Friday, October 31, 2008

The Modern Pharisee's Timely Message

My all in one all saints reformation day Halloween howdy.


Boo.


Clearly I elected to place an emphasis on Halloween. More →

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Thursday, October 30, 2008

Joe the Plumber and the FLDS

They're connected. We can count on Texas, Utah, Colorado and Arizona all behaving in the same way we see outlined here;

The Columbus Dispatch - "Helen Jones-Kelley, director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, disclosed today that computer inquiries on Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher were not restricted to a child-support system.

The agency also checked Wurzelbacher in its computer systems to determine whether he was receiving welfare assistance or owed unemployment compensation taxes, she wrote.

Jones-Kelley made the revelations in a letter to Ohio Senate President Bill M. Harris, R-Ashland, who demanded answers on why state officials checked out Wurzelbacher.

Harris called the multiple records checks 'questionable' and said he awaits more answers. 'It's kind of like Big Brother is looking in your pocket,' he said.

If state employees run checks on every person listed in newspaper stories as buying a business, 'it must take a lot of people a lot of time to run these checks,' he said. 'Where do you draw the line?'

The checks were run after the news media reported that Wurzelbacher was considering buying a plumbing business with more than $250,000 in annual income, Jones-Kelley wrote.

'Given our understanding that Mr. (Joe) Wurzelbacher had publicly indicated that he had the means to purchase a substantial business enterprise, ODJFS, consistent with past departmental practice, checked confidential databases ,' she wrote."

The article also indicates that checks on Joe were more extensive than originally discovered or admitted. To date I don't know of anyone who has asked what was going on with the FLDS through government held private records, but we know they engage in this sort of activity. The sort of monstrous all seeing eye of Sauron activity portrayed above shouldn't be shocking to us, it's just what people in government do. Government is constantly overpopulated with employees with nothing much to do. They use their free time to pursue political agendas both in and outside of their agencies and outside the government. Where did the presumption of INNOCENCE go? Shouldn't government RESTRICT itself (oxymoron) to checking up on someone WHEN then apply to do something, not BEFORE? And why does Joe have to "Apply" to be a plumber?

Do you SERIOUSLY want government run HEALTH CARE? All of your most intimate and private data, pawed through by people wondering if you should be running for office or considering this political position or that political position or speaking out on this subject or that? We know what HAPPENS when those bureacrats think we exhibit hypocrisy in this area, they leak it to their cronies and it becomes public. Any WONDER why the FLDS wanted to live "off the grid?" Do you see what happens when the government can't get it's camera in you bathroom? They INVADE. Sauron must see EVERYTHING.

Jones-Kelley justifies her preemptive strike;

"Not surprisingly, when a person behind in child support payments or receiving public assistance is receiving significant media attention which suggests that the person appears to have available financial resources, the Department risks justifiable criticism if it fails to take note and respond..."

This is going to LOOK for a crime, before evidence of a crime has been found. The "Department" being seen as jealous of it's public image and needing to protect that image as all knowing, all powerful and preventing crime.

"Republican legislators have challenged Jones-Kelley's reason for checking on Wurzelbacher as 'frightening' and flimsy.

Jones-Kelly also has denied any connections between the computer checks on Wurzelbacher and her support for Obama. She donated the maximum $2,500 this year to the Obama campaign.

Ohio Inspector General Thomas P. Charles is investigating whether the child-support check on Wurzelbacher was legal."

Texas is still "investigating" Rozita Swinton. They move with cat like quickness on Joe though, and did so in the case of the FLDS. If they don't like the result of the investigation, they move with glacial speed.

More →

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Wednesday, October 29, 2008

37 FLDS Kids left

Out of 439 actual children in custody after the FLDS raid, only a handful remain.

"Texas Child Protective Services officials confirmed on Wednesday that 402 children have now been dropped from court oversight, bringing the total number of people nonsuited in the case to 428. The Deseret News' ongoing tally includes 26 'disputed minors,' FLDS women who CPS originally believed were minors but were nonsuited when the agency confirmed they were adults.

That leaves only 37 children left with pending lawsuits, agency spokesman Patrick Crimmins said in an e-mail."

37 out of 439. That's 8%. That's one out of 12. I think at this point it would be a good strategy for FLDS parents to name each and every one of the children still under suit. Then the question should be asked of Texas 39 times. Was THIS one of the children you saw pregnant on the ranch that day? Next question asked 39 times: Was this one of the girls who HAD been pregnant? Next question: Was this one of the "Children you saw with children?" If any of the children still left are boys, then of course, the question doesn't have to be asked as many times.

More →

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Texas has 45 days, wanna bet they wait until the last minute?

Sheriff Doran and friends can wait 45 days.

The Salt Lake Tribune - "Mohave Superior Court Judge Steven F. Conn gave Texas Ranger Brooks Long, Schleicher County Sheriff David Doran and Deputy Sheriff John Connor 45 days to participate in personal interviews with Jeffs' defense team or face depositions."


I'd give pretty good odds that they will wait most of that time, if not all of it. Frankly, if I were Doran I'd do it in the next few days. He might not be in office much longer. More →

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Anticipating the Liberal Majority

I've said it before, and will say it again. There is a climate of "change" on the horizon, and that change is away from morality, towards liberalism. Obama is by no means a sure thing, but Obama getting as close as he has gotten should be a sobering thought.

What this means is that Government will get MORE into our lives, not LESS. Forget the economics, let's talk personal behavior. The YFZ raid with it's ever dwindling caseload shows that Government is entirely willing to invade your life just because they don't like you and have heard nasty things about you. They'll take the first pretense (Rozita) and run with it. They have the power to tie you up forever with their myriad byzantine laws, bureaucracies and administrative rules.

There is a WINDOW that is open now, and will RAPIDLY close where it is possible to both legalize and protect a MONOGAMOUS view of marriage and a POLYGYNOUS one. That window will close very quickly and when it does, we will end up with a state managed family and state sponsored, state marriage rules. Polygyny will be legal, marriage will be legal, but you won't like the way, AT ALL, that they are legalized and regulated.

Right now religious Polygynists and Monogamists can band together with some rather odd elements on the left to create marriage or "relationship" contracts. These will essentially be "pre-nups." Appealing to religious freedom, while we still have it, we can set up contracts that don't prevent divorce for instance, but define how it occurs.

Scenario: Your wife leaves you. One of your wives leave you. You don't believe that divorce can occur for any reason other than adultery, but, she's left you. She wants it all. Kids, house, money, alimony and child support. You and her have a marriage contract. It stipulates that divorce OUGHT not occur except for the reason of adultery, yet recognizes that the state allows what it calls divorce, for ANY REASON.

In your contract there is a buy out clause. You have not given your wife cause for divorce, she in turn has not given you one, but she wants the state to give her one nonetheless. There is no abuse (a busibody interest of the state that has to be addressed) and there is no adultery. You and she have written an agreement that breaking the contract gives the one abandoning the relationship a percentage of the joint assetts or a responsibility for the joint net debt situation. It specifies that the offended party (the one not leaving) keeps everything and buys out the offending party. She walks away, you keep the kids, she gets a check for X number of dollars and you never see her again. Arbitration is by the church body where you are both members.

Sound good to you? Does any VARIATION of the above scenario sound good to you? Do you have your own version of a contract you'd like to operate under? This COULD be done now.

What it will do is legalize all forms of "Polyamory" which is the new term coined for "however many people, male or female, living together and doing whatever." It would work for heterosexual monogamies. It would work for Polygynies. It would work for homosexual monogamous "marriage" be it gay or lesbian.

IF WE WAIT, we will get what we have now. The state making an egalitarean contract for marriage where sheer numbers rule Your wives can band together and DIVORCE you and take everything for whatever reason. They can band together and decide Lesbian Love is important, and so on.

IF WE ACT NOW, we can used our religous freedoms to carve out a place for marriage as we see it in our various religious groups.

To that end, I propose as I have proposed before, that your Humble Pharisee is an IDEAL candidate to lead such a movement, before it's too late. To protect, preserve or establish the legal framework in which we can be what we believe God allows us to be.

