Gonzales gone but, not forgotten

According to the Washington Post the Justice Department is conducting an investigation into whether Alberto R(aza) Gonzales lied to Congress about the firing of U.S. Attorney's and is also looking into the hiring practices for non political jobs at the Department. Here is the money quote:
"In the questionnaires, Fine asks applicants whether they were quizzed by political appointees about their party affiliation, favorite politicians and judges, voting history, campaign contributions, and views on the death penalty and terrorism, according to a copy of the Aug. 24 questionnaire obtained by The Washington Post. Recipients are also asked to say whether White House aides participated in the interviews and to confirm if they were asked "what kind of conservative you were (law and order; social; fiscal)."
After seeing the how the Bush administraion has enforced U.S. laws on illegal immigration it seems to me the Bush Administration should have just hung a sign out in front of the DOJ the read no "law and order" conservatives need apply and saved everybody some time.

Jobs even illegal immigrants don't have to do!

The pro illegal immigrant activists and criminal businesses who hire illegals have through their lobbyists been trying to scare the American people that we will starve if we crack down on illegal immigrant workers. Groups like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce would rather try and defend their members "right" to violate U.S. laws than obey them. They try to make the case that crops will rot in the fields if we crack down on illegal immigration. As with most of the arguments by the open borders pro illegal immigrant crowd it is just nonsense as this report on CNBC shows on the innovations in robotic harvesting that is coming.

Speaking of jobs to fill...

With the crackdown on illegal immigrants and more importantly those that hire them the lobbyists for the corrupt businesses that hire illegals are running around that the sky is falling if U.S. enforces it's laws on illegal immigration.
But, some economists are not buying it. Here is a recent smackdown quote from Business Process Management:

"David Rosenberg is one of a number of economists who say the concerns about too few workers are vastly overblown. Rosenberg recently studied the issue and put out a report entitled Is There a Labor Shortage? If employers are having trouble filling jobs, "perhaps they're not looking hard enough," he says."

Bush law.

Now that George Bush's former drinking buddy and legal water boy Alberto R(aza) Gonzales is being deported out of the Justice Department. It appears that the arrogance of George Bush seems to show he still does not get it as evidenced by these quotes from today's Washington Post:

"Democratic Senate leaders have called on the White House to consult them closely during the selection process, but administration officials warned yesterday that the president intends to nominate an attorney general who agrees with his policies. "It is the president's prerogative to appoint someone who shares his views," a senior administration official said"

Shares his views? Like having an open border? Like not prosecuting people who have entered the country illegally until they have been caught six times. If that's the case he basically wants someone who does not uphold the law.

"They're less concerned about confirmability and more concerned about the candidate's ability to steer affairs in away that is consistent with good problem-solving down the road," said a lawyer familiar with the selection process. "That means some combination of being a straight arrow and having a forceful presence, along with the diplomatic skills necessary to deal with the Hill."

TRANSLATION: They want someone who will protect George Bush's ass no matter what arrogant and harmful policy he dreams up. It's less important that the Attorney General enforce U.S. law it's more important to defend and protect the Bush family especially George Bush.

Going, going Gonezales!

George W. Bush's legal waterboy Alberto (R.) Gonzales has finally resigned. Like an illegal immigrant Gonzales has been cleaning up the mess left by his gringo boss Jorge Bush for years. You knew to question his honesty when he announced that he was adding an "R" to his name but, said the R stood for nothing. Though people like me thought the R was his code word for "La Raza" the pro illegal immigrant group of Hispanics. I guess when your family has come here illegally it is seems it is easier for people like Gonzales to lie. twist and hide from the law. Like many of the illegals and their advocates Gonzales attempted to play the sympathy card with lines like:
"Even my worst days as attorney general have been better than my father's best days."
All the while refusing to explain how his family came into the United States. Nothing like having an Attorney General who has a family background of breaking the law. Meanwhile we had a mainstream press and columnists all too willing to overlook this issue. But, Gonzales' family history is what made it easy for Gonzales to do a Mexican hat dance with the law at the Justice Department and all through his career. Alberto Gonzales is the poster boy for Senator Grassley's observation that: "If your reward illegality you get more of it!" Like an illegal immigrant when caught Gonzales often used the No habla English defense when testifying before congress only he was proficient enough to say "I don't recall"

Politics should not be made easy for any party.

