'll be out through the weekend and pick up where I've left off next week.

Italians Kept U.S. Forces In Dark

2005-03-07T07:38:00.000-07:00

Italians kept U.S. forces in dark / The Washington Times INSIDER

On the one hand, you had this reporter recently freed from a hostage situation claiming that the US may have opened fire deliberately. And sure enough, news outposts everywhere picked up on it and reported on it. I don't believe I heard one broadcaster even express caution about the reports since the US had yet to comment.

And now come the details that the US Military (once again) was doing exactly what it was supposed to be doing. The US had no knowledge of this pay off by the Italians. What's more: reports I've read note that warning shots and hand signals were used before firing on the car to get it to slow down. I want to know when the US gets an apology from Italy.

Iraq Construction Outpacing Insurgents

2005-03-05T11:44:00.000-07:00

Construction projects outpace rebels' attacks / The Washington Times INSIDER

What's this? Yet more good news out of Iraq? Not that the Wash Times is in the same category as the LA Times, but I can't help but think that there will be a lot of "on the record" comments made by the Left used against them in the 2006 elections. It will be real tough to argue that an emerging democratic Middle East is the foreign policy "quagmire" that the Left hoped it would be.

Unborn Deaths Cause Legal Complication

2005-03-05T11:40:00.000-07:00

Unborn twins' death is legal complication / The Washington Times INSIDER:

"The case has attorneys on both sides questioning the fairness of a statute that considers one person's actions a crime and another person's a constitutional right."

I couldn't put it any better myself.

Bloggers V. McCain-Feingold

2005-03-05T11:30:00.000-07:00

Michelle Malkin has a good piece on this as does Captains Quarters. In short, there will be significant pressure from the FEC on blogs to restrict their activities as it relates to support of particular campaigns. For example, supporting the Republican candidate in you precinct come 2006 could see you punished with fines as it is now considered a form of campaign contribution.

I suggest you, as I have done, write every elected official you can find. Start with your local Representatives and work your way through the Senate. Finding them is made easy by Townhall.

Utah Takes Step Forward On Illegal Immigration

2005-03-05T10:40:00.000-07:00

Yahoo! News - Immigrant Activists Upset Over Utah Bill:

Utah has done the right thing and passed a bill that will revoke the drivers licenses of illegal immigrants. Don't be fooled by the soft language now in use: undocumented = illegal.

"Leo Bravo, of the Hispanic Center of Cache Valley in northern Utah, argues that the measure singles out undocumented workers because they are foreigners."

Wrong! No one is targeting foreigners. Utah is targeting criminals. People who come here illegally are criminals, no matter how the activists spin it - they are breaking the laws of this country.

Frist Pushes Social Security Action

2005-03-03T13:05:00.000-07:00

Frist pushes Social Security action

Looks like President Bush got to Frist after Frist stated reform may have to wait until next year. Social Security reform does need to happen this year, but we need to get some legislation in first! For this to work, the bills need to be introduced in both houses ASAP and debate needs to get underway. A push to vote (assuming a filibuster) should occur no later than late summer. The final agreement (or none at all) needs to be in place by year's end to avoid, mitigate, capitalize, etc. on the outcome for the 2006 elections. The 2006 legislative session then needs to put a permanent reform on the tax code. I believe this could also happen in 2005, but with judges and Social Security, the odds would be against it.

Consumption Tax

2005-03-03T12:57:00.000-07:00

FairTax FAQ 1

The folks at FairTax have the most comprehensive consumption tax policy to date. As I have said before, I would support such a plan. I just don't believe it is viable in this form. Be careful when sifting through info on this site, it is well rigged in their favor, as you would expect.

National Sales Tax

2005-03-03T12:38:00.000-07:00

Emancipating America from the Income Tax: How a National Sales Tax Would Work

Here is the Cato Institute's policy analysis of a National Sales Tax. Note that this is from 1997. Today's proposed consumption tax is slightly different. I'll put that up shortly.

Greenspan Weak On Tax reform

2005-03-03T12:32:00.000-07:00

Greenspan Testimony Transcript

I have linked to the testimony from Alan Greenspan, which most outlets are touting as a promotion of the consumption tax. Knowing that Greenspan veils his comments and resists too much enthusiasm for one method over another, I would suggest Alan Greenspan did more harm than good to the consumption tax.

"...one of the first decisions that you will confront is the choice of tax base; possibilities include a comprehensive income tax, a consumption tax, or some combination of the two, as is done in many other countries."

Though Greenspan makes the argument that a consumption tax is favored by economists as it promotes savings and capital formation, he throws a monkey wrench into the argument: his assertion that "many other countries" use a combination tax. That is true. It is also true that taxes as a percentage of GDP have remained steady in the US for some 40 years at around 27% while in Europe they have increased from 30% to 41% in the same time period (as reported by Daniel Mitchell).

The problem with allowing two forms of national taxation to exist in this context is that it adds to, not subtracts from (which Greenspan is arguing for), the inefficiency and makes it easier for the government to raise tax rates.

For reasons I will go into in a future post, I support a flat tax over a consumption tax. However, I will support either provided it replaces the current tax code in its entirety.

Judicial Activism Part 2

2005-03-02T12:43:00.000-07:00

President Bush from his 2004 RNC Acceptance Speech:
"And I will continue to appoint federal judges who know the difference between personal opinion and the strict interpretation of the law..."

Justice Kennedy's majority opinion references, among other things, the UN and the United Kingdom as providing direction and instruction for this decision (begin at page 28). While not the first to rely on foreign laws in the interpretation of the United States Constitution, the frequency of occurrence is disturbing.

Judicial Activism

2005-03-02T07:48:00.000-07:00

I will have a whole lot more on this throughout the day and week.

Justice Kennedy rules the direct opposite of his vote in 1989. Once again, U.S. rights are trampled by "international consensus." The fury over this decision is almost indescribable. At what point are justices held accountable for overstepping their jurisdiction and interpreting everything but the law and the Constitution? Appalling.

2,000 Demonstrate Against Terror

2005-03-01T12:18:00.000-07:00

AP - 2,000 Demonstrate at Iraqi Bombing Site

This is the most encouraging news out of Iraq since the election. The people of Iraq are sick and tired of terrorism and it is only by the shear will of the people that the insurgency will be thwarted. Don't get me wrong, our military is doing a great job. But the Iraqi people need to create a climate where these fundamentalists are stopped before they can start, a climate where the radicals see no reason to resort to violence in the first place.

Also note how the AP notes the story in the first paragraph, but then spends the next 16 paragraphs on the negative. Typical.

Iran Next?

2005-03-01T12:10:00.000-07:00

Yahoo! News - New attitudes color Iranian society, culture

As I noted yesterday, Iran may well be the next domino to fall. Blogging is mentioned more than once in this article, a nod to what many of us already realize: blogging has ruined MSM control. That goes for the U.S. MSM as well as the governement controlled MSM in Iran. Hugh Hewitt was right after all.

Lebanon Government Resigns

2005-02-28T22:03:00.000-07:00

Associated Press Latest Headlines :: The Washington Times INSIDER

It doesn't happen all at once, but the power of freedom will not be denied. People see what has happened in Iraq and Afghanistan and realize they want the same. The Bush doctrine at work. Syria and Iran will now be isolated as the Islamo-fascist countries. If I had to guess, Iran is next.

Ten Commandments Memorial Debate Nears U.S. Supreme Court

2005-02-28T12:43:00.000-07:00

KXAN.com - Ten Commandments Memorial Debate Nears U.S. Supreme Court

Any question on the importance of Supreme Court Nominees? The informative scenario that will come from this is who votes for and who votes against removing the ten commandments from the US Supreme Court, because that is what it comes down to. You will see which judges believe in precedent and the constitution and which do not. What remains to be seen is how O'Connor will vote.

U.S. Vs. U.N. On Abortion

2005-02-28T12:26:00.000-07:00

U.S. in U.N. scrap over abortion as right

This is a story that will either be glossed over or reported as yet another unilateral action by the US. What everyone should take note of is that the US is once again attempting to take a moral high ground in preventing the UN from establishing abortion as a human right. Consider the possibilities if the UN was, over time, able to establish such a doctrine. Protection of the unborn in any country - especially the US - could be viewed as a human rights violation.

Most International Aid Wasted

2005-02-28T12:05:00.000-07:00

Yahoo! News - Most International Aid Wasted, Say Agencies

"[Oxfam/Action Aid] accused the United States and Italy of being the worst culprits in so-called aid "round tripping," spending some 70 percent of their aid on their own companies."

There's no doubt that foreign aid is fraught with inefficiency. That's why personal donations should always be researched and given to efficient private agencies that don't suffer from the same red tape.

More telling is the so-called charitable organizations of Oxfam and Action Aid using this as just another forum to bash the US. First, what is wrong with using domestic companies to provide foreign aid? Second, which country has the companies best suited for this kind of work? You guessed it. The reason 70% of US foreign aid is spent through domestic companies is 1) they are best suited to do the work and 2) they are accountable under US law. Someone needs to explain why using a company out of Cuba, for example, benefits the poor any more than using one from the US.

Walmart and Other Union Problems

2005-02-28T09:50:00.000-07:00

The Washington Times reports:

"Since the American Federation of Labor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations merged in 1955, the percentage of the U.S. work force represented by unions has fallen from about 35 percent to 12.5 percent, or 13 million workers. Only about 8 percent of private-sector workers belong to unions."

The telling note here is that only 8% of private sector (read non-government jobs) is unionized. Put simply, 92 out of 100 people believe they can negotiate their own salary-benefit package with their employer better than a union can. I would agree.

Also in the non-union column are the workers at Walmart's Loveland, Colorado store, as reported by Sign On San Diego. Of course, the UFCW union wants the 17-1 vote thrown out, presumably because the two abstaining voters could've made it 17-3. I don't doubt that at some point in some blue state, you will get a vote to unionize a Walmart department. The problem is that Walmart does provide benefit and more importantly does provide a career path. While I have known UFCW workers bagging groceries for 20 years, Walmart employees are regularly offered management classes and given a chance to move up if that's what they want. People respond to that and learn that they can make their lives better - themselves. They don't need a union to do it for them. That is the spirit that keeps Walmart growing and the spirit that drives the free market.

