For all the money available to our Congressional leaders from office budgets -- not to mention the money from pacts and special interest groups -- they (according to a recent national poll) are more interested in their own drumbeat than in the public they serve.

Therein may lie the rub. 

Our leaders are more attuned to the highest bidder than to constituents -- they care more about feathering their own careers than the welfare of America.   And this is a reality shared by democrats, republicans and independents across the board.

If our Congressional leaders were truly concerned about the issue of immigration, they would be cognizant of the realities (sans the political agendas promoted by Roy Beck and Gaylord Nelson) presented in this video:  Immigration Gumball. 

Where are our leaders?  Feathering their own nests .... betraying the nation and the very people they were elected to represent.

How else can you explain their failure to recognize that approx. 75% of Americans objected to the immigration bill that they tried -- and almost succeeded in -- forcing upon us?

Since our elected officials don't want to listen to 75% of us -- who are they listening to?  They are listening to big business lobbyists, PACs and corporations who thrive on labor -- cheap labor.  They are listening to the bleeding heart activists who are represented by the likes of Teddy Kennedy.

And if our legislators have budgets for polling and access to government studies -- how did they miss this set of statistics?

NOTE: the above data is updated continuously at the ImmigrationCounter site.  Check it out.  You might also watch the videos that MSM won't be sharing.  (Note again -- this is NOT an endorsement of the politcal agendas promoted by the site affiliates such as Roy Beck and Gaylord Nelson.)

Continue to keep the pressure on our Congressional leaders to focus on what WE (not big business or special interest groups) want and need.

We live in a world where most Americans believe that most Members of Congress will sell their vote for cash or a campaign contribution. Only 16% believe the legislators' votes are not for sale. By a nearly 5-to-1 margin, voters believe that Members of Congress are more interested in their own careers and agenda rather than the public good.

In that environment, the only way for political leaders to prove they are serious about enforcing the border and reducing illegal immigration will be to do it. That's the next logical step in the immigration debate.

There are plenty of steps that could be taken quickly with solid voter support. Some may require new laws while others may simply require enforcement of the existing laws. But, voters aren't concerned about the specifics—they'll support serious efforts to reduce illegal immigration. This could include imposing employer sanctions, building a barrier, adding more border patrol agents, supporting local law enforcement efforts, and more.

Once the government actually enforces the border, then the debate can begin on all other aspects of immigration reform. Then, the same politicians who were stunned by their misreading of the public on this bill will probably be stunned to learn something else—most Americans actually do favor a welcoming and open immigration policy.

The United States is a nation of immigrants. It is also a nation of laws. Voters want to honor both aspects of the national heritage. And, like good parents trying to instill values in their children, voters want their elected representatives to do the same.

Keep up the pressure.  Write and call your representatives until they realize their responsibilities to the people who elected them.  And if they don't -- tell them that you will meet them at the ballot box.

Rudy and John joined nemisis Hillary in dropping out of the Iowa straw ballot race today.  Commonality between the three doesn't stop there, however.  All three are trailing in Iowa and would likely not win. 

Declaring it a "non-traditional" campaign move and that "it [the Iowa caucus] is not a serious event" may well prove to be a dangerous decision for both Rudy and John. 

.... Almost forgot to mention the candidate identified as currently leading the Iowa polls ....  It's Mitt Romney. 

Mitt may be a primary reason Rudy and John decided to go "non-traditional."

Don't let up, Mitt.   

Fred isn't officially running yet; he's just actively campaigning.  Just because John and Rudy say they're not doesn't mean they won't ....

One of the most gripping dipictions of war I've seen on film was the beach assault in Saving Private Ryan.   D-Day occurred 63 years ago  ....

It's the anniversary of the biggest military invasion in history, D-Day, (1944). It's when the Allied armies launched the invasion of Normandy. Dwight D. Eisenhower had planned the invasion, and had been arguing for it ever since America got into the war after Pearl Harbor. Most British military commanders thought it was too risky. Winston Churchill was particularly nervous about the idea of invading France.

But Eisenhower finally won the argument, and the Allies built dozens or airfields in Great Britain, stockpiled millions of tons of weapons and supplies, built tent cities along the ports of the English Channel where tens of thousands of soldiers would live.

