Inside a Presidential Signing Statement

With all the other calamities and electoral bluster from the hustings, we haven't heard much about the President's usurpation of signing statements as his own unconstitutional line-item veto. Today, thanks to this article, we can pull back the curtain on a particularly onerous signing statement.

From the White House website:

Today, I have signed into law H.R. 4986, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008. The Act authorizes funding for the defense of the United States and its interests abroad, for military construction, and for national security-related energy programs.


Here's the kicker (bold mine):

Provisions of the Act, including sections 841, 846, 1079, and 1222, purport to impose requirements that could inhibit the President's ability to carry out his constitutional obligations to take care that the laws be faithfully executed, to protect national security, to supervise the executive branch, and to execute his authority as Commander in Chief. The executive branch shall construe such provisions in a manner consistent with the constitutional authority of the President.

Keep in mind, this is signed into law just like the Schoolhouse Rock video showed us when we were kids. Wondering what those sections might be that our Chief Executive is choosing to ignore?

One such provision sets up a commission to probe contracting fraud in Iraq and Afghanistan. Another expands protections for whistleblowers who work for government contractors. A third requires that U.S. intelligence agencies promptly respond to congressional requests for documents. And a fourth bars funding for permanent bases in Iraq and for any action that exercises U.S. control over Iraq’s oil money.

To recap:
1. He can ignore a law that calls for a commission to probe contracting fraud.
2. He can illegally deny protection to whistleblowers who work for government contractors.
3. Contrary to the law, Congressional requests for documents from intelligence agencies can be ignored.
4. He can controvert the law and set up permanent bases in Iraq and he can continue to assert US control over Iraqi oil money.

When I say monarchy, I mean it. Erase Schoolhouse Rock from your memory banks, because government doesn't work that way any more. The sheer gall of this goverment is appalling, certainly impeachable, and potentially treasonous.

Kennedy Endorsement of Obama

From comments to this post...

I agree that TK will not help BO with crossovers at all. This is a big risk on BO's part that he doesn't lose the crossovers that he's been successful with so far by aligning himself with a polarizing liberal. It's obviously an attempt to chew into HRC's hispanic and white blue-collar base.

The strategyI see playing out in the Democratic primaries right now is a battle of personalities. The issue positions between HRC and BO aren't that different until you get down into the weeds, and once this stuff gets into congress it'll change quite a bit from their positions in stump speeches. The galvanic Obama movement now is largely a reaction to the win-at-any-cost approach of the Clintons. Democrats are remembering the primrose path they were carried down in the nineties and are becoming convinced that they'd prefer an alternate path to four more divisive years of potential Clinton scandal and the vitriol that will be induced from the right-wing.

Rush Limbaugh goes to sleep at night with wet dreams of a Billary presidency. Most of the country is beginning to realize that eight years of Bill and Hill might not be all that fun, not to mention a bitter general election that will top the charts for the lowest form of sleaze-mongering.

If you didn't hear the State of the Union, let me congradulate you. But if you'd like to read my condensed live-blogged analysis, check it out below.

Semi-Live Blog of the SOTU

I'm going to attempt a semi-live blog of the State of the Union. It's Tivo'd so I can FF thru clapping. So no timestamps with comments. Warning this is long and boring. Read at your own peril.

