Durbin said the government has the right to regulate talk radio, because the airwaves belong to the American people.
Does that statement make any sense to you? The airways belong to the people, so we must regulate it? If the airways belong to the people, shouldn’t the government stay away? I think so, but I am not smart enough to make my own decisions, so the government will tell me what to listen to.
The free market has determined that talk radio should be dominated by conservative talk. Conservative talk is what makes money, so conservative talk is what many stations offer. There is NPR and Air America trying to promote liberal talk, but liberal talk has not been successful so now the Democrats want to force it on the American people. The liberals already own all the other outlets of the media, but it is noy good enough for them, they need to conquer talk radio also. They want to eliminate opposing views instead of debating them.
He (Durbin) challenged Coleman’s faith in the free market, asking him what he would do “if the marketplace fails to provide” alternative voices.
Talk radio does not provide the point of view that Durbin sees fit so the marketplace needs to be regulated. Once again the Democrats need to regulate something they don’t agree with in the effort to stifle it. The marketplace needs to be regulated until the Democrats agree with the end result. This seems very similar to communism if you ask me.
Coleman said he believes that conservative opinion dominates talk radio because of a demand for more conservative voices on the airwaves. “In the end consumers also have a right, based on the market, to make choices and so if they make choices that they want to hear more of one side than the other, then that’s okay,” he argued.
People have the right to make choices? What a radical concept. Huh? The fact that people should be able to listen to what they want? This man need political re-education. Doesn’t he realize that Americans constantly make the wrong choices and must be told what they can say, eat, smoke, and listen to. The days of personal responsibility are gone.
“Government shouldn’t be monitoring and regulating content,” he added.
In all seriousness now. The above statement does sum it up perfectly. When the government starts to monitor and regulate content then we really are heading down the path to socialism which leads to communism.
Whatever has happened to the freedom of the press?
You can read the whole story here
You read my post title correct. The Democrats in congress have proposed raising the tobbacco tax on cigars from 5 cents to $10 dollars. That is an increase of 20,000%.
As part of an increase in tobacco taxes the nickel-per-cigar tax that has ruled the industry could rise to as much as $10 per cigar.
“I’m not sure in the history of man, since our forefathers founded the country in 1776, that there’s ever been a tax increase of 20,000 percent,” said Newman, who runs the Tampa (cigar) business founded by grandfather Julius Caesar Newman. “They had the Boston Tea Party for less than this.”
I have to give the congress credit on this one. It takes a hell of alot of balls to raise taxes by that much. The mere thought of such a tax hike should be enough to drive most politicians away. But not Democrats, this is what they live for.
They don’t appear too conserned about thie effect this will have on buisness owners though:
“Why don’t we just go out of business?” Newman said. “Here, you can run our company, Mr. Government.”
Dont give them any ideas Mr. Newman, that is exactly what liberals in government want. They want to run every aspect of American’s lives.
So why are they proposing this?
Here’s the source of the controversy: The Democrat controlled Congress has sought an extra $35-billion to $50-billion for the state children’s health insurance program. The program distributes payments to the states to help buy coverage for kids not poor enough for Medicaid.
For another socialist program, thats why. More re-distribution of wealth. More of them knowing what is best fot everybody else. More Hillary-care. How are we supposed to argue with this and not seem mean-spirited. After all, we need to do it for the children. The hell with it, I don’t care if I sound mean-spirited. This is insanity. It is not my reponsibily to provide other people’s children with healthcare. I provide MY children with healthcare. I would rather not have to pay for it either, but I would rather pay for it myself than have to government give it to me. Call me stupid, but it isn’t the government’s responsibilty either.
You can read the whole story here.
Below is an article that appeared in the New Hampshire Union Leader. It is written by a soldier from New Hampshire who is serving in Iraq.His name is Col. Jonathan Sistare and he has been sharing his story, here is part one, and part two.
Part three:
Editor’s note: Jonathan Sistare, the Jaffrey town manager recently hired by Salem, is a lieutenant colonel assigned to the 94th Regional Readiness Command at Devens, Mass. He was mobilized last July and deployed in September to serve in Iraq as a team chief for a Brigade National Police Transitional Team.
