December 06, 2004

I’m starting out today with a couple of news items sent by friends. Some border on commentary themselves, but it is important to have these and to comment on them. At least that’s my opinion (but not necessarily anyone else’s or TPoL or FND or RRND!) By the way, if you haven’t already, I know that Mama Liberty and Tom and crew at FND/RRND would appreciate you telling them how much you appreciate THEM - preferably a nice note with a small amount from Paypal or e-Gold attached - again, my opinion, not necessarily theirs! (Thanks, Nathan, but PoL is not set up to accept donations. Those so inclined are urged to contribute to any of the other sites that need support. MamaLiberty)

US, Israel should take UN seriously?
CNS News
The United States, which funds nearly a quarter of the United Nations' annual budget, should rethink its relations with the world body, much of which stands opposed to President Bush's view on the global war against terrorism, an expert said here this week.

The “expert” here, from the internationalist Hudson Institute, Anne Bayefsky, doesn’t explain how to do this - but at least does not support the UN itself. She points out how a majority of the UN is so opposed to the US and Israel that they refuse to condemn even more gross crimes against liberty, such as those committed in Sudan, Zimbabwe, and North Korea, but does not point out the obvious: the withdrawal of the US from the UN would soon render the organization completely ineffective, even in the eyes of most Europeans and Asians.

Many support Annan on “oil for food” scandal
Chicago Sun
While calls are escalating for United Nations Secretary-general Kofi Annan to resign over a scandal in the oil-for-food program, Russia, China, Britain, France, Germany and dozens of other countries have rallied behind Annan, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

I suppose that we Americans have too high an opinion of politicians - and too high an expectation of what they should do. The rest of world apparently believes that it is right and proper to steal billions of dollars while thwarting the efforts of the world to keep a dictator from again threatening his neighbors. No matter how bad things get here in the US, it seems as though the rest of the world is sliding away faster still. Closely tied with the first article, this must surely cause even Bayefsky to question whether ANYONE with a gram of morality in their body can take the UN seriously.

“Female Special” - How not to fly
She [Molly Little] didn't know. She didn't seek the title. She found out about it at the airport in Portland, Maine. Little is from South Kingstown, R.I., a freshman at Colby College, and she doesn't like a lot of things her government is doing. So she demonstrates and asks questions and is drawn to people who share her outrage. Last year, she did an internship with the American Friends Service Committee, the organization founded by those peace-loving Quakers. … On Nov. 18, she was headed to Fort Benning, Ga., to take part in the annual nonviolent demonstration against The School of the Americas… At the Portland airport, Little found that maybe, just maybe, a person can no longer speak out without getting his or her name on a list. She was running a little late when she got to the airport due to a speeding ticket. At the Delta ticket counter, the attendant asked if she was in the military because she was on a list for an extra security check. The attendant spent some time on the phone but could not tell her why she was on the list. It was when she got to the checkpoint on the way to the boarding gate that she found she was a "female special." That's what yet another attendant yelled out after Little presented her boarding pass and driver's license. …She says she was patted down and scanned with a metal detector. Her carryon bag was emptied out, and her textbooks and journal were flipped through by a security person. Again, she could get no satisfactory answer as to why she was being singled out.

This is a longer extract than usual from an article, but it is important to get the flavor of this girl’s trouble. As the article goes on to say, in many ways, being “on the list” is an honor - knowing that someone thinks you are (or could be) making enough of a difference that they are keeping tabs on you - but as Lincoln said of being ridden out of town on a rail (after tarring and feathering) - “if’n it weren’t for the honor of it all, I'd jest as soon walk.”

