SurveyUSA: Sen. Allen 56%, Mr. Webb 37%

Question: If the election for United States Senator were today, and you were standing in the voting booth right now, who would you vote for? Republican George Allen? Democrat Jim Webb? Independent Green Gail Parker Or some other candidate?



56% Allen (R)(blue)
37% Webb (D)(red)
2% Parker (IG)
3% Other
3% Undecided

SurveyUSA has the analysis. Release date 06/28/06

The Flag-burning Statements Allen vs Webb

I was just re-reading both statements and Jarding really over-played his hand. I'm taken aback at his display of so much passion when the race has so many laps to go. It's the "bush-league lap-dog" vs the drama queen. I just really don't feel Senator Allen owes me an apology. My husband and I both served in the Gulf War and I'm pretty sure we're in agreement on this... So, Senator Allen. With your permission, Sir. Let the liberal's version of the dogs of war yap at the gate while you get on with your job. Run with the big dogs and get things done. Thank you for the Reciprocal Concealed Carry legislation and keep up the good work. May you walk in the divine favor and wisdom that is the gift of the Creator.

Nancy Pelosi Whacks Jack Murtha

This just in from the Irey campaign:

(MONONGAHELA, June 29) – Washington County Commissioner and Pennsylvania 12th district Republican Congressional nominee Diana Irey – responding to a statement by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, in which Pelosi says the Supreme Court’s decision in the Guantanamo Bay case “reaffirms the rule of law” – today released the following statement:

“A little while ago, Nancy Pelosi released a statement to the press regarding today’s Supreme Court decision on military commissions trying detainees at Guantanamo Bay. Here’s what she said:

“Today’s Supreme Court decision reaffirms the American ideal that all are entitled to the basic guarantees of our justice system. This is a triumph for the rule of law.
“The rights of due process are among our most cherished liberties, and today’s decision is … a reminder of our responsibility to protect both the American people and our Constitutional rights. We cannot allow the values on which our country was founded to become a casualty in the war on terrorism.”

“I welcome Ms. Pelosi to the Irey Campaign Team, and hereby deputize her as a Colonel in the Irey Army – because in releasing that statement, she rebukes Jack Murtha for his reckless condemnation of U.S. Marines at Haditha and his unilateral decision to deprive them of THEIR rights of due process.

“Jack Murtha declared on May 17 that our Marines had ‘killed innocent civilians in cold blood’ – before the first Marine was charged, before the first court-martial was convened, before the first soldier was convicted. When he did that, he deprived our own soldiers of the very rights to due process that Nancy Pelosi extols.

“It’s an odd world, indeed, when Democrat leaders like Nancy Pelosi and Jack Murtha care more about making sure that people trying to kill us have rights to due process under the American legal system than they care about making sure that those very same rights apply to those courageous men and women sitting in the sands of Iraq, doing their best to defend us.

“I knew our campaign against Jack Murtha was making progress, but even I didn’t expect to have the top Democrat in the House joining our team so soon.”

FAIR TAX BLOGBURST 06-28-06

by TD of The Right Track

With any proposal, sooner or later the naysayers start their doom-and-gloom predictions. The FairTax proposal is no exception. There are those out there whining and crying about how "it won't really work that way", despite the fact that the current income tax system isn't working
the way it's supposed to work. I suppose their fear is exchanging the devil they know for the devil they don't know. In this article, I'll highlight some of their worries and attempt to dispel them.

A national sales tax will create a huge black market.

Among all the arguments to be made against the FairTax, perhaps this one holds the least water. Arguments are made that this "black market" will spring up, with people "illegally trading DVDs, cigarettes, canned foods" yada yada yada. OK, illegally trading? What's illegal today about trading those items? Nothing! So what's the problem?

"They'll be avoiding the tax!"

And that's bad, why? My wife buys romance novels at a used book store now. She'd be avoiding the tax, too. She's also reading books that everyone else read weeks or months ago. I say, "Come on, black market!" Only the market won't be black. It can be right in a store front, advertising used books, consignment shops for clothes, furniture, camping equipment, you name it! A whole new type of business will emerge! That will be great for the economy, right? Right!

The national sales tax will give government another reason to make cash purchases illegal.

Those making this argument claim that paying with cash will make it easier to avoid paying the tax. This is simply ridiculous. Number one, most businesses are run by honest, dependable people. It's not the business owner that's being taxed, remember, it's the purchaser of goods
and services. With penalties for those who attempt to cheat the system, the onus is on the business to be open and above-board in collecting and paying the tax. The businesses will keep a small percentage of what they collect in order to offset their expenses in collecting and reporting
the tax! While the consumer might hope for a break from the tax, it would be the rare businessman who would collude with the consumer in his scheme to avoid the tax!

The tax will be used to track your entire financial life.

Coming so closely after the previous argument, you have to laugh. First folks are going to pay with cash to avoid the tax, then the tax will be used to track your entire financial life. Unbelievable. How so? You're not filing a return, are you? To do this, the government would
have to:

1. Obtain records of your purchases from retail or service center outlets


2. Obtain records of your purchases from your financial institution


3. Collate the records in order to see what went where


4. Have a really good reason to waste their time doing this
   

But remember, the tax applies to new goods and services only. Don't want the government to know you bought that new Humvee? Get last year's model from a used car dealer. Want a couple of evening gowns? Hit the new consignment shop that just opened up a few blocks from your
work. But do you know why the government won't track your entire financial life? Simply put, you're not that big a deal. Sorry to deflate your ego, but why would the government care to delve into your personal finances? They don't care what you spend money on, as long as they get their cut!

Simply put, any tax scheme can run rampant over the American people without diligent and unceasing attention on the part of the American taxpayer. It is up to you and I to keep our government on a short leash. We must realize that there are no free rides. When the government gives you something, they have to take something away from you first in order to do so.

As author Edward Abbey said, "A patriot must always be ready to defend his country against its government."

TD

The FairTax Blogburst is jointly produced by Terry of The Right Track Blog and Jonathan of Publius Rendezvous. If you would like to join us, please e-mail Terry or Jonathan. You will be added to our mailing list and blogroll.

Another Contender For 2008?

Go for it!

Senator Allen & Mr. Webb: Flag Amendment Press Releases

From reading these two press releases it isn't hard to see who has the gravitas in this campaign. I've got a whole lot more to say about this but luckily for the blogosphere, work beckons.

Here is the press release from Senator George Allen:

Press Releases

Webb Joins Kerry, Kennedy, Schumer in Opposing Flag Amendment

Protecting Flag Dismissed as ‘Divisive Politics’ by Webb
Contact: Bill Bozin (703) xxx-xxxx

ARLINGTON, VA – Democratic Senate candidate James H. Webb, Jr. has joined Senators John Kerry, Ted Kennedy and Charles Schumer in opposing a constitutional amendment authorizing Congress to protect the American Flag according to today’s Newport News Daily Press.

“James H. Webb, Jr. continues to demonstrate he is totally beholden to the liberal Washington Senators who dragged him across the line in the Democratic primary,” said Dick Wadhams, campaign manager for U.S. Senator George Allen’s reelection campaign. “By announcing his opposition to the Flag Protection Amendment, James H. Webb, Jr. puts himself firmly on the side of John Kerry, Ted Kennedy and Charles Schumer.”

