Overnight the Petitions

IFI wants those getting petitions together for the advisory referendum on a Constitutional Amendment to ban Gay Marriage to overnight them by close of business Thursday. Petitions are due on May 8th.

While there is a lot of bluster, one has to wonder why after extending the deadline nearly 2 weeks, there is still a need to overnight anything if the petitions are legit. The requirement isn’t even that hard—the stem cell initiative in Missouri just collected more signatures than Illinois requires. \

Then again Peter has been busy against the War Against Easter

400,000

Wow

With no arrests and the only near issue were some skinheads trying to cause problems.

The issue always amuses me because if you look at polling it looks like a big issue with majority support to do something….but something isn’t anything and it seldom gets above 10% of the public as the most important issue. It’s an issue increasingly of social conservatives that gets majority support in some sort of general sense, but then the specifics break it down. Looking at the polling data since 2004 it actually looks like the number of people thinking it’s important is slightly down or stable.

It gets brought up every few years, but most people are somewhat ambivalent about the undocumented workers. People generally respect those who come to work, but want them to follow the law–and yet understand that companies are the ones giving undocumented workers the incentive to come over illegally.

There is a simple way to end illegal immigration—fine companies for hiring them. Instead of scapegoating the people who want to work hard (and should be given better opportunities to do that within the law), scapegoat those who use them.

Making the immigrants into felons is absurd–for that matter making it a criminal and not a civil violation is silly unless the desire is to punish those making the least. Skirting immigration laws is done by those who know the penalties are small compared to the increased profits. For those who advocate markets, the way to end that sort of system is to make it unprofitable to hire undocumented workers.

Ultimately, immigrants are upset because the argument is only about those who cross the borders for work and not those who pay them. Given the latter have a greater part to play in the whole process (no demand–no supply), the likely reason left is racism. Immigrants who are here legally and many who have become citizens see that as a danger that doesn’t end with just undocumented workers. The whining about hundreds of thousands illegals misses the point the attack is felt far broader than just those who don’t have green cards, but those who have immigrated and love their home and many of those out there fear what happens next.

Dan, Have You Done Your Homo Risk Audit Yet?

Inside joke in the title which is semi-apparent if you read through the whole thing.

But, let us return to the fun, fun, fun that is Peter “undercover homosexual lifestyle investigator” Labarbera. He is endorsing the idea of a risk audit to fight the homosexual agenda (TM).

What dangerous tactics are being examined?

1. An anti-harassment, anti-bullying or ?safe schools? policy that includes the category ?sexual orientation?
The term ?sexual orientation? may be included in a laundry list of other classifications, e.g., ?…on the basis of race, religion, age, sex, nationality, sexual orientation…?

2. Non-discrimination policy based on ?sexual orientation? (may also cover ?gender identity?) for students and/or teachers, staff

Such a policy may be spelled out just for staff/teachers, and may be phrased as a ?non-discrimination? policy (again, with a laundry list of classifications, as in #1) or it may be a section of the staff hiring procedures. Sometimes, even if ?sexual orientation? is not explicit, there may be a provision for ?minority? hiring, and it will be necessary to get in writing assurance that this is racial and ethnic minorities only, not ?sexual? minorities (another term used for homosexuality, etc.).

3. Requirements for teacher/ staff training on ?diversity,? ?tolerance,? ?sensitivity?

What training (indoctrination) about homosexuality does the school require of its staff? Some have accepted the idea that unlearning attitudes that object to homosexuality is necessary, because such attitudes are thought to be bigoted and lead to illegitimate ?discrimination? and mistreatment of homosexual students or other staff members.

Yeah, discouraging other kids from beating up another kid because he has a lisp is a bad thing in need of a risk audit. Or that schools shouldn’t be in the business of discriminating because of someone’s sexual orientation.

What horrors.

And now for the kicker—what schools are targeted:

Initial targeted school districts
This list is suggested because of geographic distribution as well as in some cases, specific knowledge of the school districts activities in the past. Also in many cases there are known knowledgeable grass roots volunteers who could kick-start the research process.

We have also clustered some school districts around a major metropolitan area, so that the local media can be more effective.
——

Illinois
Deerfield Public Schools
Township High School District 214
New Trier Township High School District 203

It would have been much better if they’d highlighted Glenbrook North–then I could have titled it Save Ferris from the Homos. Saving Ted Farmer from the Homos, just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

Via Pam at Pandagon

CIA Officials and Hookers

And Congressman. And Defense Contractors. And Bribery. And Did I mention hookers?

One can only hope that someone from Illinois gets snared up because only that could make this more fun (and let’s not speculate in comments).

People understand hookers and Congressman. Sex sells and this is going to be a hoot.

UPDATE: ummm…while I hate to be a conspiracy theorist:

Foggo, who occasionally hosted the poker parties at his house in northern Virginia, is under investigation by the CIA’s inspector general to determine whether he helped Wilkes gain CIA contracts.

Despite the ICFST

Rich points out, Topinka is still leading Blagojevich in a very blue state.

On policy, I like the Governor. I just don’t like him. I’ve tried, I just don’t. Judy is moderate enough for me to consider backing her and that is where the problem is. He’s a little too much Eddie Haskill.

That said, Rich points out what I think is the key, taking a page out of the Bush reelection strategy:

Right now they’re going after what they think are Topinka’s weaknesses. What they need to do is attack her strengths. If they don’t, their expensive little movie may not have a happy ending.

If You Didn’t Get What the Trib is Saying

They still have plenty of leads to follow on Alexi:

But we also need to stress that, for Giannoulias and his party, this is not going to get any better.

While I understand the tendency to want to wait and see what will happen, everything I hear is this is just barely starting.

And this is what we (Democrats) get for nominating an unknown rich guy candidate with no track record. The guy should have run for the State Lege and worked his way up–all of this would have been discovered eventually and Democrats could then decide what to do based on a record of service and full information, but noooooooo….an office that has nothing to do with abortion was decided because of a guy’s stance on abortion. What? Are we Republicans now?

Can You Hit the Damn Notes in Spanish?

Let’s see Muslims decry cartoons depicting their Prophet,

Immigration loons decry a Patriotic song being sung in Spanish.

The difference?

Actually—depicting Muhammed does violate religious tenets and is probably in poor taste though Freedom of Speech includes the right to say things in poor taste.

Demonstrating your patriotism in any language seems strangely patriotic.

Would we be having this discussion were the Anthem sung in Polish or Italian? I don’t think so.

Quote of the article:

“It should be sung in English. It’s an American song. I think it represents America,” said Debbie Rand.

Origin of English…nevermind…