LEAVWORLD: GRAFFITI POLITTI

I recently started a new blog at Gather.com . It is an interesting community, with many nice people, and some freindly (and NOT) moonbats. However, I felt pressure to get comments on my posts there, and to comment on others' posts, to acquire "Gather points." This does not jibe with what I do. My premise is that I say what I think, or what I want to promote for thought, with as few distractions as possible when writing this blog. If no one else reads it, it still serves as a record of my opinions on a variety of subjects. While I get more comments on some posts at Gather, I don't like that they have ads on the same page as everything I post there. I've deleted most of my artwork, but will probably leave crossposts of everything I publish here at LEAVWORLD, with a link. I encourage you to go check out my Gather page , especially the comments on LET THEM EAT BOMBS!, which got no comments here. This is why I find it so hard to quit this quaint little internet communi...

The eminent Dr. Thomas Sowell has just published the third part of a series called " Bordering on Fraud" over at Town Hall . I highly recommend them, and will add any following chapters on this post. Bordering on fraud The immigration bill before Congress has some of the most serious consequences for the future of this country. Yet it is not being discussed seriously by most politicians or most of the media. Instead, it is being discussed in a series of glib talking points that insult our intelligence. Bordering on fraud: Part II Of all the insults to our intelligence in the current discussions of immigration legislation, the biggest insult is the claim that border control legislation and legislation on the illegal immigrants already in the country must go together. Bordering on fraud, part III Some people are worried that amnesty will give illegal aliens the same rights that American citizens have. In reality, it will give the illegals more rights than the average American c...

Crossposted from STOP THE ACLU : Hat tip: Pretend Pundit Via ACLU Website: Responding to reports that phone companies are turning over private details about Americans’ telephone calls to the National Security Agency, the American Civil Liberties Union today launched a nationwide initiative to end illegal government spying. ACLU affiliates in 20 states today filed complaints with Public Utility Commissions or sent letters to state Attorneys General and other officials demanding investigations into whether local telecommunications companies allowed the NSA to spy on their customers. “We cannot sit by while the government and the phone companies collude in this massive, illegal and fundamentally unAmerican invasion of our privacy,” said ACLU Executive Director Anthony D. Romero. “And unfortunately, we cannot wait for Congress to act. The ACLU is mobilizing its members and supporters nationwide to demand investigations into this shocking breach of trust. And we are asking the FCC to use i...

This is from Nov. 19, 2005: "What we need is a little more commander in chief, and a little less campaigner in chief," Kerry said in an exclusive interview on "Good Morning America Weekend Edition." Although he may have sounded as if he were campaigning, Kerry said he's leaving the door open when it comes to running for president in 2008. Not without releasing his full military records, I hope! Join the "Free John Kerry's 180" Blogburst every Tuesday. Details avilable at CAO'S BLOG .

From today's NY POST: FOURTH REICH! IRAN LAW LABELS JEWS! By NILES LATHEM and ANDY SOLTIS May 20, 2006 -- Concerned U.S. officials and Jewish groups yesterday demanded answers from Iran after a shocking report that Tehran's radical leaders passed a Nazi-style law requiring Jews and Christians to wear identifying badges. Jews would be forced to wear yellow cloth strips - like the Star of David that Jews were made to wear in Nazi Germany - while Christians would have to wear red strips. FROM LEAV! GEE, WHO SAW THIS COMING? UPDATE: Amir Taheri elaborates on this story. (Hat tip to POWER LINE ) Mr. Hinderaker wraps it up: "Given Mr. Taheri's past reliability on matters relating to Iran, I think this can stand as the best information we have, pending future developments." Read those for a more sober analysis. Now, on to the LEAVRANT portion of this post: The only way to free the people of Iran, No. Korea, and other oppressive rgimes is through violent force of arms, t...

An excerpt from Robert Novak's "Evans-Novak Political Report," an invaluable resource: The latest miserable performance on NBC's "Meet the Press" by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has renewed talk in Democratic ranks about bouncing her from the leadership following the 2006 elections, whether the Democrats capture the House or not. We think it is just talk. Pelosi's gender protects her. The logical alternative, Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), is such a personal foe of Pelosi that his accession would be too divisive. FAIL UPWARD, SPEAKER PELOSI! NOT!

I caught a report of Palestinians protesting over the lack of funds from Israel, the EU, and the U.S. One protester said that they were being punished for "exercising democracy." If this was a democratically elected government, as alleged, they are now truly and collectively responsible for all of the terrorist murders that Hamas has, and continues to commit. Under the same logic they follow to kill innocent Israeli civillians, they now have justified the killing of innocent Palestinian civillians. Israel, in the past, has killed innocents only when they were in proximity to a terrorist target. They would never stoop to suicide bombers dressed as women at shopping malls, or on buses. The stoppage of funds is warfare by other means, and the Palestinians brought this upon themselves. Imagine if Israel had the moral code of the Palestinians in warfare. Israel has done more than any democracy could, to live with people who want to wipe them off the face of the Earth. It is no sur...

