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, July 14, 2007
Jim Gilmore Withdraws as Presidential Candidate
Today, one of the more conservative candidates, former Virgina Governor Jim Gilmore withdrew as a Republican candidate for president. He did not endorse any other candidate. He had emergency eye surgery on July 2, but did not indicate that the operation influenced his decision. His past statements expressed his continued concern with the top three GOP presidential contenders whom he considered too liberal: Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney and John McCain. Gov. Gilmore's withdrawal statement follows: Statement from former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore (7/14):I am today withdrawing my candidacy for the Republican nomination for President. It has been a positive and rewarding experience for me, for my family, and for my supporters. It has become apparent to me that the combination of my late start, and the front loaded nature of the primary schedule, have made it impractical to continue to pursue this path towards further public service.
I am proud of the fact that my campaign focused on the issues, worked hard to block amnesty for illegal immigrants, brought attention to the need to protect private property rights, and called for a new path in Iraq that would provide our valiant military men and women with a more clearly defined and achievable mission. However, I have come to believe that it takes more than a positive vision for our nation's future to successfully compete for the Presidency. I believe that it takes years of preparation to put in place both the political and financial infrastructure to contest what now amounts to a one-day national primary in February.
In the coming weeks and months, I intend to remain active in the Republican Party and in the public debate. I will be forming a state political action committee to assist Republican candidates in the General Assembly. Additionally, I will be actively looking for other opportunities to continue in public service in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Tags:Election 2008, Jim Gilmore, RepublicanTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
U.S. House Appropriations Committee Preserves Tiahrt Amendment!
NRA-ILA: On Thursday, July 12, the U.S. House Appropriations Committee voted to protect language commonly known as the "Tiahrt Amendment," rejecting two separate amendments designed to strike and gut the language, in the Commerce, Justice, and Science appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2008. This language maintains firearm trace information within the law enforcement community and out of the hands of politicians, trial lawyers and special interest groups . . . [Read More] Tags:gun rights, NRATo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Senate Democrats sneak 'hate crimes' bill into crucial defense bill
ARRA posted info yesterday about "hate crimes" legislation being slipped into the Senate Defense ReAuthorization bill. Here is more info worth reviewing:
LifeSiteNews: Senate Democrats will hold US troops fighting the "War on Terror" as hostages in exchange for sweeping "hate crimes" legislation if the Senate votes this week, perhaps as early as Monday, to include it in the defense spending bill. Instead of introducing the legislation giving sexual orientation "hate crimes" protection as a separate bill, Senators Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and Gordon Smith (R-OR) opted to introduce the "Matthew Shepard Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act" as one of hundreds of amendments to the Defense Reauthorization bill requested by President Bush . . . [Read More]Contact your senators!Contact your representatives! Tags:free speech, Gordon Smith, hate crimes, Hate Crimes Act, military defense, religous freedom, Ted KennedyTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
James R. Edwards Jr.: The North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, bound the United States, Canada, and Mexico into a trilateral "free trade" relationship among the three nations of the North American continent. Trade enthusiasts hailed NAFTA as holding great promise to elevate the economies of the three nations. Today, "NAFTA Plus," or the so-called Security and Prosperity Partnership, is gaining more and more attention because it would move well beyond NAFTA and trade . . .[Read More] Tags:border security, immigration, NAFTA, national security, Security and Prosperity PartnershipTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
by Mark D. Tooley: The greatest persecutors of religion are Islamist and communist regimes, according to a just released report from the Hudson Institute's Center on Religious Freedom in Washington, D.C. Regimes that respect religious freedom also have more civil liberties, more prosperity, better health for their people, and less militarized societies. Hudson is publishing "Religious Freedom in the World 2007 later this year but released preliminary results at a conference early this week . . . [Read More] Tags:Islamist, religion, religious freedomTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Terrorism Awareness Project: What Every American Needs to Know About Jihad
The ARRA Editor identifies in the left column of our blog many valuable links. Some align with our viewpoints, some allow readers to take action on issues., some link to partners or groups that also link to us, but there are others that inform and are relevant to our lives in general. One of the links is to the Terrorism Awareness Project.Although informative, this site offers some frightening facts, videos, and information relative to global terrorism. One online video was developed by the David Horowitz Freedom Foundation. Everyone (except small children) should take a few minutes and watch this powerful presentation. It moves quickly but there are pause, reverse, and play buttons on bottom right. Note how the provided the map "tells the story" of expansion. After watching What Every American Needs to Know About Jihad please post a comment and pass this blog link on to others. Tags:jihad, terrorism, Terrorism Awareness ProjectTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Stop Liberal Censorship Free speech is under attack
By John Randall, NRSC:As Democrats in Congress eagerly line up to legislate what you hear on the radio it begs the question: what's next? Newspapers? There's no end in sight to their power grab. Democrats like Al Franken have tried to compete with the liberal talk radio Air America; yet they failed miserably and the network collapsed into bankruptcy.
And why did they fail? Because people chose not to listen. In this country's Free Market system radio stations succeed and fail based on their content. If people do not like the content of the program, they turn it off. Our marketplace guarantees your freedom to choose what you want to listen to; and that freedom is what doomed liberal talk radio to collapse.
Realizing that their ideas couldn't compete in the Free Market, Democrats schemed for ways to crush conservative talk radio's success. Their answer? The so-called “Fairness Doctrine.” Revival of the “Fairness Doctrine” would have the chilling effect of censoring conservative talk radio by requiring radio stations to air liberal content. Air liberal content or your station license will be revoked. It's unfortunate that Democrats are willing to trample on our First Amendment rights for political gain. What part of Congress shall make no law doesn't Hillary Clinton and Al Franken understand?
