Uncategorized

00Publius Contributor - Business - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Elections - Media Bias - News - Society/Culture - The Law - Uncategorized - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Gov’t Steps In To Assure Fair Union Election

November 4, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

If THIS isn’t the wolf guarding the hen house, what is? After all, expecting the government — known for voter fraud since Aaron Burr strode the halls of Congress — to make sure a union election is run fairly shows how really bad it has gotten for the unions!

Still, that said, the government are pikers compared to the fraud perpetrated by unions over the years. And this story is just another example of union corruption and vote fraud.

Union aims to start with a clean slate

Reformers win Teamsters vote supervised by feds

A slate of reformers has been elected to head the Teamsters’ 12,000-member Local 743, where last month its president was indicted for helping steal the last election.

Members elected all but one trustee of the 743 New Leadership Slate headed by Richard Berg, who received 1,112 votes for president, narrowly beating opponent Reginald D. Ford, who garnered 1,058 votes.

“This is great,” said Berg, who lost in his last bid for president. “It’s been a long time coming. The 743 New Leadership slate has been part of the rank-and-file movement that has been tying to rid our local of corruption and give the union back to our workers. We’ve very pleased.”

The union represents transportation, clerical, food service, nursing home and manufacturing workers.

The election was supervised by the U.S. Labor Department.

In September, federal prosecutors indicted Local 743 President Richard Lopez along with three other union members alleging they schemed to defraud the local by diverting hundreds of ballots that had been returned to the union by mail because the addresses were old or no longer good. The four were accused of changing the addresses in a union database and having the ballots sent to friends, relatives or associates who weren’t union members.

Berg filed a complaint with the Labor Department, which found the ballots had been diverted. In a July settlement, union officials admitted a controller shredded the eligibility list, noting that might have affected the outcome of the election.

“Our first priority is to clean all the corruption out of 743 and then use the resources to give full representation to the members,” Berg said.

Well, let’s hope these rank and file fellows can clean up their union and lead their fellows to a more legitimate representation.

I CAN hope, can’t I?
Continue reading “Gov’t Steps In To Assure Fair Union Election”

00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Islam - Islamofascism - Media Bias - Military - News - Security/Safety - Thomas Brewton - Uncategorized

Peacenik Paul

November 4, 2007 by

-By Thomas E. Brewton

Paul Krugman and his liberal conferees still yearn to play in the sand box with their toys.

In his October 29 column, New York Times columnist Paul Krugman expresses the implicit liberal-PC-multicultural paradigm that all cultures and all peoples are interchangeable. Moreover, that people everywhere have the same thought processes and values as those of liberal-progressives.

Liberals, and presumably everybody other than Republicans, are against war, ergo Islamic jihadists must be misunderstood people who mean us no harm. We have therefore only to be nice to them in UN negotiations to insure world harmony and peace. (see Liberals Still Can’t Connect the Dots)

Mr. Krugman writes:

In America’s darkest hour, Franklin Delano Roosevelt urged the nation not to succumb to “nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror.” But that was then.

To put it kindly, Mr. Krugman is not always too careful about the accuracy of what he writes. His use of the quotation suggests that President Roosevelt was restraining hot-headed Americans who were imagining a war threat. The subject of the phrase was, in fact, the Great Depression.
Continue reading “Peacenik Paul”

00Publius Contributor - Business - Democrats/Leftists - News - Scott Cleland - Security/Safety - Society/Culture - Uncategorized

Unanimous Internet Tax Ban proves Net Neutrality is outside the political mainstream

November 4, 2007 by

-By Scott Cleland

The unanimous passage of a new seven-year Internet Tax Moratorium, is powerful evidence of how far out of the political mainstream the net neutrality movement is.

The fact that everyone in Congress, from the right and the left, came together and supported extending the Internet tax ban for twice as long as Congress did in the past, proves unequivocally that political consensus is possible in Congress on mainstream Internet issues.

Moreover, the near unanimous passage of the 1996 Telecom Act by Congress was another powerful example of how the left and right could come together and agree overwhelmingly on sound Internet/communications policies like:

“…preserve the vibrant and competitive free market that presently exists for the Internet… unfettered by Federal or state regulation;”

and

“To promote competition and reduce regulation in order to secure lower prices and higher quality services for America telecommunications consumers and encourage the rapid deployment of new telecommunications technologies.”

Sound mainstream policies can attract near unanimity in Congress — despite rampant partisanship.
Continue reading “Unanimous Internet Tax Ban proves Net Neutrality is outside the political mainstream”

00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Media Bias - News - Religion - Society/Culture - Uncategorized - Warner Todd Huston

Seattle Columnist Says ‘I Understand’ the Burning of ‘Oppressive’ Churches

November 3, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Dorothy Parvaz, a columnist, blogger and member of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer editorial board, posted a short P-I blog post in which she sympathetically says she understands how someone would want to burn a church down because it is “an oppressive institution.” And she isn’t just shrugging her shoulders over the threatened arson of a church, but the planned arson of San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral, a landmark building on Nob Hill. Is there a little hatemongering going on against religion in the Post-Intelligencer? Sure seems so.

