GO BEAVS!

Oregon's Domestic Partners Law Postponed...for Now...

JUDGE GRANTS TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER IN PORTLAND FEDERAL COURT ROOM

The Alliance Defense Fund (www.telladf.org) argued the case in Portland's Federal Court Building
ADF attorneys filed a lawsuit on behalf of several Oregonians after the Secretary of State and clerks’ offices in 12 different counties invalidated their petition signatures for a referendum that would allow voters to decide the “civil unions” issue (www.telladf.org/news/story.aspx?cid=4317). Many of the citizens sought, in person, to have their signatures revalidated since no legitimate reason existed to refuse to recognize them.

THE FOLLOWING IS FROM RESTORE AMERICA:

December 28, 2007

Greetings!

Today Was A Victory!

U.S. District Judge Michael Mossman, after hearing oral arguments by Alliance Defense Fund attorney Austin Nimocks, and state attorneys, granted the requested temporary restraining order preventing HB 2007 from becoming law on January 1, 2008.

The factual showing to determine if HB 2007 is submitted to a vote of the people will take place on Friday, February 1. The merits of the case will be heard then.

By all accounts Judge Mossman has a high regard for the law and will rule fairly.

We shall see.

Earlier, at a 10AM hearing to consider that State of Oregon's request to quash subpoenas of defendant County Clerks, the State obtained only temporary restraints.

The Court Room was full and we were well represented.

Thanks for your continued prayers, faith in our efforts, and support.

Multnomah Federal Court Location

Pamplin Media Article on Hearing

CWA Article on Domestic Partnerships

Motion to Sta

Restore America Homepage www.restoreamerica.org

Your Vote for Top (Local) Stories of the Year

Nominees:

• Government run amok: Snowball, Bucky and Baby Gabriel

• McMinnville middle schoolers charged and jailed for "spanking" girls in the hall

• Portland's professional protesters defecate on flag, urinate on flag, drive Schumachers out of business

• Cesar Chavez Boulevard

• Floods of 2007

• The coming fiscal meltdown of the region: abatements, OHSU fiscal woes, urban renewal take toll on infrastructure, condo meltdown

• Cars in the crossfire in Metro area

• Fresh Del Monte raid and the Mayor Moonbeam's response

• Mayor Moonbeam plans to open Day Labor site for illegal aliens

• The ghost of Neil Goldschmidt comes back to haunt Bernie Giusto and Ted Kulongoski

Grinches of Oregon

Could This be The Most UNDERreported Story of the Year/Decade?

They just never get enough of your money, that's why they keep asking for higher taxes and fees. Now the Zero FINALLY (although obliquely) confirms what talkers and naysayers have been telling you for years: Urban Renewal is good for Homer Halliburton Williams but bad for Portland schools, fire fighters and police. Go here for the story. Here's the nut:

Portland should end two downtown economic development districts early, advisers say -- a rare move that would forgo roughly $50 million for building projects, but eventually return millions of dollars to schools and county-run social services.
Cogen and other county and school officials urged Portland to end the districts as soon as possible, so they could get back the taxes they are forgoing.
When the two urban renewal areas are paid off, the county should get $3.7 million a year, with schools getting $4.3 million a year and Portland getting $5.4 million.

But they still haven't learned their lesson:

The Portland Business Alliance also urged the advisory group to end the districts early. Once the districts are paid off, the city can start a new downtown renewal district, said alliance official Marion Haynes. Because of URA rules, a new area could be bigger and yield more money than the city could get by extending the existing areas.

Back (door) Draft

Remember the statement ‘back door draft?’ That was term used by John Kerry during the 2004 campaign as President Bush used the National Guard to fill in spots for the regular Army and Marines?

That was the disparaging term used by the John Murthas of the world and Mayor Moonbeam and the Rainbow City Council to decry the use of stop loss to make sure we had enough men and women in the military to do the job in Iraq. Imagine that.

Now, member of the Rainbow City Council, Erik Sten, is essentially using a stop loss--back (door) draft--of his own to retain fire fighters.

He’s asking fire fighters who have retired to come back at rookie pay to fight fires to fill in for all the guys who have retired with their generous Portland benefits.

Where‘s the outrage? Where are the people suggesting we leave fire fighting because we’re using the wrong kind of manpower? “U.S. OUT OF FIRE FIGHTING!”

