Election Reform

In order to have real election reform I suggest we take the following steps:

• Purge all voter rolls everywhere, requiring everyone who is eligible to re-register.
• Require immediate verification when a motor/voter registration is received by the county (or whatever governmental entity is responsible for registrations).
• eliminate same day registrations. Local and Primary Election days are scheduled. Federal elections are always on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
• Require that "snowbirds" be registered at the address the IRS uses for taxes. If they are at their other residence at the time, they can vote absentee.
• Eliminate "provisional" ballots. Every voter registration card should have the registered voter's name, polling place with address, and all relevant "districts" printed on it. You then have your card that tells you exactly where you need to go to vote.
• Require photo ID. It's not really that difficult. Most DMV's will issue a "state photo ID". And don't you need one to cash a check anywhere anymore?
• All polling places should be prepared for 100% turnout to minimize the "lengthy line" problem.
• Mail out a sample ballot ahead of the election. Some newspapers print them, but they can be hard to find or incomplete. Also, an undeliverable sample ballot will indicate a problem.

Any more ideas?

Kerry was Consistent!

He voted against Condi before he voted against her. Here's the complete list... Akaka (HI) · Bayh (IN) · Boxer (CA) · Byrd (WV) · Dayton (MN) · Durbin (IL) · Harkin (IA) · Jeffords (VT) · Kennedy (MA) · Kerry (MA) · Lautenberg (NJ) · Levin (MI) · Reed (RI)

Passion gets 3 Oscar nods

The Passion of the Christ was nominated for three Oscars: Cinematography, Makeup, and Original Score. Michael Moore's Farenheit 9/11 was Shut Out!

NRO changes URL for Geraghty's TKS

The URL has changed for Jim Geraghty's TKS (formerly The Kerry Spot): TKS http://www.nationalreview.com/tks/tks.asp

Some thoughts...

Newdow: One of his reasons for continuing with his suit against prayer at the inauguration is that listening to a prayer will "force him to accept unwanted religious beliefs." How exactly does hearing a prayer force anyone to accept anything? I have been to a bar mitzvah, spent the entire time in a synagogue, listening to prayers. I wasn't converted to Judaism, nor forced to accept anything. Boxer & Botox: They voted against Condi. Botox said he was making a statement, he had to "vote his gut". It's amazing how Boxer so conveniently forgot that the resolution contained at least seven reasons to go to Iraq.

BOXER: Well, you should you read what we voted on when we voted to support the war, which I did not, but most of my colleagues did. It was WMD, period. That was the reason and the causation for that particular vote.

Joint Resolution here. Biden: He insulted Condi by suggesting that she would hold a grudge against him in the future if he didn't vote for her now.

If they taught math...

Kellipundit reports that 6th grade math scores are steadily declining in Newton, Mass. It seems that the school district is teaching anti-racist multicultural math.

In 2001 Mr. Young, Mrs. Wyatt and an assortment of other well-paid school administrators, defined the new number-one priority for teaching mathematics, as documented in the curriculum benchmarks, "Respect for Human Differences - students will live out the system wide core of 'Respect for Human Differences' by demonstrating anti-racist/anti-bias behaviors." It continues, "Students will: Consistently analyze their experiences and the curriculum for bias and discrimination; Take effective anti-bias action when bias or discrimination is identified; Work with people of different backgrounds and tell how the experience affected them; Demonstrate how their membership in different groups has advantages and disadvantages that affect how they see the world and the way they are perceived by others..." It goes on and on.(/snip)

Gee, and I thought math was 1 + 1 = 2 and 2 x 4 = 8...

Golden Globes - Ann watched so we don't have to

Ann Althouse watched so we don't have to. Ann Althouse Live-blogged the Golden Globes last night. I'm glad I didn't watch.

"Life and Death of Peter Sellers" wins. Actually, it did have the best clip. Three boring producer guys make their way to the stage while we hear the record "What's New Pussycat?" Speech: booooorrrrrinnnnngggggggg.

Condolences

The Anchoress' brother, "S", passed away this morning. She and her family have my condolences and prayers.

