Ol' Buffalo Soapbox

If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you're reading this in English, thank a veteran.

Index to the Ol' Buffalo Soapbox

Borders, Language and Culture

To assume a crime is more serious because some prosecutor believes the perpetrator is a bigot trivializes crimes (and their victims) committed by non-bigots. I therefore oppose any so-called hate-crimes legislation. (4 Feb 2006)

For decades, Congress and the Whitehouse have been grossly negligent in adequately protecting our borders from an overwhelming invasion of illegal aliens. This negligence has resulted in a situation which is rapidly becoming irreparable. Further delay in courageously attacking the problem will only further exacerbate the problem. If this invasion is allowed to continue, I have serous concerns about which language will be dominant in this nation, which constitution will guide our laws, and which national flag will fly over our government buildings.

 • Congress and the Whitehouse must immediately establish an adequate barrier of illegal immigration on our border with Mexico through increased border patrol agents, increased use of technology, formal use of volunteer “Minutemen” monitors (President Bush erroneously calls them vigilantes), and armed military troops.

 • Congress and the Whitehouse must immediately establish felony criminal penalties and loss of business licenses for employers who hire illegal aliens. Employers must be required to verify each employee thorough a computerized Social Security ID base. Employers must be required to pay the costs of all government services provided to illegal immigrants in their employ.

 • Congress and the Whitehouse must immediately establish felony criminal penalties for anyone who offers humanitarian aid to illegal immigrants.

 • Congress and the Whitehouse must immediately stop the practice of giving citizenship to anyone born in the United States unless one or both parents are already US citizens.

 • Congress and the Whitehouse must establish increased penalties including felony criminal sentences coupled with immediate deportation for those who are caught entering the Unite States illegally.

 • Congress and the Whitehouse must immediately ban all government aid to illegal immigrants including any form of welfare, medical care, and reduced/no-cost education.

 • Congress and the Whitehouse must immediately pass legislation making English the official language of the United States.

 • The government must immediately cease to provide services or publications in any language other than English for anyone who has been in the country for more than 1 year.

 • The United States does not need “guest-workers.” This term has only been developed to obfuscate the fact that our government has been grossly negligent in controlling an invasion by foreign nationals. If Congress is to establish a guest-worker program, guest-workers must be limited to stays of not more than 5-6 months in the US with at least 1 month outside the US before applying for another guest-worker visa.

 • Amnesty for current illegal aliens must be offered only to those who have no criminal record and who speak and read English and only after paying a substantial fine and only after all current applicants for legal entry are processed.

 • Congress and the Whitehouse must take decisive, courageous action now! (2 Apr 2006)

I oppose "earned" citizenship and "guest worker" programs. I support reducing immigration, enforcing our borders, and felony punishments employers who employ illegal immigrants as well as for the illegal aliens themselves. I oppose giving citizenship to children born in the US whose parents are not US citizens. (5 Apr 2006)

I am deeply concerned by the Senate's apparent cowardice regarding the issue of illegal immigration. The immigration problem stems from the unfathomable unwillingness of the Whitehouse and Congress to control our national borders for decades. Consequently, we have millions of foreign invaders crossing our borders each year. These invaders (the politically-cleansed term is undocumented immigrants) come with no regard for our sovereignty or laws. Many even have the stated desire to annex much of our territory to Mexico. The problem has grown so serious that I wonder what flag this nation will fly and what language our people in 20 years.
 • Congress and the Whitehouse must immediately secure our borders with adequate staff, technology and barriers (landmines if necessary) to stop this invasion.
 • Congress and the Whitehouse must immediately and fully integrate "Minutemen" volunteers (erroneously labeled vigilantes by our president) into our border security plan.
 • Eliminating any and all economic incentive for aliens to cross our borders is an essential part of controlling this problem. Therefore, there must be no amnesty nor any so-called "guest-worker" program for anyone who has crossed our borders illegally. All applications for any "guest worker" program must be made from the applicant's nation of citizenship.
 • Crossing our border must be a felony offense. Likewise, giving employment or any form of aid to any illegal immigrant must also be a felony offense with severe penalties to include forfeiture of the business.
 • Congress must immediately ban giving medical treatment to illegal immigrants or their children except as needed to safe life or limb long enough to complete deportation.
 • Likewise, any form of humanitarian aid, welfare assistance, or reduced-cost education must be banned except to facilitate the invader's immediate return home.
 • Congress must immediately establish English as the nation's official language and ban providing government services in any language other than English to residents who have been in the US longer than 1 year. This includes Congress members' web pages in foreign languages. (Since all citizens speak English, what is the point of a Senator having a web page or printing a ballot in Spanish?)
 • Congress must immediately terminate the practice of giving citizenship to anyone born in the United States or its territories unless at least one parent is a US citizen. This practice is based on the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution. This amendment dates to the US Civil War and was intended to ensure that former slaves were granted United States citizenship, and that they would have all the rights and privileges as any other citizen. It was never intended to give citizenship to the children of alien invaders.
 • Congress must courageously, and immediately resolve the illegal immigration problem with an eye toward the long-term best interests of our national sovereignty. (9 Apr 2006)

Some seem to assume that certain categories of persons (i.e. anyone who is not a male of English ancestry) are inherently incapable of success without some form of favoritism and legalized discrimination (i.e. affirmative action) and must receive special treatment. The same absurd logic seems to apply to those whose native language is not English. Congress and the Whitehouse seem to believe that Spanish-speakers are incapable of learning English. If all citizens presumably speak English and all voters are citizens, to whom are politicians pandering when they post websites and other communications in Spanish? Congress and the Whitehouse must immediately remove all Spanish websites, require all government business be conducted in English for anyone who has been in the US for more than 12 months, and establish English as the nation's official language. They must stop listening to professional racists (ie Kweisi Mfume, Louis Farakhan, Al Sharpton, and Jesse Jackson) who make a very good living fomenting racial unrest and bigotry. (17 May 2006)

How bad is illegal immigration? According to an article in yesterday's San Francisco Chronicle, ten percent of Mexico's population now lives in the US! Fifteen percent of Mexico's labor force is working in the US! Last year, Mexico received a record $20 billion in remittances to family members from migrant workers living in the US! That is equal to Mexico's 2004 income from oil exports and dwarfs its tourism revenue! Immigration is out of control, and Congressmen (Harry Reid, D-NV) say we're racist if we citizens are concerned! (22 May 2006)

Yesterday, the US Senate passed its "comprehensive immigration reform" bill (S.2611) which is neither comprehensive nor in any sense a true reform. This legislation, if enacted into law, throws into question the legitimacy of the entire immigration system in the United States, and its formulation exposes deep flaws in the very process how immigration laws are made in this country. If the US House goes along, this bill would send the US population skyrocketing towards a billion people by the close of the century -- with no analysis done of the impacts of this mass population explosion on housing, congestion, overcrowding, education, the environment and the overall quality of life. Local communities have not been consulted, and virtually no preparation has been undertaken to provide for the enormous burdens this legislation would entail. It reflects the degree to which the Senate is completely out of touch with the average American. The bill takes no serious steps that would improve immigration enforcement -- especially in the non-border states. It merely continues a cycle of rewarding lawbreakers and clothing a loss of border control with the patina of legality. Rather than face the reality of today's immigration crisis, the Senate has enacted a terrible bill that once again puts the interests of the American people last. The bill's cost is staggering, the administrative burdens crushing and the consequences for the cohesion of the future American nation -- no longer bound by a common destiny of the rule of law -- are severe. I am deeply disappointed that one of my senators (Bob Bennett) voted for this irresponsible and arrogant bit of legislating. (26 May 2006)

