Another nail ...in the DFL coffin?

This from here:

Minnesota Governor Pawlenty Touts $1 Billion Budget Surplus Budget forecast shows $1 billion positive balance for FY 2005, FY 2006-07

November 30, 2005 -- Saint Paul – In announcing a $1 billion budget surplus, Governor Tim Pawlenty said today, “We have successfully completed the biggest financial turnaround in state history and are now poised for an even brighter future.”

When Pawlenty took office in January 2003 he inherited a mammoth $4.5 billion budget deficit, the largest in state history and one of the largest state deficits in the nation. That deficit was projected for the two-year budget cycle (FY 2004-05) that ended on June 30, 2005. The state finished that budget period with a positive balance and cash flow and reserve accounts restored to all-time highs. In addition, $337 million in surplus funds were placed in a tax relief account and are available for use.

For the current two-year budget cycle (FY 2006-07), the state has a projected budget surplus of $701 million. The combined positive balance is $1.04 billion.(emphasis mine)

... and to add further salt in the DFL's wounds...

“While bringing Minnesota from historic budget crisis to financial security we held government accountable and improved results in key areas,” Governor Pawlenty said. “We increased K-12 education spending by $800 million, one of the largest boosts for schools in state history, while improving school standards and beginning a nation-leading teacher performance pay program. We enhanced funding to battle meth and lock up sex offenders. We slowed the explosive growth in health care programs while maintaining services for the most vulnerable and needy. We passed the state’s largest transportation package ever, more than $900 million over and above the current construction program, and made great progress in other areas.”

Under current law, the projected FY06-07 surplus will be used to enhance the amount and timing of payments to K-12 schools. Schools will receive additional funds due to the buyback beginning with funds sent to districts on December 15.

The state’s fiscal safeguards are now at all-time high levels, with budget reserves at $653 million and the cash flow account at $350 million.

I eagerly await the DFL spinmeisters' approach to this. This oughta be a hoot!

Sucks when you set yourself up such that you succeed only when others fail, doesn't it?


(Filed under Elections)

A Comedy of egos?

It would appear that former Iraqi strongman Saddam Hussein is deluded into thinking that he is in some kind of position to talk:

Translators have been instructed not to translate everything Saddam says during his trial anymore, especially when he begins what have become his customary tirades. He told the judge Monday not to interrupt him because he was the Iraqi leader for 30 years and deserves his time to speak. (emphasis added)

But, not to be outdone by Saddam's ego, our own former Atty General, now turned-traitor Ramsey Clark tried to butt in for an extra fifteen seconds of fame:

Before the defense team walked out of court in protest, former U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark, who is helping represent Saddam, told the judge he needed just two minutes to present his argument. But Chief Judge Rizgar Mohammed Amin at first said only Saddam's lead attorney, Khalil al-Dulaimi, could speak.

Thanks, Judge Rizgar. I love it anytime a self-righteous moonbat is taken down a few notches...

And speaking of a few notches, are there any takers:?

Ibrahim stood up and shouted: "Why don't you just execute us and get rid of all of this!"

Tempting... mighty tempting...


(Filed under Iraq, Moonbat Adventures; The Fifth Column)

And their cred comes from where?

From here:

WASHINGTON — The former Sept. 11 commission gave dismal grades Monday to the federal government's efforts to shore up national security and prevent another terror attack on the United States.

Meeting for the last time since being appointed by Congress in 2002, commission members gave the government "more F's than A's" among the 41 grades measuring progress on security recommendations they issued last year.

"We're frustrated, all of us — frustrated at the lack of urgency in addressing these various problems," said former commission chairman Thomas Kean, a Republican and former New Jersey governor.

Curiously missing from the report from the now defunct 9/11 Commission is their own failing grade on missing this "inconsequential" bit of information in their own report.


(Filed under The Fifth Column)

More on Mother Russia and Iran

Jeff at Peace Like A River touches on a few points that I made in my last post and and expands on them as only he can do. Jeff clues us in as to some chilling realities in terms of how close Iran is to the bomb; which can be measured on the calendar in months... not years.

Well worth the read.


(Filed under Religion of Peace?, World Affairs)

To Iran, from Russia, with love...

From here

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran plans to construct a second nuclear power plant despite international concern over its nuclear program, state television reported on Monday.

The broadcast said President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Cabinet ministers decided Sunday night to build the reactor in Khuzistan province, southwestern Iran.

Previously Iran had said it would build a second power plant at Bushehr, where its first nuclear reactor is due to begin generating electricity in 2006.

