Kratovil hits the airwaves with biographical spot

... your 10-15% estimate apparently includes big fat bigoted white men only.

Just like the GOP to forget their party contains influential women swing voters who are more independently minded than their male counterparts.

Just keep ignoring and disenfranchising them and see where Kratovil picks up the R votes.

Ombudsman writes, "the Dems have always been proud that their “base” is not comprised of ignorant, fat, bigoted white males."

Yes, I seem to remember those brilliant, tolerant, svelte, diverse luminaries of the Democrat party. Bright lights like Orval Faubus, Harry Byrd, Jim Eastland, J. Lister Hill, John Sparkman, Howell Heflin's Uncle James, etc.

Sure, the Democrats have always had an historical monopoly on intelligence and tolerance.

Seriously, if I wanted to be like Ombudsman or Tolson, I could point out more facts like these - facts about the modern Democrat voters' demographics as regards education, facts about voting results in the recent Democrat primaries when broken down by geography and education (as in, blue collar , white democrats turning their backs on Barack Obama throughout the primary), etc.

I could do that, but I won't. People like Tolson or Ombudsman would be immune to such facts - it's much more convenient for them to live within the glass-lined fantasy homes they've constructed for themselves.

More stones, Gentlemen?

Mr. Kratovil is so busy trying to make himself and Eastern Shore native that he hopes no one will remember he got his start in Prince Georges County under the wing of Steny Hoyer. In the House Kratovil will be Hoyers boy.

ha! here is the shore man again! He is:

1) a white male
2) attended little or no college
3) has a beer belly
4) has a bogeyman for every occasion EXAMPLES: can't read (genetics); pudgy, bloated, purple face (genetics); sagging US economy (liberals, emancipation proclamation);
5) woefully misinformed about even important, basic information such as: What is the Emancipation Proclamation?

I'm not even really commenting on the story...you just need a hobby or something JL. Those might be the longest most bloviating (hat tip to O'Reilly there) comments I've ever read.

1. Read the bill. It did not call for an amnesty. If you don't want to read the whole thing, here is a summary prepared by the non-partisan Congressional Research Service, a divison of the Library of Congress:

Congressional Research Service Summary

The following summary was written by the Congressional Research Service, a well-respected nonpartisan arm of the Library of Congress.
5/9/2007--Introduced.
Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007 - Sets forth border security and enforcement provisions, including provisions respecting: (1) personnel and asset increases and enhancements; (2) a National Strategy for Border Security; (3) border security initiatives, including biometric data enhancements and a biometric entry-exit system, document integrity, and mandatory detention of aliens apprehended at or between ports of entry; (4) Central American gangs; (5) cooperation with Mexico; (6) National Guard support on the southern border; and (7) extension of the Western Hemisphere travel initiative.
Border Law Enforcement Relief Act of 2007 - Authorizes a border relief grant program for a tribal, state, or local law enforcement agency in a county: (1) no more than 100 miles from a U.S. border with Canada or Mexico; or (2) more than 100 miles from any such border but which is a high impact area.
Sets forth interior enforcement provisions, including provisions respecting: (1) alien terrorists; (2) alien street gang members; (3) illegal entry and reentry; (4) passport and immigration fraud; (5) criminal aliens; (6) voluntary departure; (7) detention and alternatives; (8) criminal penalties; (9) alien smuggling; (10) tribal lands security; (11) state and local enforcement of immigration laws; (12) expedited removal; (13) alien protection from sex offenders; and (14) the justice prisoner and alien transfer system.
Makes it unlawful to knowingly hire, recruit, or refer for a fee an unauthorized alien.
Establishes in the Treasury the Employer Compliance Fund.
Provides for additional worksite and fraud detection personnel.
Provides for a report examining the impacts of the current and proposed annual grants of legal status, including immigrant and nonimmigrant status, along with the current level of illegal immigration, on U.S. infrastructure and quality of life.
Establishes a temporary guest worker program (H-2C visa). Provides: (1) that the Secretary of Homeland Security (Secretary) shall determine H-2C eligibility; (2) for a three-year admission with one additional three-year extension; (3) issuance of H-4 nonimmigrant visas for accompanying or following spouse and children; (4) for U.S. worker protection; (5) for implementation of an alien employment management system; and (6) establishment of a Temporary Worker Task Force.
Expands the S-visa (witness/informant) classification.
Limits the L-visa (intracompany transfer) classification.
Expands the visas waiver program to include on a probationary basis a European Union (EU) country that is assisting the United States in Afghanistan or Iraq and whose participation does not compromise U.S. law enforcement interests.
Fairness in Immigration Litigation Act of 2007 - Sets forth provisions respecting remedies for immigration legislation.
Sets forth backlog reduction provisions respecting: (1) family-sponsored and employment-based immigrant levels; (2) country limits; (3) immigrant visa allocations; (4) minor children; (5) shortage occupations; (6) student and advanced degree visas; (7) children of Filipino World War II veterans; (8) powerline workers; (9) aliens of extraordinary artistic ability; and (10) Haitian children.
Securing Knowledge, Innovation, and Leadership Act of 2007 or the SKIL Act of 2007 - Exempts from the annual H-1B (specialty occupation) visa cap an alien who has: (1) earned a master's or higher degree from an accredited U.S. university; or (2) been awarded a medical specialty certification based on post-doctoral training and experience in the United States.
Revises certain: (1) student visa provisions; and (2) labor certification provisions.
Prohibits immigration application approval until background and security checks have been completed and any fraud allegations have been resolved.
Hurricane Katrina Victims Immigration Benefits Preservation Act - Authorizes special immigration status, and related benefits, for qualifying aliens who died, were disabled, or lost employment as a direct result of Hurricanes Katrina or Rita, and for certain of their family members.
Immigrant Accountability Act of 2007 - Provides permanent resident status adjustment for a qualifying illegal alien (and the spouse and children of such alien) who has been in the United States for five years and employed (with exceptions) for specified periods of time.
Authorizes mandatory departure and immigrant or nonimmigrant reentry for a qualifying illegal alien who has been present and employed in the United States since January 7, 2004. Establishes a three-year mandatory departure status, and sets forth immigration prohibitions and penalties for failure to depart or delayed departure.
Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a state impact assistance grant program to provide health and education services to noncitizens.
Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits, and Security Act of 2007, or AgJOBS Act of 2007 - Establishes a pilot program (Blue Card program) for adjustment to permanent resident status of qualifying agricultural workers who have worked in the United States during the two-year period ending December 31, 2005, and have been employed for specified periods of time subsequent to enactment of this Act.