Webb was forced to finally reveal his position on the Flag Protection Amendment following a challenge yesterday by Senator Allen’s campaign. The Senate is debating and voting this week on the proposed constitutional amendment which would authorize Congress to “prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States.” Senator Allen is a cosponsor of the amendment.

Today’s Newport News Daily Press reported that Webb’s campaign said he was opposed to the amendment and dismissed it as “divisive politics that distract Americans from the real issues that are facing our country.”

“Now that we know that James H. Webb, Jr. is following Kerry, Kennedy and Schumer in opposing the Flag Protection Amendment, maybe he will finally take a position on other ‘real issues’ such as immediate withdrawal from Iraq and immigration,” Wadhams said. “His positions change daily.”

# # #

Paid for by Friends of George Allen

Here is the response from Mr. Jim Webb:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jeff Pyatt
jeffpyatt@webbforsenate.com
(703) 778-4080 x202
June 27, 2006
Webb Campaign Blasts Allen Campaign for “Weak-Kneed Attacks” Against Men and Women in Uniform

Arlington—The campaign of U.S. Senate candidate Jim Webb today called the attacks on Webb’s patriotism by Allen’s campaign, “weak-kneed attacks by cowards” and demanded that Allen and his campaign apologize.

“George Felix Allen Jr. and his bush-league lapdog, Dick Wadhams, have not earned the right to challenge Jim Webb’s position on free speech and flag burning. Jim Webb served and fought for our flag and what it stands for, while George Felix Allen Jr. chose to cut and run. When he and his disrespectful campaign puppets attack Jim Webb they are attacking every man and woman who served. Their comments are nothing more than weak-kneed attacks by cowards. George Felix Allen Jr. needs to apologize to Jim Webb and to all men and women who have served our nation,” Webb spokesman Steve Jarding said.

On Tuesday, George Felix Allen Jr. and his campaign issued a press release in which the Allen campaign, through Wadhams, implied that Webb’s position in support of the Free Speech Amendment to the U.S. Constitution amounted to a political act and not a defense of our Constitution, which Webb fought for and for which he was highly decorated. George Felix Allen Jr. did not serve.

“I believe it is precisely because of bush-league attacks like this that John Zogby, a highly respected, independent polling expert just this week said that Dick Wadhams is not fit to serve as a campaign manager and that George Allen should find a new manager,” Jarding said.

“While Jim Webb and others of George Felix Allen Jr.’s generation were fighting for our freedoms and for our symbols of freedom in Vietnam, George Felix Allen Jr. was playing cowboy at a dude ranch in Nevada. People who live in glass dude ranches should not question the patriotism of real soldiers who fought and bled for this country on a real battlefield,” Jarding said.

“Is Dick Wadhams willing to publicly say that Colin Powell, John Glenn and Bob Kerrey are unpatriotic for having the same position on the flag burning amendment that Jim Webb has? Ask him,” Jarding said.

Jarding continued, “The following is why George Felix Allen Jr. has not earned the right to challenge Jim Webb in his support of our Constitution and its free speech provisions:

* Jim Webb was first in this class of 243 at the Marine Corps Officer’s Basic School in Quantico, Virginia.
* Jim Webb served with the Fifth Marine Regiment in Vietnam, where as a rifle platoon and company commander in the infamous An Hoa Basin west of Danang.
* Jim Webb was awarded the Navy Cross, the Silver Star Medal, two Bronze Star Medals and two Purple Hearts while fighting in Vietnam.
* Jim Webb served as a platoon commander and as an instructor in tactics and weapons at Marine Corps Officer Candidates School.
* Jim Webb served in the US Congress as counsel to the House Committee on Veterans Affairs from 1977 to 1981, becoming the first Vietnam veteran to serve as a full committee counsel in the Congress.
* In 1982, Jim Webb first proposed, then led the fight for including an African American soldier in the memorial statue that now graces the Vietnam Veterans memorial on the National Mall.
* In 1984, Jim Webb was appointed the inaugural Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, where he traveled extensively in, and worked closely with, our NATO allies. As Assistant Secretary, Webb directed considerable research and analysis of the U.S. military’s mobilization capabilities.
* In 1987, Jim Webb was appointed Secretary of the Navy becoming the first Naval Academy graduate in history to serve in the military and be appointed Secretary of the Navy.
* In addition to his wartime medals, Jim Webb has been awarded the following medals and citations:
o The Department of Defense distinguished Public Service Medal
o The Medal of Honor Society’s Patriot Award
o The American Legion National Commander’s Public Service Award
o The VFW’s Media Service Award
o The Marine Corps League’s Military Order of the Iron Mike Award
o The John Russell Leadership Award
o The Robert L. Denig Distinguished Service Award.

###
Paid for by Jim Webb for U.S. Senate

Webb Digs Deep For Response to Allen: 2nd Grade

Oh my! Here I was having a blast lining up all kinds of fun stuff to post about the Webb campaign and he goes nuclear and blows his campaign out of the water.

Come on Jim! It's only June and I haven't had a chance to really get into the Kerry/Webb thingy, the Murtha endorsement and the policy papers that need to be written not to mention the Mad Magazine campaign strategy you guys are using.

A gentle reminder: You are running for the United States Senate not captain of the safety patrol.

Read about the fiasco here.

"Laughing or crying, it's the same release". Joni Mitchell

Virginia Senators Vote To Ban Flag Burning

We should all be grateful and proud that our two Virginia Senators voted to ban the burning and desecration of the American Flag today. Although the Amendment was defeated, we will carry the fight to another day and common sense and decency will prevail.

Our Flag is so much more than a symbol of the United States. It is the essence of our nation, created from the life blood of all her citizens in war and peace, in prosperity and poverty, in freedom and captivity. It belongs to all of us and is cherished by most of us.

It is our Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights. It is our freedom and our spirit, glorious for all to see. The Flag embodies all that is good in us. It is our welcome and beacon of hope to the world.

When our fallen Warriors come home, the Flag is carefully and reverently draped over their coffins. It is the last, loving embrace and farewell.

It is much more than a symbol. It is a gift from God and that is no small thing.

I pledge allegiance to the Flag
of the United States of America
and to the Republic for which it stands,
one nation under God, indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.

There are those that say desecrating the American Flag is an expression of free speech. John Kerry and Ted Kennedy voted against the amendment (no surprise there). Sadly Joe Lieberman did and Jim Webb said he would have voted against it given the chance citing protection of free speech.

From On High has this to say:

Burning the American flag was unlawful in this country (in 48 states) for many, many years. Since before any of us were born, at least. This may come as a shock, but it wasn't until just recently, 1989 to be exact, that a liberal (in the literal sense of the word) Supreme Court decided that the freedom of speech clause in the 1st Amendment to the Bill of Rights protected something creatively called "symbolic speech."

Here are a few examples of "symbolic speech" as demonstrated by people who don't have the sense they were born with, aided and abetted by judges and politicians with the same handicap:


This is a photo taken at an anti-war rally in Richmond, VA in 2004. Afterwards at a location on the James River, there was an attempt to burn a very large, stolen American Flag. A couple of Viet Nam Vets happened by and ... let's just say they dispersed the crowd.


Over on the west coast if you ride a bike naked you'll get arrested (or at least sent home to get a towel) but if you write something on your perverted butt and call it free speech you can get a permit to ride through the city.


This photo was shot at an Immmigration Rally in Los Angeles on July 4th, 2000. A bit of a riot ensued when "participants" attacked Law Enforcement Officers and counter-protesters. Oh, did I mention they were burning the flag in front of a Veterans Cemetery?

