Am I too obsessed with war?

Maybe.

I think I'll get off this "war kick," what do you say?

Wow, isn't it easy for me to become so detached? How fortunate we are that we can turn off the war by changing the channel.

Well, maybe it's just survival. I have to admit it's quite distracting from my "real life" just trying to keep up with all the lies coming out of Washington.

I know you guys don't want to listen to me and here more of what you're seeing on the news (or what you're not seeing on the news), so the next articles will be more of what you've grown to expect.

However, can we leave this exercise with a resolve to do something about this? Maybe a few of you will be so fired up by the prospect of non-violent solutions to conflict that you'll be another Gandhi.

Is that you?

Share your thoughts with the rest of us.

Vote Democratic in the fall elections.

Ron
www.USLINX.com
www.WeDemocrats.com

Whoever's mainlining the Shimkus kool-aid on the Intelligencer staff needs to
start withdrawal -- immediately! The only thing Shimkus wants is to open ANWR
to drilling (just like his puppeteers want).
=================================
08/30/2006
Not everyone waits on energy
Intelligencer Staff , feedback@theintelligencer.com

As far as John Shimkus is concerned, seeing a sudden drop in gasoline prices might not be a good thing.

The Republican U.S. Congressman from Collinsville says watching gas prices ping ponging around the $3 a gallon mark might actually force Americans -- and their government -- to come up with a hard and fast energy policy.

Shimkus, a member of the House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce, said our gasoline woes aren't something new.

Back in the 1970s, when our country experienced its first gas shortage, leaders had an opportunity to forge a national energy policy.

But just about the time President Jimmy Carter was about to get the ball rolling, gas started flowing freely and the prices dropped.

When the public outcry subsided, attention was turned elsewhere and that, according to Shimkus, is why we are in our current fix.

And, according to the Congressman, we will remain in that fix -- on and off -- until Americans -- and their government -- can answer the questions: Are we serious about an energy policy? And what are we going to do to move away from our dependence on foreign oil?

Shimkus said their are many options and one is renewable fuels, such as ethanol.

Shimkus was one of the first elected officials at any level to see the benefits of biofuels. "I don't scream about that anymore. It's being done," he said.

So he's moved on.

He understands the possibilities of solar power, wind power and hydrogen-fueled automobiles.

But his next crusade will be to get the ball rolling on turning another Illinois commodity that is in abundance -- coal -- and turning it into fuel.

Shimkus said the technology to do this has been around since the end of World War II, when the Germans used it.

And now, China is in the process of building a plant to facilitate such a conversion.

Shimkus doesn't want America to get left behind.

There is a lot of coal left under our Illinois topsoil. "Four-hundred and fifty years worth," the 19th District representative said.

So there is a benefit to our state. But it gets even better.

Shimkus said the coal to liquid fuel process works best when the refineries are built directly over the mines. (Read: more jobs for Illinois residents).

The fuel produced during the conversion is best used to make diesel and jet fuel so the motoring public would only benefit so much.

But it's something.

Americans -- and their government -- are slow to move when it comes to energy issues as it has been proven in the past.

Shimkus is parroting the same ole junk that Bush has been throwing around. Anyone who thinks its a good thing to have $3.00 a gal gas is plain nuts, especially in view of all the capped oil wells here in Illinois alone, not to mention Texas and Alaska or other states.

Uncap the wells, put money into new Federal Refineries (to help control gas prices) that can do what the Federal Reserve does for banks. We already have vast stockpiles in our Oil Reserves, use the Fed Refineries to process and compete with oil companies to help control the prices of gasoline to the consumers.

Get this bunch out of Washington...Vote Democratic... Vote Danny Stover for IL-19th Congressional District.

Ron
www.WeDemocrats.com
www.USLINX.com

Sentence of Reid

Remember the guy who got on a plane with a bomb built into his shoe and tried to light it?

Did you know his trial is over?
Did you know he was sentenced?
Did you see/hear any of the judge's comments on TV or Radio?
Didn't think so.

Everyone should hear what the judge had to say.

Ruling by Judge William Young, US District Court.

Prior to sentencing, the Judge asked the defendant if he
had anything to say. His response: After admitting his guilt to the court for the record, Reid also admitted his "allegiance to Osama bin Laden, to Islam, and to the religion of Allah," defiantly stating, "I think I will not apologize for my actions," and told the court "I am at war with your country."

Judge Young then delivered the statement quoted below:
January 30, 2003, United States vs. Reid. Judge Young:
"Mr. Richard C. Reid, hearken now to the sentence the Court imposes upon you.

On counts 1, 5 and 6 the Court sentences you to life in prison in the custody of the United States Attorney General. On counts 2, 3, 4 and 7, the Court sentences you to 20 years in prison on each count, the sentence on each count to run consecutively. (That's 80 years.)

On count 8 the Court sentences you to the mandatory 30 years again, to be served consecutively to the 80 years just imposed. The Court imposes upon you for each of the eight counts a fine of $250,000 that's an aggregate fine of $2 million. The Court accepts the government's recommendation with respect to restitution and orders restitution in the amount of $298.17 to Andre Bousquet and $5,784 to American Airlines.

The Court imposes upon you an $800 special assessment.
The Court imposes upon you five years supervised release simply because the law requires it. But the life sentences are real life sentences so I need go no further.

This is the sentence that is provided for by our statutes. It is a fair and just sentence. It is a righteous sentence.

