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Saturday, July 21, 2007

GOA Issues New Warning on Fairness Doctrine

Washington, DC (TLS). Gun Owners of America (GOA) has issued a new warning about the so-called 'Fairness Doctrine' and the damage it could do to the gun rights movement.

The GOA's success has been due in a large part to its access to talk radio, which has a sizable conservative audience. Democrats in Congress wish to silence conservative voices in the media by bringing back the old 'Fairness Doctrine,' which would allow liberals to demand 'equal time.'

Republicans in the House of Representatives were able to pass an amendment to an appropriations bill that prohibits the use of federal funds to implement the Fairness Doctrine.

This, however, is only a temporary measure.

When Senate Republicans attempted to add a similar amendment to a bill this week, that amendment was blocked by Senate Democrats. This means that should Democrats win the White House in 2008, and pick up a few more seats in Congress, you can kiss good-bye Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, and even Paul Harvey for that matter.

Radio stations will be frightened into dropping these programs from the air for the fear that they would be forced to give Democrats and other leftists, even Communists, 'equal time.'

Funny how the government-run PBS radio and TV network has a liberal slant. Wonder if the Fairness Doctrine will be applied there? What about Chris Matthews on MSNBC? George Stephanopolis on NBC? Bob Sheiffer on CBS?

Believe me, if Democrats succeed in this attempt to thwart free speech, and in turn do damage to our 2nd Amendment rights by limiting access to talk radio, we will launch a massive public campaign to demand equal time for each and every statement Couric, Rather, Matthews, Blitzer, Sheiffer, and all the rest mouth off in favor of liberal public policies.

And then, if we are denied equal time, we will sue the pants off of them!

My friends, this will be war if the Democrats think they can get away with this ruse to silence free speech.

Read the GOA alert here:
http://www.gunowners.org/a072007.htm

Friday, July 20, 2007

Johnny Sutton Lies to Congress on Border Patrol Agents

Washington, DC (TLS). On Tuesday of this week, U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton, the Bush crony from Texas who has the responsibility to prosecute cases involving the nation's southern border, gave testimony before a Senate subcommittee.

The subcommittee is investigating government wrongdoing in the handling of the Ramos-Compean case. Agents Ramos and Compean are the two Border Patrol Agents who were falsely accused, tried, convicted, and sent to prison for over a decade for shooting an illegal alien drug smuggler in the buttocks.

The Liberty Sphere has posted a series of op-eds on this case, showing ample evidence from multiple sources indicating that these two Agents are the victims of a Bush Administration smear-job in order to protect its precious relationship with the corrupt Mexican government.

We already know Administration officials in the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security lied to Congressional Republicans investigating this case. These particular officials even admitted to their lies.

And now the point-man himself, Johnny Sutton, also lies to Congress.

This time, however, those lies are going to a Senate subcommittee under the control of the Bush Administration's arch-enemies rather than the members of the President's own Party in the House.

This begs the question as to why the Bush Administration would lie and stonewall to a group of Republicans who at least have some loyalty to the President, knowing full well that the investigation would eventually wind up in the hands of totally hostile political enemies in the Senate.

Sutton's testimony before the subcommittee chaired by Senator Dianne Feinstein, D-CA, was filled with misleading statements, deflections, half-truths, innuendo, and outright untruths. He left more questions unanswered than is acceptable.

Republican Senators who heard the testimony expressed deep frustration and a sense of incredulity over Sutton's obvious, overt non-answers and untruths.

And as for the Democrats, Senator Feinstein fired off a memo to President Bush stating that the two Border Patrol agents need to be freed from prison. Once she heard the unbelievable testimony of Sutton, the stage was set for a hostile confrontation with the President.

As we have done at least a dozen times over the past year, The Liberty Sphere calls on George W. Bush to bring himself to do the right thing and release from prison these innocent and falsely-accused men. We call for the outright dismissal of Johnny Sutton and anybody else in the Administration who lied to Congress about this case.

We also call for the President to take full responsibility for this debacle and travesty of justice at the hands of government officials, and then clean house.

Once again, unless Mr. Bush takes these steps now on his own, the nation is in for a coup at the hands of the Democrats in 2008, who will then proceed to clean house by throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

Is this what you want, Mr. President?

The Liberty Sphere predicts that anything short of a full housecleaning by the President himself will result in more Republican casualties in 2008 than that which occurred in 1974 in the aftermath of the Nixon Watergate Scandal.

And at that point the President's legacy will be that he was worse than Nixon in nearly destroying the Republican Party.

Investor's' Business Daily has this stinging editorial and more information on the testimony of Johnny Sutton before Congress:
http://www.ibdeditorials.com/IBDArticles.aspx?id=269651291491013

NYT Report--Relations in Congress Volatile

Washington, DC (TLS). Matt Drudge has the early scoop on Friday morning's New York Times headlines concerning contentious relations in Congress.

According to a special report published in the Times, not only is public approval of Congress running at an all-time low of just 16% but personal relationships are suffering between Congressional members themselves.

The special NYT report states that Senate Republicans in particular are quite unhappy with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-NV. Arlen Specter in particular has complained that Reid is increasingly rude and nearly impossible to deal with.

Reid interrupted Senator Specter repeatedly during a Senate session on Thursday.