Badnarik, Cobb continue fight for legitimate Ohio vote count
Scoop [New Zealand]
"Green Party presidential candidate David Cobb [and Libertarian Party presidential candidate Michael Badnarik] [Thursday] filed counterclaims in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio against Republican Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell, asserting that Blackwell is stalling the Ohio recount and abusing his authority. ... The suit filed today by Cobb, Badnarik and the National Voting Rights Institute alleges that Blackwell is abusing his discretionary authority and is, in effect, stalling. The suit asks that the recount begin immediately and be completed by the federally declared 'safe harbor' date of December 7 and by December 13, when the presidential electors are scheduled to meet. The suit also demands that Blackwell not declare the results of the election as official and final and that the presidential electors not be certified until the recount has been completed." (12/03/04)

This is another attempt to press the issue, and hopefully the Court has decided in the favor of the two candidates. It is important to verify the accuracy of the electronic voting methods which were used so extensively for the first time in this last election.

Danforth steps down from UN position
USA Today
"John Danforth, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, has resigned after less than six months on the job, part of a growing exodus of high-ranking Bush administration officials before the president's second term begins next month. In a Nov. 22 letter of resignation to President Bush that became public Thursday, Danforth said he was 'proud to be part of your administration' but wanted to 'spend more time' with his wife of 47 years, Sally. A copy of the letter was made available to USA TODAY." (12/02/04)

I suppose Danforth is treating his stint at the UN as the last public service before retirement. It would be nice if the president just didn’t bother to appoint anyone else, and let the UN alone.

Government: Torture "evidence" can be used as detention pretext
Dodge City Daily Globe
"U.S. military panels reviewing the detention of foreigners as enemy combatants are allowed to use evidence gained by torture in deciding whether to keep them imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the government conceded in court Thursday. The acknowledgment by Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Brian Boyle came during a U.S. District Court hearing on lawsuits brought by some of the 550 foreigners imprisoned at the U.S. naval base in Cuba. The lawsuits challenge their detention without charges for up to three years so far. Attorneys for the prisoners argued that some were held solely on evidence gained by torture, which they said violated fundamental fairness and U.S. due process standards." (12/02/04)

Fortunately, this is just a lawyer arguing for the government in front of a judge. Bad as our judges are, I hope that this one (and the appeals court) will be able (by the grace of G-d) to use common sense and see that this is just baloney. Based on the arguments of the DOJ attorneys, no one in the world ultimately could escape classification as a "terrorist" because of indirect ties, and there are no humans except “loyal” Americans - no one else has any of the G-d-given rights about which the Founders spoke so elegantly. Of course, the CIA/DIA clowns, TSA goons and Border Patrol thugs and the rest will assume the worst - and in a way, this is normal (if wrong): when we have a dog to protect our house, we want to have an aggressive dog that we have to keep on a leash: we don't expect him to judge for himself exactly what threat a stranger is or is not. (And most guard dogs probably are more intelligent than the goons we're talking about!)

That said, it is gonna get worse before it gets better. The frightening thing about this is that most Americans, sadly, AGREE with this attitude. A few weeks ago, my son and I were having dinner with a couple of Libertarians, an older couple - he served in the Navy just after the end of WW2, and so they grew up during the war. They have the firm conviction that Bloody Tuesday justifies and demands a total war, and that anyone in a country which has violated the laws of war is, by default, guilty and subject to any penalty - thus justifying Dresden, Hiroshima, Tokyo fire-bombings and the Katyn Forest... to name just a few. If we are the ones who were attacked, regardless of provocation, we have the right and obligation to use any method we see fit to punish the enemy and all the people associated with the enemy, from age 1 day on up. This is a VERY common attitude, and when it is not a "country" but an international movement or even a religious movement, it opens the door for the kind of garbage this lawyer is spouting.

Tennessee: Trooper may be fired after citing dead man
Tennessean
"A Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper may be fired in connection with a Blount County case in which a dead man was cited for traffic violations. Another trooper has been cleared of wrongdoing in the case, THP said. Troopers Rick Harmon and Stephen Parsley were placed on paid administrative leave in October after evidence surfaced that a man killed in an accident was issued traffic citations 10 days after he died. Parsley, who issued the traffic tickets, has been recommended for termination by Safety Commissioner Fred Phillips." (12/02/04)

The fruit of a corrupt system - troopers who think that procedure and assigning blame are paramount and even the dead are not allowed to rest - this is the same sort of mentality that saw Royalists dig up Oliver Cromwell’s body to draw, quarter, and burn at the stake at the altar of the all-powerful state.

