For GOP only

[Balta1701]

Some other details on that family you're going after (yes, of course, taken from a blog).

1) Graeme has a scholarship to a private school. The school costs $15K a year, but the family only pays $500 a year.

 

2) His sister Gemma attends another private school to help her with the brain injuries that occurred due to her accident. The school costs $23,000 a year, but the state pays the entire cost.

 

3) They bought their “lavish house” sixteen years ago for $55,000 at a time when the neighborhood was less than safe.

 

4) Last year, the Frosts made $45,000 combined. Over the past few years they have made no more than $50,000 combined.

 

5) The state of Maryland has found them eligible to participate in the CHIP program.

[kapkomet]

It just amazes me what some people will defend to allow the government to take over everything people don't want to handle themselves.

[Texsox]

It just amazes me what some people will defend to allow the government to take over everything people don't want to handle themselves.

 

You mean like national defense, education, public health, eliminating polio, law enforcement, inspecting food processors, checking medicines, cleaning up polluted rivers, student financial aid, highways, air traffic control, prisons, courts, etc. etc.

[kapkomet]

You mean like national defense, education, public health, eliminating polio, law enforcement, inspecting food processors, checking medicines, cleaning up polluted rivers, student financial aid, highways, air traffic control, prisons, courts, etc. etc.

Yep, that's right.

[southsider2k5]

Dems immunized before attending NASCAR events. This is too bizzare to be made up.

 

http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.d.../110120099/1002

 

Democrats feel NASCAR needle

By Audrey Hudson

October 12, 2007

 

The NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race in Talladega, Ala., last weekend was watched without a perceived problem that has Republicans accusing Democrats of insulting racing fans by getting immunized before visiting such events.Canada's Jacque Villeneuve mingled with the crowd after the NASCAR race. "The folks who attend these events do not pose any health hazard," said Rep. Robin Hayes, North Carolina Republican.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The immunization of Democratic House staffers against a host of major illnesses before attending NASCAR races for a public health fact-finding mission is being criticized by Republican lawmakers who call it an overreaction and an insult to the sport's fans.

 

Rep. Bennie Thompson, Mississippi Democrat and chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, is conducting a study of homeland security measures at mass gatherings and says the recommendation to get immunization shots is a solid preventive policy.

 

"I am sure you would agree that providing immunizations to personnel involved in public safety is good public health policy, and there is no need to exclude staff from taking the preventative measures that the public health community recommends — regardless of why and where mass gatherings are taking place," Mr. Thompson said.

 

Democratic staffers followed the recommendations and took the shots before the Talladega, Ala., race last weekend. Republican staffers are refusing to take the shots and say they were told it was not necessary by the House Attending Physicians' Office.

 

"Since committee staff members are visiting hospital and other health care facilities available at or near these venues, including areas where groups of people are detained before being transferred to other off-site facilities, I believe that the recommendation that our congressional staff receive these same immunizations was sound," Mr. Thompson said.

 

However, the staffers' itinerary for the Talladega race shows the only medical facilities they toured were a mobile emergency hospital with no patients present and stations for minor first-aid. Their schedule for this weekend's race in Concord, N.C., shows.

 

Rep. Robin Hayes, the North Carolina Republican whose district includes Concord, takes exception to the recommendation that staffers be immunized against hepatitis A, hepatitis B, tetanus, diphtheria and influenza.

 

According to one House Republican staffer, a check with the physicians office revealed that hepatitis B shots are not even offered to members or staff because it is a sexually transmitted disease.

 

I have never heard of immunizations for domestic travel. And as the representative for Concord, North Carolina, I feel compelled to ask why the heck the committee feels that immunizations are needed to travel to my hometown," Mr. Hayes said in a letter to Mr. Thompson first reported Wednesday by The Washington Times.

 

"I have been to numerous NASCAR races, and the folks who attend these events certainly do not pose any health hazard to congressional staffers or anyone else," Mr. Hayes said.

 

Democratic staffers say that Republicans are playing politics with the trip and that they meant no disrespect to NASCAR fans.

