William Bennett has a thoughtful article in the National Review. He talks about the tough times that we are living in right now, the tough war that we are fighting, and the tough times that our politicians are facing. But as Mr. Bennett points out, our country, our military and our leaders have been in tougher situations, and we have survived.
A relative of legendary Notre Dame football player George Gipp had his body exhumed so that a DNA test could be conducted to determine if he had sired a child. The girl who was born shortly after Gipp died from pneumonia and a staph infection, believed until her death that Gipp was her father. A femur bone was removed from Gipp's body, and DNA tests determined that he was not the father of the girl. My question is, what difference did it make? Why would you disturb his body to prove whether or not he was the father of a woman now dead?
Mitt Romney says he kind of likes the idea of giving a speech explaining his Mormon faith, but his aides are advising him not to give such a speech, fearing that it will focus too much attention on his religion. I think that is a big mistake. Governor Romney should give such a speech. Living in the deep south, I know the prejudices of many of the people who live here. A speech explaining his faith and the influence it would have on him is critical if he hopes to carry the South.
This Congress hasn't gotten much right, in my opinion, and the border issue is no exception. They can't seem to understand that the American people want our borders secured before any other immigration measure is considered.
Peggy Noonan has a column in the Wall Street Journal talking about the legendary Women Leaders of the World. She correctly points out that not one of them used their sex as a methodology to get elected or to garner votes. Hillary are you listening?
Karl Rove has an op-ed in yesterday's Wall Street Journal that expresses eloquently my view of the current Congress. No appropriation bills have been sent to the President's desk yet. Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi have made a sham out of this Congress.
It's not often that you hear of one leader of a country speaking so plainly. Good for King Juan Carlos of Spain for saying what many of us would like to say to Chavez.
A really interesting story on what makes someone a hero. Loyalty was one of the biggest factors, according to the author of the story. Doing what was expected of you was another factor.
If this story doesn't make you stop and think about what is important in life, nothing will.
The question of the Sheriff Deputy's age is an important consideration for everyone. Why was a man 76 years of age left alone to guard a prisoner who was already serving two life terms in prison. It doesn't make much sense to me, and I'm sure it doesn't to the family of the slain deputy Sheriff. The deputy paid an unacceptable price for the lack of common sense of his superior officers.
A good article about Dr. Bill Frist, and the schedule that he keeps with trips to Spain, Egypt and Morocco, along with speeches in numerous states, and teaching graduate students at Princeton. It is interesting to read the perspective that grad students believe Dr. Frist brings to the classroom.
Pakistani police placed opposition leader Benazir Bhutto under House arrest earlier today and then released her from custody this evening. This situation just keeps getting worse every hour.
This is a quote from a speech delivered by Senator Lieberman: "Since retaking Congress in November 2006, the top foreign policy priority of the Democratic Party has not been to expand the size of our military for the war on terror or to strengthen our democracy promotion efforts in the Middle East or to prevail in Afghanistan. It has been to pull our troops out of Iraq, to abandon the democratically elected government there, and to hand a defeat to President Bush."
More than 100 workers at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport have been found with fake security passes, officials have said.
NOTE: I just received this information as an e-mail from Fred Thompson's campaign. I think that it is a plan that everyone should read about, so I am printing it in it's entirety. That should not be construed to mean that I am in agreement with any part of the plan. I have not studied it in sufficient detail to make that decision.
Fred Thompson’s Plan to Ensure Retirement Security for All Americans
COURAGE TO SPEAK THE TRUTH ABOUT DIFFICULT ISSUES
* Fred Thompson believes there is no reason to run for President of the United States if you can’t tell the American people the truth about complex issues like Social Security.
* We need leaders, like Fred, with the courage to address this issue head-on while there is still time to solve the funding shortfall without draconian cuts in benefits or tax increases.
* As we speak, Congress is raiding the Social Security Trust Fund. If we don’t act soon, the politicians in Washington will either repay those ‘IOUs’ through tax hikes or benefit cuts. American workers deserve access to the same retirement security options that Member’s of Congress enjoy.
* The current Social Security system is broken and if it isn’t reformed, future generations will no longer have it as a safety net for retirement.
* If Social Security is not reformed and saved for future generations, current law effectively requires a 23% cut in benefits when the Trust Fund runs out of money around 2041.
