Captain's Quarters has an especially appropriate post about too many debates. That is exactly what I thought when I heard Tim Russert's question to Dennis Kucinich last night about UFO's. Guess Russert couldn't think of a better question to ask one of the candidates.
Tony Blankley has a way of putting things in perspective. If the Republican activists keep beating up on our candidates, we may very well end up with Hillary in the White House. Now that is a Halloween trick, for sure.
Senator James Inhofe is opposed to the Law of the Sea Treaty. The Bush Administration favors it, but most Republicans are opposed to it. Read Senator Inhofe's reasoning and see what you think.
Senator Bill Frist blogs on www.Volpac.org about the Democrat's latest crazy idea - a tax increase of $3.5 Trillion over 10 years.
The Washington Examiner reports that the monthly toll of U.S. service members who have died in Iraq is on tract to being the lowest in nearly two years, with 34 troop deaths recorded as of Tuesday. Again and again, we never hear this kind of news from the MSM
The Chief Palestinian peace negotiator said there would be no talks with Israel without a deadline for establishing a Palestinian state. Sounds like the Mideast conference sponsored by the United States could be over before it begins.
Chad has charged six French nationals with kidnapping after they attempted to fly from Chad with 103 children, who were allegedly orphans from Sudan's Darfur region. I have a feeling that we are going to hear a lot more about this story.
Brett Favre is one of the very best quarterbacks of all time and a sure Hall of Famer. He continues to amaze all of us who love professional football, and last night was no exception.
India's trade minister insists that activists are hyping accusations of child labor in the country. I'm not sure the GAP agrees with that. I was glad to see the GAP take such proactive and quick action on this matter.
I'm a big Ann Rice fan, so when I saw this headline, and given the fact that Halloween is tomorrow, I assumed it was an article about those kinds of Vampires. Much to my surprise, it's an article about how Americans really waste energy. In particular, it talks about the fact that 5% of electricity used in the United States goes to standby power. They are talking about those of us who leave on computer on in "standby" mode, rather than shutting it off, or leaving you cell phone charger in the outlet. It's a good article, despite not having anything about real Vampires.
Senator Jim DeMint guest blogs on Captain's Quarters. He talks about earmark reform. I'm not sure that I agree with Senator DeMint's comments about the Culture of Corruption. He sounds like a talking point for the DNC. but I do agree that we need to do much more to control earmarks. I have never favored eliminating earmarks, because I believe that an appropriate earmark can be very beneficial to a State or Congressional District. I also believe that they are necessary to a certain degree because they are a measure of a Senator or Congressman's effectiveness. Having said that, I firmly believe that they can't be inserted into a bill at the last minute, without everyone having an opportunity to voice objections to them, and if necessary an opportunity to vote against them. Transparency is important in earmark reform, but so is an opportunity to review them. We need to know who is proposing the earmark, how much they are going to cost, and whether they are germane to the bill they are attached to.
An Iranian naval commander said his forces are willing to carry out suicide missions when facing enemy forces in the Persian Gulf. That doesn't really surprise me.
The Jackson Sun has a good article about Dr. Bill Frist. Since leaving the Senate, Dr. Frist has dedicated himself to humanitarian efforts, and he has excelled in the monumental tasks he has taken on. But I still believe that he has a future in politics. Think Governor.
The Steeler Report Card for Game 7 gives the Steelers overall high grades.
This is a really interesting concept, and one I haven't heard used before. Colorado College is trying something new. Students take one course at a time, giving it their full attention for 3-1/2 weeks. That seems like a terrific way to really learn and master a particular subject.
Gunmen in Baghdad kidnapped 10 Sunni and Shiite tribal sheiks from their cars Sunday as they were heading home to Diyala province after talks with the government on fighting al-Qaida, and at least one was later found shot to death.
U.S. and Puerto Rican archaeologists say they have found the best-preserved pre-Columbian site in the Caribbean, which could shed light on virtually every aspect of Indian life in the region, from sacred rituals to eating habits. Wow!! What a find!!
The Steelers ran their record to 5 and 2 with an impressive victory over the Bengals. Ben Roethlisberger threw two touchdown passes and Willie Parker ran for a score.
The Vatican on Sunday staged its largest mass beatification ceremony ever, putting 498 victims of religious persecution before and during Spain's civil war on the path to possible sainthood. The 498 people beatified on Sunday were killed in 1934, 1936 and 1937. They are comprised of two bishops, 24 priests and 462 members of religious orders, as well as a deacon, a subdeacon, a seminary student and seven lay Catholics.
Ed Morrissey of Captain's Quarter has a post about Ron Paul. I make no bones about the fact that I am not a Ron Paul supporter. I find him to be a distraction during the debates, and a person who has added little to the political process. His strident, unreasonable speech just reaffirms my suspicions. Now Captain Ed calls attention to a payment from Team Paul to someone named Alex Jones. Alex Jones is the 9/11 Truther leader - the ultimate conspiracy theorist. As Captain Ed notes, "while anyone can contribute to a political campaign, the choice of where the money goes is directly and completely relevant to an analysis of the candidate. If Paul chooses to help fund a 9/11 Truther, voters can reasonable conclude that Paul has sympathy for the paranoid conspiracy theorists." Mr. Paul should explain this immediately.
I have always felt that we needed to find a way to take politics out of the judicial election process. Now, according to the Washington Post, politics is more a part of judicial races than ever. The Post zeroes in on a Pennsylvania candidate, Seamus McCaffery, who is running for the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. I am very familiar with the process for electing Judges in Pennsylvania. Even though I have been gone from Pennsylvania since 1999, it is apparent that the system has only gotten worse.
