In Our Own Back Yard: Convergence Northwest

Next week in Vancouver, Washington at the Hilton. Go here for info.

• Speakers
  • Benjamin Netanyahu
  • Limor Livnat
  • Arieh Eldad
  • Yisroel Stefansky
  • Yuval Steinitz
  • Joseph Zarelli
  • Elihu Ben-Onn
  • Gil Kleiman
  • Brigitte Gabriel
  • Charlie Schiffman
  • Bob Horenstein
• Location
• Event Registration

Goodbye Schumachers. You Were a Good Citizen for 112 Years.

The legal fight goes on, however. Click on image to go help their legal defense fund.

Peaceniks "celebrate" Memorial Day with Anti War Rally and Swastikas

h/t to 5th listener Lew who runsdown Washington state and other John Edwards' inspired anti war rallies on the one day we celebrate the men and women who gave their lives to make us free. Lookie at what some of the fruitbats did in Washington. They switched out American flags for swastikas. They still don't get it.

Here's what Lew observed:

...vandals not only took American Flags off of the graves of Veterans and burned them, but replaced them with hand drawn Swastikas both on Sunday and again on Monday, Memorial Day!

Here's Blackfive's Uncle Jimbo "crashing" (aka videotaping) an anti war rally. Good stuff.

Here's a letter I received from gentle listener Jim about his Memorial Day:

Victoria,

I watched most of the PBS National Memorial Day Concert from our nations capital tonight.
I've watched it many times in recent years. I just can't help myself I guess.
The actor, Charles Durning always shows up for this concert. Just as strong, and brave as he was that day on Omaha beach during WWII.
Admittedly, his memory is faltering a little, but his determination and courage will never fade.
I was especially moved by a mother’s lette to her son, now buried at Arlington National Cemetery . Her 20 year old son... a casualty of our war on terrorism.
She visits him every week... and writes to him, sitting quietly next to his head stone.
Her letters, read by actress Dianne Wiest, opened her heart and grief to the nation.
They also showed the hero she believes her son to be. And the hero our nation so dearly needs in these times.
I have two great uncles who are veterans of World War II.
Uncle Larry passed away many years ago. Uncle Ralph is still with us.
Uncle Ralph never talked about his experiences defending our country with our family. He did however open up a little to a newspaper reporter on the occasion of his retirement as a barber in S.W. Portland.
I'm certain his experiences during World War II were not all happy times. I'm also certain veterans of the greatest generation wanted to live the remainder of their lives full of happy memories. Not the memories of a horrific war.
He does play a mean accordion though and is happy to play it anytime.
During World War II, some people didn't believe in killing.... or war….. at any price. They still did their part though.
They worked jobs for companies that provided supplies to our soldiers and the war effort.
I believe it was a matter of love of your country, and caring for our soldiers, even though they could not condone killing another person.
There are no bond or scrap drives for our war on terror. Today, chances are, you don’t work for a company that provides supplies to our soldiers. But many of us still care.
We do not have to go without anything today because of our war effort.
Yet people forget too easily the sacrifices made a little more than five years ago.
Innocent people instantly lost their lives..... because of misplaced hatred.
Innocent people gave their lives, trying to save others.
Brave soldiers give their lives today...... so that it won't happen again.
Other soldiers come home...broken but not forgotten.
Yet...instead of supporting our troops fighting the same hatred that killed thousands of American citizens instantly on 9/11, some people want to paint America as the enemy.
Just as we will never forget the fallen soldiers of wars past, we should not forget the fallen soldiers of the war our country is fighting now.
And we should NEVER forget the thousands who lost their lives for NOTHING...just a few short years ago.
Also, never forget the sacrifices of every single family during this war.
And we should never, ever forget those who are still with us...
who fought in past wars to keep our country, and our ancestors safe.

Jim

Sheehan Emerges from Obscurity to Announce She's Going into Obscurity.Still in Obscurity? Her Son's Heroism.

Here's part of her letter of resignation h/t to the Daily kos:

This is my resignation letter as the "face" of the American anti-war movement. This is not my "Checkers" moment, because I will never give up trying to help people in the world who are harmed by the empire of the good old US of A, but I am finished working in, or outside of this system.

And in addition to her resignation she has decided she'll try to be a mother to her children. The marriage, on the other hand, is kaput. Still Sheehan says while she has "almost died" trying to save the country from itself, she's forging on ...perhaps to get a job or something.

I have spent every available cent I got from the money a "grateful" country gave me when they killed my son and every penny that I have received in speaking or book fees since then. I have sacrificed [my emphasis]a 29 year marriage and have traveled for extended periods of time away from Casey’s brother and sisters and my health has suffered and my hospital bills from last summer (when I almost died) are in collection because I have used all my energy trying to stop this country from slaughtering innocent human beings.

Oh, did she mention she almost died? Plus she's got some nice land in Crawford, Texas for sale.