More On The EU

2005-02-28T08:43:00.000-07:00

Check out EU Referendum, it's full of amusing tidbits about the UN, Jr. (that's my new name for the EU). And it's where I heard about this:

Horses have to have passports in the EU. Fair enough, the EU is probably concerned about illegal trafficking or something along those lines, right? Wrong. The entire reason this program was set up is to track medications administered to horses. Why? I thought you'd never ask. Apparently, the EU wants to track these medication in case the horse ends up in the food chain. No joke. When's the last time you ate horse?

Microsoft, the EU, and Communism

2005-02-28T08:13:00.000-07:00

Someone better start watching the EU as closely as the UN. Actually, someone is watching here.

The amazing thing is that the EU, after forcing Microsoft to strip Windows of MediaPlayer (here), is furious that Microsoft wants to label it as such. Noting that there is no price difference between the two versions (presumably because Microsoft offers MediaPlayer for free anyway), the EU figures people will buy the product with the most features for the money. They're right.

Some will say Bill Gates is getting the liberal treatment he has spent so many campaign contributions to endorse and that this is just poetic justice. For me, it underscores my feelings about the EU from day one. The EU is just a miniature UN. It attempts to consolidate the power of many nations into one governing body. Of course, just like the UN, they'll come up with many good (liberal) ideas that will be impossible to implement and when faced with real problems, they'll be paralyzed by bureaucracy.

When researching this piece, I couldn't help but remember the USSR and their apparent need to ban Levi's.

Specter Partly Blames GOP

2005-02-25T12:44:00.000-07:00

Specter partly blames GOP / The Washington Times INSIDER:
"So far, 10 of Mr. Bush's 44 nominees to the federal appeals court have been filibustered by a Senate minority of Democrats, bringing the approval rate of Mr. Bush's nominees to the lowest of any modern president, according to a recent study by the conservative American Enterprise Institute. "

I still have a hard time believing Arlen Specter will be the judicial roadblock. Specter owes his chairmanship to Bush and he knows it. He also knows his career in politics is over if the nominees go as poorly as last session. In my opinion, he is posturing to maintain his McCain-like neutrality and hopes to still strike a deal with the Dems. When push comes to shove, and it will, Specter will have no choice but to support the President.

More On Social Security Reform

2005-02-24T16:37:00.000-07:00

TCS: Tech Central Station - Actuarially Unsound:
"On reflection, the amount of damage done by the Social Security actuaries is truly remarkable. Thanks to the actuaries, we have unrealistically optimistic estimates of Social Securities financial condition. We have unrealistically optimistic estimates of the returns on the stock market relative to economic growth. And, finally, we have an unreasonably high interest rate charged to people who switch to personal accounts, making it irrational for most individuals to take advantage of a personal account option were it to be offered.

The underlying theme is to recognize that the system is set up to artificially reject reform measures. Something to think about as the debate rages on. The influence of 'actuarial scoring' on policy is an arcane subject. Unfortunately, if we do not pay attention to it, we are going to get fleeced."
---
A very thorough article linked by Romesh Ponnuru at the Corner. It makes a very good point about what constitutes solvency and why the Social Security Actuaries are misleading. I disagree somewhat with the stance on stock market returns, as 6.5% is not unrealistic in my view. In fact, many private companies assume 8% with their pension programs and are able to consistently hit those numbers. That obviously looks worse today after the 2001 burst, but over 30 years, it's not that unrealistic.

Regulate Salt?

2005-02-24T12:37:00.000-07:00

Yahoo! News - Salt Should Be Regulated Food Additive, Group Says

I want my General Tso's Chicken!

People are out of control. Just like eating McDonalds every day for a year is bad for you, people know not to eat salt with every meal. That doesn't mean having a generous helping of General Tso's Chicken at your favorite Chinese restaurant every now and again should be taken away by the government. For anyone who has high blood pressure, you know exactly what you can and cannot eat. The sodium content is right there on every food product for you to see. It's not rocket science, but of course, that will never stop the lawsuits.

Justice O'Conner Flip Flops On Race

2005-02-24T12:27:00.000-07:00

Yahoo! News - Justices blast Calif. race-based prison practice

I'd like to see MSM question this result and specifically O'Conner's involvement, but they won't. Regardless of the merits in temporarily separating inmates based on race for concern of violence, there is an apparent flip flop in "equality." Here, Justice O'Conner along with 4 others, decided that prisoners cannot be separated, even temporarily - for an established concern of violence, based on race. When only last year, she was the deal breaker in upholding affirmative action, basically suggesting that students, via application, should be segregated and judged on different merits. On the one hand, it's OK to separate based on race to allow greater access to education but on the other it is not OK to separate to avoid violence. Go figure.

Nominating The Judges

2005-02-24T10:27:00.000-07:00

It's a bit of a slow news cycle of late, so I thought I'd return the the judges.

With Bush's nominees for Cabinet approved, judges become the next battle in the Senate. It should not escape noting that after the outcry over the treatment of Condi Rice, the remaining nominees sailed through voting. Even before the Condi vote, Dems were crying foul on other nominees and quoted as saying "you ain't seen nothing yet." How quickly they recoil after being scolded by the public.

It will be very interesting to see the treatment judge nominees are given during the committee process and voting process. Arlen Spector has a lot riding on the success rate of his committee, don't let the apparent reluctance to support the President fool you. He's protecting his voter base, but realizes he'll be out of a job if he doesn't come through. At the same time, Dems have a lot riding on success as well. On the one hand, allowing judges through creates a lifetime appointee that is not favorable to their ideology. On the other hand, obstructionism played a major role in their defeat in 2004. And with Frist set to use the "Constitutional Option" to revert the Senate rules back to established precedent, the Dems have to be careful. For all the posturing, don't be surprised if 1-2 judges are picked for battle and the rest sail through. That way, the Dems make the argument that 99% were let through and only the "extreme" judges were held up. With only 1-2 filibusters, Frist may be reluctant to change the rules.

This is not a prediction, but a possibility.

Dems' Foreign Policy Debacle

2005-02-24T10:12:00.000-07:00

Yahoo! News - DEMS' FOREIGN-POLICY SILENCE DEAFENING

Not much for me to comment on, this is just a feel-good article to read.

Annan Defends United Nations

2005-02-22T07:53:00.000-07:00

Yahoo! News - Annan Defends United Nations as 'Vital to Humanity'

Poor, poor Kofi. Fighting tooth and nail to hold on to his reputation and the legitimacy of the UN. Here a few few choice quotes:
---
"The interim report of Paul Volcker's independent inquiry has helped put the Oil For Food program in perspective. Some of the more hyperbolic assertions about it have been proven untrue"
---
Annan obviously sees the interim reports as the end of the investigation. His assertion that no crimes were committed and that Oil For Food has been put into perspective shows a lack of commitment to see the investigation through and listen to its recommendations.
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"The U.N. can be useful because it is seen as independent and impartial. If it ever came to be seen as a mere instrument or prolongation of U.S. foreign policy, it would be worthless to everyone"
---
Independent and impartial, yeah, those are the words I'd use to describe the UN.

Again, all I can say is poor, poor, Kofi Annan.

RIP Eason Jordan

2005-02-21T21:54:00.000-07:00

A long overdue post on Eason Jordan, and really just a clarification. No, I did not jump on this bandwagon as too many others had done a good job to date to warrant further involvement. But one thing about the late Jordan of CNN and how it all ended escapes many to this day.

Many reporters have used this story to slam New Media and the bloggers for having no oversight and therefore being less than journalists. The real reason is their fear of being held accountable. So many - even Wallace of Fox News - claim that the statement by Eason Jordan was not cause for firing and "how many of us have made a statement we'd like to have back?" Fair enough. But, this was no anti-war protestor making yet another ridiculous claim. This was a reporter (or an employee of a reporting agency) in a position of authority reporting an outright lie. If a news organization allows that to stand, they lose all credibility. The only way to regain that credibility is to get rid of your liability. Exit Eason Jordan.

Bush's Budget Cuts

2005-02-21T16:07:00.000-07:00

Bush's budget cuts would fall near Main Street | csmonitor.com

I enjoyed this article from CSM. Of particular note are the horrible cuts that will affect your everyday life. Notably absent from that analysis is where that money was intended to come from. Schools, fire fighters, police, etc. are all locally funded programs. But as with all "cuts," there will be crying widows and starving children on every street because the government isn't holding our hands. Really, it's revolting and disheartening at the same time to realize a people of such ingenuity can sometimes forget their own worth.

The one true point in the article is that the probability of these cuts passing Congress is remote. Too many votes to be lost if pork is abandoned.

New York Times Journalist Talks Journalism

2005-02-21T15:52:00.000-07:00

Columbia Spectator Online - NYT Journalist Talks Journalism:

"Keller also sees “blogging,” or online writing that blurs news and commentary, as a mixed blessing. While he celebrated the blogger’s ability to uncover breaking news, he noted that a blog’s inherent bias might be detrimental to the reader. “A blog is still a view of the world through a pinhole,” he said, noting that it can sometimes fall as low as being a “one man circle jerk.”"

I'm not about to say blogging is the panacea of all reporting, but apparently Keller fails to realize one important fact. On my blog, and all the blogs I read, there is a statement of bias. I am biased. I state it on this site, albeit on the bottom. Where MSM has a problem is that they pretend not to have a bias.

Everyone has some bias, no matter how hard you try not to. You need to understand your source and take the information through a filter (borrowed from Mike Rosen). With news available instantly instead of once a day via newspaper or 2-3 times a day via network coverage, the internet is the natural conduit to deliver both news and opinion. It is the ideal place for advocates, which is what I am, to advocate their position.

One good point to bring out of this is that MSM is still stuck on credibility. They fall into the same pit as the left, believing that the public are too stupid to think for themselves. Just the opposite is true. The American public is smart enough to read 50 internet accounts and decipher what is true, what is false, and what conclusion to draw from it. It is having 50 stories to read instead of 3 that really frightens the MSM.

