CONGRESS IS FIGHTING BACK

AG

The Judiciary Committe is planning on calling Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales and FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III to justify their search of Congressman Jefferson's office.

All four witnesses, appearing Tuesday at an unusual hearing held in a Congressional recess, described the search as a damaging breach of the constitutional separation of powers. They said it warranted an aggressive reaction from Congress, including subpoenaing material from Mr. Gonzales if necessary.

"This latest use of a search warrant by the executive branch to rummage through the files of a member's office is simply an additional instrument of the Bush administration to cow Congress," Bruce Fein, a constitutional lawyer, said at the hearing.

These are guys who teach law or are very familiar with Constitutional law and all are saying the search was wrong. Its not about whether he is guilty or not, its about the procedure to prove one way or the other. You know that I'm a "Law and Order" guy and every search has to have a warrent backed by probable cause. They had the tape and the money, what more did they think they would gain by searching his office?

BEWARE OF GRAY HAIRED LADIES BEARING GIFTS

HIT AND RUN

It appears that these two elderly women would befriend elderly men enough to be put on the men's life insurance policies, then the men would end up dying in a hit and run accident. You have to watch out for those women.

CONGRESSMAN JEFFERSON

Dennis said...

Just because other Congressmen came out in support of Jefferson doesn't explain away the fact he was caught on tape accepting a bribe. What is fact here is that there was evidence in his office pertaining directly to the crime and he was trying to use his office to hide it. As for the whole Cheney thing, my God, get a clue, silencing The fact is, if they wanted to silence anyone it wouldn't be him. I again do not understand your support of this at all. He committed a crime and law enforcement got a warrant to search for evidence, he just happened to have it in his office. If you or I had done that, we would have been in Jail already. Hastert is already paying the price for his insane statement and many others will too, because they House is protecting one of their own. Once again, these are the people who can supeona anyone and call all kind of investigations, but when they are investigated somehow its not right. The Constitution does state Anywhere that they cannot be held accountable for their crimes.

Okay, so if there is a tape of him accepting a bribe and they recovered the cash, then why did they need to search his office??? They had all the proof they needed. Delorian was convicted on just a tape of him accepting a bribe. Mayor Marion Barry was convicted based on a tape of him using drugs. So, the tape alone would have been enough, there was no need for the search. Just a tactic letting the legislative branch know that are there watching. One commentator yesterday said that Bush has been trying to reduce congress' power to that of a footnote.

TOO SHORT FOR JAIL

SEX OFFENDER

I know this story broke while I was having computer trouble but can you believe this??? The judge had the nerve to say:

Cheyenne County District Judge Kristine Cecava issued the sentence Tuesday. She told Richard W. Thompson that his crimes deserved a long prison sentence but that he was too small to survive in a state prison

He was too small to survive a long prison sentence? This is a child molester, who cares if he survives a long sentence or not. In most prisons, unless under quarantine, he wouldn't survive the first day or two. I minored on Justice and Public Safety and from what I heard not only from the professors but also from prison guards themselves is that there are two types of people you do not hurt, children and the elderly. If you go to prison for either of those, the general population will make the rest of your life a living hell.

Here in Alabama, several years ago, there was guy convicted of sexually abusing his step daughter. They took him to prison and with in 3 hours he was castrated and dead. According to some guards I've known, the inmates know before you arrive in prison, what you were convicted of and what your sentence is. So, they knew that guy was coming and was waiting for him.

SERIAL KILLER

LIFE SENTENCE

At least the state saved money and didn't have to have a trial, and a killer is off the streets for the rest of his life.

RAID ON JEFFERSON'S OFFICE

I watching the hearings today on C-span and I'm surprised by the number of former republicans that are coming out on Jefferson's side, which shows, its not party politics that's fueling the fire, but judicial practice. Even those who teach law for a living said that what they did was wrong. One said that there were several remedies to solve this without the search, just that the steps were never taken. As I said before, and these guys agree, there were other ways to get the job done, but its another tactic, probably initiated by Cheney, to silence any critics of the Administration. Don't get me wrong I voted for Bush both times, just that Cheney came with him on the ticket. As I said before, if we don't watch it, we will be living under the same heavy handedness that we condemned the USSR for. Our rights are slowly being eroded away.

TIEFER

WALKER

TURLEY

BRUCE FEIN

STEMMING THE FLOW OF REPUBLICAN BLOOD

WHISTLEBLOWERS

Supreme Court Chief Justice Alito, with his vote, scaled back protection whistleblowers at the Federal level had. Of course this will mean more corruption because no one will want to come forward without protection.

CONGRESS AND CRIMES

Dennis said...

"First of all, they have managed to bring several Congressmen to trail without raids on their offices"

Cunningham replied to the subpoenas, Jefferson did not. It took what 9 months for this to happen? He repeatedly stonewalled and the FBI went to a JUDGE (Judicial Branch) who said ok. So where was the Executive Branch order? Second, they had probable cause to do it, they were not after legislative documents at all which is protected in the Constitution. I just cant believe that you of all people would let a politician get away with any crime.