 

A spokeswoman for Mr. Thompson asked, "What would happen if there was an outbreak when they were there?"

 

But she insisted: "We're not trying to offend anyone, we just want to make sure everyone is safe."

 

"This is not going after NASCAR or people at NASCAR, but to make sure people on the ground are protected at every level," another Democratic staffer added. "We are not going there to ridicule. It's about protection."

 

The second Democratic staffer said Republicans are making a "political issue about something that should be common practice" for staff members who mingle with first responders.

 

In an appearance last night opposite Mr. Hayes on CNN, Mr. Thompson himself sounded the same theme: "This is not about shots. You're just trying to claim 15 minutes of fame."

 

A NASCAR spokesman declined to "weigh in on the matter."

 

However Lauri Wilks, vice president of communications of the company that owns Lowe's Motor Speedway, laughed off the idea of immunizations being necessary.

 

"There's no health risk that we know of. We have never had any disease outbreak during one of our weekends," Miss Wilks told Fox Sports.

 

The National Republican Congressional Committee released a statement calling the reasoning for shots "ignorant behavior" that is inexcusable and clearly exposes the "fundamental disconnect between the Democratic-led Congress and the rest of America."

 

Rep. Tim Walberg, Michigan Republican, said Democrats should not be worried about health conditions at NASCAR events.

 

"To suggest that vaccines are needed to attend NASCAR races is insulting to millions of hard-working Americans who love their country and the smell of burnt rubber," Mr. Walberg said.

 

Mr. Thompson first contacted NASCAR CEO Brian Z. France last month and asked for the organization's assistance in identifying and addressing threats "for events involving mass gatherings of people — with a focus on our nation's most popular sporting events."

 

"My staff is now conducting a study to determine how best to proceed in this direction and is very interested in getting further input from NASCAR and other private sector stakeholders," Mr. Thompson said.

 

But Mr. Hayes was having none of it in last night's appearance on "Lou Dobbs Tonight" while standing in front of Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord.

 

"Tell your staff they don't need to be immunized to come to Concord," he said to Mr. Thompson. "We got our shots when we were born."

[BigSqwert]

Have you seen what NASCAR fans look like? I'd wear one of these:

 

[southsider2k5]

Have you seen what NASCAR fans look like? I'd wear one of these:

 

Pretty stereotypical don't you think? I don't think anyone would think that was funny if I subbed a few other groups of people in there... Why is it this OK here?

 

[NorthSideSox72]

That article was missing the answer to the most important question that should have been asked.

 

[BigSqwert]

Pretty stereotypical don't you think? I don't think anyone would think that was funny if I subbed a few other groups of people in there... Why is it this OK here?

NASCAR fans represent all walks of life so I don't think it's a big deal. Sorry if I offended you.

[southsider2k5]

NASCAR fans represent all walks of life so I don't think it's a big deal. Sorry if I offended you.

 

I was just surprised at the source.

[BigSqwert]

I was just surprised at the source.

I didn't realize NASCAR fans are a persecuted people. Are you their Al Sharpton?

[southsider2k5]

I didn't realize NASCAR fans are a persecuted people. Are you their Al Sharpton?

 

Actually you are kind of proving a point here... Some groups it doesn't matter what is said about them, other groups are protected against any critizisms or even jokes. Who determined that white southerners are fair game for racism and stereotypes?

 

Seriously, stop and think about the reaction of a group of GOP congressmen had got immunization before going into a set of the projects in Chicago? Would there be jokes being made about the inhabitants being some creatures that we should be wearing spacesuits to be protected from? The message of understanding and peace kind of gets lost when there is a doublestandard that big to overcome.

[BigSqwert]

Actually you are kind of proving a point here... Some groups it doesn't matter what is said about them, other groups are protected against any critizisms or even jokes. Who determined that white southerners are fair game for racism and stereotypes?

 

Seriously, stop and think about the reaction of a group of GOP congressmen had got immunization before going into a set of the projects in Chicago? Would there be jokes being made about the inhabitants being some creatures that we should be wearing spacesuits to be protected from? The message of understanding and peace kind of gets lost when there is a doublestandard that big to overcome.

