SEARCHING FOR AN AGENDA

The Washington Post story was headlined "GOP Contest Prompts Yawns Outside Beltway." The Post reporters interviewed more than a dozen Republican politicians. The consensus was that constituents were talking about high gas prices and ... "a best-selling book about killing the Internal Revenue Service." The article also quoted our friend Rep. Zach Wamp (R-TN) who "lamented" the fact that people were talking about The FairTax Book more than they were talking about changing Washington. Congressman Wamp was quoted as saying "The question is, is this a climate where an actual reform candidate could be elected to a leadership position?"

Wait a minute. Something doesn't quite add up here. What is the FairTax if it's not reform? On the one hand this congressman "laments" the fact that people are excited about the FairTax, and on the other hand he wonders if there's an appetite for reform out there? The FairTax IS reform. The FairTax would be the biggest transfer or power from government to the people since this Republic was formed; and that's not reform?

Then there's Karl Rove. In his Friday speech he announced to an anxious Republican audience that the Republican agenda for the 2006 midterm elections would be ..... are you holding your breath? ..... national security! An election agenda centered on national security is no real agenda .. because national security is job number one for any government anyway! Saying you're going to make national security your big-time, attention-getting agenda for a congressional election is like a landscaper saying that his workplace agenda for the week is going to be cutting grass. That's what you're supposed to do!

Republican leaders are saying that there is no mood for reform, no press for a big change. At the same time they "lament" the fact that the FairTax is on the mind of so many constituents and that people seem to be spending most of there time talking about gas prices and that pesky John Linder's HR-25.

I made a speech on the FairTax to a Republican group in Ocala, Florida this past Saturday. We had everyone in that audience from IRS employees to federal prison guards. The questions showed a good understanding of HR-25 and a frustration over the refusal (thus far) of their representatives in Washington to give the FairTax a fair shot on Capitol Hill.

Back to Zach Wamp for a moment. The Washington Post story tells us that he's upset that so many people are talking about the FairTax instead of reform. Perhaps the real worry with many politicians is that the FairTax IS reform. These politicians, both Democrats and Republicans, love the power they have in Washington. It's addictive, and it's a hard addiction to kick. Is the FairTax idea still alive? You bet! In fact, it's growing stronger, and it's growing stronger not because of the efforts of politicians, but because people still fill auditoriums to hear the FairTax discussed, people still show up for book signings, and people are talking and contacting their elected representatives.

As they say .. you ain't seen nuthin' yet. Wait until the revised and expanded soft-cover edition comes out.

TWO YOUNG PEOPLE WHO GET IT ... AND ARE DOING SOMETHING!

While in Ocala this past Saturday I met Jessica Crane and Jonathan Schrader. Jessie and Jonathan are avid supporters of the FairTax. They're 25 and 26 years old. They have set up a website in support of the FairTax that is absolutely one of the best I've seen. FairTaxGroups.com. We're going to install a permanent link to this site on our website, but I want to make sure you take a look at it today. Jessica and Jonathan are outstanding young adults. Lord knows I hope there's many more like them. Here's the link to their incredible website ... take a look.

DO COLLEGES REALLY WANT TO STOP UNDERAGE DRINKING?

Oh, to be sure ... we get a lot of lip service from college administrators about how they're going to get tough on underage drinking. Oh yeah, they're really going to clamp down. You students had better not drink or you'll be really, really sorry. Just you wait and see.

Give me a break.

Let me share two stories of college drinking with you, both with tragic ends. Just yesterday morning a freshman at the University of Georgia was found dead in his room. Lewis Fish. The police think it was alcohol. He was 19. Yup, Lewis Fish was out on his own, out from under his parent's close supervision, and it apparently was time to cut loose. A little drinking with your college pals won't hurt ... after all this whole 21 years-old thing is just nonsense. Lewis Fish ... Tango Uniform.