LOS ANGELES -- California Republicans are floating a ballot initiative that would change how the state awards its 55 electoral votes, a whopping prize that Democrats have come over the past four presidential elections to regard as theirs.-Washington Post
This idea floated by the Republicans in Californis is one of the more interesting ideas in making our Democracy work better. Here are some of the money quotes:

"It has a gut-level appeal to it," said Kevin Eckery, a GOP consultant supporting the initiative, which would be put before voters in June. "It sounds fair, and it is fair."

I agree. After seeing the debacle of the 2000 election. Anything that moves us toward a popular vote where EVERY district and vote matters will make the politicians from both parties more responsive to the wishes of all the people not just those enclaves where the strategists think they can win the whole electoral pot.

"You're looking at between 19 and 22 votes that would shift to the Republican side," said Chris Lehane, a Democratic strategist mobilizing against the proposal. "The electoral math becomes very challenging."

It should be challenging Mr. Lehene. To me it is not about making elections easier for any party it is about making the parties earn every vote. That is a good thing.

"That plan was a brainchild of Colorado Democrats, who had seen all of their state's votes awarded to the Republican candidate in five of the previous six elections despite reliable Democratic showings in some districts."

While the movement toward a Congressional district divide of electoral votes in California is being led by the Republicans. It is interesting that the idea was first started by the Democrats of Colorado. For me after seeing how many Democrats spearheaded and voted for the recent Senate illegal immigrant amnesty bill it would be another check against those that will pander for votes (like many of the Democrats did) if they know that their votes will have more repercussions when it comes to the national elections. Like I said it is not about making the job easy for the politicians it's about making them represent the wishes of the people.

DNC denying democrats democracy

"The Democratic National Committee sought to seize control of its unraveling nominating process yesterday, rejecting pleas from state party leaders and cracking down on Florida for scheduling a Jan. 29 presidential primary."-Washington Post

You can almost feel the strong arm of the Democratic Washington elites twisting the Florida Democrats on this one. Whose party is this anyway? Hmmm, is that a third party I keep smelling in the wind?

NJ: Illegal Immigration checks. A little too late for some.

I'm reading today's New York Times (B section of course) that New Jersey's attorney general Anne Milgram has decided that it might be a good idea after all for local law enforcement to actually enforce our laws and require them to inquire about the immigration status of criminal suspects and to notify federal authorities. This follows the slaying of three college students in Newark by a gang led by several illegal immigrants. Who thanks to the sanctuary policy of Newark were allowed to roam freely despite being picked up on other crimes in some cases several times. While it is good to see officials like Attorney General Milgram come around at least partly to the notion that a crime is a crime and that illegal immigrants have committed a crime by entering the country. It is a shame that it took the deaths of three college students to wake her and others around the country up to the dangers of allowing people who do not respect U.S. laws to feel comfortable to break even more laws. Unfortunately, it takes often takes the deaths of U.S. citizens to wake some officials up to the "inconvenient truth" about the dark side of unchecked illegal immigration.

Leona Helmsley dies and makes one final trip.

I have often wondered if Leona Helmsley and Imelda Marcos were separated at birth. They both had the clueless outlook that comes with being a wealthy elitist. Take for example Helmsley's infamous comment about her and fellow wealthy elites:
"We don't pay taxes. Only the little people pay taxes"- Leona Helmsley

I am a big believer in Karma. If it is true than I suspect that on her death Leona Helmsley has gone to Hell and had to carry her own bags.

Elvira Arellano deported finally!

