It's Christmas, Stupid!

Gun Control Defined

Jihadists Among Us

In case you can't read the sign on a Texas mall store window on Emy the Immigrant's blog, it says:

We will be closed on Friday September 11, 2009 to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Ali (A.S.)

Can someone explain to me why anyone would shop there? Ever?

If these jerks are not citizens, deport them. If they are citizens, vote with dollars. Put them out of business.

Military Bases as Gun Free Zones

When it comes to gun rights, is the anything dumber, more counterintuitive, than making military bases gun free zones?

As the writer of the linked letter to Stars and Stripes calls it, military bases are "victim disarmament zones."

Why are guns prohibited on military bases? Don't our guys in uniform get adequate training in gun use and safety?

Political correctness run amok.

Government Jobless Programs Kill Jobs

The Associated Press is reporting on the job losses being cause directly by increased unemployment taxes needed to pay jobless benefits.

It is an example of the rule: If you punish work (by taxing it) and reward non-work, what do you expect to get? IF you punish employers for having employees (by increased payroll taxes such as unemployment taxes), how do you expect employers to react?

If the cost of having employees exceeds the income generated, employers MUST get rid of employees.

As I see it, the heart of the problem is having full time legislator. These folks do not have to make a living in the real world. Those that have in the past (unlike that dunce, Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio), seem to forget what it was like when they did.

(I throw in the gratuitous insult to Senator Brown, because this is a guy that as far as I have been able to determine, never had a job outside government, and consistently votes far left. His understanding of economics [based upon his public statements], has all the economic sophistication of a middle-school Marxist. A nice, sincere, but totally clueless guy. A dunce with advanced degrees. Bad for Ohio and the United States. He is as bad as Maxine Waters and Barbara Boxer. And that is really, really bad.)

Heller Applied in State v. Skoien

In United States v. Steven Skoien, No. 08-3770 (Nov. 18, 2009 7th Cir. 2009) the US Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit vacated the conviction of Steven Skoien for unlawfully possessing a firearm while under a disability in violation of the federal statute 18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(9).

Mr. Skoien had previously been convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence. He was caught hunting with his father's 12 gauge shotgun, after it was discovered that he had obtained a hunting license.

He appealed his conviction in the district court. In reversing and remanding the case, the Court of Appeals gave the government the opportunity for a hearing on a single issue:

The government has the burden of establishing a reasonable fit between its important interest in reducing domestic gun violence and the means chosen to advance that interest-- § 922(g)(9)’s total disarmament of domestic-violence misdemeanants.

If the government meets that burden, the conviction will be automatically reinstated.

NRA, are you listening? The government must prove that there is a reasonable basis for banning all gun possession for life when someone is convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence. Of any severity. This could be an important case for gun rights.

Global Warming Fraud Exposed by Hacker

A hacker has gotten into the computers of a major global warming advocacy group in Great Britain exposing many years of e-mails that cover up global warming fraud. These so-called scientists were cooking the books to make global warming with real when the actual data showed the opposite.

After the e-mails were exposed on the Internet, the group has confirmed that the e-mails are genuine.

I can't condone illegally hacking into a computer, but committing global warming fraud is so much worse. Certainly the latter has been more costly to the citizens of the countries throughout the world.

For more information go here.

Now that the global warming religion has been exposed a fraudulent, will the drive-by media report the fraud?

Stimulus Hoax

'Nuff said.

More on cartoonist Nate Beeler.

Moron of the Day: Roger Middleton

Great news off the coast of Africa, armed security guards on the merchant ship Maersk Alabama have repelled Somali pirates. This is the same American ship whose captain was rescued from pirates by sharpshooting Navy seals a few months ago.

The reaction of our self-described piracy expert Roger Middleton of the London-based leftist think tank Chatham House:

But the US Navy position is at odds with "the rest of the international community" claims Roger Middleton from the London-based think tank Chatham House. Middleton said that "I would think it's a step backward if we start privatizing security of the shipping trade."

Well, Mr. Middleton, the captain and crew ofthe Maersk Alabama are safe today, no thanks to you and your ilk.

