Move On.org Invades Facebook

In an attempt to garner the support of the happening Web 2.0 groupies, MoveOn.org has set its sights on the popular social networking site Facebook. A group sponsored by MoveOn.org was created on Facebook, addressing the 1994 Anti-War Cheney clip.

Free Libby

I. Scooter Libby, the former Chief of Staff of Vice President Richard Cheney, was sentenced today, after being found guilty of perjury, obstruction of justice, and making false statements to investigators during the CIA leak investigation in regards to Valarie Plame.

He was sentenced to 30 months in prison, accompanied by a $250,000 fine. The bulk of his sentence came out of the obstruction of justice charge.

Mr. Libby is now working on appealing the decision. It is also possible that he may be pardoned by President Bush.

With Love, From Russia

Mr. Putin seems keen on restoring Russia to the state it was in during the 'first' Cold War. I say first, because in this contemporary issue the possibility for a second Cold War is pretty likely. Aside from his many challenges to the United States, he seems a little shady on the accepted definition of democracy, and rather, is intent on creating his own. What that would entail? No idea. However, with the proverbial foot now on the throat of the Russian press, one can catch a glimpse over where it is heading.

In a truly Cold Waresque move, Putin in response to the missile shield the United States is setting up in eastern Europe, argued that the U.S. was initiating another arms race and that he would potentially point missiles at East Europe.

Almost a year ago I can recall, Putin selling Hugo Chavez of Venezuela military equipment. As such, my ultimate doomsday scenario would be a Russian alliance with Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, China, and Cuba. If Taiwan ever attempted complete independence from China, we can expect the U.S. to drift to the side of Taiwan, thus angering China and causing them to join the Russian cause against us. North Korea has already tested its missile cache and would be more than willing to find a buddy to take on the United States with. Venezuela would have no reason not to. Iran would be a difficult card. Most of the people in Iran don't really approve of Ahamdinejad's policies, and would rather see a more benign relationship develop with the United States. As for Cuba, if Castro holds out long enough, he will want to find away to help however he can. Cuban missile crisis part II.

Jefferson Indicted

Representative William Jefferson, a Democrat from Louisiana, was indicted with 16 counts of corruption related offenses including...

• Conspiracy
• Wire Fraud
• Soliciting Bribes
• Obstruction of Justice
• Violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
• Racketeering
  

If found guilty Jefferson could face up to 235 years in prison.

More information

Equivocation Nation

Those who favor stricter border control laws are often labeled with the oh so damaging term, racist. Their credibility is attacked and their opinions are demeaned. We often forget a law is being broken, but we often forget a lot of things. Many people, most on the left, some few on the right, think we should be doing nothing short of handing these potential border crossers, and would be illegal immigrants, a water bottle and a pair of hiking boots.

We are seen as the bad guy for thinking that our border should be controlled. Case in point, the jeers at Ms. USA at that silly pageant held in Mexico City. The Mexicans seem to be under the impression that it is their right to enter this country, that it is their right to have access to our health care at tax payers expense, well, it is not their right. They must earn it, and they earn it through the citizenship process, a process anyone who wants to be a citizen of this country has to go through. To grant those 12 million who entered this country illegal amnesty is to spit in the face of every immigrant who took the time and went through the process legally. They shun the laws, and as such, they should be dealt with as criminals. They should be deported, and told 'if you want into this country get in line.'

The legalization process is not just for our benefit, it is for them as well. As a citizen they are protected under the thick and snugly blanket of the United States government. They are protected from dishonest employers, and they have a greater opportunity of improving their standard of living. When they come here illegally they forgo these protections. They eat away at tax payer money, they are cheated by dishonest employers, the law is not on their side.

Aside from their own protection, we need to know who is coming into this country. In this day and age we cannot afford that sort of oversight. Anyone can hop across that border carrying God knows what and who will be there to stop them? The border patrol? Heh, no. If border patrol officers are arrested every time they defend themselves or fire on a drug cartel making a crossing, I'm afraid we are out of luck in that department.

What needs to be done? Step one is to remove amnesty from the table. Step two is to work out a way to deport the known illegal immigrants and put them on the pathway to legal citizenship once they are back in Mexico. Step three is to work in conjunction with the Mexican government on a practical solution to this crisis. And step four is not a border fence, but border patrol officers supplemented with improved technology and security measures.

What the Wolf Didn't Mention

Wolf Blitzer today in a short exchange with Lou Dobbs outlined his bewilderment of the United States' tendency to grant amnesty to Cuban nationals who arrive here by boat, however, case turned to the Mexicans crossing into the U.S., they are more likely to be deported. He was dismayed by this so-called double standard and thought our immigration policy needed some serious rethinking. Well, of course our policy needs rethinking, we need to deport more illegals.