I need help. What I need:

  • Legal help. That's you lawyers out there.
  • Site help. Someone who knows more about this dang tech stuff. I'm good enough to be dangerous but that's about it. This blog is quite popular for an idiot's blog who doesn't know how to get himself found as a result of search engine inquiries. It could be more prominent.
  • Writing help. I will require that those who join the Modern Pharisee blog as writers be of a very narrow religious persuasion, similar to mine. I am ecumenical in actions, in protection of rights, but not in belief.
  • CASH. The more I have, the more time I can devote to this. At present I have done all that I do for less than $30.00. Expenses associated with this activity have far exceeded that as yet, uncollected revenue. Google hasn't found a way to get that money to me.

In case of CASH, it can be translated to any of the above categories except for writing. More →

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Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Dow up 889

2nd Biggest Point Gain in History.

Bargain Hunting. (FoxNews)

Stocks well below their intrinsic value are attracting buyers. Frankly, I think the bailout money is SUPPRESSING the market. Comment and ask me why if you're wondering. More →

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Judge agrees to let Texas Rangers be questioned

The immovable object, moves;

"Mohave County Superior Court Judge Steven Conn...ordered Schleicher County Sheriff David Doran, his deputy John Connor and Texas Ranger Brooks Long to submit to interviews with Jeffs' defense team — or face a deposition.

Contacted by the Deseret News (today), Doran was unsure if he would submit to an interview.

'Until I receive something officially, I can't answer that,' he said. 'We're going to work with our attorney general's office and take advice from them'."

Oh, I like seeing the shoe on the other foot. I'd also like to see Doran booted from office so that he can't play the game as if he has some sort of Nixonian Executive privelege.

"During (today's) hearing, Jeffs' attorney, Michael Piccarreta, said he warned the Mohave County Attorney and the attorney general's special prosecutor not to go or send any Arizona officers to Texas. They ignored his advice.

Piccarreta said the defense has a right to interview the three Texas officers because they had contact with Arizona law enforcement and investigators."

The DEFENDANT HAS RIGHTS. He is not an animal. He is an American Citizen. HE HAS RIGHTS. Texas and Arizona both have been acting as if Warren Jeffs does not have rights.

"Doran said he did not know why his office would need to be interviewed as part of Jeffs' criminal case in Arizona.

'I have no idea because the state of Texas, I don't believe, has anything to do with their case,' he said."

I think the Sheriff, frankly, is out of his depth. He may be able to bully out of the limelight in a small out of the way town, but he's in it now. I don't think he has any experience with not being able to control the agenda.

"The judge did not rule on the defense's motion to suppress evidence from the Texas raid and expressed reservations about not ruling on that motion.

'I would rather rule sooner than later on the legality of the search,' the judge said."

It sounds as if the Judge simply doesn't believe the prosecution, and is using the defense to get a glimpse into what is going on in Texas, between Arizona law enforcement and law enforcement in Texas.

When he gets that look, he'll rule. It would be easier if he ruled against the evidence for the FLDS, but either way, the FLDS will get traction out of the ruling.

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Nonsuits quietly continue

And then there were 50;

"415 people have been 'nonsuited' in the ongoing custody battle. That leaves approximately 50 children still involved in pending legal cases. The Deseret News' tally includes the 26 so-called 'disputed minors,' FLDS women that Child Protective Services initially said were minors but later nonsuited when the agency determined they were adults."


And, the indicted men have had their pretrial hearings put off until December 1st. Oh my. That means more delays probably for Allen Steed's case, and Rozita Swinton's. More →

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Arizona Judiciary doesn't buy it.

"No, no, we're not going to use the evidence at YFZ." That is Arizona's position, but they keep LOOKING at it. One of the reasons behind taking multiple DNA swabs from Veda Keate's children in Texas may have been to establish a second superficially untainted trail to the evidence outside that seized in the raid. How did they know who to swab? Similarly, how will Arizona know where to look for evidence? This is still fruit of the poison tree, but a sham trail is being established to that fruit.

If you were under legal scrutiny and concerned that something you did could at least be made to look bad, would you let the government come and go in your house, look through all your mail and your sock drawers, paw through your diaries and checking accounts and generally disrupt your life for 6 months? Um...no. If they end up not using the evidence they're going to use it to look for other evidence. This is why there are rules about collecting evidence not willingly turned over. The court it seems, is now waking up to it's responsibility in this matter.

The Deseret News - "(Warren Jeffs') criminal defense attorneys also say they don't buy Arizona prosecutors' assertions that they won't use evidence seized in the April raid on the FLDS Church's YFZ Ranch in Texas.

'The court is concerned that perhaps the state for now will want to reserve its options, not commit itself one way or the other as to whether it intends to use any of the Texas evidence and only make that decision at some time in the future,' Mohave County Superior Court Judge Stephen Conn wrote in an Oct. 23 order released Monday.

'The problem with the latter possibility is that the court and the defendant have the right to know now rather than later whether the state intends to use the Texas evidence at trial'."

Thanks for that, the defendant has rights. It cannot be that at the last possible moment Arizona suddenly says "I think we'll use that evidence now" placing an unreasonable burden on Warren Jeffs' defense and their strategies. What the court doesn't touch on is the fact that both Arizona and Texas are mining the evidence that could very well be thrown out, to find other paths to prosecution that appear legitimate. Paths they would have had no knowledge of, except that they looked at evidence illegally seized. This is why I brought up Veda Keate.

" 'Given the extraordinary extent of these coordinated prosection (sic) efforts, the court may understand the defendant's reluctance to accept the state's assurance that those efforts, designed specifically to obtain evidence against him and others, will have no bearing on the current criminal proceedings,' (Richard) Wright and (Michael) Piccarreta wrote.

The judge said that unless a deal is struck between prosecutors and Jeffs' defense team, he may have to rule on the legality of the search in Texas.

'How the latter determination would be made is difficult to fathom,' Conn wrote."

The judge clearly doesn't want to "go there" but the prosecution is forcing his hand and he's warning them. What he's warning them is that he anticipates a strong possibility of ruling against the use of such evidence. Then we have the thorny problem of looking at what Arizona has collected and used and seeing if they have also used that evidence to find other supposedly "untainted" evidence. That would be decidedly "no fair" and the prosecution's case would start to fall apart over the issue of not being able to unscramble their evidence omelet.

It was disturbing to watch FLDS members sign "family service plans" that would later be used against them, and to prolong CPS involvement in their lives. Those families may ultimately escape the worst consequences of those actions, but Warren IMHO opinion should NOT make a deal with the prosecution as FLDS families and their attorneys repeatedly have. He'll end up in jail for the rest of his life. It would appear the imprisonment already threatens his sanity.

"Jeffs' lawyers have complained of difficulty in getting interviews with Texas authorities. They also expressed frustration that a woman connected with one of the cases refused to meet with them. In another filing in one of the Jeffs cases, the attorneys did file notice that they had scheduled an interview next month with ex-FLDS member and anti-polygamy activist Flora Jessop."

My guess is that the judge will permit all interviews eventually.

If the judge ends up ruling on the evidence he starts a cascade effect. Either he rules against it and that becomes a precedent for use in Texas or he rules against it and sets up an appeal. He really doesn't want to go there. That's why he wants a "deal." WARREN, DON'T MAKE THAT DEAL.

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Monday, October 27, 2008

Obama IS a Muslim and a Foreigner. Well, he's a MARXIST and wouldn't tell us....

Touching on a point made in the last post, Obama is a Marxist and wouldn't tell us and has misled us and the press has let him.

I haven't joined the clamor of "Obama is a Muslim" because it's the kind of wacky loony fringe statement that gets passed around without documentation. Barry didn't name himself Hussein. Mom and Dad did. Hardly his fault.

But in light of recent revelations we all suspected (on the right) would come out, Barack is shown to be a thoroughgoing sincere unrepentant MARXIST. He lies about it. He threatens and punishes when confronted with those questions.

Wouldn't Barack HUSSEIN Obama then LIE about his "Muslim Faith" and pretend to be a Christian to get elected? It makes sense, he lied and covered up in the case of his Marxism.

Wouldn't Barack HUSSEIN Obama then LIE about his foreign citizenship and pretend to be eligible for the highest office of the land? It makes sense, he lied and covered up his Marxism. More →

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Obama: Marxist. Socialist. For Years. In HIS OWN WORDS...



Hat Tip? Infidels are Cool. Jawa Report. Drudge.