The German commanders knew an invasion was coming. They'd spent weeks fortifying their positions, but the Allies had deceived the Nazis into thinking the invasion would come in near the French-Belgian border. They had a number of battle ships across from that point in the channel, and the Nazis took the bait and concentrated a good deal of their defensive forces in the wrong place.

June 6, 1944, was a foggy morning. Sometime after dawn, the English Channel was full of ships—a huge armada—1,200 fighting ships, 10,000 planes, more than 150,000 troops, a little more than half of them American. The plan was to bomb the beach to create craters in the sand for foxholes, and then send the ground troops up the beach.

When the troops reached the shore, they saw that the bombers had missed all of their targets. There was no protection on the beach. The landing craft were hit by a barrage of bullets. In less than a half an hour, more than two-thirds of the first company to reach the shore was killed. At first, the American commanders thought that the invasion had failed, but the first troops made some progress, and the second wave came in and slowly took over the fortified positions above the beach. By nightfall, more than 150,000 Allied troops had landed in France.

The Germans had tank divisions that could have driven the Allies back into the sea, but they got conflicting orders from the high command and didn't start to attack until late in the afternoon, almost ten hours after the invasion had started. The German commander said at the time, "If we don't succeed in throwing the Allies into the sea, we will have lost the war." The German tanks got to within three miles of the shore and then were driven back by Allied tanks and anti-tank guns, and no German unit ever again got so close to the beaches. Many historians saw that as the turning point of the war.

I can't remember if the impact of watching the "movie" attack can be compared with the utter fear I experienced forty years ago while huddled in a bunker at Tay Ninh.   Probably not, though some of the sounds were similar ....  But I wasn't a soldier.  I was a civilian, walking home one star-bright night after closing the club when the rockets and mortars began to rain from the sky ....  The thud of a mortar, the whooosh of a rocket, the whiz of bullets are sounds that will forever remain.

-- One of my all-time favorite bloggers is the Anchoress.  I'm imagining (as if it really matters) that she's 20+-years younger and where I "was" before blogging became an option for those who think about "things" ....  Serious and humorous things. 

Maybe it's my age; maybe I'm bored.  But I'm beginning to try and imagine who is behind the blog and/or the comment:  I read a sentence and think

geek ... lonely intellectual ... bright and insightful ... political elitist ... intellectual elitist ... sexually frustrated ... weirdo ...   agnostic ... far right ... far left ... socialist piglet ... con artist ... liar ... fake ... idiot ... idealist ... ass-hole ... brilliant ... control freak ... dumb as a rock ... illiterate ... ignorant ... sage ... grounded ... space cadet ... smart-assed college kid ... operative ... down-right stupid ... presumptive punk ... religious hedonist ... arrogant snob ... flaming troll ... starved for acceptance ... blubbering fool ... independent ole' cuss ... bigot ... hippy ... down-right stupid ... sloth ... sluggard ... stalker ... collects coca-cola bottle caps ...

But back to the Anchoress:  Whoever she is -- she's sharp as a tack, self-assured and takes no prisoners.  If you want to gain insight into the spirit, intellect and down-to-earthiness, real-world of a blogger who can effectively share her most personal thoughts while protecting her autonomy -- read her blog here and here.   And if you share a respect for the qualities I admire, you'll be hooked as well.

-- All gum and no teef:  Rhetoric and charisma will take Fred Thompson only so far in his toying with the presidential race.  I agree that his destiny may be the VP slot -- from which he can assume a convincing Will Rogers persona and wave a gavel in lieu of a 'baccer stick or hoe.

I'm still not convinced that he will make a final run ....  Forgive me, but I sorta feel that he's more interested in a career-boost for his own personal goals.  And to make a bunch of money to support his addiction to the spot-light ....

Fred's greatest skill(s) may lie in his ability to re-spin and/or cajole us through history (ala his current column and an erroneous claim that he "uncovered" the Nixon tapes -- they were uncovered the day before. Fred only mouthed an assigned question the next day). His short and lack-luster political career is wrought with wheelin' 'n dealin' skills honed from/for a successful role as lobbyist.

Regretfully, he reminds me of John Kerry with a drawl (sans the botox, but in dire need of make-up to brighten his ashen visage). He can talk the talk, but he's historically short on walking the walk.  And every time I see that sad, hound-dog face -- I'm reminded of his continuing battle against cancer ....

