Site Represents worst of American Politics: Mike Huckabee Forums

When an individual enters the Mike Huckabee Forums website it has the immediate look of a supporter website and could even be mistaken for having the endorsement of the campaign because the admins use the masthead from the Huckabee website for their banner. However, a closer look at the posts from the introductions to the grassroots area and the news crawl across the top and one discovers that it may be a site that misleads potential supporters. The posters also have the audacity to bash the wonderful people of Iowa, here. I believe that this website represents the worst of politics and is designed to discredit the candidacies of both Ron Paul and Mike Huckabee.

I have noticed that in the section about other candidates most of the posts are about Ron Paul. This is also true of other places in the forum. Obama was mentioned once, Giuliani also once, Romney is also mentioned once with a nasty comment about his faith being false.

The News crawl at the top also trumpets all “negative” news stories with titles that are negative like Huckabee blames rape victim for murder and links to the Huffington Post article Documents Expose Huckabee’s Role in Serial Rapist’s Release which has been refuted here.

In the introduction section the most offensive post is one called “Ron Paul Must Die…” by someone who allegedly calls himself Jesus is my Homeboy. This poster calls Ron Paul the Devil criticizes our civil liberties while demanding the death of all Muslims and entry into Iran. Another post in the same section sexualizes the “support” of one of the forum members by using Gov. Huckabee’s name (or more accurately the Huck part) to swear and make a sexual innuendo about bestiality. The final post from the introduction section that I will mention proposes that Huckabee supporters think he is the Lord and Saviour, which is absolutely preposterous. It basically explains a near religious conversion experience that is not found in politics.

The forum feedback section talks about how many people are online at the Ron Paul Forums. Then the next post asks that a member with the handle ILOVERONPAUL be banned. A post entitled “Rev. Mike’s first day at work” paints him as a crusader, which has a negative connotation, especially for any other religious faith than Catholicism because of The Crusades.

In the Mike Huckabee Grassroots Central forum, the title of which is taken from that of the forum same title over at Huck’s Army, a genuine unofficial grassroots message board with 1,037 actual members, has posts that allege that Gov. Huckabee received the endorsement of Fred Phelps, which is untrue, because appearantly Rev. Phelps has yet to endorse anyone. In another post entitled “Get Ready for the Huckalution” by a “member” who calls herself TrickitMarine trashes what she calls Ron Paul bots and cheapens the campaign of Gov Huckabee with sloganeering. The Revolution thisng works for Ron Paul where as Huckalution just sounds dumb. Many of the ideas mentioned in this forum are copies from Ron Paul’s campaign. Another example in the Huckabeelloon, which is a balloon that looks like Gov. Huckabee om a red suit with a big cross around his neck. This seems to be a cheap copy of the Ron Paul blimp idea that paints Mr. Huckabee negatively. One member even posted spelling Mr. Huckabee’s name incorrectly as “Huchabee.”

In forum with points about how to win support for Huckabee there is a post about the Dumond incident which has a response that attacks the victim of the rape Dumond committed after being released. Another post shouts “Newsflash: Hookerbee has no support.” However, Ron Paul does have the support of the prostitutes. A final noteworthy post is one by a “member” with the handle JewBoy4Huck which makes the following outrageous cl.. “Huckabee stole money and gave it to Illegals?!?!?! Say it’s not so!” The claim is based on o WorldNetDaily article by Jerome R. Corsi entitled Huckabee offered ‘no cost’ deal for Consulate which talks about an ‘incentive deal’ packaged by Gov. Huckabee to attract a Mexican Consulate to Little Rock. In this article even the chief critic of then-Gov. Huckabee’s deal on the consulate admitted that it was a good deal economically for the state. The article did not even allege that funds were stolen just that they were used inappropriately. In a final noteworthy post for this forum a member with the handle HuckodtheArk paints Gov. Huckabee as willing to raise taxes to fight islamofascism and the responses chortle about his record of raising taxes in Arkansas.

The Mike Huckabee on the Issues forum is filled with misrepresentations of his positions as well. For example we will take the a post which asks the question “What is his stance on illegal immigration?” The responses answer by making comments such as the following:

“He’s against illegal immigration unless it benefits the local economy.”
“kinda soft on them immigrants but for the most part he plans to be harder on them as president”
“He said he would import mexican men to give them work and then seal them in to keep all the evil muslims out. This man needs to be president!”
However, these interpretations of his policy are completely incorrect. Here are the facts. He has recently received the endorsement of Jim Gilchrist, founder of the Minutemen and released his immigration plan.

Most of the other posts in the On the Issues section of this site are irrelevant. Here is the On the Issues Section of an authentic grassroots operation.

Finally, in the Mike Huckabee News forum there is a combination of misleading news and negative attacks on supporters of other candidates. It also misrepresents legitimate news. One example of misleading news is a post from December 13, 2007 entitled “Huckabee to Quit and Support Giuliani?” This is a misreading and over reaction to a blog post from the campaign about a 2PM Announcement from the campaign. Another “member” asks “Is our Huck Losing the Faith?” This is over disappointment that Huckabee said in a debate “I can’t part the Red Sea, but I can part the red tape.” The quote was reported inaccurately. MSNBC reported the comment to have been the following: “I cannot part the Red Sea. But I believe I can part the red tape.”

