Blog @ MoreWhat.com

A fitting report to help usher in the New Year and give us something to remember about the old one.  Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is so good she can gaff her campaign without doing anything.  Maybe Governor Strickland is really working for the Obama or Edwards’ campaign.  Right before the Iowa caucus is not a good time to suggest it makes no sense and should be eliminated.

Whether you have a problem with who goes first or not, everyone should be able to tip their hat to the fine folks in Iowa who are as personally invested in the process as any candidate.  All the time and effort they spend on selecting their picks for public office stands in stark contrast to so many who complain about voting or do not even make the effort.

Perhaps Gov Strickland should study the Giuliani campaign this year.  It will be interesting to see the results for Giuliani in all the states he snubs for the big electoral prizes.  But aside from that it is nice to see the campaign of the one most say will win the election try to crash and burn 3 days before the first contest.

Clinton Surrogate Veers Off Script

December 31, 2007
By Jeff Zeleny

The Clinton campaign was quick to distance itself from his remarks, issuing a statement declaring “Hillary and Governor Strickland strongly disagree.”

If nothing else, a post about France and Sarkozy provides an excuse to post a pic and video link about Carla Bruni. But this particular video is relevant since Sarkozy and Bruni are apparently an item. Seems the French might not be real crazy about this arrangement. Hence, for this and other reasons, the post title is ‘Bon Chance, Sarkozy’.

France Stubs Out Smoking

By VOA News
29 December 2007
The French cafe society culture of long conversations over wine and coffee while relaxing in the ever-present haze of cigarette smoke is about to be transformed.

The smoky cafe will be only a memory when France bans smoking in bars, discotheques, restaurants, casinos and cafes on January 1.

Cafe and restaurant owners are concerned there will be little conversation with less wine, coffee and food purchased when customers are not allowed to smoke.

In November, thousands of cafe and restaurant owners marched in Paris to protest the upcoming ban, but the French government is moving ahead with implementing the new law.

Smoking restrictions began earlier this year in workplaces, schools, airports, hospitals and other public sites.

Officials say France has at least 65,000 smoke-related deaths each year.
That France is engaging the politically correct smoke free stance is not a surprise. Surely everyone can climb on board the no smoking band wagon. This is not entirely unlike the global warming mentality that selects causes for which the supporters can feel better about themselves. It’s easy to select only those causes requiring no self-sacrifice or discipline and look upon those on the other side with disdain. Have these same crusaders eliminated any questionable lifestyle choices of their own? Do you see Al Gore giving up his private jet or palatial estate? Has the health problem of obesity received as much attention or willing crusaders as smoking or drinking or other popular targets? The reality of stigmas for personal choice is another reason this post expresses bon chance, Sarkozy.

But the more serious reasons for wishing Sarkozy good luck is related to another hot topic, nuclear power and the threat of a viable energy source being used for weapons.

Sarkozy: France Supports Egypt’s Nuclear-Power Plans

By VOA News
29 December 2007
French President Nicolas Sarkozy says France is willing to help Egypt develop nuclear power plants.

In an interview published Saturday in the Egyptian newspaper Al-Ahram, Mr. Sarkozy said France will cooperate and work together with Egypt if the Cairo government wants to develop civilians uses for nuclear technology.

Earlier this year, authorities in Cairo announced that Egypt intends to build several nuclear reactors to meet its future energy needs.

The French president has been vacationing in Egypt in advance of an official state visit he will begin on Sunday in Cairo.
France generates 75 or 80% of its electrical power capacity from nuclear plants. This may be one area where France is a leg up on other countries in limiting less desirable effects of other power generating sources. Offering to help Egypt develop similar nuclear power capabilities as many countries align to oppose Iran’s arguments over nuclear issues could just be bad timing. Like the outspoken little maniac from Iran won’t use this in his arguments. Again comes the bon chance Sarkozy.

France opposed the US on many items in recent years. Some critics of those opposing the US suggested certain financial arrangements with Iraq in recent years may have been the real reason for the opposition.

Thursday, 13 February, 2003, 17:31 GMT
France’s economic ties to Iraq
By John Laurenson

During the late 1970s, French companies started work on the Tamuz One nuclear reactor near Baghdad - designed to produce plutonium - and on a second reactor, Tamuz Two.

During the Iran-Iraq war, France was soon supplying Iraq with top level military hardware of its own.

