The deceit of David Brooks

After watching a beautiful sunrise in Montauk Point this morning I headed west and as usual when I am staying out in the east end of Long Island stopped at the Aamagansett Farm Stand to pick up the papers. What caught my eye in today's New York Times was David Brook's piece on Richard Armitage. Brooks contrasted the coverage of Armitage who reveled inadvertently the fact that Joe Wilson's wife worked for the CIA. Brooks then goes on to criticize the light treatment Armitidge received in the news media against that of White House official Karl Rove who also ackowledged the identity of Joe Wilson's wife covert identity. What Brooks completely ignores is Dick Cheney's Chief of Staff Scooter Libby's complicity in the issue. It was the result of Scooter Libby's request to the State Department to find info on administration critic Joe Wilson that caused a report to be issued which is where Armitage read about the Joe Wilson's wife's CIA ties. Unlike Rove who amended his story before the Grand Jury in several testimonies. Armitage came right out and admitted his mistake and unlike Libby who is under indictment for lying Armitage fessed up right away. Brooks ignored Libby's lies completely in his column.

Congressman Mike Pence does not get it

Congressman Mike Pence is leading the congressional charge for a "compromise" on illegal immigration. But, what it really is a back door plan for corporations to control immigration and give them all the cheap labor they want while middle class U.S. taxpayers subsidize it all. . When asked why he was focused on the immigration issue Pence said "April 11, 1923. That is when Pence's Irish Catholic Grandfather arrived on Ellis Island. EARTH TO CONGRESSMAN PENCE! Most of the immigrants now in the country are here illegally. They are not coming through legally like his grandfather did. They are not paying the employment and local taxes that the middle class working stiffs/taxpayers are required to pay. They have not respected our immigration laws! Why is this Republican Congressman from Indiana pushing for this compromise that fellow conservatives like Phyllis Shlafly of the Eagle Forum called "a sick joke". Pence bills himself as "a Christian, a conservative and a Republican in that order." Perhaps Pence should also remember he is a Congressman who took an oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and yes, Congressman Pence that includes protecting our borders from illegal immigrants crossing them.

What Mexico can do when it wants to.

The Washington Post has an article today about Guatemalan youth attempting to illegally enter the United States. What was interesting about the article is how Mexico works hard about enforcing it's immigration laws and deports them. Here is the money quote:

"Many of the youths never make it to the border. Mexico reported deporting 3,772 accompanied Central American minors bound for the United States in 2005, compared with fewer than 700 in 2003."

Of course Mexico does not want the United States to enforce and secure the U.S. border. Come to think of it neither does President George Bush!

Cluster bombs to Israel:The gift that keeps on giving!

It seems Israel in it's brutal assault on Lebanon may have violated a U.S. agreement for the use of weapons we provided them as the Washington Post reports:.

"The U.N. Mine Action Coordination Center in southern Lebanon reported this week that it has found unexploded American-made cluster bombs in nearly 300 locations across the area."

But of course this is not the first time Israel ignores and violates agreements with us.
"In 1978, 1979 and 1981, the State Department notified Congress that Israel "may have violated" U.S-Israeli agreements by using U.S. weapons for purposes other than defense, according to the Congressional Research Service."

Of course in Bushworld truth is not considered an important concept.
" lower-level officials had determined that Israel had violated its agreements with the United States, but, the officials said, the finding was quashed at a more senior level."

Now where has this happened before?

What a difference...

"WESLACO, Texas -- Stepped-up enforcement and detention procedures have sharply reduced the number of people attempting illegal entry into the United States, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Thursday."-Washington Post

Imagine that! It is amazing what happens when our Federal Government decides to enforce our laws.

The Senate Bill does not add up on illegal immigration.

If you are watching cable news like MSNBC (More Sh#t No Body Cares about) with their wall to wall stories about dead blondes(which seem to be most important news items to them). Then you miss news that really affects you and your wallet. Like this item about how the illegal immigrant amnesty bill passed by the Senate recently will cost us taxpayers at least $126 billion dollars. I'm going to pass this info on to my Senators Chuck Schumer and Hillary Clinton. It's bad enough they voted for this bill which gives amnesty for illegal immigrants but, they ignored increased costs to taxpayers if it was enacted. To make matters worse the report does not include the costs to the local communities the $126 billion in extra costs were only at the Federal level.

