I DO NOT GIVE A DAMN ABOUT MARTHA STEWART

This is just crazy.  This country is obsessing over Martha Stewart.  She's going to get out of prison.  When?  Hell, I don't know.  Today ... tomorrow.  Who cares?  Well, evidently tens of millions of Americans do.  Watching CNN this morning you would think that Martha Stewart was the only thing going on.  They had aerial photographs of her estate on the screen while someone used a telestrater to indicate where she would be allowed to go and where she would not be allowed to go while under house arrest.  She can go here .. but she can't go there .. and she can't get to her stables ... and she can't ride her horses ... all because of her ankle bracelet.  And Americans are lapping this crap up.  This nation is in crisis.  Our politicians, Democrat and Republican, have spent us to the very edge of oblivion and refuse to do anything to correct the situation before it's too late.  Any why won't our politicians act?  Because they don't have to, that's why.  Their constituents aren't demanding action.  The voters are fixated on Martha Stewart and Hollywood.  

This is a great nation, my friends, but it require maintenance.  It doesn't just keep on running decade after decade with no work.  If Americans don't start paying attention to what's important, and start ignoring what's not ... 

Well ... you get the picture.

WHY "ADD ON" RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS ARE SO POPULAR WITH DEMOCRATS

As much as I hate to say it, it sure looks like Bush's plan for private accounts within the hideous Social Security system are in trouble.  The campaign waged by the Democrats and their AARP sycophants has worked.  Young people haven't shown any excitement  over the idea of actually owning a portion of their own Social Security retirement accounts, and old folks have -- as we surely must have known they would -- fallen for the Democratic scare tactics that their benefits would be in jeopardy if younger people got private accounts.

Democrats, with no small amount of help from Republicans, are now going to push something called "add-on" accounts.  The concept is this:  You leave Social Security as it is, but tack on something over and above Social Security.  You create a new program of government-subsidized privately owned retirement savings accounts.  The idea will be sold to the American people this way:  You take a certain percentage of your earnings, after you've already paid your Social Security taxes, and put that money into a retirement account which you own.  The government will then match whatever you put into that retirement account.  That, of course, constitutes a spending program.  Where does the government get that money?  More deficit spending, of course.  You really don't think they're going to cut some program somewhere in order to come up with the funds, do you?

OK .. Now let me tell you what else is going to happen.  I'm setting myself up for a huge "I told you so" at some point down the road.  As soon as these "add-on" accounts are established liberals are going to start whining that it's just not fair because poor people don't have enough money left over to invest in their private accounts.  The solution will be obvious.  People in lower income brackets will become eligible for full government funding of their add-on retirement account.  It will be a straight, pure income redistribution payment ... from those who have to those who have not.  This is no problem for our politicians because they've been operating under the concept that income is distributed, not earned for decades.  

In the meantime ... I would just love to hear from some of your crotchety old farts today on the show.  Tell me why you're so damned dead set against the idea of your grandchildren owning a portion of their own Social Security retirement accounts.  Come on  ... give me a call.  I'd live to hear it.

KOBE KAVES

OK .. I'll admit.  I don't know what I would do if I was in Kobe Bryant's spot .. but it's disappointing nonetheless.  As we all knew would happen ---- Kobe Bryant has paid off (er..I mean "settled with") with his accuser. Katelyn Faber.  Katelyn, by the way, is not 20 years old, married and pregnant.  Do you think she wore a white dress at her wedding?  

How much is Katelyn going to get?  Who knows.  Millions.  In addition to losing millions in endorsement income, along with paying for several trips to the jeweler for his wife, Kobe has had to ante up what is probably several million dollars to this woman. Of course, you could see this coming a mile away. The minute she refused to cooperate with the criminal case and filed a civil action was the minute she decided it was time to get paid. Actually, the dollar signs might well have started spinning in her eyes the very minute she walked out of Kobe's hotel room

Sorry .. but I don't believe for one second that she was raped.  I believe that she thought it would be cool to do an NBA star.  Remember, she was so devastated after being raped by Kobe Bryant that she immediately went and had sex with someone else.  Things started going South for Katelyn, I believe, when it became clear to her that the community, and that means her parents were going to find out about her little romp.  She needed cover.  She needed an excuse.  Screaming rape is as good a plan as any.

