This is a very enlightening article with firsthand accounts of how the Christian community of Ain Ebel in southern Lebanon was forced into bombardment by Israeli forces by Hezbollah’s military reign there during the Hezbollah-Israel war of the summer of 2006. The article is very long, and has many pictures accompanying the reporting. Continue reading below to see some excerpts I found interesting.
Answer? What they are blowing our money on. The Senate Democrats suffered a rather embarrassing defeat this week concerning the disclosure of earmarks. The House passed a sweeping reform of fiscal transparency in their chamber, but the Senate had a much more watered down version that basically kept the vast majority of their pork barrelling hidden behind the community trough out of site and out of mind.
The language favored by Reid and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., would require disclosure of only targeted funds directed to nonfederal entities such as a city park, state universities or private contractors.
DeMint insisted that the Senate definition would catch only about 5 percent of earmarks, saying that in most instances lawmakers insert their pet projects not into the bill itself but into the explanatory report language that accompanies the bill and is not subject to a vote.
Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., said that of some 12,852 earmarks found in bills last year, only 534 would be subject to Senate disclosure rules.
In an attempt to keep their thiefdoms, the Democratic leadership in the Senate tried to kill the amendment on arrival so that it couldnt be voted upon. Much to their surprise their motion to table was defeated, but not with the help of seven Republicans.
Voting to keep robbing us blind behind our backs were the following Republican Senators:
Sen. Robert Bennett - Utah
Sen. Jim Bunning - Kentucky
Sen. Pete Dominici - New Mexico
Sen. Orrin Hatch - Utah
Sen. Trent Lott - Mississippi
Sen. Gordon Smith - Oregon
Sen. George Voinovich - Ohio
U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 110th Congress - 1st Session
After careful consideration I think many Republicans were way too hard on John Kerry for his flip-flopping. My research and analysis has lead me to believe that he can’t be blamed for his constant 180s. I’m convinced it’s some sort of illness emanating from Beantown. Maybe it’s an airborne virus or something in the drinking water, but some kind of mental affliction seems to be plaguing our Massachusetts politicians as of late. The flip-flop disease is making its rounds and they just can’t help themselves.
The latest victim seems to be former Governor and Presidential candidate Mitt Romney (R-Massachusetts). In 1994 in a debate between he and Teddy *hiccup* Kennedy, Romney stood steadfast on his pro-choice position. Now as he is preparing for his Presidential bid he is making himself out to be a pro-life candidate. Change of heart or a sneaky attempt to woo more conservative voters?
In his 1994 US Senate run, Romney backed two gun-control measures strongly opposed by the National Rifle Association and other gun-rights groups: the Brady Bill, which imposed a five-day waiting period on gun sales, and a ban on certain assault weapons.
“That’s not going to make me the hero of the NRA,” Romney told the Boston Herald in 1994.
At another campaign stop that year, he told reporters: “I don’t line up with the NRA.”
And as the GOP gubernatorial candidate in 2002, Romney lauded the state’s strong laws during a debate against Democrat Shannon O’Brien. “We do have tough gun laws in Massachusetts; I support them,” he said. “I won’t chip away at them; I believe they protect us and provide for our safety.”
Today, as he explores a presidential bid, Romney is sending a very different message on gun issues, which are far more prominent in Republican national politics than in Massachusetts.
He now touts his work as governor to ease restrictions on gun owners. He proudly describes himself as a member of the NRA — though his campaign won’t say when he joined. And Friday, at his campaign’s request, top officials of the NRA and the National Shooting Sports Foundation led him around one of the country’s biggest gun shows.
Romney says he still backs the ban on assault weapons, but he won’t say whether he stands by the Brady Bill. And after the gun show tour, his campaign declined to say whether he would still describe himself as a supporter of tough gun laws.
I’ve been giving Romney the benefit of the doubt because of the state he was governing and because of the fact that his state legislative body was over 80% Democrat. I think he may have had to cave to a great many issues to possibly make the damage being done to the state by the Democrats less than it would have been. They were easily capable of overriding his vetoes, so better to work with them and come out with a compromise that isn’t quite as bad, right?
The question now is how much latitude can we give? Romney surely must understand that if he doesn’t clearly define his positions on the issues, especially those most important to Republican primary voters, that he will take a nosedive next year. There is still plenty of time, but I am running out of the will to keep defending him.
…And swat down without any hesitation this proposed Senate Bill requiring citizens to show proof of health insurance or have their money confiscated from them. Last time I checked Mitt Romney wasn’t the governor of Georgia, and neither was Ah-nuld. I don’t care that they call it the “Insuring Georgia’s Families Act” - the state has no business knowing if or how my family is insured, and certainly has no business requiring me to have health insurance or cough up money to the state. As Peach Pundit notes, this Act would be nothing more than big-government intrusion into our lives.
Cagle and Company, y’all better do the job you were elected to do. Don’t let this bill even get out of the Senate.