Mama's Note: The operative word here is "fruit". The fruit and nut case of government regulations that force my colleagues and I to spend hours and hours handwriting meaningless paperwork, even after the patient involved has died. The sick part is that most of that paperwork served no purpose for the care and comfort of the patient while they were alive, much less after they were dead. We would all much rather spend that time with living patients and their families, but we have no option as long as Medicare and the feds call the shots.

Methodists defrock lesbian minister
Salt Lake Tribune
"The United Methodist Church defrocked a lesbian minister, who lives with her partner, Thursday for violating the denomination's ban on actively gay clergy -- the first such decision by the church in 17 years. A 13-member jury made up of Methodist clergy convicted the Rev. Irene Elizabeth Stroud on the second day of her church trial. Methodist law bars 'self-avowed, practicing homosexuals' from ministry." (12/03/04)

As I pointed out a few days ago - no prison sentence, no execution, not even a fine: she can either stay in the UMC and abide by their decision, or leave and join another denomination (or even form her own), but the “flock” is protected and the law is upheld - a great example of voluntary government, even if not exactly Biblical. (Don’t these guys even realize the significance of a “13-person” jury?)

Thousands mark Bhopal anniversary
Centre Daily Times
"Twenty years after a cloud of deadly gas savaged this central Indian city, thousands of demonstrators and survivors on Friday marked the anniversary of the world's worst industrial accident with demands for justice for those still suffering. A leak of 40 tons of poisonous gas from a Union Carbide pesticide plant on Dec. 3, 1984, killed at least 10,000 people in Bhopal and affected more than 555,000 others, although the exact number of victims has never been clear." (12/02/04)

Although I did not know it at the time, this was to have a profound impact on me personally - since returning to mostly civilian pursuits in 1990, much of my volunteer time has been spent helping businesses and communities (my own and others) take actions to reduce the chances of this happening again. Although there have been whole volumes of various laws passed to “provide” for this - the truth is, most of the real work to prevent this has been done by volunteers, and the work has been voluntary, with most (not all, I admit) of the cost paid by donations or businesses understanding the importance - not through mandatory taxation. The places where this kind of disaster is LEAST likely to happen today are those where people are self-governing - willing to take responsibility for their actions and provide the information, the planning, and the safeguards needed, and not where there is grudging compliance with a bunch of laws.

New York: Golf course stolen -- piece by piece
News 10 Now
"Authorities say a Cayuga County man stole a golf course piece by piece. Sheriff deputies say Donald Ross stole golf balls, tee markers, ball washers and numerous other items from the Owasco Country Club. Authorities believe Ross took the equipment over a period of three years and set up a three hole golf course on his property ...." (12/02/04)

Reminds me of the old (Johnny Cash?) song about the 1957-58-59-etc Chevy. I know, not much about liberty in this one - but I’m sure the Country Club would rather have restitution than just putting this imaginative thief in prison.

Galloway wins Iraq libel victory
Guardian [UK]
"George Galloway, the leftwing rebel MP, won a resounding libel victory against the Daily Telegraph yesterday with a damages award of £150,000. Delivering his high court judgment, Mr. Justice Eady described the Telegraph's allegations, based on disputed Iraqi documents found after the end of the Iraq war, as 'dramatic and condemnatory.' In accusing Mr. Galloway of being in the secret pay of Saddam Hussein, the paper had made 'a rush to judgment' in 'a classic case of publishing and being damned.'" (12/03/04)

Well, I imagine the Daily Telegraph made enough money from this to pay the damages handily. At the same time, it appeared to me that the Telegraph had a strong case on Galloway, and just because a serving politician is “condemned” by a news story doesn’t mean it is wrong. The amazing thing would actually be that there are no American or British politicians who were in Saddam’s pay - we know enough UN types were.

