IT WAS ALL A TAXPAYER-FUNDED JAILBREAK

This still looks like an elaborate jailbreak to me. 

Here's Mark Karr in Thailand.  He's just been fired from a teaching job.  Perhaps he feared that he was facing charges in Thailand involving his sexual obsession with children.  How hard is it to figure out that you would much rather face misdemeanor charges in California than who-knows-how-many years in a Thai jail?  So .... confess to JonBenet's murder, get a taxpayer-funded ride back to the U.S. while sipping on champagne and gobbling prawns, then give up the DNA sample, watch the case fall apart, and head to California to face your misdemeanor charge.  Plus .. he gets all the publicity and fame he so badly wanted!  He was even talking about Johnny Depp playing him in a movie!

Do you want a ridiculous quote?  Well try this one from Seth Temin, identified by some as Karr's defense attorney:  "We're deeply distressed by the fact that they took this man and dragged him here from Bangkok, Thailand, with no forensic evidence confirming the allegations against him and no independent factors leading to a presumption he did anything wrong."  Yeah, right.  I'll tell you what Temin is deeply distressed about.  He's not going to have a high-profile case to try, that's what.  Karr wanted to be dragged here from Bangkok.  All part of the plan.

I think that Colorado Gov. Bill Owens got it about right when he slammed the prosecutors for wasting thousands of taxpayer dollars to bring this creep back to Colorado with so little evidence.  The very day Karr's name surfaced it seemed clear that what we had was a publicity seeking sicko with no real connection to the case.  Owens thinks that Mary Lacy, the district attorney "should be held accountable for the most extravagant and expensive DNA test in Colorado history."

Yeah ... like that's going to happen.

My hope is that we've now heard the last from the strange slender pasty man.

ERNESTO WEAKENS -- PANIC CONTINUES

So .. how is Ernesto doing this morning?  At 5:00 a.m. Ernesto was blowing at a sensational 45 miles per hour.  Right now there is not much chance that Ernesto will ever become a hurricane.  It doesn't matter though ... Governor Jeb Bush is still in panic mode.  After all, he declared a state of emergency over the weekend, so I guess the scene needs to be acted out.  Bush is  telling Floridians to have at least 72 hours worth of provisions and supplies.  There are long lines of people with baskets full of toilet paper, bread and milk.  People are emptying lumber stores of plywood.  All of this for a storm that is producing pretty much the same winds that any Florida-style thunderstorm can produce on any given Summer afternoon. 

This is bad news for TV news operations.  As I said yesterday, a newspaper or magazine can cover a story like this with a reporter, a notepad, a pencil and a digital camera.  Television needs so much more.  Networks and cable news channels have millions of dollars worth of equipment in Florida right now waiting for Ernesto.  They need viewers to build the ratings to sell the advertising.  This is all good, but you have to realize that they may be inclined to try to keep this story hot ... when tepid is more like it.

This morning CNN had a reporter wandering around the halls of a Home Depot loading up a basket with extension cords, glow sticks, tarps, portable air conditioners, etc.  He's telling us that we most certainly will lose electricity, and that we need to be self-sufficient for 72 hours because that's how long it is going to take for the relief supplies to get to us.

Could something freakish happen?  Could Ernesto suddenly turn into a killer storm?  Unlikely, but I guess it's possible.  But are we going to have to endure this government/media panic mode every single time a tropical storm blows up winds of 45 mph in the Caribbean?  If so, we're going to be worn out by November.

KATRINA ... IT'S ALL BUSH'S FAULT YOU KNOW

Here we are at the one-year anniversary of Katrina.  Look for a surge of damnation heading President Bush's way. 

Over the weekend and yesterday there were no less than a dozen DC Democrats in New Orleans to take advantage of the anniversary by alerting the American people to the fact that this was all George Bush's fault.  All of it.  Every bit. 

