Hard to believe that a story like this would surface in the year 2008, but here it is: Candidate speaks at Hitler birthday party. Come on. COME ON! You mean to tell me that the guy running for this Congressional seat - a guy named Tony Zirkle - walked into that room and thought, “Hey, this is a great idea!”??? I almost can’t believe it.

If you haven’t, please click on that link above and take a look at this ridiculous picture of this moron candidate standing in front of a picture of Adolf Hitler and huge swastika flags. I’m almost at a loss for words on this one. I just can’t believe this guy - who is (was) a legitimate candidate for this Congressional seat - walked into that room and told himself that it was completely okay to stand in front of that gathering, in front of Hitler, and talk about Jesus Christ. Believe me, my religion is all about evangelizing and spreading the good Word, but come on! If you’re running for office you CANNOT stand in front of Hitler in a room draped in Nazi regalia!

Where is the judgment these days? How is the public supposed to trust their political candidates when they make such stupid decisions? Again, I can sympathize with wanting to spread the good Word to even the most jaded constituencies, but this was not a bright move. In fact, it’s downright insulting. Had the candidate agreed to speak in a different room or in a manner such that he didn’t look like he was endorsing the neo-Nazis, I may have a different take on all of this. But what they say is true - a picture is worth a thousand words and the picture in that article speaks for itself.

Idiot.

While looking around FOXNews.com I noticed a story about a high school student arguing that his “American Government” textbook is biased. The article cites some parts of the textbook that claim global warming is still being studied and that the Supreme Court decision on striking down the Texas law regarding gay sex harmed the fragility of the federal system.

What bothers me is that this story is nothing more than a high school student with too much time on his hands - and a considerable liberal bend - trying to take the low road on each of these debates. The low road, as anyone who keeps an eye on political discourse can tell you, is to immediately claim that the other side’s argument is wrong and presents an inherent bias. It’s sad, really.

But I don’t blame the kid. In fact, I admire his will to put himself out there in the public eye. I do, however, blame the horrible education system in New Jersey that apparently has failed this child. A citation from the article linked above:

Another part of the book that the report criticizes deals with a Supreme Court decision overturning a Texas law banning sexual contact between people of the same sex.

The authors wrote that the Supreme Court decision had a “benefit” and a “cost.” The benefit, it said, was to strike down a rarely enforced law that could probably not be passed today, while the cost was to “create the possibility that the court, and not Congress or state legislatures, might decide whether same-sex marriages were legal.”

Derek Araujo, the report’s author, said that’s a matter of opinion and that gay-rights activists, for example, see it differently. “The major problem with this is they describe the costs and benefits of the system in a very political way,” he said.

No, you morons, this is not a matter of opinion. Stop blurring the fucking issue that the textbook is talking about, damn it. The “political” part of this debate is not looking at the issue in terms of American Government (which is the purpose of the class and textbook in question). American Government can ONLY be taught from the facts, not from a biased point of view. When it IS taught from a biased view or to an audience/class that has inherent biases with no preparation for a clean discussion, you get stupid stories like this one.

From the standpoint of American Government, the issue here is the Supreme Court making a decision about an issue that is not specifically cited in the Constitution. A teacher (and a textbook) MUST make that connection. Now, if you want to ignite some debate with the students you can always ask for their opinions on the issues themselves (in this case, gay marriage). That will probably bring a lively discussion. But the authors of this textbook (James Wilson and John Dilulio) are correct - the root issue here is the Supreme Court deciding whether or not gay marriage is legal. Does anyone read the Constitution any more besides Ron Paul?! This type of issue is to be decided by the states, period.

Now, if one wants to make an argument that certain freedoms are being restricted and thus the Supreme Court needs to step in, then I can buy that argument if it’s made well. But the issue at hand here and as discussed in this textbook is one that is not inherently political. It’s a basic, fundamental discussion of how the American federal, judicial, and legislative system work together. Get over it.

In the interest of full disclosure, I did NOT use this textbook in my class on American Government that I taught last semester. I did, however, use a previous version of this text as a student at my ultra-liberal Graduate School. Also, I was sent an updated copy of this text by the publisher when I began teaching my course and I made the decision last semester to switch to the college version of the textbook in question.

The Georgia chapter of the NAACP is questioning the sentences handed down to those two bimbos in the infamous “Barbie Bandits” bank heist cases. They are questioning why the two young white women received less harsh sentences than the two black men involved in the case.

In an attempt to save the great state of Georgia - and its hardworking taxpayers - some money, let me quote from the CBS article linked above:

Michael Chastang, 28, was sentenced to 10 years for being the mastermind of the robbery, and bank teller Bennie Allen III, 23, who pleaded guilty, was sentenced to five years. Both men are black. Chastang also is serving 15 years on unrelated drug-trafficking charges and Allen was on probation for a drug conviction.

