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January 31, 2006

Target's Corporate Giving

Needing to identify arson suspects on a damaged surveillance tape, who did Houston investigators turn to? Local experts? No help there. NASA? No help there either. Finally, Houston police officials turned to one of the most sophisticated crime labs in the country - run by Target Corp. in downtown Minneapolis.

Most people are familiar with Target's logo and brand but few are familiar with Target's commitment to fighting crime. Using state-of-the-art technology employed in its own stores, Target has worked with U.S. Customs on making sure cargo is coming from legal sources. The company gave management training to FBI and police officials. Target helped create a database that links state, county and city information together in such a way that allows criminals to be tracked in a more efficient manner.

Perhaps most interesting about all of this is that Target's crime and forensic labs are not necessarily geared towards stopping shoplifters or others who commit crimes in Target stores. According to the Washington Post , the Target forensic lab employees spend about 45% of their time doing work for local law enforcement at no charge. They have even bought high-tech equipment for various law enforcement groups that otherwise could not afford it.

"We had cops in here every day - chairs pulled up next to my computer," said Target forensic investigator Craig Thrane. "We finally had to make criteria for the cases we take. The only ones we do now involve violent felonies."

"Target is pushing forward a different model of corporate giving," said Douglas G. Pinkham, president of the nonpartisan Public Affairs Council. And they're not the only ones. Exxon Mobil, for example, helps donate medical supplies to Latin American hospitals through grants and other miscellaneous funding.

To finish up with the arson case above, the damaged tape was brought to Target's forensic lab where Target scientists cleaned up the tape and took still shots of the suspects who were later identified by the principal of their local high school.

This scene is repeated over and over again-- when government falls short, private enterprise is more than willing to step in and exceed everyone's expectations.

Posted by at 03:20 PM | Comments (32)

January 30, 2006

Baptist Church Could Be Seized For Private Development

The Centennial Baptist Church in Sand Springs, Oklahoma is in danger of being seized by the local government to pave the way for commercial development. The town government is looking to take the Centennial Baptist, along with two other churches, several businesses, over a dozen of private homes and a school for a large redevelopment project called the "Vision 2025" project, according to the National Review.

The town of Sand Springs formulated the Vision 2025 project in 2003, which calls for incentives for capital improvements, incentives for American Airlines and Boeing to locate in the area and revitalize the town's blighted residential and industrial areas.

Sand Spring officials have downplayed the project's potential use of eminent domain. The Vision 2025 project's website states in a recent press release that reports in the national media of using eminent domain to acquire private property for redevelopment were "inaccurate and premature." The City Manager Loy Calhoun stated, "It is the goal of the City Council and the Sand Springs Development Authority to complete the acquisition process voluntarily."

Sand Spring officials stated they are willing to negotiate an acceptable purchase price with sellers, but have admitted they will use eminent domain as a last resort if negotiations fail.

The Centennial Baptist Church does not want to move for various reasons. The pastor of the church, Reverend Roosevelt Gildon, looked into relocating and doesn't think they can afford it. Even if the church was able to relocate, Reverend Gildon wondered, "Who is going to minister to the black community in Sand Springs?"

Heather Wilhelm from the National Review criticizes the Sand Springs redevelopment project, saying although it is designed to redevelop blighted industrial and residential areas, she points out that the church is in "pristine condition." Wilhelm says the real reason for the town to pressure the church to relocate is "churches don't generate any tax revenue for the government to spend." She wrote in her article that churches "often, much to their peril, occupy prime, envied real estate." Many local governments would rather have a tax revenue-generating Bed Bath and Beyond to "stimulate the economy" than a church.

Reverend Gildon in partnership with Americans for Limited Government are fighting back. This past December they began to gather signatures for the "Protect Our Homes" ballot initiative to stop eminent domain abuse.

Angry Libertarian Alliance, Christian Viewpoint, the Catholic Knight and the Arkansans for Property Rights also comment on the story.

Posted by at 04:35 PM | Comments (22)

Congressional Staffers Are Trying to Rewrite History

The Lowell Sun reported on Friday that the staff of U.S. Rep. Marty Meehan altered the congressman's biography on the free online encyclopedia, Wikipedia and removed the more embarrassing aspects of his political record. Matt Vogel, Meehan's Chief of Staff, admitted he authorized an intern in July to replace existing Wikipedia content with an official biography.

This rewriting of history is just one among the 1,000 changes made by congressional staffers at the House of Representatives in the past months, the Lowell Sun reported. The abuse has become so rampant, Wikipedia has temporarily blocked users of the House IP address from changing content due to "a deliberate attempt to compromise the integrity of the encyclopedia," the Lowell Sun reported.

Meehan's staff sought to remove from the Wikipedia entry a reference to the congressman's failure to adhere to his term limits pledge of not serving more than four terms. They also deleted a reference to the size of Meehan's campaign war chest that now stands at $4.8 million, the largest for any House member, according to the Lowell Sun. It is rumored that Meehan may be planning a Senate run once Senator Ted Kennedy retires from his seat.

Marty Meehan's office could very well face disciplinary action. Stephen Potts, chairman of the Ethics Resource Center and former director of the federal Office of Government Ethics, said the actions of Meehan's staff reflect an abuse of public time and equipment, which "is certainly wrong and ought to be at a minimum the focus of some disciplinary action."

