01/5/10

Conservative of the Week

Momentum in Nevada and across the entire country has been rapidly growing in support of Danny Tarkanian and Team Tark. Folks have taken notice and the grassroots campaign is heating up!

At the end of 2009, The Conservative Alliance named Danny the Conservative of the Week:

“Mr. Tarkanian was selected as the embodiment of conservative America for his courageous no-nonsense stand on the issues, his unyielding lifelong effort to improve his State of Nevada, and for challenging the the agenda of Harry Reid and the radical left.”

Read the entire article here.

Brian Seitchik
Campaign Manager, Tarkanian for Senate

01/5/10

Idaho Has A Governor With A Spine…

Hat Tip: Carolyn Cooke

I am sooo glad we chose Idaho as our home two years ago. Governor Otter has just renewed my faith in this state and his leadership. From his letter to Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi:

C. L. “BUTCH” OTTER
GOVERNOR

December 28, 2009

The Honorable Harry Reid
Senate Majority Leader
522 Hart Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Speaker of the House
235 Cannon HOB
Washington, DC 20515

RE: “Health Care Reform”

Dear Madam Speaker and Majority Leader,

I am alarmed by the recent actions of Congress, with both the House and Senate rushing to pass “health care reform” over the past two months. The deal making, arm twisting and the ends-justifying-the means attitude that we saw throughout the process and recent votes on HR 3590 (as amended) and HR 3962 reflected a fundamental disconnect with the real challenges and priorities of ordinary Americans.

Where does the U.S. Constitution grant Congress the power to pass legislation mandating compulsory health care coverage or creating a nationalized health care system? Even the wildest interpretations of the “general welfare clause” in Article I, section 8 of the U.s. Constitution cannot justify what congressional leadership and the Administration propose within the bills. It is disappointing that some members of Congress have seemingly forgotten that the U.S. Constitution limits the authority of the legislative branch to the enumerated powers of Article I, and that absent such power it cannot enact laws no matter how “just” or “well-intentioned.”

States -including Idaho -continue to point out the financial burdens associated with the most recent proposals. The astronomical costs prOjected with either bill will greatly impact our children and grandchildren as taxpayers shoulder the tremendous debt associated with these potential “solutions.” Moreover, many states and local governments will experience increased costs not covered by either bill, which could constitute a crushing unfunded mandate and violation of federal law.

Perhaps even more troubling are the undemocratic and inequitable compromises reached in the U.S. Senate to push HR 3590 through the process. It is appalling to learn that both Nebraska and Louisiana have received deals, now referred to as the “Nebraska Compromise” and new “Louisiana Purchase” in return for their senators’ support. I find it dubious that taxpayers in Idaho and other states will have to cover 100 percent of costs associated with newly eligible Medicaid enrollees in Nebraska or provide an additional $300 million in Medicaid aid to Louisiana.

I understand many families are struggling to meet their basic needs today, including health care. However, that is no excuse to sacrifice fiscal responsibility, sound judgment and constitutionality for political expediency. We need an open and robust discussion about health care in America. That has not happened and I am skeptical that it could in the short amount of time members of Congress had to consider these voluminous bills.

I will follow the conference committee and Congress as they hastily proceed to pass health care legislation in the upcoming weeks. I also will continue working with Idaho’s congressional delegation to ensure Idahoans’ voices are heard in the process.

I question the wisdom as well as the constitutionality and legality of these bills and will explore all my options, including legal action, to protect Idaho and the U.s. Constitution should Congress adopt and the President sign compromise health care legislation. Given the bills now before the conference committee all that truly will be “compromised” is our American system of government in exchange for a multi-generational legacy of debt.

As Always -Idaho, “Esto Perpetua”
c.l. “Butch” Otter Governor of Idaho

Cc: Senator Mike Crapo
Senator James Risch
Congressman Mike Simpson
Congressman Walt Minnick

And, predictably, here is the slimy response from AARP:

AARP Idaho
For Immediate Release

Tuesday, January 5, 2009

AARP SAYS GOVERNOR OTTER ON WRONG PAGE WITH HEALTH CARE REFORM

Gov’s Threats to Fight Reforms and Sue U.S. Puts Interests of Insurance Companies and Rx Industry before Idaho’s Health Care Crisis

BOISE, Idaho – As Congress readies to merge the Senate and House health care reform bills, some states, including Idaho, are stepping up to serve as the latest roadblock. Before even seeing the details of the final legislation, Idaho’s Governor “Butch” Otter recently announced he would fight reform efforts and possibly sue the United States over the constitutionality of the issue.

