Photo day

I guess I'm doing a photo-blog today. I just moved over some of my photography to the NashvilleFiles.com domain. You can see the collection here. It's in a very basic format...no frills, no thrills. Also, most of the images there are from 2001 through 2002 (you can ignore some of the older ones). Once I get around to it, I'm going to reorganize them and add a lot of newer photos. I'll probably create a separate domain for them as well.

Here are a few samples of my newer pictures which aren't on that site:

Fire Drill

Thought I might post this picture from the airport that I snapped on the way home yesterday. They've been doing fire drills at the end of one of the runways using this dummy fuselage.

There's always cool stuff going on over at the airport.

Best Political Ad

Half-Bakered points out this ad.

...this has to be the funniest political ad so far. If Republicans were smart, they'd spread it around. But they aren't and so we'll get the usual crap from them. Nothing this good hearted and direct. With little but some well-chosen pictures and plain facts, and a great classic-rock song, you get an ad that gives you a smile and makes you proud. Which is completely unlike nearly every other ad out there.

Yes...it made me smile too. I guess it was the classic-rock song that did it for me...lol

Welfare State Out of Control

Boston.com (via Drudge) reports that the Senate voted to increase child-care spending by $6 billion in the renewal of the 1996 welfare reform law:

The Senate on Tuesday voted an additional $6 billion for child care for welfare recipients and the working poor as part of a bill to renew the landmark 1996 welfare reform law.

The measure easily won Senate passage, 78-20. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and 30 other Republicans voted for it, but the Bush administration opposes the provision and House Republicans did not include it in the version of the legislation that passed the House last year.

The provision would send states $20.5 billion over 5 years in the form of block grants for programs for children up to 13 years of age. Its authors, Sens. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, and Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., said hundreds of thousands of children could lose child care without the extra money, which in turn could force thousands of low-income parents to give up their jobs.

The vote was 78-20! While the bill will probably be different once the House and Senate work out the differences (reads...even more bloated), this is a testament that the United States Congress is completely out of touch with the Constitution. They are now passing legislation for votes at such a rate that it's now impossible to turn back the tide.

Sen. Santorum almost has it right:

Among Senate opponents of the additional money for child care, Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., said a $1 billion increase already built into the legislation was sufficient. "The idea that there isn't enough money out there for day care is a ruse," Santorum said. "What this is about is a social policy that people should be more and more dependent upon government."

He's not afraid of speaking the truth in his last statement there, but he misses an opportunity to speak an even greater truth. This legislation along with its predecessors are completely un-Constitutional. Where in the Constitution does it give Congress power to provide for the benevolence of the people? I can't find any enumeration of that sort of power (read Article 1 Section 8).

I'll again reference an article I wrote in January in saying: It's not the government's job!

We live in a welfare state that has spun so far out of control that nobody can stop it. If anyone dares stand up to such blatant misuse of power they are mocked and never taken seriously.

So, can anything be done to turn back this tide? No. If anyone were to ever run on such a platform as to enforce the enumerated powers of the Constitution they would never be taken seriously. They would be branded a bigot, ignored by the media as a quack, and laughed at by voters.

You may have seen the following before. I can't guarantee it's authenticity (some sources say it is a factual quote, and others say it might be fake), but it bears repeating nonetheless on this subject:

Sometime in the late 1700's to early 1800's, Lord Woodhouselee, Alexander Fraser Tytler (a Scottish historian and professor) wrote about the fall of the Athenian Republic over 2,000 years previously:

“A Democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of Government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves money from the public treasure. From that moment on the majority always vote for the candidates promising the most money from the public treasury, with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy followed by dictatorship.

The average age of the worlds greatest civilizations has been 200 years. These nations have progressed through the following sequence: from bondage to spiritual faith, from spiritual faith to great courage, from great courage to liberty, from liberty to abundance, from abundance to selfishness, from selfishness to complacency, from complacency to apathy, from apathy to dependency, from dependency back to bondage.“

Let me be clear...We, as a country, are a the doorstep of Hell. While I will never relent, I can honestly say that it is already too late to do anything about it.

Big Brother?

Sometimes it's interesting to see who's hitting the site and when.

This came through today:

Host: tias-gw3.treas.gov
Date: Mar 30 15:29:33

Glad to see that someone is keeping up with what I'm writing about: http://www.atf.treas.gov/

Ghost Town

Wow...you need to visit this site. It's a website done by a young lady who likes to visit the dead zones around Chernobyl. She has a VERY interesting photo tour of some of the places she visits.

I've always had a thing for abandoned buildings, but this place is amazing...and sad. People's lives were interrupted that fateful day 18 years ago, and the areas surrounding the former nuclear plant show it.

(Link found via Opinari)

Kerry's Bible pt2

La Shawn Barber got a lot of attention yesterday regarding her post on James 2:14-17 and Kerry's apparent political interpretation of it.

...most critics missed my point that James 2:14-17 does not pertain to governments. What Kerry implied in his "sermon" was that because George Bush is a Christian, he should be spending more of your tax money as a display of his "good works", thereby proving his Christian compassion. That's flat out unbiblical nonsense.

It seems like there was a guy down in Alabama that tried to use the same argument to raise everyone's taxes. Governor Riley told the state that Jesus wanted them to take care of the poor, so they should vote to raise taxes.

Riiiggghhhtt...that didn't go over so well, now did it?

On another note, I think it's interesting how Kerry would attempt to use the Bible to bash Bush, but when it comes to other moral issues that he doesn't agree with, he would completely ignore it. I guess this isn't new though...he's not the first politician to be guilty of this.

La Shawn offers the following points in interpreting the Bible (instead of trying to make it fit your view):

1. What does the author say?
2. What did the author mean?
3. How would his/her original audience understand the text?
4. What what does this text mean today?

And that's only the beginning of developing a deeper knowledge and appreciation of a God so awesome and merciful as to forgive us worthless sinners.

The Bible According to Kerry

So, Kerry is quoting from the Bible now? Yes, in fact, it was a chapter I was just studying in church a few weeks ago.

Kerry never mentioned Bush by name during his speech Sunday at New North Side Baptist Church, but aimed his criticism at "our present national leadership." Kerry cited Scripture in his appeal for the worshippers, including James 2:14, "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?"

"The Scriptures say, what does it profit, my brother, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?" Kerry said. "When we look at what is happening in America today, where are the works of compassion?"

LaShawn Barber (via Bill Hobbs) gives Kerry a little Bible lesson:

James gives guidance on how individuals, not governments, can evaluate their faith to determine whether it's living or dead. It is the personal works of believers that James has in mind in this passage. It wasn't addressed to Caesar.

If Kerry were a Christian, he'd know that the biblical standard of the test of faith doesn't rest on whether poor people exist or teenagers are killed in the streets. Using taxpayers' money isn't a work of faith.

What you do as a professing Christian, i.e., using your own money or time to feed the poor, would be considered "works." Does Kerry see the distinction?

Exactly! It's not the government's job, and the founding fathers never intended for it to be! I suggest that you head over and read an opinion I wrote earlier this year (pre-blog) which speaks to the same thing.

Oh yes...I can't forget the old saying that even Satan can use scripture to suit his own needs. (*Note to John Roberts...aka the "Token Librul": I'm not saying Kerry is Satan...I just couldn't resist the urge to use that comment...lol). :)

BATF in the "hot seat?"

