FederalRepublic.net

From Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - An investigation by U.S. antitrust authorities found no evidence that oil companies illegally manipulated gasoline prices or constrained oil refining operations, the Federal Trade Commission said Monday.

However, the agency said it had found 15 examples that fit lawmakers’ definition of price-gouging at the “refining, wholesale, or retail level.” It said factors like regional and local market trends appeared to explain the pricing in nearly all the cases.

Congress ordered the FTC probe last summer as part of a broad energy bill in response to a steady climb in crude oil and gasoline prices.

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Instead of actually doing something about rising tax prices like increase supply by passing legislation allowing more off shore drilling and refining capacity, Congress called for the FTC to investigate oil price gouging, an ineffective and insulting political ploy getting the American people nowhere nearer to ending the country’s dependence on foreign oil.

As expected, the FTC found little to no evidence of price gouging, a conclusion evident in all other investigations within this last decade. Usually a strategy taken to heart by liberal politicians, even Republicans have attempted to make price gouging an issue in this election year. Instead of ordering some worthless investigation that doesn’t even make sense in the first place, Congress could actually focus on U.S. energy priorities before politicians go jumping to conclusions that Big Oil is gouging prices or its Big Oil’s fault that they have record profits this year.

In the continuing immigration bill fiasco in Washington, the Senate has approved an amendment allowing a 370 mile, triple layer fence between the United States and Mexico on our southern border:

The Senate endorsed a chance at citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants Wednesday but also voted to build 370 miles of triple- layered fencing along the Mexican border in increasingly emotional debate over election-year immigration legislation.

Taken together, the votes gave fresh momentum to legislation that closely follows President Bush’s call for a major overhaul of the nation’s troubled immigration system.

The vote was 66-33 against a proposal that would have removed provisions giving illegal immigrants in the country more than two years an eventual chance at citizenship.

A few minutes earlier, the Senate had voted 83-16 in favor of construction of the fence and 500 miles of vehicle barriers, the first significant victory in two days for conservatives seeking to place their stamp on the measure.

Read the whole article

Powerline has more:

Senator Jeff Sessions’ amendment to the Senate’s immigration bill, which requires the construction of a fence and erection of vehicle barriers, passed the Senate this afternoon. The Associated Press’ report conveys a sense of the passions that were generated by the floor debate. The vote wasn’t close, however; the Sessions amendment passed 83-16. Which means that even most Democrats have figured out how serious Americans are on the issue of border security.

In a related note, Right Wing News is carrying a quote from Rush Limbaugh today communicating how the issue of immigration is affecting the conservative base:

“I’ll tell you what, this issue is causing more divisions in the Republican Party than any issue that I can recall in a long time, including the Dubai Ports deal. I can’t recall an issue. I’ve been doing this for 18 years. It will be 18 years in August, a big anniversary coming up. I can’t remember. I’m trying to think. There have been some, but I can’t think of any single issue which has Republicans, slash, conservatives more up in arms than this one — and particularly with the apparent lack of response at the highest levels of government, House, Senate, White House.

The House Bank was a big deal, and the House Post Office, and some of those corruption scandals that existed back in the late eighties and early nineties, but this is incredible.” - Rush Limbaugh

By Deb Reichman

President Bush signed a $70 billion tax-cut package Wednesday that Republicans hope will ingratiate them with voters as they head into midterm elections with worries about holding control of Congress.

“Our pro-growth policies stand in stark contrast to those in Washington who believe you grow your economy by raising taxes and centralizing power,” said Bush, who was joined at the signing ceremony by Vice President Dick Cheney. “They are wrong. Our pro-growth economic polices are working for all Americans.”

The GOP says the tax cuts, which were first enacted in 2003, have created millions of new jobs and bolstered tax revenue. Democrats overwhelmingly opposed the bill, saying the tax cuts on capital gains and dividends will flow mostly to rich Americans.

“The bill I sign today is a victory for the American taxpayers and is a strong lift for our economy,” Bush said.

The bill passed the Senate last Thursday by a 54-44 vote.

The legislation Bush signed provides a two-year extension of the reduced 15 percent tax rate for capital gains and dividends, which were set to expire at the close of 2008.

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An election goal fulfilled, President Bush signed a $70 billion tax cut to extend some of his 2003 taxcuts to 2010 and to provide relief for near 15 million families by taking away their eligibility for the AMT, or alternative minimum tax, a tax that was originally written and put into law for wealthy Americans.