AARP is calling that a move in the wrong direction for tackling the state’s growing health care crisis, and says the constitutional challenge is a scare tactic and unfounded.

“Governor Otter’s announcement to rail against health care reform is premature, unnecessary and, if successful, would do much more harm than good for hundreds of thousands of Idahoans struggling with high health care costs,” said Jim Wordelman, State Director for AARP in Idaho. “This move puts the interests and profits of insurance and drug companies before the needs of Idaho families, businesses and retirees buckling under insurance premiums and rising prescription drug prices.”

In Idaho, 221,000 people are uninsured – the overwhelming majority (88%) of which are employed. Roughly 27% of Idaho’s Medicare beneficiaries fell into the prescription drug coverage gap known as the “doughnut hole” last year, where they had to pay full price out of pocket for their prescriptions – leaving many to stop taking their medications or cut pills due to costs. While 400,000 residents spend about 10% of their incomes on health care, 100,000 spend upwards of 25% – for older people health care costs eat up about 30% of their household income.

Without any action on health care reform, health insurance premiums will increase 40% in the next few years and double by 2016. Brand name prescription drug prices, which soared by over 9% in the past year, are expected to continue to rise.

“To simply say “no” to health care reform can only serve to make Idaho’s health care crisis worse, the cost of inaction on this issue is too high,” added Wordelman. “We’re calling on Idaho’s elected officials to set partisan politics aside and work to make the final health care reform bill the best it can be – that’s what Idaho deserves.”

Both the Senate and the House bill would: lower drug costs; help the uninsured and businesses have more affordable access to health insurance; ensure people with pre-existing conditions have access to health insurance; hold insurers more accountable to consumers; protect choice of doctors; and hold down the costs of coverage. AARP has committed to making the final health care reform package even stronger by working to permanently close the Medicare Part D doughnut hole as the Senate bill is merged with the House bill. Both the Senate bill and the House bill have moved forward without support from Idaho’s Congressional delegation.

My hat is off to Governor Otter for standing by the people of the great state of Idaho and for standing firm on the Constitution and its principles. Thank you for being the strong leader we need and you can be assured of my support and vote when the time comes.

To all the good people of Idaho – drop AARP now! Dump the thieves and corrupt politicians and let’s clean house!!! I find AARP’s statement against the good Governor offensive and specious to say the least… They are nothing but a corrupt tool for the Obama administration and the radicals, Marxists and subversives that are comfortably ensconced within it. Shame on AARP. But no fear, hell hath no fury like a voter scorned and AARP who supposedly serves the senior niche of our economy has angered said niche so much that I wonder what their longevity will be. Unless of course they envision the current administration forcing Americans to subscribe to them and bow to them as Obama would have us do with the Unions, etc. Americans will never stand for that. Idaho will stand, independently if need be, and fight for her Constitutional rights to the bitter end.

01/5/10

Bad Day for Democrats

By: Chuck Muth

Highly respected non-partisan political analyst Stu Rothenberg released today his latest report on congressional races across the country and moved 21 U.S. House seats toward the Republicans, including Nevada’s 3rd Congressional District currently held by Democrat Rep. Dina Titus.

Rothenberg predicts that “substantial Republican gains now look almost inevitable, with net Democratic losses likely to exceed a dozen. While Democratic control of the House is not yet at risk, losses of 15-20 seats are likely, and that target range could well grow with additional Democratic retirements and voter anger.”

For full report, click HERE.

In even more bad news for Democrats, Sen. Byron Dorgan, North Dakota Democrat, just announced he will not seek re-election next year. The Hill has details HERE.

01/5/10

It’s So Hard To Keep Up

By: Garry Hamilton

In reference to DHS Sec. Napolitano: “The System Worked” in Failed Bombing of Northwest Flight…

———

Man-caused disasters?

What epic fail!

Oh, but the good news is that if “Man-caused disasters” are the new “terrorism” then just about anybody who screws up on a grand scale is now a terrorist! Or is that . . . an extra-national activist dissident? Hell, it’s so hard to keep up any more.

