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April 27, 2005
The Truth about the Filibuster
PoliBlogger is a Political Science professor that goes through each of the objections of getting rid of the filibuster and eviscerates them. Checks and balances means between the branches, not within them. The filibuster appears to have come in 1806, not at the founding, and the Democrats are impeding debate, not encouraging it by refusing to actually let the votes get on the calendar, not filibustering the actual floor vote.
I still think the GOP should make them actually do a filibuster, but this information helps get to the truth of so much garbage being spewed by the left on this issue.
Posted by John Bambenek at 12:09 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
CPAs Gone Wild: State Auditor audits CMS... Hillarity Ensues
I haven't gotten anything out on this because I've been either working on COTV or my paper, but this is absolutely hillarious...
The State Auditor issued his audit of CMS (the central purchasing and contracting agency for the state of Illinois) and ranked the agency at "slightly above sinister". Massive corruption, fraud, missing paperwork, conflict of interest, money grabbing, and other tomfoolery was found, pointing straight up to Rod.
Capitol Fax (articles all over the place), Peoria Pundit, ArchPundit, ILPundit and others are all over it.
The hillarity includes CMS trying to audit the auditor, trying to impugn the integrity of the auditors office and accuse them of being partisan (note: the auditor is a Democrat, the same party as the Governor. The auditor is about the only Illinois politician that has an integrity and is KNOWN for it, and CMS went after him anyway), making claims that aren't true because the people involved weren't there.
For best quote in an audit (Runman is the Director of CMS):
We’re puzzled as to how Director Rumman could have had a discussion with the auditors at the entrance conference about unsubstantiated media allegations when, in fact, Director Rumman did not attend the entrance conference. Furthermore, no auditor in attendance could have been “slightly embarrassed” by a point that was not made by a person who was not there.
Posted by John Bambenek at 11:41 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Carnival of the Vanities #136 - Blogger Refugee Edition
Welcome to the #136 Edition of the Carnival of the Vanities. This weeks edition is brought to you by your local coffeehouse, because nothing says misanthropy better than a local coffee house (particularly if it only brews fair-trade coffee). Next week will be hosted at Fresh Politics. If you'd like to join the COTV mailing list, send an e-mail to cotvanities-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
To being the show, we'll start with a piece of trivia from Radio Yerevan because while I should be working on fixing the medical malpractice system in 18 to 20 pages, I'd rather delve into obscure jokes from Armenian radio.
* Q: Why is the symbol of the Republicans in the US an elephant, but that of the Democrats an ass?
* A: Because no ass can symbolize two political parties at the same time.
Blogging and fisking The MSM
The Conservative Edge takes great exception to the Executive Editor of the WashPost claiming newspapers own the news.
The World According to Nick writes in as long as the conclusion is good about the tendency of news agencies, government agencies, and others to report the conclusion without actually providing any proof or sources.
Blog Business World writes about how Not for Profits can profit from blogs
Galen's Log writes in on the downside of the obesity blitz that turned out not to be so bad. Moral of the story is better rethink that gastric bypass surgery.
TFS Magnum brings us more in the biased partisan media objective journlists treatment of Sandra Froman while being honored as ABC News Person of the weak. Only the MSM will get in digs on the NRA while honoring her for being elected as president.
CorruptionPolitics
From the Loonatic Left comments on Activist Judges acting less like judges and more like independent legislatures.
Chad Hamilton at PlaidBerry has declared emancipation from the echo chamber to encourage others to step out of their comfort zone to listen and engage other ideologies. A sincere good luck to you.
The Moderate Voice writes in that the Republicans may have the votes to nuke the filibuster
Wicked Thoughts brings us how a father converts his daughter from liberalism to libertarianism
Dissecting Leftism brings us a Roundup on the Left of the past being Righter than it is today as well as other leftist tomfoolery.
Technogypsy brings us the latest on stupid gun laws in Texas.
One of the few things that can bring people together regardless of political affiliation is mutual contempt for the TSA. The Idiom gives us another reason, profiling penguins.
You Big Mouth, You shows us that 2.7 million jobs has been gained since Bush has been President
War and Wishes of a Happy Abu Ghraib Day
Rightwing Nuthouse hails the recent report clearing top brass of criminal responsibility for Abu Ghraib.
The Tomo Report writes in about the recently downed helicopter in Iraq and the face of evil with the videos of the shooting
Tales from Other Countries Who Wish They Were the United States
Watcher of Weasels discusses the ongoing conflict over Taiwan and France surrendering coming down on the side of China.
Boxing Alcibiades brings more on China with the recent anti-communist rally which included one million public renunciations of communist party membership.
I'd rather be picking on France, but apparently most people would rather pick on China. The Glittering Eye has a series of significant challanges and problems for China's banking system
Riding Sun shows us that Japan is paying the Kyoto price after realizing that "saving the world" comes with a pricetag.
Interested-Participant has found out that it is apparently ok to look at porn at work because the courts say you can't fire people for porn on the job. (Insert witty innuendo here).
Humor
The Smallest Minority writes in with It's a Cartoon Meme! with recent comics supporting defensive handgun use.
Generic Confusion shows us why spring is here with his humorous lists of signs.
Koranteng's Toli brings us a list of proverbial zingers
Who's Your Pater?
