That’s the slogan for the push to get the heads in the sand members of Congress to get off their lobbyist softened butts and actually do something about the high cost of gasoline.

With a TRILLION gallons of oil just waiting to be drilled out of the U.S., it’s beyond absurd to send billions of dollars to Middle East despots who hate us when we could have energy independence on our own.

Here’s the web address to sign the petition.

  http://www.americansolutions.com/

Let’s get Washington to WISE UP!

Thanks,

Bobby Mc

Today’s ruling by the Supreme Court shows once again just how insular and far removed they are from the real world.

From their ivory tower they have just handed the Jihadists Carte Blanche to continue their unholy Holy War on the infidels, namely us.

The Court started down this slippery slope back in 2004.That was when they issued their ruling in  Rasul v. Bush, saying that the prisoners were entitled to have access to the American court system. So the government established a military tribunal process. As it stands, the prisoners can appeal adverse rulings to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Solicitor General Paul Clement argues the process provides  the other enemy combatants being held at Guantanamo Bay, the opportunity to enjoy more procedural protections than any other captured enemy combatants in the history of warfare.

But the detainees’ lawyers contend the current law fails to protect the constitutional rights the court said their clients were entitled to receive in Rasul. They want full habeas corpus rights, a constitutional protection that forces the government to justify in an open courtroom legitimate reasons an individual needs to be behind bars.

Although Congress expressly chose to keep detainees from challenging their status via habeas, it decided that prisoners detained at Guantanamo Bay as enemy combatants should receive administrative hearings before a military tribunal, subject to judicial review in the District of Columbia Circuit.

It’s obvious the distinguished constitutional jurists have never read former Federal Prosecutor Andrew McCarthy’s book “Willful Ignorance”. In it, he describes the stupidity with which the U.S. has approached fighting Islamic Terrorism. Our enemies, McCarthy writes, are waging war, while we are prosecuting them as mere criminals. That places much of the burden of an imminent national security threat on the criminal justice system.

Folks, the courts are a bad substitute for the real battlefield, so much so that leading up to 9-11 they were consistently able to outflank us. Witness the FBI HQ in Washington telling the Minneapolis field office they could not take the computer of one of the 9-11 hijackers from his home because it violated search and seizure laws. That was one of the terrorists  who was in this country taking pilot training, but never asking the instructors how to land the plane, only how to fly it. Had the agents request to look at the computer been granted thousands of American lives may have been saved. 

The liberal left cries and moans about how Bush has ‘damaged the image of America around the world’. They conveniently forget that the jihadists hated us and wanted us dead before Bush, during Bush and will still be trying to kill us after Bush is gone. They rail that once Barack Obama is in the White House he’ll meet with these despots around the globe (without preconditions he has said), they’ll roast S’Mores around the fire, sing kumbiya and suddenly the world will love us again.  This is such a naïve and dangerous perception it’s laughable. They will use today’s court ruling to say this improves America’s image in the Muslim world.  “Look they will say, how fair and just we are”.  I hate to be the one to break this to them, but far from viewing this in that light, the terrorists see it as yet more evidence of America’s weakness and lack of will in confronting their murderous intentions.

Remember, we are not talking about Constitutional rights for American citizens here, we are talking about granting constitutional protections to enemy combatants, some of whom are like Ramzi Binalshibh, who admitted to helping plan 9-11. McCarthy was the prosecutor who sent Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman, the so called blind sheik to prison. After today it’s apparently not only Rahman who is blind. It’s the American court system. You would have thought the horror of 9-11 would have awakened America to the hate that drives our jihadist enemies. We are “the other”, infidels who deserve to be slaughtered as victims of their religious zealotry. Apparently the 5 justices who voted to grant our enemies constitutional rights today are more than willing to help them out in their war on us. 

Many of you who listen know about the project I put together at the request of a Marine Mom in Iraq. Her son, Charley is with an Upstate unit that just began their tour in Iraq. They needed some personal items, so we made a list and thanks to our generous listeners were able to collect several huge boxes of razor blades, batteries, skin lotion and lots of other items that are much needed over there.

Well, I just got another email with some pictures and wanted to share it with you;

Mr. Bob: Here are the pictures of my Marine son, Char
AKA — Charley or Charles!!!

