Some have recently pondered the origin of inspiration for Barack Obama’s recent speeches. Some have said he draws from JFK, others cite Reagan, and still others say MLK. Using my professional analytical skills, my keen feel for public opinion, as well as my extensive knowledge of history and culture, I’ve located the fountain of oratorical inspiration from which Obama drinks:
Yesterday Congressman David Davis testified before a House Subcommittee on immigration. According to our discussion yesterday with Congressman Davis, Democrats were allowed to present three testimonies, Republicans were allowed one. The sole Republican testimony came from David Davis and his constituent, Lora Costner. Lora was the victim of identity theft by an illegal alien.
Congressman Davis has the highest rating from NumbersUSA in our Tennessee Congressional delegation on the immigration issue. He earned a score of A+.
I will post their testimony below, but first, here is the link to the original story from the Knoxville News Sentinel. I point it out because this is quite note is quite alarming regarding Tennessee law:
Douglas Valdez, 20, who authorities said used Jamey Costner’s personal information, also was found and charged with identity theft.
and then this:
A loophole in the law forced the court to cancel Valdez’s charges, Ellis explained in a letter to the IRS. Under state law, “it was not a crime to use the information (Jamey Costner’s name and Social Security number) to obtain and/or keep a job,” the detective wrote.
Do any of my attorney or state legislative readers know what loophole we have in Tennessee law that says it’s not a crime to use another person’s identity to obtain a job?!?!
Here is the testimony from Congressman Davis and Mrs. Costner. I strongly encourage you to watch the video of Mrs. Costner’s testimony. It is very powerful. I appreciate Mrs. Costner’s courage in appearing before this committee. Bless her for the trials she has endured.
Washington, D.C. – Congressman David Davis and Lora Costner of Cocke County today testified before the House Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International law on the topic of illegal immigration. The hearing was entitled “Immigration Raids: Postville and Beyond.” Both Congressman David Davis’ written testimony and Lora Costner’s are below:
TO VIEW CONGRESSMAN DAVID DAVIS’ TESTIMONY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
TO VIEW LORA COSTNER’S TESTIMONY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.
Congressman David Davis: I appreciate the opportunity to testify before this Committee on the effects illegal immigration has on communities in East Tennessee. I also thank you for your interest in the story of Lora Costner, a constituent of the First Congressional District of Tennessee and resident of Cocke County who will also testify here today.
Illegal immigration places a heavy burden on our country and our taxpayers. No more a problem limited to those counties along our borders; even Appalachia must face this threat to our economy. Families in Cocke County directly suffer from the effects of illegal immigration and our government’s inability to enforce our laws. I encourage this Committee to take Ms. Costner’s story of identity theft by an illegal immigrant as a indication of just one of the many damaging effects of lack of immigration enforcement.
Many immigrants come to Hamblen County to work in the poultry processing industry. Much like the raid in Iowa generating this hearing, the parent company of the Hamblen County plant’s operation in Cincinnati, Ohio and their Chicago headquarters were subject to ICE raids. The illegal immigrant who stole Ms. Costner’s identity used that information to gain employment at the Morristown poultry plant.
This hearing asks how we move forward with our immigration policy in light of these raids on the poultry
Our Republican leadership gets it. Energy is THE issue of the day. Gas prices are killing us. I’m glad to see the President and our GOP reps pressing the issue as hard as they can. They need to keep it up, keep hammering. From the Hill:
Senate Republicans have threatened to block nearly all other bills pending before the August recess if Democrats refuse to vote with them on expanding offshore drilling. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said bills that do not pertain to energy can wait until after the August recess, with gas prices now surpassing $4 per gallon. McConnell and top Republicans indicated Wednesday they would oppose any procedural votes to take up other legislation, which require 60 votes to succeed. “We think there is nothing more important that we can do right now than to deal with the Number One issue of the country,” McConnell said. “This is the biggest issue since terrorism right after 9/11. People are pounding on their desks, saying, Why don’t these people get together and do something about this problem?”
Even Senator Lamar Alexander gets as close to sounding like Zell Miller as I’ve ever heard him.
Listen here from his remarks on the floor: 7-23-08-sen-alexander-on-gas-prices
Did you hear Alexander? The diplomat on the political battlefield, Alexander actually tells the Dems they are attacking the energy/gas problem with all the “urgency” of naming a post office. Their solution he says, is to talk, talk, talk.
Thank you, Senator! You’re right on! Now pound your shoe on the desk. It’s OK to get fired up. As the American economy trembles under the pressure of the energy cost burden, getting fired up and taking it to the obstructionists is not a bad thing. No, it is needed ASAP.
And as Ed Morrissey points out over at HotAir, the promise of future supply is having an effect on market psychology already:
Don’t look now, but investors and speculators have taken notice of the political metamorphosis among Americans on domestic drilling — even if American politicians have been slower to do so. Since George Bush rescinded the federal moratorium on off-shore drilling and since demand for higher domestic production has increased in the face of $5 per gallon gasoline, the price of crude has dropped over $20 a barrel in less than two weeks. The stock market has improved and the dollar has strengthened at the same time:
One last point on this issue: in the House, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi says she WILL NOT allow any GOP energy legislation to make it to the floor. In a discussion with Congressman David Davis yesterday, I asked what would be the most effective action today to get our legislation heard. Congressman Davis said to call or write Congressman Nancy Pelosi. He encouraged us to send her our gas receipts. We don’t have trolley service here in Tennessee and we need to help her understand.
Pelosi from her interview this past weekend with Wolf Blitzer as transcribed in the WSJ:
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi in a July 17 interview with Wolf Blitzer of CNN, on a bill to allow offshore drilling for oil:
BLITZER: John Boehner, who’s the Republican leader in the House, he says you have to let this come up for a vote. He says that you’re walking your blue dogs, who are the moderate and conservative Democrats, and other vulnerable Democrats off a cliff by not allowing this to come up for a vote, the offshore oil drilling legislation.