Fantastic Movie: "The Island"

I missed this movie when it came out in 2005 probably because it was billed as a sci-fi action flick. The Island, in my opinion, ranks up there with United 93 and Passion of the Christ.

The original screenwriter is Caspian Tredwell-Owen. The genius of the movie is the way in which he uses the euphemisms and language relating to certain issues of our time and fast-forwards it into the future with incredible results. Visually, the film is beautiful. The action sequences high impact.

When I first watched this movie I didn't bother to even read the box it came in and had no expectations. I highly recommend it for teenagers. The message is on point and they will love the action.

It blew my socks off!

Webb & Kerry Bury the Hatchet Or Do They?

Over here on the right side we all thought it was a hoot when former presidential wannabee John Kerry endorsed Jim Webb to run against our guy George Allen.

Webb gave Kerry a scathing and well-deserved rebuke during the '04 presidential campaign. But politics makes strange bed-fellows and on Webb's campaign site he has proudly posted pictures of himself alongside Kerry including the one above.

Now why would someone running for one of the most powerful postions in our country's government post a picture like that of one of their most famous endorsers?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Take the Time

I have decided that there is nothing inconsequential in life. Life is too short and too precious to have a single moment mean nothing. Every event must be a part of the process of determining where we stand and God help us if we then stand still. Every vote (yea or nay) is a piece of the puzzle of governance; every crime or charity is a piece of the puzzle of lifestyle; every conversation is a piece of the puzzle of Creation. I know; I do go on about semantics and folk changing the meaning of words by leaning on the nuances and re-defining as they see fit. The point is that we must use every possible intelligent exchange of ideas and every interaction should be an intelligent one. MisterYodiVa and I went to see the Pixar/Disney flick “Cars” this weekend and began discussing all the hare-brained things the reviewers had said about it. My Mister said the reviewers would have loved it if it had been “Broke Car Mountain” and had been all about dipsticks. I know you’re wondering where I’m going with this…

Let me come at it from the other direction… Some have said that the Republican Party needs to alter how it presents itself and be more amenable to the “African American perspective”. Balderdash and Hogwash.

While the GOP needs to take back it’s own message and be more forthright about what it stands for: it is all pointless if we the people don’t open up our ears and our mouths and educate our neighbors. I propose we interact with more people and help the people that we interact with to know themselves better. I've been thinking about the social imperatives that, in spite of logic, make it hard for black conservatives to "come out". Hard-working normal citizens (black, white, brown, purple, whatever), raised as Dems, may think that they must be the only ones that think their Party is "off it’s nut". (I can't say that about the middle class dems and not recognize that some middle class republicans have the same doubts. In some respects, every professional politician is a bit “off their nut”.)

I point to the lack of "over the back fence" conversation as one of the opportunities for independent and informal non-commercial feedback that are no longer the norm. It is the normal give and take & sound-board aspects of informal relationships that give us the “freedom of input” that reassures us that we are not necessarily crazy and what we see in the news is not all there is. It’s been proven that the impersonal yet invasive influence of the world we see on the television forms the framework of determining how we see the world. Television is an acknowledged tool spoon-feeding a passive audience

Back to the movie “Cars”… More than one reviewer said it was too slow in the middle. For those of you that don’t have kids and don’t borrow kids to sneak into animated movies: the movie is about slowing down. A pretentious character is forced to slow down and then realizes what he’s been missing. He realizes what he hasn’t known about himself. My Mister proposed that the reviewers exemplify the “drive-by media” and the glitterati and those “in the know”… engaged in fast and furious vanity using urgency to
“fast-track” their self-invested importance past the need for validation.

Taking the time to listen to your neighbor is proof of your value AND theirs. Show your neighbors and co-workers that they are valuable as individuals. When they see themselves as individuals apart from their category/stereotype/victimhood then they’ll see how alike we all are in what we want for our families and before you know it they’ll admit where they are conservative too. Most of us are under the skin.

America's Best: Tucker, Menchaca, Babineau

American's across the country are mourning the deaths of Spc. David Babineau, Pfc. Kristian Menchaca and Pfc. Thomas Tucker. We offer our prayers and tears for them and pray also for the families. May God give them strength and consolation in this bitter trial.

The Tanker Brothers voice their frustration in this PC-run-amok war:

I hate it when a Soldier dies. I hate it even more when a Soldier is tortured and brutally killed, while the ACLU is off and fighting for Terrorists to have the same civil rights as you or I. It frustrates me that we have people in our country that are scared to win.
Dammit...

And Ms. Underestimated says all the things many of us feel and believe but are afraid to express. If you are offended by four letter words don't click her link. If you are more offended by perverted terrorists and their helpmates in the U.S. read the post.

Mea Culpa: Correction to Net Neutrality: eBay Urges Action

On June 1st, 2006, I posted an email from eBay urging action on the Net Neutrality issue.

A blogger had challenged conservatives to jump on the bandwagon and relying soley on memory (a HUGE mistake) I incorrectly attributed the challenge to Vivian Paige.

The blogger was Alice Marshall at GOTV. Here is the link to the post.

My apologies to both ladies. I sincerely hope they were not offended or inconvenienced in anyway.

Do It For Our Troops: Dump Murtha Now!

Rep. John Murtha (D) of Pennsylvania's 12th Congressional District is a national embarrassment, a shame to Pennsylvania and a disgrace to the United States Marine Corps.

Diana Irey (R) and many 12th District constituents are working hard to ensure that Murtha does not return to Congress after the November '06 election.

Please consider "adopting" Diana Irey and supporting her campaign effort. She is an intelligent and articulate lady. She is well-known, admired and respected in her District and if anybody can defeat an entrenched encumbent like Murtha, Irey can!

Pennsylvanians can and will retire Murtha and we can help them. Every contribution, no matter the amount, is welcome! Thanks to grassroots efforts, Irey is receiving support from across the country as well as across political lines. As she proves to be made of the Right Stuff, the RNC should start kicking in also (give them a nudge folks!).

The folks at Free Republic have been instrumental in publicizing Diana Irey's campaign and putting her in the national spotlight. Check this out!!!

• Her campaign has now received donations from all 50 states, plus some extra special contributions from troops deployed in Iraq.

• On May 31st there were about 818K hits on website. As of June 16th there were 925K, and right now there are over 951K.

• Total online donations for Diana Irey are around 1,300. No count on snail mail contributions, but they're rolling in.

• Think an appearance on FNC and a mention by Rush Limbaugh helped any? Donations last Saturday - 35, Sunday - under 20, and Monday... 290!

• As of late yesterday afternoon they were approaching 200 online donations for the day. Hat Tip to Coop.
  

Links of interest:
Diana Irey U.S. Congress
Veterans4Irey.com
MurthaMustGo

FAIR TAX BLOGBURST 06-21-06

by TD of The Right Track

As I see it, the main problem with the Income Tax is that it is virtually impossible to enforce completely and fairly. Compliance with the Income Tax depends on taxpayer truthfulness, which generally is motivated either by a) good character, or b) fear of an IRS audit. With the FairTax, the tax is collected when the money is spent, from everyone, with greatly reduced opportunities for non-compliance by the public.