He shared the items that he received from you & your listeners with the
members of his platoon. BUT he had also asked me to come up with some
items he could share with some of the men he works with directly who are
not members of his platoon. Each night my son makes nightly chow runs to the
men who are standing post in each of the 13 towers of his base. These men
are Ugandians who work with the Marines at his Base. So, being the faithful
Marine Mom that I am, my husband and I bought about $100 worth of gum,
tic tacs, starbursts, just something that would not melt in Iraq and then I
asked my sister-in-law, Betty Morgan (the Hygiene Instructor at Tri County
Tech) for some small travel size tooth paste and some tooth brushes.
All in all, there were 4 cases of supplies that I sent to help Char give to
these other men working with the Marines there.
In the photos you will see him there in his little hut stuffing baggies
with items for the Ugandians.
I again want to thank you for your help.
Keep up the good work you do there.
Sincerely, Joni Morgan

When I was first approached by the folks at Land Rover of Greenville asking if I’d like to drive a Land Rover 2 for a month to see what it was like, I though it’d be pretty nice. My car is an older Mustang ragtop, so going to an SUV would be different.

It’s actually been VERY different and I’m getting spoiled. I guess the L.R. people knew that once I drove the “2″ for a while this would happen.

I’ve driven a lot of different SUV’s before, but this one is by far the nicest. At one time or another I didn’t own but I drove a Lincoln Navigator, a Cadillac Escallade, A Ford Explorer and a Chevy/GMC Suburban. All of those had a very different feel than the Land Rover. They are bulkier and frankly, the handling is not as crisp.

Here’s some specs on the LR2;

• MSRP starting at $34,700* I think the one I’m driving, which is identical to the black one pictured on their website at ;http://www.landrovercarolinas.com/greenville/newproduct.html goes for right around $40k. But the difference is that the LR2 has a ton of standard features that are options on the BMW it most directly competes with.

 Because it has a 3.2-litre inline 6 engine with  230 horsepower there is plenty of juice for getting up to interstate speed quickly. Nice to know if there’s an 18 wheeler bearing down on you.

And with 59 cubic feet of space (largely because of the engine being in transverse, or sideways) it feels much bigger than it is. Best of both worlds; tons of space, great sightlines from the driver’s seat, but not so big you feel like you need a harbor tug to help you park it.

It also has great safety features like a 7-Airbag SRS system.

The ride is also enhanced by the 18″ Alloy Wheels and oversize tires. Great ride, again, like a much bigger SUV.

And it hasn’t been bad on gas either, a fill-up has run me just under $50 and I’ve filled it up once a week, driving mainly back and forth to work here at the station (about 15 miles each way) and for shopping trips and golf course runs on the week-end.

It just runs great with a new six-speed automatic transmission with CommandShift™

And WORD as well as the other Entercom stations (Magic 98.9, Rock 101, B-93 and The Planet 98.9) all sound super on the 9 speaker Alpine audio system with 320 watts of sound.

If there were any negatives I had found in the LR 2, I’d share them with you because I feel I’d have too. Honestly it’s been a treat to drive it and if you are thinking about an SUV because your lifestyle, family, etc demand it, I suggest before you buy anything you drive one of these LR2’s. I think you’ll love it as much as I have. I’m going to hate to give it up! 

 I got this email and wanted to share it with you.

Please remember our absent friends.

A day, not too long ago, I went to a fellow American Legion brother’s funeral. We marched in, stood tall, said a prayer, placed a Poppy upon his cold chest and saluted him for his life and his service.  We did not know the man, but we knew his heart.  He was an American who served his country long ago.

Too many Americans have forgotten what Memorial Day means. It is not just a three day weekend. Nor is it a time to go to the lake or the mountains and forget about the world. It is a time to remember those that have gone before us and have fought for or stood guard for our liberty to respect or disrespect these efforts.

No matter how you choose to commemorate Memorial Day, the National Moment of Remembrance resolution asks all Americans to unite and, at 03:00 p.m. ” to voluntarily and informally observe, in their own way, a moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to Taps ”

I have a suggestion, do me a favor and take this time to be by yourself — Take a little walk while looking toward the horizon and allow your gaze to float skyward and say thank you God, thank you for allowing me to be a part of the greatest country in the world. After looking at all the news clips, etc over the past several years, and seeing how other countries live, this only supports how we are so very blessed.

As Abraham Lincoln said. ” That from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion, that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom.”

A Woodrow Wilson comment from 1917 ” This flag which we honor and under which we serve, is the emblem of our unity, our power, our thought and purpose as a nation. It has no other character than that which we give it from generation to generation.”

Wishing you and yours a very safe and enjoyable Holiday, and try to remember those who gave all so that we can still enjoy our freedoms.

As many of you know, I am a recovering TV Meteorologist and News Anchor.

I have followed the “Global Warming” debate from the scientific side from the mid 1990’s forward. I have seen the pressure exerted in scientific circles to adopt the mantra of climate change.

