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, August 04, 2007
2007 NFRA Convention - St Louis, MO
Dr. Bill Smith, Editor: In St. Louis, MO today covering the National Federation of Republican Assemblies. Numerous speakers from Phyllis Schlafly to former House Majority Leader Tom Delay spoke to convention delegates on various topics including Jhad and Islamic terrorism. John Cox, GOP presidential candidate, spoke along with representatives for other Republican candidates. Rep. Duncan Hunter and Rep. Ron Paul had to stay in Washington because the US House was kept in session. Other candidates who had committed to attend werecaught off guard when ABC announced a few days ago that they were going to interview candidates in Iowa tomorrow morning at 8 am. Stories will be filed over the next couple days. Tomorrow is the NFRA straw poll and a potential endorsement by the NFRA. Tags:2007, National Federation of Republican Assemblies, NFRA, Convention, St Louis, MO, MissouriTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Associated Press: Republican presidential hopeful John McCain on Thursday backed a scaled-down proposal that imposes strict rules to end illegal immigration but doesn't include a path to citizenship. The move away from a comprehensive measure is an about-face for the Arizona senator, who had been a leading GOP champion of a bill that included a guest worker program and would have legalized many of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants living in the U.S. . . . [Read More]
Henry Lamb: Fifty years ago, the term "social engineering" referred to government policies that forced people to live as government dictated. In the United States, it was a hated term. Americans died to defeat the social engineering that Hitler imposed on the Germans, and tried to impose on the rest of the world. Communism, as practiced in the Soviet Union, was social engineering -- the absolute opposite of the freedom Americans enjoyed and employed to limit the power of their government . . . [Read More]
Sad Day for House Events Which Led to Illegal Immigrants Receiving Benefits
Today, U.S. Rep. John Boozman (R-AR) expressed remorse at the events on the House floor late Thursday which led to a walk-out of Republican members after a GOP amendment to deny illegal immigrants benefits in the agriculture appropriations bill was seemingly defeated.
“What happened last night is an indicator as to the extent the House leadership will go to defeat common-sense legislation which a majority of Americans want,” Boozman said. “Last night, a majority of the House of Representatives voted to deny benefits to people in our country illegally. Instead, the leadership did not like that result, and proceeded to produce one more politically appealing to them - namely, allowing benefits to illegal immigrants.”
The controversy surrounded the gaveling of the vote on a Republican Motion to Recommit to the Agriculture Appropriations Bill, which would prohibit grant and rental housing assistance funding to illegal immigrants. At the time, the vote was 215-213 in favor of the motion, while the chair announced a 214-214 tie - which would result in the motion’s failure. Minutes later, the chair called the final tally 212-216, which included vote changes by Democrats after the vote had already been gaveled to a close. Had the Motion to Recommit been allowed to succeed, voting for the evening would have concluded, instead the House voted on final passage of the agriculture bill. As a protest, over 100 House Republicans walked out.
“It is a sad day for the House, and for America, as the Democrat leadership chose to void the vote of other Democrats, and Republicans, who came together in a bipartisan majority to protect the money of American taxpayers from being distributed to illegal aliens.”
Tags:Agriculture Bill, federal funding, illegal aliens, John Boozman, US HouseTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
by Robert Novak, CNSNews Commentary : Speaking at his $1,000-a-ticket fund-raiser at the J.W. Marriott hotel in downtown Washington Monday night, Fred Thompson began by introducing "my campaign manager -- oh, I mean my wife." That little joke about Jeri Thompson reveals how the prospective Republican presidential candidate regards the attack on his intelligent, beautiful wife. . . . That Thompson made light of this at his fund-raiser reflects the cool reaction to crisis he has displayed as GOP counsel of the Watergate investigation, U.S. senator from Tennessee and many dramatic roles (most recently district attorney of Manhattan). That he is in a commanding position for the nomination may explain the extraordinary attention paid to his wife.
Indeed, Fred Thompson's close associates maintain there was no chance he would be a candidate for president were he not married to Jeri. He tells friends the reason he abandoned what seemed a promising campaign for the 1996 nomination was that he did not feel he could manage that endeavor as a single man. The spectacle of Thompson's Republican adversaries demeaning his wife in conversations with newsmen suggests how seriously they regard his prospective candidacy. He starts his campaign in the top tier of candidates and is already the candidate of the South and the favorite of social conservatives. His test is how he will do after Labor Day, when his candidacy's phantom stage has been finished. Jeri Thompson will be at his side as an asset, not a liability.[Read More]
Tags:Fred Thompson, Jeri Thompson, presidential candidate, Republican, Robert NovakTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
by PL Booth, The Blue Eye View: I recently wrote that the America I grew up within no longer exists. I also bemoaned lack of leadership within Congress, the GOP, and by our current President. Quite a number of respondents agreed but none had viable ideas of how to restore neither our sovereignty nor decency. Several respondents asked if I had authored a plan or knew how to correct the path of our demise. I didn't and don't.
Those questions caused me to study these problems in even greater depth, . . . To recap, any winning candidate, GOP or not, must formulate and proclaim ideologies and programs for beating our enemies within (socialists) and without (Islam), stop infiltration of our borders, punish and remove illegals and undesirables, educate and Americanize our immigrants and children in the ideals, laws, and mores that make America what she has been. He must convince us he will control Congress' tendency to raise taxes and increase governmental programs, end SS distributions to non-citizens, reject the LOS Treaty, reject globalization including the publicly ignored NAFTA Highway through Texas and Northward, fight abortion on demand, support marriage between a man and a woman, end all mandatory racial and gender discriminations, and make every effort to return to the States those rights and decisions constitutionally theirs.