You're really stretching this one. Like I said, NASCAR fans come from all walks of life.

[Balta1701]

You're really stretching this one. Like I said, NASCAR fans come from all walks of life.

I'm not sure he's stretching at all. Seriously, don't these type of folks meet with constituents all the time? Do they screen every constituent they meet with for biological agents before allowing people to shake hands? Why would you say this particular group is a big deal?

[southsider2k5]

You're really stretching this one. Like I said, NASCAR fans come from all walks of life.

 

Personally I don't think it is a big deal. I truely believe the US and the world would be in much better shape if people could laugh at themselves instead of just laughing at others. Unfortunately the PC world we live in doesn't exsist n that form.

 

The whole "all walks of life" thing is a bad excuse for a double standard. We all know that the NASCAR crowd is by and large white, dispite the best efforts to expand into other walks of life. Would you have made the same joke if I had made the same post about rappers or orange pickers? I doubt it. Like I said it goes back to a double standard, and the fact that you don't see this as a big deal just reinforces my point that some groups are OK to make fun of, and others are not.

 

Big picture if we got upset everytime this happened, or laughed everytime this happened we would be a lot better off than just picking and choosing who to laugh at based on an artificial set of stereotypes and popular conception. The more lines we draw just reinforce divides instead of erasing them. Race/Class/Sex warfare will be a part of American society until our attitudes towards different groups change. Either we are all the same, or we aren't. Random codes of "correctness" don't fix these problems, they only exaserbate them.

[mr_genius]

http://stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=49460

[sox4lifeinPA]

The War Room With Quinn and Rose

 

blech...as if Conservative Talk Radio needed ONE MORE PERSON to tell us the same thing over and over.

 

 

edit: I should add, I'm mostly pissed because they were added to my local talk radio station and pushed back the ever crazy and ever ridiculous Michael Savage...

 

why does that make me mad?

 

AM Coast to Coast no longer plays from 10-1am!!!!!!

 

bastards

[YASNY]

Personally I don't think it is a big deal. I truely believe the US and the world would be in much better shape if people could laugh at themselves instead of just laughing at others. Unfortunately the PC world we live in doesn't exsist n that form.

 

The whole "all walks of life" thing is a bad excuse for a double standard. We all know that the NASCAR crowd is by and large white, dispite the best efforts to expand into other walks of life. Would you have made the same joke if I had made the same post about rappers or orange pickers? I doubt it. Like I said it goes back to a double standard, and the fact that you don't see this as a big deal just reinforces my point that some groups are OK to make fun of, and others are not.

 

Big picture if we got upset everytime this happened, or laughed everytime this happened we would be a lot better off than just picking and choosing who to laugh at based on an artificial set of stereotypes and popular conception. The more lines we draw just reinforce divides instead of erasing them. Race/Class/Sex warfare will be a part of American society until our attitudes towards different groups change. Either we are all the same, or we aren't. Random codes of "correctness" don't fix these problems, they only exaserbate them.

 

Thanks Mike. Very well said. As the son of a pair of native Kentuckians who was born and raised in the Chicago area (me, not the parents) I can tell you that there was, and apparently still is, a prejudice against southerners. Yet, it seems that it's 'OK' to hold those views. I've spoken out against a few prejudicial remarks on this site in past and was told I was overreacting. I wasn't. It sucks to be the recipiant of stereotypical remarks. What sucks even more is due to the fact that I'm a white American male, I have no reason to offended about anything that is said.

 

There was a discussion on this site a couple/few years ago about whether or not the term "Jap" was derogitory. I took the stance that it was not. I considered it the same as calling someone from England a "Brit". But, I was eventually convinced that I was wrong about that. It came down to the fact if a person of Japanese heritage was offended by the use of the word, then it was inapproriate to use it. As a result, I no longer use the word. I just wish people would step back and take the same attitude toward southern Americans that they seem to be so eager to embrace when it comes to anybody else who is somewhat "different".

