Saturday, September 22, 2007
Protesting
Friday, September 21, 2007
Iran and Israel in bitter clash at U.N. watchdog debate | U.S. | Reuters
God how I love Israelis. They really know how to call a spade a spade.
Today they got into a shouting match with Iranian diplomats over their nuclear program and out and out called them liars.
"Those who call for the elimination of Israel have no moral standing when they criticize Israeli policies aimed at defending Israel's very existence."
Iranian Ambassador Ali Asghar Soltanieh said: "This is strange, the Israeli prime minister acknowledged having nuclear weapons, now we hear that this is a lie.
"The only way for the international community to know the truth is to authorize the IAEA to send inspectors to Israel and verify the truth," Soltanieh said, his voice rising.
"We are seriously concerned about possession of nuclear weapons and non-accession to NPT. Non-aligned countries representing billions of people want an end put to this matter.
Classic deflection move. The Iranians know damned good and well they're caught in a corner over their nuclear program and they're trying to say "But the Jews have them too!"
IAEA resolutions normally pass by consensus. The safeguards measure passed 80-0 with 12 abstentions, mainly by Arab nations.
Of course. Arab nations don't want to be seen as the same as Democrats: On record trying to do what's right instead of what's popular.
CNN.com - CNN Political Ticker Clinton: I am not a lesbian «
The fact that she was even ASKED this is funny to me. I have about a million different comments, all of them very personal attacks against Hillary, but I'm going to refrain from making them. I'll attack her policies, her idiotic ideals, her qualifications, her weasel like actions, her voice changing depending on the audience, and a ton of other things, but I won't attack her over personal issues. If she's gay, she's gay. If she's not, she's not. That's her business.
But that's not going to prevent any of you from making similar personal attacks in the comments section. (Hint, Hint)
Travis
WorldNetDaily: Sheikdom shakedown: Dubai moves on Nasdaq
Dubai is trying to purchase 20% of the NASDAQ and there aren't people IMMEDIATELY trying to cut this deal off at the feet?
The announcement set off a firestorm of criticism in Washington, prompting President Bush to comment today in a news conference, "We're going to take a good look at it, as to whether or not it has any national security implications involved in the transaction. I'm comfortable with the process to go forward."
Well I'm NOT comfortable with the process going forward. Arab nations are buying up things left and right because of the blatant price gouging at the pump and we're letting them do it. There's no reason to believe that they won't try to hang this over our heads in the future, so there's no reason for this deal to go through.
Travis
S.C. mom scoops al-Qaida with its videos - Yahoo! News
Occasionally she comes across a gem, such as when she found a recent Osama bin Laden video — before al-Qaida had announced it.
"I realized, oh my gosh, I'm sitting here, I'm a fat 50-year-old mom and I've managed to scoop al-Qaida," said Mansfield, who uses that name as a pseudonym because she receives death threats.
She sometimes spends 100 hours a week online, and she often finds items after word has begun spreading on the Arabic forums of an imminent release.
"It's really important to understand what the jihadists think and how they're planning on doing things," she said. "They're very vocal. They tell us what they're going to do and then they go out and do it."
My aunt is the same way. She catches you screwing around, it's your ass. I just find it hilarious that Al-Qaeda's website's are being infiltrated by an "infidel".
Go Laura! Let me know if you need any expert help. :)
Travis
Mattel apologizes to China for toy recalls | Reuters
Hey China, we at Mattel are really sorry about the whole "recall thing". We wouldn't want to sully the reputation that China enjoys for manufacturing high quality items at low prices while respecting human rights.....Ha! Almost said that with a straight face.
"Mattel takes full responsibility for these recalls and apologizes personally to you, the Chinese people and all of our customers who received the toys."
Debrowski said he realized the damage that had been done to the reputation of Chinese goods, adding the company was committed to manufacturing in China and was also investing $30 million in a Barbie store in Shanghai.
In other words: "Please accept our apology because we don't want to be forced to move manufacturing to another country and raise prices for 10 cents worth of plastic".
The funny thing is that China is touting this about as if everything else in the whole Chinese made items recalls mean nothing. Perhaps it was a design flaw done by Mattel, but when you keep reading about Chinese made items including baby cribs being recalled because they've actually KILLED CHILDREN it's a bigger problem then simple design flaws. It's the Chinese cutting corners or hiring incompetent people and it effects people's lives directly.
Travis
Bill Clinton jokes he might not handle being 'first husband' very well - On Politics - USATODAY.com
"No, I may slit my throat," former president Bill Clinton joked last night on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart after being asked how well he might cope with going from leader of the world's remaining superpower to husband of the first woman president.
I think we'll all slit our throats if that happens Bill. :)
However, on a more serious note, take a look at what he talks about toward the end of the video about sleep depravation in Congress members. He may have a point.
Travis
Woman held in airport bomb hoax - CNN.com
Massachusetts State Police arrested a 19-year-old MIT student Friday at Boston's Logan International Airport after receiving a report that a woman had what appeared to be a bomb strapped to her chest.
The woman arrested at the Boston airport was identified as Star Simpson, an MIT student.
Authorities said the device proved to be fake.
The woman described the fake device as "art" that she was proud of and wanted to display, Pare said.
An MIT student?? How do you get into such a prestigious university and be so fucking stupid? Does she not know that Logan is where some of the 9/11 hijackings originated?
She was told to stop, raise her hands and make no movements, and she followed those directions, said Maj. Scott Pare, the airport commanding officer for the Massachusetts State Police.
"It's good that she responded," he said. "She's lucky she's in a jail cell rather than the morgue."
Exactly right and I wouldn't hold any officers at fault if they did kill this moron.
Travis
Hamas rebuffed in approach to Israel: source - Yahoo! News
Public broadcaster Israel Radio said Israel rejected an approach from Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, through a "mediator," to a senior Israeli defense official before the Israeli security cabinet declared Gaza an "enemy entity" on Wednesday.
The Palestinian source told Reuters Hamas sought talks with Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai, offering to rein in rocket fire into Israel in return for an easing of border controls.