Speaking of boobs,

Since I'm on the subject of boobs here is a little reminder of our Commander in Chief thinking quickly on his feet.

Which boob will save lives?

Like a Dreidel the U.S. and Israeli governments continue to spin the military and PR disaster that was Israel's invasion of southern Lebanon as a victory. President Bush said:

"There's going to be a new power in the south of Lebanon,"

Bush is right about that it will be a bigger more popular Hezbollah! How did this happen? Well it's seems like the same NeoCon con artists who bought us the Iraq war quagmire also used Israel's military as a demonstration and test case for a future military bombing of Iran. That's what Seymour Hersh points out in this weeks New Yorker. Well it did not work but, boobs like Bush never seem to learn the lesson.

While boobs like Bush may not save us from future fiascos. It appears there are other boobs who may actually save lives.

Even better news for America!

First the good news:
"The owners of a company accused of hiring dozens of illegal immigrants
to work at America's Fair in Hamburg (NY) appeared in court Friday."

1) Companies who hire illegal workers being held to accountable for their hiring practices.

Then the better news:
"On Thursday, U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement busted 41 suspected illegal immigrants who were caught working for an Atlanta-based cleaning company that is a subcontractor at the fairgrounds."

2) Illegal immigrants being arrested and deported for breaking our immigration laws


and then best news:
" U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement said, "The public is integral to every part of law enforcement. We got the call, and acted swiftly to the information."

3) A Federal government that is beginning to respond to the concerns of the citizens and is taking action on those concerns and ENFORCING our laws! Let's hope it continues!

Some good news for America!

Even with Israel continuing it's military slaughter of Lebanon (where Israel is sowing the seeds for it's own destruction with every bomb it drops) and Iraq sliding ever more closely toward civil war. There is some good news for us here in the U.S. who still believe in Democracy. What has giving me hope when death and destruction are the news of the day? This quote from the Washington Post is what did it for me:

"Most Americans describe themselves as being in an anti-incumbent mood heading into this fall's midterm congressional elections, and the percentage of people who approve of their own representative performance is at the lowest level since 1994, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll."

It sums up my feelings exactly! Even as a lifelong Democrat I will not be pulling the lever for my Congressman Democrat Tim Bishop of Long Island this election as I did twice before. He has failed to represent me despite the letters and emails sent to his office. He does not get the outrage of voters like me on issues such as stopping illegal immigration, Iraq and other issues. It appears other fellow voters in the U.S. of both parties are feeling the same way about the incumbents and that is GOOD NEWS!

Oops! BP did it again!

Well it seems BP (British Petroleum) did it again and guess who will be paying higher prices for gas? Hint: Look in the mirror! BP plans to shut down 8% of crude oil flow here in the U.S. because it suddenly discovered a leak and corrosion he pipeline in Alaska. Seems someone was not inspecting and maintaining things as they should. But, then again accidents are nothing new in BP's operations and they are one of the better companies in the oil business. There was also the fatal accident in BP's Texas City refinery that killed 15 workers guess how much of a fine BP paid for that accident? Oil prices jumped up two dollars a barrel on this news. Guess which industry (including BP) will be making more money because of that price spike?

"Whenever you wonder why things happen it is useful to ask: Who benefits?"

Sailing Shoes

I've been away for the past two weeks. On July 24th I sailed out of New York harbor on the Queen Mary 2 which docked at Southhampton. I spent the next week in Canterbury and the Kent countryside. I've got a few posts to make about the trip and the experiences I had. But that will have to wait until tomorrow...

Whose country is this anyway?

Riding the Long Island Railroad toward New York on my way to Washington DC I noticed a construction company in the Queens with a very tall flagpole. From it flew an American flag but, underneath that a Mexican flg was flying. What is the meaning they were trying to send? Was it a call for Mexican workers? Do they discriminate against workers of other countries? Or is it an outpost for the Mexican government?

A local offical doing what the Federal government does not!