"Federal authorities Sunday arrested Elvira Arellano on a downtown city street, ending a yearlong standoff that intensified recently after the illegal Mexican immigrant began what was to be a nationwide campaign to push for new immigration reforms."-Chicago Tribune

Well it only took a year but, she since was actually first ordered to be deported in 1997 it really took ten years. Our Federal Government was able to apprehend the illegal immigrant fugitive but, not before she left the church in Chicago where she was hiding in plain sight and traveled all the way to Los Angeles where she gave speeches to roomfuls of other illegals urging them to continue to break United States laws. It seems to me our Federal Agenies can improve on the speed of enforcement of our laws. Still a deportation is a deportation. Here are some of the money quotes:

"She is in good spirits. She is ready to continue the struggle against the separation of families from the other side of the border."

HEY! LET'S GET THIS STRAIGHT. No one is stopping her from taking her son with her to Mexico. She and her pro illegal immigrant handler activists are making sure that this criminal mother and her son are separated so they can use him as pawn to play the sympathy card in the illegal immigration debate. Meanwhile, her son when asked if he wanted to visit his mother after her arrest he said "NO!" Can you feel the love? Speaking of love how come we never hear anything about her sons father? Donde esta Hombre sperm? How come Arellano's the illegal immigrant activist handlers don't bring him forward? Very curious don't you think?

"It's important that we are unified so that we can bring out the message that we're all struggling together," Arellano said at the Angelica Lutheran Church, inside Los Angeles' Pico-Union neighborhood, a port of entry for Central American immigrants. "The hate you are seeing build around the country has no boundaries."

Arellano and many other illegals and pro illegal activists just don't get it. It not hate they are seeing, IT'S THE LAW! A concept that may that may be foreign to someone like Arellano who comes from Mexico or others countries illegally. But, there are millions of immigrants who understand the concept and come into this country legally and they are welcome here. Arellano and the other illegals who are demanding rights after breaking U.S. immigration and other laws do have one right and that is the right to be DEPORTED!

Had enough Newark? Of illegal immigration and Mayor Booker!

Even as the Washington Post reports the capture of two more suspects in the brutal murder of three college students. Newark's Mayor Cory Booker does puts his head in the sand in dealing with the fact that Newark's policy of being a sanctuary city for illegals had a lot to do with the death of the three collage students killed gangland style.
“My Police Department does not play an I.N.S. function,” Mr. Booker said. “We are not to be running around doing interrogations about whether someone is documented or not.”-NY Times
No mayor Booker they are running around investigating the murder of U.S. citizens because you encourage them to not ask questions or report the immigration status of those you arrest for other crimes in your "sanctuary city". As Senator Grassely said if "If you reward illegality you get more of it!" You can expect with Mayor Booker's head in the sand approach that Newark will be getting more of it in the future.

John McCain's death threats and the reality.

"It is unbelievable how this has inflamed the passions of the American people," the Arizona senator said in remarks at The Aspen Institute, a public policy forum. In an interview, he declined to elaborate on the threats he had received."-Associated Press

So here we have Senator John McCain trying to use the sympathy card and playing the victim just like the illegal immigrant advocates tend to do. He claims he has received death threats because of his position to give amnesty to the illegal immigrants. I certainly would never condone such threats. But, Senator McCain there are death threats and there is death. Perhaps you should talked to the husband of Adrienne Shelly about your death threats. Then ask about her death. Then go to the husband of Mary Nagle and ask about her death. And then go to the widow of Alan Broom and ask about his death. Keep on asking about deaths and the illegal immigrants you'll be asking about it for a long time. Maybe then you will understand the inflamed passions of the American citizens on the issue of illegal immigration.

Elvira Arellano: Won't someone deport this woman?