OBAMA THINKS OUR CONSTITUTION IS "FUNDAMENTALLY FLAWED."

LISTEN TO HIM SAY IT.

Obama is still a Marxist. He Denies it. Hides it, and PUNISHES impudent members of the press when they ask about it.

Now the question has to be asked. If Obama was STILL a Muslim, would he tell you? Or would he HIDE IT, DENY IT and PUNISH you if you asked? More →

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Sunday, October 26, 2008

It's Not My Fault

If Obama wins, it's not my fault.

What I have done:

Talked up conservative values, on my blog, at work, at church, to people I buy merchandise from, and to customers at work.

I voted conservative. McCain will win the state where I am registered. No Democrat got my vote. I voted for one Libertarian. My wife voted all Republican. We voted down every spending referendum. We voted against Liberal judges.

Did you?

Even if Obama wins, if you voted as conservative as was practical and prudent, namely casting your vote for the most conservative candidate that could win it won't be that bad. If every one of you that thinks of yourself as being against big government voted, voted the same way I have, even if Obama won the presidency, he would not have a liberal congress to back him.

Point this out to your friends, go thou and do likewise, November 4th won't be a problem, if you do.

God is in control, I will live with outcome, but I was not lukewarm. I did something. More →

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Oh, NOW David Foley can be reached for comment.

Always unavailable for comment when it comes to Rozita Swinton, it seems that David Foley isn't too busy. That might have been an excuse he could have used for the frequent but unanswered requests for information on her case, except now he's revealed to be quite the chatterbox. Just pull his string on a favorite subject, making your client out to be a wacko. Here he comments on a murder case, that isn't his. David has also been on the prosecution side of the issue, so apparently he knows a good racket when he sees one.


The Colorado Springs Gazette
- "Defense attorneys not connected to (the first-degree murder case of Earl 'Freddy' Mayes) said the technique is an effective way of letting jurors know what the defendant was going through at the time of the alleged crime without him having to take the stand. Using a mental condition defense might also convince jurors to convict of a lesser offense such as second-degree murder, which is homicide without premeditation, or manslaughter.

'It just gives the defense more room,' said David Foley, a longtime Colorado Springs defense attorney who recently used the mental condition defense for Rozita Swinton, accused of misdemeanor false reporting and making the call that triggered Texas authorities to raid a polygamist compound in April. A decision in the case is pending."


I've said before that Rozita's attorney was awfully high priced legal help for her particular crime. This is a man who is something of a local star in criminal defense and he's studiously avoiding the media in Rozita's case, but readily available to give expert opinion elsewhere.

Why does Rozita, who has had abnormal legal costs in the last several years, who has a mundane average paying job at best, who rents, have this kind of legal help? Who procured David Foley for Ms. Swinton? If memory serves me she did not have his help the last time around when she was in purely local trouble, but when she gets herself into real trouble suddenly she can get real help?

This also points to the defense as a ploy used by a cynical defense attorney. Make her a lunatic. It's easier to defend her that way. How did a lunatic come up with such a good defense attorney, for a misdemeanor? More →

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Saturday, October 25, 2008

Into The Ludicrous Zone. Foreign Born Citizens Cannot Be President! (Never use)

In the movie "Spaceballs" there is a delightful sequence of silliness in which "Dark Helmet" orders and achieves "Ludicrous Speed" and goes so fast that he "Goes to Plaid" (obscure joke) and has to employ "Emergency Stop" which is labeled "Never Use." It is argued that "we can't stop because we're going too fast, it's too dangerous" when "Dark Helmet" insists the ship must stop now.

Watch the clip.


Are we saying the election has now "gone too far" or is "going too fast" and using "Emergency Citizenship Disqualification" is too dangerous? Is the ban on foreign citizens becoming President of the United States the disqualifier we should "Never Use?"


My Way News (AP) - Philadelphia - "(U.S. District Judge R. Barclay) Surrick ruled that (Philip J.) Berg lacked standing to bring the case, saying any harm from an allegedly ineligible candidate was 'too vague and its effects too attenuated to confer standing on any and all voters.' "


Okay, I haven't been banking on disqualifying Barack as a US Citizen to hand the Presidency to John McCain, but it might hand it to Hillary if Barack wins the election. We do have an Electoral College and they could easily be lobbied as free agent Democrat bound electors to go for ANY Democrat. What's interesting here is that we're saying no citizen is important enough to question a candidate's qualification for office. I would suspect that ANY of us should be able to do this.

The judges ruling also says "silly man, you're vote doesn't count, who cares about YOU? The Presidency when it's effects are boiled down to you is so small an issue that we can't be concerned about you." Wow. If that's not elitism?

This is done too for the weakest of reasons and with the same judicial manipulation that has occurred all too frequently in the Texas YFZ case. Back the plaintiff or defendant up to a deadline as far as you can and rule late on a Friday afternoon? Why? Limit their ability to appeal.

This is way too complicated, my brains are going into my feet.
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Texas now Grasping on all fronts.

Texas MUST have one abused child, preferably several. Childress has telegraphed that there may be no more than three candidates. These charges are by no means certain of sticking. If there is one abused child then they might be able to rationalize the continued search. If there are none, they cannot.

If there is no abused child, they have no rationale for collecting any evidence at YFZ. None. Arguably they don't have any if there is no "pregnant underage girl" seen at YFZ and since the only pregnant girl at YFZ that could have been seen can now have only been three months pregnant or less, that is getting thin.

Double digit abused children give you at least a smoke screen to bluster behind. Three do not. More →

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Childress Sworn to Secrecy? CPS Resignation REEKS of internal warfare.

The evidence becomes overwhelming for a clear and sharp dispute behind the scenes leading up to the Charles Childress resignation. A more detailed article appeared today in the San Angelo Standard-Times:

"I cannot say a word about it," Childress said when reached at his Austin home Friday. "There is nothing I can say that wouldn't be out of line."


Wowsers. This sounds like it really got heated. Nothing he could say? Not even "This is best for me and my family" like Gary Banks said? "I think I'll go back to teaching?" Nope. There's NOTHING he could say that wouldn't be out of line. This more clearly seems to be the emotional residue of a forced resignation. Normally when someone says things like that one of two things are true, or both. Childress is still so angry over the affair that he can't trust himself to speak of it for fear of losing his composure and/or the dispute would be so damaging to one or both of the parties in the dispute that an agreement was signed not to speak of it.

"Banks, who sent the letter Sept. 5 and left the agency early this month, could not be reached for comment Friday."


Yeah right, "No comment."

"The attorneys join a growing list of officials associated with the April raid who have since left their jobs. Cary Cockerell, commissioner of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services - of which CPS is a part - retired Aug. 31 for personal reasons, while Texas Ranger Lt. Barry Caver, who commanded the April raid, left law enforcement in June to pursue a better-paying oil-industry job.

None of the officials has cited the FLDS case as a reason for leaving. In Cockerell's case, CPS officials said specifically the case was not a factor in his decision.

Childress, a former University of Texas law professor who worked for CPS in the late 1990s, was brought back to help coordinate the massive case, which involved 439 children and 26 adults initially believed to be children."

Folks, this is war. This is an agency lurching out of control without direction. If you have any doubts, read on.

"The loss of essentially the two lead attorneys in the case likely will bring another CPS lawyer to the fore - perhaps Jeff Schmidt, who has represented CPS during some hearings.

'There is a group of attorneys out there' at CPS' San Angelo offices, said agency spokesman Patrick Crimmins. 'He (Childress) was just acting as lead attorney. We're just trying to figure out their roles and responsibilities.' "

CPS doesn't know WHO is going to take over. By the way, who would want the job? It's a greased rail to unemployment and disgrace. This wasn't planned IMHO. Someone threatened Childress without knowing how he'd respond and he quit or some issue came to light that someone had to take the blame for and Childress got the nod. Something happened that scattered the pieces on the chess board and they're in full scramble mode.

Once again, a rule of politics is that you don't make your constituency (your co workers in a bureaucracy) LOOK bad. This LOOKS bad, so it IS BAD. You don't DO it unless something profound happens because it looks that way and everyone will think it is for some earth shattering reason. Planned resignations take place with the outgoing head giving plenty of time and citing "good reasons" and praising their peers. Tom Brady doesn't quit the Patriots during the introduction of the starting line up in the Super Bowl. It's DESTRUCTIVE. It's not what a career "team player" does. Bureaucrats are CONSUMATE team players. They don't survive unless they are.

