Put aside, if you are able, the fact that guest dignitaries do not take political pot shots at the country they are visiting. (which is not so easy). Put aside the fact that President Barak Obama encouraged this anti-American rhetoric.

What makes Calderon's statements ludicrous and hypocritical is the fact that Mexican law is not all that different from Arizona's law. Mexico’s National Catalog of Foreigners tracks all outside tourists and foreign nationals. A National Population Registry tracks and verifies the identity of every member of the population, who must carry a citizens’ identity card. Visitors who do not possess proper documents and identification are subject to arrest as illegal aliens.

That’s from a 2006 study on Mexican immigration law, some of which is now out of date. For instance, Calderon was right when he told CNN yesterday that it’s no longer a criminal offense, as it was until last year, to be caught illegally inside the country. Mexican lawmakers changed that in 2008 to make illegal immigration a civil violation like it is in the United States, but their law still reads an awful lot like Arizona’s.

Calderon should be more careful tossing around charges of discrimination until Mexico decides to revisit their own policies. 

Too bad the president did not see fit to mention this in his remarks.

Of the 25 million veterans:

1.7 million The number of veterans who are women.

9.5 million The number of veterans who are age 65 or older.

2.3 million The number of black veterans. Additionally, 1.1 million veterans are Hispanic; 276,000 are Asian; 185,000 are American Indian or Alaska native; and 25,000 are native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander.

8.2 million The number of Vietnam-era veterans. More than 30 percent of all veterans served in Vietnam, the largest share of any period of service. The next largest share of wartime veterans, 3.9 million or fewer than 20 percent, served during World War II.

16% Percentage of Persian Gulf War veterans who are women. In contrast, women account for 5 percent of World War II vets, 3 percent of Vietnam vets and 2 percent of Korean War vets.

32,000 The number of veterans who served during both the Vietnam era and in the Gulf War.

In addition,

Today is the day to thank those veterans for keeping us free and safe. So make that call, take a veteran to lunch and if you see a man or woman in uniform, say thank you.

One such issue is the price regulation of generic drugs. At first blush, the idea appears sound, and if fact could be sound if implimented as intended. Major pharmaceutical companies are allowed a 20-year patent on drugs, which begins with clinical trials, effectively giving the companies seven to 12 years of exclusive rights to the medication. After that time, other comapanies are allowed to produce generic versions of the medication, containing identical active ingredients at, theoretically, lower costs.

Once a brand drug comes off patent, generic equivalents quickly emerge, but they cost far more than they need to because of FDA over-regulation and other factors driven mostly by greed.

Many health insurance companies require their clients to purchase generics when available, which has helped lead to companies which produce generics to inflate the price of some medications to an even higher price tag than their name brand counterparts. The hope is that many companies will produce the same generic medications, thus prompting competition. But sadly, this often is not the case. Tempted by a system which requires the purchase of generics, prices remain inflated, thus creating an ever greater burden on consumers.

The reason for high-priced generics is not because the active ingredients are expensive. On the contrary, compared with complicated nutrient extracts, the ingredients in drugs are usually synthetic chemicals that cost less than pennies a day. The culprit behind overpriced generic drugs is an archaic regulatory environment that functions to protect pharmaceutical financial interests, forcing consumers to pay artificially inflated prices for their generic medications, coupled with makes of generic drugs who see a consumer base ripe for the picking.

So as the health care debate rages on, it is time to turn our attention to things which can be fixed more quickly and with less partisan politics. New regulations requiring generic medications to reveal the cost of production of the almost-as-good medications would be a start, followed quickly by price regulations which reflect such production costs.

The annual cost of prescribed medication has more than doubled since the late 1990s to nearly $200 billion last year. Curbing these costs through regulating the cost of generic drugs would be one step in the right direction.