But the main point of this is the failure of the Cuban/Mexican analogy. The Cubans live under a totalitarian communist leader, who cares more about toying with the United States and securing his own power than he does about his own people. Fidel's controls reach into all aspects of the lives of the Cuban people, wherein dissent is hardly tolerated. Under the cover of the U.S.'s declaration of war on Iraq in 2003, Fidel arrested and imprisoned 78 'dissidents'. Now, flash to Mexico. A democracy indeed. Protests allowed, and basic freedoms accepted, and regular free elections. Hardly comparable to the situation in Cuba. And maybe that's why Mr. Blitzer, our de facto policy is the way it is. But what do I know, I'm a Republican.

Small Town Politics

I live in a town of about 25,000 in the southwestern corner of Connecticut. Although, larger than many of the true American small towns, it is still small enough to be considered quaint, however, this is Connecticut, so it's more of a quaint chic.

Monday the town will be holding a Memorial Day parade, which will play host to the usual girl scout troop and baseball teams. However, there is one group that caught my attention, the Veterans for Peace, which will march in the parade in protest of the Iraq War. I am not very fond of parades or protests of any kind, however, I understand their purpose. I may just have to bite the bullet on this one though, and figure out what's going down. As such, I may upload a little photo essay documenting the event, and the response to it.

On a side note, I was invited to a counter-protest of the event, however, I do not believe I will be attending, for number one, I dislike protesting. Number two, they are veterans and I would feel somewhat arrogant in asserting to their face that they are wrong, when I have never been to war myself. That does not mean they are right, or that their opinion is not without its ability to be denied, it just means that they are entitled to their opinion and I am not going to directly challenge it.

The best way to take on a protester with out directly confronting him is to just keep on citing the evidence and working behind the scenes. It is my belief that those on the forefront are generally less informed then those who work the curtains.

Stay tuned...

Article Spotlight

To ensure this doesn't slip through the cracks I am going to post this here.

April 24, 2007 -- WASHINGTON - A tough U.S. Marine stationed in one of the most hostile areas of Iraq has a message for Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid: "We need to stay here and help rebuild." In raw and emotional language from the bloody front lines, Cpl. Tyler Rock, of the 1st Battalion, 6th Marines, skewered Reid for being far removed from the patriotism and progress in Iraq. "Yeah, and I got a quote for that [expletive] Harry Reid. These families need us here," Rock vented in an e-mail to Pat Dollard, a Hollywood agent-turned-war reporter who posted the comment on his Web site, www.patdollard.com. "Obviously [Reid] has never been in Iraq. Or at least the area worth seeing . . . the parts where insurgency is rampant and the buildings are blown to pieces," Rock wrote. Based in Camp Lejeune, N.C., Rock catalogued a series of grim daily traumas in Iraq, like getting covered in ash and sleeping under a dirty rug in an Iraqi family's house, or watching "several terrorists die" on the same strip of pavement. But he says he is optimistic about the future of a country that he says has "turned to complete s- - -" during a bloody insurgency. He also spoke admiringly of the risks brave Iraqi citizens take every day. "If Iraq didn't want us here then why do we have [Iraqi police] volunteering every day to rebuild their cities?" he asked. "It sucks that Iraqis have more patriotism for a country that has turned to complete s- - - more than the people in America who drink Starbucks every day. "We could leave this place and say we are sorry to the terrorists. And then we could wait for 3,000 more American civilians to die before we say, 'Hey, that's not nice' again." "And the sad thing is after we WIN this war. People like [Reid] will say he was there for us the whole time." Rock's candid e-mail swept across the Internet after Dollard posted it on his site, and it was picked up by the Drudge Report and numerous other Web sites. "What does [Reid] know about us 'losing' besides what he wants to believe? The truth is that we are pushing al Qaeda out and we are pushing the insurgency out. We are here to support a nation."

All credit for this article goes to the "New York Post"

Veto in the Mist

The much talked about Iraq spending bill, which was recently approved by Congress, is now on its way to the White House where it will be greeted by the Veto stamp of President Bush. Mr. Bush rarely exercises his veto power the last time being in September of 2006 when he shot down the embryonic stem-cell bill.

The bill in question allocates 124 billion dollars to war spending however, the killer caveat which is the basis of Mr. Bush's veto is the October 1st pull-out date.

Housekeeping

I returned from France two days before the 1st Round Election. Now we all know that it will be Sarkozy, who leans right and Royale, more socialist, who will grapple for the position of President of France. The final two weeks between the 1st Round Election and the Final Election are considered the most campaign intensive weeks. Candidates will begin to tackle the issues in a more...precise way, as opposed to the general ambiguities of pre-1st round election campaigning. Either way the election goes, there will be with out a doubt major changes for France. So stay tuned...

As for American politics there is some movement but nothing that out of the ordinary. McCain delivered a rousing speech regarding Iraq which brings to mind an old Henry Clay quote, "I'd rather be right than be President." If a Republican aside from McCain takes the White House they should seriously consider the Senior Senator from Arizona for Secretary of State. Fred Thompson announced his non hodgkins lymphoma. Could possibly be clearing the path to the White House, a pre-emptive strike if you will. Hillary is from the deep-south again. And more and more Democrats are making nice with that lovable racist Al Sharpton....