(Ok, I stole that from the Daily Show, lay off me).Wordlab writes in with Stations of the Cross on the naming of a train station after the late Pope John Paul II. Faithful will wait to see if his intercession will cause the trains to run on time.
Discriminations writes in on the Left Wing Holy Rollers that don't seek to pit Democrats against believers as much as it pits one groups of Christians against another.
Blog d'Elisson writes on some Passover memories
At Better Living, Mark Daniels seeks to make the case for ultimate truth
The Nose On Your Face speculated that Pope Benedict and Lute Olsen are really the same person.
Medicine, Science, and Faith Healing
Classical Values gives us another example of when science lies millions die with the fake science of DDT
Dr. Andy brings together a 4-part analysis by the AMA suggesting being overweight was not as big of a crisis as it was made out to be.
Carpe Bonum writes on some interesting findings on Leukemia out of the UK.
ShrinkWrapped brings us the latest on science's quest for the unconscious mind
Blogborygmi writes in abuot the death of Todd Krampitz, who went outside the organ donation system to get a liver
Gidgets, Gadgets, and Other Things To Waste Money on
BPWrap believes the acquisition of MacroMedia by Adobe will leave a company that just grows bigger, not better.
Musings of Brian J. Noogle ponders an updgrade to his PDA
Wirtual Scratchpad brings us an interesting Blackberry tidbit. Did you know typing on those small keys can give you tendonitis?
The Bailiwick writes in with what's playing on the iPod
Men, Women, and Other Biped Issues
The Cliffs of Insanity brings us thoughts on how sex and society makes it difficult for men to be responsible fathers.
Willisms brings us a new perspective on the gender gap showing Republicans have less of a woman problem but Democrats certainly do have a man problem.
Do women want more feminine men? Taken in Hand has the answer.
Multiple Mentality takes a critical look at bogus feminine hygeine commercials
Annals of Animals
The World According to Pete brings us what would be the online diary of a cat if cats could blog
RoguePundit writes in with Horse Meat on the continuing difficulty the US has with managing wild horses.
This Blog is Full of Crap asks cats about the latest JibJab video, Matzah. I agree, no joke is complete without poking fun at the Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion.
Skrool
Coyote Blog brings us stories of pirate raiding of the student government at NC State
Teens Tell the Truth points out that school vouchers are good for all
Et Tu Bloge writes in that nurture, not nature is what determines success of minorities in school.
The Big Picture writes in with Saudi Funding of US Universities and ponders why they don't invest some of that money in their own educational system.
Entertainment and Music
Reflections in D Minor presents a lifetime as a Star Trek fan
The SmartCop writes on Cameron Diaz and Draw Barrymore finding tripping over human bodies seductive.
The Conservative Cat shows us how the most deceptive phrase in the English language is "Based on a True Story" before movies begin.
The People's Republic of Seabrook ponders the dangers in legislating decency with Once We Start Down This Road, There's No Turning Back
Growing Old Disgracefully discusses his weekend spent in the recording studio.
INCITE brings us the latest in poker blogging in manipulating your opponent to dance your tune. (Apparently you CAN dance to the theme song from Jeopardy).
Grabbag
Oh-Dark Thirty is Throwing a comment party as the owner is shipping out for the Army.
The Neo-Neocon brings us an essay on spring, New York, the World Trade Center, and the Statue of Liberty
The Zero Boss celebrates his 200,000th visitor and ponders tellins his publisher to cram it. I say down with "the Man" (but then again, I've only made $12 with my blog in 4 months).
Truth is stranger than fiction, and the Skwib uses this in his tale of Exploding Fairy tales, frankenfoods, and German Toads
Baboon Pirates talks about his 19th Year Reunion on the 40th Anniversary of the High School he graduated from.
True Ancestor writes in about having to be on the road during Passover and away from his family
Richard Lawrence Cohen writes in with an autobiographical sketch about his teenage years where the course of his life could have going in one direction or another in Sliding Door Moments - The Dead on the Corner
Ligical Meme writes in with a discussion between him and another on the enduring influence of Thomas Kuhn
======
The Carnival's Next Stops:
May 4th - Fresh Politics
May 11th - Cynical Nation
May 18th - Commonwealth Conservative
May 25th - Alarming News
June 1st - Blog Business World
June 8th - The Conservative Edge
June 15th - Mister Snitch
June 22nd - This Blog Is Full Of Crap
June 29th - SophistPundit
July 6th - Conservative Friends
July 13th - Wallo World
July 20th - New World Man
July 27th - Pratie Place
August 3rd - Riding Sun
August 10th - Generic Confusion
August 17th - Willisms
August 24th - Analysis & Wit
August 31st - Incite
September 7th - Sorta Pundit
September 14th - Silflay Hraka - The Three Year Anniversary
September 21st - the skwib
December 21st - Ravenwood's Universe
Posted by John Bambenek at 12:00 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack
April 25, 2005
Are Bush's Judges Being Confirmed As Often as Prior Presidents?
Here's a graph from The Economist (Hat Tip: Prof. Bainbridge
Posted by John Bambenek at 6:20 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Your Tax Dollars Supporting Our Enemies
Put Down Your White Man's Burden, Support Iraqi Resistance
UNCONDITIONALLY-that's the way I support the Iraqi Resistance these days....