Or more truthfully: "We will stop shooting at you if you ease up so we can rearm and regroup ourselves".
The Palestinians really ought to consider themselves lucky. If I were in power, I'd order Gaza be invaded and Hamas eradicated. Then I'd order our guys to assassinate any and all Hamas members.
The only thing these thugs understand is force. When you start slaughtering them by the thousands, then they'll start thinking: "Hey, maybe being a Hamas member isn't what it's cracked up to be".
And if any other nation tried to intervene on Hamas' behalf, then they are fair game as well.
Sooner or later you have to stop the bloodshed. The only way to do that is overwhelming force against the enemy. Bring them to the brink of destruction and take the fight out of them. Otherwise they slowly bleed you out. A rocket here, a car bomb there, your citizens must feel safe and must BE safe.
Travis
Left Wing Idiots
I get a lot of left wing spams and for the most part, I just discard them. But every now and then, one is so idiotic and twists the truth so badly, they need to be publicly humiliated. Here is one such email: As usual, the email is in bold, my comments are not.
Dear Travis,
Kids need health care. So why has President Bush vowed to veto legislation that provides kids with health coverage?
That's right! Oh God, won't someone PLEASE think of the children!!?! Bush must be some kind of monster who grinds up puppies for his morning coffee!
The House and Senate are preparing to pass a bill that would continue and improve the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). Under the bill, four million low-income children who lack health coverage would become covered.
At a cost of $60 billion a year. And what they DON'T tell you is that some states are starting to put ADULTS on this program as well. Couple that with what Hillary wants for universal health care, that's $170 BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.
A majority in Congress support this bill, but a simple majority is not enough because George Bush does not want to give states more federal funds to cover children. Instead, his budget would force states to take coverage away from hundreds of thousands of children.
Blatantly not true. Bush has said that he would like to continue the program and offered to bump the increase in funding by $5 billion instead of Congress' proposed $60 billion.
That's where you come in. Please—take action now to help us get a veto proof majority in Congress so that more kids have health care.
Because there are no public health insurance programs, welfare, parents with jobs, etc. Make no mistake, the sole persons responsible for the health of a child is that child's PARENTS.
A simple majority is not enough because the President has vowed to veto the bill.
Finally a shred of truth.
George Bush does not want to give states more federal funds to cover children. Instead, his budget would force states to take coverage away from hundreds of thousands of children.
Another blatant lie. George Bush has said he would give a $5 billion dollar bump. How is that "not more federal funds"? Notice how they are trying to emotionally blackmail you with the thoughts of "hundreds of thousands" of sick children?
But if enough Senators and Representatives vote for this bill, we can override the President's veto.
True.
The veto loses and kids win.
The veto loses, the kids win, and the country goes even FURTHER into debt because parents, illegal immigrants, and others don't want to get off their ass to better their lives and get jobs that provide better health coverage.
So what happens then genius, when the country is up to it's eyeballs in debt and the "poor children" don't have health coverage because we simply can't afford it?
You can help us get a veto proof majority by contacting your elected officials right now:
http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/support_SCHIP
Let them know that it's time to protect health care for low-income kids.
And let them know that the American people have no concept of "to get something, you have to pay for it".
Sincerely,
Tracey Conaty
afscmepa@afscme.org
AFSCME e-Action Network
Travis
Think Progress » Harman: Conservatives Falsely Hyped Terror Threat Against U.S. Capitol To Pass FISA Expansion
That's some pretty explosive accusations, have any evidence to back it up?
Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA), speaking at a FISA event yesterday organized by the Center for American Progress Action Fund, stated that the terror claims were “part of a well-orchestrated campaign” by the administration to politicize the FISA debate. She referred to the efforts as part of the “Rovian strategy of using terrorism as a wedge political issue.” Harman asserted that the intelligence agencies “knew” the terror claims propagated by conservative lawmakers were false.
So you're "asserting" rather than actually showing evidence that they knew the lead wasn't true you're just making wild accusations?
That specific intelligence claim, it turned out, was bogus; the intelligence agencies knew that –apparently had communicated to Congress or to relevant people that it was bogus, the source was unreliable. But that communication wasn’t in any published form until the day that the Senate passed the amendments to FISA.
So the lead turned out to be unreliable, yet you think they lied about it? Why didn't you ask for more evidence before you voted for or against the FISA update? It's YOUR FUCKING JOB TO KNOW THESE THINGS!
If I don't investigate a problem in my job thoroughly enough and I make a bad or wrong decision about it, it could theoretically cost me my job. I don't blame others for my mistakes. Jane Harman is pissed that the lead turned out to be unreliable, NOT bogus and now she's on record as to the way she voted.
I find it very hard to believe that ALL the intelligence agencies that we have would conspire against Democrats in Congress to get this law passed.
Do your fucking job Harman.
Travis
Bush bashes Democrats over 'disgusting' MoveOn ad
At the tail end of his press conference, Bush gave an extended diatribe on the evils of a 10-day-old anti-war advertisement and took an opportunity to link Democrats to the attack on a top general.
The president called the group's full-page New York Times ad "disgusting," and he accused Democrats of caring more about the feelings of liberal activists than the US military.
Well of course. Democrats have consistently been anti-military and moveon has been consistently paying for Democrats to get elected with advertising and support.
"I felt like the ad was an attack not only on General Petraeus but on the U.S. military. And I was disappointed that not more leaders in the Democrat party spoke out strongly against that kind of ad," Bush said. "That leads me to come to this conclusion: that most Democrats are (more) afraid of irritating a left-wing group like MoveOn.org ... than they are of irritating the United States military. That was a sorry deal."
But therein lies the difference. Democrats are pissed about a recent statement by a US Senator about how "there are too many mosques in this country. There are not enough Muslims helping law enforcement."
They seem to have a problem with that statement, but they have no problem saying that General Petraeus is lying because his assessment isn't what they want to hear.