Fortunately there are enough of us who remain unconvinced by the sloppy science used to back the warming theories. The numbers are growing.

Should we not abuse our environment and do what we can to protect it’s resources? Of course we should. But this business of global warming hysteria is market and politically driven and not based on good science.

Here’s an article that appeared this week on WND.com.

HEAT OF THE MOMENT
31,000 scientists reject ‘global warming’ agenda
‘Mr. Gore’s movie has claims no informed expert endorses’
By Bob Unruh
© 2008 WorldNetDaily

More than 31,000 scientists across the U.S. – including more than 9,000 Ph.D.s in fields such as atmospheric science, climatology, Earth science, environment and dozens of other specialties – have signed a petition rejecting “global warming,” the assumption that the human production of greenhouse gases is damaging Earth’s climate.

“There is no convincing scientific evidence that human release of carbon dioxide, methane, or other greenhouse gases is causing or will, in the foreseeable future, cause catastrophic heating of the Earth’s atmosphere and disruption of the Earth’s climate,” the petition states. “Moreover, there is substantial scientific evidence that increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide produce many beneficial effects upon the natural plant and animal environments of the Earth.”

The Petition Project actually was launched nearly 10 years ago, when the first few thousand signatures were assembled. Then, between 1999 and 2007, the list of signatures grew gradually without any special effort or campaign.

But now, a new effort has been conducted because of an “escalation of the claims of ‘consensus,’ release of the movie ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ by Mr. Al Gore, and related events,” according to officials with the project

“Mr. Gore’s movie, asserting a ‘consensus’ and ’settled science’ in agreement about human-caused global warming, conveyed the claims about human-caused global warming to ordinary movie goers and to public school children, to whom the film was widely distributed. Unfortunately, Mr. Gore’s movie contains many very serious incorrect claims which no informed, honest scientist could endorse,” said project spokesman and founder Art Robinson.

WND submitted a request to Gore’s office for comment but did not get a response.

Robinson said the dire warnings about “global warming” have gone far beyond semantics or scientific discussion now to the point they are actually endangering people.

“The campaign to severely ration hydrocarbon energy technology has now been markedly expanded,” he said. “In the course of this campaign, many scientifically invalid claims about impending climate emergencies are being made. Simultaneously, proposed political actions to severely reduce hydrocarbon use now threaten the prosperity of Americans and the very existence of hundreds of millions of people in poorer countries,” he said.

In just the past few weeks, there have been various allegations that both shark attacks and typhoons have been sparked by “global warming.”

The late Professor Frederick Seitz, the past president of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and winner of the National Medal of Science, wrote in a letter promoting the petition, “The United States is very close to adopting an international agreement that would ration the use of energy and of technologies that depend upon coal, oil, and natural gas and some other organic compounds.”

“This treaty is, in our opinion, based upon flawed ideas. Research data on climate change do not show that human use of hydrocarbons is harmful. To the contrary, there is good evidence that increased atmospheric carbon dioxide is environmentally helpful,” he wrote.

Accompanying the letter sent to scientists was a 12-page summary and review of research on “global warming,” officials said.

“The proposed agreement would have very negative effects upon the technology of nations throughout the world, especially those that are currently attempting to lift from poverty and provide opportunities to the over 4 billion people in technologically underdeveloped countries,” Seitz wrote.

Robinson said the project targets scientists because, “It is especially important for America to hear from its citizens who have the training necessary to evaluate the relevant data and offer sound advice.”

He said the “global warming agreement,” written in Kyoto, Japan, in 1997, and other plans “would harm the environment, hinder the advance of science and technology, and damage the health and welfare of mankind.”

“Yet,” he said, “the United Nations and other vocal political interests say the U.S. must enact new laws that will sharply reduce domestic energy production and raise energy prices even higher.

“The inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness include the right of access to life-giving and life-enhancing technology. This is especially true of access to the most basic of all technologies: energy. These human rights have been extensively and wrongly abridged,” he continued. “During the past two generations in the U.S., a system of high taxation, extensive regulation, and ubiquitous litigation has arisen that prevents the accumulation of sufficient capital and the exercise of sufficient freedom to build and preserve needed modern technology.

“These unfavorable political trends have severely damaged our energy production, where lack of industrial progress has left our country dependent upon foreign sources for 30 percent of the energy required to maintain our current level of prosperity,” he said. “Moreover, the transfer of other U.S. industries abroad as a result of these same trends has left U.S. citizens with too few goods and services to trade for the energy that they do not produce. A huge and unsustainable trade deficit and rapidly rising energy prices have been the result.