Do you suppose the folks who decried the Iraq war at city hall would now suggest this is a good management tool to keep up man power?

At least George Bush gave our guys a bonus when they chose to stay.

Will Washington Sacrifice Humans for Fish Following Chehalis/Centralia Flooding?

It's dry now and the stores are reopened, but when the time comes to solve the Chehalis River flooding problem will the state choose fish over people? Will the state allow damming and dredging or will they, as Congressman Brian Baird has suggested, expect blow back from enviros?
Can they both coexist? Watch what happens now. The Victoria Taft Show is in Chehalis and Centralia today on KPAM 860 where we'll talk to the locals about how this fight is already starting.
This amazing image, by the way, is from the Seattle PI.

Baby Gabriel Aftermath: News that Another Child Placed with Family in Mexico Murdered in 2005. State Conducted No Criminal Background Checks.*

Oregon's Department of Human Services says 96% of the kids they place are in better situations (no more abuse etc). But with DHS having been ready to ship out Gabriel Allred to Mexico with a Grandmother he'd never known, speaking a language he'd never spoken, in a country he'd never been, the state agency is naturally being second guessed about the wisdom of doing this. It's no small thing to take a US citizen and exile him to another country, essentially forsaking the rights to which he's entitled here. In addition, oversight of the placement is nonexistent by US authorities. In its hackneyed rationale, the agency believes strangers that are blood who live in a third world country are better than the foster parents he knows as his parents who live in the US, a first world country. Some folks believe it's racist to say that, but those are just the facts.

But now it is disclosed by DHS spokesman Greg Parker that one of those previous 11 children placed in other countries was murdered. The June 2005 case concerned a four year old child whose paternal aunt and uncle were charged with the murder. Read here and here.

DHS tells me that this placement occured before they checked the criminal records of people with whom they placed children. They now check LEDS and NCIC and do fingerprinting to do a criminal background check. No criminal background checks?

The court authorized the placement in December 2003 and Adrianna was placed in Mexico on 7-18-04. There is no case documentation as to how the relatives were selected or whether any committee process took place in determining the suitability of the family. DHS received an adoption home study on 4-5- 05 that was completed by DIF. The home study cited no difficulty with the placement. There is no case documentation outlining the responsibility of DIF to supervise the placement of the child.

Greg Parker tells me this in response:

Yes we have always done background checks. They have become more vigorous.

For current international placements that is also true. For example, in the Allred case verification from the Attorney General's Office for the State of Puebla that informs that: ...."Ms. Cecilia Rosalia Martinez Garcia has been identified and it is noted that there are NO registered criminal records in the archives of this Institution, nor in the National Registry of Identification, according to the data verified by Ms. Rosaria Oropeza Olivares, operator of the AFIS system and an employee of this office."

President Bush: Nation's First Cyclist

WaPo here on the President's frequent rides. But my guess is that the President doesn't believe all the funds that could be used to fix the roads and expand highways for 97% of the commuters should be neglected and more money per capita should be spent on bike lanes.

Bush's love of biking has been well documented, especially by biographer Robert Draper, who writes in his recent book about the Bush presidency of the inordinate efforts by the agents and aides to find trails for the president while traveling. "I like to stay fit," Bush told Bicycling magazine in 2005. "I think you can do your job better if you're fit."
What's less known is that Bush has a regular posse of eight to 10 cyclists who typically join him for his 90-minute weekend rides -- some from the White House, some from agencies, and outside friends. The White House has been circumspect about the composition of this group but recently allowed two of the regulars -- Bush economic adviser Edward P. Lazear and legislative aide Barrett Karr-- to offer a small window into Bush's exercise world.

An Asterisk on ALL Their Houses! Nothing Clear at all About the Clear and the Cream

UPDATED WITH SOME QUESTIONS:

1) what a waste of money

2) if you’re not going to call for penalties why bother to ‘out’ anybody

3) if you’re Donald Fehr of the players’ association when George Mitchell says owners should go through players’ mail…you need shoot up your hand on behalf of your clients

4) if you’re a major league player why are you writing checks for steroids? No really…

5) if you’re a major league baseball franchise…and your TRAINER’S name comes up in a steroids scandal…why do you allow him to work for you?