It is quite an agenda for any candidate but no portion of it can be ignored without dire consequences to a Presidential Campaign and our nation. Only Fred Thompson (wisely) has yet to go public with his entire plan. All the rest of the GOPers are fatally flawed; fatal to the GOP and fatal to the Nation. I hope some of these candidates are paying attention to their Conservative Christian base. If the GOPers will not, a third party candidate is a likely consequence. The last time that happened, Clinton was the result, the only President to "never win" a majority vote. [Read More] Tags:PL Booth, op-ed, presidency, presidential candidates, presidentsTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Senate Judiciary Committee Sends Judge Southwick's Nomination to the Full Senate
Today some good news good news came out of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Judge Leslie Southwick. Thanks in part to Minority Republican Leader Senator Mitch McConnell’s amendment yesterday calling attention to the lack action on the nomination of Judge Southwick, the Judiciary Committee today returned to consideration of the nomination of Judge Southwick. The committee voted 10-9 to report his nomination to the Senate floor. The key vote was Sen. Dianne Feinstein voting with Republicans in favor of Judge Southwick.
Below is Senator McConnell’s statement on the vote: “With today’s vote to send Judge Southwick’s nomination to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to the full Senate, the Judiciary Committee took a step forward in ensuring we are able to confirm qualified judges to our nation’s courts. Judge Southwick is an outstanding jurist, and a bi-partisan majority judged him on his record of service.
“Judge Southwick, an Iraq war veteran, is superbly fit to continue serving his country, this time on the Fifth Circuit. His colleagues know this, as do his home-state senators. The American Bar Association knows this; it has twice given him its highest rating, ‘well-qualified.’ Even Democrats on the Judiciary Committee know this; just last fall all of them—again, all of them—looked at his record and approved him for a lifetime position on the federal bench. With today’s bi-partisan committee vote for Judge Southwick’s nomination, the full Senate should now move forward to his consideration on the Senate floor.” Tags:federal judges, Leslie Southwick, Mitch McConnell, US SenateTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
The following Nebraska based Center for Rural Affairs reporter wasn't too impressed by Arkansas Congressman Marion Berry. Hum! Dan Owens, Blog for Rural America: We've emerged from our collective post-House of Representatives farm bill funk to post some final thoughts. . . . Most absurd statement during the House floor debate, courtesy of Marion Berry (D-AR): "The only reason the farm bill exists is to ensure adequate food production and processing so the American people have enough to eat and clothes on their backs." That is probably a slight paraphrase but I wrote it down as he said it. If that is truly the case, then I suppose we can get rid of all conservation and rural development programs to start off. And the "clothes on their backs" line? That's in there for big cotton. Because, you know, you can't eat cotton, but they still average $213 per acre in government support. And I'm not sure where food "processing" comes in . . .[Read More] Tags:Farm bill, Marion Berry, absurd statement, US Representative, ArkansasTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Boozman Co-Sponsors Pardon Bill Resolution Calls for Swift Pardon of Border Patrol Agents
U.S. Rep. John Boozman (R-AR) today announced his co-sponsorship of legislation which calls for a swift pardon for Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean. H.Con.Res. 37 expresses the sense of Congress that President Bush “should swiftly and unconditionally pardon Agents Ramos and Compean.” The Border Patrol Agents were convicted in the 2005 shooting of a Mexican drug runner attempting to smuggle 800 pounds of marijuana over the American border near El Paso, Texas. Boozman’s action follows his signing-on earlier this week to a letter to President Bush asking for the commutation of the men’s sentences. In January, Boozman agreed to co-sponsor legislation which would grant a Congressional Pardon to Agents Ramos and Compean.Tags:Arkansas, border guards, Border Patrol, Ignacio Ramos, John Boozman, Jose Compean, US CongressTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
IowaPolitics: Followers of radical Islam must be deterred from committing a nuclear attack on U.S. soil, Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo said Tuesday morning, saying that as president he would take drastic measures to prevent such attacks. "If it is up to me, we are going to explain that an attack on this homeland of that nature would be followed by an attack on the holy sites in Mecca and Medina," . . . "That is the only thing I can think of that might deter somebody from doing what they would otherwise do. If I am wrong fine, tell me, and I would be happy to do something else. But you had better find a deterrent or you will find an attack. There is no other way around it. There have to be negative consequences for the actions they take. That's the most negative I can think of."
. . . "The president and this country better figure out exactly what it can do to deter, I underline deter, the next attack," Tancredo said. "Deter, not just respond, deter, or else I assure you we are going to suffer. The extent of which of course I do not know. I know what they are planning and I know what they want. I do not know if they are going to be capable of doing this tomorrow, the next day or a month from now. I know right now at this moment there is nothing that deters them." Homeland Security Director Michael Chertoff said earlier this month he had a "gut feeling" that nation could fall under another terrorist attack. Tancredo said it is possible potential terrorists are residing in this country.
Tancredo told the crowd officials recently broke up a illegal immigrant smuggling ring and discovered people of Middle Eastern descent were paying $25,000 to $50,000 to gain entry into this country. "You have to ask yourselves, why would anybody pay $25,000 to $50,000 to be smuggled into the United States?" Tancredo asked. "It's not to work over here at the Quick Stop or the 7-11. If you pay $50,000 to be smuggled into the United States or somebody is paying that for you, it's probably for some other purpose, not to just get a job that no American will take." [Read More] Tags:Election 2008, Iowa National Defense, presidential candidate, Republican, terrorism, Tom Tancredo To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
by Aaron Sadler, Stephens Washington Bureau: Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR) urged renewal of tariffs on steel imports from China and other countries Tuesday, concerned that easing the trade barrier may cost Arkansas jobs. . . . Pryor testified before the U.S. International Trade Comm., . . . Pryor said American companies would be unable to invest in employees and technology without the tariffs."It's unfair and damaging when they are forced to compete against foreign steel producers who receive massive subsidies or those who engage in unfair trade practices." The domestic steel industry reported . . . that Chinese producers have received more than $52 billion in government assistance. Steel mills in Arkansas are located in Newport, Magnolia, Armorel, Fort Smith, Little Rock and Pine Bluff.