One positive addition to the border-security and immigration debate is Representative Mike Pence's bill, the "Border Integrity and Immigration Reform Act." This bill is as close to the right solution as I have seen. It sets up a four-step process starting with what is needed and universally agreed upon -- border security. Second, it does not provide amnesty for people in the United States illegally. It requires them to go home. Next, it sets up a work-visa program using electronic bio-metric security based on conservative market principles. After an American employer can, in good faith, show that no American worker will fill a job offer, a work-visa holder may be hired. The key feature is that, in order for people who are here illegally to get a work visa, they must go home, because work visas will only be issued outside of the United States. Fourth, once the program is set up, companies that continue to ignore the law will be sanctioned severely. Congress must take a serious look at Representative Pence's thoughtful and pragmatic approach to solving this issue. (4 Jun 2006)

I am deeply concerned by the Senate's egregious immigration bill. The legislation proposed by the US House is much more acceptable. The Senate amnesty bill is overwhelmingly opposed by House Republicans whose focus is on controlling the border and enforcement. Unfortunately, the House position is totally unacceptable to the liberal McCain-Kennedy coalition that currently dominates the Senate while the Senate position is overwhelmingly unacceptable to the people. The White House is reportedly trying to pressure House leaders to stack the conference with members who will cave in to the amnesty advocates. The announcement of the conference members will be a big indicator of whether the House has any hope or intention of stopping a really bad Senate bill. I urge every US Representative in the House to take every possible step to ensure the House sends Representatives to the conference who will fight fiercely for the US Constitution, US sovereignty, immediate and permanent reinforcement of border security to include mining the border if necessary, English as our official language, immediate cessation of providing services in any language other than English to anyone who has been here longer than 12 months, immediate elimination of all forms of taxpayer-funded support for illegal immigrants, immediate and retroactive elimination of automatic citizenship for children of illegal immigrants, heavy penalties for businesses who employ illegals, and NO amnesty for illegal immigrants. (5 Jun 2006)

Any "guest-worker" legislation must stipulate that a significant portion of their gross pay (perhaps 25%) be escrowed by their employer in a US bank account in the state where the "guest-worker" is employed. The remainder of each work-visa holder's pay, less deductions, must be made by electronic direct deposit into a US bank account of the "guest-worker." Such electronic payments would allow immigration officials to easily track where in the country the worker is employed and who is paying. If there is a change in the worker's status that is not approved by the INS, both the escrow account and any other bank accounts could be frozen instantly. Escrowed money would be released to the "guest-worker" immediately after they return to their home country on time provided they have not violated any US laws. Escrowed funds not qualifying, because of "guest-worker" violations, would be released to the state where the money was earned to defray costs such as education of family members. This process would create an incentive for work-visa holders to return home before their visa expires. Upon their return home from working in the United States, the escrowed funds would become a nest egg to use to start a new small business. Escrow accounts would not only give workers the incentive to return home in order to withdraw their money, it would create the motivation to dream about the day when they can open their own business back home, be their own boss and create and accumulate wealth for their families, and -- because small businesses create jobs -- for other families in their communities as well. Helping hardworking people to start small businesses in their home countries will do far more to improve the long-term health of the economies of Mexico and other Central and South American countries than any amount of US foreign aid that may be offered, which is often poorly spent and is almost never used to tackle the root causes of poverty. (19 Jun 2006)

In general, I believe that the bulk of what is in the Voting Rights Act (VRA) are mere feel-good words that are no longer needed because they accomplished their purpose long ago. I believe the VRA should be allowed to sunset. If the VRA is to be renewed, It must be purged of much of its content, particularly the provision mandating foreign-language ballots. Foreign-language ballots just don't make sense. Only citizens can legally vote. With the exception of perhaps a handful of elderly Native Americans, all citizens theoretically read, write, speak and understand English. And those few non-English-speaking Native Americans do NOT speak a foreign language -- they speak languages native to the US and are phonetically written based on the English language. In light of the Senate recently passing a bill granting unpopular amnesty to 12 million illegal aliens and importing up to 66 million additional legal immigrants, America needs linguistic unity more than ever. Offering foreign language ballots while at the same time emphasizing the importance of learning English sends mixed signals to those seeking to assimilate into American society. To whom are Congress and the Whitehouse pandering when they offer ballots, websites, and other government publications and services to people who don't speak, read, write, and understand English and therefore do not qualify as US citizens? I insist that all government services be offered only in English for anyone in the country longer than 1 year. I insist that all websites posted by Congress and the Whitehouse be in English only. I insist that HR-9 (or any other bill to renew the VRA) include the amendment offered by Representative Steve King of Iowa to repeal the requirement for foreign-language ballots. (21 Jun 2006)

Some four years ago, PBS did a report on the growing use of illegal aliens to fight fires. Private contractors, hired by western states to train "hand crews" of fire fighters, began hiring migrant workers from Mexico and Central America, many of them illegal aliens who speak little or no English. These firefighters are in the US with fake ID cards purchased on the black market. In 2003, concerned that having large numbers of people on fire crews with limited English skills might compromise safety if instructions are not understood, the Oregon Department of Forestry decided to take action. Did they decide to require new hires to be able to speak English, the language of success in this country? Did they decide to enforce the laws against hiring illegal aliens? No. According to a report from KATU-TV, Oregon enacted a new law that requires firefighter crew bosses to be bilingual or lose their jobs! Instead of requiring new firefighter recruits to speak English -- or to even be here legally -- they decided to require crew bosses to speak Spanish, or be demoted or fired! I am outraged to learn that, at a time when millions of Americans are demanding that their government secure the borders against the illegal alien invasion, English-speaking firefighter heroes are being demoted, and even fired, for refusing to bow to politically-correct pressures from government officials. This is wrong. Congress, by its refusal to enact common-sense legislation to deal with the decades-old illegal immigration problem has, predictably, made a very serious and dangerous problem much worse. The Senate must immediately pass HR-4437 with no amendments other that to ensure that...
 • the our borders are manned with adequate permanent, full-time staff, technology and barriers (including mines if necessary) to stop this invasion,
 • "Minutemen" volunteers (erroneously and maliciously labeled vigilantes by our president) are integrated into our border security plan until full-time permanent, full-time staff, technology and barriers are in place,
 • any and all economic incentive for aliens to cross our borders, or to stay once they have crossed, are eliminated,
 • there is no amnesty nor any so-called "guest-worker" program for anyone who has crossed our borders illegally,
 • crossing our border is a felony offense,
 • giving employment or any form of aid to any illegal immigrant is a felony offense with severe penalties to include forfeiture of the business,
 • medical treatment is prohibited to illegal immigrants or their children except as needed to save life or limb long enough to complete deportation,
 • any form of humanitarian aid, welfare assistance, or reduced-cost education for illegal immigrants and their families is banned except as needed to enable immediate return home,
 • English is established as the nation's official language,
 • providing government services is banned in any language other than English to residents who have been in the US longer than 1 year (including Congress members' web pages in foreign languages),
 • all employees of any company or government agency which receives Federal money must be fluent in English,
 • all elections are conducted only in English, including ballots,
 • the intent of the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution is clarified so that citizenship is not automatically given to children of illegal immigrants (This practice is based on the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution. This amendment dates to the US Civil War and was intended to ensure that former slaves were granted United States citizenship, and that they would have all the rights and privileges as any other citizen. It was never intended to give citizenship to the children of alien invaders), and that
 • authority to enforce immigration laws is delegated to state and local authorities.
The United States does not need 11-12 million “guest-workers"! This term has only been developed to obfuscate the fact that our government has been grossly negligent in controlling an invasion by foreign nationals. If Congress is to establish a guest-worker program, guest-workers must be limited to stays of not more than 5-6 months in the US with at least 1 month outside the US before applying for another guest-worker visa. Rather than face the reality of today's immigration crisis, the Senate has enacted a terrible bill that once again puts the interests of the American people last. The Senate is arrogantly out of touch with the nation, its people, and its needs. S-2611 is so far from what this nation needs, it must be abandoned. We demand our Senators and the President fight fiercely for the US Constitution and US sovereignty. (30 Jun 2006)

