BaldGOP

A Blog for Bald Republicans, and anyone else!

Monday, May 29, 2006

Memorial Day

President Bush Honors Memorial Day at Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National CemeteryArlington, Virginia

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all. Laura and I are honored to join you today. Thank you for coming. Mr. Secretary, thank you for your kind words. Members of my Cabinet, General Pace, Members of Congress, members of the United States military, veterans, honored guests and the loved ones of the fallen: A few moments ago, I placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. I was honored to do so on behalf of the American people, as a sign of our solemn gratitude and our deep respect. The names of those buried there are known only to God, yet their souls have entered into the spirit of America, and they will never be forgotten by our nation. (Applause.)
In this place where valor sleeps, we acknowledge our responsibility as Americans to preserve the memory of the fallen. On this Memorial Day, we look out on quiet hills, and rows of white headstones -- and we know that we are in the presence of greatness. (Applause.) The markers here record the names of more than 296,000 men and women. Each of the soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines buried here answered the call to serve, and stepped forward to protect the nation they loved.
All who are buried here understood their duty. They saw a dark shadow on the horizon, and went to meet it. They understood that tyranny must be met with resolve, and that liberty is always the achievement of courage. (Applause.) Here, in the presence of veterans they fought with and loved ones whose pictures they carried, the fallen give silent witness to the price of our liberty -- and our nation honors them, this day and every day. (Applause.)
In this place where valor sleeps, we are reminded why America has always gone to war reluctantly, because we know the costs of war. We have seen those costs in the war on terror we fight today. These grounds are the final resting place for more than 270 men and women who have given their lives in freedom's cause since the attacks of September the 11th, 2001. With us here are veterans who fought alongside them -- and who have come today to pay their respects. They are joined by veterans of World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and other conflicts across the globe, whose friends and comrades also lie in this sacred ground. As we pray for their fallen friends, we also remember those who went to war and are still missing, and we are determined to account for them all. (Applause.)
In this place where valor sleeps, we find strength in knowing that those serving freedom's cause have acted with principle and steadfast faith. Second Lieutenant Jack Lundberg was killed two weeks after D-Day, at the end of World War II. He wrote his Mom and Dad a letter to be opened in the event he did not come home. He wrote, "I am sorry to add to your grief ... but we of the United States have something to fight for -- never more fully have I realized that. The United States of America is worth the sacrifice."
That same feeling moves those who are now fighting the war on terror. First Lieutenant Mark Dooley was killed by a terrorist bomb last September in the Iraqi city of Ramadi. Before he left for his tour, he gave his parents a last letter, just in case. He wrote: "Remember that my leaving was in the service of something that we loved, and be proud. The best way to pay respect is to value why a sacrifice was made." (Applause.)
Last week, the family of Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Fenty, Junior, gathered here at Arlington to pay their last respects to the husband, son, and father they loved. Colonel Fenty was killed with nine of his fellow soldiers in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan earlier this month. Hours before that crash, he had spoken to his wife Kristen about their newborn daughter he was waiting to meet. Some day she will learn about her dad from the men with whom she served -- he served. And one of them said this about her father: "We all wanted to be more like Joe Fenty. We were all in awe of him." I am in awe of the men and women who sacrifice for the freedom of the United States of America. (Applause.)
Our nation is free because of brave Americans like these, who volunteer to confront our adversaries abroad so we do not have to face them here at home. Our nation mourns the loss of our men and women in uniform; we will honor them by completing the mission for which they gave their lives -- by defeating the terrorists, by advancing the cause of liberty, and by laying the foundation of peace for a generation of young Americans. (Applause.) Today we pray that those who lie here have found peace with their Creator, and we resolve that their sacrifice will always be remembered by a grateful nation.
May God Bless the Untied States of America.

Sunday, May 21, 2006

English Only? We Hardly knew yee!

English as a First Language

The Senate took up the Imhofe amendment the other day, which would make English the nation's official language. It passed easily, 63-34. Then, just to make things confusing, the Senate also enacted an alternative by Democrat Ken Salazar which said that "English is the common and unifying language of the United States that helps provide unity for the people of the United States." Hard to know what to make of it all, as Reuters' account is a bit confused.

