Increased Severance Tax Will Hurt Arkansas Economy

by Ryan Norris, Pulaski County GOP Committee Chairman: As a child, I spent my summers on my grandparent’s farm and fishing in their stock pond. While I waited for a fish to take the bobber under, I killed the time by throwing rocks into the still surface of the water and watching the ripples travel in perfect rings to the shore. So you can imagine my bewilderment as have listened to Arkansas state representatives and senators discuss an increase to the severance tax in the middle of the Fayetteville Shale and then deny that there would be ripples. Here are a few of the ripples that I perceive with an increase on the severance tax:

1) Ultimately a consumer will pay the increased tax. The severance tax is based on the “market value” of natural gas when it is sold to the “first purchaser.” The drilling company extracts the gas and processes it for sell to a distributor. The distributor, or “first purchaser,” is then charged the cost of the drilling and processing, plus the increased severance tax. The distributor then adds on his costs for distribution, which now includes the increased severance tax, and passes that cost on to his customers. The customer then pays the cost of the drilling, processing, distribution and all applicable taxes. To increase the severance tax is to increase taxes on the general public that use natural gas. The Governor is quick to point out that the natural gas companies have accepted the severance tax increase. But why shouldn’t they? The consumer—not the company—will ultimately pay for it. The companies need only to collect the tax for the state.

2) Natural gas companies will invest less in Arkansas. While conducting a study on the economic impact of the Fayetteville Shale, the University of Arkansas Center for Business and Economic Research (UACBER) asked the drilling companies if they would limit their investment, if the severance tax was increased. The response from the companies was “yes.” According to the study, there would be a loss of over $2.4 billion in the first five years of drilling, due to decrease in investment.

3) Less investment will mean fewer jobs created. When the cost of a product goes up, the most expedient way to cut overhead is through layoffs or hiring fewer people. According to the Fayetteville Shale study conducted by Kathy Deck, director of the UACBER, nearly 3,000 fewer jobs would be created over a five year period if the severance tax was increased to five percent. What voters should note is that Gov. Mike Beebe is willingly and knowingly choosing to forgo Arkansas jobs that could produce a projected average of $480 million in revenue per year so that he can raise a tax that will produce a $100 million for highways.

4) A plan for spending the money doesn’t exist. The Highway and Transportation Department does not have a plan for the funds, and further adds that the projected funds will not fully fund all highway projects throughout the state. The Highway Department will be on an honor system that they should spend the money as the governor wishes, but the senators controlling the purse strings of these taxes have said that if they believe that the money is not being spent the way that they believe that it should be spent, then they are more than willing to redirect the severance tax funds. There is nothing in the bill that mandates that future General Assemblies cannot move the money to other projects.

It is the duty of the voters to question the logic by which their government is operating, and all eyebrows should be lifted and magnifying glasses out as we scrutinize the governor’s proposed bill. He is asking us to believe that you can charge a higher tax on a specific industry and that the industry will continue with business as usual, even though the companies themselves have said otherwise. During those summers at my grandparents, I may have thought that I wasn’t in school and therefore not learning anything, but now that I think about it, throwing rocks in a pond and counting ripples might have taught me enough to be governor.

IRAQ MIA Army Spec. Matt Maupin Body Found

Rest in Peace Matt, you served bravely and you did your duty, you’re coming home now, and your Mom and Dad can have some peace in just knowing your fate, I hate the word closure, but for lack of a better word, maybe they can finally have some closure. All our love and sympathy to the Maupin family, and to ALL the families of our brave troops that have given their lives in the line of duty.
H/T Texas Fred for update on AP Story - The father of a soldier listed as missing-captured in Iraq since 2004 said Sunday that the military had informed him that his son's remains were found in Iraq. Keith Maupin said at a news conference in suburban Cincinnati that an Army general told him DNA testing had identified the remains of his son, Sgt. Keith Matthew Maupin, or "Matt" as he was commonly known. Lt. Lee Packnett, an Army public affairs officer in Washington, confirmed that the Maupins were notified Sunday that their son's remains had been identified. Packnett said an official statement about the identification would be released Monday.

Matt Maupin was a 20-year-old private first class when he was captured April 9, 2004, after his fuel convoy, part of the 724th Transportation Company, was ambushed west of Baghdad. A week later, the Arab television network Al-Jazeera aired a videotape showing Maupin sitting on the floor surrounded by five masked men holding automatic rifles. That June, Al-Jazeera aired another tape purporting to show a U.S. soldier being shot. But the dark and grainy tape showed only the back of the victim's head and not the actual shooting. . . . A month after his capture, Maupin was promoted to the rank of specialist. In April 2005, Maupin was promoted to sergeant . . . [Read More] ARRA: Where is the outrage by the news services concerning the Specialist Maupin's murder by Islamic extremists and the broadcast of the murder by Al-Jazeera?

The Film Vs. The Faith

by Gary Bauer: After months of controversy, Dutch parliamentarian Geert Wilders was finally able to release his film critical of Islam called "Fitna." In the 15-minute movie, Wilders argues that the jihadists attacking free societies are not distorting Islamic teachings. In fact, Wilders says, they are inspired by the Quran's many verses that justify violence against non-believers. Wilders says the Quran is a "fascist" book.

The reaction has been predictable and depressing. Islamic websites have called for Wilders to be killed-threats that can't be ignored. In 2004, another Dutch filmmaker, Theo van Gough, was murdered by a jihadist in Amsterdam after he released a film about the mistreatment of women in Islamic societies. Muslim demonstrators in a number of countries have demanded that western nations pass laws forbidding criticism of Islam, and Wilder's film has been condemned by European officials and the Secretary General of the U.N., who said "incitement" against a religious faith should never be allowed.

It is hard to take the Secretary General or the European Union seriously in their outrage over this "insult" to Islam. Everyday in the Palestinian territories-on T.V., in movies and in music-there is a steady diet of incitements against Jews, who are routinely compared to apes and monkeys. Palestinian students are taught that Jews use the blood of kidnapped Muslim children in Jewish religious ceremonies. Where are the condemnations from Europe or the U.N. for this incitement? In fact, the exact opposite has happened-Europe and the U.S. are pouring hundreds of millions of dollars of subsidies into a new Muslim Palestinian State being built on a foundation of hate and incitement.

The reaction of European politicians to Geert Wilders' film is proof that radical Islam has already cowered too many Western leaders into silence. Many people are so worried about literally losing their heads that they are willing to lose their democratic values of free speech and open debate. Certainly radical Islam is a threat, but long-term, the greater danger to our liberty may be internal-the lack of resolve to defend western values against the demands of the new fascism.
ARRA Note: Under pressure, fitnathemovie.com "has been suspended while Network Solutions is investigating whether the site's content is in violation of the Network Solutions Acceptable Use Policy. Network Solutions has received a number of complaints regarding this site that are under investigation." We can guess who have complained. Talk about a violation of freedom of speech - especially when the truth is provided. Before the movie (video) is removed - view the short film by clicking here.

Chris Hackett

Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: Without conservatives stepping forward this year to challenge Arkansas three "unlimited government" democrat U.S. Representatives, the ARRA News Service previously decided to examine and address other congressional races in the U.S. We have already addressed two congressional races in Pennsylvania and have placed links our sites for Lou Barletta and William Russell. This weekend, I learned of a third candidate worthy of note in Pennsylvania 10th Congressional District: Chris Hackett. My good friend Doug Welch in Stix has identified that:

Chris Hackett is a no nonsense conservative running against a liberal college professor that took the seat in 2006. This is who we need to go against the overpowering CONgress Critters that think the Government is the answer to all of our problems. The Republican Party needs people like him to run and get back on track to be the party of smaller and less government. . . ."The Republican Party is a party in need of conservative leadership. Chris is a bold leader who will work tirelessly to restore the core principle of the GOP - limited government."

While the ARRA would like to focus on Arkansas U.S. Congressional and a Senate races, since we have been left empty handed, we will continue to focus on other races in the U.S. as well as with Arkansas state congressional races that offer candidates that support limited government, traditional values and other aspects of the conservative message. If you know of any other U.S. congressional or Senatorial candidates like Chris Hackett, please leave a comment with the information and we will follow-up on your lead.

Alan Keyes Breaks Word & Ranks With GOP

Alan Keyes who has continually identified himself as a Republican, filed as a Republican in various primaries, and "fished" in GOP waters, has allegedly departed the Republican Party. He is now looking to the Constitution Party. On Tuesday evening, April 15, in Hazleton, PA, Alan Keyes will be holding a major press conference to lay out why he is leaving the party he has belonged to and supported his entire adult life.

It is unfortunate, that Alan Keyes efforts may now draw voters away from the GOP nominee which could aid in electing the liberal democrat nominee as president. When he began his race, he said he was running as a Republican and would always be a Republicans. However, since entered too late in the GOP primary and was rebuffed for the GOP nomination, he evidently has now been courted by the weaker Constitution Party. Some believe, he may have planned on this move in advance of his late entry into the GOP primary with no intent to ever bee the GOP nominee.

Jim Holt Seeks Support for Arkansas Adoption & Foster Care Act

Jim Holt, Former Arkansas State Senator: Things are going extremely well and my family and I have been enjoying a much, needed rest. After eight races in six years and 13 opponents, election season is upon us again. I've wanted to personally thank you for all your support all these years. Thanks to your help, the cause was victorious in six races over 11 opponents. But the battle of freedom and ideas continues to wage in the public arena.

That's why I'm writing you this letter. This year, Arkansas is blessed to have a group pushing a ballot initiative that will make it illegal for people who are unmarried and cohabitating to adopt children or be foster parents. I cosponsored the original bill, in the state legislature in 2001 and then coauthored the bill in 2005 in the Senate with Rep. Bob Adams carrying it in the House.

This issue is dear to my heart because it will prohibit homosexuals from adopting children or being foster parents. I know you will find this hard to believe, but currently in good-old Arkansas homosexuals are allowed to adopt children! That's why this Arkansas Adoption & Foster Care Act is so important. So please contact Family Council of Arkansas at 501-375-7000 and tell them you want to sign it and support it.

Obama - higher taxes are good

by Andrew Malcolm and Mark Silva, Los Angeles Times: Sen. Barack Obama went after the "We're not paying enough taxes to the government" vote today during a television interview in New York. . . . Maria Bartiromo on CNBC's "Closing Bell" asked, "Who should pay more and who should pay less?" Predictably, the politician chose to talk about who would benefit from his higher tax plan, not who would get socked the hardest. But from his answers it sounds like the "wealthy" in his mind are those making more than $75,000. " I would not increase taxes for middle class Americans and in fact I want to.... provide a tax cut for people who are making $75,000 a year or less,'' he said. "For those folks, I want an offset on the payroll tax that would be worth as much as $1,000 for a family . . . [Read More]

He is also proposing to raise the capital gains tax, but refuses to say by how much.

Mike Beebe vs. Your Family Budget

by Mark Moore, Arkansas Watch: Families are hurting in Arkansas, but our state government is sitting on piles of extra money- this year alone they have collected $127 million more than they estimated they would. In addition, the natural gas industry is about to take off in the natural state, and it is bringing more jobs and more dollars and more economic activity with it. A U of A study indicates that an expanding gas industry will generate an additional $1.8 BILLION tax dollars for state government over the next five years, even without a tax rate increase.

State government is raking in money left and right, and the future looks even better for them. Increased economic activity from the coming natural gas boom will mean increased fuel tax revenues, increased sales tax revenues, increased income tax revenues, and increased property tax revenues (to the tune of $1.8 billion more over then next five years, even if they don't raise any tax rates). That is a lot of money for schools and roads and everybody else in the state with their hand out. Still, it does not appear to be enough for Governor Mike Beebe and the Arkansas legislature. They are about to call a special session to do what? RAISE TAXES! . . .

So with all of that bonanza of dollars flowing in, how much of it does Governor Mike Beebe and your Arkansas legislature want to share with you? Why actually, none. They want to spend it all themselves without giving a single penny of tax relief to any Arkansas family . . . [Read More]

New Proof of Reagan's Wisdom

by Phyllis Schlafly: The U.S. Navy gave Ronald Reagan a dramatic 25th anniversary gift on February 21. A Navy missile raced into outer space and destroyed an orbiting satellite, thereby providing new proof of the vision President Reagan proclaimed in his then-sensational televised address on March 23, 1983. While the Navy SM-3 missile didn't knock down an incoming nuclear missile, the direct hit on a satellite proved again that our anti-missile technology is mature and reliable, and that an effective anti-missile system is within our grasp. Traveling at 6,000 miles per hour after being launched from a cruiser in the Pacific, the SM-3 missile was even more accurate than anyone had predicted because it struck precisely at the satellite's dangerous fuel tank. The successful kill of the satellite also confirmed the ability of the SM-3 to intercept at a higher elevation than had ever been tested before. It revalidated the Bush Administration's expenditure of $10 billion a year on anti-missile defenses. . . .

The whole disarmament/pacifist crowd attacked Reagan unmercifully for his determination to defend America with defensive as well as offensive weapons. Ted Kennedy led the pack by . . . claiming an anti-missile system can't work because it requires hitting a bullet with a bullet. This new test should finally put to rest the false claims that it won't work.

Now, with the benefit of hindsight, we know that it was Reagan's determination to push forward with what became known as his Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) that won the Cold War. SDI was the centerpiece of his strategy. At the Geneva and Reykjavik Summits, Mikhail Gorbachev offered every carrot and stick in his arsenal to persuade or intimidate Reagan into abandoning SDI. When Reagan refused, Gorbachev realized . . . the Soviets could not compete with the U.S. military-economic powerhouse. Reagan's SDI, so courageously proposed in 1983, ultimately enabled him to defeat the Evil Empire without firing a shot. We know the system works, and it's just as necessary in the post-9/11 world . . . [Read More]

California Court Vacated Its Homeschool Decision

Tony Perkins, Family Research Council: Common sense has finally prevailed in California, the site of one of the nation's most disgraceful court rulings in at least a decade. The Second District Court of Appeals, which shocked Americans by banning homeschooling by any parent without a teaching license, has vacated its decision. The court has agreed to rehear the case later this spring and is soliciting briefs from various state officials, teacher unions, and the Los Angeles Unified School District. For weeks, the three-judge panel received blistering criticism from state leaders, pro-family organizations like FRC, and hundreds of thousands of American families. In the hands of an activist court, what began as a simple child welfare case turned into an indictment of the entire homeschooling movement. Even Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) denounced the ruling, saying, "Parents should not be penalized for acting in the best interests of their children's education. This outrageous ruling must be overturned by the courts, and, if the courts don't protect parents' rights, then, as elected officials, we will." The judges' retraction is a testament to the power of the public's response. It still counts! See Also: California homeschoolers safe ... for now

Blogs For Borders

Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: In the past, we have posted some of the exceptional videos that address illegal immigration and are developed by Jake and MJ at Blogs For Borders. We hope you have taken the opportunity to visit one of their sites. If not, then visit Freedom Folks. Their latest Blogs4Borders video release is in the upper right corner.

If you are a blogger, there is a Blogs For Borders blogroll. Also there is the new Blogs For Borders FaceBook Group. The video referenced above is also posted on this new Blogs For Borders Group. If you are on FaceBook and are concerned about American sovereignty, border security and a sane immigration policy then please join their new group. If you are not on FaceBook why not? As I learned, it is not just for youngsters. I even belong to 64 groups. Your welcome to visit My FaceBook account.

SamSphere Chicago 2008

The ARRA News Service will be represented at SamSphere Chicago 2008 this weekend. As identified by Jenn Sierra at Fort Hard Knox: "In some ways, this is a “right” counter to groups on the left. But mostly, it will be an opportunity for (mostly state level) bloggers to share ideas, and network." The host of the event, Sam Adams Alliance, defines SamSphere as:

. . . a new media forum where bloggers and e-activists from across the country can gather together to network and share ideas. Samsphere will be specifically geared toward bloggers and e-activists who focus on local and state-level politics, and who are dedicated to the principles of individual freedom and limited government.

Confirmed "right-minded" bloggers
Blogger's Name*Blog*Blog Region
Erick Erickson * RedState * National
Allen Fuller * Flat Creek Management * National
John Fund * Wall Street Journal * National
Brad Jones * Face the State * National
Jenn Sierra * Fort Hard Knox * National
Erik Telford * Americans for Prosperity * National
E.M. Zanotti * American Princess * National
Bill Smith * ARRA News Service * Arkansas
Ben DeGrow * Mount Virtus * Colorado
Mark Johnson * ILGOPnet * Illinois
Doug Welch * Stix * Illinois
Bob Weeks * Wichita Liberty * Kansas
Earl Glynn * Kansas Meadowlark * Kansas
Jeff Blanco * Louisiana Conservative * Louisiana
Lance Dutson * Maine Web Report * Maine
Jack McHugh * Mackinac Center * Michigan
Chet Zarko * Outside Lansing * Michigan
Jim Hoft * Gateway Pundit * Missouri
Craig Sprout * Montana Politics * Montana
Chuck Muth * Muth’s Truths * Nevada
Skip Murphy * Granite Grok * New Hampshire
Mario Burgos * Mario Burgos * New Mexico
Maggie Thurber * Thurber’s Thoughts * Ohio
Chris Arps * Oklahoma Political News Service * Oklahoma
Trent Siebert * Tennessee Policy Institute * Tennessee
Leslie Carbone * Leslie Carbone * Virginia
Don Ward * Sound Politics * Washington
Fred Dooley * Real Debate Wisconsin * Wisconsin
Tristen Cramer * Haemet * Wyoming
Chad Everson * Grizzly Groundswell * Minnesota
Steve Sibson * Sibby Online * South Dakota

Confirmed Sam Adams Alliance Staff / bloggers:
Nic Hall * Nicky Cheese * Illinois (currently in Texas)
Bob Costello * Cozcommunio * Illinois
John Tsarpalas * Tsarchats * Illinois
Ken Marrero * Blue Collar Muse * Tennessee
Eric Odom * Eric Odom * Illinois
Mike Van Winkle * A Chicago Blog * Illinois
Micheal Tams * American Federalist * Illinois
Jodi Bridges * Thirty Something * Illinois
Lennie Jarratt * Open Source Activism * Illinois
Drew Veeneman * Trenches of Democracy * Illinois

Video of the Day

H/T to NewsBusters:
Hillary Speaks from the past & judges herself & Bill:

The Three Stooges Meet The Butcher

by Bob Parks, Outside the Wire: Now, this kind of stinks, don't it? According to the Associated Press,

"Saddam Hussein's intelligence agency secretly financed a trip to Iraq for three U.S. lawmakers during the run-up to the U.S.-led invasion, federal prosecutors said Wednesday. An indictment unsealed in Detroit accuses Muthanna Al-Hanooti, a member of a Michigan nonprofit group, of arranging for three members of Congress to travel to Iraq in October 2002 at the behest of Saddam's regime. Prosecutors say Iraqi intelligence officials paid for the trip through an intermediary."

Why is it that Democrats seemingly love to embrace our enemies? One local version of this story conveniently left out the fact that these are anti-war Democrats we're talking about. There is this stereotype that liberals are freeloader types. United States congressmen have money, and at any given opportunity, don't hesitate to give the American people the privilege of footing their bills.

Then again, if they (or we) pay for such a trip, there will be some kind of paper trail. But if someone else pays for it, we may not know about it, that is, until someone gets indicted. Why would United States congressmen go on a junket to a country they know we're about to be in a military conflict with? Did they go to negotiate? Were they going to volunteer to become human shields? They were criticized for going. "Oklahoma Sen. Don Nickles, the second-ranking Senate Republican at the time, said the Democrats 'sound somewhat like spokespersons for the Iraqi government.'"

