McConnell: Dems have health votes, but GOP won't give up

Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Saturday conceded the odds of successful passage of healthcare reform appears to favor Democrats, but promised Republicans will keep trying to block it. By J. Taylor Rushing
Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/68985-mcconnell-dems-have-votes-to-pass-reform-but-gop-wont-stop-opposing

Political Shell Games Will Change the Entire Game

The Bluedog Dems who votes yes tonight are playing their own shell game version. It will be simply be nothing more than an attempt to cover their own butts.

By voting yes tonight and submitting to their Democrat bosses they enable the ultimate passage of the health care bill and take over of our country. When they later vote NO on the bill, they'll be able to parade around in their district and say they did the right thing.

They know what they're doing. We know what they are doing.

They are selling their souls for the almighty votes that they hope will keep them safe and allow them to skate back into power.

It's corrupt. It's a corruption of their soul, of their moral compass.

It's corrupt the way Reid and Pelosi can hand out our tax dollars as bribes to garner votes. I knew it was a sick system prior to this, but this rush to kill our country, to get what they want, to ignore the majority of Americans, to put their need for power above what is best for the country they espouse to love, is disgusting, is evil.

I will do whatever I can to help get rid of every single person who votes yes tonight. I will do whatever I can to help kick everyone who's in power out of office next year and again in 2012.

I'm not alone. As I talk to friends across the country who've never gotten up off their couches to vote, to be involved, they're saying they will be putting down the remote and getting involved. They may be too late to stop tonight, but here's a warning to every power-hungry, egotistical politician who thinks they know better than the average American system: The people are awake, they are watching, they are getting involved and if there's any way possible they're going to make you have to take a real job come 2010 and 2012.

Global Climate Center Hacked, Confirmed

Earlier today I posted a story abt a global climate group being hacked, emails showed they'd manipulated data... wasn't sure at that point if it was really true. Probably by now most of you know it's been confirmed that it's legit, they were hacked. I popped over to their site & it even has a message saying they're on emergency backup... I bet ol' Al Gore is sweating enough to start his own global warm-up ... Here's the last story I found:

"Global Warming" SCAM - Hack/Leak FLASH

Apparently a "Global Climate Center" was hacked and the contents have been posted to the Internet. A ZIP file exceeding 60MB and containing a huge number of emails and other documents has been posted worldwide.

Original speculation as to whether the files posted were legitimate or some sort of spoof appears to now be confirmed as legitimate:

“It was a hacker. We were aware of this about three or four days ago that someone had hacked into our system and taken and copied loads of data files and emails.”

I have not had time to read all of the material yet (there are over a thousand files involved!) but what I have skimmed looks VERY damning. Contained within the documents are what appear to be admissions of intentional tampering with data as well as intentional falsification of results to "show" man-made global warming.

One of the emails says:

"I’ve just completed Mike’s Nature trick of adding in the real temps to each series for the last 20 years (ie from 1981 onwards) and from 1961 for Keith’s to hide the decline."

That is, to hide a decline in global temperatures.

http://market-ticker.org/archives/1648-Global-Warming-SCAM-HackLeak-FLASH.html

Breaking News Story: CRU has apparently been hacked – hundreds of files released

The details on this are still sketchy, we’ll probably never know what went on. But it appears that University of East Anglia Climate Research Unit has been hacked and many many files have been released by the hacker or person unknown.

UPDATE: Response from CRU in interview with another website, see end of this post.

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2009/11/19/breaking-news-story-hadley-cru-has-apparently-been-hacked-hundreds-of-files-released/

Thanks much to Maria Celeste on Facebook for this one (didn't want to us entire name, blast to the world...). If it turns out to be true, WOW, it's going to be big.

FEMA, floods and Illegals...

My sister's house ended up with 4 feet of water in it during the recent Georgia flood. She thought she was lucky as she had flood insurance. Not.