Many Senators in both Parties admit that rarely in recent history has there been such a volatile climate within the U.S. Senate.

The Liberty Sphere is not surprised at all. Look at who is in control for the explanation.

Read the Drudge scoop here:
http://www.drudgereport.com/flash5.htm

Second Amendment News Roundup for 7/20/07

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Washington, DC (TLS). Here is today's Second Amendment News Roundup:

Gun Owners of America has issued a new special alert concerning the many unanswered questions surrounding H.R. 2640--the McCarthy gun bill, which is now being considered by the Senate Judiciary Committee:

A hearty 'welcome back' goes to Alphecca, who took a couple of weeks off for some R & R. He has pics of the cabin where he recharged his batteries:

Alphecca has some choice words for the Washington Posts' editorial in support of the D.C. gun ban (good to have you back in the saddle, there, Jeff!):

The War on Guns has this piece entitled, 'The Unreal McCoy':

Of Arms and the Law posts this update on The Boston Globe's little ruse of initiating an illegal gun purchase in New Hampshire:

I don't know who this cute young woman is, but I have seen her before on v-logs. Xavier Thoughts has a short video of this gorgeous young lady effectively telling us we must defend our rights to bear arms:

Say Uncle says that NBC News had a special report on Thursday evening about black rifles:

Say Uncle also has the scoop on the ineffectiveness of Canada's gun control laws:

The Ninth Stage blogs about 'Box O' Truth' pistol ammo:

McCarville reports on two new polls on Fred Thompson:

The Buckeye Firearms Association says that gun owners can influence public perception of the Bloomberg gun-grab:

Buckeye also publishes an interesting letter to the editor written by a public defender who expresses objections to the Sandusky Register's publication of concealed carry citizens:

Nicki at the Liberty Zone has John Longenecker's comments on the Parker case being appealed to the Supreme Court:

Snow Flakes in Hell comments on the court challenge to New Hampshire's concealed carry laws:

Snow Flakes in Hell also posts this from a supposed 'long time gun owner':

The Bitch Girls ask a very good question--since when does society owe victims money? I always thought convicted perpetrators owed restitution, but society as a whole? Nope:

JR at A Keyboard and a .45 has been invited to write a review for a new History Channel series on guns (congrats, JR!):

Thursday, July 19, 2007

LIBERTY ALERT! Senate to Move on McCarthy Gun Bill

Washington, DC (TLS). Gun Owners of America has issued an alert stating that the U.S. Senate will open hearings on the McCarthy gun bill, H.R. 2640, as soon as this week.

Congress has effectively kept citizens in the dark concerning the status of this bill. The New York Times, however, let the cat out of the bag by writing that Senate hearings on the bill would begin soon.

Debate will start in the Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by Democrat Patrick Leahy.

It's time to begin contacting Senators on that committee. They are Republicans Sam Brownback, Lindsey Graham, Orin Hatch, Jeff Sessions, Tom Coburn, Arlen Specter, Charles Grassley, Jon Kyl, and John Cornyn.

It would probably be useless to contact any of the Democrats on the committee since they are all in favor of the McCarthy anti-gun legislation.

The GOA states that the most advantageous thing to do would be to contact Senator Sam Brownback, an Republican candidate for President and a member of the committee. Brownback has stated his firm support of full Second Amendment rights.

Read the GOA alert here:
http://www.gunowners.org/a071907.htm

LIBERTY ALERT! Dems Push Suits Against Whistleblowers

Washington, DC (TLS). The Democratic majority in the House of Representatives has introduced a measure that will allow Muslim groups such as CAIR to sue the airline passengers who reported terrorist suspicions on a U.S. Air flight recently.

Passengers aboard the plane noticed the strange behavior of the Muslims on the flight and overheard parts of their conversation, which the passengers insist was frightening.

Numerous news reports quoting a number of passengers indicated that the conversation and behavior of the Muslims were reminiscent of that of the suicide terrorists who struck on 9/11. The passengers reported their concerns and the flight was aborted.

Since that time the Muslims have claimed they were the target of religious discrimination. They have sought to bring lawsuits against the passengers who complained, but so far they have been unable to obtain the names of the specific passengers who reported their concerns.

If Democrats in Congress have their way, the Muslims will be allowed to get those names and sue them individually.

My friends, this is a bare-faced, open attack on the rights of American citizens to take reasonable action to defend themselves against possible terrorist attacks. CAIR in particular would like to sue citizens into complete silence about Muslim terrorists.

It is not surprising that the Democrats are in the hip pocket of CAIR, which has been named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the scheme to fund overseas terrorists. CAIR has met regularly with members of the Democratic leadership to influence the manner in which the nation responds to extremists.

CAIR has also given truckloads of money to Democrats.

The time to act is NOW to prevent the Democrats from initiating this disgusting and infuriating attack on ordinary citizens in this country.

Read more about this here, and then take action to contact your Congressional representatives at the links provided:
http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2007/07/terrorcrats-bac.html

Geller Welcomes Sophie Fernandez to Atlas Shrugs

New York (TLS). Pamela Geller (shown above left), founder of the popular blog 'Atlas Shrugs,' has added a new feature to her website, featuring renown French writer Sophie Fernandez (above right).

The new feature is entitled, 'Sophie Stateside,' and will feature regular articles by Fernandez.