Michael Chertoff is furious at the FEMA employees who staged a phony press conference. And with good reason. Chertoff has worked hard to point FEMA in the right direction. Then some idiot comes up with a goofy idea of holding a phony press conference. Whoever came up with this idea should be fired.
The baby boomers are reaching early retirement age (62). Should they take their social security benefits now or wait until they reach full retirement age? According to retirement experts they should delay taking benefits until their full retirement age or later, given the likelihood they could live into their 90's or beyond.
Humberto Cruz has a good column about the advantages of making your car last. According to Consumer Reports , with proper care, many cars today can last 200,000 miles or more with few if any major repairs.
In a relatively close vote, the UAW agreed to a four year contract with Chrysler. Usually, these kind of agreements are overwhelmingly approved, but this time only 56% of production workers and 51% of skilled trades workers voted for the agreement. Now the UAW turns to Ford Motor Company.
Negotiatiors are lowering expectations even before the start of the Darfur peace talks. There were almost no key rebel leaders present to negotiate an agreement with the sudanese government. Without the key rebel leaders, there is little hope for a quick peace agreement.
This is River West's latest blog, published at www.Volpac.org. As always, River has a terrific way of reminding us all of what President Bush has done regarding this problem and many others. River has given me permission to reprint her blog on this site.
LET ME BRING YOU THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
The Administration's Comprehensive Immigration Reform
07:45 AM - October 27th, 2007
I would want all republicans to have read from the same page at least.
This is approximately what president bush has been saying for several years now.
Make note the date of this latest update please.
river
President Bush Discusses Comprehensive Immigration Reform
"I view this as an historic opportunity for Congress to act, for Congress to replace a system that is not working with one that we believe will work a lot better. In other words, this is a moment for people who have been elected to come together, focus on a problem, and show the American people that we can work together to fix the problem."
President George W. Bush
June 26, 2007
August 10, 2007
Improving Border Security and Immigration Within Existing Law
Today, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff And Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez Announced A Series Of Reforms The Administration Will Pursue To Address Border Security And Immigration Challenges. The following reforms represent steps the Administration can take within the boundaries of existing law to secure our borders more effectively, improve interior and worksite enforcement, streamline existing guest worker programs, improve the current immigration system, and help new immigrants assimilate into American culture.
BORDER SECURITY
* 1. The Administration Will Continue To Strengthen Security At The Border With Additional Personnel And Infrastructure. We are committed to implementing the following border security measures by December 31, 2008:
* 18,300 Border Patrol agents
* 370 miles of fencing
* 300 miles of vehicle barriers
* 105 camera and radar towers
* Three additional UAVs
We will also work to ensure that 1,700 more Border Patrol Agents and an additional UAV are added in 2009.
* 2. The Administration Will Maintain The Policy Of "Catch And Return" For Illegal Aliens Apprehended At The Border. For years, limited detention space forced the release of many illegal border crossers from nations other than Mexico with nothing more than a Notice to Appear for a hearing before an immigration judge. Many aliens ignored these notices and instead blended into U.S. society. The Administration has ended this practice and instituted a policy of "catch and return," ensuring that all removable aliens caught trying to cross the border illegally are held until they can be removed.
o The Administration Will Further Increase Funding For Detention Beds So There Are Places To Detain 31,500 Illegal Aliens Until They Can Be Returned.
o The Administration Will Also Press Recalcitrant Countries To Work With The United States To Repatriate Citizens Who Are In The United States Illegally.
* 3. The Departments Of State And Homeland Security Will Strengthen Legal Efforts To Keep International Gang Members Out Of The United States. Gangs are at the root of many U.S. crime problems today, and many of the most dangerous gangs draw significant membership from abroad. The Federal government already denies visas to known members of certain gangs from China, the former Soviet Union, and El Salvador. Today, the President is directing the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to expand this list of dangerous organized gangs from other nations and to ensure that members of those gangs are barred from entry into the United States.
* 4. The Administration Will Expand Exit Requirements So Persons Who Overstay Limited-Duration Visits To The United States Can Be Identified.
o By The End Of 2008, The US-VISIT Exit Requirement Will Be Underway At All U.S. Airports And Seaports. The Department of Homeland Security will continue to explore effective and cost-efficient means of establishing biometric exit requirements at land border crossings.
o The Administration Will Establish A New Land-Border Exit System For Guest Workers, Starting On A Pilot Basis. This will help ensure that temporary workers in the country now follow the mandate to leave when their work authorization expires.
* 5. The Administration Will Require All Travelers To Our Ports Of Entry To Use Passports Or Other Similar Secure Documents. Since January 2007, air travelers have been required to carry a passport for entry into the United States. Because of passport processing backlogs, a temporary accommodation has been made for U.S. citizens traveling in the Western Hemisphere, which will be phased out. Starting January 31, 2008, DHS will phase in a requirement for passports or other secure documents for sea and land ports of entry.
* 6. Beginning This Fall, The Secretary Of Homeland Security Will Deliver Regular "State Of The Border" Reports. These reports will keep the American people informed of the Federal Government's progress in securing the border and hold the Administration accountable for continuing improvement.
INTERIOR ENFORCEMENT
* 7. The Administration Is Training Hundreds Of State And Local Law Enforcement Officers To Address Illegal Immigration In Their Communities. The Administration is maintaining the 287(g) program and expanding other measures that help State and local law officials. These measures include a broad array of enforcement tools, such as formal task forces, greater use of the ICE Law Enforcement Support Center, delegated border search and seizure authority under Title 19, and enhanced partnerships to address location-specific threats, such as gangs.