But the issue is not a trivial one, nor is this just a temporary bowing to "nativist" sentiment, as it will no doubt be portrayed in the main stream media. It is absolutely vital that America remain an English-speaking country. Of course there are people here who speak other languages, as there always have been. But today, just as it was in the early 1900's when my Slovak ancestors arrived, speaking only Slovak, the most basic requirement for participation in American society is facility in the English language. My family learned to speak English, and kept their Slovak heritage, customs, and language. My Mom, and her siblings, all spoke Slovak AND English. In fact, they even taught many of their friends to speak Slovak. This is good!

My favorite politician, Harry Reid lowered the tone of the debate yet again when he said:
"Although the intent may not be there, I really believe this amendment is racist. I believe it is directed at people who speak Spanish."

Like so many things that Reid does, that comment was contemptible. Not that Harry is above race baiting or class warfare. No one will benefit more from an insistence on English as the country's language than those who come here speaking other languages, and--above all--their sons and daughters. But Reid, as always, focuses on politics, not principle. Right next door, in Canada, we have the starkest possible evidence of the catastrophic consequences of bilingualism.

Will Americans always speak other languages, YES. We are the melting pot. This will never change: schools make students learn foreign languages, colleges make students learn foreign languages, and we are constantly inundated with "embrace diversity" projects! But, I aways think back to what my grandmother told me, "Jimmy, I came to America to be an American, not to be another Slovak living in America, that is why I got my own place to live, found my own job, made my own way in America, because, after all, I didn't sneak out of my house at 2am, never to see my family again, just so I could be another Slovak living in America! I could have gotten a job with other Slovaks, lived in a house with other Slovaks, but that would not be right"

Not to sound like a Bible Blaster, but anyone recall the story of the Tower of Babel? (Genesis 11:1-9) Check out the ending!

Congressman, Col. John Kline, is a long-time advocate of legislation establishing English as the country's official language. The principle is sound, but the question is, will the legislation make any difference? To the extent that we still hear, "Press 1 for English," the answer may be No.

BaldGOP

Thursday, May 18, 2006

NSA Phone Taps

USA Today Poll Omits Major Point: NSA Didn’t Listen to Calls

Posted by Scott Whitlock on May 16, 2006 - 16:34.

Did USA Today skew their poll results of the NSA phone collection scandal? It sure looks that way. As Brent Baker has already reported, On May 12, ABC News and The Washington Post conducted a poll to find out whether Americans support the NSA’s collection of phone call records.

They asked this question:
"It's been reported that the National Security Agency has been collecting the phone call records of tens of millions of Americans. It then analyzes calling patterns in an effort to identify possible terrorism suspects, without listening to or recording the conversations. Would you consider this an acceptable or unacceptable way for the federal government to investigate terrorism? Do you feel that way strongly or somewhat?"
63 percent either somewhat or strongly supported the plan. USA Today, in a poll published on May 15, found that 51 percent opposed the program.

They phrased the two pertinent questions this way:
"As you may know, as part of its efforts to investigate terrorism, a federal government agency obtained records from three of the largest U.S. telephone companies in order to create a database of billions of telephone numbers dialed by Americans. How closely have you been following the news about this?...Based on what you have heard or read about this program to collect phone records, would you say you approve or disapprove of this government program?"

Note the difference? The ABC/Washington Post poll stated that the NSA collected phone records, but didn’t listen to them. USA Today did not mention this fact until question number ten. And even then, it was only as a hypothetical to ask how worried Americans are that the government will listen to their conversations.
Is it fair to say that USA Today, which "broke" this story, has a vested interest in seeing it portrayed as monumentally important? (Although, as Rich Noyes pointed out, much of this key information was already reported by the New York Times on December 24, 2005.)

Look at the way USA Today reporter Susan Page framed the very first sentence of her front-page article on the poll results:
"A majority of Americans disapprove of a massive Pentagon database containing the records of billions of phone calls made by ordinary citizens, according to a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll. About two-thirds are concerned that the program may signal other, not-yet-disclosed efforts to gather information on the general public."

USA Today, by ignoring the fact no phone calls were listened to, was able to find a majority opposition to the NSA program. But here’s what the poll also found: 34 percent of Americans believe the Bush administration has been about right when it comes to balancing civil liberties with the war on terror. 19 percent believe they haven’t gone far enough. So 53 percent of the public either approves or wants the government to go further. This statistic, somehow, didn’t make it into the article.

