Our Newest Op Ed- By Warner Todd Huston

March 11, 2005 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Comments Off

IL Property Taxes Frozen/Internet Taxes Raised?
- By Warner Todd Huston

I am sure that seeing the words “taxes” and “raised” in the same title raises the hackles of every good, tax loathing citizen. But, Illinois State Senator, Chris Lauzen (R., 25th Dist.), not known as a taxaholic himself, has proposed just that. But don’t let those hackles quiver just yet for what he is proposing makes quite a bit of sense.

Lauzen contends that constantly raising property taxes is an unfair procedure and wonders why “we tolerate such a system?” His central point, a good one, is that property taxes are raised nearly every year yet homeowners are not getting any benefit at all from the fact the their houses are worth more unless they sell the place. “I know of no other place in the Tax Code, other than property taxes, where unrealized capital gains are taxed”, Lauzen has said in a press release.

Senator Lauzen makes an excellent point. Why do we have to pay ever rising taxes on a paper assessment of what our home is worth when we are not in any way benefiting from that supposed value? Naturally, paying when the home is sold is sensible, but why are we forever asked to fork over more money to the state every year when the supposed value of our home is a meaningless factor in our yearly income? It doesn’t raise our income and it doesn’t detract from our income. Constant raises in our property taxes is patently unfair, it’s just that simple………..
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Meet Our New Contributor- Frederick Meekins

March 10, 2005 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Comments Off

Simpsons On Gay Marriage Not An Outrage
- By Frederick Meekins

Simpsons Episode On Gay Marriage Not As A Flaming An Outrage As It Could Have Been

Regardless of one’s opinion of “The Simpsons”, one has to admit the show has no problem tackling controversial material most would rather sweep under the rug. And even though it would have been better had producers left the issue of gay marriage alone, the show was able to inject a degree of its classic subversive wit into what could have been an approach characterized by nothing but a doctrinaire political correctness.

When most heard sodomite matrimony was coming to the quintessential American town of Springfield, most assumed the abomination would be heralded with typical Hollywood applause and accolades. And though I would be uncomfortable with letting younger children view the episode, it was not without humorous aspects exposing the hypocrisy inherent to this social outrage.

For gay nuptials were not ultimately sanctioned in this fictional municipality out of a warped interpretation of love or equity but rather in an attempt to bring back lost tourist dollars after Bart and Milhaus create a bad impression of the town in the mind of a roving travel correspondent. Homer gets into the money making racket by getting ordained and opening a wedding chapel in his garage.

“The Simpsons” is often characterized by a degree of philosophical reflection beneath all of its silliness uncommon to television sitcoms. This episode also sparked additional thought by touching on the point that, if same sex marriage is allowed, on what grounds do we continue to forbid other reprehensible couplings? This point was comically made when brother and sister hillbillies wanted to get married and Homer fantasized about marrying himself (“Homersexual” marriage, eh) with a house full of little Homers.

The most penetrating point of the show centered around the ambivalence exhibited by Marge Simpson. Throughout the early part of the episode, Marge is an enthusiastic supporter of this social perversion.

However, overthrowing the established moral order loses a bit of its appeal when she learns one of her own sisters is a lesbian. Reminds one of the adage that a liberal is a conservative that has not been mugged yet, her revulsion at the prospects of her sister falling into this lifestyle serving as a testament to the disgust many experience to the practice despite their best efforts at being good little radicals and harping the party line.

Though most would be reluctant to admit it, the world depicted on “The Simpsons” is probably one of the most realistic reflections of the American moral climate on television today. If the episode meant to proclaim the joys and beauty of gay marriage to the nation is wracked by as much reluctance to the practice as was able to wiggle its way into the plot, it means — though tottering on the edge of the abyss — there is still a sliver of hope provided Americans of principle don’t cower before these boisterous libertines.

Our Newest Op Ed-By Michael M. Bates

March 9, 2005 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Comments Off

Hillary needs more, you know, reinvention
– By Michael M. Bates

It seems like only yesterday that many Americans were introduced to Hillary Rodham Clinton. That was before we learned she’s the world’s smartest woman.

It was 1992. Another of those malicious bimbo eruptions was plaguing her husband’s presidential campaign. Damage control was required, so the Clintons showed up on 60 Minutes to exchange adoring glances and chat about how much they love, honor and respect one another. At least during elections years.

Mz Clinton said: “You know, I’m not sitting here as some little woman standing by my man like Tammy Wynette… And, you know, if that’s not enough for people, then heck, don’t vote for him.”