The first step towards adopting such a plan of action is understanding why supporting Iraqi resistance groups is the imperative flipside of our support for US troops-even if we don't know, understand, or agree with the politics of the resistance groups themselves....
The author Liz Sperber supports and calls for wide and unconditional support of Iraqi insurgents who do kill civilians (and most of the people they kill are people uninvoled with the US), behead people on TV, and so forth. Liz is using her state-funded computer account, writing her screen in a university-run and funded newspaper, and using the state-funded web site of the University to say "Bravo!" to people cutting off heads in Iraq. Maybe her dean should know that a student spends her time at Brown committing Treason.
You can contact him at 401-863-2573 or paul_armstrong@brown.edu.
Posted by John Bambenek at 6:07 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Quote on the EU Constitution
This 325 page behemoth is impossible to read and figure out. Imagine our own Constitution where phrases of sentences provide decades of debate. Now multiple that by 30. That's the EU Constitution. This quote I think sums it up best and why France is poised to turn it down (in even higher numbers now that Chirac has come out and stumped for it).
"I believe that it is fundamentally undemocratic to propose a constitution that is so difficult to read," Chouard writes.
From: Yahoo news - Weekly Standard
Posted by John Bambenek at 3:06 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
31 Posts and Climbing for COTV #136
I have 31 so far and the frequency has picked up... if you want in, submit by midnight tomorrow. Guidelines are here
Posted by John Bambenek at 2:59 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Civility in Politics
Fellow Illinois blogger ILPundit writes on the perceived problem he/she has on the GOP's claim to restore civility to politics. I could say the same on the Dem side with all the carping about flags after 9/11, or for that matter, the phrase "religious Right" which isn't exactly meant as a descriptor but an insult. Or even this from the head of the Democratic party. But the fact is both sides are pretty petty and carp back and forth because in the end it makes the news. Intelligent discussion on both sides is lacking because most of the intelligent people don't want to try discussing anymore (see Conservative Professors at U of I) because the "political discussion" tends to be populated more by kooks than anything else.
Posted by John Bambenek at 11:27 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 22, 2005
The EU Falling Apart
"No" vote on EU treaty could bring chaos-Mandelson
I've been doing research on the EU military for a class I'm taking and this has particular relevance and weighs heavily on what I'm doing. France (without a big change) is going to vote no on May 29. The Dutch, who vote on June 1st, are poised to vote no as well but will be largely impacted by the French vote. The constitution (325 pages) needs unanimous approval, but could probably end run a small country if needed. It can't end-run France.
One of the interesting effects will be to watch the value of the Euro. Many have made much remarks that the Euro is outpacing the Dollar and soon going to replace it as the defacto standard. The Euro, however, is floating around it's lowest levels of the year. If the French and/or Dutch reject the Constitution, that Euro is going to plummet hard.
Posted by John Bambenek at 3:09 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
I've Had About Enough of Blogger
After I host COTV Monday, sometime after I'll be moving to a Movable Type site. I'm tired of Blogger being such a pain. For some time after I'll maintain the posts in sync between the two sites and eventually just move over completely. Is it so hard to ask to have Blogger be up and post every now and then?
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Posted by John Bambenek at 12:17 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 21, 2005
The Pettiness of Politics
Clinton impeachment was retaliation for Nixon, says retiring congressman
Now, I know the terms Republican and Conservative are essentially interchangeable in the MSM, but let's be frank. The Democrats are crooks. So are the Republicans. But at least the Republicans are my kind of crooks. (That was humor). They occasionally through out a policy that resembles something like conservativism.
Hyde, being honest because he's leaving admits how petty politicians are. You slight them, they find a way to slight you back. Now Clinton made the job easy by perjuring himself, but that's not why they went after him. They went after him from revenge making asses of themselves and a mockery of the system. Being a *insert your favorite insult here* doesn't tend to work out for you so well.
That's the thing about the fillibusters, and why we should make them do one before getting rid of it. This favor will be returned when they eventually get back in power (and the ebb and flow of politics suggest they will) (for that matter, Republicans running on the platform of decisive leadership and failing to deliver might bode poorly for their future as well).
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Posted by John Bambenek at 11:20 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Friday Fax - Abortion Doesn't Lower Maternal Mortality (Duh)
Today's Friday Fax reports that the UNFPA has gotten the obvious, that women
killing their babies has nothing to do with maternal mortality, certainly not
anything that would LOWER it.
=============================
Friday Fax
April 22, 2005
Volume 8, Number 18
UN Admits that Access to Abortion Not Effective at Reducing Maternal
Mortality
Earlier this month, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
released its annual report on maternal mortality around the world. The
report shows that the most important means of reducing maternal mortality
is the presence of a skilled birth attendant with access to adequate
emergency obstetrical care. The report contradicts UNFPA's earlier
strategy of focusing on access to contraceptives and legalized abortion as
the main means of reducing maternal mortality.
The report, entitled "Maternal Mortality Update 2004: Delivering Into
Good Hands," states that some 529,000 women died in 2000 as a result of
complications in pregnancy and childbirth, with 95 percent of deaths
occurring in Africa and Asia. Only 2,500 maternal deaths occurred in
developed countries, where the risk of maternal death is one in 2,800,
compared to one in 16 in sub-Saharan Africa.
