First of all, something everyone needs to be aware of is that SB1070 doesn’t apply to just illegal immigrants. It empowers law enforcement officers with “reasonable suspicion” to demand identification or proof of legal immigration from ANYONE. Even if they have done nothing wrong. They don’t have to place them under arrest.

This is almost identical to the arguments over the US Patriot Act with warrant-less wiretaps. Those in favor of giving the government unlimited power to spy on citizens in violation of the Fourth Amendment said “If you don’t have anything to hide then it shouldn’t matter if they are listening.” Yes it does matter. Because every time we give up one of our rights, whether it’s to protect us from terrorists, illegal immigrants or drug dealers, it just makes it that much easier for more to be taken.

They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~ Benjamin Franklin

In addition to many people not knowing their rights, how to apply them and why they are important there are some that think we should not be taught or learned. Teachers Suspended for Showing Flex Your Rights Video

The guys at FlexYourRights.Org have done a great job putting together video’s not only explaining our rights but how to exercise them properly. I’ve included their “10 Rules For Dealing with Police” video below in four parts. Also, a couple of additional links from the Washington Post and Cato Institute.

Washington Post: ’10 Rules for Dealing with Police’ seeks to teach constitutional rights

Cato @ Liberty: Immigration Law — Up Close

Cato Institute: 10 Rules for Dealing with Police – A film produced by Flex Your Rights With comments from William “Billy” Murphy, Attorney and 10 Rules Narrator and Neill Franklin, Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. Moderated by Tim Lynch, Director, Project on Criminal Justice, Cato Institute.

Part One

Click here to view the embedded video.

Part Two

Click here to view the embedded video.

Part Three

Click here to view the embedded video.

Part Four

Click here to view the embedded video.

B. For any lawful contact stop, detention or arrest made by a law enforcement official or a law enforcement agency of this state or a law enforcement official or a law enforcement agency of a county, city, town or other political subdivision of this state in the enforcement of any other law or ordinance of a county, city or town or this state where reasonable suspicion exists that the person is an alien who and is unlawfully present in the United States, a reasonable attempt shall be made, when practicable, to determine the immigration status of the person, except if the determination may hinder or obstruct an investigation. Any person who is arrested shall have the person’s immigration status determined before the person is released. The person’s immigration status shall be verified with the federal government pursuant to 8 United States code section 1373(c). A law enforcement official or agency of this state or a county, city, town or other political subdivision of this state may not solely consider race, color or national origin in implementing the requirements of this subsection except to the extent permitted by the United States or Arizona Constitution. A person is presumed to not be an alien who is unlawfully present in the United States if the person provides to the law enforcement officer or agency any of the following:

1. A valid Arizona driver license.
2. A valid Arizona nonoperating identification license.
3. A valid tribal enrollment card or other form of tribal identification.
4. If the entity requires proof of legal presence in the United States before issuance, any valid United States federal, state or local government issued identification.

1) What is a lawful “lawful contact stop, detention”? A witness to a traffic accident? Simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time? Does anyone think that an officer can’t find an excuse to make a “lawful contact” any time they wish?

2) What is “reasonable suspicion exists that the person is an alien who and is unlawfully present in the United States”? Is being brown and speaking with an accent constitute “reasonable suspicion”? If you’re looking for day labor work outside of Home Depot is that grounds for reasonable suspicion that you are unlawfully present in the United States?

3)”Any person who is arrested shall have the person’s immigration status determined before the person is released.” So basically you can be held indefinitely unless you can prove you are lawfully in the US. So you better have your papers on you or you’ll sit in jail until the authorities prove your innocence.

If you’re a young Hispanic man, in the wrong place at the wrong time could be detained indefinitely if you fail to provide proper documentation even if you are natural born American citizen. If you think this can’t or won’t happen, you’re wrong, it will and already has. If you think this isn’t about race, you’re wrong it is. A middle aged white guy without ID is not going to be treated the same way as that young Hispanic man.

Do we really want to live in a country where you better be caring your documents or risk being subjected to indefinite detention? Do you understand now why even some Arizona law enforcement officials are against this law?

This law violates both the fourth and fourteenth amendments to the US Constitution.

As far as boycotting States go, it’s just another form a free speech. Alaska has been a target of it for shooting wolves from helicopters, I’d say Arizona being boycotted for violating the US Constitution and basic human rights should be fair. They have the same choice Alaska does, change the policy or live with the consequences.

