Governor Janet Napotano pushes for border control?

Letter to.

Senators Kyl, Mccain, Frist

Governor Janet Napotano pushes for border control?

looks like the democratic Governor Janet Napotano may
beat you to the "border control" punch.


Arizona Governor Napolitano is in serious talks with
the White House to put National Guard troops along
the border

see news at Tucson tv station KVOA
see news clip at Tucson tv station KVOA

http://kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=4895344


I gotta say if you and Senator Mccain can't /won't
control the border someone will.

People are pissed here with no border control and
mccain trying to sell US citizenship for $2,000,
what a shithead. He will cost you votes this November.


Besides your ass is up for re-election this November
and the same for the democratic governor.

How about some more IFCO style raids, this would encourage self deportation.

Mccain schedule for May/ June. note he has been booed at prior appearances....

Mccain schedule for May/ June. note he has been booed at prior appearances....


interesting I dont see any appearance in his home state of Arizona

The following are locations and
times of Senator McCain's pimping his books and dvds
tour and media appearances.


Saturday, May 13, 2006
Event Liberty University Commencement
Time
Location Lynchburg, Virginia


Saturday, May 13, 2006
Event Utah State Republican Convention
Time
Location Salt Lake City, Utah


Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Event Columbia College Class Day
Time
Location New York, New York


Friday, May 19, 2006
Event The New School Commencement Ceremonies
Time
Location New York, New York
Details

Saturday, May 20, 2006
Event Fundraising Lunch for Congressman John Sweeney
Time 12:00 PM
Location Saratoga Hotel and Conference Center
534 Broadway
Saratoga Springs, New York
Details For event information please
call: Sweeney for Congress 518- 371-2230
or email MikeGBurton@aol.com


Saturday, May 20, 2006
Event Fundraising Reception for Congressman Mike Castle
Time 5:00 p.m.
Location The Manor House at Sea Gate
1 Chicago Street
Dewey Beach, Delaware
Details For more information please
call the Castle campaign 302-656-7500


Sunday, May 21, 2006
Event Dave Emery for Governor Reception
Time 5:00 p.m.
Location The Portland Marriott at Sable Oaks
200 Sable Oaks Drive
South Portland, Maine
Details For more information 207-439-3904.



Monday, May 22, 2006
Event New Hampshire Federation of Republican
Women "Lilac Breakfast"
Time
Location Manchester, New Hampshire
Details For more information please
contact: Sharon Sykas 603-778-2410



Wednesday, May 31, 2006
Event Brian Bilbray for Congress Fundraising Breakfast
Time 8:00 a.m.
Location Westgate Hotel
1055 Second Street
San Diego, California
Details For information contact Karolyn
Dorsee 858-756-2027

Sunday, June 11, 2006
Event The Ohio State University Spring Commencement
Time
Location Columbus, Ohio

Sunday, June 11, 2006
Event Mike DeWine for Senate Reception
Time TBD
Location Columbus, Ohio

Amnesty ? should I burn my social security card, W-2's and 1099's ?

Amnesty ? should I burn my social security card, W-2's and 1099's ?


If congress passes amnesty wouldn't it be economically
wise to claim "illegal alien" and just ignore/ say no to
the IRS ?

Would this amnesty apply to retroactively also to
past US citizens fined /jailed for IRS problems
/ tax evasion problems?

Day Sandra Miller Socked it to Senator McCain

The Day Sandra Miller Socked it to Senator McCain

After attending Senator McCain's morning Town Hall
yesterday, I was so disgusted at the way the local
politicians censored citizen questions that I abandoned
the idea of attending the evening session.
The Tempe mayor laid down the ground rules:
only questions and no "speeches" (which obviously included statements that disputed McCain's claims).

It was a royal sham from the word go, just like Bush press conferences. I'm sure it was packed with McCain
toadies, because they started a standing ovation
when he walked in and of course most people joined
in (with a few exceptions like me).

Thanks to my friend Annette, who encouraged me
to accompany her to the evening session, where the
McCain held a real Town Hall rather than the stage
production choreographed by Hizzoner the Tempe mayor.

But the Tempe experience revealed the one-liners and
sound-bytes McCain used to promote his amnesty and
discourage any disagreement. In promoting his bill (that he carefully avoided calling an "amnesty"), he said
there were only 3 options (1) maintain the status quo, (2) allow them to stay or (3) a mass roundup, which he
dismissed as impossible claiming the busses needed
would stretch from San Diego to Alaska. Twice
in the morning at the Tempe session and at least three times in the evening, he challenged the audience,
"If you have another solution, give it to me and I promise to take it to the Senate for review." Of course
that was just another of his ill-advised challenges
used to condescendingly dismiss anyone who disagrees,
secure in his arrogance that no one will dare to call his bluff. The recent "$50 per hour lettuce-picker
jobs" are just another example.

In justifying the need for amnesty, he cited that
the dictionary defined amnesty as "forgiveness" that
required allowing them to remain in the US, dismissing
any disagreement with the one-liner "Then you're
reading a different dictionary than I am."

It was a real achievement to even get a turn at the mike, because the country club ballroom at Sun Lakes retirement community was jammed, at least 1500 people.
Thanks again to Annette and two elderly ladies who
kept poking the aide with their canes to remind him
he promised me a turn at the mike.

Finally my turn came. I took a deep breath and jumped in, determined to keep going even if he tried to interrupt
and talk over me:

"Senator, I'll begin by answering a question you've asked several times this evening, and then I have a question of my own." You've asked for an alternate plan for dealing
with the 11 million illegal aliens in the US, and that plan has been documented by Mark Krikorian of Center for
Immigration Studies in D.C. It's called "Attrition
through Enforcement," and it sets out a 'comprehensive' strategy well known to Congressman Tom Tancredo of
Colorado and the House Immigration Reform Caucus.
The plan has been summarized very succintly and clearly
by Mike Cutler, retired from 27 years' service in
Treasury, Customs and INS, who often says
"Nobody breaks into the amusement park when the rides are closed."

"So Senator, you close down the rides--crack down
on the employers as you promised to do 20 years ago when you voted for the "one time amnesty," end the publicly-
funded benefits to illegal aliens and their families
as we did with Prop 200, end the government grants to agencies who help illegal aliens like Catholic Charities and
Arizona Interfaith, and end the "anchor baby" citizenship nonsense that enables illegal alien families to
"piggy-back" on their U.S.-born children. And Senator, that won't require a constitutional amendment
as you claim--we need only to pass HR 698, introduced earlier in the session by Congressman Charlie Norwood of GA.
If you're not familiar with these provisions, I know that Congressman Tom would welcome the opportunity to outline
the option with you. So that leaves you to show whether
you're a man of your word and will take the option for Senate consideration as you've promised."

"Now for my question, Senator. The agencies that will be responsible for administering and enforcing
your McCain-Kennedy Amnesty
(and it IS an amnesty, Senator)..."

He then interrupted with a condescending one-liner
that he used at the morning session, "..then you're
reading a different dictionary than I am..." to which I replied, "Senator, I don't used dictionaries to read laws. I read this law in United States Code Title 8, Section 1324."

Although I wasn't watching McCain, my friend
Annette told me he'd been pacing up to then,
but when I didn't back down at his dismissive
comments, his face began to get red and she commented
that it was obvious he was mad. She also said
that the room went dead quiet; perhaps the audience
was eager to see how McCain would react. I'm amazed
that he didn't continue talking over me, but perhaps
like most bullies, they back down when they find
someone who isn't intimidated by them.

But I knew that stooping would mean losing control
of the mike, and continued on:

"And Senator, Section 1324 defines illegal presence
in the U.S. and prescribes only 1 penalty for illegal
presence in the U.S.--deportation."

"The two Dept of Homeland Security agencies charged with insuring compliance are CIS--Citizenship &
Immigration Services and ICE--Immigration & Customs Enforcement. Their historical incompetence and
non-performance of their job is well-documented by
the GAO back to 1995, they were charged by Congress to eliminate the three-million applicant backlog by the
end of FY 2006, and their report last November
plainly stated that new laws, such as a guest-worker plan, would seriously hinder accomplishing that objective.
Corruption was added to bungling and incompetence
when the CIS Security Chief resigned, blowing the
whistle on bribes to CIS employees in the form of
money, gifts and sexual favors."

"Senator, these are the same people who mailed automatic renewals of student visas to flight schools for
students killed in the 9/11 Islamic terrorist attacks
on New York and D.C. Senator, how do you expect
Americans to believe that your promises of enforcement
will be fulfilled by such people?"

When I finished, I was dry and had to find a water
fountain. I heard just enough of his reply to hear
him say he was familiar with "my" plan and wasn't going
to take it back to the Senate. He diverted the subject by
telling how the Irish had difficulties when they first
came to America but eventually assimilated. He never
answered my question of how agencies that can't and won't enforce current laws can enforce new ones.

Several people slapped me on the back as I left the room looking for water, one had even attended the morning
session in Tempe and said, "You said exactly what I wanted to but couldn't."

I returned to the room just as the meeting ended,
and met Annette out in the lobby. But the best part was to come: a couple approached me and the man asked, "Do
you work in immigration because you know about the subject?" When he learned I'm a computer analyst, he asked where I learned what I know, I told him I grew up in Southern California--the best classroom there is.

I learned he was a former ICE chief for their Phoenix
office, so it was a real compliment when a front-line professional says something like that.

On the drive home when Annette told me how mad McCain
had become when I didn't back down from his condescending treatment, the effort in attending that night became worth it.

During the meeting, about 90 percent of the questions/comments were on immigration, maybe even more. Any supporters of McCain's amnesty bill were quiet that night, because everyone speaking on immigration opposed his amnesty. It's clear that despite the overwhelming voter opposition, it didn't change McCain's determination to shove this down our throats, just as he did in 1986.