Oh I'm not for any political official getting away with crimes, but for both sides of the aisle to say this is wrong, then something smells about it. I'm not saying that he is innocent or guilty, its about procedure and that is what everyone is complaining about. The Judicial branch could have had the capital police conduct the search and MAYBE there wouldn't be complaints. As long as the warrants were legit. I just don't want to see KGB tactics being used on OUR soil. Government by intimidation.

OPEN SEASON ON CONGRESS

BOXING TICKETS

The closer it gets to mid-term elections the more mud that is being slung, in both directions. All the dirty little secrets they've been passing back and forth to each other is starting to come out.

RAID ON CONGRESS

Dennis said...

its not a reprisal debate, he is under investigation for fraud. The FBI contacted the House counsel and they refused to turn over anything, so they should just sit idly by and let any Congress person hide evidence from prosecutors in their offices. You of all people I thought would be upset about this. This doesn't involve the President at all. If Tom Delay had killed someone and hid the weapon and other evidence that could be used against him in his Congressional Office, would you be for the FBI serving a Warrant on his office? These are the people who can call anyone up before them at anytime to be investigated, but they seem to be immune to their own laws they help to shape.

First of all, they have managed to bring several Congressmen to trail without raids on their offices. Cunningham is just one of many. And if Tom Delay had killed someone, then there is a crime that leads to probable cause when would back up a search warrant. Rumors of bribery isn't sufficient to back up a warrant, that's why a FISA warrant was issued, but then they didn't have Capital police do the search, they had the FBI. Who is to say that the files seized won't be used as leverage against Jefferson even if there is no proof of bribery?? As the article I cited before, there has been that belief of separation of powers so that Congressmen can do their jobs without feeling the White House breathing down their necks.

THINGS THAT BUSH HAS SAID

Being a history buff, I sometimes read the "this date in history" column in the New York Times and came around this:

Five years ago: Standing among trees in Sequoia National Park in California, President Bush pledged to protect ''these works of God'' and other natural treasures from mankind.

And now he is pushing for drilling in the Wildlife Refuge in Alaska?

I'M STILL HERE

The reason I haven't posted lately was I was having computer trouble. Seems like when the cable company re-connected me when I got out of the hospital, they connected my computer modem as if I were part of a network instead of a single user. For some reason, that has been causing my modem problems which built up til last week when it wouldn't connect at all. AND the technician said it had to be my computer causing the trouble because through her end (over the phone) she couldn't see any problems. So, she set up an appointment for a tech to come check it out with the statement that if it did turn out to be my computer and not their problem, they would have to charge me a service call. She wasn't nice about it either. Well, the tech was here all of 5 minutes before he fixed it, saying that they set me up wrong in the beginning. SO, I'm backkkk.

SEARCH AND SEIZURE


Dennis said...

So you think Congress is above the Law? We as Citizens can be the subject of a search warrant at any given time, why cant members of Congress? Was there an outcry of Ronnie Earl's Sequestering 3 Grand Juries until he got an indictment against Tom Delay?

I didn't agree with what Ronnie Earl did either. I felt that he was on a witch hunt and wouldn't be satisfied unless he got what he wanted, to bring down Tom Delay. But, "The Immunities of speech or debate clause" was written so that congress could do their job without fear of reprisals from the President if he didn't agree. There is supposed to be a separation of powers which should mean that Congress can do their job without being bullied by the Executive branch. Its another case of, "If you don't agree with me, you will pay the price" attitude that has being going on lately. Anyone who voices opposition to the Administrations position will pay the price.

"the immunities of the Speech or Debate Clause were not written into the Constitution simply for the personal or private benefit of Members of Congress, but to protect the integrity of the legislative process by insuring the independence of individual legislators.''

FINDLAW

Even in the article you cited, there is one key point.

But Stanley M. Brand, who was counsel to the House of Representatives from 1976 to 1983, said that "the problem is who watches them when they rummage to make sure they are not looking at legislative records."

FBI agents barred the House general counsel and the sergeant at arms from the rooms it was searching.

SEARCH

FARM WORKERS

MEXICANS

They claim that the Mexicans do the jobs that most Americans don't want to do. Now when I was younger, (I'm only 45), the farmers would hire teenagers and others who had free time to come pick apples and other produce on the per day basis. It gave teenagers and those who may have been out of work temporarily, some extra money. But now, no one wants to go pick apples or gather produce for extra money. So, they have to find their workers from other sources.

The article brings up how our agriculture is tied to slavery and its that image that keeps those Americans that could do that job from doing it. The negative image that if you work on a farm, you're viewed as a slave.

NEW ORLEANS-CONTINUED

Dennis said...

New Orleans is a good example of too much dependancy on Government

Well, before the hurricanes, New Orleans had a 25% poverty rate. But what is strange was all those from the 9th ward who were displaced, ended up getting jobs in their new locations. So, as I said back last year, if they can find jobs where they are living now, why couldn't they have found jobs when they were in New Orleans? That's why I'm upset that Nagin got re-elected, because he had the mentality during Katrina that the Federal Government would ride to the rescue. He didn't feel like it was his job to take care of his people, that the Federal Government should do it. That is why we elect mayors, to take care of our cities and the people that live in them. Of course Gov. Blancho's power struggle with the Federal gov't as to who would control the National Guard caused problems too.

GITMO-CONTINUED

Dennis said...

