INVASION USA

Who the hell cares what you think? An AP story appearing in Napa News:
Mexico criticizes U.S. immigration-control bill
'We oppose ... our migrants be denied drivers' licenses'

I wonder if they would oppose this?

Joseph Farah writes:

So, I suggest maybe it's time to conquer Mexico. We're so intent on freeing 26 million Iraqis from a corrupt, barbaric tyranny. What about 100 million Mexicans? Don't they deserve a government of the people, by the people and for the people? How about truly free elections south of the border?

Maybe it's time to free Mexico. And worse, Mexico is proving to be a more serious national security threat to the United States than Saddam Hussein's Iraq was.

Read the rest.

Root of Terrorism

Many terrorism apologists like to claim poverty is what is causing terrorism. I have always disregarded this argument and dismissed it as nonsense. Now a Saudi official says teaching, and not poverty, is the root of terrorism.

He blames 'indoctrination that teaches young people they can kill justifiably.'

Secure the Borders, Mr. Bush

"The president's budget, however, would short-change the Border Patrol by 1,790 new agents next year. On Feb. 8, the day after the budget was released, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Spokesman Manny Van Pelt told me that "we haven't yet determined" the number of new ICE agents and new detention beds the budget includes."

Read the whole thing, Secure the border, byTerence Jeffrey.

More Churchill (not Winston)

Moron More on Ward Churchill:
The quote of the day: While discussing slur sir Churchill, CNN's Aaron Brown asked Dahlia Lithwick of Slate.com: "Just on the face of it, academic freedom ought to embrace even dumb things, I suppose. Is that right?" Lithwick responded, "That's sort of the cornerstone of the notion of what university is about, Aaron."

George Neumayr writes:

That embracing dumb ideas is the cornerstone on which universities are now built explains why those who exercise reason and demand the observance of rational standards are treated as the only real threats to academic freedom. It explains why tenured professorships are meted out not on the basis of intelligence but its absence -- on a kind of promise not to use one's mind should it conflict with reigning academic dogmas. Playing dumb is now an academic job requirement. Literally dumb: you must not say or see certain things.

Read his entire article here.

Update: Ward Churchill reportedly trained a domestic terror group. According to a Fox News report citing the Jan. 18, 1987 issue of the Denver Post, Churchill taught the radical, revolutionary group known as the Weathermen how to make bombs and fire weapons. Details.

Why You Should Care About H.R. 418

"The Real ID Act about to be voted on in Congress is a vital first step in the struggle to secure our borders, and turn back the flow of illegal aliens into our country."

Anyone remotely interested in comprehensive immigration reform should watch the action in Congress this week about drivers' licenses and terrorists. On Wednesday, the House of Representatives begins floor consideration of the Real ID Act (H.R. 418), legislation drafted by House Judiciary Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner, which contains the antiterrorist provisions dropped from the intelligence-reform (post-9/11 Commission) legislation late last year.

Full Report....

(LOST) A Losing Proposition

Following is a list of articles explaining what "LOST" is all about, and all that is wrong with it.

Sink the Law of the Sea Treaty
by Doug Bandow

Faulty Repairs: The Law of the Sea Treaty is Still Unacceptable
by Doug Bandow

Will Law of the Sea Treaty Sink or Swim?
by Thomas P. Kilgannon

Warning: LOST again
by Henry Lamb

Action Alert, Law of the Sea Treaty: The Libery Committee
by Kent Snyder

United Nations' Law of the Sea Treaty
by Cheryl K. Chumley

"L.O.S.T." Treaty Appropriately Named
by Doug Wrenn

Freedom at Sea, Too
by Frank Gaffney

Sovereignty Under Siege by Sea Treaty
by Paul Weyrich

To the Bottom of the Ocean
by Neil Hrab

Frank Gaffney Interview - The Law Of The Sea Treaty, A Critical Treaty That Would
Directly Impact Our National Security
By Gabrielle Reilly