Sophie Fernandez is French and has quite a story to tell about the gradual difficulty in France of communicating the truth about the spread of terrorist extremism. She also has very real concerns about the loss of the French identity in the push toward globalization and multiculturalism.

Fernandez has written for the influential conservative American publication, The Weekly Standard.

For her very first article at Atlas Shrugs, click here:
http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2007/07/the-french-repo.html

Second Amendment News Roundup for 7/19/07

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Washington, DC (TLS). Here is today's Second Amendment News Roundup:

If you haven't seen this yet, it is a must-read. A Human Right has the history of gun control in a succinct, easy-to-read format, including the vital information that the KKK was responsible for initiating the first gun control laws in the country! It is important that we emphasize the gun-control movement's racist origins:
http://www.a-human-right.com/guncontrol.html

Opencarry.org wonders if Virginia Governor Timothy Kaine will lock-out pro-gun students from a conference in August on campus security:
http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/forum54/3605.html

Snow Flakes in Hell shows how gun buy-back programs result in the destruction of our history due to the loss of antique firearms:
http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/?p=1074

Got an opinion on how the Supreme Court will rule on Parker vs. D.C.? Take part in an online poll at Say Uncle:
http://www.saysuncle.com/archives/2007/07/18/parker_poll/

The Anarchangel posts some interesting info (and a pic) on a recent ammo purchase:
http://anarchangel.blogspot.com/2007/07/i-gots-boolits.html

The Bitch Girls blog about a Republican Congressman who seems to think taxpayers' money belongs to him! If there's anything worse than a Democrat, it's a Rino (Republican in Name Only), and we seem to have more of those around these days:
http://www.thebitchgirls.us/?p=7155

Pamela Geller at Atlas Shrugs is a true American patriot in the global war on terror. Her blog has been hit with cyber-hijackers who have done serious damage to her ability to get her blog posts listed on Google and other search engines. Read the story here:
http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2007/07/best-blogs-bann.html

Bob Parks at Black and Right is helping with a new film about Ronald Reagan and the Cold War. For Reagan fans like me, this is one film you will not want to miss. Read about Parks' role in the creation of the film here:
http://blackandright.mensnewsdaily.com/2007/07/06/on-the-road-again-with-reagan/

The McCarville Report says that Wilson Strategies has released an important assessment of the nation's political landscape...a very important thing to consider given that 2008 will be one of the most important elections in recent history:
http://wwwtmrcom.blogspot.com/2007/07/wilson-releases-national-political.html

Blonde Sagacity reports disturbing news that Iraqi and Middle Eastern illegal aliens are being smuggled into the U.S. across the Mexican border...another example of our failure to secure the southern border:
http://mobyrebuttal.blogspot.com/2007/07/its-border-stupid.html

The Jet Pilot blogs about creating your own 'gun-free zone' in your own home. Criminals, of course, will just by-pass your house and go on to a home with guns:
http://ajetpilot.blogspot.com/2007/07/creat-your-own-gun-free-zone-gfz.html

Nicki at The Liberty Zone found this item, which she says is an example of a 'money-grubbing scum with a bad case of cranial-rectal inversion':
http://libertyzone.blogspot.com/2007/07/money-grubbing-scum-with-bad-case-of.html

Blogonomicon has the story of a woman who stopped a child rape in progress by using a grilling-fork on the perpetrator:
http://blogonomicon.eponym.com/blog/_archives/2007/7/17/3100467.html

A Keyboard and a .45 points to this item, which indicates that self-defense depends on one thing more than just wearing your seat-belt:
http://akeyboardanda45.blogspot.com/2007/07/oleg-has-been-busy.html

John Lott writes that concealed carry is on the increase in Lubbock, Texas:

The Buckeye Firearms Association has information on the push to pass the Castle Doctrine in Ohio:

Buckeye also points to this explosive article about an anti-gun organization in New Hampshire that may have been involved in an illegal gun purchase:

The Volokh Conspiracy has this thought-provoking piece on 'sensible restrictions on gun rights':

Mr. Completely blogs about his plans for an upcoming pin-shoot:

Finally, The Jawa Report reminds us of a very important anniversary in American politics. It was 38 years ago that Senator Ted Kennedy was responsible for the death of Mary Jo Kopechne after failing to report her drowning in their car accident at Chappaquiddick. Kennedy, of course, is one of the most notorious gun-grabbers in the U.S. Government:

Dianne Feinstein a Strange Ally in Border Patrol Fight

Washington, DC (TLS). Despite all of her faults, including the cloud of corruption hanging over her head in the scandal that sent millions of dollars of government contracts to her husband's companies, Senator Dianne Feinstein, D-CA, has become an ally in the fight to free the two innocent Border Patrol agents.

As The Liberty Sphere reported earlier, the U.S. Senate opened an investigation into government corruption surrounding the Bush Administration's handling of the Ramos-Compean case--the two Border Patrol agents who were wrongfully prosecuted, convicted, sent to prison for over 10 years for shooting an illegal alien drug smuggler in the buttocks.

The U.S. House of Representatives repeatedly tried and failed to get cooperation from the Bush Administration in its investigation into the matter. House Republicans were at the forefront of the fight to free the two innocent men.

Yet the Administration continually rebuffed members of the President's own Party, and even lied to the Congressional committee charged with investigating the case.

