GOVERNMENT & POLITICS

News from the Swamp: Senate for and against war

The Senate pulled a John Kerry this week by voting down 29-67 a plan sponsored by Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) to cut off funding for the war in Iraq by 31 March 2008. Oddly enough, that was their target date for troop withdrawal in the bill President George W. Bush vetoed earlier this month. “We’re going to support those troops,” said Carl Levin (D-MI). The troops can hardly contain the gratitude for the Demos “support,” we’re sure. Oh, and by the way, Sens. Rodham Clinton and Obama were among the 29 rooting for the terrorists, though Clinton later claimed to be sending a message to President Bush, while backing away but supporting the measure, all at the same time.

Two other procedural votes took place in the Senate on war measures attached to a $14-billion water-projects bill. John Warner (R-VA) sponsored an amendment that would require President Bush to report to Congress in July and September in order to receive continued funding. It failed 52-44, needing 60 for cloture. Thad Cochran (R-MS) sponsored an amendment stating the intent of the Senate to send the President a war-funding bill he will sign by 28 May. What backbone. Still needing to reconcile with a House bill that rations war support over the coming months, there is a long row to hoe to win a war in Washington that has dire consequences for the war in Iraq.

On the Hill: The $2.9-trillion Demo budget

Great news: Congressional Democrats have agreed on how to spend $2.9 trillion of your money in FY2008. The budget narrowly passed both houses last night and faces a possible veto from President Bush. The five-year forecast shows surpluses returning by 2012 along with the expiration of the Bush tax cuts “for the rich” (read: BIG tax hikes for most Americans). The budget will include increases for education (though abstinence education will be cut), the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) and a plethora of other pet projects for Demo districts. The Associate Press laughably claims the budget will reverse the President’s “clampdown” on some domestic spending.

As for the Alternative Minimum Tax, to fill the $650-billion gap that AMT relief will create over ten years, the “working-class” party of John Edwards and Hillary Clinton intends to raise the top AMT rate and eliminate lower capital-gains and dividends rates for AMT payers.

New & notable legislation

A lobbying-reform bill is due up for a House vote on Tuesday, including the dreaded “Meehan Amendment,” pushed by Rep. Marty Meehan (D-MA). The amendment would require grassroots organizations to file paperwork with Congress as “lobbyists” if a group urges its members to contact their congressman regarding legislation. The papers include quarterly reports on donors and activities if donations exceed $100,000 in any quarter. First Amendment? What First Amendment?

The House approved the Guam World War II Loyalty Recognition Act 288-133. The Act not only recognizes the suffering and loyalty of Guam during World War II, but it authorizes reparations for the descendants of those killed by the Japanese. Your tax dollars at work…

Executive Branch: Deputy AG McNulty resigns

Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty announced his resignation this week, effective later this summer. The media headhunters are claiming another trophy for the wall, noting that the timing coincides with the wake of the controversy drummed up over the firings of eight U.S. attorneys in December. McNulty’s resignation may or may not be due to the botched PR surrounding the firings, but he is the fourth senior Justice official to step down in recent weeks. McNulty claims that “the timing of this is really about other things,” adding, “2007 was the year I was going to transition anyway.” Congressional Democrats couldn’t contain their glee, either: “Mr. McNulty’s resignation is a sign that top-level administration at the Justice Department may be crumbling under the pressure of ongoing revelations, and what is yet to be disclosed,” said House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-MI). A little coordinated self-defense from the administration would be welcome once in a while.

From the campaign trail: Giuliani the ‘moderate’

GOP presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani, trying to have it both ways, told leftist moderator Chris Matthews during the 3 May Republican debate that “it would be okay” to overturn Roe v. Wade, but that it would also be okay if it were upheld. In Tuesday’s debate, Giuliani simply deflected the issue. It has come to light that Giuliani, who claims to hate abortion personally and promises to appoint constructionist judges, donated $900 during the 1990s to Planned Parenthood, the nation’s leading abortion provider and pro-abortion group. He defended the donations, saying that they were in line with his earlier stance to provide women with information about all the reproductive options available.

