Americans for Fair Taxation

I was invited to contribute to a blog dedicated to the Fair Tax. I told Sunnye that I wasn't sure I was up to it, meaning her calibre of writing, but decided to do it anyway. As I said in my post (yes, I've already posted. Wanted to do it before I chickened out!), I decided that all I had to do was write from my heart on a subject I'm passionate about. And if I'm not passionate about the Fair Tax, I don't know what I am passionate about.

Here's a link to the Americans for Fair Taxation blog. I hope you will visit and, if you aren't a Fair Tax supporter yet, I hope you will be.

Disparity Between Blacks and White Regarding Social Security

I've been trying to explain that Black men are get the short end of the shaft when it comes to Social Security. Their average life spans are shorter than those of white men so they collect Social Security for a shorter period of time than white men do, even though they pay in just as long, or maybe even longer. And, black or white, the money you pay in is not yours when you die. You've paid in to the fund, but when you die, that money, the money you paid in over your working lifetime, reverts to the government and is paid to a total stranger. You might receive a death benefit, but it only amounts to about $255. That's it. At the end of your life, your government says you are worth only $255, no matter how much or how long you've paid into Social Security.

Herman Cain explains it the way I wish I could.

It is now evident that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 did not apply to the Social Security system. Due to the rising retirement age, differences in life expectancy between Blacks and Whites, and mandatory payroll tax deductions, the system by its very nature discriminates against black men and women.

This built-in discrimination has been present since 1935 when Social Security was established. The original retirement age to begin receiving Social Security benefits was set at 65 years. Black women in 1935 lived to an average age of 55, and black men to the age of 51. Our white brothers did not fare much better, since they were expected to live just 61 years.

The rest of the article can be found here. If you are a Black man, you have to read the entire article. Discrimination still lives, despite the Civil Rights Act of 1964. You should be demanding that the Social Security Act be reformed now so that you will receive the benefits that you have been promised.

The Supremes and International Law

This is what Justice O'Connor had to say abut the court's use of international law when making decisions.

WASHINGTON - Justice Sandra Day O’Connor on Thursday dismissed growing criticism about the Supreme Court’s use of international law in its opinions, saying it makes sense for justices to look at foreign sources when a point of law is unclear.

Aren't the Supremes supposed to determine what the point of law is based on the Constitution and laws of our country? What difference does it make how Sweden or France ruled on something? It might be a very similar case, but our Constitution is not theirs, our laws are not their laws.

O’Connor, a Reagan appointee, participated in a lively one-hour discussion at the National Archives with Justices Antonin Scalia and Stephen G. Breyer. She said if there is no controlling U.S. precedent or the viewpoint of states is unsettled, “of course we look at foreign law.”

Why, "of course"? Truth to tell, I don't care if they look at foreign law as long as they rule according to our Constitution and our laws.

“This is much ado about nothing,” she said in response to a question by moderator Tim Russert of NBC. “Our Constitution is one that evolves. What’s the best way to know? State legislatures — but it doesn’t hurt to know what other countries are doing.”

I doubt that the Founding Fathers had other countries' laws in mind when they crafted the Constitution. I do agree that the Constitution evolves, but it should evolve because of US Legislation and not what another country is doing. We need to be very careful of looking to other countries. They are influenced by other countries and eventually there will be little difference between the US and, say, Germany, France, and Sweden. If I were a citizen of one of those countries, I wouldn't care. I'd be proud that the mighty US was looking to rule using my countries laws. But I'm not. I'm an American. Sure, our laws may need clarification or tweaking, or just plan razed and rebuilt (The Income Tax being one), but let's remember to keep it in context.

A woman I once knew had a saying, "Don't go on the porch unless you intend to go in the house." She was talking about temptation and sinning, but I think it's appropriate here. Don't go looking at laws in other countries unless you intend to be influenced by them. I personally don't care what the law is in another country, unless I happen to be going there or doing business with that country.

Fair Tax Blog

The fine folks at Americans for Fair Taxation have created one fine blog. It promises to link to other states FTA organizations, a Fair Tax calculator, and some fine explanations of the Fair Tax.

The Fair Tax is more than just a national retail sales tax, it's a completely new way to fund the government, to keep our freedoms as Americans, and to keep what is ours - the money we earn through our hard work.

