Barracuda Babes

The Mexican-American Boom: Births Overtake Immigration

2011-07-16T14:13:00.002-04:00

Births have surpassed immigration as the main driver of the dynamic growth of the Mexican-American population, according to a new analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data by the Pew Hispanic Center, a project of the Pew Research Center.

Between 2000 and 2010, the Mexican-American population grew by 7.2 million as a result of births and by 4.2 million as a result of new immigrant arrivals. This is a change from the previous two decades when the number of new immigrants either matched or exceeded the number of births.

The surge in births is attributable to two factors. Mexican Americans, many of whom are immigrants, are younger and have higher fertility than other groups. The median age of Mexican-Americans in the U.S. is 25, compared with 30 for non-Mexican-origin Hispanics, 32 for blacks, 35 for Asians and 41 for whites. And the typical Mexican-American woman ages 40 to 44 (at the end of her child-bearing years) has given birth to more children (2.5) than similar aged non-Mexican-Hispanic (1.9), black (2.0), white (1.8) or Asian (1.8) women.

Meanwhile, the number of Mexicans annually leaving Mexico for the U.S. declined from more than one million in 2006 to 404,000 in 2010----a 60% reduction. This contributed to fewer new immigrant arrivals to the U.S. from Mexico in the 2000s (4.2 million) than in the 1990s (4.7 million). However, the Mexican-American population continued to grow rapidly, with births accounting for 63% of the group's population increase.

Mexican-Americans are the nation's largest Hispanic group. At 31.8 million in 2010, they comprise 63% of the U.S. Hispanic population and 10% of the total U.S. population. Among Mexican-Americans, some 39%----or 12.4 million----are immigrants. More than half of these immigrants (6.5 million) are in the country without authorization.

The report, "The Mexican-American Boom: Births Overtake Immigration," is available at the Pew Hispanic Center's website, www.pewhispanic.org.

The Pew Hispanic Center, a project of the Pew Research Center, is a nonpartisan, non-advocacy research organization based in Washington, D.C. and is funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Comcast just took care of my charitable giving for the year...

2011-01-22T18:27:00.000-05:00

Last week Comcast got final approval to purchase a controlling share of NBC Universal. They're giving up their management stake in Hulu, agreeing to a lot of stipulations including seven years of governmental monitoring, to acquire the 51% share of the company. They've been working on the deal since back in 2009 and Comcast has jumped through a lot of hoops to get FCC and Justice Department approval. I've posted copies of both agreements at the end of this article.

Courtesy of requirements imposed by the FCC I'm going to be subsidizing cable service and computers, netbooks and other computer equipment to 2.5 million low income homes and free cable to over 600 institutions in low-income areas.

Broadband Adoption and Deployment. Comcast will make available to approximately 2.5 million low income households: (i) high-speed Internet access service for less than $10 per month; (ii) personal computers, netbooks, or other computer equipment at a purchase price below $150; and (iii) an array of digital-literacy education opportunities. Comcast will also expand its existing broadband networks to reach approximately 400,000 additional homes, provide broadband Internet access service in six additional rural communities, and provide free video and high-speed Internet service to 600 new anchor institutions, such as schools and libraries, in underserved, low-income areas.

My Comcast cable bill went up $2 this month and my Comcast Internet also went up $2. Yep, I know $4 is not much in the scheme of things, but we haven't had a cost of living increase in three years. Advertising on my websites tanked in comparison to the good old days and sales at shows are down. The cost of gas and groceries has substantially increased ruing that same time period. We haven't stopped our donations to charities, in fact, we've scrimped a bit more so we could increase our giving.

First thing we did was call and cancel HBO. That'll save us $16 a month. We should have done that a long time ago but watched it enough to justify having it since we've pretty much given up going to the movie-theater.

I don't know if the increase was a preemptive increase to try and cover the costs of the purchase of shares or all the requirements the FCC saddled them with. They had to know the deal was pretty much a given long before the 18th when the won approval. It would be smart on their part to do the increase prior to the actual purchase just to give them a bit of plausible deniability.

I don't blame Comcast, although I suppose they did agree to the terms so they are culpable to some degree. I definitely blame the government. What right does the government have to require a company to give? What in the world does that have to do with managing NBC?

I was at a show last weekend and a Dish Network company was next to our booth. I noticed a sign they'd posted that said if I lived in certain areas I could get $39 a month service with no equipment costs, no down payment and no credit check. It was part of the stimulus package according to the guys in the tent. They're trying to get everyone hooked up... a prospect that kind of scares me in a big brother kind of way. I suddenly feel the need to cover the camera eye on my laptop...

The government is sticking its nose into every crevice of our society. They tout all these laudable reasons... increasing jobs, making us more competitive, etc. I don't believe the purpose of our government is to get into social engineering, into the cable business, into the business of forcing companies to do good.

The government has taken the role of an evil Robin Hood. They force those of us who've busted our butts to stay afloat to pay for those who often don't try. I know there are many in our society who do not have the ability to take care of themselves. I know that there are those who hit hard times and with a bit of a boost could climb out of the hole their in. I believe it is my responsibility, not that of the government, to give and help. I don't appreciate having the government choose who I donate my hard earned dollars to.

I also believe that it's time our churches quit building multi-million dollar houses of worship. They need to put their money into helping the needy, the truly needy. I know many churches have outstanding programs to help their community. I'm not knocking what they're doing, just saying that if the churches really got into action they could eliminate a whole lot of sorrow outside the doors of their opulent buildings.

Going back to my original train of thought on Comcast and the government's roll in forcing them to give, thus forcing me to give... many of the companies I pay each month have philanthropic arms. They donate regularly to charities and causes. I rather like the way our local EMC handles their giving - they give me the option of donating something each month to their charitable fund. I don't have to do it and I have no say over who gets it, but at least I can say no.

I want less government. Every time they touch something it costs me. I end up paying higher taxes, higher utility bills, higher prices at the gas pump, higher grocery bills. A lot of that is directly caused by their interference.

The Comcast / NBC Universal deal will be finalized on Jan. 28th. Wonder if they'll be going up on my bill again?
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FCC GRANTS APPROVAL OF COMCAST-NBCU TRANSACTION

Washington, D.C. -- Today, the Federal Communications Commission grants—with conditions and enforceable commitments—approval of the assignment and transfer of control of broadcast, satellite, and other radio licenses from General Electric Company (GE) to Comcast Corporation. The approval will allow GE and Comcast to create a joint venture involving NBC Universal, Inc. (NBCU) and Comcast. An Order further explaining the Commission’s reasoning and the conditions and commitments will be issued shortly.

The Commission's decision is based on a thorough review of the record, which includes extensive data and voluntary commitments from the applicants, as well as thousands of comments from interested parties and public input received at a public forum held in Chicago. Based on this review, the Commission has determined that granting the application, with certain conditions and contingent upon enforceable commitments, is in the public interest.

As part of the merger, Comcast-NBCU will be required to take affirmative steps to foster competition in the video marketplace. In addition, Comcast-NBCU will increase local news coverage to viewers; expand children's programming; enhance the diversity of programming available to Spanish-speaking viewers; offer broadband services to low-income Americans at reduced monthly prices; and provide high-speed broadband to schools, libraries and underserved communities, among other public benefits.

More specifically, the conditions imposed by the Commission address potential harms posed by the combination of Comcast, the nation’s largest cable operator and Internet service provider, and NBCU, which owns and develops some of the most valuable television and film content. These targeted conditions and commitments, which generally will remain in effect for seven years, include:

· Ensuring Reasonable Access to Comcast-NBCU Programming for Multichannel Distribution. Building on successful requirements adopted in prior, similar transactions, the Commission is establishing for rival multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs) an improved commercial arbitration process for resolving disputes about prices, terms, and conditions for licensing Comcast-NBCU’s video programming. The Commission is also requiring Comcast-NBCU to make available through this process its cable channels in addition to broadcast and regional sports network programming.

· Protecting the Development of Online Competition. Recognizing the risks this transaction could present to the development of innovative online video distribution services, the Commission has adopted conditions designed to guarantee bona fide online distributors the ability to obtain Comcast-NBCU programming in appropriate circumstances. These conditions respond directly to the concerns voiced by participants in the proceeding—including consumer advocates, online video distributors (OVDs), and MVPDs —while respecting the legitimate business interests of the Applicants to protect the value of their content. Among other things, the Commission requires that Comcast and/or Comcast-NBCU:

o Provides to all MVPDs, at fair market value and non-discriminatory prices, terms, and conditions, any affiliated content that Comcast makes available online to its own subscribers or to other MVPD subscribers.

o Offers its video programming to legitimate OVDs on the same terms and conditions that would be available to an MVPD.

o Makes comparable programming available on economically comparable prices, terms, and conditions to an OVD that has entered into an arrangement to distribute programming from one or more of Comcast-NBCU’s peers.

o Offers standalone broadband Internet access services at reasonable prices and of sufficient bandwidth so that customers can access online video services without the need to purchase a cable television subscription from Comcast.

o Does not enter into agreements to unreasonably restrict online distribution of its own video programming or programming of other providers.

o Does not disadvantage rival online video distribution through its broadband Internet access services and/or set-top boxes.

o Does not exercise corporate control over or unreasonably withhold programming from Hulu.

· Access to Comcast’s Distribution Systems. In light of the significant additional video programming Comcast will control after the merger with NBCU—programming that may compete with third-party programming Comcast currently carries or otherwise would carry on its MVPD service—the Commission requires that Comcast not discriminate in video programming distribution on the basis of affiliation or non-affiliation with Comcast-NBCU. Moreover, if Comcast “neighborhoods” its news (including business news) channels, it must include all unaffiliated news (or business news) channels in that neighborhood. The Commission also adopts as a condition of the transaction Comcast’s voluntary commitment to provide 10 new independent channels within eight years on its digital tier.

· Protecting Diversity, Localism, Broadcast and Other Public Interest Concerns. The Commission is also imposing conditions and accepting voluntary commitments concerning a numbers of other public interest issues, including diversity, localism, and broadcasting, among others. For example, to protect the integrity of over-the-air broadcasting, network-affiliate relations, and fair and equitable retransmission consent negotiations with the joint venture, the Commission adopts a series of conditions that were independently negotiated between the Applicants and various network affiliates.

The Applicants have also made a number of additional voluntary commitments, many of which the Commission has adopted as conditions to the transaction’s approval. Most of these commitments are geared towards enhancing the public interest as a result of the joint venture. These commitments include:

· Broadband Adoption and Deployment. Comcast will make available to approximately 2.5 million low income households: (i) high-speed Internet access service for less than $10 per month; (ii) personal computers, netbooks, or other computer equipment at a purchase price below $150; and (iii) an array of digital-literacy education opportunities. Comcast will also expand its existing broadband networks to reach approximately 400,000 additional homes, provide broadband Internet access service in six additional rural communities, and provide free video and high-speed Internet service to 600 new anchor institutions, such as schools and libraries, in underserved, low-income areas.

· Localism. To further broadcast localism, Comcast-NBCU will maintain at least the current level of news and information programming on NBC’s and Telemundo’s owned-and-operated (“O&O”) broadcast stations, and in some cases expand news and other local content. NBC and Telemundo O&O stations also will provide thousands of additional hours of local news and information programming to their viewers, and some of its NBC stations will enter into cooperative arrangements with locally focused nonprofit news organizations. Additional free, on-demand local programming will be made available as well.

· Children’s Programming. Comcast-NBCU will increase the availability of children’s programming on its NBC and Telemundo broadcast stations, and add at least 1,500 more choices to Comcast’s on-demand offerings for children. It will provide additional on-screen ratings information for original entertainment programming on the Comcast-NBCU broadcast and cable television channels and improved parental controls. Comcast-NBCU also will restrict interactive advertising aimed at children 12 years old and younger and provide public service announcements addressing children’s issues.

· Programming Diversity. Building on Comcast’s voluntary commitments in this area, we require Comcast-NBCU to increase programming diversity by expanding its over-the-air programming to the Spanish language-speaking community, and by making NBCU’s Spanish-language broadcast programming available via Comcast’s on demand and online platforms. As noted above, Comcast also will add at least 10 new independent channels to its cable offerings.

· Public, Educational, and Governmental (“PEG”) Programming. Comcast will safeguard the continued accessibility and signal quality of PEG channels on its cable television systems and introduce new on demand and online platforms for PEG content.

Action by the Commission January 18, 2011 by: Memorandum Opinion and Order (FCC 11-4). Chairman Genachowski and Commissioner Clyburn, with Commissioners McDowell and Baker concurring, and Commissioner Copps dissenting. Chairman Genachowski and Commissioners Clyburn and Copps each issuing a separate statement, with Commissioners McDowell and Baker issuing a joint statement.

MB Docket No. 10-56

Media Bureau contact: Janice Wise at (202) 418-8165.

