The Philosophy Behind the Democracy

Dr. Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: I have obviously missed the boat in sharing certain ideals and beliefs with our readers. Although my final degree is in philosophy, I have not taken time to set forth in simple clear vignettes the philosophical beliefs or thoughts of great minds upon which our government was founded. Today, I begin to make amends but not in my words but in a summary of concepts by former great philosophers which have been set forth clearly by another - Publius. At Write Idea. Publius details The Philosophy Behind the Democracy we Know Today:

The American tradition is rich and vibrant. This is a short examination of the beliefs of some of the more popular philosophers.

Aristotle’s Three Forms of Government
The Greek philosopher Aristotle (384-322 BC) stated that "The true forms of government…are those in which the one, or the few, or the many govern, with a view to the common interest:

1. A Monarchy. That is, a government a government run by one person.
2. An Aristocracy. Government by the few.
3. A Polity. We now call this a Constitutional Democracy.

However, to these three forms of good government, three forms of bad government correspond:

1. A Tyranny. That is, a monarchy ruled by an antagonistic monarch.
2. An Oligarchy. That is, a rule by a few corrupt men.
3. A Democracy. That is, rule by the masses.

Of the three deviations, tyranny is the worst, and mob rule is the least evil.

Plato’s Condemnation of Democracy
Plato (428-327 BC) argued against democracy. His primary reasons are summarized as follows:

1. Democracy leads inevitably to “mob rule.” Those in power pander to “pleasure-seekers” whose chief goals are the fulfillment of their immediate desires.
2. Democracy leads to rule by the stupid, who while they may have fine rhetorical (speaking) skills; they have no true knowledge itself.
3. Democracy leads to disagreement and conflict, which leads to the weakening of governments and should usually be avoided.

What about America
America is a Polity, or a Constitutional Republic, not a democracy, as so many people believe. This is why in the pledge allegiance we pledge allegiance to the "republic."

Why Democracy?
Vox populi, vox Dei, “The voice of the people, is the voice of God.” As illustrated in the words of the French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, all men intrinsically have a conscience. He proclaimed, “Conscience, conscience! Divine instinct, immortal and celestial voice.” Similarly, Seneca wrote, “God is near of you, with you, in you. A sacred spirit has its seat in us. It is the observer and keeper of our good deeds and our wrongdoings.” This is the idea of conscience: it is divine.

In Western governments, law arises from the will of “the people.” The people know what to do because they listen to their conscience. Thus, the law is based, or should be based, on the conscience of the people. To put it simply:

• Men have consciences
• Men elect people who represent their conscience
• Elected officials rule according to their conscience

Conclusion
This is simply the tip of the iceberg. Read Aristotle, Plato, Cicero, and Hobbs. Government is an important institution. It can be used for good...or for evil.... [If you liked this summary, drop by Write Idea and leave Publius a comment.]

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Tags: America, Arsenal of Democracy, Constitutional Republic, Oligarchy, philosopher, philosophy, tyranny To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Raisin' McCain by John Rich

RAISIN' MCCAIN
Music and lyrics by John Rich
Well we're all just raisin' McCain
Everywhere across the USA
You can get on the train or get out of the way
We're all just raisin' McCain

And we're all just raisin' McCain
Everywhere across the USA
You can get on the train or get out of the way
We're all just raisin' McCain

Well he got shot down in a Vietnam town
Fighting for the red, white and blue
And they locked him up in the Hanoi Hilton
Thinking they could break him in two

He stayed strong, stayed extra long
'Til they let all the other boys out
Now we've got a real man with an American plan
We're going to put him in the big White House

Well we're all just raisin' McCain
Everywhere across the USA
You can get on the train or get out of the way
We're all just raisin' McCain

Play that American guitar, son
And we're all just raisin' McCain
Everywhere across the USA
You can get on the train or get out of the way

We're all just raisin' McCain
I said we're all just raisin' McCain
Everywhere across the USA
You can get on the train or get out of the way
We're all just raisin' McCain

Well you can get on the train or get out of the way
We're all just raisin' McCain

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Tags: country western, Election 2008, John McCain, John Rich, music To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Upper Level Meth Drug Dealers Are Illegal Immigrants

Jonesboro Arkansas Police Chief Michael Yates spoke to a public meeting called Thursday to discuss the problem of drugs. Jonesborro is home to Arkansas State University, the flag ship of the ASU Educational System with many colleges in Eastern Arkansas. Like many large university communities, Joneboro faces the issues and problems created by illegal drug use. But of special interest is that while the drug use problem may be a local, many of the upper-level drug dealers who control the flow of meth out of Mexico tend to be illegal immigrants.

A story by George Jared in The Jonesboro Sun today (Aug 2) reported Chief Yates comments:

A cultural wave of drug abuse and violence has started across the country . . . Unlike the drug and cultural revolution of the 1960s, this new shift is more tied to gang activity . . . . Most of the fight against the sale and consumption of illegal drugs occurs at the local level, but some national policies are making the problem worse, even in Jonesboro. . .

Over the last couple of years the bulk of methamphetamine has come into the city from Mexico . . . Local meth dealers were hampered by laws passed by the Arkansas Legislature in 2005 limiting the amount of ephedrine or similar drugs that could be purchased. These substances are a primary ingredient in producing meth. When local supplies withered, “Mexican Ice,” as its called on the street, began to appear in greater quantities . . .

Mexican meth tends to be higher quality, which makes it more dangerous . . . Many of the upper-level drug dealers who control the flow of meth out of Mexico tend to be illegal immigrants . . . . To stem the tide of Mexican meth, Yates said more inspections of cargo on the border are necessary, and all immigrants need to be accounted for.