The current health care debate in Congress has nothing to do with death panels or public options or socialized medicine. The real debate, the only one that counts, is how much money our blood-sucking insurance, pharmaceutical and for-profit health services are going to be able to siphon off from new health care legislation. The proposed plans rattling around Congress all ensure that the profits for these corporations will increase and the misery for ordinary Americans will be compounded. The corporate state, enabled by both Democrats and Republicans, is yet again cannibalizing the Treasury. It is yet again pushing Americans, especially the poor and the working class, into levels of despair and rage that will continue to fuel the violent, proto-fascist movements leaping up around the edges of American society. And the traditional watchdogs—those in public office, the press and citizens groups—are as useless as the perfumed fops of another era who busied their days with court intrigue at Versailles. Canada never looked so good.

As bad as that sounds, at this point just about ANYTHING would be better than doing nothing at all.

The fact of the matter is that the insurance/pharmaceutical industry and trial lawyers are too invested in the status quo and have put most of the current leadership of congress into office. Change is a scary thing for most people, and the vested interests in the status quo are using that fear to their advantage. They lie, distort, deflect and demean others to protect their greedy self interests.

This is a recurring rant, but until and unless we radically change the manner that political campaigns are financed and elections are conducted we are doomed to have the best government that money can buy.

Right now everyone in DC is most concerned about whether they will get re-elected. Even staff members are worried about if their boss gets re-elected or not, because their job depends on it. In that environment EVERYTHING gets measured by how much something hurts or helps the chances of re-election. For the really ambitious, it gets measured by whether it hurts or helps the possibility of moving up in the political food chain. Moving up could mean higher office, or it could mean a position on a high profile committee. That’s just human nature and believing any differently is simply naive. Re-election depends on contributions, and you don’t stay in office long if you piss off the wrong people. Constituents can be bought off fairly cheaply with some hunks of pork, glad handing, and pandering. Get on the wrong side of deep pockets though and you’re doomed.

So the reality of the situation is we have to gain as much ground as we can in this battle. Understanding that the war is far from over, and any ground taken today may be lost tomorrow. We are battling inertia, and if we quit pushing the rock up hill, it can roll back over the top of us. We have a little momentum on our side, we just have to keep pushing, gaining ground inch by inch, step by step, day by day until we overcome inertia (resistance to change) and momentum takes over.

Let’s not let the fact we aren’t getting everything we want stop us from getting what we can.

This isn’t my vision of what America should be. Is it yours?

From July 24-26, I attended the RAM event at the Wise County Fairgrounds in Wise, Virginia. The area is in the Appalachian Mountain region bordering Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina.

People received numbers and started lining up to enter the health clinic around 4 a.m.

For those who did not receive the full range of health care they needed, they spent the night in their cars and returned the next day.

2. Campaign contributions restricted to individuals eligible to vote for the candidate. No cash or in kind contributions from ineligible to vote individuals or any entity including businesses, organizations, political action committees or political parties.

We live in a Constitutional republic.

A constitutional republic is a state where the head of state and other officials are elected as representatives of the people, and must govern according to existing constitutional law that limits the government’s power over citizens. In a constitutional republic, executive, legislative, and judicial powers are separated into distinct branches and the will of the majority of the population is tempered by protections for individual rights so that no individual or group has absolute power. The fact that a constitution exists that limits the government’s power makes the state constitutional. That the head(s) of state and other officials are chosen by election, rather than inheriting their positions, and that their decisions are subject to judicial review makes a state republican.

Nowhere in our Constitutions are there any mentions of political parties, special interest groups, political action committees or any other subset of individuals. It’s government and individuals. The rest is just BS that has evolved over time. Things like the two party system or primary elections, just happened in response to a vacuum left by the absence of enough individuals engaged in the system.

So it’s time for us to re-assert our proper place at the TOP of the organization chart, not the bottom. First thing first our representatives are, our individual representatives. My neighbors shouldn’t get to choose my dinner if they aren’t eating with me. My neighbors shouldn’t be able to influence the election of my representative if they can’t vote for my representative.

Anything that gets between the people and our government is an enemy of the people and our government. That includes, first and foremost, the Democratic and Republican parties. Simply because of their shear size and how intertwined they are throughout all levels of government. Oh, and no other party is any better or worse.

