Salem's Lot: The Top Ten Dumbest Bills This Session

#10 Raising the cost of buying a house with a tax on documents for buying a house so that buying a house would be easier for people who can’t buy a house. Got it?
#9 Doggy Dining…a bill that would allow all Oregon restaurants to let dogs dine with their humans. What could possibly go wrong?
#8 Allowing people who live in a van by the river…to register to vote..and use as their address…."Van by the River."
#7 The "don’t gossip about your friends" bill…except they gave it a high tech name…cyberbullying!
#6 A bill to force employers to keep employees even though they're high on medical marijuana!
#5 The raise your hand to cross the street bill! Further encouraging and emboldening jay walkers
#4 A bill that would have legalized bikes without brakes
#3 The center for missing and exploited shopping carts…complete with hotline
#2 Smoking ban in bars, taverns, bingo halls, bowling alleys …as a health measure…because as we all know…you go to bars for your health.
#1 hooker school/prostiteachers!

Your Vote for Dumbest Bills in the 2007 Oregon Legislature

Prostiteachers?
Doggy Dining?
Shopping Cart Hotline?
Official "Dirt" of Oregon?
Pig Pen Law (for pigs not even raised here in Oregon I'm told)?

Friday Topic: What Do Low Approval Ratings for Leaders Reveal?

A new poll shows Oregonians' confidence in elected officials at an all time low. The same poll says illegal immigration is the second most important issue in Oregon, after education, but, as we pointed out earlier in the week on the show, those two issues are intertwined and Oregon politicos just don't want to own up to it. When you have a $1.4 million dollar* impact at only three Portland area schools (and I'm sure it was worse) after the Fresh Del Monte raid, extrapolate that out to other school districts in Oregon (say Hillsboro and Woodburn for instance) and you have a HUGE impact on schools. Local officials like to say the problem of illegal immigration is national, not local, but if Oregon took more measures to make this state less hospitable to illegal immigrants, we might actually make our schools more responsive to citizens instead of catering to the ELL crowd.
Along with that poll we find that Oregonians don't have much confidence in congress and the legislature. Hibbitts attributes it to George Bush's low approval ratings. But while some of this is due to the malaise of the second term presidency and the drag effect of Iraq, congressional reps--especially D's--have only themselves to blame.
When they should have paid attention to being responsible adult legislators they took out their pea shooters and put a picture of George Bush on their dartboards. That was sophomoric, devastating and wrong. They were seen as feckless as a result. They were perceived as being concerned only about their elections instead of looking out for our country. For their part, the R's looked weak and vacillating on the biggest issue of our lives: national security.
The result is both sides, but especially the D's, spent their political capital bringing down the president in the esteem of the populace and that lack of confidence slopped over and soaked their candidacies. Of course the American public doesn't trust them, they stand for nothing but their own naked political greed and it's clear they've sold out the country.
You can't blame all that on the president Tim Hibbits.

*Cost per student as figured by the difference of absences the day of the raid and the day after the raid.

Oden to be Blazer's Choice

That's what ESPN's been reporting since last night. Read all about it here.
Image from the NBA.

Shamnesty, Scamnesty, Amnesty DEAD

Running vote tally C-span here.
Michelle Malkin's continuous blogging here.
FAIR reaction: First they defied the will of the American people by introducing an amnesty bill three weeks ago. It got beat down. Then, they reintroduced it. This was not old fashioned tenacity….it was audacity…the most egregious most of us has ever seen. The special interests prevailed early on. They needed an enforcement plan to sneak in amnesty. And that’s what this bill was at the beginning, middle, and end…an amnesty plan sugar coated with meaningless enforcement.
NUMBERS USA reaction: This is one of the biggest victories I've ever seen for grassroots activism. We need 40 NO votes to beat this cloture vote. Instead, we got 53!18 Senators who vote YES on amnesty cloture on Tuesday switched to NO today!