* 8. By This Fall, U.S. Immigration And Customs Enforcement Teams Devoted To Removing Fugitive Aliens Will Have Been Quintupled In Less Than Three Years. There were 15 seven-member Fugitive Operations Teams in 2005. As of this week there are 68; there will be 75 by the end of September.
* 9. The Justice Department Will Initiate Regulatory Action To Close The "Voluntary Departure" Loophole Manipulated By Many Illegal Immigrants. Illegal immigrants who settle their cases by agreeing to voluntarily depart sometimes then gain extra time inside the United States by filing a procedural motion to reopen the case. New regulations will clarify that filing such a motion will terminate the voluntary departure status and make the alien subject to the order of removal. They will also set a presumptive $3,000 civil penalty for failing to comply with a voluntary departure agreement.
WORKSITE ENFORCEMENT
* 10. Today, The Department Of Homeland Security Issued A "No-Match" Regulation That Will Help Employers Ensure Their Workers Are Legal And Help The Government Identify And Crack Down On Employers Who Knowingly Hire Illegal Workers. In cases in which an employer has a significant number of employees with inaccurate personal identity information, the Social Security Administration will send the employer a "No-Match" letter. The regulation clarifies that employers may be held liable if they ignore the "No Match" problems by failing to take specified steps within 90 days of receiving the letter.
* 11. In The Coming Months, The Administration Will Publish A Regulation That Will Reduce The Number Of Documents That Employers Must Accept To Confirm The Identity And Work Eligibility Of Their Employees. Presently, no fewer than 29 categories of documents can be used to establish identity and work eligibility. Employers have little capacity to verify the authenticity of these documents, and the sheer quantity of accepted documents is an invitation to fraud. This regulation will reduce unlawful employment by weeding out insecure documents now used often for identity fraud.
* 12. As A Civil Counterpart To The Administration's Strategy Of Using Criminal Investigations To Deter Illegal Employment, The Department Of Homeland Security Will Raise The Civil Fines Imposed On Employers Who Knowingly Hire Illegal Immigrants By Approximately 25 Percent. Efforts to secure the border will fail unless the "magnet" that attracts illegals is turned off. Unfortunately, the fines for relying on illegal workers are so modest that some companies treat them as little more than a cost of doing business. DHS will use existing authority to update civil fines for inflation in order to boost fines by about 25 percent, as much as is allowed under current law.
* 13. The Administration Will Continue To Expand Criminal Investigations Against Employers Who Knowingly Hire Large Numbers Of Illegal Aliens. Arrests by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for criminal violations have increased from 24 in FY 1999 to a record 716 in FY 2006. There have been 742 criminal arrests since the beginning of FY 2007 (through July 31), and there is anecdotal evidence that companies are taking notice and adjusting their business practices to follow the law.
* 14. The Administration Will Commence a Rulemaking Process To Require All Federal Contractors And Vendors To Use E-Verify, The Federal Electronic Employment Verification System, To Ensure That Their Employees Are Authorized To Work In The United States. The Federal government ought to lead by example. As there are more than 200,000 companies doing Federal business, this will significantly expand use of E-Verify, and make it more difficult for illegal immigrants to obtain jobs through fraud.
* 15. The Administration Will Help States Make Greater Use Of E-Verify. Some States already mandate the use of E-Verify by some or all of their hiring agencies, and other States are considering similar requirements. The Administration will assist such efforts through outreach and offers of technical assistance.
* 16. The Administration Will Bolster E-Verify By Expanding The Data Sources It Can Check. This will make it easier to catch individuals who commit identity theft. New sources of data will include cross-checks of visa and passport information.
* 17. The Administration Will Seek Voluntary State Partners Willing To Share Their Department Of Motor Vehicles Photos And Records With E-Verify. Agreements to allow E-Verify access to the repository of photographs in state DMV databases will help prevent illegal immigrants from using fraudulent driver’s licenses to obtain employment. Such agreements will also lay the groundwork for further expansion of the electronic employment eligibility verification system.
STREAMLINING EXISTING GUEST-WORKER PROGRAMS
* 18. The Department Of Labor (DOL) Will Reform The H-2A Agricultural Seasonal Worker Program. No sector of the American economy requires a legal flow of foreign workers more than agriculture, which has begun to experience severe labor shortages as our Southern border has tightened. The President has therefore directed DOL to review the regulations implementing the H-2A program and to institute changes that will provide farmers with an orderly and timely flow of legal workers, while protecting the rights of laborers.
* 19. The Department Of Labor Will Issue Regulations Streamlining The H-2B Program For Non-Agricultural Seasonal Workers. Because businesses in seasonal industries such as landscaping and hospitality frequently have a difficult time locating temporary workers, the H-2B program has proven quite popular. Some employers report significant processing delays, however. DOL's proposed rule will speed processing by moving from a government-certified system to an employer-attestation system akin to the PERM system that has reduced backlogs in other areas.
* 20. The Department Of Homeland Security Will Extend The Visa Term For Professional Workers From Canada And Mexico To Attract More Of These Talented Workers To The United States. The United States must compete for foreign professional workers, and those who elect to lend their talents to the U.S. economy should be welcomed with open arms, not given a bureaucratic runaround. Yet the roughly 65,000 workers who enter the United States each year on the TN visa must go to the trouble of renewing their visa every year. This regulation will extend the TN visa duration to three years – the same term as other popular professional visas.