“I’m not against people coming here to find jobs and improve their lives,” Yates said. “What I can see is how illegal immigration affects the law enforcement side of the equation.” . . . Some of his opinions about how to curtail the area’s drug problems aren’t “politically correct,” and Yates said he’s more than aware of that. “If I get into trouble for telling the truth, so be it” . . . [Yates weighs in on drug woes]

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Tags: Arkansas, cimes by illegals, drug cartel, drug smuggler, Drugs, illegal aliens, Jonesboro, Mexicans, Mexico, Narco-Corridas, organized crime, police cheif To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Executive Summary - Presidential Candidates

I know that some of you don't like to read long, drawn-out missives...
so here's the Executive Summary:

Candidate	Congress	Military
John McCain	26 Years	22 Years
Barack Obama	143 Days	-0- Years

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Tags: Barack Obama, Election 2008, experience, John Mccain, presidential candidates To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Out of Bounds with Same-Sex 'Marriage'

Tony Perkins, FRC Washington Update: Not to be outdone by California, the Massachusetts legislature became the second state to allow out-of-state homosexuals to "marry." With only 35 votes against (and 118 for), House leaders moved swiftly to repeal the 1913 law that barred non-residents from taking advantage of the state's same-sex "marriage" ruling. Gov. Deval Patrick (D) was quick to sign the measure, which went into effect immediately under the new language-unlike other laws which are subject to a 90-day delay. Until voters decide the fate of California marriage, both coasts are open for business from gay couples eager to throw lavish ceremonies before exporting their relationships home. Although 46 states outlaw counterfeit marriage in some form, the 23 without constitutional amendments will be most vulnerable to the legal challenges this law is certain to bring in other states.

As a writer for the Boston Globe puts it, "...[This repeal] will impose Massachusetts' liberal values on unwilling states." Despite the growing migration of "married" homosexuals, the U.S. Census Bureau has declined to count same-sex "spouses" in its 2010 survey, citing the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). As more states sweep traditional marriage aside, the federal government may not be far behind. If elected President, Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) has already stated that he would abolish DOMA. An Obama White House would support stripping the states of the protection the federal government now provides under the Clinton-era policy. This would open the doors to radical new government policies on social security, Medicaid/Medicare, domestic partner benefits, and much more. Yesterday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) echoed her support for the move, promising to help Obama repeal the Act. When Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Richard Durbin (D-IL.) were asked about their position, both were noncommittal. Although both voted in favor of DOMA in 1996, Schumer said, "I don't know [what my position would be]." Durbin also evaded the question, saying he "hasn't even thought about it. But I will look at [Obama's] decision."

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Tags: DOMA, FRC, gay marriage, homosexual activism, marriage amendment, Massachusetts, Tony Perkins, Washington Update To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Do You Know Obama's & McCain's Positions on Abortion?

National Right to Life PAC: Polls show that only 10% of Americans know or believe that Barack Obama supports abortion for any reason, essentially at any time during pregnancy. With Supreme Court Justices and a potential "Freedom of Choice Act," which would make partial birth abortion legal again and require taxpayer funding of abortion on demand, at stake this fall, it is crucial that America knows the truth about the candidates’ positions on abortion.

To help America know its candidates, the National Right to Life PAC has launched two new websites for this fall's election. StopObamaInfo.org and ProlifeMcCain.org provide clear statements on the candidates’ records on life issues. They provide voting records, analysis of the candidates’ positions and statements, and access to all of the NRL PAC's resources. Available on the site are candidate comparisons and factsheets to download and distribute, video montages of the candidates to view, and information on this fall's grassroots movement. You can also sign a petition to Barack Obama entitled, "America Does Not Agree with You, Senator Obama," use interactive forms to share info with your friends and family, and post information to your facebook page.

Please visit StopObamaInfo.org and ProlifeMcCain.org to arm yourself for this fall. Join the StopObamaInfo and ProlifeMcCain facebook group and promote the sites and information as much as you can. It is crucial that America learns the positions of its presidential candidates. Help the unborn by learning the facts, sharing them with your family and friends, and joining the grassroots movement for life.

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Tags: abortion, Barack Obama, Election 2008, John Mccain, National Right to Life, NRTL, presidential candidates, pro-life To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Ready To Pay $10 Per Gallon for Gas?

At what price do Democrats consider the price per gallon a high enough to warrant action on opening up more domestic areas for energy exploration? Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) wondered at exactly what price would Democrats be willing to let drilling legislation through. Below is a video of the exchange on the floor of the Senate where Sen. Ken Salazar (D-CO) objects to Sen. Mitch McConnell’s proposals to at least set price when the Senate Democrats would finally agree to discuss domestic drilling for oil. With Democrats willing to do nothing at $4 per gallon, McConnell ask for at least a trigger point when gas reaches $4.50, $5.00, $7.50, or even $10 per gallon. Unfortunately for Americans, the answers by Democrats is always no:

With Democrats determined to block new American energy production, Americans are left to spend the rest of their summer paying $4 per gallon or more every time they fill up their tank. And the price is even higher for Truckers using Diesel. The cost of mowing lawns, local delivery services, farmers, and others are impacted. Consumer prices are rising on all goods and services which is punishing all families, especially the poor. The Democrat leadership is pursuing actions (or lack thereof) that will force businesses to cut jobs to adjust to rising prices. The Democrats lack of action are forcing the elderly and poor to make choices that seriously affect there existence.

The Democrat leadership hopes that the public (you) will blame the problems the are creating and facilitating on the Republicans and President George Bush even though they are not responsible this time. They hope that rhetoric verses facts will cover their trail as they seek to take over cover control of all three branches of Government.

Sen. McConnell summed up this sorry situation in a speech on the floor this morning: “Every crisis is a call for leadership, and this one was no different. This was an opportunity for the Democrats who control Congress to demonstrate courage and resolve. They squandered it. In their hunt for more seats in Congress and control of the White House, they took the path of least resistance. They decided that they could increase their hold on Congress by avoiding tough votes [voting for oil drilling], and then blaming the mess that followed on a party that wasn’t even in charge. . . . When Americans demanded action, the Democrats played games.” The result was gridlock, and Americans are left holding the bill.

