PMEL Forum

Top 10 Greatest Quips from Ronald Reagan

10. "Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first."
—Remarks at a business conference, Los Angeles, March 2, 1977

9. "You can tell a lot about a fellow's character by his way of eating jellybeans."
—The Observer, March 29, 1981

8. "Thomas Jefferson once said, "We should never judge a president by his age, only by his works.' And ever since he told me that, I stopped worrying."
—Circa 1988

7. "I have left orders to be awakened at any time in case of national emergency, even if I'm in a cabinet meeting."
—Said often during his presidency, 1981-1989

6. "How do you tell a communist? Well, it's someone who reads Marx and Lenin. And how do you tell an anti-Communist? It's someone who understands Marx and Lenin."
—Remarks in Arlington, Virginia, September 25, 1987

5. "The government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it."
—Remarks to the White House Conference on Small Business, August 15, 1986

4. "I am not worried about the deficit. It is big enough to take care of itself."
—Said often during his presidency, 1981-1989

3. "All great change in America begins at the dinner table."
—Farewell Address to the Nation, The White House, January 11, 1989

2. "I've noticed that everyone who is for abortion has already been born."
—The New York Times, September 22, 1980

1. "There is no limit to what a man can do or where he can go if he doesn't mind who gets the credit."
— First Inaugural Address, January 21, 1981

Ten American Biographies Everyone Should Read

HUMAN EVENTS asked a panel of 21 distinguished scholars to help us develop a list of Ten American Biographies Everyone Should Read.

We asked them first to nominate biographies or autobiographies of anyone who had been a native-born or naturalized American citizen since 1776. Then they listed their top ten choices from the entire roster of nominated titles. A book received 10 points for each No. 1 vote it received, 9 points for each No. 2 vote, and so on. The title with the highest aggregate score was rated the No. 1 American biography everyone should read.

We hope you will enjoy reviewing our list, and perhaps reading or rereading some of the recommended titles.

1. Henry Adams
Title: The Education of Henry Adams
Author: Henry Adams
Score: 64
Date published: 1918

Summary: Adams conceived this book, primarily an intellectual autobiography though written in the third person, as a sequel to his Mont-Saint-Michel and Chartres: A Study of Thirteenth-Century Unity. He says in Chapter XXIX of Education that he wanted to study himself, a man of the confused 20th Century, in relation to the fixed point of the 13th Century, when men were most consistently dedicated to a comprehensive, unitary view of the universe. A descendant of John Adams and John Quincy Adams, he examined the assumptions and goals of modern education, which for him included attending Harvard College. He was not particularly impressed. "The chief wonder of education is that it does not ruin everybody concerned in it, teachers and taught," he wrote. Adams traveled extensively, was a Harvard professor of medieval history, a political journalist in Washington, D.C., and the author of a major history of the Jefferson and Madison administrations. Education is widely considered one of the greatest American works of literature with its stunning use of the English language.

2. Alexander Hamilton
Title: Alexander Hamilton: A Biography
Author: Forrest McDonald
Score: 63
Date published: 1982

Summary: A conservative professor emeritus of history at the University of Alabama, McDonald brings a sympathetic perspective to understanding Hamilton, perhaps the most important Founding Father in terms of his intellectual influence on federal government policies during his lifetime. David Herbert Donald wrote in the New York Times Book Review, "What Mr. McDonald's book does, with exceptional skill and learning, is to reexamine Hamilton's policies as secretary of the Treasury. To this task the author brings a masterful knowledge of the politics of the period." McDonald's book triggered a wave of renewed respect for Hamilton among American conservative intellectuals—including those who admire Hamilton's non-ideological approach to government, his advocacy of limited-government federalism as a model philosophy superior to Thomas Jefferson's radical egalitarianism, and his influence on George Washington, with whom he worked closely during both the Revolution and the first presidency. As the author of many of the Federalist Papers, Hamilton played a key role in America's adoption of the U.S. Constitution, without which the new nation may never have been created.

3. Whittaker Chambers
Title: Witness
Author: Whittaker Chambers
Score: 57
Date published: 1952

Summary: Witness is the most important Cold War book. In it, Chambers details his own career as a Soviet spy, and his involvement in bringing fellow spy Alger Hiss to justice. Chambers repented of his Communism and later became a Christian and patriotic American. A former editor at Time, Chambers portrayed the Cold War as a moral struggle between two irreconcilable world views: an atheistic view, in which man made up his own rules; and a religious view, in which God set rules that man was bound to obey. This construction had great influence on Ronald Reagan, who cited Chambers at length in his famous Evil Empire speech. Chambers also pointed out that Western liberals have basically the same amoral worldview as the Communists. "In 1937, I began, like Lazarus, the impossible return," wrote Chambers. "I began to break away from communism and to climb from deep within its underground, where for six years I had been buried, back into the world of free men."

4. George Washington
Title: The Life of George Washington
Author: John Marshall
Score: 49
Date published: 1804-7

Summary: Soon after his death in 1799, George Washington was honored with a biography written by John Marshall, chief justice of the United States. Albert Beveridge, the biographer of Marshall, called The Life of George Washington "to this day the fullest and most trustworthy treatment of that period from the conservative point of view." Marshall later produced a shortened, one-volume version of his work that is currently in print, thanks to the Liberty Fund. Marshall's original biography, written at the request of Washington's nephew, Bushrod Washington, ran to five volumes. This substantial work helped preserve and disseminate the memory of the Father of His Country, and the later abridgment was often used in schools, influencing 19th Century schoolboys' and college students' views of their nation and its most prominent Founder. Marshall's full-length work is so detailed that the early history of Virginia, before Washington's time, takes up most of the first volume.

5. Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas
Title: Crisis of the House Divided: An Interpretation of the Issues in the Lincoln-Douglas Debates
Author: Harry Jaffa
Score: 41
Date published: 1959

Summary: Forty-four years after its publication, Jaffa's book remains the definitive text on the clash of political philosophies in the debates between Illinois Senate candidates Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas in 1858. Jaffa begins by carefully examining Douglas's position that slavery must be allowed to either spread or be contained by "popular sovereignty" in new states added to the Union. He then compares this to Lincoln's arguments and the principles that marked his re-entry into politics in 1854 and his subsequent career. Jaffa provides a new perspective on Lincoln's embrace of the natural rights cited in the Declaration of Independence, arguing that far from being destructive of the Founders' ideal of limited and decentralized government, Lincoln's understanding of "natural rights" is in fact its salvation. "Lincoln thought that slavery was wrong, and that it was condemned by the principle of human equality," Jaffa wrote in an essay published this February by the Claremont Institute, where he serves as a distinguished fellow. "He did not think that a vote of the people could make it right."

6. Russell Kirk
Title: The Sword of Imagination: Memoirs of a Half-Century of Literary Conflict
Author: Russell Kirk
Score: 39
Date published: 1995

Summary: Kirk, perhaps the most important traditional conservative thinker of the 20th Century, wrote this autobiography that includes his observations on prominent Americans he knew and worked with throughout his career. Written in the third person and published shortly after his death, The Sword of Imagination gets its title from Kirk's realization of the centrality of imagination in driving people's lives. "With recognition of one's soul, identity is established," he wrote. "This insight gave the boy whatever strength he was to possess in later years. He knew who he was, with his failings and powers." Kirk lived in Mecosta, Mich., but wrote for National Review for a quarter-century and had a syndicated newspaper column in which he supported Barry Goldwater and Richard Nixon. He wrote that he wanted to "defend the Permanent Things," which he saw decaying all around him. The author also of The Conservative Mind, which is deemed by many to be the founding intellectual document of the modern conservative movement, Kirk helped set deep roots for the movement by pointing to its intellectual antecedents in the writings of Edmund Burke and John Adams.

7. Ulysses S. Grant
Title: Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant
Author: Ulysses S. Grant
Score: 37
Date published: 1885-86

Summary: Samuel Clemens, who wrote under the pseudonym Mark Twain, published the autobiography of the general who led the Union Army to victory in the Civil War and later became a two-term Republican President of the United States. Grant started the book in 1884, when he was suffering from throat cancer, and finished it in July 1885, just before he died from the disease. "The war has made us a nation of great power and intelligence," wrote Grant. "We have but little to do to preserve peace, happiness and prosperity at home, and the respect of other nations. Our experience ought to teach us the necessity of the first; our power secures the latter." Grant also predicted "a new era, when there is to be great harmony between the Federal and Confederate."

His book narrates his extensive war experiences, beginning with the battle of Palo Alto in the Mexican War and ending with Lee's surrender at Appomattox Courthouse.

8. Robert E. Lee
Title: R.E. Lee
Author: Douglas Southall Freeman
Score: 31
Date published: 1934

Summary: Freeman's four-volume biography of one of the greatest military geniuses of modern history, Robert E. Lee, won a Pulitzer Prize in 1935. It took Freeman 19 years to write the book, in which he vividly shows the reader the Virginian's nobility, which was recognized by contemporaries on both sides during the Civil War. Lee opposed secession, but nonetheless felt compelled to side with his native state and lead the primary army of the Confederacy for most of the war. He achieved great victories in the face of overwhelming odds, only to lose in the end. Yet defeat did not break him. He went on to become president of what is now Washington & Lee University, where he is buried beneath the chapel. Lee was the son of Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee, a celebrated cavalry officer in George Washington's army and later politician, and Ann Hill Carter of Virginia's aristocratic Carter clan. His father went broke, however, so Robert lived on modest means before marrying Mary Custis, great-granddaughter of Martha Washington. He then took up residence at Mary's family estate, Arlington House, which was confiscated by the Union during the war and turned into Arlington Cemetery. Always the perfect gentleman, Lee never lost his temper and inspired love in his subordinates. Along with George Washington, Lee stands as a model American gentleman.

9. Frederick Douglass
Title: Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave
Author: Frederick Douglass
Score: 30
Date published: 1845

Summary: Frederick Douglass was born a slave on the Eastern Shore of Maryland about 1817 or 1818, but while working in the shipyards of Baltimore, escaped North in 1838. In the early 1840s, he traveled across the free states speaking out against slavery, giving firsthand accounts of the brutality he had had seen inflicted on slaves by their masters. In 1845, he published his Narratives, and fled to England, where he continued his lecturing. British advocates bought his freedom the following year, and he returned to America to become a leader in the abolitionist cause—even allowing John Brown to stay in his home. In the Narratives, Douglass's description of slavery includes an examination of how slave masters systematically destroyed the family: "My mother and I were separated when I was but an infant—before I knew her as my mother," he wrote. "It is a common custom, in the part of Maryland from which I ran away, to part children from their mothers at a very early age. . . . For what this separation is done, I do not know, unless it be to hinder the development of the child's affection toward its mother, and to blunt and destroy the natural affection of the mother for the child. This is the inevitable result."

10. Abraham Lincoln
Title: A New Birth of Freedom: Abraham Lincoln and the Coming of the Civil War
Author: Harry V. Jaffa
Score: 30
Date published: 2000

Summary: In the long-awaited sequel to his Crisis of the House Divided (1959), Harry Jaffa begins with a thoughtful and thorough examination of the philosophical significance of Lincoln's famous Gettysburg Address. Specifically, he examines Lincoln's return to the Declaration of Independence for the basis of the nation's founding: the concept of the natural, inalienable rights of man, and the equality of man as created by God.