For instance, what about the criminal element in our country? Have you ever heard of the Mafia? Or the drug dealer? Do you think that these people report 100% of their income? Of course not! They get out of paying a huge percentage of their actual tax bill by the simple expedient of not reporting all of their income. But these same individuals still have to pay utility bills, purchase prescription drugs, visit doctors, and buy food. And if they believe in the “high life” of new cars, fancy clothes and jewelry, and new homes, they’re going to pay more than “Joe Six-pack” who chooses to drive a used car, or purchase a home that’s not brand new.

And it’s not just individuals who are managing to avoid paying taxes these days. Everyone in America has heard of the rush to move American companies “offshore”, whether in whole or in part. Think about it — have you ever seen an American-flagged commercial vessel? Oh sure, we’ve got our warships, but what about commercial boats that carry cargo or cruise passengers? Most of these are flying the flag of Liberia or Panama — low-tax nations.

In the mid-1950s, about 33% of all income taxes collected were paid by American corporations. Today that number is down to approximately 10%. From "The FairTax Book" by Boortz and Linder:

“That plunge is a major factor in our recent soaring deficits. Indeed, international corporations are essentially “voluntary” taxpayers today, paying only that amount in taxes that they believe will avoid attracting embarrassing news coverage. These corporations believe that our draconian tax structures make their actions necessary. The OFCs [offshore financial centers, or banks - TD] make their plans feasible” [Emphasis added - TD]

Boortz and Linder make the point that if we eliminated all taxes on capital and labor, (which the FairTax does), the United States would become the world’s tax haven.

We have the most stable economy, the most liquid and trusted markets, and the highest rates of labor productivity in the world — and the trillions of dollars in those OFCs would flow back home to the United States for the very reason they found themselves offshore to start with.

And we’re not just talking about American businesses coming home, we’re talking about wooing corporations based in other countries into America. Think of the economic benefits! More productivity, lower unemployment, higher wages, and all occurring within a tax system that allows you at least partly to choose whether to pay taxes! Buy it new, pay a tax, buy it used and don’t!

The FairTax Blogburst is jointly produced by Terry of The Right Track Blog and Jonathan of Publius Rendezvous. If you would like to join us, please e-mail Terry or Jonathan. You will be added to our mailing list and blogroll.

Happy Fathers Day!

Mr. McDonald is spending his 29th Father's Day at a reunion with his Air Force buddies in Ohio. He told me over the phone that a few of them brought their wives but after viewing the old home movies of their days in the Phillipines some of the guys wished they hadn't.

We have many family photos but some of the best times are not found in the albums.

One of those special ones that is captured in my memory was when our daughter was just learning to walk. She had some sort of internal alarm clock and would make her way every day without fail to the front door a few minutes before her Dad was due home. If the door was closed she would turn around and give me a holler to open it.

And there she would stand until he drove up when she would shout with gusto and joy "Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" bouncing up and down and falling over in her enthusiasm. He would catch her up and hug her close. Sometimes she would push his chin with her little hand to turn his head so she could give him butterfly kisses on his cheek.

Over the years I've marvelled that she knew exactly when he would be coming through that door but it took awhile for me to truly and gratefully appreciate that no matter what, he always did.

Happy Father's Day to Mr. McDonald and all of our Dads!

STD hosting The Carnival of Cordite

Our buddy blogger Spank That Donkey is hosting The Carnival of Cordite. If you are into guns and blowing up stuff (legally of course) there is still time to submit a post.

While visiting STD's blog be sure to check out this and this - guaranteed to make you grin!

35th Annual Conservative Fourth of July Soirée

You are Cordially Invited to Attend
The 35th Annual Conservative Fourth of July Soirée
Bull Run Park - Centreville, VA
July 4, 2006
12pm-5pm

The Leadership Institute, in conjunction with generous conservative sponsors, presents:

The 35th Annual
Conservative Fourth of July Soirée

The 35th Annual Conservative 4th of July Soiree will be held at Bull Run Regional Park in Centreville, Virginia.

The Soirée is a Patriotic celebration of all things conservative. Over 900 conservatives joined LI and friends last year to spend a great day enjoying the conservative speakers, and lots of good food, and great entertainment.

Entertainment:

• Kids stay busy with a moon bounce, face painting, petting zoo, pony rides, and a kid’s tent
• Kids and adults enjoy a variety of games organized by Leadership Institute staff
• Adults keep busy networking, listening to our special guests, socializing, and eating all the good food.
• Jay Armsworthy & Eastern Tradition play patriotic and Americana tunes to entertain the crowd.

Speaker:

Gary Aldrich – President and Founder, The Patrick Henry Center for Individual Liberty

Give-aways:

• Conservative Books, Tee-shirts, and More...
• Compete to win the 15 volume Conservative Leadership Series from Conservative Book Club

Food:

• Roast Turkey and Roast Pork provided
• Cold Beverages provided
• Delicious homemade sides and deserts brought by attendees

The 35th Annual Conservative Fourth of July Soirée will again feature good food, good fun, and good ole American patriotism at Bull Run Park.

--Be sure to join us for this year’s 4th of July Soiree--

For more information, call 703-247-2000 or e-mail Sarah Weyler

Virginians for a Conservative State Senate Announce Breakfast Club

FARMVILLE, VA- To better explain their vision for the future of the Virginia State Senate, Virginians for a Conservative State Senate (VCSS) are pleased to announce the formation of the VCSS Breakfast Club which will tour the state, featuring a variety of speakers espousing the PAC’s responsible spending and anti-tax agenda. “We are thrilled at the support given to us by so many in the state in the few short weeks since our foundation,” says Chris Shores, chairman of VCSS. “We feel that the VCSS Breakfast Club’s speakers list, both those we are ready to announce as well as those we have in the works, reflect the great many people who desire to see a substantial change in the leadership of the Virginia State Senate.”

While dates for the events have yet to be announced, VCSS can confirm that the initial wave of speakers will be former state party chairman and Richmond area lawyer Patrick McSweeney, Virginia’s Republican National Committeeman and founder and president of the Leadership Institute Morton Blackwell, and former Virginia State Delegate Dick Black. “We’re very excited to have such a great initial group of speakers,” says Shores. “Outside of being entertaining and engaging speakers, all three have a variety of experiences with government and taxes and will provide three different viewpoints on why the pro-tax position of the Senate leadership is hurting the Commonwealth.”

The VCSS Breakfast Club will meet between 2-4 times a month, each in a different location around the state. “If we don’t announce an event in your area this time around, we’ll be there soon,” explains Shores. In addition to the announced speakers, the VCSS staff is working very hard to secure even more speakers who want to speak out in favor of lower taxes. If you’d like to be put on the mailing list to find out about VCSS Breakfast Club events as soon at they’re announced, you can contact the PAC at VCSSenate@yahoo.com to be added to the list.

Hat tip to Virginia Virtucon.

Learning About Accoutability - TMG Coalition

On Tuesday, June 13, attendees of the TMG meeting were treated to an inspiring presentation from Mr. Jeff Coleman, a conservative Republican consultant from Pennsylvania who previously served as a state representative (equivalent of our House of Delegates). Mr. Coleman played an instrumental role in directing the strategies of conservative candidates who defeated numerous moderate incumbents in primary elections in the Keystone State.

Most of those candidates who were defeated were pro-tax, pro-big government RINO's, one of whom was the President Pro Tem of the Pennsylvania State Senate. Mr. Coleman indicated that these pro-tax Republicans had been targeted for defeat by his firm before they voted to give themselves a pay raise, but that the pay raise played the role of animating and clarifying exactly why these legislators needed to be denied renomination.

