Fred Thompson Wins Arkansas Republican Assembly Convention Straw Poll

Dr. Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: Today the 2007 Arkansas Republican Assembly Convention was held in Clarksville, AR. A press release of new officers and convention activities will be released and reported on in a few days. Of special interest is the result of a straw poll of delegates attending the convention. "All potential" Republican candidates who announced or have indicated they may announce were considered. Delegates discussed everything from candidates' positions on key issues to the "X" factor: who can win the election. Fred Thompson received 86% of the votes by delegates in a secret ballot straw poll as to the person they would most like to represent the Republican Party if elections were held today.

The straw poll was not a formal endorsement by the Arkansas Republican Assembly. However, the straw poll did provide the ARRA delegates to the 2007 Republican Assembly National Convention with a nonbinding expression as to whom the ARRA membership favors at this time. The National Convention will meet in Saint Louis on August 3 - 5. In the Fall, after Republican candidates for President have formally filed in Arkansas, ARRA delegates will have the option to endorse a presidential candidate.

While the Republican Party of Arkansas and its subdivisions may not endorse candidates in a primary, the Arkansas Republican Assembly as an independent caucus group is not so limited and may endorse and support candidates. The ARRA represents social, moral, and fiscal conservative Arkansans who believe in God, family, and country and who work to uphold moral and traditional family values and Republican principles and ideals. If you are one of these type people, check out the ARRA. For more information, please visit our website.

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Tags: Arkansas Republican Assembly, ARRA, convention, Election 2008, Fred Thompson, presidential candidate, presidential candidates, republican candidates, straw poll To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

UnFairness Doctrine Could Ultimately Restrict Second Amendment Rights

GOA: Even while we are busy defending our Second Amendment rights against efforts to enhance the Brady Law, there is a movement a foot to restrict our First Amendment rights as well... a movement that can make the defense of our liberties that much harder. You may have heard of this effort as the "Hush Rush" bill or, just simply, as the Fairness Doctrine. No matter how you look at it, however, there is nothing fair about it.

Better termed the UnFairness Doctrine, it would radically limit the type of information you hear in the media and would greatly restrict access by Gun Owners of America to the airwaves. Access to talk radio has been crucial for GOA. If we had to depend on network news alone, one would think that crime is out of control. Talk radio has given Second Amendment supporters the opportunity to present the data that more guns in the hands of the public has actually lowered crime. . .

The so-called Fairness Doctrine is openly touted as a way to squelch conservative's market-driven dominance of talk radio. For example, Sen. James Inhofe of Oklahoma reports overhearing a conversation between Senators Hilary Clinton (NY) and Barbara Boxer (CA). The two Senators were complaining about conservatives' success in the free market of ideas on radio and said "We've got to have a balance.There's got to be a legislative fix for this." . . . Remember, the First Amendment protects free speech, not fairness. Free speech is a constitutional doctrine; using the power of government to mandate political "fairness" is a socialist doctrine. [Read More & Take Action]

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Tags: 2nd Amendment, fairness doctrine, free speech, GAO, Gun Owners of America To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Democrats Kill "John Doe" protection bill

Our conservative friend over at Saber Point calls Democrats "Enemies of America" based on their deception in killing the "John Doe" bill: This past week the Party of Treason killed the "John Doe" bill that would have protected citizens for informing authorities of possible terrorist activity. Right after a group of Muslims exhibited provocative behavior aboard a commercial airliner, several passengers complained and the followers of Satan were promptly ejected from the plane. The ejected barbarians then filed lawsuits against all those who complained about their deliberately provocative behavior. The whole thing had been a Muslim setup to suppress opposition to Muslims acting provocatively on airplanes, and elsewhere, using the threat of lawsuits as a club. That would have made future terrorist plots more difficult to stop.

A Republican proposed the "John Doe" bill to exempt informers from such lawsuits. Litigation is enormously expensive, even when you win, and there is always the chance you will find yourself in jail for no good reason, like the two border guards imprisoned for protecting the borders. The Democrats, after first voting for the John Doe bill (for public consumption) then killed the bill in committee, thus allowing CAIR . . . to sue the beans out of anyone who might complain. You can always count on the Democrats to stand up for the little guy, especially when the little guy hates America and wants to destroy it. . . . [Read More] Link to the roll on the Senate John Doe protection amendment, which missed the 60-vote threshold by 3 votes. Interesting facts: No Republican voted against it. GOP presidential candidate Sam Brownback didn’t bother to vote. Hillary voted for it. Obama sat it out.

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Tags: CAIR, Democrats, Islamist, John Doe, Saber Point

Prayer offensive against late-term abortion clinics

by Jennifer Riley, The Christian Post: Some 1,000 pro-lifers from across the nation reportedly participated during a three-day prayer offensive against late-term abortion clinics in Kansas. The Wichita Awakening concluded with five hundred Christians attending the final praise and worship concert on Monday at the Mid-American Indian center. Earlier that day, the group had gathered in front of George R. Tiller's notorious abortion mill for one of the largest turnouts there since 1991, according to host organization Operation Rescue. . . . “The phenomenal response to this event can be attributed to the collective shock and concern across our nation to Tiller’s late-term abortion practice, for which he is now facing criminal charges,” said Operation Rescue president Troy Newman . . . [Read More]