Bush adamant on Iraq election schedule
Las Vegas Review-Journal
"President Bush rejected calls for a delay in next month's Iraqi elections, insisting Thursday that the vote was too important to put off even though violence and chaos still grip much of the country. 'It's time for the Iraqi citizens to go to the polls,' Bush said. Bush predicted Iraq's elections would leave the world 'amazed that a society has been transformed so quickly,' but he did not explain why he was so adamant that balloting go forward as scheduled Jan. 30." (12/02/04)

As expected and predicted, the pressure to NOT hold Iraqi elections is increasing as we get down to the last 60 days or so - and frankly, if the media can’t figure out WHY Bush is so insistent, maybe they should get into another field of work.

FDA advisers vote against female sex drug
Indianapolis Star
"A hormone patch that works to restore a woman's sex drive should not win government approval until more studies are completed to determine the drug's risks, federal health advisers recommended Thursday. Several members of the Food and Drug Administration's advisory committee said they were not satisfied with the number of women studied so far, the length of the studies and the modest benefits of the drug." (12/02/04)

If it were possible to trust anything coming from the FDA - but this may or may not be good science. At the same time, this kind of drug should be subject to proper testing, and it appears that may not have been done.

Mama's Note: It is crazy to take a drug for anything but a life- threatening condition. A healthy diet and lifestyle will do more for overall body function, including the sex drive, than all the drugs ever made. But it's easier to pop a pill or peel a patch than to do what is healthy and wise in this age of fast food and massive stress. You WILL reap what you sow, however, so the people who choose to take these drugs shouldn't really complain once the side effects hit. Safe? None of these things are really safe. If you want safe, do it the right way and benefit your whole body and life.

Bin Laden's trail cold, US acknowledges
MSNBC
"For a time, the U.S. Military in Afghanistan was talking as if it would smoke Osama bin Laden out of a cave on the rocky Pakistan border within months, perhaps even ahead of President Bush's reelection. Now, U.S. commanders say protecting the country's fragile new democracy, reviving its economy and keeping Taliban militants on the run are the priorities, although tracking the cold trail of bin Laden and other al-Qaida leaders remains the focus of intelligence efforts." (12/02/04)

Can both be done at once? Of course, bin Laden was the reason that we invaded the country in the first place, so you might think he would still be one of the priorities.

Kerik named to lead Homeland Security
Detroit Free Press
"President Bush has chosen former New York police commissioner Bernard Kerik, who helped direct the emergency response to the Sept. 11 terrorist strikes against the Twin Towers, to lead the Homeland Security Department, charged with safeguarding Americans from future attack, administration officials said Thursday. Bush also announced his choice of Nebraska Gov. Mike Johanns to be agriculture secretary, selecting a dairy farmer's son who has traveled widely to promote American farm sales abroad."

I certainly don’t expect a professional political cop to be any better defender of what is important in this nation than the politician he is replacing. The NYPD’s track record for protecting the freedoms and liberties of New Yorkers and visitors to the Big Apple is not good. And frankly, a proven ability to RESPOND ably to the results of an attack is NOT necessarily what is needed in the so-called DHS - which is supposed to be PREVENTING, not just responding. No doubt, Johanns will be a good Ag secretary, as that is usually defined: continued welfare for big agribusiness, and locking up of the nation’s resources in the cause of “conservation.” And though I am sure many in Nebraska welcome his departure, it gets tiresome to see how, time after time, both GOP and Demo administrations strip state officials away from elected offices to serve as “throwaway” political appointees.

England's lawyers lose crucial ruling
CNN
"A military judge ruled Thursday that prosecutors can use two written statements by Pfc. Lynndie England describing incidents of physical abuse and sexual degradation of detainees at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. The 22-year-old mother from West Virginia faces a court-martial at Fort Bragg in January. She is charged with 19 counts of assault, conspiracy, improper conduct and indecent acts, and could be sentenced to as many as 38 years in prison." (12/02/04)

Despite inflated and just plain outrageous claims by her defense attorneys, it seems right to me that England’s statements should be permitted to the Court Martial board. Despite claims of “developmental disabilities” and other problems in an attempt to portray this woman as a “victim” - the trial is about her actions, which make her not victim, but predator and petty tyrant.