And that is how you earned the "Moron of the Day" award.

Cancer in Islam

Here is a piece from the leftist news organization MSNBC on an
American born Muslim cleric who has been quite successful in inciting others to violence ... in the name of Islam, of course.

Peaceful Muslims (by far the majority, I believe), what are you doing about this guy and others like him? Where are you? Why isn't there a mass denunciation of him?

Has Texas Banned All Marriage?

In 2005 the voters of Texas approved a constitutional amendment that defined marriage as a union between one man and one woman. The amendment goes on to say, "This state or a political subdivision of this state may not create or recognize any legal status identical or similar to marriage."

Really? The state cannot recognize any relationship identical to the union of a man and a woman as marriage?

In contrast, Ohio's constitutional amendment on the same subject is simple and quite clear:

Only a union between one man and one woman may be a marriage valid in or recognized by this state and its political subdivisions. This state and its political subdivisions shall not create or recognize a legal status for relationships of unmarried individuals that intends to approximate the design, qualities, significance or effect of marriage.

I have to assume that the Texas courts, when faced with the question will recognize that the intent of the amendment, however inartfully expressed, was that the state and political subdivisions are prohibited from recognizing any status that is not a defined marriage as if it were identical or similar to a marriage.

The English language is tough. It is often tough to really make an expressed concept simple and clear.

Wait until we live under a 2000 page heath care bill. Nightmare time.

Source: McClatchey

Gun Rights: City of Cleveland v. State

The Eight District Court of Appeals of Ohio has upheld the City of Cleveland's challenge to Ohio's statute, RC 9.68, preempting city gun laws. in Ohio, cities have broad authority to enact laws to regulate themselves, called "home rule." City ordinances, however, do not control over the "general law" enacted by the Ohio General Assembly. Over the years, there has been a great deal of litigation over what constitutes a general law. In 2006, he General Assembly, in support of its concealed carry and other pro-gun legislation, and acted RC 9.68 that specifically provided that the state gun laws would preempt all locally enacted laws.

In Ohioans for Concealed Carry Inc. v. City of Clyde, 120 Ohio St. 3d 96, 2008-Ohio-4605, the Ohio Supreme Court struck down city of Clyde ordinance that band licensed handgun owners from carrying concealed handguns in Clyde city parks. He Ohio Supreme Court held that the statewide gun law was a general law that prescribed a code of conduct for citizens carrying concealed guns which conflicted with the city of Clyde's ordnance.

During the time that the Clyde case was on appeal, in 2006, the Ohio General Assembly enacted RC 9.68 specifically preempting city ordinances with the statewide gun laws.

In City of Cleveland v. State, the city of Cleveland brought a declaratory judgment action seeking to declare RC 9.68 unconstitutional, because it was not a general law that could preempt city ordinances. No specific city gun law was at issue. The Eighth District Court of Appeals on November 12, 2009 held that RC 9.68 was not "part of a statewide and comprehensive legislative enactment." Furthermore, the Court held that RC 9.68 did not "set for police, sanitary, or similar regulations rather than simply granting or limiting legislative power."

Expect this case to be appealed to the Ohio Supreme Court.

Notwithstanding the eventual result in the Ohio Supreme Court, this case does not uphold or strike down any particular Cleveland gun regulation. that conflicts with Ohio's concealed carry law and the various support of laws (Castle doctrine and the like) would likely be struck down on the basis of the City of Clyde case. There is currently pending a suit by the Buckeye Firearms Foundation to strike down various Cleveland anti-gun city ordinances (copy of the complaint here). The Buckeye Firearms Foundation filed the case February 4, 2009, and the latest court docket entry was in July 2009, when the Ohio Attorney General made an appearance in the case.

The decision is a disappointment for gun owners in and around the City of Cleveland. We can expect the City of Cleveland to tout that the decision means a lot more than it actually does.

The Real Miss America

From Emy the Immigrant, check out "Nothing blends in better with the environment like 1/4 carat diamond earrings and lip gloss."

