A Message From Robert Rodriguez

Pass it on...

Rodriguez Attacks McKeon for Playing Politics With People’s Lives

While McKeon Grins on House Floor, American

Workers of the 25th District are Duped by Their Own Congressman.

Palmdale, CA – At nearly midnight on Congress’s last day in session this weekend, Howard “Buck” McKeon sponsored a bill to fool the American public. After repeatedly stating his opposition to increasing the minimum wage, McKeon, who is Chairman of the House committee that oversees such legislation, pushed a wage increase through the House that Democrats have sought for nearly a decade.

Why McKeon’s sudden sympathy for the American worker? Because McKeon, like everyone on Capitol Hill, knows that the last-minute wage increase stands almost no chance of becoming law in the Senate because McKeon attached the increase to a batch of tax cuts that excludes nearly every American worker. It is common knowledge that the Republican House only passed the minimum wage measure so they could pretend they did something for the American worker before they face the voters this November.


“When I was growing up, my parents taught me to take pride in America as a land of opportunity. As gas prices and education costs rise, it is wrong for this Congress to play politics with people’s lives,” said Robert Rodriguez.


Rather than proudly proclaiming that he is suddenly on the side of the American worker, McKeon introduced the wage-increase bill while most Americans were asleep late Friday night. His office did not even post a press release stating that McKeon had pushed through a wage increase – the first in almost a decade.


“I don’t know if McKeon has ever had to live pay check to pay check, but many of the people of the 25h district do. It may just be politics to McKeon, but it is people’s lives he is playing with and it is nothing for him to be smiling about,” said Rodriguez.

McKeon and the Republicans had ample opportunity to push through a minimum wage increase that was free of exclusive tax breaks, but they chose to reject alternative legislation that would have stood a much stronger chance of passing the Senate.

While McKeon has opposed a minimum wage increase throughout his career, he has voted to increase his own pay every year for the past seven years. He has also taken $1.7 million in special interest corporate PAC money since becoming a Congressman from groups that traditionally oppose a minimum wage increase.

“This ploy to pretend to fight for the average American is not the first time McKeon has shown that he uses his position in Congress to serve himself. Just as the truth eventually caught up to Tom Delay and Duke Cunningham, McKeon will soon learn that people are not as oblivious to his attempts to fool them as he thinks,” said Rodriguez.

This latest act of self-dealing by McKeon is part of larger trend of McKeon placing himself ahead of his constituents. McKeon’s car lease is the second most expensive in all of Congress; at $1,200 per month in taxpayer dollars, it is more expensive than many of his constituents’ monthly rent or home mortgage payments. McKeon’s Office also received some of the most expensive lobbyist-paid vacations in all of Congress – a $28,000 trip to Australia and a $17,000 trip to Turkey to help secure foreign government contracts for General Atomics.

Boobies

Heaven help those who can't handle catching a glimpse of a woman's breast in public. In a country where we don't blink an eye at women who flash their breasts for cheap, plastic Mardi Gras beads, or give spring break vacationers a show on London Bridge in Arizona (and even film the events for "Girls Gone Wild", and the commercials shown for it every 10 minutes on Comedy Central), American society's reaction to women who breastfeed in public is quite negative. The fact that it is a controversy at all is bewildering to say the least. As if we're some kind of savages for choosing to use the breast for their intended purpose. There's an uproar over the "Baby Talk" magazine cover that features a close up photo of an infant nursing at an exposed breast. Big flippin' woo! Do you really think the mother is trying to seduce you with her exposed lactating boobie? We're such hypocticial prudes. Society has classified and objectified breasts as sexual and forgotten their designed primary function. If a woman feeding her child at her breast in public offends you so greatly, then I suggest some therapy may be in order. Perhaps you'll get to the root of your discomfort that the sight of breasts gives you...like maybe you didn't spend enough time at your own mother's breast. If that doesn't work then I have another suggestion for you. Don't look.

Magazine Cover Stirs Debate Over Breastfeeding

Military Homophobia Strikes Again

The U.S. Army discharged Sergent Bleu Copas, an Arabic specialist (I think we need those right now, don't you?) because he's gay. We should really be ashamed of this policy. Here we have Americans who want to serve their country, and as is the case with Mr. Copas, who were inspired post September 11th, and he's being discharged because...he's incompetent? A danger? A threat? Revealing military secrets? No, no, no, and no. Because he prefers other males in his personal relationships. Apparently the military's top priority is investigating gay people serving in our military over obtaining necessary intelligence in fighting the war on terror.