So . . . when the Army Corps of Engineers messed up on the NOLA levees, resulting in Katrina’s flooding and stuff, they would now be terrorists, right? After all, it’s a Man-caused disaster. Or maybe thats a Man-caused non-external disaster? It’s so hard to keep up.

And, since things like 50-car highway pile-ups on a foggy day can ultimately be blamed on some failure of engineering (could have had “brite-lite” centerlines or something), then highway department personnel can now be terrorists, too! Maybe we need a special class of Man-caused Disaster? Something like No-fault Man-caused disasters? So that we can blame someone without having to prosecute them or send them all to Gitmo? *Sigh* It’s so hard to keep up.

It’s a wonder she didn’t sprain something coming up with that tortured euphemism. Or maybe she did.

01/5/10

TSA Slaps Handcuffs on Milblogger

By: Terresa Monroe-Hamilton
Hat Tip: Bookworm Room

Milblogger Michael Yon

Looks like the TSA is just doing the incompetent job other incompetents won’t do… Today they stopped renowned Milblogger Michael Yon at Sea-Tac and asked him how much money he made. When he basically told them it was none of their business, being the nice little thugs that they are, they handcuffed him. How is what Michael makes in the way of money any of their damned business?

From Michelle Malkin and Ed Morrissey at Hot Air:

Got arrested at the Seattle airport for refusing to say how much money I make. (The uniformed ones say I was not “arrested”, but they definitely handcuffed me.) Their videos and audios should show that I was polite, but simply refused questions that had nothing to do with national security. Port authority police eventually came — they were professionals — and rescued me from the border bullies.

When they handcuffed me, I said that no country has ever treated me so badly. Not China. Not Vietnam. Not Afghanistan. Definitely not Singapore or India or Nepal or Germany, not Brunei, not Indonesia, or Malaysia, or Kuwait or Qatar or United Arab Emirates. No county has treated me with the disrespect can that can be expected from our border bullies.

Michael Yon is highly respected for his journalistic work in the Middle East and elsewhere. He is a true professional and a great guy. Treating him this way is not only ridiculous, it’s an insult…

But, seriously, can we talk? The TSA in their exuberance also nabbed Joan Rivers. She’s 76 and boy howdy, does she ever just scream ‘terrorist,’ huh? Her passport reads: Joan Rosenberg AKA Joan Rivers. Rosenberg was her late husband’s last name. Oh, I see, the nervous gate agent for Continental Airlines in Costa Rica must have thought she was a cleverly disguised Jewish terrorist – since there are sooo many of those around. Right… The agent found the two names ‘fishy.’ Strikes me as rather antisemetic, rude and just plain stupid. I hope that agent is looking for a new job today at the very least…

And while the TSA is Johnny-on-the-spot to apprehend heroic milbloggers and comedic national treasures, they allegedly waited 80 minutes before reporting a breach at a N.J. airport. Well done… Wouldn’t want to mar your perfect record of idiocy there.

And so you’ll feel really secure, I’d like to share the TSA’s “20 Layers of Security” chart with you. This will make you feel all warm and fuzzy:

Wow! They’ve really got this whole bureaucratic mess thing down. Not security mind you, but bureaucracy… Incompetence for dummies so-to-speak. Here’s an idea, why don’t you try doing what El Al does instead of all this stupid nonsense? From Wikipedia:

El Al security

As a target for many decades, El Al employs stringent security procedures, both on the ground and on board its aircraft. These effective, though sometimes controversial, procedures have won El Al a reputation for security. In 2008, the airline was named by Global Traveler magazine as the world’s most secure airline.

Airport security measures

Passengers are asked to report three hours before departure. All El Al terminals around the world are closely monitored for security. There are plain-clothes agents and fully armed police or military personnel who patrol the premises for explosives, suspicious behavior, and other threats. Inside the terminal, passengers and their baggage are checked by a trained team. El Al security procedures require that all passengers be interviewed individually prior to boarding, allowing El Al staff to identify possible security threats. Passengers will be asked questions about where they are coming from, the reason for their trip, their job or occupation, and whether they have packed their bags themselves. The likelihood of potential terrorists remaining calm under such questioning is believed to be low. At the check-in counter the passengers’ passports and tickets are closely examined. A ticket without a sticker from the security checkers will not be accepted. At passport control passengers’ names are checked against information from the FBI, Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), Scotland Yard, Shin Bet, and Interpol databases. Luggage is screened and sometimes hand searched. In addition, bags are put through a decompression chamber simulating pressures during flight that could trigger explosives. El Al is the only airline in the world that passes all luggage through such a chamber. Even at overseas airports, El Al security agents conduct all luggage searches personally, even if they are supervised by government or private security firms.

