Friends of Blago

Friends of Blago - The spider web, with Blagojevich in the center.

The People's Seat

Hello Gov. Quinn?

Breaking... Chicago
Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn says Blagojevich should resign and should not be involved in the U.S. Senate seat selection in a news conference just before 1:00. Gov. Blagojevich is to appear in federal court at 1:30. Quinn also said that he has been prepared to step in as Governor since he ran for the Lt. Governor job 7 years ago.

Pay to play - Feds take Blagojevich out of the game

According to early reports, Blagojevich's chief of staff, John Harris, was also arrested this morning on federal corruption charges.
The criminal complaint by the FBI said each man was arrested on two charges of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and solicitation of bribery.
Click here for the 78 page U.S. Dept. of Justice complaint.

Feds take Gov. Blagojevich into custody
"...Blagojevich was taken into custody hours after the Tribune reported that the investigation into allegations of pay-to-play politics within his administration had been expanded to include his pending choice of a Senate replacement for Obama. The Democratic governor has said he expects to make a decision on the state's next senator in weeks.
Sources told the Tribune that investigators intensified their investigation into Blagojevich amid concerns that the process of choosing a new senator could be tainted..."

According to Fox News...
"A statement by U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald and FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Robert Grant said Blagojevich and Harris "allegedly conspired to sell U.S. Senate appointment, engaged in pay-to-play schemes and threatened to withhold state assistance to Tribune Company for Wrigley Field to induce purge of newspaper editorial writers."
"The breadth of corruption laid out in these charges is staggering," Fitzgerald said in a statement.
"Blagojevich put a for sale sign on the naming of a United States Senator; involved himself personally in pay-to-play schemes with the urgency of a salesman meeting his annual sales target; and corruptly used his office in an effort to trample editorial voices of criticism," he added.
Federal authorities were permitted by a judge to record the governor secretly before the November election after raising concerns that a replacement for Obama would be tainted.
Fitzgerald's office said the 76-page FBI affidavit alleges that Blagojevich was taped conspiring to sell or trade Obama's vacated U.S. Senate seat for financial and other personal benefits for himself and his wife, including an annual salary of $250,000-$300,000 at a nonprofit foundation or an organization affiliated with labor unions.
They also allege Blagojevich is heard on tape demanding a corporate board seat for his wife worth as much as $150,000 a year; promises of campaign funds, including cash up front; and a Cabinet post or ambassadorship for himself."

Lyrically Literate

Take On Me: Literal Video Version

I liked this video back when MTV actually played music videos. This lyrically literal version makes as much sense as the original, and if you liked A-Ha's version in 1985, I can pretty much guarantee you will smile through this one.

What's the Council doing with our taxes now?

CITY COUNCIL MOVES FORWARD TO BUILD $350,000 LOG CABIN
"...it’s difficult to understand why in the world the city would invest, at this time, a possible $350,000 to build a log cabin and what goes with it, eight miles away in the country on a site we don’t own, but for which we will have to provide security. It’s not even in the city limits! How do you explain to residents the city is providing security outside the city limits to protect a log cabin, when they want more security in their own neighborhoods to protect lives?..."

Former Mayor Osborne has this absolutely right in his editorial. The long term security costs and lack of state or federal funding make this a project for better economic times.
My question is: Are Mr. Edwards and Caulkins simply trying to build their own legacy?
My congratulations to Councilman Laegler, for having the courage to be the only "no" vote, to delay a good project for another time, when it can be properly financially supported.

RINO season is now open

RINO Season Is Now Open
by Ted Nugent
"Like any entity that abandons basic quality control, political parties rot from within. It happened to the Democrats long ago, and now has become the case with the Republican Party, which has strayed from its conservative underpinnings.There are really only four things I have a strong aversion to: unloaded guns, dull knives, banjos, and Republicans in Name Only (RINOs)"...
read the rest of Ted's article here.

Well, Ted, I agree with 3 out of those 4, but banjos aren't THAT bad, or perhaps "banjo" is a code word for liberals. If so, my apologies to Ted for misunderstanding.

