Webbage Wraps: Jim Webb's French Connection

Deux vieux farts...

John Murtha Reveals Darkside On Abscam Tapes

The September Issue of The American Spectator features an article "The Full Murtha" that sheds some light on a disgusting episode in the life of Rep. John Murtha (D) PA.

But an August 6, 1980, Washington Post column by the sometimes controversial, Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative columnist Jack Anderson, overlooked in recent reporting on Murtha, fills in some of the gaps. Anderson framed Murtha's performance as "perhaps the saddest scene on the secret Abscam videotapes.... He refused to take the money, but his reason was hardly noble."

The column continues, quoting Murtha speaking to the undercover agents:

"I want to deal with you guys awhile before I make any transactions at all, period.... After we've done some business, well, then I might change my mind...."

... "I'm going to tell you this. If anybody can do it - I'm not B.S.-ing you fellows - I can get it done my way." he boasted. "There's no question about it."...

But the reluctant Murtha wouldn't touch the $50,000. Here on secret videotape was this all-American hero, tall and dignified in a disheveled way, explaining why he wasn't quite ready to accept the cash.

"All at once," he said, "some dumb [expletive deleted] would go start talking eight years from now about this whole thing and say [expletive deleted], this happened. Then in order to get immunity so he doesn't go to jail, he starts talking and fingering people. So the [S.O.B.] falls apart."...

"You give us the banks where you want the money deposited," offered one of the bagmen.

"All right," agreed Murtha. "How much money we talking about?"

"Well, you tell me."

"Well, let me find out what is a reasonable figure that will get their attention," said Murtha, "because there are a couple of banks that have really done me some favors in the past, and I'd like to put some money in....["]

In the following exchange with an undercover agent, part of which appears on the 13 seconds of available videotape, Murtha leaves the door open for later negotiations:

Amoroso: Let me ask you now that we're together. I was under the impression, OK, and I told Howard [middleman Howard Criden] what we were willing to pay, and I went out, I got the $50,000. OK? So what you're telling me, OK, you're telling me that that's not what you know....

Murtha: I'm not interested.

Amoroso: OK.

Murtha: At this point, you know, we do business together for a while. Maybe I'll be interested and maybe I won't.... Right now, I'm not interested in those other things. Now, I won't say that some day, you know, I, if you made an offer, it may be I would change my mind some day.

It is damning stuff. But the mainstream media have yet to question Murtha aggressively about even the short snippet of available tape, much less the full reel.

Hat tip to FreeRepublic.com and GrassrootsPA

IREY: CONFUSED? MURTHA SHOULD LOOK IN A MIRROR

Diana Irey For Congress
(Diana Irey's website has been hacked but should be up and running shortly.)

(MONONGAHELA, August 31) -- Washington County Commissioner and Pennsylvania 12th district Republican Congressional nominee Diana Irey -- reacting to Jack Murtha's statement yesterday regarding "moral and intellectual confusion" in Iraq -- today released the following statement:

"Yesterday, responding to remarks by the Secretary of Defense, Jack Murtha said, 'If there is a moral and intellectual confusion about this war, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld is the one that is confused.'

"This, from a man who proved his own moral confusion when he declared that U.S. Marines at Haditha had 'killed innocent civilians in cold blood' -- before a single Marine had been charged, before a single court martial had been convened, before a single soldier had been convicted.

"This, from a man who proved his own intellectual confusion when he said we could redeploy U.S. forces in Iraq 'over the horizon' -- to OKINAWA.

"This, from a man who proved his own intellectual confusion when he said 'We can't win this militarily' -- implying, necessarily, that we can only win in Iraq by negotiating, and raising, therefore, the obvious question: with whom, exactly, shall we negotiate?

"This, from a man who proved his own intellectual confusion when he said the Army is 'worn out and broken' -- even though the Army is meeting its recruiting goals.

"This, from a man who proved his own intellectual AND moral confusion when he said he wanted Israel immediately to lay down its arms and stop defending itself against attacks by Hezbollah -- a terrorist organization responsible for the murders of more Americans than any terrorist organization other than al Qaeda.

"For the record: it is MORAL to live up to one's commitments; it is IMMORAL to abandon them just because living up to them proves more difficult than originally envisioned.

"It is MORAL to strive to help others live in freedom; it is IMMORAL to turn your back on those in need.

"It is MORAL to recognize a difference between those who use force to defend themselves, and those who use force for conquest; it is IMMORAL not to recognize that difference.

"It is MORAL to recognize that when our side kills an innocent civilian, it is an accident and a tragedy, but when terrorists in Iraq or Lebanon kill an innocent civilian, it is a mission accomplished; it is IMMORAL not to recognize that difference.

"Perhaps the next time Jack Murtha wishes to comment on 'moral and intellectual confusion,' he could save everyone some time and trouble … and just look in a mirror."

Semper I

“Semper I” is an old Marine Corps term applied to those few selfish careerists who place their own success ahead of their men and the well being of the Corps. Congressman John Murtha is a living example of that disgraceful term.



SEMPER “I”
By Russ Vaughn

A bugle blows in Arlington,
Lilting notes fill still sad air,
An eagle’s tears a globe fall on,
Trail an anchor with despair,

For a man we’d wish had not to die,
Brave youth among the best,
A Marine, he lived for Semper Fi,
And with Semper Fi he’ll rest.

So sadly is the contrast,
Between those who talk and fight;
Fat Pols for whom their war’s past,
But now can’t see the light,

Accusing brave young fighting men,
Of crimes they can’t defend,
Disgraceful fat old congressmen,
Who’ve lost the will to win.

Yes there we see the difference,
Between those who fight to win,
And a congressman with no sense,
Who’s committed grievous sin;

He’s turned against his Corps,
And no one knows quite why,
Except he loves himself much more:
Classic case of Semper I.

Semper Fi to all Marines everywhere,
from an old paratrooper who holds
Congressman John Murtha in as much contempt
as you do.

Russ Vaughn
327th Parachute Infantry Regiment
101st Airborne Division
Vietnam 65-66

I Love This Woman

Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret Morning News

Condoleezza Rice 08-30-06, DeseretNews.com, Salt Lake City, Utah:

She said she speaks all over the country "and I haven't chosen those places that the policies may be more popular than others, because we're one country. I'll go anywhere that people would want to hear and talk about what we're doing."

Rice warned the convention audience that "the security of our citizens is inextricably linked to the success of freedom and moderation and, yes, democracy in the Middle East." She said because America has gone on the offense, it "is safer, but we are not yet safe."