June 3- July 6
The return trip from my leave went by very quickly, mostly I guess because I got lucky with all my connections from Boston to Baghdad. I left Boston on Saturday, June 2nd, and arrived in Baghdad on Tuesday, June 5th. While wishing to be other places, like back home, I was in some way anxious to get back to my team and see the guys I’ve been working with for almost a year. They had all done well while I was gone, managing things just fine without me. However, in that each of us has our particular duties they were at least happy to have me back so I could resume mine, and they could resume theirs.
Upon my return I found that our team had moved from the old shopping center where we had been since about March 1st to the FOB (Forward Operating Base) where we had been from late December to the end of February. Things don’t always make sense in the Army, and people make the best decisions they can with what information they have available at the time, but our move to the shopping center didn’t make much sense as it put us about eight miles farther from the National Police Brigade with whom we work. Driving any extra distance in Baghdad is not a wise move for any of us. Someone finally saw that our location didn’t make sense and the plans were made to move us back to FOB Loyalty. We’re happy to be back here as it is close to our Iraqi partners, and our living conditions are much better, for which we are all grateful.
The fight against the insurgents continues in Sadr City, and will for some time. Our National Police Brigade commander, my counterpart, is doing his best to squash the insurgency, but the elements of the Jaysh al-Mahdi, or JAM, (al-Sadr’s militia) are very powerful, relentless and evil. They influence and intimidate the local police and the National Police by threatening to kill them, or their families. It’s not a pretty picture here and can get be quite overwhelming. The JAM is essentially a mafia organization, and al-Sadr might as well be al-Capone of the 1920s in Chicago. His influence is everywhere and it takes a lot of courage on the part of the local law enforcement and military to overcome that. I can only imagine the pressure on my counterpart on how he deals with this. I see it in him and how it wears him out. Some days he just wants to get away from it all. Who can blame him?
I’ve adjusted my role lately to be as supportive of him as I can be with his situation and talk to him about what I know of American history and how people in our history who have been in his place have stood fast against the wrongs of the world. On many occasions I have told him that the future of Iraq is in the hands of people like him to rise above the corruption and the influences upon him and to do what is right for his country. He knows what is right and what he has to do, but no one I have ever met in my life has to deal with the pressure he has upon him every day. I’ve only read about people like him in history books. Perhaps someday Iraqi history books will write about him and others like him who are working in Iraq now to put an end to this violence .
Fourth of July
One of the ways I try to support him or give him the chance to have a little fun is to take him to special occasions whenever I can. This past winter when Gen. Casey was leaving command, my counterpart had wanted to give him a departing gift. I told of the story about trying to get a few minutes of Gen. Casey’s time. Recently, I was given a ticket to the Fourth of July celebration at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad by our Civil Affairs team. The ticket was for Ali, my counterpart. I gave it to him and he wanted me to join him so I had to hook myself up with an invitation. We went to the event, and saw some people he and I had dealt with over the past nine months. One of the American generals we had met months ago was there and Ali went right up to him and said hello. The general was very pleased to see him and we talked for quite a while. The American general said he was surprised to see Ali there. I guess he was right as I looked around and didn’t see any other Iraqi generals at the event. I’m not sure how Ali got an invitation, but I’m glad he did.
The Iraqi Prime Minister and President were there, as well as the American ambassador and Gen. Petraeus. They all gave speeches. I looked behind me at one point and saw an Iraqi who looked so familiar but I couldn’t place him. I asked my interpreter who he was and he said he was the judge that presided at the Saddam trial. After the speeches, I spoke to the judge telling him he was my hero. He laughed it off and wished me a Happy 4th. This judge is another guy that might be in the Iraqi history books someday. He’s the one guy that so many other Iraqis wanted to be for all the years of the Saddam reign of terror. He got to preside over Saddam’s trial, and did it with dignity from what I saw, and sentenced Saddam to what he deserved.