U.N. Law of the Sea Treaty Threatens U.S. Sovereignty
by Tom DeWeese

LOST Cause
by Steve Forbes

Sovereignty Sinking But Not Lost
by Paul Weyrich

Statement to House International Relations Committee
by Dr. Peter Leitner

Brookings Briefing
May 4, 2004

Letter to Senate Majority Leader Frist
April 1, 2004

Statement to Senate Armed Services Committee
by Jeane J. Kirkpatrick (pdf)

Statement to Senate Armed Services Committee
by Doug Bandow

The Law of the Sea Treaty: Inconsistent With American Interests
The Heritage Foundation

Treaty by Stealth -- Again!
by Henry Lamb

We Should Drown Law Of The Sea
by Phyllis Schlafly

Law of The Sea By Dark of Night
by Paul Weyrich

Global nightmare: Saving the LOST
by Jane Chastain

John Kerry's Treaty
by Frank Gaffney

LOST is Found
Human Events

Entangled in a Web of World Government
by Henry Lamb

A big thanks to The Liberty Committee for supplying many of these links.

A Lack of Support?

Bill Cosby has been making the news in recent months over his criticism of current black culture, lack of parenting, male role models, etc. My guess here, is that Jesse Jackson does not like the message.

What the ..........?

Philosophical Question

Chrenkoff asks:

"As the old riddle goes, if a tree falls in the forest and no one's there to hear it, does it make a sound? Or more importantly, if a country like Afghanistan is getting back on its feet and there's no one to report it, does it actually happen? As far as the people of Afghanistan are concerned, thankfully yes; as far as the rest of the world, all too often the answer is no. That's why it's so important that the stories of Afghans - and those who are helping them - be told."

We Lose with LOST

More reading on Law of the Sea Treaty (LOST). This is a fitting acronym. Read, study, research, and contact your congressional representatives and tell them NO!

(hat tip to MoverMike)

More on the "Nutty Professor"

Anti-American Prof Met With Gadhafi

"The Ward Churchill story keeps getting more outrageous; today the Rocky Mountain News reports that in 1983, Churchill traveled to Libya and met with Muammar Gadhafi—to enlist his 'diplomatic support:' Churchill met with Gadhafi."

From Charles at LGF

Losing a Fine Blogger

The Diplomad has decided to hang up his (?) blogging keyboard. I will miss his/her/their blogging incite from the State Department and their hands-on critique of the Useless Nations United Nations. Please visit the sister site The Daily Demarche.

Woman Kills Possible Fetus Snatcher

FORT MITCHELL, Ky. — A nine-months' pregnant woman fought off and killed a knife-wielding woman who may have been trying to steal the baby, police said Friday.

Read the rest at Fox News

Is it Time to Start Using Corn Husks?

Forests Being 'Slaughtered for Toilet Paper,' Actress Declares
Washington (CNSNews.com) - An American television actress is blasting the U.S. news media for failing to report that "endangered forests are being slaughtered for toilet paper." Full Story

Do they goose-step too?

Hey, where did the new PA policemen learn to salute like that?

click to enlarge

From Backspin.

Tsunami aid

This underscores the problem with foreign aid. It never seems to fail that a large portion of the aid, whether it be food, money, medicine, or whatever, does not get into the hands of those for whom it was intended.

We have the UN saying it needs more aid. We then have: Pres. Bush pledging to request $950 million for tsunami relief.

And while we have the UN begging for more aid and the US is poising to give more aid the Sri Lanka government has admitted aid has reached only about 30% of nearly a million people who need it, not to mention that there have been reports of aid disappearing and of relief camps serving rotten food.

Another documented failure of the UN?

Not Likely to Hear This

Another e-mail I received and thought I would post it so that I could share it with my readers.

The State of the Union Address I'd Like to Hear:

Good Evening, my fellow Americans:

As you all know, the defeat of Iraq regime has been completed. Since congress does not want to spend any more money on this war, our mission in Iraq is complete.