Jaffa, considered by many to be the pre-eminent living scholar of Lincoln's political thought, reverentially embraces his ideal as the true logic of American history in its natural progression. He contrasts this sharply with what he sees as the errors of the Southern secessionists and others with whom Lincoln clashed, including Chief Justice Roger Taney (author of the Dredd Scott decision), Stephen Douglas (Lincoln's famous Senate opponent), and especially John C. Calhoun.

Top 10 Unhinged Celebrities

Ranked by Michelle Malkin, author of Unhinged, published by Regnery -- a Human Events sister company.

#1: Cameron Diaz
The actress broke down on national TV and implied that the re-election of President Bush would lead to the legalization of rape.

#2: Michael Moore
This liberal windbag reportedly couldn't get out of bed for three days after the 2004 election.

#3: Sean Penn
He's the actor who claimed that Fox News host Bill O'Reilly, shock jock Howard Stern and the U.S. government are greater threats to the American people than Osama bin Laden.

#4: Julia Stiles
The actress told radical leftists she was "afraid that Bill O'Reilly would come with a shotgun at my front door and shoot me for being unpatriotic."

#5: Janeane Garofalo
Air America's talk-radio host called the Patriot Act "a conspiracy of the 43rd Reich."

#6: Chrissie Hynde
She told her concertgoers that Americans "deserve to get bombed" and "I hope the Muslims win." Ironically, the theme song for Rush Limbaugh's show, "My City Was Gone," was written by Hynde.

#7: Tim Robbins
The verbose actor warned journalists ominously that "Every day, the airwaves are filled with warnings, veiled and unveiled threats, spewed invective and hatred directed at any voice of dissent."

#8: Martin Sheen
The star of "The West Wing" marched through Los Angeles with duct tape over his mouth with the word "peace" written on it.

#9: Vincent D'Onofrio
The crazed Marine in Full Metal Jacket was hospitalized immediately after the election, suffering from "Bush flu" (doctors found nothing wrong with him).

#10: Cher
She claimed that if Bush were re-elected, the government would round up and quarantine homosexual men.

Top 10 U.S. Senate Races of 2006

10. Rhode Island

Lincoln Chafee, easily one of the most liberal Republicans in the Senate, faces a determined primary challenge from Cranston Mayor Steven Laffey, who is more conservative. The Democratic nominee is likely to be former State Attorney General Sheldon Whitehouse.

9. Michigan

Arch-liberal Debbie Stabenow was the closest winner among new Democratic senators elected in 2000. At a time when Michigan GOPers are on a political roll under State Chairman Saul Anuzis, she will face a strong challenge from either of the potential Republican candidates—Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard or former Detroit City Councilman Keith Butler, an articulate black conservative.

8. Tennessee

With Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist retiring, Democrats are going all out for Rep. Harold Ford, Jr., their 1996 national convention keynoter and one of the most high-profile black Democratic office-holders. The GOP primary to succeed Frist features three strong contenders: former Rep. Van Hilleary; former Rep. and Clinton impeachment manager Ed Bryant; and former State Party Chairman Bob Coker, who has vast personal resources to spend on his campaign.

7. Florida

Conservative Rep. Katherine Harris, who as secretary of state in 2000 certified Florida's electoral votes for George W. Bush and thus helped make him President, is the certain GOP challenger to moderate Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson. National Republicans fear Harris will stir up Democratic anger around the country, but she enjoys heroine status among her state's grassroots GOP activists.

6. Arizona

Two-term GOP Sen. Jon Kyl faces a well-funded challenge from multi-millionaire developer and State Democratic Chairman Jim Pedersen, who is credited with rebuilding the state party with his personal wealth.

5. Missouri

Freshman Republican Sen. Jim Talent, a strong conservative, narrowly won an '02 special election over the widow of the late Democratic Gov. Mel Carnahan. Polls show Talent in a neck-and-neck battle this year against liberal Democrat Claire McCaskill, the former state auditor who lost the governorship in a squeaker in '04.

4. Montana

Republican Sen. Conrad Burns, who survived a close call in 2000, has given back more than $150,000 in donations generated by disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Latest polls show an increasingly close race against the Democratic candidate, State Auditor John Morrison.

3. Minnesota

The seat Sen. Mark Dayton (D.) is relinquishing is perhaps the GOP's best chance of a net gain in the Senate anywhere. In a state gradually turning "red," conservative Rep. Mark Kennedy has wrapped up the GOP nomination, while four lesser-known Democrats are vying for their party's nod to succeed Dayton.

2. Maryland

Rep. Ben Cardin and former NAACP head Kweisi Mfume are waging a fierce battle for the Democratic nomination to succeed retiring Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D.). Their infighting could help Republican Lt. Gov. Michael Steele become the second black GOP senator in the nation since Reconstruction. A Rasmussen poll shows pro-lifer Steele slightly leading both Cardin and Mfume.

1. Pennsylvania

Easily the showcase race for conservatives throughout the nation. Two-term Sen. Rick Santorum (R.), outspoken on abortion and conservative on most issues, faces Democrat Bob Casey, Jr., former state auditor and son of a popular former governor. Casey's name and own pro-life stance have put him ahead of Santorum in most polls, but the senator has bounced back and won before.

From Merriam-Webster Online (www.m-w.com/info/favorite.htm):


1. ginormous (adj): bigger than gigantic and bigger than enormous

2. confuzzled (adj): confused and puzzled at the same time

3. woot (interj): an exclamation of joy or excitement

4. chillax (v): chill out/relax, hang out with friends

5. cognitive displaysia (n): the feeling you have before you even leave the house that you are going to forget something and not remember it until you're on the highway

6. gription (n): the purchase gained by friction: "My car needs new tires because the old ones have lost their gription."

7. phonecrastinate (v): to put off answering the phone until caller ID displays the incoming name and number

8. slickery (adj): having a surface that is wet and icy

9. snirt (n): snow that is dirty, often seen by the side of roads and parking lots that have been plowed

10. lingweenie (n): a person incapable of producing neologisms

Great Truths About Life That Little Children Have Learned

* No matter how hard you try, you can't baptize cats.

* When your Mom is mad at your dad, don't let her brush your hair.

* If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always catch the second person.

* Never ask your 3-year-old brother to hold a tomato.

* You can't trust dogs to watch your food.

* Reading what people write on desks can teach you a lot.

* Don't sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.

* Puppies still have bad breath even after eating a tic tac.

* Never hold a dustbuster and a cat at the same time.

* School lunches stick to the wall.

* You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.

* Don't wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts. No matter how cute the underwear is.


OK, so there were more than 10...sue me :-)

Popular baby names in 2004 according to the Social Security Administration

Top 10 Names for 2004

Rank     Male name     Female name

1             Jacob                  Emily
2             Michael               Emma
3             Joshua               Madison
4             Matthew             Olivia
5             Ethan                  Hannah
6             Andrew               Abigail
7             Daniel                 Isabella
8             William                Ashley
9             Joseph               Samantha
10          Christopher        Elizabeth

Top 10 Members of Congress Fighting for Lower Taxes
Ranked by editors of HUMAN EVENTS.

10. Rep. John Linder (R.-Ga.)
Member of the House Ways and Means Committee. Lead sponsor of the "Fair Tax," which would abolish the income tax, eliminate the IRS and create a consumption tax.

9. Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R.-Tex.)
Emerging as the young conservative voice of fiscal conservatism. Serves as fiscal point man for the Republican Study Committee.

8. Rep. Tom Tancredo (R.-Colo.)
A true across-the-board conservative. Has one of the very best and most consistent voting records on tax issues in Congress.

7. Rep. Mike Pence (R.-Ind.)
Chairman of the Republican Study Committee. Has kept tax-cutting agenda in the forefront for House conservatives. Calls himself an "unregenerate supply-sider."

6. Sen. John Sununu (R.-N.H.)
A consistent proponent of tax cuts and opponent of spending increases. Ran for office on the issue of Social Security reform and championed legislation for reform through personal retirement accounts.

5. Rep. John Shadegg (R.-Ariz.)
Consistently fights for all tax cuts and resists spending increases. Helped promote conservative messages on taxes and spending during run for majority leader.

4. Sen. Jon Kyl (R.-Ariz.)
Member of the Finance Committee where he regularly champions tax cuts. Sponsor of bills to make the Bush income, dividend and capital gains tax cuts permanent and to abolish the death tax.

3. Rep. Jeff Flake (R.-Ariz.)
Sponsor of a bill to require the Congressional Budget Office to use dynamic scoring for proposed tax cuts and co-sponsor with Rep. Ron Paul of a constitutional amendment to repeal the 16th Amendment. Consistent proponent of tax cuts and opponent of spending increases.

2. Sen. Jim DeMint (R.-S.C.)
Sponsor of legislation (the 8.5% Tax Reform Plan) to abolish the income tax and replace it with a national sales tax and business tax.

1. Rep. Ron Paul (R.-Tex.)
Co-sponsor with Rep. Jeff Flake of a constitutional amendment to repeal the 16th Amendment and end income, gift and estate taxes. Regularly pushes for tax cuts. Sponsor of bills to allow tax credits for private school tuition, to permit tax deduction of college tuition and to stop all taxation of Social Security benefits. Opposes all unconstitutional spending programs.

From www.brainofbrian.com (http://www.brainofbrian.com)

Top 10 Things to do at the Mall

    10. At the bottom of an escalator, scream "MY SHOELACES! AAAGH!"

    9. At the stylist, ask to have the hair on your back permed.

    8. Ask a saleswoman whether a particular shade of panties matches the color of your beard.

    7. Sneak up on saleswomen at the perfume counter and spray them with your own bottle of Eau de Swanke.

    6. Collect stacks of paint brochures and hand them out as religious tracts.

    5. At the pet store, ask if they have bulk discounts on gerbils, and whether there's much meat on them.

    4. Hand a stack of pants back to the changing room attendant and scornfully announce that none of them are "leak proof".

    3. Ask appliance personnel if they have any TVs that play only in Spanish.

    2. Try pants on backwards at the Gap. Ask the salesperson if they make your butt look big.

    1. Show people your driver's license and demand to know "whether they've seen this man."

Also from www.brainofbrian.com (http://www.brainofbrian.com)

    Top 10 Ways to Freak-Out Your Co-Workers

    10. Bring some dry ice & make it look like your computer is smoking.

    9. Come to the lab wearing several layers of socks. Remove shoes and place them of top of the monitor. Remove socks layer by layer and drape them around the monitor. Exclaim sudden haiku about the aesthetic beauty of cotton on plastic.

    8. Take the keyboard and sit under the computer. Type up your paper like this. Then go to the lab supervisor and complain about the bad working conditions.

    7. Bring in a bunch of magnets and have fun.

    6. Point at the screen. Chant in a made-up language while making elaborate hand gestures for a minute or two. Press return or the mouse, then leap back and yell "COVEEEEERRRRRR!" peek up from under the table, walk back to the computer and say. "Oh, good. It worked this time," and calmly start to type again.

    5. Keep looking at invisible bugs and trying to swat them.

    4. Sneak up behind some engrossed in their work screaming, "DISK FIGHT!!!" and bop them on the head with a disk.

    3. Type frantically, often stopping to look at the person next to you evilly.

    2. Get a pair of 3-d glasses. Wobble around while walking and keep yelling, "Whoa, that looked so real!"

    1. Laugh uncontrollably for about 3 minutes & then suddenly stop and look suspiciously at everyone who looks at you.

The 10 Most Harmful Government Programs
Posted Apr 10, 2006

1. Social Security

Started when:1935

By whom: President Franklin Roosevelt and a Democratic Congress.

