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Bean To Soldiers: Keep Fighting, No Reward.

The US House of Representatives today actually did the right thing and blocked a new funding request for the Iraq war. Your local representative, Melissa Bean, voted for more funding. Democrats finally recognize that the war is misguided and take a small step to end it, but our Republican in Democrat clothing apparently decided that our soldiers need to keep fighting a war that was lost as soon as it began.

You would think that Bean would at least want to reward the soldiers for their hard and dangerous work, right? No. Apparently she does not. The House also voted for an expanded GI Bill that would help returning soldiers get a four year degree. I think this is about the least we can do, but Bean voted "No." Just what does she find so galling about helping our soldiers get education for a job when they leave the armed forces? Does she really want them to suffer like many Vietnam War veterans? I'm sure she doesn't really want them to suffer, but she just doesn't care. She's willing spend our tax money in a give away to defense contractors (i.e. big donors), but not a penny on those who are risking their lives with that money.

George Bush Gave Up Golf For You

George Bush says golf just isn't worth it anymore with people dying in the war he began. This man started a war for the purpose of forcing his brand of global capitalism on the Middle East, and the best he can do is give up golf while our boys are dying in the desert?! 

In case you're wondering, both of my opponents support the war. Melissa Bean vocally supported it during her initial run for Congress and still approves funding for it. Steve Greenberg apparently believes GW is on the right track in a war that we lost as soon as we crossed the border.

No Energy Quick Fixes

All the major Presidential candidates are putting forth their ideas to "solve the gas crisis" or whatever they're calling it. Too bad none of them will work. 

One thing that will help, though, is to build state owned refineries. We should stop subsidizing oil companies, especially while they're making record profits, and have them pay to use our refineries. They keep complaining that there's not enough refining capacity, so let's provide it. As part of the contract companies would be required to refine a certain amount of oil per week. 

This suggestion won't solve the problem, but it will help to stabilize fuel costs, ensure a steady supply and, if surplus funds are generated (they almost definitely will be), that money can go to research renewable energy alternatives. Currently some of you gas dollars are going to lobby AGAINST renewable energy, thereby ensuring the problem continues.

Some folks actually want peace

Jimmy Carter is taking a lot of heat for actually talking to Hamas. Here's his response. If our government is unwilling to attempt to make peace in Israel, and it is unwilling, it is the responsibility of citizens to work for peace where they can. One way is to boycott Caterpillar, another is to support people like Carter who have the means to meet with those our government won't talk to. Yes, they include terrorists. So are a lot of folks we call friends.

Please turn off the lights

Will the last one to leave the Democratic Party please turn off the lights?

I've long felt that the oldest party in America is on the way out. They still have a little life to squeeze out of the American people, but the Democrats are definitely coming apart. Longtime Dem from Georgia, Cynthia McKinney, is running for the Green Presidential nomination while even longer time Alaska Dem Mike Gravel is running for the Libertarian nod.

The party has done much good in their time, but that's in their past and not their current or future.

I have an awesome campaign manager

My campaign is all about how democracy has been stolen from us and how people feel like you have to become part of a machine to participate. My campaign manager just demonstrated how wrong that is. 

I sent an email to him and others about an issue I'd like guidance on how to pursue. Chris responded with a bit about how he disagrees with me, and how he feels I should address the situation based  on my beliefs. Hillary and her peeps have had some very public fallings out over similar. It's all about honesty and trust. Chris knows that I will listen to him and respond as I feel best. I knew that he'd give me his opinion on the issue, and his advice on how to handle my opinion.

Impeachment reminder

Just a reminder, we only have until January of next year to save a small amount of face by removing Bush & Cheney from office.

Gregory Ferritto Hates Democracy

Before the primary I filed my papers to be in the Moderate Party primary. The grossly misnamed Democratic Party filed an objection because I did not meet the signature requirements. This is no great surprise as the two major parties have built a system to exclude everyone but themselves.

The Green Party, however, slated me as their candidate for the general election in November. This is allowed in Illinois election law, and was done in accordance with the law. Now, the same Democrat stooge, Gregory Ferritto, has filed another objection with the Illinois Board of Elections. This was clearly done to harass me and take resources away from my campaign. Neither the party nor the individual has any honor. 

