Non-Citizen Legal Residents May Get to Vote in Maine

The only way it gets more ridiculous is to let illegal residents vote. Is this legal anywhere? We must learn that "all politics are not local." When Abdirizad Daud votes Democrat as a non-citizen, his vote affects me and my family. Non-citizen voters must be barred. I don't care what taxes they pay. If they don't want to pay taxes, go home. Our vote is our voice and our "say." You should not have a voice if you are not a citizen.

In this FoxNews article, don't miss the part about one of Portland's largest non-citizen groups, the Somali's and the Al-Amin Halal Market. Read about Abdirizad Daud and his 9 children. After 20+ years in the U.S. his English is "limited," and he cannot afford to become a citizen. Besides that, Allah would have a hissy fit. Daud longs to become a Democrat.

Portland residents will vote Nov. 2 on a proposal to give legal residents who are not U.S. citizens the right to vote in local elections, joining places like San Francisco and Chicago that have already loosened the rules or are considering it.

Noncitizens hold down jobs, pay taxes, own businesses, volunteer in the community and serve in the military, and it's only fair they be allowed to vote, Rwaganje said.

"We have immigrants who are playing key roles in different issues of this country, but they don't get the right to vote," said Rwaganje, 40, who moved to the U.S. because of political strife in his native Congo and runs a nonprofit that offers financial advice to immigrants.

Opponents of the measure say immigrants already have an avenue to cast ballots -- by becoming citizens. Allowing noncitizens to vote dilutes the meaning of citizenship, they say, adding that it could lead to fraud and unfairly sway elections.

"My primary objection is I don't think it is right, I don't think it is just, I don't think it is fair," Portland resident Barbara Campbell Harvey said.

San Francisco also has a ballot question on Nov. 2nd to decide whether or not to let non-citizens vote. In the article linked above you'll learn of other cities already giving non-citizens the right to vote in some instances. But first think about this little ditty:

Democracy for all: Restoring Immigrant Voting Rights in the U.S.

About those Somali's. This is from Gates of Vienna June 2007. Nothing has changed since. Here's the proof.

Wherever there are Somalians, though, this practice [genital mutilation of girls] continues. If more MSM outlets in other places where Somalians settle are willing to do the public a service by grapically exposing this inhumane and cruel treatment of little girls, the custom may be eradicated...

Let’s see what the Minnesota MSM are willing to do for these little girls. Let’s see if Hillary talks about “the children” in her numerous trips through areas which contain large minorities who practice this barbarity. This is one custom that can’t be protected by the ethnographers who insist we leave indigenous people to follow their own customs.

Thanks to my friend David Lemon, news sleuther extraordinaire

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Matthew Garcia Heroic in Trying to Rescue Lucas Ransom from Shark

Lucas Ransom died on his bodyboard after a shark bite in waters just north of Santa Barbara, California. Friend Matthew Garcia was only a couple of feet away when he heard his friend's cry for help and saw a shark leap out of the wave.  According to Garcia, the large wave he was riding, turned red with blood..."it was just red, the whole wave."

Luke Ransom

Matthew tried to find Lucas in the surf, but couldn't see him. He had decided to swim for help when he saw the bodyboard pop to the surface, and his friend floating face down. Garcia immediately went to him and did chest compressions while bringing him to shore. It was too late. Lucas Ransom was already dead. See a video below.

Think about seeing a shark you believe to be about 18 feet long, which has just attacked your friend. The water is red with blood. Would you have the courage to stay in those waters, find your friend and drag him to shore? This is a story of fearless friendship ending terribly.

Surf Beach, on the property of Vandenberg AFB,  and several others close by were closed for about 72 hours. Experts believe there is a good chance the shark was a Great White. Luke's leg, reportedly torn off at the pelvis, has not been found, but a one foot section of Ransom's bodyboard was located. It was bitten through:

Lucas Ransom's Bodyboard

The shark, which breached the water on its side, appeared about 18 feet long, Garcia said. "There was no sign, there was nothing. It was all very fast, very stealth," said Garcia, 20.

The pair, best friends since they were on the water polo and swim teams together at Perris High School in Riverside County, had joked the night before about the chances they would be attacked by a shark, Garcia said. It was the first time either had been to that particular beach and they planned to surf until about 11 a.m. and then go to class, he said. 

In 2003, a Great White bit a surfer's board, but the man was not hurt. Thirty miles away from Surf Beach, in 2003, a 50 years old woman died from a Great White attack.