Crossposted from STOP THE ACLU , written by Kender Our erstwhile and dearly beloved President Bush, having found one of his testicles behind the couch, FINALLY gets around to attempting to begin to consider taking the correct course of action by deploying 6000 National Guard Troops to aid ICE in securing our Southern Border in Name Only (SBNO) and the ACLU races with all haste to try to undermine the deployment by whining incessantly and lying to the American people. "Oh-ho" you say, along with "Kender? How can you say that the ACLU is LYING to the goodly citizens of the United States?" Here's how, and as usual, it is attributable to The Queen of the ACLU, The Beauty of the Bill of Rights, the Nancy of the Nine Amendments (ask him, there is no Second Amendment) Anthony Romero: "Turning immigration enforcement policy into another military operation is not the answer. The president’s proposed deployment of National Guard troops violates the spirit of the Po...

AMIR TAHERI continues to impress, with a great series of articles regarding Iran. His latest, IRAN'S (COSTLY) WAR ON AMERICA , published in the NY POST , refers thusly to the reports of US " boots on the ground " in Iran: "As for The New Yorker's report of U.S. Special Forces operating in Iran, it is unlikely that the Islamic Republic has not found any of them after nearly 14 months." He goes on to deal with those who worry about a war between the US and Iran: "...the Iran-U.S. war is not going to start in June - because it started on Nov. 4, 1979, when a group of "students" raided the American embassy compound in Tehran and seized its diplomats hostage. By any standards, that was a clear causus belli. It did not lead to a straightforward war because the American side chose not to treat the embassy raid as an act of war." His main focus, of course, is the cost of the Iranian war on the U.S: ... the policy was not cost free. Washington...

Sen. Pat "leaky" Leahy played fast and loose with the truth on the PBS Newshour show, claiming that the US had a "torture policy" that was found "illegal." If he is referring to "coerced interrogation," I don't know of any court ruling that called it "illegal." Violations of that policy have been prosecuted, however, as in Abu Ghraib. It is important to note that Abu Ghraib was being prosecuted over 3 months before it was broken in the media. The interrogation policy has been modified, but was never found illegal, or called "torture" under the law. Sen. Leahy was spinning BS, and nothing more. This was an "off the cuff" remark, during a segment about the newest NSA "story." Why he linked these two issues is a mystery, unless you hate the Bush administration. Then it all makes sense! Earlier the same day, I heard Rep. Harold Ford, on Fox News, say that the NSA may be "monitoring" every phone ca...

Crossposted at LOVE AMERICA FIRT! This one was too good not to pass along; excerpted from MEMRI.ORG : On April 30, 2006, expatriate Iranian satirist Ibrahim Nabavi published an open letter to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the on-line daily Rooz ( www.roozonline.com ). In his piece, Nabavi scorned Ahmadinejad for failing to keep any of his campaign promises and for improper running of the country, and accused him of being the major cause of the deterioration in Iran's international standing. The following are excerpts from the letter: [1] "In the six months [since your election], you have changed [Iranian] policy several times, because you didn't write things down. Weren't you supposed to fight the oil mafia? Weren't you supposed to free Iran's economy from the plague of the families [who control] the oil? Weren't you supposed to bring the oil profits to the people? Weren't you supposed to wipe Israel off the face of the earth? Weren't y...

It's been too long since I mentioned the ALLIANCE DEFENSE FUND on this page. They continue to take on liberal government supression of religious speech, often butting heads with the ACLU (though not in this case). From the latest ADL news update : HARRISBURG, Pa. — Sealing a victory for religious free speech, a federal district court judge issued a declaratory judgment Monday in favor of two preachers muzzled by city officials from speaking in a public park. An Alliance Defense Fund allied attorney represents the preachers’ organization of which one of the men, Pastor Jim Grove, is a part. "Christian speech shouldn’t be treated differently than any other kind of speech," said ADF-allied attorney Leonard Brown of the law firm Clymer & Musser. "This ruling, coming after a jury found two police officers had violated Pastor Grove’s First Amendment rights when they arrested him, clearly shows that other Harrisburg officials violated this basic constitutional guarant...

The ACLU is watching a small town in western Pennsylvania because of its curfew law. Each night at 9:45 pm the Trafford fire station blows its alert sirens to alert teens and other children that the curfew is fast approaching. All persons under the age of 18 are to be home by 10:00 pm according to local law. But with the ACLU looking over their shoulder, the town has been reluctant to enforce their law. This stems from one child. Again it is the needs of the one trumping the needs of the many. Mr. Spock wouldn't agree with this total lack of logic but that is the principle that the ACLU operates under. Under threat of lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union, it appears the borough has backed off its curfew ordinance. Neither Mayor Kevin Karazsia nor solicitor Bill Ferraro would confirm or deny if the long-time curfew ordinance is being enforced — but this much is certain: In December, the ACLU contacted Ferraro after the Toocheck family complained to the organization. Attorne...