Mr. Ferritto, if you do not hate democracy I call on you to apologize for your shameful actions. I am an honest working person, unlike the Democratic candidate for whom you sold your soul. I will actually have an impact on my job for me to take time off to fight it. I suspect you know this and don't care. Your candidate doesn't actually do her job except when there are campaign dollars involved. If you believe in a government of the people, by the people, and for the people you will go to Springfield and argue that I should be on the ballot in November. Of course, we know that you will not do this. You are not a man but a mouse. (my apologies to mice)

Going Green

Quick notice - I have long been a member of the Green. Assuming all goes as expected I will be running for Congress as a Green. The next step in that process in noon Saturday to set signatures to paper.

Redundancy is apparently required

Apparently we need a Constitutional amendment to clarify the United States Constitution. According to Article 8, only Congress may declare war. They still haven't declared war in Iraq, but they readily admit we are fighting a war there, and most of them support the war. 

Our Congressperson, Melissa Bean, continually votes to continue funding the war, even though she is fully aware that the ONLY way to end the war is to quit funding it.

We got in this ridiculous position because Congress said that the President could decide when and if we should invade Iraq. Congress DOES NOT have that authority. The Constitution clearly states that Congress, and only Congress, can decide if we should go war.

I propose a Constitutional amendment to clarify this power and specifically state that Congress cannot be cowards and pass the buck.

In case you were wondering, Melissa Bean supported the invasion while running for Congress.

Filing

Monday (11/5) was the deadline for filing petitions for the primary. I have to say that the State Board of Elections is very well run and efficient. They had on hand the required forms, hole puncher, clips, and notaries public. The filing process itself was very easy and painless. The employees were helpful and friendly. Simply stated, I was very impressed.

I have been keeping an eye on their website (http://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionInformation/CandFilSOffice.aspx?id+21). On this page you can view not only who has filed, but who has requested to view or copy the petitions. On the deadline day Bean apparently had someone there to copy all the petitions. Someone by the name of Aaron Gordon requested and received copies of all petitions for the 8th district (except Bean's). Clearly she is worried, otherwise she'd never bother to pull primary petitions for other parties. It should be fun; I know for a fact that no challenge of Randi Scheurer's petitions will be successful. It would be stupid of her to challenge my petition or a Republican petition. Of course, I've never accused the Democrat establishment of having any intelligence.

Anyway, you heard it here first - Bean is afraid that she's going to lose and she's getting paranoid.

Marriage Proposal

Lets get politics out of marriage. The domestic partnership debate going on in legislatures around the world is based on governmental interference in religion. 

I propose that our government stop sanctioning marriages. Instead of getting a marriage license, you would go to the clerk and get a domestic partnership, no matter who you or your partner is. If you wish to have the word "marriage" attached to your relationship you would then go to the church of your choice to do so. Religious institutions would have the choice of what types of marriages they would sanction.

For those already married, nothing changes. For future, though, all committed couples would be treated equally in the eyes of the law.

Call for submissions

I am thinking lately about a regional prosperity plan for Central America. All too often we look at immigration as simply an issue of law and order, but the fact is that we will continue to have people crossing our border illegally as long as their is such a wide disparity of incomes and quality of life among Central American nations, and between them and the United States.

CAFTA & NAFTA clearly are not the answer. I'm asking you to tell me what you think can be done to help all of Central America improve quality of life. This is not simply economics, although that's certainly part of the equation. 

How can infrastructure be built? What economic ties will help all nations, including the US? How do we ensure quality health care for all? What questions am I leaving out?

Campaign School

I spent today at McHenry County College, attending a candidate school. It was very informative and interesting, but I think the best part was meeting people running for other offices. Dave Kalbfleisch, Green Party candidate for US Representative in the 10th district, as was Frank Wedig (McHenry County Board, district 5) and Steve Alesch (US Rep, 13th district).

Speakers included Presidential hopefuls Kent Mesplay and Jared Ball. I'm not ready to decide who I will support for President, but I truly appreciated these two showing up. I'll be checking out their websites to learn more about their positions; you should, too.

Next up is contacting Libertarians.

H-1B

To date my posts have been based on current news. I'm going to take a departure this time to talk about H-1B visas. They get news attention from time to time, but not very recently. They are part of a much broader immigration debate.

