The sainted Barack Obama appears to have drawn some criticism from fawning admirer Jennifer Hunter of the Obama News (aka Chicago Sun-Times). In her latest column she calls Saint Obama’s latest literary offering, “The Audacity of Hope”, preachy and dull, while claiming that reading it was a grind. It’s nice to see a little honesty from the left these days. Let’s face it, policy can be boring in its presentation and Obama’s policy ideas are skeletal at best making it even more so.

In Hunter’s view, only the autobiographical bits were of any interest and as national attention is drawn to the Illinois Senator the corresponding media attention is telling us that some of that is fictionalized anyway. When telling the story of his early days in Washington DC we are given an excruciatingly boring recount of his life.

“At first, I tried to embrace my newfound solitude . . . gathering take-out menus from every restaurant in the neighborhood, watching basketball or reading late into the night, hitting the gym for a midnight workout, leaving the dishes in the sink and not making my bed.”

Thank you Senator but I really don’t need a detailed account of your personal sloth or television viewing habits. Nor are we looking for a semi-fictionalized biography using composite characters. Most telling is Hunter’s opening paragraphs where she likens it to a self-help book and wonders if others skimmed it as she did because of the lack of any compelling story. This comes from a columnist in a paper that has openly praised Senator Perfect and has devoted two columnists to near full time Obama coverage. While it may be a best seller, one must wonder if it is the story or the trendiness that is Barack Obama.

If Barack has trouble holding the choir’s attention it doesn’t bode well towards the future when he must pull in skeptical converts to have a chance at winning. Making his intentions known this early may have given him a jump on fundraising but it leaves him exposed for a long period. The people are going to want substance as the primary draws near and this book is a lasting testament to his lack thereof.

Posted by Biloxi in Illinois Politics, Politics at 5:48 PM EDT

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Approximately 2000 demonstrators rallied inside the Illinois state Capitol on Thursday in an attempt to get lawmakers to bend to their will. They have learned from a valuable PR lesson from past criticisms because they now wave US Flags instead of the Mexican ones they carried at this time last year.

Among other things the group is pushing for driver certificates for illegal immigrants and government financed English classes at work or school. This is akin to breaking into a house and demanding the owner feed you and allow you to set the rules of conduct in said domicile and finance it to boot.

As the debate over federal immigration reform again heats up, the crowd traveled to Springfield to say: “Hey, we’re already here, it’s our home and, to be able to make the most of this home, we want to become citizens, to learn English and to be able to drive safely and securely,” Salgado said.

It should be of concern to all US citizens that non-citizens demand financial dispensations after breaking the laws of our country. They get the increasing temerity for their actions because of pandering politicians like John McCain and Ted Kennedy who forgive their actions in an attempt to garner votes. They are further emboldened when they hear the President of the United States offer support for their lawlessness under the guise of “immigration reform”. This blog has long advocated a system where workers from other countries can come here to work for willing employers under a guest worker program that offers the promise of citizenship. It must be done in open sight and under some kind of organized setting. The process needs to be controlled for the safety of all, including the immigrant. After a reasonable period of time said immigrant should be can be granted the freedom to change employment and continue a process that can eventually grant them citizenship. The promise of amnesty to all who have broken the law is not reality, it is a slap in the face to those who respect our country and its rules. It is a sure sign of disrespect to those in countries like the Philippines where people have been waiting years to gain legal entry in our country so they can join their families. Most importantly it is an open invitation that would guarantee future illegal immigration and further erode respect for the laws of our country.

In Illinois and the rest of the country, driving is considered a privilege. Granting that privilege to people who do not have a Social Security number (read illegal immigrants) not only cheapens the laws of the land, it rewards illicit behavior. The position that it would make things safer since they are driving anyway is as misguided as it is dangerous. Effectively the state of Illinois would be flouting Federal law by granting privilege to those in violation of the Federal immigration law. Under the guise of safety some say this will offer the illegal immigrants access to insurance and proper drivers training. In reality it will legitimize illegal behavior and detract from the safety of the citizenry as we flood the streets with many more “legal” drivers who cannot read the signage and are unclear as to the rules of the road. Many others will forgo insurance as they are low income and cannot afford the expense. It may be a big boon to the high risk insurance companies as they collect premiums from drivers with no intention of paying out when their insured cause a wreck, but does little for the average legal resident of Illinois.

