Latino Issues, A Conservative Blog

Mary Katharine Ham blogged on Kwanzaa and the facts about it's creator, Ron Karenga. Read it here. ...at various times during his life, Karenga was head of a black nationalist group not known for its non-violent tactics; he was convicted and served time for torturing two women-- members of his own group-- by whipping them with electrical cords and burning their mouths and faces with a hot iron; he invented Kwanzaa as a way to "de-whitize" Christmas, as Al Sharpton once put it, expressly as a way to separate the races. So much for a holiday that celebrates African American roots. Front Page Magazine also has a story on Kwanza and Karenga .

Head on over to Right Wing News and check out John Hawkins' post on illegal immigration . I agree that illegals already in the country need to be incentivised to return to their countries of origin. Believe me, I have plenty of acquaintances that will be mad at me for writing this, but it is necessary to return to a rule of law in the area of immigration. Those who break the law in entering our country should not and cannot be rewarded with an amnesty. But, with that said, there needs to be true reform in the immigration process so that those that apply and are going through the legal channels, do not have to wait years to get approved, or worst, have to wait years to be reunited with their family members. I liked what Hawkins said about the so-called "jobs Americans won't do." ...there is no such thing. There are only jobs that Americans won't do at a certain wage. If you could make 10 thousand dollars a week digging ditches, there would be a 5 mile long line eve...

Here is the truth about abortion--it kills a baby, and has serious physical consequences for the mother as well. The AP is reporting on this Jackson, Miss. case of a woman who was injured after undergoing an abortion. JACKSON, Miss. - A Jackson abortion clinic, which closed in 2004, has been ordered by a Hinds County judge to pay a $500,000 default judgment to a woman who claimed she was injured in a 2003 procedure by a doctor who has since lost his medical license. Circuit Judge Winston Kidd issued the judgment against New Woman Medical Center Inc. after it failed to answer Latosha Travis' lawsuit. Dr. Malachy Dehenre and the clinic are defendants in the lawsuit. A similar default judgment will be sought against Dehenre once he is located and served, said Travis' attorney, James Noble III. "He has been evading the process server," Noble said. Noble said "his client almost bled to death from the procedure." When are we going to see some real concern for the...

For those interesting in following Central American politics and economics, there was good news and bad news coming from Honduras. Honduras.com reports minimum wage increase is being pushed by Union leaders. I am not in favor of minimum wage laws, as they only serve to depress the demand for labor, and cause unemployment. The Honduran economy would be better served if free market forces where allowed to play out, and if the government removed barriers to entrepreneurship. Minimum wage negotiations will begin Friday, December 23rd. The Tripartite Commission confimed this decision with the Government, workers and industrialists yesterday. Union members indicated Tuesday that they will ask for a 500 lempira cost of living increase. This is the 21st set of negotiations on minimum wage since they began in 1978. Altagracia Fuentes, representative of the working sector, said that they will do everything possible to avoid confrontations. The last round of negotiations lasted three months. Als...

This strikes me as an interesting case. I find it interesting that I had heard nothing of it until now. I don't know the details, so I won't say I agree with the Court order or not. One thing I do know is that our immigration system does take much to long to process requests. These delays are hurting families, and destroying marriages. Bolding of text is mine for enphasis. PR Newswire has the story . SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- A federal court issued a permanent injunction against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), ordering the agency to provide documentation of lawful status ("green cards") to a nationwide class of lawful permanent residents (LPRs) who have been denied such proof for months and, in many cases, years. The December 22, 2005 order by U.S. District Court Judge Marilyn Hall Patel of the Northern District of California added teeth to her August 2005 summary judgment ruling, in which she held that the DHS's policy of withholding docu...

Hi Everyone, I have been enjoying a week of relaxation and rest at my in-laws. I wanted to drop in and wish all my readers a belated Merry Christmas--yes, it's ok to say it--and pray you have a blessed New Year. On personal news, I will be relocating to Arlington, VA in mid-January, and starting work with a new company. Part of my new work will involve blogging, which means that I will not be posting here much. But, I will have more about that when the time comes. I thought I would share a round up of interesting articles you may want to check out. The first one comes via the Drudge Report , who posted an article about a top GOP strategist who is working with Mexican President Fox "to put the brakes on growing anti-immigration, anti-Mexican sentiment in the United States." Of course, it mentions nothing about the rule of law, the cost of sustaining a large portion of our society that is living outside the boundaries of our legal system, and the real victims--illegal immi...