In closing, while I do believe that Mike Huckabee Forums is a misleading site I do not think that it is the work of any campaign other than possibly the front-runners. Even though Ron Paul supporters discuss Huckabee in their forums I do not believe that they would do this because their candidate is also attacked in many of the posts. This is extremely dirty politics and all the campaigns need to disclaim it and the Huckabee and Paul campaigns need, in particular, need to respond so that their campaigns do not get blamed for this. Neither candidate would support this behavior on their behalf and who ever the people on the Mike Huckabee Forum are need to take the official Huckabee banner down so that no one assumes they are affiliated with the campaign.

Gov. Huckabee in Iowa – All Hands Lining a Rocky Road

Gov. Huckabee has been slowly creeping up on the leaders in the polls and took the attendees at the value voters summit by storm.

The Newstatesman reports on the Huckabee factor:

Step forward 52-year-old Mike Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor and Baptist minister who was born in Hope, Arkansas (sound familiar?). A fiscal conservative in the Reaganesque tradition, he likes to call himself (with some justification) “the conservative who is not mad at anybody”. He says he is “not interested in being the candidate of Wall Street but of Main Street” and that it is simply “wrong” that CEOs “get paid 500 times what the average worker does”. In a field of flawed oddballs, above all, Huckabee emerges as a decent and likeable man. He is now quietly creeping ahead in the polls as the 2008 campaign’s stealth candidate, and has probably already done enough to earn himself at least a shot at the vice-presidential nomination.

Gov. Huckabee will be concentrating his resources on Iowa for the next 65 days in an all-out effort to win or place in the all-important first-in-the-nation Iowa Caucus.

The Politico asks weather Iowa is being reduced to a Romney-Huckabee race because Huckabee has moved into second place in Iowa and the Boston Globe reports that Gov. Huckabee is polling at 15% in that poll.

Letter to Congressman Adam Putnam on the President and Bipartisanship

Dear Mr. Putnam:

I am shocked at your comment in the Washington Post that President Bush longs for the days when both sides could get along and work together because he knows he could have that if he would actually work with others. When his party does something he doesn’t like he uses a signing statement and when the opposition does something he veotes it.

He has polarized this country and he almost never invites Democrats to the table to discuss issues and he always insists on his way or the highway. He uses executive and now administrative orders when Congress won’t bend. It is inexcusable that you could defend someone who believes that congressional oversight is useless and that the Senate should not ask questions of a nominee that he sends up. This is a tantrum after Judge Mukasey failed to satisfy his inquisitors on both sides regarding the issue of torture in general and water boarding in particular. He still refuses to answer the question of weather the practice is illegal.

If he really wants to work with both sides why don’t you try to catalyze this by setting up a meeting with him and a group of bipartisan members of congress to discuss issues instead of just 105 Republicans. He needs to talk to everyone on both sides and attempt to work out differences instead of just berating Congress for not cooperating. Congress is charged in the Constitution with being a separate and coequal branch of government that is supposed to check the power of the executive through oversight.

Thank you for considering my opinion on this matter.

The Racist Undercurrent of the Immigration Debate

In ‘There’s racism in this debate’ Ed Morales outlines numerous examples of racism or bigotry in the recent debate on immigration.

-Rush Limbaugh doctored a photo of Sen. Lindsey Graham to show him wearing a sombrero.

-Pat Buchanan says on Meet the Press that “many” immigratnts are “child molesters, rapists, and robbers.”

-Glen Beck mock ad for Mexinol and called Mexico a “dirt bag country.” Buchanan implied on the program that the VA Tech massacre was because of immigration policies

-Republican candidates declined to appear a a conference for the National Association of Latino Elected Officials

-Bigoted comments referring to cultural differences invoke threats of an “invasion” or terrorists.”

As these examples show there is a racist undercurrent in the immigration debate. Sen. Lindsey Graham dared to address it both in a speech to the National Council of La Raza and then in followup comments to the New York Times when Senaotrs were receiving threats against their safety for supporting the immigration compromise.

Non-Executive privelege

Vice President Richard B. Cheney once claimed that he was covered by executive privilege and therefore he shouldn't have to release the documents relating to the energy task force that he initiated. This 2004 argument was only partially upheld by the Supreme Court. It was upheld in the sense that the courts are not the correct place to decide secrecy issues.

However, now Mr. Cheney is claiming that he is not a part of the executive branch. This extraordinary claim is coming during a dispute with the National Archives and Records Administration over classified documents that would normally be placed in the care of the Archives. The Office of the Vice President appears to be part of the executive branch for the purposes of 44 U.S.C. § 2207 which covers Vice Presidential records. Executive Order 13233 Sec. 11 also speaks to this topic.

Immigration Debate Bears Unacceptable Behavior

The immigration debate brings out strong emotions about how to handle the issue. This is how democracy works where we exchange ideas even in a heated manner. We can be as heated as we want in the debate but there is a limit.