Al Gore Says Something Dumb Again

I guess Al Gore saying something dumb is not worthy of a headline. After all, he made a whole movie saying dumb things, the fantasy An Inconvenient Truth. And of course he famously claimed to invent the Internet. Thank heavens he was never elected as the President.

This time he was interviewed by Conan O'Brien and talked about geothermal energy. Geothermal energy extracts heat from beneath the surface of the earth According to Al Gore, "People think about geothermal energy — when they think about it at all — in terms of the hot water bubbling up in some places, but two kilometers or so down in most places there are these incredibly hot rocks, ’cause the interior of the earth is extremely hot, several million degrees, and the crust of the earth is hot...."

Several million degrees? If that were true, we would all be bursting into flames. No wonder we have global warming with temperatures like that just below the surface.

Beyond dumb.

I remember reading that Mr. Gore's staff could cringe whenever he deviated from prepared text, because he was prone to saying dumb things. He hasn't improved any.

h/t Hotair.com

High Taxes Chase Business Away

The Pacquiao-Mayweather bout has been moved to Texas because of high taxes in New York.

States, take notice. Taxes matter. High taxes kill business.

Go Directly to Jail, Lynne Stewart

In United States v. Lynne Stewart, the United States Circuit Court of appeal has revoked disbarred lawyer Lynne Stewart's bail, ordered her to begin serving her shockingly light sentence and remanded the case for the trial judge to consider increasing her sentence due to her perjury.

What did Ms. Stewart do?

She was convicted of conspiring to provide and conceal material support for the murder of various persons by terrorist activity. she also knowingly made false statements to federal authorizes when she promised to abide by federal requirements with respect to terrorist prisoners.

What she actually did, of course was carry messages from a jailed terrorist enabling him to communicate on Jihadist activity from prison. For example, Ms. Stewart was recorded on tape approving of the taking of hostages in the Philipines.

Ms Stewart's behavior was reprehensible and deserving of a long sentence behind bars.

Click on the name above to read the decision for yourself.

Ms. Stewart has delusional friends who attempt to mount a public defense, e.g., rense.com and Democracy Now. If you read those defenses as compared to the Court of Appeals statement of facts, you can see how creepy those folks really are.

Study Shows Fox News To Be ... Fair and Balanced

S. Robert Lichter, a professor of Communications at George Mason University writing for Forbes Magazine reports that Fox News really is more fair and balanced than the other networks in its news coverage.

A tidbit:

Fox News has become embroiled in a nasty controversy over its ill treatment of President Obama. But are the charges true?

What if I told you that Fox gave Obama his worst press and John McCain his best press of any network during last year's presidential election? If you work for the White House, you'd probably take this as proof that Fox is just a mouthpiece for the opposition. Now what if I told you that Fox had the most balanced coverage of any network during the same campaign? If you work for Fox, you'd probably say we told you so.

...

So how could Fox have both the most balanced and the most anti-Obama coverage? Simple. It's because the other networks were all so pro-Obama.

Read it all.

Samuelson Blasts Health Reform Economics

Robert Samuelson is notable for his middle-of-the -road economic analyses in a major left-of-center periodical. In the Washington Post, he blasts the stupidity of the Obamacare proposal from the economic perspective.

There is an air of absurdity to what is mistakenly called "health-care reform." Everyone knows that the United States faces massive governmental budget deficits as far as calculators can project, driven heavily by an aging population and uncontrolled health costs. As we recover slowly from a devastating recession, it's widely agreed that, though deficits should not be cut abruptly (lest the economy resume its slump), a prudent society would embark on long-term policies to control health costs, reduce government spending and curb massive future deficits. The administration estimates these at $9 trillion from 2010 to 2019. The president and all his top economic advisers proclaim the same cautionary message.

So what do they do? Just the opposite. Their far-reaching overhaul of the health-care system -- which Congress is halfway toward enacting -- would almost certainly make matters worse. It would create new, open-ended medical entitlements that threaten higher deficits and would do little to suppress surging health costs. The disconnect between what President Obama says and what he's doing is so glaring that most people could not abide it. The president, his advisers and allies have no trouble. But reconciling blatantly contradictory objectives requires them to engage in willful self-deception, public dishonesty, or both.