If Americans remain committed to the cause of establishing democracy in the Middle East, some day people will wonder why there was ever any doubt about the war, Rice said. "Then they will look back and they will say, 'Thank God America stayed the course."'

Rice said as terrorists continue to plot new attacks such as the one recently foiled in London, "we know that now and for many years to come, America and our allies will be engaged in a long war, a war that we can and must win."

Her comments seemed to resonate with the veterans and their spouses who had come from around the country to attend the convention. They burst into applause several times during her speech and gave Rice two standing ovations.

Webbage Wraps: Finally a Webb Campaign Poster

Kind of makes your skin crawl.

Webbage Wraps: Jim Webb Hot n Nasty

Ward Smythe and Virginia Virtucon recall a published bit of potty-mouth by Jim Can't-Get-A-Date Webb.

FAIR TAX BLOGBURST 08-30-06

by Julie of Degree of Madness

Follow-up on last week's Blogburst about the outside collection agencies the IRS is employing to collect delinquent taxes.

On August 23, this was the headline: IRS Warns Against Phony Debt Collectors.

The IRS warned taxpayers Wednesday not to be duped by scammers posing as private debt collectors the agency has hired to chase unpaid tax debts.

The program isn't even in place yet and concerns are already being raised, and not just by this Blogburst writer.

The Internal Revenue Service designed the debt collection program to minimize that risk "because we know what it's like out there with regard to identity theft nowadays," said Brady Bennett, IRS Director of Collections.

The IRS designed the program to minimize the risk. Well that's comforting. The IRS is looking out for you.

And this article addresses something I wasn't sure about and that is whether the private collection agencies would have access to social security numbers. They will.

The IRS plans to give the collection agencies basic identifying and account information about the chosen taxpayers, including their names, addresses and Social Security numbers. The agencies do not have access to tax returns.

Also from the article:

Identity thieves have posed as IRS agents in "phishing" schemes that use the tax agency's logo to lure victims. The e-mail schemes are designed to dupe taxpayers into revealing personal financial information.

The IRS does not communicate with taxpayers through e-mail, and it will not e-mail taxpayers about debts turned over to private collectors. The IRS also does not ask taxpayers for any passwords or PIN numbers that would allow the agency to access bank or credit card accounts.

Bennett also cautioned taxpayers chosen for the debt collection effort to make any check or money order payable to the U.S. Treasury, not a private company, and to send the money to the IRS. The collection agencies have been told to provide addresses to the taxpayers they contact.

This is all well and good but the IRS cautioning taxpayers via articles such as this probably won't be very widely read. Is the IRS planning to contact taxpayers directly to advise them of this program? I've not received anything from them. And from the first line of the article, "The IRS warned taxpayers", how did they warn them? By telling the AP?

I read some of the comments last week on blogs that posted the Blogburst. One commenter responded to the statement I made about our tax information being private by suggesting that since the government knows our tax information it is not private. Good point, but that doesn't mean I want them passing it out to employees of private companies. And if we had the Fair Tax the government would know much less about our private financial information. KnightHawk at PoliPundit had some really good responses to some of the questions raised. There were some good questions raised and worth a look.

Now on to this week's blogburst.

Our representatives in Congress are finally getting the message that Americans are "fed up" with the current tax code. The question is, how do we fix it?

I contacted my (Alabama) Senators and Representative in Washington to let them know of my support for the Fair Tax. Three letters, three different responses. Congressman Spencer Bachus (6th district) is a co-sponsor of the Fair Tax Act of 2005, H.R. 25. Good news. Senator Jeff Sessions has not endorsed any specific proposal for reform, but does agree something has to be done about the tax code. From his letter: "Most taxpayers that I talk to are not only fed up with the complexity of the tax code, but the enormous tax burden that has been placed on them." Senator Richard Shelby supports "a flat tax, as opposed to a national sales tax". I wanted to address Senator Shelby's position because I believe his concerns about the Fair Tax are probably shared by many on Capitol Hill.

From his letter:

I support a flat tax, as opposed to a national sales tax, because I believe that the flat tax encourages savings in a more effective manner without leaving the federal budget vulnerable to fluctuations in our economy. Under a flat tax, government revenues would not fluctuate as severely because of changes in the economy as they would with a national sales tax. This is the same problem that many state budgets are facing today because they depend too much on sales taxes.

I'm not really sure about the "encourages savings in a more effective manner", but his concern about the fluctuations in the economy is interesting. In other words, if our economy slows down the government should not have to slow down. Changes, I'm assuming he means negative changes, in the economy would surely affect the taxpayer but he would get no relief from Uncle Sam. While the taxpayer's personal economy fluctuates (downward), the government keeps right on spending. To me, this would be a good argument for the Fair Tax. If the American taxpayer had to cut back and budget better, why not the federal government? But according to a study by American Farm Bureau, #9 in the Fair Tax FAQ, consumption is a more reliable source of revenue anyway.

Is consumption a reliable source of revenue? Yes, in fact, consumption is a more stable source of revenue than income. A recent study by American Farm Bureau economist Ross Korves shows the FairTax base is less variable than the income tax base. Why? Because during difficult times due to loss of a job or an inability to work, people may not have as much income, or may have no income at all. They borrow funds or use savings. They may not have earnings, but they still continue to consume.

Another argument from Senator Shelby:

Additionally, a flat tax better protects poor and low-income Americans because they are not forced to overpay taxes through their daily purchases, and then wait until the end of the month for a rebate check, as many national sales tax plans have proposed. These Americans need this money immediately to pay their bills and meet their needs. Under my proposal, the "Tax Simplification Act," low-income Americans would not have to pay for these distortions in the first place because of a personal deduction that would apply to all Americans.

The Fair Tax proposes a "prebate", paid at the beginning of the month. And low-income Americans would have the same advantage as everyone else, no deductions from their paychecks for federal withholding or social security and Medicare. This is important. Even if the low-income American has no federal tax withheld, the social security and Medicare taxes will still be deducted under the Flat Tax. Currently it is 7.65% and everyone pays the same regardless of income bracket.

Please follow this link for Senator Shelby's proposal for a flat tax. It certainly would be better than the current system, but it doesn't get rid of the IRS, it does not eliminate the corporate tax which is a huge plus for the Fair Tax, and it doesn't get rid of the social security and Medicare tax. The Fair Tax does.

The FairTax Blogburst is jointly produced by Terry of The Right Track Blog and Jonathan of Publius Rendezvous. If you would like to host the weekly postings on your blog, please e-mail Terry. You will be added to our mailing list and blogroll.