Election Day Polling Places Busy

I had an unusually long line at my normally quick polling place this morning at 6:30. I actually had TWO people ahead of me in line. Everything seemed to be moving smoothly, and my elapsed time taken for my duty as a citizen, from parking to voting to driving away, was just over 10 minutes. How were your voting experiences? Any delays or problems?

You Must Choose Wisely

Fred has recorded a special election message that says most of what I'd like to say about our upcoming election and the direction our country must choose, but he is much more eloquent and convincing than I could hope to be. The video is about 12 minutes long.
Watch Fred's message here.
Senator Fred Thompson will appear on Meet the Press this Sunday morning. I urge you to watch the program. And, if there are any undecided voters in your household or neighborhood, do what you can to get them to watch too.

Here are a couple of hard hitting spots. One that highlights the radical influence of Rev. J. Wright on B. H. Obama, and one that stars some of the world's dictators mocking his ignorance in foreign policy.

Dictators Mock Obama's Ignorance

Obama and Wright: He Never Complained Once

A
Democrat
Halloween,
spreading
the wealth.

Obama, DNC assault on 1st and 2nd amendments

'Truth Squad' using sheriffs, DAs to police bias against candidate
Obama Campaign and DNC Launch Assault On First Amendment!
"...Obama and the DNC have been using strong-arm tactics reminiscent of Chicago machine politics to try and cover up the truth and silence NRA by forcing the stations to assist them in hiding Obama's radical anti-gun record..."
More details on Obama's gun banning positions... GunbaNObama.com
"Just like fellow Democrats Edward Kennedy, Charles Schumer and Dianne Feinstein, Biden has voted for, and actively pushed, major anti-gun bills, including those:
Banning semi-automatic firearms; Banning hunting, sporting and self-defense ammunition; Banning magazines holding more than 10 rounds; and Imposing a waiting period on handgun sales..."
"...During a debate with Obama, Sen. Hillary Clinton, and other contenders for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination, Biden said, "I'm the guy who originally wrote the assault weapons ban."
While the Obama campaign wants voters to think that Joe Biden complements him, bringing a different perspective to the Democrat ticket, the reality is that both candidates have long records throughout their careers of not merely of going along with gun control, but originating and pushing the anti-gun agenda aggressively. It is fair to say that if Barack Obama is elected president, Joe Biden will be the most anti-gun vice president in American history."

Organizer Missing in Chicago

Somewhere in Chicago, a community is missing an organizer...

In other news, Democrat Representative Alcee Hastings, of Florida plays the race card ... hard.

(CNN) – Rep. Alcee Hastings told an audience of Jewish Democrats Wednesday that they should be wary of Republican VP nominee Sarah Palin because “anybody toting guns and stripping moose don’t care too much about what they do with Jews and blacks.”

And the Democrat Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, thinks Hastings should be a Federal Judge? The left is in the process of losing any of the sanity that it has been hiding so well for years.

No thanks, keep the change.

More Chinese Fakery

China touts success of space launch before takeoff
"A nice little story hit the Web Thursday talking up China's long-awaited space mission and even including detailed dialogue between the astronauts, according to the Associated Press. Only problem was that the spacecraft hadn't even left the ground at the time the story came out..."

China just launched a manned mission, and the scripted coverage of an "in flight report" was released before it ever happened. Are the people in charge of checking ages of Chinese Olympic athletes also in charge of the space program? Maybe. The Chinese Space Program IS a subsidiary of the Red Army.

As Controversial as the Olympics? Fake Mission Coverage.

Message to Mr. Obama

Dear Mr. Obama

An Iraq Veteran has a personal message for Barack Obama

Dear Mr. Obama II : Economics 101

A very basic study of capitalism and economics in light of Obama's tax and economic policies.

Do you really know Obama?