PELOSI: Is that right? Well, you know, just because John Boehner, who is my friend and whom I respect, says it, doesn’t make it so. . . .
BLITZER: Are you afraid if this comes up for a vote in the House you will lose, given the support for offshore oil drilling among these so-called blue dogs, or moderate Democrats, who will join with Republicans?
PELOSI: Afraid is not a word that is in my vocabulary. . . .
BLITZER: So let me get — will you allow this issue, offshore oil drilling, to come up for a vote on the floor of the House?
PELOSI: We’re going to exhaust our other remedies in terms of increasing supply in America by…
BLITZER: So the answer is no?
PELOSI: I have no plans to do so.
Yesterday on the radio program we interviewed Roy Beck, President of NumbersUSA. Faced with either a Barack Obama or a John McCain Presidency, the average man on the street will unlikely see his belief in fairness or the rule of law reflected in the immigration debate.
On the positive side regarding the amnesty discussion in light of the Presidential candidates, Mr. Beck said one note of interest regards McCain’s comments before groups like La Raza, and that is that McCain hinges his “comprehensive” immigration reform plan on securing the borders. According to Beck, McCain never seems to really explain what securing the border will mean or entail. He’s mentioned having the Governors of border states sign off that their borders are secure. But other than that, Beck seems to think McCain realizes he can only push the base so far. And who knows, perhaps he’s leaving himself a little back out clause. Goodness knows, McCain has been more pro-amnesty than Obama and the number of votes it’s getting McCain is quite meager.
Also on the immigration issue, we talked with Mr. Beck about New Jersey’s Senator Menendez (rated on the immigration issue an F- by NumbersUSA) placing a hold on the reauthorization of E-Verify. Several states have mandated that employers use E-Verify to check the status of their employees. Unfortunately, Tennessee does not require employers to use this database, but should. Here’s a link to Beck’s post on the issue.
Pro-illegal members of Congress are also trying to throw up roadblocks on reauthorizing E-Verify, such as reauthorizing for only 3 years (in hopes that Obama will get in.)
Be sure to call your Tennessee Congressmen as well as your U.S. Senators on this subject.
Roy Beck also wanted to make sure that we know that in the past our Democrat Congressional Delegation has been one of the best on the immigration issues as compared to other Democrats around the nation. However, all of the Tennessee Democrat Congressmen have signed on the Heath Shuler’s SAVE Act, a good immigration bill, but will not sign the discharge petition to bring it to the floor.
Those ole’ blue dogs who claim Nancy Pelosi doesn’t speak for their Democratic politics are letting Nancy Pelosi speak for them. I have to question if they’re really for Shuler’s SAVE Act, or are they just giving themselves political cover to fend off their constituents. Lincoln Davis, John Tanner, Cooper, Cohen and Bart Gordon—none have signed the discharge petition but yet all have signed on as co-sponsors.
In the Senate, Senator Lamar Alexander has signed on the legislation, but Senator Corker does not appear to have joined the list of Senators who have signed on.
More information on the sponsors here.
Today on the radio program we’ll talk with Peter Ferrara about Barack Obama’s leftist economics. Be sure to tune in!
Here’s a great article from Ferrara on the subject of Barry O:
Barack Obama has proposed increasing every major Federal tax. He supports increasing individual income tax rates, allowing the Bush tax cuts, which cut rates for all income levels, to expire. He has proposed almost doubling the capital gains tax rate, from 15% today to 28%. He supports more than doubling the tax on dividends, from 15% to as high as 39%. He has proposed numerous corporate tax increases. He supports increasing the death tax back to the stratospheric levels that applied before President Bush. He supports increasing the payroll tax on higher income earners.
In other words, if you run a profitable small business, you can expect to be plundered by the Obamanistas from every angle. If you work for a small business, you can expect to be looking for another job.
Ferrara is Director of the International Center for Law and Economics and President of the Virginia Club for Growth. He served as a senior staff member in the White House Office of Policy Development under President Reagan and as Associate Deputy Attorney General of the United States under the first President Bush. He is a graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, and has practiced law with firms on Wall Street and in Washington, DC. He wrote the first book for the Cato Institute providing a comprehensive intellectual foundation for a personal account option for Social Security, Social Security: The Inherent Contradiction (1980), and has continued to write on that concept in further books, studies and articles for Cato, the Heritage Foundation, the National Center for Policy Analysis, the Family Research Council, the U.S Chamber of Commerce, and a wide range of other institutions and publications.
Saturday night Lee and I attended Knoxville’s Front Page Follies at the Knoxville Convention Center. The annual event pokes fun at politicians who have appeared in the news over the year as part of a dinner/auction to raise funds for journalism scholarships.
It was a pretty fun time considering that awards were given to the editor of the Sentinel and the brave attorney Herb Moncier. Do you think Knoxville is suffering right now? If these guys are your county award winners, Knox County is in trouble.
I got to meet several new folks as well as get to meet the faces behind the stories in the Sentinel such as reporters Scott Barker and Rebecca Farrar–two of the best. I didn’t see Tom Humphrey–though I looked.
As far as politicians go, we chatted with Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey about the upcoming session and plans there. I said I wouldn’t report the conversation, though I was pleased with his plans regarding some of the issues close to my heart.
We talked with Congressman Jimmy Duncan about oil and Nancy Pelosi. We also talked about the quote that Ron Ledbetter had used on one his mailpieces in his race against Campfield. Was Duncan endorsing Leadbetter? No, Congressman Duncan said. It was not an official endorsement but was a quote that Duncan had made in a letter approximately 3 years ago recommending Ledbetter for a position at the University of Tennessee. Of course, Duncan and Leadbetter go way back, but Congressman Duncan emphasized that he didn’t want to get involved in a GOP battle though he has endorsed Campfield in the past, and in fact, recorded a phone call on behalf of Campfield when Democrat Schree Pettigrew was mounting an expensive campaign against Campfield.