Many of the defeated legislators claimed to be conservatives but had repeatedly voted for the tax and spending policies of tax-and-spend liberal Governor Ed Rendel.

Attendees of the meeting listened very carefully and asked very specific, probing questions in an effort to extract lessons that can be applied here in VA in next years efforts to defeat our own RINO leaders of the VA Senate.

The most encouraging element of Mr. Coleman's presentation to many of the attendees was the fact that many of the conservative challengers who won in Pennsylvania prevailed despite the fact that they were decided underdogs when they began, and despite the fact that many mainstream conservative groups like the NRA opted to support the establishment candidates for reasons of expedience.

Mr. Coleman indicated that all of the campaign statements and attacks on the records of the targeted legislators were issue-based, but never personal or shrill.

At the luncheon meeting for TMG congressional district reps that followed the regular meeting, Mr. Coleman provided a more detailed version of his earlier presentation and displayed the campaign flyers that were used by some of his winning candidates.

He argued that most voters are turned off to traditional campaign mailings that use the most unfavorable photos or political opponents and overly aggressive language. He indicated that all of the mail pieces produced by his firm use the best pictures of opponents that can be found in order to demonstrate that his candidates are conducting themselves in a professional and honorable manner and are just conveying important facts.

Similarly, he indicated that none of the TV ads that he produced used the common tools of the trade such as bombastic "voice-overs" that attack the opposing candidates or the red "X" marks over the opponents face. The central theme of both of his presentations is that the less gratuitously negative and personal ones appeal to voters, the more likely it will be that voters will view conservative challengers as being authentic and electable.

Ted

Net Neuter Clinic Online

The Conservative Revolution announces the opening of the Net Neuter Clinic!

FAIR TAX BLOGBURST 06-14-06

by Terry of The Right Track

There are many reasons to support the FairTax. I managed to do a little research, and found some rather unique points of view that I had not previously considered, and was reminded of some previously-covered ideas that are still worth mentioning.

• For the most part, the FairTax is voluntary. If you want to pay the tax, purchase a new house, car, motor home, etc. If you want to avoid the tax, purchase a used house, car, motor home, etc. The tax only applies to new items.


• No one will ever need to take out a loan to pay taxes, interest, or penalties again, as can all too often happen under our current system.


• Drug dealers and other criminals, as well as anyone else currently paid "under the table", will pay taxes if they purchase new items. Ever seen a drug dealer driving a used car? Ever seen a pimp shopping at Goodwill? I didn't think so.


• Lower income families working multiple jobs get a fantastic incentive to work now, knowing that zero Federal taxes will be withheld from their paychecks. Most of the money from the second job can be applied to whatever previously unaffordable luxury they wish -- perhaps including, for the first time, a home of their own?


• With the abolition of the death tax, homes, farms, and land which might previously have had to be sold to satisfy the government's unquenchable thirst for money can now be retained and kept in the family. In cases where the property has been in the family for multiple generations, can you imagine the gratitude of the family?


• Friends and family can now actually help each other out with tax-free assistance, since the gift tax will be abolished.


• Businesses can actually lower their cost of doing business since they won't be paying the current 7.65% matching FICA tax for each employee.


• It's even a good deal for the environment -- think of all the paper we'll save by not having to file taxes!

But even with all this, we must remember that the FairTax initiative is a grassroots effort. If your Senator or Representative does not support the FairTax, find out why. Then let them know that you do support it. Make phone calls, write letters. Let your friends and family know the details of the FairTax, and why you believe it is such a good deal for Americans. Only through the diligent and concerned efforts of ordinary citizens will these bills ever make it through to the
floors of the House and Senate.

The FairTax Blogburst is jointly produced by Terry of The Right Track Blog and Jonathan of Publius Rendezvous. If you would like to join us, please e-mail Terry or Jonathan. You will be added to our mailing list and blogroll.

And the Sacrificial Lamb Is........... Webb!

Jim It's-All-About-The-Beer Webb looks to be the winner in the Virginia Democratic Primary contest.

My county pulled out all the stops and gave him 62 votes. One wag called them pity votes but I think that's a little harsh. Anybody who endorsed President Bush and George Allen can't be all bad.

Being a Republican, I only get one vote in any election so I thought this exhortation from earlier today on a Democrat Blog was kind of cute:

"UPDATE: Keep voting- we need to hold Harris Miller under 45% to make sure he doesn't try to run in 2009."

United Conservatives of Virginia

United Conservatives of Virginia

Net Neutrality Debate Turns Ideological


Human Events OnLine -- Matt Kibbe
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

High-tech giant Google, locking arms with MoveOn.org and a host of high-tech lobbyists, is pressing Congress to pass "net neutrality" mandates purportedly needed to protect the open nature of the Internet, where all consumers, content providers, and application providers can interact.

In reality, there is nothing neutral about this effort. It is a clear push to grant the federal government sweeping new controls over the Internet while providing big content companies like Google access to broadband providers are regulated rates. Proponents claim greater federal control over the Internet would prevent big broadband providers from blocking content on the web and turning it into a walled garden freely accessible only to those with the money. Yet there have been very few instances where broadband providers have engaged in anticompetitive practices and these violations were handled easily by the FCC under existing law without requiring a new heavy-handed regulatory regime.

The lightly regulated Internet is already a place where people freely exchange ideas and commerce moves at nearly the speed of light. It is precisely the ever-present market forces that have lowered prices, promoted access, and boosted innovation. Restricting the type of service and content that can be provided by broadband service providers closes off a dimension of competition -- pricing flexibility by broadband companies.

Without this flexibility, very little separates one provider from another in the market, leading to a natural advantage for larger companies. The end result would be less choice and higher prices for consumers. With fewer dimensions by which broadband providers can compete, smaller companies would lose their comparative advantage in the market, precipitating a concentration of ownership of the broadband providers. What Washington should really be promoting is net diversity -- allowing providers to experiment and provide services that meet a wide array of demands, from telemedicine and online video gaming, to video programming and email. Such policies would encourage investment in the broadband infrastructure, inviting in more competition while keeping prices in check.

Big Internet companies like Google and Amazon.com are lobbying government to regulate the Internet in a manner that will make the natural evolution of the physical architecture of the Internet unfeasible and stifle competition that benefits consumers and widens access. Today's Internet is already feeling its age, and new bandwidth intensive applications and content will only make current shortcomings more apparent. Quality of service will become a much more important issue, and require important investments in the broadband infrastructure itself, not merely the applications and content provided at the edge of the Internet.

Rather than address such concerns, net neutrality mandates would ensure that the Internet operates in the same way for the rest of its existence, regardless of whether engineers and scientists find another approach that works better for consumers. The best way to alleviate any concerns about anticompetitive behavior or concerns about blocked web sites would be to allow more competitors and new choices in the broadband market. Congress should auction off unused and inefficiently allocated wireless spectrum to broadband companies seeking to establish a wireless Internet backbone.

Congress can also eliminate the morass of local franchise laws that hinder competition and prevent entry into the market. A national video franchise is already in the works, and has garnered support on both sides of the aisle. Addressing such concerns will do far more to expand access and encourage investments in the next generation of the Internet.