Lucas Ransom, 19, was a Chemical Engineering major, readying to change studies to chemistry in preparation as a career as a pharmacist. As a certified lifeguard at age 16, he was instrumental in saving the life of a young boy along with two other lifeguards. If Lucas had a chance at survival, his friend Matthew Garcia would have been there for him.

Matthew Garcia and Lucas Ransom: Shark Attack

Posted by Maggie @ Maggie's Notebook

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John Dennis Nancy Pelosi Video: A Few Good Debts starring House Witc

John Dennis is challenging Nancy Pelosi for her House seat. No one seems to think he has a chance, yet SF Weekly says "he'getting there." The video below is a FilmLadd production, and a take-off of A Few Good Men, which Pelosi has none of so, A Few Good Debts titled the video perfectly.

John Dennis

Before the video, look at this:

An internal poll conducted over the summertime revealed that roughly 35 percent of local Democrats and Independents were fed up with Pelosi's leadership. That led SF Weekly to do some math. 

Pelsoi was re-elected last year with 220,000 votes, or 71 percent of the vote (next runner-up Cindy Sheehan received 46,000 votes, or 16 percent). If 35 percent of Democrats who supported Pelosi did abandon her and vote for Dennis, that'd be another 75,000 votes. So if they all voted for Dennis, that'd be 121,000 votes to Pelosi's 150,000. 

Keep in mind that former Board of Supervisors president Matt Gonzalez endorsed John Dennis, as did Sheehan. That's getting there... but even all this is a stretch...

Dennis is not the kind of candidate conservatives describe as "conservative," but he is a businessman, and an entrepreneur - hopefully favorable to business and 'real' jobs. We need as many jobs-maker as we can get in the House. We can worry about the rest later.

Rome wasn't built in a day. Perhaps this race is a precursor to November 2012. Dennis has done a great job and who knows? I expect that Pelosi owns the press, and if Dennis was hotter than a pistol, I doubt we'd know about it.

Tip O'the MaggieMae to RSMcCain

A Few Good Debts starring Nancy Pelosi by FilmLadd

Others talking about John Dennis and Nancy Pelosi:

Western Representation PAC

Posted by Maggie @ Maggie's Notebook

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David Zucker's "Call Me Senator - I'ts Just a Thing"

New video sent by email from someone "near and dear" to my heart. David Zucker is a conservative Hollywood producer and director, morphed from Liberal Democrat. His movies include Airplane, The Naked Gun, An American Carol and Scary Movie 3 and 4. Take a look at what he has done with Senator Barbara Boxer's infamous dress down of a Brigadier General. Zucker's video is first, and the real incident second.

David Zucker

Zucker "came out" about his move to conservatism in 2006 because he sees threats to both the U.S. and Israel "mounting.

"You have people like Michael Moore going into foreign countries saying Americans are the stupidest people in the world," Zucker said. "I want to tell the real America story, that America is a force for good."

That was then. Note that for two years now, Barack Obama has done the same.

"I still can't believe I'm a Republican," Zucker said. "There are just certain things ingrained in our Jewish roots. Our fathers voted for Roosevelt, and we voted for JFK, [Hubert] Humphrey and Clinton. But the Democratic Party has changed."

Viewed first at Proof Positive.







Call Me Senator from RightChange on Vimeo.

Bored Barbara Boxer dresses down a Brigadier General

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Duane Hammond Stagehand Fired for Wearing 'Bush' Shirt and Hat

Duane Hammond, a union worker in IATSE Local 33, has been told he will be brought up on charges for dressing inappropriately. The stage was in the process of being erected for a Barack Obama and Sen. Barbara Boxer rally. Hammond, in a radio interview with Sean Hannity this minute, says he believes  Obama and the White House had nothing to do with this. He believes his own union is solely responsible.

Duane Hammond's Sweatshirt

Hammond was told to remove his hat and turn his sweatshirt inside out. The shirt says "USS George H. W. Bush" with a picture of the ship. Hammond's son is serving on the USS George H. W. Bush. He says he only sees his son for a short time once a year.

The shirt and hat were worn to honor his son. His union supervisor has no honor, and Hammond was fired.

James Wright, a business representative from IATSE Local 33, says the union is still investigating what happened.

"If he was sent home because of the sweatshirt, he will be paid for the day," he said.