They want a tribunal, but the ACLU has sued to give them rights as citizens and try them in our courts. So we are waiting on a few cases before the Supreme Court to decide.

Well as I stated below, the ACLU has problems of its own, but the longer we hold these people without any resolution, the greater the impact it has on the US in the Arab world.

BIG SWITCH

ACLU

A group that has gone to court many times supporting free speech now wants to silence its own members. They want to prevent their own employees from criticizing the organization. What happened to free speech now? One person even asked if the idea came from Dick Cheney's office.

CANADIAN FOOTBALL

PLAYERS

A lot of players that the NFL pass up go the Canada to play. Look at Doug Flutie, he played most of his career in Canada because the NFL teams considered him too short. Canada gives players a chance to play when they might not otherwise get one, especially since every time an opposing organization to the NFL starts up here in the US, it collapses shortly afterwards. The only other option is the Arena Football League. They have been around for 20 yrs.

CAN ANYONE SAY "WATERGATE?"

BUSH

If Bush isn't careful, he will leave office the same way Richard Nixon did. Breaking into private congressional offices seems a little too much.

MARKETING FRAUD

FRAUD

You have to be careful who you talk to on the phone, there are scammers everywhere. I myself was almost scammed, but since I've been told I have a very distrusting personality I didn't fall for it. My case, someone called saying that I owed my cable company for a returned check from back in Sept of last year, and they wanted me to do a over the phone check to correct the matter. Well, first of all, if I had any outstanding money due on my account, I wouldn't be still connected to my cable system. Second, when I got out of the hospital back in March, I paid up all outstanding money on my account. So, just to be sure, I called the cable company and they assured me that I was current with my account and that they never have anyone call about outstanding bills. Now, had I been an elderly person who may not be as quick on the draw, I might have fallen for the scam and given them my account number over the phone. I know my dad, before he died was scammed several times thinking he was buying life insurance but what he was really buying was death and dismemberment insurance. Six policies that were worthless since he died of a terminal illness.

V.A. DATA

STOLEN DATA

Goes to show how secure our information is. This man is allowed to take home all this data, then his house in burglarized right after (strange in itself. Can anyone say he was paid to bring it home?), But then, the VA administration waits almost a whole month before letting the veterans know that their information was stolen? Its not like ID theft is a new idea, its been around a while so why would anyone take sensitive material like that home? It would be the same as if a doctor took all his patients information home with him, instead of keeping it safely locked up in a filing cabinet at his office. Grant it, no place is completely secure but home burglaries are very common.

ACCIDENT AT MCDONALDS

ACCIDENT

This guy needs to be buried under the jail. To intentionally run over a mother and her children, the guy doesn't deserve fair treatment.

ELK PROBLEM

ELK

There wouldn't be a problem if they hadn't of wiped out all the predators. See, when ever man starts playing god he screws up the eco-system. Nature provides alot of checks and balances. Predators to prey, but then man comes along, fearing for his safety, he kills out the predators and there's nothing to keep the prey in check. Same thing in Yellowstone. They killed out the wolf population and now the elk there are over populating. So, recently they have re-introduced the wolves back into Yellowstone, inspite of what the ranchers around there said. Just like here in Alabama, they need to re-introduce predators to the deer population to keep them from eating themselves out of food.

CONFEDERATE FLAG

SOUTH

Being born and raised in the South, I don't understand what the big deal is about the Confederate flag. It was a flag flown in a particular time in our history, just as Old Glory was flown as a sign of rebellion against England during the Revolutionary war. Just because a group decides to use it to show their hate, doesn't make it a bad thing.

I used to see a this painting someone did on this huge rock slab on the way to Wetupka where a Confederate flag was painted and under it was written, "Its about heritage, not hate." Just as most of us are proud to be Americans, some of us are proud to be southerners.

ITS ABOUT TIME

LEON

I'm glad they arrested him for something. Leon Carmichael is so bad and so well known, they did a story on Law and Order based on him.

This guy builds a community center on the Westside of town and then has the nerve to use it to run drugs through. THEN, as the story on Law and Order said, has the nerve to publish undercover drug agents names and pictures on his own website and the law cant' do anything to shut it down. He needs to be brought down.

GITMO

OBVIOUS

Talk about overstating the obvious, name me a prison that isn't filled with dangerous people. They wouldn't be there if they weren't dangerous. Question is, what do we do about them? Try them in a tribunal or in the court system? But something has to be done. You can't keep them indefinitely without a trial.

NEW ORLEANS

ELECTION

Too bad for New Orleans that the re-elected Nagin for mayor. He stepped on a lot of toes after Katrina and thats one of the reasons help is slow in rebuilding. You don't bite the hand you want to feed you and the speeches he made after the disaster upset those in D.C. Both him and Gov. Blancho was told that there was a "MANDATORY" evacuation of New Orleans, days before Katrina, yet they both sat on their hands, thinking the Federal Gov't was going to ride to the rescue. As Nagin put it, he was waiting for the calvery to come save the day. Now, FL didn't have the problems with assistance after they were hit with 4 hurricanes. But, they also handled their own evacuations. Maybe next time Nagin won't just go around saying the sky is falling without doing something about it.