Cat Blogging

Dodger's sleeping but Bitsy looks interested... (not photoshopped - my Mother bought me the book [review {BlogFlog} to follow])

Suffering through living

Joe Carter at Evangelical Outpost is posting on the Dutch Euthanasia decision by the Royal Dutch Medical Association that doctors ought to be able to help those "suffering through living" to have doctor assisted suicide. There will always be utterly selfish people who think that suicide is the way out of any trouble they're in. They don't think through to all the trouble that they leave behind. This seems to give those who would commit suicide some kind of validation of their selfish determination to end their life. "Oh, you lost your job and can't pay your bills? I diagnose suffering through living. Here's a presciption for something that will end your suffering by ending your life." Depending on your particular views of an afterlife this might end your suffering, or it might be only the beginning... Drew at Darn Floor wrote on this a while ago and I linked to his post in this post of mine. One of the commenters (Mark O) on Joe's post reminds us of Romans 5:3-5

³Not only so, but we^[a] also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Teddy on Barak

As seen on Special Report with Brit Hume yesterday (paraphrased, but accurate): Teddy Kennedy - the new senator from Illinois - Osama bin Ladin I mean Osama Obama, Oh, Obama.

Change of Template

I have heard from a couple of people that they couldn't read my blog in Firefox (everything was squeezed down the left side) so I changed the template. I have also downloaded and used Firefox to check that it is now readable. You can download Firefox for free here.

2004 deduction for Tsunami Donations by end of month

Direct Link to The Captain's campaign. As of 7:30 am CST 1/13/05 the total is $34,223.16! From the News & Observer in NC (last three paragraphs of story):

Taxpayers may be able to deduct donations to victims of the South Asian tsunami if contributions are made to tax-exempt U.S. charities. But these organizations must have "full control and discretion over the use of such funds," according to the IRS. Donations to individual victims or foreign charities that do not qualify as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code cannot be claimed. Taxpayers making donations through Jan. 31, 2005, to aid tsunami victims will be able to claim deductions on their 2004 tax returns under legislation the House and Senate cleared Thursday for President Bush's signature. Otherwise taxpayers would have to wait until 2006 to claim a tax deduction for tsunami contributions made this month.

So donations made to help The Captain with World Relief Day can be deducted on your 2004 taxes. Keep those donations coming... Other stories on this site related to Tsunami aid: US aid $350 million and counting - Updated Another way to help with Tsunami Aid Watch out for Tsunami Aid Fraud

Rather's rather lame response

The Anchoress has Dan Ra^ther's ra^ther lame response to the "Report" (via TKS [formerly known as The Kerry Spot]). I agree that it's lame, about as lame as his "apology".

Lest anyone have any doubt, I have read the report, I take it seriously, and I shall keep its lessons well in mind. Dan Rather

Of course the Report didn't find any evidence of political bias, and that's what he's really interested in.

Side by Side Analysis of Swift Boats-Rathergate

Lorie over at Polipundit has an excellent post on the massive differences between how the MSM covered Ra^thergate and the Swift Boat Veterans. Click here for More Thoughts on Ra^thergate. In an earlier post (Nov 22) here I noted: Newsweek's Periscope on Unfit for Command In Newsweek's Persicope section, page 9 there is a short article by Susannah Meadows about the all the political books that used to be on the front tables at the bookstores. In this article she says: "Even the conservative imprint Regenery isn't giving up yet on O'Neill's book [Unfit for Command], the now largely discredited attack on Kerry's military service. The publisher is planning to market its remaining copies as the book that brought the candidate down." (emphasis mine). Is it largely discredited because the liberals say it is? I still haven't seen any proof of its being discredited. Haven't seen Kerry's records (still hasn't signed the Form 180) proving that what John O'Neill says isn't true. The MSM has always just dismissed the Swift Boat Veterans out of hand, yet even after 5 years of "investigation" Mary Mapes could never come up with anything valid about her accusations about President Bush. Yesterday on Fox News they had a regular DNC hack, Jenny. She keeps drinking that kool-aid. She repeated the line that Bush has never come out and said he wasn’t awol and he’s never said he didn’t get special treatment and the questions raised about his service are still valid... She never mentions that Kerry never signed the 180, that he hasn't answered any of the questions that still hang over his head...

