Countdown

Inhofe: Mideast Conflicts is a Contest over the Word of God

Volume III, No. 11
Posted on Friday March 15, 2002

Americans Willing to Give Up Freedoms for Security, Poll Shows

A Zogby International poll conducted March 1-3 found that 95% of Americans are ok with having their baggage searched at random before boarding an airplane as a security measure to prevent terrorism. Of respondents, 40% said it would be acceptable to have their mail searched at random, but only 24% favored the monitoring of phone conversations. A surprising 62% felt it was acceptable to have their cars searched at random with 52% even saying they favored allowing regular roadblocks to search vehicles.

Pro- and Anti-Immigration Legislation Hits the Floor

Congressman John Conyers, Jr. re-introduced the omnibus “Fix ‘96” Immigration Bill, now titled the “Restoration of Fairness in Immigration Law Act of 2000.” According to the bill’s author, it would restore “fairness to the immigration process by making sure that each person has a chance to have their case heard by a fair and impartial decision maker. No one here is looking to give immigrants a free ride, just a fair chance.” Also this week, legislation slipped through by House GOP leaders on March 12, yet to be approved by the Senate, would allow some illegal immigrants to remain in the U.S. while applying for permanent residency if they pay a $1,000 fee and have a close relative or employer to sponsor them. However, lawmakers from both parties have expressed support for increased immigration restrictions, especially for a visa-security bill which would require immigration officials to track foreign students more closely, issue tamper-resistant, biometric visas, and create a database of suspected terrorists.

Israeli Writes Numbers on Arab Detainees, Asks U.S. for More Aid

An Israeli lawmaker who survived the Holocaust blasted Israel for writing numbers on Palestinian detainees arms and foreheads. Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said the issue would be “investigated.” Meanwhile, the Bush administration is blocking a request from Israel for $200 million dollars in new aid. While the administration was apparently giving serious consideration to providing the money, the White House Office of Management and Budget nixed it, citing concerns over the major Israeli offensive against the Palestinians, which Bush earlier called “not helpful” to the peace process.

Inhofe: Mideast Conflicts is a Contest over the Word of God

Senator James Inhofe (R-OK), speaking on the Senate floor this week, claimed that the Mideast conflict is “…not a political battle at all. It is a contest over whether or not the word of God is true.” He voiced seven reasons why “Israel is entitled to the land they have and that it should not be a part of the peace process,” with reasons ranging from archaeological proof, historic right, and “Because God said so.” As proof of this, he said, “Look it up in the book of Genesis. It is right up there on the desk…”

Picture Raises Questions about McCall, He Calls Rival “Soft” on Arafat

New York Comptroller Carl McCall, returning from a trip to Israel, is accusing gubernatorial rival Andrew Cuomo of “being soft” on Yasser Arafat. Cuomo had met with Arafat when he visited Israel in 2000 as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Josh Isay, a Cuomo spokesperson, claimed the charge was made to create a “smoke screen to hide McCall’s recent string of campaign embarrassments.” McCall’s visit, which was widely seen in political circles as an effort to boost his standing with Jewish voters, was supposed to be an official state visit to allow him to inspect Israeli investments financed with the New York State pension fund, and thus was paid for by the state pension fund. However, while in Israel, McCall was photographed firing an M-16 rifle at an IDF training camp. Isay noted, “This was clearly a political trip…Is target practice in the comptroller’s job description?” Cuomo’s camp is calling on McCall to disclose the cost of the visit, and pay back the pension fund.

Oakar Withdraws From Democratic Primary

Former Representative Mary Rose Oakar (D-OH) withdrew from the Democratic primary for the “redrawn” Ohio state House seat. She noted that she wants to spend more time with her family, but “didn’t rule out running for office again,” although she has no political plans for the near future. The May 7th primary will now be between Representative Dennis Kucinich’s (D-OH) manager, Michael Skindell, and former-FBI agent Edward Fitzgerald.