Colbert run shows broken system

The South Carolina Democratic Party announced today that Stephen Colbert will not be allowed on the primary ballot for the 2008 presidential race. Heartbreaking really.

Yesterday on his show, Colbert announced that he was unable to run as a Republican because of a $35,000 candidacy fee. Thats right... It costs a years salary just to put your name on the ballot. And now, after paying the more reasonible but still ridiculous $4,500 fee for the democratic primary, has been denied his right to run for President.

Colbert, who officially filed papers to get on the ballot this morning, lost a
roll call vote, 13-3.
Meanwhile, presidential long shots, Rep. Dennis
Kucinich and former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel, made the cut.

I could almost guarantee that Colbert would outpoll Kucinich and Gravel combined. Its a sad day for South Carolina and for democracy.

Still pulling for him on the Unity '08 ticket.

I'll leave you with this:

Edwards blasts Colbert for ties to 'taco chip lobbyists'

More Colbert goodness caught my eye this afternoon. This time coming from the CNN.com Political Ticker. Apparently the battle for the title of South Carolina's favorite son is getting dirty.

"What is more troubling than his quest for a status his own mother won't grant
him (favorite son) are his ties to the salty food industry," Wells said. "As the
candidate of Doritos, his hands are stained by corporate corruption and nacho
cheese. John Edwards has never taken a dime from taco chip lobbyists and America
deserves a President who isn't in the pocket of the snack food special
interests."

Will the mudslinging never end. Actually, I have a newfound respect for the Edwards campaign. Their response to Colbert's candidacy is hilarious. I've always been an Edward's fan (I voted for him in 2004 in the TN primary) but worried his time may have come and gone. If his speach writers can be just as clever talking about real issues as they are with faux press releases, he just may prove me wrong.

Colbert even has something to say to all his naysayers:

"I am here not only to accept the honor you have given me but to prove to
everyone that this campaign is real," Colbert said. "To put an end to the
vicious rumors that this is not a serious candidacy."

So there...

Colbert vs. Coulter (a comedic book report)

I came across a really great KNS article I thought the blogosphere would enjoy. It shows the ironic hilarity that Stephen Colbert brings to current events when compared to the kind of crap Ann Coulter spews in her new book. Take a gander:

Colbert is by trade a political jokester, the court jester of talk TV. I might put Coulter down as a comedian as well, a card-carrying cuckoo clown, but others say she's a modern-day oracle, and that's nothing to laugh at. They both set out to enlighten, but the only things they actually have in common are a sharp tongue and first letter of their last name. Here are some takes from the two books: Coulter's "If Democrats Had Any Brains, They'd Be Republicans" and Colbert's "I Am America(And So Can You!)."

On the media:
Coulter: "Fox News isn't conservative (despite liberals repeating that to themselves over and over again). But it does promote something liberals fear more than anything other than the FBI being able to see the porn sites they've visited: debate. What really distinguishes Fox News is that prime-time lineup is predicated on conservatives and liberals debating, which regularly results in liberals being trounced."

Colbert: "The beauty of the new media is that no evidence is
necessary. The brave blog-troopers have stormed the cockpits of news, and wrested the joystick of authority away from the seasoned pilots of the press who would land our country at Facts International Airport. Now there's fresh blood at the controls, without any of the preconceived notions of the rudder-and-flaps crowd."

There's more...

On education:
Coulter: "People who have dedicated their lives to exposing lesbian imagery in 'Moby Dick' are more prevalent on the nation's campuses than serious scholars. The nation's colleges and universities have become a Safe Streets program for traitors and lunatics."

Colbert: "If there's a bigger contributor to left-wing brainwashing than colleges and universities, I'd like to see it. There's an old saying, 'A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.' Which means a lot of knowledge must be a really dangerous thing."

On religion:
Coulter: "It's becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish the pronouncements of the Episcopal Church from the latest Madonna videos... Liberals do not believe in God because they think they are God."

Colbert:
"Presbyterians are identical to Methodists except that one of them says 'debts' instead of 'trespasses' in the Lord's Prayer. Hundreds of years of bitter armed conflict has failed to resolve this difference. How many more lives must be lost?"

