Politics in August-Fighting the Doldrums

Hillary Says: Make your Vote Count in November!

Don't forget the KFC Hillary Meal: two fat thighs, two small breasts, and lots of left wings. Finger lickin' good?

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Robert Gibbs-Why are the liberals being so hard on this guy? Gibbs is smarmy and needs a decent haircut. But, he is the President's spokeshole. He is an employee. He only says what the administration wants him to say. Press Secretary/Spokeshole is a thankless, virtually powerless job.

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Target Stores Inc. - Liberal organization MoveOn.Org arranged protests at the Minnesota Headquarters of Target to protest Target's donation of $150,000 to a conservative candidate for Minnesota's Governor. They want Target to make an equal donation to a liberal candidate.

Last time I looked it is a free country and the Supreme Court took the gloves off of anyone wanting to support a specific candidate. I understand why left wing/democratic supporters would protest this sort of thing. They are so anti-business that there are few businesses that would consider giving to their candidates without a quid pro quo.

Hey, conservatives! Let's go out and protest the local union hall when they give to their candidate and tell the union to give equally to our candidate! Let's demand SEIU give to the Conservative Caucus or Sarah Palin Fund or some BS like that.

If they don't like Target, maybe they can shop at Walmart! Oh, yeah, they have no use for unions and liberals either.

Hey, SEIU-How many illegal aliens are enrolled with you? Man, if they ever searched your database you would probably lose a third or more of your membership.

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Our President wants to improve our relations with Cuba and allow less restricted travel between our countries. My question to our President would be, "What did Cuba do to deserve a relaxation of tension between our countries? Why are we rewarding Cuba?" It certainly cannot be their adherence to the principles of human rights. Have they allowed truly democratic elections that were not controlled by their government? Are they privatizing any businesses there? no and no. There is no reason to relax any of the restrictions which we placed upon them.

Cuba is a good buddy of that fool, Hugo Chavez. Cuba supports the FARC, or the Colombian Revolutionary Army that mainly consists of violent criminal malcontents and has killed thousands of innocent civilians since its inception. Hugo lets the FARC live in his jungles. Thanks, Hugo! Cuba loves dictators and despots. The President is screwing everything else up this year for incumbent democrats. Let's really tick 'em off with normalizing relations with Cuba.

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The New York Mosque

Perhaps this is the start of a true bizarro world. Let's put the mosque in New York at Ground Zero. Then we can build a statue to Golda Meir in Tehran, a tribute to the Japanese Emperor at the USS Arizona memorial, a painting of Fidel Castro in Miami City Hall, we can build a U.S. Army Museum at Wounded Knee, and place a statue of Hitler next to Auschwitz. If we are going to allow tasteless BS like this mosque, let's go all out!

BTW-While the mosque is being built, do you think the Mob will take advantage of all that building material and machines? Isn't it cool how construction supplies are easily resold? I will thank the NY Mafia to make it as difficult as humanly possible for them to complete the mosque. A fire in the middle of construction? Someone dropped their cigarette accidentally. The construction foreman broke his leg? He should be more careful. All of our rebar is missing? You better check the inventory.

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Geopolitics-The flood in Pakistan could undermine a lot of the work we have put into building up the government there. If they are unable to manage the care and supplies arriving to help those flooded, the military could take over again. I hope everyone remembers how poorly that worked for us and our allies in Afghanistan. With the Pakistani military in charge again, who needs Al Queda?

North Korea-Kim Jong Il is Mad-What else is new?

(Photo caption: Hot Mamas from the North Korean Navy's favorite dance troupe prepare to do a group split.)

I know I speak for many when I say that I am simply shaking in my boots regarding Kim Jong Il’s announcement that North Korea will have a “physical response” to the war games and training activities that will be taking place in international waters off their coast. Kim, known in his own miserable backwater of a nation as the “Dear Leader,” is the de facto leader of North Korea and he rules with an iron fist. No velvet gloves here, my friend. Handsome and discerning, he is not. Perhaps a better way to describe the man is ruthless and paranoid. This guy is more paranoid than a meth addict with arrest warrants in an unregistered vehicle coming to a Highway Patrol check point.

A physical response by North Korea could take many forms. It could be that having that many foreign ships near their shores may lead to mass stomach upset. In that case, the physical response might be mass regurgitation by millions of North Koreans. That would put a terrible strain on their sewer system if they had one. Sans sewer systems, it is likely to pack the many drably colored outhouses throughout the country. I pity the poor Koreans del Norte holding back their plume of vomit with one hand over their mouths and another pushing others out of their way as they battle for an open spot in the “People’s Outhouse.” Oh, gosh, think of the dry cleaning bills!