Foreign language ballots don't make civic sense. You can't vote unless you are a citizen (at least you're not supposed to). To become a naturalized American citizen, our law requires that you demonstrate "an understanding of the English language, including an ability to read, write and speak...simple words and phrases...in ordinary usage in the English language." Foreign language ballots are costly to both taxpayers and local municipalities. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported that Los Angeles County taxpayers spent $1.1 million to provide ballots and election materials in five languages in 1996, escalating to $3.3 million in seven languages in March 2002. In several counties, the cost of foreign-language ballots is more than half the entire election expense! In light of recent developments concerning illegal immigration, America needs linguistic unity more than ever. Offering foreign language ballots while at the same time emphasizing the importance of learning English sends mixed signals to those seeking to assimilate into American society. Congress must eliminate ensure any foreign language ballot provisions from Voting Rights Act, and return us to a policy of e pluribus unum: "Out of Many, One." (3 Jul 2006)

Senate bill 2611 would give amnesty to 85% of the 11 to 12 million illegal aliens in the US. Senate bill 2611 would provide for "temporary guest workers." The Heritage Foundation estimates this would legally admit at least 60 million people over the next 20 years. The Pence Plan would allow illegal aliens to regularize their status by leaving the US briefly and getting visas at so-called Ellis Island Centers. This plan also contains an open-ended "guest worker" program. The Senate bill would allow chain-migration by families of newly legalized aliens and would automatically provide them with many benefits such as Social Security for elderly parents. The Senate bill cedes American sovereignty by requiring the US to consult with Mexico before building a border fence. Everyone in Congress knows that amnesty for invaders from across our borders is not in the best interests, short-term or long-term, of this nation and its citizens. The problem is that too many in Congress and the Whitehouse do not have the courage to stand up to bullies such as Ted Kennedy, John McCain and Vicente Fox. Meanwhile nearly 3,000 new invaders cross our borders every day and the numbers are accelerating! All talk of amnesty must stop immediately. The borders must be sealed immediately -- mine the borders if necessary! All businesses that employ illegals must immediately be jailed and their businesses forfeited. All government aid to illegals must immediately be terminated. Without an economic incentive to stay in the US, the illegals will go home -- no deportation is necessary. Congress and the Whitehouse must stop stalling and act! (8 Aug 2006)

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that the Senate "scamnesty" bill will cost over $126 billion over the next ten years! The non-partisan CBO is traditionally very conservative with its estimates and the $126 billion dollar figure really only measures the superficial costs of the program at the federal level. The CBO estimate doesn't include many of the "hidden costs" or the costs at the state and local level. Bottom line? $126 billion doesn't even begin to measure the REAL cost of the Senate scamnesty bill. Robert Rector of the Heritage Foundation writes: "The amnesty alone will be the largest expansion of the welfare system in the last 25 years... If even a small fraction of those who come into the country stay and get on Medicaid, you're looking at costs of $20 billion or $30 billion per year." The American people overwhelmingly support secure borders and no amnesty for illegal aliens. We don't want to be burdened by the staggering costs mentioned above. We don't want our children and grandchildren to be faced with the change in national allegiance that will result when the invaders from across our borders impose their will, culture and language on our nation. Why, then, do our elected leaders keep trying to pass an amnesty bill? It's simply because too many in Congress don't have the judgment, wisdom and/or courage to stand up to the bullies in Congress such as John McCain, Harry Reid, and Ted Kennedy. We Americans demand that:
 • Congress and the Whitehouse immediately abandon amnesty and/or any so-called "guest-worker" program for anyone who has crossed our borders illegally.
 • all illegal immigrants be held accountable for violating our borders.
 • our borders be manned with adequate permanent, full-time staff, technology and barriers (including mines if necessary) to stop this invasion.
 • local and state law enforcement agencies and courts be empowered to enforce immigration laws unless and until Federal law enforcement agencies properly enforce those same laws.
 • Congress immediately establish that the 14th Amendment was never intended to give automatic citizenship to the children of anyone who is here illegally and to retroactively deny citizenship to them.
 • English be established as the official language and that no government services be provided in any other language including voters ballots, welfare applications, and government websites (including Congress and the Whitehouse). Concessions may be made to indigenous native languages but not outside their documented ancestral territory.
 • all employees of any company or government agency which receives Federal money must be fluent in English.
 • all who give employment to illegals be held accountable to include jailing employers and forfeiture of their businesses.
 • all government aid to illegals be immediately be terminated.
 • any form of humanitarian aid, welfare assistance, or reduced-cost education for illegal immigrants and their families be banned except as needed to facilitate an immediate return home.
 • medical treatment be prohibited to illegal immigrants or their children except as needed to save life or limb long enough to complete deportation.
Without an economic incentive to stay in the US, the illegals will go home -- no deportation is necessary. The United States does not need 12 million "guest-workers"! This term has only been developed as a scam to obfuscate the fact that our Federal government has been grossly negligent in controlling an invasion by foreign nationals. Congress and the Whitehouse must stop stalling and act now! (29 Aug 2006)

It's apparent that the Congressional leadership did not get the message on November 7. They do not care that Americans will not stand for amnesty for 12 to 20 millions illegal aliens. Our Senators and the President continue to thumb their noses at the American people on this issue. According to Rep. Steve King of Iowa, 12 Americans are murdered every day by illegal aliens, 13 people per day are killed by illegal alien drunk drivers, and 8 American children are molested by illegal aliens every day! 17 percent of the prison population at the federal level are illegal aliens, according to the Center for Immigration Studies. The U.S. Justice Department has estimated that 270,000 illegal aliens served jail time nationally in 2003. Of those, 108,000 were in California. Some estimates show illegal aliens now make up half of California's prison population, creating a massive criminal subculture that strains state budgets and creates a nightmare for local police forces. In Los Angeles, 95 percent of all outstanding warrants for homicide (which total 1,200 to 1,500) target illegal aliens. Up to two-thirds of all fugitive felony warrants (17,000) are for illegal aliens. Illegal aliens are overcrowding our schools and jails, mobbing our health-care facilities and gobbling up welfare benefits. That which is called "Comprehensive Immigration Reform" really means, "Come on over, the water's fine." Opposition to illegal immigration isn't just a question of preserving our language, our culture and our sanity. It's also a question of safety. The Senate and the Whitehouse must stand with the House of Representatives and immediately remove all incentive for illegals to come to the US or to stay if they are already here. (8 Dec 2006)