Read it all.

President Obama, Nancy Pelosi and the other goofballs pushing health care reform have the economic unerstand of a middle school Marxist. They understnd so little about how economics really works, it is truly scary to have them in power running a governmetn with the philosophy that government has a legitimate role in economic policy other than getting out of the way.

Fed Will Never Admit Hasan Was Terrorist

The Federal government has an odd definition of terrorist. Unless the guy was part of a conspiracy (as opposed to a philosophy), he will not be considered a terrorist. A lone suicide bomber or mass murderer acting on his own is never a terrorist, by federal standards.

In the case of Major Hasan, I am not sure the terrorist label fits, even if a lone killer can be a terrorist. It seems to em that a terrorist must be acting to inspire terror. If the merson is simply trying to kill people to make them dead -- as opposed to frighten those not killed -- the guy is not a terrorist.

What is he, then, besides a mass murder?

If he was acting to further a religious war (jihad), he was a combatant, a militant, as well as a mass murder.

Whatever the label, it is clear the Islam has a cancerous component. The religion is dangerous to the rest of us. No one is ever safe. The cancerous component may expand and erupt any time, anywhere. The root problem is in the words of the Koran.

Many understand the murderous language to be applicable only in the past, to the situation faced by Mahammed 1400 years ago, not applicable today. The trouble is that it does not take too many who hold that in unchanging Islam, the lethal language of the Koran to kill the unbelievers holds as much force today was when originally uttered.

Sadly, I don't hear many Muslims stepping up to eradicate that radicals.

FDA to Ban Rum & Coke

Just when we though that the government could not get any dumber or run any more amok, the Food and Drug Administration has issued an order to drink manufacturers to prove that the combination of caffeine and alcohol in their premixed drinks is "safe" or be required to pull them from the market.

What?

The FDA lack authority to regulate alcohol. The FDA lacks authority to regulate caffeine.

Government is clearly NOT part of any solution. Government is the problem.

Obama's Subservient Bow

I had had years of training in a Japanese martial art. As part of the training, we need to learn some of the protocol of bowing.

When bowing to an equal, the bow is slight and your eyes never leave the equal's eyes.

When bowing low and taking your eyes to the ground, you are acknowledging and hooroing the superior position of the person to whom you are bowing.

Obama embarrassed the United States with his subservient bow. He essentially acknowledged himself to be the servant (or slave) of the Emperor or Japan. He demeaned himself and he demeaned us.

Thankfully, major Japanese news outlets are politely not running the embarrassment on the Japanese media, according to Hot Air.

Carrie Prejean

After that scumbag Perez Hilton slimed Carrie Prejean and the rest of America rallied to her defense, that a belief in traditional marriage is hardly a disqualifier for a beauty pageant, that pretty much should have ended matters.

I am baffled why the left sees a beauty pageant in political terms or how the left justifies its horrid misbehavior in continuing to slime a young contestant because of supposed hypocrisy. How is it hypocritical, exactly, to both believe that marriage is between a man and to make a solo sex video for a boyfriend (opposite sex)? Are't they both heterosexual? Does making a private sex video for a boyfriend (dumb move) preclude heterosexual marriage later?

I wholly endorse the opinions expressed in Newsreal. It is a good read and well-reasoned.

I don't see Carrie Prejean as a role model, just a model. One who has been terribly wronged by the left.

Coal in Your Stocking This Christimas

Nancy Pelosi called the House Bill that destroys our health care freedom a Christmas present for America. Gee thanks, Nancy.

Below, Speaker Pelosi refuses to answer the question whether it is fair to send people to jail if they don't buy health insurance.

Moron of the Day: Senator Chris Dodd, D-Conn

In these days of high unemployment, Chris Dodd, D- Conn., announces proposed legislation to give federal incentives to encourage employers to have fewer than 15 employees.