Hammond told Hannity he only went to the press when he was threatened with being charged. In the video he says he was humiliated...that he was only wearing his "son's flag, so to speak."

USS George H. W. Bush

My prediction is, Obama will step-in and this man will get his job back. If he doesn't, he is incredibly stupid. A 'thank you' Duane Hammond and his son for supporting and defending the USA. 

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Carly Fiorina on Net Neutrality Video

New ad out from Republican Carly Fiorina on the very important issue of Net Neutrality. In a debate forum with Fiorina and sitting-Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) the two women have vastly differing opinions on: regulate the net, or not? See the video below

Carly Fiorina and Barbara Boxer

FIORINA: “Net neutrality, in principle, sounds fantastic,” Fiorina said in a ten-question online forum hosted by PDF. “But I grew up in the telcom industry, and I know how bureaucratic, and frankly antiquated, the regulations in the telcom industry have been.”

“I don’t think we should take a regulator structure that was created in the early 20th century and apply it in the 21st century,” she said, adding, “I don’t support reclassifying broadband as telecom as a result.”

Boxer does not appear in Fiorina's ad, of course, but according to Breitbart's Big Goverment, her statement in the debate was this: No regulation is bad regulation. “I strongly believe that we must preserve Net neutrality..." Of course she does. If you are not up to speed on this issue, Warner Todd Huston is, and a couple of times a week he is posting pertinent information. Begin with Huston here.

Posted by Maggie @ Maggie's Notebook

Carly Fiorina on Net Neutrality Video

New ad out from Republican Carly Fiorina on the very important issue of Net Neutrality. In a debate forum with Fiorina and sitting-Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) the two women have vastly differing opinions on: regulate the net, or not? See the video below

Carly Fiorina and Barbara Boxer

FIORINA: “Net neutrality, in principle, sounds fantastic,” Fiorina said in a ten-question online forum hosted by PDF. “But I grew up in the telcom industry, and I know how bureaucratic, and frankly antiquated, the regulations in the telcom industry have been.”

“I don’t think we should take a regulator structure that was created in the early 20th century and apply it in the 21st century,” she said, adding, “I don’t support reclassifying broadband as telecom as a result.”

Boxer does not appear in Fiorina's ad, of course, but according to Breitbart's Big Goverment, her statement in the debate was this: No regulation is bad regulation. “I strongly believe that we must preserve Net neutrality..." Of course she does. If you are not up to speed on this issue, Warner Todd Huston is, and a couple of times a week he is posting pertinent information. Begin with Huston here.

Posted by Maggie @ Maggie's Notebook

Angela Dorian, Victoria Vetri or Victoria Rathgeb: Playmate of Year Attempted Murder Charges

Former Playboy Playmate of the Year 1968, Angela Doria, has been charged with attempted murder of her boyfriend/husband. Her real name is Victoria Vetri or Victoria Rathgeb. She is held under $1 million bail.

Angela Dorian/Victoria Vetri/Victoria Rathgeb

Mail Online says the man she shot is her boyfriend. The L.A. Times says the man is her husband of 20 years. Identified as Bruce Rathgeb is in grave condition at an Los Angeles hospital, but is expected to survive at least one shot to the chest at close range. Vetri is 66 years old.

TMZ reports that when police arrived at her home, she told them her "boyfriend" was shot by a drug dealer. The photo above is from her appearance in When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth.

Posted by Maggie @ Maggie's Notebook

Barbara Boxer's Arrogant "Don't Call Me Ma'am" Spreads Across the Web

Do you remember when Barbara Boxer had Brigadier General Michael Walsh in front of her in a Senate committee hearing, and said:

Carly Fiorina and Barbara Boxer

You know, do me a favor, would you? Say 'Senator' rather than 'ma'am.' It's just a thing. I worked so hard to get that title.

More appalling than Boxer's words, was her tone. Carly Fiorina is reminding us of this uncomfortable and shameful moment coming out of the U.S. Senate.



Carly Fiorina on the Arrogant Barbara Boxer (video)

Amen Ahmed Ali is California Yemen-American Agent Sentenced

Amen Ahmed Ali accepted a plea agreement in Bakersfield, California on charges that he was acting as an agent for the Islamic country of Yemen. He admitted "illegally exporting military equipment, possession of stolen U.S. property and conspiracy to act as an illegal agent for a foreign country between 1997 and 2006. Note that he was aiding terrorism before September 11, 2001. Thrown in the pot of indictments, Ali was initially charged with "acquiring and transmitting secret defense information obtained from a government undercover agent. For this, he is sentenced to a maximum of 5 years in prison.

