Erick Erickson's Blog, page 204

Airport Security as Parody

Pejman Yousefzadeh has a great post on airport security. You've probably seen similar things.

Throughout the country the full body x-ray machines were turned off for travel the day before Thanksgiving and have largely been unused for several days.

Now, the TSA says there is no official policy, but it seems hard to believe it is sheer coincidence that on the busiest travel days of the year at the largest airports across the country the full body scanners were just . . . randomly?. . . turned off.

In fact, we can be certain the TSA did it to overcome what they feared would be an organized movement to take the full body pat down combined with the high volume of traffic in general.

With that being the case, why have the full body scanners and pat downs? If they aren't needed on the busiest travel days of the year — the days terrorists would target for maximum collateral damage — why have them at all?

Again, it is worth pointing out that every incident to which the TSA has responded by increasing the security theater have originated from airports overseas and not subject to the TSA's airport security theater.

By the way, you should be reading Pejman regularly.

Happy Thanksgiving

I'm about to go get the turkey out of the brine. I'm going to cook my first turkey today — say a prayer.

I just wanted to take a minute to wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving.

I am thankful most of all for Christ who died for me and for my wife and children. I am also very thankful for the front page writers of RedState, our community of users, and you the reader.

I hope you have a restful, enjoyable, and delicious Thanksgiving.

God bless,

Erick

Email of the Day

Got this last night in email:

Subject: What my boyfriend is doing tomorrow

He is going to "make it hard" for the TSA. He has a new knee so he always gets pulled aside.

He is going to take an ED pill. lol!

No kidding.

Corruption

I know some of you are a bit perplexed about why I, a guy in Georgia, keep writing about Joe Straus, a liberal elitist in Texas.

It is very simple really. Texas is going to make big gains in the census and pick up some congressional districts. Conservatives across the country must be concerned that the man who will have the heaviest hand in drawing those lines is 100% NARAL supported and ridiculously corrupt.

We must fight at the state level here to help the conservative cause nationally in the 2012 elections.

And what happened late yesterday should concern everyone — really concern everyone, not to mention embarrass all the Texans.

As I previously mentioned, Straus sent out his loyal lieutenant Larry Phillips to tell a number of Republican State House members that if they did not vote for Straus, Straus would draw them out of their districts.

When the accusation was made, Straus referred the matter to the House Ethics Committee. Larry Phillips just so happens to be Vice Chair of that committee.

Here is where it gets fun.

Phillips did not recuse himself until after he was named as the man making the threats for Straus.

Rep. Bryan Hughes testified under oath that Phillips had made the threats.

Phillips was then called to testify and would not testify under oath. Phillips denied everything.

In other words, Hughes was willing to swear an oath and risk jail if he lied. Phillips refused to swear an oath so that, because he lied, nothing could happen to him.

And then the Speaker's investigative committee declined to take any action.

It's like suddenly Louisiana politicians have taken over Texas.

Morning Briefing for November 24, 2010

RedState Morning Briefing

For November 24, 2010

Go to www.RedStateMB.com to get
the Morning Briefing every morning at no charge.

Happy Thanksgiving

1. Corruption

2. Gov Jindal: 'Make Congressmen Part-time'

3. Thoughts on the TSA — Opt Out Today

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Happy Thanksgiving

I am thankful for Christ who died for me. I am thankful for my wife, my children, Eagle Publishing, and many more things.

But I want to take just a moment to share with you that I am also thankful for you. This morning email is a daily labor of love. Many of you have become good email friends. It remains a pleasure to get the Morning Briefing to you each week day.

Five days a week I get up early, get this out the door, and go back to bed. Occasionally I take day or two off and enjoy sleeping in. Tomorrow, instead of sending this out, I'll be up before dawn getting a turkey in the smoker. Friday, wonderful Friday, I will be sleeping in.

Have a wonderful, safe, and delicious Thanksgiving. Enjoy the leftovers on Friday, And God bless each and every one of you. See you Monday morning.

1. Corruption

I know some of you are a bit perplexed about why I, a guy in Georgia, keep writing about Joe Straus, a liberal elitist in Texas.