After several weeks of taking a beating for his noncommittal answers, the Giuliani camp has decided to quit pretending to be conservative, finally acknowledging that they will just have to take their lumps on social issues. We have to give Giuliani credit for being honest, and we wish we could say as much for some of his fellow candidates. That said, a pro-life outlook is essential to the GOP platform—and that goes for Giuliani’s liberal stances on homosexual “marriage” and Second Amendment rights, too. Despite the party’s ongoing identity crisis, it will take more than a tough stance on national security for “America’s Mayor” to walk away with the nomination.

From the Left: Bloomberg and Edwards

Speaking of RINOs, current New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has intimated to friends that he would be willing to sink as much as $1 billion of his own personal wealth into an independent bid for president. Tony Blankley describes Bloomberg as a “nosy, hectoring, busybody, anti-smoking, anti-trans fat, social engineering, lifestyle blue-nosing, freedom-crushing, nanny-state enthusiast.” According to former Federal Election Commission chair Michael Toner, he is Ross Perot on steroids. Word on the street is that Bloomberg has even met with former Perot campaign strategists. That all sounds fine. Bloomberg could split New York’s liberal vote with Hillary and bring about the unthinkable: handing New York’s 31 electoral votes to the GOP candidate (we’ll call him “Fred Thompson”) on a silver platter.

Meanwhile, John Edwards, self-anointed champion of America’s poor, opened mouth and inserted foot when he said he did not know that the hedge fund that hired him as an adviser was becoming heavily involved in the sub-prime-lending market. Edwards took the adviser position with Fortress Investment Group in October 2005 after being assured the fund was not involved in predatory lending practices. Yet while he worked there, Fortress expanded its market share considerably in the sub-prime-lending industry as the declining housing market forced numerous smaller companies to unload their holdings. Apparently, Fortress’ partners and foreign investors also have taken advantage of some of the very offshore tax breaks that Edwards has criticized.

His defense for taking the job is that he wanted to “learn more” about poverty—all while raking in a cool $479,512 salary in 2006. Then there’s the $5.9 million in investment income, including some from Schlumberger, which is the oil services company with ties to the Sudanese dictatorship responsible for genocide in Darfur. What a priceless lesson in poverty.

NATIONAL SECURITY

On the immigration front: Amnesty on horizon?

In echoes of 1986, the Senate will begin debating the latest and much ballyhooed compromise immigration bill next week. Aside from variants on many old ideas, a new feature of this bill is the so-called “Z Visa”: The approximately 12 million illegals already here would be put on “probationary legal status” (infer your own meaning here). Z Visa holders could then apply for permanent legal-resident status, though they would also have to pay a $5,000 fine and $1,500 for processing, return to their home country within eight years and re-enter via the U.S. Embassy or consulate there. The legislation includes a plan to gain more skilled and educated workers by allowing illegal aliens to attend college with in-state tuition rates (a privilege the rest of us do not enjoy), eventually gaining citizenship. A sponsor would also no longer be necessary for an applicant, who would gain points for education, work experience and English proficiency, as well as family. A temporary-worker program would annually provide 400,000 two-year visas.

Republicans successfully secured 18,000 new Border Patrol agents and four unmanned aerial vehicles, 370 miles of fencing and 200 miles of vehicle barriers, increased funds for detaining over 27,000 illegals a day, and new identification tools for businesses. Certainly, enforcement is the place to start (including laws already on the books), though few seem to be pleased with this legislation.

As noted in The Patriot’s comprehensive stand on immigration, “Insanity on bordering,” immigration legislation in its final form must provide for the following: improved border security and enforcement; immediate detention and deportation of those crossing our borders illegally; deportation of any illegal alien convicted of a serious crime; a temporary-worker program (with reliable documentation a prerequisite) to meet the current demand for unskilled labor; penalties against employers who hire illegal aliens; no extension of amnesty and fast-track citizenship (new applicants to the back of the line); preservation of our tax-subsidized medical, educational and social services for American citizens and immigrants here legally; Americanization of new legal immigrants; and the removal of birthright citizenship for children of illegal aliens.