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Tags: abortion, partial birth abortion, pro-life To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Goodbye America, Hello North American Union

by Alan Caruba: In a month, August 20 and 21, the leaders of the United States, Canada, and Mexico will sit down together in Montebello, Quebec to discuss making the borders between these three nations disappear. They will discuss progress on a vast highway project passing through America to link Mexico with Canada. So far, no one has asked the citizens of these three nations whether they want to do this. It is not up for a vote in Congress and, indeed, Congress has no supervision over the gnomes in the U.S. Department of Commerce who are busily "harmonizing" the laws under the auspices of the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP). This, we're told, is not a treaty so Congress has no constitutional oversight obligation. I guess it's more like a nice big handshake between the presidents and prime minister of these three nations who, let's face it, just know better than the rest of us . . . [Read More]

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Tags: North American Union, Security and Prosperity Partnership, SPP To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Thompson Bid Makes Gingrich Run Unlikely

by Ben Evans, AP Writer: WASHINGTON (AP) -- Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Friday that a White House bid by fellow Southerner Fred Thompson would make him less likely to join the race. "If Fred Thompson runs and he does well, then I think that makes it easier for me to not run," Gingrich said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "On the other hand, just given what you've seen with (John) McCain the last few months, how can you predict?" Gingrich, a Republican who in recent months has been actively promoting his ideas for reforming government, reiterated that he would wait until early October to make a decision. He has at times offered conflicting hints about his plans . . . [Read More]

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Tags: Election 2008, Fred Thompson, Newt Gingrich, presidential candidate, Republican To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Boozman Seeks to Mark the Trail

U.S. Rep. John Boozman (R-AR) yesterday offered testimony before the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands on behalf of his legislation, H.R. 1266, the “Butterfield Overland Trail Study Act" which he introduced on March 1st. Boozman identified that the Butterfield Overland Trail provided a key connection between the nation's eastern regions and the burgeoning western frontier. He urged the subcommittee to approve his measure to require a study of the trail route for possible inclusion in the National Trails System. The Butterfield Trail was a catalyst in setting the path for America's westward expansion. The 2,800-mile trail was established by an act of Congress in 1957. It began at Saint Louis, Missouri, and Memphis, Tennessee, and converged at Fort Smith before heading west through what is now Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.

The resource study is intended to clarifying the history and location of the trail, to propose ways to educate youth about the historic value of the trail and to recommend its addition to the National Trails System. Boozman's bill contains strict private property protections. The bill is not intended to supersede private property rights or to coerce land owners into giving way to any government acquisition, markings or disruption of any kind." [Read More]

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Tags: Arkansas, Butterfield Trail, John Boozman, US House To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Huckabee & Hardin Talk With Bloggers

Dr. Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: It took a "root canal" to keep me from participating in yesterday's blogger's conference with former Governor Mike Huckabee and University of Central Arkansas President and former Senator Lu Hardin. President Hardin has been a leader in higher education and a strong proponent of laws to protection property owners from the wayward use of imminent domain. But many other friendly bloggers provided the following reports:

Massachueetts for Huckabee: Lisa Camp reported that Governor Huckabee hosted a bloggers conference call this morning, with him on the conference call was Sen. Lu Hardin. The Senator spoke about Governor Huckabee's extensive and impressive education record. Sen. Hardin said that Governor Huckabee was an education Governor who was very generous in funding many important programs. Sen. Hardin also mentioned the Kids First program that was started by Governor Huckabee. Read about the Kids First program . . . There was also a question about gun control Mike Huckabee said it really bothers him when other candidates confuse the 2nd amendment with hunting saying, “ The 2nd amendment isn’t about hunting. It’s our last line of defense in protecting our homes and families from criminals, or the an oppressive government.”

Colorado For Huckabee: Steven Nielson asked Governor Huckabee what he thought about Human Space Exploration to Mars. You don't want to miss Steve's insightful questions and comments regarding the NASA Space Program to Mars. When Huckabee was asked the first question, steven reports, "Perhaps it could be the frustration he is feeling towards other candidates who are currently in a smear campaign against the governor... as was evident with his opening remark, "There are a few people I would like to send to Mars... on a one way trip... but I am not naming names" [Hey, I also liked Steven's graphic.]

Kevin Tracy: Of course was happy to throw a curve ball at him, asking about US-Russo relations and increasing military cooperation between the Russian Federation and China. While he didn’t directly answer my question, he did give a glimpse into his personal foreign policy ideology. I think it can be summed up into one word. Humility. “Humility doesn’t mean weakness,” he said, reminding us that it’s having strength but not pushing it at other people. Governor Huckabee calls it “Humility.” President (and war hero) Theodore Roosevelt practiced a similar policy of “speak quietly, but carry a big stick.” It worked for President Roosevelt, it will work for President Huckabee, and it certainly works for me. See also: Hardin praises Huckabee as a uniter

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Tags: 2nd Amendment, 2008 Election, health care, kids, Lu Hardin, Mars, Mike Huckabee, To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Arkansas Senators Vote Against Free Speech

ARRA Comment: It’s official, last night when given the opportunity to stand up for the First Amendment and free speech, Senate Democrats rose in near unison (one yea) to clearly say they oppose free speech rights for American broadcasters. By a 49-48 vote (3/5 required to pass) the Democrat-led Senate voted against considering Sen. Norm Coleman’s (R-MN) Amendment aimed at guaranteeing free speech protections.

Among the 48 Democrats voting against free speech protection for Americans were Arkansas' two Senators Pryor (D) and Lincoln (D).
The Senators running for president voted as follows:For Free Speech: Senator McCain (R)
Against Free Speech: Democrat Senators. Biden, Clintod & Dodd
Not Voting: Senators Brownback (R) & Obama (D)
Also see: News Story By Kara Rowland, The Washinton Times

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Tags: Blanche Lincoln, fairness doctrine, free speech, Mark Pryor, US Senate

Support out troops, not poor leadership!

by John Randall, NRSC Press: “I saw a bumper ticker the other day that said, ‘Support our troops, not poor leadership.’ I agree.” (Sen. Tom Harkin press release, 9/7/06)
To recap here are a few items that the Department of Defense Authorization Act would do:

A 3.5 percent pay increase across-the-board for all service members and would guarantee a pay increase for members of the American Forces

$50 million for the Defense Health Program sustainment account for health care facilities, particularly at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

An increase in the authorized payment from $12,000 to $100,000 for Defense Department military personnel who die while working in a combat zone.

