Archive for: June 2006

I continue to deplete my financial resources by taking yet another vacation tommorrow. This time it’s South Carolina to meet up with a particuarly nostalgic Marine buddy of mine. He wants to go back to our old duty station and remember the good ole days (which were about 2 years ago). He can’t be convinced that it won’t be the same because we’re no longer active duty, we no longer know many people in the area, and we no longer have PFCs to call and pick us up from the bar.

I won’t likely be posting from there, but here’s some other things that I wish I had time to talk about:

• The Supreme Court blocks military tribunals for the Gitmo prisoners
• Our esteemed state legislatures made a few mistakes when they tried to move the Presidential primary to February.
• More students will begin participating in Gov. Riley’s teleconferenced classrooms. Who needs teachers in rural areas?

So little time, so much to blog about. See you after Independence Day.

What do you do if you’re a petty thief who has suddenly realized you just stole the personally identifiable information of every American veteran? You can sell this information and make a killing. I would be willing to bet a few countries east of the Urals and south of the Mediterranian would be more than willing to provide you with a life of luxury and excess for such information. You already live in or near Washington, DC. Pick your embassy and have the life on easy street.

Apparently, petty thieves aren’t as petty as that. Whoever you are, thanks for not being a prick. The thief didn’t necessarily do the good Sumaritan thing and come clean, but he or she is either completely retarded and doesn’t watch the news, or the person decided not to be get involved in selling out America’s veterans.

An unidentified person turned the laptop in Wednesday to FBI agents in Baltimore, according Michelle Crnkovich, a spokeswoman for the Baltimore FBI field office.

Crnkovich said the tipster who turned in the laptop has not been charged and likely was not the thief. She said the FBI still believes the laptop was taken in a routine burglary and that the VA data was not the target. She did not know if the tipster was eligible for the $50,000 reward offered for information on the laptop’s whereabouts.

This is the first time I had heard about the reward. $50,000? Are you kidding me? That’s all millions of records are worth to you? I say find this thief and put him in charge of the VA. He or she gave up possible billions by not selling this information. The current VA bureaucracy was willing to part with a mere $50,000 to secure the information. As a veteran, I’ll take the thief!

By a vote of 227-183, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 985, titled (take a deep breath):

Supporting intelligence and law enforcement programs to track terrorists and terrorist finances conducted consistent with Federal law and with appropriate Congressional consultation and specifically condemning the disclosure and publication of classified information that impairs the international fight against terrorism and needlessly exposes Americans to the threat of further terror attacks by revealing a crucial method by which terrorists are traced through their finances.

I won’t talk much about the content of the resolution, except to say that with an administration that classifies things at the level this administration does, is it any surprise that newspapers have stopped taking them seriously? A long-time reader and I had an e-mail exchange where he indicated that reporters today aren’t taking enough caution about the national security implications of their stories. I might be able to agree with that, but I would say that I am more concerned about this administration’s failure to recognize the need for an open government. Bush and Cheney have repeatedly classified and unclassified information as it pleases them. Can reporters really be blamed for no longer respecting the word “classified”?

That was more commentary on the resolution than I wanted. The real reason for this post is to comment on Alabama’s Congressional delegation, specifically their votes on this particular resolution.

• Representative Jo Bonner (R-Mobile) - did not vote on the resolution
• Representative Terry Everett (R-Dothan) - did not vote on the resolution
• Representative Mike Rogers (R-Anniston) - did not vote on the resolution
• Representative Robert Aderholt (R-Gadsden) - voted for the resolution
• Representative Bud Cramer (D-Huntsville) - voted against the resolution
• Representative Spencer Bachus (R-Vestavia) - voted for the resolution
• Representative Artur Davis (D-Birmingham) - voted against the resolution

Two for, two against, and three not voting. 95% of the House voted one way or another on this amendment, but almost half of Alabama’s delegation didn’t vote at all. This leads to the obvious question — what are Bonner, Everett and Rogers doing together instead of voting? Are they concocting some sort of master plan? I’m nervous.

I like Rep. Davis’ statement about his decision to vote against the resolution:

“The checks and balances have swung too far wildly in favor of the executive. He is not the sole arbiter of what is right and wrong.”

Or is he?

Rep. Bachus had this to say on the House floor:

“Due to their irresponsible actions, this vital intelligence gathering program is virtually defunct,”

Do terrorists not watch movies like Enemy of the State?

But really… what are those three Alabama Congressmen doing?