After being back here for a month, and not feeling much interested in writing this journal as all I saw around me was unpleasantness, I thought during this Fourth of July celebration, “Wow, I’ve finally got something to write about.” My “high” on the event was quickly soured. Toward the end of the celebration, my cell phone went off and I got a call from one of my officers. He told me that our interpreter, Tony, was shot while on patrol. They rushed him to the nearest U.S. facility and gave him immediate aid. He was then flown to the International Zone to the Combat Support Hospital (CSH). He was shot in the upper part of the neck and the bullet came out his mouth, taking four teeth with it. We were in the IZ at the time at the Embassy. We stopped by the CSH, which is right down the road and saw Tony as he was getting wheeled into surgery. We came back the next day and Tony was sitting up looking good. He’s a happy, jolly kind of guy and his spirits didn’t seem to be too diminished. He couldn’t talk, as his mouth and neck are healing. He was happy to write us notes about his feelings. I was uplifted by one note where he said he couldn’t wait to get back with the team to take on the fight with the insurgents. His English is quite good (all of it!) and he actually used a few different words that I can’t repeat here. After going through such trauma and being so close to getting killed, Tony’s energy and determination gave me strength to continue on here as best we can. Maybe Iraqi history will also tell of people like Tony, who risked their lives to help the Americans provide assistance to their country when their country needed it.
History being made
When I stop and think about it, I am watching history being made every day and the Iraqis who are making it. I see Ali every day struggling to combat corruption and terror in his area of responsibility. I see Tony, a typical Iraqi who has the gift of being able to speak Arabic and English, and his desire to help the Americans who are trying to help his fellow countrymen – and nearly getting killed in the process. And, once in a while, I see people like the judge who sentenced Saddam and had the courage to preside over the trial of a madman. These people are Iraqi heroes. I hope what they are doing today will be remembered as we remember the heroes from our history.
I guess what helps me keep properly oriented is to remember our history and realize that just four years after our country’s birth, America had a lot to resolve within its borders. Heck, some 85 years after our country’s birth we all got so mad at each other that we fought a civil war for four long years killing hundreds of thousands of our fellow countrymen. If Iraq was given a rebirth of freedom in 2003 when Saddam was taken out, then they will need time to get themselves together, just as we did.
Americans getting killed and hurt in the process is very tough and difficult for us to deal with, trust me I’ve seen it up close and personal and it is truly beyond words to describe, but without us here now, this country is not going to make it. That’s the truth, plain and simple.
President Bush Receives Bounce in Latest Rasmussen Poll
President Bush’s firm position on Iraq has firmed up his Job Approval numbers. For the third straight day, 39% of Americans say they approve of the way the President his performing his job.
While 39% is admittedly dismal, it represents a bounce of 6% since June.
Another encouraging sign:
Eighty percent (80%) of Republicans across the nation now give the President their approval. That’s up from a low of 65% during the debate over immigration.
The amnesty bill definately hurt President Bush’s approval ratings with Republicans. When it looked as though this pathetic bill was going to pass, President Bush’s last remaining supporters began to abandon him. With the bill defeated it seems as though Republicans who see the big picture are returning. Republicans understand the importance of winning the war on terror, and realize that the president is holding firm on this issue even as Republican leaders begin to split with the president as they look for re-election. I believe that many voters, myself included, see the immigration issue as directly related to terrorism and national security and when the president supported a bill that amounted to amnesty they left him. With the bill safely defeated the voters realize that President Bush is the man to lead us through the war, and they are beginning to return.
Louisiana Bans Late Term Abortions
Hat Tip to That Political Blog as this is the only place I have seen this.
Louisiana has become the first state to ban the barbaric procedure known as late term, or partial birth abortion. This is a step in the right direction as this procedure is disgusting. A baby is partially birthed, as the name would indicate, and then murdered by a doctor. A person schooled in helping and saving human lives takes the life of a half birthed baby. Say what you want, this is not abortion.
This law does allow for an exception if the mother’s life is in danger, although I believe this exception is a ruse. If the mother’s life is in danger this late in a pregnancy why can’t the baby be removed by C-section? The pro-death crowd doesn’t want to hear that argument.
Anti-abortion activists call the procedure “partial-birth abortion;” surgeons and abortion rights activists call it “dilation and extraction.” It involves partially removing the fetus intact from a woman’s uterus, then crushing or cutting its skull to complete the abortion.
This from a supposed civilized society. Where is the value for human life?