Governor Rod Blagojevich has vowed to sign any such legislation into law should the Democrat controlled legislature send it to his desk.

Immigrant advocates who have been pushing hardest for the law say it would also help connect the state’s estimated 400,000 undocumented immigrants to jobs, schools and health care.

Again we are ignoring the fact that the undocumented (a politically correct buzzword for illegal) have broken the law and as such do not deserve to partake in the fruits of our system. Companies that offer mortgages and credit cards to illegals should also be held accountable for their aid in the helping the violators True, it would be impossible to deport them all but legitimization is not the answer either. It would be realistic to implement a new system such as that I touched upon above and leave the estimated 14 million or so illegals untouched. If they wish a bite at the apple they can return to their country of origin and apply as the others do or try to work towards citizenship status from within.

In a climate where undocumented immigrants are able to qualify for home mortgages and major credit cards, states like Illinois are becoming more hospitable to that population, said Thomas Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, a Washington-based conservative government watchdog group.

“We’re very concerned that the local government, in this case, is undermining federal immigration laws,” he said.

Exactly Mr. Fitton, many are hospitable for profit motives but ignore the violation of law. It is time for real immigration reform, with enforcement for our borders and without amnesty. Reform that aids the lawful immigrant whom we embrace and does not reward those who have taken the easier, illegal path. They claim it is their home but they have taken it under adverse possession, this behavior should not be rewarded or it will encourage others as they illegally enter our land.

After hearing a push for amnesty we heard reports of increased illegal border crossings last year. We can expect more of the same if we do not take amnesty off the table. We could reasonably expect the illegal population to double or triple over twenty years as a result. The Reagan Administration’s amnesty push at least called it what it was, amnesty. It also legalized the status of 2.7 million people who had broken the law. This was an effort to end the problem by taking away the incentive of jobs as well as providing more border enforcement that never was implemented. Today we have an estimated 4 to 6 times as many illegals as we did in 1986 so we can see the fallacy in the argument. US Reps Luis Guiterrez (D - Pander) and Jeff Flake (R -The Same) have introduced yet another immigration reform bill but unlike Ronald Reagan they refuse to call amnesty by its given name, preferring instead to call it easing restrictions or a path to citizenship. I understand the plight of the poor in Mexico but the problem cannot be solved by continual squatting on the neighbors land.

Immigration reform is needed but amnesty should never be a component. Start with border security and then take the incentive away by instituting a controllable guest worker database, wherein people can come to share in the promise of America, out of the shadows and within the boundaries of the law.

Posted by Biloxi in Immigration at 8:55 AM EDT

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Papa Biloxi lives in a Central Florida retirement community and has been there since Mrs. B and I have had children. Hence, the Crawdads don’t know my Dad as well as their other Grandparents. Further, since he has reached the advanced age of 78 and developed a permanent and somewhat disabling medical condition, it has become harder for him to travel to the Chicago area for a visit. Since the Crawdads are multitudinous, I cannot afford to fly them all down at the same time. As a person who grew up with virtually no Grandparents, (1 Grandma who didn’t like kids) I value the opportunity my kids have to see and get to know their own. Mrs. Biloxi’s parents and my Mother live locally so it is easily facilitated in their case. In the case of Dad and Jane it is a little more complicated. Last year I instituted a plan to take 2 of the kids at a time to visit my Dad over spring break. This year it was the twins turn so we booked a flight last January using Travelocity for a trip this Spring Break. Unfortunately the discount internet travel agency booked our outbound flight on American Airlines. At the time I thought nothing of it, though now it has resulted in my sitting at home writing this story instead of enjoying our third day visiting Grandpa in sunny Florida. This was because American canceled our 7:20 AM flight on Thursday at 4:30 AM, ostensibly due to wind. By 7:20 there was not much wind and by 10:00 AM it was 60 degrees on its way to a near 70 degree high with no wind and sunny cloudless skies.