Oh, by the way, the congressmen were Jim McDermott of Washington, David Bonior of Michigan and Mike Thompson of California, and there's no proof to date that they knew their trip was courtesy of Saddam Hussein. Now this is only me, but if someone were paying for my trip half way around the world, I think I would know who was paying for it. That is, unless getting international trips paid for is so common, no one asks. It always amazes me how the congressmen and senators declare themselves brilliant enough to impose legislation that sometimes has serious effects on our lives, yet when there is any hint of malfeasance on their part, nobody knows nothing . . . [Read More]

Stingy Senators Stiff GOP

by Alexander Bolton, The Hill: Republican senators with millions of dollars in their campaign accounts have given little or nothing to the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), despite its desperate pleas for cash funds. Fewer than 10 Senate Republicans met goals . . . GOP senators were asked to contribute $100,000 from their campaign accounts or recruit four major donors for the event. . . . Republican Sens. Arlen Specter (PA), Jim Bunning (KY), Richard Lugar (IN), Pete Domenici (NM), Lisa Murkowski (AK), Olympia Snowe (ME), Tom Coburn (OK), and Larry Craig (ID) have given nothing to the NRSC . . . These lawmakers have kept their wallets shut despite having millions and not facing reelection this year. Specter, for example, reported $4.2 million in his war chest. Lugar has $2.2 million in his account. Domenici has $840,000 and has announced his retirement. . . . Sen. Richard Shelby (AL), who occupies a lucrative fundraising position as ranking Republican on the Banking Committee, has nearly $13 million in his reelection fund. Yet he has given only $15,000 from his leadership PAC to the NRSC. Some lawmakers say there is plenty of time to give money to the committee before Senate races reach full intensity . . . [Read More]

Porker of the Month: Senators Who Voted Against Earmark Moratorium

For protecting their personal pet projects at the expense of the national interest, Citizens Against Government Waste has named all 71 senators who voted against a year-long earmark moratorium as its March 2008 Porkers of the Month. An amendment was offered by Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) would have established this moritorim. It had 14 bipartisan co-sponsors including all three presidential candidates. As Sen. DeMint has said, “The earmark process allows politicians to fund pet projects based on political power instead of merit. Earmarks are rarely subject to public hearings or oversight, and they invite the kind of corruption that has sent lawmakers to jail.” In addition to inviting fraudulent behavior, earmarking diverts lawmakers’ attention from important national business, like saving Medicare and Social Security for future generations. Many congressional offices have one or more staffers dedicated solely to procuring earmarks . . . [Read More]

Hunter Announce as GOP Candidates for State Offices

Former State Senator Gary Hunter of Mountain Home announced he will be a Republican candidate for State Reprentative District 81: Hunter, 59, has been a resident of Mountain Home for 24 years. He served in the Senate for eight years and during that time served as chairman of the Senate Retirement Committee and chairman of the Audit Subcommittee. He also held seats on the Budget, Insurance and Commerce, Children and Youth, and Transportation committees. While in the Senate, Hunter sponsored legislation to protect the citizen's right to bear arms, protect traditional family values, and to support veterans and teachers of the Twin Lakes Area. If elected, Hunter said he will favor legislation or a Castle Doctrine that empowers citizens to use deadly force in defending homes and businesses.

As Senator, Hunter obtained capital-improvement funds for Arkansas State University Mountain Home, CARTI, the Roundup Club, Baxter Rural Fire Departments and the Christian Clinic. Prior to his service in the Senate, Hunter was a member of the Baxter County Quorum Court, where he served as chairman of the Budget and Building committees. On the Budget Committee, Hunter says he was responsible for the establishment of an Emergency Reserve Contingency Fund . . . [Read More]

A Crisis That Is Here to Stay

The Foundry, Morning Bell: The Social Security and Medicare Boards of Trustees released their annual financial review yesterday, finding that over the next 75 years the two programs have promised to pay out $42.9 trillion more in benefits then they have scheduled to take in. Numbers this large and time frames that long can make the problem seem unreal, but the threat to our nation’s financial health is real and imminent. Consider:

Medicare’s hospital insurance trust fund will pay out more in benefits than it received in taxes and other dedicated revenue this year.

Within the next five years, general revenue transfers are expected to constitute the largest single source of income to the Medicare program.

Medicare’s annual costs are already 3.2% of GDP and will be 11% of GDP by 2082.

Social Security will begin to pay more in benefits than it receives in taxes in 2017.

Starting in 2010, the roughly $80 billion in annual Social Security surplus that Congress currently spends every year will begin to shrink. From that point on, Congress will have to replace that revenue stream with higher taxes or reduce overall spending.

In just 12 years, today’s $80 billion annual Social Security surplus will turn into a $75 billion annual deficit — a $150 billion swing.

Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson said yesterday, “The facts are clear: the sooner Social Security and Medicare are reformed, the fairer reform will be to future generations.” . . . [Read More]

Gallup Poll: Democrats may vote for John McCain

by Frank Newport, Gallup Poll: A sizable proportion of Democrats would vote for John McCain next November if he is matched against the candidate they do not support for the Democratic nomination. This is particularly true for Hillary Clinton supporters, more than a quarter of whom currently say they would vote for McCain if Barack Obama is the Democratic nominee.

Clinton supporters who would vote for McCain over Obama = 28%

Obama supporters who would vote for McCain over Clinton = 19%

The data suggest that the continuing and sometimes fractious Democratic nomination fight could have a negative impact for the Democratic Party in next November's election. A not insignificant percentage of both Obama and Clinton supporters currently say they would vote for McCain if he ends up running against the candidate they do not support . . . [Read More]

Iraq’s Unheralded Political Progress

by Jason Gluck, Foreign Policy: We’ve been hearing for months that the U.S. troop surge has been a security success and a political failure. But with little media fanfare, Iraqis may have just found the key to resolving their differences: old-fashioned politics. . . . Amid the recriminations for the lack of political progress, few seem to have noticed what may have been a watershed moment for Iraqi democracy. Indeed, February 13, 2008, might someday be remembered as the day Iraq’s political class finally showed itself capable of compromise and accommodation.

On February 13 the Iraqi parliament simultaneously passed three new laws: one that sets the relationship between the central and provincial governments, a second giving amnesty to thousands of detainees, and a third setting the 2008 national budget. Each piece of legislation is important in its own right, but how the overall compromise came about may prove even more significant than the laws themselves . . . [Read More]

Nancy Reagan Endorses John McCain

Bloomberg.com: Former first lady Nancy Reagan endorsed Arizona Senator John McCain's presidential campaign in a move McCain said would encourage conservative Republicans to rally around his bid. Reagan called McCain a "good friend for over 30 years'' who is well prepared to become commander in chief. McCain, 71, was a prisoner of war in Vietnam for over five years after his aircraft was shot down over Hanoi in 1967.

"My husband and I first came to know him as a returning Vietnam War POW and were impressed by the courage he had shown through his terrible ordeal,'' Reagan said today in a statement released by the campaign and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Foundation. I believe John's record and experience have prepared him well to be our next president."

McCain accepted Nancy Reagan's endorsement in the driveway of her Bel Air home in California. He thanked her for support and the ``most gracious hospitality'' she and her late husband extended to him and other POWs after the Vietnam War. "Obviously, this is an important, most important, expression of confidence," McCain said, speaking to reporters and a group of television cameras. . . . [Read More]

Arkansas GOP Behavior Obstructionist

Letter to the Editor by Richard Hughes, IV: I have tried long enough to restrain myself as I have watched the leadership of the Republican Party of Arkansas send the wrong messages, run the wrong candidates and generally take the party in the wrong direction, while blame is placed on the wrong people, so I have sounded off in a Letter to the Editor which I have provided to the ARRA News Service:

LITTLE ROCK — GOP behavior obstructionist
Some Republicans whine about our state party’s lack of success-no constitutional officers, no substantial legislative gains, only one GOP member of Congress. A predominant reason attributed to our party’s shortcomings is Mike Huckabee, specifically that “his people” drained the party financially. However, the party was clearly on its feet well before Huckabee left office.

Our late lieutenant governor and GOP chairman, Win Rockefeller, deserves substantial credit for our party’s past greatness. He lit optimism in its fold, leaving it with no debt and roughly $400,000 in the bank. Win made us proud to be Republican, opening every meeting with an all-together-now chant of his motto for the party, “Representing the views and values of everyday Arkansans.”

As for the party’s current status, past GOP chairman Sheffield Nelson put it best recently when denouncing current chairman Dennis Milligan’s unreasonable treatment of the current governor’s severance tax proposal, saying it makes us look like obstructionists and “aginners.” “Aginner” is the exact word I have been searching for to describe some factions of our party.

Passing on an opportunity to demonstrate leadership, the chairman issued his arbitrary default response. Such is foolish considering that the deal resulted from cooperation between Nelson, industry leaders and the governor. These and recent similar actions imply that our party is automatically against everything, including recruitment of decent candidates (or, lately, any candidates) for statewide and congressional offices.

Arkansas Jack's Wisdom On the Special Session to Raise Taxes

Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: Although I prefer a more perfect conservative world of less government interference, less taxes, etc.. I'm forced to face reality. For example, I backed a extremely conservative GOP candidate, then a conservative second candidate, and now I am supporting the presumptive conservative GOP nominee because the alternative is unthinkable. Even in Arkansas, conservatives are forced to adjust as situations change. But what about the GOP leadership having the moxie to know how to play the game to its best advantage? Arkansas Jack at the Banana Republic of Arkansas, addresses two perspectives related to the upcoming special session called by the Arkansas Gov. Beebe to increase the severance tax on natural gas wells.

First, Arkansas Jack highlighted the Arkansas Constitution and asked an important question: What is the Emergency:

Constitution Of The State Of Arkansas Of 1874. Article 5. Legislative Department. § 38. Taxes - Increase - Approval by electors.§ 2. None of the rates for property, excise, privilege or personal taxes, now levied shall be increased by the General Assembly except after the approval of the qualified electors voting thereon at an election, or in case of emergency, by the votes of three-fourths of the members elected to each House of the General Assembly. [As added to Art. 5 by Const. Amend. 19.]

If we have any lawyers out there, what constitutes an emergency in Arkansas? Is there something I am missing here? Does Governor Beebe have the authority to determine what is a state of emergency? Does he have to formally declare an emergency?

Seems to me that Arkansas Jack question deserved an answer. Maybe instead of just being against the severance tax, the GOP leadership should have raised this issue. Even if the minority Republican Party cannot control the political game, at least the GOP leadership can get out the rule book make sure that everyone follows the rules or at least make it clear to the public when the Democrat majority party is not following the rules which they historically established for the game.

Now the reality, with the governor calling a special session to raise taxes without a state of emergency, what is being done to stop it? Answer - nothing! I guess can we can expect future special sessions to raise non-emergency taxes. Obviously, the governor will never call a special section to cut taxes (remember the food tax that still need to be completely eliminated). Interesting that the governor determined it wasn't important enough to call a special session to stop kids of any age from getting married but now he considers it critically important to call a special session to increase the severance tax which could have waited until the next session. He appears to have feared the result of a vote by Arkansans on a potential amendment

Now accepting the realty that the special session is going forward, Arkansas Jack in The French Army has Invaded offers some practical advice:

. . . A piece of advice for those serving in the general assembly, offer some choices. Make the Democrat and Rino's vote against reducing some taxes when they (Democrats and Rino’s) want to raise them. Don’t just let them (Democrats and Rino’s) raise the tax with out calling them on it. People want to know why we Republicans can’t win elections. We don’t offer voters a real choice; we are just a bunch of “ginners”. We need to give the voters a clear plan and also show them what Democrats (and Rino’s) really want (a bigger government).

Republican should stand for smaller more efficient government, less taxes and public safety. We know the battle to raise the severance tax is over so change the debate. Make them vote against eliminating some other tax. The Speaker of the House has already floated the idea. Someone pick up the ball and run with it. ... [Read More]

AMEN Brother! Suggest you contact your state legislators and share Arkansas Jack's recommendation. Why waste a special session just raising taxes?

GOP Should Focus On The Right, Not Wright

Star Parker. GOPUSA: Hillary Rodham Clinton has reason to be a happy camper. Over recent days, for the first time in months, she has moved significantly ahead of Barack Obama in Gallup's national polling. And, defying Milton Friedman's famous dictum that there is no such thing as a free lunch, she's made these gains at no cost.

Clinton has remained quietly on the sidelines, smirking like a Cheshire cat, as Republican commentators have done all her work for her. They've dragged out the tapes of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright and have helped sully what everyone thought was Obama's picture-perfect and Teflon-coated image. Why, after all, should the New York senator bear the costs of attacking Obama and his controversial pastor, further alienating black voters she so desperately wants back, when Republicans have been more than happy to do this work for her? . . .

Sure, Wright's inflammatory sermons, and Obama's longtime association with this man, is important news. But the real story for Republicans is that, for practical considerations, there's no difference between the two left-wing, big-government-loving, morally relativist candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination. This is what Sen. John McCain of Arizona and the Republican Party should be running against, regardless of who it turns out to be . . . [Read More]

Guard presence on Mexican border to end this summer

by Arthur H. Rotstein, AP (El Paso Times): A program that has rotated thousands of National Guardsmen along the Mexican border to augment U.S. Border Patrol agents comes to a close in four months, despite calls by at least one border governor to extend the Guard's mission. Operation Jump Start began in mid-2006, deploying up to 6,000 troops at a time during the first 12 months in non-enforcement roles that freed up Border Patrol agents for front-line duty . . . [Read More] ARRA Note: On July 26, 2007, We reported that this would happen.

Obama 'hiding anti-Israel stance'

Israel National News: Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama is currently hiding his anti-Israel views in order to get elected, according to a well-known anti-Israel activist. The activist, Ali Abunimah, claimed to know Obama well and to have met him on numerous occasions at pro-Palestinian events in Chicago.In an article he penned for the anti-Israeli website Electronic Intifada, Abunimah wrote: "The last time I spoke to Obama was in the winter of 2004 at a gathering in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. He was in the midst of a primary campaign to secure the Democratic nomination for the United States Senate seat he now occupies . . . [Read More]

Hillary's Whopper

Gary Bauer: We've focused a lot in the past week on Senator Barack Obama's credibility, but we haven't forgotten about Hillary. It's not breaking news to say that politicians often exaggerate, but here is an example of Hillary's disconnect from reality. For the past few weeks, she's told campaign audiences that she faced down death during a visit to Bosnia when she was First Lady. To hear Hillary tell it, her plane "landed under sniper fire," the formal greeting ceremony was scrubbed and "instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base."

This is all part of her attempt to portray herself as tough, "ready on day one" and experienced enough to be commander-in-chief. But now several folks who attended the trip with her are all saying that the scene Hillary has been describing didn't happen. According to the Washington Post, "A review of nearly 100 news accounts of her visit shows that not a single newspaper or television station reported any security threat to the First Lady."

John Pomfret, a reporter who covered the trip, said, "As a former AP wire service hack, I can safely say that it would have been in my lead had anything like that happened." In fact, pictures taken of the event on the tarmac show Hillary and Chelsea, surrounded by smiling dignitaries, bending over to kiss a small girl who had just finished reading a poem. The comedian Sinbad, who was on the trip with Mrs. Clinton, along with singer Sheryl Crow, told the Post, "I think the only 'red-phone' moment was: 'Do we eat here or at the next place.' What kind of president [referring to then-President Bill Clinton] would say, 'Hey man, I can't go 'cause I might get shot so I'm going to send my wife. Oh, and take a guitar player and a comedian with you.'"

GOP state parties struggle

by David Paul Kuhn & Charles Mahtesian, Politico: At a time when the GOP presidential nominee will need more assistance than ever, a number of state Republican parties are struggling through troubled times, suffering from internal strife, poor fundraising, onerous debt, scandal or voting trends that are conspiring to relegate the local branches of the party to near-irrelevance. In some of the largest, smallest, reddest and bluest states in the nation, many state Republican organizations are still reeling in the aftermath of the devastating 2006 election cycle, raising questions about how much grassroots help the state parties will be able to deliver to presumptive GOP nominee John McCain. . . .

In Arkansas, where Republicans lost the governorship in 2006 and are outnumbered in the state House and Senate by 3-1 margins, state GOP Chairman Dennis Milligan said he is facing defections and malaise. “Independent conservative individuals just said they were fed up and they said there is no difference [between the two parties],” Milligan said. “We have sent out the message that we are now different. We know it did not fall down in one day and it won’t be rebuilt in one day.” . . . [Read More]

McCain & His Pastor

Washington Post - Ed Stoddard, Reuters: John McCain's Phoenix pastor, Dan Yeary, is a folksy patriotic Southern Baptist who opposes abortion and believes homosexuality to be a biblical sin, but says Christians have an obligation to love such sinners. That puts Yeary, who heads the church attended for the past 15 years by the Republican presidential candidate firmly in the U.S. Southern Baptist mainstream, and in line with the Republican Party. . . .

Yeary, pastor for the 7,000-member North Phoenix Baptist Church, professes little interest in politics and prefers to focus on preaching and spiritual guidance. But McCain's affiliation with Yeary will do him no harm in wooing support from the key Republican base of evangelical Christians. "John and I are friends, he has called on me to minister to the family in times of challenge and difficulty," he told Reuters in a telephone interview. . . .

John and I are having continual dialogue about his spiritual pursuits," Yeary said. In an interview last year with . . . on-line Catholic forum devoted to issues of faith, McCain said he liked Yeary's "message of reconciliation and redemption which I'm a great believer in. And so I began attending North Phoenix Baptist church and I'm grateful for the spiritual advice and counsel that I continue to get from Pastor Dan Yeary."

McCain, like his pastor, is staunchly opposed to abortion rights . . . [Read More]
In Contract - Read: The Wall Street Journal Article about Obama and His Minister

Happy Easter

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay. Then go quickly and tell His disciples: 'He has risen from the dead ... -- The Bible, Matthew 28:5-7 (NIV)

by Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: The ARRA Editorial Staff wishes all of you who have helped us with resource information and all of our readers a very Happy and Blessed Easter. We are truly blessed in that "the Innocent" - Jesus Christ - voluntarily gave Himself to be our substitute and was sacrificed as an atonement for our sins. He then also overcame hell and the grave and He rose from the dead. Christ is risen. He is risen, indeed!

Merging of the U.S. Canadian Military

Update - See: U.S. Northern Command, Canada Command establish new bilateral Civil Assistance Plan Photo by U.S. Army North Public Affairs Office: U.S. Air Force Gen. Gene Renuart, commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, and Canadian Air Force Lt.-Gen. Marc Dumais, commander of Canada Command, have signed a Civil Assistance Plan that allows the military from one nation to support the armed forces of the other nation during a civil emergency. the signing took place at the U.S. Army North headquarters, Fort Sam Houston, TX, Feb 14, 2008

The following two articles present some startling information concerning not only the integration but the potential merger of the Canadian and US military and the use of the military of one country within the borders of the other. The ARRA editors have not confirmed the information (other than links) but do note this information provided from both sides of the U.S. - Canadian border merits review and consideration. While we can identify with both the need for Military commanders to aid in responding to global attacks by terrorists, we also identify with the citizens of both the United States and Canada who are concerned with their national sovereignty.

Traci Lawson in The Guardian reported:

Canada's military in no longer substantively independent from the U.S. military command structure . . . This Agreement also obliges Canada to provide financial and military personnel support to the U.S. in Iraq . . . Indeed, this fundamental breach of Canadian sovereignty is being carried out under the terms of the Security and Prosperity and Partnership North American Union (SPP-NAU) agenda, that in term has been substantively legitimated by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). NAFTA uses the pre-text of trade as a political deception for the take-over of Canada by the U.S. political-military-industrial complex

In Canada, this Agreement which paves the way for the militaries of the U.S. and Canada to cross each other's borders to fight "domestic emergencies," was not announced either by Prime Minister Harper's administration or the Canadian military. The Agreement met with protests and demonstrations by Canadians who are opposed to such treaties with the U.S. Bush administration. . . . [Read More]

Jim Kouri with News With a View reported:

In a political move that received little if any attention by the American news media, the United States and Canada entered into a military agreement on February 14, 2008, allowing the armed forces from one nation to support the armed forces of the other nation during a domestic civil emergency, even one that does not involve a cross-border crisis, according to a police commander involved in homeland security planning and implementation. It is an initiative of the Bi-National Planning Group whose final report, issued in June 2006, called for the creation of a "Comprehensive Defense and Security Agreement," or a "continental approach" to Canada-US defense and security.