Instapundit, Hammer of Truth, and The New Editor also comment on the story.

Posted by at 04:24 PM | Comments (19)

January 27, 2006

Libertarian Party of Indiana Has a New Blog

The Libertarian Party of Indiana has a new blog named the LPIN Legislative Center. The blog will provide an up-to-date status on pending legislation in the Indiana General Assembly.

On the blog, the LP of Indiana will list their support or opposition for each bill.

You can check out the blog at http://www.lpin.blogspot.com/.

Posted by at 03:44 PM | Comments (12)

Medical Marijuana Activist Steve Kubby Arrested After Being Deported From Canada

Steve Kubby, former Libertarian Party candidate and medical marijuana activist, was arrested on a warrant for fleeing the United States at San Francisco Airport on Thursday night on a plane that arrived from Canada, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

LP.org reported previously that Steve Kubby and his family unsuccessfully fought for an emergency stay of a removal order that was issued by Canadian immigration. Kubby was ordered to leave the country by Thursday, January 26.

The Globe and Mail reported that Kubby was put on a 6pm flight from Vancouver to San Francisco where he was met by police and supporters. Kubby is scheduled to attend a hearing at the Placer County Courthouse on Tuesday.

Kubby has stated many times that smoking medical marijuana helps him alleviate many symptoms of his rare form of adrenal cancer. Kubby is unsure if he can survive without using medical marijuana. Ms. Kubby is more optimistic than before that her husband can find a substitute to help him deal with his symptoms. She thinks "that if he can try Marinol, that will work. Maybe that will keep him safe."

Hammer of Truth has also been reporting on this story.

Posted by at 03:34 PM | Comments (66)

January 26, 2006

BB&T Bank Will Not Fund Eminent Domain Abuse

Yesterday, the Washington Post reported that the North Carolina-based BB&T Bank announced it will not lend money to commercial development projects that are built on land seized by local governments through eminent domain.

BB&T Bank officials said using eminent domain for private developers violated their corporate philosophy. Chief Executive John Allison said in a written statement, "The idea that a citizen's property can be taken by the government solely for private use is extremely misguided, in fact it's just plain wrong."

BB&T did not want to wait for Congress to pass legislation prohibiting federal funds from going to private development that relied on eminent domain and decided to take the initiative. BB&T's Chief Credit Officer, Ken Chalk, stated, "While we're certainly optimistic about the pending legislation, this is something we could not wait any longer to address. We're a company where our values dictate our decision-making and operating standards." He further added, "From that standpoint, this was a straightforward decision; it's simply the right thing to do."

BB&T executives have not been shy in promoting their Objectivist beliefs. The company's website lists 10 primary values that guide its corporate decisions. Here is a quote from a page on the company's website under the heading of "Reason (Objectivity)", "Mankind has a specific means of survival, which is his ability to think, i.e., his capacity to reason logically from the facts of reality as presented to his five senses." The company donated to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte to endow the study of the moral foundations of capitalism, according to the Charlotte Observer.

As of now, BB&T Bank is alone among major banks in not doing business with commercial development projects that rely on the use of eminent domain, according to the Washington Post. Bank of America Corp. and SunTrust Banks Inc. have both stated that they have not considered adopting a similar policy in the near future.

Property rights groups like the Institute for Justice have commended BB&T's decision. The Institute for Justice's Vice President and General Counsel, Chip Mellor, stated in a press release, "BB&T's principled stand sets an example that should inspire other lenders and should become the new industry standard. You can and should accomplish economic development through private negotiation, not the use of government force through eminent domain."

Hammer of Truth, the Volokh Conspiracy and Below the Beltway each provide their own insight to the story.

Posted by at 04:31 PM | Comments (22)

Army Being Stretched to the Breaking Point

Andrew Krepinevich, in a study under a Pentagon contract, found that the Army can not sustain the current level of troop deployments in Iraq long enough to defeat the insurgency. Krepinevich stated the Army has become a "thin green line" that is ready to break at any time unless relief comes soon. He said the Army has to quickly adjust to the demands of a war or "risk 'breaking' the force in the form of a catastrophic decline" in recruitment and re-enlistment.

Bush administration officials have rejected Krepinevich's claim that the Army is breaking down and "broken." Army Secretary Francis Harvey stated in a recent press conference that "Today's Army is the most capable, best-trained, best-equipped and most experienced force our nation has fielded in well over a decade." Surprisingly, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld argued that the experience of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan has made the Army stronger, not weaker, USA Today reported. Rumsfeld further added, "The Army is probably as strong and capable as it ever has been in the history of this country."

Military experts outside of the Bush administration have a different take on the current state of the Army. George Joulwan, a retired four-star Army general believes the Army is being stretched too thin. In a CNN interview, he said, "Whether they're broken or not, I think I would say if we don't change the way we're doing business, they're in danger of being fractured and broken, and I would agree with that."