Arizonans can't vote him out of the Senate for another 4 years, but he has other plans--the GOP presidential nomination in 2008. Americans in other states don't know
the real John McCain like Arizonans do, but we have two years to educate them. I'm sure his stubborn insistence on
this illegal alien amnesty will raise his visibility with Americans on an issue that he probably prefers would have remained "low-profile."

When McCain originally took his "pro-illegal alien amnesty" position several years ago, I'm sure they expected
this amnesty to sail through Congress easily. I doubt he expected to have the issue become the hot and visible
issue it is today.

Let's hope every pro-illegal alien senator experienced
similar confrontations during their recess.


see more at...............
http://www.azconservative.org/Miller_McCain.htm

McCain to visit N.H. women’s group,does he ever visit Arizona ?

McCain to visit N.H. women’s group,does he ever visit Arizona ?


Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., will address the New Hampshire Federation of Republican Women on May 22 at the
Radisson Hotel in Manchester at a lilac breakfast.
Breakfast is from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. The public is
invited to attend but must mail in a check or call ahead to make reservations.

Individual tickets are $25.
Sponsors at $100 get two breakfasts with a program acknowledgement.

see more at.......
http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/05062006/news/101444.htm

Senator Mccain not welcome here

As Keynote Speaker McCain Not Welcome
by Some at New School



Hundreds of New School students, staffers, and faculty
members want the university to rescind its invitation
to Senator McCain, who is set to receive an honorary
degree and give the keynote speech at the graduation
ceremony in two weeks.

The campaign against the Republican of
Arizona began three weeks ago, after the New
School's president, Bob Kerrey - a former Democratic
senator of Nebraska - announced that Mr. McCain
would give the speech. Since then, about
1,000 signatures have been collected on paper
petitions and at an Internet site, an organizer
of the opposition, Harper Keenan, said.

see more at..............
http://www.nysun.com/article/32317

A Friendly Medicare Reminder from senator Kyl

A Friendly Medicare Reminder
By U.S. Senator Jon Kyl

In a previous column, I discussed the recent implementation of the Medicare Prescription Part D program and the benefits it’s yielded despite its shaky start. As the enrollment deadline approaches, I want to reiterate what the benefits of this program are, and strongly urge seniors who are not part of any other retirement plan that offers prescription drug coverage, to sign up before the May 15 deadline to avoid any delays in coverage or costly penalties.

The Medicare prescription drug program covers both brand-name and generic prescription drugs. Everyone with Medicare is eligible for this coverage, regardless of income and resources, health status, or current prescription expenses. This program provides greater peace of mind by protecting seniors from high drug expenses and even if current eligible beneficiaries don't use a lot of prescription drugs now, they should still consider joining and using the benefit in the future.

Arizona has one of the highest national percentages for prescription drug coverage—76 percent of Arizonan beneficiaries have coverage through their retirement plans, Medicare, and other coverage options. And they’re seeing real savings. I’ve mentioned one of my staff members, Jane Grace, who the other day observed that her own mother had her drug bills reduced from $2400 to $826 a year (including premiums and co-payments) as a result of the Medicare prescription program. This is not an isolated story. On average, enrolled beneficiaries are saving $1,100 on their drug costs. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce recently released a study showing that 84 percent of seniors enrolled in the Medicare prescription drug program are satisfied with the program and a majority report they are seeing significant cost savings. And 77 percent say that they would recommend the prescription plan to others—I hope we continue urging those eligible to sign up before the deadline.

While I’m happy to report that, as of April 18, 30 million seniors have enrolled into the Medicare prescription plan—exceeding the Department of Health and Human Services’ goal of enrolling 28 to 30 million seniors—there’s still much to be done to enroll the remaining seniors who have not signed up. I urge seniors to review their options in consultation with their medical providers as soon as possible and sign up now for a program that offers a good balance between the premium paid and the amount of coverage they will receive.

Those who are eligible for the program but miss the May 15 deadline will face a penalty of one percent of the average monthly premium until they enroll, for the duration of their enrollment. I believe that is too severe and I plan to explore alternative ways to enforce the deadline.

Seniors who haven’t already signed up should visit www.medicare.gov, or call 1-800-MEDICARE to talk with knowledgeable staff that can help guide beneficiaries through the sign-up process. Seniors can also contact my Phoenix (602-840-1891) and Tucson (520-575-8663) offices for additional assistance enrolling.



Sen. Kyl serves on the Senate Finance and Judiciary committees and chairs the Senate Republican Policy Committee.

Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.) , on target again

Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.) had a brilliant editorial yesterday on National
Review Online. Here are a few highlights:

What would a day without illegal aliens really be like? Let's try to
imagine it.

Hospital emergency rooms across the southwest would have about 20-percent
fewer patients, and there would be 183,000 fewer people in Colorado without
health insurance.

OBGYN wards in Denver would have 24-percent fewer deliveries and Los
Angeles's maternity-ward deliveries would drop by 40 percent and maternity
billings to Medi-Cal would drop by 66 percent.

Youth gangs would see their membership drop by 50 percent in many states,
and in Phoenix, child-molestation cases would drop by 34 percent and auto
theft by 40 percent.

McCain supports hearing on Rumsfeld

McCain supports hearing on Rumsfeld


Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the No. 2 member of
the Senate Armed Services Committee, said yesterday that he
would support a hearing featuring the seven retired generals
calling for the resignation of Donald Rumsfeld with one caveat.

McCain said he would be in favor of the testimony
on Rumsfeld’s performance if it is a hearing that
is balanced, adding that it would have to include
testimony from officials who back the secretary of defense.

The relationship between McCain and Rumsfeld has never been friendly and at times has been hostile over policy issues, programs and nominations.

McCain went so far as to say publicly that he had no
confidence in Rumsfeld, citing the secretary’s handling
of the Iraq war and his failure to send more troops
into Iraq in 2004. However, McCain never asked for
the resignation of the fellow former Navy pilot,
saying that it is President’s Bush prerogative to keep Rumsfeld.

see more at..........
http://www.thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/042606/mccain.html

Minuteman Caravan to Kick-Off

You Count When You Join!
The Minuteman Caravan will be a positive statement for the citizens of the United States of America. The Minutemen will drive from Los Angeles California to Washington D.C.

Major rallies will be held in Phoenix, Crawford Texas and then concluding on May 12th in Washington D.C.

Minuteman Caravan to Kick-Off in Downtown Los Angeles, L.A. rally to highlight job losses in African-American Community

Los Angeles, CA - Highlighting the concern with job losses to illegal aliens of American citizens and legal immigrant, particularly in the African-American community, the Minuteman Project will kick-off a cross-country caravan in downtown Los Angeles, CA.

"Over 40% of black teenagers are unemployed. Overall unemployment in the black community is double that of white Americans," said Minuteman Founder Jim Gilchrist. "They are the most harmed by illegal immigration and it's time we focused our efforts in our inner cities where help is needed most."

According to a report by the Center for Immigration Studies, "Half of the 2.3 million increase in immigrant employment since 2000 is estimated to be from illegal immigration."

Meanwhile, "Between March of 2000 and 2004, the number of citizens adult natives increased by 2.3 million, while the number of employed adult immigrants increased by 2.3 million." Clearly, illegal immigrants are taking jobs that Americans would be willing to do. Illegal immigrant employment also depresses wages for all Americans.

"All American's have a common interest in ending illegal immigration," commented Minuteman Project Executive Director Steve Eichler J.D. "We need to take care of our own citizens before we allow illegal aliens to take jobs from our citizens who need them most."

The Minuteman Caravan will drive home to the political leaders of the United States that the American people are fed up with their lack of response to the most important issue in protecting our nation's security.

The Minuteman Caravan will be a positive statement for the citizens of the United States of America. The Minutemen will drive from Los Angeles California to Washington D.C. Major rallies will be held in Phoenix, Crawford Texas and then concluding on May 12th in Washington D.C.

Please join us!


Sincerely,


Stephen Eichler
Minuteman Project

email: patriot@minutemanproject.com
donate: https://minutemanproject.com
web: http://www.minutemanproject.com

Senator McCain's 'coyotes' now his angels

Senator McCain's 'coyotes' now his angels


Two brothers who helped scuttle U.S. Sen. John McCain's 2000 presidential
campaign have become financial angels for his 2008 bid.

Sam and Charles Wyly of Texas bankrolled an advertising campaign by a group called "Republicans for Clean Air."
After the group ran anti-McCain ads in three states, the Arizona Republican talked about "Wyly coyotes."

This year, Sam Wyly and his wife, Cheryl, have given
$10,000 to McCain's campaign, ABC News reported.
Sam, Cheryl and Charles Wyly also are co-chairs of a May 15 fundraiser in Dallas for McCain's political action
commission.


see more at
http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20060424-042151-2343r

Honoring the Struggle for Justice by Sen Kyl newsletter

Honoring the Struggle for Justice
By U.S. Senator Jon Kyl

During this year’s National Crime Victims Week, victims, advocacy groups, and others around the country will pause to draw attention to the harm suffered by millions of Americans at the hands of criminals, and call for additional ways to support victims in their struggle for justice. For too long our court system has tilted in favor of accused criminals (who are, of course, innocent until proven guilty) but often has been indifferent toward the suffering of crime victims.

Giving victims the right to be informed, present, and heard in criminal cases and to give them standing to assert these rights does not seem like too much to ask. Those were key provisions of the Crime Victims Rights Act, a bill I got enacted just a year and a half ago. The legislation established new guarantees of basic rights under federal law for victims of crime. It vindicated the right to be reasonably protected, notified, present, and heard at critical stages, as well as the right to confer with the prosecutor, to restitution, to proceedings free from unreasonable delay, and to be treated with fairness and respect. The Crime Victims Rights Act was the most comprehensive legislation ever passed to protect the rights of crime victims.