Study: Corporate PC "riddled with spyware"
Register [UK]
"Corporate systems are riddled with spyware, according to a study by an anti-spyware firm. Companies voluntarily using Webroot's Corporate SpyAudit tool had an average of 20 nasties per PC, Webroot reports. Most of the items found were harmless cookies. But average five per cent of the PCs scanned had system monitors and 5.5 per cent had Trojan horse programs, the two most nefarious and potentially malicious forms of spyware. The audit -- based on scans of more than 10,000 systems, used by more than 4,100 companies -- is touted by Webroot as the first comprehensive analysis of the presence of spyware within corporate networks." (12/02/04)

It is critical for private citizens and businesses to be constantly vigilant - computers are just one way that our very lives can be stolen. (I’ll be sending Mama Liberty a series of articles on personal and private security in the next few weeks, dealing with just this subject.)

Report: Some abstinence programs mislead teens
Washington Post
"Many American youngsters participating in federally funded abstinence-only programs have been taught over the past three years that abortion can lead to sterility and suicide, that half the gay male teenagers in the United States have tested positive for the AIDS virus, and that touching a person's genitals 'can result in pregnancy,' a congressional staff analysis has found. Those and other assertions are examples of the 'false, misleading, or distorted information' in the programs' teaching materials, said the analysis, released yesterday, which reviewed the curricula of more than a dozen projects aimed at preventing teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease." [Some Post articles require registration, or use login "info@news-digests.com/news-digests"] (12/02/04) (or use “ www.bugmenot.com “)

As with ANY government-run, taxpayer-funded program, there is going to be a lot of propaganda, and the abstinence programs appear to be not much different in this than the “safe-sex” programs, which the government also promotes. Of course, with the Post, you won’t hear about those (or they won’t be considered “false, misleading, or distorted” since the “safe-sex” programs are politically correct but the “abstinence” programs are not.

Amnesty adds voice to victim disarmament outcry on Tasers
WSOC TV News
"Taser model number X26A has 50,000 volts of power that, when fired, can render a grown man or woman helpless in an instant. Many police agencies train with them and Charlotte-Mecklenburg police use a similar model. But now, you too can get one, with no background check or permit, simply going on the Internet. That has critics outraged. Jumana Musa of Amnesty International says, 'It's unregulated. There's no screening. There's no official background check as required by law when you buy a handgun. So basically, anyone can go get it.'" (12/02/04)

So the basic attitude of “Amnesty International” towards true liberty is revealed - even generally non-lethal weapons are “too dangerous” to allow anyone to have them. This hypocrisy should not be a surprise, but you would think that someone other than JPFO could truly point out that the best way to avoid becoming victims of political and governmental abuse is to be able to defend yourself.

Mama's Note: Just think about this too: anyone who has been convicted of a "felony" - many of them being totally non-violent - can NEVER own a gun to defend themselves with. Maybe, if this can be kept out of the hands of the "controllers", these people could have at least something.

Pennsylvania: Quadriplegic teen nabs 10-point buck
Mercury News
"A 15-year-old boy who was paralyzed in a 1997 accident on a four-wheel all-terrain vehicle killed a 10-point buck Tuesday by pulling a string with his teeth to fire a customized rifle. .... It was Tyler's third deer -- he previously killed two does -- but first buck. He plans to have the trophy mounted. His .243-caliber rifle is part of a device designed specifically for disabled hunters." (12/02/04)

Speaking of being able to defend yourself, there probably is NOT yet a way for quadriplegics and other physically-disabled people to be able to defend themselves effectively - an area hopefully someone will take on and correct. (After all, you TOO could get Amnesty International and Handgun Control Inc. mad at you!)

