City, county should reject RTA request

Allen County Regional Transit Authority Executive Director Scott Stephenson is begging city and county officials for more money (read the full story). He wants the city and county to give him $182,400 as part of a matching fund for $912,000 from the federal government to replace four buses. In addition, he still expects the city to give the RTA $125,000, which is $50,000 more than the city usually gives for operating expenses.

It is time the city and the county put an end to the money pit known as the RTA. If Stephenson cannot make the RTA self-sufficient, then common sense tells us that the service provided by the RTA is not needed.

Why should the taxpayers continue to subsidize the travel expenses for the few people who actually use the RTA?

City councilors and county commissioners, if they wish to be good stewards of the public treasury, must, in good conscience, deny this ridicicolous request.

The only solution to the county's transporation needs is a reliance on the free market.

Those who need rides should not expect the rest of us to pay for their trip. They should bear the full burden of the cost of that transportation or seek a ride from family or friends.

Full text of President Bush's State of the Union address

Madam Speaker, Vice President Cheney, Members of Congress, distinguished guests, and fellow citizens:

This rite of custom brings us together at a defining hour - when decisions are hard and courage is tested. We enter the year 2007 with large endeavors underway, and others that are ours to begin. In all of this, much is asked of us. We must have the will to face difficult challenges and determined enemies - and the wisdom to face them together.

Some in this Chamber are new to the House and Senate - and I congratulate the Democratic majority. Congress has changed, but our responsibilities have not. Each of us is guided by our own convictions - and to these we must stay faithful. Yet we are all held to the same standards, and called to serve the same good purposes: To extend this Nation's prosperity ... to spend the people's money wisely ... to solve problems, not leave them to future generations ... to guard America against all evil, and to keep faith with those we have sent forth to defend us.

We are not the first to come here with government divided and uncertainty in the air. Like many before us, we can work through our differences, and achieve big things for the American people. Our citizens don't much care which side of the aisle we sit on - as long as we are willing to cross that aisle when there is work to be done. Our job is to make life better for our fellow Americans, and help them to build a future of hope and opportunity - and this is the business before us tonight.


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Ba-rockin-obama: Obama, the rock star politician

It is a sad commentary on today's political state that the only politicians who can be successful in running for president are those with limited political records such as Barack H. Obama and George W. Bush. It is further evidence that the American electorate cares more about image and name recognition than it does about the serious issues facing our country.

[COLUMN] No aid for citrus farmers

Here we go again. Farmers in California have their hands out demanding the rest of us give them money because they had a bit of bad luck.

A freeze earlier this month destroyed about 75 percent of California’s citrus crop. The estimated damage is about $1 billion. (To put that in perspective that is only 0.28 percent of what the United States has spent in Iraq.) The tragedy — let us not mince words, it is truly a tragedy — means that thousands of farmworkers, packers and truck drivers are facing months of unemployment. Less important, it means consumers across the nation will likely see the price of citrus fruit rise dramatically.

Calif. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has promised monetary aid to those affected, regardless of immigration status, and is begging the federal government for disaster relief.

I truly feel sympathetic for these people. I know firsthand what it is like to suddenly find yourself unemployed because of factors beyond your control.

However, that does not mean those farmworkers should be permitted to raid the public treasury to compensate for their loss. Such disaster aid is immoral and simply unconstitutional.

Of course, modern-day politicians do not care about the rule of law. Passing out money from the public treasury to any group that shows some sort of adversity is quickly becoming a national pastime. Politicians today don’t give a flying hoot about the Constitution or the rule of law. They only care about buying votes. After all, when Schwarzenegger and President Bush pass out checks to these poor farmers, the farmers, at least the logic goes, will remember the benevolence come Election Day.



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Great video on the illegality of U.S. income tax

This is an interesting video about the illegality of the U.S. income tax. Very interesting. it is almost two hours long, but well worth the watch.

From the film's Web site: "Determined to find the law that requires American citizens to pay income tax, producer Aaron Russo ("The Rose," "Trading Places") set out on a journey to find the evidence. This film which is neither left, nor right-wing is a startling examination of government. It exposes the systematic erosion of civil liberties in America since 1913 when the Federal Reserve system was fraudulently created. Through interviews with U.S. Congressmen, a former IRS Commissioner, former IRS and FBI agents and tax attorneys and authors, Russo connects the dots between money creation, federal income tax, and the national identity card which becomes law in May 2008. This ID card will use Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips which are essentially homing devices used to track people. This film shows in great detail and undeniable facts that America is moving headlong into a fascist police state. Wake up!"

To buy the DVD, visit http://www.freedomtofascism.com.

Paying tribute to Milton Friedman

Milton Friedman, perhaps the greatest American intellectual of the 20th century and one of the most ardent defenders of liberty, died last year. Now, Public Broadcasting System is going to air "The Power of Choice: The Life and Ideas of Milton Friedman." This should be a great program.

The show will premiere on PBS at 10 p.m. Jan. 29, that is a week from Monday. Mark it on your calendars. I am sure you won't be disappointed.

[COLUMN] Bush's Iraq plan is pure lunacy

After listening to President Bush’s speech Wednesday evening (see above quotation) I am becoming convinced that the head of our government is, clinically speaking, out of his gourd. He admits that mistakes were made in Iraq so his “solution” is to send more targets to the area so the insurgents can further their terrorism training.