Today is the last day you get to give me your vote for best Latino blog for 2005! Head on over and log your vote . Email your friends and ask them to vote for my blog. I'm actually not that far behind--if we get the word out, I can win this. http://weblogawards.org/2005/12/best_latino_caribbean_or_south.php ~ Josue Sierra

Is there something the anglo culture can learn from Latinos ? Do you think this is true--are anglos colder, generaly speaking? We hug, we kiss, we say, 'I love you; you are my best friend.' My circle of [Puerto Rican] friends, we always say the same thing - why is it that Anglo people are so cold? AWILDA MEDINA, 58-YR-OLD SCHOOLTEACHER, ORLANDO SENTINEL 11.21.05 HT: IconCulture

Shakira, Marc Anthony, Luis Miguel, Laura Pausini, Daddy Yankee, Juanes, Intocable, Conjunto Primavera, Marco Antonio Solis, Wisin y Yandel, and Monchy y Alexandra Among Multiple Nominees Univision is announcing this years Latin Music awards nominees. Miami, FL--(HISPANIC PR WIRE)--December 12, 2005--The 18th Annual "Premio Lo Nuestro a la Musica Latina" (Lo Nuestro Latin Music Awards) nominees were announced today during a press conference televised live on the Univision Network morning show "Despierta America." As in years past, the hottest names in Latin music make up the list of nominees for the longest running and most popular Latin music award program in the U.S. "Premio lo Nuestro" will be broadcast by the Univision Network on Thursday, February 23 from 8-11 pm ET/PT (7-10 pm Central/Mountain) live fromMiami's American Airlines Arena. Fans will have the chance to vote online for the favorite artist. Starting today, Latin music fans can go to ht...

In response to my previous post about U.S. non-profits supporting and helping Colombia keep its pro-life legislation, and protecting the unborn, TankerTodd over at RedState.org had these comments . Even setting the abortion question aside, I am a little uncomfortable with American private groups seeking to interfere with another nation's policies. Each nation is sovereign and their right to create crazy laws is protected insofar as they are arrived at through democratic means. If one country wants to cane the crap out of kids for breaking the law, who are we to tell them otherwise? If another executes drug traffickers, how can we intervene? We definitely don't want a foreign country interfering with our laws, nor do we want Colombia or any other nation. A great example of this are the whiny Europeans, especially the Brits, that sniff at our capital punishment. (This coming from the Continent that brought us WWI and other fun things. This from the Brits whose Tower of London h...

This is an important issue. It is not correct to grant illegal immigrants political power through representation. I am not advocating they don't have human rights, but being illegal, they should remain outside the political process. This sort of counting only confuses the issues, divides the nation, and weakens our government's ability to solve the border security and illegal immigration problems. It has to stop. Who is counted determines how many representatives states will have. As Congress considers several immigration bills, the debate this week centered on whether illegal immigrants be counted when it comes to establishing the number of representatives each state has in the U.S. House. Especially in border states where illegal immigration has skewed the census significantly, House seats hang in the balance. Rep. Candice Miller, R-Mich., said the numbers in the House should be based on those who are citizens of the United States. "People who are in our country illegall...

U.S. pro-abortion groups are not satisfied with the millions of babies murdered domesticly, and continue their campaigns promoting the culture of death around the world. CitizenLink had good news from Colombia in yesterday's email. The highest court in Colombia rejected an effort by US-based pro-abortion organizations to push their agenda in Colombia, according to Human Life International. The US-based Women's Link Worldwide, International Planned Parenthood Federation and Catholics for a Free Choice had joined forces in an attempt to overthrow Colombia's constitutional protection of pre-born children. The Rev. Tom Euteneuer, president of Human Life International, said the groups sought to have the Constitutional Court of Colombia remove any mention of abortion from the nation's penal code. The ruling means abortion continues to be against the law in the South American nation. "Copyright (c) 2005, Focus on the Family. All rights reserved. International copyright s...

Cross posted on RedState . Latino Issues is a Finalist for Best Latino Blog, 2005 Weblog Awards. Vote Now. The CO Rocky Mountain News highlighted some numbers in last weekend's edition, regarding the Cuban Military. 49th Anniversary of Cuba's so-called revolutionary armed forces. 300,000 at the peak of the island's troop strength during the early 60's. 46,000 active troops in Cuba today. If we are going to highlight the Cuban numbers and anniversaries, let's make sure we are fair and celebrate all of the horrid, inhuman, and violent numbers Castro has to celebrate. Hat tip to The Real Cuba. 3 years since the date when Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet, a Cuban prisoner of conscience and a real Christian, was sent to jail. He is now reported to be seriously ill and suffering from chronic gastritis and hypertension. 25 year prison term - imposed on Dr. Oscar Elias Biscet after an unfair trial in 2003 for his non-violent advocacy of human rights - are deteriorating....