The cool thing, we don’t even need a law to make this happen. We just need enough of us to agree, and refuse to vote for anyone who is a member of any political party or has accepted/will accept donations of any kind from anyone/anything that can’t vote for them. Since independent voters outnumber both declared democrats or republicans this seems like a doable thing to me.

Barack Obama
Charges: Beyond a few token acts of bipartisan marketing, Barry’s major duty in the Senate was to avoid legislating, so he could pretend Washington-outsider status and nullify attacks on his non-existent policy positions….
Sarah Palin
Charges: If you want to know why the rest of the world is scared of Americans, consider the fact that after two terms of disastrous rule by a small-minded ignoramus, 46% of us apparently thought the problem was that he wasn’t quite stupid enough….

THE BEAST 50 MOST LOATHSOME PEOPLE IN AMERICA, 2008

I predict 99.99% of readers will find something they vehemently disagree with in this list.

Dennis was there when the five officials from the government arrived in Emmonak, and said that essentially they were a bunch of “jackasses” full of promises but no real solutions. Dennis said it was clear to him that they were only there to provide the appearance of concern and to cover for Governor Palin. (Update: I forgot to mention that these officials only gave the people of Emmonak 60 minutes notice that they would be meeting with them, and then were 40 minutes late to their own meeting. Dennis said that this is considered very disrespectful and started things off on the wrong foot for many in the village.) The Immoral Minority

“Millions of Americans are praying for the success of our new president, and I am one of them”

While I’m sure that President Obama appreciates the prayers, I doubt seriously that Palin’s prayers are genuine. Given the hateful and nasty manner she conducted herself during the campaign. Certainly beneath what I think most Christians would consider Christ like.

“And, for keeping the homeland safe, and being a friend to Alaska, I thank President Bush.”

She didn’t see fit to thank him for getting our country into two wars, running up the national deficit to unprecedented amounts, trashing our economy, ruining our reputation around the world, stomping on the US constitution, and generally being an idiot embarrassing our country. Much like Palin has done for Alaska, with the exception of getting us into a war. Although I suspect if she could, she would invade Canada or Russia just to earn her national cred.

“2008 was the year when America looked to Alaska, and one of our own sprang to national attention. <snip> … and we congratulate our former Senator Mike Gravel”

Oh now, isn’t that cute? She was trying to make people think she was talking about herself, and then delivered that zinger to show us all how clever she is.

But we try to keep things friendly and civil, and we’ve been known to actually succeed.

That must be another joke right? Did she forget or does she think we forgot how she treated the legislators in the last two sessions? Remember “someone has to be the adult”? Or how she summoned legislators to her office to defend their budget requests? Or how about the way she used the veto power to favor her friends and punish her foes?

But I ventured out a bit this past year, and I tell you that, as partisan quarrels go, ours really aren’t so bad. At our best, we are forthright in our opinions, charitable in our judgments and fair just like the people who hired us to work for them.

Oh yes, please remind us again about how you traveled the country, making a fool of yourself, and Alaska in the process. Remind us of your nasty assaults on Obama’s character. Remind us how you paraded your family around like show animals, then whined when the press dared to question your fitness to lecture anyone on ‘family values’. Perhaps if you had practiced what you preached, their wouldn’t be such a sour taste in the mouths of Alaskans and many more around the world.

See, we have that choice, how to respond to circumstances around us. As public servants, will we draw from a servant’s heart the resolve to put pettiness and power struggles aside and work together for the good of the people? We have the choice. I speak for the entire Palin/Parnell Administration when I declare we choose optimism and collaboration and hard work to get the job done.

Really? Why all of the sudden the change of heart. Neither her or her administration has shown any interest in ‘working with’ anyone. She has sat in her throne room, venturing out only when the camera’s were rolling. Perhaps it’s because she proposed a monster budget based on less than even wishful thinking?

And you understood the challenge is not just to think fast and change plans when the price of oil suddenly falls, affecting revenue by billions of dollars. The challenge is to follow a consistent plan despite inconsistent prices.

And exactly what is this plan you speak of?

Now, unless the price of a barrel of oil dramatically increases, soon, we’re looking at a potential revenue shortfall in excess of a billion dollars this year.

Earth to Queen P, you were told repeatedly by many people when you submitted your budget that it was based on fantasy numbers. Now you want to act like this is news to you and to us? Please, this may play well for your zombie followers in the lower 48, but Alaskans know the truth and we aren’t going to let you off the hook.