We’ve met Miss Parvaz in my work before, the last time was when she said that GOP voters were “White, male, middle-aged and slightly stupid,” and intimated that terrorism was nothing to worry about by calling the WOT “Bush’s asinine ‘war on terror.'” Well, this time she is ready to “understand” the burning of churches in a blog post about the arrest of a mentally suspect man named Paul Addis who was the goof responsible for the too early torching The Man figure at the last pot-head festival Burning Man 2007. This time, though, he meant to burn down the famous Frisco Cathedral.

After describing Addis’ arrest, Parvaz sympathetically assesses his newest target:

On the one hand, I can understand the power of the image to someone who sees the church as an oppressive institution. On the other hand…it’s still arson. And given how fires can get out of hand, there’s a chance that this little stunt could have damaged other property and hurt some folks.

“On the other hand… it’s still arson”?? On the other hand? Someone needs to tell Parvaz that there isn’t any “other hand” in a case where someone is threatening to burn down any building, much less a church. It’s wrong to commit arson on EVERY hand, not just the “other” one.

She further displays her hate for religion by only worrying that burning down the Grace Cathedral would be bad because the fire might “get out of hand” and harm other nearby structures.

And what is with this “oppressive” stuff, anyway? When was the last time a church in America dragged someone off the street and forced them to join their congregation?
Continue reading “Seattle Columnist Says ‘I Understand’ the Burning of ‘Oppressive’ Churches”

00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Lee Culpepper - News - Society/Culture - Uncategorized

101 Love Crimes and Legislative Positions

November 3, 2007 by

-By Lee Culpepper

Liberal politicians quiver in bliss — stroking their delusional consciences. They pimp a provocative fantasy that liberals are born superiorly caring and compassionate. For liberals, lamenting social injustices indulges some perverse pleasures. While they wallow in their liberal love-fests for entitlement programs, their brand of kindness and charity merely exacerbates the inequalities they vow to amend.

In fact, liberals might love “victims” so much that the victims are literally incapacitated by love. Liberal entitlement programs are more like weapons of mass destruction. Whether motivated by good intentions or psychopathic satisfaction, liberals refuse to stop loving victims into oblivion.

Consequently, liberals are essentially getting away with heinous love crimes. Love crimes are a lot like hate crimes; they stem from stereotypes and bigoted opinions. “Vulnerabilities” like ethnicity, religion, sexual preference, and gender supposedly stimulate love (as opposed to hate) in offenders. Also analogous to hate crimes, love crimes can occur even when the offender bears no actual love (instead of hate) towards the victim. Liberals commit love crimes whenever they single out victims for government handouts based on some belief or stereotype about that group’s alleged “vulnerability.” Unfortunately, liberals are enigmas. We may never know all the prejudiced weaknesses that stimulate their love.

Nevertheless, in exchange for this acidic tenderness, devotedly victimized disciples happily surrender votes and every scrap of self-reliance. Once victims are unable to take care of themselves, it’s too late. Liberals have already ravaged them. The government will never take care of any “victimized group” as well as the significant majority of that group can take care of itself. Furthermore, the charity of good citizens is a lot more reliable and effective than government handouts. Look at what happened to all those victims in New Orleans who waited on the government to take care of them during and after Katrina.
Continue reading “101 Love Crimes and Legislative Positions”

00Publius Contributor - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - News - Security/Safety - Society/Culture - Uncategorized - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Teamsters Teaming With Lefty Bloggers?

November 2, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

In another sure sign that unions are desperately “looking for any allies it can get” (in the words of Bret Jacobson of the Center for Union Facts), the Teamsters are trying to enlist the aid of leftist bloggers to help them get the union word out.

As laborpains.org has it:

There was much ado, for a moment, when news broke that far-lefty bloggers were talking with Teamsters officials about getting out the union bosses’ propaganda. Campaigns and Elections has the story, and we were happy to help out with some thoughts:

“This is just the latest sign that the labor movement is feeling weak and looking for any allies it can get,” said Bret Jacobson, a senior research analyst at the Center for Union Facts, a conservative antiunion group. “The real underlying reason for this is that union officials are having a tough time creating alliances with moderates, so they have to join forces with radicals like those in the blogging community.”

One stumbling block to this burgeoning political alliance could be their discord on issues like oil drilling in the Arctic. While both groups say they agree more often than not, it is far from a match made in heaven.

“Just announcing a grand alliance,” Jacobson said, “doesn’t make it workable.”

Why do I say its a “sure sign” that the unions are desperate? Why else would they allow their message to end up in the hands of people they don’t fully control? These leftist bloggers ostensibly may be on the side of the unions, but the unions cannot be 100% sure that they can control what these bloggers say. And it has been seen that lefty bloggers love to eat their own when these DailyKoz types have the slightest hint that things aren’t going satisfactorily.

This lefty blogger thing could easily blow up in the union’s face, but here they are doing it anyway. It just shows that they are desperate enough to relinquish some amount of control of their message.

This could be an interesting mistake on behalf of the union.
Continue reading “Teamsters Teaming With Lefty Bloggers?”

00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - News - Race - Security/Safety - Society/Culture - Uncategorized - Warner Todd Huston

It’s All Just a Noose-ance

November 2, 2007 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

In case no one has noticed, it’s 2007, nearly 2008. The era in America when a noose was a clear and present threat to a black person in America has gone… thank God. So, why has an innocent sanitation worker in Muncie, Indiana been handed the longest suspension in the city’s history? Because he displayed a Halloween decoration.