The New York Times reports this morning that many Senators supporting  the immigration bill have received threats  in phone calls and letters. This is completely unacceptable behavior for anyone to engage in, especially those who live in a country where we have the chance to vote officials out of office. It is one thing to tell the official that you will not vote for them again, but another entirely to make a menacing threat. I understand that tempers and emotions flare around this issue, especially because we have been fed fear for the past six years regarding terrorists. Terrorism is something that it is proper to worry about as is crime and drugs, but these concerns should not lead to threats of harm against those who seek a solution to the vexing problem of immigration.

One Issue Focus May Shut Senate Down

Judges are important in the administration of justice. Judicial nominees deserve votes in committee and on the floor. Senators have a responsibility to hold up a nomination when they have a cause to desire closer scrutiny. However, none of this should shut down the entire business of the United States Senate.

The Democrats attempted this procedural maneuver by which you present a motion to limit committees to only work for two hours. This basically prevents any business from getting done because everything in the Senate goes through the committee process, unless the leadership agrees that it will proceed directly to the floor. This creates a danger with troops in the field because it will stop the authorization and appropriations process from moving forward.

Free-Market Principles of Health Care Policy

1.Health care is a service not a right. Health care is best delivered by the market just like other important goods and services. Markets exist wherever consumers are allowed to seek the greatest value for their money and producers are allowed to seek profits by providing what consumers want.


2.Repeal existing regulations first. Benefit mandates, “guaranteed issue,” and “community rating” are among the regulations that unnecessarily increase health care spending.

3.Reduce reliance on third party payers. Over-reliance on third-party payers is at the root of many health care problems. Government policies that reward the reliance on third parties to pay for routine medical expenses encourage Americans to overuse health care services and reduce the rewards to providers who would otherwise compete on price.

4.Help only those who need help. Universal coverage is not the appropriate goal of health care reform. Despite saturation media coverage of the “crisis” of the rising number of people without health insurance, the proportion of Americans who lack health coverage has increased little over the past decade.

5.Single payer is not the answer. Single-payer health systems provide inferior care and fail to provide universal access. Such programs cause long delays in the provision of care, low rates of investment and innovation, and inferior health outcomes.

6.Encourage entrepreneurship. Specialty hospitals, retail clinics, and other innovations can lower costs and improve access to quality health care services.

7.Expand Health Savings Accounts. Health Savings Accounts are a key part of empowering consumers and restoring market discipline to health care providers.

8.Expand access to prescription drugs. Prescription drugs are extending life, reducing suffering, and making surgery less necessary, yet they are heavily regulated and often the target of price controls and rationing.

9.Reduce malpractice litigation expenses. Malpractice insurance, litigation and the practice of defensive medicine and responsible for part of the unnecessary high cost of health care in the U.S.

10.Encourage long-term care insurance. Middle and upper-income families should privately insure for their long-term care needs.

Senators and Congressmen who travel to Iraq typically go as part of a congressional delegation for a few days and then leave to report their findings to the public once they arrive home. Sen. Lindsey Graham recently went on such a visit with Sen. John McCain, but after McCain and his other colleagues left he changed into Air Force desert camouflage and served eight days with the Rule of Law Task Force in Iraq.

This makes him unique among his four colleagues that are reservists. Senator Graham is the only sitting elected official to have ever voted for a resolution authorizing use of military force and then served himself.

Sen. Graham recently returned from a nine day trip to Iraq–two days as part of a congressional delegation and seven days as anAir Force reservist. He has concluded that the surge is working as a result of his visit and service in-country.

In an interview on FoxNews Sunday Graham explained out the details of the sixteen Sheiks that were now working with us to secure the country. In comments to the Spartanburg Herald-Journal upon his return that we should know by early Fall about the will of the Iraqi people to control their country and that we needed Gen. Petraeus years ago. This cautious optimism after return is bolstered by his comment while on the delegation visit that Iraqis are resilient people.

Sen. Graham explains what he saw while in Iraq in his editorial “Progress and losses in Iraq,” which appeared in the State, a Columbia, SC newspaper.

He pointed out that their was more cooperation with tribal leaders in Anbar Province and that thy were encouraging young people to join the Iraqi police force. He was allowed into areas that were previously off-limits while with the delegation.

He was assigned with the Rule of Law Task Force while serving his week of
reserve duty. He saw cases brought before courts and saw up close that
nothing good happens without a price. The price in this case was Navy
Commander Phillip Murphy-Sweet, who had just extended his tour and was
optimistic about their mission. Murphy-Sweet was killed by an IED a day
after Sen. Graham met him.

He also reported a security problem at Camp Bucca where al-Queda detainees are held along with prisoners who are not dangerous. The prison was becoming a recruiting ground for the terrorists, but there was a plan to deal with the problem.

Since returning and from service and authoring the editorial Sen. Graham has been on CBS and CNN discussing what he learned in Iraq.