• Sergeant at Arms does his bit and Bush starts glad-handing down the aisle.
• Why did Chris Shays (R-Conn) kiss Bush on the cheek?
• Obama is sitting with Teddy. I'm curious how much of a punch Teddy will give Obama. I'm thinking mebbe not so much.
• Shot of the first family. Jenna either is injured or was never taught how to clap like a normal person.
• Pelosi introduces Bush. Everyone hollers. Don't get that.
• He's pleading for compromise and bipartisanship. Little late for that pards.
• He just said he believes the appropriate guide for our country is the "collective wisdom of ordinary citizens." Good line, but I haven't seen much of that in seven years. Haven't we become more oligarchical (sp?) and relied more on the few? I believe we've turned our backs on this collective wisdom and moved closer to monarchy. If I truly believed that, why would he have claimed a mandate in either election with either no majority or a very small one? Both of his elections have been characterized by the alienation of half of the electorate after gulling most of the other half with fear-mongering. Collective wisdom, my ass.
• "Trust in the ability of free people to make wise decisions." This shit infuriates me. I'm five minutes in and ready to turn this bullshitter off. There's about five people in his administration that make all the decisions and to hell with the "free people." None of these decisions have anything to do with "free people making wise decisions" or the "collective wisdom of ordinary citizens." What horseshit.
• Stimulus Plan...borrow and spend...still don't get it. Congress' fault.
• Tax Relief. Also Congress' fault.
• Veto any tax increases. Just keep borrowing.
• Government should balance the budget. No shit sherlock.
• Seven years in, he's ready to take a hardline on spending.
• I like the sound of this. No earmarks can be slipped in through the transom at the last minute. Somehow he's going to only allow earmarks that have had a vote. That sounds like a great idea that should have been done a long time ago. Congressional hypocrites all stand and cheer.
• Mortgage relief, blah, blah.
• Health care, blah, blah.
• Education, blah, blah. Boys and girls with dreams, blah, blah. Reduce dropouts, blah, blah.
• Trade, blah, blah.
• He just said, "embolden the purveyors of false populism in our hemisphere." He said it really slowly, but he got through it. I think what he meant was that if we don't sign a free trade agreement with Columbia, look out for another fucking Hugo Chavez, but I wonder how many of his "ordinary citizens" caught that.
• Euphemism alert: Trade Adjustment Assistance = what the Federal Government will do for you when you get outsourced.
• Energy. Security, prosperity, environment require lessening our dependence on foreign oil. We've made some progress in seven years. No. 1 idea...clean coal. Cop out. He slipped in "renewable power" very quickly before he hit a big applause line with nucular power.
• Now he wants an international agreement to slow, stop, and reverse the effects of what he euphemistically calls "greenhouse gases." Seems like we could have done that about seven years ago if we'd have really tried. Standing O. Cheney claps lacklusterly.
• Says we need to trust our scientists and engineers to go forward and conquer. Now I'm waiting for the stem-cell shoe to drop... Double funding for the "physical sciences" he says as he sashays away from evangelical controversy with this clever code. Go kick some ass all you geologists, we'll get some out of work geneticists to help you.
• Here we go. "Moral boundries." Shoe has dropped. Standing O from all bible-thumpers.
• On to Justice. I just hit pause right after he said, "...trust in the wisdom of our founders." I can't imagine how much what he's about to say is going to piss me off. His AG has a picture of Orwell hanging in his office for chrissakes.
• ...pause again..."empower judges who understand that the constitution means what it says." Or are willing to interpret it with amazing creativity for everything having to do with war powers, justice, habeas corpus, unitary executive, etc. What a hypocrite.
• Now to volunteerism. All about faith-based stuff.
• Katrina and the "Armies of Compassion"??? Some meeting's gonna be held in New Orleans. Hopefully they'll have some breakout meetings in the ninth ward.
• Entitlements, blah, blah. Didn't like my idea, you guys fuckin' fix it then.
• Immigration. He just said that we need to create a lawful way for foreign workers to come here and support our economy. I thought we already had a lawful way? In fact I'm sure of it.
• On to WarTalk. This year's policy: "We trust that people, when given a chance, will choose a future of freedom and peace." I would certainly choose it, but I'm not sure that I trust that everyone else would choose it. Sounds like he's choosing for them. Nothing new here.
• Some stirring moments in the history of liberty in the last seven years: Georgia, Ukraine, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Iraq. I'm not so sure all of those have worked out so well buddy. How about what we've seen in Russia over the last seven years, or Venezuela? I'd agree those are stirring moments in the history of liberty.
• "Deliver justice to our enemies" and Cheney springs up like a gymnast.
• There's Jenna clapping like a four-year old again.
• 3200 Marines headed for Afghanistan. About time.
• Here we go. SurgeTalk. I wonder how often he mentions the political benchmarks for which there has been little progress...the justification for the troop increases. Let's see... He just changed the whole justification for the surge...just like that. He said we gave the troops a new mission: protect Iraqi people, pursue the enemy in strongholds, and deny terrorists sanctuary. Of course, the surge didn't have anything to with political progress. And there's some conflation of "terrorists" and "the enemy" but that's old hat.
• "The surge has achieved results none of us could have imagined just one year ago." One year ago, he said the Iraqi government was going to meet all of these benchmarks or we were going to bail. So, logically, he knew that there would be no political progress in a year? I'm very happy for the improved security of the Iraqi people and I'm gratified that our troops, along with the Anbar folks have enabled security improvements, but let's call a spade a spade. You said by doing x, z would happen. Y happened, which is nice, but it's not z.
• He mentioned Osama almost as if he's part of the intelligence community. If Osama says it, it must be true.
• Troops are coming home. Huge applause. But didn't they have to come home because their tours were up in March and we couldn't extend tours again?
• Just hit the benchmark issue and claims that some progress is being made politically. Pretty much danced over there.
• Quoting more Al Queda leaders as though they're part of our intelligence operation. I'm sure they're telling the truth.
• More standard "we will prevail" saber rattling. Blah, blah.
• Another call for two-state solution in Israel/Palestine.
• More Iran axis of evil type stuff. Said nucular twice. Some tough talk to Iranian mullahs.
• Here comes torture/domestic spying talk. More warrantless wiretapping fear-mongering. More protect AT&T from breaking the law talk.
• Just called Sudan a genocide for the first time.
• Good God this is getting tiresome.
• Now we're going to stop famine by buying our crops from poor countries. Bet that'll go over good in Iowa.
• Hey, spend some real money on AIDS. Like that.
• Another great idea, pay for veterans benefits.
• Sounds like this shit's about over. About time. He said the state of our union's strong. I wish he would say that it's not so hot right now.