Tariffs in general are bad news economically, said Kathy Deck of the Center for Business and Economic Research at the Univ. of Arkansas. Deck said a better approach for the U.S. government would be to put political pressure on China and other countries to end subsidies to steel producers. . . . "In general, tariffs are bad because they protect one group at the expense of another," Deck said. "In this case, producers at the expense of consumers. There are many more consumers in Arkansas than producers." However, given that China is said to subsidize its producers, she said she understood why American manufacturers "get up in arms." . . . [Read More] Tags:Mark Pryor, steel industry, tariffs
CBS News: Can a boy born into modest circumstances in the small town of Hope, Arkansas go on to become governor of his state, and then presume to run for the Presidency? Yes, Bill Clinton already answered that question, but now 52-year-old Mike Huckabee, fresh from a 10-year-plus run as Arkansas governor, hopes to follow that unlikely path. He is cut from a very different cultural and political stripe: an ordained minister, a conservative pro-life Republican, he jokes about his roots by saying to Republicans: “all I ask is—give us another chance.” . . . [Read More]Tags:Arkansas, CBS, Mike Huckabee, presidential candidate, Republican
Voting Officials nationally Face New Rules to Bar Conflicts Arkansas Passes Act 489 in 2007
by Ian Urbina, The New York Times: The state officials who run the nation’s elections - most with little oversight - are facing new efforts to limit what have been widely criticized as political and financial conflicts of interest. Across the country, state voting officials routinely participate as candidates in races they are responsible for overseeing or act as leaders in their political parties. . . .
While federal ethics rules require lawmakers to wait a year after leaving office before they can take a job lobbying their former colleagues, no such rules exist for election officials, creating a revolving door between election administration and the voting machine industry. In recent years, top election officials in at least five states have moved from government posts directly into jobs as lobbyists for the voting machine industry, which itself grew immensely after Congress allocated billions of dollars to help states update equipment.
Accusations of overt impropriety or bias are rare. But voting experts and a growing number of lawmakers say the perception of conflicts of interest undermines public confidence in the integrity of the voting process. “I think we are reaching a crunch point where Americans are coming to realize that they cannot afford an election that is run by people who have a stake in the outcome,” said Robert Pastor, director of the Center for Democracy and Election Management at American Univ. and executive director of the Commission on Federal Election Reform, a panel convened in 2005 to recommend ways to improve elections. Past efforts have focused on fixing the machines rather than the people who run them, Dr. Pastor said. But recently, several states have taken steps to insulate election administration from the influence of money and politics. In the past year, Colorado, Massachusetts, Ohio and Virginia have enacted laws limiting the political activity of election officials. . . . [Read More] Arkansas: Arkansas passed ACT 489in 2007 legislative session. The Act establishes overlapping terms for county election commissioners and restrictions of certain political actions by county election officials. There appears to a be conflict between this new act and existing laws that identify who will be the election officials which in turn affects politics within the counties. Current Arkansas law designates that the chair of the Democrat and Republican parties as election commissioner unless they opt to give up the position. Since Act 489 restricts the actions of election officials, it appears that the many county political party leaders who also serve as election officials would not be able to assist, direct or personally campaign for the party's candidates. Some form of legal resolution may be needed to resolve the conflicts and head off the potential of a multitude of lawsuits. Tags:Arkansas, election commissioner, election reform, elections
[ARRA Editor's Note: This press release was held pending publication by other news sources. It is now printed for the ARRA general membership and our readers] ARRA Press Release [7/24] - Clarksville, AR - Delegates of the Arkansas Republican Assembly (ARRA) gathered for its 10th annual state convention on Saturday, July 21, 2007 in Clarksville, Arkansas. In addition to electing officers, workshops led by three assembly county leaders, and keynote speaker Eagle Forum Chairman Randy Minton, delegates voted in support of Fred Thompson for the GOP presidential bid.
Dr. Patrick Briney, ARRA President, opened the convention and addressed the delegates. He told the delegates that the Arkansas Republican Party needs the Arkansas Republican Assembly. The ARRA is referred to as the conscience of the Republican Party but is most often identified as the Ronald Reagan Republicans because the popular former president credits the Assemblies with his initial political pursuits. The ARRA is home to social, moral, and fiscal conservative Arkansans who believe in God, family, and country and who work together to strengthen and to uphold moral and traditional family values and Republican principles and ideals.
Briney recounted that in the past year ARRA conducted research and issued referenced position papers on several issues. These position papers were provided to conservative Arkansas Republicans to help them understand and to formulate positions on critical issues. As a result, several proposals advanced by liberals in the 2007 legislative session were defeated. Bills successfully defeated include the ERA amendment, the hate crime bill, the lottery proposal, the subversive plan to ditch the Electoral College, and tuition for illegal aliens. ARRA members also successfully supported legislative action to provide for “informed consent” requirements to a woman seeking an abortion, to require merchants to have “blinder racks” that cover the lower two-thirds of the covers of pornographic magazines on their display racks to protect children, and to prohibit sexually-oriented businesses from being located within 1000 feet of a child care facility, park, church, playground, public library, recreational area, residence, school, or other locations frequented by children.
Convention workshops were held by three County Republican Assembly presidents: Mike Sevak of Benton, Dr. Bill Smith of Baxter, and Randy Minton of Lonoke. They addressed perspectives on the issues of membership recruitment, recruitment of conservative Republican candidates, structure of assemblies, advancing influence in the state, and supporting the local republican committees and groups. Smith also presented an overview of the impact of the ARRA website and the Arkansas Republican Assemblies blog. During the last year, the blog has grown in national importance, is syndicated, and can be subscribed to at no cost.