The report acknowledges that "almost all maternal mortality is
avoidable," because "all five of the most life-threatening complications
can be treated by a professional health worker." Thus, "We know that
efficient emergency interventions for complications are key to saving
women's lives."
Dr. George Mulcaire-Jones of Maternal Life International, an
international provider of maternal health care, says that the report
"largely validates what the pro-life community has said all along: that
reducing maternal deaths comes down to the kind of skilled obstetrical
care given women - adequate training and clean, well-supplied birthing
facilities - and has little to do with introducing notions of reproductive
rights."
Yet the report states that alongside the provision of emergency
obstetric care and birth attendants, UNFPA's "three-pronged strategy" of
reducing maternal mortality focuses on "contraceptive services to prevent
unwanted pregnancy." A "rights-based approach" to maternal mortality,
which "promotes the empowerment of women," continues to "guide the design
and implementation of UNFPA's maternal mortality policy and programming."
According to Mulcaire-Jones, UNFPA's "three-pronged strategy is
flawed at the outset," because UNFPA channels the bulk of its funding into
contraception. "Contraceptive services should be separated from maternal
health and obstetrical services both in terms of funding, accounting,
and program implementation. Only in this way will skilled care and safe,
clean and well-supplied health facilities receive the attention and
funding required to meaningfully reduce maternal death."
Mulcaire-Jones also stated that UNFPA's "rights-based approach" is
flawed for lack of "universal acknowledgment of the most fundamental right
of all the right to life . . . UNFPA's stated policies in support of
abortion immediately create a conflict of rights by negating the right to
life of unborn children."
Copyright 2005 - C-FAM (Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute).
Permission granted for unlimited use. Credit required.
Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute
866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 427
New York, New York 10017
Phone: (212) 754-5948 Fax: (212) 754-9291
E-mail: c-fam@c-fam.org Website: www.c-fam.org
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Posted by John Bambenek at 5:47 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Hubba Hubba
I didn't get this til later, but one of the parents of the kids killed at Columbine testified in front of Congress and laid blame not on the NRA. Read it.
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Posted by John Bambenek at 5:45 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Problems Continue in Sudan
UN Sudan Situation Report April 17, 2005
I haven't written much about this lately, but the problems still exists out there. Civilians are still be denied access to humanitarian assitance and there are still problems out there. Further, two bordering countries, Ethopia and Eritrea appear to be entrenching for war and have mobilized their people accordingly. The UN is calling for more troops and asking the government in Khartoum to stop the militia violence.
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Posted by John Bambenek at 5:24 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Berkeley Laptop Thief Scared? - Sorry Prof was Full of Crap
Berkeley laptop thief is scared out of his wits by professor
I might buy the FBI looks into things referred to it by the NIH. But US Marshalls investigating things for the FTC? I think not. Here are the major responsibilities of the US Marshall Service, nothing comes close to playing clean-up for other federal agencies.
This is simply a professor trying to scare the living daylights out of the thief to get them to come forward. If he had the student as close as he says he does, they wouldn't need to make an announcement in class. They'd be making an arrest instead.
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Posted by John Bambenek at 4:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Conservative Professors at U of I
I went to a talk last night, well an open forum, "National Security v. Individual Freedom" by Illinois Campus Deliberations (a great idea I think, by the way. To join their mailing list send email to abogdan2@uiuc.edu). There were 4 panelists: Prof. Mark Leff, Prof. Steven Beckett, Tom Mackaman (Look at the very bottom), and Billy Joe Mills.
The first thing that struck me about this talk is that there were 2 professors, 1 graduate student, and one undergrad. Why is it they can't find one conservative professor to see on these discussions (and that's not a dig into Billy who does well at these things, but we should have to resort to getting undergrads from the College Republicans to go up against faculty in discussing ideas). Well, I heard the answer. There are some conservative professors on this campus, they are just tired of going up there and debating wackos. Prof. Leff, the man who brought you the failed Union of Professional Employees who thinks that the Patriot Act is horrible on par with internment also thinks that academic employees (some of which get tenure like professors, and others are just academic staff like me) who get 5 weeks vacataion and 5 weeks vacatoin and, for that matter, employees who are fired with cause (albeit there are exceptions for cases where the person really needs to be removed) can get up to 12 months notice before they actually have to leave. This is not a hostile working environment. There is no where you can get 10 paid weeks off a year. Certainly none that will give you a year notice that you are going to be laid off.
Steven Beckett is a leftie, but reasonable. He had some fair skepticism.
Tom Mackaman ran for the state legislature as a Socialist trying to stop the Iraq war. Being that the state legislature has nothing to do with federal military activities, I think this speaks for itself.
Leff and Mackaman suggested that the term "enemy combatants" was made up by the Bush administration to not give Geneva Conventions privileges and it has never before been used or even considered. Article 4 of the Geneva Conventions determines who is a Prisoner of War. Guess what? Bush is right. Al Queda didn't carry arms openly nor wear distinctive insigna nor have any respect for the laws and customs of war. Mercenaries are also not covered by the Geneva Conventions.
Mackaman seems to think that distribution of wealth in the US is without precedent. Might I suggest he look at Honduras where 17 families own EVERYTHING. Or how about Dark to Middle Ages when the King owned everything. Sure, there is an unequal distribution of wealth, but I don't care about being a billionaire. I care about being able to feed and shelter my family and that opportunity is most prevalent in the United States.