Passing a "guest worker" amnesty bill will only reward those who break the law (including employers of illegals) and will encourage even more illegal immigration. Amnesty is fundamentally unfair to those who follow the rules, wait for years, and come to this country legally. Any "guest worker" program is likewise unfair to US citizens who must work in a labor market flooded by illegals and "guest workers." Congress and the President must reject any attempt to pass a "guest worker" or amnesty bill for anyone who is or ever will be in this country illegally. (8 Jan 2007)

One of our neighbors here in Cedar City, VerLee Hunt, was killed on 28 Jan by the irresponsible actions of an illegal immigrant. Congress and the Administration continue to thumb their noses at the American people on the illegal immigration issue. The Congress and the Whitehouse must stand with the People and immediately remove all incentive for illegals to come to the US or to stay if they are already here. The Congressional delay in properly resolving the illegal immigration crisis is directly responsible for VerLee's death. Congress and the Whitehouse must stop stalling and act now! (30 Jan 2007)

Nearly 3,000 new invaders cross our borders every day Congress and the Whitehouse delay enforcement of our immigration laws! All talk of amnesty must stop immediately. The borders must be sealed immediately -- mine the borders if necessary! All businesses that employ illegals must immediately be jailed and their businesses forfeited. All government aid to illegals must immediately be terminated. English must immediately be established as the official language of the nation and the ONLY language in which government business is conducted (including Congressional and Whitehouse websites). Without an economic incentive to stay in the US, the illegals will go home -- no deportation is necessary. Congress and the Whitehouse must stop stalling and act! Passing a "guest worker" amnesty (or whatever other deceptive term Congress chooses to apply) bill will only reward and encourage those who break the law (including employers of illegals) and will encourage even more illegal immigration. Amnesty is fundamentally unfair to those who follow the rules, wait for years, and come to this country legally. Any "guest worker" program is likewise unfair to US citizens who must work in a labor market flooded by illegals and "guest workers". Congress and the Whitehouse must cease to insult voter intelligence by further delay or by enacting any attempt to pass a "guest worker" or amnesty bill for anyone who is or ever will be in this country illegally. (27 Mar 2007)

I expect Congress and the President to aggressively oppose any bill that includes any amnesty provisions for illegal aliens. Until the federal government is willing to enforce the immigration laws that are already on the books, I will be highly skeptical of any additional promises to enforce a new and deeply flawed approach. The so-called guest worker scam would only encourage a new wave of illegal aliens and make America's uncontrolled and unacceptable immigration debacle even worse than it is now. Such legislation is a bad idea not only because it creates a transparent path to amnesty (opening the illegal floodgates even wider), but also because it would reduce work opportunities, depress wages, and lower worker protection for US citizens and legal residents. Further, it would be impossible to administer and even more unlikely to be enforced -- just like our current immigration laws. The most important job Congress has to do right now is to secure our border against illegal immigration and force US employers to fire all illegals. Mine the damned borders if necessary! (9 May 2007)

Our federal government, "led" by Congress and the Whitehouse has demonstrated a complete unwillingness and utter incompetence with regard to enforcing the immigration laws that are already on the books. If recent history is any guide, the amnesty/guest-worker scam will only encourage a new wave of illegal aliens and make America's uncontrolled and unacceptable immigration debacle even worse than it already is. I am offended that the Senate would think that the American public is so stupid as to accept amnesty for illegal invaders. The "compromise" that is soon to be voted on in the Senate is NOT a compromise. Is is surrender to an invading and occupying enemy force. Congress and the Whitehouse must immediately secure the borders against further invasion -- mine the damned borders if necessary! Simultaneously, the Administration must begin to jail all who employ illegals and shut down their businesses. Congress must provide the resources accomplish this end while ensuring state and local law enforcement agencies are integrated into the immigration enforcement process. I expect Congress and the President to reject even the mention of any form of amnesty or guest-worker scheme. Most Americans already do. (18 May 2007)

Clearly, I am missing something in this amnesty for illegal immigrants issue. I need some answers to clear up my confusion.
 • Why have the Whitehouse and Congress failed to enforce our borders for decades?
 • Why aren't the borders being enforced right now?
 • When will the borders be enforced?
 • Other than restoring the slave class (Didn't we fight a war over that issue?) in our nation, what do congressmen and presidents gain by giving amnesty to those who violate our borders?
 • Why is the taxpayer forced to support illegals by paying their medical bills and educating their children?
 • Why is the 14th Amendment misused to give citizenship to invaders when that amendment specially restricted citizenship to persons "subject to the jurisdiction [of the United States]" -- not foreign invaders?
 • Why isn't every person who hires illegal immigrants in jail and his business closed?
 • Why do the Whitehouse and Congress forbid sate and local law enforcement authorities from dealing with those who invade our borders?
 • Why to congressmen and the President persist in having websites in Spanish when one presumably must speak English to be a citizen and one must presumably be a citizen to vote?
We are where we are in this issue because our elected officials are not doing their jobs for some obscure reason! I want to know what that reason is. And, why is that reason kept secret? (23 May 2007)

Please consider the way Mexico reacted to Miss USA at the Miss Universe pageant held in Mexico City this week. Can any reasonable person not see the extreme hostility Mexicans harbor for our nation?
 • Congress and the Whitehouse must immediately cease to discuss ways to appease the people who have invaded our borders.
 • Congress and the Whitehouse must immediately seal our borders against continued invasion. Mine the damned borders if necessary!
 • Congress and the Whitehouse must immediately provide and deploy all necessary resources to imprison all US citizens, residents, organizations and agencies who knowingly harbor, support, or employ illegals.
 • Congress and the Whitehouse must immediately clarify that the 14th Amendment to the Constitution was never intended and is not worded to give citizenship to the children of illegals and immediately terminate that practice retroactively.
 • Congress and the Whitehouse must immediately take down all non-English websites except those specifically related to tourism and legal immigration.
 • Congress and the Whitehouse must immediately mandate that all government forms (including ballots and other election materials) and business be solely in English.
Our sovereignty and cultural survival depends on the immediate action of statesmen. (30 May 2007)

Like the vast majority of Americans, I am tired of the negligence of Congress and the Whitehouse with regard to the invasion of our nation across our southern border. Congress must immediately stand up to the bullies in Congress who are allied with Ted Kennedy to give amnesty and the scam called "guest worker" status to these invaders.
 • Congress and the Whitehouse must immediately cease to discuss ways to appease the people who have invaded our borders.
 • Congress and the Whitehouse must immediately seal our borders against continued invasion. Mine the damned borders if necessary!
 • Congress and the Whitehouse must immediately provide and deploy all necessary resources to imprison all US citizens, residents, organizations and agencies who knowingly harbor, support, or employ illegals.
 • Congress and the Whitehouse must immediately take down all non-English websites except those specifically related to tourism and legal immigration.
 • Congress must immediately declare and establish our sovereignty and independence from Mexico.
 • Congress must immediately establish English as the nation's official language and terminate all government services (including all election materials and all government websites not related to tourism and legal immigration) in any other language.
 • Congress must establish that the intent and language of the 14th Amendment was never intended to give citizenship children of illegal immigrants and other invaders and terminate that practice immediately and retroactively. (5 Jun 2007)