Why: To replace the family with the federal government as the principal means of providing financially for seniors who lack the savings to sustain themselves.

What it does: The government imposes a 12.4% tax on the first $94,200 in income earned by every worker. Half of this tax, 6.2%, is paid by the employee and is shown on his paycheck as a deduction. The other 6.2% is paid by the employer and is not shown on a worker's paycheck. However, as conservative economists point out, it also effectively comes from the worker as it is part of the cost the employer incurs on his behalf. The program has socialized the retirement of Americans, making most seniors financially dependent on payments that the federal government may alter, decrease or even cancel. Democrats routinely and demagogically use this fact to their political advantage. Benefits for current retirees are paid by those still working. When the system was founded, there were 42 working taxpayers per beneficiary. Today, there are about three. In 25 years, there will be about two. President Bush made a valiant effort last year to begin reforming the system with a proposal that included allowing workers to create small personal retirement accounts with a minimal segment of their Social Security tax. Democrats uniformly opposed the idea.
Cost: Social Security collected $657.7 billion in taxes in 2004 and paid out $501.6 billion in benefits. Congress spent every penny of the $156.1-billion Social Security surplus on non-Social Security items. The Social Security Administration says the program faces $4 trillion in unfunded liabilities over the next 75 years.

Constitutional provision: No response from the Social Security Administration.

2. Medicare

Started when: 1965

By whom: President Lyndon B. Johnson and a Democratic Congress

Why: To provide federally funded health insurance to seniors.

What it does: The government imposes a 2.9% Medicare tax on all income earned by workers. Half is paid directly by the worker, the other half is paid by employers. In return, the government provides seniors with hospital insurance, or Medicare Part A, which pays for hospital and hospice care. Also, for a modest premium, seniors receive supplementary medical insurance, or Medicare Part B, which pays physicians' fees and outpatient care. Part D, President Bush's Medicare prescription drug plan, became effective this year (and last year was enrolled in the HUMAN EVENTS Government Program Hall of Shame). It covers much of the cost of drugs for seniors on Medicare. These programs have socialized health care for seniors, making them dependent on the government not only for their income, but also for their medical coverage. Medicare covered 41.7 million people in 2004.

Cost: In 1966, according to the Office of Management and Budget, Medicare cost $64 million.

Republicans predicted its costs would increase enormously. In 2007, it is estimated it will to cost $392 billion. By 2011, its projected cost is $494 billion. The Government Accountability Office estimates Medicare faces $28 trillion in unfunded liabilities over the next 75 years.

Constitutional provision: No response from Medicare.

3. Income Tax Withholding

Started when: 1935 and 1943

By whom: President Franklin Roosevelt and a Democratic Congress.

Why: Roosevelt and his Democrat Congress vastly expanded the number of Americans who owed income taxes when they imposed a "Victory Tax" of 5% on all incomes over $624 in 1942. Because they feared that low- and middle-income workers might not pay the new tax unless it was withheld from their wages, Congress enacted the Current Tax Payment Act in 1943. This program is linked to this year's No. 1 Most Harmful Program, Social Security, because the Social Security Act of 1935 paved the way for the withholding of income taxes by mandating the withholding of Social Security taxes.

What it does: Compels employers to withhold income and payroll taxes from workers' paychecks and pay the money directly to the federal government each quarter before tax returns are actually filed. It allows the government to extract far more revenue from workers than would be politically feasible if workers paid the tax directly. In a study for the Cato Institute, Charlotte Twight noted: "[W]ithholding is the paramount administrative mechanism enabling the federal government to collect, without significant protest, sufficient private resources to fund a vastly expanded welfare state."

Cost: According to the OMB, Americans will pay $1.76 trillion in individual income and payroll taxes in 2006.

Constitutional Provision: The 16thAmendment, which authorizes an income tax.

4. McCain-Feingold

Started when: 2002

By whom: President George W. Bush, even while doubting its constitutionality, signed a law sponsored by Senators John McCain (R.-Ariz.) and Russ Feingold (D.-Wis.) and Representatives Chris Shays (R.-Conn.) and Marty Meehan (D.-Mass.).

Why: Purportedly to "clean up" financing of federal election campaigns, following various investigations of the financing of the 1996 Clinton-Gore reelection campaign.

What it does: It prevents political parties from raising funds that are not allocated to specific candidates -- so-called "soft" money -- and bars citizens groups from using candidates' names or photographs in broadcast advertising for 30 days before a primary and 60 days before a general election. It violates the 1st Amendment by restricting political speech. It also protects incumbents from challengers and from issue-oriented groups that oppose the way they vote in Congress. Only candidates and news organizations, as opposed to regular citizens, are permitted to publicize a politician's voting record at election time.

Cost: Lost freedom.

Constitutional provision: The Supreme Court, although unable to explain convincingly why the law didn't violate the 1st Amendment, upheld the constitutionality of McCain-Feingold in the 2003 case of McConnell v. Federal Election Commission. When asked where the Constitution authorized the federal government to assume powers granted by McCain-Feingold, a spokesman for the FEC told HUMAN EVENTS: "Well Congress passed this in 2002 ... You would have to speak to a congressional lawyer for this, which I am not."

5 (Tie). Contraceptive Funding

Started when:1970

By whom: President Nixon signed the Title X law co-sponsored by then-Rep. George H.W. Bush (R.-Tex.) and passed by a Democratic Congress.

Why: To fund clinics to distribute and promote contraceptives and, as Planned Parenthood puts it, "reproductive health care services."

What it does: According to the Department of Health and Human Services, Title X now funds 4,600 "family planning" clinics nationwide. Planned Parenthood says these clinics are located in 73% of the nation's counties, and that they were visited by 4.7 million women in 2001, 33% of them going to federally funded clinics operated by Planned Parenthood itself. Thanks to the Supreme Court's 1977 decision in Carey v. Population Services International, these federally funded clinics can hand out contraceptives to children under 16. "As a result of this court decision," says Planned Parenthood, "clinics supported by Title X funds have traditionally served adolescents on a confidential basis." In other words, Title X as interpreted by the Supreme Court allows Planned Parenthood to use federal tax dollars to hand out contraceptives to children under 16 without informing their parents. The law says Title X funding cannot be used for abortions. But federal regulations allow Title X grant recipients and abortion providers to share the same office and staff. Planned Parenthood, a major recipient of Title X funding, is also a major abortion provider.

Cost: President Bush has requested $283 million for Title X in fiscal 2007. The Government Accountability Office reported to Rep. Chris Smith (R.-N.J.) that Planned Parenthood spent $162 million in federal funds on its domestic activities in fiscal year 2001.
Constitutional provision: No response from HHS.

5 (Tie). Farm Subsidies

Started when: 1929

By whom: A Republican Congress passed the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1929 and Republican President Herbert Hoover signed it.

Why: To prop up prices of agricultural products and subsidize farmers and agricultural businesses.

What it does: In the late 1920s, a Republican Congress twice passed a bill that would have authorized the government to buy up agricultural products to boost prices. President Coolidge twice vetoed it. In 1929, however, newly elected President Hoover signed a similar law. "After Hoover's election," wrote Randall G. Holcombe in a study for the Cato Institute, "the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1929 was passed, creating a Federal Farm Board with the power to buy and store 'any quantity' of agricultural commodities for the purpose of supporting prices." In 1933, President Franklin Roosevelt, working with a Democratic Congress, pushed through the Agricultural Adjustment Act, which authorized the government to pay farmers not to grow crops or raise livestock. It put government in command of the agricultural industry. Or as Roosevelt explained it in a 1935 speech, it was "a plan for the adjustment of totals in our major crops, so that from year to year production and consumption would be kept in reasonable balance with each other." Ever since then, the government has been manipulating the farming business to control prices.

Cost: The Department of Agriculture is authorized to spend $96.2 billion in 2006.

Constitutional provision: "Article 1, Section 8, the Commerce Clause," said Wayne Baggett, a spokesman for the Department of Agriculture.

7. Medicaid

Started when:1965

By whom: President Johnson and a Democratic Congress.

Why: To pay the health-care expenses of poor people.

What it does: Medicaid is a joint federal-state program that pays for health care for poor people. The federal government mandates that states include certain categories of people in the program and provide certain services. The states are free to expand the categories of people and services subsidized. Forty-six million people are now on Medicaid. The massive number of Americans in the combined Medicare and Medicaid programs (over 92 million), plus the massive amount of tax dollars spent on these programs, means that a large segment of the U.S. health-care industry is already socialized. This gives the federal government tremendous leverage over health care, affecting the choices and freedom of Americans in and out of the programs.

Cost: In 1966, according the Office of Management and Budget, Medicaid cost $770 million. In 2007, it is projected to cost $199 billion. It is projected it will cost $264 billion in 2011.

Constitutional provision: When asked what language in the Constitution authorized Medicaid, a spokeswoman for the program said, "Title 19 of the Social Security Act."

8. Affirmative Action

Started when: 1965

By whom: President Lyndon Johnson issued Executive Order 11246.

Why: To ensure that federal contractors and agency do not discriminate against minorities in hiring.

What it does: Requires federal contractors to take "affirmative action" to make sure that they are providing equal employment opportunities to people by as measured by "race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability and gender," which many critics say means meeting quotas. Requires federal contractors to demonstrate they are not discriminating by filing Compliance Reports. The order states: "Compliance Reports shall be filed within such times and shall contain such information as to the practices, policies, programs, and employment policies, programs, and employment statistics of the contractor and each subcontractor."

Cost: Keeps America from becoming a truly colorblind society. Forces federal contractors to consider the statistical composition of their workforce along ethnic lines. Cost $401 million to administer in 2005.

Constitutional provision: A spokesperson for the Department of Labor office that overseas Executive Order 11246 said, "We don't have anyone who speaks for the Constitution."

9 (Tie). Earmarking

Started when: A 1999 report by the Heritage Foundation says that "Webster's Dictionary traces the American origins of the expression 'pork-barrel spending' back to around 1905 or 1910 and defines it as 'a government appropriation ... that provides funds for local improvements designed to ingratiate legislators with their constituents.'"

By whom: Unknown

Why: Members of Congress like to target federal tax dollars to specific projects and interest groups in their states and districts so they can take personal political credit for them.

What it does: An "earmark" is a specific line item inserted into the actual language of a federal spending bill -- or into the non-binding language of the House or Senate appropriations committee report on that bill -- that directs a federal agency to spend a specific number of dollars funding a specific project or program in a specific place. Earmarks increase the overall amount of federal spending and limit the discretion of state and local governments to direct funds to areas and projects the local governments deem appropriate.

Cost: Citizens Against Government Waste identified 9,963 pork barrel projects in the appropriations bills enacted for fiscal year 2006. These earmarks will cost taxpayers $29 billion. In 1987, President Ronald Reagan vetoed a transportation bill that included 152 earmarks, totaling $1.4 billion. Last year, President Bush signed a transportation bill that contained 6,371 earmarks, totaling $24 billion.

Constitutional provision: House Appropriations Committee Spokesman John Scofield pointed to Article 1, Section 7, of the Constitution, which authorizes Congress to pass all otherwise constitutional laws for the federal government.

9 (Tie). Davis-Bacon Act

Started when: 1931

By whom: President Hoover signed a bill sponsored by Rep. Robert Bacon (R.-N.Y.) and Sen. James J. Davis (R.-Pa.)