We stand ready to work with lawmakers – who hold the purse strings – to amend the budget, as we receive revenue updates in weeks ahead.

Aww yes, classic Palin; shift the blame and responsibility to someone else, anyone else. How about submitting a realistic budget to begin with, instead of passing the buck so you can look good to your lower 48 constituency. Show them how tough you are, and how you held the line on the budget. We’ll just ignore the increases in the operating budget the last two years. We’ll ignore the cuts to the capital budgets the last two years that actually create private sector jobs.

Now obviously, circumstances have changed that even international seasoned oil experts could not predict, requiring us now to adjust even more.

The Queen and her court of fools were the only ones that didn’t see this coming from a long ways off. It was her arrogance and intransigence that produced such a bloated budget in the face of most predictions being less than half of the $70 per barrel price she based the budget on.

In a volatile economy, numbers are not fixed, but principles are. We’ve followed the same principles from the start of this administration: fiscal discipline, limited government, and responsible stewardship.

Oh please stop, you’re killing me here.  What principle calls for increasing the operating budget, growing government and cutting spending on infrastructure and community projects?

With our share of federal funds and Congress’ stimulus package, our obligation is equally clear: we must ensure these public funds serve vital needs – as is the case of infrastructure for our gas pipeline, needed by the nation; and the Kodiak Launch Facility, adding to national defense.

Oh you mean the stimulus package that you didn’t request a fair share of? Once again, pandering to your new found friends in the lower 48 who’s conservative banner you want to carry?

Thankfully, in the state, these past couple of years we’ve allocated billions for roads, ports, schools, and other vital public works. That money hits the streets and grows the economy this year – so the private sector creates, and we keep, many thousands of good Alaskan jobs through this.

We can stay on that path of investment in growth with continued support for essential construction projects that will – literally – build this state.

Now, we can’t buy into the notion that for government to serve better, it must always spend more. Reductions we support are a chance to show the true measure in public policy. Simply increasing budgets every year, a common government practice, is no guarantee of success. More often, it’s an incentive to failure. Good public policy is accountable for results, and focused on critical priorities.

Unbelievable. I think she actually expects us to believe this crap. She cut the capital budget and grew the operating budget for the last two years. Now she wants to re-write history to make believe that she held the line on government and invested billions of dollars in capital projects? Once again, I’m sure her lower 48 groupies will love this rhetoric in spite of the truth.

One of the great privileges given to me last year was the chance to be a witness for the truth that every child has value; to say to special needs children that they are beautiful and loved.

Yes, it’s all about you isn’t it. But I thought we were supposed to leave the kids alone? But it’s ok for you to use them as you see fit. What do you call a teenager that has quit going to school? A dropout.

We have alarming levels of heart disease, diabetes, childhood obesity – and all of these maladies are on the rise. Now, I won’t stand here and lecture – for very long – but health care reform on an individual basis is often just this simple: we could save a lot of money, and a lot of grief, by making smarter choices.

It starts by ending destructive habits, and beginning healthy habits in eating and exercise. In my case, it’s hard to slack when you have the ever-present example of an Iron Dogger nearby. But many of us could use a little more time in our great outdoors – and when you live in the Great Land, there’s no excuse.

Still all about the Palins, had to get a plug in for the First Dude. Her answer to the health care crisis is to tell everyone to eat better and exercise? Really, that’s all she has? Gee why didn’t we think of that?

Alaskans have shown through our protective laws that we’re willing and able to protect our magnificent wildlife, while developing our God-given resources, by using conservation laws as they were intended. We’ll challenge abuse of federal law when it’s used just to lock up Alaska.

Wow, catch phrases that are sure to please her religious fanatic supporters, and her anti anything green supporters and her anti-Federal government supporters. Of course none of that means a damn thing but it sounds good to those that don’t know any better.

Unfortunately, some focus only on potential obstacles when they discuss projects like the gasline: the giants in the land preventing us from gathering fruit. But as I recall, we’ve already slain a few giants.

Unfortunately the majority of us operate in the real world, not the fantasy rich world of Palin. There are real obstacles, that have to be overcome, but they have to be recognized and dealt with. They aren’t going to magically disappear just because Palin wants them to. What giants as she slain? Or is she taking credit for acts by prior Governors? The only thing she has done is create a hostile and adversarial relationship with the industry we need most going forward.