The keynote speaker was Randy Minton of the Arkansas Eagle Forum. He addressed the issues of concern to conservatives. Minton detailed the position of each known potential Republican presidential candidate on these issues. Issues included pro-life values, illegal immigration solutions, traditional marriage positions, and taxation principles. In addition the “X-factor: who can win the election” was considered.
After Minton’s presentation, convention delegates conducted a secret straw poll vote resulting in a decisive 86% victory for Fred Thompson who is expected to declare his bid in the race in September. 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 Conventionwith a nonbinding expression as to whom the ARRA membership favors at this time. The National Convention meets in Saint Louis on August 3 - 5. In the fall, after presidential candidates have formally filed in Arkansas, ARRA delegates may endorse a candidate.
Officer election results were: ARRA President Dr. Patrick Briney, Vice President Duane Neal, Secretary Joyce Dial, Treasurer A.L. Hollingsworth, Chaplain Gerald Holland, Sergeant-at-Arms Vince Scarlata, and National NFRA Board Members: Duane Neal & Joyce Dial.
The ARRA was chartered Aug. 9, 1997 under the National Federation of Republican Assemblies (NFRA), which has a 70 year history of success as a true grassroots organization. The NFRA is our nation's oldest and largest Republican volunteer organization. ARRA is presently chartering county chapters and serving as a gathering point for fiscal and social conservatives. For more information: Visit the ARRA Websiteor contact Dr. Pat Briney at 479-443-0510. [End]Tags:Arkansas, Arkansas Republican Assembly, ARRA, conservative, Family Values, Patrick Briney, press release, RepublicanTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Judge Roy Moore: Many people in our country have a bleak view of the future. Political corruption, immorality, terrorism, threats to American sovereignty and the prospect of continued wars in the Middle East contribute to this dark outlook. However, long ago Jesus warned us that "wars and rumors of wars" must come to pass, "but the end is not yet." Neither do the formidable obstacles that confront us today signal the end of America in view of God's providential design for our nation . . . [Read More]Tags:American sovereignty, God, Roy MooreTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Mitt Romney, GOP Presidential Candidate: When I was recently in Colorado Springs, I spoke with a man whose son is serving in Iraq. He said the criticism at home of the war effort was demoralizing. He made the point that as our fighting men and women are defending our liberties overseas, we as Americans need to stand by them. Afterwards, my nephew suggested there should be a "surge of support" to go along with the troop surge. I told him that I couldn't agree more.
With many views being offered for how to handle the war in Iraq, I've been supportive of giving the troop surge on the ground in Iraq a chance to take effect. We owe that to our men and women in the military who are making the sacrifices they are today. There is no guarantee that the new strategy pursued by General Petraeus will ultimately succeed, but the stakes are too high and the potential fallout too great to deny our military leaders and troops on the ground the resources and the time needed to give them an opportunity to succeed.
While some Democrats in Congress say they support the troops who are making these sacrifices, many don’t support the work they are doing to make the surge a success. Rep. Clyburn, the third-highest ranking House Democrat, said it would be "a real big problem” for Democrats if progress is made in Iraq. That's not a problem but good news for all Americans.
Please take some time today and join a nationwide Surge of Support for our troops. This is something that all Americans need to come together on. You don’t play politics with foreign policy, particularly when men and women are taking bullets in Iraq for America. Visit the following organizations and send your support to our military men and women who are making such tremendous sacrifices for the safety of all Americans: America Supports You - a nationwide program launched by the DoD, recognizes citizens' support for our military and communicates that support to members of our Armed Forces. The Fisher House - recognizes the special sacrifices of our men and women in uniform and the hardships of military service by meeting a humanitarian need beyond that normally provided by the DoD and VA. Operation Shoebox - sends support, snacks and personal care items to our troops deployed outside of the USA and encourages citizens to support their fighting men and women deployed overseas. Operation Thank You - provides inspirational and patriotic resources and programs that honor God, country, servicemembers, veterans and military families. Packages from Home- donate goods for gift packages to remind troops that Americans support them; donating funds to defray mailing costs; or volunteer to wrap and mail gift packages to deployed troops serving overseas. A Soldier's Wish List - fulfilling the wishes of our troops to the best of our abilities. Letting our brave troopers know that we care about them and appreciate their sacrifices. USO Care Packages - packages to members of the U.S. Armed Forces deployed around the world to show them they have not been forgotten and to provide a "touch of home." Tags:Election 2008, Mitt Romney, presidential candidate, Republican, support troops, troop surgeTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani on Tuesday offered a consumer-oriented solution to the nation's health care woes that relies on giving individuals tax credits to purchase private insurance. Critical to Giuliani's plan is a $15,000 tax deduction for families to buy private health insurance, instead of getting insurance through employers. Any leftover funds could be rolled over year-to-year for medical expenses . . . [Read More] Tags:healthcare, presidential candidate, Election 2008, Republican, Rudy GiulianiTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
The ARRA commends Truth in Arkansas Politicsfor clearly defining the consequence of failing to select the GOP candidate who can win: So, we ask who will be our {GOP} nominee? The Truth sees this election as possibly the most critically important election of our lives. If Hillary or Obama were to become President, we would have the single most liberal President in the history of America. . . . [Read More] Tags:Arkansas, Election 2008, GOP, truth
Fred Thompson Fund Raising More Powerful Than Anticipated FredHeads waiting in the wings to help!