The point where I left was when someone in the audience suggested Al Queda was made up by Bush to rescind the Constitution or something crazy like that.
I can see what conservatives don't participate in these things.
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Posted by John Bambenek at 3:29 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
A Quote About the University of Illinois
In discussions with others about CITES the central campus computing and telecommunications organization on campus, and widely despised as such I said this:
"The problem is not that CITES exists, the problems is that some of them act like !@#$%ing gangsters."
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Posted by John Bambenek at 2:07 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
The Oddities of Blogging
Sometimes I'm not quite sure how this all works. I have a hard time getting known in quarters where I want to be noticed, but then I get attention from other areas I had no idea would even know that I'm out here. I got a health number of hits from Spanish speaking blogs last night and this morning about my defense of Pope Benedict from Si, Si, No, No and Hispalibertas as well as others.
Si, Si, No, No had a neat little language translate tool on his site, so I've added it mine, so you can translate away. Otherwise, thanks for visiting.
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Posted by John Bambenek at 12:03 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Howard Dean - No New Ideas, Same Old BS
Howard Dean warns of danger in Iraq pullout
Between a speech he delivered without notes and a question-answer session, Dean regaled an appreciative audience for nearly 90 minutes without once raising his voice, as he did after last year's Iowa primary election. But he did draw howls of laughter by mimicking a drug-snorting Rush Limbaugh.
That's your modern Democrat. They don't have anything intelligent to say and all they can do is find dirt on people who disagree to try to shut them up. It's not unlike the blog that does nothing but out gay Republicans (i.e. Jeff Gannon), or the constant mudslinging at Tom DeLay that has done nothing but expose the fact he does things almost every other member in Congress does. They were the ones in the streets a few blocks from the crumbling Berlin Wall saying everything is fine, go home, nothing to see here.
They've lost and the only thing that mitigates that loss is the fact most Republicans refuse to act like the majority party and actually do something we like to call her as "lead".
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Posted by John Bambenek at 9:10 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
MoveOn Watch: The Evil GOP Wants to Put Arsenic in Drinking Water
According to MoveOn, apparently the GOP party platform is to end the right to privacy, pollute
the air, put arsenic in the drinking water, reduce wages to pennies on the dollar and let
employers do human experimentation. The also think we are trying to appoint judges who
will rules that Social Security in unconstitutional.
These are your modern Democrats. Totally disconnected with reality.
==========================
We may only have eight days to stop right-wing Republicans from seizing absolute power
to appoint far-right judges. We've created a powerful new ad, "Smashing the Courts,"
that exposes Republicans^? attempts to break the rules of the Senate and stack the
courts. Together, we^?re trying to raise $400,000 TODAY to get it on the air. Take a
look and chip in:
donate to help air the ad
[filibuster.jpg]
"Smashing the Courts" Script
Video
We see the word "filibuster" forming on the screen. Then we see it being smashed by a
gavel. Then we see the words: "Right to Privacy. Clean Air. Clean Water. Minimum Wage.
Workplace Safety." Each phrase is smashed by a judge's gavel.
Audio
Voiceover: "A 200-year-old Senate rule is all that stands between you and extremist
judges. Radical Republicans are trying to break that rule. Why? So they can push through
judges who will rule against: Your right to privacy. Clean air. Clean water. The minimum
wage. Workplace safety. A few moderate Republicans are standing up to the radicals. What
will your senators do?"
(The final ad script may differ slightly from the text above.)
Dear MoveOn member,
We've been burning the midnight oil to create a compelling new ad that visually presents
what's at stake in our battle to stop the right-wing judicial takeover. For Americans
who don't understand the impact extremist judges can have, our ad sets the record
straight: it shows judges^? gavels shattering the protections and rights we hold dear,
including worker rights, the right to privacy, the minimum wage, and environmental laws.
For the three Republicans we need to win the vote next week, this ad can help add
pressure and push them over the top.
Running the ad nation-wide will alert the public to this under-the-radar attack on the
independence of our courts. We're also developing radio ads that will personally target
the Republicans whose votes could make all the difference. But to do those things, we
need to raise $400,000 pretty quickly together-we've got to get "Smashing the Courts"
and our radio ads on the air in the next few days.
Airing "Smashing the Courts" once in Washington, DC costs about $150. Can you chip in to
help run the ad once? Or, if that's out of your price range, can you subsidize a third
of an ad-$50? You can take a look at the script and give online right now at:
[SNIPPED LINK]
Here's how the New York Times Magazine put it on Sunday: "Imagine a country in which
Social Security, job-safety laws and environmental protections were unconstitutional.
?Imagine judges longing for that. Imagine one of them as the next Supreme court
nominee." And I'd add to that: "Imagine we're powerless to stop them."
We could be facing that situation as soon as next Thursday-Republicans want to break the
Senate rules to seize absolute power to appoint extremist judges. That's the bad news.
The good news: when Americans hear about these judges' far-right ideology, and the way
Republicans are grabbing control to appoint them, they're with us. We just have to get
the word out-and we have eight days to do it.
