The NY Times reports that departing Ohio Gov. Bob Taft (R) received the minimum punishment on Wednesday for failing to report nearly $6,000 worth of golf outings and other gifts, a coda to his scandal-plagued final term in office, which ends Jan. 8.
"Public reprimand was the minimum penalty that could have been imposed by the court, which had the discretion to suspend Mr. Taft's law license in Ohio or to bar him permanently from practicing law in the state."
This holiday season most Americans are fortunate. Though a few hundred thousand of our soldiers and their families will experience some anxiety and separation this holiday season, mixed with their love and warm thoughts of loved ones, the vast majority of Americans enjoy peace and civil calm here at home. We should give thanks.
Though a few hundred thousand in America may die for lack of shelter, or go hungry for lack of food, or lack awareness of it even being a holiday season for lack of psychiatric care, the vast majority of Americans are bountiful in creature comforts and wealthier than most in the world today. We should give thanks.
I run a blog. I receive information from a source that indicates the Bush Administration is planning to drop nuclear bombs on 3 Middle Eastern nations and the Palestinian territory in 3 weeks. Should I blog about it? Does the 1st Amendment of the Bill of Rights protect my ability to blog about it? Or, as the Bush Administration is currently trying to do, should it be able to issue 'prior restraint' public orders and subpoenas to confiscate from all bloggers and newspapers any, and all information regarding their plan, and prosecute any who publish such information?
An opinion piece in the NY Times, reports:
This is what happens when governments hide their money under a rock: On the eve of what is supposed to be a new day in Albany, another New York state senator has been indicted, this time charged with diverting to his own pocket more than $400,000 in state money that he earmarked for charities in his district.
State Senator Efrain González Jr., a Democrat from the Bronx, has told reporters that he is innocent of charges that he routed the funds to such things on the prosecutor's list as his cigar company, his daughter's college tuition, jewelry, home renovations and Yankee tickets. Mr. González is scheduled for arraignment today and is said to be looking forward to his day in court.
Roy Beck, President of NumbersUSA, boasted victory late in the night proclaiming his organization and other Americans beat back all attempts by Republicans and some Democrats to increase immigration in this country for highly sought after, but, very expensive education, type jobs.
Beck reports that Sen. Kay Baily Hutchison's (R) last ditch attempt to import 100,000 immigrant nurses next year failed. Sen. Cornyn's (R), also of Texas, attempt to increase immigration of programmers and engineers also failed. Friday's Viet Nam Free Trade agreement finally, was absent free visas for Vietnamese; as Beck says:
If we're right, this represents quite a milestone: A free trade agreement that deals with movement of goods without forcing the movement of foreign workers into U.S. job occupations.
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