The big line will be the work of years. Last month we took another step closer to steel pipe when we signed the license with TransCanada-Alaska.

You forgot to mention the 500 Million dollar give away without a requirement to put a single shovel in the ground. You forgot to mention the ties your administration has with TransCanada. You forgot to mention that TransCanada doesn’t have the gas, the financing or the permits necessary. Oh yeah, and there is that ‘other’ line that is moving along much faster without state money.  The ones with the gas, the financing, and the permits.

Because even the most promising renewable energy sources are years from general use, between then and now, we need a clean interim fuel to power our grid and heat our homes. Natural gas is ideal.

Is this the same person who said that a local line for in state use was not a priority? That refused to even discuss the Enstar proposal for a small line?

I assure you: The line will be built – gas will flow – Alaska will succeed.

When that happens, it will be in spite of the antics of the Palin administration. At the end of her term, we’ll be able to put AGIA and TransCanada out of it’s misery with a measly half a billion dollars out of our treasury.

So we strictly enforce state laws and contracts with oil companies. We’ll hold them accountable with those contracted commitments they signed, to develop our resources – as we are expected to keep our word to them

Here’s a thought. How about you start with be held accountable yourself? How about releasing your testimony to the personnel board regarding the abuse of your office? How about you be accountable for refusing to even discuss alternatives to AGIA? How about you quit litigating and begin negotiating? How about you quit stamping your feet, holding your breath, and whining, and begin being that adult you claim to be.

Alaska, there will come a day when our success is not measured in barrels. The goal is multiplicity – an economy made strong by a wealth of petroleum, but no longer solely dependent on it. And again, the test of leadership is to be prepared.

Hey, Governor any time you’re ready start leading, I’m sure there will be those that will follow you. Unfortunately, we haven’t seen any leadership from your office other than leading us from one press conference to the next.  I don’t know what you think you are prepared for, it certainly isn’t the reality of the situation that we find ourselves in.

I have confidence in Alaskans, in their judgment and groundedness. Even more so after the journey I completed on November 4th. I learned more about fighting the good fight, facing long odds, the need to protect family – my own and our Alaska family – and putting Country First even when voters put you second. Not unlike Alaska’s journey.

Back to your favorite subject. Sarah Palin. You lost the election for good reasons, you had nothing new to offer. You offered nothing but fear and hate. Finally the American people woke up and refused to go down the dead end path Bush led us, and you were prepared to follow. You protect your family by not putting them in harms way for your own self-aggrandizement. Hopefully, given another opportunity Alaskans will just say no to you and your kind.

When I took my oath of office to serve as your Governor, remember, I swore to steadfastly and doggedly guard the interests of this great state like a grizzly with cubs, as a mother naturally guards her own. Alaska, as a statewide family, we’ve got to fight for each other, not against and not let external, sensationalized distractions draw us off course.

Was that really in the oath of office? or do you just like characterizing yourself as an animal? I suppose a bear is better is than a pig even though not as accurate. Really Sarah, get over yourself. When you talk about “sensationalized distractions” would that include your trotting around the country running for VP, or supporting other candidates in the lower 48. Could it be your abuse of office? If there were any distractions, they were of your own making, and you continue to go anywhere that will have you to tell them to leave your kids alone. I have an idea – just shut up and the story will die. But then, you’re like the meth heads in the valley, you just have to have one more hit. Just one more interview, one more photo op, and then you’ll quit.. right?

So now, united, protecting and progressing under the great North Star, let’s get to work.

Getting to work would be a nice change of pace for you over the last two years.

Notably absent from this speech was anything about Emmonak or the other villages that are facing potentially life threatening situation.  But then the intended audience obviously wasn’t Alaskans.  Those outside supporters don’t give a rat’s ass about rural Alaska and clearly they aren’t high on Palin’s agenda either.

What needs to be done at airports is to let hunters (specifically falconers) hunt the birds. Birds naturally avoid areas where predators roam and warn others of the danger so that most areas stay empty to avoid the predator.

I like it when there are simple solutions to seemingly complicated problems. Now, where can I lay my hands on a falcon.

“I heard today from a DC contact that you were right-on about the Obama stimulus money and Palin’s refusal to request our fair share. I was told that the state had about $325 million coming through the package but Palin only asked for $150 million.”

…and the hits keep coming.

I can’t wait to hear who Queen P blames for this one.