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Tags: Democrats, gas prices, Ken Salazar, Mitch McConnell, oil drilling, Republicans To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Today in Washington D. C. - Aug 1, 2008 - Democrat Message - No Help On Gas Prices!

Congress will leave town today having done exactly nothing to advance serious energy legislation to bring down the price of gasoline. Senate Republicans voted to stay in session both in the House and Senate to address the energy crisis, but Democrats were desperate to get out of Washington and avoid any votes on drilling. Democrats win

The Senate reconvened at 9:30 AM today and resumed consideration of the motion to proceed to the Defense authorization bill (S. 3001). Yesterday, The Senate approved the Consumer Product Safety Commission overhaul (H.R. 4040) and Higher Education Act reauthorization (H.R. 4137) conference reports, which are privileged, and did not displace energy legislation.

Senate Democrats tried one more time to vote to extract themselves from an energy debate, this time by attempting to bring up the Defense authorization bill. But Republicans led in blocking the maneuver. Regardless, at the end of the night, a vote was held on the adjournment resolution (H. Con. Res. 398). While Republicans voted going on vacation, Democrats had enough votes (48-40) to allow Congress to begin its August break next week having not addressed domestic oil drilling.

From Senate & News Sources: Democrats spent the last month blocking and stalling any serious, comprehensive attempts to address high energy and gas prices. The Wall Street Journal has a scathing editorial today, rightly laying the blame for Congressional inaction at the feet of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. The Journal writes, “the [Democrats’] leadership won't bend even a bit, and so Ms. Pelosi and Mr. Reid have spent the summer using every parliamentary deception to evade debating the issue that the American public cares most about.”

Why are Democrats so determined to avoid votes on drilling? The Wall Street Journal posts one explanation: “Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid know that they would lose if a vote ever came to the floor, and they’re desperate to suppress an insurrection among those Democrats who are pragmatic about one of the top economic issues.” Indeed, Roll Call has two stories this morning noting the nervousness of Democrats in both chambers. In the House, “Pelosi (D-Calif.) faces growing pressure from within her Caucus — and especially from some of her freshman Members who are being bombarded on the issue in their districts — to bring offshore drilling to the floor as part of a comprehensive energy package in September.” In the Senate, “Democrats also revealed their nervousness in having to block Republicans from getting votes on amendments intended to spur domestic oil drilling.” The unease over drilling among Senate Democrats prompted Sen. Chuck Schumer to write a letter reminding his colleagues to blame everything on “big oil,” in lieu of accepting drilling. The San Francisco Chronicle was more explicit about Pelosi’s motivations, writing, “She believes a vote [on drilling] would only help the GOP blame Democrats for high gas prices.”

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Tags: energy prices, gas prices, Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, US Congress, US House, US Senate, Washington D.C. To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Ludacris not Ludicrous but Mean & Politically Ignorant

Kathy at Purple People Vote has called attention to a nasty rap song that just came out by a staunch Barack Obama supporter, Rapper Ludacris (The Grammy Award-winning rapper, whose real name is Christopher Bridges). In the new song “Politics: Obama Is Here,” Ludacris trashes presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain and former Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton. Kathy reports:

According to NPR article Ludacris Blasts Clinton and McCain the rapper Ludacris calls Senator Clinton a B**** and wishes physical harm come to Senator McCain.

"Hillary hated on you, so that b^$&%* is irrelevant
Paint the White House black and I’m sure that’s got ‘em terrified
McCain don’t belong in ANY chair unless he’s paralyzed"

Ludacris also states in his song that he is Obama’s favorite rapper, and promotes racial division. Beyond being discraceful behavior, this is idiotic behavior. Arrogance has gripped this Obama supporter into thinking that degragatory remarks and race baiting are good politics. If anyone questions whether Hollywood politics has become absurd and detrimental; I give you Exhibit A Ludacris.

Other sources: Washington Post: Rapper Ludacris Adds to Obama's Tough Day
NPR: Ludacris Blasts Clinton, McCain in Pro-Obama Song
FoxNews: Ludacris Releases Song Attacking Clinton, McCain

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Tags: Barack Obama, controversy, disrespect, Hillary Clinton, John Mccain, Ludacris, Obama supporter, paralyzed, rapper To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Barack Obama's Agenda

Mike Huckabe, HucPac: Someone asked me recently to describe Barack Obama's Agenda. The question caught me off guard, because if you think about it, he's been running as the "change candidate" and yet no one I know understands what change he is aiming for. His Agenda remains shrouded in mystery. For instance, gasoline prices are at historic highs and yet he hasn't articulated a plan of action to help American families.

What we do know about Barack Obama's agenda, is that he favors higher taxes, supports abortion, believes the federal government should be bigger and has embraced a foreign policy that would make Jane Fonda proud. We also know he was rated by National Journal as the most liberal Senator because of his voting record. According to their ranking, even Bernie Sanders, Vermont's Socialist Senator, isn't as liberal as Barack Obama. No kidding.

So if the thought of President Obama working with a Democrat Senate and House makes you nervous, I urge you to take action now to keep this from becoming a reality in November. . . . [Huckabee on Barack Obama's Agenda]

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Tags: agenda, Barack Obama, Election 2008, Mike Huckabee, socialist To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Florida's "Guns-at-Work" Law Upheld

NRA-ILA: Federal District Judge Hands Huge Defeat to Florida Business Lobby on "Guns-at-Work" law. U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle made the ruling in Tallahassee on Florida's "guns at work" law, which had been challenged by such large employers as Disney World and Universal Orlando theme parks. Employees with concealed weapons permits can keep guns locked in their cars at work in Florida, but businesses are allowed to prohibit customers from bringing firearms on their property, a federal judge has ruled. The decision late Monday was in reference to a new state law bill that took effect July 1. It says businesses cannot prohibit employees or customers from keeping a gun locked inside their cars, as long as the owner has a permit to carry a concealed weapon. The judge's ruling knocked out a provision that would allow someone to carry a gun on someone else's property.