It seems to me there are two issues in this Spanish speaking student suspension case . First, the boy evidently speaks English fluently, so this is not an integration issue--he is speaking the language. I can't fault him for answering the other boy in the Spanish, when the question was asked in Spanish. Second, I don't see a problem with setting a policy that says students should only speak English while in School. This would have NOTHING to do with discrimination or race, and everything to do with language education by immersion! Anyone who teaches language will tell you that immersion is absolutely necessary for full mastery of a new language. I personally would not punish this sort of infraction with such severity, but this by no means indicates racism. But, in this case, there was no written policy. Big mistake . Zach's father, Lorenzo Rubio, a native of Veracruz, Mexico, who has lived in Kansas City for a quarter-century... "went to the principal and said, 'My...

Hey Everyone, Don't forget that you can vote daily. I want to remind my daily readers to not forget to head on over to the weblog awards web site , and vote for me again!

Wizbang has breaking news of a shooting of a passanger who claimed to have a bomb. An air marshal aboard American Airlines Flight 924 from Medellin, Colombia to Miami has shot a passenger who claimed to have a bomb and tried to flee from the plane on to the jet way. The reports seems to indicate he is alive, wounded, but not dead. Reader's comments on Wizbang are allready betting on the chances that this individual is muslim. We'll see. MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- A person was shot and wounded on the Jetway to an American Airlines passenger jet that was at the terminal at Miami International Airport, an airline official said. A federal official told CNN that the passenger was shot by a federal air marshal, who felt the passenger was acting in a threatening manner. A senior administration official added that the passenger claimed to have a bomb in his carry-on luggage. An air marshal told the passenger to stop, and he did not, the official said, adding that the marshal fired ...

Great commentary yesterday by Albert Mohler, at Beyondthenews.com . Carol Sarler wants to enter into a civil union with her adult daughter. Nothing incestuous or lesbian, mind you. She just wants the tax savings and other benefits that come with civil unions Everyone in society, regardless of faith, needs to see the consequences of destroying marriage--a most important social pillar. The costs of ignoring it's importance are going to be much more than economic, and they will be devasting! If marriage can mean something other than the union of a man and a woman, it can mean virtually anything. Listen Now Podcast It

It's good news that more medical organizatinos are recognizing the link between abortion and breast cancer. True choice involves being informed, and knowing ALL the truth about abortion. While we are on the subject, check out this site . It has good information on abortion and related subjects. This came from US Newswire: Contact: Karen Malec of the Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer, 877-803-0102 or response@abortionbreastcancer.com HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Dec. 7 /U.S. Newswire/ -- MaterCare International issued a statement this week acknowledging a "significant increase in breast cancer risk after induced abortion," announced the Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer. It's the seventh medical organization to recognize that abortion raises risk, independently of the effect of delaying the birth of a first child (a known breast cancer risk). The statement was issued just days after the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons published a review of ...

Don't forget you can vote every day, and I am in the finalist list for best Latino blog! So, click here and give me another vote! I also wanted to share my own personal recommendations for some of the categories in the 2005 Weblog Awards : Best Blog: Captain's Quarters . Best New Blog : No endorsement Best Group Blog : For sure my vote goes to Redstate . Best Humor Blog : I'm not familiar, but on a friend's recommendation, I'm going with Hog On Ice . Best Liberal Blog: Right! Best Conservative Blog : No endorsement Best Media/Journalist Blog : No endorsement Best Military Blog : One more time, on a friend's recommendation I'm going with Sgt Hook Best Canadian Blog : My vote goes to A Northamerican Patriot Best UK Blog : No endorsement Best European Blog : Stefania of Free Thoughts . Best Asian Blog: No endorsement Best Middle East/African Blog : No endorsement Best Australia/New Zealand Blog : No endorsement Best ...

Because I was a homeschool student, I thought I would point you all out to this magazine I just discovered, and intend to subscribe to. The Old Schoolhouse Magazine is approx 200 pages, full color, gloss, and packed with support and fun! Contests and a multitude of product reviews abound, as do excellent columns like Creation Answers with AiG's Ken Ham, Resource Room for special needs homeschooling with Christine Field, Diana Waring's HisStory column, our Finishing the Race (High School) department, and Show and Tell – where readers share their own detailed methods and curriculum choices. And don't forget our lengthy Teachers' Lounge where homeschool parents hang out and talk homeschooling! Jennifer Igarashi chats each issue as well, and Dr. Ruth Beechick drops in from time to time. Keep up with mainstream news with Zan Tyler and Amelia Harper. It sounds like a comprehensive resource for parents who are teaching at home. This could be a good gift for Christmas as well, ...