TALK ABOUT DISCRIMINATION

UNWED FAMILIES

Black Jack, MO is enforcing its on brand of morality by not allowing unwed families to own homes in their town. Their city ordinance states:

The current ordinance prohibits more than three people from living together unless they are related by "blood, marriage or adoption." The defeated measure would have changed the definition of a family to include unmarried couples with two or more children.

An attempt to change that ordinance was defeated recently.

BIG MISTAKE

PRISON

See? They thought it was a big mistake sending a young teenager to prison for life when he killed his friend in a wrestling move. SO, they let him out early and now look what he has done? They should have left him behind bars.

MEDICARE PART D-CONTINUED

Jay Simon said...

I am using the Part D Medicare Prescription Drug Plan - I choose AARP just because of name recognition and the desire to just pick one and get it over with...:)
The worst thing that can happen to ordinary citizens is the privitization of social security, which is what Bush wants. Even though the Part D plan is supposed to be overseen by the gov. It is just one step on the way to privitization. We will be at the mercy of big business with less recourse than we have with the government.
I feel for the people who didn't get their application in by the May 15th deadline.

Well I let my Social Worker do the research on it and she came up with three programs that would cover my medications. I just had to pick from those three, but good news came out yesterday that the President wants a bill passed eliminating any penalties for those who sign up late, since the 30+ programs are hard to understand.

HOFFA-CONTINUED

brainhell said...

Good thing there is no "Moffia." He's in a freeway now.

You don't think he's buried in the endzone at the Meadowlands? I've heard so many different tales I wouldn't know what to believe. Before this one I heard that some of his MofFia buddies took him to a meat processing plant and turned him into sausage.

JIMMY HOFFA

SEARCHING

Over 30 yrs later, they are still looking for him. They won't find him because when the Moffia doesn't want a body found, it won't be found. I heard he is supposed to be in the end zone in the Meadowlands Stadium.

ABUSE

MEN

This isn't news. this is something that has been known for a long time. Why this made the wires is odd.

MEDICARE PART D

DRUGS

Good I'm glad they are doing that. I have already called and signed up but I'm sure there are many who are still confused by all the choices.

CITIZENSHIP

MEXICANS

I'm not sure if this is the same plan I heard about on the news but I like the idea of a 5 year waiting period and only 3 misdemeanors and no felonies. Why should the Mexicans have it any better than any other person wishing to live here. They have to go through a waiting period too. I think the Thai people I knew had to wait 7 years.

ROLE OF THE VP

dennis said...

You do know Domestic spying has gone on since the cold war? The VP should be involved in the administration, if the President were to be incapacitated, I would hope the VP would know what the hell was going on.

"During the twentieth century, the focus of the vice-presidency has shifted dramatically from being mainly a legislative position to a predominately executive post. As modern-era presidents began playing an increasing role as legislative agenda setters, their vice presidents regularly attended cabinet meetings and received executive assignments. Vice presidents represented their presidents' administrations on Capitol Hill, served on the National Security Council, chaired special commissions, acted as high level representatives of the government to foreign heads of state, and assumed countless other chores — great and trivial — at the president's direction. Beginning with Richard Nixon, they have occupied spacious quarters in the Executive Office Building and assembled staffs of specialists to extend their reach and influence. From fewer than 20 staff members at the end of Nixon's vice-presidency, the number increased to 60 during the 1970s, with the addition of not only political and support staff but advisers on domestic policy and national security. Walter Mondale expanded the vice president's role as presidential adviser, establishing the tradition of weekly lunches with the president, and subsequent vice presidents have continued to be active participants in their administrations."
I love Google :)

Walter Mondale had to become of a more active role. As we all know Jimmy Carter didn't do very much as President. He allowed Iran to hold Americans hostage for 444 days. Someone had to be minding the store back then. Still, its the role of the President to make policy, not the Vice President.

CHENEY-CON'T

dennis said...

They do have a right to discredit someone who is lying. Both parties do it, why are Republicans held to a higher standard?

Who is to say Wilson was lying??

CHENEY

NOTES

Cheney's own notes on the OP-ED piece written by Joseph Wilson shows that Cheney was focused on discrediting a critic of the war in Iraq.

CHENEY'S FAULT

EAVESDROPPING

So, it was Cheney, no the NSA who wanted to eavesdrop not on international calls to a from the US but INSIDE the US itself. SO, J. Edgar Hoover has taken over the body of Cheney, huh?

Vice President Dick Cheney and his top legal adviser argued that the National Security Agency should intercept purely domestic telephone calls and e-mail messages without warrants in the hunt for terrorists, according to two senior intelligence officials.

That totally goes against what Bush has been saying. Bush said that the calls were purely international calls and not those INSIDE our borders. And that the calls were not being monitored per se but only that patterns in calls were being monitored. I forget, who did we elect as President? What happened to the trend where the VP was just a yes man for the President and only supported the ideas of the President, not create policies of his own.

BIRD FLU

PANIC

See? what did I say when this all started? That it would turn out to be the same as the swine flu from the 1970s. Everyone would panic and talk about pandemics and get everyone thinking the end was near and yet it would turn out to be much ado about nothing. The areas where it started last year hasn't reported a single case this year. Sars was a bigger threat than Bird flu. Ebola is a bigger threat. It just turned about to be another case of chicken little crying "The sky is falling."

ENTITLEMENTS-CONTINUED

Karen Y said...

