Ames Results

AMES: The Romney Victory

Gov Mitt Romney won the 2007 Ames straw poll, receiving 4516 votes, or 31%.
In a surprise, Gov. Mike Huckabee finished second with 2587 votes at 18.1%
11. John Cox with 41 votes. 

10. John McCain with 101 votes.

9. Duncan Hunter with 174 votes.

8. Rudy Giuliani with 183 votes.

7. Fred Thomson with 203 votes.

6. Tommy Thompson, 1,039 votes, 7.3%

5. Ron Paul with 1305 votes, and 9.1%

4. Tom Tancredo with 1961 votes, 13.7%.

3. Sen. Sam Brownback with 2192 votes and 15.3%

Iowa Dispatch: Instant Analysis

AMES -- The instant analysis would seem to show two very clear winners: Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee. The two former governors took 31.5% and 18.1% respectively, and both are spinning the poll as nothing but a complete win.
For Romney, who occupied the same tent space George W. Bush did in 1999 and duplicated his results almost identically, the results were a vindication of the high expectations placed on his campaign. For Huckabee, the second-place win came after having spent little money and organizing much less than Romney, Senator Sam Brownback and others.

Bush, Sarkozy hail strong US-France bond

KENNEBUNKPORT, United States (AFP) - US President George W. Bush and his French counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy affirmed their countries' friendship Saturday ahead of a casual lunch, a "heart-to-heart talk" and a brisk boat ride that could signal a new era of closer ties.

Damaged Brands

"On the eve of the Iowa GOP's straw poll here -- the political event which traditionally kicks off contested Republican presidential races -- Romney's concern about his party’s damaged brand in the wake of the Bush years was on obvious display, along with some hints about his strategy for dealing with it."

The "Brand" could use a little boost in marketing.  Tax cut results, no attacks since 9/11, respect for life, and diplomatic successes in Europe and the world.  Heck, even France elected a leader who wants to be our friend and vacations in the USA.  That's huge, folks, and none of this is coincidental.  It is also not a result of the "Brand X" of politics: the contrary Dems.

Military Shows Gains in Iraq

Analysis: Military Shows Gains in Iraq: "The new U.S. military strategy in Iraq, unveiled six months ago to little acclaim, is working. In two weeks of observing the U.S. military on the ground and interviewing commanders, strategists and intelligence officers, it's apparent that the war has entered a new phase in its fifth year. It is a phase with fresh promise yet the same old worry: Iraq may be too fractured to make whole. No matter how well or how long the U.S. military carries out its counterinsurgency mission, it cannot guarantee victory. Only the Iraqis can. And to do so they probably need many more months of heavy U.S. military involvement. Even then, it is far from certain that they are capable of putting this shattered country together again....

EDITOR'S NOTE—AP Military Writer Robert Burns, on his 18th reporting trip to Iraq since the start of the war in 2003, has written about U.S. military involvement in Iraq and the Middle East since the 1991 Gulf War, mostly from his base in Washington."

The Al Qaeda Reader

"All aggregations of people around an irrational basis have in common, that their ideology in the end consists of a series of objections and rejections. They reject factual reality and the logical systems that describe it. They do not substitute a logical system of their own, because they don't need one, and it would be impossible to construct one anyway. Any attempt to construct a coherent theory would only produce a shambles. Objections against other ideas suffice. That they are 'so heterogeneous, so mind-bogglingly unfocused' does not matter. The motto of the irrationalist is 'Just say No!' The question is, what does Al-Qaida actually reject? Every indication suggests that ultimately, they reject our form of 'modern society'; the type of secularized, liberalized, gender-equal, religion-neutral, human-rights-based society that radiates out from the rich west and finds followers everywhere.... I think it is defensible to say that Al-Qaida hates freedom, in the liberal sense of the word. The modern usage of the term 'liberal' dates back to the early 19th century when political debate raged in the Spanish Cortes in Cadiz, in the part of Spain not occupied by the French, and the political left, those who rejected the feudalism of the old regime, were called liberales. The right-wing groups of the time were dubbed serviles, 'the slavish ones', because their political ideal was the absolutist reign of king Fernando VII. They were traditionalists who wanted to keep royal absolutism, the fiscal privileges of the nobility, the supremacy of the Catholic church, and even the inquisition.

It is probably best to think of Al-Qaidas leaders as serviles. They are traditionalist radicals. Their political dreams hark back to a golden age that never existed -- That is the irrationality of it.