Now, let me explain this to you. We are not afraid of you or any of your terrorist co-conspirators, Mr. Reid. We are Americans. We have been through the fire before. There is too much war talk here and I say that to every-one with the utmost respect. Here in this court, we deal with individuals as individuals and care for individuals as individuals. As human beings, we reach out for justice.

You are not an enemy combatant. You are a terrorist. You are not a soldier in any war. You are a terrorist. To give you that reference, to call you a soldier, gives you far too much stature. Whether the officers of government do it or your attorney does it, or if you think you are a soldier. You are not----- you are a terrorist. And we do not negotiate with terrorists. We do not meet with terrorists. We do not sign documents with terrorists. We hunt them down one by one and bring them to justice.

So war talk is way out of line in this court. You are a big fellow. But you are not that big. You're no warrior. I've known warriors. You are a terrorist. A species of criminal that is guilty of multiple attempted murders. In a very real sense, State Trooper Santiago had it right when you first were taken off that plane and into custody and you wondered where the press and the TV crews were, and he said: "You're no big deal."

You are no big deal.

What your able counsel and what the equally able United States attorneys have grappled with and what I have as honestly as I know how tried to grapple with, is why you did something so horrific. What was it that led you here to this courtroom today?

I have listened respectfully to what you have to say. And I ask you to search your heart and ask yourself what sort of unfathomable hate led you to do what you are guilty and admit you are guilty of doing? And, I have an answer for you. It may not satisfy you, but as I search this entire record, it comes as close to understanding as I know.

It seems to me you hate the one thing that to us is most
precious. You hate our freedom. Our individual freedom. Our individual freedom to live as we choose, to come and go as we choose, to believe or not believe as we individually choose. Here, in this society, the very wind carries freedom. It carries it everywhere from sea to shining sea. It is because we prize individual freedom so much that you are here in this beautiful courtroom. So that everyone can see, truly see, that justice is administered fairly, individually, and discretely. It is for freedom's sake that your lawyers are striving so vigorously on your behalf, have filed appeals, will go on in their representation of you before other judges.

We Americans are all about freedom. Because we all know that the way we treat you, Mr. Reid, is the measure of our own liberties. Make no mistake though. It is yet true that we will bear any burden; pay any price, to preserve our freedoms. Look around this courtroom. Mark it well. The world is not going to long remember what you or I say here. The day after tomorrow, it will be forgotten, but this, however, will long endure.

Here in this courtroom and courtrooms all across America, the American people will gather to see that justice, individual justice, justice, not war, individual justice is in fact being done. The very President of the United States through his officers will have to come into courtrooms and lay out evidence on which specific matters can be judged and juries of citizens will gather to sit and judge that evidence democratically, to mold and shape and refine our sense of justice.

See that flag, Mr. Reid? That's the flag of the United States of America . That flag will fly there long after this is all forgotten. That flag stands for freedom. And it always will.
Mr. Custody Officer. Stand him down.

So, how much of this Judge's comments did we hear on our TV sets? We need more judges like Judge Young, but that's another subject. Pass this around. Everyone should and needs to hear what this fine judge had to say. Powerful words that strike home. God bless America

By Wolfgang Puck, chef, restaurateur

"I learned more from the one restaurant that didn't work than from all the ones that were successes."

The UNDECIDED VOTER!

THIS IS AN IL-19 JOKE THAT CAN BE ENJOYED BY BOTH PARTIES!

While walking down the street one day an UNDECIDED VOTER is tragically
hit by a truck and dies.

His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance.
"Welcome to heaven," says St. Peter.

"Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see an UNDECIDED VOTER around these parts, you see, so we're not sure what to do with you."

"No problem, just let me in," says the man.

"Well, I'd like to, but I have orders from higher up. What we'll do is have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity."

"Really, I've made up my mind. I want to be in heaven," says the
UNDECIDED VOTER.

"I'm sorry, but we have our rules."

And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes
down, down,down to hell. The doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance is a clubhouse and standing in front of it are all his Republican friends and other UNDECIDED VOTERS who had worked with him.

Everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to greet
him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had.

They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster,
caviar and champagne.

Also present is John Shimkus, who really is a very friendly guy who
has a good time dancing and telling jokes. They are having such a good time that before he realizes it, it is time to go.

Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator
rises...

The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens on heaven where
St. Peter is waiting for him.

"Now it's time to visit heaven."

So, 24 hours pass with the UNDECIDED VOTER joining a group of contented
souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns.

"Well, then, you've spent a day in hell and another in heaven.
Now choose your eternity."

The UNDECIDED VOTER reflects for a minute, then he answers: "Well, I
would never have said it before, I mean heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in hell."

So St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down,
down to hell.

Now the doors of the elevator open and he's in the middle of a
barren land covered with waste and garbage.

He sees all his friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash
and putting it in black bags as more trash falls from above.

The John Shimkus comes over to him and puts his arm around his shoulder.

"I don't understand," stammers the UNDECIDED VOTER. "Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and clubhouse, and we ate lobster and caviar, drank champagne, and danced and had a great time. Now there's just a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable. What happened?"

Shimkus looks at him, smiles and says, "Yesterday we were
campaigning......

Today you voted."

Remember once you vote, Shimkus will forget about you.

Vote Stover for Congress! Honest, Friendly and he doesn’t forget.

Ron
www.WeDemocrats.com
www.uslinx.com