He told CBS the following:

The one thing I learned about the surge is that the military part of it, knocking down doors and shooting al Qaeda and arresting extremists, is part of it but not all of it. There is a surge going on on the law front.The one thing I learned about the surge is that the military part of it, knocking down doors and shooting al Qaeda and arresting extremists, is part of it but not all of it. There is a surge going on on the law front.

The one thing I learned about the surge is that the military part of it knocking down doors and shooting Al Qaeda and arresting extremists is a part of it but not all of it. There is a surge going on on the law front. The Rule of Law Task Force was stood up on April first.

I looked at some detention issues, we have 19,000 people detained in American custody, and trying to create a better legal venue to hear their claims and keep the bad ones off the street who are a danger to our troops and the Iraqi government, and to let some of them go with supervision and to get the others tried in Iraqi criminal court.

One way to kill the insurgency beyond military force is to create a government that is fair to its citizens and the rule of law to me is about ‘what you did’ not ‘who you are’. We’re trying to break the politics of revenge and the cycle of revenge. Instead of killing someone who has killed a member of your family, we’re trying to create a legal system that will hold Shiias, Sunnis and Kurds accountable when they try to topple the government or kill innocent people. The old legal system was there to serve the dictator. The new legal system has to be there to serve all people not just one group of people… a jury of peers will decide your fate, not politicians or dictators.

The problem in Iraq is out of control violence. The number one target of the insurgency are judges. If you’re a judge in Iraq you’re an incredibly brave person. Because they just don’t try to kill you, they try to kill your family. So General Petraeus tried to build a compound in Baghdad for judges. Took an old army base, reinforced it, put housing on base for judges and their families and created a brand new courtroom a detention facility to hold people in the compound to give the judges confidence that if they did their job they could do it without fear. Within 60 days the American military took over this old Army base and just about completed all the housing as I speak, got the courtroom built in five days and reinforced the compound to provide security for the judges and their families.

April 1st, the day I got into the theater, the first trial was held in the Rule of Law Green Zone. An Iraqi judge heard two cases on the same day, one case involved a Shiite police officer, a very powerful captain in the police force who was accused of torturing Sunnis in the jailhouse. And it was an earthshaking event in Iraq because this person was well-known in the region from where he came and nobody believed that he would ever be held accountable because of his political connections.

The second case was a Sunni Al Qaeda operative who was accused of randomly killing Shiite civilians to
spark sectarian violence. On the same day you had a Sunni and a Shiite held accountable for trying to topple the government and to kill people of the other sect. And the judge was a Sunni. It is a small step toward breaking the politics of revenge where the legal system focused on what they did to a fellow Iraqi, not what their sect was. It was a brave,bold move by the judiciary to be  independent of sectarian violence.

There exists a large number of people in Iraq who want a different way of doing business, who are literally risking their own lives to change Iraq. And I do believe that with the right amount of support, that there is still hope that those who believe that the law should be about what someone does, not who they are, have a chance of winning in Iraq.

He also discussed the loss of his colleague, Commander Murphy-Sweet saying: “And he told me the story about how the American military, in conjunction with the Iraqi government, built this complex in 60 days, how they built the courtroom in five days, and it was a courtroom any state in our nation would be proud of. This was on a Friday. He was killed the next morning. Three young kids, beautiful wife, from Pennsylvania, killed by an IED.

And it hit me hard because I knew him. And I’m sure the other deaths in Iraq have hit their colleagues very hard. I just
happened to meet this guy, just a random chance in life that I spent the last day with him. He was killed within 24 hours of when I met him. And I guess the story goes for me is that nothing good in Iraq happens without a sacrifice.”

Eye to Eye: Senator Lindsey Graham (CBS News)

This is the story that the media is not telling and needs to be considered. We should consider carefully the words of this senator who served in Iraq when he did not have to because he is exempted by DoD Directive 1200.7.

 See more photos of Sen. Graham’s time in Iraq.

Iglesias' Quest

Fired U.S. Attorney David Iglesias embraces the media in his quest for vindication

David Iglesias stands against the fence at the edge of his backyard worrying about the "ambience" - a rock that's supposed to bubble forth water at the flip of a switch.

It's not bubbling forth.

"I just got it fixed, too," he says, fetching a hose.

But just then, happily, comes the water. When his wife, Cyndy, calls some minutes later, he'll recount the scene in their shared language of Scripture.

Exclusive: The Only Senator To Serve In Iraq

Maybe it's his South Carolina roots. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) has strong viewpoints on every important, controversial issue of the day, but manages to present them so logically and politely that it's hard to be offended, even if you disagree. In that understated fashion with the southern drawl, Sen. Graham talked exclusively with me about his recent experience serving as an active duty reservist in Baghdad: the first sitting U.S. Senator to serve in the Iraq War.


(AP)

It was last month. Sen. Graham joined Sen. John McCain on an official trip to Baghdad. What almost nobody knew at the time was that Sen. Graham then quietly broke away and did an official tour of duty as an Air Force Reservist. He's served in the Air Force for 25 years in the capacity of active duty, guard or reserve as an attorney, both for the prosecution and defense.