Yes, the very social fabric of Muncie is threatened over a Halloween decoration.

There is no doubt that a noose is a touchy issue for the history of black America. I have always been haunted by photos of lynched blacks from the early and mid 1900’s in which grinning white children and matronly white mothers peer at the camera lens contentedly as a black man’s body dangles above them. The holiday atmosphere of those happy faces juxtaposed against the grisly crime that brought them together angers and saddens me. And even more haunting to me is that I was alive in that time it not being one of hundreds of years past. But I will not say anything like “let us hope we learned our lesson” and at last arrived at an era where such a thing as a lynching would never happen. I won’t say “hope” because we have learned that lesson. We have arrived at a day when Americans into the 90th percentile would be so repulsed by the thought of lynching a black man merely for being black that such a crime would be far outside the realm of the probable — the fact of man’s inhumanity against man set aside as taken for granted.

But, common sense, fairness, and intelligence are rarely the hallmarks of government as the officious oafs in Muncie have well proven.
Continue reading “It’s All Just a Noose-ance”

00Publius Contributor - Congress - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - History - Islam - Islamofascism - Media Bias - Military - News - President - Security/Safety - Selwyn Duke - Society/Culture - Uncategorized

Iraq: The Folly of Deifying Democracy

November 2, 2007 by

-By Selwyn Duke

We hear lots of criticism of the Iraq venture from the left, right and center. There is everything from silly notions about presidential prevarication to how “it is only about oil” to one-world government conspiracy theories. Yet, while military action can rise from policy objectives, it’s often ignored that policy objectives tend to rise from the time’s prevailing philosophy. And the truth is that insofar as the war in Iraq has been misguided, the blame can be laid at the feet of the spirit our age.

I speak of a political correctness that would prescribe Western-world solutions to Third World problems.

Our problem in Iraq has not been winning the war, but winning the peace. Toppling Saddam Hussein was easy enough, but toppling the medieval attitudes of a fractious and often ferocious people is a different matter. And what do we prescribe as a remedy for this malaise? A dalliance with democracy.

President Bush has said that democracies don’t go to war with one another. This much reminds me of the quaint naivete of a century ago that dubbed WWI “The War to End All Wars.”

Now we have the political system to end all wars.
Continue reading “Iraq: The Folly of Deifying Democracy”

00Publius Contributor - Budget - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Family - News - Society/Culture - Taxes - Uncategorized - Vince Johnson

Deficit Gone Wild

November 2, 2007 by

-By Vince Johnson

YOU OWE ME $29,000.00

BUT DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT

As of October 2007 every American citizen owed me over $29,000! This includes little babies, students, teachers, parents, grandparents and great grandparents. All of you owe me over $29,000 right now and next year it will be even more.

The Public Debt now exceeds $9,000,000,000,000 (trillion) dollars. There are about 302,000,000 (million) American citizens. Divide 9 trillion by 302 million and see what you get.

But don’t worry about it. Congress is very aware that anyone over 18 won’t live long enough to pay it off, so they’ve relied upon actuarial probabilities that will shift the vast bulk of this debt to your kids. This is being done to every American under the age of 18 without their approval and without their consent.

It is simple. You want things you can’t afford, so you borrow trillions from your children and when they grow up, they make the payments! Oh yes! You are making payments now. That’s why your taxes are so high. But these payments aren’t anywhere near enough. In September 2007, Congress lifted the debt ceiling by $850 billion dollars and it is now over $9.8 trillion! Your payments are not reducing the debt a single cent. It is getting BIGGER!

But like I say, “Don’t worry about it.” The kids will handle it when they grow up.

Congress has seen to that. If they don’t make the payments (by paying their taxes) they will receive substantial fines, or go to prison, or both!

Take this to a CPA or a lawyer. Ask them if a single word is misleading or inaccurate. After doing that, ask a politician running for office to take this to a classroom filled with high school students and explain why they will be held liable for a multi-trillion dollar debt their parents could not pay off.

Don’t forget this. America’s children will be making payments on this debt as long as they live. The least you can do is help your kids understand why they will be making payments on money you borrowed from them.
Continue reading “Deficit Gone Wild”

00Publius Contributor - Elections - GOP - News - President - Uncategorized - Warner Todd Huston

Fred Gives it to Hillary

November 2, 2007 by

00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Education - Israel Teitelbaum - News - Society/Culture - Uncategorized

Utah Can Lead the Revolution!

November 2, 2007 by 1 Comment

-By Israel Teitelbaum

When the American Colonists of the 18th century felt their liberty being violated by the ruling government, they came together and decided on a plan to take back their government. Their legacy gives us the ability to accomplish the same, and the voters of Utah can lead the way.

Here’s how.

Voters in Utah are being asked to vote on a minor voucher program that will take nothing away from public schools. Actually, it will add to their per-pupil budget. Yet, the unions are spending millions of dollars opposing these vouchers. Why?