I've been out of town, so I just realized I am a finalist for the 2005 Weblog Awards. If you haven't added your vote for me, click here and vote for Latino Issues for best Latino blog . For those of my readers that have already voted for me, thank you! I would also love to read about why you voted for Latino Issues, so make sure to post your comments here. This would also be the time to post suggestions and comments about the blog itself, and how I can do better.

SouthCoastToday.com has a Washington Post story by Dan Balz, on comments Ken Mehlman made before the Republican Governors Association yesterday. I don't agree with his wording in calling the White House's and the Chairman's approach a "Middle Ground." It makes it sound weak. The truth is, a tougher stance on border security and adherence to the law is the higher ground. And, a hospitable, welcoming and supporting approach towards immigration is the higher ground. I appreciate the chairman's concern and warning--it would be a shame if the debate over border security is turned into a nationalistic, anti-immigrant prejudice. The fact is that immigrants have and continue to contribute much to our nation and our culture. This is no time to fall prey to prejudice, and further close our borders to safe and legal immigration. This is more than politics to me--it has everything to do with the continued prosperity, and moral fiber of our country. Appearing before the R...

From Reuters , more bad news for global human rights with this continued push for special rights for homosexuals. Reuters Thursday, December 1, 2005; 10:02 AM JOHANNESBURG, Dec 1 -- South Africa's top court said on Thursday it was unconstitutional to deny gay people the right to marry, putting it on track to become the first African country to legalise same-sex marriage. The Constitutional Court told parliament to amend marriage laws to include same-sex partners within the year -- a step that would make South Africa the fifth country in the world to approve gay marriage despite widespread African taboos against homosexuality. In case you are wondering what does special rights for homosexuals have to do with human rights, here is what Yuri Mantilla, a Bolivian international human-rights expert had to say in reaction to the news that Ake Green – the Swedish pastor accused of committing "hate speech" by commenting on homosexuality during a sermon – was acquitted by that nat...

Here is an interesting quote--our contribution to American obesity!! Well, not me--I married a great cook, and a thrifty woman at that, so we eat out about once or twice a month at best. This is quite interesting though. Latinos spend an average of $71 a week eating out or having food delivered. Non-Hispanics spend $59. Acculturated Latinos spend $108 a week, about 83% more than general-market consumers. NATION'S RESTAURANT NEWS 10.31.05 HT: IconCulture

Great speech today by the President , addressing the problem of illegal immigration and border security. I saw two key things I liked: first, he is clearly making a stand against amnesty. Now, whether the laws introduced actually follow through is yet to be seen. According to this, the President's plan clearly calls for ending the policy of “catch and release” and returning all illegal immigrants to their home country. ...there's a lot of opinions on this proposal -- I understand that. But people in this debate must recognize that we will not be able to effectively enforce our immigration laws until we create a temporary worker program. The program that I proposed would not create an automatic path to citizenship, it wouldn't provide for amnesty -- I oppose amnesty. Rewarding those who have broken the law would encourage others to break the law and keep pressure on our border. A temporary worker program, by contrast, would decrease pressure on the border. I support the ...

Interesting article. Informative, but not conclusive in any major way. I found it interesting mostly because I have never had an issue with people calling me Latino or Hispanic. Truth is, I think I find it to be a label with which people can grapple with my heritage. I am a US Citizen, and consider myself an American, but the fact remains that I speak Spanish fluently, and my parent's come from Cuba. We live in a culture where this needs to be "tagged" and identified in some sort of way, so if the government wants to call me something, I don't care. As long as it does not infringe or minimize my rights and responsabilities as a citizen, I'm fine. Something to think about. Here is a little side bar from the National Association of Hispanic Journalists : LATINO An umbrella ethnic term describing people in the United States who are either themselves from a Spanish-speaking country or whose ancestors were from a Spanish-speaking country. The U.S. Census Bureau in the ...

It's unfortunate, but it is my opinion that Tancredo has no credibility to speak on the issue of immigration. For him to say that legal immigration is where the nation's crisis starts , is to ignore the truth for the sake of his pet-cause and his drive for power and influence. In one of two extensive interviews with The Denver Post about his life and career, Tancredo said that immigration - both legal and illegal - is just where the nation's crisis starts. While some celebrate the country's multitude of cultures, he sees it as dangerous. Immigrants who cling to their language, heritage and loyalties while living in the U.S. threaten to turn the nation into a "Tower of Babel," he said. He rails against what he calls "the cult of multiculturalism," or "people who are intent upon dividing America up into cultural enclaves, who are intent upon essentially minimizing the importance of Western civilization." Don't get me wrong--he is right ...