Immigration Debate Shows Us Why Americans and Oregonians Don't Trust Lawmakers

A new poll shows Oregonians' confidence in elected officials at an all time low. The same poll says illegal immigration is the second most important issue in Oregon, after education, but, as we pointed out earlier in the week on the show, those two issues are intertwined and Oregon politicos just don't want to own up to it. When you have a $1.4 million dollar* impact at only three Portland area schools (and I'm sure it was worse) after the Fresh Del Monte raid, extrapolate that out to other school districts in Oregon (say Hillsboro and Woodburn for instance) and you have a HUGE impact on schools. Local officials like to say the problem of illegal immigration is national, not local, but if Oregon took more measures to make this state less hospitable to illegal immigrants, we might actually make our schools more responsive to citizens instead of catering to the ELL crowd.
Along with that poll we find that Oregonians don't have much confidence in congress and the legislature. Hibbitts attributes it to George Bush's low approval ratings. But while some of this is due to the malaise of the second term presidency and the drag effect of Iraq, congressional reps--especially D's--have only themselves to blame.
When they should have paid attention to being responsible adult legislators they took out their pea shooters and put a picture of George Bush on their dartboards. That was sophomoric, devastating and wrong. They were seen as feckless as a result. They were perceived as being concerned only about their elections instead of looking out for our country. For their part, the R's looked weak and vacillating on the biggest issue of our lives: national security.
The result is both sides, but especially the D's, spent their political capital bringing down the president in the esteem of the populace and that lack of confidence slopped over and soaked their candidacies. Of course the American public doesn't trust them, they stand for nothing but their own naked political greed and it's clear they've sold out the country.
You can't blame all that on the president Tim Hibbits.

*Cost per student as figured by the difference of absences the day of the raid and the day after the raid.

Smith Votes No on Cloture, but Yes's Win

FROM NUMBERS USA:
Senate Votes "YES" on Cloture - and on Amnesty

CLICK HERE to visit the Senate Vote Day Action Center for more information on the "compromise" bill, S. 1639 (formerly S. 1348).(June 26) By a 64-35 margin, the Senate voted to bring S. 1639, the “corrected and updated” version of S. 1348, to the floor. On this matter, a senator’s “YES” vote on cloture was equivalent to a vote for amnesty. Here are the votes.
Polls consistently show Americans oppose Senate bill.

Robert Rector on this Amnesty Bill:

CLOTURE VOTE 8:30AM TUESDAY; CALL GORDON SMITH TO SAY 'NO' ON CLOTURE

CALL NOW 202 224 3121
Meantime in Portland at a rally Sunday afternoon. Illegal aliens were demanding the United State stop enforcing its laws because they're being deprived! Here are some lovely quotes>

Through an interpreter a woman who had been arrested at Fresh Del Monte (and wearing a lojack) said that ICE (and by extension America) deprived her of her American dream:

"She said that she is devastated, you know, after she was being arrested oh, that the American dream is kind of being broken for her."

One of the organizers of the one block long rally Sunday in front of the federal building in northwest Portland said it was meant to show ICE that they're not afraid of them and, oh by the way, ICE are a bunch of terrorists:

"Well it's [the rally] just to show ICE we're not afraid of them. They're trying to terrorize our community. They're creating trauma, psychological trauma.
Reporter:They're terrorists?
They are the ones they're terrorizing the community at large."

OSU: WINNERS OF 2007 COLLEGE WORLD SERIES! CONGRATULATIONS!

On Clay Pigeons and Ostriches

So Gordon Smith is going to transcribe the King bill (forcing employers to match names with SS #'s --a great idea, by the way and doing it at Lars' request) and introduce it in the Senate in the debate over Senate Bill 1639 (new bill # because 1348 is just soooooo last week).
So how will this be achieved? This emailer is dubious and might just have this right to wit: Gordon might be doing to placate us and in reality is just sticking his head in the sand:

Subject: Clay Pigeons
Date: Thu, 21 Jun 2007 21:57:14 +0000
"Clay Pigeon" is a Senate procedure and here is how it works.
Gordon is looking for a way to justify voting for the immigration bill by
suggesting that he will propose this amendment supported by Lars.
This is a red herring, because the first vote on the floor will be for
"cloture" and all amendments previously approved by a committee of traitors
will not be allowed on the floor until the cloture vote is taken.
After that point only a majority of votes (instead of a two-thirds majority)
are necessary to pass any amendment and for that matter the entire bill.
Gordon Smith skates by voting for cloture to allow for his amendment. Then
his amendment is voted down and Gordon loses, but in reality he wins.