Unfortunately, I was driving around Peterson, Alabama at the time working and had no idea that a verdict had been reached until much later. Seriously, though, I would have taken that bet. I’ll take payment in cash or beer, Mike.

I have to admit that I’m pretty happy, and the conviction has renewed my interest in this trial. Okay, it started my interest in the trial. Before today, I only had a vague idea of the happenings of the corruption trial from the headlines I skipped over on my quest to read something interesting. I really can’t wait til the sentencing. I think I read somewhere that Siegelman could get a maximum of 20 years and a 200,000 fine. How funny would it be if Siegelman and Scrushy had to go to prison? Probably not very funny for their families (sorry if you are readers, guys), but it would be freakin’ hilarious to me.

• Richard Scrushy - guilty on six counts of bribery, conspiracy and mail fraud
• Don Siegelman - guilty on seven counts of bribery, mail fraud and obstruction of justice
• Two other punks - acquitted of all charges
• Justice - safe for another day

Everyone remember to drink one for your homies in CB6 this weekend.

Check your local news at 2 PM today. The verdict of the Siegelman/Scrushy case is in, and will be announced at that time.

My money’s on a full acquittal for everyone. Anyone want to put $20 on it?

UPDATE: Well, thankfully we didn’t shake on it.

The U.S. Senate Indian Affairs Committee has released a lengthy report that says that Indian gaming interests in Mississippi contributed $13 million to Riley’s 2002 campaign to keep away competition. That’s more money than Riley received in direct contributions for the campaign, according to his financial reports.

If you add up all of his direct contributions, in-kind contributions and loans, his total money raised was right at $13 million. Unless the Choctaw tribe managed to filter their money through all of the PACs, individuals and corporations listed on his reports, this number is inflated. Unless, of course, the money wasn’t reported or was spent indirectly on his campaign.

Riley’s opponent this year, Democratic Lt. Gov. Lucy Baxley, said she doesn’t know whether Worfel’s comments are true or false, but Riley needs to clear up the issue raised by the Senate committee’s report, including explaining whether any Indian contributions found their way into political action committees that supported him.

“Thirteen million dollars of Indian gambling money illegally funded into an Alabama governor’s race sounds like corruption of the highest level to me,” Baxley said in an interview Tuesday.

I could normally respect a man for refusing to answer questions instigated by baseless speculation. But this isn’t baseless, and this guy isn’t normal. He asking to be re-elected as governor. You have a report from the U.S. Senate implicating the 2002 Riley campaign. This has to be answered, and avoiding the accusation is only going to imply guilt.

It should also be pointed out that if any money was filtered through PAC-to-PAC transfers from Mississippi tribes to Governor Riley, Alabama campaign finance law makes it impossible to trace.

I am always impressed by the political bloggers who are listed in my sidebar to some extent, but recently a couple of them wrote a post that I thought I should share. So I don’t take credit for them, here they are with a link and a teaser excerpt. They should both be an interesting read to just about anyone, from Alabama or not.

Doc’s Political Parlor: Alabama’s Presidential Candidate

If a whisper campaign is suggesting that either of these scenarios could play out (both involving Riley leaving his 2nd term early), then we may have an explanation as to why businesses are pouring so much money into Luther Strange’s campaign for Lt. Governor, a relatively powerless position in Alabama.

The Alablawg: More Evidence of the “Increasing Professionalism of the Police Forces”

If the cops want to be Billy Bad Ass and break down people’s doors, this kind of stuff is going to happen. Alabamians will defend their homes. We just passed a law making it easier to shoot home invaders. The cops may not consider themselves home invaders, but perception is what matters. All Jamar knew was that a bunch of guys with guns had just busted into his home. Is it any wonder he shot?

In Alabama starting July 1 (with my one-sentence reactions):

1. Injuring or killing an “unborn child” will have a person charged with assault or murder. I think this is a good idea.
2. A judge can order a person who is charged with a sex crime to be tested for STDs. This is unusual because the person who is “charged” hasn’t been convicted of anything yet. I won’t lose any sleep over it.
3. Protesting at a funeral or memorial service can land you in jail for up to a year. As long as it’s only during the time that a service is being held, I’m okay with it, but I would prefer this to be a civil matter.
4. Mothers are assured by the state government that they can breastfeed wherever they want. Do people really have a problem with this?
5. Persons arrested for violating Jim Crow laws will be able to apply for pardons. Deceased victims of government may be granted a pardon by application of their next of kin. Love it, despite the philosphical concerns.
6. The ALDOT will begin creating car tags for public two-year colleges in Alabama. This is purely administrative of government, and I don’t really care.
7. Shoppers can exempt charitable gifts (up to $10,000) from the sales tax. Just like you don’t have to pay taxes on income you give to charities, now you don’t have to pay taxes on stuff you buy for charity. Sounds like a good idea to me, but what kind of paperwork is involved?
8. You must “properly restrain” all children aged 14 and younger in a booster seat, car seat or seat belt. Stupid, even though I have to admit that they do have the authority to regulate public roads.