. . . the agreement -- defined as a Civil Assistance Plan -- was not submitted to Congress for debate and approval, nor did Congress pass any law or treaty specifically authorizing this military agreement to combine the operations of the armed forces of the United States and Canada in the event of domestic civil disturbances ranging from violent storms, to health epidemics, to civil riots or terrorist attacks.

"This is a military plan that's designed to bypass the Posse Comitatus Act that traditionally prohibited the US military from operating within the borders of the United States. Not only will American soldiers be deployed at the discretion of whomever is sitting in the Oval Office, but foreign soldiers will also be deployed in American cities," warns Lt. Steven Rodgers, commander of the Nutley, NJ Police Department's detective bureau. . . .

The military Civil Assistance Plan is seen by critics as a further incremental step toward creating a North American armed forces available to be deployed in domestic North American emergency situations. According to the NORTHCOM press release, the plan "allows the military from one nation to support the armed forces of the other nation during a civil emergency." The agreement was signed at US Army North headquarters, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, by US Air Force General Gene Renuart, commander of NORAD and US Northern Command, or USNORTHCOM, and by Canadian Air Force Lt. General Marc Dumais, commander of Canada Command. . . . [Read More]

The Next Black President Won't Be A Democrat

by Bob Parks, Outside the Wire: While drinking my morning coffee, I watched an editorial from the president and general manager of our local ABC affiliate. He seemed to be genuinely hurt by the turn the presidential primaries has taken. He concluded,

“And the most toxic political ism of all, racism, has sparked a firestorm touching all voters --- black, white, male, female, young and old. This week Senator Obama felt he had to address the elephant in the room. Even at the highest levels -- whether it is a prominent minister or a former vice-presidential candidate --when it comes to the issue of race, Americans harbor beliefs and private hurts that erupted in public. Let open and constructive debate continue on a festering problem plaguing America -- it's a discussion long overdue.” – Bill Fine, WCVB

I believe America IS ready for the next female or Black president. However, should that happen, that person will not be a Democrat, as that party has yet to acknowledge it’s racist and sexist past, and we all know what happens to those who don’t learn from the sins of their past.

Think about it. It’s the liberal theology that deems it necessary to segregate students. Almost every high school and college has a Black Student Union. That thinking has also spawned feminist groups, Latino groups, gay groups, and whatever other “group” that they deem worthy of additional recognition. It’s liberal thinking that has created a hypersensitive atmosphere in the workplace. It’s progressive thinking that’s dictates that some people need a special advantage to compete with the mainstream. It’s their policies that make it so people have to watch what they say (depending on whom they are talking about) in order not to offend.

A more mainstream electorate supports Black Republicans by nature, while they are opposed and hated by white and Black Democrats alike. Racial slurs directed towards Black Republicans are tolerated and even performed by white liberals with glee. This I know from experience. The first Black Secretary of State was a Republican. The first Black National Security Advisor was a Republican. The first Black female Secretary of State was a Republican. With that, I predict, the next female or Black person to become President of the United States will be a Republican. Democrats just haven’t “grown” enough. . . . [Read More]

March 31 Special Session for Severance Tax Increase

Gov. Mike Beebe will call the Arkansas legislature into special session beginning March 31 to address the address a severance tax on natural gas extraction in Arkansas. The Governor's proposed tax is expected to raise an estimated $57 million in taxes next year and about $100 million annually by 2012. The Governor wants the taxes to be used for roads.

Beebe obtained commitments from legislators before calling the special session. Beebe said 80 House members and 31 senators were committed to the increase; he needed a commitment from 75 representatives and 27 senators. If the tax is passed by the legislature, the issue will not go to the voters in November for a vote. In a news conference, Beebe said, "We do not want to hurt a wonderful industry and economic boon to our state that's providing jobs and resources. But we do want them to pay for posterity and fairness and equity, a severance tax that is designed to pay for a nonrenewing, finite resource that our children and grandchildren won't have the benefit of."

Beebe said raising the tax was the best way to provide additional money for state highways without raising taxes on gasoline or diesel as fuel prices are already high. However, he also said that $100 million won't be enough for highways but is "a step in the right direction." State highways commission has identified that they will need $16 billion more than will be available over the next 10 years.

With a special session, legislators may try to fix a typographical error in a marriage-age law that inadvertently allows children of any age to marry if they have their parents' permission. And legislators might be asked to provide further incentives for the North Little Rock and Pulaski County Special school districts to carry out desegregation without federal intervention. House Speaker Benny Petrus (D-Stuttgart) said that Rep. Chris Thyer (D-Jonesboro) is drafting a bill to repeal the marriage-age law enacted last year and the bill would reinstate 17 as the marriage age for boys and 16 for girls. Rep. Will Bond (D-Jacksonville) is drafting legislation extending the deadline for North Little Rock and Pulaski County schools to seek unitary status.

Republican legislators including the House Minority leader Johnny Key have opposed Beebe's proposal severance tax increase identifying that a tax could hurt business. But several Republican lawmakers have now announced they were supporting the increase. In addition, Sen. Bob Johnson (D-Bigelow), who had been a vocal opponent of the tax hike, said he was not going to organize any opposition to Beebe's tax proposal.

Who'd be McCain's vice president?

Maeve Reston of the Los Angeles Times addresses the varied viewpoints and concerns about John McCain's choice for Vice President.

McCain is facing a barrage of questions about who he might choose as a running mate. Perhaps because of his own public vetting years ago, the Arizona senator is being uncharacteristically tight-lipped. . . . Many believe that voters' concern about McCain's age -- he will be 72 on inauguration day -- means his choice for the No. 2 spot will carry a great deal of weight. . . .

But there is little consensus within the party about what issue will define McCain's choice. Should his team look to a candidate who could shore up his economic credentials? Should he choose a partner who could allay suspicions among some conservatives that McCain is too liberal? Or does he have the latitude to choose a candidate who might broaden the appeal of the Republican Party? McCain's most obvious task is finding someone the American people would view as a suitable stand-in as commander in chief. . . .

A lot of conservatives fear he's going to change [the party] in some way and redraw it with them on the outside looking in," Keene said. "If you select the right person, you go a long way toward solving that problem. "You can hit a grand slam home run, which might be a [Gov.] Mark Sanford of South Carolina, or a home run with Mitt Romney, or a double or a triple with a [North Carolina Sen.] Richard Burr, or a [Wisconsin Rep.] Paul Ryan . . . . Or you can screw it up." Others, like Ken Duberstein, a chief of staff to President Reagan, say the field is open: "Does the right wing have veto power? The answer is no. Conservatives have a role to play, but it is not to dictate who the vice presidential candidate is." . . .

Several charismatic governors with close ties to McCain are getting attention as well: Charlie Crist of Florida, Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota and South Carolina's Sanford. . . . Crist is likely to be "on McCain's short list of three or four." With approval ratings topping 70%, he "would about put a nail in it for the general election" by helping McCain win Florida, . . . One of the most daunting tasks will be vetting the candidates to avoid any surprises. . . . It will be important . . . to choose a leader who's "been around the track several times and who knows where skeletons usually are -- what to ask and how to ask."McCain strategist Charles Black said the campaign planned to "drag the net widely" and to keep the process secret to avoid "humiliating" candidates who weren't chosen . . . [Read More]

Berry calls earmarks, Democrats’ rhetoric

Michael Wickline, Arkansas Democrat Gazette reported that U. S. Rep. Marion Berry (D-AR) defended congressional earmarks, saying they aren’t a controversy to him. “Being an appropriator, I like earmarks, make no apologies for them,” to about 140 people at a Political Animals Club luncheon in Little Rock. Berry said the last appropriations bill that Congress passed totaled $ 2. 7 trillion and included $ 17 billion in earkmarks. “I am perfectly willing to pay the deal on anything I ever put in one of those bills, and there are a lot of good things that have come from it,” Berry said. “The alternative would be to turn all spending decisions over to the administration, whoever that might be, and that is not a comforting thought at all to me.”

Falling Like A "Barack"

by Gary Bauer, Campaign for Working Families: The past week has clearly taken a toll on the Obama campaign. Multiple surveys indicate that his poll numbers are falling like a rock, and so far his speech seems to have done little to slow his descent. Gallup reports that Hillary Clinton has taken a statistically significant lead among Democrats nationally for the first time in a month. Just one week ago, Obama was leading Clinton 50%-to-44%. Today, Clinton leads Obama 49%-to-42%.

In the all-important Pennsylvania primary, where an Obama victory next month would knock Hillary out of the race, Clinton's average lead in all Pennsylvania polls over the last two weeks is 16 points. But in the most recent survey, taken over the weekend as the Jeremiah Wright controversy was breaking, Hillary opened up a massive 26-point lead.

The latest Rasmussen Reports poll of Democrat primary voters gives Obama a three point lead nationally, but that's down from eight points just six days ago. Worse for Obama, he has posted a net negative favorability rating for the past four days now, with 49% of the public viewing him unfavorably and 48% viewing him favorably. One week ago, Obama registered an eight-point positive favorability rating, with 52% of the public viewing him positively and 44% viewing him negatively.

The bitterness among Democrats is creating major problems for their eventual nominee. In hypothetical November match-ups, pollster Scott Rasmussen discovered that Hillary Clinton would attract only 55% of the African-American vote if she were the Democrat nominee against John McCain. Should Obama win the nomination, Rasmussen found that only 36% of white voters would support him. In either case, McCain is the clear frontrunner in the race for the White House, leading Barack Obama 49%-to-42% and defeating Hillary Clinton 51%-to-41%.

Home Alone

Tony Perkins, Washington Update: California families received an alarming wake-up call last month with the decision of the Second District Court of Appeals to essentially declare home-schooling to be illegal in California. The court even threatened that parents and unlicensed private school teachers who chose to educate children could be subject to criminal action. The Alliance Defense Fund has filed an appeal and is supported by both Governor Schwarzenegger and State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell. We have faith that the decision will be overturned. However, parents must understand that this is not an isolated case of activist judges. Rather, the decision by Judge H. Walter Croskey is indicative of a larger trend towards a socialized, government-run definition of family. FRC's Senior Fellow of Family Empowerment Ken Blackwell has a column in this week's Townhall.com which explains these trends. Ken draws on his experience as a former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations to illustrate the dangers inherent in the global march to "children's rights" as opposed to parental rights. Any movement towards an education monopoly poses great concern to parents. Meanwhile, the powerful liberal National Education Association has vowed to do everything it can to uphold the California court's decision. See also: Homeschoolers in the Crosshairs of the NEA

Property Taxes are High because of High Spending

Homeowners nationwide know that their property taxes are too high, and are getting higher. But many of them may not realize why: not because of an increase in their property’s value, but the expansion of government spending. Paul T. Wink seeks to dispel some misconceptions about what is driving up the costs of property taxes in his opinion piece, “Blame more spending, not reassessments, for high property taxes”:

“Our property taxes are too high. But this has nothing to do with assessments or reassessments. An annual reassessment does not result in a penalty to taxpayers as claimed, so long as all properties are treated the same. Whether properties are assessed at full value or a portion, or reassessed annually has nothing to do with your taxes. Only the increased spending by the taxing authorities (largely schools when discussing property taxes) increases your taxes…

“This is a point that has been missed by a number of people in authority, like Michael Rights, the Town of Southeast supervisor, who recently proposed a freeze on assessments that was smartly rejected by the majority of the Town Board. While such a proposal serves the political purpose of making it appear that he is doing something to reduce taxes, it has no such effect. Only reduced spending will lower taxes [emphasis added].” . . . [Read More]

Why Earmarks Matter

The Foundry, Morning Bell: . . . Whether or not polling shows the American people care about out-of-control pork-barrel spending, they should. Earmarks are terrible for the U.S. because:

They Invite Corruption: Congress does have a proper role in determining the rules, eligibility and benefit criteria for federal grant programs. However, allowing lawmakers to select exactly who receives government grants invites corruption. Instead of entering a competitive application process within a federal agency, grant-seekers now often have to hire a lobbyist to win the earmark auction. Encouraged by lobbyists who saw a growth industry in the making, local governments have become hooked on the earmark process for funding improvement projects.

They Encourage Spending: While there may not be a causal relationship between the two, the number of earmarks approved each year tracks closely with growth in federal spending. DeMint explains why this relationship may be more than a coincidence: "I talked to colleagues who would say, 'DeMint, I gotta vote for this bill because it has my project in it,' even though the bill was way over budget."

They Distort Priorities: Many earmarks do not add new spending by themselves, but instead redirect funds already slated to be spent through competitive grant programs or by states into specific projects favored by an individual member. So, for example, if a member of the Nevada delegation succeeded in getting a $2 million earmark to build a bicycle trail in Elko in 2005, then that $2 million would be taken out of the $254 million allocated to the Nevada Department of Transportation (DOT) for that year. So if Nevada had wanted to spend that money fixing a highway in rapidly expanding Las Vegas, thanks to the earmark, they would now be out of luck. . . . [Read More]

Out of Pocket

The editors will be out of pocket to attend a funeral for a few days. Be back in a fews days.

Obama's Roosting Chicken - Cartoon

GOPUS Political Cartoon Obama's Roosting Chicken by Gary McCoy

Eloquent Speech, Troubling Ideas

by Ken Blackwell: Barack Obama just gave an eloquent speech, but one that does not address the underlying nature of Senator Obama's beliefs. Rev. Jeremiah Wright, like Mr. Obama, believes in a state-centered 21st century form of big-government socialism. This 21st century form of socialism is at the heart of the Liberation Theology Rev. Wright preaches from the pulpit. Today, Mr. Obama again made it clear, with all his eloquence, that he still embraces these beliefs that would require dismantling the free-market system that has made our country's economy the most prosperous in all of human history.

In contrast to Liberation Theology, the Christian orthodoxy teaches about the nature of God, the nature of man, the relationship between the two in this life, and about the hereafter. Liberation Theology, on the other hand, is a belief system about political agendas, socialistic economic policy, and redistribution of wealth. Proponents of Liberation Theology, like Rev. Wright, teach that God commands us to form a government that will supervise our economy to create government-subsidized jobs under central-government planning; guarantee healthcare and education by having government control both; and achieve "economic equality" by redistributing wealth through massive taxes on the affluent and massive government entitlements for the poor. And it advocates replacing governments that do not embrace this socialistic agenda.

Those are the beliefs of Liberation Theology. Those are the offensive root beliefs underlying many of Rev. Wright's sermons. And though Barack Obama does not embrace Mr. Wright's offensive language, he does embrace this government-solves-everything-through-socialism worldview. . . . [Read More]

Obama Sinks in Rasmussen Poll, Left Thrashes About

Obama Watch: For what it's worth, Barack Obama dropped seven points in yesterday's Rasmussen tracking poll that matches him against Hillary Clinton. Rasmussen calls last night's sample "very favorable for Clinton." Although we don't know exactly how favorable, simple math says Clinton beat Obama by a lot last night - well into double digits. It would seem a reasonable supposition that Obama's internal polls showed some similarly disquieting data, and those numbers triggered Obama's sprint around the media last night.

How much damage the Meshugenah Minister scandal will do to Obama remains anyone's guess. Hey, it's possible that by this time next week, the talk will have completely shifted to another topic. Then again, that other topic may be Michelle Obama's rhetoric which bears uncomfortable America-bashing similarities to Reverend Wright's, or why exactly the Obamas depended on the financial help of a Chicago political fixer to buy their dream home in a year in which they netted a cool $1.6 million in combined income. The reactions from the left regarding Obama's association with Reverend Wright have been interesting. Let me share a few . . . [Read More]

Reconquista - Mexico's War on America (Part 3)

2008 Blogs4Borders! 03/17/08 In this weeks edition . . . Reconquista Part 3: Third Video in a three part series on reconquista: the bottom line! Some of our good friends are honored by the SPLC, color us green with envy! 100% Preventable! Americans continue to bear the brunt of open borders! When will the madness end?

Federal judge says students forbidden to vote on prayer

One News Now: A federal judge has prohibited the Round Rock school district from allowing students to vote on whether to have prayers at graduation.The ruling by U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks is included in an agreement reached by the school district and Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

The Washington-based group sued the school district in August on behalf of six parents and a former student . . . Sparks' judgment forbids the school district from holding any election or vote by students to have a prayer, benediction, invocation "or other religious communication" in any graduation unless the U.S. Supreme Court rules in future cases that such votes can be held . . . [Read More]

100,000 Petition Signatures Needed to Protect Children in Arkansas!

The Family Council Action Committee (FCAC) has begun gathering signatures to place the Arkansas Adoption and Foster Care Act on the ballot in November.
This act will prevent children in the adoption and foster care system from placement with those who cohabitate outside of legal marriage. If passed, the Arkansas Adoption and Foster Care Act will prevent homosexuals from furthering their agenda at our children's expense!
The Family Council Action Committee has until May 15 to gather 100,000 signatures for placement on the November ballot, and your help is needed. Please get involved! Sign and circulate a petition today! Petitions can be requested at www.arkansasadoptionact.com.
See also: Arkansas Adoption and Foster Care Act

Today in Washington D. C. - March 17, 2008

On The Floor: Congress's two-week Easter break began today. The only actios will be pro forma sessions by the Senate to keep President Bush from calling them back into session or appointing any recess appointments. The Senate will hold pro forma sessions on March 21, March 24 and March 27. The Senate and House will be back in session at 2 PM on March 31. For the second time in a month, the House of Representatives has left town without passing the Senate’s bipartisan FISA reform bill to address critical issues with our intelligence gathering capability. Instead the House passed a new bill, which is clearly unacceptable to the Senate, the White House, and the intelligence community. House Democrats even admitted that the bill has no chance of passing the Senate. ARRA News Servicereported that the House Passes Unsuitable FISA Bill.

From Senate & News Sources: Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said, “This House vote represents a ‘cover vote’ which the Democratic leadership believes will allow them to go on their Easter recess claiming to have passed a bill that protects America. But instead, they’ve done great harm to the effort to enact a responsible strengthening of our anti-terror laws during this session of the Congress.” Sen. McConnell emphasized, “This latest House Democrats’ bill will not be signed into law. It’s irresponsible, and has set back every effort the Senate made on a bipartisan basis to enact responsible national security legislation this year.”

Editors at National Review Online had harsh words for House Democrats, writing, “Obviously embarrassed by the bad publicity they generated last time around, they’ve attempted to camouflage dereliction with chicanery, offering an alternative [FISA] proposal Democrats know to be so deeply flawed that it would be dead on arrival in the Senate — let alone at the White House, where it would be vetoed instantly. . . . “their [House Democrats]maneuver was opposed by Attorney General Michael Mukasey and National Intelligence Director Michael McConnell, respected non-partisan professionals, who’ve reported that we are already losing intelligence due to the House’s partisan intransigence.” On the Senate side, Roll Call reports today that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid essentially wants to have a replay of February when the chamber returns in two weeks by returning to a housing bill and having still more Iraq votes.

Vice President Cheney is in Iraq today, offering a more realistic view of events there, observing “dramatic” security gains (Reuters). The BBC reports a new poll suggesting more optimism among Iraqis, and the AP noted the sharp decline in TV coverage of Iraq. Amazingly, though, the decline is blamed on fatigue with the story, as opposed to the clear-cut drop in violence. The AP writes, “It’s possible to pinpoint the exact week that the switch turned off. The war averaged 30 minutes per week of coverage last year on the three network evening newscasts up until Gen. David Petraeus, commander of the U.S. forces, testified in September about the surge’s progress . . .”

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: Happy St. Patrick's Day! With the "Luck O' the Irish" on your side and to have some fun, head over to join in the McCain 2008 Basketball Brackets. John McCain has made his picks, and this is your chance to compare your picks with his. You'll also be eligible for great McCain 2008 prizes. Click here to sign up and fill out your bracket. Picks must be made before the start of the first games on Thursday, March 20th so make your picks today! After you've signed up, send your friends a quick note to invite them to join in the fun.