Army Dismisses Gay Arabic Linguist

Another Chink in the Armor

The Senate passed a bill today making it illegal to transport a minor across state lines to receive an abortion without parental consent. This applies even to clergy, siblings, and grandparents. What happens when that daughter is a victim of incestual rape and impregnated with her own father or guardian's child? Or is the victim of physical abuse and would surely suffer at the hands of her abusive parents if it is discovered that their daughter is pregnant? Like this guy:

Opponents said the Senate measure could threaten the safety of girls, saying parents might beat their daughters if they find out about plans for an abortion. The proponents' approach "is not to deal with the reality of young people" in troubled families, said Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.). He cited the case of an Idaho man who impregnated his 13-year-old daughter and then killed her when he learned she had scheduled an abortion.

Let's face it. Not every family are the perfect 1950's Leave it to Beaver, Cleavers. This bill is no victory. It's a damn shame.


Interstate Abortion Bill Clears Senate

Can't Get Through

On Friday afternoon, as I was traveling at a snail's pace along the northbound I-5, I spotted a plume of black smoke make its appearance over the top of the hill. I thought to myself, "Ruh-Roh". Brush fire. And not a fire truck in sight. When I found myself side by side with the flames quickly making their way up the mountainside, I reached for my cell phone (which I only use for emergencies while driving, I swear), I dialed 911. Busy. I tried again. Busy. I kept at it. Still busy. I continued until I reached my exit and spotted the fire trucks racing to the scene. Obviously someone had made it through to 911. Then I started thinking, what if I had some other extreme emergency and my call went unanswered? Not even unanswered so much as it was unknown. Never making it to the unanswered part because I never got through. What if one of my children were choking? Or face down in a pool? What if an ax-weilding homocidal maniac was making his way up the stairs to my bedroom where I lay trembling under my bed frantically, and oh-so-quietly trying to get help? What if I'd severed a limb in some kind of freak home improvement project gone horribly awry? Guess what kids? You're on your own. Learn CPR. Learn how to pack body parts on ice and fashion a tourniquet. And for heaven's sake learn how to successfully fend off crazed lunatics because sometimes the only thing between you and saving the life of a loved one or your own butt...is you.

Mandatory Trauma and Inconvenience

Los Angeles county has made it mandatory that all dogs have a microchip implanted in them to be able to identify their owner if they happen to get loose. Now why should my dog have to pay for other's carelessness? I'm a responsible pet owner. My dog hates being outside. Period. She's an indoor dog. She wears a collar complete with all pertinent information, just in case. She's never left our house unsupervised in the 11 years we've had her in our care. So unless an earthquake comes along and levels our house, I doubt she'll leave. Even then the earthquake would also have to knock her collar and tag off from around her neck making it impossible to locate us.

Not only does she dislike being outside for any great length of time, she dislikes intensely traveling in the car, particularly somewhere that a needle awaits her. She trembles violently. All 100 pounds of her try to jump into my arms like a lap dog, throwing her paws around my neck as if we're doing the tango together. Needless to say it is a traumatic experience for her that takes hours for her to calm down from. I only force her into the car when a health related issue necessitates it. So why should I have to put my poor old lady through all of that rigamarole just because other people don't properly care for their pets? It seems cruel to foist this upon her and completely unnecessary.

The Castaic shelter is offering the microchipping service free of charge during the grace period, Tuesday through Thursday this week. Let's not forget that it has been over 100 degrees everyday, I have 3 kids and a petrified 100 pound dog to wrangle...inconvenienced? Brother, that ain't the half of it.

Head For the Hills

A study conducted by scientists at the Center for Climate Systems Research shows the following:

The number of people living within 60 miles of a coastline is expected to increase by 35 percent over 1995 population levels, exposing 2.75 billion people worldwide to coastal threats posed by global warming.

They go on to speculate that their data might have a positive impact on the policies that would reduce the hazards in those parts of the world. I say, not bloody likely so long as the world is ruled by the iron fist of oil.

Research projects 2025 world population

A Tale of Two Blogs

Happy Friday to you! I wanted to invite you to check out my new, separate blog Some Ladies Blog. I know, I know the word "Ladies" is used in the wrong context. It should be "Lady's"...oh well. Look beyond my grammatical shortcomings and enjoy reading about my thoughts on various personal issues and not so personal that aren't politically related. I'll do my level best to keep both updated as often as possible.