H-1Bs, and immigration in general, are a huge topic and I'm hoping that you will weigh in on this topic in the comments. 

I have mixed feelings on this topic, but it is clear that there is abuse of the system. It's also clear that abuse is being aided and abetted by our leaders at taxpayer expense.

To start, a quote from George Bush's Secretary of Labor, Elaine Chao: "H-1B nondependent employers are not subject to the conditions, and their H-1B  workers may be hired even when a qualified U.S. worker wants the job, and a U.S. worker can be displaced from the job in favor of the foreign worker."

These visas were implemented for the purpose of allowing employers to find specialized workers when they were unable to find legal residents capable of doing the job. The United States government is now on record as telling employers to circumvent the rules and FIRE Americans in order to hire aliens.

Equal Employment Opportunity has various rules concerning how an employer must advertise a job. If you don't believe that many employers are spending money to violate those rules, check this out www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCbFEgFajGU. 

When discussing immigration keep this in mind; it's not just a question of crossing the Rio Grande illegally, we're also talking qualified U.S. workers being turfed out in favor of lower paid aliens. Those brought in at a cheaper salary will be required to return in a few years, never qualifying for a pension, and replaced with another foreign applicant.

Democrats Still Unable To Lead

It's become a familiar scene, Bush asks for the world and the Democrats compromise by saying "You can have Australia, North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Antarctica and most of the islands, but you can't have everything!"

This time it's about wiretapping. Two months ago the Dems promised to roll back the broad, over-reaching wiretapping authorities given to the National Security Agency. A Democratic bill being released to the House today shows that they have no intention of doing any such thing. Nancy Pelosi's office stated that the bill gives the NSA what it legitimately needs to protect America.

Why do they ever need to wiretap without without a warrant? A FISA court can be called in secret at any time of day or night. These courts can issue warrants in secret on the authority of a judge knowledgeable in national security, yet the Democrats don't think even that should be required.

Stepping Back a moment

First off, I am led to believe that Obama missed the Kyl-Lieberman amendment vote due to a sudden change in scheduling by the nefarious Mr. Reid. If that's true, apologies are in order and we'll all be expecting Mr. Obama to not approve the Defense Reauthorization bill as long as said amendment remains attached.

Now, on to new business. 

This week is banned books week. Celebrate by reading a banned book. If you have kids, read one to them. If you participate in a book club, make sure to discuss banned books with your friends. Apparently the most challenged book of 20o6 is "And Tango Makes Three," the story of two male penguins that raise an orphaned baby penguin together. Come on, people! How silly can you get? I'll be going to the bookstore and looking for this book very soon; I think my boys aged 3 and 6 will likely enjoy it.

My favorite title among the top ten most challenged books of 2006 is "The Earth, My Butt, And Other Big Round Things." That sounds like a winner to me! Off the list is "Catcher In the Rye." If you haven't read that one, you should. Especially if you're male aged 16 - 25.

This brings to mind a story my father told me. While in the army he was reading "War And Peace" by the Russian author Tolstoy (I think that was the book, but it was a Tolstoy of some sort). One day he left it on his bunk and, when he returned in the evening, it was gone. A sergeant, or other officer, called informed him that he was not to be reading any more communist literature. I couldn't help wondering if something by a red-blooded American author, maybe  Steinbeck's "The Grapes Of Wrath," would be more acceptable. You can take your own lessons from this anecdote, but I feel like the vast majority of those who call for banning a book are no more intelligent than the sergeant that thought the czars were commies.

Shame on you Durbin, Shame on you Obama

Our Illinois Senators failed to stand up to their responsibilities today. Amendment 3o17 was approved for the Defense Reauthorization bill. This amendment was watered down, but still provides room for war-monger Bush to attack Iran.

Mr. Obama failed to vote on this amendment, while Mr. Durbin voted "yea." Durbin, you cannot claim to be a peaceful man. Mr. Obama, if you approve the Defense Reauthorization bill with this amendment, and make excuses about not wanting to hold up the funding for our troops, you are a snake. Shame on both of you for failing to vote against this amendment. There are no excuses. If there is war in Iran, you are  to blame. Do not insult your constituents' intelligence, claiming that Bush lied his way to war.