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A Glimpse into the CPS Boardroom Crisis

More trickles out about the resignation of Charles Childress in this article;

"It is with great regret that I hereby tender my resignation as staff attorney for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, effective Nov. 1, 2008, or at whatever earlier date may be most convenient and least disruptive to the operations of the agency," Charles Childress wrote in a resignation letter obtained by the Deseret News.


The "Great Regret" part is diplomatic, but indicates dispute. This dispute is hinted at later by Mr. Childress. The part where he indicates that he will leave November 1st or whatever date is convenient? This says the disagreement was sudden and sharp. Unlike his immediate subordinate Gary Banks, who found work and resigned Mr. Childress has no soft landing.

Something happened that made Mr. Childress or the State of Texas change their minds about each other. In Charles case it would have most likely have been the result of being blindsided and his resignation is a polite way of saying "I was fired, on the spot." In this case he is being given the time to find another job. Whether or not his replacement shows up quickly, we can determine if this was sudden and surprising for Texas. If Childress stays well past November 1st, it was a surprise for Texas as well.

"I anticipate that we will have resolved all but a handful of pending cases through cooperative agreements with the parents, resulting in dismissal of the department's suits by early November," he wrote.

This hints broadly at the subject matter of the dispute. The writing is on the wall to reduce the number of FLDS child custody cases to perhaps less than five. The language indicates that the cases are going to be plural in nature, but the number will be very small.

"The remaining cases may end up going to trial next year. Three cases involving children either placed back in foster care or returned to their parents under family service plans will be up for dismissal in February 2009."

This aludes to the number of cases. It seems it will be three.

"The dismissal date for all other cases is April 13, 2009, although there is an argument that could be made against applying this deadline," Childress wrote.

Someone advocated that the cases be continued. Judging from the speed of the dismissals and the revelation of the "handful" estimate by Mr. Childress, it would seem Mr. Childress is likely to have fallen on the side of just letting those cases go.

I am speculating here but it is sound speculation for someone as far on the outside as I am. If this is truly the case, I again repeat that Charles Childress may turn out to be, in the final analysis, a great hero for the FLDS, having stood up to Texas who seems intent on prosecuting a much larger number of cases.

You can imagine a meeting that goes like this:

"You're dismissing nearly ALL the cases Charles, WHAT'S UP?!?!"

"You have maybe three cases."

"That's unacceptable!"

"You have maybe three cases, this is what you hired me to do."

"You find MORE!"

"I can't."

(Phone Rings, Governor Perry is calling on his cell phone)

"Pack your kit and git Chuck."

All should pay attention to this politicized prosecution. It is the very essense of what persecution is all about. The FLDS have become a political football. The fortunes of Texas depend on finding more than just a couple of Child Abuse cases than in the end may cost more than $20,000,000.00 apiece. For this reason it no longer matters what is right or what is wrong to the elected officials like Governor Perry. They need a lot of cape mounts on their den wall to justify what was done. Sorry FLDS, nothing personal. It's just politics. I hope you understand. Take one for the team willya?

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Friday, October 24, 2008

The Conservative Case for a Consumption Tax

The first rule for efficient government is simple government. I just watched the umpteenth ObaMarx apologist tell me how for 95% of American Families, their taxes would go down.

Yeah.

Right.

If I save my money this way or that and own a home and put my kids through college using their plan, etc, etc, etc and so forth. Or something similar to that.

I'm a busy guy. I shouldn't be burdened with sitting at a table long into the night with my wife planning how to invest my income (which is highly volatile in terms of amount) in such a way as to take advantage of some micro managing tax policy. That's like the cell phone rebate I never got because the procedure was two steps too complicated and I kept putting it off. Just like income taxes and income tax planning.

A consumption tax, as unfair as it can be from time to time is dispassionately and consistently applied. It would probably be a quarter of the value of everything we buy. Keep in mind it probably will take about 20% of our income to run our Federal Government and then the state needs something. A quarter. Maybe as much as 30%.

Too much you say? You're paying it now chump. You just don't see it so it's like having a pair of Zaphod's Joo Janta 200 Super-Chromatic Peril Sensitive Sunglasses or being a child covering their eyes claiming you can't see them in hide and seek. Remember that corporations and the rich NEVER pay taxes, they pass them along to you. It could even be argued that you pay MORE than you ought to simply because the most in demand products in the consumer world generate the most profit and thus generate the most corporate income tax and thus pass the greatest burden of taxation along to you.

Even if it distributed the tax burden inequitably as it most certainly would, there are other arguments to make. One is that it is impossible to make a perfectly equitable tax system so it is a fool's errand. Next, the bureaucracy devoted to this vain pursuit is a burden itself. A consumption tax is a percentage of a transaction, collected through a smaller number of retail outlets when a product or service passes on to its end user. Less people to tax, easy rules to administer. I daresay less people could be employed performing easily understood tasks and pursuing tax cheats more successfully than they do now.

The political argument over class envy is diminished. The rich in fact can be argued to pay greater taxation because they consume more. If they are the thrifty rich, and do not consume, they invest, creating jobs. This is an efficient and instant benefit to all of us.

The Government is tied to a vested interest in our prosperity. We consume when we have excess, not when we are without it. If more revenue is wanted, our prosperity must be encouraged. Taxation always has a damping effect on activity so the Government is motivated to place taxation at the point where their revenue is maximized.

You see your bill every time you get a receipt. Of late I have been asking the question of persons I do business with, "Did you see the government anywhere during this transaction? They got $4.36!" I add that judging by the amount and frequency of the transactions there should be a government official full time, on the premises. No one can see such an official though. Imagine if the government was shown to be getting $30.00 every time you spend a hundred. They do now, you just don't see all of it or any of it. Your taxes can never be increased without you knowing they have been, immediately.

The government can also relieve taxation pressure quickly. If they perceive economic burden due to recession, they can relieve pressure IMMEDIATELY by lowering taxes 1 or 2 percent. It is to their benefit as well because if activity drops, so do revenues. If they lower the percentage and transactions revive, they'll get more money.

The sooner this is done, the more efficient and accountable the government is. More →

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Rozita has another date with Nurse Ratched

The calculating Rozita figures being crazy aids her cause. I maintain she is not crazy. Narcissistic? Maybe. An Arsonist? Pretty much. Crazy? That insults the genuinely crazy among us. I'm not being flip either. I have had the privilege for instance, to know and meet many real schizophrenics. The vast majority are brave souls that deal with torments we could not imagine and nonetheless function. I admire them. I am in awe of them.

KRDO
- "A court filing says Rozita Swinton will enter (an inpatient) program next month, but no details have been released on the location or nature of the treatment."


My guess? Missouri. That's where she went last time. Hat tip to Christian or Biblical Polygamy.
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Allen Steed has order issued for discovery, by Judge

In a conversation with Allen Glade Steed's legal firm today I found out that there was indeed no appearance on Wednesday (October 22nd, 2008). Instead 5th District Court Judge G. Rand Beacham issued orders regarding discovery.

Thinking strategically this has to be good for Allen's case since Judge Beacham said "the preliminary hearing could be used now to examine discovery issues" when the date was originally penciled into the calender. It would now seem that discover issues have taken precedence over the normal movement of the case indicating that Allen's side did indeed have a point when they said evidence that SHOULD have been turned over to them, had not been.

Refreshing your memory on that, the defense had "insisted (they) withheld only documents (they) considered privileged because they were 'work projects' that included opinions, legal analyses and other commentary from the attorneys in (their) office."

The defense argued "there were multiple agencies, both in and outside of Utah, and numerous individuals who participated in the investigation that led to the charges filed against Jeffs and Steed. 'All of these agencies and people were talking to each other. If Mr. Steed is going to face this allegation, he is entitled to all the same evidence that the state has...' "

It seems Judge Beacham agrees, for now. Once such evidence is ordered to be turned over, even if it isn't used in court, it's like trying to put a cork back in a wine bottle. It's just not the same. This is a good thing for the defense.