Dr. Bill Smith, ARRA Editor:Thompson raised nearly $3.5 million in his first month. Some pundits are discounting this amount by comparing it to the total money raised to date by active candidates. This $3.5 million was raised in one month; July's report has not been reported because Thompson doesn't have to report the amount because he hasn't officially declared. To put Thompson's fundraising in context, here are some appropriate comparison to the others candidates' first month of fund raising:
(1) In his first exploratory month, Thompson raised well over $3.5 million - more than 10 times what Giuliani did in his first month and about 3 times what McCain raised. Here’s the comparison to the other top three Republican candidates during the initial exploratory month (from the time they started taking money): ·Giuliani - total raised in first month (Nov. 15-Dec. 15): $258,660 · McCain - total raised in first month (Nov. 14-Dec. 14): $1,130,351 · Romney - raised more money in his first month, but largely because he organized his big-dollar donors ahead of time to give himself a bit splash and he loaned his committee at least $850,000 weeks before filing his statement of candidacy on Jan. 3.
(2) Under FEC rules, a candidate is not allowed to raise funds “in excess of what could reasonably be expected to be used for exploratory activities”. Thompson has raised an appropriate amount for an exploratory phase. Considering these rules, it is interesting that . . . · One month ago, the DNC attacked Thompson (in the Politico) for potentially raising more money than he’d need for the exploratory period and said they’d “argue aggressively” against him. A piece at Daily Kos claimed that Thompson was “Raising Funds Beyond What You Need To "Explore"” and the liberal activist outlet CREW said Thompson “appears to have raised far more money than necessary…” · After being attacked for raising “too much” money, Thompson is now being attacked for not spending his entire Exploratory focus on raising money.
(3) An inquiry to the Fred Thompson campaign revealed that they have not even used any direct mail or telephone fundraising and their expenditures have been very low meaning that an estimated 80% of funds will be available for the primary.
Again, the above figures do not include the numerous national fundraisers in July that were help to encourage Fred Thompson to run. Naysayers trying to play down Thompson's first month appear to be "blowing smoke" and making themselves look rather stupid. While the other GOP candidates work diligently on their campaigns, unlike the political pundits, they know that Fred Thompson campaign fundraising ability cannot be dismissed. Which begs the question: What happen when the campaign turns the committed Fredheads lose to help go after smaller grassroots donations via phone banks and the mail? Tags:campaign funds, Fred Thompson
NEA begins massive drive to promote homosexuality in public schools
AFA Action Alert: Without allowing members to vote on the matter, the executive committee of the National Education Association (NEA) decided to advance aggressively the homosexual agenda. The decision was made at the association's annual meeting in Philadelphia.
First, the committee voted to put the weight of the NEA behind an effort to pass federal hate crimes legislation, a measure that would greatly expand federal power and lead to the silencing of moral opposition.
Second, the executive committee voted to boost the NEA's Web site to "include all resources" devoted to homosexual causes.
The third resolution urged NEA members to push to make sexual orientation training a requirement for earning a license to teach.
They continued their financial support of homosexual groups. Click here for report from OneNewsNow.com. Click here for the report of the NEA Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Caucus. It matters little to the NEA that Johnny may be unable to read and write, as long as he learns to support same-sex marriage.
Poll - Is it time for a school voucher program? Given the opportunity, would you favor giving a voucher to students, allowing them to choose the school of their choice? Because the voucher would be given directly to the student, there would be no violation of the church and state issue. Click to take the Poll! Tags:AFA, homosexual activism, National Education Association, NEA, pollsTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Boozman Condemns Democrat Whip Clyburn's Reckless Comments Calls for Apology to the American military & their families
Late Monday, House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC), the third-ranking member of the House leadership, told the Washington Post “that a strongly positive report on progress on Iraq by Army Gen. David Petraeus likely would split Democrats in the House and impede his party's efforts to press for a timetable to end the war,” further adding that a positive report from Petraeus would be “a real big problem for us.”
Today, U.S. Rep. John Boozman (R-AR) condemned those remarks. “These comments are reckless, and should be disavowed at the highest levels of the Democrat leadership. Any Member who would equate military success in Iraq to an inconvenient truth for his party’s political stance should be ashamed. The mistake is compounded by the fact that a senior member of the majority leadership was the source. Reckless comments made to the detriment of American servicemen and women are the ‘real big problem,’ not the fact that our military is doing the job they were asked to do.
“While I respect differences in opinion on how to solve the issue of Iraq, Congressman Clyburn’s comments show a clear disconnect with the American people, who wish the best for our men and women in harm’s way. These remarks are ones I cannot respect, nor condone. The American military deserve better than this. It would be best for Speaker Pelosi and her leadership team to offer a sincere apology to the members of the American military and their families.” No word yet from Rep. Clyburn on an apology. Tags:Arkansas Democrat Gazette, Democrat, Iraq War, James Clyburn, John Boozman, military, US CongressTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Is our society going crazy - you decide! First situation from FRC: Going the Extra Mile - In the Wrong direction! Officials in Key Largo, Florida were apparently living by the old adage of "going the extra mile" (Matthew 5:41). In January, two Gideons were arrested for distributing Bibles on a public sidewalk outside a local elementary school. They were charged with trespassing. With the help of the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), which represented the men, the charges were dismissed a short time later. However, the men were then notified that other charges were being filed--this time under a different statute which prohibits anyone from being within 500 feet of school property without permission. As ADF's statement suggests, "Does the state [believe] that its citizens will be safer if 'protected' from Bibles? In a country founded on religious freedom, the actions of the state are a disgrace." As were the actions of the local police, which allegedly mocked the Gideons after handcuffing them, saying, "Now you can pray to Jesus all the way to jail." Thanks to ADF, common sense prevailed in court and, for a second time, all charges against the Gideons were dropped. See also:ADF successfully defends religious freedom for GideonsWhen did law enforcement official stop respecting and start mocking their elders and men of God who peacefully care enough for children to share the word of God by passing out Bibles.