’War Czar’ appointed to oversee wars

If a U.S. -troop surge is needed to help stabilize the situation in Iraq, why not a bureaucratic surge in Washington to stabilize the capital? This appears to be President Bush’s reasoning in creating the position of “war czar” to oversee the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. On Tuesday, the President tapped Army Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute, after at least five other higher-ranking generals politely told the White House “no thanks.” As “czar,” Lute will consult with field generals and diplomats each morning and then join National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley in briefing the President and resolving any issues with officials such as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

While Lute may be a competent general, we fail to see exactly what function the “war czar” is supposed to serve, other than being the one to fall on his sword should the Iraq war effort fail. U.S. military and diplomatic efforts already have well defined chains of command that have served the nation brilliantly for over two centuries. We don’t recall there being a “war czar” during World War II, when the U.S. was fighting on two major fronts on different sides of the globe, so we fail to see why the Iraq and Afghanistan efforts require this new position. With a three-star having some authority over higher-ranking officers, the chances for internal friction and strife are high.

All said, more troops and less bureaucracy is what this war needs—fast. During an attack early Saturday morning south of Baghdad, four U.S. troops and an Iraqi soldier were killed and three U.S. troops remain missing. An al-Qa’ida front group, The Islamic State of Iraq, claimed it captured the soldiers and warned the U.S. to call off the hunt “if you want their safety.” Thousands of U.S. troops are scouring the area for their missing comrades, and a $200,000 reward has been offered for information leading to their return. Please keep all involved—the missing troops, the troops searching for them, and the families of those killed—in your prayers.

NYT: Making the ‘Long War’ Even Longer

The good news is that the mastermind of al-Qa’ida’s insurgent operations in Afghanistan, Mullah Dadullah (AKA the “Zarqawi of Afghanistan”), has been “rehabilitated.” That’s correct, the Taliban’s former top commander will never commit another despicable act on planet Earth, the thanks for this remarkable therapy owing in no small part to elite U.S forces, whose valorous efforts this week ensured Dadullah is no longer on the planet. The bad news is that the Leftmedia’s newspeak citadel, The New York Times, has once again opted to undermine a key U.S. victory through subversive “journalism.”

Apparently stricken with grief over the mortal blow to the Taliban leader, The Times focused not on the brilliant intelligence and precision kill-chain operations that enabled U.S. Special Forces to bring Dadullah to ultimate justice, but rather on civilian casualties from totally unrelated missions in its seditiously-titled 2,400-word jeremiad, “Civilian Deaths Undermine Allies’ War on Taliban.” Never mind the fact that U.S. forces are keenly sensitive to collateral deaths and their effects on otherwise successful counterinsurgencies; never mind the fact that Dadullah was the top leader in Afghanistan and the U.S. ’ highest-priority target there. No, evidently the most important news out of Afghanistan this week is that some civilians were accidentally killed. Unfortunately, these deaths are the unavoidable results of precision-targeting cowardly enemies who hide in civilian populations.

Our fiends, er, friends at Leftmedia, Inc. , have decided that Islamofacism is not doing well enough on its own, and that they must chip in to save the day. Thanks again, Gray Lady.

Armed Forces Day 2007

Armed Forces Day is tomorrow, 19 May. We remain the proud and the free because these Patriots—American Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coastguardsmen—have stood bravely in harm’s way and remain on post today. For this, we, the American People, offer our heartfelt thanks and prayers for you and your families.

The Patriot is proud to have become one of the nation’s leading advocates for our Armed Forces and their mission—not only by providing millions of Americans with the right perspective on that mission and the demanding tasks our military personnel have carried out with pride, but through resources like our Support and Defend pages, Operation Shield of Strength and The Patriot Shop, which carries an extensive collection of official military-insignia products, the proceeds of which support our mission of service to our Armed Forces.

Two tracks, one mission

In a classic good-cop, bad-cop scenario that should once and for all dispel critics’ claims that the Bush administration has no flare for diplomacy or realpolitik, Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice are busily working both sides of the street in the Middle East.