All told, France sold some $25bn-worth of weaponry to Iraq before the UN embargo was imposed after the Gulf War.

But above all, the French are interested in Iraqi oil.

Nicolas Sarkis, of Arab Oil and Gas magazine, says France’s state-controlled TotalFinaElf is poised to win contracts to drill the largest unexploited oil reserves in the world.

Before and after Sarkozy’s election in France reports suggested he was interested in improving the relationship with the US. Some may have cheered no more Chirac, no more freedom fries, no more hassles or some promise of good feelings between France and the US. Like most optimistic forecasts or expectations it will probably require bon chance for the new leader of France even with the cherry reports of his early success.

2007 was France’s Year of Nicolas Sarkozy

By Lisa Bryant
Paris
22 December 2007

Bryant report - Download MP3 (1.2MB)
Listen to Bryant report

The year 2007 in France can easily be called the year of Nicolas Sarkozy. Since Mr. Sarkozy’s election as president, he appears to be everywhere, and as Lisa Bryant reports for VOA from Paris, he is living up to some of the high expectations.

It’s May 6, 2007, and Nicolas Sarkozy, candidate for the ruling conservative Union for a Popular Movement Party has won the French presidential elections, beating out his Socialist rival Segolene Royale with 53 percent of the votes. During his campaign Mr. Sarkozy promised not just change in France, but a real “rupture” or break from the country’s past. He reiterated this vow during a triumphant speech shortly after the results were announced.

Speaking before cheering supporters, France’s new leader said the country had given him everything. Now, it was time for him to give back to France.

The past seven months have indeed brought changes and a new tone to French politics. Mr. Sarkozy appointed an extremely diverse cabinet, including not only a number of women and ethnic minorities, but also members of the leftist opposition, including French Foreign Affairs Minister Bernard Kouchner.

Steven Ekovich specializes in French politics at the American University of Paris.

“Right now, he’s exploiting his image as a young, dynamic president,” he said. “And we’ll see how quickly the French get tired of this energy. But we have quite a dramatic difference with the previous president who seemed to have no energy at all.”

When it comes to domestic policy, says Frederic Micheau, an analyst at the IFOP polling agency in Paris, the French president has largely delivered.

Micheau says Mr. Sarkozy has made good on campaign promises to help realize a new, simplified European Union treaty, simplify immigration laws, and reform the universities and special pension privileges for some French workers.

Not all the changes are popular. The pension reform plans brought hundreds of thousands of striking workers to the streets in November and students upset about the proposed university reforms blocked several dozen French universities. Critics have also blasted new immigration restrictions passed by Mr. Sarkozy’s center-right government.

President Bush poses with French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Kennebunkport, Maine, 11 Aug 2007

President Bush poses with French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Kennebunkport, Maine, 11 Aug 2007
In fact, Stephane Le Foll, a Socialist deputy in the European Parliament and Cabinet director for Socialist party chairman Francois Holland has nothing good to say about Mr. Sarkozy’s performance to date.

Overall, Le Foll gives Mr. Sarkozy a negative year-end report card. He says the economy is doing badly, and likely to be worse next year. And, he says, the president’s social policies aren’t any better.

Mr. Sarkozy’s foreign policy has also generated criticism. He has established warmer ties with the United States than under his predecessor Jacques Chirac, but analyst Micheau says he has not respected his campaign promises to make human rights issues an integral part of his foreign policy, notably in his dealings with Russia and China, which he visited this year.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy, left, greets Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi at his arrival at the Elysee Palace in Paris, 12 Dec. 2007
French President Nicolas Sarkozy, left, greets Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi at his arrival at the Elysee Palace in Paris, 12 Dec. 2007
And the December visit to France of Moammar Gadhafi of Libya, once considered a terrorist nation, generated outcry particularly when Mr. Gadhafi contradicted Mr. Sarkozy and said the French president had not brought up human rights concerns during their talks.

Socialist politician Le Foll says Mr. Gadhafi’s visit deteriorated the image not only of Mr. Sarkozy, but also of France. He also criticizes the way the French president monopolizes the media and public space.

And Mr. Sarkozy’s energy seems unending, visiting French fishermen one day and flying off to Chad the next, to bring back Europeans facing kidnapping charges. Although he tried to keep his rocky relationship with his wife Cecilia private, the announcement of their divorce in October splashed across front pages of the French newspapers. His new relationship with Italian singer Carla Bruni is similarly grabbing media attention.