What the Dear Leader is implying by his “Physical Response” is that he will commit North Korean forces to bring death and destruction upon the navies of the U.S. and South Korea. Our forces will be facing the East Sea Fleet, ten combat squadrons comprising some 470 vessels. That sounds impressive until you realize this is a “brown water” navy. Meaning the ships are primarily used for coastal defense and supporting Army operations along the coast. So, most of these 470 vessels are coastal patrol craft not much bigger than WW 2 PT boats. Yes, there is the occasional modern destroyer or guided missile patrol boat, but for the most part, North Korea relies on their submarines for offensive operations.

The South Korean Navy Destroyer, the Cheonan, was destroyed by a torpedo launched from one of these submarines. The Romeo class submarines are of an old 1950’s Soviet design and use diesel/electric motors. It is said that on silent running they are quieter than our own modern nuclear subs thus difficult to find underwater. One must listen carefully for the cavitations of the propellers as they move stealthily through the Sea of Japan. It is not surprising the Cheonan was unaware of the presence of one of these submarines nearby before it met its fate.

The threat of North Korean submarines should not be taken lightly. Though anti submarine warfare has come a long way it is often luck, not skill, which allows us to locate these slippery silent specters of the seas. I understand the North Koreans have highly disciplined crews. Let’s face it; if they screw up, the penalty is death either by a courts martial or the sinking of their sub. That would keep me in line for sure!

Their torpedo boats and guided missile patrol boats also pose their own difficulty when used as an offensive weapon as their speed and maneuverability can create problems for those ships tasked with defending against them. But, then again, if you have the U.S.S. George Washington out there with a full complement of attack helicopters, fighters, and a picket line of defensive destroyers and frigates, maybe it becomes another American Turkey Shoot.

There is a North Korean Air Force with which to contend. Pilot proficiency is based on hours flown and the quality of that flight time. It is stated that North Korean pilots are not as well trained as their counterparts in the south. Estimates state pilot proficiency is 60% at best versus South Korean pilots with many estimates rating North Korean pilots with less than 30% proficiency. They are very limited in how they may conduct operations as they are wholly dependent on others for materials such as missiles, fuel, radar, avionics, etc. The NKAF also supports an extensive anti aircraft system consisting of Soviet era anti aircraft missiles and radar directed anti aircraft guns around their military and industrial complexes. They boast an exceptionally large number of anti aircraft sites. They still use barrage balloons. Some may find this quaint unless you are a ground attack pilot preparing to pull up from a strafing run. The cable extending from a barrage balloon can just as easily take out an A-10 Warthog today as it would take out a Stuka dive bomber in WW2.

With all this talk of death, destruction, and war, maybe there is a better way for us to get along with the North Koreans. Maybe we could go out and buy them some new clothes. When I see the film of their parades and even just film of everyday life there, it seems they all wear the same sort of dreary quasi military uniforms in a lovely shade of olive drab with their little peaked caps with their cute little red stars on them. But let’s face it, after 60 years of wearing the same clothes day after day, year after year, life can take a bleak turn. I mean, where the heck is their fashion sense? Let’s open an outlet mall in Pyongyang! A little color might brighten their mood.

The Communist Scorecard

1963 Communist Goals - Were they achieved?

Communism equalizes the social conditions of life. There is no "I" in communism. It is a team politic. Everyone works for the greater good of the whole or the collective. Individual ego and thought is discouraged as it does not serve the greater good. One must constantly be considering how he or she will benefit the collective today and forever.

It sounds okay. But let's also consider that the only communist countries our world has had were the result of violent revolutions that killed many thousands in some countries and millions of political dissenters in the cases of Russia and China. In practice, communism is heavy handed and brutal. Political dissenters will find themselves in concentration camps known as "re-eduction" camps. If you don't re-educate, you don't get out! Internal exile of political prisoners is common within communist countries. It is not a terribly nice political system in which to live.

How well have the communists done in relation to attaining their goals in this country? The following was entered into the Congressional record by Albert Herlong, Jr. (a Floridian who served in Congress from 1949-69) in 1963. Let's see how the scoreboard looks. It has been a tough battle and the commies have some wins.

Keep in mind, Cuba, Venezuela, and Myanmar call themselves communist but they are nothing more than socialist dictatorships.

1) US acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war - Yep, we called it mutually assured destruction or MAD. They must play soccer; they want a tie rather than a win.

