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April 30, 2007
Abortion, The Supreme Court & Congress
The United States Supreme Court Building
The Supreme Court of the United States recently upheld the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003, upholding a ban of a particular procedure involved in second trimester abortions. The procedure is described as intact "dilation and evacuation." Intact dilation and evacuation is a procedure where "the doctor dilates the cervix and then inserts surgical instruments into the uterus and maneuvers them to grab the fetus and pull it back through the cervix and vagina."
Posted by sjames at 09:06 AM | Comments (3)
April 26, 2007
Obama Soars Clinton Bores
Why have a debate? AP has already written its lede: It's 3:15. The big South Carolina Democratic debate starts in 45 minutes. But you don't have to actually watch it. AP's Nedra Pickler has already filed her story, in the past tense.
Democratic presidential candidates largely stood together Thursday in support of a U.S. troop withdrawal from Iraq and then sought to separate themselves on the details in the first primary debate of the 2008 race.
Posted by sjames at 10:03 PM | Comments (2)
Slate Magazine posted the following video on John McCain and his new hit song, Bomb Bomb Bomb-Bomb Iran.
From Slate Magazine:
damned spot: Political ads dissected and explained.
MoveOn.org Bombs McCain The politics of McCain's Iran ditty.
By Andy Bowers and John Dickerson
Posted Friday, April 20, 2007, at 6:24 PM ET
John McCain is enjoying his first big YouTube moment of the presidential campaign. He made a joke about bombing Iran at a town hall in South Carolina, it was captured on video, and the liberal group MoveOn.org immediately pounced, turning it into a television ad. Does being attacked by the liberal organization help or hurt the Republican candidate? Sometimes, in politics, your enemies can be your best friends.
Posted by sjames at 05:50 AM | Comments (1)
April 24, 2007
Blake Baxter: One Soldier's View-War without End
It continues to amaze me at how the corporate news media controls the language of our national debate on critical issues. Maybe it is because news has become tied to the 15 second sound bite. Maybe it is something more sinister.
At the present moment this country should be having a reasoned debate on the future course of the War in Iraq and the War on Terror. Instead of encouraging that debate, the corporate news media continues to feed us inflammatory headlines about Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Syria; war funding and the need to support the troops; Democratic retreat or withdrawal; and now Senator Reid’s supposed comment that the war is lost.
What I heard Senator Reid say was that if we continue on the President’s course, the War in Iraq is lost. Now all the headlines simply scream “The War is Lost”.
The fact is that Senator Reid did not say anything new. General Patreaus, the President’s handpicked Iraq commander, has repeatedly said that the war can not be won militarily. Generals Sanchez and Casey have repeatedly said that the war can not be won militarily. Admiral Fallon has said that the war can not be won militarily. The Iraq Study Group said that the war can not be won militarily.
Click here to read more of One Soldier's View
Posted by sjames at 09:30 PM | Comments (0)
Congressman Lincoln Davis Readiness is the key to troop performance
Modern political debate of U.S. military readiness dates to the years preceding World War II when the majority of Americans had an isolationist view of foreign policy.
Recently, this became a major issue during the 2000 presidential campaign. Today, as we grapple with the consequences of Iraq, the subject of military readiness is at the forefront, as it should. The mobility of our armed forces to be called up on short notice can't be understated. It's equally important our military is properly trained to handle any situation that may arise.
One example of the military expanding its training is at Tullahoma, where the Air Force may locate their Common Battlefield Airman Training program. Increased demands being placed on the Airmen for ground-based combat support has shown this training to be needed.
Posted by sjames at 09:26 PM | Comments (1)
April 23, 2007
Boris Yeltzin Dead
Boris Yeltzin, the man responsible for bringing democracy to the Soviet Union died at the age of 76. NPR describes Yeltzin as being a catalyst for Russian change. Yeltsin is an historic figure, leaving a mixed legacy.
NPR reports "Yeltsin built up vast powers, which he handed over to Vladimir Putin in exchange for guarantees that he would never be prosecuted, said Shevtsova.
"He began as a terminator of the Soviet system, he began as a grave digger," said Shevtsova. "But how did he finish? He ended being a helpless, inadequate, pathetic old man, hostage of the close Kremlin entourage and of his own family — a kind of a puppet on the string… a very dramatic and tragic personality.""
Posted by sjames at 05:25 PM | Comments (0)
April 21, 2007
Harold Ford Jr: Candidates need big ideas, not big money
During the first three months of 1999, vice president Al Gore raised $9 million in campaign cash for his 2000 presidential bid, the most a candidate had ever collected in the first quarter of the year before an election.