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JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ALLOWS COMCAST-NBCU JOINT VENTURE TO
PROCEED WITH CONDITIONS

Companies Agree to License Programming to Online Distributors and Comply with Anti-Retaliation Provisions and Open Internet Requirements

WASHINGTON — The Department of Justice announced today a settlement with Comcast Corp. and General Electric Co.'s subsidiary NBC Universal Inc. (NBCU) that allows their joint venture to proceed conditioned on the parties' agreement to license programming to online competitors to Comcast's cable TV services, subject themselves to anti-retaliation provisions and adhere to Open Internet requirements. The department said that the proposed settlement will preserve new content distribution models that offer more products and greater innovation, and the potential to provide consumers access to their favorite programming on a variety of devices in a wide selection of packages.
The Department of Justice's Antitrust Division, along with five state attorneys general, filed a civil antitrust lawsuit today in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to block the formation of the joint venture, alleging that the transaction would allow Comcast to limit competition from its cable, satellite, telephone and online competitors. At the same time, the department and the states filed a proposed settlement that, if approved by the court, would resolve the competitive concerns in the lawsuit. The participating states are: California, Florida, Missouri, Texas and Washington.
"The Antitrust Division worked in close cooperation and unprecedented coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to reach a result that fully protects competition, allowing businesses to bring new and innovative products to the marketplace, providing consumers with more programming choices," said Christine Varney, Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Department of Justice's Antitrust Division. "The conditions imposed will maintain an open and fair marketplace while at the same time allow the innovative aspects of the transaction to go forward."
Today, the FCC also issued an order approving the proposed transaction subject to conditions, some of which are similar to those in the department's settlement. The department and FCC consulted extensively to coordinate their reviews and create remedies that were both consistent and comprehensive. Consistent with the department's complaint, the FCC order requires the joint venture to license NBCU content to Comcast's cable, satellite and telephone competitors, making it unnecessary for the department to impose the same requirement.
The department's complaint alleges that Comcast's traditional and online rivals need access to NBCU programming, including the NBC broadcast network, to compete effectively against Comcast. The joint venture would have less incentive to distribute NBCU programming to Comcast's video distribution rivals than a stand-alone NBCU, and could cause Comcast's rivals and their customers to face higher prices for that content. The department said that the joint venture, as originally proposed, may have substantially lessened competition for video programming distribution in major portions of the United States. The department also said that the market would experience lower levels of investment, less experimentation with new models of delivering content and less diversity in the types and range of product offerings.
Under the proposed settlement and the FCC order, the joint venture must make available to online video distributors (OVDs) the same package of broadcast and cable channels that it sells to traditional video programming distributors. In addition, the joint venture must offer an OVD broadcast, cable and film content that is similar to, or better than, the content the distributor receives from any of the joint venture's programming peers. These peers are NBC's broadcast competitors (ABC, CBS and FOX), the largest cable programmers (News Corp., Time Warner Inc., Viacom Inc. and The Walt Disney Co.), and the largest video production studios (News Corp., Sony Corporation of America, Time Warner Inc., Viacom Inc. and The Walt Disney Co.).
In the event of a licensing dispute between the joint venture and an online video distributor, the department may seek court enforcement of the settlement or permit, in its sole discretion, the aggrieved online video distributor to pursue a commercial arbitration procedure established under the settlement. The FCC order also requires the joint venture to license content to OVDs on reasonable terms and includes an arbitration mechanism for resolving disputes. If timely arbitration is available for resolution of disputes under the FCC order, the department ordinarily will defer to the FCC's arbitration process to resolve such disputes. The FCC order also allows Comcast's traditional competitors, such as satellite and telephone companies, to invoke arbitration at the FCC to resolve program access and retransmission consent disputes.
The settlement also includes other relief aimed at ensuring that Comcast cannot evade the provisions designed to protect competition. For example:

Comcast may not retaliate against any broadcast network (or affiliate), cable programmer, production studio or content licensee for licensing content to a competing cable, satellite or telephone company or OVD, or for raising concerns to the department or the FCC;

Comcast must relinquish its management rights in Hulu, an OVD. Without such a remedy, Comcast could, through its seats on Hulu's board of directors, interfere with the management of Hulu, and, in particular, the development of products that compete with Comcast's video service. Comcast also must continue to make NBCU content available to Hulu that is comparable to the programming Hulu obtains from Disney and News Corp;

In accordance with recently established Open Internet requirements, Comcast is prohibited from unreasonably discriminating in the transmission of an OVD's lawful network traffic to a Comcast broadband customer. Comcast must also maintain the high-speed Internet service it offers to its customers by continuing to offer download speeds of at least 12 megabits per second in markets where it has upgraded its broadband network. Additionally, Comcast is required to give other firms' content equal treatment under any of its broadband offerings that involve caps, tiers, metering for consumption or other usage-based pricing; and

Comcast may not, with certain narrow exceptions, require programmers or video distributors to agree to licensing terms that seek to limit online distributors' access to content.

Comcast is a Pennsylvania corporation headquartered in Philadelphia. It is the largest video programming distributor in the nation, with approximately 23 million video subscribers. Comcast wholly owns national cable programming networks (e.g., E! Entertainment, Golf, Style), has partial interests in other networks (e.g., MLB Network, PBS KIDS Sprout), and has controlling interests in regional sports networks. Comcast also owns digital properties such as DailyCandy.com, Fandango.com and Fancast, its online video website. In 2009, Comcast reported total revenues of $32 billion.
GE is a New York corporation with its principal place of business in Fairfield, Conn. GE is a global infrastructure, finance and media company. GE owns 88 percent of NBCU, a Delaware corporation, with its headquarters in New York City. NBCU is principally involved in the production, packaging and marketing of news, sports and entertainment programming. NBCU wholly owns the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, as well as 10 local NBC owned and operated television stations (O&Os), 16 Telemundo O&Os and one independent Spanish language television station. In addition, NBCU wholly owns national cable programming networks – Bravo, Chiller, CNBC, CNBC World, MSNBC, mun2, Oxygen, Sleuth, SyFy and USA Network – and partially owns A&E Television Networks (including the Biography, History and Lifetime cable networks), The Weather Channel and ShopNBC. NBCU also owns Universal Pictures, Focus Films and Universal Studios. In 2009, NBCU had total revenues of $15.4 billion.
As required by the Tunney Act, the proposed seven-year settlement, along with the department's competitive impact statement, will be published in the Federal Register. Any person may submit written comments concerning the proposed settlement during a 60-day comment period to Nancy Goodman, Chief, Telecommunications & Media Enforcement Section, Antitrust Division, U.S. Department of Justice, 450 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 7000, Washington, D.C. 20530. At the conclusion of the 60-day comment period, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia may enter the proposed settlement upon finding that it is in the public interest.

Gotta love this guy... Paul Ryan: Health care law is a fiscal house of cards

2011-01-21T22:47:00.000-05:00

New Majority Keeps Pledge to Focus on Jobs & Ending the Job-Crushing D.C. Spending Binge

2011-01-21T22:15:00.000-05:00

This week, the new House majority continued working to keep its Pledge to America to focus on removing barriers to job creation and ending Washington’s job-crushing spending binge. Here’s a look:

Removing Barriers to Job Growth & Ending the Job-Crushing Spending Binge

The House voted this week to repeal the job-destroying health care law and then took action to begin replacing it with common-sense reforms that will lower costs and protect jobs. More than half the states are now challenging ObamaCare in court. And job creators, economists, and state legislators representing millions of taxpayers have all spoken out in recent days in support of scrapping the law and starting over.

Rep. Geoff Davis (R-KY) introduced the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act to rein in job-stifling red tape that’s causing uncertainty for job creators. The bill would require an up-or-down vote by Congress on major federal rules and regulations – written by unelected bureaucrats – that have an economic impact of at least $100 million.

House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) has been selected to deliver the Republican address to the nation following President Obama's State of the Union speech on January 25. Chairman Ryan will lead a critical effort in the House this year to stop the job-crushing spending binge in DC and cut spending back to pre-“stimulus,” pre-bailout levels.

Every dollar counts, and the House has already begun replacing Congress’ culture of spending with a culture of saving – first by cutting its budget, and then by saving taxpayers millions of dollars by eliminating needless paper copies of legislation. These were just the first of many spending cuts to come.

The speaker also employed the “#hcrcostsjobs” hashtag on Twitter to draw emphasis to the health care law’s devastating impact on families and small businesses.

For more on what’s to come in the weeks ahead, take a look at the Pledge to America. As Speaker Boehner has vowed: “the Pledge is the plan.” Read more here.

As we’ve noted, our goal is to keep improving these emails in the weeks ahead so please contact us here if you have ideas on how we can make them more useful. Thank you again and have a great weekend.

- Speaker Boehner’s Press Office

FRC Action PAC Pledges to Support Conservative Primary Challengers to Any U.S. Senator Voting to Overturn 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' During Lame-Duck Session

2010-12-17T23:05:00.002-05:00

FRC Action PAC, the political action committee connected with FRC Action, the lobbying arm of the Family Research Council, announced today that it will endorse and fund conservative primary challengers to any U.S. Senator who votes to overturn "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" during the lame-duck session.

FRC Action PAC President Connie Mackey made the following comments:

"We are pledging today to endorse, and help fund, conservative primary challengers to any U.S. Senator who votes during the lame-duck session to overturn 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.' FRC Action PAC will work to remove any U.S. Senator who would place liberal special interests ahead of the priorities of the American people.

"The U.S. Senate has twice rejected the overturn of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.' Despite this, Majority Leader Harry Reid continues with his obsession while failing to address the essential responsibilities of the federal government. As three of the four service chiefs have made clear, the men and women of the Armed Forces who are engaged in fighting two wars should not be distracted by Congress using them to advance a liberal social agenda. Using the Senate's time in the lame-duck session to pay back his liberal political base is simply absurd and demonstrates once again Senator Reid's misplaced priorities. Members of the Senate should refuse to become accomplices in helping Harry Reid advance his agenda over the American people's agenda," concluded Mackey.

Camp, Herger Question Administration’s Decision to Force Seniors Out of Their Medicare Prescription Drug Plans

2010-09-28T12:59:00.000-04:00

Ways and Means Ranking Member Dave Camp (R-MI) and Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Wally Herger (R-CA) today sent Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius a letter inquiring about the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) decision to eliminate certain Medicare Part D prescription drug plans that could force 3 million seniors out of their current plan. Camp and Herger expressed particular concerns that CMS would automatically enroll more than 1.5 million seniors in a plan with premiums 15 percent higher than seniors are currently paying.

The Republicans said: “We are alarmed that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has arbitrarily decided to limit beneficiaries’ choice of Part D prescription drug plans…We hereby request that CMS immediately provide all documents and correspondence related to CMS’ decision to eliminate prescription drug plans over the last two years, including any analysis that was conducted to determine the impact such decisions would have on premiums of displaced beneficiaries so that Congress can consider how best to protect seniors from such decisions in the future."

The full letter can be read here.

Urgent: Call your Senators now to support our military!

2010-09-20T20:22:00.000-04:00

The U.S. Senate seeks to push abortion and a homosexual agenda onto our military! Call 202-224-3121 today & urge them to vote NO to proceeding on the defense authorization bill

With the economy still in the doldrums, and a massive job-killing tax increase scheduled for January looming over our heads, you would think that legislation to help average Americans find jobs in the private sector would be the top priority for the Democratic leadership in Congress. If you thought that, you would be wrong.

This Tuesday the Senate will vote on a bill that would overturn the 1993 law which codified the military's longstanding prohibition of homosexual conduct in the ranks. The language that would force open homosexuality upon the military is found in the defense authorization bill -- along with another anti-family provision that would turn U.S. military medical facilities here and around the globe into abortion centers.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has arranged it so that pro-family senators do not have an opportunity to offer any of their own amendments to counter his political abuse of our military. This means the only way to stop this monstrosity is to vote against proceeding to the bill.

This bill is not necessary to fund our military -- an appropriations bill does that.

Senators should reject Reid's distorted priorities by voting against advancing this bill at every step. Call your senators today at (202) 224-3121 and tell them to stop using the military to impose this administration's radical homosexual agenda.

Thank you for taking action today and God bless you.

Sincerely,
Tony Perkins
President
FRC Action: 801 G Street N.W. Washington, D.C. 20001
P: 202/393-2100 or 877/372-2808
frcaction.org

Help stop the DREAM ACT (Nightmare is more apt description)

2010-09-20T20:13:00.000-04:00

Big government Democrats are working hard to shove yet another unpopular, unwanted piece of legislation down the throats of taxpayers... this time in the form of the DREAM ACT. The Defense Authorization Bill will be voted on at 2:15 PM Eastern time on Tuesday, September 21.

The DREAM ACT will dramatically push up spending and increase the cost of higher education for every state. The increase is even more extreme for states with large illegal immigrant populations.

The bill forces states to give taxpayer fueled financial aid to illegal immigrants, forces states to allow illegal immigrants to take advantage of in-state tuition, and worst of all, there is virtually no accountability for the funding involved in the bill. This is yet another outrageous bill pushed forth by Democrats and it must be stopped. Please CLICK HERE NOW for a list of numbers to call over night.

Above from Liberty.com / Americans for New Leadership

FED UP with Political Games

2010-09-15T00:03:00.000-04:00

This thing with the career political types in the Republican Party trying to work against conservatives just to keep their power structure is making me lean real strongly toward calling myself an Independent.

I am fed up.

They are obviously not getting the message that we're tired, frustrated, irritated, angry with the games, the status quo, the "machine". I certainly don't want to hand over our country to Obama-types, but I'll be darned if I'm going to vote for the lesser of two evils when there's a good conservative choice in the race.

This garbage the National Republican Senatorial Committee has put out saying they're not going to help Christine O'Donnell is just like saying, 'up yours' to the many good, strong, conservatives who're crying out for change, clamoring for principled people. And, they just told the Democrats, "here, you can have this seat". Silver platter, too.

When I heard the news on Fox that the NRSC was saying they wouldn't help O'Donnell because they didn't believe she couldn't win I was LIVID. They didn't think she could win against Castle either. I can't vote for O'Donnell but I sure can vote for or against my own elected officials.

My message to the D.C. suits: If you are a conservative, if you have principles, then walk the walk. If you can't walk the walk then you'll find that I'll be out there looking for a TRUE conservative to run against you in the next election... And you know what? I'm willing to lose a battle here or there if that's what it takes to ultimately win the war for better government.

Just a note on the following release --- I'm not so sure I'm "on board" with the Tea Party Express, either. I'm trying hard to do my own research, read, listen, follow and learn. I have not supported every candidate they support. However, I'm sure happier with them than I am with the power-structure in our governing parties right now. There are some VERY true statements in the release below.

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Tea Party Express Responds to NRSC

The Tea Party Express issued the following statement in response to preliminary reports that the National Republican Senatorial Committee would not support their own nominee for U.S. Senate in Delaware:

"The National Republican Senatorial Committee has reportedly said they will not support their own nominee for U.S. Senate in Delaware. This is a rash statement that hopefully they will reconsider once good judgment sets in.