I recommend you check out the whole post. Thanks to Ina Hughes for the compilation.

If I didn't have the names in front of them I wouldn't know who to whom to give credit... Sad...

Return of the Stem Cells

As most people already know, stem cell legislation is back. The first time this bill was sent to the Whitehouse, Bush used the first veto of his presidency. That was in September of 2006. Now, less than a year later, Bush may have to do it again!

The bill didn't have a veto proof majority, but an article in USA Today points out just how out of the mainstream the Bush policy really is:

Nearly two-thirds of the American public supports stem cell research, according to a CBS News poll in January. Six of the nine members of Congress running for president voted this year to lift the restrictions, including Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., in yesterday's vote.

In recent weeks, Bush's appointee to head the National Institutes of Health spoke against the president's position, saying the federal stem cell policy is no longer working. "It is in the best interest of our scientists, our science and our country that we find ways, that the nation finds a way to go full speed across adult and embryonic stem cells equally," Elias Zerhouni said at a Senate hearing March 19. "It's not possible for me to see how we can continue the momentum of science and research with the stem cell lines we have at NIH that can be funded."

Given all that, Democrats entered a floor debate over the past two days relishing the chance to paint Bush as badly out-of-step with both science and public opinion, while Republicans who support embryonic stem cell research were placed in the uncomfortable position of having to criticize their party's leader.

Sean Braisted points out that Tennessee's delegation split on the issue. Lamar Alexander supports the measure, but freshman senator Bob Corker voted against it.

Perhaps Bob Corker is a right wing nut afterall... and here I was thinking it was all an act.

Belated thoughts on Thompson

Now that Fred Thompson's health has been called into question, let me be the millionth person to say, why would he make a good president?

The man is 64 years old, has lymphatic cancer (a disease that nearly claimed the life of this blogger's mom), and isn't exactly the model of healthy living. Lets face it, this guy could keal over any day now. If not from cancer, then a heart attack, or even old age.

I'm not being insensitive, but are Tennessee bloggers thinking this whole mess through? What happens if Thompson is elected? He almost surely be a one term president. Not only that, but when he loses in the primary, will some of his magic wear off. Isn't it better for Tennesseans to remember Thompson as the former senator and tv star instead of the failed presidential candidate?

The guy isn't even all that conservative... What do those on the right see in Thompson that they can't find in any of the other presidential candidates. Whats new? What's fresh? What's original?

Idiocracy Deuce

***YAWN***

Me: Where am I? What happened?

Doctor: It's okay, you're safe... its the year 2007, April to me exact...

Me: But... how?

Doctor: You were put into cryogenic hibernation more than a month ago. You were awaken because the world needs your help.

Me: My help? What's happened...

Doctor: It turns out, watching the Fox News Channel will literally kill brain cells causing contagious retardation. Mr. Miller... you are now the smartest man on the planet!

Me: Oh my God... Doc, please answer me this one last question... I've been dying to know the answer... Surely you must know by now! Please, doctor, tell me... Who's Anna Nicole's baby daddy!!!


Alright, alright... I'm back! Took some time off because as it turns out, blogs can come up on background checks when looking for jobs, so I layed low for a bit, while on the job hunt. Now that I'm now willfully employed again, I can re-join the fray.

So? What did I miss? Imus is a douche... Strippers don't like lacrosse... Anna Nicole's baby doesn't stand a chance... anything else?

John Edwards/Nevada Dems shut out FOX

Let me just be the millionth person to say, all Democrats should freeze out Fox News. Some may call unwise given the political climate and the fact that Fox is the most popular cable news network, but I say they brought it on themselves. There's only so much rightwing propaganda one country can handle.

Democrats have already all but shut out the talk radio circuit, its time to make the jump to tv. War means war and they decided to pick sides. And don't get me wrong, I'm a reasonable person... I watch cable news all the time and see MSNBC's Keith Olbermann chant on the left, and honestly I wish he'd shut the hell up... but he's the only one on that station that does it.