We talked to Senator Randy McNally about changes going on in Nashville. For the record, I asked about the Tennessee Plan and toll roads. He said he wants Tennesseans to vote for their justices and will work to see that it happens and he is not in favor of toll roads.
I met Senator Burchett’s lovely new bride Allison. She’s very outgoing and quite beautiful. Why is she with Burchett? (wink)
I had a good conversation with Sharon Lee who has submitted her name for consideration for the Tennessee Supreme Court. We talked about local politics, legal issues and a few other things. But for the blog, I asked her if I could report on what her intentions are should the Tennessee Plan remain expired and candidates for the Tennessee Supreme Court go to ballot. Sharon said that her intentions are to run statewide for a seat on the Tennessee Supreme Court if the Tennessee Plan remains expired. Sharon is a Democrat judge who started locally down in Monroe County.
As far as the performances go, most of them were pretty funny. Probably my favorite performance, and the one receiving the most applause, was on Cynthia Finch and the purchasing cards. To the tune of Aretha Franklin’s song Respect, it was spun off to emphasize her lack of receipts. Absolutely hilarious! The one on Mayor Ragsdale received a lot of laughter and applause as well. From O Brother! Where Art Thou?, the song was Mayor of Constant Sorrow. I must note however, that the lyrics were whitewashed to reflect the spin that Mayor Ragsdale had a problem controlling the spending habits of his staff. That’s BS. Mayor Ragsdale himself engaged in nefarious spending and as reported in the Sentinel, Margie Lloyd stated that Ragsdale ordered her to take a commissioner out for lobster. It wasn’t just “out of control” low level flunkies making his life hard.
The Mayor also operated the slush fund known as the Hospitality Fund. And if justice works the way it should, he should be in lock up for it.
Most of the skits however, were pretty funny, though quite obviously missing were any jabs at liberals or the Democrat players. No Bredesen party bunker skits. No Tennessee Department of Revenue cigarette enforcement skit. No Al Gore energy hog skit. No Democrat Robert Bratton banned from school property skit. No skit on the Democrat County Clerk candidate’s Mellow Mushroom marital brawl. Mike Padgett did get a little jab for taking on Alexander, but it was geared towards his long shot status–kind of light.
No, it was all GOP bashing fun–very establishment, very insider, and very obvious. One skit had the media actor as Lt. Governor Ramsey with cash in his hands as it poked fun at the lobbyist culture in Nashville. Where was Naifeh? Democrats don’t control the House? Dems haven’t controlled the state forever? Please. Only Republicans take special interest money?
The most politically incorrect East Tennessee song of the evening was their piece on the UT Vols football team. It featured player/prisoners singing a song about Rocky Top. I can’t remember the song this morning, if I do, I’ll put it up. Oh my goodness. I wasn’t sure whether to laugh out loud and risk being photographed!
And probably the biggest bomb of the evening was their hit piece on Rep. Campfield’s bill that limited the introduction of transgenderism and homosexuality into the Kindergarten through 8th grade curriculum. To the tune of the song What a Wonderful World, the song began with “don’t know much about sodomy…”
There were a couple of chuckles, but even this audience wasn’t laughing about talking to little kiddies about such topics. While this event was hosted by the Society for Professional Journalists, they actually used the photo-doctored picture of Campfield holding a sticker that was altered to read “confederate values.”
Oh, it’s just spoof, right? Well, the event featured all genuine news articles as well as the editorial cartoons of Charlie Daniels up on the screen as each skit was performed. To throw that altered picture of Campfield up on the screen with all the genuine news articles on the politicians was journalistically unprofessional. It didn’t identify that it was doctored or spoof. It was low class. But then what do you expect from the folks that are so desperate to beat the guy?
All in all, it was fun to chat with friends, meet some listeners of and callers to the radio program, and have a good laugh.
Update: initially I mispelled Ledbetter’s name. Apologies and correction made.
UPDATE: State Representative Mike Bell will be joining us on the radio in the 4:00 hour to discuss this issue. Be sure to tune in!
UPDATE #2: Representative Mike Bell encourages us to help with volunteer support or your donations for Jerome Cochran. Jerome is running against Kent Williams. Here’s Jerome’s address:
Jerome Cochran
117 Creola Way Johnson City, TN 37601
From our good conservative Republicans comes this presser:
Pikeville, TN 7/15/2008 – state representatives in the House Republican
Caucus are calling on a Republican colleague to return money from the House
Democratic leadership. Representative Kent Williams, a Republican serving
his first term in the legislature, has taken a $250 campaign donation from
Representative John Litz, the Assistant Majority Leader for the House
Democratic Caucus.“This is an outrage,” said State Representative Eric Swafford (R-Pikeville).
“It is a slap in the face to his colleagues in the House Republican Caucus.
By accepting this money from a leader in the House Democratic Caucus, it
seems that Rep. Williams is saying that he is okay with the Democrats
killing common-sense proposals like SJR 127 and legislation that protects
our Second Amendment rights.”State Representative Chris Crider (R-Milan) cited Williams’ vote in January
of 2007 for House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh, adding that this vote, coupled with
the monetary donation from a member of the House Democratic Caucus, shows
where he stands on the issues.“You can’t claim to be pro-life and pro-Second Amendment, and then support
and take money from those who repeatedly stop legislation that supports
those values,” said Representative Mike Bell (R-Riceville).All candidates are required to file campaign financial disclosure reports
periodically, which are public record. All donations above $100 must be
reported. Representative Frank Nicely (R-Strawberry Plains) said that after
the most recent filing deadline on July 10th, the donation to Williams
showed up on his disclosure statement.Swafford concluded, “I think we know where Kent Williams’ intentions and
loyalties lie. They are certainly not on the side of conservative values.”
