Monday April 15, your taxes are due. Well, for about half of you, your taxes are due. A great many people do not pay taxes, or pay such a small portion of the tax revenue, that it is inconsequential. As it stands, right now, the lower half of the income bracket pays less than 5% of the total tax revenue. So, this sounds fair, huh? Think again.

My wife and I are public school teachers in California. We have a house, and mortgage, two cars, 1998 models, still with payments, one child, another due in June, and no other sources of income. Together this year we made a little over 100,000 dollars. So much for poor teachers. I am not complaining. Except that the federal government thinks we're rich. We are creeping up the brackets, and we are being asked to shoulder an ever increasing load of the tax revenue.

Notice I say tax revenue. See, when more than half the people pay less than 5% of the taxes, people like my wife and I are asked to bear a larger and larger burden. In other words, we are asked to assume responsibility for more and more people's tax burden. Since our votes only count the same as someone's vote that doesn't pay taxes, if there are more of them than us, well, you start to see the picture.

No, I don't think that I should pay the same dollar amount as someone who makes half what I do. But why should I pay a different percentage? 10% of 50,000 dollars IS MORE THAN 10% of 25,000 dollars. Did you hear that Mr. Gephardt, Mr. Daschle, and the rest of the Democratic party?

Not only are tax rates at historic highs, but the burden has shifted upwards in an unprecedented manner. Never before has so much been paid by so few, to so many. This is a distortion of democracy. This trend will continue, no doubt, since, why would the majority elect leaders who would do anything but keep having the taxes paid by "them" and not by "us".

This is happening at the same time that more and more people are demanding more and more in services from the federal government. Whether it is "compassionate conservatism" to tried and trued and failed liberal feel good spending, more is being spent than ever before. It's gotta come from somewhere. And it keeps coming from fewer and fewer people. And that isn't very democratic.

So I'm all set to comment on Maureen Dowd's nonsensical piece in the NY Times about men, when I get home from school to read that another Palestinian bomber has attacked Israel, when Secretary of State Powell was there. So now the Powell-Arafat shindig is nixed.

I hate to be right, but this is the "Right Way" and let's face it, I was right. Dammit. When I'm right, Jews die. I don't want to be right. Hell, I'd rather have this be the Wrong Way.

I hope it is clear to all the European nations, all the people in our State department, and anybody around the world, who seems to have faith in "the peace process". The peace process is Munich 1938. You are asking the Israelis, just like the Czechs, to give land, land vital to their defense, in the vain hope that maybe, just maybe, they will be safe.

They will be invaded and will be killed. Nobody will come to the defense of the "Jewish State". In France there were incidents of anti-semitic attacks and vandalism. Big surprise there. Maybe the US will help, but will she risk angering her European "allies" or the her strategic interests in the Gulf?

We have already backed down on plans to attack Iraq, we are abandoning a true friend in Israel, and we have strayed from the original message and urpose of the war on terror. By we, I of course mean President Bush.

Remember, when we supported Israel's operation into the West Bank, the bombings stopped, and the PLO and others got the message. Only AFTER the Bush mandate to Sharon, only AFTER the meeting with Arafat was scheduled, only AFTER we decided to play peacemaker and give credibility to Arafat, have we seen the recent bombings. Do you think it was coincidence that the bombing happened on Powell's arrival?

We have encouraged the attacks. They are the result of our failure to support a friend, our failure to show resiliency in our commitment to the war on terror, and our continuing support of an avowed terrorist. Since 1993, Arafat has been given a long list of things he must do, AND HE HAS DONE NOTHING. He won't change Palestinian textbooks, he won't police his own people, he won't arrest terrorists, he won't renounce terrorism, he won't acknowledge Israel's right to exist. HE WILL DO NOTHING.

He will however, continue to gain stature in the Arab world. He gets ultimatum after ultimatum, and nothing is done. So Powell's mission was to deliver an ultimatum. What, the 3000^th one. Oh, I'm sure he'll get the message this time.

On one thing I mentioned earlier, that Israel will be attacked and killed. Well, please remember they have nukes.

If the result of terror is negotiations, expect lots of body bags. The Israelis finally got it right. Even if the US isn't in her corner, it doesn't matter. Sharon is the right man for the job. He has said they're staying there until the job is done.

From one Jew to another, L'Chaim.

Though no friend to conservatives, Senator Dianne Feinstein has introduced legislation that declares the PLO a terrorist organization, and requires the US to sever ties, etc. Great Job. Support for our friends IS NOT a partisan issue, as her co-sponsor is Senator Mitch McConnell, a very conservative member. Everybody needs to get behind this legislation. Give both senators words of praise, and by all means, let YOUR senator know they need to get behind this one.

