4.14.06

GAS PAINS

Gas prices are officially out of control...again. With crude oil hovering around $70 per barrel, gas at your local station will be heading beyond 3 bucks a gallon in the very near future. Its currently $2.76 a gallon at my local station. No issue in America, besides illegal immigration, gets me more pissed than paying this much to fill up my tank. Prices are close to what they were post-Hurricane Katrina, we all knew the reasoning for the price hikes then, but why now? Some say that speculation about Iran's nuclear ambitions play a role, but the US does not even import any oil from Iran. Interesting? There is no real reason for these prices, there is no shortage or supply shocks being reported anywhere. The fact that the major oil companies had record profits last quarter is no coincidence.

American consumers are demanding congressional action to slow down skyrocketing gasoline prices, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said Friday.
"Oil companies are living in the fast land and consumers are being left on the side of the road," he said in a release in which he cited cases of extraordinary profits. He urged action on his proposal that he says would east the problem.
Durbin's Windfall Profits Tax bill would impose an excise tax on integrated oil and gas companies equal to 5o percent of their profits over a baseline price of $40 per barrel of oil.

I am not sure what his proposal actually means, but I know is that I actually agree with Dick Turbin! Ill agree with anyone as long as they are willing to do something to stop this robbery being conducted by the big oil companies. It is just a shame that it is Americans doing this to Americans, rather than other countries jacking up the price of oil. All those oil execs should be arrested for gouging the American public in a time of war. Prepare for prices to oil rise throughout the summer driving season. $4.00/gallon by August? I wouldnt doubt it. [source upi]



Speaking of out of control, Irans president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said today that Israel is "heading toward annihilation." This comes only days after he held a press conference to gloat about the fact Iran has successfully inriched uranium to create a nuclear bomb. This is obviously alarming.

"Like it or not, the Zionist regime is heading toward annihilation," Ahmadinejad said at the opening of a conference in support of the Palestinians. "The Zionist regime is a rotten, dried tree that will be eliminated by one storm."

This man is a lunatic. Some people, and especially the mainstream media, are giving the Bush Administration a hard time for publically saying a military option against Iran is on the bargaining table. Wouldnt it be irresponsible of Bush not to be at least planning some sort of military strike against a guy who wants to 'annihilate' Israel? The U.N. is once again pretending to care about a serious threat to world stabliltiy, but we all know how that always turns out. And the Democrats in this country are also proving again why they are weak on national security. Recently Sen. Barbara Boxer said that she thinks we should sanction the Iranians. Sanctions are the most famous piece of worthless diplomacy in the history of the world. All the Dems ever want to do is sanction people, but in a post 9/11 world, sanctions dont work. I think president Ahmadinejad is biting off more than he can chew by taunting the United States of America, because if he wants a fight, I can guarentee you he wont be around to see its conclusion. [source breitbart]



Secretary of Defense Don Rumsfeld is under fire from retired generals who want him to resign his post.
Six retired generals, including three who commanded troops in Iraq under Rumsfeld's leadership, have publicly stated their criticism of Rumsfeld's leadership and called for his resignation.
President Bush continues to be extremely supportive of Rumfeld, saying again recently how good of a job he is doing as the Secretary of Defense.

"Earlier today I spoke with Don Rumsfeld about ongoing military operations in the Global War on Terror," Bush said in a written statement released by the White House. "I reiterated my strong support for his leadership during this historic and challenging time for our Nation."

Its safe to say that Bush's optimism doesnt exactly reflect the mood of many people in this country, including many Republicans. I personally wouldnt mind seeing Rumsfeld go. I do believe there are people that would do a better job in his position, for example I think John McCain would be an amazing Secretary of Defense. However, I must say I think that Rumsfeld is a good person and he has served his country admirably. It does not appear that we should expect a change in the Pentagon anytime soon, but with the way things are today politically, God only knows. [source cnn]

Other Stories:
Bush made $735,180 in '05, paid $187,768 in taxes [source]
Dick Cheney gets $1.9 million tax return [source]
North Korea now threatens to strengthen nukes [source]
Pope Benedict holds 'Good Friday' ceremonies [source]
Poll: Illegal immigrants are considered a burden [source]

-Brad

4.12.06

A VICTORY FOR ILLEGALS


I havent updated in a couple of days, and alot has happened. But rather than write alot about it I decided to show you a small photo essay of everything that has gone on. Immigration protest have taken place all over the country in the last few days. Here are some pics showing the situation.