It worked out though, because now she's going to get paid. Of course, we'll never know how much...as the terms are confidential and the agreement no doubt includes a penalty for speaking out.

The case was dismissed with prejudice, meaning the action cannot be re-filed. Look for more cases like this as women realize it's easy to entrap NBA players who like a little action on the road.  I strongly believe that there are many more black men in prison in this country than you would expect -- in prison because they had consensual sex with a white woman who later had regrets .. and who later figured out that the best way to save her reputation (and make a few bucks in the process) was to scream rape.

I wonder if Katelyn's new husband understands the real story here.  But what the hell ... they're millionaires.

U.S. DEATH TOLL HITS 1,500 IN IRAQ

Big headline this morning across all the media outlets...the death toll of American troops in Iraq has hit an astonishing 1,500. But wait...is it really all that surprising? Setting aside the obvious....that a single loss of American life is an unacceptable tragedy...let's take a look at where we are.

Two years ago the United States invaded Iraq, a nation of 25 million people, and overthrew its government, that of the evil (except to liberals) Saddam Hussein. During the run-up to the war, a number of generals-turned-talking heads predicted that tens of thousands of troops would die in the initial invasion. It didn't happen. The Baathists promised to send home American troops in body bags by the thousands...that didn't happen either.

So now here we are, two years later. We've won the war and largely won the peace. Elections have been held, and the insurgency has been all but defeated. The United States will probably largely leave Iraq within 12 to 18 months. All with less than 2,000 casualties.

If President Bush had predicted 1,500 casualties before the war started, liberals would have complained that he was being unrealistic. Of course now, it's being portrayed as if it's the next Vietnam war (58,000 American troops killed there.) By any measure, the war in Iraq has been a stunning success, the American media notwithstanding.

SENATE GRAND WIZARD UNDER FIRE

Former Klansman and West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd is finally being called out for something he said. A pair of Jewish groups are calling out Byrd for his comparison of a GOP plan to block Democrats from filibustering to the Nazis. Byrd made the Nazi comparison on the Senate floor Tuesday. Reaction was swift.

A Byrd spokesman had an even lamer response, when he said that Byrd was trying to underscore the point that terrible chapters in history should not be ignored. No word on how Democrats not being able to filibuster legislation has anything to do with the extermination of millions of people in the Holocaust. Actually, this is a case of the standard, liberal, knee-jerk reaction when they have nothing of substance to say. Time and time again, when you have a leftist backed into a corner, and they have no other facts left, they will call you a Nazi. Happens every time. Now Mr. KKK has gotten caught. Looks like he won't get off the hook this time like he did when he used the other N-word on TV awhile back.

Matt Brooks, executive director of the Republican Jewish Coalition, was the first to tee off on Robert Byrd, saying "With his knowledge of history and his own personal background as a KKK member, he should be ashamed for implying that his political opponents are using Nazi tactics." Then came Abe Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League, who said "It is hideous, outrageous and offensive for Senator Byrd to suggest that the Republican Party's tactics could in any way resemble those of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party." The National Jewish Democratic Council has yet to condemn Byrds comments.

Now imagine if you will, if a Republican had made those comments. The reaction would be the same from the Jewish groups, but the mainstream media would be all over it 24/7. Just like he has before and because he is a liberal Democrat, Byrd will get a pass. Think there's no such thing as liberal media bias? Here's your prime example.

READING ASSIGNMENTS

Tampa listeners interested in the Fair Tax should attend the President's Tax Reform Panel on Tuesday, March 8th.