Heritage Foundation on the War Supplemental

What Congress Must Do Now | 5/3/2007
With American lives on the line, Congress should not hold troop funding hostage to special-interest spending nor try to usurp the President's authority.
Eliminate Pork, Support Troops
Where Congress Went Wrong

Congress Passes Irresponsible Iraq Bill | 4/30/2007
Last week, Congress recklessly passed the Supplemental Spending Bill that President Bush has vowed to veto. Congress must send the President a law he can sign.
Next Steps for Congress
Declaring Defeat


Congress's Misguided Iraq Supplemental | 4/27/2007
Congress has passed an unconstitutional and irresponsible Iraq funding bill. President Bush's promised veto is well warranted.
Feulner: President Must Veto Bill
Bill Undermines US-UK Alliance

A Failre of Generalship

By Lt. Col. Paul Yingling

"You officers amuse yourselves with God knows what buffooneries and never dream in the least of serious service. This is a source of stupidity which would become most dangerous in case of a serious conflict."
- Frederick the Great

For the second time in a generation, the United States faces the prospect of defeat at the hands of an insurgency. In April 1975, the U.S. fled the Republic of Vietnam, abandoning our allies to their fate at the hands of North Vietnamese communists. In 2007, Iraq's grave and deteriorating condition offers diminishing hope for an American victory and portends risk of an even wider and more destructive regional war.

These debacles are not attributable to individual failures, but rather to a crisis in an entire institution: America's general officer corps. America's generals have failed to prepare our armed forces for war and advise civilian authorities on the application of force to achieve the aims of policy. The argument that follows consists of three elements. First, generals have a responsibility to society to provide policymakers with a correct estimate of strategic probabilities. Second, America's generals in Vietnam and Iraq failed to perform this responsibility. Third, remedying the crisis in American generalship requires the intervention of Congress.

More

Requesting Legislation...From the Bench?

How many times did we here Mr. Bush say in speeches or press statements that he did not want judges legislating from the bench? This question applies to all situations including campaigns and nomination battles. Now he appears to be asking for legislation from the bench in direct contravention to prior statements about how judges should conduct their judicial duties.

The Military Commissions Act, for all its flaws, granted detainees the right to a civilian council with no restriction. Mr. Bush agreed to this when he signed the law without a signing statement. Defense directives also outline how the provisions of the law are to be carried out. Now, Mr. Gonzales is submitting a brief to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia arguing to restrict access to civilian attorneys in spite of the law.

The court can accept the case. However, if they found in Mr. Bush's favor would they not be legislating from the bench?

Graham Response to 'War is lost' Comment: Who won in Iraq?

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid comments about the Iraq war were heard around the capital, roundly criticized, and questioned.

In the Fort Wayne Sentinel he was reported to have said:

I believe myself that the secretary of state, secretary of defense (understands), and - you have to make your own decisions as to what the president knows - that this war is lost, and the surge is not accomplishing anything, as indicated by the extreme violence in Iraq.

Signing Statements vs Vetoes

Mr. Bush's relations with Congress has been tumultuous at best and complete control at worst. When a Republican led congress passed a ban on torture in the Detainee Treatment Act and attached it as a amendment to the Defense Authorization Act of 2006 he signed the law with a signing statement. Now the Democrats are in control threatening even tighter controls on the war in Iraq and he is again threatening a veto and this time he will carry it out.

Mr. Bush's one veto during the Republican led Congress was the stem cell research bill. The others, including a pork-laden transportation bill and a defense supplemental with the Real ID Act attached, he signed. He also threatened a veto of the Defense bill in 2005 because of a the Detainee Treatment Act, but signed it and then with little fanfare promulgated a signing statement that said:

The executive branch shall construe Title X in Division A of the Act, relating to detainees, in a manner consistent with the constitutional authority of the President to supervise the unitary executive branch and as Commander in Chief and consistent with the constitutional limitations on the judicial power, which will assist in achieving the shared objective of the Congress and the President, evidenced in Title X, of protecting the American people from further terrorist attacks. Further, in light of the principles enunciated by the Supreme Court of the United States in 2001 in Alexander v. Sandoval, and noting that the text and structure of Title X do not create a private right of action to enforce Title X, the executive branch shall construe Title X not to create a private right of action. Finally, given the decision of the Congress reflected in subsections 1005(e) and 1005(h) that the amendments made to section 2241 of title 28, United States Code, shall apply to past, present, and future actions, including applications for writs of habeas corpus, described in that section, and noting that section 1005 does not confer any constitutional right upon an alien detained abroad as an enemy combatant, the executive branch shall construe section 1005 to preclude the Federal courts from exercising subject matter jurisdiction over any existing or future action, including applications for writs of habeas corpus, described in section 1005.

Pulitzer Prize Winner Charlie Savage reported in the 5 January 2006 edition of the Boston Globe that 3 GOP senators blast Bush bid to bypass torture ban which quotes Sen. Graham as saying:

I do not believe that any political figure in the country has the ability to set aside any . . . law of armed conflict that we have adopted or treaties that we have ratified Graham. If we go down that road, it will cause great problems for our troops in future conflicts because [nothing] is to prevent other nations' leaders from doing the same.