OK, in the case of Lewis Fish we can say that he made his choice and suffered the consequences. There's another story that's much worse, a story of rampant underage drinking at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. It seems that UCF students have quite a reputation for drinking before their football games at the Citrus Bowl. Police wanted to stop it. Three law enforcement agencies were involved; the UCF campus police, the Orlando Police and the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco.

We'll try to make this short. The police spread out at a tailgating location before a UCF football game last September. Mario Jenkins, a UCF police officer, comes upon what the Orlando Sentinel describes as a UCF "drinking club." A keg of beer had already been confiscated, and the students aren't happy about it. Jenkins asks one female, Sonia Raab, for her driver's license. He wants to see that she could legally drink. Several students step up and start harassing Jenkins, including one Robert McLintock II. McLintock starts taunting Jenkins, and when Jenkins reaches to grab him, he runs. As Jenkins tries to give chase several students grab him and some start tossing beer on him. Yes, Jenkins was in plain clothes, but he had identified himself as a police officer and his badge was clearly visible on a chain around his neck. Well .. the situation escalates, with the crowd of UCF students closing in on Jenkins. Jenkins pulls his gun and fires shots in the air to move the crowd back. At that point Michael Young tackles Jenkins. Jenkins shoots him in the abdomen. At that point the gunshots had drawn other law enforcement personnel to the scene. One Orlando reserve police officer saw Jenkins holding the gun on a student. He shot and killed Jenkins with three shots.

Now, to be sure, the law enforcement agencies handling this operation screwed up royally. They did almost nothing right. But the facts seem clear that these students recognized Mario Jenkins as a police officer, and roughed him up anyway. No charges wee brought against McLintock. That's a shame. From what I've read this jerk has Mario Jenkins' blood on his hands. The woman, Sonia Rabb, who was uncooperative about showing her driver's license takes some blame too, as well as the rest of the students who took part in the harassing and manhandling of Mario Jenkins. Thus far it looks like the only one being prosecuted is Michael Young, the man who actually tackled Jenkins.

So .. what fun, right? Let's get together and get into a little underage drinking bout before the football game. In fact, let's form a drinking club! How cool is that! Look at us! We're mature! We're all grown up! We have a drinking club! Well, because of these sniveling little immature jerks a UCF police officer is dead. Nice going kids!

Now .. back to my question. Do our colleges and universities really want to do something about underage drinking? I think not. Oh, to be sure, they'll give all sorts of lip service to the idea, but that's about all. A little wink-wink, nudge-nudge among the administrators as they boldly inform the parents that they're going to really clamp down.

How can you tell if a college administration is serious about underage drinking? Simple, as part of the registration process they'll require every man and woman registering for classes to sign a statement acknowledging that it is official college policy that if any student under the age of 21 is caught drinking, on campus or in any place other than their parent's home off campus, they will be expelled. Not suspended, expelled. Kicked out. Booted. No tuition refund. You're history. Hit the road. First time, first strike ... and you're out. No questions asked.

Until you see a college administration adopt such a "one sip and you're toast" policy, you can rest assured that particular college administration is doing little more than paying lip-service to the idea of stopping underage drinking on or off campus.

THE HERO OF THE AARP STRIKES AGAIN!

Harry Belafonte, the AARP's exalted award winner as the "man of the year" or some such nonsense, has spouted off again. This time Belafonte was speaking to some crowd called the "Arts Presenters Members Conference" in New York. Now Harry the Hare-brained is saying that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security is just like the Nazi Gestapo.

Why does the media continue to report on this moonbat's ravings? And, perhaps more importantly, why hasn't the AARP repudiated him? Oh, of course. Wait a minute. The AARP is a left-wing advocacy group. How could I have forgotten that? Time to tell you folks about NASCON again.

OHHHH!

President Bush was photographed at a White House function with Jack Abramoff! This is supposed to be startling news! Start the impeachment proceedings immediately! The problem, you see, is that Bush said that he did not remember ever meeting Abramoff, now there's that picture! Never mind that Bush has his picture taken with thousands of people he does not know every year ... he's supposed to remember every single person he's introduced to for ever. If he doesn't, then a special prosecutor should be appointed! By the way, I had my picture taken with Al Franken once.