Not surprisingly, the Democrat-controlled U.S. Senate seized the issue, sensing an opportunity for a good Bush-bash. Normally these exercises are nothing more than displays of political opportunism.

In this case, however, if the Democrats are acting for political purposes only, they picked an excellent case over which to give a much-deserved licking to President Bush and his Administration.

Senator Dianne Feinstein, of all people, sent a memo to the President calling for Agents Ramos and Compean to be freed from prison.

The Liberty Sphere heartily applauds Senator Feinstein for her stand.

This is one of the few cases where Republicans, Democrats, Independents, and Libertarians can agree and work together.

The Bush Administration was wrong to pursue this case against the Agents. It was wrong to defend Johnny Sutton, the U.S. Attorney who prosecuted them. It was wrong to lie to Congress about the two falsely-accused Agents.

We warned the President that unless he cleans house on his own, fires Johnny Sutton, frees the Agents, and rids the DOJ and Homeland Security of those who lie to Congress, the Democrats in Congress will conduct a hostile investigation into this matter, which may result in not only a Democrat-controlled Congress in 2008, but the loss of the White House to the Democrats as well.

Senator Feinstein's memo to the President concerning the release of Ramos and Compean should be the least of Mr. Bush's worries. If Senate Democrats choose to pursue this matter further, exposing the corruption of the Sutton-DOJ-Homeland Security debacle in handling this case, the President may well find himself in a tanker-load of legal hot water.

The more digging the Democrats in the Senate do, the more I am sure the President wishes he had cooperated with Republicans in the House in their attempt to do the right thing.

The President now has political enemies breathing down his neck on the Border Patrol scandal. The Dianne Feinstein memo is only the beginning.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Democrats to Tax Cigar Industry Out of Business

Washington, DC (TLS). Fred Thompson likes them. So does Tom Tancredo. My grandfather loved them--he kept one in his mouth all day long and lived to be 80.

Bill Clinton smoked them. Sometimes he loved to smell them after they had been in a certain place.

This writer loves them too. But the Democrats in Congress are intent on running cigar companies out of business with a massive, unprecedented tax increase of draconian proportions.

Cigar aficionados and manufacturers were aghast upon hearing the news today that Democrats in Congress are planning on slapping a 10 DOLLAR PER CIGAR federal tax on premium stogies.

The Boston Tea Party was organized over much less of an affront to citizens that this.

For example, if a customer goes into his/her favorite cigar shop and buys three Fuentes at 3 bucks a piece, the total bill for that purchase will be at least $39.00. Nine dollars of that total will be for the cigars, and thirty dollars will be for the federal tax, and that does not even count state and local sales taxes.

Congress is justifying its robbery of the citizens by saying it will use the funds from these astronomical taxes to 'pay for child healthcare.'

To put it simply, BALDERDASH!

The proposals the Democrats have put on the table for child healthcare are simply a method for initiating socialized medicine in increments, starting with children.

And they are not just targeting the poor. They want ALL children covered by the government, regardless of need.

The Liberty Sphere has long advocated the consideration of methods to insure those who lack access to the nation's healthcare system. There are ways to accomplish this without the government taking over and dismantling American free enterprise.

We have no objection to implementing methods to cover the children of the poor. But we vehemently object to the government doing it and implementing a blanket socialized federal system that covers even those children whose parents have very good private insurance.

The Democrats hope they can pull this off by referring to the plan as a 'sin tax' to 'pay for children's healthcare.' After all, who can argue with that?

This is what they are counting on.

I don't buy it.

Their plan is a ruse to get a foot in the door of socialized medicine, using children as their first experiment. Every single one of them should be ashamed.

As for their 10-bucks-per-cigar federal tax, the outrageous, over-the-top, asinine nature of this proposal simply boggles the mind. The notion of such a thing is more evidence of the oppressive nature of Democrats with regard to taxation. They never saw a tax increase they didn't like.

And this time, apparently the bigger the increase the better.

And remember, these government thieves are planning on allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire in 2010, which will amount to the single largest tax increase in U.S. history.

Perhaps all of us cigar smokers should somehow pile up all the Democrats into a room so that we can light up and blow cigar smoke in their faces. Take that, Pelosi. Reid, here's something for your lungs!

No wonder these clowns have a national approval rating at a mere 16%.

To find out more about how the Democrats' cigar tax will effect American business, click here:
http://www.sptimes.com/2007/07/17/Business/Cigarmakers_in_a_pani.shtml

UPDATE! Intel Shows More on Al Qaeda Plot

Washington, DC (TLS). Secret intelligence reports declassified by the government today were released to the Associated Press. The reports indicate that Al Qaeda's threat level to the U.S. is much higher than at any point since 9/11, as we have previously reported.

The updated information contained in the intel details precisely how Al Qaeda plans to use its vast networking resources to mount a massive terrorist strike against the U.S.