Elvira Arellano the illegal immigrant and now fugitive from justice took refuge inside Aldalberto United Methodist Church on Aug. 15, 2006, and has lived there on the second floor.
"She was to announce Wednesday that she plans a Sept. 12 trip to Washington to lobby Congress for immigration reform, according to the Rev. Walter Coleman, pastor of the church and longtime Chicago political activist."-Washington Post

Let me get this straight a known fugitive who is hiding in plain sight holds a press conference to announce that she will be traveling to Washington D.C. to lobby members of Congress. If you are not outraged you have not been paying attention. Diggers Realm has an additional outrage on this issue.

"It's not clear how she'll get there, but she likely won't be flying, Coleman told The Associated Press Tuesday. He and others worry Arellano will be arrested, but she plans to go anyway"

If Immigration and Customs Enforcement allow her to get anywhere near the Capitol there should be hell to pay. Here are some numbers that you should call to make sure that ICE knows that she is coming and that they need to arrest and deport her.

The number for the ICE TIP line is 1-866-DHS-2ICE

You might also want to call:

Office of Detention and Removal Operations Offices
Headquarters
Director, Office of Detention and Removal Operations Washington D.C.
Phone: 202-305-2734

and

The ICE Field Office Director, Washington
Phone: 703-285-6200
Area of Responsibility: District of Columbia and Virginia

And since she is a fugitive from Justice perhaps a tip to the FBI is in order:
https://tips.fbi.gov/

Perhaps it would be a good test of Homeland Security and the new surveillance technology (see the previous post) to locate and follow this fugitive as she attempts to make her way to Washington D.C. Why not?

Eyes in the sky?

The Bush administration has approved a plan to expand domestic access to some of the most powerful tools of 21st-century spycraft, giving law enforcement officials and others the ability to view data obtained from satellite and aircraft sensors that can see through cloud cover and even penetrate buildings and underground bunkers.-Washington Post

"Administration officials say the program will give domestic security and emergency preparedness agencies new capabilities in dealing with a range of threats, from illegal immigration and terrorism to hurricanes and forest fires."

Well, if these satellites can help the Federal Government find the illegal immigrants who are currently hiding in plain sight in our communities that would be a good thing.

I'm sure these satellites are good enough to read the license plates on cars and even bumper stickers. So maybe Michael Chertoff and others in Homeland Security will get the message.






Perhaps this new satellite technology will be able to read the messages on T shirts too!

Business criminals are upset. Oh my!

I get really pissed off when I hear business groups like the the U.S. Chamber of Commerce complain about the new crackdown on employers who hire illegal immigrants. Perhaps they should change their name to the U.S. Chamber of Business Criminals. Because when their members hire illegals THEY ARE BREAKING THE LAW. If these businesses are too stupid to realize that they too are supposed to obey U.S. laws then they deserve to be out of business. Or maybe U.S. consumers should just steal their products why should we obey laws when they don't! Here are some of the pathetic arguments from these "capitalist" criminals who refuse to obey U.S. laws:

"Employers in low-wage industries were critical but guarded, reluctant to admit openly that they hire illegal immigrants. Randel K. Johnson, a vice president of the United States Chamber of Commerce, said the measures were “one more kick in the pants” for meat-packing, construction and health care companies that employ immigrant workers in unskilled jobs. -NY Times

These employers were reluctant to admit that they hire illegals because these creeps can not be honest enough to admit that they are breaking the law. What is the word I am looking for. Despicable might do for now. My neighbors and I go to work each day, obey the law and pay our taxes to help subsidise this illegal workforce. It is the U.S. middle class taxpayer who is getting kicked in the pants when these unscrupulous business hire illegal workers. Not the businesses who are crying because they might just have to obey the law.

A Sterling example of the illegal immigration problem.

The Washington Post has a story on another town Sterling Park, Virginia spiraling downward because of unchecked illegal immigration. Of course the liberal Washington Post sugar coats it. With the disingenuous reasons by pro-illegal advocates who claim the town looks bad because it's getting old. Yeah right! Here are some more quotes to ponder:

"The Sterling Park home she rents from a relative is modestly furnished but tidy. A sprinkler sits idle in her yard. Four cars are lined up in the driveway, and the lamppost is wound with Christmas lights. She said she and her husband, their three children and three other family members live there.
"All of us -- my kids, too -- we work all the time, and it's sometimes hard to keep up with the house," she said with the aid of a translator."