An additional $4.1 billion for Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles.

To recap here is what Democrat Senators have said about the troops:

“We've all made a promise to our servicemen and women that while their away protecting us; we would be in Washington protecting them and their families. We should not let partisan judicial politics stop us from keeping that promise.” (Sen. Mark Pryor, Senate Democrat Conference Web site, accessed 7/19/07)

“Our first priority should be to ensure that the men and women who honorably serve our country are given the resources they need to succeed both on and off the battlefield.” (Sen. Dick Durbin’s Web site, accessed 7/19/07)

"As part of the Defense Authorization bill this week, I will introduce an amendment making it clear Congress will provide every dollar and every authority needed to build vehicles resistant to roadside bombs and shaped charges. As long as we have a single soldier in Iraq, we must do whatever it takes to provide them the best protection possible. This must be a national priority. (Sen. Joe Biden press release, 7/16/07)

"…it is extremely important to make sure our troops continue to know we support them. The president was right to commend the troops for their tremendous efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, but honoring them with words is not enough. It’s critical that our troops have the proper equipment they need to do their jobs.” (Sen. Jay Rockefeller press release, 1/20/04)

“As long as our nation's policies put them there, our troops should hear an unequivocal message from Congress that we support them.” (Sen. Carl Levin Washington Post Op-Ed, 6/21/07)

“We are here to say that, yes, we're going to fight hard for all of what government can do -- the needs that they [soldiers] have, the financial needs, whether it's health care needs, mental health care needs, equipment and everything.” (Sen. Mary Landrieu press conference, 7/11/07)

The first definition of patriotism is keeping faith with those who’ve worn the uniform of the United States of America. Our obligation is to keep faith with the men and women of the American military and their families-whether they are on active duty, in the National Guard or Reserves, or veterans. (Sen. John Kerry’s Web site, accessed 7/19/07)

We must ensure that our troops at home and abroad have the tools they need to protect freedom and democracy across the globe. I'm committed to working together to ensure our military and our men and women in uniform have what they need to do their jobs.” (Sen. Max Baucus’ Web site, accessed 7/19/07)

Yet when it came time to vote on legislation to increase troop pay, to increase money for military healthcare, to increase benefits for military widows and families, to increase the safety of our troops; Democrats staged a self-described stunt and when that failed to even impress their own liberal base, they throw a temper-tantrum and pulled the bill from the floor. If Democrats really supported the troops they would call on their leadership to quit pandering to the left and pass legislation that actually does support our troops. Support out troops, not poor leadership!!!

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Tags: Democrats, federal funding, support troops To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Sen Pryor remains opposed to timeline for Iraq war

WMC-TV Ch 5 Memphis: Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR) says he remains opposed to setting a withdrawal date for U.S. troops in the war. Pryor says he supports the original proposals of the Iraq Study Group that would take a multi-faceted approach including military, diplomatic, and economic. He has not abandoned his suggestion that a withdrawal date could be acceptable if it remained classified but he does not support the plan put forth by Democratic senators Carl Levin of Michigan and Jack Reed of Rhode Island to withdraw troops within 120 days. [Read More]

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Tags: Arkansas, Mark Pryor, support troops, troop surge, US Senate

Zogby Poll: Hillary Clinton, Fred Thompson Lead 2008 Race

NewsMax: The candidate who seems to have been running forever and the one who has yet to enter the race are leading their respective nomination contests in a national preference poll by Zogby International. The latest Zogby poll shows NY Sen. Hillary Clinton with a 37 % to 25 % lead over IL Sen. Barack Obama. Former NC Sen. John Edwards is a distant third at 12 %, while NM Gov. Bill Richardson leads the also-rans with 4 %. Clinton’s edge over Obama has shrunk slightly since late May. 18 % of Democrats remain undecided . . . On the Republican side, former TN Sen. Fred Thompson, as yet a non-candidate was 22 %, compared to 21 % for former NY City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Former MA Gov. Mitt Romney had 11 %. AZ Sen. John McCain continues his dramatic slidewith 9 %. Thompson’s strongest appeal was 35 % from those who consider themselves to be "very conservative;” Giuliani a distant third, Romney and former AR Gov. Mike Huckabee were fourth. McCain finishes fifth among very conservative voters. Among mainline conservatives - the largest subgroup of GOP voters - Giuliani wins 21 %, compared to 20 % for Thompson, 13 % for Romney, and 12 % for McCain. One in four Republican voters are undecided . . . [Read More]

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Tags: Democrat, Election 2008, Fred Thompson, Hillary Clinton, presidential candidates, Republican, Zogby poll To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Ron Paul Is Tops With Military Contributors

Based on the July 2007 Quarterly Finance Reports to the Federal Elections Commission, Ron Paul is the most supported candidate in terms of financial support by Military Personnel and Military Veterans. Contributions in dollars by employees of the respective military organizations: [Source]