In his report, Krepinevich concluded that even Army officials are not sure how much longer they can keep up the unusually high level of troop rotations in Iraq before they trigger an institutional crisis. Because the Iraq war has endured much longer than anticipated, the Army has to constantly rotate fresh units in while maintaining its normal training exercises and reorganizing its force structure, according to USA Today. This high level of troop rotation has started to take its toll; some troop divisions are now on their second or even third tour of duty.

Progressive Conservatism, Bedazzled! and Deep Thought each give their opinion on the story.

Posted by at 04:22 PM | Comments (36)

January 25, 2006

Iraq Reconstruction Efforts Not Going Smoothly

A report prepared by the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction details the history of the Iraq reconstruction efforts and its many problems. The preliminary report was completed in December 2005 and a copy was leaked to the New York Times.

The document describes for the first time the negative effect of staffing shortfalls and contracting disputes between the State Department and the Pentagon, leading to long delays, the New York Times reported.

The document noted the concern about the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) entering into contracts with a legal status that was undetermined. The major question involves whether the CPA is an American or a multinational entity..

Over the course of the Iraq reconstruction there have been many government agencies in charge of the rebuilding effort. Another shift in authority occurred last month when the Bush administration put the Corps of Engineers in charge of the reconstruction program with barely any public notice.

The rebuilding program has been criticized in the past for being flawed in pursuing large-scale 'New Deal-style' public work projects. Critics believe that transferring the authority of the reconstruction to the Corps of Engineers will not create any significant improvement. Steve Ellis, Vice President at Taxpayers for Common Sense, stated, "At one level, you would say, 'Wow that makes a lot of sense.' But if your concern is that the previous organization built big New Deal-style projects, then the corps is not going to give you much of a change of pace."

The report found that a lack of general oversight exists in the Iraq reconstruction effort. It also noted that there was an influx of various entities awarding contracts, including some that did not possess the authority. The New York Times reported that the office actually in charge of awarding the contracts was severely understaffed.

The blog Big Lizards also comments on the story.

Posted by at 04:11 PM | Comments (8)

Medical Marijuana Activist May Be Forced To Leave Canada by Thursday

Medical marijuana activist, Steve Kubby, has lost his last legal appeal to stay in Canada. The Canada Border Services Agency has notified Steve Kubby and his family that they must leave the country by Thursday or they will face forcible removal, the Globe and Mail reported.

On Friday, a Federal Court judge rejected Kubby's request for an emergency stay of the removal order. If he is forced to leave on Thursday, Kubby stated that he is prepared to fly to San Francisco and surrender himself to authorities. In a defiant tone, Kubby said, "I have always complied with the law. I am tired of being intimidated because I am using medical cannabis to stay alive. If it comes down to having a big face-off in California, then bring it on."

At 59, Steve Kubby suffers from a rare form of adrenal cancer and has used medical marijuana to control the more debilitating effects of his condition. Once Kubby returns to the United States, he faces at least 120 days in a California jail as result of a 2001 conviction for possessing a small amount of mescaline and psilocin.

Even though Kubby and his family may be forced to leave on Thursday, they are still fighting through the courts. Kubby stated in a press release on Monday, "The immigration ministry claims that its departure orders are not subject to appeal, but we're still trying to get a court to simply grant us our due process and allow us to appeal."

Posted by at 04:10 PM | Comments (10)

January 23, 2006

Property Rights Activists Continue 'Lost Liberty Hotel' Campaign

This past weekend a property rights group, the Committee for the Preservation of Natural Rights staged a rally to protest eminent domain abuse. The Boston Globe reported that about 60 people attended the event with attendees from as far away as Texas and Pennsylvania.

The Committee for the Preservation of Natural Rights hopes to have U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Souter's house in Weare, NH seized through eminent domain and a 'Lost Liberty Hotel' be built in its place. The purpose of this action is to protest the Supreme Court's decision in Kelo vs. City of New London, which allowed municipal governments the authority to use seize private property for private development under eminent domain if the construction would create jobs and increase tax revenues.

The property rights advocacy group was successful in Weare, NH in gathering the required number of signatures to place a question on the town ballot to seize Souter's house under eminent domain, thereby clearing the way for the building of the 'Lost Liberty Hotel'.

The public outrage resulting from the controversial Supreme Court decision has led many states, such as New Hampshire, to place more restrictions on eminent domain laws. New Hampshire State Rep. Neal Kurk, from Weare has proposed two amendments to the state constitution that would limit eminent domain seizures to taking land for public use and require higher payments to the former property owners, the Boston Globe reported.

Blogs like Quick Rob and Strata-sphere both comment on the story and Quick Rob provides another example of eminent domain abuse.

Posted by at 04:17 PM | Comments (41)

January 20, 2006

Google Refuses to Give Over Web Search Data to the Federal Government

U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is asking a federal judge in San Jose, California to issue an order forcing Google to hand over web search data. Google has stated it will fight the order because of a belief that the request for information was "overreaching" and too broad. The web search engine wishes to protect not only the privacy of its users, but also company trade secrets, the BBC News reported.

The Justice Department originally requested the information in a subpoena last summer, but Google has yet to provide the requested data. The government agency has claimed it does not want the web search data for the purposes of personally identifying individuals but to determine the effectiveness of the 1998 Child Online Protection Act. The law has been blocked by the U.S. Supreme Court because of legal challenges over the ways in which it is enforced, according to the BBC News. The Supreme Court ruled that the government failed to prove that the law's criminal penalties would protect children without unduly limiting options for adults.