They claim these measly vouchers – averaging $2,000 – will hurt the public schools. While it is true that competition will eventually force some useless bureaucrats out of the system, the children will only benefit. Just as competition in enterprise always improves quality and efficiency, so is this true for education. Proof of this is readily available wherever vouchers have been given a chance.

Far more than education is at stake here. America’s education monopoly is an enormous enterprise of over $500 BILLION per year that generates over $2 BILLION per year into union coffers. Much of this cash goes to generously grease the wheels of government, which generates enormous political power.

I know it sounds very harsh to say this out loud, but factually the educrats are holding our children hostage in substandard schools (see Wall Street Journal editorial, below), often under horrendous conditions, in order to maintain this bonanza on the backs of hard-working taxpayers. How they get away with this day after day and year after year is difficult to explain, other than to say that he who controls the government gets to do whatever they please.
Continue reading “Utah Can Lead the Revolution!”

00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - History - Media Bias - News - Society/Culture - Uncategorized - Warner Todd Huston

Media Glorifies McGovern Museum Despite Paltry Attendance

November 1, 2007 by 1 Comment

-By Warner Todd Huston

It looks like A South Dakota museum devoted to the political career of far-left Democrat George McGovern registered 5,000 fewer visitors last year than a Wisconsin museum devoted to mustard. So why all the hype from the Associated Press about how a “Museum about McGovern draws many visitors”? Oh, the AP did their best to make it seem like the George McGovern Legacy Museum is a “surprising” run away success in the world of museums. They go on and on about how there are a “lot of friends” of McGovern around the world and his museum is “interesting” and a “lesson” for our times. But, then they make the mistake of saying how many visitors have come to this thing and it reveals a paltry attendance. So, far from a great success, this so-called museum is not as successful as AP tries to make it seem. So, why is the AP pushing this thing? Could it be because of their affinity for McGovern’s extreme left views? Do they want to urge people to attend to be exposed to McGovern’s failed ideas of the past? This story certainly isn’t about a museum success story, whatever the case may be.

The report is quite short, but revelatory.

The McGovern Legacy Museum at Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell drew an estimated 25,000 visitors in its first year.

The museum is part of the George and Eleanor McGovern Library and Center for Leadership and Public Service.

”I knew that Sen. McGovern had a lot of friends around the country and world, but I was a little surprised,” museum director Donald Simmons was quoted as saying in The Daily Republic newspaper.

”One thing about the McGovern Legacy Museum that is interesting is that you don’t have to be a Democrat and you don’t have to like George McGovern’s policies at all,” said Pam Engelland, director of the Corn Palace Convention and Visitors Bureau. ”It’s just a lesson about that time in our history.”

Like Mr. Simmons, I was a “little surprised,” too. After all, what was the attendance that the AP thought was so wonderful? 25,000? For the whole year?

Sorry, AP, but that just isn’t very much. I worked at a museum in my youth and 25,000 would have had us in tears.

So, here is a little perspective about the Mustard Museum I mentioned.

The Mt. Horeb Mustard Museum in Mt. Horeb, Wisconsin says that they welcomed 30,000 visitors last year. Yes, you read that correctly. A museum that showcases thousands of brands of mustard drew more people than the McGovern Museum.

A condiment is more popular than George McGovern.

Now, can we say that mustard has “a lot of friends around the country and world”?

So, AP, I have to say, don’t bother me with the loser from 1972. But, please pass the mustard.
Continue reading “Media Glorifies McGovern Museum Despite Paltry Attendance”

00Publius Contributor - Family - News - Religion - Society/Culture - Thomas Brewton - Uncategorized

A Dangerous Church

November 1, 2007 by

-By Thomas E. Brewton

Christian churches should be noted for living and preaching the Gospel everywhere, though confronted with every degree of hostility.

Sunday’s sermon at Black Rock – Long Ridge Congregational Church (North Stamford, Connecticut) was preached by Rev. Larry Fullerton.

The word dangerous has more than one meaning in contemporary culture. It can refer, of course, to the threat of physical harm. It can also refer to someone with special skills, like an athlete who is always a potential scorer. Christian churches must become dangerous in both senses.

Missionary work comes to mind in the first sense. Black Rock – Long Ridge Congregational Church supports many missionaries around the world, for example in China and Muslim countries, where the threat of jail, torture, and execution is very real.

As churches here in the United States how do we become dangerous in the second sense?
Continue reading “A Dangerous Church”

00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Media Bias - Nancy Morgan - News - President - Society/Culture - Taxes - Uncategorized

John Edwards Is Right: The Two Americas

November 1, 2007 by

-By Nancy Morgan

John Edward’s finally got something right. There really are ‘Two Americas’. And the gap between them is widening at an alarming rate. To view this divide, one need only tune in to the mainstream media.

Topping the news these days are news stories covering such earth-shattering events as who offended whom, who needs to apologise, whose feeling have been hurt, followed by several ‘he said, she said’ controversies. After a commercial break, we get the latest ‘I’m Outraged’ sound-bite followed by the latest ‘crisis’ report, usually coupled with a demand for more ‘investments’ (that’s liberal speak for ‘taxes’), couched in moral imperatives.

Break to commercial. Forget going to the fridge, you might miss the latest cutting edge commercials, cleverly appealing to your wallet via your crotch. A few teen tramps with botoxed lips and pierced navels selling, well, who cares….

