"This is something normal that happens every day," she said.
Something normal that happens every day. During the hijacking in 1985, Robert Stethem was beaten, shot in the head, and dumped on the tarmac of the Beirut airport.
That may be something normal in Germany, but it’s not here. It may happen, but it’s dealt with harshly. I am sincerely disgusted with the Germans. It was Hussein cooperating and abetting terrorists/terrorism that was a prime factor in me supporting Bush’s decision to oust Hussein. How are the German leaders any different now?
What Ms. Schmierer is telling us is that atrocities like that are "something normal", and, that letting terrorists go free is "something normal". It’s not. There is something BAD wrong in Germany. And, it ain’t "something normal". If nothing else, Hamadi committed crimes against the US and US citizens. They should have turned him over to us. Then, we would have given her an example of what "something normal" here is.
With friends like these…….
- Technorati Germany, Hamadi, terrorism, Eva Schmierer
21
Dec
The USA Patriot Act was a key tool the President used in combating domestic terrorism. In the chaotic days following 9/11, the Patriot Act was passed that allowed the government almost unfettered intelligence gathering. Over the next four years, it was watered down some by court rulings, but the message it sent was crucial, that the US was willing to do what it takes to fight terrorism. The original terms of the Patriot Act were set to expire 12/31/2005. Then the following occurred:
- On July 11, 2005, James Sensenbrenner filed a motion to extend the provisions of The Patriot Act a number of years ( to be later determined ).
- December 14, 2005 – passed the House 251-174 and was sent to the Senate.
- December 15, 2005 – The New York Times reports that Bush authorized spying on US citizens.
- December 16, 2005 – The Democrats lead an effort to filibuster the bill. Led primarily by Russell Feingold and Charles Schumer. Schumer and Feingold both cite the New York Times article in leading the opposition to passing the Patriot Act.
- The Patriot Act dies in the Senate.
John McCain seems to reflect my mood regarding gutting The Patriot Act:
Folks, remember these names when you vote:
Akaka (D-HI)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Biden (D-DE)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Byrd (D-WV)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Carper (D-DE)
Clinton (D-NY)
Conrad (D-ND)
Corzine (D-NJ)
Craig (R-ID)
Dayton (D-MN)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Durbin (D-IL)Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Hagel (R-NE)
Harkin (D-IA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Jeffords (I-VT)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Kohl (D-WI)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (D-CT)
Lincoln (D-AR)Mikulski (D-MD)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Obama (D-IL)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Salazar (D-CO)
Sarbanes (D-MD)
Schumer (D-NY)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Sununu (R-NH)
Wyden (D-OR)
* Frist voted against the bill as a procedural move. I don’t think any of the rest needed to do so.
I don’t believe for one second the New York Times article was a coincidence. It was just too convenient for Schumer and Feingold. If anything happens in the next few months, that’s where the blame falls.
I’ll make my point simple, they could have modified the Patriot Act to suit their issues without throwing the baby out with the wash. This is just partisan politics putting my country, specifically my family in peril. And I don’t like it one bit.
- Technorati Patriot Act
Let me get this straight, in order to blunt the possibility of the US stopping Mexicans from pouring accross the border and sending all their money back to Vincente Fox, he’s going get them to complain more about being in the US illegally?
How’s about this idea Fox, if they weren’t here, there would be no human rights violations. Sounds like Fox wants the wall as much as we do.
And secondly, pissing off US citizens even more will not go very far in improving Mexico’s image and counter growing US concerns about immigration.
What might help is if Mexico helped police its own border.
This is dumb. Very dumb. The US is tired of subsidizing Mexico by way of illegal immigrants. Give us an answer to that Fox and we won’t feel so compelled to do the obvious.
- Technorati illegal immigrants, border security, Vincente Fox
19
Dec
The US House, led by a Republican majority, slipped what some might consider an unusual item into the Department of Defense appropriations bill. Namely, to allow drilling in a part of ANWR. Without going into all the pro’s and con’s of drilling in ANWR, of interest to me is the battle royale that will pursue because of this. I see two competing scenarios brewing:
- The Democrats successfully filibuster.
- Republicans cave and send it back to the House.
- The House removes it with Democrat support.
- The Democrats pass it in the Senate. All before Christmas.
OR:
- The Democrats successfully filibuster.
- The Republicans refuse to cave.
- The motion dies on the floor, forcing a reconsideration after Christmas.
OR:
- The Democrats attempt to filibuster.
- Being burned by the miscalculation of Dean and others regarding Iraq, some Democrats don’t feel like expending more political capital by being perceived as jeopardizing the nation’s defense once again by opposing the Defense spending and not doing anything to lessen our reliance on countries supporting Muslim extremists.
- The filibuster fails and the appropriation passes.
- Nancy Pelosi attacks George Bush for destroying Alaska and selling out to oil interests.
