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From: newsandviews_list@chuckmuth.com
Sent: Friday, July 23, 2004 7:19 AM
To: newsandviews@chuckmuth.com
Subject: Chuck Muth's News & Views - July 23, 2004
ADOPTION OPTION
As much as we generally loathe federal government programs, here’s one we’re not
going to object to very strenuously...
In a letter to the Washington Times on Thursday, our friend Dr. Wade Horn -
Ass’t Secretary for Children and Families over at the Department of Health and
Human Resources - advises of an HHS website featuring “pictures and descriptions
of children in foster care who need permanent homes, thereby creating new
opportunities for children to be matched with families.”
For all those anti-gay-marriage folks who have been telling us for months about
how important it is for kids to be raised by a mother and a father, here’s your
chance to put some action where your rhetoric is. You can check it out at
www.adoptuskids.org
I’m still against those government-funded marriage counselors though, Wade. :)
DISCUSSION BOARD
Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed a bill “stripping” the federal
courts of their ability to rule on the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act. It’s highly
unlikely, however, that the legislation will see the light of day in the Senate.
Nonetheless, this is an important constitutional question.
Supporters say such measures are necessary to rein in an out-of-control
judiciary which is exceeding its constitutional authority and "legislating" from
the bench. Opponents say court stripping is an infringement on the judiciary’s
constitutional prerogatives and which unfairly restricts citizens’ rights to
avail themselves of the court system to address grievances and challenge laws on
constitutional grounds.
What do you think? Weigh in on our Discussion Board at: http://blog.chuckmuth.com/blog/
IS THERE A CONSTITUTION IN THE HOUSE?
It’s bad enough when an America-hating boob such as blowhard Michael Moore does
a hatchet job on the Constitution with his ignorant and twisted interpretations
of it, but it’s another thing altogether when a conservative member of Congress
does it. Case in point: During the debate over the court-stripping bill in the
House yesterday, Rep. Zach Wamp (R-Tenn.) actually said, “A bedrock principle in
the United States of America is the idea of majority rule.”
Good grief, congressman. No it’s NOT! The Founders fear of tyranny by the
majority is well established. We are a constitutional republic; a nation of
laws. The majority can’t, doesn’t and shouldn’t be allowed to “rule” at will
simply by the power of their numbers. Where in the world did you get this notion
that “majority rule” was a “bedrock principle” of the U.S.?
And you wonder why talk-show host Brian Wilson says, “We’re doomed”?
HEAVENLY MATCH
“Michael Moore is going to address the Congressional Black Caucus. That's a good
match...an anti-American moron addressing a bunch of loony tunes, left-wing
nutcases. A match made in heaven.”
- Talk show host Neal Boortz
HOLD THAT VEGAS RESERVATION!
“Ronstadt Stays in Vegas? After this week's kerfuffle, the Associated
Press reports, ‘one of the partners buying the Aladdin hotel-casino says singer
Linda Ronstadt would be welcomed back to the property when he takes over.’
Concertgoers raised a ruckus when Ronstadt praised anti-American filmmaker
Michael Moore, but Planet Hollywood CEO Robert Earl wants not only to bring back
Ronstadt but also ‘to take Moore up on his offer to join Ronstadt and sing
'America the Beautiful.' Boy, talk about punitive liberalism! Think about it,
though--would you ever consider a trip to Las Vegas if there was a chance you'd
have to hear Michael Moore sing?”
- James Taranto, Best of the Web, 7/22/04
COULTERGEIST
“We don't have to adopt all the Democrats' traits -- incessant lying, utter
shamelessness, criminal behavior and lots of crying -- but Republicans need to
tattoo this truism on their arms: It's never a good idea to take advice from
your enemies.”
- Columnist Ann Coulter
LITTLE WOMAN TAKES BACK SEAT
“Hillary gets to speak, after all, but only to introduce Bill. He basks in
applause, she glows. Is this the feminist dream, or what? The Democrats are the
party of the radical feminists, but their women are sidelined together at the
convention in Boston like a Beacon Hill tea for the ladies auxiliary. Hillary,
the most prominent woman in the party, is relegated to ‘wife of,’ standing by
her man. Tammy Wynette would be proud. She should take a plate of her
chocolate-chip cookies.”
- Columnist Suzanne Fields
BUMPER STICKER UPROAR
Jefferson County (KY) GOP chairman Jack Richardson IV has really stirred up a
political hornet’s nest...and the Democrats really have their pantyhose up in a
twist. Seems Richardson has been distributing bumper stickers which read, “Kerry
is bin Laden's man/ President Bush is mine.”
Why are the Democrats upset about this? Is there ANY doubt that Kerry IS bin
Laden’s choice in this election?
Nevertheless, the Killer D’s are demanding Richardson’s resignation. Richardson
is telling them to pound dirt. And Republican elected officials are doing what
Republican elected officials always do in a situation like this when the
Democrats yell “boo”...they’re running from the controversy like scalded dogs.
Rep. Ann Northrop’s campaign has denounced the stickers as “inappropriate.”