CALL YOUR SENATORS AND CONGRESSMAN TODAY: TUESDAY THEY VOTE ON SCAMNESTY SB 1639

Our friends over at Numbers USA tell us about how some folks find it difficult to pick up the phone to call and say NO to cloture and NO to Senate Bill 1639 (the NEW, NEW amnesty bill). Here's how one man got over the fear of calling:

"Personally, I find it difficult to call my Senators, but believe the calls are important. Here's what I do to build my courage to call: I think about the men who have died for our country some in the most hellish ways - doing their duty - then I think about the Senators who are turning their back on the country these men died for, then I ask myself if I can do my duty to America this easy and painless way. It usually does the trick."
----------Larry Nichols, Reno, Nevada

Last night Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison jettisoned away from the amnesty backers. Mitch McConnell is publicly declaring he's mulling over the bill. Gordon Smith says he's against amnesty and I'd like to believe him. Georgia's Senators are now a solid no on amnesty. Texas Senator John Cornyn is now a solid no way.
In addition, the AFL-CIO has suddenly found religion and says---this just in--that Senate bill 1639 will "hurt American workers." Plus the president of the group called the Hispanic Federation says this bill blows (no I don't know if they're holding out for something even worse but ...one fight at a time).
Connect with your Senators by calling, faxing, writing to them. Here's where.
DO IT TODAY! TUESDAY THEY VOTE!

The Heritage Foundation has a copy of it here.
Download S.1639: The Secure Borders, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Reform Act of 2007 (PDF, 20 MB)

See the poll talked about by Colin Hanna of Weneedafence.com on the show here.

Open Threat/d Thursday

Harry Reid's "Undocumented Americans" (see previous post)?
Corvallis getting a wrist slap for politicking on public time?
The Oregonian's sympathetic account of a girl who "can't" go to college (she's illegally here).
The Boston woman who's illegally here and married to a missing American GI in Iraq.
Food for thought on a lovely Thursday.

Iraq and WMD

From Flopping Aces (h/t Orbusmax) on yet another bunch of documents that illustrate Saddam was moving WMD, people, equipment before the war.

The 1990-2003 War Against Saddam has millions of untold stories. Perhaps one of the most important happened at the onset of the invasion. On the evening of March 22 there are several reports that Russians were witness to an American airborne assault near the Syrian / Jordanian / Iraq border, on or near Highway 11, and in the vicinity of Akashat. Allegedly American airborne troops and/or Special Forces were trying to seize WMD. They were detected by Iraqi forces, surrounded, and as many as 30 were killed or captured. Forces from Jordan were sent to provide air support and rescue for the survivors.

The rest is here.

Hmmm...From Pro Illegal Immigration Crowd

Right off their websites (re: the rally Wednesday):

Actually, the "Guest Worker" program as proposed by Bush and co. isn't so great. Maybe if these workers were actually treated as guests, if they had the same protections and rights on the job, if they had the ability to become citizens, then it would be a good thing. But it's not, as the guest workers would be treated more like slaves than guests.

My favorite commment of the day from one of the anti-immigrant wackos was in response to my question about her statement about the importance of the rule of law, that these people (the detained workers) were criminals. I asked her if she would have supported slavery when it was legal. But the fun part was when I asked her what should would be willing to do for her children. Wouldn't she cross a border, break a law if it was the only way to give her children a chance of having a decent life? She said that instead of coming here and breaking the law, she would organize a revolution and overthrow the government at home. But wouldn't that be, umm, I dunno...ILLEGAL???

In other words, this person clamoring about respecting the law, and getting all crazy over some (victimless!) forgery, instead suggested that people rise up in mass to violently overthrow their government. Interesting...

Senate Bill 1639 is the New Senate Bill 1348

The Heritage Foundation has a copy of it here.
Download S.1639: The Secure Borders, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Reform Act of 2007 (PDF, 20 MB)

See the poll talked about by Colin Hanna of Weneedafence.com on the show here.

IT'S NOT DEAD YET....KILL THE 'REFORM' OF MEASURE 37

GUTTING MEASURE 37 TO TAKE PLACE WEDNESDAY. STOP THEM NOW!
61% OF VOTERS APPROVED MEASURE 37. A HANDFUL OF DEMOCRATS IN SALEM ARE TRYING TO SUBVERT THE WILL OF THE VOTERS AND THE PROMISE OF THE RULE OF LAW.
CALL THESE TWO LAWMAKERS FIRST AND THEN YOUR LOCAL STATE REP.
VICKI BERGER, R, SALEM 503 986 1420 AND BRIAN CLEM, D, SALEM, 503 986 1421
THE LEGISLATURE COULD PUT A MORATORIUM ON MEASURE 37 WEDNESDAY.
OREGONIANS IN ACTION GIVES US THE LOWDOWN:
MEASURE 37 CLAIMANTS ABOUT TO LOSE EVERYTHING!!!!