New Bloggin' Buds

Thanks to Spank That Donkey and RightsideVA for introducing me to two new Virginia Blogs of the conservative persuasion, SWACgirl and General Grievous' Dog, both of whom are keeping the Augusta Co. Democratics (snark) on a short leash. Welcome!

Be sure to sign up for VirginiaPoliticalBlogs and BlogNetNews and the Virginia Blog Carnival coordinated by Cathouse Chat if you haven't done so already.

When Lunatics Run the Asylum

United States Post Office
Maywood, CA
08-26-06

Video posted here of an anti-illegal immigration rally that was counter-protested by what only can be described as a mob. The mob raised the Mexican flag and police were unable to take it down. The mob also chased an elderly man into a store where he had to be rescued by police. Pictures (you'll have to watch the video for the worst of their signage) posted by the perps here and their story here.

Read it and weep.

Hat tip to ladycalif

---

Off topic but in case you are wondering how a normal person like myself "discovers" these totally off the charts, red diaper doper baby websites like Independent Media. The answer is simple. The Virginia Democrat website. They have a link to a site called Punk Voter which links to all kinds of nasty stuff insulting our troops and most Americans. Check it out but don't do it with the kids in the room.

Way to go Dems. Way to go Webb. Way to go Kaine. Way to go Warner. Way to go Scott. Way to go Weed. Way to go Kellam. Way to go Moran. Way to go. And how I wish you would.

Martinsville Blogs United AAR

The Martinsville Blogs United Conference was a huge success! Alton, Barnie, Anne and Mary did a first class job wining, dining, entertaining and educating the participants. We were all given a copy of Barnie Day's book, Notes From the Sausage Factory, which I look forward to reading.

I don't know how I would have managed driving to the various events Friday night. Chris from Spank That Donkey was very kind to let me ride with him. He also gave me a little blue donkey lighter so that I, too, can have an Editorial Board for my blog.

Delegate Tim Hugo gets a standing "O" for hanging in there. We were an eclectic crew and he took it all in stride with humor and good will. I really appreciate the fact that he spent so much time with us and thank his family for sharing him this weekend.

What a pleasure to meet the ladies Kat, Red Queen, Eileen, Badrose
and Republitarian's Wife from the blogosphere. I also enjoyed conversations with a Martinsville lawyer (having a senior moment here) Eric Monday (thanks Kat) who was on the libel panel and Jim P.

Got to shake hands with Will Vehrs, Norm Leahy, Steve Sisson and Jerry Fuhrman. I also enjoyed meeting Virginia Centrist who has a good sense of humor for a democratic.

And Kilo! I luv ya man! But I'm holding your Crown Royal responsible for me missing AG Bob McDonnell's Saturday morning address.

A few more AAR's:
CathouseChat
Black Velvet Bruce Li
City Slicker
Brian Patton

Martinsville Weekend

I'm packing my bunny slippers and heading out to Martinsville tomorrow. Since my "laptop" is an old aluminum TV tray I won't be live blogging.

Stand The Storm!
f mcdonald

P.S. Pray that America stands firm behind our Troops and their families. Show your support with a bumpersticker or yellow ribbon magnet. Little things go a long way to boost spirits. When my son was in the SandBox seeing a flag on a car or "Support Our Troops" was like a gift of prayer from a stranger and it made the load a little lighter.

Parents Of LCpl. Adam Galvez, USMC Speak For Many

LCpl. Adam Galvez, USMC

This is an email his mom, Amy Galvez, sent to the Salt Lake City Tribune on Sunday, August 20, 2006.

From: Amy Galvez To: mlaplante@sltrib.com
Subject: Mayor Anderson and Cindy Sheehan
Date: Sun, 20 Aug 2006 14:00:02 -0700 (PDT)

Once again, it is time for the voices of military families to be heard. As the time approaches for Mayor Rocky Anderson, joined by Cindy Sheehan, to raise their voices and denounce the job my son and other servicemen are doing, I cannot remain silent.

I understand that many people do not support the war in Iraq, the global war on terror. Many would rather wait until something happens here at home and deal with it then. That is fine to have that opinion.

What is not fine, is an elected official speaking to the world and condemning the job our service men and women are doing. But, it hits closer to home than that. My son, who is a resident of Salt Lake City, is now in Iraq. He was sent there by the United States to do a job.

The Mayor of Salt Lake City will grab headlines by speaking out against the job my son, a resident of his city, is doing. I know that Mayor Anderson says he supports the troops but not the war.

You cannot say you support the troops and tell the world that what they are doing is wrong. Mayor Anderson's words will play worldwide. This will be seen on Aljazeera TV and throughout the communities where America is hated.

I believe that the words of Mayor Anderson, as well as other elected officials who speak out against our military and their mission, in essence, give support and momentum to the enemy.

This, in turn, puts the lives or our sons, fighting on our behalf, in greater jeopardy. I heard it appropriately put by Tammy Bruce, who said "when you make the world mad at the Marines, it is easier to kill them."

My belief is that American lives have been lost in this war because the enemy has been emboldened by our own words, actions and lack of support for our own mission.

America will always be hated by many throughout the world. That won't change.

Regardless of your politics, supporting our military, who is mostly made up of very young American volunteers, should be our foremost concern. Mayor Anderson should go before the cameras and say thank you to every American troop, especially those from Salt Lake, for their heroic duty instead of undermining their efforts.

Amy Galvez,
Proud American and Very Proud Marine Mom

As Mrs. Galvez finished this email she heard a car door slam. Two Marines were coming up the walk.

Tony and Amy Galvez

Tuesday, August 22, 2006, commenting on the death of his son:

But Tony Galvez also believed, as his wife did, that the insurgents his son was fighting were growing more dangerous. And he, too, believes that those who question the justness of the war have gone too far.

"You can't support the troops but be against the war," he said.

"It just doesn't work."

~Salt Lake Tribune

FreeRepublic.com

Now That's A Budget Surplus!

North Dakota has found itself with a half BILLION dollar surplus. Holy Schmoly!

Taking Back North Dakota has some commonsense suggestions for present and future disposition of the funds. It's a very good read. (What is it with the term "Rainy Day Fund" that irritates me so? It makes me think of kindergarten but I never went to kindergarten so it can't be that.)

And what, you ask, led to this boom in economic fortune for North Dakota?

OIL! That's right. OIL!

Off-shore drilling anyone?