He says admitted terrorist and U.S. Capitol and Pentagon bomber, Billy Ayers is his friend. (see video below.) America hating racist, Rev. Jerimiah Wright, was his mentor and pastor for more than 20 years. Convicted felon, Tony Rezko, a major contributor to Illinois Governor, Rod Blagojevich, and to Senator Obama, and also generally known as an Illinois political insider and machine greaser, was Obama's real estate partner and his next door neighbor. His campaign manager, David Axelrod, political strategist, who was a busy consultant in Eliot, (client #9) Spitzer's election was borrowed from Obama's 2nd Amendment hating Chicago Boss, Mayor Richard Daley.
Obama, 'the chosen one,' proudly professes to be a "citizen of the world," and that he and his supporters are "the ones we have been waiting for."
How much fluff is he stuffed with?
Questions about, not to mention decisions or leadership against infanticide are "above his pay grade." His above the pay grade comment at the Saddleback Forum is but one more instance of a constant stream of statements where he tries to play both sides, driving his nuance and elitist wisdom directly over the double yellow line without swerving to answer anything specific, and declining to choose right or wrong, and reminds me of the following quote from Ayn Rand.
"There are two sides to every issue: one side is right and the other is wrong, but the middle is always evil."

Zero dollar repair

Tam says, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Yep.

The zero dollar pistol repair.

Saudi Arabia anger over Israeli Nissan ad

Saudis threaten boycott after Nissan ad portrays Arabs reacting with rage to a gasoline sipping car. A sense of self humor, the kingdom lacks.

Russian-language Israeli advertisement

Feel Good Programs

Webliography: Gun buy-back programs

Useless against crime, but makes Mayor Daley feel safer.

Banning Plastic Bags

"Plastic bags are a big problem," said Los Angeles Councilman Ed Reyes, who proposed the ban. "You see them on sidewalks and in gutters, clogging up the storm drains, floating in the river and ocean."
LA Times article

What the Councilman and the LA Times writer fail to understand is that the bags are not the real, underlying problem. Littering by "citizens" who don't care is the real problem.

Google Map It

A humorous look at what Google might be like if it did become evil. Just remember, zoom out!


More from the Vacationeers

Illinois Family and Personal Protection Act - Update

Bill Status of HB4544 95th General Assembly

I want to publicly thank our local State Representatives, Bob Flider and Bill Mitchell, who have signed on as co-sponsors to House Bill 4544, the Family and Personal Protection Act.
This bill has now been moved from the Rules Committee to the Agriculture & Conservation Committee, which holds hearings this afternoon at 1:00PM in Springfield, Capitol Building Room 122B.

HB4544 was introduced by Rep. Aaron Schock
Co-sponsors: Michael K. Smith - John E. Bradley - Brandon W. Phelps - Bill Mitchell, Robert F. Flider, Roger L. Eddy, Daniel V. Beiser and Patrick J Verschoore.

previous post - January, 2008

Gun Control Myths

Myth: Gun control reduces crime

Total Lunar Eclipse Tonight

Total Lunar Eclipse Space.com
"...The moon will enter Earth's umbral shadow (the full shadow) at 8:43 p.m. ET (that's 7:43 p.m. Central, 6:43 p.m. Mountain and 5:43 p.m. Pacific) on Wednesday, Feb. 20. It will appear as though an ever-larger bite is being taken out of the moon.
Some 78 minutes later, the moon will slip into full eclipse. About 51 minutes later, a bright scallop will appear as the moon starts emerging. It will be completely out of the umbral shadow at 9:09 p.m. Pacific time, which is 12:09 a.m. ET on Thursday morning..."

This will be the last total lunar eclipse until 2010.
The view above was from my backyard GardenCam.

Cheney urges SCOTUS to strike down DC gun ban

from the SCOTUS blog:
Cheney disagrees in D.C. gun case
"Vice President Richard Cheney, parting company with the official Bush Administration position on the test case before the Supreme Court on the Second Amendment, signed onto a brief Friday urging the Justices to strike down the District of Columbia handgun ban without ordering any further proceedings...
...The congressional brief [co-authored by Senators Kay Bailey Hutchinson and Jon Tester] represents the views of 55 senators — 46 Republicans, nine Democrats — and 250 representatives — 182 Republicans, 68 Democrats, along with the Vice President."
Thank you, Mr. Vice-President.

Heller's Friends in Congress, And One More
NRA statement on congressional amicus curiae brief

Politics of Poison

As noted on Tam's blog:
Kit writes about
Elections and Iocane Powder
"...I used to write about politics all the time. That was back when I thought my “side” could win. I still keep up with the issues, but I’ve come to the same realization that Jayman has - America does not want what I want out of government. America loves big government. They don’t care about taxes and punishing producers and the non-scalability of things like health care and school systems. America wants Big Brother to make them feel safe. America wants Nanny Government to give them money, food, health care, and whatever else America thinks it’s entitled to loot, courtesy of the producers..." (more)

I think that the poison analogy in the post is well aimed.