I am very greatful Republicans in Congress and President Bush have created and signed this legislation into law. Not only will the tax cuts be able to help this country in the short term economically, but will help investors down the road and keep America fiscally healthy. I’m very excited what this will mean for the country over the next couple years.

One day I was surfing around the web reading my favorite political blogs and I came across a great article from Brad Warbiany, who is a leading contributor for The Liberty Papers. In it, Brad explains what a political radical really is and how they can be defined. As one who feels I am a radical by definition, I feel Brad fully explains the political backdrop and mindset of one who truly wishes to see our country live up to its promise and go back to the constitutional law we once adhered to:

Janice Rogers Brown believes that the Constitution is the guiding law in our land. Specfically, she reads the Constitution literally, and believes that whatever is not in there shouldn’t be done by our federal government. And she’s an extremist. An extremist isn’t by definition wrong, or bad. It simply means that she is out of the mainstream.

There’s a good reason for this. The mainstream has been moving more and more left for the last 92 years (I use 1913, when the Sixteenth Amendment was passed for that calculation). Someone who views the New Deal as a socialist program and openly states so is not in the mainstream. Someone who believes that private property rights may include the right of discrimination is not in the mainstream (even though it is obvious she doesn’t approve of discrimination). Someone who has the view that coerced redistribution of income is a mild form of slavery is not in the mainstream. It is her view that this country is ruled by laws, as enshrined in the Constitution, and if the “mainstream” wants to change that law, it requires Constitutional amendments, not judicial activism.

So am I a “radical”? Am I an “extremist”? Yes. It is obvious that compared to the mainstream thought in this country, I am nowhere near the average Joe. The average Joe believes that the rule of the majority is just. The average Joe believes that government exists to promote his agenda, not protect individual rights. The average Joe views taxation and regulation as tools for social engineering. The Republican and Democratic parties are full of average Joes looking not to further American ideals with their votes, but to get “their guys” holding the reins of power.

So yes, I am a radical. I’m not afraid of that label, because the government I envision is radically different than the one we have. And yes, I am an extremist. Because I believe that we should be much closer to the extremes of personal liberty and personal responsibility than we currently are. I make no claims that the rest of the country thinks the same way I do. But the principles I believe in don’t require them to. They can live they way they want, and I’ll live the way I want. They don’t offer me the same courtesy. My beliefs put me well outside of the mainstream. But with such folks as Janice Rogers Brown out here with me, I can at least claim good company.

Yes Brad, I am also a radical and you are in great company…hands down.

In an effort to promote security enforcement at the border first and foremost, Senator Johnny Isakson of Georgia proposed an amendment to the pending immigration bill in the Senate that would demand the borders be certified as secure by the Department of Homeland Security before any guest worker provisions begin. However, the amendment was voted down:

Bill backers on Tuesday defeated two amendments that would have gutted the Senate bill. In votes that crossed party lines, the Senate rejected 55-40 a requirement that the border be secured before other immigration changes are made. They also voted 69-28 to scuttle a Democratic amendment to exclude foreigners and recent illegal immigrants from a new guest worker program.

Michelle Malkin is carrying the list of GOP Senators who have rejected this common-sense security amendment and sided with open border Democrats, including Sam Brownback, Lindsay Graham, and Chuck Hagel:

Bennett (UT)
Brownback (R-KS),
Chafee (RI),
Coleman (MN),
Collins (ME),
Craig (ID),
DeWine (OH),
Graham (SC),
Hagel (NE),
Lugar (IN),
Martinez (FL),
Murkowski (AK),
Shelby (AL),
Snow (ME),
Specter (PA),
Stevens (AK),
Voinovich (OH),
Warner (VA)

More at the Washington Times:

The Senate yesterday voted against securing the border before implementing provisions that would grant the right of citizenship to millions of illegal aliens and that would double the flow of legal immigration.
 
The amendment would have delayed the “amnesty” and guest-worker provisions in the Senate’s comprehensive immigration-reform bill until the border had been sewn up successfully. The majority of Democrats, 36 of 44, were joined by 18 Republicans and the chamber’s lone independent to kill the amendment on an 55-40 vote.

Read the whole thing

From the Associated Press

(AP) — A civilian border watch group considers President Bush’s crackdown plan on illegal immigration insufficient and is sticking to plans to start putting up a short border security fence on private land along the Mexican border.

-Snip-

Chris Simcox, the head of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, said last month that unless military reserves or the National Guard were deployed to the border and the White House endorsed more secure fencing, his group would begin constructing fencing on private land along the border.