FAIR TAX BLOGBURST 08-23-06

by Julie of Degree of Madness

If you owe back taxes to the federal government, the next call asking you to pay may come not from an Internal Revenue Service officer, but from a private debt collector.

Within two weeks, the I.R.S. will turn over data on 12,500 taxpayers — each of whom owes $25,000 or less in back taxes — to three collection agencies. Larger debtors will continue to be pursued by I.R.S. officers. (link)

So now, private firms will have access to our tax information, or at minimum how much you (may or may not) owe to Uncle Sam. Our tax information is private. Or it was up until now.

Within two weeks, the I.R.S. will turn over data on 12,500 taxpayers — each of whom owes $25,000 or less in back taxes — to three collection agencies. Larger debtors will continue to be pursued by I.R.S. officers. (my emphasis).

And the IRS isn't too particular about the business ethics of the firms they select to receive our tax data:

One of the three companies selected by the I.R.S. is a law firm in Austin, Tex., where a former partner, Juan Peña, admitted in 2002 that he paid bribes to win a collection contract from the city of San Antonio. He went to jail for the crime.

Last month the same law firm, Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, was again in the news. One of its competitors, Municipal Services Bureau, also of Austin, sued Brownsville, Tex., charging that the city improperly gave the Linebarger firm a collections contract that it suggested was influenced by campaign contributions to two city commissioners.

And how will these debt collectors be paid? They will receive 25% of what they collect. Whether or not the tax bill is accurate or actually owed at all (the IRS is in a league of its own when it comes to mistakes, errors and general incompetence), will not be the concern of these collectors.

And the privacy issue is not insignificant. It's not clear whether these firms will be given the taxpayer social security number, but:

Private collectors will have authority to set up installment payment agreements, and gather financial information about those targeted, presumably to assess their ability to pay or to locate assets that might be
attached.

Private collectors will have the authority to gather our personal financial information. Authority handed over to them by the federal government. Most everyone is aware of the aggressive, heavy-handed methods of collections agencies. I guess a partnership with the IRS just makes sense. A marriage made in heaven, so to speak.

The federal government already has too much access to our private financial information. And the ability of the IRS to audit at will, with no constraints or accountability is something we should not tolerate. And should not be forced to tolerate. And now private firms can get in on the action. And profit from it. At our expense.

There are so many good reasons to support the Fair Tax. Preventing the IRS from giving our private financial information to outside firms is just one more.

With the Fair Tax, the IRS will be abolished. No other tax plan under consideration abolishes the IRS. This is important. The IRS operates under the "guilty until proven innocent" theory. And however unjust that may be, that's the way it is. It will never change. The IRS has power that most politicians only dream about. And IRS abuses are legend. And most of the abuses never make the headlines. They are relatively small in nature but very significant to those involved.

The convoluted tax code is an outrage. The enforcer is an even greater outrage. Leave your Constitutional rights at the door when the IRS shows up, 'cause you no longer have any. The IRS has virtually free will to demand access to every single detail of your financial life. With no probable cause.

Some things just can't be reformed. Our tax code is one of them. The IRS is another. With the Fair Tax, we will all pay our fair share, but we won't have to give up our privacy, or our sanity, to do it.

The FairTax Blogburst is jointly produced by Terry of The Right TrackBlog and Jonathan of Publius Rendezvous. If you would like to host the weekly postings on your blog, please e-mail Terry. You will be
added to our mailing list and blogroll.

Charlie Daniels At Innsbrook Afterhours Wednes. 08-23-06

Only $10.00 a ticket to see the Charlie Daniels Band at Innsbrook Afterhours in Glen Allen, Va. on Wednesday, August 23rd.

Be there or be square!

Webbage Wraps: Jimmy Lad, She Only Bought One Round!

Jim Webb may have been "Born Fighting" but it looks as though he's been "Left Neutered".

Hillary Clinton? You asked HILLARY CLINTON?

Are ye daft, man?

The former James H. Webb on Bill Clinton:

"It is a pleasurable experience to watch Bill Clinton finally being judged, even by his own party, for the ethical fraudulence that has characterized his entire political career."

"These acts resonate when one evaluates Bill Clinton's incessantly arrogant presidency, from the endless string of conscious and serious abuses of power to the "conversion" of White House furniture and china on his way out the door. For what we are seeing are the echoes of a pervasive elitism, from people who were taught when young that the laws that applied to their countrymen did not necessarily apply to them."

"Rednecks might hang a velvet picture of Elvis on their living room wall, but precious few would tolerate any sort of conduct that might demean the greatness of their country, much less take part in it. Check the casualty lists in any war. See who stands tall and salutes when the flag passes by. Note who wasn't sleeping in Lincoln's bedroom when Bill Clinton occupied the White House."

"Few, if any, of the old anti-war luminaries, Stanley Karnow, Neil Sheehan, David Halberstam, George McGovern, Peter Arnett, 'Tom Harkin, Bill or Hillary Clinton-the list could fill the page-could find it in themselves to conjure up an apology, or admit they were wrong in judging a communist apparatus that brought Southeast Asia's strongest and most pro-Western culture back into the dark ages, only to haltingly emerge fifteen years later reeking of torture, prison camps, Stalinism and corruption."

"For reasons that escape historical justification, even after America’s military withdrawal the Left continued to try to bring down the incipient South Vietnamese democracy. Future White House aide Harold Ickes and others at "Project Pursestrings"—assisted at one point by an ambitious young Bill Clinton—worked to cut off all congressional funding intended to help the South Vietnamese defend themselves."

And this one. I couldn't have said it better myself.

Register For Bloggers Conference Today!!!

Sunday, August 20th at 8:00pm is the cutoff for registration at the Blogs United for Free Speech Conference in Martinsville on August 25-26.

The food will be scrumptious, the speakers awesome and the company will be stimulating!

Back away from that key board and head to Martinsville next Friday.

Alton's got the light on.

Feeling Pretty!

Saturday nite and it's time for us girls to fuss and primp. Enjoy!

FEELING PRETTY!

Video by the fabulous Mike Shields at ShieldsNet.Org
Hair by Breck

Diana Irey Takes on Chris Matthews, John Murtha

I watched Chris Matthews show, Hardball, last night. I think I may have watched his show once a few years ago. My blogger friends, compared to that guy, we come off as sophiscated, polished professionals. Is he always humorless? That's an unforgiveable sin in my book. Anyhoo...

(Internet Explorer required to view video)
Here is the video of his nice, polite interview of Rep. John Murtha (D) 12-PA.

Here is the video of his attack on and interview of Diana Irey (R) candidate 12-PA.

