Rocky Mountain News guest columnist, Bill Blomberg writes in SPEAKOUT (2/23/07), that Support for the Electoral College system would vanish, if the Federal Income Tax rate for each state was adjusted to equal a state’s relative electoral strength.  Under such a plan, residents of states with big populations would pay lesser Income Tax rates while people in the smaller states would (proportionately) pay a much greater share of the national tax load. 

Blomberg forgets that we live under a ‘Representative Democracy’ not an actual democracy.  Congress is made up of 535 elected representatives not 300,000,000 voting individuals.  In fact, those Congressional seats (and consequently the number of Electoral votes) are now and have always been, awarded based on relative population.  The key word there being ‘relative’ as would be related to ‘representative’.

Under Blomberg’s ‘pay to play’ tax system, people would be financially motivated to move to the tax-subsidized states of: New York, Florida, Illinois and California, thereby further exacerbating the population disparity between the big and small states, which would in turn, further increase the tax incentives for folks to abandon the small states.

On the other hand, if states with the greatest populations were proportionately assessed for tax expenditures such as: national defense, low income assistance programs, education and administration, much of Blomberg’s tax disparity would be equalized.  Perhaps those living in the big population states should be charged proportionately higher fees for: energy, food and telecommunications & programming services, since they produce so little yet consume so much. 

Maybe the founders, who created the Electoral College, understood the value of ‘representative government’ as opposed to ‘a government of individuals’ and perhaps we should have the wisdom to avoid the temptation to tinker with it.      

 

 

Apparently, InterMountain Jewish News columnist, Jay Bushinsky (Shrinking Planet 2/9/07), is clairvoyant.  Without the benefit of actually speaking to any members of the Bush Administration or the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mr. Bushinsky has divined what people, like the President, were thinking prior to undertaking the liberation of Iraq.  Bushinsky is so much smarter than our elected officials, that he knows what they didn’t even know themselves and he knew it before they even began that task, Hallelujah, it’s a miracle!

Furthermore, the ‘Great Jay’ proclaims, that two cities which he’s never even gazed upon – Gaza and Baghdad, are “mirror-like” and reminiscent of another town he’s never been in – Beirut.  How does he do it?  How fortunate are we to have the profound insights of an armchair, second-guessing MENSA from planet Bushinsky to enlighten us with his truths.  Unlike himself, Bushinsky chides the Foreign Press for relying on local Palestinian and Iraqi translators to get their stories, fearing that such ‘go-betweens’ may be influencing the Press accounts from those areas.  Fortunately, Jay Bushinsky has a better, smarter, more nuanced way to gather his news – he makes it up.  Why waste time actually traveling to these distant lands?  Why risk actually learning something by interviewing those elected to make the hard decisions?  And how stupid it would be to rely on locals as guides in places where you don’t know your way around or speak the language.

Bushinsky complains that there is an excess of weapons of “individual destruction” in the Middle East.  I would contend that relying on individuals, such as Jay Bushinsky, for information about the Middle East is indeed a formula for America’s defeat and Israel’s destruction.

 

Just one day after first-term U.S. senator, Barack Obama announced his candidacy for the 2008 democrat nomination One, Australia's prime minister, John Howard criticized Obama’s opposition to the Iraq war and his pledge to remove all U.S. combat forces from that country by March 31, 2008.  Australian’s Prime Minister, a staunch U.S. ally who has sent troops to Iraq and faces his own re-election bid later this year, said Obama's proposals would spell disaster for the Middle East. "I think that will just encourage those who want to completely destabilize and destroy Iraq, and create chaos and a victory for the terrorists to hang on and hope for an Obama victory," Howard said on Nine Network television. "If I were running al-Qaida in Iraq, I would put a circle around March 2008 and be praying as many times as possible for a victory, not only for Obama but also for the Democrats." Howard has repeatedly defied domestic opposition to the war by keeping about 1,400 non-combat Australian troops in and around Iraq and refusing to set a deadline for their withdrawal saying, "If it's all right for us to go, it's all right for the Americans and the British to go, and if everybody goes, Iraq will descend into total civil war and there'll be a lot of bloodshed."