So one of these fellows had additional drug-trafficking charges on his plate and the other one was on probation for a prior drug conviction. The dopey blondes did not have any such prior or contingent records. Is there really a need for an investigation here? If you commit a crime and then commit ANOTHER crime, your penalty is harsher - bottom line.

Geez, some people are just stupid…

Again, as I’m cleaning out some old e-mails I’m coming across some pretty interesting ones. The first military quote below has been confirmed by Snopes.com while the other two are not on their site. It would be nice if the valor, honor, and truth of these statements carried through all discussions regarding the American military (no matter where one falls on the political spectrum). Enjoy!

When in England at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an example of empire building’ by George Bush.He answered by saying, “Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return.”

It became very quiet in the room.

Then there was a conference in France where a number of international engineers were taking part, including French and American. During a break one of the French engineers came back into the room saying “Have you heard the latest dumb stunt Bush has done? He has sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami victims. What does he intended to do, bomb them?”

A Boeing engineer stood up and replied quietly: “Our carriers have three hospitals on board that can treat several hundred people; they are nuclear powered and can supply emergency electrical power to shore facilities; they have three cafeterias with the capacity to feed 3,000 people three meals a day, they can produce several thousand gallons of fresh water from sea water each day, and they carry half a dozen helicopters for use in transporting victims and injured to and from their flight deck.. We have eleven such ships; how many does France have?”

Once again, dead silence.

A U.S. Navy Admiral was attending a naval conference that included Admirals from the U.S., English, Canadian, Australian and French Navies. At a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a large group of Officers that included personnel from most of those countries. Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped their drinks but a French admiral suddenly complained that, ‘whereas Europeans learn many languages, Americans learn only English.’ He then asked, ‘Why is it that we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than speaking French?’ Without hesitating, the American Admiral replied ‘Maybe it’s because the Brits, Canadians, Aussies and Americans arranged it so you wouldn’t have to speak German.’

You could have heard a pin drop!

Zing!

Did you know that the Democrats have already voted to increase your taxes three years from now? Okay, so they didn’t raise your taxes, per se, but they did endorse a plan that WILL raise your taxes in the coming years. I understand that taxes weren’t raised so much as the existing “Bush tax cuts” are now set to expire, but for the millions of workers who have entered the workforce since 2001 and for the millions of families who can barely afford to get by as it is - this is nothing more than a major tax hike.

Believe it or not, though, I don’t place the blame on the Democrats. I don’t place the blame on the Republicans, either. Who is to blame? We are. This is a country whose contemporary populous demands to be taken care of from cradle to grave. As a perpetual student of American history, this is sickening. America was once a country put together by revolutionaries who not just fought against being taxed without representation, they waged a war against it. Now, Americans are being taxed into oblivion by a government that would prefer to spend money on entitlement programs instead of a comprehensive plan to fix America’s finances once and for all.

But hey, no one cares…so what’s the point in complaining? No one is going to change it. Of the 3 major Presidential contenders, the two Democrats have already claimed that they are raising taxes and I’m not sure if the Republican even has a financial plan.

Oh well. Another day in America.

Now that Senator John McCain is the definite Republican nominee for President, it is time for him to begin thinking in earnest about the perfect Vice-Presidential candidate. The latest name to circulate (aside from Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee) is Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson. While I think that Hutchinson would be a good choice for McCain, I think that there is someone who is more qualified and a better overall choice.

Condoleeza Rice.

No, I don’t think she’s a good choice because she’s a woman or black and thus negates the presumptive Democratic ticket of Clinton/Obama or Obama/Clinton. I think that Rice is the right person for the job because she brings a world of foreign policy experience to the ticket. But McCain is already well-versed in foreign affairs, you say? This is true. However, bringing Condi into the picture would allow McCain to focus the bulk of his personal appearances and speeches on domestic issues - which is what the people want to hear at this point.

As for some other choices, I’d like to see Colin Powell as Vice-President, though I don’t think that his family is interested in having him play a role at such a high office. Newt Gingrich is also a great choice, though I think he’s waiting to run for President until 2012 (if McCain loses) or later. Some people think Rudy Giuliani would be a good choice - I disagree. I’d rather have Rudy as Secretary of Homeland Security or Attorney General.

Anyway, I’m sure that McCain will announce his running mate sooner rather than later so the Republicans can begin to build some momentum heading into their convention.

Most people hate tax season…even those who work for the Internal Revenue Service. I saw a story the other day about an IRS agent from my hometown of Roxbury who was convicted on tax evasion charges. How about that, huh? Even the IRS hates paying taxes!

Just another example of how we are all human…even those in real or perceived positions of authority.

In the mean time, check out New Jersey Carpet Cleaning for the best carpet cleaning in the Garden State!