I have to disagree with the comment sounding abrasive. That comment sounded like it wasn't thought all the way through. Not every individual is given the same opportunities in life. It is unrealistic to think society is compassionate enough they would jump in and take care of those that truly are in need. Yes, the programs do need to be revamped to discourage fraud; however, does that mean we punish people who truly need help?

What about the man who worked 30 years to make sure he had benefits in his golden years only to have them taken away because the company goes bankrupt? What about the person who is disabled and is passed over job after job because society tends to hire "normal" people? What about the family that is left behind when a spouse dies? What about the family that is faced with job layoffs?

The point I am trying to get across is there are situations that arise in life no one can control. It would be a wonderful world if everyone wanted to chip in and help their fellow man. That is not ever going to happen. I believe government entitlement programs are necessary and because someone may be down on their luck does not make them any less of a person. As a nation we cannot take away from those that require help to survive. The government needs to set in place standards to weed out all the people who swindle the monies including the employees.

You're right. Not helping those in need would be the same was letting those in the water after a ship wreck to drown because they couldn't swim well enough to reach safety. No matter what kind of programs are set up, you will find those who are lazy and try to take advantage of the situation. Look at the "People with Disabilities Act." There are those who are overweight to no ones fault but their own and yet they think the act applies to them. So, in their mind they are disabled and should be given preferential treatment due to that disability. Handicapped parking is another case. Its supposed to be for those who are physically disabled, but I've seen people use them and their disablity was that they were pregnant. There are those looking for a free ride, but that shouldn't mean that those who seriously need the assistance shouldn't get it.

ALTERNATIVE FUEL COMPETITION

REWARD

This is something that should have been done a long time ago. Then we wouldn't be having to deal with Iran, Iraq, Venezuela or any other oil producing country.

OIL

CANADA

Again, instead of investing millions to extract the oil from the sands, the oil companies need to be putting that money to developing alternative fuels. But then they couldn't charge outrageous prices for gas at the pumps.

DUKE RAPE

DNA

The district attorney might as well give up. It's been shown how the victim reported a rape 8 yrs ago and it proved not to be the case and its begining to look like the same thing all over again. The woman is just trying to seek attention.

MARK FURMAN

EVIDENCE

Are we suppose to believe this guy? The cop who found evidence in the O.J. Simpson case two days after the scene processed? The one who found the bloody sock hours before the coroner arrived and released the crime scene for processing? The man who breached the therapist-client privilege when he went after Michael Skakel for the Martha Moxley murder? The man's credibility, as far as I'm concerned, leaves a lot to be desired.

DOMESTIC SPYING

ANIMAL FARM

It hasn't been all that long ago that the US used to critize the USSR about their secret police, their spying on their own citizens, their secret courts. And now look at the US. We have they FISA court which issues warrentless searches, we spy on our own citizen. George Orwell wasn't too far off when he wrote 1984. But its more like his other book, Animal Farm.

TAX CUTS-CONTINUED

Dennis said...

Seriously? You believe that the money would go to fund these programs? Kind of like the lockbox myth of Social Security

Probably not, but it would eliminate some of the excuses from Capital Hill about not having the money to fund Social Security and Medicare.

Look at it this way. Take a person making $100,000 dollars a year, if they paid 10% of their income to taxes, that would be $10,000, right? But a person making that kind of money also (more than likely) has investments, tax shelters, off shore bank accounts, retirement plans. So, by the time he retires, he is still making $100,000 or more a year. Now take a person making $20,000 a year. They can't afford investments, tax shelters, maybe they could set up a 401K, maybe. By the time he retires, he is lucky to have enough to live off of.

When Enron collapsed, Ken Lay's wife was on tv crying about how poor they were going to be, while they still owned 5 houses. So, no I don't feel sorry for those who benefit off the backs of the working man, then get caught at it.

ENTITLEMENT PROGRAMS

Dennis said...

Name one Government entitlement program that hasn't failed regarding the poor and the homeless. The war on Poverty was supposed to end poverty, but there are as many if not more poor today. Also, Poor buy US standards for a lot of people men they only have 2 TV's. Yes there are exceptions to the rule. THere are those that fight to get out of poverty, but the Government programs dissuade alot of people fro getting out from under the welfare programs. Time and time again there has been efforts to reform these programs but they were met with cries of "elderly are going to be eating dog food" or" this is only to benefit the wealthy". These are cries of socialists who use scare tactics to keep their ideas alive. Why wont the Congress revamp the system to help lift people up? That is my question.

They haven't failed the poor, just that some people have taken pointers from the rich and found loopholes in the system so that they can cheat on it. Set up any program and you'll find those who try to circumvent it. BUT, Clinton, during his administration, eliminated thousands from the welfare rolls by having them to PROVE that they were unable to work. When it was found that most were physically capable of working, they were taken off the rolls. That saved alot more of the Government's money than Reagan's "trickle down" theory. And yes there were and still are elderly and disabled eating dog food and what ever they can get because the Government doesn't think they should give the elderly and disabled enough money to live off of. I would love to see those like Bill Gates and others in his league try living off 8 grand a year.

Maybe we should bring back the Hoovervilles of the 1920s and '30s.

SHANTY TOWNS

ENTITLEMENTS

Dennis said...