And most importantly, get out there and tell your friends.

i just got welcomed into the conservative underground.

Hurray for the Judge in Ohio who threw out the anti-concealed weapons law. He said that it violated the right to self protection. Hah, Sarah, take that. Hmmm...then if I DO have a right to self protection, then, what other gun laws will be tossed. One can only hope. Not that we should pray for help from the courts. The Constitution is the Constitution, and does not need judges to protect her, only an informed citizenry.

And I notice that Hillary is the most profligate spender in all of congress. Dear NY, Thanks. Really. I mean it. I really do. Okay, maybe not.

Apparently the Palestinian leadership wants Thursday to be set up aside in the Islamic and Arab world to "honor ... those who have resisted the aggression on Jenin." MIlitary history is filled with stories of bravery and heroism, of smaller forces taking on, and defeating larger ones. In fact that has been the whole of Israeli history.

How helpless the Arab world must feel, being bullied and pushed around by the big, bad, mean, old Israelis. Oh how they deserve our sympathy. Oh how they need help. How could those Israelis dare to pick on such helpless neighbors? Why don't they pick on someone their own size.

Amazing really.

Time.com's Michael Duffy writes about President Bush's "about face" in this article. It is a great read for a behind the scenes look at how the president went back and forth on his Mideast policy. It is extremely interesting to see how there are two camps in the White House, the hawkish pro-Israeli Cheney and Rumsfeld, and the "moderate" Powell wing, or as I said earlier, the not so friendly to Israel State Department. Clearly, I guessed right, that State now had the president's ear. How I wish I was wrong.

Unfortunately for Mr. Duffy, he fails to recognize the dangers of negotiating with a terrorist. He fails to see Bush's real about face, and that is his policy towards terrorists, and those who support them. Bush is now cozying up to the same nations that support terror and is trying to gain their support for a continued offensive. What about his policy that we will go it alone if needed? He has abandoned his principles. He is letting Egypt's President Mubarak, whom Mr. Duffy calls an ally, tell us when it is appropriate to wage war in that region. I beg to differ on that assessment of Mubarak. If we are going to proceed against Iraq, which is looking less and less likely, we will never have Arab support. And we need that?

Bush had pinpointed Arafat as the man behind the terror bombings in Israel. If the Secretary of State meets with Arafat, there will be only more terrorist attacks against the Israelis. This will embolden the Palestinians, legitimizing and rewarding their acts of terror.

Duffy writes, "Bush's opening statement wasn't exactly a beacon of clarity, since he had to carefully and judiciously slap just about everyone in the Middle East. But it may have been the beginning of a realistic policy. The main problem now is that no one knows what happens next. ", No Mr. Duffy, President Bush's opening statement was a beacon of clarity. "Israel has a right to protect herself". And yes, the Middle East nations do need a slap. Something to wake them up and make them remember something called Desert Storm. And no Mr. Duffy, we do know what is going to happen next. We know that there will be more dead Israeli citizens, there will be more bloodshed, and we know that the "peace process" will lead to only more killing and more bloodshed.

Bush's about face isn't about his intervention in the Middle East. It is his about face regarding dealing with terrorists. We are giving credibility to a terrorist, Arafat, and rewarding his terrorist ways. Mr. Duffy, moderation in dealing with terrorism simply legitimizes it, and asks for more.

"...experts now believe the U.S. should come up with an ultimatum--a solution imposed from on high with new rules, sweeteners for every camp and unbearable penalties if they balk. It's an approach favored in one form or another by such old hands as Zbigniew Brzezinski, National Security Adviser in the Carter Administration, and Robert Malley, a former Clinton peace negotiator." Great, that's just what we need, "experts" from the Carter and Clinton foreign policy teams.

Duffy's most important line was from the president's speech. "Bush called on moderate Arab countries to stop wringing their hands and start helping the Palestinians build their new nation--but also warned Iraq, Iran and Syria not to undo the deal by supporting terror." Why he doesn't expand on this one can only wonder. Only when this happens, will we see a real peace begin to take shape. Currently, the Arab nations simply want to throw the problem onto Israel alone, and make the US play peacemaker. There is no mention of this in the Arab press, that Arab nations do nothing for the Palestinians, save financing terrorism. The Arab governments quite simply want nothing to do with the Palestinians.