Obama issued a statement saying that Howard wasn't in a position to be overly critical. "If Prime Minister Howard truly believes what he says, perhaps his country should find its way to contribute more than just 1,400 troops so some American troops can come home," he said. "It's easy to talk tough when it's not your country or your troops making the sacrifices."

After years of democrats advancing the perception, that President Bush has alienated America’s friends oversees, its instructive how the ‘great Uniter’, Barack Obama has succeeded in creating a real rift with one of our staunchest allies and it only took him two days. In truth, you would be hard pressed to find a single instance of President Bush saying anything derogatory or demeaning about anyone, save our sworn enemies.  Never mind Press Releases that pass in the night, George W. Bush remains presidential even when confronted, face-to-face, by such rude antagonists as Senators Webb, Pelosi and Reid or foreign fascists like Ahmadinejad, Chavez and Bin Laden.

Is this what Obama’s campaign means by “changing the way we do things in Washington”? 

 

It wasn’t too long ago that many Americans felt like they needed to take a long shower after watching TV on Super Bowl Sunday.  Not so with this year’s broadcast.  Beginning with the Pre-Game Show intro, featuring the mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, teachers and mentors of various players, this montage recognized the years of encouragement and sacrifices, made by family and friends and was both sentimental and spiritually uplifting.

 

Besides for Chicago’s “Tank” Johnson having been called as a witness to a recent shooting, there were no players on parole, under suspicion of domestic crimes or suspended by the Commissioner.  With no Tony Kornheiser, in the announce booth, trying to insert his liberal agenda into every aspect of the game, the play-by-play of Jim Nantz was straightforward and professional.

 

The Piano Man sang our National Anthem and fortunately, didn’t have to drive himself off the field. The Color Guard was respected and the Air Force flyover was low and loud and right on time.  The singer formerly known as Prince, who’d embraced religion, looked and sang a lot like Prince, but without the sleaze or any ‘wardrobe malfunctions’.  

 

Big time commercials by Coke and Budweiser actually promoted good citizenship and a kind of ‘pay it forward’ philosophy.  And with the possible exception of the wet T-shirt contest going on over at Go Daddy.com, it was a family friendly broadcast from start to finish. And what a finish it was.  Tony Dungy, a man who lost his son to suicide, showed us all how he dealt with that adversity by coming back to win the Super Bowl just 14 month later.

 

But it was Coach Dungy’s post-game comments that provided the high point of the entire day’s spectacle.  When asked about how felt about (both he and Chicago coach Lovie Smith) being the first Black coaches to reach the Super Bowl, Dungy said, “I’m proud to be representing African-American coaches… but more than anything Christian coaches, showing than you can win, doing it the Lord’s way…that you can win professionally, you can win with class.”

 

Peyton Manning, the greatest active Quarterback in the NFL and all around good guy, was humble and gracious in victory.  Manning’s Super Bowl triumph after nine seasons illustrates to all Americans how to persevere and win!  Friends, family, teachers and coaches who share the dream – the two best teams in the Country, quality players, wholesome entertainment, uplifting commercials, and a physically combative game…

Mix in a dose of patriotism, a dash of determination, and a lot of praise for the Lord and you’ve got a Red State nightmare – a truly inspirational football game. 

 

See you next year at the Super Bowl.

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

Just for the record, I still support the President. I have not jumped ship, lost my nerve, wavered in my convictions or confidence in his leadership. Despite the Conservative and Republican leaders who’ve come out publicly against ‘the surge’, I remain 100% behind George W. Bush. Sam Brownback, right on life – wrong on reaching out to Iran. Norm Coleman, great on the UN Oil for Food investigation – bad on beating back Baathists in Baghdad. John Warner, fine on increasing the size of the Army – weak on giving our troops the chance to win. Hagel, Snowe and Voinovich – RINOs all and ready to ‘cut & run’ along with every Democrat in Congress. How is it that among the 280 democrats in Congress, not one thinks that Iraq is worth the effort? What if Lot came to the Democrats today looking for just ten good men in order to avoid disaster? Could he find anyone other than Joe Liebermann and would the entire democrat party be turned into a pillar of salt?