Amen Ahmed Ali Arrest

Ali is a naturalized U.S. citizen according to this Bakersfield news site. He was born in Yemen and has been in California for more than 30 years. A Federal Judge ruled that he was not eligible for bail due to risk of flight, and has apparently been held in a Bakersfield jail since early 2007

Amen Ahmed Ali, who would be about 60 years old now, had two accomplices indicted by a federal grand jury in Fresno, California: Mohamed Al-Rahimi of Bakersfield, about 66 years old today, and California and Ibrahim A. Omer of Fort Worth, Texas, about 44. The arrests came after a two year investigation by the Joint Terrorism Task Force along with the Bakersfield Police Department and the Kern County Sheriff's office.

Prosecutors said Ali shipped night-vision goggles, laptop computers, and satellite phone sold to him by an FBI undercover-agent who posed as a soldier of the U.S. Army. He also admitted shipping bulletproof vests, and chemical protective suits. Source: Fox News

Ali reportedly had access to five bank accounts holding large amounts of money. Prosecutors had 115 taped phone calls authorized under FISA.

According to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in September 2006, the man had several aliases: Ali Amin Alrowhani, Amin Al Rohany and Ameen Alrohany.

The original counts charged:

COUNT ONE (Ali) - Conspiracy to Possess and Transmit Defense Information - 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine;

COUNT TWO (Ali and Omer) - Conspiracy to Unlawfully Export Defense Articles - 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine;

COUNT THREE (Ali and Omer) - Attempted Unlawful Export of Defense Articles - 10 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine;

COUNT FOUR (Ali and Al-Rahimi) - Conspiracy to Possess Stolen Government Property - 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

For this and his guilty plea, the man will spend only five years in prison, the maximum penalty. Sentencing is January 24th, 2011. That's like a slap on the wrist to a dedicated Muslim terrorist. If his previous jail time on the charges are considered (and I cannot confirm they will be counted) Ali will spend only 1 year in prison.

According to JihadWatch, when the arrests first occurred on September 8, 2006, accomplice Ibrahim A. Omer was taken into custody in Bossier City, Louisiana, and Al-Rahimi was being sought. I'm finding no arrest or conviction information about Mohamed Al-Rahimi.

Posted by Maggie @ Maggie's Notebook

California Lies to get Diesel Law: California Pollution Grossly Miscalculated

California "grossly miscalculated" pollution levels by 340%, to bring about their "landmark Diesel Law." Does any greenie have an ounce of truth in him/her?

EPA Lies

When the law was issued in, it had numerous standards to meet, and replacing all engines older than the 2010 models was one of them, a devastating swipe at business.

From San Francisco Chronicle:

The estimate was a key part in the creation of a regulation adopted by the Air Resources Board in 2007, a rule that forces businesses to cut diesel emissions by replacing or making costly upgrades to heavy-duty, diesel-fueled off-road vehicles used in construction and other industries.

The staff of the powerful and widely respected Air Resources Board said the overestimate is largely due to the board calculating emissions before the economy slumped, which halted the use of many of the 150,000 diesel-exhaust-spewing vehicles in California. 

Now, do you believe that? Right! Neither do I.

Independent researchers, however, found huge overestimates in the air board's work on diesel emissions and attributed the flawed work to a faulty method of calculation - not the economic downturn.

So now, maybe, the requirement to start the "landmark" Diesel Law will be put off until 2014.

It would be a major scaling back of the rule if the air board approves it in a vote scheduled for December.

The California governor's race is all over this. Meg Whitman has promised to suspend the law for "at least a year." Moonbeam Jerry Brown is still a supporter.

California voters, meanwhile, will vote on Proposition 23, a November initiative to suspend AB32 until the unemployment rate - now at 12.4 percent in California - falls to 5.5 percent or less for a year.

You and I both know that may be one hell of a very long time.

The combination of limp hiring by businesses and more governments layoffs expected means unemployment could rise to 10 percent again this year or next. When Obama took office in January 2009, the unemployment rate was 7.7 percent. Source.

This article quotes "most economists" saying it will likely take, at least, until 2015 for unemployment to reach a "more normal 5.5%."

Thanks to SpringerCreative.com for the graphic

Posted by Maggie @ Maggie's Notebook

Project 2996: Remembering Laurie Ann Neira

Project 2996 is a tribute to the victims of September 11, 2001. Maggie's Notebook will honor the memories and the lives of some of those lost that terrible day.