The article provides a statement from the other two, McCain and Warner. So to claim that they caved in and allowed torture to become official policy is unfair and incorrect.

Now on to vetoes. The president as above mentioned only vetoed one bill in the Republican congresses even though he threatened several times to veto bills. He signed larded bills, bills with unrelated provisions attached, and those that included things he did not like. A signing statement was his answer then and now he is going to return to the Constitutional option of vetoing. This may be proof that his preferred method of dealing with his own party when they get out of line.

It is just stubbornness. If he really believes that it is his power to clearly disobey the will of congress then he should sign the supplemental and attach a signing statement.

I do not support this action, but he won't because he wants to make a political issue out of the supplemental and he wasn't willing to do that.

Progress in Iraq

Sen. Graham recently returned from a nine day trip to Iraq--two days as part of a congressional delegation and seven days as an Air Force reservist. He has concluded that the surge is working as a result of his visit and service in-country.

In an interview on FoxNews Sunday Graham fleshed out the details of the sixteen Shieks that were now working with us to secure the country. In comments to the Spartanburg Herald-Journal upon his return that we should know by early Fall about the will of the Iraqi people to control their country and that we needed the Petraus years ago. This cautious optimism after return is bolstered by his comment while on the delegation visit that Iraqis are resilient people.

In his editorial "Progress and Losses in Iraq" Graham explains the progress he saw in Iraq on the recent visit. He pointed out that their was more cooperation with tribal leaders in Anbar Province and that thy were encouraging young people to join the Iraqi police force. He was allowed into areas that were previously off-limits while with the delegation.

He was assigned with the Rule of Law Task Force while serving his week of reserve duty. He saw cases brought before courts and saw up close that nothing good happens without a price. The price in this case was an optimistic American Navy Commander that assisted in building a court house and then was killed by an IED.

He also reported a security problem at Camp Buca where al-Queda detainees are held along with prisoners who are not dangerous. The prison was becoming a recruiting ground for the terrorists, but there was a plan to deal with the problem.

He concludes that while there is progress in Iraq we have a long way to go to complete the task.

Sen. Graham Travels to Guantanamo to witness CSRT Hearing

Saturday marked the first hearing of a Combat Status Review Tribunal (CSRT) at that was closed to the media. This was a pivotal hearing of Khalid Sheik Mohammed (KSM) the alleged mastermind of the September 11 attacks.

"I was responsible for the 9/11 operation form A-Z," Mohammed admitted as he gave his confession to the tribunal consisting of three military officers and with two United States Senators, Lindsey Graham and Carl Levin watched via closed circuit TV.

Senators Graham and Levin meet in the Senate Office Building.
Source: New York Times

Senators Graham and Levin were present to observe the process and report back about what happened. Graham was an architect of the Military Commissions Act which Levin voted against. They released a joint statement today that explained the process and said that it went well. However, they added that "the true test of the CSRT process is not a case in which the detainee admits the allegations against him, it is a case in which the detainee disputes those allegations. Judicial review of the tribunals is ongoing. We will continue to review the process and will explore possible ways to improve this process through Congressional action."

US “Patriot Act” Attorneys

The USA Patriot Improvement and Reauthorization Act was signed in to law and became Pub. L. 109-177 on March 9, 2006 with §502 which grants the power to appoint “permanent” interim US Attorneys.

The provision amends 28 U.S.C. §546 and states the following:

(c) A person appointed as United States attorney under this section may serve until the qualification of a United States Attorney for such district appointed by the President under §541 of this title.

There is no time limit within which the President must submit the nomination to the Senate for the “advice and consent” required by the Constitution and § 541 for a permanent appointment. The repealed language of §546 set the time limit for an interim appointment at 120 days so there would not be a US Attorney that went without confirmation by the Senate. The USA Patriot Improvement and Reauthorization Act was signed in to law and became Pub. L. 109-177 on March 9, 2006 with §502 which grants the power to appoint “permanent” interim US Attorneys.


The provision amends 28 U.S.C. §546 and states the following:

(c) A person appointed as United States attorney under this section may serve until the qualification of a United States Attorney for such district appointed by the President under §541 of this title.

There is no time limit within which the President must submit the nomination to the Senate for the “advice and consent” required by the Constitution and § 541 for a permanent appointment. The repealed language of §546 set the time limit for an interim appointment at 120 days so there would not be a US Attorney that went without confirmation by the Senate.

This fuels the current controversy surrounding the resignation of 7 former U.S. Attorney’s four who appeared before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday to testify about their cases. This was the second in a series of hearings looking into the employment practices of the Administration.


Official Photo of former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias
Source: Timeless Images Photography

The most obvious of the cases is that of David Iglesias who received phone calls from lawmakers about a public corruption case involving Democrats shortly before the election last November. Sen. Pete Domenici and Rep. Heather Wilson both admitted making the calls but denied applying pressure to Mr. Iglesias, who claims that Mr. Domenici asked specifically about timetables and speeding up indictments. This behavior is in violation of the ethics rules of the Senate and House as well as possibly the U.S. Code.