The Florida Chamber of Commerce and The Florida Retail Federation argued for three years that business owners had an absolute right to control their employees. That's why they kept calling it the "take-your-guns-to-work" legislation. They claimed they could search employee vehicles and ban firearms from those vehicles in the employer's parking lot. They claimed businesses didn't care if customers had guns in cars, they only cared about their right to control employees. When the legislature passed the law protecting the rights of workers, The Florida Chamber of Commerce and the Florida Retail Federation filed a lawsuit in federal court asking the Court to throw out the law.

They Lost: 1) They argued that the law requiring businesses to allow guns in vehicles in their parking lots constituted an unconstitutional "taking" of their property. In court, the federal judge ruled against them. 2) They argued that OSHA regulations require them to provide a safe work environment for their workers, which required them to bans guns in parking lots to comply with OSHA requirements. In court, the federal judge ruled against them .
They argued that, as employers, they had an absolute right to control the conduct of their employees and could ban guns from employee vehicles in company parking lots while employees were at work. In court, the federal judge ruled against them . 3) At the hearing and in his ruling, the judge complained about language drafted by the legislature saying that it doesn't give businesses clear guidance on whether the laws allows business owners to ban customers from having guns in their cars in parking lots. Rather that clear up the confusion according to the intent of the legislature, he ruled that businesses can prohibit customers from keeping guns in their in the parking lot.

If a business has a gun ban policy, employees who possess a valid Concealed Weapons License are exempt from the gun ban policy and cannot be fired for exercising their gun rights. If a business has a gun ban policy and no employee has a valid CW license, then that business can also ban customers from having guns locked in their vehicles in the parking lot while they shop or conduct business. A business may not search vehicles to see if a person has a firearm; may not ask if a person has a firearm in the vehicle; may not ask if a person has a CW license.

Practical Effect: Before the law passed, employees had no protection from anti-gun employers. They had no recourse. They had to give up their firearm and self-defense rights or be fired. They now have protection. Workers Won- Business lobby Lost!

Due to the judge's ruling based on inartful language, business owners can post signs notifying customers that they are prohibited from having firearms locked in their vehicles while in the parking lots. Customers don't have to patronize a business that doesn't respect their right to keep a gun in their car – they can spend their money elsewhere – customers win – business loses.

Spokespersons for the Florida Chamber and the Florida Retail Federation are claiming victory, praising the judge for ruling that businesses can keep customers from having firearms in their vehicles in parking lots. It remains to be seen if business owners will agree that they won anything. They probably wish the Florida Chamber and the Florida Retail Federation would just shut up and quit alienating customers. . . . The People won.

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Tags: concealed gun rights, Employee, federal judges, Florida, gun rights, NRA To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Iran Dismisses Nuclear Deadline

NTI Global Security Newswire: Iran today brushed off U.S. calls to decide by Saturday whether to halt uranium enrichment so that it can receive a multinational package of political and financial benefits, Agence France-Presse reported. Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Iran agreed earlier this month it would consider the offer from six world powers while they studied Tehran’s own proposal for wide-ranging negotiations. The United States, which is concerned that Iran’s uranium enrichment program is aimed at nuclear weapons development, yesterday said Tehran must respond to the six-nation offer by Saturday or face new penalties . . . Full Story
See also:
Danish Man Charged With WMD Smuggling
U.S. First Responders Train for Disaster
Libya, Russia Discuss Nuclear Power

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Tags: Iran, mass destruction, nuclear weapon, weapons, WMD To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

What if Iraq Works?

Victor Davis Hanson, National Review Online: There is a growing confidence among officers, diplomats, and politicians that a constitutional Iraq is going to make it. We don’t hear much anymore of trisecting the country, much less pulling all American troops out in defeat. Critics of the war now argue that a victory in Iraq was not worth the costs, not that victory was always impossible. The worst terrorist leaders, like Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and Muqtada al-Sadr, are either dead or in hiding.

The 2007 surge, the Anbar Awakening of tribal sheiks against al-Qaeda, the change to counterinsurgency tactics, the vast increase in the size and competence of the Iraqi Security Forces, the sheer number of enemy jihadists killed between 2003 and 2008, the unexpected political savvy of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, and the magnetic leadership of Gen. David Petraeus have all contributed to a radically improved Iraq.

Pundits and politicians — especially presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama — are readjusting their positions to reflect the new undeniable realities on the ground in Iraq. The additional five combat brigades that surged into Iraq in 2007 are already redeployed out of the country. American soldiers are incrementally turning province after province over to the Iraqi Security Forces, and planning careful but steady withdrawals for 2009.

Violence is way down. American military fatalities in Iraq for July, as of Tuesday, were the lowest monthly losses since May 2003. The Iraq theater may soon mirror other deployments in the Balkans, Europe, and Asia, in which casualties are largely non-combat-related. Since overseas troops have to be billeted, fed, and equipped somewhere — whether in Germany, Okinawa, or Iraq — the material costs of deployment in Iraq may soon likewise approximate those of other theaters. Anger over the costs of the “war” could soon be simply part of a wider debate over the need for, and expense of, maintaining a large number of American troops anywhere abroad.

For over four years, war critics insisted that we took our eye off Afghanistan, empowered Iran, allowed other rogue nations to run amok, and soured our allies while we were mired in an unnecessary war. But how true is all that? The continuing violence in Afghanistan can be largely attributed to Pakistan, whose tribal wild lands serve as a safe haven for Taliban operations across the border. To the extent the war in Iraq has affected Afghanistan, it may well prove to have been positive for America. Many Afghan and Pakistani jihadists have been killed in Iraq, the war has discredited al-Qaeda, and the U.S. military has gained crucial expertise on tribal counterinsurgency.