Doesnt he look pleasant? Would that be considered desecrating the flag?


Beautiful. Anyone who wants to do the right thing is now a Nazi racist. Im so glad these kinds of people are in this country, and are going to be allowed to stay.
Oh noooooo your not. Why couldnt they have checked green cards at the door?
That says 'Amnesty Now!' for you Spanish majors. Lucky for them they are going to get it.
The above flyer is perfect. It shows you the real reason Democrats dont want strict immigration laws. A majority of Dems dont give a damn about the rights of these people or care about how they live, they just see votes. 11 million illegal immigrants to them means 11 million potential voters. I guess that is the kind of desperation that happens when you havent won an election in 12 years. Pitiful.
That really helps the cause. Do they think that seeing crap like that will make Americans embrace them being here? Dummies.



Today is a huge victory for illegal immigrants all over America, as Congressional Republicans now say they do not want to make illegals felons. Denny Hastart and Bill Frist, who now has no chance of being president because of his horrible leadership on this issue, issued a statement about illegal immigration:

"It remains our intent to to produce a strong border security bill that will not make unlawful presence in the United States a felony," the two men said.

Sen. Kennedy also had some things to say:

"Actions speak louder than words, and theres no running away from the fact that the Republican House passed a bill, and Senator Frist offered one that criminalizes immigrants."

THATS BECAUSE THEY ARE HERE ILLEGALLY!!
This whole issue is getting to be too much for me. The more I see these protests and our spineless elected representatives backdown to the pressure of people who dont even belong here, the more I hate illegal immigrants. This is just becoming a complete disgrace. Wake up America, and see whats happening to your country. [sources ap, michelle malkin]


-Brad

My Sunday Column

IMPEACHING BUSH

There is no doubt in my mind that if the Democrats are able to gain control of the House of Representatives in November, they will draft articles of impeachment against President Bush. It will be tough for Democrats to win either house of Congress in the Fall. Just the sheer number of seats they need to gain, plus other obsticles like gerrymandering will make their efforts difficult, but not impossible. Luckily, Republicans have 7 months to try and turn things around, and the President also has time to boost his sagging approvals. I believe President Bush's future as our Commander-in-Chief relies on the 06' elections.

We already see Democrats taking steps toward impeachment. Senator Russ Feingold recently tried to censure the president because of his domestic spying program, a measure not takin since the 1800's. In an interview, Feingold tried to defend his proposal by saying the motion to censure is not the same as impeachment, but then saying what the president did is an impeachable offense. Obviously, with the GOP controlling both houses of Congress, impeaching the president today is an impossibility, that is why no major movement to do so is underway. However there are numerous small grass-roots efforts across the country trying to persuade congressmen and women to draw up articles to impeach, and in fact some in congress have already.

As your recall, Bill Clinton was impeached bye the House back in 1998, for lying to a grand jury about his role in the Monica Lewinsky affair (no pun intended). However, the Senate failed to carry enough votes to get Clinton out of office, mostly because of a lack of Republican votes. Today's situation is much different. George W. Bush is hated by many people on the far left today, and even among some moderate Democrats. Clinton was not a hated president. People knew he messed up, but most did not want to see him thrown out of office. Bill Clinton's presidency was nothin like George Bush's, Clinton had few tough decisions to make during his tenure, and the overall peaceful and prosperous times allowed him to do nothing and alienate few.

George W. Bush's presidency has been the exact opposite of Clintons. Bush has had to deal with a horrific terror attack, a catastropic natural disaster, a worldwide war on terrorism, and many other very serious issues. Any leader forced to deal with problems of that magnitude is likely to make enemies with his policies, and Bush's enemies are out for blood. As I said earlier, the far left hates him beyond measure and want him out of office by any means necessary.

Im not sayin that President Bush's impeachment is inevitable, but you can bet if Democrats are successful in 2006 they will try their best oust him. I hope that Democratic candidates are asked about this issue throughout this years campaign, because I believe we all deserve to know their opinion on such an important issue. I also hope that the people around and advising the president understand the severity a replay of 1994 by the Democrats this time will have on the policy of this country. As of right now, they dont seem worried about it, but all I know is that I sure am.