Gore's feat wouldn't even rank him in the top tier of candidates for 2008. The top three candidates in both parties smashed his mark. During the first quarter of 2007, Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) and Barack Obama (Ill.), the leaders of the Democratic pack, nearly tripled Gore's total. The pauper of the top-tier group, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), raised $12.5 million. That's fundraising on steroids.
Posted by sjames at 10:17 AM | Comments (1)
Gonzales Must Resign
The Washington Post reports that "Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), the [Senate Judiciary Committee's] most conservative member, joined Sen. Charles E. Schumer ( N.Y.) and other committee Democrats in calling on [US Attorney General] Gonzales to resign."
Gonzales testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee. His testimony resulted in Senator Coburn stating "I believe there's consequences for mistakes. . . . And I believe the best way to put this behind us is your resignation..."
Posted by sjames at 09:37 AM | Comments (1)
April 18, 2007
Rapper Racism
Last week, Don Imus was fired by CBS for making a racial comment about the Rutgers women's basketball team. The following are words from Rapper Nelly's video for a song Tip Drill. Rapper Nelly makes millions office music. Click here to view the video of Tip Drill.
The song Tip Drill is offensive to women, potraying black women in a highly negative light. Nelly is making millions from his song which degrades women, and paints black women in a manner just as reprhensible as Don Imus. Shouldn't the record label producing this music fire Nelly? What about pulling the song from the airwaves, and the Internet? Are we setting double standards?
We can only hope that Al Sharpton uses the Imus experience to target songs like Tip Drill. This song is racist, degrading and offensive--
Click here to read more at Free Speech America to include the lyrics from Tip Drill
Posted by sjames at 12:26 PM | Comments (2)
April 17, 2007
Its all in a name
When we are born, we are given a name. We keep our name throughout our lives, and when we die we are remembered by our name. After we leave this worldly life, one thing stays behind--our name.
In honor of those who died in Virginia this week, here is a list of their names--we will never forget these names, these names are the lasting memorial of each of these individual's existence.
Read the list of names by clicking here.
Posted by sjames at 09:21 PM | Comments (0)
Virgina Tech Gunman was a student
Officials are reporting gunman was a student. Read more by clicking here on Free Speech America.
Posted by sjames at 09:36 AM | Comments (0)
32 people died at Virginia Tech in the worst shooting massacre in US history. Click here to view a video report on the worst shooting massacre in US history.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of the families and victims of this horrific nightmare.
Free Speech America.
Posted by sjames at 06:17 AM | Comments (0)
April 16, 2007
Where have all the leaders gone?
Is our country going to the dogs? Lee Iacocca apparently thinks so. Here is an excerpt from his new book Where have all the leaders gone?
Am I the only guy in this country who's fed up with what's happening? Where the hell is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder. We've got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state right over a cliff, we've got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can't even clean up after a hurricane much less build a hybrid car. But instead of getting mad, everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say, "Stay the course."
Stay the course? You've got to be kidding. This is America, not the damned Titanic. I'll give you a sound bite: Throw the bums out!
Read more at Free Speech America.
Posted by sjames at 09:30 PM | Comments (0)
April 12, 2007
Going too Far
By Stuart James
On April 11, 2007 I woke up to an article in the Chattanooga Times Free Press with the caption " Imus asks on show: Where [is] Harold?"
As all of you know, Don Imus is involved in a firestorm regarding his comments about the Ruetgers Women's Basketball team. This article in the Chattanooga Times Free Press attempts to indirectly link Harold Ford Jr. to this controversy, less than 24 hours before Congressman Ford is to appear in Chattanooga to honor the local Democratic Party. The article is a blantant attempt to discredit Mr. Ford, and a blatant attempt to cloud his visit to Chattanooga.
Did the Chattanooga Times Free Press do the same when President Bush came to town, a visit designed to hail the State's Governor's work on health care when he knew he was going to make medicare/medicade rule changes that will cost the State millions? The answer is no.
Click here to read more at Free Speech America
Posted by sjames at 03:04 PM | Comments (0)
Ford calls Imus Remarks Reprehensible
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) - Former Tennessee congressman and U.S. Senate candidate Harold Ford Jr., a frequent guest on Don Imus' radio program, called Imus a good friend and a decent man Wednesday, but condemned his remarks about the Rutgers women's basketball team.
Imus triggered an uproar April 4 when he referred to the mostly black basketball team as "nappy-headed hos." MSNBC announced Wednesday it would stop simulcasting his radio show.
Ford, who lost a bid in November to become the first black Southerner elected to the U.S. Senate in more than a century, was Imus' favored candidate during the race against Republican Bob Corker, who is white.