It is simply beyond comprehension that the president would actually believe that sending 21,500 more troops to the civil war in Iraq would make a difference in anything except increasing the U.S. body count. And he is making this potentially dangerous and illogical move against the will of a majority of Americans, Iraqis and even his own military commanders.

According to the latest polling data, only 12 percent of Americans support sending more troops to Iraq. I suspect that 12 percent would mindlessly support whatever Bush wanted. Conversely, 54 percent of Americans want a withdrawal from Iraq.

It simply makes no sense to send more U.S. forces to Iraq.

Bush’s plan is criminally negligent. He doesn’t care how many lives he wastes in his search for a legacy.



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Lima City Council's three stooges

One thing I have to say for Lima City Council's Three Stooges (Ray "Moe" Magnus, Tommy "Larry" Pitts, and Derry "Curley" Glenn) is that even though they are clueless, they are at least entertaining.

Larry sees the Klu Klux Klan behind every tree. Curley thinks a fast-food restaraunt is economic development and Moe thinks tearing down abandoned houses one at a time will solve the problem. How naive. And their petty bickering on City Council at least makes it worth watching.

Am I the only one who has noticed, however, that most of their antics really have nothing to do with their jobs on Lima City Council? Maybe, instead of acting like public buffoons and constantly seeking media attention to fulfill their narcistic needs, they should concentrate on legislative matters.

Of course, that would not be as entertaining for the rest of us.

[COLUMN] Saddam won't be last to die

The butcher of Baghdad is dead.

Saddam Hussein was tried by an Iraqi court and sentenced to die. His appeal was heard and denied. Iraqis executed him in an Iraqi execution chamber by hanging in accordance with Iraqi law and tradition. U.S. military officials held Hussein as long as they could to prevent him from being tortured before his execution.

Yet, somehow, the world found a reason to criticize the United States for the execution because some Iraqis present for the hanging taunted the former strongman.

The ironic thing is, the world knows the United States would have handled the trial and execution differently. We prove it every day as criminals sentenced to die thrive for decades on death rows. And when the government does execute a criminal, it is usually by a lethal injection that puts the convict to sleep before gently stopping his or her heart.

We don’t shoot them to death or break their necks on the end of a long rope.

Nor do we taunt them before they die. In fact, we give them a choice for their last meals and allow them to visit with family before they die.



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Derry Glenn should be charged

What is wrong with Lima City Councilman Derry Glenn?

A fight breaks out on New Year's Day in which two men are injured and taken to the hospital. The police investigation determines that the two men were the only ones involved.

Then, out of the blue, Glenn holds a news conference claiming that the one man was actually attacked by a mob of people.

Naturally, the police are wondering why Derry Glenn, who claims to have information about the case, should hold a news conference instead of doing what every sane, and good, citizen would do: TAKE THAT INFORMATION TO THE POLICE!

Glenn should be charged with a crime for hindering a police investigation. If he really does have pertinent information -- and knowing Glenn, he has nothing -- then he should be charged for withholding evidence.

Derry, what the heck are you thinking?!? Are you really that starved for attention? If you know something, tell the police. If you don't, then just shut up and stop trying to cause a stir.

Perhaps Glenn is upset because Tommy Pitts's silly antics are getting more attention than Glenn's silly antics. Heck, even Ray Magnus (whose cousin was one of the fighters, which comes as no surprise) is trying to out-silly the others. (Hmm ... Pitts, Glenn and Magnus .. The Three Stooges?)

This is truly a City Council to be proud of!

Saddam Hussein execution video

DO NOT WATCH THIS VIDEO IF YOU ARE SQUEAMISH!

The above video of the execution of the Butcher of Baghdad was taken on a cell phone by a high government official who was present during Saddam Hussein's execution. The Iraqi government did not sanction the video nor would they release the name of the government official who took the video, saying there were only two people present at the execution who had cell phones.

Many in the world are condemning the execution, however, it was a just execution. Hussein was tried and convicted and his appeal was turned down. However, in this case, was all that even necessary? He committed his atrocities while the world watched. The trial was simply going through the motions. Ultimately, his fate was already determined.

AGAIN, DO NOT WATCH THE VIDEO IF YOU ARE SQUEAMISH! It is the actual hanging of Saddam Hussein. While not great quality, it nonetheless could be disturbing to those who are squeamish.

Bloggers ignore journalistic ethics

It has become known that Microsoft gave free, high-end laptops to certain bloggers so they could evaluate Windows Vista.

Where's mine?

Just kidding.

Seriously, though, bloggers like to think they are the new media and are replacing traditional media such as newspapers and television. Of course, things like the free laptop giveaway demonstrate just how far bloggers are from becoming a serious source of information.

Journalists follow a code of ethics and that includes not accepting free gifts in exchange for writing about the product. While some may break the rules, at least the rules are there. Bloggers have no rules and many, it now seems, have little or no ethics. Heck, many of these bloggers wrote glowing reviews and did not even disclose they were given a laptop by Microsoft. Had I accepted a free laptop from Microsoft, I would be collecting an unemployment check.

When the news hit that these laptops were given, Microsoft wrote the bloggers and asked for the laptops back so as not to appear to have been bribing the writers, which is exactly what they were doing. Of course, it was too late, the damage was done.

Pandora's jar was opened.

It is this lack of ethics by bloggers more than anything else that demonstrates they are a long way off from being a credible media source.

Happy New Year!

May 2007 bring you and your family good health and prosperity.