Cheney is visiting moderate and U.S. -friendly countries in the region, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, assuring these governments that the U.S. is working to contain Iranian influence in Iraq and across the region. Speaking aboard the USS John C. Stennis, the Vice President fired an unmistakable shot across the bow of Iran’s radical government. Nuclear threats, support for terrorists and insurgents and disruption of sea lanes in the Persian Gulf will not be tolerated: “Throughout the region our country has interests to protect and commitments to honor,” said Cheney. “With two carrier strike groups in the Gulf, we’re sending clear messages to friends and adversaries alike… We’ll stand with our friends in opposing extremism and strategic threats. We’ll disrupt attacks on our own forces. We’ll continue bringing relief to those who suffer and delivering justice to the enemies of freedom.”

Adding more urgency to the Cheney-Rice mission, inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency now report that Iran has overcome most of its technical problems in the large-scale enrichment of uranium, with 1,300 centrifuges now in operation at the Natanz nuclear facility.

As Cheney zeroed in on Tehran, Secretary Rice met with Iranian and Syrian officials in Damascus to discuss the situation in Iraq, specifically the movement of foreign fighters into Iraq across the two countries’ borders. Unremarkably, the meeting produced no breakthroughs, but Rice has used the opportunity to push what has become known as the “Baghdad channel” —the administration’s open invitation to engage in high-level, bilateral talks with the Iranians on and limited to the subject of Iraq, in Baghdad. Iran has, for the first time, agreed to such talks—now that Cheney’s bad-cop routine has made the alternative clear. We’re not expecting any miracles from talks with Iran, which continues to develop nuclear weapons and fund Iraq’s insurgency, but stability can come only from the credible threat of force. For all Tehran’s anti-U.S. bombast, the credibility of the U.S. threat can be in doubt no longer. The Baghdad talks are set for 28 May.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

Wolfowitz resigns from World Bank

World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz finally succumbed to pressure to resign yesterday, announcing that he will step down on 30 June. Earlier this week, the Bank’s executive board issued a rebuke to Wolfowitz, who they conclude violated ethics rules by giving his girlfriend a pay raise in 2005. The board called the issue a “crisis of leadership” and in self-fulfilling fashion, the investigating committee and the board then created such a crisis. For his part, Wolfowitz maintains that the Ethics Committee forced him into the conflict of interest by refusing his offer to recuse himself and called the board’s statement “unbalanced and flawed.” The executive board did agree to issue a statement assuming some responsibility for the problem. The draft reads, “[Mr. Wolfowitz] assured us that he acted ethically and in good faith in what he believed were the best interests of the institution. We accept that.”

Interestingly enough, among the names now being floated for the position, held by an American since the bank’s inception after World War II, is British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who will leave office next month after ten years at the helm of British government.

Income Redistribution File: Show us the spending!

Imagine being able, with just a few strokes of your keyboard and the click of your mouse, to see how the government spends your money! Kansas is the first state in the nation to adopt a “Google Government” database that will allow citizens to see all state expenditures. The move is due in large part to the “Show Me the Spending” organization, consisting of 19 groups who lobby for such searchable archives in all states. “Thanks to the Sunflower State, a new nonpartisan reform effort has begun to bloom,” said Andrew Moylan, Government Affairs Manager for the National Taxpayers Union who is part of the “Show Me the Spending” movement. “Good tools for public scrutiny can in turn build a good basis for public policy,” he said.

Congress last year passed legislation requiring the U.S. Office of Management and Budget to create a database containing information on all federal grants and contracts (but not full disclosure of all federal spending—the Feds could learn from Kansas, but we’re not holding our breath). “Every state in the country ought to pass similar plans because accountable government is not a left or right issue, it’s a right or wrong issue. The citizens who pay government’s bills deserve to know where their money is going, in order to have an informed debate about where it should head in the future,” Moylan said.

