Where’s ICE?
Today, while most of the nation is focused on the Health Care Reform bill, upwards of 10,000 people are anticipated to protest the United States’ immigration policy on the Mall. As these folks gather, I’m left to wonder: where is ICE?
For those who don’t know, ICE is the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency, the arm of Homeland Security tasked with enforcing US immigration policy. That includes rounding up those who are here illegally and sending them back from whence they came. Yet, despite having thousands of illegal immigrants in one place protesting the fact that they are not even supposed to be here, it’s doubtful that a single ICE agent will be found in attendance. The reason is incredibly simple: this administration, like most of its predecessors, selectively enforces immigration laws.
It’s a political consideration. President Obama, rather than risk alienating the Hispanic community, has decided that rounding up and deporting illegal immigrants is not wise policy. Never mind that the executive branch of the government is Constitutionally obligated to enforce the laws passed by the Congress. Never mind that most of those on he Mall today readily admit that they are law-breakers by residing in our country. The President has calculated that were the law to be enforced he would lose more votes than if he were to enforce it.
Rather, the administration is concentrating on immigration “reform.” If you think you’ve heard this before, it’s because you have. This isn’t the first administration to talk about most of the ideas being bantered as “reform” for America’s immigration system: universal ID cards, amnesty for illegal immigrants already here, tougher enforcement of whatever the new laws might be. The same ideas have been tossed around Washington for at least the last 15 years, taking different forms and with different aspects being emphasized.
Enough already. Enforce the laws we have, Mr. President. And you can start today – by simply visiting the Mall and rounding up a few thousand criminals.
Still 50-50
At latest count, there are 209 nay votes and 208 yeas on the Health Care Reform bill. Which means there are 14 members who haven’t committed yet.
We are less than 72 hours from the vote (unless Ms. Pelosi needs more time to dream up a new scheme). As I understand it, the phone lines have been jammed and we’ve crashed the House switchboard a few times. GOOD JOB!
However, the battle is not yet won. If you love freedom, despise tyranny and want the government out of your personal decisions, then now is the time to act. Call, write and email every representative and make certain they know how you feel.
This is healthcare?
It seems the Democrats are have now put an amendment into the healthcare reconciliation bill that would authorize the federal government to own Sallie Mae, thereby enabling the federal government to directly provide student loans (rather than guarantee loans made by private lenders).
Regardless of the merits of the proposal (more on that in a bit), I’m a little lost in seeing how this is related to healthcare, healthcare reform, or medicine in any way. There’s a reason for that.
It isn’t.
The idea here is that since this proposal is slightly more popular than HCR as currently constituted, adding this rider will make the HCR bill more palatable to liberal House members. Of course, death by lethal injection is also more popular than the current HCR bill, but I don’t see anyone lining up for their lethal shot cocktails. But I digress.
Now, back to those merits of direct government lending to students.
The way the system currently works is this: student needs a loan to help pay for college, say $25,000 over four years. Student has no credit history. Student’s parents don’t have $25,000 in collateral to put up, nor do they have the type of credit rating to effectively cosign the loan. So, the federal government steps in to insure the loan – if the student reneges on the loan, the government pays and then assumes the debt. As part of this trade-off, the government insists that interest and other repayment terms are kept within their guidelines.
Despite occassional glitches, the system works. Millions of people go to university and learn. They repay their loans. Life goes on.
Of course, Dems say this about improving affordabilty. They just can’t explain how that works. And by sneaking it into healthcare, they can attempt to complete the take-over of the finance industry along with the healthcare industry.
Code Red
Time to step up an let ’em know what you think: Click here for current list of reps & where they stand on HCR:
Joba, the new Goose
For the better part of two seasons, debate has raged about Joba Chamberlain. Should he be a reliever or starter? The debate has concentrated on two trains of thought:
1. As a starter, Joba can develop into a prototypical top of the rotation stud. He has a plus fastball, slider and curve. He just needs time to get stretched out and become dominant.
2. Out of the pen, Joba just rares backs and makes ML hitters look foolish.
Well, we’ve been waiting for two years while lesser names like Clayton Kershaw and Cole Hamels have blossomed. And its beginning to look as though, party line not withstanding, Brian Cashman and Co are now leaning towards putting Joba into the 8th inning role.
The thing is, there’s precedence for this debate – one the Yankees only need to dust off their copy of Baseball Almanac to find.
Back in the mid-1970’s, the White Sox had a young right hander with a plus fastball, slider and curve. But he never found success as a starter. He was, at best, inconsistent. But coming out of the bullpen, he became the original Mr. Nasty. He let loose with a 95+ fastball, spitting fire and daring hitters to swing. For him, it was all about attitude and not having to think on the mound. His demeanor was, you know what I’m going to throw. Everyone here knows what I’m going to throw. I double-dare you to try and hit it.
Joba has the same attitude when coming out of the pen. And likewise, he tends to overthink and overanalyze when starting. For both, the mental side of the game had the potential to prematurely end promising careers.
That guy in the mid-70’s? He went on to post 300+ career saves and a plaque in Cooperstown. His name? Goose Gossage.
This is how it all begins…
Hello, and welcome to the first installment of “Political Baseballs.” I’ll be divvying up my posts into three general categories: Sports, Politics and Tech. Why these three particular categories?
Well, the explanation is pretty simple, really.
First, I’m a sports junkie. Admittedly, this can (as all addictions) consume way too much of my time, causing my family to wonder if I’m alive or if the keyboard noises coming from my office are merely on Memorex. (If you’re old enough to remember that commercial, then you’ve come to the right place.) In particular, I’m a New York Yankees fanatic – the kind who would, if I won the lottery, buy an entire section’s worth of season tickets. But I also get nearly as hyped for the NFL and NCAA, although I have to admit the NBA has left me wishing for the days of Jordan, Laimbeer and Ewing.
Secondly, I’m an unabashed Libertarian. As such, I find a lot very wrong with American politics these days and can’t really find myself trusting anyone from either major party. As you read on through the coming days, you’ll notice I’m an equal opportunity slammer. I guess you could say I was a Tea Partier before there was a Tea Party – which, by the way, I don’t really trust, either. Too many Newt Gingrich’s involved with it for me to really consider it a “grass roots” uprising.
Finally, tech is my life (and after my wife) my biggest passion. Some people are early adopters. Some people make stuff so others can adopt early. I fall into the latter category. I’m especially involved with mobile web integration – for the uninitiated, that’s bringing the World Wide Web to you, wherever you are. So if you’re into mobile devices, the internet in general or just want to get your inner geek on, read on!
Political Baseballs 