Although the data requested by the Justice Department does not have any personal identifiable information, many privacy advocates are afraid the government will later request more identifiable information. The Chicago Sun Times reported that the government is asking for a list of all requests entered into Google's search engine during an unspecified single week. Additionally the Department of Justice is seeking 1 million randomly selected Web addresses from various Google databases.

Richard Smith, a software engineer in Boston believes the Justice Department is trying to get Google to do its work for them. Smith said, "The real issue here is, is Google being deputized to spy on us? In this case, you could maybe argue that the spying is not that bad, because very little of it is personally identifiable, but what will the next case be?" He further added, "It's a terrible precedent."

Aden J. Fine, a staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, said Google is right to refuse to cooperate with the Justice Department's request. Fine stated, "This is the latest example where the government seems to think they are entitled to get all sorts of information without providing an adequate justification." He further commented, "They have not explained exactly what they are going to do with this information and exactly why they need it. Until they do that, they are not entitled to get this information."

Google's competitors, Microsoft and Yahoo Inc. have already complied with the Justice Department's request. Both Microsoft and Yahoo Inc. agreed to hand over the data because there was no "personal information involved" and complied on a "limited basis."

This is not the first time that Yahoo Inc. and Microsoft have readily complied with a government's demands. The Economist reported that the Chinese government requested and received from Yahoo Inc. the information needed to track down the identity of a Chinese internet user, Shi Tao. He was arrested in late 2004 and sentenced to ten years in prison on charges of revealing secrets by email. Microsoft shut down a blog on its MSN service earlier this month at the request of the Chinese government. The blog was hosted by a vocal Chinese dissident, Zhao Jing.

Posted by at 03:31 PM | Comments (66)

Kellogg and Nickelodeon Are Sued For Promoting Junk Food

Yesterday the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, and two Massachusetts parents, Sherri Carlson of Wakefield and Andrew Leong of Brookline announced it had filed a lawsuit against cereal maker Kellogg and the Nickelodeon television network. The lawsuit seeks to have the companies stop marketing junk food to children.

The plaintiffs are intending to file the lawsuit in Massachusetts state court. They are seeking $25 per "violation", CSPI threatened that "the verdict could be in the billions of dollars," according to the group's press release. The plaintiffs are using a report that was issued by the Institute of Medicine, which claims that the television ads aimed towards children are mostly for high-calorie, low-nutrition food and drinks.

One of the plaintiffs, Sherri Carlson, said that she tries to get her three young kids to eat healthily but she finds it very difficult to keep them away from junk food. Carlson explained "they turn on Nickelodeon and see all those enticing junk food ads. Adding insult to injury, we enter the grocery store and see our beloved Nick characters plastered on all those junky snacks and cereals."

Susan Linn of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood criticized the ways in which food companies and television networks have stood idlely by while childhood obesity increased over the last several years. Linn stated, "For over 30 years, public health advocates have urged companies to stop marketing junk food to children. Even as rates of childhood obesity have soared, neither Viacom nor Kellogg has listened."

An advocacy group, the Center for Consumer Freedom, criticizes the lawsuit filed against Kellogg and Nickelodeon, noting that the legal action is based on dubious claims. In a press release, the group said that the lawsuit is making three questionable assumptions: televisions can't be turned off, parents have no control over what food they buy, and parents cannot tell their children to go outside and play.

Dan Mindus, a spokesman for the Center for Freedom disputes Sherri Carlson's claim that junk food ads make her children want to eat "junky snacks and cereals" instead of "healthy foods." He commented, "Going out on a limb here, perhaps her kids want these foods not because of ads, but because they're children."

In his blog, Gary Becker, an economics professor at the University of Chicago, examined the Institute of Medicine report, and found its supporting evidence to be "weak and not persuasive." Becker explains that even before examining the evidence, childhood obesity should be placed in the proper context. He notes, "Obesity has increased for most of the past twenty-five years among all groups and at all ages, including the elderly."

Becker cites a doctoral study done by Fernando Wilson at the University of Chicago showing that the increase since 1980 in childhood obesity was caused by not greater television viewing, which remained rather constant, but instead was linked to more time spent playing video games and using the computer. Becker concludes his blog post by saying, "If children nowadays are heavier because they are less physically active than they used to be, or because their parents find fast food cheap and convenient, it is difficult to see how advertising by food and beverage companies are to blame."

Hammer of Truth and Michelle Malkin both comment on the story.

Posted by at 03:25 PM | Comments (27)

January 18, 2006

Supreme Court Upholds Oregon's Assisted Suicide Law

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld Oregon's physician-assisted suicide law by a vote of 6 to 3. The court ruled that then Attorney General John D. Ashcroft exceeded his legal authority in 2001 when he threatened to prohibit doctors from prescribing federally controlled drugs if they authorized lethal doses of the medications under the Oregon Death With Dignity Act, the Washington Post reported.