"The president has no credibility on Iraq: he lied repeatedly to the American people to get us into the war. Most Americans oppose the war and want us to get out. Right now, there are about 168,000 American soldiers in Iraq, caught in the crossfire of that country's unwinnable civil war, and the president has betrayed their trust and the trust of the American people."
Really?
Michael Totten, who's actually IN Iraq, begs to differ:
“Al Qaeda hit a six month old baby with a mortar when they were trying to hit us,” Lieutenant Hightower said when he got off the phone. “They also hit a six year old girl. We went in and medi-vacced the victims, and we made lots of friends that day. It was a clarifying experience for the Iraqis.”
It was a clarifying experience for the Iraqis because they had been raised on virulent anti-American conspiracy theories and propaganda from Saddam Hussein and the Baath Party. They truly believed the Army and Marines were there to steal their oil and women. Americans saving the lives of children wounded by fellow Sunni Arabs who passed themselves off as liberators was not what many Iraqis ever expected to see.
...
“You know what I like most about this place?” he said.
“What’s that?” I said.
“We don’t need to wear body armor or helmets,” he said.
I was poleaxed. Without even realizing it, I had taken off my body armor and helmet. I took my gear off as casually as I do when I take it off after returning to the safety of the base after patrolling. We were not in the safety of the base and the wire. We were safe because we were in Ramadi.
While American politicians bicker among themselves from eight time zones away about whether the surge led by Gen. David Petraeus is working or not, I returned to Iraq to see for myself.
This trip - from which I returned this month - was my fourth reporting stint in the country since the conflict began. And this time, what I saw was overwhelming, undeniable and, like it or not, complicated: In some places, the surge is working remarkably well. In others, it is not. And the only way we will know for sure whether the tide can be turned is to continue the policy and wait.
I know that's not what many Americans and politicians want to hear, but it's the truth.
Now how about that "unwinnable" comment? Who has no credibility now? Thought so. Now sit down, take some notes, listen to people who are actually there, and shut the fuck up.
Travis
Thursday, September 20, 2007
U.S. forces seize Iranian in Iraq - Conflict in Iraq - MSNBC.com
Does anyone REALLY need any more evidence that Iran is supporting the insurgency? We have caught a member of their military sneaking over the border to smuggle weapons that kill US soldiers.
Is there any other evidence you need that Iran is fighting a proxy war? Is there any other evidence you need to call in airstrikes against their bomb making and training facilities?
An Iranian officer accused of smuggling powerful roadside bombs into Iraq for the elite Quds force was arrested Thursday, the military said.
The suspect — a member of the Quds Force, an elite unit of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards — was detained in the Kurdish city of Sulaimaniyah, the military said.
He was IN IRAQ! Democrats seriously need to get their heads out of their asses and see what's going on. They say they "support the troops", but when they see blatant, glaring evidence that the Iranian government is killing US soldiers, they turn a blind eye and talk about leaving the region. Cowards.
All the while, Ahmadinejad wants to take a trip over to the World Trade Center site and "pay his respects". Luckily, the NYPD has politely told him to go fuck himself, but Mayor Bloomberg is prepared to take it up the ass to appease a leader of a terrorist nation.
But Ahmadinejad has said that he "won't insist" on going. Good, you aren't fucking welcome.
Of course, that doesn't prevent Columbia University from lining up to kiss his ass. They invited him to speak at the university, all the while ROTC military recruiters are banned from the campus.
Way to show who's side you're on idiots.
But even though I disagree with Rudy Guiliani on a lot of issues, he's dead on here:
Mayor Rudy Giuliani released the following statement on Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad:
"Under no circumstances should the NYPD or any other American authority assist President Ahmadinejad in visiting Ground Zero. This is a man who has made threats against America and Israel, is harboring bin Laden's son and other al-Qaeda leaders, is shipping arms to Iraqi insurgents and is pursuing the development of nuclear weapons. Assisting Ahmadinejad in touring Ground Zero - hallowed ground for all Americans - is outrageous."
Of course, Hillary Clinton will make any statement that shows which way the wind blows:
Senator Hillary Clinton released the following statement:
"It is unacceptable for Iranian President Ahmadinejad, who refuses to renounce and end his own country's support of terrorism, to visit the site of the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil in our nation's history."
Save it Hillary, you and your husband were in power when Bin Laden was a growing threat and yet you did nothing. So don't go giving us the line of bullshit that now all of a sudden you care about terrorism against this country.
What a smug little prick.
Travis
Sarkozy: Toughen Iran sanctions - CNN.com
France is asking for tougher sanctions against Iran. I'm beginning to have a new found respect and admiration for France...if they hold true to their public word.
I feel so....weird inside. :)
Travis
Bush challenges Dems over kids' health care bill - CNN.com
Take a gander at the hypocrisy level here:
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi fired her comments directly at Bush. "The president is wrong when he says Democrats want a political victory," said the California Democrat. "What we want is a bipartisan bill. What we want is health care for 10 million children."
"He is walking away from taking care of our children and I find that just unimaginable," Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-New York, said.
"We were coming together in a bipartisan way to be able to give more children, American children, the ability to get their health-care needs taken care of. And it's time that we have the president join with us in the right set of priorities for American families," she added.
These are all the same people who bitch and complain about the federal debt and not being fiscally responsible, but then want to increase taxes and pay for more social services.
Take out the children for a moment. When you start invoking "won't someone think of the children", you've automatically lost your argument.
Why? It's the parents responsibility to think of the children.
So when the President starts actually becoming semi fiscally responsible, Democrats start complaining.
Look Democrats, you can have it one way or the other: Tons of social services and crushing debt, or tighten up the fiscal belts and make necessary cuts.
I'm willing to bet you that if someone asks Hillary or Nancy about Canada's reaching equal stance with our dollar for the first time in 33 years what they thought, they'd start talking about how we're not being fiscally responsible and how we're "wasting money" all over the place.
Hypocrites.
Travis
Senate Fails on Habeas Corpus - Yahoo! News
The Senate failed in their vote to allow Haebus Corpus to apply to everyone on the planet.