The bill introduced by Rep. Joe Barton in the U.S. House recognizes the importance of opening the broadband market to new forms of competition. This important vision of a state-of-the-art Internet that expands access should not be bridled with new mandates to protect favored users of the Internet at the expense of consumers in general.

Mr. Kibbe is President of FreedomWorks, a grassroots organization dedicated to lower taxes, less government, and more freedom for all.

GET YOUR KAINE LICENSE PLATE

From a recent DEMO MEMO:

To enable supporters of Governor Timothy M. Kaine to demonstrate their pride in his leadership of our Commonwealth, a special series of license plate numbers has been established. This special series consists of a number preceded or followed by the letter "K."

We at UCV are proud to offer this sneak preview of the K-Series and the K-Vanity-of-Vanities-Series.

My reaction to the "Godless"

As our friend and fellow great American, Sean Hannity, would say … it’s only X# of days till the election. This blog-spot will provide ammo and targets in the battle for the conscience and future of this country. Today I write to recommend a bit of encouragement that will sustain the social conservatives among us.

I had the pleasure of listening to a self-recorded CD titled “Songs from My Heart” by Ms. Mildred Helbert Statzer (276-669-1805). I hadn't listened to Carter Family style gospel in quite awhile and this CD was a very pleasant surprise. I was reminded of Sunday afternoon at my grandparent’s house. My PaPa would have loved it. This music is pure “Americana” in the same way that Appalachian gospel and the Peidmont blues are.

The first track is titled “It’s No Wonder America is Dead.” It grabbed my heart and tapped all the pain that the downward moral spiral and nanny-nonsense had lodged there. Fast on it’s heels came the reassurance that we are not alone and there are answers. When you’re between the battles and need a little pick-me-up, nothing will restore your perspective like “Old Songs of Praise” and “The Good Life”.

The death-cult gets on a roll and I struggle to reconcile myself to walking in hope and faith in spite of dismay and disgust. I don’t know where Ms Coulter’s “Godless…” get their encouragement but I know where I can go without fail. I offer my thanks to Ms Statzer for pursuing her dream and sharing her heart. If that isn’t what American freedom is about, then I don’t know what is…

New York Times Snarks Blue Bloggers

It is unsettling sometimes to witness the phenomonon of "eating your own" even when it couldn't happen to a more deserving bunch.

American Daughter Media Center in an excellent article, Blue Bloggers, exposes the New York Times for their elitist and hypocritical reporting of the YearlyKos 2006 Convention of lefty bloggers.

There were the bloggers — nearly a thousand of them, many of them familiar names by now — emerging from the shadows of their computers for a three-day blur of workshops, panels and speeches about politics, the power of the Internet and the shortcomings of the Washington media.

The phrase “emerging from the shadows of their computers” suggests that the bloggers live for the most part in a non-experiential world, in contrast to real journalists. And whereas the professional media might find such a conference a feature-rich landscape, to these poor neophytes it is merely “a three-day blur.”

Even the pictures accompanying the article cast the bloggers in a negative light. Whenever before have you seen a convention picture of the back of an attendee’s legs at the registration desk, with the heads cut off?

And right behind them was a parade of prospective Democratic presidential candidates and party leaders, their presence a tribute to just how much the often rowdy voices of the Web have been absorbed into the very political process they frequently disdain, much to the amazement, and perhaps discomfort, of some of the bloggers themselves.

Zarqawi Killed

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and his "closest spiritual adviser" were killed as the result of a rocket attack launched from U.S. helicopters NE of Baghdad.

Reports that the 72 virgins waiting for them all looked like Helen Thomas have not been confirmed.

FreedomWorks on Net Neutrality and the Death Tax

Markey & Clinton Net Neuters

Congress is moving on 2 key issues this week – Take Action NOW!

FreedomWorks is glad that the House Energy and Commerce Committee is moving forward with telecom reform legislation. But the House Judiciary Committee just passed a "net neutrality" bill that will threaten Internet Freedom! We expect a vote to take place on the House Floor this week that will address both telecom reform and net neutrality.

Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, MoveOn.org, and other ultra-liberal forces have come to together to pressure Congress to pass these so-called “net neutrality” provisions that will regulate and fundamentally change the Internet as we know it.

Net neutrality expands regulation in the telecommunications arena and allows the government to dictate to businesses how they offer services. The government has no more right to tell a cable or phone company how to manage the pipes that offer their clients Internet service than they do to tell McDonald’s how to make their Happy Meals!

As proponents of the free market we oppose net neutrality provisions that allow the government to regulate the Internet.

Use FreedomWorks’ automatic email system to send an urgent message to those in the Congress that can most directly influence this debate and stop net neutrality provisions from moving forward.

In the Senate this week: Time to Kill the Death Tax Once and For All!!

With marginal rates as high as 55 percent, the Death Tax has made our government the most notorious grave robber in America. President Bush’s 2001 tax cuts included the slow phase out of the Death Tax by 2010, but this unjust levy will rise from the grave in 2011 if nothing is done.

Fortunately, the House of Representatives passed a bill—H.R. 8—that would kill the Death Tax once and for all. This bill has been introduced in the Senate as S.420 and has gained significant momentum over the last few months. This week the Senate will vote on this legislation and at last decide whether or not to do away with the unfair, un-American Death Tax.

Americans overwhelmingly agree that the death tax is unfair because the government already taxes savings when it is earned as income, and then taxes the return on that savings all of the person’s life. Taxing lifetime savings again at death is an unfair double, or triple, tax.

Let’s make sure the Senate hears us loud and clear: Kill the Death Tax Once and For All!

Sincerely,

Dick Armey
FreedomWorks

Insights on Haditha & Ishaqi from J R Dunn

The American Thinker

excerpt...

The war in Iraq is a low-level insurrection slowly – all too slowly – grinding to a halt. The insurgents have attempted to take and hold ground in cities like Tal Afar and Fallujah, and have failed. They have attempted to stop the electoral process through intimidation, and have failed. They have attempted to split the country through civil war, and have failed. Few tactics remain to them, one of which is to take a page from the Vietnam playbook and work the media, hoping that upheaval in the U.S. itself will win their war for them. And that requires a My Lai.

So they’ve been trying to arrange one. To create the conditions for a massacre. Ambushing Coalition troops from houses full of helpless, unarmed civilians, hoping that the soldiers would respond with all the firepower at their command, and exposing the resulting carnage to the full glare of the international media. That was the plan at Ishaqi, and it might have worked if the shooter hadn’t survived. That was also the plan at Haditha—and somebody walked right into it. Some young men angered beyond rationality at seeing a friend blown in half by an IED, driven by impulses we will never know, stormed the nearest homes to kill not only the lone terrorist (according to the account in Time, there were two AK-47s but only one gunman), but everyone else as well—man, woman, and child.

If more proof is needed, consider the May 30 USA Today story in which Marine Captain Andrew Del Gaudio described coming under machine-gun fire this past April after an IED killed four of his men. As he was about to engage, he saw that the enemy had placed a line of children in front of the gun, with two video cameras ready to film them as they were shot down. Del Gaudio held his fire, and was injured by the next rounds. His troops flanked the machine-gun nest before attacking, and the children survived. (Further testimony along the same lines in offered in the Wall Street Journal’s June 6 “Best of the Web Today” by a unnamed officer under the heading “Letter from Iraq”.)

Clearly, there is no conceivable way to exaggerate the sheer viciousness of the fanatic Islamist.