Both the Republican and Democratic Presidential primaries are becoming the stuff of political science legend. You have the meteoric rise and fall of the Rudy Giuliani candidacy, the record-setting fundraising of Ron Paul, the almost unbelievable success of Mike Huckabee and his shoestring budget, the historic candidacy of either Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama for the Democratic Party and so much more - all going on at once!

Many people have been calling the Republican campaign for John McCain since Mitt Romney bowed out last week. However, Mike Huckabee has had a strong showing in the South and other states where religious voters have major influence. At the same time, McCain has been battling for acceptance by the far right-wing of the Republican Party - especially among the conservative talk radio scene.

On the other side of the battle, the Clintons have been battered and beaten (as usual) by the press with the latest scandal being MSNBC saying that Chelsea Clinton was being pimped out by her mother’s campaign. Vile. This further proves the irrelevance of MSNBC in the news scene and in the world of current events. What a joke that station has become.

Obama, on the other hand, continues to turn heads - including Republican heads. I have a feeling that if Obama is the nominee for the Democrats that he’s going to win the national election by at least a 60/40 margin. But I guess time will tell.

In the mean time, check out New Jersey Carpet Cleaning for the best carpet cleaning in the Garden State!

Thank God for the American federal government! What other organization can bring so many people so many laughs in one fell swoop? You may remember that a few days ago, the government was thinking about sending each taxpayer an $800 check (married couples would obviously receive $1,600). Well, in a move that only our ridiculous government could make, they’ve decided that instead of each taxpayer getting $800, they’ll probably get $300 instead. The reasoning is that the $800 per person economic stimulus package would have only given checks to the 180 million or so Americans who pay income tax. The $300 per person economic stimulus package allows for all Americans to receive a check, including those who don’t make enough to pay income taxes.

In other words…

For those taxpayers who earn higher incomes in the middle class of America, not only are you going to continue to bear the brunt of this country’s weakening economy, but you’re also not going to get the same proportional handout that those in the lower class will receive. For a person who is making so little that he or she doesn’t pay income taxes, $300 is a big deal and really can help in getting a person out of financial rut.

But for the rest of the people who do pay taxes and who are living in the middle class, a $300 check from the government to “stimulate” the economy is bullshit. All $300 does for anyone in middle class America is remind you how screwed you are in the bigger picture. Those who don’t need the $300 will disagree with that statement, but those who needed the $800 will not only agree - they’ll get pissed since $800 isn’t even enough for most people to make one month’s mortgage payment.

We’re all screwed.

The President and the Congress are discussing ways to give America an economic boost. Anyone who is paying the attention to the news and the markets knows that part of this country’s current problems are rooted in the housing bust and part of the problem is due to the fact that banks are becoming more conservative with their lending policies. There’s nothing much you can do about the banks - they’ll do what they want with their money and that’s that. Sucks. And for those of us who have worked in the housing market and studied the housing market, we saw the big downfall coming years ago, but no one listened.

All of that aside, I am glad that the Republican President and the Democratic Congress are working together in a spirit of bipartisanship to give America the boost that it needs. One of the ideas going around is to give all taxpayers an $800 rebate check as early as in the next few weeks. I have to say, this is scary for a variety of reasons.

First, I don’t know what your finances are like, but while I certainly wouldn’t scoff at $800 it really isn’t enough to make a dent in my financial portfolio. And I should preface the previous sentence by saying that I spend between 45 and 60 minutes each day going over my finances and that I’ve made tremendous strides financially in the last 18 months. Still, getting an $800 check would be nice, but it would only remind me how much of a hole that I’m in (thanks student loans!).

Second, I can only think about those bozos down in New Orleans who got free government and charity money to the tune of some $2,500 per person…and then spent that money on alcohol, new shoes, lingerie, and electronics. Folks, while these creature comforts may give you a feel good feeling right now, they’re not going to do a damn thing to help your financial well-being in the long run. I just imagine some 280 million taxpayers getting an $800 check and the only companies that see their profits go up are Nike, Apple, and Sony.

Finally, the cost of living isn’t stabilizing - it’s going up! The cost of a gallon of gas is getting higher each month, the cost of milk (yes…milk) is going up, and the cost of general groceries is going up. If it is used wisely, getting an $800 check today will help put food on the table tomorrow. But will it provide food for our tables this summer? Next fall? Next year? Unlikely.

Unfortunately this is one of those situations where there are no easy answers. Part of me wants to say that we, as a country, made this bed for ourselves and now we have to lie in it. Mortgage borrowers largely knew that their subprime loans were loaded with risky features and they knew that they were buying houses that were too big for their budgets. Yes, there was some chicanery in some housing markets, but of the millions of subprime loans only a fraction fall into that category. So in this respect, part of me believes that we have reaped what we’ve sewn.

Believing that, however, isn’t going to kick the economy in the ass. What should we do to stimulate the economy? Those $800 checks are a good start, but reducing the cost of living for all Americans will be a great second step.