The Conservative Sage

In spite of Obama's promises to reign in earmarks and wasteful spending, the $790 billion alleged stimulus bill is full of it-in more ways than one. Some of the more ridiculous items are $1.7 million for a honey bee laboratory in Weslaco, Tex.; $346,000 for research on apple fire blight in Michigan and New York; and $1.5 million for work on grapes and grape products, including wine.Filipino veterans, most of whom do not live in the United States, will get $200 million in compensation for service in World War II.....Huh? And by shear coincidence, the bill provides $8 billion for high-speed rail projects, for example, including money that could benefit a controversial proposal for a magnetic-levitation rail line between Disneyland, in California, and Las Vegas, a project favored by Senate Majority leader and head hog Harry Reid. I'm sure it's just a coincidence. I'm sure that $500 million for global warming research will provide plenty of jobs for displaced auto workers.

There seems to be something in the water being consumed by Illinois politicians. After the circus which was the Rod Blagojevich investigation and impeachment, his replacement- who "Blago" personally handpicked-Sen. Roland Burris is now himself embroiled in an ethics probe. Burris has come under fire for his admission that he tried to raise money for the former Governor-a fact that he failed to mention under oath...oh, boy! Senator Dick Durban confirmed that a senate ethics investigation was underway. Even staunch supporters of Burris are now asking for him to step down-including several black Chicago ministers. Burris held the obligatory self humiliating press conference where he denied he did anything wrong. Has there ever been anyone ethical that's come out of Chicago Politics? We'll have to wait a little longer to get an answer to that one. This is just one more bad apple from a rotten Illinois political tree.

The Russians are certainly masters of gamesmanship. With the new administration they are wasting no time making their first move. The only problem is our accommodating president and his administration are not aware of Putin's attempts to emasculate the US. First, the Russians used the power of the checkbook by promising loans to Kyrgyzstan, who in turn is giving the U.S. its walking papers by closing our military base there. The Manas air base, near the Kyrgyz capital of Bishik, is crucial to the war in Afghanistan which the Obama administration intends to make its central focus. This has put the Russians in a favorable position with regard to US policy in Central Asia. Manas was the last remaining US base in the region since being expelled from neighboring Uzbekistan in 2005 over Human rights disputes. The US contributes $150 Million to the Kyrgyz economy- in addition to the $63 million in rent for the base. The Russians have reached out to the new administration by offering thei