I’m glad to see our GOP members standing up to one of the esteemed members of the Naifeh Shoe-Shine Caucus. Guys like Williams aren’t just selling out their fellow legislators, they are helping to serve as a road block to good legislation.
GOP State Representative Kent Williams supports Jimmy Naifeh for Speaker and in turn, Democrats support Kent Williams.
Today at 5:05 we’ll interview Brian Raum, Senior Legal Counsel for ADF, regarding a potential challenge to the Tennessee Constitutional Amendment defining marriage as an institution between one man and one woman.
Here’s a recent press release on the subject:
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund say they will offer once again to defend Tennessee’s marriage amendment and other marriage laws if they come under legal attack by Tennessee same-sex couples who “marry” in California. Recent media reports indicated that at least one same-sex couple from Tennessee who obtained a “marriage” license in California intends to sue for recognition of their union in their home state.
“Government should never set policy and courts should never impose a system that knowingly deprives a child of a mom or a dad. Tennessee understands this and voted overwhelmingly to protect marriage as the union of a man and a woman. ADF will defend free of charge any attempts to impose a bad California court decision upon the people of Tennessee,” said ADF Senior Legal Counsel Brian Raum.
“That’s the failure of the same-sex activists’ argument,” Raum added. “They ask, ‘What’s in it for me?’ But we’re concerned about the long-term benefit for children, family, and
Today on the radio we’ll interview John Harris, Executive Director and one of the founding members of Tennessee Firearms Association, about the speed of Democrat Speaker Naifeh’s ability to receive a carry permit.
Naifeh also appears to have lied in order to give himself political cover for killing good 2nd amendment legislation.
We’ll talk to Mr. Harris about the Naifeh situation as well as what the DC v. Heller decision is going to mean in terms of future litigation over the 2nd Amendment as well as why bills failed this year in the Tennessee general assembly.
Be sure to tune in!
Investors Business Daily has two good reads. First some new polling on the issue:
Will To Drill Is Strong, Poll Finds; Climate Change Pales As Concern
By INVESTOR’S BUSINESS DAILY | Posted Monday, July 14, 2008 4:20 PM PT
Contrary to claims by Al Gore and others that global warming is the greatest challenge of our time, Americans by better than 3-to-1 say the price of gasoline is a bigger problem now, according to the latest IBD/TIPP Poll.
And yesterday they had a great interview with Alaska’s Governor Sarah Palin:
Gov. Sarah Palin is a rising political star in Alaska, with an 84% approval rating. A strong advocate of opening her state to more oil drilling, she recently spoke with IBD.
IBD: Alaska was bought by the U.S. from Russia in 1867 specifically to ensure a supply of natural resources. How do Alaskans feel about the opposition from politicians representing the lower 48 to drilling for oil there?
Palin: Alaskans are frustrated because there is opposition in Congress to developing our vast amount of natural resources. We want to contribute more to the rest of the United States. We want to help secure the United States, and help us get off this reliance of foreign sources of energy.
It’s a very nonsensical position we’re in right now. We send President Bush and Secretary (of Energy Sam) Bodman overseas to ask the Saudis to ramp up production of crude oil so that hungry markets in America can be fed, (and) your sister state in Alaska has those resources. But these lands are locked up by Congress, and we are not allowed to drill to the degree America needs the development.
When we became a state 50 years ago, we struck a deal with the federal government where we said, “Let us in a union where we will be as self-sufficient as possible.” And the federal government said, “Come in, you’ll be our 49th state, and you’ll do it by developing your God-given resources.”
Fifty years later . . . we’re living up to our end of the bargain, and now we need the rest of the U.S. to live up to their end of the bargain, to lead America toward energy independence. Alaska should be the leader of an energy policy that gets us there.
Where are all those liberal Tennessee bloggers who gave me hell in February of 2007 for my article on the amount of yellowcake being stored in Iraq? I didn’t see any posts jumping on the AP. Where are you folks? I’m waiting. And the AP doesn’t even mention the UF4 (green salt), the same green salt that has drawn the attention of the IAEA in Iran’s program.
From the AP “Exclusive” article:
The last major remnant of Saddam Hussein’s nuclear program — a huge stockpile of concentrated natural uranium — reached a Canadian port Saturday to complete a secret U.S. operation that included a two-week airlift from Baghdad and a ship voyage crossing two oceans.
The removal of 550 metric tons of “yellowcake” — the seed material for higher-grade nuclear enrichment — was a significant step toward closing the books on Saddam’s nuclear legacy. It also brought relief to U.S. and Iraqi authorities who had worried the cache would reach insurgents or smugglers crossing to Iran to aid its nuclear ambitions.
Your esteemed legislature approved two pilot projects for toll roads. One bridge. One road.
And they turned the decision making over to TDOT. Now, some spineless legislators prefer to tell you they voted for allowing the toll road nose under the tent based on the idea that no toll road will be built unless the community wants it. For example, Representative Harry Brooks voted in favor of the proposed expansion for toll roads arguing that no road will be built unless the people want it. Fortunately, that expansion failed to pass out of the Senate Transportation Committee in this 2008 session.
Now, if the people aren’t for it, can there still be a toll road? Why certainly, despite what your legislator says. Locally the legislative bodies of both Knox and Anderson Counties have virtually unanimously expressed their opposition to the plan (all but one voted against toll roads in Knoxville & unanimously opposed in Anderson). They expressed their disapproval by officially voting for resolutions that stated their opposition. Yet the idea of a toll road still moves forward and is endorsed by the News Sentinel.
And TDOT tells us to heck with the people, they’ll give more credence to the folks on the Knoxville Regional Transportation Planning Organization. From KNS in May of this year:
But he said TDOT will pay the most attention to the Knoxville Regional Transportation Planning Organization, a federally mandated group of officials from Knoxville, Knox County and surrounding cities and counties formed to provide coordinated planning.