Camp Casey has served its purpose. It’s for sale. Anyone want to buy five beautiful acres in Crawford , Texas ? I will consider any reasonable offer. I hear George Bush will be moving out soon, too...which makes the property even more valuable [emph mine].

What's her aim? She says she resigning as the "public face" of the "peace movement." As alert listener MV suggested, she might be headed to the opening in The View (didn't Rosie get her talking points from Sheehan's gang anyway?) and came out of 'the shadows' to announce she could use a gig.

So Cindy Sheehan announces from her place of obscurity that she is, well, going back to (staying in?) obscurity, to California, to patch up her family and pay down her debts. Remaining obscured? Her son's heroism. Here's the partial tic toc from Blackfive:

Soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry Regiment were ambushed with RPGs and pinned down and dying [ambushed by Mahdi army btw--Victoria adds]. While fighting off an attack himself, the Commander of the 2/5th, LTC Volesky, called for help. A Quick Reaction Force (QRF) was formed of volunteers - their mission was to go out and rescue the American troops.
Casey Sheehan's Sergeant asked for volunteers. Sheehan had just returned from Mass [yeah, church]. After Sheehan volunteered once, the Sergeant asked Sheehan again if he wanted to go on the mission [emph mine]. According to many reports (and according to his own mother), Casey responded, "Where my Chief goes, I go."
The QRF was launched. Not long after entering the Mahdi area, the QRF was channeled onto a dead-end street where the roofs were lined with snipers, RPGs, and even some militia throwing burning tires onto the vehicles. The Mahdi blocked the exit and let loose with everything they had.
Sheehan's vehicle was hit with multiple RPGs and automatic-weapons fire.
Specialist Casey Sheehan and Corporal Forest J. Jostes were killed.
A second QRF was formed - all volunteers - to go rescue the first. Specialist Ahmed Cason was hit in the second QRF - but kept fighting until he bled to death.
Seven men died with Casey Sheehan on Sunday, April 4th, 2004.

MEMORIAL DAY 2007: GOD BLESS AMERICA, GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS

PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN


OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM AND OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM HEROES HERENEVER FORGET

A Job Americans Won't Do

ENFORCE AMERICAN IMMIGRATION LAWS!

ROSIE IS OFF THE VIEW...Perhaps to Club Gitmo?

Where's Gordon? With Ron Voting for Illegal Alien Amnesty!

A caller says she called Gordon Smith's office Thursday and was told he's not coming back to Oregon until August (I'll confirm this today). Do you blame him? He throws up the white flag on the war, votes to grant amnesty to illegal aliens, what's next? WOULD YOU WANT TO COME HOME AND FACE THE MUSIC TO YOUR POLITICAL BASE?

While we know that Ron Wyden will suffer no ill effects from VOTING FOR AMNESTY in the latest Senate vote the same cannot be said of Gordon Smith, for now the only R in the group of NW Senators. He's facing re election in 2008 and hopes to parlay his anti war vote into democrat voters.
Cantwell and Murray each voted IN FAVOR OF IMMEDIATE AMNESTY FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS ALSO.
The Vitter amendment would have stripped out the Z Visa program--the amnesty portion of the awful Senate Bill 1348.

DON'T FORGET TO CALL YOUR SENATORS TO SAY 'NO' TO AMNESTY! NO TO SENATE BILL 1348! AND USE THE OPEN BORDERS CROWD'S OWN PHONE NUMBERS THEY'VE PAID FOR TO GET A DIRECT LINE TO SENATORS:
(THANKS TO MICHELLE MALKIN)

If you are having trouble getting through the Capitol switchboard to express your opinion about the Bush-Kennedy shamnesty, there's a special hotline number you might like to try.

1-800-882-2005. (Spanish number)
1-800-417-7666. (English number)

Who's paying for these hotlines? Unbelievable. SEIU, George Soros, ACORN, the usual open borders fellas and their ilk. Malkin's got the whole list here.

Oregonians for Immigration Reform offer up where Ron will be this weekend:

TO: OFIR members and supporters:

Senator Ron Wyden is going to hold two town hall meetings this Sunday, May 27. The

first meeting will be in Rufus at 1:00. Rufus is on I-84 just east of The Dalles. The

second will be at 3:30 in The Dalles. The Dalles is about 83 miles east of Portland on I-84.