Here's the real translation. The woman entered the country illegally and is in a house that houses eight "family" members. They work hard and find it's hard to keep up with the house. OK but, I bet her neighbors work hard too and find it hard to keep up with the work but, to also pay the taxes (about $30,000) it cost to educate her kids.
But, I think this quote sums up the feeling of many people including myself when it comes to the problem of unchecked illegal immigration:

"I don't want someone coming to my country and building another dang country inside of it," Wilber said. "It's like if you came home and found someone in your house and you said, 'What are you doing here?' And they said: 'Oh, the door was open; I just came in. By the way, I'm going to change some other things in your home, too.' "
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A Roving he will go.

"WASHINGTON - Karl Rove, a political adviser to U.S. President George W. Bush and a lightning rod for anger among Democrats, will leave the White House at the end of this month, Rove told the Wall Street Journal."-Washington Post

I guess it won't be long before Bush's brain will have left the building.

Up in smoke?

"The U.S. military has paid $548 million over the past three years to two British security firms that protect the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on reconstruction projects, more than $200 million over the original budget, according to previously undisclosed data that show how the cost of private security in Iraq has mushroomed."-Washington Post

I smell smoke from the dollars that are on fire in the U.S. taxpayers wallets! Welcome to Baghdad.

P.S.
"It's your money! You paid for it!"- George W. Bush

Can black journalists be unbiased in reporting?

I listened to Juan Williams on NPR's Morning Addition last Thursday. It was an interesting piece that asked the question if a black journalist should be unbiased when reporting on the black community and it's leaders. The answer appears to be no and after listening to the piece again it seems to justify advocacy and omission as acceptable journalistic principles for "black" journalists. Looks like it's another step backward for truth and integrity in journalism.

Finally! Some enforcement of immigration laws.

It took a while but, there are hopeful signs that a few more people in Washington D.C. are finally getting it when it comes to enforcement of illegal immigrant laws. That includes President Bush amazing as it seems. My optimism comes from yesterday's announcement from Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff that the Federal Government will begin a campaign to tighten border security and to crackdown on employers who hire illegal immigrants. While it is being portrayed as some new initiative by the Federal Government. Those of us who have followed this issue closely know it should simply be called ENFORCING THE LAW! A concept so simple that even an illiterate illegal immigrant can understand it even if some of our politicians don't. Of course there are some who are against even enforcing the law and sad to say many are Democrats. Here are some of the money quotes:

"Sadly, the administration's proposal would make our immigration crisis worse," said Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), one of the key negotiators of the compromise immigration bill that failed in the Senate. "[It] will only exacerbate the already serious problems of our immigration system by causing even more confusion about who can be hired, resulting in the unjust firings of legal workers who look foreign and driving more hardworking people into the shadows."

I'm still trying to figure why a Senator like Ted Kennedy would be against enforcing existing U.S. laws? Perhaps it has something to do with the illegal bootlegging origins of his families wealth. Whatever the reason on the issue of illegal immigration Ted Kennedy still makes me laugh.

"The impact on immigrant-dependent industries such as construction and agriculture -- whose workforce is at least two-thirds illegal -- would be "devastating," predicted Craig Regelbrugge, government relations director for the American Nursery & Landscape Association."

Well, you can certainly see how corrupt the industry Mr. Regelbrugge represents is. Especially when one of their arguments is: Hey we break the law everyday it will be a hardship for the companies I represent to actually obey U.S. laws. It's a pretty pathetic argument. But, he reinforces it further with this quote:

"There's no replacement workforce," he said. "This will give people a set of bad choices: Either they terminate their workers, or they take a deep breath and duck and hope the law doesn't catch up with them. Or, for a lot of people, they're just going to make the decision to get out of the business."