Khuzistan province was the site of a French-built power plant that began in the mid-1970s and was stopped after 1979 Islamic revolution.

The Iranian parliament is seeking the construction of 20 nuclear power plants. Russia, which built the Bushehr reactor, has offered to build more nuclear plants in Iran. (emphases mine)

despite this:

On Saturday, Iran approved a bill that would block international inspections of its nuclear sites if it were referred to the Security Council. The step strengthens the government's hand in resisting international pressure to permanently abandon uranium enrichment, a process that can produce fuel for either nuclear reactors or atomic bombs.

If they are merely using their nuclear facilities for peaceful, energy purposes (despite the fact that they're sitting on a whole shitload of oil), why the need to block inspectors?

And in still yet another move by our "ally", Mother Russia:

Russia Calls Sale of Missiles to Iran 'Defensive'

By Sergei Blagov

CNSNews.com Correspondent

December 05, 2005 Moscow (CNSNews.com) - Russia says its latest weapons sale to Iran, comprising more than $1 billion worth of missiles and other defense systems, is "exclusively defensive."

And...

According to the Vedomosti business daily, the weapons would pose a risk to any future air strike by U.S. or Israeli planes targeting Iran's controversial Bushehr nuclear power plant, which is being built with Russian help.

I guess you can't really take the old Soviet Union out of Russia, can you? It would appear that Russia is more-than willing to get in bed with Islamofascists, despite their personal experiences with same, so as to keep the scales unbalanced in the Middle East.

За ваше здоровье! (To your health!)


(Filed under Religion of Peace?, World Affairs).

The "tolerance" of the "Religion of Peace" evident here... isn't it?

This from here:

T-Shirt Flap Pits Jihadists Against Sunday School Teachers
By Sherrie Gossett
CNSNews.com Staff Writer
December 05, 2005

(CNSNews.com) - Three Indonesian women sentenced to prison for the "Christianization" of Muslim children have lost their appeal, and observers of the courtroom drama blame Muslim extremists who threatened to kill the judges if they didn't hand down a guilty verdict.

and

The Muslim children were required to get permission from their parents to attend the class, and those without permission were sent home, according to the women's attorney, Posma Radjaguguk. (emphasis mine) The charges were brought by a government-funded council of Muslim clerics.

According to the U.S. State Department, the women were charged after community members complained that free pencil boxes and T-shirts were given to the children.

When the trial began on June 30, truckloads of jihadists thronged the district court of Indramayu demanding that Zakaria and her two co-defendants be killed. They reportedly brought coffins to the courthouse to underscore the threat. "Hang them! Hang them! Hang Rebekkah!" the crowd shouted.

"If Rebekkah asks forgiveness and enters Islam, will you forgive her?" a protest leader asked while shouting through a megaphone.

"No! No! Punish her! Kill Rebekkah! Hang her!" the crowd responded.

Just another reminder of who we're fighting here, folks. To say that they merely seek a "peaceful co-existence" does a gross disservice, in that it understates the true threat against us, while at the same time understates the importance of our WOT, which is, in fact, a war for our very existence in the face of radical Islam.

Make no mistake. A preponderance of euphamisms will not give us the collective resolve to win this war. It will be won with our collective focus on just who is our true enemy.

Monikers such as the "Religion of Peace" just won't do it.

(Filed under VOM, Religion of Peace?)

Yet more horrible news... (for democrats)

Ain't it a caution what can happen when you set yourself up to win only when it's bad news for the economy. Especially when it's pretty much only good news that turns up:

The Labor Department reported Friday that the economy produced a net gain of 215,000 jobs last month. The latest figures show the biggest jump since July despite the unemployment rate holding steady at five percent.

The dems, who pretty much ran on a "chicken little" platform in 2004, predicting economic armageddon should a Bush re-election occur, must have their spin machines going on full throttle with this news. Especially in the aftermath of two of the most devastating hurricanes in terms of property damage that we have suffered in decades. And the lowly dems probably took this statement as yet another stake in their collective hearts:

"When you think about the news that's come in, the jobs report, the recent report on strong economic growth, low inflation, strong productivity, lower gasoline prices, a strong housing market, increases in consumer confidence and business investment. Our economic horizon is as bright as its been in a long time," he added.

Well, when the economic cycle does finally turn south (as it always does), then I supposed the dems can "come to the rescue". But at this rate, they will have a long, dreadful wait before that occurs.

Sucks to be them.