What a concept!

Here's the URL - http://www.us4fairtax.blogspot.com./

Click on the link or the link above, cut and paste, whatever! Just go and look.

Will They Never Learn?

From A Cool Change:

Sen. Gary Siplin, D-Orlando, asked whether the state can do anything to rehabilitate sex offenders.

"I know something about human behavior," said Siplin, an attorney. "What are we doing with the sexual predators while they are incarcerated? It's more economical for us to get some sort of treatment for them in jail so they can overcome their weaknesses."

He might know something about human behavior, but not much about sexual predators. They cannot be rehabilitated or cured. It just ain't gonna happen. It's like an addiction. Like you or I might be addicted to gambling, drinking, smoking, drugs, these people are addicted to inappropriate sexual behaviors. Oh, they might be able to control their addiction, but they will never be "rehabilitated". The only cure is to keep them away from the people they usually prey on.

Overcome their "weaknesses"? Weakness? Who is this guy kidding? This is not a weakness, it's a disease of the mind, character, addiction, something, but it's not a weakness.

And as usual, don't bother to try to change my mind on rehabilitating sexual offenders and predators. It doesn't happen.

The Ryan-Sununu Social Security Personal Savings Guarantee and Prosperity Act

*This bill empowers workers with the freedom to choose a large personal account option for Social Security, with no change in the minimum guaranteed benefit or tax increases.

*From 2006-2015, the Ryan-Sununu legislation would allow workers to devote to tax-free personal accounts 5 percentage points of the current 12.4% Social Security payroll tax on the first $10,000 in wages and 2.5 percentage points on taxable wages above that. Starting in 2016, workers will then be able to shift 10 percentage points of the current 12.4% on the first $10,000 in wages and 5 percentage points on taxable wages above that. Once fully phased-in, this creates a progressive structure with an average account contribution among all workers of 6.4 percentage points.

*Workers age 55 and over would remain covered under the traditional Social Security system with no change in benefits.

*Workers will be enrolled in a “life-cycle” fund that automatically adjusts the worker’s portfolio based on his or her age - moving near-retirees into safe, government-backed bond funds. Workers may stay with this “life-cycle” fund or choose from a list of five index funds similar to those found in the federal Thrift Savings Plan (TSP).

*The accounts are backed up by a guaranteed minimum benefit equal to Social Security promises under current law.

*Survivors and disability benefits would continue as under the current system unchanged.

*Social Security and the reform’s transition financing are placed in their own separate Social Security budget, apart from the rest of the Federal budget.

Financing the Transition:

*The short-term Social Security surpluses now projected until 2017 are devoted to financing the transition – instead of fueling other government spending;

*A national spending limitation measure would limit the growth of Federal spending to 3.6% per year for eight years, with growth in subsequent years at 4.6%, consistent with current CBO projections. The savings coming from the difference from projected spending is maintained until all short-term debt issued to fund the transition is paid off in full;

*One of the basic assumptions of the Ryan-Sununu plan is that increased investment through personal accounts will result in increased tax revenues to the General Fund. The Ryan-Sununu plan recaptures a set portion of these projected revenue increases and dedicates them to the Social Security Trust Fund;

Social Security Chief Actuary’s Analysis:

*Permanent and growing surpluses begin in 2038.

*Permanent solvency achieved in 2051.

*The reform would also greatly increase and broaden the ownership of wealth and capital through the accounts. All workers could participate in our nation’s economy as both capitalists and laborers. Under the Chief Actuary’s score, workers would accumulate $7 trillion in today’s dollars in their accounts by 2020. Wealth ownership throughout the nation would become much more equal, and the concentration of wealth would be greatly reduced.

*The official score shows that by the end of the 75-year projection period, instead of increasing the payroll tax to over 20% as would be needed to pay promised benefits under the current system, the tax would be reduced to 5.18%, enough to pay for all of the continuing disability and survivors’ benefits. This would be the largest tax cut in U.S. history. The bill includes a payroll tax cut trigger providing for this eventual tax reduction once all transition financing and debt obligations have been paid off.

*The reform also achieves the largest reduction in government debt in U.S. history, by eliminating the $12 trillion unfunded liability of Social Security, which is almost three times the current reported national debt.