Mr. Sarkozy’s popularity has also plummeted from a peak of nearly 80 percent in August to between 50 and 55 percent today. Most analysts believe his honeymoon with the French people is over. Micheau of IFOP is among them.

But Micheau said President Sarkozy’s highest popularity ratings almost reached those of French wartime hero, Charles de Gaulle, so it was inevitable that they should drop.

Micheau says Mr. Sarkozy’s best plan of action for 2008 is to continue making good on his promises of 2007.

(note for this post: if bonne chance is correct and bon chance not precisely so, that explains the use here of bon chance)

Fred Thompson : I’m Fred Thompson and I approve this message.

Announcer : The Wall Street Journal says Fred Thompson’s tax cut plan “leads the GOP field.”

A leading economic group calls it a plan “conservatives can rally around.”

The conservative National Review says only Thompson has outlined “specific, conservative policies” on immigration.

Investor’s Daily says Thompson’s national security plan features a “Reaganesque rebuilding of our military.”

And the National Right to Life Committee endorsed him because they know he can win.

Fred Thompson. The clear conservative choice.

NBC’s Law and Order and the movie The Hunt for Red October are a couple of examples of Fred Thompson’s acting resume’. Always likeable characters and a decent performance in the Senate as well as other government service dating back to the Watergate era. It could be most voters are more familiar with DA Arthur Branch than former Senator Fred Thompson.

But the problem with ads is even though they do not lend themselves to in depth presentation perhaps some reference to the information hinted at could be given. We get it Fred. Tax cuts, immigration enforcement, strong military and anti-abortion are the points. The interesting thing is that with the exception of abortion the other issues mentioned are budget items. You can’t cut taxes, increase the military or enforce immigration without reducing revenue or increasing debt. It also requires cooperation from Congress which will not likely have a GOP majority in 2009.

You’re a good guy Fred. Just don’t know if you can ‘getter done’. At this blog you are the 2nd choice after Mitt Romney. Ya, of course, who cares?

For Immediate Release
December 30, 2007

TV Ad: “Respect”

John McCain for President
:30 Television
“Respect”
December 29, 2007

Anncr: John McCain reacts to Mitt Romney’s negative attacks

JSM: You know, I find it ironic Mitt Romney would attack me on the issue of immigration.

This is the same Mitt Romney who called my plan, quote, “Reasonable”.

Before I can win your vote, I know I have to win your respect.
And to do that, you know I’ll always be straight with you

And on this issue I’ve learned that we’ve got to restore government and secure our borders.

JSM: I’m John McCain and I approve this message

Visiting YouTube to access a 30 second video seems a waste of time since Senator John McCain was nice enough to provide a press release of what is on it. Focus your attention on the second to the last sentence that starts with ‘And on this issue I’ve learned’…..

That’s right Senator. But saying you’ve learned is a bit misleading to those who may not have witnessed the amnesty battle in Congress last year. You joined with President Bush, Senators Kennedy, Kyl and others to support instant amnesty with blue cards to supplement the green. It would have allowed illegals to remain here legally, like forever.

The only question I have was were you looking for the political sham and cover of bipartisan politics to excuse abandoning the rule of law? It would have been honest to say you supported amnesty. Voters could have been mad as hell at you but you may have retained their respect. I still respect the good that you have done in serving the country. Voters may not respect you for the ad that is essentially a lie of omission.

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If you’re here legally and behavin’ yo self, welcome aboard.
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We suggest using the Linkfest Haven Deluxe Trackback pinger for ease of use and time savings to catch all the festive linking activities today. Or, if you have done this less than we have, the permalink for this Open Trackback is the title link and the trackback is located near the bottom of the permalink page for this post. Just poke around, you’ll find it.