This is an opportunity to talk directly with the Senator and show your outrage about his voting to give amnesty to illegal aliens under the Senate amnesty bill, S. 1348. For further information you can call the OFIR office, (503) 435-0141.
Sherman County Town Hall Meeting
Date: Sunday, May 27
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Location: Rufus Community Center, 304 W. 2nd Street, Rufus
Wasco County Town Hall Meeting
Date: Sunday, May 27
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Location: Mid-Columbia Senior Center, 1112 W. 9th Street, The Dalles
Americans for Better Immigration gives him a grade of D for his whole career in Congress, and C- for recent actions. See the record at:
In the Senate this week Sen. Wyden voted against an amendment that would have facilitated information sharing between federal and local law enforcement officials related to an individual’s immigration status. He also voted not to remove the amnesty provisions from the so-called "Comprehensive" bill.Ask him why he supports amnesty for 12-20 million illegal aliens. Tell him that attrition through enforcement of the immigration laws now on the books is the only fair an! d feasib le way to reduce the illegal population. Attrition through enforcement is effective and humane.A major amnesty was passed by Congress in 1986 while Wyden was serving in the House of Representatives. Senator Edward Kennedy, leading the push for the 1986 amnesty said: "This amnesty will give citizenship to only 1.1 to 1.3 million illegal aliens. We will secure the borders henceforth. We will never again bring forward another amnesty bill like this."Why should we believe the promises of future enforcement, when the same people are now urging amnesty for over 12 million illegal aliens.The current proposal guarantees that the problem of illegal immigration will only grow exponentially as it did after the 1986 amnesty.http://grades.betterimmigration.com/testgrades.php3?District=OR&VIPID=667 You can click on the links to read the full voting record on which the grade is based. The full voting record cannot be disputed as each legislative report carries a link to the official vote tally in Congress.

NO ON AMNESTY!

CALL YOUR SENATOR AT THE CAPITOL SWITCHBOARD
202-224-3121
AND TELL THEM NO ON SB 1348!
FOR THE LATEST ON THE AMENDMENTS OF THE BILL GO HERE.

Immigration Update

After you've finished reading the stories about the live sex acts on the OSU campus and whether or not violent felons who instill terror by burning things they don't like should be called "terrorists" we commend to you this story out of Texas.
A federal judge there has determined that the FEDS are the only ones who can determine if a person is in this country illegally. The case is from Farmers Branch, TX in the case of the new law which requires landlords to rent only to legal residents.

Only the federal government can determine whether a person is in the United States legally, wrote U.S. District Judge Sam A. Lindsay.
Instead of deferring to federal officials, Farmers Branch has created its own classification to determine which noncitizens may rent an apartment, the judge ruled.
Lindsay also wrote that the city appeared to have used federal regulations on housing benefits for noncitizens to define who may rent an apartment in the city.
"The court recognizes that illegal immigration is a major problem in this country, and one who asserts otherwise ignores reality," Lindsay wrote. "The court also fully understands the frustration of cities attempting to address a national problem that the federal government should handle; however, such frustration, no matter how great, cannot serve as a basis to pass an ordinance that conflicts with federal law."

HOLD THEIR FEET TO THE FIRE: TODAY'S THE DAY TO STOP THE SENATE VOTE

202-224-3121

CAPITOL SWITCH BOARD. CALL NOW. CALL OFTEN.
TODAY IS CRUCIAL
HERE'S A COPY OF THE BILL SO FAR.

Debate on cloture begins. Here's a money quote about you from Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions, R.,
"I'll tell you one thing: the American public care about this issue. They know more about this issue oftentimes than politicians themselves know. And the American people for the last 40 years have had the right instincts. They want a lawful and fair immigration system, they do not want to end all immigration, they know we are a nation of immigrants, they believe in immigration; they want a system that works, that does not pull down the wages of working Americans, that furthers our economy, does not enhance the welfare state, and is lawful... They want the law enforced. It's the politicians who have failed them consistently. And the politicians just like last year seem to be on the move. And their move is 'we don't want this bill on our floor long. The longer it stays here the more the people will get upset, the more they're going to find out about it, the angrier they'll get with us, and so we really don't want them to know what's in it. We'll bring this new bill up, we'll plop it down, vote it out this week and get it off our plate.'"

Sessions again on America's immigration system:
"It is comprehensively broken, it is a lawless system. We arrest at the borders of the United States every year--hold your hat--1.1 million people. That's because the word is out all over that we don't enforce our laws, that you can come into our country unlawfully and get away with it.
...Now I have said in the last couple of years that when we make a proposal, someone comes up with an idea that will actually work to enforce our laws and end the lawlessness, that's what gets objected to. If you come up with an idea that won't work or will only have an incremental benefit, people are glad to pass it and say they did something on immigration.
...We've been passing bills that have loophole after loophole, gimmick after gimmick, impossibility after impossibility that have never worked. And I think that at the base in the Congress and the presidents they've not really wanted it to work."
202 224 3121
This bill essentially says if you get here by hook or by crook you're legal.
HERE'S HOW YOU GET IN TOUCH WITH YOUR SENATOR. WHILE YOU'RE AT IT CALL YOUR CONGRESSIONAL REPS. CALL THE CAPITOL SWITCHBOARD AND ASK FOR SENATORS WYDEN, SMITH, CANTWELL AND MURRAY. TELL THEM TO VOTE NO ON THE CLOTURE VOTE (TO ALLOW QUICK DEBATE AND VOTE ON THE AMNESTY BILL).