This morning I gave the order for a complete removal of all American forces from Iraq. This action will be complete within 30 days. It is now time to begin the reckoning.

Before me, I have two lists. One list contains the names of countries that have stood by our side during the Iraq conflict. This list is short. The United Kingdom, Spain, Bulgaria, Australia, and Poland are some of the countries listed there.

The other list contains everyone not on the first list. Most of the world's nations are on that list. My press secretary will be distributing copies of both lists later this evening. Let me start by saying that effective immediately, foreign aid to those nations on List 2 ceases immediately and indefinitely.

The money saved during the first year alone will pretty much pay for the costs of the Iraqi war. The American people are no longer going to pour money into third world Hell-holes and watch those government leaders grow fat on corruption.

Need help with a famine? Wrestling with an epidemic? Call France. In the future, together with Congress, I will work to redirect this money toward solving the vexing social problems we still have at home. On that note, a word to terrorist organizations. Screw with us and we will hunt you down and eliminate you and all your friends from the face of the earth.

Thirsting for a gutsy country to terrorize? Try France, Germany, or maybe China. To Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Yo, boys. Work out a peace deal now. Just note that Camp David is closed. Maybe all of you can go to Russia for negotiations. They have some great palaces there --- big tables, too.

By the way, Palestinians, we are no longer going to restrain Israel! I am ordering the immediate severing of diplomatic relations with France, Germany, and Russia. Thanks for all your help, comrades. We are retiring from NATO as well. Bon chance, Mon Amis.

I have instructed the Mayor of New York City to begin towing the many UN diplomatic vehicles located in Manhattan with more than two unpaid parking tickets to sites where those vehicles will be stripped, shredded and crushed. I don't care about whatever treaty pertains to this.

You creeps have tens of thousands of unpaid tickets. Pay those tickets tomorrow or watch your precious Benzes, Beamers, and limos be turned over to some of the finest chop shops in the world.

God, I love New York!

A special note to our neighbors. Canada is on List 2. Since we are likely to be seeing a lot more of each other, you folks might want to try not pissing us off for a change.

Mexico is also on List 2. President Fox and his entire corrupt government really need an attitude adjustment. I will have a couple of extra tank and infantry divisions sitting around. Guess where I am going to put em? Yep, border security.

So start doing something with your oil. Oh, by the way, the United States is abrogating the NAFTA treaty---starting now. We are sick and tired of the one-way highway. It is time for America to focus on its own welfare and its own citizens. Some will accuse us of isolationism. I answer them by saying, "You're Damned Right!"

Nearly a century of trying to help folks live a decent life around the world has only earned us the undying enmity of just about everyone on the planet. It is time to eliminate hunger in America. It is time to eliminate homelessness in America. It is time to eliminate World Cup Soccer from America. And it's time to eliminate the Designated Hitter and Artificial Turf as well.

To the nations on List 1, a final thought. Thanks guys. We owe you and we won't forget. To the nations on List 2, a final thought. Go to Hell !!!!

God Bless America! Thank you and good night.

BORDERS

I received this e-mail today: (All emphasis mine, ed.)

According to the Arizona Republic, a top Homeland Security Official has confirmed that the President's 2006 budget will not include funding for additional Border Patrol Agents.

Mike Albon, a spokesman for U.S. Border Patrol Agents says additional help is badly needed, and without extra funding, "the agents are not going to be there. We need all the help we can get."

What makes this such an intriguing issue is the fact that during the hotly contested debate over the Intelligence bill passed by Congress late last year, part of the reason it passed was because language was included that called for a doubling of the size of the Border Patrol over the next five years-or the addition of 2,000 agents per year.

However, outgoing Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, told USA Today that an increase of that size simply wasn't feasible?

Not feasible?

Right now, Mexico is knowingly sending more than one million of its own people each year to illegally enter the United States it would seem to us that the American people are under attack. In fact, the Mexican government has gone so far as to print and distribute more than 1.5 million copies of "Guide for the Mexican Immigrant", a kind of "how-to guide" for crossing the border illegally.