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1. Open TrackBack and Open Thread Posting…. Says:
   December 26th, 2007 at 5:27 pm […] Trackposted to …. thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe. […]
2. Woman Honor Thyself Says:
   December 27th, 2007 at 1:14 am Doozie of the Day: Tim the “Butcher”…It goes against every single aspect of human nature to toss a child on a garbage heap or train him to be a “suicide bomber”.……
3. Adam’s Blog Says:
   December 27th, 2007 at 4:44 am Understanding Evil…Podcast Show Notes
   America’s greatest threats in the war on terror are not our enemy, but rather our denial of evil and the sinister nature of moral equivalence.
   Click here to download, click here to add this podcast to your Itunes.
   Try GotoMyPC …
4. The World According To Carl Says:
   December 27th, 2007 at 5:56 am […] Trackposted to ….. Also thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe. […]
5. Mark My Words Says:
   December 27th, 2007 at 5:30 pm Benazir Bhutto is now a martyr…Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto has been murdered. Despite her faults, the fact that she was trying to bring some democracy to Pakistan makes her a martyr infinitely more so than the animals that killed her and at least 20 others ……
6. Gulf Coast Hurricane Tracker Says:
   December 27th, 2007 at 9:06 pm 2007 Tropical Season Wrap-Up…Well, I guess it is time for a very overdue wrap up of the rather unusual 2007 tropical season. I have been holding out waiting for one last storm to sprout up before the end of the year….
7. Blue Star Chronicles Says:
   December 28th, 2007 at 5:54 am The Assassination of Benazir Bhutto…It hardly comes as a surprise that Benazir Bhutto was assassinated today. She was assassinated by a suicide bomber. They’ve been trying to get her since she returned to Pakistan from her self-imposed exile in hopes of winning a general election in th….
8. » No good deed goes unpunished for Manuel Jesus Cordova » Leaning Straight Up » Blog Archive » Says:
   December 28th, 2007 at 10:10 am […] Trackposted to ….. thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe. […]
9. Mark My Words Says:
   December 28th, 2007 at 12:38 pm Fred Thompson’s red pickup…I won’t be posting again until after January 2nd. In the meantime, don’t forget about Fred Thompson’s goal to play his latest ad across Iowa. He’s trying to raise $248,846 by 6pm tonight. As of 6am today, $145,414 has been raised. The ad ……
10. THE MIDNIGHT SUN » Blog Archive » A FRENCHMAN PONDERS AMERICA’S ‘REAGANO CONSERVATIVE HEART’ Says:
    December 28th, 2007 at 12:49 pm […] Trackposted to …….. thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe. […]

When Clinton called her lobbyist money as coming from ‘real Americans’, Edwards and Obama jumped at the chance to criticize her for not representing average Americans and being part of the old guard corrupt Washington political culture. A ‘gift’ connected to the Edwards campaign comes from the Mellon fortune’s holdings from pharmaceutical and banking holdings. Mellon had previously contributed the $4600 maximum to the Edwards campaign..

Obama is quick to criticize the gift to Edwards backers while distancing himself from special interest money. But the Vote Hope group said it hopes to raise $2 million for Obama’s California campaign. Seems as though all three have their hands in the cookie jar but want to attack each other for the source of the money.

Edwards backer reports gift of $495K

By Dan Morain
Los Angeles Times
December 29, 2007

DES MOINES — The investment account of philanthropist Rachel L. Mellon has given $495,000 to an independent group that is backing Democrat John Edwards’ presidential bid.

The donation, which was disclosed in a Federal Election Commission filing Friday, comes as Edwards and rival Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois have been sniping at each other over just such outside spending.

An aide to Obama called the $495,000 gift from Mellon, who is in her mid-90s, “questionable,” and Edwards repeated his view that independent advocacy groups should be banned.

Fund Supports Pro-Edwards ‘527′ Group

By JIM KUHNHENN – AP

Alexander Forger, a lawyer listed in New York city property records as holding power of attorney for Mellon, lists himself in FEC records as director of Oak Springs Farm LLC. He also has contributed the maximum $4,600 allowed to Edwards’ campaign.

Oak Spring Farm LLC contributed $250,000 last year to a nonprofit political group that Edwards set up called One America.

Forger did not immediately respond to e-mail and telephone messages.

Both One America and the Alliance for a New America are “527″ corporations, nonprofit groups that can carry out some political activity but have come under scrutiny by the FEC for their advertising during past presidential campaigns. They derive their name, “527,” from the section of the IRS code that authorizes them.

So how corrupt is Mr Poverty Tour, John Edwards, current Democratic party Presidential candidate and former lawsuit trial attorney who made millions for himself? Rachel Mellon and her half-million contribution get funneled by her attorney to a group at which the attorney is the director. Maybe the two America’s mantra of former Senator John Edwards simply separates most of us from the big money influence fueling his campaign.