The press release Matthews had the hissy fit about can be read here.

Online contributions to Diana Irey can be made here.

The News Virginian: Another Example of Unhinged Media

I have been trying to make myself write about this weird bit of yellow journalism published in The News Virginian concerning the insulting remarks a Webb Campaign worker made about LCpl. Jason Redifer USMC (deceased) at last week's Augusta Co. Fair.

It is on the Opinion page, written without a byline (a blessing for the author I'm sure) and yet purports to "ferret" out what really went down between the Republicans and Democrats at the County Fair. What makes it so hard to write about is all the pertinent information that was left out and the inclusion of Cindy Sheehan for cryin' out loud.

Please read the entire editorial for yourselves. Meanwhile I would like to point out that in the process of "ferreting", The Virginia News editor did not contact or interview Mrs. Rhonda Winfield or Mr. Steve Kijak. I have personally spoken with and taped an interview with Mrs. Winfield and it is at variance with what the TNV editor reports.

TNV Editor:
Ferreting out a local political feud

Here’s what we have determined happened: Democratic volunteer Bob Tichenor, of Waynesboro, was passing out literature Thursday night on behalf of U.S. Senate candidate Jim Webb.

He wandered over to the Republican booth and was quickly rebuffed by GOP activists touting incumbent Sen. George Allen.

(f mcdonald: Tichenor remembers this part it seems. I guess you would be rebuffed when you insult dead Marines)

Tichenor says he left immediately, but Republicans say he disrespected the mother of fallen Marine Jason Redifer, a Stuarts Draft native who was killed in Iraq.

(f mcdonald: According to Mrs. Winfield, Mr. Tichenor insulted her son."Jim Webb is more of a patriot than this man was." (tapping finger on picture of LCpl. Redifer's flag draped coffin) and "Jim Webb is more of a man than this man ever was." (once again tapping finger on picture of LCpl. Redifer's flag draped coffin))

Redifer’s mother, Rhonda Winfield, was at the Republican booth signing copies of her new book, which is about her son. Tichenor allegedly pointed to the book cover and said “that man” [Redifer] wasn’t the hero that Webb was. Webb was Navy secretary under President Reagan and crossed party lines to run against Allen.

(f mcdonald: That's LCpl. Jason Redifer, USMC to you, sir)

Republican activists who were there, notably Steve Kijak, of Stuarts Draft, were incensed and walked over the Democratic fair booth and berated several women volunteers there. A sheriff’s deputy was called over to break up the verbal barrage.

(f mcdonald: No mention here that Mrs. Winfield, mother of the fallen Marine, walked over to the Democrat booth to tell them one of their workers was out of line)

(f mcdonald: OK, now we get to the unhinged part)

If Tichenor said what he is alleged to have said, then it was very wrong. However, Republicans have no compunction about attacking another mother who also lost her son in Iraq.

The difference is Cindy Sheehan has joined the antiwar movement. That should not make her a target of neoconservative wrath.

A mother is a mother, whether she’s a Democrat or Republican. Winfield is as far right as Sheehan is left. Both should be off limits to criticism.

(f mcdonald: I would say Mrs. Winfield is a normal, all-American Mom based on my interview with her. Mr. Editor did not interview her but labels her "far right". I believe Cindy Sheehan did not attend the Augusta Co. Fair and has no dog in this fight. BTW If Mother Teresa misbehaves she is open for criticism.)

Local Republicans ought to understand, too, that Tichenor will be 88 years old on Sept. 1. The retired DuPont chief chemist is a Ph.D. and Rhodes Scholar. On Thursday night, he was clearly confused.

(f mcdonald: Ah, he remembers he was confused or is that assumption editorial license?)

“I’m not sure I knew that,” Tichenor said Tuesday, upon being told he had wandered over to the GOP fair booth.

(f mcdonald: He forgets he visited the Gop booth. But wait, a few paragraphs ago he remembered the visit and says he left the booth immediately.)

Tichenor said he didn’t learn about the hullabaloo until he returned to the Democratic booth after the Kijak confrontation.

(f mcdonald: Still no mention that Mrs. Winfield was there also)

“I missed it all,” he said. “The women in the booth were so agitated, they couldn’t sit down.”

(f mcdonald: Oh good, he remembers the agitated women. Mrs. Winfield tells me their agitation amounted to a gleeful celebration)

Clearly, Tichenor was confused. Clearly, the Republican activists overreacted. Clearly, those activists deserve praise for standing up for the mother of a fallen soldier. But those same activists should be standing up for Sheehan, too.

(f mcdonald: No, Mr. Editor. Nothing in this contradictory hodge podge is clear at all)

There comes a time when political divisiveness must give way to right and wrong.

(f mcdonald: And there you have it. The News Virginian speaks... with forked tongue)

In Solidarity With Mohawka Man

flora mcdonald 1968 or '69 or something

Accolades To Jerry Furhman; A Media Lap Dog No Longer

Jerry Furhman has an excellent editorial in the Roanoke Times titled A Media Lap Dog No Longer. You have got to read the whole thing. This is just a snip. Thank you Mr. Furhman. From the bottom of my heart, thank you!

What we expected we have gotten. More stories of pain and suffering. More complaints of brutality. At the same time that accounts of buses carrying school children in Jerusalem being blown up gain only passing comment, a report of prisoners in Baghdad being forced to wear panties on their heads is condemned ad nauseam. A Koran supposedly being flushed down a toilet in an American prison gets far more air time than does the cold-blooded execution of four Americans in the streets of Fallujah.

They expect us to take them seriously. We did indeed learn from Vietnam -- and its aftermath. We learned the slogan taken up by Jews after the Holocaust: Never again! And we took to heart and live by the powerful words of Abraham Lincoln spoken at a time when another great struggle was under way, one that was taking a far more grievous toll: "We shall nobly save, or meanly lose, the last best hope of Earth."

We resolve to maintain the world's last best hope in part because these pretenders won't. So we find ourselves with this great divide between the attitudes of Americans on the left and those of us on the right. We expected it. We accept it. We celebrate it.

As for Vietnam -- Never again.

DIANA IREY PLAYS "HARDBALL"

IREY ADVISORY: DIANA IREY PLAYS "HARDBALL" WITH CHRIS MATTHEWS TONIGHT

(ALL ACROSS AMERICA) - Washington County Commissioner and Pennsylvania 12th district Republican Congressional nominee Diana Irey -- the woman standing up to U.S. Rep. Jack Murtha -- will make a national media appearance this evening on MSNBC's "Hardball with Chris Matthews" show, airing at 5 PM and 7 PM EDT. Jack Murtha will appear on the same broadcast.