[Texsox]

There is a mistrust, prejudice, bias, etc. about anyone not like us. As humans we categorize people and probably from some evolutionary survival instinct. Is this person going to help or hurt me? We also have a natural curiosity about other cultures. Sometimes the behaviors that come out of that are good, sometimes not so good.

 

We are also provincial in looking at things through our own sets of beliefs and needs. For example I'm guessing there are not too many No Border Fence bumper stickers up north, but they are everywhere here where the damn thing may be built. (And ironically, built by Mexicans)

[YASNY]

If you build it, they won't come.

[southsider2k5]

Thanks Mike. Very well said. As the son of a pair of native Kentuckians who was born and raised in the Chicago area (me, not the parents) I can tell you that there was, and apparently still is, a prejudice against southerners. Yet, it seems that it's 'OK' to hold those views. I've spoken out against a few prejudicial remarks on this site in past and was told I was overreacting. I wasn't. It sucks to be the recipiant of stereotypical remarks. What sucks even more is due to the fact that I'm a white American male, I have no reason to offended about anything that is said.

 

There was a discussion on this site a couple/few years ago about whether or not the term "Jap" was derogitory. I took the stance that it was not. I considered it the same as calling someone from England a "Brit". But, I was eventually convinced that I was wrong about that. It came down to the fact if a person of Japanese heritage was offended by the use of the word, then it was inapproriate to use it. As a result, I no longer use the word. I just wish people would step back and take the same attitude toward southern Americans that they seem to be so eager to embrace when it comes to anybody else who is somewhat "different".

 

And it is those very things that build hatred and resentment, once you get past stereotypes. Its too bad as we try to unite, we add more *'s, which makes those goals impossible.

[Texsox]

If you build it, they won't come.

 

So true, The legal trade that this area depends on will dry up and we'll have widespread unemployment. Mexican Nationals spend billions of dollars legally all along the border.

 

Criminals have found ways to smuggle in billions and billions of drugs into this country, they will do the same thing with workers.

 

Better is a guest worker program that works for businesses and the labor unions.

[Texsox]

Securing Our Borders, Smartly

By U.S. Sen. John Cornyn

 

For two years, Congress has debated proposals to reform our broken immigration laws and secure our borders. Unfortunately, little progress has been made on a comprehensive solution to this problem, but we have taken some needed steps to better secure our borders.

 

Last year, Congress appropriated a substantial increase in funding for various measures, including additional technology and personnel. And one of the additional steps we took—authorizing a 700-mile fence at specific places along the U.S. border with Mexico—is now the topic of great debate. Some lawmakers have suggested it will not, and should not, be built, while others believe strongly that it should.

 

The fence, which received 80 Senate votes, has become a symbol in Washington. Some view the fencing law as a sign that Congress was finally starting to get serious about protecting the borders and restoring respect for the rule of law. Others see the fence as a barrier between two countries that should instead be building bridges—and that it is a ‘solution’ that will serve only to waste taxpayer money.

 

In mid-January, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison and I invited several mayors from Texas border communities to meet in Washington with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. The discussion topic was border security, and how best to achieve it. DHS is consulting with a variety of interested parties, including those along the border, to ensure that they are aware of the on-the-ground circumstances.

 

There was a strong consensus among the border leaders that securing the border is vital. There was also unanimity among the mayors that a 700-mile fence, built without consultation with state and local officials, consideration of viable alternatives and with its location dictated by Washington, would be counter-productive. The border mayors offered several suggestions on improving border security without incurring the cost and headaches over private property rights and environmental problems that would accompany the fence as proposed.

 

I thought the meeting was valuable in several ways. It reinforced my longstanding belief that Washington does not have a monopoly on wisdom, that people near to the problem often have insights on how to address and resolve it.

 

The mayors share my concern for increased border security, and for making it effective. We must balance security with legitimate trade and travel. They are concerned about their local economy. But they are acutely aware that respect for our laws is diminishing as we fail to address our porous border, and they know that trend must not continue.

 

The situation is being increasingly recognized, in our post-9/11 world, as a national security problem. We are starting to apprehend illegal entrants not only from Central and South America, but from the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe.