This bill was introduced into Congress today by Congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin and Senator John Sununu of New Hampshire.

Congressman Ryan's site

Senator Sunun's site

Institute for Public Inovation (pdf)

Human Events Online

Sununu's Social Security Solution

Free Republic

Freedom Works

This is a good plan. Good for those over 55 who would see no change in their Social Security benefits, good for those under 55 who could actually receive more in benefits, good for those just starting out who could amass funds for a very nice retirement. This plan, unlike President Bush and the Democrats, actually shows how it will work, and how it will pay for itself.

There are zillions of other sites, Google it and read for yourself. Then contact your representatives and tell them you want this Act passed.

Girl Raped in School, Principal Hides in Office

I am in shock. Back in March, a 16-year old, developmently delayed high school girl was dragged by a group of boys to the stage area of the high school auditorium, punched in the face, threatened, and then forced to perform oral sex on at least two of the boys while the acts were videotaped. When someone called for help, the group scattered.

The girl reported the incident to her Special Ed teacher, who reported it to school authorities. Another teacher called the girl's father who, when he came to the school, wanted to call police. An assistant principal twice tried to get him to not call police, stating that if the media got hold of the story, it might further traumatize his daughter. All the while, the principal was in her office, working on something really important: bell schedules. The father called police and took his daughter to the hospital. What happened to these geniuses who are supposed to be authority figures at that school? The principal was fired (and should never be allowed to set foot near a child again). The three assistant principals were given 10-day suspensions and transferred to other schools. Big frickin' deal. Each one should have been fired and criminally charged.

Let me tell you, if that had been my daughter, I would have gone berserk. Maybe not at the time, but the next day for sure. The staff at this school are as culpable as the boys who committed the crime. Why, you ask? Because by not immediately calling police, they condoned the act. Not only that, they violated Ohio law.

And after I had chewed large sections of administration behind, not to mention furniture and walls, I would have taken names of everyone involved, and taken the information to an attorney and filed civil lawsuits against the school district, the school, and each person individually. The one assistant principal was afraid of subjecting the girl to the media? BS! He was afraid of the publicity to the school and his failure as an assistant principal, a human being, and maybe as a man. He knew the administration had blundered big time when they didn't call the police right away and was trying to smooth things over. By covering up, he got more publicity than he would had he reported the crime to begin with.

Each of the assistant principals should be fired, (and I can think of numerous causes of action to fire them for derilection of duty, neglect of duty, failure to report a crime, child endangerment, criminal stupidity? to name a few), charged criminally for failure to report the crime, and then attempting to cover it up. Perhaps even as co-defendants in the rape case because they didn't report it. That one might not fly, but if it did and they were convicted, they (at least in Florida, I don't know about Ohio) they would have to register as sexual offenders and unable to ever teach again.

I might be a bit over the top, but I can't stress how beyond angry I am. When I first read about this, I had thoughts of ropes and tar and feathers. I finally settled down enough to entertain lawsuits. These people have no business being in charge of hamsters, much less children.

Child Locator Devices

I started thinking about how parents could better protect their kids. I did some research and found a device that has a GPS system and is worn like a wrist watch. I don’t know too much about this particular item. While I do not endorse this particular item, I have a link on the sidebar. I do suggest that parents check it out. Below is the product information:

The miniturized, wrist-worn Wherify GPS Locator combines Global Positioning System (GPS) and digital wireless technologies to offer a proven safety solution that gives you the ability to locate your children 24 hours a day. Parents, whether at work, home, or traveling, can use the Internet or any telephone to quickly identify their children's location within several feet, in about a minute. In the event of an emergency, either the child or parent can request an emergency 911 response and local police will be dispatched.

When you request a "Locate" (either via phone or Internet), Wherify's Location Service Center sends a wireless transmission to the Locator. The Locator zeroes in on the optimal GPS satellites and determines its location using latitude and longitude. With those coordinates, your child's position is pinpointed with advanced mapping software, providing you an approximate street address (if available). You can choose between two formats when using the Internet: a standard street map or custom aerial photo.

Other features include:

*Built-in pager receives and stores up to 10 numeric pages.
*Atomic clock synchronization sets the watch accurately, no matter what time zone you're in.
*The rugged, lightweight, and adjustable locator is water-and cut-resistant.