Second Situation from FRC:First Amendment - Flushed Away by Hate Crimes? While some men were arrested for distributing religious books, another has been charged for flushing one. In a bizarre case at Pace University, former student Stanislav Shmulevich has been accused of taking two copies of the Koran from a "meditation room" and throwing them in toilets. While no one could legitimately defend his actions, it likewise seems indefensible that University officials bowed to demands by the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) and charged Shmulevich with a hate crime in addition to the initial charges of "criminal mischief." The Islamic community has every right to be express disdain for Shmulevich's actions, but not to insist on extra criminal punishment for his thoughts, which is what "hate crime" laws provide for. Supporters of the proposed federal hate crime bill defend it as targeting only acts of violence. Yet New York's law apparently targets vandalism as well. See also:Hate-crime arrests in Quran desecrations at Pace Univ.How long will it be before mere speech expressing disapproval (be it of Islam, or of homosexuality) is also criminalized, as in several other countries? This is the slippery slope of the "hate crimes" mentality, and we shouldn't take even one step down it. When Andres Serrano submerged a crucifix in urine and called it "art," Christians condemned the act--but demanded only that the taxpayers not pay for it, not that he be jailed for a "hate crime." Tags:ADF, Alliance Defense Fund, Bible, CAIR, Council on American-Islamic Relations, Gideons, Hate Crime Bill, hate crimes, KoranTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Tell Congress to Oppose Efforts to Limit Domestic Exploration
United for Jobs: This week Congress will take up an energy bill that includes dangerous provisions to limit domestic oil and gas exploration in western states. Limiting domestic production will only increase energy prices. With gas prices at an all time high, what America needs now is MORE energy, not less. Less U.S. oil also means that we will have to import more foreign oil. Thousands of good paying jobs depend on the U.S. oil industry; limiting domestic production means those jobs will be lost.
America's dynamic economy depends on one thing more than any other – affordable energy. It feeds industry, keeps the information bits flowing, transports our goods, promotes our mobility and enables Americans to enjoy the highest standard of living in the world. Over the decades, as technology has improved and become more available, energy production and consumption has become cleaner and more efficient. Despite these gains, though, some environmental groups continue to attack America’s energy consumption. Several radical measures have been proposed that would not merely curb emissions but restrict energy use and slow economic growth.
Take action and tell your member of Congress to oppose efforts to limit domestic exploration and production. Go to United for Jobs Go to United for Jobs to send a letter challenging them to provide reasonable energy prices, keep American jobs where they belong, and secure our energy supply. Tags:energy, jobs, US CongressTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
On Feb. 18, 2009, tens of millions of televisions that are not equipped to receive digital signals will become useless pieces of furniture. The government is spending $5 million to let owners know so they can do something about it -- not enough, critics say. . . . ''These consumers will be confused, frustrated and angry that this important information and entertainment source in their home is no longer operational, through no fault of their own,'' said Nelda Barnett, a member of the board of the directors of the 39-million-member AARP. After the first of the year, the government will be making available to each household two coupons worth $40 each that can be used to buy two converter boxes. Congress has set aside $1.5 billion to pay for the coupon program. Initially, $990 million will be used to pay for coupons and cover administrative costs, which are capped at $110 million. An additional $510 million may be allocated, but those coupons are reserved for households that have only over-the-air television . . . [Read More]Tags:digital, TVTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
'Abortion rights' and the moral threat to freedom: Part 9 of 'The Crisis of the Republic'
by Alan Keyes: When I was working in the State Department, someone described one of my superiors as the sort of person who would always be persuaded by the last person who talked to him. This meant that if you wanted a favorable decision, you had to be the last one through the door before it was made. Timing was everything. This turned out to be pretty good tactical advice, but it indicated that the official in question suffered from a dangerous flaw when it came to the best interests of the United States. He apparently lacked an overall understanding that would have provided the basis for a sense of priority in his decision-making . . . [Read More]Tags:abortion, Alan KeyesTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
by Wes Vernon: The Senate has been wrestling with legislation that the media echo chamber has framed as "helping sick kids," but which in reality is a step toward universal government-run health care. Furthermore, there is every reason to believe that those who are enabling this slow train to socialized medicine know exactly what they are doing.
In England, there are people who have been waiting in line for so long to get vitally needed medical attention from the government-operated National Health Service that some have actually taken to threatening physical harm to doctors and nurses. In Canada, where seeking private medical care is a criminal offense, the backup is so severe that while government-favored political backers of the public health system can get an MRI in 24 hours, the rest must wait or become physically worse beyond the possibility of recovery. According to a report in the Washington Times, Canada's health minister labeled a lawmaker as "disgusting" for daring to suggest a constituent get emergency treatment. . . .
Yet the pressure mounts for America to "join the world" and turn over our very lives to bureaucrats who would deal with our health problems in a government-mandated impersonal assembly-line fashion.Heaven knows, our health system is not perfect, and yes, we do need to contain costs. But the U.S. health system can be defined in much the same way Winston Churchill once described democracy — i.e., the worst in the world "except for all the others." . . . [Read More] Tags:Election 2008, Hillary Clinton, Hillary-care, SCHIP, Socialized medicine, State Childrens Health Insurance Program, Wes VernonTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Robert "Mike" Duncan, Chairman, RNC: The leading 2008 Democrat presidential candidates all seem to agree on one thing: the United States should immediately begin to withdraw from Iraq. The Democrats' eagerness to abandon the mission in Iraq - the central front of the War on Terror - is puzzling, since they all claim to be committed to rooting out terrorism wherever it exists.
In May of this year, Democrat presidential candidate John Edwards said it is "obvious" that al Qaeda is trying to establish a base in Iraq that they can use to plan future attacks.