To begin with, Katrina would never have happened if George Bush had just paid attention to global warming.  And when Katrina did hit the total and complete responsibility for any response rested on the shoulders of George Bush.  The mayor of New Orleans is blameless, as is the governor of Louisiana.  It's Bush, all Bush and nothing but Bush.

Just wanted to make sure you know.

Now .. before you move on.  Here's a link to today's editorial in The Wall Street Journal.  You're going to hear a lot about how the federal government --- meaning the Bush Administration --- has turned its back on New Orleans.  Read this article for another viewpoint.  The problem isn't Bush ... it's government.  The incompetence that goes with government ... local, state and federal. 

Here's a thought.  Send Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin down there to fix things up.  Why?  Well, a few years ago Home Depot founder Bernie Marcus wanted to give a gift to the city of Atlanta.  He wanted to thank the city that gave the Home Depot empire a start.  His dream was to build the world's finest aquarium in Atlanta .. with over $200 million of his own money.  He went to visit Mayor Franklin to lay out his plans.  After hearing of Marcus' dreams, she called a city official into her office.  She told the city official of Marcus' plans for the aquarium, and told the official that it was his job to make sure that the Atlanta bureaucracy did not become an impediment.  Just a few weeks ago The Atlanta Aquarium welcomed it's three millionth visitor.

The only problem with letting New Orleans have Shirley Franklin for a while is that we might have to take Ray "Hole in the Ground" Nagin in trade.

No deal.

FAIRTAX NEWS

Sometime in the next few weeks those in charge of the Republican campaign this Fall will be deciding whether or not to make the FairTax a prominent part of the campaign agenda.  In the meantime, the FairTax continues to draw much attention both inside the Beltway and in newspaper and magazine editorials, columns and stories.

My search engine spat out an article that appeared on an Internet site called "Atlanta Progressive News" this morning.  This article was typical of the tactic that Democrats have chosen to use to combat this tax reform idea.  That tactic?  Lies.  Simple as that.

This is perhaps my biggest surprise since co-authoring The FairTax Book with Congressman John Linder.  In order to critique the FairTax plan opponents find it absolutely necessary to either re-write H.R. 25 and then criticize the FairTax Bill as they have re-written it (the approach used by the president's tax reform commission) or they just simply flat-out lie about the FairTax without first going through their re-write process.

Here's a paragraph from the article"

"Linder's extremist plan would create a disproportionate burden on the poor to finance government, while letting the rich pay only a tiny fraction of their wealth, and possibly bankrupting the federal government."

OK ... let's see.  "A disproportionate burden on the poor"?  Even the tax reform commission said that the FairTax was the only tax reform idea out there that completely un-taxed the poor in this country.  Isn't that odd?  The president's tax reform commission said the FairTax completely un-taxes the poor, and the Progressive News says that it would create a disproportionate burden on the poor.  And what is the truth?  Under the FairTax the so-called "poor" would pay no federal income tax, no social security tax, no Medicare tax, no capital gains tax ... none of it.   The consumer goods they buy would cost essentially the same as they did under the old income tax scheme, and they would receive the prebate that would completely reimburse them for the sales tax they pay on all purchases right up to the poverty level.  Now that is what the Progressive News calls a disproportionate burden on the poor.

Moving on ...

What about the "...letting the rich pay only a fraction of their wealth ..." line?  Guess what?  We have a federal income tax, folks.  Not a wealth tax.  The rich don't pay taxes on their wealth now ... just on their income.  Many rich people are out of the income-earning business now and have been for quite some time.  They dip into their pool of wealth and spend a million bucks for a motor home and the federal government gets nothing.  Not so under the FairTax.  The motor home will still cost around a million bucks ... but $230,000 of it goes to the federal government.  This is what Progressive News calls " ... letting the rich pay only a fraction of their wealth."  Finally we have a tax reform idea that actually taxes wealth!  And the left ignores it. 

