Category Archives: Politics

Judiciary, Politics, Race Relations

Justice Clarence Thomas / Rush Limbaugh Interview

Justice Clarence Thomas of the United States Supreme Court has published his memoir called My Grandfather’s Son and has been doing interviews on all the usual media outlets that people do who come out with a book, except one. That would be Rush Limbaugh’s radio show. For the first time ever, Rush used his radio show airtime to interview Justice Thomas for 90 minutes. Minus the news and commercial breaks it boils down to just under an hour.

For kids today, Justice Thomas’ life story, the problems he faced and how he dealt with them in a segregated South, serves as a blueprint for how to deal with adversity and make the American dream your own. It is truly awe inspiring regardless of the color of your skin and I hope you take the time to hear his story in his own words.

Best I can say about the interview is, regardless what prejudices one might hold about Rush, or Justice Thomas, or blacks, or whites, or conservatives, put it all aside and listen to this interview, his story. In my humble opinion, his book, if not this interview, deserves a hearing in elementary schools everywhere.

Hear the entire interview HERE.

Media, Pensacola, Politics, Uncategorized

Lawsuit Perfect Storm Set In Pensacola

In one day, in the same issue, and on the same pages, the editorial pages echo a story on the front page called “Troubled Waters.” The Pensacola News Journal editorial page begins with “Still a long way to go in curbing toxic emissions.” Citing problems with mercury and lead both here and across the nation, raising the impact to “the critical importance of taking stronger steps to reduce or eliminate emissions of toxic chemicals.” It’s lead paint in houses, it’s PCB’s. What would we do without a ‘crisis’ to champion? And who eats houses anyway?

In the same section comes an article from Emerald Coastkeepers, an environmental group with strong ties to BIG law and Air America Radio talk show hosts Mike Papantonio and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., both of whom can lay claim to suing the pants off big corporations from Hudson Falls, NY to a mining town in West Virginia, and BIG pharm and BIG tobacco. This article says that the Coastkeepers are keeping and eye on a BIG company, Archer-Western, doing road infrastructure work for the county. Seems that all the state-required environmental precautions are no match for the occasional signature Florida rainstorm and some runoff goes into a bayou, Bayou Texar.

Curious thing about Bayou Texar is that it is lined with expensive homes with septic systems that leak raw sewage into it, rain or shine, 24-7-365, and the Coastkeepers are not concerned with stopping that. It’s about who has the deepest pockets, not who is doing the most damage.

The PNJ is just playing the responsible role in informing us of the environmental problems around us. And it is also laying the groundwork for the dynamic duo to go after those big, evil corporations again.

Digging deeper into this perfect storm shows the Independent News was the first to bring it up in their November 1st cover story. Coming off his “landmark environmental victory” in Spelter, W.Va, Papantonio says “I’m going to start doing cases like this in our area. I’m ready for it.” Papantonio sort of laid out his cards in an interview with editor Duwayne Escobedo like this . . .

“We have a generational issue here,” he says. “We had a generation of politicians, media types, businessmen, doctors and professionals who knew better but allowed the environmental devastation to happen anyway. There is going to be a backlash.”

He’s already thinking about the next environmental cases Levin Papantonio and its partners will do in Northwest Florida but he’s not ready to reveal them all yet.

Pressed about it, he does single-out lumber and paper company International Paper. Levin Papantonio filed suit last year on behalf of a handful of Cantonment residents against the company, the world’s largest paper company.

PNJ links: Still a long way to go in curbing toxic emissions
Emerald Coastkeeper monitors runoff problem
Troubled Waters
Nov 1 Independent News Cover Story: Papantonio Promises To Clean Up ‘Backyard’

related links in PNJ’s forum from an anonymous poster named hoagie. That would be me.

A Call To Harms, Slip & Fall Gone Wild | Here’s a suggestion

2008 Election, Judiciary, Politics

Mocking McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Reform

Here’s a story in today’s Washington Post that actually represents a fine tutorial on how illegal campaign contributions get to the Clinton campaign. But it could be to any-one’s campaign. The only thing missing in this article is how these ‘contributors’ who don’t have two nickels to rub together get their money back from Alonzo Cantu, a self-made multi-millionaire who literally owns McAllen, Texas, a small border town near the Rio Grande.