This fight is about saving one of the last barriers standing between radical Republicans
and total control of the American political system. That barrier, the filibuster, was
created for this kind of situation: it's designed to force the members of the Senate to
find judicial candidates who they can all agree on, and to make it difficult to give
lifetime appointments to radical zealots. It's a crucial part of the system of checks
and balances that makes our country work.
In their plan to change the rules of the Senate and lock out Democrats, Republicans are
banking on the idea that Americans won't care about the process for picking judges. But
that's simply not true-Americans know that fair and independent judges are a critical
part of our democracy. It's up to us to help sound the alarm.
Thanks in part to work of MoveOn members and our allies, three moderate Republicans have
already come out against the judicial takeover plan. If we can get three more, we win.
This ad, and your support, could get us there.
Can you join with thousands of other MoveOn members and help put this ad on the air
today? You can give quickly and securely, by credit card or check, at:
[SNIPPED LINK]
An America where the courts are stacked against progressives is a pretty scary prospect.
But we only need to win over three more Republicans to win this critical fight, and the
American people are on our side. Together, we can win one for the Constitution.
Thanks for everything,
-Eli, James, Marika, Joan and the MoveOn PAC Team
?? Wednesday, April 20th, 2005
PAID FOR BY MOVEON PAC
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
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Posted by John Bambenek at 12:31 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
April 20, 2005
Examples of Corruption
Re-elected Champaign official plans to resign seat
So, oldish news, but this guy, two weeks into his term he resigns to take a job with someone else. Now, if you plan to resign your seat, maybe you shouldn't have ran in the first place. In this country we vote for candidates, not parties. Using the incumbency advantage to hold the seat for your party to toss the seat over to another Republican who couldn't manage to win her own race (a race I paid attention and was so disgusted by, I ended up voting for the Socialist) is pretty outrageous. Yeah, he says he got the offer 2 days before the election, but why would a law firm give him an offer that soon to an election, and did he solicit the offer in the first place?
If it weren't for all the other standard corruption in this state (from both parties) he might get the benefit of the doubt. But politicians in this state have done nothing but reaffirm my low expectations of them.
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Finally a Payapl Competitor
GreenZap is a new company looking to preregister and start in June of this year to compete with PayPal. I've been less than impressed lately with PayPal so a competitor is a good thing.
You can preregister here and receive $25 when they go live. (Remember when Paypal used to give a few bucks when you registered, same thing).
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Blogroll
I've just put it back up, if I've missed you send me an email.
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Airline Security
Michelle Malkin writes about the current state of airline insecurity. Federalizing the whole thing only insured to hire the same people at twice the pay and three times the waste with the fringe benefit of goosing grandmothers instead of looking for terrorists. There is one thing to note though. There will be new plane hijacking a la 9/11. The terrorists have moved on from that tactic because it was a one-time stunt and won't work again. The passangers will never let someone hijack another plane again. Remember Robert Reid - the Shoe Bomber? It wasn't airline security that prevented him (though it should have), it was the passengers who beat the man to a bloody stump with three doctors drugging him into a coma. Even if marshalls were on that flight, they'd have to climb over 50 people who all took turns beating this guy.
Terrorists are going to pick another vector. If they choose the same one all the time, it just causes people not to fly. A problem, but not a crisis. The next hit, if there is one, will be something entirely different an unexpected. That's how terrorism works. You make people afraid because they don't know where the next attack comes from.
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Planned Parenthood Says Prosecuting Child Rape Will Violate Privacy
Indiana Abortion-Sexual Abuse Investigation Goes to Court
The Indiana AG is finally getting around to investigating only 40 cases of dramatically underage girls getting abortion. (Though researchshows the number of cases in 2000 alone is almost 6000). Planned Parenthood says disclosing records of girls under 13 who had abortions (and were by the virtue of being pregnant raped and abused) would violate the right of privacy of the sexual predators that think raping kids is a-ok the young girls.
Apparently, the stories of desperate young women who have no where to turn except Planned Parenthood obscures one fact. That they just want to cover up the rape so the rapist can victimize more girls and increase the cash flow of this "not for profit" organization.
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COTV #136 Hosted Here - Guidelines
With the posting of COTV #135 here is the guidelines for #136 which I'm hosting.
Apparently #134 has caused quite the poop storm about what a host is or is not supposed to do. The only thing bloggers like more (myself included) than sniping public figures for saying dumb, wrong, or both, things, is carping at other bloggers. :) So in the spirit of misanthropy, a feeling which almost every blogger shares regardless of political affiliation, here are the posting guidelines for the next COTV.
- Send me the URL, Title, Permalink.
- Send me a post summary
- Deadline is Midnight on the 27th. I.e. 12:00 am on the 27th, a minute after 11:59 pm on the 26th. I may post after that, I may wait til the morning. If you are late, you are probably out of luck, but I may be generous.
- Send me email at : jcb.blog (at) gmail.com
- Your e-mail should have COTV #136 in the title
Format? I haven't decided, but I'll take suggestions.
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eBay Morals for Sale
Catholics were outraged at someone auctioning the Eucharist on eBay and apparently eBay let it slide. (Sorry no link). So in protest, this auction was put up.