“The necessary hydrocarbon and nuclear energy production technologies have been available to U.S. engineers for many decades. We can develop these resources without harm to people or the environment. There is absolutely no technical, resource, or environmental reason for the U.S. to be a net importer of energy. The U.S. should, in fact, be a net exporter of energy,” he said.

He told WND he believes the issue has nothing to do with energy itself, but everything to do with power, control and money, which the United Nations is seeking. He accused the U.N. of violating human rights in its campaign to ban much energy research, exploration and development.

“In order to alleviate the current energy emergency and prevent future emergencies, we need to remove the governmental restrictions that have caused this problem. Fundamental human rights require that U.S. citizens and their industries be free to produce and use the low cost, abundant energy that they need. As the 31,000 signatories of this petition emphasize, environmental science supports this freedom,” he said.

The Petition Project website today said there are 31,072 scientists who have signed up, and Robinson said more names continue to come in.

In terms of Ph.D. scientists alone, it already has 15 times more scientists than are seriously involved in the U.N.’s campaign to “vilify hydrocarbons,” officials told WND.

“The very large number of petition signers demonstrates that, if there is a consensus among American scientists, it is in opposition to the human-caused global warming hypothesis rather than in favor of it,” the organization noted.

The project was set up by a team of physicists and physical chemists who do research at several American institutions and collects signatures when donations provide the resources to mail out more letters.

“In a group of more than 30,000 people, there are many individuals with names similar or identical to other signatories, or to non-signatories – real or fictional. Opponents of the petition project sometimes use this statistical fact in efforts to discredit the project. For examples, Perry Mason and Michael Fox are scientists who have signed the petition – who happen also to have names identical to fictional or real non-scientists,” the website said.

The petition is needed, supporters said, simply because Gore and others “have claimed that the ’science is settled’ – that an overwhelming ‘consensus’ of scientists agrees with the hypothesis of human-caused global warming, with only a handful of skeptical scientists in disagreement.”

The list of scientists includes 9,021 Ph.D.s, 6,961 at the master’s level, 2,240 medical doctors and 12,850 carrying a bachelor of science or equivalent academic degree.

The Petition Project’s website includes both a list of scientists by name as well as a list of scientists by state.

Last Thursday, Zack, one of our Account Executives, told me that the folks over at Land Rover of Greenville wanted me to drive one of their vehicles for a month or so and tell you how I liked it.

We picked it up that morning. Their Sales Manager, Derek Bowen gave me a complete review of all the usual things you need to know before driving a vehicle you’ve never seen before.

For me, this took some time. You see I now drive a 1999 Mustang. It’s pretty much like every other car I’ve ever driven. You get in, put the key in the ignition, turn it and the car starts. Turn signals are on one stalk on the steering column and wipers are on another. I could see right from the outset, this Land Rover 2 I was going to drive would require some education. There is no key. There’s a computer fob that you plug into the dashboard, depress the brake pedal then hit the “Start/Stop” button on the dashboard. Cool. But a sea change for traditionalists like me.

It’s now Monday and I still find myself as I go to the L.R., looking for the key?! Just as todays young people would be puzzled if presented with say a record player, or another antiquated piece of machinery, I am also adjusting to keyless cars. Don’t misunderstand, I’m not complaining. It’s just different.

The first thing you notice about the LandRover 2 is; it’s beautiful. The one I’m driving is black and I’ve always had a soft spot for black vehicles. They just look very sophisticated and cool. This one has a leather interior in tan, a nice combination. There are not one, but two sunroofs, one for the front and one for the back. The trunk area meets a crucial requirement for me. It has plenty of room for my golf clubs.

So I’ve learned all about where the controls are for everything and I’m ready to go. It floats along like a much bigger vehicle, (I think it’s the oversize tires). You don’t have to climb a rope ladder to get up in the drivers seat, which I like. It’s height also is more convenient for vertically challenged men like me (5′7″), and for smaller women. Derek explained to me that the LR2 has a transverse engine mount. In other words, it’s in there sideways. That explains how much interior room it has. Huge.

I was surprised at how much of a panoramic view you have. My Mustang is a ragtop, so the sightlines to the left and right rear are restricted. The LR2 has a wide view so you have no problem trying to merge into traffic and being able to see what’s coming.