To underscore the issue, word is that the Mexican government is threatening to sue the State of Arizona in "international courts" to block implementation of Proposition 200--Arizona's bold law that blocks services to illegal aliens!

The issue has gotten way out of hand, and additional Border Agents must become "feasible" if the American people have any hope of being protected.

But, if you aren't convinced that the Illegal Immigration issue isn't worth pursuing just look at these numbers taken from a Washington Times report:

* In 2004, 1.15 million illegals were apprehended.
That is more than 3,100 every day, and a 24% increase over 2003.

* Of the 1.15 million, 23,000 had criminal records.
84 were murder suspects, 37 were suspected kidnappers,
151 were wanted on sexual assault charges, 313 were robbery
suspects, and nearly 2,700 were implicated on drug-related charges.

* In 2004, Border Agents made 8,577 drug seizures and confiscated
1.4 million pounds of illegal narcotics with an estimated street value
of $1.62 billion.

These were the ones that Border Agents caught. What about the millions that got away? What kind of records do they have? What kind of terror will they bring to our neighborhoods, homes and families?

While the President called for another $80 billion in funds to fight the war on terror thousands of miles away, the one right here at our borders is being hopelessly lost!

HeavyHanded says, quiz time, folks:
What are the top three revenue producing items/categories for Mexico?
#1 is oil.
#3 is tourism.
What is #2?

Answer: U.S. money flowing back to families in Mexico from workers, both legal and illegal, working in the United States.

Without this, this pathetic government would collapse. No wonder the Mexican government wants to flood the U.S. with its people and "eliminate" the border.

They are threatening to sue us for things like prop 200; yet it is illegal in Mexico for illegal immigrants in Mexico to try and get services from Mexican institutions and will face imprisonment or deportation for doing so. So the things that are illegal to do in Mexico are perfectly acceptable for their citizens to do in the U.S. Go figure.

FILTERS MATTER

From the Washington Times Insider
THOMAS SOWELL
Filtering out the best
From the Commentary section

After losing the White House, both houses of Congress and a majority of the governorships and state legislatures, the Democrats are in an ugly and desperate mood, lashing out without regard to how their words and actions will affect this country's position internationally, including giving aid and comfort to our enemies.

This may help explain, but it cannot condone, the obstructionism behind such things as the Democrats' holding up the official Electoral College vote count on President Bush's re-election or harassing Condoleezza Rice during her confirmation hearings to become secretary of state.

This is more than a passing mood among bitter sore losers. For a whole generation now, and especially since the orchestrated smear campaign against the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Robert Bork in 1987, Senate confirmation hearings have often had an ugly Roman circus atmosphere whenever a nominee was someone special interests feared or hated.

At some point, either this administration or some future administration needs to put the brakes on this kind of behavior because many people with achievements and dignity will not agree to become nominees if it means being dragged through the mud by irresponsible politicians on national television.

One way to stop this would be to nominate someone whose qualifications and integrity are widely respected -- someone who might ordinarily be confirmed by a 90-10 vote -- and send just his or her record to the Senate, asking for an up-or-down vote, without the nominee being present.

No doubt the Senate prima donnas would be outraged and the demagogues would protest loudly. That would be the time for the president at the time to go to the public and explain the reason for the decision to proceed in this way.
Of course, such a procedure would affect the vote. But, if the nominee is confirmed by 60-40, this is just as good as being confirmed 90-10. And it would set a precedent.

Naturally, it will matter when a test like this is made, what kind of nominee is available, and whether the leader of the Senate majority can count on enough votes to confirm. It matters because filters matter.

The kind of process through which individuals are filtered changes the mix of people who emerge on the other side, whether that process is Senate confirmation or any of the others people must pass through to reach a coveted position.