Death by Committee - Redux

Drew at Darn Floor has a new post about the Dutch and physician assisted death. I wrote about the Groningen Protocol and my disabled daughter here. Drew has written about an English assisted suicide law and now the Dutch are considering assisted suicide for "people who may not be ill, but consider themselves as 'suffering through living.'" Drew's last paragraph:

When someone feels his life is not worth living, it falls to us -- fellow members of the human race -- to show him that his life has value. It is abhorrent and repulsive that anyone -- but especially doctors -- would inform someone in despair that, no, his life is not worth living and he ought to just kill himself.

Mapes Fired

CBS has finally released their report on Ra^thergate. Three executives and Mary Mapes have been fired. CBS version of the story here. Andrew Heyward and Dan Ra^ther have escaped further action. The Anchoress has the text of Les Moonves' memo to CBS employees Michelle Malkin has a post on the connections between Mary Mapes, Col. David Hackworth, Ra^thergate and Abu Ghraib

(CBS) Four CBS News employees, including three executives, have been ousted for their role in preparing and reporting a disputed story about President Bush’s National Guard service. The action was prompted by the report of an independent panel that concluded that CBS News failed to follow basic journalistic principles in the preparation and reporting of the piece. The panel also said CBS News had compounded that failure with “rigid and blind” defense of the 60 Minutes Wednesday report. Asked to resign were Senior Vice President Betsy West, who supervised CBS News primetime programs; 60 Minutes Wednesday Executive Producer Josh Howard; and Howard’s deputy, Senior Broadcast Producer Betsy West. The producer of the piece, Mary Mapes, was terminated. The correspondent on the story, CBS News anchor Dan Ra^ther, is stepping down as anchor of CBS Evening News. “We deeply regret the disservice this flawed 60 MinutesWednesday report did to the American public, which has a right to count on CBS News for fairness and accuracy,” said CBS President Les Moonves. The panel said a "myopic zeal" to be the first news organization to broadcast a groundbreaking story about Mr. Bush’s National Guard service was a key factor in explaining why CBS News had produced a story that was neither fair nor accurate and did not meet the organization’s internal standards. The report said at least four factors that some observers described as a journalistic “Perfect Storm” had contributed to the decision to broadcast a piece that was seriously flawed. "The combination of a new 60 Minutes Wednesday management team, great deference given to a highly respected producer and the network’s news anchor, competitive pressures, and a zealous belief in the truth of the segment seem to have led many to disregard some fundamental journalistic principles," the report said.

On Fox News this morning Jim Pinkerton highlighted the phrase: "great deference given to a highly respected producer and the network's news anchor" indicating that this means Ra^ther really, really wanted this to be true and to go forward with it. The CBS report also states that “the Panel cannot conclude that a political agenda at 60 Minutes Wednesday drove either the timing of the airing of the segment or its content.” Mary Mapes was also faulted for a clear conflict of interest by coordinating with Joe Lockhart of the Kerry campaign. They have decided that further action against Ra^ther is unnecessary because he has already stepped down and will no longer be the news anchor come March. Fox News has a report as well here. pdf of the 234 page report is here.

Amber Frey - Cashing In

Amber seems to be cashing in on the tragedy of Laci and Connor. This is sickening. Now she's "written" a book and is making the rounds to promote it. Got to extend those 15 minutes of fame (infamy) as long as you can.

M-Law's 8th Annual Wacky Warning Label Contest

And the Winner is... A disposable toilet brush that states: "Do not use for personal hygiene." Read the rest. (Via Overlawyered)

La Shawn asks: Social Security Reform As Reparations?

From La Shawn's Blog: Social Security Reform as Reparations?

“Would liberals support Social Security reform if they thought of it as reparations for blacks?” Rich Lowry, editor of National Review, asks a question I’d never thought of asking white liberals. Yet it seems so obvious. Liberals support “reparations” and any other idiotic idea complaining blacks come up with. I’ve always argued that blacks are receiving reparations: welfare, entitlements and all manner of skin color preferences.

She concludes with:

I want the power to use my own initiative, motivation and creativity in choosing how, when and where to invest the money I earn. But we live in an era where the government knows what’s best for us, right? Attention Washington: Keep the criminals out of my neighborhood and away from me and family, protect us from terrorists and illegal aliens bankrupting the system, and I’ll be just fine. Jack part of my salary for various state duties, if you must, but let me and my brain come up with our retirement plan. Get off my back and out of my pocket.

