Organized Labor & the Gay Agenda - Estranged Bedfellows

There really is nothing to add to the message below from the Family Research Council. FRC President Tony Perkins points out the connection between the liberal social agenda (gay marriage, abortion, etc.) and the complete collapse of America's so-called labor movement:

Looking Away from the Union Labels

Four major unions, The Teamsters, Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) and Unite Here, walked out of the AFL-CIO's convention in Chicago. It is anticipated the four disaffected unions, consisting of a total 5 million members, made the move in anticipation of leaving the union federation completely. The move follows years of AFL-CIO involvement in issues that closely tied union members, normally seen as socially conservative, to very liberal causes such as gay marriage and abortion (emphasis added).

Last year, the AFL-CIO came out against the proposed Federal Marriage Amendment that defined marriage as between one man and one woman. Just this last March the union passed a resolution titled "Support for the Full Inclusion & Equal Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender People in the Workplace," which advocated for full marriage rights for homosexuals. Former Teamster boss Jimmy Hoffa once said, "I have many faults but being wrong isn't one of them." Until the AFL-CIO realizes its mistakes and turns away from a liberal agenda and back to issues that actually affect workers, they can expect to stagnate and to alienate many Americans.

Enough said.

Democrat Obstructionists - Goin' Fishin

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins shares these thoughts on Democrat Senators and their attempts to smear soon-to-be Justice John Roberts:

Goin' Fishin'

In most of America "going fishing" brings up images of Mayberry's Sheriff Andy Taylor and his son Opie with their fishing poles heading off to Myers Lake. In Washington, D.C. "going fishing" instead conjures up the picture of desperate Democrats looking for anything bad to pin on President Bush's Supreme Court nominee, Judge John Roberts. Yesterday, Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) indicated he would demand every internal legal memorandum written by the nominee when he served as deputy solicitor general for past Administrations. The ultimate goal is to find among the horde of memos some little tidbit the left can use against the nominee. This is not the first time the Democrats have tried this strategy. Currently the nomination of John Bolton to become U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations is being held up by a similar strategy. Previously the nomination of Miguel Estrada to the U.S. Court of Appeals was held up by a similar request for documents from the solicitor general's office. In response to this outrageous request for priveleged memos, every living past solicitor general, both Democrat and Republican, wrote the Judiciary Committee warning that "any attempt (referring to document requests) to intrude into the Office's highly privileged deliberations would come at the cost of the Solicitor General's ability to defend the United States' litigation interests." These attempts by Senator Schumer using Barney Fife-type tactics exposing priveleged documents should be quickly nipped in the bud. The signs have been posted: No fishing allowed.

Democrats want to know everything about Judge Roberts so that they can have ammunition to destroy his nomination. We will not let it happen.

Fight them with the truth.

Here we go!

The liberal MSM, as expected, are accelerating their campaign to bring down our president with this so-called scandal over the outing of non-undercover CIA agent Valerie Plame.

The Washington Post actually has the nerve to ask "what did the president know?"

... get ready for more and more talk about the parallels between this story and the Clinton intern scandal -- and of course, Watergate.

We're already hearing some of the prototypical questions being raised. Here's former presidential adviser David Gergen, on ABC's "This Week" yesterday: "What did the president know and when did he know it?"

I'll tell you what the president knows.

He knows that Vice-president Cheney did not send Joe Wilson to Africa as Mr. Wilson claims. This fact by itself entirely undercuts Wilson's credibility.

I can't think of anything more President Bush would have to know.

Karl Rove tried to keep a false story from making it into the media. For that, he is being crucified, and the liberal MSM are only too happy to help.

We are a nation at war, people. This is not a game. The president needs our suppport, and as patriotic Americans it is our duty to give him that support. The vice-president and Karl Rove are warriors in the War on Terror. They must not be distracted from this important task with all of this nonsense.

Valerie Plame was going to work every day at CIA headquarters. How secret is that?

This so-called scandal is a distraction from the real jobs of our president and his staff. If we are attacked while they are defending themselves against the the liberal MSM, the media will have to bear the blame.

Democrats Choose Partisan Politics Over Investigatory Process

The Democrat senators and commentators calling for the heads of Karl Rove and Scooter Libby and John Roberts have no ground to stand on. They are hypocrates!

Consider the sorry history of these liberals on matters of national security:

“Democrats’ eagerness to hold faux hearings illustrates the partisan nature of their attacks. If Democrats had any confidence in the investigatory process, they would hold their fire and let the investigation proceed rather than rushing to judgment. Considering their own dubious history where sensitive intelligence is concerned, Democrats would be better served embracing restraint.”