Rachel Lucas says:
"...What I’m saying is, with this president thing, we are getting a new president. We are getting one and there is nothing in heaven or hell that we can to do to avoid it. The new president will (likely) be either John McCain, the dog that bites you frequently, or Clinton or Obama, dogs that bite you slightly more frequently. You are getting one of these dogs. That is a 100% surety..."

Which dog would you prefer?

Decatur Government Referendum Forum

Video of the forum is available at the Herald and Review website. Watch it here.
I listened to the radio broadcast last night and watched the video this morning.

I think that the personal attacks and accusations from the ChangeDecatur team were meant to be distractions..
One of Mr. Daniels' quotes, overused six times by my count, was ironic. "It sounds good, but is it true?" Why didn't anyone on the other side turn that back around? Were they taking the high road and staying out of the mud?
I don't think that many minds got changed either way, and the mostly softball questions allowed too much changing and reframing of the subject at hand, which is, "Do we want to convert to a commission form of government with no guarantee of further change?"
Both sides allowed that question to get less attention than they should have. With respect, some of the Chamber's time had to be used in deflection of personal attacks, and it seemed obvious that ChangeDecatur would rather reframe the question.

previous posts:
Change Decatur?
Know what change you are really voting for.

Illinois Family and Personal Protection Act

the following post is from the 95th session,
the conceal carry law has several versions in the 96th session, 2009-10 as noted in this update.

There is new legislation in the Illinois General Assembly that would allow Illinois citizens to carry concealed firearms.
It is named "The Family and Personal Protection Act" and is a bill that would establish statewide standards for issuing concealed carry permits. At this time, Illinois is one of only 2 states that do not allow concealed carry for its own law abiding citizens.
A big question is whether Mike Madigan would ever let it come close to a vote after it makes it through the sausage machine. One way you can help is to contact your local representative and ask that he or she co-sponsor or otherwise support the bill.
The bill was referred to the Rules Committee on January 18. I wonder how long it will languish in a committee weighted by two Cook County Democrats? The members of the Rules Committee are listed at the end of this post.

New Illinois Firearm Legislation
Schock proposes concealed-carry bill
Schock says overall interest in concealed-carry laws is increasing among his central Illinois constituency, as well as statewide.
Full Text of HB4544
(The Family and Personal Protection Act)
Bill Status of HB4544
Synopsis As Introduced: HB4544
Creates the Family and Personal Protection Act.
Establishes statewide uniform standards for the issuance of permits to carry concealed firearms in this State. Vests in the county sheriff
the authority to issue concealed firearms permits to qualified applicants.
Requires an applicant to complete a training course in handgun use, safety, and marksmanship. Also requires instruction in the law relating to firearm use. Requires an applicant to be at least 21 years of age. Prohibits an applicant who has been convicted of a felony or has a history of mental illness, addiction, or habitual alcohol use from obtaining a permit. Creates the Citizen Safety and Self-Defense Trust Fund in each county, to be administered by the sheriff. Provides that the moneys in the Fund shall be used to administer the Act. Establishes restrictions on carrying concealed firearms. Establishes standards for the training course and for certifying instructors. Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Provides that the Family and Personal Protection Act supersedes an ordinance of a unit of local government inconsistent with that Act. Prohibits a home rule unit from regulating the issuance of permits to carry concealed firearms. Amends the Criminal Code of 1961. Exempts from an unlawful use of weapons and aggravated unlawful use of weapons violation persons who carry or possess firearms in accordance with the Family and Personal Protection Act. Effective immediately.

Rules Committee members:
Chairperson Representative: Barbara Flynn Currie (D) Cook County 25th District
Republican Spokesperson: Representative William B. Black (R) Vermilion County 104th District
Member - Representative Gary Hannig (D) Montgomery County 98th District
Member - Representative Brent Hassert (R) Will County 85th District
Member - Representative Arthur L. Turner (D) Cook County 9th District

Hillary - Tony who?