The paper followed up the question of whether one supports the program with this loaded query:
"Is that mainly because you do not think the program seriously violates Americans’ civil liberties, or is it mainly because you think investigating terrorism is the more important goal, even if it violates some Americans’ civil liberties?"

USA Today vaguely explained away the difference between the two findings this way:
"The findings differ from an ABC News/Washington Post poll taken Thursday night of 502 adults. In that survey, 63% called the program an acceptable way to investigate terrorism. The findings may differ because questions in the two polls were worded differently."

Credit Ms. Page with quite the understatement. Predictably, the mainstream media reported the new poll as evidence that America now opposed the NSA program. On the May 14 edition of the Today show, at 8:11AM EDT, Campbell Brown asked Chris Matthews about the discrepancy behind the two findings:
Matthews: "In this case, I think a couple days of talking about it, people said wait a minute, I don't like the idea that somebody's got a list of my phone calls. I may be making phone calls I don't want everyone to know about. Privacy issues come into factor, I think, after a couple days and I think people began to think about it and didn't like it."

That could be it. But more likely, it’s a case of the media simply reporting a story the way they want it to be.


BaldGOP

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Immigration

Comprehensive Immigration Reform

President Bush Discussed His Vision For Comprehensive Immigration Reform. The five clear objectives of comprehensive immigration reform are securing our borders, creating a temporary worker program, making it easier for employers to verify employment eligibility and continuing to hold them to account for the legal status of workers they hire, dealing with the millions of illegal immigrants who are already here, and honoring the great American tradition of the melting pot.

Ø The President Believes America Can Be A Lawful Society And A Welcoming Society At The Same Time. We will fix the problem of illegal immigration, and we will deliver a system that is secure, orderly, and fair.

1. The United States Must Secure Its Borders

Securing Our Borders Is The Basic Responsibility Of A Sovereign Nation And An Urgent Requirement Of Our National Security. President Bush's proposals to better secure our borders include increasing the number of Border Patrol agents, ending the practice of "catch and release" along the southern border, eliminating bureaucratic obstacles to returning illegal immigrants to their home countries, and sending National Guard members to the border for temporary assignment to assist the Border Patrol during the transition as new Border Patrol agents are added and new technology comes online.

Since President Bush Took Office, We Have Increased Funding For Border Security By 66 Percent And Expanded The Border Patrol From About 9,000 To 12,000 Agents. Over the past five years, we have apprehended and sent home more than 6 million people entering America illegally.

By The End Of 2008, We Will Have Increased The Number Of Border Patrol Officers By An Additional 6,000. When these new agents are deployed, we will have more than doubled the size of the Border Patrol during the President's Administration.

We Launched The Secure Border Initiative, The Most Technologically Advanced Border Enforcement Initiative In American History. We will construct high-tech fences in urban corridors and build new patrol roads and barriers in rural areas. We will employ motion sensors, infrared cameras, and unmanned aerial vehicles to detect and respond to illegal crossings.

The President's Plan To Increase Border Security Will Take Time To Fully Implement, So The President Is Announcing Several Immediate Steps To Strengthen Border Enforcement During This Transition:

Ø In Coordination With Governors, Up To 6,000 National Guard Members Will Be Sent To Our Southern Border. The Department of Homeland Security, and specifically the Border Patrol, will remain in the lead. The Guard, which will be deployed in shifts, will assist the Border Patrol by operating surveillance systems, analyzing intelligence, installing fences and vehicle barriers, building patrol roads, and providing training. Guard units will not be involved in direct law enforcement activities -- that duty will be done by the Border Patrol.

This Initial Commitment Of Guard Members Would Last For One Year. After that, the number of Guard forces will be reduced as new Border Patrol agents are added and new technologies come online. These 6,000 troops account for less than 2 percent of the total National Guard force of more than 440,000. We have enough National Guard members to secure our border while continuing to respond to natural disasters and to win the War on Terror.
The United States Is Not Going To Militarize The Southern Border. Mexico is our neighbor and friend. We will continue to work cooperatively to improve security on both sides of the border, confront common problems like drug trafficking and crime, and reduce illegal immigration.
Ø We Will Increase Federal Funding For State And Local Authorities Assisting The Border Patrol On Targeted Enforcement Missions, And We Will Give Them The Specialized Training They Need To Help The Border Patrol And Other Federal Officers Apprehend And Detain Illegal Immigrants.