Well, it’s not exactly missing. Instead of checks to replace their contribution, those people do business with and get business from Cantu. There’s the quid pro quo. But try to prove that in court.

Campaign finance reform is the one thing that politicians really don’t want, but say they do. Bottom line, it doesn’t matter that congress, Bush, and the SCOTUS all had their hands in it. It needs to go.

The premise that special interests, aka money, are corrupting the politicians and that laws need to be made to limit the money, totally misses the point. If anyone is corrupt, it is the politician that does a quid pro quo or who otherwise breaks the law in money laundering and/or takes bribes like William Jefferson (D-La) did. It’s not the donor, it’s what the recipient does. Don’t re-elect a crook.

related links:
How Big Man In McAllen Bundles Big For Clinton | Way More Than The Lincoln Bedroom | Questions For John McCain and Russ Feingold

2008 Election, Politics, War On Terror

Iran To United Nations: Screw You!

1 Comment

Somebody please forward this to the democratic candidates, and Ron Paul, running for the Commander in Chief position.

Iran on Friday rejected U.N. sanctions because of its refusal to freeze uranium enrichment as invalid and warned its enemies to expect a wave of resistance if they increase pressure on Tehran to mothball the program.

Gen. Mohammed Ali Jafari, the leader of what Hillary and I call a terrorist organization, said this . . .

“The ocean of the Iranian nation may sometimes look calm but if it becomes stormy it will create tsunamis,” Jafari said. Enemies should know that if the Iranian nation appears patient with their plots and pressures, this is just the calm before storm,” he said, adding that the country was “ready to respond to all enemy plots.”

Iran says UN sanctions invalid

Politics, Uncategorized, Venezuela, War On Terror

Chavez To His People: You’re A Traitor

1 Comment

Having all the diplomatic tact of his best bud Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez (the hemisphere’s idiot) told his people today that if you don’t vote for his constitutional reform on December 2, then you are a traitor. In his own words . . .

“He who says he supports Chavez but votes ‘no’ is a traitor, a true traitor.”

The changes to the Venezuelan constitution that he calls ‘reform’ will eliminate term limits for the president, and more. The changes effectively render the votes of the people meaningless, since he won’t face term limits and the people on the ground running the local governments will be hand picked by him, not the people. Thereby setting himself up as a lifelong dictator like his other best bud, Fidel Castro. This is his goal.

The proposed revisions would do away with presidential term limits, extend terms from six to seven years, let Chavez appoint regional vice presidents and eliminate Central Bank authority, among other changes. Critics warn he would also have the power to shut down Venezuelan newspapers, television and radio stations by declaring a state of emergency, and the government could detain citizens without charges during such a period.

Chavez has already taken over, nationalized, U.S. companies Exxon Mobil, Chevron, and ConocoPhillips in Venezuela. He has already taken over or shut down TV networks and newspapers who were critical of his administration and who aptly characterize his proposed changes as a legislative coup to be dictator for life.

And this is the guy that we should trust to supply our Navy bases with fuel? I don’t think so.

Update 11/24/07: According to the first poll in Venezuela on this Chavez’s ‘reforms,’ he is losing ground. Voter turnout for the Dec. 2 initiative is growing and, according to the poll, increased voter turnout trends against Chavez. It is something to watch.

Politics, Uncategorized

Today’s Special

Two turkeys get pardoned. From the Rose Garden President Bush granted a pardon to May and Flower. They’re going to Disney World. Meanwhile, U.S. Border Agents Ramos and Compean remain caged.

I also thank everybody who voted online to choose the names for our guests of honor. And I’m pleased to announce the winning names. They are “May” and “Flower.” They’re certainly better than the names the Vice President suggested, which was “Lunch” and “Dinner.”

Due to the WGA strike, the next Democratic Party debate, co-sponsored by CBS and the DNC, scheduled for Dec. 10 may be cancelled. Hostess (?) Katie (the tart) Couric just can’t get a break. Good news though for Sen. Clinton. She was the first to announce that she wouldn’t cross a picket line. The less debates she has to attend the better. Coming from Hillary, there is one position you can count on her not changing.

“It is my hope that both sides will reach an agreement that results in a secure contract for the workers at CBS News, but let me be clear: I will honor the picket line if the workers at CBS News decide to strike,” Clinton said.