Iran in the short term may have been strengthened by a weakened Iraq, U.S. losses, and acrimony over the war. Yet a constitutional Iraq of free Sunnis and Shiites may soon prove as destabilizing to Iran as Iranian subversion once was to Iraq. Nearby American troops, freed from daily fighting in Iraq, should appear to Iran as seasoned rather than exhausted. If Iraq is deemed successful rather than a quagmire, it is also likely that our allies in Europe and the surrounding region will be more likely to pressure Iran.

These shifting realities may explain both the shrill pronouncements emanating from a worried Iran and its desire for diplomatic talks with American representatives. Other rogue nations — North Korea, Venezuela, Cuba (not to mention al-Qaeda itself) — also do not, for all their bluster, think that or act as if an impotent U.S military is mired in defeat in Iraq.

Meanwhile, surrounding Arab countries may soon strengthen ties with Iraq. After all, military success creates friends as much as defeat loses them. In the past, Iraq’s neighbors worried either about Saddam Hussein’s aggression or subsequent Shiite/Sunni sectarianism. Now a constitutional Iraq offers them some reassurance that neither Iraqi conventional nor terrorist forces will attack.

None of this means that a secure future for Iraq is certain. After all, there are no constitutional oil-producing states in the Middle East. Instead, we usually see two pathologies: either a state like Iran, where petrodollars are recycled to fund terrorist groups and centrifuges; or the Gulf autocracies where vast profits result in artificial islands, indoor ski runs, and radical Islamic propaganda.

Iraq could still degenerate into one of those models. But for now, Iraq — with an elected government and a free press — is not investing its wealth in subsidizing terrorists outside its borders, establishing fundamentalist madrassas abroad, building centrifuges, or allowing a few thousand royal first cousins to squander its oil profits. Iraq for the last 20 years was the worst place in the Middle East. The irony is that it may now have the most promising future in the entire region.
— Victor Davis Hanson is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and a recipient of the 2007 National Humanities Medal and the 2008 Bradley Prize. This article while linked back to its original source was provided via the Internet by the RPA and released as fair use with presumption that RPA had permission to allow to release to the general public.

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Tags: Anbar Awakening, Iraq, Middle East, National Review, Victor Hanson To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Twiddling Thumbs on Gas Prices

Joe Eule, Freedoms Watch: The only thing standing between Americans and lower gas prices is an intransigent leadership in Congress that won't allow a vote on legislation to increase American energy independence by increasing American energy production. According to the Wall Street Journal, "at least 65% of America's undiscovered, recoverable oil, and 40% of its natural gas, is hostage to the Congressional drilling moratorium." American energy exploration would not only reduce prices immediately, but would also create thousands of good-paying jobs.

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Tags: Democrat leadership, gas prices, new jobs, oil drilling, US Congress To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Today in Washington D. C. - July 31, 2008 - NO ENERGY RELIEF

The Senate, later today, the Senate is likely to vote on the Consumer Product Safety Commission overhaul (H.R. 4040) the Higher Education Act reauthorization (H.R. 4137) conference reports, which are privileged. Yesterday, Republicans blocked Senate Democrats’ fourth and fifth attempts to change the subject from energy. Democrats failed to get cloture on motions to proceed to a media shield law (which offer no protection to bloggers) and on their second attempt this week on a tax extenders bill, both times by votes of 51-43. Sen. Harry Reid also filed cloture on the motion to proceed to the Defense authorization bill (S.3001). A cloture vote could occur Friday morning.

From Senate & News Sources: As August recess approaches, it appears that Democrats in Congress are fundamentally unwilling to address the number one issue facing Americans: high energy and gas prices. CNN has a new poll out finding that a large majority of Americans--69%--support offshore oil and natural gas drilling. Yet Democrats in both chambers seem perfectly willing to skip town without allowing a single vote on producing more American energy.

Politico noted yesterday, “With just two days left before recess, a flurry of last-minute negotiations seems to have the Senate no closer to a deal on legislation to address high gas prices.” Roll Call details today that Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell was prepared to accept Majority Leader Harry Reid’s Monday offer of votes on four GOP amendments to the energy speculation, but the “Democrats rejected McConnell’s overture, saying there would be no deal on amendments until Republicans ended their filibuster of a tax-extender bill.”

If that’s true, it means there’s no way that the Democrat leadership is going to allow action on the No. 1 issue in America today. Sen. John Thune (R-SD) said, “What [Harry Reid is] doing is he’s changing the game. Pulling back on the four amendments . . . they see more political advantage in not having a solution and trying to go home and blame Republicans than in actually trying to work with us to get something.”

The House situation is no better. Roll Call writes, “[T]he House limped toward the recess with yet another energy bill — this one on regulating speculators — falling short of the two-thirds required for bills on the suspension calendar. Republicans continued to rally their troops to blame Democrats for proposing bills that they labeled ‘excuses’ for the majority to avoid votes on oil drilling. . . . [House Speaker Nancy] Pelosi showed no signs of buckling, calling another push by President Bush for expanded offshore drilling to lower gas prices a ‘hoax’ that ‘is not worthy of the serious debate we must have to relieve the pain of consumers at the pump.’”

The Democrat leaders in both chambers are desperate to run out the clock without taking votes on drilling or anything else to increase domestic energy supplies. Sen, Robert Byrd (D-WV) admitted “it became clear that an attempt to add language to the [second] supplemental, repealing the two-decade-old ban on offshore oil and gas drilling would be successful,” so he cancelled last week’s markup of the bill. Reid has filed cloture on the motion to proceed to the Defense authorization bill which is his sixth attempt to change the subject and get the Senate off of the topic of energy.