• An immediate amnesty for nearly all 12-20 million illegal aliens who will get legal status for residence and jobs (with the assurance of getting green cards no later than 13 years);
• Mandatory workplace verification and some extra enforcement to try to slow the flow of the next 12 million illegal aliens enticed by the amnesty;
• Tripling of the rate of chain migration of extended family from around 250,000 a year to around 750,000 a year for about a decade; and
• New flows of 400,000 temporary foreign workers each year, bringing their families and having anchor babies who will be given U.S. citizenship.

GET FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS AWFUL BILL FROM NUMBERS USA HERE, FROM F.A.I.R. HERE, FROM CENTER FOR IMMIGRATION STUDIES HERE, THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION STUDY WHICH SHOWS THE COST OF THIS KIND OF IMMIGRATION BILL WILL BE $2.5 TRILLION.

Also call your Congressman about the anchor baby bill. The following is from Numbers USA:
On April 19, Rep. Nathan Deal (R-Ga.) introduced H.R. 1940, the Birthright Citizenship Act of 2007, which would end the process of granting automatic birthright citizenship to the babies born in the United States to illegal aliens. Referred to as "anchor babies," these children born in the United States are one of the most prominent causes of illegal immigration and, subsequently, excessive population expansion.

The 14th Amendment This website serves to explain the original intent of the Fourteenth (14th) Amendment to the US Constitution, and how it is currently misinterpreted to give citizenship to children born in the United States of illegal alien parents.

In its spring 2005 edition, the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons cited that "[b]etween 300,000 and 350,000 anchor babies annually become citizens… In 2003 in Stockton, California, 70 percent of the 2,300 babies born in San Joaquin General Hospital's maternity ward were anchor babies."

These staggering figures only tell part of the story. Birthright citizenship incentivizes illegal immigration by making anchor babies eligible to sponsor their illegal alien mothers and other relatives once they turn 21. In addition, at present there is no formal policy that forbids DHS from deporting the illegal alien parents of a child born in the U.S. Yet in most cases, immigration officials habitually choose not to initiate removal proceedings, allowing the parents to remain in the U.S. illegally.

Perhaps more starkly, anchor babies draw benefits and services from taxpayer dollars. As the Journal article notes, "Anchor babies are citizens, and instantly qualify for public welfare aid…In 1994, 74,987 anchor babies in California hospital maternity units cost $215 million and constituted 36 percent of all Medi-Cal births. Now they account for substantially more than half." This is just one more incentive for illegal immigration. Not only can the baby serve as an "anchor" to pull a large number of extended family members into the country, but he/she also can rely on the public services and benefits of the United States. Fourteen Members of Congress are co-sponsors of H.R. 1940 and more are signing up every day.

Click here to send a fax to your U.S. Representative asking him/her to cosponsor H.R. 1940.

The Sell Out of the American Citizen Continued**UPDATED

TOM TANCREDO ON THE SHOW:
"Every single person should call their congressman and senator and not just say I don't want you to vote for this but also say if they vote for this that you will work for anyone who runs against them in a primary. And I will work to find the person to run against them in the primary. Tell them that you won't send them a dime more money."

See that big pile of loose papers? That's the amnesty bill so far (thanks to Michelle Malkin). See the Bible next to it? The amnesty bill is 400 pages SO FAR.
They'll supposedly vote for cloture on Monday. Who are they kidding? This thing will double in size and no one voting will have read it.

Here are some things you need to know about this ridiculous amnesty bill for 12-20 million illegal aliens and their families.

• Instant citizenship!
• No amnesty cap set!
  
• It cuts in HALF the length of the border fence!
• Calls for PREVAILING WAGES for illegals!
• Calls for NO FIRING POLICY for illegals!
• They pretend to call for security enhancement but they're already the things they were supposed to be doing ANYWAY!
• Creates a Z visa that can be renewed every four years.
• Hey and bring the wife, kids, grandma and grandpa.
• Z Visa holders never have to become a citizen but can receive social security and welfare and, of course, don't have to learn English
  
• Artificially expanding the labor force thus driving down wages; nice corporate welfare if you can get it.
  
• Illegal aliens don't receive unemployment. Citizens do. It's still more than they'd make back in the homeland. The checks will still go south too.
• How do you make citizens out of people for whom you have no information? What if they're terrorists, again? Making them a citizen solves the problem? Howzzat?
  
• Don't forget: three of the Fort Dix Six were illegals. They'd be made citizens from this bill.
  

I'll keep adding on. BTW: there's a big call for enforcement in this bill. We already have enforcement laws on the books. Guess what? They won't enforce these laws any more than the old laws (and a reminder: some of them are the same!)

AS PROMISED TO HIS INSIDERS: BRADBURY TO LEAVE. IS TODAY THE DAY?

