An Example of Clinton’s Lack of Integrity
Nov 10, 2007 Political
Hillary Clinton’s campaign admitted today that it had been caught planting a question from an audience member at one of her campaign stops in Iowa. Clinton called on a young college student who asked a question about global warming and Clinton responded that she gets these kinds of questions all the time from the young people. My question is, if she gets these questions all the time why the need to plant it? Surely if she gets them all the time she would get it at this event.
There are many troubling items in the story. The story indicates that she did not know which questioners she would be calling on so why plant the question? How likely is it she would pick the plant unless she knew who it was? The article indicates:
“But the source of the question was no coincidence — at this event ‘they wanted a question from a college student,’ Gallo-Chasanoff said.” Fox News
The campaign is in defense mode because this might offend Iowans for whom “the caucus is held sacred and the impromptu and candid style of the town hall meeting is held dear, Clinton’s planted question may come as a great offense to Iowans.”
I realize that there are supporters of Clinton who will comment that all candidates do this. I am sure many of them do though she is the only one caught. More importantly, she is supposed to be presenting herself as a different choice for the voters. If she is doing the same thing as everyone else, how different is she?
I imagine there are even those who will say this is not wrong to do or that it is no big deal. I agree that it is no big deal but if I were running I would just address the issue without the questioner. But then again, the Clinton campaign wants to look like it is addressing the everyday concerns Americans (and the Chinese and Europeans) have. I have suspicions that she is not asked this all the time. If there is any doubt that it was viewed as wrong, even by the campaign, they pointed out that they believe it was when they stated:
“…it would not happen again.”
Of course, they might mean they won’t get caught again or they might mean not again as in Bill will not molest women again.
Despite the claims made by others, integrity does not seem to be held in high regard in that camp. Consider this post an example to support the claim (that she lacks integrity).
Tags: caucus, fox news, global warming, Hillary Clinton, honor, integrity, lies, planted questions
Why Don’t They Just Outlaw Cigarettes?
Nov 10, 2007 Political
Only in government could we find people who will tax an unhealthy product in order to support health care. By taxing an unhealthy item, like cigarettes, to pay for health care the government is saying that it approves of the item because it brings in revenue. However, the tax is regressive and might force people to quit using tobacco products. That is great, you say? Well, yes, if the intent is to get people to quit smoking but what happens when revenue from tobacco decreases because people quit? The government runs out of money or falls short in funding a program that it has established and committed money to. That revenue shortfall will need to be made up and it will come from the taxpayer, even those who do not use tobacco.
The idea behind taxing tobacco is that tobacco users are not as healthy as non users so they should pay for the increased cost of health care. Theoretically, if people quit they will begin to get healthier so there would be no need to continue with the high health care costs. However, the government has chosen to use the tobacco tax to fund health care for children so those needy kids will not go away even if the revenue source dwindles. Therein lies one of the many problems. If tobacco users are not as healthy one would assume that the tax would pay for their care but it does not. Even if the tobacco users all quit using the product the government would have a need for the revenue. Government never removes a tax it has imposed. It just shifts the burden to other sources. The US Congress is looking at increasing the federal tobacco tax to $1.00 per pack of cigarettes. The Maryland Governor wants to increase tobacco tax for the same reasons as the feds. If all taxes take effect the cost would be $3.00 a pack in Maryland just in tax. Since the less affluent are more likely to be smokers, seems to me the less affluent will shoulder the burden for the programs paid for with tobacco tax.
Nancy Pelosi has already banned smoking in part of their office complex (but members may still smoke in their offices which is a completely different rule than for all other government employees). Now they will stop selling cigarettes in the stores located in the buildings which seems stupid when the goal is to raise money.
The government does not want people to stop using tobacco regardless of what they say because this would dry up a source of income. They play with things, they make it hard, they tax the hell out of it but they do not make it illegal. If it is so bad why not just make it illegal and be done with it? All kinds of other drugs are illegal so why not tobacco? Follow the money.
Interestingly, Congress has not raised alcohol taxes under the guise that alcohol users are less healthy than the general public. Do you suppose that is because many more elected officials use booze than tobacco? I wonder if they are allowed to drink in their offices as well. That might explain some of the behavior we see from them.
They will never raise the tax on booze as long as Ted Kennedy is in office. He would have a stroke right on the Senate floor. Hmmm, come to think of it an alcohol tax might be a good thing.
Congress needs to stop playing games and either leave tobacco users alone or make the substance illegal and put an end to all the charades. As for me, I don’t care about the tax on tobacco but I am concerned with the unintended consequences of decreased revenue when people quit. We don’t need to pay more in taxes regardless of what the Democrats say.
Source:
My Way News
Others with similar items:
Stop the ACLU, Nuke’s, Perri Nelson’s Website, 123beta, The Uncooperative Radio Show!, Stix Blog, Right Truth, The Populist, The World According to Carl, Grizzly Groundswell, The Pink Flamingo, and Adeline and Hazel, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.