* 21. The Department Of Homeland Security And The Department Of Labor Will Study And Report On Potential Administrative Reforms To Visa Programs For Highly Skilled Workers.
IMPROVING EXISTING IMMIGRATION
* 22. The Administration Will Reform And Expedite Background Checks For Immigration. Current mechanisms for conducting immigration background checks are backed up, slowing processing times and endangering national security. The Administration is investing substantial new funds to address the backlog, and the FBI and USCIS are working together on a variety of projects designed to streamline existing processes so as to reduce waiting times without sacrificing security.
* 23. The President Is Directing The Department Of Homeland Security And The Social Security Administration To Study The Technical And Recordkeeping Reforms Necessary To Guarantee That Illegal Aliens Do Not Earn Credit In Our Social Security System For Illegal Work. Currently, aliens who make Social Security payments while working here legally can continue to accrue credits even if they overstay their visa. Improved data-sharing can lay the foundation for eventual Congressional action to eliminate this practice (which proved an obstacle to comprehensive reform). The relevant agencies are ordered to report to the President with a detailed plan for eliminating the problem.
ASSIMILATION
* 24. The Office Of Citizenship Will Announce A Revised Naturalization Test In September 2007. The new test will emphasize fundamental concepts of American democracy, basic U.S. history, and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. It will inculcate the basic values we share as Americans, and encourage civic knowledge and patriotism among prospective citizens.
o The New Standardized Test Will Ensure Fairness By Eliminating Current Wide Variations In The Quality Of Testing Between Regional Offices.
* 25. The Office Of Citizenship Will Provide Additional Training For Volunteers And Adult Educators Who Lead Immigrants Through The Naturalization Process. In October 2007, the Office of Citizenship will introduce a web-based training program that covers U.S. government, civics education, and the naturalization process. To complement these on-line materials, USCIS will convene eight regional training conferences, beginning in October 2007, to improve the ability of citizenship instructors and volunteers to teach American history, civics, and the naturalization process to immigrant students. An on-line training module will also be available by the end of the year.
* 26. The Department Of Education Will Launch A Free, Web-Based Portal To Help Immigrants Learn English, And Expand This Model Over Time. Knowledge of English is the most important component of assimilation. An investment in tools to help new Americans learn English will be repaid many times over in the contributions these immigrants make to our political discourse, economy, and society.
www.whitehouse.gov
Written by river west, iFrist Volunteer Leader
Security forces in Pakistan attacked a stronghold of a pro-Taliban cleric in northwestern Pakistan.
This is a moving story of the death of a Sacramento County deputy sheriff, and the turmoil his death has created for his wife and small son. But it is also a beautiful story of his silver badge, and what it means to his wife and son.
A Spanish court agreed to allow the extradition to the United States of a Syrian-born arms dealer charged with conspiring to sell weapons to a Colombian terrorist group and conspiring to kill Americans.
A Darfur rebel group accuses foreign oil companies of sponsoring violence and tries to force them out of Sudan. Why doesn't this surprise me. The Justice and Equality Movement, an Islamist rebel group in Darfur, wants to drive out foreign oil companies, which they claim are funding government violence in Darfur.
I think this is just another sign of the times we live in. Even our diplomats won't volunteer for duty. It seems like the only people volunteering for anything in this country are our military personnel.
The United States Senate has approved former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's nomination to the board of an international aid program that seeks to encourage democracy and openness in poor countries.
These two Republican Senators are always stepping up to the plate.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), chairman of the Republican Policy Committee, today re-introduced legislation to make permanent the ability of Texans to deduct state sales taxes on federal tax returns. Sens. John Cornyn (R–TX), Lamar Alexander (R–TN), and Bob Corker (R-TN) are also original cosponsors of the bill.
“It is essential that in our country we have the same treatment for the people of every State regarding how they pay their State taxes,” Sen. Hutchison said. “Since I came to the Senate, I have tried to equalize this inequity. Finally, in 2004, we were able to do that, and now we cannot let this equity go. Sales taxes must be made permanently deductible in order for all taxpayers in all states to be treated equally.”
“This is a matter of fundamental fairness for Texas taxpayers,” Sen. Cornyn said. “Making the sales tax deduction permanent will put our state on a level playing field with others that can deduct their state income tax. Texans should be allowed to keep their hard-earned money, not be punished with an additional tax.”
“Making state sales taxes deductible will put more than $400 in the pockets of nearly 600,000 Tennesseans who itemize their taxes this year,” Sen. Alexander said. “Doing so permanently is an issue of fairness for Tennesseans.”
“This is a simple matter of tax fairness and common sense,” Sen. Corker said. “Tennessee is fortunate not to have a state income tax, but Tennesseans should not be penalized for this on their federal tax returns. Making the state sales tax deduction permanent keeps more money in the pockets of hard-working families and it’s the right thing to do.”
Losing this deduction would cost Texans almost $1 billion a year, equaling $310 per year for the average family of four. Over 52 million Americans live in the eight states that do not levy income taxes (Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming).
“Texans have their purchases taxed by the state government, and then are taxed by the federal government on the income they use to pay the sales tax,” Sen. Hutchison said. “It’s just not fair for Texans to pay additional taxes on the very money they used to pay their state tax.”
Before tax reforms were signed into law in 1986, taxpayers were allowed to deduct their sales taxes on their federal tax returns. Sen. Hutchison worked with Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) to include this deduction in the 2004 tax relief bill. That legislation included a temporary deduction that expired at the end of 2005.
