The Logan Act

Happy Hanukkah!

Winter break from school began at 11:30 yesterday morning as son was then finished with finals week. The air-conditioning is still running. I killed two mosquitoes yesterday in my house.

Tonight the husband, son and I went to a play at the Country Playhouse using our season tickets. The current offering is "A Christmas Story" and it was pretty good. A little draggy at times and felt a bit drawn out but overall a good play for the season. It was a nice change of pace from the endless showing of it in movie form on tv. It's gotten to be like "It's A Wonderful Life" in overkill.

Anyone paying attention to the growing stream of U.S. Senators going over to terror-sponsoring countries and "talking" to their murderous, thug leaders? Well, the list is growing. So far, I have noted the trips of John Kerry to Egypt and Syria before he goes to Israel and Palestine. Israel being the only friend of the U.S. in the region, and oh yeah, he'll go to Iran if he needs to. Thanks Senator Kerry. Also, Senator Bill Nelson, and Senator Evan Bayh have been to Syria with Arlen Spector announcing he's going, too. N.M. Governor Bill Richardson visited North Korea. You may remember him from his days in the Clinton administration and his previous failings with North Korea with Maddie Allbright.

In light of the fact that the Bush administration has asked them not to go and they have voiced disapproval of their tactics, it is time to dust off the Logan Act.

According to www.historycentral.com, "Dr. George Logan of Pennsylvania attempted to normalize relations with France. He entered into negotiations with France, without authorization, in hopes of resuming normal relations. In 1799, Congress passed legislation outlawing such contacts between foreign governments and private individuals. The law remains on the books to this day."

I know the Dems are all giddy that they have a two vote majority in the Senate now, and Arlen Spector has been a disgrace for many years to the Republicans, but this arrogance is breathtaking, to say the least.

Senators are not authorized to commune with foreign leaders on policy. Especially after they have been asked not to go by the administration. We have a very capable State Department, thank you, and the Senators are showing weakness and conflict with the administration, at a time of war.

At a time of war.

I don't care if you don't like how President Bush is conducting policy or how Secretary Rice is handling diplomatic matters. The Senators have clearly crossed over the line.

America has to speak with one voice.

The balance of power has changed in Congress but the same man is president. The leaders of other countries see a sign of weakness in this hijacking of diplomacy.

The terrorists love the Democrats. They want the old days back. Just like they applaud old and foolish dinosaur politicians like Patrick Leahy as he comes back to being Judiciary Chair and says he'll try to eliminate the tools used to monitor and hunt down terrorists. Leahy was kicked off the Senate Intelligence Committee a few years back after he was caught leaking classified info to the press.

Leahy is a prime example of why Democrats can't be trusted with national security. The times are too dangerous for unserious people.

Just as I have called for the reinstatement of The Sedition Act, I think the Logan Act must be used. We are a nation at war. If the president's overall approval ratings were not so low now, there is no way these Senators would be pulling off these shenanigans. When Clinton was turning a blind eye to attack after attack to our military and facilities, the Republicans didn't take it upon themselves to travel the world and try to do the work of the State Department.

The European Socialist Democrats told Howard Dean last week, as he was at their meeting, that they were so happy the Democrats were back in power.

No wonder.