News Blog for social, fiscal & national security conservatives who believe in God, family & the USA. Upholding the rights granted by God & guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, traditional family values, "republican" principles / ideals, transparent & limited "smaller" government, free markets, lower taxes, due process of law, liberty & individual freedom. Content approval rests with the ARRA News Service Editor. Opinions are those of the authors. While varied positions are reported, beliefs & principles remain fixed. No revenue is generated for or by this "Blog" - no paid ads - no payments for articles.Fair Use Doctrine is posted & used. Blogger/Editor/Founder: Bill Smith, Ph.D. [aka: OzarkGuru & 2010 AFP National Blogger of the Year] Contact: editor@arranewsservice.com (Pub. Since July, 2006)Home PageFollow @arra
One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics
is that you end up being governed by your inferiors. -- Plato
(429-347 BC)
Saturday, June 23, 2007
World that Works vs. A World that Fails [Video]
In the below video, Newt Gingrich says, "We live in two worlds: a world that works and a world that fails." He illustrates this by comparing FedEx and banking vs. Government Bureaucracy solutions to problems including tracking illegal immigrants and making sure that only a social security number can only be used by one person:
Tags:employing illegals, illegal immigrants, Newt Gingrich, solutions, videoTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Don't blame rising levels of carbon dioxide (C02) for whatever global warming is now taking place; put the blame on "old sol" the sun may be getting ready to put the world into the deep freezer. So say a growing number of scientists who have studied the effect of the sun on the earth's climate and concluded that the only thing scientists understand about climate change is that it is always changing. "Climate stability has never been a feature of planet earth, explains R. Timothy Patterson professor and director of the Ottawa-Carleton Geoscience Centre, Department of Earth Sciences, Carleton University. "The only constant about climate is change; it changes continually and, at times, quite rapidly. Many times in the past, temperatures were far higher than today, and occasionally, temperatures were colder. As recently as 6,000 years ago, it was about 3 C warmer than now. Ten thousand years ago, while the world was coming out of the thousand-year-long ‘Younger Dryas’ cold episode, temperatures rose as much as 6 C in a decade — 100 times faster than the past century's.” Dr. Patterson insists that even though advocates of the global warming theory such as Al Gore are insisting that the "the science is settled," that is far from being the case . . . [Read More] See also:Nancy Pelosi Pledges 'Carbon Neutral' House China Surpasses U.S. in Global CO2 Emissions: Study Tags:global cooling, global warmingTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
ARRA Editor: We commend all bi-partisan efforts to cut government waste and inefficiency.WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 20, 2007) -- U.S. Sens. Tom Carper (D-DE) and Tom Coburn (R-OK) today introduced legislation to eliminate the enormous backlog of unneeded property within the federal government. The bill would help federal agencies more quickly dispose of unneeded property, resulting in billions of dollars of savings to American taxpayers. An Office of Management and Budget (OMB) report, June 15, outlined the exorbitant costs associated with agencies holding onto properties they don’t need. Excessive rules and regulations have resulted in a backlog of more than 21,000 properties worth $18 billion. The proposed bill would temporarily ease the property disposal rules and allow agencies to more quickly sell properties they don’t need. It would also give agencies a financial incentive to act by allowing them to keep a portion of the proceeds, which would otherwise go directly to the Treasury.
Remarks by Sen. Coburn: It is obscene that the value of our government’s vacant or unused properties exceeds the annual Gross Domestic Product of half of the nations on earth. American taxpayers are generous and are eager to help rebuild nations like Afghanistan, but something is wrong when Congress asks taxpayers to sacrifice more but does nothing to eliminate an area of waste that is double the size of Afghanistan’s GDP. To provide further perspective, the value of our unused properties exceeds the annual budget of the Army Corps of Engineers, an agency that is tasked with securing levees around cities like New Orleans. If Congress spent less time doing political oversight and more time doing common sense oversight we might be able to redirect taxpayer dollars to projects that do make a difference in our everyday lives. Members of Congress should not earmark a single dollar for a new building until we take steps to get rid of the 21,000 properties we already have but aren’t using. [Read More]Tags:federal property, government waste, OMB, Tom Caper, Tom Coburn, US SenateTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Governor Romney details comprehensive strategy to defeat radical Jihad
Yesterday, Former Governor Mitt Romney (R-MA) addressed the American Enterprise Institute's World Forum in Beaver Creek, Colorado. He detailed a comprehensive strategy to defeat radical Jihad, ensure American security, and advance freedom and human rights across the globe. And he detailed his proposal for the creation of the Special Partnership Force (SPF) to mobilize all elements of our national power in contested areas to defeat Jihadists.