The man who has done more to violate the sanctity of the voting process in this state, Bill Bradbury, is rumored to be announcing his "retirement" or "resignation" today. He'll be replaced by another favored Kulongoski appointee who will be able to run as an incumbent in the next election.
Bradbury is now an Al Gore protege, giving speeches on global warming to anyone who will listen. Now that he has his second gig well begun he's leaving. Bojack floated the rumor last night here. This website has been watching for the promised retirement for at least seven months and there is a website devoted to Bradbury
These are the nominees for Bradbury's post who have been rumored to be warming up in the bullpen:
Rick Metzger, Ben Westlund, Peter Courtney (dark horse), and?

SAY NO TO AMNESTY **UPDATE WITH INSTAPOLL!

CAPITOL HILL SWITCH BOARD: 202-224-3121
IF YOU WANT THE INSIDE STUFF ON WHAT THE REPUBLICANS HAVE BEEN TOLD THIS BILL DOES EMAIL ME AT victoria@victoriataft.com AND I'LL SEND IT TO YOU (funky font capers if I try to blog it).
National Review weighs in here.

CALL THESE SENATORS NOW
Jon Kyl, R, AZ

Kyl, Jon- (R - AZ)	Class I
730 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-4521
Web Form: kyl.senate.gov/contact.cfm

Mitch McConnell, R, Ten.

McConnell, Mitch- (R - KY)	Class II
361-A RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510
(202) 224-2541
Web Form: mcconnell.senate.gov/contact_form.cfm

Gordon Smith, R (?), Or.
UP FOR REELECTION IN 2008
Sen. Gordon Smith (R)
404 Russell Senate Office Building
(202) 224-3753; 228-3997
Portland: (503) 326-3386
Web Site
Ron Wyden, D, Or
Oregon
Sen. Ron Wyden (D)
230 Dirksen Senate Office Building
(202) 224-5244; 228-2717
Portland: (503) 326-7525
Web Site
Maria Cantwell, D, Wa
Washington
Sen. Maria Cantwell (D)
717 Hart Senate Office Building
(202) 224-3441; 224-0514
Seattle: (206) 220-6400
Web Site
Patty Murray, D, Wa.
Sen. Patty Murray (D)
173 Russell Senate Office Building
(202) 224-2621; 224-0238
Seattle: (206) 553-5545
Web Site

NUMBERS USA Vote Here.
MICHELLE MALKIN'S INSTAPOLL HERE.

WHO'S UP FOR REELECTION?
Thanks to Michelle Malkin for the following:
The Senators listed below are key to stopping Reid and Amnesty legislation. They voted in 2006 to bring the illegal alien amnesty bill to a floor vote so they could play "moderate" on the record with a "yes" vote for "inclusion". Then they covered themselves with the Republican base and tried to recover their "anti-amnesty" image by voting NO on passage of the bill, well aware that the legislation would fail and that their NO vote was just political tail-covering...

Lamar Alexander (R-TN), up for 2008 re-election
Thad Cochran (R-MS), up for 2008 re-election
John Cornyn (R-TX), up for 2008 re-election
Orrin Hatch (R-UT), was up for 2006 re-election
Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-TX), was up for 2006 re-election
Jon Kyl (R-AZ), was up for 2006 re-election
Trent Lott (R-MS) was up for 2006 re-election
Ben Nelson (D-NE) was up for 2006 re-election
Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), was up for 2006 re-election
Craig Thomas (R-WY), was up for 2006 re-election
Ken Salazar (D-CO)
Senator Murkowski
Ted Stevens (R-Alaska)
Senator McConnell
Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) Hammer him to get a clue on adding 100 million people
Ted Kennedy (D-MA) call him to give him a piece of your mind
Arlen Spector (R-PA) mostly out of touch with reality, but call anyway
Senator Lindsey Graham (SC) He thinks Americans are bigots
Senator Mel Martinez (FL)
House Rep Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) Give her a piece of your mind on amnesty

Direct numbers to specific offices:

Senator Jon Kyl 202-224-4521
Senator Lindsey Graham 202-224-5972
Senator Harry Reid 202-224-3542
Senator McConnell 202-224-2541
Senator Ted Kennedy 202-224-4543
Senator Arlen Specter 202-224-4254

Critical Mass Up to its Tricks. Watch and Tell Me What You See

Crazy Anti-Car Protesters - Watch more free videos
This put up job occurred in Berkeley. Let's guess how long it will take to "create" these scenes in Portland. After all if they're willing to do it at Schumacher's they'd do it at these fake protests.

TAXES THY NAME IS OREGON DEMOCRAT

With $2 billion dollars more to spend (thanks to the Bush tax breaks), it's still not enough for the Democrats. These are just some of the increases in taxes being proposed by the Democrats in Oregon this legislative session (thanks to Oregon Watchdog and Brainstorm NW magazine for putting these all in one place):

1. Allowing tax breaks to expire (placing sunsets on previous tax breaks).
2. Rolling back Measure 5 property tax limits.
3. Adding $1/sq ft impact fees on all new homes (slightly less for corporate and manufacturing faciliites)
4. Excise tax on new home construction (in addition to the thousands already charged in systems development fees)
5. Real estate transfer tax. Monies from the sale of your home being diverted (read redistributed) to defray cost of subsidizing lower income homebuyers.
6. Change the kicker tax refund to redistribute some of your money to lower income folks who may not even pay taxes.
7. Renew 3% utility tax on your electric bill.
8. Eliminate the double majority tax protection for special elections (protection against sneak tax increases done during smaller, less noticed elections)
9. Raise the corporate minimum tax for corporations regardless of whether they make any money.
10. Create a "Going out of Business" tax. See, they get you coming and going.
11. Increase the cigarette tax to finance coverage of a lightly participated in health program in order to further promulgate 'universal care.' Yes, it covers children of illegal aliens.
12. Increase the cigar tax.
13. Assorted fee increases.