God-speed, Fred Thompson.  That is one race I pray you will continue to win.

That being said -- ole Fred! has a few issues to address.  And that's only the tip of the ice berg.

-- The hippy-dippy do part II:  These kids learned early that free-loading is good if you can afford it!   MM has the post.

Don't you just Haight it when life comes back to haunt you?

Amazing, isn't it?  

Headlines yesterday and today included media shock! at how long it took a convicted Ohio killer to die by lethal injection. 

Why doesn't the media focus on how long it takes murder victims to die?  Go all out.  Tell the world the gory details.  Be [more] repulsive.  Tell everyone how murderers torture, maim and abuse their victims. 

If MSM is so anti-death, why not rile up the masses against all murderers?  Never mind that describing the last moments (or days or hours before a victim dies) would cause extreme distress for the victim's family.  That's a cop-out.  You think families don't read about (or in some cases witness) the execution of murderers?  So why IS it that MSM doesn't hesitate to tell us how "cruel and unusual" it is to execute a convicted low-life murderer?

Meanwhile, a few prominent bloggers are doing just that -- providing the gory details of the January 2007 murders of a two (coincidentally white) University of Tennessee students who were  kidnapped, gang-raped and mutilated by a (coincidentally black) gang of thugs in Knoxville.  For some unknown reason, Rocky Top media has not seen fit to cover this potential hate-crime story.

Was the media covering up or avoiding the topic?  Fear of reverse racial-profiling?  Afraid of a Duke-backlash fiasco?   Concerned about getting a little print smudge on those rose-tinted glasses?  Somebody's nephew or niece involved?  Avoiding negative publicity for the University?

And where have the Reverends Jesse and Sharpton been since January?  Certainly not leading marches through Knoxville, making talk show junkets or rallying bleeding-heart activists in support of the murdered students. 

Now -- since the media hasn't covered the crime, Tennessee white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups have jumped on the bandwagon. 

Dang it.  If media had covered the murders responsibly, the other hate-groupies might have stayed in their caves in the hills. 

And speaking of Rocky Top -- Fred! fever is festering ....  Fortunately -- most who support different conservative candidates exercise discretion and respect when discussing why they support the respective candidates.  Most, that is.

I encountered a Fred! fanatic last night on a forum.  I offered to provide two pro-Romney "reasons" for every one reason he could provide for Fred! in a supposedly friendly debate .... He never made it to one.   He sulked away mad after calling me a "plant"  from Kos; later an enabler referred to me as a Romney "plant."  ROFL 

Never been to the Kos site.  If I want to read profanity or watch lunatics rave, I'll rent a good movie.  I visit Romney's site daily, but you won't see my blog on his support list.  And thus far, I've had to buy my own t-shirt and bumper stickers.  Real "plants" get freebies.  And money. 

Me?  I got to interact with a loose-cannon from Virginia who sez he's from TN who called me an idiot for missing the first name of Fred's mentor.  Then a second wanna-be jumped in.   #2 had absolutely no concept of what a political operative, i.e.,  "plant" was .... It went relatively down-hill from there.    I seldom comment on forums/boards for obvious reasons ....  Fortunately, the Republican umbrella is large.  It has to be to accommodate the few (and thank the good Lord they are few --) who hide behind the masks of ignorance, bias and prejudice .... They personify why libs call some conservatives "wingnuts." 

Moving on -- I'll post my last exchange with one of the nut-jobs as a comment .   I invited them to bring their "stuff" over here  ....  They'll never show.  Moonbats never come out in the daylight!  ROFL

Dad was right, by the way:  It's hard to BS a BS'er. 

Speaking of Fred Thompson -- he's a nice guy, actually.  But still a good ole' boy BS'er.  I don't recall if he's ever campaigned outside his state.  In Tennessee, he sits atop Rocky, if you know what I mean. 

[And if anyone reading this wants to pelt Mitt Romney with a similar charge, think about how he "campaigned" nationally AND internationally to recoup and restore credibility to the Salt Lake Olympics .... leading the organizational committee from a scandal-ridden, bankrupt global albatross to one of the most successful and ethical events ever.] 