Republican Party Candidates
Name	Total	Army	Navy	Air Force	Veteran
Ron Paul	24,965	6,975	6,765	4,650	5,075
John McCain	17,425	6,925	6,305	1,795	800
Mitt Romney	3,551	2,051	0	1,500	0
Rudy Giuliani	2,320	1,450	370	250	250
Tom Tancredo	1,400	100	0	300	1,000
Duncan Hunter	1,000	0	1,000	0	0
Mike Huckabee	750	250	0	500	0
Sam Brownback	71	71	0	0	0
Tommy Thompson	0	0	0	0	0
Jim Gilmore	0	0	0	0	0
John Cox	0	0	0	0	0

Democratic Party Candidates
Name	Total	Army	Navy	Air Force	Veteran
Hillary Clinton	10,550	0	3,550	400	6,600
Bill Richardson	5,325	425	750	2,400	1,750
Barack Obama	5,195	0	0	5,195	0
John Edwards	2,254.06	250	1,359.53	644.53	0
Joe Biden	800	0	500	0	300
Mike Gravel	150	0	0	150	0
Dennis Kucinich	50	0	0	0	50
Chris Dodd	0	0	0	0	0

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Tags: campaign funds, Democrat, Election 2008, military, presidential candidate, Republican, Ron Paul

AG says nothing illegal in Huckabee destroying hard drives

AR News Bureau: Former Gov. Mike Huckabee's administration did nothing illegal when it destroyed government hard drives before he left office in January, Attorney General Dustin McDaniel said Wednesday. Huckabee's chief of staff, Brenda Turner, ordered the Dept. of Information Systems to destroy more than 90 hard drives before Huckabee's administration left office and Gov. Mike Beebe replaced him in January. Huckabee defended the decision, saying the action was legal because the hard drives contained sensitive and private information. He spent the last $13,000 in the Governor's Emergency Fund to cover the cost of destroying the drives.

McDaniel said he found nothing illegal in the action. What my staff determined was that although there are no specific code provisions authorizing everything that took place, we don't see anything that prohibits it either," McDaniel said. "We found no evidence that would justify either referring any criminal charges to the prosecutor ... or anything that would justify civil action." State law does not require constitutional officers to save any of their papers after leaving office, McDaniel said . . . [Read More]

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Tags: Arkansas, Dustin McDaniel, Mike Huckabee

Obama's Double Speak

AGENT OF CHANGE…ON IRAQ - Inexperienced Obama’s Evolving Views On Iraq Prove He’s A Real “Change” Candidate

by Mike Duncan, RNC Chair: Barack Obama, has been running as a candidate for change. Perhaps now it's time to remind everyone of his changing positions on Iraq, as well. Today, Obama supported legislation requiring most U.S. troops to be out of Iraq by April 30, 2008. But in 2004, Obama said that a quick withdrawal from Iraq would be "a slap in the face" to the troops. And in 2006, he said that he did "not believe that setting a date certain for the total withdrawal of U.S. troops [was] the best approach to achieving" our goals. [See Video] In May of this year, Obama promised to provide critical funding for the troops. His exact words: "[W]hat you don't want to do is to play chicken with the President, and create a situation in which, potentially, you don't have body armor, you don't have reinforced Humvees, you don't have night-vision goggles." [See Video]

Then, just weeks later, he voted against the emergency Iraq spending bill that would have provided critical funds for body armor, mine resistant vehicles, and to help combat IEDs. By his own admission, Obama understands that our enemies will wait us out in Iraq. [See Video] But, with today's comments, it seems clear that he's more concerned with pandering to the left wing of the party than standing by his previous statements. Contact Obama and ask him to put the security of the nation and the safety of our troops above politics.

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Tags: Barack Obama, Democrat, Iraq, Mike Duncan, presidential candidate, RNC To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Latest Hollywood Contributions to Presidential Candidates

Nikki Finke reported on the Deadline Holloywood Daily Blog the breakdown of TV/Movie/Music industry giving to the 2008 presidential candidates after six months of fundraising. Of the $265 million total, $4.4 million has come from Hollywood through July 15th. No surprise that the overwhelming majority of green is going to Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Among Republicans, it's to John McCain and Rudy Guiliani. These new numbers are based on Federal Election Commission data and compiled by the Center For Responsive Politics:

Hillary Clinton (D): $1,563,948 Barack Obama (D): $1,302,072 John Edwards (D): $378,342 John McCain (R): $293,975 Rudy Giuliani (R): $268,915 Chris Dodd (D): $186,820 Bill Richardson (D): $165,150 Mitt Romney (R): $143,181 Joe Biden (D): $63,200

Tom Vilsack (D): $18,950 Ron Paul (R): $18,473 Dennis Kucinich (D): $10,143 Sam Brownback (R): $7,450 Mike Huckabee (R): $4,800 Duncan Hunter (R): $2,100 Mike Gravel (D): $1,150 Tom Tancredo (R): $1,000

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Tags: campaign funds, Election 2008, Hollywood, presidential candidate

Federal Judge Orders Mississippi to Register Voters by Political Party

by Adam Nossoter, The NY Times: JACKSON, Miss., July 13: A federal court ruling in June that forces voters to register by party could return Mississippi to the days of racially polarized politics, as many white Democrats warn that thousands of white voters will now opt definitively for the Republican Party. Republican-leaning voters in Mississippi have long been able to cross party lines in primaries, voting for centrist Democrats in state and local races while staying loyal to Republican candidates in national races. But political experts here say that by limiting these voters - almost all of whom are white - to Republican primaries, the ruling will push centrist Democratic candidates to the other party, simply in order to survive. . . .

