Gwen Moore: Representative Fails to Represent

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is playing catch-up once again.

It took a day for the news outlet to cover this rather incredible story.

Rep. Gwen Moore of Milwaukee, DEMOCRAT, failed to cast her vote on raising the debt ceiling.

She missed her opportunity to vote. This representative failed in her responsibility to represent her constituents.

From the Journal Sentinel:

The high-profile, last-minute vote to raise the nation's debt ceiling probably was the most scrutinized action in Congress this year.

U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) missed casting her vote by seconds.

Spokesman David Frey said Moore, of Milwaukee, intended to vote in favor of the compromise legislation worked out last weekend by congressional leaders and President Barack Obama.

The legislation took two votes to approve and voting was open for 15 minutes on each. After Moore cast her first vote, she returned to her office across the street from the Capitol, Frey said.

She left her office in what normally would be plenty of time to return to the Capitol and catch the end of the final vote, but hallways were clogged with extra media and security.

"Unfortunately, she arrived on the House floor just seconds too late," Frey said.

There is no excuse for this. None whatsoever.

Hundreds of members of the House had to deal with the same hallways clogged with extra media and security, but they all managed to cast their votes.

Moore was present to cast her first vote. She had to see that there was more congestion than usual, yet she went back to her office.

Frankly, that was not too bright at all. Moore completely misjudged the situation and, as a result, failed to vote on this hotly debated bill.

Inexcusable.

Osama: Obama, Democrats - Hypocrites

I've had enough of the Democrats and the Leftists strutting around praising Obama for HIS success in achieving the death of Osama bin Laden.

For years, they attacked and attempted to undermine President George W. Bush and the Bush administration. They vehemently objected to the methods utilized to deal with the terrorist threat and protect us.

Their assault was relentless, accusing President Bush and Vice President Cheney of being war criminals.

WATERBOARDING.

ENHANCED INTERROGATION.

SECRET PRISONS.

WARRANTLESS WIRETAPPING.

Obama was adamant about closing Guantanamo Bay.

He and the Democrats opposed the very methods that allowed for bin Laden to be killed.

Here's a sampling of video, via Mark Levin:

FORMER Sen. Russ Feingold lies and rails against collecting intelligence.



David Gregory lectures President Bush on the interrogation bill.



Matt Lauer accuses President Bush of using illegal methods to obtain information.



Obama signs his first executive order - to close Gitmo.

OBAMA: Guantanamo will be closed no later than one year from now.

Of course, that didn't happen.



Dick Cheney defends President Bush and the interrogation methods used to protect the country. This is must-see.



Obama chastises Dick Cheney for objecting to Obama's plan to close Gitmo.



Obama says he "fundamentally disagrees with Dick Cheney."

So, Obama and his Democrat comrades mercilessly attacked the Bush administration, while now they're hoping to take sole credit for getting bin Laden, and wallowing in the news of his death.

It's absurd.

It's a disgrace.

Democrat Gwen Moore wanted President Bush impeached.

Yesterday, she touted the mission, military action within the borders of a sovereign nation. She didn't call for Obama's impeachment because he gave the kill order to get bin Laden in Pakistan.

Moore's statement:

"I applaud our military, our President, and his national security team for ridding the world of the dark presence of Osama bin Laden. He has held the world captive, and his death ends a tragic chapter in a horror story where extremists target innocent civilians with murder, mayhem and fear.

"Bin Laden’s death brings a sense of relief to the families who lost loved ones on 9/11 and indeed every American. Our global partners and allies and peoples all over the world – regardless of race, creed, color, country, or religion – stand vigilant and unified with us today to rebuke this extremism and break free from the bondage of fear."

Personally, I don't feel a sense of relief. I'm glad bin Laden has been brought to justice, but I don't feel safer at all. This war, and it is a war, is not over.

In sum, Obama and the Democrats are shameless in their hypocrisy.

President Bush and Vice President Cheney have been vindicated.

Without their efforts and their tireless battle against Obama and the Democrats, bin Laden would be alive today; and Obama wouldn't be planning a 2012 election photo-op at Ground Zero on Thursday.
_________________

UPDATE: During the afternoon White House press briefing, Jay Carney insists that Obama hasn't changed his mind about the Bush policy interrogation methods.