In 2006, Sen. Hutchison secured a two-year extension of the sales tax deduction, but continues to push for making this equitable deduction permanent. On January 4, 2007, the first day of the 110th Congress, Sen. Hutchison also introduced legislation to provide a permanent state sales tax deduction and marriage penalty tax relief. On March 22, she passed an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2008 Senate Budget Resolution to make the state sales tax deduction permanent.
Vonage has settled with Verizon by agreeing to pay as much as $120 million to settle their patent dispute. Seems like a lot of money to me.
Gary McDowell has an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal in which he reviews the battle over the last 20 years (ever since Judge Bork was denied a seat on the United States Supreme Court) between liberals and conservatives and activist judges vs. judges who interpret the law.
Chris Gaylord reports for the Christian Science Monitor that with millions of people watching shows and movies online, service providers may become overwhelmend that the Internet may seem outmoded.
Ben Arnoldy, staff writer of the Christian Science Monitor, has a good story about the high tech revolution that is coming. It's called "cloud computing." According to Mr. Arnoldy, which side you are on in the war between the revolutionaries and the counterrevolutionaries depends on where your software and data sits. In the traditional model, people buy software and load it on the hard drives of the pc's. In the new era, users' software and data sits on the network. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
It is pretty clear that the Federal Government has performed almost flawlessly in helping the victims of the California fires. Kudos to Michael Chertoff and R. David Paulison, but most of all to President Bush and Governor Schwarzenegger. I have always maintained that the initial responsibility in any disaster lies with the local and state governments. I think this disaster proves that.
This is a really different concept. A wealthy African has created a $5 million annual prize to reward good leaders in Africa. The first winner is Joachim Chissano, the former president of Mozambique. I have a real problem with rewarding any leader for doing what they should do for their country. I'm sure they all take some sort of oath of office swearing to uphold the laws of their country. How can we reward them for doing what they are required to do?
Well, it seems not all Venezuelans are happy with Chavez. Isn't that strange?
CNS News is reporting that the "comprehensive approach" to immigration reform that couples stepped-up border security with legal and financial benefits for illegal aliens is untenable because federal judges are likely to strike down enforcement measures while leaving "amnesty" provisions intact.
Carl Levin, the Senator from Michigan threatened to hold Michigan's presidential nominating contest on the same day as the New Hampshire primary in order to end New Hampshire's "cockamamie" first in the nation role.
Captain Ed has the story - the Dream Act is dead again. Durbin continues to push the legislation but by a vote of 52 to 44, the Senate failed to invoke cloture.
President Bush today blistered Fidel Castro and challenged the international community to help the people of Cuba. It was President Bush's first speech about Cuba in a long time.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that AT&T is negotiating to buy either EchoStar Communications Corp. or DirecTV. As a long time DirecTV subscriber, I would not be happy with AT&T buying them.
Nato Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer says a number of alliance members have offered more resources for the military campaign in Afghanistan. That is certainly good news for the United States, but one that I haven't seen reported in the MSM.
October 18, 2007 -
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Mel Martinez (R-FL) and George V. Voinovich (R-OH) today joined with House Republican Leaders and several members to introduce a bill to reauthorize and expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The measure contains a full reauthorization of SCHIP, a $1,400 per child health care tax credit, and an aggressive outreach program to ensure all children eligible for the program have the opportunity to sign up for insurance. It also allows states to explore various efforts to reduce the number of uninsured and the cost of health care; improve quality and access to care and expand information technology.
“This bill gets the job done. It insures 10 million children and does it in a way that preserves and protects the quality of health care for all on the program,” said Martinez. “As Republicans and Democrats, we need to move forward with viable alternatives – this bill will ensure the reauthorization of an SCHIP that covers the intended population and expands private health insurance coverage for families in need.”
“We all want to cover more uninsured children but we should not unnecessarily increase a government program beyond its intent when the private sector is already providing coverage,” Sen. Voinovich said. “Our nation already invests $2 trillion in health care each year – it’s time to look at how we’re currently spending this money. Our bill looks at the big picture and finds ways to increase funding for SCHIP while using the tax code to insure millions of children. It also recognizes that, while health reform proposals are bottled up here at the federal level, states are in a unique position to demonstrate ways to do the job better. Our bill gives states the ability to examine various strategies to reduce the uninsured, lower costs and improve quality of care.”
It's estimated that between 500,000 and 1.5 million children are currently eligible for SCHIP coverage but are not enrolled simply because the families don't know the program exists. The bill encourages states to find innovative ways to identify and enroll that population.
Introducing the House version of the bill are Representatives Marilyn Musgrave (CO-4), Tom Price (GA-6), Tom Feeney (FL-24) and Tim Walberg (MI-7). There are currently more than 40 cosponsors including Minority Leader John Boehner (OH), Republican Whip Roy Blunt (MO), and Deputy Republican Whip Eric Cantor (VA).
Senate cosponsors include Senators Mel Martinez (FL), George Voinovich (OH), Jim DeMint (SC), Lindsey Graham (SC), John Cornyn (TX), John Thune (SD), Jeff Sessions (AL), Jim Inhofe (OK), and Saxby Chambliss (GA).
Republican Party leaders on Monday recommended punishing five states for shifting their nomination contests earlier, moving to strip New Hampshire, Florida, South Carolina, Michigan and Wyoming of half their delegates.
Fred Thompson says he will campaign the way he wants to. Reminds me of the Frank Sinatra song "I Did It My Way". Good for Fred. I'm not sure if it will work, but you have to give him credit for sticking to his plan.
Wildfires fanned by fierce desert winds have forced the evacuation of 250,000 people in Southern California.