2) US willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war - This works both ways. However, we were willing to kick their collective booties in Korea, Vietnam, and in our support of the Mujahadin in Afghanistan. Let's keep in mind that we didn't so much lose Vietnam as much as we walked away from it. Starting in the late 1960's we moved forward with the Vietnamization of the war; turning the fight over to our Democratic Viet allies and completed the task in 1973. Korea ended in a truce. The Mujahadeen whipped those commies fair and square.

3) Develop the illusion that total disarmament by the US would be a demonstration of "moral strength" - Peace geeks, Code Pink, Peace & Justice Taskforce, etc. There are a lot of fools advocating for the unilateral destruction of our nuclear deterrent force. If we get rid of our bombs, what do we do when Iran and North Korea threaten us? Ask the Russians for help?

4) Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for war. - Not successful there. We don't reward the dictatorship of the proletariat with free trade.

5) Extension of long term loans to Russia and Soviet Satellites - See "Fall of Communism-1989"

6) Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination - Nope, not successful. Cuba, Venezuela and Myanmar get little to no U.S. Aid.

7) Grant recognition of Red China, and admission of Red China to the UN. - Win for the Soviets. But is China really "RED" anymore? Their suto capitalist economy will collapse and take a united China with it.

8) Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the Germany question by free elections under supervision of the UN - Oops! Fall of Communism-1989.

9) Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the US has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in progress - We don't need to test anymore. We know from our computer models our H-Bombs will blow the crap out of anyone.

10) Allow all Soviet Satellites individual representation in the UN - See "Fall of Communism-1989"

11) Promote the UN as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the UN as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo) - Most Americans are wary of the UN. World Government? Not in ours or our grandchildren's lifetimes. With so much nationalistic hubris around the world during World Cup Soccer time, how could we possibly have a world government?

12) Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party - We are the U.S.A. We welcome all political parties. Kinda dumb by some standards, but it's worked for us a lot of years.

13) Do away with loyalty oaths - nope, ain't happening here!

14) Continue giving Russia access to the US Patent Office - See "Fall of Communism-1989"

15) Capture one or both of the political parties in the US - Successfully overtook the Democratic Party in 2008.

16) Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American institutions, by claiming their activities violate civil rights. - Yeah, our appellate court system is rife with social justice nerds. This could be worse if there were a liberal majority on the Supreme Court.

17) Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for Socialism, and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get control of teachers associations. Put the party line in text books. - Commies win here. They dominate political thought in public colleges all over the country. There are millions of socialist losers teaching our children to hate their country.

18) Gain control of all student newspapers-Big deal. Students are too stoned to read their papers.

19) Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or organizations which are under Communist attack. - Let's call out our anarchist buds! That G20 sure draws a crowd of those freaks. No one takes violent protesters seriously. They are seen as immature fools.

20) Infiltrate the press. Get control of book review assignments, editorial writing, policy-making positions. - They've done well here but didn't count on Fox News being a fly in the ointment. Had there been no Fox News the past several years, would the conservatives in our government be significantly marginalized?

21) Gain control of key positions in radio, TV & motion pictures. - Commies won for a little while. But conservative talk radio has brought us back from the brink. They still tend to dominate many news orgs and communist reportage is evident to anyone looking for it. Currently, the FCC is rife with socialists appointed by the Obama administration wanting to bring back the "Fairness Doctrine" in broadcasting. It is because liberal radio can't make a dime in markets where there is right wing radio. You want to listen to a bunch of whiners? I don't.

22) Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all form of artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate all good sculpture from parks and buildings", substitute shapeless, awkward, and meaningless forms. - Oops! American Culture won! We kicked their asses back to Petersburg. The world loves American culture; except for the radical Muslims. Can't please everyone. I guess they are also trying to say that modern sculpture was a commie plot? yeah, maybe, but it is meaningless.

23) Control art critics and directors of art museums. " Our plan is to promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art". - Commies win, but who cares? Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

24) Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them "censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press. - Nope, didn't work.

25) Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography, and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio and TV. - Nothing I like more than a little obscene porno. Bring it on, you commie bastards!

26) Present Homosexuality, degeneracy, and promiscuity as "normal, natural, and healthy." - The world is changing. If there were a Soviet Union today, they would have Gay communists insisting they should have Gay Marriage. Would there be Gay Gulags?

27) Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with "social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity, which does not need a "religious crutch" - There are those who keep trying to discredit the bible and religion. Most notably, the writers of Fox's cartoon sitcoms; the Simpsons and Family Guy. In spite of this, churches of various religions are still well attended. "In god we trust" is still on our currency. We still say "under god" in the pledge.

28) Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the grounds that it violates the principle of "separation of church and state" - Commies won on that one. When I was in grade school, we did not pray at all. I didn't grow up an atheist.

29) Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate, old fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis. - Well, judicial activists will tell you the Constitution, as a basis of government, is out of date. After 220 years it is still the best document of its kind.

30) Discredit the American founding fathers. Present them as selfish aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man." - Over the years, the documents these men created, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, have meaning for every man and woman in our great country. Perhaps one day the founding fathers will be forgotten, but their legacy never will.

31) Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of "the big picture:" Give more emphasis to Russian history since the Communists took over. - Hahahaha! American Culture wins again! See "The Fall of Communism-1989"

32) Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over any part of the culture - - education, social agencies, welfare programs, mental health clinics, etc. - Sound familiar??? That is exactly what our congress with the support of President Obama is doing today. Giant ass'd Healthcare bills anyone? Giant finance regulation bills. What does it mean? More new taxes!

33) Eliminate all laws or procedures, which interfere with the operation of the Communist apparatus. - We crushed ACORN and the Tea Party is strong. This is still a battle.

34) Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities. - Don't need it anymore. See "The Fall of Communism-1989"

35) Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI - Hahahaha! Didn't work.

6) Infiltrate and gain control of more unions. - Commies win. The commies own the unions.

37) Infiltrate and gain control of big business. - Commies lose.

8) Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which no one but psychiatrists can understand or treat. - didn't work.

39) Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist goals. - The idea was that a psychiatrist who was indoctrinated would tell you that capitalism is not rational and only communism is rational. They could then commit those they felt were working against the communist cabal and have them committed and out of the way.

40) Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce. - This continues to be a battle for the American family.

41) Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents. - Didn't work. Never happened.

42) Create the impression that violence and insurrection are legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and special interest groups should rise up and make a "united force" to solve economic, political, or social problems. - America was created on protest. What this refers to are the Anarchist fools who take quite protests and turn them into window bashing and burning police cars. Someday, communism will fall in places like Oakland CA, Detroit MI, and Chicago Ill.

43) Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are ready for self-government. - Failure for the commies. See "Fall of Communism-1989"

44) Internationalize the Panama Canal. - Technically, we still control it. No one in Panama goes to the bathroom without our Army knowing about it.

45) Repeal the Connally Reservation so the US can not prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction over domestic problems. Give the World Court jurisdiction over domestic problems. Give the World Court jurisdiction over nations and individuals alike. - Hahahaha! Like that will ever happen. Americans will never give up their sovereignty to a world government.

Green Business and Unions with some Thoughts on Doing Business with Russia

Al Gore, Green Business, and Unions-The Unholy Trinity

How about that masseuse who said Al Gore tried to pick up on her in a Portland OR hotel room? I think it is pretty obvious she was after some money. And if Al was grabbing at her, he has no taste. Who goes after a 54 year old masseuse? She was a wrinkled up slag. If this accusation had any substance, it would have come out back when it happened two or three years ago. How long ‘til she has Gloria Allred as her attorney? Aw, geez!

Pardon me, but who gives a damn about that blowhard, Al Gore, anyway? He won a Nobel Prize based on fake science. The grand European Green Energy scheme he wanted implemented here in the U.S. is melting down in Europe as the governments can no longer afford to SUBSIDIZE the green industry. But that’s their problem.

The U.S. has bigger fish to fry here as we can no longer afford to subsidize unions. Thus, our economies of several states and municipalities are melting down. If something does not happen soon in the way of managing our future state expenditures to unions and their pensions, if we don’t stop kowtowing to them and granting them raises in economies where there should not be any raises, if we knuckle under this year in California and give up our social programs to pay the unionists, our nation is on a oil slicked road to ruin. Unions killed the auto manufacturing business. They are in the process of killing off our airlines. Now, our state and municipal governments are fighting with unions because funding their pay and their ridiculous pensions is way out of hand. That’s the choice our state lawmakers have to make. Do we cut out a variety of social programs and alienate the millions being served by them or do we take the brave step and start taking control from the unions? Do we manage our futures or hand our futures and our tax dollars to the unions?

In California, the state employees union is the strongest, biggest lobby in the state. Not one Democratic member of the state assembly will realistically go up against them and try to save the taxpayers’ money by negotiating on behalf of the PEOPLE rather than on behalf of the union. There are just too many campaign dollars to go around and they like those green backs from the unions. Isn’t that right State Senator Leland Yee? State Assm. Ira Ruskin? State Assm. Jerry Hill?