If you have children, please check into a protection device of some sort for your kids.

Update: Since this post, I've found that this company has lost it's service contract and apparently is not taking orders at this time. I've removed the link to the devices. If and when the device becomes available, or I find a another company offering it, I'll put up another link.

TV-Turnoff Week

April 25 to May 1 is the week that many people intend to turn off their TV's, Internet, and video games. I have no problem with video games, I could cut down (maybe) on TV, but turn off the Internet???

arrrrghhhh!!!

I feel a little better.

I turn the TV on while I'm getting ready for work in the morning. I turn the TV on (if it's not already on) when I get home at night. It goes off when I go to bed. but to be honest, I listen more than I watch. I grew up with Timmy, and Beaver, and Opie. (Hmmm....now that I think about it...where were the girls?). TV is a part of my pysche. It's my addiction. Weekends and days I'm home, I have news programs or movies on. I seldom watch network programming.

In the spirit of TV-Turn off Week, I'll cut down on my TV and Internet use, or at least try to. I have a lot of things I could get done instead of sitting in front of a computer monitor with the TV going a few feet away.

I might find an actual life.

Holy Smoke!

As it turns out, the phrase, Holy Smoke! apparently doesn't have anything to do with electing a pope, but it seems appropriate. The College of Cardinals chose Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger as head of the Catholic Church today.

After a very short conclave, barely more than twenty-four hours, the College chose Cardinal Ratzinger the 265th Pope of the Catholic Church. From the reports, there was confusion as the smoke, traditionally heralding the election of the Pope, or that no Pope was elected on the ballot, appeared to be white, then gray, then white. More confusion was caused because bells started ringing, but bells normally ring at this time. Cheers went up when the public realized that the smoke was white and the bells were ringing to herald the election of the new Pope.

As his first duty as Pope, Cardinal Ratzinger chose his Papal name: Benedict XVI. Benedict comes from the Latin meaning "blessing". He will preside over Mass on Wednesday, and be formally installed as Pope on Sunday.

Cardinal Ratzinger is the second oldest Cardinal to be elected Pope and only the second German Pope in nearly 1000 years, Pope Clement XII was three months older than the new Pope Benedict when he was elected in 1730. Victor II was the last German speaking Pope, reigning from 1055-1057.

Benedict will face questions because of his past connections to the Nazi Party in WWII. As a youth, he joined the Hitler Youth Corps and later served in an anti-aircraft unit as a helper. I'm not much concerned about him joining the Youth Corps. During WWII, that was nearly compulsory for German youth. Later, he was drafted into the Army and that's where he worked in the anti-aircraft unit. Fairly normal for the Germany Army during the end days of WWII. When he was enlisted as a soldier, he barely finished basic training before the war ended. I'm much more concerned with what he's done with his life since then.

He appears to be a traditionalist, along the lines of Pope John Paul II, and something of a hard-liner. He served John Paul II since 1981 as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. In that position, he disciplined church dissidents and upheld church policy against attempts by liberals for reforms. He will face issues such as the sex scandals that have plagued the church, not only in the Untied States, but elsewhere, coping with the shortage of nuns and priests, and finding ways to bring the masses back to the church they feel indifferent and irrelevant.

Definition of Sexual Predator

Doyle asked about the difference between Sexual Offenders and Sexual Predators. Here is the definition from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement regarding Sexual Predators.

Repeat sexual offenders, sexual offenders who use physical violence, and sexual offenders who prey on children are sexual predators who present an extreme threat to the public safety. Sexual offenders are extremely likely to use physical violence and to repeat their offenses, and most sexual offenders commit many offenses, have many more victims than are ever reported, and are prosecuted for only a fraction of their crimes. This makes the cost of sexual offender victimization to society at large, while incalculable, clearly exorbitant.

There is a difference between an Offender and a Predator, but both have been convicted of sexual offenses.

More can be found here, you should read the guidelines. And here you can find out if there are any Sexual Offenders or Predators in your area. None in my immediate area, but there are 60 in my zip code. A couple are in custody in the County Jail, several have absconded from probation (they could be anywhere), and at least one has been deported.

Just Saying

"The American people need to see us protect our borders and enforce our laws. And then, they'll be willing to talk about a guest-worker program."