The funniest adjustment I had to make to this new, spaceage vehicle came that evening when I was driving it home. It unexpectedly started to rain, so I looked for the wiper adjustment on the stalk on the steering column. After a couple of experiments (starting the wiper for the rear window, etc), I got the wipers going. The rain slowed. The wipers stopped. I thought “Whats up?”. The rain started again, and so did the wipers. They apparently have a built in sensor, so that when a certain amount of moisture hits the windshield and accumulates, the wipers start automatically. Now that is efficient!

I’ll let you know more about how my test drive is going (did I mention that ‘new car smell’ ?), later this week.

Keep an eye out for me on Upstate roads. I’m in the guy in the black LandRover 2 wearing the big grin.

If you’d like to know more about this beautiful Land Rover 2, give Derek a call at land Rover of Greenville, 864-232-74WD or email him at dbowen@landrovergreenville.com

Bobby Mc

So, the S.C. Senate has finally taken a roll call, up-or-down vote on H-3032.

That’s the bill passed by the House that would have required employers to use the federal E Verify system in hiring employees to insure they are in the U.S. legally.

Proponents of a S.C. Immigration bill that actually has some teeth lost this round and the big money PAC contributing coalition of businesses like the Chamber of Commerce and the Farm Bureau win.

The vote was 20 in favor of passing H-3032 and 26 opposed. To see how local Senators voted to go the website Americans Have Had Enough dot org.

I can tell you that Senators Richie, Fair and Martin all voted for it.

If a Senator voted, as President Pro Tem of the Senate Glenn McConnell did, against the bill they were either,

A; In the pocket of the big busniess lobby.

or

B; Confused by the last minute switch by McConnell to introduce yet another House bill

H-4400 and wanted more time to actually read the bill before voting on it.

How can you tell the difference? Difficult.

Sen. David Thomas of Greenville who brought proceedings to a halt after the last minute switch was among those who wanted to know what he was voting for. I believe him.

Sen. McConnell apaprently believes he’s pulled a fast one on the yokels back home who won’t see through his clever tactic.

Here’s the deal. Under the new bill H-4400, if an employer hangs on to their original paperwork when the employee was hired, then they can’t be fined. So, in effect, what H-4400 would do is allow for the old I-9 paerwork which has been used and abused for years. If an employee weas hirted using I-9 (currently what they do) then their employment would still be valid. See what I mean? This is merely a clever tactic to retain I-9 without ever mentioning it anywhere in the bill! Pretty shrewed.

Personally, I’m sick of all the parlimantary manuevering, self serving press releases and worst of all, lack of action on a meaningful piece of legislation to bring the flood of illegals to a halt.

If you want to get more detail on what happened check that Americans Have Had Enough website. Roan also has a link to mass email to all our state legislators.

My guess is that that good ole boys will stall some more by sending H-4400 to Conference Committe where it will die a slow, lingering death until the Session is over and they can say..”Oh, too bad, we tried so hard to pass a bill!” Then they’ll all laugh, go have a drink and say “Fooled ‘em all again, didn’t we”.

But then, what do I know, Sen. McConnell and others say I’m just a “Shock Jock.

I hope some of these guys get a shock of their own in the June 10th GOP Primary.

Thanks to everyone who came out to Ron’s Hog Pen last night for the debate.

Thanks also to Ron and Melody for fixing me a terrific plate of ribs to take home.

Since the debate began with Spartanburg County GOP business at 6:45, and I didn’t get there until then I didn’t have an opportunity to eat before the talking began in earnest. Ron and melody were kind enough to take pity on me and not send me home on an empty stomach. It was delicious. Although it was wierd eating at 10 pm when I got home. I’m usually asleep by then.

There was such a profusion of candidates there, 16 of them after various National, State and County offices, that the stage was packed like, well, like a hog pen. Which considering how they spend money in Columbia may be appropriate.

With so many candiddates there it was impossible to get answers in any depth, but the 400 or so who attended did have a chance to measure the public speaking ability of the candidates and get a general idea of what they stand for.

Predictibly, all were in favor of capping spending and none were opposed to using the EVerify system in whatever Immigration bill finally gets passed.

Don’t forget, this Friday at 5pm is the on air debate between Cong. Bob Ingliss and challenger Charles Jeter for the GOP nomination. Send your questions I’ll use to bmclain@entercom.com and maybe I’ll use it.

Coming Wednesday, the best pictures in my email box this week. Some of them are classic.

Thanks for dropping by, see you on the radio!  

“The Great Snake Email Hoax”

This is a picture of a timber rattler that supposedly was killed on a S. Georgia golf course some time ago.

It was sent to me as having been killed this week at River Falls golf course just off Hwy 290.

It wasn’t actually killed there but S. Georgia is close enough for me!

Bob McLain