If you’re in the area, I suggest you attend a meeting to be held on Thursday night at Bearden High School. And if you can’t be there, you can always write a letter and submit it.
Here’s the info:
TDOT Public Meeting on Toll Roads, July 17, 6-8 Bearden High 8352 Kingston Pike
Other meetings across the state are listed here.
Other info:
A court reporter will be available to receive oral statements to be included in the project transcript. In addition, comment sheets will be available for those who prefer to make written statements. Written statements and other exhibits to be included in the project transcript may be submitted within twenty-one (21) days after the meeting date to the following address:
Project Comments Tennessee Department of Transportation
Suite 700, James K. Polk Building
505 Deaderick Street Nashville, TN 37243-0332
Personally, I believe that every legislator who voted for the idea of toll roads ought to be voted out from office. I hope Senator Finney made an issue of this in his race against Naifeh Republican Doug Overbey who is challenging him for a seat in the Senate. Overbey voted pro-toll road.
Hoorah! President Bush amps it up! The President has lifted the executive order banning offshore drilling. Now the ball is in the Congressional court.
From USA Today:
WASHINGTON — President Bush lifted the executive ban on offshore oil and gas drilling Monday and blamed the Democratic-led Congress for “standing between the American people and these vast oil resources.”
The president’s action cannot lead to an expansion of offshore drilling, unless Congress similarly agrees to lift a congressional ban that has been in place since 1981.
“The American people are watching the numbers climb higher and higher at the pump, and they’re waiting to see what the Congress will do,” he said.
The President needs to continue to apply pressure to Congress. He needs regular press conferences. He ought to consider dismissing, yes, that’s terminating, his Energy Secretary. Give him to boot. Bush needs more call to action as the price of fuel is crushing the airline and trucking industries as well as sending negative shockwaves throughout the economy.
He should demand action. He should investigate every single thing in his power that he can possibly do. And in the process, he can continue to expose the hypocrisy of the Democrats who wear the cloak of environmental purity by not drilling here but importing the stuff.
And if John McCain doesn’t get on board, well, too bad. He can come on along as Senator Alexander says, or get left in the wake.
And across the press wires comes news that Congressman Jimmy Duncan is still fighting the good fight on drilling for oil.
In wrestling terms, Congressman Duncan plays a little sweet chin music on Speaker Pelosi!!
From the Congressman:
“Pelosi Maneuvers to Block Drilling Votes”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 14, 2008
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The above headline ran on the front page of the July 14, 2008 issue of Roll Call, a Capitol Hill newspaper.
The first paragraph of the article stated: “Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) appears intent on preventing votes on opening more areas to offshore drilling despite the stirrings of a revolt by rank-and-file Democrats after months of concerted efforts by House Republicans.”
Rep. John J. Duncan, Jr. (R-Tenn.) said, “This story shows very clearly the difference between representing a district of wealthy liberal elitists like Speaker Pelosi does and representing a district of average, hardworking Americans.”
“The rich people in Speaker Pelosi’s district spend about one percent of their incomes on transportation, while most Americans today spend fifteen percent or more,” said Duncan.
“We must have increased oil production in this Country or gas will go even higher. Liberal elitists are really hurting lower and middle income Americans,” he added.
Dad gum! Amen, Congressman!! And via Steve Gill’s great website, here’s a great video making the rounds:
My apologies for being a slacker this past week on the blog. Once I got back to town from vacation, it has been nothing but work up to my eyeballs. Thank goodness for being busy. But it’s meant zero time for blogging.
I’ll be back to rocking and rolling with commentary and info along with some original information that you’ll find nowhere else. Thanks for your patience!
—Terry
Enjoy the blessings of America today!
And remember the Liberty Bell and her inscription:
Proclaim LIBERTY throughout all the Land unto all the Inhabitants thereof Lev. XXV X
By Order of the ASSEMBLY of the Province of PENSYLVANIA for the State House in Philada
Pass and Stow
Philada
MDCCLIII
With the words based on a Biblical passage from Leviticus, if the ACLU and trial lawyers had their way, I guess we should have nixed the ole’ ringing of the bell and the reading of the Declaration. Heck, for that matter, we couldn’t have called upon Divine Guidance for our independence. Separation of church and state!!
And by the way, we’ve been at the beach this week and will be back to business on Monday! I’m sorry I didn’t have a moment to let you know. Have a great weekend and enjoy your 4th!
As promised, Let’s Talk Frank on the radio will be hosting a barbecue to celebrate a pro-2nd amendment ruling. Details will follow!
Also, caller Kevin kicked off the show by firing off 3 shots from his 12 gauge pump shotgun as a salute to the founders, the folks of DC, and the Supreme Court. In honor of those freed from the bonds of handgun bans, he also fired three shots from his .357. The sound of freedom rang loud and clear over the airwaves.
Thanks to Kevin! And as Kevin warned, don’t try this inside the Knoxville City limits!!
Radio Information: Here’s the link we discussed with Mr. Jett today regarding the congressional hearing on oil trading.
More here on questions surrounding the Daily Kos posting of the Obama birth certificate.
By Reuven Koret June 24, 2008
It is now a certainty that the “birth certificate” claimed by the Barack Obama campaign as authentic is a photoshopped fake.
and:
Janice Okubo, Director of Communications of the State of Hawaii Department of Health, told Israel Insider: “At this time there are no circumstances in which the State of Hawaii Department of Health would issue a birth certification or certification of live birth only electronically.” And, she added, “In the State of Hawaii all certified copies of certificates of live birth have the embossed seal and registrar signature on the back of the document.”
By the way, statewide radio host Steve Gill produced his own Hawaii birth certificate to show how easily it could be done. His looks identical to the Kos Kids’ Obama certificate.