Revises the H-2A (temporary agricultural worker) program.
Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act of 2007 or the DREAM Act of 2007 - Eliminates denial of an unlawful alien's eligibility for higher education benefits based on state residence unless a U.S. national is similarly eligible without regard to such state residence. Authorizes cancellation of removal and adjustment to conditional permanent resident status of certain alien students who are long-term U.S. residents.
Sets forth the conditions for a six-year conditional permanent resident status.
Authorizes the Assistant Attorney General, Office of Justice Programs, to award grants to qualified nonprofit community organizations to educate and support nonprofit agencies, immigrant communities, and other interested entities regarding the provisions of this Act.
Strengthening American Citizenship Act of 2007 - Directs: (1) the Chief of the Office of Citizenship of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to provide grants to assist legal U.S. residents who declare an intent to apply for citizenship in the United States to meet naturalization requirements; and (2) the Secretary to establish an American citizenship grant program for qualified entities to provide civics, history, and English classes to promote the patriotic integration of prospective citizens.
Authorizes the Secretary of State to award a grant to a U.S. land grant university to establish a university-based Mexican rural poverty mitigation program.
Sets forth provisions respecting: (1) additional DHS and Department of Justice immigration personnel; and (2) the Board of Immigration Appeals.
Kendell Frederick Citizenship Assistance Act - Provides that fingerprints provided by a qualifying individual at the time of military enlistment shall satisfy naturalization fingerprint requirements.
Requires the Secretary to establish a toll-free naturalization assistance telephone number for Armed Forces members and their families.
State Court Interpreter Grant Program Act - Provides state courts grants to assist individuals with limited English proficiency to access and understand court proceedings, and allocates funds for a related court interpreter technical assistance program.
Border Infrastructure and Technology Modernization Act - Provides for: (1) a port of entry infrastructure assessment study; (2) a national land border security plan; (3) a port of entry technology demonstration program; and (4) expansion the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism programs along the northern and southern borders.
September 11 Family Humanitarian Relief and Patriotism Act - Provides permanent resident status adjustment or cancellation of removal and permanent resident status adjustment for a qualifying alien who was on September 10, 2001, the wife, child, or dependent son or daughter of a lawful nonimmigrant alien who died as a result of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks against the United States.
Sets forth provisions respecting: (1) noncitizen Armed Forces membership; (2) surveillance programs, including aerial and unmanned aerial surveillance; (3) a Northern Border Prosecution Initiative; (4) reimbursement of Southern Border State and county prosecutors for prosecuting federally initiated drug cases; (5) screening of municipal waste; (6) border security on federal land; and (7) parole and status adjustment relief for qualifying widows and orphans.
Initial Entry, Adjustment, and Citizenship Assistance Grant Act of 2007 - Authorizes the Secretary to award initial entry, status adjustment, and citizenship assistance grants to qualifying community-based organizations.
Amends the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 to extend the travel document plan deadline.
States that English is the national language of the United States. Requires the government to preserve and enhance the role of English as the national language of the United States.
Amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish the Office of Internal Corruption Investigation.
Directs the Secretary to adjust to permanent resident status specified asylee applicants who are members of a persecuted religious minority.
Intercountry Adoption Reform Act of 2007 or the ICARE Act - Establishes an Office of Intercountry Adoptions within the Department of State to be headed by the Ambassador at Large for Intercountry Adoptions.
Sets forth Office functions, including: (1) approval of family to adopt (divided into U.S. regions); (2) child adjudication; (3) family services; (4) international policy development; and (5) administration and enforcement.
Revises provisions for automatic citizenship for children born outside the United States, including adopted children.
Establishes a nonimmigrant W-visa for an adoptable child coming to the United States for adoption by a U.S. citizen and spouse jointly or by an unmarried U.S. citizen at least 25 years of age who has been approved by the Office of International Adoption of the Department of State.
Sets forth adoption-related enforcement and penalty provisions.