Edwards offers a 527 letter, too

by John McCormick

DES MOINES — The dispute over who is purer on the influence of money from special interests continues its back and forth between former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards and Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois.

This morning, Obama’s campaign issued one of those easy-to-generate letters from disgruntled former supporters of Edwards in Iowa, while the afternoon brought one from the Edwards campaign written under the names of former Obama supporters now backing Edwards.

The text of the 527 letter is available at the linked excerpt above.

And there’s more….

Edwards Campaign May Have Expected Union Group Plan

By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK, NYT
December 27, 2007

But the Edwards campaign may have expected the support of the group, Alliance for a New America, set up by a local of the Service Employees International Union. An Oct. 8 e-mail message circulated among the union leaders who created the group suggests that they were talking with Edwards campaign officials about “what specific kinds of support they would like to see from us” just as they were planning to create an outside group to advertise in early primary states with “a serious 527 legal structure.”

Imagine that, content from the NYT spanking Edwards about contributions and connections. Probably because they support Clinton and Edwards is just another obstacle for them.

Trackposted to Stop the ACLU, Is It Just Me?, The Virtuous Republic, The Midnight Sun, Rosemary’s Thoughts, Stix Blog, Right Truth, DragonLady’s World, Stuck On Stupid, The Amboy Times, Chuck Adkins, Adeline and Hazel, Pursuing Holiness, third world county, Woman Honor Thyself, The Uncooperative Blogger, Pirate’s Cove, The Pink Flamingo, Celebrity Smack, Stageleft, Right Voices, guerrilla radio, 123beta, Adam’s Blog, Big Dog’s Weblog, Cao’s Blog, Conservative Cat, Nuke’s, Faultline USA, Allie is Wired, The Crazy Rants of Samantha Burns, The World According to Carl, Blue Star Chronicles, Gulf Coast Hurricane Tracker, and The Yankee Sailor, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Videos:

Who needs campaign speeches?

Earlier in the 2008 Presidential campaign the leading Democratic party candidate, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, entered into an argument that began with the famous description of her nearest rival, Senator Barack Obama, as ‘naive and irresponsible’ and that her experience in politics was superior to his. Her critics pointed out the only experience she could claim for her candidacy for President of the United States was living in the White House with former President William Jefferson Clinton, her husband, as First Lady. Her supporters suggested she played a more active role in government than a typical First Lady. This debate can continue indefinitely with no hope of solving the argument to anyone’s satisfaction. But the former First Lady’s ‘experience’ aside, the experience of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton can be factually represented by the legislation she has sponsored that became law since being sworn in for her first term on January 3, 2001. With her seventh year as a Senator coming to a close she has sponsored hundreds of bills of which a mere 18 have become public law.

A summary of the quality and quantity of these bills that became law is presented below followed by the Thomas database summary of them from the Library of Congress:

11 ‘designate’ bills for a building or land
2 political 911 bills
1 bill for a service award
1 bill for a display in the capitol
1 building assessment bill
1 bill to authorize a program
1 bill to reauthorize a program

Bills sponsored by Sen Clinton in the 107th Congress that became Public Law out of 161 total bills.

21. S.584 : A bill to designate the United States courthouse located at 40 Centre Street in New York, New York, as the “Thurgood Marshall United States Courthouse”.
Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 3/21/2001) Cosponsors (3)
Committees: Senate Environment and Public Works
Latest Major Action: 9/5/2001 Held at the desk.
Note: For further action, see H.R. 988, which became Public Law 107-33 on 8/20/2001.

27. S.1422 : A bill to provide for the expedited payment of certain benefits for a public safety officer who was killed or suffered a catastrophic injury as a direct and proximate result of a personal injury sustained in the line of duty in connection with the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 9/13/2001) Cosponsors (13)
Committees: Senate Judiciary
Latest Major Action: 9/13/2001 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Note: For further action, see H.R. 2882, which became Public Law 107-37 on 9/18/2001.

32. S.1622 : A bill to extend the period of availability of unemployment assistance under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act in the case of victims of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 11/1/2001) Cosponsors (2)
Committees: Senate Environment and Public Works; House Transportation and Infrastructure
Senate Reports: 107-120 House Reports: 107-377
Latest Major Action: 3/18/2002 Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 219.
Note: For further action, see H.R. 3986, which became Public Law 107-154 on 3/25/2002.