Of course, Obama kept the vast majority of those policies in place, reneging on his promises.

Millions Wasted on Government Travel

A report reveals that some public servants aren't acting like servants.

They're taking advantage of their positions to rack up frequent flier miles.

WASHINGTON -- Federal employees wasted at least $146 million over a one-year period on business- and first-class airline tickets, in some cases simply because they felt entitled to the perk, congressional investigators say.

A draft report by the Government Accountability Office, obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press, is the first to examine compliance with travel rules across the federal government following reports of extensive abuse of premium-class travel by Pentagon and State Department employees.

The review of travel spending by more than a dozen agencies from July 1, 2005, to June 30, 2006, found 67 percent of premium-class travel by executives or their employees, worth at least $146 million, was unauthorized or otherwise unjustified.

Among the worst offenders: the State Department, whose employees typically fly abroad on official business.

Many of the cases involved high-ranking senior officials or political appointees who claimed exceptions to federal travel rules by citing old medical records or questionable approval from a subordinate employee.

Investigators found that senior officials often flew business- or first-class because they felt entitled to the perk.

The higher airfare for traveling in one of the premium classes resulted in expenses often five to 10 times more than what was authorized under government travel rules.

"With the serious fiscal challenges facing the federal government, agencies must maximize their ability to manage and safeguard valuable taxpayers' dollars," investigators wrote, suggesting agencies recoup the extra cost from those who abuse travel policies.

Government waste.

Federal officials abusing the taxpayers.

Globetrotter Gwen Moore.

Washington -- Two words for Milwaukee Congresswoman Gwen Moore: frequent flier.

During the past five months, Moore has traveled at taxpayer expense to 12 foreign countries, one of them, Liberia, twice.

Moore, 56, a Democrat, entered the House in 2005.

She's made four overseas trips since April, taking in Ghana, Liberia, Kenya, Morocco and Uganda in Africa; Belgium, England, Spain and the Ukraine in Europe; and Egypt, Israel and Lebanon in the Middle East.

The waste and abuse is inexcusable.

Don't these officials have any pangs of guilt?

Baldwin and Moore Continue Streak

Yesterday, the U.S. House of Representatives condemned MoveOn.org's "General Betray Us" ad by a vote of 341-79.

All 79 of the Nays came from Democrats.

WASHINGTON -- The House on Wednesday overwhelmingly voted to condemn the liberal advocacy group MoveOn.org for a recent advertisement attacking the top U.S. general in Iraq.

By a 341-79 vote, the House passed a resolution praising the patriotism Gen. David Petraeus, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, and condemning a MoveOn.org ad that referred to Petraeus as "General Betray Us."

...Wisconsin Rep. David Obey, a veteran Democrat, recounted how he left the Republican Party during the era of Sen. Joseph McCarthy, R-Wis., and said that lawmakers have an obligation to criticize their allies as well as their enemies when they go too far.

"I've got an obligation to be equally upset when that kind of juvenile debate emanates from the left," Obey said.

Not every Wisconsin congressman showed Obey's good judgment.

Wow. I'm always taken aback a bit when I say Obey showed good judgment; but I digress.

Here's the roll call.

For the second time in two days, Tammy Baldwin and Gwen Moore reveal what lockstep radical fringe Democrat hacks they are.

On Tuesday, both voted against a measure aimed to signal disapproval for Iranian president Mahmoud "we don't have homosexuals" Ahmadinejad.

On Wednesday, once again, Baldwin and Moore aligned themselves with the fringe radical Left by refusing to commend General David Petraeus and condemn MoveOn.org.

___________________

Here's more on the despicable Dems.

11 Democrats Flip-Flop on Petraeus Resolution, Vote No in Committee, Yes on the House Floor

(h/t Mark Levin)

Wrist Slap for Gwen Moore

What's this?

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Editorial Board is actually reprimanding, albeit very gently, Gwen Moore.

The board questions her globetrotting.

No. 1 isn't always good

Being first is often a laudable distinction. When it comes to being tops in the Wisconsin congressional delegation for foreign or domestic trips at taxpayer or outside-group expense, it is less so.