American Airlines is the biggest carrier in the United States and as such I have been getting the distinct impression that gives them the opinion they don’t need to try. I immediately called the number provided on the website so I could reschedule a flight and was told there was nothing available that day, the next day or over the weekend. Not just on American Airlines but on any carrier they tried. Not in First Class, Coach or the cargo hold. Ultimately I was told tough beans sir, but we value your business. I offered to fly into Tampa instead of Orlando but was given the same non-solution to my quandary. When I implored them to come up with a solution as I did want want to break the hearts of two nine year olds who had been anxiously awaiting this trip for months, I was told “Sir, I understand your frustration but it is Spring Break and everything is booked solid”. Well no kidding Ma’am, that is why I booked my flight 2 months ago, to avoid a situation like this.

I understand that airlines do not control the weather but they do control their response. If it is windy at 4:30, why cancel the flight at 7:20? How about canceling the 4:45 or 5:00 AM flights? Later in the day I was told the story of a couple with whom I share a friend that ran into the same issue with American. A canceled flight at 4:30 for a much later flight and no solution in sight. Somehow though they were able to get these people into Tampa later in the day. This tells me we have an airline with employees that are not on the same page. My ultimate resolution was to get on the same flight a week later. Fortunately Dad was not otherwise occupied and my girls had the time off from school. To the others on the flight who were dumped into my same predicament one can only guess as to their hardships.

American uses a slogan of “We Know Why You Fly” and apparently they believe that means it is at their pleasure. It now costs $3.00 for a bag of pretzels, they have removed the pillows, blankets and special amenities for passengers, they have re-added the additional seating they took out a few years back to provide extra leg room in coach and now schedules mean nothing. While this may seem like a rant from a guy who got inconvenienced one time it is much more. I have had serious issues with American Airlines three straight months this year. A flight in January was canceled due to weather, I give them a pass as ice storms are serious business but the reschedule in February resulted in a 2-1/2 hour delay and a late arrival at my destination. This kept me up until 1:00 AM on a night before an early wake-up for a meeting. The return leg of that same flight was delayed from 6:10 PM to 10:20 PM getting me back home by flying into a snowstorm that we would have missed were we reasonably on time. I also got the special treat of watching every other American flight for Chicago after my scheduled departure leave on time as I sat in DFW airport watching them for 4 hours. In addition to the weather I arrived home at 1:00 AM getting my weekend off to a dubious start. If schedules are so tight that there is no room for error they perhaps should reduce the the number of flights to leave themselves breathing room. American Airlines apparently has no clue why we fly nor do they care if we get to our destination anywhere close to the time we were originally scheduled to arrive.

I have flown discount airlines such as Air Tran, Southwest, and Vanguard and never experienced these types of issues once, let alone three times in a three month period. Similarly I have never had such an experience with their larger competitors United or Delta Airlines. If they deem me less important because I don’t fly often enough they have assured that I never will become a member of their frequent flier club, or even a repeat customer. I will not book American again, not because of circumstances out of their control but because of their reaction to those they do have sway over. They perhaps may want to consider a new slogan, something like “Customer Service Optional“, or better yet, “American Airlines, Making Our Schedule Yours.”

Hey American, now you know why I fly any other airline but yours.

Posted by Biloxi in Biloxi Says at 9:00 PM EDT

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Former Majority Leader Tom Delay, known a the “Hammer” in his days on the hill has come down on his former mates for squandering their opportunity by ineffective and useless leadership.