41. S.1892 : A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 375 Carlls Path in Deer Park, New York, as the “Raymond M. Downey Post Office Building”.
Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 1/23/2002) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: Senate Governmental Affairs
Latest Major Action: 3/21/2002 Senate committee/subcommittee actions. Status: Committee on Governmental Affairs. Ordered to be reported without amendment favorably.
Note: For further action, see H.R. 3379, which became Public Law 107-167 on 4/18/2002.

72. S.2496 : A bill to provide for the establishment of investigative teams to assess building performance and emergency response and evacuation procedures in the wake of any building failure that has resulted in substantial loss of life or that posed significant potential of substantial loss of life, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 5/9/2002) Cosponsors (3)
Committees: Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation
Latest Major Action: 5/9/2002 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Note: For further action, see H.R. 4687, which became Public Law 107-231 on 10/1/2002.

87. S.2918 : A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 380 Main Street in Farmingdale, New York, as the “Peter J. Ganci, Jr. Post Office Building”.
Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 9/10/2002) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: Senate Governmental Affairs
Latest Major Action: 11/18/2002 Senate floor actions. Status: Indefinitely postponed by Senate by Unanimous Consent.
Note: For further action, see H.R. 5336, which became Public Law 107-285 on 11/6/2002.

Bills sponsored by Clinton that became public law out of a total of 138 bills in the 108th

23. S.1241 : A bill to establish the Kate Mullany National Historic Site in the State of New York, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 6/11/2003) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: Senate Energy and Natural Resources; House Resources
Senate Reports: 108-295
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 108-438 [GPO: Text, PDF]

24. S.1266 : A bill to award a congressional gold medal to Dr. Dorothy Height, in recognition of her many contributions to the Nation.
Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 6/13/2003) Cosponsors (68)
Committees: Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
Latest Major Action: 6/13/2003 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
Note: For further action, see H.R. 1821, which became Public Law 108-162 on 12/6/2003.

28. S.1425 : A bill to amend the Safe Drinking Water Act to reauthorize the New York City Watershed Protection Program.
Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 7/17/2003) Cosponsors (None)
Committees: Senate Environment and Public Works
Senate Reports: 108-205
Latest Major Action: 11/20/2003 Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 406.
Note: For further action, see H.R.2771, which became Public Law 108-328 on 10/16/2004.

68. S.2838 : A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 10 West Prospect Street in Nanuet, New York, as the “Anthony I. Lombardi Memorial Post Office Building”.
Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 9/23/2004) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: Senate Governmental Affairs
Latest Major Action: 9/23/2004 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Governmental Affairs.
Note: For further action, see H.R.4618, which became Public Law 108-397 on 10/30/2004.

69. S.2839 : A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 555 West 180th Street in New York, New York, as the “Sergeant Riayan A. Tejeda Post Office”.
Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 9/23/2004) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: Senate Governmental Affairs
Latest Major Action: 11/16/2004 Held at the desk.
Note: For further action, see H.R.4046, which became Public Law 108-388 on 10/30/2004.

Bills sponsored by Clinton that became public law out of a total of 177 bills in the 109th

11. S.272 : A bill to designate certain National Forest System land in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico as a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System.
Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 2/3/2005) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: Senate Energy and Natural Resources
Senate Reports: 109-34
Latest Major Action: 7/27/2005 Held at the desk.
Note: For further action, see H.R.539, which became Public Law 109-118 on 12/1/2005.

28. S.1283 : A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to establish a program to assist family caregivers in accessing affordable and high-quality respite care, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 6/21/2005) Cosponsors (28)
Committees: Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Latest Major Action: 6/21/2005 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
Note: For further action, see H.R.3248, which became Public Law 109-442 on 12/21/2006.

51. S.2376 : A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 80 Killian Road in Massapequa, New York, as the “Gerard A. Fiorenza Post Office Building”.
Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 3/7/2006) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Latest Major Action: 6/22/2006 Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 480.
Note: For further action, see H.R.3934, which became Public Law 109-255 on 8/1/2006.

55. S.2722 : A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 170 East Main Street in Patchogue, New York, as the “Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy Post Office Building”.
Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 5/4/2006) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Latest Major Action: 6/22/2006 Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 482.
Note: For further action, see H.R.4101, which became Public Law 109-256 on 8/1/2006.