U.N. Official Quits Amid Harass Case

2005-02-21T07:54:00.000-07:00

U.N. official quits amid harass case / The Washington Times INSIDER

My feeling about the UN are no secret, but I think I can handle this one semi-objectively.

First, Annan = Clinton. Sure, the sexual harassment claims are not against him personally, but he has the same habit of ruining other peoples careers while at the same time soiling the reputation of his employer (you could argue that the UN had a poor reputation before he came to be Sec-General, but it certainly has gotten worse). If history repeats itself, and it just might, Annan will serve out his term and be held in high esteem by those who hand out Nobel Peace Prizes.

Second, notice that the resignee is also independently wealthy and worked for $1 per year, not unlike Benan Sevan's recent situation. It is certainly commendable to donate your time, but one wonders if such people should be in prominent positions in the UN. After all, concerns over losing your job usually keep the workplace professional. But lose those concerns and you have little but your own morals to keep your actions in check. We are obviously not dealing with a body of high morals in the UN.

Last, note the mention of media pressure in the resignation letter. Kofi Annan knows what he's up against and needs to show he is willing to deal with problems if his legacy is to survive the fate of Bill Clinton's. Just like Clinton, he doesn't realize it's already too late.

Social Security Reform and Risk

2005-02-20T10:45:00.000-07:00

As the discussion on private accounts continues, you see a growing number of opponents call private accounts too risky. Since at least some of the private accounts would be invested in stocks, there is a real possibility that you could lose money. This is certainly true. Following the argument, opponents go on to say that regular people don't know enough about stocks to make the right choices and that most can't understand the 401(k)'s they have now. In other words, people are too stupid to be trusted with their own retirement.

The underlying theme of the American Revolution was to set up a government to protect every citizen's right to liberty. An individual is the best judge of what is right and wrong for their life and situation, not the government. But over the course of 200 years, politics became a career and the best way to advance that career is to promise something and fulfill that promise. Thus entitlements were born and so too was Social Security born in 1930. A program supported in a time of need and desperation that would have otherwise faced a swift defeat.

I believe that an individual is best suited to know what he or she needs to retire and can very easily be informed of the options and benefits of different means of achieving this goal. No program is without risk; you take a measured amount of risk with any decision. We should seize every opportunity to win back some of the liberties that have been eroded through the years and this is an ideal place to start.

Sen. Clinton Pushes For Voting Holiday

2005-02-18T15:29:00.000-07:00

Guardian Unlimited | World Latest | Sen. Clinton Pushes for Voting Holiday

First, the federal holiday for voting. Forget the added expense of a holiday that few if any private companies will recognize. Voting is on Tuesday. If anything, employees will start taking Monday off to get a 4-day holiday. And what do you do with a 4-day holiday? You travel. Think about it, a federal voting holiday will DECREASE voter participation.

Second, criminals. I think it's quite telling that the Dems want criminals to vote. The GOP is the party of laws and law enforcement. The Dems are the party of lawlessness. If states want to set up hurdles or even ban certain types of ex-criminals from voting, that's fine by me. Obviously, we know who criminals are voting for.

Syria, Iran Form 'United Front'

2005-02-17T12:05:00.000-07:00

Syria, Iran form 'united front' / The Washington Times INSIDER

What a terrifying time it must be to be a terrorist. Let's sum up:
1. Afghanistan: Taliban out, democratic reform in.
2. Iraq: Murderous dictator out, democratic assembly voted in.
3. Palestine: not ready to put faith in this yet, but Arafat out, a seemingly reform minded PM in.
4. Libya: WMD out, that's it.
5. France Russia, and Germany: Appeasers & influence out, need to work with the US in.

Add all that up and you see why Syria and Iran are forming an alliance. They are really the last 2 islamo-fascist countries left that aren't making some sort of effort at reform. Word of an alliance should bring a smile to the face of every American. It is a death gasp from two very scared regimes.

Social Security Reform

2005-02-17T11:59:00.000-07:00

Bush visit turns up heat on GOP privatization foe / The Washington Times INSIDER:

"In a sign that Mr. Bush realizes he may have to compromise with Congress to get his way, the president told a New Hampshire newspaper yesterday that he is willing to consider raising the cap on the income subject to Social Security taxes.

Workers currently have 12 percent of their income withheld by the federal government to support Social Security up to the first $90,000 they earn. Democrats and some influential Republicans have insisted that an increase in the income subject to that tax be raised significantly as a condition to private accounts."

While I remain fundamentally opposed to lifting the cap on payroll taxes, this is a reasonable compromise to be made in the interest in moving the proposal forward.

Obviously, lifting the cap without lifting the cap on benefits is wrong. However, in this case, you would receive benefit from the 4% portion of the payroll tax assuming you opt for the private account (which you would be foolish not to do). Not ideal, but not a deal breaker in my opinion.

Keep in mind that the end result needs to be individuals responsible for their own retirement. Compromises will need to be made along the way to move that goal forward, but move forward it must.

Dean Seeks Media Blackout, Changes Mind

2005-02-17T08:13:00.000-07:00

Newsday.com: Dean Seeks Media Blackout, Changes Mind

Let the fun begin. Actually, the flip-flop on media coverage is well explained and would happen to any incoming party chair. Once you accept that job, everything is on the record.

Where the fun begins is this is yet another arena for Dean to display is anti-war and far left viewpoints. No matter how adept Pearle is at debating, Dean will have to make many of the same points that cost him the nomination but won him the chair.

Leave it to the bloggers to document this one well and perpetuate the ultra liberal aura surrounding Dean. Good times.

Dems - Kerry - Want To Add To Military Money

2005-02-16T15:13:00.000-07:00

Yahoo! News - Dems want to add to military money:
"Senate Democrats will push President Bush to add up to $8 billion a year to the White House's war-spending bill to pay for more troops than Bush wants and more generous support for families and businesses affected by the war, former presidential contender Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., said Tuesday.

Kerry told reporters he will try to attach the proposal to the $82 billion supplemental appropriations bill Bush proposed Monday, chiefly for the costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. 'It's the right thing to do for Congress to stand by military families,' Kerry said. "
---
Wait a minute! Isn't this the same Kerry who actually did vote for the $87 billion dollars before he voted against it? I find it amazing that this article - or any article for that matter - didn't include the now infamous quote in their stories.

Senate Case On Annan's Son Grows

2005-02-15T13:12:00.000-07:00

Senate strengthens case on Annan's son / The Washington Times INSIDER

The benchmark set by the Senate should be consistent throughout the Oil For Food investigation. When the Volker Commission states a claim, assume it is 10 times worse. Benan Sevan was reported by Volker to have obtained $160,000 in questionable payment. The Senate believes the illegal payments to be $1.2 million.

Make no mistake about it. Crimes were committed and lives of Iraqi civilians were lost because of it.

My wife asked me a very good question this morning: so what? We know the UN Oil For Food program was corrupt and will soon prove it. None of that matters unless we do something about it. Although I'd love to see the US drop the UN like a bad habit, that's not realistic. What I'd love to see is the new Iraqi government charge Benan Sevan, Kofi Annan, and Kojo Annan, as well as anyone else involved, with war crimes or crimes against humanity. Let them spend the next 30 years in jail. That may be the most justice we can expect.

New AIDS Strain Search Continues

2005-02-15T12:36:00.000-07:00

Gadsden Times AIDS Strain Article

AIDS may well be the only disease that can be completely eliminated through education. For that reason alone, I support the attention and funding that HIV / AIDS is given. However, this recent panic over a new "supervirus" strain of HIV has highlighted two very important facts.

1. Government cannot educate. Though politically incorrect to do so, I'd like the following question to be asked: If we can spend billions of dollars on AIDS education - a matter of life and death - to no effect, what makes us think that pouring billions of dollars into other educational programs will be successful?

2. The "AIDS Community" is lost. I've seen any number of documentaries claim that if Reagan acted soon enough, we would've stopped AIDS before it ever started. That is wrong. But here you have scientists trying to alert New Yorkers of a new strain and you see the scientific community as well as the alternative lifestyle community dismiss it as too early to tell and a scare tactic. Now wait a minute, isn't a scare tactic a good thing? Don't we want people engaging in unsafe acts to be scared of the consequences? It is simply amazing to watch.

It is for these reasons that, although I support AIDS education efforts, I have no faith in the will of the activists to do what is right for AIDS prevention instead of what is right for their particular groups. In the end, they have become just another group of lobbyists trying desperately to hold on to the influence they have gained instead of eliminating it through the elimination of the condition altogether.

States Mull Taxing Drivers By Mile

2005-02-15T12:11:00.000-07:00

CBS News | States Mull Taxing Drivers By Mile | February 15, 2005�10:30:02

First, beware the source. Coming from CBS, this may or may not be a fabricated story.

I hate to continuously refer back to previous posts, but refer back to the post regarding Colorado's recent tax hike on cigarettes. Whenever you tax as a form of punishment or provide incentive top avoid use, or both, you will decrease the use of the product you are taxing. In this case, gasoline is heavily taxed (40.7 cents per gallon, or roughly 22% per gallon of 87 octane in Colorado) while at the same time Americans are taught to conserve gasoline for a multitude of reasons. So what suffers? The tax coffers. And don't think for a minute interested parties will stand idly by and watch their funding shrink. Enter tax-by-the-mile.

Really, the only fair way to tax highway use is by weight-mile. The weight of your vehicle compounded by the mileage to determine a use tax. A bicycle can ride on the highway for 500 years with very little damage. A semi can run over a stretch of road maybe 10 time before ruts begin to form. Damage is a function of weight and mileage and if fairness was a concern, that's how it would be done. Obviously, the bulk of the tax would be assessed on semis and you would start to see prices creep in the grocery store, because as consumers, you always pay in the end.

So what happens to the left leaning states of California and Oregon when they impose such taxes? That's simple. Business begin to move and the population along with them. We have already seen a mass exodus of jobs from California due to their punitive business policies. Your tax base shrinks and once again you are forced to get creative in assessing more taxes. Add to that the introduction of the black market. Here you really see free market economics at work. It will start with filling up gas cans instead of your car's tank and will escalate to profiteers offering tax-free gas at undisclosed locations.

