This is a diary I have always wanted to write, but have forgotten to. I was reminded to write it because of a diary I submitted earlier this morning  entitled, "Too Generous to 9/11 Victims".

Sunday night on C-SPAN's Q&A program I sat with my mouth gaped wide open and I couldn't believe my ears. Apparently, immediately after the 9/11 attack, Congress established the "9/11 Victim Compensation Fund". The legislation was rushed through much like the Patriot Act and provided funds to the families of 9/11 victims.

I want to thank Tom Cruise for at least bringing up the issue of psychiatry and the legal drugs psychiatrists are allowed to peddle. He has given me a chance to address a big problem in our schools.

You won't hear the politicians talk about it during this next election cycle or anyone else for that matter. It is one of the biggest problems facing our education system. It is the teacher shortage problem from a different perspective.

Most people don't realize that school really doesn't end until the end of July. This week we will close out summer school. Summer school is not just an opportunity for students to catch up, but it is also an opportunity for teachers to earn more money. You can earn almost $4000 for twenty-two days of work. That comes to $175 a day and they still can't get people to work.

I don't have a large gripe with the banks. They provide an important role and service.

Yesterday I wrote a diary about a monster who had sex with his six month old daughter, which lead to the baby dying. Someone responded to the diary by saying they believe President Bush should receive the death penalty or jail time for starting an unneccesary war.

I know my friends in the progressive community will read this diary and disagree with me thouroughly. That's why I like having republicans around because it would be boring if we all agreed on everything. Disagreeing is even more interesting when you do so with people you usually agree with.

Last Friday the House Committee on the Judiciary held another hearing on the Reauthorization of the Patriot Act. If you had the displeasure of watching this spectacle, it was a prime example of how nothing can get done in Washington.

The anti-death penalty crowd is always railing against the horrors of the death penalty.  I agree there are problems with the death penalty. That is why I only support the death penalty in very specific instances.

This diary has been influenced in several ways. I am obviously writing this because of the Memorial Day holiday just past. I am writing this because of the veteran interviewed on local television, who said all he wanted from the public was a "thank you". But, I am also writing this diary in honor of the black soldier. I can't remember the network but, one of them has or will be doing a special on the Greatest American. If I remember correctly from the advertisement, people could call in and vote for their Greatest American.

I am convinced that democrats must compete in every election through the power of ideas. We must be right on the issues already being debated and we must present powerful new ideas. Here is an idea that I hope one day will become the law of the land.

I have heard several conservative talking heads, and republican members of Congress saying  the Republican Party is the majority party. They believe their majority status essentially gives them the right to  stack the federal judiciary with extremist judges. This they argue is a right they earned by winning the White House and majorities in both houses of Congress.

Newt Gingrich likes to play the role of the idea man of the Republican Party. Everytime I see him speaking somwewhere he is talking about ideas. This weekend I saw him on C-SPAN and he was talking about a wide range of issues when he was asked about education.

CNN reported yesterday that Daimler/Chrysler has implemented a new policy. Employees cannot park a foreign car in company parking lots. Isn't this illegal? The Supreme Court has said that when one gives money that is a form of speech. So, when you give your money to Toyota because you like the quality of their cars this is a form of speech. So, Daimler Chrysler is trying to control their employees' speech. Shame on you Daimler/Chrysler!!!!!

It's amazing how the press refuses to report the whole story. This weeekend it was reported that GM lost money this past quarter or are expecting another loss for the second quarter. Immediately the press jumped on the fact that the UAW  medical benefit package adds $1500 to the cost of a GM vehicle. The message was the union is the problem.

Teachers are losing their jobs and I blame President Bush and his emphasis on endless testing through the No Child Left Behind Act.

I was watching C-SPAN recently and they showed a taping of Newt Gingrich in Iowa or New Hamsphire on a local talk show. He was there to begin his run for the republican nomination. He said a lot of junk( I'm paraphrasing) like the dems do not have any ideas. He said we are bankrupt of ideas and that the republicans were on the cutting edge of great ideas(like school vouchers,private accounts and some more mess the country has rejected). The one thing he did say that rang true was the power of ideas and the party that has the best ideas will win. Today I want to put forward some ideas that will appeal to the people we need to attract back to the party.