Gathering of Eagles

Want to stand up for our troops? Check out the Gathering of Eagles!

King of [Child] Porn Back in the News

This is well timed considering I just wrote about this guy last week.

Note: Swearingen’s 20 year run and threat to society ended because of an conscientious landlord taking a few minutes to check on his SSN. Nevertheless, the Utah legislature and businesses do not want to protect our children and ourselves from the other predators and fugitives in our state (see the link at the top of this post).

Anyway, the story aired on KUTV2 News and is available on their website. The original, damning story (King of Child Pornography Busted Trying to Set Up Shop in Utah) is also available. I think you need Internet Explorer to view them. Here’s the transcript of the latest story:

A man who called himself the ‘King of Porn’ has changed his plea.

Forty-six year old kirk Swearingen entered a plea of guilty in Federal Court, yesterday to charges of possessing and distributing child pornography.

Investigators say Swearingen is a dangerous child predator who’s been on the run for 22 years, using as many as 40 different names.

Swearingen now faces up to 20 years in prison when he is sentenced on June 25th. Just last September, Swearingen pleaded “not guilty” to the same charges.

The Politics of the Utah Office of Ethnic Affairs

Looks like the Utah Office of Ethnic Affairs has found it suitable to use taxpayer funds to promote or oppose legislation:

Utah Office of Ethnic Affairs’ Public Policy & Research page

Take a look at the “Legislative Issues” and “Fact Sheets” links.

Note: The fact sheets are essentially talking points for opposition to the legislation related to their subject matter. The fact sheets contain no neutral language but obviously promote an agenda (the “Driving Privelege Card” may be the exception - it seems to stick strickly to neutral factual information about how many cards have been issued).

I’ve also saved some screen captures as a pdf file: Ethnic Affairs Legislative Issues and Fact Sheets

Of note, also is that, as I recall, this is the same office that launched the State’s spanish site with the colors of the Mexican flag.

If you wish to, politely, make you feelings known about this the Governor can be reached at (801)538-1000

Click here to email the Governor (choose a response or non-response link)

ID Theives and Fugitives: Utah Welcomes You!

The State Legislature and several businesses in Utah do not care whatsoever about fugitives (including fugitive pedophiles) working in this state. Additionally, it is perfectly fine for these fugitives and a multitude of other criminals to take and use your or your child’s identity (SSN, in particular) to find work. Frankly, the state and businesses made them feel more welcome to live here.

How so, you ask?

They don’t want to use the Federal Gov’s free, rapid results (we’re talking MINUTES) program to make sure a new hire isn’t using your SSN. Yesterday, the House Business and Labor Committee (Chaired by Rep. Stephen D. Clark), again, held up HB 127 - Employee Verification, Procurement, and Incentives. The Chair, in particular, as well as several committee members (including heavy lobbying efforts by businesses) want to hold up the bill until there just isn’t enough time to act on it.

The act is simple. It asked state government to require itself and its contractors to take a few minutes to make sure Bubba Jones wasn’t using your daughter’s SSN. Essentially, it would prevent your tax money being given to fugitives and illegal immigrants.

I guess that is simply too much to ask government and business to do. In the meantime, id thieves whether they be violent fugitives or illegal immigrants (such as at the Swift Plant in Hyrum, Utah), are more than welcome to feel comfortable working here in Utah while evading law enforcement. After all, Utah government and businesses need the cheap labor or extra clientele even if it is on the backs of our children and at the expense of sheltering a proven threat to society.

So if your son goes to college and can’t get a student loan/grant/scholarship (due to the report linked to his SSN) because he made too much money last year (even though he didn’t work) the response is simple:

‘It’s ok little Jimmy - Mr. Bubba just needed a job so he could make ends meet instead of doing time for molesting children - now let’s find a job for you seeing as you won’t be attending university, after all.’