For speech excerpts and more details, read the Policy Briefing on Governor Romney's Global Initiative for Values and Freedom. Or, scroll through the PowerPoint that Romney used during his presentation, in which he criticized John Edwards' claim that the War on Terror is merely a "bumper sticker." Also this week, Romney for President launched its newest television ad, "Work Like Crazy" which highlights Mitt Romney's message of conservative change in Washington through lower government spending and lower taxes. ARRA EDITOR:Don't miss the above referenced online PowerPoint presentation. The Romney campaign should make it possible to download this presentation. Politico's Mike Allen rightfully dubbed the Governor "Multimedia Mitt" as he praised the substance. Tags:Election 2008, global warming, GOP, jihad, Mitt Romney, presidential candidate, Republican, terrorismTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Texas governor clears way for NAFTA superhighway -- Vetoes legislation to delay big transportation corridor
WorldNetDaily: The path has been cleared for the state of Texas to begin building the new Trans-Texas Corridor, a project that is designed to be four football fields wide, along Interstate 35 from Mexico to the Oklahoma border . . . The way was opened when Texas Gov. Rick Perry, a Republican, vetoed a series of proposals the Texas Legislature assembled to slow down the work on what is considered to be a key link in a continental NAFTA superhighway network. Perry's latest veto was of a plan to add a number of requirements to the Texas eminent-domain procedures, under which governments can grab and use private property. . .
An override of Perry's vetoes is unlikely, since the governor threatened to call a special session of the lawmakers to handle transportation issues if his veto fell by the wayside. . . . the $180 billion needed to build the 4,000-mile TTC network planned for construction over the next 50 years will be financed by Cintra Concesiones de Infraestructuras de Transporte, S.A., a foreign investment consortium based in Spain. Cintra will own the leasing and operating rights on TTC highways for 50 years after their completion is complete. . . . Perry has received substantial campaign contributions from Cintra and Zachry Construction Company, the San Antonio-based construction firm selected by TxDOT to build out the TTC. . . . Cintra is represented in the United States by Bracewell and Giuliani, Republican Party presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani's Houston-based law firm. . . . [Read More]See also:Experts debate U.S.-Mexico-Canada "partnership" Tags:highways, NAFTA, Rick Perry, Texas, Security and Prosperity Partnership, TexasTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Boozman to suggest six candidates for federal district judge vacancy
by Aaron Sadler, Stephens Washington Bureau: Six Arkansas attorneys - including a state appellate court judge, a former federal prosecutor and the lawyer who handled the disbarment case against President Clinton - are candidates for a vacant federal judgeship in Little Rock. President Bush will nominate one of the six to succeed the late Judge George Howard of Pine Bluff. Howard, the first and only black U.S. district judge in Arkansas, died in April at age 82. Congressman John Boozman (R-AR) is expected to forward the names to the White House today. Boozman declined to disclose his choices on Thursday but other sources in Washington and in Arkansas confirmed their identities:
Chuck Banks, 60, of Little Rock, a former U.S. attorney who was previously nominated to the federal bench; Brian Miller, 39, a Helena lawyer recently appointed to the Arkansas Court of Appeals; Marie-Bernarde Miller, 55, the Little Rock lawyer chosen by her peers in 2000 to pursue disbarment proceedings against Clinton; Kevin Crass, 48, of Little Rock, served as personal attorney to Gov. Mike Huckabee & has been a special justice of the state Supreme Court; Leon Johnson, 45, of Little Rock, a former Pulaski County circuit judge; and Jeannette Robertson, 52, of Jonesboro, a trial attorney with her own law practice . . . [Read More]Tags:Arkansas, federal judges, John Boozman
Kudos to Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison & John Cornyn
by Michelle Mittlestadtus, Houston Chronicle: Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas, who has been under intense pressure from the White House and Republican leadership to support a sweeping immigration overhaul, nevertheless announced today that she will vote against reviving the legislation when it returns to the Senate floor next week. She was joined today by the state's other senator, Republican John Cornyn, who had been expected by the bill's supporters to take such a stance. They had aggressively lobbied Hutchison in hopes of adding her vote to the 60 necessary to revive the stalled legislation.