Every single Fox News analyst has a slant... every single one of them has an agenda. Fair and balanced has gone out the window. Working in TV I often wonder if its the News Directors with the slant, the producers, naturally the talent, or does it go all the way to the top. Do producers get promotions when they schedule an interview that reflects poorly on the left?

Allow me to get to the point of this entire post... John Edwards is the first Democratic candidate to jump ship on Fox News. They're out... shut down... frozen... out in the cold... at least for one debate... It ain't much but its a start.

Here's what the campaign has to say. I'd normally just post a small segment, but the whole letter is actually quite inspiring...

You may have heard by now that John Edwards was the first candidate to officially say no to the Fox News debate in Nevada—and because of the hard work of so many grassroots and netroots Democrats, news is breaking tonight that Fox is out.

Fox has already started striking back at John for saying no. (There's a surprise—Fox attacking a Democrat.) Last night, Roger Ailes—the life-long Republican operative who is now Chairman of Fox News Channel—said that any candidate "who believes he can blacklist any news organization is making a terrible mistake" and "runs a real risk of losing the voters."

And John's not their only target. Tonight Fox News Vice President David Rhodes is telling news organizations not to get involved in the Nevada Democratic Caucus because of "radical fringe" groups—meaning grassroots Democrats (that would be you)—who objected to Fox's long history of spreading Republican propaganda at the expense of Democratic leaders.

The whole right wing is getting in on the attack; the Drudge Report is blaring the headline: "War! Dems Pull Out of Fox News Debate."

Enough is enough. It's time to send a clear message to Fox News and their allies that their right-wing talking points and temper tantrums won't go unchallenged anymore—when it comes to what Democrats should do in the Democratic primary, we'll decide—no matter what they report:

http://johnedwards.com/r/7157/840472/

Fox News has already proven they have no intention of providing "fair and balanced" coverage of any Democrat in this election.

In recent weeks they have run blatant lies about Senator Obama's background. And Fox was only too happy to give Ann Coulter a platform to spew more hate a few days after her bigoted attack on Senator Edwards and the gay community.

Now it's time for Democrats to stand together and send a clear message to Roger Ailes, Fox News and all the rest of them: bias isn't balance, but turning tables is fair:

http://johnedwards.com/r/7159/840472/

The truth is, Fox News can "report" whatever they want. And when it works for us, we'll deal with them on our terms. But this campaign is about responsibility and accountability, and we need to send the message to Fox that if they want to be the corporate mouthpiece of the Republican Party more than they want to be an impartial news outlet, they shouldn't expect Democrats to play along.

You can send that message by contributing today, and remind Fox News that in this election, Democrats won't take their spin lying down:

http://johnedwards.com/r/7161/840472/

Thank you for standing up for what we believe in.

Jonathan Prince
Deputy Campaign Manager
John Edwards for President

Ann Coulter is a bitch...

What? You wanted a more creative title. I prefer simple and to the point.

As most people probably already know, Ann Coulter took her crackpipe conservatism one step further by calling John Edwards a faggot. If you don't believe me, Kleinheider found it on YouTube.

I've come to expect ridiculousness from Ann Coulter, but who in the hell were the people in the background roaring their approval. Is this really the Republican party? Has it come to this?

John Edwards sent out an e-mail today calling for Democrats to rally around him in his effort to battle radical conservo-fascism (I coined it... Eat it Colbert!):

Did you hear about Anne Coulter's speech this afternoon attacking John? A friend just forwarded me the video and it's one of the worst moments in American politics I've seen.

I can't bring myself to even repeat her comments. Her shameless display of bigotry is so outrageous you actually have to see for yourself to believe it.

This is just a taste of the filth that the right-wing machine is gearing up to throw at us. And now that it's begun, we have a choice: Do we sit back, or do we fight back?

I say we fight. Help us raise $100,000 in "Coulter Cash" this week to show every would-be Republican mouthpiece that their bigoted attacks will not intimidate this campaign. I just threw in 100 bucks. Will you join me? Just click here.

Coulter's attack was no accident. It happened on national television at one of the year's biggest conservative conferences. Dick Cheney and most of the Republican candidates were in the audience. She was even introduced by Mitt Romney.