That's the lesson for Democratic Rep. Gwen Moore, who recently surpassed GOP Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner for that distinction. She has registered four foreign and four domestic trips (including Puerto Rico) since February 2006.

...A Moore spokeswoman said a taxpayer-financed, 11-day trip to six countries was to help understand how U.S. aid to Africa is being spent. That's a worthy topic, but the kind of information garnered by a six-country trip in 11 days is likely to give only a teasing taste rather than something substantive to digest. Moore serves on the Financial Services and Small Business committees.

Granted, the Board tempers its little blast at Moore by highlighting Sensenbrenner's travels.

But still, Moore does hold the state globetrotting title, making her the biggest offender of exploiting the taxpayers.

It's a rare thing when a Wisconsin liberal Democrat is criticized by the Board.

Is Ricardo Pimentel on vacation?

GWEN MOORE AND OSAMA BIN LADEN

On Friday, we heard Osama bin Laden complaining about the Democrats in Washington.

He said:

"People of America: the world is following your news in regards to your invasion of Iraq, for people have recently come to know that, after several years of tragedies of this war, the vast majority of you want it stopped. Thus, you elected the Democratic Party for this purpose, but the Democrats haven't made a move worth mentioning. On the contrary, they continue to agree to the spending of tens of billions to continue the killing and war there."

Yes, bin Laden is pretty ticked off at those Dems. They control Congress, yet they've done nothing that's worth mentioning to stop the war in Iraq. Anyway, that's how bin Laden sees it.

Bin Laden should take note of Wisconsin Congresswoman Gwen Moore. At least she wants to retreat from Iraq and do what bin Laden wants.

It just so happens that Moore was not traveling today.

She wasn't in Ghana, Liberia, Kenya, Morocco, Uganda, Belgium, England, Spain, the Ukraine, Egypt, Israel, or Lebanon.

Believe it or not, she was actually in Washington; and she had a message for her colleagues.

From WisPolitics:

Congresswoman Gwen Moore spoke on the House Floor today to stress the need for a change of course in Iraq. Below are Rep. Moore’s remarks.

“Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

“I am compelled to come before the body today to talk about my deep concern about our continued engagement in Iraq.

“In the past four and half years, we’ve gone from “mission accomplished” to mission untrue, and in the words of one our colleagues here on the Republican side, to mission unknown. In fact, we are arming and fueling this growing civil war.

“We have found Shiite on Shiite violence, Sunni on Sunni violence, Shiite on Sunni violence – Our troops have no idea what the mission is anymore. I would submit, Mr. Speaker, that this is mission impossible.

“It is time to bring our troops home.

“Just recently, we have found that 190,000 weapons are unaccounted for. There are plenty of weapons in the Department of Interior -- the Ministry of Interior has come to be a police force against our own troops.

“With that, Mr. Speaker, I yield back my time. We need to bring our troops home.”

According to Moore, the situation in Iraq has moved from mission accomplished to mission untrue to mission unknown to mission impossible.



Cute.

She claims that the troops don't know what the mission is anymore.

Is it that they don't know what to do, or is it that the troops didn't have the ability to protect the Iraqis, as the dishonorable Sen. Chuck Schumer said?

Moore's comments aren't as disgusting as Schumer's remarks, but both lawmakers are saying that our troops aren't getting the job done in Iraq.

Moore clearly states that the U.S. is "arming and fueling this growing civil war."

That's nice. She's saying that our troops are doing more harm than good.

Other than stating that the troops should come home, Moore didn't give any concrete plan, no specifics as to how to bring them home.

See, that's the sort of thing that is upsetting bin Laden. The Dems' rhetoric is not enough. Bin Laden wants to see results.

He's frustrated with the Democrats. Moore and her party are going to have to do more than she's doing to keep him happy.

Globetrotter Gwen Moore

As a member of the U.S. Congress, what has Gwen Moore accomplished in Washington?

I know she co-sponsored H. Res. 635.

I guess it would be wrong to criticize Moore for not getting much done in D.C. She's not there all that much. Moore spends lots of time on the road, often at the expense of taxpayers.