Even as my Senators Hillary Clinton and Chuck Shcumer along with my Congressman Tim Bishop fail to represent the hard working taxpayers on the illegal immigration issue. I am glad to see that some local Democrats like Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy continue to do what they can to discourage illegal immigration in our communities. Newsday has a story that begins:

"Many social service agencies, charities and town governments with contracts from Suffolk County would be required, along with private-sector contractors, to verify their employees are eligible to work in the United States under a proposal unveiled Wednesday by County
Executive Steve Levy."

It's the local leaders like County Executive Steve Levy who are truly representing the people while Clinton, Schumer and Bishop continue to fail in that regard at the Federal level. Something voters should remember in November. I will!

Another one for the What's Bush hiding now file!

Well it seems George Bush still thinks he is a King and the Republican congress are his ladies in waiting as they let King George (the blunderer) Bush decide what the American people need to know or not know and ignore their oversight duties. If the Congress let this one by they should change the name to House of potted plants.

The Unholy Alliance!

The Washington Post has an article today about how illegal immigration has changed a the town of Dalton Georgia. Buried in the article is how the businesses who hire the illegal workers and the Catholic church work hand in hand to encourage the situation to continue. The businesses use tax deductible contributions to help the church continue to promote illegal immigration while the Federal Government sticks it's head in the sand. Here is the money quote:
"Even when the raids were going on, Dalton's civic leaders were sending a different message. When Latino parishioners overflowed Dalton's 130-seat St. Joseph's Catholic Church -- even after pews were extended and aisles narrowed -- industry executives helped pay for a new, 600-seat church whose bilingual priest now leads both masses and misas. Parishioner Carl Burkhardt, president of Dalton's No. 3 carpetmaker, Beaulieu of America Inc., gave $1 million while Shaw Industries chief executive Bob Shaw "godfathered" the project, according to Father Daniel Stack, the priest at the time. "He said we were taking care of his workers, so he wanted to help take care of us," Stack said."

Who is taking care of tha middle class taxpayers who are paying increased school and local taxes because of the influx of the illegals into the community.

See no evil!

Watching America's mainstream media cover the Israeli bombardment and invasion of Lebennon l is a smoke and mirrors act. Just like in Iraq. We only see the smoke from the Israeli bombs hitting civilain areas but, of course never see the bodies torn apart by, the explosions. Then there are the mirrors the Israeli spin doctors justifying their bombing of airports and other civilian targets.
Where are we to go to find out what is REALLY going on. Certainly not the American mainstream media! Justin Riamondo is one and former Air Force Lt. Col. Karen Kwiatkowski is another. Both have insight that takes you behind the scenes as to what is really going on behind the scenes and what is not being shown on our TV screens!

The news from Newport News.

I headed south from Washington to attend a wedding in Virginia Beach. Along the way I stopped at the mariners museum in Newport News and picked up a copy of The Flagship the local newspaper of the "Hampton Roads Navel Family" every article was about the local industry: the Navy! One of the articles was about former President George H.W. Bush attended the landing of "the island" ( the 700 ton superstructure) of the aircraft carrier being named for himself. He was pleased to be able to attend and have a ship named for him while he was alive. Most people have ships named after for them after they are dead but, somehow the current elitist group of people running this country get such honors now. I think it would be better to name ships in honor of regular military personal who have died in the service of this country. But, of course there will never be enough ships, bases and outposts to give names to all the TRUE hero's of this country the enlisted members of the armed services. So I guess the ruling elites will continue to get their names on ships, bases etc... But, I maybe we should also start to name things for leaders like the current President George Bush even before he leaves office something like the "George W. Bush military cemetery". Bring it on indeed!

Illegal immigrant campgrounds coming to your town!

Once again thanks to the failure of our Federal Government it is local Town officals who have to clean up the mess. This time it illegal immigrants erecting tent cities in the woods in Suburban communities on Long Island.
Newsday reports on the story. But, even more outragous than the tent city once again exposing the failures of our Federal Government to protect and enforce our borders is the comment from the illegal immigrant advocates who complain (get this) "that the town should have contacted church, social services or other organizations to help relocate them."

NO! The town should have turned them over to Homeland Security and had them deported! Good luck with trying to get the Federal Government to do it's job! Perhaps the next best thing would be take the illegals and drop them off in front of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's home so they can set up camp there and deficate on his lawn! Since he is so keen on providing services for the illegals who have broken our immigration laws. I'm sure he would not mind.