"I could not support (bringing the bill to a vote) in its present position," Hutchison, criticizing the legislation as amnesty for illegal immigrants, said today. As No. 4 in the Senate GOP leadership, Hutchison is the highest-ranking Republican to break from her party on a domestic policy issue of signal importance to President Bush. Cornyn added, "Passage of a comprehensive immigration reform bill has been, and remains, one of my top priorities in the Senate. It has become clear however, that I and many others will not be able to introduce amendments to fix key areas of this very complex bill." [Read More] Tags:immigration reform, John Cornyn, Kay Bailey Hutchison, Senators, TexasTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Make-Believe Accounting Gimmicks Fund Massive New Democrat Spending - Taxpayers to Get Socked with the Bill“The House and Senate versions of the budget depend on ‘reserve funds’ to pay for additional spending … There's only one catch: The reserve funds are empty.” (Los Angeles Times, 3/27/07)
Today’s Phony ‘Reserve Fund’: Doc Payments Purpose: “increases the reimbursement rate for physician services…” (Democrat budget, S. Con. Res. 21, SEC. 304) Democrats Plan New Spending: $65 Billion But Democrats Budget for plan: $0
Purpose: ”to extinguish all claims arising … for losses resulting from accounting errors, mismanagement of assets or interest owed in connection with Individual Indian Moneys accounts ...” (S. Con. Res. 21, SEC. 313) Democrats Plan New Spending: $8 Billion
But Democrats Budget for plan: $0
So How Will Democrats Pay for It? “Will Democrats try to raise your taxes? … The budget bills create dozens of ‘reserve funds’ for spending and tax-cutting priorities, providing they are paid for -- with tax increases, Republicans predict…” (USA Today, 3/30/07)
Democrat Reserve Funds Explained:
“Democrats are pushing a budget through Congress that appears to make room for more spending for some of their favorite domestic programs -- without cutting defense, raising taxes or deepening the deficit. It sounds too good to be true. . . . The House and Senate versions of the budget depend on ‘reserve funds’ to pay for additional spending for such programs as children's health care and farm aid. There's only one catch: The reserve funds are empty, and, if Congress wants to fill them, it will have to do what it has tried to avoid -- make cuts, raise taxes or borrow the money and drive up the deficit.” (Los Angeles Times, 3/27/07)
“The ‘reserve funds’ are not actually funds, but rather expressions of commitments to use funds for particular purposes if more money becomes available.” (New York Times, 3/29/07)
“Now, congressional Democrats are employing another Washington spending fiction to mask more spending increases in their proposed $2.9 trillion federal budget for fiscal 2008. It’s called the ‘Reserve Fund’ … The problem is that like all lies, Washington’s spending fictions are meant to obscure the truth about irresponsible budgets…” (Editorial, Washington Examiner, 5/18/07) [Read More] Tags:congress, Congressional Pork, federal funding, fraud, US House, US Senate
Cheap Labor Ends When 12 - 20 Million Illegal Aliens Become Legal & Discover the Welfare Programs paid for by Taxpayers
Women's Action Group: Cheap labor, hawked by "compassionate" advocates of immigration bill will end as soon as 12 to 20 million illegal aliens become legal and discover the 60 welfare programs paid for by taxpayers. Just how long do those businesses, farmers, and advocates of "cheap labor" think these 12 to 20 illegal aliens will work for these cheap wages when they are eligible for the 60 plus government welfare programs – which will happen shortly after the bill is signed and they become legal. It won't take them very long to catch on that they can do as well or better without working.
We will just have another 20 million plus people on the government dole. The welfare wages are simply too high to get people to do the cheap labor for any length of time. Then we will need another 20 million illegals who are not yet eligible for all the government benefits to do the unpleasant work for cheap wages. Never fear! After this amnesty phase, the rush on the border will guarantee cheap labor will be available, but will there be any jobs left for the Americans and how much will this influx depress American wages?
The National and Arkansas Farm Bureauhave endorsed the pending Senate immigration bill, saying an enforced only approach to immigration could cost US farmers up $9 billion in a year in lost production and $5 billion in reduced farm income. In other words, they want that cheap labor even if it means developing a slave labor market in our country. And hawkers of "Cheap Labor" pretend they have more compassion than we do for the illegal aliens.
And the labor has never been cheap; the expense is just borne by the taxpayers who pay all those welfare benefits for the children of the illegal aliens born on American soil and the emergency medical benefits for the illegal alien adults as well. Heritage Foundation reportsthat the average cost to the taxpayer of the household of a low-skill laborer is $19,588 a year. That will be the cost to the taxpayers for most of these 12 to 20 million illegal aliens once they become legal. See this link: " The Fiscal Cost of Low-Skill Immigrants to the U.S. Taxpayer." . . . [Read More]
Tags:illegal aliens, labor, welfare, Women's Prayer and Action GroupTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Eagle Forum:Thank you Senators Sessions, Vitter, and DeMint for refusing to yield to the Pro-Amnesty "Masters of Disaster"!
(Click on image to see our thank-you message to the Senators. Download takes a few minutes. You need QuickTime 7.1) You may also download audio and the text of our new ad.)
Rude Awakening: 7 in 10 Americans “disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job”
Only 24 % Approve of Democrat Congress: “Ratings As Low As the Current One Are Uncommon” “The honeymoon phase is over for the new Congress, as the public's ratings of Congress are down again this month. The latest congressional job approval rating (24%) is the lowest for the institution since Democrats took control of both houses in January, and is far below the 37% registered in February. The decline has been most evident among Democrats … ratings as low as the current one are uncommon … 71% disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job.” (Gallup, 6/20/07)
Under Democrat Leadership, American People’s Confidence in Congress at “All-Time Low” “New Gallup data show confidence in Congress at all time low. Just 14% of Americans have a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in Congress. This 14% Congressional confidence rating is the all-time low for this measure, which Gallup initiated in 1973. The previous low point for Congress was 18% at several points in the period of time 1991 to 1994. (Gallup, 6/20/07) Tags:Gallup Poll, US CongressTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Secure Borders FIRST Act -- An Alternative to Amnesty
by Rep. Peter King (R-NY): The Senate immigration bill now being resurrected is long on promises and short on actual reforms. Outside of providing amnesty to an estimated 12 million aliens living in the United States illegally, the bill contains little substance. No guarantee for control of our borders. Insufficient fraudulent document protections. No real protections against alien gangs and criminals. And no fixes for our broken visa system. In other words, it is a huge step in the wrong direction, a bill that would reward 12 million lawbreakers and only serve to weaken the security of our nation.