WHO: PA-12 GOP candidate Diana Irey

WHAT: Diana plays "Hardball" with Chris Matthews

WHEN: Thursday, August 17, 2006
5 PM and 7 PM EDT

WHERE: MSNBC

I'm gonna have to get out of my jammies and head down to the tavern to see this on the big screen! WOOOOOOHOOOOOOO!

Augusta Co. Democrats: No Apology To Fallen Marine

This letter was published Tuesday, August 15th, 2006 in The News Virginian. According to sources, the author, Tom Long, was not present when LCpl. Jason Redifer's memory and reputation were impugned nor was he present at the "confrontation" at the Democrat booth afterwards. Mrs. Rhonda Winfield, Jason's mom was the recipient of the insulting words about her son and was treated rudely and disrespected by the Webb campaigners at their booth when she went to inform them of the incident. Here is Mr. Tom Long's (short on facts) letter to the editor in its entirety.

I am writing only because Mr. Steve Kijak wrote first, attacking Augusta County Democrats. The News Virginian graciously offered an opportunity to respond.

The short version of this minor confrontation at the Augusta County Fair is this: A gentleman sympathetic to the Democrats was handing out literature and wandered into the Republican booth area. Words were exchanged with a couple of individuals. Tempers escalated.

Afterwards, Mr. Kijak and friends approached the Democratic booth and verbally abused the women volunteers. It got so bad and repulsive that Mr. Kijak was eventually escorted away from the Democratic booth by a sheriff’s deputy. End of story.

There is no place in Augusta County for the personal attacks by petty partisans like Mr. Kijak. The issues of terrorism, how to salvage the bungled policy in Iraq, and how to help rebuild the strength of the American middle class are too important to the American people to get bogged down in this sort of trivial bickering.

Jim Webb is a man of moral character and integrity. As a former secretary of the Navy in the Reagan administration, Jim Webb has the insights into the foreign and military policies necessary to ensure American security is second to none.

Jim Webb will never be so blinded by partisanship that he fears to ask the tough questions of the administration, be it Republican or Democratic. Americans deserves a Senate that is more than a rubber stamp for the administration. Virginians deserve a smart and independent voice in the U.S. Senate. That voice is Jim Webb.

Tom Long is chair of the Augusta County Democratic Committee and lives in western Augusta County

This is what the Webb Campaign worker said about LCpl. Jason Redifer:

"Jim Webb is more of a patriot than this man was." (tapping finger on picture of LCpl. Redifer's flag draped coffin)

"Jim Webb is more of a man than this man ever was." (once again tapping finger on picture of LCpl. Redifer's flag draped coffin)
comments by Bob Tichenor, Webb Campaign volunteer.

This is the picture of Jason's flag-draped coffin Tichenor was flicking and tapping with his nasty finger.

For more on what Mr. Tom Long refers to as a minor confrontation UCV has posted here, here and here. RightsideVA has posted here, here and here and SWACgirl here.

Augusta Co. Democrats: You Can Help Yourself But Don't Take Too Much...

Excerpt from A Rude Political Awakening about the political booths at the Augusta Co. Fair last week:

The girls - the oldest is 11, the youngest the 8-year-old twins - made it a point to stop at every political booth to get whatever they could in terms of bumper stickers and balloons and campaign literature to take home with them.
The Republican group practically signed them up to be members - we spent perhaps 20 minutes there, and the volunteers at the collection of tables supporting the local party and its candidates were gracious to help the girls get everything they could to take home with them for later on.
(snip)
The folks at the Democratic Party table were noticeably less so - in particular one woman who actually shooed us away from the table upon seeing the girls' collection of memorabilia from the GOP and Simes.
My wife, Crystal, tried to cover the woman's rudeness in front of the girls - "They're undecided voters," she said, pointing to our nieces, and laughing.
She played good cop - I played bad cop.
"But they won't be for long, if this is the way they're going to get treated," I said under my breath as we made our way out the door.

Hat tip to RightsideVA

FAIR TAX BLOGBURST 08-16-06

Reprinted with permission from Running in Circles

by Connor Carney

The Progressive Democrats' Sales Tax

I consider myself to be fairly liberal on most issues. So some of you might be surprised that I am about to take a position that’s usually the providence of hardcore conservatives. I support HR25—the Fair Tax Act of 2005.

Yeah. The one that would replace virtually the entire tax system with a 23% sales tax.

Rest of article posted here.

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.

MOWHAKA MAN & HIS BAD HAIR DAY

UPDATE 08/17/06: A thoughtful reader (as opposed to the demented kind) has questioned my spelling and although when we make up words we can spell them any way we like, I will defer to his judgement and proclaim that henceforth Mr. Sidarth will be known affectionately (on this blog anyway) as MOHAWKA MAN.

Webb Campaigner Insults LCpl. Jason Redifer USMC (deceased)

...and no apology from Jim Webb, his campaign or the Augusta Co. Democrat Party has been offered.

"Jim Webb is more of a patriot than this man was." (tapping finger on picture of LCpl. Redifer's flag draped coffin)
"Jim Webb is more of a man than this man ever was." (once again tapping finger on picture of LCpl. Redifer's flag draped coffin)
comments by Bob Tichenor, Webb Campaign volunteer.

Well, I will apologize for them.



To the members of LCpl. Jason Redifer's family,

Please accept my apology for the inexecusable, insulting behaviour of several of our misguided and malicious Virginia citizens.

I look at Jason's pictures and see a beloved son, handsome and strong. I see in him all that is good in America and marvel how Jason and our other young men and women have sacrificed so much for all of us.

No hateful insults by the ignorant who walk among us can tarnish Jason's memory.

He is a child of the Light and guards the streets of Heaven with his fellow Marines waiting to greet you again one day.

Some background info here and here.

The Pro-Hezbollah Rally in DC 08-12-06

Be sure to check out the Conservative Revolution's After Action Report!

Several of us drove to DC this past Saturday to join up with Protest Warrior and Free Republic in a counter-demonstration as Hezbollah's cheerleaders marched through the streets in the heart of the greatest democracy the world has ever known.

It was rather sickening to see terrorism promoted openly in our Nation's capital. The message was hate. Hate Israel, Hate Bush, Hate Capitalism, Hate America.

Many of the muslim participants had children with them shouting "Long Live Hezbollah!"