Why would he do something that stupid? That question I cannot answer. I can say that he proposes to impose a mandatory requirement that anyone employing 15 or more employees must provide at least 7 days paid sick leave per year.

What could be more fun for the statist dummies in the Senate than more micromanagement of employers.

In times of high unemployment, only the Democrats can't see how foolish it is to punish employers with more regulations.

Jihad: Cause or Enabler?

I have not previously weighed in on the Fort Hood tragedy in which Major Nidal Hasan, a Muslim convert, went on killing spree shouting Allahu ackbar (God is Great in Arabic).

The question is was this an act of terror? Or was he just nuts?

Let's assume that he was nuts. To me that does not lessen the responsibility of radial Islam for the tragedy, because radical Islamic views appear to have provided impetus to Major Hasan's murderous spree. While it would be that much worse if he were spurred on by Al Qaeda, peaceful Muslims still have to solve the repeated Islamic connection to random acts of violence by nutcases. They have the inside forum, and they have the means (presumably) and the responsibility to solve the problem from within.

If Hasan had been shouting, "I deserved a promotion, I kill you all," no one would be making the Islam connection to the killings. No. He was shouting the terrorists' rallying cry.

Ipso facto, radical Islam bears the shame and responsibility for the tragedy. Peaceful Muslims need to clean their house of the radical elements, or these things will continue to occur. It has to be solved from within.

The rest of us would appreciate strong assurances from the insiders that they are taking effective steps. I am not hearing it.

Global Warming Update: October Third Coldest on Record; Media Silent

Link here. Of course the data for one month proves nothing conclusive. Even the ten straight years of global cooling the earth has experienced proves nothing (except that Al Gore hasn't proven anything, either).

I understand that there has been a slight warming trend over 2000 years. But if it were man-caused, you'd think the last ten years would say something about the cause. There are more people now than there were 10 years ago.

If October had been the third warmest on record, I'll bet the media would have been all over it.

Alternative Medical Practitioners Beware

Obamacare will destroy alternative medicine, sooner or later.

I wondered why the AMA favored the House bill passed on Saturday. Then it dawned on me. AMA has big influence in government. The House Bill is all about government control. The House Bill will give the AMA huge influence on the health care system.

Good Bye alternative medicine. The AMA has been after you for years, trying to regulate food supplements, punishing doctors who see the benefits in chelation and other alternative care, and so on.

Among other evils, people will be forced to buy insurance with dollars that they otherwise would have used for alternative care. I don't know what will happen to health savings accounts (HSA) under the bill, but HSA' were an excellent vehicle to enable people to choose alternative care. The owner of the account, not some insurance company, decided on what treatment to spend the money for.

Do the alternative medicine practitioners realize the danger?

Obama Wants You Punished for Living ... Without Health Insurance

President Obama said the following which would be oaughable if it were not so serious:

During an exclusive interview with ABC News’ Jake Tapper today, President Obama said that penalties are appropriate for people who try to “free ride” the health care system but stopped short of endorsing the threat of jail time for those who refuse to pay a fine for not having insurance.

“What I think is appropriate is that in the same way that everybody has to get auto insurance and if you don't, you're subject to some penalty, that in this situation, if you have the ability to buy insurance, it's affordable and you choose not to do so, forcing you and me and everybody else to subsidize you, you know, there's a thousand dollar hidden tax that families all across America are -- are burdened by because of the fact that people don't have health insurance, you know, there's nothing wrong with a penalty.” [ABC News.]

The purchase of auto insurance is not mandatory. You can choose not to drive.

What can you choose not do do if you do not buy Health insurance? Live?

Mary Jo Kilroy Hates You

On Saturday, Mary Jo Kilroy voted all the wrong ways. On health care, she voted to destroy your health care freedom and mine:

1. If you don't voluntarily buy insurance, 5 years in jail.
2. She voted against the amendment to deny health care funds for abortion.
3. She voted for a bill (which passed) and which

also contains a new government long-term insurance program that starts collecting premiums in 2011 but doesn't starting paying benefits until 2016 and then runs out of money in 2029. North Dakota Democrat Kent Conrad called it "a Ponzi scheme of the first order, the kind of thing that Bernie Madoff would have been proud of" in an interview with the Washington Post in late October. (WSJ)

4. She voted despite the broken promised of the Democratic leadership to post the bill online for 72 ours before a vote.
4. The bill she voted for worsens the economy in a time that Congress shoudl at worst take action that a neutral.