Back to breaking news. Half of America stays glued to their seats in hopes of say, a chance to see the latest ‘gotcha!’ or, better yet, a glimpse of Brittany’s vagina. Then, on to the latest nobody who lucked into his 15 minutes of fame via some usually dangerous, mostly degrading act. Fame is the name of the game. And fully half of America is engaged.
Continue reading “John Edwards Is Right: The Two Americas”

00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Media Bias - News - Society/Culture - Uncategorized - Warner Todd Huston

Was Sex Offending Lawmaker’s Party Affiliation Mentioned? Of COURSE, He’s a Republican!

October 31, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Democrats never get “outed” as Democrats by the MSM if they are accused of crimes and corruption, but if they are Republicans… well, that party affiliation is rarely held back by that same media. Some may have scoffed at this claim that GOPers are always outed while Dems are always shielded, but here is so perfect an example of it that it almost seems that we wrote it ourselves as a Halloween joke. Today we have a case where the party affiliation of a Republican nearly leads the report of a legislator accused of a sex crime. Even more amusingly — or sadly as the case may be — our example here is written by the same AP reporter who failed to report the Democrat label in past stories. Nope, no bias here!

On October 4th, I had a previous piece displaying the “reporting” of one Chet Brokaw, Associated Press Writer, who gave us a little tale about a state Senator from South Dakota who is accused of sexually molesting a legislative Page. One tiny aspect of the facts of that particular story seemed to slip by old Chet Brokaw, Associated Press Writer and that would be that the accused legislator is a Democrat.

So, go ahead… ask. What would old Chet Brokaw, Associated Press Writer, do if he should be assigned a story where the eeeeevil sex offender was a Republican lawmaker? Come on, I know you are dying to ask.

Well, since you asked, here are the first two paragraphs of a recent piece by my man Chet Brokaw, Associated Press Writer:
Continue reading “Was Sex Offending Lawmaker’s Party Affiliation Mentioned? Of COURSE, He’s a Republican!”

00Publius Contributor - Budget - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - News - Society/Culture - Taxes - Uncategorized - Warner Todd Huston

Fire All Government Workers

October 31, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

We conservatives are fond of wanting to oust everyone in office and for wanting to “vote the scoundrels out.” But, I’d like to add one more level to the throw-them-out-of-government genera. Let’s fire every government worker from the smallest village receptionist or sewer worker to the staffers of the highest Senator and every menial clerk and recalcitrant paper shuffler in between.

It’s not just pique at the famous laziness of a government worker and it’s not just the fact that the only reason they got their jobs is because they are pals with one politician or another. It’s not just that they are better paid than just about any real American in the private sector — whether they deserve it or not — and it’s not because they are impossible to fire, nor is it because they get a better pension and health care than anyone who really contributes to society… well, OK, it is because of that stuff. All that stuff and more.

But, the biggest reason I’ve about had it with government workers is reflected in an editorial by Investor’s Business Daily, “The New Beltway Babylon,” where it is reported that Washington D.C. has replaced Silicon Valley and even New York as the center of affluence in the U.S.A.

How can the seat of government in a capitalist society double as its seat of wealth? The late Milton Friedman, who warned about the growing mix of government in the U.S. economy, must be turning in his grave.

According to the Census Bureau, the nation’s three richest counties — and half the top 10 — are now all located near Washington, where they gorge on the tax dollars you send there.

This is no less than an affront to American principles.
Continue reading “Fire All Government Workers”

00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Frank Salvato - Islam - Islamofascism - Media Bias - Military - News - Security/Safety - Society/Culture - Uncategorized

When War Gets Politicized

October 31, 2007 by

-By Frank Salvato

A recent ABC News item reported on an Israeli airstrike that took place early last month inside Syria. This airstrike allegedly destroyed a fledgling nuclear reactor being constructed deep in the Syrian desert. What makes this story more than it appears is that it exposes the fact the United States balked, flinched on preventing Syria, a State Department designated state sponsor of terrorism and an ally of Iran, from attempting to attain nuclear capability. Instead, the United States stood by as Israel set the Syrian nuclear clock back.

The airstrike is still cloaked in secrecy. The Israeli press is forbidden from reporting on it and only a few White House insiders are privy to the details which led to the action. But ABC News reported a “high ranking intelligence official” divulged that Israel had infiltrated the team constructing the nuclear facility. The operative meticulously documented the work being done, gathering evidence that would render impotent any argument that anything but a nuclear facility was being constructed. The operative also gathered evidence that North Korean nuclear technology was being exploited at the Syrian construction site.

All of this would lead one to believe that Syria has enlisted the help of North Korea to build a clandestine nuclear facility in an extremely remote location, far from the public eye.
Continue reading “When War Gets Politicized”

00Publius Contributor - Business - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Media Bias - News - Society/Culture - Taxes - Thomas Brewton - Uncategorized

Nanny Krugman

October 31, 2007 by

-By Thomas E. Brewton

A New York Times propagandist believes that the political state must supervise conduct to compel social justice.

No question, the tribulations of borrowers who are defaulting on subprime mortgage loans are real. Those borrowers deserve our sympathy and our prayers.

But that is very far from saying that the Federal government can and must regulate choice to prevent individual misjudgment.