And if you didn't see a call for amnesty there, try this summary from Project Vote Smart:

# The following summary was for the Cloture Vote for this bill on 2007-06-07. The bill may have changed since then.
# -Increases the number of full-time border patrol positions by 11,600 by 2012 [Sec. 101].
# -Authorizes the construction of 370 miles of border fencing, as well as 500 miles of vehicle barriers along the border between the United States and Mexico [Sec. 106].
# -Authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security to require aliens departing the United States to provide fingerprints, as well as their immigration status, and authorizes the Secretary to use such data in determining admission status of aliens [Sec. 128].
# -Authorizes the governor of any state along the southern land border of the United States to order National Guard units to duty for the purpose of securing the border [Sec. 133].
# -Extends the deadline for implementing the Western Hemispheric Travel Initiative, which requires a passport or passport card for all travel to Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean, to June 1, 2009 [Sec. 135].
# -Provides criminal penalties ranging from five to twenty five years in prison for those who illegally produce or use immigration documents, marry for the purpose of avoiding immigration law, or attempt in any way to defraud immigration law [Sec. 208].
# -Provides for the monitoring and criminal prosecution of employers who hire undocumented aliens [Sec. 303-305].
# -Establishes the H2C visa, allowing the Secretary of State to authorize up to 200,000 non-immigrants per year who demonstrate an intention to perform certain types labor or services [Sec. 403].
# -Establishes a special immigrant status for those aliens directly affected by Hurricane Katrina [Sec. 541-545].
# -Allows for the adjustment to Permanent Resident status for illegal aliens who have been in the United States for a period exceeding five years, and employed for three of the established five [Sec. 601].
# -Establishes a Deferred Mandatory Departure status, granted to undocumented aliens who have presented materials establishing them as having been and employed in the United States since January 7, 2004. [Sec. 601].
# -Establishes a pilot program issuing blue cards to undocumented agricultural workers that provide for ten months of temporary residence [Sec. 611-614].
# -Provides for undocumented minor graduates of high schools or recipients of a General Education Degree to receive conditional permanent resident status, allowing for six years of residency. Allows for the immigrant to receive federal educational financial aid [Sec. 621-632].
# -Establishes a grant fund to assist legal residents in achieving citizenship, and establishes the U.S. Citizenship Foundation with the goal of helping people achieving citizenship [Sec. 643].
# -Provides that non-citizens should not be denied the opportunity to serve in the armed forces, and that non-citizens who serve will receive citizenship after two years of active-duty service and demonstration of basic citizenship skills [Sec. 751]
# -Declares English as the National Language of the United States of America and provides for its sustainability [Sec. 765].
# -Instructs the Department of the Interior to open access to the public, with reasonable security regulations, to the Statue of Liberty [Sec. 776].

2. OK, the Heritage Foundation knows more than the U.S. Department of Energy. Uh-huh. They do point out, however, that 55% of the OCS sites in question are off the coast of California, whose Republican Governor and Democratic majority legislature have agreed is off limits.

3. I doubt it is a one for one ratio, but I do not deny that there is plenty of governmental waste. At the same time I would think we want our legislators to help fund worthy projects in our districts that might not get put in a budget by the executive branch. Which of the earmarks for Maryland that I posted earlier would you cut?

Here's a couple more earmarks that were one big toilet flush - $98 million for a Northrop Grumman project to develop an aircraft sensor suite, from Sens. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Mel Martinez (R-Fla.), and Chambliss was a part of another bipartisan group of lawmakers who also requested allocating $497 million to United Technologies, Lockheed Martin and Pratt & Whitney for "advanced procurement or line close down costs." Right. It seems that those who scream the loudest about free markets are the first ones to line up at the trough for Defense Department related earmarks.

Tell Chrissy that before he sends out talking points to all you guys, he needs to know what he is talking about in the first place.

I just love how three different people post the exact same thing, two here and Albero.

The Xerox machine must be working overtime in Bel Air tonight.

Pitiful.

Nice to see you read Joe Albero's nonsense. This was the guy that a couple of weeks ago endorsed Kratovil. He off his meds again?

#1 - Not all earmarks are wasteful spending. The Alaskan "bridge to nowhere" is a perfect example of flushing the public's tax dollars down the toilet - a bad earmark. Here is a list of earmarks for Maryland:

Amount City Description
$600,000 Baltimore Kennedy Krieger Institute, for facilities and equipment
$600,000 Caroline County Ridgely, Caroline County, MD, for curriculum and program development, staff and consultants, communications devices, and technical support
$600,000 Glen Burnie Community Health Integrated Partnership, for an electronic patient record system
$500,000 Arnold Anne Arundel Community College for facilities and equipment for health professions education
$500,000 Leonardtown St. Mary's County Public Schools for a mathematics , science, and technology academy
$500,000 Baltimore American Oncologic Hospital of Fox Chase Center in Philadelphia and the University of Maryland Greenebaum Cancer Center in Baltimore, for facilities and equipment for the American Russian Cancer Alliance
$400,000 Baltimore Baltimore Medical Systems for facilities and equipment for a new health center in Southeast Baltimore
$350,000 Rockville Montgomery County for facilities and equipment for the Montgomery Cares health care program
$300,000 Baltimore Baltimore Pediatric HIV Program for facilities and equipment
$300,000 Baltimore Maryland State Department of Education, for a study on teacher education (in reading instruction) in Maryland
$300,000 Towson Towson University for an education partnership with the City of Baltimore, Baltimore City Public School System and the Cherry Hill, MD community
$250,000 Frederick Hood College for bioinofrmatics programs
$250,000 Randallstown Northwest Hospital Center for facilities and equipment
$250,000 Silver Spring Pulmonary Hypertension Association for public education and outreach
$250,000 La Plata College of Southern Maryland, for its Partnership for the Advancement of Construction and Transportation Training Project
$250,000 Baltimore Baltimore City Board of Commissioners, for a teacher professional development initiative
$200,000 Clinton International Rett Syndrome Association for education and awareness programs regarding Rett Syndrome
$200,000 Upper Marlboro Melwood Horticultural Training Center, for workforce analysis and services to place individuals with developmental disabilities into competitive employment
$200,000 Rockville Adventist HealthCare for facilities and equipment
$200,000 Silver Spring Holy Cross Hospital, for facilities and equipment
$200,000 Bowie Bowie State University, for establishment of a Principal's Academy Institute
$200,000 Bethesda CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation for disease diagnosis, education and outreach
$150,000 Bethesda Suburban Hospital Health Care System for health information technology
$150,000 Hagerstown Antietam Healthcare Foundation for facilities and equipment
$150,000 Baltimore Expand buprenorphine treatment services at the Baltimore City Health Department
$150,000 Baltimore Best Buddies Maryland, for mentoring programs for persons with intellectual disabilities
$100,000 Largo Prince George's County Health Department for mental health services through wellness centers in high schools
$100,000 Largo Prince George's Community College for technology upgrades
$50,000 Hyattsville Safe Haven Access Centers in Stark County, OH for the Children's Rights Council

Now maybe there are a few things on that list that are wasteful spending, maybe all of them are wasteful in your eyes. In June, Roscoe Bartlett said he would defend any of his earmarks.

“Unfortunately, a few unwise people in Congress abused earmarks, so they have a bad reputation,” he said. “Most earmarks are for worthwhile projects.”

There is a difference between "earmarks" and "wasteful spending." It's like former Supreme Court Just Potter's definition of pornography - "I know it when I see it."

You can clearly be in support of certain earmarks and against wasteful spending. They are not mutually exclusive, unless one is trying to win an argument on the flimsiest of evidence.

#2 - Kratovil did not say he supported "amnesty" for illegals

Here are the couple of paragraphs from the Star-Democrat to which you are referring, and which I would bet dollars to donuts (not as good a deal as it once was) you didn't bother to look up yourself:

All three agreed that they would have voted in favor of the immigration compromise bill which did not pass in 2007. The compromise was reasonable, Kratovil said.

"We are clearly a nation of immigrants but also a nation of laws," Kratovil said.

Immigration also deals with the fundamental issue of paying workers a decent wage, Kratovil said. While some businesses need foreign workers, big businesses should not use workers on visas just because they don't want to pay Americans a decent wage, he said.

The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007 was crafted by none other that Republican presidential nominee John McCain, Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., Sen. Ken Salazar, D-Colo., Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., and Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass.and was introduced by Democrat Harry Reid. It was warmly embraced by President Bush. It did not call for amnesty, but rather a long path towards citizenship, spanning 13 years, unlike the amnesty program Republican demigod Ronnie Reagan let slip by. Who was most vocally against it? Sens. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., Jeff Sessions, R-Ala, Sen. David Vitter, R-La (probably because it wouldn't allow in more hookers) and four Democratic senators - Byrd, Nelson, Dorgan and Stabenow.

Both the left and the right attacked the bill, which probably means it was a good one.