Regulatory Commissars: Bush and fuel economy

Not unlike Chairman Mao’s desire to create a Chinese steel industry through the government-ordered implementation of backyard smelters, which ultimately produced only lumps of low-grade iron, the Bush administration suddenly decided the delegation of congressional legislative authority to the executive branch via the Clean Air Act justifies an executive order mandating higher automotive fuel efficiency and alternative fuel usage. Blithely oblivious to the laws of supply and demand, Congress and the President both share the blame for high gas prices and vehicle costs.

Instead of letting consumer demand for higher fuel efficiency and alternative fuels spur the manufacturing of such vehicles during times of high fuel costs, new government regulations place automotive manufacturers in the dilemma of trying to satisfy consumer desires which may not converge with regulatory demands. At the same time, congressional action and inaction continue to exacerbate the high price of fuel by preventing “Big Oil” from accessing 101 billion barrels of oil, and by mandating 57 different gas blends that must be refined with seasonal changeovers. These costs and lost opportunities to reduce prices are passed on to the consumer, on top of the federal gas tax. One thing is sure: Taxing and regulation are not going to make your visit to the pump any more pleasant.

House sets roadblock for free trade

The House voted Tuesday 411-3 to delay a plan by the Bush administration to allow Mexican trucks to carry goods into the U.S. , beyond the former 35-mile limit. As we noted in March, the administration’s plan complemented our treaty obligations under NAFTA. Congress wants strict safety and inspection requirements met before the trucks are allowed to travel on U.S. highways despite the fact that Mexican truckers’ accident records are in a statistical dead heat with their American counterparts. The Department of Transportation says it may be 2008 before such inspection requirements can be met; that would be eight years too late under the 1993 North American Free Trade Agreement. Again, as we said before, we hold the same security concerns of conservatives when it comes to containers being brought into the country, but phony safety issues brought up by union leftists are not helpful for the economy, or for keeping our treaty obligations.

CULTURE

From the states: Taking aim at guns

Last week, we reported on a new Virginia law which prohibits exactly the kind of sting operation run by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who blames guns from Virginia for crime in New York City. At first, the Mayor appeared ready to buck the law in Virginia, but now it appears he will abide by it. That hasn’t stopped a gun-rights group, The Virginia Citizens Defense League, from holding the “Bloomberg Gun Giveaway” in Annandale, Virginia—two free guns were awarded in a gathering to thumb noses at Mayor Bloomberg.

In Illinois, the state senate passed a bill this week that would ban the sale or ownership of gun magazines that hold more than ten rounds. Thomas Mannard, executive director of the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence said, “This is a significant step in our efforts to reduce the lethality of firearms sold in Illinois and reduce the risk that weapons that can accept high-capacity ammunition magazines pose to Illinois communities.” Apparently, it’s that 11th round that is the really dangerous one. Oh, and one can buy such magazines in all surrounding states.

An apparent Texas-size quandary has arisen in the Lone Star State regarding the possession of firearms on private property. A state senate bill would allow concealed-handgun carriers to keep guns in their cars on business owners’ lots. Gov. Rick Perry said, “I think it makes sense for Texans to be able to protect themselves from deranged individuals, whether they’re in church, or whether on a college campus or wherever they are.” However, some Republicans are squeamish about the idea of telling property owners that they can’t determine who or what comes on their property. Then again, criminals are not concerned with committing violent crime on private property. The “guns are scary” mentality is the reason potential victims are the only people being disarmed.

31 states to join ‘The Climate Registry’

Thirty-one states have agreed to join The Climate Registry, a method designed to track greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. With the “consensus” that global warming is caused by humans, these states are patting themselves on the back for being on the cutting edge of the fight. “This is a critical first step in developing robust programs to reduce GHG emissions,” says the group. Arizona Democrat Gov. Janet Napolitano declared, “The Climate Registry is another example of how states are taking the lead in the absence of federal action to address greenhouse gas emissions in this country.”

That’s all well and good, but it appears to be unconstitutional. Myron Ebell of the Competitive Enterprise Institute notes that the Constitution “does not allow the states to engage in agreements between themselves without the express approval of Congress.” Come now, Myron—abiding by the Constitution is so old fashioned!