Politics Before Our Troops Republicans

Here is the list the 17 who voted with Pelosi and Murtha (”we support the troops but don’t really want them to win”):

Castle Phone: 202-225-4165
Coble Phone: 202-225-3065
Tom Davis Phone: 202-225-1492
Duncan Phone: 202-225-5435
English (PA) Phone: 202-225-5406
Gilchrest Phone: 202-225-5311
Inglis (SC) Phone: 202-225-6030
Johnson (IL) Phone: 202-225-2371
Jones (NC) Phone: 202-225-3415
Keller Phone: 202-225-2176
Kirk Phone: 202-225-4835
LaTourette Phone: 202-225-5731
Paul Phone: 202-225-2831 (he’s running for President - fat chance).
Petri Phone: 202-225-2476
Ramstad Phone: 202-225-2871
Upton Phone: 202-225-3761
Walsh (NY) Phone: 202-225-3701

The NRCC better not help them out in 2008 if they expect any donations from my end.  You can call the NRCC at 202-479-7000.

Democrats we should thank (they voted nay):
Jim Marshall Phone: 202-225-6531

Gene Taylor Phone: 202-225-5772

The Victimless Crime - More Data

I was passed a report authored (I think) by State Rep. Morgan (D). I’ve transcribed it below.

I’m not sure when this report was distributed (I know it was some time within the last month) but it reflects my statements and concerns I’ve raised in previous posts (specifically regarding Illegal immigration and ID theft):

[Begin report]

SSN Count of Different Last Names in Wage File

• This report is a sample of wages reported to the Department of Workforce (DWS) Services by Social Security Number (SSN)
• Approximately 978 name appear using three or more different last names.
  • In one case, 37 people are using one social security number
  • Another has 27 people using the number, another 25 people, another 24 people, and two other numbers by 20 people, etc

Sample of wages reported to DWS on Children (age <12)

• This report is a sample of wages reported to the DWS under SSNs of children under age 12.
• In the first quarter of 2006 there were 606 children under age 12 with wages reported under their social security numbers.
• 1626 employers reported paying wages to social security numbers belonging to children 12 and under during the 4th quarter of 2005.
  • Many of these “children” had multiple employers during that period of time.

[End Morgan Report]

Remember, the above figures (as I understand it) are only a sample population. I think the first list was from folks on unemployment or state assistance. The second list is from children on state (medical?) assistance. If these samples are, indeed, representative of the general population, it is shocking.

I wonder, once you extrapolate these figures into Utah’s populace, how many people have had their SSNs stolen (or worse, their children’s)! The numbers, for each group, would run in the tens of thousands.

I have the raw figures and one ‘child’ managed to make $36,000 in one quarter! Most made $9,000 in the quarter. The stolen numbers could be more devastating to children. Not only will they have to spend the large amount of time to clear their credit history, but if they aren’t made aware of their ID being compromised, the effects could come at a critical time. If they applied for a Pell Grant or scholarships dependant on income levels, they would be rejected and not have enough time to clear things up prior to the school year.

Finally, I have the raw figures. If anyone is interested in seeing them, just place a request in a comment and I will consider posting the figures (otherwise the transcription is just too tedious to be worth the time).

See also: A Victimless Crime

State Legislative Wrapup

A few choice news stories regarding passed and pending legislation in the State of Utah:

State’s surplus just gets bigger - That means we’re being over taxed. I wonder if that will translate into an increase in the proposed tax cuts or simply bigger government (dumping it into ‘needy’ government programs). The main problem is that once these programs are expanded not only will government intrude further into our lives but when revenues tighten (during a recession) bureaucrats and entitlement users will squeal that we’ve got to fully fund this “absolutely vital” program. Additionally, no matter how ‘temporary’ the programs were intended to be, they will attempt to expand and grow only resulting in greater burdens on taxpayers.

If you pay for a service and are overcharged, you expect a refund. Taxpayers and businesses should expect nothing less here as well.