This awful woman does not deserve to keep her job.

To get a load of her poor performance, go here, here and here.

How Bad is Obama?

Who most recently used a disgusting, crude slur against the tea partiers? President Obama, reports the New York Times, called them "tea bag ... people."

Google it yourself if you are unsure about the crude meaning. It is unworthy, cheap and low-life for the President to use the slur.

Who will call him in it? Not the so-called mainstream media. Any wonder they are becoming less and less relevant?

The War on Fox News -- Updated

According to the Chicago Tribune:

At least one Democratic political strategist has gotten a blunt warning from the White House to never appear on Fox News Channel, an outlet that presidential aides have depicted as not so much a news-gathering operation as a political opponent bent on damaging the Obama administration.

Political consultants are a staple of cable television talk shows, analyzing current events based on their own experiences working on campaigns or in government.

One Democratic strategist said that shortly after an appearance on Fox he got a phone call from a White House official telling him not to be a guest on the show again. The call had an intimidating tone, he said.

It was creepy enough that the administration was trying to block administration officials from appearing on Fox News programs, now it is trying to intimidate Democratic political strategists.

Obama's march to Marxism continues. The White House gets creepier by the day.

Update: Further down in the article in the Chicago Tribune, I found this quote:

White House Communications Director Anita Dunn said Thursday night that she had checked with colleagues who "deal with TV issues'' and they had not told people to avoid Fox. On the contrary, they had urged people to appear on the network, Dunn wrote in an email.

This quote to me proves the truth of the White House intimidation. If Maoist Anita Dunn said it, the opposite is probably true.

Update. Fax calls itself fair and balanced because it strives to bring in both points of view. Isn't it strange that the administration is working to keep Fox from balancing its presented commentary with the administration point of view. Glenn Beck keeps a hotline beside him on his television program to give the White House the immediate opportunity to challenge misinformation. The White House never does challenge, so all information Glenn presents must be true, right? It is at least unarguably unchallenged.

Moron of the Day: Ohio Sen. Tom Patton, R-Strongsville

A state senator from Ohio wins today's Moron of the Day award. Today's moron, Tom Patterson, Ohio State Senator from Strongsville, Ohio, has introduced legislation in Ohio to make life tougher for small businesses to survive.

There has long been a tension over whether business can or should hire an individual as an employee or an independent contractor. Many businesses prefer to hire independent contractors, who received forms 1099 at the end of the year and who must report and pay their own taxes rather than having taxes withheld. The government thinks that he is some sort of abuse, if a person, in the government's infinite wisdom, really should be an employee. It seems that income taxes are easier to collect from businesses than from individuals.

I guess individuals are shocked when they find out how much money they actually have to pay in taxes on their income.

In any event, Moron-of-the-Day Patton has introduced Senate Bill 195 in the Ohio legislature to punish employers who deliberately or mistakenly hire independent contractors when they "really should be" employees.

In support of his bill, Senator Patton,, said, "For employees, jobs are very, very scarce." Well, yes, and Senator Patton's solution is to punish businesses. Gosh, that really is going to increase employment, isn't it?

According to Senator Patton, "the only people who will lose here are those who are trying to get around this, and we should not allow employers in Ohio to not play by the rules." As jobs retreat from Ohio, somehow that will make jobs less scarce. No one loses from that, do they?

As high school graduate Senator Patton will learn if his bill passes, it is chock full of unintended consequences. Why would anyone actually want to locate a business in Ohio if they had another choice?

Courtroom Deputy Violates Trust .. On Camera

The video below depicts completely outrageous conduct by a Maricopa County, Arizona, courtroom deputy that wanders over behind the back only defense attorney who was addressing the court in order to stare a file. He opens a file takes out a paper. The defense attorney is justifiably outraged and requests a hearing.