Now that the American people are getting wise to them, the unions need a new industry to make sure their armies of idiots have jobs. Unions love Green and want to dominate green business as they dominate the auto industry. I am predicting here and now, the Green Industry will flop around like a fish out of water for a long time before it becomes viable. Why??? Unions.

Jose Radzinsky, an immigrant from Uruguay, accidentally started a small solar installation company in San Jose Ca in 1996. His home in the Santa Cruz Mountains had no electricity. Instead of having the local utility extend electricity to his home for $200,000, he installed some solar panels on his home. His neighbors liked it, so he did their homes too. By 2006, he had a going business with 25 employees.

Jose had a cutting edge Green company on the forefront of the Green movement getting great contracts like placing photovoltaic panels on the schools in the Sunnyvale School District. To expand his business, he decided to start a school for training people to become solar panel installation techs. He submitted an application to the state to start the school. That is where Jose’s trouble started.

IBEW, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, appealed the state’s approval of the program. It seemed to the IBEW that they were the only organization in the state with the right to train workers in solar panel installation and claimed the solar industry had no need for this school. The union’s lawyers attacked the program for various technical shortcomings. The small business owner was beset with legal briefs and exhibits filed by the union lawyers.

Soon, other trade unions joined with the IBEW to stop Jose from starting his Solar Tech Installation School. Roofers, plumbers, sheet metal workers and other unions came forward in the proceedings to argue that the training of solar installers is solely in the purview of the unions and not the private business. None of these unions have a solar tech training school. It is just another example of unions throwing their weight around to kill a great idea because it might infringe on their power.

Today the California Apprenticeship Council will rule whether or not Jose can start his school and train people to increase the level of sun power in California’s energy usage. Will they be in favor of the small business owner with a dream for California? Or will they side with the dream killing, nightmarish unions?

Doing Business with Russia

Recently, Russian President Medvedev visited the Silicon Valley in Northern California to ask for help in developing entrepreneurship in Russia. Cisco promised a one billion dollar investment in high tech developments there. Let’s keep in mind that in the 2009 Corruption Perception Index, Russia was rated a 2.2 out of 10. Amazingly, Nigeria scores slightly better than Russia. To be quite colloquial, Cisco’s gonna loose it’s ass in Russia.

There is no law there. Corrupt politicians and police can have anyone arrested, tortured, and held indefinitely. If you are a corporate lawyer and you choose to bring charges of corruption against a politician, you should pack you bags and get the hell out of town as the next knock on your door is the secret police ready to take you in, forever. If they get you, they will send you to a place that makes Gitmo look like the Hilton.

I encourage you to read the story of Jamison Firestone, an American attorney working in Russia and how his firm, which was the law firm to the Hermitage Fund, was treated by the Russian government. http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_15361407

Russian President Dimitry Medvedev is a cute little fella who loves modern technology. The American press is enamored with him because he uses email. Oooo, big deal. He has no power. The Russian President is a figure head. Putin the Prime Minister holds all the power. I doubt Medvedev can go to the bathroom without Putin’s permission.

Random Thoughts on California and Helen Thomas

California Kicks-off Two Big Races

The Primary is over



Governor’s mansion: It is Meg Whitman’s race to lose. If she plays her cards right, focusing on Jerry’s first two terms as Gov and his much less than astounding time as Mayor of Oakland, she could do it. She also needs to play up the disgust of the electorate with the giant union pension contracts that are strangling our cities, county, and state. Jerry Brown never saw a union contract he didn’t love. Even in San Jose, union might is waning. Any missteps by Meg and Jerry gets 4 years, heaven help us all. If that happens, California becomes the New Oakland.

Carly and Babs vie for the U.S. Senate Seat:Someone said the contest between Carly Fiorina and Babs Boxer will be a Cat Fight. Cat Fight? Baby, that’s a WWF No Holds Barred No Referee Cage Match looking for a place to happen. Who will be the first to fling a folding chair during the first debate? “Fiorina’s pounding Boxer, a right, a left, a right again. Fiorina is grabbing Boxer by her 70’s haircut, pulling her down and bouncing her face off her bony knees. Boxer is down! Fiorina goes to edge of the ring to play to the crowd; exhorting cheers. Look out! Boxer is up and has a folding chair!” That would be soooo much fun.

Helen Thomas


I knew she was a pain in the ass to many presidents, but I didn't know she was a Nazi. I was surprised by the cmoplete lack of decorum she showed in her recent comments on Israel (or Palestine as Helen so fondly refers to it).