We Will Work To Ensure That Every Illegal Immigrant We Catch Crossing Our Southern Border Is Returned Home By Ending The Practice Of "Catch And Release," For many years, the government did not have enough space in our detention facilities to hold illegal immigrants while the legal process unfolded. Most were released back into society and asked to return for a court date, but did not show up when the date arrived.

Ø To End "Catch And Release," We Will Continue Expanding The Number Of Beds In Our Detention Facilities And Continue Expediting The Removal Process To Cut The Average Deportation Time. We are making it clear to foreign governments that they must accept back their citizens who violate our immigration laws. As a result of these actions, we have ended "catch and release" for illegal immigrants from some countries. The President will ask Congress for additional funding and legal authority to permanently end "catch and release" at the southern border once and for all.

2. To Secure Our Border, We Must Create A Temporary Worker Program

President Bush Supports A Temporary Worker Program That Would Create A Legal Path For Foreign Workers To Enter Our Country In An Orderly Way, For A Limited Period Of Time. This program would match willing foreign workers with willing American employers for jobs Americans are not doing. Every worker who applies for the program would be required to pass criminal background checks, and temporary workers must return to their home country at the conclusion of their stay.

Ø A Temporary Worker Program Would Meet The Needs Of Our Economy, Ease The Financial Burden On State And Local Governments, And Add To Our Security. A temporary worker program would give honest immigrants a way to provide for their families while respecting the law, would replace illegal workers with lawful taxpayers, and would enable us to make certain we know who is in our country and why they are here.

3. We Need To Hold Employers To Account For The Workers They Hire

Comprehensive Immigration Reform Must Include A Tamper-Resistant Identification Card For Every Legal Foreign Worker So Businesses Can Verify The Legal Status Of Their Employees. This card should use biometric technology, such as digital fingerprints, to make it tamper-proof. This would leave employers with no excuse for violating the law, and it would help us enforce the law.

4. We Must Deal With The Millions Of Illegal Immigrants Already Here

The President Opposes Amnesty. President Bush opposes giving illegal immigrants an automatic path to citizenship because it would be unfair to those who are here lawfully, would compromise the rule of law, and would invite further waves of illegal immigration. The President supports increasing the annual number of green cards that can lead to citizenship, but for the sake of justice and security, the President is firmly opposed to amnesty.

President Bush Believes That Deporting Every Illegal Immigrant Is Neither Wise Nor Realistic. There is a rational middle ground between granting an automatic path to citizenship for every illegal immigrant and a program of mass deportation.

President Bush Believes Illegal Immigrants Who Want To Stay Should Have To Pay A Meaningful Penalty For Breaking The Law, Pay Their Taxes, Learn English, And Work In A Job For A Number Of Years. The President also believes that there are differences between an illegal immigrant who crossed the border recently – and someone who has worked here for many years, and has a home, a family, and an otherwise clean record. Those who meet our conditions should be able to apply for citizenship – but approval will not be automatic, and they will have to wait in line behind those who played by the rules and followed the law.

5. We Must Honor The Great American Tradition Of The Melting Pot

The Success Of Our Country Depends Upon Helping Newcomers Assimilate Into Our Society And Embrace Our Common Identity As Americans. Americans are bound together by our shared ideals, an appreciation of our history, respect for the flag we fly, and an ability to speak and write the English language.

The House And Senate Must Pass A Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill

All Elements Of This Problem Must Be Addressed Together. The House has passed an immigration bill. The Senate should act by the end of this month – so that the House and Senate can work out their differences and send the President a comprehensive bill to sign.

America Needs To Conduct This Debate In A Reasoned And Respectful Tone. Feelings run deep on this issue – and as we work it out, all of us need to keep some things in mind. We cannot build a unified country by inciting people to anger, or playing on anyone's fears, or exploiting the issue of immigration for political gain. We must always remember that real lives will be affected by our debates and decisions, and that every human being has dignity and value no matter what their citizenship papers say.
BaldGOP