(Portions of this story come from a Deseret News article previously cited in this blog. The new material is from an interview today, conducted by the Modern Pharisee.) More →

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The Other Resignation at CPS and Confirmation of Turmoil (AKA "Reorganization")

If you needed confirmation of the internal fight going on at CPS, look no further than this story;

The Deseret News - "Texas Child Protective Services officials also are not commenting on why (Charles) Childress is leaving, but said they are in the process of reorganizing their legal team based in San Angelo, Texas, right now.

Childress is not the only lawyer who worked the FLDS child custody case to resign recently. Gary Banks, who was the lead counsel when the 439 children were taken into state custody immediately following the raid, resigned Oct. 3 to take a position with a Texas law firm."

The powerful and connected do not stay unemployed. They are offered safety nets even before they leave one job, even in disgrace. Politics is like that. Who needs a "Golden Parachute" when what you will be offered instead is lifetime security? But I digress. That is a discussion for both the Economic Pharisee and the Political Pharisee (both me, of course).

The key here is that whoever is ultimately pulling the strings in the whole CPS/FLDS/YFZ fiasco, it has been determined from the top that the handling of the custody cases is a disaster. Since this is politics, the disaster part is determined by how it makes those at the top look. Charles Childress had NOTHING to do with the raid taking place, but still falls on the sword. Preceding him was Gary Banks, who WAS lead counsel at the time of the raid.

Clearly the RESULT is important to those at the top. Gary is made responsible, but taken care of. It will be interesting to see how things go for Charles Childress. There are some days when you wish illegal wiretapping wasn't. I'd love to be able to speak to the mouse in the corner in those conference rooms.

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Childress Resigns. CPS in Turmoil

My my, but isn't this a bit of an earthquake;

The Houston Chronicle - "The lead attorney at the center of the largest child removal case in U.S. history has turned in his resignation and neither he nor Texas Child Protective Services are saying why.

Charles Childress was hired by CPS on July 21 to take over the behemoth case involving 439 children taken and eventually returned to the West Texas ranch belonging to the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a polygamist sect."

Of course only one in six children taken in the raid are still the subject of CPS suits, the vast majority have been nonsuited. The only reason to believe that such nonsuits will stop, is the fact that the number of FLDS children taken in the raid is finite.

After three months the attorney hired specifically to handle FLDS cases has abruptly resigned. Such resignations don't occur unless something major has happened behind the scenes. I've pointed out before that when high profile figures in a department or case resign, it's done with the awareness of how it will look to the world at large.

Clearly the damage of a Childress resignation was outweighed by the damage that Childress would stay, so he resigned. Since the appearance of a Childress resignation is a sign of the total turmoil in Texas and their "persecution" of the FLDS, the resignation signals extreme internal distress at CPS.

What else could possibly be the meaning of a three month employee resigning in the biggest child custody case in US History? By concluding there is no one to pursue, Childress has said there was no case. At all.

Hat tip to Brooke Adams.

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Thursday, October 23, 2008

Polygamy Debate proves interesting.

There are informative articles in both the Salt Lake Tribune and the Deseret News today on last nights debate at University of Utah's College of Law. It's summed up by this exchange. I could write several blog posts, and in fact may do so, on the exchange. I'll start with this.

"The debate got lively when (Marci) Hamilton accused the attorney general's office of not trying hard enough to find evidence to prosecute polygamy.

'I know they don't like to hear it, but someone has to say that because it's a fact,' she said.

'I'm astounded at the naivete in that statement,' (Kirk) Torgensen replied. 'I live this. I don't write about it from some office back east. I live it. I've got to sit in cases where I have got to ask, "Where is the evidence so I can prove it in court?" Now you can say this is easy ... '

'I didn't say it was easy, I just said you weren't trying hard enough.'

When Torgensen offered to deputize her to prosecute cases, some in the audience shouted 'No! No! No!' while others shouted 'Yes! Yes!' The chief deputy did warn polygamous communities that the attorney general's office would prosecute underage marriage cases."

The offer to deputize Marci is the one of the core points. "You try it Marci, it's not that easy." Utah cannot house all the inmates they would produce in a full on prosecution of polygamy.

Prosecuting polygamy establishes polygamy as the crime. Establishing polygamy as the crime sets up test cases along the lines of a class action to present to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court these cases may ultimately come before may be an activist and liberal one and their actions will be based on the concept that marriage is defined by society. Such a court will not be opposed to homosexual "marriage" and is not likely to be able to wiggle around the implications that has for polygamy. In short, as stated before, Marci would set up the case that would be the "Roe vs Wade" of polygamy legalization. Utah, for it's part is trying to bargain with polygamists and Utah at large to make polygamy a misdemeanor which would keep underage marriages a prosecutable offense but make adult consensual polygamy a traffic ticket. As an aside, that's a devils bargain I don't think we should make.

Marci says polygamy should be aggressively prosecuted;

" 'It is easy to figure out who is engaging in polygamy,' Hamilton said. "You just have to figure out who is going into which house. . . . If you know that even a small percentage of individuals in these circumstances are prone to abuse children, why wouldn't you enforce the criminal law?' "


Is my DAUGHTER engaged in a polygamy Marci? She lives in a home owned by one woman, and in rooms rented out to both her and a young man. That's two women and one man. Is that a polygamy Marci? Kirk makes that point to her;

"Torgensen, who said he was expressing his own opinions and not necessarily those of the Attorney General's Office, said Hamilton did not understand the difficulties in getting evidence of crimes within polygamous communities and her sweeping assumptions would never uphold in court.

'People cohabitate with each other in many instances, in many circumstances, all the time,' he said. 'Who goes into what house doesn't prove anything. The difference here is that you make it sound very easy and in my experience that is not true.' "

Marci Hamilton is an activist who wishes to bend law and have it selectively applied in other cases, to advance HER agenda;

"Heidi Mattingly, a member of the Davis County Cooperative Society, was critical of Hamilton.

'I think she doesn't know her law,' she said."

Heidi, don't be so kind. She knows the law, Marci is an activist, the law is only important when it is on her side. Now I'd like to see a debate with a clear supporter of polygamy on the panel.


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Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Jeffs having trouble interviewing Texas Rangers.

The most significant part of this story, I think, is the fact that Arizona is swearing off all evidence gathered at YFZ.

The Deseret News - "Mohave County prosecutors have repeatedly said they do not plan on using any evidence seized from Texas in Jeffs' upcoming trials in Arizona."


It would seem they think their case might be harmed if they took a peek at what Texas has. Beyond that, Texas is up to its usual tricks.

"In court papers filed Monday in Arizona, (Warren) Jeffs' defense attorneys are asking a judge to order the depositions of Texas law enforcement officials. Richard Wright and Michael Piccarreta say they have made repeated efforts to schedule interviews, but Texas authorities have not cooperated with them.

'This failure to grant personal interviews is slowing the process of analysis as to all of the issues raised in the motion to suppress,' the attorneys wrote."

If there is nothing harmful to the cases that Texas seeks to prosecute against the FLDS, then why the foot dragging? Texas on the one hand seems to think there IS something to hide. Arizona on the other wants to be as far away from Texas evidence as they can. But tehre's nothing wrong with the collection of evidence at YFZ. Nope. Nothing.

"The Texas Department of Public Safety referred questions to the state's attorney general's office, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment."

No comment.

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Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Should the Children of Polygyny be taken from their parents?

How do you comment on a story like this?

The Salt Lake Tribune
- "Should the state prosecute polygamous parents and remove their children from their homes?

That question will be vetted by Marci A. Hamilton and Kirk Torgensen on Wednesday during the 25th annual Jefferson B. Fordham debate at the University of Utah College of Law. The debate is at 6 p.m. in the Sutherland Moot Courtroom.

Hamilton is a law professor at the Cardozo School of Law in New York City, and author of 'God vs. Gavel' and 'Justice Denied.' She says failure of states to prosecute polygamists has created 'dangerous cults like the FLDS,' a failure she attributes to authorities being 'timid in the face of specious claims of religious liberty.'

Torgensen is chief deputy in the Utah Attorney General's Office and assisted in prosecutions of two polygamists: Rodney Holm and Warren S. Jeffs, both of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff has said that prosecuting all polygamists is impractical given limited law enforcement and public resources; he has instead advocated focusing on crimes within polygamous communities."