"The NRSC tried to meddle in the vote recount for liberal Republican Lisa Murkowski in Alaska. Now they say they aren't committed to supporting their own nominee in Delaware? When will this insanity stop?

"We encourage the NRSC to take a night off, get some sleep, and reconsider their rash statements. It is because of inexcusable conduct in Delaware and Alaska that so many conservatives have turned to the Tea Party Express, offering their support and their donations. These people have lost faith in the NRSC as just another big-government, Washington, D.C.-based organization that has contributed to the problems this country currently faces.

"If the NRSC is committed to defeating Democrats in November, then it is time for them to honor their mission statement and do just that. If they fail to do so, then they can expect millions of conservatives to continue to steer their donations and volunteer hours elsewhere.

"Wake up NRSC, the reason the tea party movement has grown into such a powerful force is because of the failures of establishment organizations such as yours to honor the principles of the Republican Party platform. You tried to force through the most liberal Republican in Congress on the voters of Delaware and they rejected you. Wake up, you are defying your own base, and will end up an irrelevant and impotent organization that serves to only amuse the corrupt political establishment in Washington, D.C.

"The Tea Party Express will back Christine O'Donnell in the general election along with every other candidate we've endorsed. We trust adults at the NRSC will come to their senses and realize that the people have spoken, and it's time for the NRSC to represent the Republicans it is supposed to represent."

Why can't the good guys get some help?

2010-08-07T07:46:00.000-04:00

"Already there are rumors of an August surprise (to use the phrase of business columnist Jimmy Pethokoukis) where Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac forgive underwater mortgages held by millions of Americans." - Larry Kudlow, Town Hall (http://townhall.com/columnists/LarryKudlow/2010/08/07/a_democratic_panic_attack/page/full)

I get really irritated when I read or hear about another bailout of any sort, but bailing out mortgages kinda makes me a bit hotter.

I have two family members who are struggling mightily to pay their mortgages each month. One got flooded out, had problems galore with the government flood insurance and needed some mortgage relief. She tried every way she could to get some help from any one of the programs Obama and his crew tout. The bottom line on any assistance was that she had to have missed a few mortgage payments to get ANY relief. It didn't matter what she could prove as to being upside-down, single mom, job salary cuts due to economy, house flooded, etc. etc. No help unless she was willing to skip some payments.

My other family member is semi-out of work. He does some seasonal stuff, which is so up and down it's hard to put a monthly income number on a form. He takes every side job, every handy-man job, anything that comes his way to make sure he pays the mortgage on his home. He has a special needs child which keeps his wife from working regularly, but she works out of the home as she can to help out.

He's checked into program after program, stepped up to talk to representatives when new options were put forth over the past few years. He has to miss some payments to qualify for anything, be completely out of work and / or have a steady income they can track.

I know that many, many of the people who benefit from the government's redistribution of our tax dollars (and loans from China) are in true desperate need. They lost their jobs and aren't able to work at any type job that will cover their mortgage. There are umpteen legitimate reasons that result in many being in the default boat. I don't have a problem with helping people who are truly in need. However, for every one who has an honest reason for being behind I'd bet there are at least two who are sitting back and waiting for Uncle Sam (oh, our poor beleaguered Uncle Sam) to fix things for them.

There are scammers who know how to work the system. There are those who go from one hand out to another. There are those who think we owe them.

Yesterday I was in conversation with a recent college administrative worker. He was talking about the number of government college loans handed out in his previous school that went to students who never showed. They got the max loan available, took the money and had a great time with no intention of ever paying it off. He was at a fairly small school and saw it happening over and over. He knew because he paid attention, asked questions and was shocked at the answer. It seems it's common practice. Scary.

How many of these people that are have their mortgages forgiven will be in the same situation again in a few years? How many are just sitting back and waiting for Obama to bail 'em out? Why is it that legitimate, hard working, people who don't want to scam or ruin their credit can't get any help? Why can't the government be fair? Why can't they come up with programs to help those who are trying to do the right thing?

Aww, we all know the answers to those questions. It's all politics, it's all about votes and it's all about power.

Ya know, if most of the programs put in by often-times good-intentioned people actually worked like they intended there wouldn't be a problem. We'd help those who needed a leg up become self-sufficient. We'd have programs that helped them get jobs, get over a temporary hump and get back into being a productive citizen. These hand-out programs went way, way wrong when they became political tools and/or when government drones started looking more at job security than the purpose of their position.

I was intending to have a politics-free Saturday, but I goofed and skimmed my emails. So much news, none of it seems to be good these days. I haven't even had my first cup of caffeine and I'm already steamed.... arrrgggghhhh.

A depressing article to start your day...

2010-08-07T07:16:00.001-04:00

Everything Kudlow mentions as something the Dems may try or do scares the heck out of me. Even if Congress swings to the right in November I hear the Dems are going to try and push through all kinds of crap before they take their seats. These two years, the first years of Obama, are going to go down in history as doing the most damage to the foundation of our country and the future of our county. Even when and if there's a conservative takeover in Congress come January they're not going to be able to reverse much of what's been done until we clean out the White House in 2012, too.

A Democratic Panic Attack?
With the disappointingly soft jobs report for July, and a faltering recovery overall, is Team Obama getting ready for some sort of new, liberal-left, Keynesian, big-bang stimulus package? Will they be desperate to “do something”?
Already there are rumors of an August surprise (to use the phrase of business columnist Jimmy Pethokoukis) where Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac forgive underwater mortgages held by millions of Americans. And with state and local government jobs having fallen 169,000 year-to-date, perhaps the Democratic Congress and the White House will seek an even bigger spending plan for teachers and Medicaid workers -- on top of the $26 billion plan that just passed the Senate.
http://townhall.com/columnists/LarryKudlow/2010/08/07/a_democratic_panic_attack/page/full

Pete Stark on Gov't, Healthcare - 'Open mouth, say what you really believe...'

2010-08-02T07:36:00.000-04:00

The woman questioning Pete Stark (D-California) does a magnificent job. She knows her Constitution! The above is on Breitbart.tv, says this is part one. Can't wait to find or see part two.

Guys (and gals) like Stark have been in power way, way too long. Time to clean the house, clean out Washington and a lot of our local state gov't's too.

Your Last chance to Speak before Congress Silences You

2010-07-26T16:19:00.000-04:00

Call your U.S. Senators today at 202-224-3121 and ask them to oppose S. 3628, the DISCLOSE Act

This past weekend Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and President Obama told a gathering of the most hard-edged liberal activists that they need to pull out all stops to win this November so that they can push more of their damaging agenda on the American people. Fearful of what Election Day could mean for their extreme ideology, a number of liberals in Congress are pushing S. 3628, the DISCLOSE Act, which amounts to Democrat incumbent protection legislation disguised as campaign finance reform.

Instead of addressing the problems often found in the financing of campaigns, S. 3628 seeks to add to the already onerous burdens placed on organizations that act within the law by going after their donors and exposing them in public forums. The exceptions, or "carve-outs," in the bill demonstrate the hypocrisy of its supporters. They provide special treatment for select special interest groups in a bill designed to crack down on the power of special interests!

Too often, such tactics are used to intimidate donors. We saw this in the sixties during the civil rights struggles, and more recently we have seen intimidation employed time and time again against Christians in states like Massachusetts, California and Maine for merely voicing their belief that marriage is between one man and one woman.

And now the Democrats want to intimidate you into silence as well!

How much of a farce is the DISCLOSE Act? The carve-outs in the bill give unions and traditional Democrat interest groups special protections, which is no surprise when you realize the legislation was written by legislators who have personal stakes in this election. In fact, the legislation allows for no expedited review, which means that if DISCLOSE passes, it cannot be reviewed by the courts until after the 2010 elections. Why? Because the Democrats know what they are passing is unconstitutional, and realize that once a federal court gives it a good look, it is likely to be overturned.

Please CALL your SENATORS today at 202-224-3121 and tell them to oppose S. 3628, the DISCLOSE Act.

Thank you and God bless you.

Sincerely,
Tony Perkins
President
FRC Action: 801 G Street N.W. Washington, D.C. 20001
P: 202/393-2100 or 877/372-2808 W: frcaction.org

We don't need this kind of crud...

2010-07-22T10:04:00.001-04:00

Vitter Challenger Has His Own Ethical Baggage

Chet Traylor (R) made no secret he is challenging Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) in a primary for U.S. Senate because of the senator's "personal foibles" -- including a 2007 prostitution scandal and his continued employment of an aide accused of attacking his girlfriend with a knife in 2008.

But the Monroe News-Star reports Traylor "has his own ethical questions that could threaten the upstanding image his campaign has opted to present."

Most interesting is his complicated romantic history, including allegations of affairs with two married women. Traylor is also currently involved in a romantic relationship with the estranged wife of his stepson.

Paying for political endorsements...

2010-07-22T10:03:00.000-04:00

Billionaire Florida U.S. Senate candidate Jeff Greene (D) paid a DNC member Jon Ausman $4000 for "political consultation and strategy" right after sending out a blast email asking who he should endorse in the race, the AP reports.

Several days later Ausman endorsed Greene.
DNC Member Paid Before Endorsement

More bad news on the Dodd-Frank bill...

2010-07-08T17:31:00.002-04:00

House-Passed Financial Overhaul Allows for GM-Style Bailouts of Big Banks
(CNSNews.com) – The House-passed financial regulation bill would allow the government to save the profitable assets of a failing bank and spin them off into a new company – a power that mirrors the government’s action in saving General Motors and Chrysler. The provision is part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which passed the House on June 29.

More Babes Required in Dodd-Frank Bill...

2010-07-08T10:11:00.000-04:00

As one of your Barracuda Babes, I can't sneer at anyone wanting to hire more women. However, I can definitely sneer at making it mandatory. Read on:

Gender Quotas In the Financial Sector?
Diana Furchtgott-Roth, RealClearMarkets.com, July 8, 2010
What one finds when reading congressional legislation is invariably surprising. Take the Dodd-Frank financial regulation bill, for instance, which was created by merging Senate and House bills. When the Senate returns from recess one of its first actions will be to vote on the bill, which passed the House on June 30. I was searching the bill for a provision about derivatives. What did I find but Section 342, which declares that race and gender employment ratios, if not quotas, must be observed by private financial institutions that do business with the government. In a major power grab, the new law inserts race and gender quotas into America's financial industry. . .

NOTE: I rec'd the above from a daily update I get from Manhattan Institute for Policy Research. Hope you'll check them out, they send out great tidbits. Here's a link: Manhattan Institute for Policy Researc

FRC Action PAC Dismayed By Gov. Crist's Ultrasound Bill Veto; Launches Radio Ad Campaign, StopCharlie.com in Response

2010-06-12T21:42:00.000-04:00

Family Research Council Action PAC unveiled a new website, www.stopcharlie.com, and a state-wide radio ad campaign in response to Governor Charlie Crist's veto of commonsense ultrasound legislation.

Governor Crist vetoed the proposed law which prescribes an ultrasound prior to every abortion. Women must be allowed to view the live ultrasound images, though they must also be informed that they have the right to decline to view them under the law. The governor issued the veto only days after removing a pro-life section from his campaign website.

The radio ad will begin running state-wide early next week. The ad states, "Crist used to claim to be pro-life. Now he's just pro-Crist. Since leaving his party he's decided he'd rather be pro-abortion, removing the pro-life section from his website and vetoing a bill that would allow women to see an ultrasound of their child before having an abortion."

FRC Action PAC Chairman Tony Perkins released the following statement regarding the veto:

"Governor Crist has once again broken trust with the voters of Florida by vetoing a commonsense bill that would ensure that women receive factual information before an abortion. Sadly, he vetoed legislation that would strengthen a woman's right to know. Charlie Crist is willing to go to any extreme to please far Left special interest groups," said Perkins.

Perkins also added, "Charlie Crist has shown over and over again a willingness to abandon core moral values in his quest to become the next U.S. Senator from Florida. He must be stopped in his quest to become the next U.S. Senator from Florida which is why FRC Action PAC is launching this state-wide radio campaign."

"In contrast, Marco Rubio has been a true friend of the family and the culture of life as a state legislator in Florida. Senators who will fight to defend the family against the radical leadership in the Senate are crucial to the future of our country," said Perkins.

"Rep. Rubio has fought to protect mothers and their unborn children. He supported pro-life legislation that would require doctors to complete ultrasounds before performing abortions thus giving the mother an opportunity to assess the consequences of her actions. Rep. Rubio also understands the importance of adult stem cell research in treating patients. He also endorsed legislation to ensure that taxpayers aren't forced to fund embryonic stem cell research," concluded Perkins.

The radio advertisement can be heard here or at www.stopcharlie.com.

Tuesday a wake-up call for Republicans

2010-05-20T09:32:00.000-04:00

Yeah, yeah, I know, you've heard that one already! The Democrats and libs are beating Republicans to death with a whole lot of twisting and turning of what happened on Tuesday in the Tim Burns race. Of course, the Republicans are also doing their version of twisting and turning.

I think the Republicans are coming across as arrogant, entitled, assured of victory and it's backfiring.

The Tea Party movement is not about being Republican. It's about values, it's about less government, and it's about real change that takes us back to a free America built on the ideas written in our Constitution and other founding documents, not Obama's radical change.

Republicans do not have the corner on the Tea Party and the ideas that are galvanizing Americans to stand up and stand out. The things the Republican Party SAYS they believe in are more closely aligned, but that doesn't mean those in Washington are the standard bearers. Many of those in politics who call themselves Republican have already shown they can't be trusted to stick to Republican values. Why should we trust that they haven't wet their finger, stuck it up in the air and figured out which way they need to act to stay in power?

The arrogance they are showing with their "we're going to take up to 70 seats" and similar are really, really turning me off. They sound power hungry. They seem cocky. Sometimes they sound giddy.