Now this next line from the Progressive News is entirely predictable.  They refer to the FairTax as a 30% sales tax.  Let's see ... you buy something for $100 and $23 goes to the federal government.  Now when I went to a government school $23 was 23% of $100.  Things may have changed in the way we teach math ... but I think that old rule still holds. 

I've explained this all before ... but the FairTax is calculated as an inclusive sales tax because that is the way we calculate income taxes.  Simply put, if you earn $1000 and you're in a 25% tax bracket, you pay $250 in taxes.  If you spend $1000 and the FairTax rate is 23% you pay $230 in taxes.

So why do opponents like to quote the 30% rate for the FairTax but not for the income tax?  Very simple.  Because they favor the income tax over the FairTax.  They like the way that the income tax can be used for social engineering.  They love the fact that under the income tax favors can be granted to friends while punishment can be meted out to enemies.  So they quote the income tax at it's correct inclusive rate while quoting the FairTax at a false exclusive rate.  They know that the American people aren't exactly bright enough to discern the difference ... so the tactic works for them.

Why do these people hate the FairTax so?  The FairTax accomplishes several goals dear to the left for decades.  It un-taxes the poor and taxes wealth!  What's not to love?

It's just this simple.  Take a look at the people who love the FairTax, and the people who loath it.  You will  find that those who love the idea have an appreciation of their sense of individuality and want to handle much of the responsibility for their own lives.  Those who oppose the FairTax generally disdain the idea of individualism and feel that America is great because of its government.  Since the passage of the FairTax would constitute the largest transfer of power from government to the people in the history of our Republic, it is something that the left must fight. 

THE POODLE'S SOUR GRAPES CONTINUE

It has been almost 2 years since John Kerry was decisively trounced in his attempt to prevent the re-election of George W. Bush.  Despite predictions to the contrary, it wasn't even close.  Kerry lost Ohio and Florida -- and conceded the next day.

Or did he?

These days John Kerry is singing a different tune.  He has adopted the stance of the Democrat Party moonbats who say the 2004 election was "stolen" because Ohio has a Republican secretary of state.  That same secretary of state is now running for governor, which brings us to where we are today.  An e-mail is going to be sent out today by Mr. Band-Aid Purple Heart to 100,000 Democratic donors that says of the Ohio Secretary of State  "He used the power of his state office to try to intimidate Ohioans and suppress the Democratic vote."

Which, of course, is a lie.  But John Kerry is a well-established liar, so we shouldn't be surprised.

They did a recount in Ohio.  Bush won by well over 100,000 votes.  Live with it.  If voters were denied their opportunity to cast a ballot, then bring them forth and let them state their case.  If they do, in fact, have a case there is a remedy at law.  Use it. 

Just like Gore, Kerry is trying to revise history...but it isn't going to work in this case.  Perhaps he should try wrapping his head in aluminum foil while he makes these allegations.  That might help.

RUMSFELD CALLS OUT THE MEDIA

Yesterday Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld spoke to about 200 military personnel at the Fallon Naval Air Station in Nevada.  During a question-and-answer session, Rumsfeld said the one thing that keeps him up most at night is the manipulation of the media by terrorists.  He says it bothers him how clever the enemy is.

Rummy is absolutely right.  It's about time somebody in a position of power call out the mainstream media in this country for the aid and comfort they offer to Islamic fascists. 

Ohhhh ... so that sounds a little harsh?  Need a few examples?  Well, I thought you might...so here's a brief list:

• As Rumsfeld pointed out, the Islamic terrorists are good at blaming the United States for the deaths of innocent civilians and the media goes right along with it.  The fact is, the terrorists have killed thousands of innocent Muslims, including women and children.
  
  
• The media has bought the lie that torture regularly takes place at the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and took place at Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad.  Neither assertion is true.
  


• The media refuses to call Islamic terrorists "terrorists."  Instead, they opt for less threatening, more favorable terms like "militants, radicals,  gunmen and even freedom fighters."