The signs were printed and provided by A.N.S.W.E.R. and the World Workers Party. A very few were hand made. I questioned several of the participants about how the Lebanese people could possibly want to align themselves with communist organizations. One lady said, "I'm not a communist, I'm a Democrat!" When I pointed out that the leader of the group she was trying to get people to sign up for was an avowed Communist with a capital C she said, "I'm through with you," and turned her back to me.

A couple of water bottles and a can of soda were thrown at the Protest Warrior/Free Republic folks we were with. No one was injured.

Walking back to the van afterwards, my son went into "Marine" mode, his eyes constantly scanning the crowds, checking behind us. One group of middle eastern "youths" took issue with a t-shirt one of us was wearing that had an Israeli flag on it and a couple of choice words for terrorists. They threatened to beat up the wearer. Our Iraq Vet stared them down and they left.

I wish I knew what happened to the Crusader. He said he was from France and India. He was all alone and the Hezbollah people hated him with a passion normally reserved for our President. The last I saw of him, he was headed towards the commies' main rallying point. Prayers up for that brave, impassioned soul.

Photo courtesy of be4everfree

I took some incredibly poor video posted here and here. You can here people chanting "Long live hezbollah!" and pro-Israelis/Americans chanting "Please don't blow us up!"
Much better video at Hot Air and Age of Hooper.

DEMacaca Officionalis

Augusta Co. Dems Insult Fallen Warrior & His Mom

More on the story first broken by RightsideVA.
UCV's previous report here.

Jason Redifer was only 19 years old when he was killed in Iraq on January 31, 2005. He gave his life blood for our country. The old fool who flicked his finger across the cover photo of Jason's flag-draped coffin scornfully dismissing a young Marine's life as if it were nothing is beneath contempt as are the other representatives of the Augusta Co. Democrat Party who were rude and insulting to Mrs. Winfield when she told them what had happened.

After enduring the insults to her son's memory Rhonda Winfield approached the Augusta County Democrat table to let them know their Webb campaigner had crossed the line. She assumed they would not condone such behaviour. However, the people at the table rudely dismissed her saying, among other things, that she was harrassing them.

Mrs. Winfield's husband observed this from a nearby booth and after she walked away he saw and heard the democrats laughing and celebrating the fact that their Webb guy got "them" all upset.

Rhonda Winfield is a strong lady. She lives with the knowledge her son was blown in half by a terrorist's IED. She never had the chance to look at her child's face one last time before they buried him. She understands that because she opened her heart and soul and wrote a book she will be a target for unhinged leftists but she never dreamed they would attack her son.

Just another reason I am and will continue to be:

ANOTHER EX-DEMOCRAT VOTER SUPPORTING OUR TROOPS

Last 2 Missing Egyptian Students Captured in Richmond

Details are sparse but the last two missing Egyptian "students" have been captured in Richmond, VA in an unidentified (at this point) apartment building.

The last two of the 11 Egyptian exchange students who failed to show up at their college program were apprehended Sunday in Richmond, Va., customs officials said.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested Mohamed Saleh Ahmed Maray, 20, and Mohamed Ibrahim Fouaad El Shenawy, 17, at an apartment building in Richmond on Sunday night. Virginia State Police and the Richmond Police helped locate the students.

Last Wednesday, one of the Egyptian students was arrested in Minneapolis and two were detained in Manville, N.J. On Thursday, two were arrested in Dundalk, Md., and one was arrested at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. Three more were arrested Friday in Des Moines, Iowa.

I wonder if they had been hanging out at that Subway shop on the corner of Broad and Boulevard.

Hat tip to Free Republic - always first with the news!

Fallen Marine Mocked by Webb Campaign Worker

Un-freakin'-believable. I read a post this morning on RightsideVA and didn't want to believe it but from personal experience knew it was possible.

Excerpt from the post at RightsideVA: The Democrat representative then stated "Jim Webb is more of a man then this man [Jason Redifer] ever was" and placed a copy of the Webb literature on top of the book she was holding. I was standing next to Rhonda during this entire conversation and have confirmed this quote with her and know that there was a third person at the table who heard this exchange.... The Democrat Representative was then asked to leave the table at which time he moved away from the table.

Rhonda Winfield, mother of fallen Marine LCpl. Jason Redifer, was in Richmond today. I was able to get into town and she kindly consented to talk to me about the incident which she confirmed. I'm going to post about that later this evening but would like to clarify one thing:

I asked Mrs. Winfield if there was anyway the democrat worker could have been referring to Senator Allen instead of her son. She emphatically said no. Senator Allen's name only came up once in the "conversation". She had explained to him that the book was written by her about her son. He flicked the book cover with his finger two different times both times referring to "this man" (her son)and insulted him.

More to come...

WEBB'S XTREMist MAKEOVER

Jim-no-longer-fighting-Webb turns to Hollywood for advice on creating a softer, gentler Jim.


DNC says I need a makeover.



Try a different hat.



Does this one make me look taller?



No.



How's this?



Good. Now work on the eye contact.
Whip off the glasses.



When do I blink?



You're creepin' me out.



Sorry.



Those are lady glasses.



Just kidding.



OK. Think ROCK STAR!
Give me a YEEEEEOOOOOOW!



YEEEEAAARRRRRRRGH!



You're good to go.



Where?

The Heartbreak of Venezuela

Spank That Donkey reminded me of the quiet dismemberment of Venezualan society taking place since Hugo Chavez came to power in 1998. The world does not need another example of hopeless, communist failure, misery and persecution but there it is. In Venezuela.

Webbage Wraps: Jim Needs Face Time

We heard Jim Webb went missing. Rumor has it he went to Chicago in search of Union dues donations for his financially strapped campaign. Candidates can win on a shoestring budget but Webb's is looking more like dental floss that's seen better days.

One thing that may be hindering donations is Mr. Webb's lack of Facial Recognition. To prove the point we put together a collection of photos of men named Jim Webb and asked folks to pick out the one that is running for the United States Senate seat in Virginia against George Allen. We even added a clue (to no avail I'm afraid).

See if you can spot the candidate in the line up below.









The women in our unscientific and blatantly biased poll leaned towards Jim Webb E & Jim Webb F. Most of the men picked Jim Webb G which we believe indicates the Born Fightin' meme is catching on now that the campaign has decided to drop it.

To thine own self be true

Since I am a fiscal conservative AND a social conservative, I must occasionally comment on Hollywood and the influence of the doings & daring-do from the left coast. Has anyone NOT heard that Mel Gibson made an A** of himself?