The ruling last month by Judge W. Allen Pepper Jr. of Federal District Court allowed the legal remedy sought by black leaders. Judge Pepper said the Democratic Party in Mississippi had a right to “disassociate itself” from voters who were not genuine Democrats. Most other Southern states also have open primaries. As a result of the ruling, which was handed down June 8 and barring an appeal will go into effect next year, few whites are likely to remain in the Democratic Party, experts here say, a prospect that Republicans regard with glee, white Democrats with horror and black leaders with indifference. Not for the first time in the South, Republicans and blacks have achieved a de facto unspoken alliance of common interests that has been particularly evident in the drawing of Congressional districts, where blacks are packed into majority-black districts, leaving little space for moderate white Democrats to be elected.

The Democrats’ dominance at the local level may now be threatened by Judge Pepper’s ruling. “If they are required to re-register, the Democratic Party will be a shell of its former self because I just don’t think you’ll see those conservative whites re-register as Democratic,” said Jere Nash, who is white and a veteran consultant and onetime chief of staff to former Gov. Ray Mabus, a Democrat. R. Andrew Taggart, a white lawyer who succeeded Mr. Nash when Kirk Fordice, a Republican, was elected governor, agreed. The ruling was “very far-reaching,” Mr. Taggart said. “He has essentially ruled our entire primary structure must be changed.” “If forced to make a decision,” Mr. Taggart added, “a plurality of Mississippi voters will identify themselves as Republican.” . . . [Read More]

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Tags: Democrats, federal judges, Mississippi, Republican, voter registration, register by party To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Larry Flynt: Democratic Moralist

by Mike Bates: Viewing Larry Flynt merely as a pornographer who’s made a lot of money exploiting people’s vices doesn’t do him justice. He’s also the conscience of the Democratic Party. Flynt pays money to procure salacious information about members of Congress and high-ranking government officials. . . . Flynt’s zeal for revealing Republican transgressions started when Bill Clinton was impeached. Larry liked Bill and his pals. Clinton consultant James Carville had even appeared in a movie lionizing the pornographer. Hiring investigators who also worked for Clinton, Flynt started digging for dirt. His alleged reason for doing this was because he hates hypocrisy. According to him, Clinton was impeached for engaging in nothing worse than what many conservative Republicans were doing.

Not exactly. Clinton didn’t hire a prostitute; he took advantage of an immature White House intern. He lied under oath and obstructed justice and was fined $90,000 for doing so. He paid $850,000 in the Paula Jones suit, despite repeatedly denying that as governor he’d sexually harassed the low level state employee. Clinton was disbarred in Arkansas. He was prohibited from practicing law before the U.S. Supreme Court. No, Clinton’s sins weren’t the same. And if Larry Flynt’s scorn for hypocrisy were so strong, he’d have hated the shots of Clinton leaving church, clutching a Bible the size of an aircraft carrier in one hand and the woman he’d done wrong in the other. . . .

I do have a suggestion for any Republican who is accused. Kill the scandal immediately. Just issue a statement saying: “The facts of this incident are now fully public and eventual judgment and understanding rests where it belongs. For myself, I plan no further statements on this tragic matter.”

Teddy Kennedy used that on the day the inquest results of a young woman who died in his car were made public. It worked for him. He’s become a liberal icon and is now widely seen as a stanch advocate for women. And no doubt Larry Flynt, conscience of the Democratic Party, admires him for his moral values. [Full Story]

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Tags: Bill Clinton, Current Events, Larry Flynt, Mike Bates, Politics, Ted Kennedy To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

John McCain Speaks to Major Issues

ARRA Editor: We did not support Sen John McCain (R-AZ) position on immigration reform. However, we respect him and his position on other issues and wish to call your attention to two speeches he made in the last 24 hours in entirely two different settings but whose content ties together concerning the importance of confronting terrorism in the Middle-East.

Yesterday, Sen. McCain addressed the national convention of Christians United for Israel, being held in Washington, DC. During his speech, he expressed his unwavering commitment to Israel as the natural partner and ally of the United States and his belief that our relationship should only intensify in light of the dangers of terrorism and Islamic extremism. . . . [Read More]

Then early this morning (3:45 am) during the all-night Senate debate over an amendment to the Defense Department Appropriations bill, Senator McCain addressed on the Senate floor about the Levin-Reed amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act of FY 2008: "And to state the obvious, nothing we have done for the last twenty-four hours will have changed any facts on the ground in Iraq or made the outcome of the war any more or less important to the security of our country. The stakes in this war remain as high today as they were yesterday; the consequences of an American defeat are just as grave; the costs of success just as dear. No battle will have been won or lost, no enemy will have been captured or killed, no ground will have been taken or surrendered, no soldier will have survived or been wounded, died or come home because we spent an entire night delivering our poll-tested message points, spinning our soundbites, arguing with each other, and substituting our amateur theatrics for statesmanship. . . . [Read More]

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Tags: Election 2008, DOD, Iraq, Israel, John McCain, Middle East, presidential candidate, Republican, support troops, terrorism, US Senate To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Feinstein to Bush: Free Ramos, CompeanDecides after Senate hearing to ask president to commute sentences

After presiding over a Senate hearing Tuesday, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) has decided to ask President Bush to commute the sentences of former U.S. Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, an aide for the California Democrat told WorldNetDaily. Feinstein will have a letter delivered to the White House on Wednesday, said spokesman Scott Gerber. . . .