To counter this misguided bill, Representative Lamar Smith and I have introduced a workable alternative: the Secure Borders FIRST Act of 2007. Our approach, “Security First,” is based on common-sense principles: no amnesty; mandating operational control of all our borders; actually enforcing our current immigration and worksite laws; mandatory detention of illegal immigrations apprehended along the border; reforming our broken visa system to better enforce our immigration laws and ensure our farmers have the workforce they need; and establishing English as our national language. . . . [Read More]See also:The Senate Immigration Bill: A National Security Nightmare Immigration and Christian duty Tags:amnesty, border security, illegal immigration, immigration reform, Peter KingTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Huckabee Endorsed by the Home School Legal Defense Association
Former AR Governor Mike Huckabee has received “an historic, early endorsement” of the Home School Legal Defense Association. The 80,000 member HSLDA is a nonprofit organization working to advocate the rights of parents to home-school their children. “We believe that Mike Huckabee, (former) Governor of Arkansas, should be elected the next President of the United States,” HSLDA President J. Michael Smith said. Smith touted Huckabee’s record as governor of Arkansas, pro-life, pro-family conservative values and presidential campaign platform, which includes a pro-defense plank and support for the FairTax, as reasons his organization stands behind Huckabee. . . . Smith concluded: “Many of us have waited a long time for a presidential candidate who is a truly qualified and articulate man who shares our values down to his core. Mike Huckabee entered politics for the same reason that most of us began: home-schooling. He wants a future that is grounded upon timeless values.” [Read More] Tags:endorsement, GOP, home school, homeschoolers, Mike Huckabee, presidential candidate, RepublicanTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Fox News: As promised, President Bush vetoed an embryonic stem cell research funding bill Wednesday and called on Congress to put aside politics and support legislation that would advance science without crossing an ethical line. Sen. Majority leader Harry Reid threatens veto override. However, House Minority Leader John Boehner released a statement of support for Bush's choice, saying Republicans have enough votes to sustain the veto. "The president's veto today is justified for both moral and scientific reasons and it will be sustained by House Republicans," Boehner said. "Let me be very clear. When I am president, I will lift the ban on stem cell research," Clinton said at the "Take Back America" conference of liberal activists in Washington, D.C. Clinton said Bush's veto shows the need for Democrats to win back the White House . . . [Read More] Tags:President, George W. Bush, stem cell research, vetoTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
by Scott Rasmussen, Rasmussen Reports: There’s change at the top in the race for the Republican Presidential nomination. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds: Former Senator Fred Thompson (TN) 28% Former NY City Mayor Rudy Giuliani 27%. Senator John McCain (AZ) & & former MA Gov. Mitt Romney 11% each Former AR Gov. Mike Huckabee & Senator Sam Brownback (KS) 2% each House Speaker Newt Gingrich who earned 7% support in last week’s polling was ommited because of recently statements indicating he is not likely to enter the 2008 race as candidate. [Read More] Tags:Fred Thompson, GOP, presidential candidate, Rasmussen Poll, Republican, Rudy GiulianiTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
In case you missed it (we did) last month, Arkansas U.S. Conressman John Boozman (R-AR 3rd Dist) became the 60 co-sponsor of the The FairTaxbill which now has now has 62 co-sponsors in the House (H.R. 25) and 4 co-sponsors in the Senate (S. 1025). Boozman said, "I am a firm believer that the American people are over-taxed. They are working harder then ever for their money and taking home less of it because the federal government continues to tax them at an extremely high level. I believe that the current income tax system is fundamentally flawed and in need of major overhaul. It is my intention to work with my colleagues in Congress to address the inequities in the current system and find a system that reduces the tax burden that the American people currently face."Tags:FairTax, John Boozman, taxes, US Congress
Dr. Matt Daniels: The Dove Foundation, whose mission is to encourage and promote the creation, production, distribution and consumption of wholesome family entertainment, today bestowed its coveted Family Seal of Approval on the Candid Conversations With Great Americans pilot episode, a character profile of General Norman Schwarzkopf. The Dove Foundation: "Candid Conversations with Great Americans is a television series specifically designed to explore the character and the achievements of well-known Americans whose lives offer authentic, positive role models for others. This series stands in stark contrast to the shallow or even negative role models that are often given celebrity status on television and on the silver screen." Click Here to watch the pilot's exclusive interview -- the longest interview in General Schwarzkopf's life -- and learn many truths about Norman Schwarzkopf and the history of Desert Storm that will surprise and inspire you. Tags:Dove Award, General Norman Schwarzkopf, Matt DanielsTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Arkansas Mayors Who Are Part of Bloomberg's Anti-Gun Coalition
NRA ILA Alert: New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is heading a national cabal of anti-gun mayors called “Mayors Against Illegal Guns.” The main objective of this coalition is to repeal the Tiahrt Amendment. This critically important legislation protects the privacy rights of law-abiding gun owners, the safety of law enforcement officers, and the integrity of criminal investigations by preventing inappropriate and public release of confidential firearm trace data except in the course of a bona fide criminal investigation.