Democrats continue to lose the battle of ideas, therefore they are trying to undercut the free market and they must be stopped. A new website - StopLiberalCensorship.com has been launched. There you can find links about America’s opposition to the so-called Fairness Doctrine and sign our online petition calling on Democrats to stop trying to stifle political debate. Tags:Democrats, fairness doctrine, free speech, NRSC, Stop Liberal CensorshipTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Boozman: Death Tax should not be brought back from the dead Adds name to bill which makes 2001 repeal permanent
WASHINGTON, July 13 - U.S. Rep John Boozman (R-AR) today reaffirmed his commitment to lower taxes and American families by co-sponsoring bipartisan legislation to make permanent the repeal of the “Death Tax.” H.R. 2380, the “Death Tax Repeal Permanency Act of 2007,” makes permanent the repeal of Death Tax signed into law in 2001. “After a lifetime of paying taxes, Americans should not have to pay one more tax upon their death,” Boozman said. “The Death Tax hurts all Americans, not the well-off as some claim. The Death Tax limits job creation and opportunity by reducing the impetus for productive investment.
“The repeal of the Death Tax also continues to help small-business owners and family farmers in Arkansas,” Boozman, a former cattle farmer and small business owner, said. “The old tax could hit a family with as much as a 55% tax on its estate, forcing the family to sell the farm or business just to meet the tax bill. “We want Americans to work hard, and be rewarded for that hard work by being able to pass the family business to their children,” Boozman continued. “The Death Tax is an affront to the notion of the ‘American Dream.’ The Death Tax should not be brought back from the dead.” [Source]Tags:Arkansas, Death Tax, US House
2007 Arkansas Republican Assembly State Convention Scheduled
The 2007 ARRA Convention: Saturday, July 21, 10 AM
Western Sizzlin Steak House, 2427 W. Main St, Clarksville, AR
$5.00 registration plus lunch after meeting.
$10.00 Dues if not paid yet is due.
Directions: I-40 to exit #55, turn west on old Hwy 64 for several blocks (about 1/2 mile).
Any/all members of county assembly chapters or members at large may attend.
Agenda:
National convention announcement and headcount
Charter presidents goals and report
Johnny Tittle, Washington County Assembly
Mike Sevak, Benton County Assembly
Bill Smith, Baxter County Assembly ( & ARRA Blog Editor Report)
Doug Reed, Pulaski County Assembly
Randy Minton, Lonoke County Assembly (also keynote speaker)
Elections rules for officers
Elections
Randy Minton, Eagle Forum Chairman, Keynote speaker
Straw poll vote for presidential candidates
Closing prayer, Gerald Holland
Tags:Arkansas, Arkansas Republican Assembly, convention, RepublicanTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
by Steven Stark: Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich promises he'll let us know officially early this fall whether he'll be a GOP presidential ... [Read More] ARRA Editor Comment: The article may be of interest but we posted this because we liked the image with the article that says it all. It was created by by their illustrator Keven Banks- hope we see more of his work: Tags:Election 2008, Newt Gingrich, presidential candidate, RepublicanTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Kennedy / Smith vs. the Constitution - Introduce Hate Crimes Legislation as Amendment in a Nonrealted DOD Reauthorization Bill
Tony Perkins, Washington Update: In close alliance with the Human Rights Campaign, Senators Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and Gordon Smith (R-OR) filed their "hate crimes" legislation for consideration as an amendment to the Dept of Defense reauthorization that is currently being debated in the U.S. Senate. The "hate crimes" amendment has numerous problems that should raise concerns for all Americans. First off this bill would usurp the jurisdiction of state and local governments and would federalize each and every state and local crime of violence, so long as there exists the possibility that the crime was motivated by "hate," as defined under this bill. Secondly this bill attacks religious liberty. Current federal law allows an individual to be prosecuted as an "accessory" to a crime, or if the individual somehow "incited" violence. Thus, if a preacher were to denounce the act of homosexuality as a sin and someone who heard him committed a violent crime towards a homosexual it is plausible that the pastor could be charged with inciting violence or as an accessory to the crime. Lastly, but far from least, the concept of "hate crimes" destroys the principle that all men are created equal, as stated in the Declaration of Independence. All human beings should be valued the same regardless of what "category" that person defines himself in. Please contact your U.S. senators TODAY and tell them to vote against the Kennedy / Smith hate crimes amendment.[Read More] Tags:Gordon Smith, Hate Crime Bill, Hate Crimes Act, Ted Kennedy, Tony PerkinsTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Senate To Examine Border Guards’ Case - Updated Info
Update 7/18:The Senate Judiciary Committee did examine this border guards' case. Even Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) appeared on Lou Dobbs show after the hearing and said that their sentence should be commuted and that the case had been a prosecution overreach. This matter will be heard by the House in the near future. Many legislators are asking for a pardon rather than just commuting the sentence, and Eagle Forum believes a pardon is in order.