NEXT: Health Care Regulations Cripple Care

No question the combination of growth and the lack of countywide zoning has created some strange population densities across the county. There are numerous places in incorporated areas where subdivisions back up to farm land and other open acreage creating the potential for problems during hunting season or other times when someone may be target shooting on their property. Anderson County Sherfiff John Skipper reported to council that 982 shots fired incidences were called in during the past year, with only 276 leading to further investigation. But just because no serious injuries or deaths have been reported, council was also correct to aks for further study on thei issue, particularly in relation to those areas of dense population growth.

Meanwhile laws are already in place to take care of those who are reckless, careless or malevolent with firearms in Anderson County. Aggressive inforcement of such laws is a far more reasonable approach to the problem than infringing on the rights of the overwhelming number of our neighbors who who are responsible gun owners and do not deserve such restrictions on their own property.

Hard to imagine any thoughtful process which would have led to the conclusion that all state agencies provide comparably essential services. Take a look at the list for yourself and decide http://sc.gov/Portal/OrgList.aspx

Some, such as the Board of Cosemtology, were scheduled to sunseted in the 1980s, but remain due to bobtailing legislation and special considerations. Meanwhile other agencies, such as the state Fire Academy receives the same level of reduction in budget. The cut will also cut another $85 million from the state's public schools.

The cuts also mean more problems for colleges, health care and prisons. In a little more than a year, more than $1.3 billion has been slashed from spending as the recession pounded tax collections.

The Board is made up of the Governor, the Treasurer, the Comptroller General, the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, and the Chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee.

These members of the budget and control board have had months to consider which agency budgets to trim and by how much. To make across the board cuts reflects a lack of wisdom and leadership at a time we so badly need direction.

If you are one to express your opinion and agree we expect better from this board, let them know. Here is there contact information:

SC Budget and Control Board
Box 12444 · Columbia, SC 29211
(803) 734-2320 | FAX:(803) 734-2117

On Saturday, the "Tour De La France" will offer a 13.74-mile Bicycle trek, which begins at 8 a.m. at La France Elementary School, and a mini-ride of 1.8 miles for beginners and chidren, which begins at the Great Escape and ends at the Anderson County Farmer's Market. Electric City Transit will provide transportation back to the school or the Great Escape.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Cancer Association of Anderson. So dust off your old bike and go register today.

With a simple addendum to the program, the government could have allowed deals to designate the most desirable "clunkers" to be given to non-profit organizations who could have put them into service improving our community.

In an article at japolnik.com, says the "clunkers" are of very little use to recyclers and points out: "points out the current scrap value is $140 a ton, which means a two-ton vehicle is only worth $280 as scrap. Subtract out the estimated cost of $200 to detox the vehicle as required by law and the total value is only $80 per car if nothing can be sold on it."

Read the entire article here.

The $3 billion program helped sell 625,000 new vehicles and certainly took some older less envirnomentally friendly cars and trucks off the road. But better planning could have led to benefits which don't show up ledgers.

Friday night high school football teams snap on their helmets and look to make somebody pay for long two-a-day practices in the summer heat. Marching bands, sweat out the late August night in their uniforms, while the booster clubs crank up concessions stands in support.

Forget the calendar, football is the official kick off to autumn. It is a reminder that before the schedules reach there mid-point, the nights will require light jackets and Denver Downs will have their corn maze ready, fields full of pumpkins.

Hanna is at Westide, Palmetto and Wren are playing at home, BHP is at Laurens, so get out and celebrate the the season. And buy something at the concessions stand.

     There were no big surprises. If you read our story last month, you knew most of what was presented at the meeting. There were the same tensions between the powers that be that have existed for a long time. But there was tension and drama and passion, and those who seemed to mistake the meeting as a soap box for their own agendas, but in end the end no vote on anything. But it was a good community moment, folks coming out on a Monday night to express their opinion or to sit and gather information about our schools. All good.

     No matter where you come down on the particulars - and there were enough hoots, groans and a few cat calls as the night went on - in the end there seemed to be a strong sense of willingness to at least begin to cooperate across district lines by folks who have devoted their lives to education.

     So a tip of the hat to everyone in the room last night for coming out. One more thing that makes our community a special place. (Oh, and there's a county council meeting tonight....)