Your Thoughts...

On the portion of the editorial recently from National Review:

When Americans are confident that the government is committed to enforcing any immigration laws, they will be more open to changes to those laws. We are skeptical about the need for a guest-worker program or a sweeping amnesty. But we would be willing to debate these policies in a few years’ time. They are not even worth debating, however, until we know that we are not merely legalizing millions of illegal immigrants while inviting millions more to be legalized in some future round of “reform.”

Illegal Aliens are Just "Undocumented Americans" in the Shadows

So says Harry Reid. I heard about this but thought it was someone's idea of a joke! It's not. I didn't catch it when I heard him say these words originally, but he does. Reid was READING FROM A TEXT so this was no mere slip of the tongue. See it here at Hot Air.

Here's the latest from Heritage about the National Security aspects of the amnesty plan.

WEDNESDAY: GUTTING MEASURE 37

GUTTING MEASURE 37 TO TAKE PLACE WEDNESDAY. STOP THEM NOW!
61% OF VOTERS APPROVED MEASURE 37. A HANDFUL OF DEMOCRATS IN SALEM ARE TRYING TO SUBVERT THE WILL OF THE VOTERS AND THE PROMISE OF THE RULE OF LAW.
CALL THESE TWO LAWMAKERS FIRST AND THEN YOUR LOCAL STATE REP.
VICKI BERGER, R, SALEM 503 986 1420 AND BRIAN CLEM, D, SALEM, 503 986 1421
THE LEGISLATURE COULD PUT A MORATORIUM ON MEASURE 37 WEDNESDAY.
OREGONIANS IN ACTION GIVES US THE LOWDOWN:
MEASURE 37 CLAIMANTS ABOUT TO LOSE EVERYTHING!!!!

THE LEGISLATURE IS INTRODUCING A MEASURE 37 MORATORIUM ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20^TH!!!!!!!
ALL MEASURE 37 CLAIMS WILL BE STOPPED IN THEIR TRACKS!!!!
We have just learned that State Representatives Vicki Berger (R-Salem) and Brian Clem (D-Salem) are introducing a bill tomorrow that will place an absolute moratorium on Measure 37 claims.

In other words, regardless of where you are in the process, Berger and Clem’s bill will stop EVERY MEASURE 37 CLAIM IN IT’S TRACKS!

If you have spent thousands and thousands of dollars on your Measure 37 claim, Berger and Clem’s bill will WIPE OUT everything!
We don’t have a bill number yet, so we don’t have all the details. The bill will be introduced tomorrow (Wednesday the 20^th), and because these are the last days of the session, the bill will probably receive a public hearing tomorrow (Wednesday the 20^th) although we do not know what time.
Remember, when the legislature tried to sell House Bill 3540 (the Measure 37 repeal) to the public, the Legislature claimed that Measure 37 claimants could take three “avenues” to develop their property: the express lane, the slow lane, and the vested rights lane.
Many people have spent thousands of dollars trying to vest their rights – BERGER AND CLEM’S BILL TAKES AWAY ONE OF YOUR OPTIONS UNDER THE LEGISLATURE’S REFERRAL!!!!!! YOU COULD LOSE EVERYTHING YOU HAVE SPENT TRYING TO VEST YOUR RIGHTS!!!!
Please call Representative Berger at (503) 986-1420 and Representative Clem at (503) 986-1421 and tell them their idea is irresponsible!
Then call as many legislators as possible and tell them NOT TO SUPPORT THE MORATORIUM!!!!!!!!

Rally Planned for Wednesday in Potterville

Oregonians for Immigration Reform plan a protest in Potterville on Wednesday morning at 9:30 am outside the Portland City Hall (1221 SW 4th Ave. 4th and Jefferson) to call to account Mayor Tom Potter for his support of illegal immigration in Portland.
In previous posts you've read how the mayor is urging the city to pay for an illegal alien day labor center and flophouse and now he's criticized the feds for busting criminals who have come to this country to get a paycheck and other items (Section 8 housing, welfare, WIC, day care subsidies, EITC just to name a few). He even declared that Portland cops wouldn't help in these efforts (although we're told they did help with traffic control during the bust at Fresh Del Monte) and instead dispatched social workers some of whom knew IN ADVANCE about the bust.
For these and many other reasons, OFIR is calling for a rally to tell Tom he's wrong.