But back to Fred!

Mark my words:  when Fred's brand of layed-back backroom deals, high-dollar lobbying, home-spun stump-speak and his good-ole-days-good-ole-boys' network encounters the real world of media mongols, the cyber-eye of the Internet, Shrillary and Bill Clinton and their no-homonyms-barred sludge-fest in the gotcha! world of current politics -- it'll take more than a red pickup to kindle a fire in ole Fred's belly.   While on an open-stage without make-up or script.

I like the man.  Hate to see him burn like green wood in a wild fire, though.  Know what I mean?

It's that time of year again.

Memorial Day weekend is the beginning of summer fun for most Americans, and as I've done before in this space, I want to pause to take note of the real reason there is a Memorial Day.

It's meant to honor and pay our respects to those Americans who've given their lives in service to our nation, who stand in an unbroken line from Lexington's rude bridge to Cemetery Ridge to the Argonne Forest to the beaches of Normandy to the frozen Chosin Reservoir to the Ia Drang Valley to the sands of Kuwait to the streets of Baghdad.

Over the last 12 months, 1,042 soldiers, Marines, sailors and Air Force personnel have given their lives in the terrible duty that is war. Thousands more have come home on stretchers, horribly wounded and facing months or years in military hospitals.

This week, I'm turning my space over to a good friend and former roommate, Army Lt. Col. Robert Bateman, who recently completed a yearlong tour of duty in Iraq and is now back at the Pentagon.

Here's Lt. Col. Bateman's account of a little-known ceremony that fills the halls of the Army corridor of the Pentagon with cheers, applause and many tears every Friday morning.  It first appeared on May 17 on the Web-log of media critic and pundit Eric Alterman at the Media Matters for America Web site.

---

"It is 110 yards from the "E" ring to the "A" ring of the Pentagon. This section of the Pentagon is newly renovated; the floors shine, the hallway is broad, and the lighting is bright. At this instant the entire length of the corridor is packed with officers, a few sergeants and some civilians, all crammed tightly three and four deep against the walls. There are thousands here.


"This hallway, more than any other, is the `Army' hallway. The G3 offices line one side, G2 the other, G8 is around the corner. All Army. Moderate conversations flow in a low buzz. Friends who may not have seen each other for a few weeks, or a few years, spot each other, cross the way and renew.  Everyone shifts to ensure an open path remains down the center. The air conditioning system was not designed for this press of bodies in this area. The temperature is rising already. Nobody cares.

"10:36 hours: The clapping starts at the E-Ring. That is the outermost of the five rings of the Pentagon and it is closest to the entrance to the building. This clapping is low, sustained, hearty. It is applause with a deep emotion behind it as it moves forward in a wave down the length of the hallway.

"A steady rolling wave of sound it is, moving at the pace of the soldier in the wheelchair who marks the forward edge with his presence. He is the first. He is missing the greater part of one leg, and some of his wounds are still suppurating. By his age I expect that he is a private, or perhaps a private first class.

"Captains, majors, lieutenant colonels and colonels meet his gaze and nod as they applaud, soldier to soldier. Three years ago when I described one of these events, those lining the hallways were somewhat different. The applause a little wilder, perhaps in private guilt for not having shared in the burden ... yet.

"Now almost everyone lining the hallway is, like the man in the wheelchair, also a combat veteran. This steadies the applause, but I think deepens the sentiment. We have all been there now. The soldier's chair is pushed by, I believe, a full colonel.

"Behind him, and stretching the length from Rings E to A, come more of his peers, each private, corporal or sergeant assisted as need be by a field grade officer.

"11:00 hours: Twenty-four minutes of steady applause. My hands hurt, and I laugh to myself at how stupid that sounds in my own head. `My hands hurt.' Christ. Shut up and clap. For twenty-four minutes, soldier after soldier has come down this hallway - 20, 25, 30. Fifty-three legs come with them, and perhaps only 52 hands or arms, but down this hall came 30 solid hearts.

"They pass down this corridor of officers and applause, and then meet for a private lunch, at which they are the guests of honor, hosted by the generals. Some are wheeled along. Some insist upon getting out of their chairs, to march as best they can with their chin held up, down this hallway, through this most unique audience. Some are catching handshakes and smiling like a politician at a Fourth of July parade. More than a couple of them seem amazed and are smiling shyly.