Law enforcement has been steadfast in joining NRA in support of preserving the Tiahrt Amendment. Both the BATFE and the Fraternal Order of Police (which Bloomberg called a “fringe organization”) strongly support keeping this sensitive data private. Bloomberg, however, is undeterred and he is continuing to try to expand his anti-gun coalition. In addition to the mayors of cities in Arkansas listed below, who are currently members of this coalition, Bloomberg is increasingly pressuring more mayors in your state to join his efforts, engaging in a full court press!
Mayors in Arkansas Who Are Current Members of Bloomberg’s “Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition”: Dan Coody 479-575-8330
Mayor’s Office, City Admin. Bldg, 113 W. Mountain St, Fayetteville, AR 72701 Patrick Hays 501-340-5301
City Hall, 300 Main St, N. Little Rock, AR 72114 For a list of other Mayors in the U.S. supporting Bloomberg's anti-gun effort and tips on how to communicate with them, click here.Tags:2nd Amendment, Arkansas, gun control, gun rights, mayor, Michael Bloomberg, NRATo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Going Down with the Ship With ARRA Editorial Comment
by Michael Reagan: The S.S. GOP is sinking fast, and it looks like Skipper Bush is going down with his ship. That’s only fair – after all, he’s the one who torpedoed his own ship with the immigration-reform-bill warhead. . . . That’s not true of the senators who stand on the bridge with him as the water rises up toward the quarter deck where they can either jump into the life boats and survive, or go down with the ship. I’m amazed at how many of them appear to be choosing a watery grave. . . . He might not yet fully realize it, but Sen. John McCain has suddenly gone from being a serious candidate for the presidency to that of being a politician with no political future at all. . . . [Read More] Bill Smith, Editor:It is necessary to share the truth even when it hurts. GOP conservatives as well as the majority of legal voters are in distress over the proposed illegal immigration reform lunacy. However, the analogy of the S.S. GOP ship doesn't quite fit. The GOP Party is bigger than the President who is one member of the Party. A better analogy might be the S.S. GOP Fleet with the S.S. Bush and S.S. McCain. The analogy suffers when comparing commanders to elected officials. Military officers fail and / or suffer loss when they do not stand on the principles and their oaths to ". . . support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter, SO HELP ME GOD." However, the President as Commander-in-Chief takes a lesser oath which says " . . . I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." In the U.S, we elect and appoint lesser men and women to command men and women who we expect to have a higher commitment and to make the ultimate sacrifice for the general good. Such is the wisdom of protecting the general public but sometimes the process yields what Michael Reagan correctly labels "one of those curiosities." Tags:Bill Smith, Michael Reagan, President George BushTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
RINO NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg if OUT of the GOP
Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: The AP reported today that New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg switched his party status from Republican to unaffiliated. He may be planning to run as an independent for the president in 2008. Bloomberg, a billionaire was a "lifelong Democrat" before he switched to the GOP for his run as mayor.
Praise the Lord, this RINO has left the Republican Party! Although Democrats are saying a presidential race by Bloomberg would hurt the Republicans, they are full of hot air. He would be a spoiler for the Democrats just like Ross Perot was for the the Republicans in 1992. Bloomberg supports gay marriage, gun control, abortion rights, and stem cell research, and per news reports, raised property taxes to help solve a fiscal crisis after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. NY City Mayor Bloomberg is also currently heading a national group of anti-gun mayors called “Mayors Against Illegal Guns.” Bloomberg continues to try to expand his anti-gun coalition.
The Munchkins sang, "Ding Dong! The Witch is dead. Which old Witch? The Wicked Witch! Ding Dong! The Wicked Witch is dead." We sing, "The RINO is Out. Which old RINO? Liberal Michael Boomberg! The RINO Bloomberg is Out!" Tags:ARRA News, Bill Smith, Democrat, liberal, Michael Bloomberg, Republican, RINOTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Illegals light border fires to sidetrack U.S. agents
by Jerry Seper, Washington Times: U.S. Border Patrol agents seeking to secure the nation's border in some of the country's most pristine national forests are being targeted by illegal aliens, who are using intentionally set fires to burn agents out of observation posts and patrol routes. The wildfires have destroyed valuable natural and cultural resources in the National Forest System and pose an ongoing threat to visitors, residents and responding firefighters, according to federal law-enforcement authorities and others. . . .
The Border Patrol"s Tucson, Ariz., sector, which encompasses most of the Coronado National Forest, has the highest incidence of cross-border violators in the nation. Nearly 500,000 illegal aliens were apprehended last year — more than 30,000 a month. In addition, nearly 100,000 pounds of marijuana, with a street value of $200 million, was seized as it was hauled through the Coronado National Forest. . . . Wildfires are being set by alien and drug smugglers, authorities said, to create a diversion in an attempt to gain undetected access across the border. The fires correspond to a dramatic rise in assaults against Border Patrol agents — up more than 100 percent over last year.