2,996 stories...2,996 voices...2,996 remembered.

Laurie Ann Neira was aboard American Airlines Flight 11 departing from Boston to Los Angeles, after a visit with family. The photograph at the right is Laurie in 1997 with her daughter Francisca, known as Frannie, on Frannie's wedding day.

Laurie worked for Your Office Genie, and a look around the Internet finds many workers remembering her fondly. Some knew her personally, and others recognized her as a co-worker they had not yet met.

One of Laurie's best friends as a teenager in Rowley, Massachusetts, Debbie Madruga Richards, wrote fond memories of their earlier friendship, when they moved to 'The Big Apple' together at age 18.

Laurie was born in Amesbury, Massachusetts. She met her future husband, Gilberto (Gil) in New York City. In 1975 the family, now consisting of Mom, Dad and Francisca moved to Los Angeles. Later, Frannie's brother Christopher was born. Each year after the move, the family returned to their Massachusetts roots for a visit.

Frannie and Laurie were in Boston on their annual trip, but were flying back to L.A. separately.

From Frannie:

"We had the best time together. Then, on 9/11/01 we went to the airport together. The car rental shuttle dropped [Laurie] off at her terminal first, she going on American, and me going on Delta. 

My last words to her were, see you back home."

American Airlines Flight 11 was taken over by hijackers after about 15 minutes after takeoff. Frannie's Delta flight made an emergency landing in Ohio. That is how she learned of her mother's fate.  All flights were grounded, and she was left alone there for three days. 

Frannie says her mother was the glue that held the family together. 

"She was the most loving and caring person I have ever known. She was a loving and devoted Wife and Mother to me and my brother Christopher. She was also a doting Grandmother to my daughter Amanda - she couldn't wait to be a Grandma! She was taken from our family too soon and left a void that will never be filled again."

Note to family: If you find this tribute and would like to add any information about Laurie Ann Neira, please let me know. My email is about half-way down the page on the right side, or leave a comment.

Posted by Maggie @ Maggie's Notebook

Carson-Gore Academy Toxic: Carson-Gore Academy of Environmental Sciences Built on Toxic Dirt

The Carson-Gore Academy of Environmental Sciences is scheduled to receive 675 high school students on September 13th, 2010 in the Arlington Heights area of Los Angeles. But...the monument school named after Rachel Carson and Al Gore has been built on "toxic" dirt. The $75 million school "naming" committee chose "Carson-Gore" to first honor Rachel Carson, the killer of millions of African babies after successfully getting DDT banned almost world-wide, and the former Vice-President and author Al Gore, who has worked feverishly to murder the America economy and steal the wallets of all Americans through his "green" initiatives. After cleaning up the toxic dirt under the school, if that's possible, Gore and Carson will remain toxic to humans. Do we have any doubt that the teachers at this "academy" will be toxic to our children?

This LA Times article says construction workers worked "up to" the Labor Day weekend replacing the toxic dirt from two 3,800 square-foot plots - to a depth of 45 feet - enough to hold a four-story building. It is unclear whether the building has now been deemed safe. The school principal plans to install an organic food garden, but the seeds will not be sown in above-ground planters.

From The Blaze:

Before settling on honoring Gore, the school’s naming committee teased the idea of naming the school after a communist, but that idea was dropped after one member of the committee objected:

In the spring, a school-naming committee received six options, including Pete Seeger Community School. A representative from school board member Marguerite suggested that the folk singer’s “affiliation with the Communist Party among other factors, made that choice inappropriate, two in attendance recalled.

Read more about Rachel Carson who convinced environmentalists, and governments, that spraying with DDT to kill mosquito-borne diseases...the only effective preventative for malaria, was harmful when in fact, it was life-saving. Keep this in mind, a child dies of malaria every 30 seconds. If you survive it, it reoccurs all though-out the life-span. There is no cure. World-wide, there are 250 million new malaria cases, and 1 million die every year. The Natonal Institutes of Health in 2007 said, "the ban on DDT may have killed 20 million children." If you are worried about DDT and a connection to the eagle population, you'll find this interesting.

Aside from naming a school after Carson and Gore, what's up with a $75 million school in a state on the verge of bankruptcy with a governor begging the fed to bail him out?