NOT FOR SALE

NO SCAMNESTY. CITIZENSHIP IS NOT "FOR SALE"

The Flipping Fifteen Senators (see entry here) are being lobbied hard by the pro amnesty Senators. They are throwing $4.4 bil at them for border security which was already approved and promised--and never delivered. And from our friends at NumbersUSA
are a few things you should mention to our Senators when you call them to give a (nice) piece of your mind:

TIP NO. 1: Tell them that the grand compromise of S. 1348 makes Senators accept a huge amnesty in exchange for a promise to end future illegal immigration. But the bill's actual provisions make no promises of lower illegal immigration and set no numerical reduction goals at all.
While most phone calls to Senators recently have stressed the caller's hatred of amnesty, it might be a good idea today to focus on whether the trade-off for the amnesty can work.

There are a number of good reasons to think that many of the Flippin' Fifteen truly believe that, as much as they regret accepting an amnesty, it can be justified because illegal immigration will finally be brought under control.

You need to find every opportunity to tell staffers, Senators and anybody else that the bill is unworkable in fighting illegal immigration

TIP NO. 2: "Show me the results, not just the money."

Pres. Bush and the chief architects of this giant amnesty for 12-20 million illegal aliens have just now persuaded more than a dozen Republicans to change their votes in part because the President is promising a big increase in spending on enforcement.

But we've seen huge amounts of money spent on enforcement in the past with little result.

Let staffers know that the only thing that counts with you is proof of substantial reductions in future illegal immigration. Even if somebody thinks it a good idea to reward millions of illegal aliens with the right to work and live here, surely it makes sense to withhold any legalization until funding and enforcement efforts have actually resulted in substantial reductions of the illegal population?

TIP NO. 3: Talk facts and details.

Staffers are listening for any details about the bill that show you know what you are talking about. Some of these fence-straddling Senators have been expressing amazement about all the details many voters in their states know about S. 1348.

When Pres. Bush came to their lunch Tuesday, people in the room said his bod! y langua ge and facial expressions showed genuine surprise at the number of Senators who told him that it isn't just the "immigration crazies" who are objecting to the bill. Rather, they said, regular middle class people are expressing their distrust and backing it up with real details from the bill.

TIP NO. 4: Speak calmly.

Staffers' ear drums are ringing from a month of outrage shouted at them through the phones. They're tuning it out now. What gets their attention is a conversational tone from a constituent who sincerely shares a concern. Passion can be expressed calmly. (Always try to think of these staffers as perhaps slightly inexperienced nieces and nephews who could use a litle kindness.)

TIP NO. 5: All "touch back" provisions that require the illegal aliens to leave the country briefly are meaningless to voters concerned about amnesty.

Pro-amnesty leaders use the touch-back provisions to try to fool voters into thinking that the illegal aliens would be allowed to live here permanently in a process no different from anybody else.

In fact, though, the illegal aliens would just be doing the hokey pokey ("put your right foot out / put your right foot in / put your fight foot out / and then you can pretend"). The permanent residence they would be given would be possible only because they broke the law in the first place.

But most importantly, these touch-back provisions so dear to Sen. Hutchinson (R-Texas) have nothing to do with slowing down illegal immigration in the future.

TIP NO. 6: Note to them that Ted Kennedy has already pushed SEVEN amnesties into law. None was followed by a reduction in illegal immigration. Why should anybody believe this one will be?