No where in the Constitution does it say free healthcare....It may sound abrasive, but people did rely on christion charities and their fellow man before the ACLU and the liberals decided that people were too stupid to care for themselves. America was built upon faith, faith in man to do what was right. Government running entitlement programs is not right. It is not the job of the government to do these things.. Social Security is the Government saying you are too stupid to invest your own money. Medicaid is the Government saying we will be your caregiver, you must rely on us. Welfare is the government saying you are unable to make it on your own, we know whats best for you, just stay in your place and we will be just fine. If these programs are so wonderful, why does our government resist changing them. Do you trust any program the government runs? The scariest words you will ever here are "I'm from the government and I'm here to help" (Ronald Reagan)

As for Enron, the peolple who did commit crimes were prosecuted, as far as I know, the Kennedy's have not.

As for Jamestown, they triedcomunal thing and you know what, the people only grew what they had to, no more no less and they paid for it with their lives. Utopias never work, history has tought us that.

After this many years of knowing me, I thought you knew my disability stops at my legs not my brain. Being dissbled has nothing to do with being too stupid to take care of ones self. As you are well aware of I'm college educated, thank you. It has to do with giving the assistance needed so those who can, will be able to do MORE for themselves. Otherwise, tear up the ramps and handicapped accessable parking. afterall, they aren't constitutionally guarranteed the right to drive. or to enter public buildings. Take the votes away from the women and the blacks, they aren't "entitled" by the consitution.

TAX CUT-CONTINUED

dennis said...

Are you any better off if they soak the rich?

I don't know. It could mean more money into those entitlement programs you want to do away with. Then I could actually get enough to afford to live without public assistance. What a novel idea. But then I'm one of those who live on those entitlement programs so I guess I'm not worthy.

GEORGIA LAW

ILLEGALS

Hey, I thought you had to have a Social Security card to get a job anyway. I know I had to have mine copied when I was hired. That right there is the best way to stop illegals, require Social Security cards.

Just like on the news last night I heard that in Arizona and New Mexico, the sheriff's depts. is going to start arresting any illegals they find and instead of sending them back home, putting them in jail for illegal entry into the country. It could be worse, could be like the USSR used to do, shoot anyone crossing illegally.

ANTIDEPRESSANT

INCREASE OF SUICIDAL THOUGHTS

Not something that people on that drug would want to hear I'm sure. I have taken it but I'm on a different one now.

TAX CUTS

REAGANOMICS

See, this is what I'm talking about:

The Senate gave final approval Thursday to a $70 billion election year package of tax cuts that will extend lower rates for investors and save billions for families with above-average incomes.

What about those who aren't above average? Those who are too poor to invest?

BORDERS

MILITARY

Its about time we did that. Countries in Europe have their military patroling their borders.

O.J. SIMPSON

SIMPSON

The man is sick. Thats not something to be made fun of. He doesn't have a career and with his antics, won't ever have one again.

ENTITLEMENT PROGRAMS

dennis said...

"Seems like that needs to happen here too"

Karl Marx's idea ruined the country also. Look at England as your example. Universal healthcare, womb to tomb coverage for all. The people are dependant on the Government for everything. There is no individual. The Republic set up by the founding Fathers is FOR the Individual, what you apparently are saying as that because individuals are making way too much money, then they, the rich, must have earned it ileagally. Am I right? Lets take a look at what our Government has done when it has tried to take over individuls lives.

-The Great Society of the 60's LBJ , Marxist idea, created a permanent undercalass of people with the welfare program. Most, not all who entered into the program fail to leave it, the Father was even replaced by the Government. Another reason that this program exists is because the Government feels these people are unable to care for themselves so the Government must be "The Parents". Also known as the War on Povery, status: Miserable Failure

-Social Security, FDR, This was another great entitlement program created to create another class of people dependent on the Governent. This program was created in order to provide Retirement for all workers. Good idea from the Governments perspective bacause people rarely lived 1 to 2 years past the retirement age at that time. What the Government failed to see was the increase of the lifespan, thus the system will fail, but Congress refuses to fix it because it is also a vote scaring scheme.

-Medicaid, Also signed into Law by LBJ. Another entitlement program to create another dependent class of people. Though it does provide for people who may need it, it has also created a large amount of fraud, and I mean Billions of $$ a year in fraud. Politicians also use this programs to scare constituents as they do Social Security.

