City Of Chicago To Modernize Outdated Graft Programs

CHICAGO—In an effort to streamline unethical practices and boost illegal profiteering, Mayor Richard M. Daley announced sweeping new plans Monday to overhaul his city's "antiquated" system of graft.
According to Daley, Chicago's once-great fraudulent institutions have grown obsolete, and City Hall is no longer bilking taxpayers out of as much money as it once did.
"It's been business as usual for too long in Chicago, and now it's time to find more efficient ways to misuse authority for personal gain," said Daley, who has served as Chicago's mayor since 1989. "We must modernize our illegitimate activities right now, today, before it becomes impossible for public officials to act in my best self-interests."
Telling City Council members it was inexcusable that Chicago still used such outdated methods as pen and pencil to falsify financial records and conceal kickbacks, Daley called for the purchase of some 10,000 overpriced computers, which he said would allow the city to digitize no-bid contracts, electronically transfer misappropriated funds, and keep better track of who's on the take.
http://www.theonion.com/articles/city-of-chicago-to-modernize-outdated-graft-progra,17140/

Ahhh, you gotta love The Onion... fantastic satire.

Surprise: Obama’s FCC Quietly Proposes Nationwide Internet Tax, Says it Will “Reduce Uncertainty”

The Obama Era has become a protracted, nightmarish Whack-A-Mole game of tax increases and bureaucratic self-enlargement. In sector after sector of American life, another scheme to expand government and wrench more earnings from Americans’ pockets pops up.

Its next targeted sector? The Internet.

Take a look at the following introduction of a nationwide tax upon Internet goods and services, inserted within page 58 of the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) National Broadband Plan released this week:

Digital Goods and Services Taxation

RECOMMENDATION 4.20: The federal government should investigate establishing a national framework for digital goods and services taxation.

http://cfif.org/v/index.php/commentary/62-technology-and-telecom/550-surprise-obamas-fcc-quietly-proposes-nationwide-internet-tax-says-it-will-reduce-uncertainty

Guess we're finding out just how fast a country can change...

I used to read history books and wonder how in the world people "allowed" horrific things to happen in their countries. Unfortunately, I seem to be living through something similar in our own country and I'm finding out just how easy it can happen.

If you're reading headlines and seeing the news stories flash across screens it paints a big picture that is reminding me of Hieronymus Bosch's depiction of the last judgment... crammed full of horrible things to be.

We all know where the health care debacle is taking the country. Then there's the take over of banks, the auto industry, cap & trade, the involvement of the IRS in health care, all the Czars "nudging" and pushing, Obama's way of working around Congress when needed, the new regulations getting ready to hit, the falling / crashing economy, the soon-to-be taxed to death middle & upper class, the amnesty for illegals just around the corner...oh, I could go on and on but most of you are seeing those same headlines and listening to the same news.

It's frightening and what's really scary is how little impact we have on what they are doing in Washington. I used to think that we only mattered on election day in the eyes of politicians. Now I realize that they're finding a way to negate even that little bit of power.

Don't you wonder why we're seeing stories about gun purchases by the IRS? Today I saw a headline about some national / federal education fiefdom buying riot guns or something like that... was in a Ning group, haven't looked it up yet to learn details. Scary, huh?

So, tonight, right before I went to shut down the computer I saw the following fly by on my Facebook page. Had to share.

Forbes: Is a Chavez-Style Media Crackdown Coming to America?

"Many of [Hugo] Chavez’s most ardent supporters here in the U.S. come out of the 'media reform' movement, which believes that our corporate media has been thoroughly co-opted by capitalists bent on destroying the benevolent leadership of the likes of Chavez. They think that our capitalist-plagued media world is in dire need of reform."

So ominously wrote Steve Forbes Wednesday in an article guaranteed to make right-thinking Americans from coast to coast wonder what's next in the Left's plans to control the press.