Great news on a good first step regarding the release of non-Mexican illegal immigrants. Reuters has the story on Homeland Security's aim to stop the practice known as "Catch-and-release" that has inspired thousands of Brazilians, among others, to enter the US illegally. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said last month his department's aim was to "return every single entrant -- no exceptions" but gave no deadline. Mexicans are usually returned immediately -- and most of them try again, some within hours. Along the border, agents say ending the practice will take time and depends on how quickly the government can build additional detention space told hold OTMs before they are sent to their home countries. This is a start. Most importantly, this will discourage would-be illegals from making the attempt in the first place. If our laws are weak, and our system is broken, it only encourages further illegal immigration from desperate people th...

Ahh. The truth comes out . Pork always has special interests, and in this case, its at its worst when those pushing for more spending are the ones that directly benefit from the expenditure. Shame on Senator Murkowski for using the Senate and the American people to further her personal bank account! Shame! I support the Fiscal Watch Team Offset Package presented by the U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-OK) and six senate colleagues, and I hope more Senators line up behind this. Let's stop the waste! "There are still outstanding ethical issues that have not been addressed. We have voiced concerns about the role that Senator Lisa Murkowski played advocating for the Gravina bridge despite the fact that the project would likely benefit her family personally. Passing the buck onto the State of Alaska doesn't erase those conflict of interest questions. It merely shifts them to her father, Governor Frank Murkowski. "Given the overwhelming opposition to the idea of wastin...

Bush is facing the lies direct. It is about time! This is an excerpt of an advance copy of remarks President Bush will deliver tonight on Iraq, "addressing some Democrats who continue to play politics with the war on terror." Reasonable people can disagree about the conduct of the war –­ but it is irresponsible for Democrats to now claim that we misled them and the American people. Leaders in my Administration and members of Congress from both parties looked at the same intelligence on Iraq –­ and reached the conclusion that Saddam Hussein was a threat. Let me give you quotes from three senior Democrats: First, quote, “There is unmistakable evidence that Saddam Hussein is working aggressively to develop nuclear weapons.” End quote. Here’s another one, quote, “The war against terrorism will not be finished as long as [Saddam Hussein] is in power.” End quote. And here’s the way another Democratic leader summed it up, quote, “Saddam Hussein, in effect, has thumbed his nose at th...

Chavez is losing friends real fast ! Hopefully, the Venezuelan people wake up to who he realy is, and fire him--that is, if they still can! Venezuela on Monday ordered its ambassador recalled from Mexico in an escalating diplomatic dispute between President Hugo Chavez and his Mexican counterpart Vicente Fox over regional trade agreements.

Medved hit it on the nail on today's Beyond the News Commentary . ...nearly all immigrants to the U.S. identify themselves as Christian and are able to connect with the majority faith in the nation at large, while newcomers in France are overwhelmingly Muslim--afflicted with the fanatical sense of grudge that afflicts many Muslims everywhere, and deeply alienated from secular France. LISTEN NOW PODCAST IT Let's not compare the two, when they are very different cases. America has little to fear as far as violence from immigrants. Don't get me wrong: there is a security problem from open borders, criminal gang members entering the country illegaly, and from the small minority of Latino's that are part of the various sep...

Read this article on FrontPage Magazine by Kyle Ellis . I wish more people talked about Academic freedom. Being a conservative in college can be a very frustrating experience. This is why . Like Churchill, Wolfe declared himself a proponent of “shock value” as an essential teaching tool. Elaborating on his distinctive understanding of academic freedom, Wolfe stated that “there is also a value of what I call ‘shock value’ teaching—that is, when a teacher purposely takes a provocative stance in order to jolt students out of places.” As if to demonstrate the point, Wolfe went on to present a composition by the Australian musician and left-wing political activist Martin Wesley-Smith. Entitled “Weapons of Mass Distortion,” it was a snide and cynical attack on the U.S. liberation of Iraq. Wolfe even played a score on his saxophone to accompany the visual graphics. Discussing the work, Wolfe acknowledged that it was little more than political propaganda. Nonetheless, he stressed that it was “...

The latest chapter in the Front Range saga is that one of the scholars assigned to reviewing Churchill's work has quit the committee. This was reported by the Denver Post . The resignation of one of the scholars appointed to a committee investigating University of Colorado professor Ward Churchill could delay the inquiry, a committee official said Thursday. Bruce Johansen, it seems, resigned under public pressure regarding a conflict of interest. Bruce Johansen, professor of Native American studies at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, resigned from the committee this week after an anti-Churchill Web site suggested Johansen would be prone to "mutual back-scratching" because Churchill endorsed a book he edited. More delays don't help though. CU needs to get this committee moving and get the investigation completed, so us taxpayers can stop paying for this sort of nonsense.