Tags: cigarettes, health care costs, maryland governor, nancy pelosi, needy kids, quit smoking, support health care, tobacco tax, us congress
More Proof Marijuana is Dangerous
Nov 10, 2007 General
The police in New York have arrested Natavia Lowry, the 26 year old assistant to Linda Stein, a real estate “broker to the stars”. Lowry was arrested after she confessed to murdering Stein by beating her to death. It appears that Stein was a pretty nasty and abrasive person who had been riding the assistant really hard all week.
Lowry snapped when she was retrieving Stein’s email and Stein kept yelling at her and using profane language telling her to get the emails more quickly. Stein blew marijuana smoke in Lowry’s face and she snapped. She took some type of yoga stick Stein was holding away from her and beat her with it.
This is just another example of how marijuana is dangerous and can end up killing you.
Source:
WCBSTV
Tags: death, linda stein, marijuana smoke, New York
Maryland Senate Hit List
Nov 9, 2007 Political
Today the Maryland Senate voted for the largest tax hike in state history. This tax hike is unnecessary and is being done during an unnecessary special session so Governor O’Malley can start collecting taxes for a budget problem in a budget that has not been developed as yet because the current Maryland budget is balanced and expires in July 2008.
The whole idea is to get it done and enacted now so they can begin to collect taxes right at that big shopping time known as Christmas. It is also important for O’Malley to get a bunch of money to pay off all the unions and other special interest groups that he owes for their support in the last election. Today the bill passed the Maryland Senate and it goes to the House tomorrow. The bill, which they claimed would only hurt rich people (as if that is OK and it was a lie) has now been turned into a monster that will affect everyone even more so than the original plan. I personally hope it bankrupts some businesses that supported O’Malley and that the poorer folks who voted for him have to eat cat food this winter so they can heat their homes. Call me heartless but the only way to teach stupid people is for their mistakes to be painful to them.
The 24-23 vote had no Republicans voting in favor of the increase and only those Democrats the leadership let vote to no to make it close. These are the Democrats who voted to take money out of the pockets of Maryland families to pay off political debt, to cook up more social programs and to give college education and health care to ILLEGALS:
- Gwendolyn Britt (Prince George’s County)
- Joan Carter Conway (Baltimore City)
- Ulysses Currie (Prince George’s County)
- Nathaniel Exum (Prince George’s County)
- Jennie Forehand (Montgomery County)
- Brian Frosh (Montgomery)
- Robert Garagiola (Montgomery County)
- Lisa Gladden ( Baltimore City)
- Verna Jones (Baltimore City)
- Edward Kasemeyer (Baltimore and Howard Counties)
- Delores Kelley (Baltimore County)
- Nancy King (Montgomery)
- Michael Lenett (Montgomery County)
- Richard Madaleno (Montgomery County)
- Nathaniel McFadden (Baltimore City)
- Thomas Middleton (Charles County)
- Thomas ‘Mike’ Miller (Calvert and Prince George’s County)
- C. Anthony Muse (Prince George’s County)
- Douglas J.J. Peters (Prince George’s County)
- Paul Pinsky (Prince George’s County)
- Catherine Pugh (Baltimore City)
- Jamie Raskin (Montgomery County)
- James Robey (Howard County)
- James Rosapepe (Prince George’s and Anne Arundel Counties)
This is the official hit list and everyone of these slugs needs to be removed from office in the next election. They must be held accountable for ignoring the huge majority of Marylanders who were against this tax hike. They must pay for failing to realize that they work for their constituents and not the special interest groups. If one of these people is your Senator and you do not vote for his opponent then you are telling him it is OK to bend you over and have his way with you.
As for you cretins who voted for Martin O’Malley, I hope you feel the pain of this like you have never felt it before. He promised to solve the electric bill problem and you got a 75% increase that he could not stop despite his promise to do so. Now he is raising taxes and despite what he says it is going to affect every person in this state. What you buy, your home, your gas, your barber, and you name it because it will all be taxed and you will have to pay it. This winter you might have to decide between heat and food. I hope that the tax increase puts you in the depths of despair and that the taxes make it impossible for you to make ends meet. You deserve this for voting for him when you were warned he was going to do this. You deserve this pain so that you might learn.
For those of you rich libs in Montgomery County, I hope your businesses dry up and blow away. I hope you have to pay so much in taxes it makes your eyes bleed. I hope the tax increase in your over priced country club county hurts like a hot saber being slowly inserted into your heart only I hope the pain does not stop. I heard you all on the news crying about how these taxes are going to affect you and that you did not like it. Too bad. You voted for this jackass governor when he told you he was going to raise taxes.
Bet you didn’t think he meant largest tax increase in state history did you?
He sure fooled you, huh? BOHICA*
*Bend Over, Here It Comes Again
Tags: baltimore city, bankrupts, budget problem, Democrats, maryland families, maryland senate, montgomery county, o malley, tax hike
Time is Running Out for Project Valour IT
Nov 9, 2007 Political
The Project Valour IT campaign will end this weekend and our wounded warriors need your support. Please consider donating to the cause by clicking on the “make donation” button in the graphic located in the top of the sidebar.
We are nearly at $20,000. Please help us hit our goal!