Enjoy them both!!!

Can You Hear Me Now?

It's just a phone. I just want to make or receive a call. Is that too much to ask? Cell phones these days...good gosh! I'm not tech savvy in the least. It's a miracle in itself that I was at all able to get this blog up and running...still not quite sure how I did it. Parents everywhere are scratching their heads every month upon receiving their cellular provider statement, wondering just what in the heck their teenager did to ring up that bill. I'll tell ya what they didn't do...talk. They're too busy taking advantage of all the super-uber cool features this "phone" has to offer. They're downloading music, matching ringtones with their personality, taking pictures, text-messaging, playing games, slicing and dicing, and baking potatoes. Okay, they don't do the last two. Yet.

I've still not managed to set up my voicemail on my cell phone because I don't even get reception in my own dang house! I had to have my teenage sister activate the blasted contraption because I didn't have faith that I'd be able to do it. And that was after consulting the useless manual that you have to be seventeen to understand anyway. And do you know just how many pages are dedicated to all the extra features these "phones" have? I don't know. I do know that the "phone" part of the manual is less than 4 pages. Out of approximately 30.

But hey, it's just a phone, right? My advice to parents everywhere? Prepaid phone cards.

Arrrrgh!

Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest set an opening weekend box office record pulling in a whopping 132 million, and I just gotta ask...why? I mean, other than the glaringly obvious yummy eye-candy, Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom. The first one was good and all, and Lord knows I saw it more than once (Johnny was marvelous, okay..."pirate" was never so sexy!), but what is it that is bringing the movie-goers out in droves? Is it that there is finally a movie out for adults to enjoy after the beginning of summer onslaught of children's movies that we had to endure? Or could it be that more people have decided to forego their summer vacations this year because of the ridiculous hike in airfares? Not to mention that they could cough up the bucks a dozen times over to see Pirates and still spend significantly less than they would on that gas guzzling road trip? Perhaps it is just a combination of all of the above.

Disney has got it goin' with the marketing of this flick as well. Although I was a bit perplexed when taking stock of all the Pirate paraphernalia cluttering The Disney Store while shopping yesterday. This isn't exactly a movie geared towards the youngest crowd but you wouldn't know that by glancing around their store.

Nuevo café helado

Ignorance continues to run rampant and this time it's sprinting through New Jersey. Mayor Steve Lonegan is calling for a boycott of McDonald's if they do not remove their Spanish language billboard that advertises a new coffee drink that is available.

Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan said the advertisement is "offensive" and "divisive" because it sends a message that Hispanic immigrants do not need to learn English.

"The true things that bind us together as neighbors and community is our belief in the American flag and our common language," Lonegan said. "And when McDonald's sends a different message, that we're going to be different now, that causes resentment."

Resentment amongst whom? White good ol' boys who don't like no far-a-nars speakin' the Es-pan-yol-ay? I'm sure that the residents that the billboard was intended for are grateful. Considering the coffee drink is available now, unless McDonald's Hispanic customers (who don't already speak English) learn to speak the English language in the next 24 hours, what is so "offensive" and "divisive" about advertising what the franchise offers currently to their Spanish speaking patrons? It appears to me that Mayor Lonegan (a.k.a. Mr. Couth and Culture) has never been to the big city, where billboards advertise in various languages to appeal to the rich mix of the cities inhabitants. The U.S. government's agencies themselves offer literature and dialing options in various languages to cater to those who either don't speak or aren't proficient in the English language. Does the mayor propose a boycott in those respects as well? Well go-oo-lly and shazam!

Spanish McDonald's ad prompts talk of a boycott

Robert Rodriguez for U.S. Congress

When I was invited to participate in a conference call to discuss local and national issues with Robert Rodriguez, along with other California bloggers, I went into it expecting to be conversing with his campaign staff. I was pleasantly surprised to be speaking directly with Mr. Rodriguez himself. Overall, I was impressed with Mr. Rodriguez's genuine passion for the issues that were discussed. He spoke from the heart and didn't resort to canned party line responses when he discussed in great detail the tragic circumstances that were the catalyst for his decision to run for Congress and unseat the current multi-term incumbent, Howard "Buck" McKeon, who has by and large taken his position for granted along with the constituents he has sworn to represent.