Here is a report on the follow-up hearing from the local paper Heat City. There is no question in my mind that his deputies should fire. Our justice system has no place in it for courtroom personnel who behave in this manner. The lawyer's file is protected by law, and that protection is vital to the administration of justice.

The deputy's actions that I observed were devious and dishonest. As lawyers, we trust the people involved in the justice system. Trusting the honesty of others, we will leave our briefcases containing files while we go to the restroom and the like, and certainly never anticipate that any court official will be rifling through them.

This deputy has set a horrible example for the system of justice. He deserves not only firing but severe punishment -- including jail time -- for his conduct.

Fort Hood: No Guns Zone?

How is it possible that an army base is a "no guns zone?" See today's Buckeye Firearms report on the tragedy. Concealed carry is prohibited there. How much easier did the murderer have it because of the no guns policy?

A gun free zone policy enabled the murder of 36 teachers and students at Virginia Tech in 2007. Now, 12 dead at Ft. Hood. If the shooter had known that that others might be carry concealed, would he have chanced going on the rampage? How many such murderous rampages take place where concealed guns are permitted?

The rampage at a church in Colorado Springs in 2007 was halted by a concealed carrier of a firearm.

Guns carried by responsible people save lives.

Climate change is a Religion in U.K.

Conservatives have been saying it right along. Now it is official. A court in Great Britain has ruled that police in man-made climate change has the same protections as a belief in religion.

Okay. I admit it. I am probably an atheist on that one.

Moron of the Day: George Miller (D-CA)

George Miller (D-CA) is the chairman of the House of Representatives Education and Labor Committee promoting a new bill to require employers to pay five days sick leave to any person the employer requests staying home due to illness.

Although probably not its worst flaw, the bill would actually promote the spread of swine flu. Why? The obligation to basically kicks in only when the employer requests that the employees stay home. So, the swine flu infected employee, instead of staying home on his or her own comes to work so the employer can tell them to stay home. If the employee calls in, here is the likely cat-and-mouse game:

Employee: "I'm feeling sick. I might have the swine flu, should I come in?"
Employer: "Use your best judgment."
Employee: "well if you are not telling me to stay home, I am coming in."
Employer: "I trust your judgment to do what is best."
Employee: "Well, then, I am coming in."
Employer: "Be seeing you."

Employee comes to work and spreads the swine flu.

What happens if the employee's doctor instructs the employee to stay in bed? Is that the employor telling the employee not to come in to work?

What if the employer has a general policy that employees with with communicable diseases not to come into work? Who has to prove that the employee had a communicable disease?

This foolish bill is full of unintended consequences. It is just like the big government Democrats to micromanage employers.

But here is the worst part. The country is facing severe unemployment. So what is Congress doing? It is considering yet another bill that punishes employers by increasing the costs of having employees. In a time of high unemployment, is it really wise to be an acting ill that discourage employment?

Moron of the day. Well deserved.

If You Love Wasting Money ...

If you love wasting your money, you can either pay your taxes or give your money to the GOP. The answer about the government is obvious. Why the GOP?

The GOP is an unprincipled organization that supported a radical leftist for the House of Representatives who would most likely vote with the Democrats on most issues. The GOP gave this woman, Dede Scozzafava, $900,000 for her campaign and the used it to campaign against the conservative and, when she dropped out, to endorse the Democrat. (The Democrat won. Thanks Dede.)

Dede Scozzafava is the best reason I can think of never to contribute to the National GOP. Contribute directly to the candidate of your choice, GOP or otherwise, but no longer can the National GOP be trusted (if it ever could).

Just Say No to European Style Health Care

Our health care system is flawed. Most of the flaws were created by government. No one in their right minds thinks that the solution to government-caused problems is more government, do they?

GOP: Leader? Or Follower?

It appears the beginning of the demise of the old GOP. Will be be able to celebrate to say, Long live the GOP?