For decades, the Whitehouse and Congress have been guilty of gross negligence with regard to illegal immigration. The last US president to have any courage whatsoever on the issue was Eisenhower. I expect nothing less from our current president! The mere existence of congressional and Whitehouse websites in Spanish is proof enough that US politicians hold no loyalty to US citizens and legal voters. Any so-called "comprehensive" immigration reform is a scam to continue to delay and even eliminate enforcement of existing immigration laws and to continue to pander to those who violate our borders and those who unlawfully employ illegals. The Whitehouse must immediately enforce all immigration and border-control laws. Congress must immediately give the Administration all resources needed to do so. Deputize all local, state, and federal lawmen to enforce immigration laws. Stop jailing border guards for doing their jobs! Both the Administration and Congress must immediately abandon any and all discussion of "comprehensive" immigration reform except to mandate English as the official language and to terminate all government functions (including non-tourism websites and all election materials) in any language other than English. (14 Jun 2007)

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Environment and Global Warming

Approximately 15% of National Park properties allow at least some hunting. Most do not. Few National Parks are large enough or remote enough to be truly independent and self-sufficient ecosystems. Consequently, natural wildlife balances are usually disrupted. Overpopulation is a frequent result with subsequent destruction of habitat. In at least one case, the balance between predators (which are also protected from hunting) and their prey is out of balance. The excess of predators is taking a larger than optimum toll on elk calves and other young wildlife. Although the affected herds have overpopulated, they consist largely of older animals who have passed their prime. Without human intervention to control predators and to harvest the elderly elk, these herds may soon reach a point where they will be unable to recover once they begin to starve from overpopulation and habitat damage. I am told that employees (or contractors) of Rocky Mountain National Park, because of the anti-hunting rules under which it operates, plans to shoot some 700 elk per year and allow the meat to rot in the field -- at a cost of nearly a million dollars a year. This is unconscionable! Clearly, some National Parks are not suitable for hunting due to man-made park characteristics such as proximity to homes or extremely small park boundaries. However, most National Parks will be improved by properly managed hunting. Congress and the Whitehouse must immediately intervene and direct the National Park Service to employ hunting as a means of managing wildlife. This may entail modifying anti-hunting wording of legislation that established some of the parks. (29 Jul 2006)

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Families

Arthur Frommer, author of Frommer's Travel Guides has called for a boycott of Kanab, Utah because the town announced its support for the traditional family. I will not buy books from anyone who is an anti-family bigot. (17 Mar 2006)

My first car was a ten-year-old '63 Ford Falcon. I have owned a total of 9 Ford cars and trucks. I currently own two Fords and have never owned another brand of car or truck. Sb Because Ford has chosen to dedicate a significant portion of its advertising dollars to advertising in magazines touting the homosexual lifestyle. Tale a look at the Ford ads right next to revolting content in The Advocate. I have pledged to never buy another new Ford (or Mercury or Lincoln or Volvo, etc.) until Ford ceases to support the homosexual lifestyle through the placement of its ads. This issue was a topic at the recent Ford stockholders meeting and Ford management is fully aware that we dedicated Ford owners are disgusted by Ford's current policy of supporting the homosexual lifestyle. They don't seem to care. Because of this issue, one of my sons just bought a new Pontiac with my encouragement. My family is dead serious about this. Ford must stop supporting the homosexual lifestyle through advertising or by any other means. Surely Ford must understand that they offend a far greater market among traditional families! (24 May 2006)

"Haven't you read that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, 'For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall join to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh?' So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, don't let man tear apart." (Matthew 19:4-6) Marriage is an institution established by God. Only in relatively recent years have governments assumed the role of managing this spiritual institution. Now, courts and even legislatures are willing to "tear apart" what "God has joined together". Experts consistently say a child does best when raised in an intact home by his/her father and mother. Congress, the courts and the Whitehouse must take every possible step to avoid harming that intact traditional family through misguided government programs. Governments must also take every possible step to ensure the success of that intact traditional family. I am wary of any changes to the US Constitution, whether formally by amendment or informally, by judicial activism. Nevertheless, I see the Marriage Amendment as the last stand against anti-traditional forces. (13 Jul 2006)

I am deeply concerned by the so-called "hate crimes" bill HR 1592 (the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007) and its effect on Christians. This bill establishes the legal framework to persecute and prosecute those who refuse, for moral and religious reasons, to agree or teach their children that homosexuality, transgender, cross-dressing etc is normal and desirable. A pastor’s sermon concerning homosexuality could be considered an incitement to violence and punished with a fine or prison. The growing cry for "diversity" is simply a demand for acceptance of deviant behavior. HR 1592 will legislate acceptance of, even encourage, deviant, immoral lifestyles by criminalizing those who reject such immoral behavior. Congress and the President must oppose any efforts to pass "hate-crimes" legislation. (12 Apr 2007)

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Rights vs Privileges

Some seem to think that banning flag-burning deprives us of freedom of speech. Based on that logic, so does banning cross-burning in the front yards of blacks. Freedom of speech, as envisioned by our founding fathers, is intended to ensure free political discourse and the unfettered exchange of opinions, ideas, and philosophies contributing to the betterment of mankind -- not vandalism or pornography or desecration of sacred objects or political indoctrination of children in government schools. The idea that a handful of activist judges have twisted the US Constitution does not change that fact. (25 Mar 2006)

Due to the failures of government schools combined with a conscious effort by some people to distort the truth, few Americans understand that the US Constitution was established by "we the people," that WE granted to the government certain limited powers, and that WE retained our rights while delegating a few to the government. Our founding fathers worked under the concept that our rights are inherent and inalienable and come from our "Creator," not from the king, as in most other governments. The US Constitution does NOT grant rights to us. The Bill of Rights (including the Second Amendment) does NOT grant us rights. They only clarify that the government is prohibited from infringing on our rights. Chief among the ignorant on this issue are lawyers, educators, politicians, and journalists -- generally well-educated people who clearly ought to know better. (8 Jun 2006)

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), the group that serves up scares about the food we eat, is suing the parent company of KFC over the type of cooking oil the fast-food chain uses to fry its chicken. The Declaration of Independence says, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men...are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." To me, happiness is a good piece of fried chicken. The Declaration of Independence says I have a right to that happiness. The Declaration of Independence says I have a right to the "liberty" to make that choice. I am a fairly intelligent person and feel like I can make an informed choice on the matter. And that's the key: We all know that fried foods are unhealthy. The lawyers and judges need back off and let us make that informed choice -- for ourselves! By the way, I haven't had a decent french fry since the do-gooders made fast-food restaurants stop cooking fries in lard. What's the point of living a healthier life for an extra 6 months if I get no happiness in what I'm eating? The CSPI to go back to eating its tofu and leave my fried chicken alone! (15 Jun 2006)

I am appalled by the disgusting display of censorship at this year's Foothill High School graduation in Henderson, Nevada wherein Valedictorian Brittany McComb was silenced for refusing to read a speech that had been censored by school administrators and the ACLU. Principal Gretchen Crehan must immediately be terminated for her egregious violation of a student's First Amendment rights and for conspiring with the ACLU to restrict the civil rights of a student. All employees of Clark County School District must be given thorough instruction in all aspects of the First Amendment annually. Clark County School District employees must be permanently restricted from imposing their own, or ACLU, interpretation of the First Amendment on students. Clark County School District employees must be permanently prohibited from submitting any student work to the ACLU for approval or to otherwise be politically cleansed. (22 Jun 2006)