A more important underlying cause than lack of Federal regulation was described in Infantile America:
Continue reading “Nanny Krugman”

00Publius Contributor - News - Uncategorized - Warner Todd Huston

Lesson: Pugnacity is Not Telegenic

October 30, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Variety is reporting that conservative radio talker Laura Ingraham has been signed by Fox News Channel as a floating replacement host to fill in when the regular hosts of “The O’Reilly Factor” and “Hannity & Colmes” are not available. She is also pegged to appear on other programs not revealed.

In a press release, Ingraham said, “After years of guest appearances on FOX, I couldn’t be happier about the opportunity to add my voice to FNC’s stellar lineup.”

This is quite good news for both Ingraham and Fox. For that matter, it is good news for the viewer as well as conservatives because Ingraham is an articulate conservative that can easily go head-to-head against the best (or worst as the case may be) that the left has to offer. I look forward to seeing Ingraham taking on the left on Fox News in the near future. She also has been known not to let folks on her own side get off easily when they have disappointed her conservative principles, so she is not going to be just another yes man… or yes woman… for the right.

I wish Laura luck and look forward to seeing more of her.

So what, you may ask, did I mean by my headline about pugnacity not being telegenic?

Because, Ingraham is taking the place of the apparently departed Michelle Malkin and therein lies the tale.

Now, before you go imagining that I am attacking Michelle, let me disabuse you of that notion. Michelle is an incredibly beautiful, smart woman and is one of the few thus far who have been able to translate her presence on the Internet to wider exposure than the WWW. She has appeared on TV, published a book, and gotten columns in the MSM. She has been quite successful thus far and has deserved that success.
Continue reading “Lesson: Pugnacity is Not Telegenic”

00Publius Contributor - Business - Democrats/Leftists - Media Bias - News - Uncategorized - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Penn. Union Boss Brags About What Dems Will “Do” for Them

October 30, 2007 by

Bucks County AFL-CIO president Tom Bates posted a You-Tube video bragging about all the great things that a pair of Bucks County Democrats are going to do for unions. “Great” things like assuring heavy union contracting for country construction and shutting out non-union contractors and legislating health care plans crafted to union bosses desires.

But, even as the AFL-CIo has donated $47,000 to the Bucks county Democrat Party Campaign Committee, Democrats claim there is no quid pro quo.

But, someone forgot to tell good ‘ol Tommy Bates…

Nah. Dems aren’t going to pay the AFL-CIO back for all their campaign donations. REALLY they won’t!

00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Elections - Media Bias - Society/Culture - The Law - Uncategorized

Homeless for Hillary No Occident

October 30, 2007 by

-By Michael M. Bates

Some things never change. The Los Angeles Times last week reported that in New York City Hillary Clinton brings fresh meaning to Chinese take out. Her campaign’s hauling in bundles of cash from impoverished Chinese areas. Dishwashers, waiters, street vendors, and other folks not normally considered fat cats are generously donating.

Said a $1,000 campaign contributor: “They informed us to go (to a Clinton fundraiser), so I went.” Ah, doing what you’re told, just like in the old country. “Everybody was making a donation, so I did too. Otherwise I would lose face.”

The Times looked at 150 of those in the Chinese community giving money to Mrs. Clinton. Most aren’t registered to vote. A full third of them couldn’t be located using property, telephone, or business records. Newspaper staffers found some campaign contributors not living at the addresses they supplied and no one there had ever heard of them.
Continue reading “Homeless for Hillary No Occident”

00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Marie Jon - Media Bias - Society/Culture - Uncategorized

Fires Politicized “California Dreaming”

October 30, 2007 by

-By Marie Jon’

“California Dreaming” and fires have lived side by side since the “The Grapes of Wrath.” It is absolutely amazing how Senator Harry Reid would manage to tie global warming to the fires in California. Well, like Gump would say “Stupid is as stupid does.”

Reid’s words prove that there’s not one thing that this partisan hack won’t politicize. The Democrat senator has not one admirable character trait to emulate, unless you’re fond of desert rats. When it comes to being crude and asinine, dirty Harry and his ilk never disappoint his far left cronies, who sound just like him. They are, at best, disingenuous on any given subject.

Reid was quoted during a press conference: “As you know, one reason that we have the fires burning in Southern California is global warming. One reason the Colorado Basin is going dry is because of global warming.” Indeed, how absurd.

Too many people don’t know the history of our great nation including the prolonged drought that created the Dust Bowl days. Throughout the 1930’s, drought and dry winds damaged, parched, and literally blew away the topsoil. Dust storms in the Great Plains, including, Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, became an agricultural nightmare. Was that global warming? The answer is no. Al Gore was born March 31, 1948. He wasn’t around to try to panic the entire world with his global warming theories.

The liberal biased media is once again using its propaganda machinery during this overwhelming tragedy in California by throwing global warming into the mix while reporting on the fires that are still burning.
Continue reading “Fires Politicized “California Dreaming””

00Publius Contributor - Business - Democrats/Leftists - News - Uncategorized - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Lawmakers Threaten Private Company to Help Union

October 29, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

A gaggle of State Senators in the State of Washington have signed a letter written on official state Legislature letterhead threatening to remove state funding from an Olympia-based health care service, Behavioral Health Resources. The problem is, this harassment is illegal and has landed these union thugs masquerading as legislators in hot water.

