Commentary
Dick Durbin (D-IL) refuses to apologize for remarks made on the Senate floor equating interrogation techniques used by US soldiers on detainees at Guantanamo Bay to Hitler, Soviet Russia, and the Pol Pot regime.
While he stands by his remarks, he told Sen John Warner (D-VA) that he wasn't saying that our soldiers were Nazis, but their techniques were. What's the difference, Dick.
Other than Sen. Warner, no Democrat has asked Durbin to change or apologize for his remarks. No one, not Ted Kennedy, not Harry Reid, not Joe Biden, none of them have even mentioned the controversy. The Senate Democrats are not ignoring the remarks because they support the remarks.
Sen Durbin's speech exemplified the thoughts and policies of the Democrats and their liberal friends. Democrats. like Durbin, do not like America, they hate the military, and Durbin's speech showed for anyone who was watching or listening the true feelings of Democrats and liberals. His refusal to apologize can only bolster the liberals viewpoint.
Durbin should not apologize, he should resign for his remarks. Unless the Illinois Republicans put up another candidate like Alan Keyes, Durbin will be defeated in 2006. It is also possible that he could lose in the primary if the Illinois Democrats get their heads out of the sand and distance themselves from Durbin's remarks.
As for the senator from Illinois, he has shown a disdain for American, American policy, and American soldiers that is, at best, unacceptable. I never thought I would use one of my favorite lines from "XXX," starring Vin Diesel. but here goes.
Senator, "stop being a dick, Dick."
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Other Interesting Stories
The people at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), National Public Radio (NPR), and the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) are a little nervous today and with good reason.
For months there has been controversy swirling around the tax-supported broadcasters based on inappropriate programming decisions and a study that showed a liberal bias in some of the programming at PBS.
Kenneth Tomlinson, chairman of CPB, conducted a study after complaints of bias in Bill Moyers program 'Now." The study showed what many critics of PBS have said for years is that Moyers' and his programs had a liberal bias. The revelation of the study brought sharp criticism from liberal media groups and Democrat members of Congress. Some speculating that Tomlinson had overstepped his authority at CPB.
It is obvious that none of the critics had read the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, as amended. The law that governs public broadcasting says that programming on NPR and PBS must be balanced and fair. It further gives authority to the chairman of CPB to review programming to ensure that it meets those standards of fairness and balance.
These facts did not calm the critics. At a meeting of NPR station managers, the manager of a poorly run NPR station in DeKalb Illinois, proposed a resolution to require CPB to follow its charter with one exception. No where in the resolution was the requirement for fairness and balance in programming mentioned. I guess they forgot that part. The resolution could not be brought to a vote because to few station managers attended the session.
Congress may be getting their attention. The House Appropriations Committee has voted to reduce funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting by 25% beginning in October. The funding cut for CPB is part of a huge bill funding health, education, and labor programs. In the bill 49 programs are slated for elimination and other funding reduced under tight funding guidelines.
The original bill, sponsored by Ralph Regula (R-OH) had funding eliminated for CPB in 2008. An amendment restored funding of $400 million for that year.
Critics say the reduction in funding for CPB which distributes funds to local public television and radio stations and provides funds to PBS and NPR is retaliation for controversial programming including the 'Postcards From Buster' episode which introduced children to a lesbian couple in Vermont.
To its credit, PBS removed the episode from the schedule, but several arrogant public broadcasting stations aired the programming that was fed to them by WGBH, Boston.
One of the programs cut in the bill is funding for the Ready to Learn Program which funded children's' programming on PBS including 'Buster' and 'Sesame Street.'
This is not the first time Congress has attempted to eliminate funding for CPB. In 1996 former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich passed a similar bill to cut all funding for public broadcasting. Funds were later restored in a conference committee between the House and the Senate.
It is like that this bill we also see many of the cuts and reductions restored by the Senate.
House panel cuts funding for public television - Yahoo! News
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The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the nomination of a conservative appeals court nominee.
On a 10-8 party line vote, senators sent the nomination of US District Court Judge Terrence Boyle for a seat on the 4th US Court of Appeals.
When the nomination reaches the floor of the Senate, it will be the first true test of a bi-partisan truce to only filibuster judicial nominees under "extraordinary circumstances."
In the past, it ha been the practice of Democrats to filibuster any judicial nominee who came out of the committee on a part-line vote.
Split Senate panel approves Bush judicial nominee - Yahoo! News
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More later.
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