I am not opposed to changing tax collecting methods especially when the burden is distributed in a fair manner (take the flat tax, for example) and I do recognize that infrastructure maintenanceis one of the few legitimate responsibilities of government. But the thought that California and Oregon are leading this charge should make everyone very suspicious.

Ward Churchill and Joe Camel

2005-02-14T11:56:00.000-07:00

Thinking more about the Ward Churchill debacle at my alma matter (CU-Boulder), I couldn't help but draw this comparison.

In Colorado, a subject of much debate lately has been the idea of political diversity. Universities already have affirmative action in place for women and minorities, so the thought is why not actively promote diversity in an area where it could actually be beneficial. Specifically, request that Universities present both sides of an argument.

All reasonable persons agree that the "social sciences" are bastions of the left on college campuses. So when this idea of political diversity was brought to the attention of Regents at CU and around the state, the obvious reaction was one of disdain. After all, these teachers are simply teaching ways of thinking, they are not indoctrinating. Students are and always have been free to make up their own minds and need to be able to filter things they are told.

This brings me back to the beginning. Here you have the same people who believed Joe Camel convinced generation upon generation of impressionable youngsters to smoke simply because he was a cartoon. But the idea that teachers hold sway over what their students learn and eventually believe is preposterous.

Social Security Private Accounts 'Oversold'

2005-02-14T08:31:00.000-07:00

Yahoo! News - Private accounts 'oversold,' senator says

I am still in amazement over the number of Republicans "allowed" to speak against Social Security reform. Here, a junior senator is obviously running scared thinking his constituents may turn on him.

What is telling in his remarks is the reference to Reagan and O'Neil's working together to fix Social Security in the 80's through raising the retirement age and payroll taxes. Amazingly enough, Senator Graham is proposing almost the same thing. I would like to ask one question: if "putting ideology aside" is so great and they found a way to "save" Social Security, why are we still in the crisis we are now? Easy, you can never have enough money, never have enough benefits, never have enough, period. Unless our population growth suddenly kicks in to overdrive, we will eventually reach a point where we have a very modest to even growth, much like Europe. If that will be the case, at some point you will have 1 worker subsidizing one retiree. That simply doesn't work. 12% of your salary today is not enough for a retiree to live on, today. However, 48-60% (4-5 workers per one) can be close to enough, which is basically what we have now. The whole point (or ideology if you will) behind this reform is to slowly move away from this method of retirement and allow individuals to decide on their own how much they need to retire and when they would like to switch from worker to retiree. These basic facts are left out because it's a whole lot easier to use fear than ideology to motivate rank and file voters.

Dems Put Their Faith in Dr. Dean

2005-02-11T14:58:00.000-07:00

Ailing Democrats Put Their Faith in Dr. Dean (washingtonpost.com):
"He represents the antiwar wing of a party debating where it should stand on national security issues, and he offers a secular vision of the world at a time when Democrats worry that they have ceded the values of faith and spirituality to Republicans.
Harold Ickes, deputy chief of staff to President Bill Clinton, supports Dean's candidacy for party chairman but said Democrats must find a way to talk differently about such issues as abortion, gay rights, guns and the environment. 'We're on the right side of those issues, but they have hurt us with a lot of people in too many jurisdictions,' he said. 'We have to learn how to talk about those without ceding our principles.' "

The post does a surprisingly good job at getting this story right. Unlike past chairs, Dean is well known to the American public. His antics and his politics are well documented. One main problem the Dems have in Dean will be his inability to soften or change his positions as is often required of party chairs. He can always say what the party wants him to say, but the American public know him too well to believe him. And as I have always said, that kind of chair can only help the other side.

One problem that the Dems have caught on to, though they refuse to realize how to fix, is the state parties and their importance. Organization at the grass roots level - something the Republicans have bested the Dems at in 2002 and 2004 - is extremely important. Policy starts at the local level, and you really need state assemblies in your favor to make the day in and day out differences in people's lives. Nowhere is that more apparent than in Colorado where the state Republican party put all its effort into the Presidential campaign and lost both houses of the state assembly and one senate seat in the process. Those are the races the Republicans need to spend a lot of time on in 2006.

All in all, the Dean campaign is an optimistic one for conservative values.

Wal-Mart Store Closes Due To Union

2005-02-10T08:13:00.000-07:00

My Way News - Wal Mart Closes Store

You've got to love Wal Mart. Even if you don't particularly like to shop there, here is a store that has used the free market to lower prices and allow people to afford certain items that they otherwise could not. In reality, it is the store of the working man. But liberals don't see it that way. They see a corporate giant punishing all in its path in order to lower its prices and drive Ma & Pa stores out of business.

In a sign that Wal Mart will not compromise, they have decided to pull the plug on a Canadian store after the UFCW (United Food and Commercial Workers Union) became the first to win some sort battle that would force this store to unionize. Knowing that would only start its labor problems and also make the store less competitive, Wal Mart decided to close shop rather than become a "closed shop" - a union term meaning only union members could be employed.

The lost jobs and lost tax revenue should send a signal to Canadian officials that unions often do more harm than good, but something tells me they won't get that message.

Condi For President 2008

2005-02-09T13:00:00.000-07:00

To stop Hillary, draft Condi

Such a flurry of blogging, but there is simply so much out there to comment on. I will attempt to return to my focus issues after this.

When Condi was first mentioned as a presidential candidate, I thought it was nonsense. Forget being the first woman, but the first minority woman president? As much as I think the left overplays the discrimination card, there is still some discrimination out there and I thought that it may be too much at once to think Condi has a chance.

I was wrong. We all know of Condi's brilliance. But she has shown a real determination and ability to stand firm in the face of the Europeans that leads me to believe she may well be the best candidate at this early date. If it became necessary, I have every faith that she would go to war to protect this nation and that is definitely opposite of the feeling one gets with Sen. Clinton. The more I think about, the better it seems.

OK Given To Clone Human Embryos

2005-02-09T12:53:00.000-07:00

OK given to clone human embryos / The Washington Times INSIDER

In 1996 when Dolly the Sheep was cloned, world outcry came and it appeared that there was unanimous support behind a ban on human cloning. And here we have our closest ally in Britain sanctioning just that practice.

I honestly thought the idea of cloning a human in 1996 was so foreign that legislation to ban it was useless since no one would ever be so foolish to attempt it. Again, here we are.

Part of what makes humans what they are (and even liberals agree) is our respect for life. Cloning appears to be at odds with that respect. The creation of life only to destroy it for informational purposes is wrong. I hope the Bush administration pushes through a ban in a timely fashion so that once again America can lead the world in morality and at least shine light on the correct moral path for what is becoming a morally bankrupt Europe.

Virginia House Approves Gay 'Marriage' Ban

2005-02-09T12:47:00.000-07:00

Virginia House approves gay 'marriage' ban / The Washington Times INSIDER

I had mistakenly stated in a previous post that 11 states ratified gay marriage bans in 2004. The number was actually 13. The only reason that number wasn't larger was that in many states a 2-3 year legislative process is required to get such measures to the voters.

It is tough to argue that God (or Nature if you are so inclined) intended the union of marriage to include anything but a man and a woman. The survival of the human race depends first on its reproduction and marriage is an institution that was started for that particular purpose. A happy marriage of man and woman is the best (I realize not the only or even only acceptable) way to raise and educate children.

On principle, you hate to mandate behavior through constitutional amendment (state in this case), and I would argue against doing so if weren't for the activist judges requiring otherwise.

Ward Churchill And The Taxpayers

2005-02-09T12:40:00.000-07:00

Rocky Mountain News: Local: Ward Churchill: I Do Not Work For Taxpayers

I've put a lot of thought into the Ward Churchill scandal, essentially equating Americans who work to Nazis. On the one hand, he has the right to say and believe anything he wants. However, the last time I checked, the First amendment provides freedom of speech, not freedom from consequence.

The simple fact of the matter is Ward Churchill DOES work for the taxpayers, weather he likes it or not. The University of Colorado is subsidized partially by taxpayers. That would include both the podium he uses to "teach" his students and his $94,000 salary. I think this story could be different if CU and colleges in general were places where the free exchange of ideas could take place. If there really was balance between presentation of conservative and liberal views. If there was a professor opposite Churchill stating the exact opposite argument and allowing students to decide, that would seem reasonable.

The problem is that most colleges are subject to political correctness where anything that offends anyone is expressly outlawed - with the one exception being the gay community outreach efforts. Conservative organizations are shouted down and ruled "intolerant" and forced off campus. Under these rules that the liberal elite themselves have placed on colleges, does this situation not qualify as politically incorrect? Does it not offend? I suggest that under the current rules governing the campus in Boulder, any conservative making the same type of statements would have been fired before the story hit the news.

In the end, the taxpayers will act as employers and request that their children not be subjected to such rubbish. That is not the education they are paying for. And don't think for a moment the Board of Regents doesn't realize that the fate of many Alumni contributions is tied to this decision.

Poll: Tap Wealthy On Social Security

2005-02-09T12:27:00.000-07:00

Poll: Tap wealthy on Social Security

This story leaves one glaringly obvious point out. The reason there is a cap on SS payroll tax in the first place is that benefits are capped. If SS is really a "trust fund" and you are just paying in to get benefits later, doesn't it make sense that if your benefits are capped so should your contributions? Now, let's say you take the cap off. Should the people that pay the most (the "wealthy") get the least? That is exactly what the second position in the poll is. Basically, tax the rich more while reducing their benefits. I would enjoy seeing the results of the same poll if the two questions were:
1. Should the amount of taxes paid into SS affect the level of benefit you receive?
2. Should the people that pay the most into SS get the least benefit?

Charity

2005-02-09T12:18:00.000-07:00

Individual Giving | Catholic Relief Services

Continuing, lent is a time for many things, one of which is giving. I have linked to a worthy and efficent charity that provides relief to those in need around the world. Please give if you can.

Ash Wednesday

2005-02-09T12:15:00.000-07:00

U.S. Catholic Bishops - New American Bible Feb 9, 2005

For Catholics, today is a day of Holy obligation. I have linked to today's sermon for those unable to attend.