John was singled out for a personal attack because the Republican establishment knows he poses the greatest threat to their power. Since they have nothing real to use against him, Coulter's resorting to the classic right-wing strategy of riling up hate to smear a progressive champion. And the Republican attack dogs will keep playing this despicable trick as long as they think it works.

But this time, you and I can change the game.

If we can raise $100,000 in "Coulter Cash" this week, we can show that bigotry will only backfire on those who use it. John is not the first progressive leader to face this kind of slime, but together, we can make sure he is one of the last.

Coulter Cash? I love it... sure its a lame fundraising ploy but the ability to make light of Coulter's slurs and use it to your advantage is great politics.

Thanks Ann... it seems you're good for something afterall...

Duncan, Blackburn support Romney

There was speculation earlier this week that Knoxville Representative Jimmy Duncan was "supporting" if not "endorsing" Mitt Romney for President. According to the News Sentinel this is rumor no more:

Can a Mormon from Massachusetts carry Tennessee and become the next U.S. president?

Two of Tennessee's U.S. House members, John J. Duncan Jr. and Marsha Blackburn, hope so. They are backing him as the best pick among the known Republican candidates.

In interviews, both praised his record as governor of Massachusetts for four years, ending in January, managing the state operations without raising taxes.

Duncan, a Knoxville Republican, said he met Mitt Romney about a month ago and found him articulate and with good answers to various questions.

"That's a really difficult thing for a fairly conservative Republican to be governor of a liberal Democratic state like Massachusetts," Duncan said.

Honestly, if the Democratic party has to lose in 2008, progressives couldn't have a better ally on domestic issues than Mitt Romney. The guy is as liberal as any Tennessee Democrat, he's just a Republican because he's more conservative than most of Massachusettes.

I hear many progressives saying Rudy Guiliani is a good progressive Republican candidate, but Rudy's hawkish tendancies scare me. On all other matters Guiliani is a great candidate, but the elephant in the room is foreign policy and this guy wouldn't think twice about mopping up Iraq and moving on to Iran. We don't need another gunslinger in the oval office.

One thing to Republicans do have going for them are vibrant characters. Everyone on the Democratic side seem so stale and rehearsed. Hillary Clinton couldn't buy my vote. John Edwards' message is so old it needs a walker. Barack Obama is a "black: man who's family owned slaves...seriously?

I think the Democrats best hope is Bill Richardson. Have you seen the creds on this guy? If he wasn't a Latino in this xenophobic era of American history, he'd be unstoppable. Sad, but true.

Frankly speaking, Terry is full of... U-235

Knoxville seems to have no shortage of conservative wingnuts... If you thought Stacey Campfield was a loose cannon, let me introduce you to Terry Frank!

She's the conservative blogger that claimed to have an "exclusive" on enriched Uranium being found in Iraq. She was interviewed by Gene Patterson on Tennessee This Week on WATE which just aired (watch online), and says she has a source through Oak Ridge who hand delivered her unclassified documents proving that 1 million pounds of Uranium was found in Iraq. She has been repeatedly pressured to release the documents so that her fellow bloggers might read it and form their own opinions on what the documents mean.

Well, she claimed she was waiting to post the documents until she could speak with some members of the MSM. I suppose she's taking from Campfield's playbook by wanting to use this "exclusive" to whore the media (which she demonizes). Its pretty obvious that if she posted the documents on her website, there would be no reason to put her face on the TV (and thank God for that).

In an update, Frank posted this:

I made no claims as to a cause for war nor as a reason to stay. My article only offered up inventory tabs at one site alone and questioned why this information isn’t more widely discussed.

That's like me making an exclusive post like "Glenn Reynolds wears dresses", and then claiming that my post was not intended to prove that Reynolds was a cross-dresser, but simply to make the information widely available.

Terry Frank is a media whore... she still has not shown her evidence and her claims bear a striking resemblance to other published reports from a few years ago.

The bottom line is that, even if her claims are true, which they probably aren't, or they are severely exaggerated, it wouldn't mean anything. She herself proved that Saddam Hussein was not an imminent threat, had no weapons of mass destruction, and had zero capability to create any WMD's.