It is very simple really. Texas is going to make big gains in the census and pick up some congressional districts. Conservatives across the country must be concerned that the man who will have the heaviest hand in drawing those lines is 100% NARAL supported and ridiculously corrupt.

We must fight at the state level here to help the conservative cause nationally in the 2012 elections.

And what happened late yesterday should concern everyone — really concern everyone, not to mention embarrass all the Texans.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

2. Gov Jindal: 'Make Congressmen Part-time'

It seems like an insurmountable task for GOP candidates to take out the liberal fixtures of Nancy Pelosi, Charlie Rangel, and Barney Frank in congressional elections, but how about making them part-time workers instead? Perhaps that's one way to minimize the amount of unpopular legislation coming out of Washington these days. Bobby Jindal thinks so. According to him, it's about time we slice and dice the number of hours lawmakers have in a work day.

"We used to pay farmers not to grow crops, let's make congressman stay out of Washington, D.C.," the Louisiana Governor said in an exclusive interview with HUMAN EVENTS. "Our liberty, our wallets are safest when the legislature's not in session," he added, borrowing the line from Mark Twain.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

3. Thoughts on the TSA — Opt Out Today

As many of us go through the grand experience of the TSA prostate exams — no doubt a part of healthcare cost savings under Obamacare — we need to consider a few things.

When terrorists started trying to bring liquid explosives on planes, we went to 3 oz. bottles.

When terrorists started wearing bombs as underwear, we went to full body screening.

What happens when terrorists start using their body cavities? God help us.

In each of these instances, the threats occurred overseas. No one overseas is going through the motions that we are going through here. No one.

Why us?

And if this is designed to stop terrorists from blowing up airplanes, why stop there? Why not trains? Why not buses?

Please click here for the rest of the post.

Larry Phillips Did It

Well, now I can share more details.

Larry Phillips, Vice Chairman of the House Ethics Committee for the State of Texas is the person identified as having threatened members of the State House.

If you recall, Speaker Joe Straus sent out Rep. Phillips to tell Republicans if they did not support Straus they would be drawn out of their House Districts.

Straus then said he'd have an investigation and sent the matter to the Ethics Committee where Larry Phillips serves as Vice Chair.

Classy.

Well, Phillips was named at the very start of the meeting and has been forced to recuse himself.

Now there is that matter of the six members who took over $200,000.00 apiece from Straus and Straus allies and immediately signed pledge cards in support of Straus.

Thoughts on the TSA — Opt Out Tomorrow

As many of us go through the grand experience of the TSA prostate exams — no doubt a part of healthcare cost savings under Obamacare — we need to consider a few things.

When terrorists started trying to bring liquid explosives on planes, we went to 3 oz. bottles.

When terrorists started wearing bombs as underwear, we went to full body screening.

What happens when terrorists start using their body cavities? God help us.

In each of these instances, the threats occurred overseas. No one overseas is going through the motions that we are going through here. No one.

Why us?

And if this is designed to stop terrorists from blowing up airplanes, why stop there? Why not trains? Why not buses?

No one can land a plane in midtown New York. Airports in almost every major city are on the outskirts of the cities. But one can put a bomb in a duffle bag and take Acela Express straight into Union Station in Washington or midtown Manhattan. But those bags are not inspected.

What the TSA is doing now makes no sense. It makes no sense to target a three year old or a nun or a frequent flier. Made worse, we now know for certain that if the terrorists take their plastic explosives and stick them to their body in a pancake shape the full body scanners cannot detect them.

We have dumb downed airport security to the lowest common denominator. In doing so, we have some great airport security theater, but not much else.

And come tomorrow, we will see the full insanity that is our security system at work. I urge each and every one of you to opt-out of the full body x-rays and take the pat down. Highlight the absurdity.

Is Joe Straus Playing Fast and Loose With the Law?

This is amazing.

Joe Straus sent out a loyal lieutenant to tell members of the Texas House of Representatives if they dared vote against him as Speaker he would draw them out of their districts.

This is a clear threat and highly unethical.

But I'm hearing that Straus did not stop there. I'm hearing that more will be coming out on this and it isn't going to be good.