However, Mr. Graham explained while Mr.. Sessions defended the Administration’s actions. Mr. Sessions was more probing in his questions and comments. Mr. Graham simply made some comments about how long their stints were, that they served at the pleasure of the President (to which they all agreed) and did not agree with “besmearching their records.” At the end he claimed that their files were out of order with the Department of Justice. He also told us that he believed in cycling as many people through the experience of being a US Attorney as possible.

This led to the introduction of S. 214 Preserving United States Attorney Independence Act of 2007 which would repeal §502 of Pub. L. 109-177 and reinstate the old rules. The bill passed out of committee and was placed on the Senate calendar on 12 February. Its movement has been impeded by Mr. Kyl who is requesting that amendments be allowed.

Mr. Kyl fears the subsection removed by the Patriot Act because he believes that it violates the separation of powers by allowing the court to “appoint” someone to fill the vacancy permanently. United States v. Santana, 83 F.Supp. 2d 224 (1999 DC Puerto Rico) holds that as long as the President retains the right to replace the judicially selected interim with a nominee of his choosing that 28 U.S.C. §546(d) does not violate the separation of powers doctrine. The President always retains the authority to nominate someone under §541 to fill the vacancy because this section gives him the power to remove any U.S. Attorney.

The issue with taking the provision out is that either the interim appointment becomes “permanent” or the vacancy may not be filled and create backlogs for the court and unconscionable delays in the administration of justice.

Immanuel Baptist Church Covenant

As a member of Immanuel Baptist Church, I declare myself to be a follower of Jesus Christ and affirm that I cannot be such apart from a community of other Christ followers. I recognize that community requires commitment and therefore I make my commitment official and public by willingly entering into this covenant with my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ at Immanuel Baptist Church:

• A Christian’s life must be distinct amidst a world of sin. Therefore, I covenant to live a holy life of integrity and purity and according to God’s standards (cf. 2 Cor. 7:1, 1 Thess. 4:7).
• The ultimate mission of the church is to spread the message of salvation through Jesus and expand the kingdom of God. Therefore, I covenant to intentionally seek opportunities where I can share the gospel with those who do not currently believe (cf. Mt. 28:18-20).
• Love of God and love of neighbor go hand in hand. Therefore, I covenant to practice religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless by exhibiting a concern for the poor and oppressed and championing the cause of social justice in whatever ways I can (cf. Mt. 22:39, James 1:27).
• Community requires openness. Therefore, I covenant to foster relationships of authenticity and transperancy by letting people in the community into my heart and life (cf. James 5:16).
• When sinful people are together they are bound to step on toes or rub each other the wrong way eventually. Therefore, I covenant to not grow bitter or leave (cf. Eph. 4:31-32), but to patiently cultivate genuine love between members (cf. 1 Jn. 4:7-12), and proactively work to preserve the unity of the body (cf. Eph. 4:2-3).
• Being a part of a body means that members are intimately interrelated. Therefore, I covenant to consider how my words and deeds affect my fellow members and act accordingly (cf. Rom. 12:4-5, 14:1-23).
• Scripture grants oversight of the church to the elders. Therefore, I covenant to joyfully submit to their leadership (cf. Heb. 13:17).
• In addition, I specifically covenant to:
• regularly attend Sunday worship services (cf. Acts 20:7, Heb. 10:25).
• seek to grow in my practice of personal spiritual disciplines (1 Tim. 4:7b).
• faithfully give of my finances to the church according to omy means (cf. 1 Cor. 16:2).
• be actively involved in a weekly small group (cf. Acts 2:46b).
• attend Membership meetings
• and pray consistently for the church and its members (cf. Col. 1:3).
• 
  
  Finally, I recognize that participating in such a church community requires accountability. Therefore, I covenant to lovingly rebuke fellow members when necessary, accept rebuke when received, and unflinchingly extend forgiveness upon repentence (cf. Lk. 17:3-4). I also covenant to submit to and uphold church discipline (Mt. 18:15-17, 1 Cor. 5).

Sen. Graham co-sponsors legislation banning items made with "sweatshop labor"

Sen. Graham is co-sponsoring legislation with 5 of his colleagues that would ban imports from factories that utilize sweatshop labor. He says of his support for the bill "If you're a business person engaged in exploiting people to get a better market share, I hope you get fined, I hope you get sued. That's not the way to build up an economy. That's not the way to have global trade."

The legislation, S. 367 (pdf) is Sponsored by Byron Dorgan a Democrat from North Dakota would impose a $10,000 fine on any company caught importing goods made in a sweatshop.
(Yahoo! News)

Byron Dorgan: Press Release

Graham Introduces Legislation to Honor Gneral Francis Marion

The legislation was first introduced in the 109th Congress be Joe Wilson (R) in the Congress, Lindsey Graham in the Senate and signed on to by the remainder of the state's delegation. This legislation would allow for a statue of General Francis Marion to be built in Marion Park, located at the intersection of E Street South Carolina Avenue in Washington, D.C. This legislation has been introduced in the Congress and Senate again.