Even with the new law, however, challenges remain. Late last year, along with Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), I filed an amicus brief in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of Patrick Kenna. Mr. Kenna was one of the victims in a massive white collar crime case being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Central District of California. Both defendants were convicted and when it came time to sentence the second defendant, Mr. Kenna was in the courtroom ready to exercise his right to be heard, which is protected in our new law. Incredibly, the judge refused to let Mr. Kenna or any other victims speak-in clear violation of their rights. So Mr. Kenna used the mechanism we wrote into the Crime Victims Rights Act to enforce his rights in the Ninth Circuit. Our brief was in support of Mr. Kenna’s right to be heard. And we won. The court sent the case back to the district court to be reopened and to give Mr. Kenna the right to be heard. It was a good test of our new law.

The Kenna case also shows the critical importance of the Crime Victims Legal Assistance Project (CVLAP) which is housed at Arizona State University and operated by Arizona Voice for Crime Victims. Mr. Kenna was represented by CVLAP. I am working hard to expand our clinic and others modeled after it around the country so that victims have access to free legal and social services to fight for them in their pursuit of justice and healing.

It was President Ronald Reagan who declared the first National Crime Victims' Rights Week in 1981. The target of a nearly successful assassination attempt, he understood that our legal system owes fairness and due process not only to accused criminals, but also to the victims. Enactment of the Crime Victims Rights Act has helped balance the scales of justice for victims.



Sen. Kyl serves on the Senate Finance and Judiciary committees and chairs the Senate Republican Policy Committee.

******************************************
Other recent columns by Senator Kyl:

Protecting Children
We Need Sensible Immigration Reform
Smoothing Out a Shaky Start
Economy Gets a Clean Bill of Health

Mccain out of his home state of Arizona ?, as usual

who does he work for ? Mexico's President Foxe ?


still pimping his book and dvds, which he didn't even write.



St. Paul, Minn. (AP) To hear Gov. Tim Pawlenty
and U.S. Sen. John McCain tell it, 2008 is the last thing on their minds. But the Minnesota governor and
the Arizona senator sounded a lot like two
guys who wouldn't mind sharing a national ticket.
McCain was in town Wednesday to help fellow
Republican Pawlenty raise funds for his re-election
bid this year.

"I think that all of us in public life
have an obligation to try to encourage another generation behind us to serve, and that's why I've been very
privileged to know Governor Pawlenty," McCain
said at a press conference,
with Pawlenty standing at his side.
"I think he's the next generation of leadership in our Republican Party, and in America."

McCain then said he hasn't yet decided if he's
running for president in two years, much less given
thought to
potential running mates. He also questioned if
Pawlenty would want to be vice president.

"The vice president of the United States really
only has two duties. One is to break a tie vote in the Senate, and
the other is to inquire daily as to the health of the president," McCain said. "I'm not sure that
Governor Pawlenty, given the responsibilities
he has here, would be interested in that."

Pawlenty, for his part, said he's focused on winning re-election and on a possible second term.
But he offered similarly effusive praise for McCain,
stopping short of openly endorsing his likely
presidential bid but saying,
"I think the times are calling out Senator McCain."

see more at
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2006/04/12/mcpawlenty/?rsssource=1

special thanks to ICE/DHS new agenda

Department of Homeland Security unveils comprehensive immigration enforcement strategy for the nation's interior



WASHINGTON , D.C. - Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and Julie L. Myers, Assistant Secretary for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) today unveiled a comprehensive immigration enforcement strategy for the nation's interior.

The new interior enforcement strategy represents the second phase of the Secure Border Initiative (SBI), which is the Department of Homeland Security's multi-year plan to secure America 's borders and reduce illegal migration. The first phase of the SBI remains focused on gaining operational control of the nation's borders through additional personnel and technology, while also re-engineering the detention and removal system to ensure that illegal aliens are removed from this country quickly and efficiently.

The interior enforcement strategy will complement the Department's border security efforts by expanding existing efforts to target employers of illegal aliens and immigration violators inside this country, as well as the many criminal networks that support these activities. The primary objectives are to reverse the tolerance of illegal employment and illegal immigration in the United States . To meet these objectives, the strategy sets out three primary goals or courses of action that will be carried out simultaneously:

The first is to identify and remove criminal aliens, immigration fugitives and other immigration violators from this country.

The second is to build strong worksite enforcement and compliance programs to deter illegal employment in this country.

The third is to uproot the criminal infrastructures at home and abroad that support illegal immigration, including human smuggling / trafficking organizations and document / benefit fraud organizations.
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said, "Illegal immigration poses an increasing threat to our security and public safety, and hard-hitting interior enforcement will reinforce the strong stance we are taking at our borders. With the interior enforcement strategy of the Secure Border Initiative, we will aggressively target the growing support systems that make it easier for aliens to enter the country and find work outside of the law. This department will counter the unscrupulous tactics of employers with intelligence-driven worksite enforcement actions and combat exploitation by dangerous smuggling organizations with the full force of the law."

ICE Assistant Secretary Myers said, "This strategy lays down a detailed roadmap for ICE and Homeland Security to pursue in addressing the massive illegal alien problem in this country. Reversing growing tolerance for the employment of illegal aliens and for illegal immigration in general is critical to achieving success in this task."

Goal one: identify and remove criminal aliens, fugitives and other immigration violators

Identify and remove incarcerated criminal aliens -- The prisons and jails in this country are estimated to book roughly 630,000 foreign-born nationals on criminal charges annually. Too often, the criminal aliens among this population are not removed from the country upon completion of their criminal sentences, but released into society. To combat this problem, ICE will expand its Criminal Alien Program to ensure these aliens are properly identified while in jail and removed immediately after serving their sentences.
Locate and remove immigration fugitives -- There are more than 590,000 aliens at large in this country who are fugitives that have been ordered removed by an immigration judge. This number is increasing at a rate of more than 40,000 each year. ICE Fugitive Operations teams are charged with tasked with locating and arresting these fugitives. Since ICE was created in March 2003, these teams have arrested more than 42,000 aliens, of which 31,000 were fugitives. More than 29,000 of these individuals have been removed from the country. To help combat this problem, ICE will expand the number of Fugitive Operations teams from the existing 35 teams to 52 teams by the end of this fiscal year, with an additional 1,000 arrests projected per team, per year. The goal for ICE Fugitive Operation team arrests this fiscal year is approximately 25,000 arrests. ICE also plans to open a Fugitive Operation Support Center to assist field agents and officers in record checks and processing real-time leads from national computer databases.
Target and remove visa violators - A substantial portion of the illegal aliens in this country are visa violators, with an estimated 165,000 new visa violations occurring annually. ICE created the Compliance Enforcement Unit in June 2003 to focus on high-risk visa violators by using new computer systems such as the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) to flag violators. Since its inception, this unit has sent more than 10,000 leads to ICE field offices resulting in 2,100 arrests. ICE will be expanding the capacity of this unit and other visa compliance efforts of its field offices. The Fiscal Year 2007 budget request seeks an additional $10 million for ICE compliance enforcement efforts. Last year, ICE arrested more than 6,000 visa violators nationwide.
Target and remove aliens that pose criminal / national security threats - There are numerous illegal aliens at large in this country that pose criminal and/or national security threats. ICE has created several programs to combat this problem. ICE's Operation Community Shield targets foreign-born gang members and has resulted in the arrest of 2,400 gang members since its inception in 2005. ICE also launched Operation Predator in 2003 to target, among others, illegal alien child sex offenders. This effort has resulted in more than 7,500 arrests, most of whom were alien child sex offenders. ICE also has more than 200 agents assigned to the nation's Joint Terrorism Task Forces. Last year, these agents made roughly 270 arrests for criminal or administrative immigration charges.
Provide real-time information to law enforcement officers - The ICE Law Enforcement Support Center (LESC) in Vermont provides real-time assistance 24 hours-per-day, 365 days-a-year to federal, state, and local law enforcement officers who are investigating or who have arrested foreign-born nationals involved in criminal activity. The LESC has responded to more than 1.3 million such requests in the last two fiscal years and has lodged more than 7,000 immigration detainers in response to such requests this fiscal year. ICE will be expanding the capacities of the LESC.
Goal two: build strong worksite enforcement and compliance programs to deter illegal employment

Punish knowing and reckless employers of illegal aliens - Employers that knowingly and recklessly employ illegal aliens must be punished. ICE has already initiated a strategic shift in the way it approaches such employers by bringing criminal charges against them and seizing their illegally-derived assets -- rather than relying on the old tactic of administrative fines as sanctions. Last fiscal year, this new approach resulted in 127 criminal convictions, up from 46 the previous fiscal year. More employers are also being charged with money laundering violations, which can result in prison sentences of up to 20 years. Last year, a single ICE worksite enforcement investigation resulted in a settlement and forfeiture of $15 million, an amount that represented the largest worksite enforcement penalty in U.S. history and surpassed the sum of all administrative fines from the previous eight years. ICE seeks to enhance its worksite enforcement investigations with proposed additional funding. The Administration's Fiscal Year 2007 budget request seeks $41.7 million in new funds and 171 additional agents to enhance ICE's worksite enforcement efforts.
Eliminate Social Security abuses that support illegal immigration - Hundreds of thousands of workers in this country have registered "000-00-000" as a Social Security number. Millions have supplied social security numbers to their employers that do not match their names. This Social Security abuse provides a gateway for illegal aliens to obtain jobs. Currently, ICE does not have access to Social Security data to investigate these abuses. DHS is currently seeking a legislative fix in Congress that would provide ICE investigators with access to such data to combat this rampant fraud.
Work with Congress to build employer compliance systems - Employers who want to stay within the law need a clear set of rules to follow. ICE and DHS will seek to develop an administrative regulatory program to provide clearer guidance to employers.
Goal three: uproot the criminal infrastructure that supports illegal immigration