I think this post falls under the category of..."I'm going to speak my mind, and it will probably get me on a government list of some type.." So...here goes...

I mentioned on Friday that the BATF agent at the hearing irked me (Agent Hand). There's more...

Everyone noticed that during the entire hearing Agent Hand would squirm, grimace, point to papers (showing them to the US Attorney), and just have a look of general annoyance. (I guess this showed that things went well for the good guys). I've got a question though...why in the world would a good steward of the government be so hell-bent on putting a guy away that would do more good for the community out of prison?

I may have found a good answer...

Someone (who I can't name) that works for the Federal government added an interesting perspective to this entire issue. He said that the BATF might be in the hot chair. The BATF spent lots of money going after Lancaster, and if they don't get a good sentence out of it, it will look bad on paper. I think there's a lot of truth in that.

When Lancaster was arrested, there were approximately 15 law enforcement people of various capacities at his residence, and there was at least one and possibly two experts flown from D.C. It takes a lot of money to undertake a raid and investigation like this. In fact, the source listed above said it probably goes into the tens of thousands of dollars.

So, there you have it. If the BATF doesn't get an acceptable conviction, then they'll look bad. Never mind that a good man's freedom gets trampled on the way to them looking good. But, I guess that's what the BATF is all about, isn't it?

Ah...I don't want to end on a sour note, so here are a few things that should be mentioned out of fairness to the BATF...

--After the agents had done their thing upstairs in Lancaster's residence, all of the agents apparently were planning on partying afterwards. They all came downstairs with cigars in their mouths (unlit of course), and made reservations at a nice downtown restaurant. I guess that it's like winning a big game or something...I don't know...maybe I just don't get it...

--An interesting anecdote: Mark mentioned to me that he had a made for TV, "Law and Order" moment shortly before Friday's hearing. He was standing in the men's restroom (at the stall), and in walks Agent Hand. Mark feels a little uncomfortable, but to be nice (since he is a nice guy), he asked "How's it going?" Agent Hand completely ignored his kind gesture and stood at the stall next to him saying nothing, looking down, and not even acknowledging his presence. What a guy...

--Publicola had this to say regarding my last post:

What is not mentioned are the names of the "informants" who ratted Mr. Lancaster out to the ATF. All I can tell you is to be careful of whom you trust.

Yes indeed, ladies and gentlement, you're in luck. It's a story of treachery and betrayal. Pay close attention, as this might get confusing...

First off, this entire fiasco started because of a church budget. And you thought that your church had rought budget battles. Two associate pastors were going to be getting big raises (we're talking in the 20% range). A large group of members couldn't understand why and they wanted to get answers, and Lancaster took the side of the people wanting answers. There are still questions lingering as to the financial undertakings of the leadership there, so you can see how this gets to be a little sticky.

We know for certain the names of two of the Confidential Sources of Information listed in the affidavit for the search warrant. According to the affidavit, an annonymous caller tipped the BATF off (with confirmed lies about Lancaster being a Nazi sympathizer, manic depressive, dangerous, and having explosives). During the supression hearing, it was learned that an associate pastor at the church (James Mason...one of the ones getting a raise in the budget) made that call to the BATF and was also CSI2 in the affidavit (on a side note, Mason was later arrested for beating his wife...his wife has since fled while he is out free). They sure know how to pick good informants, don't they?

CSI3 gave the most information, but he was essentially coerced into talking (because of the coersion, I will not give his name here). The BATF apparently threatened him with jail time if he didn't talk, and James Mason was also present during part of the questioning (CSI3 would have been considered a subordinate of Mason at that time).

What is not know is who exactly CSI1 is. According to testimony, Mason received most of his information from CSI1 in order to make the call to the BATF. It can really only be one of two people...both of whom also worked at the church. The head pastor had told witnesses that he was wanting to get rid of Lancaster, and that he knew about his gun collection. Another associate pastor also was looking forward to a raise in the church budget, and it is known that he testified before a Federal grand jury not long after the arrest. Either way, both would have been considered close friends of Lancaster.

Yes, Publicola is right...you've got to be careful who you trust.

So, what's my point here? I don't know. I'm just pointing out facts...you draw the conclusions.

I'm sure that someone with the Department of Justice or BATF will end up reading this, and I'm sure that I will end up getting put on some type of list. To those people...how can I be faulted for exerting my First Amendment right to freedom of speech? I feel, and I think that you have come into a private home...a private life...and taken away their freedom for no reason. You can claim that those weapons could have been stolen and made the streets a war zone, but how is that different from legally owned machine guns (or the guns you own)? You claim that the law was broken, but was that law in violation of the Constitution? If it is therefore then in violation of the Constitution does it make that law valid?

You sit there and take away his freedom, and when it ends up that he was just minding his own business, you push for a "by the books" conviction only to make yourselves look good. Why do you do this?

I guess I can't fault you too much though. I mean...you're only following orders.

Think about it.

Tennessean? Distorting facts?

Say it isn't so...the Tennessean published a fact-free editorial yesterday regarding TaBOR, and Bill Hobbs has the lowdown.

Also is this story regarding several tax and spending restrictions being considered around the nation.

You want accurate coverage and fact-based commentary on the proposed Tennessee Taxpayers Bill of Rights? Stick with HobbsOnline...

I do...and I will...

More Bad News

Thanks to Publicola for linking up my post yesterday on Mark Lancaster. Be sure to head over and read the entire post. It goes on to mention several other recent cases that don't bode well for the Bill of Rights.

The Road to Hell

Kevin Baker over at The Smallest Minority has an excellent post in regards to the 5th Circuit Ruling that police don't always need a search warrant to search someone's home (US vs Gould). Very disturbing...

Kevin also makes a few references to the book Restoring the Lost Constitution by Randy Barnett. I've been meaning to read this for a while, and reading this post reminded me. I finally ordered it today. I'll let you know how it goes.

Sunburn Saturday

I haven't posted anything today because I took advantage of the wonderful weather. Drove the MG around, got a sunburn (I needed some color after the winter took most of it out of me), helped a friend move, cut the grass, did some other yard work, and now I'm pretty much done for the day.

Yes...it was the perfect Saturday.

Amended TaBOR - Bryson's Reply

Head over to Bill Hobbs to read the reply from state Senator Jim Bryson regarding the amended TaBOR.

Bill Hobbs says:

I still like the TaBOR - just not as much.

Yes...not as much, but I agree that it's better than nothing, and we've got to take what we can get sometimes.

Nicosia-gate

I shall dub this Nicosia-gate

Very interesting...

Mark Lancaster - Federal Sentencing

I spent most of my morning down at the Federal Courthouse today. I went to the sentencing hearing of a good friend of mine, Mark Lancaster. I'm sure most of you living in Middle Tennessee remember him (aka...the "Machine Gun Minister" as the media dubbed him). For background information on this case, go here.

The last that you may have heard on this case was that he was withdrawing his guilty plea based on a recent 9th Circuit Case involving homemade machine guns (US vs Stewart). Chief District Judge Robert Echols didn't accept this as the actual charges were different. Apparently because the guns that Lancaster manufactured weren't completely homemade, then it couldn't be considered. Of course, the guns he had were bought across state lines in a completely legal form (as parts kits), and they never entered into their supposed "illegal" form until they came into his home. Sounds like a jurisdictional issue to me, but what do I know? I'm just a citizen... (cont.)

