• Arnold Schwarzenegger,  Health,  Politics,  Special Election 2005

    California Nurses Assoiation: Stop Arnold Blog

    July 29, 2005 /

    The California Nurses Association has a THING for California Governor Arnold Swarzenegger.

    In fact, they like him soooo much they have created this blog to defeat his reform agenda.

    If that is not enough for you they have this website, too.

    The California Nurses Association website is here.

    Wonder what the hospital and physicians who employ these folks think?

    Flap thinks they are probably supporting Arnold.

    Technorati Tags: , ,

    HT: California Insider Blog

  • Criminals,  Liberal Morons,  Media,  Media Bias,  Morons,  Politics

    Air America: Follow and Give Back the Money

    July 29, 2005 /

    Welcome Hugh Hewitt Readers.

    Michelle Malkin has the continuing FLAP about Air America radio, THE AIR AMERICA LOOPHOLE.

    Blogger Leon H. takes a hard look at Air America’s latest explanation for the public funding mess involving NYC non-profits. Writes Leon:

    There are a couple of other rather large glaring holes in this statement. If Gloria Wise went under, was that due to the fact that they were short about half a million in cash? If so, it more or less leads you to believe that the money has not been “actually repaid” but is still in “agreed to be repaid” land.

    Second, given that Gloria Wise is now closed, how will the money now be repaid? Isn’t this a handy loophole for Air America to jump through? “Gosh, we’d really like to repay them – in fact, we agreed to repay them, but due to some unforseen circumstance, they went under. Weird. Oh well, nothing to be done now.”

    Unless I am missing something in this statement, that is exactly the position Air America is currently taking: we agreed to repay this months ago, but Gloria Wise doesn’t exist anymore…

    Also raising eyebrows: that bizarre summer camp compensation arrangement noted at the end of Air America’s statement.

    Fishier and fishier.

    Janeane? Al? Anyone? Anyone?

    Mark in Mexico has a great round-up:

    Some others following the money:
    The Captain – pay the money back!
    Macsmind – Stealing from poor kids?
    Danny Carlton – Air America has taken to embezzlement.
    Venomous Kate – it’s not just the programming that stinks.
    Michelle Malkin with LOTS more detail
    Isn’t it rich? – Outrage, anyone?
    BizzyBlog – Wonders if the liberal network will even be around six months from now.
    ItsAPundit
    Interested-Participant – Air America possibly in the cross hairs of an embarrassing scandal.
    Basil’s Blog – Breakfast Special
    The Pirate’s Cove – How low can you go?
    Two Babes and a Brain – Sorry kids, guess you’ll have to make due with deflated soccer balls.
    Decision ’08 – Sure looks like Air America benefitted from diverted funds intended for inner-city youth.
    Mrs. Greyhawk – Why isn’t the NYT covering this scandal?
    Cannuckistan Chronicles – …if you’re “Air America”, you hijack funding that was supposed to go toward inner city kids.
    JunkYardBlog – Stealing from the poor to make themselves rich?
    Red State Rant – out of the mouths of babes.
    The Llama Butchers – Al Franken is a big fat thief.
    Ace of Spades HQ – Are you kidding me?
    Commonwealth Conservative – Air America stealing from poor kids?
    Jeff the Babtist – Answer to Air America’s funding problems – fraud.
    Say Anything – Air America could be in big trouble.
    Almost Daily – There’s a stink in the Air America
    Independent Sources – Air America’s Failings No Longer Funny
    Literal Barrage – Al Franken Is A Big, Fat Liar Who Steals From Poor Kids And Old People
    Jeff Gannon – Liberal radio more important than inner-city kids’ programs?
    Michelle Malkin, Double Toothpicks,

    And finally Hugh Hewitt takes note that the MSM has finally picked up the story. And there is no mention of the diversion of funds on Al Franken’s blog.

    And Flap wonders why…….

    Technorati Tags: , , , ,

  • Methamphetamine

    Combat Methamphetamine Act: Clears Senate Judiciary Committee

    July 29, 2005 /

    The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday unanimously approved a bill that would limit access to common cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine, an ingredient that can be used to make the highly addictive drug methamphetamine.

    The committee sent the bipartisan “Combat Meth Act of 2005” to the full Senate on a voice vote. A similar bill in the House of Representatives introduced by Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo has been referred to a subcommittee for consideration.

    Flap had reported previously, Combat Methamphetamine Act: Senate Judiciary Committe to Hear Bill.

    And the bill was stripped of language that would restrict the states from passing stricter measures to combat this scourage.