Via Newsbusters, comes more in the way of news on Jessica’s Law. To my knowledge, we have not passed Jessica’s Law in Tennessee, though we have some provisions that are moving us in the right direction. (Update: Yes, we did pass it according to the Rep.) Now the debate has moved to Massachusetts. But check out the horror of this State Representative as discussed in the Boston Herald:
The father of a slain Florida girl pushing for mandatory prison time for child rapists in the Bay State is blasting a Taunton lawmaker who said he’d torment young victims on the witness stand to defend his perv clients.
and:
Fagan, a defense attorney, infuriated victims’ rights advocates during a recent House debate when he said he would “rip apart” 6-year-old victims on the witness stand and “make sure the rest of their life is ruined.”
In a fiery soliloquy on the House floor, Fagan said he’d grill victims so that, “when they’re 8 years old they throw up; when they’re 12 years old, they won’t sleep; when they’re 19 years old, they’ll have nightmares and they’ll never have a relationship with anybody.”
Fagan did not return calls seeking comment.
Rep. Karyn Polito, a Republican from Shrewsbury who supports Jessica’s Law, said of Fagan’s comments: “The words speak for themselves. I think there’s a large part of the (House) membership that doesn’t agree with that.”
Fagan also called Jessica’s Law “knee-jerk” legislation and said “every time the Legislature has named a law after somebody, it has been a failure.”
Of course Newsbusters points out that the party of Rep. Polito is mentioned, but not the party affiliation of Fagan.
I’ve sent Rep. Fagan an email requesting a copy of his entire speech. I seriously doubt he’ll send it. But I’d like to see just how big of a monster this guy is. What concerns me is the list of volunteer activities he’s engaged in:
Taunton Boys & Girls Club (Board of Directors); Taunton Little League; Taunton Youth Basketball Coach; Babe Ruth League; High School Umpire; Southeastern New England Area Boys’ Clubs of America (past Chairman).
He’s also the Chairman of the Ethics Committee in Mass. Go figure. As he states in his fiery speech, as a defense attorney, he’s ethically required to rip kids apart in order to protect the interests of his client. I believe if those are the kind of ethics I would have to abide by, I’d quit the profession. I’m weary of the excuses.
Oh, it ain’t nothin’! Just John Ford being John Ford, right? I don’t have time this morning to do too much digging, but if I’m not mistaken, Bredesen at first remembered his conversation with Ford about the contracts. Then a subsequent report said that Bredesen didn’t remember. Now he remembers again.
I don’t have that info on the computer, I’ve got it at home in old fashioned paper files, but I’ll look tonight.
From Tom Humphrey:
NASHVILLE - Gov. Phil Bredesen said Monday that he has been subpoenaed to testify in the trial of former state Sen. John Ford, which begins today in U.S. District Court at Nashville.
Bredesen said the subpoena came from prosecutors, who indicated they wanted his testimony about the then-senator meeting with him to urge that more TennCare patients be assigned to OmniCare, an HMO that had hired Ford as a consultant.
“It’s a bit player thing,” Bredesen said of his role in the trial.
And speaking of contact with Bredesen, looking back, I wonder what top Bredesen official John Ford was referring to here:
By Marc Perrusquia
Contact
April 5, 2007
John Ford brags on newly released undercover tapes that he can deliver local government contracts to a firm because he has brothers on the Memphis City Council and the Shelby County Commision.The former state senator also says he has pull with the state, in part, because he’s close to a high-ranking female employee with whom he once had a sexual relationship.
Jack McElroy of the Knox News Sentinel announced on his blog and in his Sunday editorial that the Sentinel would be publishing petitions that may be mailed in order to achieve changes to the Knox County charter.
From Mr. McElroy:
Here’s my column for Sunday’s paper:
This Wednesday, the News Sentinel will take the unusual step of publishing a pair of petitions, the ones being circulated by Knox Charter Petition to change county government.
There are many good ideas that surround some really stinking changes to government in these petitions. But without getting into an argument about the proposed changes themselves, I think the publication, and therefore assistance, of the Knoxville News Sentinel in a petition drive for a referendum is an ethical problem for the Sentinel.
They did not publish or assist the referendum for the proposed Knox County Wheel Tax. Will they publish and assist future petition drives?
On Gene Patterson’s Sunday roundtable program, Gene conducted an interview about the Charter Petition Drive. Following questioning by Gene Patterson, one of the spokesmen for the group, Gary Drinnen, acknowledged that a firm had been obtained in order to provide “professional help” collecting signatures. Patterson asked about the budget for such assistance, Drinnen answered “$1.67 per signature.”
With dollars expended in a political effort to obtain a referendum, should the Knoxville News Sentinel be in the business of assisting? Should they have to appear on any political disclosures as donating in kind services?
I believe they should.
Gary Drinnen’s group is paying $1.67 per signature for their petition drive. The Knoxville News Sentinel pitches in, too with their in-kind donation.
Via Redstate comes this from the Miami Herald:
Summoning a time of political upheaval in Miami, a great-uncle of Elián González plans Friday to publicly denounce two Barack Obama campaign advisors who helped send the boy back to his father in Cuba eight years ago.
and this:
At issue are foreign-policy advisor Greg Craig, who represented Elián’s father in the custody battle with the Miami relatives, and legal advisor Eric Holder, a member of Obama’s vice-presidential search committee who was deputy attorney general when the 6-year-old boy was seized by federal agents and returned to Cuba.
”We’re going to express opposition to Barack Obama’s visit to Miami, and explain how we’re opposed to him having individuals on his campaign who were associated with Elián’s seizure in 2000,” González said. “Some wounds are so deep that they do not heal over time, such as taking a child and sealing his fate to a communist dictatorship.”
and this:
”The link between Barack Obama and a Castro apologist like Greg Craig is extremely relevant to Cuban-American voters because it provides further insight into Obama’s weak position toward the Castro dictatorship,” Rivera said.