Youths playing with imitation guns risk lives
Advertiser Reporter [UK]
"Teenage owners of imitation and replica guns could be putting themselves in danger of being shot by armed police officers. That is the warning from Surrey Police, which is urging youths who own imitation weapons, including BB (ball bearing) guns, to use them responsibly. If they don't, armed police officers may believe they are dealing with a life threatening situation and could open fire. Specially trained, armed officers are authorized to open fire if necessary where they believe life is being imminently threatened. The warnings follows two incidents involving youngsters that have triggered full-scale police operations involving the use of trained firearms units." (12/02/04)

I didn’t think these things were still legal - but I’m sure the Home Office will correct that oversight soon enough. Of course, it might be better if the cops (whom in England did not formerly carry guns themselves) to be trained to recognize toy guns and BB guns, instead. But then, considering the limited mental ability of more and more law enforcement “agents,” maybe this is a valid warning. (Of course, I must plead a certain conflict of interest on this topic - two of my favorite Agatha Christie mystery stories featured a bobbie (a British policeman) as the murdering villain.)

Mama's Note: It really is incredible to think that toy guns are even available in the UK these days when the news has been clear that they intend to "control" and "register" knives next. It won't be too much longer until the only thing you'll be allowed to defend yourself with is bad breath.

Tennessee: State legal motion could replace judge
Nashville City Paper
"Lawyers for the state of Tennessee have filed a motion in federal district court to reopen an ongoing TennCare court settlement. The move would allow the release of documents they say could force federal Judge John Nixon to recuse himself from the case. The motion is asking Nixon to open John B, the very case the administration says has hampered Gov. Phil Bredesen's attempts to reform the ailing $8 billion program. ... The state alleged in a Nov. 18 filing with the court that there may have been inappropriate talks between Nixon and the independent special master assigned by the court to oversee the state's progress in John B, which addresses the treatment of children on TennCare." (12/02/04)

It appears that statists will do anything to keep the welfare funds flowing.

Mama's Note: The really sad part is that so many totally invalid children (such as those on vents or profoundly retarded) are in a position where the welfare is the only support they have, and desperate families may be faced with losing their children to the state if they can't provide the special equipment and medications they need.

The taxpayers will still foot the bill, but in an even more inefficient way, with the care being provided in an impersonal institution instead of at home. Yes, the system is abused by many, but the dilemma of how to care for these invalid children is not going to go away easily. Of course, in a truly free society, all such invalids would be taken care of at home through private charity, if necessary, and their parents would have all of their income available instead of the dribble allowed them "after taxes".

Governors call for Federal drought agency
Fox News
"A five year drought grips Colorado and most of the nation's western half, though you wouldn't know it by taking a look out any window in the area. 'It's hard to predict when they begin, it's hard to predict how long they'll last,' said Greg McCabe, a U.S. geological survey researcher. The National Drought Mitigation Center estimates the economic impact of drought averages about $6 to $8 billion annually, which is about equivalent to the amount of money spent on floods and hurricanes combined. However, unlike other natural disasters, droughts have no independent federal response team to react. ... Because of this governors from 18 western states are pushing for legislation to assign a lead federal agency to find solutions to a problem that devastates both agriculture and water supplies." (12/02/04)

Speaking of anything to keep the welfare dollars flowing - for 3+ centuries, descendants of European settlers have been able to cope with drought, and without a federal “drought relief agency” - the AmerInd farmers and hunters of the area have been able to do it for at least 1200 years, if not longer. Of course, they didn’t try to grow Kentucky Bluegrass west of the Missouri - or decide that 1-acre swimming pools were an unalienable right.

Property taxes rising nationwide
Christian Science Monitor
"While fuel prices may be starting to skid, there's another expense closer to home that is upsetting many Americans: rising property taxes. From Madison, WI, to Bucks County, PA, the local tax assessor is dipping deeper into homeowners' pockets as real estate prices rise and states share less of their tax revenue with local governments. With people starting to receive their 2005 tax bills, the levies are squeezing the middle class and senior citizens -- leaving them less to spend on everything from restaurants to roof repair. There is also concern the taxes could particularly hurt the home-buying chances of the young or civil servants such as firefighters. States such as New Jersey now have grassroots efforts -- verging on revolts -- for reform." (12/03/04)

Of course, many of us have been dealing with this problem for a long time - and the revolts are far more common and farther along in the West (which, of course, the CSM ignores most of the time as “flyover country”) than anything being seen in NJ, WI, or PA.