Vs. Indifference

2005-02-08T07:46:00.000-07:00

The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." John Stuart Mill ~ (1868)

One of my all time favorite quotes, in a slightly shortened form. A morning drive in Denver with the snow falling and the windows down has helped sweep the cobwebs of indifference from my mind, even if at the expense of my now stinging ears, and remind me of this quote.

A couple of off-topic things before I delve into another day. Having made a masterful CD-mix - aptly titled the Szechwan Mix - I was reminded that the Cardigans Long Gone Before Daylight, now 2 years old, is still the best album of the last 10 years. Also, I have recently discovered The Concretes, whose "Say Something New" is quite inspiring to those who enjoy the dark comedies in the vain of Lost In Translation and Garden State. Not sure why that is the barometer, but it apparently is. And last, it is of basic human importance to have something for which to fight. After all, that is the reason I began RedRight in the first place.

Bush's Budget

2005-02-07T08:39:00.000-07:00

AP - Bush Sends Congress $2.57 Trillion Budget

Get ready. Get ready for the stories of the homeless starving in the streets and the children who won't be able to read if these cuts go into effect. Get ready for crying on both sides of the aisle. Representatives are re-elected based on programs and money they bring home and no one wants to give up that kind of political capitol.

One major problem when you cut taxes (as happened with Reagan) is that you actually increase revenue as the cuts spur on the economy and create jobs. You see those extra dollars and figure why not give a little to the other side by increasing spending. The next thing you know, you're running deficits again. Dems complain that the deficit is reaching record highs (not actually correct if viewed as a percentage of GDP, as it should be), but you don't see them complaining that we're spending too much money, do you? They either want tax hikes or elimination of military spending, or both. This is the first step - and a small one at that, in reducing the role of the federal government and should be applauded.

Lobbying Social Security

2005-02-07T08:27:00.000-07:00

USA Today - Lobbying war hits airwaves

Bring it on, I say. Although you'll find plenty of people scared once the AARP gets their propaganda out there, you'll find many, if not most, seniors in support of private accounts. Why, you ask?

1. They know (well most of them do) that their benefits will not be cut. It is not and never will be on the table. It's up to the Republicans to drive that message home.

2. They also know more than anyone the mental agony of saving and having enough for retirement. After enduring years of politics where SS has been used to motivate votes in one direction or another, they want to save future generations from that same agony. Most seniors know how important having your own retirement funds is to maintaining a standard of living and want to see non-retirees in control of the maximum amount of their own money.

The lobbyists will try hard and put a good amount of fear into the non-retirees by doing so, but I wouldn't be too concerned about a senior backlash at this point.

Airline Security Tax To Increase

2005-02-07T08:15:00.000-07:00

Airlines aim to ground doubling of security tax / The Washington Times INSIDER

Only a few days ago I wrote a synopsis of why we need to do away with the TSA, and I know I was not alone in dreading the creation of the TSA from the outset. And now, the taxes assessed on their behalf are set to more than double for 1-way fares and rise from $5 to $8 maximum charge. This may not sound like much and certainly would be justifiable IF the TSA was really making you safer. Next time you book an airfare, look at the taxes and fees. You'll see charges ranging from $30 to $75 in misc. taxes. One has to ask, how did we ever manage security before this latest tax? As with all government programs is there ever a chance of getting rid of it? Probably not.

Sisyphean Musings: Eason Jordan WEF Video

2005-02-05T13:20:00.000-07:00

Sisyphean Musings: Eason Jordon WEF Video

So many blogs are covering the Eason Jordan story so well that I had decided to pass on it, I simply did not have time for the research to keep up with the rest of the well run blogs out there. For the time being, keep referring to the link above as it appears they will get the video first.

Let me echo comments I have heard throughout the week: slander of our military is not new or news from MSM. Their contempt for America and its strength has never waned. CNN is sealing its own grave by burying the story. Anyone see the ratings lately? That channel is a non-starter and probably does not deserve the attention being paid to it.

That said, there's nothing like watching the blogosphere take down these guys after having been emboldened the past 50 years to slander America with impugnity. Rather: down. Jordan: down. Who's next I wonder?

Judge Strikes Down New York's Ban On Same-Sex Marriage

2005-02-04T13:33:00.000-07:00

Newsday.com: Judge strikes down New York's ban on same-sex marriage

Here we go. Get ready for yet another battle in he next 2 years. Legislation from the bench when all 11 state amendments passed last year - if this is upheld on appeal (I have no information as of yet on this judge or the impending appeal judge), look for a hard push on a US Constitutional Amendment.

Clinton Wants To Privatize

2005-02-04T13:23:00.000-07:00

Lifted from PoliPundit.com
You hate to cite Clinton as a source, but man are the Dems stepping on themselves this time:

Start Lift:

Today, Social Security is strong. But by 2013, payroll taxes will no longer be sufficient to cover monthly payments. And by 2032, the trust fund will be exhausted, and Social Security will be unable to pay out the full benefits older Americans have been promised.
The best way to keep Social Security a rock-solid guarantee is not to make drastic cuts in benefits; not to raise payroll tax rates; and not to drain resources from Social Security in the name of saving it.
* * *
Specifically, I propose that we commit 60 percent of the budget surplus for the next 15 years to Social Security, investing a small portion in the private sector just as any private or state government pension would do. This will earn a higher return and keep Social Security sound for 55 years.
– President . . . William Jefferson Clinton, January 19, 1999. (Emphasis added.)

:End Lift.

SS Flip Flop By Harry Reid

2005-02-04T13:11:00.000-07:00

U.S. Newswire : Releases : "RNC: Harry Reid's Real 'American Promise': Obstruction...":

"-- But In 1999, Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) Said: '(M)ost Of Us Have No Problem With Taking A Small Amount Of The Social Security Proceeds And Putting It Into The Private Sector.' (Fox's 'Fox News Sunday,' 2/14/99)"

Released by the RNC, this quote is finding more and more attention, with good reason. Don't think the Bush administration didn't know about this long ago. Once again, the Dems will be exposed as obstructionists with sour grapes who once even supported the privatization plan.

Volker Interim Report: Procurement

2005-02-04T08:52:00.000-07:00

Full Volker Interim Report

I find myself in a very competent position to analyze at least this section of the Volker report. What this report shows for those who can interpret what occurred in the procurement process is that the framework to circumvent UN sanctions and profiteer from the UN Oil For Food program were in place before the program even started. Let me explain:

Bank Selection. If anything, the bank selection shows the ineptness of Madeline Albright and the Clinton Administration. First, a "long list" of 16 qualified banks was produced for this program. In the vetting process, Iraq submitted it's recommended short list which included one bank not on the list - Banque Nationale De Paris. When the list was culled to a "short list" of 6, BNP had been added. The short list contained banks from 4 countries: USA (2), France (1), Germany (1), and Switzerland (2). Due to a vague RFP and short bid time, only 4 managed to submit RFPs. Of the four banks, Iraq requested that the French or Swiss banks be selected. Based on qualifications and price alone, Credit Suisse was the clear winner. Enter Madeline Albright. Though not detailed in the report, we know what happened: Albright rightly rejected the Swiss bank as the Swiss are renowned for their secrecy in banking and that was not desired in this case. Who's left? BNP. That's right, Albright was duped into selecting the bank the UN and Iraq wanted all along. What should have occurred was that a normal bid time be instituted and all 6 banks be given the opportunity to bid. This would have given the US and German banks left out a chance to compete.

Those familiar with procurement will tell you that it takes extraordinary circumstances (if it is ever done at all) for a firm not on a long list to make it to a short list. It simply doesn't happen. That should be the first clue that preplanning was involved in getting the "right" bank under contract. It is not lost on me that this bank is French.

Oil Inspector Selection. What we have here is a case of bid shopping. Bid shopping occurs when the rules of bidding are followed to receive bids. At the time of receipt, the preferred contractor(s) are contacted and given some idea of what their bid should be in order to be awarded the contract. This may be as specific as divulging bid information or simply stating "you should come down a little." Based on the closeness of where the bid ended, it seems apparent that actual bids were divulged. In the United States, bid shopping is not illegal, but it is widely agreed to be unethical in the contracting community. It is readily apparent from the report that one contractor was favored and fought for by specific individuals and subsequently lowered their bid to win the contract. Also of note was that the bid was qualified to be lowered for a very specific reason. During award, that reason was rejected, but the contract price never changed. Without boring everyone with the details, that also does not happen.

Goods Inspector Selection. This sounds innocent. There is a French bank and they didn't want to use a French inspector even though they were the low bidder. In all probability, the inspector was chosen before hand (officials knowing the unlikelihood that 2 contractors from the same country will be selected) and pushed through the system. This was a much easier sell as the "conflict of political interest" was trumpeted and bids were simply rejected. Enter Benon Sevan authorizing just this kind of action.

All in all, this paints a very premeditated picture. Maybe one of these happens, but not all three in such a short amount of time unless there is conspiracy to do so. More to follow.

Wash Post Corrects SS Clawback Story

2005-02-03T21:52:00.000-07:00

Participants Would Lose Some Profits From Accounts (washingtonpost.com)

Well, you have to hand it to the Washington Post - they retracted and reprinted their story which described a "clawback" system where not all of your earnings from private accounts would come back to you.

Of course they would. They also point out correctly that the gain over the Social Security benefit would be minimal at 4% contribution level (especially considering the major restriction on investment that are sure to come to ensure a level of safety), but that misses the point. If social security becomes insolvent, you get nothing - or more probably - either a reduction in benefit or higher taxes.

Reports also leave out two important factors: 1) the account is yours and cannot be taken away, that is a real trust fund. A 4% contribution will give way to 5% and so on as an individual realizes what they are saving for and can watch their accounts grow. Hopefully, this will cause future Congresses to raise the 4% level accordingly until we have weaned America from SS. 2) All of this investment causes capitol formation - a side benefit that improves the economy and creates jobs, all of which can result in higher rates of return. This is one reason 401(k)'s are so popular and so good for the country when managed correctly.

As you can see - I will not let this one go.

House Republicans Skeptical On Soc. Sec.