From the “Non Compos Mentis” File

Planned Parenthood is desperately working to squelch publicity surrounding recent video evidence, taped by an 18-year-old UCLA sophomore, in which she posed as a pregnant 15-year-old with a 23-year-old boyfriend. A Planned Parenthood worker is caught telling the client that she should “figure out a date that works” to avoid having to report statutory rape charges against the boyfriend. The worker also encouraged the student to terminate her pregnancy.

This week, Planned Parenthood threatened the student with legal action if she does not remove the video from the Internet and hand over the original tapes. “We believe the individuals behind this are doing this not out of motivation to protect teens but in fact to discredit Planned Parenthood. They went in with an objective to manipulate our staff, and they did succeed in manipulating our staff,” said Kathy Kneer, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California. Considering that Planned Parenthood is in the business of aborting children, it’s obvious who’s doing the manipulating.

From the Village Academic Curriculum File

A college professor at Glendale Community College in Arizona has been placed on administrative leave with a recommendation for termination for—you’d better sit down for this—sending an email to colleagues in November with text from George Washington’s “Thanksgiving Day Proclamation of 1789.” Yes, the first President of the United States—that George Washington. Five employees of the Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) filed harassment charges against the professor because they felt the email to be “hostile” and “derogatory.” Of course, the complaint stems from the mention of God in the proclamation: “[I]t is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the Providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor.” The MCCCD academicians also claimed that the email was a violation of policies limiting email to “support education, research, scholarly communication, administration, and other MCCCD business.” And we all know that quoting our first President doesn’t have anything to do with education, research or scholarly communication, don’t we!

Faith and Family: Rev. Dr. Jerry Falwell 1933-2007

The Rev. Dr. Jerry Falwell, a giant in both religious and political arenas, died Wednesday of congestive heart failure. To no avail, he was rushed to the hospital after he was found unconscious in his Liberty University office in Lynchburg, Virginia. Falwell founded the Moral Majority, an organization that was critical in giving voice and unity to conservative Christians in the political realm, also helping Ronald Reagan win his landslide victories in 1980 and 1984. He knew that while most Americans were not Baptists like himself, they were, and remain, a basically moral and conservative people; his efforts were built on that premise.

Many on the Left have become rabid in voicing their hatred of Falwell, with one blogger saying, “[A]fter watching Falwell I now know why the Romans threw the Christians to the lions” —that was right after accusing Falwell of “spewing hatred.” While the Reverend occasionally said things that were unhelpful, he will be sorely missed by a great many Americans. He is survived by his wife, Macel Pate, three children and eight grandchildren.

And last…

The candidate formerly known as Rodham, who was just endorsed by “adult” star Jenna Jameson, has been struggling with a crucial campaign issue: Choosing a campaign song. She recently joked, “It’s something we’ve been struggling with, debating and agonizing over for months,” adding, “Whatever song [we] choose, I make you this solemn and sacred promise—I won’t sing it in public. Unless I win!” While we’re certainly hoping neither of those things happens, in the spirit of bipartisan affability, we have compiled a few songs that we believe suit Clinton well (to be consistent with her campaign model, we’ve chosen a song for each constituency group). For the soul constituency, the Righteous Brothers’ hit “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” comes to mind. For the Southern Democrat constituency, Toby Keith’s “High Maintenance Woman.” For the rock and roll constituency, Aerosmith’s “Dude (Looks Like a Lady).” For the blues constituency, Koko Taylor’s “You Can Have My Husband.” We could certainly go on, but conclude with perhaps the best find of all, for the African-American constituency, Clinton herself singing James Cleveland’s “I Don’t Feel No Ways Tired.”

Veritas vos Liberabit—Semper Vigilo, Fortis, Paratus, et Fidelis! Mark Alexander, Publisher, for The Patriot’s editors and staff. (Please pray for our Patriot Armed Forces standing in harm’s way around the world, and for their families—especially families of those fallen Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen, who have died in defense of American liberty, while prosecuting the war with Jihadistan.)