He’s pretty much right on. Delay was speaking of Newt Gingrich, Dick Armey and the 1994 crew who won control of the House with their Contract with America but he could just as easily been talking about many prominent Republicans over the last 6 years. It all starts with a failure to lead and the refusal to stand up for principle. It appears the current Republican gameplan is not to run on conservative principles and positions but to dive to the middle and to take shots at the President as often as possible. This President deserves his lumps but only when he strays from conservatism, which has unfortunately been often. It can fairly be said that he has been a stalwart concerning national security and his tax cuts worked better than we could have hoped. Disagreeing with the President is one thing but potshots and pandering will not only harm the President, it harms the party and conservatives in general.

Instead of standing for principle we disintegrate into an non-cohesive mess. Constructive criticism is fine but the harangue should be kept for internal battles. Many of the Democrats who took seats in the the House and Senate last November ran on conservative values. This would belie the common outlook that the country has taken a left turn. As the saying goes, “you’ve got stand for something or you’ll fall for anything” and fall they have. Sticking a finger in the wind has never been a effective way to govern. A unified platform and determined mission will cure a lot of what ails the party.

Of high priority would be to quit capitulating every time the Democrats make an issue out of regular politics as of it were some sort of criminal endeavor. The Republican politicians are currently prostrating themselves before their Democrat opponents and realizing little or no gain from the strategy. The fired States Attorney imbroglio is a classic example. The Dems criminalize normal political actions and stay on message. In the meantime the Republicans fall all over themselves to get out of the way. Even an Attorney General as lackluster as Alberto Gonzales deserves the benefit of the doubt and insulation from the partisan assault. Meanwhile back at the ranch, Rep. William Jefferson (D - Frigidaire) is given a committee post for Homeland Security and not a peep is mentioned about his penchant for storing cash in his freezer.

The path back to power is to develop a solid conservative platform and stay on message. When elected it is imperative to perform as promised and not give in to selfish interests. When the inevitable Democrat onslaught arrives it is important to keep firm and fight back. It is not as important to be liked as much as it is to be effective and that does not include adopting the opposition strategy and issues to appear open minded. For instance, if the American people were as hell bent against the war in Iraq as the Dems say, then why don’t they just cut the funding and force the President’s hand?

There is disagreement in every party but it need not be aired publicly and in a manner that harms the overall party strategy. Goal number one is to win elections and that cannot be done by tearing down the President at every turn. A solid message and conservative ideas will win over negativism and criticism every time. For once act like the Democrats. Stay united in the face of opposition, even if you don’t like each other.

Delay makes a solid statement with the following:

“The vast majority of Americans are dissatisfied with George W. Bush and eager for change,” he writes. “It is a wake-up call, a summons to battle … Republicans were, as they long have been, right on the issues and terrible at communication.”

What holds true with the 94 crew stands today. Craft the message and communicate it clearly. In the end the truth will win out, as long as people hear it loud and often.

Posted by Biloxi in Politics at 11:07 PM EDT

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I hope the Republicans learn from the experience of the November 2006 elections. They need to understand the consequences of their failure to lead and pandering to the left. It got them ousted from power in both houses of Congress and has ultimately led to the gridlock of pointless Congressional investigation.

We now face hearings into the absolutely common political function of replacing political hires in the fired federal prosecutors imbroglio, We have seen the Scooter Libby trial where a man was convicted for a poor memory, and we are now seeing hearings related to that very same case. Patrick Fitzgerald’s investigation turned up nothing but a perjury conviction for Mr. Libby for a misstatement that may or may not have been a crime but the two year inquiry turned up no evidence of an underlying crime in the supposed “outing” of former CIA operative Valerie Plame. Further, State Department official Richard Armitage admitted to being the source of information used by Robert Novak in his July 2003 column mentioning Plame’s name.

Henry Waxman (D - Nostril) promised investigations after the election and investigations are what we will get. Plame testified Friday before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee in what seems to be largely political posturing and an exercise in political demagoguery. Her testimony is mostly self-serving as she is sitting on a 7 figure book deal describing her supposed horrible ordeal. The hearing seems to be such an essential undertaking that half of the committee members couldn’t be bothered to show up.