The Democrat leadership's scramble to avoid votes maybe motivated in the fact that more Democrats are open to the idea of proposals like offshore drilling. It was reported that liberal Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-HI) joined with Rep. John Peterson (R-PA) yesterday to offer an energy package that includes offshore drilling. And in an interview with the very liberal former Sen. Gary Hart (D-CO), The Denver Post reports, “Hart also said he considered it a possibility that Obama could support offshore domestic drilling as one piece of a much larger plan that focused on conservation, expanded drilling on land already permitted for exploration and development of clean energy.”

Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO) said “It’s like Lucy with the football,” with Democrat leaders yanking away any possibility of voting on drilling at the last second. Apparently Democrat leaders in Congress are so obstinate in their opposition to drilling for more oil that they are content to let Americans continue to pay $4 per gallon for gasoline. Is it any wonder Congress' approval rating is in the toilet?

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Tags: Democrat leadership, energy prices, failed leadership, gas prices, Harry Reid, job approval, Nancy Pelosi, US Congress, US House, US Senate, Washington D.C. To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Little Rock Mexican Consul Accused of Being a Spy

Thank to Jenn at Green Country Values in Oklahoma who alerted us that Andrés Chao, the Mexican Consul in Little Rock, Arkansas, is being accused of being a spy in a newly released book. Jenn writes:

In a new book, Señal de alerta, regresión política para México (”Warning Signal: Regression Policy for Mexico”), Manuel Espino describes espionage activities of Felipe Calderón, Mexico’s current president, during the time that he (Espino) was the head of the PAN Party (Partido Acción Nacional, “National Action Party”) to which Calderón also belongs.

In the book, Espino describes how the “capos del calderonismo” (”Barons of Calderón”), aka Calderón and his “banda de espías” (”band of spies”) used phone taps to gather intelligence on their political opponents, in Mexico, in Europe, and in the CIS (formerly, Russia). One of these “Capos” or “Barons” was Andrés Chao, formerly an employee of the CIS in Europe, who is now the Mexican Consul in Little Rock, AR, which has jurisdiction over Green Country in Oklahoma.

Naturally, the accusations made in the book are being denied by the accusees. So, what is Chao’s interest in Little Rock? We do not know if he ever was a spy, or if so, if he’s still involved with espionage. . . .

See also Arkansas Mexican consul opposing immigration laws

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Tags: Andrés Chao, Arkansas, Felipe Calderón, illegal immigration, Little Rock, Mexican consulate, spy, spying To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

The Change He Promised

by Haydee Florez: Obama promises change. Consider man from history who promised change. Fifty five years ago (July 26th) a young "charismatic" lawyer along with 200 idealistic people, attacked by surprise a military barracks in the most eastern province of the island of Cuba. His objective (he said) to change the political situation and restore democracy and the Constitution of 1940.

Today there is a different constitution "the communist constitution" which has suppressed the individual rights of: freedom of speech, religion and movement, among others. That young lawyer has been in power since 1959. Still from his hospital bed, he is governing his people and the final result of that "promised change" to one of the most prosperous Latin American country in 1958, is that of a third world country whose citizens want to escape from the misery and oppression in which that charismatic "leader" has submerged the country.

The press felt in love with that man and avoid asking the important questions such as who his real friends were; he said whatever people wanted to hear but not the truth. Haven't we learned the lesson? Everybody knows the name of that charismatic young lawyer: Fidel Castro! Remember not all change is good -- Empty or false promises lead to lost freedoms -- Get the facts!

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Tags: America's Best Solutions, Barack Obama, change, Cuba, false promises, Fidel Castro To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Angelina Jolie - Willing to Defend Herself

Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: Angelina Jolie has caught the attention for many reasons including her "star power," her humanitarian efforts, her relationship with Brad Pitt, and obvious her love of having children. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt just welcomed fraternal twins, a girl and a boy to their four other children. Jolie has now caught the attention of those who support the 2nd Amendment and an individual's right to have a gun and to protect their family. A right denied to the residents of Washington D.C. by Democrat Congressional leadership in spite of the recent Supreme Court ruling In an early release of the August 2008 edition NRA America's First Freedom magazine, we learn the following:

[Jolie] ... told the London's Daily Mail that they keep a gun in their house for self-defense. "Brad and I are not against having a gun in the house , and we do have one. And yes, I'd be able to use it if I had to," Jolie said. "If anybody comes into my home and tries to hurt my kids, I’ve no problem shooting them." Jolie says action roles in movies like Mr.and Mrs Smith have taught her how to handle fire arms. "I bought the original real guns of the type we used in 'Tomb Raider' for security," she added.

Jolie also shared with the London press, “I can handle myself . . . . There’s a side to me that people know is humanitarian, and there’s a side to me that’s a mommy. But there’s also the side that likes to get down and dirty and run and jump around and fire guns.” Jolie, 32, has starred as a "heat-packing vixen" in several action movies - two “Tomb Raider” films, “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,”the upcoming futuristic thriller “Wanted” (above photo) and is said to be in negotiations with studios to play Catwoman in a new movie.

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Tags: 2nd Amendment, Angelina Jolie, gun rights, NRA, protecting children To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Today in Washington D. C. - July 30, 2008

The Senate resumed consideration of the motion to proceed to the media shield bill (S. 2035). Note the shield bill does not include bloggers - today's real free press. If cloture is not invoked, senators will then vote again on cloture on the motion to proceed to the Democrats’ tax extenders bill that includes tax increases as offsets (S. 3335). Yesterday, Republicans and concerned Democrats once again prevented the Democrat leadership from moving off the topic of energy and high gas prices by blocking cloture on the House version of the tax extenders bill (H.R. 6049).

From Senate & News Sources: While Senate Democrats had sounded like they "might be willing" to work out an agreement on how to move forward with energy legislation, Sen. Harry Reid yesterday returned to his tactic of throwing popular bills in front of Republicans, hoping they will take the bait and vote to move off of energy, thus saving Democrats from having to take difficult votes.