Here was a highly educated woman with degrees from prestigious universities, the chair of the Arkansas Education Standards Committee, a high-powered attorney. Yet she used the grating -at least to me – “you know” as a conversation filler twice in only three sentences………….
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Bush’s Warning To The State Dept.-By Warner Todd Huston

March 8, 2005 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Comments Off

Bush gave a transformational speech Tuesday at the National Defense University at Fort Lesley J. McNair, Washington, DC. I am sure we will see the Europeans and their like minded US compatriots in the Democratic Party and the Main Stream Media claim what he said there was just blather and nothing new if they comment on it at all. But this speech was quite a thing, really.

Along with affirming that the USA has entered into a new century with a new foreign policy direction that Bush is not going to waver from, he also aimed a shot across the bow of the US State Department. I hope they were listening.

He started off the segment of his speech aimed at the Dept. of State with this excellent line:

“This status quo of despotism and anger cannot be ignored or appeased, kept in a box or bought off.”

He is telling the Brent Scowcrofts and Colin Powells of the world that the stabilizing, Real politick ideas they learned from Henry Kissinger and others who postulated similar old style machinations of pre 1950s Europe are not going to be acceptable to Americans any more. I say hallelujah. That one line describes the principles free actions of the US State Dept. for the last 60 years. It is about time we stopped giving our enemies the ammunition to tear the USA down that the State Dept. has provided for so long with their many missteps, bad decisions and advice.

“The advance of hope in the Middle East requires new thinking in the region.” Continued Bush with his admonition. Darn right. This is one of the reasons that Colin Powell leaving the State Dept. is 4 years late.

Bush then said, “By now it should be clear that authoritarian rule is not the wave of the future, it is the last gasp of a discredited past.” Are you listening, gentlemen? Condi Rice should be given the free hand to whip her charge into shape to fall in line with Bush’s more principled foreign policy line of thinking.

And if the State boys didn’t get it by that point in the speech, Bush clarified it with, “The advance of hope in the Middle East also requires new thinking in the capitals of great democracies, including Washington, D.C.”

Were you listening, State Dept.? Bush may as well have said, “Can you hear me now?” New thinking, boys. That means throw out the dogeared play-book written by the moribund denizens of the Truman and Eisenhower State Departments and get with the new program.

Still not clear, Foggy Bottom? Well then, carefully listen to this from the President’s address: “By now it should be clear that decades of excusing and accommodating tyranny in the pursuit of stability have only led to injustice and instability and tragedy.”

And Bush nailed it with these last three segments:

“It should be clear that the advance of democracy leads to peace because governments that respect the rights of their people also respect the rights of their neighbors.

It should be clear that the best antidote to radicalism and terror is the tolerance and hope kindled in free societies.

And our duty is now clear: For the sake of our long-term security, all free nations must stand with the forces of democracy and justice that have begun to transform the Middle East.”

Appeasement and accepting the rule of dictators in other countries to sponsor hoped for “stability” is the game of last century. No longer will America avert its eyes as despots murder, imprison and abuse their own peoples so that our nation’s business interests can continue without molestation. We will do as we always SHOULD have done. Support democracy and freedom throughout the world. After all, that is the only avenue to REAL stability anyway.

Let us hope that Bush uses one of the largest brooms ever wielded in Washington to sweep Foggy Bottom clear of the dregs of old European foreign policy lovers and the failed policies, both morally and in outcome, of the last 60 years.

Our Newest Op Ed- By Justin Darr

March 6, 2005 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Comments Off

Why Europe is Soft on Terror
– By Justin Darr

The current negotiations between France, Germany, England and Iran regarding Iran’s nuclear power, and probably nuclear weapons program can be summarized into one sentence: Nothing short of war is going to stop Iran from developing a nuclear bomb. If Europe wants to pay the Iranians to lie to them about it, then the Iranians will be more than happy to oblige.

To Americans, the actions of the Europeans seem to defy logic. How can they entertain the notion Iran is not trying to build a bomb in light of its history, stated ambitions, refusal to allow full, unfettered, inspections, and the little fact that they are trying to bury their program in bomb hardened shelters under civilian areas? It is childishly obvious that the only reason the Iranians are even participating in talks is to buy the time necessary for them to complete their nuclear weapons program. However, Europe still seems to be doggedly determined to be led around by the nose by the Iranians, even to the point of jeopardizing their own safety…………
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Our Newest Op Ed-by Christian Hartsock

March 6, 2005 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Comments Off

Life, Liberals and the Pursuit of Judicial Tyranny
- By Christian Hartsock

Michael Schiavo seems awfully eager to have his wife starved to death. Fifteen years following her “accidental” collapse which left her with severe brain damage and mysterious bone fractures not yet accounted for by her husband even to this day, Terri Schiavo’s death sentence has been set for March 18 by Florida Circuit Judge George Greer.

