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September
04, 2006
Libertarian
Commentary on the News, 27 August - 2 September 2006
There are
times when the news is crushing, when it seems that liberty is dying in
our time - this week comes close to that. Good news seems hard to come
by this week, so be warned - today's commentary is NOT very cheerful!
ECONOMIC
NEWS: Dow closes up 68 on falling oil
prices
Watertown Daily Times
"Wall Street rebounded Monday as energy prices fell on signs that
Tropical Storm Ernesto won't hit the Gulf of Mexico and as investors grew
optimistic about a series of major economic reports on tap this week.
Retail and transportation stocks rose as investors believed lower oil
prices would help consumer spending. The drop in energy prices also massaged
concerns that this week's data on consumer confidence, job growth, and
manufacturing might show the economy is slowing faster than expected."
(08/28/06)
We've seen
a small downward trend across the region in recent travels, but still
a very long way from what is needed to help the economy recover from a
doubling of fuel prices.
ECONOMIC
NEWS: Gas prices fall 15 cents a gallon
in 2 weeks in U.S.
Arizona Republic
"U.S. retail gas prices dropped 15 cents a gallon in the past
two weeks, the sharpest decline in nearly a year, according to a survey
released Sunday. The national average for self-serve regular stood at
$2.87, down from just under $3.03, according to the Lundberg Survey of
7,000 gas stations across the country. That was about 25 cents higher
than at the same time in 2005. Mid-grade prices averaged $2.98 a gallon,
while premium cost $3.09. The lowest price was $2.60 a gallon in Des Moines,
Iowa, and the highest was in Honolulu at $3.32." [Editor's note:
Timing is indeed everything; last week I finished my vacation-trip, and
paid $3.02 per to refill the rental car. 0h well, the weather was wonderful.
- SAT] (08/28/06)
This is
the drop which supposedly is helping things so much - but in the areas
we've been in (the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains) the drop has not
been so large, and the rise from 2005 was much greater. We have almost
been desensitized to prices over $3/gallon just 24 months after the seemingly
permanent "floor" of $2/gallon was established. And most seriously,
the CAUSES of the high prices have not in the least been corrected: another
bad hurricane season will push up from the "new floor" of 2.90
to 3.32 to ever higher levels until (1) refineries are built, (2) new
oil field development is in full progress, and (3) drastic reductions
in government taxation, regulation, and spending.
CULTURE
WARS: Gov.
Schwarzenegger Accused of 'Squashing Religious Freedom'
CNS News.com
A conservative advocacy group says California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger
has betrayed California families by signing a bill that will force faith-based
colleges to either abandon their biblical standards on sexuality, or else
reject students who receive state financial aid...
Just one
of many betrayals of public trust of the Terminator. Today, more than
ever, as you will see in many stories today California is nothing but
a socialist cesspit that resembles Soviet Russia more than a land of freedom
once known as America.
Mama's
Note: Those who wish to retain their religious standards must be willing
to forego the "goodies" handed out by government from stolen
goods. This is true anywhere, not just California. You can't have it both
ways.
CULTURE
WARS: Wal-Mart's
'Gay' Partnership Risks Conservative 'Rollback'
CNS News.com
After months of criticism from union-backed groups over its employee
pay and health care practices, Wal-Mart now faces a potential "rollback"
of support from conservatives because of the retail giant's partnership
with a homosexual business coalition...
It is ironic
that WM has chosen this kind of gesture to alienate those who have been
its greatest support in the battle with liberals - a gesture that will
not endear its business practices to the liberal opponents of big-boxdom.
Mama's
Note: Only a living being can be sexual, any kind. How is a "business
coalition" homosexual?
CULTURE
WARS: Update:
APA Disputes Therapy, Not Homosexual Change
CNS News.com
Advocates of psychological counseling for people experiencing unwanted
attraction to members of the same sex say the American Psychological Association
may be softening its position on their services. But a spokesman for the
APA says it still questions the validity of reparative or conversion therapy
for homosexuals...
Of course,
Clarke's Law means that this doctrinaire position by the APA is itself
a strong piece of evidence that the therapies DO work.
CULTURE
WARS: Agendas
on Display One Year After Katrina
CNS News.com
One year after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, people affected
by the storm are viewing it not just as an American experience, but as
a "black" or "Jewish" experience as well...
Heaven
forbid that ANY act, even one of nature, be viewed as colorblind or non-biased
in nature.
Mama's
Note: To a hammer, everything looks like a nail...
GUVMINT-RUINED,
THEFT-FUNDED SCHOOLS: Obesity war's
latest battlefront: the school cafeteria
San Francisco Chronicle
"There's a cartoon circulating among nutritionists these days:
two really overweight parents -- one sprawled on the couch in front of
the television with a soda resting on his belly, the other dishing up
ice cream in the kitchen -- and their chubby daughter sitting on the floor,
amid chip bags, pizza boxes and cookie wrappers. The caption reads: 'Ahh
... it's nice to be home ... the only food they serve at school these
days is good for you.' Schools weren't always citadels of health. For
years, they were more like junk food coliseums. Now, as this school year
begins, cafeteria menus are being scrutinized as closely as the curriculum
in preparation for compliance with recently passed legislation to better
students' diets. School officials from Santa Clara to Sonoma counties
are planning inventive programs to rid their halls of high-calorie and
fatty foods."(08/28/06)
Our schools
are hardly citadels of health even today, of course - but they are mindless
cesspools of political correctness. Communist California just is in the
vanguard, as usual.
HOME FRONT:
Army reservists who deserted were paid
CNN
"The Pentagon has done little to recover nearly $900,000 mistakenly
paid to 75 Army reservists who have not reported for duty since late 2001,
congressional investigators said in a report Monday. Less than two dozen
have either surrendered or been arrested. The report by the General Accounting
Office details ongoing problems with a military payroll system consistently
slammed as convoluted and error-prone -- with repeated instances of troops
either being overpaid or underpaid despite months spent trying to straighten
things out." (08/28/06)
Meanwhile
a lot of reservists who DID do their duty and worked, did NOT get paid
- SNAFU (Situation Normal, ALL Fouled Up). So nothing new.
Mama's
Note: I'll bet the ones who didn't get paid have a slightly more popular
word in place of "fouled."
HOME FRONT:
Floridians get prepared as Ernesto
nears
Great Falls Tribune
"Florida residents rushed to fill their prescriptions and stood
in long lines for gasoline, food and other supplies Monday as officials
warned people not to wait for Tropical Storm Ernesto to become a hurricane
again before taking precautions. Forecasters said Ernesto could grow back
into a hurricane in the warm waters off Cuba and come ashore in South
Florida as early as Tuesday night, exactly one year after Hurricane Katrina
pummeled the Gulf Coast. It would be the first hurricane to hit the United
States this year." (08/28/06)
Here we
go again - good riddance. Fortunately, Ernesto kinda fizzled out, but
on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, Hurricane John is washing things away,
and moving up the coast. Ain't life grand?
Mama's
Note: It is tiresome to see the hype whipped up over nothing like this.
It's like they're all waiting around, just hoping they get another monster
storm so they'll have even more endless "reporting" of all the
nonsense.
HOME FRONT:
Poll: US not ready for disaster
Lakeland Ledger
"Their confidence shaken by Katrina, most Americans don't think
the nation is ready for another major disaster, a new AP-Ipsos poll finds.
Poor people are more likely to fear becoming victims of the next disaster.
The survey, conducted one year after the devastating hurricane and with
much of New Orleans still in shambles, found diminishing faith in the
government's ability to deal with emergencies. It also gave President
Bush poor marks for his handling of the storm's aftermath." (08/28/06)
No kidding,
people. And because most of us seem to be incapable of accepting responsibility
for our own actions and destinies, and have completely surrendered all
initiative to the government, this is naturally viewed as a hideous condition
and we MUST blame the politicians. Folks, there is only ONE person responsible
for YOU to be prepared for a disaster - and that is the guy or gal staring
you in the face in the mirror.
Mama's
Note: And "being prepared" does not include having your FEMA
form all ready to fill out.
HOME FRONT:
Scares delay, divert flights
Boston Globe
"Six flights were searched, evacuated, or diverted yesterday in
security-related scares during a chaotic day in the skies, leaving many
passengers fretting that such sudden and drastic precautionary measures
have become an inevitable fixture of air travel. Authorities said the
occurrences -- all on flights either departing or arriving in US cities
-- were not linked in any way. They said five of the six scares had no
connection to terrorism. The one unresolved case involved an American
Airlines Boeing 767 en route from Manchester, England, to Chicago that
was diverted to Bangor at about 1 p.m. after an unspecified threat to
the flight was reported. Federal security officials refused to characterize
the threat yesterday .... Those on board said a male passenger was handcuffed
and taken away in a police car." (08/28/06)
I think
the total of these "scares" is now near 20, and each of these
cost thousands of dollars - possibly tens or hundreds of thousands, when
you figure in cost of time to the passengers and everything combined.
And every event just justifies more and more restrictions and police power.
Mama's
Note: It just seems strange that so many people continue to put up with
this, and even expect or welcome it! At what point will people simply
stop flying, and so stop supporting this massive increase in the police
state?
HOME FRONT:
Groups
Support Border Patrol Agents Who Shot Smuggler
CNS News.com
Two U.S. Border Patrol agents convicted of shooting a drug smuggler
who was fleeing from Texas into Mexico face the possibility of 20 years
in prison, but some groups say the agents were just doing their jobs -
and they are calling for the investigation to be reopened...
This is
perhaps one time where I have to side with the Border Patrol people -
they were facing the threat of being shot and killed themselves and were
firing in self-defense. I know there are many who claim that there is
NO role for Border Police, but to me, even with open borders and free
trade and travel, there is still a need to maintain a defense, especially
against the threats which exist in Mexico. Open travel and free trade
do NOT excuse trespassing, nor armed invasion.
Mama's
Note: Reading this story, it seems pretty plain that the whole thing was
part of the "war on drugs" and had little or nothing to do with
self-defense or the border. If he was running away, how was he threatening
those who shot him? If they defaced evidence and lied about it, their
claim is even more suspect. Knee-jerk support for the Border Patrol by
the people down there will simply let the bad apples get away with their
games.
HOME FRONT:
NV:
FLDS Leader Jeffs arrested
AOL News
Warren Steed Jeffs, 50, was taken into custody after he and two other
people were pulled over late Monday by a Nevada Highway Patrol trooper
on Interstate 15 just north of Las Vegas, FBI spokesman David Staretz
said. The leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints was wanted in Utah and Arizona on suspicion of sexual misconduct
for allegedly arranging marriages between underage girls and older men.
Since May, Jeffs has been on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list, with a $100,000
reward offered for information leading to his capture.
Close to
home for me, since his group had compounds both in the Black Hills and
in the Four Corners - and an example of what is considered "serious"
crime for the FBI these days.
HOME FRONT:
Rumsfeld: War critics have
"moral ... confusion"
MSNBC
"Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld on Tuesday accused critics
of the Bush administration's Iraq and counterterrorism policies of trying
to appease 'a new type of fascism.' In unusually explicit terms, Rumsfeld
portrayed the administration's critics as suffering from 'moral or intellectual
confusion' about what threatens the nation's security and accused them
of lacking the courage to fight back." (08/29/06)
The use
of the word fascism has been too high for decades - and this is nothing
but another example. Clearly, Islam is a form of tyranny, and clearly
the Islamists are tyrants and thugs - easy to recognize. But they are
NOT "fascists"
in the way that term should be used properly. In fact, precise application
of that term would be more accurate when used to describe the current
administration - but even then, it is twisting the use of the word. Of
course, neo-cons are hardly the first to warp this word: too many libertarians
and virtually ALL leftists have abused this accusation beyond belief.
HOME FRONT:
Jefferson case informant files complaint
with police
New Orleans Times-Picayune
"A Virginia woman told police that 'things have been happening'
since she went to the FBI 17 months ago with a complaint that led to the
continuing corruption probe against Rep. William Jefferson, D-New Orleans.
Lori Mody, who wore a hidden microphone to tape conversations with Jefferson,
said in her July 24 complaint to the Fairfax County (Va.) Police Department
that the toilet in a McLean, Va., home she is getting ready to sell broke
between July 21 and July 24, sending water 'everywhere.' Although Mody
told police the toilet malfunction could just be an accident, perhaps
caused by a worker, she decided to file a report with the Fairfax County
Police because it was just one of a number of problems she has encountered
since she went to the FBI in March 2005." (08/29/06)
Is she
paranoid or are they really out to get her? Jefferson is a scumbag, apparently,
and it appears that someone (perhaps Democratic operatives?) is paying
her back for getting even the dunderheads at the FBI to see this.
HOME FRONT:
MA: Drill will be gauge of terror readiness
Boston Globe
"Less than a week after the fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11,
2001 terrorist attacks, one of the largest antiterror drills ever in New
England will test how public safety officials deal with some of their
worst fears -- all at the same time. The nightmare scenario starts with
an explosion in a basement lab in Everett, jumps to a threat to the liquefied
natural gas facility in Everett, and mushrooms to multiple explosions,
one involving a radioactive 'dirty bomb,' inside the CambridgeSide Galleria
mall, according to a memo obtained by the Globe yesterday. Finally, as
patrons flee the mall, at least one improvised explosive device is found
at the nearby Lechmere MBTA station, according to the memo outlining Operation
Poseidon, scheduled for the morning of Sunday, Sept. 17." (08/29/06)
Sounds
like an interesting scenario - and sounds like OPSEC (Operational Security)
is pretty bad just in the training scenario - which significantly reduces
the training effectiveness of the exercise.
HOME FRONT:
UT: Salt Lake mayor leads
anti-Bush protest
Salt Lake Tribune
"A crowd of thousands cheered Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson
for calling President Bush a 'dishonest, war-mongering, human-rights violating
president' whose time in office would 'rank as the worst presidency our
nation has ever had to endure.' The group -- including children and elderly
and some hailing from throughout Utah -- then marched to the federal building
Wednesday to deliver a copy of a symbolic indictment against the president
and Congress for abuse of power and failure to uphold the U.S. Constitution.
... Anti-war expressions were one of many messages during an eruption
of free speech Wednesday in Salt Lake City. Seven official rallies took
place -- most of them aimed at praising or pelting Rumsfeld, Rice and
Bush's visit to Utah this week to speak to the American Legion national
convention. The trio are on a campaign to bolster sagging public support
for the three-year-old war in Iraq." (08/31/06)
Notice
- "official" rallies: as if anything that is not endorsed by
some "big" political party or a "federal" PAC or some
"government" agency or commission is "unofficial"
and therefore second-class and unworthy of consideration - the presence
of the mayor apparently is supposed to lend credibility to what would
otherwise just be a bunch of uppity jerks. Of course, the Tribune (unlike
the Wakulla Independent Reporter - see story in "2006 Campaigns")
is a "legitimate" newspaper and is not a "political arm
of antiwar candidates [or incumbents]." Of course not.
HOME FRONT:
Chertoff backs air traveler registry
USA Today
"Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff strongly backed
a program Wednesday that would ease airport security for passengers who
pass voluntary background checks to show they aren't terrorists. Chertoff
told USA TODAY that checking air travelers' backgrounds, including phone
numbers and travel histories, would improve security by allowing the department
to focus on passengers with unknown backgrounds." (08/30/06)
The continuing
nonsensical insistence on programs that do nothing to address the real
security issues for airports and aircraft is astonishing.
HOME FRONT:
Judge to rule soon on wiretap lawsuit
Miami Herald
"A federal judge suggested Tuesday that he would try to keep alive
a lawsuit that challenges President Bush's domestic wiretapping program,
while taking steps not to disclose classified information. U.S. District
Judge Garr King said he expected to render his decision next week in a
case involving an Oregon-based Islamic charity that the government said
had links to al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden. The charity believes it
was illegally wiretapped and says a document the government accidentally
gave to its lawyers in 2004 bolsters its case." (08/29/06)
Amazing
- a federal judge willing to take a stand.
Mama's
Note: Well, don't worry. If he doesn't rule "properly," the
feds will find another judge to overturn whatever he decides. This, however,
makes a principled stand by this judge even more remarkable. Good for
him.
HOME FRONT:
Bush says Katrina recovery just starting
Battle Creek Enquirer
"President Bush said Monday the huge job of rebuilding from Hurricane
Katrina was just beginning a year after the massive storm but expressed
hope that the $110 billion of help sent from Washington would be enough.
Trying to erase the black mark left on his presidency by the administration's
sluggish response to Katrina, Bush returned to the first scene he saw
a year ago of the storm's devastation." (08/28/06)
This admission
is, no doubt, seen as yet another example of government incompetence.
And certainly, the government HAS been incompetent in carrying out its
claimed duties - even when it is really not authorized to do those duties.
HOME FRONT:
Study: Katrina survivors find resolve
Cedar Rapids Gazette
"In a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, a new survey
reveals that the traumatized survivors of Hurricane Katrina forged a surprisingly
powerful inner strength that steeled them against suicidal despair. The
study is the most elaborate post-storm survey yet. It shows that while
the survivors suffered twice as much mental illness as the pre-storm population,
they contemplated suicide far less often than mentally ill people surveyed
before Katrina." (08/28/06)
Fortunately,
New Orleans is not a good cross-section of Americans. But it does show
that not all stress and trauma is bad - we grow and mature as we learn
to deal with stress.
Mama's
Note: This kind of survey is just as useless as most of the rest of them.
The questions are so biased, the survey takers can get whatever answer
they want. Forget it.
THE COMING
FALL OF EUROPE: Scotland:
Warning over 'smoke-easy' lock-ins
The Scotsman
SCOTTISH pubs are breaking the smoking ban by running after-hours "smoke-easies"
where regulars can flout the law and enjoy a cigarette with their pint.
Prohibition
is prohibition - but the current tobacco prohibition craze has learned
from the failure back in the 20s and 30s.
MIDEAST
TARBABIES, AFGHANISTAN: 17 killed in
Afghan suicide blast
CNN
"A suicide bomber blew himself in a crowded market in southern
Afghanistan on Monday, killing 17 people and wounding 47, officials said.
The bomber carrying explosives walked into the market opposite a police
station in Lashkar Gah, the capital of the southern Helmand province,
said Ghulam Muheddin, the provincial governor's spokesman. The blast killed
17 persons and wounded 47, six critically, said Hanif Khan, a local hospital
official. Among those injured were 15 children, Muheddin said." (08/28/06)
Such a
brave and fearless murdering piece of scum. I suppose the location near
the police station make this market a legitimate target?
MIDEAST
TARBABIES, IRAN VERSUS EVERYONE: Ahmadinejad
wants to debate Bush
Houston Chronicle
"[Iranian] President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Tuesday challenged
the authority of the U.N. Security Council as Iran faces a deadline to
halt its uranium enrichment and he called for a televised debate with
President Bush on world issues. The Security Council has given Iran until
Thursday to suspend enrichment, a process that can produce either fuel
for a reactor or material for weapons." (08/29/06)
One wag,
the friend of a friend, suggested this be a "winner-take-all"
debate between what he described as "an Islamist nutjob" and
"a neocon nutjob" - and it sounds good to me!
Mama's
Note: They can debate all they want, but we don't need either nutjob to
"take all." The nutjob we've got is bad enough.
MIDEAST
TARBABIES, IRAN VERSUS EVERYONE: Iran
tests long-range missile
CNN
"Iran test fired a long-range, radar-evading missile on Sunday
from a submarine in the Gulf as part of war games that began earlier this
month, state television reported. The missile was called Sagheb, which
means Piercing, but the report did not give the missile's range. 'Minutes
ago it was launched from a submarine in the Persian Gulf and it hit the
target,' television reported." (08/27/06)
Truth or
just propaganda? Either way, it is part of Iran's continuing campaign
to tweak the West's nose.
Mama's
Note: Iran has submarines? Somehow, that surprised me. Oh well, I knew
they'd gotten beyond camels some time ago...
MIDEAST
TARBABIES, THE IRAQI OCCUPATION: General
says Iraqi soldiers refuse duty
Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune
"About 100 Iraqi Shiite soldiers refused to go to Baghdad to support
the security crackdown there, marking the second time a block of Iraqi
soldiers have balked at following their unit's assignment, a U.S. general
said Monday. U.S. Brig. Gen. Dana Pittard, commander of the Iraqi Assistance
Group, said the problems stem from the Iraqi Army's regional divide, because
soldiers are recruited in their home area and expect to train and serve
there." (08/28/06)
This, of
course, is not necessarily a bad thing - local defense forces should be
local, and not merely a way for a central government to use force aggressively.
And of course, though Pittard is loath to admit it, there is a religious
divide here as well, NOT just a "regional" one.
MIDEAST
TARBABIES, THE IRAQI OCCUPATION: Violence
sweeps across Iraq; dozens killed
Holland Sentinel
"A wave of bomb attacks and shootings swept Iraq Sunday, killing
dozens of people despite a massive security operation in the capital and
appeals from Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki for an end to sectarian fighting.
Al-Maliki insisted that his government was making progress in combating
attacks by insurgents and sectarian clashes between Shiites and Sunnis.
'We're not in a civil war. Iraq will never be in a civil war,' he said
through an interpreter ..." (08/27/06)
This is
the only major report I'll include for this week, but the killing continued
at an increased rate this week. It is difficult at this point to tell
whether or not claims of progress are justified or not. One commentator
has pointed out (similar to my own comparisons to Post-WW2 Germany) that
we weren't seeing this level of violence in Germany in 1948 - which is
true. Instead, as I recall (from my history books - I'm NOT that old),
we were confronting the USSR and Soviet troops in Berlin, including the
Berlin Blockade and Airlift. Why? Because the occupation of Germany was
quickly consumed by the larger confrontation between East and West. Another
big part of the problem was that we didn't try to "reestablish"
German sovereignty until 1955 - while in Iraq the mistake has been to
move far too fast.
Mama's
Note: I suspect there's a lot more to this than "too fast."
The Germans were not a bunch of tribes all trying to kill each other.
Most of them, it seems, were ready and even eager to move on and regain
their own culture and economy. There were many bitter memories of the
injustice they endured after WWI, of course, but few or none of the religious
and tribal conflicts that are tearing apart any hope of unity and peace
in Iraq. I don't think that Iraq and Germany can be compared any better
than can apples and oranges - or apples and stones.
MIDEAST
TARBABIES, THE IRAQI OCCUPATION: Marine
won't face death penalty in Iraq killing
CNN
"The government will not seek the death penalty against one of
eight servicemen charged with the shooting death of an Iraqi civilian
in April, a military prosecutor said Wednesday. Lt. Col. John Baker made
the announcement during a hearing for Pfc. John J. Jodka III, 20, one
of seven Marines and a Navy corpsman facing charges in the case. 'The
recommendation of the prosecution team is that a capital referral not
be sought in this case. It is our position that a capital referral is
not appropriate,' Baker said." (08/30/06)
Of course,
death-penalty opponents are giddily happy about this - oh, what, they
aren't? Excuse me, I forgot that American servicemen are subhuman and
not worthy of the constitutional protections and freedoms deserved by
those who torture and kill children in order to fight American imperialism,
or because they were born that way or because they were raised in poverty
and abuse.
MIDEAST
TARBABIES, THE IRAQI OCCUPATION: Bush
links US safety to Iraq success
Roseburg News-Review
"Linking success in Iraq with the future safety of America, President
Bush said Wednesday that withdrawing U.S. troops too quickly would lead
to a terrorist state more dangerous than Afghanistan in the grip of the
repressive Taliban regime. Bush, who is beginning a series of speeches
on Thursday to counter opposition to the war, spoke at a political fundraiser,
which raised more than $1.5 million for the Tennessee GOP and Bob Corker,
who faces a tough Senate race against Democratic nominee Harold Ford Jr."
(08/30/06)
He makes
it sound very plausible and there is a certain truth to what he says,
even though the entire situation can be laid at the feet of the Bush Administration.
It is this that makes the entire situation both more hideous and more
frustrating and more frightening: we have once more created an evil which
we MUST defend against lest all we hold dear be destroyed, together with
much that IS evil and vicious. It is a sad and recurring theme throughout
the history of this nation - that our dark side has had always dogged
us, even while we have been a shining beacon on a hill.
MIDEAST
TARBABIES, WAR IN CANAAN: UN chief
criticizes Israel, Hezbollah
Fall River Herald News
"U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan faulted both Israel and Hezbollah
on Monday for not living up to key sections of the cease-fire resolution,
while two more countries took steps to provide troops for an expanded
peacekeeping force to secure the truce. Germany, meanwhile, hinted it
was negotiating a prisoner swap. Sitting beside Lebanese Prime Minister
Fuad Saniora, Annan demanded Hezbollah return two captured Israeli soldiers,
whose July 12 abduction touched off the 34-day war, and said Israel must
lift its air and sea blockade of Lebanon." (08/28/06)
Well, for
once he is right - neither side is going to try to be too careful about
following these bogus ceasefire provisions. Meanwhile, the farce of creating
a "peacekeeping force" is proceeding at the usual snail's pace.
On Wednesday, Israel again rejected Annan's call for ending their blockade,
saying that the "peacekeeping" forces must be in place first.
MIDEAST
TARBABIES, WAR IN CANAAN: Unemployed
Palestinians demand welfare
Cincinnati Enquirer
"Some 300 unemployed Palestinian laborers surrounded the parliament
building Tuesday, demanding welfare payments, scuffling with police and
waving empty plates in another challenge to the beleaguered Hamas-led
government. Elsewhere in Gaza, Israeli soldiers killed three Palestinians
-- at least one of them a militant -- and wounded five others, including
a 4-year-old boy. In the northern West Bank, troops killed two Palestinian
militants in a firefight." (08/29/06)
Starting
to sound more and more like Iraq, isn't it?
MIDEAST
TARBABIES, WAR IN CANAAN: In
war's dust, new Arab "lion" emerges
Christian Science Monitor
"To most of the Arab public, the debate over who won the war between
Israel and Lebanon's Hezbullah is already settled. Hezbullah leader Hassan
Nasrallah is being feted through song in Syrian nightclubs and on Palestinian
radio. In Egypt, his name is being given to babies. On Baghdad streets,
posters celebrate his 'victory.' Islamist and secular groups are united
in declaring Mr. Nasrallah the new 'lion' of Arab causes. The long-term
political fallout of this euphoria over Hezbulah's ability to withstand
Israel's superior firepower is still uncertain. In Lebanon, suffering
brought by the war has seen support for Hezbullah split along sectarian
lines. But there are signs that opponents of authoritarian regimes in
the region have been emboldened by Hezbulah's actions, linking their struggles
against their own states to the Lebanese guerrillas' fight with Israel."
(08/29/06)
Keep in
mind that these are the same people who believe that Yassar Arafat was
a freedom fighter and that the Soviets were their friends - distasteful
as the Israelis may be to more and more people, the Arab gangs like Hezbollah
are still worse. Ironic, isn't it, that a puppet of Iran is being used
as an example to encourage struggles against other authoritarian regimes.
NORTH AMERICAN
UNION: For
mother and son, an immigration predicament
Christian Science Monitor
"Elvira Arellano's situation isn't all that unusual: an undocumented
immigrant ordered to report to US Immigration and Customs, a single mother
whose young son is a US citizen. But in the two weeks since Ms. Arellano
entered her church in Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborhood to avoid deportation
-- invoking the notion of church as sanctuary -- her standoff with the
US government has escalated into a public battle that has rallied activists
on both sides of the immigration debate. To supporters, her case is a
symbol of a 'broken' immigration system and of all the families who could
be split by deportation. But critics, too, claim Arellano as a symbol
-- of the sort of lawbreaker they say has no place in America."
(08/28/06)
Nobody
is explaining exactly how this "family" would be split - this
child would scarcely be the first US citizen raised in a foreign land.
Her abuse of the ancient right of sanctuary does not help her case, and
will likely lead to attempts to outlaw the ancient custom. It was intended
to protect people from official or vigilante action when accused of a
crime of violence or an accidental act resulting in injury or death -
a version of the old Israelite cities of refuge. Her use of it (and her
supporters' use of it) is not without precedent, but not necessarily valid,
either. As usual, the real issues of free travel and personal responsibility
are lost in the side issues.
NORTH AMERICAN
UNION: Mexico: Obrador to create parallel
government
Yahoo! News
"Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, convinced he won't be awarded the
presidency, has vowed to create a parallel leftist government and is urging
Mexicans not to recognize the apparent victory of the ruling party's Felipe
Calderon. While his party lacks the seats in Congress to block legislation,
Lopez Obrador can mobilize millions to pressure his conservative rival
to adopt the left's agenda -- or to clamp down and risk a backlash. Both
scenarios are possibilities as the former Mexico City mayor lays out plans
to create his own government to rule from the streets, with the support
of thousands who are already occupying protest camps throughout downtown
Mexico City. Some predict his parallel initiative -- which Lopez Obrador's
supporters call the 'legitimate government' -- could turn those protest
camps into the core of a violent revolt, especially if the government
tries to shut it down." (08/29/06)
One more
step to a new Mexican civil war and a dangerous step in the destabilization
of the nation. Mexico's instability has always been one of its greatest
dangers - far more than any threat of foreign invasion, since the various
foreign invasions it has suffered have been the direct result of internal
instability or (in the case of the original Spanish invasion under Cortez)
facilitated by the internal conflicts. Expect more violence, quickly,
and expect that violence to quickly spill over into the United States,
through refugees and through efforts to fight the Obrador-Calderon war
in American barrios and migrant camps.
Mama's
Note: Mega-sigh... Too bad they won't just all go home and mind their
own business. The only thing worse than a government is TWO of the stupid
things fighting to control everything. What a horrible waste of time,
money and lives. How sad that none of them seem to be able to see the
incredible level of peace, prosperity and joy they - and we - could reach
if we just quit trying to control each other and cooperated instead.
NORTH AMERICAN
UNION: Little bribes cost Mexico big
money
Arizona Republic
"As soon as English teacher Hugo Ceron saw the police lights flashing
in his rearview mirror, he knew what was about to happen. It was the 'bite.'
The police officer walked up to the car window and coolly informed Ceron
that he was getting two tickets: for illegally talking on a cellphone
while driving and for not wearing a seat belt. Ceron would have to go
down to the police station, plead guilty and pay a fine. But there was
a way out. 'The ticket was 500 pesos ($46), but he offered to let me be
on my way for 100 pesos ($9.25),' Ceron said. 'It was only because I looked
like a good person, according to him.' Like thousands of Mexicans every
day, Ceron paid up. In Mexico, they call these little bribes mordidas,
or 'bites,' the little payoffs and kickbacks that people give to cops,
teachers and bureaucrats just to get on with their lives. It's a culture
of corruption that many experts fear is eating away at Mexico's efforts
to modernize, strengthen the rule of law and democracy, and attract foreign
investment." (08/31/06)
Sadly,
we have our own version of this here in the United States, and I fear
the Mexican "custom" is quickly catching on in border regions.
It is part of Mexico's chronic instability, and is a trait shared with
virtually ALL Hispanic societies. It is, in fact, a legacy of the 500+
year Reconquista, the military effort to free the Iberian peninsula from
Islamic tyranny, that resulted in a militarized society which was then
exported to all of one continent (South America) and much of another in
the New World, and even to parts of Africa and Asia. The military is above
the law, because of their "holy" mission, and therefore, can
demand almost anything they want. It is a mindset and worldview completely
opposite to the ideals of liberty and freedom developed by the Anglicized
cultures of the Commonwealth and the American Union.
Mama's
Note: "The bite" is all around us right now with the thousands
of idiot and illegitimate "laws" that create revenue for governments
at all levels. The big difference in the US is that the courts take a
dim view of any free lance extortion by the police, though they gave them
a terrific exemption via the asset forfeiture insanity. No, not much real
difference here at all. It's just that the central government doesn't
suffer many rivals.
THE 2006
POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS: TX:
Libertarians submit new candidate v. Lucio
Brownesville Herald
"Eddie Lucio III might face opposition after all in November's
election for the Texas House District 38 seat. The Cameron County Libertarian
Party on Monday nominated a candidate to run against Eddie Lucio III in
the race for Texas House District 38, a party official said. Fred Drew,
executive director of the Cameron County Libertarian Party, said the party
on Monday sen[t] information on a candidate to the state. Drew would not
reveal the nominee's name, saying he wants to make sure it is accepted
as valid by the Secretary of State's office. ... If accepted by the Secretary
of State, the new Libertarian candidate's name will appear on the Nov.
7 ballot to replace Jim Fuller, the 79-year-old handyman who died Aug.
12 of what a family member said was congestive heart failure, while he
vacationed in Michigan." (08/29/06)
This is,
of course, good news - but at the same time it points out that the foofoorah
about taking Delay off the ballot was political posturing. Best of luck
to the new candidate!
Mama's
Note: Ho-hum... another Libertarian candidate. Somebody please tell me
just what all this is supposed to accomplish, even in the remote possibility
that he's elected. Just what is it they are trying to prove? The Libertarian
Party obviously wants to run our lives, just maybe a little less -- for
now.
THE 2006
POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS: VA:
Drake faces energized Dems in blush state
Fox News
"Democrats are hoping that even in red state Virginia, with a
district that has the largest concentration of military personnel and
retirees in the state, they can take advantage of the national mood over
the war in Iraq to win a congressional seat from Republicans in November.
The national party, as well as outside political fundraisers like MoveOn.org,
have targeted Rep. Thelma Drake, a one-term representative for the 2nd
Congressional District. They are hoping Democratic state revenue commissioner
Phil Kellam has what it takes to beat her in the fall." (08/27/06)
Well, miracles
can happen - but the way the Democrats are treating the military and its
people these days, Kellam will have a hard time doing it.
THE 2006
POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS: FEC
to Consider Easing Political Advertising Restrictions
CNS News.com
The Federal Election Commission will consider an "emergency rule"
Tuesday that would allow issue advocacy groups to broadcast commercials
referencing federal candidates during the 2006 election cycle without
disclosing who funds the advertising...
This is,
of course, being decried by all of the liberal-authoritarians who believe
that the right to free speech should be gutted by campaign "reform."
THE 2006
POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS: TN: Group gets
tax proposal on ballot
Tennessean
"Nashvillians will decide in a November public vote whether future
property tax increases will have to be approved by the voters. Petitioners
led by the tax-protest group Tennessee Tax Revolt have more than enough
signatures required to put the question on the ballot in a referendum,
Davidson County Elections Administrator Ray Barrett said Monday. The elections
office has certified the signatures of 6,687 registered Davidson County
voters, Barrett said. Only 6,312 were needed based on turnout in the August
election, he said. And while legal experts have debated the constitutionality
of allowing for voter approval of property tax increases ... those questions
won't keep the tax question off the November ballot, state Elections Coordinator
Brook Thompson said." [Editor's note: The game is afoot; now
it's up to liberty-lovers to promote the issue - SAT] (08/29/06)
Although
this was expected, it is good to see that they are progressing. My contacts
in Tennessee say that nothing will stop them - even if the court throws
it out as "unconstitutional" they are willing to do more to
win this battle, and they are already preparing for the next step.
Mama's
Note: I've known some of these tax protesters for many years. They are
tough and mean business, and I hope they can succeed -again. God bless
them.
THE 2006
POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS: WI:
LP official votes against campaign freedom
WISC TV News
"The lone Libertarian member of a state board that voted to require
Republican gubernatorial candidate Mark Green to return campaign donations
spoke out on Thursday. Jacob Burns of Oshkosh insisted the Elections Board
vote Wednesday was not based on partisan politics. Burns joined with four
other Democrats in voting for Green to return nearly $468,000 in federal
political action committee donations. Burns said he has no grudge with
Green, who's taking on incumbent Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle. He said the
issue was clearly a matter of law. Green campaign manager Mark Graul argued
that the Doyle administration orchestrated the board's vote."
(08/31/06)
The headline
in this case is courtesy of RRND - and is totally wrong. A vote in opposition
to federal PACs is a vote FOR freedom - against a system designed to keep
the two old parties in power, against a corrupt election process. Individuals
should be able to donate whatever they wish to support candidates of their
choice - but PACs are little more than money-laundering organizations
which support a modern version of machine politics. The matter of law
is at best a secondary argument, though the Libertarian has no doubt taken
an oath to uphold the law.
THE 2006
POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS: ACLU, IJ sue FEC
censors
Southwest Florida News-Press
"The American Civil Liberties Union and a national libertarian
group filed suit in a Tallahassee federal court this morning on behalf
of a Wakulla County businesswoman who claims she was forced by the Florida
Elections Commission to halt publication of her small-town newspaper.
The six-page suit filed on behalf of Julia Hanway names FEC Executive
Director Barbara Linthicum as a defendant and asks the court to reverse
a finding by state regulators that the Wakulla Independent Reporter is
an 'electioneering communication' subject to campaign finance disclosure
laws. ... The FEC investigated Hanway after a Panacea resident complained
in 2004 that the four-page broadsheet, which includes book reviews, nature
photographs, and community news, was a political arm of 'antigrowth' candidates."
(08/31/06)
This is
a dangerous trend - and not that different from the situation in Wisconsin:
an independent paper run by an individual or a group of voluntary cooperators
cannot be considered "media" if it threatens to rock the boat.
THE 2006
POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS: AK:
Libertarians petition vs. smoking ban
Anchorage Daily News
"A group of people opposed to the smoking ban the Anchorage Assembly
recently passed are collecting signatures on a petition to ask voters
whether they want to overturn the ban. The petition language was approved
by the city clerk's office last week. Now the petitioners have 90 days
to collect at least 7,086 valid signatures of registered voters in Anchorage
.... The Alaska Libertarian Party is backing the referendum, said Neal
Boyd, elections committee chairman: 'We feel the smoking ban is an atrocious
violation of the property rights of businesses to run their businesses
the way they choose.'" (08/30/06)
I hope
that many others will follow their example.
THE 2006
POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS: AZ:
Libertarians take pitch to gun shows
Arizona Republic
"Arizona's Libertarian Party, trying to beef up its membership,
is hunting for new voters at gun shows. Fish fries and registration booths
at libraries may work for some political parties, but not this group,
which embraces protecting citizens' right to bear arms and often criticizes
government's influence on schools and local issues. Perhaps it's only
fitting that some of its members would recruit at gun shows coming to
the Valley before the Nov. 7 general election. 'We stand for the protection
of the Second Amendment,' said Barry Hess, the party's vice chairman and
candidate for governor. 'We can't understand why people would give up
their right to defend themselves.'" (08/29/06)
Gun shows
have long been one of the most fruitful recruiting places for Libertarians.
Sadly, all too often, they are then preaching to the choir - but too many
gun owners still believe that Dems and Republicans are in favor of any
real freedom - including freedom to defend ourselves.
Mama's
Note: And far too many people still believe the lie that the Second Amendment
somehow "grants" our right to self defense - and that the whole
Constitution and Bill of rights is the source of our freedom and rights
in general. The horrible and false "education" of the last two
generations is mostly responsible, of course. My next door neighbor's
10 year old proudly showed me her "A" social studies paper which
clearly stated that the US was established as a "democracy."
THE 2006
POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS: AFL-CIO to spend
$40 million on elections
CNN
"The AFL-CIO announced Wednesday it will spend $40 million on
get-out-the-vote operations for the midterm elections in an effort to
try to drive congressional Republicans from power as well as win governorships
in 21 states across the country. 'We will play the largest role we've
ever played in electing the candidates we've endorsed in many of the pivotal,
competitive races for the House and Senate,' AFL-CIO President John Sweeney
said at a pre-Labor Day news conference detailing the federation's election
year program." (08/30/06)
Strange
isn't it - they are out to throw out Republicans - but how many of their
rank-and-file members go out and vote for those same GOP types - or worse,
third-party kinds of candidates?
More
News and Commentary Page 2 -- Our right to defend ourselves
and other good stuff.
Nathan
Barton is writing this from a wonderful place in the West, which might
be in the Black Hills of South Dakota or Wyoming, or might be in one of
the Four Corners States. Exactly where it is, the breezes blow with the
scent of liberty, and the sound of the pines or the pinions is the sound
of freedom. For thousands of years, people have fought and died for the
liberty that Americans in the great spaces of the West enjoy, and he writes
these commentaries in the hopes that continued generations will be able
to do so, until the end of Time.
Be sure
to visit my blog, Liberty's
Outpost.
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can get them for $10.00 plus shipping here.
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