67. S.3613 : A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 2951 New York Highway 43 in Averill Park, New York, as the “Major George Quamo Post Office Building”.
Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 6/29/2006) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs; House Government Reform
Latest Major Action: Became Public Law No: 109-311 [GPO: Text, PDF]

71. S.3716 : A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 100 Pitcher Street in Utica, New York, as the “Captain George A. Wood Post Office Building”.
Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 7/24/2006) Cosponsors (1)
Committees: Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Latest Major Action: 7/24/2006 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Note: For further action, see H.R.4962, which became Public Law 109-275 on 8/17/2006.

78. S.3910 : A bill to direct the Joint Committee on the Library to accept the donation of a bust depicting Sojourner Truth and to display the bust in a suitable location in the Capitol.
Sponsor: Sen Clinton, Hillary Rodham [NY] (introduced 9/19/2006) Cosponsors (13)
Committees: Senate Rules and Administration
Latest Major Action: 9/19/2006 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.
Note: For further action, see H.R.4510, which became Public Law 109-427 on 12/20/2006.

146 bills sponsored in the 110th Congress, as of this writing none have yet become law.

While Hillary Rodham Clinton argues she is qualified to be President based on her experience the fact remains that outside of a boat load of scandals she only has one failed health care proposal and 18 minor public laws on her resume’. Hardly a recommendation to assume the responsibility of Command and Chief of the United States.

The point here is that she refuses to release docs about her time as First Lady yet wants that time to count for her experience to be President. If she had not been married to William Jefferson Clinton she would not have lived in the White House. If she had not been married to William Jefferson Clinton she would not have lived in the Arkansas State House. If she had not been offered a heavily Democratic area in state of New York to run for the Senate there is a better than even chance she would not have been elected to the Senate. While in the Senate for seven years, a legislative body, she has sponsored 18 minor bills that became law and more than half of those were for naming a building after someone famous or some similar purpose. These items do not represent Presidential aspirations or ability.

Just Hours Before Her Death, Benazir Bhutto Expressed Concerns About Curbing Extremism

By Sayed Hassan
Islamabad
27 December 2007

Watch Bhutto Interview report / Windows Broadband - download
Watch Bhutto Interview report / Windows Broadband
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Watch Bhutto Interview report / Windows Dialup

Hours before her death, former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who was visiting Islamabad. After the meeting, Bhutto told VOA reporter Sayed Hassan that she and Mr. Karzai expressed concerns about curbing extremism in the region.

Benazir Bhutto: “I explained to President Karzai that the Pakistan People’s Party hoped to win the elections and form the government and we look forward to working very closely with Afghanistan. We too believe it is essential for us both of our countries and indeed the large Muslim world to work to protect the interests of the Islamic civilization by eliminating extremism and terrorism. I touched upon the need to - I asked him about madrassas [Islamic schools] in Afghanistan and I said we discussed about madrassas and they have only the traditional madrassas.

You know there are two types of madrassas. One is the traditional madrassas, which teaches Islamic teachings and which are very good and which are very noble and on the other hand there are these training institutes that brainwash young children and turn them into warriors and fighters for no cause- for creating anarchy and chaos but they pose as madrassas which they’re not. So I asked him, he said ‘we don’t have that problem in Afghanistan’, I said well we have that problem in Afghanistan and we discussed about trade in the region.

Trade had gone up really high in 2006. It’s come down now and I suggested that might be due to the fact that there is destabilization going on the frontier province. We’ve had the incident in Swat with Alpuri, the bomb blasts on Eid ul Azha, as I was in Charsadda yesterday’s bomb blasts were in Peshawar. So the destabilization is now by the extremists, is not now relegated to the tribal areas of Pakistan but they have descended into not only the settled areas of frontier province they have descended into Peshawar. So there is an absolute need for both our countries to cooperate closely on terrorism related issues and also on issues of how we can enhance the quality of life of our people by improving economic ties.

I was pleased to read in the newspapers today that Pakistan and Afghanistan are forming a committee for intelligence sharing. I think this is a good and positive move and I mentioned to the Afghan president that we in the PPP were desirous of seeking good relations with Afghanistan as well as with India.

I mentioned that while we were trying to control the extremists and the militants they had turned their guns inward but I said it was still very necessary for us to dismantle these groups; because while some of them may have been formed in a noble cause, for example, some may have taken up the cause of fighting the occupation of Afghanistan or others might have taken up the cause of Kashmir but nonetheless once such people were trained they could always turn their guns on other objects and therefore it was important in the PPP’s view that we should seek peaceful means of conflict resolution so that our people did not suffer, our countries did not suffer and our Islamic civilization did not suffer.”