We agreed on the issues that were discussed; namely Iraq, the misappropriation of funds, the plight of the working man (i.e. Republican Congress's veto on raising the minimum wage while simoltaneously increasing their own salary), outsourcing jobs, education, and the healthcare dilemma. He recognizes the wedge issues and calls them as he sees them...wedge issues; something shiny to dangle in front of the partisan voters to distract them from issues that affect us all.

So in my official capacity as Blogmistress, Liberal Kudos Corner is officially endorsing Mr. Rodriguez's bid for Congress. I'm unoffical in that I'm not an official on anything. I'm just a housewife, and I'm just talkin'. While Congressman Buck McKeon (chairman of the House Committee on Education) is busy endorsing legislation that raises the interest rates on student loans, driving a luxury Acura paid for by taxpayers that he uses when he's in town, and contributing to Tom DeLay's defense fund, Robert Rodriguez is familiar with the issues that plague our district and our nation.

Past, Present, and the Inevitable Future

New York Court of Appeals Judge Robert Smith said that because same-sex marriage was not deeply rooted in history and tradition, barring it did not violate fundamental rights and liberties. The problem with this way of thinking is that the "history and tradition" of marriage is one that is malleable and has evolved over the centuries. It used to be tradition that two people married to protect property and bloodlines. It was once tradition for the bride to offer a dowrey or for the groom's family to pay a "bride price", essentially buying the woman/girl from her family. It was a tradition once upon a time for the brother of the deceased husband to marry the widowed sister in law. It wasn't all that long ago that marriage between two races was forbidden. Arranged marriages are still tradition to this day in some cultures, and those have more to do with economics and nothing whatsoever to do with love.

Where is the static definition of the history and tradition of marriage? It is continuously evolving because society's notion of marriage changes. If marriage represents the responsibility, commitment, and the foundation for family, why are there those who wish to keep it an exlusive, heterosexual institution? Why do they feel so personally threatened? Is their own marriage so weak that it cannot withstand two people of the same sex getting hitched? The evolution of marriage is upon us and there will come a day when our children or our grandchildren reflect on the struggles of our generation and wonder, "what was all the fuss about?" while enroute to Mr.& Mr. Smith's wedding. Oh, it will be a fabulous event, no doubt.

What to Do, What to Do...

It seems that the Bush administration may have broken the law by not keeping the House Intelligence Committee aprised of its activities. And Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Michigan, is a might peeved about it, dander up and all:

"We can't be briefed on every little thing that they are doing," Hoekstra said. "But in this case, there was at least one major - what I consider significant activity that we have not been briefed on. I want to set the standard there that it is not optional for this president or any president or people in the executive community not to keep the intelligence committees fully informed of what they are doing," he said on "Fox News Sunday."

Hoekstra complained to President Bush in a letter dated May 18 that was disclosed in Sunday's New York Times.

In the letter, Hoekstra said the failure to brief the intelligence committees "may represent a breach of responsibility by the administration, a violation of law and, just as importantly, a direct affront to me and the members of this committee who have so ardently supported efforts to collect information on our enemies."

So the next logical question is....whatchya gonna do 'bout it, beeyatch? Would someone please grow a pair and hold this administration accountable for their actions?

Lawmaker Questions Bush Intel Programs

A Question of Priorities

President Bush has decided to forego his traditional summer vacation of clearing brush on the Crawford ranch and spend it trying to regain some of his previous popularity.

With Republicans nervous about keeping control of Congress and worries about the future of Iraq, Iran and North Korea, White House officials have decided too much is at stake this year for Bush to spend so much time on vacation. He'll spend some time at the ranch, but it will be less than previous summers and interrupted by more time on the road.

Too bad he didn't feel that way in the summer of 2001 after reading the PBD entitled "Bin Laden Determined to Attack in the United States". Perhaps the last 6 years would have played out significatly different if he had decided that too much was at stake then.

Bush Takes to Road to Boost His Standing

Lessons I Learned When I Was Twelve

The California Supreme Court has ruled that people can be sued for not disclosing their sexual history before unknowingly transmitting AIDS. What does that mean, exactly? Does that mean you can be sued if you don't tell your partner you've been promiscuous? How does each person define promiscuity? One man's promiscuity is another man's prude behavior. In other words, it is subjective. And just because a person has had a busy sex life doesn't mean they have AIDS. If they had unprotected sex even once they could be at risk. So doesn't that mean that the person who has now decided to have unprotected sex with this person, is now behaving recklessly themselves? Where is the line between recklessness and personal responsibility?