Why: According to a study by the Senate Republican Policy Committee, the law was designed to address what its big labor supporters described as the "growing menace" of black workers who were depressing the wages of employees working for government contractors. American Federation of Labor President William Green, who supported Davis-Bacon, testified in Congress: "Colored labor is being brought in to demoralize wages." And Rep. John Cochran (D.-Mo.) said: "I have received numerous complaints in recent months about Southern contractors employing low-paid colored mechanics, getting work and bringing in employers from the South."

What it does: Requires contractors on government jobs to pay workers no less than the "prevailing" local wage for the type of labor they perform. The Labor Department, in consultation with union officials and major contractors, determines the "prevailing" wage (which is usually the local union wage) for all types of labor in all regions of the country. This works to the disadvantage of non-union workers and small contractors who could otherwise out-compete larger competitors and unionized competitors.

Cost: The Senate Republican Policy Committee estimates that Davis-Bacon increases the cost of federal construction projects by as much as 38%.

Constitutional provision: No response from the Labor Department

I take it you REALLY love the Federal Reserve....you know the Federal Reserve, run by Private banks...you know, the ones that charge interest to the government for our $$$$...interesting stuff there...no pun intended!  gotta love out brain children politicians for that one!

I have to console myself with the fact that most of these programs were intiated by Democratic presidents and/or congress, and I didn't vote for any of those people.
My problem is that now my children and I get to inheret the fallout from the "brain trusts" that thought they were a good idea at the time.  Social Security, for example.  Let me take my own money and invest it in some good mutual funds that will take care of me when I retire.  Give me my 14% or whatever it is and see if I can turn it into some real estate holdings, rental properties, stocks, annuities, anything I wish.  If people had to rely on their own fiscal responsibility for retirement instead of the government, it might make them think twice about buying the big-screen TV when they don't have enough left over for the rent...
...and how did the federal government finance things BEFORE there was an income tax?  Now don't get me wrong- I don't mind paying my government to take care of things that I can't do on my own.  There aren't any Iraqi war planes flying over my house, so I don't mind giving some money to the feds to fund the Defense Department.  ...and I have good highways to drive on, with a nice fire department and police force to keep me safe, so I don't mind paying for that either.  My kids will go to a good public school; I don't mind paying tax dollars for that.  I don't like paying taxes for programs that fund a study to investigate the mating habits of the Arctic snow fox...  Freezer might get some benefit out of that, living in Minot, but I won't...

No benefit here from Snow Fox mating habits, but plenty from farm subsidies, defense spending and, strangely, the Davis Bacon act.  Probably a pile from Social Security as well.

I'd like to take a moment to thank all of you for your tax dollars  :-D.

A lot of liberals I've met can't even spell 'entitlement,' but they sure know one when they see one... :-D

Top 10 Most Ridiculous Quotes by Hillary Clinton

by Thomas D. Kuiper
The following quotes are my 10 favorive from my new book, "I've Always Been a Yankees Fan: Hillary Clinton In Her Own Words."

10. "It's been said, and I think it's accurate, that my husband was obsessed by terrorism in general and al-Qaida in particular."

(Hillary telling a post-9/11 world what a great commander in chief her husband was; Dateline, NBC 4/16/2004.)

9. "I have to admit that a good deal of what my husband and I have learned [about Islam] has come from our daughter."

(Circa 1996, at a White House function, Hillary proudly tells some Muslim groups she is gaining a greater appreciation of Islam because Chelsea was then taking a class on the "religion of peace"; TruthInMedia.org 8/8/1999.)

Note: See No. 4. Muslim groups, with ties to Hamas, were welcomed at the Clinton White House. But not Republicans.

8. "Many of you are well enough off that [President Bush's] tax cuts may have helped you. We're saying that for America to get back on track, we're probably going to cut that short and not give it to you. We're going to have to take things away from you on behalf of the common good."

(Hillary to her fellow liberals in a speech in San Francisco; SFGate.com 6/28/2004.)

7. "Why do I have to keep proving to people that I am not a liar?"

(First Lady Hillary in her 2000 Senate campaign; "The Survivor," p. 382, by John Harris.)

6. "A right-wing network was after his presidency...including perverting the Constitution."

(To Barbara Walters about the Republicans who impeached her husband; 20/20, ABC 6/8/2003.)

Note: Even though it is common knowledge what Clinton did with Monica Lewinsky and a cigar, Hillary claims the Republicans are the perverts.

5. "Son of a bitch."

(Hillary's opinion of President George W. Bush when she found out he secretly visited Iraq just days before her highly publicized trip to Iraq; "American Evita," p. 259, by Christopher Anderson.)

4. "What are you doing inviting these people into my home? These people are our enemies! They are trying to destroy us!"
(Hillary's reaction to an aide, when she found out that some Republicans had been invited to the Clinton White House, circa 1993; "The Survivor," p. 99, by John Harris.)

Note: She said this just months after Islamic terrorists bombed the World Trade Center, attempting to kill everyone at the WTC complex.

3. "I mean, you've got a conservative and right-wing press presence with really nothing on the other end of the political spectrum."

(Hillary complains about the mainstream media, which are all conservatives in her opinion; aired on C-Span, 1/19/1997.)

2. "Come on Bill, put your dick up. You can't **** her here."

(Hillary to Gov. Clinton when she spots him talking with an attractive female at an Arkansas political rally; "Inside The White House," p. 243, by Ronald Kessler.)

1. "You sold out, you mother******! You sold out."

(While an intern on Capitol Hill, Hillary Rodham yells at a prominent Democrat lawyer because he was representing someone from a large, profit-driven corporation; "Inside," p. 213, by Joseph Califano.)

Top 10 Conservative Cities
Ranked by the editors of HUMAN EVENTS.

10. Cincinnati, Ohio
Home of GOP Rep. Steve Chabot (ACU lifetime: 98%; 2005: 96%) who won his seat by campaigning for the balanced budget amendment and against abortion. Only Ohio Republican to oppose prescription-drug bill. Called "too conservative" by Democrat opponents, but city's district has re-elected him five times. Boasts conservative Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell as a former mayor.

9. Boise, Idaho
Boise's 2nd District is described as "one of America's most Republican districts" by The Almanac of American Politics. Represented by Mike Simpson (ACU lifetime: 90%; 2005: 92%), who replaced conservative former Rep. Mike Crapo when he ran for the Senate. Conservative former Senator-turned Governor-turned Secretary of Interior Dirk Kempthorne was once mayor.

8. Mesa, Ariz.
Founded by Mormons. Republican Jeff Flake (ACU lifetime: 94%; 2005: 96%), who led the fight for Arizona's charter school law and favors eliminating the income tax and creating a national sales tax, represents Mesa's district. The Almanac of American Politics says, "The district's cultural tone is resolutely middle class, hard-working and churchgoing. By most measures it is the most Republican district in Republican Arizona."

7. Clarksville, Tenn.
Home of Fort Campbell (though the Post Office is in Kentucky, a majority of the base is actually in Tennessee). Represented by reliably anti-tax GOPer Marsha Blackburn (ACU lifetime: 97%; 2005: 100%), who organized rallies to oppose a state income tax and won her seat by running as a pro-life, pro-military and pro-2nd Amendment conservative.

6. Wichita, Kan.
Has sent Republican Rep. Todd Tiahrt (ACU lifetime: 97%; 2005: 96%) to the U.S. House since the 1994 GOP revolution when he defeated longtime Democratic Rep. Dan Glickman. Tiahrt was raised a Democrat but found that his strong religious views were more in line with the Republican Party. Protection of gun rights has been a major local issue and is one of Tiahrt's signature agenda items.

5. Colorado Springs, Colo.
Location of the Air Force Academy, Fort Carson, Peterson Air Force Base and Schriver Air Force Base. Represented by GOP Rep. Joel Hefley (ACU lifetime: 95%; 2005: 84%). Home of James Dobson's Focus on the Family. The Almanac of American Politics calls this "birthplace of Colorado's anti-tax initiatives" "a center of conservative Christianity, the home of Colorado's young conservatism, the counterpoint to Denver's aging liberalism."

4. Abilene, Tex.
City's 19th District is represented by Republican Rep. Randy Neugebauer (ACU lifetime: 93%; 2005: 100%) who defeated longtime Democrat Rep. Charlie Stenholm. Cultural leaning heavily influenced by the three religiously affiliated private universities there: Abilene Christian University, Hardin-Simmons University, and McMurry University.

3. Oklahoma City, Okla.
Very much a pro-oil city. According to The Almanac of American Politics, "Oil rigs were pumping crude on the grounds of the then-domeless Capitol until 1989; a derrick still stands sentinel outside the governor's window." Represented by GOP Rep. Ernest Istook (ACU lifetime: 94%; 2005: 96%) who says, "Oklahoma has the kind of values that the rest of the nation needs to have."

2. Plano, Tex.
Has one of the most conservative congressmen, Republican Sam Johnson (ACU lifetime: 99%; 2005: 96%), who opposes all pork, was a founder of the conservative Republican Study Committee, sponsors a constitutional amendment to repeal the 16th Amendment every Congress and has been easily re-elected since taking office in 1991. City has not raised tax rates for more than 15 years.

1. Provo, Utah
Represented by Republican Chris Cannon (ACU lifetime rating: 97%; 2005: 100%). Home of conservative Brigham Young University. Named "Most Conservative City" by non-partisan Bay Area Center for Voting Research in 2005. According to New York Sun, Provo Mayor Lewis Billings responded to city's conservative title by noting that "around 75% of [Provo] residents ... are members" of the Mormon Church and that "I don't think people in our community will be all that surprised. We are what we are."

Top 10 Liberal Cities
Ranked by the editors of HUMAN EVENTS.

10. Seattle, Wash.
Well known for its environmentalist population. Home of Democrat Rep. Jim McDermott (ACU lifetime: 2%; 2005: 0%) who once claimed Saddam Hussein is more credible than President Bush and omitted the words "under God" when leading the Pledge of Allegiance on the House floor. Location of Clinton's 1999 WTO meetings marked by rioters protesting globalism, where more than 500 people were arrested.

9. Newark, N.J.
One of the most densely populated and crime-ridden cities in the country. Liberal Democratic Rep. Donald Payne (ACU lifetime: 3%; 2005: 0%), who has been easily reelected since taking office in 1998, said the war in Iraq could "have been avoided through diplomacy" and defended Kofi Annan in oil-for-food scandals. Easily the most liberal city in the Democratic enclave of New Jersey.

8. Berkeley, Calif.
Known as home to liberal University of California. Represented by Democratic Rep. Barbara Lee (ACU lifetime: 4%; 2005 4%). Denied rent subsidy to the Sea Scouts because its parent organization, the Boy Scouts, excludes gays and atheists. According to The Almanac of American Politics, city council in 2004 passed resolution demanding "censure of President Bush for a litany of grievances."

7. Madison, Wis.
Represented by Democrat Tammy Baldwin (ACU lifetime: 3%; 2005: 0%), a public lesbian who has pushed for extension of hate crime protection to people victimized because of gender, sexual orientation and disabilities. City Council supported a "cities for peace" resolution before the Iraq War began. Was one of 24 Wisconsin cities that supported a "Bring the Troops Home Now" referendum advocating immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.