Read more: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2010/03/25/forbes-chavez-style-media-crackdown-coming-america#ixzz0jFeXwVj7

You know they want to take down Fox News and talk radio. We know they're looking at social networks and the Internet. Saw a few stories a week or so ago about the FBI setting up fake ids on Facebook, friending people so they could monitor them. I'd "assumed" that was already happening... and it's impossible to tell.

Another thing that kind of hit me in the wrong way was hearing about the move to make sure everyone had high speed access to the Internet. Sorry, but shades of Big Brother and 1984? Did anyone see the story in Georgia about the school system that was monitoring students at home via their computers? They turned on the cameras at will to see what kids were doing at HOME.

Now the Dems are implementing another piece of their plan by trying to say we're all violent mobsters ready to unleash on those sweet ol' politicians who're just doing what's best for us (gag). Ya hafta wonder where they were during all the attacks on George Bush... and conservatives... the Union bullies attacking citizens... And where's the media in all this? Talk about inciting chaos, these guys seem to be trying to create an incident.

I seem to stay in a perpetual state of angst these days. I can see it. I know what's happening and all I can do is write, call, fax, go to Tea Party / 912 Project meetings, network with like-minded friends and work to get some decent people elected in November. I think that's our last chance to at least stem the tide. The Dems know it, too, and they're working just as hard at they can to make sure whatever we do in November fails.

OK, nuff. I thought that by writing a bit I'd chill enough to sleep. Instead I think I may have put all this together in a way that'll give me nightmares. I'll never give up hope and I'll be fighting for our country with me last breath. I know most of you will be right there with me on that one!

FRC: White House is Right to be Embarrassed by Executive Order

It's Time to Replace and Repeal Says FRC Action PAC

Today, President Obama signed an executive order regarding federal funding of elective abortion following passage of health care reform legislation.

Family Research Council Action PAC President Tony Perkins made the following comments in response:

"In a stark contrast to yesterday's festivities, White House officials seem embarrassed by their agreement with Congressman Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) and put the ceremony where shady deals belong - behind closed doors. The White House was right to keep the event low-key because the signing doesn't change anything. The order is, as Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards pointed out, 'a symbolic gesture' that has absolutely no bearing on what the legislation does and does not fund.

"The Democratic leadership and these so-called 'pro-life' Democratic members have acted like this country's ruling class, ignoring that they are elected officials and answerable to the people. Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid spent enormous political capital, bent every rule, bribed politicians with taxpayer money, used backroom deals and rejected the will of a majority of the American people.

"The American people have not forgotten the founding principles of faith, family and freedom that make our nation great. Yes, our democratic republic is under direct assault by this bill. But, as we saw countless times over the past year, previously silent Americans have engaged in the political process.

"FRC Action PAC will target for defeat twenty members of Congress including Congressman Bart Stupak. Over the next seven months and on Election Day, our PAC members and the thousands of families we represent will send a powerful message that can't be ignored - 'it's time to replace this Congress, repeal this law and restore our constitutional freedoms'."

Pro-Life Movement Vows to Replace Members from Pro-life Districts Who Voted for the Most Pro-Abortion Bill Ever Passed by Congress

A New Congress Is Needed to Restore Abortion Funding Neutrality

Today the House of Representatives passed the Senate health care bill with a multitude of abortion funding provisions and passed the reconciliation bill to increase funding for one abortion funding program. Neither contained conscience protections previously approved by the House.

Family Research Council Action President Tony Perkins responded with the following comments:

"Passage of this partisan government takeover of health care with all of its Medicare cuts, tax increases, a continued marriage penalty, individual mandates, and abortion funding shows the extreme leftist orientation of this Congress.

"The American people, regardless of their view of its legality, should not be forced to pay for someone's abortion. Those who voted for this legislation cannot legitimately claim to be even neutral on the issue of abortion. This legislation accomplishes this abortion mandate in spades.

"Some Democratic Members who have had good pro-life records in the past turned away from those principles today, instead putting their trust in the most pro-abortion President in history and his equally pro-abortion Health and Human Services Secretary, Kathleen Sebelius. The President knows his promise would not have the weight of statutory law and is not worth the paper it was printed on. Any order from the President will likely quickly fall in the U.S. courts, if not reversed by Barack Obama himself.