All of the above programs are our Government stepping in and taking over individual lives. You said yourself that you would never go into a nursing home because you would never surrender your freedoms, but yet you want to punish others freedoms, For instance the main theme of the Declaration, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Yes it does say that all men are created equal, but it doesn't say that we must be forced to be equal. All men are given their freedom to pusure their dreams, not forced to pay for others to live out their lives in submission to the government. Yes, the above programs are a submission of certain rights to the Government, much like you do in a Communist state, surrender your rights to live free. Call me crazy, but when class envy rears its ugly head anywhere it is by people who want others money for free. What does the Government do to earn the restrictive taxes it imposes on businesses and the individual? Yes they provide for the defense of the states from foreign invaders, but thats about it. Income taxes were imposed by Lincoln to help pay for the war, then recinded. They were reinstated to help pay for WWII, but never were recinded, why, well to pay for the growth of government. Much like the Communist form of government, ours has grown to huge proportions and never shrinks, just grows and grows with no end in sight. Communism reaches into every aspect of peoples lives and controls them throught their lifespan. 45= million people died under Stalin for " the common good", do you really want to see that in our country? Think about it, the people who are fighting the Oil companies and stirring the class envy hornets nest are themselves Rich. Look at Castro, he is worth millions, even billions while his country starves, same for North Korea, the will of the people are gone. They are not free to be individuals, just die as a whole. Yes there are people who do gain wealth illegaly, (the Kennedys comes to mind, but do you really think all wealthy people are evil? Hell I am considered part of the evil rich, do you think I earned it illegaly? I work for someone who owns their own business(s) and one day he will be classified as the "evil rich", yet the one I work for gives half the profits to a charity he started. Is the charity now evil? Should we revolt? No, Because he, as an individual had a vision and was free to pursue that dream and I am sure the government punishes him every step of the way.

So, If I get you right, we should do away with the entitlement programs and let the poor and disabled fend for themselves. And who cares about healthcare for the poor, they should have taken better care of themselves in the first place. Its not that the rich have to be punished, but does the poor and disabled have to be punished because for some twist of fate, they aren't as rich and healthy as the others? Its about what Bush has been talking about since his re-election, taking care of your fellow man. Christian chairity. I know not everyone likes the Catholics but they do tithe 10% of their income to the church and then the church uses it for its community functions, such as helping the needy. As it says in the book of John, "It's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than a wealthy man to enter the gates of heaven." Because for every dollar that man has, there is a starving person who could use that dollar.

And its not only the Kennedys that haven't been straight. Look at those that ran Enron. Those executives sold their stocks and let their workers lose their entire retirement plan, all because of greed. That's why greed is one of the seven deadly sins.

We all could go back to the days of James Town, where it was said,"you don't work, you don't eat." That would be a great way for population control. or do like the Eskimos used to do, put their elderly and infirmed on ice floes and send them out to sea. But then, that's dangerously close to Nazis who wanted a master race.

COMMUNISM

dennis said...

You know, the Communists started out with the whole class envy thing too....

True, and that was because there were fat cats living off the backs of the poor. The poor revolted and overthrew the fat cats. Seems like that needs to happen here too. BUT, that wasn't Karl Marx's intention.

RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

What Karl Marx wanted was a level playing field between the rich and poor. Every one had a say in their Government too. Funny thing is, the closest model to Karl Marx's ideas are in England, where there is a House of Commons.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

Although a considered a lower house of Parliment, it holds the most power. Its made up of ordindary people elected to serve. Not professional politicians.

But, getting back to "class envy", when the gap between lower and upper classes widen, that's when its ripe for a revolution, and this revolution may turn out to be a change in power in D.C. from the Republicans to the Democrats.

OIL PRICES-CONTINUED

Dennis said...

Read this article on who is really the big profiteer on oil

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/4/26/90121.shtml?s=ic

Oil is a world commodity and is traded on a global scale. The Oil companies do set the price at the pump, but that is AFTER it goes throught the commodities market, processing, distribution and whatnot. Then on top of that, the companies have to give back to the state the taxes they collected. At any given time, the markup on gas fluctuates between 5.5 to 8.5 in markup. (per Gallon) So the oil companies collect 5-8% and the Federal gets 18.5% and the states get between 23-46% per gallon, unless you live in New York and it is a percentage per dollar so there right now its probably 80 or so. So lets recap.....
Big Oil.....5-8 profit
Federal Govt.....18.5
State Govt.....23-46, except NY where it is double or triple the price. So after knowing this, who is gouging whom?

True the Government takes their cut, but still, the oil companies are passing on those taxes to the public, so its not the companies that are paying those taxes, its the American people. Still, the oil companies complain about distruption of productionn and cost, but they make record profits.

Say if these were grocery stores. If one had to mark up its prices due to its cost and the public felt those prices were too high, they would go somewhere else. Unfortunately, these companies are the only suppliers of oil because they bought out the competition. They can charge what they want because there isn't an alternative to go to.

BIG OIL-CONTINUED

porchwise said...

Dennis rants like he owns oil stock. It's never been about supply; it's demand and the oil execs know it and they're unconscionable when it comes to gouging the public. Last week, congress knocked off the Federal Excise tax which should have brought the price down forty cents. Didn't happen. So far, in my area, I have seen a pitiful six cent drop. What happened to the other thirty four cents?....right

I know. The oil companies are like the Debeers company. The Debeers controls the price of diamonds because they are the only one importing diamonds to the US. Since they control the flow, they control the price. Now grant it, China has suddenly become and big consumer of oil, trading in their bicycles for cars, but its OPEC that controls the flow of oil to the US and other areas. Stil, the big disruption of oil that was supposed to have occurred after the hurricanes last year wasn't as big as they thought.

As I've tried to make clear before is that "profits" are what you have after all expenses are paid, including exploration and drilling. Now the oil companies have announced billions of dollars of profit just in this first quarter. So, evidently, they are not putting the money into drilling and processing. I would dare any of them to put public their balance sheets for the quarter to see where they money is really going.

CATHOLICS AND CONDOMS-CONTINUED

porchwise said...