The Journalist who came in from the cold.

From the Washington Post:
"Syndicated columnist Robert D. Novak acknowledged for the first time yesterday that he identified three confidential administration sources during testimony in the CIA leak investigation, saying he did so because they had granted him legal waivers to testify and because Special Counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald already knew of their role."

The question remains why was Karl Rove confirming classified information? Bush should have fired him for that! "Loose lips sink ships!" But, in George Bush's world that seems to be ok as long as it helps his political agenda.

Illegal immigrants and I agree on something.

There was a op-ed by Lawrence E. Downes in yesterday's New York Times talking about the plight of "Day Laborers" which of course glossed over the fact the they were ILLEGAL "Day Laborers". It also hid the fact that these day laborers were also subsidised by the tax payers because the churches and other organizations who help these day laborers continue to llive in our communites are using our tax dollars to do it. Downes also mentioned that these same Day laborers get together in the chiurches and form ad hoc unions where they refuse to work for less then $10.00 and hour. There goes the cheap labor argument for businesses.
But, the one interesting point immigration was this:
"The day laborers' group held a forum in a Manhattan church basement recently to discuss the bills, and the general mood was pessimistic. Members spoke of a disconnect between grass-roots organizations like theirs and the large immigrant-advocacy groups in Washington. They had little good to say about the Senate bill, which has been held up by many immigrant advocates as the best deal obtainable. "

Well that is something the illegal immigrants and I can agree on. Yes the Senate Bill sucks but, the difference is I think it rewards the illegal immigrants for breaking our laws!

GIMME SHELTER!

" Military investigators brought charges against four more American soldiers accused of taking part in the rape and murder of an Iraqi girl and the killing of three members of her family, the U.S. military said Sunday."-Washington Post

"Rape, murder! Its just a shot away Its just a shot away"- Rolling Stones

Bloomberg: Terrorists, Illegals come break our laws!

The authorities also reported that a terorist plot against New York City was broken up. Meanwhile, the greatest threat to New York City elitist Mayor Michael Bloomberg once again opened his mouth and invited illegal immigrants to come break U.S. laws by working illegally in new York;
"Although they broke the law by illegally crossing our borders," Bloomberg said, "our city's economy would be a shell of itself had they not, and it would collapse if they were deported. The same holds true for the nation."
Translation: It's ok to break U.S. immigration laws as long as you wash the dishes at my favorite restaurant!

or as he said in April:

"You and I are beneficiaries of these jobs," ... I both play golf. Who takes care of the greens and the fairways in your golf course?"

The law does not seem to matter to Bloomberg as long as it does not affect his lifestyle.

Ken Lay's Karma.

One of the news stories this week was the death of Kenneth Lay the founder and CEO of ENRON. He was a crony of George Bush who called him "Kenny boy" when he was governor of Texas and was also in behind the scenes as part of Dick Cheney's behind closed door energy policy meetings early in the Bush administration. He should be remembered for exposing the dark side of capitalism with the failure of Enron. When you are heading a corporation that hires people who actually pray that wildfires will burn through transmission lines so that the price of electrcity will skyrocket and your corporation will get a windfall. You know that these people have no ethics whatsever. It was people like Lay who allowed this corporate culture to thrive. Win at any cost! That even including throwing their own employees to the wolves discouraging or denying them the ability to sell their Enron shares while people like Lay made sure they protected their ASSetts!
What killed Ken Lay? Was it the stress of the trail and the possibilty of spending the rest of his life in jail? Too many steaks with his fellow energy cronies in Houston restaurants? Was it God's wrath? Ken Lay said after his trial:

"We believe that God in fact is in control, and indeed he does work all things for good for those who love the Lord,"

If that's the case God must have been pretty pissed with Lay and the manipulations of his corporation of energy prices hurt so many poor people that maybe God sent him straight to Hell! Or maybe in a similar vein that the evil of Lay and those working for him to manipulate events so that they would reap profits while the rest of us paid may have increased his bad Karma to the point where forces just took him away where he could not cause any more damage to the rest of us.