Mayor Lino Donato of Poteet, Texas has to register as a sex offender for charges relating to two underage girls. According to the 1000 feet rule barring sex offenders from places where children go, he would be prohibited from going to City Hall.

Free sandwich to the person who identifies the mayor’s political party affiliation.

Former French President Jacques Chirac has been placed under formal investigation for embezzlement of public funds. He apparently received his embezzlement training as mayor of Paris for 18 years before moving up to the big time, the United Nations “Oil For Food” program as President of France.

Pensacola, Politics, Race Relations

Being Offended Never Goes Out Of Season

On the subject of Race Relations, there seems to be no shortage of people looking to be offended. Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not saying that there aren’t problems associated with race. Clearly there still are problems. We don’t live in a perfect, color-blind, world yet. A recent incident here in Pensacola, FL comes to mind. But when people of responsibility make accusations that foment racial tension, it just makes the hair on my back (which my wife will attest to) stand up.

Thomas Sowell calls it being belligerent. I agree and for those doing it, I see it as having a chip on your shoulder. Neither of which will earn you brownie points with the police in the course of their duties. It may even lead to you being killed.

Case in point is U.S. Rep. Danny Davis (D-Ill), from the 7th district in Chicago. He was pulled over by police for what he claims is ‘driving while black.’ He was given a $75 ticket for a moving violation. Davis says . . .Rep. Danny Davis

“I hope that this was some kind of isolated instance, but I know in my heart of hearts, I know that it’s not”

He fails to see that the duties of that officer are to protect himself and others with whom he could have had a head-on collision. Hearken back to former Rep. Cynthia McKinney, who committed battery on an officer for doing his job, keeping the capitol building safe and secure. She said it was because she was black. This, in a building where intruders have come in and shot and killed people. There is no measure of understanding from people like McKinney and Davis, other than, I’m black so leave me alone.

Davis says . . .

“There was just no reason I could conjure up other than the fact that there were four black people in a car.”

Oh really? What about swerving over the center line in the wee hours of the morning? He ought to be thankful he wasn’t given a breath test. Had he been drinking, and there is no evidence that he was or wasn’t, his ticket could have been much worse.

By contrast, Thomas Sowell has his own experience of DWB, Driving While Black.

Twice within the past few years, I have been pulled over by the police for driving at night without my headlights on. My car is supposed to turn on the headlights automatically when the light outside is below a certain level, but sometimes I accidentally brush against the controls and inadvertently switch them to manual.

Both times I thanked the policeman because he may well have saved my life. Neither time did I get a ticket or even a warning. In each case, the policeman was white.

and

Recently a well-known black journalist told me of a very different experience. He happened to be riding along in a police car driven by a white policeman. Ahead of them was a car driving at night with no headlights on and, in the dark, it was impossible to see who was driving it. When the policeman pulled the car over, a black driver got out and, when the policeman told him that he was driving without his lights on, the driver said, “You only pulled me over because I am black!”This was said even though he saw the black man who was with the policeman. The driver got a ticket.

There needs to be some distinction between driving while black and driving while being a jerk.

CBS2 Chicago | Driving While Black | What Color Is Articulate?

Politics

A Political Thanksgiving

On this Thanksgiving, Monica Crowley offers ten reasons to be thankful, politically speaking, thatA political thanksgiving dinner. we live in this time in our nation’s history. I’ll add an eleventh reason to Monica Crowley’s list that we should be thankful. 11. That we live in the United States of America, where our freedom makes it possible to publish a list in the first place.

It’s called Thanksgiving for a reason, so let’s offer our gratitude to the following people, who have made life in America so much richer — and more interesting — over the past year:

1. The men and women of the United States military. Against some rough odds — in Iraq and Afghanistan in particular — our armed forces are doing the heavy lifting of freedom. They are the ones who stand between us and the jihad. And they volunteer to do it. They choose to give up their families, their friends, better paying — and much safer — jobs, and in some cases, their lives to fight America’s enemies and to do everything they can to protect American life and liberty. For your selflessness, sacrifice, bravery, and humility: thank you.

Continue reading A Political Thanksgiving →

Belly up to the counter. Politics are on the menu and Ross is on the grill.