If you had asked me a few years ago which party I belonged with I'd have answered 'Republican' in a heart beat. Now I just say I'm conservative. I vote conservative, which means I vote Republican as a rule. However, for the first time since choosing to become a Republican, I'm open to voting Libertarian, Independent, or 'other' if the candidate is truly conservative.

Yes, I know that by broadening my choices I may be helping to elect a lib. I'm going to watch that carefully. If a candidate hasn't got a chance or if it's very clear that voting third party will only split the conservative vote and allow a Democrat to waltz in the door, I'll vote Republican. However, if they keep crowing and dancing around like they've already won, I may have to rethink that stance. I know I will not be voting for many, if any, of those already in power. They've been infected and based on what I'm hearing I don't think they've taken their medicine like they should. I will NOT risk our country just to get them to swallow a bit more castor oil as we have too much to lose at this point. But once we get through this patch and have a positive foothold, I'm all for sweeping any of those opportunists left out the door.

I listen carefully now and I not only look at current actions, but past actions. I'm ready for a whole new crowd to put their butts in those chairs in the House and Senate chambers. It's not going to happen in the next election, or the one after that, but if we stick together it'll come to pass.

Blanche Lincoln and outside influence...

2010-05-19T10:24:00.000-04:00

I was just listening to Blanche Lincoln talking after her squeak-through election last night. In her rah-rah talk, she said it was 'not being about outside groups' and how Arkansans did it their way, without outside influence, no one telling them how to vote, what to do, yada yada yada...

I had to chuckle (sarcastically, of course). Sometime soon she'll hop on an airplane to Washington, D.C. and do exactly what Obama, Pelosi, Reid and the Washington D.C. power Dems tell her to do...

Yep, no outside influence in Arkansas.

She does exactly what her constituents want right? Uh huh.

And by the way Ms. Lincoln, you got just over 40% of the vote, and then it was only the Democrat vote. That doesn't bespeak a mandate from the voters to anyone who knows basic math. But then again, you like think that spending lowers the deficit so it's understandable that you'd think it was a huge victory. Well, in thinking about it, maybe it was a pretty big victory... you didn't lose outright. Yet.

"Joe The Plumber" Endorses Sharron Angle for U.S.Senate!

2010-04-30T14:49:00.002-04:00

In a major development in the campaign to defeat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in his campaign for re-election, Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher - best known as "Joe The Plumber" has endorsed conservative Republican, Sharron Angle, in her campaign for U.S. Senate to Defeat Harry Reid.

The endorsement of Angle by "Joe The Plumber" is taking place at a Tea Party Express news conference in Las Vegas at the Orleans hotel this morning. A video of the endorsement of Angle can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1juoeQqBo8

"Sharron Angle continues to line up more and more conservative endorsements in her campaign for Senate. She's become a national hero of the tea party movement and conservatives across the country," said Sal Russo, Chief Strategist of the Tea Party Express.

The Arizona immigration law...

2010-04-27T07:37:00.000-04:00

Couldn't have said this better (for sure ;-), so I'm not gonna try. Excellent!

A carefully crafted immigration law in Arizona

The chattering class is aghast at Arizona's new immigration law. "Harkens back to apartheid," says the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Cynthia Tucker. "Shameful," says the Washington Post's E.J. Dionne. "Terrible…an invitation to abuse," says the New York Times' David Brooks.

For his part, President Obama calls the law "misguided" and says it "threaten[s] to undermine basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans." Obama has ordered the Justice Department to "closely monitor the situation and examine the civil rights and other implications of this legislation."

Has anyone actually read the law?

Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/A-carefully-crafted-immigration-law-in-Arizona-92136104.html#ixzz0mIdikaUA

George Soros and Obama: enemies of liberty

2010-04-27T07:35:00.000-04:00

I think it’s fairly obvious that had it not been for the Hungarian-born billionaire George Soros, Barrack Obama would not be President of the United States today. Soros, who made most of his billions through the currency speculation which he first commenced during the post-war hyper inflation in Hungary in 1946, has become the world’s top financial supporter of statism and socialism. He is a “soft fascist”, as author Mark Levin would say, that is to say, someone who would foist a socialist totalitarian government on us by incremental steps....

http://www.examiner.com/x-32781-Clarksburg-Conservative-Examiner~y2009m12d16-George-Soros-and-Obama-enemies-of-liberty

Note: Well worth a read & a share on your blog... and / or some commentary. I rec'd it via Facebook contact today. It's an older article, December - but again, worth a read and thought.

Dem to Obama: Push immigration or I’ll tell Latino voters to stay home

2010-04-20T08:18:00.000-04:00

A congressman from the president’s home state is threatening that he will urge Latino voters to stay home this November if the Democratic Party does not make a concerted effort to pass comprehensive immigration reform.

Read more: http://www.thehill.com/homenews/house/93183-dem-to-obama-push-immigration-or-ill-tell-latino-voters-to-stay-home

Obama’s Victim: The “Peace Process”

2010-04-05T19:58:00.000-04:00

The apparently escalating conflict between the US and Israel did not have to occur. It must be resolved now, before it does irreparable harm to prospects for peace.

The conflict was largely contrived by people with agendas. The initial impetus for the brouhaha was an ill-timed announcement that permits had been issued for building 1,600 additional residences in a part of Jerusalem that had been captured by Israel in the 1967 war. The Netanyahu government had been praised by President Obama for agreeing to a freeze on building permits on the West Bank, despite the fact that the freeze did not extend to any part of Jerusalem. Thus the announcement of new building permits did not violate any agreement by Israel.

http://frontpagemag.com/2010/04/05/obamas-victim-the-peace-process/?utm_source=FrontPage+Magazine&utm_campaign=d0e8a0cd02-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email

Interesting: Obama Approval Index Month-by-Month

2010-04-01T12:09:00.000-04:00

When tracking President Obama’s job approval on a daily basis, people sometimes get so caught up in the day-to-day fluctuations that they miss the bigger picture. To look at the longer-term trends, Rasmussen Reports compiles the numbers on a full-month basis, and the results can be seen in the graphics below.

Obama’s Approval Index rating fell a point in March to match the lowest levels yet measured for this president. His rating held steady in the first two months of 2010, after falling seven points in the final three months of 2009.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/obama_administration/obama_approval_index_month_by_month

City Of Chicago To Modernize Outdated Graft Programs

2010-03-29T14:29:00.000-04:00

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”

2010-03-28T19:58:00.000-04:00

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...

2010-03-26T00:05:00.000-04:00

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

2010-03-24T15:21:00.000-04:00

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

2010-03-22T11:02:00.002-04:00

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

2010-03-19T09:16:00.000-04:00

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...

2010-03-17T10:42:00.000-04:00

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?

2010-03-12T22:32:00.002-05:00

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???

2010-03-12T12:50:00.000-05:00

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

2010-03-11T10:10:00.001-05:00

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

2010-03-11T10:09:00.001-05:00

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

2010-03-03T12:54:00.000-05:00

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 ...

2010-03-02T09:06:00.001-05:00

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... )

Thoughts on Brown, Romney, conservatism, the Tea Party movement & progressives...

2010-02-23T20:26:00.002-05:00

I supported Scott Brown. Not because I thought he was going to save the Republican Party, the conservative ideology or do what I thought he should do. I supported him for a number of reasons.

- I thought anyone who'd put an "R" next to their name would be better than the "D" alternative.
- I liked the idea of putting an R in a Kennedy seat.
- I thought he'd vote more in line with how I'd vote as compared to the alternative.
- I liked some of the things he had to say.

On the flip side, I didn't think he was the "outsider" or the true conservative choice. However, given the state and the mind-set of his constituents I felt he was about as conservative as we'd be able to expect or hope to elect. He had a voting record and I would have voted no on some things he supported, yes on others he didn't.

There isn't anyone in Congress I would walk in lock-step with regarding their votes, how they handle things or even what they have to say in many cases.

Would I have preferred a true-blue conservative? Absolutely.

Am I going to work hard to make sure that the next person elected is more conservative than Brown? Absolutely.

Am I going to tar and feather the man? Nope. From what I can see he didn't lie to anyone, he didn't promise anything he hasn't delivered. He's been pretty up front about how he's going to vote.

I think we are at a critical, critical point in the direction of the Tea Party movement. We can't let a really, really bad vote by Brown cause us to pack up our bags and head to the hills. We learn. We don't get caught up in the hype. We do our homework on the next elections. We hold the Republican, Democrat, Independent, Libertarian candidate's feet to the fire. We research.

We need a Tea Party & / or Conservative questionnaire that we ask all candidates to answer. We need a Tea Party / Conservative pledge that we get candidates to sign. I know a lot of this is being worked on already.

A whole lot of people much smarter, and much more connected, than I are working on many things that should allow us to hang together better and to look deeper at those who are asking for our votes.

I'm not a strong supporter, or maybe even a lukewarm supporter of John McCain. There are things I like about him and things I really do not like about his votes and actions. I can understand Sarah Palin supporting him. Most of the world would not know who she was if McCain hadn't taken a chance on her. Yes, I firmly believe his choice garnered him a huge number of votes and that he wouldn't have been a contender without her so the score is somewhat even. However, I'd probably do the same if I were in her shoes.

Ditto on Scott Brown. Although the luster is gone and he's no longer feeling the love from conservatives, he owes a lot to John McCain.

Mitt Romney? To me it's politics as usual and I'm sick of politics as usual. I am looking for someone who isn't caught up in the game.

We're out here fighting a long history of not just "progressive" infiltration of both parties, but the power structure that is Washington D.C. We are naive if we think that a one-year movement is going to shake up the system to the extent that will give us a politics that is honorable and above self-serving power-hungry politics as usual.

It's going to take a long, long, long, long time and a whole heck of a lot of effort. We are going to have failures and we're going to make mistakes. If we stay true to our principles we can make a difference. We will prevail if we keep our spirits up and stand together, stand strong.

Don't give up just because Brown, Romney and friends aren't doing what you want them to do. Fight harder. Work harder.

And, one more caution: there are those in the Republican and Democratic parties who do NOT want the Tea Party ideals to prevail. We are being attacked, they are trying to divide and conquer and we can not let that happen. Don't let the little things divide. Don't get caught up on the big things either. I'm talking about the social principles that are so important to many of us. Yes, abortion, traditional marriage, our faith and other issues are critical and we need to focus and do what we can to promote our beliefs. However, that is not what the Tea Party movement is all about. We have to take care of the foundation first and re-build a country that allows us to tackle those issues peacefully, thoughtfully and prayerfully.

OK, I know I'm just one little drop of water in this huge country, in the conservative support system. There's absolutely no reason that anyone should listen or take to heart anything I wrote. It works for me, hopefully it'll resonate with some of you, too.

Public Comment Period Remains Open Until Friday For Draft National Disaster Recovery Framework

2010-02-23T08:05:00.001-05:00

Don't know if any of you have an interest in looking at this but here it be:

Public Comment Period Remains Open Until Friday For Draft National Disaster Recovery Framework
Tue, 23 Feb 2010 01:07:34 -0600
WASHINGTON, DC -- Individuals and other stakeholders who still wish to submit comments on the draft National Disaster Recovery Framework have until Friday, February 26, 2010 to do so. The framework – focused on engaging state, local and tribal governments, nonprofit partners, the private sector, and the public to enhance the nation’s ability to recover from disasters – is available to read online at DisasterRecoveryWorkingGroup.gov. All comments must be submitted at www.regulations.gov in Docket FEMA-2010-0004.

Stimulus attacks help Dems gain first real traction in weeks

2010-02-21T15:49:00.000-05:00

Congressional Democrats are celebrating what they say was their best week politically since Scott Brown s victory in Massachusetts on Jan. 19.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/82529-stimulus-attacks-help-dems-gain-first-real-traction-in-weeks

Herminator Update

2010-02-10T14:48:00.000-05:00

If you tuned in with the 82,400 viewers for the Voice of the People's State of the Union on February 2, 2010, THANK YOU! If you missed it you can see and hear the entire webcast or just my fourteen minute closing remarks at www.tvtownhall.com.

The entire webcast exceeded our expectations with viewers and responses! Thank you again! Our voices are being heard.

Our voices are also being heard collectively across the country leading up to the November elections. People are fed up with the tax and tax and tax, and spend and spend and spend polices of this administration and Congress.

Here is some evidence that the Scott Brown victory in Mass. was no fluke:

Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) is polling behind three Republican challengers.
Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AK) is down 23 points in the polls.
Marco Rubio is leading Governor Charlie Crist in the primary in Florida.
Pat Toomey leads incumbent Senator Arlen Specter in Pennsylvania.
Businessman John Dennis is challenging Nancy Pelosi in California.

Thank you for lending your voice. We will not be silenced!

Herman Cain - Head Coach
Intelligent Thinkers Movement

Demon Sheep...

2010-02-04T10:02:00.003-05:00

I nominate this one for the worst political ad EVER... wait until you see the end, you will howl. Bad news for Carly Fiorina in California. I can't believe she saw this, much less approved it. Guarantee you won't forget the demon sheep.

Are we being Chump by President Obama?

2010-01-29T07:39:00.000-05:00

Interesting.

Healthcare headline roundup from around the world...

2010-01-21T08:08:00.003-05:00

A lot of these are repeated in numerous papers, I only grabbed one and I tried only to grab stories from this morning or late yesterday... The headlines paint a picture of discord, but remember, they have a way of sitting in dark used-to-be-smoke-filled rooms and figuring out ways to work around set-backs.