Mr. Duffy, you should know that for years now, the Palestinian Authority has had control over 95% of the Palestinian lands. Has anything improved? Where have millions in international aid gone? Why when the Israelis DID SHOW restraint after several terrorist attacks, and simply asked the PA for the suspects, they got nothing? Why does no one ask why Palestinian textbooks make NO MENTION of Israel, as mandated in the Oslo accords, and that Palestinian children are taught to equate "Zionism with Nazism"? Mr. Duffy, you miss Bush's real about face, and fail to mention that the US can do nothing until the roots of terrorism are wiped out, and Arab nations take an active role in peace, not war, with Israel.

oops, cookie problem.

Just a few late night observations before I call it a day. First, check out BlackGenocide.org. Great work by Pastor Childress. I am neither Black nor Christian, yet I find so much in common with him. The feminists always defend "abortion rights" by claiming that pro-life people want to turn back the clock. Yes. We do. To a time when we had respect for human life. Mass murder is not progress.

How about their desire to stop scientific progress. I was able to see my daughter 1 month after conception, and there was a heart beat plain as day. At two months, arms, feet, toes, hands, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, well, you get the idea. All done with a sonagram. If that isn't a life, then you tell me what exactly life is. My baby boy is due early June. A two year old and newborn...wish me luck.

Now it looks like the Bush tax cut was the most repsonsible thing we could have done. Hey, Senator Daschle, I don't hear you talking about the huge pork bills winding their way through your neck of the woods. See cagw.org for more.

Just got back into classes a Cal State Northridge where I am working on my masters. This is one for campusnonsense. We had Caesar Chavez Day off, but not President's Day. Huh, go figure. What country is this anyways?

Just a few late night observations before I call it a day. First, check out BlackGenocide.org. Great work by Pastor Childress. I am neither Black nor Christian, yet I find so much in common with him. The feminists always defend "abortion rights" by claiming that pro-life people want to turn back the clock. Yes. We do. To a time when we had respect for human life. Mass murder is not progress.

How about their desire to stop scientific progress. I was able to see my daughter 1 month after conception, and there was a heart beat plain as day. At two months, arms, feet, toes, hands, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, well, you get the idea. All done with a sonagram. If that isn't a life, then you tell me what exactly life is. My baby boy is due early June. A two year old and newborn...wish me luck.

Now it looks like the Bush tax cut was the most repsonsible thing we could have done. Hey, Senator Daschle, I don't hear you talking about the huge pork bills winding their way through your neck of the woods. See cagw.org for more.

Just got back into classes a Cal State Northridge where I am working on my masters. This is one for campusnonsense. We had Caesar Chavez Day off, but not President's Day. Huh, go figure. What country is this anyways?

Today it seems that Israel has decided to heed President Bush's "demands" and begin a pullout of the "Palestinian" territory. It is apparent that the anti-Israel State Department now has Bush's ear. Before it was obviously Defense, since the president acknowledged Israel's right to protect herself. This is President Bush's first mistake I believe, and hopefully his last, regarding the War on Terror.

There are a few reasons for this. First, the Palestinians DO NOT WANT PEACE. The have never recognized Israel, and they will not in the forseeable future. Arafat has been, and will always be a terrorist. He believes that any land Israel occupies is "occupied territory". He has had numerous chances to control his people from blowing up innocent civilians and has failed EVERY TIME. Thus he is either unable to, which is the sign of a failed leader, or he won't, which means he, as their leader, is directly responsible.

Second, you never turn your back on your friends. Through thick and thin, it has always been the place of the US to stand by her friends, especially Israel. Can we count on our "Arab friends" to support us? I believe it was just ten years ago that the Saudis were begging us to help them from the Iraqi army. Now they play nicey nice with Saddam, and tell us not to attack Iraq. And just whose oil millions are supporting these terrorists anyways?

Of vital importance for Israel is, they now know that there can only be peace through massive strength. Surrounding Israel are 200 million Arabs who would love nothing better than to kill every single Jew, then "reclaim" their land. Every time the Israelis were ready to bargain, to sit down in good faith, the Palestinians broke off talks. Every time the Israelis were ready to give up land, the very same lands that were the launching points for the last Arab invasion, they have always demanded more. Notice how the violence has increased when the Israelis want to talk. Notice how it stops when the Israelis act.

If the Bush doctorine of "you're with us, or against us" is to hold any credibility, then he MUST ALLOW Israel to do what we did in Afghanistan, and we must do to Hussein. The Arab states don't have to recognize Israel, they never really will. They only need recognize that any attempts to attack will be crushed with brutal efficiency.

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