Rabbi David Nesenoff is an independent filmmaker from Long Island and he runs the website RabbiLive.com. He approached Helen Thomas outside the White House after attending events for Jewish Heritage Day on May 27. He said he was there with his teenage son and a friend. They approached Thomas to talk.

Asked whether she had any comments on Israel, Thomas said, "Tell them to get the hell out of Palestine." She continued, "Remember, these people are occupied and it's their land. It's not Germany, it's not Poland," she continued. Asked where they should go, she answered, "They should go home."

"Where's home?" Nesenoff asked.

"Poland, Germany and America, everywhere else," Thomas replied.

"Those remarks were offensive and reprehensible," Presidential Spokesperson Gibbs said during the Monday press briefing, saying that Thomas's comments "do not reflect certainly most of the people here and certainly not those of the administration."

"Helen Thomas announced Monday that she is retiring, effective immediately," read a statement from Hearst Newspapers on Monday. "Her decision came after her controversial comments about Israel and the Palestinians were captured on videotape and widely disseminated on the Internet."

Thomas said in a statement that, "I deeply regret my comments I made last week regarding the Israelis and the Palestinians. They do not reflect my heart-felt belief that peace will come to the Middle East only when all parties recognize the need for mutual respect and tolerance. May that day come soon.’’

After hearing her yesterday, and assessing the commentary she has had in the past and how she has badgered Presidents regarding Israel for years, it is pretty evident that she was a biased ingrate with little regard for Jews. A sad end to such a storied career.

Had her reportage slanted UPI over the years prior to her resignation in 2000? Helen Thomas, former President of the White House Press Corps, leading anti Israel extremist I guess. How has her slanted and skewed view of the world effected younger reporters whom she had taken under her wing? The guys at MSNBC and John Stewart make jokes about there being a liberal slant to the news, as if Fox news and other conservative commentators were nuts or, worse, accusing the media of a liberal conspiracy. “Bias, no way! How foolish.” This is an American wake up call. It behooves us to look upon all mainstream news sources with a critical eye and search out varied sources for our news. If you reglularly get your news from FOX, take a look at CNN or the NY Times. It won't kill you. If you are a regular NY Times or Yahoo News addict, check out FOX or the Wall Street Journal once in a while to see the other side. Let's remember that we live in a big country where opinions are free to grow like leaves on trees. I read NY Times columnist Thomas Friedman a couple of times a week. I even agree with him... sometimes.



Helen Thomas is entitled to her point of view and may express it freely here. However, her soapbox has been yanked from under her feet for all time.



One last thought on Thomas: When she left the UPI in 2000 to become a columnist for Hearst, why was she still accorded the front seat of the White House Press Room? Why was she still allowed to ask the first question at each presidential press conference after leaving UPI? I thought GW Bush did the right thing in bypassing her questions in press conferences starting in 2003. She was no longer a reporter and did not deserve to be among the press corps at the time. Thomas should have gone to pasture, instead, she used her questioning opportunities to go on long accusatory political diatribes. By 2003, it was also apparent by her line of questioning that she was biased against American participation in the Arab world. I don't understand her love for those who would happily commit genocide once more against the Jewish people. I am not a Jew and I am not always the biggest backer of Israeli policies in the MidEast. However, I have to agree with White House Spokesman Gibbs, those were reprehensible and indefensible comments from someone many Americans had grown to trust. If our President really wants to kick some ass these days, perhaps he could start with Helen Thomas.

Some people are like Slinkys, they are more fun when you push them down some stairs.

Disarming America

The California State Assembly has recently passed a new law that would end the open carrying of pistols in the state. Currently, California law allows persons legally allowed to own a weapon to carry an unloaded pistol openly in a holster. Ammunition is to be carried separately from the weapon but can be on the same belt or in a pocket. The new law will end this practice once and for all.

I can hear "yea" and "wheeee" coming from the anti-gunners out there. This is really much ado about nothing. The open carry law has been on the books for many years. It was not until recently that gun rights advocates took to the streets carrying their guns to shed a little light upon the Second Amendment and our right to bear arms. Of course, where there are gun advocates, there are those who feel that private ownership of weapons is barbaric and an affront to a decent society.

The ultimate goal of the anti-gun crowd is to outlaw the private ownership of projectile firing weapons. You would still be able to use a baseball bat to protect your home and family - provided that it is not a metal bat, as those may be outlawed too.

The FBI estimates there are over 200 million privately held guns in 40% of the households in the US. To wrest control of all of these weapons is a gargantuan undertaking. There is a certain percentage who would give up their weapons willingly. But there is also a more significant percentage who would rather have their guns pried from their cold dead fingers rather than give them up willingly. Let's consider how the Weimar Republic of Germany eliminated private gun ownership.