The question today is – are we at war with Islam or Terrorism and is Islam a religion that espouses violence? Not all Muslims are terrorists and not all terrorists are Muslims, but All the Terrorists, we are at war with, are engaged in terror in the name of Islam. And furthermore, regardless of whether or not the Koran preaches violent Jihad against infidels, 100% of those, who seek to do us harm, are motivated by their belief in Islam. In other words, our enemies are engaged in a religious war while we are basically seeking security from their terror tactics. Consequently, it should come as no surprise that our will to fight (as a society as a whole), has diminished while the Jihadists’ Islamic fervor (which has burned in the hearts of Muslims for centuries and) will burn for as long as they believe they can defeat the West.

Let’s be honest, three times more Americans die every year, from errant prescriptions, than have been killed in Iraq since the initial liberation began in March of 2003. More pedestrians die in U.S. cities every year than the 3,000 soldiers killed in Iraq since 3/03.

Every year; 7,000 Americans die from accidental poisoning, 45,000 Americans are killed on our highways and 200,000 die from Cancer yet we don’t hear democrats bemoaning their loss, we don’t see the Media counting each death in headline after headline and we don’t see liberals mounting marches to protest these tragedies. Obviously, they don’t really care about the loss of human life. What they do care about is using the deaths of our brave volunteer soldiers to harm the Bush administration, to promote our failure in Iraq and to gain politically even at the expense of our Country’s security.

By and large, you don’t hear the troops themselves or their families belly-aching about the battle losses in Iraq. Quite to the contrary, it is these fine people who are amongst the strongest supports of the President and his efforts in Iraq and I for one, am proud to count myself among them.

 

With the New Year’s execution of Saddam, the routing of Al Qaida in Somalia and now the hanging of Hussein’s top henchmen, 2007 is getting off to a pretty good start. Despite these positive developments, we can always count on Rocky Mountain News columnist, Paul Campos to find something to whine about (Commentary 1/16/07). Today, Campos is taking on Bill Kristol, Editor of the Conservative national magazine, the Weekly Standard, all-star panelist on the leading cable news round table on television and now, a weekly columnist with Time Magazine. As to the specifics, of his charges against Kristol; I would first note that none of the past statements (that he attributes to Kristol) are referenced. Second, if they are (in fact) Kristol’s words, then I suspect Campos presented them in isolation rather than in their complete context. As a long-time subscriber to The Weekly Standard and regular viewer of Fox News, I never recall Kristol making wildly optimistic and unqualified predictions about ‘smooth sailing’ in Iraq. As to the other points Campos attributes to Kristol [i.e. what constitutes real progress in Iraq, have certain events (in Iraq) been ‘historic’ and what degree of sectarian violence actually constitutes a civil war], I’ll leave those to Kristol himself to refute, but as to the timing of this particular Campos rant, I suggest the following: When Bill Kristol speaks to Conservatives on FOX News or in his own publication, the Standard, Campos could care less, but now that Kristol has earned access to a National liberal readership, Campos (and other liberals) is afraid that he will now have to actually debate a well-reasoned Conservative viewpoint.
Rather than simply tearing down everything Republican or Conservative, lightweights like Campos, will now have to actually advance alternatives ideas and solutions. Forced to put up or shut up - my money is on Kristol. Except for offering pointers on dieting, Campos has yet to get anything right. He’s a college law professor who never writes about the law and alongside an intellectual giant, such as William Kristol, America will see that Campos isn’t qualified to bag Kristol’s groceries.

 

Only days after witnessing the parting of the Red Sea and being freed from generations of slavery, the Hebrews lost their way and caused Moses to destroy the original Ten Commandments. 3000 years later, Republicans forgot Ronald Reagan’s 11^th Commandment and (like the ancients) are now doomed, once again, to wander in the ‘political’ wilderness.