Obama wants quick healthcare compromise
As Democrats searched for a way forward after their defeat in the Massachusetts Senate race, the US President, Barack Obama, said ''core elements'' of his healthcare package had broad support and could form the basis of a swift compromise.
''I would advise that we try to move quickly to coalesce around those elements in the package that people agree on,'' Mr Obama said on the US television network ABC.
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/world/obama-wants-quick-healthcare-compromise-20100121-mo85.html

Clyburn: 'Magic number on healthcare reform is 50, not 60'; measure not dead
Healthcare reform legislation is "not dead by any means," Democrats' third-ranking leader in the House emphasized Wednesday. http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/77129-clyburn-magic-number-on-healthcare-reform-is-50-not-60

Barack Obama in health reform risk after shock defeat
Barack Obama yesterday vowed to push on with controversial new laws after a humiliating election defeat which could wreck his healthcare and climate change plans.
America's biggest political upset in years came a year to the day since the President took office.
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/01/21/barack-obama-in-health-reform-risk-after-shock-defeat-115875-21983558/

Obamacare in Cloud Cuckoo Land
Examiner Editorial
"If voters are so angry that Republicans can get Ted Kennedy's Senate seat, there isn't a safe Democratic incumbent anywhere in the country."

Obama's thud to earth
AMID the shock at the stunning electoral upset in Massachusetts by the Republican candidate, Scott Brown, and its implications for President Barack Obama's legislative program, something has been overlooked: a hostile or unreliable Congress is a normal part of US presidential politics.
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/editorial/obamas-thud-to-earth-20100121-mo2t.html

Democrats reconsider healthcare possibilities
Having lost their filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, President Obama and his allies ponder abandoning the major overhaul and instead making changes incrementally with some Republican support. President Obama and congressional Democrats are rethinking their healthcare strategy in the wake of a Republican victory in the Massachusetts Senate race, giving serious consideration to abandoning the comprehensive approach in favor of incremental steps that might salvage key elements of the package.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/la-na-congress-dems21-2010jan21,0,7342469.story?track=rss

White House signaling new direction on healthcare reform
President Barack Obama on Wednesday asked lawmakers to focus on the core elements of healthcare reform, with some interpreting his remarks as a call to scale back his top legislative priority. http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/77215-white-house-signaling-new-direction-on-health

Hope but no change
Americans wanted change in 2008, so they voted for Obama. What they got was a Clinton acolyte. No wonder they're mad
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2010/jan/18/barack-obama-us-politics

President Obama's five desperate options on healthcare reform
Existing state of play: The House of Representatives and the Senate have passed their own versions of President Obama’s signature healthcare reform bill. As is often the case during the passage of American legislation, both versions have been heavily amended during the debates.
Under normal circumstances, the next step for the bill to become legislation would see the Senate and House versions amalgamated in a series of backroom meetings. This final draft of the bill would then need to be passed by both the House and the Senate.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article6994955.ece#cid=OTC-RSS&attr=797093

Political Earthquake Rocks Massachusetts
For the moment, millions of Haitians don't matter. For Washington and the West, they never did and don't now. It's pretense, a topic a forthcoming article will explore.
Today, however, the Massachusetts political earthquake takes precedence, and headlines explain it.
http://www.baltimorechronicle.com/2010/012110Lendman.shtml

Investors Eye Healthcare in Wake of G.O.P. Win
Investors and distressed market advisers on Wednesday said the surprise Republican senate win in Massachusetts may present opportunities in healthcare bonds, hospitals and medical companies, Reuters reported.

Frank walks back his health bill compromise is 'dead' comment
Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) on Wednesday walked back comments he previously made that the current healthcare reform negotiations are "dead." http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/77163-barney-frank-walks-back-comment-that-health-bill-compromise-is-dead

NHC urges congress to continue work on meaningful healthcare reform
The National Health Council (NHC), an organization providing a united voice for the more than 133 million people with chronic diseases and disabilities and their family caregivers, today sent a letter to Congress urging the House and Senate to "continue working to accomplish the long-sought goal of health care reform."

Dem leaders scramble to save healthcare reform after Brown win
Democratic leaders are scrambling to save healthcare reform legislation in the wake of a shocking Republican victory for the Senate seat held by the late Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.). http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/76957-dem-leaders-scramble-to-save-healthcare

Hitler finds our Scott Brown won Mass. election - hilarious

2010-01-20T09:04:00.002-05:00

Saw this on my facebook account (thanks Mary), shared it there so if you're seeing this via Facebook feed, sorry, it's a duplicate.

Son of Climategate! Scientist says feds manipulated data

2010-01-16T20:57:00.000-05:00

In a one-two series of Climategate aftershocks that assuredly will further rattle the global warming community, a report has been issued by U.S. researchers accusing government agencies of cherry-picking temperature readings used to assess global temperatures, and a series of embarrassing e-mails were released revealing what happened when a blogger dared to point out a mistake by NASA climate scientists.

Read the rest of the story: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=122109

Could it Backfire on Brown?

2010-01-14T08:31:00.004-05:00

Just a few concerns regarding the Brown v Coakley special election in Massachusetts... OK, I have many, but they're not keeping me up at night .

All this national attention could easily backfire on Brown's chances of winning. I know that if the national media started bringing attention to a race in my neighborhood or state, I'd start paying attention. I'd get hyper and engaged. I'd be calling my friends, working hard to get my candidate elected.

It seems to me that the Coakley supporters have been kind of lukewarm at best until recently. Now I'd bet they are awake and hot.

Of course, we're awake and hot, too, but we were already there prior to all the media attention.

There are also a contingency of people who're going to be spit-fire mad because all these outsiders are coming into their state and trying to tell 'em what to do... thus another group will be energized. Given the fact that Coakley is flying to Washington, hobnobbing with the health care folks at wine bars, it's probably pretty even on the who is courting or attracting "outsider" attention.

I wondered when the Democratic poll came out putting Brown in breathing room of a win against Coakley if it was a set-up to stir up the Democratic base. Once that poll popped up all of a sudden the Republican / conservative contingency across the country sent up a huge whoop of joy. They had a chance. The Democrats who were coasting, thinking that it was a shoe-in that a Dem would take the seat, all of sudden had something to be concerned about. I would bet there was a huge collective "huh????", then a bit of head shaking to make sure they were in the real world... then they started moving.

Another thing that passed through my mind when I first heard about the poll shift is the possibility that we on the conservative side are being set up for a crushing disappointment... one that is meant to take the wind out of our proverbial political enthusiastic sails.

I tossed that one fairly quickly. If the election is close we're still going to be thrilled. In a state that is more than predominately Democratic, in a seat that a Republican hasn't held since before most of us were born, we have a shot. That says a lot. It's encouraging. The only way most of us will be depressed about the election is if it's a land-slide for Coakley.

I really, really, really hope Brown wins... fingers and toes crossed, phone lines a burning, blogs a flying and even a few quick prayers as I think this race could be part of the salvation of our country...

However, even if Brown doesn't win, we won. We sent a message to those who are more concerned about their political future than they are about the integrity of their votes. There are some who may see that their chances of being elected again are zip if they vote for health care, cap & tax and continue to support the wacko anti-American agenda as proposed by Obama, Pelosi and soon-to-be-defeated Reid. We've shown that we're on fire and that more people are involved than ever before. We're here. We're worried about our country. More of us are realizing just how morally bankrupt our so-called leaders have become. We see the corruption. We're getting a real good look at politics and seeing just how far we've moved in the wrong direction.

It's going to take more than a few elections to turn things around. It's going to take some huge upheavals to get us back on track. We are in the process of trying to change a system that has developed in stealth for longer than our parents and possibly grand-parents have been on this earth.

I hope that everyone who's involved, engaged, working hard to affect a change stays involved past the 2012 elections, win or lose. We are not going to change the corruption, the power base, the intricate back-slapping system that has evolved by simply voting out a few of the bad apples. We're going to need to work hard for many years. Many, many years.

The recent elections were uplifting. This one is also going to be a good one. I believe we're going to be happy in November also... Keep the momentum going! Good work everyone!!! You are making a huge difference.

Frank to hold hearings on limiting executive pay

2010-01-13T14:52:00.003-05:00

Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) is mounting a new effort to limit executive compensation as Wall Street prepares this month to pay out huge bonuses.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/house/75709-rep-frank-to-hold-hearings-on-limiting-executive-pay

(Let's mount our own efforts to limit Frank & friend's time left in Congress... and while we're at it, why don't we work to limit their payouts??? Problem being we can't monitor all the ways they leverage their clout... )

If Bush...

2010-01-12T22:00:00.002-05:00

If Bush issued an executive order to create a council of state governors to work with the feds to expand military involvement in domestic security, the media, the left wingers, the conspiracy nuts would be going bananas.

If Bush wanted to put machines at the airport to screen for weapons by taking body shots the media, the left wingers, the conspiracy nuts would be screaming loud enough to break all the crystal in America.

If Bush talked about a civilian "army" there wouldn't be any other news worthy of discussing.

If Bush wanted to do a fraction, a tiny fraction, of the things Barack Hussein Obama is doing there would be fireworks like we've never seen before from the media, the left wingers, the conspiracy nuts.

But the sheeples are willing to look the other way because they love Obama. Whatever he does to them or to their country is fine because... well, because they're oblivious to what they stand to lose.

If George Bush (either of 'em) tried to do the things Obama is doing we on the right might let him get away with a little bit of it... but then we'd be marching in Washington with the left... maybe on the other side of the street... maybe with better looking signs , but we'd be there.

We are truly in the perfect storm of all storms. Our only chance to fight what is happening right now is to hope that our vote still matters in November. If by then the Obama machine has been successful with expanding and perfecting its' ACORN type tactics during the election, we're toast and so is our country.

Folks, we hafta, hafta, hafta get our friends involved. We have to make plans now to get every able bodied, right minded voter to cast their ballot in all elections this year. Then we need to gear up for 2012 immediately.

We have to prepare people to find their local tea party group, the local Republican group, the local Libertarian group and get involved.

In regards to the Republican party: the best way to make changes happen in D.C. and the country is to work within the system to give it an overhaul. Standing on the outside throwing rocks doesn't do anything but make people put up thicker walls, barricade the windows and hunker down. If enough of you get involved and make yourself an integral part of your local and state party, you will change the system.

Go to the meetings, get involved. Ignore the petty bickering (it's always there). Keep the big goal of saving our Constitutional rights, our freedoms, our country in mind. Picture a scale in your head --- on one side is the country, the Constitution, our freedoms, our future. On the other side are your individual beliefs on issues. Weight the importance of each of your beliefs against attaining the overall goals... succeed in saving the country, then go back to work on trying to get everyone to vote 100% of the time on whatever is important to you. I'm not saying to bend on core principles. I think most of us will find that our core principles are those that are written in and protected by the Constitution...

On splitting the vote: Huge concern for me and I'm sure the left is hoping we'll do that. If the Republicans, tea party / 9/12 groups, the Libertarians, the Ron Paul followers, the Independent Party, the Constitution Party, etc. all say "our guy / gal" or no one, then we will split the vote and lose. I don't know how we're going to do it, but somehow we have to be willing to fight for our candidate during the primary and then coalesce behind the one most likely to win (as long as they're truly a principled conservative, of course).

OK, nuff ranting, rambling and running on... here's the article (along with a blog by a friend of mine) that sparked this blog:

http://www.prisonplanet.com/obama-executive-order-stokes-martial-law-fears.html

Niece of Martin Luther King, Jr. on Sen. Reid: "His thinking is sadly outrageous"

2010-01-12T09:58:00.003-05:00

Alveda King says that Reid threatens the “Beloved Community” of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Following is a statement from Dr. Alveda King, niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on Senator Harry Reid’s comments, “light skinned with no Negro dialect,” regarding President Barack Obama’s acceptability as a choice for holding the highest seat in the nation.

“This type of thinking by Senator Reid and others is sadly outrageous, no matter what the ethnic or political viewpoint happens to be. We are one human race, and polarizing people because of skin color is horrendous.

“If Michael Steele or any other conservative had said anything like it, the remarks would be labeled racist and plastered over every available news outlet.

"What would my uncle and my father think, to hear such things from one of the most powerful leaders in the country? Their "Beloved Community" is sorely threatened when racism rears its ugly head once again.

“As it stands, only a few brave souls are publicizing the comments while there is a massive push at damage control from those who wish to bury the elitist pattern that is prevalent in our government today. Maafa21.com and bloodmoneyfilm.com are excellent sources of understanding where the kind of thinking espoused by Senator Reid originates.

“Senator Reid’s apology is a good place to start, but what Congress must do next is to rectify such eugenics and genocidal behavior, backed by rich and powerful organizations like Planned Parenthood, and eliminate government funding of abortion from healthcare legislation.”

DR. ALVEDA C. KING: Daughter of the late slain civil rights activist Rev. A. D. King and Niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Founder of King for America, Inc. Mother of six and doting grandmother. Consultant to the Africa Humanitarian Christian Fellowship. Former college professor. MA degree in Business Management. Published author of Sons of Thunder, The King Family Legacy and I Don't Want Your Man, I Want My Own. Doctorate of Laws conferred by Saint Anslem College. Served on the boards and committees of Coalition of African American Pastors, and the Judeo-Christian Coalition for Constitutional Restoration. Served in the Georgia State House of Representatives. Accomplished actress and songwriter. She is a voice for the Silent No More Awareness Campaign, speaking about her regret for her abortion. During the years of the Civil Rights Movement, led by her Uncle, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Alveda's family home was bombed in Birmingham, Alabama. "Daddy's house was bombed, then in Louisville, Kentucky his church office was bombed. I was also jailed during the open housing movement," she recalls. Alveda has continued her long-term work as a civil rights activist. Advocate for School Choice as a civil rights issue. Strong advocate for life of the unborn, faith in God not faith in government bureaucracy.

More Christmas Joy from the Senate...

2009-12-26T09:03:00.003-05:00

This is old news now (Thursday), but I figured I'd post the story just so I could comment.

Senate approves $290B raise in debt limit
By Walter Alarkon
The Senate on Thursday cleared a $290 billion debt-limit increase, giving the federal government two more months of borrowing authority.
Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/73543-senate-votes-to-raise-debt-limit-by-290-billion

Aw heck, do I even need to comment?

Jet fliers tackle bomber: Al Qaeda plot foiled in skies over Mich.