6. Portland, Ore.
A "livable community" that enacted an "urban growth boundary" that has caused high housing costs in the city that champions a regional light rail transit system, curbside recycling and land use planning, attracting political and cultural liberals. Democratic Rep. Earl Blumenauer (ACU lifetime: 5%; 2005: 4%), who represents the city, pushes a far-left environmental agenda.

5. Washington, D.C.
A reliably Democratic city that has three electoral votes in every presidential election. Known for irresponsible, bloated government run by liberal Democrats. Handguns banned, residents effectively prohibited from using guns to defend themselves in their homes.

4. Detroit, Mich.
Home of liberal Democratic Representatives Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (ACU lifetime: 5%) and John Conyers (ACU lifetime: 5%). The first "automobile city" in America, now known for its high crime rate and unemployment. The Almanac of American Politics notes that it was "a city where liberal reformers hoped to create model anti-poverty and anti-discrimination programs." Named "Most Liberal City" by non-partisan Bay Area Center for Voting Research in 2005.

3. New York, N.Y.
Represented by several leftists, including Jerry Nadler, Gregory Meeks, Anthony Weiner and Charlie Rangel, 20 of New York's 29 representatives earned an "F" grade from the NTU. According to Guttmacher Institute, has double the national average of abortions. Still attempting to sue the gun industry and requires firearm registration on top of the state's already restrictive handgun licensing law.

2. Boston, Mass.
Once represented by liberal Democrat Tip O'Neill, Boston (8th District) is now represented by Democrat Michael Capuano (ACU lifetime: 5%; 2005: 4%). The Almanac of American Politics labels the 8th District "by far the most Democratic district" in liberal Massachusetts. Mayor Thomas Menino blames city's crime problem on guns from New Hampshire.

1. San Francisco, Calif.
The home of liberal Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (ACU lifetime rating: 3%; 2005: 0%) once claimed leftist Democrat Sen. Dianne Feinstein as its mayor. Current Mayor Gavin Newsom gave out same-sex marriage licenses in 2004 in violation of a state law. Board of Supervisors banned smoking in public parks, passed a resolution urging impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Cheney and refused to accept the World War II battleship U.S.S. Iowa. Voters approved a handgun ban last November.

Top 10 Da Vinci Code Distortions
by Robert H. Knight

Concerned Women for America released a paper titled "The Top 10 Da Vinci Code Distortions," which sets the record straight on the many lies found in Dan Brown's best-selling book The Da Vinci Code, which comes to theaters on May 19 in a film starring Tom Hanks and directed by Ron Howard.

Below are 10 false claims Brown makes in The Da Vinci Code.

10. Walt Disney was a devotee of the Mary Magdalene cult.

9. The Bible is an ever-changing, living document, not the established Word of God.

8. The "sacred feminine" was at the heart of the early church but was suppressed.

7. The Catholic group Opus Dei is a dangerous, secretive group.

6. Mary Magdalene, not the Apostle John, is to the left of Jesus in The Last Supper.

5. Jesus did not die on the cross but married Mary Magdalene and had children with her.

4. The Da Vinci Code is based on fact, including secret documents found in Paris.

3. The New Testament Gospels are false, unlike the so-called "Gnostic Gospels."

2. The church did not regard Jesus as divine until the 325 A.D. Council of Nicea.

1. Jesus Christ was just a man and not God.

Just another movie trying to distort the Truth.

Quote from: docbyers on 04-10-2006 -- 12:20:06
I have to console myself with the fact that most of these programs were intiated by Democratic presidents and/or congress, and I didn't vote for any of those people.
My problem is that now my children and I get to inheret the fallout from the "brain trusts" that thought they were a good idea at the time.  Social Security, for example.  Let me take my own money and invest it in some good mutual funds that will take care of me when I retire.  Give me my 14% or whatever it is and see if I can turn it into some real estate holdings, rental properties, stocks, annuities, anything I wish.  If people had to rely on their own fiscal responsibility for retirement instead of the government, it might make them think twice about buying the big-screen TV when they don't have enough left over for the rent...
...and how did the federal government finance things BEFORE there was an income tax?  Now don't get me wrong- I don't mind paying my government to take care of things that I can't do on my own.  There aren't any Iraqi war planes flying over my house, so I don't mind giving some money to the feds to fund the Defense Department.  ...and I have good highways to drive on, with a nice fire department and police force to keep me safe, so I don't mind paying for that either.  My kids will go to a good public school; I don't mind paying tax dollars for that.  I don't like paying taxes for programs that fund a study to investigate the mating habits of the Arctic snow fox...  Freezer might get some benefit out of that, living in Minot, but I won't...

OK NOW LETS TALK ABOUT ALL THE PROBLEMS CREATED BY THE FOLKS YOU DID VOTE FOR!!! :-D

I will admit that the government under President Bush hasn't always done such a great job, BUT, we have had no more terrorist attacks since 9/11, and my taxes have gone down, so I don't feel too bad about their performance.  The economy is booming even with gas at $3/gallon- takes some good fiscal policy to make that work!

Before 2003, capital gains were taxed at 20% for people who paid income taxes in the 25% bracket or higher (i.e., any single person who made more than $30,650 in taxable income and any couple who made more than $61,300), and at 10% for people in the lower income brackets. Dividends were taxed at the regular income tax rates, which run as high as 35%. The 2003 tax cut dropped the rates on both capital gains and dividends to 15% and 5%, with the 5% rate (for people in the lower income brackets) dropping to 0% in 2008. These lower capital gains and dividend tax rates, however, were all scheduled to expire at the end of 2008.

After the capital gains and dividend tax rates were cut, two things happened: 1) Federal revenues derived from capital gains and dividend taxes increased, according to the Wall Street Journal, by 79% and 35% respectively. 2) The economy boomed, spurring a growth in jobs and income for American workers.

Unemployment is now at a remarkably low 4.7%, lower than the average unemployment rates for the last three decades. In the first quarter of this year, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the economy grew at a 4.8% annual rate. Consumer spending increased 5.5%. Business investment in new equipment and software increased 16.4%.

Real disposable personal income increased 6.7% in the last quarter of last year and 3.2% in the first quarter of this year.

I don't think Sen. Kerry would have performed as well...  I'd like someone, anyone, to tell me what the Democrats have fixed in the last 50 years, a problem solved that didn't have all kinds of ripple-effect that screwed it up even worse than it was before...

Top Ten Old West Phrases That Will Never Sound The Same After That Damned Gay Cowboy Movie

1. "I'm gonna pump you fulla lead!"
2. "Give me a stiff one, barkeep!"
3. "Don't fret---I've been in tight spots before."
4. "Howdy, pardner."
5. You stay here while I sneak around from behind."
6. Two words: "Saddle Sore."
7. "Hold it right there!  Now, move your hand, reeeal slow-like."
8. "Let's mount up!"
9. "Nice spread ya got there!"
10. "Ride'em cowboy!"

Awe man.

Quote from: flew-da-coup on 05-23-2006 -- 20:48:27
Awe man.

Is that another old west phrase? :?

Yep.

Top 10 Reasons to Oppose Amnesty Bill
by Sen. Jim DeMint

10. Weak Assimilation/English Requirements

The Senate approved Sen. James Inhofe's (R.-Okla.) amendment to make English the national language and require those seeking citizenship to demonstrate English proficiency and understanding of U.S. history. However, a far weaker amendment by Sen. Ken Salazar (D.-Colo.) gutted the Inhofe amendment, leaving it in doubt, and also giving immigrants the right to demand the federal government communicate with them in any language they choose.

9. Gives Some Immigrant Workers Greater Job Protection Than American Workers

As reported by Robert Novak of Chicago Sun Times on May 24, 2006: "The bill supposedly would protect American workers by ensuring that new immigrants would not take away jobs. However, the bill's definition of 'United States worker' includes temporary foreign guest workers, so the protection is meaningless... Foreign guest farm workers, admitted under the bill, cannot be 'terminated from employment by any employer ... except for just cause.' In contrast, American ag workers can be fired for any reason."

8. Hurts Small Business

The Senate approved an amendment by Sen. Barack Obama (D.-Ill.) extending Davis-Bacon "prevailing wage" provisions for guest workers, but not American citizens, in all occupations covered by Davis-Bacon (currently limited to federally paid work). Small businesses would be forced to pay inflated wages to guest workers above the pay American citizens receive for performing the same work.

7. Costs Over $50 Billion a Year to Federal Government; States Foot the Bill for Immigrant Health Care

Robert Rector of the Heritage Foundation described the bill as a "fiscal catastrophe," and has said the measure would prove to be the largest expansion of government welfare in 35 years. According to Rector, the bill would increase long-term federal spending by at least $50 billion a year.

The Senate bill does not reimburse state and local governments for health care and education costs related to the millions of undocumented immigrants. While the underlying bill creates a state impact assistance account for future temporary workers, it is an unfunded account.

6. Social Security Benefits, Tax Credits for Illegal Work

The Senate rejected Sen. John Ensign's (R.-Nev.) amendment that would have prevented Social Security benefits from being awarded to immigrants for time that they worked illegally in the United States. If the immigration compromise bill before the Senate were enacted into law, an estimated 12 million illegal workers would be able to use their past illegal work to qualify for Social Security benefits.

Provisions in S. 2611 would require newly legalized immigrants to file tax returns for work they performed while in the U.S. illegally. And while some would be required to pay back taxes, many others could qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit, which has a maximum payout of $4,400 per year.

5. Terrorist Loophole Disarms Law Enforcement

Heritage Foundation reported May 24, 2006: "The Senate's immigration reform proposal ... would restrict local police to arresting aliens for criminal violations of immigration law only, not civil violations. The results would be disastrous. All of the hijackers on (9/11) who committed immigration violations committed civil violations. Under the bill, police officers would have no power to arrest such terrorists."

4. Insufficient Border Security

The Senate rejected an amendment by Sen. Johnny Isakson (R.-Ga.) that would have prohibited the implementation of any guest-worker program that grants legal status to those who have entered the country illegally until the Secretary of Homeland Security has certified to the President and to the Congress that the border security provisions in the immigration legislation are fully funded and operational.

While the Senate adopted Sen. Jeff Sessions' (R.-Ala.) amendment to increase "real fencing" by 370 miles and add 500 miles of vehicle barriers, the House passed a bill requiring at least 700 miles of "real fencing", a more likely needed amount to secure the 2,000 mile long border.

3. Unprecedented Wave of Immigrants: 66 Million Over 20 Years

This bill is estimated to skyrocket the number of immigrants, from its current level of 19 million over the next 20 years, to an unprecedented number. Heritage Foundation: "...

• ur estimate of the number of legal immigrants who would enter the country or would gain legal status under S. 2611 ... [would be] 66 million over the next 20 years."
  
  2. Creates Temporary Worker Program That Is Neither Temporary Nor Work-Based
  
  The bill's guest worker program would allow millions of illegal immigrants to qualify for permanent green cards within four years. Additionally, the Senate approved Sen. Teddy Kennedy's (D.-Mass.) amendment that each year would allow up to 200,000 immigrants who cross the border illegally and work just 6 days a year (including self employment) to qualify for a permanent green card.
  
  1. Rewards Illegal Behavior with Clear Path to Citizenship and Voting Rights: Amnesty
  
  As noted by former Attorney General Ed Meese in the New York Times on May 24, 2006: "Like the amnesty bill of 1986, the current Senate proposal would place those who have resided illegally in the United States on a path to citizenship, provided they meet a similar set of conditions and pay a fine and back taxes. The illegal immigrant does not go to the back of the line but gets immediate legalized status, while law-abiding applicants wait in their home countries for years to even get here. And that's the line that counts. In the end, slight differences in process do not change the overriding fact that the 1986 law and today's bill are both amnesties."