-Brad

4.08.06

A SLOW SATURDAY


Ok I have been kinda busy over the past few days so I havent been updating much. Not to mention the past few days havent been exactly newsworthy. Anyways, the immigration debate continues to rage on, but it seems a the prospect of a solution anytime soon is quickly fading into the sunset. Yesterday, the Senate failed to pass their much heralded bill that would basically grant amnesty to more than 11 million illegal aliens. As usual, both party's blame each other for the failure, and now Congress will go on their 2 week Easter recess without any progress on immigration reform.
The President did something interesting today in his weekly radio address and singled out Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid as the reason the bill failed to pass. Bush very rarely does things like this, so it was kind of refreshing to see him finally swipe at the Democrats.

"I call on the Senate minority leader to end his blocking tactics and allow the Senate to do its work and pass a fair, effective immigration reform bill," Bush said in his weekly radio address.

He went on:

"Immigration is an emotional issue and a vitally important one," Bush said. "At its core, immigration is the sign of a confident and successful nation."

True, but we wont remain successful if we continue to allow millions and millions of poor people to illegally enter this country each year. Look, Im glad this bill didnt go anywhere, but not for the same reasons as Bush. I thought the bill was crap from the get go, letting illegals basically get their citizenship without any consequence. Strict rules on immigration are need right now, and the House of Representatives are willing to take those measures, but why isnt the Senate? Your guess is as good as mine. [source cnn]



I wrote about the NBC News scaldal this week. NBC and "Dateline" wanted to send Muslim men to a NASCAR race and video tape them because they figured there would be some racial hostilities toward them. The whole situation really is a joke and shows what extreme and ridiculous measure major media outlets are willing to go through to get their side of the news. They would rather make news themselves nowadays than simply report it.
Michelle Malkin had this cartoon on her site and I thought it was funny. Enjoy.


Dont forget to read my column tomorrow. Adios.


Other Stories:
More tornadoes slam the Southeast yesterday killing 12 [source]
Who Cares: Prince Harry reportely visited a strip club [source]
Iraqi's mourn the dead of another mosque bombing [source]
Rolling Stones play to a packed house in China [source]
Ohio mom still hopeful her son will return from Iraq after missing for 2 years [source]


-Brad

4.08.06

A SLOW SATURDAY


Ok I have been kinda busy over the past few days so I havent been updating much. Not to mention the past few days havent been exactly newsworthy. Anyways, the immigration debate continues to rage on, but it seems a the prospect of a solution anytime soon is quickly fading into the sunset. Yesterday, the Senate failed to pass their much heralded bill that would basically grant amnesty to more than 11 million illegal aliens. As usual, both party's blame each other for the failure, and now Congress will go on their 2 week Easter recess without any progress on immigration reform.
The President did something interesting today in his weekly radio address and singled out Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid as the reason the bill failed to pass. Bush very rarely does things like this, so it was kind of refreshing to see him finally swipe at the Democrats.

"I call on the Senate minority leader to end his blocking tactics and allow the Senate to do its work and pass a fair, effective immigration reform bill," Bush said in his weekly radio address.

He went on:

"Immigration is an emotional issue and a vitally important one," Bush said. "At its core, immigration is the sign of a confident and successful nation."

True, but we wont remain successful if we continue to allow millions and millions of poor people to illegally enter this country each year. Look, Im glad this bill didnt go anywhere, but not for the same reasons as Bush. I thought the bill was crap from the get go, letting illegals basically get their citizenship without any consequence. Strict rules on immigration are need right now, and the House of Representatives are willing to take those measures, but why isnt the Senate? Your guess is as good as mine. [source cnn]



I wrote about the NBC News scaldal this week. NBC and "Dateline" wanted to send Muslim men to a NASCAR race and video tape them because they figured there would be some racial hostilities toward them. The whole situation really is a joke and shows what extreme and ridiculous measure major media outlets are willing to go through to get their side of the news. They would rather make news themselves nowadays than simply report it.
Michelle Malkin had this cartoon on her site and I thought it was funny. Enjoy.


Dont forget to read my column tomorrow. Adios.


Other Stories:
More tornadoes slam the Southeast yesterday killing 12 [source]
Who Cares: Prince Harry reportely visited a strip club [source]
Iraqi's mourn the dead of another mosque bombing [source]
Rolling Stones play to a packed house in China [source]
Ohio mom still hopeful her son will return from Iraq after missing for 2 years [source]


-Brad

4.06.06

OHIO OHIO OHIO!


National news has been distracting me from reporting whats been going on in the Buckeye state lately, so lets get up to date, shall we?

The Toledo Blade did a great story the other day on congressman Sherrod Brown's travel habits. It turns out the Brown is among the top of the list when it comes to congress people using private money to fund private trips. You would think he would be able to pay for his own trips considering he makes more than $150,000 a year.

The Democrat from Avon, Ohio, a candidate for U.S. Senate this year, has taken six January trips to Florida with a total value of more than $15,000 since 1999. All were thanks to grants from Harvard University and a health-care-focused nonprofit group called the Commonwealth Fun, which sponsors the annual bi-partisan conference.
Congressional records show Mr. Brown, his family, and his staff accepted 57 privately funded trips, valued at nearly $180,000, in more than a decade in the House - including flights to Finland, Hong Kong, Hawaii, Israel, Moscow, and Taiwan.

I think I want a job with Sherrod Brown now. Id love to travel the world for free.

The watchdog group PoliticalMoneyLine ranks Mr. Brown 69th of 640 current or former congressmen in the number of privately funded trips accepted. Mr. Brown's likely November opponent, incumbant Republican Sen. Mike Dewine, ranked 445th.

Now I know why Sherrod Brown has done absolutely nothing for the district I live in, he was too busy being out of the country while someone else was paying the bill. Makes sense right? [source toledo blade]

Now the Governor's race. I dont think this is much of a shock to most but currently, Ken Blackwell is the frontrunner for the Republican nod while Ted Strickland has a commanding lead for the Dems. [source surveyusa]

If the Republican Primary were held today:
Blackwell - 46%
Petro - 32%
Undecided - 22%

Democrats:
Strickland - 60%
Flannery - 15%
Undecided - 25%

Looks like a Blackwell vs. Strickland matchup in the fall. Cant wait.




The U.S. Senate today is saying they have reached a 'breakthrough' in the immigration stalemate.

Senate Republicans and Democrats closed in on a last-minute compromise Thursday on legislation opening the way to legal status and eventual citizenship for many of the 11 million immigrants living in the United States illegally.

Isnt that the complete opposite of what most American's want?

As outlined, it would provide for enhanced border security, regulate the future flow of immigrants into the United States and offer legalized status to the millions of men women and children in the country unlawfully.

That's the definition of amnesty!
If this bill passes, it will officially be the end to Bill Frist's 2008 campaign. Here is the part of this whole 'breakthrough' I love the most.

While final details were not available, in general, the compromise would require illegal immigrants who have been in the United States between two years and five years to return to their home country briefly, then re-enter as temporary worker. They could then begin a process of seeking citizenship.

That might be the dumbest thing Ive ever heard. Like 11 million people are about to just pick up and go back home for while then move back here. I mean they cant be serious. I hope the House dumps this legislation like the crap it really truly is. The Senate has been extremely disappointing on this whole issue. I just dont know what they are afraid of. [source cnn]



Rudy Giuliani, who I hope is our next president, testified today against Zacarias Moussaoui. Nobody knows 9/11 like Rudy, and his testimony proved that point.

"I saw several people, I cant remember how many, jumping," Giuliani said as he described his actions that day. "There were two people right near each other. It appeared to me they were holding hands."
"Of the many memories, that's the one that comes to me every day."[source reuters]

This all comes today as Washington Post columnist Richard Cohen wrote a piece advocating agaisnt sentencing Moussaoui to death for his role. I could not disagree more. Im not a huge fan of the death penality, however in this case, I dont feel it is severe enough. I wouldnt care what they did to Moussaoui, mame him, torture him, do whatever, I really dont care. All I know is that at the end of all this, he has to die for what his silence caused people on 9/11. Cohen says killing him would simply make him a martyr. Well here's a newsflash, he probably already is. Oh... and Giuliani in '08.



Here is a very interesting story. Evidentally NBC news is doing a story on the growing anti-muslim feelings in the United States. As part of the story, they wanted to send an Arab guy to a NASCAR event, thinking that going there would result in some explicit racial harassment. Well since the story came out, NASCAR is obviously pissed. And rightly so.

NASCAR said it was "outrageous" that "Dateline NBC" targeted one of its race tracks last weekend for a possible segment on anti-Muslim sentimate in the United States.

NASCAR said NBC confirmed it was sending Muslim-looking men to a race, along with a camera crew to film fans' reactions. The NBC crew was "apparently on site in Martinsville, VA., walked around and no one bothered them," NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said Wednesday.

"It is outrageous that a news organization of NBC's stature would stoop to the level of going out to create news instead of reporting news," Poston said.

"Any legitimate journalist in America should be embarrassed by this stunt. The obvious intent by NBC was to evoke reaction, and we are confident our fans won't take the bait," he said.

As a NASCAR fan myself, I just think this whole thing is stupid. These "Dateline" people just wanted to make mainstream and patriotic people look like bigots, thats it. I read somewhere online where a person said that if they want to see hatred why dont they take a conservative and follow them around at Harvard? Veeeeeeeeery good point. [source yahoo]


Other Stories:
Finally: Cynthia Mckinney apoligizes for hitting a cop [source]
Surprised? Oil prices rise to $68 per barrel [source]
Meredith Vierra will replace Katie Couric on 'Today' [source]
Pope Benedict plans to visit Israel in 2007 [source]
Tiger Woods tees off at the Master looking for 5th green jacket [source]

4.05.06

Well today is 04.05.06 which is pretty interesting. Anyways, Tom Delay said yesterday (which would have been 04.04.06 for you calander-buffs out there) that he would not seek re-election in November. He said that the whole thing has just gotten too nasty. True, considering people in Hollywood like Barbara Streisand and others have been dumping money to the Democrat running for his seat.

"After many weeks of personal, prayerful thinking and analysis, I have come to the conclusion that it is time to close this public-service chapter of my life." the 58-year-old congressman said.

Delay has really become a scapegoat for all the Democrats who champion this "culture of corruption" nonsense. He had a target on his back because he was an extremely successful Republican leader in the House of Representatives, so getting rid of him will help the Democrats legislatively in the near future. However, this will hurt them in the November elections because they wont have Delay to be the poster child of GOP corruption.
Delay said that he plans to help the conservative cause however possible:

The former House majority leader said he will continue to "engage in the important cultural and political battles of our day from outside the arena of the United States House of Representatives."

As he was explaining his reasons for leaving politics, Delay had some rather harsh words for Democratic Rep. Cynthia Mckinney who is accused of repeatedly punching a Capitol Police officer with her cell phone.

"Cynthia Mckinney is a racist. She has a long history of racism. Everything is racism with her. This is incredible arrogance, and -- that sometimes hits these member of congress, but especially Cynthia Mckinney"... [source drudgereport]

Haha...Amen Tom. And thanks for your service all these years. [source cnn]



Now to Iraq where the political process seems to be at a standstill, so much so that the current Iraqi Prime Minister, Ibrahim Al-Jaafari is being pressured to step down, even some believe by the American Government. Condi Rice was in Iraq last week and met with Iraqi leaders, basically telling them to get their asses in gear and get a government formed pronto.

Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari says he is refusing to abandon his bid for a second term to break the deadlock over a new government, and more than 1,000 of his supporters called Wednesdays for an end to "U.S. interference" in Iraqi politics.

I dont like the sound of that. The only reason those peole are able to make the decisions they are is because Americans died for it, so they better damn well accept our "advice" on how they should run their governement. Until the have something stable set up, the violence there will continue, and even though they get to see it in front of their faces everyday, I just dont think they seem to care.

U.S. officials believe a broad-based government of Shiites, Sunni Arabs and Kurds offers the only hope for reversing Iraq's slide into anarchy. Without such a government, the Americans cannot begin withdrawing their troops.

The American people, including myself, are losing patience with these bumbling fools trying to establish an Iraqi government. I still pray they can do it in the very near future, however my confidence is waning daily. [source fox news]



In case anyone really cares, which I dont personally, Katie Couric is leaving the 'Today Show' after 15 years to become the first ever full time female anchor of a nightly news show on CBS replacing Bob Schieffer.

"I wanted to tell all of you out there who have watched the show for the past 15 years that after listening to my heart and my gut -- two things that have served me pretty well in the past -- Ive decided I'll be leaving 'Today' at the end of May," she said. "I really feel as if we've become friends through the years."

Suuuuuuuuuuuure Katie, we are all great friends. Couric forgot to mention that she probably also listened to her pocket book, as she will reportedly get around $40 million dollars over four years to host the low rated CBS broadcast. And in case you really love the today show, it is speculated that Campbell Brown will replace Katie upon her departure. [source wnbc]

Other Stories:
Cool: Ever wondered the real names of your favorite celebrities? [source]
Saddam Hussein finally cross-examined in his trial [source]
Wow: Tom Cruise now saying his daddy beat him [source]
Homeland Security official arrested in child porn sting [source]
Say what? Garth Brooks' ex-wife kidnapped [source]
Capitol Police Chief says Mckinney escalated incident [source]
Huh? Democrats pushing for immigration reform test vote [source]

-Brad

4.03.06

Update Alert: This story just continues to get dumber. It appears tonight that Rep. Cynthia Mckinney will have a warrant issues for her arrest sometime in the near future.

The U.S. Capitol Police on Monday submitted their case against Rep. Cynthia Mckinney to the U.S. Attorney's office, which will consider whether the Georgia congresswoman will face charges for tangling with a law enforcement officer last week.
"We are working with Capitol Hill police to fully understand and appreciate the incident," principal assistant U.S. Attorney Channing Phillips told The Associated Press in a telephone telephone interview.

Mckinney has made this whole thing about the fact she is black and not about the fact she allegedly sucker-punched a police officer. She has gotten help from many of her friends to fight these charges by playing the race card. Here is a ridiculous video of these goons defending Rep. Mckinney.
By the way, through all of this she has yet to say that she was sorry for everything that has happened, which one might expect from a mature individual. However, she has recently apologized for illegally using taxpayer money to fund her flights back and forth to Atlanta. Quite a character this one. Hopefully she will be arrested tomorrow. [source breitbart]




While President Bush was throwing out the first pitch today at the Cincinnati Reds home opener, his new Cheif of Staff is rumored to preparing some substantial changes to his administration.

Presidential press secretary Scott McClellan and Treasury Secretary John Snow could be next in a shake-up in the Bush adminstration, according to White House and GOP sources.
"You're going to have more change than you expect," on GOP insider said.

This really should be quite interesting. I personally dont care who they get rid of as long as they can get things back to where they should be. It almost seems to me that everyone in the country knows what Bush needs to do to get his approval up except for his staff. Hopefully the newly appointed Josh Bolton can right the wrongs that have been drilling the Republican party really since the President got re-elected a year and a half ago. Seven months till the mid-terms, so the time for reform is now! [source cnn]



If you have any doubt that the far left in America is completely unhinged, then here is your definite proof. Actress Susan Surandon wants election monitors for US election like are used for under-developed third world countries. Im sure she would feel the same was if Kerry would have won in 2004, right?

"I believe our next election should be monitored by international entites, just like it happened in Haiti and Iraq," Sarandon told Brazilian newspaper Folha de Sao Paulo, according to our translator. "The last one was an embarrassment. Everybody knew there was fraud, but nothing was done about it. In some states there were more votes than people able to vote."

Aint that nice? I must give her credit for what she said next about Hillary Clinton:

Sarandon, who recently made headlines when she expressed her disappointment with Democratic Sen. Hilary Clinton - who is widely considered to be a possible presidential candidate - and isnt terribly optimistic about other Dems. "I honestly hope that the Democratic Party finds a candidate for the presidency, but I recognize that the scenario isnt inspiring."

Thats because people like her are running the Democratic Party. Blame yourself dummy. [source msnbc]



Allelujah, baseball season is here. Summer has unofficially begun, even though it is 40 degrees outside right now. Anyways, last night the Cleveland Indians got crushed by the champion Chicago White Sox 10-3. The Tribe didnt look so hot. After their great spring they just did not show up last night. Jim Thome, former Indian, absolutely crushed a home run last night that was measured at 430 ft. We miss you Jimmy.
To add insult to injury, our ace, C.C. Sabathia injured himself in the beginning of the game and had to leave. Here is the bad news:

Cleveland ace C.C. Sabathia will likely be placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained abdominal muscle -- not the kind of strong start he and the Indians were hoping for in 2006.

More:

The [Indians] said a formal announcement on Sabathia will be made before Tuesday's afternoon game against the White Sox.

The Tribe need to start out good this season. They cannot expect to gain like last year in the last 2 months of the season. The American League is going to be very tough this year and losing C.C., even this early, is seriously going to hurt the Indians chances of being competative. Damnit. [source espn]

Other Stories:
Severe weather slams the midwest killing 27 [source]
U.S. Capitol building breifly evacuated because of power outage [source]
Psycho: Al Gore slams Bush on environment and 9/11 [source]
Uh-oh: Is Hollywood souring on Hillary? [source]
Moussaoui is eligible for the death penality [source]
C-5 cargo plane crashes at Dover Air Base but all survive [source]

-Brad

My Sunday Column

I would like to talk to you about illegal immigration, and why this whole debate annoys me. It looks like immigration reform will be the great debate of '06. I thought it would be abortion, but I was wrong, I can admit it, since it rarely happens of course. But the whole thing is frustrating to watch. I dont like seeing all those protests, mostly because a majority of those people probably are illegals themselves, asking for rights they dont deserve. And they should not be waving the Mexican flag or any other if they expect to gain the rights of actual Americans. I dont want to see that crap. If they are so proud of the places they came from them they should just go back there.

Equally as frustrating is how politicians are more worried about dis-enfranchising voters than doing what is right for the country. I must give the Republicans credit for trying to do something about the immigration dilemma. The Democrats are silent, only to speak up to chastize the GOP for having ideas on reforming the situation. If anyone knows the Democratic position on immigration please leave a comment and explain it to me. However, not all Republicans can agree on a single solution. The House GOP wants very strict laws, making illegals felons. The Senate Republicans on the other hand seem far less interested in a hard-line approach. The inability for the two groups to find common ground is troubling considering they are the majority, which almost ensures a stalemate.

The President also hasnt been much help. He wants the best of both worlds, but he wont get it. He would like to stop the influx of poor Mexicans, but also wants some sort of guest worker program. Many Republicans see that as amnesty, which I must admit it basically is. Mr. Bush has been fairly silent on the whole issue. He was in Mexico meeting with their president the other day, and said that much progress was made. But we cannot expect any help from the Mexicans, they have no problem with their poor burdening Americans.

What must be done? Well, I believe the House bill wants to create a 2,000 mile wall on the border. Im not sure how I feel about that right now. It would be extremely expensive, we're talking billions of dollars. But it would make it very hard for people to scale a 40ft wall to get across the border. I personally want the military down there to help the Border Patrol do their job. We must understand that the border is huge, and manpower is the only safe bet to combat the millions of people trying to enter the US.

Also, I think that we should change the Constitution which says that any person born in the United States is automatically an American citizen. That should not be the case. In my opinion, you should only be a citizen if your parents are citizens. Because that means these people can come over here illegally, have a kid, and then say that since their kid is an American then they must stay. Now, if the House bill would pass and illegals were felons, they could be deported, but their children would be allowed to stay if born while their parents were here. That should change.

I really dont know whats going to happen with this debate. All I know is that we need to stop people from coming here illegally. They are a drain on the economy, the welfare state, the criminal justice system, and they also strain health care benefits. This debate should also not turn into one of racism. I have already heard people on TV calling others who want strict immigration policy "biggots" and other stupid names. I personally have no problem with anyone who wants to immigrate to the US the correct way. Thats how this country was founded and thats how it should remain. But people who defy those rules and sneak over here do not belong. They deserve to be rounded up and shipped back home. I understand most of them are coming over here to find work, which is admirable, but if their not willing to go through the system to do it then they must be turned away.

Lets all just hope that some credible legislation is passed to reform our current immigration system. With an estimate 12 million people in this country illegally right now, only God knows how many of them are here to cause harm and destruction to the American people. In a post 9/11 world, we cannot just hope that the millions streaming across the borders are all good people. The reality is mostly likely the contrary, so we must be aware of the risks of an open border. I just hope that our lawmakers understand the severity of the current situation, and that they will act in the best interest of the country they swore to "preserve, protect, and defend."

-Brad

4.01.06

In honor of April Fools Day I decided to start off today with the biggest fool of them all, Democratice Committe Chairman Howard Dean. Thank God for him, and I really mean that, because he never ceases to make the Republican Party look great. Dean finally broke his silence yesterday about immigration, and just reiterated the fact that the Democrats have no plan for immigration, much like any other important topic in American today. During his speech, Dean accused the GOP of exploiting the issue of immigration and said they are using the hispanics as 'scapegoats.' Its safe to say that Dean disagree's with the House bill passed on Immigration, which is very tough on illegal immigrants.