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) - who will chair a similar hearing in the House July 31 - said he believed today's session helped revive flagging interest in the case as Ramos and Compean pass 180 days of imprisonment while awaiting their appeals. He would prefer a pardon, but said he is pleased Feinstein is taking action and finds it ironic a "liberal Democrat" would do more than some "squishy Republican senators." "I was gratified and just overwhelmed with admiration for Sen. Feinstein, that she definitely is taking this issue seriously and decided she is going to step up and fight for these little guys that are being squashed," . . . [Read More] See also: Senators: Prison terms for U.S. agents excessive & Sutton grilled in Ramos-Compean hearing

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Tags: border guards, Dana Rohrabacher, Dianne Feinstein, Ignacio Ramos, Jose Compean To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

25 reasons to oppose Kennedy's hate crime amendment

Debbie Pelly, WPAAG: Sen. Kennedy's "hate crimes" plan – feared by Christian leaders as a way to censor biblical condemnations of homosexuality – has been proposed as an amendment to a defense spending bill , (probably to be voted on this week and maybe as early as tomorrow). Kennedy knows that Bush promised to veto the hate crime bill; and he knows Bush has to have the funding for the military. To hold our young men in battle hostage to a hate crimes bill that offers special privileges to homosexuals is indeed an outrage.

Lest you think the 25 reasons below are a stretch, note that A ruling from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has concluded that municipal employers have the right to censor the words "natural family," "marriage" and "family values" because that is hate speech and could scare workers. And as the Wall Street Journal said in their article decrying hate crime laws, "Like all restrictions on free speech, bans of "racist" or "homophobic" expression rests on a slippery slope. Some Christian denominations believe that homosexuality is a sin. Are their clerics to be silenced by law because this view is unacceptable.

Dr. Robert Gordon's 25 Reasons to Oppose Hate Crime Legislation is detailed in a TVC Special Report: Hate Crime Legislation: Unequal Treatment Under the Law. Dr. Robert Gordon's: 25 Reasons are also referenced in an article on the WPAAG.org website. Contact your senators! Contact your representatives!

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Tags: Debbie Pelley, free speech, Hate Crime Bill, Hate Crimes Act, religous freedom, Ted Kennedy To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Just Two Senate Seats

Two Seats are all that Republican Senators need to stop the Democrats' liberal agenda in its tracks. Just Two Seats to bring conservative principles back to the halls of Congress. [Source]

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Tags: NRSC, US Senate, 2007, video, stopping liberal age4nda To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Thompson and Giuliani in tight GOP race (Poll)

Rasmussen Reports: Former Tenn. Sen Fred Thompson and former NY City Mayor Rudy Giuliani are still neck and neck in the race for of the Republican Presidential nomination. It’s Thompson 24%, Giuliani 23% and a lot of daylight between the frontrunners and the rest of the pack. Former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney and Ariz. Sen John McCain remain tied at 12%.

At this point in time, the race for the Republican nomination hinges largely on questions about Fred Thompson. Many Washington insiders tend to dismiss Thompson for a variety of reasons, but it is not clear how well these insiders understand GOP primary voters. The next three months will probably give us a very clear indication of whether Thompson will sink or swim. If Thompson is still on top of the polls a month or more after he formally enters the campaign, he will clearly be the person to beat. One key challenge faced by Thompson is that some view him as a conservative alternative while others view him as a GOP establishment candidate. To win the nomination, he will have to be seen as a conservative. At this point, he is seen as the most conservative of all GOP Presidential hopefuls.

View by Republicans voters:
Giuliani: 74% favorable down from 75% a week ago; 23% unfavorable.
Thompson: 61% favorably; 17% unfavorable. At the end of June, those numbers were 64% and 12% respectively. 25% still don’t know enough to have an opinion one way or the other.
Romney: 56% favorable; 31% unfavorable.
McCain: 54% favorable; 39% unfavorable.
Huckabee: 3% favorable while six other candidates split 4% of the vote (Paul, Tancredo, Hunter, Thompson and Gilmore).
21% of likely Republican Primary Voters are undecided at this time. [Read More]

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Tags: Election 2008, GOP, polls, presidential candidate, Rasmussen Poll, Rasmussen Reports, republican candidates To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Second Quarter Fundraising for Announced Presidential Candidates

D: Sen. Barack Obama: $32.8 M ($34.5 M cash on hand for primaries)
D: Sen. Hillary Clinton: $27 M ($32.7 M)
R: Rudy Giuliani: $17.3 M ($14.6 M)
R: Mitt Romney: $13.7 M ($12.1 M)
R: Sen. John McCain: $11.2 M ($3.2 M)
R: John Edwards: $8.9 M ($12.1 M)
D: Gov. Bill Richardson: $7 M ($7 M)
D: Sen. Christopher Dodd: $3.25 M ($5 M)
R: Rep. Ron Paul: $2.4 M ($2.3 M)
D: Sen. Joseph Biden: $2.3 M ($1.8 M)
R: Rep. Tom Tancredo: #1.47 M ($598 K)
R: Sen. Sam Brownback: $1.4 M ($460K)
R: Mike Huckabee: $763 K ($437 K)
D: Rep. Dennis Kucinich: $757,000
R: Tommy Thompson: $445,000 ($122,000)
R: Jim Gilmore: $182,000 [Withdrew]

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Tags: campaign funds, Democrat, presidential candidate, Republican

Gingrich's Rules for Government

From Capitol Comments: Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich Monday offered four rules for good government during the opening plenary of the 61st Annual Meeting of CSG's Southern Legislative Conference:

• Doing more of what you're already doing and expecting a different result is absolute insanity. Gingrich's first rule came from Albert Einstein.
• His second came from Dwight Eisenhower: Any time you can't solve a problem, make it bigger. "If you can make it big enouhg, you can see a glimmer of a way to solve it," Gingrich said.
• Real change requires real change. "Almost every problem we have today is self-inflicted," Gingrich said. He reminded theroom filled with Southern lawmakers and staff members that it took the U.S. less than four years from the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor to win victory in World War II, but it took 22 years to add a fifth runway to the Atlanta airport.
• Gingrich suggested lawmakers teach everyone around them to say "yes if" rather than "no because. The psychological difference, he said, can be felt in the energy of participants to the introduction of new ideas. For those who continue to respond negatively, Gingrich said to find replacements. "The greatest single problem of the Bush administration is they refuse to be serious about personnel," Gingrich said.