109th: S. 2822, H.R. 5057
110th: S. 312, H.R. 497

The Congress passed the bill last session by voice vote, but never received a hearing and vote in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. H.R. 5057 has been reintroduced as HR. 497 and S. 2822 has been reintroduced as S. 312. The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources has placed the bill on their legislative calendar, but there is yet to be a hearing scheduled. H.R. 497 was referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources and has yet to be placed on the legislative calendar.

In comments to the Spartanburg Herald-Journal in 2006 Congressman Wilson said, "As a South Carolinian, I am proud his legacy has been honored with a memorial park in Washington, D.C. Yet I feel strongly that a statue of the Swamp Fox should be erected on its premises. Passage of this bill is a crucial first step in making this dream a reality."

General Francis Marion is counted in the lineage of the United States Army Rangers and used the forerunner of modern day guerrilla warfare techniques during the Revolutionary War. Marion was a member of the South Carolina Provincial Congress and held a commission as a captain in the 2nd South Carolina Regiment. (Source: Wikipedia)

Baptismal Testimony: New Beginnings as a Christian Citizen

Delivered at Baptimal ceremony on 14 January 2007
Before I came to Christ I was a typical American, immersed in civil culture and participating in a civil religion of honoring country and sometimes this took the shape of worship rather than simple, humble patriotism. Coming from a Catholic tradition I was completely confused about how pomp and circumstance equaled worship to God and why we needed a priest to intercede on our behalf. I also was totally disillusioned by the sex scandal. I had been studying Methodists and Baptists and decided that the Baptist faith was the right path. God brought me to Immanuel through the Southern Baptist Convention website and the IBC website. I started attending shortly after the 2004 election. There was a simple statement made by Sen. Lindsey Graham at that time that returned me to faith. He simply said “It’s nice to pray.” God spoke to me at that moment and told me what was missing in my life.

He instructed me that “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV).

Jesus has helped me to see what his Father wants. He has revealed these things to me through meditation, prayer, and His word. He has shown me that I need to be kind to my neighbors and work to make my country and world a better place. He has influenced me to instill civility in my actions to further my opinions and His plans for me. He has done this by providing me with a rock and a standard upon which to build my life.

I attempted to enter the Air Force through both ROTC and attempted to enlist but could not because of a medical issue. Coming from a military background, though, I understand the importance of character. I realized through Jesus’ willingness to show me that even the bedrock characteristics of a good Airman are what he desires in a person – integrity, service, excellence.

Integrity, which allows all other character traits to flourish, comes from God because he is full of integrity. David’s response to God in 1 Chronicles 29:17 is formative in my character: “I know, my God that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things I have given willingly and with honest intent” (NIV). This was how I approached my desire to serve my country as an Airman and now how I approach my purpose of spiritual growth, being a student, and working in politics/government.

Service is inherent in the story of Jesus because he was sent here to be a servant-leader. This meant he had to serve in order to fulfill his purpose, ultimately laying down his life on the cross for our salvation. I feel that he has shown me that I also must serve in some way. The purpose I believe he has chosen for me is politics/government. This is my purpose from God and has been supported by answers I have received in prayer. He has guided me to bring civility to processes that have become very uncivil and to become a servant-leader in my field. Mark 9:35 is a verse that convicts me in how to be a servant-leader. In it Jesus says, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” I am charged with first serving the Lord and then being a servant-leader of my country.

Spiritual excellence is what I feel Jesus is demanding of me. I walk with him and see how much improvement needs to be made because I am constantly stumbling. Philippians 4:8-9 convicts me to put into practice the desirable character traits I see despite my stumbling blocks. My stumbling blocks are lack of discipline, forgetting that my life is all about God’s pleasure, and idolatry. The first stumbling block displays itself through procrastination and just not doing things I should do. The second manifests itself in forgetting that God’s Word is law. The third stumbling block manifests in me creating Lindsey Graham (my favorite Senator) as an idol rather than just as a brother in Christ who also stumbles and that I admire. Exodus 20:4 admonishes me when it says that “You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth” (NIV). This is a constant reminder that I am to only worship the one true God and his son in heaven and not any human or other item.

I find comfort in the Gospel because it addresses all these issues. The largest point is that it is all about God (Jesus Christ) and not about me, Lindsey Graham, or any other human being because we are all put on earth for His pleasure. As we are reminded in Matthew 16:25 – “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it” (NIV). Jesus’ death on the cross solves the problem of God’s demand for excellence and my constant stumbling by being the atoning sacrifice for all sins spoken and not spoken. However, Jesus requires mercy and not sacrifice according to his teaching in Matthew 9:13 and he is clear that he has come not to call the righteous, but sinners. This has convicted me to say “Here I am, LORD, please show me the way.”

He has shown me that I can be pleasing to him by being a good student and a good citizen. This will all guide my approach to government and politics. God is calling me to grow in him spiritually by studying his Word and enacting his principles and character traits in my life.