Well, well, well. The ‘roid Governor says no drilling off his coast. But it looks like the people of the environmental headquarter state have a different opinion:
(KFSN) – Exclusive Action News Poll Conducted by SurveyUSA.
Currently, it is only legal to drill for oil off certain parts of the California coast. Should the law be changed to expand drilling for oil in coastal waters or should the law stay as is?59% Change To Expand
33% Stay As Is
8% Not Sure
By the way, yesterday Lee, callers, and I came up with a plan for McCain and ANWR. Since Senator McCain has never been to ANWR and labors under the belief that the little postage stamp area on a football field would ruin one of the natural wonders of the world, we suggest that Congressman Jimmy Duncan invite McCain to fly with him to the region.
Congressman Duncan is one of the few Congressmen that has actually visited ANWR and seeing the area with his own eyes, says “Drill now!” If I’m not mistaken, the Congressman has visited there twice.
McCain could then report that he has been misled. He had read only the Sierra Club brochures and was led to believe the frozen tundra, proposed drilling site was actually a wildlife mecca. Only a fool will not change his mind when confronted with facts, with reality. McCain has no other option but to call for drilling in the area that Alaskans themselves would love to open up to drilling.
And Congressman Duncan would be a wonderful tour guide of the region and his independence is noteworthy. Congressman Duncan disagrees with the engagement in Iraq, a major area of disagreement between the two men, so his independence in that regard lends a large amount of credibility to his discussions on drilling.
By the way, in my email box I received a copy of a letter that a reader sent to his Congress-people. He’s steaming mad about the lack of Congressional action on the energy issue. I didn’t include his name because I haven’t asked him yet if it’s OK though he did sign it on the letter.
Dear Congressman Wamp,
I want to thank you for you position on domestic drilling, and other conservative issues. However, I do not know your opinion on global warming, but I have tried to e-mail other members of Congress to let them know what I think about James Hansen’s remarks. Convenient for them the web site will not allow it for some reason. Therefore, I am left with only one option and that is to ask you to forward this to your colleagues. I am disgusted that I am forced to write such an e-mail. But, I thank you just the same.
Dear Members of Congress,
I am so disappointed to have to write this e-mail. But, after hearing James Hansen’s remarks to a congressional committee that he thinks oil industry executives should be put on trial for “high crimes against humanity and nature”, and that anyone who disagrees with him is part of the problem I felt compelled. What in the world is going on here? Maxine Waters saying she wants to “socialize” the oil industry and have government take over their companies… this is insane! You guys are overstepping your reach here. And I think Mr. Hansen would do better to
Dr. Dobson says Obama has a “fruitcake” interpretation of the Constitution. Sorry Dr. Dobson, but I must correct you. It’s a living, breathing fruitcake interpretation.
James Dobson strikes at the Obamamessiah:
As Barack Obama broadens his outreach to evangelical voters, one of the movement’s biggest names, James Dobson, accuses the likely Democratic presidential nominee of distorting the Bible and pushing a “fruitcake interpretation” of the Constitution.
and:
He said Obama, who supports abortion rights, is trying to govern by the “lowest common denominator of morality,” labeling it “a fruitcake interpretation of the Constitution.”
and:
“Am I required in a democracy to conform my efforts in the political arena to his bloody notion of what is right with regard to the lives of tiny babies?” Dobson said. “What he’s trying to say here is unless everybody agrees, we have no right to fight for what we believe.”
No, Dr. Dobson, that’s only if you have conservative Judeo-Christian beliefs. No, if you’re talking about their marxist, biggie government kind of beliefs, then just get in line. The elites will give you what’s good for you! No consensus required!!
Here are the videos that we played on air last week. I promised to link to them, but am just now getting them up. Enjoy!
First, this one is awesome from Congressman Poe on the lightbulb:
and here is the good one from McCotter on lib speak:
Today on the radio we’ll talk to Drew Johnson, President of the Tennessee Center for Policy Research, about this article from today’s Tennessean:
Tennessee has been missing out on millions of federal reimbursement dollars that could have helped pay for mental retardation services.
For a period of eight years the state failed to claim nearly $67 million.
So much for that great business manager Phil Bredesen.
And we’ll also be interviewing Dr. Zhudi Jasser. We interviewed him once before–almost a year ago. He is great!
Dr. Zhudi Jasser
We’ll be talking to him about this article:
A non-profit organization based out of Chicago, the Al-Furqaan Foundation, received national attention a few weeks ago after the Chicago Tribune profiled their “noble” endeavors in a May 15, 2008 report, “Qurans given out for Free“. The Arabic Qur’an certainly plays a central role in my life as a Muslim in its capacity as what Muslims believe to be the revealed words of God to Muslims in Arabic. However, the English translations are not believed to be Qur’an (the recitation in Arabic) but rather more appropriately referred to as “interpretations or explanations” of Quran. In fact our daily prayers which include memorized Qur’anic recitations cannot be done but in the original Arabic of the Qur’an in order to preserve clarity.
Whose translation are they distributing?
The Al-Furqaan Foundation and its subsidiaries, are distributing an “English Translation of the Meaning of the Qur’an” by a Professor (Dr.) Syed Vickar Ahamed. The Tribune report recklessly compares their effort to other faiths that similarly distribute their scripture in attempts at spreading the Word stating, “many Christian groups pass out Bibles; Gideons International distributed almost 450,000 in September in a weeklong New York Bible Blitz.”
But since the Quran for Muslims is authentic only in Arabic, and Al-Furqaan is distributing one of many “translations” or “meanings”, it is imperative to understand the ideological orientation from which the Al-Furqaan Foundation is positioning its distribution of Qur’ans. Clearly, this ideological orientation is a direct reflection of the motives of Al-Furqaan, and thus is either benign, or a clear and present danger to America.
Read more here.
And we’ll also ask him about this article.