While he wasn’t meeting, impregnating and getting engaged to other women, Mr. Schiavo has spent the past decade-and-a-half endeavoring to deprive Terri of the nutrition and hydration supply that is keeping her alive. Admittedly, throughout his lovely legacy of feverishly pushing to have his wife disposed of like yesterday’s garbage, Mr. Schiavo has come up with at least one slam-dunk rationalization: her inferior ability to swallow properly………..
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Our Newest Op Ed- By R.A. Hawkins

March 6, 2005 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Comments Off

All Dogs Have Fleas (When the Transparent Demand Transparency)
- By R.A. Hawkins

China has decided that the United States has a monopoly on the Internet and that it is imperative that the United Nations does something about it. I have some bad news for them. It was the guy under their man in the White House that invented it and not them. The amusing part was that Gore looked like he was trying to be serious when he made that claim. It’s ours and just because they owned the last administration doesn’t give them any control over the Internet. They should have mentioned that to Gore when he was inventing it. But it’s too late now isn’t it? The Chinese will have to find another way to control the transparency of their government.

Speaking of controlling the transparency of government, I don’t find it surprising that McCain and Feingold’s amendment seems to be very much in line with China’s thinking. It seems that there are some in government who want to control bloggers and email lists. You can be sure that the media is right behind them on this. What with all of the competition for information they are losing the battle for readers. People have discovered that these days those who are charged with the responsibility for disseminating information are the bedfellows of the Ward Churchill’s of the world. They have found new places to go and it isn’t the left-wing media………..
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Our Newest Op Ed- By Vince Johnson

March 6, 2005 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Comments Off

TITLE
– By Vince Johnson

These thoughts were made about the time our original 13 states adopted the Constitution. There is some dispute about who authored the above. Some believe these were the observations of a Scottish History Professor named Alexander Tytler. Various scholars suggest that Benjamin Disraeli, and/or others made these comments.

In my view, the source doesn’t matter. What matters is that it makes me uncomfortable when I read it. The “sequence” is very logical, and closely matches my understanding of the history of the United States: Follow along and see if you agree………..
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Our Newest Op Ed-By Warner Todd Huston

March 3, 2005 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Comments Off

Social Security Reform Dead Already?
- By Warner Todd Huston

The President’s detractors on Social Security reform are claiming that the issue is already dead. But how could that possibly be a reasoned determination of the issue? There hasn’t really even been any debate about the issue as of yet. All we have been treated to thus far is out of school polemics.

President Bush was reelected In November, last. His newest term began on January, last. That was five months and three months ago respectively. The new legislative session has barely begun. When have we yet had the time to discuss in the halls of Congress this incredibly culturally touchy and complicated issue? When, exactly, has Congress discussed the issue that Bush made one of the central goals in his State of the Union speech of only 32 days ago, an idea for which he has only just begun to campaign for amongst the US people?

Can we legitimately claim that this issue is failed after so little time between Bush’s formal announcement of his intent to pursue the program and now, barely a single month later? It certainly seems preposterous to make such an illogical assumption………..
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Our Newest Op Ed-By Michael M. Bates

March 2, 2005 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Comments Off

Writer Thompson didn’t die “like a champion”
– By Michael M. Bates

Writer Hunter S. Thompson was on the phone with his wife last month when he decided to terminate more than the call. He ate the .45 caliber pistol he’d been fondling.

I was no fan of Thompson’s literary contributions. The truth is I never read any of them. And not just because this highly acclaimed author’s best work, such as it is, came over three decades …………
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Tell No-Child-Left-Behind that Utah doesn’t NEED it!

March 1, 2005 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Comments Off

Utah is debating whether or not they will forego $116 million in Federal funds for their schools. Utah politicos are claiming that the Federal government has too many stringent requirements attached to the program and that they want more control over their own schools.

The Utah House of Reps has unanimously passed a bill that would use state money only for education authored by a Mother of 12, Rep. Margaret Dayton. In this manner the state could control the standards for its children. “This is not a partisan issue; this is a states’ rights issue,”
Dayton said.

The Utah Senate anticipates quick passage, which the Republican governor is expected to sign.

Let us hope that Utah passes this legislation and does ignore the Federal government’s “help” with education. The Constitution does not say anywhere in it that the Federal government should be allowed to spend Federal money on education in the states. Rep. Dayton is wholly correct, it IS a state issue.

Colorado, Idaho, North Dakota, and Virginia and soon several other states, are all considering opting out of the No-child-left-behind act.

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