When you make your picks, you can select your favorite college or university and your points from your correct picks will go to your school. As an OU alumnus, I am Irish enough to suggest choosing the Univ. of Okalhoma; Oh well - I tried! The school with the most points will win - so the more people you get to play, the better chance your school will have! Whether you're an alumni, current student or a fan, every correct point will help show your support for your school, even if they're not still playing in March! Be sure to spread the word to all of your friends to make sure they sign up today. Good luck with your bracket and don't forget to click here to make your picks before Thursday!

Stop Intimidation Today

by Bradley A. Blakeman, Freedoms Watch: Secret-ballot elections have long been used to ensure voters remain free of intimidation and fear of retribution based on their choice at the polls. It is disconcerting, then, that the big labor bosses and their allies in Congress are pushing for a system that authorizes unionization not by secret ballot, but by a decidedly non-secret system of card checks. It is deceptively called the Employee Free Choice Act.

Currently, workers decide whether to join a union in federally supervised secret ballot elections. However, under the Employee Free Choice Act (S. 1041), that secret ballot is replaced with a process that merely requires a majority of workers to sign a card to authorize organizing a union. These cards can be viewed by the employee's co-workers, superiors…and union organizers, subjecting workers to intimidation from union organizers to sign the card.

Here's another reason card check is so troubling. Even with their dwindling numbers, the big labor bosses remain powerful political players - this year alone they could spend half a billion on politics to help elect liberals. The more local shops that unionize and join the national effort, the larger financial and political footprint large labor coalitions will have in our national dialogue. The labor bosses have political power that is disproportionate to membership - and it will only get worse with card check. See also: ‘Card Checks’: Fast Track To Monopoly Unionism Law That Would Further Entrench This Big Labor Tactic Is Just What the Public Doesn’t Want Then Contact your senators! Tell them you do NOT support the Employee Free Choice Act.

China Can't Hold a Torch to Olympic Standards

Tony Perkins, FRC Washington Update: China may have agreed to start talking about human rights, but getting officials to act on them is an entirely different matter. In the last year, hundreds of church leaders have been brutally arrested and detained. Others have been sent to remote labor camps, where the regime plans to "reeducate" them on matters of faith. However, as the situation worsens in China and more Christians are persecuted, the U.S. is letting the opportunity to demand better behavior slip away on the eve of the Beijing Olympic Games. Rather than leverage the influence of the international community to pressure the Chinese to clean up their act, the State Department has taken an unusually mild approach to the scores of human rights violations perpetrated by China. Just months before Beijing takes the global stage as host of the 2008 Games, China is absent from the list of the world's most "systematic human rights violators" in the latest U.S. report. Instead, the Chinese were listed with other nations which "continue to deny citizens basic human rights." The administration's position undermines human rights advocates around the world who see the Olympics as a chance to prod China to end its cycle of abuse. Now the State Department seems more intent on befriending the Chinese than spotlighting their legacy of violence and oppression--a legacy that FRC has repeatedly asked the Department to address. Our December letter, and that of a dozen congressmen, which called for U.S. intervention in the case of 21 captive pastors, continues to go unanswered by the administration. We haven't received so much as a generic reply on the matter. China has not earned this rhetorical detente, and the apparent concessions in this year's human rights report are unwarranted. See Also: The Future of Freedom in the People's Republic of China

Just Don’t Call It a Tax Hike

The Foundry, Morning Bell: It is not common to advocate for tax increases as the economic outlook darkens, but that is exactly what liberals in Congress did yesterday [3/14/08] when the House and Senate passed budget blueprints. Sympathetic minds in the press are determined to portray the budget proposals as only letting “tax cuts expire“, but the American people are smart enough to know that only in Washington can increasing the tax burden of Americans by $683 billion be considered anything but a massive tax hike. Liberals will claim they are only taxing the rich, but the Democrat budget voted for by Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton would raise taxes on individuals making as little as $31,850 and couples earning $63,700.

Democrats declined to explain yesterday [3/14/08] how their plans to raise taxes could possibly help the ailing U.S. economy. After all, just last month Congress passed a stimulus package based on the idea that giving Americans a tax rebate would help economic growth. Apparently something happened in the intervening weeks that made letting Americans keep and spend their own money bad for the economy. Perhaps liberals remembered the 1993 tax hikes and now believe that taxing and spending is the best path to economic recovery. This is just not so. A review of recent literature on tax hikes and economic growth shows cutting taxes is far more strongly linked to economic growth. Furthermore, a specific look at the 1993 tax hikes shows that not only was the economy entering its eighth quarter of recovery by the time they were enacted, but the growth that succeeded them was much smaller than the growth after the 1997 tax cuts. The tax increases in the House budget will significantly harm the economy . . . [Read More]

Mexican Consulate Claims San Diego Return to Mexico

Americans for Legal Immigration: This video came in from our friends in the San Diego area. It appears that a Mexican Consulate employee has been caught on film saying San Diego once belonged to Mexico and will again one day. So much for all those that claim there is no Reconquista or desires of the Mexican government to take control of part of the US. Mexican consulate employees are considered official spokespeople for the Mexican Government.

Please Contact your senators! and your representatives! to ask them to instruct the US Ambassador to Mexico to demand an immediate retraction and apology for this statement.

From the Archives: Gingrich: I'm deeply worried

Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: If you are considering why this year's presidential election is important, view the video of Newt Gingrich discussing the war on terror at the National Press Club last year. If you agree with Newt Gingrich about the overwhelming treat of Islamic terrorism to our county, our way of life and our children, then you can see why allowing a Obama or Clinton to be elected president would be a travesty. John McCain, the presumptive nominee for the Republican party, has repeatedly warned that this threat is real. Also, consider that dictators who hate America are also on the rise.

Republican groups can argue all day about various nuances of which group is or candidate was more conservative, but survival trumps our personal viewpoints. National security is too important to entrust to either Clinton or Obama. Republicans need to stop "belly aching" about the fact their candidate did not get the nomination. Independents need to set their displeasure that the two parties are doing it all wrong. You like others may be right to some degree but being right is not going to address the current threat. Conservative democrats need to acknowledge that the extreme liberal wing of their party has taken control. It has put forth two candidates who by their own words are in appeasement mode. They are both unwilling and too inexperienced to address and fight a war against terrorism.

All of us are somewhat discontent. We live in dangerous times and we don't like it. We believed the end of the cold war meant long term peace. We wanted to get on with our personally shaped visions of the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness. But the fact is while we were snug in pursuits, we failed to notice that others hated both us and our way of life. Unfortunately, their hatred had grown to the point of their making plans and performing action for our destruction. Our wishing that this situation did not exist or wishing they would go away or believing that we can just talk to them and they will leave us alone is sticking our collective heads in the sand with our butts showing as targets.

Face it; we are collectively hated. It is not nice but it is true. They hate the our general ways of worship. They hate our materialism and what they perceive as our excessive living styles. They hate homosexuals, Christians and Jews. They hate women having the same freedoms and rights as men. They prefer to wrap their women in black cloth. They hate our form of government. They hate our movies and music. They hate our right to vote and our constitutional rights. They hate, hate, hate! They wish to destroy not only us but also our economy which affords us our standard of living. They wish to destroy our very way of life and to doom our grandchildren to a miserable state of existence. It is not that Islamist terrorists are poor, they are spending billions to destroy us. No, their way of life is not charitable, open and loving but regimented and controlled by religious zealots who hate us.

It is time for us to face this danger. It is a real threat and it is not several years away. It has already visited our door step and intends to do so repeatedly until their objectives are achieved.

Arkansas GOP Focuses on Rebuilding

Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: With week's end, Arkansas Republicans look toward the future of rebuilding. At the conclusion of Tuesday's filings, Republican Party of Arkansas (RPA) Chair Dennis Milligan admitted to the press: "I was disappointed for sure, but you plan your work and you work your plan.” Milligan said, the plan is to rebuild the party from the ground up, “We’re not focusing at this point on top-tier positions. We’re focusing on building a good, solid foundation that can withstand the load, and then being able to produce upper-echelon candidates in the future.”

RPA Executive Director Karen Ray said, "the state GOP is focused on building a brighter future. Quorum Court seats, county seats and then the legislative seats are really what we’ve focused on. We’ve had a lot of training for these folks, we’ve had information sessions. I’ve been calling JP candidates all over the state and so has Dennis Milligan.”

While almost all of Northwest Arkansas remain strongly Republicans and retained without Democrat opposition several Republican legislative and local seats, other locations are also doing well. In North Central Arkansas in Baxter County, Republicans remain strong after establishing themselves three years ago. According to Baxter County GOP Chair Gary Smith, " We had a State Senator, two county constitutional offices, seven of eleven Quorum Court positions and six Constables remain in Republican hands without opposition. Although democrats have filed against Republicans for State Representative, County Judge, County Sheriff, a Quorum Court and a Constable seat, we expect that Republicans will retain most if not all of these positions."

Then moving to Eastern Arkansas to Poinsett County, we note for the first time that Republicans have filed for office. Poinsett County GOP Chairman J.C. Lassiter said, "We’re working now on the grassroots level, and we’re trying to elect Quorum Court members. We have two Quorum Court JP candidates and a constable candidate running, and we think we’re really doing something.”

On the Arkansas legislative level, 13 Republicans are unopposed for the Arkansas House. In addition, 22 Republicans and one Independent are competing against Democrats. With only 8 of the seats having been previously Republican, the Republicans have an opportunity to gain seats in the House. In Arkansas Senate races, two Republicans are not up for re-election and 5 Republicans are unopposed. In another race, incumbent Gilbert Baker, former Republican Party of Arkansas chair is in a contested race. Although Republicans will remain significantly out numbered in the Senate, Senator Denny Altes, the Senate Republican Leader, remains and Senator Kim Hendren, the Senate Republican Whip, is unopposed for re-election. In addition, Johnny Key, the current House Republican Leader, will join them in the Senate.

House Passes Unsuitable FISA Bill

Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: Yesterday, the US House's defiant Democrat leadership promoted a divided house that passed, 213 to 197, its version of the update to Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978. The House version conflicts with a passed previous version by a significant majority (68-29) in the US Senate. The house version does not agree with the recommendations for the bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee. As Reported in the Washington Post, the House version would:

[E]xpand the powers of intelligence agencies to eavesdrop on terrorism and spying suspects and keep pace with ever-changing communications technologies. But it would challenge the Bush administration on a number of fronts, by requiring upfront court approval of most wiretaps, authorizing federal inspectors general to investigate the administration's warrantless surveillance efforts, and establishing a bipartisan commission to examine the activities of intelligence agencies in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

Most provocatively, the House legislation offers no legal immunity for past actions by phone companies that participated in warrantless wiretapping and are now facing about 40 lawsuits that allege they breached customers' privacy rights. Instead of granting the firms immunity, as the Senate bill would, the measure would send the issue to a secure federal court and give the companies the right to argue their case using information the administration has deemed to be state secrets.

Last month with bipartisan support, the US Senate passed (68-29) FISA with an immunity provision for companies that were asked to aid the US Government in its war on terrorism and monitoring calls from suspected international terrorists passing through or to the United States. By not granting immunity, telecommunication companies are unwilling to cooperated with Federal agencies due to trial lawyers in the U.S. seeking legal action and large settlements and due to individuals and groups trying to block all avenues of surveillance in the United States of international terrorists. It is amazing that these groups claiming to be working to protecting privacy rights are by their very actions evidencing a willingness to accept terrorist attacks on Americans, American property, and our military both in the United States and in other countries rather than to allow required surveillance of terrorist calls originating from outside the United States in an rapid and efficient manner.

With the House and Senate Democrat leadership both in agreement to oppose the President, in an election year, it is unlikely that the Senate and House will conference on FISA legislation. It is doubtful our country will see FISA reform during President Bush's remaining time in office unless he compromises his requirements for FISA reform. Although the administration still has the means of seeking warrants to wiretap, actions by the US House will most likely promote more judicial activism that will slow the process and place American, American lives, and American interest at risk both within the United States and abroad. It appears that Pelosi's Motto: "Terrorists & Trial Lawyers Win" will reign as long as liberals verses Blue Dogs democrats continue to control the Democrat leadership in the US House and US Senate.

Huckabee: No Illusions About VP Slot

CBS News: Former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee is keeping any future political plans under wraps. In his first public appearance since dropping a stronger-than-expected bid for the GOP nomination, Huckabee on Thursday said he is "not sitting around" expecting likely Republican nominee John McCain to tap the former Arkansas governor as his running mate. "I'm not one that has any illusions that he has some obligation to me," Huckabee told reporters before an ethics lecture at Columbia College, a small private school in central Missouri. "It's his decision to make. I'm going to support whomever he picks." . . . [Read More]

Former Treasurer Embezzled NRCC Funds

by Ben Pershing, Washington Post: National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) officials acknowledged . . . that they have found discrepancies in their books of more than a million dollars and evidence that the NRCC's former treasurer, Christopher Ward, made "several hundred thousand dollars" worth of unauthorized wire transfers out of the committee that appear to have ended up in Ward's own bank accounts. The NRCC launched an internal probe and contacted the FBI in January after learning that Ward "apparently fabricated and submitted 2006 financial statements to the NRCC's bank," . . . . The initial dollar amounts disclosed by the NRCC today suggest that this case could be the biggest campaign swindle ever recorded.

"Based on analysis conducted to date, it appears likely that over a period of several years Ward made several hundred thousand dollars in unauthorized transfers of NRCC funds to outside committees whose bank accounts he had access to, including joint fundraising committees in which the NRCC participated," said the NRCC memo. "He also appears to have made subsequent transfers of several hundred thousand dollars in funds from those outside committees to what appears to be his personal and business bank accounts. Those unauthorized transactions date back to at least 2004." . . .

"The evidence we have today indicates we have been deceived and betrayed for a number of years by a highly respected and trusted individual," NRCC Chairman Tom Cole (Ok) said in a statement. Ward and his attorney have not spoken to the media since news of the NRCC investigation first broke. While the FBI's investigation is ongoing, the NRCC has also hired the law firm Covington & Burling to conduct an internal probe, and that firm has in turn hired PricewaterhouseCoopers to do a forensic audit of the committee's books. NRCC officials now believe the last bona fide audit of the committee took place in 2001, and that Ward submitted "bogus audits" every year from 2002 through 2006 on faked stationary from a genuine, respected accounting firm.

Rob Kelner of Covington & Burling explained to reporters today that his firm's initial probe revealed a "pattern in which Ward would wire transfer funds to other committees where he did accounting work and had signature authority." The evidence further showed transfers from those committees to Ward's bank accounts. "The exact dollar figures are currently a moving target, and as the investigation progresses, it is entirely possible that these figures will change, either by increasing or decreasing," the NRCC memo said. . . . In addition to the NRCC, Ward has served as treasurer for more than 80 other GOP fundraising committees, many of which are now concerned they may also have had money stolen. . . . [Read More]
See also: NRCC Scandal: How Did It Happen?

Spitzer Into The Wind & Quotes of the Week

by Bob Parks, Outside the Wire:

McCain Votes Pro-Life -- Obama & Clinton Vote Pro-Death

by Steven Ertelt, LifeNews: Pro-abortion Democratic presidential candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton joined a majority of the Senate Thursday night in rejecting an amendment that would offer financial support to poor pregnant women and their unborn children. Their votes contrasted with likely GOP presidential nominee John McCain. The two candidates voted against a measure by Sen. Wayne Allard of Colorado that would have included pregnant women and their unborn children in the SCHIP program. Pro-life groups strongly supported the amendment because it would help women who may otherwise have an abortion because of financial worries about affording a baby. The vote provided another clear contrast between Obama and Clinton, who support unlimited abortions funded with taxpayer dollars, and McCain, who opposes abortion and has called for reversing Roe v. Wade. . . [Read More]

Former POWs Support John McCain for Commander in Chief

Vietnam War POWs' Open Letter: March is a memorable time for the Americans who were released from captivity in North Vietnam during the month back in 1973. The pathway to freedom began in February, as the war in Vietnam was concluding for America. John McCain, one of those American heroes, returned to freedom on March 15, 1973, released from Hanoi that day along with other very happy American Prisoners of War. His journey home was the continuation of a remarkable story with chapters yet to be written. Having survived life-threatening and disabling injuries, along with the brutality of the POW experience,

Journey to Freedom

John had steadfastly resisted communist efforts to exploit him and his fellow POWs. John's homecoming began a new phase of his life. His courageous service and his political career are well known today, and now he is the presumptive nominee for the Republican Party to be the next President of the United States.

We are but representatives of over eighty former POWs who shared those heady days of freedom and those years of captivity and suffering with John McCain. Collectively, we are proudly doing all we can to help our dear friend, John McCain, become our next commander in chief. We are campaigning with him, helping him raise money, speaking on his behalf and, in constant conversations, promoting his candidacy among our friends and family all over the country. We are doing so because we believe in John McCain.

Our convictions about John's character were born in the crucible of adversity. We have witnessed his courage, integrity, character and intellect. We know and respect his sense of honor and his tenacity in the face of grave danger and prolonged hardship. These qualities, combined with his life experiences, make John ready for the enormous challenges facing the leader of our country. No one -- no one -- is more qualified to be president, to lead our country, to protect our nation and our children and grandchildren. We know him. We know his strengths, his love of country and his commitment to serve it. He has been severely tested, and we have witnessed him under pressure. We trust his judgment and his ability to lead our country in these difficult times. We are joined in that trust by over 130 retired Flag and General officers who are members of Senator McCain's Military Advisory Council. They know and have worked with John McCain over the past three decades dealing with major national security challenges. They know leadership and they know danger and challenges. They know experience. They know quality. And they chose John McCain for president.

We must elect a leader who is ready on day one for these difficult and dangerous times. We need a leader who will insist that we win in the struggle against radical Islam. John is committed to let our troops win! We need a leader who will take on the big problems that most politicians seek to avoid. Leaders take on the tough issues. John McCain is that sort of leader. He knows the American spirit -- he has lived it like no other candidate. He knows we can do better and that America's best days are ahead.
Sincerely,
Commander Everett Alvarez, USN (Ret.)POW for 8 1/2 years
Colonel Bud Day, USAF (Ret.) Medal of Honor POW Over 5 Years
Rear Admiral Robert Shumaker, USN (Ret.)POW for 8 years
Colonel Leo Thorsness, USAF (Ret.) Medal of Honor POW for 6 years
Commander Paul Galanti, USN (Ret.)POW for over 6 1/2 Years
Captain Mike Cronin, USN (Ret.)POW for over 6 years
Major General John Borling, USAF (Ret.)POW for over 6 1/2 years
Captain Richard Stratton, USN (Ret.)POW for over 6 years
Lt Colonel Orson Swindle, USMC (Ret.)POW for over 6 years.

Today in Washington D. C. - March 14, 2008 - Democrats Pass Higher Taxes on Middle Class

On The Floor: House will today consider the Democrats’ new FISA bill (H.R. 3773) before leaving on Easter recess. Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear that House Democrats are planning to do the right thing and pass the Senate’s FISA modernization bill. Instead, they are pushing a bill that cannot pass the Senate, has been deemed inadequate by the Attorney General and Director of National Intelligence, and would be vetoed by the president. Yesterday, The House passed the House Democrats’ budget, which would raise taxes by $683 billion, after rejecting a Republican budget, which would have retained the Bush tax cuts, repealed the AMT by 2013, and balanced the budget by 2012.

Senate: Yesterday after completing work on the budget, senators went home for the Easter recess, Following a vote-a-rama on budget amendments, the Senate passed the Democrats’ fiscal 2009 budget resolution (S. Con. Res. 70) on a mostly party-line vote. Earlier in the day, the Senate agreed to the Baucus amendment, which would extend a precious few of President Bush’s tax cuts, which are scheduled to expire in 2011. However, the Baucus amendment excludes many middle-class Americans, some making as little as $31,850. A similar amendment passed last year, but Democrats took no action to make the tax changes law. Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC) offered an amendment for Senate Republicans that would have made all of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts permanent, but Democrats voted it down. Republicans did succeed in amending the budget to block lawsuits against employers who require workers to speak English.