* We cannot afford to wait until the Social Security Trust Fund runs out of money–the longer we wait, the worse the problem grows and the more dramatic any solution will have to be.
A STRAIGHTFORWARD AND HONEST PLAN TO SAVE SOCIAL SECURITY AND PROTECT SENIORS
* Fred Thompson’s plan to Save Social Security keeps our promise to America’s seniors. It offers retirement security by fully protecting their benefits. Current beneficiaries and those close to retirement will not be affected by these changes. No one over the age of 57 would be affected.
* Fred Thompson’s plan will also offer younger workers retirement security. Younger workers will be given the option of growing their wealth for the future and participating in a successful investment program similar to the one enjoyed by Members of Congress.
OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE FUTURE OF AMERICA AND THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR TODAY’S WORKERS
* Fred Thompson trusts the American people to understand the problem and accept that we need to address it now, and he will not hide the ball from them, as the other candidates are doing.
* His plan preserves real benefits at current levels, promotes personal freedom by giving workers a say in their financial future, and saves Social Security for future generations. This is critical to America’s long term Security, Unity, and Prosperity.
* We live in the greatest nation on earth – a free nation with free markets where citizens who play by the rules and work hard can expect to live the American Dream.
* If they need help in this country they can get help and those that can help themselves are expected to do so.
* Fred Thompson’s plan to protect Social Security guarantees promises made to our seniors and gives today’s workers more choice and greater opportunity for their future.
ISSUE / PROBLEM
* Since its inception in 1935, Social Security has done a good job of reducing poverty among the elderly.
* But it’s time we speak candidly to the American people; the current program is fiscally unsustainable.
* Social Security actuaries warn that if nothing is done, the Social Security Trust Fund will be bankrupt by 2041.
* That sounds like a long way off, but one-third of those now in their fifties and almost all of those in their thirties and forties will be looking to collect benefits when the money runs out.
* When that happens, retirees will face an immediate 23 percent cut in their benefits. Other options at this time are for Congress to raise taxes by 30 percent just to sustain the promised level of payments, or raise the retirement age, or come up with some combination of these three choices.
* Without question, unless Social Security is transformed and saved, fewer younger workers.
FRED THOMPSON’S PLAN
* Fred Thompson’s plan for saving and protecting Social Security will:
* Protect Benefits for current retirees and guarantee them for future generations;
* Balance Social Security so that it is permanently sustainable for future generations;
* Save Social Security for all Americans by treating all retirees fairly (No one over 57 would be affected);
* Leave untouched the calculation of the annual cost-of-living adjustment;
* Provide retirement options for future retirees that allows them to secure their own retirement future; and
* Eliminate the estimated $4 trillion unfunded Social Security future liability.
* To accomplish these goals, Fred Thompson’s plan will:
* First, provide voluntary personal retirement “add-on” accounts to supplement current benefits. It is a government-sponsored 401(k)-like supplement to Social Security that helps Americans build personal wealth. These accounts will allow each worker to contribute 2 percent of his/her wages into a voluntary account; The federal government will progressively match the worker’s contribution each month; both the worker’s contribution and the match would be invested in qualified stock and bond portfolios of their choice.
* Second, index the initial Social Security Benefit Formula for prices, not wages. Social Security today promises future retirees more benefits than current retirees receive, even though they put the same amount of money into the system. The system should be adjusted so that it is fair to all retirees. Adjusting the formula will also guarantee that all retirees – current and future – receive benefits from a system currently running out of money.
* We do not need to change the retirement age with this approach beyond the currently scheduled increase.
* We can preserve an annual cost-of-living adjustment as calculated under the current formula with this approach.
CONCLUSION
* We have a choice before us: ignore the problem and expect future generations to pay the bill, or take action now to save and protect Social Security for all retirees.
* No other candidate has come forward with a plan, demonstrating their disregard for the challenges facing our country.
* We need leaders like Fred Thompson with the courage to address this issue head-on while there is still time to solve the funding shortfall without draconian cuts in benefits or tax increases.
* Fred Thompson’s plan preserves real benefits at current levels, promotes personal freedom by giving workers a say in their financial future, and saves Social Security for future generations. This is critical to America’s long term Security, Unity, and Prosperity
Eric Lindros, one of the best hockey players, when he was healthy, has retired after 13 seasons. Considering all of the concussion that Eric has suffered, I thought he should have retired when he was playing for the Philadelphia Flyers.