Tancredo Announces 'Overdue' Immigration Reform Fairness Doctrine Target of New Measure by GOP Senators
CNS:Republican Announces 'Overdue' Immigration Reform - Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) plans to introduce legislation that would overhaul the U.S. immigration system by placing tighter restrictions on legal immigration and increasing pressure on illegal immigrants currently in the country to leave. "Throughout the immigration debate, out of touch amnesty-only critics of enforcement have tried to hide behind their cry of 'what is your solution?' Well this week we will show them and the president what immigration reform should look like and what the American people deserve," Tancredo said in a statement on Wednesday. Tentatively dubbed the Optimizing Visa Entry Rules and Demanding Uniformed Enforcement (OVERDUE) bill . . . Full Story
CNS:Fairness Doctrine Target of New Measure by GOP Senators - The battle over whether to reinstate the controversial Fairness Doctrine moved to the Senate on Wednesday, where Republicans introduced a measure intended to permanently prevent the FCC from using what they called "the heavy hand of government control over talk radio." A liberal media analyst criticized the move, telling CNS that conservative media had once again "whipped the Republicans into a frenzy over a fake issue." Taking aim at the regulation, which required broadcasters to present both sides of a controversial issue and remained in force from 1949 until the late 1980s, Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) addressed a news conference on Capitol Hill: "Today, in an age of high-speed Internet, broadband technology and satellite radio, when we have incredible opportunities for people to get access to information, bringing back the so-called Fairness Doctrine is a bad idea, and it's certainly not fair." . . . Full Story Tags:CNS, fairness doctrine, immigration reform, Norm Coleman, presidential candidate, Tom Tancredo, US House, US Senate
by Mike Duncan, RNC Chair:Elephants never forget, so let's remind Hillary Clinton of her past positions on Iraq and cure her memory loss. On October 11, 2002, she cast her vote supporting the President's resolution to go to war. She said her vote was cast with the "conviction" that the war authorization "best serves the security of our nation."Hillary also said that she rejected setting a timetable to withdraw from Iraq. Her exact words: "I reject a rigid timetable that the terrorists can exploit, and I reject an open timetable that has no ending attached to it." (AP, 12/3/05) You can watch the video of these statements by clicking here
But in recent months and days, Hillary has voted against providing funds to support our troops and their safety. The legislation she voted against provided $1.6 billion for body armor, $2.4 billion to help combat IEDs, and $3 billion for mine resistant vehicles. And now she is saying that "this is not our fight." She wants to withdraw. The President and the Republican Party will not forget our commitment to protecting Americans at home and abroad. Neither should Hillary Clinton. Remind her of her past positions and her support of our troops by contacting her: Sen. Hillary Clinton, 476 Russell, Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510-3204; Ph: (202) 224-4451 or E-mail form Tags:doublespeak, federal funding, Hillary Clinton, Mike Duncan, support troopsTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Other delegates representing Arkansas at the national convention included: Yolanda Hugg, Lance Lemmonds, Jill Cox, Liza Freeman, Randell Shelton, Holly Lewis, and David McCoy. The Young Republican National Convention will be held again in 2009 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Central Arkansas Young Republicans meet at Loca Luna in Little Rock on the third Monday of each month. The CAYRs focus on campaign activity at all levels, and in 2006 worked on campaigns from Justice of the Peace to Governor. They have welcomed candidates and local officials at their monthly meetings. Information about the Young Republicans can be accessed by visiting their website: www.afyr.org.Tags:Arkansas, Young RepublicansTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Dave Eberhart, NewsMax: Former Arkansas governor said he's the Republican candidate with the truest consistent conservative credentials, someone who has never "flip-flopped" on important issues. "I have nothing to explain," Huckabee says with confidence. "I'm comfortable in my own skin." . . . Huckabee is on the record more than once saying, "I'm proud of my record as a fiscal conservative." . . . critics like the watchdog group Club for Growth note, he had raised sales taxes 37%, fuel taxes 16%, and cigarettes taxes 103%. But Huckabee told NewsMax that the picture being drawn is too simplistic. He explained that with respect to the tax increases, a state Supreme Court decision required immediate additional spending on education. The ruling came at a time when he had already cut the state budget 11 %, and the choice was between raising taxes to fund the court order or being in contempt of court.
When he became governor, Arkansas had some of the "worst highways in the nation," he said. Over 80% of voters supported a four cent tax on diesel fuel to fix the roads. Similarly, a 1/8-cent increase in the sales tax was approved by the voters to preserve their natural and cultural heritage. Huckabee said that as governor he would have "violated his oath of office" if he had tried to thwart the will of these voters.
Recently, the National Review launched into Huckabee by charging that he was not the poster child for smaller government, citing the increase in state employees and spending during his tenure. Once again, Huckabee explained the devil in the details. With respect to the spending that he as governor had under his control - excluding federal pass-throughs and programs strictly controlled by the Democrat legislature - spending rose only about six-tenths of 1% a year during his 10 1/2-year tenure, he says. As for the 20% growth in state employees during his tenure, Huckabee says he had no control over higher education and federally funded positions, "and when you remove those employees, the number of state employees increased 5.6%." . . . [Read More] See also:Huckabee's Legacy to Arkansas: Over a $1 Billion State Surplus Tags:Arkansas, GOP, increased taxes, Mike Huckabee, presidential candidate, Republican, taxes
Sen. Pryor's Antispyware legislation gets tepid reviews
Congress is debating three bills that would protect citizens from spyware, but some IT professionals doubt whether the legislation can successfully address the problem. The measures are generally designed to criminalize software that takes control of computers to collect personal data or display ads without the PC user's consent. . . . Jeffrey Jarzabek, . . . "Laws only work when they can be enforced," . . . "The problem here is that the federal government doesn't know how to find people and then track their behavior. Just like the CAN-SPAM Act, if you cannot find the culprits, what can you do?" Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR), who introduced the Counter Spy Act, said that spyware is a "serious infringement upon basic levels of privacy and security" and that there are very few, if any, legitimate reasons to launch it. He said his bill would prohibit the covert embedding of spyware on a user's computer without first obtaining their consent. The bill also requires the Federal Trade Commission to enforce the law as if a violation was an unfair or deceptive practice. The agency would have authority to bring a civil action against the perpetrators and criminal penalties could be imposed. "My bill protects consumers' right to privacy and their confidence in using the Internet," Pryor said. "The industry has failed in self-regulating. It's time to step in and enact serious consequences against those who use this invasive and deceptive practice." . . . [Read More] Tags:Arkansas, Mark Pryor, spyware, US Senate
Dr. Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: The title of this post was used yesterday by Steve Benen, a liberal freelance writer, researcher, political consultant and former worked as an intern in the Clinton administration at the White House office:
The Carpetbagger Report: About a month ago, Dennis Milligan, the chairman of the Arkansas Republican Party, sounded pretty excited about the prospect of domestic terrorism. "At the end of the day, I believe fully the president is doing the right thing, and I think all we need is some attacks on American soil like we had on [Sept. 11, 2001], and the naysayers will come around very quickly to appreciate not only the commitment for President Bush, but the sacrifice that has been made by men and women to protect this country," Milligan said. Yesterday, Rick Santorum echoed a similar sentiment on Hugh Hewitt's radio show. . . . I don't believe that the right genuinely looks forward to domestic terrorism. That’s crazy. I do believe, however, that conservatives, based on comments from Santorum, Milligan, and others, think Americans are misguided and confused about the threats facing the U.S. Death and destruction, they believe, will wake us up and get us back on track behind the president's vision of the world. It.s a dark and disturbing approach that I'll never be able to relate to. [Source]
Benen's post provides insight into the damage that a person can do with one inappropriate comment especially when a statement is unsubstantiated or appears to others as wishfully vengeful. Maybe some people find it easier to talk in sound bites rather than using reasoned thinking or even grasping the art of simply giving "no comments" on some issues asked by the press. It is disappointing that this one "sound bite' by our new Arkansas Republican Party chairman continues to reverberate around the Internet and that he is now being linked with others just because he wished to appear supportive of the President on an issue.