-Tracey Schmitt, RNC Press Secretary

Senate Democrat Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) On Senate Floor Referred To Judicial Nominee’s FBI File:

“Minority Leader Harry Reid Strayed From His Prepared Remarks On The Senate Floor Yesterday And Promised To Continue Opposing One Of President Bush’s Judicial Nominees Based On ‘A Problem’ He Said Is In The Nominee’s ‘Confidential Report From The FBI.’” (Charles Hurt, “Reid Cites FBI File On Judicial Pick,” The Washington Times, 5/13/05)

Reid: “Henry Saad Would Have Been Filibustered Anyway … All You Need To Do Is Have A Member Go Upstairs And Look At His Confidential Report From The FBI, And I Think We Would All Agree That There Is A Problem There.” (Charles Hurt, “Reid Cites FBI File On Judicial Pick,” The Washington Times, 5/13/05)

Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) Revealed Name Of Undercover CIA Officer In Senate Hearing:

“John R. Bolton, President Bush’s Nominee To Be Ambassador To The United Nations, Delicately Referred To The Undercover Officer As ‘Mr. Smith’ At His Confirmation Hearing On Monday.” (Sheryl Gay Stolberg, “Loose Lips Let Slip Agent’s Name At Hearing,” The New York Times, 4/13/05)

“[M]r. Kerry Mentioned [Armstrong] By Name While Questioning Mr. Bolton. The Hearings Were Televised, And Transcripts Were Widely Published.” (Sheryl Gay Stolberg, “Loose Lips Let Slip Agent’s Name At Hearing,” The New York Times, 4/13/05)

Sen. Patrick “Leaky” Leahy (D-VT) Forced To Resign Intelligence Committee Post Because Of Loose Lips:

Leahy Was Forced To Resign From The Senate Intelligence Committee After Leaking Information On The Iran-Contra Investigation. “Sen. Patrick Leahy’s admission that he resigned from the Intelligence Committee this year for ‘carelessly’ exposing the panel’s draft report on the Iran-Contra investigation comes at a time of increased political tension over the issue of leaks to the news media.” (George Lobsenz, UPI, 7/29/87)

Ron Wyden (D-OR), Senate Intelligence Committee Member, Revealed Information On Classified Spy Program:

“Sen. Ron Wyden, During This Month’s Debate On Intelligence Reform, Said A ‘Major Acquisition Program’ Was ‘Too Expensive’ And ‘Unnecessary.’” (Jeff Kosseff, “Wyden Treads Slippery Slope In Intelligence Reform Debate,” The Oregonian, 12/20/04)

“But In The Arcane World Of Intelligence Spending, Where Billions Are Doled Out With No Public Discussion, It Was The Equivalent Of Shouting Fire In A Crowded Theater. Wyden Is A Member Of The Senate Intelligence Committee, Which Typically Meets In Top-Secret, Closed Sessions.” (Jeff Kosseff, “Wyden Treads Slippery Slope In Intelligence Reform Debate,” The Oregonian, 12/20/04)

Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), Ranking Member, Senate Intelligence Committee, Revealed Information On Classified Spy Program:

“Tucked Inside Congress’ New Blueprint For U.S. Intelligence Spending Is A Highly Classified And Expensive Spy Program.” (Katherine Pfleger Shrader, “Lawmaker Says Mystery Spy Project ‘Dangerous To National Security’,” The Associated Press, 12/9/04)

“In An Unusually Public Rebuke Of A Secret Government Project, Sen. Jay Rockefeller Of West Virginia, The Senior Democrat On The Senate Intelligence Committee, Complained Wednesday That The Program Was ‘Totally Unjustified And Very, Very Wasteful And Dangerous To The National Security.’ He Called The Program ‘Stunningly Expensive.’” (Katherine Pfleger Shrader, “Lawmaker Says Mystery Spy Project ‘Dangerous To National Security’,” The Associated Press, 12/9/04)

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) Alluded To Secret Spy Program In ABC Interview:

“Durbin, During An Interview Sunday With ABC’s ‘This Week,’ Alluded To The Secret Dispute Within Congress. ‘Eventually Some Information Will Come Out,’ Durbin Told ABC. ‘But It Does Point To The Weakness In The Whole Process. It Takes A Leak To Understand That Billions Of Taxpayers’ Dollars Are Being Wasted That Could Be Spent To Make America Safer.’” (Ted Bridis, “Feds Urged To Probe Leaks On Spy Project Opposed By Levin,” The Associated Press, 12/15/04)

Clinton National Security Advisor Sandy Berger Stole And Destroyed Classified Documents From National Archives:

“Former National Security Advisor Samuel R. ‘Sandy’ Berger Admitted … That He Had Stolen Classified Documents, Destroyed Some Of Them, Then Lied About What He Had Done. As A Seasoned Foreign Policy Manager Under President Clinton, Berger … Had Also Been Entrusted With The Highest Security Clearance Granted By The Government.” (Johanna Neuman, “Top Clinton Aide Admits He Pilfered Documents,” Los Angeles Times, 4/2/05)

“[H]e Pleaded Guilty To A Misdemeanor And Acknowledged In Painstaking, Often Humiliating Detail How In 2003 He Had Secretly Removed Sensitive Documents Involving Anti-Terrorist Policy From The National Archives, And Afterward Sought To Mislead Investigators And The Public.” (Johanna Neuman, “Top Clinton Aide Admits He Pilfered Documents,” Los Angeles Times, 4/2/05)

Sen. Chuck Schumer Has Repeatedly Opposed Measures To Strengthen Anti-Leak Laws:

Schumer Voted Against “Adoption Of The Conference Report On The Bill To Make It A Felony To Publicly Expose The Identities Of U.S. Covert Intelligence Officers, Agents, Informants And Sources.” (H.R. 4, CQ Vote #125: Adopted: 315-32: R 159-0; D 156-32; 6/3/82, Schumer Voted Nay)

“A New Federal Policy To Prosecute Federal Employees Who Leak Certain Kinds Of Information To The Press Not Only Could Inhibit Whistle-Blowing About Government Abuse, But Also Could Pose A Direct Threat To Reporters’ Use Of Confidential Sources, Legislators And Free-Speech Attorneys Said Thursday.” (Thomas B. Rosenstiel, “Rule May Curb Press’s Use Of Secret Sources,” Los Angles Times, 8/4/89)

Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) Voted Against Law Making It Crime To Disclose Covert Agents’ Names:

Biden Was One Of Only Three Democrats To Vote Against The Intelligence Identities Protection Act. (H.R. 4, CQ Vote #170: Adopted 81-4: R 44-1; D 37-3; 6/10/82, Biden Voted Nay)

“By A Vote Of 81 To 4, The Senate Cleared The Intelligence Identities Protection Act, Which Makes A Crime Of Disclosing The Name Of Covert Agents.” (Michael Wright, William C. Rhoden And Caroline Rand Herron, “Senate Approves Agent Protection,” The New York Times, 6/13/82)

Do not let these liberals and Democrat congressmen get away with their hypocrasy. Stop them with the truth.

He said he had no memory of membership!

Don't even get started, liberals!

Don't try to spin your ways out of this one. Judge Roberts said he had no memory of having belonged to the Federalist Society. He didn't say he never was a member.

Even your Washington Post admits that:

Over the weekend, The Post obtained a copy of the Federalist Society Lawyers' Division Leadership Directory, 1997-1998. It lists Roberts, then a partner at the law firm Hogan & Hartson, as a member of the steering committee of the organization's Washington chapter and includes his firm's address and telephone number.

Yesterday, White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said Roberts "has no recollection of being a member of the Federalist Society, or its steering committee." Roberts has acknowledged taking part in some Federalist Society activities, Perino said.

You people make me sick, liberals. It is almost impossible to believe that you would trash the good name of a good man for your petty, partisan motives. This is what we have come to expect from you, though.

Mehlman: Give us a chance

Ken Mehlman continues his effort to reach out to blacks on behalf of the Republican Party.

He talked to the Black National Chamber of Commerce in Florida. Here's part of what he had to say.

“…We Republicans have a message to all who want expanded opportunity in America: give us a chance, and we’ll give you a choice.”

“…Give us a chance, and we’ll give you a choice to own your own small business. Now that the lunch counter is integrated, we need more minorities to own the restaurant, and the hotel, and the high tech firm, the law firms, in the boardrooms, on the courts, and as university professors.”

“…Give us a chance, and we’ll give you a choice in health care: Today, thanks to President Bush and the Republican Party, people can invest in their own health savings accounts that move from job to job and give you the power to choose your own doctors.”

“…Give us a chance, and we’ll give you a choice to save for your retirement. President Bush will modernize Social Security for today’s generation and for the future, helping those most in need.”

“…Give us a chance and we’ll give you a choice in education: Education is the great equalizer in America, ensuring that here, your aspirations matter more than your origins.”

“…Give us a chance, and we’ll give you a choice to own your own home: Forty years ago, Congress passed Open Housing legislation that ended housing discrimination. Today, we need more minorities to own their own home. The President’s plan has already created 2.3 million new minority homeowners since he was elected.”

“…It’s more than just words, and more than outreach. Republicans are committed to inclusion. Outreach is when you show up to ask for the vote 4 weeks before the election. I’m here 4 years before the next presidential election asking for your help. “

Read the rest.

Rove Investigtion: Perjury? Obstruction of justice?