I'm currently the high bidder. :)
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April 19, 2005
DeLay Criticizes Justice Kennedy - Outrage at 10
DeLay Slams Supreme Court Justice
I don't know if I'd consider saying that a US Supreme Court Justice uses international "law" to decide what the US Constitution means is outrageous is really slamming. Not like asking a Supreme Court Justice in public if he sodomizes his wife which apparently isn't news worthy or a slam according to the MSM.
I'm sure come morning all the left will be up in arms yet again with claims that DeLay is asking for violence against judges...
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Jews Come Out to Defend Pope Benedict Against Nazi Claims
A Life Described by Three Phases
The claims that Ratzinger was a Nazi have made the rounds in the media with people already seeking to silence this Pope as a racist. Defense is coming from an unlikely corner, the Jewish contigent.
Rabbi Marvin Hier of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles agreed that Ratzinger's father was an anti-Nazi and said Ratzinger's membership in the Hitler Youth should not be taken as an indication of Nazi sympathies because membership was mandatory. Heir said his group likes Ratzinger and expects him to continue John Paul II's outreach to Jews.
Other Jewish groups overseas and in Israel voice the same thing. He was in the Hitler Youth because he had to be and he was drafted into the army, and army he obviously didn't want to serve as he deserted and sat out the rest of the war in an American POW camp. A pontiff who has seen first hand how the US treats it's POW's and apparently has no complaints.
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Pope Benedict's Time in Hitler Youth and Germany Army
I'm not even going to link to the people who claim this is something voluntary. When he was 14, being in the Hitler youth was mandatory. He got an exemption as quickly as possible to go to seminary. At 16 he was conscripted into the Germany army, and deserted in months. He never fired a gun.
There is no controversy. Please moveon.
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MSM Toes the Party Line
GOP Pushes for Bolton Confirmation to U.N.
One quote: Majority Republicans pushed for swift confirmation of sharp-tongued John Bolton as U.N. ambassador Tuesday in a rancorous committee session. The Senate's top Democrat raised the possibility of trying to block the nomination when it reaches the full Senate. (emphasis mine)
Swift conformation? They've already delayed his committee vote once. They've had multiple hearings on it. Looks like the Dems and the MSM are setting up their story that the GOP slammed Bolton through "without debate". And they say the MSM isn't biased?
UPDATE: Ok, so the expression is "toe", not "tow". It wouldn't be blogging without typos, cliches, and other errors.
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Light Posting Lately
Ok, last post for now. I haven't had much interesting to say and had some work I need to get done for classes and work. To be honest, I'm still not sure I have that much interesting to say, but since about 200 people view this blog daily when I'm posting, apparently someone thinks it is interesting. I'm still waiting on the docs I need for the eugenics case I'm working on, (apparently it takes over a month to find a xerox machine). Other than that, just research on tort reform, the EU military (insert French jokes here), and cleaning up an office upstairs so my coworkers stop complaining at me. :)
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Great Moments in Blogging
Yeah, I don't link to Glenn Reynolds alot because he gets plenty on his own, but this is blogging at its best. Some yahoo in the MSM says something blatantly wrong, and we hit up the public record to prove him wrong.
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Historical Precident for Societies Run by Judges
Much as been written about Sen. Corzine's comments about people being frustrated with the judicial rule of the former Republic of the United States of America. (You can read it here, here,and elsewhere).
You can keep calling it judicial intimidation, but the series of checks and balances means that there are in fact checks on the judiciary. It doesn't mean the First Amendment is unconstitutional simply because a judge has spoken on any issue and you disagree. But in the end, (which is quoted below) the bible story on how kings began to rules over Israel comes to mind. Judges were corrupt and perverted justice (just as letting a homicide occur when an unfaithful husband starves his wife to death so he can marry another woman throwing aside numerous laws to do so with the help of a society of judges) and the people got fed up and demanded a king so at least they'd only have one set of corrupt rules to follow instead of the multitude of rules that result in a society ruled by judges (see "jurisdiction shopping").
The end game of this is either we stop and reverse the trend of judicial control of the United States and the elimination of any discussion on issues because a judiciary refuses to acknowledge Congress as an appropriate legislative body, or we can wait and eventually revolt when people realize they are being tyrannically controlled by their black-robed masters, or we can just kiss freedom goodbye and ask lawyers if it is ok every time we go to the bathroom.
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From Virginia's RSV online:
1: When Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel.
2: The name of his first-born son was Jo'el, and the name of his second, Abi'jah; they were judges in Beer-sheba.
3: Yet his sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after gain; they took bribes and perverted justice.
4: Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah,
5: and said to him, "Behold, you are old and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint for us a king to govern us like all the nations."
6: But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, "Give us a king to govern us." And Samuel prayed to the LORD.
7: And the LORD said to Samuel, "Hearken to the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them.
8: According to all the deeds which they have done to me, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you.
9: Now then, hearken to their voice; only, you shall solemnly warn them, and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them."
10: So Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking a king from him.
11: He said, "These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen, and to run before his chariots;
12: and he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots.
13: He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers.
14: He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants.
15: He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants.
16: He will take your menservants and maidservants, and the best of your cattle and your asses, and put them to his work.
17: He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves.
18: And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves; but the LORD will not answer you in that day."
19: But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; and they said, "No! but we will have a king over us,
20: that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may govern us and go out before us and fight our battles."
21: And when Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the ears of the LORD.