Drudge Report uncovers photo of Rezko and the Clintons.

Tony who?

Don't pictures like this usually get taken with supporters of, or donors to a campaign?
When debating Obama this week, one of her accusations against him was, "I was fighting against those ideas when you were practicing law and representing your contributor, Rezko, in his slum landlord business in inner city Chicago.'

After Matt Drudge released this photo, Mrs. Clinton said, "I don't remember meeting Rezko."

Hillary claims ignorance.
Imagine that.

Bill Clinton launches Racial Rockets

An Ominous 2008: Journalists and Voters To Regret Their Decisions
Tony Blankley
"There is little uglier in democratic politics than playing one aggrieved minority off against another. But Bill Clinton, the Mephistophelean conductor of the political body symphonique, has summoned demographic counterpoint melodies. While we all pray that the devil's baton ends on a sour note for the conductor, the discordant symphony it raises may well blare loudly for a season or two...
...But more importantly than noting the media's complicity in carrying a Democratic Party message (what's new with that?), Hillary Clinton must not be permitted to get off the hook she placed herself on when she played the race card. It is one of the low points of presidential politics in modern times. It is genuinely shocking. Honest commentators should make a big and continuing deal about it."

Of course, Mrs. Clinton denied she was sacrificing the South Carolina primary to Obama, where overwhelming black support has launched him to a 19-point lead over Clinton, according to a new Zogby poll.
Bill is hoping Hillary will LOSE South Carolina by enticing minorities to vote as a bloc for Obama. He presumes that this could set up a white backlash that would favor his wife's candidacy in the following primaries. By willingly losing in S.C. while claiming to have tried hard to convince black voters to vote for his wife, he attempts to make it seem like minorities are rejecting the white candidate for racial reasons. A strategic defeat in S.C. to win a dirty racial war on America would probably serve him, um, I mean Hillary, well.

USA Today
"Hillary Rodham Clinton downplayed recent acrimony between her campaign and that of Barack Obama as her husband, former President Bill Clinton, suggested she may lose Saturday's Democratic presidential primary because many black voters will side with Obama."

Obama confronts Bill Clinton about truth twisting

Senator Obama:
“If you have something that just directly contradicts the facts and it’s coming from a former president, I think that’s a problem, because people presume that a former president is going to have more credibility. And I think there are certain responsibilities that are carried with that.”
“...You know, he continues to make statements that aren’t supported by the facts, whether it’s about my record of opposition to the war in Iraq, or our approach to organizing in Las Vegas. You know, this has become a habit. And one of the things that I think we’re going to have to do is to directly confront Bill Clinton when he’s not making statements that are factually accurate.”

That's Obama's polite method of PC political speak that can be loosely translated to, "What did you expect? Bill Clinton is lying again. Back off, Bill."

Illegal Immigrant Flow Reversing in Tucson

Sonoran officials slam sanctions law in Tucson visit
"...A delegation of nine state legislators from Sonora was in Tucson on Tuesday to say Arizona's new employer sanctions law will have a devastating effect on the Mexican state. At a news conference, the legislators said Sonora - Arizona's southern neighbor, made up of mostly small towns - cannot handle the demand for housing, jobs and schools it will face as illegal Mexican workers here return to their hometowns without jobs or money...
...The law, which took effect Jan.1, punishes employers who knowingly hire individuals who don't have valid legal documents to work in the United States. Penalties include suspension or loss of a business license..."

Mexican state whines about influx of Mexican workers

Well, it seems that Mexico has now had a taste of what the U.S. has been dealing with for years. It's way past time for Mexico to begin to deal with the internal problems that have created their number one export, Mexican citizens.

The Hillary Puppet

American Thinker
The Anti Soundbite Candidate

Listen to Fred on the Glenn Beck show

Blagojevich quotes Stones

Blagojevich quotes the Rolling Stones today:
"The Rolling Stones made famous a simple lesson that all of us are taught early on: You can't always get what you want. And as the song goes on to say, if you try sometimes, you get what you need. But sometimes to get what you need, you need to compromise."