My first reaction was “Well, in spite of the debate on whether Catholics are Christians; he must be a Christian since this embarrassment is SO IMPORTANT”. I’ll admit it was a pundit on O’Reilly that really provoked me to consider the larger picture. This gentleman pointed out that Mel had apologized using various outlets and his apology had been acknowledged and accepted by various groups such as the Anti-Defamation League. I wish I could remember the gentleman’s name, his salient point was as follows: the conservatives of this country are the ones that should take the responsibility of dealing with Mel. According to this guest of Mr. O’Reilly's: it behooves us, you and me, to explore why Mel said these heinous things and bring accountability. As you can imagine I’ve been pondering this and confess that I have not been moved to embrace “group guilt”. Because of my belief in personal responsibility I cannot be moved much further than distant empathy (when I am reminded that Mel was nurtured and molded by a proud holocaust-denying anti-Semite). My family contains an A** or two and I submit to you that most families do.

If I could afford to publish an open letter to Mr. Gibson it would read thusly:

Dear Mel, Your fans love you and your foes hate you. Such will it always be. Please talk to the foes and fans in your family and among your intimates. Explore why you said those heinous things. Seek forgiveness from those who love you for all the other ways in which you are probably an occasional A**. Extend mercy to those who hate you in whatever way the Lord Yeshua leads you to. Please leave Hollywood. You could follow Muhammed Ali’s example: do good works and live out your days seeking honest peace. Be a true conservative. Move slowly and thoughtfully, judiciously. For those of us without an ax to grind: you’re just another flesh & blood man. Remember the advice Polonius gave his son & know that you’ll always be my favorite Hamlet. Shalom

Three Former Terrorists Tell Their Stories

Ibrahim Abdullah, Walid Shoebat, Zak Anani
A little over 16 minutes long but their message is vital to our understanding of "Orthodox Islam" and why America did and is doing the right thing in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Hat tip to No Pasaran otherwise I would never have known about this incredible interview.

Minimum Wage Hike Dies Due To Dems Death Wish

I really like Rocinante's Burdens take on the death of the Minimum Wage Hike. The entire post is excellent. Here is a snip:

4. It seems that the only thing that is important to the Democrats is not losing a political game of points and one-ups-man-ship in their partisan bickering with the Republicans. Given the choice, They will deprive millions of the so-called working poor of a badly needed increase in income (their words) just to make a handful of dead rich people (and their living heirs) pay more taxes, which they can completely afford, and which the government can also do completely without (as evidenced by the fact that they are doing without it now).

Does this make any sense to anyone?

Yes. It makes sense to researchers at Stanford University. Years ago they studied a strange quirk of human behavior. It seems that there are people in this world who will intentionally forego a financial benefit to themselves in exchange for the satisfaction that comes from the belief that they are “sticking it to” some total stranger. These people vote Democrat.

No Blog Should Be Without One!

Michael Shear of the Washington Post throws down the gauntlet and Spank That Donkey takes up the challenge: THE EDITORIAL BOARD.

FAIR TAX BLOGBURST 08-02-06

by TD of The Right Track

with special thanks to KnightHawk of Your Two Sense

---

Laurence J. Kotlikoff has written an article published by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Review in which he predicted bankruptcy for the United States -- unless serious reforms are put in place to raise revenue or cut spending.While it's hard to agree with all of Kotlikoff's conclusions, one in particular is worth examining. According to Kotlikoff, his proposed policies would put America on track to eliminate the nation's "enormous fiscal gap" and avert bankruptcy.

Here's a summary of his plan (page 12 of the PDF file linked above):

The three proposals I recommend cover taxes, Social Security, and healthcare and are interconnected and interdependent. In particular, tax reform provides the funding needed to finance Social Security and healthcare reform. It also ensures that the rich and middle class elderly pay their fair share in resolving our fiscal gap.

And what of the proposed tax reform? What form would it take? Apparently, Kotlikoff likes the FairTax:

The plan here is to replace the personal income tax, the corporate income tax, the payroll (FICA) tax, and the estate and gift tax with a federal retail sales tax plus a rebate. The rebate would be paid monthly to households, based on the household’s demographic composition, and would be equal to the sales taxes paid, on average, by households at the federal poverty line with the same demographics.

The proposed sales tax has three highly progressive elements. First, thanks to the rebate, poor households would pay no sales taxes in net terms. Second, the reform would eliminate the highly regressive FICA tax, which is levied only on the first $90,000 of earnings. Third, the sales tax would effectively tax wealth as well as wages, because when the rich spent their wealth and when workers spent their wages, they would both pay sales taxes.

The single, flat-rate sales tax would pay for all federal expenditures. The tax would be highly transparent and efficient. It would save hundreds of billions of dollars in tax compliance costs. And it would either reduce or significantly reduce effective marginal taxes facing most Americans when they work and save.

The sales tax would also enhance generational equity by asking rich and middle class older Americans to pay taxes when they spend their wealth. The poor elderly, living on Social Security, would end up better off. They would receive the sales tax rebate even though the purchasing power of their Social Security benefits would remain unchanged (thanks to the automatic adjustment to the consumer price index that would raise their Social Security benefits to account for the increase in the retail-price level).

The sales tax would be levied on all final consumption goods and services and would be set at 33 percent—high enough to cover the costs of this “New New Deal’s” Social Security and healthcare reforms as well as meet the government’s other spending needs. On a tax-inclusive basis, this is a 25 percent tax rate, which is a lower or much lower marginal rate than most workers pay on their labor supply. The marginal tax on saving under the sales tax would be zero, which is dramatically lower than the effective rate now facing most savers.

While Kotlikoff's tax-inclusive rate is a couple of percentage points higher than that currently being proposed in the House and Senate Bills, the method is identical.

The arguments for the FairTax just keep coming in. That's because the FairTax is the best thing for America with regard to serious taxreform.

---

Just an FYI, KnightHawk also published the results of a ballot initiative on the FairTax from three metropolitan Atlanta counties. The question was only on the Republican ballot (aren't Dems for the FairTax?), and only in the three Atlanta-area counties, and it was non-binding. It was meant to gauge reaction to the FairTax. The results:

Gwinnett County:
Total Votes: 35,755
Yes - 31,068. 86.9% / No - 4,687 13.1%

Cobb County:
Total votes: 39,458
Yes - 33,598. 85.15% / No - 5,860. 14.85%

Fayette County:
Total votes: 11,517
Yes - 9,828. 85.33% / No - 1,689. 14.67%

An average of 85.79% of the voters in these three counties favor the FairTax! Senators? Representatives? Are you listening? Don't make us shout!

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.