On Saturday, it was LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program). The New Hampshire Union Leader writes, “[Sen.] Reid tried to call a vote on the LIHEAP bill without allowing amendments to it, either. Had the Senate approved that procedural move, every attempt to address high oil and gas prices would have been removed from consideration indefinitely. The bill addressing those issues would be off the floor, and only Reid could bring it back.” The Union Leader criticizes Reid’s maneuver in an editorial today: “Clearly, Reid timed these votes for political effect. It was a slick trick to make Republicans appear opposed to LIHEAP, and The New York Times, among others, fell for it.”

On Monday, it was the omnibus bill of popular measures that Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) wanted amendments on. And yesterday, Reid tried with a package extending popular tax breaks, but which was previously rejected because it contained new tax increases.

Despite Reid’s tactics, Senate Republicans have stuck together and blocked these cynical attempts to avoid voting on producing more American energy. Yet Reid is trying again today with a cloture vote on a bill to shield journalists (but not bloggers) from being compelled to reveal sources. Incredibly, after that vote, Reid has scheduled another vote on the tax extenders bill. Sen.John Cornyn said on the floor this morning, “Why it is that our colleagues in the majority are trying so hard, putting up cloture vote after cloture vote to try to change the subject rather than to have us stay focused to do something to bring down the price of gasoline is frankly beyond me.”

Indeed, the Democrats’ treatment of the energy issue, has gotten so ridiculous, it prompted a critical editorial from Roll Call:

[The] treatment of energy legislation [by Congress] has been an embarrassment. As the price of fuel has soared, all beleaguered consumers have seen their legislators do is shout at each other and resort to parliamentary games to block politically unwelcome votes. . . . [i]t’s not hard to figure out why Congress has a 14% approval rating in the Gallup poll.

Senate Republicans will join Americans from the trucking industry to call yet again on Democrats seriously address the need for a balanced energy plan that would cut the cost of fuel. In a visit to an electric company in Ohio yesterday, President Bush again called on Congress to lift the ban on new offshore oil drilling and on exploring oil shale in the West. It’s long past time for Democrats to allow a Congress to seriously address energy issues and stop playing games designed to stall and avoid votes.

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Tags: Democrat leadership, gas prices, Harry Reid, US Congress, US Senate, Washington D.C. To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Republican National Convention History & Memorabilia

For Republican history buffs, this video addresses the Convention memorabilia and explanation from Leonard Nadasdy. (1982-Present)

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Tags: Election 2008, Republican, Republican National Convention, RNC, St Paul, video To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

McCain Adopts Stance for Families & Is Sticking By It

Tony Perkins, FRC Action: In an interview on "This Week with George Stephanopoulos," Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) stuck to his guns on the issue of same-sex adoption. Despite pressure to soften his stance and hints that the McCain campaign was back-peddling on his earlier statements, McCain said plainly, "I'm running for president of the United States because I want to help with family values. And I think that family values are important. . . . I am for the values that two-parent families, the traditional family, represents," Sen. McCain said. We applaud the Arizona Senator for his support of traditional families, which study upon study affirms as the best environment for raising children. I hope this is only the beginning of a longer, more pointed dialogue about pro-family policies by the GOP's presidential nominee.

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Tags: FRC, John Mccain, pro-family, Tony Perkins, traditional family values To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Obama's Distorted Sermon on the Mount

The below video from pH for America, is entitled “the Real Barack Obama.” The ad is two minutes long; very unconventional for a political ad, but the longer length was needed to leave in all the footage of obama speaking, so viewers will see him in his own words and to allow the detailed rebuttal to Obama’s distortions of the bible.

More hypocrisy using the bible to score cheap political points; having the audacity to justify his support of homosexual civil unions by claiming his views were inspired by the sermon on the mount. Once again Obama takes the bible flagrantly out of context.

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Tags: Barack Obama, Bible, Jesus Christ, news, Politics, Sermon To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Pa. High Court Strikes Down Homosexual 'Hate Crimes' Law

Katherine T. Phan, Christian Post: The Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Wednesday tossed out language that expanded the state's hate crime law to include "sexual orientation" and "gender identity." The top state court upheld a November 2007 ruling by the Commonwealth Court, which had struck down the 2002 amendment as unconstitutional because it "did not retain its original purpose as it moved through the enactment process." The Commonwealth Court ruled that the statute violated the state Constitution because it was added to a bill that originally dealt with agricultural crimes. Eleven members of a Christian evangelist group called Repent America were arrested and charged under the expanded "ethnic intimidation" law in 2004 for picketing at a Philadelphia event for homosexuals. Although the charges were later dropped, Repent America director Michael Marcavage and six other members challenged the law. . . . [More details of case]

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Tags: Hate Crimes Act, Pennsylvania, Supreme Court To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Bush should strip sanctuary cities of federal funds

Michael Reagan: Three good men are dead thanks largely to San Francisco's outrageous sanctuary-city policy, which forbids city authorities from notifying federal immigration authorities when they arrest illegal aliens for crimes they commit, and it's time for President Bush to crack down on all the cities in the United States that follow this absurd policy.

On June 22, Anthony Bologna and his sons Michael and Matthew were shot to death by Edwin Ramos, 21, after a brief traffic incident when Anthony Bologna allegedly briefly blocked Ramos' car from making a left turn, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Ramos, an alleged member of the vicious the Mara Salvatrucha gang, known as MS-13, should never have been around to kill the three men, and wouldn’t have been -- were not for the city’s sanctuary-city policy. . . . [Michael Reagan on Santuary Cities]

See also:

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• Sanctuary policy made city less safe
• Murder suspect was protected by San Francisco sanctuary policy (KNTV)
• Widow wants sanctuary law changed (Fox News)

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Tags: crime, gangs, illegal aliens, illegal immigrants, Michael Reagan, Murder, sanctuary cities To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Illegal-Immigrant Population Dropping!