Several Democratic legislators may have violated state ethics laws when they signed a letter scolding a private nonprofit mental-health-care provider for using “hostile” and “anti-union” bargaining tactics in recent contract talks.

The letter, which was sent this month to the director of Olympia-based Behavioral Health Resources (BHR), was written on official Washington state Legislature letterhead.

The Legislative Ethics Board has ruled recently that it is illegal for lawmakers to use public resources to advocate for one side in a private dispute.

Oopsie!

So, how did this come about?
Continue reading “Lawmakers Threaten Private Company to Help Union”

00Publius Contributor - Education - GOP - Israel Teitelbaum - News - Society/Culture - Uncategorized

Battle the Enemy On Their Own Turf!

October 29, 2007 by

-By Israel Teitelbaum

Conservatives can win big in if they were willing to fight the Libs on their own turf. But they refuse to do so. Why?

Even optimistic Republicans have already conceded the Congress in the coming election and are merely “hopeful” about the presidency. This is the result of facts now on the ground, in accordance with the present polling. Although conservatives are engaged in numerous battles, ranging from family issues to national defense, they will only do battle from a position of defense – on their own turf – and refuse to go on the offensive. You can’t win a football game without going on the offensive. How can you win in politics with such a strategy?

The source of power – the engine – of the left is obviously the $500 billion-a-year educational monopoly, which they control – where 89 percent of our nation’s children are indoctrinated. This is a system that has been failing the American people for many decades, contributed to the destruction of countless lives and communities, and is directly responsible for the decline of our culture. Yet, our political leaders are afraid to stand up the $2 billion per-year unions which amply grease the wheels of government and the mainstream media.
Continue reading “Battle the Enemy On Their Own Turf!”

00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Immigration/Immigrants - Media Bias - News - Security/Safety - Society/Culture - The Law - Uncategorized - Warner Todd Huston

Is Crackdown on Illegals Working?

October 29, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

The New York Times is scolding us mean ‘ol Americans for hurting the Mexican economy. You heard that right, we are hurting them! The Times is mad at us because illegal Mexican immigrants are sending fewer U.S. dollars from here in the states back home to Mexico. The Times is all about the gnashing of teeth and the wearing of sackcloth because our so-called “flagging American economy” and our mean spirited “enforcement campaign against illegal workers” is hurting Mexican families who have grown used to the bounty of U.S. dollars being sent home form their law breaking relatives in the states. Can you say “Oh, Boo Hoo?” The Times even continues to use their new euphemism for this illegal leaching of our money to a foreign nation, calling it “remittances” instead of theft like it should be called.

The Times tries to make Americans feel guilty by claiming that the fact that these “remittances” sent home are drying up means that these poor Mexicans can’t pay for medicine and clothes.

For years, millions of Mexican migrants working in the United States have sent money back home to villages like this one, money that allows families to pay medical bills and school fees, build houses and buy clothes or, if they save enough, maybe start a tiny business.

But after years of strong increases, the amount of migrant money flowing to Mexico has stagnated. From 2000 to 2006, remittances grew to nearly $24 billion a year from $6.6 billion, rising more than 20 percent some years. In 2007, the increase so far has been less than 2 percent.

Yeah… as the old joke goes, “women and children hardest hit.”

And what is causing this dip in “remittances?”

Migrants and migration experts say a flagging American economy and an enforcement campaign against illegal workers in the United States have persuaded some migrants not to try to cross the border illegally to look for work. Others have decided to return to Mexico. And many of those who are staying in the United States are sending less money home.

Somehow the fact that illegal immigrants are having trouble stealing our money and sending it off to some foreign land where it benefits no American does not make me all that weepy. The Times assures us, though, that “in Mexico, families are feeling squeezed.”

… and where is the part where we should care about this, again?
Continue reading “Is Crackdown on Illegals Working?”

00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - History - News - Society/Culture - Uncategorized - Warner Todd Huston

What WAS That Confederacy Thingie All About, Anyway?

October 29, 2007 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Does anyone know anything about American history anymore?

Apparently, a BBQ baron from South Carolina has decided to drop the old Southern Cross, C.S. battle flag at some of his restaurants. But he isn’t getting rid of his Confederate theme because he is replacing it with the Stars and Bars, the first national flag of the Confederacy.

In case you are confused as to which flag is which…

Here is the Southern Cross, the battle flag of many of the Confederacy’s field armies:

And here is the first national flag of the government of the Confederate States of America, the Stars and Bars:

Apparently this restaurant owner changed the flag so that he could avoid the “racist” epithet, but here is the thing: No one knows anything about history in this story, apparently. The Southern Cross was the battle flag of the armies of the Confederacy and few common Confederate soldiers fought specifically for slavery. However, the Stars and Bars was created by the government of the Confederate states and THAT entity was made for the express purpose of safeguarding slavery through the vehicle of States’ Rights. So, of the two, the one this BBQ guy just decided to use is far more one that represents slavery than the old battle flag he was using in the first place!

Not that the nitwits that have attacked him for using the Southern Cross understands that fact.