Yes, we may be attacked in the United States. Yes, Islamic fascist probably do pose a serious threat Americans in the U.S. Thankfully, the administration, state agencies, law enforcement and an alert public have prevented another such attack to date. Yes we can reasonably agree that we live in a period of time, when we may experience more attacks by terrorists or even by deranged Americans. But this agreement in no way suggests that anyone should ever say what "we need is some attacks ... and the naysayers will come around very quickly to appreciate . . . the commitment for President Bush, . . ." The opposite is most likely true. If we experience such attacks, our President will probably be blamed, and citizens will be asking the government, "Why weren't you there to protect us?"
As a Republican, I invite Chairman Milligan to both express his regret over this statement and to recant these unfortunate words. The public does not need to hear, "I meant to say" or "if you heard me wrong" or "if you did not understand what I was trying to say." Follow President Reagan's example. Admit the error and express your sincere regret. We need a Chairman that leads by example and who can then share a vision for the Republicans Party of Arkansas that will meet critical issues in Arkansas. This blog will gladly publish a press release by RPA Chairman Milligan on this subject! Tags:Arkansas, Arkansas Republican Party, Dennis Milligan, RPATo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
by Fred Thompson: A lawyer who is a candidate or a prospective candidate for office finds himself in an interesting position because of the nature of the legal profession and the practice of law. This is true when the practice was as varied as mine, and it’s especially true when the office being considered is the Presidency of the United States.
The easiest and most generally used tactic when running against a lawyer is to trade off a general perception that most people dislike lawyers. Goodness knows that a lot of lawyers have earned disfavor but, as it turns out, folks understand our system better than a lot of politicians think they do. In my first run for the Senate, my opponent tried the old demagoguery route – “He has even represented criminals!” – to no avail. A first cousin of this ploy is to associate the lawyer with the views of his client. . . [Read More]See Also:Thompson at Hannity Freedom Concert
Tags:Fred Thompson, freedom concert, lawyer, presidential candidate, RepublicanTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Join A Wing of The Republican Party in Arkansas That Reflects Your Values
The Women Prayer & Action Group (WPAAG) have posted an article asking Republicans to "Compare the actions of our newly elected Arkansas Republican Chair Dennis Milligan on immigration to that of the Republican Party in a neighboring states, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and others. . . . In an interview with the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, our Republican Chair "declined to take a stance on President Bush's latest immigration bill, saying, “I just think that is something for probably smarter people than me to figure out." Arkansas GOP also has a prominent link to an article promoting the Bush/Kennedy immigration bill on their home page at this link. . ."The WPAAG then relates actions of Oklahoma and Tennessee Republicans to address illegal aliens in their States. Latter thye ask the question: What Can Conservative Republicans Do? Their answer: Join A Wing of The Republican Party in Arkansas That Reflects Your Values, Arkansas Republican Assembly (ARRA).. . . [Read More]
ARRA Editors Comment: First, the ARRA blog editors were humbled by the words of these fine women who pray and work on behalf of Arkansans. In the last legislative section, we too were disappointed that the RPA did not take positions on critical legislation or actions to support our Republican legislators on critical issues. However, ARRA did take action. We compiled research and position papers which were provided to members of legislatures to support them in making persuasive arguments and critically decisions. We also rallied social, moral, and fiscal Conservative Arkansans to call their elected legislators on issues.
ARRA members are committed to work for improvement and the advancement of Republican ideals and principles. We desire the best for the Arkansas Republican Party of Arkansas (RPA) and look to Chairman Milligan, the RPA director and the staff to support of the interests of Arkansas and not Washington. There are four district GOP chairs and committees that need their support. There are Republicans and independent conservatives who desperately want to know when the RPA is going to take stands on moral, social and economic issues that are important within Arkansas. The RPA needs to actively hear and understand these concerns and then demonstrate that their support of Arkansans and not the agenda of Washington D.C. The ARRA will continue to encourage conservative traditional family value conservatives to join us in county assemblies to work for improvement in the Republican Party and to work to strengthen and to uphold moral and traditional family values, Republican principles and ideals. We welcome you to join us!