Dennis Cardoza Obama Spreading Fairy Dust

Democrat Representative Dennis Cardoza (C-18th) says the Obama administration is spreading "fairy dust" and slams Shaun Donovan, the Urban Development Secretary, for saying California's Central Valley has had improvement in foreclosure rates.

Dennis Cardoza

Donovan said thanks to Obama's "targeted tools," the housing market in the Central Valley is beginning to stabilize. Cardoza dares to differ:

Rep. Dennis Cardoza, D-Calif., noted that the three biggest cities in his district are ranked in the top 10 of RealtyTrac’s foreclosure list and claims Donovan has a “fundamental disconnect” between the reality on the ground and the fairy dust the administration is spreading."

Cardoza says that Donovan failed to note the delinquency rate in his district has risen to more than 16 percent when he touted the decline in foreclosure rates in the Central Valley.

"In most simple terms: things are not getting better in the Central Valley, they are getting worse," he wrote.

The Fresno Bee Opinion blog says Cardoza is trying to keep Donovan from traveling:

As Cardoza put it in a telephone interview with The Bee, his intention is for Donovan and his aides to "keep their sorry asses in Washington until they fix the problem." They do not understand the depth of the problem, Cardoza said.

Cardoza's amendments would wipe out HUD's $21 million travel budget. They would also prohibit HUD officials from traveling using funds designated for administration and operations.

Remember that the Central Valley's water was cut drastically to protect the Delta Smelt. Judge Oliver Wanger says the law "does not allow him to weigh economic factors against the preservation of a species." Read the Human Cost of the Central Valley's Water Crisis.

Border Security Bill Proof Dems Have Secured Border? Ready to Move on Comprehensive Reform?

The $600 million Senate border security bill that Obama will sign later this week is all the proof Americans need that protecting and closing our borders has happened. Democrats are ready to move ahead with "comprehensive reform," saying the bill should "break the deadlock...." in Congress, and silence the calls to "close the border first, before we deal with illegals already in this country.

Border Security - ICE

Perhaps this bill is nothing more than a distraction. It pales under the scrutiny of the unwilling participation of the Obama administration and Congress to enforce the laws already on the books, as well as demanding law enforcement routinely look the other way as the U.S. invaded on our Southern Border.

In meetings with Republicans, “I repeatedly heard them say that once we showed we were serious about passing border security legislation, they would be able to begin working with us to fix other aspects of our broken immigration system,” Schumer said. The bill would box in Republicans politically, he added, compelling them to keep their word.

“I believe tactically it will help us move forward because it pulls away their No. 1 excuse, which is we can’t do comprehensive until there is border change,” Schumer said. “Certainly we were getting nowhere the old way.”

The bill will supposedly provide for 1,500 new border "personnel," two unmanned drones and "military-style bases along the border." The question is, will the new "personnel" have the authority to do whatever is necessary to keep illegals out? Remember that illegals must be handed over to ICE, who who are then impotent to do anything unless the illegal migrants have committed crimes other than being in the U.S. illegally. It's bizarre, but no more bizarre than Chuck Schumer thinking the Senate legislation has answered the call to "SECURE THE BORDER FIRST."

Our crafty Senate has found a way to pay the $600 million cost of their legislation. The Wall Street Journal says the fee hikes will mainly affect Indian technology-outsourcing companies. It will affect all companies that have more than half their U.S.-based employees on H1-B or L-1 visas. Microsoft and Intel will likely not be subjected to the fees as "their foreign workers make up less than 50% for their overall work force."

Som Mittal, president of Indian technology industry trade group Nasscom, said Indian companies could face $200 million to $250 million in increased human-resources costs annually if the bill becomes law....

According to a summary of the Senate bill, the new charges would increase visa fees paid by affected companies by roughly $2,000 per visa application. But Mr. Mittal says the increase would actually be about $4,500 more per worker for new visas and $4,000 more for renewals. Currently, most visa applicants also face additional fees; in most cases, the H1-B visa fees amount to about $2,320.

If the original visa fee is $2320 per visa and there are 214,271 "petitions," that's almost $5 million. If the higher estimate of $4,500 by Mr. Mittal is correct, another almost $10 million will be realized from all countries, although it is not clear that all foreign visa apps will be subjected to the fee. That's a total of about $15 million at the most, assuming every application is new and not a renewal, which is a lesser cost. Maybe my math is wrong. It wouldn't be the first time.