Among the Republican amendments defeated last night were an amendment to raise the estate tax exemption to $5 million for small businesses, family ranches and farms (which was rejected a second time), an amendment to repeal the 1993 tax increase on Social Security benefits, an amendment to make it more difficult to raise income taxes, an amendment to means test some Medicare prescription drug benefits, an amendment to restrict federal funding to sanctuary cities, an amendment which would have lowered alternative minimum tax rates. An amendment offered by Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) to impose a temporary moratorium on earmarks was unable to overcome a point of order raised against it.

From Senate & News Sources: A number of media outlets picked up on the bottom line of the budget Senate Democrats passed late last night: that Democrats “held ranks” to “saddle millions of Americans” with “big tax increases.”

The AP wrote, “Democrats in both House and Senate pressed ahead with budget plans that would saddle millions of Americans with higher tax bills in three years by allowing some or all of President Bush’s reductions to die after he leaves office.” And The Wall Street Journal observed, “Democrats showed they would rather reduce the deficit or spend money on other programs than extend the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts.” In fact, the AP reported that the Democrats’ budget allows for tax increases “on individuals making as little as $31,850 and couples earning $63,700 or more.”

Sen. Mitch McConnell: “This debate made clear that Congressional Democrats are willing to raise taxes on middle- and lower-income families so they can spend more from Washington. Instead of working to increase the size of the family budget, Democrats once again chose to grow the government budget—raising taxes on middle-class American families by an average of $2,300 a year and refusing to reform the middle-class tax hike known as the AMT.”

Sen. Judd Gregg: also had harsh words, saying, “[F]or the second year in a row, the Democrats’ budget refuses to address the very serious problem of unfunded entitlement obligations. The fact that this $66 trillion burden of debt is simply being passed along to future generations represents an appalling lack of leadership and fiscal responsibility.”

Most Americans Believe in Sin

Study results from Ellison Research (Phoenix, AZ) show the vast majority of Americans (87%) believe in the concept of sin. “Sin” was defined in the research as “something that is almost always considered wrong, particularly from a religious or moral perspective.” The study asked more than 1,000 adults to decide whether 30 behaviors were sinful. The study was conducted in all 50 states. Respondents’ age, household income, geography, racial or ethnic background, and gender were carefully tracked to ensure appropriate representation and accuracy. People who believe there is such a thing as “sin” were asked whether they would personally define each of thirty different behaviors as sinful.

The behaviors a majority of all Americans describe as sinful are:

Adultery 81%

Racism 74%

Using “hard” drugs such as cocaine, heroine, meth, LSD, etc. 65%

Not saying anything if a cashier gives you too much change back 63%

Having an abortion 56%

Homosexual activity or sex 52%

Not reporting some income on your tax returns 52%

A number of other behaviors are considered sinful by a significant portion of all Americans, although not a majority. These are:

Reading or watching pornography 50%

Gossip 47%

Swearing 46%

Sex before marriage 45%

Homosexual thoughts 44%

Sexual thoughts about someone you are not married to 43%

Doing things as a consumer that harm the environment 41%

Smoking marijuana 41%

Getting drunk 41%

Not taking proper care of your body 35%

Then there are behaviors that fewer than one-third of all Americans see as sinful:

Gambling 30%

Telling a “little white lie” to avoid hurting someone’s feelings 29%

Using tobacco 23%

Not attending church or religious worship services on a regular basis 18%

Playing the lottery 18%

Watching an R-rated movie 18%

Being significantly overweight 17%

Not giving 10% of your income to a church or charity 16%

Drinking any alcohol 14%

Working on Sunday/the Sabbath 14%

Spanking your child when he/she misbehaves 7%

Making a lot of money 4%

Dancing 4%

. . . [Read More]

John McCain Raises $2 Million at the Plaza in NYC

by Matt Lewis: Last night [3/11/08] at the Plaza in NYC, over $2m was raised for John McCain. . . . Senator McCain was introduced by Former NY Senator Al D’Amato. D’Amato was a little long winded but was passionate in his support of McCain. McCain spoke for about 20 minutes. Spoke of the importance of honesty. Referenced telling the folks in Iowa he did not support the Ethanol subsidy (and joked he lost the state); likewise in Michigan where the auto sector jobs are not coming back. McCain then talked about the differences between himself and his yet to be determined opponent. He is a conservative who supports lower taxes, a strong military and understands that Iraq is a key battleground in the war on terror while his opponents want higher taxes and would pull out of Iraq at a crucial time. Spoke of our brave men in uniform and how proud he is of them. . . . As McCain left the stage to shake hands secret service had their work cut out for them. There was a mad rush to the stage to meet the next President. . .

Memo from Rick Davis on the McCain Message: Why John McCain

John McCain Is Now The Republican Nominee For President. After a hard-fought contest, John McCain has secured the 1,191 delegates needed to win the Republican nomination for president.

John McCain Is The Man To Lead Our Party To Victory In November. McCain's broad electoral appeal will expand the states in play in the general election and help GOP candidates across the country.

John McCain Has The Experience, Judgment And Character To Lead America In A Dangerous World

John McCain Has The Experience, Judgment And Character To Lead As Commander In Chief From Day One. In a dangerous world, John McCain is uniquely qualified to lead America. McCain has been involved in every major national security issue over the last two decades.

McCain served for 22 years in the US Navy, including 5 years as a POW and as commander of largest attack squadron in the Navy. During his military career, McCain was awarded a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, the Purple Heart and a Distinguished Flying Cross.

McCain served 20 years in the US Senate, leading American policy on military and national security issues on the Senate Armed Services Committee.

John McCain Is Rallying Our Party Around Conservative Principles On National Security, Fiscal Responsibility, Health Care Reform And Traditional Values.

NATIONAL SECURITY: John McCain will stay on offense to defeat the threat of radical Islamic extremism. The Democrats have demonstrated no resolve to defeat this threat. McCain had the judgment and courage to call for a change in strategy in the war in Iraq -- a strategy that is now succeeding. He has vigorously supported Gen. Petraeus' successful strategy, while the Democratic candidates continue to call for retreat.
TAXES AND SPENDING: John McCain will get our economy back on track by cutting taxes, spurring investment and innovation and ending wasteful spending in Washington. McCain will cut taxes and stop the outrageous wasteful spending in Washington. McCain will make the Bush tax cuts permanent, eliminate the AMT, and cut taxes on American businesses to help our companies remain competitive. McCain will stop the wasteful and pork barrel spending and enforce the conservative vision of smaller government by vetoing any pork-barrel bill that comes across his desk.
HEALTH CARE: John McCain will reform our health care system using free market solutions to reduce the skyrocketing costs that threaten to implode the system. McCain will provide all individuals with a refundable $2,500 tax credit ($5,000 for families) as incentive to buy health insurance.
TRADITIONAL VALUES: John McCain will protect our traditional values. McCain has a consistent 24-year pro-life record, and believes that Roe v. Wade is a flawed decision that should be overturned. McCain believes that the institution of marriage should be protected and defined as a union between one man and one woman. John McCain will nominate strict constructionist judges to the bench.

Republicans Respond to Gov. Bebee's Severance Tax Agreement

RPA Press Release: On Monday, Governor Mike Beebe announced that officials of the oil and gas industries and his office had come to terms with an agreement to raise the tax on natural gas by 5%. In order for this agreement to become law, it must pass both houses of the legislature by three-fourths vote.

Johnny Key (R - Mountain Home), the Arkansas House Minority Leader, issued the following statement today on the proposed settlement between the Arkansas gas companies and Governor Mike Beebe:

“I appreciate the comments of Sen. Bob Johnson concerning the so-called agreement on the severance tax. He makes a compelling case for the detrimental economic effects the Governor’s tax hike will have on the economic growth and job creation stemming from the Fayetteville Shale play. I agree with Sen. Johnson that when presented with the choice of good jobs or tax hikes, we must choose good jobs over taxing an industry just because it is successful.

Another critical issue is the absolute lack of inclusion of the General Assembly in this process. The concept that we should rubber stamp a tax hike without debate or amendments, and do it right now or else, is a slap in the face of our democratic process. I have requested that Governor Beebe delay the call for a special session until his tax hike proposal has been submitted to the Interim Revenue and Taxation Committee and any other committees deemed appropriate by Sen. Critcher and Speaker Petrus. Let these committees have until the end of May to discuss and debate the proposal, and if necessary a special session could be called for early June.”

Republican Party of Arkansas Chairman Dennis Milligan also weighed in on the proposed settlement:

“I commend Minority Leader Key and both the Republican and Democratic members of the Arkansas legislature who are diligently working to keep taxes low and our economy growing. With Arkansas’ unemployment rate at 5.6%, higher than the national average, it is critical that we take steps to ensure that we grow our job base here and protect our economic interests. These jobs won’t come to Arkansas if we drive the gas companies out, which we risk by increasing the severance tax. I see this as an opportunistic tax, and I think as Arkansans, we should not stand for it.”

Gov. Bebee on Arkansas Severance Tax Agreement

Governor Mike Beebe announced today that he is contacting legislators to determine support for an agreed increase of the severance tax on natural gas in Arkansas. The agreement will create an ongoing roads program for Arkansas without increasing natural-gas rates for residential Arkansas customers. Discussions ended yesterday when representatives of the natural-gas industry agreed to Governor Beebe's proposal.

Terms of the agreement include:

A base rate of 5% of gas-sale proceeds received by the producer.

A reduced rate of 1.5% for the first 36 months of production on high-cost wells. Well owners who have not recovered their costs after 36 months may apply to the Department of Finance and Administration for a possible extension of up to 12 months.

A reduced rate of 1.5% for the first 24 months of production on other wells.

A reduced rate of 1.25% for marginal gas wells that do not meet minimum production thresholds.

The agreement would take effect on January 1, 2009.

Ninety-five percent of the severance-tax revenue would be dedicated to Arkansas roads, utilizing the current formula of 70% to state highways, 15% to counties and 15% to cities. The other 5% would go to general revenue. By conservative estimates, the new severance-tax rate would generate about $57 million for the State in the first year, increasing each year and reaching the $100 million mark by the year 2013. Governor Beebe is now discussing the proposal with legislators and gauging their support before deciding whether to call a special session. Beebe has said that he will not call a special session unless enough votes exist to pass the proposal.

Videos of Press Event:


Prior Stories: Keeping Arkansas’ Economy Strong: Why Should We Care?
Landowners Benefit From Royalties But Arkansas Gov't Wants More Taxes From Gas Wells

Pelosi's Motto: "Terrorists & Trial Lawyers Win"

Today, The Washington Times addressed Nancy Pelosi's continued failed leadership and apparent beholding to the special interests of trial lawyers in their editorial: “Pelosi’s FISA Sabotage”:

After a brief period last week when it appeared that the House Democratic leadership might be preparing to end their obstructionism regarding the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), it's business as usual for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Today, the House is expected to consider a FISA bill crafted by senior Democrats that does not give retroactive liability protection to telecommunications companies that helped monitor the electronic communications of terrorists after September 11. Last month, the Senate voted 68-29 in favor of legislation including such protections, with 19 Democrats voted with the majority. In the House, 21 members of the Blue Dog Coalition signed a letter to Mrs. Pelosi urging passage of the bipartisan Senate bill. Mrs. Pelosi responded by sending the House on a vacation without considering the Senate bill.

More recently, however, there were indications that the Democratic leadership might be looking for a way to gracefully capitulate on FISA. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Silvestre Reyes told CNN Feb. 29 that his panel had been talking to telecommunications companies "because if we're going to give them blanket immunity, we want to know and understand what it is we're giving them immunity for. " . . . Reyes said he had an "open mind" about retroactive liability protection.

But the reaction from trial lawyers who stood to profit from lawsuits against telecommunications firms was decidedly negative and the left-wing blogosphere was downright apoplectic. Mr. Reyes appeared to have gone underground, resurfacing Tuesday with a one-paragraph statement, also signed by House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, denouncing the White House as obstructionist. Meanwhile, House Democrats leaked . . . the outlines of a new proposal . . . . Rather than bar lawsuits against companies for doing their patriotic duty by helping the U.S. government prevent terrorist attacks, the Pelosi plan would ensure that they remain vulnerable to new litigation: House Democrats would create a bipartisan congressional commission with subpoena power to issue a report on U.S. terrorist surveillance programs. They would leave the issue of immunity to the federal courts — ensuring that it becomes the subject of protracted litigation that could go on for years.

Tomorrow, the speaker plans to send the House on another vacation — this one for two weeks. Her motto seems to be: It ain't over until the terrorists and trial lawyers win.

As Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) advocates in the following video the House needs to Pass Intelligence Surveillance Bill Now:

Today in Washington D. C. - March 13, 2008

On The Floor: the Senate resumes consideration of the fiscal 2009 budget resolution (S. Con. Res. 70). After a half hour of debate on the budget, the Senate will proceed to this year’s “vote-a-rama” on budget amendments around 11 AM. Currently, at least 20 amendments are pending to the budget resolution. Vote could be close today, because Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) is ill. Sens. John McCain (R-AZ), Barack Obama (D-IL), and Hillary Clinton (D-NY) are expected to be present to vote.

The House is set to vote today on its new FISA proposal, despite the fact that the Senate has already resoundingly rejected the provisions in this bill. It appears that House Democrats plan on passing their inadequate bill and then tp leave town for another two weeks. President Bush criticized the House plan this morning: “Unfortunately, instead of holding a vote on the good bipartisan bill that passed the United States Senate, [House leaders] introduced a partisan bill that would undermine America’s security. This bill is unwise. The House leaders know that the Senate will not pass it. And even if the Senate did pass it, they know I will veto it.”

From Senate & News Sources: The Washington Times attacked what it termed Speaker Nancy “Pelosi’s FISA Sabotage” in an editorial today.

With regard to the proposed US Budget, The AP reports that under the Democrats’ budget, “tax rates would increase by 3 percentage points for each of the 25%, 28% and 33% brackets. At present, the 25% bracket begins at $31,850 for individuals and $63,700 for married couples.” The AP notes, Democrat presidential candidates “Obama, D-Ill., and Clinton, D-N.Y., both promise to reverse Bush’s tax cuts for wealthier taxpayers, but the Democratic budget they'll be voting for would allow income tax rates to go up on individuals making as little as $31,850 and couples earning $63,700 or more.”

Senate Finance Comm. Chair Max Baucus (D-MT) has offered a tax amendment on behalf of Democrats designed to extend certain provisions of the 2001 tax cuts they favor (though many voted against creating at the time). Baucus claims this amendment demonstrates Democrats’ “commitment to American families.” However his proposal fails to extend tax relief for Americans in the 25% income tax bracket which leave out an awful lot of people. In contrast, Senate Republicans plan to offer an amendment that will extend all of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, which gave tax relief to Americans across the board and helped fuel record job growth.

Arkansas Congressional Delegation Remains Unchanged

Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: With the end of the political filings for the US Senate and US Congressman from Arkansas, only the incumbents filed for office. Only Senator Mark Pryor and the four Arkansas US Congressmen were up for re-election this year. Unlike Sen. Blanche Lincoln who has generally pursued a liberal agenda and earned herself the Porker of the Month award last year, Senator Mark Pryor has remained more centered in his positions and has led by example if not by actually occupying a position in the Senate leadership. Sen. Pryor has supported several conservative positions including the Military Commissions Act, for the Protect America Act, for telecom immunity, support for the Troops in Iraq adn opposed every Iraq redeployment measure. Also during his current term of office, he brokered an agreement with senators from both his parties which prevented a melt-down over confirmation of judicial nominations. These actions left him a strong enough position that he was not even challenged by former presidential candidate and governor Mike Huckabee.

As for the four U.S. Congressmen returning to Congress, their positions do merit some consideration. Rep. John Boozman [R, AR-3] has remained attuned to his constituents and remained true to his conservative principles. The results the Arkansas Democrat Party, the majority party in Arkansas, could not field a candidate to challenge Rep. Boozman. Rep. Mike Ross [D, AR-4] voted both conservative on some issues and left of center on others. However, his leadership among Blue Dog Democrats has gained him respect by both Republicans and Democrats in his district.

However, two elected officials should have been challenged. The first is Rep. Victor Snyder [D, AR-2] with his extreme liberal voting record which shows at best his minimum willingness to support the positions of Arkansans verses his fellow liberal constituents. The second is Rep. Robert "Marion" Berry [D, AR-1] whose less than professional appearance and demeanor have even been highlighted by the Arkansas press and Berry's taste for pork for his own personal benefit in the form of farm subsidies. Unfortunately, an anemic Republican Party of Arkansas' (RPA's) lack of both funds and willing candidates resulted in Snyder and Berry running unopposed. However, the RPA was successful in its focus on State level congressional positions and has already gained the re-election and election without opposition of several members of the legislature. In addition, the RPA has fielded several other legislative candidates.

What's Happened to Teaching History?

by Phyllis Schlafly: A survey of British under-age-twenty kids recently reported that more than a fifth of them believe Winston Churchill, Richard the Lionheart and Florence Nightingale were fictional characters, but that Robin Hood, Sherlock Holmes and King Arthur were real people. We hope American students are more knowledgeable, but evidence is not reassuring. They scored an F, or just 54 percent, in a new survey by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute of 14,000 freshmen at 50 U.S. colleges and universities. Students were asked 60 questions to test their knowledge of American history and government. In general, the better a college ranked on the widely publicized U.S. News & World Report list, the lower it ranked on civic learning. Another just-released survey found that a significant proportion of U.S. teenagers live in "stunning ignorance" of history and literature. That survey was conducted by a new research organization called Common Core. An earlier survey of college seniors at 50 top colleges conducted by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni found that more than half didn't know that George Washington was the commanding general of the Continental Army during the American Revolution who accepted Cornwallis's surrender at Yorktown. Some 36 percent thought it was Ulysses S. Grant, and 6 percent said it was Douglas MacArthur. . . . [Read More]

War Protesters Interrupt Arkansas Sen. Lincoln

As reported by the press today:
The Hill: Anti-war protesters shut down Senate proceedings momentarily Wednesday afternoon by chanting slogans that disrupted a debate over the budget resolution.
Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) was speaking on the Senate floor at 2:20 p.m. when the group began chanting, “We are from the National Campaign for Non-Violent Resistance” over and over. . . . Anti-war protesters shut down Senate proceedings momentarily Wednesday afternoon by chanting slogans that disrupted a debate over the budget resolution. Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) was speaking on the Senate floor at 2:20 p.m. when the group began chanting, “We are from the National Campaign for Non-Violent Resistance” over and over. . . . The protest halted Senate proceedings for about 10 minutes. When calm was restored, senators resumed the budget debate.
The Washington Times: Debate on the Senate floor was briefly halted this afternoon when about 10 Iraq war protesters stood up in the visitor's gallery and shouted anti-war slogans.
Several of the protesters, who were with a group called the National Campaign for Nonviolent Resistance, donned gauze shrouds and displayed T-shirts that read "we will not be silent" before police quickly escorted them out of the gallery. All were arrested without further incident.

Today in Washington D. C. - March 12, 2008

On The Floor: Senate reconvened at 9:30 AM today and resumed consideration of the fiscal 2009 budget resolution (S. Con. Res. 70). Today, Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) introduced an amendment to the budget to eliminate the alternative minimum tax (AMT). Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-ND) introduced a competing amendment to eliminate the AMT while raising other taxes to “pay for” it. The budget is scheduled for 50 hours of floor debate, as is required. The annual “vote-a-rama” on a series of amendments to the budget is likely to occur Thursday night.

Yesterday, the House rejected a Republican attempt to offer a resolution calling for the immediate consideration of the Senate-passed FISA bill. In subsequent vote, the House failed to override President Bush’s veto of the fiscal 2008 intelligence authorization bill, which would have limited the interrogation techniques the CIA and other intelligence agencies could use. Finally, House Democrats broke their own rule about holding votes open in the process of passing a bill creating an ethics office independent from the House ethics committee.