Justice Kennedy wrote in the majority opinion that the issue was more about the states' right to regulate medical practice rather than the patient's right to die. He explained that Ashcroft took an overly broad interpretation of the federal Controlled Substances Act (CSA). Kennedy wrote that the law was designed to stop drug abuse and drug trafficking, not to replace the states' role in deciding what state-licensed doctors may or may not do within state borders.

Since the physician-assisted suicide law was first adopted by Oregon voters in 1994, it has withstood several challenges. The law allows doctors to prescribe, but not administer, a lethal dose to a terminally ill patient who requests it, provided that the patient is mentally competent, according to the Washington Post. In 1997 Oregon voters rejected a referendum that sought to overturn the law. Two efforts in Congress that were supported by Ashcroft when he was a senator failed, according to the Washington Post.

The favorable Supreme Court ruling could pave the way for other states to adopt similar physician-assisted suicide laws. The executive director of the Death With Dignity National Center, Peggy Sandeen, stated, "The favorable ruling by the Supreme Court now permits other states to move forward in replicating Oregon's landmark law."

Posted by at 04:41 PM | Comments (26)

January 17, 2006

Bush Administration Forces Insurers to Cover Flaws in Medicare Drug Plan

The Bush administration is looking to have insurers cover some of the many mistakes inherent in the Medicare drug plan. This past weekend, the White House issued a directive that instructed insurers to provide a 30-day supply of any drug that a beneficiary was previously taking and the poor cannot be charged more than five dollars for a covered drug, the New York Times reported.

The presidential directive was an attempt to solve the latest problem in the new Medicare drug plan that many say was poorly planned from the beginning. Many poor people who were eligible for the prescription drug benefit found that they were not in the federal government's database. As a result, insurers claimed they have no way to identify poor people who are entitled to Medicare help aid with their drug costs. The New York Times reported that pharmacists spent hours on the phone trying to reach insurance companies that are under contract with the government to administer the Medicare drug benefit.

With many eligible poor people leaving the pharmacy without important medicines, state governments have had to step in to cover drug costs. States like California, Illinois, Ohio, and Pennsylvania have provided help to low-income people in covering their co-payments in the absence of the Medicare drug benefit.

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty criticized the Medicare prescription drug plan, when he said, "The new federal program is too complicated for many people to understand, and the implementation of the new program by the federal government has been awful." Wisconsin Governor James E. Doyle faulted the federal government by stating, "It is outrageous how the federal government has mishandled this program and put thousands of lives at risk. As an emergency measure, the state will step in to ensure that no seniors go without lifesaving medicines."

Posted by at 03:24 PM | Comments (12)

Maryland Forces Wal-Mart to Pay a Bigger Share of Employee Healthcare Costs

The Maryland legislature overrode a veto by Governor Robert L. Ehrlich and passed a law that forces Wal-Mart to spend at least 8 percent of their payrolls on health insurance or else pay the difference into a state Medicaid fund. The new law applies to companies who employ 10,000 or more workers in the state of Maryland.

Wal-Mart is one of four companies in Maryland that has at least 10,000 employees, but is the only one of the four that does not spend the required 8 percent on healthcare costs. Maryland lawmakers insist they are not singling out the nation's biggest retailer. State Senator Gloria G. Lawlah, a sponsor of the legislation, stated, "This is not a Wal-Mart bill, it's a Medicaid bill."

The justification for the passage of the new law among Maryland lawmakers is the problem of rising Medicaid costs. The Maryland legislature believes companies like Wal-Mart are not contributing their fair share in providing health benefits, instead shifting the burden to state governments.

Wal-Mart aggressively lobbied against the bill in the months leading up to its passage. Mia Masten, a Wal-Mart spokeswoman, believes "everyone should have access to affordable health insurance, but this legislation does nothing to accomplish this goal." She further added, "This is about partisan politics and this is poor public policy driven by special-interest groups."

Critics of the bill say the Maryland legislature is sending the signal that the state is anti-business and would open the door to increased state regulation of healthcare spending by private companies, the New York Times reported. Senator E. J. Pipkin said the newly passed law sends the message to companies, "Don't come here." Wal-Mart executives are now reconsidering building a distribution center on Maryland's Eastern Shore and may go elsewhere in light of the bill's passage, according to the New York Times.

Conservative blogger, Michelle Malkin comments on the story and labels it as a "War on Wal-Mart" and provides a link to a story that shows how the anti-Wal-Mart campaign actually hurts low-income families and workers.

Posted by at 02:39 PM | Comments (30)

January 12, 2006

IRS Froze Tax Refunds Intended For the Poor

The Taxpayer Advocate Service, an agency the Internal Revenue Service established to handle taxpayer complaints, issued a report on Tuesday stating that the IRS had improperly frozen thousands of tax refunds. The majority of the frozen refunds were intended for the working poor, according to Nina E. Olson, head of the Taxpayer Advocate Service.

In its report, the agency admonished the IRS's practice of freezing taxpayer refunds and having the returns deemed fraudulent, as it stated, the IRS "cannot and should not treat every taxpayer as a tax cheat." The agency examined a sample of such cases brought to its attention last year and found 80 percent of the cases had the IRS paying full or partial refunds, the Los Angeles Times reported.