Not one right is granted by the US Constitution. Not one. The Constitution does nothing more than describe our form of government and delegate to it certain rights and powers from the people. The Constitution need not list a right in order for that right to exist. It does, however list a few of our rights, such as the right to keep and bear arms, to ensure everyone understands the rules. But, the Constitution does not grant those rights -- it simply guarantees the rights we were born with, and prohibits the government from infringing them. The founders based the Constitution on the concept that all personal rights exist inherently and are granted by "the Creator" -- not the king. This is opposite to the principle on which most other governments are based where rights are presumed to be gifts from the king (or the government). Only in those other governments are the rights of the people restricted to those that are listed. For example, the right to drive a car is in the Constitution is in the 9th (The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.) and 10th (The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.) amendments. It is not up to the citizen to prove the Constitution grants him a right, but rather up to the state to prove where they were granted a "certain power". Where does one find the "power" of the state to license travel or any mode of travel as regards a private citizen? If you cannot find it there, that means the state is illegally licensing privileges that they have no power to do, but are usurping, illegally, the rights of the citizen. Licenses and permits turn the Constitution on it's head making the rights of individuals into privileges that flow from the State rather than the other way around. This concept of rights makes many people (most notably, liberals) uncomfortable, since they don't understand it or prefer a system where they can be the king and control every aspect of people's lives. (21 May 2007)

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Education

From its omission from the US Constitution, it is clear that the founders never intended for the Federal government to have a role in education. According to the 10th Amendment, that role is retained by the states and the people. One area that the Constitution does allow Congress to regulate is interstate and international commerce. In order to stick its nose in education and to establish the Department of Education, Congress has said that in as much as educated people are involved in interstate and international commerce, they can therefore regulate education. This is only one of countless abuses of the Commerce Clause of the Constitution. Congressional and Federal meddling in education is not authorized by the Constitution and therefore is unconstitutional. An ignorant public (says a lot about our Federally-controlled education system) and a colluding Supreme Court have allowed this abuse of the Commerce Clause to continually expand Federal intrusion into individual and states' rights. It must stop. (15 Nov 2006)

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The Lazy News Media

Michael Newdow styles himself a minister. Find out how you can be ordained a minister by the same authority at the Universal Life Church website -- online and for free! Michael Newdow styles himself a doctor. See a copy of his worthless "Doctor of the Universe" diploma at his own website. Find our how you can buy a degree similar to his for just a few dollars at the Universal Life Church website. Michael Newdow claims he is protecting his daughter from an imposition of religion upon her. Yet he never married his daughter's mother and he does not have custody of his daughter nor any control or authority whatsoever over her religious upbringing. Michael Newdow should be grateful that only in a Christian nation such as this would he even be given a forum. Michael Newdow is nothing but a fraud attempting to impose his own religion upon an entire nation. (His website says his church is based on atheism.) The ignorance and intellectual laziness of the 9th US Circuit Court, the people of this nation, and especially of the news media make them complicit in this scam. The fact that the news media allows Mr. Newdow to make a mockery of them is shameful negligence when the facts are so easily obtained. The news media, by its laziness is complicit in Newdow's demand for expelling all exercise of religious liberty from public spheres. How does this differ from a declaration that atheism is the government's officially established religion? The pro-atheism activist surely must get a chuckle from how easily reporters are hoodwinked. (18 Sep 2005)

TV station WFOR in Miami recently broadcast undercover videos with the intent to show a need for complaint forms whereby citizens can report inappropriate behavior of police officers. However, these videos display disturbing problems that have nothing to do with complaint forms. The complaint form is a red herring. The TV news reporter and his undercover "operatives" have focused on the herring, not the problem. The videos clearly demonstrate problems with police candidate selection and police officer initial and recurrent training. Both these problems, in turn, stem from poor police department leadership. Complaint forms will not fix these problems. A face-to-face complaint process is an acceptable alternative to a complaint form if a police department has adequate leadership. If a department has poor leadership, a complaint form will likely give the same results shown on the videos -- nothing at best. I am not, nor have I ever been, a police officer. I am, however, a retired military officer and commander. Problems identical to those shown in your videos sometimes exist in military units in combat (and in businesses such as TV stations and newsrooms) if leadership is deficient. All military commissioned and non-commissioned officers receive leadership training which helps to avoid leadership vacuums such as this (but not always). Police departments rarely have such leadership training. They should, but the funding is rarely there. (18 Feb 2006)

The Leftist news media has done its worst over the years at portraying Vice President Dick Cheney as evil incarnate. Their utterly false image of the vice president as a greedy and scheming oil baron has resonated so soundly with portions of the public that few would ever believe the extent of his philanthropic work. According to tax records, Vice President and Mrs. Cheney donated $6.8 million to charity in 2005. The majority of the family's income is derived from his stock options and royalties from her books. Naturally, the part of the tax return that the media reported on was the fact that Cheney made more money than President Bush, and that his fortune came from oil money. They neglected to report his vast charitable giving, just as they neglected to report Vice President Al Gore's generous $367 in charitable giving in 1997. (19 May 2006)

If we close the terrorist housing at Guantanamo, Cuba, what will we do with those terrorists? Maybe we should turn 'em loose in Hyannis Port since that senate bully Kennedy is so vocal on the subject. By the way, that camp is not closed to inspection. I recently read a news report that over 5,000 journalists have inspected the place, and NONE have reported improper treatment of inmates. Why has not the lazy news media better explained that to us? (20 Jun 2006)

The US Constitution does not guarantee the right to anyone the right to slander. But, that is just what the Atlanta Journal-Constitution did when it published a false and malicious cartoon by Mike Luckovich depicting our nation and our servicemen and women as moral equivalents of Al-Queda. Anyone who is moderately conscious of what's going on in the world knows that the handful of servicemen and women who have abused or neglected their authority have been, and will continue to be, held accountable by military leadership. The US military polices itself -- something which far too many in the news media, including political cartoonists, are unwilling to do. I am disgusted by the despicable and persistent news-media mischaracterizations of our sons and daughters who are valiantly serving in the US Armed Forces and of our nation's efforts to share the concept of individual liberty with the people of the Middle East. (25 Jun 2006)

In its editorial, "Political shell game," (28 Jun 2006), the Anchorage Daily News claimed that an anti-flag-burning amendment to the US Constitution "would have, for the first time in the nation's history, taken away freedoms from the Bill of Rights." Perhaps the editor is unaware of the effect of the McCain-Feingold Campaign-Finance Reform bill on our First Amendment rights or the effect of over 20,000 gun-control laws on our Second Amendment rights. It's just one more example of the lazy thinking of today's news media. That said, what does flag-burning have to do with free speech? Flag-burning is nothing more than childish disrespect for the one nation which still provides the greatest level of individual liberty. (29 Jun 2006)

Why has the news media chosen to not provide significant coverage of the “Small Arms Review Conference” currently being held in the United Nations? Why is the news media ignoring the threat to our Constitutionally-protected rights posed by this conference? Are news editors and reporters waiting until the UN holds a conference to establish a UN treaty to restrict news reporting or personal speech that is critical of governments? (3 Jul 2006)