From The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Two words for Milwaukee Congresswoman Gwen Moore: frequent flier.

During the past five months, Moore has traveled at taxpayer expense to 12 foreign countries, one of them, Liberia, twice.

Moore, 56, a Democrat, entered the House in 2005.

She's made four overseas trips since April, taking in Ghana, Liberia, Kenya, Morocco and Uganda in Africa; Belgium, England, Spain and the Ukraine in Europe; and Egypt, Israel and Lebanon in the Middle East.

Moore sits on the House Financial Services Committee and the Small Business Committee.

The Journal Sentinel examined reports on trips taken by the Wisconsin congressional delegation dating to 2006. The delegation tallied:

• Expenses totaling at least $174,177

• 23 foreign trips

• 11 domestic trips

• About three dozen foreign countries visited, some more than once

Moore's travels this spring and summer outpaced even those of Jim Sensenbrenner, the House Republican from Menomonee Falls whose name generally shows up high on overall lists of congressional globe-trotters.

...Moore also declined a request for an interview about her travel, but issued a statement saying:

"My congressional trips here and abroad help me to better understand the issues affecting our country so that I can more effectively represent my constituents in Congress. I believe that to be an effective leader I must not put on the blinders that so many in Washington wear, but instead learn first-hand about critical global and domestic issues."

Give me a break!

Blinders?

What is she talking about?

She has blinders when it comes to her son Sowande Omokunde. She didn't know that he was part of an effort to disenfranchise Milwaukee Republican voters.

She doesn't have to travel abroad to help her better understand that issue. She merely has to go home.

Since April, she's been to Ghana, Liberia, Kenya, Morocco, Uganda, Belgium, England, Spain, the Ukraine, Egypt, Israel, and Lebanon.

That's a lot of travel.

Moore should let her constituents know what she learned on her travels that enables her to better represent them.

She should write papers: "What I did on my trip to Ghana," "What I did on my trip to Spain," etc.

Moore should offer constituents specifics. The blinders crap is way too vague.

Moore's trips during the two years have cost $8,912, and the expenses of two have yet to be reported.

While Moore's official trips this year have been to foreign destinations, her trips in 2006 - and there were five - were domestic. Her party did not control Congress then.

Her trips closer to home were to San Juan, Puerto Rico; Boston; Denver; and New York City (twice). All in 2006 were underwritten by outside entities.

So once the Dems took control, Moore's travel itinerary became more extravagant.

Interesting.

Like Moore, most of Wisconsin's federal lawmakers went abroad during the past 20 months. Only two chose not to go overseas on congressional business: Sen. Herb Kohl and Rep. Steve Kagen of Appleton, both Democrats. Kagen is a first-term lawmaker whose seat Republicans hope to regain.

I don't have a problem with lawmakers going on trips.

I have a problem when the travel becomes excessive.

Moore's travel seems to be excessive.

I think it's hilarious that Kohl didn't go overseas to do any congressional business, but he just got back from China to carry out personal negotiations with representatives of Yi Jianlian.

Actually, it's not hilarious. It's pathetic.

Way to serve the people!

Does Kohl put the future of the Bucks ahead of the future of the country? Yes.

And Kagen, who knows what motivates him?

Maybe he's afraid to fly. He did promise to personally take out terrorists aboard planes.

Remember?

During a debate with John Gard, Kagen said:

The enemies are intent on destroying America. They're intent on hurting us, killing us. We are their evil one, but let's understand who the real enemy can become if we become too fearful.

I'm... I'm not afraid. I'll put my foot down and stand up if I'm on a plane with a terrorist – I’ll take him out right there.

We need leaders that are tough. We need leaders that are smart. Unfortunately, we've got the tough part right. We just don't have the smart part.

It's best that Kagen not travel. He could cause an international incident.

...Feingold made four foreign trips in the period reviewed: two to Africa, one to Asia and one to the Middle East. He is on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, chairs its African Affairs Subcommittee and sits on its East Asian and Pacific Affairs Subcommittee. He also sits on the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Feingold, in a statement defending his trips, says his priority was "working to ensure the safety and security of Americans at home and abroad." He said the trips gave him a chance to examine places with groups sympathetic to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists; places in need of strengthened democratic institutions; and places crippled by violence for decades.