Gingrich's discussion on "Winning the Future" also touched on the two worlds in which we live -- the world that works and hte world that fails. He gave this example:

• FedEx and UPS can track a million moving packages hourly because of the investment in personnel and technology. But, he noted, the federal government can't track 20,000 people in the U.S. illegally when they're sitting still.

Gingrich offers potential solutions for transforming government, and also is developing a solutions lab to create a new dialogue about the country's problems, from education to energy to health care. "You will never fix government until you distinguish between investment and costs," Gingrich said. He offered three suggestions to revolutionize the health care system:

• Change systems so everyone has a health savings account or health reimbursment account;
• Adopt a right to know for the price of every procedure;
• Get six to 10 states to form a purchasing plan, and look to sites like Travelocity or Expedia to develop a comparison for all prescription drug costs. He predicts that could substantially reduce prescription drug prices.

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Tags: leadership, legislature, Newt Gingrich, rules for government To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Boozman: 14k Dow due to Low TaxesCredits economic run to pro-growth policies since 2001

WASHINGTON: U.S. Rep. John Boozman (R-AR) issued the following statement after another record close of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, including a rise above the 14,000 mark for the first time ever: “Today’s records are a testament to the pro-growth, low-tax, policies of the last six years,” Boozman said. “With markets on a good run, it is clear that investors have confidence in the American economy.

“Increased success on the market means more investment in job futures, and greater success of American’s retirement and pension funds. A good day on the market is a good day for all Americans,” Boozman said. “It is important that Congress continue the policies, including fiscal responsibility and lower taxes, that have created the situations by which the economy continues to succeed,” Boozman added. “Increased job numbers, the lower deficits announced last week and today’s surging Dow are shining examples of the benefits of the economic policies of the past six years.”

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Tags: economy, John Boozman

Reason #911 for the FairTaxNo IRS & No more tax issues over deductions for sex change

Dr. Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: There are lots of reasons listed to support the FairTax option. Just Google the words: "reasons for the FairTax." I never contemplated that "sex" and the IRS would provide me with another reason to scrap the Income Tax in favor of the FairTax. Sometimes it takes incredulous situations to get our attention. Note the following new story:

A woman (formerly a man) who now goes by the name of Rhiannon O'Donnabhain is scheduled to go before the U.S. Tax Court next week. O'Donnabhain is suing the IRS because they denied her/his 2001 attempt to write off $25,000 in medical expenses for a sex-change operation. She/He was initially refunded $5,000, but a subsequent IRS audit demanded he pay back the refund. The IRS has previously ruled that costs related to gender-reassignment surgery are not deductible expenses because that the procedure falls into the realm of unnecessary cosmetic surgery. Attorneys for O'Donnabhain argue that since some in the medical community now classify gender-reassignment surgery as a legitimate treatment for gender identity disorder, the deduction should stand." News Source: Mass. woman sues IRS over sex-change tax deduction

Whew! It is time for emergency action to eliminate the tax structure that precipitates our courts having to settling a tax dispute between the IRS and a taxpayer over a sex-change operation. While I do not believe that the American taxpayers should help foot the bill for a sex-change operation under the current tax system via a tax deduction, I do believe it would be best if we did not have a tax system that required us to consider these personal issues. Reason #911 for the FairTax - No IRS and No more tax issues over deductions be they for sex changes or other gender-identity disorders. Obviously, I could add other categories of deductions but you get my drift.

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Tags: Bill Smith, FairTax Plan, gender-identity disorders, income tax, IRS To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Campaigns Raise, Burn More Cash, More Quickly

Washington Post: Candidates for the White House are not only raising far more than ever before, many are also spending that money as fast as they get it, leaving some close to being forced from the race almost six months before the first votes are cast. Campaign finance reports released in recent days show that the spending spree is a reality for both front-runners and long shots. Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney (R) burned through more than $20 million in the past three months, 50 % more than he raised during that span. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ.) blew through the $11 million he raised during the past quarter and has barely enough money to keep going, even with his dramatically scaled-down operation . . . [Read More] See also: Strapped McCain cuts staff in Florida & Ron Paul tops McCain in cash on hand

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Tags: campaign funds, Election 2008, presidential candidate

EDWARDS’ POVERTY TOUR COMES TO ARKANSASHypocritical “Man of the People” Rhetoric Out of Touch With Voters

(Little Rock) - Democrat presidential candidate John Edwards embarked on a poverty tour this week, which will stop in eastern Arkansas this evening. Edwards is planning stops in eight states in his “Road to One America” tour. But there is just one problem with Edwards' rhetoric on poverty...his record.
“Anyone who votes to raise taxes for working families in Arkansas, charges college students $55,000 to hear a speech on poverty, and earns $500,000 at a part-time hedge fund job is clearly not in touch with those who need help most in Arkansas,” said Karen Ray, Executive Director of the Republican Party of Arkansas.

“In 2008, voters are going to elect a Republican President who will lower taxes and help create jobs in Arkansas – not a hypocrite who charges that there are ‘two Americas’ and then gets a $1,200 haircut and goes home to his $4.2 million, 29,000-square-foot mansion. Voters are not going to fall for this,” Ray continued. For more info on the "real" John Edwards, please click here!