The rank and file, of course, are likely to have their own very diverse motivations, and many recruits would just as likely fight under another banner, if that gave them an opportunity to take revenge for their grievances. Fighting an intellectual battle with Al-Qaida is probably rather pointless."

-- Mutatis Mutandis

RealClearPolitics - Articles - Why the Democrats Caved

RealClearPolitics - Articles - Why the Democrats Caved: "Several members from swing districts -- including Reps. Heath Shuler of North Carolina and Patrick J. Murphy of Pennsylvania -- expressed openness to having Congress stay in town to fight if important constitutional issues were at stake. But the moment passed. Even some very liberal Democrats worried about the political costs of blocking action before the summer recess. That Saturday night, the House sent the president a bill that, as a disgusted Rep. David Wu (D-Ore.) put it, with just a touch of exaggeration, 'makes Alberto Gonzalez the sheriff, the judge and the jury.' Most Democrats opposed the bill, but 41 (including Shuler) voted yes, allowing it to pass. (Murphy remained passionately opposed.)"

Demagoguery League is in season...

A Scott Beauchamp Update

A Scott Beauchamp Update: "Part of our integrity as journalists includes standing by a writer who has been accused of wrongdoing and who is not able to defend himself. But we also want to reassure our readers that our obligations to our writer would never trump our commitment to the truth. We once again invite the Army to make public Beauchamp's statements and the details of its investigation--and we ask the Army to let us (or any other media outlet, for that matter) speak to Beauchamp. Unless and until these things happen, we cannot fairly assess any of these reports about Beauchamp--and therefore have no reason to change our own assessment of Beauchamp's work. If the truth ends up reflecting poorly on our judgment, we will accept responsibility for that. But we also refuse to rush to judgment on our writer or ourselves."

Mark Kirk - Bankrolling Iran - washingtonpost.com

Mark Kirk - Bankrolling Iran - washingtonpost.com: "While the World Bank is part of the U.N. family, the bank's board is disconnected from the policies of key U.N. agencies -- especially the Security Council and the IAEA. The United States remains the top investor in the World Bank, contributing $950 million in 2006 and $940 million this year. In June the House of Representatives approved another $950 million. Meanwhile, the bank will disburse $220 million to Iran this year, with more than $870 million in the pipeline for 2008, 2009 and 2010. Presidents Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton and Bush all certified that Iran is a state sponsor of terrorism. The Treasury Department's Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence spends considerable effort locating Iranian assets to freeze."

Will Bush Tax Cuts Get Due Credit?

"The Treasury Department reported on Friday that the government produced a deficit of $157.3 billion for the the budget year that began last Oct. 1. That's a substantial improvement from the red ink figure of $239.6 billion produced for the corresponding 10-month period last year. The lower year-to-date deficit was the result of a record of $2.12 trillion in revenues. Spending, however, was higher — $2.27 trillion, which also marked an all-time high. The White House predicts that the deficit this year drop to $205 billion. But the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office predicts the government will produce even less red ink this year. It recently said the deficit will be 'toward the lower end' of a $150 billion to $200 billion range."

Doubts About the Dems: Can They Govern?

RealClearPolitics - Articles - Doubts About the Dems: Can They Govern?: "The so-called full-time legislature departed for their annual, monthlong, paid vacation with its Democratic leaders crowing about its achievements. But their mediocre midterm record, with all of their political hyperventilating aside, shows they accomplished little and left behind a pile of pork-filled appropriations bills, a mountain of unfinished work on problems ranging from energy to health care and a poisonous political atmosphere. 'The president has signed virtually nothing because virtually nothing has gotten to his desk,' remarked Missouri Rep. Roy Blunt, the second-ranking House Republican."

Bush Poll Numbers Rise With Progress Reports From Iraq

Bush Poll Numbers Rise With Progress Reports From Iraq: "Even some critics of President Bush's Iraq war policies are conceding there is evidence of recent improvements from a military standpoint. But Bush supporters and critics alike agree that these have not been matched by any noticeable progress on the political front."