Turns out flood insurance, which costs her somewhere in the neighborhood of $600 to $700 a year (on top of regular home insurance) has extensive limits. It doesn't cover the repair of fences that are destroyed by trees that are knocked down, or the knocked down trees, ditto with porches, most basements, etc., etc. Her neighbor had just completely built in his basement, furnished it, put in a bathroom, etc. It wasn't covered because it was cinder block or something silly like that... he was in the driveway crying, really crying, after the adjuster left.

The water hit right at the 4ft mark at my sister's house, which means that they wouldn't repair anything above that mark... even though the water soaked up the walls and ruined the upstairs, buckled her new hardwood floors, left mildew all inside the walls up to the ceiling, etc. Half an inch more water and the rest of the house would have been covered I gather!

The kicker is that since she has flood insurance, regular insurance wouldn't cover the other stuff either --- it was flood related.

And FEMA? Well, she has flood insurance... FEMA might have paid for her hotel expenses for a while, but the adjuster (or whatever they're called) thought it was safe for her to live in the place with the mildew, wet, etc. (with a three-year old). Then, after she yelled loud enough (after reading the bit at the end of this post), they said sure they'd give her something normally, but they showed she was trying to sell her house and thus they couldn't. She's not trying to sell her house.

It seems it might have been better off if she didn't have flood insurance because then FEMA would cover more based on what I've heard and read from those affected by the floods.

How's flood insurance work? It's government run. Need I say more? But I will...

The way I understand it, insurance companies simply act as a type of broker for government run flood insurance. You can't buy private flood insurance. Way back when the government started offering flood insurance the insurance companies couldn't compete. They got out of it entirely.

I could regale you with more horror tales from my sister's experience over the past few months, but there's not enough space on the Internet to cover the craziness. It was a real eye-opener for me, and for my sis. It has been the most aggravating part of the flood. She lost so much... photos, years of memories, her school annuals to things passed down through the family to things she was saving for her grandchildren to come. You can't imagine until you've been through something like that just how devastating it can be to sift through a lifetime of gooey, moldy, smelly memories. To have to deal with the government on top of that is like pouring acid into a wound.

I want to leave you with this from FEMA:

If I am an undocumented immigrant, am I eligible for assistance for disaster-related needs?

- Yes, you may be eligible under many different programs run by state and local agencies and voluntary agencies for various types of cash assistance.

If I am an undocumented immigrant, am I eligible for any assistance from FEMA?

- You may be eligible for short-term, non-cash, emergency aid provided by FEMA.
- You will not be personally eligible for FEMA cash assistance programs (Individuals and Households Program Assistance); however, you may apply on behalf of your U.S. citizen child, or another adult household member may qualify the household for assistance.
- Even if you or your family does not qualify for FEMA cash assistance (Individuals and Households Program Assistance), please call FEMA at 1-800-621-3362 or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY for hearing/speech-impaired) for information and to be referred to other programs that can assist you regardless of your immigration status.

If I am an undocumented immigrant, can I apply on behalf of my child who was born in the United States?

- You can apply on behalf of your minor child (under 18 years of age) for FEMA cash assistance (Individuals and Households Program Assistance) if you live together.
- You will not have to provide any information on your immigration status or sign any documents regarding your status.

Good compilation of many Obama promises re: bringing troops home

Remember this Obama promise?

CMS: House health bill will hike costs $289B

The House-approved healthcare overhaul would raise the costs of healthcare by $289 billion over the next 10 years, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan, independent Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/house/67791-cms-house-health-bill-will-hike-costs-289b

Multi-million pound UK company imposes "toilet tax" to save expenses!

A multi-million pound company in the UK has come up with an "outrageous" plan to save expenses - workers are charged on the amount of time they spend in the restroom and their salary is deducted accordingly.

Although, Dunbia, the Ulster-based meat supplying company says the scheme was implemented due to health and safety issues and an additional allowance was being given to cover the "toilet tax, some of the 300 people employed with the firm are disappointed that it is costing them nearly 30pounds a week to answer the nature's call.

http://newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/133065

Thanks to Paul R. Green on Facebook for finding & sharing this one...