1. In 1986, Ted Kennedy's blanket amnesty for 2.7 million illegal aliens promised a lot more enforcement but did ! not set any requirments for actual reductions in illegal immigration. The illegal flow continued.
2. In 1994, Ted Kennedy's Section 245(i) Amnesty gave legal residence and jobs to 578,000 illegal aliens. It was a temporary rolling amnesty primarily for extended family members of immigrants who instead of waiting in line, come on to the country illegally. The illegal flow continued.
3. In 1997, Ted Kennedy's extension of the Section 245(i) rolling amnesty was followed by an increasing flow of illegal immigration.
4. In 1997, Ted Kennedy also won an amnesty for close to one million illegal aliens from Central America. Illegal immigration sped up some more.
5. In 1998, Ted Kennedy won an amnesty for 125,000 illegal aliens from Haiti. The illegal flow continued.
6. In 2000, Ted Kennedy got the so-called Late Amnesty, legalizing another 400,000 illegal aliens who claimed that they missed out on Kennedy's 1986 amnesty. Illegal immigration continued unimpeded.
7. In 2000, Ted Kennedy also won the LIFE Act Amnesty for an estimated 900,000 illegal aliens. It was another reinstatement of the rolling Section 245(i) amnesty., an estimated 900,000 illegal aliens. Illegal immigration accelerated.

Now, Ted Kennedy is saying that this amnesty is necessary if we are ever to stop the flow of illegal aliens. Why would any of these Senators believe him when he says this amnesty bill will end illegal immigration with a track record like his?

NOT FOR SALE

Senate revives amnesty by trying to convince us with $4.4 billion that they claim they'll secure the border with. Story here.
Cue Lucy and the football.
From Laura Ingraham where she lists the 15 Senators Democrats think they can "flip" to go with them on this latest $4.4 bil scam.

Below is the list of 15 GOP senators that the amnesty pushers want to flip to their side (asterisked senators are up for re-election in 2008)

• * Alexander (R-TN)
• Bennett (R-UT)
• * Cochran (R-MS)
• * Coleman (R-MN)
• * Collins (R-ME)
• * Cornyn (R-TX)
• * Craig (R-ID)
• * Domenici (R-NM)
• Gregg (R-NH)
• Hatch (R-UT)
• Hutchison (R-TX)
• Kyl (R-AZ)
• Lott (R-MS)
• * McConnell (R-KY)
• Murkowski (R-AK)
• * Smith (R-OR)
• Snowe (R-ME)
• Stevens (R-AK)
• * Warner (R-VA)

LOSER: WASHINGTON EDUCATION ASSOCIATION

The US Supreme Court, ruling in a Washington state case, said today that labor unions can't 'jack' your money and use it without your permission. Of course, since WEA saw that they were going to lose this case, because, you know it all UNCONSTITUTIONAL and everything, they've since prevailed on Queen Christine and her minions to do it anyway under state law (which I'll get to later when I get more time to run this down).
Here's what Scalia said today writing for the majority:

Justice Antonin Scalia said that Washington's "modest limitation" on the use of those fees does not violate the First Amendment since the state could have barred the union from using non-member fees for any lobbying or political activity. "Unions have no constitutional right to the fees of non-member employees," Scalia said. Instead, the court found, public employees who don't choose to belong to a union have a free speech right to withhold the use of their money.

Here's a backgrounder from our friends at Evergreen Freedom Foundation who helped in this case.

Is Big Grocery Next Target for Ron Wyden?

*Thank a liberal for high gas prices and high grocery prices.*
Good intentions are generally the only thing "liberals" are judged by and it was humorous this week to see Ron Wyden issue a statement calling for an investigation into American refinery capacity. Oregon's Senator thinks oil companies are purposely keeping capacity low. I don't know what's funnier, that after years of conducting show hearings and "investigations" on high gas prices ad nauseum, he now acknowledges supply and demand might have something to do with gas prices; or ignoring that he and the enviros in his party have for decades purposely prevented the building of any new refineries. Wyden's epiphany is here:

“The consequences of the oil industry’s anti-consumer behavior are clear. When there is less refining capacity, there is less ability to turn oil into gas. When there is less gas, prices go up. When gas prices go up, oil companies make more money,” said Wyden. “It’s a ‘heads the oil companies win, tails the American consumer loses’ proposition.”

Wyden and enviros don't want more refineries, they don't want drilling, they don't want refineries to shut down for maintenance, they don't want to allow them to phase them out due to onerous environmental regulations...

I guess what they want is to pull a Hugo Chavez and seize them all?

And now let's fold into this black gold morass the issue of ethanol which is now part of the federal 'Texas T let's look like we're doing something' mandate of 2005.

I suppose if you want to sweeten the deal and make it attractive for oil refiners to build more capacity--a big if considering the enviros--why would they do it if ethanol is this year's new little black dress? If you're mandating less need for refinery capacity by amping up ethanol use then why would the oil companies invest in oil refining capacity when government is phasing it out? Have Ron and his buddies ever seen a business plan that would include purposely losing money with no 'up' side? Oh, wait...