Is it any wonder that Oregon is the 13th highest spending state in the union? I guess they're trying to become number one.

And don't forget the $2571.90 more for every taxpayer if the Democratic congress repeals the Bush tax cuts.

CNN: Freudian Slip

You know what they say; a freudian slip is when you say one thing but you mean your mother...or something...

John Howard: My Hero

Here's what the Australian PM said recently (get the rest of the speech here).

What Iraq and her people now need is time, not a timetable. They seek our patience, not political positioning. They require our resolve, not our retreat.

In March 2003 I was very clear about the reasons for taking decisive action against Saddam Hussein. I simply remind people of the strategic realities we faced.

That Saddam's regime was a real and growing threat to the stability of the Middle East. Containment was breaking down.

That Saddam had form, both as an aggressor against his neighbours and as a tyrannic ruler of his own people. And that his non-compliance with 17 UN Security Council resolutions over a period of 12 years was weakening the credibility of the United Nations.

That virtually all governments (including opponents of the war such as France and Germany) as well as the now Leader of the Opposition agreed that Saddam had chemical and biological weapons and had designs on developing nuclear weapons. Mr Rudd said that Saddam's possession of weapons of mass destruction was “a matter of empirical fact”.

That the Middle East has always been very important to Australia's security and broader national interests.

And that the strength of our alliance with the United States is based ultimately on the preparedness of each party to share risk and the overall security burden on behalf of the other.

For the record, let me state clearly why I believe a timetable for premature withdrawal of coalition forces from Iraq would invite disastrous strategic and humanitarian consequences.

First, it would undercut the forces of moderation in Iraq at the precise moment when they have a chance - perhaps the last chance - to stabilise their country. Sectarian violence would escalate, with the Sunnis abandoning the unity government and parliament.

Second, it would lead to more widespread and extreme human rights abuses, more internally displaced Iraqi civilians and further outflow of refugees to neighbouring states.

Third, a precipitate withdrawal would give a green light to those looking to make Iraq a platform for global terror. With Al Qaeda and other extremists claiming withdrawal as a victory, this would likely inspire more terrorism outside Iraq, including in South East Asia.

Iraq is undeniably a frontline in the fight against international terrorism. The terrorists view it as such.

Fourth, it would further destabilise what is already the world's most unstable region, perhaps igniting a wider war in the Middle East. Any prospect of resolving the Israel-Palestine conflict would lie in tatters.

And fifth, it would be a crushing blow to America's global leadership, emboldening those who, like Osama Bin Laden, have argued all along that America is a “weak horse” on which no one should depend.

, it may be clever politics to portray Afghanistan as the ‘good war' and Iraq as the ‘bad war', but it is a position cloaked in folly.

Why is it right that Australia and its allies prevail in Afghanistan but fail in Iraq? Why is it okay for Iraq to become a safe haven for global terror but not Afghanistan?

Why is building Afghanistan's security capability more compelling than building Iraq's? And why is a massive setback to American global leadership fine in one place but not in another?

I am prepared to accept constructive criticism of the Government's position on Iraq. But our opponents also have to take responsibility for their position.

Time to Secure the Border Now

Send a fax to your Congressional Rep and Senator here (thanks to www.NumbersUSA.com)

President Bush's Sistah Soulja Moment: Tell Michael Moore to Stay in Cuba

Michael Moore, the "documentarian," is doing a movie on the the American health care system called Sicko. By way of leading to the conclusion he always aimed for in his movie, he took people sickened by attack on America on 9/11 to Cuba for health care. Problem: he didn't get permission. It's still against the law for Americans to travel there without government permission.

Now, as expected, Moore is lambasting the Bush administration ordering the President to lay off an investigation into Moore's lawbreaking. Moore, of course, is going after 'the man' in a transparent effort to gin up opening day numbers for his movie. A good political fight with the Bush administration will be a sure way to get it. I'm sure the Bush administration 'went after' Moore for political reasons...oh wait...

President Bush, you've got nothing to lose, go after Moore telling him he will receive no special treatment just because he's famous. Also tell him if he feels so free to go to Cuba that he should stay there. Have fun in your 10 x 10 flat, driving your '51 russian made car. Buh, bye.

I'm for the War. I'm Against the War. I'm For the War. I'm Against the War.*with update

Victor Davis Hansen has the goods on the democrats and why they can't make up their mind.