Ten Worst Border-Security Congressmen
Ranked by the editors of HUMAN EVENTS.

10. Sen. Mike DeWine (R.-Ohio)(This one's mine- my apologies!)
Judiciary Committee member, voted for amnesty for agricultural workers and for spouses and children of illegals. Co-sponsored in-state tuition bill for illegals. Opposed increasing funding for Border Patrol and adding more ICE agents.

9. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D.-Vt.)
Ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Worked with Sen. Specter on his amnesty-granting immigration bill and called building a fence along the United States border a "cockamamie" idea.

8. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D.-Ill.)
Co-sponsor of the House version of McCain-Kennedy. Roll Call reported that after a live debate on CNBC with immigration hawk Rep. Tom Tancredo (R.-Colo.) Guirerrez asked, "Have you ever eaten in a restaurant?" mocked Tancredo by saying, "How could you eat from the plates touched by those nasty illegal immigrants?" and called Tancredo a "racist" and "bigot."

7. Rep. Howard Berman (D.-Calif.)
Accused Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R.-Wis.) of "playing to the cheap seats" with his bill to construct a border fence. Co-ponsored legislation to increase amnesties for spouses and children of illegals.

6. Rep. John Conyers (D.-Mich.)
Co-sponsored legislation to grant amnesty to illegal aliens with a family member or employer willing to sponsor them. Will assume Judiciary chairmanship if Democrats win control of the House in November.

5. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D.-Calif.)
Consistently opposes any restrictions on immigration. Calls measures to criminalize illegal immigrants and those who assist them "draconian and inhumane." Co-sponsored the SOLVE Act with Rep. Gutierrez to create a temporary guest-worker program.

4. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D.-N.Y.)
Once said she was "adamantly against illegal immigrants," now supports legalizing the 11 million illegals living in the U.S. Has vowed to block any bill criminalizing illegal immigration, suggested the House immigration bill would have made Jesus a criminal.

3. Sen. Arlen Specter (R.-Pa.)
Judiciary Chairman, introduced a bill to convert illegal aliens into legal guest-workers for six years without first making them return to their home country and to allow more temporary workers and their families into the United States.

2. Sen. Teddy Kennedy (D.-Mass.)
Cosponsoring legislation with McCain to grant amnesty to illegal aliens and has repeatedly supported amnesty efforts. Favors giving illegal students amnesty and a free college education.

1. Sen. John McCain (R.-Ariz.)
Lead sponsor with Teddy Kennedy of a bill to grant amnesty to illegal aliens. Joined Hillary Clinton, Kennedy and Charles Schumer expressing gratitude to a group of illegal Irish aliens for their actions to lobby Congress for amnesty.

Top 10 Liberal Commencement Speakers of 2006

10. Gen. Wesley Clark—Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Clark told students: "I'm trying to help Dems take back the House ... We have a Congress now that's not fulfilling its constitutional duties ... asking the tough questions of the Executive Branch." The speech was a direct contradiction of comments he has made in years past, including his support of President Bush.

9. Gustavo Esteva—University of Vermont

Esteva, a self-described Marxist, told students that being "tolerant" after September 11 isn't enough. Instead, Esteva said to embrace "those who are radically different." Esteva, however, did not distinguish between embracing those with differences and embracing the radical Muslims who murdered nearly 3,000 innocent Americans.

8. Former Los Angeles Times Editor John S. Carroll—Penn State University

Carroll spends his time writing books including House of War, which reads like a Noam Chomsky primer. Carroll outrageously writes, "America's mid-twentieth century initiation into world power was as much in the state of mortal sin as its birth in slavery had been."

7.  Activist Marian Wright Edelman—Emory University

President and founder of the sanctimoniously named Children's Defense Fund, Edelman believes terrorism and the lack of health care are first cousins, writing: "The inability to get health care because people lack insurance kills less traumatically and less visibly than terrorism, but the result is the same" and "[P]oor housing and poor education and low wages kill the spirit and the capacity and the quality of life that all of us deserve."

6.  Activist Harriet Mayor Fulbright—Stevens Institute of Technology

The wife of the late Sen. J. William Fulbright (D.-Ark.), Mrs. Fulbright shares her husband's love for intrusive government. On her website, Fulbright writes that America needs "to wage war on starvation and discrimination," not mentioning the failure of Lyndon Johnson's "war on poverty."   

5. New York Times Columnist Paul Krugman—Clark University

Krugman's commencement impartation compared Nixon's Watergate to President Bush's NSA phone-tapping program. Krugman endorsed impeachment hearings for the President in 2007.

4. MSNBC Host Chris Matthews—Fordham University

Fordham's idea of a respectable journalist is Chris Matthews. Recall that Matthews' idea of respectable journalism was asking anti-American actress Jane Fonda how she stepped "out of being an American" to observe that "the 'Vietnamese were objectively the good guys.'"

3. Illinois Sen. Barack Obama—Northwestern University

Obama is an up-and-coming Socialist in the left's ranks who pushes the usual victim mentality argument and proposes large government solutions.   

2. Archbishop Desmond Tutu—The College of William and Mary

Tutu, an aging Socialist, informed students that Western nations are stingy with their wealth and aid to Africa. Tutu, who received his Nobel Peace Prize a decade before Yasser Arafat received his, said that he was critical of "governments that spend more money on war than on ending hunger."

1. Former President Bill Clinton—Princeton University

Clinton is a shoo-in to be the No. 1 liberal commencement speaker. His address will most likely be a slick way for the former President to entertain college-aged females.

Top 10 Junk Science Scams

The website JunkScience.com celebrated its 10th anniversary on April 1, 2006. To mark the event, this column spotlights 10 big junk science stories of the last 10 years. In no particular order, they are:

10. The Mother of All Junk Science Controversies

The most important junk science story of the last 10 years is global warming. Though climate varies naturally and ongoing climate change is within that natural variation, the global warming lobby seems bent on railroading us into economy-killing regulation. The Kyoto Protocol is being ignored by its EU signatories. Global warmers admit that the drastic and impossible step of halting all greenhouse gas emissions would have no impact on climate. Sky-high energy prices threaten our economy. Yet many yearn for global warming regulation.

9. Choking on Chips

Swedish scientists alarmed us in April 2002 that cooking high-carbohydrate foods -- like potatoes and bread -- formed acrylamide, a substance linked with cancer in lab animals. But even if lab animals were reasonable predictors of cancer risk in humans -- a notion yet to be validated -- someone of average bodyweight would have to eat 35,000 potato chips (about 62.5 pounds) per day for life to get an equivalent dose of acrylamide as the lab animals.

8. PETA: Milk Drinking Makes for Future Felons

With its web site repeatedly alluding to acts of animal cruelty committed in childhood as being predictors of adult criminality, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sponsored in-school curricula teaching children that eating meat and drinking milk constitutes "animal cruelty." PETA's "Milk-Stealing Ming," for example, was depicted with his mouth attached to an unhappy cow's udder, alongside a "wanted poster" describing his crimes and exclaiming, "cows make milk for their babies, not for maniacs like Ming."

7. 'Ear-ie' Biotech Scare

"Who plays God in the 21st century?" captioned an October 11, 1999 full-page ad in the New York Times attacking genetic engineering. Placed by a coalition including Greenpeace and the Sierra Club, the ad featured a photo of a shaved laboratory mouse with what looks like a human ear attached to its back. The caption stated, "This is an actual photo of a genetically engineered mouse with a human ear on its back." As it turned out, it wasn't a real ear and it had nothing to do with genetic engineering. A template in the shape of a human ear was seeded with human cartilage cells and surgically implanted on the back of a mouse. The cartilage cells grew into the ear-like structure. The technology's purpose is to help children who are either born without ears or who lose their ears through injury.

6. Obesity Statistics Lose Weight

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention added to our bodyweight panic in 2004 by announcing that obesity kills 400,000 people annually, a number approaching the death toll attributed to smoking (440,000). Criticism of the estimate from CDC's own statisticians caused the agency in 2005 to back-off the estimate -- adjusting it downward by 93 percent to 25,814 annual deaths.

5. Secret Science?

EPA air pollution rules issued in 1997 governing airborne particulate matter (soot) are estimated to cost $10 billion annually. The EPA claimed soot in ambient air causes tens of thousands of premature deaths every year. Congress asked EPA to disclose the scientific data underlying the claims. EPA refused. A subsequently enacted law requiring that taxpayer-funded scientific data used to support regulation be made available to the public through the Freedom of Information Act has yet to be enforced. The EPA is preparing to make those very same rules even more stringent.

4. Hormone Hysterics

Tulane University researchers published a 1996 study claiming that combinations of manmade chemicals (pesticides and PCBs) disrupted normal hormonal processes, causing everything from cancer to infertility to attention deficit disorder. Media, regulators and environmentalists hailed the study as "astonishing." Indeed it was as it turned out to be fraud, according to an October 2001 report by federal investigators. Though the study was retracted from publication, the law it spawned wasn't and continues to be enforced by the EPA.

3. Powerline Scare Unplugged

Fears that electric and magnetic fields (EMFs) created by power lines and appliances caused cancer started in 1978. Parents worried about power lines over schools. Consumers worried about electric blankets. Power companies worried about burying power lines. The National Academy of Sciences finally unplugged the scare in October 1996, concluding that no evidence showed EMFs presented a health hazard.

2. Dial "F" for Fear

Since the 1993 Larry King Live broadcast featuring a man suing a cell phone maker claiming his wife died from a cell phone-induced brain cancer, many cell phones users have worried about phone safety. But studies failed to identify any risk. The final blow to the scare came in 2002 when notorious trial lawyer Peter Angelos' $800 million lawsuit -- alleging a Maryland physician's brain cancer was caused by cell phone use -- was dismissed (like the 1993 suit) for lack of evidence.

1. The Most Toxic Manmade Chemical?

That's what some called dioxin, a by-product of natural and industrial combustion processes and the "contaminant of concern" in the Vietnam-era defoliant known as Agent Orange. Billions of dollars have been spent studying and regulating dioxin, but debunking the scare only cost a few thousand dollars. Keying off Ben & Jerry's claim on its ice cream packages that "there is no safe exposure to dioxin," we tested Ben & Jerry's ice cream and found that a single serving contained about 200 times the dioxin that the Environmental Protection Agency says is "safe" -- and who's afraid of Ben & Jerry's?

Quote from: docbyers on 06-06-2006 -- 07:30:42
Top 10 Junk Science Scams
8. PETA: Milk Drinking Makes for Future Felons

With its web site repeatedly alluding to acts of animal cruelty committed in childhood as being predictors of adult criminality, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sponsored in-school curricula teaching children that eating meat and drinking milk constitutes "animal cruelty." PETA's "Milk-Stealing Ming," for example, was depicted with his mouth attached to an unhappy cow's udder, alongside a "wanted poster" describing his crimes and exclaiming, "cows make milk for their babies, not for maniacs like Ming."

We should send PETA to Iran.

PETA , where the men are girls and the girls are men. Homo group. A bunch of sissies.