"There are families with them as well: the 18-year-old war-bride pushing her 19-year-old husband's wheelchair and not quite understanding why her husband is so affected by this, the boy she grew up with, now a man, who had never shed a tear is crying; the older immigrant Latino parents who have, perhaps more than their wounded mid-20s son, an appreciation for the emotion given on their son's behalf. No man in that hallway, walking or clapping, is ashamed by the silent tears on more than a few cheeks. An Airborne Ranger wipes his eyes only to better see. A couple of the officers in this crowd have themselves been a part of this parade in the past.

"These are our men, broken in body they may be, but they are our brothers, and we welcome them home. This parade has gone on, every single Friday, all year long, for more than four years."

(Copyright 2007 by Robert Bateman.)

Thanks, Bob, for this Memorial Day gift.

And thanks to Bill Cook for sharing ....

(photo credit unknown)

Does it matter?  When politicians have been paid for years to represent the highest bidder, while our congressional leaders (current and recent)  personify the dregs of society -- does it really matter? 

What a crock.

When are we going to learn that what the every-day-person feels or believes has absolutely nothing to do with the decisions that are made in the highest offices of this land?

As immigration reform "stands" now, the bill will either be defeated or be so watered down, it will STILL do nothing but affirm amnesty for millions of illegals in our nation. 

The true "backers" of this reform are not unlikely clandestine bed-mates:  big businesses who want the cheap labor and democrats who want the cheap votes. 

What a crock. 

Even conservatives are now engaging in their own version of BDS (Bush Derangement Syndrome):

The Bush administration wants to divert attention from this fact by talking about “Z visas,” and some of the critics have fallen into this trap. But the government will start issuing those visas only after it meets its enforcement benchmarks — if that ever happens. Illegal immigrants are eligible for “probationary” legal status, on the other hand, as soon as the bill passes. The government has only one business day to run a background check on people applying for this status.

Even those illegal immigrants who have already gotten deportation orders are eligible for this status, if the Department of Homeland Security concludes that deportation would cause “extreme hardship” to the illegal immigrant or his family. As soon as the bill passes, deportation judges are out of work, as a practical matter, and states, localities, and federal agents will no longer be enforcing immigration laws.

What happens if the government never meets its benchmarks? Does anyone really believe that the government will, at that point, make all of the illegal immigrants who have gotten “probationary” legal status illegal again?

The bill provides amnesty immediately, and forever; the “triggers” and “benchmarks” for law enforcement are meaningless; and no one who votes for the bill has any excuse for not knowing these things.

It's not JUST George Bush who supports the amnesty-laden immigration bill.  GWB has talked about a temporary worker program for years. 

While I hold GWB accountable for allowing Teddy Kennedy to piggy-back his "cradle to grave" welfare legislation -- all of our "esteemed" office holders should be held accountable for their lack of creativity, for their lack of insight and for this debacle -- for this affront to the intelligence of the American people.

Why not open the border-gates and simply increase the sales taxes across the board for illegals and legals?    Why not "forgive" all Americans back-taxes and reimburse the penalties and fines charged to every single American who has tried to act fiscally honest and responsible? 

What a crock.

Fitting and befitting a Presidential candidate ....

Several comments have been posted on a board I frequent -- stating that Mitt Romney has flip-flopped in his stand on immigration.

I ask -- when?

From MyManMItt:

FACT: As Governor Of Massachusetts, Governor Romney Took Action To Enforce Immigration Laws.

ENFORCEMENT: In December 2006, Governor Romney Signed A Memorandum Of Agreement With The Federal Government To Allow State Troopers To Enforce Federal Immigration Laws. "Governor Mitt Romney and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Assistant Secretary Julie L. Myers today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and ICE, which will give specially trained Massachusetts State Troopers the authority to administer and enforce federal immigration laws in the Commonwealth." (Office Of The Governor, "Governor Romney, ICE Sign Immigration Enforcement Pact," Press Release, 12/13/06)