- House Majority Leader Tom DeLay

Amen! As I've said many times, I have no problem with legal immigrants. I'm all in favor of a guest-worker program when the guest-worker is here legally and the legality is not by act of Congress. I just can't gleefully welcome with open arms anyone who is in this country breaking our laws the very first minute they step onto American soil.

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"If you're wondering why there's so little grass-roots support to date for the president's (Social Security reform) plan, it's because the focus has been on green-eyeshade issues such as solvency, transition costs, unfunded liabilities and rates of return. Actuaries to the barricades! Seriously, this should be an emotional issue about liberty and opportunity, not solvency dates."

- Ed Crane, President of the Cato Institute

I don't know that there is little grass-roots support for the Social Security plan. Patrick Ruffini writes about a FoxNews poll that shows that 60% of the American public supports PRA's. Dems and MSM don't like the idea of taxpayers having any control over their own retirement future so they deliberately frame the question so that the poll skews against reform. It's all in how you ask the question and get the result you want.

************************************************************

Here’s an article by Ben Stein in American Spectator about why we should support Tom DeLay. He’s done nothing wrong, nothing illegal or immoral. He’s done nothing that a dozen or more other members of Congress haven’t done.

And for the record, it’s not all right to do something just because “everyone else is doing it.” If everyone else is doing it, then everyone is wrong. Don’t you remember hearing your parents saying that? Or saying it to your own kids? My point being, you can’t selectively punish one person when everyone is doing it. And sorry, “making an example” of one person doesn’t cut it either unless everyone stops. Everyone needs to stop doing whatever “it” is and either all are punished or none are.

I don’t care if he’s Republican or Democrat, if it’s wrong, it’s wrong. If the Democrats don’t want to stop the very practice that they are accusing DeLay of, then they need to sit down and shut up about what DeLay is doing.

Dems Decide to Backpeddle

Hard to believe isn't it? Focus groups have told the Dems that they don't like the stance Dems have taken on Social Security, that it makes the Dems look like "typical politicians." So they're going to soften the line on Personal Retirement Accounts. They won't be quite as insistant the Bush remove PRA's from Social Security reform.

"House Democrats have decided to quit emphasizing that they will not negotiate changes to Social Security until President Bush drops his idea for private accounts. The switch in strategy comes after Democrats learned from focus groups that people frown on the lawmakers for being obstinate.

"People feel like it doesn't show a good-faith effort," said a top House aide, who like several others spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the internal data. "It makes us seem like we're `typical politicians.'"

Democrats say they are united in opposing a plan they contend would break a social contract by shifting Social Security from a government-guaranteed benefit to a personal investment subject to the risks of the market."

"...shifting Social Security from a government-guaranteed benefit...:? Where is it guaranteed? There is no guarantee that taxpayers will get anything.

"...subject to the risks of the market."? Yeah, there are risks involved, but what backs Social Security now? Government bonds. Sorry, but I don't have a lot of faith in G-bonds when the Dems insist on telling us that SS is in a lockbox and that there is a trust fund. Fables that are repeated by the MSM.

"Social Security now takes in more in payroll taxes than it disburses in benefits to about 47 million retirees. But that trend is projected to end in 2017 amid the retirement of the baby boom generation." (emphasis added)

"By 2041, the system will have exhausted a trust fund built up to continue paying full retiree benefits. Then, according to program analysts, payroll taxes will be able to cover only about 72 percent of promised benefits."

"...cover only about 72 percent of promised benefits." Promised? What happened to guaranteed?

All I ask is that if the Dems don't like Bush's proposal, then here's a unique idea: offer one of their own instead of saying "it won't work", "it'll cost too much", "there's nothing wrong that some adjustments won't cure" and so on. Some Dems might actually be thinking about Social Security, but it seems to me that for the most part, these are gut reactions to the fact that 1) it's Bush making the proposal, and 2) those poor dumb taxpayers might actually start thinking for themselves.

Here's the rest of the story from the AP.

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

Your Linguistic Profile:

75% General American English

10% Dixie

10% Yankee

5% Upper Midwestern

0% Midwestern

A fun little quiz, but I have no idea where the Upper Midwest comes from. I would believe Midwestern, and the rest makes sense.