The Schip Revelation

The Schip Revelation: "Schip was created as a program that needs to be reauthorized every decade; the House plan makes it a permanent entitlement. Schip was supposed to help the uninsured; the House plan is consciously designed to 'crowd out' private coverage and replace it with federal welfare. The bill goes so far as to offer increasing 'bonus payments' to states as they enroll more people in their Schip programs. To grease the way, the bill re-labels 'children' as anyone under 25, and 'low income' as up to 400% above the poverty level, or $82,600 for a family of four. As if this all weren't blunt enough, the House's Schip bill also includes a new tax on private insurance policies. Assessed at $375 million in its first year and increasing thereafter, this so-called 'fair-share' tax will fund a new government agency to study the 'comparative effectiveness' of certain medical treatments and kinds of insurance. Unremarked is that health insurance is already more expensive than it needs to be because of mandates like this one. To finance its Schip largesse, the House would eviscerate Medicare Advantage, an innovative 2003 program that allows seniors to choose among various private health plans. It's growing rapidly and currently serves some 8.3 million seniors, or about 18% of the eligible population."

How Much More Left Lunacy Will Americans Tolerate?

Bill O’Reilly: "The reason the Democratic candidates are making these foolish decisions is that they see the mainstream press actively rooting for the far left to succeed in America. Talking Points could not find one media account of the Kos convention that even criticized their vile postings, grossly insulting people like Senator Joseph Lieberman. The bias is disgusting."

The man has a point.

Potential Flaw Is Found in Design of Fallen Bridge

Potential Flaw Is Found in Design of Fallen Bridge - New York Times: "Investigators have found what may be a design flaw in the bridge that collapsed here a week ago, in the steel parts that connect girders, raising safety concerns for other bridges around the country, federal officials said today.... Crews were doing work on the deck of the Interstate 35W bridge when it gave way, hurling rush-hour traffic into the Mississippi River and killing at least five people.... Federal authorities indicated that one added stress on the gusset plates may have been the weight of construction equipment and nearly 100 tons of gravel on the bridge, where maintenance work was proceeding when the collapse occurred. A construction crew had removed part of the deck with 45-pound jack hammers, in preparation for replacing the 2-inch top layer, and that may also have altered the stresses on the bridge, some experts said."

Terror-nomics?

Steven D. Levitt* promotes terrorist ideas on his NY Times Blog, and asks for readers' help in coming up with more terrorist schemes... as a public service:

"I’d start by thinking about what really inspires fear. One thing that scares people is the thought that they could be a victim of an attack. With that in mind, I’d want to do something that everybody thinks might be directed at them, even if the individual probability of harm is very low. Humans tend to overestimate small probabilities, so the fear generated by an act of terrorism is greatly disproportionate to the actual risk. Also, I’d want to create the feeling that an army of terrorists exists, which I’d accomplish by pulling off multiple attacks at once, and then following them up with more shortly thereafter... I’m sure many readers have far better ideas. I would love to hear them. "

Freak, indeed.

*Of Freakonomics fame.

Stocks Rise as Risk Worries Fade

Today's Markets - WSJ.com: "The stock market prefers certainty, according to the old saw, and it thrived amid greater certainty on Wednesday, with the Federal Reserve's rate decision on the books and signs of steadiness appearing in the mortgage arena."

Winter Soldier Syndrome

RealClearPolitics - Articles - Winter Soldier Syndrome: "'The investigation is complete and the allegations from PVT Beauchamp are false,' Major Steven Lamb, a spokesman for Multi National Division-Baghdad, told USA Today. The New Republic is standing by Beauchamp's work. But Michael Goldfarb, online editor and blogger at The Weekly Standard who first challenged Beauchamp's writing, reported Monday that Beauchamp had 'signed a sworn statement admitting that all three articles he published in the New Republic were exaggerations and falsehoods -- fabrications containing only 'a smidgen of truth,' in the words of our source.'"

Apocalypse Fowl... Full Metal Racket... Now is the Winter of Our Discount Tent... "The lunch lady gets stronger while I get weaker." I can't wait for that movie.

Bush Still Wields the Threat of Terrorism - New York Times

Bush Still Wields the Threat of Terrorism - New York Times: "In interviews, Democratic leaders and their aides acknowledged being outmaneuvered by the White House, which they accused of negotiating in bad faith, and portrayed the bill as a runaway train. Both sides agree that after a series of briefings by Michael McConnell, director of national intelligence, on potential threats to the nation and what he saw as crucial gaps in the surveillance law, they agreed to work together on a new set of provisions before the August recess."

A hint of more positive news

A hint of more positive news for the Bush admininstration - Gallup Guru - USATODAY.com:

"Now – in the data just about to be released from our weekend poll – Bush's approval rating has recovered slightly to 34%. That’s not a big jump, but it is the second consecutive poll in which the president’s numbers have been higher rather than lower.

Also, we are seeing a slight uptick in the percentage of Americans who say the “surge” in Iraq is working."