From Senate & News Sources: House Democrats have finally decided to take some action on FISA, but unfortunately, they decided to unveil another bill that again leaves out immunity for telecom companies. Roll Call writes today, “The House’s refusal to bow to Senate and White House demands to include immunity for telecommunications companies that provided information to the federal government in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks has been one of the main obstacles in reaching agreement, and Democratic leaders continued to block such provisions in the new bill.” House Republican Leader John Boehner said of the bill, “This latest FISA proposal from House Democratic leaders is dead on arrival.”

White House Press Secretary Dana Perino excoriated the Democrats’ bill saying, “It is clear that House Democratic leaders have once again bowed to the demands of class-action trial lawyers, MoveOn.org, and Code Pink and put their ideological interests ahead of the national interest. . . . House Democratic leaders know that this proposal is unacceptable to the Intelligence Community, the U.S. Senate, and the Administration. It is time for House Democratic leaders to get serious about our national security, put aside these partisan games, and bring the bipartisan Senate bill to a vote immediately.” Even Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s spokesman acknowledged to The Washington Post that the new House bill is “unlikely to achieve 60 votes in the Senate.”

The Senate, meanwhile, continues work on the budget today. Leader McConnell again warned about the budget’s assumption of a $1.2 trillion tax increase, noting, “Under the Democrat plan for taxing the ‘rich,’ 43 million families would be hit with an average tax increase of $2,300 next year.” $2,300 isn’t an insignificant amount of money for most families. It could buy eight months worth of groceries, home heating oil and electricity for nearly a year, gasoline for two cars for over a year (even at today’s prices), or health care expenses for almost a year. Clearly Democrats’ focus on expanding the federal budget does not bode well for the family budget.

Save the "Save Act"

by Carmen Mercer, Minuteman Civil Defense Corps: House Republicans are circulating a discharge petition this week in order to expedite passage of the SAVE ACT (H.R. 4088). They need 218 signatures in order to force the bill to a floor vote, while House Speaker Nancy Pelosi drags her feet, and whines that Congress needs "some balance in what [they] do"— Pelosi speak for Amensty.

The Save Act will greatly reduce the number of corporations who knowingly provide jobs to illegal aliens, and as a result, who provide illegal aliens with an unfair advantage over American citizens and legal foreign workers. Citizens should not have to keep working harder only to reap diminished results and fewer benefits—while our feckless government and greedy corporations reward the criminal behavior of illegal aliens successfully cheating the system subsidized by hard-working U.S. taxpayers!

Speaker Pelosi and her cronies want to pass their new 5 year Amnesty plan and invalidate the critical provisions of the Save Act before it can reach a floor vote this week. It is vitally important that all 435 Congressmen hear from their constituents, especially since Pelosi's henchmen are attempting to strong-arm Democrats that support the Save Act, in order to prevent its vote from occurring this week.

To save the U.S. economy, we must change the equilibrium by permitting only those workers legally authorized to hold jobs, and to compete for employment. Let’s tell these politicians that they are sworn to uphold the rights and duties of American citizenship—not undermine and debase them by allowing millions of illegal aliens to enter our country, destroy our sovereignty and steal our jobs! Contact your representatives! Demand the immediate passage of the Save Act and an end to Washington rewarding the criminal behavior of illegal aliens. See also: GOP aims to force immigration debate

Hillary Wants to be the First President to March in Gay Pride Parade

Bill Smith, Editor: The Democrats are getting desperate. Recently, Barack Obama issued an open letter to the homosexual community vowing his support for the homosexual agenda, including the full repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act. However, in an interview with the Washington Blade, a homosexual newspaper, Hillary Clinton had already beaten him to the punch by stating that if elected, she would be the first U.S. president to march in a "gay rights" parade:

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) reiterated her “strong” support for a range of gay rights initiatives in an exclusive interview with the Washington Blade on Sunday. She called for extending federal recognition to same-sex couples, repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and rejected claims that she doesn’t speak forcefully enough on gay issues . . . “I talk about gay issues frequently,” she said. “I’ve been a longtime friend of the gay community . . .

Clinton and Obama have both said they oppose same-sex marriage. The substantive distinction between their positions is that Obama has called for a full repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, while Clinton supports repealing only the section that prohibits the federal government from recognizing same-sex couples. She again defended that position as a necessary means of thwarting efforts at passing a federal constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. . . . She repeated her call for a repeal of Section 3 of DOMA, because it prohibits the federal government from recognizing decisions made by the states in terms of enacting civil unions, domestic partnerships or, in the case of Massachusetts, full marriage rights.

“I think extending federal benefits is a very important step forward,” she said. “I don’t see why a same-sex couple in California, which has a domestic partnership law, should be able to take advantage of the Family Medical Leave Act if one of them is ill, while a couple in another state without such a law cannot. I would like to see federal benefits extended to same-sex couples that meet certain standards of commitment regardless of the state in which they reside. Too many couples cannot share life decisions, or jointly own property or take care of one another within a recognized legal framework. I want to change that.”

. . . She also said she would become the first U.S. president to march in a Gay Pride parade and that she had not heard about former Vice President Al Gore’s recent video endorsement of same-sex marriage.

To quote Gary Bauyer, "If elected, maybe she can also march next to the North American Man Boy Love Association's float!" See also: Washington Blade endorses Hillary for President: "As gay Rep. Barney Frank told the Blade last summer, 'all the Democrats are very good and all the Republicans are very terrible.' . . . She has marched in our Pride parades, promised unprecedented access to her administration and backed nearly all of our issues. Clinton has earned the support of gay voters in 2008."

PigFoot barred from presenting Murtha with 2007 Porker of the Year Award

Thomas A. Schatz, President, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW): Check out what happens when CAGW's mascot, PigFoot, tries to present Rep. John “Jack” Murtha (D-PA) with his 2007 Porker of the Year Award? After earning a whopping 63.4% of the vote in the CAGW online poll, Rep. Murtha, who serves as chairman of the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee, received CAGW’s 2007 Porker of the Year title for inserting special-interest earmarks whenever and wherever he can to serve himself and his district. In fiscal year 2008, Rep. Murtha brought home 72 pork-barrel projects costing more than $149 million, many benefiting the defense contractors in attendance at last month’s fundraiser.

P.S. If you have not already done so, please tell your Senators to support the DeMint-McCain Amendment to the Fiscal 2009 Budget Resolution, which would place a year-long moratorium on earmarks that benefit “Porkers” like Rep. Murtha. A vote on this key earmark reform measure is expected this week!

Will Media Give Spitzer the Foley Treatment?

by Brian Fitzpatrick, Senior Editor, Culture and Media Institute: The coverage of New York Governor Eliot Spitzer’s prostitution scandal will teach us a great deal about how the media view sexual morality, especially as it applies to politics and law. Are maintaining high moral standards and respecting the rule of law more important than partisan interest? Or do the ink-stained wretches consider sexual scandals to be nothing more than clubs for bashing political enemies, such as former Rep. Mark Foley and Sen. Larry Craig? The Spitzer mess provides the media an opportunity to raise a bar that has been dropped much lower than is good for the nation. Here are some questions the media ought to be asking:
1. “Governor Spitzer, why haven’t you resigned yet?” . . .
2. “Senator Obama, do you think Governor Spitzer’s involvement with prostitutes is morally wrong?”
3. “Senator Clinton, do you reject Governor Spitzer’s political support now that a federal wiretap has allegedly caught him breaking the law, and do you favor removing him as a super delegate to the Democratic convention?” . . .

The longer this scandal persists, the more questions we will suggest. If the Democrats decide to circle the wagons around Spitzer, the media should hold their feet to the fire for week after week, as they did to Republicans following the revelations about Mark Foley and Larry Craig. . . . [Read More]
See also: Stand By Your Womanizer; NY Gov. Spitzer Linked to Prostitution Ring;
Sources: Spitzer Resignation Expected & Spitzer Into The Wind

Today in Washington D. C. - March 11, 2008

On The Floor: The Senate reconvened at 10 AM today and began an hour of morning business. Following the completion of morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of the fiscal 2009 budget resolution (S. Con. Res. 70). Two tax amendments could be offered to the budget today. Senate Finance Committee Chair Max Baucus (D-MT) may offer an amendment to extend some tax cuts Democrats like, such as the child tax credit, the 10% tax bracket, and the elimination of the marriage penalty. (Of course, most Democrats voted against creating these in 2001.) Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC) may offer an amendment to make the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts permanent. The budget is scheduled for 50 hours of floor debate, as is required. The annual “vote-a-rama” on a series of amendments to the budget could come Thursday night.

From Senate & News Sources: As debate on the budget gets under way in earnest, Senate Republicans are sounding the alarm on Democrats’ plans for higher taxes. Democrats repeatedly promised not to raise taxes on Americans, but their latest budget assumes a $1.2 trillion tax increase, which would be the largest in U.S. history. What would such a tax increase mean for Americans? 116 million Americans would see a tax increase, and each year 43 million families would pay $2,300 more in taxes, 18 million seniors would pay $2,200 more, and 27 million small businesses would pay $4,100 more.

In addition, the budget calls for a $211 billion increase in spending, which Democrats purport to pay for with gimmicks such as closing the tax gap which is "hardly enough to rely upon for offsetting the billions of dollars in new spending Democrats are proposing.”

On the other side of the Capitol, The New York Times and CQ Today report that House Democrats are preparing to offer a new version of the FISA modernization bill. Unfortunately, this proposal again leaves out the essential immunity from lawsuits that telecom companies face for cooperating on terrorist surveillance. Since the president is unlikely to sign such a bill, the result could be the House leaving for yet another recess without fixing our degraded capability to gather intelligence. It was irresponsible for the House to allow the Protect America Act expire and then leave town back in February, and it would be just as irresponsible to leave town with things as they are a month later. The House should pass the Senate’s FISA bill before Congress leaves on Friday.

Natural Forces, Not Man, Causing Global Warming, Scientist Says

by Kevin Mooney, CNSNews Writer: Natural forces, not human activity, are primarily responsible for any global warming taking place, prominent atmospheric and space physicist Fred Singer declared Monday at the Heartland Institute's 2008 International Conference on Climate Change in New York City.What's more, the preponderance of scientific evidence about natural forces causing global warming is so great that the issue is settled, Singer said. "The science is settled in the sense that we have evidence that most of the climate change taking place today is caused by natural forces and not by human activity," Singer said during his luncheon address at the conservative Heartland Institute . . . [Read More] See also: Researcher: Basic greenhouse equations "totally wrong"

Reconquista - Mexico's War on America (Part 2)

2008 Blogs4Borders! 03/10/08 In this weeks edition . . . Reconquista Part 2: Second in a three part series. A look at how ethnocentric American non profits are part of Mexico’s lobbying machine. And a video reminder of reconquista statements uttered over the years for the nonbelievers. And 100% Preventable! Americans continue to suffer and die due to open borders. When will the madness end?

Obama & The Chicago Way

Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: In Arkansas, we know about the Little Rock Clinton machine. Fortunately with their departure for D.C., much of the machine went with them and never returned and other parts of the machine wound up in jail. It is interesting that, Hillary choose not to return to her home state of Illinois to pursue her political ambitions after graduate school or after her time living in the White House. She found it easier to marry an unknown guy from Hope, Arkansas and later to establish redundancy in New York to run for the US Senate than it was to return to Illinois to work with the Chicago political machine.

With the current struggle between Hillary and Barack, it seem reasonable and critical for us to look at Obama rapid rise in Illinois politics. We have heard about his Muslim childhood, his wild youth and college years, his adoption of the Christan faith and his membership in a church biased solely toward those of African ancestry. But where did first term Senator come from politically to take on the First Lady of the Democrat party? Rick Moran at Right Wing Nuthouse reflects that "Many of us familiar with Chicago politics have been wondering for months at the apparent disconnect of the media regarding Obama’s relationship to the Chicago political machine. Where did they think this guy came from?" Moran then lays out for us a clearer picture. I join is supporting the recommendation of Al Czervic, editor of The Catskill Commentator who advises his readers:

You simply MUST read the exhaustive piece by Rick Moran over at rightwingnuthouse.com concerning how things are done in ChiTown and how the ‘outfit’ controls every aspect of life, in particular how Hussein Obama flimflammed his way into the Senate. For a complete history of Chicago corruption and the Dem Machine read here. Another must-read-for-your-education link. If there’s only one thing you read about the elections this month, this is the one: Excerpt from OBAMA, REZKO AND MEDIA IGNORANCE –THE CHICAGO WAY: Besides, examining Obama’s first state senate race should have been a tip off to the national press that this fellow can play the game of politics “The Chicago Way” as well as any corrupt Daleycrat:

The day after New Year’s 1996, operatives for Barack Obama filed into a barren hearing room of the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners. There they began the tedious process of challenging hundreds of signatures on the nominating petitions of state Sen. Alice Palmer, the longtime progressive activist from the city’s South Side. And they kept challenging petitions until every one of Obama’s four Democratic primary rivals was forced off the ballot.

Fresh from his work as a civil rights lawyer and head of a voter registration project that expanded access to the ballot box, Obama launched his first campaign for the Illinois Senate saying he wanted to empower disenfranchised citizens. But in that initial bid for political office, Obama quickly mastered the bare-knuckle arts of Chicago electoral politics. His overwhelming legal onslaught signaled his impatience to gain office, even if that meant elbowing aside an elder stateswoman like Palmer.

A close examination of Obama’s first campaign clouds the image he has cultivated throughout his political career: The man now running for president on a message of giving a voice to the voiceless first entered public office not by leveling the playing field, but by clearing it. . . . [Read More]

See also: Glorifying Obama is one of the greatest journalistic failures in American history

La Raza Seeks to Censor the Media

by Roy Beck, NumbersUSA: "If you can't beat them, shut them up" seems to be the new motto of groups that have been continually losing in their attempts to pass an amnesty for illegal aliens. US Today reported:

National Council of La Raza President Janet Murguia announced plans to pressure television network executives and candidates seeking their parties' presidential nominations to clamp down on such remarks. . . . "Hate groups and extremists have taken over the immigration debate in an unprecedented wave of hate," Murguia said. Although some comments could be considered free speech, "there is a line that sometimes can be crossed when it comes to free speech," she said. Murguia named as offenders Pat Buchanan, who appears on MSNBC as a commentator, CNN's Lou Dobbs and Glenn Beck of Headline News, a CNN network. . . . Murguia accused the television networks of cloaking members of hate groups as anti-immigrant experts on their programs. Among those she singled out was Jim Gilchrist, a co-founder of the Minuteman Project. In response, Gilchrist called the National Council of La Raza a racial supremacist group . . . "My son-in-law is Mexican and two of my three grandchildren are half Mexican. The Minuteman Project is comprised of every race color and creed. ... She has a right to her opinion, but she's wrong."

Led by the National Council of La Raza and the Anti-Defamation League, the open-borders groups have started a concerted campaign to persuade Cable TV executives to either bar me and our Director of Government Relations Rosemary Jenks from their shows, or to always introduce us as representing an "extremist" organization with ties to hate and racist groups. Their characterization of NumbersUSA and our members is without any connection to reality, facts or even common decency. But if all of us remain silent in the face of this campaign of character assassination, we might indeed be silenced on TV and beyond. . . . So broad is the attempt at censorship that the open-borders groups suggest that virtually no spokesman or group fighting illegal immigration or asking for less overall immigration should be allowed on TV. And they want Lou Dobbs off CNN, and Pat Buchanan off MSNBC, and Sean Hannity off Fox.

La Raza suggests that no pro-enforcement group has a legitimate right to free speech. The total censorship advocacy of La Raza and its friends can be seen in the fact that their website lists NumbersUSA as "the most reasoned" of all groups on the restriction side of the immigration issue ... but then it says even NumbersUSA should not be allowed on TV, or quoted by the Washington Post. In other words, no group that stands for enforcing immigration laws should be allowed on TV, because all of them are less reasonable than NumbersUSA, which La Raza describes as being an "extremist group targeting Latinos." These comments from La Raza are so desperate and disconnected from reality . . . . NumbersUSA has always cautioned against anti-immigrant expressions.. . .

I can tell you that the majority of text on the La Raza website . . . is simply not factual. The website is called "We Can Stop The Hate dot org." But it might as well be called "We Can Stop The Debate." According to the ADL's Stacy Burnett on the website, anybody who uses words like conquest, invasion, swarms, hordes, crime and disease in connection with illegal immigration -- or who even suggests that immigration is an economic threat to a community -- is guilty of hate speech. La Raza says such talk is "used to justify extreme action, sometimes even genocide, since the people using those labels claim that the 'larger public interest' is at risk." The website also says that more than 40 million Americans are members of hate, racist and extremist groups that apparently are fanning the passions of genocide toward immigrants. Wow! And I thought we were just trying to reduce the numerical level of immigration and to enforce immigration laws that have been on the books for decades.

Don't you find that 40 million figure a little hard to believe? What groups can they possibly be counting? This stuff sounds so nuts that you can see why I dismissed it at first, but the website is rallying its own supporters to a relentless campaign to pressure TV executives to erase nearly all opposition to amnesties from TV. . . . send an email to CNN, Fox and MSNBC executives to urge them to continue to keep their shows open to all sides of the immigration debate. Unlike the open-borders, pro-amnesty groups, our side of the debate does not want to silence our opponents. We believe in freedom of the press, freedom of speech and in allowing American citizens to hear all points of view . . . [Read More]

Today in Washington D. C. - March 10, 2008

On The Floor: The Senate will reconvene at 2 PM today. The Senate will then begin consideration of the fiscal 2009 budget resolution (S. Con. Res. 70). The budget is scheduled for 50 hours of floor debate, as is required. The annual “vote-a-rama” on a series of amendments to the budget could come Thursday night.

Following the Democrats budget would result in growing the federal budget at the expense of the family budget. Because the Democrats assume that all of President Bush’s tax cuts will expire in 2010 and 2011, 43 million families could expect to pay $2,300 more per year in taxes. This would amount to the largest tax increase in American history. Much like last year, Democrats have proposed a budget that would, according to Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH), raise taxes by $1.2 trillion, increase spending by $210 billion, grow the debt by $2 trillion, ignores the looming entitlement problems, and is stuffed with frauds and gimmicks.

From Senate & News Sources: While Democrats are focusing on their usual tax and spend agenda, national security continues to fall by the wayside in the absence of House action on the FISA bill. Matthew Continetti writes in The Weekly Standard, “It’s been three weeks since Democrats in Congress allowed the Protect America Act of 2007 to expire. Three weeks in which House Democrats have allowed marginal special interest groups veto power over national security legislation. And no one in the House Democratic leadership seems particularly bothered by it.” Continentti notes, “A vote may be put off until after next week's congressional spring break.” Last Friday, Sen. Mitch McConnell warned House Democrats: “The patience of the American People is wearing thin. It is long passed time for the Democrat Leadership in the House to do its part. They face a simple choice: either take up the Senate-passed bipartisan bill that is guaranteed to pass their chamber and be signed into law, or go on another vacation, leaving intelligence agents without the tools they need and America more vulnerable to terrorist attack.”

Phyllis Schlafly Condemns International Women's Day

International Women's Day (IWD) is a "global day connecting all women around the world and inspiring them to achieve their full potential." Back in 1911, the very first IWD was celebrated in order to campaign for such noble ideals as women's right to work, to vote, and to hold public office. However, Phyllis Schlafly, author of Feminist Fantasies, identifies that today, IWD serves to advance radical feminism in the form of promoting pro-abortion and pro-gay rights legislation, ratification of ERA, affirmative action for women, Title IX, government babysitting services, and government wage control, commonly camouflaged as "pay equity" or "comparable worth." The supporting organizations are not women's groups, but feminist groups, including Feminist Peace Network, Aurora Women's Network, UNESCO, and the United Nations Development Fund for Women, also known as UNIFEM. Even media groups, such as CNN, the BBC, and Aljazeera TV have signed on as sponsors.