Found at Blogthings

Wise Words from a Former IRS Commissioner

"Congress went beyond merely enacting an income tax law and repealed Article IV of the Bill of Rights, by empowering the tax collector to do the very things from which that article says we were to be secure. It opened up our homes, our papers and our effects to the prying eyes of government agents and set the stage for searches of our books and vaults and for inquiries into our private affairs whenever the tax men might decide, even though there might not be any justification beyond mere cynical suspicion.

The income tax is bad because it has robbed you and me of the guarantee of privacy and the respect for our property that were given to us in Article IV of the Bill of Rights. This invasion is absolute and complete as far as the amount of tax that can be assessed is concerned. Please remember that under the Sixteenth Amendment, Congress can take 100% of our income anytime it wants to. As a matter of fact, right now it is imposing a tax as high as 91%. This is downright confiscation and cannot be defended on any other grounds.

The income tax is bad because it was conceived in class hatred, is an instrument of vengeance and plays right into the hands of the communists. It employs the vicious communist principle of taking from each according to his accumulation of the fruits of his labor and giving to others according to their needs, regardless of whether those needs are the result of indolence or lack of pride, self-respect, personal dignity or other attributes of men.

The income tax is fulfilling the Marxist prophecy that the surest way to destroy a capitalist society is by steeply graduated taxes on income and heavy levies upon the estates of people when they die.

As matters now stand, if our children make the most of their capabilities and training, they will have to give most of it to the tax collector and so become slaves of the government. People cannot pull themselves up by the bootstraps anymore because the tax collector gets the boots and the straps as well.

The income tax is bad because it is oppressive to all and discriminates particularly against those people who prove themselves most adept at keeping the wheels of business turning and creating maximum employment and a high standard of living for their fellow men.

I believe that a better way to raise revenue not only can be found but must be found because I am convinced that the present system is leading us right back to the very tyranny from which those, who established this land of freedom, risked their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor to forever free themselves..."

T. Coleman Andrews. Andrews Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service for three years, from 1953 until 1955.

Found on the Neal Boortz website

Sex Offenders: Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid

The Medical Examiner is still trying to discover the actual cause of death, but we have been told that after an argument at the home, David Onstott put Sarah into a chokehold and she was killed. He then attempted to hide the body. He returned to her home to retrieve a beer bottle (fingerprint evidence) from the home. Leaving the bottle or retrieving it was dangerous as it would place him in the home either way. He may have been hoping that his presence in the home after Sarah was taken would explain any evidence he left. She was found, so that her family can have some measure of closure and begin the healing process.

Now, it’s up to the Sheriff’s office to collect the evidence to sustain the confession. You do realize that he will plead not guilty at his arraignment, don’t you? Just because he confessed doesn’t mean he will plead guilty. That confession will be used as leverage to take the death penalty off the table. He’ll agree to change his plea to guilty for a sentence of life in prison.

Congressman Mark Foley of Florida is on FoxNews now and revealed that sexual offenders have a 90% rate of re-offending. I didn’t know the figure, but I’m not surprised. As I’ve stated before, these people cannot be rehabilitated. Congressman Foley remarked that we track library books better than we track sexual offenders. He also mentioned that Martha Stewart has a monitoring bracelet on her ankle. This is for a conviction of lying to investigators or to the Grand Jury or some such thing. Martha's movements are monitored for a white collar crime. Sex offenders are free to move about at will. Makes sense, doesn't it?

Parents must be aware of security within their own homes. Doors and windows must be locked. The security of your home must be paramount. I’m not pointing fingers or placing blame on parents. I'm just saying that you are the first line of defense for your children.

I think I can predict with a relatively high chance of being correct that sexual offenders nationwide, but particularly in Florida given the atmosphere today, are on notice that changes will be coming. And they may not be pleasant for you.

The Face of a Killer

And before anyone starts in on that "but he's innocent until proven guilty" crap, don't bother. There is nothing anywhere that guarantees that. And, the only place it really applies is in a courtroom. I won't be on a jury for this piece of trash. First of all, I don't live in Hillsborough County, and second, I wouldn't be allowed to sit on that jury. I believe the man is guilty, he's confessed and the circumstances of which I am aware point to him. If circumstances prove otherwise, I will be among the first to say I was wrong. But until then, I have the right to my opinon.

