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Making Sense

Danger Democrats at Work
By Michael Reagan

 

July 26, 2007
Thursday


When the Democrats took control of Congress they couldn't wait to tell America how much they were going to accomplish.

That was seven months ago, and all they've done since is rant about the war in Iraq, talk about raising taxes, and go on a witch hunt in an attempt to find something -- anything ­ illegal in the firing of a handful of U. S. Attorneys who got the boot from the Justice Department when the president exercised his constitutional right to right to fire them without explanation. This provides a glimpse into their utter incompetence as lawmakers.


gif Tussle over Iraq

Tussle over Iraq
Artist Paresh Nath, National Herald, India
Distributed to subscribers for publication by Cagle Cartoons, Inc.


Consider:

The recent speech of Louisiana Democrat Sen. Mary Landrieu gave us a prime example of the Democrats' inability to get anything straight, including geography.

This week, she introduced an amendment to the Defense Authorization Bill stating that the foremost objective of the U.S. Government is to capture or kill Osama bin Laden and to dismantle the al Qaeda terrorist network.

Her amendment would move troops from Iraq where they're locked in a battle with al Qaeda terrorists, and send them to Afghanistan to launch a hunt for bin Laden.

That would be some hunt.

Does Mary Landrieu have any idea what she's doing? After all, if you are going to hunt for Osama bin Laden wouldn't it be a good idea for hunt for him where we know he is? And where his is, is not Afghanistan.

Somebody with a better idea of geography should inform Mary Landrieu that bin Laden is holed up in Pakistan, a country she may not know is next door to Afghanistan.

Sending troops to Afghanistan to search for bin Laden would make as much sense as sending a geography student to Mary Landrieu to find out where Beluchistan is located. They'd probably end up in Flatbush.

Then we have the promises Nancy Pelosi made -- often with Rep. John Murtha at her side -- to clean up the alleged mess in Congress, taking aim at such slimy practices as so-called earmarks, billons of pork slipped into appropriations bills in the dead of night to benefit a member of Congress.

According to The Politico Web site, Arizona Republican Jeff Flake ­ a watchdog on the alert for earmarks -- spotted one which aroused his curiosity.

Flake was questioning Indiana Democrat Peter J. Visclosky, who chairs the subcommittee recommending the appropriation, about whether there was really something called the Center for Instrumental Critical Infrastructure which was slated in an earmark to collect a cool one million dollars courtesy of the U.S. taxpayers. He said his staff couldn't find a website for it,

He was asked by Flake, "Does the Center currently exist?" Visclosky admitted he didn't have a clue.

His shocking admission: "At this time, I do not know." He then added that if it doesn't exist "the monies could not go to it."

According to The Politico, it then later developed that the $1 million earmark was for the benefit of Mrs. Pelosi's bosom buddy, and fellow crusader against congressional corruption, one Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa.

It later turned out that the Center is a nonprofit technological consulting firm. The Politico noted that "A brief search of campaign finance records shows CTC President and CEO Daniel R. DeVos, of alternately Central City and Johnstown, Pa. has contributed $7,000 to Murtha's reelection campaign since April 2002."

Flake moved to eliminate the funds destined for a group nobody could be sure existed, but the House rejected his attempt to strike the funds, 326-98. The Visclosky bill also breezed through, 312-112.

So much for Mrs. Pelosi's crusade against congressional corruption.

 

Mike Reagan, the eldest son of the late President Ronald Reagan, is heard on more than 200 talk radio stations nationally as part of the Radio America Network.
Look for Mike's new book "Twice Adopted". Order autographed books at www.reagan.com

E-mail Michael Reagan at mereagan@hotmail.com

Copyright 2007 Michael Reagan, All Rights Reserved.
Distributed exclusively to subscribers for publication
by Cagle, Inc. www.caglecartoons.com.


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