Flight security measures

Undercover agents (sometimes referred to as sky marshals) carrying concealed firearms sit among the passengers on every international El Al flight. All El Al pilots are former Israeli Air Force pilots.

The cockpits in all El Al aircraft have double doors to prevent entry by unauthorized persons. A code is required to access the doors, and the second door will only be opened after the first has closed and the person has been identified by the Captain or First Officer. Furthermore, there are reinforced steel floors separating the passenger cabin from the baggage hold. This is intended to strengthen the plane in case of an explosion.

Following an attempt to shoot down an Israeli airliner in 2002, all aircraft in the fleet have been equipped with an infrared countermeasures system called ‘Flight Guard’, developed by Israeli Aerospace Industries to defend them against anti-aircraft missiles. Although comparable systems such as CAMPS are now available for civilian aircraft, there is no information to date about any other airlines deploying such a system. Switzerland and other European countries have expressed concern that flares dropped by the Israeli system could cause fires in the vicinity of an airport. However none of the higher risk countries that El Al aircraft fly to have raised any concerns.

I have been saying that we should do something similar to this ever since 9/11. Instead we harass the innocent: military, elderly, children – hell, everyone but those that seem most likely to kill us. Enough! We should gut the TSA and DHS and just start over and do it right this time.

01/5/10

More Executive Orders – Obama’s Strange Powerplays

By: Terresa Monroe-Hamilton

Several days ago, I read a post up at Ace of Spades on another Executive Order signed by Obama:

The Bush “era of secrecy” is over, the Obama “era of ~~freaking weird~~ labyrinthine secrecy” begins (Hat Tip: The Anchoress)

I don’t know a lot about this EO. It is long and complicated, but what it looks like to me is a further gearing up to go back and prosecute US political leaders such as Bush and Cheney, our military and those in the intelligence communities for acts carried out up to 10 years previously. It also appears to give the President the ability to classify anything requested for under The Freedom of Information Act so that it cannot be accessed.

Key points of Executive Order – Classified National Security Information from Ace of Spades:

— There’s a 10 year “default” on declassifying classified info unless a longer time frame was specified and justified.

— Unclassified information may BECOME classified upon submission of a FOIA request for it…thus allowing for a public veneer of openness while reserving the right to clam up if said openness should prove inconvenient when someone actually learns of a document’s existence and has the nerve to request it.

Lee Jorgensen – a reader – puts it succinctly:

With this executive order, section 1.7(d) states:

(d) Information that has not previously been disclosed to the
public under proper authority may be classified or reclassified after an agency has received a request for it under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552), the Presidential Records Act, 44 U.S.C. 2204(c)(1), the Privacy Act of 1974 (5 U.S.C. 552a) …

So much for transparency of government.

Lee also points out that this would actually make it unnecessary to give Interpol documents to hide information. This could very well prove true, but the Interpol EO is far more reaching than just that – see here and here…

But wait, there’s more…

From Bob McCarty Writes, news come of another EO signed into being:

Though the always-transparent (NOT!) White House web site contains no news of it, President Barack Obama has reportedly signed an executive order — yes, another one. This time, he’s tasked the United States Postal Service to help distribute countermeasures in the event of a biological weapons attack within the United States.

Why the Postal Service? Because, according to a New York Times report, of its ”capacity for rapid residential delivery.”

And when I read this MSNBC article, this caught my attention (Hat Tip: Friends of Mark Fuhrman):

Under the new order, federal agencies must develop a response plan that includes possible law enforcement escorts for Postal Service workers and gives anthrax “primary threat consideration.”

Chew on that for a minute… I don’t think I even need to explain the implications of that one.