If every one of the 214,271 visa petitions costs the max estimate of $4,500 per worker, the total is about $9.5 million. That's a long way from $600 million.

Paying for a bill that may do nothing is a reality.  I was reading at Van Helsing at Moonbattery recently, who said:

The situation is simple. A hostile foreign power is using its criminal underclass to colonize the United States. The federal government, having been hijacked by the radical Left, is doing everything it can to assist this invasion, in the belief that creating a massive new underclass and reducing Caucasians to minority status will give them the demographic leverage to impose socialism and one-party rule.

One day people will ask you what you did to fight Obama and the rest of the vermin who deliberately tried to destroy America. At least the ICE rank and file will be able to say they objected — not that objecting will be anywhere near enough.

Does anyone think these "military-styled" bases along the border will happen anytime soon? Or will close the border?

by Maggie @ Maggie's Notebook

Carly Fiorina Leads Barbara Boxer by 5 Points: Jerry Brown Meg Whitman in Dead Heat

Carly Fiorina, a California Republican has a 5 point lead over incumbent and far-left Progressive Senator Barbara Boxer. The same CBS5 poll shows Meg Whitman in a dead heat race with Jerry Brown for California governor.

Carly Fiorina and Barbara Boxer

From CBS5:

The CBS 5 poll, conducted by the research firm SurveyUSA, showed Fiorina edging Boxer 47 percent to 42 percent, compared to a CBS 5 poll one month ago showing Fiorina over Boxer 47 to 45 percent.

The poll results indicated Fiorina's support was essentially unchanged among men and women, young and old, white and Hispanic while Boxer had lost small ground among men, younger voters, and independents. 

The poll also showed Fiorina tripling her lead in the Central Valley, from seven points one month ago to 21 points in this latest poll. 

Meanwhile, the CBS 5 poll has gubernatorial candidates Whitman and Brown at 44 and 43 percent, respectively, effectively even within the poll's 4.1 percent error margin. Compared to a CBS 5 poll one month ago, Whitman is down two percent, while, Brown is up four percent. 

According to the pollsters, Brown gained ground among women over the past month, while Whitman leads among men. More Democrats have also moved toward Brown over the past month; 74 percent of Democrats voted for Brown versus 64 percent in the previous poll. 78 percent of Republicans vote for Whitman, unchanged from last month. 

A note about Barbara Boxer: As a Senator and a the chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee did an astonishing thing, broke a written committee rule, and passed a cap and trade bill out of committee:

[Jim] Inhofe (R-OK) said this action by Boxer (D-CA) is "history-making...has never been done before" and is "unprecedented."

According to Inhofe, who is the ranking committee minority member, a bill should have two minority party (Republican) members present, before a bill can leave committee and be sent to the Senate floor. The Washington Post reported, before Boxer's action, that she was considering using "a simple majority" which would not require the presence of the minority.

So, a bill got out of committee without the the quorum necessary. It was blatant. It was fraud on the American people. Let's put Carly Fiorina in the Senate and send Babs Boxer home.


by Maggie at Maggie's Notebook

Henry Waxman says Dems Hardest to Pull into Line Won't be Back After Elections: Waxman Republican Tyranny in Senate

Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) says the Democrats in the House who have been the toughest to "pull into line" won't win relection, making it easier for a Democrat House majority to control - yes he believes they will maintain control. But Henry is discouraged by the Senate's Republican "tyranny of 60 votes." Interesting in that Democrats never fail to make an issue of conservative talk of tyranny emanating from the White House.

Henry Waxman

Maintaining control means buying votes:

Waxman has rewarded loyalty to the Democratic agenda through his leadership political action committee, L.A. PAC. Each of the 14 donations of $5,000 the committee made after the final healthcare vote in March went to Democrats who voted yes. 

But buying the votes doesn't always work

A single contribution of a lesser amount, $3,000, was sent in April to Rep. Walt Minnick (D-Idaho), one of the party’s most vulnerable members, who voted against the bill. In January, Waxman gave $10,000 to Rep. Zack Space (D-Ohio), a month after he voted for the initial House version of healthcare reform. Two months later, Space voted against the final bill. 

And Waxman predicts a conundrum for Republicans:

“With the increased Republican margins, they won’t be able to act as if they have no responsibilities. I think they are going to be called on to be accountable … so that may produce opportunities for bipartisanship,” Waxman said.