. . . "As larger areas of the border come under operational control, we can expect violence to increase as smuggling operations can no longer operate with impunity and do not have unfettered access to the border for their criminal activities," Border Patrol Chief David V. Aguilar told a Homeland Security subcommittee this year. "This explosion of aggression is an indicator how desperate and angry drug and human traffickers are at the increasing disruption of their smuggling routes," . . . [Read More]Tags:border control, border fires, Border Patrol, crime, forest fires, illegal aliens, illegal immigrants
Arkansas Farm Bureau, et.al Support Immigration - Amnesty Bill
Farm Bureau Press Release: The Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce, the Poultry Federation and Arkansas Farm Bureau have announced support for the pending comprehensive immigration reform legislation that is currently in front of the United States Senate, citing the additional border security, increased and enhanced workplace enforcement, and a workable guest worker program as critical components of the current legislation. . . .The three organizations have lobbied Sens. Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor on the topic, identifying the critical nature of any immigration reform and the need to get something passed this year, and hope that both senators will vote for the bill.
“Everyone, I believe, is in agreement that the status-quo is not working. It is time to act, and to get something passed, for the security of our country and for the legal access to immigrant workers.” . . .“Everyone, I believe, is in agreement that the status-quo is not working. It is time to act, and to get something passed, for the security of our country and for the legal access to immigrant workers.” . . . [Read More]For More Info: Marvin Childress, Poultry Federation 501-375-8131 Jeff Thatcher, AR State Chamber of Commerce 501-372-2222 Steve Eddington, Arkansas Farm Bureau 501-228-1383
[How many of the AR Farm Bureau's 230,000 family members - those who just support this org by buying house and car insurance - agree with the stated position of Amnesty for Illegal Immigrates proposed by the Senate & supported by the AR Farm Bureau, et.al.? The estimated budget cost to each citizen for this bill will be far higher than the the FB Member's premium savings. Maybe the Farm Bureau is counting on the illegals being able to drive and buy Farm Bureau insurance!]Tags:amnesty, Arkansas Farm Bureau, Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce, Farm Bureau, illegal immigration, immigration reform, Poultry FederationTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Earmarks by another name - "legislative directives"
By David Sanders, Arkansas News Bureau: It was never a question of "if," but always "when" Democrats would give into Washington's corrupt ways. When Democrats took the reins of the government's legislative branch five months ago, Nancy Pelosi, the newly installed speaker of the House, pledged that she would oversee "the most ethical Congress in history." . . . Pelosi's pledge to "drain the swamp" was short-lived. Apparently, she didn't mean what she said. Now she is allowing her Democratic colleagues to refill it, but in doing so they are trying to obscure it from public . . .
Last week, Rep. David Obey (D-WI), chairman of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, told members that spending bills from his committee would be earmark-free. Not to worry, Obey explained, members' requests for earmarks wouldn't go unanswered. In fact, he would make the process go more smoothly. Obey said that he would add earmarks to the final conference report in the fall, while House and Senate negotiators worked out the differences between their respective spending bills. . . . Therein lies the rub. The dirty little secret:When Congress' pork is added in conference, there will be no debate, no public scrutiny and no members chastising members for excesses. Taxpayers will be in the dark. . . . no member can amend the legislation. Members will only be allowed to vote "yea" or "nay."
. . . Pelosi, with Obey at her side, proposed a slight change during a Tuesday press conference. "Why don't we leave here today forgetting the word earmark?" she said when asked by reporters about her apparent flip-flop . . . . Pelosi said she simply preferred to call them "legislative directives." Her justification on the name change: This is legislative spending as opposed to executive spending. . . . Pelosi and company can't keep their word. Call them earmarks or "legislative directives," it doesn't matter. The swamp is full, the stench has returned and soon bloodsucking mosquitoes will converge on Congress. [Read More] Tags:Congressional Pork, Dave Obey, Democrats, earlmarks, legislative directives, Nancy Pelosi, pork, pork-barrel spendersTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
by Joseph Farah: If you listen to George W. Bush and his small, fringe-like cadre of amnesty supporters, you would hear that it is virtually impossible to get more than 15 million illegal aliens out of the country. They try to get you to imagine 50,000 747s filled with deportees taking off for Mexico and returning empty . . .
It's a simple matter of using existing law enforcement resources wisely and efficiently and providing the proper incentives for illegal aliens to leave and the proper disincentives for them to stay. What could be a major legislative breakthrough came Friday when Rep. Tom Tancredo, the leader in the Congress on immigration issues and a Republican presidential candidate, successfully offered an amendment to a Homeland Security appropriations bill to withhold federal emergency-services funding from so-called "sanctuary cities" that protect illegal aliens from identification and prosecution. . . . Here are a few other necessary steps:
Deputize, authorize and train state and local law enforcement people to identify and prosecute illegal aliens.
Penalize employers who hire illegal aliens.
End public services and benefits for those who cannot prove they are in the country legally.
Tags:illegal aliens, illegal immigration, Joseph FarahTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
ARRA Editor: We seldom comment on the information we post on the Blog. However, sometimes comments in stories cry out for a comment. So for the below post, you will find my comment after various statements. by NewsMax.com Staff: Unofficial GOP candidate Fred Thompson, who according to the latest Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll, came in a close second behind the current leader, Rudy Giuliani -- and beat everyone, including Giuliani, among self-described "religious right" voters -- may be in danger of losing supporters because of his record. In the June 25 issue of Newsweek (on newsstands on June 18), Correspondent Holly Bailey reports that the charismatic and down to earth potential GOP candidate has avoided the kind of scrutiny his rivals have faced. . . . his record in Washington will be given a closer look, and conservative voters disappointed to find that Thompson has been on the other side of some of their most important issues, including abortion and campaign fund-raising. . . .