Wow, CNN is actually running a poll about the fair tax. Get over there and vote!

Liberals gay-bashing?  What can this be about?  Well .. whatever works when it comes to doing battle with evil conservatives.  Ann Coulter has the story in her weekly column.

The broadcast networks are universally applauding the Supreme Court decision barring juveniles from the death penalty. Media bias? Of course...The Media Research Center reports.

Republicans seem a bit stunned that the Democratic scare tactics over Social Security have worked. Did the President screw up? Robert Novak says compromise still is possible to save the system and provide the personal accounts.

Is the liberal media dead? Probably not says Brent Bozell, who says their not going down without a fight. By the way, they're still crowing about Gannon/Guckertgate.

Should the federal subsidy to PBS be cut? Absolutely, explains George Will who goes even further. He says we have no more need for PBS.

Tony Blankley, himself a former prosecutor, sounds off about the Supreme Court decision to end executions of those under 18. He calls it a betrayal.

What is the best way to deal with an increasingly activist Supreme Court and the nomination battles that accompany them? Should we limit the tenure of Supreme Court Justices?

Osama Bin Laden has been defeated in Iraq and has now decided to change his strategy. Ralph Peters says the terror mastermind is no dummy and realizes that Islamic terrorism isn't catching on in Iraq.

The ratings from February sweeps are in, and CNN continues it's descent into the ratings abyss. Fox News, on the other hand, continues to climb.

Prince Charles was recently greeted in the Australian outback by topless dancers. (Possibly not safe for work)  You see, by putting that NSFW warning on this link, I just know you'll go there.

New studies are pointing to a crisis with American black men.  Is there any way this isn't going to be blamed on racism?

Every day it gets more and more ridiculous.  Now you need to read about the kerfuffle over remarks made by Jada Pinkett Smith at Harvard University.

Greenspan is warning that congress needs to start working to cut spending.  You can bet your last dollar (and it probably will be your last dollar) that the Washington politicians are going to completely ignore everything he said.

Thoughts of Boortz Blast subscribers on abortion and last week's episode of House. More added.

You demand, we supply. Missed the Boortz Power Lunch 2/25/05? Want to share it with someone? Here's the complete audio.

WHAT THE HECK ARE THOSE POINTY HAND THINGS?
These are links to each individual story on the Nuze, p-links for the geeks out there. Plus, they work today and they'll work tomorrow. Now you can easily discuss/debate/rip apart the Nuze without worrying about the links going bad. Enjoy!

BOORTZ BLAST NEWSLETTER
Everyone is talking about the Boortz Blast newsletter. Do you want yours? Sign up here and we'll deliver it directly to your inbox every 2 weeks. If you signed up but aren't receiving it, either your company or your spam filter could be keeping it from you. Try using a personal email address and check your spam filter's junk folder for wayward newsletters.

NEAL'S FANS GET TOGETHER
If you like Neal and are looking for like minded people to hang out with online or off, check out these places:

• Talkmaster Yahoo Group
• Meet Boortz fans in your area
• alt.fan.neal.boortz newsgroup (note, you're going to have to figure out newsgroups all on your own)

NEALZ LINKS FOR NUZE The Atlanta Journal-Constitution World Net Daily NewsMax Wall Street Journal opinions Washington Times Washington Post Real Clear Politics Media Research Center Naples Daily News The Drudge Report The Associated Press SF Gate townhall.com

NEALZ AUDIO ARCHIVES Interview with Peter Jennings 1/26 Howard Dean Alarm System Neal talks with Ludacris Boo Got Shot YOUR HOT AIR STORIES Yep, here's a collection of your most embarassing gas passing stories. CARTOON INDEX Check here for a list of cartoons that have appeared on Nealz Nuze.

Belinda Skelton, Ken Rogers, Laura Nunemaker and Brian Ganey assist in the daily preparation of Nealz Nuze!