Feingold spent so much time on the road during his failed campaign for the presidency that I'm surprised he had time to squeeze in some trips out of the country.

If Feingold wants to examine places crippled by violence, he should visit Milwaukee, Gwen Moore's district.

IMPEACHMENT IS NOT OPTIONAL

Lefties are not in agreement when it comes to setting the table.

In spite of Nancy Pelosi's insistence that "impeachment is off the table," rank and file far Left Democrats are demanding that impeachment be a centerpiece of the party's agenda.

John Nichols echoes the Lefties' cry, "Impeachment is Not Optional."

He writes:

After the death of her soldier son in Iraq, and after it became clear that the misguided policies that put her boy in harm's way would not be changed, a then little-known woman named Cindy Sheehan wrote a letter to the man responsible for those policies: George Bush.

In the letter, she told the president, "I will make it my life's work to see that you are impeached." And so she has, first by taking her protests against the war to the roads outside Bush's Crawford,Texas, ranchette, and then to cities across the country to declare that Congress has a fundamental responsibility to hold this president and vice president to account.

When tens of thousands of Americans participated Sunday in rallies, forums and teach-ins organized by the afterdowningstreet.org coalition and its allies to say that they want impeachment "on the table" for the new Congress, I joined Sheehan in New York at one of the largest of the gatherings.

Clearly, St. Sheehan still has some clout.

The Dems' best efforts to ignore those of her ilk and quiet the ramblings of the radical Left were only temporarily successful.

Yes, in November, the Dems managed to dupe American voters into believing that their candidates were moderate. They succeeded in pulling off their act that they reflected the values of Americans by pretending to be conservative. In other words, they acted as if they were sane.

Now with both houses of Congress in their control, all bets are off. The radical Left wing wants to control what's on the table. Prepare for a food fight.

The nutcase impeachment Dems, including Wisconsin's own Gwen Moore and Tammy Baldwin, haven't gone away. They were reelected.

It's stunning.

We're at war and there are actually elected officials interested in pursuing the impeachment of the President.

"Impeachment is not optional. It's not something that Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid can say is not on the table," Sheehan said of the incoming Democratic leaders of the U.S. House and Senate, who have expressed caution about employing the tool created by the founders of the American experiment for the purpose of sanctioning errant executives. "It is their duty as officers of the Constitution, who who have sworn an oath to defend the Constitution, to carry out impeachment."

With the crowd that packed an auditorium at Fordham University's law school cheering her, Sheehan declared, "If George Bush isn't impeached then we should never impeach anyone else. We should just take [the sections outlining the impeachment process] out of the Constitution. It is a meaningless clause of the Constitution." Like many of the activists across the country who rallied Sunday, Sheehan made a direct connection between impeaching Bush and ending what Lynn Kates, an organizer with the Center for Constitutional Rights who joined the New York forum identified as "an illegal, immoral, unethical war."

For the far Left, the fact that we are at war isn't an incentive to rally together and unify the country.

Instead, they see the war as an opportunity to advance their agenda by proposing something certain to divide the country. Obviously, the radicals see impeachment as a way to give their brand of peace a chance.

"The war and impeachment are intertwined," said Sheehan. "George Bush has said over and over again that the troops aren't coming home while he is president. That just means we have to get a new president." Sheehan and other members of Gold Star Families for Peace will join activists with the World Can't Wait movement and other groups in Washington in the first week of January to lobby Congress to take up impeachment. It will be a frustrating process initially, as House Democratic leaders are working hard to keep a lid on pro-impeachment sentiment among members of their caucus.

Nichols cites the ousted Cynthia McKinney as the only Dem having the courage to introduce articles of impeachment, but he notes that there are dozens of Dems in office backing impeachment.

Their ringleader, John Conyers, is going to be the chair of the House Judiciary Committee!

Those are hopeful signs on the horizon for these impeachment-crazed libs.

Radical Nichols has faith, especially in St. Sheehan.

Sheehan is not letting Democrats, or Republicans, off the hook.

"Some issues transcend politics," she argued Sunday. "Our Constitution, our rule of law, our very humanity, demands that Congress begin impeachment proceedings."