Target and dismantle human smuggling and trafficking organizations -- ICE investigations into human smuggling and trafficking organizations have resulted in 2,358 criminal convictions over the past two fiscal years. The number of ICE investigations launched into these organizations has increased from 2,564 in FY 2004 to 3,348 in FY 2005. ICE has begun applying its financial expertise to these investigations to target the illicit proceeds of these criminal organizations. ICE will continue to enhance its human smuggling and trafficking investigations and tighten its focus on the financial infrastructures of these organizations. One critical component of this effort will be the use of new Border Enforcement Security Task Forces (BEST) along the Southwest border to pool intelligence information from numerous agencies to better attack these organizations. The Department of Homeland Security created a BEST in Laredo , TX , last summer that has had considerable success in targeting cross-border criminal organizations and related violent crime. Another BEST has been launched in Arizona and others are scheduled to be created in Southwest border locations. ICE will also be harnessing the resources of its Attaché offices in more than 50 foreign nations to target human smuggling and trafficking organizations overseas in partnership with foreign law enforcement.
Detect and deter immigration-related document and benefit fraud -- In recent years, the problems of document and benefit fraud have surged, becoming increasingly sophisticated and lucrative. ICE established an Identity and Benefit Fraud Unit in 2003 to help address this problem. Over the past two years, the number of document and benefit fraud investigations launched by ICE has increased from 2,334 in FY 2004 to 3,591 in FY 2005. Criminal convictions in these cases have increased from 559 to 992 during this period. Earlier this month, ICE teamed up with officials from the Department of Justice, Department of Labor, Department of State and other agencies to create new "Document and Benefit Fraud Task Forces" in 10 major U.S. cities to combat this growing problem. Led by ICE, the task forces will build on existing partnerships to bring investigators together from a variety of agencies with expertise in different aspects of document and benefit fraud.


-- ICE --

Senator "crash" Mccain can't read the dictionary?

Senator "crash" Mccain can't read the dictionary?

what part of "illegal aliens" does he not understand?

anyone who enters the US without permission is illegal.

Whenever a resident during the hour-long question/answer
session alleged his proposal offered amnesty to an
estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants in
this country, McCain shook his head.

"We're obviously not reading the same dictionary,"
he said.

Throughout the evening, people called the
undocumented in this country, especially in Arizona,
"invaders," "illegal" and "disgusting." Some suggested
busing them back to their Latin American homelands,
while others called McCain's plan "moronic."

McCain agreed with many in the audience that federal
officials need to toughen border control.
He also insisted employment regulations would begin
to alleviate whatever burden the undocumented have
presented on the middle class.

"It may not be a perfect solution, but if somebody
has a better idea than screaming, 'fix the borders,'
then I'm listening," McCain said.

At one point in the evening, former democratic
governor of Montana Thomas L. Judge, a seasonal
Sun Lake resident, asked McCain why he supported
President Bush after they faced off in a GOP
presidential primary and Bush disparaged him.


see more at
http://www.azcentral.com/community/chandler/articles/0420CR-mccain0420.html

proposition 200 times 200? new anti-illegal laws for Georgia

proposition 200 times 200? new anti-illegal laws for Georgia



In Georgia, Governor Sonny Perdue this week signed into law what is being called the toughest piece of anti-illegal immigration law in the country. This law will deny state services to adults whose can't prove they're in the country legally. Employers who knowingly hire illegal aliens under this legislation will be subject to state penalty. And state police will be required to check the immigration status of every criminal suspect. Joining me now, the sponsor of the legislation, Georgia state Senator Chip Rogers who says this is the strongest bill in America dealing with illegal immigration. Good to have you with us, Senator.

CHIP ROGERS (R), GEORGIA STATE SENATE: Lou, it is great to be back again.

DOBBS: We talked with you back in March, and, frankly, it was unclear as to whether or not this legislation would pass. First, congratulations as the author of it.

ROGERS: Thank you.

DOBBS: The governor signing it into law. When will it actually go into enforcement?

ROGERS: This is such a comprehensive bill, Lou, that we have actually had the enactment date on July 1st of 2007. But when you consider what we've accomplished here with law enforcement, with public benefits, with public contracts, with private employers all across the board, it is a major, major undertaking. We are going to give those agencies a little time to get ready for it, but it is a big, big bill.

DOBBS: It's a big bill. Both sides, the pro-amnesty crowd, the pro-open borders folks, the anti-illegal immigration folks, all are upset with the legislation. What does that tell you?

ROGERS: We probably got it right because everybody was upset. But the reality is, Lou, there are some people who would like to go further. We're in a political process, but I can assure you this bill has been characterized as proposition 200 times 200.

So at the end of the day, those who realize that illegal immigration is destroying this nation and destroying our state in Georgia have come away very happy, because they realize what we've accomplished.

DOBBS: Well the Mexican-American Legal Defense and Education Fund, MALDAF, is threatening legal action, as you know, against the law. They call it unjust, unfair. How do you react?

ROGERS: Look, you know, if I legislated worrying about what some fringe group was going to do after the bill was passed, I wouldn't get much accomplished. I realize there are fringe groups out there that are going to try to take anybody and everybody to court. But look, we do what's right and we worry about what happens after that.

DOBBS: Well the Mexican government, some might call it a fringe group, blasting your legislation, now law, saying it discriminates against Mexicans, it's a half measure. How do you react to a government taking you on?

ROGERS: Well, I immediately challenged President Fox to read the bill again, and if he can find the word Mexico or any nation mentioned in that bill, next year I would move to repeal the bill. If he can't find it, I would ask him to worry about his problems in his country, problems which by the way are causing millions of his own citizens to leave his country. I would suggest, Lou, he's got more problems happening in his country that he needs to deal with rather worrying about what's happening in Georgia.

DOBBS: Well that is probably a sound and valid point. And again, we want to congratulate you, Senator Rogers, on the legislation. We thank you very much for joining us here tonight.

ROGERS: Thank you, Lou.

see cnn Lou Dobbs at
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0604/19/ldt.01.html

Rpublican Newsletter for Arizona

"It isn't fair that students have to be forced to listen to a political diatribe for 40 minutes and are not allowed to leave ... . I don't see where the diversity is. The school district said this is all about the diversity of opinion. But the reality is that there is only one voice that's being heard, and that's the pro-illegal immigrant."

- District 30 State Representative Jonathon Paton speaking on Fox News Channel's "The O'Reilly Factor," about a recent speech given by activist Dolores Huerta at Tucson High Magnet School on April 3.






Annual Salute to Republican Legislators a Rousing Success

Many thanks to all of you who turned out to salute our Republican legislators last week at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort. The event was a phenomenal success.

Thanks also to Senate President Ken Bennett and Speaker of the House Jim Weiers for their remarks that night. We are fortunate to have such great leadership in our legislature.

Representative Paton Seeks Answers From Tucson Unified School District

District 30 Representative Jonathon Paton is seeking answers from the Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) after recent events present a picture of a school district more concerned with promoting a political agenda rather than education.

On April 3, co-founder of the United Farm Workers Union Dolores Huerta addressed a student assembly at Tucson High Magnet School. During her remarks, Huerta said that, "Republicans hate Latinos."

Huerta also used the occasion to praise Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, and blame the United States for problems in Latin America.

Representative Paton appeared on the April 13 edition of Fox News Channel's "The O'Reilly Factor" with student Mon-yee Fung to discuss the incident and question why TUSD would allow Huerta a forum to promote such inflammatory rhetoric.

The Arizona House of Representatives will convene a hearing on the incident on Thursday.


Time Magazine: Senators McCain and Kyl Two of the Senate's Best

Time Magazine this week reports what we already know: Arizona has two of the best senators in the country.

In its "America's 10 Best Senators" Time places both Arizona senators in the spotlight. In the article Time writes, "They say the Senate is the world's most exclusive club. But the real elite is made up not of those who break in but of those who make a difference once they get there."

Arizona is the only state with both senators featured.

Read the feature online.

Kyl Captains Needed to Combat Distortion by Pederson

On Monday of last week, Jim Pederson ran his first television spots in the Phoenix, Tucson and Yuma markets. The former chairman of the State Democrat Party, who has a record of supporting liberal Democrat candidates and causes, is now running for Senate claiming that he will be an "independent Senator." Thus begins the extreme makeover of Jim Pederson.

Please ask ten friends and family to sign-up to be Kyl Captains today at www.jonkyl.com/captains/. Now more than ever, it is imperative we continue growing a strong grassroots network on behalf of Senator Kyl to fight off Mr. Pederson's deep pockets.


Capitol Update
WHAT YOUR REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURE IS DOING - For the week ending April 14, 2006

• No trespassing! Last week the legislature sent a bill to the governor that creates the state crime of trespass. Under Senate Bill 1157, being in Arizona in violation of immigration laws would be a class 1 misdemeanor for a first offense. Subsequent arrests would subject the person to being charged with a felony offense.

The bill gives local law enforcement a tool they have never had before. For the first time in situations where there is reason to believe that a person is in the United States illegally, state and local officers will have the basis to hold and transfer the person to federal authorities or bring forward a state charge.

SB 1157 will create a fingerprint database of those charged with this crime, which is especially critical in tracking human smugglers, drug dealers and other negative elements among illegal border crossers. The measure should also act as a deterrent to entering Arizona illegally.

The governor has a chance to take a big step in the right direction by signing SB 1157 and finally begin showing she is interested in joining with legislative Republicans in the effort to curb the onslaught of illegal immigration in Arizona.

• She doesn't feel their pain. Governor Napolitano vetoed a bill that would have required doctors to inform women at least 20 weeks pregnant and seeking an abortion that a fetus may feel pain during the abortion. The bill in no way impacted a woman's ability to obtain an abortion, but that didn't stop Napolitano from cow-towing to the abortion-at-all-costs constituency.

• Timber! The Legislature is on its way to fulfilling a promise to implement at least $250 million in broad-based tax relief. Much of the plan centers on permanent income tax cuts and a phase out of the state education property tax. The final version of the plan will go hand in hand with a fiscally responsible budget that does not outspend anticipated revenue, which is now in the process of being finalized by the legislative majority.