After the IRS freezes a refund, the affected taxpayer often experiences a typical delay of more than eight months. In many instances, the affected taxpayers do not know that their refunds have been frozen.

The Taxpayer Advocate Service's report noted the lack of notification by the IRS's Criminal Investigation (CI) division when they have frozen taxpayer refunds. The report stated, "Even in cases where CI has made 'conclusive' determinations of fraud and characterized the taxpayers as 'criminals,' it has not provided the affected taxpayers with any notice or opportunity to present documentation to rebut CI's suspicion before a final 'determination' is made."

The report raised some serious concerns among a few congressmen. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles E. Grassley (R - Iowa) commented on the findings of the report, by stating, "Refunds have been a source of abuse recently, but we need to make sure taxpayers have proper due process when the IRS decides to freeze a refund."

Critics have questioned the IRS's use of "data-mining" computer software that is designed to look for tax returns that show possible signs of fraud. Leslie M. Book, a professor at Villanova University who runs a tax clinic for the poor, says the computer program is a blunt and unfair tool in fighting fraud.

Posted by at 02:16 PM | Comments (43)

TSA spent lavishly to recruit new employees

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) spent lavishly on recruiting new employees after the Sept. 11th attacks, according to a report released by the Department of Homeland Security's Inspector General.

Shortly after TSA received authorization from Congress to replace the private airport screeners with government employees, the federal agency contracted with a private firm, NCS Pearson, to recruit new screeners. TSA was ordered to replace all of the private airport screeners by November 19, 2002.

In the rush to hire new employees, TSA provided little oversight over NCS Pearson recruiting activities. The TSA allowed NCS Pearson to set up 150 temporary assessment centers across the country rather than use the agency's own facilities without determining the cost, MSNBC reported.

The total cost estimate of recruiting employees went from $104 million to $741 million, mostly due to the TSA's requirements for the temporary assessment centers, the inspector general stated in his report. For example, TSA required each temporary assessment center to be equipped with high-speed telecommunications connections, ample office space, and be within a two-hour drive from the airports for which the screeners were being recruited, according to MSNBC. The total cost of setting up and using the assessment centers was $435 million.

The inspector general's report noted that the TSA did not have the capability to monitor costs, as the agency started with only 12 employees in November 2002. With very little oversight, NCS Pearson recruiters used resort hotels complete with golf courses, pools and spas to conduct their business. At one resort hotel, the Wyndham Peaks Resort in Telluride, Colorado, the final cost to the federal government was $39,727 for each person hired, MSNBC reported.

Posted by at 02:14 PM | Comments (3)

January 11, 2006

Seattle Bureaucrat Determined to Have Water-Saving Showers

Al Dietemann, the water conservation lead for Seattle Public Utilities, began to investigate Web-advertised showerhead companies after receiving complaints from local plumbers and developers that the companies violated water conservation laws.

Dietemann ordered products from companies that made body spa and waterfall type showerheads, which tend to have a higher flow of water than regular showerheads. He sent the showerheads he received to BR Laboratories in Huntington, California to determine if they exceeded federal flow rate regulations. In addition, California is one of two states that prohibits the installation of inefficient showerheads.

The test results showed that all five showerheads exceeded federal flow rate standards. Seattle officials were outraged at the blatant disregard for water conservation. "It's time someone blew the whistle on these water and energy wasters," said Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels. He further added, "Blatant violations of environmental protection laws are unacceptable and negate the efforts of customers who conserve water."

The Executive Director for the California Urban Water Conservation Council, Mary Ann Dickinson, stated, "We were horrified to find showerheads for sale in California that flowed three to five times above the legal limit." She further explained some of the negative consequences, "Widespread use of such showerheads erodes water conservation gains in California made during the last 15 years."

Dietemann has called upon the U.S. Department of Energy to enforce federal water conservation laws on the companies who sell high-flow showerheads. "We're asking that the Department of Energy require manufacturers to cease and desist their production of showerheads that exceed federal standards."

Jeffrey Tucker from the Ludwig von Mises Institute, a free-market think tank, argues that many people find the water-saving showerheads disappointing and turn to the high-flow showerheads instead. Tucker states the best way to conserve water is through the price system, not through central planning.

Michelle Malkin comments on this story and provides a link to a high-flow showerhead that works around federal regulations.

Posted by at 12:39 PM | Comments (23)

January 10, 2006

Author Critical of Bush Administration Placed on No-Fly List

Last January, Texas reporter James Moore attempted to board a plane as part of a scheduled trip to Ohio and was declined entry by the computer system. The agent at the reservation desk informed Moore he had been on the No-Fly List. Moore was shocked and questioned the agent how he got on the list. The woman explained, "I'm afraid there isn't much more that I can tell you, it's just the list that's maintained by TSA to check for people who might have terrorist connections." The agent instructed Moore to call a toll-free number in Washington in order to be cleared to board his scheduled flight.

Moore called the number and asked the woman on the other end of the line why he ended up on the TSA's No-Fly List. The woman told him she was not authorized to tell him but said, "All I can tell you is that there is something in your background that in some way is similar to someone they are looking for."

