As we head towards Christmas, and as the world continues to careen to hell in a handbasket, we should all be glad to know that George Bush has the Right priorities for this country. For proof, witness this mornings headlines:
U.S. Stocks Fall on Oil Prices, Jobless Claims; Xilinx Declines
Jobless Claims at Highest Level Since Sept.
Ten Commandments Backed by Bush Administration in Court Fight
Now I am so happy to know that Mr. Bush is out there fighting for me. After all, I don't need food, clothing, shelter, or a career. No, I need the Ten Commandments everywhere. I need Christianity in schools:
Cupertino teacher on Fox talk show: RELIGIOUS BAN DEBATED ON `HANNITY & COLMES'
Why things are going wonderful:
``I'm not bullish about the markets,'' said Susan Fulton, who manages $250 million at WealthTrust-FBB in Bethesda, Maryland. ``The problem with technology is there's not going to be a lot of capital reinvestment -- companies are not going to see the opportunity to grow by investing. We're going to see a slowdown in the economy.''
And wait, there's more!
WASHINGTON - New claims for jobless benefits moved higher last week, a possible sign that employers haven't completely let go of their caution and are looking to cut costs.
The Labor Department reported Thursday that the number of new applications filed for unemployment insurance rose by a seasonally adjusted 8,000 to 357,000 for the week ending Dec. 4. That marked the highest level since late September.
Last week's increase followed a sharp rise in claims - of 25,000 - in the prior week.
The newest snapshot of labor market activity was a bit disappointing to economists. They were forecasting claims to drop to around 335,000 for last week.
Higher energy bills and expensive health-care costs may be taking their toll on some companies - squeezing profits and forcing them to trim workers.
But we are focusing on the right things:
Dec. 8 (Bloomberg) -- The Bush administration, saying that religion ``has played a defining role'' in the nation's history, urged the U.S. Supreme Court to permit Ten Commandments displays in courthouses.
The Justice Department today filed a brief supporting two Kentucky counties accused of violating the constitutional ban on government establishment of religion by posting framed copies of the Ten Commandments.
``Official acknowledgement and recognition of the Ten Commandments' influence on American legal history comport with the Establishment Clause,'' the administration argued in a brief filed with the court in Washington.
And you can be sure that our super-professional fourth estate is on the job:
Nearly 3,000 people packed the Flint Center in Cupertino for a live broadcast Wednesday of Fox News' ``Hannity & Colmes'' talk show featuring Stephen J. Williams, the teacher at the center of a reinvigorated debate about the place of religion in public schools.
Williams, who teaches fifth grade at Stevens Creek Elementary School in Cupertino, reiterated his position that the handouts he gives students with history lessons are a natural part of U.S. colonial history and that he presents God modestly in his class.
``Some people say I'm trying to teach Christianity all of the time in my class, but 99 percent of what I teach is secular,'' Williams, 38, said on the show.
Williams said he is stunned at how the lawsuit he filed against the Cupertino Union School District over restricting his use of religious materials has snowballed.
I'm so glad that in the technology center of the world, we're debating the Right issues. Unemployment? Technology markets sagging because of high energy costs? Nah, we have the Bible to debate!
Thank you Mr. Bush for have the Right priorities in hand as you enter your second coming, er, term.