Friday's news and links

Ben Stein has the best column I've read in quite a while.

Howie Carr is concerned how ultra-liberal Deval Patrick would wield the power to issue pardons or grant commutations to violent criminals.

If Deval Patrick is elected governor, he can basically cut loose or at least reduce the sentence of any murderer or rapist he damn well pleases. ...... The modern record for most murder commutations in a single term belongs to Dukakis, with 44. Can Deval beat it? You bet he can - he’s “no ordinary leader.”

Rep. Katherine Harris is questioning her opponent's faith by saying he "votes completely contrary" to Christian principles. Normally, I dislike politicians doing the religious one-up-manship game. Problem is many politicians pander to get votes on election day but don't live their faith once elected. Harris' opponent for the Florida senate race appears to fit that mold.

Nelson is a non-denominational Christian who was baptized Baptist. He grew up attending Baptist and Episcopal churches and joined First Presbyterian Church after moving to Orlando. He has served as chairman and vice chairman of the National Prayer Breakfast and, when in Washington, D.C., attends weekly prayer breakfasts with other elected officials. Nelson issued a statement this week, saying, "My faith is the essence of my being.

That is all well and good, but if you work to keep abortion legal after being elected then don't talk to me about your faith. Don't get me wrong, Rep. Harris is pretty goofy at times and has her flaws. However, as with most elections you are not choosing between perfect and imperfect. No, you're choosing between the lesser of two evils as the saying goes. In any election, the politician that believes killing children is bad is less evil than the politician who thinks it's no big deal.