You know, it's bad enough that we have to give out our medical care, open up our borders, give out aid to foreign countries, and still get bashed in the world's public opinion, but simply put: NON AMERICAN CITIZENS DON'T HAVE AMERICAN RIGHTS.
That means you don't have the right to Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, or any other freedoms that American citizens enjoy.
That being said, there are rules that govern warfare. If one side does not adhere to those rules, they forfeit their Geneva Convention protections in my mind. You want to hide amongst the populace, kill innocent civilians, and wear civilian clothes? Then you don't get to claim prisoner of war status.
Enjoy your military tribunals idiots.
Here's how the voting went down.
What boggles my mind is how much the Senate loves to give our money and our rights away to every person on the planet, then is surprised when they have an angry constituency.
What's worse is that there are already idiotic sites out there that are claiming that this vote was to restore haebus corpus to American citizens. That's simply not true. What they are talking about is the Military Commissions Act, which already says that it doesn't apply to American citizens. You'd swear these people didn't even READ the damned thing.
Travis
Al Qaeda declares war on Musharraf - CNN.com
Musharraf has a major problem on his hands. We kept warning him about the dangers of Al-Qaeda. He wouldn't listen. They attempted to assassinate him, he still would drag his feet.
Now they've openly declared war on him.
Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden called on Pakistanis to rebel against President Pervez Musharraf in a new recording released on Thursday, saying his military's siege of a militant mosque stronghold makes him an infidel.
You'd better wake up soon Musharraf, you have people in your country that are trying to incite your population to overthrow and kill you. If that happens and Pakistan becomes a lawless or openly hostile nation, the US will have no choice but to attack Pakistan. We simply cannot have radical militants having access to nuclear weapons.
Maj. Gen. Waheed Arshad, a Pakistani army spokesman, said the army will continue its fight against terrorism, regardless of any threats it faces.
"We have the aim and objective, as our national duty, to eliminate terrorists and eradicate extremism. The Pakistan army will continue to carry out its role against terrorists wherever they are found, whether in the tribal areas (of northwest Pakistan) or elsewhere."
Well that's all fine and dandy, but you guys have to admit you're dragging your feet when it comes to the tribal areas. Only a full scale invasion of those areas will root out extremists or push them into waiting American hands in Afghanistan.
Travis
Thousands rally in Jena 'march for justice' - CNN.com
Wait a minute. So Al Sharpton and a couple thousand other people are mad that 6 black kids kicked the living snot out of a white kid and now they are going to jail for it?
One of the kids has a previous criminal record for two counts of simple battery (violence).
LaSalle Parish District Attorney Reed Walters urged the world not to forget the victim in the case.
"The injury done to him and threats to his survival have become less than a footnote," Walters said Wednesday.
"This case has not, never has been about race. It's about finding justice for an innocent victim, holding people accountable for their actions. That is what it's about," he said.
Al Sharpton and other idiots have seem to have forgotten that a kid got his face stomped in.
There was a racial incident earlier about nooses being hung from a tree. However, there's a simple problem. The incidents weren't related.
"A lot of things happened between the noose hanging and the fight occurring, and we have arrived at the conclusion that the fight itself had no connection," said Donald Washington, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Louisiana.
So if you're going to have 6 on 1 beatings, you have to take your lumps in the judicial system. If that means that you're charged as an adult, then suck it up and take your punishment like a man.
Al Sharpton and others seem to have forgotten that one kid already has a history of violence, so why should he be charged as a juvenile?
Sounds to me like Al is the racist one here.
Travis
CTV.ca | Stronach went to U.S. for cancer treatment: report
Liberal MP Belinda Stronach, who is battling breast cancer, traveled to California last June for an operation that was recommended as part of her treatment, says a report.
Wait a minute, I thought the Universal Health Care in Canada was top notch? Why is she coming to America?
Instead, MacEachern said the decision was made because the U.S. hospital was the best place to have it done due to the type of surgery required.
Oh THAT'S why, we have some of the best medical care in the world. But if everything is paid for by the Canadian government, shouldn't their health care be top notch as well?
My basic point is that if you let the government decide about how to insure and care for your health, it will only get worse.
Travis
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
CNN.com - CNN Political Ticker Jesse Jackson: Obama’s ‘acting like he’s white’ «
Need any more evidence that Jesse Jackson is a racist? Who the hell accuses someone of "acting white"? If someone said that Mitt Romney was "acting black", there'd be an uproar. Instead, this hypocritical idiot gets away with it.
Hey Jesse, why don't you go knock up another one of your staff members while preaching "morality" to people who actually buy into your line of crap.
Travis
Bush or bin Laden: Who is More Evil?
Oh my God, check out the brainwashing that's going on with this idiot.
It is the time of the year once again for Americans to mourn the loss of friends, family members and co-workers and to remember all who died on September 11, 2007.
Of course, it's "that time of year again", you know, like Easter, or Father's day.
While I cannot support bin Laden’s opinion that all Americans should be killed and that Islam is the only way to be saved, it is hard to overlook the statements that he makes about the Bush administration.
Oh sure, it's just his "opinion", it's not like he's actually DONE anything about it right?
In finding myself in this predicament, I questioned myself as to who the lesser evil actually is. I ask, “Who has done more damage to the lives of the American people?” Personally, I worry more about the next bad decision Bush is going to make than I worry about a potential Osama bin Laden organized terrorist attack.
If you're more worried about Bush then Bin Laden, you're a fucking idiot.
Travis
Labels: idiocy
Forex - Canadian dollar edges closer to parity vs US dollar after Fed rate cut - Forbes.com
It's time we stopped screwing around with this massive amount of spending and tighten up the belt a bit. The Canadian dollar is almost on the same exchange rate as the US dollar.
Now the oil prices have given Canada a boost, but that's not the issue here.
Congress is being asked to raise the debt ceiling.
That's simply unacceptable. We are paying through the nose for the services and wars that are going on right now and it's time that we started cutting things back. The Iraqi government needs a bit of cattle prodding to get things done. We need to get the Iraqi's back on their feet asap and get our guys more towards a support instead of leading role.