I have not commented much on the situation in France, because I have never been there. But, as the conversation goes towards the effects of immigration, the challenge of assimilation, and all the related issues, I find the topic important in how it relates to our own immigration challenges. No doubt there is a HUGE difference between Muslim immigrants in France and our own immigrants. The main difference, is the worldview and value system. Immigrants from Central and South America primarily have a Judeo-Christian worldview, rooted in Catholicism. The major challenge we face is probably language. Albert Mohler focused in on the root of the issue, the value system : Ever since the French Revolution, France has attempted to create a truly secular society. In one sense, they have been hugely successful. Active Christianity is embraced by very few French citizens. But, as is always the case, secularism creates a vacuum at the very center of civilization. These rioting young men want to fil...

This via IconoWatch . Considering the level of media consumption, Latino's may be assimilating a lot more than people realize, just perhaps in all the wrong ways. About 54% of Latino households subscribe to pay TV, vs. about 85% of the general population. LATINO LOOP 10.21.05

Did a search for C.S. Leiws. Check that out ! Doing research and studying for sermons just got all that much easier. This is information at your fingertips. I hope Google is able to ethicly resolve the copywrite issues. print.google.com You are going to need a Google log-in ID. HT: RightFaith

Good news for Christians, and a heads-up to the ACLU for this Christmas. This via Right Faith . SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - The Alliance Defense Fund announced today it has more than 800 attorneys available nationwide to combat any improper attempts to censor the celebration of Christmas in schools and on public property. "An overwhelming majority of Americans of all faiths agree that we should celebrate Christmas," said ADF President Alan Sears. "This is a time for goodness, giving, and hope--not a time for fear, intimidation, and the disinformation of agenda-driven, anti-Christmas legal entities." According to recent polls: 96 percent of Americans celebrate Christmas (Fox News/Opinion Dynamics, 2003). 90 percent of Americans recognize Christmas as the birthday of Jesus Christ (Gallup, 2000). 88 percent of Americans say it is okay for people to wish others "Merry Christmas" and the majority of Americans are more likely to wish someone they just met "Merry Ch...

No protection for bloggers! This via Bloggers Blog . InternetNews.com reports that the Online Freedom of Speech Act (also known as the FOS Act) was defeated in the U.S. House of Representatives. Most lawmakers voted to pass the bill but there were not enough to get the 2/3 majority needed. The final decision was 225-182 ( Roll Call ). InternetNews.com said the bill failed because Democrats were concerned the bill would "open the door for more soft money in politics with the Internet serving as the primary conduit." A Slashdot entry also blames Democrats. We know how much the Democrats are REALLY concerned about soft money! Right! Somebody tell me what is Soros doing? Shame to these lawmakers who voted no. There is more from RedState.org One of the reasons I think you've seen some oppose H.R. 1606 is because they supported the 2002 campaign finance reform legislation and they're trying to defend that vote still. In many ways H.R. 1606 is a recognition that the 2002 ...

Great comments from Hugh Hewitt about Samuel Alito , his experience, and his immigrant background over at Beyond the News. Hugh had this to say about Alito: "President Bush’s nomination of Judge Samuel Alito sends to the Senate one of the most qualified nominees not just of recent years but in the history of the court."

From this week's Beyond the News : —Michael Medved Three recent news stories illustrate how the American Dream is alive and well: Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald, heading the CIA leak investigation, is the son of a doorman in New York City. He attended Catholic schools and worked as a doorman himself while winning scholarships to Amherst and Harvard Law. Meanwhile, President Bush appointed a new head of the all-powerful Federal Reserve--Ben Bernanke, son of a small town druggist in South Carolina and grandson of a kosher butcher, whose hard work drew scholarships to Harvard and MIT, and a teaching post at Princeton. And then there was the preacher's kid--Condoleezza Rice--appearing at her hometown of Birmingham, Alabama, at the site of the racist church bombing that claimed the life of one her kindergarten classmates. The modest backgrounds of a famous prosecutor, the nation's top banker and our secretary of state, show that America still offers limitless rewards to ...

For Colorado Front Range residents, here is a group I am involved in and fully support. If you are involved in any way in reaching the Hispanic market in Colorado, you need to attend this event. The Denver Chapter of the National Society of Hispanic MBA's is pleased to present the 4th annual "Hispanic Leaders of the New Millennium" Speaker Series The Speaker Series is designed to engage our community in a discussion of Hispanic Leadership in America, raise funds for our scholarships and chapter operations in support of Hispanic graduate education. Don't miss your chance to participate in this event, and help raise scholarships in support of Hispanic graduate education. Date: Wed. November 9, 2005 Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm Dress: Business Attire Required Place: Denver Center for the Performing Arts Donald R. Seawell Grand Ballroom 1245 Champa Street Denver, CO 80204 Click for map & dri...