(Filed under The Economy)

The new John Kerry?... reporting for duty?

From here

LATROBE, Pa. — Most U.S. troops will leave Iraq within a year because the Army is "broken, worn out" and "living hand to mouth," Rep. John Murtha told a civic group. (emphasis mine)

Two weeks ago, Murtha created a storm of comment when he called for U.S. troops to leave Iraq now. The Democratic congressman spoke to a group of community and business leaders in Latrobe on Wednesday, the same day President Bush said troops would be withdrawn when they've achieved victory, not under an artificial deadline set by politicians.

Murtha predicted most troops will be out of Iraq within a year.

Now John Murtha may be a distinguished, decorated war veteran; but as I have asserted before, so was Benedict Arnold. And like Benedict Arnold, Murtha appears all too willing to sell out himself and his comrades-in-arms like a two-bit Hennepin avenue whore in the name of personal and political gain.

Could Murtha now be the new John Kerry, a veteran trotted out in a lame attempt to give liberals some cred with regard to defense policy matters, and a pseudo credible "museum piece" around which to rally their anti-war moonbat base, as well as to give other moonbat whores cover to show their true stripes?

This story in the Boston Globe appears to indicate that may indeed be the case:

New role for Murtha? Mass. Democrats say he'll aid fundraiser

By Kimberly Hefling, Associated Press Writer | November 29, 2005

WASHINGTON --The once low-profile Rep. John Murtha of Pennsylvania has agreed to attend a Democratic fundraiser in Boston on Friday, two weeks after creating a political firestorm with an emotional appeal for troops to be withdrawn from Iraq, Democratic Party officials said.

Another "straw man" vet for the left? I'm afraid so.

And, yes, based on his rhetoric, I am challenging Murtha's patriotism. It's high time that somebody calls him out for who he is.

(Filed under The Fifth Column)

In another non-biased move by the Strib...

There was an auspicious event in the St. Cloud area yesterday--Lech Walesa was in the area and spoke at St. John's University yesterday evening. A Star Diaper reporter was on hand. So what does the STRIB reporter ask of this 20th century giant, who along with Pope John-Paul II, Maggie Thatcher, and Ronaldus Magnus was instrumental in toppling the dominos that led to the fall of the "Evil Empire"? Was it about his part in the downfall of communism? Or about what it was like to stare in the face of tyrrany? No, no, dear readers-- the STRIB reporter, in his wisdom, asked Walesa the following poignant question and follow-up:

STRIB REPORTER (paraphrasing): "Do you think that there's any truth to the secret CIA prisons in Eastern Europe?"

WALESA: (via interpreter) No, there is absolutely no truth to that.

STRIB REPORTER: "But what if it were true?"

WALESA: (via interpreter, paraphrasing) "Well, if it were true, I guess it would hurt the credibility of the United States in the European and world community."

Leave it to the STRIB to look for the "bash Bush" angle in any story.

I think that even the STRIB reporter probably saw the foolishness of those questions, since it is not reported here. But I'll bet you all the sausage in Poland that if Mr. Walesa was any less adamant in his response to that inane question, the story would have made the front page.

(Filed under The Fifth Column)

Pot, Meet Kettle?

This from here:

Many of the articles are presented in the Iraqi press as unbiased news accounts written and reported by independent journalists. The stories trumpet the work of U.S. and Iraqi troops, denounce insurgents and tout U.S.-led efforts to rebuild the country.

Though the articles are basically factual, they present only one side of events and omit information that might reflect poorly on the U.S. or Iraqi governments

So they are "basically factual"; and that is a crime? I guess that would be considered a crime to many in the MSM; after all, they have built a reputation on providing factual information, have they not?

And, they present only one side of events and omit information that might reflect poorly on the U.S. or Iraqi governments. Okay, Pot... I've got an assignment for you. Google the terms, "Marines die" or "suicide bomber" or "Abu Ghraib" and see how many MSM stories you get. Then google the terms "Iraq new schools" or "Iraq new hospitals" or "Iraq Kurds grateful" and see how many MSM outlets pick up those stories.

But according to the LA Times and the rest of the MSM, the story's not balanced unless there's something that slams the U.S. or its military or its mission. And if the entire story slams the U.S. or its military or its mission, then it doesn't require balance.

If the U.S. doesn't pay to have the positive things regarding Iraq reported, what other vehicle do they possess to get them out?

It certainly won't happen here

Bastards.

Sorry. That's the only word I can come up with for them lately.

(Filed under The Fifth Column)

Very telling...... very telling...