On a 1994 Eagle Forum survey, Thompson said he opposed criminalizing abortion. {The key word is "Criminalizing" -- what did this mean at the time of the survey 12 yrs ago - women go to jail, or what?} Two years later, on a Christian Coalition questionnaire, he checked "opposed" {Did he check the block or one of his staff?} to a proposed constitutional amendment protecting the sanctity of human life. {The majority 10 yrs ago didn't believe a constitutional amendment should be necessary in light majority view and accepted truth -- life is sacred!} In a campaign policy statement filed in the archives, he also said he believes "the decision to have an early term abortion is a moral issue and should not be a legal one subject to the dictates of the government." {It is a moral one and if the government courts had NOT interfered making such an action legal, we would have had millions of lives saved.} During an interview with the Conservative Spectator, a Tennessee newspaper, he claimed to be pro-life but also said that, "The ultimate decision on abortion should be left with the woman and not the government." {What is the full context within which this statement was made?} Thompson drew the ire of his party in 1997 when he was appointed to lead hearings into Democratic fund-raising abuses in the 1996 campaign, and then broadened his investigation to look into alleged abuses by Republicans as well. This probe left him on the outs with GOP heavyweights and it is still unclear whether his public efforts to make amends will be accepted or backfire. {Thank you Mr. Thompson for doing what was right, regardless of the party of the person who was abusing fund-raising -- a plus in this editor's viewpoint - doubt if my fellow conservative voters will mind.}Tags:Fred Thompson, presidential candidate, RepublicanTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
You just paid for a transgender beauty pageant 100+ page oversight report on CDC
by Sen. Tom Coburn, M.D.: “CDC Off Center,” a 115-page oversight report authored by the Minority Office of the Federal Financial Management Subcommittee, under the direction of ranking member Senator Tom Coburn, examines how CDC has tilted off center and makes recommendations about how it might get back on track. The American people expect CDC to spend its $10 billion budget this year treating and preventing diseases and dealing with public safety threats, including the threat of bioterrorism. While CDC will meet some of those expectations, if history is any guide, it will also waste millions . . . .
Some questionable examples in the report of CDC’s spending:
$1.7 million - including terrorism funds - on a Hollywood liaison program, which happens to be run by a former employee (pg 87)
$45 million for conferences, including those featuring prostitutes, protests & parties (pgs 48-60)
$30,000 employee saunas in a new $200,000 fitness center that also includes mood-enhancing lightshows and $3,500 worth of zero-gravity chairs (pg 15)
$5 billion spent over seven years on HIV/AIDS prevention funding, and yet the U.S. still sees 40,000 new cases each year, with no decrease in infection rates for over a decade (pgs 23-37)
Syphilis prevention funds used to feature a porn star’s presentation (pg 44)
HIV/AIDS prevention funds spent on a transgender beauty pageant (pg 45)
$250,000 spent so two former employees could help build staff morale (pgs 100-101)
$5.1 million on “audio visual integration” in the new Thomas R. Harkin communications and visitor center, including a giant 70-foot-wide by 25-foot-tall video wall of plasma screen TVs showcasing agency vignettes (pg 8)
110 CDC employees traveled to two international AIDS conferences, when buying retroviral drugs with the trip funds could have prevented mother-to-child AIDS transmission for more than 115,000 infants (pgs 50 & 52)
New Hawaii office opening soon, announcement made by Senator from Hawaii who oversees agency’s funding (pg18)
$335 million on ads to fight childhood obesity… kids saw the ads, whether or not the ads affected their behavior is another question (pgs 69-71)
Tags:CDC, Centers for Disease Control, Congressional Pork, pork, Tom CoburnTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
by Ken Conner, Center for a Just Society : Fred Thompson has not officially entered the race for President of the United States, yet already he is being assailed by Republican bluebloods who want preferential treatment in America's civil justice system. Thompson's crime? He was once a (gasp!) trial lawyer who supports equal justice for all. The "bluebloods" are Republican business elites who invest in candidates as a cost of doing business, expecting to get a return on their investment if they pick winning candidates... [Read More] Tags:Center for Just Society, Fred Thompson, Ken Conner, presidential candidate, bluebloods, Republican, elites
You haven't heard everything about the current, hotly debated immigration reform bill until you view CNN's Lou Dobbs' shocking analysis of the illegal immigration and blanket amnesty proposals. Vew this video, and you will understand Lou's objections.
Tags:amnesty, CNN, illegal immigration, Lou Dobbs, videoTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
You aren’t likely to hear this great news from the mainstream media, but our Coalition forces are finding increasing success, working with better-trained and -equipped Iraqi police and military. This new release is both interesting and encouraging!American Forces Press Service: Iraqi and coalition forces captured one terrorist leader and killed 16 suspected terrorists today. Ten more insurgents died in fighting yesterday. Coalition forces in Baghdad captured five suspected terrorists, including an alleged al Qaeda in Iraq emir whose organization includes a deadly car-bomb cell in the city, during two raids today. At one targeted location, coalition forces destroyed two vehicles used to transport explosives and personnel for the terrorist network.