22: And the LORD said to Samuel, "Hearken to their voice, and make them a king." Samuel then said to the men of Israel, "Go every man to his city."
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MoveOn Watch: The Sky is Falling! The Sky is Falling!
I didn't realize the Republicans were out to put Americans into sweatshops, put arsenic in the drinking water, track every American citizen, and kill everyone in the name of those eeebil corporations. I must not have gotten the memo that we were handing judicial appointments over to special interests.
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We have 10 days to stop radical Republicans from seizing absolute power to appoint extremist judges. Last time we wrote letters-to-the editor, three moderate Republican senators came out on our side. If we get three more, we win. Can you write a letter today?
[SNIPPED LINK]
Dear MoveOn member,
In the next 10 days the Republican leadership is planning to pull the trigger on their scheme to break the rules of the Senate, seize absolute power over judicial appointments, and stack the courts with extreme judges. Overnight, some of our most treasured rights, like the 40-hour work week, basic environmental protections, and the right to privacy, would be in danger. We must act.
We can win this fight if we sound an unwavering note of protest on a national scale in the next two weeksemboldening the Democrats to fight in Congress and ensuring that moderate Republicans know the American people are counting on them to hold the line.
We're kicking off the 10 day sprint with a drive towards 10,000 letters sent to the editors of at least 1,500 different newspapers nationwide. These letters are extremely powerful tools to shape the national debate and apply direct pressure on the Senate. Two weeks ago MoveOn members published thousands of letters in papers in all 50 states. Soon afterwards, three Republican senators came out against the nuclear option, including John McCain. If we get three more, we'll win.
It just takes a few minutes to write and send a letter onlineplease write one today.
[SNIPPED LINK]
The Republican scheme is known as the "nuclear option". It would break the Senate rules to eliminate the filibusterthe right to extend debate on controversial votesthat has protected minority rights for centuries. Once they "go nuclear," there will no check on who they can force into lifetime appointments on the federal courts, and the Supreme Court.
Janice Rodgers Brown will most likely be the first judge the radical Republicans push through using the nuclear optiononto the D.C. Court of Appeals, a stepping stone to the Supreme Court. It's not hard to see why she is so important to them or so dangerous for the American people.
Judge Brown is against the most basic protections for workers and the environment that have kept our country strong since the Great Depression. She follows a radical judicial philosophy, (often called "Constitution in Exile") that says courts have a duty to block Congress from interfering with a corporation's "right" to profitably pollute, or an employer's "right" to demand unlimited hours at any wage from their employees. With judges like Brown flooding the bench, and as many as four Supreme Court vacancies coming in the next four years, bedrock laws from the Clean Water Act to the 40-hour work week could be struck down and eliminated forever.
We can stop this, but we have to act now. Please send a letter today:
[SNIPPED LINK]
For the next 10 days stopping the "nuclear option" will require all hands on deck.
After this letters-to-the-editor campaign, we'll send out signs you can put in your windows and give to your neighbors, then organize door-to-door canvasses in major cities to hand out more window signs and flyers. We'll run hard-hitting ads on television, in print, and on the radio. We'll flood target senators with constant phone calls and all manner of grassroots pressure. And we'll culminate next week with a day of coordinated national rallies in cities all over the country.
Our big push begins today on our local editorial pages. The most powerful weapon we have against this assault is the power of our voices. Please take a few minutes to write your local paper about why extremist Republicans must not be allowed to break the rules and roll back decades of progress protecting poor and middle class families by forcing through judges like Janice Rodgers Brown.
If we hit our goal of 10,000 letters in 1,500 papers it will have a broader reach than millions of dollars of advertising, and will have far more impact because it all comes from you. Please take a few minutes to write and send a quick letterjust a couple paragraphsusing our quick online system today.
[SNIPPED LINK]
Thanks for all that you do,
Ben, Noah, Joan, Jennifer and the MoveOn PAC Team
Monday, April 18th, 2005
PAID FOR BY MOVEON PAC
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.
_____
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Heck, I want to move to LA and be Homeless
For L.A. homeless: a gym, movies, and hair salon
Sounds like that crib is phatter than my house... for that why bother working and paying for my 3 bedroom house when I can live there instead?
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April 13, 2005
COTV #134 is Up
He mentioned my post on filibusters. They could wind up Teddy Kennedy, they'd just have to make sure there was no Chivas in the podium before he got there though...
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More on Kerry blowing an Agent's Cover
Apparently, according to Michelle Malkin, this isn't the first time that name made it out into the open. So I guess the AP had it wrong.
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April 12, 2005
Graphs for Thought on Education Spending
Here are some rankings among OECD countries for the US in education...
Spending per pupil in Primary-Tertiary Education - US is 1st.
Math scores of 15 year olds - we're 9th
Science - we're 14th
Reading - we're 13th
We are behind Mexico yet Mexico spends the least. We spend the most by far out of anyone, and we yield mediocre at best results. Just keep these charts in mind the next time some lib says we don't spend enough.
Here are some graphs to show you the comparisons.
Posted by John Bambenek at 1:18 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Kerry Blows Undercover Agent's Cover
Senators May Have Blown Cover of CIA Agent
1) Why does this have to come from Asia? If it does, you know it can't be good.
2) Will they make the same stink about Fultongate as they did about Plamegate?
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