Waxman is serving his 18th term in the House. His district included Hollyood, Malibue and Santa Monica. In 2009 he was considered the second most partisan Dem behind Pelosi

Laura Ingraham John Eastman: Federal Law Requires Illegals to Carry Papers: Does Judge Susan Bolton Know That?

I'm awaiting the video of Laura Ingraham in for Bill O'Reilly tonight. So important is the news tonight, that she skipped the Talking Points. Her first guest was John Eastman, who is an attorney running for California Attorney General to replace AG Jerry Brown, who was voted the worst Attorney General in the U.S. by the Competitive Enterprise Institute.

Laura Ingraham

Eastman, who is the director of the Center for constitutional Jurisprudence at Chapman University school of Law,  spoke on many of the points of Judge Bolton's ruling but one thing stuck out: Bolton ruled that illegal migrants do not have to carry I.D. papers. Bolton said that is "preposterously" wrong. U.S. Federal Law, in Title 8 Section 1304 clearly requires that identification be carried by all migrants at all times, according to Eastman. I'll look it up tomorrow. I'm closing up for the night.

I hope to have the video with the entire conversation with Ingraham and Eastman in the morning. John Eastman's website is here. (Thursday morning: still looking for the video)


Linked by Reaganite Republican Resistance - Thanks RR!

Bell California sets the Tone for August Townhalls Video

The town of Bell, California is paying extraordinary salaries to the City Council. Robert Rizzo, the City Manager, makes close to $800,000 annually with a population of 38,000. The Chief of Police makes $457,000, said to be more than the Los Angeles Chief of Police, along with others making more than $100,000. The city also has an extraordinarily high city tax. In the video, you'll see the raucous Townhall meeting. The residents show the same clear disgust that Tea Party members feel each time they have to confront their corrupt legislators. What the town of Bell is ripping-off the Bell residents, is likely quadrupled by the U.S. government. Speaking of Tea Parties August is another opportunity to tell the bums we're throwing them out.

 Bloomberg says Bell is one of the poorest municipalities in L.A. county:

The city’s personal income was $24,800 per capita in 2008, according to its financial statement. That compares with an average of $32,819 nationwide, according to 2010 figures from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Bell’s general fund revenue declined 4.6 percent to $14.1 million for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2009, according to the city’s financial statement. The city’s expenses rose 2.3 percent to $15.9 million in same period.

City Manager, Robert Rizzo has resigned, along with an assistant and the Police Chief. The people of Bell are not letting city elitists silence them, and neither are Tea Partiers comfortable with resting on Obama's falling polls. Bell can set the tone for August Townhall confrontations if Democrats have the honor to show up.





Bell California Townhall (video)

Al Gore Portland Police Meet in San Francisco: Al Gore Questioned by Portland Police

Al Gore has been questioned by Portland, Oregon police about the Sex Poodle's reported sexual assault of hotel masseuse, Molly Hagerty. The report comes from The Enquirer who first broke the story, and their title says Gore was "grilled." Update: August 1, 2010: Whatever acts of sexual harassment Al Gore committed, they are not "appropriate for criminal prosecution," according to ABC News. See more below.

Al Gore

Apparently, the Portland police traveled to San Francisco to "interview," Gore. I assume "interview" means "question" the former Vice President who now has masseuses coming out of the woodwork around the country with their own stories of aggressive and lewd behavior.

"Al Gore has finally been interviewed face to face by detectives in the Molly Hagerty case," a close source told The ENQUIRER. "Details of what was disclosed in the police interview by Gore --and exactly how long the meeting lasted -- remain secret at this time."

Portland police reopened the case involving Hagerty after The ENQUIRER reported that Gore had been named in a hushed-up police report. Hagerty, a licensed massage therapist, claims the former VP fondled her in a luxury hotel room in Portland in October 2006. In an exclusive interview with The ENQUIRER, she's called him "a pervert." 

Update August 1, 2010:
More from ABC News:

 Rees noted that Hagerty sold her story to the National Enquirer, failed a polygraph test, thanked the hotel management two days after the alleged incident for sending business her way and "has not provided as repeatedly requested medical records she claims are related to the case."

Rees concludes, "This case is not appropriate for criminal prosecution. The matter is closed and the investigative materials will be returned to PPB [the Portland Police Bureau]."

Read background:
Molly Hagerty Accuses Al Gore of Sexual Assault: Police ReOpens Sex Abuse Case




Gore Response to Masseuse Story
Al Gore Sex Scandal? Oregon Masseuse Claims Assault by Gore