 

Much of the increase has been in Texas. Between 2002 and 2005, apprehensions of non-Mexicans have increased by more than 1,000 percent in Del Rio, more than 385 percent in Laredo and 604 percent in McAllen.

 

Securing the border is going to be costly. We need to double our Border Patrol agents, implement physical barriers where it makes sense, and employ advanced technology such as sensors and other electronic devices to make our effort effective. All of these steps will be expensive. We will need additional fencing and physical barriers where it’s appropriate. But that’s only a part of the solution.

 

The new Congress will soon take up immigration reform and border security once again. We need to find a solution that protects our country from drug dealers and terrorists, restores respect for our often-ignored immigration laws, takes into account human concerns, and protects our economy.

 

Our meeting with the border mayors was a reminder that there are good ideas out there, particularly in Texas, which has more foreign border than any other state. We’ll need new ideas to resolve the impasse that has stopped immigration reform up until now. And we’ll need to work together to address one of the top domestic priorities facing our nation.

 

 

[southsider2k5]

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/10/15/craig/

 

Craig: Romney 'threw me under the campaign bus'Story Highlights

 

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. Larry Craig, the Idaho Republican caught in a bathroom sex sting this summer, said GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney "threw me under the campaign bus" when news of his arrest came out.

 

 

Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, makes a return to the Senate this month after news of the sex scandal broke.

 

"He not only threw me under his campaign bus, he backed up and ran over me again," Craig told Matt Lauer of NBC's "Today" show in an interview taped Sunday.

 

Romney, former governor of Massachusetts, called Craig's behavior "disgraceful" and urged the senator to resign when news of the arrest broke in August.

 

Craig was Romney's Senate liaison before resigning from the campaign.

 

Romney spokesman Kevin Madden defended the presidential candidate's response. "Gov. Romney simply believes that a public office is a public trust," Madden said. "He believes when a public official enters a guilty plea, they have broken that public trust and should step aside for the sake of their constituents."

 

"People know me and know that I would never do that," said Suzanne Craig, MSNBC.com reported. "That's almost like selling your soul for something."

 

The senator has denied he is gay. "I love this woman very, very much," Larry Craig said, according to MSNBC.com. "The day I found her, I fell deeply in love. And we're heading toward our 25th anniversary."

 

When she learned the story was going to break, Suzanne Craig said, "I felt like the floor was falling out from under me. ... And I felt like almost like I was going down a drain for a few moments," according to MSNBC.com.

 

The senator also told Boise, Idaho, TV station KTVB that he would file an appeal Monday to overturn a Minnesota judge's ruling that he could not withdraw his plea to misdemeanor charges stemming from his arrest.

 

"We don't know what the appellate court will say to me," Craig told KTVB, according to the station's Web site. "Honestly, the appeals courts tend to defend the courts below them. It is my right to do what I'm doing. I've already provided for Idaho certainty that Idaho needed, I'm not running for re-election. I'm no longer in the way. I am pursuing my constitutional rights."

 

Craig originally said he would resign from the Senate on September 30 if he could not get the guilty plea withdrawn. He later postponed his decision until a Minnesota judge had made a ruling.

 

After an October 4 ruling against him, Craig then changed course, saying he would not resign and would continue to pursue his legal options.

 

"I am innocent of the charges against me," he said at the time.

 

Craig's decision not to resign has created a political headache for the Senate's Republican leadership.

 

When news of the arrest first surfaced, GOP leaders called for an investigation by the Senate Ethics Committee. They later applauded his decision to resign.

 

But when Craig announced that he would continue to serve in the Senate, GOP leaders did not appear pleased.

 

"It's embarrassing for the Senate. It's embarrassing for our party," said Sen. John Ensign of Nevada, who leads the GOP's Senate campaign committee, on the day of the judge's decision. "I think it's best for the U.S. Senate, it's best for certainly his party, that he just keeps his word."

 

Ensign added, "He gave us his word he would do something, and he's backing out on us, and I don't think that's the right thing to do." E-mail to a friend

 

CNN's Scott Anderson and Alexander Romney contributed to this report.

[Texsox]

I believe this is a good thing for Romney