Before you swallow Albero's soundbite, read what Kratovil has had on his webpage for a long time and see if you don't agree with the majority - if not all - of what he says... http://www.kratovil.com/issueImmigration4.html

"Decrease our dependence on Middle East Oil"
Drill here, drill now, pay less is the greatest lie in politics since "I did not have sex with that woman."

First of all, you cannot depend on a depleting asset produced domestically to replace a depleting asset produced in the Middle East. Once is is pulled out of the ground and used, it is gone forever. Drilling ANWR and the OCS could not commence for at least 12 years, and then it would take an additional 20-30 years to deplete these relatively modest fields. I encourage you to read this report prepared by the U.S. Department of Energy http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/aeo/otheranalysis/ongr.html The answer to our long-term self reliance on renewable energy comes from sources that Andy Harris has steadfastly voted against in his 10 years allegedly serving the people of his State Senate district. You and Albero and Chrissy-boy Meekins can call Kratovil a fraud or a liar as much as you want, but it is Harris and only Harris who has demonstrated a total lack of interest in supporting efforts to create or support the development of domestic renewable energy sources.

Finally your concern about the slogan
Dang, you (or rather Joe Albero) got me. Frank Kratovil is indeed a registered Democrat.

And it's not that I have too much time on my hands. Got plenty of things that I would rather be doing. But an electorate that would rather listen to soundbites and talk radio than actually try and learn something on their own gives us the likes of George Bush for 8 years, so I am doing my part for democracy.

While PolitickerMD does a generally good job supplying news Marylanders might not get from other sources, Reiter and the author of this article have not yet learned that you cannot let lies - or to be generous, let's call them "outrageously undocumented assertions" - go unchallenged.

Time and time and time again, PoltickerMD allows Chrissy-boy to twist and turn everything away from reality and into his own little version of the big lie.

"Either Kratovil has a short-term memory, or he is intentionally misleading the voters in the 1st District," said Harris campaign manager Chris Meekins, adding that the Democrat possesses a “radical liberal Washington agenda."

Meekins rebutted all of Kratovil’s pledges in the commercial, saying he supports earmarks, supports “Amnesty” for the undocumented, opposes off-shore drilling and, most of all, is a registered Democrat and not an independent.

Danny and the other folks trying to report the news, try these on for size:

"Chris, what actual evidence do you have to support your oft repeated assertions that Kratovil has "a radical liberal agenda"?

"Chris, can you show me when Frank Kratovil ever suggested "amnesty" for undocumented workers? Oh, you can't? OK, then, why was it OK for Ronald Reagan, but anyone who might suggest it today gets excoriated?"

"Chris, do you have anything to back up your claim that Kratovil supports earmarks? And wasn't it Andy Harris who wants to use federal dollars to constantly replenish Ocean City's beaches?"

Or how about this one - "In all your years as an obstetric anesthesiologist, have you ever place a woman under anesthesia who was to undergo a termination procedure?"

Or "have you or any members of your family ever been involved with pro-life/anti-abortion groups that advocated violence to advance their agenda?"

If there is no credible response to your more pointed questions, you need to stop printing the same assertions over and over again. It is a disservice to your careers and to your website.

If you want to be transcriptionists, I hear they are paying well down at the courthouse. If you want to be reporters, than maybe you should ask some questions so that Chrissy-boy cannot keep lobbing his lies without a forehand smash return.

During the primaries, Joe Biden said that whenever Rudy Guiliani spoke, all that came out of his mouth was "a noun, a verb, and 9-11." With Master Meekins it's a noun, a verb, and (take your pic) "a friend of Martin O'Malley" or "a radical liberal with an extreme agenda." The guy and his candidate are both empty suits.

It is funny Frank Kratovil says he is effective and works every day to protect families. The only thing Frank Kratovil has been effective at doing is having the taxpayers of Queen Anne's County continue to pay him as a full-time employee when he is out campaign during the day for Congress. Hey Frank - I want my money back.