Tags:Arkansas Republican Assembly, Arkansas Republican Party, ARRA, Republican, social conservatives, 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!
American Family Association: On Thursday, a Hindu chaplain from Reno, Nevada, by the name of Rajan Zed is scheduled to deliver the opening prayer in the U.S. Senate. Zed tells the Las Vegas Sun that in his prayer he will likely include references to ancient Hindu scriptures, including Rig Veda, Upanishards, and Bhagavard-Gita. Historians believe it will be the first Hindu prayer ever read at the Senate since it was formed in 1789. WallBuilders president David Barton is questioning why the U.S. government is seeking the invocation of a non-monotheistic god. Barton points out that since Hindus worship multiple gods, the prayer will be completely outside the American paradigm, flying in the face of the American motto "One Nation Under God." "In Hindu, you have not one God, but many, many, many, many, many gods," the Christian historian explains. "And certainly that was never in the minds of those who did the Constitution, did the Declaration [of Independence] when they talked about Creator -- that's not one that fits here because we don't know which creator we're talking about within the Hindu religion." . . . [Read More] See Also:Hillary & Reid Refuse to Allow Chaplain Who Prays 'in Jesus Name Tags:American Family Association, prayer, US SenateTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Tony Perkins, Washington Update: To inform voters about the position of their candidates, the Democratic National Committee has chosen to sanction one debate a month for the next six months. Their choice of venues speaks volumes about whom they believe they represent. For example, the DNC refused a debate sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus because it was to be shown on Fox News Channel. Instead, they've decided to host a debate on Logo, the self-described "channel for Gay America." The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest homosexual lobby, is sponsoring this "first-ever televised Presidential debate devoted solely to [lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender] issues." Leading Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, John Edwards, and Chris Dodd have all confirmed they will participate. The panelists, which include HRC president Joe Solmonese and singer Melissa Etheridge, issued a statement saying they plan to cover a range of issues including relationship recognition, marriage equality, workplace fairness, the military, and hate crimes. HRC won't be the only group interested in hearing the candidate's responses. All of the candidates claim to oppose gay marriage, though they support same-sex civil unions that confer most of the same legal rights. It will be interesting to discover the positions they take on such topics as homosexuals serving openly in the military and providing special rights based on sexual orientation. [Source]See also:As Dems prepare for 'first ever gay debate Tags:debate, Democrats, FRC, gay agenda, homosexual activism, presidential candidate, Tony PerkinsTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
NewsMax: Poland will award late U.S. president Ronald Reagan one of its highest distinctions to recognize his role in the downfall of communism in Europe, the president's office told Reuters on Wednesday. Polish President Lech Kaczynski will present the Order of the White Eagle to Nancy Reagan, the former president's widow, during a visit to the United States next week. "The president noted the award should recognize Reagan's 8-year presidency and his contribution to the downfall of communism in this part of Europe," said Lena Dabkowska-Cichocka, sub-secretary in the president's office . . . [Read More] Tags:communism, Freedom, Poland, Ronald ReaganTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Natonal Young Republicans Elect Batesville Native as National Auditor
KAIT 8 TV News: The Chairman of the Arkansas Federation of Young Republicans, Leslie Rutledge, was recently elected National Auditor at the Young Republican National Convention in Hollywood, FL. Rutledge, a Batesville native, has served as chairman of the Arkansas Federation of Young Republicans since 2005 and has also served as assistant legal counsel to the organization's national federation. The auditor for the national federation serves as chairman of the audit committee, which oversees the accounting of all financial records associated with the national federation. As national auditor, Rutledge will also travel to other states to assist Young Republican chapters with leadership developments, grassroots campaigning, and fundraising. She will serve as national auditor until 2009. Rutledge currently lives in Little Rock, where she works as an attorney.Tags:Arkansas, KAIT, Leslie Rutledge, Young RepublicansTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Family Research Council: This past Sunday, at the San Diego Padres baseball game, what was advertised as a "Free Floppy Hat Night" for kids under 14 turned out to be a double play. While the Padres management was enticing families with the giveaway for kids, it was also promoting the evening as a Gay Pride night at the ballpark. Children who received free hats were treated to the Gay Man's Chorus of San Diego singing the national anthem prior to what one homosexual group billed as "Out at the Park with the San Diego Padres.
"The San Diego Padres organization should be ashamed that they would promote such an event on a night they specifically designed for the family. On this curveball of an evening, the Padres struck out. Click the link below to contact the San Diego Padres and tell them that baseball is a family game that shouldn't be used as an exhibition of homosexual lifestyles. The national pastime is just that: an opportunity for fans of the sport to enjoy a game and take respite from the daily grind. It's not place for politics - or political correctness. Tell the Padres to Play Ball, Not Politics! See also:Not even baseball safe from 'gay' promotions Tags:baseball, Family Research Council, Family Values, FRC, homosexual activism, political correctness, San Diego Padres
Boozman Signs on to Secure Border 1st Act Also Applauds Deficit Reduction
U.S. Rep. John Boozman (R-AR) today announced his support of critical legislation to secure the nations borders, and require the enforcement of U.S. immigration law. Boozman will co-sponsor the Secure Borders FIRST Act, offered by Rep. Peter King (R-NY) and Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX). The bill establishes a firm timeline for the Department of Homeland Security to achieve operational control of the nation’s border, authorize additional border security personnel, and require jail time for illegal immigrants who continually break the law.“ The first priority of any discussion on immigration should be border security,” Boozman said. “This bill makes the security of the nation’s borders paramount, and this is why I have added my support to it. Operational control of the border is a matter of national security and community safety.”