Due to Federal Sentencing guidelines, Lancaster is looking at 30-33 months prison time. The main issue at the hearing today was to argue reasoning for downward departure. Several reasons are that Lancaster is an asset to the community (of which I can personally attest to), his supposed crime was victimless, and he had no ill intent on causing harm to anyone. The Federal attorney is objecting to all of these claims for several reasons. They claim that the crime was going on for more than a year (showing ill intent), someone could have possibly been harmed (ie...what if these things got out on the street), and machine guns are evil because they can fire more than one round with a trigger pull.

Something that has especially driven the motion for downward departure was a very recent (two weeks ago) case in Alabama: US vs Paul Connelly. Connelly received a significant downward departure in his sentencing for some of the same reasons I listed above (it's still up in the air as to whether the government will appeal that decision).

I actually got Lancaster's lawyer in touch with Connelly's lawyer early this week. In talking with Connelly's lawyer, I could tell that he (like other Federal criminal attorneys) doesn't like the approach the government has taken when it comes to Federal sentencing guidelines. U.S. District Judge Karen O. Bowdre in Connelly's case called the guidelines a "cookie-cutter" approach, and that these guidelines weren't written for exceptions such as Connelly. The government disagrees, and their line of questioning during Lancaster's hearing today shows it.

Lancaster's lawyer brought forth several witnesses before the court to demonstrate how Lancaster was an asset to the community, and that he would never harm anyone. Lancaster is actually working with a church in Old Hickory as a music minister as well as helping out with the Nashville Rescue Mission in a community choir program getting drug addicts, prostitutes, and homeless people back on track with their lives. This fact, in itself, shows that putting Lancaster in jail would do more harm than good to the community. When being questioned about the effects of this entire episode on his family, Lancaster broke down.

For every witness, the US attorney asked the same questions (they varied, but they conveyed the same thing): How do they feel about Lancaster making machine guns? (everyone answered that it didn't bother them...especially the pastor that hired him at his current church with full knowledge of what was going on in his case) Do they think that he should pay for his crimes? (everyone answered that he should, but his wasn't a crime worthy of jail) Do they think that machine guns are bad? (most answered that if in the wrong hands, any gun can be bad) In fact, this last question was asked of Lancaster several times until he answered the way they wanted him to (which was to say yes).

Lancaster argued that his guns were meant for display, and while they may have been used in only test firing them, that someone could easily go out and buy a legal AK-47 and do much more harm that the machine guns he had made. He even said that his guns would have probably fallen apart, and that only a few of the guns that the government had claimed were machineguns would actually function properly (in fact, some of the guns that the government counted as machine guns hadn't even been put together). He attested to this idea several times...each time the Federal attorney asked again...and again...attempting to instill the idea that if someone had stolen the guns, that our streets would have become a war ground for criminals (even going as far as actually stating this).

Of course, if these guns had been registered they could just as easily have been stolen which negates this entire argument unless you are arguing that all guns are evil (which is what I felt was happening). By the way, Lancaster stressed that he kept these weapons in a locked room, and that if he ever wasn't going to be there for more than a day, he would place them all in a safe...not to mention that he also had an alarm system.

In the closing statements, Lancaster's attorney discussed the Federal Sentencing guidelines and that this "cookie-cutter" approach can't be used. Judge Echols stated that he never takes sentencing lightly, but that the guidelines were written by Congress (which, in my mind would point to there being the problem).

The Federal attorney stressed that the guidelines should be followed, but Echols questioned him asking if this "cookie-cutter" approach should be used, and that Lancaster be sentenced the same as a dope-dealer or gang member. The Federal attorney didn't really give any good reasons other than that he had committed these supposed crimes over a period of time, that he knew it was "illegal", and that they had been fired (which, firing the guns aren't illegal, by the way). Essentially...any person who would have machine guns is evil.

So, after all that, we still don't know what the decision will be. Judge Echols gave the attorneys 10 days to revise their arguments for or against downward departure due to the fact that the Connelly case was so recent (and Echols had only received the information yesterday along with a fax from the Federal attorneys regarding that case this morning). Then, the sentencing hearing will be scheduled again.

Side note: Something else that irks me about this case is the general attitude that the BATF agent, Agent Hand (who is always sitting with the US Attorney), seems to convey. Sometimes people just irk me in certain ways, and this guy does it big time. Maybe it's the whole BATF thing...I don't know.

Justice marches on...

2.4 Trillion

House Approves $2.4 Trillion Budget Plan

To go along with that, I suggest this good read over at the CATO Institute:

We are now entering the fourth year of budget surplus politics in Washington. For 30 years the annual federal budget deficits set the parameters of the domestic agenda in Washington. The sea of red ink became a symbol of an out-of-control federal government. Now with massive waves of tax revenues pouring into the federal coffers, the crusade for fiscal restraint has lost much of its political appeal. Big government seems more affordable than ever before.

This era of surplus politics has not been kind to those who wish to see the role of the federal government in our lives diminished. The federal budget has exploded by some $350 billion since the Republicans took over Congress in 1995. The growth has been most pronounced in the very types of social welfare and income redistribution programs that Republican leaders pledged to curtail in the Contract with America.

Blood tests

Sorry for the light (or no) posting today...of course, I wouldn't miss something like this in over at KnoxNews.com (registration required) buried in the Legislative briefs:

Legislation permits two tests for intoxication NASHVILLE - Law enforcement officers could test drivers suspected of intoxication twice under a bill given unanimous approval by a House subcommittee on Tuesday.

Current state law, unlike that of many other states, limits officers to one test of a suspect, according to Robert Conley, a Nashville police officer testifying before the panel. He said that is typically a breath alcohol test, which does not indicate the presence of marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine and other narcotics.

If no alcohol is detected, or only a small amount, the officer is required to release the suspect even if the person's behavior indicates he or she is under the influence of intoxicants. That leads to freeing many drug-intoxicated motorists, said Conley, who said he is one of two law enforcement officers in the state certified as a "drug recognition expert."

The bill would allow officers to take two tests, one of them from a blood sample that can detect narcotics, provided both are administered within two hours of the suspect being stopped. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Beth Harwell, R-Nashville, and now advances to the House Judiciary Committee.

Hmmmm...what if a person were to decline to take the blood test?

Someone sent me a Wall Street Journal article the other day (I don't have the link), but here are a couple of excerpts from that article:

After police stopped Robert H. Miller for driving erratically here one afternoon in February 2001, they asked for his license and registration.

Then they asked for something else: his blood. Having been convicted of drunk driving once before, Mr. Miller refused to cooperate. So after he was taken to a hospital, five officers pinned him to the floor as a medical technician stuck a needle in his arm. His blood-alcohol level was 0.266% -- more than twice the legal limit. Mr. Miller, who declined to comment, challenged the tactic in court but lost. He pleaded no contest, was sentenced to up to 90 days in jail and lost his license for 18 months.

"I've really pushed it," says John O'Boyle, district attorney of Pierce County, Wis. Lawyers sometimes successfully challenge breath tests in court or persuade juries to doubt them, but "blood tests tend to be pretty bulletproof," Mr. O'Boyle says. Moreover, it's impossible to force a breath test on someone, but taking blood requires no cooperation. "If we have to literally strap you down if you refuse, that's what can happen to you," says Lt. Tony Almaraz, a Nevada Highway Patrol spokesman.

Advocates say blood tests, once seldom used, now are a powerful weapon against drunk driving. But the tests raise two nettlesome questions: How much force should police be able to use in extracting blood from uncooperative suspects? And should medical professionals, who are honor-bound to obey patients' treatment wishes and protect their privacy, be compelled to do otherwise?

I don't drink, so you might think...what do I care? I personally don't want a police officer sticking a needle in me or another device to draw blood just because he thinks I may be under the influence. If I refuse, that should be my right, and just like in US vs Hiibel (which we're still waiting on the outcome of that), refusing to give a police officer information that might be incriminating should not put me in jail. Breathalyzers are the same. If someone refuses to take a breathalyzer, why should that automatically place them in jail?

Ok, sure...you are able to catch suspects who are possibly a danger to society, but at what cost? As I've said before, we have to protect the rights of criminals so that we may be free ourselves. The thought of being "tough on crime" isn't always best for society as a whole. Rights we once had slowly slip away...before we know it we've lost everything.

Of course, it might already be too late.

Birthday

Today was my birthday. It was an all-around decent day. The weather was great (should have driven the MG), free lunch, and I even pulled out the Cuban cigars...what more could one want?

Well...I must be getting old as I just want to go to bed early tonight.

Kerry's Fall...Still Nothing

I still haven't seen a picture of Kerry's fall. Anyone? Anyone?

Flashback

Perhaps I should up the reward. Instead of a simple mention, I'll give anyone $10 through PayPal if they can give me a picture or send me a link to a picture of him falling on his ski trip.

Read the flashback to see what I'm talking about...

Teen Suicide Bombers

A 16-year-old suicide bomber was stopped today in Israel:

A 16-year-old Palestinian with a suicide bomb vest strapped to his body was caught at a crowded West Bank checkpoint Wednesday, setting off a tense encounter with Israeli soldiers whom the army said he was sent to kill.

Over at the Volokh Conspiracy, David Bernstein points out the following:

This is not an anomaly, but the final product of years of brainwashing in Palestinian schools and media, glorifying "shaheeds" and telling children that their greatest duty is to become shaheeds. This short video, well worth viewing, shows what Palestinian children are taught. Can Palestinian society become any sicker? Israel's security barrier can't be built soon enough.

You need to watch the video...

Amended TaBOR part 2

Bill Hobbs has posted his review of the amended TABOR here. Head over and read it right away.

Amended TaBOR

For those of you who are interested, I said in my last TaBOR post that the bill (SJR88) had been amended. The bill was re-written with a few changes in it (this was done by Senator Bryson, and not another lawmaker seeking to kill or harm the bill).

If you like reading bills, here is a PDF of the amended text. It's 2.3MB in size (I apologize for the poor quality...I had to scan it in).

The original bill text can be seen here.

I haven't had much time to go delve off into the differences, but here's a quick and dirty rundown on the changes that stand out to me...

-The TABOR Cap definition was changed...it says that the TABOR Cap "means the total state tax revenue expenditures for the fiscal year in which this amendment is ratified plus the estimated rate of growth of the state's ecomony, as defined by law, for each fiscal year following ratification of this amendment plus the amount of any duly authorized TABOR cap exceptions." (exceptions being tax referendums or overriding the cap with a 2/3 vote of the General Assembly)

The original definition was that the TABOR cap would be the rate of household-consumer inflation for the prior year, plus the net percentage increase in population for the prior year along with any exceptions in the previous year. (ie...inflation plus population)

It seems to tie the TaBOR cap to the growth (or lack of growth) of the state ecomony instead of inflation plus population .

-I see is that it provides for the TABOR cap to be exceeded if the General Assembly has a 2/3 majority vote to override it (or by a majority of voters participating in a statewide referendum) without it being declared an emergency (the original version said that such a vote was considered an emergency). It also took out the binding text that said no such declaration could be made if it is in relation to "revenue shortfalls or salary or benefit increases for educational personnel or public employees."

-There was an increase in the size of the TABOR Reserve Fund in relation to the estimated state tax revenue appropriations from 5 to 7 percent.

-One other small change I noticed was there was an exception to taxes being voted on by the population as long as the tax was revenue neutral to what the state takes in.

-There was additional text at the end of the bill which would change the wording in the state constitution in relation to shared costs with city and county governments.

Replacing the following text:

No law of general application shall impose increased expenditure requirements on cities or counties unless the General Assembly shall provide the state share in the cost.

...with this:

No law of general application shall impose increased expenditure requirements on cities or counties unless, within such law, the General Assembly provides that the state will share in the cost and specifies the portion of the state share.

Again, that's just a quick and dirty version of the differences between the original TaBOR bill and the newly amended one. There are several other things that are different throughout, but nothing else that major. Of course, I'm sure that I missed something. Bill Hobbs will probably have something on this later on as well.

'Under God'

The Court heard the arguments, and from the statements they made, they seem to back 'Under God' in the Pledge being recited in schools.

``You may disagree that it's 'under God.' You may disagree that it's `liberty and justice for all,''' Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist said, referring to another part of the pledge. ``That doesn't make it a prayer.''

None of the justices indicated clear support for Newdow's position. Justice David H. Souter suggested the phrase ``under God'' was benign enough that it might fly ``beneath the constitutional radar.''

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said the phrase was ``sandwiched in the middle of something'' and said Newdow's daughter had the right to refuse to recite the pledge.

Justices Sandra Day O'Connor pointed to the invocation that begins every session of the Supreme Court: ``God save the United States and this honorable court.''

``We have so many references to God in our daily lives in this country,'' O'Connor said.

Read the entire article here.

Supreme Court News

The Supreme Court is busy this week.

The biggest and most divisive issue will be the Pledge's 'One Nation Under God' case. That's going before the Court this morning.

The quiet yet possibly most far reaching case is the Hiibel case. I highly recommend you read this article by the CATO institute regarding Hiibel.

...Hiibel may prove to be the sleeper case of the term because of its profound implications.

Thought controlled arm

I read about this last year. Apparently it's progressing along...

Scientists who trained a monkey to move a mechanical arm using thought alone said on Tuesday that experiments in Parkinson's disease patients show the technique may work in humans, too.

Story here...

Um, yes...

Picture of the week, right here.

TaBOR Breaking News

This evening, the Taxpayer Bill of Rights Amendment (SJR 88) came before the Senate Judiciary Committee and was handed to the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee. The bill received neither a positive nor negative recommendation during this process.

Essentially, it's neither good or bad news for the bill. The main thing is that it's moving.

I was also informed that it was ammended by Senator Bryson, and I should have a copy of the updated bill tomorrow (I couldn't get it electronically).

No word as to when it will come before the Finance Committee. I will pass along that information as soon as I find out.

A Coalition

Today the State Senate Judiciary Committee will be meeting at 3:30pm. On their agenda is the Taxpayer Bill of Rights bill sponsored by Senator Jim Bryson. If you support this bill, be sure to email all of the committee members urging them to vote for this bill.

Yesterday, I posted an article regarding a poll taken by the Kansas Taxpayer Bill of Rights Coalition. I stated that Tennessee should probably build a similar coalition. Bill Hobbs hits upon that theme today urging that we do just that.

What would a coaltion do? It would provide a unified voice for Tennesseans who support passage of a TaBOR amendment in this state. The opposing forces have such a unified voice with the Tennesseans for Fair Taxation. Everytime the news media does a story about taxation or bills affecting taxation (and what comes out of your pockets), they go to that group which provides a single voice of opposition.

Tennessee has several wonderful groups (TNTaxRevolt.org, Oak Ridge Accountability Project, etc.) as well as several independent people and websites (BillHobbs.com, Senator Bryson, Tax Free Tennessee, etc.) that can join together as one unified voice on this one important issue.

This would not be a merger, but a simple coalition. A way to present the concept of TaBOR in a unified, simple message. A group to provide a point of contact for the media on issues of TaBOR. A way to provide polling data showing Tennessean's support for TaBOR (which by ourselves we can not do). A way to provide a single voice against the propaganda of Tennesseans for Fair Taxation.

Bill Hobbs says that a coalition can't be built overnight, and he's exactly right. However, it needs to be done. Whether the TaBOR amendment passes today or not, we need a unified voice to work toward the goal of bringing accountability to our state government.

As I said yesterday...let's do that.

Battle?

From Just a Bump in the Beltway regarding the lesbian Methodist minister (talked about here earlier):

This is one battle, not the war, in the Methodist church and all of the others. It sure is nice to have some good news to report.

A battle for what? A battle in a war to insert a morally corrupt agenda into the church so that the church is unable to speak out against said corruption?

It's only the beginning...only the beginning...

Hiibel vs. Nevada pt2

I came across a good article over at Slate.com regarding the Hiibel case. It gives a good rundown of the questioning by the justices and how they might be leaning in the case.

Read it here.

It seems, from their questioning, that they aren't buying the further implications on privacy that this case might have. On the other hand, they can sometimes seem to be leaning one way in their questioning and go the other way in their opinions. We can only wait and see what happens at this point.

More after the opinions are handed down.

Supreme Court Case (Hiibel vs. Nevada)

I haven't posted anything yet regarding the Supreme Court Case, Hiibel vs Nevada, which was heard today. (Case docket here)

The justices heard arguments today in a first-of-its kind case that asks whether people can be punished for refusing to identify themselves.

The court took up the appeal of a Nevada cattle rancher who was arrested after he told a deputy that he had done nothing wrong and didn't have to reveal his name or show an ID during an encounter on a rural road four years ago.

Nevada is supported by the Bush administration and two criminal justice groups. Organizations backing Hiibel include the American Civil Liberties Union, the Cato Institute, privacy groups and advocates for the homeless.

Read the entire story here.

I will wait to make any major comments on this case until after the decision is handed down, but I will say that I am supporting Hiibel. The website supporting him can be found here: PapersPlease.org

On with better things...

On the subject of TaBOR, the following arrived in my email box today from Ben Cunningham of TNTaxRevolt.org:

73% Favor Kansas Taxpayer Bill of Rights

"Nearly three of four registered voters in Kansas support a proposed constitutional amendment that would require voter approval on all state tax increases, according to supporters of the amendment. The group, the Kansas Taxpayer Bill of Rights Coalition, commissioned a poll of 400 registered voters conducted March 17-18 by Cole Hargrave Snodgrass & Associates.

The poll found 73 percent of Kansans favor the proposed amendment. Sixty-six percent of voters support it even after they are presented with arguments that such a measure could make it too difficult for the state to fund education and health care."

Read the entire story here.

I replied to the email and said we should create a Tennessee Taxpayer Bill of Rights Coalition.

Yes indeed...a coalition...let's do that.

It's being shoveled high today

Another "Wow" to add to the list today.

For some reason, I decided to head over to the Tennesseans for Fair Taxation's website (a well-known, pro-income tax group). I rarely visit their site (as there is never any need to), but I got the itching to see what they are up to.

Well, topping their site is a story on the Taxpayer Bill of Rights coming before the Senate Judiciary committee tomorrow (their story must be older as the date says March 9).

Heading their write-up is the following:

TABOR is Anti-Education, Anti-Environment, Anti-Seniors, Anti-Children, and ANTI-PEOPLE.

Can they use any more cliches? Oh yes...they did...they claim it will also unfairly benefit those with deep pockets (reads the evil rich). *yawn*

Their summation of what TaBOR stands for is this:

TABOR is a proposal to permanently amend the Tenn. Constitution in a way that will put a stranglehold on our schools and other public services for decades to come.

This argument is taken care of by Bill Hobbs here (written today).

According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, if Tennessee had passed a TABOR bill in 1990, state revenue today would be $6.7 billion instead of $8.4 billion. This means on top of the 9% cuts enacted last year and the TennCare cuts this year, Tennessee would have to cut another $1.7 billion dollars from schools, health care, children’s services, the environment, and senior care to name a few. Entire programs would be gone.

And? What's your point here? First, it wouldn't have taken money from schools, healthcare, or children services, or the environment, or senior care (etc. etc. etc. and whatever other group you can come up with to scare). However, it would have kept the state government from instituting wasteful programs that should have never been implemented in the first place which will eventually bankrupt our state!

Now I know what Glenn Beck means when he says he feels like his head is going to explode (those that listen to Glenn Beck will understand what I mean here).

I've got a headache...

One Word: Wow

Speaking of peace (anti-war) protests out in California, there was also coverage (blogger coverage) of a similar protest in San Diego. Click here for the coverage. Be sure to read "Rebecca's Remarks" and the subsequent "Interview with Rebecca." Rebecca was one of the speakers at the rally representing the International Socialist Organization.

One word: Wow

Again...this is stuff you won't see in the media.

(Found via BillHobbs.com)

Pictures Say So Much

Pictures you won't see in the newspapers from the San Francisco "Global Day of Action" anti-war rally on March 20. Click here.

(Found via Aaron Chapman)

Click-It or Ticket

State Senator Cohen and myself agree on something...well, sort of.

Cohen wants to scrap the Click-It or Ticket campaign. The main reason is that it's misleading because (apparently) state law doesn't allow for a person to be pulled over for not wearing their seatbelt as a primary offense. It can only be ticketed if that person is pulled over for something else...like speeding.

“We’re not a Click It or Ticket state, and we shouldn’t put out anything that is not accurate or true and misleading. It reminds you of Watergate,” Cohen said.

Because Tennessee does not have a primary safety belt law, Tennesseans cannot be stopped for not wearing a seat belt. They can only be fined for the offense if they were stopped for another violation; for example, speeding.

I don't know how it reminds people of Watergate, but that's beside the point.

Here's the kicker (and why I don't think it will pass): The state would lose Federal funding if they drop the Click-It or Ticket campaign. They would lose even more if seat belt use drops below 75% across the state (how that's determined, I don't know).

I have different reasons from Cohen for disliking the Click-It or Ticket campaign. It shouldn't be the government's job to protect us from ourselves. Whether or not I wear a seat belt (which I do...because it's just common sense) shouldn't be a reason to pull someone over nor should it be a reason to set up Gestapo-style road blocks to ensure that people are complying. We're talking about bigger issues of freedom here. Plus, I don't care if we loose Federal funding. We can't be continually baited into becoming a police state every time the Federal government comes along with promises of more funding.

Every time I hear a commercial that says "We're going to save lives," I think, "At what cost?" It's the cost of freedom. We slowly get used to the idea of these roadblocks (which is basically the police stopping you without probable cause), and one thing leads to another...freedom slowly slips away.

Other legislation is currently pending in the General Assembly that would set up a primary seatbelt law (which Cohen supports)...this would give the state free reign in pulling you over anytime if you don't have your seatbelt on...and also expect more roadblocks if this passes.

Walter Williams has a great article written last year on the Click-It or Ticket program. I suggest you read it.

Kerry's Fall pt2

Tonight, on his radio show, Matt Drudge is asking the same question I was asking here...

Site Problems

Never use AppSiteHosting as your web hosting provider...(formerly DellHost).

I recently left their services to come to VerveHosting.

Reasons for leaving AppSiteHosting:

-Slow to no-response customer service/technical support
-When you did talk to a customer support rep, they didn't know what they were talking about and different reps gave different answers
-No support for Movable Type
-More expensive than VerveHosting
-Less disk space than VerveHosting
-etc etc etc...ad nauseam

Now, I have a new reason to dislike AppSite:

I gave them my cancellation notice over a week ago, but that apparently hasn't gone through. I get a few emails saying that they are moving to new DNS servers (again), but I really didn't care as I have already moved my site to Verve.

Tonight, I noticed that some of my images weren't working properly on my blog. After checking several things, I look and see that my DNS servers have changed. It seems that AppSite changed my DNS servers (from Verve to their new DNS) without my authorization! I changed them back immediately and gave them a call (mainly to complain and demand that they cancel me immediately...which they should have already done anyway).

So, if you've experienced downtime with the site, I would like to give you my deepest apologies (along with my recommendation to stay away from AppSiteHosting). All problems should be cleared up by Monday evening.

I also highly recommend VerveHosting for your hosting needs. They are cheap, have wonderful technical support, and you get all sorts of technical goodies to go along with your site.

Israel Kills Hamas Spiritual Leader

It looks like Israel took out Yassin. I'm surprised it took this long.

-- Hamas spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin has been killed in an apparent Israeli attack on his car, Palestinian sources tell CNN.

Update: Story Here (via Drudge)

Yassin, a quadriplegic, was by far the most senior Palestinian militant killed in more than three years of Israeli-Palestinian fighting. Hundreds of angry Palestinians gathered around his minutes after the attack, calling for revenge against Israel.

Yes, this should shake things up a bit. It will be interesting to see how this plays out over the next day or so as this is pretty huge.

Tennessean's TaBOR Coverage pt2

I was going to take a little time this afternoon to write more about the Tennessean's coverage of the TaBOR amendment (see earlier post), but Bill Hobbs does a great job (as usual) in two separate articles on his site.

Here and Here

Don't you just love the Tennessean?

Lesbian Methodist Minister

I'm sure that Donald Sensing will have something to write on this soon, but it seems a jury of Methodist clergy has allowed an openly gay (lesbian) minister to keep her job.

A Methodist clergy jury unanimously ruled that a lesbian minister can continue to be a minister and remain in a homosexual relationship, church officials said on Sunday after a trial that deeply divided the third-largest U.S. Christian group.

Shouldn't any leader of a church be kept to the standard of living a lifestyle that doesn't promote sin? If a leader commits a sin, they can be forgiven, but if that leader continues on the path that is against the Bible's teachings, then they should be removed. If a church can't do that, then it's other teachings are negated.

Satan won this round.

Claim: They've got briefcase nukes

al-Qaida No. 2: We Have Briefcase Nukes

In an interview scheduled to be televised on Monday, Pakistani journalist Hamid Mir said Ayman al-Zawahri claimed that "smart briefcase bombs" were available on the black market.

In the interview with Australian Broadcasting Corp. television, parts of which were released Sunday, Mir recalled telling al-Zawahri it was difficult to believe that al-Qaida had nuclear weapons when the terror network didn't have the equipment to maintain or use them.

"Dr Ayman al-Zawahri laughed and he said `Mr. Mir, if you have $30 million, go to the black market in central Asia, contact any disgruntled Soviet scientist, and a lot of ... smart briefcase bombs are available,'" Mir said in the interview.

Who knows?

Tennessean's Tabor Coverage

It's about the time that the Tennessean did a story on TaBOR, and they did a bang up job (reads terrible job).

Let's take a quick look at it (as I only have a few minutes this morning to write):

Gov. Phil Bredesen, a Democrat, is cool to the idea as are Tennesseans for Fair Taxation, a coalition of organizations and individuals that says it is interested in a fair tax structure and adequate funding. They are joined by the national lobbying group Common Cause.

Yes, the pro-income tax groups don't support it...surprise surprise.

Opponents say putting the language in the constitution would hamstring government.

Simply false. TaBOR provides "guardrails," not total restrictions in spending, and taxes can be raised with a simple vote of the people (which is not impossible). Is it too much to ask to let the people decide?

''The governor is skeptical of these kinds of political measures,'' said Lydia Lenker, the governor's press secretary. ''It would completely undercut our ability to catch up in vital areas like education. This administration has been tightening belts and balancing budgets without any mandates like this. Bottom line: The system is working.''

Dear Governor, this isn't meant to target you. It's meant to target future administrations that might deviate from the path of responsible fiscal conservatism (or what you might decide to do in your second term).

Colorado has had a taxpayer bill of rights for 11 years and remains the only state with such provisions. Whether it has been beneficial depends on whom you ask.

A study by the Bell Policy Center last year concluded that Colorado's taxpayer bill of rights ''has seriously impaired the state's ability to set budget and program priorities and respond to crises, such as the current economic downturn.''

Depends on whom you ask? Looks like you pretty much just asked one side there.

Dick Williams, who represents Common Cause and Tennesseans for Fair Taxation, said it is unwise to restrict legislators in their decisions to meet Tennesseans' needs.

Artificial limits make it harder for the legislature to respond appropriately to the needs of government as they understand them, he said.

Yes, as you all know, our state legislature has done such a wonderful job of acting responsibly in the past (and I'm sure they will in the future).

Fun with Redirects

FishKite.com has put the domain name www.slanderingbush.com to good use by redirecting it to the new liberal radio network, Air America.

I wonder how long before they will block it.

Tabor Update

The Taxpayer Bill of Rights bill will be going forward before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, March 23. From what I've heard, it isn't going to be delayed again.

The reason for the previous two delays, an attempt to change the rules to allow for a roll call vote (noted here on Tuesday), hasn't taken effect.

To explain further, the roll call rule would allow each member's vote to be recorded (so we all would know who votes which way). As it works now, the bill would just be sent to the Finance committee with a positive or negative recommendation. Hopefully the rule change can take effect before Tuesday (there's still a chance it will), but who knows.

Update: Forgot to include the time that the Senate Judiciary Committee will be meeting. It will be 3:30pm

Something Interesting - Kerry's Fall

I'm sure you've all heard about Kerry's little tumble on the slopes during his retreat to the mountains in Ketchum, Idaho (his cursing of the Secret Service agent who caused the tumble is another story).

What I haven't found in relation to this story is what I find most interesting. We know that there were members of the press following him down the slope with a camera (else, they wouldn't have gotten this grand shot), but I haven't seen one picture of him actually taking the fall.

If I remember correctly, this picture of Bush falling off a Segway was all over the place when that happened.

Hmmmm

Update: I'd like to get my hands on a picture of Kerry falling on the slopes. Has anyone seen it out there? I don't have a prize to offer other than you might get mentioned in thanks (yeah, it's not much, but it's all I have to offer...lol).

Update #2 10:20pm: Ok, I know this isn't that important, but I still haven't found a picture of the tumble. However, I did come across a story which said that he fell about six times.

Reporters counted six falls, although Kerry was out of sight for part of the descent.

I thought he said he never fell (see this story). Plus, that New York Times article said he only fell once (because of some "SOB" Secret Service agent...his words, not mine).

So...with non-NYTimes reporters there counting at least six falls, there should be some pictures of it out there. Either that or "image conscious" Kerry is making sure they don't get out via the "independent," "non-biased" press.

Hmmmmmmmmmm

Slow day

Not much is exciting me out there today. It's a slow news day, and I'm ready for the weekend.

I'm hosting my semi-monthly card game tonight. Good way to end a tiring week.

MTSU Income Tax Poll (cont.)

The MTSU Income Tax Poll that I posted on last night has stirred up a bit of emotion (the Tennessee Tax Revolt kind)...yes indeed...

Bill Hobbs has even more on it this evening as well: Taxpayer-Funded Propaganda.

Be sure to scroll to the bottom of Bill's post to read the first comment left by Matt, a new resident to Tennessee.

I recently moved to Tennessee from Missouri. One reason the move was appealing was no income tax in TN.

Yes! Exactly! Less tax = more revenue. When you don't overburden your population with excessive taxation, that population will grow! I have to say that the state having no income tax was a reason I moved here as well.

However, I still stand by my proposal if they want to pass a state income tax.

PETA = lack of tact

For a while, PETA (not very well known for their tactfulness) has been promoting an ad campaign comparing the plight of animals to Holocaust victims. The ad has been used in a few places here in the U.S., but most of the reports on it's reception have not come from the big news outlets (not surprisingly).

Today, there was a story about how this ad is being received in Germany.

The posters, due to be displayed in Stuttgart from Thursday and in 11 European cities at later dates, show pictures of battery hens packed into cages next to historic pictures of emaciated Jewish inmates in Nazi concentration camp bunk beds.

That's pretty much gone over like a lead balloon there. As it should...

Al Qaeda High Value Target

Breaking news...Pakistan is reporting that they have a "high value" al Qaeda target surrounded near the border with Afghanistan.

Apparenlty it's not bin Laden...there is word that it might be number 2. We probably won't know for sure for a few hours.

Update: Story here

The Internet's Growing Influence

Today comes a few stories regarding the Internet and it's growing influence on the population.

According to a new survey, the online US population has topped 200 million.

"In just a handful of years, online access has managed to gain the type of traction that took other mediums decades to achieve," said Kenneth Cassar, director of strategic analysis at Nielsen/NetRatings.

Indeed it has.

Such a strong growth in a medium like this brings about other changes even more quickly. Case in point: News Media. The old guard of news media fears the power of millions of online "citizen reporters," and they are trying their best to discredit this new movement. They arrogantly believe that they are the only ones that have the right to speak to the masses. The truth is, there's a revolution taking place...it's online and they're missing the boat.

Bill Hobbs today writes about this very subject:

Note the implied arrogance that the news industry gets to have a say in whether citizens should be allowed to contribute to online journalism. News flash, guys: Citizens are already contributing to online journalism - and you don't get to decide if we can participate. Fact is, we may even decide to use our blogs and other online tools to force you to cover a story you ignored...

Read his excellent post here.

I'll drink to that

Donald Sensing posts that Coffee is Good for You.

I'll drink to that...

Income Tax Poll

Bill Hobbs talks more about MTSU's income tax poll here.

Music Row Democrats

The Music Row Democrats were featured on Newsweek's online edition yesterday.

How does John Kerry plan to capture the hearts and minds of the so-called Nascar Democrats, those relatively conservative, rural Southern whites who tend to vote Republican? There's choosing an appealing running mate, of course. But there are some party insiders who think a liberal Yankee could take another route: country music.

...the organization insists it can help Kerry win Tennessee and other battleground Southern states by appealing to the popular music genre's huge fan base in the region.

Are these guys in touch with the real country music fan base?

Read the entire story here.

My Proposal

A follow up to my last post:

I've got a deal for the income tax supporters out there (since apparently there are people out there still trying to drum up support for an income tax). I'll give my support to a state income tax, but the catch is that it can't be taken out of people's paychecks. Each person must individually pay their percentage to the state AFTER they receive their paychecks. If someone wants to pay it by week-by-week, so be it. If they prefer to wait and do it once a year, so be it. They just can't have it deducted directly from their paychecks.

Then, I'll let you be the first to go out into the streets to tell everyone what a wonderful thing you've done for the people of Tennessee.

Think about it...

(By the way...I think the same thing should be done with the Federal income tax.)

Support for Income Tax?

I very seriously doubt the results of the poll refered to in a news report off of WSMV Channel 4's website.

Nearly 60 percent of Tennesseans say they would support a state income tax if it were paired with sales tax cuts, according to a new poll.

The poll by Middle Tennessee State University found 59 percent support the measure, down from 62 percent in a MTSU poll last fall but still within the poll's 4 percent margin of error.

This sounds like another state university attempting to make an appeal for a state income tax, and I don't buy it. Not to mention that it is being touted by a pro-income tax news station (which was not very receptive to the Taxpayer Bill of Rights Town Hall Meeting a couple of weeks ago).

Update: I found this official press release from MTSU regarding their most recent income tax poll. There you will find the questions that were asked as well as the analysis surrounding the poll. Feel free to read it and draw your own conclusions as to its accuracy. Just remember that this poll was conducted by a state funded university.

Anti-Semitic? I think not

Mel Gibson is apparently looking into doing a movie about the revolt of the Maccabees...the origination of the Jewish holiday Hanukkah.

The ADL's National Director isn't pleased...but that's not really a surprise. His comment regarding Gibson's interest in this project was, "In his hands, we may wind up losing."

Read the story here.

Mind Reading?

Interesting...

NASA has developed a computer program that comes close to reading thoughts not yet spoken, by analyzing nerve commands to the throat.

I've always noticed that when I am thinking, that I can still feel like my brain is telling my muscles that it's speaking (yes, sometimes I have too much time on my hands).

Let's just hope that something like this isn't abused. Well...there I go being paranoid again. Interesting nonetheless...

No Comment

I saw this story this morning. I won't make any comments other than that this is making the national rounds. It was even posted on Drudge this evening.

Tenn. County Wants to Charge Homosexuals

Anger won't win

While this Nashville Scene article is essentially just a love-fest for Representative Harold Ford, Jr. (whom I don't dislike), it does bring about one good point:

If Harold Ford Jr., U.S. Congressman, rising Democratic star and national co-chair of the John Kerry for President campaign, could make one wish for this election season, it would be for all fuming mad Democrats to take a deep breath, relax and start getting in touch with their inner undecided American voter.

"We cannot win by being angry," he says, moving his arms in smooth but tightly controlled gesticulations within his dark tailored suit. "You have to understand, people like George Bush," he says. "He's a nice guy. We need to learn from him. Remember what Bill Clinton did: He figured out what Republicans were doing well, and instead of complaining about it, he figured out a way to do it better."

He's right...Democrats can not and will not win by being angry, and I don't see this attitude changing before the election.

Speaking of Junior, he'll be running for the Senate in 2006. Any predictions?

The Merry Band of Thugs

I covered this...two weeks ago.

It bears reposting in this forum as well. You can read it here.

Update: A good Sidelines' opinion piece on this as well out for tomorrow's print edition.

St. Patrick's Day pt2

From The Federalist's daily email today:

"Patrick the sinner, an unlearned man to be sure. None should ever say that it was my ignorance that accomplished any small thing, it was the gift of God." --Patrick, Bishop of Armagh, Missionary, Patron of Ireland, c.460.