As previously noted here and elsewhere, it appears the same person telling Texas House members to vote for Straus or be drawn out of their districts also has some oversight responsibility when threats like this are made.

Classy.

Michele Bachmann Is On the Money

Michele Bachmann, for reasons unknown to me, decided to sit down with the BBC. God bless her for evangelizing and bringing the message of freedom even to places like that.

But she is being attacked and distorted for what she said in this interview. The interviewer kept asking Congresswoman Bachmann if she stood by a 2008 statement that Barack Obama was anti-American.

What she responded with was one billion percent on the money.

I've been very concerned about the policies that have come out of the White House and I share that agreement with people who voted at the ballot box on the first Tuesday in November . . . . The policies that are anti-free enterprise are ones that are not familiar to the people of the United States. And that's why we saw such a strong reaction to the ballot box. In fact, the government takeover of health care is a great example, that's not what was done here historically in the United States, and the people don't want to see the federal government to control and dictate our health care.

The policies coming out of the White House are anti-free enterprise, hostile to entrepreneurs, and more recognized in more socialist oriented countries.

I'm glad she was willing to stand up and say it.

Morning Briefing for November 23, 2010

RedState Morning Briefing

For November 23, 2010

Go to www.RedStateMB.com to get
the Morning Briefing every morning at no charge.

1. Michele Bachmann Is On the Money

2. Joe Straus Stands Against Free Speech

3. Toxic Toys, a Dead Giraffe & the Teamsters

4. Down With Upton

———————————————————————-

1. Michele Bachmann Is On the Money

Michele Bachmann, for reasons unknown to me, decided to sit down with the BBC. God bless her for evangelizing and bringing the message of freedom even to places like that.

But she is being attacked and distorted for what she said in this interview. The interviewer kept asking Congresswoman Bachmann if she stood by a 2008 statement that Barack Obama was anti-American.

What she responded with was one billion percent on the money.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

2. Joe Straus Stands Against Free Speech

Freedom of speech is under attack courtesy of Texas House Speaker Joe Straus. He is effectively trying to stuff as much speech as possible into the definition of "political advertising," hassling average Texans out of the conversation. In his interim charge to the General Investigating & Ethics Committee Straus commanded the following:

"Review the definition of "political advertising" and determine whether the definition should be expanded to include content contained in blogs and other types of Internet communications."

By changing the definition of "political advertising" in this way, Straus would effectively quash the ability of ordinary citizens to discuss politics online. All of a sudden your tweet about supporting a candidate would be a political advertisement instead of free speech and you'd have to file an ethics report with the State of Texas. There would have to be monetary values tied to blog posts, tweets, facebook statuses, etc. and the burden of that reporting would be on you!

Please click here for the rest of the post.

3. Toxic Toys, a Dead Giraffe & the Teamsters

The Teamsters are ramping up their campaign aimed at taking down Toys R Us. The union famous for its horses' head logo and thuggish tactics is teaming up with "environmental justice organizations, consumer advocates, public health professionals, parents, children's health activists" to use the Holiday Season to attack giant retailer Toys R Us and Babies R Us for allegedly selling toxic toys. However, despite their shaky allegations, what may be really driving the union attack is the fact that Toys R Us is owned by private equity Kohlberg Kravis & Roberts (more commonly known as KKR).

It's not the toys the Teamsters care about…

Please click here for the rest of the post.

4. Down With Upton

Fred Upton is exactly the type of Republican we should be working to unseat.

He was one of only 38 House Republicans to support the Democrats' Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 that removed millions of acres of federal lands from oil and gas leasing, thus driving up energy costs for consumers.
He was one of only 20 Republicans to vote against an amendment that would have reduced the Environmental Protection Agency's 2010 funding to 2008 levels.
He teamed up with Democrat Jane Harman to pass an invasive energy bill which mandates that only politically-favored "environmentally-friendly" light bulbs be used. Yes, he thinks the Constitution gives him the power to tell you which light bulb you can use.
Here is an exhaustive list of his votes dating back to 2003/2004.

He is entirely out of step with the Tea Party, with the GOP, and with America.

Please click here for the rest of the post.