Additionally, the legislation also adds strong worksite enforcement provisions, while increasing protections of the Social Security program.“Workplace enforcement is also very important in the overall effort to reduce illegal immigration,” Boozman said. “The less attractive we make it to hire illegal immigrants, the harder it will be for them to find jobs, taking away the number one motivating factor for illegal immigrants.” [Source>]>
U.S. Rep. John Boozman (R-AR) also lauded a government announcement the federal deficit will be nearly $40 billion lower than expected and continued low unemployment rate of 4.5%. “We have reduced the deficit by over half in just three years,” Boozman said. “This is directly tied to the strong economy of the United States, which is based on the hard work of our people, the entrepreneurial spirit of our business leaders, and the lower tax burden on the men and women of America.” “As a result of the pro-growth, low-tax policies of the last six years, taxpayers have been able to keep more of their own money while tax revenues have gone up. This is a good day for the American taxpayer,” Boozman added.
The White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announced the new figures as part of a midyear fiscal review. Originally projected to be $244 billion, the OMB says that the deficit will come in at about $205 billion. Boozman cautioned, however, that continued vigilance on behalf of taxpayers is required if the federal budget is to be balanced by 2012. “Fiscal responsibility is a requirement, not a luxury,” he said. “That is why I will continue to work in a bipartisan manner to hold the line on spending, reject attempts to raise taxes by the House leadership, and offer to work with Democrats to stop runaway entitlement spending.” Last week, the government announced that 123,000 jobs were created in June. Our economy has now added jobs for 46 straight months, and the unemployment rate remains low at 4.5 percent. [Source] Tags:Arkansas, border control, deficit reduction, employing illegals, employment, hiring illegals, John Boozman, co-sponsor, Secure Borders FIRST Act, Peter King, New York, Lamar Smith, Texas, Republicans, US HouseTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Local Law Enforcement Action Works to Reduce Illegals Taking American Jobs
FLORIDA SHERIFF USES CLEVER STRATEGY TO LOCATE ILLEGALS In Panama City Beach, FL, Sheriff Frank McKeithen developed an easy way to distinguish between illegal and legal workers at construction sites: illegals run from the police while legal workers keep working. McKeithen instructs his deputies to simply drive to construction sites that investigators believe hire illegals. The workers who do not have legal status will usually run when the deputies arrive, and in process of running from the site, will break laws such as speeding, loitering, or trespassing on private property. After the police arrest the illegals for other charges, they then report the potential illegal aliens to US immigration authorities. "It's not wrong for them to run, but it's not wrong for us to chase them either," said Sheriff Frank McKeithen. AP, 6-28-07.> Tags:Florida, Sheriff Frank McKeithen, defense of jobs, illegal aliens, illegal immigration, local government, rule of lawTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Former ACLU Chief Eexcutive Pleads Guilty & Gets 8 Years for "Graphic & Violent" Child Porn
We missed reporting on this this last month while keeping up on political races and immigration legislation. Charles Rust-Tierney who argued against Internet filters on public library computers nearly ten years ago and is now the former executive for the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia has been sentenced to eight years in prison after he admitted having "graphic and violent" child pornography. The guilty plea was entered in court in Virginia by Charles Rust-Tierney, where he was immediately sentenced for owning some of the most “graphic and violent” child pornography the judge had ever seen. Rust-Tierney also coached a youth league in the area. He served as president of the Virginia ACLU and was on its board until his arrest. [Read More] Tags:ACLU, pornography, protecting children, VirginiaTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
by Phyllis Schafley: Contrary to continuing media propaganda, the 2006 election and the killing of the Senate "comprehensive" immigration bill do NOT prove that anti-amnesty is a loser for Republicans. The Democrats who won in 2006 campaigned with Republican-rhetoric messages calling for border security, and they kept their promises in the decisive cloture vote on June 28.Republican Senators voted "no" by a 3-to-1 majority (37 to 12), and they were conspicuously joined by three new Democratic senators who defeated incumbent Republicans in November after criticizing the failure of the U.S. government to stop the flow of illegal immigrants across U.S. borders . . . [Read More] Tags:immigration reform, Phyllis Schlafly, votersTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
by Dick Morris & Eileen McGann: Former President Bill Clinton and Senator Hillary Clinton are absolutely outraged that President Bush granted executive clemency to Scooter Libby, recently convicted of making false statements under oath. They obviously believe that Libby should serve his 30 month sentence. Does that mean that they now think that perjurers should go to jail? Or have they simply forgotten about Bill Clinton’s own plea agreement in the last hours of his presidency -- for making false statements under oath? . . . After all, Bill Clinton has a well-earned reputation as the king of pardons -- granting 140 of them during his last minutes in office -- with many going to terrorists, people who had paid Hillary’s brothers to arrange for pardons, contributed money or key support to Hillary’s Senate campaign, given the Clintons expensive personal gifts, and/or made large contributions to Bill Clinton’s Presidential Library. One of the pardons went to Bill’s own brother, Roger, while another went to Susan MacDougal, who kept quiet about Clinton during the Whitewater trial. That’s really cronyism, Hillary . . . [Read More] See also:Clinton's unpardonable pardons (David Limbaugh) Tags:Bill Clinton, Dick Morris, Hillary Clinton, perjury, presidential pardonsTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
We Need to Talk America can't afford to lose its common language
by Peggy Noonan: . . . The question of whether America should have an "official language," of whether English should be formally declared our "national language," is bubbling, and will be back, in Congress, the next few sessions. . . . But there's something odd about the English question. It feels old-fashioned. Because we all know America has an official language, and a national language, and that it is English. In France they speak French, and in China they speak Chinese. In Canada they have two national languages, but that's one reason Canada often seems silly. They don't even know what language they dream in. The real question, ultimately, is whether America wants to go that route. Should we allow America devolve into a nation of two official languages--in this case, following recent demographic trends and realities, English and Spanish?