"This war is lost," Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid recently proclaimed.

That pessimism about Iraq is now widely shared by his Democratic colleagues. But many of these converted doves aren't being quite honest about why they've radically changed their views of the war. Most of the serious Democratic presidential candidates -- Sens. Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden and Christopher Dodd, and former Sen. Jonathan Edwards -- once voted, along with Reid, to authorize the war. Sen. Barack Obama didn't. But, then, he wasn't in the Senate at the time...

Most in Congress accepted that Saddam was a genocidal mass murderer. They knew he used his petrodollars to acquire dangerous weapons. And they felt his savagery was intolerable in a post-9/11 world. There was no debate that Saddam gave money to the families of Palestinian suicide bombers or offered sanctuary to terrorists like Abu Abbas and Abu Nidal. And few Democrats questioned whether the al-Qaida-affiliated terrorist group Ansar al-Islam was in Kurdistan.

In other words, Democrats, like most others, wanted Saddam taken out for a variety of reasons beyond fears of WMD. Moreover, it was the Clinton-appointed CIA director George Tenet who supplied both Democrats and Republicans in Congress with much of the intelligence they would later cite in deciding to attack Saddam...

...Democrats need to admit the truth: that removing a dangerous Saddam Hussein and promoting democracy in his place seemed a good idea to them in 2003-4 when the cost appeared tolerable. Now, in 2007, with over 3,000 American lives lost in Iraq, they feel differently.

In other words, Democrats could argue that somewhere along the line -- whether it was after Fallujah or the start of sectarian Sunni-Shiite violence -- they either lost confidence in the United States' very ability to stabilize Iraq, or felt that even if we could, it was no longer worth the tab in American blood and treasure.

That confession could, of course, be nuanced with exculpatory arguments about the mistakes made by those in the Bush administration, such as: "Our necessary war that I voted for to remove Saddam worked; your optional one to stay on to promote democracy didn't."

Such an explanation of turnabout would be transparent and invite a public discussion. And it would certainly be more legitimate that the current protestations of "the neo-cons made me do it."

With America still engaged in a tough war, that kind of excuse-making just doesn't cut it.

*Oregon's governor says the war in Iraq was strictly for oil. Now let's just go over this, shall we? When the first contracts were given for the Iraq oil industry and they went to Chinese and Indian companies the d's were nonplussed. Now they say how evil the Bush administration was to privatize the oil industry of Iraq apparently believing the Hugo Chavez (read: socialist/communist) way of doing business was the right way to go. Here's Ted (vote for him it's his turn) Kulongoski's story.

Now why are all these d's who have said setting time tables for withdrawal is dangerous are now calling for a time table for withdrawal? Politics. Look what Moveon is saying about some of the libbiest of them and how they need to toe the line.

"The president vetoed a plan to start bringing our troops home from Iraq this year. It's outrageous and it's not clear how Congress will respond. We expect them to stand strong. We demand that Congress stand firm against the veto, and include a deadline to end the war in the bill it sends back to the president. No more blank checks for war."

Now that we learn the Bush administration lied us into war it's instructive to go back and remind ourselves of what was being said about the need for regime change (called for in the Clinton administration) in Iraq:

"[W]e urge you, after consulting with Congress, and consistent with the U.S. Constitution and laws, to take necessary actions (including, if appropriate, air and missile strikes on suspect Iraqi sites) to respond effectively to the threat posed by Iraq's refusal to end its weapons of mass destruction programs." -- From a letter signed by Joe Lieberman, Dianne Feinstein, Barbara A. Milulski, Tom Daschle, & John Kerry among others on October 9, 1998

"This December will mark three years since United Nations inspectors last visited Iraq. There is no doubt that since that time, Saddam Hussein has reinvigorated his weapons programs. Reports indicate that biological, chemical and nuclear programs continue apace and may be back to pre-Gulf War status. In addition, Saddam continues to refine delivery systems and is doubtless using the cover of a licit missile program to develop longer- range missiles that will threaten the United States and our allies." -- From a December 6, 2001 letter signed by Bob Graham, Joe Lieberman, Harold Ford, & Tom Lantos among others

"Whereas Iraq has consistently breached its cease-fire agreement between Iraq and the United States, entered into on March 3, 1991, by failing to dismantle its weapons of mass destruction program, and refusing to permit monitoring and verification by United Nations inspections; Whereas Iraq has developed weapons of mass destruction, including chemical and biological capabilities, and has made positive progress toward developing nuclear weapons capabilities" -- From a joint resolution submitted by Tom Harkin and Arlen Specter on July 18, 2002

"Saddam's goal ... is to achieve the lifting of U.N. sanctions while retaining and enhancing Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programs. We cannot, we must not and we will not let him succeed." -- Madeline Albright, 1998

"(Saddam) will rebuild his arsenal of weapons of mass destruction and some day, some way, I am certain he will use that arsenal again, as he has 10 times since 1983" -- National Security Adviser Sandy Berger, Feb 18, 1998