Also, there was another idiot in the story and that was one Lonnie Randolph, president of the state chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People who said:

“Whether, it’s the first national or the last national flag, that does not change history, and the intent, and purpose that that group stood for – which was to overthrow the government of America – doesn’t change with the garment that they hang off their pole,” he said.

Here is an uneducated lout that obviously knows ZIP about American history.

The Confederacy had no intention of trying to “overthrow the government of America,” you fool. The Confederacy wanted to SEPARATE from the US and start their own country! It isn’t the same thing at all. Though, with as bad as our schools are, it wouldn’t surprise me if this dolt simply couldn’t tell the difference.

Just once I’d like to see some historical knowledge displayed by people over this Confederate flag issue. Is that too much to ask for?
Continue reading “What WAS That Confederacy Thingie All About, Anyway?”

History - Society/Culture - Uncategorized

Wake Up America

October 29, 2007 by 1 Comment

My friend from Prying1 found a fantastic poem published in 1940 that seems quite appropriate to our world today.

This month in “Lost Poetry Corner” is a book called Land of the Lakes by Alice Bowerson Grinnell – The following poem is from this book and I thought it apropos for today.
~~~~~~

Wake Up America

Wake up America, to the crisis of today.
Hold aloft the torch of peace to a world that’s lost its way.
How can justice be so blind that cruel wars can reign,
That tyrants terrorize mankind for power and greedy gain?
We who are so strong and free must lend a helping hand
To end destruction o’er the sea, that freedom’s cause may stand.

Wake up America; be patriots one and all.
Marching on in unison, we shall never fall.
Search for traitors everywhere they may chance to be;
Keep Old Glory in the air to boast our liberty.
Shut for joy around the world, until the mountains quake;
Be alert America; wake up for freedom’s sake.

Wake up America, build armoured ships and planes.
May our youth be clean and strong; may valor never wane.
Aggressors we shall never be within a foreign land,
But if invaders cross the sea we’ll fight for Uncle Sam.
Wake up, America, that you may ever stay
The hallowed shrine of liberty the whole world knows today.

~~~~~
Land of the Lakes by Alice Bowerson Grinnell – Exposition Press, New York, N.Y. 1941 –

The last page of the book has a closing letter from Alice dated Dec 6, 1940 –
One year and one day later Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese (7th December 1941).
One year and two days later the U.S. declared war on Japan (8th December 1941).
Italy and Germany then declared war against the U.S (Dec 11, 1941).

00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Media Bias - Nancy Morgan - News - Race - Society/Culture - Uncategorized

I Have A Dream

October 29, 2007 by

-By Nancy Morgan

Martin Luther King’s ‘Dream’ has fallen by the wayside. His ‘dream’ of having blacks judged by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin is no closer to being realised than it was more than 40 years ago when he first articulated his vision of a color free future.

Not, as current black ‘leaders’ assert, because racism is alive and well in America. But because the current politically correct orthodoxy has effectively banned any type of judgement. All judgement is now off limits. (Unless you’re one of the lucky few who does the judging.) Judging others has been deemed at best, hurtful. At worst, a hate crime. Thus, any reference which challenges the liberal template of race, such as, say, having an opinion, has become a social crime with very real penalties.

The latest casualty of this perverse policy is one of the world’s most highly regarded scientists, Dr. James Watson, who won a Nobel Prize for the discovery of the structure of DNA. The wrath of the left has descended upon Dr Watson for daring to opine that intelligence, IQ, may vary among different races.

Set aside the fact that his assertion may hold some merit, as proven by Charles Murray and Abigail Thernston’s ‘Bell Curve’ study. The fact is that Dr Watson dared to challenge the left’s holy trinity of race, i.e.:

All blacks are victims of racism
Whatever misfortune befalls them is Whitey’s fault
America is still a racist nation.
Continue reading “I Have A Dream”

00Publius Contributor - Democrats/Leftists - Media Bias - News - Race - Selwyn Duke - Society/Culture - Uncategorized

Can We Please Define “Racism”?

October 29, 2007 by

-By Selwyn Duke

James Watson, the geneticist who helped unravel the structure of DNA, came under fire for saying that Africans are not as intelligent as Westerners. Aside from his remarks being deemed baseless and unscientific, he has quite predictably been labeled “racist.” Why, some thought police even want him charged under Britain’s Orwellian “racial hatred laws” (Watson is conducting a speaking tour in Britain presently).

In light of this tendency to apply the “R-word,” one that claims as victims late sportscaster Jimmy “the Greek” Snyder, manager of the Cincinnati Reds Dusty Baker, former baseball commissioner Al Campanis, late NFL player Reggie White and many others, I have a question.

What is “racism”?

Is it simply voicing beliefs about differences among races? Am I a racist if I say that blacks have darker skin and frizzier hair? No, I suppose not. What about if I point out that blacks commit an inordinate amount of crime and that 70 percent of black children are born out-of-wedlock, versus 27 percent for whites? Well, in our culture that is borderline. But why? On what basis should we determine what is “racist”?
Continue reading “Can We Please Define “Racism”?”

Widget Ready

This right column is widget ready! Add one in the admin panel.

Widget Ready

This right column is widget ready! Add one in the admin panel.

Copyright Publius Forum 2001