Her appearance was a moment of political theater. Only about half of the committee’s members attended and they were well outnumbered by journalists and photographers.

Further, committee Chair Waxman claimed it was not the job of the panel to determine criminal culpability but rather figure out what went wrong and insist on accountability. This would lead one to ask, accountability for what? How about laying blame at the feet of Plame’s discredited husband, former Ambassador Joe Wilson whose op-ed in the New York Times brought the laser beam of attention to bear on him and his family? What about Plame herself who is reported to have been a perennial A list member for the Washington DC party set? If her status was covert, it might be advisable that her husband keep his trap shut and not bring any undue attention on the family. Especially since his account of his trip to Niger has been debunked as a largely political move. We all know this is about politics and those who have intentions to bring down the administration in any way possible. The problem is the overreaching of Congressional oversight and the massive waste of the people’s money to do so. The 109th Congress was noted for their lax work ethic and short weeks. It appears the 110th has an intention to meet more and do less. If they use their power to undertake several pointless investigations in an effort to make the political criminal they will have failed the people and used their own elections to drive the political atmosphere further down the road to ruin.

It is time to hold our representatives responsible for their actions, contact your Congressman and Senators and tell them to get to work, real work that doesn’t involve criminalizing politics. That would include sending Valerie Plame back to “covert” status. Out of sight and out of mind.

Posted by Biloxi in Politics at 10:27 AM EDT

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Scott Stantis conveys my point brilliantly and with humor:

Kim Jong Il threatens, the world gives him food and oil. When he runs low… rinse and repeat for desired results. When is the world going to wake up? Communism will collapse if it is starved.

Posted by Biloxi in Foreign Policy, Politics at 6:49 PM EDT

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There is a media fueled furor about the firing of 8 US Attorneys late last year that borders on hysteria. Further it shows the shoddy shape of reporting as well as the absurdity of politics in the 21st Century. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D - Soprano) has become a Democratic hit man and the the town crier on this issue as he laments how the US Attorney’s office has always been above politics. Poppycock.

Bill Clinton fired all 93 US Attorneys when he took office in 1993 as was his right. These are political appointees and serve at the pleasure of the President. They can also be released for the same reasons. Some like to point out that these were done in a second term and as such were Bush appointees which makes this case different. What they are really saying is they so loathe President Bush that they wish to criminalize and investigate his every move. Many of these prosecutors were investigating public corruption; including that from Republicans. One headed up the case over former US Rep. Randy ” Duke” Cunningham who was convicted of bribery. Varying reasons were given for the dismissals but it all boils down to the issue that the administration was displeased with their performance. Period.

Presidents often fire or ask for the resignation of political appointees mid-term. Cabinet posts are a perfect example, if the President does not agree with the performance of his Secretary of the Treasury for any reason, is he not allowed to dismiss him/her and replace them with someone on the same page? Democrats were clamoring for the ouster of Donald Rumsfeld because they did not agree with his performance as Secretary of Defense. Was this political? Sure it was and the President eventually acquiesced, without an uproar on the left. Currently Schumer and his cohorts are calling for the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales over this issue, do they want to deny that their intention is political? We elect the President because we agree with his views on the some or all of the issues before the country. It is only realistic to allow the President to hire people to enact his vision on said issues. If it turns out the “employees” or appointees are not up to the President’s standard it is his/her prerogative to replace them. Call it what you will it is not worthy of investigation; whether or not the Democrats see it as an issue. Unless the opposition can prove that the administration fired these individuals to quash a legitimate investigation to protect criminal behavior it is a non-starter. This is something nobody has charged because they cannot make a case for it and hence this becomes another investigation into nothing.