CNN's Wolf Blitzer: "But do you dispute that al Qaeda has a presence in the al-Anbar province, in other provinces in Iraq, that they're trying to establish a base there from which to do their evil deeds?" Edwards: "No, of course I don't dispute that. That's obvious." (CNN's "The Situation Room," 5/2/07)[Video]
In June, he pledged to fight terrorists abroad so we would not have to fight them at home. [Video]
Edwards: "As President of the United States I will do absolutely everything to find terrorists where they are, to stop them before they can do harm to us, before they can do harm to America or to its allies." (Former Sen. John Edwards, CNN/WMUR/Union-Leader Democrat Presidential Candidates Debate, Manchester, NH, 6/3/07)
Edwards' recent remarks echoed his 2004 Vice Presidential nomination speech, where he said that he and John Kerry would send an "unmistakable message" to terrorists. [Video]
Edwards: "[W]e will have one clear unmistakable message for al Qaeda and these terrorists: You cannot run. You cannot hide. We will destroy you." (Former Sen. John Edwards, Remarks At The 2004 Democratic National Convention, Boston, MA, 7/28/04)
Barack Obama has also voiced concerns of a terrorist threat. [Video] Obama: "We have genuine enemies out there that have to be hunted down. Networks have to be dismantled." (Sen. Barack Obama, MSNBC Democrat Presidential Candidates' Debate, Orangeburg, SC, 4/26/07)
Even Hillary Clinton agreed that those who have attacked us must be destroyed . [Video] Clinton: "[L]et's focus on those who have attacked us and do everything we can to destroy them." (Sen. Hillary Clinton, MSNBC Democrat Presidential Candidates' Debate, Orangeburg, SC, 4/26/07)
If Democrats acknowledge that al Qaeda is in Iraq, and say that we should destroy terrorists wherever they are, why are they willing to risk Iraq becoming a safe haven for our enemies? Keeping our nation safe requires more than words. It requires principled leadership and a commitment to fighting terror that these candidates simply do not demonstrate. Tags:Barack Obama, Democrat, doublespeak, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, presidential candidatesTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
FairTax News: Former Senator Fred Thompson came to Houston to attend a fundraiser as he considers throwing his hat into the ring for the 2008 presidential primaries. A small rally was held at the airport for his arrival, and FairTax supporters were out in some force. FairTax.org is determined to put the FairTax on the national agenda during this election cycle, and to that end, supporters are asking each candidate and potential candidate "The Question": "If Congress passed the FairTax Act and you were President, would you sign the bill into law?" Despite an enormous amount of jostling from the crowd and media people, we were able to get his answer on videotape - Absolutely! Click here to watch the video.
Where the other candidates stand on the FairTax: Q: If the FairTax were passed by Congress and you were President, would you sign the bill into law? Answers: Republicans: Sam Brownback - No Rudy Giuliani - Probably not Mike Huckabee - Yes Duncan Hunter - Yes - Sponsor HR 25 John McCain - Yes Ron Paul - N/A [What ever that means] Mitt Romney - No - haven't had time to consider it. Tom Tancredo - Yes - Sponsor HR 25 Fred Thompson- Yes (hasn't filed) Tommy Thompson - Yes Democrats:
Mike Gravel - Yes
All other Democrats - Unknown [ARRA Comment: Based on Campaigns: No] Tags:FairTax Plan, FairTax, Fred Thompson, presidential candidate, RepublicanTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
NewsMax: In a move that critics call a direct threat to the U.S. Constitution, federal legislation is moving forward in Congress to create a second, separate government in Hawaii solely controlled by ethnic and indigenous Hawaiians. Proponents of the so-called Akaka bill -- named for its primary author, Hawaii Democrat Sen. Daniel Akaka -- say it would give native Hawaiians home rule and control of lands and other assets now being managed in their name by various state and federal agencies.
The Akaka bill appears poised for final votes in both the U.S. Senate and House, despite opposition from the Justice Department and the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and growing pressure on the White House to veto the measure. Nearly identical versions have cleared committee hurdles in both chambers and now await only final floor action. Supporters say the ethnic Hawaiian government would be similar to those established by numerous American Indian tribes. But opponents suggest the Akaka bill is more sweeping than those pertaining to current tribal governments and maintain it would create a race-based government that assigns unequal privileges that are simply unconstitutional. . . . [Read More] Tags:Daniel Akaka, Hawaii, US ConstitutionTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Global Backlash Against Globalization? -- Duncan Hunter seeks Congressional Oversight of NAFTA Super Highway
by Patrick Wood: . . . In the FT/Harris poll, the question was posed: “Do you think globalization is having a positive or negative effect in your country?” Less than 20 percent of citizen respondents in the UK, France, Spain and the U.S. viewed it as having a positive effect. Germany and Italy were a bit higher.
Still, well over 50 percent of all respondents voted “No” to globalization. Another shock to the pro-globalization elite is the overwhelming passage (362-63 on July 24, 2007) of the Duncan Hunter Amendment (H.R. 3074) to the Transportation Appropriations Act, “prohibiting the use of federal funds for participation in working groups under the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP), including the creation of the NAFTA Super Highway.”
“The proposed NAFTA Super Highway presents significant challenges to our nation’s security, the safety of vehicle motorists, and will likely drive down wages for American workers,” said Congressman Hunter. “Much like NAFTA, the super highway is designed to serve the interests of our trading partners and will lead to neither security nor prosperity.” Congressman Duncan Hunter, also a presidential candidate, told his fellow congressional colleagues, “This 12 lane highway, which is already under construction in Texas, will fast-track thousands of cargo containers across the U.S. without adequate security. These containers will move from Mexico, a country with a record of corruption and involvement in the drug trade, across a border that is already porous and insufficiently protected. Unfortunately, very little is known about the NAFTA Super Highway. This amendment will provide Congress the opportunity to exercise oversight of the highway, which remains a subject of question and uncertainty, and ensure that our safety and security will not be comprised in order to promote the business interests of our neighbors” . . . [Read More] Tags:Duncan Hunter, globalization, NAFTA, NASCO, presidential candidate, Republican, Security and Prosperity Partnership, SPP, SuperhighwayTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Voting machines breached in 'top-to-bottom' review 'The veneer of security has evaporated'
WorldNetDaily: Teams of computer hackers sanctioned by California Secretary of State Debra Bowen were able to hack without difficulty into various vendors' touch-screen voting machines during a "top to bottom review" of every system certified by the state, according to a University of California study released yesterday. The report concluded the machines could be manipulated using "tools that can be found in a typical office and could be executed by a very low-skilled attacker." Voting equipment for the timed test included devices from Sequoia, Hart InterCivic and Diebold. Election Systems and Software failed to submit its equipment for the review prior to the deadline, but Bowen said she has "the legal authority to impose any condition" on use of the vendor's equipment in the state. . . .