(Insert heavy sigh here)
Anyway, if you’re interested in picking up one of these bumper stickers for your
own gas-guzzling, environment-destroying SUV, go here: http://www.dougsautosplash.com
FUNDING FAILURE...NOT FAILURE TO FUND
“Since American foreign aid programs began in earnest decades ago, tens of
billions of US tax dollars have been given to nations around the globe. The
utter failure of this money to change things for the better in those nations is
no longer in question; even the most earnest liberals are beginning to admit the
obvious. Most of the recipient nations remain endlessly mired in poverty,
political and legal corruption, and cultural malaise. A rational person would
argue that failed aid programs should be eliminated. In Washington, however,
failed programs get more money thrown at them.”
- Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), “Texas Straight Talk,” 7/19/04
INTERESTING LITMUS TEST
“(Japanese) Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Thursday he will revamp his
Cabinet with postal reform-minded politicians,” reports The Asahi Shimbun. “The
prime minister said attitudes within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party toward
his postal privatization plans will be used as a litmus test in deciding
personnel changes in September for his Cabinet and LDP executive lineup.”
Interesting. While such a litmus test is highly unlikely in the Bush Cabinet
(bummer), is it too much to ask that such a litmus test be considered for
nominees to the Postal Rate Commission, the regulatory board responsible for
various changes and reforms for the U.S. postal system monopoly? Just asking.
Sen. Frist?
OBESITY SCAM
“Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson says, ‘Obesity is a critical
public health problem in our country.’ Wrong.
“Obesity is a problem for many people, but it is not a public health problem. By
calling it one, however, Mr. Thompson can promise we, the taxpayers, will pay
for everyone's diet programs, stomach surgery, and behavioral counseling. Get
out your wallet.”
- David Boaz of the Cato Institute
GRAVEYARD FOR GOOD IDEAS
“It was said of Willie Mays that his glove was the place where triples went to
die. The U.S. Senate has earned a similar reputation of late, but one that is
hardly a compliment: It's the place where good ideas go to die. . . . The simple
truth is that, despite holding the White House and majorities in both houses,
the Republicans have not been able to carry out most of the agenda on which they
campaigned.”
- “Review & Outlook,” Wall Street Journal, 7/22/04
ANOTHER FRENCH “SUCCESS” STORY
“The 35-hour workweek, cheered by many French citizens four years go, is under
attack as a ‘costly economic mistake.’ It has not generated more jobs, as
promised at the time, but instead has contributed to the current unemployment
rate of 9.9 percent of the labor force, or 2 million people, and has created a
multibillion-dollar social-security burden, mainly on professionals who work 50
or more hours a week.”
- Washington Times, 7/22/04
MONEY DOWN A RAT HOLE
Pssssst. Got some money lying around the house you’d like to flush down the
toilet? Why not, instead, send it to Libertarian Party candidate Michael
Badnarik. Same result in the end. To wit...
“Team Badnarik” announced yesterday that his campaign has “spent over $20,000 to
purchase 12 scientific polls from Scott Rasmussen Public Opinion Research.” Team
Badnarik calls this a “bold move” which has “never [been] embarked upon
before...by any other alternative political party candidate” (hmm, I wonder
why?) and which will help counter the “bigotry” (bigotry?) against the
Libertarian Party.
“Bold move”? We call it, well...stupid. But then again, we DO tend to sugar-coat
things around here.
In the email announcement, the LP actually compares itself to “early
Christianity in the 1st Century” (and they wonder why no one takes them
seriously?) and says its ideas are winning hearts (but not votes) one at a time.
But the one thing that’s really stopping them from breaking out and becoming a
REAL political party is...polling bias.
Polling bias? Yup. Not goofy, unqualified candidates. Not amateur campaign
management. Not failure to win at the ballot box. Not being weak on national
security. Not being in favor of open borders. Not leading every public policy
discussion with, “Pass the bong, dude.”
No...polling bias.
So Team Badnarik is shelling out twenty large for a series of polls which will
tell them: (a) some of their ideas are very good, but others are very wacky, (b)
no one believes their presidential candidate has a prayer in Hades in November
and (c) practically no one, statistically-speaking, will be voting for them.
Heck, I can tell ’em that right now...and I won’t charge a penny! In fact...I
just did.
Nevertheless, Team Badnarik needs YOUR help...to help Scott Rasmussen buy that
new Ford Explorer. So if you have a few bucks lying around which you want to get
rid of (but don’t want to contribute to global warming by just burning it up)
you can send it to the Badnarik campaign for this waste-of-time-and-money
polling project by going to: https://badnarik.org/
Gosh, I hope I didn’t give anybody the wrong impression about what I think of
this idea...
FAMOUS LAST WORDS
"Life is tough. Life is tougher if you're stupid."
- John Wayne
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Chuck Muth’s News & Views is published by Citizen Outreach, a non-partisan,
501(c)3 non-profit corporation. The opinions and views expressed in Chuck Muth's
News & Views reflect those of the writers, editors and columnists therein and do
not necessarily reflect the opinions of Citizen Outreach, its officers,
directors or employees.
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