Right.

What fun! Begin impeachment proceedings!

I think the new year is going to be one bumpy ride, courtesy of the Democrats.

Huddled Masses

When was the last time the streets of downtown Milwaukee brimmed with thousands of people?

It was probably the summer of 2003, when the Great Circus Parade rolled through the city.

On Thursday, there were thousands and thousands marching against discrimination.

That sounds noble, doesn't it?

Everyone is against discrimination, right?

The problem is what some refer to as discrimination, others consider to be breaking U.S. immigration laws.

The question: Was this a march for justice, or a march promoting illegal behavior?

Read the A DAY WITHOUT LATINOS press release.

(Excerpt)

What: WISCONSIN REGIONAL MARCH AGAINST DISCRIMINATION

When: Thursday, March 23, 2006 10:00 AM

Where: The march will start at Voces de la Frontera (1027 s. 5TH St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin)then will cross the 6th St. Bridge

Why: To oppose laws that want to destroy our human dignity by:

• Taking away drivers licenses
• Denying emergency medical care
• Turning all undocumented persons, including children, into aggravated felons; the equivalent of a homicide
• Criminalizing any person or organization that assists the undocumented including: churches, attorneys, teachers, social workers, community agencies, union organizers, workers’ centers, even family and friends.

MARCH IN REGOGNITION OF THE CONTRIBUTION OF LATINOS

First, I oppose laws that destroy human dignity. Absolutely.

The U.S. is a country of immigrants. I am in no way against welcoming immigrants into the community. Come to America for a better life. That's what we're about -- opportunity to work to achieve one's dreams.

I think it's unfair for illegal aliens to demand the same rights as legal immigrants and those who went through legal channels to attain U.S. citizenship.

It's difficult for me to view illegals as victims when they are cheating the system.

Second, persons that entered the United States illegally are criminals. They broke the law. There is simply no way to get around that fact. They are not immigrants. They are illegal aliens. The operative word is illegal.

It's a misnomer to refer to illegal aliens as immigrants. Calling them "undocumented" also is an attempt to skirt the truth, that they are in the country illegally. They are lawbreakers. Once again, the operative word is illegal.

I'm afraid the enforcement of immigration laws cannot be framed as morally wrong. It's twisting reality to create victims of discrimination out of violators of U.S. law.

Third, individuals that assist others in illegal activity are complicit in the crime.

I don't want to be hard-hearted, but I do believe that we must control the borders. We must have a fair system for immigration and enforce the policy.

We could learn something from Mexico's immigration policy.

The ley General de Publacion and its By-Laws that regulate your admission stay and departure from Mexico.

The Constitucion Politica de las Estados Unidas Mexicanos.

Article 1

In the United States of Mexico every individual will enjoy the guarantees granted in this Constitution and these cannot be restricted or suspended, except in those cases and under the conditions established below.

When you enter the country as a "tourist", you are allowed to remain for a maximum of 180 days for the purposes of recreation, health, artistic or sports activities.

You may not work in Mexico.

(That's a killer, isn't it? No visitor is allowed to work.)

If you arrive by air:
You must have your immigration form and present it to the immigration authorities upon arrival at the airport of your destination within Mexico.

If you arrive by road:
You must request your immigration form after having paid the tourist fees at a local bank. Your vehicle must leave the country when your tourist card expires. You cannot sell your car within Mexico nor use it for any other unauthorized purpose.

If you arrive by sea:
You must obtain your immigration permit after having paid the fees at the port of entrance. Once your authorized 180 days are up, you must leave the country.

Interesting.

I don't see anything about people entering Mexico illegally being allowed to stay and receive health care and an education, get a driver's license, and be given all the rights that are granted to legal citizens.

Not only does Mexico have strict laws, the country actively enforces them.

Undocumented Central Americans are routinely tossed out of Mexico -- a glaring double standard in play.

I wonder if thousands of people have ever marched in Mexico to protest that country's laws, crying discrimination.

I doubt it. But that's what happened in Milwaukee on Thursday.

People protested in the name of lawbreakers and demanded rights for those in the country illegally.