Propaganda Redux

OpinionJournal - Featured Article:

"Take it from this old KGB hand: The left is abetting America's enemies with its intemperate attacks on President Bush....

I spent decades scrutinizing the U.S. from Europe, and I learned that international respect for America is directly proportional to America's own respect for its president."

Andrew C. McCarthy on FISA Courts on National Review Online

Andrew C. McCarthy on FISA Courts on National Review Online: "For nearly two years since the New York Times blew the NSA’s warrantless-surveillance program, the Left has transfigured itself into a whirling dervish of indignation over President Bush’s imperious trampling of “the rule of law.” The president’s constitutional authority is inviolable — it cannot be reduced by mere legislation. When Congress passes a statute, like FISA, that purports to reduce the president’s constitutional authority, it is Congress, not the president, that is trampling the rule of law. A president who ignores such a statute is not a law-breaker; he is a defender of the highest law."

Daily Kos: Sad and ridiculous

Daily Kos: Sad and ridiculous: "We didn't flinch from our position on the war. We held the line on social security, even as the Very Serious People told us it was irresponsible. We championed Dean when we were told it would kill the party. We championed Lamont when we were told it would cost us the Senate. We celebrated Nancy Pelosi when we were told we would be demonized as 'San Francisco liberals'. And we won in 2006." -- Markos Moulitsas, Daily Kos

Oh, boy. You might be laughing about this one 10 years from now... remember Michael Dukakis?

Beauchamp Recants

The Weekly Standard: "Separately, we received this statement from Major Steven F. Lamb, the deputy Public Affairs Officer for Multi National Division-Baghdad:

An investigation has been completed and the allegations made by PVT Beauchamp were found to be false. His platoon and company were interviewed and no one could substantiate the claims.

According to the military source, Beauchamp's recantation was volunteered on the first day of the military's investigation. So as Beauchamp was in Iraq signing an affidavit denying the truth of his stories, the New Republic was publishing a statement from him on its website on July 26, in which Beauchamp said, 'I'm willing to stand by the entirety of my articles for the New Republic using my real name.'"

Looks like the Daily Kirk got it right earlier this week. Listen to Michael Yon and accept no imitations!

Tons of Repaving Material Was on Bridge at Collapse

Tons of Repaving Material Was on Bridge at Collapse - New York Times: "The chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, Mark V. Rosenker, said investigators had questioned employees of Progressive Contractors Inc., which was doing work on the bridge deck, regarding quantities of various materials, specific equipment they had put on the bridge, and where the materials and equipment were on the bridge. The weight and location will be entered into a computer program, Mr. Rosenker said, to calculate the stresses generated on each girder and other bridge components."

Progressive Contracting, Inc.??! I'll bet this story gets buried almost overnight if there is any implication that a group of Progressive Contractors contributed to the collapse of this bridge. This is stranger than fiction!

Remember Worries About Global Cooling?

Remember Worries About Global Cooling? - Newsweek

" In April, 1975... NEWSWEEK published a small back-page article about a very different kind of disaster... the threat was: global cooling.... In fact, the story wasn't 'wrong' in the journalistic sense of 'inaccurate'.... the tools scientists have at their disposal now—vastly more data, incomparably faster computers and infinitely more sophisticated mathematical models—render any forecasts from 1975 as inoperative as the predictions being made around the same time about the inevitable triumph of communism."

This conclusion is as amusing as it is prescient. One can imagine the counterpart article in 2029 explaining how global warming didn't quite work out like they predicted, and how that doesn't make them 'wrong' about global climate. Newsweek's unabashed excuse making is as unapologetic as the weatherman who got the weekly forecast wrong. Until climatologists can tell us with certainty what next week holds, we should remain skeptical of what they tell us next decade, century, or millennium holds.

The Dumbest Move the Dems Could Make

The Dumbest Move the Dems Could Make

"If any administration since President Richard M. Nixon's has committed high crimes and misdemeanors, surely it's this one; if lying about consensual sexual activity fit the bill, then surely lying about the reason for a war does, too. As Dave Lindorff and Barbara Olshansky argue in their indignant book 'The Case for Impeachment,' the bill of indictment goes far beyond Bush's grave lies about Iraq. There's also the arrest and detention without trial of U.S. citizens, the violation of international treaties such as the Geneva Conventions at the prisons at Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and the 'blatant violation' of the 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and the Fourth Amendment 'by secretly authorizing secret warrantless spying on thousands of American citizens by the National Security Agency'.... Bush and Cheney -- and conservatism in general -- have wrecked our civic institutions and darkened our civic impulses. Nothing is beyond politicization... but impeachment is exactly the wrong step to take at exactly the wrong historical moment."