2009-12-26T08:43:00.002-05:00

An al Qaeda terrorist tried to blow up a plane packed with Christmas travelers yesterday as it was about to land in Detroit -- but was thwarted by heroic passengers who tackled the madman, authorities said.

The 23-year-old Nigerian suffered serious burns, and at least two other passengers were injured in the terrifying violence aboard the Northwest Airlines flight from Amsterdam.

Read more: www.nypost.com/p/news/national/jet_fliers_GHGUQd0YkIkPwdHYAb8u9K#ixzz0anngtiSO

Isn't this the THIRD incident we've had this year? How many can you remember all total during the years since Sept. 11? Hmmm.... do ya think we have a problem Houston??? What's different this year than all the previous years?

Mr. Can't-We-All-Talk-and-Get-Along got his faced slapped by Sulfur-Smelling Chavez, the Russians said thanks for screwing your allies by announcing they're increasing their nuclear arsenal, he's getting trash talked about by his fellow "climate change" bozos, and now we almost lost a plane to an al Qaeda terrorist on CHRISTMAS. "Almost" only because the guy screwed up and a passenger didn't.

Hey, Merry Christmas Mr. Obama. Thanks for all you're doing for our country and our world.

I woke up all full of love, charity and joy from great times with my family, sharing the Christmas spirit. The first thing I saw flying across my desktop was the story of how so many almost lost their lives on Christmas. I am ever so thankful that those on the plane are alive and well to continue their journey. I can't believe there are people in this world who would take joy, who would feel like it was their right and mission to take innocent lives, especially on a Holy day.

It should be a message to everyone with their head in the sand that these people can't be reasoned with, that they can not be talked out of their belief system and that the only way to fight is with superior strength.

OK, I'm gonna let it go for the day and continue with my Christmas. I have more family coming today and I am looking forward to MORE COOKING ... seriously, I am really anticipating their visit, it's the perfect topper for a spectacular Christmas.

I hope all my friends had a great Christmas and that you managed to find time to remember why we celebrate. Thanks for continuing to share and read, you're all part of my extended (very extended ;-) family of friends!

Obama gets sued over secret abortion meetings

2009-12-22T13:10:00.001-05:00

A legal firebrand whose work fighting corruption left both Bill Clinton and Dick Cheney on the defensive today took on Barack Obama, suing the president for secret meetings with Planned Parenthood and other lobbyists on his plans to nationalize health care.
Find out the latest right now at WND.com.

Statement of Governor Sonny Perdue Regarding the Senate Health Care Bill

2009-12-21T16:37:00.000-05:00

Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue issued the following statement today regarding the latest version of the U.S. Senate’s health care reform legislation.

“I am utterly dismayed and disappointed by the vote buying that has occurred in the United States Senate in order to pass a measure that most citizens are against. If this reform was truly the right policy for our country, we wouldn’t see waffling Senators lining up like game show contestants hoping to win today’s jackpot of a special deal from Harry Reid. This bill places an unsustainable burden on the backs of Georgia’s taxpayers, and will lead to either higher state taxes or massive cuts to basic state services in years to come. I join Governors from around the country of both parties in asking our Representatives and Senators to listen to the public outrage against this bill and stop this mistake before it occurs.”

Our Country Deserves Better: Reid Ad

2009-12-20T13:45:00.001-05:00

McConnell not backing down as round-the-clock votes loom

2009-12-18T13:01:00.001-05:00

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) blasted Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) Friday morning for speeding a major healthcare overhaul through the upper chamber before Christmas.
Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/72961-mcconnell-not-backing-down-as-lawmakers-face-round-the-clock-votes

Dems dropping out

2009-12-16T08:26:00.002-05:00

So, another Dem decides to drop out, retire, quit. Rep. Bart Gordon's (D-Tenn.) announced Monday he's not going to run again. A number of other long-time Democrats have also said they're calling it quits in the next election.

One has to wonder about the REAL reasons behind their abandonment of public office.

I've heard speculation and talk about Pelosi wanting blue-dogs out, or not that she's throwing them to the dogs, with the thinking that she may lose the majority for a period of time, but will get it back in the next election... Why would anyone seriously think that she'd be willing to give up her kingdom, her absolute rule? Me thinks she really believes that she'll keep the majority.

I think she's deluded enough to think that despite the Tea Party efforts, despite the polls, that the majority of America is as deluded and out of it as she is. She's wrong, but when you only surround yourself with fellow kool-ade drinkers, how're you going to see any differently? Being wrong about what the majority of America believes and thinks doesn't necessarily mean she's wrong about keeping her majority though... read on...

Some of those who are leaving are seasoned Democrats. I'm not really familiar with any of them to any great degree, but it's been suggested in a few circles that some at least are principled, true-blue Democrats of the kind that we on the right might not mind that much.

Are they leaving the Party because the Party left them? Are they seeing the direction they and their fellow Dems are taking the country and leaving in disgust? If so, why aren't they voting on principle rather than going along with Pelosi and / or Reid? Have they been in office so long that there are skeletons in their closets that are being dangled in front of their eyes to keep them in line? Are they being pushed out? Or are they seeing the hand-writing on the wall?

It seems to me that more than the usual numbers are announcing they'll retire. It also seems to me that most have some strong Republican opposition and a slim or slimmer chance than normal of keeping their seat. Are they being told by the powers-that-be that they won't be supported? Is Obama, Rahmbo, Pelosi, or the DNC culling the chaff from the Democratic wheat?

Did they lose confidence in their ability to pull off the election with the wounding of ACORN?

Watch this trend. See who's dropping out.

Sumpin's goin' on here and it looks like we're making some headway, making a difference already in our fight. I'm not ready to crow yet though. I'm not 100% confident that there's not a bigger behind-the-scenes manipulation going on by Obama and friends. They are a devious lot as we've already seen.

I'd prefer to see some of the far Left ideologues leaving rather than the moderates, if that's what is happening.

If all we see are moderates leaving, rest assured the DNC, Obama and crew have a strategy that they think will keep them in the cat bird seat. A strategy that only leaves those in lock-step with Obama's America killing policies in Washington... which is scarier than I can begin to imagine.

We already know they think the voters are stupid. They think we are now a sound-bite, easily swayed, vote with the current issues type electorate. They are also working hard to have as many people as possible on the dole by the time the next election rolls around. Watch the current immigration bill with open eyes... they're after more voters.

We need to be vigilant, we need to double our efforts to sway minds, increase voter registration, ensure people get out to vote. They're counting on a large chunk of us getting fed up and staying home. They're also counting on a big split between Libertarians, Tea Party voters and Republicans. Democrats will walk in lock-step. One of the problems on the conservative side is that we're all very strong minded, independent types. We don't vote in lock-step.

We're still fairly early in the 2010 election cycle, no telling what's to come...

Japan 'clunkers' plan angers U.S.

2009-12-16T08:25:00.001-05:00

Lawmakers and U.S. automakers are peeved with Japan, which has launched a cash-for-clunkers program that doesn't accept American-made cars.

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/72437-japan-clunkers-plan-angers-us

By Ian Swanson

Interesting perspectives... gloomy ramblings...

2009-12-15T09:28:00.003-05:00

It's been rather interesting lately. As my regular readers know, I lean conservative. Some would say I do more than lean, especially some of my old and current liberal friends!

I am also a vegetarian, tree-hugging, artist.

I recently decided to set up a separate personality for my art side on Facebook, Twitter, etc.

What an eye-opener.

As the editor of a few on-line news sites, I get a ton of press releases from all sides so I do keep up with what the left is drinking, swallowing, believing.

It has struck me on more than one occasion that we immerse ourselves in our world of news and friends and get "stuck". I glance at stories that promote global warming / climate change, I "read" articles that trash the junk-science.

At least I see the other side, even though I see it with one eyebrow raised... As I'm reading posts by my lefty / progressive friends, I see more clearly that they don't even get any exposure to opposing views... and if they do, it's from those who are trashing the views. Some are panicing about the end of the world due to global warming... many only read Huffington, Oberman and similar...

I know that on "our" side it's the same way. Many will only expose themselves to one side. They listen to Glenn Beck, Rush, Hannity, etc. (me too ;-) but never flip over to hear one of the "other" guys on CNN, MSNBC, Huff puff, etc.

I try. It's so mean spirited when I try to read some of the stuff. I'm a fairly positive person. So are most of my artist friends.

I'm glad I'm sticking to art on my "other" FB, Twitter, etc., accounts. I'm completely staying away from politics on my art personality pages. However, I'm learning a lot of lessons and getting some great insights into how others think (not just the progressive leaners, many are from other countries).

Don't worry, I'm not changing my beliefs or getting ready to move to the dark side . Been there, done that, got tired of the kool-ade and huge gaps in reasoning. Once I went into business for myself, my eyes opened wide, very wide. It didn't take long to see the light once I was responsible for myself completely.

The main thing that has struck me about all of the various views flitting across my screens is just how entrenched we are in our belief system. I find it rather scary on some levels. If we can't find a compromise here in our country, if we can't work together to improve our country (as opposed to radically changing the country as those in power are trying to do now), how do we expect to work well with those entrenched in their religious beliefs that require the killing or enslaving of those who don't believe the same way? How do we expect to stay keep one country from trying to annihilate another country? You get the drift...

So many who are trying to "make peace" do it from the high moral ground that their way is the right way, the only way. Peace means subjugating others believes, converting them, rather than finding a harmonious middle, or going with the live and let live mantra.

It seems our minds are getting more and more locked in, closed up and unable to comprehend or give value to the rights of others. It makes me wonder and worry about where our old world is headed on this gloomy rainy day.

OK, I'm going out to the studio. Time for some refreshing, cleansing, quality art time. I'll be more positive when I come back, promise!

Fistgate II: High School Students Given ‘Fisting Kits’ At Kevin Jennings’ 2001 GLSEN Conference

2009-12-11T08:13:00.000-05:00

In March 2000 the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) organization of Massachusetts held its 10 Year Anniversary GLSEN/Boston conference at Tufts University. This conference was fully supported by the Massachusetts Department of Education, the Safe Schools Program, the Governor’s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth, and some of the presenters even received federal money. During the 2000 conference, workshop leaders led a “youth only, ages 14-21″ session that offered lessons in “fisting” a dangerous sexual practice. During another workshop an activist asked 14 year-old students, “Spit or swallow?… Is it rude?” The unbelievable audio clip is posted here. Barack Obama’s “Safe Schools Czar” Kevin Jennings is the founder of GLSEN. He was paid $273,573.96 as its executive director in 2007. Jennings was the keynote speaker at the 2000 GLSEN conference... Read the rest: http://biggovernment.com/2009/12/08/fistgate-ii-high-school-students-given-fisting-kits-at-kevin-jennings-2001-glsen-conference/

Oh My! Another Global Warming Scandal.

2009-12-05T22:25:00.001-05:00

posted by Bluegrass Pundit at Bluegrass Pundit
The Obama-Gore-Democrats global warming cap-and-trade bills now before Congress are modeled in large part on the Danish CO2 Quotas Register system. There are now investigations into scams worth billions o... Oh My! Another Global Warming Scandal.

Canada Free Press, check it out...

2009-12-05T20:41:00.001-05:00

Intimidation then Normalization
By Marion Valentine
What is the difference between Marxism, Communism, and Socialism? These days, not much. In the beginning the main difference was disagreement on how to achieve their common goal of complete control of a Nation’s people, resources and wealth. More...

Stop prosecuting American Heroes
By Chuck Hustmyre
In what has to be one of the most outrageous criminal prosecutions in American history, the U.S. Navy is dragging three Navy SEALs, members of one of this country’s most elite commando and counterterrorist teams, before a court martial for punching a terrorist in the mouth and giving him a bloody lip. More...

How Much Longer Before Climategate Explodes?
By Jim O'Neill
“You call it ‘Climategate,’ I call it ‘E-mail-theft-gate. ...This is a crime.” —Senator Barbara Boxer
Well, Barbara “Call Me Senator” Boxer, at least got the crime part right.
The Lame Stream Media (LSM) are doing their best to ignore Climategate, while they desperately try to come up with some consensus on how to spin it. Well guess what bozos, you can’t spin this one, it’s too big. You keep standing in its way, and it’ll squash you like a steam-roller going over a marshmallow. More...

My letter to Heather Mallick
By Charles Adler
Dear Heather,
I don’t know of anyone who is forcing you to remain in Canada. If you are truly embarrassed to be Canadian, you can always stop having a Canadian website, the CBC can stop posting your blogs and stop paying you with Canadian tax dollars. You can always burn your OHIP card so that you no longer have your health care subsidized by Canadian tax dollars. Heather, you need to know that these dollars that you have been paid, the lifestyle which you have become accustomed to has been subsidized by what you and your blogger friend in Britain call Dirty Oil. More...

America’s Great Leap Forward
By Nancy Morgan
Those who ignore the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them.
When Barack Obama was campaigning for president in 2007, his backers frequently compared him to former president John F. Kennedy. After a year in office, however, President Obama’s words and actions align more closely with China’s despotic Chairman Mao than with JFK’s.
When Mao Tse Tung conquered China in 1949, his secret goal was to dominate the world. When Obama was elected President, many started referring to him as President of the World. Both Obama and Mao had carte blanche to set out a path of radical change. As part of his strategy, Mao informed his top echelon, “There has to be a personality cult…it is absolutely necessary.”* With the aid of the state media, Mao crafted an iconic image of himself as the savior of the common man. More...

A Lot of Work Must Be Done to Head Off Socialism and Obama
By Jerry McConnell
This column is devoted to trying to convince Americans that we are about to lose our identity and worse, our freedom from tyranny and yes, SLAVERY. More...