Click here for the details of report:
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8QEBV080&show_article=1

Second Amendment News Roundup for 7/18/07

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Washington, DC (TLS). Here is today's Second Amendment News Roundup:

A Keyboard and a .45 reports that Chicago's Mayor Daley is coming after the guns:

Say Uncle points to an article that describes seven danger signs that things are escalating toward a homicide during the committing of a crime:

The Buckeye Firearms Association says that the Sandusky Register's published list of citizens who are registered concealed carry handgun owners is filled with errors:

John Lott's op-ed on guns was published on Tuesday in the Philadelphia Enquirer:

Traction Control wonders if there is move afoot to put together a Fred Thompson-Newt Gingrich ticket:

Blonde Sagacity has important information that indicates the so-called 'Haditha Massacre' in Iraq never happened. So far it appears our soldiers acted appropriately, despite Congressman John Murtha's (and John Kerry's) charges that our troops were 'slaughtering innocent people':

McCarville has a picture that reminds me of one of the reasons I love southerners. In this case, even the highway signs show where you are:

For those who may be interested in this sort of thing (and I am), Cap'n Bob and the Damsel has links to a website that carefully rebuffs the global warming hypothesis of Al Gore and RFK Jr.:

Snow Flakes in Hell has more information on the antics of the ATF:

Nicki at the Liberty Zone blogs on what happens to you if you have to defend yourself with a firearm in the country of Denmark:

The Jet Pilot has this satirical video from Fox News on the campaign to ban guns completely:

A Human Right has this excellent piece on effective guns:

And finally, Xavier Thoughts has this item:


Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Senate Investigates Border Patrol Scandal

Washington, DC (TLS). The U.S. Senate has opened an investigation into the Border Patrol scandal that sent two innocent men, Agents Ramos and Compean, to prison. Each of the men will be in jail for over a decade.

President Bush's friend and crony from Texas, U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton, has made sure that anyone who seriously enforces U.S. law on illegal aliens will have a heavy price to pay. His intimidation tactics at the border have put a blanket of fear over those who attempt to control illegal border crossings.

The House of Representatives has repeatedly attempted to gain the cooperation of the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Justice Department in investigating wrongdoing on the part of the government in prosecuting and convicting two innocent men.

However, the White House, the DHS, and the DOJ have essentially told the House of Representatives it can go to hell.

U.S. Representative Tom Tancredo, R-Colorado, was even contacted by Karl Rove to be informed that he would no longer have access to the White House.

Tancredo has been a persistent warrior on behalf of the two falsely accused and imprisoned Border Patrol agents.

Another great American patriot in Congress who has sought truth and justice in this case is Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-California. Officials in the Bush Administration even admitted to lying to Rohrabacher's committee, which was investigating the scandal.

Despite the investigations, the pleas, and the threats of Republican Congressmen, absolutely nothing has been done to rectify one of the most despicable displays of prosecutorial misconduct and government corruption in the history of the U.S. Justice Department.

Not even the persistent pleas of the highly respected and longtime Republican Congressman from California, Duncan Hunter, could convince the Administration to do the right thing.

The Bush Administration may well regret that it did not cooperate with Rohrabacher, Tancredo, and Hunter. The U.S. Senate, under the control of Democrats, has now seized the issue.

Thus, no longer is the White House dealing with its friends in Congress. It will now go head-to-head with those who have a vested interest in completely destroying the Bush White House and putting a permanent stain on the legacy of this Administration.

To be perfectly candid, the Administration had it coming. They have brought this on themselves. By refusing to do the right thing and free the innocent Border Patrol agents, fire Johnny Sutton, and launch an investigation into government corruption of its own, the Bush White House will now suffer the consequences--a completely hostile investigation.

Normally The Liberty Sphere views investigations launched by Democrats in Congress as nothing more than political opportunism at its worst. In this case, however, we find ourselves fully supporting the Democrats in the Senate who wish to get to the bottom of this horrific scandal.

Perhaps this is one case where both Republicans and Democrats can work together to reign in an Administration that apparently operates under the assumption that it can do whatever it wants, legal or not.

Mr. Bush could help himself tremendously by admitting to the mistakes of Johnny Sutton and others, firing those who need to be ousted, and taking responsibility for those in his Administration who were neither ethical nor trustworthy.

I fear that unless Mr. Bush does his own housecleaning now, the Democrats will surely do it in 2008 with a massive sweep that will put both the White House and the Congress under their control.

And such a thing would be ominous for the country.

Read the complete story of the Senate investigation here:
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewNation.asp?Page=/Nation/archive/200707/NAT20070716a.html

UPDATE! Trial Date Set for Eric McLean

Knoxville, TN (TLS). Eric McLean, the Knoxville man who shot his wife's teenage lover after the man intruded into the McLean home, will go on trial for the murder of Sean Powell on January 21, 2008.

McLean was released on bond in May.

29-year-old Erin McLean, wife of the accused, was a student teacher intern from the University of Tennessee, serving at West High School in Knoxville. It was there that she met Sean Powell, who had been one of her students.

In December of 2006 Powell dropped out of school and moved to Nashville to live with his formerly estranged mother. While living in Nashville Powell confessed to his mother of his affair with Erin McLean.

A series of text messages between Powell and Erin McLean show that Erin had begged the teenager to return to Knoxville.

Shortly thereafter, Powell traveled to the McLean home in Knoxville, where he had slept in his car for two nights prior to entering the home. The circumstances surrounding Powell's entrance into the McLean home are a bit murky.

Eric McLean placed a 9-1-1 phone call to report an intruder, yet he told the dispatcher that he knew who the intruder was. Later Erin McLean called 9-1-1 to report that her husband had shot Sean Powell outside the home in Powell's car.