Talk about excitement. The demand for World Series tickets by Colorado Rockies fans was so great that it shut down the Rockies computer system.
Osama Bin Laden has asked terrorists in Iraq to unite. Do you think he knows they are losing?
Microsoft's announcement said "We will not appeal the September decision to the European Court of Justice and will continue to work closely with the Commission and the industry to ensure a flourishing and competitive environment for information technology in Europe and around the world." Microsoft has already paid $1.43 billion in fines to the commission, which will decide by the end of the year whether Microsoft must pay an additional 1.6 billion euros.
Michael Barone is one of my favorite journalists. He always makes a lot of sense to me. Today he writes about the lack of imagination of the Democrats, and the fact that things have not worked out the way Congressional Democrats thought they would. That is good news for Republicans.
Steeler Report Card for Week 6. The Steelers lost to Denver 31 to 28, to bring their record to 4 and 2. Believe me, the loss was a team effort, and the Report Card reflects that.
Bill Frist recently delivered the 25th annual Lamb Lecture at East Tennessee State University. Read his blog at www.Volpac.org.
The Politico reports that Fred Thompson is favored by Christian Conservatives by a 10 point margin over his closest rival, Rudy Giuliani.
This is another interesting article pointing out that the Democrats have lost any momentum they may have had from the 2006 election, and may find themselves tagged in the 2008 election as the party that couldn't stop Bush when given a chance, or as the party that did not try hard enough.
William Kristol has another good article in The Weekly Standard. He points out that now it appears the war may well be won, in spite of the Democratic Congress's best efforts. As Mr. Kristol says it's the congressional Democrats who are the losers.
When I first saw this story I thought the author was talking about Al Gore and the issue of gloabl warming. Well, he does talk a little about that, but then he goes off on a tangent about Gore being such a hawk. I'm not sure how the two fit together, but it is an interesting perspective.
I think this is important enough to post in it's entirety:
Thursday, October 18, 2007
WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. John Cornyn made the following statement Thursday regarding the need to reach a bipartisan agreement to reauthorize and expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), following the failure of House Democrats to override the President’s veto:
“Now that the House has predictably voted to uphold the President’s veto, it’s more important than ever for Republicans and Democrats to work together on a bipartisan, compromise SCHIP bill and send it to the President to sign immediately.
“Democrats stalled for weeks to play political games and run partisan attack ads. This program is too important to be used as a political pawn. Low-income children in Texas and across the country are depending on Congress to get the job done. I hope my Democratic colleagues will join us in sitting down, rolling up our sleeves and doing the job that the people have sent the Congress here to do.”
Sen. Cornyn co-sponsored and voted for a $10 billion expansion of SCHIP. The Kids First alternative he supported provides a 40 percent increase in funding and resources to address the key problem in Texas of outreach and enrollment.
Last Thursday, Sen. Cornyn sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urging them to reconsider their decision to shutdown negotiations on SCHIP. Senator Cornyn wrote, in part, “If you believe that covering low-income children in Texas and across the country, requires more than the 40 percent funding increase that Republicans have introduced, I am more than willing to work with you to find a reasonable, bipartisan solution. But, reauthorization of SCHIP is too important to be used as a political pawn for campaign purposes.”
The BBC has announced that it will cut 1800 jobs, broadcast fewer programs and require staff to create content for television, radio and the Internet, creating a showdown with journalists and other employees.
China has warned the United States that its honoring of the Dalai Lam "gravely undermined" relations between the two countries.
The Washington Post is reporting that Denny Hastert intends to resign from Congress rather than complete his term 15 months from now. According to unnamed aides, Hastert intends to resign at the end of this year or the beginning of next year.
Fact sheet In Focus: Health Care
MYTH #1: President Bush's proposal would not help poor children.
* FACT: The President strongly supports SCHIP reauthorization and his 2008 budget proposed to increase SCHIP funding by $5 billion over five years. This is a 20 percent increase over current levels of funding.
* FACT: The President's proposal maintains SCHIP's original purpose of targeting dollars to poor children who need them most.
MYTH #2: Cost is the only reason for President Bush's veto threat.
* FACT: There are numerous problems with Congress's SCHIP bill. In addition to raising spending by $35 to $50 billion, the legislation:
1. Turns a program meant to help poor children into one that covers children in some households with incomes of up to $83,000 a year.
2. Would move millions of American children who now have private health insurance into government-run health care.
3. Is an incremental step toward the Democrats' goal of a government-run health care system.
4. Raises taxes on working Americans.
5. Relies on a budget gimmick that drops SCHIP funding by almost 80 percent in year six, masking future deficits and ultimately resulting in a choice between higher taxes or forcing millions of children to lose health insurance.
6. Creates new funding schemes inviting states to overspend their budgets and shift health care costs to the Federal government by using SCHIP funding to offset state Medicaid spending.
7. Provides incentives to states to relax protections against enrolling ineligible individuals, including illegal immigrants.
MYTH #3: President Bush is wrong in claiming the Senate SCHIP bill would cover children in some households with incomes of up to $83,000 per year (400 percent of the Federal poverty level).
* FACT: The Senate bill grandfathers in New York at a higher SCHIP match rate than the rest of the country – allowing SCHIP to cover children in some households with incomes of up to $83,000 per year.