In what has become a typical move of the left, MN Publius hacked KVM's old Dayton vs. Kennedy website, deleted their archives, and left a snarky post reminiscent of a fifth grader in its place.

Typical of the left. If you're a lefty and you can't defeat a conservative with ideas, then sabotage their means of conveying that message.

Shameless. Absolutely shameless.

***UPDATE****
Andy from Residual Forces (a KvM contributor) adds:

An email was just received claiming responsibility. In what I would describe as irrational political exuberance, one of the MN Publius authors tried to play a practical joke on KvM. They say that they did not intend to delete all the old posts, but they are now gone. The damage is done.

(Filed under Moonbat Adventures)

In what is certainly a "culture of corruption"...

From here:

CHICAGO — A state lawmaker who didn't live in the district she represents was found guilty of using fake addresses on re-election paperwork and voter registration cards, and must resign.

Rep. Patricia Bailey was found guilty Tuesday of election fraud and perjury after a one-day trial.

"You never had a heat, electric, a telephone, a cable bill," Cook County Judge Diane Gordon-Cannon told the Chicago Democrat. "You never lived for 30 minutes inside your district."

Bailey, 52, first elected in 2002, faces up to five years in prison when sentenced Dec. 21. She wouldn't comment as she left the courtroom.

State law requires her to give up her 6th District House seat on Chicago's South Side, but prosecutors were working to determine whether she had to do so immediately or could wait until she was sentenced.

Bailey also will have to leave her job as a Cook County probation officer. She will be ineligible to hold a government job for five years after her sentence is completed.

What this story leaves out is Ms. Bailey's political affiliation. To paraphrase some of our democrat brethren, Ms. Bailey's behavior is emblematic of a "culture of corruption", from their influential leader of the world, to Bob Torricelli, to good ol Rosty to their current congressional leaders.

Yes, when it comes to a "culture of corruption", our good friends on the left side of the aisle appear to have written the book.

(Filed under limousine liberals)

I wonder... I just wonder...

From here:

ROME (Reuters) - Over 380 towns around the world joined forces on Wednesday to condemn the death penalty, as the United States prepared to carry out its 1,000th execution since reinstating capital punishment 30 years ago.

Rome's Colosseum, Brussels' Atomium, Madrid's Santa Ana Square, Buenos Aires' Obelisk and the Moneda Palace in Santiago were being lit up as part of the "Cities for Life" initiative, according to the organizer, the Catholic Sant' Egidio Community in Rome.

Many of the other towns and cities that have signed up to the initiative -- around half of them in Italy -- were hosting vigils or rallies to mark the day.

"Capital punishment supports a culture of death instead of fighting it, and puts the state on the same level as those who kill," said Sant'Egidio spokesman Mario Marazziti.

Which brings me back to the topic...

I wonder, I just wonder, how many of those anti-death penalty folks--I am anti-death penalty, myself, although there are times when I find it tempting to promote it--but I digress. I wonder how many of those anti-death penalty folks are also against yet another death penalty imposed on people who have not committed any crimes, nor were afforded any due process whatsoever before their sentence was carried out...

I wonder.

(Filed under Defense of Life)

That is just so much...BOLSHEVIK!

If this isn't the height of audacity. This is what happens when you deny the existence of God. It is then that one becomes 'god', at least in their own self-aggrandizing, warped imaginations. This from here:

Many environmentalists want a new pact in place by 2008 to help curb a rise in world temperatures. Businesses also want clear long-term climate rules as soon as possible to guide investments.

"What I've heard in the corridors is a range of years from 2008-10. That seems the ballpark that's being discussed" among governments, the U.N.'s Richard Kinley told Reuters during a climate change conference in Montreal.

What pinko-looney claptrap means of pushing a socialist agenda!! Adherence to the Kyoto Protocol couldn't control global temperatures any more than my ferret can control the rising and setting of the sun. But hey, don't let that get in the way of good propaganda.

BTW--if you believe any of this crap, I have a mighty fine parcel of swampland in the Sonoran Desert that I may be willing to part with. Let me know.

If this isn't telling of an agenda...

Headline from Reuters:


Bush to unveil new Iraq plan as violence continues

Just wondering why it couldn't just as easily have been:

Bush to unveil new Iraq plan as building of schools continue

Or...

Bush to unveil new Iraq plan as democracy moves forward

Or...

Bush to unveil new Iraq plan as millions wait to vote in upcoming elections

Bastards.

(Filed under The Fifth Column)