Police apprehended Eric McLean some six hours later walking along a railroad track outside of Knoxville and carrying a shotgun. He had parked his car at the school where his wife had met Sean Powell.

Eric told police that he had known about the affair between his wife and Powell, and that even one of the McLean children had told him that their mother had been seen walking hand in hand with Sean Powell in a park.

Upon Eric's arrest and incarceration, Erin McLean moved with the children to Nashville to stay with relatives. Shortly thereafter she was taken to a local hospital for treatment for a suicide attempt.

Eric McLean has admitted to killing Sean Powell, but his attorney maintains it was a crime of passion, the result of Erin McLean's sordid affair with a teenage student--an affair conducted with the full knowledge of the McLean children.

Considered a minimal flight risk, Eric McLean will remain free pending the results of his trial in January of 2008.

Second Amendment News Roundup for 7/17/07

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Washington, DC (TLS). Here is today's Second Amendment News Roundup:

Snow Flakes In Hell helps to alleviate at least some of our fears concerning the new gun legislation in Pennsylvania, which had the backing of both the NRA and gun-control advocates:

The Jet Pilot has a five-minute video that shows why it is good to be armed:

Blogonomicon shows us a media hit piece against Ron Paul. Dr. Paul is one of the strongest advocates in the country today for unrestricted Second Amendment rights:

A Keyboard and a .45 gives us a gun show report from this past weekend:

Front Sight, Press has the news about OSHA's retreat from at least some of its proposed new rules that take dead aim at the ammo industry:

Gun Law News reports that DC Mayor Adrian Fenty is going to proceed with his appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court concerning the Parker gun case:

John Lott says that his new book, Freedomnomics, has received a good review from National Review Online. Concerning National Review, I cut my political teeth on this magazine back in the day when William F. Buckley was in charge. Click here to go to Lott's comments about the review:

Liestoppers is one of the best blogs in the nation with regard to legal issues, particularly with regard to prosecutorial misconduct. This was the blog that broke the story on the Duke lacrosse rape scandal being a hoax. Take a look at one of their latest articles on 'Obstruction of Justice':

The McCarville Report has the latest news on Senator Jim Inhofe's campaign fundraising so far, in his bid to retain his U.S. Senate Seat. Gun Owners of America rates Sen. Inhofe as one of the top supporters of gun rights in the nation:

The Volokh Conspiracy has an excellent and timely article on self-defense laws. In some states it is illegal to use NON-LETHAL self-defense in situations where the victim can safely retreat. This article has a complete analysis of the issue:

The Bitch Girls say that Virginia has elected an asshole. I am much prone to agree. This guy's volatile personality, on display this weekend in an exchange with a Senate colleague, only proves the point:

Traction Control has the latest of Barack Obama's overt proposals to ban guns:

Say Uncle reports on Jessie Jackson's latest gun-ban shenanigans:

Finally, the Buckeye Firearms Association posts an article on 'Our Gun Legacy - Good or Bad?':

Monday, July 16, 2007

'DC Madam' Senator Emerges From Seclusion

Washington, DC (TLS). Senator David Vitter, R-Louisiana, emerged from seclusion today a week after admitting to utilizing the services of the alleged 'DC Madam,' Deborah Palfrey.

Vitter and his wife Wendy appeared before cameras to answer charges that he had also been a patron of an escort service in New Orleans. Vitter denied those charges.

Continuing to apologize for his behavior from 1999 to 2001, when he was in the House of Representatives, Vitter stated that he had worked hard to save his marriage and to be a reputable example of the principles he has espoused publicly.

Both David and spouse Wendy spoke of the restorative power of forgiveness.

Vitter made no mention of any plans to resign his Senate seat and indicated that he was eager to get back to work on behalf of the people of Louisiana.

The Senator was a key figure in the recent defeat of the Kennedy/McCain/Bush immigration amnesty bill. Vitter was a staunch opponent of key provisions of the bill and helped to secure its defeat.

If for no other reason than his effective opposition to the amnesty bill, The Liberty Sphere believes Senator Vitter to be a valuable member of the Senate, regardless of his personal indiscretions nearly a decade ago.

Click here for a report on the Vitter news conference:

http://news.aol.com/story/_a/senator-under-brothel-cloud-surfaces/20070716184409990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001

LIBERTY ALERT! More Gun Control in Pennsylvania

Washington, DC (TLS). Citing the need to address gun violence in the state, the legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania passed a gun control bill that will require police departments to trace all illegal firearms confiscated from people under the age of 21 and report the guns to a state-police-run registry.

The other part of the bill will expand the definition of firearm under state law to include long-guns such as rifles and shotguns, providing more uniform application of state law.

The NRA worked with gun control advocates to pass this legislation.

As previously noted, it appears to us that the NRA is increasingly compromising important principles of liberty in order to cut deals with the devil.

Read the entire story here:
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/home_region/20070716_Pa__legislature_passes_gun-control_bill.html

Muslim Congressman Compares Bush To Hitler

Washington, DC (TLS). Speaking to a group of atheists, America's first Muslim Congressman, Keith Ellison, D-MN, compared President Bush to Adolph Hitler.

Asserting that the Muslim Jihadist suicide attack on the World Trade Center was another 'Reichstag' in Germany just prior to the Nazi takeover of the country, the Democratic Congressman from Minnesota stated that George W. Bush used 9/11 as an excuse to take over the country like the Nazis.