UPDATED: Former Senator George Mitchell says he doesn't want these guys to be punished, but rather look ahead to solving the problem. Considering he is calling for no punishment, why out these guys?
Find the 409 page report here.
Page 378 has the pictures of the cancelled checks from baseball players.
Mitchell's conclusions are on page 358 (pdf) Recommendations start on page 350 (pdf).

The trainer's snitching isn't hearsay:

The corroboration took many forms, including: (a) the admission by eleven players that Radomski had supplied them with performance enhancing substances, as he had said in our interviews of him;10 (b) checks or money orders written to Radomski by some players in appropriate amounts; (c) mailing receipts for shipments of performance enhancing substances by Radomski to some players; (d) statements by other witnesses supporting the allegations of use by some players; (e) the names, addresses, and/or telephone numbers of many players were found in Radomski’s seized address book; (f) telephone records showing calls between Radomski andsome players; and (g) a positive drug test.

Factoid: Jose Canseco tried to do a victory lap inside the news conference but they wouldn't let him. ESPN asks, 'what happens now' and what Bud Selig can do about it, here.The Village Voice has more here. Baseball's steroid era. Is it over? Where has it been?

BABY GABRIEL TO STAY IN OREGON!!!

KGW HAS THE STORY HERE.

Mayor Moonbeam and the Rainbow City Council's New Piece of Art: Cesar Chavez

Hanging in the Mayor's office is this new portrait of Cesar Chavez with 'the children.' Not sure why he's featured with children because, after all, Chavez was a union organizer for ADULTS, but, well, anyway.
Remember, too, that Chavez, as a union organizer, was deeply opposed to importing new workers to the US--especially illegal ones.
This, of course, makes Mayor Moonbeam pretty dumb looking when he seeks to make political hay with the Latino community by trying and failing to rename a street for Chavez, but at the same time sponsoring a day labor site for illegal aliens.

The day labor site is expected to kick off in early 2008. Portland taxpyaers will pony up an INITIAL $200,000.00 to start the dating service for illegal aliens and the employers who ILLEGALLY hire them. Here's a previous post by those in favor.

The other issue is, of course, how Portland says the day labor center won't be solely for illegal aliens; acknowledging that illegals will use it but suggesting legal citizens will use it. Why would legal citizens need to use a day labor site when there are dozens of LEGAL temporary agencies in Portland? Why would the city replicate a service that is already available for legal workers, citizens, and taxpayers when it's already available?
Yes, the answer is because it will be exclusively for ILLEGAL ALIENS and the employers who ILLEGALLY EMPLOY them.

They Need Your Help in Vernonia

Go here to find out what they need. Go here to find out where you can help. The Victoria Taft Show Live from Vernonia starting at 5pm. Stream KPAM here.

Items Needed in Vernonia

Note: only clothing items mentioned on this list are needed at this time. Thank you!

Disposable Cameras
Hand Sanitizer
Electric Heaters
Masks
Leather Gloves
Rubber Gloves
Boxes
Duct Tape
Tarps
Matches/Lighters
Shovels, flat
Rakes
Coveralls
Hand Trucks
Utility Knives
Bleach

OFFICE SUPPLIES
Clipboards
Whiteboards/Dry Erase
Office Furniture
File Cabinets
Shelving
Vehicles

ANIMAL CARE
Animal Feed/Hay
Pet Food

PERSONAL ITEMS
Underwear
Socks, shoes
Rubber Boots
Rain Gear
Winter Coats
Knit Caps/Beanies
Bedding
Toiletries
Feminine Products
Diapers, wipes
Laundry Soap
Ibuprofen packets

BUILDING SUPPLIES
Sheetrock
Greenwall, Sheetrock
2x4s
2x6s
A-19 insulation, mostly 22 ½
Pipe insulation, various
Floor vinyl
Doors, interior and exterior
Flexible heating duct, 10”, 8”, 9”, 6”

Latest Page Scandal: Crickets... Where's Call for Pelosi's Ouster?

Paper: Pages Had Oral Sex In Front of Colleagues.

POLITICAL SOUP: Foley scandal reshapes national, local politics

Hastert Submits Resignation Letter

Former US House Speaker Hastert Says Farewell to Congress

Light Rail Will Save Us

These pictures were sent in by 5th Listener Mike whose friend took these.
The first is Exit 77 off I 5 to Pe Ell. Good thing Seattle will suck up state transportation funds for light rail.
I wonder why this is the last stretch of I 5 that has yet to be improved upon in Washington? Do you suppose the Democrats didn't like the fact that Lewis County voted 78% for G-4-3 in the last two elections and sent minority republicans to the statehouse? Sound ridiculous? Well, when a state transportation official tells you your county votes the wrong way and that's the reason why you don't have an elevated I 5 what else are you supposed to think?