Please don't tell me that any state money is being used to put on this show or that anyone will be surprised at the outcome.
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Legal Polygyny is INEVITABLE, it's a question of when.

The door is being wedged farther open on the legal front all the time, and soon we are going to have LEGALLY married POLYGYNOUS Christians in our pews. We will also encounter LEGALLY married converts to Christianity that have already entered into such a relationship.

What do you do when a POLYGAMOUS convert shows up on the church doorstep and their version of POLYGAMY is POLYANDRY? You must reject them.

What do you do when a POLYGAMOUS convert shows up on the church doorstep and their version of POLYGAMY is a "Clan" marriage or a "Communal" marriage which is increasingly being refered to as a "POLYAMORY". You must reject them as well.

But what do you do when a POLYGAMOUS man and his wives show up and they are engaged in a POLYGYNY? You can't reject them. The reason you cannot is that at BEST Christianity in it's source texts, those being the Scriptures known as the BIBLE, merely discourages POLYGYNY. I do not believe that Christianity actually does discourage Polygyny. I leave open the discussion because there are people who read passages that refer to Elder Monogamy and that can be excused at least initially for seeing that as a directive to be monogamous.

The Bible is not an egalitarian guide for living in this present world. It is true that in Christ, in Judgment before God, as we WILL BE like the Angels neither being given or giving in marriage. There we will not be not male, or female. Everything WILL be equal from one Christian to another, but that time has not occurred yet. Scripture CLEARLY teaches age roles, gender roles, child roles and parent roles. It even teaches slave and master roles. Scripture teaches acceptable Polygyny in part because Men are OVER women, not the other way around in this life. God is to mankind as man is to woman. Paul teaches this clearly. Sarah calls Abraham "Lord" and Peter in a divinely inspired and thus perfect commentary says she does so for a REASON, and that is that HE is OVER her. One God, many believers. One husband, several wives. Polygyny illustrates this principle. It is a lesson we have neglected in the West for centuries.

Make no mistake, I do not say that you must be Polygynous. That's silly. Many try to claim that I say this but I do not. The continuum of adult living ranges from single, to married to married several times. The state you should be in is the one God has selected for you. Remember though I have made the case that about half of believers in church COULD be if we allowed this form of marriage.

I make this assertion again, here, having made it many times before in forums because it needs to be discussed essentially among Christians to see how were going to deal with this issue. It's coming, God has ordained this discussion quite obviously because of the upheaval surrounding marriage in society today. Being the Calvinist that I am, I cannot think that this is an accident. We are being compelled to face this issue, it's not unlike having our faces forcibly turned and ground into the mess that we call marriage today. We're straining against the hand that pushes us, we're trying to turn our heads, we close our eyes but our faces are being smashed into it and we can no longer deny it.

While I hold out hope that this country will select John McCain for President and he is NOT as far behind at this point in the race as Bush was VS Kerry or Reagan was VS Carter, Barack Obama is still a good bet to be the next President.

President Obama, if he does become that, will appoint HYPER liberal judges. He may have a "Filibuster" proof Senate and an increased majority in the House of Representatives. Obama's father had many wives from what I understand. Obama has a constituency that embraces "gay marriage." It's a short step from there to Polygamy in all it's forms. More →

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Saturday, October 18, 2008

Sheriff Doran doesn't get it, HE changed the "Status Quo."

FLDS members at YFZ began registering to vote in the aftermath of the raid.

The San Angelo Standard-Times - " 'We've monitored that very closely,' (Sheriff David) Doran said. 'There has been an increase in registration out there. That's a concern. That is something that could change the status quo of Schleicher County and it's something the residents here don't want.'

Doran, the only Schleicher County official with an opponent in the Nov. 4 election, said as many as 120 ranch residents have registered to vote in the county."

We? Have you got a mouse in your pocket? A change in the status quo is "something the residends there don't want?" Hello? David! "They" are residents of Schleicher County. If "they" register to vote, it is something that those "residents" want. It is THEIR RIGHT. If they vote you out, it's something the "residents" want. As for a change in the status quo, I think YOU did that.

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Friday, October 17, 2008

Ms (Name Redacted), FLDS Complainant against Warren Jeffs

This makes a great deal of sense if the complainant is a minor.

The Deseret News - "Ms. (name redacted) has refused the defendant's request to be interviewed," Jeffs' attorneys Richard Wright and Michael Piccarreta wrote in court papers. "However, Ms. (name redacted) has no right to refuse an interview even though she is the complaining witness against the defendant in a separate criminal case."


Is it Warrens Spiritual Wife Merrianne Jessop, or his daughter, Teresa Jeffs? The following makes it sound more like Teresa than Merrianne;

"Indeed, Ms. (name redacted) lived in the same household with Ms. (name redacted) during relevant time periods and was a close friend. She possesses potentially helpful information based on her law enforcement report. Accordingly, she has been listed as a potential defense witness," Wright and Piccarreta wrote.


Ms. Redacted could be a third party. It sounds as if by using "close friend" that it's not his daughter. Texas plays games though, would Arizona be doing so also? It almost certainly is a minor which is why I pick Merrianne or Teresa. A complainant that refuses to meet with attorneys is probably a complainant against her will. Her will is being supplied in all likelyhood by a guardian ad litem or an attorney ad litem, or both. This sounds a lot like the battle going on between Teresa Jeffs and Natalie Malonis.

It's hard to pick, if I had to call it right now, I'd say it's Merrianne. Count on the party in question being WILLING to meet with Warrens attorneys, but refusing through her court appointed proxies. More →

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Shocking News on FLDS Non Suits!

This stunning revelation has just been made!

"A total of 393 people have now been 'nonsuited' in a San Angelo, Texas, court. The Deseret News' tally includes 26 so-called 'disputed minors,' FLDS women CPS initially believed were underage but later nonsuited when they were determined to be adults.

'There could be more nonsuits,' (Patrick) Crimmins said Thursday."

I figure no more than 72.

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There Is No Investigation You Morons

The untouchable Rozita Swinton continues to be mentally evaluated and treated. The LIES of Texas become increasingly obvious.

The Deseret News - "Six months after the raid, the Texas Attorney General's Office is declining to comment much on the status of its ongoing investigation.

'No state charges are pending re: Swinton,' spokesman Jerry Strickland said in an e-mail to the Deseret News. 'We cannot and will not comment on details of our investigation.' "


There is no investigation. Selective justice continues. Remember, as long as Texas is "investigating" and as long as they find nothing because they aren't really investigating, Texas can pretend that they had cause going into YFZ.

This is PUTRID. Texas has known for half a year now who called with the bogus tip regarding YFZ. They've put all the evidence they have in a safe place and not looked at it, that's because they can't officially KNOW that it was Rozita. Furthermore, after this length of time, one begins to wonder if they evidence they collected when they first discovered Rozita is damning. Of THEM.

This is CORRUPT.

This is WRONG. More →

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Thursday, October 16, 2008

Multiplying Non Suits, only 1 in 6 kids left.

I'm losing track they're dropping cases so fast.

The Deseret News - "On Wednesday, Texas Child Protective Services filed to nonsuit 29 children from court oversight. On Tuesday, the agency dropped 20 more. That brings the total number of people dropped from the case to 364."


Brooke Adams
now says there are only 72 out of 439 cases left. The 439 is the conservative top figure for children taken, discounting the original number that exceeded 460 which included adults later conceded to be adults.

With 439 as the top figure, and 72 left, that's only 1 out of 6 kids still under court "oversight" of some sort. 16% 5 kids for every one kid still deemed to need "oversight."

Since the number is now manageably low, it's time to start asking WHO the remaining 72 are. One is Merrianne Jessop, who as been placed back in state custody. Since it is now incontrovertible that YFZ was NOT a dangerous environoment. This calls into question the whole idea by the way, of taking Merriane Jessop back into state custody.

Also from the Deseret News;

"Approximately 63 children, ages 10 and up, have been asked to attend the (sexual abuse, underage marriage and the law) sessions provided by therapists in the San Angelo area. They run a total of four hours, either in one-hour or two-hour blocks. If providers have knowledge of sex abuse, it can be included as long as it is age appropriate and does not include sex education, (Patrick) Crimmins wrote."