The "signs" all say that '06 will cause a shift leftward in Congress, perhaps giving majorities to Dems in either the House or Senate. This is the "conventional wisdom," a term coined by the late John Kenneth Galbraith. What other signs are out there? The Black political community is being courted by Republicans, who point to 40 years of failed Democrat policies, at the same time that Dems are courting the expansion of the Latino vote, by citing illegal immigrants as the new "civil rights" beneficiaries. There is also the "culture of corruption" issue, which is older than I am (by far, I must add). This turned out to be a booby-trap for the Dems to wade into, by going after Tom DeLay. Now several Dems are caught in their own webs of corruption, and it seems to be a wash at this point. Before the elections, public opinion may even be against the Dems on this issue. More shoes to drop here, on both sides, is my sense. Hat tip to Cindy Adams, th...

My old freind and former Freeport HS classmate Keith Young, author of Cooking With The Firehouse Chef , will be appearing with Food Network star chef Giada DeLaurentis on the Today show next Wednesday. It will be his second appearance there, the first time being right after his book was released last year. I can't say enough good things about Keith. FDNY firefighter, a great cook, and all-around nice guy. I've personally enjoyed his cooking, and encourage all to get his book, as well as watch him on the show Wed. Ms. DeLaurentis is the host of the Food Network's Everyday Italian show. As the email I received from his unofficial publicist, Christine G. (LOL!-just kidding, Chris!) says: "She's probably 1/3 the size of Keith so the visual itself should be interesting. Then mix in Keith's sense of humor and you know the banter will be flying. Should be an entertaining segment! Watch the show and cheer on our hometown boy!!" CONGRATS, KEITH, AND CONTINUED SUCC...

I found these two posts at RealClearPolitics , regarding the blockbuster Shelby Steele OpinionJournal piece . The first, from Brian Goettl at the Conservative Edge , makes a few interesting points, but fails to see how they actually fit in to Steele's theory. The second, from James Biga at OpinionEditorials.com , is very close to my take on the Steele column, echoing points I've made in comments on a controversial earlier post . (Hat tip to RUSH , of course.) ADDITIONAL TALKING POINTS: LIBERAL SOCIETIES MUST OVERCOME THIS "WHITE GUILT" POLITICAL STRATEGY, AND THE U.S.A. MUST LEAD THE WAY. LIBERALS THEMSELVES NEED TO REALIZE THAT CALLING SOMEONE GUILTY FOR THEIR ANCESTRY IS RACISM BY DEFINITION! CONSERVATIVES SHOULD NOT BACK DOWN TO RACIAL HUSTLERS ON THE LOCAL, NATIONAL, OR INTERNATIONAL LEVEL! (PS: Jay from STOP THE ACLU has a post at RealClear as well, regarding protesting at soldiers' funerals. The ACLU is defending this vile practice, which means it's ST...

Crossposted from STOP THE ACLU Via WND Ruling on a 15-year-old ACLU case, a federal judge today ordered the city of San Diego to remove a mountain-top cross within 90 days or face a fine of $5,000 a day. U.S. District Judge Gordon Thompson said, "It is now time, and perhaps long overdue, for this court to enforce its initial permanent injunction forbidding the presence of the Mount Soledad cross on city property," the San Diego Union-Tribune reported. Thompson ruled in 1991 the Mount Soledad cross violates the so-called "separation of church and state" but the case has remained in courts and become an issue of public policy for more than a decade. ACLU lawyer James McElroy believes San Diego officials finally will give up their fight. "I don't think the city has its heart in taking more action," he said, according to the paper. A city lawyer argued during the hour-long court hearing today that citizens had voted for transfer of the land under the cross...

So, Kofi gives a big UN appointment to Achim Steiner, the man that just granted him a half-million dollar prize. Big surprise; Mr. Steiner’s name had been added to the list of candidates for the top job at the U.N. environmental unit after the $500,000 Dubai prize was awarded to Mr. Annan. Hat tip Ed Lasky, THE AMERICAN THINKER .

From Human Events (again-great stuff! Full story linked in title) : In spite of the pleas by Mayor Villaraigosa and Cardinal Mahony, the Democrat leaders of the California State Assembly have decided to call their own boycott for May 1, canceling legislative session that day in deference to the protests. But, showing that their commitment only goes so far, they declared Monday a "check-in" day so as not to forfeit their $459 tax-free per diem for the weekend and Monday. A true legislative walkout would have led to lawmakers losing per diem pay for Saturday and Sunday, as well as Monday since spending more than three consecutive days away from the Capitol triggers a halt in the highly-prized extra pay. The legislative protest by the Democrats caught Republican Assemblyman Dennis Mountjoy’s attention. Mountjoy remarked at the close of Thursday’s session that he had spoken to former members of the legislature who where willing to come to work on Monday for half price. The only...

I found this Human Events piece by Mac Johnson to be exactly the antidote to O'Reilly's rantings about gas prices. Bill actually had him on the Factor, as well. Mr. Johnson's site links to the video, as well as a John Gibson radio interview about the O'Reilly column. I don't disagree with Mr. O. too often, but his whole gas price argument is seriously flawed, as Mr. Johnson proves in this hilarious analysis.