Obama is definitely circumventing our checks and balances by utilizing Executive Orders. He is nudging us more and more each day and grabbing more and more power while reducing our rights in the name of security and what is best for Americans. It would behoove us to remember some quotes:

You never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that it’s an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before. – Rahm Emanuel
They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety. – Benjamin Franklin
Those who desire to give up freedom in order to gain security will not
have, nor do they deserve, either one. – President Thomas Jefferson

Update: Fox Nation – Newt: Holder Thinks Terrorists’ Rights More Important Than American Lives

01/5/10

Nevada News & Views – January 5, 2010

By: Chuck Muth
Nevada News and Views

TODAY’S NN&V HEADLINES

Of Olympiads and World’s Fairs for Nevada (Michael Zahara) – I support the efforts of Reno/Tahoe for the 2022 Winter Olympics, and though no one is mentioning a World’s Fair in Las Vegas in 2020, I think we should go for that too!
Economic Forum to Weigh in on State General Fund Budget on Jan. 22 (Sean Whaley/Nevada News Bureau) – The Nevada Economic Forum will meet Jan. 22 to provide its analysis of state general fund revenue collections for the remainder of the two-year budget to Gov. Jim Gibbons and the Legislature.
Vegas Businesswoman Announces for State Senate (Michele Fiore) – My name is Michele Fiore and I am proud to announce my candidacy for the Republican nomination for State Senate, District 9.
Washoe County Commissioner Announces Bid for State Senate Seat (Sean Whaley/Nevada News Bureau) – Washoe County Commissioner Bob Larkin announced today he is a candidate for the Nevada State Senate in District 2, saying he wants to continue the high level of service for residents of the district provided by outgoing Sen. Maurice Washington, R-Sparks.
Two Americas: One Struggling – One Happy, Unionized, and in Government (Warner Todd Huston) – I know I’ve said it before, but unionism is antithetical to good government.
No More Cruel and Unusual? (Paul Jacob) – In recent years there’s been a spate of so-called “zero tolerance” policies — actually, zero common sense policies — in our schools, especially after Columbine and 9/11.

Click here to read these stories at the Nevada News & Views site!

Continue reading →

01/5/10

Behenna Case Goes to Army Clemency Board

By: Bob McCarty
Bob McCarty Writes

EDITOR’S NOTE: The case of 1st Lt. Michael Behenna, the Army Ranger officer who has been featured in 18 posts to date on this blog as a result of him being wrongly convicted of unpremeditated murder in the self-defense shooting death of a known Al-Qaeda terrorist, goes before the Army Clemency Board Thursday in Arlington, Va. In advance of that important event, this soldier’s mother, Vicki Behenna, sent the message below and asks everyone who supports her son to read it and offer whatever support possible:

To All Michael Behenna Supporters,

We travel to Washington D.C. this week to plead Michael’s case before the Army Clemency Board. We have so much to tell them, but we are given only ten minutes to convey our many thoughts. Amazingly, Michael’s sentence of 20 years is twice what any other soldier has been sentenced for unpremeditated murder. It is our hope that the Clemency Board will at the very least bring Michael’s sentence into line with others. Even better would be if the Board decided to release him pending his appeal.

Michael’s attorney’s filed his appeal on 12/22/09 and their appellate brief gives us great hope the appellate court will need to look long and hard as to whether Michael received a fair trial. Special focus was put on the prosecution withholding crucial evidence offered by their own expert which could have exonerated Michael on the murder charge.

Your support of Michael during this holiday season has been emotionally and spiritually uplifting. Our son received hundreds of cards that helped him get through this difficult time. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers in the coming weeks and keep up your letter writing to the Secretary of the Army, Honorable John McHugh, 1400 Defense Pentagon, Washington, DC 20301-1400. In the end we believe that Michael will prevail.

Of special note is that Michael’s case was selected as #5 in the top ten articles covered by the Court of Appeals of the Armed Forces (CAAF) Blog. The fact that persons covering military appeals have shown such an interest in Michael’s case helps provide encouragement for those of us that feel Michael’s case is so much more than another war related murder case.

Below are links to articles by the Oklahoman’s Washington Correspondent and a KOCO video concerning the Clemency Hearing:

Daily Oklahoman article (article also shown in entirety below)

Channel KOCO interview

For more details about what you can do to help, read Lieutenant Michael Behenna Needs Your Help.