- The Democrats are therefore happy and all is well.
I personally am not willing to put money on any scenario. But, I like #3 best. Either way, it’s going to be interesting. You can watch it unfold here starting around 9:30 am EST by clicking on the link below:
http://play.rbn.com/play.asx?url=cspan/cspan/wmlive/cspan2v.asf&proto=mms?mswmext=.asx
Might want to turn your speakers down if you are at work. I bet this is going to get nasty.
For what it’s worth, I see ANWR being as bad for Alaska as the Trans-Alaska pipeline was many years ago:
- Technorati ANWR
After not quite five years of constantly making Bush’s irresponsible budgets an issue, the Democrats once again joined as one in making a statement about reducing spending.
NOT ONE SINGLE DEMOCRAT VOTED FOR IT. Nitpick the reasons all you want, but if the budget’s gonna be cut, everyone’s going to suffer some. The Dem’s particular pets are no more important than anyone else’s. They raised this issue and then bailed when it hit the fan.
17
Dec
Scrappleface is one of my favorite political sites. They take headlines and mix stuff up and come up with what really should have happened. I loved today’s headline so much I have to steal some of it:
I want to apologize for allowing the NSA to do these wiretaps after 9/11, the president said. Im sorry that I violated the privacy of some of these folks after terrorists launched attacks from our soil that killed 3,000 people, destroyed two skyscrapers and four jumbo jets, and punched a gaping hole in our military headquarters.
My biggest regret, the president added, is that the NSA didnt secretly tap these lines before 9/11. I hope my fellow Americans can forgive me.
Damn perfect.
- Technorati Bush wiretaps
- Technorati blogs that link to this post.
- Google blogs for Bush wiretaps
Joe Wilson, who supports his claims for the accuracy of his trip to Africa in 2002 on the fact that he’s non-political, reiterates that point defending his acceptance to speak at a Democrat fundraiser:
He cites the fact that Republicans don’t like him as justification that he is non-partisan.
That should tell ya something folks. Regardless of the justification, endorsing Democrat only candidates and raising money only for Democrats means you are partisan.
Wonder what else Joe Wilson has equivocated recently?
- Technorati Joe Wilson
- Technorati blogs that link here
- Google blogs for Joe Wilson
A dam burst in Reynolds County Missouri yesterday. Media reports are sketchy at this point, but at least one person apparently has died. Geraldo Rivera is rumored to have reported that many displaced persons have been sheltered at the local high school gym, with rapes, murders, and beatings occurring by the minute. There is no evidence that FEMA has made any effort to assist a single person in Reynolds County at this point. The Red Cross has failed to even bother showing up, I guess risking the embarassment of being told they’d be a nuisance again. I can’t find where the US military has been asked to secure the area either. And, if you can believe this, all school buses remained parked. This is a disaster folks. Once again, the system has failed us. Now, I’m waiting for the Congressional hearings to parade the victims so they can tell us it was an intentional effort at genocide because Reynolds County is 96% white. I’m waiting for Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton to go to Reynolds County to assist the victims. I’m waiting for Sharpton especially to say it was an intentional act to eliminate the poor white folks of Reynolds County Missouri. And, more than anything, I’m desperately waiting for Kanye West to go on national tv during the fundraiser for Reynolds County Missouri and announce to the world that George Bush hates average white people.
Go ahead Kanye, make my day.
- Technorati Black River dam, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, Geraldo Rivera, New Orleans, Kanye West, Katrina victims, FEMA
- Technorati blogs that link here
- Google blogs for Black River dam, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, Geraldo Rivera, New Orleans, Kanye West, Katrina victims, FEMA
15
Dec
Yesterday Congress voted to renew the US Patriot Act. Voting went straight down party lines for the most part with 44 Democrats bolting and voting for it and 18 Republicans bolting and voting against it. All in all, a very non-event. Although I initially expected a lot of the usual rancor from the usual suspects, they are still apparently still pre-occupied with going after certain people off the floor of the House while doing what those certain people want on the floor of the House.
- Technorati US PAtriot Act
- Technorati blogs that link here
- Google blogs for US PAtriot Act
15
Dec
Apparently the elections in Iraq have gone quite well. You can take my word as an unprofessional hack living in rural Kentucky, OR, you can take the word from Iraq the Model who has all kinds of first hand comments, second hand comments, and, very good pictures. I’ve said it before, that’s just one heck of a good blog. Helps to have so much content to work with. But, his writing is easy to digest. He’s got a link to vote for his blog as the Blog of the Year. I’ve voted for his blog for his political commentary that seems to run in the face of US media. What he does do, that media here doesn’t, is provide visuals to support what he’s saying. He’s saying turnout’s going to be high. I believe him more than CNN or any US media.
Good job Iraq. Good job ITM.
- Technorati Iraq
- Google blogs for Iraq
- Technorati blogs that link here