Add to this the high prices at the pump and grocery stores because of the ethanol mandate and you wonder why they didn't just drill in ANWR in the first place! See this piece about the ethanol mandates and prices at the stores. Here's a nugget:

Of course, a precipitous increase in demand will have an effect on price; accordingly, a bushel of corn that cost $2.00 two years ago, costs close to $4.00 today.
...of course, corn goes into lots of baked goods. Of particular significance, corn is the primary feed for livestock; there are no substitutes with a comparable nutritional value. Consequently, as the price of corn increases, it costs more to feed cows, pigs and chickens. These costs are then passed along to the consumer, who pays more for dairy, meat, eggs, and all the derivatives thereof.
...With corn hovering at record prices, farmers have found it more profitable to grow corn, thus leaving less land available for the production of other grains, reducing their supply. The prices of grains and grain byproducts, like bread or pasta, increase accordingly.

I can't wait until Ron Wyden and his ilk call for an investigation into "big grocery" because prices of corn on the cob, steak, AND pasta have gone up. Stay tuned, this ought to be good.

Man the Barricades, Get the Phone Lines Burning: AMNESTY'S BACK!

From our friends at NumbersUSA
Friends,
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Senate Republican Whip Trent Lott of Mississippi have succeeded in twisting nearly enough GOP arms to assure Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) that they can deliver the votes to pass his S. 1348 amnesty for 12-20 million illegal aliens.
Here is the pitch that McConnell and Lott are said to be using -- and the pitch that only you can persuade Republican Senators to reject:
Lawmakers are being told that they must agree to vote for cloture on the amnesty in exchange for a chance to have some favorite amendments brought up OR they will lose a chance to "sit at the table" in final fashioning of this bill.
A senior GOP leadership aide confirmed that anti-amnesty Republicans are being told by Party lea! dership that they need to get on board if they want to remain relevant.
I have some actions related to Democratic Senators that I'll detail further in this email. But our most urgent work today is with GOP Senators.
NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES YOU HAVE PHONED IN THE LAST MONTH, YOUR PHONE CALLS ARE DESPERATELY NEEDED TODAY.
CALL SENATORS IN D.C.
202-224-3121

See I Told You So...

TOM POTTER STANDS IN THE WAY OF HELPING ICE IN THE RAID. READ HIS STATEMENT HERE.

“I am angered by this morning’s arrest by federal officers of approximately 150 Portland residents who were working at a local produce company. ..“In this morning’s raid, no Portland police officers participated, and our Crisis Response Team was activated to help families affected.”

The city of Portland doesn't need to set up a taxpayer paid for hiring hall and day care center for illegal aliens (See post here) the private sector has already done that for them...

Federal agents swept through a major fruit and vegetable processor in North Portland this morning as part of a criminal investigation of a national employment agency's alleged scheme to hire and employ undocumented workers.

Agents searched Fresh Del Monte Produce at 9243 N. Rivergate Blvd. and two offices of American Staffing Resources, the target of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement probe, after an investigation that began last December.

Hot in Heeeeere: Gore hangs self on Own Words About Saddam

CALL YOUR SENATORS AND CONGRESSMAN: NO SHAMNESTY, SCAMNESTY, AMNESTY!

Thomas Sowell in his Townhall piece today (here) makes his usual excellent points:

The first of these frauds is the argument that the economy "needs" illegal immigrants to fill "jobs that Americans won't take." Both parts of this argument ignore the most obvious three-letter word that is left out: Pay.
Virtually any job is a job that Americans will not take, if the pay is low enough. Nor is there any reason for pay to rise if illegal immigrants are available at low pay.
Then there is the "family reunification" fraud which claims that we cannot in good conscience keep out the families of illegal immigrants who are living in the United States but must let those families reunite.
With all the nations on the face of the earth, why is the United States of America the only country in which someone can be united with his family? Illegal immigrants can reunite with their families back where they came from.
The grand fraud of all is the claim that we must have "comprehensive" immigration reform -- that is, simultaneously deal with border control and the legal status of illegal immigrants already here.
There is no logical reason why these two issues must be dealt with together, though there are political reasons why elected officials want to do so. Passing border laws described as "tough" gives Congress political cover when they legalize the illegals.