Background Information:
* Sens. Clinton and Schumer: "New York State's planned CHIP expansion would have covered children up to 400 percent of the national poverty level." (Sen. Hillary Clinton, Press Release, "Clinton, Schumer Blast Federal Rejection Of New York's Attempts To Increase Health Coverage For Children," 9/7/07)
* The Federal Poverty Level for a family of four is $20,650. Four hundred percent of $20,650 is $82,600. ("The 2007 HHS Poverty Guidelines," Accessed 9/20/07, Available At: http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/07poverty.shtml)
* The Senate bill states: "(B) - Exception - Subparagraph (A) [the limitation of the matching rate to the Medicaid rate for children whose effective income exceeds 300 percent of the Federal poverty level] shall not apply to any State that, on the date of enactment of the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2007, has an approved State Plan Amendment or waiver to provide, or has enacted a State law to submit a State plan amendment to provide, expenditures described in such subparagraph under the State child health plan."
* New York enacted a state law to submit a "State plan amendment." While that amendment was disapproved, the language of the Senate bill would still allow New York to claim the enhanced match if approved by a different Administration in the future.
* FACT: The Senate SCHIP bill also grandfathers in New Jersey's program at 350 percent of the Federal poverty level, which includes children in families with incomes of $72,000 a year.
* Gov. Jon Corzine (D-NJ): "Corzine added that the state, which covers about 122,000 kids in its program, known as FamilyCare, 'will continue to provide health care to children in families with income up to 350 percent' of the federal poverty level – or $72,275 for a family of four. He also wrote that he is prepared to file a lawsuit challenging the new rules." (Christopher Lee, "N.J.'s Corzine to Defy New Health-Care Rules," The Washington Post, 9/14/07)
MYTH #4: Democrats are not seeking a political victory by passing a bill they know will be vetoed.
* FACT: House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel (D-IL): "If he vetoes the bill, it's a political victory for us." (Robert Pear, "Veto Risk Seen In Compromise On Child Health," The New York Times, 9/17/07)
* FACT: House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD): "With a bill on its way to the president's desk by the end of next week, Democrats will be safe in blaming the White House for allowing the program to expire, according to House Majority Leader Hoyer." (Fawn Johnson, "Negotiators Strike SCHIP Deal, Agree To Slightly Modified Senate Measure," National Journal's CongressDaily, 9/19/07)
* FACT: House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Chairman Pete Stark (D-CA): "The Medicare and Medicaid portions of CHAMP have been abandoned for rhetorical and/or political reasons that are unclear to me." (Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA), Dear Democratic Colleague Letter, 9/20/07)
MYTH #5: President Bush will be responsible if SCHIP is not reauthorized by September 30.
* FACT: Congress is irresponsibly waiting until just before SCHIP expires on September 30 to pass a final bill they know will be vetoed. Democrats have known for months that President Bush would veto a bill like the one they intend to send him.
* FACT: One of the Democrats' leaders has even said such a veto would be a "political victory." Members of Congress are putting health coverage for poor children at risk just so they can score political points in Washington.
* FACT: President Bush has called on Congress to pass a clean, temporary extension of the current SCHIP program that he can sign by September 30. The President does not believe health coverage for poor children should be held hostage while political ads are being made and new polls are being taken.
* FACT: The President has instructed HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt to work with states to mitigate the resulting damage if Congress allows SCHIP to lapse.
As I was posting this article about Benazir Bhutto's dramatic return to Pakistan, a news bulletin came on announcing that there had been a bombing very near Ms. Bhutto's motorcade. At least 30 people are believed dead, but Ms. Bhutto is safe.
Joey Bishop, who I remember as a member of Frank Sinatra's Rat Pack has died at the age of 89. He was the group's last surviving member.
The cost of living increase for Social Security recipients will be only 2.3% for 2008, the smallest increase in four years. Of course, the problem with this is that people on fixed incomes can't keep up with the increases in all of the fixed expenses that they have. Utilities, health insurance, etc. will all go up more than this. Today I got a notification that my garbage bill is going up $12.00 a month and my health insurance is going up $13.00 a month. You can be sure that electric, water and sewage will also go up.
George Will, is not one of my favorite columnists. I find him to be smug and pompous. But this article at least makes sense. Will argues that the Democrats are pandering to the middle class. I think we have known that for a long time, but it's worth reading.
Ed Morrissey of Captain's Quarter has a good article about the bill condemning Turkey for the Armenian genocide of 1915 beginning to lose steam. It's about time.
Michelle Malkin has an excellent article in Townhall.com about the SCHIP bill. In view of the House vote today, sustaining the President's veto of the bill, this is an especially important column to read.
The labor unions in California are protesting Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposal about health care. According to the labor unions the Governor's proposal would gouge the middle class. The Governor's plan would require individuals to purchase health care insurance, with the state providing subsidies for the poor. Under the plan, individuals earning more than $35,735 and families of four making more than $72,275 would not receive subsidies.
This is an e-mail from Congresswoman Heather Wilson from the First Congressional District of New Mexico. I don't think she will mind if I share it with you. Thanks to River West for sending it on.
The Collapsing Deficit October 16, 2007
Dear Friends,
We balanced the budget and paid off $450 billion in publicly held debt in 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001. Those were the first balanced budgets since 1969. It's hard to remember now, but, the week before 9/11 the Congress was debating what to do with a budget surplus. Then the world changed. We were recovering from a national emergency, fighting a war and in an economic slowdown all at once.
Our priorities changed. But the way back to balanced budgets is to control the growth of government spending and economic policies that encourage strong economic growth. That means low taxes and fair regulations. When we passed more tax relief in 2003, the tax and spend crowd was enraged. But that tax relief was just the right thing to do. And now, the data is in to show it's working.