Yes, it will take time, but we need to let the Iraqi's know that we're not messing around.
We need to start cutting unnecessary services. People on welfare past 2 years either need to get a job or get services cut off.
Medicare/Medicaid needs to start getting better deals and cut through the blatant overspending on items that elsewhere would cost less then 1/2 of what they are paying.
International aid should be limited to the very poorest nations and military allies such as Israel. There's no reason why Egypt, Saudi Arabia, or even China should get one dime from us unless it's trade.
Even then, we should get something for our money. Simply giving money away at the expense of our own economy is idiocy at it's finest.
Universal health care should be dismissed before it even hits the Senate floor.
There should be a Constitutional amendment for a balanced budget unless there are times of war or emergency.
Line item veto should be given to the President and future Presidents to eliminate pork.
Pork spenders should be publicly shamed. (John Murtha, I'm talking to you)
Illegal immigrants should be deported immediately.
Border fences should go up to prevent more from coming in.
Medical care should be limited to emergency care (car accident, etc) for illegal immigrants. Once they are stabilized, they are deported.
People who have babies in America are deported. Their children are US citizens and they are given the choice of leaving their child here or going home with them.
It's simply a matter of fiscal responsibility. Our economy is $13 trillion dollars a year roughly. There's no reason why we can't build up a massive amount of surplus cash and still maintain our defense and basic services.
If pork spenders continue with their ways, sooner or later, they'll bankrupt this country. They need to be publicly shamed for such reckless behavior.
Travis
Labels: financial responsibility
Zach Marks: Tasering Students: A Shocking Disgrace - Politics on The Huffington Post
It's yet ANOTHER Huffington Post blogger that simply doesn't want to be bothered with seeing evidence and looking at those pesky "facts".
Zach Marks writes about the recent tasing of a university student.
I watched in disgust as Andrew Meyer, 21, was dragged by police through the auditorium and tasered repeatedly after he pleaded, "Don't tase me!" while Kerry did nothing to intervene. Every time the taser's shock caused Meyer to shriek, I didn't just hear a defenseless young man screaming in pain, I saw a fellow student becoming the victim of police brutality and unconstitutional censorship. Sure, Meyer's rant was getting a little long-winded, but while his verbal diarrhea may have deserved the ire of the audience, it certainly did not justify the violent arrest that prompted one onlooker to shout, "This is Rodney King all over again." Obviously an overstatement, but the police's use of force was undoubtedly unwarranted.
Really Zach? Do you think that after being put on the ground by several officers and him still flailing his arms around that he didn't deserve to be tased? Do you think he should have been able to keep that arm free? What if he had reached for an officer's gun? The officers were clearly trying to arrest him, he was resisting, and he was warned before that if he didn't stop, he'd be tased.
He continued, and he was tased.
Of course, there's always going to be a "march" and "outrage" by students.
There's even an entry in the police report where your "victim" told officers "You didn't do anything wrong".
Care to explain that Zach? Or are you going to go off on a tangent on how this is all a "police state" and other bullshit for officers just doing their job and a perfectly good textbook example of what to do when someone gets unruly and won't leave when told to do so. At that point, he's trespassing, you know, a crime.
Travis
Labels: Huffington Post, idiocy, Zach Marks
Republican Romney ad criticizes his party and calls for change - CNN.com
Romney, a former governor of Massachusetts, lays out a tough bill of particulars against his party, portraying Republicans as ethically challenged big spenders and delivering a veiled slap at President Bush and two of his main rivals on the subject of immigration.
"If we're going to change Washington, Republicans have to put our own house in order," Romney says, speaking directly to the camera. "We can't be like Democrats -- a party of big spending. We can't pretend our borders are secure from illegal immigration. We can't have ethical standards that are a punch line for Jay Leno."
Unfortunately, Mitt's not wrong. Republicans have gone off on a spending spree that we as a nation will have to pay for quite sometime.
It's easy to blame Democrats for a lot of their idiotic spending sprees, there are so many of them, but to point the finger of responsibility towards yourself shows a deeper understanding of responsibility.
Of course, that's only true if what he says he means.
But then he comes off with this comment that takes people by surprise:
"When Republicans act like Democrats, America loses," he says. "It's time for Republicans to start acting like Republicans. It's time for a change and change begins with us.
Ouch. :)
Travis
Labels: Mitt Romney, Tough Love
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Officials: Taliban kidnapper killed - South and Central Asia - MSNBC.com
U.S. airstrikes targeting a meeting of Taliban leaders killed a high-ranking commander involved in the kidnappings of 23 South Koreans two months ago, Afghan officials said Tuesday.
Take notes South Korea, THAT'S how you deal with terrorists, murderers, and kidnappers. Appeasement is for the weak who only want to cower against the evil in this world. A simple thank you will be sufficient from you guys.
You're welcome.
Travis
Labels: Appeasement, South Korea, Taliban, US
Russia, China worried by Iran attack talk - Yahoo! News
Of course they're worried. They are worried that their precious Iranian fuel won't be coming to them at a cheap price and that they'll be shown to be at least in cahoots with Iran.
Russia and China expressed alarm on Tuesday over comments by France's foreign minister that Paris should prepare for the prospect of war with Iran, which the West accuses of secretly developing nuclear weapons.
Want to avoid war? Support sanctions like you said you would in previous UN actions. Keep your word Russia and China, I know it's a departure from what you're used to, but at least give it a shot.
Travis
Labels: China, iran, nuclear program, Nuclear Weapons, Russia
Presidential Campaign Finance Through 06/30/2007
Anyone want to see a neat setup and tons of information about political campaign finance broken down? I know it sounds riveting, but if you're here on this site, it probably just might be.
On this site, the FEC's government site, you can take a look at a breakdown of who's money comes from where as well as a partial breakdown of expenses.
Here's another interesting link on the same site.
I'm going through it all right now and I will probably post the files and databases that they have here.