The Senate has begun debate on the confirmation of Judge Michael Mukasey to be Attorney General. A vote later this evening is possible. It may be closer than it should be, but I expect Judge Mukasey to be confirmed.
A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll shows that "Americans have turned sharply away from President Bush and toward domestic issues favoring his partisan adversaries. But offsetting that demand for change in the Presidential contest are reservations about Senator Clinton's truthfulness and ideology."
This is a story that I really don't understand. The National Archives Inspector General reports that the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library is unable to properly account for more than 80,000 of the 100,000 articles in its collection. I have a feeling that we are not getting the whole story here. 80,000 items do not get stolen or lost without someone noticing. I would bet that we will hear more about this in the days ahead.
I'm not sure who advised the President to veto this bill, but I think that he got bad advice. I have told family and friends for years that a person should always pick their battles carefully. In this instance the President vetoed an Authorization bill. Congress routinely does the authorization bills first, and then at a later date does the corresponding appropriation bills. What this means in terms of the Water Projects bill, which was an authorization bill, Congress is saying that these are the projects that we intend to authorize. That doesn't mean that they will all be included in the appropriations bill to follow. Historically, about 70 percent of all projects authorized actually get appropriated. The President, to prove his point of fiscal responsibility, would have been better off to have waited for the appropriations bill and exercise his veto on that bill, which is where the money is.
The President's approval rating remains low, but Congress' rating is even lower. What does that tell you about the Democrat's failure to accomplish anything?
Chuck Todd writes about the angry electorate. Mr. Todd believes that the electorate is angrier than any of the pundits imagined. In fact, he thinks it is more than anger, it is distrust of the government itself. He raises what happened in Utah, New Jersey and Oregon as proof of this proposition. In Utah, the voters said no to state government leaders who wanted to start a private school voucher program. In New Jersey, voters struck down a proposal to expand stem cell research. In Oregon voters said no to a cigarette tax increase to pay for expanded health care.
I disagree totally with this column by Gregory Scoblete, but like my viewers to see how ridiculous some of these liberal writers can be. This is a good article for that purpose only.
The Wall Street Journal has a post on the editorial page of today's edition talking about what Oregon voters did on Tuesday. Governor Ted Kulongoski and the State Legislature in Oregon wanted to broaden eligibility for Oregon's Healthy Kids Schip program to 300% of the federal poverty level. They would also allow all families to opt in, regardless of income. They intended to pay for it by expanding cigarette taxes. Democrats in the Legislature couldn't get the three-fifths approval required for a tax increase in the legislature, so they put the issue on the ballot. Well, the voters in Oregon resoundingly voted no. That should send a message to the Democrats in Washington, don't you think.
This is the kind of article that makes you think. Martin Gilbert has written a book called "Churchill and the Jews". I found the preview of the book very interesting, and I would urge everyone to read the book. Arthur Herman previews the book in this post from the Wall Street Journal. Mr. Gilbert in his book points out that Winston Churchill, who was a student of history, "came to feel that Judaism was the bedrock of traditional Western moral and political principles." Mr. Gilbert quoted Chruchill as arguing that "For Europeans to turn against the Jew, was for them to strike at their own roots and reject an essential part of their civilization." As Mr. Herman says "Martin Gilbert's book reminds us that anti-Semitism is the dark turn of the modern mind against itself, and a form of cultural patricide."
Well, it looks like the Republicans are taking a page out of the Democrats playbook. Five states will be penalized for holding early primary contests. Those states are New Hampshire, Florida, South Carolina, Michigan and Wyoming. I don't know what the national parties are thinking, but disenfranchising party loyalists is not the answer.
Millions of Chinese-made toys have been pulled from shelves in North America and Australia after scientists found they contain a chemical that converts into a powerful date rape drug when ingested. WOW!!
Pat Robertson announced today that he is backing Rudy Giuliani for President. Go figure.
Record oil prices edged closer to $100 a barrel Wednesday amid expectations of declining U.S. supplies. The weak dollar and OPEC's apparent reluctance to pump more crude into the market also boosted prices.
GM posted the largest quarterly net loss in its history due largely to a $38.6 billion noncash charge related to tax asset valuation, but also had to deal with a loss at it's financial arm GMAC and continued weakness in the North American market.