American Healthcare

Is the President Too Good for ObamaCare?
By John Lillpop
Ambulence Chasers, Tort Reform, Democrat Campaign donations

American Politics

Email Of The Day
By Bob Parks
If George W. Bush had been the first President to need a teleprompter installed

A Tale of Two Presidents: How Media Treated Bush’s Unemployment #’s Compared to Obama’s
By Warner Todd Huston
Let’s take two reports from The New York Times for example

Stealth Motives
By Jeannie DeAngelis
For Barack, it's high time for a distraction

Obama’s F22, Climategate and IED Dog
By Daniel Greenfield
Obama's speech was a failure on both sides

Obama the Puppet
By Bob Beers
He Fills the position of POTUS but is he really the one in command?

Soros Election Theft Project
By Matthew Vadum
George Soros's continuing effort to steal elections: Installing left-wing Democrats as secretaries of state across the nation

American Freedom

Secession, Military Coups and Other Happy Talk in the Age of Obama
By Claude Sandroff
Obama is in fact breathing new life into a series of secession movements

Have We Become a Nation of Wimps?
By Ron Ewart
President Reagan did not shrink in fear of the Soviet Union. He challenged it. He did not appease or apologize to the Soviets.

American Life

America’s Photo Gallery
By Editor
America in Pictures

Rebutting the Saudi Smear Campaign Against Wafa Sultan
By Daniel Greenfield
Wafa Sultan's book, A God Who Hates, Criticism of Islam

Smoke, Smoke, Smoke that Cigarette
By Michael R. Shannon
Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedies

Global Warming

Met Office to re-examine 160 years of climate data
By Editor
The Met Office database is one of three main sources of temperature data analysis

Scientists ask American Physical Society to rescind support for man-made global warming theory
By Editor
Climategate and the American Physical Society

Climategate: Who, What, When, Where
By EPW Blog
EPW Polict Beat

Produce Proof for Scare Forecasts
By Viv Forbes
Evidence that the 21 year solar cycle is the major determinant of rainfall variations

“Unforeseen Changes” Derail Gore’s $1,200 Scam
By John Lillpop
Does “ClimateGate” ring a bell?

The Gall of Liars
By Barry Napier
Greens Brazen It Out

Christianity

ACLU Court Order Forces Christians Into the Closet at Santa Rosa County Schools
By Christian Newswire
CEAI is seeking to intervene to protect the rights of District employees

Finance, Economy

A Christmas Wish List for Taxpayers
By Kevin Gaudet
Canadian Taxpayers Federation

Southern Crescent Tea Party Patriots Meet Tonight

2009-12-03T10:52:00.001-05:00

Southern Crescent Tea Party Patriots invites you to meet at 7:00 pm at J. Christopher's in Peachtree City (Georgia) on Thursday, December 3rd. Meeting topic: Health Care Reform, featured speaker Marty Harbin.

***(Note: we are looking to organize a Rapid Response Team to respond to the frequent urgent requests for action to Congress and the Administration! Please consider signing up at the meeting or emailing us at pht@ebsouth.com.)

Nelson, Specter must wrestle with anti-tax pledge in health debate

2009-11-28T20:06:00.001-05:00

The Senate healthcare bill presents a tricky political challenge to Sens. Ben Nelson (Neb.) and Arlen Specter (Pa.), the only two Democrats in the Senate to have signed anti-tax pledges.

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/69603-nelson-specter-must-wrestle-with-anti-tax-pledge-during-healthcare-debate

By Alexander Bolton

Minister Livnat: US administration is 'horrible'

2009-11-28T09:54:00.000-05:00

A day after Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced that the security cabinet had approved a partial moratorium on building in the West Bank, Sports and Culture Minister Limor Livnat launched an unprecedented attack on US President Barack Obama. Speaking at a Likud activists' meeting in Beersheba, Livnat said that Israel had "fallen into the hands of a horrible American administration." http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1259243016472&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull

(Tnx to Grace TA on FB for sharing)

Health Care Reform – What’s Next? 9-12 Meeting, Fayette, GA

2009-11-27T20:32:00.001-05:00

The Fayette-Coweta chapter of the Glenn Beck 9-12 Project is hosting a free admission meeting Tuesday evening December 8th from 7:00 – 8:15 pm in the lower-level meeting room of the Peachtree City Library, 201 Willowbend (s.e. corner of Hwy 54 and Willowbend).

Gerry Purcell of Alpharetta, national health care reform advocate, insurance expert and 2010 candidate for Georgia Insurance Commissioner, and Dr. James T. Sandwich, MD of Fayetteville, well-known health care speaker, will discuss the proposed government-run federal health care program. Find out what effect it will have on you and your family.

For more information contact: Jim Richter 770-632-9618 or Tracy Hulan 678-467-5525 – email: jimric314@gmail.com

Southern Crescent Tea Party Patriots Meeting Dec 3

2009-11-27T20:26:00.000-05:00

Due to concern that US Senate will vote on or before Christmas Eve to pass Governement Run Healthcare Bill?

Cap & Trade (Cap & Tax) is hiding between curtain number #2 and is being worked on in the back room and will be up for vote in blink of eye~!

For that reason we are holding an urgent meeting.

Southern Crescent Tea Party Patriots Meeting
Thursday December 3rd, 2009

J Christophers Restaurant
Westpark Shopping Center
Intersection Hwy 74 & Hwy 54
Peachtree City GA.

For more information please visit www.sctpp.org

Letter to the President

2009-11-27T20:07:00.002-05:00

I'm not even going to bother Snope-ing this one... real or not, he says what many, many of are thinking and does it well:

This venerable and much honored WW II vet is well known in Hawaii for his seventy-plus years of service to patriotic organizations and causes all over the country. A humble man without a political bone in his body, he has never spoken out before about a government official, Until now. He dictated this letter to a friend, signed it and mailed it to the president.

Dear President Obama,

My name is Harold Estes, approaching 95 on December 13 of this year. People meeting me for the first time don't believe my age because I remain wrinkle free and pretty much mentally alert. I enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1934 and served proudly before, during and after WW II retiring as a Master Chief Bos'n Mate. Now I live in a "rest home" located on the western end of
Pearl Harbor, allowing me to keep alive the memories of 23 years of service to my country.

One of the benefits of my age, perhaps the only one, is to speak my mind, blunt and direct even to the head man.

So here goes.

I am amazed, angry and determined not to see my country die before I do, but you seem hell bent not to grant me that wish. I can't figure out what country you are the president of. You fly around the world telling our friends and enemies despicable lies like: "We're no longer a Christian nation", "America is arrogant" - (Your wife even announced to the world, "America is mean-spirited." Please tell her to try preaching that nonsense to 23 generations of our war dead buried all over the globe who died for no other reason than to free a whole lot of strangers from tyranny and hopelessness.)

I'd say shame on the both of you, but I don't think you like America, nor do I see an ounce of gratefulness in anything you do, for the obvious gifts this country has given you. To be without shame or gratefulness is a dangerous thing for a man sitting in the White House.

After 9/11 you said, "America hasn't lived up to her ideals." Which ones did you mean? Was it the notion of personal liberty that 11,000 farmers and shopkeepers died for to win independence from the British? Or maybe the ideal that no man should be a slave to another man, that 500,000 men died for in the Civil War? I hope you didn't mean the ideal 470,000 fathers, brothers, husbands, and a lot of fellas I knew personally died for in WWII, because we felt real strongly about not letting any nation push us around, because we stand for freedom.

I don't think you mean the ideal that says equality better than discrimnation. You know the one that a whole lot of white people understood when they helped to get you elected.

Take a little advice from a very old geezer, young man. Shape up and start acting like an American. If you don't, I'll do what I can to see you get shipped out of that fancy rental on Pennsylvania Avenue. You were elected to lead not to bow, apologize and kiss the hands of Murderers and corrupt leaders who still treat their people like slaves.

And just who do you think you are telling the American people not to jump to conclusions and condemn that Muslim major who killed 13 of his fellow soldiers and wounded dozens more. You mean you don't want us to do what you did when that white cop used force to subdue that black college professor in Massachusetts, who was putting up a fight? You don't mind offending the police calling them stupid but you don't want us to offend Muslim fanatics by calling them what they are, terrorists.

One more thing. I realize you never served in the military and never had to defend your country with your life, but you're the Commander-in-Chief now, son. Do your job. When your battle-hardened field General asks you for 40,000 more troops to complete the mission, give them to him. But if you're not in this fight to win, then get out. The life of one American soldier is not worth the best political strategy you're thinking of.

You could be our greatest president because you face the greatest challenge ever presented to any president. You're not going to restore American greatness by bringing back our bloated economy. That's not our greatest threat. Losing the heart and soul of who we are as Americans is our big fight now. And I sure as hell don't want to think my president is the enemy in this final battle.

Sincerely,
Harold B. Estes

When a 95 year old hero of the "the Greatest Generation" stands up and speaks out like this, I think we owe it to him to send his words to as many Americans as we can. Please pass it on.

American Association for Homecare Endorses New U.S. Senate Bill, the 'Prevent Health Care Fraud Act of 2009'

2009-11-25T22:52:00.001-05:00

Just interesting...

/PRNewswire/ -- The American Association for Homecare endorses the new "Prevent Health Care Fraud Act of 2009," S. 2128, which is designed to substantially improve tools and resources available to prevent fraud in Medicare. The bill was introduced by Sen. George LeMieux (R-Fla.).

The LeMieux bill contains several provisions the American Association for Homecare outlined in its 13-point anti-fraud action plan, which the Association proposed to Congress in February. Those provisions include calling for real-time audits and screens to catch fraudulent claims, more site inspections to ensure that Medicare allows only legitimate home medical equipment providers to file reimbursement claims, and a dedicated office at the federal government level to combat Medicare fraud. The Association has also recommended that more funding be made available to federal fraud fighters. See the Association's full 13-point plan at www.aahomecare.org/stopfraud... read more: American Association for Homecare Endorses New U.S. Senate Bill, the 'Prevent Health Care Fraud Act of 2009'

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

2009-11-21T23:09:00.001-05:00

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

2009-11-21T08:07:00.004-05:00

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

2009-11-20T23:25:00.002-05:00

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

2009-11-20T08:05:00.001-05:00

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...

2009-11-19T08:51:00.003-05:00

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

2009-11-15T19:05:00.002-05:00

Remember this Obama promise?

2009-11-15T18:42:00.001-05:00

CMS: House health bill will hike costs $289B

2009-11-14T16:21:00.001-05:00

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!

2009-11-14T07:18:00.000-05:00

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

2009-11-12T22:53:00.001-05:00

Here's a debate starter...

2009-11-12T08:14:00.001-05:00

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...

2009-11-10T08:46:00.002-05:00

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...

2009-11-07T10:10:00.001-05:00

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

2009-11-07T08:16:00.000-05:00

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

2009-11-07T07:24:00.000-05:00

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

LAST CHANCE TO CALL: Congress Will Vote Tomorrow to Fund Abortion in Health Care

2009-11-06T21:27:00.000-05:00

Call/Email Your Member of Congress and ask him/her to oppose the "Rule" if it does not allow a vote on the Stupak anti-abortion funding amendment

On Saturday, Congress will vote on the massive health care legislation which currently will spend your money on all elective abortion! Speaker Nancy Pelosi's health care bill authorizes the government run "public option" to fund elective abortion and would subsidize private plans that cover elective abortion. Pro-life Democrat Rep. Bart Stupak and Republican Rep. Joe Pitts want to offer a pro-life amendment to strike the abortion funding from the bill. However, Speaker Pelosi won't allow it. Instead, they have inserted a fake "compromise" to allow the government to fund abortion through private contractors, but this would still be GOVERNMENT funding of abortion (Medicare also uses private contractors to process fees and no one would call Medicare "private" funding.)

Speaker Pelosi will not allow a vote on a true amendment that would stop funding of abortion so you need to ask your Representative today to oppose the Rule that prevents a vote on the Stupak-Pitts amendment. And if that Rule passes they need to oppose final passage of the bill.
LAST CHANCE TO CALL BEFORE THE VOTE SATURDAY!!! Call your Member of Congress by contacting the Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121 or email them here.

Call/Email Your Member of Congress and ask him/her to oppose the "Rule" if it does not allow a vote on the Stupak anti-abortion funding amendment

Sincerely,
Tony Perkins
President
FRC Action:
801 G Street N.W. Washington, D.C. 20001
P: 202/393-2100 or 877/372-2808
W: frcaction.org

Rally Johnstown, PA SATURDAY

2009-11-06T21:25:00.000-05:00

Friends: Tim Burns, a conservative Republican running against John Murtha will be holding an emergency meeting in front of Murtha's Johnstown, PA office at 2:30 p.m. Saturday (tomorrow). The rally will be held to urge Murtha to embrace political reality and vote AGAINST Nancy Pelosi's destructive health care bill, which will come up for passage (or rejection) on the House floor this weekend.

As part of your own commitment to our beloved country, please attend this rally if you can . . . and meet Tim Burns, who has a good chance of beating Murtha in Nov., 2010.

If you know anyone who lives in western Pennsylvania, particulary the 12th Congressional District, please tell them about the rally . . . and ask them to attend.

If you live far away, please call Murtha's office and urge him to vote against H.R. 3962 ("NancyCare"). His DC office number is: 202-225-2065.

Also, please bring Burns's campaign to the attention of all patriots across America. Because Murtha has sold out to every special interest group imaginable, it will take a national effort to defeat this man.

www.timburnsforcongress.com

Steve Maloney
Ambridge, PA
SteveMaloneyGOP
TimBurnsforCongress (Burns -- R -- against Murtha - D, PA 12th)
KeithRothfussforCongress (Rothfuss -- R -- against Altmire - D, PA 4th)
KJeneretteforCongress (Jenerette -- R -- against Brown - R, SC 1st)
CarlyforSenate (Fiorina - R -- against Boxer -- D, CA, U.S. Senate)
RubioforSenate (Rubio - R - against Crist -- R, FL, U.S. Senate)
ToomeyforSenate (Toomey - R -- against Specter or Sestak, PA, U.S. Senate)

URGENT: Final Battle Against Pelosi-Care in the House Tomorrow!