Travis
Labels: FEC, Finance, Presidential Election
I think I just got a bit of a chubby
Take a look at this: It shows a young man confronting John Murtha over his comments about soldiers who "murdered Iraqi civilians in cold blood". The charges against the Marines are being dropped, so this young man asks Senator Murtha if he'd like to issue an apology. The look on Murtha's face is priceless. The response is better: "I served in Korea and Vietnam". That's deflection sir, not an answer.
Labels: John Murtha
Police Taser student at Kerry speech - News - GainesvilleSun.com
Well here's yet another example of the police trying to do their job and liberals getting their panties all in a knot over it.
A minute or so into what became a combative diatribe, Meyer's microphone was turned off and officers began trying to physically remove him from the auditorium. Meyer flailed his arms, yelling as police tried to restrain him.
He was then pushed to the ground by six officers, at which point Meyer yelled, "What have I done? What I have I done? Get away from me. Get off of me! What did I do? Help me! Help."
Police threatened to use a Taser on Meyer if he did not "comply," but he continued to resist being handcuffed. He was then Tased, which prompted him to scream and writhe in pain on the floor of the auditorium.
So the police had given him a warning that he would be Tased, but yet in the video, you can still see him flailing his arms about. At the beginning of the video, you can clearly see the guy stick his hand into the face of the officer.
As Meyer was escorted away, he was followed by several students, including Matthew Howland, 20. Howland, a UF senior who said he didn't know Meyer, said he was "appalled" by the way UPD officers handled the situation. Howland acknowledged that Meyer had acted inappropriately by "rushing" the microphone and forcing a question on Kerry.
"It's a perfect example of when officers take something to a level that is not necessary," he said. "The officers escalated that situation."
So the guy admits that he acted inappropriately and "rushed" the microphone and forced a question onto Senator Kerry. So what are the police supposed to think? Is this guy a threat? Does he have a weapon? He is clearly seen as flailing his arms around and would not leave peacefully when ordered to do so.
This is the same kind of liberal bullshit that cops get all the time. When bad guys with guns show up and start shooting up the place, police get blames for not doing enough or knowing ahead of time that something might happen.
Then, when they have a real life looney on their hands, they try to get him to leave peacefully, he won't and he's arrested. He clearly resists arrest, despite of what he's saying, and is warned that he'll be tazed if he doesn't comply. You even see a flash of light and a clear Taser noise at minute 2:49 in the video. He was clearly warned and yet continued to resist arrest.
The kid had it coming and has a history of pulling publicity stunts like this according to witnesses.
Take for example, the comments he makes right after his arrest:
"There are people who know I'm here. You can't just, just you know, kill me."
However, over at Huffington Post, they seem to think that this is all a "grave injustice". You know, I'm getting REALLY sick and tired of publicly shaming the idiots over at Huffington, but they keep coming up with dumb statements and backing it up with as few facts as possible:
And third, the police officers in this video are absolute scum. They should all be fired, and the one who used the Taser should be put in jail. It was bizarre and irrational for them to attack Meyer, a display of utterly unprovoked violence. The sheer brazenness of it, in front of an auditorium and multiple cameras, chills me. You can't go to a microphone and question an elected official (and again, there was nothing abusive or even particularly combative about these questions) without fear of being dragged off and tased? Apparently, Nick Antosca can't be bothered to actually WATCH the videos he posted. And yes Nick, if you're asked to leave, a place, then you leave. Failure to leave will result in your removal and possible tazering as this kid found out.
The use of tasers on handcuffed prisoners, particularly when, like Meyer and Mustafa Tabatabainejad, the prisoner has done absolutely nothing wrong and is unarmed, is straight torture.
WATCH THE FUCKING VIDEOS IDIOT, he wasn't handcuffed, he was partially handcuffed. Meaning only one hand was in the cuffs and you clearly see him jump up after officers were trying to get him down. He was CLEARLY resisting arrest and was not cuffed when he was tazed.
It's these same kind of people that like to say "George Bush is responsible for X" when they have zero evidence and zero facts on their side.
Travis
Labels: Funny, Huffington Post, idiocy, Nick Antosca
Goldmans to seek Simpson memorabilia - Yahoo! News
I normally wouldn't comment on something like this, but it's too funny. OJ Simpson was arrested yesterday after robbing a couple of people of sports memorabilia that used to belong to OJ. Unfortunately for OJ, he still owes the Goldman family $33 million dollars. So that means that he'll probably end up going to jail over items that aren't even legally his.
Idiot.
Travis
Obama tax plan: $80 billion in cuts, 5-minute filings - CNN.com
Wait, I thought Democrats were about "tax and spend" right? Well this headline certainly speaks of tax cuts. But wait, if you dig just a bit deeper, you see the REAL meat of Obama's "cuts".
The plan means billions in breaks by: nixing income taxes for the 7 million senior citizens making less than $50,000 a year, establishing a universal credit for the 10 million homeowners who make less than $50,000 annually and do not itemize their deductions, and providing 150 million Americans with tax cuts of up to $1,000.
"I'd reward work by providing an income tax cut of up to $500 per person -- or $1,000 for each working family -- to offset the payroll tax that they're already paying," he said.
So in other words, 7 million people in this country will stop paying taxes all together. I'm all for cutting the taxes of senior citizens, but to cut them entirely seems a bit extreme.
Obama proposes funding the tax cuts by closing corporate loopholes, cracking down on international tax havens and increasing the dividend-and-capital-gains tax for the wealthy, he said.
So there's the REAL "tax cuts". It's not "we're cutting taxes for you". It's "we're cutting taxes for some of you and making the rest of you pay for it". That's not a tax cut, that's a shift in who pays what.
So tell me Mr. Obama, what happens when the people who managed to be super successful in America decide that they no longer want to live in America or they move their money overseas? I imagine there's a ton of laws on the books that allow people to put money into an international bank and avoid taxes that you propose.
I know if my taxes all of a sudden go up, I know I'll be looking at a much more creative way of to pay as little as possible. Face it, there are people who are being punished more then others simply because they are successful.