In an article he wrote for the political blog, Huffington Post, Moore claims he has never been arrested and is "more uninteresting than a Tupperware party." What Moore has done is write a book that is critical of the Bush administration. The book, titled Bush's Brain: How Karl Rove Made George W. Bush Presidential, shows how Karl Rove rose from being a political consultant to one of the most powerful men in the country. The book portrays Rove as underhanded, devious, and a win-at-all-costs campaigner.

Moore has been on the No-Fly List for a year and still has not been told the official reason for being on it. According to Moore on the Huffington Post, he is unable to sue in order to obtain the information and nothing he has done has gotten him any closer to getting the information.

Posted by at 03:40 PM | Comments (46)

January 09, 2006

Rep. Tom DeLay Decides Not to Run For Leadership Post

After conferring with senior Republican leaders, Rep. Tom DeLay decided not to seek his previously held position of House majority leader. An election for a new House majority leader will take place the week of January 30.

House Majority Whip Roy Blunt is seeking the House majority leader post, having been serving as the acting House majority leader since September. Other candidates that are likely to run for the position of majority leader include House Education and Workforce Committee Chairman John A. Boehner (R - Ohio), Rep. Mike Pence (R - Indiana), and House Appropriations Committee Chairman Jerry Lewis (R - California).

Republican congressional leaders, such as Rep. Dennis Hastert and Rep. David Dreier, put pressure on DeLay not to seek reelection as House majority leader. DeLay has come under fire for allegedly being involved in money laundering to finance state political campaigns and as well as his office having links to Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff, who last week pleaded guilty to fraud and tax evasion. Many believe the deciding factor in DeLay's decision was Abramoff's plea agreement with prosecutors. Political strategist Rich Galen commented, "DeLay is the first political casualty of the Abramoff affair. I don't think there's any question about that."

The loss of a senior leadership post is the beginning of the embattled congressman's problems. DeLay is facing a possible tough reelection campaign this year against former Congressman Nick Lampson and a possible primary challenger, former representative Steve Stockman, according to the Washington Post. DeLay is expected to regain his coveted seat on the House Appropriations Committee. A vacancy opened on the committee due to the resignation of Randall "Duke" Cunningham (R- California), who pleaded guilty to receiving bribes from defense contractors.

Posted by at 03:11 PM | Comments (31)

January 06, 2006

Federal Government May Become Biggest Landowner in New Orleans

A conservative Republican congressman has proposed the federal government create a non-profit, federally-owned corporation, dubbed the Louisiana Recovery Corporation that would be authorized to buy out homeowners in the affected areas and to negotiate with lenders to pay off the balance of those mortgages.

If passed, this House bill, proposed by Rep. Richard H. Baker, would make the federal government the largest landowner in New Orleans for at least a few years. This government corporation would be modeled after the Resolution Trust Corporation that was created by Congress in 1989 to bail out the savings and loans industry in wake of the S & L scandal. Baker's plan has even drawn support from liberal Democrat, Rep. William J. Jefferson who stated explicitly that he believes the bill's passage is important.

Some members of Congress are concerned with the potential cost to taxpayers from Baker's plan. The proposed non-profit corporation would offer to buy out houses from homeowners, at no less than 60 percent of their equity before Hurricane Katrina, while lenders would be offered up to 60 percent of what they are owed, according to the New York Times. The properties would then be sold to developers. The government corporation could end up spending up to $80 billion, according to current estimates. Baker admitted he could not promise that the corporation would break even financially. He added, "We'll pay back as much as possible."

A group of representatives were unsuccessful in mandating that the corporation break even financially by incurring revenues from developers. Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R - Texas), stated, "We need to ensure that taxpayers are not asked again two or three years from now to pay for the same disaster."

The passage of the bill is still uncertain. The Senate is expected to begin debate on the bill once Congress reconvenes. The White House has show some signs of support for the bill, with the president's Gulf Coast recovery czar, Donald E. Powell, stating, he "was more comfortable" with the proposal.

Posted by at 01:42 PM | Comments (61)

Florida Supreme Court Strikes Down School Voucher Program

In a blow to school choice, the Florida Supreme Court on Thursday struck down a statewide school voucher program. Under the Florida Opportunity Scholarship Program, a student who is in a failing public school is allowed to transfer to a better-performing public school or to a private school.

The Florida Supreme Court, in a 5 to 2 ruling, said the school voucher program is illegal under Florida's constitution because it sets up an "alternative system" not accountable to the state, the Washington Post reported. The ruling stated, "The diversion of money not only reduces public funds for a public education but also uses public funds to provide an alternative education in private schools that are not subject to the 'uniformity' requirements for public schools."

Florida Chief Justice Barbara Pariente during the decision, said the school voucher program "diverts public dollars into separate private systems parallel to and in competition with the free public schools."

Florida Governor Jeb Bush, a school voucher supporter, doesn't find anything wrong with competition among public and private schools. His said in response to the decision, "School choice is as American as apple pie in my opinion. The world is made richer and fuller and more vibrant when you have choices."

The Institute for Justice, a libertarian law firm, who argued in favor of the school vouchers in the court case, said they will look at their legal options and work towards "keeping Opportunity Scholarship children in their schools." Clark Neily, the group's senior attorney, stated, "Every parent should be able to chose where their kids go to school, regardless of the money they have."