"Iraq made commitments after the Gulf War to completely dismantle all weapons of mass destruction, and unfortunately, Iraq has not lived up to its agreement." -- Barbara Boxer, November 8, 2002

"The last UN weapons inspectors left Iraq in October of 1998. We are confident that Saddam Hussein retained some stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, and that he has since embarked on a crash course to build up his chemical and biological warfare capability. Intelligence reports also indicate that he is seeking nuclear weapons, but has not yet achieved nuclear capability." -- Robert Byrd, October 2002

"There's no question that Saddam Hussein is a threat... Yes, he has chemical and biological weapons. He's had those for a long time. But the United States right now is on a very much different defensive posture than we were before September 11th of 2001... He is, as far as we know, actively pursuing nuclear capabilities, though he doesn't have nuclear warheads yet. If he were to acquire nuclear weapons, I think our friends in the region would face greatly increased risks as would we." -- Wesley Clark on September 26, 2002

find the hit parade here

Congratulations Nancy, Harry, Jack, Ted, and Gordon

QUESTION: Does the current jockeying for power, threats of lawsuits, and threats of defunding the war help our enemies?

Asked and now answered:

AL-QA'IDA'S No2, Ayman al-Zawahiri, has poured scorn on a US congressional bill tying war funding to a pullout from Iraq, saying it reflected US failure and defeat in the war.

"This bill reflects American failure and frustration," Zawahiri said in a video interview produced on the internet by As-Sahab, a media outfit that specialises in al-Qa'ida online material.

"But this bill will deprive us of the opportunity to destroy the American forces which we have caught in a historic trap."

HERE'S THE REST OF THE STORY.

Freedom is Messy...and the Democrats Want to Clean it Up...

By Victoria Taft

We’re gathered here on this 8^th day of May in the year 2007 to mourn the loss of freedom in Oregon.

On this day we come together to take stock of what has been lost in just the past few months under the Oregon State Legislature. Led by Prime Minister Courtney, and Speaker Merkeley—under the direction—or perhaps misdirection-- of Governor Kulongoski—these people who call themselves ‘DEMOCRATS’ have forgotten about DEMOCRACY.

In the beginning much was said about conciliation, working together, compromise, but the only thing compromised was the will of the voters. Their rights have not been honored. It seems the democrats’ plan was to tidy up a bit. Thrown into the dustbin were the rights of Oregonians. But, you see, it’s easy to see why they don’t respect the rights of the voter or the will of the voter, or the freedom of the voter.

It’s because freedom is messy.

Freedom spills all over the floor.

It can’t be contained.

It can’t be managed.

And the little d democrats don’t like that because in their mind that is not the natural order of things. They must be in charge and dictate what you want.

So, this session they decided to tidy up a bit. They observed that the voters didn’t know what they were doing when they passed an initiative declaring marriage is between only a man and woman. That was an inconvenience for the democrats. It was messy, so they “cleaned it up”, gave it a new name, gave new “rights” to their friends, and let the men marry men and women marry women. Exactly opposite of what the voters wanted.

This session the democrats decided that a 14% increase in taxes paid into government wouldn’t be enough to fulfill their plans so they planned for another 20% increase in taxes. They planned to take back the kickback given to corporations. Then they announced that because they know better than you they’d confiscate your kicker and give some of it away to people who were more ‘needy.’

The voters approved the kickers. The kickers were in the constitution but the democrats didn’t care. They couldn’t do with your money what they wanted—it was too messy—so they cleaned it up and broke the law.

The democrats wanted to carve out a full time job for themselves so they decided to meet every year. The constitution orders they meet every other year, but it was too messy for them, so the democrats cleaned up the constitution, by ignoring it.

When the voters twice said the government should have to pay if it takes your property, the democrats didn’t like that very much. The first time the judges said it was unconstitutional. So the second time it was proposed it wasn’t put in the constitution. Now the democrats have stripped the backbone, guts and heart out of the measure, rewritten it and have decided they’ll give you another chance to get this decision right. Isn’t that nice of them? Except it isn’t any measure you’ve seen before. They don’t believe in private property rights so it’s no choice at all.

Thousands of Oregonians AND the federal government have declared themselves in favor of a secure piece of identification so we can access federal buildings, travel on airplanes, and know who is in this state illegally. But the democrats said that was too messy and they don’t want to do that anymore. They don’t trust the federal government, don’t think there’s a security problem, and the people in Oregon who want Real ID are just mean. So the illegal aliens have more right to be heard than you do.

The voters have said they don’t like sales taxes. Nine times they’ve said ‘we don’t want sales taxes.’ So the democrats are running through a sales tax on homes.

Freedom is messy and they need every dime they can squeeze out of you to ‘clean it up.’

You’ll find your freedoms out the back door next to the trashcans at the Oregon state legislature.

You can’t miss them. They’re right by the bright blue mop.