"The President's disregard for the unborn is no surprise. It is the betrayal from those who have fought for life within his party that is the biggest shock. Especially Rep. Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) who had fought so valiantly in this debate, but folded when it really mattered.

"FRC Action will seek to defeat many of the Members from majority pro-life districts who voted wrong today, and they will have plenty of free time to realize the grave mistake they have committed on the unborn today with their vote."

This may be the most important action you ever take!!! 72 Hours to "Kill The Bill

If you've never picked up the phone and called your Congressman, now is the time to do it. If you've never emailed or faxed a Congressman inside or outside your district, now is the time to do both. They're saying that all they're getting is support... you know that's a lie. However, phones are jammed, fax machines are overloaded and email inboxes are full. That doesn't mean you should stop trying. It's a simple thing, it's just a little thing... but you will be part of the effort to KILL the BILL and preserve the freedoms you take for granted, the ones that are now facing assault in a final push to slip us over the edge. CALL. FAX. EMAIL. Send smoke signals... go to Washington if you can... camp outside your Congressman's door... 

Here's a message brought to you by the Tea Party Express & American Grassroots Coalition...

72 Hours to "Kill The Bill"

Broad TEA Party Coalition Aligns To Defeat Pelosi-Care

STEP 1: Call Congress and tell them to "Kill The Bill" -

1-877-762-8762 or 1-202-224-3121.  Melt the phone lines folks.  Do not relent.  Do not give up.  The stakes are too high for us to fail.  They want to have the government increasingly take over more and more of our healthcare system.  We must stop them NOW!  Call:  1-877-762-8762 or 1-202-224-3121

STEP 2:  Here's the game plan for the next 72-hours.  If you can get to D.C. this Saturday - please do so.  If you can't, see how else you can help (including calling 1-877-762-8762 or 1-202-224-3121).

WASHINGTON, DC (March 18, 2010) - The past two weeks has seen the "Take The Town Halls To Washington" initiative get nearly 1,000 people to DC to meet with approximately 30 Congressman.  The event culminated in the rally at Taft Park near the Capitol which was sponsored by Tea Party Express.  Over 1,500 people assembled to rally against the healthcare bill and then meet with their representatives.  While the Capitol Police diverted the stage and sound for the park rally, grass roots activists innovated and used a park bench and bull horn to get their message to the attendees!

With the critical nature of a looming Congressional decision, a broad coalition of Tea Party organizations and leadership is launching the final push before a possible vote by the House.  These events are being coordinated across the US and are aimed at communicating the frustration of the people while demanding the termination of this health bill legislation.  While the DNC and the administration continue to obfuscate and confuse, this coalition is focused on getting activists involved prior to Pelosi's maneuvering. 

The following actions are planned for the next 72 hours:

• Massive Phone Campaign to the House by constituents to vote no on the bill.
• "Talk to Washington" healthcare town halls: Mississippi, Pennsylvania & more.
• Code Red rally in Washington, DC at 12 noon on Saturday: Upper Senate Park.
• Nationwide "Virtual Vigil" on BlogTalk radio by DoctorsandPatients.org
• Candlelight vigil around the Capitol on Saturday night

Featured speakers at the Washington, D.C. Rally on Saturday will include:

• Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann (MN)
• Congressman Tom Price (GA)
• Congressman Joe Wilson (SC)
• Actor & Conservative John Voight
• Dr. Milton Wolf, Barack Obama’s second cousin who opposes Obamacare
• Colin Hanna, Let Freedom Ring
• Jim Martin, 60 Plus
• Phil Kerpen, Americans for Prosperity
• Andrew Langer, Institute for Liberty 
• Kathryn Serkes, Doctor Patient Medical Association
• Mark Skoda, Memphis Tea Party
• Amy Kremer, Tea Party Express
• Jennifer Hulsey, American Grassroots Coalition
• FreedomWorks Representative
• Ben Cunningham, Founder of the Tennessee Tax Revolt

Grass roots activists everywhere have worked to inform themselves, notify their representatives of their objections and take action in the form of rallies, meetings and calls into those representatives. Individual groups have worked to stop the healthcare legislation while coordinating with each other to amplify their message and their efforts.