    Drug makers and store chains had supported the bill in part because it would create a single, nationwide standard for cold medicine sales. But the bill’s chief sponsors, Sens. Jim Talent, R-Mo., and Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said they ultimately had to side with states that wanted to be tougher than the federal law.

    “I respect businesses that feel they haven’t done anything wrong,” Talent said at a Capitol Hill news conference. “But there’s no other choice if we’re going to stop meth cooks.”

    Thanks and Kudos to the Senate Judiciary Committee for not watering down this bill.

    Talent and Feinstein said they hoped the full Senate could pass their bill shortly after Labor Day, and they said administration officials had expressed support. But the bill still could face stiff opposition from industry at any point in the process.

    Mary Ann Wagner, a regulatory expert with the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, said her group had not yet taken a position on the revised bill but said that members were “initially very disappointed.”

    Meanwhile, the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, which represents manufacturers, definitely will oppose the amended bill, said Elizabeth Assey, a spokeswoman.

    “We favor placing these products behind the counter,” she said. “We think that that is a better solution than requiring a doctor’s visit and a prescription for consumers who genuinely need these medicines.”

    But Feinstein said she thought momentum was on her side. Rather than fight new restrictions on cold products containing pseudoephedrine, drug makers more likely would begin using substitutes that cannot be converted to meth.

    Pfizer already has introduced Sudafed PE, which uses phenylephrine instead of pseudoephedrine. Phenylephrine cannot be converted to meth in home labs. Some retail chains also have asked manufacturers of their generic cold medicines to switch to phenylephrine.

    “It’s a clear signal to the pharmaceutical industry to begin producing cold medicines without the precursor chemicals that can be easily removed from these pills and made into methamphetamine,” Feinstein said.

    “I think the time has really come for the industry to listen and understand that there is a big problem out there from these cold medicines.”

    Indeed and we will be watching the drug manufacturers for any lobbying attempt to change this Act. This could have been stopped a number of years ago if they had cooperated.

    So, Flap asks them to take a look at the graphics above and below and ask themselves why they cannot supply cold medicines that do not lead to production of methamphetamine?

    More later on bills in the House to combat international methamphetamine.

  • Criminals,  Liberal Morons,  Media,  Morons,  Politics

    Air America FLAP: Follow the Money

    July 29, 2005 /

    The is quite a FLAP brewing over Air America radio and the diversion of money from the Gloria Wise Boys and Girls Club. Blogger Brian Maloney Owns the story and has the goods here, Scandal Heats Up. Read it all.

    So far, in seeking to determine whether Air America benefited from taxpayer money meant for a community youth center, we’ve accomplished two things: sending the blogosphere into action mode and compelling the company to respond to the developing firestorm.

    Early Friday morning, I was made aware of a new, second press statement on the Gloria Wise Boys and Girls Club scandal. A number of emails and blog comments quickly followed, leading me to wonder if there was some kind of organized effort to turn the tables.

    Hugh Hewitt has his take, John Campbell for Congress and Air America for Congressional Hearings.

    Air America is fingered as looting public funds from kids’ programs. Air America responds by saying the fingerees left a year ago.

    But what did Al Franken know, and when did he know it? Is Al returning his salary that was paid at least in part from the basketball funds of a Boys and Girls Club?

    A Congressional hearing into this “transfer” of funds would be quite interesting. Perhaps Franken would lunge over the table at his questioners.

    Ed Morrissey has more. Space for Commerce urges us “to think of the children.” DiscerningTexan translates the Air America response. Updates as they occur throughout the day.

    Heh. Stuart Smalley was getting paid with funds that ought to have gone to seniors with Alzheimer’s.

    The Washington Post wrote about all the “unsolicited offers [Janeane] Garofalo has received” after the actress went very public with her opposition to the war. Maybe the Post will go back and categorize the tax dollars diverted from the poor to the on-air rich at AA. Was that an “unsolicited offer” as well? Invite Janeane to the hearings as well.

    Michelle Malkin has AIR AMERICA IS SCRAMBLING.

    Late last night, I received an e-mail from Air America’s webmaster and former Howard Dean staffer, Adam Mordecai. He wrote “Some answers to your questions” and included a link to/text of a new statement from the beleaguered liberal radio network about the New York City corruption probe of alleged diverted funds from inner-city non-profit clubs to the network.

    Radio blogger Brian Maloney, who forced this story into the open along with the community newspaper Bronx News, fisks Air America’s statement here. Read the whole thing.

    Macho Nachos has some legal analysis of corporate liability issues raised by Air America’s statements.