WHAT COMES AROUND, GOES AROUND

Remember last year when the Supreme Court ruled in favor of New London, Connecticut in the disastrous Kelo decision? This was the case where the city government of New London, Connecticut wanted to confiscate a bunch of private property and give it to private developers. The city wanted the land, which had a bunch of private residences on it, to develop a hotel, convention center and other structures next to pharmaceutical giant Pfizer's shiny new headquarters. As you know, the city won. In the Kelo decision, Supreme Court Justice David Hackett Souter voted with the majority.

That gave one California man an idea. He organized a group to seize Justice Souter's New Hampshire home and build an inn called the Lost Liberty Hotel. They got enough signatures on a petition, and so now the matter will go before the voters in the town of Weare, New Hampshire. The vote is scheduled for March 14th. So far, it seems like the odds are that the proposal will not succeed. But that's not the point.

The point is that as long as this disastrous ruling stands, you are joined in the ownership of your property with a silent majority partner. What partner? The worst partner imaginable, the government. The deed on your property may just have your name...or your wife's name...but there's one more...government. I'd rather have joint ownership with Harry Belafonte than have to share my property rights with government. At least he could provide some entertainment at my back-yard BBQ bashes. Right now, there is nothing stopping your local government from confiscating your property, kicking you off of it and paying you whatever they think it's worth. What a deal...for them.

And to think David Souter was appointed by a Republican.

THE BUSH-BASHING POODLE

John Kerry is back in the news. What is he doing? Well, running for president in '08, that's what. But as long as The Hildabeast has her hat in the ring, The Poodle doesn't have a chance. But hey, stranger things have happened. Anyway, Kerry went on 'This Week' on ABC yesterday and called the Bush White House 'incompetent.' Among Kerry's accusations:

• He says Hurricane Katrina "stripped away the veneer of competence" of the Bush administration. No word about the status of the incompetence of the Democrats that control the state and local government in New Orleans and Louisiana. They can do no wrong, of course.
• Speaking about Karl Rove's declaration that he wants to make national security the focal point of the 2006 midterm elections, Kerry said "I want to have that debate, and I want to have that debate every single day." That would be something...Democrats in charge of national security. It worked so well in the 90's when Bill Clinton worked hard ... every single day ... to stem the threat of Islamic terrorism.
• And, of course, he threw out the Swift Boat guys. Complaining about the fact that groups affiliated with Jack Abramoff actually gave money to Democrats, Kerry said "That's another one of their 'Swift Boat'-style tactics where they try to throw up the mud and stick it."

Kerry's one of these guys that always wants to be president, but never will be.

By the way ... it's understandable that Kerry still carries a grudge toward the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. This one group is probably solely responsible for keeping the Poodle out of the White House. Fact is, though, that thus far nobody has shown that the charges made by these patriots were false! Just a minor point you might want to consider.

Oh ... and Bill Clinton has never denied raping Juanita Broadderick. Just thought I would stick that in here. At least he left her alive, unlike Mary Jo. (Where's the love?)

WHAT TO DO ABOUT IRAN

Arizona Senator John McCain went on Fox News Sunday yesterday and said that Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons is the most serious foreign policy crisis since the end of the Cold War. He's right. Yet for some reason, nobody really seems to care.

Iran is building nuclear weapons. They have stated as their goal to wipe Israel off the map and have vowed the destruction of the United States. They absolutely should not be allowed to have nuclear weapons. But that's what's going to happen. And what has been our response?

To push sanctions at the UN. Boy, that really works. Worked with North Korea...not. Worked with Saddam Hussein...hardly. The answer is to destroy Iran's nuclear arsenal. But there doesn't seem to be any political will in Washington to do that. So what is the answer?

Perhaps Israel. The Israeli defense minister said over the weekend that "Israel will not be able to accept an Iranian nuclear capability and it must have the capability to defend itself, with all that that implies, and this we are preparing." Good. Preparing to defend itself.

Now...should Israel bomb Iran's nuclear reactors...what will happen? Will the United States thank Israel for defending itself and doing our dirty work, or complain that the problem should have been resolved diplomatically?

And yet, the world community sits around and talks...all the while the mullahs in Iran arm their nuclear warheads. Amazing.

GEORGIA .. NEAR THE BOTTOM AND GOING DOWN

Georgia has some of the worst government schools in the nation. When you have some of the worst government schools in this country, you're in mighty poor shape. Right now Georgia is either No. 49 or 50. There is absolutely no guarantee whatsoever that a Georgia high school graduate can read or write. Well ,..... they've come up with a solution. Bible classes. That's right, there's a proposal out there to teach the Bible in Georgia government schools. To get around any challenges they'll say the course just teaches the role of the bible in the formation of our society, our culture, our government and our history. Well, that ought about do it. Now Georgia High School graduates may not be able to read, but they'll be able to quote Leviticus. Cool!

CHINA'S NEW GEELY!

OK .. so I may have misspelled the name of China's new car. It's pronounced "Geeley." It carries a bunch of people, and it sells for under $10,000. Detroit automakers are said to be concerned. Well ... the story of the Geely will be told over and over in the media in coming weeks and months .... most of the story anyway. What you probably won't read is the role of our wonderful unions in driving the price of American automobiles so high. Believe it or not, the contracts that the United Auto Workers have with our domestic auto makers actually requires the companies to continue paying workers even after they've been laid off! Business falls off, workers get laid off, but you have to continue to pay them! I wonder if China pays workers who get laid off.

REDNECK SCRAP BOOK

Examples of redneck haulin' aren't the only duplicates we have. Here's the latest in redneck wheelchairs. Previous redneck wheelchair fun. More in the Redneck Scrap Book.

READING ASSIGNMENTS

Harry Belafonte is continuing to lash out at George Bush...this time comparing the Department of Homeland Security to the Nazi Gestapo.  Remember kids, the last refuge of a intellectually bankrupt liberal is to call you a Nazi.

Here's another reason to be thankful that The Poodle didn't get elected to office in November of 2004.  Back during one of the debates, he actually advocated giving Iran nuclear fuel.  No...seriously. He really did.

Bad news for George W. Bush: the president says he didn't know Jack Abramoff...but evidently there are several pictures that show otherwise. To be fair, the president probably takes thousands of pictures a year with different people.  But that doesn't matter...the left is going to play this up, big-time.  You can see the '06 campaign ads already.

Terri Schiavo's husband has remarried.  Expect this to bring the whackjobs out of the woodwork who still insist he "killed" his wife just so he could marry the new one. Whatever.

Former California Governor Pete Wilson says that the nightmare scenario of terrorists setting off a nuclear weapon was more than a remote possibility.  Sadly, it's too bad most people don't care.

Canadians are about to throw out the liberals in office...and Michael Moore is not happy.  He complains that if this is a joke, it's not funny anymore.  Too bad.

Vermont is soon going to be the preferred state for child rapists...another one has gotten a slap on the wrist: only a 60 day sentence.  Just two months in jail...unbelievable.

Howard Dean is back...he says it's wrong for Karl Rove to make the war on terror a campaign issue. His exact words were that it was "both unpatriotic and wrong."  It seemed for awhile that Democrats had stuffed Dean in the closet...but now he's back.

Oliver North tears apart Al Gore's speech he made last week...and finds some interesting contradictions.  Actually, more like fabrications. Read on.

What is Congress going to do about the Jack Abramoff scandal?  Former Congressman J.C. Watts weighs in on the whole mess...and says  changing lobbying rules won't really matter much.

Democrats are running out of ideas....and there's no better evidence of that than Hillary Clinton.  Star Parker takes a look at her 'plantation' comments.

Professor Mike Adams doesn't take feminists seriously...and to make his point, today's column features a letter he wrote to a feminist. Entertaining as always.

Alcohol impairs judgment? No, really.

WHAT THE HECK ARE THOSE POINTY HAND THINGS?

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