Amy Kremer, of Tea Party Express, commented, "We had a great rally this week in DC and people have overwhelmed us with their desire to do it again on Saturday.  With so many people concerned about this legislation and the ability to come to Washington on a weekend, we are working within this coalition to expand the Code Red rally participation ."

The coalition of Tea Party organizations and leadership is committed to  changing the dynamics of this legislative process.  The Democratic led Congress is using procedural and legislative rules to ignore the overwhelming opposition to this bill.  The will of the American people is being subverted by these actions and the grass roots activists who make up this coalition are focusing their energy to kill the bill.

The coalition includes:

60 Plus

Americans for Prosperity

Americans for Tax Reform

Concerned Women for America

Constitutional Sovereignty Alliance

Doctor Patient Medical Association

Family Research Council

FreedomWorks

Grassfire/Resistnet

Heartland Institute

Institute for Liberty

Let Freedom Ring

Memphis Tea Party

Mom for America

National Center for Public Policy Research

National Taxpayer’s Union

Nationwide Tea Party Coalition

New Jersey Tea Party Coalition

Northern Virginia 912

Richmond Patriots

Take the Town Halls to Washington

Tea Party Express

Tea Party Patriots Live Radio Show

Washington DC Tea Party

We the People of Pennsylvania

For further information or to register and participate or assist others to come to Washington, DC, please check these websites where details will be posted and updated regularly throughout the next 48 hours: www.AmericanGrassrootsCoalition.org

If the health care debacle wasn't bad enuf, check out SB & I Jobs Tax Act...

Opening Statement Ranking Member Dave Camp (R-MI) Committee on Ways and Means Markup of the Small Business and Infrastructure Jobs Tax Act March 17, 2010 (Remarks as Prepared)

Mr. Chairman, thank you and let me take this opportunity to publicly congratulate you on your new rank within this Committee.  We have always had a good working relationship, and I look forward to this continuing.  You have said your approach will be “collegial but tough.”  I think that is exactly what we will have here today as we consider the Small Business and Infrastructure Jobs Tax Act.  Frankly, it is tough to see this bill as either a small business bill or a jobs bill.  And, unfortunately, the one area I thought was ripe for bipartisan compromise – pension relief – has been stripped out of the underlying legislation.  I know there continues to be some internal debate within the Democrat caucus about how to proceed on pensions, but for the sake of American employers and their workers, this is an area I think we can and should come together on quickly.  As for the bill before us, I have three main concerns: One: It raises taxes on employers during a recession – making it tougher for Americans to find needed work. Two: Roughly 80 percent of bill is dedicated to local governments. Small governments are not small businesses, and they do not create the kind of private-sector jobs we need. And, three: the limited and narrow tax provisions, even if well-intentioned, will not help employers create new jobs. Under this bill, jobs – American jobs – will be taxed.  That is the simple truth and ramification of the so-called Doggett Treaty provision, which accounts for roughly half of $17 billion in tax increases in this bill.  This bill also includes permanent tax hikes to pay for temporary tax relief and it represents a net tax increase. There is never a good time to raise taxes on employers and American workers, but given the continued weakness in the economy, now may be the worst time.  Exactly one-week ago, the Department of Labor confirmed that 48 states have lost jobs since the Democrats’ stimulus passed.  The Department of Labor has also confirmed that the economy shed 36,000 jobs last month and that a record 16 million Americans are out of work and 11 million are receiving an unemployment check instead of a paycheck.  To raise taxes on employers providing and creating jobs here in America, as the majority does in this bill, would only further delay recovery and add to the economic hardship millions of families are already facing. Mr. Chairman, we share a desire to help get the economy kick-started.  So while we applaud your effort in holding this mark-up, we have real concerns with the solutions you have put forward.   For those and other reasons we will seek to amend the bill before us in ways we think would help small businesses grow and create jobs again. With that, I yield back.