    And the Washington Times weighs in with an editorial.

    Still no coverage of this from the MSM. Big surprise.

    ***
    Previous:

    Air America: Don’t blame us
    Air America: Stealing from poor kids?!

    Captain Ed over at Captain’s Quarters has Air America Rethinks Its Position.

    Not that they have much to worry about on that end. No major media outlets have bothered to look into Air America’s role in the misdirection of federal funds at a time when they struggled to stay afloat. The only mention it gets comes from the editorial pages of the Washington Times. The Times keeps its eye on the blogosphere — it has mentioned CQ a number of times — and rightly credits Brian and Michelle for doing what the Exempt Media either couldn’t or wouldn’t do….

    I doubt that Franken will ever comment on this story in his role as on-air personality. If he decides to run for office here in Minnesota as rumored, however, we should ask him about this scandal and what he did to correct it once it became known. Voters should shun candidates who manage to demonstrate a callous disregard for spending government money without even being in office.

    Interesting how the New York Times nor the Washington Post have picked up this FLAP.

    Franken has some explaining to do.

    Technorati Tags: , , , ,

  • Arnold Schwarzenegger,  California,  Politics,  Special Election 2005

    California Special Election Watch: Gray Davis Supports Redistricting Change

    July 29, 2005 /

    Former California Governor Gray Davis says he supports taking the process of drawing legislative and congressional district lines away from the legislature and governor.

    “I believe it is a mistake to have the Legislature and the governor draw the district lines,” Davis said in a call to Sacramento radio station KTKX. “It’s basically a conflict of interest.”

    Davis did not specifically endorse the measure Schwarzenegger is trying to put on the November ballot. That measure would have retired judges draw the lines starting in 2006. The former governor said he thought the change should occur at the next regularly scheduled census in 2010.

    It looks like California Governor Schwarzenegger has picked up an unlikely ally.

    However, the devil is in the details since Davis did not specifically endorse Proposition 77 or Schwarzenegger’s special election.

    Davis said he thought the issues Schwarzenegger were raising were good ones, but said he did not support the idea of a special election in November. He also is opposed to the other two measures Schwarzenegger had put on the ballot — one to change teacher tenure and another to restrict state spending.

    The former governor, who was ousted by Schwarzenegger in the 2003 recall election, said he thought his successor should work with lawmakers to find a bipartisan compromise that could then be presented to voters.

    The equitable apportionment of California’s legislative and Congressional districts is a laudable goal. But, isn’t former and recalled California Governor Gray Davis being just a bit disingenuous since he signed the blatant gerrymander of 2000?

    On the other hand, the Democrat legislative leaders and unions cannot be too happy with ANY support of Schwarzenegger.

    Technorati Tags: , , , ,

    Cross-posted to The Bear Flag League Special Election Page

    Update #1

    Dan Weintraub has a take and the links to a transcript and audio, Davis backs remap reform.

    Former Gov. Gray Davis, taking a spin on conservative talk radio, gave conflicting comments on his support or opposition of Prop. 77, the disputed initiative proposal that would take the job of drawing district lines away from the Legislature.

    Davis, speaking Thursday on KTKZ in Sacramento, first said flatly that he supported the initiative. Then he said he supported the concept of judges drawing the district lines. Then he backed away further and said he wouldn’t support drawing new lines mid-decade, as Prop. 77 proposes. But he never squared those concerns with his stated support for the measure and his desire to see it voted on in November.

    The one thing he did make clear is that he believes it is a conflict of interest for the Legislature to draw its own political boundaries.

    Here is a full quote from a transcript prepared by the station:

    “And my concern is that every elected official should have some sense of jeopardy in a November election. They should have some obligation to the general interest and not just having to win their primaries. And so I think its better off having people who are not combatants in this process, retired judges, draw those lines. Actually, I think of the last 4 reapportionments, Eric, 2 were drawn by judges because the courts threw out the redistrict plans and they turned out fine. So, uh, I’m for that initiative. I’m not for it starting in 2006, but I’m for the concept of having judges draw the lines.

    “I’d like to see it on the ballot in November, but worst case it should be on the ballot in June. People should have the opportunity to decide whether or not they want the legislature and the governor to continue to craft reapportionment plans or take it out of their hands and put in the hands of what I believe would be less partial decision makers, retired judges.”

    Davis, by the way, opposed the governor’s teacher tenure and budget reform initiatives and the “paycheck protection” measure that would limit the ability of public employee unions to raise political money through unions dues.

    You can hear or read the whole thing here.