2005-02-03T21:39:00.000-07:00

Yahoo! News - House Republicans Skeptical on Soc. Sec.

It has always amazed me; the gutlessess of some politicians - on both sides. What you have now are Republicans so terrified of losing their seats that they begin to back away from one of the most important conservative agenda items in history. They become so drunk with power that they don't realize their position as a member of the majority party is worthless if you can't enact legislation based on the principles that got you elected in the first place.

One thing I wish everyone would stop doing is misstating the contribution to personal accounts. It benefits both parties to do so, but it is flat wrong. The payroll tax is 12%. 6% by the individual and 6% by the employer. You get to put away 2/3 of your 6%, or a total of 4% of gross earnings which means only 1/3 is being diverted to private accounts. It may sound small, but it's still a place to start. All things considered, Bush should drive that point home once the debating begins to ease some of the concerns even though that would risk people asking if it was worth it in the end for 4%.

The House will be fine. You'll see a number of republicans vote no to save their jobs, but no filibuster means it will pass in the end. The real problem will be the Senate. With 2-3 Republicans voting no, the Whip (and President) will need to work overtime to get the 60 votes for cloture. After that, the actual vote will probably be 51-49, with the Whip agreeing to allow a few extra nays in exchange for cloture.

Without question, a very difficult road ahead. The Republicans need to start debating on their principles because the Dems cannot match them in the arena of ideas. The Dems only have scare tactics at this point. If the Republicans can do this and hold the party together, they will change the history of this nation for the better.

Why Bush Wants Personal Retirement Accounts

2005-02-03T09:36:00.000-07:00

Yahoo! News - Why Bush wants personal retirement accounts

Really, this story gets most of it right. The free market has always worked. It has made this country what it is today. Does anyone remember what they paid for phone service just 10 years ago? Let me remind you: 25 cents a minute for long distance. If you were lucky, you might have been down to 15 cents. With the restrictions lifted and numerous competitors entering the market, the average price today is 5-7 cents per minute.

The fact of the matter is that if you allow the financial houses in the country - and there are many - compete for such a large amount of money, you will see great things happen. The government operational costs are about 2% of the SS take. This number is admittedly low - but can anyone disagree that the free market will learn to do it better?

This article rightly points out that FDR single handedly transformed the political landscape (for the worse in my humble opinion) with the New Deal. Republicans have that same opportunity here by turning the responsibility for your future back to you. And I for one will always trust myself with my money more than the government with my money.

More certainly to follow.

Local: Blind Day Care

2005-02-03T07:49:00.000-07:00

DenverPost.com - LOCAL NEWS - Blind Denied Daycare license

I couldn't help myself on this one. This blind couple wants to run a day care out of their home. This is important, because this would obviously be a different case if they were the owners and had employees doing at least some of the work for them. But to claim that two blind people can effectively manage four children that are not their own is ridiculous. That is a completely different situation than if the kids are yours, where the child and you learn to work together. The children in a day care setting do not benefit from that 24-7 parent-child relationship. Sure, people cry foul when the license is denied, but who demands the highest level of care for the children? Where are those advocates?

In the end, is it reasonable to discriminate in the public interest? In limited cases that answer is yes. Let me cite an example: are blind people discriminated against in that they are not allowed to drive vehicles? Yes they are.

Hill Investigators Wary Of U.N. Scam Report

2005-02-03T07:38:00.000-07:00

Hill investigators wary of U.N. scam report / The Washington Times INSIDER

Let me make a bold prediction and say that there will be very little in terms of revelation in the Volker report. In the January 2005 Archives (right), I detailed why some of the internal audit documents they are using will help them make the case of gross negligence instead of criminal embezzlement.

As always, the only way this investigation will come to a rightful conclusion is for the US to do it, and it sounds like they have taken the first step of dismissing the Volker report before it's published.

State Of The Union

2005-02-02T20:51:00.000-07:00

Just to recap the evening. I thought the President did especially well and did a good job of laying out a very aggressive 2nd term agenda. As I've been saying all along, Social Security is so important not only from a financial standpoint but from an ideological standpoint as well. I applaud the courage of taking on this issue. It would be very easy for the Republicans to sit back and tinker at the margins in an attempt to secure further gains in 2006. I will continue posting all I can on the Social Security plan and debate.

The Dems rebuttal was weak, but you couldn't expect much from anyone in that position. They sure like to throw around faith and values these days, don't they?

I thought the post-interview with Freshman Senator Salazar (D-CO) was telling. Obviously the rookie, he tried to regurgitate the talking points, but didn't quite get he was supposed to be adamantly against private accounts.

For the President to succeed, he must get the plan out and into debate as soon as possible. He must bring the full pressure to bear on the House and Senate - especially the center left and right. We need a vote or at least be well into the filibuster by the end of the year, otherwise trouble could start brewing for the 2006 election with that debate still so fresh.

The salvos at the anti-democracy countries were great and, of course, the one downfall was the very poor vision the President carries for immigration reform - the one issue that may come back to haunt the 2008 election.

Half of Bankruptcy Due to Medical Bills

2005-02-02T16:25:00.000-07:00

Yahoo! News - Half of Bankruptcy Due to Medical Bills -- U.S. Study

Here is the problem with the healthcare industry. Yes, frivolous lawsuits and outrageously high damage awards help it along, but the real problem boils down to market economics.

The average person can tell you what they paid for their car, their home, or even tell you the going rates for these items. Can you tell me how much your last surgery cost or what the going rate for bone marrow transplants (for example) is? You might be able to tell me what it cost you, but odds are you don't know what the whole cost is - pre-insurance. That's a real problem.

Insurance companies - HMOs, PPOs, etc. do benefit from one thing: bulk. Most large companies can negotiate down the costs of services in exchange for patient traffic. This discount comes right off the top of the cost and is not available to the average patient (just like the bulk price for autos is not available to the average consumer because you're buying one at a time). But that really is where the advantage stops.

I have always advocated an insurance system similar to auto insurance. Auto insurance is there to cover major damage - not routine maintenance. Although you can argue that regular check-ups catch problems early and actually save money in the system, you would be missing the bigger picture. If all of the sudden, 95% of patients had to pay all routine and small-type surgery costs, let's say up to a $5,000 deductible, you will have just added a dose of market economics into the picture. All of the sudden, pricing AND quality would come to the forefront and consumers would start making informed decisions. A recent example: one set of lab tests cost $500, but the end cost to the patient was $13. For $13, you don't argue. For $500, you want to know where every penny comes from. The healthcare industry would be forced to compete and that is when efficiency and innovation take off. To go back to the same example, every model year you see new features and fierce competition for customers. Healthcare should be no different. An informed consumer would have 10-15 facilities competing for their business with better and newer equipment, the best doctors, and the most reasonable pricing.

With the advent of Medical Savings Accounts where you save incrementally tax free, we are in the best environment yet to spur these kind of changes. It will take a very long time to get there, but we will eventually. You can start the ball rolling by simply calling your provider each and every time you get a bill and have them explain it to the penny. If enough people started doing that, the healthcare industry would start seeing a need to compete by providing more cost and general information up front instead of in the rear (so to speak).

Law of the Sea Treaty

2005-02-02T12:29:00.000-07:00

Law of the Sea Treaty

I am by no means an expert on this particular treaty, but I know one thing for sure. The world already has one world-government too many (the UN) and the establishment of another, especially in light of how irresponsible and worthless the UN has become, would be unconscionable. Please visit the above link for a ton of information on the treaty and the ability to email your Senators.

Red vs. Blue Groundhogs Go Toe to Toe

2005-02-02T11:32:00.000-07:00

Groundhog Predicts More Wintry Weather

Leave it to the Blue-Stater Punx. Phil to pessimistically predict 6 more weeks of cold while Red-Stater Gen. B. Lee is optimistic about an early spring.

Phil was overheard saying this winter is a quagmire and it's not likely that the US will see an early spring without first engaging the world community of groundhogs (GCI - Groundhog Communite Internationale). As if sensing the split, the French Representative called on Gen. Lee to first submit his findings to the GCI before proceeding with his forecast. Gen. Lee respectfully declined, highlighting the growing tension in the animal forecasting community.

Airport Security

2005-02-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

New fight over TSA screeners

This is a rewrite of the substandard post from yesterday:

The above article is the tip of what I hope will be the continuing trend of reclaiming the American way, some 3 years following 9/11.

In regards to the TSA, we have created - to conservatives chagrin at the time, yet another government bureaucracy. While most agree that national defense does belong i nthe hands of the federal government, this is slightly different.

First and foremost, does anyone believe that box cutters could not get past the current screening? We're not talking guns here. Guns slip through very rarely today just as was the case 5 years ago. Either way, people are not getting firearms on the plane. If you accept that point, ask yourself: will any American airliner fall into the hands of terrorists wielding box cutter (or some similar device)? Of course not. The American public is too brave and now too knowledgeable to ever let that happen again.

Second, have we ever had a case of private firms doing worse than the government? I can't think of one. Private firms will compete and the most efficient and comprehensive firms will be chosen. I think it would be reasonable to expect a 2-3 year contract term after which the bidding process begins again to ensure healthy competition. You will end up with faster more reliable screening service.

Third, the argument has been put forth that this is a return to pre-9/11 security and should be shunned. No one advocates going back to the pitiful state of screening that we had then. But if you concede the first point, we are spending 2-3 hours in security lines and dealing with the ridiculous hassle for nothing. We are talking about the travel industry, where speed and efficiency is everything when it comes to profits. Allowing for a little more ease of movement, you may see a few airlines actually emerge from Chapter 11. In the end the TSA came about to make us feel safe, not actually make us safe. Anyone traveling frequently can see that.

It should also not be lost that privatization has always found an enemy in the left, and this is no different. Dems are loathe to cede power away from the government and, ultimately, their control. Just as they cannot be trusted with defending the country, they cannot be trusted to not exploit tragedy and fear to benefit politically and enlarge the already bloated bureaucracy.

Last, we are winning this war. We will win this war. There should be no doubt in anyone's mind. Anytime you enter an airport, look around and try to remember what it looked like in the Summer of 2001. Ask yourself when we get it back. I think this is as good a time as any to reclaim our way of life and business and deal yet another blow to the terrorists' morale.