Mama's Note: The only "revolt" that will be of any use is that which demands a drastic roll back in the "services" these governments provide. All too often, people revolt at the tax, but demand that the "services" continue or even expand! Unfortunately, far too few people are willing to put the two together and understand what these "services" cost us in liberty and privacy as well as our money.

Washington: Gregoire pleads with DNC to support recount
Talon News
"The Democratic National Committee is rallying behind Democratic Washington gubernatorial candidate Chris Gregoire in her quest to win the closest race in that state's history. In an e-mail sent to DNC supporters on Wednesday, Gregoire said she needs 'immediate help' regarding the recount of this election. ... 'Only 42 votes separate my opponent and me, and thousands of ballots across the state haven't been counted.' Gregoire continued, 'We must make sure that every single legitimate ballot has been counted -- and that means a statewide manual recount of every vote.' Maintaining that it will cost her campaign and the Democratic Party $750,000 to conduct this recount, since they are the ones requesting it, Gregoire said donations are desperately needed to make the recount a reality." (12/02/04)

It is most interesting to me that while this is featured in the GOP news and other American news outlets, the only place information is reported, on recounts in New Mexico, Ohio, and elsewhere being pushed by “third-party” candidates, is in overseas outlets.

Report: More than 40% of America on "legal" drugs
San Francisco Chronicle
"Americans are cramming their medicine chests ever fuller in the struggle to lower cholesterol, treat depression, reduce inflammation and ease other illnesses. More than 40 percent of the population is taking at least one prescription drug and one person in every six takes three or more, the government said Thursday. ... 'The fact is that we have more drugs available that actually do help people,' said Dr. Ellsworth C. Seeley, who teaches medicine at the University of Kentucky. He cited drugs to deal with high blood pressure, cholesterol and help diabetics, among others. Dennis Shea, a professor at Pennsylvania State University ... found mixed news in the report.'" (12/02/04)

Hmm. Add that to the 20% on recreational drugs, and that makes us one drug-ridden country, no? As pointed out by many people, much of the need (although certainly not all of it) for prescription drugs can be avoided, especially for younger folks, by proper diet, exercise, and good living habits - things more and more foreign to many Americans.

Mama's Note: Most people, especially the elderly, are vastly overmedicated, even those with serious medical conditions. Disease is not caused by a drug deficiency, and taking drugs is not a good way to prevent disease either. Illness is usually caused by poor diet and lifestyle choices, so most can be prevented or cured by getting rid of the bad habits.

As readers know, I seldom comment on commentary, but this is just too good NOT to comment on.
From Robert Novak's latest column:
"According to Texas sources, Hutchison's running mate as lieutenant governor may be State Comptroller Carole Strayhorn. The former Democratic mayor of Austin, Strayhorn has been called the brains of the Texas Republican Party. She is the mother of two important Bush administration officials: White House press secretary Scott McClellan and Medicare chief Mark McClellan."

If you ever thought that the differences between the USA's DP and GOP were more than skin-deep, this paragraph about Texan and national politics should dispel that notion. Hutchison is, of course, GOP, and now a US Senator from Texas - she will be challenging another incumbent GOP (Rick Perry) and using an ex-Demo ("the brains of the Texas GOP" - an ex-Demo?) to do so. That ex-Demo was mayor of the most liberal city in Texas - look at the 2004 election map - that's that blue spot in the south-central part of the state; unlike the Rio Grande valley and El Paso with their heavy Hispanic populations, Austin is limousine liberal and yuppie-socialist. Yet she is the mother of TWO key national GOP types - who do have different last names, whether due to divorce or keeping her "political" name, I don't know - but either indicate a disregard for the traditional conservative "family values" the GOP supposedly champions.

Nathan Barton is a libertarian writing from the Four Corners.
See Nathan's own blog, Liberty's Outpost.

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