Last week, the group said construction would begin May 27 because it was not anticipating any imminent effort to put troops on the border.

On Tuesday, Minuteman spokeswoman Connie Hair reiterated that position, despite the president’s announcement to have guardsmen fill in on some behind-the-lines Border Patrol jobs while that agency’s force is expanded by 6,000 by 2008.

“This is a token deployment of unarmed and grossly inadequate numbers of National Guardsmen to the border, placing them in the same demoralizing position as the Border Patrol … outmanned and outgunned against the international crime cartels,” Hair said.

Link

I agree with the Minutemen about the defense of our border. Before President Bush dreams of having his guest worker program implemented, the border must be secure. Both the Minutemen and the American people realize this. However, what seems to be a bid to win centrist and liberal support, the President has called for a comprehensive immigration bill instead of calling for a two tier approach - one bill for defense, another for citizenship or guest worker provisions.

The problem with a comprehensive bill is not the bill itself, but the legislative focus involved. The security of our border must be a priority and defensive plans must not get shuffled in and lost under a host of other non-priority immigration measures like the guest worker program or the so-called “path to citizenship.”

While I think the President has finally offered some strong leadership on immigration, an issue that many Americans tie to the War on Terror, I don’t think his focus is quite right. The defense and security of the border must come first. Afterall, if the border is not closed to new illegal aliens, what good does a comprehensive guest worker program do for our security? Absolutely nothing.

I really wanted to believe President Bush would be willing to stake what political capital he has left with conservatives and swing voters on illegal immigration, or the correction thereof. Sitting on my bed watching the speech, I hoped he would not play into the political correctness so many of us deal with on a daily basis. Afterall, what’s so politically correct about denouncing the breaking of our border and entry laws? But I was wrong.

President Bush played right into the centrist scheme on the issue of illegal immigration. He tried to include measures into his immigration plan that not only played to the conservative base like protecting the border and promoting stronger enforcement measures, but also tried to reach out to more liberal members of society, capitalizing on the need to support lawbreaking by providing a toned down version of amnesty to illegals. I find this not only wrong, but insulting to the point of anger. Lawbreaking must not be rewarded; providing a path to citizenship gives illegals a chance to be rewarded for their unlawful behavior. In an ideal world, illegal immigrants should not be offered citizenship at all, but rather a chance for lawful residency for those with extensive American ties only.

My first reaction to President Bush’s movement on the idea of National Guard troops at the border was one of excitement and satisfaction. However, the president’s plan did not call for National Guard troops to secure the border, but only to provide logistics, training, and intelligence in support of border agents. This move is only a bandaid in solving the larger problem of not enough border agents or physical security. There are large portions of the southern border that remain open and easily crossable by immigrants wishing to come to our country illegally. This must be stopped.

One issue I did not hear President Bush speak much of is the issue of businesses hiring illegal immigrants. All in all, I believe businesses must be penalized to the full extent of the law for hiring illegals. One major reason immigrants come to this country in the first place is to make more money. By drying up the job market for illegal immigrants, people will be less likely to cross the border illegally. Businesses should also confirm Social Security numbers and other documentation of applicants to confirm their immigration status. Those immigrants being paid under the table must be found out so they can be deported, while those committing document fraud should be prosecuted then sent back to their native country.

So many people have stated their opinion on this matter, from condemning illegal immigrants to labeling those who wish to send illegal immigrants back to their native countries as biggots. However, the bottom line remains, we must enforce our entry laws and swiftly deal with the millions of illegal aliens in our country. President Bush’s speech, while a welcome start to correction, has not given me much confidence in his determination or leadership in dealing with this problem.

The following links are public responses and reactions from various sources to President Bush’s immigration plan:

Michelle Malkin: “Too little, too late.”

Captain’s Quarters Blog had this to say:

Will that translate to increased support for this administration? I doubt it. Anyone paying attention to Bush’s immigration policies already knew he was a centrist on this issue. He may get some grudging respect from centrists and liberals for not caving to his base, but that won’t translate into support for a president they already consider the Second Coming of Richard Nixon. The only cause Bush helped tonight was the policy he has consistently put forth on immigration — which once again shows Bush as a man who follows his own lights and beckons people to follow.

Powerline Blog’s reaction:

…and he blew it. He should have given the speech I told him to. As soon as he started talking about guest worker programs and the impossibility of deporting 11 million illegals, it was all over. President Bush keeps trying to find the middle ground, on this and many other issues. But sometimes, there isn’t a viable middle ground. This is one of those instances.