2009-11-06T16:03:00.000-05:00

I just wanted to send a quick note to you about an urgent matter. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is planning to ram her healthcare bill through tomorrow, November 7th. We are asking all FreedomWorks members around the country to make urgent phone calls today and tomorrow to the swing votes in the House. Click here to begin calling these key 21 House Members to tell them to VOTE NO on Pelosi-Care.

If you have even 15 minutes today, please also go visit your local Congressional office and tell the staff that your Congressman should VOTE NO on Pelosi-Care tomorrow. You can find a list of congressional offices here.

Finally, if you live in DC, Maryland or Northern Virginia, please join us tomorrow at 1:00pm on the East Steps of the US Capitol Building in Washington, as we stand outside in solidarity against Pelosi-Care. This is our last chance to convince the Congressmen who haven't made up their minds to VOTE NO.

All of you have given so much of your time, money and energy to defend liberty. You are an inspiration to me and my staff. You are making a difference, and your last minute phone calls and congressional office visits could be the key to victory tomorrow. Thanks again, and let's fight this bill together for the next couple of days.

Freedom Works,
Dick Armey
Chairman
FreedomWorks.org

Unemployment Hits 10.2 Percent...

2009-11-06T09:38:00.000-05:00

How many more jobs will Obama kill?
Unemployment has hit 10.2 percent, the highest level since the 1983 recession. Obama administration officials will no doubt try to spin this latest bad economic news by noting that unemployment is typically a "lagging indicator." That was true in the old days, but it won't cut it in the age of the global economy and Internet-driven 24/7 news cycle. Unemployment may now be something of a leading indicator because business executives make decisions about whether to invest in new jobs much more quickly and based on vastly more data...
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/EXAMINER-EDITORIAL-HOT-ZONE-How-many-more-jobs-will-Obama-kill-69368047.html

By: EXAMINER EDITORIAL HOT ZONE -November 6, 2009

Hoffman a Win

2009-11-04T08:19:00.002-05:00

What? a win? I know, I know, Doug Hoffman lost in the ballot box. But I don't count it as a loss, at least for those of us out here fighting for the heart and soul of America. Yes, it would have been a better win if he'd actually won, but it's still a win.

How so?

The conservative voice, the true conservative voice as opposed to those who play games in Washington, took out the candidate who called herself a Republican. We sent a message and it resounded across the country.

Sure, the RINO screwed her would-be constituents and screwed the election outcome with her tantrum this past weekend, but what else would you expect from a liberal?

If she had been an honorable person and not been such a spiteful child, she could have graciously backed out and then backed the true Republican in the race. She stomped her feet, proved how horrible she would have been as an elected official had she won, and managed to take down her opponent. Nasty politics, nasty person.

Scuzzyfavors (sf), aka Dede Scozzafava, took 6% of the vote. With that 6% there's a good chance Hoffman would have had a clear win. If sf had been a stand-up person of quality, she would have been standing by Hoffman's side and would have tossed her support to him. The 6% were probably for the most part sf's die-hard supporters who would have voted Hoffman or stayed home if she'd been a person of character. If they stayed home or voted Hoffman, he'd have won. I'd guess a percentage of those who voted for sf might have done so because they always punched a Republican ticket, no matter what, but I don't think there would have been many of those...

sf aside, the numbers aside, I think our big win was in sending a message to the power-brokers, the Republican hierarchy, that we're out here and we're voting conservative. We aren't going to support those who aren't true-blue, through and through, believers in American values.

When you combine sf's numbers and Hoffman's numbers, the conservative voters were out in higher numbers than those of the Dem/Lib. The majority voted conservative. Period.

More and more Republicans and Democrats are calling themselves Independents. We're tired of politics as usual. We're tired of those in D.C. and locally who pander to us, who don't listen, who play power games.

A lot of the pundits are talking about all the conservative support that went Hoffman's way... Sarah Palin, Fred Thompson, Glenn Beck, the Tea Party movement, etc., etc. They're saying it's a referendum, negatively, on the conservative movement.

Not so.

I don't vote based on who endorses who, and I don't think the majority of voters are wowed by "celebrities" or endorsements by those who don't live in our neighborhoods. Sure, all the star power behind Hoffman did a great thing: it brought attention to the race locally, it made people aware of the true nature of the candidates. Without all the attention most conservative voters would have walked into the ballot box and checked the candidate with the "R" beside her name.

With the status-quo Republican elite backing sf, it would have been tough for the Party faithful to consider the "I" in the race. I've been involved in "R" politics for too long not to understand that one...

Unfortunately, I think the ummph and attention came too late, and to some degree it may have backfired. There are a lot of people who get irritated when outsiders try to come into their homes and try to tell them how to vote.

I think the duplicity of the Republican Party was also another factor. First they back a liberal RINO, then they want the voters to follow their lead and vote for another candidate? while "their" candidate is still in the race? Oh no Mr. and Ms. Republican Leader, you screwed up. You lost credibility. Vet your candidates. Listen to those of us out here who haven't minded having that "R" attached to us in the past... the past... the past...

Employers for a Health Economy YouTube - Spread it around!

2009-11-03T09:42:00.002-05:00

Employers for a Healthy Economy
A new coalition of leading employer associations representing hundreds of thousands of businesses of all sizes from all 50 states and nearly every sector of the economy today launched a nationwide advertising campaign targeting the health care bill in the House of Representatives. Employers for a Healthy Economy strongly supports health care reform that lowers costs and provides access to health care for millions of Americans. However, the pending legislation will only drive up costs and further imperil our nation’s economy.

The coalition warns in a new ad -- "Millions" -- that the House health care proposal could wipe out even more jobs, raise costs, and put employers’ and employees’ current health care benefits at risk... http://www.chamberpost.com/2009/11/employers-for-a-healthy-economy.html

Rep. Miller: No amendments likely on healthcare bill

2009-10-30T16:57:00.000-04:00

A House Democratic leader strongly hinted Friday that amendments won't be allowed on the healthcare bill.

By Mike Soraghan

New Democratic Health Bill Strips Federal Pro-Life Protections

2009-10-30T16:47:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, Speaker Pelosi and the Democratic Leadership introduced a new version of the "Affordable Health Care for America Act" which provides federal funds for elective abortion, reauthorizes Indian Health Care without adding the Hyde Amendment, and mandates providing information about physician-assisted suicide in certain states.

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins released the following statement concerning the new proposal:

"Speaker Pelosi might as well rename her bill the 'Government Funded Abortions for America Act.' This almost 2,000 page bill, which will cost more than one trillion dollars, guts the Hyde Amendment abortion funding ban by explicitly authorizing federal funding for elective abortion funding in the government option. The bill also subsidizes health plans that cover all elective abortions.

"Speaker Pelosi's commitment to federally funded abortion is, apparently, absolute. She is ignoring the roughly 70 percent of the American people who, polls show, consistently oppose federal funding of elective abortion, which indisputably is what this new health bill does.

"In another gift to the abortion industry, she added the Indian Health provision to the bill without a permanent abortion funding ban. Such a provision passed in the Senate in the last Congress, but Speaker Pelosi is so desperate to avoid adding the Hyde Amendment to the overall health care bill that she avoided adding this provision to permanently exclude paying for abortion in this new section on Indian Health Care.

"Even more blatantly, Speaker Pelosi took out a key provision that would ensure that when patients are given information on end-of-life options it would not include physician-assisted suicide. Instead, she offered the new bill that includes end-of-life 'counseling' without ensuring that such 'counseling' will not encourage physician-assisted suicide as already occurs in Oregon and Washington.

"From womb to tomb, this legislation would use funds garnered from taxpayers to fund abortions and encourage seniors to end their lives early in states such as Oregon and Washington. Consequently, it is paramount that Members of both parties support amendments to prevent a massive new wave of federal funding for abortion, to permanently prevent abortion funding in Indian Health and to re-insert the language preventing physician assisted suicide 'counseling'."

Tea Party Express... check 'em out, be there when they get to your neighborhood

2009-10-30T12:34:00.002-04:00

Comprehensive List of All Tax Hikes in House Government Health Bill

2009-10-29T23:26:00.003-04:00

Employer Mandate Excise Tax (Page 275): If an employer does not pay 72.5 percent of a single employee’s health premium (65 percent of a family employee), the employer must pay an excise tax equal to 8 percent of average wages. Small employers (measured by payroll size) have smaller payroll tax rates of 0 percent (<$500,000), 2 percent ($500,000-$585,000), 4 percent ($585,000-$670,000), and 6 percent ($670,000-$750,000).

Individual Mandate Surtax (Page 296): If an individual fails to obtain qualifying coverage, he must pay an income surtax equal to the lesser of 2.5 percent of modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) or the average premium. MAGI adds back in the foreign earned income exclusion and municipal bond interest.

Medicine Cabinet Tax (Page 324): Non-prescription medications would no longer be able to be purchased from health savings accounts (HSAs), flexible spending accounts (FSAs), or health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs). Insulin excepted.

Cap on FSAs (Page 325): FSAs would face an annual cap of $2500 (currently uncapped).

Increased Additional Tax on Non-Qualified HSA Distributions (Page 326): Non-qualified distributions from HSAs would face an additional tax of 20 percent (current law is 10 percent). This disadvantages HSAs relative to other tax-free accounts (e.g. IRAs, 401(k)s, 529 plans, etc.)

Denial of Tax Deduction for Employer Health Plans Coordinating with Medicare Part D (Page 327): This would further erode private sector participation in delivery of Medicare services.

Surtax on Individuals and Small Businesses (Page 336): Imposes an income surtax of 5.4 percent on MAGI over $500,000 ($1 million married filing jointly). MAGI adds back in the itemized deduction for margin loan interest. This would raise the top marginal tax rate in 2011 from 39.6 percent under current law to 45 percent—a new effective top rate.

Excise Tax on Medical Devices (Page 339): Imposes a new excise tax on medical device manufacturers equal to 2.5 percent of the wholesale price. It excludes retail sales and unspecified medical devices sold to the general public.

Corporate 1099-MISC Information Reporting (Page 344): Requires that 1099-MISC forms be issued to corporations as well as persons for trade or business payments. Current law limits to just persons for small business compliance complexity reasons. Also expands reporting to exchanges of property.

Delay in Worldwide Allocation of Interest (Page 345): Delays for nine years the worldwide allocation of interest, a corporate tax relief provision from the American Jobs Creation Act

Limitation on Tax Treaty Benefits for Certain Payments (Page 346): Increases taxes on U.S. employers with overseas operations looking to avoid double taxation of earnings.

Codification of the “Economic Substance Doctrine” (Page 349): Empowers the IRS to disallow a perfectly legal tax deduction or other tax relief merely because the IRS deems that the motive of the taxpayer was not primarily business-related.

Application of “More Likely Than Not” Rule (Page 357): Publicly-traded partnerships and corporations with annual gross receipts in excess of $100 million have raised standards on penalties. If there is a tax underpayment by these taxpayers, they must be able to prove that the estimated tax paid would have more likely than not been sufficient to cover final tax liability.

For more information, contact ATR Tax Policy Director Ryan Ellis at rellis@atr.org

The reason Obama is putting off a decision on Afghanistan

2009-10-24T08:19:00.002-04:00

If he does the right thing, does what General McCrystal is asking... BEFORE the November election, then he riles up his far-left liberally liberal base. If he decides not to send the needed soldiers, he riles up the moderates, the Independents and the Republicans and gives them more reasons to come out and vote against Democratic candidates.

Either way he will be blamed for any Democratic loses. Politically, he can't afford to make a decision before the elections.

I believe he was relieved when it turned out he had an excuse, a weak one at best, but still a hat rack he could hang his indecision on. Wouldn't surprise me to find out he pushed for the Karzai / Abdullah run-off, did some behind the scenes manipulations to get the outcome he needed.

Our soldiers, our fellow Americans fighting for us, for our country deserve a Commander in Chief who thinks more of them than he does his own political skin. Get some backbone Obama and quit playing games with the lives of our friends and families who are fighting the war you said was so critical.

Specter: Dems have 60 cloture votes for public option

2009-10-23T08:32:00.002-04:00

Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) on Thursday said that Democrats have 60 votes for cloture on a healthcare bill with a national public health insurance option.

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/64413-specter-dems-have-60-votes-for-cloture-on-public-option-
By Jordan Fabian

Whip count shows Democrats lack votes on 'robust' public option
By Mike Soraghan

Speaker Nancy Pelosi's (D-Calif.) drive for a public option in healthcare reform ran into turbulence Thursday when a survey of her caucus showed she needs more votes to pass such a bill.
http://thehill.com/homenews/house/64439-whip-count-shows-dems-lack-votes-on-public-plan

Healthcare for Christmas: Reid under pressure to go slow
By Alexander Bolton

The healthcare reform debate will be pushed deep into December and possibly beyond by a lengthy floor debate, several senators predicted Thursday.

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/64451-healthcare-for-christmas

AIM talks w Sen. Inhofe re: health care

2009-10-21T20:35:00.000-04:00

Couple of Health Care Headlines

2009-10-21T07:52:00.002-04:00

I'm crunching on a deadline, but couldn't help but peek at the headlines this morning... especially after walking on the treadmill listening to Fox & Friends, the REAL news channel.

Medicare for everyone
By Mike Soraghan
Say hello to "Medicare Part E" - as in, "Medicare for Everyone." House Democrats are looking at re-branding the public health insurance option as Medicare, an established government healthcare program that is better known than the public option.
http://www.thehill.com/homenews/house/64029-medicare-for-everyone

Dem thumbs down to Reid doctors deal
By Alexander Bolton
A group of Senate Democrats is threatening to derail a deal Majority Leader Harry Reid offered to doctors in exchange for their support of President Barack Obama's healthcare initiative.
http://www.thehill.com/homenews/senate/64019-dem-thumbs-down-to-reid-doctors-deal