Read More at Free Speech America
Posted by sjames at 02:58 PM | Comments (1)
April 10, 2007
Larry Birkhead is the Father.
It is amazing, with a war in Iraq, the security of the country at risk, education funding a problem in many states, Americans wanting honesty in their leaders, and an Attorney General apparently involved in a massive political cover up, the news outlets are reporting that Larry Birkhead is the father of Anna Nicole Smith's daughter--and this is the lead story of the day?
Read more and view a video by clicking her to go to Free Speech America.
Posted by sjames at 09:45 PM | Comments (1)
April 09, 2007
Don Imus on the Ropes
- CBS Radio and MSNBC both said they were suspending Don Imus' morning talk show for two weeks following his reference last week to members of the Rutgers women's basketball team as "nappy-headed hos."
The suspension begins next Monday.
Read and see more at Free Speech America by clicking here.
Posted by sjames at 08:44 PM | Comments (3)
April 08, 2007
Andrew Berke: Is Justice Really Blind?
One of the principles that we all believe about justice is that it is blind. Justice does not pay attention to power, party, gender, or race. It is an unstoppable march to the truth.
These ideals show why the public is so upset with the recent Attorney General scandal. The Attorney General, after all, heads the Department of Justice. When we learn that the person we have charged with leading our search for truth has made decisions based on political concerns and then made misleading statements about his role in the process; we cannot help our disappointment.
Click here to read more at Free Speech America.
Posted by sjames at 08:02 PM | Comments (0)
April 06, 2007
Does Sanjaya have Mojo?
Sanjaya: Undeniably Untalented
He is undeniably untalented. He is undeniably the worst Idol ever. Sanjaya, the American Idol phenomenon, continues to survive each week with people voting to put him back on the show.
Do not get us wrong, Sanjaya is not a phenomenon because of his great talent, he is a phenomenon because he is an incredibly horrible singer.
So why are millions voting for an untalented singer? Is it his looks? His style? His hair? His smile? No one knows the real answer but one thing is for sure-it cannot be for his singing.
Sanjaya may have something we all hope for-Austin Powers had it- that magical mojo. Those of us who are not Sanjaya fans certainly hope he loses his mojo soon. Otherwise, with Sanjaya's mojo we may elect the worst American Idol ever.
Click here to read more at Free Speech America
Posted by sjames at 11:57 AM | Comments (0)
April 01, 2007
Americans to Bush: Sign Timeline for Troops
A majority of Americans want a timeline for troop withdrawal in Iraq. The President does not. Democrats are listening to the American people. Bush is not. Our leadership, here and abroad, is in peril. John Bailes, Hamilton County Democratic Party Chairman, talks about this critical moment in our political history.
Click here to read more on John Bailes American's To Bush message on Free Speech America
Posted by wjbailes at 11:40 PM | Comments (0)
Bush--My Way or the Highway
Matthew Dowd is a former aide to President Bush. Mr. Dowd was a top strategist for Texas Democrats. He, during his years as a Democrat, became disappointed by Bill Clinton. Mr. Dowd met President George W. Bush and was impressed when Bush made a pledge to bring "a spirit of cooperation to Washington." Mr. Dowd, thereafter, joined the President's political team and dedicated the next six years of his political life to "getting him [Bush] to the oval office and keeping him there."
Click here to Read more at Free Speech America
Posted by sjames at 01:49 PM | Comments (1)
One Soldier’s View: Whack-a-Mole
SSGT Blake Baxter in Iraq
Last week I received the bloody pictures of a human head. The head belonged to a suicide bomber who struck in Balad Ruz, Iraq. The photograph of the suicide bomber is one of a number of pictures that my friend, an Iraqi Police captain, sent me in the last month.
Click here to Read More at Free Speech America
Posted by sjames at 01:37 PM | Comments (0)
Buying Votes with Pork
This cartoon appeared in the Sunday, April 1 edition of the Chattanooga Times Free Press. Is it possible, the troop funding bill the President says is needed for our troops is loaded with pork?
The recent battle over the nonbinding resolution for a troop pullout in Iraq, and for a March 2008 deadline to end the war in Iraq is in the headlines daily. The President blames Congress for delaying funding for our troops, funding giving our troops the tools they need to win the war on terror. The President is threatening a veto of the legislation which fully funds his Iraqi war plan, but has a nonbinding resolution for a troop pullout and calls for a March 2008 end of the war. Admittedly, the legislation contains pork, funding measures that help fund local programs for members of Congress. The pork is disturbing when it is related to a spending bill regarding the war in Iraq, and the nonbinding resolution on Iraq.
Click here to read more at Free Speech America
Posted by sjames at 01:25 PM | Comments (0)