I have always maintained that each individual is responsible for their own sexual health (with the exception of rape victims obviously). If you don't want to become pregnant or get a woman pregnant, the responsibility lies with that person to make sure that doesn't happen. If you don't want a sexually transmitted disease, the burden of responsibility is upon you to take all of the appropriate precautions. If you choose to have unprotected sex then you have just exposed your sexual health to whatever consequences may present themselves.

Court affirms AIDS liability

Two Quotes = Answer

Two quotes from two different women regarding George W. Bush turning 60... it seems as if one answers the other's question. The first, from Doris Kearns Goodwin on her perception of the lack of aging:

"He does seem a little less full-faced and a little less wide-eyed than at the beginning, but not dramatically like you see with these other guys," said Doris Kearns Goodwin, the historian and aide to President Lyndon B. Johnson. "You don't see a drawn look. It's as if somehow he has psychologically not allowed the burdens to fully get to him. Maybe it's the exercise, maybe it's his sureness about his own decisions."

The second, from Laura Bush seems to answer that hypothesis:

"George is not an overly introspective person," his wife, Laura, once said with dry understatement.

By George, I think she's got it!

Link to quotes

Voters Stay Home

I don't normally comment on local events, but it seems that there was low voter turn out for the West Ranch Town Council elections (as reported at The West Ranch Beacon) yesterday. In my opinion, holding the elections on the Fourth of July was not a wise option. Many families go out of town for the holiday. Or they spend the day away from home attending parties at friends homes (as was our case). And many Stevenson Ranch residents, who can see the fireworks display from their own backyard, avoid the 5,000+ crowd at the park (as we've done every year since 1999). And judging by the heavy traffic (we noted upon our return) leaving Stevenson Ranch last night, I would imagine that many spectators weren't even West Ranch residents, making many of those who attended the festivities ineligible to vote. Our opportunity to review the candidates was available at the park before the election. I think the residents of West Ranch were significantly short changed by this decision.

Kenny Boy Meets His Maker

Kenneth Lay, former Enron CEO and crook, is dead from an apparent heart attack. Something stinks and it smells fishy. I'll await further reports...and spin.


Enron Founder Ken Lay Dies of Heart Attack

Happy Birthday U.S.A.

For our guest of honor on this Fourth of July, 2006; some patriotic quotes:

Each man must for himself alone decide what is right and what is wrong, which course is patriotic and which isn't. You cannot shirk this and be a man. To decide against your conviction is to be an unqualified and excusable traitor, both to yourself and to your country, let men label you as they may. ~Mark Twain

Then join hand in hand, brave Americans all!
By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall. ~John Dickinson

There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America. ~William J. Clinton

I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him. ~Abraham Lincoln

"Families is where our nation finds hope, where wings take dream." ~George W. Bush

Driver Beware

You've heard it all before and perhaps even uttered the words, "Get off your F*#&$#& cell phone a$$&*##&"!! It's usually when your driving and it's because the person who just cut you off, swerved into your lane, or is driving 50mph in the fast lane is yapping away on their phone. I understand your frustration; been there, done that, and yelled at it myself. There have been calls and laws written for banning cellphone use while driving and a new study claims that it is just as risky as driving drunk.

My opinion? It doesn't matter what it is that you are doing that distracts you while driving, it's the "you" not paying attention and not the phone (or the burger and fries, or the lighting of the cigarette, or the shuffling of the cd's, locating a radio station, looking at a map, reading the paper, putting on your makeup, the stooping to pick up the pacifier your infant just spit out, or yelling at the kids, and even sex) that is the problem. You're being a reckless driver when you aren't paying attention to the road. When you aren't alert you are essentially a 65mph weapon hurling down the highway.

There are people capable of handling driving and talking at the same time. I imagine they're the same people who can walk and chew gum simultaneously, but that's just my hunch. Of course, it seems that too many people just aren't capable. If you're going to put the kibash on cellphone use, even the hands free kind, then so should eating, smoking, selecting audio preferences, and the like. Good God Almighty! What in the hell are we going to do on that drive to Vegas? Sleep?

Now if we could address the issue of cellphone use by women in the super market check out lane...I swear, if I get stuck behind one more of those gabby chicks I may just snatch some of their items (because Lord knows they aren't paying attention) off the conveyor belt and stick them with my own goods. I can always tell the checker I changed my mind and ask that the items be put back on the shelves. Then when those chatty broads get home they'll find they are sans items and have to return to the store. Inconvenient? You bet!


For drivers, danger on the phone