This Week on the House Floor
This week, the House approved H.R. 800, the Employee Free Choice Act, voting 241 to 185. The House also passed H.R. 556, the National Security Foreign Investment Reform and Strengthened Transparency Act, without opposition. H.R. 884, the Promoting Antiterrorism Cooperation through Technology and Science Act, was also approved by a vote of 396 to 16.
Worker Intimidation Bill
Protecting the sanctity and privacy of the secret ballot has long been a bedrock principle of American elections. Confidentiality at the time of voting helps to ensure the free expression of political will, unimpeded by the fear of public ridicule, criticism, or opposition. Sadly, House Democrats are seeking to strip such basic protections from the exercise of democracy in the workplace. The Employee Free Choice Act – which could not be more inaccurately named – would strip American workers of the right to vote freely and anonymously on whether to unionize. Without the safety of the secret ballot, workers are left exposed to union harassment, intimidation, and pressure. The enactment of this fundamental change would clearly be a strike against liberty.
Do as I Say, Not as I Do
One day after Al Gore’s global warming propaganda piece, “An Inconvenient Truth”, received an Oscar from the Hollywood establishment, the Tennessee Center for Policy Research, a nonpartisan research organization, revealed that Gore’s own warning does not seem to apply to himself. The organization published Gore’s electric bills from the Nashville Electric Service (NES) for 2005 and 2006. Astoundingly, they expose the inconvenient truth that Gore’s 20-room, eight-bathroom mansion located in the posh Belle Meade area uses more electricity per month than the average American household uses in a calendar year.
In his documentary, Gore calls on Americans to conserve energy by reducing electricity consumption at home – a sensible step for anyone who truly believes that energy generation will lead to cataclysmic consequences. While, the average American household uses 10,656 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year according to the U.S. Department of Energy, the Gore Estate consumes nearly 221,000 kWh, that is more than 20 times the national average. Ironically, since the release of his documentary, the former vice president’s home energy usage has actually increased by 2,200 kWh per month, suggesting one of two possible conclusions. Either global warming does not impact the planet whereon Gore resides, or his Oscar-winning film is nothing more than self-promotional hypocrisy set to the silver screen.
Stopping “Illegal Aliens”
Florida State Senator Frederica Wilson wants to remove illegal aliens from the Sunshine State – by using a Thesaurus. While most Americans view illegal immigration as one of the most pressing problems facing our nation, Sen. Wilson believes that the real problem is that her state simply acknowledges its existence. She has introduced a bill that would flatly prohibit state agencies and officials from using the term “illegal alien” to describe a person not residing in the U.S. in accordance with federal law. “I personally find the word ‘alien’ offensive when applied to individuals, especially to children. An alien to me is someone from out of [sic] space.” As for the term “illegal”, the distinguished senator says, “I like ‘undocumented’ better.”
The fact that a legislator is more concerned about demonstrating sensitivity toward people who are here in violation of the laws of the land is perhaps sad evidence of why illegal immigration has grown to such a magnitude in this country. What most people understand intuitively is that renaming a problem is not the same as solving it. Changing state-sanctioned vocabulary does not change the unlawful status of people soon-to-be-formerly-known-as illegal aliens.
Quote of the Week
“To get a feeling of just how undemocratic the Democrats’ bill is, imagine it is November 2008 and community leaders all across America decide not to hold elections. Instead of heading into a voting booth like you always have, you’re told to show up at town hall and declare publicly – in front of your neighbors and community leaders – for whom and what you’re voting. Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? Well this is exactly what House Democrats are proposing for your workplace.” – House Minority Leader John Boehner, HumanEvents.com, February 28, 2007.
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