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Tags: Arkansas Democrat Gazette, increased taxes, John Edwards, Karen Ray To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Louisiana Judge Says Portrait of Jesus Will Stay

A Slidell, La., judge announced that despite an American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) lawsuit, a portrait of Jesus hanging in the city courthouse will stay unless a federal judge orders it removed, The Associated Press reported. The ACLU filed suit today against Slidell City Court seeking the removal of the painting and the message underneath, which reads, "To Know Peace, Obey These Laws."

Judge Jim Lamz said Saturday the ACLU is using bullying tactics to intimidate him – but he's ready for the suit. "Due to the display's historical place in the courthouse, I explored options to obtain a definitive ruling on the constitutionality of the display without an adversarial court battle," he said. "I could find none." Supporters claim that the portrait, which has been on display since the building opened in 1997, has never posed a problem and fairly represents the majority of residents in their largely Christian community.
Mike Johnson, senior legal counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund, called the ACLU's complaint "mind-boggling.". . [Read More]

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Tags: ACLU, free speech To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Huckabee Says A Strong Iowa Straw Poll Showing A Must

by Christopher Rizo: Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said Saturday if he does not finish in the top three in the Aug. 11 Ames, Iowa straw poll he will reconsider his run for the Republican presidential nomination. "At that point, I have to seriously ask, 'Do we keep going? Do we have the juice in places like New Hampshire and South Carolina? Where are we gaining ground?' "But Iowa's important - that's why we're spending all our time here between now and Aug. 11," Huckabee said . . . [Read More] See also: Where are all the Christians?? [MA for Huckabee Blog]

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Tags: GOP, Iowa, Mike Huckabee, presidential candidate, Republican To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Cause & Effect - Democrat Job Approval Plummets

Do-nothing Congress + Fiscal Irresponsibility + Increased Taxes + Broken Promises =
[Source]

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Tags: Democrats, Gallup Poll, online polls, polls To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

For Quicker Emergency Room Service [Politucal Humor]

The other day, I needed to go to the emergency room. Not wanting to sit there for 4 hours, I put on my old Army fatigues and stuck a patch that I had downloaded off the internet onto the front of my shirt. When I went into the E.R., I noticed that 3/4 of the people got up and left. I guess they decided that they weren't that sick after all.

Here's the patch. Feel free to use it the next time you're in need of quicker emergency service. It also works well if you ever have to use a Laundromat.

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Tags: border control, political humor To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

A Culture War of Words

by Michael Reagan: If anybody doubts America is engaged in a culture war and losing it they need only to take a look at the series of concerts promoting Al Gore's global warming hoax last weekend. They would have learned that the war is being waged in the sewers. America is facing an army of foul-mouthed, tattooed guttersnipes who have the gall to proclaim they want to save the planet by putting on performances laced with some of the foulest language ever heard from a stage . . .

In any civilization that desires to survive, simple decency and courtesy are crucial elements. In a society headed for the sewer, anything goes. And when anything goes -- when the most extreme forms of language and behavior come to be seen as normal -- civilization is transformed into barbarism. That’s what’s at stake in the culture wars. A society bereft of standards that demand civilized behavior among its people is a society where the individual is deemed worthless as being anything but a consumer for the degraded wares of the smut peddlers and a source of income to pay for the schemes of those who sell Marxist snake oil such as global warming as a means of subjugating the populace. And the more addicted to slime that populace becomes, the easier it is to subjugate them. [Please Read This Article]

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Tags: culture, Michael Reagan To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Another County Takes Action on Illegal Immigrants VA County Passes Resolution Targeting Illegals

by Nick Miroff, Washington Post: Prince William County, Virginia supervisors voted unanimously last night to approve a resolution that targets illegal immigrants by attempting to curb their access to public services and increasing immigration enforcement by local police. . . . The new version gives county workers 60 days to help board members determine which public services can be lawfully denied to illegal immigrants. Unlike the previous resolution, it specifies that services such as emergency medical care and other benefits mandated by law cannot be restricted. . . . supporters told the board they applauded the measures and saw the effort as a last stand against rising crime, overcrowding and the failure of Hispanic newcomers to adapt to American culture. "If we turn our heads and permit illegal entry into our county without making any effort or identification, we are saying our language, our culture, our Constitution, our neighborhoods and our flag are inconsequential," said Sue Fleming, a member of the group Help Save Manassas. "It is a price I do not care to pay." Others decried rapid cultural changes in their communities. "I'm tired of pressing '1' for English" on the phone, Woodbridge resident Chris King said. . . . [Read More]

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Tags: illegal immigrants, immigration reform, increased taxes, Virginia To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Tancredo: Stop Birthright Citizenship

by Eunice Moscoso: GOP presidential candidate Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado announced immigration legislation Wednesday that would repeal birthright citizenship. The measure would require one parent to be a legal permanent resident or U.S. citizen before bestowing citizenship on a child born in the United States. Currently, U.S.-born children of illegal immigrants are automatic citizens. The legislation also makes voting in a foreign election a basis for potential loss of citizenship and limits the family categories for petitioning immigrant visas to spouses and minor children.

At a Capitol Hill press conference, Tancredo acknowledged that the bill would go nowhere in the current Congress, but said that he wants to keep the issue in the public eye. Tancredo also released a list of immigration laws that he says are not being enforced. “While we often hear administration officials say that they simply can’t enforce the law, the truth is they haven’t even tried,” he said. “It’s not that they can’t enforce the laws, it’s that they do not want to.” [Source]

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Tags: Birthright Citizenship Act, Colorado, immigration reform, presidential candidate, Tom Tancredo, US House To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!