Ditto.

Save The Portraits!

What is it with dicators and their portraits? Are they so narcissistic that they must see themselves everywhere? Captain Ed points us to a story about civil defense orders signed by Kim Jong Il himself directing the movement of his many portraits and busts to secure areas in underground bunkers if the U.S. attacks.

Watch out for Tsunami Aid Fraud

Michelle Malkin has a copy of a spam letter that looks as if it were copied from the infamous Niger letter.

My name is Marco Nula; I am a victim of the recent Earthquake followed by the Tsunami that wrecked our whole society of Banda Aceh Province in Indonesia resulting in painful death of my Parents. My Late Father Mr. Alfredo Nula is from Paramaribo in Suriname (South America) and my Mother from Banda of Aceh Province in Indonesia, they got married in Suriname because Indonesia like Suriname was a colony of The Netherlands, but they moved to settle in Indonesia when my Sister and I were born and because Indonesia has better economy than Suriname, but my Sister and I was away in School in the Capital Jakarta when this sorrowful incidence happened to my late parents and all other Families affected by the Quake and the Tsunamis all around Sumatra and Aceh Province. ...

Read the rest. Updated: From two previous posts: Captain Ed at Captain's Quarters has designated January 12th World Relief Day (direct link to the Captain's Campaign. As of 7:30 am CST on 1/13/05 it's at $34,223.16! ) and Donald Sensing at One Hand Clapping forwards a request from Chief Wiggles for Relief Kits that are easy to assemble and FedEx will pick up for free.

Saudi Cleric Blames Christmas for Tsunami

Saudi Cleric Muhammed Al-Munajjid in an interview blamed the tsunami on Christmas. Memri has an excerpt of an interview with him (with video clip #452 [no permalink to video]):

Al-Munajjid: The problem is that the (Christian) holidays are accompanied by forbidden things, by immorality, abomination, adultery, alcohol, drunken dancing, and… and revelry. A belly dancer costs 2500 pounds a minute and a singer costs 50,000 pounds an hour, and they hop from one hotel to another from night to dawn. Then he spends the entire night defying Allah. Haven't they learned the lesson from what Allah wreaked upon the coast of Asia, during the celebration of these forbidden? At the height of immorality, Allah took vengeance on these criminals. Those celebrating spent what they call "New Year's Eve" in vacation resorts, pubs, and hotels. Allah struck them with an earthquake. He finished off the Richter scale. All nine levels gone. Tens of thousands dead. It was said that they were tourists on New Year's vacation who went to the crowded coral islands for the holiday period, and then they were struck by this earthquake, caused by the Almighty Lord of the worlds. He showed them His wrath and His strength. He showed them His vengeance. Is there anyone learning the lesson? Is it impossible that we will be struck like them? Why do we go their way? Why do we want to be like them, with their holidays, their forbidden things, and their heresy?

Why would this "punishment" be given to all the children who lost parents and all the parents who lost children? The people who lost everything they owned? The people who have to worry that they might starve or be stricken by disease after surviving the tsunami? All those who aren't Christian (many more than are in that part of the world)? Why indeed would God "punish" those celebrating the birth of His Son? And if the tourists were celebrating New Year's Eve why "strike" on Christmas - 6 days before? Update: Welcome Daou Report readers! Update 2: Welcome Friends of The Anchoress!

Previously Linked Posts - Bumped

My post linked by Lorie at Polipundit and Byrd Droppings is here if anyone's looking. Darn Floor has a related post here. Hugh Hewitt linked to this post which is linked to this one. Happy New Year!

Another way to help with Tsunami Aid

Donald Sensing at One Hand Clapping points us to another way to help with tsunami aid. Relief Kits "Recipes" for the "Fill A Plane" Campaign

However, cash donations remain "most effective" way to contribute Chief Wiggles (aka Army Chief Warrant Officer Paul Horton), who founded Operation Give while serving in Iraq, just announced he has arranged for free FedEx relief flights to aid tsunami victims.

Cash donations are still the best bet and The Captain has designated January 12th World Relief Day.

Happy New Year

Wishing you a healthy, happy and prosperous new year!