Hey look, not funding the improvements on the freeway, not dredging the Chehalis River or putting in more protection (thanks Enviros!) is one way to get rid of WalMart!



They didn't vote your way, anyway!

New Hate Crime: Harassing Homeless

We're all good people here and we don't harass the homeless because it's not nice, but there are people out there, I suppose, who think it's sport to do so. That said, making the homeless a designated protected group under the Seattle hate crimes ordinance is down right stupid. The story's here. The guts are below:

Harassers who target the homeless could soon be charged with hate crimes under a proposal approved Tuesday by a Seattle City Council committee.

The measure would add the homeless as a class specifically protected under an existing city prohibition against malicious harassment based on gender identity, marital status, political ideology, age and parental status.

The move is largely symbolic. If approved by the full council, the law would have little practical effect in city courts, said City Attorney Tom Carr. As a gross misdemeanor, malicious harassment carries no greater penalty in municipal court than does regular harassment, Carr said.

That 'graf there says the move is largely symbolic. Maybe. For now. And just when we thought we might get legislation to save us from hot and cold running antagonistic beggars...
And just food for thought: will they get around to defining what "harassment" is?

Oregon Taxpayers To Be Asked to Foot Bill for Illegal Alien Tuition

The story's here in the Zero. They haven't spent all of your paycheck yet, so thought they'd start a new program that benefits people who are in this country and in this state illegally. They'll say they don't want to, but when it comes down to choosing who gets the funding help, it appears they prefer illegal aliens over citizens and then ask you to smile and foot the bill.
Nut 'graf:

"It seemed to us that it was a reasonable position to take to encourage the students to get an education, to contribute to the economy and for us to do what we can to assist that," said Dalton Miller-Jones, a state board member and Portland State University professor who heads the panel.

Well, we taxpayers wouldn't want to be unreasonable, now would we? And see, everyone else is doing it, Mom:

About 10 states, including California and Washington, allow undocumented students to pay in-state tuition. Some other states, such as Arizona and Colorado, have gone the opposite direction, tightening their tuition rules for illegal immigrants.

The Real Wire Tap Scandal: Baghdad Jim Mc Dermott DISmissed by SCOTUS. Can You Hear Me Now?

His attempt to torpedo Newt, John Boehner and other Republicans by illegally taping them has, at long last, been shut down after the US Supreme Court turned down his appeal.

U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott says he’s disappointed the U.S. Supreme Court has declined to consider his appeal.
He says he believes he had a First Amendment free speech case.
Today’s decision leaves a federal appeals court ruling in place. The court said that McDermott should not have leaked a tape-recorded phone call to newspapers. It recorded Republican leaders in 1996 discussing the ethics case against former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.
The ruling upholds a previous decision ordering McDermott to pay House Minority Leader John Boehner, (BAY’-ner) of Ohio, who was one of the people on the call. The amount is still being determined but it could be more than $700,000.

Michelle Malkin has more on Dirty Democrats here.

Zero Rhapsodizes Over Latino Students Joining Racist Organization

Latino students are doing better at Centennial High School. We need our citizens to do well in school, of that you'll get no dispute from me. But when the Zero (our newspaper of record--HA!) rhapsodizes over the students at Centennial doing better by joining clubs, specifically MeChA, we're supposed to be happy about that?
Notice what the MeChA acronym means Movimiento Estudiandil Chicano de Atzlan. The school claims this is a Mexican American student movement. If by student movement they mean work on behalf of Mexico to conquer part of the United States, then, yes, this is a student movement. It's also racist in that MeChA teaches that Mexicans are a superior race. Hey, do they have any other racist organizations at Centennial?
See the video of recent speeches on the status of Aztlan:

Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan
(Mexican American Student Movement)
Advisor
Maria Sarmiento
Mecha's Purpose
To encourage Latinos to be proud of their Latino heritage
Meetings
Monday and Friday 3pm-5pm in Room 118
Wednesday before school and first lunch in Room 118