By VOA News
27 December 2007
Aides say Pakistan’s former prime minister and opposition leader Benazir Bhutto has been assassinated.

Western and Pakistani news agencies said Ms. Bhutto died after sustaining injuries in a suicide attack at election rally near the capital, Islamabad.

Ms. Bhutto had just addressed a gathering in a park in Rawalpindi, near the capital, Islamabad, when a blast went off. There were also reports of gunfire after the explosion, and some media reported Ms. Bhutto died of gunshot wounds to her neck.

At least 15 other people were reported killed in the attack.

Ms. Bhutto returned to Pakistan in October after eight years in exile. She escaped injury in a double suicide attack during her homecoming procession in Karachi that killed around 140 people.

For months, Ms. Bhutto had been in talks with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf for a possible power-sharing deal, strongly favored by the United States. But talks had stalled and Ms. Bhutto was campaigning to run in general elections set for January eighth.

Ms. Bhutto also sought to join forces with another former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, whose opposition party is also running in the upcoming elections.

Hours before Ms. Bhutto’s death, four people were killed by gunmen who opened fire on supporters of Ms. Sharif during a political rally near Rawalpindi.

Sharif supporters are blaming members of the party that backs President Pervez Musharraf for the violence. Mr. Musharraf’s Pakistan Muslim League-Q party has denied those accusations.

Sharif is banned from seeking a seat himself due to past criminal convictions

Wal-Mart lobbies above retail value
Dec 26, 12:28 PM EST
By DIBYA SARKAR
AP Business Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Wal-Mart’s message to America is “Save money. Live better.” Its motto in Washington might best be summed up another way: Spend more. Lobby harder.

The world’s largest retailer spent nearly $1.8 million in the first six months of 2007 and is on pace to break the nearly $2.5 million it spent for all of 2006.

While overall spending on lobbying appears to be slowing a bit, some industries, such as private equity, and companies, such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc., are bucking the trend.

Still criticized for pay and benefits that often require employees to seek government sponsored alternatives to group insurance, Wal-Mart’s save money, live better slogan has taxpayers picking up the tab. There support of amnesty and keep wages lower to reduce prices as well as strong arming offshore vendors for their inventory contradict the idea of a well run business that offers quality at competitive prices.

Mega increases in lobbying expenditures may account for the quieter response to Wal-Mart practices in Washington. But don’t take this at face value, read the rest of this report and do a little research about the Walton family business.

The excerpt below is a brief description of Club Penguin from a Disney press release in August 2007. The funny part is someone else is responsible for the idea. Disney acquires the business for $700 million beating out Sony and states nothing is planned to change the product other than taking it global. If you’re a big fan of Club Penguin stop reading this. This is a post entirely intended to point out the dominance of the commercial aspects of any successful brand that appeals to kids trumps any positive influence the product may possess.

Since its launch in October 2005, award-winning Club Penguin has grown to more than 700,000 current paid subscribers, and has achieved this remarkable subscriber and user growth with very limited marketing efforts, relying mostly on strong product and word of mouth awareness among kids. The site has more than 12 million activated users, primarily in the U.S. and Canada, and is one of the fastest growing online destinations for kids ages 6-14. The site features animated penguin avatars that inhabit a snow-covered virtual world, converse with other users, participate in group activities and create and furnish a virtual home with currency earned inside the game.

$700 million to buy Club Penguin and 700,000 paid subscribers. If the reports are accurate and the venue is a safe place for the 6 to 14 crowd that is a good thing. It might in fact be the crowning achievement of such a product. Without commercial success even good ideas that do or would benefit children will not get the attention they deserve. If a product or service is wildly popular among children it may be the result of marketing. The positive attributes of the product or service are secondary at best if they are present at all. The lure of the largest discretionary source of cash in the American marketplace requires business to focus on this age group. It is the training ground for future young adult shoppers sponsored by the corporate world. The hope is the habits they form as children will be enhanced as they reach the age of majority. Witness the camera feature in cell phones followed by the integration of wireless internet and personal music players with cute names rather than model numbers. This will help drive pay per view everything and a reduction in products or services actually having practical value. Sort of like the old joke about naming an arcade game ‘gimme your quarter’. It of course is all about the money.

WRAL.com

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