NIGHTSTAND READING

NIGHTSTAND READING

Oh, that pesky Arizona immigration law. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano hasn’t read it. Neither has Attorney Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr. or Assistant Secretary of State Philip J. Crowley - though all have talked plenty about the implications. As arguments continue, now’s the time for all civic-minded citizens to read the legislation for themselves. “SB 1070-Safe Neighborhoods, Immigrations, Law Enforcement” is a mere 16 pages long, and the state of Arizona has conveniently posted it online. Find it here: www.azleg.gov/Bills.asp. Click on the heading “Senate bills SB1051- SB1100.”

GREAT WALL OF ARIZONA

Uh-oh. Two mighty Arizona Republicans are vexed with Assistant Secretary of State Mike Posner, who recently allowed that Arizona’s immigration law was discussed during the U.S.-China Human Rights Dialogue - then publicly criticized the legislation.

“You reportedly cited the Arizona immigration statute (SB 1070, as amended) as an example of a ’troubling trend in our society’ that you seemed to imply is morally equivalent to Chinas persistent pattern of abuse and repression of its people,” said Sens. Jon Kyl and John McCain in a letter to Mr. Posner. “As the Assistant Secretary of State in charge of the bureau of democracy and human rights, your remarks are particularly offensive. We demand that you retract your statement and issue an apology.”

The pair cited the agency’s 2009 Human Rights Report that outlined China’s abuse or detention of democracy activists, religious groups, journalists and human rights advocates, along with details of “unlawful killings,” and torture.

“To compare in any way the lawful and democratic act of the government of the state of Arizona with the arbitrary abuses of the unelected Chinese Communist Party is inappropriate and offensive,” Mr. Kyl and Mr. McCain concluded. “There is no place for moral equivalency in democracy and human rights policy. The United States is the worlds leader in defending the rights of all people. Someone in your position should be proud to proclaim that.”

HAPPY HEMP DAY

“On Wednesday, Hemp History Week supporters, including a person dressed in an elaborate ’George Washington’ costume, will visit Attorney General Eric Holder’s office building with a 50 lb. bag of hemp seed, in order to display the crop which must continue to be imported instead of being grown in the U.S. due to the ban on hemp farming. The ’George Washington’ character will arrive in a van powered by waste vegetable oil and hemp oil. Photographers are encouraged to attend.” (From a Vote Hemp press release)

“It is a well known fact that George Washington grew hemp for a wide variety of uses,” explains Eric Steenstra, president of the nonprofit group. “It was once an important crop for Washington, Thomas Jefferson and thousands of American farmers across the country, including farmers here in the Capital region until it was essentially outlawed in 1970 by the Controlled Substances Act.”

GIDDY CONSERVATIVES

“Registered voters who identify themselves as conservatives are significantly more enthusiastic about voting in this fall’s congressional elections than are liberals or moderates. Those who say they are ’very’ conservative are the most enthusiastic of all,” say Gallup pollsters Frank Newport and Jeffrey M. Jones.

Indeed, 62 percent of “very conservative” voters say they’re eager to get in the poll booth, another 17 percent are “somewhat” enthusiastic. Among average liberals, the corresponding numbers are 21 percent and 32 percent, respectively. Both conservative Republicans and Democrats are also more eager to vote on Nov. 2 than their liberal counterparts.

“Ideology at this point in the election cycle appears to be a major driver of enthusiasm,” the pollsters say. “These data underscore the potential power of conservatives at the ballot box this fall - including those who identify with the highly publicized Tea Party movement.”

ANOTHER MUST READ

Supreme Court justice nominee Elena Kagan’s much discussed senior thesis at Princeton University begins, “Ever since Werner Sombart first posed the question, countless historians have tried to explain why there is no socialism in America.”

And why is that? Find out. The Federalist Society has thoughtfully posted the 1981 work here: www.SCOTUSreport.com - along with Miss. Kagan’s 1983 Oxford University master’s thesis, and her Senate Judiciary Committee questionnaire.

PALINIZED

Snarky reviews are in from those troubled that Sarah Palin’s daughter Bristol Palin has joined a Nashville-based speakers bureau.

“Can you spare $30,000? ” (Time magazine)

“Isn’t there a bit of hypocrisy in having Ms. Palin be a spokesperson for sexual abstinence and against teen pregnancy? That is like having BP advocate for environmental conservation.” (San Francisco Chronicle).

“Bristol Palin is taking her burgeoning career as a don’t-be-a-teen-mom-like-me advocate to the next level by hitting the lecture circuit.” (The Washington Post).

Imagine the glowing press descriptions about “a hard-working, single mother,” though, if Miss Palin was a liberal Democrat with a pro-choice agenda.

POLL DU JOUR

71 percent of federal information technology specialists are “concerned with the current security” when sharing their electronic files.

62 percent say file transfer security is a “top priority.”

60 percent use tapes, CDs, DVDs and USB drives to transfer files.

58 percent say employees are “aware” of secure transfer practices.

54 percent do not monitor their file transferring practices.

52 percent e-mail work files using personal accounts like Gmail or Yahoo.

Source: A MeriTalk survey of 200 federal IT and information security experts conducted in April and released May 10.

c Buzz, fuzzy memories, clear press releases to jharper@washingtontimes .com.