My comments: It's true. The Democrats are trying to destroy our country. Nuff said.

1984?

New Pay Discrimination Bill Would Let Government Collect Payroll Records of Private Companies

(CNSNews.com) – A proposed new law would empower the federal government to collect the payroll information of private companies and analyze it in an effort to prevent gender-based pay discrimination. Known as the Paycheck Fairness Act, the law was passed by the House of Representatives more than one year ago, but it had languished in the Senate until Thursday, when it was taken up in the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee.

What!!!???!! NO public option???

Pelosi has announced that there will not be a public option in Obamacare dashing any slim hopes the far Left held out that it'd make it into the final bill.

You know what that means? Anyone voting for the bill is dead meat if they're up for re-election this year.

The far Left is going to scream bloody murder... what's the point in playing with healthcare if there's their much-coveted public option? They're already up in arms about all the Obama promised but isn't producing. Having the words spoken definitively by Pelosi is just another nail in the coffin.

The middle on both sides, Independents, Republicans, Libertarians already hate Obamacare for any number of reasons. Increased taxes, increased interference by government in our lives, a government that mucks up anything it stomps its foot into, huge deficits, the need to focus on jobs, jobs, jobs and the economy, yada yada yada.

This is a bill from hell and a vote will send the country in that direction. We hafta do whatever we can to stop it (legally). Yell, scream, write, call, put signs in your yards, join your local Tea Party efforts, check out your local physician groups that's ganging up to try and stop it. Don't just sit there and moan about it. DO something. ACT. Get involved, even if all you can do is give it five minutes a day.

Pelosi: Public option will not be in health bill
By Jordan Fabian

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Friday that the public health insurance option will not be included in a package of fixes to healthcare reform legislation.

Read more: http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/86447-pelosi-public-option-will-not-be-in-health-bill

Federal Board to Review Health Insurance Premiums

Obama's Insurance Mess
Paul Howard, NRO's Critical Condition, March 9, 2010
One of the president's biggest talking points these days is his new proposal for a federal board to review health-insurance premiums and block "excessive" rate increases. . .

Health Care: The 12 Cent Problem

As a progressive, Obama hews to the Wilsonian tradition
George Will, Washington Post, March 11, 2010
There are legislative miles to go before the government will be emancipated from its health-care myopia, but it is not too soon for a summing-up. . .Employer-paid insurance is central to what David Gratzer of the Manhattan Institute calls "the 12 cent problem." That is how much of every health-care dollar is spent by the person receiving the care. Hence Americans' buffet mentality: We paid at the door to the health-care feast, so let's consume all we can....
As a progressive, Obama hews to the Wilsonian tradition

Rick Perry's big win in Texas

The conventional wisdom had it that the Republican gubernatorial primary in Texas would be a battle between challenger Kay Bailey Hutchison’s sophisticated urban base versus incumbent Rick Perry’s yahooing rural base. The election results—incomplete as I write past midnight Eastern time—tell a different story. Perry has won the Republican nomination without a runoff, with (as I write) 51% of the votes to 30% for Hutchison and 18% for Debra Medina (the candidate who got scrubbed from serious contention when she told Glenn Beck that she wasn’t sure the U.S. government wasn’t behind the September 11 attacks). That’s with 6,341 of 8,236 precincts reporting. Perry's margin is likely to increase...

Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/Rick-Perrys-big-win-in-Texas-86113137.html#ixzz0h8a2ADrR

Catch a falling czar's astounding comment ...

Van Jones, President Obama's former "green jobs" czar and a newly appointed Princeton lecturer, has a history of sparking protests against universities and previously slammed non-activist students as "worthless people" obtaining "worthless degrees," WND has learned. Jones also implied a university education must help students become "revolutionaries."
Find out the latest right now on WND.com.

(and, just in case Van ever happens to come across our blog... we lub u man, we really do... )