Wow. This opinion article is truly remarkable in both its fabrication and imagination.

1. The 'bill' for high crimes and misdemeanors committed by President Clinton was not simply consensual sexual activity. The President was impeached for perjury relating to an investigation of employee civil rights violation and for obstruction of justice in the employee civil rights investigation including "his corrupt efforts to influence the testimony of that employee" and other witnesses. These crimes resulted in a contempt of court citation and his suspension and ultimate resignation from the bar.

2. Thinking individuals should reject assertions of "grave lies about Iraq." No one has demonstrated proof of deception. To the contrary, the evidence speaks of a bipartisan polity that came to an almost unanimous conclusion about the pretexts for the war, including a regime in violation of the 1991 armistice and 14 UN resolutions including Resolution 1441. The fact of absent WMD in Iraq actually speaks to President Bush's innocence since any preconceived deception most assuredly would have included means to 'plant' evidence to cover the justification.

3. Complaints on Abu Ghraib ignore the fact that the US held accountable those responsible for the abuses there. These activities were the result of abuse and not the product of official policy.

4. Complaints about Gitmo ignore the fact that the International Red Cross has had unfettered access to the facility since the month the prison opened. The Red Cross, et al, objected to the pretense of detention and certain detention conditions based on their own interpretation of the Geneva Conventions--one that grants POW status to those the US considers unlawful combatants--an honest disagreement (and the fact the USA never ratified Protocol I of the conventions). Pres. Bush's interpretation is consistent with previous administrations including FDR's. The torture allegations came largely from former detainees, and these enemies are trained to make inflated and false charges upon release to weaken our morale.

5. The FISA abuse charges were the result of partisan politics--as evidenced by the recent modification of the FISA statute designed to overtly sanction the NSA eavesdropping program.

Finally, most of the civic turmoil and degradation has been the result of media hyperbole and partisanship. Much like the Reagan administration is remembered in an entirely different light 20 years later, the Bush administration will likely be remembered not for this list of loose and unsubstantiated charges but for its accomplishments. Impeachment would be a dumb move largely because it isn't necessary, warranted, or appropriate.

Health Care

Health Care - New York Times:

"The major Democratic candidates are, by and large, proposing to build on this mixed system, shoring up the employer-based segment while expanding public programs for those who fall between the cracks. Some Democratic activists, in fact, are sorely disappointed that the major candidates once again stop short of a true national health insurance program."

Let's not confuse the issue. Certainly one makes valid arguments on the point of this being socialism in thin disguise. However, we should look to performance of services rather than ubiquity of coverage. Universal insurance coverage does not equal universal health care. We've seen the results of deregulation: Ma Bell in 1982, the airline industry in 1978, the rail industry and motor industry in 1980 all brought cheaper prices, better services, and more consumer choice. Government health care amounts to a regulated monopoly of the least efficient kind. That's why Canadians come to the US for urgent care needs and are desperately looking to privatize their ailing health care system. In socialized medicine more kids and poor families may have "coverage" on paper, but the services available to them will be worse at higher public cost. If you think health care is expensive now, just wait until it is free.

How to Look at Iraq

How to Look at Iraq - Swampland - TIME:

Check out this idea:

"Anyone who says 'victory' is possible in Iraq is lying to you. Anyone who says, as Bill Richardson does, that we can and should pull all our forces out by the end of the year is also not telling the truth. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't try to limit the damage, as we leave, and leave carefully, intelligently, calibrating every step (which means no public timetables or end dates)."

Well, what do you know? In Joe Klein we have a defeatist who persists with the notion that 'leaving' is the best we can hope for. Such ideas never profited this nation. From Korea to Vietnam to the Cold War to the first Gulf War we see that half measures that 'limit damage' only prolong conflict and the loss of life. We live in a world governed by the violent use of force, and peace is a product of victory in the violent realm. Kenneth Waltz correctly refers to this as the anarchy of our world, and in this anarchy only force or the threat of force ensures peace. Either chaotic violence will reign, or the violence that brings liberty will reign. Our opponents bring disorder, mysticism, and darkness. We bring order, civilization, and the light of intellectual liberty. We should look at leaving only in the context of victory and nothing else. And that, Mr. Klein, is no lie. It is the hallmark of America throughout history.