Bunch of meat haters. :x

yeah, meataphobes :x

I subscribe to the anti-thesis of PETA: Prefer Eating Tasty Animals

Quote from: docbyers on 06-07-2006 -- 12:24:58
I subscribe to the anti-thesis of PETA: Prefer Eating Tasty Animals

I agree with that one, Doc. :-D

I gotta get Flynn up here to do some grillin' for me!

Flynn, time to visit the Air Force Museum in Dayton; you can camp out at my place while you're here!

Flynn's too busy working overtime. :-D

I love animals, They taste great. :evil:

God makes cow, man make BBQ.  What more do you want?

Quote from: cobychuck on 06-08-2006 -- 12:08:53
God makes cow, man make BBQ.  What more do you want?

Biblically supported in Genesis 1:26-28

From "The Late Show"

Top Ten Surprises In Al Gore's Global Warming Movie


10. The role of Al Gore was played by Bruce Willis

9. During summer months, Al and Tipper host nude barbecues

8. Hilarious outtake of Al Gore saying, "Wobal Glarming"

7. It's a musical

6. Refers to Arizona as being "Hotter than Tipper's ass"

5. Claims global warming melted Kenny Rogers' face

4. Blames the crisis on a creepy Albino

3. The scientist who supports all his claims is Al Gore in a mustache

2. Best solution is to contribute heavily to Gore-In-2008.com

1. It felt longer than the Florida recount

From "The Late Show"

Top Ten Questions George W. Bush Asked The New CIA Director

10. "How many national security threats can you ignore per minute?"

9. "Any chance the 'A' in 'CIA' stands for 'Anchovies'?"

8. "How many years experience do you have sitting on your ass doing nothing?"

7. "Do you prefer being called 'dude' or 'dawg'?"

6. "Can we speed this up? I wanna see 'RV'."

5. "Is Cialis right for you?"

4. "Can you explain to me what the hell is happening on 'Lost'?"

3. "So, do you speak Iraqian?"

2. "What would it take to make Letterman disappear?"

1. "Can you get me some surveillance photos of Jessica Alba sunbathing?"

Quote from: cobychuck on 06-08-2006 -- 12:08:53
God makes cow, man make BBQ.  What more do you want?

I'd like some corn on the cob and some mashed potatoes please. :-D

Side items are a waste of good stomach space. More meat please.

I'm an omnivore. I need me veggies. :-D

The Top 8 Reasons Why Hillary Clinton Is a Weaker Candidate Than People Think
by John Hawkins

We've heard a lot about why Hillary Clinton will be a strong candidate in 2008. In fact, there are whole books on the subject.

However, Hillary Clinton is actually a much weaker candidate than many people seem to believe. Here's a short, but sweet primer that may help explain why that is the case:

1. Likeability and Charisma

If you look back at the last eight presidential elections, at least, the more likeable candidate has won every time. That's unfortunate for Hillary because unlike her slick, gregarious husband, she does not have the gift of gab or a warm personality. If Hillary has to pass the old, "Gee, would I rather go to a ball game, grab some pizza, or get a beer with Hillary or the Republican candidate," test, she's going to be in a lot of trouble unless the person asking the question is wearing a tinfoil hat or is such a radical lefty that she has a "I (heart) abortion" bumper sticker on her car.

2. Gaffes

Hillary not only lacks charisma and likeability, she's more gaffe prone than most people seem to realize. For example, back in March she suggested that the illegal immigration bill in the House, "would literally criminalize the Good Samaritan and probably even Jesus himself."

Then there were her wacky comments about school vouchers back in February:

"First family that comes and says 'I want to send my daughter to St. Peter's Roman Catholic School' and you say 'Great, wonderful school, here's your voucher,'" Clinton said. "Next parent that comes and says, 'I want to send my child to the school of the Church of the White Supremacist ...' The parent says, 'The way that I read Genesis, Cain was marked, therefore I believe in white supremacy. ... You gave it to a Catholic parent, you gave it to a Jewish parent, under the Constitution, you can't discriminate against me.'"

As an adoring, if somewhat puzzled, audience of Bronx activists looked on, Clinton added, "So what if the next parent comes and says, 'I want to send my child to the School of the Jihad? ... I won't stand for it."

Criminalizing Jesus? Cain and the Church of the White Supremacist? The School of Jihad? What?!? You put this woman in front of a camera for a year, in a presidential campaign, where every word the candidate utters is scrutinized like the Zapruder tape and she'll give plenty of ammunition to her opponent.

3. She Can't Win in the South

The only two Democratic candidates for the presidency who've won elections since Lyndon Johnson was in office have been two Southern governors, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. Why were they able to win? Because unlike John Kerry or Al Gore, they were able to win southern states. Northern liberals like Hillary? They don't do well in the South and Hillary will have a lot of difficulty reversing that trend. After all, not only is she a liberal, from a liberal state, with a liberal voting record, she apparently disliked living in the South so much that she moved to New York. Good luck connecting with the NASCAR crowd after that Hillary, 'cause you're going to need it!

4. Hillary's Base Problem

Here's a little secret: a lot of liberals don't really want Hillary as their candidate in 2008. Some of them don't like her stance on the war. Others don't like her close relationship with the DLC, which is perceived as being too moderate. There are even some liberals that are probably unhappy with her, as much as anything, because she has been treated like the "chosen one" for the Democrats since the 2004 election.

The result of this is that some of the more hardcore liberal activists aren't thrilled with Hillary's candidacy and they're not shy about saying so. In fact, it has gotten so bad that the more time Democrats spend reading liberal bloggers, the cooler they get to Hillary. That's not exactly the kind of reaction a candidate hopes for from people who should be some of her biggest supporters.

5. Hillary Will Increase Turnout—for the GOP

Remember how the Democrats turned out in droves in 2004 so they could vote against President Bush? Well, the same thing would happen on the Republican side if Hillary were the Democratic nominee. There are few words in the English language more terrifying to Republicans than, "President Hillary Clinton," and it's almost guaranteed that they will turn out in record numbers to make sure it never happens.

6. Hillary as Commander in Chief?

In general, the Democrats have serious credibility problems on national security and Hillary is not going to be the one to reverse that trend. Unlike candidates like John Kerry and Jimmy Carter, she doesn't have a military background to fall back on. Moreover, her husband's administration was lackadaisical about fighting terrorism and although Hillary did vote for the war in Afghanistan and Iraq, she certainly hasn't developed a reputation as a hawk, like say Zell Miller or Joe Lieberman. Although at this point, it's hard to know exactly what the foreign policy landscape will look like in November of 2008, it's unlikely to be tranquil and that will be a major strike against Hillary.

7. Her Polling Numbers Aren't Very Good

Since Hillary has been the frontrunner on the Democratic side from the moment that John Kerry conceded, she has been the subject of a lot of 2008 related polls. Unfortunately for her, those numbers haven't looked particularly good.

For example, In mid-May of this year, Rasmussen Reports had Hillary's unfavorable rating among adults at 39%. Another mid-May poll, from the New York Times, had 34% of Americans viewing her favorably and 35% viewing her unfavorably.

Perhaps that sort of soft support explains the results of a January 2006, CNN/Gallup poll which found that, "By a margin of three to one, Americans say they would "definitely" vote against Hillary Clinton for president."

Given that Hillary already has extremely high name recognition, these bad numbers don't bode well for her chances to win the presidency.

8. Baggage

Hillary is carrying around as much baggage as any of the other five candidates combined, starting with her philandering husband. In fact, there are so many controversies that have swirled around Bill and Hill than you can hardly list them all: Gennifer Flowers, Monica Lewinsky, Paula Jones, Kathleen Willey, Juanita Broderick, Whitewater, selling the Lincoln bedroom, using the IRS against political enemies, selling pardons, taking the White House furniture, shady cattle futures deals, impeachment, firing the travel office staff to make room for cronies, it goes on and on and on. Discount these scandals as old news if you like, but the American people are going to think long and hard before they vote to turn the White House into the sort of sleazy circus sideshow that it was during Bill Clinton's tenure as President.

Conclusion

Although Hillary Clinton would be far from a pushover, she's not an unstoppable juggernaut either. To the contrary, Hillary is a deeply flawed candidate who would have great difficulty beating a credible, conservative Republican. So while it's important not to get overconfident about a potential race against Hillary Clinton, we shouldn't minimize her numerous weaknesses either.

Top 10 Conservative Governors
Ranked by HUMAN EVENTS Political Editor John Gizzi.

10. Mitch Daniels—Indiana

While the former Bush Office of Management and Budget chief upset Indiana conservatives with his call for a temporary tax increase on those earning more than $100,000-per-year (the legislature rejected this), he nonetheless overcame a $645-million deficit with spending cuts. He has also attracted more private-sector business to the state and signed a voter identification measure that infuriated liberals.

9. Mike Rounds—South Dakota

Has made nationwide headlines by pushing a measure to ban all abortions in his state—a move almost certain to lead to the Supreme Court's revisiting Roe v. Wade. Rounds did sign phone tax and cigarette tax increases to deal with a deficit he inherited, but backs his state's no-income tax stand and calls for property-tax relief when the state has more money.

8. Tim Pawlenty—Minnesota

Unchanged on pro-life and other social stands from his days in the legislature, Pawlenty cut more than $171 million from the budget to cover a deficit in '03 and has called for a constitutional limit on the growth of spending.

7. Haley Barbour—Mississippi

The former GOP national chairman never veered from his no-new tax, no government-expansion policies and was a take-charge leader during Hurricane Katrina. But he has disappointed some fans by becoming a visible lobbyist for more federal tax-funded post-Katrina relief.

6. David Heineman—Nebraska

Since succeeding Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns as governor in '05, Heineman has won high marks for vetoing a bill to provide in-state tuition for children of illegal immigrants. His stand was key to his winning the GOP primary this year for a full term over Rep. Tom Osborne, revered former college football coach.

5. Rick Perry—Texas

After serving as George W. Bush's lieutenant governor and then succeeding him as governor in '01, Perry put through a zero-based budget to deal with a $10-billion deficit in '04-05 and has maintained his state's no-income-tax policy. He has proposed a $6-billion property tax cut. Perry is far tougher on border security and illegal immigration than his predecessor.

4. Jon Huntsman—Utah

After less than two years in office, this philanthropist and former Reagan and Bush Administration official has denounced the "No Child Left Behind" federal education scheme, signed a measure to void illegal immigrants' driver's licenses and replace them with a special "driving privilege" card, and supports school vouchers and phasing out the state sales tax on food.

3. Matt Blunt—Missouri

Backed by Republican majorities in both houses of the state legislature, America's youngest (36) governor has successfully pushed for tax cuts as well as slashing the size of government.

2. Bill Owens—Colorado

"A sterling record of fiscal accomplishment" is how the Cato Institute characterized GOPer Owens' six years in office. He backed a state tax and expenditure limit, cut income, capital gains and dividends taxes, and resisted raising taxes when his state had a $850-million deficit in '03. Owens remains strongly pro-life and backed a statewide marriage initiative.

1. Jeb Bush—Florida

Winding up his second term as governor, Bush has signed a tax cut of some kind almost every year he has been in office—from slashing property to intangibles taxes—and not trimmed his pro-life, pro-voucher sails, although his refusal to permit natural gas drilling in the Gulf of Mexico has upset many conservatives. He would be an obvious Republican presidential possibility in '08 were he not following his father and brother.

Top 10 Democrat Sex Scandals in Congress

Information compiled from the Washington Post, "Congressional Sex Scandals in History," and other sources.