Of course, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel puts a positive spin on the marchers' cause.

In one of Milwaukee's largest demonstrations in recent years, a mile-long swath of peaceful protesters marched into the city's downtown Thursday chanting, "¡Sí, se puede!" ("Yes, we can!"), carrying Mexican and American flags and signs condemning what they called "anti-immigrant" legislation.

...Although march organizers put the crowd at 30,000, Milwaukee police estimated that there were between 10,000 and 15,000 marchers, said spokeswoman Anne E. Schwartz. She said there were no arrests.

Has there ever been a protest event when the organizers didn't inflate the numbers attending?

The march, which culminated in a 90-minute rally in Zeidler Park, followed a similar event two weeks ago in Chicago that drew a crowd of up to 100,000 people.

...One of the targets of Thursday's protest was a sweeping federal bill sponsored by U.S. Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) that would keep illegal immigrants in jail until they are processed for deportation, increase penalties for improper entry into the United States, and provide mandatory minimum sentences for illegal immigrants convicted of re-entering the U.S.

Several of the speakers Thursday singled out Sensenbrenner for criticism, including Sheila Cochran of the Milwaukee County Labor Council, who called the bill "wrong-spirited, wrongheaded and just plain wrong."

These protesters are missing the point of the legislation. It is directed at ILLEGAL immigrants. It's not wrong to penalize the lawbreakers.

Xavier Marquez, president of the Racine group Students United for Immigrant Rights, called Sensenbrenner's bill "racist and divisive."

Does Sensenbrenner's bill single out Latinos or some other group? Of course not. It applies to ANYONE, OF ANY RACE.

Sorry, it's not racist or divisive.

...The march and rally stitched together a coalition of political leaders, including Mayor Tom Barrett, U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Wis.) and state Rep. Pedro Colón (D-Milwaukee), as well as labor unions, business groups and religious leaders.

Clearly, Barrett, Moore, and Colón are looking for votes. I'm surprised Herb Kohl didn't magically appear.

I've been trying to find the mayor's remarks. Actually, I don't know if he spoke. I assume he at least said hello.

...The signs the marchers carried drew heavily on emotion and appealed to values enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and the inscription on the Statue of Liberty.

A large cloth banner said, "Open the doors to citizenship. Immigration is an American experience." A sign showed a photograph of a child wearing a red graduation cap and gown, with the caption, "I'm not a criminal." Another sign said, "You let us fight and die for the country, but we're still not called American."

Hey! The doors aren't closed to citizenship!

Enter America legally. Follow the rules. Become a citizen.

Then, you're not a criminal. You're an American.
________________________________

Jim Sensenbrenner released a statement in reaction to the rally.

He says, "Many have tried to confuse the difference between legal and illegal immigration. Illegal aliens should not be granted amnesty and a path to citizenship. This would be a slap in the face to all those who have followed the law and have come to America legally."

He believes that "America is a compassionate nation that should continue to be the land of opportunity."

Sensenbrenner is not anti-immigration, discriminatory, or racist.

It's fair to debate the merits of the bill. It's not fair to demonize Sensenbrenner.
__________________________________

Read about Hillary Clinton's views on the legislation.

The New York Daily News reports:

Sen. Hillary Clinton used the Bible yesterday to belt Republicans who back a tough new immigration bill she said was not only un-American, but un-Christian as well.

"It is certainly not in keeping with my understanding of the Scriptures," Clinton said. "This bill would literally criminalize the Good Samaritan - and probably even Jesus himself."

So, Hillary is a Bible scholar. Who knew?

I suspect her poor poll numbers among Christians prompted her to invoke Jesus, but it has to make the secularists that populate the Dem base a bit uneasy.

In any event, finding religion and exploiting God for personal political gain is not a good idea. The potential for a backlash is enormous, not to mention divine retribution.

Watch out for lightning bolts, Hillary.

H. RES. 635

Here's more proof that today's claim by the New York Times, that Republicans are exaggerating the notion of impeachment in a scheme to energize their base, is a complete crock.

From the Times:

Mr. Feingold also said he proposed the milder rebuke of censure instead of impeachment in part because of the context of the war and in part to avoid a political backlash from Mr. Bush's supporters.