Believe me, Congressman, if that were true, you would have already been arrested for merely making your recent remarks.

The Reichstag was Berlin's parliament building that was burned in 1933. The Nazis used the burning of the building to justify a massive expansion of government power, eventually resulting in the registration and subsequent confiscation of citizens' firearms.

But this was only the beginning of woes.

Many historians believe that the burning of the Reichstag was the turning point in the consolidation of power by the Third Reich, giving Hitler broad powers to suppress dissent, control the media, outlaw free speech except that which favored the Nazis, and the massive, systematic incarceration of racial minorities and political dissidents.

Obviously, Ellison has not been reading his history. A mere cursory reading of the history of the rise and fall of Hitler will reveal that the measures taken by the Third Reich to oppress and dominate an entire population, leading to mass genocide, are in no way similar to the U.S. response to the Twin Tower attack.

80 million of us still have our guns, and we have no intention of ever giving them up.

We still have the freedom to dissent, or else Moveon.org would have been shut down.

For that matter, Ellison would be arrested for comparing Bush to Hitler!

The Press is certainly free, or else the New York Times could not continue its daily Bush-bash.

Ellison's charge that the Twin Towers attack was used by the Bush Administration as an excuse to dominate citizens is simply more of the conspiracy theorists' drivel, such as Rosie O'Donald's, which maintains that the whole thing was an inside job to justify to the public the government seizing power.

In actuality, these charges are a ruse to cover up the real threats to American liberty on the part of Leftists who wish to socialize medicine, use Fidel Castro's Communist healthcare system as a model for the U.S., take the profits of U.S. corporations right out of the hands of the stockholders in order to build up government coffers, strip the citizens of their right to bear firearms, etc, etc, ad nauseum.

One more thing before I finish with Ellison and his ilk. Look at who is at the forefront of the gun-control movement in America today. Who is it that votes to pass more restrictions year by year on gun owners? Who is it that insists that we must have massive registration drives to 'prevent more tragedies such as Virginia Tech'? Who is it that supports government gathering more information on citizens in order to determine who is 'worthy' to own a gun?

I can tell you it is not the Republicans, the Libertarians, or conservative Independents!

Just remember, it was the Nazi Party in Germany that supported firearms registration. Once the database was in place, they undertook a systematic plan to confiscate those guns from every single citizen in Germany.

Perhaps Mr. Ellison should reconsider just who are the real Nazis in America today.

For the news article on Ellison's remarks, click here:
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=56656

Second Amendment News Roundup for 7/16/07

Washington, DC (TLS). There's lots of news on the gun blogs over the weekend, so let's get to it:

Let's start with Cap'n Bob and the Damsel. Bob has added rosewood grips to his new Smith & Wesson revolver, giving it a beautiful finish. Being a big Smith & Wesson fan myself, I couldn't resist linking to the pic:
http://capnbob.us/blog/2007/07/14/rosewood-grips/

Xavier Thoughts has some helpful practical tactics for concealed carry:
http://xavierthoughts.blogspot.com/2007/07/fight-realistic-practical-tactics-for.html

Front Sight, Press has the complete run-down on the defeat of those who attempted to gut the Tiahrt Amendment in the House, including the main players on both sides, and the Brady Campaign's propaganda:
http://www.snubnose.info/wordpress/news/us-house-appropriations-committee-preserves-tiahrt-amendment/

Blogonomicon has a word from the Second Amendment Foundation to Paul Helmke of the Brady Campaign:
http://blogonomicon.eponym.com/blog/_archives/2007/7/14/3092109.html

The McCarville Report gives us a run-down on the latest news from Oklahoma, including a brief assessment of Fred Thompson's prospects for success in the state:
http://wwwtmrcom.blogspot.com/2007/07/gadfly-on-wall.html

John Lott presents a critical look at the new 'Hill and Bill' Show, as supposed 'feminist' Hillary Clinton takes husband Bill on her campaign tour:
http://johnrlott.tripod.com/2007/07/what-feminist-candidate.html

Congratulations to Blonde Sagacity on her 3rd anniversary in the blogosphere. Dang, if that woman weren't married I'd be planning on a quick trip up to Philly myself (she is a complete knock-out of a beauty):
http://mobyrebuttal.blogspot.com/2007/07/blogiversary-3-years.html

The Bitch Girls blog about the gun-grabbing Governor of Illinois and his penchant for recklessly spending taxpayers' money:
http://www.thebitchgirls.us/?p=7136

Speaking of Illinois, Armed and Safe points out that even more counties in the state are continuing to pass resolutions in support of the Second Amendment, in defiance of the Governor and other gun-grabbers in Chicago:
http://armedandsafe.blogspot.com/2007/07/more-illinois-counties-reject-chicago.html

Well, it seems our...ahem... 'friends' over at the Brady Campaign have started a blog. But as Sebastian at Snow Flakes in Hell points out, the blog has not exactly been successful in living up to its purpose:
http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/?p=1040

Nicki at The Liberty Zone reports that a very astute and well-trained 13-year-old boy saved his friend from an attack by using a gun:
http://libertyzone.blogspot.com/2007/07/13-year-old-uses-scary-rifle-to-save.html