Olbermann is reading the freaking riot act right now.

Confused about the Stimulus Package

Unwise borrowing and profligate spending have the been the primary causes of today's economic crisis. But, it seems there is bipartisan, unanimous support for more of the same as the solution to the problem. The economic stimulus package basically is to borrow a bunch of money and give it to people so they can go spend it thereby making the economy better. I don't understand this thinking.



Why not, say, build high-speed rail between here and Austin? Wouldn't this have the same "trickle-up" effect? People get employed, they buy stuff from people who then need to hire more people to make up for the increased demand, and so on. And in the end you have something that's good for the economy, the population, and the environment. And every dollar gets spent, whereas with a handout, some fool may decide to save some of it (not many of those types left.)

Maybe I'll be enlightened by George tonight during what is sure to be the lamest-of-duck speeches. Hopefully more on that later.

SC/Florida Political Roundup

I have to say I'm heartened by the results coming out of South Carolina showing Obama with a very large lead. Last week's troubling win-at-all-cost intercession by Bill Clinton on behalf of his wife was at the very least unbecoming a former president and probably very enlightening to many left-leaning independents. While it appears that part of the victory was due to a large African-American turnout, I still want to believe that independents are gravitating towards the uniting Obama and against the divisive political hatchet-job machine of the Clintons. I shudder to think of a Clinton general election and possibly a presidency. Things were incredibly divisive with Bill, become ten times as divisive with Bush, and I fear would be 100 times worse with Hillary. I feel now, more than ever, that it is time to end the Bush-Clinton dynasty.

That said, the Republican primaries seem to have devolved into the predictable dick-measuring, bible-thumping, fear-mongering and flag-waving that it always does. If given the choice between McCain and Robo-Romney, I'd clearly take McCair despite his warmongering consistency. Throughout the Bush administration he hasn't been afraid to ask for accountability. And frankly, while I don't think the Democrats are proposing this, precipitous withdrawal from Iraq would be a mistake. Going into Iraq was a bicentennial calamity, but what's done is done. It's like sunk cost in economics...you can't think about money already spent when evaluating the path forward. What's done is done. Now what do we do from here?

Thankfully, it appears that the Huck-demon has been exorcised. I hope Ron Paul stays in and throws bombs as long as he can, although his version of libertarianism is anathema to me. I'm also thankful that the megalomaniac Giuliani seems to have been neutered, lest we best Orwell.

By the way, I read somewhere that our new Attorney General had put a portrait of Orwell on his office wall. How long until the election? I'm hoping for the following question in a future debate:

MR. RUSSERT: Would each of you support an AG that hung a portrait of Orwell in his/her office?

As if you couldn't tell...

My "Poem" below occured after the last drop of Chivas began to wreak havoc on my questionable liver...

Poem, maybe.

And don't forget, the men and women that we quote, revere, and dogmatize are still men and women.

When they arrive home in the evenings, they are harried by their spouses about their uncut hair, ill-kempt pants, and shabby shirts.

Listening to the daily gossip, they feign interest or ignorance. They still must take their pills, drink their liquor, ingest their tobacco, and do their business.

And after they've eaten their frozen whatnot and watched their reality slop on the TV, they head off to bed. And sleep is not easy. Sleep is the hardest of all.

They've awakened finally yet fitfully, tossing back deathly dreams, and it's time to face another day. Not dispirited, they go.