I'm guessing that the 63 comprise the bulk of the remaining 72, and are probably all younger girls. More →

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It's now 3 to 1. 29 FLDS children have their cases dropped.

Texas drops 29 more out of the 439 kids taken during the YFZ raid;

The Salt Lake Tribune - "To date, the state has ended cases of 338 children from the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. That leaves cases involving 101 children still pending. Among them: A 14-year-old girl who was returned to foster care in August after her mother failed to give a Texas judge assurances she would keep the girl safe."


That's 77%. 3 to 1. More than three kids were WRONGLY taken by Texas CPS own admission that were taken for good reason. Knowing that even more will probably enter the lists of "nonsuits," we will stop next at 4 to 1.


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Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Polygamy on the Potomac, Tim Mahoney, you dog...

Polygynous Congressman? Oh the hypocrisy.

FoxNews - "Details of the second affair came hours after Democratic U.S. Rep. Tim Mahoney held a news conference to address a story, first reported by ABC News, that he had been involved with the former aide. Mahoney acknowledged he had caused 'embarrassment and heartache' to his family but denied doing anything illegal."


And, what is his defense?

"No marriage is perfect," Mahoney said, "but our private life is our private life."


I'm concerned about the abusive atmosphere;

"Mahoney himself did not directly address the first purported tryst during a news conference earlier in the day, but instead issued a statement taking 'full responsibility for my actions and the pain I have caused my wife Terry and my daughter Bailey.' "


There's a daughter at home? I think we have an environment of abuse here. This behavior degrades and objectifies women. We need to remove Bailey Mahoney from the home now. More →

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Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Conservative Principle #3

Conservatism does not offer solutions. Because Conservatism does not offer solutions it is not sexy. BECAUSE OF THIS CONSERVATISM REQUIRES COURAGE AND REAL THOUGHT.

Solutions, if conservatives could be said to be offering any amount to staying OUT of an issue, not getting into the middle of it. This is essentially an outgrowth of idea #2, that Government is the WORST solution for any problem and should only be employed when it is the ONLY solution.

My health care plan? What do you mean my health care plan?

My health care solution? I don't have one.

My education plan? See the above.

My plan for social security? Raise the retirement age every other year by one year. Problem solved.

Closing loopholes for the income tax system? Get rid of the income tax. Replace it with a consumption tax. ON EVERY LAST RETAIL ITEM SOLD, be it food or drugs or whatever. The government, as noxious as it is, is necessary and needs money. I just think it makes more sense for you to see how much you're paying in taxes every time you buy something. I point out to just about every waitress for instance that the government is getting a tip. I always ask them when the government showed up and did something. That gets wrinkled brows and then a bit of dawning awareness. I do the same at check outs in any retail transaction. I close car deals and point out the BIG COMMISSION the state made off the deal, and ask the customer where the state was, other than making a lot of paperwork for them to sign. A consumption tax would produce a HEALTHY resentment of what the government was getting from each of us.

I could go on, I think you get the picture. I don't want the governments help. If they can't help me, they don't need my money. Go kill our enemies and stop strip searching me when I try to get on an airplane. Execute persons involved in voter fraud for treason. Otherwise leave me alone. More →

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Monday, October 13, 2008

The Stock Market has Record Gain, nearly 1000 pts.

My comment?

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahaha...... More →

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State Withholding Evidence in Allen Steed's case?

Surprise, Surprise. The State has been withholding? Say it isn't so;

The Deseret News - "(Allen) Steed is seeking any notes, e-mails, correspondence, records, documents or any other evidence related to his case and that of Jeffs, his attorney noted.

'We're entitled to all of it,' (Jim) Bradshaw said. He added he has already received documents from Washington County Attorney Brock Belnap, but he believes there was much more to the case files.

'I suspect there is a large volume of information exchanged between the Utah attorney general, Washington County attorney, Roger Hoole and others that we are entitled to,' Bradshaw said.

For his part, (Brock) Belnap insisted he withheld only documents he considered privileged because they were 'work projects' that included opinions, legal analyses and other commentary from the attorneys in his office."

The weakness of the state's case was also highlighted.

"Bradshaw received the timeline of events in Steed's case, noting that Wall left the marriage in 2004 and did not raise the allegation of rape until 2006 after meeting with attorneys.

'Mr. Steed is charged in Sept. 2007 for events that allegedly occurred in 2001. It is extremely critical to know what this alleged victim originally said, who she said it to, what the initial reports said and if there was any physical evidence,' Bradshaw said.

Steed is also seeking information about the 'financial rewards' Wall received from the state's victim reparation fund, Diversity Foundation, a book publisher and any other sources.

'Her account of what occurred is not correct,' said Bradshaw. 'Or at best it is greatly exaggerated to obtain financial rewards. Money changes everything.'

Wall's attorney, Roger Hoole, said his client was not trying to hide anything."

Of course not.

The Green Monster didn't have anything whatsoever to do with Elissa Wall's sudden discovery that she was raped. She didn't know she was raped until someone told her she was. Two years after she left Allen, five years after the fact.

"A scheduled Oct. 22 preliminary hearing could be used now to examine discovery issues, the judge said."

Ya Think?

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Sunday, October 12, 2008

Good Economic News, Wells the White Knight Wins Wachovia

Wells Fargo, who saved money to go shopping, buys Wachovia.

Fox Business - NEW YORK (MarketWatch) - "The Federal Reserve Board said Sunday it has approved the application by Wells Fargo & Co. to acquire Wachovia Corp. . The deal was expected to close by the end of the year."

So Wachovia WAS worth something after all. More →

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Saturday, October 11, 2008

Conservative Rule Number 2

Perhaps someday I'll do this in order of importance, for now I'm doing it in order of presentation. The "Can't Tax The Rich" principle (as much as we would LIKE to) seemed important in this time of economic roller coastering and elections.

Rule #2: GOVERNMENT IS THE WORST POSSIBLE SOLUTION FOR ANY PROBLEM.

Corollary: GOVERNMENT SHOULD ONLY BE USED WHEN IT IS THE ONLY SOLUTION.


This is the "last resort" principle. It is core in capitalism and the federal system of governance we have set up.

The uses of government are primarily related to FORCE. They are the entity we have submitted to and agree can literally kill us to achieve their ends. They are also dispatched to kill others not in our country, to achieve our ends.

Giving someone who has permission to kill you anything more than they absolutely need is a bad idea. The track record of government is that its only competition is other governments. They tend to do all other activities badly.

If you don't like your local Chevy dealer you can go to the next town and buy a Chevy. If you don't like Chevy you can buy a Dodge or a Ford or a Toyota. If you don't like what government has to offer you can take a number and wait.

If you don't like waiting, they'll kill or imprison you.
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Friday, October 10, 2008

Iceland Slips into Bankruptcy

The slide seems unstoppable. Iceland will probably go bankrupt. On wild ride to financial hell, REAL "predatory" lending occurred. Via Drudge;

The International Herald Tribune - "Some ordinary Icelanders face a similar problem to the one that brought down the banks. In recent months, many mortgages were taken out in foreign currencies - marketed by the banks as a way to benefit from lower interest rates abroad, as rates in Iceland rose into the double digits.

Now, with the Icelandic krona plunging, homeowners suddenly have to pay back far more expensive euro or dollar values of their mortgages. At the same time, house prices are falling."

Banks lent into a crumbling "Krona," which is the denomination of Iceland's currency. If you earn money in Iceland and get paid in "Kronas," and it turns into toilet paper, you can't even HOPE to pay back your mortgage. You aren't TIGHT, you can't dig into your savings to bail yourself out, you're dead in the water.

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Thursday, October 09, 2008

The Rich NEVER pay taxes

I become frustrated with the Republicans who aren't teaching the economic theory necessary to get the votes they need to take majorities and take the executive branch. Rule ONE:

"THE RICH DO NOT PAY TAXES."

There are no exceptions.

Above a certain point of wealth, particularly if the wealthy own the means of production, which you must assume they do, they do not pay taxes.

Really you say?

Really. They pass the buck, to you.

Capital is leverage, leverage gets you what you want. At some point I am not qualified to graph, the wealth of an individual becomes so large that whatever burden of taxation they have, they simply add it to the cost of whatever it is they provide to society and pass it along.