• Did you know? Governor Napolitano is lining up police union officials to come up with excuses why they don't want a new state crime of trespass established to deal with illegal aliens. Meanwhile a CBS 5 news poll shows that 76 percent of Arizonans believe the governor should sign the bill allowing local law enforcement to arrest illegal immigrants.

• Quote of the week: "All too often we hear that law enforcement cannot enforce federal law, so nothing is done. Under this proposal, local law enforcement will not be enforcing federal law, they will be enforcing Arizona's law." -- Senate Bill 1157 sponsor Senator Barbara Leff (R-11).


Phone Banks: Your Chance to Get Involved and Help the GOP

The Arizona Republican Party will be conducting three phone banks this week as part of our ongoing efforts to ensure that we are in the best position to claim victory in November. We need your help!

If you've been looking for an opportunity to help the Arizona GOP, phone banks are a great way to get involved.

The following locations will be used for phone banks. Call Mike Haller for more details at (602) 957-7770.

Tuesday, April 18:
AZ GOP Headquarters
3501 N. 24th Street
Phoenix, AZ 85016
(602) 957-7770
5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Wednesday, April 19:
Maricopa County GOP Headquarters
15440 N. 35th Ave.
Phoenix AZ, 85053
(35th Ave. and Greenway)
(602) 957-3999
5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Thursday, April 20:
124 E. Auto Center Drive
Mesa, AZ 85204
(just South of US 60, West of Mesa Drive)
5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.


Senator McCain to Conduct Town Halls Throughout State

Senator John McCain will be holding town hall meetings throughout the state this week. This is your opportunity to hear a report from Washington, D.C. and get your questions answered.

Seating is on a first come, first served basis. The meetings are open to the public and no ticket is required.

Monday, April 17, 2006
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Kofa Highschool
3100 South Avenue A
Yuma, Arizona

Wednesday, April 19, 2006
7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
Pyle Center
655 E. Southern Ave. (One block west of Rural)
Tempe, Arizona

Wednesday, April 19, 2006
6:00 p.m. to last question
Oakwood Country Club
24215 South Oakwood Blvd.
Sun Lakes, Arizona

ASU and NAU College Republicans Host Conservative Pride Week

The week of April 17th marks the second annual Conservative Pride Week at Arizona State University. The university's College Republicans will be hosting events examining issues such as corruption within the United Nations, illegal immigration, and academic freedom.

The week's events will culminate with a presentation by columnist and author David Horowitz on Thursday, April 20th. Seating begins at 4:15 PM in SCOB 210. Horowitz will also participate in a book signing at Border's on Mill Avenue and 7th Street in downtown Tempe at 7:30PM.

Hieu Tran, the club's director of relations, can be contacted at (480) 634-3898 for more information.

At Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, events will highlight students' support for our U.S. military, opposition to illegal immigration, and pointing out the folly of animal rights activists.




For a full calendar of events, please visit www.azgop.org.

Letter to Senator Kyl and a copy to Mccain

deepest sympathy.

I just heard Senator "crash" Mccain is chairman of your re election campaign.

If Mccain continues to peedle his $2,000 amenesty
with Kennedy, Mccain may bring you down in November.

May have your staff update thier resumes today.

thanks
ed

secure the border.

McCain warns 2006 will be "tough election" for GOP

McCain warns 2006 will be "tough election" for GOP

by O. Kay Henderson

Arizona Senator John McCain was in Iowa Thursday to help Republican candidates for governor and congress raise campaign cash, but McCain is warning that 2006 will not be an easy road for the GOP. "I think we have a tough election coming up," McCain says.

The rebounding economy as well as local issues and personalities will have some influence on the final outcome, but McCain is less than optimistic. "I don't discount that this is going to be a tough election for Republicans all over the country," McCain says.

President Bush's approval ratings have fallen to all-time lows and McCain points to polls which show just less than one-third of American approve of the job performance of the Republican-led Congress. McCain himself may be seeking a new job in 2008, that of president. McCain's trip to Iowa is an indication he will compete in Iowa's lead-off Caucuses.

McCain did not run here in 2000, but started in New Hampshire where he scored a victory over then-Governor George Bush. "Iowans feel that everybody should come here and compete and I understand that," McCain says. "We didn't have the resources, primarily. We just didn't have the money to come here and to wage what we thought was a viable campaign in New Hampshire, but I can certainly understand why people wouldn't like it if you don't come here. That's the Iowa Caucuses."

While McCain appears prepared to compete in Iowa this time around, McCain's stand on key issues like immigration and ethanol highlight the obstacles that stand in the way. McCain has a long record of opposing the tax advantage for corn-based ethanol. "I don't like subsidies," McCain says.

McCain isn't sure how that will play in Iowa. "I hope that people will understand my position and judge me on my overall record and view of the future and all that, but I don't know how they'll judge it," McCain says.

McCain made his comments at a news conference in Des Moines. He made appearances yesterday in Dyersville, Cedar Rapids and Muscatine, too.

Sen. John McCain seeking revenge ?

Sen. John McCain seeking revenge ?

Sources close to Sen. John McCain say he hopes the Justice Department
will indict embattled Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff, which would
terminate investigation by McCain's Senate Indian Affairs Committee of
Abramoff's deals with Indian tribes.


McCain has been accused by critics inside the Republican Party of using
the Abramoff investigation to get back at foes of the senator's 2000
presidential campaign and help his possible 2008 candidacy. Government
sources report federal prosecutors are considering possible RICO
(anti-racketeering) and tax evasion indictments."
- Robert Novak


This piece belittles the story:


"This is political dynamite. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi was
quick to charge Republicans with a "climate of corruption," and other
Democrats will point to the recent indictments of a White House
procurement official and of Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff, on
unrelated charges, as further instances of such a climate. "
- Michael Barone

healthy showing by Minuteman founder Jim Gilchrist in California

is it time for a third party ?

Special election in Orange County featuring a maverick, third-party candidate who sought to capitalize on growing fears of illegal immigration.

In a race that drew national attention, Sen. John Campbell (R-Irvine) held a wide lead throughout the evening, ending the night with nearly 45% of the vote. But it was Minuteman Project co-founder and first-time candidate Jim Gilchrist of the American Independent Party who drew the spotlight with his one-issue campaign.

hwo much is " illegal immigration. adding to your health costs and taxes ?

see more at............

see http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-coxseat7dec07,0,7190560.story?coll=la-home-headlines

link to the Minuteman blog

Minuteman blog


http://minutemanhq.com/b2/index.php

22 bags of garbage were left at Rep Koble office

Twenty-two bags of garbage were left leaning against
the door of Rep. Jim Kolbe's (R-AZ) office in Sierra

Vista, Arizona.

(See http://www.svherald.com/articles/2003/09/29/news/news1.txt) The garbage was gathered earlier that day from a lay-up site used by illegal aliens as they crossed through Cochise County, Arizona on their way north. The garbage was unsightly, smelly, and prevented access to Congressman Kolbe's office until it was removed. The illegal alien garbage was stuffed into bags provided by Cochise County which are clearly labeled "Cochise County UDA Cleanup". (UDA means "Undocumented Aliens". Sanitation engineers were forced to come and remove the trash and to sanitize the sidewalk upon which the trash sat and the wall and door against which the trash was leaned in order for Rep. Kolbe's office to resume normal operations.

Until now, no one has taken responsibility for this
act of protest against Kolbe's failed border policies.
No one has come forward to claim credit for this act
against the Congressman who is sponsoring a stealth
amnesty "guest worker" bill (HR2899) which will lead
to even more illegal aliens and thus more illegal
alien trash in our desert and backyards.
No one has put their name to this act against Kolbe
who defies 70% of Arizona citizens when he opposes
the Protect Arizona Now Initiative
(The Arizona Taxpayer and Citizen Protection Act).
No one has said, "I did it!" when it comes to this
protest against Rep. Kolbe who has, every time,
voted against allowing INS and now DHS to request
military assistance on the border. No one has
stepped forward as the perpetrator of this act against
Kolbe who is primarily responsible for the
dismantling of the Border Patrol checkpoints
on the highways north in Cochise County.

No one has claimed responsibility,
until now.

I, the Undersigned, claim responsibility for this act
of protest against Rep. Jim Kolbe and his failed
border policies.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

Rep. Jim Kolbe will not seek re election

Rep. Jim Kolbe will not seek re election

Rep. Jim Kolbe
the only gay Republican in Congress,
announced Wednesday that he will not seek
a 12th term next year, and cited Washington's
increasingly partisan atmosphere as one reason
he's leaving.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051124/ap_on_el_ho/kolbe_re_election

McCain, Graham Warn GOP May Be in Trouble

McCain, Graham Warn GOP May Be in Trouble

With the war in Iraq, higher energy costs and breakneck government spending, the GOP faces a tough round of congressional elections in 2006 unless things change, two key Republican senators warned during a campaign appearance.

"I think if this were not an odd-numbered year, we would have great difficulties," said U.S. Sen. John McCain of Arizona.



McCain and fellow-Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina were interviewed by The Associated Press when they stopped here Sunday night to campaign for Republican state Attorney General Henry McMaster.

"But we can recover," McCain said. "Reagan recovered. Clinton recovered. We can recover."

The party must show "progress in Iraq, we need a comprehensive energy package and we need to stop this profligate spending," he warned.

"If the election were tomorrow, we'd be in trouble," agreed Graham, who said the party must work to cut spending.

"If we really want to do well in 2006, we need to have fiscal discipline like Republicans campaigned on," he said. "We have lost our way as a party. Our base is deflated and taxpayers don't see any difference between us and the Democrats."

Graham said the party has to again reach the voters.

"You don't have to stop being conservative, you got to start connecting," he said, adding "we need to adjust and if we don't adjust, we're going to be in trouble."