• In the recent war between Israel and Hezbollah, a terrorist organization, the media sought to portray Israel as bombing the innocent country of Lebanon.  They regularly (and incorrectly) reported that Israel was at war with Lebanon, when it was not.  Reuters, the international wire service, ran doctored and staged photos that exaggerated the results of the Israeli bombings.

I could go on and on...but the point is, Rummy nailed this one.  If it weren't for the treasonous propaganda reported by the media in this country, we just might be winning the War On Terror.

THE VALERIE PLAME NON-AFFAIR

When the history of the 21st century is written, there may be mention of something called the Valerie Plame affair.  In this scandal, member(s) of the Bush Administration supposedly "leaked" the identity of a secret, covert CIA agent to get back at her husband, Joe Wilson for criticizing the war in Iraq.

Problem.  It never happened.  As Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald discovered, no one leaked anything.  Plame, it turns out, was not a secret, covert anything.  Her identity was not a secret.  She had a desk job.  No one has been charged and no one will be charged for "outing" Valerie Plame.  All we have now is a flimsy perjury and obstruction of justice case against Scooter Libby, Dick Cheney's former Chief of Staff.  Even that looks like it's headed nowhere.

But yet, there is still a fascination with the case.  And a new book is out, written by Newsweek's Michael Isikoff and The Nation's David Corn.  In it, we get some juicy tidbits about who said what and to whom.  For instance, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage is said to be the one who first "leaked" Valerie Plame's name to Robert Novak.

Not Scooter Libby.  Not Karl Rove.  Not George W. Bush.  Richard Armitage.  You can hear the hopes and dreams of the impeachment crowd deflating as we speak.  Armitage is not even really a big supporter of George W. Bush's war policy and is considered a moderate.

And yet Armitage was never charged.  There you have it:  the main figure in this non-scandal was Richard Armitage, some guy most people have never heard of at the State Department.  So much for all the controversy.

REDNECK SCRAP BOOK

You might be a redneck pilot if... More in the Redneck Scrap Book.

READING ASSIGNMENTS

NBC has expressed regret over its ill-timed skit at the Emmy Awards Sunday night showing Conan O'Brien crashing on an island in an airplane, just hours after a plane crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49 people. 

Reportedly Saddam Hussein was made to watch the 'South Park' movie over and over again, in which Saddam is portrayed as Satan's lover.  If true, that would be a riot.

James Carville, who was in charge of the '92 Clinton campaign, says if Democrats don't win big this fall, then they have to question the whole premise of their party.  It will be interesting to see if people hold him to that statement.

Sam's Club, who had published some ads featuring "the holidays" will be returning to the use of the word "Christmas" in their advertising.  The company says they plan to reference Christmas as well as other holidays.  It's about time.

Perky Katie Couric, who debuts as the anchor of the CBS Evening News September 5th, says she was not hired to save the network.  Actually, CBS is the #1 network and doesn't need saving.  However, the news department needs help.

Jack Kelly goes over the new book by Michael Isikoff and David Corn about the Valerie Plame incident and says the book shows many Washington figures in an unflattering light.  But that unflattering light also extends to Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald.

After three years of investigation and all the media hype, Byron York reports that the investigation of the supposed leak of Valerie Plame's name is right back where it started:  nowhere.

Some say Jimmy Carter doesn't matter anymore, but David Limbaugh begs to differ.  He says what the former president says on foreign soil criticizing the United States is very important and does matter.

Jack Kemp says it's interesting to watch the Democratic Party abandon Joe Lieberman and embrace Ned Lamont.  He correctly points out that the only reason the Democrats are doing this is to align themselves with the anti-war wing of the party.

And now random thoughts from Thomas Sowell.  Which by the way, are more interesting that most people's regular thoughts.  Among his astute observations:  temperatures aren't as high these days as they were back in medieval times, meaning those people must have driven a lot of SUVs.

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