The public needs and expects news to be reported in an unbiased manner by reporters who are respected for their fairness. The opinions and bias of reporters, news anchors, and editors is supposed to be displayed only in what is clearly presented as an editorial. Sadly, many reporters for the major news organizations, including ABC News clearly show their bias when selecting what news to show and how they present it. A current example of public bias is ABC's Sam Donaldson and his choice to host a fund-raising activity the Brady Campaign. Donaldson has no business hosting a fund raising event for a gun-control organization (or a gun-rights organization), and ABC News has no business allowing it. Donaldson also exposed his bias earlier this month with his silly claim that gun owners have guns so they can "shoot the paperboy and the relative coming home late at night." I demand a public apology by ABC News and by Sam Donaldson. Failing that, I demand Donaldson's immediate resignation or termination. (30 Apr 2007)

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Taxes

The only truly fair tax I can think of would be a 100% tax on all forms of income, perks and benefits in excess of $200,000 from any source received by members of Congress. This tax on members of Congress must not be indexed, must continue after the Congressman leaves office, and must not be altered without the concurrence of 75% of registered voters. Failing that, Congress must immediately replace the entire present multi-layered conglomeration of corporate and personal taxes with a single, easy-to-understand tax that is fully transparent and visible. (6 May 2004)

It is my understanding that over 50 law-enforcement agencies have been created since 1900. Why do we need dozens of different Federal law enforcement agencies (i.e. FBI, Secret Service, US Marshals, DEA, ATF, Border Patrol, etc.)? Many of these agencies have overlapping responsibilities and jurisdictions as well as redundant bureaucracies. It seems to me that most or all of these agencies could, and should, be consolidated to achieve significant improvement in efficiency and savings to the taxpayer. (7 May 2006)

As a retired career military veteran, I support HR 5881, the Disabled Veterans Tax Termination Act, introduced by Congressman Jim Marshal on 25 Jul 2006. This legislation would be included in the 2007 National Defense Authorization Act to be negotiated this month. Among other things HR 5881 would:
 • Repeal the 11 year phase in of CRDP (Concurrent Retirement Disability Pay) such that everybody receives full benefit. This would benefit some 85,000 retirees with rated disabilities between 50 and 90%.
 • Extend CRDP to those with less than 50% disability. This would benefit some 375,000 retirees now receiving no benefit from CRDP.
 • Extend CRDP (but apparently not CRSC) to Chapter 61 retirees. This would benefit some 188,000 Chapter 61 medical disability retirees. Chapter 61 ranks are now being filled with many young retirees from Afghanistan and Iraq.
 • Extend CRSC (Combat Related Special Compensation - 10 USC Section 1413a) to TERA retirees.
 • Repeal the 4 year phase in of CRDP for IU (Individually Unemployable) such that everybody receives full benefit. This would benefit some 28,000 retirees with disabilities between 50 and 90% who are compensated by the VA at the 100% level.
The argument that the Concurrent Retirement Disability Pay for all disable veterans it too expensive is hogwash. No retired disabled veteran, even those with only a 10% disability, should be asked to shoulder a larger portion of the national budget than a disabled retiree who is not a veteran. It's all about simple fairness. (11 Sep 2006)

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Politicians vs Voters

This morning, I heard a rather unsettling bit on the radio. It seems some 95% of respondents to a poll felt it would be wise to conduct a thorough inventory of Whitehouse property after the Clintons and their staffs leave. It's rather sad that our nation's political leadership has dropped to such a low level that we can't even trust them to not steal the furniture, dishes, and silverware. I think the poll is right on -- count everything, right down to the toilet paper and bath towels. We can't trust these people. And to think that they are among the brightest and most promising people in this nation! Sad. Very sad. (17 Dec 1999)

It is becoming increasingly clear that a substantial portion of Republicans in Congress, especially the Senate, don't have the courage to stand up to the bullying of a handful of shameless Democrats on key issues such as the handling of judicial nominees and even Senate rules that don't square with the US Constitution. In recent elections we in the "red" states have sent a mandate to Washington which is being ignored. I have become convinced that the Republican Party doesn't deserve to be the majority party. (19 Apr 2005)

It seem that the loudest voices against Bush judicial nominees are most concerned about maintaining abortion as a contraceptive option. (This nation has killed some 40 million babies since the Roe v Wade ruling in 1973.) States have made many legislative attempts to restrict abortion, only to be overruled by liberal judges. However, as far as I've been able to determine, there is no legislation that guarantees a right to abort a baby -- only judicial rulings. My simple solution is to challenge the so-called "freedom of choice" crowd in Congress and state legislatures to introduce legislation that would guarantee a right to "choice". If their stand on abortion is so good such legislation will pass on its merits and the friends of abortion will no longer need to seek out radical judges with poor judgment. Pro-life Senators on the Senate Judiciary Committee must make this point should abortion be brought up in any judicial confirmation hearing. And, I challenge pro-abortion congressmen to introduce legislation that will guarantee a woman's right to abortion and stop hindering the confirmation of qualified federal judicial nominees. Stop using the courts to make laws! (16 Nov 2005)

Thanks to CSPAN, I have followed the recent Supreme Court confirmation hearings. I am disgusted by what I've seen. I am convinced that the judicial confirmation process is broken. The blame clearly lies with the Democrats on the Judiciary Committee. Their focus during the hearings has been on political issues (the role of Congress, not the courts) rather than on judicial competence, temperament and integrity. The antics and comments of some Democrats were shameful and juvenile -- especially Senators Kennedy and Biden. All Senators, particularly the Democrats on the Judiciary Committee need to remember what Adlai E. Stevenson, a Democrat, once said, "Howling is not a substitute for thinking." (24 Jan 2006)

Congressmen have largely grown out of touch with the realities of life in the United States. The only reality most Congressmen seem to know is that of wealth and greed, since that is that class of people who seem to get Congress' ear. In an attempt to control the corruptive influence of wealthy donors, Congress has passed legislation such as the McCain-Feingold Act of 2002. Unfortunately, what this sort of legislation has consistently done is muzzle the common man. We commoners don't have the financial clout of the likes of George Soros, so we try to express our opinions through groups such as the NRA, Americans for Tax Reform, Council for Citizens Against Government Waste, and the National Taxpayers Union. Instead of campaign finance reform, what this type of legislation has really done is to further concentrate the influence of powerful political insiders and to make it harder for thoughtful citizens to vote out those politicians who are harmful to our nation and to individual liberties. Vote "YES" for free speech. (10 Apr 2006)

Congress continues to demonstrate either ignorance or apathy regarding what recent elections were about. Most Congressmen refuse to acknowledge that we demand change:
• Smaller government,
• Cut taxes and stop spending tax money on programs for which there is no Constitutional authority or mandate,
• Restore and protect individual liberties including the right to keep and bear arms,
• Stop illegal immigration and deport all illegals,
• Stop handouts to able-bodied non-workers including illegals,
• Stop the processes whereby incumbents are routinely reelected contrary to the will of the people and to good of the nation,
• Preserve the sanctity of traditional marriage and family,
• Stop runaway judicial activism and impeach all activist judges,
• Learn to distinguish between the best interests of the nation as expressed by the voice of the majority and the moral destruction demanded by the screams of the ultra-liberals,
• Have the courage to do what is right,
• Remember and follow the oath taken by all Congressmen to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic [and to] bear true faith and allegiance to the same",
• Refuse to give up sovereignty to the United Nations. (17 Apr 2006)