On Thursday, the final budget data came in for the year that ended September 30. The budget deficit is collapsing faster than anyone projected. It is now only $163 billion. I know. "Only" in front of any number in the billions is hard to swallow. But keep in mind that only 24 months ago the deficit for this year was expected to be twice as large and this deficit is 1.2 percent of GDP -- quite low by historical standards.
As a percentage of the economy, the deficit is now lower than the average of the last forty years. Why? Because tax revenues grew by $161 billion this year -- the highest level of Federal revenues ever recorded. And it builds on the 14.5 percent and 11.8 percent increase in revenues during the last two years.
Tax relief combined with spending restraint promotes economic growth. The economy is in its sixth straight year of sustained economic growth. Since August 2003, our economy has added more than 8 million new jobs and the national unemployment rate is at 4.7 percent.
This progress back toward balanced budgets and strong economic growth is threatened by the budget resolution passed this year by the new Democratic Congress. The budget is a blueprint that looks out five years. It is not signed by the President and I opposed it. Included in their assumptions is the second largest tax increase in American history. They are planning for all of the tax relief passed in 2001 and 2003 to expire. Income taxes would go back up. The marriage penalty would come back. The child tax credit would be cut in half and capital gains and dividends would be taxed at higher rates again. The death tax would come back to life.
None of this would be good for our economy and job creation or for balancing the budget. The way to balance the budget is through policies that encourage economic growth and controlling the growth of government. Raising taxes is the wrong way to go.
The head of the U.N. food agency operations in the Somali capital was seized and jailed Wednesday in Mogadishu.
John Schoen has an interesting post on MSNBC. I can remember when the middle class made above $35,000. Now families with incomes of $100,000 say they are being squeezed.
It looks like the Democrats in the House are finally going to think of the Country instead of playing politics. John Murtha, of all people, has come out against the genocide resolution. It's about time.
So Pirates still exist, and the attacks have increased 14% worldwide.
this seems like a weird idea by Tom Tancredo. He wants immigrants seeking to join relatives in the United States to provide DNA samples to prove their family ties. I don't think I like this idea.
The FDA has approved a new chemotherapy drug to treat advanced breast cancer. The drug, Ixempra, was approved for use in women who have failed treatment on three other types of chemotherapy.
Researchers have found a strain of bacteria that can cause ear infections that is resistant to all antibiotics approved for use in children. This could become a serious health risk.
China is threatening the United States, telling our government not to honor the Dalai Lama. Congress is going ahead with their plan to present the Dalai Lama with the Congressional Gold Medal, and the President plans to attend.
Kay Bailey Hutchison, whose term of office is not up until 2012, has announced that she will not seek a fourth term. Senator Hutchison is thinking about a run for governor of Texas.
Ed Morrissey can always be counted on for a thought provoking article. Ed points out that the Democrats are going to be on the losing side of any battle with the President over spending. As he correctly points out the American people strongly favor fiscal restraint. Another miscalucalation by the Democrats.
Robert Novak has an interesting column about Rudy Giuliani and the religious conservatives. I think he makes a very valid point and that is that religious leaders like Dr. Dobson are as out of touch with their base as Washington politicians are.
Jed Babbin has a very thoughtful column in Human Events about Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats efforts to undermine the war in Iraq by their attempts to alienate Turkey. Pelosi and her gang of cronies come awfully close to treason in my opinion.
Fred Thompson says
"I believe that conservatives beat liberals only when we challenge their outdated positions, not embrace them. This is not a time for philosophical flexibility, it is a time to stand up for what we believe in."I think Fred Thompson has it right.
Two planes collided this evening on a runway at London's Heathrow Airport.
The Washington Post is reporting that House Republicans are likely to uphold the President's veto on SCHIPS. Good for the House Republicans.
Fred Barnes does a fantastic job pointing out how a biased poll question can cause the poll results to be skewered. In this case the question is one supposedly asked Republican voters about S-CHIP.
Bill Frist blogs on Volpac (www.volpac.org) about using medicine as a currency for peace. As always Dr. Frist makes a lot of sense. He quotes the 9/11 Commission Report: "When people lose hope, when societies break down, when countries fragment, the breeding grounds for terrorism are created." Dr. Frist goes onto say "We simply cannot afford to stand pat - not when we know medicine can help bring stability ...can serve as that currency for peace."
If the United States gives into Iraq's demands that Blackwater be expelled, they need to have the manpower to replace them.
I could have told them this. Teasing never helps, especially if you have an overweight teen.
The Democrats have really gotten themselves in hot water with this goofy idea that their staff should get immunized for several diseases before heading to NASCAR country to conduct research at a pair of races. NASCAR fans will not forget.
Don't let the headline fool you. Remember this is an article in the New York Times. And of course, the Times tells you all the bad things the Republicans are facing before having to admit that the Democrats are doing just as bad, if not a little worse.
Peter Bronson has an op-ed in the Cincinnati Enquirer that really sums up Al Gore's Nobel prize succinctly. Gore has done nothing to earn a Nobel Prize for Peace.
William Kristol has a great article in the Weekly Standard pointing out why things aren't as bad for the Republican party as everyone seems to think.
James W. Ceaser, a Professor of Politics at the University of Virginia has a very thoughtful article about the state of the Democratic Party today. As he points out the serious Democrat must consider whether to accept the ugly style the new radicals of the left have developed for use among themselves, as the way the party will operate - or begin to think deeply enough to find a principled ground for rejecting a faction in their midst that is not only stupid but dangerous as well.
The BBC is reporting:
Russian President Putin has been warned of a plot to kill him during a visit to Iran next week, officials say.
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