Today, there were over 450 rallies and "events" in 44 different countries. Following are comments by Eagle Forum Founder Phyllis Schlafly concerning IWD:

The United States Government has no business supporting IWD. The radical feminists know that they can't complain about American women because we are the most fortunate class of people who ever lived, so they search the globe for oppression in other countries using taxpayer dollars.

The U.S. is joined by a crowd of sponsoring feminist groups who hide behind the guise of being the 'voice of women,' but instead promote such policies and ideals decried by the vast majority of American women, such as taxpayer-funded abortions. These supporting organizations are the very ones who lobby for ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, or CEDAW, which is basically a UN-imposed version of the Equal Rights Amendment. The U.S. Senate has yet to ratify this disastrous treaty ever since Jimmy Carter signed it in 1980, and rightly so.

Today's feminists and CEDAW advocates view 'progress' as government-run day care, greater access to abortion, the elimination of 'Mother's Day' because it promotes an 'negative cultural stereotype,' decriminalization of prostitution in China, and government-mandated workplace benefits that men do not enjoy, just to name a few. Their goal is not equality, but preferential treatment. The radical feminists want to remake our laws in order to eradicate everything that is masculine from our culture and create a gender-neutral society. The United States should seriously reconsider lending its stamp of approval to future IWDs." The United States Government has no business supporting IWD.

Judge Won’t Allow Foster Child to Join Marines

by Warner Todd Huston, Publius' Forum: Children’s Court Commissioner Marilyn Mackel of Simi Valley, California is against our actions in Iraq. With that said, this activist judge felt she had the right to prevent a foster child under her jurisdiction from joining the Marines. This refusal is an obscene abuse of power based solely on her hatred for the U.S. military. And she’s done this before.

The L.A. Daily News gives us the outrageous story of young Shawn Sage, a foster child, who appeared before judge Mackel to ask for permission to sign with the Marines for an early enlistment. Sage is 17 and would have been eligible for a $10,000 signing bonus upon signing. The young man has long dreamed of joining the Marines and is shocked that this judge denied him permission to join.

“The judge said she didn’t support the Iraq war for any reason why we’re over there,” said Marine recruiter Sgt. Guillermo Medrano of the Simi Valley USMC recruiting office.

“She just said all recruiters were the same - that they `all tap dance and tell me what I want to hear.’ She said she didn’t want him to fight in it.”

According to the L.A. Daily News, Makel also denied another young foster child who wanted to join the Navy because she feels that all military recruiters are liars and just want “another warm body.” . . . [Read More]

Barack Obama Flies LGBT Flag in Open Letter

H/T to Debbie Pelley, Arkansas Watch: On Barack Obama's campaign website blog section, Alex Okrent shares an open letter just released by Senator Obama concerning promoting LGBT equality in America. Evidently his letter is designed to pull homosexual votes away from Senator Clinton by being more liberal than she is. One sentence in the letter reads, "Unlike Senator Clinton, I support the complete repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) – a position I have held since before arriving in the U.S. Senate."

Below are some of the promises Obama makes in his letter to homosexuals.

Full repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

Pledges to place the weight of his presidency behind hate crime laws.

A fully inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act to outlaw workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Use president's bully pulpit to treat homosexuals with full equality in adoption laws.

Allow homosexual marriage, domestic partnerships, and/or civil unions

Repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell military policy for homosexuals.

Address the HIV/AIDS epidemic. (see Note 1)

Promote Sex education programs on condoms.

Lift the federal ban on needle exchange.

Confront the stigma – too often tied to homophobia that continues to surround HIV/AIDS.

Promote distribution of condoms by local government.

Give same-sex couples the same rights and obligations as married couples in our immigration system (Would allow unmarried "permanent partners" of U.S. citizens to obtain permanent resident status in the same manner as spouses.)

. . . [Read Open Letter]
Note 1: Obama told the most recent Saddleback AIDS conference, in November, he would double foreign assistance for AIDS from $25 billion to $50 billion by 2012 [Source]
See also: World Net Daily Article on this letter by Obama to LGBT

Huckabee no interest in challenging Pryor

Former Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-AR) reiterated Friday that he will not run against Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR). The filing period began March 3, the day before Huckabee withdrew from the presidential race, and ends Monday. In an interview with The Hill, Huckabee said he is still “decompressing” from his presidential campaign, and reaffirmed past statements that indicated he had no interest in challenging Pryor or serving in the Senate. . . . [Read More]

Trial and Error - Homeschool Under Attack

Tony Perkins, Family Research Council: What started out as a simple child welfare case in California has resulted in the most sweeping rejection of homeschooling in state history. By a 3-0 decision, a panel of appellate court judges sent families reeling with the verdict that parents don't have a constitutional right to homeschool their children without obtaining state teaching credentials. The ruling, which completely blindsided social conservatives, turned an isolated family incident into a broad indictment of the entire homeschooling community. The court was asked to consider whether homeschooling was facilitating the opportunity for a set of parents to physically and emotionally mistreat their children. Based on that one specific incident, the panel used the opportunity not just to resolve the situation at hand but to potentially ban homeschooling across the state. According to the opinion, the court based its judgment on a California statute which says that children ages six to 18 must attend a full-time day school (public or private) or "be instructed by a tutor holding state credentials for the child's grade level." Since the ruling was released, Justice H. Walter Croskey has become the focus of national outrage for suggesting that parents who fail to comply with California's statute should be criminally prosecuted.

Although the ruling will likely be overturned, its implications alarm me as a homeschooling parent. This court is threatening to usurp a fundamental right of parents based on an interpretation of a 40-year-old statute that has never been construed as a threat to homeschooling. The panel is also creating a foothold for other courts and politicians to discredit school choice. This case could become a rallying cry to crack down on homeschooling everywhere. We could start to see these challenges to school choice erupt in courts across the 19 states that don't have homeschooling laws on the books. Whether they do so because of their religious and moral beliefs or because of the dismal performance of local schools, parents should be the ultimate authority on what learning environment is best for their children. As long as safeguards are in place to ensure that students are keeping pace with the national standards and test scores, homeschooling should continue to be a viable option for all parents. The Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) began working to achieve just that by launching an aggressive petition drive yesterday to overturn the ruling. Under California law, if enough residents believe the opinion was wrongly decided, they can urge the state Supreme Court to "depublish" the opinion. Go to HSLDA.ORG to join the fight! Additional Resources Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA)

Economic Stimulus Rebate Rules

Public Servcie Announcement: Approximately 20 million citizens who relied exclusively on non-taxable income (Social Security, SSI, VA disability or survivor compensation,) of at least $ 3,000 in 2007 are eligible for an economic stimulus rebate. However, qualifying persons must file a 2007 tax return (IRS Form 1040A) to receive the payment. The return must be filed no later than October 15, 2008. Those with only non-taxable income of at least $3,000 will receive $300 ($600 for couples).

As early as May, the IRS will be sending the stimulus payments to some 130 million households. People with taxable wages, investment income, or retirement income in 2007 will receive rebates of up to $600 for individuals ($1,200 for couples). Full payments will go only to single people with less than $75,000 in adjusted gross income ($150,000 for couples). Rebates will be gradually reduced for those with higher incomes, and people making over $87,000 ($174,000 for couples) won't get any rebate. Anyone qualifying for a rebate will receive an additional $300 for each dependent child under age 17 residing in the household 31 December 31, 2007. Additional IRS guidance

Count Every Vote, Sometimes

by Bob Parks, Outside the Wire: I must admit to almost laughing every time I hear Democrats repeat the slogan, “Count every vote.” It should be a given, but now that they’ve thrown the proverbial monkey wrench into their own machinery, it’s kind of amusing to watch.

Remember back in 2000? The Democrats accused Republicans of stealing the presidential elections for not wanting repeated recounts using ballots that were deteriorating by the touch. Let’s not forget, those same Democrats so poorly designed those “butterfly” ballots, that voters ended up becoming “confused” and cast for the wrong candidates. What was humorous was the fact that the same ballot was presented to elementary schoolers as an experiment, and they had no trouble at all voting for whom they wanted.

Allegations flew, numerous investigations were made, and the stolen election conspiracy was deemed false, although the accusation is still repeated to this day. Also curious is how few people mention that voting problems almost always seem to happen in Democrat districts, under Democrat handling. How a Republican could just walk in and successfully perform some kind of mischief is beyond me.

But the slogan remains, “Count every vote.” Last year in an effort to achieve some electoral relevance, Michigan and Florida decided to change the dates of their primaries, against the protestations of Howard Dean and the party brains. As punishment, those two states were stripped of their delegates, and the candidates declined to campaign there. Well almost all the candidates . . . [Read More]

Voting for Hillary – So Easy a Cavewoman Could Do It - Again

by Renee E. Taylor: Are American voting women as stupid and shallow as the mainstream media will have them portrayed – clamoring to vote for Hillary Clinton simply because “she’s a woman”? Why don’t her frightening policies, which many describe as Socialist, and her apparently insatiable ambition for the office (enough to raise suspicions of character issues, especially when she was moved to the only emotion we’ve ever seen from her when she believed she would lose New Hampshire) affect the votes of these women?

We are told the typical Hillary supporter is a well educated, “liberated” woman, even though we saw that Hillary won in NH because of heavy support from older and underclass women. The Hillary voter is portrayed as “compassionate” and enlightened, yet if such enlightenment leads to a vote for someone merely because of her gender, well, I’d hate to see how unenlightened citizens would vote. . . . [Read More]

The Emperor Has No Clothes

by Michael Reagan, GOPUSA: It's inevitable that a lot of people are taking credit for the outcome of the Texas and Ohio primaries. In reality, the outcome was more or less the result of "Saturday Night Live." Think about it. They were the ones who sicced the media on Barack Obama by spoofing them for treating him with soft kid gloves.

The skit was so effective that Mrs. Clinton was able to use it during the debate the following week, where she suggested that perhaps Obama needed a pillow. The effect of Hillary's sarcasm and the earlier SNL skit was to spur the media to take a closer look at Obama, whom they had all but elevated to sainthood over the past year. So they began to look below the surface. Lo and behold, out popped Tony Rezco and what has become known as "Naftagate," . . .

Once the media stopped worshiping at the Obama altar and was forced to take a close look at him, however, he lost his immunity and was shown to be a mere human like the rest of us. hatever new disclosures about Obama emerge in the coming months -- and you can be sure there will be some because the Clinton attack machine never runs on idle -- he can be expected to react as he did last week: angry and resentful that his treatment at the media's hands was a case of lèse-majesté.

As last week proved, he was not garbed in regal splendor but instead was stark naked. The would-be emperor had no clothes. . . . [Read Full Article] Mike Reagan, the elder son of the late President Ronald Reagan, is heard on more than 200 talk radio stations nationally as part of the Radio America Network.

Today in Washington D. C. - March 7, 2008

On The Floor: The Senate reconvened at 10 AM today and began a period of morning business. No votes are scheduled for today or Monday. Yesterday, the Senate passed its version of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CSPC) overhaul bill (H.R. 4040). Yesterday, the Senate Budget Committee passed the Democrats’ fiscal 2009 budget on a 12-10 party line vote. The Senate will likely spend all of next week on the budget, with debate on the bill set to begin on Tuesday. The annual “vote-a-rama” on a series of amendments to the budget could come Thursday night.

From Senate & News Sources: As we near three weeks of working with diminished intelligence capacity, Politico reports today that House Democrats are preparing to modify the Senate-passed FISA bill and send it back to the Senate some time next week. The Politico story also suggests that Democrats could try to change provisions concerning liability protections for telecom companies.

While the House continues to stall on passing a FISA modernization bill that addresses problems the Director of National Intelligence first identified almost a year ago, Air Force General Gene Renuart, commander of U.S. Northern Command, warned (according to AP) that “Al-Qaida terrorists may be plotting more urgently to attack the United States to maintain their credibility and ability to recruit followers.” Sen. McConnell warned this morning that the continued failure of the House to act on a FISA bill that will be signed by the president is “dangerous” and “quite irresponsible.”

A majority of the House supports the bill and the president has indicated he would sign it. In an editorial today, the San Antonio Express News writes, “A FISA fix stripped of immunity is an effort by some Democrats to appease strident liberal groups that want to punish telecom companies for acting in the national interest.” The Express News goes on to call such attempts “a mistake.” On the Senate floor this morning, Sen. Mitch McConnell said, “The Senate’s solid, bipartisan action followed months of hard work between the two parties on a bill that met three basic criteria: it allowed intelligence professionals to gather information from terrorists overseas; it protected companies that stepped forward in a time of urgent national need to cooperate in the hunt for terrorists; and it was guaranteed to be signed by the President. If the House Democrat Leadership acts responsibly, it will follow the same three criteria by sending a good bill to the White House before the end of next week. The most efficient path to success is to take up the Senate-passed bill, which a majority of House members support.”

Meanwhile, CongressDaily reports the Senate Budget Committee passed the Democrats’ fiscal 2009 budget proposal on a party line vote last night after rejecting a number of Republican amendments. In an editorial today, The Wall Street Journal criticizes the Budget Committee Chairman, Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND), for the shell game of Paygo in the budget and points out “the real purpose of paygo -- to make spending easier but tax-cutting harder. . . . the Bush tax cuts, which are scheduled to expire at the end of 2010, are not part of the revenue baseline, so extending the capital gains and dividend tax cuts requires budget cuts or tax increases of $215 billion. Paygo thus virtually guarantees a gigantic tax increase in 2011.” Further, “Mr. Conrad’s budget adds $18 billion of new domestic spending while it rejects every penny of the $91 billion in Medicare savings over five years that President Bush proposed earlier this year."

Networks Lavish Coverage on Dem Race; Ignore GOP

By Scott Whitlock, News Busters: Despite the fact that John McCain officially clinched the GOP nomination on Tuesday, the three network morning shows on Wednesday devoted almost a full hour of air time to covering the Democratic presidential race and barely nine minutes for the Republicans.

Additionally, the Arizona Senator did not appear on NBC's Today show, ABC's Good Morning America or the CBS Early Show. Democratic Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, however, showed up on all three programs. The network morning shows featured the Democratic presidential candidates for a grand total of 59 minutes and 12 seconds. McCain and his remaining rival, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, received a mere nine minutes and ten seconds of coverage.

In addition to lack of coverage, all three programs featured early stories on Clinton and Obama first and buried McCain coverage at the end of the 7am hour or later. Good Morning America didn't get to McCain until 7:30. The Early Show waited until the 8am hour to focus on the Senator. On Good Morning America, while not interviewing McCain, co-host Diane Sawyer found time to pose particularly frivolous questions to Obama. She twice asked whether the Senator would like to go back on Saturday Night Live and closed the segment by gushing: "On a personal note, because it is always a family campaign as well, what did Mrs. Obama say to you last night?"

All three morning shows had similar ratios of coverage, but Today was the most lopsided in favor of the Democrats. A breakdown of the totals follows: Good Morning America featured the Democrats for 16 minutes and 45 seconds and the Republicans for three minutes and one second. The Early Show offered 19 minutes and 40 seconds to Obama and Clinton and only three minutes and 36 seconds to GOP contenders. Finally, the Today show delivered 22 minutes and 47 to the Democrats and a scant two minutes and 33 seconds for McCain and Huckabee.

More From Michelle Obama

by Gary Bauer, Campaign for Working Families: After a series of embarrassing statements, one political columnist recently noted that the Clinton campaign has sent husband Bill, Hillary's former "campaigner-in-chief," to a "secure, undisclosed location until the election is over." Perhaps Barack Obama might want to consider something similar for his wife, Michelle.

While Barack's rhetoric has been largely positive and uplifting (if empty and devoid of substance), Michelle's has been downright mean. In fact, that is precisely how she has described life in America. Here is how the New Yorker magazine described Michelle Obama's stump speech: "Obama begins with a broad assessment of life in America in 2008, and life is not good: we're a divided country, we're a country that is 'just downright mean,' we are 'guided by fear,' we're a nation of cynics, sloths, and complacents."

According to Michelle Obama, "We have become a nation of struggling folks who are barely making it every day. Folks are just jammed up, and it's gotten worse over my lifetime." But wait, she's not done. "The life that I'm talking about that most people are living has gotten progressively worse since I was a little girl. . So if you want to pretend like there was some point over the last couple of decades when your lives were easy, I want to meet you!"

Let's see, if we turn back the clock a "couple of decades," before life in America was so miserable under George W. Bush, the Republican Congress and Ronald Reagan, I guess Michelle Obama wants to take us back to the 1970s - to the "glory days" of the Carter malaise! If Michelle Obama really does believe life in America is getting progressively worse and our country is "downright mean," I suppose that explains why she has never before found a reason to be proud of America.

But, while Michelle Obama is bashing American life, she and her husband are actually doing quite well. Thanks to their friendship with Tony Rezko, the Obama's moved into a $1.6 million mansion just a few years ago. Since her husband got elected to the United States Senate, Michelle Obama's salary increased from $120,000 a year to over $300,000 a year. And in 2005, Michelle and Barack's combined income was almost $1.7 million.

Folks, I'm not trying to downplay the very real problems that many Americans do face. But the Obama's are living proof that the American Dream is real and still achievable. They have done quite well in this "downright mean" country. And while it is true that many Americans tell pollsters that the country is "headed in the wrong direction," I believe much of that anxiety is due to America's growing virtue deficit and the coarsening of our culture, which is getting progressively worse. Somehow, I don't think that is what Michelle Obama was complaining about. Sadly, on those values issues, her husband offers no hope, and the change he proposes would only accelerate America's moral decline.

Liberty Verses Socialism

by PL Booth, The Blue Eye: It amazes me so few adults nor a majority of children comprehend that any intervention by Government into our daily lives and activities is a reduction of liberty. Certainly, some intervention in the forms of law enforcement preventing or obstructing our injuring or murdering each other on a grand scale can be tolerated. Almost everything else governments do constitute removing some of our civil liberties in one form or another.

Governmental control of all our lives in every way possible is the ultimate goal of Socialism. The failed system of the former Soviet Union and present Cuban government has kept those peoples in virtual poverty for most of a century while the Democratic and Republican forms of governments in the West have brought incredible prosperity to their peoples. However, both the current Democratic Candidates for President are socialists who would willfully denigrate our liberties but who are successfully selling themselves as champions of the people. . . .

It's a problem of socialism where one person is forced to take care of another. There is no moral argument that justifies using the coercive powers of government to force one person to bear the expense of taking care of another despite the ranting of our political Socialists. If a person is too resolute in his refusal to bear another's expenses, what is the justification for imposing fines, imprisonment or death? . . .

The ultimate question here is what sort of relationship do we want between government and its citizens? Will we run our lives or will we allow government to do so which is socialism run rampant. And that, of course, is what both Clinton and Obama are championing, Socialism, government responsibility and control for everything you do, from the cradle to the grave. . . . [Full Article]

Paul Winding Down Presidential Candidate

In a video to his supporters, U.S. Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) tells them that : "Elections are short-term efforts. Revolutions are long-term projects." Rather than saying that he is quitting or dropping out of the Presidential Race, Paul calls for the winding down" of his presidential campaign and reformatting his support base to continue the "revolution." Paul plugs his upcoming book "The Revolution: A Manifesto." Paul says, "We are still in the early stages of bringing about the changes that this revolution is all about. Let us hope that we can one day look back and say that this campaign was a significant first step that signalled a change in direction for our country. Our job now is to plan for the next phase."

Ron Paul did do well in home state of Texas in the Presidential Primary. He received 5% of the vote and no delegates. However, in the Republican primary for the 14th Texas congressional district, Rep. Ron Paul won re-election with over 70% of the vote. Since Democrats did not run a candidate, Rep. Ron Paul will continue as the U.S. Representative of his district.

Dr. Ron Paul Winding Down Presidential Campaign
& Reformatting his followers' "Revolution!"