No satisfaction in sight today in Springfield
Eric Zorn - Chicago Tribune
Free rides? Why stop with seniors?
Southtown Star

Know what "Change" you are really voting for

I noted here, in an earlier post, that I agreed with the Herald and Review editorial supporting a Yes vote to retain the current form of City government. The Mayor, who is also the editor of The Decatur Tribune, also makes a very good case for rejecting a "bad change."

MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE VOTING FOR IN CITY GOVERNMENT CHANGE QUESTION
01/16/08
Paul Osborne, Editor (Decatur Tribune)
Osborne Online
"... I believe that most of the people who support the ChangeDecatur effort are honestly motivated. They want to eliminate the city manager’s position, give the mayor more power and elect up to 20 aldermen from wards throughout the city. That’s certainly their right -- and I certainly don’t have a problem with citizens voicing or voting their beliefs, whether I agree with them or not.
What is difficult to understand is how anyone with those beliefs could now be supportive of going to a commission form of government which has a track record of little or no representation for minorities, a bloated, bureaucracy with a history of patronage and corruption, and very little citizen or neighborhood input and less members (5 including the mayor) elected at large than we presently have (7 including the mayor).
All the reasons voiced for wanting the mayor/aldermanic form of government are the very same reasons that a commission form should be rejected."

Well said, Mayor. I agree.

Vote Yes for a United Decatur
ChangeDecatur

General Assembly Manure, Blagojevich's Pony

The Illinois General Assembly and Rod Blagojevich's nine month staredown ends, Blago Blinks.

Chicago Public Radio
story
audio

BLAGOJEVICH: The General Assembly sent me a pile of horse manure to solve the CTA, and I see a pony in that by giving every senior citizen a free ride on buses and subway trains.

Well, that makes it all better then, doesn't it, Governor? Delivering a band-aid to Chicago area senior citizens using RTA and then charging them for an operation?

Chicago Tribune
Free rides could raise fares
Cost estimate doubles for senior benefit

Calling 911 Doesn't Always Work

Armed Citizens: Calling 911 Doesn't Always Work.
Hammond, Indiana - The following is a recording of a 911 emergency call about a serial stalker breaking into the Indiana woman's home.


This newspaper article has more information about this case.
No charges in shooting of accused stalker
I found this at Laurel Zimmer's Politics, Guns & Beer blog

Remember, when seconds count, the police are only minutes away.

The National Anthem

Last night's GOP South Carolina debate began with a wonderful performance of the National Anthem. This has to be the most respectful performance and also the best arrangement I've heard of this national classic in many years. Bravo!

San Francisco Gun Ban Ruled Null and Void

Liberal slapdown by court!

NRA Wins Big in California State Court of Appeals
Fairfax, VA
The California State Court of Appeals announced today their decision to overturn one of the most restrictive gun bans in the country, following a legal battle by attorneys for the National Rifle Association (NRA) and a previous court order against the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. "Today's decision by the California State Court of Appeals is a big win for the law-abiding citizens and NRA Members of San Francisco," declared Chris W. Cox, NRA's chief lobbyist. In 2005, NRA sought an injunction against the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to prevent them from enacting one of the nation's most restrictive gun bans. NRA won the injunction, but the City's mayor and Board of Supervisors ignored the court order and approved a set of penalties, including a $1,000 fine and a jail term of between 90 days and six months, for city residents who own firearms for lawful purposes in their own homes. "We promised our California NRA members in 2005 that we would fight any gun ban instituted by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, and we haven't given up that fight," continued Cox. "Today we see our second win for the Second Amendment against the San Francisco gun ban. We beat them once in court and the City's attorney appealed based on his personal disagreement with the court's first decision to overturn the ban. Now we've beaten them again. The California State Court of Appeals has upheld the state preemption law." Today's decision came in the form of a 3-0 opinion in favor of the lower court ruling overturning the gun ban. "This decision is a thoughtful and well-reasoned legal opinion," concluded Cox. "I'd like to thank our approximately 4 million members, including the hundreds of thousands of members in California, for their continued commitment to protecting our cherished freedoms."
-nra-

Fred on the second ammendment

Second Amendment
"I strongly support the Second Amendment of the Constitution, which protects an individual’s right to keep and bear arms. Gun control is touted as a major crime-control measure. But some of the places with the strictest gun-control laws also have high violent-crime rates. Disarming law-abiding citizens does not prevent crime. The answer to violent crime is smart, effective, and aggressive law enforcement. The real effect of these gun-control measures is to place onerous restrictions on law-abiding citizens who use firearms for such legal activities as self-defense, sport-shooting, hunting, and collecting. I am committed to:
Strictly enforcing existing laws and severely punishing violent criminals. Protecting the rights individual Americans enjoy under the Second Amendment."