Overall, I think they did some good work last session, even though I would have preferred some serious discussion on a constitutional convention, public education, I&R, PAC-to-PAC transfers, etc. I guess I can’t complain too much. They did begin the reform of the repressive tax system in Alabama.

The Sigelman-Scrushy-two other idiots trial continues with the jury saying they are deadlocked. Apparently, the judge issued an Allen charge last week when I wasn’t paying attention. The Siegelman team is asking him to give another one. They just want this thing to be over, and they probably figure the jurors who are pushing for conviction are more likely to give up.

The jury foreman told the judge that many of the jurors are “lackadaisical” and “have shown no interest in continuing much discussion.” A mistrial is sounding very likely right now.

Acting U.S. Attorney Louis Franklin has said he will absolutely re-prosecute this case in the event of a hung jury. Maybe next time he can leave his “sleaze” comments at home.

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Mayor Kincaid marched alongside Birmingham church and civic leaders in the “funeral for crime,” an effort to raise awareness and encourage action about Birmingham’s high crime rate. It’s a mock funeral procession.

“We must bury murder,” said Bishop Calvin Woods, Birmingham chapter president of Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which organized the march. “We must bury drugs. We must bury disrespect. We must turn from death in this city to celebrating life.

“This is a funeral to bury funerals.”

Unfortunately, the city’s 54th homicide of the year occurred less than an hour before the march began. While this “funeral” is entirely symbolic, I hope it leads to action that is effective. There is no good reason for Birmingham to have such a high crime rate. Citizens have waited for the city’s government to act for years, and the only thing Birmingham City has shown is that they are incompetent and unwilling to solve the problem.

Jefferson County Sherrif Mike Hale has offered helpful ideas for more cops and more arrests, but this problem is systemic and can’t be solved with a simple “tough on crime” approach. Despite the vitality of the Birmingham metro area, the city proper is being left behind. Despite it’s ideal location in a booming economy, no one wants to live or work there because the crime is dangerous, the roads are poor, the structures and infrastructure is decaying, the schools are horrible, etc. etc. Unfortunately, the resulting exodus of people and industry leads to a decreasing  tax base and motivation so that the crime becomes more dangerous, the roads become worse, the schools have less money, etc. etc.

I don’t know what the answer is, but I hope the citizens of Birmingham start to realize that they have to be an active part of the solution.

After a few comedians like Jon Stewart noticed that the the Senate voted to raise their own pay the same week they voted against raising the minimum wage, the Democrats suddenly came up with an idea.

A week after the GOP-led Senate rejected an increase to the minimum wage, Senate Democrats on Tuesday vowed to block pay raises for members of Congress until the minimum wage is increased.

“We’re going to do anything it takes to stop the congressional pay raise this year, and we’re not going to settle for this year alone,” Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said at a Capitol news conference.

I’m not a huge fan of the minimum wage, but if we’re going to have it the thing should be more than $5.15 an hour. So my stance is take it away or make it a wage that people can live on.

This will probably help out the Democrats in the upcoming election since it’s somewhat principled. They’re halting their own pay raises too, even though the going rate for a senator is $165,200 so I don’t think they’ll have a problem. Polls indicate a strong majority of Americans would be behind them, and I’d imagine it is especially popular among their base supporters.

I’ll be interested in reading the Republican response that they believe in a limited federal government and unintrusive legislation toward business.

It was close, but the facists who want to make it a crime to desecrate the sacred symbols of the Empire fell 0.7% short of the necessary votes in the U.S. Senate. The “flag burning” amendment was first introduced in the House of Representatives by disgraced Congressman Randy “Duke” Cunningham.

Here’s how the Alabama delegation voted (the House easily approved the amendment last year):

• Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL) - voted for the amendment
• Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) - voted for the amendment
• Representative Jo Bonner (R-Mobile) - did not vote on the amendment at all
• Representative Terry Everett (R-Dothan) - voted for the amendment
• Representative Mike Rogers (R-Anniston) - voted for the amendment
• Representative Robert Aderholt (R-Gadsden) - voted for the amendment
• Representative Bud Cramer (D-Huntsville) - voted for the amendment
• Representative Spencer Bachus (R-Vestavia) - voted for the amendment
• Representative Artur Davis (D-Birmingham) - voted against the amendment

Nothing too surprising there, except that Bonner didn’t vote. Maybe he was sick?

