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Smack Down Ahead

Dems can’t make guarantee on Iraq troops

HANOVER, N.H. – The leading Democratic White House hopefuls conceded Wednesday night they cannot guarantee to pull all U.S. combat troops from Iraq by the end of the next presidential term in 2013.

“I think it’s hard to project four years from now,” said Obama in the opening moments of a campaign debate in the nation’s first primary state.

“It is very difficult to know what we’re going to be inheriting,” added Hillary.

“I cannot make that commitment,” said John Edwards.

Well golly-gee, that there is some seriously confident pollytickin’.

……and Russert said her husband, once suggested it might be appropriate.

“Well, he’s not standing here right now,” she said, an edge in her voice.

There is a disagreement, Russert rejoined.

And big kudos to Tim Russert for cunningly reminding us that Hillary thinks independently of her husband which, as any good god-fearing American can tell you, is a one way ticket to damnation, hairy armpits and the destruction of God’s chosen land – The U.S of A.

Well! The extremists among the environmentalists have finally begun to make noise about the building of the fence. Never mind that for years illegals and drug smugglers have torn up the “fragile desert ecosystem.”

Remember when environmentalists declared you could still see the wagon wheel ruts made in 1850 leading to the west coast? But where were they when the Mexicans were trashing Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument as they have been over the last few decades? Hiding in the closet with the feminists who wouldn’t speak up about the stonings and beatings Moslem women routinely die from?

But now that a fence is finally being started along our southern border, here they come: “Oh, the fence will stop the jaguars!” This in spite of the fact that only four have been spotted north of the border in the last three decades. This could be because the large cats don’t like humans and so have been chased off by drug-smugglers noisily roaring across the border in their four wheel drive vehicles.

“Oh, but how about the Lesser Long-nose Bat? The fence might damage some bat habitat!”

Yeah? Then how about putting up a fence to keep illegals’ vehicles from sending up clouds of dust, covering the cactus flowers these nectar bats feed on?
What’s the matter with these people? Can’t they see that uncontrolled traffic is hurting the very animals they want to protect?

Below are selections from a news story concerning the damage caused by not having a fence:  Fires are only one of several kinds of environmental damages to Federal lands along the border resulting from illegal immigration, according to the report. Others are:
• New roads and trails made by illegal aliens and drug smugglers, damaging vegetation and dislocating wildlife in historical sites such in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument;
• Massive amounts of human waste and garbage left behind by illegals at known pickup points pose a threat to human, plant, and animal life in the area;
• The pygmy owl and pima pineapple cactus, whose habitats are on the Federal lands have both been placed on the endangered species list;
• Repeated cutting of farmers’ fences, allowing valuable cattle to wander, as well as damaging water supplies and equipment.

Many visitors no longer camp at Coronado National Forest or visit Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument due to confrontations with illegal immigrants. Recently, the number of immigrants was over 100 times the number of citizens that had legally obtained a back country permits in Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument.

Massive illegal immigration has inflicted serious damage on the 516 square miles of Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, once an environmental gem. If you were to pick any point at the monument and walk three miles in any direction, you would find 9 water bottles, 7 pieces of litter, 4 tire tracks, and 4 places where major damage has been wrought, according to a recent study.” (http://www.carryingcapacity.org/02aa5coronado.html)

What’s wrong with these people? In light of these facts shouldn’t the environmentalists be loudly clamoring for a fence?

As an educator I have watched in horror as Bush’s No Child Left Behind (NCLB)has decimated the education system in America. What could have been a good idea, making sure all children graduate from high school with the skills they need, became a nightmare of uncertainty for educators and a drive to test and test our children.

Bush defended his program Wednesday saying that the nation’s scores have improved dramatically. At and education event, Bush said “as yesterday’s positive report card shows, childrens do learn when standards are high and results are measured.” Now its tough to take Bush and his law seriously when my kindergartner speaks better than the president of the United States. While some scores have increased the overall level of competence of graduating seniors has dropped. Why? Because teachers are forced to teach to high stakes tests instead of providing students with a well rounded education. Sure kids can add and subtract and write a little but ask them who the governor of their state is or who the president and vice president of the United States is and you get a blank stare. Clearly Bush himself would have benefited from more grammar work and some public speaking, two things that are no longer important in the world of high stakes tests.

In addition, Bush’s law provided no funding to implement the tests and courses that the law requires. This has forced school districts to choose between teaching what is truly necessary and forgoing the tests or receiving federal money for other educational needs. No Child Left Behind has forced schools to do what the federal government wants or lose valuable funding. What it also does is force under preforming schools to close rather than improve. This happens because of the school choice part of the law that allows students to move to better preforming schools rather than stay in their local district. While this sound good, force schools to improve or close, the law provides no funding to help schools improve. Instead it forces schools to close by removing students, those that can afford transportation to other schools, or staying open with limited resources. The problem of under performing schools happens predominately in our inner cities where many students are forced to stay in under performing schools because they cannot afford to go elsewhere.

All in all, when the scores of the entire nation are averaged together, student performance has actually dropped. No one would argue that improving education in the US is a good thing. However, implementing a law that was originally approved because it had funding attached, but has been short in funding by close to $56 billion is not helping the country. The law is up for renewal and if Congress cares at all for education in America they will not renew NCLB and start from scratch.

HANOVER, N.H. (AP) — The leading Democratic White House hopefuls conceded Wednesday night they cannot guarantee to pull all U.S. combat troops from Iraq by the end of the next presidential term in 2013.

“I think it’s hard to project four years from now,” said Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois in the opening moments of a campaign debate in the nation’s first primary state.

“It is very difficult to know what we’re going to be inheriting,” added Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York.

“I cannot make that commitment,” said former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina.

Sensing an opening, Sen. Christopher Dodd of Connecticut and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson provided the assurances the others would not.

“I’ll get the job done,” said Dodd, while Richardson said he would make sure the troops were home by the end of his first year in office.

more here

‘A Coup Has Occurred’

By Daniel Ellsberg
September 26, 2007 (Text of a speech delivered September 20, 2007)

“I think nothing has higher priority than averting an attack on Iran, which I think will be accompanied by a further change in our way of governing here that in effect will convert us into what I would call a police state.

If there’s another 9/11 under this regime … it means that they switch on full extent all the apparatus of a police state that has been patiently constructed, largely secretly at first but eventually leaked out and known and accepted by the Democratic people in Congress, by the Republicans and so forth.

Will there be anything left for NSA to increase its surveillance of us? … They may be to the limit of their technical capability now, or they may not. But if they’re not now they will be after another 9/11.

And I would say after the Iranian retaliation to an American attack on Iran, you will then see an increased attack on Iran – an escalation – which will be also accompanied by a total suppression of dissent in this country, including detention camps.”

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