Homosexual sponsored "Day of Silence" in Public Schools

American Family Association: Friday, April 25, several thousand schools across the nation will be observing "Day of Silence (DOS)." DOS is a nationwide push to promote the homosexual lifestyle in public schools. AFA is joining other family-oriented groups in urging parents to keep their children at home that day if their local school is participating in the DOS project. By remaining silent, the intent of the pro-homosexual students is to disrupt the classes while promoting the homosexual lifestyle.

DOS is sponsored by an activist homosexual group, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN). DOS leads the students to believe that every person who identifies as a homosexual, bisexual or cross-dresser is a victim of ongoing, unrelenting harassment and hate. Students are taught that homosexuality is a worthy lifestyle, homosexuality has few or no risks, and individuals are born homosexual and cannot change. Those who oppose such teaching are characterized as ignorant and hateful bigots. ... [Read More for Frequently Asked Questions & Recommended AFA Actions for Parents]

ARRA Editor Comment: pressuring students within school to advocate positions is an abuse of students. Imagine the outcry if "straight" students - the statistical majority - we to decide to participate in a day of silence or to wear the same shirt at school to advocate the heterosexual lifestyle. But of major concern over any group of students expressing a position is the action of school officials (teachers, counselors, administrators or board members ) advocating and supporting these positions and thereby pressuring other students to accept these lifestyles or positions.

Today in Washington D. C. - March 6, 2008

On The Floor: Senate reconvened at 9:30 AM. Following an hour of morning business, the Senate resumed consideration of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CSPC) overhaul bill (S. 2663). Roll call votes are expected throughout the day. The Senate Budget Committee continued its markup of the Democrats’ fiscal 2009 budget proposal at 9:30 this morning. The House Budget Committee passed the House Democrats’ budget last night on a 22-16 party line vote.

From Senate & News Sources: As the Democrats’ budget proposals for the next year are being considered in the House and Senate Budget Committees, Americans are getting a better picture of what those plans entail. The Democrats’ budget proposals reveal that they do NOT intend to live up to their previous statements to avoid raising taxes, to reform entitlements, and to inhibit the growth of spending.

The Washington Post reports today that “House Democrats want to use a parliamentary maneuver to push a $70 billion tax increase through a reluctant Senate . . . .” Once again, it appears Democrats in the House want to raise taxes to “pay for” a one-year fix to the alternative minimum tax, although those are revenues no one expects to be collected. The new development this year is that house Democrats are apparently interested in using the reconciliation process to pass their $70 billion tax increase, which can bypass filibusters in the Senate. The Senate rejected a similar AMT proposal in December.

The Post noted Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-ND) saying that a tax increase in conjunction with an AMT fix is “not the will of the United States Senate.” Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell welcomed this acknowledgement and called for passing an AMT fix sooner rather than later, considering that “[l]ast year, a Democrat-led standoff over passing an AMT patch threatened to delay tax returns for 50 million taxpayers totaling about $75 billion in refunds.”

While House Democrats contemplate a tax hike, according to Politico, they’ve decided to shelve plans to address FISA for the remainder of the week. Saturday will mark three weeks since the Protect America Act (PAA) expired, meaning our intelligence community has been operating with diminished intelligence gathering capabilities for almost 21 days now. Recall that Democrats in the House were pushing for a 21-day extension of the PAA before it expired. That extension would have expired this week with Democrats still failing to act. The House Democrat leadership’s failure to pass this critical legislation continues to put Americans at greater risk. They should pass the Senate’s bipartisan FISA bill immediately.

Reflect, Rest, Renew and Re-Boot!

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee concluded his 2008 bid for the Republican nomination for President last night, calling upon his supporters to embrace the candidacy of U.S. Senator John McCain (AZ). Today, he shared his thoughts in an email with his faithful supporters:

Dear Faithful Friends,
Last night was a tough one for all of us. While Janet and I stood on the stage, we felt as if we were surrounded by a much larger family than our immediate family. We have been surrounded throughout the process by a large and growing family of faithful friends whose efforts in the campaign have humbled and amazed us day after day. I regularly wept or choked back tears just reading comments on the blog when I realized the sacrifices that so many have made for the campaign.

We had held out hope that we would win enough delegates to keep the contest going, but had vowed that if Senator McCain actually got the 1191 delegates, we would accept the will of the voters. In the end, the relentless hammering of the media that we "couldn't win" influenced enough voters and while we campaigned long and hard in the final states, it simply wasn't enough. I congratulate Senator McCain and will do what I can to assist him and infence him to take strong stands for issues that we conservatives cherish.

I don't see the long journey having reached its destination, but merely taking a detour. As my Marine friend Clebe McLary says, "I didn't lose--it's just that the game ended before I got finished playing." In the immediate days ahead, we will be transitioning from campaign mode. For 14 months, there have been a lot of things put on hold in our lives. We have to join the many incredible people on our staff to figure out "what's next?" But this much I can tell you---we want to stay in touch and start now building a platform to continue addressing issues that brought us together in the first place.

Throughout my life, I've found that there are sometimes three possible answers to our prayers--"Yes," "No," or "Not Now." I would like to think our prayers were answered with a "Not Now." We will keep our website up and as we transition,w ill want to create a way to keep in touch and continue the battle for our families, our freedom, and our future. We will also focus on assisting conservative Senate and House candidates, in places where we know our investment of time and energy can make a real difference. You can expect us to be active online as we do this and to regularly solicit your opinions and support. Too many big issues are at stake for us to sit on the sidelines.

In the immediate time, we have to make sure that we pay all the bills of the campaign and end in the black, help our staff find ways to earn a living, and make sure that we don't lose the momentum of the past 14 months, but instead follow the plan:

REFLECT, REST, RENEW, and RE-BOOT! I really welcome your input and thoughts during these coming days. Pray for us as we seek wisdom as to what steps we take now. Despite what some have thought, we really didn't have a "an B' in the wings--we always thought we'd be in this until the inauguration in January of 2009!

God has been so good to us! We can never fully express our gratitude for all you have done and how you have touched and blessed our lives. I truly hope I didn't let you down. I promise to you that I gave it all I had to the last minute and left it "all on the field." What is more amazing is how you were willing to be "poured out" to the point of empty in order to be with us all the way. I stand amazed by it all and overwhelmed with gratitude. We will dust off, pick ourselves up off the canvas, and answer the bell for the next round, whatever that may be. We love you all, and trust that the journey has just begun!
With tired bodies and grateful hearts,
Mike and Janet Huckabee

Judges Getting the Message About Illegal Aliens

by Phyllis Schlafly, Eagle Forum: Four children including two brothers were killed, and 12 others were hospitalized with injuries, in Minnesota last week when a van reportedly ignored a stop sign and barreled into a school bus. The driver of the van, who did not speak English or have a valid driver's license, was charged with homicide. Authorities described the driver as an illegal alien using a phony name. She had pled guilty in 2006 for driving without a license.

For years, courts and lawyers have intimidated towns from protecting themselves against the invasion of illegal aliens. . . . But in August, Newark, New Jersey, no stranger to violence, was shaken by the brutal murder of several college-bound teenagers who were harmlessly enjoying music at a playground. The victims were black, and the perpetrator was an illegal alien from Peru who had been previously charged with raping a five-year-old girl but released despite his obvious illegal presence in this country.

Another imported crime is driving too fast the wrong way on highways, with the headlights turned off, in order to escape detection while smuggling drugs or people. Several deadly crashes resulting from this practice have been reported. The American people's outrage at law violations by illegal aliens was heard loud and clear by the Senate when it defeated the amnesty bill last year. Now, even judges may be getting the message.

In Dec. 2007, a federal judge in Oklahoma upheld an Oklahoma law requiring state contractors to determine and verify the immigration status of new hires. Judge James H. Payne threw out a legal challenge to the law. Less than two months later, in January 2008, federal Judge E. Richard Webber emphatically ruled against illegal aliens who had sued to overturn a similar ordinance enacted by Valley Park, Missouri, a town near St. Louis. The court upheld the ordinance, which was directed at employers who were hiring illegal aliens.

The third strike against illegal aliens came in February when federal Judge Neil V. Wake rejected each and every argument challenging a new Arizona law that imposes penalties on businesses that knowingly hire illegal aliens. He dismissed the claim that federal law somehow ties the hands of state and local governments seeking to protect their own citizens.

These three decisions in three different parts of the country . . . there is now bipartisan judicial support for state and local legislation against illegal aliens. Law Professor Kris Kobach says these decisions give "a green light to other communities" seeking to pass similar ordinances. . . . [Read More]

President Bush Endorses John McCain

The White House,Washington D.C.: Today, President Bush endorsed Republican nominee-in-waiting John McCain.

PRESIDENT BUSH: It's been my honor to welcome my friend, John McCain, as the nominee of the Republican Party. A while back I don't think many people would have thought that John McCain would be here as the nominee of the Republican Party -- except he knew he would be here, and so did his wife, Cindy.

John showed incredible courage and strength of character and perseverance in order to get to this moment. And that's exactly what we need in a President: somebody that can handle the tough decisions; somebody who won't flinch in the face of danger.

We also need somebody with a big heart. I have got to know John well in the last eight years. I've campaigned against him, and I've campaigned with him. Laura and I have spent time in their house. This is a man who deeply loves his family. It's a man who cares a lot about the less fortunate among us. He's a President, and he's going to be the President who will bring determination to defeat an enemy, and a heart big enough to love those who hurt. And so I welcome you here. I wish you all the best, and I'm proud to be your friend.

SENATOR McCAIN: Thank you, sir. Well, I'm very honored and humbled to have the opportunity to receive the endorsement of the President of the United States, a man who I have great admiration, respect and affection [for]. We -- he and I, as is well known, had a very good competition in the year 2000, and I was privileged and proud to have the opportunity to campaign for his election and reelection to the Presidency of the United States.

I appreciate his endorsement. I appreciate his service to our country. I intend to have as much possible campaigning events together, as it is in keeping with the President's heavy schedule. And I look forward to that opportunity. I look forward to the chance to bring our message to America.

Last night, as you know, both Senator Obama and Senator Clinton called to congratulate me. I pledged at that time, and I pledge again, a respectful campaign -- a respectful campaign based on the issues and based on the stark differences in vision that we have for the future of America.

I hope that the President will find time from his busy schedule to be out on the campaign trail with me, and I will be very privileged to have the opportunity of being again on the campaign trail with him -- only slightly different roles this time. I thank you, Mr. President, and it's a pleasure.

COMMENT TO PRESS BY PRESIDENT BUSH: And the good news about our candidate is, there will be a new President, a man of character and courage -- but he's not going to change when it comes to taking on the enemy. He understands this is a dangerous world, and I understand we better have steadfast leadership who has got the courage and determination to pursue this enemy, so as to protect America.

John McCain will find out, when he takes the oath of office, his most important responsibility is to protect the American people from harm. And there's still an enemy that lurks, an enemy that wants to strike us. And this country better have somebody in that Oval Office who understands the stakes, and John McCain understands those stakes.

Democrats Massive Spending Ahead

Family Resource Council: Congress is getting a head start on next year's budget after its knock-down, drag-out fight over the current plan. With the bickering over the FY08 budget lasting well into the calendar year, both the House and Senate Democrats are unveiling new proposals that could divide the parties even further in an already combative election season. Led by Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-ND), liberals have based their budget entirely on the assumption that President Bush's tax cuts will expire, which would result in a massive, multi-billion dollar surplus for Congress--and the biggest tax hike in history for the American people. Although a lot is riding on the priorities of the next administration, the Democrats' current plan includes massive spending on education, transportation, and energy. Adding to taxpayers' misery, it looks like the powerful Congressional Progressive Caucus's solution for the economy is socialism. The liberal group is pushing for a second stimulus package that would do nothing but stimulate its own welfare agenda. The Caucus's budget would boost funding for food stamps, public works, unemployment insurance, and Medicaid spending by a whopping $40-60 billion. President Bush has promised to veto any bill that exceeds his spending limit, but don't put it past the Left to wait the 43rd President out simply to make a political point. Unless the conservatives wage an all-out war for tax cut permanency, that political point will come at the economy's expense. See Also: Senate Democrats Unveil Budget Plans

Updated: March 4 Primary Election Results

Updated 3/5: A summary of the March 4 Primary Election Results by state. The number of delegates may be adjusted; the numbers available are shown for both the Democrats (D) and Republicans (R). Early reporting. Many delegates have yet to be allocated.

Ohio - D:162 R:88:
McCain 54% (79 Delegates); Huckabee 33%; Paul 5% (9 Available*)
Clinton 54% (73 Delegates); Obama 44% (60 Delegates); (29 available)

Rhode Island - D: 33 R:20
McCain 65% (13 delegates); Huckabee 22% (4 Delegates*); Paul 7% (3 available*)
Clinton 60% (8 Delegates); Obama 40% (2 Delegates); (21 being allocated) (12 uncommitted)

Vermont - D:23 R:17
McCain 72% (17 Delegates); Huckabee 14%; Paul 7%
Obama 59% (14 Delegates); Clinton 39% (7 Delegates); (2 available)

Texas - D:228 R:140*
McCain 52% (69 Delegates); Huckabee 38%; Paul 5% (71 available*)
Clinton 51% (77 Delegates); Obama 47% (69 Delegates); (82 available)
*Huckabee withdrew from the presidential race

Today in Washington D. C. - March 5, 2008

On The Floor: Senate reconvened at 9:30 AM today. Following an hour of morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CSPC) overhaul bill (S. 2663). Roll call votes are expected today. Yesterday, the Senate rejected an amendment to the CSPC bill by Sen. DeMint (R-SC) which would have substituted the text of the House-passed CSPC overhaul.

This week marks the beginning of the yearly budget debate. The Senate Budget Committee begins its markup of the Democrats’ fiscal 2009 budget proposal at 2:30 PM, while the House Budget Committee will mark up its version at 10 AM.

From Senate & News Sources: Today begins the annual budget battle on Capitol Hill. Both the House and Senate will be marking up Democrat budget proposals for fiscal year 2009.

The Washington Post reports that the budget proposed by Senate Democrats “would inject billions of additional dollars into such domestic priorities as education, energy and transportation,” which “would push the federal deficit to more than $350 billion in fiscal 2009.” Yet the Democrat budget purports to balance the budget in four years. “To get there, however, Democrats assume all of President Bush’s first-term tax cuts would expire on schedule in 2010, bringing in billions in revenue,” according to The Washington Post. This could amount to a $1.3 trillion tax increase.

CQ Today discussed Democrats’ potential use of the reconciliation process to move various legislation: “Many House Democrats want to use reconciliation to advance priorities such as a fully offset ‘patch’ for the alternative minimum tax (AMT), renewable-energy tax breaks that would likely be offset with a tax increase on oil and gas companies, and legislation to prevent a 10 percent cut in Medicare payments to physicians.”

Yesterday, Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH), ranking member on the Senate Budget Committee, spoke on the floor about how the Democrats handled the budget process last year. He pointed out that the Democrats’ fiscal year 2008 budget assumed $736 billion in tax increases, raised non-defense discretionary spending by $205 billion, grew the debt by $2.5 trillion, all while failing to address $66 trillion in entitlement liabilities.

Meanwhile, as The Wall Street Journal reports that “almost half of Americans think the [Iraq] war effort is going well, and that the U.S. should keep its troops there, at least for the time being,” The Hill notes that Democrats are once again being forced to change their strategy on Iraq: “Congressional Democrats searching for a message that will resonate on the Iraq war are preparing an argument that getting troops out of the conflict is the only way to rebuild a spent military.”

Huckabee Ends His Presidential Campaign

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee abandoned his U.S. presidential bid on Tuesday after voting in fTexas, Ohio, Vermont and Rhode Island made it clear his rival, Arizona Sen. John McCain, would be the Republican candidate in the November election. McCain has been the party's presumptive candidate since his leading rivals dropped out of the race, leaving only Huckabee to challenge him. Huckabee told supporters:

We kept the faith. I’d rather lose an election than lose the principles that got me into politics in the first place. We started this effort with very little recognition and virtually no resources. We ended with slightly more recognition and very few resources. But what a journey. What a journey. A journey of a lifetime. It's now important that we turn our attention not to what could have been or what we wanted to have been but what now must be, and that is a united party.

Huckabee rarely raised a negative word during the campaign about McCain, a man he clearly likes, and he called him Tuesday night to congratulate him. Huckabee said he extended “my commitment to him and to the party to do everything possible to unite our party, but more importantly to unite our country.”

McCain Wins Enough Delegates for GOP Nomination

John McCain won the Texas, Ohio, Vermont and Rhode Island primaries today and clinched enough delegates to surpass the required 1,191 GOP delegates to secure the Republican presidential nomination. It has been an extraordinary comeback from eight months ago when he was not a front runner in the primary. After racking up wins in states across the country, McCain entered Tuesday's contests with 1,014 delegates, 177 short of what he needed. According to early returns, McCain won all 17 delegates in Vermont, and at least 69 in Texas, 58 in Ohio and 9 in Rhode Island. McCain also picked up about 30 endorsements from party leaders who are at-large delegates to the convention.

Today in Washington D. C. - March 4, 2008

On The Floor: Senate reconvened at 10 AM today. Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CSPC) overhaul bill (S. 2663). Roll call votes are likely today. Yesterday, the Senate voted to proceed to the CSPC bill. After failing to get cloture on the motion to proceed to their Housing bill (S. 2636), Democrats have pulled the bill from the floor while they decide how to move forward on it. According to The Hill, the bill is not likely to return until after the Easter recess. Also, the Senate confirmed Mark Filip as Deputy Attorney General by voice vote. Filip’s confirmation had previously been blocked by Majority Whip Dick Durbin. This week marks the beginning of the yearly budget debate, with the Senate Budget Committee scheduled to mark up the Democrats’ fiscal 2009 budget proposal on Wednesday and Thursday.

From Senate & News Sources: The Washington Post reports this morning that discussions among Congressional Democrats continue on a way to bring FISA modernization legislation to the House floor. Of course, the Democrats always have the option of simply passing the Senate bill in the House, which would then be swiftly signed by the president.

Sen. Judd Gregg, ranking Republican on the Senate Budget Committee, offered his own preview of the Democrats’ budget. Gregg warned of potential Democrat plans to let the Bush tax cuts expire which could lead to a $1.3 trillion tax increase, and he chided the Democrats for last year’s “dishonest” budget. Shopfloor.org presents part of Sen. Gregg’s discussion of the reconciliation process which he warned could be used to bypass Senate filibusters on programs like SCHIP. Democrats have been quick to condemn such filibusters and accuse Republicans of obstructionism. Their accusations fall flat when examined as they seem to think that any vote to move forward on a bill actually counts as a filibuster. At the same time, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has used of cloture extensively to prematurely cut off debate.

Senate Republicans have offered positive proposals on a number of issues, and held a press conference recently to discuss their ideas on the economy and housing. The Republican package includes a proposal by Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA) for a $5,000 per year tax credit for a family buying a vacant house, tax relief for entrepreneurs and families, and long overdue tort reform measures to help curb frivolous lawsuits and rising healthcare costs. On judcial confirmations Republican Leader Mitch McConnell noted that judicial nominations remain stalled: “There have been no judicial confirmations so far this year, and there has been only one hearing on a circuit court nominee since September of last year. . . . I hope my Democratic colleagues resist the desire by some to drag us back into judicial confirmation brinksmanship and establish a precedent they will regret. I hope they will treat these nominees fairly before it is too late.”

Obama: Sermon on the Mount Supports Same-sex Unions

Tony Perkins, FRC Action: On the campaign trail yesterday, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) defended his support of abortion and same-sex unions. In response to a question at a stop at Hocking College in Nelsonville, Ohio, Obama said he does not support calling same-sex unions marriage, but thinks same-sex couples should be given the recognition and benefits granted to married couples. "I think that it is a legal right that they [homosexuals] should have that is recognized by the state. If people find that controversial then I would just refer them to the Sermon on the Mount, which I think is, in my mind, for my faith, more central than an obscure passage in Romans."

Jesus teaches on a number of issues central to the Christian life in the Sermon on the Mount: being witnesses to the world,