The consistently low academic quality of public school teachers, as shown by innumerable studies going back more than a half-century, is an almost inevitable result of filtering them through schools of education, whose ridiculous teacher training courses would repel virtually any intelligent person.

Some dedicated intelligent people may suffer through ed school in order to teach, but many others will decide they have better things to do than listen to the pretentious garbage presented to students under the guise of teacher training.

Whether in the corporate world or the military, as politics and public relations become an increasing role for people at the top, that filter can eliminate individuals whose only real talent is their ability to get the job done right, even if they are not smooth on television or glib at conferences.

Who knows how the great industrial entrepreneurs of the 19th century would have come across on TV? But all they had to do was deliver a good product at a low price. Today, they might be replaced by someone more photogenic or charismatic -- even if the consumers ended up paying more or getting less.

In the military, the difference between a mediocre and a great general can be not only that between victory and defeat but also between life and death for the troops under his command. Could a Douglas MacArthur or a George Patton rise to the same level of command today? And how many more soldiers will lose their lives if they can't?

Filters matter. The Senate should not become a filter like schools of education that filter out good people.

I like the idea of an up or down vote without the political trashingcomittee hearings on cabinet appointees. After all, let's be realistic; if the senators had to go through such a process, before taking their senatorial seat, many would fail the "litmus test" or decide not to run at all.

Straight talk

Neal Boortz aptly points out a misunderstood point about Social Security.

NO MORE TALK OF GUARANTEES

Just a quick note on this Social Security argument. Believe me, there's going to be plenty of time to address this in the coming weeks and months. For right now let's try to set the record straight on the current Democratic line that Bush is trying to replace guarantees with speculation. Know this: there is no guarantee that you will receive any Social Security benefits. Nowhere in the laws of the United States is there any guarantee that anyone will receive Social Security benefits. You would think that the media would take the time to investigate this "guarantee" nonsense and report .... then again, you wouldn't.

Elected Leaders

Chrenkoff has an interesting analysis on the recent Palestinian and Iraq elections.

The new Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, has won a "landslide" victory in the January election, polling 62.3% of the vote in the turnout of about 66%. Hamas, the most powerful political force in Palestinian politics boycotted the poll; it refused to field candidates and called on its members and supporters not to participate. Hamas did not, however, demand that other Palestinians don't vote, nor did it threaten election violence. Subsequently, Hamas contested local elections in Gaza and has won around two third of the seats, clearly demonstrating its political clout (Abbas's candidates won less than a quarter of the seats).

Just about everyone in the world considers the January Palestinian elections to have been reasonably fair and legitimate, and President Abbas to be the legitimate leader of the Palestinian people.

Meanwhile, somewhat to the east of the West Bank and Gaza, the new Iraqi prime minister, most likely a Shia politician, would have also won a landslide victory, probably polling around 60% of the vote out of the turnout of also around 60%. Most (though by no means all) Sunnis, who clearly represent a minority of Iraqi voters, decided to boycott the election. The extremists among that community also conducted a violent campaign against the election and the voters.

Today, questions linger about the legitimacy of the new Iraqi leaders who were elected without the participation of a minority religious group.

Go figure.

This is an interesting piece of information from Betsy's Page:

Here's a historical nugget I'd never seen before. FDR actually thought that Social Security should evolve into a system that sounds suspiciously like private accounts.

In a written statement to Congress in 1935, Roosevelt said that any Social Security plans should include, "Voluntary contributory annuities, by which individual initiative can increase the annual amounts received in old age," adding that government funding, "ought to ultimately be supplanted by self-supporting annuity plans."

Wow. Now we know that both FDR and Bill Clinton supported social security reform.

New Blogger

MoverMike has been added to my blogroll. "Mike is a retired stock broker, and now supports his wife's furniture business. He is her warehouseman, deluxer, and marketing guru. In addition, he writes poetry and finds abundance, health and joy in the world around him while pondering life's little mysteries." Go visit him.

Super Bowl

Congratulations to The New England Patriots. They've done it again!