PED's in Sports

Performance Enhancing Drugs in Professional Sports. I'm going to hit it theoretically first. I'm sure this argument has been made many times, but our professional athletes are our gladiators, with the exception that our athletes choose to enter the arena. In this case, when I am a spectator and the subjects are basically meat...albeit they've chosen to be meat...what do I care what they've done to their bodies? Let 'em get the glory, money and the girls, they'll burn out quickly. They're adults and they should be able to choose. If they choose to burn fast and brightly, who am I to say that's wrong. We live in a chemical society, but is it really so different than societies of our ancestors? Do you think that if the Romans knew of steroids they wouldn't have pumped it into the veins of their warriors?

But there's the rub. What about the kids who want to be warriors? There's lots of non-moneyed kids that see no future in being anything except a warrior. So what do we do? Invest in high-technology, high-cost, and potentially civil-liberty encroaching testing regimes for all children involved in athletics? Decide that as a culture we will have a chemically-enhanced warrior class? Bitch of a question.

Option 1: Allow the chemically-enhanced warrior class. Freedom of choice. But spend bundles of money on testing the 18 and unders that don't have freedom of choice. The cheaters tend to always outwit the testers...the old proactive vs. reactive argument.

Option 2: Test everyone all the time. Massive cost and massive first amendment issues. Still the cheaters will be ahead of the testers.

Option 3: Do Nothing. Leave it up to the parents and local authorities. Some parents and local authorities will be unscrupulous and not protect the well being of children.

Option 4: You tell me....

Not surprisingly, some people over at Reason Online share some of my opinions. Just read this article. I really wish it delved deeper into testing and underage athletes.

WNC Podcast

I've been consume with podcasts for the past couple of years. Every day at work and at night I'd consume all of the best radio and internet audio possible. Basically, podcasts are Tivo for radio and internet audio. True on-demand listening. I've been in a bit of a lull lately...I'm way behind on "Wait, wait don't tell me" from NPR and "Anything you ever wanted to know" from KERA.

I guess KERA was the closest thing I'd ever listened to that approximated local content. I've been reading the local blogs now for several months and have recommended many of them to you. Especially West and Clear, which brings various FW bloggers together. They're the Led Zeppelin of FW bloggers. Well, since a few of them drop by here every now and again and I'd hate for them to get big heads, maybe they're the Asia of FW bloggers. Anyhow, they do a weekly podcast that I just got caught up with. They cover all FW local issues political, recreational, gustatorial, etc. So, podcast veterans and novices should check 'em out here.

Guys, if you need someone to sit in, I'll buy the beer (and it won't be Lone Star.)

7th & Throck - Park Needed

Anybody know the plans for the former Landmark tower site at between 7th and 8th and Throck and Houston? I drive by there everyday and walk around there a lot. I think this would be a fantastic spot for some central downtown greenspace. Wouldn't it be great if there was a big park with a fountain in the middle? The majestic FW Club building to the West makes me think about great inner-city parks in giant cities abutting great old buildings. As a downtown worker, I think this would be a great boon to the area.

Germania

A girl from Germany has been hanging around my gang lately. She's from Cologne (Koln). There will be more to come later, when she sends me some pics from back home. I've been pretty relentless in questioning her about German psychology in the wake of the holocaust. Apparently and appropriately, the feeling is giant communal grief and regret which has manifested itself in a kind of anti-nationalism. Saying "I am German" is completely verboten. Flag flying doesn't happen. She says it's way too early in the healing process. Actually saying that your German doesn't happen, so large is the the communal grief over the actions made sixty-five years ago. She also told me of copper cobblestones laid at the entrance to houses formerly owned by Jews. They list the names of the disappeared. No German steps on these cobblestones.

Coupla Thangs

Here's a list of the retailers planned for the Museum Place development at 7th and University. For former Austin residents, we should be excited about a Z-Tejas in FW...especially the brunch.

And here's a site for a bunch of jingoistic belt buckles that was up on my wife's laptop. Lucy, you've got some 'splainin to do.

Condensed Book Reviews

Recently, I've finished the last two Cormac McCarthy books. I'm really not one for book reviews, but I'll do my best...or something. I decided to knock out The Road, and No Country for Old Men on advice from a friend.

I'm used to the beautiful Faulkner-esque sentence construction, combined with the blood-and-guts brutality of his border trilogy and Blood Meridian. These latest books deviate quite sharply from his former writings.