Liberals and their fellow traveler Democrats have long accused the GOP of being the conservative party. Sadly, it was not true. In truth, there was very little difference for many years. True, the GOP have more conservatives than the Democrats, but the GOP was hardly exclusively a conservative party. The party hacks certainly did not want any such thing. All they really wanted was to be one small point more conservative than the Democrats. Leaving real conservatives little choice about who to support.

Times, they are a changin'. The conservative revolt in NY district 23 has left the GOP with it collective tongue hanging out. Newt Gingrich has been embarrassed ... and exposed as a RINO sympathizer.

We have the tea party movement. We have the mew media that shows conservatives they are not alone, despite the derision from the former MSM. We have Fox News that gives us talented conservative-leaning commentators, along with news that provides both conservative and liberal pundits presenting their clearly labeled and differing points of view.

What will the GOP do now? What should the GOP have learned?

There is power in the conservative movement. The GOP needs to move away from the generally ineffectively policy of trying to attract liberals. The GOP should ally with the conservatives, first by winning back the trust of conservatives. If the GOP can do that, the GOP will be on the winning track in 2010 mid term elections. If the GOP keeps its nose clean (and get rid of the RINOS and crooks -- easier said than done) 2012 could add up to big victories, too.

Columbus Dispatch Sympathizes with Illegals

If there were any doubt about why I cancelled my subscription to the Columbus Dispatch, let me clear it up. It is articles like these. Reading that article, it is clear that the news report is actually an opinion pience in disguise. It is oh, so sympathethic to the plight of the "undocumented workers" (illegal aliens to the rest of us). Gosh, they may have to prove they have social security number to register their vehicles. That is supposed to make me feel sorry for them?

Just because the government shares the blame for the presence of the illegals, that doe not make it right to support them in their illegal residency. Many of them may be very good folks that would make decent citizens, but the fact that they are already engaged in illegal activity by their very presence casts doubt about the whole good citizenship thing.

Having said all that, I will observe that the immigration system in the country is a farce. And I am talking about legal immigration. I have observed the stupidity of it close up.

My assistant married a very fine guy, a highly skilled computer software guy, from the U.K., an Anglican with no hint of security threats in his background. He now is finally here legally after many months of ICE-imposed hell. At one point, the immigration authorities threatened to bar his entry rights because of high blood pressure! Memo to ICE: High blood pressure is not a communicable disease and your terrible application process probably contributed to it. Besides, President Obama just cleared the decks for entry by the HIV-positive. High blood pressure as a bar to entry? Please.

I can understand why people enter illegally, with all the red tape and barriers to entry for even the highly skilled. It still is not right.

Our immigration system needs serious reform. I am not necessarily an amnesty guy, but why not fix the legal immigration system and then subject any illegals already here to the fixed system if they want to remain (with some appropriate penalty for their illegal presence, including payment of all back income taxes)?

I have great sympathy for those who came here seeking a better life and who are WORKING toward that end. Pay the piper for the illegal entry, but reform the system to give hardworking folks a route to stay.

New Jersey Second Amendment Case

The is some chatter about a new Second Amendment case from New jersey reported as holding that there is no Second Amendment right to own a firearm.

The new case is In the Matter of Anthony Dubov. Apparently New jersey requires one to get a permit to own a firearm. Dubov applied for such a permit, but the sheriff denied the permit. The case involves Dubov's appeal from that denial. In the case, the court remanded the the appeal, because the trial court failed to follow the proper procedure in denying the appeal.

Based upon some dictum in Heller, the court did state that Heller did not address or invalidate licensing laws. However, this statement by the new jersey court was mere dictum and surplusage, because by the time the court made that statement, the court had already decided to send the case back to the trial court.

In looking at case law, the law of the case is in the holding, in this case that the trial court failed to follow the proper procedure. The statements about the effect (of lack of effect) of Heller on New Jersey licensing is not a statement of law, but gratuitous statements by the court. A political statement, in a way. Perhaps a statement of defiance against the Heller decision.

In any event, I don't think it means much. If there is an individual right to keep and bear arms, there has to be a right to purchase arms.