Iran Open To Ties With U.S.

2005-02-01T21:35:00.000-07:00

Yahoo! News - Iran open to ties with U.S.

This article should bring a smile to the face of anyone paying attention. Why would Iran court diplomacy with the US? One reason and one reason only - Iraq. Yes, my dear friends, the Bush doctrine is in fact working.

The only thing a dictator has to fear is the loss of power and Iran is showing that fear. Make no mistake, there is good reason that this statement came so soon after the Iraqi elections. The Iranian leaders saw a people who just a few months ago were in the same situation as their own. They see the Iraqis thirst for freedom and know their neighbor's enthusiasm is sure to spread. If they know anything about world history, they must know that the march of freedom is difficult to stop or resist.

Not lost in the recent overtures to the US government is the real threat Iran's leaders must feel after seeing a determined coalition cast off the antique-chic views of "world government" and stand up for what is right. A sore world indeed will be made for those who stand in the path of the righteous.

Democrats May Filibuster Gonzales

2005-02-01T13:18:00.000-07:00

Democrats weigh filibuster to delay, block Gonzales appointment

What we have now is a party who desparately wants to be thought of as powerful. This is going way beyond a failure to learn your lessons and retool for the next election. What we have here is a party determined to take what it cannot win.

Really, what the Dems do does not concern me. What does concern me is the Republican reaction to it. The very first filibuster will set the tone for the next two years - justice appointments, legislation, etc. The Bush administration and Senate leadership need to nip this in the bud. If a filibuster is what the Dems want, the Republicans need to hold them to it. I want 180 days of 24-hour debate. All the while, putting talking points out on every station about how it's the same old party that won't even allow the legislature to vote. It'll be a record that even Dean can't wiggle out of.

U2 Update

2005-01-31T13:53:00.000-07:00

U2.com | Official News

For those of you that care, it appears U2 have finally (1 week later - not dissimilar to the Rathergate stonewall) apologized and are offering refunds for those that paid $40 for "guaranteed priority booking." Although the apology would have been a lot easier to swallow if issued immediately (thus giving fans a fighting chance at the public on sale dates of Sat and Sun)., it is good to finally get the words.

U2 Log Explanation

As far as I can tell, this account offers the most complete explanation as to why this all occurred in the first place.

Germany May Force Women Into Prostitution

2005-01-31T13:00:00.000-07:00

Telegraph | News | 'If you don't take a job as a prostitute, we can stop your benefits'

All I can say is: Wow.

If there were ever a story about the moral bankruptcy of the left, which extends to many European countries, this is it.

Let's face it, if you have a legal business and are forced to pay into these massive government programs for health and welfare, you have the right to expect the same benefits as other business, in this case access to the jobless to provide a job. And if an able person is unwilling to work, they should have their benefits cut. Aside from disagreeing with the social programs, I think this portion is fair.

But for a government to declare prostitution (or sex services of any kind) "no longer immoral" is ridiculous and is the same train of thought that caused such a high Republican turnout in the 2004 US elections. Government does not decide what is moral and what is not. Allowing government to usurp such power is dangerous and, as illustrated here, full of grave consequence.

State Democrats Back Dean For DNC Post

2005-01-31T12:43:00.000-07:00

AP Wire | 01/31/2005 | State Democrats back Dean for DNC post

I know I wrote a little while back about how tremendous having Dean as DNC chair would be, and I stand by those comments. Dean's rise to the chairmanship will in all likelyhood provide a windfall of Republican pickups in 2006, though we are probably past the point were there are enough battlegrounds to make those as substantial as in 2002 or 2004.

However, there is a little bit of hesitation in seeing Dean head the party. What we really need in this country is a 2 party system where both parties agree on some fundamental things, like the right of individuals instead of groups, limited government, etc. We should be having some real honest debate on HOW to reform Social Security, not IF to reform. With Dean as chairman, you see a party that has not learned the lessons of past elections and one that continues its drift left.

Sure, Dean is a clever politician and can do the DNC a lot of good by raising more money and choosing key battles to gain seats in state and national races. What people seem to forget is that when you push left, you end up pulling out the right as well. Can anyone argue that Move On Pac or America Coming Together didn't do as much to motivate the Right as it did the Left? I think we will see some pretty interesting 2006 elections should this come to pass.

Castro & Human Rights

2005-01-29T21:55:00.000-07:00

FIDEL CASTRO AND HUMAN RIGHTS: 30 years later (12/18/1988):
"The massive executions, through secret trials without procedural safeguards of any type; the disappearances of the mortal remains of executed political opponents; the imprisonment of hundreds of thousands of opponents, either through kangaroo courts that did not even provide defendants with attorneys or through the so-called ``files of the socially dangerous;'' the tortures, the cruel and degrading treatment, and the inhuman living conditions that officially became known as ``The Secret War of Extermination of Every Form of Deviation or Resistance to the Cuban Governmental Ideology;'' the implacable religious persecution; the discrimination -- apartheid-style -- enforced for reasons of political opinion or religious belief; the denial of freedom of movement and the forced exile of Cubans who live abroad; the total disappearance of freedom of speech, of assembly, of peaceful association, of union rights, and of every civil and political right that are the bases of modern society.
These are all part of the catalogue of crimes of Fidel Castro's Cuba"

Continuing on with the latest train of thinking...

This article was written in 1988 before the collapse of the USSR and before anyone would have dreamed that Cuba, Castro, and Human Rights would be mentioned together in anything but a negative manner. And now Cuba sits on the Human Rights Council.

No Relief For Sudan's Agony

2005-01-29T21:43:00.000-07:00

Scotsman.com News - International - No relief for Sudan's agony as UN quibbles over the case for genocide:

"One of the thousands left in limbo by the report will be Aseena. When militias attacked her village the young Sudanese mother ran desperately for her life. A bullet tore off her right hand before lodging in her two-year-old daughter's heart, killing the child instantly.

Today she is one of 75,000 refugees in Kalma, Darfur's biggest refugee camp, who have been driven out of their villages by the Janjaweed, the dreaded Arab horsemen who are terrorising the region.

Yet at Kalma camp alone, 21 children are dying each day..."

I though the above quote, lifted from the linked story, illustrates my point well enough.

The big picture behind the Oil for Food scandal is the same picture that shows the rot that is the United Nations. Just as in Oil For Food, the UN is willing to turn a blind eye to human suffering when enough of its member-constituents is able to reap some benefit from it.

UN Denies Genocide Is Taking Place In Darfur - [Sunday Herald]

2005-01-29T21:36:00.000-07:00

UN denies genocide is taking place in Darfur - [Sunday Herald]

Someone really needs to explain to me again why we participate in the UN. Following a week of leaders issuing hollow cries of "Never Again" in the wake of the Holocaust anniversary, this article really helps you understand that the United States is the last protector of freedom. The only problem is, we can't do everything all at once. With our military tied up with protecting our own freedom on two fronts, the US government asks the UN to step in a help.

Let's revisit for just a minute the genocide that occurred in Bosnia. This is well before any bitterness over Iraq and when a certain Clinton was President. If Clinton, beloved by the world community, could not call the UN to action, no one can. And to his credit, he committed US power to stop the atrocities.

And here we are again, 4-5 genocides removed from the Holocaust and still the UN does nothing. But wait, new world powers were selected to the Un Human Rights Council. Among them: Cuba and Zimbabwe. I guess many on the left do consider Castro a humanitarian, but this is out of control. Where are the cries from other nations and the commitment to put an end to the killing? Where are the economic sanctions? Worthless as they are, they are the only symbol of disdain that the UN cares to issue, but still nothing.

So again it falls to the United States to be the beacon on the hill.

Iraqi Elections

2005-01-28T13:50:00.000-07:00

As the Iraqi Elections get underway and we continue to get the one-sided negative coverage out of the mainstream media, keep one thing in mind.

Democracy and freedom aren't free. Less we forget, the United States won its freedom after numerous bloody struggles. Not just the Revolution with Britain, but the French Indian war and conflicts with Spain threatened America before and during its initial sovereignty. And though independence was won in 1776, it wasn't until our 2nd Constitution that we began to operate as a nation in 1781. Then the War of 1812 and the Civil war. In reality, freedom cost America a great deal over the course of some 100 years.

Would any question today if it was worth it? Don't be so quick to be pessimistic when confronted with bad news out of newly free countries. This kind of change does not happen overnight. The election is an important step, but it is only the first.

U2 Become Most Hated Band

2005-01-26T21:01:00.000-07:00

An Open Letter to U2

This will be the last U2 post unless something earth shattering happens.

The open letter linked above shows the ongoing saga for so many fans who want to believe in what these guys are doing, but are slowly waking up to the reality.

The title above may sound harsh, but I can honestly say that in all my years following music and bands, I have never seen this level of disgust from a band's own fans. The damage may well prove irreparable.

Think about this: approx. 90,000 fans have subscribed at $40 each. That's $3.6 Mil. Those 90,000 fans were "guaranteed" - yes, that exact word was used - priority booking for 2 tickets. That's 180,000 tickets (world wide). By recent estimates, Ticketmaster and U2 allotted only 26,000. A blind man would've seen this coming. Talk of legal action will probably materialize. The documentation is all there and the money is no joke as stated above. Tough to call it anything other than it is - FRAUD.

U2 Ticketing Debacle

2005-01-26T10:55:00.000-07:00

U2 - Interference.com - U2 Ticketing Debacle

Continuing with the tirade, this article goes a little more in depth on how U2 became the ultimate politicians and broke a few campaign promises.

U2 Sticks It To Fans

2005-01-26T07:48:00.000-07:00

A little off-topic, but interesting considering Bono's "Man of the People" approach.

With the release of U2's Atomic Bomb, a new world tour is set to begin in March. Just like most bands, U2 had a fan club which allowed for the pre-purchase of prime tickets as a thank you for their support. Obviously, one assumes that mainly dedicated fans are paying money for fan club perks. As of 2001, the cost of the fan club was $20-$25 per "4-issues" which was typically a 2-3 year subscription. Not unreasonable.