House rejects abortion measure - I actually wish this in its original form would have passed. It would have cost legal fees but, in a state who’s population values life so dearly, it would have sent a clear message about our values and brought the potential to curtail abortions in the state and help restore state’s rights (whether it be to limit or increase which Roe v. Wade treaded upon. Nevertheless, at least they did pass a bill taking a stance on abortion. The original bill can be found here, the tougher substitute bill is here and click here for the accepted (2nd) substitute bill.

One last gripe on my rant - the legislature wasn’t ok using money for this but was fine with forcing the Salt Lake County Mayor (Peter Corroon) to use his county’s transient tax money to fund a soccer stadium/team with a troubled business plan. Corroon and his budgetary staff had previously rejected the deal, stating the business plan was unsound. While the state can override Mayor Corroon, I don’t think it was appropriate - Corroon should have been allowed to make the call.

Let’s end on a positive note, however:

Parents will soon have more choice and options to customize education to their children’s needs. Yesterday, the Governor signed HB 148 - Education Vouchers. The current state education monopoly and teachers unions are, obviously not happy about this (see this sour grapes op-ed). Nevertheless, this will be a big step in giving parents much more control (this is even acknowledged in the above op-ed) over their children’s education and help buffer the burden on school districts and tax payers a whole. I’ve blogged on this here - Education: Nanny State Knows Best? In the end, I think not only will our children benefit from this, but so will education as a whole (yes, I’m including public education in this).

Focus on victims of illegal immigration

This is a day old now but worth a read (it does a good job of showing who the media, and its allies, give priority and who they forget about when it comes to “compassion”):

Focus on Victims of Illegal Immigration - Op-ed in the Deseret News (2/12/07)

This is another response to the editorial I blogged about in Preemptive Race Baiting.

I should have followed the responses better, as I believe there was another op-ed and several letters to the editor taking the Deseret News to task for their vitriolic editorial. If I can find the other op-ed and letters, I’ll post links as comments to this post:

Here are the links:

News out of touch with readers (this is the other op-ed that responded to the paper’s editorial)

Editorial smacks of elitism (letter to editor)

Opposing illegals isn’t racism (letter to editor)

The original editorial (Don’t kill tuition break)

Murtha Lashes Out At Penatgon (Pelosi’s Plane)

Here are two choice statements from Rep. Murtha  following the Pentagon denying Pelosi’s jet request (as well as placing restrictions on who she can fly - see also: Pelosi defends request for jet).  Note: Murtha chairs the Defense Appropriations subcommittee, so his threat does carry some weight:

“I don’t need to pressure them. I just tell them what they need to do.”

“Late Wednesday afternoon, one of Pelosi’s closest allies in the House, Rep. John Murtha, D-Penn., chairman of the key Appropriations Committee subcommittee on defense, told CNN that the Pentagon was making ‘a mistake’ by leaking information unfavorable to the speaker ’since she decides on the allocations for the Department of Defense.’”

Click here for the SF Chronical Article with the above statements.

Apparently, a nonstop flight and comfort are, somehow, in our national security interests - so much so that it is worthy of cutting the DOD’s budget.

Pelosi and Murtha’s attitudes and statements throughout this event frankly indicate where the leadership’s priorities are.

A bit of spine?

Thank you Sen. McConnell!  It appears the GOP finally stood up and showed a bit of spine when the hurtful anti-Iraq war resolutions were slapped down by filibuster.

A couple of notable exceptions: Norm Coleman (R-MN) and Susan Collins (R-ME).  It’s disappointing to see them side with politics over victory.

On the other hand, thanks to Sen. Lieberman (ID-CT) who continues to be a dedicated supporter of our troops and the war effort (and ultimate victory).

Click here for the list of votes.

Special Note: Don’t be fooled - Sen Reid (D-NV) only voted ‘nay’ as a proceedural manuveur which allows those casting opposing votes to bring the bill/subject back up at a latter time (in other words, Reid can bring this up mess up again).  Reid is firmly in the politics above victory camp.