According to the Los Angeles Times, Mr. Rove and Mr. Libby could be in very big trouble. If there is anything that federal investigators do not like, and tend to punish very harshly, it is lying.

The newspaper reports the Plame Name Game has moved from finding the leaker to punishing two of the highest-ranking officials of the Bush White House for allegedly giving false accounts to the grand jury:

The special prosecutor in the CIA leak investigation has shifted his focus from whether White House officials violated a law against exposing undercover agents to determining whether evidence exists to bring perjury or obstruction of justice charges, according to people briefed in recent days on the inquiry's status.Patrick J. Fitzgerald, the special prosecutor, and his team have made no decision on whether to seek indictments, and there could be benign explanations for differences that have arisen in witnesses' statements to federal agents and a grand jury about how the name of Valerie Plame, a CIA agent who had worked undercover, was leaked to the media two years ago.

The investigation focused initially on whether administration officials illegally leaked the identity of Plame, the wife of former Ambassador Joseph C. Wilson IV, in a campaign to discredit Wilson after he wrote an op-ed article in The New York Times criticizing the Bush administration's grounds for going to war in Iraq.

Interesting times.

Mr. Justice Roberts, too

I want to jump off from something Anita wrote downthread from here.

Is there such as thing as too much of a good thing?

Well, yes. Especially if the liberals are the ones thinking it's a good thing too. And, a lot of liberals seem to be way too comfortable with the idea of Judge Roberts becoming Justice Roberts.

From The New Republic:

Given Roberts's dazzling talents--his intelligence, judgment, devotion to legal craft, and palpable belief in the power of reasoned argument to constrain judges in meaningful ways--it seems quite possible that his vision of the force of precedent might evolve and grow during decades on the Court. I don't mean "evolve" in the sense that liberals hope and conservatives fear--that Roberts will become less conservative and more liberal. I mean, instead, that the application of his determined intelligence to the hardest and most elusive questions of constitutional law will lead Roberts to develop a vision of constitutional stability that is uniquely his own.

Of course, the writer of this piece goes out of his way to explain that he doesn't think Roberts will evolve into a liberal, but what if he evolves into a David Souter-style "conservative?"

We would almost be better off with a genuine liberal on the SCOTUS. At least then, we would know what we are dealing with.

The (not so) Great White North

Well, isn't this sweet? If you know what I mean.


Tony Perkins reports in this week's Family Research Council newsletter that the Canadians have gone and done it.

Says Bro. Perkins:

Yesterday the Canadian Parliament voted to make Canada the fourth country in the world to allow homosexual "marriage." This reverses the 1999 Parliament vote of 216-55, which reaffirmed the definition of marriage as between one man and one woman. Immediately after that loss homosexual activists turned to the courts and strict "hate crime" laws that punish thought to force Canadian legislators to vote on the issue, while leaving Canadian citizens out in the cold. Over the last few years honest debate on homosexual "marriage" has been stifled by "thought crime" legislation that shut down any opposition to the gay agenda. Even a teacher writing a letter to the editor, as Canadian teacher Brian Kempling did, warranted punishment and suspension under Canada's laws.

Many Canadian people of faith have found themselves silenced, unable to even cite Biblical passages without threat of fines or jail time. This repression, surprising in a nation once known for its openness and freedom, coupled with a barrage of lawsuits in Canadian appellate courts, led the Parliament down the aisle to same-sex "marriage," despite opposition from a large number of citizens. This is only further evidence that the U.S. must protect marriage by passing an amendment to the Constitution. It's time for Congress to act before the courts do.

That's it for marriage, I guess. Why would anyone want to stay married now?

We absolutely need a Federal Marriage Amendment NOW, before divorce becomes just as rampant in the United States as it is in Canada and Sweden and France.

Mr. Justice Roberts

If I had to guess, I'd say this is the reason the MSM have been able to focus back on Mr. Karl Rove so quickly and so intensely after the SCOTUS announcement:

The confirmation process is just beginning, but at this point, there is no reason to expect an ugly personal fight. Like the one over Clarence Thomas.

"His credentials look very good, he seems to be a very nice man," Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid said.

Is there such as thing as too much of a good thing?

CIA veterans turn on Bush, et al

Why do ex-CIA officers hate America so much?

In a hearing held by Senate and House Democrats examining the implications of exposing Valerie Plame's identity, the former intelligence officers said Bush's silence has hampered efforts to recruit informants to help the United States fight the war on terror. Federal law forbids government officials from revealing the identity of an undercover intelligence officer.

"I wouldn't be here this morning if President Bush had done the one thing required of him as commander in chief _ protect and defend the Constitution," said Larry Johnson, a former CIA analyst. "The minute that Valerie Plame's identity was outed, he should have delivered a strict and strong message to his employees."