By 1938, the Weimar Republic already had many laws on the books that anti-gunners advocate now. You had to have a special license from the police to own and carry a weapon. The German state police had carte blanch over all ownership decisions. This unlimited police control is the foundation of "Brady II," the gun legislation being promoted by the gun control lobby since 1994. The German Gun Control program was all the Nazi's needed to insure that Jews and others who were not trusted by the state to be good Germans would be disarmed and helpless.

In 1938 Germany passed their special "1938 Weapons Law," stating that Jews could no longer possess firearms. Possesion of a firearm by a Jew would result in death or 20 years of incarceration. In accordance with the new law, Police entered Jewish homes and confiscated pistols, rifles, and even old swords and sabers owned by WWI veterans. On Nov. 8, 1938, the New York Times reported from Berlin, "Berlin Police Head Announces 'Disarming' of Jews," explaining:

The Berlin Police President, Count Wolf Heinrich von Helldorf, announced that as a result of a police activity in the last few weeks the entire Jewish population of Berlin had been "disarmed" with the confiscation of 2,569 hand weapons, 1,702 firearms and 20,000 rounds of ammunition. Any Jews still found in possession of weapons without valid licenses are threatened with the severest punishment.1

On November 9, 1938, the Nazi government initiated "Kristallnacht," where thousands of unarmed, helpless Jews were attacked by government sanctioned mobs. Certainly, if the Jews had firearms, the mobs would have thought twice about destroying their businesses and homes. I have heard some nuts say the Jews did nothing to protect or defend themselves in the Holocaust. What can you do when you have been disarmed and there are masses of people with torches and clubs willing to bash you into the next week? Or quasi military organizations like the SS or the Gestapo armed with automatic weapons comes around to take you away? There was some resistance, but those who resisted were killed or maimed. No, there was little that Germany's Jews could do to defend themselves in the face of State directed genocide.

Of course, at this time in Germany, they had full gun registration. If you were a German citizen and not a Jew, you could still own a gun. However, the German legislature was the first to distinguish between military and sporting arms. So, ownership of pistols and semi automatic rifles were prohibited. Every weapon in possession by the citizenry was recorded.

As the pendulum in the battles of WWII swung to the allies side, Germany was forced to play its trump card. Finally, in 1942, the state went forward and initiated confiscation of all firearms. Paranoia of their leader and others in positions of power drove them to take away all firearms for fear of a popular uprising.

The path to gun control is paved with good intentions. Registering weapons does nothing to keep them out of the hands of those who would use them to harm us. It does give the government a "Black List" to move upon when the time comes for confiscation. As an American gun owner, I do not fear my government. My government, technically, fears me and all the other millions of gun owners.

Rep. Edwin Arthur Hall-NY, Member of the House of Representatives from 1939 to 1953, explained: "Before the advent of Hitler or Stalin, who took power from the German and Russian people, measures were thrust upon the free legislatures of those countries to deprive the people of the possession and use of firearms, so that they could not resist the encroachments of such diabolical and vitriolic state police organizations as the Gestapo, the Ogpu, and the Cheka."9

Rep. John W. Patman-TX, Member of the House from 1928 to 1976, added: "The people have a right to keep arms; therefore, if we should have some Executive who attempted to set himself up as dictator or king, the people can organize themselves together and, with the arms and ammunition they have, they can properly protect themselves. . . ."

One must fear the government that wants to take their gun. Now, the State of California wishes to infringe upon our Second Amendment Right because some ninnies in Starbucks feel threatened by citizens exercising their personal right to carry an unloaded weapon. Schwarzenegger's political career is shot to hell. He is becoming more of a Kennedy daily. I bet that ninny signs the open carry restriction bill.

Arizona - Drawing a Line in the Sand

Arizona passed SB 1070 and raised a real national ruckus. The media describes it as a "National Firestorm" and are making big dollars selling ad time by keeping it as a top story every night. True, there are many who feel the law is wrong, discriminatory, and opens a door to racial profiling. There are many who believe Arizona cops will be playing like the Gestapo, taking unsuspecting Latinos off the street to an uncertain future. When you read the law you discover that police must have a reason to ask for ID, they cannot just "profile" someone and take them into custody. To date, the President nor our Fearless Leader of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, have read the bill. Here, read the bill for yourself: http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/49leg/2r/bills/sb1070s.pdf

70% of Arizonans believe strongly in this law. Over 50% of Americans support the law. Over the past 8 years, drug related crime has increased in Arizona. Phoenix has become the kidnap capital of the North America. Mexican druglords run raids to kill rivals and other associates as far north as Phoenix. Ranchers on the border live in fear for the lives of their families as drug cartel couriers armed with assault rifles cross their lands constantly. In April in Pinal County, directly south of Phoenix, there were 64 high speed car chases. 100% of the perpetrators were illegal immigrants.