Prior to his death, Saint Patrick returned to Ireland, confronted the Druids, converted Chieftains, and used the three-leaf clover to teach the Trinity. He baptized more than 120,000 and founded more than 300 churches in the name of Christ. (His life and passage is worthy, we think, of a higher order of recognition than drinking large amounts of green beer.)

Banning Swords

This story is about a week old, but it's still worth the mention.

Australia instituted a gun ban in 1997 which has had no effect on crime rates (other than armed robbery actually going up).

Now, you see this: New law to ban swords

Tax Revolt of 1869

The Tennessean today recounts an interesting aspect of Nashville's post-Civil War history.

With the chaotic way that money was flowing out of the city's coffers, it might just as well, he said, be called the ''loose milk department.''

As public concern grew, a committee of local residents made up of former Confederates and Unionists organized a group that initiated a taxpayer revolt and demanded answers while the debate grew ever sharper.

Read the entire story here.

Firearms for Sale

The Wichita, Kansas city council has decided to sell confiscated firearms instead of destroying them.

The Wichita city council votes to sell confiscated firearms, rather than destroy them. The council voted five-to-two to amend the city ordinance allowing them to sell firearms confiscated in municipal cases rather than destroy them.

Wichita City Council member Paul Gray says, "I would like to see that changed to include the option of selling those firearms to federally licensed dealers."

Gray says he estimates the city could bring in several hundred thousand dollars if they sold the firearms rather than destroy them.

I've said before that we should do that here in Nashville instead of destroying and demonizing them.

St. Patrick's Day

Did I wear green today? No. Have I been pinched yet? Yes.

'Catfish' Kerry?

Ok, I'm not intentionally jumping on a bash Kerry wagon here, but this article came my way today.

Advice from Cooter: a Southern Strategy for Kerry

And we gotta get you a good Southern nickname. Forget "Bubba." We've got a Bubba surplus. "Slick" would work, but it has been used recently to mixed reviews. Animal names are good, though. The great singer George Jones is nicknamed "Possum." Famed Alabama football coach Paul Bryant was "Bear" and quarterback Kenny Stabler is still "Snake."

But it's gotta fit. With your look and demeanor, you could be - no offense now - say, "Goose," or "Buzzard" or better yet, "Hound Dog." Wait, I've got it! With that face, you are a natural "Catfish." And it's alliterative: Catfish Kerry. Perfect.

Rick and Bubba get a good mention in this article as well.

Update: And yes, the Cooter that wrote this is the same Cooter from the Dukes of Hazzard.

Sundquist and the GOP

It seems that former Don Sundquist won't be going to the GOP National Convention this year as a delegate.

Sundquist said, "I decided it's not worth arguing over or campaigning for."

He's got a point there.

Read the story by Georgiana Vines over at KnoxNews.com (registration required).

Fan Fair Goes Primetime

According to The City Paper, Fan Fair (I'm sorry...it's now known as the CMA Music Festival) is going to be getting a two-hour primetime slot on CBS this summer.

Benson said the network television special is the fair’s biggest shot at publicity in its 33-year history, as millions of eyes will be focused on Nashville.

Well, let's just hope it turns out better than that Fourth of July Special on A&E last year.

EU Constitution

Speaking of the EU's drafted constitution, here is a good article written last year by Marian Tupy and Patrick Basham over at the CATO Institute. They say that the EU's constitution "is a product of 20th century welfare-state socialism."

Maybe I shouldn't worry so much if the following holds true:

The formal adoption of the EU constitution will result in one of two possible outcomes. Either the constitutional welfare provisions will be discretely ignored, because of their prohibitive cost and negative effect on European economic growth, or their enforcement will lead to even greater central government regulation of European social and economic life.

In the former outcome, the entire EU constitution will be devalued by overtly broken promises. The latter outcome will relegate the European economy to permanent second-class socio-economic status and thus postpone, perhaps indefinitely, the European dream of eventually rivaling American financial wealth, cultural influence, and political power.

Read the entire article...

World Domination

According to recent surveys many think that the U.S. seeks world domination.

While this isn't huge news (meaning...we've heard this before), something in this article gave me pause to think:

"Europeans want to check our power," said Andrew Kohut, director of the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press. "There's considerable support for making the European Union as powerful as the United States."

This is an interesting statement. Considering that there has been a slight shift in the balance of power in the EU due to the new socialist government in Spain (directly related to the effects of terrorism) which will probably lead to passage of the EU's draft constitution, how concerned should the U.S. be at the emergence of the EU as a superpower? Is it too much of a stretch to believe that a "One Europe" will one day be our enemy (in more than just words)? Has terrorism started a string of events that will lead to the creation of a new superpower which might eventually challenge the power and possibly cause the downfall of the U.S.? ...or am I being too paranoid again?

Other interesting findings in this article:

-While support for the war on terrorism has dropped in many of those countries, it has increased in Russia — 73 percent approve — and is almost as strong there as in the United States.

-Ratings for the United Nations are relatively high in European countries, and low in the Muslim countries. Just over half in the United States, 55 percent, gave a favorable rating to the U.N.

The Great Escape

An excellent story about the original cast from the Great Escape.

Amazing...

The French Love Kerry

Nothing new here and probably not even worth the mention, but it seems the French love John Kerry.

Well, of course.

This article can be summed up by one excerpt:

...maybe it’s the simple fact that he’s not President Bush.

Or...maybe it's because he looks French.

Amber Alert Update

Update to the Amber Alert post below.

Man won't be charged with kidnapping

Spain and the EU Constitution

More ramifications from the terrorist attack in Madrid.

From a story in the Financial Times today:

Hopes are rising in European capitals that the change of government in Madrid could break the deadlock over a new constitution for the European Union.

José Luís Rodríguez Zapatero, Spain's prime minister-elect, said yesterday he hoped for an "accelerated" adoption of the text, which aims to streamline decision-making in an expanded EU of 25 countries and to make Europe more effective on the world stage.

Mr Zapatero told Cadena Ser radio: "I believe that we will rapidly reach an agreement that will maintain a reasonable balance of power that will define the new Europe, an enlarged Europe."

Considering that the EU constitutional draft is a work of grand socialism, I'm sure that Spain's new socialist government will make passage much easier.

Chalk up another victory for terrorism.

Official Launch

NashvilleFiles.com/blog is now officially launched. See the welcome message from yesterday.

I'll be updating the columns as well as populating the blogroll over the next few days.

Suggestions, comments? Email me

More Embarassing

Well, this might be more embarassing.

Embarassing

Nashville's schools got another embarassing mention last week over the honor roll flap. This time by Walter Williams (who happens to be one of my favorite columnists).

What passes for educational enlightenment these days boggles the mind. Matt Gouras, of The Associated Press, writing in the Jan. 5 Seattle Times tells a story about Tennessee schools. The success of some students has made other students feel badly about themselves.

What're the schools' responses? Public schools in Nashville have stopped posting honor rolls. Some are considering a ban on posting exemplary schoolwork on bulletin boards. Others have canceled academic pep rallies, while others might eliminate spelling bees. Nashville's Julia Green Elementary School principal, Steven Baum, agrees, thinking that spelling bees and publicly graded events are leftovers from the days of ranking and sorting students. He says: "I discourage competitive games at school. They just don't fit my worldview of what a school should be."

This issue is now considered old (pre-dating NashvilleFiles.com/blog, so I won't rehash commentary that