IN-STATE TUITION: Governor Romney Vetoed In-State Tuition For Illegal Immigrants. "Romney also vetoed a number of outside sections of the budget, including:…A plan that would have permitted illegal aliens to pay the same in-state tuition rate at our public colleges and universities as Massachusetts citizens." (Office Of The Governor, "Romney Signs $22.402B Fiscal Year 2005 'No New Tax' Budget," Press Release, 6/25/04)

ENGLISH IMMERSION: Governor Romney Fought Efforts To Weaken Massachusetts' English Immersion Law. "But yesterday, Romney press secretary Shawn Feddeman said the governor will fight all attempts to slow the implementation of English immersion, known on the ballot as Question 2. … 'He will veto anything that weakens or delays English immersion,' Feddeman said." (Anand Vaishnav, "Romney Firm On English Timetable," The Boston Globe, 1/24/03)

In June 2002, Mitt Romney Said "The Approach Of English Immersion Is One That I Support. … I Would Make English Immersion The Educational Norm For All Non-Native English Speakers." (John McElhenny, "Mitt Romney Endorses 'English Immersion' Education Plan," The Associated Press, 6/4/02)

DRIVER'S LICENSES: Governor Romney Opposed Efforts To Give Driver's Licenses To Illegal Immigrants. "'Those who are here illegally should not receive tacit support from our government that gives an indication of legitimacy,' the governor said, echoing arguments that opponents have voiced in the Commonwealth and in other states considering similar license measures. 'If they are here illegally, they should not get driver's licenses,' he said." (Scott S. Greenberger, "Romney Stand Dims Chances Of License For Undocumented," The Boston Globe, 10/28/03)

FACT: Governor Romney Would Take Action To Secure The Borders Through Physical And Virtual Fences.

Governor Romney: "In my view, there are several principles that need to be part of our immigration plan. First, to secure the border…" (Governor Mitt Romney, Interview On The Northern Alliance Radio Network, 1/27/07)

Governor Romney: "You've got to have a wall or fence or electronic surveillance. You have got to make sure we secure our border, that's first." (Fox News' "The O'Reilly Factor," 9/19/06)

FACT: Governor Romney Supports Strong Reforms To Stop Illegal Immigration And Encourage Legal Immigration.

Governor Romney: "The current system puts up a concrete wall to the best and brightest, yet those without skill or education are able to walk across the border. We must reform the current immigration laws so we can secure our borders, implement a mandatory biometrically-enabled and tamper-proof documentation and employment-verification system, and increase legal immigration into America." (David Yepsen, Op-Ed, "So Far, Romney's Been Most Impressive Republican," Des Moines Register, 7/11/06)

FACT: Governor Romney Opposes The McCain-Kennedy Bill And Any Form Of Amnesty For Illegal Immigrants.

Governor Romney: "McCain-Kennedy Isn't The Answer." "Another aspect of American sovereignty is the security of our borders. The current system is a virtual concrete wall against those who have skill and education, but it's a wide-open walk across the border for those that have neither. McCain-Kennedy isn't the answer. As governor, I took a very different approach. I authorized our state police to enforce federal immigration laws." (Governor Mitt Romney, Remarks At The Conservative Political Action Conference, Washington, D.C., 3/2/07)

FACT: Governor Romney Supports A Strong Employer-Verification System That Includes A Tamper Proof Worker Verification Card.

Governor Romney: "First, to secure the border, number two, have an employment verification system. This would be a card – a biometric card – that people who are not citizens would have and before an employer hires a non citizen they would have to look at the card, type in a number on a computer, and get verification from the federal government that this person is eligible for work in the U.S. If they hired someone not so eligible that company would be fined just like not paying taxes." (Governor Mitt Romney, Interview On The Northern Alliance Radio Network, 1/27/07)

FACT: Governor Romney Supports Empowering Local And State Authorities To Enforce Federal Immigration Laws.

Governor Romney Believes More State And Local Police Agencies Should Work With The Federal Government To Enforce Immigration Laws. "Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney said Tuesday that more state and local police agencies ought to consider making deals with the federal government to have their officers trained in enforcing elements of federal immigration law. … 'I think it's a good idea for us to communicate that we intend to enforce our laws,' Romney said." (Jacques Billeaud, "Romney: More State, Local Police Should Get Immigration Training," The Associated Press, 3/13/07)

It's about time those who yell "flip-flop" to offer the quotes/links to back up their claims!