Here is how Sheriff Babeu of Pinal County described it:
"Last month (April) alone, just in one patrol region, we had sixty-four pursuits. That means people who were driving a vehicle, failed to yield, took off like a bat out of hell, running red lights, creating traffic wrecks, numerous people were killed in these wrecks over the last several months, and who are these people? Not one of them was a U.S. citizen."

How did we get here?

Democrats didn’t want to do anything with immigration as many in their party like the open borders concept. Here is Marcella Aviles, the Executive Director of San Jose's Mexican Heritage Plaza’s take on open borders.: http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_14996692 Some Democrats believe it is criminal not to let Latinos into our country. They are so downtrodden in Mexico and Guatemala et al they crave the many freedoms that America has to offer. They have rights as a human being to decide where they wish to live and they wish to live here. America needs to accept the fact that our population growth will come from the south and our nation will become more Hispanic. There are still others who believe that California, Arizona, and Nevada still belong to Mexico and these people crossing the border are only moving into another state of their own country. The Democrats see power coming from across the border. If these folks can be made into citizens, they will become union members, community activists, and serve to grow the democratic voting block.

The Republicans have had no appetite to do anything about the border until now. For many years, illegal labor helped build the homes and downtowns of San Diego, LA, Phoenix, Tucson, the Bay Area. Big business and the Republicans looked the other way. Big Business, more specifically-real estate developers, have spent a lot of time preventing any immigration legislation. You can’t build brick homes in Texas and pay a union wage! You can’t build a 500 home subdivision and pay prevailing wage to all workers. That is not economically feasible. Homes would be way too expensive. The way to make it work is to have a big chunk of your workforce working below prevailing wages. Thus, the defacto rules were to allow illegals into the country with a nod and a wink to border enforcement.

The growth of illegal immigration has been pretty steady since 1986 when Reagan allowed a “path to citizenship.” Crime has increased dramatically as a result. My best friend is a defense attorney in San Mateo County. Most of his business on the public defender side is illegal immigrants. Thus we pay Public Defenders something like $400 per hour to defend people who should not be here. Their crimes cost us more in insurance payments. Heck, California has the highest uninsured drivers’ premiums in the country. We pay more in taxes to pay for the additional corrections personnel and jail improvements and expansions. That’s not to mention the billions in subsidies spent nationwide on welfare, food, housing, and medical treatments for those living here illegally. Annually, there is legislation in the Cal Assembly to officially make our state bilingual. Is everyone ready to force your kids to learn Spanish in school? Well, teachers love it. That’s at least one more teacher per school for which we can all pay.

Legislation I’d like to see: Place the National Guard on the borders. They take all illegal immigrants crossing the border to a concentration station on the border where they can be fingerprinted, photographed and shipped by bus back across the border. If they are caught again, jail time, then back across the border. Caught smuggling people or drugs? You go to immigrant jail. Not a normal federal jail. It’s more like a Mexican jail, but nastier.

No path to citizenship for anyone with a past criminal record either here or in Mexico or in the miserable country they hail from. Back across the border they go and into our criminal database.

Those wishing to become citizens shall pay a substantial fine for living illegally in our country. Hey, they skated on paying taxes for years, they ought to pay up a bit before we welcome them with open arms. After they pay their fine and complete the other legalities of immigration, they get a green card. Now they must take English and civics classes and have a passing grade of 75% or better to be considered for their citizenship tests. I will not stand to have a bunch of radicals here as Reagan allowed in his 1986 Cart Blanche Amnesty. I don’t want a bunch of Sandinistas and other central American radicals given sanctuary here. They don’t like democracy in their country and they don’t like it here.

What I am getting to is, the Democrats and Republicans are equally guilty of allowing this flow of illegal immigrants into this country for different reasons. If our government fails to provide a safe living environment for those living in our border states, then it is up to those states to protect their citizens. The Federal gov has failed us if states are enacting laws like SB 1070. Arizona is standing up for the rights of its citizens to live in a secure environment. The Republicans have grabbed hold of this issue and have a real tiger by the tail. They have captured the imagination of much of the nation. I hope they do something constructive with it.