Yes, there is a replacement workforce Mr, Regelbrugge. But, it is a lawful workforce. There are millions of people willing to come here and work legally through a work visa program. Though this may require the companies you represent to pay a higher salary and both the companies and employees to actually pay taxes like the rest of us citizens do. As far as going out of business. If the companies Mr. Rugelbrugge represents can not do business without breaking the law perhaps they have the wrong business model to begin with.
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A whole lotta shaking goin on!

You can almost hear the sound of shaking newspapers all over the country as the financial workers read things like this in the Washington Post:

"The turmoil in the U.S. credit markets turned global Thursday, prompting central banks in Europe and the United States to pump more than $150 billion into the financial system to keep it operating smoothly."

Looks like the financial Homer Simpsons forgot that if you give loans to people who have extremely low credit ratings, illegal immigrants and others who are barely able to make payments that maybe it might just be a house of cards. You can almost hear them say "Doh!" as they sit in their offices in Manhattan looking at the numbers. Like Homer Simpson these "masters of the universe" are coming to the realization that they are not as smart as they think they are and are looking for someone to save their butts:
"U.S. stocks suffered their second-worst decline of the year as the cost of borrowing for corporations continued to rise and some investors urged policymakers to help."

Been there done that. It was called the "savings and Loan Bailout". Not with my tax dollars you don't.

Memo: To my mutual fund managers

Skip lunch today and make sure the portfolio you manage comes out ok. This is why I am paying those fees remember? As for me I will be taking Warren's advice. That is Warren Zevon not Buffet:

"I think it's important not to get sidetracked from the immediate goal of having a really pleasant afternoon."
=

Corporate criminals and illegal immigrants

A Washington Post article by Krissah Williams reports that AIG the big insurance company apparently has no scruples when it comes to making a buck in the United States. Like that other corporate criminal Bank of America that looks the other way and offers bank accounts and other services to illegal immigrants in this country AIG seems to have no problem doing the same in issuing insurance policies to illegals. AIG too seems willing ask no questions when it comes to making a buck. Of course with it's pro illegal media bias the Washington Post does not mention illegals but, you can read between the lines pretty easily. Here are some of the money quotes:
"Foreign-born workers, many of whom do not have bank accounts, could become loyal customers if wooed by the financial services industry, said Len Battifarano, senior vice president of the international insurance division of American International Group, one of the world's largest insurance companies"

And how will AIG make sure that the policies they sell will not be given to people who are violating United States laws? Try not to laugh to hard when you read this quote:
"AIG and Microfinance International will sell their benefits package to local employers at $10 to $20 a month per worker. The companies hope to sign at least 25 to 30 employers this year and said they assume that the workers they enroll in the program will be legal U.S. residents who have been vetted by their employers."

I happen to have an AIG insurance policy on my car. I wonder if they will ever just "assume" that I have a $250,000 custom built sports car in my driveway. Now where is the number for that other insurance company? I think it's time to move my policy to another insurance company.

If you want to be an American...

The Washington Post had an article today on assimilation in the United States by immigrants. It pretty much confirms what is going on. Some immigrants get it and some do not and our government and some corporate (especially media) interests are not helping the process. Here are some of the money quotes:

"Communications and travel revolutions have enabled immigrants to keep closer ties to their homelands, perhaps creating more transnational identities. Unlike in the 1920s, when foreigners were all but prevented from immigrating to the United States, today's immigrants keep coming, and most speak one language: Spanish. That means generations can maintain contact with ancestral cultures and tongues."

There is no better illustration of this than Tale of Two Immigrants.
But, some immigrants get it. Like Alcides Orellana from El Salvador who studies American History on the internet who said:

"If you live in America, you have to be American."