Let's take the oil companies for example. They are greatly vilified. Suppose the the oil companies make record profits hitherto unheard of. Obscene profits. Immoral profits. Opportunistic, price gouging profits. Tax them you say.

The demand of the stockholders are unchanged. They want a certain return AFTER TAXES, PERIOD. If not given that return they run to some other investment that WILL give them that return. The oil companies in turn adjust their supplies, their profit margin and their investment levels so as to produce that after tax return to the point that it will attract stockholders. Thus, you cannot tax them.

What will happen is that you can price their product out of the reach of poorer individuals, who may in fact need it. Thus the overall market contracts in size, the profit MARGIN needed per individual unit of what is sold must go up, until some new equilibrium is reached that gains the return that is necessary.

The great VIRTUE of consumerism is the widespread distribution of a good or service distributes its cost of development or acquisition or production. If it cost a billion dollars to develop a product and a billion people buy it, that's a dollar for every person that buys it. It's actually more than a dollar per item, but lets just leave it at that for the moment.

If you price a thing upward do the point that only half a billion buy it, the effect is obvious. Development now costs TWICE as much, the amount of profit also, that is distributed among the individual sales goes up by the same amount. The effect of increasing the cost, the INPUTS to a good or service simply spirals a good or service up in price to the point where less of us can have it. This IMPOVERISHES US ALL. This CANNOT BE CHANGED. It is an IMMUTABLE LAW of all economic transactions, whether the economy be government controlled, free market, or at some point in between the two extremes. If an activity becomes SO unprofitable that it cannot be engaged in, by excessive taxation, it will CEASE. Whatever that activity provided, will no longer be available.

Populist politicians that say they're going to SOAK the RICH are PLAYING you. They are soaking YOU, not the RICH. It is impossible to soak the rich. You can only REDUCE the number of them available to tax. That is an oligarchy where power in concentrated in the hands of the VERY FEW, and they never run a country to the benefit of the masses. NEVER.

What corporate taxation and business taxation amount to is a Value Added Tax. VATs are ways to HIDE from you the amount of tax you pay. You go to the store, pay 3% sales tax and feel like you WON because you know the RICH got SOAKED instead of you.

You FOOL.

You paid EVERY dime of TAX the RICH PAID in the form of increased cost, and then the government took 3% of a much more expensive item. Corporate taxes should be viewed as a form of DOUBLE TAXATION and a form of TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION. These are fundamental causes of the Revolutionary War. More →

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Sell the Land

A Suggestion. Let the Feds go ahead and bail out or buy up or buy out whomever. To fund theses acquisitions and favors and bail outs, they should sell an offsetting amount of federal land.

There are factors that should be considered, like zoning this land as a condition of sale, but it should be sold. The federal debt should be eliminated. This would also serve to offset the possibility of inflation and keep the dollar stronger against foreign currencies.

If the national economy remains strong relative to others, our country can go SHOPPING, not for bling, but for the good stuff. Factories. Land. Production. Oil. Crops. Raw Materials. Real things. More →

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It's not a bailout of our banks, it's a bailout of theirs?

Hat tip to Drudge;
The Sun (UK) - "(Alistair) Darling teamed up with American and European finance chiefs yesterday to try to stave off a global slump."

Hmmm, didn't The Pharisee say that? Iceland is sinking. Whoever has the money will rule us eventually. More →

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Eerily Accurate, King Barack

Over a year ago I noticed and mentioned to friends that regulators of Banks were using merger activity to audit, supervise and essentially sit down at the table with the Board of Directors and run Banks. This has been going along for a long time, one of the more recent symptoms I noticed was banks lying down and dying in front of a lawsuit regarding points paid on the generation of "Indirect" auto loans through car dealerships. Now we have this via "Yahoo News" and the Associated Press;

"An administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because no decision has been made, said the $700 billion rescue package passed by Congress last week allows the Treasury Department to inject fresh capital into financial institutions and get ownership shares in return."


In this world, your money is tied to the degree of freedom you have. It represents what you own. In a real sense you give part of your freedom to the bank you do business with. Having that bank free and flush and in competition with other such banks is important. There is risk, but you choose your "master" or your partners, you don't have them chosen for you.

As we lurch towards monarchy and dictatorship, we must keep this in mind. The government of this country has tweaked and messed with banks well beyond the need created by the FDIC. They've modified who they lent money too and now we have a crisis. Pointing to the excesses and junkets of the super rich is a distraction to lead you away from the ownership of all by the Feds. Remember this? Genesis 47;

"We will not hide it from my lord, how that our money is spent; my lord also hath our herds of cattle; there is not ought left in the sight of my lord, but our bodies, and our lands: wherefore shall we die before thine eyes, both we and our land? buy us and our land for bread, and we and our land will be servants unto Pharaoh: and give us seed, that we may live, and not die, that the land be not desolate. And Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh; for the Egyptians sold every man his field, because the famine prevailed over them: so the land became Pharaoh's. And as for the people, he removed them to cities from one end of the borders of Egypt even to the other end thereof. "


By this description, you have more than one foot into slavery NOW. You're stepping all the way in as we speak. The speed with which this is happening is indeed astounding. Two events seem critical to me. One is the consideration of ownership of Banks, which was indeed forced in part by previous federal intervention. This is very disturbing. The bureaucracy of the Federal government will continue to advocate this long after George Bush is gone. Your mortgage holder owns your house. You just live there.

Now as a nation we propose that it is in fact the Republicans fault that the country is in the fix it is in (and indeed some of the blame MUST be there) because George Bush is president. In the first debate I noted that Jim Lehrer actually said "How would you RULE?" to the two candidates. We actually believe in electing either candidate that the president of this country is our KING, therefore the economy is his fault. For this reason we will probably elect Barack Obama. Not as president, but as KING.

The LACK of responsibility that we assign Congress, who are constitutionally given the much greater role in spending and taxing (at a rate far greater than Joseph's 20%) than that of the president. We appear also poised to continue Democrat dominance of the two houses of Congress and even INCREASE it by rebelling against our former perceived "Monarch," George Bush, and electing and even MORE heavily Democrat House and Senate than before. This in effect will make Barack Obama, who is at least a former Muslim (perhaps in name only) our first King. Staggering indeed. More →

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Texas Continues to Pretend

Yawn, the Castle Rock case is dependent entirely on the El Paso County Colorado case. Buried in the latest Rozita Swinton "news" are these little tidbits;

The Deseret News - "Sarah has never been found. Barlow was never arrested. The Texas Attorney General's Office told the Deseret News the case remains under investigation."


Unless something happens in Texas (or maybe Arizona) summoning Rozita to the stand, any news about her is likely to be of no value until perhaps next year. The significant portion of the story is above. Texas perpetrates the offical lie that they are still investigating the case because it preserves the illusion, officially, that they had cause going into YFZ. How cynical and how unjust.

Random Thought: Is Dale Barlow the secret sealed indictment ninth man? Another thought: Supposedly there were 18 sealed indictments handed down almost immediately, the first day the Grand Jury met. I still don't get that. More →

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Wednesday, October 08, 2008

Dwindle Dwindle Texas Star - More Children "NonSuited"

The count rises of children abused by the state of Texas;

The Deseret News
- "Eleven more children were 'nonsuited' on Tuesday, Texas Child Protective Services spokesman Patrick Crimmins said. That brings the total number of people dropped from the court case to 315."


Out of 439. That means 71%. The number will continue to grow. I'm sure it will exceed 400. The only question is, will it get to 438?

"The reasons for nonsuiting a child vary, CPS said, including no evidence of abuse or the parents taking appropriate steps to protect the child from harm. A nonsuit effectively ends the court oversight and requirements for the parents, although CPS could still maintain some role in working with the families."


Count on the reasons almost entirely being that there was no evidence. Had there been any, I doubt there would be an "appropriate steps." Remember that Merrianne Jessop is in state custody and her potential abuser has been incarcerated since last year. Texas took her back into custody while there was virtually no chance of abuse.

As usual, Texas mixes the thing they WANT you to believe with the real or predominant reason for something occurring. If one child was released in a situation that could be characterized, even PARTIALLY as having to do with "appropriate steps," they would elevate it to the status of the REAL or PREDOMINANT reason, namely that there was no evidence. Remember when there were scores of young girls between the ages of 14 and 17 that were or had been pregnant? More →

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