She wants to know why nobody cares if there was Uranium in Iraq? Because it changes nothing...

And by the way, why the hell would her source in Oak Ridge be priveledged to documents on material found in Iraq?

UPDATE: And she refers to herself in third person... CREEPY

ANOTHER UPDATE: Braisted actually beat me to the punch. He said basically everything I just did only he said it yesterday... thats what I get for venting before reading my blogroll.

Well, if you ever wanted evidence that Fox News is not "fair and balanced" but instead intent on bashing democratic politics and politicians, look no further than Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism. I actually did a college report in my Media Ethics course on this film.

Well, that particular documentary is about 3 years old... Brittney links to an update on Fox's attempt to discredit Barack Obama.

(h/t Sharon Cobb)

I stopped watching Fox back in 1999. Their bloodlust over Bill Clinton's blowjob was too much for me to handle. Match that with Fox News being the first to name George W. Bush the next President, despite the fact that polls weren't closed and 2 states were WAY too close to call.

Then again, their one token liberal is Alan Colmes... no comment needed.

With conservative radio being their sole talent pool, its no wonder. Bill O'Reilly, Sean Hannity, Shepard Smith, and Brit Hume... its like a who's who of conservative hacks.

Republican hypocrisy knows no bounds

Looking through my inbox this afternoon, I came across this release from the Tennessee Republican Party. They are claiming John Edwards is a hypocrite because he appeals to poor people, but is actually quite rich.

Are you serious? After bashing Democrats not 3 months ago for calling out Corker on all his money, the TNGOP wants to play the exact same card?

(Nashville) - Tennesseans welcome liberal Democrat presidential candidate John Edwards to Nashville today. Edwards, who has used class warfare in his bid for the presidency, will share more of his hypocritical insights into solving the poverty crisis in America.

"John Edwards forgot to bring substantive ideas to Nashville today, but he certainly remembered to pack a good dose of hypocrisy," said Tennessee Republican Party Chairman Bob Davis. "It must be easy for Edwards to champion his disingenuous 'man of the people' political rhetoric while enjoying the comforts of his multi-million dollar mansion."

Edwards' $4.2 million mansion – the most expensive house in Orange County, N.C. with five bedrooms, more than six bathrooms, a swimming pool, and basketball and racquetball courts – has many Americans questioning the candidate's continued record of hypocrisy.

"After repeatedly complaining that there are 'two Americas,' it is clear in which America John Edwards' and his 29,000-square-foot mansion resides," said Davis.

Yo, Bob Davis, you wanna know what the difference is? Edwards ain't dumping millions of dollars into his own campaign! Besides, I don't believe Edwards ever claimed to be a poor man.

The guy was the "son of a mill worker" who went to public school, a state university, and got his law degree. If you have a problem with this American dream, then you have a problem with Bob Corker.

Edwards is a populist. He lived in North Carolina, very similar economically and geographically to my home here in East Tennessee. The man wants to use government to help the lowest of the low so that more people can live the American dream that he has.

Tennesseans need a candidate like John Edwards. If Bob Davis, and other GOP hacks, want to play hardball here in Tennessee, they should pick on the woman or the black guy. Picking on the "everyman" like John Edwards won't fly.

Campfield on WATE tonight

This afternoon Stacey Campfield came by the station and did a short interview on his bill to issue death certificates to aborted fetuses. It'll be on at 6pm tonight.

All the reporters were tied up, so low and behold, your's truly had to conduct the interview. Let me just say, there is a reason I took a job off camera...

All in all the interview went well. This was not the first time I had shaken hands with Campfield. I met him once while he was on the campaign trail. But, I must say, the man doesn't seem to match the politics.

It was weird, with us coming from two totally different points of view. I mean, I had to keep mine to myself... you know, journalistic "integrity". But I was struck at how likable the guy seemed. Like if he weren't lobbying for something as ridiculous as death certificates for lumps of cells, he might be someone to grab a beer with.

I know there are plenty of people in the blogosphere who spit on the name Campfield, and for the most part, I can understand that. I will never attempt to justify or condone grandstanding of this nature. But seeing the man behind the wild eyed ideas was different.