Democrats promised investigations and are delivering on their vow. Watch now as the government grinds to a halt over and endless parade of political hearings. Is it possible to have as many hearings as they do and get any of the work of the people accomplished? I am as partisan as they come but I would never use my partisan views to criminalize my opponents or get in the way of the overall good of the people. Schumer, Senator Dick Durbin, Majority Leader Harry Reid and the destructive members of the Senate majority stand to make and ugly situation uglier and detract from the overall mission of the Senate by criminalizing dissent from their party line.

With the new Democratic majorities in the Senate and House it is becoming evident that we are on the road to outlawing the Republican party by making legitimate political, procedural and even day to day acts an offense that will be investigated to the utmost. This will inevitably lead to more Scooter Libby-like prosecutions where people are convicted for a faulty memory.

Politics is not criminal but the Democrats which to make it so. The Republicans make it worse by refusing to lead and believing that they can reason with the obstinate. You cannot reason with irrational behavior such as that exhibited by Schumer, we need strong people to stand up to this type of political prosecution.

It is time for conservatives and Republicans with a spine to get out front and fight this abuse of the taxpayers money and time. Refusal to address it will only lead to a worsening of the situation. Rest assured capitulation will beget more of the same as the Democrats smell blood in the water. The environment is such that if you give them one sacrificial lamb they will only ask for more. The Democratic leadership wishes to monkey with the separation of powers and it must be stopped now.

Posted by Biloxi in Politics at 8:48 AM EDT

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Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich formally announced his plan for killing business investment in the state under the guise of new revenue to pay for socialized health care for all. In doing so he has gone back to the tired, yet tried and true Democratic Party tactic of demonizing business in an attempt to garner support for the biggest tax increase in Illinois history.

Blagojevich has proposed a gross receipts tax that will penalize the producers in Illinois in such a manner that it may destroy the business environment for years to come. Another component to this hare brained economic plan is to sell the Illinois lottery for 10 billion dollars which he proposes to dump into the underfunded state pension system. What will he use to make up the other 32 billion dollar shortfall and where is the proposal for a future revenue stream when the sale money is spent? Does he really think this provides an actual long term solution or is this another attempt at a cosmetic application for short term political gain? Offering the populace something for nothing is an oft used tactic that almost always is a ticking-time bomb set for detonation at some undetermined point in the future; usually after the term of the rhetorical “bomb maker”. In the case of the pension system, it is Blagojevich himself that is in a large part responsible for the now 42 billion dollar unfunded liability. We also have a deficit situation in the Illinois state contributions to education and Medicare. Through all of this Blagojevich proposes even more entitlement spending but no real reform in how the money is spent in all areas of governmental responsibility. It might help to trim the fat before proposing a large caloric intake of the people’s money.

To propose a tax of such magnitude on business is unrealistic and another step down the road to marginalizing Illinois among the states of this great nation. Already a national curiosity because of our corrupt political system, we will have made the transition to complete joke as other states reap the business investment that either leaves or bypasses Illinois.

Let’s look at this in simple terms. The Governor claims he wants to cull “more revenue” out of the state and proposes Illinois businesses pay their fair share. There is a set amount of revenue in the state and business already pays a fair amount to the government through a myriad of taxes. Some businesses pay more than others but rest assured there is a lot of tax money going to the government. To yield more income to the state we must increase the total amount in the pool, not take a larger share from the existing business receipts, it only acts as a disincentive.