10. Sen. Daniel Inouye. The 82-year-old Hawaii Democrat was accused in the 1990s by numerous women of sexual harassment. Democrats cast doubt on the allegations and the Senate Ethics Committee dropped its investigation.

9. Former Rep. Gus Savage. The Illinois Democrat was accused of fondling a Peace Corps volunteer in 1989 while on a trip to Africa. The House Ethics Committee decided against disciplinary action in 1990.

8. Rep. Barney Frank. The outspoken Massachusetts Democrat hired a male prostitute who ran a prostitution service from Frank's residence in the 1980s. Only two Democrats in the House of Representatives voted to censure him in 1990.

7. Former Sen. Brock Adams. The late Washington Democrat was forced to stop campaigning after numerous accusations of drugging, assault and rape, the first surfacing in 1988.

6. Former Rep. Fred Richmond. This New York Democrat was arrested in 1978 for soliciting sex from a 16-year-old. He remained in Congress and won re-election—before eventually resigning in 1982 after pleading guilty to tax evasion and drug possession.

5. Former Rep. John Young. The late Texas Democrat increased the salary of a staffer after she gave in to his sexual advances. The congressman won re-election in 1976 but lost two years later.

4. Former Rep. Wayne Hays. The late Ohio Democrat hired an unqualified secretary reportedly for sexual acts. Although he resigned from Congress, the Democratic House leadership stalled in removing him from the Administration Committee in 1976.

3. Former Rep. Gerry Studds. He was censured for sexual relationship with underage male page in 1983. Massachusetts voters returned him to office for six more terms.

2. Former Rep. Mel Reynolds. The Illinois Democrat was convicted of 12 counts of sexual assault with a 16-year-old. President Bill Clinton pardoned him before leaving office.

1. Sen. Teddy Kennedy. The liberal Massachusetts senator testified in defense of nephew accused of rape, invoking his family history to win over the jury in 1991.

Quote from: docbyers on 10-09-2006 -- 10:00:43
Top 10 Democrat Sex Scandals in Congress

Information compiled from the Washington Post, "Congressional Sex Scandals in History," and other sources.

10. Sen. Daniel Inouye. The 82-year-old Hawaii Democrat was accused in the 1990s by numerous women of sexual harassment. Democrats cast doubt on the allegations and the Senate Ethics Committee dropped its investigation.

9. Former Rep. Gus Savage. The Illinois Democrat was accused of fondling a Peace Corps volunteer in 1989 while on a trip to Africa. The House Ethics Committee decided against disciplinary action in 1990.

8. Rep. Barney Frank. The outspoken Massachusetts Democrat hired a male prostitute who ran a prostitution service from Frank's residence in the 1980s. Only two Democrats in the House of Representatives voted to censure him in 1990.

7. Former Sen. Brock Adams. The late Washington Democrat was forced to stop campaigning after numerous accusations of drugging, assault and rape, the first surfacing in 1988.

6. Former Rep. Fred Richmond. This New York Democrat was arrested in 1978 for soliciting sex from a 16-year-old. He remained in Congress and won re-election—before eventually resigning in 1982 after pleading guilty to tax evasion and drug possession.

5. Former Rep. John Young. The late Texas Democrat increased the salary of a staffer after she gave in to his sexual advances. The congressman won re-election in 1976 but lost two years later.

4. Former Rep. Wayne Hays. The late Ohio Democrat hired an unqualified secretary reportedly for sexual acts. Although he resigned from Congress, the Democratic House leadership stalled in removing him from the Administration Committee in 1976.

3. Former Rep. Gerry Studds. He was censured for sexual relationship with underage male page in 1983. Massachusetts voters returned him to office for six more terms.

2. Former Rep. Mel Reynolds. The Illinois Democrat was convicted of 12 counts of sexual assault with a 16-year-old. President Bill Clinton pardoned him before leaving office.

1. Sen. Teddy Kennedy. The liberal Massachusetts senator testified in defense of nephew accused of rape, invoking his family history to win over the jury in 1991.

What about ol Slick Willy?

This list was only for the congressmen; "Willy" is in a class all by himself!  Whenever I think of him and his escapades, the term "repeat offender" keeps rolling through my mind...

Quote from: docbyers on 10-10-2006 -- 08:14:45
This list was only for the congressmen; "Willy" is in a class all by himself!  Whenever I think of him and his escapades, the term "repeat offender" keeps rolling through my mind...

All my buddies just think he was a pimp... :|

Quote from: PMEL_DEVIL-DOG on 10-10-2006 -- 12:15:25
All my buddies just think he was a pimp... :|

Or a Gigolo! It's funny how some people see his behavior as forgivable and others as reprehensible.

Quote from: K-Rock on 10-10-2006 -- 12:39:26

Quote from: PMEL_DEVIL-DOG on 10-10-2006 -- 12:15:25
All my buddies just think he was a pimp... :|

Or a Gigolo! It's funny how some people see his behavior as forgivable and others as reprehensible.

The Democrats are "godless" (according to Ann Coulter), so they don't subscribe to those old-fashioned ideas about fidelity to your spouse; therefore, Bill's "sins" aren't sins at all, in their eyes.  So it's OK for him to play 'hide the cigar' with an intern; it's a good thing he didn't email a congressional page, though!  That would have really finished him in politics!

"10 Things That Only Happen to Celebrities."

10. The paparazzi take more pictures of your wedding than the official photographer. Just ask TomKat.

9. Pictures of your children are worth millions. There is a tale of two celebrity parents to be told here. One is Brad and Angelina. They sold baby Shiloh's pictures and gave millions to charity. The other is Joe Simpson, father to Jessica and Ashlee. According to reports on Radar.com he profits selling photos of his daughters.

8. You're forced to pay taxes on freebies like award show gift bags and custom-made baby strollers from Ellen Degeneres.

7. You only party with people who have been on the cover of "US Weekly"... twice... in the last month, right Britney?

6. To quote Jessica Simpson's "A Public Affair" video (something that only happens in Hollyweird) you're "so famous every time you break up Oprah does a special."

5. Despite living in Malibu and London, your children are born in Africa. Sometimes it's the only place you can go to get a break from the press like Brangelina. And as Madonna taught us, it helps to be a celebrity when adopting in Malawi.

4. Artist Daniel Edwards creates a life-size sculpture of your most personal moments. Remember, Britney on the bear skin rug?

3. Your divorce papers, mug shots, and baby's birth certificate are on the Smoking Gun and TMZ.

2. You're so famous people write about your wannabe rapper husband or wannabe talk show host mother. Just ask Britney or Lindsay Lohan.

1.         Forget getting a street, town, or county named after you. Only one celebrity could get her own planet. While most of us feel like we already live on Planet Oprah, the good scientists at her alma mater, Tennessee State University, are actually considering naming a planet they found after her. Now that's out of this world!

Top 10 Most Bizarre and Politically Correct College Courses
Ranked by Young America's Foundation.

College costs average more than $31,000 a year. This list highlights the most troubling instances of leftist activism's supplanting traditional scholarship in our nation's colleges and universities. The growth of these courses gobbles up tons of money and resources, while scholarship from conservatives is ignored. Scores of courses were researched from hundreds of the nation's leading schools. Below are the worst of the worst.

10. Nonviolent Responses to Terrorism
Swarthmore College's "Nonviolent Responses to Terrorism" course "deconstruct(s) terrorism" and "build(s) on promising nonviolent procedures to combat today's terrorism," using the struggle blacks pursued in the 1960s as a mode for tackling today's terrorism.

9. American Dreams/American Realities
Duke University's "American Dreams/American Realities" course seeks to unearth "such myths as 'rags to riches,' 'beacon to the world,' and the 'frontier,' in defining the American character."

8. Cyberfeminism
This Cornell University class investigates "the emergence of cyberfeminism in theory and art in the context of feminism/post feminism and the accelerated technological developments of the last 30 years of the 20th Century."

7. Mail Order Brides: Understanding the Philippines in Southeast Asian Context
Johns Hopkins University offers this course as a supposedly deep look into Filipino kinship and gender.

6. Whiteness: The Other Side of Racism
This is Mount Holyoke College's attempt to analyze race. The class seeks to spark thought on: "What is whiteness?" "How is it related to racism?" "What are the legal frameworks of whiteness?" "How is whiteness enacted in everyday practice?" And how does whiteness impact the "lives of whites and people of color?"

5. Blackness
Occidental College (making the list twice) offers "Blackness," which elaborates on a "new blackness," "critical blackness," "post-blackness," and an "unforgivable blackness"—all of which combine to create a "feminist New Black Man."

4. Adultery Novel
Students in this University of Pennsylvania class read 19th- and 20th-Century works about "adultery," watch "several adultery films," and apply "various critical approaches in order to place adultery into its aesthetic, social and cultural context, including: sociological descriptions of modernity, Marxist examinations of family as a social and economic institution" and "feminist work on the construction of gender."

3. Taking Marx Seriously
"Should Marx be given another chance?" That's what Amherst College students are asked. Students in this class are also asked to question if Marxism still has "credibility," while also inquiring if societies can gain new insights by "returning to [Marx's] texts." This course also states that Lenin, Stalin, and Pol Pot misapplied Maxist concepts.

2. Queer Musicology
This University of California-Los Angeles class explores how "sexual difference and complex gender identities in music and among musicians have incited productive consternation" during the 1990s.

1. The Phallus
This course at Occidental College covers a broad study on the relation "between the phallus and the penis, the meaning of the phallus, phallologocentrism, the lesbian phallus, the Jewish phallus, the Latino phallus, and the relation of the phallus and fetishism."

edit:  changed "[ ]" to "( )" in post because it was causing the remaining text to be struck through
~Hoopty

Top 10 Questions Hillary Clinton Should Answer

Compiled by HUMAN EVENTS Assistant Editor Amanda B. Carpenter, author of "The Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy's Dossier on Hillary Clinton."

10. Goldman Sachs, another corporation that generously funded your Senate campaign, received a $25-million grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and a $1.65-billion bond in federal 9/11 aid. You went to the groundbreaking ceremony of their new 43-story headquarters in 2005 and said you were "proud to have worked with my colleagues in Congress to secure $20 billion in federal aid for New York" and "major employers like Goldman Sachs needed to know they had a partner in government." That year, the company was worth $43.3 billion and turned a $5.6 billion profit. Why should the government give them this money?

9. In a 2003 radio interview, you said you were "adamantly against illegal aliens" and then in 2006 told a group of illegal Irish immigrants who were lobbying Congress for amnesty on Capitol Hill, "It is so heartening to see you here. You are really here on behalf of what America means, America's values, America's hopes." You also voted for Sen. John McCain and Sen. Ted Kennedy's amnesty plan. How do you reconcile these actions?

8. Did you formulate your plans to "track and monitor" the health of 9/11 workers for the next 20 years as a stepping stone to universal healthcare?

7. Will your husband continue his international lobbying activities for his foundation (the Clinton Global Initiative) if you go to the White House?

6. What legislative favors did you support for Corning, Inc. after receiving large donations from their employees and political actions committee?

5. What programs would you cut to help balance the budget?

4. Who in the mainstream media -- CBS, NBC, ABC, the Washington Post, the New York Times and others -- do you collaborate with regularly?

3. Do you believe we must win the Iraq war, and if so, how would you specifically do that?

2. Did the Clinton Administration exaggerate the threat Iraq posed to the United States?

1. Will you pledge not to use any of the $20 million in foreign money your husband has earned since leaving the White House for any campaign expenses?