Blanco has also signed legislation requiring that all women seeking an abortion be notified that fetuses can feel pain by 20 weeks gestation, and doctors who perform the procedure to discuss the availability of painkillers for fetuses.
Painkillers for fetuses, and we are supposed to believe that this isn’t life? We are told we have to respect the woman’s right to choose. Why can’t we respect the fetus’ right to LIFE, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as written in the declaration of independence?
Nationwide, there are just a few thousand such abortions, according to rough estimates, out of more than 1.25 million abortions in the United States annually.
Only a few thousand such abortions? Is this supposed to make us feel better?
The most intriguing part of this bill from Louisiana is the fact that a Democrat signed it into law. Although I think I heard somewhere that she is not running for re-election. I’m not sure though.
Read the full article here.
Haditha Marine’s Parents want John Murtha Censured
Remember when it was reported in 2005 that a United States marine shot three Iraqi’s execution style? Remember how John Murtha immediately presumed this man was guilty? He presumed the marine was guilty so he could further his anti-war, ant-Bush rhetoric. He tried to use this case as proof that America should not fight terrorism. He WANTED this marine to be guilty so badly, that he presumed him guilty. All to show that American marines, and soldiers are bad, evil people, and so is America.
John Murtha had no inside knowledge of what had happened in Haditha, and he had no regard for our sevicemen serving in Iraq. He would have rather taken the word of our enemy than our soldiers. And he did. This man is a disgrace to himself, and his country.
This week:
Lt. Col. Paul Ware, released an 18-page report recommending that all charges against Sharratt’s son, Lance Cpl. Justin Sharratt, be dismissed because his actions “were in accord with the rules of engagement and use of force.”
Where is John Murtha’s apology? I haven’t heard it yet, have you. Isn’t it typical, when a Democrat feels they can use something against the president, even without knowing the facts, they use it. Now that this incident didn’t happen the way the enemy claimed, Murtha is silent in apologizing. He still WANTS to believe the enemy over his own country.
Now the parents of the marine are speaking out, and as you can imagine they are not happy.
The parents of a U.S. Marine accused of killing three Iraqis execution-style in Haditha in late 2005 said Thursday they would ask Congress to censure Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) for saying that the Marines “overreacted” during the incident and killed civilians “in cold blood.”
“It’s too late for an apology,” Darryl Sharratt of Canonsburg, Pa., told Cybercast News Service
And he is right, what good does an apology do now? John Murtha SHOULD be censured, hell, he should resign in shame. Of course, he won’t. Nothing will come from this, he has a D after his name. When I think of what this man said about one of our marines it makes my blood boil.
Sharratt said that he, his wife Theresa and other supporters of their 22-year-old son were planning to visit Martha’s office, and “we’re going to ask for more than an apology.”
“We need this man censured by our Congress,” he said, because “he denied my son — and the other Marines involved — their constitutional rights to a fair trial and a presumption of innocence.”
“This is what we’ve been fighting for in Iraq,” Sharratt added. “This is what we’ve been fighting for — what soldiers and Marines have been dying for — for the past 200 years.”
I hope something comes of this, but I think we all know how this is going to end. It won’t be covered on the news, and the Democrats will sweep it under the rug the same way they have with all the Democrat scandals. It’s too easy for them to do so when it doesn’t get the media coverage it should, and when the Republicans won’t stand up and make themselves heard the way Democrats would if the situation were reversed.
Higher Tolls and Gas Taxes Coming to New Hampshire?
You would think that when your governor passes his new budget, and that budget has a 17.5% increase in spending, that there might be some money in there to take care of your state’s road. Wouldn’t you? Well, you would be wrong. When a budget is passed that is three times higher than the rate of inflation, and there is all kinds of new spending for social programs, there is no room to fund something so trivial as roads, I suppose.
The Transporatation Commisionor, Chuck O’Leary, will be going in front of the Executive Council this week to look for money. He will be making some cuts to projects that cannot be afforded. Of course, there is always another option, with Democrats in charge instead of cutting projects you can’t afford, you find a way to afford them. Any guesses how to make that happen?
Beside cuts, there is the option of finding more money — in drivers’ pockets.