Milton Friedman - Socialism vs. Capitalism

Here's a debate starter...

It Isn't Political Correctness, It's Shariah

In surveying the cultural carnage in the wake of the worst terrorist attack on a military installation in US history, it bears noting that there have been seismic shifts in America. When America was free of the shackles of Islam, say, fifty years ago, the current response to such an attack by an enemy faction would have been unthinkable.

I have watched in abject horror the stunning reaction of elites in this country to this act of war. The denial, the submission, the excuses, the dodging, the self-flagellation, the shame, the deceiving of the American people by the media, the military, society, law enforcement, authorities and politicians, all the way up to and including the White House, amounts to the enforcement of Shariah law.

Shariah law forbids criticism of Islam. And here we are.

American Thinker, by Pamela Geller: http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/11/it_isnt_political_correctness.html

Connect the HUGE dots...

Scan the news and it's obvious where this president (with a little p, I don't think he deserves a cap) is trying, and succeeding to some degree, to take our country. Read thru the pelosi-care bill... it's all about dropping the government right into the middle of our homes, our privacy, our freedom. Look what is being done with the porkulus bill. Government Motors. Union involvement in White House policies. Union thugary. The Obama Czars. Salaries for free-market companies being decided by the government. Cap and Tax. Uh, uh, uh, Barack Hussein Obama. Going after Fox News. The list goes on so long I can't begin to recite it all.

It's been less than a year and look where we are. Imagine what the future will bring if we don't stop this march to socialism, to government intrusion and take over? I shudder.

Here's the latest (for the moment):

Bill gives Fed new power to police risk
The Federal Reserve stands to gain substantial new authority under financial reform legislation, despite increasing skepticism from lawmakers in both parties over the central bank’s unchecked powers over the U.S. economy.
Under the final piece of the House reform package being assembled by Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank, the Fed would join seven other regulators to form an oversight council to police financial firms that threaten the stability of the banking system.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1109/29338.html

Wake Up America!!! Pay attention. Look at those you're going to elect next year closely. Get to know them. Start watching the news, reading the news, sign up for Twitter, Facebook and get on some lists. Look at both sides, don't just immerse yourself in one political party. Step outside your comfort zone politically. Stop swallowing what passes for news on the non-cable stations, get more than sound-bites! Get involved in your community. Start by electing people at the local level who will protect your freedoms. Write letters to the Editor, to your elected Representatives, even to the President if you're brave enough. Again, the list of ways you can have an impact on the country's future are long and varied. Find a way to use your talents, your skills and abilities to help.

You go Rep. Souder! Proud of ya...

Thanks to Gateway Pundit via Vivian on Facebook for sharing this one!http://gatewaypundit.firstthings.com/2009/11/too-funny-rep-mark-souder-busts-pelosi-after-her-sappy-teddycare-speech-on-house-floor-video/

Judicial Watch Obtains New CIA Documents on Terrorist Interrogations

New CIA report concludes: "Detainee reporting accounts for more than half of all HUMINT reporting on al-Qa'ida since the program began..."

Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today that it has obtained new documents from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) regarding the results of the detainee interrogation program. The documents, obtained by Judicial Watch through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed on July 14, 2009, include two new versions of a report previously released to Judicial Watch in August, entitled, "Detainee Reporting Pivotal for the War Against Al-Qa'ida."

These new reports, dated June 1, 2005 and July 12, 2005, contain some different information than the previously released report, dated June 3, 2005. Notably, the June 1, 2005 report concludes that "Detainee reporting accounts for more than half of all HUMINT reporting on al-Qa'ida since the program began..." This fact is missing from the other two later reports.

The June 1, 2005 report also has additional pages of redacted material. All three reports conclude: "One of the gains to detaining the additional terrorists has been the thwarting of a number of al-Qa'ida operations in the United States and overseas."