City dwellers can be scary! What sort of message does this send to children? Is this the 20th century, or are we regressing in time and intellectual progress? I'm glad the city attorney's office has found a way around it. The Denver Post buried it in the last paragraph of this story. They also approved a measure to make it legal for adults to possess up to an ounce of marijuana in Denver, though the city attorney's office said police would simply file marijuana possession charges under state law. Sensible Denver residents got hit by a bunch of pot-heads.

I am concerned about what this will do to our growing economy, and our money-hungry state government. This is a serious setback for true conservatives . Owen's betrayed the fiscal restraint values of the party. What is frustrating is the scare tactics used by the pro-Ref C & D people--outright lies. Here comes all the spending! Colorado residents have voted to suspend their Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, the strictest government spending limit in the nation, and give up more than $3 billion in tax refunds to help the state bounce back from a recession. Fiscal conservatives were dismayed at the outcome Tuesday night and worried about its impact on other states considering similar spending limits. ELECTION RESULTS: Click here for election returns Click here for county-by-county graphic

The Washington Post is making more out of the Libby indictment with reports of a pole. I did not do well in Stats, so perhaps a reader can comment on it. To me, it feels like the media is jumping on the bandwagon. What do you all say about this? Is there more to it than just Libby? Is Bush really all that of a failed leader? Are there wider ethical questions to be asked? You tell me? I would like to hear from my readers on this one? How are you taking this story and what does it mean for you, and your perception of the White House? White House Ethics, Honesty Questioned The Poll data is here: Washington Post-ABC News Poll

Today's Denver post published a New York times article by Juan Forero that amounts to one big propaganda piece! You would think that the media would have learned from their mistakes with Communist Russia. Just the fact that the Denver Post would publish this article goes to show what they think of Chavez's work. It is a travesty, and irrisposible. The sub heading claims Chavez has "reined in" the free market, as if it was this evil, out-of-control bandit that was stealing from the country. Of course, the article also uses the word "reorganize" when talking about the banking and oil industries. Reorganizing? Has the world not seen what socialism and centralized control does to an economy? Do we not know, scientificly, that centralized control does NOT work? He can call it "21 century socialism" all he wants, but it's just one dead stinky cat, dressed up in a new coat. Just look at this buddy-buddy relationship with Castro, and you can know what...

Despite the fools in the media, and all around the country, that may be calling Exxon's record profits "absurd" and "profiteering," allow me to do a quick Economics lesson 101. Profits attract competition. Competition brings prices down. Competition improves the market, product quality, and benefits everyone overall. So, why are they complaining? Because for some people, it's easier to complain about the evil corporations, than to know the facts and speak truth. I think people like to complain about this sort of thing out of self-righteous pride. Taxing the energy industry is NOT going to help anyone. While it will hurt the energy industry, the true victims will be the consumer, who will face higher prices. Let Exxon enjoy its profits. I would welcome further deregulation, encourage further competition, and facilitate the building of new refineries. Let's send the extremist enviro-nazis back to the looney bin they came from. Maybe then we can start seein...

Is this the choice? I don't think that the evangelical activists are really interested in access, and willing to sacrifice their values for it. I would tend to think that more people respect their values than the media or the polls show, giving these "voices" like Dobson much more access. While this sort of access may surprise some in the mainstream media, it doesn't surprise most American's who hear their own sentiments being voiced on the radio and TV. Read the American Daily's opinion piece regarding the evangelical's support for Miers and the choices being made. It is good food for thought. At issue is not just the effectiveness of evangelical activism – although the fact some Christian Right leaders are such an easy sell may explain why only two of the seven Republican-appointed justices are solidly anti-Roe – but its central purpose. Are evangelicals values voters or just another group practicing identity politics? Christian conservative leaders are...

Update: More from Peter Krupa on the AP reporting from Cuba. I wouldn't be too surprised if this story was written by a government lapdog. It's pretty obvious that a native Spanish speaker wrote it (you can call a flood an "inundation" in English, but it's not exactly common). Plus it has all the typical "isn't Castro great?" touches you find in the Cuba News Agency and Ahora.cu . HT: Babalublog.com *** The BBC News is reporting that "hundreds of people have been rescued from homes in Cuba's capital, Havana, after sea defenses succumbed to flooding brought by Hurricane Wilma." The story reports that some residents are saying that the devastation is the worst since the "storm of the century" in 199. Meanwhile, the murdrer dictator, always ever hungry for some public attention, offered Mexico aid . At the same time, there are reports that electricity was shut down in Havana as a "precaution." It seems like the hurri...