I guess I expected a Jerry Falwell character. Don't know why...

But Stacey seemed like some guy who genuinely cares about the abortion issue and wrote up a bill using something he thought would give aborted fetuses legitimacy as living beings.

He obviously didn't think it through, but he did answer one question (which may or may not air, so I'll post his response) about adding in measures to prevent the creation of a registry.

He said he would support an amendment to his bill, or another bill, that would take measures in protecting the identities of women who have abortions. Without these safeguards, the bill would surely fail... probably wouldn't even make it to a vote.

All in all, it was totally different than I expected. I genuinely expected to hate the guy. I expected him to open his mouth and spew hate, and I had prepared to return the favor. But that didn't happen at all...

This post is getting long and boring, so I may take a recess and come back with more, but if not, you get the point. Campfield is most likely a good guy, with bad ideas, and a position of power to put them into play.

For another example, see George W. Bush.

Senate resolution fails

Actually, the vote to consider a vote on the resolution against the troop surge failed. The good news is that 7 Republicans joined with nearly all the Democrats. This from CNN:

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Senate Democrats failed to garner the necessary 60 votes they needed to consider a nonbinding resolution that opposes President Bush's plan to send more troops to Iraq.

The vote was 56-34, with seven Republicans crossing the aisle to vote with senators who oppose the troop buildup.

Sixty votes were needed for passage.

The Democratic-controlled House passed a nonbinding resolution Friday rebuking the plan to send 21,500 additional troops to Iraq.

"We are policing a civil war in Iraq," Sen. Charles Schumer, D-New York, said before the vote. "American troops should not be in the middle of that war."

He added, "The president's escalation is misguided, to put it kindly."

When you look at the vote count it means 2 Democrats voted against the resolution. I tried to get the vote tally but the Senate website had not updated yet. I'll post an update later.

"Wrong way on the Interstate"

I had begun this post thinking I would highlight the votes of various members of the Tennessee Congressional delegation in regards to the troop surge resolution.

During my research I stumbled upon a speach given by the bravest conservative congressman in the country: my representative Jimmy Duncan.

As you may remember he was one of only 2 congressional republicans to vote against the initial invasion of Iraq. Here we are 4 years later and Congress is voting on a symbolic resolution opposing President Bush's recent troop surge.

Here's what Duncan had to say on February 14th:

To me our misadventure in Iraq is both unconstitutional and unaffordable. Some have said it was a mistake to start this war but that now that we are there we have to finish the job, and we cannot cut and run. Well, if you find out you are going the wrong way down the interstate, you do not keep going, you get off at the next exit.

There is no way, Mr. Speaker, we can keep all of our promises to our own people on Social Security, veterans’ benefits, and many other things in the years ahead if we keep trying to run the whole world.

As another columnist, Georgie Anne Geyer, wrote more than 3 years ago, Americans “will inevitably come to a point where they will see they have to have a government that provides services at home or one that seeks empire across the globe.”

[C]onservatives have traditionally been the strongest opponents to interventionist foreign policies that create so much resentment for us around the world.

[...]

Finally, Mr. Speaker, we need to tell all of these defense contractors that the time for this Iraq gravy train with its obscene profits is over.

It is certainly no criticism of our troops to say that this was a very unnecessary war. It has always been more about money and power and prestige than any real threat to us or to our people. And this war went against every traditional conservative position I have ever known.

It is time, Mr. Speaker, to bring our troops home.

I hope you take the time to read Duncan's speach in its entirety. (Also I'd love it if someone had recorded it on C-SPAN and put it on YouTube).

For those of you who are still wondering about the resolution and how your Congressman voted:

Yays--
Jimmy Duncan - 2nd District (R)
Lincoln Davis - 4th District (D)
Jim Cooper - 5th District (D)
Bart Gordon - 6th District(D)
John Tanner - 8th District (D)
Steve Cohen - 9th District (D)

Nays--
David Davis - 1st District (R)
Zach Wamp - 3rd District (R)
Marsh Blackburn - 7th District (R)

Another interesting tidbit -- Dennis Hastert didn't vote?