In 1998, as Republicans recoiled at the immorality of Bill Clinton, they united behind candidate George W. Bush. Was he a perfect person? Did Republican Blue Bloods, Fiscal Conservatives, Religious Conservatives, Libertarians, Log Cabin Republicans and Neo Conservatives all think (he) was their ‘ideal’ candidate? Probably not, but did all these disparate groups unite behind one man and, like Reagan advised, did they all “speak no evil of (their) fellow Republican’ leadership? The answer is simply – yes!

Again in 2002 and 2004, there seldom was heard a discouraging word about Republicans by Republicans. No sooner had the President and the Republican Congressional majorities been re-elected, when our own conservative talk show hosts and pundits began publicly, banging away at Bush about; Dubai Ports, Guantanamo, Harriet Meirs, Immigration policy, Katrina, Rx Medicare benefit, Social Security Private accounts, Terrorist Surveillance and Interrogation programs and Troop levels in Iraq. No longer content to simply educate their audiences and constituencies about Conservatism, the Talk Show hosts and even Republican elected officials all decided they were now, the ‘smartest person(s) in the room’. Forget the fact that the President has immediate access to all the intelligence - all the time and is the one man who sees the ‘big picture’, these self-appointed know-it-alls began chipping away at Bush’s credibility, thereby giving Democrats and the liberal Mainstream Media (MSM) extra ammunition to discredit Republican leadership.

Even on the issue of Iraq, Republicans joined the ‘chorus of critics’ who openly criticized the Administration’s competence and management of that conflict, rather than acknowledging the enemy’s determination and resolve.

In retrospect, George W. Bush was both a Uniter and a Divider. He united Republicans of all stripes and got Republican majorities elected in both Houses of Congress as well as back-to-back Presidencies. Simultaneously, President Bush divided traditional Democrats from the Looney, liberal Left who were singularly driven by their irrational hatred of Bush and a desire to promote (his) failure in office.

Ultimately, when the going got tough – many Republican leaders and opinion makers went MIA, but not until they’d killed our own legislative majorities with ‘friendly fire’.

What’s the matter? Were there no longer enough Democrats to criticize? Couldn’t find any dangerous, liberal nut-jobs to focus in on? Who decided that Al Qaida, Ahmadinejad, Assad and Kim Jon Il were yesterday’s news? Way to go team! I shudder to think what Republicans will do for an encore…can you spell H.I.L.LA.R.Y?

 

During the 35 year reign of Saddam Hussein, Sunnis’ ruled the roost. Despite their constituting only 10% of the indigenous population, the ruling Baathist Party not only put Sunnis in positions of power they also allowed and encouraged minority Sunnis to occupy homes and territory in traditional Shiite areas. Given the downfall of Saddam and the natural ascendancy of the majority Shiites, it’s not surprising they are now seeking a ‘perceived’ “Right of Return” to their historic neighborhoods and communities. Hence, the emergence of armed conflict, often called a Civil War, is simply an Ethnic Cleansing that must be allowed to reach its logical end. Such behavior was tolerated in Bosnia-Herzegovina and is a stated demand of the Hamas-led Palestinian government - surely Iraq deserves no less.

If the Iraqi Government and the United States Military really wish to see a significant improvement in the security situation in Baghdad, they should immediately encourage and facilitate the expulsion of these ‘Sunni-squatters’ from predominant Shiite neighborhoods and compensate their relocation in traditional Sunni towns. This may sound harsh, but ultimately it will require separating these tribal peoples geographically within Iraq in order for there to be peace. We can either wait until these ‘Sunni-settlers’ are killed off, one car bomb at a time, or bite the bullet now by exercising Eminent Domain, providing fair compensation and make Baghdad a Sunni-free zone.

The World Community cheered when Israel forced its Jewish citizens from their homes in Gaza despite the violence and difficulty in achieving that goal. In fact, Prime Minister Olmert’s Kadima Party was elected on a platform of similarly evacuating the West Bank and no one thought that idea was impossible. Saddam infused into Baghdad thousands of his own tribesmen from Kirkuk, Takrit and Samarra which then, artificially caused the capital city to be included in the ‘Sunni Triangle’ despite its historical Shiite identity.