Republicans in the Whitehouse and the Congress are failing to live up to the mandate of the recent elections. They are not adequately pushing conservative agendas and ideals. They are not adequately explaining to the public what those ideals are and why they are important. Instead, they are allowing the liberals to stay on the front page. Republicans are allowing themselves to be forced into compromise or defeat. Consequently, the Republican party does not appear to deserve to be the majority party. The only meaningful Republican successes since the 2000 election seem to have been 2 Supreme Court appointments. (24 Apr 2006)

Lobbying reform sounds like a good idea. Who could be against it? But "reform" means different things to different people, and there's the rub. What does lobbying "reform" mean to the political elites in Washington? It apparently means a chance to silence the American people. Yes, they don't want to hear from you and me. Members of the governing class seem to prefer the American people be silent, so we don't interfere with "governing." Does that definition of "reform" sound good to you? After analyzing the 50-page bill, Dick Dingman of the Free Speech Coalition warns, "While Members of Congress beat their chests about their righteousness and the need to root out lobbying corruption, the bill they are considering is fraught with potential problems for innocent parties, including many nonprofit organizations.... [HR 4975] would criminalize a citizen's failure to register as a lobbyist. The definitions as to who is required to register are, and will continue to be confusing. Now, persons contacting the Hill on legislation, or contacting the Executive Branch on matters of policy, can be threatened with criminal prosecution. This is a trap for the American public who does not carry a lawyer on retainer. The likely effect will be to chill contact with government -- just what they want." Yes, the governing class wants you and me to leave them alone. HR 4975 is not the kind of reform I want. Silencing the American people by criminalizing a citizen's failure to register as a lobbyist is absurd. You and I shouldn't have to "register" to be allowed to contact our Congressmen's offices. The US House will vote on the Lobbying Accountability and Transparency Act (HR 4975) on Thursday, April 27, 2006. I strongly urge a "no" vote (while I'm still allowed to speak). Then, repeal the McCain-Finegold Act. (26 Apr 2006)

Let me begin this rant by claiming that 53% of all statistics are made up. Given that disclaimer, I have determined that one-third of voters get their news and information through careful study of issues and political candidates through newspapers, radio and TV news, non-fiction radio and TV programs, books and magazines and discussions with other voters (including persons with opposing viewpoints) on a variety of issues. One-third of voters get their news and information from Jay Leno and David Letterman monologues, Hollywood sages (ie Barbara Streisand, Sean Penn, Pamela Anderson and Michael Moore), professional racists (ie Kweisi Mfume, Louis Farakhan, Al Sharpton, Cynthia McKinney, Ray Nagan and Jesse Jackson) and Marxist anti-American college professors and government school teachers. Finally, one-third of voters don't get any news or information at all! Consequently, the two-thirds of voters who make poorly informed choices in the voting booth are out-voting those of us who put in a little effort before voting. That is the primary reason we have our terrible government with excessive taxes and corrupt politicians. We have the democracy we deserve. It is my opinion that this problem can best be fixed with a voter test. The questions need not be difficult. For example, if you don't know your mayor's name or who pays for welfare handouts (working people and other taxpayers) or who is next in line for the presidency if both the president and vice president die, you don't get to vote. My voter test would help to reduce the number of ill-informed votes that cancel the voice of responsible voters every election. Unfortunately, it'll never happen because certain politicians (ie Ted Kennedy, Barbara Boxer, Cynthia McKinney, Harry Reid, Conyers, Chuck Schumer, Frank Lautenberg, John Kerry, Dianne Feinstein, Richard Daley, Joseph Biden, John McCain, etc.) rely on a constituency consisting of a sizeable portion of idiots to stay in power. I honestly don't care if a well-informed voter makes a carefully reasoned vote that is contrary to mine--we need everybody's good ideas to make democracy work best. But those who don't know or understand the issues or the consequences of a candidate's agenda really need to stay home on election day for the good of the country. (20 May 2006)

According to a recent AP article, just 33 percent of the public approves of Bush's job performance. Just one-fourth of the public approves of the job Congress is doing. A majority of Americans now say they want Democrats rather than Republicans to control Congress (51 percent to 34 percent). Even six of 10 conservatives say America is headed in the wrong direction! It is so bad that GOP pollster Whit Ayres admitted that "It’s going to take some events of significance to turn this around. I don't think at this point you can talk your way back from these sorts of ratings." The GOP cannot recover from this by compromising with Ted Kennedy, John McCain, Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Arlen Specter or any other liberal on any issue including immigration, gun rights, activist judges, taxes, pork-barrel spending and homosexual marriage. Republican Congressmen must immediately take a courageous stand for what is right and refuse to betray the mandate proclaimed by the voters of the red states and the red counties. And, they must effectively explain their agenda and their results to the American people. Don't rely on leftist news readers such as Judy Woodward and Katie Couric to say how great the GOP is. Otherwise, the Republican party does not deserve to be the majority party and is doomed in the coming election. (23 May 2006)

The Republican Governor of Maryland, Robert L. Ehrlich, expressed his intolerant attitude toward those who hold different views from himself concerning homosexuality and homosexual marriage by firing a state Metro board member, a Catholic, who stated that his religious beliefs were opposed to homosexuality. The employee reportedly was not on the job, but expressing his personal opinion on his own time on a talk show. I find it strange that he would say his administration promotes tolerance, but is intolerant to those who hold different views. It is disturbing that the thought police have so thoroughly penetrated Maryland that "diversity" means acceptance of anything but mainstream Christianity. The dismissed employee must immediately be re-instated in his position on the Metro board and be allowed to express his personal views just as the governor allows those who hold a different view of homosexual behavior to express their views. The homosexual sourpuss who complained, Metro board member Jim Graham, must be reprimanded or terminated for his insensitivity toward non-homosexuals. (16 Jun 2006)

In 1996, US Supreme Court Justice stated, "What secret knowledge, one must wonder, is breathed into lawyers when they become Justices of this [Supreme] Court, that enables them to discern that a practice which the text of the Constitution does not clearly proscribe, and which our people have regarded as constitutional for 200 years, is in fact unconstitutional? ... Day by day, case by case, [the Court] is busy designing a Constitution for a country I do not recognize." To help repair this serious problem US Representative Todd Akin has submitted the "Judicial Conduct Act". The Judicial Conduct Act provides certain specific definitions of the grounds for impeachment of federal judges and of the termination of their terms of office due to lack of "good behavior." Specifically, this Act would designate that the entering or enforcement of orders and decisions in contradiction of the original understanding of the United States Constitution or, based upon judgments, laws, agreements, or pronouncements or foreign institutions, governments, or multilateral organizations, are impeachable offenses. One of the greatest threats to our nation and its Constitution arises if the other two branches of government continue to fail at holding the courts accountable to their Constitutional mandate, its inherent restrictions, and their own oath of office. Judges who legislate from the bench subvert our republican form of government of the people, by the people, and for the people, and threaten all these legislative aims. Therefore, we must immediately call for an end to Judicial Activism. Congress and the Whitehouse must immediately hold Federal judges accountable for their actions by enacting and enforcing the "Judicial Conduct Act". (22 Jun 2006)

There is a move in Arizona to turn the election process into a lottery. Inducing people to vote for the purpose of entering a lottery is contrary to the civic rights, privileges a