How about just a flat tax Mr. Obama? Say 15 or 20%? That way the more successful you are, it doesn't matter, you'll still pay the same rate.
Travis
Labels: Barack Obama, Taxes
Retired general: U.S. can live with a nuclear Iran - CNN.com
Ok, so according to retired General John Abizaid, the United States can "live with" a nuclear Iran. Ok General, let me ask you this: What happens when the other Middle Eastern countries want nukes because Iran has them? Sooner or later you're going to have to deal with a country that is unstable and is armed with the worlds most powerful weapon.
What then? Do you want your fellow Americans and their children to live in fear that one day a whacked out cleric decides that the Washington DC must go and he has enough influence to actually make it happen?
Even General Abizaid thinks the same thing:
"Clearly the development of a bomb in Iranian hands will cause other nations in the region to move in a like direction, and in a very unstable region like that, that is not good news," Abizaid said.
So if you agree with me General, then why make such bold and reckless statement like that?
The difference between China, Russia and Iran is that the former two didn't have religious nutjobs who talked of Armageddon.
And I don't know about you, but I don't want to wake up one morning seeing Washington DC decimated and Iran as a parking lot full of radioactive glass. I'd prefer that we move through diplomatic channels first, but if Russia and China continue to think of their economic needs first instead of the growing nuclear threat, then we need to nip this in the butt before it becomes a much more significant problem.
Travis
Labels: iran, nuclear program, Nuclear Weapons
Congress investigating alleged corruption in State Department - CNN.com
A congressional committee has launched an investigation into the State Department's inspector general, alleging that he blocked fraud investigations, including potential security lapses at the newly built U.S. Embassy in Baghdad.
Also under scrutiny is whether a major security firm was "illegally smuggling weapons into Iraq," according to a letter to Inspector General Howard J. Krongard that was obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press.
The investigation involves allegations that "your strong affinity with State Department leadership and your partisan political ties have led you to halt investigations, censor reports, and refuse to cooperate with law enforcement agencies," Krongard was told.
The one thing I cannot stand is corruption by my government. Illegally smuggling weapons into Iraq is a very serious charge and I imagine they have evidence to support this. But to do this in a place as volatile as Iraq just screams for a much harsher sentence then a usual one simply because of the potential consequences of that action.
Labels: corruption, iraq
Monday, September 17, 2007
Hillary's Health Care Plan Might Insure Illegal Aliens
Senior policy adviser Laurie Rubiner–while acknowledging that undocumented immigrants are a "huge issue" in this country–said, "That's one we're going to have to think through a little bit."
"We have not dealt with every single detail with this plan," Rubiner continued.
Oh and I just found out, that $110 BILLION dollars that it's going to cost for Hillary's plan? That's PER YEAR. She wants to take $110 billion dollars a year and insure people without insurance, tax people who already pay more than 50% of America's taxes, and she's "unsure" about insuring illegal aliens?
What the hell kind of policy is that? These people are here ILLEGALLY. They are draining this country of it's resources and not returning the favor. They are having children here so they can stay in the country. It's high time we erect that border fence (on BOTH sides of the border) and told people "if you want to come to America, you have to do so legally".Do you have any idea what we can do with $110 billion dollars a year? Let's take a look at government expenditures:
In fiscal year 2005, the US budget was $2.5 trillion dollars. That $110 billion dollars represents 4.4% of that budget. We spend less then that on education. We already spend 22.4% on healthcare as it is. That's $560 billion dollars a year. (Combined "Health" and "Medicare")
If we're going to tighten the belts a bit, let's at LEAST fix government waste, especially when it comes to Medicare/Medicaid and put that $110 billion a year towards the federal debt. If Hillary really cares about this country (which you know damned good and well she doesn't), she'd want to leave future generations without the crushing debt that we currently have.
But she doesn't care about America's fiscal health. She TALKS about the federal debt, but then she wants to add an additional $110 billion a year to the budget. That's an additional $366 for every man, woman and child in America. And you know damned good and well that that's not going to get spread around evenly. Middle and upper class people are going to have to pay for the share of the poor who can't or won't afford it. To tell you the truth, healthcare for $30 bucks a month should be affordable to ANYONE with a job, so I don't see why those who make more should have to pay more. Even people working full time at Taco Bell can afford $30 bucks a month for healthcare.
I don't know about you, but I'm tired of being taxed like this from the Democrats. Tell you what Hillary, if you can cut $110 billion worth of fat out of the federal budget per year, I'll gladly endorse your universal healthcare plan. Until then, count me out.
Travis
travis@rightwinglunatic.com
Iran says France stoking crisis with war talk - Yahoo! News
Oh this story is rich with irony. :)
Iran on Monday accused French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner of stoking a crisis after he said France must prepare for the possibility of war over Tehran's disputed nuclear program.
The official IRNA news agency quoted Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini as saying Kouchner's remarks were not in line with European Union policies.
What? Do you mean that they are showing some backbone and won't put up with your line of bullshit because they are tired of appeasing threats against the safety and security of their citizens? It's THAT the "policy" you're speaking of?
In a commentary on Monday, IRNA accused France of "extremism," an apparent reference to Kouchner's statement.
Pot, meet kettle.
But the best part was that the French Foreign Minister was backed up by the Prime Minister of France:
French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said on Monday that everything must be done to avoid war with Iran, but added that Kouchner was right to say the situation was dangerous and must be taken seriously.
It looks like they're getting tired of being pushed around and threatened Iran.
Travis
Labels: France, iran, nuclear program
Jane Hamsher: MoveOn: Hillary Gets it Right, Elizabeth Edwards Gets it Wrong, and Rudy Gets It In the Eye - Politics on The Huffington Post
And now for something completely different, an idiotic viewpoint from a Huffington Post blogger.