We've never done that in more than 200 years. It would be radical, and destructive, to do it now. We speak English here. It’s a great language, luckily, a rich one. It’s how we do government and business. It’s the language of the official life, the outer life, in America. As for the inner life of America, the language of the family, it would be just as odd to change longtime tradition there, which has always been: Anything goes. You speak what you came over speaking, and you learn the new language. Italian immigrants knew two languages, English and Italian. They enriched the first with the second–this was a great gift to all of us–and wound up with greater opportunities for personal communication to boot. Talk about win-win. And so with every group, from every place.
But in a deeper sense, we should never consider devolving from one national language down into two, or three, because if we do we won’t understand each other. And we’re confused enough as it is. In the future, with the terrible problems we face, we are going to need to understand each other more and more, better and better. We’re going to need to know how to say, “This way” and “Let me help” and “stop” and “here.” We’re going to have to negotiate our way through a lot of challenges, some dramatic, some immediate, and it will make it all the harder, all the more impossible-seeming, if we can’t even take each other’s meaning, and be understood. . . [Read More] See also:Gingrich backs English push as official language Tags:English, National Language, Peggy NoonanTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Extracted from aletter to Senator Mitch McConnell(R-KY) posted on Congress.org; . . . during the Great Depression, President Herbert Hoover (R-IA) ordered the deportation of all illegal aliens in order to make jobs available to American citizens that desperately needed work. And then again in 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower (R-KS) deported 1.3 million Mexican nationals! The program was called "Operation "Wetback" so that American WWII and Korean veterans had a better chance at jobs. It took 2 years, but they deported them! Now, if they could deport the illegals back then, they can sure do it today!! If you have any doubts about the veracity of this information, enter "operation wetback" into Google and confirm it for yourself. The information, provided by these sites, is known by our politicians and our media.
. . . The operation began in California and Arizona and coordinated 1,075 Border Patrol agents along with state and local police agencies to mount an aggressive crackdown, going as far as police sweeps of Mexican-American neighborhoods and random stops and ID checks of "Mexican-looking" people in a region with many Native Americans and native Hispanics.[1] Some 750 agents targeted agricultural areas with a goal of 1000 apprehensions a day. By the end of July, over 50,000 aliens were caught in the two states. Around 488,000 people fled the country for fear of being apprehended. By September, 80,000 had been taken into custody in Texas, and the INS estimates that 500,000-700,000 illegals had left Texas voluntarily. To discourage re-entry, buses and trains took many illegals deep within Mexico before being set free. Tens of thousands more were put aboard two hired ships, the Emancipation and the Mercurio. The ships ferried the aliens from Port Isabel, Texas, to Veracruz, Mexico, more than 500 miles (900 kilometers) south. [Read More] See also:Handbook of Texas Online: Operation Wetback The Border 1953 Operation Wetback (PBS) Tags:illegal aliens, immigration reform, President, Dwight Eisenhower, Operation WetbackTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
by Boozman Press Office: Interesting statistics just came across our desk…Remember this quote? Speaker Nancy Pelosi: “We will work together to lead the House of Representatives with a commitment to … fiscal responsibility.”
As of today, House Republicans have offered 14 amendments to reduce Democrat spending increases on the 6 appropriations bills considered so far this year. Of the 3,216 Democrat votes cast on those amendments, 3,097 were ‘NO’ votes. That works out to be a whopping 96% [against cutting pork]. Tags:Democrats, 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 Brendan Farrington, AP: Not yet a 2008 candidate, Fred Thompson energized young Republicans with a speech Saturday that was heavy on rhetoric and short on policy pronouncements. He branded Democrats as "the party of despair.'' Chants of "Fred'' and "Run, Fred, Run,'' greeted the actor and former GOP senator from Tennessee from many among the 350 people at the Young Republicans National Convention. The crowd interrupted his nine-minute speech with wild applause and mobbed him when he left. . . . [Read More]
Highlights of Fred Thompsons Comments at the
2007 Young Republicans Tags:Fred Thompson, GOP, presidential candidate, Republican, video, Young RepublicansTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!National Convention
by Michael Luo, The NY Times: . . . Unlike in the 2000 presidential campaign, when George W. Bush was able to overcome early doubts among religious conservatives by speaking the language of personal faith, the three most prominent Republican candidates, Rudolph W. Giuliani, Senator John McCain and Mitt Romney, are continuing to have difficulty winning over this crucial constituency in the Republican base. The calculus at this point for social conservative voters, who represent more than 60% of Republican caucus goers here in Iowa, is replete with tradeoffs over who best adheres to their values and who is ultimately electable next year. Interviews with more than 40 evangelicals recently across Iowa at campaign events, churches and over the telephone found that many feared Mr. Giuliani might win the nomination even though he supported abortion rights. But they are wrestling with whether Mr. Romney’s recent conversion to opposing abortion is genuine, and they wonder how much to trust Mr. McCain, who has harshly criticized the religious right in the past.
. . . Partly because of their qualms about the candidates already in the race, some evangelicals are hoping that they might find a better match in a Republican who has yet to formally announce his candidacy, former Senator Fred D. Thompson of Tennessee. But for now many Christian conservatives interviewed, at least here in Iowa, appear to have settled tentatively on Mr. Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, who has been advertising and campaigning aggressively in the state and has been leading in recent polls.