The party, he said, must be honest enough to admit that things aren't going as well as hoped in Iraq.

"Democrats who have this cut-and-run strategy _ the public doesn't want to follow that. They want to follow Republicans who understand the war is not going as well as it should but who understand that our security is better off with a successful outcome in Iraq," he said.

The message in Iraq, McCain said, "is we are making progress, we have to make progress and we regret the loss of every single young American. But the benefits of success are enormous."

McCain has been mentioned as a potential Republican presidential candidate in 2008. He said he will not make a decision on a race until after next year's elections.

McCain, looking at Graham, told the crowd of about 100 people that "some people have said this might be a very attractive vice presidential candidate."

The crowd clapped and whistled. Graham simply smiled.

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2005/11/21/D8E1450G1.html

more info on senator mccain

Q: Back in December the GOP candidates were asked at a group debate to name their favorite philosophers. George W. Bush said Jesus Christ; John McCain said Teddy Roosevelt. Which has been, in his behavior since, more true to his philosopher?

A: TR is no doubt spinning in his grave.

~ ~ ~

Perhaps to understand John Sidney McCain III, we must start at the (practical) beginning.

He was known among many of his Vietnam flight buddies as "Ace" McCain. This title was not bestowed because he destroyed five enemy aircraft. On the contrary: It was five on our side — in fact, five of his own. Since throwing his hat into the presidential ring, the fact that McCain was graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy nearly at the bottom of his class has not been much publicized. Still less has been his reckless, incompetent flying.

It wasn’t long after arriving in Pensacola that McCain racked up the first of his five crashes, beginning in 1958, on his way to becoming a "reverse ace." As told by McCain biographer Robert Timberg, "McCain was practicing landings; his engine quit and he plunged into Corpus Christi Bay. Knocked unconscious by the impact, he came to as the plane settled to the bottom." There was, however, no engine failure with the aircraft. According to one of McCain’s former flight instructors, "The engine was removed from the aircraft that afternoon, mounted on a test stand and a new propeller installed. [It] was flushed with fresh water and started. It ran just fine. So the theory of engine failure was proven false." The instructor added that McCain was "positively one of the weakest students to pass our way, and received consistently poor marks and a number of Dangerous Down grades assigned by more than one instructor. He had no real ability and was clearly out of his element in an airplane, and way over his head even as a junior naval officer."

The second of McCain’s crashes occurred while he was deployed in the Mediterranean. "Flying too low over the Iberian Peninsula," reports Timberg, "he took out some power lines which led to a spate of newspaper stories in which he was predictably identified as the son of an admiral."


Crash three occurred when McCain was returning from flying a trainer solo to Philadelphia for an Army-Navy football game. According to Timberg, McCain radioed, "I’ve got a flameout." He went through the standard relight procedures three times. At one thousand feet, he ejected, landing on the deserted beach moments before the plane slammed into a clump of trees."

Despite all this, by 1967, McCain was somehow deemed ready for battle and assigned to the USS Forrestal as an A-4 Skyhawk pilot. While seated in the cockpit of his aircraft waiting for takeoff, a freak accident occurred when a rocket slammed into the exterior fuel tank of McCain’s plane. Miraculously, McCain escaped from the burning aircraft, but dozens of his shipmates were killed and injured in the explosions that followed.

McCain’s final downing came just three months later when his A-4 was hit by antiaircraft artillery over Truc Bach Lake near Hanoi, North Vietnam. McCain spent the next five-and-a-half years as a prisoner of war and, upon return to the United States in 1973, like the other returning POWs, McCain became an instant hero. The POWs had been treated abominably, yet stood up to their torturers and were deserving of the accolades they received. But some questioned the number and types of medals bestowed upon "Ace" McCain, the son of the admiral commanding in the Pacific as well as the grandson of another admiral.

"McCain had roughly 20 hours in combat," explains Bill Bell, a veteran of Vietnam and chief of the U.S. Office for POW/MIA Affairs — the first official U.S. representative in Vietnam since the 1973 fall of Saigon. "Since McCain got 28 medals," Bell continues, "that equals out to about a medal-and-a-half for each hour he spent in combat. There were infantry guys — grunts on the ground — who had more than 7,000 hours in combat and I can tell you that there were times and situations where I’m sure a prison cell would have looked pretty good to them by comparison. The question really is how many guys got that number of medals for not being shot down."

Why all of the above matters is that the Arizona senator is purporting to be running a campaign based not primarily upon issues but upon "biography" and "character." That is certainly the core of his appeal to so-called independents and Democrat crossovers. Yet the truth is that his biography is exaggerated at best. The appellation "war hero" should be an embarrassment to him, and certainly an insult to genuine war heroes like, well, Bob Dole and George Bush the Elder, whose exploits exceeded by quite a bit mishaps stemming from not being sure which end of the cockpit to face. And if McCain possessed the level of character he claims, he would be embarrassed.

Far from it. He revels in his "war hero" image; wallows in it, really. So much so that he ridicules Bush the Younger's National Guard service and GHWB's alleged string-pulling to get it for him even though Sailor would have been drummed out of the Navy for all his foul-ups were his sire and grandsire not amongst the top brass.

The effect of that seems to have been to develop within McCain an entitlement mentality. One that has grown a pace with his political ambitions. Only difference is, now his elders aren't around to clean up his messes for him.

McCain points to his eighteen years in Congress as the kind of experience needed to run the country as President. Yet the bulk of that time he has simply taken up space. He has no noteworthy legislative achievements to his name. The closest thing he has attained to a reputation is for being remarkably arrogant and ill-tempered with colleagues, to the point of blithering, profanity-laced rages against any who don't see things the way he does. Which is part & parcel of why so few GOP members in either house have endorsed him.

McCain, in a belated effort to reach out to the Republican base he's been figuratively kneeing in the collective groin in recent months, points to his career voting record as proof that he's a "Reagan Republican." Which is a little like Krusty the Clown claiming Fred Rogers as his professional mentor.

Through about 1996 "Sailor's" claim is true. Since then his record has moved considerably leftward - again, concurrent with his national political ambitions.

And now? He favors evisceration of the First Amendment via another spasm of so-called campaign finance reform. He opposes real Medicare reform and supports greater spending on it instead. He supports the so-called Patient's Bill of Rights, which would be a boon to trial lawyers. He was a big backer of the shakedown of Big Tobacco and still favors ratcheting up cigarette taxes. He opposes "meaningful" tax cuts and uses leftish class warfare rhetoric to criticize Governor Bush's rather modest proposal. He is now squishy on abortion, as evidenced by his answer to the hypothetical question of a pregnant daughter that "it would be her decision." And he was one of the few enthusiastic Republican backers of Bill Clinton's aggression against Yugoslavia a year ago.

Is that "growing in office"? Has he "changed his mind," or "gained a broader perspective"? If so, fine; let him say so. And he was, as long as it was helping him hijack a few early GOP primaries. Now come the serious contests, most of them Republican-only, and overnight he's a born-again Reaganite. Hardly the way to build a "new coalition."

What's more, it's difficult to take even his dogged, passionate stumping for campaign finance reform very seriously, if only because it was his own dalliance with Charles Keating that almost destroyed his political career. Was a reformer born that day, the scales fallen from his eyes? Or did he figure he had to sell out in order to survive, and picked the issue most likely to curry the favor of the Beltway press?

In any case, his hypocrisy on his core issue continues to this day. Really, how much credibility does any man have to claim to be an "outsider" when he is the Chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee in his day job? How much credibility does he have when the "special interests" of which he claims to be the nemesis are big contributors to his campaign, and lend him corporate jets to whisk him around the country? How much of a "reformer" is he when he violates federal spending limits in state after state and rolls over some $2 million in cash left over from his last Senate re-election warchest - both actions he endless and sanctimoniously condemns in others?

He's only playing by the rules? But if he seeks to tighten those rules, shouldn't he live by his higher standard to set a "good example"?

Still, phonies and hypocrites in politics are a dime a dozen.

And then "Ace" McCain went to Virginia Beach.

And all hell broke loose.

more info at................

http://home.comcast.net/~jimsondergeld/McCainiatheMan.html

Bush to promote fund raiser for Senator Kyl in Phoenix on 11/28

Bush to promote fund raiser for Senator Kyl in Phoenix on 11/28


Thursday, November 10, 2005
Press Release - State GOP Delighted to Welcome President Back to Arizona
Contact: Colin McCracken
602-957-7770

Phoenix - The Arizona Republican Party is proud
to welcome President George W. Bush back to the
great state of Arizona on Monday, November 28, 2005.
This will be the President’s second visit to
Arizona since winning the state by 11% in 2004.
The President will be in Phoenix to raise significant
dollars for the re-election campaign of United
States Senator Jon Kyl.



Arizona was a sizeable factor in the President’s
victory last year, and his presence will raise vital
campaign funds for our targeted Senator,
said Bill Christiansen, Executive Director
of the Arizona Republican Party.
Arizona is Bush Country.

see more at........
http://www.azgop.org/News/Read.aspx?ID=195





Bush to rally for Senato Kyl on 11/28

Mark your calendars, Bush lovers.
The prez is coming back to Arizona.
President Bush makes his 13th visit to the Grand
Canyon State on Nov. 28, when he'll be the star attraction at a fund-raiser for Sen. Jon Kyl.
Bill Christiansen, executive director of the
state Republican Party, issued a statement
last week saying Bush "will raise vital campaign funds"
for the two-term senator.

see more ............
http://www.azstarnet.com/dailystar/allheadlines/102360.php

di Senator Mccain ever have a non government job?

a job in the private sector?

Mccain out pimping his books/dvd? again ?

I thoought his wife had mega bucks.

How Senator Teddy Kennedy uses offshore trusts to shelter his money from U.S. taxes

How Senator Teddy Kennedy uses offshore trusts to shelter his money from U.S. taxes


New book..........

Do As I Say (Not As I Do): Profiles in Liberal Hypocrisy."



Ann Coulter makes crystal clear how she feels about Peter Schweizer's new book, "Do As I Say (Not As I Do): Profiles in Liberal Hypocrisy."

Ann announced today on her Web site that she believes this book yes, this book alone is the "Book of the Century!"

Ann has been battling hypocritical liberals for years and
she has, no doubt, found profound solace in a book that
proves her liberal opponents more times than not dont
practice what they preach.

Ann recommends this must-read book because, as she says,
you’ll even "learn how to shelter your money in the Cayman Islands like liberals!"



How Teddy Kennedy uses off shore tax shelter to aviod millions in taxes.


Of course you will. Because Peter Schweizer exposes big-name liberals like Teddy Kennedy and George Soros who have used offshore trusts to shelter their money from U.S. taxes while they complain that the rich are not taxed enough!
This is just the tip of the iceberg of what Schweizer uncovered.

There’s more, including:


Air America radio host Al Franken says conservatives are
racist because they lack diversity and oppose affirmative action. But fewer than 1 percent of the people he has hired over the past 15 years have been African-American.
It gets worse.





Bill and Hillary Clinton have spoken in favor of the estate tax, and in 2000 Bill vetoed a bill seeking to end it.
But the Clintons have set up a contract trust that allows them to substantially reduce the amount of inheritance tax
their estate will pay when they die.
Hillary, for her part, has written and spoken extensively
about the right of children to make major decisions
regarding their own lives, such as having an abortion
without parental consent. But she barred 13-year-old daughter Chelsea from getting her ears pierced and forbade her
to watch MTV or HBO.


Barbra Streisand has talked about the necessity of
unions to protect a "living wage." But she prefers
to do her filming and post-production work in Canada,
where she can pay less than American union wages.

Schweizer sums up his book this way: "The reality is
that liberals like to preach in moral platitudes.
They like to condemn ordinary Americans and Republicans
for a whole host of things - racism, lack of concern
for the poor, polluting the environment, and greed.
But when it comes to applying those same standards to themselves, liberals are found to be shockingly guilty of hypocrisy.

"The media and the American people need to hold them accountable."

Ann Coulter: This Is ‘Book of the Century’

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/11/8/153908.shtml

Senator Mccain sells /outsources over 368,000 American jobs

Senator Mccain sells over 368,000 American jobs a year to a combination of immigrants, foreign guest workers,


Reminder - Hold Your Senators Accountable for Rejecting Byrd Amendment to Stop Major Foreign Worker/Immigration Increase

Remember to hold your senators accountable this week for their vote on Sen. Robert Byrd's (D-WV) amendment to strip the massive foreign worker/immigration increase from the Deficit Reduction bill. Sen. Byrd's amendment was rejected last Thursday by a 14-85 vote.

Click here to see how your senators voted, then call their offices to voice your approval or disapproval of their vote. Remember, a vote against the Byrd amendment is a vote for increasing immigration and displacing American workers with foreign labor.

(Call the Capitol Switchboard (202-224-3121) and ask to be connected or find your senators phone numbers here on our web site.)

Background:

Sen. Byrd's amendment would have replaced the Specter/Kennedy language which sells over 368,000 American jobs a year to a combination of immigrants, foreign guest workers, and their families, with the House Judiciary Committee proposal to raise fees on L-1 intra-company transferee visas. Byrd's amendment would have achieved the required savings without making wholesale changes to our immigration system.

Senate Sells Out American Workers:

Senate Sells Out American Workers: Rejects Byrd Amendment to Stop Major Foreign Worker/Immigration Increase

Thanks for making calls this week in support of Sen. Robert Byrd's (D-WV) amendment to strip the massive foreign worker/immigration increase from the Deficit Reduction bill. We received feedback that phones were ringing off the hook in Senate offices. I'm sorry to report that the Senate chose to sell out American workers yesterday, and rejected the Byrd amendment by a 14-85 vote.

FOLLOW THIS LINK TO FIND OUT HOW YOUR SENATORS VOTED

Sen. Byrd's amendment would have replaced the Specter/Kennedy language which sells over 368,000 American jobs a year to a combination of immigrants, foreign guest workers, and their families, with the House Judiciary Committee proposal to raise fees on L-1 intra-company transferee visas. Byrd's amendment would have achieved the required savings without making wholesale changes to our immigration system.

This vote clearly demonstrates that the Senate is willing to pass major immigration and guest worker expansions without proper debate under the guise of reducing the deficit.

After voting down the Byrd amendment, the Senate approved the Deficit Reduction Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 2005 (S. 1932) by a 52-47 vote.

We will continue to fight this foreign worker/immigration increase as the reconciliation process moves towards the House/Senate conference stage.

HOLD YOUR SENATORS ACCOUNTABLE!

For now, take this vote as an opportunity to hold your senators accountable. Find out how they voted, then call their offices to voice your approval or disapproval of their vote. Remember, a vote against the Byrd amendment is a vote for increasing immigration and displacing American workers with foreign labor.

Call the Capitol Switchboard (202-224-3121) and ask to be connected or find your senators phone numbers here on our web site.

BACKGROUND:

Last week, without a public hearing or even a warning, the Senate Judiciary Committee inserted language authored by Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) that increases revenue by selling over 368,000 American jobs a year to foreign workers and their families who will enter the United States and stay permanently.

The Specter/Kennedy language would increase the number of H-1B workers by 30,000 each year, increase the number of permanent employment-based visas by 90,000 each year, and exempt families of these new workers from the 140,000 annual cap on employment-based immigration. This will add an estimated 278,000 family members - many of them will also find jobs in the United States - to the number of high tech and permanent new foreign workers allowed under the plan. If enacted, the Specter plan would constitute one of the largest immigration increases in American history under the guise of deficit reduction.

The Committee was charged with finding $60 million in FY 06 and $300 million over the period between FY 20006 and FY 2010. The Specter/Kennedy language raises fees on H-1B and permanent employment-based visas charged to employers to accomplish savings. Sen. Byrd's amendment would have striped out the Specter/Kennedy language and replaced it with the House Judiciary Committee proposal to raise the fees on L-1 intra-company transferees to $1,500 per visa. Sen. Byrd's amendment would have provided the required savings without making wholesale changes to our immigration system.

another cronie ? Julie Myers declined to discuss her plan to address problems what the shit ?

another cronie ? Julie Myers declined to discuss her plan to address problems what the shit ?

If Julie Myers is confirmed as expected as director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement at the Homeland Security Department, one of her top priorities and major challenges will be repairing the agency’s financial integrity.

Federal auditors have singled out the agency’s financial management problems as particularly troublesome in the last year.

Myers told senators at her Sept. 15 nomination hearing that fixing ICE’s financial management will be paramount among her concerns. Myers said the problem stretches back to ICE’s creation in March 2003, when it was cobbled together from remnants of the Immigration and Naturalization Service and Customs Service. She said ICE was shortchanged in those early days of Homeland Security.

Homeland Security’s current and former inspectors general told lawmakers in July that ICE’s effort to provide accounting and other services to other department agencies during that time contributed to its budget shortfall. ICE and its customer bureaus did not agree on what ICE would provide and how much it would charge until late fiscal 2004, former IG Clark Kent Ervin said in a written statement to the House Government Reform subcommittee on government management, finance and accountability. By that point, ICE was left with a shortfall of between $200 million and $300 million, Ervin said.

Since then, Myers said, Congress ensured ICE received necessary funding, but the effects of that initial underfunding are still being felt.

The budget problems prompted a year-long hiring freeze that began in fall 2004, and some agents were forced to pay for their own gas and did not have enough money to pay confidential informants or use cell phones, Ervin said. ICE’s already-underfunded efforts to house arrested illegal aliens awaiting deportation also suffered further, he said.

Also, experienced financial staff began bolting in the summer of 2003 some to other Homeland Security bureaus delivering another blow to the agency’s financial management, Inspector General Richard Skinner said.

By fiscal 2004, ICE had fallen far behind in its basic accounting functions, Skinner said, such as balancing checkbooks and resolving bookkeeping anomalies.

Skinner said ICE’s accounting records were so bad that independent auditors could not tell whether the agency had broken federal law by spending more than it was budgeted.

ICE’s difficulties have affected the entire department by consuming large amounts of management time that could have gone to helping other agencies, Skinner said.

Myers on Sept. 15 pledged to get the agency’s financial house in order. But a major hurdle is that the agency still lacks enough financial managers, Myers said. She told senators one of her first tasks will be to hire a permanent chief financial officer.

Myers declined to discuss her plan to address the agency’s financial problems until after she is confirmed. The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee approved her nomination in an Oct. 7 party-line vote; it now awaits a Senate vote.

Myers, now President Bush’s special assistant for personnel, was an assistant U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York, a deputy assistant secretary of the Treasury Department in charge of investigating money laundering and financial crimes, an assistant secretary of Commerce for export enforcement, and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff’s chief of staff when he was the Justice Department’s assistant attorney general.

Several senators from both parties, including Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, expressed concerns during Myers’ nomination hearing about her lack of experience with immigration issues. Running ICE, which has a $4 billion budget and more than 14,000 employees, is a vast step up from her Commerce position, where she oversaw 170 employees and a $25 million budget. Her tenure at Commerce was the largest management job she noted in written responses to Senate questions.

Republican senators’ subsequent conversations with Chertoff and Myers alleviated their concerns, and Myers’ nomination was passed out of committee. Before the committee approved Myers, Democrats such as Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut restated their misgivings.

Experts contacted by Federal Times said Myers is right to make improving finances a priority.

Former IG Ervin said that financial management problems will plague the agency until it can staff itself with enough qualified accountants and financial managers.


By STEPHEN LOSEY see more at ..........

http://federaltimes.com/index2.php?S=1212903

FS: John Mccain home for $4.25 million

PHOENIX Arizona Senator John McCain is putting his central Phoenix estate up for sale.