The Montgomery County Circuit Clerk wants the court to go electronic. A pilot program was started in five counties in August to test a system, already used at the federal level, which would allow lawyers to accept electronically-filed motions. According to Circuit Clerk Melissa Rittenour, the program will save time and money for both lawyers and the court. It’s still in a developing stage, but I expect this will spread like crazy once people catch on to the idea.

I think this is great. Using technology to save money and increase efficiency is something Alabama needs to get behind one of these days. It’ll also create a sub-industry of consultants who can train and help law firms use the software. Less money on paperwork, more money for jobs. I like.

By the way, you can thank Drayton Nabors for implementing the pilot program.

Or: “Why I’ve Been Neglecting National News and Politics Lately”

1. The Senate might make the “desecration” of the flag a Constitutional no-no. The Constitutional amendment has already passed the House with the required 2/3 majority.
2. Bush continues to ignore any rational criticism of his spying programs, and instead expresses rebuke that anyone would dare disclose his policies that are, at best, questionably legal.
3. The Supreme Court strikes down Vermont’s campaign finance laws that restrict how much money a candidate can spend instead of how much money he can raise. So apparently, you can be told how much money you can give a candidate, but a candidate can’t be told how much money he or she can spend. Power to the people? Bullsh–!
4. Those terrorist masterminds who were planning to blow up the Sears Tower turn out to be a group of dipshits whose “operational knowledge” of their target consisted of one member who once visited Chicago. Is this how far they have to stretch to convince us that all of the intrusive “terrorist programs” are necessary? The only planning that went into the “plot” was apparently thought up by the agent who “infiltrated” the group.

If anyone can justify this stuff, please tell me how.

First, I get an email about a press release that Senator Sessions has released:

The United States Senate today agreed to Sen. Jeff Sessions’s amendment to the 2007 defense bill that would increase missile defense spending by $45 million.

You’re probably thinking, “That sounds like a great idea.” If you are, then you don’t realize that this is for the national missile defense system, a system that doesn’t work and is a horrible national security policy for several reason that I briefly talked about before.

Big deal, I thought. $45 million in wasted money is a drop in the bucket compared to the billions that go wasted every year. But then I got word of a rumor that the Alabama Republican Party may vote on a resolution to draft Senator Sessions to run for President in 2008. That’s President of the United States. Jeff freakin’ Sessions as President of the United States. President Jeff Sessions. Let that sink in for a moment.

Even if he somehow swung the nomination, his chances in the general election would be about -13% (funny coincidence, that’s also his estimated IQ). I refuse to play strategic politics, but the only good thing that could come out of this is that it might free up his Senate seat for 2008, when he is up for re-election.

There were three Republican candidates for the Public Service Commission seat being vacated by George Wallace, Jr. None of the three managed to get a majority of the vote, so the two frontrunners, John Amari and Perry Hooper, face each other in the run-off this July.

Amari got a nice endorsement from Jack Hornaday, the other candidate who himself received 28% of the vote. Although endorsements won’t mean a whole lot in this race, it’s probably nice for Amari, who is expected to lose the race. Hooper won many more votes than Amari did on June 6, despite failing to receive a majority. Hooper is also favored to win financially, having outspent Amari by more than 2 to 1 as of last report.

Talledega County sheriff’s deputies have been telling local businesses that they’d better remove those gambling machines from their stores or they’ll start taking them. If this sounds familiar, it should. Alabama Circuit Judge Scott Vowell in February ruled in favor of businesses that carry the “internet sweepstakes” machines, saying that they aren’t gambling (news flash– they aren’t).

That ruling opened the floodgates, if you will, and gave many convenient store owners confidence that they could operate the lucrative machines without trouble from the law. Talledega District Attorney Steve Giddens doesn’t agree. He ordered the deputies to give local businesses the ultimatum.

There’s also some similar drama in Cullman where police had seized 30 internet sweepstakes machines from Ricky’s Internet Cafe. The civil and criminal aspects of that case are still being worked out. I guess it’s time for the Alabama Supreme Court to get involved. Are these things legal or not? I wonder how they will decide.

Two Men and a Truck is probably very happy. They’re the ones who removed all the machines from the Birmingham Race Course, so they have an “in” for this time.