None of this excuses the alleged actions of the troops at Haditha. Nothing could excuse that. If guilty, they will be tried and punished as they deserve. But if they were goaded into attacking, if it was a setup, if the terrorists are deliberately working to create such atrocities, then it’s a development we ignore at our peril. The My Lai paradigm must not be allowed to blind us to the possibility. This tactic (if that’s the term I’m groping for) must be investigated, verified, and exposed. Otherwise Haditha, and the media firestorm surrounding it, will simply open the door to a never-ending series of such tragedies. To more lines of children, and more houses full of innocents.

I have no doubt this tactic is being utilized.

Drive By Media to Al Qaeda: This One's For You, Baby!

Hat tip to Meg33

FAIR TAX BLOGBURST 06-07-06

It’s Still Alive! by Ms.Underestimated

Folks, I told you about the good news Congressman John Linder gave us about an impending face-to-face with President Bush about the Fair Tax, and now the word is out! The Gwinnett Daily Post catches us up on this great news:

FairTax still kicking
06/04/2006

By: Dave Williams

Many political observers were ready to bury U.S. Rep. John Linder’s FairTax bill last fall when President Bush’s tax reform commission gave the back of its hand to the proposed national sales tax.

The panel chose to recommend tweaking the current income tax system rather than such a dramatic overhaul of the way the federal government collects the revenue it needs to operate.

But the FairTax won’t go away. During a raucous public rally in Gwinnett County last month in support of the legislation, Linder, R-Duluth, announced that he is being offered an opportunity to present the bill to the president and House Republican leaders.

He will meet this week with the House GOP leadership, then head to the White House on a date yet to be set — accompanied by House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill. — to outline his bill to Bush.

So much for the demise of the FairTax.

“The national sales tax is very much like Freddy,’’ said University of Virginia political scientist Larry Sabato, referring to the main character in countless installments of the “Nightmare on Elm Street” horror movie series. “It just refuses to die.’’

See? I TOLD you so! It’s It's POSSIBLE! And that’s not all - the Gwinnett Rally was just the beginning:

A capacity crowd of 4,500 jammed the Gwinnett Convention Center for last month’s rally, which featured Linder, Atlanta-based syndicated radio talk show host Neal Boortz and Sean Hannity of the Fox Television Network.

“We think there were 3,000 people turned away,’’ Linder said. “I was amazed.’’

The event was so successful that Linder and Boortz are talking about following it up with a series of rallies. Linder said they’re looking at Orlando, Fla., as the next stop.

Okay you guys, here’s your next chance. We gotta stick together and make this happen. If you live in the southeast (or anywhere else, for that matter), I urge you to call your local radio talk shows and implore them to get Neal Boortz, John Linder, Sean Hannity, and whoever else is on board with the Fair Tax, to come hold a rally in YOUR area! If we keep up this momentum, this could truly be a present-day Boston Tea Party that we have on our hands. It’s time to get the government out of our lives, and as John Linder said that night “it’s none of the government’s business how much money I make.” YES!

We’ve got to be vigilant, though, as well all know there are those detractors out there who want to stop us:

The FairTax also faces competition from other proposals aimed at overhauling the current system, including the flat tax on incomes once championed on the presidential campaign trail by Republican Steve Forbes.

“The vast majority agree the tax code needs drastic revision,’’ Sabato said. “The problem is nobody agrees on what the revision should be. … There just isn’t a national consensus for it or anything close to it.’’

But Sabato gives Linder high marks for persistence.

“He is trying to plant the seed,’’ Sabato said. “Who knows whether the seed may sprout and even flower? On the other hand, the seed may die in the ground.’’

My friends, we can’t let that seed die in the ground. We must keep nourishing it with our voices. If we can get 1, 2, 4 or 50 more rallies like this going, we will send a loud and clear message to Washington: “I WANT MY FAIR TAX!”

Also, send these radio stations copies of the Fair Tax book. I know it has been previously called for us to send copies to our representatives, but I’m sure they’ve gotten their copies already. It’s the people of this country we need to change - the Congress is hopeless. If your local talk show hosts can believe in this, then this movement will carry forward. You can buy them here. The government cannot ignore an informed country. The time is now!


The FairTax Blogburst is jointly produced by Terry of The Right Track Blog and Jonathan of Publius Rendezvous. If you would like to join us, please e-mail Terry or Jonathan. You will be added to our mailing list and blogroll.

A Profile Of Mexico — With Annotations

In this article posted by LomaAlta at American Daughter Media Center, the author discusses the pervasive corruption in Mexico, their government's ties to illegal drug cartels and suggestions to pressure reforms there.

EXCERPT: If you travel professionally in Mexico and have professional friends from Mexico (as I have and do), you will hear that virtually all the politicians in Mexico are controlled by the Narcos. This includes the current and several former presidents of Mexico.... we should not support a corrupt government that encourages millions of its people to violate our law and invade the US every year; and we should move to protect America’s business from being corrupted in Mexico and bringing that corruption back to the United States.

Read the entire piece at American Daughter

D-Day June 6, 1944

Spank That Donkey has a great post memorializing D-Day and photos of the Memorial in Bedford, VA.

We shall remember them.

Rep. John Murtha (D) PA: Honored by His Own

Courtesy of End_Clintonism_Now

Letter from Chairman Callahan (R) to Senator Chichester (r)

Some details the Richmond Times Dispatch didn't cover. This was written shortly before the ignoble walkout by the Senate conferees.

Letter from Chairman Callahan to Senator Chichester.

June1, 2006

The Honorable John H. Chichester, Chairman
Senate Finance Committee
Room 626, General Assembly Building

Dear John,
At your request, and in exchange for separating transportation taxes from the budget, the House conferees agreed to remove all debt proposals from our budget. We have done so in all of our proposals. Our approach to capital has been guided by the following: First, we have used cash to pay for capital projects. Second, we have given priority to projects that have been justified by the State Council on Higher Education, projects that have been in the six-year plan for two cycles and projects that have been previously planned. Third, consistent with your position regarding the use of debt, we have not provided funding to either plan, design or conduct architectural and engineering studies for which no funding plan has been identified that is adequate, sustainable and reliable.

In our most recent proposal to you, the House conferees have agreed to provide nearly $900 million in cash for variety of capital projects. This represents a change of nearly $300 million in cash from our original capital proposal contained in House Bill 5002.

More importantly however, our proposal focuses funding for the projects that will have an immediate impact on core services in higher education and mental health. Specifically our proposal provides double the funding for mental health projects including the construction of a replacement facility for Eastern State Hospital. By contrast, your proposal would merely provide planning money with no guarantee of future commitment. This course of action will only hamper our efforts to transform our mental health system.

In the area of higher education, the House has proposed to provide nearly $65 million more in funding for the Community College System to meet the projected enrollment needs. I think you would agree based on enrollment projections, the Community College System will need to absorb nearly two-thirds of the state’s new students through 2012. To meet the immediate needs of the Community College System, the House proposal fully and immediately funds five academic buildings at five of our fastest growing community colleges located in Northern Virginia, Tidewater, Richmond metropolitan area and the Shenandoah Valley. In total these five projects will accommodate approximately 5,000 new students. By contrast, the Senate proposal provides no new facilities, only planning without any commitment to the actual construction.

Perhaps more disconcerting to the House conferees is your position to spend nearly $12.5 million in planning at the seat of government for new office buildings with a construction value of nearly $400 million. Clearly this represents a misplaced priority given the needs in higher education and mental health.

