As a long-time visitor to Capitol Hill Blue and one-time avid participant on this site, I feel compelled to comment on the ongoing controversy concerning "censorship" on this site.

While I won't argue whether or not the publisher of this site has the right to censor or remove content - he most certainly does - I will question the wisdom and motive behind some content removal.

Since Obama is now the presumptive Democrat nominee and McCain the presumptive Republican nominee, not much attention has been paid to yesterdays's Idaho primary.

...And maybe a shot or two.

I stumbled upon Capitol Hill Blue some five years ago, having caught a link to one of Doug's Rants from another website. Since then, I have been a frequent visitor and avid reader.

Signed into law April 24, 2008, the oh-so innocent sounding Newborn Screening Saves Lives Act of 2007 establishes a national database of newborn DNA.

This law establishes collection and warehousing of newborn DNA for scientific research and requires no parental consent or knowledge.

More news from the front lines. It appears Republicans are finally getting around to hating McCain as much as the Democrats do.

I just finished reading Ron Paul's new book, "The Revolution: A Manifesto" (hardcover, Grand Central Publishing, 192 pp) and I have to say that it far exceeded my expectations.

Trevor Lyman, the man behind Ron Paul's "moneybombs" of last fall, has started a new organization to challenge the mainstream media's stranglehold on information and news.

There have been mutterings the last day or so that Ron Paul and Bob Barr will meet soon to discuss a third party run.

For those not familiar with either man I have posted links to their sites.

http://www.ronpaul2008.com/

http://www.bobbarr2008.com/

I came across this man-in-the-street video and thought I would share it with you all.

But first, a word from James Madison...

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/politics/story/2953AF413B298DD2862574100013EE2D?OpenDocument

Like many Americans, rising fuel and food prices have been a growing concern. While our fearless leaders and their media minions tell us the economy is just fine, former Fed chairman Greenspan runs around the world telling everyone else to dump the dollar.

For months, during the most important and competetive phase of the Republican Primary, the one candidate with the knowledge and experience to lead us away from depression was cast aside and literally blacklisted. Now, with the economy on the verge of collapse and the nomination handed to Senator McCain by default, everyone suddenly wants to hear what Ron Paul has to say.

I am a troubleshooter by trade. One cannot diagnosis problems without first knowing how something works under normal conditions, or how it is designed to work.

A basic tenet of troubleshooting is to make a change and consider the outcome. If that change doesn't resolve the issue, or makes it worse, undo that change and try something else.

Occasionally someone else has attempted to resolve the problem by making ill-advised or desperate changes in an attempt to resolve said issue. Many times the only real solution is to reset and start from square one.

Having read most of the blogs and subsequent comments concerning the latest gun-related tragedy, and having participated in a few myself, I noticed the wildly disparate opinions regarding this incident and the purpose of the second amendment.

While these incidents are tragic, there are many reasons, some never to be known, for these types of crimes. I'll not attempt to analyze these reasons here, but I will say this...banning firearms for law-abiding citizens is not the answer. Unfortunately, incidents like these are the assumed risks of life in a free society.

Came across a great video today, and I will share it below. But first a few words. I see many Republicans jumping ship this year and (gasp!) looking at the Democrats (Obama) as some kind of protest thing. I see many more suggesting we abandon the party altogether and start a third party.

In the first debate in California last year, every one of the candidates were tripping over themselves to throw Reagan's name out there. All but one, that is.