However, last year the fan club closed. Enter U2.com, the new official site and host of a pay-membership for fans who just want a little more. In addition to a "stunning" membership card, you get what most bands offer for free - full video clips and a few downloads. Where the value comes in is this membership also advertises the ability to purchase prime tickets ahead of the public.

Let's forget for a moment the new price is $40. Let's forget that of the many subscribers who were previous fan club members never had their subscription fulfilled and somewhere around 50% did not get the 50% discount promised by the site.

Yesterday, Jan 25th, was the first pre-sale date. What no one realized is that U2 had negotiated with Ticketmaster for the presale and did one good thing - a very small reduction in the outlandish service fees - while doing something much worse. Tickets for fan club members are severely limited and certainly are not the "prime" seats that were advertised. Any look at typical U2 fan sites shows a large movement of disgruntled fans. In fact, many, if not most, fans who paid for this opportunity were shut out altogether.

I suppose that's one side effect of forgetting you're musicians instead of politicians. Promises are easily broken.

HMOs Pass On New Tax To Public

2005-01-26T07:37:00.000-07:00

HMOs pass on new tax to public / The Washington Times INSIDER

A blog on this exact deliberation is in the January 2005 Archives to the left.

And, what did we predict? Of course the tax is being passed on. No business can operate at a net loss (for very long - unless you are in Europe). Costs of doing business include things like overhead and tax liabilities in addition to actual service rendered. What amazes me is that every person in that assembly knew this would happen, knew it HAD to happen. But they get to claim they're taxing the business, not the patient. And isn't it terrible that "Big Business" is taking advantage of the little guy?

CDC To Loosen Flu-Shot Restrictions

2005-01-26T07:30:00.000-07:00

Yahoo! News - CDC to loosen flu-shot restrictions

What's this? We have SURPLUS flu shots? Wait, didn't a certain John F Kerry criticize the President and claim that the flu shot shortage was his fault? Anyone think we'll get an apology?

2,000 New Border Agents Not Part Of Budget

2005-01-25T09:11:00.000-07:00

Yahoo! News - 2,000 new border agents aren't part of budget, Ridge says

Every day, I seem to get more and more concerned that this administration can't get its act together. Yes, we are early in the new term and the cabinet has not yet been completed thanks to obstructionists in the Senate. But Bush needs to take the fight to them, not let pot shots be taken day in and day out.

When voters spoke, they asked for a number of things, not the least of which was increased security partially brought by increased control of our southern border. An increase of 2,000 is not even enough, but to say that we will not even try to hit that number concedes the illegal immigrant issue to Hillary in 2008, everyone and their brother see that one coming.

Social Security 'Crisis' Questioned

2005-01-24T11:07:00.000-07:00

Yahoo! News - Social Security 'crisis' questioned

As you can see, Red Right will not let the SS debate go without a fight.

But as you can see Republicans in vulnerable areas are already questioning the need for reform. The Administration needs to get the whip in action and get the party into line. This is way too early to be coming out against legislation that's not even been introduced.

Social Security Based On Race/Gender

2005-01-24T09:27:00.000-07:00

DRUDGE REPORT FLASH 2005�

Oh, the Dems will love this one. It's no secret that women live longer than men on average and the thought behind Bill Thomas' remarks is a good one. If you are trying to provide equal benefits, shouldn't the average length of retirement be looked at? Of course, this means women would wait longer than men to retire and potentially different races would have different retirement ages as well. In the big picture, it does seem somewhat un-American, doesn't it?

That brings me right back to the argument that government should not be in charge of when you retire, you should. And the only way that will happen is moving away from Social Security and into private accounts.

Global Warming

2005-01-24T08:22:00.000-07:00

News

I have never bought into the gloom and doom of the Global Warming crowd, and this report does not change my mind. All of these scientists, who are so quick to preach evolution over religion, want to throw the evolution argument out the window and tell everyone the sky is falling. To think that plant and animal life cannot (or has not over the past 4 billion or so years) adjust to a net change of 2 degrees C seems to be a pretty pessimistic view.

On the other hand, I am certainly in favor of common sense steps to help reduce emission and make the world a little "greener" for my personal enjoyment, if nothing else. No one can argue that such efforts have made a fairly polluted post-industrial revolution world into a much cleaner world today. Add to that the free-market changes already occurring such as hybrid vehicles and I see no cause for anything but cautious optimism about our future.

As the global catastrophe maniacs reach fever pitch, remember the Kyoto Protocal and why it FAILED 95-0 in the Senate. All of these wonderous solutions that the world community comes up with exempt the worst of polluters - those 3rd world countries such as Brazil who are themselves just going through their own industrial revolution. Emissions from the UK and USA are pittance comparitively, but the world leaders will seek the toughest regulations on them anyway. This type of regulation costs jobs and innovation due to the rediculous restraints. The exempt countries find themselves advantaged from the uneven playing field which of course leads to the Left's worst nightmare - further outsourcing of jobs.

Zarqawi Vows War On Democracy

2005-01-24T08:03:00.000-07:00

Zarqawi vows war on democracy

The title says it all. If there was ever any doubt that our way of life, a way of life that has freed millions not only in America but throughout the world, is under attack, this tory and the direct quotes should change your mind.

Without going through the whole argument again, I will simply state that the freedom of other nations is the best path to peace between nations.

Enemies of freedom are Amireca's enemies. Those on left and those in the UN may chose to ignore such broad and seemingly simple statements, but this is the foundation upon which America was built and from which America has grown into the most important and generous nation in history.

Dems Interview Dean, Other DNC Candidates

2005-01-23T09:40:00.000-07:00

Western state Democrats interview Dean, other DNC candidates

No better post-Christmas gift than Dean for DNC chair. Although he will fall by the wayside just as he did during the presidential campaign, there is no denying the Deaniac support will make it close.

As I think about Terry McAuliffe, I think about a leader with total incompetence. His bitterness has been a true gift to Republicans at the polls. But, can you imagine Dean venting after the President's State of the Union in the traditional rebuttal telecast following the speech? Instead of incompetence, he brings lack of credibility. You'll see high ratings signaling a public lapping up the entertainment value and associating the DNC with SNL. Good stuff that we can only dream about.

Justice Scalia For Chief

2005-01-23T09:32:00.000-07:00

TIME.com: Justice Scalia: The Charm Offensive

Few things over the next four years will be as important as the make up of the Supreme Court. Although Rehnquist appears to be holding on until the last, there is little doubt that a new chief justice is in the offing.

First, it makes perfect sense that the new Chief come from within the court. The division is 5-4 (counting O'Conner on the right) and an insider has the immense benefit of knowing the internal politics. Although fresh blood is always welcome, this is not the time in history to take that chance with so many important decisions coming in the near term.

Of the 5 (or really 3) candidates on the bench, only Scalia and Thomas appear to be real contenders. Thomas is the obvious choice for a number of reasons. First, he is the real deal when it comes to judicial restraint and strict constructionism. No amount of political pressure or public pressure will change his ideals - and that is exactly what is need in a chief justice. As a side benefit, something not overlooked by the administration, you will appoint the first black chief justice and add to the growing list of minorities that the Democrats try to stonewall. That can only hurt Dems at the polls. Of course, on the down side, the whole Anita Hill issue may rear its ugly head again and you may have a longer and nastier fight on your hands than the President wants - knowing there are a large number of fights coming on his domestic agenda.

Then there is Scalia. Again, the real deal in conservative values. Although this article points out the ease of confirmation in 1986, there will be no smooth sailing this time around. Look for Roe v. Wade to mentioned about 100,000 times in confirmation hearings in an attempt to engender public uneasiness.

Really, the appointment of either of these two is a great step in the right direection for the court and on merit alone, I could not pick one over the other. The best move politically is for Rehnquist to announce his retirement in early 2006. President Bush should come out immediately with a successor and push with everything he's got to get the confirmation in fall 2006. Then you will have mobilized the "values" vote once again and illustrated that nothing has changed within the Democratic party. If somehow the chief justice gets confirmed quickly, the President must be ready with a quick and solid choice for a new appointee to the court, which will begin the process all over again.

President Inaugural Address

2005-01-21T13:02:00.000-07:00

President Sworn-In to Second Term

I have linked above to the transcript of the inaugural address.

Although pundits have largely agreed that the speech was a great one, I doubt that 4 years hence much about the speech will be remembered. And I mean that as a good thing.

More than anything else, President Bush has been defined by his actions, not his words (or lack thereof). In fact, 10 years from now if you ask someone if they remember any of Bush's speeches, it will be the 9/12/01 address. Ever since that day, Bush's presidency has been marked by action - both abroad and at home. We have liberated 2 nations and have pursued an important domestic agenda at the same time. It is my belief that the next 4 years will see the accomplishment of much of the broad plans put forth in this address, not the least of which is a reformation of the Social Security system. As important will be the emerging democracies in Afghanistan and Iraq - as well as the possibility of one or two more that may come to democracy with out direct intervention.

Bush was absolutely right in saying that America's liberty is served and protected by the liberty of other nations. If you read Ronald Reagan's quote that I posted yesterday, you will see this wisdom unchanged. Free nations are not historically our enemy. Our enemies are the tyrants, the dictators, those who wish to keep their people in chains.

So again I say: this speech will be forgotten as the deeds that come after will overshadow it.

Airline Maintenance Outsource

2005-01-21T12:29:00.000-07:00

KYW Newsradio 1060 - News

Let me just say I am not wholly comfortable with my safety in the air dependant on maintenance workers in El Salvador. That said, these airlines only have their business to lose if something were to go wrong, so my guess is that there will be stepped up QA/QC in the outsourced facilities which may actually improve maintenance quality.

One day, people are going to wake up and realize just how bloated and uncompetitive unions have made our workforce. I still contend that the best workforce in the world is right here in the USA. What stops employers from using it is the inability to select the most qualified individuls - i.e. letting individulas compete for their jobs. Instead, airlines are at the mercy of the union if they stay in the States. Thus the outsource. No doubt, the first problem JetBlue or AmWest have with their maintenance watch out for a whole slew of government regulations proposed to keep those jobs here.