They are both well worth reading and I highly recommend them both. I'll say that I can't wait to see No Country the movie because it reads like a screenplay. The Road, however, should be read not seen. This is no pulp fiction thrill ride. I've never read anything remotely like it in my life. No character in the book has a name, or needs it. The best books demand that the reader manufacture the scenes, characters, and interactions. This book demands a lot of the reader, and the reader is better off for it.

OK, enough book reviews. I'm reading some crazy shit right now that my mother-in-law gave me. She and I generally enjoy the same books so I'm sticking with it...

No Title

I haven't had much heart to blog lately. My heart hasn't been in it and my brain has been dormant. The dreary, seemingly endless holiday season sapped all of my vacation days while returning very little in the way of fun. Constant managerial shakeups at my employer. Political ennui stemming from the primary season. The turgid end to the Cowboys season. The bitterly cold weather that I will wake up to in the morning. I don't believe there's an English word to describe my state of mind, but there's probably one in German.

I've spent the first part of the week at an "off-site" meeting with my new boss. When I darkened his door at 7:30 AM the other day, I have to admit I was a little shocked to be greeted by life-size cardboard cutouts of Kirk, Spock, and Picard, among thousands of dollars worth of Trekkie memorabilia. I can't express the internal conflict in going from his holodeck-inspired A/V room, to his immaculately garaged Lamborghini, then out onto the yard where horses, dogs, cats, and every manner of fauna frolick unabated.

It takes far less than this to drive me to drink, but drink seemed the only refuge short of a Kerouac inspired road trip. I needed something predictable...reliable to screw my head back on. Luckily the lunchtime mafia was settled in at the speak-easy at about two (I can't give away names or places). After the four-hour lunch, we spent time at the former Pirates' Cove and the unfortunately-name Mule. My head was screwed, but not yet screwed-on.

Now I can't sleep, or see straight, and am accompanied only by a lifeless cat curled up like a breakfast pastry. What's to say? I have no wisdom to impart to you, dear reader. There's a shitpot of gas wells up in the north country, but that will come as no surprise. Also unsurprising, there's an assload of traffic on local highways that makes me glad I usually am able to reach work on major arterials. The cat just left and Dell is notifying me that if I do not find a power cord, I face impending death. As the clock nears three AM, I must look elsewhere for inspiration. The book beside me promises no solace, and I dare not turn on the TV...I'll go get the power cord.

Need Financial Answers

Finance ain't my thang so I'm delegating. This is directed at our CFO, Jim L (who will be bullish) and anyone else that cares to comment...

Admit it, we're heading into a recession?

Oil-profit laden Arab countries are buying the debt of our banks. How is this good?

We're funding the war in Iraq (and everything else) with Chinese investments. How is this good?

If we keep dropping interest rates like we did five years ago, what's to prevent another bubble? Wont it just create another rush to refinance or grab home equity? Thus kicking up home depot stock for a short time until the check comes do?

Roman Empire reference: how do we pay for all of our wars? While cutting taxes? Guns or butter? I'm starting to be serious about this now. Talk of empire was cheap 7 years ago, but we've really got to re-evaluate the situation. Ron Paul has a point, in my opinion, that we just can't afford our colonial impulses.

Jim, I'm going to need a better answer than "cut the corporate gains tax". I feel we're in desperate times.

Technological Convergence

As I'm slowly getting back to normal after the holidays, I have to admit that I'm facinated by the technological convergence we've seen this season with smartphones, iPhones, wi-fi enabled iPods, and the like. One of these days we'll have true robust convergence of all of these devices with richer content. But, I have to admit, I didn't see this particular feature as part of my dream device:

You know what a bother it is to carry both your MP3 music player and your Taser gun?
Worry no more.
Today at CES, Taser International introduced the Taser MPH -- the first combination hand-held music player and Taser.
The player, which has a 1-GB capacity that can hold about 150 songs, is embedded in a holster that slips on your belt. Feel the need to zap someone and you can unholster the Taser, use the built-in laser pointer to aim, and blam -- a couple of darts carrying 50,000 volts hits your victim.
And you don't have to miss a beat.

What's next? GPS enabled handgun?

2007 Best Of Fort Worth

First of all I would like to give thanks to the Famous Grouse, who has made this possible. Thanks to the folks that contributed. Unfortunately, this is a monarchy.



Song/Album that you dug the most (doesn't have to be released this year): Tin Soldier by the Small Faces. Forty years ago, but I had to go through hell to find it.

Book: The Road - Cormac McArthy. I read a ton of books this year, but none was as moving as this Pulitzer Prize winner.