Last year, the sop to the American people was the promise of a fence on the border. This year, the big question is: "Where is the fence?"

OPEN THREAD TUESDAY

Illegal Alien Day Care and Labor Center in Portland is Proposed

"The cost of being a sanctuary city is borne by the tax payers to fulfill the "leaders'" unrealistic and corrosive dreams. So just pony up, shut up, and go lie down by your bowl."
Victoria Taft, June 11, 2007

From Portland Indymedia comes word that City of Portland taxpayers will be called on to spend $200,000 in seed money and much more in operating costs (including someone to operate it--PERS job perhaps?) to fund a day labor center for Portland area illegal aliens. Currently the dozens of men who congregate around a 7/11 store and Wentworth Chevrolet at 6th and SE Burnside/Ankeny spend their time waiting for the driver of a pick up to come by and give them a job.
So now we taxpayers are being asked to foot the bill to find jobs for people, many of whom, are in this country and working here illegally? We're asked to set up a job center (with administration) when they do it for free, illegally, on a Portland street corner? Wha? Why don't we just ask the city to have the police do their jobs?

From the forces behind this effort come these reasons why (my emphasis) added.

The reasoning behind VOZ's efforts are based on a survey of the people most directly involved. "Before we started this process with the city, we started our own research," Paramo noted. "We did small questionnaires with the day laborers. We went to the corners, and I believe I made over a hundred questionnaires for the people. More than 90 percent approved, and say they will move to a work center. "

The survey was performed over a one-month period last year in a totally democratic fashion, Paramo said. "(The day labor center) is what we want to work for. That's because, we don't want to do something that they don't want. They are the ones that decided what to do."

Victoria adds: And they don't know if it will work so they work hard to make sure we go out of our way to find illegal aliens jobs!

VOZ Director Sosa ..."The key part is work. It's the work! To provide a day labor center and guarantee some work." The mere existence of a day labor center, therefore, will not necessarily solve the current tensions. "It's a risk," Sosa declared. "Many people, they think a day labor center is a solution. 'Nobody's going to go (back) outside.' And it's not true."


SENATE BILL 1348 IS COMING BACK. STOP IT NOW.

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 (from 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.

CALL YOUR SENATOR AT THE CAPITOL SWITCHBOARD
202-224-3121
AND TELL THEM NO ON SB 1348!

*OREGON CALL TO ACTION and:The Next Illegal Immigration Battle Starts With the Democrats

Oregon legislative illegal immigration hawks are sending out a Call to Action for you to melt the phone lines of legislators to pull from purgatory the group of bills cracking down on policies that abet and enable illegal immigration. This is from Oregonians for Immigration Reform:

TIME IS RUNNING OUT! The Oregon State Legislature will end this session on June 29th and then it will be TWO Years for another chance to STOP Illegal "Immigration" in Oregon. Thanks to the Oregon Republicans, I have secured the help needed to place a Full Page Ad in the Statesman-Journal for Sunday the 17th AND also OR. Rep. Senators are bringing the PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP to VOTE BILL to the Floor of the OR. Senate this Wednesday the 13th! To coordinate our efforts and give a big push, PLEASE Write a Letter to the Editor now. S-J, Oregonian, Register-Guard..

Contact your State Senator here. Contact your State Representative here.

Senator Jon Kyl in Saturday's WSJ (see article here) on the political realities of getting border enforcement first before reorganizing the visa process:

"As a practical matter, from a political standpoint, you can't have enforcement first. Democrats won't allow it," Mr. Kyl says. "You have to combine some things that they want along with the stronger enforcement."

But that doesn't mean you must completely give in to the demands of the dems. In fact, you need to remember boys that the people who turned the bus around on the illegal immigration bill are voting in 2008. Don't forget that.
CALL TO ACTION HERE BY NUMBERS USA.

Can We Stick a Fork in it Yet? SCAMNESTY Front Burner Tonight

FAIR has the BEST round up of the votes so far. Find it here.
Put it this way, Harry Reid says this isn't a democrat bill but the votes don't lie.
For all of the important amendment and cloture votes today, republicans/conservatives were actually represented by Gordon Smith with his votes. All the Ds: Cant[do]well, Murray, Wyden voted for the amnesty provisions (and their related bills) EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. TODAY.