"They can try to turn this into their fantasy, but that is not how this comes off," Mr. Feingold said.

Does Feingold live in a bubble? Is he completely insulated from what's happening in Washington, outside of his own self-serving circle of opportunists?

Feingold can frame his resolution however he wants, but the fact is elected officials in Washington are acting on their fantasy of impeaching President Bush.

From Atlanta Progressive News, a radical Leftist outlet:

32 US House Representatives have signed on as sponsors or co-sponsors of H. Res 635, which would create a Select Committee to look into the grounds for recommending President Bush’s impeachment, Atlanta Progressive News has learned.

Their co-sponsorships of H. Res 635 come on the heels of reports that US Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Tom Harkin (D-IA) will support US Senator Russ Feingold’s (D-WI) bill, S. Res 398, to censure President Bush.

The two latest co-sponsors of H. Res 635 are US Rep. David Wu (D-OR) and US Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN).

...“There has been massive support for House Resolution 635 from a very vigorous network of grassroots activists and people committed to holding the Bush Administration accountable for its widespread abuses of power,” US Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) said in a statement prepared for Atlanta Progressive News.

...Meanwhile, at least eight (8) US cities, including Arcata, Santa Cruz, and San Francisco, each in California; and Brookfield, Dummerston, Marlboro, Newfane, and Putney, each in Vermont, have passed resolutions calling for Bush’s impeachment.

Almost 16% of US House Democrats now support the impeachment probe; over 7% of all US House Representatives now support the probe. In December 2005, there were 231 Republicans in the US House, 202 Democrats, 1 Independent, and 1 vacancy, a clerk for the US House of Representatives told Atlanta Progressive News.

The best represented states on H. Res 635 are California (7), New York (6), Massachusetts (3), Minnesota (3), Georgia (2), and Wisconsin (2).

The current 30 total co-sponsors are Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-HI), Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Rep. Michael Capuano (D-MA), Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA), Rep. William Lacy Clay (D-MO), Rep. John Conyers (D-MI), Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA), Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA), Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee (D-TX), Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN), Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA), Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-GA), Rep. Gwen Moore (D-WI), Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Rep. James Oberstar (D-MN), Rep. John Olver (D-MA), Rep. Major Owens (D-NY), Rep. Donald Payne (D-NJ), Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY), Rep. Martin Sabo (D-MN), Rep. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Rep. Fortney Pete Stark (D-CA), Rep. John Tierney (D-MA), Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), and Rep. David Wu (D-OR).

Remember these names.

“What a lot of activists group want is the next step, which is Articles of Impeachment. You don’t have to pass this type of bill first. I think there’s a fair chance that if the list of co-sponsors grows dramatically, Conyers and others will take that next step of introducing articles of impeachment,” David Swanson of ImpeachPAC told Atlanta Progressive News.

At least two members of Congress are prepared to sign Articles of Impeachment if they were to be introduced, sources tell Atlanta Progressive News. One of the members is US Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), whose office clarified earlier Associated Press reports, by saying Lewis would indeed sign such a bill, assuming that any bill of impeachment would of course be introduced as a result of a thorough process, such as one including the investigation called for in H. Res 635.

Dave Lindorff wrote in The Baltimore Chronicle that he and Barbara Olshansky (an attorney at The Center for Constitutional Rights) will reveal in an upcoming book that “members of Congress–even firebrands like Maxine Waters (D-CA) and Cynthia McKinney (D-GA)–have been strong-armed behind the scenes by the Democratic National Committee not to introduce an impeachment bill in the House.”

...If the Democratic Party is able to retake the US House of Representatives, Rep. Conyers would become Chairman Conyers of the House Judiciary Committee, whereas he is currently the Ranking Democrat on the Committee. The Judiciary Committee would oversee any actual impeachment investigation.

Read the text of H. RES. 635.

Take note Wisconsin residents--

Gwen Moore and Tammy Baldwin are co-sponsors of H. RES. 635.

They support an impeachment probe.

Maybe Feingold's censure resolution is not about impeachment, but H. RES. 635 is most definitely about impeachment.

Now--

What was that about impeachment proceedings being a Republican fantasy constructed to rile up the base?