UPDATE:
Kleinheider has a statement from Lincoln Davis.
WBIR has an interview with Duncan.
Knoxviews also gives Duncan a pat on the back.

"Don't make heroes out of Warlocks"

I stumbled upon this clip from Jesus Camp. It proves everything that is wrong with the religious right... They're crazy!

Now, I'll admit I'm a closet Harry Potter fan, so I'm a little biased, but come on.

"If Harry Potter were living in the Old Testament, he would be put to death."

Here's a little history lesson for ya there chief. So would you... for daring to stand up and speak in that tone of voice in a room full of men.

Women couldn't preach in 1st century Israel. I'm not sure why this gets me all irate, but the thought of ignorant people spewing more ignorance disguised as truth to kids is criminal.

The raping of the human intellect.

Joining the fray

I know I'm coming in a few hours too late, but after reading about Campfield's ridiculous "death certificate" bill, it got me way too fired up to stay silent.

Surprisingly, after all that has been said about it, only one person has come even close to the real issue. Privacy...

If this bill is enacted, death certificates would be created for aborted fetuses. As many know, death certificates are public record. In an age when all state documents will be part of some database, its not unlikely that someday an employer will be able to hop online and search to see if a potential employee shares his/her pro-life viewpoint.

It just one more way to regulate morality. Until adoption is officially made a crime, we don't need to pave the way for abortion's equivalent to the sex offender registry.

UPDATE: After reading an update on Campfield's blog, he states that this would not create an abortion registry. He seems to forget that on every death certificate there is a place for a mother and a father's name. Technically, if the father of an aborted fetus is known, he could also be subject to unjust discrimination .

Freedom Engine worth every penny

A little over 5 years ago the city of Knoxville, moved by the events of September 11th, raised money and donated a fire engine to the Fire Department of New York.

It was called the Freedom Engine, and while most people were glad to do anything to help the victims of 9/11, recently some people have questioned the need to donate a million dollar fire engine to the largest department in the country.

I wish I could find published outrage, but it has mostly come to my attention from a few people calling into the station after a several recent fires. One that scarred downtown Knoxville, one that claimed the lives of 4 children, and countless others that have taken homes and property.

Some had questioned whether or not these fires would have been better served if the money raised for FDNY had been spent here.

Well, let me put that to rest. The freedom engine, or FDNY Ladder 14, was used to rescue several children from a Harlem apartment fire. The fire fighters involved were honored for their bravery. The lives of those rescued children are worth far more than the 1 million bucks we spent for that engine.

Video here...

Laughing out Loud

This could quite possibly be the best piece of journalism I have ever seen. Why don't stories like this ever fall in my lap. The hilarity of the situation just keeps going and going.

Wait for commercial then enjoy the madness:

UPDATE: Okay, I can't figure out why the video is off center, but if you full screen it, it works fine. Or just click the link up top. I swear... I gotta learn html.

Barack Obama live and streaming

In just moments Barack Obama is expected to announce his intention to run for the Democratic nomination for President.

Yeah, yeah, we already knew he was running... This just makes it official. The campaign is producing a live video stream from his website right now... Check it out.

I'll have more on this event later.

UPDATE: And I've only got one word to describe it... Inspiring. I never thought I could vote for Obama. I mean, who the hell does he think he is. The guy is a freshman Senator from a under-reported state for a mere 2 years... what does he have to offer America. I'll tell you: HOPE.

It was truly amazing to hear the guy speak at length. I'd heard sound bites and fluff speeches from him, but never anything like I saw today.

I also had no idea he was such a populist. We're talking Roosevelt populist. But that seemed to work out okay for him. He called for the government to put broadband internet in inner cities and rural areas. He wants universal healthcare by 2012. He's the brown John Edwards minus the great hair.

I was also impressed with his lack of partisan bickering. He never mentioned Bush, Republicans, or Conservatives by name. Sure he said we've been suffering from a lack of leadership for the past 6 years, but I think at this point, even Bush would agree with that statement.

Finally, Obama made a believer out of at least one Democratic hold-out. I'm not saying I'm definately going to vote for the guy, but I'm no longer going to rule it out. And that's better than I can say for some of the other candidates... Hillary included.