The Republican's 11-thousand-square-foot home near
Glendale and Central avenues is being listed for 4-point-25
(m) million dollars.

McCain's wife Cindy, who is the daughter of
liquor-distribution magnate Jim Hensley, grew up in the mansion. The home
has since been expanded and renovated.

The gated estate sits on two acres. It has a large guesthouse, nine bedrooms, eight bathrooms and plenty of security cameras.

Realtor Bobby Lieb of Realty Executives has been hired to sell the home. He says the land alone is worth two (m) million dollars.

A spokeswoman in McCain's Washington D-C office says the senator and his wife want to downsize now that only the youngest of their four children is living at home.

Their casual, Southwestern-style house was featured
in the July issue of Architectural Digest.

see more at............
http://kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=4047625&nav=HMO6

Rush rejects Senator Mccain

Rush Limbaugh Recommends Virginia Senator George Allen As 2008 Republican Nominee

Local: Wed, Oct 19 2005 7:46 am
Subject: Rush Limbaugh Recommends Virginia Senator George Allen As 2008 Republican Nominee
Reply | Reply to Author | Forward | Print | Individual Message | Show original | Report Abuse

Last night on the Fox TV Sean Hannity show conservative talk-radio host
Rush Limbaugh advised that the Republicans reject moderates like John
McCain and Rudy Giuliano and nominate a right-wing candidate like
current Virginia Republican senator George Allan for president in 2008.


Limbaugh said that there in now a state of war between the Left and
Right in the U.S. and there is no possibility of compromise. The base of
the Democratic Left is radical, hate- America and its middle-class
capitalist republic.


Limbaugh stated that the Republicans best chance for political victory
is reaming well to the right like Ronald Regan and not try to appease
the Left in any way. This has been the mistake of George Bush, primarily
in his second term, of believing that there can be some kind of
compromise, that he could win some "liberals" over by granting
concessions. Bush tried that with disastrous results e.g. in allowing
Ted Kennedy to write his education policy, "Leave No Child Behind".


Limbaugh mentioned that talk radio which he more or less initiated back
in 1988 has been a decisive force in the rejuvenation of
U.S.conservatism, whose revolution actually began back in the 1960s
with William F. Buckley, National Review and Barry Goldwater. Now the
charge is being led by talk radio and Fox News for the battle of the
hearts and minds of the American people.




http://groups.google.com/group/alt.politics.usa.republican/browse_thread/thread/c47357b06e978575/7bc724ae79e1a320?q=senator+john+mccain&rnum=2#7bc724ae79e1a320

Senator Conrad Hits DeLay in Indian Affairs Hearings

Senator Conrad Hits DeLay in Indian Affairs Hearings
All 2 messages in topic - view as tree
Obwon Oct 18, 3:17 pm show options

Newsgroups: nyc.politics, alt.politics.democrats, nj.politics, ca.politics, alt.politics.clinton
From: Obwon - Find messages by this author
Date: Tue, 18 Oct 2005 19:17:39 GMT
Local: Tues, Oct 18 2005 3:17 pm
Subject: Senator Conrad Hits DeLay in Indian Affairs Hearings
Reply | Reply to Author | Forward | Print | Individual Message | Show original | Report Abuse

Executive Intelligence Review


This article appears in the October 8, 2004 issue of
Executive Intelligence Review.
Senator Conrad Hits DeLay in Indian
Affairs Hearings on Abramoff Looting
by Anton Chaitkin


The Senate Indian Affairs Committee stunned a public
hearing by revealing that recent newspaper coverage had
inaccurately understated what the committee identified
as over $66 million in payments and millions more in
political donations, extracted from six Indian tribes
by casino lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his secret junior
partner Michael Scanlon. The partners shared millions
of this loot with former Christian Coalition executive
director Ralph Reed, Abramoff's protégé and currently
Southeast USA director of the Bush-Cheney election
campaign, who has used the Christian Coalition to carry
out the Abramoff/Scanlon schemes.


Tension in the Sept. 29 hearings was high, as the
stakes are high.


The role of Abramoff, Scanlon, and Reed, in creating
House Majority Leader Tom DeLay's Congress-dominating
machine, overshadowed the hearings. North Dakota
Democrat Sen. Kent Conrad repeatedly brought out the
fact that the looters had made their access to DeLay
their selling point for getting lobbying contracts with
the casino-owning tribes.


Arizona Republican John McCain, who himself has been
attacked for pushing these hearings, intervened, in an
effort to take the spotlight off DeLay and the
Republicans. McCain Grover Norquist, whose Americans
for Tax Reform got $25,000 from the Abramoff Indian
loot, has accused McCain of pushing the hearings to get
back at Bush partisans for opposing McCain for the 2000
Republican Presidential nomination, and McCain may have
been covering himself within the Republican Party as
the election approaches.


In the Senators' opening remarks, the perpetrators'
leaked e-mails were read and displayed for the hearing,
as were Abramoff's references to the tribal leaders
whom he was ripping off, as "monkeys" and other racist
epithets.


Senator Conrad began in the preliminary statements to
highlight the schemes in DeLay's Texas, by Abramoff,
Scanlon, and Reed. McCain asked Conrad to move along,
not to dwell on this side of things.


Committee Chairman Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell
(R-Colo.)—himself a chief of the Northern Cheyenne
tribe—announced that Mike Scanlon is dodging subpoenas
and resisting the committee's request to appear before
them. Senator Campbell emphasized that either Scanlon
would come voluntarily or would be escorted in by
Federal marshals.


Jack Abramoff appeared and invoked his Constitutional
right not to testify.


Senator Campbell, in his unanswered questions to
Abramoff, said that Jewish people had long been the
victims of such bigotry as Abramoff showed in his
contemptuous e-mails about his clients, so Campbell was
surprised to hear this coming from Abramoff. Abramoff
presents himself as an Orthodox Jew, and is Tom DeLay's
intermediary with the Israeli political forces around
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his Likud party.


Senator Conrad hit Abramoff with questions centering on
his schemes with Ralph Reed and the Christian
Coalition. Senator McCain twice asked Conrad to stop
asking these questions, since Abramoff was not
answering, suggesting that it was "badgering" the
witness.

The blogosphere burns the witch (?) Julie Myers

The blogosphere burns the witch (?) Julie Myers
By: smagar · Section: Diaries


Remember the stories about how sharks, once they taste blood, go into a feeding frenzy and devour anything in their path?
This latest hit piece by Michelle Malkin leads me to wonder if Michelle has tasted blood, and likes it a bit too much.

More to the point, I wonder if the conservative blogosphere is too eagerly joining into feeding frenzies, such as the outrage over Julie Myers and Michael Brown. Or, to use another analogy, too willing to tie people to stakes and burn them as witches.

We may be too willingly eschewing minor but useful details in the process. Such as, oh, determining if they actually are witches BEFORE we burn them!

Or, in the case of Ms. Myers, showing an interest in exhibiting fair play and a sense of "due process" in what we say on these blogs.

I suspect I'll be in the minority here, but I feel that Ms. Malkin, the chattering crew at National Review Online, and other strident voices in the conservative blogosphere heard of Ms. Myers, decided that she be a witch, and tied her to the stake and burned her with no interest in a trial. Or, letting her defend herself and her reputation.

Is THAT the Modus Operandi we want the conservative blogosphere to adopt? Is THAT the reputation we want the conservative blogosphere to earn for itself, as it grows into a more potent force in American political discouse?

For myself, I hope not.

As for Michael Brown, the deposed FEMA head, follow this link for what I wrote a while back on how I feel Mike Brown was treated. IMO, too many people (e.g., Michelle Malkin and the NRO crew) were willing to burn Brown at the stake and scapegoat him for the NO shortcomings, before we had a chance to learn what really happened. That's all I'll say in this diary about Brown.

As for Julie Myers, here's what the Washington Post had to say about her on Tuesday, September 20th:


The Bush administration is seeking to appoint a lawyer with little immigration or customs experience to head the troubled law enforcement agency that handles those issues, prompting sharp criticism from some employee groups, immigration advocates and homeland security experts.

The push to appoint Julie Myers to head the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, part of the Department of Homeland Security, comes in the midst of intense debate over the qualifications of department political appointees involved in the sluggish response to Hurricane Katrina.


And, that same day, at 0645 Eastern Standard Time, Michelle Malkin was off to the races. Here are a few of her assessments of Ms. Myers as a potential civil servant:



NO MORE CRONYISM: BUSH DHS NOMINEE DOESN'T DESERVE THE JOB
Another disastrous crony appointment in the making

This is Julie Myers, President Bush's nominee to head the the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security.

Her nomination is a joke. A bad joke:

Erin Healy, a White House spokeswoman, cited Myers's work with customs agents on money-laundering and drug-smuggling cases. "She's well-known and respected throughout the law enforcement community," Healy said. "She has a proven track record as an effective manager."

Oh, give me a ^*&%$# break and a half! This nomination is a monumental political and policy blunder in the wake of the Michael Brown/FEMA fiasco.

see more at ........
http://smagar.redstate.org/story/2005/9/24/112515/657

John McCain to delay decision on '08 run until '06

John McCain to delay decision on '08 run until '06


NEW YORK Senator John McCain is considering a
2008 run for president, but he says he's unlikely
to run for the Number Two spot.

He tells the New York Daily News yesterday that he
is seriously considering a 2008 bid. However,
McCain says he'll wait until after the 2006 election
to decide about his political future.

McCain, who ran for president in 2000,
was re-elected to a six-year Senate term in 2004.


see more at kvoa.com
http://kvoa.com/Global/story.asp?S=3958305&nav=HMO6

Senator Jon Kyl formally announces his bid for re-election

Senator Jon Kyl formally announces his bid for re-election

Tuesday, October 11, 2005
In Tucson at 8:00 a.m.

Pima Air and Space Museum
6000 East Valencia