An operation in Mosul killed one terrorist. . . . Abu Ahmad was the head of five terrorist cells in Mosul and was responsible for directing attacks against Iraqi and coalition forces, . . . . "The elimination of al Qaeda senior leaders will continue to disrupt terrorist operations in Baghdad and around the country," said Army Lt. Col. Christopher Garver, a Multinational Force iraq spokesman. "Without the obstructive influence of terrorists, the Iraqi people can determine their own future." . . .
In other news, troops seized several caches on June 13. Baghdad troops teamed up with a platoon of Iraqi national police to conduct a raid in the eastern Sadr City district. The troops discovered three complete 60 mm mortar systems, complete 82 mm and 120 mm mortar systems, four 120 mm mortar rounds, 32 60 mm mortar rounds, three 107 mm rockets, a rifle scope, two AK-47 rifles, two sets of body armor, and a variety of weapon manuals.
An air and ground assault . . . in Salman Pak on June 13. . . yielded two 107 mm rockets, homemade explosives, two AK-47 assault rifles, a bolt-action rifle, several propane tanks, copper wire, ammunition, magazines, and several assault vests. In another raid, Iraqi troops and Baghdad soldiers raided a weapons cache in the Yarmouk neighborhood. The cache contained 113 landmines, 63 grenades, three rockets, three mortars, two gas masks, five washing machine timers, more than 2,000 rounds of AK-47 ammunition, and seven boxes of various electronics and other assorted explosives. It is the largest weapons cache discovery by U.S. or Iraqi forces to date in the Yarmouk area, . . . [Read More]
Tags:al Qaeda, Iraq WarTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Journalists ignore fact that voters want less illegal immigration
by Debra J. Saunders: There's a way in which journalists insert how they think Americans should stand on an issue, and you see it in stories on the Kennedy-Kyl immigration bill that tanked so spectacularly in Washington. Many newspapers reported that opinion polls showed that voters supported “major provisions” of the measure —usually without mentioning that polls also found that more voters opposed the bill than supported it.
. . . the New York Times story forgot to mention: Its poll also found that 69 percent of Americans think illegal immigrants should be prosecuted and deported. No story there, I see. Pollster Scott Rasmussen found that 50 percent of voters opposed the immigration bill, while only 23 percent approved of it. “The immigration bill failed because a broad cross-section of the American people is opposed to it,” Rasmussen wrote. “Republicans, Democrats and unaffiliated voters are opposed. Men are opposed. So are women. The young don’t like it; neither do the no-longer-young. White Americans are opposed. Americans of color are opposed.” While most Americans may support giving illegal immigrants the ability to become citizens if they work and have no criminal record — a major provision cited in widely reported polls — what voters really want is less illegal immigration and stronger border enforcement. Rasmussen found that only 16 percent of voters believed the Kennedy-Kyl bill would do that. . . .
Washington pols know what many journalists cannot begin to grasp. American voters don’t want this bill. They want less, not more, illegal immigration. [Read More] Debra J. Saunders is a conservative columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle Tags:illegal immigration, votersTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Fred Speaking to the National Right to Life Committee [Video]
Thursday night, Fred Thompson who is considering announcing as a Republican candidate for the 2008 presidential nomination spoke via video to that National Right to Life Committee’s national convention.
Tags:Election 2008, Fred Thompson, National Right to Life, presidential candidate, pro-life, RepublicansTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Father's Day, 2007 A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America
On Father's Day, we reflect on the many ways that fathers contribute to the lives of their children with spoken words and unspoken kindness. Fathers are one of the most important influences in the lives of children, and their unconditional love is an indispensable anchor of certainty and strength. By placing their family's well-being above their own, fathers provide children with an example of what it means to be a responsible person. Through unwavering devotion and daily sacrifice, fathers work to create an environment where children are protected and encouraged. Fathers instill in their children an understanding of right and wrong and help them to grow in confidence and character. These dedicated men strive to give their sons and daughters the necessary foundation to make good choices and lead lives of purpose.
On Father's Day and throughout the year, we honor the men who have taken on the great joy and responsibility of fatherhood, and we celebrate their extraordinary impact and influence. All Americans are especially grateful to the many fathers who are serving their country as members of the Armed Forces, and we lift them and their loved ones up in prayer.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, in accordance with a joint resolution of the Congress approved April 24, 1972, as amended (36 U.S.C. 109), do hereby proclaim June 17, 2007, as Father's Day. I encourage all Americans to express admiration and appreciation to fathers for their many contributions to our Nation's children. I direct the appropriate officials of the Government to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on this day. I also call upon State and local governments and citizens to observe this day with appropriate programs, ceremonies, and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eleventh day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand seven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-first.
GEORGE W. BUSHTags:2007, Father's Day, Presidential Proclamation, Responsible FatherhoodTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
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