Thompson on gun control
(interview with Mike Wallace)
WALLACE: So this federal court — appeals court ruling this last week, I guess Friday, in the case of D.C. — you'd be perfectly happy to have people have handguns in their homes?
THOMPSON: Yes. Absolutely. The court basically said the Constitution means what it says, and I agree with that.

Contrast that with Romney's varying positions on the 2nd ammendment.
Romney and Gun Control
Romney supported gun control in previous runs
Lethal Weapon: Could Romney's Gun Position Kill His Campaign?

Change Decatur?

I've been quietly pondering this issue for a while and I'm now fairly certain that voting to retain the current form of government is Decatur's best choice. The last line of the Herald and Review op-ed column in Sunday's paper pretty well sums up my present position. "Voters should understand that a "no" vote Feb. 5 is not a vote for a strong mayor/alderman system. It's a vote for an antiquated city commissioner form of government that will put city government into a state of chaos for years."
Up to three years of wasted opportunity to advance Decatur's biggest issues is the likely result of voting for a multi-step change from our Council/Manager form of government to a commissioner system, then to also change it again to a strong mayor system.
We can do more to advance Decatur, and our representation with the current Council/Manager form. If you are unhappy with local government in Decatur, it probably isn't the system that needs tweaked to suit you, it is more likely that the people who were elected need to be replaced to suit you. We have the opportunity to change half of the council members every 2 years with the present form of representation. We don't need professional politicians, we need professional management. If the Change Decatur folks dislike our manager so much, they should persuade the council members to do something about it, not throw out the baby with the bath water and revert to a form of government we abandoned 50 years ago.

If you would like to comment about this, feel free to do so. I would like to hear from both sides on the issue. If you think Change Decatur's goal is worthy, or best for Decatur, tell me why.

Fred gets 2nd in Wyoming

"Former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson won three delegates and California's Duncan Hunter won one, results on the Wyoming Republican Party website showed." (more of the story)
Romney won Wyoming, by the way. The other GOP candidates all but ignored Wyoming.

In the ABC New Hampshire debate, Fred defines the illegal immigration issue for Guliani.

Who is conservative?

Ronald Reagan was a conservative.
Rush Limbaugh is certainly considered a conservative.
Fred Thompson and Duncan Hunter are conservatives.
Mike Huckabee is not a conservative in my view.

Low tax and small gov. What's wrong with that? Nothing from a conservative point of view, I think. It sounds ideal to me.

I wonder why Huckabee's campaign would have a problem with that?

Huckabee's aides are wary of New Hampshire. “It’s all no tax, no government there,” said Bob Wickers, a top strategist. “It’s not ideal.”
Huckabee and small government, summed up in one sentence

Chinese Space Race

China's military has long harbored ambitions of dominating space, as last year's satellite-targeting exercise showed. Now comes news that Chinese engineers may be much further along than previously thought in achieving one of their major goals: building a military space plane....

...At a minimum, Washington should delay the planned 2010 retirement of the Space Shuttle until a new space plane can replace it, as a way to retain a deterring potential military capability. China's unwillingness to comment on its military space plans, coupled with the Shenlong space plane, confirms its larger aversion to military transparency. The U.S. and its allies have little choice but to develop the capabilities to defend their interests and assets in space.

I agree with the author, Mr. Richard Fisher, Jr. about this. The American shuttle fleet should not be retired before a replacement is in place. Some may claim that the shuttles are relics, but for now, NASA's shuttle program is the best method we have to put astronauts and heavy cargo into near earth orbit.

Read...
"...And Races Into Space," from Wall Street Journal Asia
and more...
"Shenlong Space Plane Advances China’s Military Space Potential"

2007 Chinese anti-satellite missile test

Space attack will force US to rethink tactics with spy in the sky satellites