The Buckeye Firearms Association has an article on the national 'Stand Your Ground' Movement, based upon the new law passed in Texas that expands the definition of 'the Castle Doctrine.' This article provides much food for thought, even if one cannot agree with all of it:
http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/article3846.html

A Keyboard and a .45 posts some information about an anti-gun bumper-sticker campaign in a certain city:
http://akeyboardanda45.blogspot.com/2007/07/how-to-stop-violence.html

The Ninth Stage writes about the stupid overreaction of some citizens in Franklin, Tennessee over a 'gun on school grounds':
http://ninthstage.com/index.php/2007/07/13/concerned-in-franklin/

Say Uncle has some examples of gun dealers 'under the gun':
http://www.saysuncle.com/archives/2007/07/13/gun_dealers_under_the_err_gun/

Finally, The Jet Pilot has a hilarious spoof of Hillary Clinton, based upon the video 'Got a Crush on Obama.' This one is entitled, 'Hott 4 Hill':
http://ajetpilot.blogspot.com/2007/07/hott-4-hill.html

Sunday, July 15, 2007

American Healthcare, Economics, and Politics

Washington, DC (TLS). Healthcare in the U.S. was bound to be a campaign issue with someone like Hillary Clinton running for President. People on the far-left have long targeted American healthcare as a golden apple just ripe for the picking in terms of their plan to gradually socialize the economic system of the country.

Healthcare is a perfect place to start, given that part of the system is already socialized, such as the government-run V.A. hospital system.

In addition, Hillary had already proposed sweeping changes to the system back in 1992 just after her husband was elected to the White House.

That proposal would have dismantled free enterprise in healthcare, placed physicians under the employment of the federal government, taken away the citizens' right to choose their own physicians, and ushered in medical care rationing based upon the decisions of someone in a massive bureaucracy hundreds of miles away.

The tax increases to pay for such a system would have been astronomical.

Yet Hillary is back, and this time she is running for President. And she has help in promoting socialized medicine with the Commie-loving movie-maker, Michael Moore, visiting his buddy Fidel Castro down in Cuba to show Americans how much better off we would be with a Communist healthcare system.

Our favorite intellectual, Dr. Walter Williams, economist extraordinaire, recently warned about socialized medicine. A small minority, less than 10% of Americans, do not have health insurance. This means upwards of 90% of citizens have health coverage.

With his characteristic wit and logic, Williams questions the rationality of dismantling an entire healthcare system that works for over 80% of the population in order to cover the small minority that does not have coverage.

Such a thing would be tantamount to dismantling the entire auto sales industry, streamlining and making uniform one single, small, utilitarian vehicle, made by the government, that would be offered to the masses for nearly nothing, so that people at the bottom 10% of the economic ladder would be able to afford clean, cheap transportation.

The only problem is that the other 90% or so would no longer be allowed to buy nicer vehicles. Everyone would have to drive the same thing so that the poorest among us would benefit.

For the rich this would mean no more Porsche. Bye bye Mercedes. And as for Jaguars, Vipers, Hummers, and other expensive toys of the rich--begone!

In short, such a view of economics is not only shortsighted, it is a study in abject failure. Such a system has never worked over the long haul. When people are not allowed to possess the rewards of their success and hard work, all motivation to excell is squelched.

At Walter Reed Army Hospital, the scene of the scandal involving vermin-infested rooms and outdated facilities that had fallen into disrepair, the shocking news came that at that same government-run facility the 'elites' get the deluxe treatment with luxury suites and all of the amenities of home, while our war heroes are treated to the bland uniformity of a minimalized facility where no one truly wants to be.

Does this really surprise anyone in a socialistic system?

The old Communist Soviet Union was run the same way. The masses were treated to 'socialized uniformity'--that bland and bare-bones way of living in government run housing projects, where residents shared one bathroom per floor. Yet the government elites within the Communist Party were treated like royalty.

In any socialistic system there are elites just as there are in capitalism. And those elites are treated better than anyone else, just as the rich are treated better in a capitalistic system.

Thus, in Hillary's 'brave new world' the elites will still get all of the best while the rest of us peons get the bland uniformity of socialism...such as being placed on a 10-year waiting list for a hip replacement, which is common in countries with socialized medicine.

And you could be dead before they get around to your name on the list for heart-valve replacement.

Does anyone honestly believe that if such a system were implemented in the U.S. that Hillary Clinton, Barbra Streisand, Michael Moore, Nancy Pelosi, John Kerry, George Soros, John Edwards, or Dianne Feinstein would be treated exactly the same way in the healthcare system as the rest of us?

If you believe that, I have some swamp-land in....well, you know.

The simple fact is that free markets always favor the masses, and the masses fare much better in a free market system than they do in a socialized system. As Dr. Williams points out, the auto industry does not stay afloat by making cars just for the super-rich. If they did, they would go out of business. Rather, the mass production of well-made, safe, and relatively inexpensive autos to 'the common guy' is where the big money is.

The same is true in healthcare. When the open market is allowed to function at its fullest potential, without interference from government, the system stays afloat by marketing healthcare to the masses. This is where the money is.

And that money has enabled American technology to rise to the forefront of the medical industry. This means new and better treatments can be developed.

Instead of dismantling the best healthcare system in the world for the sake of the small minority, why not instead address the issue of how to get those who are outside the loop insured?

They are ways to do this without throwing the baby out with the bath water.