Right Wing News’ commentary:

This was not an impressive speech. He said he’d send the National Guard to the border for a year, where they wouldn’t be actually apprehending any illegals, but everything else is the same old, same old.

So, in my view, this isn’t even an olive branch to people who are serious about defending this border and dealing with illegal immigration.

Overall grade for the speech: F

Scott Ott at Scrappleface.com has written a great article articulating the speech conservatives wish they would of heard from the president tonight:

Good evening my fellow Americans, and those of you from other lands who are pursuing U.S. citizenship legally. Tonight I’ve come to praise immigration, not to bury it.

This nation was built through the blood and toil of restless refugees yearning to breathe free. Our canvas has been painted in a thousand shades of humanity. Our national language reverberates with the sweet song of innumerable accents. It’s a vibrant symphony that brings unity from diversity.

We are a nation of laws, not of men. That’s what sets us apart from the monarchies, dictatorships and democracies-in-name-only. Our Republic was founded to protect the weak from the strong, and to defend the rights of the individual in his person and property.

Americans remember where we came from, and so we’re a merciful people. America is the land of second chances.

And so, if you sneaked into our great country–like a thief in the night–to take for yourself the benefits of citizenship without bearing the burdens that come with that high position, I have a message for you tonight.

On behalf of all legal U.S. citizens past, present and future, let me say this: ‘Get off of our land. Get out of our country. We’re giving you a second chance to do the right thing.’

If you have difficulty locating the exits, just ask any legal U.S. citizen and he’ll show you the door. If you linger too long, you’ll get an armed escort.

Once you have returned to your country of origin, you may apply to re-enter the United States legally.

It’s inconvenient. It’s slow. It will cost you. But as millions of naturalized citizens will tell you, it’s worth the wait to wake up each morning, to take a deep breath of freedom, and to hold in your heart the meaning of that old song: “This is my country. Land of my choice.”

Read the whole thing at Scrappleface

In response to tonight’s prime time speech on illegal immigration given by President Bush, I offer my own critique of his so-called “plan” for immigration reform:

First, the United States must secure its borders. This is a basic responsibility of a sovereign nation. It is also an urgent requirement of our national security. Our objective is straightforward: The border should be open to trade and lawful immigration and shut to illegal immigrants, as well as criminals, drug dealers and terrorists.

It is imperative the United States secure its borders first and foremost. As a nation of laws, we must enforce the laws already on the books or create new laws to replace those entry laws that have become ineffective in stemming illegal aliens from crossing our border. As a sovereign nation, it is the duty of our government to provide for the defense of our citizenry. As the world becomes ever more dangerous, our government must secure what is our weakest link in our defense - the holes in our border. The government must prevent undocumented, illegal aliens from trespassing onto our soil, enslaving our citizenry with higher taxes, more crime, and the corruption of our justice system.

Training thousands of new Border Patrol agents and bringing the most advanced technology to the border will take time. Yet the need to secure our border is urgent. So I am announcing several immediate steps to strengthen border enforcement during this period of transition:

One way to help during this transition is to use the National Guard. So in coordination with governors, up to 6,000 Guard members will be deployed to our southern border. The Border Patrol will remain in the lead. The Guard will assist the Border Patrol by operating surveillance systems analyzing intelligence installing fences and vehicle barriers building patrol roads and providing training. Guard units will not be involved in direct law enforcement activities that duty will be done by the Border Patrol. This initial commitment of Guard members would last for a period of one year. After that, the number of Guard forces will be reduced as new Border Patrol agents and new technologies come online. It is important for Americans to know that we have enough Guard forces to win the war on terror, respond to natural disasters, and help secure our border.

While the deployment of near 6,000 National Guard troops is a welcome start to securing our open borders, the suggestion of National Guard helping with logistics and intel is only a bandaid to the real problem - our government not taking a strong stance to secure our border. Both the northern and southern border must be defended with the National Guard under the control of state governors and given law enforcement responsibility at both the northern and southern borders. We must give the Border Patrol the help they need, while striking a nerve with new illegals by providing state law enforcement support though use of the National Guard.

Second, to secure our border, we must create a temporary worker program. The reality is that there are many people on the other side of our border who will do anything to come to America to work and build a better life. They walk across miles of desert in the summer heat, or hide in the back of 18-wheelers to reach our country. This creates enormous pressure on our border that walls and patrols alone will not stop. To secure the border effectively, we must reduce the numbers of people trying to sneak across.