It's all over the news. I heard it this morning on Fox, and then Laura Ingraham was talking about. I have to say, I am releaved. She did the noble thing by withdrawing . It is my hope the president will follow through with a stronger, originalist and couragous nominee. There is no need for stealth candidates. Ingraham was commenting this morning on a Miers speach that is cause for concern, and makes the withdrawal even more so welcome. Here are her comments . Now that Harriet Miers has withdrawn, we have to learn the lesson of the last three and a half weeks. In the text of a 1993 speech she delivered to a Dallas women's group, Harriet Miers sounded more like John Edwards than John Roberts: "We undeniable [sic] still do have a justice system that does not provide justice for all as provided by the Pledge of Allegiance. One justice for rich, one justice for poor. One justice sometimes for minorities, one for whites." On judicial activism, she punts, writing: "Wh...

Vatican Agencies issues a joint letter on the issue of immigration and evangelization. VATICAN CITY, OCT. 25, 2005 ( Zenit.org ).- The Church must make of migrations a vehicle for dialogue and proclamation of the Christian message, say a pair of Vatican dicasteries. The Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples and the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Travelers made that point in a joint letter dated Oct. 7. The letter, addressed to those in charge in dioceses of the pastoral care of migrants, is signed by Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, prefect of the congregation, and Cardinal Stephen Fumio Hamao, president of the pontifical council. Both acknowledge that "the present migrations are the greatest human movement of all times." The letter seeks to promote application of the 2004 Vatican instruction "Erga Migrantes Caritas Christi" (The Love of Christ toward Migrants), written to respond "to the new spiritual and pastoral needs of migrants." The cardinals ...

Here is a great report by the Associated Press on the Army Times web site . As the story says, this helps free up resources from the Border Patrol. It's about time the government started taking this problem seriously and started enforcing existing immigration laws. I am not saying I think all the immigration laws are right, but we are a nation of order and law. The second step is to begin looking at our immigration process and fixing it taking into account the realities of our economy. Hat tip to RedState.org Red Hot . COLUMBUS, N.M. — The U.S. Border Patrol is getting help from the Army to slow illegal immigration along New Mexico’s southern border. Armored vehicles from a reconnaissance squadron based in Fort Lewis, Wash., were stationed along a 20-mile stretch of N.M. 9 between Columbus and Playas on Thursday, watching for illegal immigrants. Some of the vehicles with the 1st Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment were equipped with mounted machine guns and long-range surveillance equi...

I personaly can't touch that stuff! It's nasty! I guess in this way, Latinos are not all that different from the rest of the bunch. This comes via IconCulture : 48.7% of Latino college students polled would rather live off Ramen Noodles than eat the food served at their campus. ICARAMBAU MAGAZINE 9.10.05

I just called my relatives in FL. Everyone is doing fine, and thankful the weather was cool last night. Weather forecast is that its going to warm up tomorrow, so the suffering starts. They are being told they may be without power for up to two weeks, as it seems a main station was damaged. So, its more than just downed power lines. Other than a smashed car, lost roof shingles, and a lost shed, not to bad. It seems Florida just can't get out of the way of these storms in the last couple years. It is one of those times I am glad to be out of FL, and living in Colorado. But, then again, we have our blizzards, hail, and thunder. Best wishes to everyone in the storm's path as they work towards recovery.

Enough Said . Dr. Dobson as a Witness? Dr. James Dobson has been witnessing for decades, but now Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-Penn.) says he is likely to summon Dr. Dobson to testify before his panel as it considers the nomination of Harriet Miers for the Supreme Court. "My instinct is that they'll be called. And the American people are entitled to clarification," Specter told CBS's "Face the Nation" yesterday. Specter was referring not only to the President of Focus on the Family , but also to other Evangelical leaders. The Senator may not be a regular listener to Dr. Dobson's nationally broadcast Focus on the Family program, but his staff should at least inform him that Dr. Dobson has already clarified his remarks before a radio audience of millions. Any effort to haul Dr. Dobson before the Committee should be seen for what it is--political grandstanding. But if the Committee is intent on getting the whole story of judicial con...

This is a great initiative , specially when you consider there is a financial incentive to it--more trade. Let's hope it makes a difference. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, October 21, 2005 U.S. Commerce Secretary Offers Program to Help Eliminate Corruption and Bribery in Central America San Salvador, El Salvador -- U.S. Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez today in El Salvador announced the U.S. will help El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras in their existing efforts to stamp out bribery and fight corruption by extending the Good Governance Program to the three countries. Gutierrez said the Program compliments the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). “Our Good Governance Program will complement CAFTA’s provisions by promoting private sector leadership and private–public partnerships to fight corruption and fortify the rule of law,” said Gutierrez in remarks to the American Chamber of Commerce. “The private sector is an engine of growth and champion of ch...