(The previously released June 3, 2005 report notes "...detainees in mid-2003 helped us build a list of approximately 70 individuals – many of whom we had never heard of before – that al-Qa'ida deemed suitable for Western operations.")

On March 31, 2009, Vice President Cheney personally issued a request to the National Archives Presidential Libraries section for declassification review of the June 1, 2005 and another detainee program report. The Archives then passed on the request to the CIA for review on April 8, 2009. Judicial Watch sought these reports after it became apparent that they would not be released by the Obama administration in a timely fashion. Only last week was the specific June 1, 2005 report that Vice President sought evidently released to Judicial Watch. Vice President Cheney said these documents show the effectiveness of enhanced interrogation techniques that were used on some detained terrorists, such as Khalid Shaykh Muhammad and Abu Zubaydah.

In March, President Obama overruled objections from national security officials and released documents detailing the government's enhanced interrogation program of terrorists (the so-called "torture" memos). However, President Obama initially withheld information detailing the results of this program, including alleged terrorist plots that the program prevented.

"All of these CIA documents come to the same conclusion: Detainee interrogations are effective and have helped save lives in the United States and overseas," said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton. "The Obama administration initially attempted to conceal the effectiveness of detainee interrogations by cherry picking documents to support its view on the interrogation program. We're pleased we have been able to provide the American people with more of the truth about the effectiveness of terrorist detainee interrogations."

Note: Thanks to Cheryl for tagging me on this one! - Janet

PELOSI: Buy a $15,000 Policy or Go to Jail

JCT Confirms Failure to Comply with Democrats’ Mandate Can Lead to 5 Years in Jail

Today {Friday}, Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Committee Dave Camp (R-MI) released a letter from the non-partisan Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) confirming that the failure to comply with the individual mandate to buy health insurance contained in the Pelosi health care bill (H.R. 3962, as amended) could land people in jail. The JCT letter makes clear that Americans who do not maintain “acceptable health insurance coverage” and who choose not to pay the bill’s new individual mandate tax (generally 2.5% of income), are subject to numerous civil and criminal penalties, including criminal fines of up to $250,000 and imprisonment of up to five years.

In response to the JCT letter, Camp said: “This is the ultimate example of the Democrats’ command-and-control style of governing – buy what we tell you or go to jail. It is outrageous and it should be stopped immediately.”

Key excerpts from the JCT letter appear below:

“H.R. 3962 provides that an individual (or a husband and wife in the case of a joint return) who does not, at any time during the taxable year, maintain acceptable health insurance coverage for himself or herself and each of his or her qualifying children is subject to an additional tax.” [page 1]
- - - - - - - - - -
“If the government determines that the taxpayer’s unpaid tax liability results from willful behavior, the following penalties could apply…” [page 2]
- - - - - - - - - -

“Criminal penalties

Prosecution is authorized under the Code for a variety of offenses. Depending on the level of the noncompliance, the following penalties could apply to an individual:

• Section 7203 – misdemeanor willful failure to pay is punishable by a fine of up to $25,000 and/or imprisonment of up to one year.

• Section 7201 – felony willful evasion is punishable by a fine of up to $250,000 and/or imprisonment of up to five years.” [page 3]

When confronted with this same issue during its consideration of a similar individual mandate tax, the Senate Finance Committee worked on a bipartisan basis to include language in its bill that shielded Americans from civil and criminal penalties. The Pelosi bill, however, contains no similar language protecting American citizens from civil and criminal tax penalties that could include a $250,000 fine and five years in jail.

“The Senate Finance Committee had the good sense to eliminate the extreme penalty of incarceration. Speaker Pelosi’s decision to leave in the jail time provision is a threat to every family who cannot afford the $15,000 premium her plan creates. Fortunately, Republicans have an alternative that will lower health insurance costs without raising taxes or cutting Medicare,” said Camp.

According to the Congressional Budget Office the lowest cost family non-group plan under the Speaker’s bill would cost $15,000 in 2016.
http://republicans.waysandmeans.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=153583