When the Catholics placed the ban on contraceptives, they needed to build up numbers. It's time they changed the doctrine as the world can hardly support the population as it stands.

That's true and it's hard to support large families like some have. I went to high school with one girl who was the 16th child born into the family. And there were no multiple births either. I can't begin to imagine having 16 kids. There were five of us kids in my family.

EXXON

Dennis said...

Its a publicly traded firm, they can't do it without the shareholders say. Did you know that a whole lot of retirement funds are tied into Exxon/Mobil. What about the people (mostly average Americans) who have this publicly traded stock in their portfolio? What would you say to them about their investment in a company that turned itself around from being unprofitable, to profitable? Because the company you invest in is successful we have to punish them and you?

See, that is why the Government is afraid of the oil companies. There are a lot of people's retirements tied into the oil companies. That's why the Government won't reign them in, because it would affect too many people's 401K plan. And if something were to happen to those plans, it would cost the politicians votes come election time.

BIG OIL-CONTINUED

dennis said...

If our government would allow for the suffocating restrictions put on the oil companies ability to drill and build refineries in this country, maybe we wouldn't be in this mess. Since 1972, the government and the greenies have created our dependency on oil by their restrictions, now, Mexico and China are drilling in the Gulf and we just sit there bitching about why we pay so much. You yourself are against drilling in Anwar, that's about 1 million barrels a day. Its a start, we need to build and explore, but the Earth first crowd is holding us back. BTW, were was the Government when Big Oil was laying off people in the 80's when oil was $10 a barrel and they were capping wells?

The Government's restrictions have been to protect the environment. But as I've said before, we don't have to be dependent on oil if they would put money toward alternative fuels. Right now the oil companies want to restrict ethanol to just an additive instead of bringing it to 85% mixture. And Willie Nelson has developed a bio-diesel, but the government is only letting him make and sell it in TX. And the best part about bio-diesel is that no petroleum products are involved. Its made from used cooking oil which you can get from any fast food restaurant. So, there would be no need for drilling and the environment wouldn't be impacted. In Brazil, they are making fuel from cane sugar. There are alternatives to fossil fuels, but the oil companies have their lobbyist that make sure we stay dependent on oil.

IMMIGRATION-CONTINUED

dennis said...

The party or politician that is the first to actually address the issue without offering amnesty like Reagan did (big mistake)and actually listen to the people will be the victor in 06 or 08, right now both are losing with me.

Well, the Americans want to stop the illegals from coming in and would like to see those that are here illegally, sent back. Except for those who are related to the illegals. I agree with fining businesses that hire illegals.

JURY VERDICT

LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE

The jury in the case of Zacarias Moussaoui decided to give him life without parole instead of the death penalty. I guess that is one way to punish someone who wants to be a martyr, keep him in prison for the rest of his life.

EXXON TALKS TO MATT LAUER

GAS PRICES

I would love to have a transcript of that interview to post because the head of Exxon said something that I think is important. Matt Lauer asked him if he would consider lowering his profit margin if it meant helping out the average American. Rex Tillerson's answer was that they have to answer to the share holders first. So, in other words, screw the average Americans, we have to answer to the share holders.

CATHOLICS AND CONDOMS

NEW THOUGHTS

As a Catholic, I'm glad that the Vatican is rethinking the idea about the condom. Not as a form of birth control but to stop the spread of disease. As far as I know, the Catholic church is the only one that has as its doctrine, the banning of any kind of contraceptives. I know the Bible said "be fruitful and multiply", but the today's economy, a large family is hard to take care of. I hope they do decide to allow Catholics to use condoms. It would definitely mean that there COULD be few cases of AIDS, as long as people use them.

BIG OIL

TAX PLAN

That goes to show who is running our government, "big oil". Just as the Republicans were working on a tax plan for the oil companies, they drop it due to the protest of the oil companies they want to tax. Do that ever drop plans to tax the middle class when ever we protest? It used to be from the beginning of our country until the '80s, the tobacco companies were running the show, but since smoking it losing its popularity, big oil has taken over. And unlike cigarettes, we can't stop using oil, not until an alternative fuel is found. So, for the time being the oil companies have us by the short hairs and they know it.

ILLEGALS

DAY OFF

This article sums up the situation better than I ever could.

IMMIGRATION RALLY
ILLEGALS

It's true that this nation was founded on immigrants and no one is wanting to stop immigration, only the "ILLEGAL" methods of immigration. If all of those who participated in those rallies are legal, meaning they have their "legally" obtained green card, then there isn't any problems, BUT for all those that are illegal, then those are the ones who need to be rounded up and sent back home. Like I said before, I knew a family that came from Thailand and they did it the legal way and now they run two restaurants.

I remember when I was a kid, that the beginning of every year there was an ad on TV announcing that it was time for all immigrants, (although I don't remember if that was the word they used) to register at their nearest federal office. And they gave a date by which this had to be done. I haven't seen that ad since the '70s. Since then it seems like no one cared until 9/11.

But the problem is, if thousands of Mexicans cross the border every year, what's to prevent terrorist from doing that same thing? We already know that they watch CNN. That they know who porous our Southern border is. They could enter the US from Mexico and no one would be the wiser. Strengthen our Southern border and that will be one less way for them to get in.