The time has come for them to return home, get outta Dodge, make like a tree and leave. If we believe that Israelis and Palestinians can live “side-by-side”, then Shiites and Sunnis should be able to too – all they need is a little place they can call their own.

 I saw the RNC commercial on Hardball and can't understand why Mathews considers the Blonde girlfriend's appearance (at the end of the spot) to be racist? Even though the commercial doesn't show Harold Ford, Jr. you'd think by the way Mathews reacted to it, that Congressman Ford was a Black man and that Tennessee was in the Old South. I've NEVER hear Ford refer to himself as Black. He doesn't campaign by saying, "vote for me, because I'm an African-American and deserve 'special' consideration". From the sound of his name, I'd never know he was Black, brown or blue. Now if his name was distictly ethnic then you might make a case for using a Blonde instead of a Brunette (or even a Redhead) as a Racist ploy, but when the guy is named Harold Ford, Jr. how much more WASPish a moniker could someone have? The only thing racist regarding this ad is the assumption that Ford's race matters. Clearly, it's NOT an issue with him, but oddly, it is with liberals like Mathews. Personally, I think the insinuation (from this commercial) that
Ford is 'in bed with' Pornographers is much more damaging to his election prospects. Surprisingly, Ford's defenders have chosen to 'play the race card' while letting the allogations of taking money from Pornographers go unanswered. Next thing you know, they'll be throwing Oreo cookies at Ford's opponent or putting 'public' hairs on his Coke can...Whoops, been there - done that, already.

 

In the 50s, when I watched George Reeves fight for Truth, Justice and the American Way - this Country was the ONLY outpost of Liberty and Democracy on the planet. Today, a new Democracy emerges onto the world scene every year or so offering millions the hope of Truth and Justice taking hold in lands once ruled by Nazism, Communism, Baathism or Islamo-fascism. Just as President Bush says in speech after speech, "Freedom is G-d's gift to Mankind", now may be the right time to replace the words 'American way' with 'The way of the World'.
Yeah, I agree that Hollywood inserting 'all that Stuff' was intended to disparage our Freedom, but even Hollywood's 'super' effort can't stop the march of Democracy. Fifty years later, Superman's territory is being expanded. As far as I'm concerned, the more people around the World who root for Superman, the fewer that are rooting for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Kim Jong Il, Osama Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein.

 At a recent Press briefing, Tony Snow was asked why he thought, North Korea chose July 4th, at the very same moment NASA launched space shuttle Discovery, to launch seven missiles of its own, into the Sea of Japan? Did (he) think that with all the recent attention paid to Iran’s efforts to develop nuclear weapons, the North Koreans wanted the world’s spotlight to again shine their way? With President Bush, fresh off his visit to Graceland with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, Snow responded that the coincidence of launching on our Independence Day might have been intentional but he believed that there was no connection to the Shuttle lift off.
North Korea’s Dictator; Kim Jong Il; well-known for his giant glasses, playboy lifestyle and big, bouffant hair believes himself to be ‘the God-King’ and God’s gift to women everywhere. In effect - Elvis incarnate. Imagine Kim’s dismay when his nemesis from across the sea, Koizumi, was seen around the world, playing his air-guitar with Pricilla and Lisa Marie Presley, live in Memphis.
Personally, I believe that a severe case of ‘Elvis-envy’ pushed the little pot-bellied, dog-eating dictator to launch against Japan and Hawaii (site of numerous Elvis movies).
In the aftermath of this diplomatic faux pas, there are only three possible solutions; UN sanctions, Military action or President Bush could extend a similar invitation to Kim Jong Il to be his guest at Graceland as well.  And just to make sure Kim doesn’t get to feeling like ‘yesterday's news’, the prez should take him to Disney World as well. After (he) gets a look at the night time spectacular pyrotechnics, narrated by Jiminy Cricket and the Blue Fairy, Kim will realize his rockets and nukes are no match and will beg for peace and a little rendezvous with the Blue Fairy at Cinderella’s Castle.