Look at this like a pitcher of freshly squeezed orange juice; to fill the pitcher it takes 30 oranges and we only have 20. This leaves us with only 2/3 of the amount we need to achieve our needs. Do we continue to squeeze the flattened, worn out husks of the twenty oranges we have or do we find a way to get 10 more? How about we find a way to get bigger oranges and increase the amount of yield? This would allow us to fill our pitcher with fewer oranges. If we do not find a way to get additional or at least bigger oranges we will have to make due with a partial pitcher of juice. That is the first step to economic health in Illinois. Find ways to reduce spending (or the need for more oranges) with an eye on a way to increase our income in the future. With business that would mean to reduce taxes and encourage expansion and investment in Illinois. Expansion means revenue through employee income tax, business income tax and the plethora of other duns the state imposes on business. Further, more employment means more individual income which means the new employees spend money on housing, food and material goods further adding to the growth of business and in turn, tax revenue for the government. More “oranges” means more revenue, not trying to squeeze the death out of the old fruit for a higher yield. Blagojevich’s approach will eventually pulverize the orange into dust and will result in an empty pitcher with no more means of refilling the vessel. Illinois government is the pitcher and businesses are the oranges. Reducing oppressive taxation will help to grow more as well as bigger oranges and hence will increase the yield. While this may seem like a simplistic analogy it has proven true time and time again. This Governor has repeatedly gone back to squeeze the same fruit without providing the fertile soil that will enable a regeneration of the crop. For Illinois to grow and prosper there must be a healthy business environment and this administration has proven to be hostile to the business community. Let’s hope there is some sensibility in the General Assembly to put the brakes on this runaway train that will ultimately ruin the Land of Lincoln.

Posted by Biloxi in Illinois Politics at 11:54 AM EST

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I found this hilarious movie on Michelle Malkin’s Hot Air Blog. Check out My Fair Lady; Southern Style. Hilarious and a far better southern accent than the one Hillary Clinton pandered with.

Hillary, a little advice: Next time just read it straight, people understand you’re not a southerner and faking it just appears worse. It’s almost as bad as Bill’s attempt to pronounce LaGuardia with a New York accent, only the most resolute kool-aide drinkers buy that nonsense. Follow the golden rule and be yourself, unfortunately for you, that’s a hard sell.

Posted by Biloxi in Liberal Illogic, Politics at 10:16 PM EST

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Much will be written about the conviction of Scooter Libby from both sides of the aisle and I don’t know if I can add anything more significant than an observation that hatred driven politics has now gone from being political and swerved into the realm of criminalizing political disagreement. Further, the commentary by some of the jury, especially Denis Collins, seems to show a bias in and of itself. When Collins expressed sympathy for Libby and intimated that they felt he was a fall guy for the administration it logically would lead to the question; fall guy for what? How can Libby be set up to take a fall when there is no crime or indiscretion to fall for? When Richard Armitage revealed that he was the “leaker” about Valerie Plame’s identity it proved that there was no basis for a criminal charge and further that Plame herself was not a covert agent nor had she been considered one for some time.

I agree that lying to a grand jury is a criminal offense and doing so intentionally should warrant a conviction, though the operative word is “intentionally”. Expecting Libby to remember specifically where he first learned of Plame’s identity while not holding the witnesses in the trial to a similar standard is farcical at best. If there was a direct link proving Libby knowingly lied to the Grand Jury then I would expect conviction, but I have seen no such definitive link reported. With no underlying crime, what would be the purpose for lying? While I agree lying is lying, many of those who are trying to bring down the administration here are the same critics who claim former President Bill Clinton was tried for receving oral sex while ignoring that he knowingly lied to a Grand Jury to conceal an extramarital affair and consider it an off limits personal matter. This is less to point out a “he did it first” moment than it illustrates the political nature of the prosecution. One man’s life ruined by the petty, destructive nature of a pathetic group of self important career politicians and bureaucrats. That is a sad state of affairs..

This jury had to ask the judge to define and clarify what beyond a reasonable doubt meant, an indicator that if they had to ask for a definition, that there was indeed reasonable doubt as to Mr. Libby’s guilt. Before conviction they had to clarify what exactly the charges against Scooter Libby were.

This was a political witch hunt from the start and an indication of how many in Washington DC use the media to galvanize public opinion into criminalizing the legitimate acts of their opponents. At some point it needs to stop before we further marginalize the significance of this great nation and how we react to the threats of a hostile world.

Posted by Biloxi in Immigration, Politics at 12:55 PM EST

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