As WND reported in January, a hacker, using a photograph of keys to a Diebold touch-screen voting system available on the company's website, successfully duplicated two that were capable of opening the electronic balloting device now used in many states for elections. Concerns over the security of Sequoia's voting systems increased last October when it was revealed the federal government was investigating whether anti-American Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez controlled Smartmatic, owner of Sequoia Voting Systems, the company that operates electronic voting machines in 17 states. UC researchers in the California test "were able to bypass physical and software security in every machine they tested," said Bowen. . . . However, Seiler, a former Diebold sales representative, said the study did not go far enough and insisted researchers did not look for malicious code already embedded in the software that could be used to change votes. Ken Karan, co-founder of Psephos, a voting-rights advocate group long critical of San Francisco's use of Diebold's equipment, felt vindicated with the new findings.
"It appears to me the veneer of security has evaporated," he said. Despite the review being conducted under favorable conditions for the hacker teams, Bishop said he was surprised by the voting systems' weak physical and electronic security measures. His researchers were able to find their way into the systems through high-tech equipment in election headquarters and through the machines in the polling places. "The vendors appeared to have designed systems that were not high assurance (of security)," he told the Chronicle. "The security seems like it was added on." . . . [Read More]Editor Comment: Thanks for the lead on this story from RicGator's Blog Tags:elections, fraud, voting, voting machines, voting rightsTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
On Federalism - how it pertains immigration, education, prosecution / law enforcement, welfare, etc.
Fred Thompson, Potential GOP Presidential Candidate: The Framers drew their design for our Constitution from a basic understanding of human nature. From the wisdom of the ages and from fresh experience, they understood the better angels of our nature, and the less admirable qualities of human beings entrusted with power.
The Framers believed in free markets, rights of property and the rule of law, and they set these principles firmly in the Constitution. Above all, the Framers enshrined in our founding documents, and left to our care, the principle that rights come from our Creator and not from our government. We developed institutions that allowed these principles to take root and flourish: a government of limited powers derived from, and assigned to, first the people, then the states, and finally the national government. A government strong enough to protect us and do its job competently, but modest and humane enough to let the people govern themselves. Centralized government is not the solution to all of our problems and – with too much power – such centralization has a way of compounding our problems. This was among the great insights of 1787, and it is just as vital in 2007.
. . . Federalism is not an 18th century notion. Or a 19th century notion. It retains its force as a basic principle in the 21st century, because when federalism is ignored, accountability, innovation, and public confidence in government at all levels suffer. It is as true today as it ever was: the closer a government is to its people, the more responsive it is to the felt needs of its constituencies. Too often, however, state and local leaders have to answer to federal bureaucrats first and their constituents second.
. . . Beyond specific policies, what's needed are some basic rules to restrain the federal rule-makers. A good first step would be to codify the Executive Order on Federalism first signed by President Ronald Reagan. That Executive Order, first revoked by President Clinton, then modified to the point of uselessness, required agencies to respect the principle of the Tenth Amendment when formulating policies and implementing the laws passed by Congress. It preserved the division of responsibilities between the states and the federal government envisioned by the Framers of the Constitution. It was a fine idea that should never have been revoked. The next president should put it right back in effect, and see to it that the rightful authority of state and local governments is respected.
It is not enough to say that we are "for" federalism, because in today's world it is not always clear what that means. What we are "for" is liberty for our citizens. Federalism divides power between the states and government in Washington. It is a tool to promote freedom. How we draw the line between federal and state roles in this century, and how we stay true to the principles of federalism for the purpose of protecting economic and individual freedom are questions we must answer. Our challenge – meaning the federal government, the states, our communities and constituents – is to answer these questions together. . . . [Read More] Tags:conservatism, conservative, Federalism, Fred Thompson, local government, presidential candidate, RepublicanTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Huckabee resonates with Iowa GOP crowd Gov. Mike Huckabee, WHO Radio [Video]
By Kiley Miller, The Hawk Eye: . . . "Because my son didn't know what a dash was, he made up his own definition," Huckabee said. "I worry sometimes that we're on the brink of redefining -- of coming up with our own definitions -- of what life means, of what marriage means, of what freedom means." That statement alone could serve as a fair synopsis of Huckabee's full speech, a speech in which he laid out his conservative credentials and called on fellow GOP members to hold fast to the "principles that caused many of us to become Republicans." Judging by the captive looks and attentive stillness, the message resonated with many in the crowd, . . . Between the jokes and anecdotes, Huckabee touched on several key national and international issues. First and foremost, he said Congress and the next president must acknowledge that the greatest threat facing the United States comes from "Islamic jihadists" bent on destroying the nation. He also spoke about the importance of halting illegal immigration and maintaining a strong military, his commitment to the pro-life cause, and his belief the federal government should be kept small and efficient, with the most control in the hands of state and local officials closer to home. [Read Article] Gov. Mike Huckabee, WHO Radio - on Education: Gov. Mike Huckabee appeared on Jan Mickelson's talkshow On Friday, April 27, 2007. Courtesy of WHO Radio in Des Moines, Iowa.
Tags:abstinence education, Arkansas, Iowa, Mike Huckabee, presidential candidate, Republican, videoTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
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