DirecTV's third quarter net income dropped 14% as the company spent more to provide customers with high-definition channels and digital video recorders.
Police swung batons and fired tear gas at 400 supporters of Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy addressed a joint session of Congress today, assuring members of Congress that "our friendship and our alliance is strong." What a nice change. Finally, a friendly French government.
Wall Street suffered its second big drop in a week Wednesday, with investors worried about spreading fallout from the credit crisis at banks and about a dollar that just keeps getting weaker.
President Bush met with French President Nicolas Sarkozy today and they agreed that Iran should not have nuclear weapons. Finally, a friend in France.
I just listened to Senator Harkin on the floor of the Senate bashing President Bush for not pressing Musharraf on what is going on in Pakistan. Well as usual, Senator Harkin is wrong again. The President is pushing Musharraf as hard as he can to hold elections and restore the Constitution.
Kansas Senator Sam Brownback, who met last week with Rudy Giuliani, has decided to endorse Senator John McCain.
Pakistan's deposed chief justice called on lawyers throughout Pakistan to defy police and continue to protest President Pervez Musharraf's imposition of emergency rule.
A two year old girl from Inda underwent surgery on Tuesday. The little girl was born with four arms and four legs. Doctors are hopeful that the surgery will leave the girl with a normal body. I sure hope so.
Now that Chief Executive Charles Prince of Citigroup, Inc. has quit, what will it take to clean up the mess left behind. It certainly will take time. It will also take innovation and imagination by Citigroup officials to win back the confidence of investors. I hope they are up to the task.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy is visiting the United States this week. It is expected that relations between France and the United States will be much warmer than they have been in the past. Let's hope so.
Bret Stephens has a very interesting op-ed in the Wall Street Journal. Mr. Stephens compares the debate over waterboarding with the actions of much of the World, including the United States during World War II. the death of Paul Tibbets, Jr. the pilot of the plane that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima was a reminder of another time when our country was at war, and the steps we took to save American lives. Call me crazy if you want, but I don't think we were wrong to drop the Atomic bomb on Japan, and I would have no problem with taking any action necessary to protect American lives today. If that means we are lowering ourselves to the level of our enemies, then so be it.
Ed Morrissey has an important post about Ron Paul's fundraising. While I don't believe that I could ever support Ron Paul for President, simply because I disagree with him on too many issues, starting with the war in Iraq, he has earned my respect with his fundraising capabilities, and I believe that his candidacy must be taken seriously. Kudos to Congressman Paul. His supporters are working hard for him.
Paul Weyrich has an article in Townhall discussing the group called Reagan 21. Personally, I think that groups like this serve no useful purpose. You would think Senators and Congressmen would have enough to keep them busy without forming these kind of groups.
Ed Morrissey has a post pointing out that the Senate and House are doing exactly what they promised the American people they would not do, inserting earmarks that are not in either the House or Senate bill, but mysteriously show up in the conference bill. So much for ethics reform.
As usual Ed Morrissey of Captain's Quarters has an excellent post about how the Democrats continue to shoot themselves in the foot, this time over the Mukasey nomination
Cal Thomas really nails my feelings on the issue of Immigration. Two paragraphs of his article really sums it up.
"Much of the anger is caused by the federal government's refusal to adequately enforce existing immigration laws. Most citizens know that if they break laws, they will pay a penalty. They know their driver's license is a privilege and that the state that issues them can take them away when certain laws are broken. They see New York governor Eliot Spitzer ordering special classes of driver's licenses for illegal immigrants and regard it as a double standard. Countries to which Americans travel prohibit us from working in those countries, but we are told we must accept law-breaking foreign workers."
"The war over immigration is essentially a battle for the Hispanic vote. Politicians will do anything to get it, including disregarding the laws they are sworn to uphold. The politician who gets on the wrong side of this issue, like Hillary Clinton did in the most recent Democratic presidential debate - is likely to pay a heavy price from the majority who obey laws. For the moment, we still outnumber the illegals."
Ben Rothlisberger and James Harrison were the big stars of the Monday night game against the Baltimore Ravens. Big Ben threw for five touchdowns. Harrison recovered a couple of fumbles, intercepted a pass and threw in a couple of sacks for good measure.
I don't agree with Frank Gaffney at all. He believes that President Bush's policies during his first term have come unraveled. While there have certainly been unexpected road blocks, I think that the President and his Secretary of State have basically followed through on his first term initiatives.
I used to have a lot of respect for Paul Weyrich. Now he has zero credibility with me. If his idea of stopping Rudy is to back Romney instead of a real Conservative, he just confirms my skepticism of him. Shame on you Mr. Weyrich. There are real conservatives running. Why aren't you backing them?
Good follow up article about Prime Minister Gordon Brown's agenda. After reading all of the programs that Gordon Brown is proposing, I think steady as you go pretty much sums up his philosophy. I like Gordon Brown, and I think he is an astute politician.
Queen Elizabeth has announced to the British people the program of the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown. Included in Mr. Brown's program are measures dealing with terrorists, climate change, health, nuclear power, education and housing. Sounds like an ambitious agenda, Mr. Prime Minister.
According to CNN 21,000 people were let into the country, who should not have been. Fortunately, most of them evidently are not considered security risks. Doesn't that make you feel better?
Ron Paul has impressed me with his ability to raise money online. $3.5 million in a little over 24 hours is pretty impressive.
The Club for Growth has issued their Senate Repork Card. Check it out.
Iran dismissed the possibility of a U.S. military strike against the country Monday and said Tehran was ready to consider a new round of talks with Washington on security in Iraq.
After reading this article, it seems pretty clear that the study that made the determination that the United States now ranks 15th on the income scale is a flawed study.
The situation in Pakistan continues to deteriorate. The Bush Administration has got to be worried about what is going on over there.
Bayer AG has halted worldwide sales of its antibleeding drug Trasylol after a Canadian clinical study last month found that it could be linked to a higher risk of death than other drugs.
This article, written by Stanley Kurtz paints a grim picture of what could happen in Pakistan. Mr. Kurtz thinks that Pakistan faces the real possibility of civil war. Mr. Kurtz's article is a must read for any serious student of this region of the world.
For the first time since the Immigration controversy started, a reporter has the courage to tell the truth. Michael Barone has the story about the problem that most Americans have with the proposed comprehensive immigration reform bill. As Mr. Barone points out, it isn't that most people are prejudiced, on the contrary, most people would welcome immigrants, be they Hispanics, or from another region of the world. But people want our laws enforced, the borders secured and immigrants to come into the country legally. That doesn't make a person racist, and if the politicians don't understand that shame on them.
The Republican presidential fight in South Carolina reflects the race at large - a knock down drag out battle that could go any which way. The contest is really a toss up.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy made a trip to Chad and met with Chad's leader Idriss Deby to discuss the situation involving French Nationals being held by Chad on kidnapping charges. Sarkozy left Chad with 7 of the Europeans held, including 3 French journalists and four flight attendants from Spain.
The Politico has not been fair to Fred Thompson ever since he said he might run for President. Why would we expect anything different from them now? I thought Senator Thompson was terrific on Meet the Press.
Barbara Boxer, my least favorite politician of all time, is at it again. Her hysterical pandering about global warming and the polar bears was nauseating to watch. The article by Debra Saunders sure says what I thought when I listened to Senator Boxer.
Frank Rich has an interesting op-ed in the New York Times. I think he is on the money with his analysis. But only to the extent that the liberal Democrats will fall into the trap set by the much smarter Bush administration. Iran will become a big issue in the 2008 election, and if the Democrats react predictably, they could very well lose the White House.
This is a really good story about Fred Thompson. To me, it illustrates why he is such a good candidate. I have a lot of respect for a guy who came up the hard way.
Charles Mahtesian has an article in the Washington Post about Mike Huckabee. He reports that Huckabee is for real - a man poised to go further on the national stage than any other candidate produced by the Christian conservative movement. I don't see Huckabee as being produced by the Christian conservative movement, but I agree that Huckabee could very well be the sleeper in the Republican field.
The Washington Times reports on the deepening crisis in Pakistan. The United States has made it clear that they are not happy with President Musharraf's actions in suspending the Constitution. Equally troubling to me what his removal of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and other judges. Can you imagine what would happen in this Country if the President removed our Chief Justice?
Ed Morrissey has another excellent post, this time about the behavior of Republicans and Democrats in Congress - to pork up any appropriation that gets enacted. Captain Ed reports that over $3 billion in pork will get attached to the defense appropriation bill representing 1,337 separate earmarks - just in the House version. So much for transparency in Congress.
Posts
All Comments