Therefore, I support a temporary worker program that would create a legal path for foreign workers to enter our country in an orderly way, for a limited period of time. This program would match willing foreign workers with willing American employers for jobs Americans are not doing. Every worker who applies for the program would be required to pass criminal background checks. And temporary workers must return to their home country at the conclusion of their stay.

While the reality is true that 12 millions illegal aliens cannot just be lifted out of our territories, it does not give Congress an excuse to propose or pass a buttoned-down, reformed version of amnesty. Illegal aliens must be punished harshly or deported if necessary, in order to quell new illegal aliens from coming into our country. It would be wise for the president to take a hard line on this matter and not reward illegal immigrants for their unlawful behavior. Allowing illegals to get in line behind immigrants who come here legally at the citizenship counter promotes an attitude of irresponsibility and unlawfulness. Knowing full well they will be rewarded with a path to citizenship upon arrival, immigrants will continue to offer an illegal unskilled labor force that drives up crime and dries taxpayer dollars.

While President Bush continues to push his guest worker program, the idea that immigrants will do the jobs Americans won’t do continues to be inherently false. There are true Americans everywhere who clean up pig feces, who straighten up hotel rooms, or do any number of low level labor jobs around the country. The fact is that Americans have always done what it took to become successful, a trait inherent to our society that values hard work, individual determination, and natural, God-given rights. To think otherwise is not only uneducated, but absurd.

Fourth, we must face the reality that millions of illegal immigrants are already here. They should not be given an automatic path to citizenship. This is amnesty, and I oppose it. Amnesty would be unfair to those who are here lawfully and it would invite further waves of illegal immigration.

The bottom line is that illegal aliens must be punished for breaking our immigration laws one way or another. One way is to massively fine illegal immigrats for breaking our entry laws or committing fraud by using someone else’s Social Security number to obtain a job. They should not be offered citizenship, but rather deported when found out.

Fifth, we must honor the great American tradition of the melting pot, which has made us one Nation out of many peoples. The success of our country depends upon helping newcomers assimilate into our society, and embrace our common identity as Americans. Americans are bound together by our shared ideals, an appreciation of our history, respect for the flag we fly, and an ability to speak and write the English language. English is also the key to unlocking the opportunity of America. English allows newcomers to go from picking crops to opening a grocery from cleaning offices to running offices from a life of low- paying jobs to a diploma, a career, and a home of their own. When immigrants assimilate and advance in our society, they realize their dreams, they renew our spirit and they add to the unity of America.

President Bush is right, America is a melting pot. It is a melting pot rich in history and common virtue that allows us to take pride in our American heritage. However, by refusing to assimilate into our American culture by breaking our entry laws and refusing to learn English, illegal immigrants have struck at the foundation of Americanism. They have shown no respect for the American way of life, nor the capitalist economic system and constitution which have led the way to freedom for millions of other immigrants who have come into our country the legal way. I suggest Congress make English the official language of the United States, starting first by printing all federal signs and literature in English and promoting other English-language laws under the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

While I can sit here and denounce the president’s immigration plan all day, the proposed plan is definately a start to promoting a secure border, while allowing immigrants to enjoy the promise of America. We must secure the border first and foremost, then create immigration laws that promote legal immigration and stem illegal border crossings.

Read the full text of the president’s speech here.

From the Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Republicans in Congress reached agreement Tuesday on a $70 billion measure to extend tax breaks for investors and prevent more middle-income families from being hit by a tax aimed at the wealthy.

The bill would hand President Bush one of his top tax priorities, a two-year extension of the reduced 15 percent tax rate for capital gains and dividends, currently set to expire at the end of 2008. Republicans credit the tax cuts, enacted in 2003, with boosting economic growth and creating many jobs.

The measure also would keep 15 million families from being hit this year with the alternative minimum tax, which was designed to make sure the wealthy paid taxes but is ensnaring more and more middle-income families because it is not indexed for inflation.

The accord paves the way for House approval of the measure as early as Wednesday. The Senate could clear the bill for Bush’s desk by week’s end.

“This is a responsible bill that protects families and small business owners from tax increases, while also providing investors with a bigger window of certainty — critical to continued economic growth,” said Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas, R-Calif.

Link

In a show of strength and a return to conservative ideals, Congressional Republicans have finally reached a deal on the extention of the Bush tax cuts. If passed, this bill will help to extend economic growth throughout the United States and continue to give tax relief to millions of American families. However, this great tax bill is not enough. The Congress must cut spending and regulation in order to promote further long term growth.