Posted by at 01:40 PM | Comments (22)

January 05, 2006

National Security Agency Acted On Its Own Before President's Approval

Citing newly declassified documents, the New York Times reported that the National Security Agency (NSA) expanded its domestic spying activities shortly after the Sept. 11th attacks without formal approval from President Bush.

The former head of the NSA, General Michael Hayden informed the House Intelligence Committee in October 2001 that the agency had expanded its surveillance powers right after 9/11, according to the Washington Post. In testimony to the House Intelligence Committee , Hayden cited Executive Order 12333, which allows warrantless searches "against a foreign power or an agent of a foreign power," as his justification for taking a more expansive view of the agency's powers without explicit approval from the president.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi, in a recently declassified letter to General Hayden, stated, " I am concerned whether, and to what extent, the National Security Agency has received presidential authorization for the operations you are conducting."

The Washington Post reported that the NSA forwarded the intercepts of electronic communications to the FBI, even though many of these communications were made by American citizens. This discovery led to calls for a comprehensive investigation into the NSA's activities. Even Admiral Bobby R. Inman, who served as NSA director from 1977 to 1981, expressed concern as to why the Bush administration did not attempt to have the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act amended, thereby giving explicit legal authority to the NSA for domestic eavesdropping.

Posted by at 03:39 PM | Comments (19)

Senator Clinton's 2000 Fundraising Committee Fined

A $35,000 fine was levied against a fundraising committee for Senator Hillary Clinton's 2000 election campaign by the Federal Election Commission. The fine was a direct result of Andrew Grossman, who, acting in the capacity of the committee's treasurer, had underreported more than $700,000 in donations raised from a Hollywood celebrity concert fundraiser. The event was held on August 13, 2000 and featured celebrities such as Jennifer Aniston, Cher and Muhammad Ali.

The major financial backer of the fundraiser, Peter Paul, had three felony and fraud convictions from the 1970s and 1980s. Shortly after the celebrity fundraiser, the FBI launched an investigation into Paul's claims that he paid nearly $2 million in expenses for the event, which was far more than originally reported by Clinton's fundraising committee, the New York Sun reported.

Senator Clinton has tried to distance herself from the fundraising scandal, stating she was not involved with the inaccurate reporting. Marc Elias, a lawyer for Hillary Clinton, said the agreement with the Federal Election Commission "makes clear that there was no violation of federal election law by the Hillary Rodham Clinton for Senate Committee in connection with the August 13, 2000 event." Yet in the text of the conciliation agreement, it states the Federal Election Commission conducted an investigation and found "probable cause to believe New York Senate 2000 and Andrew Grossman, in his official capacity as treasurer," violated campaign election law.

Paul himself disputes Clinton's claims that she was not involved in the inaccurate reporting. Paul said, "For Hillary to say she had nothing to do with this, again, is disingenuous." He further added, "This is the biggest contribution to her campaign." Paul claimed letters and legal papers he sent to Clinton's attorney included canceled checks showing Paul's expenses for the fundraising concert, yet the campaign continued to reaffirm the reports that omitted those expenses. Paul claimed, "Not only did they ignore them, they hid them."

RedState.org has their take on the story and links to the actual text of the conciliatory agreement.

Posted by at 03:34 PM | Comments (5)

January 03, 2006

History Repeating Itself in Afghanistan?

This summer, the United States will begin to scale back its operations in Afghanistan. The U.S. military will officially turn control of Afghanistan's southern region over to a NATO-led international force, according to Washingtonpost.com.

American troops will be reduced by 2,500, as more of the country is turned over to the Afghan government. U.S. Ambassador Ronald Neumann, stated, "The Afghans have to have enough space to make their own decisions, even to stumble sometimes. But we shouldn't leave them without critical support before they're strong enough."

Along with the troop reduction, the United States is reducing the money appropriated for rebuilding infrastructure. The U.S. Agency for International Development received over $1 billion in funding for 2005 to build highways, schools, and clinics. The agency's funding will be reduced to slightly over $600 million in 2006.

Many Afghans are concerned that the level of U.S. support is not sufficient and the Bush administration is just shifting its priorities elsewhere, Washingtonpost.com reported. A major concern among the Afghans is the United States will withdraw too soon and leave the country vulnerable to a return of the Taliban. The U.S. abruptly left Afghanistan in the 1990s shortly after the Soviet Union withdrew its troops. The resulting power vacuum led to a civil war that paved the way for the Taliban to seize control of the government.

Unlike the American troops, NATO troops that will deployed in southern Afghanistan will not be aggressively engaging terrorists, but will instead perform peacekeeping duties. NATO has stated it will not devote its time to hunting terrorists in the area, Washingtonpost.com reported. Maj. Andrew Elmes, a NATO spokesman, said, "If you think of a policeman, who is armed but he doesn't go out looking for a fight, that's along the lines we're looking at."

NATO troops will have to deal with a growing opium trade in Afghanistan. Last month, the Boston Globe reported the Taliban has turned to the drug trade as a source of funds and to weaken the Afghan national government. Afghanistan is home to a $2.7 billion dollar drug trade that accounts for 34 percent of the country's economy, according to United Nation figures.

Posted by at 05:08 PM | Comments (45)