This time it's about the moveon.org's "General Betray Us" ad and Republicans asking Democrats to denounce the ad. She praises Hillary and Obama, but Elizabeth Edwards gets this response:
But I guess not, because she decided instead to join with such leading moral barometers as Diaper Dave Vitter and John "McCarthy" McCain to attack MoveOn. So did John Kerry, whom one would expect to know better by this point in time. Granted, we really don't expect much better from Joe Biden -- somehow he continues to find the obvious quite elusive. So I guess we have to say it once again until everyone gets it -- you never repeat right wing talking points to attack your own, ever. You never enter that echo chamber as a participant. Ever. You never give them a cudgel to beat the left with.
Just. Don't. Do. It.
Why not? If the talking points are valid, why not use them? Oh that's right, it's because it'll look like you're actually thinking for yourself and want to do what's right instead of sticking to partisan politics like everyone in the Democratic party likes to accuse Republicans of doing. That's called "hypocrisy". Democrats are REALLY good at it.
Just take a look at the above mentioned statement. She basically says that because Elizabeth Edwards DARED to criticize the righteous moveon.org people, that she has crossed an invisible line and now they will cast her off to the side.
Good for MoveOn for being willing to say what needs to be said and take the hit. Democrats should take their cues from Hillary Clinton when asked about their efforts and seize the opportunity to wrap this war around the exposed necks of the GOP.
I guess she's against the Iraq war, as well as against winning it and against anyone telling her the truth about what's going on over there, even if it's by one of the most qualified person's on the planet to do so.
Travis
Labels: iraq, Jane Hamsher
Western talk of Iran war premature hype: IAEA head | International | Reuters
Of course the toothless UN organization IAEA has this to say:
The U.N. nuclear watchdog chief said on Monday talk of last-ditch war on Iran to disable its nuclear program was premature "hype" and suggested moves to harden sanctions on Tehran may be counterproductive.
We're actually TRYING that route, but Russia and China are dragging their feet and are looking only at the economic interruption rather than the nuclear weapons threat.
Western powers led by the United States and France have been fuming over ElBaradei's new deal with Iran requiring it to answer questions about past secret nuclear research but without touching its accelerating campaign to enrich atomic fuel.
They fear Iran has tricked the IAEA, pretending to cooperate to avoid painful sanctions and buy time to master enrichment.
Yep, that's what we're thinking.
Speaking on the sidelines of the IAEA'S 149-nation annual assembly, he repeated that IAEA sleuths had found no evidence of "weaponization" from Iranian enrichment work, although Iran was still preventing wider inspections aimed at ruling this out.
It's really not that hard Iran. Just open up the doors on your nuclear facilities...ALL of your facilities, and it'll make everyone feel better.
Tehran wants to come clean on its program and use nuclear energy under IAEA monitoring but hostility from Washington and a few allies make that difficult, its atomic energy chief said.
Bullshit. They could easily come out to the IAEA and say, "look, here's everything" and completely ignore the US, but they don't do that. They try the line of "it makes it difficult". Maybe I'm an idiot, but explain to me HOW it makes it difficult for Iran to open up to the IAEA?
"The Iranian nation is determined to continue its (nuclear) path until the highest point of advancement," Reza Aghazadeh said. "(We) have no fear of the costs we may have to bear to achieve this."
And the "highest point of advancement" is? Weapons? I'm willing to bet that's what it is.
Travis
Labels: iran, nuclear program, un
Bush setting America up for war with Iran - Telegraph
Here's an article that details proposed plans of war with Iran. Typical "what if" stuff. However, one section caught my eye.
In a chilling scenario of how war might come, a senior intelligence officer warned that public denunciation of Iranian meddling in Iraq - arming and training militants - would lead to cross border raids on Iranian training camps and bomb factories.
A prime target would be the Fajr base run by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Quds Force in southern Iran, where Western intelligence agencies say armor-piercing projectiles used against British and US troops are manufactured.
That should be happening NOW and be a separate issue from the Iranian nuclear issue. If Iranians are actively supporting the murder of innocent Iraqi civilians as well as US soldiers, they need a swift and severe punishment.
Travis
Labels: iran, military, Murder
Greenspan: Euro Gains As Reserve Choice: Financial News - Yahoo! Finance
Alan Greenspan has been on a tear lately.
First, he warns, correctly, that the Euro can soon replace the US dollar as the reserve currency defacto standard.
It's very important for this country to support fiscal responsibility. That includes cutting out the fat in government spending and not proposing new programs such as Hillary Clinton's $110 BILLION dollar fiasco that is Universal Health Care until we trim out the unnecessary items.
But then after a bit, Greenspan goes way out into left field:
Alan Greenspan, the former Federal Reserve chairman, said in an interview that the removal of Saddam Hussein had been "essential" to secure world oil supplies, a point he emphasized to the White House in private conversations before the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
Greenspan, who was the country's top voice on monetary policy at the time Bush decided to go to war in Iraq, has refrained from extensive public comment on it until now, but he made the striking comment in a new memoir out today that "the Iraq War is largely about oil." In the interview, he clarified that sentence in his 531-page book, saying that while securing global oil supplies was "not the administration's motive," he had presented the White House with the case for why removing Hussein was important for the global economy.
But you have those on the left who will take that "Iraq war is largely about oil" comment and run with it. I know I've seen a ton of people say "See! I told you so!" without reading further then that statement.
Though Greenspan's book is largely silent about Iraq, it is sharply critical of Bush and fellow Republicans on other matters, denouncing in particular what Greenspan calls the president's lack of fiscal discipline and the "dysfunctional government" he has presided over. In the interview, Greenspan said he had previously told Bush and Cheney of his critique. "They're not surprised by my conclusions," he said.
Being the head of the Federal Reserve, I can completely see his point. We've spent WAY too much money in the past several years, some legitimate (rebuilding New York and the Pentagon), and some not (earmarks galore on spending bills)
But then Greenspan says something that I'd never thought I'd hear him say.
As for Iraq, Greenspan said that at the time of the invasion, he believed, like Bush, that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction "because Saddam was acting so guiltily trying to protect something." While he was "reasonably sure he did not have an atomic weapon," he added, "my view was that if we do nothing, eventually he would gain control of a weapon."
I'm pretty sure that's what eve