This morning, The Hill reported that Rep. John Murtha’s infamous earmark for the National Drug Intelligence Center (NDIC) was stripped from the 2009 intelligence authorization bill, the very same project which Democrats fought so hard to defend last year. 

The earmark worth $23 million was handily defeated in the House Intelligence Committee by a vote of 17-4.

Perhaps, the beltway establishment is starting to wake up to the public's distaste for these wasteful and corrupting earmarks.

I feel violated.

This election season has been racialized, genderized and heck, even agecized so much even I'm offended. That is, offended at the amount of whining going on because someone dare mention something like the "white vote."

Barack Obama is crying foul because John McCain had the audacity to bring up the fact a member of the terrorist group Hamas endorsed Obama. Obama complained McCain was "smearing" him and accused McCain of "losing his bearings" i.e., old man McCain is off his rocker and confusing things.

In layman's terms Obama threw down his "race card" and raised McCain the "age card."

But I don't understand how discussing Hamas is a "distraction" as Obama calls things that highlight his weaknesses. Is terrorism now off-limits because Obama's middle name is Hussein? I'm having a hard time figuring out the obscure political correctness standard on this one.

Obama is countering the so-called slime by dredging up the Keating Five scandal McCain was implicated in. This is what ultimately led McCain to push horrendous campaign finance laws roundly hated by conservatives. Keating Five is "fair game" says Obama.

Obama's right. Keating Five is absolutely fair game. And so is Hamas. Not because of Obama's middle name, either.

These issues aren't "smears." When McCain talks foreign policy, it isn't an attack on Obama's upbringing. The proper response is not calling McCain an old man. This seems obvious. What is ever more obvious is someone's  "cards" are being overplayed. Obama's. And I think it's time for him to fold 'em.

Caring For China is establishing an Earthquake Relief Fund to assist the victims of the Central China Earthquake of May 12, 2008.  To donate to this fund, go to http://www.CaringForChina.org and go to “Donations”.  The link will give you several options, including PayPal, which is quite easy.  Caring For China will send you a tax deductible receipt and you will be automatically put on Caring For China’s newsletter list.  The list is not distributed to anyone else, and you may opt out at any time. 

We thank you for your heartfelt concern for the people who have suffered in this natural disaster, and for acting so quickly to do something about it.  The funds will be wired to Central China where they will be distributed by our local staff to those in most need.  Please contact us if you have any questions concerning our organization or our mission.

Thus far there is no report of injury to any of the children at the orphanages though at least one of them has been evacuated with the children outside while the building is checked for safety.

The centerpiece of McCain's approach to slowing global warming is a nationwide "cap-and-trade" system for reducing emissions -- setting an overall pollution limit, then letting individual polluters buy and sell emissions allowances within that limit.

Political minefields

But in delivering his manifesto Monday, he also stepped directly on two of the biggest ideological land mines around global warming reductions. He endorsed nuclear power and proposed to crack down on China and India if they don't adopt similar caps to control their accelerating emissions.

Conservatives seem to be snickering over the latest Susan B. Anthony List update.  ... SBA’s No. 1 goal is to end abortion in this country.

This is why some find it highly interesting that the two new co-chairs of the SBA List are former Mitt Romney folk: Barbara Comstock and Cesar Conda. (Conda works at Navigators, the baby of GOP Svengali Mike Murphy, while Comstock has her own shop.)

Still, heads are shaking at the news — especially considering Romney’s abortion-rights past. And, even better: SBA is also holding a fundraiser ($500 a head) with who as its highlighted star of the night? Mitt Romney. “Having Romney headline a SBA event doesn’t pass the laugh test in town among real conservatives,” snickered one self-described “real conservative” who went on to ask: “Two senior Romney people in charge of the SBA? Are they trying to kill the institution?”

Mr. Obama must also demonstrate concretely that he is sympathetic to the victims of crime. . .. He needs to make clear, in no uncertain terms, that he understands American concerns about law and order, and that he puts public safety at the top of his priorities. To be sure, there is an increasing role for rehabilitation in the criminal justice system. But Mr. Obama must emphasize first and foremost that he is on the side of law-abiding people.

Well.  Given some of Barack's votes on crime issues, that may be a problem.  Investors Business Daily gives a supremely illuminating list of Barack's law-enforcement priorities on both the state and federal levels.  At the federal level, for example, he wants to "rethink" criminal penalties for marijuana, and re-enfranchise felons.  Hm.

Given his crime record, Barack may have better luck with some of Schoen's other advice . . . like wearing that American flag lapel pin.

"Mike Huckabee, the former governor of Arkansas and defeated contender for the GOP presidential nomination, is currently at the top of John McCain's short list for a running mate. At least that's the word from a top McCain fundraiser and longtime Republican moneyman who has spoken to McCain's inner circle."

It is no secret that I am not a fan of the Democrat PAYGO rule that requires any bill affecting mandatory spending or revenue to be deficit neutral.  In theory PAYGO sounds great, but at the heart of it, the Democrat rule is nothing more than a gimmick.

House Democrats, especially members of the “Blue Dog Coalition”, claim that they will not waive PAYGO for any reason, their recent actions have indicated otherwise.

In preparing the supplemental appropriations bill, Democrat leaders are reportedly planning on including billions of dollars in mandatory spending that would normally be subject to PAYGO, but recent reports indicate that they plan to circumvent PAYGO in order to enact proposals that could cost anywhere between $30 and $70 billion.

However, they are not willing to waive PAYGO to extend numerous expired and expiring tax provisions, including:

• The Research and Development Tax Credit
• Subpart F for active financing income
• Depreciation of restaurant equipment
• Credit for residential and commercial solar property
• Credit for electricity from renewable sources
• Credit for energy efficient homes and commercial buildings
• Credit for energy efficient appliances
• State and local sales tax deductibility
• Deduction for teachers’ classroom expenses

Collectively, these tax provisions which expired at the end of 2007 or will expire in 2008 will result in a tax increase of $102.6 billion through fiscal year 2008.

Democrats are using this gimmick for cheap political theater, and will jump at their first chance to circumvent it in order to raise your taxes.

"... let the 'anonymous' sources either show the courage to stand up and be accountable for their comments or shut up and leave commentary to people who aren’t afraid of their own shadow."