The state can raise turnpike tolls and/or raise gasoline taxes. Don’t expect Lynch to take the lead on a gas tax hike — he opposed it while running for his second term and joked that he couldn’t figure out where opponent Jim Coburn stood on the issue. The Executive Council has the power to raise tolls, but isn’t jumping to act. Hollingworth said she’s told O’Leary it’s his job to press for higher taxes and tolls.
Raising tolls, and gas taxes, BRILLIANT. With all the new taxes that have been put in place we still need more. As far as not expecting Governor Lynch to go along with the gas tax because he was against it before the election, why should we believe anything he said before the election? He told us he was against gay marriage, then signs a civil unions bill that is marriage. It even says in the bill to refer to traditional marriage with any questions. He told us he was against taxes, we see how that is working out. This man can no longer be taken at his word.
It is time for the people of New Hampshire to stop sleepwalking through this next election cycle. I don’t care if you are against the war, that’s fine, but we need to fix the problem that was created by your war protest vote last November. We need to take New Hampshire back to her Independent, lower taxes, and lesser government intrusion ways before it is too late.
New Hampshire may have started down a path that she can no longer return from, the deeper down that path you go, the easier it is to get lost. We need to turn around next year, and try to find our way back, before we get lost.
If we haven’t already.
Video: Broken Promises- the Democrat Majority
I came across this video at the New Hampshire Republican party website and had to post it here.
Video: Hillary and Edwards Conspire Against other Democrat Candidates, Plus Special Bonus Video
Here is the video that shows John Edwards and Hillary Clinton talking about cutting down the number of candidates allowed at the next debate. By the way, what makes John Edwards think he is a front runner?
The best part of this video is the part where after Hillary stabs Dennis Kucinich in the back, she turns toward him, smiles, and says thank you. Perfect.
She did learn from the best. It reminds me of the following video, perhaps the greatest video in the youtube collection, where President Clinton is laughing during Ron Brown’s funeral….until he sees the camera. Priceless.
Well, it’s been a while since I last updated this story. Nothing much has happened, this has to be the quietest stand-off in United States history. All I can say is that the Brown’s are lucky Janet Reno still isn’t in charge, or the Brown’s would already be dead.
If you haven’t read my previous posts on this issue, you can read the back story here.
Up until now, the Browns have refused to pay only their federal income tax, they have paid all other taxes as they are just protesting the constitutionality of the federal income tax. Well now that has changed. The Browns will no longer be paying their property tax.
“They don’t provide me any services, I’m not going to contribute to them anymore,” Brown said at his home yesterday. “It’s over.”
Now that they have had electricity to their home cut and are not receiving any services they have decided they don’t have to pay the taxes that provide those services.
In another update there is a concert taking place today on the Brown’s property called the “Live Free or Die Concert”. It will go from noon today until 10:00 tonight. Ruby Ridge survivor Randy Weaver plans to make a speech, and the music lineup includes rock bands Poker Face and The Law.
It appears as though it is getting tense as the concert draws near.
Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies are on heightened alert today because of a benefit concert at the Plainfield home of federal income tax protesters Ed and Elaine Brown.
“There will be a heightened presence this weekend and adequate resources available to (Plainfield Police Chief Gordon Gillens) and his department,” U.S. Marshal Steve Monier said in a telephone interview yesterday. “We’re working closely with our local and state partners to ensure that public safety is preserved.”
They have also said that they will not provide emergency services if someone gets hurt on the Brown property.
Plainfield police Chief Gordon Gillens said the town would not provide emergency services at the Browns’ house, if an emergency were to occur during a concert there today.
“We’re not sending any ambulances or fire department in there; it’s not a safe situation,” he said. “If they can bring the victim out to the road, we will tend to them.”
“It’s basically a lawless gathering,” he said, “and people who go there should give thought to that. There’s going to be people there with guns, and if things get out of hand, they’re on their own.”
Through all of this the Brown’s still insist if the law is shown to them that requires them to pay federal income tax, they will.
“If there was such a law,” she said, “what would be easier than to show it to us, rather than go through all this and millions of dollars of expense?”
UPDATE: Last night the “Live Free or Die” concert ended without incident, although a traffic counter that was placed about a mile from the Brown’s home was stolen.