In an effort to resolve the capital budget, you offered that we move to the capital budget proposal put forth by Governor Warner in House Bill 30 as introduced. We are willing to move to this position in return to moving to Governor Warner’s trasportation proposal. Adoption of these two proposals will allow us to complete the negotiation of these two items this afternoon and to to immediately begin to resolve the remaining differences.

As I indicated in our meeting with the Governor, I remain steadfast in my belief that we can complete our work by June 9th.

Sincerely,

Vincent F. Callahan, Jr.
Chairman

Tiananmen Square

Tiananmen Square June 4, 1989

Arlington on Memorial Day: Concretebob Reports

We arrived at 0800 hours and set up about 300 feet North of the Main Building on Memorial Drive.

We had been standing on the sidewalk about an hour and a half. asshats (phelps' group of idiots)*** arrived at 0930 hours, which was an hour earlier than their press release said they would be there. They thought they were sneaky, but they ain't seen sneaky.

There must have been a thousand people that passed by us that morning, between the walkers coming by Metro, car and motorcycle. (I now know what a politician feels like, I probably shook hands with 200 people that morning.) Everyone who walked by our group took the time to thank us, or give us a thumbs up, or shake someone's hand.
Every car that went by, every motorcycle rider, every passenger, waved or gave us a thumbs up, rolled the window down and yelled
Thank You.

I won't describe what some of them had to say to the asshats.

At about 1030 hours, traffic had thinned out a bit. To my left was the entrance to the Metro. I was looking in that direction, when I saw a young Marine PFC in Class A uniform coming up the stairs from the Metro. When he reached the sidewalk, he broke into a run across the street in the direction of the asshats. I knew what was going to happen next, but there was nothing any of us could do.

He reached the area the Park Police had barricaded for the asshats, breached the barricade, and before the Park Police could react, had grabbed the sign which said "Thank God for dead soldiers" and ripped it from the lady's hands. He then grabbed the flag she had around her waste and tried to exit the area. By this time the Park Police reacted and restrained the Marine.

This young Marine had just returned from Iraq. He could have done a lot worse, and there isn't a jury in the Commonwealth that would have
convicted him of anything.

Yours truly walked across the street and invited this young Marine to join us, in an effort to get him away from the asshats, and the Park Police. By this time, the rest of the Marine's companions, including his Ell Tee, had arrived on scene, and the Ell Tee proceeded to play nice with the Park Police, (which really wasn't neccessary), and I was blocking news cameras with my sign. I figured there wasn't any point any allowing this young Marine's face to get plastered all over the six o'clock news. At that point I was told by a plain-clothes police officer to "Get your ass back across the street where you belong". Not wanting to cause any further escalation, I obeyed.

When I got back to my side, the twenty or so people I was standing with broke out in unison, chanting "SEMPER FI" and "Let the Marine go" at the top of our lungs. The Park Police can't appear to take sides, but I can tell you, they didn't want to deal with this young Marine. They let him go after taking down some information.

The highlight was the Presidential motorcade. At 1050 hours, the President and First Lady drove by in the limo, and I swear that limo slowed just a bit as it approached us. We got a wave and a smile from the President who was riding in the right side rear seat.



That's TWICE this year the POTUS has seen me standing on the street holding a sign which said something positive.

Now, here's a scary item:
The Secret Service knows me on sight and by name. I found that out when we countered the anti-war crowd at the Vice-Presidents residence.

My partner and I showed up, and the first thing the SS asked me was, "Are you with Protest Warrior?"
I said "Yes Sir".
He looked at his notebook, and then said "You must be concretebob."

"You know who I am?" I asked.

He gave me one of those looks and said "Oh, yeah, we know who you are.”

Then he kinda smiled a little and said “We like the website".

by Concretebob

Link to kingsley13 photos

Landry Fan & Free Republic reports

***phelps cult also known as Westboro Baptist Church, Kansas

Photos Smearing Marines in the Drive-By Media

Here are the photos referenced in f22strikes' post "Drive By Media Alert: UK Times Story Has Incorrect Photos of Supposed "Marine Massacre"" as they appear on Michelle Malkins site.

Drive-by Media Alert: UK Times Story Has Incorrect Photos of Supposed "Marine Massacre!"

There is important information over at Michelle Malkins’ web site. The UK Times posted photographs along with an article entitled “Massacre Marines blinded by hate.” Other than the bias against the Marines – no proof yet has been offered that the Marines committed any crime, much less were “blinded by hate” at the time the alleged atrocities were committed – most insidiously, the photos that accompany the article are NOT those of the so-called “Marines Massacre.” They are photos of another massacre that was committed by the terrorists that we are fighting in Iraq; a massacre that happened “six months before the incident involving our Marines.”

An honest mistake? The UK Times’ Gerard Baker says so. But there is a more important question: How will they correct their mistake? Michelle says “…The [UK] Times must not be allowed to make a covert correction without a public acknowledgement. The editors must apologize for this blatant smear.” I would add that the correction should run on the same page as the incorrect photos were published. Also, the correction should be promoted with as much vigor and emphasis as they did promoting the incorrect piece.

This is an important, breaking story. And the resolution of this will not only affect the lives of the young Marines involved, it will have an impact on how this war is prosecuted and how we and our effort in Iraq is viewed by the Iraqis. Not correcting this hurts the war on terror and aids the enemy with usable propaganda. It also taints public opinion against the Marines. Those of us who go out and defend our conservative beliefs against the left and their anti-war liberal minions want the truth to be out there. We spend enough time trying to refute leftwing stupidity as it is.

Get the details here.

link: Michelle Malkin

Net Neutrality: eBay Urges Action

eBay is distributing this email:

As you know, I almost never reach out to you personally with a request to get involved in a debate in the U.S. Congress. However, today I feel I must.

Right now, the telephone and cable companies in control of Internet access are trying to use their enormous political muscle to dramatically change the Internet. It might be hard to believe, but lawmakers in Washington are seriously debating whether consumers should be free to use the Internet as they want in the future.

The phone and cable companies now control more than 95% of all Internet access. These large corporations are spending millions of dollars to promote legislation that would divide the Internet into a two-tiered system.

The top tier would be a "Pay-to-Play" high-speed toll-road restricted to only the largest companies that can afford to pay high fees for preferential access to the Net.

The bottom tier -- the slow lane -- would be what is left for everyone else. If the fast lane is the information "super-highway," the slow lane will operate more like a dirt road.

Today's Internet is an incredible open marketplace for goods, services, information and ideas. We can't give that up. A two lane system will restrict innovation because start-ups and small companies -- the companies that can't afford the high fees -- will be unable to succeed, and we'll lose out on the jobs, creativity and inspiration that come with them.

The power belongs with Internet users, not the big phone and cable companies. Let's use that power to send as many messages as possible to our elected officials in Washington. Please join me by clicking here right now to send a message to your representatives in Congress before it is too late. You can make the difference.

Thank you for reading this note. I hope you'll make your voice heard today.

Sincerely,

Meg Whitman
President and CEO
eBay Inc.

If you haven't already, start pounding those keyboards and get the word out to your representatives!
Hat tip to Vivian Paige for challenging all of us to take action.
UPDATE 06-21-06: My apologies. That should have been "Hat tip to Alice Marshall at GOTV".