"This is a nonsensical proposal put out by far right-wingers in the Republican Party who have been endorsed for re-election by the president of the United States," Dean said. "The president has a moral obligation to rein in the right-wing extremists in his party and stop this divisive rhetoric about immigrants."

Please. First of all Bush wants a guest worker program which man Republicans dont because they see it as amnesty, which it basically is. Secondly, the only thing devisive about immigration is the fact that illegal immigrants are here illegally, and they should not be here.

Nevertheless, Dean accused Bush and fellow Republicans of demagoguery in the immigration debate, saying it fit with a lont-standing pattern. He cited the president's opposition to the University of Michigan's affirmative-action program and Bush's decision to "pick on" homosexuals - an apparent reference to the gay marriage issue in the 2004 election.
"In 2006 its immigrants. That's what their strategy is on the Republican side: divide people, scapegoat them, set them aside, point the finger at them," Dean said. "Well, that may be good for the Republican Party, but its bad for American, and we're not going to do that."

Thats because your not going to be doing anything. Of course this is going to turn into a matter of racism, that whoever is against illegals hates hispanics, typical. I guess the majority of the country is racists since most Americans want the border protected and illegals out. Since Dean didnt mention one in his speech, I guess the Democratic strategy is "do nothing", just like it always is. [source mercurynews]




Here is a truly disturbing story. A Colorado High School principal has outlawed flying the American flag. He also outlawed any other flag because he thinks that they are being used in a bad way. Awwwww. Evidentally a bunch of kids decided to counter the pro-immigration protestes with one of their own, so I guess when they did so and brought out Old Glory, the school administration got a little upset.

Skyline High School Principal Tom Stumpf said American Flags were brazenly waved in the faces of Hispanic students and in one case a Mexican flag was thrown into the face of another student.
"When it involves the American flag and its abuse in vilifying other people, we simply will not tolerate it," Stumpf said. "They were using the symbol derisively as misguided patriotism."

Gimme a friggin break. I have had to look at pictures and video of protests in American with the Mexican flag flown everywhere, and now some patriotic kids use the American flag as a statement and its wrong. What the hell is this guy thinking? Misguided patriotism? That must mean free speech he doesnt agree with. I cant imagine a better learning lesson for these kids than getting to voice their opinions. As long as they keep it peaceful, let them do what they gotta do. Isnt that America?[sources michellmalkin and seattle times]



I saw this on Michelle Malkin's blog and thought it was quite interesting. Appearently Air-Head America's ratings continue to go down the toilet. The station has been embattled throughout its two-year life span, and its pathetic exisitance proves that liberals have no following on talk radio.

Air America's ratings are down in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, San Diego and elsewhere. I mean if a liberal station cant get ratings in those cities then come on...give it up. Meanwhile, Conservative radio and especially Rush Limbaugh's program either held their ratings or saw substantial gains. Surprising? I think not. This ship is going down like the Titanic. See the actual numbers at radioequalizer.




Update Alert #2: This story just keeps getting better. Anyone who thought this wouldnt happen is crazy. Democratic Rep. Cynthia Mckinney who is accused of punching a US Capitol Police officer is now playing the race card and saying shes the victim.

Her lawyer, James W. Myart Jr., said, "Congresswoman Cynthia Mckinney, like thousands of average Americans across this country, is, too, a victim of the excessive use of force by law enforcement officials because of how she looks and the color of her skin."

Here is the best part:

"Ms. Mckinney is just a victim of being in Congress while black," Myart said. "Congresswoman Mckinney will be exonerated."

I dont know what actually happened in the scuffle, but this lady should be arrest for stupidity for using her race to try to get off. I have heard that she's been involved with problems like this in the past, so I find it hard to believe that a policeman singled her out for punishment while she did absolutely nothing wrong. I guess the new saying should be "better black than busted," instead of "better safe than sorry." I dont care what color you are, if you hit a cop then you go to jail. I sure as hell would if it were me. Again I dont know all the facts in the case, but race should have nothing to do with it. [source usatoday]

Other Stories:
ABC suspends producer of bush-bashing email [source]
Flip-Flop: Jill Carroll now says shes 'deeply angry' with her captors [source]
U.S. helicopter goes down in Iraq [source]
Dont forget to Spring Forward tonight [source]
Final Four teams gear up for the big dance [source]
Time magazine has an immigration poll out [source]
Dummy: John Dean wants to censure Bush [source]

-Brad