While reading this excellent Paul Craig Roberts article, one statement caught my eye:

Now the Bush administration wants to take away the American people’s freedom to travel within their own country by airplane. Not content with an 80,000 “no fly” list, a subset of a 500,000–750,000 “watch list,” the Bush administration’s Transport Security Administration has proposed new rules that will require Americans to get government permission 72 hours in advance prior to being allowed to board a domestic flight.

Oh, he must be misstating something. Not even King George could think he has the right to restrict American citizens domestic travel…right?

Oops:

US demands air passengers ask its permission to fly

Under new rules proposed by the Transport Security Administration (TSA), all airline passengers would need advance permission before flying into, through, or over the United States regardless of citizenship or the airline’s national origin.

How long before we have Checkpoint Charlies at every major highway crossing between states? And worse yet, how many cowed Faux News watchers would welcome it, because Daddy Government is “protecting” them?

TTP is sure all of you took heed of previous warnings and marked your calendars so that you wouldn’t miss the David Horowitz “Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week” which was touted to be the “biggest conservative campus protest ever“. And if you happen to live in an area that lacks a “conservative campus” say, for instance, liberal Decatur with Emory University- don’t fret, serial liar Horowitz will just say it happened anyway:

Horowitz Inflates Number Of Schools Participating In His Divisive ‘Islamo-Fascism Awareness Week’

… But on CSPAN’s Washington Journal this weekend, Kareem Shora, the Executive Director of the American-Arab Anti Discrimination Committee, said that Horowitz was dramatically overstating the number of participating schools:

Shora also said that the president of Liberty University, the evangelical school founded by Jerry Falwell, also had their name removed from Horowitz’s list.

And what about the lucky few who actually did attend? They don’t give it very high marks, such as the conservative blog Blackfive:

Islamo-Fascism lameness- Horowitz sucked Hoover

He was so uninspiring a speaker they didn’t even really heckle him. I will give credit to the Muslim Student Association and the other groups who were there in opposition, they maintained more decorum than Mr. Horowitz. By the end he was saying “Well I guess you just aren’t able to read” and “I don’t know what to do if you can’t add two and two and get four”

A rather astonishing statement from a man seemingly unable to tell the truth.

Hillary, do we really look this stupid to you? We’re gonna believe any politician- particularly one named Clinton- when they say they’ll limit their own power? Hillary, please.

Clinton considers giving up some powers

NEW YORK – If elected president in 2008, Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton would consider giving up some of the executive powers President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney have assumed since taking office.

Asked if she would consider giving up some of those powers if she were president, Clinton replied, “Oh, absolutely … I mean, that has to be part of the review that I undertake when I get to the White House, and I intend to do that.”

Ha. Believe it when I see it. But this strikes at the core problem with letting Bush skate for his various insults to our country- unless you take the metaphorical head of this country, hold it down until its nose is right in the stench, then nobody is gonna understand how Bush has used the Constitution like a dog uses a rug. Somebody needs to right things, but it sure ain’t gonna be Hillary.

Government money short to help poor pay heating bills

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – About 30 million low-income American households who will need help paying heating bills this winter from a U.S. government program will be left in the cold because of a lack of funding for the program.

The government’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, known as LIHEAP, only has enough funding to cover 16 percent of the 38 million poor households eligible for the program.

Isn’t it striking that any program that actually helps the lesser of our citizens- SCHIP, LIHEAP- well, there never seems to be the funds. Oh, you “need” another 50 billion for illegal war? You betcha. Tax cuts to upper 1% of the Paris Hiltons of the country? No problem, that’s our “base”. Nice priorities, folks.

Nanny state bullshit makes me ill:

Bureacrats threaten family over child’s chalk drawing.

Everything that is not illegal is compulsory. Remember that old humorous line? Well, it’s more and more true every day.

A few days later, while Mr. Gallagher was being filmed by PBS regarding his art the police arrived and arrested him for his chalk drawings. The dangerous criminal was handcuffed and taken to jail where he had to spend the night. Charges were dropped the next day without explanation. Mr. Gallagher wanted to know if the police intend to “arrest all the kids”.

Madness. Uber government madness.

Rep. Henry Waxman Levels Tax Fraud Allegations Against Blackwater

WASHINGTON — Rep. Henry Waxman has leveled new accusations against embattled Iraq security contractor Blackwater USA, saying the firm appears to be conducting a “tax scheme” to avoid paying millions of dollars to the federal government in payroll taxes, Social Security and Medicare benefits.

The latest allegations stem from a complaint filed by an unnamed former Blackwater worker that turned up as part of the oversight committee’s investigation. Blackwater — unlike its peer companies, DynCorp and Triple Canopy — classifies its workers as independent contractors rather than as employees. Under IRS rules, employers generally have to withhold payroll taxes, Social Security and Medicare payments from employees — but not for independent contractors.

Tell Mr. Endless Optional War his money has run out:

Bush asks for $46 billion more for wars

WASHINGTON - President Bush asked Congress for $46 billion more to bankroll wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and said he wants the money approved by Christmas. The fighting in Iraq, in its fifth year, already has cost more than $455 billion.

Democrats who gained control of Congress with an antiwar message said Bush should not expect lawmakers to rubber-stamp the request.

What utter blather. Of course they will. They might chirp a bit when the cameras are on, but since we only have one political party in this country, they’ll roll over. Always have, always will.

Hot damn!

Somehow, getting arrested at a Waffle House on Buford Highway is so…Kid Rock.

Kid Rock arrested in DeKalb after fight at Waffle House

While promoting his latest CD, Kid Rock vowed he was putting his days of made-for-the-tabloid antics behind him. The man from Michigan says he wants to be known for his music, not as a gossip-column item.

A few hours later, Kid Rock, who calls his genre-bending blend of country, rap and southern rock “hick-Hop,” was arrested after police said he and his entourage beat up a customer — at a local Waffle House.

Gonzales could be prosecuted, McKay says

The U.S. Inspector General may recommend criminal prosecution of departed Attorney General Alberto Gonzales at the conclusion of an investigation, possibly as early as next month, the fired former U.S. attorney for Western Washington told a Spokane audience Friday.

Gonzales “lied about” reasons for the firings when questioned under oath in July by the Senate Judiciary Committee and now has hired a lawyer and is refusing to answer questions from the Inspector General, McKay said.