Dr. Jasser is a FamilySecurityMatters.org Contributing Editor. Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser is also the founder and Chairman of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy based in Phoenix Arizona. He is a former U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander, a physician in private practice, and a community activist.
Hat tip to Steve Gill, Barry O.’s Campaign Bus is thumping and bumping. The Obama campaign is either throwing folks under the bus or inviting them on for hugs and pics.
First, no headscarves in the transcending race photo op, from the Politico:
Two Muslim women at Barack Obama’s rally in Detroit on Monday were barred from sitting behind the podium by campaign volunteers seeking to prevent the women’s headscarves from appearing in photographs or on television with the candidate.
The campaign has apologized to the women, both Obama supporters who said they felt betrayed by their treatment at the rally.
“This is of course not the policy of the campaign. It is offensive and counter to Obama’s commitment to bring Americans together and simply not the kind of campaign we run,” said Obama spokesman Bill Burton. “We sincerely apologize for the behavior of these volunteers.”
But then as blogger standout Debbie Schlussel notes, the Obama campaign makes love with radicals behind the curtain:
While the Obama campaign is allegedly publicly staying away from Muslims and reportedly barring them from pics at an Obama event (though Detroit Newsistan and Reuters photos show otherwise), privately he’s hanging with them.
Yesterday, Barack Hussein Obama wrapped up his trip to Michigan by meeting with a group of “community leaders.”
But one of those so-called leaders has been identified as an agent of Hezbollah–Osama Siblani, publisher of the Arab American News. Siblani,, an open supporter of the terrorist group, was handpicked for the invite by the Obama campaign and spoke one-to-one with Siblani.
The corpses that the Obama bus has left behind got me to thinking. Perhaps Stephen King could put together a sequel to his 1983 thriller Christine. This time it could be a campaign bus, perhaps by the name of Michelle?
Movie cover from the screen adaptation of King’s horror novel Christine. Anyone with photoshop abilities could have some fun here.
I guess I’ve been so beleaguered and demoralized by the lack of Republican backbone that when I saw Bush step into the Rose Garden and actually call out the some of the failed ideas that are giving us $4 a gallon gas (to the delight of environmentalists, and the New York Times, and Al Gore and Obama–though the rise has been a bit quick for Barry O), I actually was inspired.
But like a baby in the womb, we’re just in the process of building bone–we don’t have an actual spine, yet.
The Wall Street Journal chastises Bush. Man up, they say. Go the distance.
Mr. Bush argued that leaving most of America’s immense offshore oil-and-gas resources off-limits was “outdated and counterproductive,” and he called on Congress to end its quarter-century ban. Fair enough. But the ban actually has two components, one of which is a 1990 executive order; like launching a warhead, both keys must be turned. Mr. Bush said he would only turn his after Congress did.
The Administration has botched a prime political opportunity. Lifting the Presidential ban would have been symbolic for now, because Congress’s ban would still apply. But it would have put the spotlight on Congress as the last political obstacle to exploiting domestic reserves, just as public support for more drilling is rising.
and:
If it isn’t already obvious, Democrats seem intent on proving that they do not understand the oil business – and Mr. Bush would have done better to ramp up the pressure. The White House says it wants to work out a compromise with Congress, which isn’t likely unless Republicans start playing their strongest hand.
We had this very discussion with Congressman Jimmy Duncan last week during our interview with him on Thursday. Bush can tear up the executive order and really put the responsibility on Congress. They would be the only obstacle remaining.
From the Politico:
With Election Day less than five months away, House Democratic leaders are putting the squeeze on their rank-and-file members for more cash.
Specifically, top House Democrats are grumbling that dozens of members have failed to pay their dues, in part or in full, to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee — to the tune of millions of dollars. Party strategists say the failure to make these contributions threatens to spoil what could be a historic year for their party.
Investors Business Daily tackles the Dem talking point that American oil companies are already leasing land. Here’s their nice chart:
As the editorialists note:
Since Congress’ enviro-driven 1982 moratorium, lease purchases have dwindled to a fraction of their previous level (see chart). Who, after all, wants permission to drill in a dry hole?
This incompetent, irresponsible and thoroughly politicized Democratic Congress is endangering our national security and economic well-being by locking up our own energy resources. It must not be allowed to blame the companies that spend billions supplying our energy needs for its own idiotic policies.
Congress seems enamored with the idea of cap and trade. How about we trade moratoriums? We lift moratoriums on access to our own U.S. of A resources and place that moratorium on legislation that can be offered in Congress?
And speaking of the subject, I mentioned some Rasmussen polling in my previous post. Well, this should come as a shocker, from his polling Monday:
A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 29% of voters favor nationalizing the oil industry. Just 47% are opposed and 24% are not sure.
So Maxine Waters and Christopher Dodd aren’t so out of touch with their base, are they? Do these folks realize they’re talking about doing the same thing as a Chavez? Do they not understand that state run companies, like Mexico’s, are more destructive to the environment than privately run? Unbelievable.
We have a lot of work to do in the conservative movement. A lot.
Here is the link to the Maxine Waters comment.
And here is the link to the Senator Dodd transcript and video:
When a high-ranking U.S. senator sounds more like Karl Marx than Adam Smith over the issue of energy prices, it must be an election year.
Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd, the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, appeared on CNBC’s June 10 “Squawk Box” pushing government control of corporate profits. Dodd said he considered a company to be “doing very, very well” with profits above $8 or $10 per barrel of oil. He said he advocated a windfall profits tax, where Congress would determine what amount of profit is fair and what isn’t.
Co-host Joe Kernan called the Connecticut senator on the idea, asking if he was going to apply the same strategy to other types of businesses. “Are you going to go across industries across the board and decide what Congress thinks is a fair amount of profit and drawing a lines on what’s fair and what’s not for corporations?” Kernan then emphasized the point. “That’s not the way it’s done in this country, senator. It could never be done that way, could it?”