The Turn: Defeatists in retreat.

"As the Wall Street Journal's James Taranto commented: 'Well, two cheers for the paper's diligence, but this also seems to be about as close as we're going to get to an admission of bias: an acknowledgment that those at the Times are flummoxed that the public is not responding the way they expect to all the bad news they've been reporting.' What's striking is that the Times was flummoxed. In the real world, the news from Iraq had been (relatively) good for a couple of months. General David Petraeus's military success had been followed with striking political achievements in Anbar province. At home, a mood of annoyance at the Bush administration's conduct of the war had started to yield to a realization that we were approaching a choice of paths on Iraq, and that the consequences of embracing defeat would be severe. But that's not the world the Times editors live in. In their world, this is a war that should never have been fought and that has long been irretrievably lost--and everyone should simply accept those settled facts."

Well said, well written.

Getting Iraq Wrong

"As a former denizen of Harvard, I’ve had to learn that a sense of reality doesn’t always flourish in elite institutions."

Michael Ignatieff then goes on to solidify this point with his own ongoing example of nonsense. Indeed, he 'gets Iraq wrong' today as he describes getting it wrong 5 years ago. I suggest that is everyone will just be patient and let the military do its job and the state department slouch towards doing its job, this will work out right. The Iraqi people are better off, we are better off, and our enemies are worse off in the long run if we keep chopping this wood. Remember the Barbary Pirates? If so, you probably only think of them in the context of an amusing ride at Disneyland. Such is the fate of Islamic despotic terror. If we continue to fight, this episode will end the same way.

Al Qaeda is guilty of monstrosities in Iraq - no matter what anyone says

From Michael Yon: "I, like everyone else, will have to wait for September's report from Gen. Petraeus before making more definitive judgments. But I know for certain that three things are different in Iraq now from any other time I've seen it.

1. Iraqis are uniting across sectarian lines to drive Al Qaeda in all its disguises out of Iraq, and they are empowered by the success they are having, each one creating a ripple effect of active citizenship.

2. The Iraqi Army is much more capable now than it was in 2005. It is not ready to go it alone, but if we keep working, that day will come.

3. Gen. Petraeus is running the show. Petraeus may well prove to be to counterinsurgency warfare what Patton was to tank battles with Rommel, or what Churchill was to the Nazis.

And yes, in case there is any room for question, Al Qaeda still is a serious problem in Iraq, one that can be defeated. Until we do, real and lasting security will elude both the Iraqis and us."

His is an opinion you can trust. Michael Yon is a sound source of news from the fight. Read his stuff and support him if you can.

House Passes Changes in Eavesdropping Program

"Despite the political risks, many Democrats argued they should stand firm against the initiative, saying it granted the administration far too much latitude to initiate surveillance without judicial review."

Of course, if Congress is serious about taking a stand against surveillance without judicial review, they could start by taking J. Edgar Hoover's name off of all federal buildings including FBI headquarters. He was notorious for domestic surveillance of just about any political figure. Robert Kennedy also approved FBI wiretapping of Martin Luther King, Jr., but Democrats don't talk about that much. Nor do they talk much about the ECHELON program that Democrat leaders, including presidents, have known of and utilized for years. But Dems publicly used low technology means against Rep. John Boehner (R) in the famous Rep. Jim McDermott (D) case. Americans should sleep soundly knowing that no one cares about their personal communications, unless you are a politician or are in contact with known members of AQ.

Beware of sociopaths in politics, experts warn

"Dr. Edgardo Juan Tolentino Jr., executive assistant of the National Mental Health Program of the Department of Health, cited one iconic sociopath who 'charmed and tantalized a whole society,' but on whose ultimate motive the world ended up in much misery."

Good advice.

House approves foreign wiretap bill

"The bill updates the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, known as FISA. It gives the government leeway to intercept, without warrants, communications between foreigners that are routed through equipment in United States, provided that 'foreign intelligence information' is at stake. Bush describes the effort as an anti-terrorist program, but the bill is not limited to terror suspects and could have wider applications, some lawmakers said. The government long has had substantial powers to intercept purely foreign communications that don't touch U.S. soil. If a U.S. resident becomes the chief target of surveillance, the government would have to obtain a warrant from the special FISA court."

The Senate approved this Friday, so the bill now goes to President Bush. I think this is a remarkably sound move that is long overdue. It also reveals that what we witnessed last year on this was largely Democrat hay-making in order to win congressional seats.