. . . In an informal survey taken by this reporter at an adult Sunday school class of about 30 students at First Assembly of God in Des Moines, former Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, a former Baptist minister, finished ahead of Mr. Romney, eight to five, with none of the other candidates getting more than one or two votes. But the largest segment of the class, nine students in all, said they remained undecided. . . . Most of the 40 evangelicals interviewed for this article, however, said they were not interested in throwing away their vote, saying Mr. Giuliani would be preferable to any Democrat . . . [Read More] Tags:Christian Values, Evangelicals, GOP, Iowa, presidential candidate, RepublicanTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
200 Rally Outside US. Attorney Johnny Sutton's Office
Sutton prosecuted former border patrol agents Jose Compean and Ignacio Ramos. American Freedom Riders, US Border Watch, and other groups organized the event that took place on June 30, 2007. The groups called for the release of Compean and Ramos, and tighter border security. "We're here because we have Border Patrol patriots who have been caught up in a political process and they're not being treated fairly," said Pat Byrne, deputy director for the Texas chapter of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps. . . [Read More] Tags:border guards, Ignacio Ramos, Johnny Sutton, Jose CompeanTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Powell calls for closing Gitmo Huckabee says keep Gitmo open
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell (R) said he favors immediately closing the Guantanamo Bay military prison and moving its detainees to U.S. facilities. The prison, which now holds about 380 suspected terrorists, has tarnished the world’s perception of the United States, Powell said. "If it was up to me, I would close Guantanamo. Not tomorrow, but this afternoon. I’d close it," he said. . . .
Republican presidential candidate former Governor Mike Huckabee (R) said he believes the prison should remain open. "It’s more symbolic than it is a substantive issue, because people perceive of mistreatment when, in fact, there are extraordinary means being taken to make sure these detainees are being given, really, every consideration," said Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor. "But I’ll tell you, if we let somebody out and it turns out that they come and fly an airliner into one of our skyscrapers, we’re going to be asking, how come we didn’t stop them? We had them detained," Huckabee said. "I can tell you, most of our prisoners would love to be in a facility more like Guantanamo and less like the state prisons that people are in the United States," he said . . . [Read More] Tags:Colin Powell, Gitmo, Guantanamo Bay, Mike Huckabee, military prison
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee was the only Republican presidential candidate to speak in Philadelphia to the national Educational Association received a warm welcome from delegates. Huckabee said, "but I'm proud to be here." Huckabee may have been a novelty but the audience enjoyed him.. The NEA has long been a part of the Democratic coalition, and union members made up 10 percent of the delegates to the party's national convention in 2004, the largest single bloc. Internal polling of the membership estimates that about 25 % of the NEA's 3.2 million members identify themselves as Republicans, 48 % as Democrats, and the balance as independent. "I know there are some who think a Republican coming to the NEA is like Michael Moore going to the NRA,"
He brought the crowd to its feet with his call for every student to have access to music and art classes in every grade. Many creative-arts programs nationally have been cut as schools try to hike student performance in math and reading to comply with the law." We're leaving a lot of kids' talents behind by denying them the opportunity to experience their creative self and to have a complete education," Huckabee said. "An education is more than simply a data download from an information source to a kid's brain." He also drew cheers by proposing to "unleash weapons of mass instruction" and calling an uneducated population "a form of terror."See also: Huckabee: Don’t sacrifice music and art& At the NEA: Oh, Arkansas
Tags:Arkansas, Mike Huckabee, National Education Association, NEA, presidential candidate, Republican
Hard-line immigration stance finds conservative support during speeches at campaign stops. by Mark Z. Barabak: Ames, Iowa - Tom Tancredo is used to anger and hostility. But success is something else. So when the Senate buckled under a wave of popular protest and rejected an overhaul of the nation's immigration laws, Tancredo wasn't sure how people would respond. The five-term Republican congressman from Littleton is not just the hard-line face of immigration reform. His run for the GOP presidential nomination is based on a platform that can be summarized in one sentence: Seal the border, and send 'em back. . . .
He needn't have worried. "The issue is not going away. The only question is how much will be subject to demagoguery and how much subject to some reasoned discussion," said Dennis Goldford, a political scientist at Drake University. "People want something done," said Al Manning, 50, of Waterloo, who drove more than 250 miles to hear Tancredo speak over the weekend. "We need to stop the inflow of illegals, and we need to deal with the ones that are already in the country." Those sentiments were echoed in numerous interviews at campaign stops and a Des Moines presidential forum that drew hundreds of conservative activists. Of the six candidates who spoke, Tancredo received the best reception, coming and going to standing ovations. . . . [Read More]See also:Tancredo in Iowa: 'Enforce the Law' on Immigration
Tancredo "most excited the audience" Tags:border security, GOP, illegal aliens, Iowa, presidential candidate, Republican, Tom TancredoTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
The question "Is Fred a Fraud?" is discussed in a post by Mark Moore at Arkansas Watch. We suggest you drop by to read the post and the attached comments. Most bloggers like comments - so please leave yours. [Visit to Read]
by Patrick Poole: From Nigeria to Indonesia, Christians are under siege in virtually every single country in the Muslim world, the victims of countless acts of discrimination, depredation, brutality, and murder that are so widespread and systematic that it can rightfully be called the new Holocaust. This time, however, the perpetrators of this Holocaust aren't wearing swastikas, but kufi skull caps and hijabs . . . [Read More] Tags:Christians, global war, Islam, Islamist, persecutionTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
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Today, one of the more conservative candidates, former Virgina Governor Jim Gilmore withdrew as a Republican candidate for president. He did not endorse any other candidate. He had emergency eye surgery on July 2, but did not indicate that the operation influenced his decision. His past statements expressed his continued concern with the top three GOP presidential contenders whom he considered too liberal: Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney and John McCain. Gov. Gilmore's withdrawal statement follows:
