After a rough start to my week, I continued listening to the book I received for Father’s Day.

Support for all liberal ideas is always at its zenith before people figure out what liberals are talking about. This is known as the Howard Dean effect.

–Ann Coulter
Godless

Technorati Tags: Ann Coulter, Godless, quotes

Actor Glenn Ford, who played strong, thoughtful protagonists in films such as “The Blackboard Jungle,” “Gilda” and “The Big Heat,” died Wednesday, police said. He was 90.

Paramedics called to Ford’s home just before 4 p.m. found Ford dead, police Sgt. Terry Nutall said, reading a prepared statement. “They do not suspect foul play,” he said.

Ford suffered a series of strokes in the 1990s.

Rest In Peace, Glenn.

Dru Sjodin disappeared on November 22, 2003. Her body was found on April 17, 2004. Today, a jury found Alfonso Rodriquez Jr. guilty of kidnapping and killing Dru.

A federal court jury has found Alfonso Rodriguez Jr., a convicted sex offender, guilty of kidnapping resulting in the death of college student Dru Sjodin.

The verdict clears the way for the first death penalty deliberations in North Dakota in more than a century.

…

The jury of seven women and five men met for less than four hours Tuesday night and Wednesday morning before returning the verdict. A separate trial will be held to decide Rodriguez’s sentence.

Prosecutors said they will seek the death penalty. North Dakota does not have the death penalty, but it’s allowed in federal court.

Jurors were to reconvene Tuesday morning for the penalty phase of the trial.

[Source: Minnesota Public Radio]

Technorati Tags: Dru Sjodin, college, student, kidnap, murder, Alfonso Rodriquez, Jr., guilty

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by Julie of Degree of Madness

Follow-up on last week’s Blogburst about the outside collection agencies the IRS is employing to collect delinquent taxes.

On August 23, this was the headline: IRS Warns Against Phony Debt Collectors.

The IRS warned taxpayers Wednesday not to be duped by scammers posing as private debt collectors the agency has hired to chase unpaid tax debts.

The program isn’t even in place yet and concerns are already being raised, and not just by this Blogburst writer.

The Internal Revenue Service designed the debt collection program to minimize that risk “because we know what it’s like out there with regard to identity theft nowadays,” said Brady Bennett, IRS Director of Collections.

The IRS designed the program to minimize the risk. Well that’s comforting. The IRS is looking out for you.

And this article addresses something I wasn’t sure about and that is whether the private collection agencies would have access to social security numbers. They will.

The IRS plans to give the collection agencies basic identifying and account information about the chosen taxpayers, including their names, addresses and Social Security numbers. The agencies do not have access to tax returns.

Also from the article:

Identity thieves have posed as IRS agents in “phishing” schemes that use the tax agency’s logo to lure victims. The e-mail schemes are designed to dupe taxpayers into revealing personal financial information.

The IRS does not communicate with taxpayers through e-mail, and it will not e-mail taxpayers about debts turned over to private collectors. The IRS also does not ask taxpayers for any passwords or PIN numbers that would allow the agency to access bank or credit card accounts.

Bennett also cautioned taxpayers chosen for the debt collection effort to make any check or money order payable to the U.S. Treasury, not a private company, and to send the money to the IRS. The collection agencies have been told to provide addresses to the taxpayers they contact.

This is all well and good but the IRS cautioning taxpayers via articles such as this probably won’t be very widely read. Is the IRS planning to contact taxpayers directly to advise them of this program? I’ve not received anything from them. And from the first line of the article, “The IRS warned taxpayers”, how did they warn them? By telling the AP?

I read some of the comments last week on blogs that posted the Blogburst. One commenter responded to the statement I made about our tax information being private by suggesting that since the government knows our tax information it is not private. Good point, but that doesn’t mean I want them passing it out to employees of private companies. And if we had the Fair Tax the government would know much less about our private financial information. KnightHawk at PoliPundit had some really good responses to some of the questions raised. There were some good questions raised and worth a look.

Now on to this week’s blogburst.

Our representatives in Congress are finally getting the message that Americans are “fed up” with the current tax code. The question is, how do we fix it?

I contacted my (Alabama) Senators and Representative in Washington to let them know of my support for the Fair Tax. Three letters, three different responses. Congressman Spencer Bachus (6th district) is a co-sponsor of the Fair Tax Act of 2005, H.R. 25. Good news. Senator Jeff Sessions has not endorsed any specific proposal for reform, but does agree something has to be done about the tax code. From his letter: “Most taxpayers that I talk to are not only fed up with the complexity of the tax code, but the enormous tax burden that has been placed on them.” Senator Richard Shelby supports “a flat tax, as opposed to a national sales tax”. I wanted to address Senator Shelby’s position because I believe his concerns about the Fair Tax are probably shared by many on Capitol Hill.

From his letter:

I support a flat tax, as opposed to a national sales tax, because I believe that the flat tax encourages savings in a more effective manner without leaving the federal budget vulnerable to fluctuations in our economy. Under a flat tax, government revenues would not fluctuate as severely because of changes in the economy as they would with a national sales tax. This is the same problem that many state budgets are facing today because they depend too much on sales taxes.

I’m not really sure about the “encourages savings in a more effective manner”, but his concern about the fluctuations in the economy is interesting. In other words, if our economy slows down the government should not have to slow down. Changes, I’m assuming he means negative changes, in the economy would surely affect the taxpayer but he would get no relief from Uncle Sam. While the taxpayer’s personal economy fluctuates (downward), the government keeps right on spending. To me, this would be a good argument for the Fair Tax. If the American taxpayer had to cut back and budget better, why not the federal government? But according to a study by American Farm Bureau, #9 in the Fair Tax FAQ, consumption is a more reliable source of revenue anyway.

Is consumption a reliable source of revenue? Yes, in fact, consumption is a more stable source of revenue than income. A recent study by American Farm Bureau economist Ross Korves shows the FairTax base is less variable than the income tax base. Why? Because during difficult times due to loss of a job or an inability to work, people may not have as much income, or may have no income at all. They borrow funds or use savings. They may not have earnings, but they still continue to consume.

Another argument from Senator Shelby:

Additionally, a flat tax better protects poor and low-income Americans because they are not forced to overpay taxes through their daily purchases, and then wait until the end of the month for a rebate check, as many national sales tax plans have proposed. These Americans need this money immediately to pay their bills and meet their needs. Under my proposal, the “Tax Simplification Act,” low-income Americans would not have to pay for these distortions in the first place because of a personal deduction that would apply to all Americans.

The Fair Tax proposes a “prebate”, paid at the beginning of the month. And low-income Americans would have the same advantage as everyone else, no deductions from their paychecks for federal withholding or social security and Medicare. This is important. Even if the low-income American has no federal tax withheld, the social security and Medicare taxes will still be deducted under the Flat Tax. Currently it is 7.65% and everyone pays the same regardless of income bracket.

Please follow this link for Senator Shelby’s proposal for a flat tax. It certainly would be better than the current system, but it doesn’t get rid of the IRS, it does not eliminate the corporate tax which is a huge plus for the Fair Tax, and it doesn’t get rid of the social security and Medicare tax. The Fair Tax does.

The FairTax Blogburst is jointly produced by Terry of The Right Track Blog and Jonathan of Publius Rendezvous. If you would like to host the weekly postings on your blog, please e-mail Terry. You will be added to our mailing list and blogroll.

I must be insensitive.

I thought the opening skit on the Emmy Awards was hilarious. I will admit right away that I am not a Conan O’Brien fan, but I thought the skit was very funny. For an Emmy intro it was one of the best I have seen.

Imagine my shock when I woke up the next morning to find out people were “outraged” that NBC did not pull it, as it was in bad taste to show a plane crash skit on a day when an actual plane fell from the sky.

What the hell? Am I missing something?

I know the victims’ loved ones are grieving and heartbroken, but let’s think about the reality of the situation. The opening skit was meant to spoof some of televisions most famous shows, and like it or not, “Lost” is one of the best shows on television.

The skit shows Conan in a turbulent plane, and the next scene shows him coming out of the ocean onto the island. There was no short runway, no visible crash. No connection to the events which occurred that morning. My heart goes out to the family and friends of the victims, but were they really sitting down to watch the Emmy awards on Sunday night?

Think about it. Aren’t people becoming just a bit too sensitive?

In 2002, 476,009 Americans under the age of 85 died from cancer. That is 1,304 people per day. Should shows no longer depict characters with cancer? Murphy Brown had cancer. How thoughtless of the writers and actors! Didn’t they know thousands of people had just died from that very thing?

in 2003, coronary heart disease killed 479,305 people in the United States. That is 1,313 people per day. Should shows no longer depict characters having heart attacks? John Spencer died of a heart attack just months after his character on The West Wing suffered from one. Saturday Night Live and other comedy programs stop at nothing to make fun of Vice President Dick Cheney’s heart problems. Even Redd Foxx made ” This is the big one!” a weekly chuckle. How insensitive of the writers and actors! Didn’t they know that over a thousand people died from heart disease just before they aired those programs?

Firearms are responsible for 38,500 deaths per year. That is 105 per day. Almost every show on television has had a scene with a firearm in it. Some of the most popular shows on television rely on them. CSI and all it’s derivatives, Law & Order and all it’s children, and E.R. wouldn’t be as interesting if someone didn’t suffer from a GSW at some point. How callous can those writers and actors be? Didn’t they know that a hundred people die every day, while they air fictional characters who suffer from the same fate?

I could go on and on. Heck, I didn’t even mention automobile accidents. My point is, most people did not connect the skit with the events of the morning until someone else mentioned it to them, until the “outrage” was created in the media. Granted, some people might have been upset, like the family and friends of the victims, but I bet most people in general were not outraged by it.

If we are going to start “editing” what is shown on television because it might seem insensitive to someone, then we will all be staring at snow. Not the icy frozen stuff that falls in winter, but the stuff we see on the television when the station has gone off the air. Everyone is sensitive about something, so where do we draw the line?

The Beverly Hillbillies never would have been on the air, as some hillbillies might have been offended. Hogan’s Heroes would have no meaning, as those sensitive to seeing Nazi uniforms would have prevented it from being produced in the first place. I Love Lucy made fun of Ricky Ricardo’s accent. How vile!

In each of the shows I have mentioned, no one depicted a real person, a real event, or even claimed to. They depicted life (and death) in America, and I think, if people are going to be outraged because they think a network is being “insensitive” because of current events they should step back and look at the whole picture. Just because you may find something insensitive, doesn’t mean it was directed at you. Think about that the next time you laugh at the expense of someone else, real or fictional.

Technorati Tags: NBC, Conan O’Brien, Emmy Awards, skit

I found this recipe at RecipeZaar, but modified it slightly. It was delicious with potatoes and a vegetable, and the best part? The kids ate very bite. They loved it.

Ingredients:

1 package boneless skinless chicken breasts (4 or 5)
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoon minced garlicYou can, of course, adjust this depending on your love of garlic. The original recipe called for 1.
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
3/4 cup dry breadcrumbsI made my own breadcumbs from some delicious homemade french bread croutons we had in the freezer.
3/4 cup finely grated sharp cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
black pepper

What I did with them:

Set oven to 350 degrees.

In one bowl, I combined the butter, garlic, garlic powder, and seasoning salt. Mix well.

In another bowl, I mixed the breadcrumbs, cheeses, and pepper.

I dipped the chicken in the first bowl, then coated it in the second bowl.

I placed the breasts in a 13 x 9 baking pan and covered it with tin foil.

I baked it at 350 degrees for 35 - 40 minutes. At which time I removed the tin foil (but made sure to save it to make a hat later). I increased the temperature to 425 degreesI did this at the last minute because I wanted the chicken to have more of a golden color and crisper coating before serving., and baked it for an additional 10 - 15 minutes.

Technorati Tags: Cheddar, Garlic, Baked, Chicken, recipe

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Because serving in the Senate can be rough…

Former Sen. Max Cleland, who has battled bouts of depression since losing an arm and both legs in Vietnam, is being treated for post- traumatic stress disorder.

Cleland, who represented Georgia in the Senate from 1997 to 2003, said he believes the condition _ cases of which are increasing rapidly among Vietnam war veterans _ was in part triggered by the ongoing violence in Iraq.

“I realize my symptoms are avoidance, not wanting to connect with anything dealing with the (Iraq) war, tremendous sadness over the casualties that are taken, a real identification with that. … I’ve tried to disconnect and disassociate from the media. I don’t watch it as much. I’m not engrossed in it like I was,” Cleland said in an interview with WSB-TV in Atlanta.

In all seriousness, thank you for your service to your country, and get well soon, Max.

Technorati Tags: Max Cleland, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Senate, Iraq

A key U.S. legislator said in Israel on Sunday he would block aid President George W. Bush promised Lebanon and free the funds only when Beirut agreed to the deployment of international troops on the border with Syria.

“The international community must use all our available means to stiffen Lebanon’s spine and to convince the government of Lebanon to have the new UNIFIL troops on the Syrian border in adequate numbers,” said Tom Lantos, the ranking Democrat on the U.S. House of Representatives’ International Relations Committee.

New UNIFIL troops in adequate numbers? What for? So they can personally help smuggle arms into the country?

“My purpose is not to withhold aid from Lebanon, my purpose … is to persuade the government of Lebanon that the closing of the Lebanon-Syria border to arms smuggling from Iran and Syria is in the prime national interest of Lebanon and the Lebanese people.”

Based on precedence, placing UNIFIL troops on the border will do anything but seal it. Heck, in 2000 they couldn’t (or didn’t try to) stop Hezbollah from kidnapping three IDF soldiers just yards from their shelter, what makes Rep. Lantos think they will be able (or willing) to stop arms from crossing the border?

That’s just asinine.

[Hat Tip: little green footballs]

Technorati Tags: Lebanon, aid, U.S., Representative, Tom Lantos, Democrat, UNIFIL, irrelevant, useless

Representative John Lewis, a Democrat from Atlanta, says he’s afraid the war will make young people in the Middle East grow up hating America.

Note to John Lewis:

Young people in the Middle East will grow up hating America no matter what we do. They hated us before Iraq, they will hate us long after.

[Source: CBS 46]

Technorati Tags: Iraq, John Lewis, Middle East, war, support

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Clutching American flags and signs that read “America was formed by immigrants,” more than 300 protesters on Saturday denounced a city proposal that would prohibit landlords from leasing to illegal immigrants.

About two dozen counter-protesters staged a demonstration nearby.

The proposal by City Councilman Tim O’Hare would also make it tougher for illegal immigrants to work in the Dallas suburb, penalize businesses that employ undocumented workers and make English the city’s official language.

Correction: America was formed by legal immigrants.

[Source: BREITBART.COM]

Technorati Tags: Dallas, Texas, Illegal, Immigration, protests

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