Accomplishment: I accomplished nothing other than getting the blog back up. My wife has yet to murder me and the cats are all happy.

Prescription Drug: Xanax

Technology: 500 Gig external hard drive.

Shoe Store: That online shoe store that sells the flip-flops I like. The ones with the silly bottlecap openers on the sole. I can't remember the name.

Place to get a haircut: I like Sundance Hairstylists. Joe is missing a few fingers, which I think helps make the hair wash better.

New Purchase: my second iPod, after I left the first one out in the rain.

Pet: Our Poofus is still the best cat.

Reunion: I guess my 20yr, but it was a catastrophe.

Movie: Ratatouille hands down. Although I just finished "No Country for Old Men" (Cormac McArthy again) last night and I'm anxious to see the movie.

TV Show: The Wire is the best show on TV but I don't think it was on this year. I'll go with the Sopranos. I enjoy Dirty Jobs and Mythbusters as well. The Wire started its final season Sunday and I aim to enjoy every minute. Keep your eye on Snoop.

Spanish Language show that you watch but don't understand: El Rojo Vivo or some such. News show at 4pm with the two hottest Latinas you've ever seen.

Thing you've subbed out: Everything lawn related.

Addiction:Malady/Disease/Infection/Sore that won't go away: Got this thing on my elbow...

Day Bar: Shamrock. I can usually be found there at 3pm on Saturdays.

Nightspot: Oui Lounge

Drink: Chivas Rocks

Patio/Al Fresco Dining: This is an area where I think FW needs improvement. I'll cough up an out of the way joint...The Point. It's by Lake Worth, has good bar food and a great view.

Restaurant: Sapristi. While Del Frisco's rarely disappoints, Sapristi offers such a variety of great options that you don't get at a steak place. I've definitely had my most enjoyable meals this year at Sapristi. Sunday Brunch is awesome.

Lunch: My favorite lunch place, The Parthenon, went the way of the dodo. The best place to have lunch in FW is Bella Italia. It'll cost you, and it's best to know someone. It's damn near a private club, and that's the way Chef Carlo wants it.

Dinner: Steak at Del Frisco's. Plain and Simple.

Entree: I'd be remiss if I didn't mention my favorite Mexican food. This year I've become enamored with the Milano de Res at El Asadero. Mexican chicken fried steak that is three kinds of delicious.

Appetizer: Fried Oysters at Del Friscos. I was there the other night and we ordered them as an appetizer. This guy we were with liked them so much he ordered up a humongous plate as an entree.

Burger: Lili's Burger with the gorgonzola dressing is about the best thing I've ate all year.

Soup (the most anticipated category): Caldo de Pollo at El Asadero. If you have a cold or allergies, this will help.

Pool Hall: I think I've played 'em all, and Rusty's has the best tables to lose you money on.

Bar Tables: They all suck. Get the straightest stick you can find and shoot 'em hard...don't let the crooked table f you up.

Note on Pool: If you're really serious about playing pool on a good table with good sticks, email me.

Best Beer: Anywhere, but I like Swithwick's on tap at Shamrock.

OK, I'm done for this year. Let me know if there's something I've omitted.

Polls

I think I'm going to ditch the polls for two reasons:

1) The high-minded resaon...such a low sample size severely weakens any statistical inference.
2) The low traffic makes me look silly.

Judge for yourselves the predominating factor.

Back

Back from holidays. Looking real forward to 2008. Peace be among you....or something.

Immigrants

I believe immigrants should learn English. Most immigrant groups, desiring to be assimilated, have also wished this same thing although it usually takes a generation. But, of course, there are zealots like Sen. Tom Tancredo (R-Co) for which this isn't enough. Tancredo, oblivious to history, says this:

"English is the language of this country, and we should not be ashamed of that. It holds us all together regardless of where we come from, regardless of our backgrounds, our histories. It doesn't matter. We need that thing to hold us together."

Sounds like he would like to sweep cleen any evidence of immigration other than the Mryflower. Sweep clean the Chinese and Irish immigrants that built the railrod. Sweep clean the Africans that, as slaves, reaped our crops. Sweep clean the humongous amount of work Mexican laborers do all over the country.

I think if Tancredo had his way he'd rename all of our cities. If you look at the names of cities, you see how diverse we are:

San Anonio = Tancredo would rename to St. Anthony
Pennsylvania = Penn's Woods
Vermont = Green Mountain

No telling what Tancredo woul do to Indian names like Texas, Illinois, Minnesota, Nevada, and Arizona.