Sarah Michelle Lunde

The Medical Examiner is still trying to discover the actual cause of death, but we have been told that after an altercation at the home, David Onstott put Sarah into a chokehold and she was killed. He then attempted to hide the body. He returned to the home to retrieve a beer bottle (fingerprint evidence) from the home. Leaving the bottle or retrieving it was dangerous as it would place him in the home. Luckily, she was found, so that her family can have some measure of closure and begin the healing process.

Now, it’s up to the Sheriff’s office to collect the evidence to sustain the confession. You do realize that he will plead not guilty at his arraignment, don’t you? Just because he confessed doesn’t mean he will plead guilty. That confession will be used as leverage to take the death penalty off the table. He’ll agree to change his plea to guilty for a sentence of life in prison.

Congressman Mark Foley of Florida is on FoxNews now and revealed that sexual offenders have a 90% rate of re-offending. I didn’t know the figure, but I’m not surprised. As I’ve stated before, these people cannot be rehabilitated. Congressman Foley remarked that we track library books better than we track sexual offenders. He also mentioned that Martha Stewart has a monitoring bracelet on her ankle. This is for a conviction of lying to investigators or to the Grand Jury or some such thing.

Parents also must be on notice that they must be aware of security within their own homes. Doors and windows must be locked. I’m not pointing fingers or placing blame on the parents, but parents are the first line of defense for their children.

I think I can predict with a relatively high chance of being correct that sexual offenders nationwide, but particularly in Florida given the atmosphere today, are on notice that changes will be coming.

Sarah Lunde

It's official. The body that was found Saturday afternoon in Ruskin, Florida was that of thirteen year old Sarah Michelle Lunde.

Hillsborough County Sheriff David Gee is asking property owners in the area to be looking for clothing that might belong to Sarah. As I said in a previous post, the area is rough, sandy, swampy in areas, with lots of scrub brush.

A reporter asked Sheriff Gee during the press conference in which he announced that a body was found, when Sheriff Gee expected to make an announcement as to a suspect. Sheriff Gee responded that he would when he was ready to make an arrest. David Onstott is being held on unrelated charges. He is involved in Sarah's disappearance as he used to date Sarah's mother and was in the house at approximately 4:00 am Sunday morning, the day Sarah disappeared.

Onstott is a convicted sexual offender. I'm not saying he's guilty of the crimes involving Sarah, but his appearance in the home at that time of the morning is certainly questionable. He asked Sarah's brother if their mother was home. Maybe my dating experiences were different, but I never had a boyfriend, or any friend for that matter, come to my home at 4:00 in the morning looking for me.

I just saw Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist on Fox. Geraldo Rivera was interviewing him. AG Crist stated that Florida is looking at several ways of resolving the problems involving sexual offenders. One is to develope a web site that would make it easier for people to find out where sexual predators live. Another is to required them to wear monitoring devices, and aother yet is to incarcerate them for longer periods of time.

That's the only real solution. To make sexual offenses life without parole sentences. The only problem with that is that there are people convicted of being sexual offenders who aren't really in that category. One that comes to mind is this example: an 18 year old boy has consensual sex with his 17 year old girlfriend. He can be charged with statutory rape for having sex with an underage child. If he is convicted, he is now a sexual offender. He doesn't fall into the same category as a pedephile or a rapist, and never would fall into either category. So we will have to revisit the laws that describe what constitutes a sexual offender. And that will be a good thing. We shouldn't rush into legislating laws that end up doing something other than what they were intended to do.

Pedophiles, people who want to have sex with children can be men or women. A male pedophile isn't necessarily homosexual, he may prefer girls. We're hearing of more female pedophiles and we've been shocked that they've been teachers. Why should it shock us? Pedophiles want to be around children.

As I understand, pedophiles usually prefer certain ages, elementary age as opposed to middle school age, or vice versa. The one thing I do know is that pedophiles cannot be rehabilitated. They may be able to resist the urge to have sex, but they will never be "cured."

Another thing I know is that we must do something to protect the children of our state and our country. They deserve to be children as long as they can. The deserve to live out their lives without fear. And their parents should not have to go through the horror that too many parents have gone through.

It's our duty as parents, relatives, neighbors, citizens to protect our youngest, most innocent citizens: the children.

Update: David Onstott has confessed to Sarah's murder and has been charged with first degree murder.