Which is exactly what Teddy Roosevelt said one hundred years ago:
"In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin. But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in very fact an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all. We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile...We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language...and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."-Theodore Roosevelt 1907

If Teddy Roosevelt were to meet Mr. Orellana he would say "Bully for you Alcides"!
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Save your energy President Bush

While George Bush was out visiting the latest example of our failing U.S. infrastructure with his dog and pony show. The House passed an energy bill that would among other things require utilities to get 15% of their energy from renewable sources like solar and wind. But our clueless President George Bush threatened a veto because the bill did not encourage increased drilling for oil. Ah, Mr President that is the point of using renewable energy in the first place.

Who the hell is Lindsey Lohan anyway?

I heard a report that there was a poll that 9 out of ten people are sick of the media coverage of the foibles of celebrities and rich idiots like Paris Hilton. Someone please alert the mainstream media.

Watching the Detectives

"The Democratic-controlled House last night approved and sent to President Bush for his signature legislation written by his intelligence advisers to enhance their ability to intercept the electronic communications of foreigners without a court order."-Washington Post

I'm not real keen on giving the Bush Administration this power when they can't even stop the people who crossed our borders illegally traveled 1500 miles into the United States to stand on street corners in our communities in broad daylight. They can not even enforce our borders so I don't expect to see to much from this program except the erosion of our liberties. Here is the money quote from Democrat Rush Holt:

"I'm not comfortable suspending the constitution even temporarily," said Rep. Rush D. Holt (D-N.J.), a member of the House intelligence committee. "The countries we detest around the world are the ones that spy on their own people. Usually they say they do it for the sake of public safety and security."

Perhaps representative Holt was channeling another former representative with those remarks:

"If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy." -James Madison

I think the message is clear that even the watchers need watching.
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Love or money?

The Washington Post has another Hola Sucker article on how a lot of Hispanics in the Washington D.C. area are trying to beat the system before new stringent laws against illegal immigrants are implemented Here are some of the money quotes:

Elvis and Marcia Jimenez said that they had been planning to get married but that they finally made the decision after hearing media reports that Prince William would soon deny the service of civil marriage to illegal immigrants. Although Marcia, a waitress, is a legal resident, Elvis, a painter, is undocumented -A BCP MEDIA BIAS ALERT: "aka illegal immigrant"
"He's the head of this family," Marcia Jimenez said, holding their daughter, Daniela, and adding that she doesn't know what they would do if he was deported.

Here is a hint Marcia you go with him. You did marry him because you loved him right? Meanwhile....

After Congress failed to pass comprehensive immigration legislation, many immigrants think that marrying someone who is here legally is their only option for legalization, said Claudia J. Zucker, an Arlington County immigration and family lawyer, adding that this opens the door to fraudulent pairings.

"Sometimes they are honest with their attorneys, and sometimes they are not," Zucker said. "They say, 'Look, I'm getting married because I have no choice.' It's a business proposition. Some of them even use the words 'business proposition.' "

I guess if you are willing to break our immigration laws it is just easier to continue to break more laws. I wonder if George Bush for all his talk about the "sanctity of marriage" has an opinion of the illegals he allowed into the country looking upon marriage as a "business proposition".

Portrait of an artist as an idiot!

One of the items I heard was the story of a "performance" artist Phillip Riley who took a replica of David Bushnell's submarine into the waters of New York Harbor. Looks like he needed a little publicity and got it along with a few well deserved citations. Too bad they could not issue him one for being an idiot too.

Back on land.

I spent the last several days on a boat away from land and keyboards. Though not completley out of touch with what was going on in the world. A few things seemed to grab my attention in the news that I did receive. A few short blogs to follow.

The audacity of amnesia

Vice President Dick Cheney was asked last night if it was he who sent George Bush's legal waterboy Alberto Gonzales to the bedside of gravely ill Attorney General John Ashcroft. Cheney responded with a I don't recall.
Meanwhile Cheney's interference on a water issue in Oregon and California was never looked at because investigators never asked the question of an Interior Department official. It seems questions and answers are in short supply in Washington these days as is the water out west.