The Return

Back from sea and back in DC. Spent the past several days around Long Island on the water sailing and staring. What news I got was from the radio. Some comments on a few items I heard are in order but, it's early am Saturday morning and time for some sleep first.

The fourth of July.

I will head out to my boat today and place my American flag in it's holder on the stern. I will be alone and enjoying the fourth of July but, not without thinking about the United States and our soldiers in Iraq, George Bush and the meaning of freedom.
I will be thinking of the pictures this week of George Bush jogging with the wounded Iraqi war veteran around the Whitehouse. I thought it was grotesque to have Bush jogging with a soldier who he sent over to Iraq who then got his legs blown off. But, no one made the soldier jog with Bush he did it on his own. That's freedom and I have to respect the soldier for doing it because he wanted too.
I will also be thinking of our soldiers in that hell hole in Iraq and hope they get home soon to enjoy the BBQ's picnics and beer that many American will enjoy this day. I also hope that the pain I get in my gut as I hear on the radio that another soldier or two or three... has died in a roadside bomb or ambush stops.
Then there are the stories like this one where I put myself in the place of Iraqi citizens who ask how is it that things are better than under Saddam. Sometimes we Americans need to look at how others see us when stories like this come out. This one we know about how many others are never reported but, yet undermine all the good we try to do.
Yes, I will be celebrating our Independence in my own special way but, I will also be thinking about how far we have to go to make this a better country while we still have the freedom to do it!

The American treadmill.

An interesting article about money in today's Washington Post about Warren Buffet giving 30 billion dollars of his money to charity and it also explores the the difference between life and money. I kind of semi retired five years ago from a full time job and currently only work about three days week. Mostly to be able to afford healtcare coverage as I am way to young Medicaid, Social Security etc... Yes I make less money but, have more time for truly living a life. My heart goes out to my co-workers on the American treadmill. You can see the stress and strain of them trying to keep up as the rug slowly gets pulled out from under them. I think of the people who I have known who retired and had maybe three or four years of retirement before death rang their doorbell. I sometimes jokingly remind co-workers to "grab life by the collar wrestle it to the ground and yell give me all you got now!" That's what I try to do as much as possible.

Helping and hurting.

Saturday's Washington Post had another article about the hidden costs of illegal immigration. This one was about a hospital in Silver Spring Maryland that because of the influx of illegal immigrants it is running an operating deficit of $460.000 dollars. They are treating diseases and conditions they did not see a decade ago like Malaria, infectious diarrhea and tapeworm. The hospital also spends about half a million dollars alone on translation services alone.

Thinking about Independence Day

As July 4th approaches and begin thinking about the meaning of independence. That includes independence from our use of fossil fuels that despite the talking points from the Bush administration lies at the heart of why American soldiers continue to die in Iraq, It would be easy to get depressed about the situation in America these days. But, along comes this story about some American patriots who are leading the way independently and helping us all in the process.

Senator Schumer must think we are smucks!

There was an article today in the Washington Post about how the Republicans in the Senate are rethinking their votes and positions on the recently passed Senate Immigration bill that gives amnesty to the illegal immigrants who have broken our immigration laws. They seem to be heading for tougher enforcment of our immigration laws which is a good thing and what the American voters/taxpayers including this Democrat demand of our elected leaders.
Also in the article are some comments from my Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer and Congressman Rahm Emanual about how "Democratic challengers will launch a coordinated effort to blame the Republican leadership for creating the immigration problems that the GOP now confronts."
The Dems are truly delusional and they must think the American people are schmucks! While some of the Republicans (especially George Bush) have a lot to be blamed for on the illegal immigration issue the Dems are neck deep in being a major part of the problem. There is no Tom Tancredo on the Democratic side fighting for the middle class of this country on the illegal immigration and border security issues. The Dems are very vulnearable. Especially Chuck Schumer as he was on the Judiciary Commitee and voted to bring the Senate Amnesty out of commitee and onto the floor of the Senate. With Dems like Ted Kennedy out in front in the Senate giving not only amnesty but, also giving Social Security benefits to illegal immigrants who used fraud and identy theft to obtain Social Security numbers the Democrats soapbox is only made of cardboard and won't hold up in the political debate on illegal immigration. The Democrats have very little to stand on giving their record on illegal immigration amnesty issue.