ALIPAC: The illegal immigrant levels are dropping because of the bad economy and YOUR efforts to encourage more immigration enforcement, especially on the state and local level! Time to push even harder! . . . A new analysis by the Center for Immigration Studies of monthly data collected by the Census Bureau shows that the illegal immigrant population has declined significantly between last summer and May of this year. The study is the first to find quantitative evidence that illegal immigrants are leaving the country. It also examines the extent to which stepped-up enforcement and the downturn in the economy account for this trend.

The report, entitled, "Homeward Bound: Recent Immigration Enforcement and the Decline in the Illegal Alien Population" will be formally released tomorrow, July 30th at 2:30 pm at a press conference in room 1309 of the Longworth House Office Building. The report's lead author, Dr. Steven Camarota will be joined by Representatives John Barrow (D-GA), Lamar Smith (R-TX), Tom Feeney (R-FL) and Heath Shuler (D-NC) to discuss the implications of the study. The study will be available online after the report is released. [The Center for Immigration Studies is an independent research institute which examines the impact of immigration on the United States.]

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Tags: ALIPAC, Center for Immigration Studies, Homeward Bound, illegal immigration To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Today in Washington D. C. - July 29, 2008

Although demanded by the majority of Americans, the Democrat leadership in both the Senate and the House continue to avoid the issue of drilling for more oil in the United States and off our shores.
The Senate reconvened -- who knows where they will go today! Last night, Republicans again prevented Democrats dodging the energy issue by moving to an omnibus of popular bills being held by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) over spending concerns. Reid had specifically chosen popular bills and bills with GOP cosponsors to lure votes away. Also yesterday, cloture was filed on a journalist shield bill (S. 2035) as well as on another attempt at a package of expiring tax breaks that includes tax increases as offsets (S. 3335).

From Senate & News Sources: The Wall Street Journal reports today, “U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) offered to bend to Republican demands to allow Senate votes on plans to expand offshore oil and gas drilling, but his proposal may not go far enough to end a bitter partisan gridlock over energy policy.” After giving Senate Republicans a take-it-or-leave-it offer of a vote on only one GOP amendment, Reid on Monday suddenly offered votes on up to four amendments, including on offshore drilling and nuclear power proposals. Clearly, the pressure on Democrats, and their failure to avoid an energy debate, has forced Reid to move toward Republicans on this issue.

According to Politico, “The vote [yesterday] sent Reid into one of his trademark tirades on the Senate floor, as he basically accused Republicans of voting against people with strokes, people in wheelchairs and those suffering from Lou Gehrig’s disease.” Reid’s rhetoric notwithstanding, as Sen, McConnell said last week, the bottom line is that the price of gasoline “is the number-one issue in the country. This issue is washing over the Democrats. They’re scrambling like crazy to try to figure out how to avoid it. There is no avoiding it.” However, The Hill reports, there is still significant opposition among Democrats to more domestic drilling, even to very limited proposals being floated by other Democrats.

In stark contrast, Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) laid out the Republican vision for energy legislation in an op-ed for the Las Vegas Review-Journal today. Sen. Ensign writes:

For many months, Republicans have been working to provide relief from the burden of gas prices on all facets of American life. We’ve been focused on a three-pronged approach: boosting renewable and alternative energy, encouraging energy efficiency, and growing our American energy supply. . . .Growing our American energy supply is critical to this equation. We have to infuse American energy into our marketplace -- it will lower fuel prices and remove us from the grip of countries that hate us but to whom we pay $700 billion a year for oil. . . . Unfortunately, Democrats have answered one of the greatest challenges facing our nation with flawed ideas that aren't worth a tank of gas but would cost us dearly. . . . Enough is enough. I recently took to the Senate floor and asked my colleagues across the aisle: ‘At what price per gallon will you finally step aside and allow us to focus on real solutions?’ At long last, is it $4 per gallon?

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Tags: gas prices, US Congress, US Senate, Washington D.C. To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

New Age Barack Obama Is No Harry Truman

by Jeff Jacoby, The Patriot Post: Barack Obama had ample reason to recall the Berlin Airlift of 1948 during his dramatic speech in the German capital last week. The airlift was an early and critical success for the West in the Cold War, with clear relevance to our own time, the war in Iraq, and the free world’s conflict with radical Islam. But having reached back 60 years to that pivotal hour of American leadership, Obama proceeded to draw from it exactly the wrong lessons.

The Soviet Union had blockaded western Berlin on June 24, 1948, choking off access to the city by land and water and threatening 2.5 million people with starvation. Moscow was determined to force the United States and its allies out of Berlin. To capitulate to Soviet pressure, as Obama rightly noted, ‘would have allowed Communism to march across Europe.’ Yet many in the West advocated retreat, fearing that the only way to keep the city open was to use the atomic bomb—and launch World War III. For President Truman, retreat was unthinkable. ‘We stay in Berlin, period,’ he decreed. Overriding the doubts of senior advisers... Truman ordered the Armed Forces to begin supplying Berlin by air. Military planners initially thought that with a ‘very big operation,’ they might be able to get 700 tons of food to Berlin. Within weeks, the Air Force was flying in twice that amount every day, as well as supplies of coal. ... It would take nearly a year and more than 277,000 flights. But in the end it was the Soviets who backed down. On May 12, 1949, the blockade ended—a triumph of American prowess and perseverance, and a momentous vindication for Truman.

But not once in his Berlin speech did Obama acknowledge Truman’s fortitude, or even mention his name. Nor did he mention the US Air Force, or the 31 American pilots who died during the airlift. Indeed, Obama seemed to go out of his way not to say plainly that what saved Berlin in that dark time was America’s military might. Save for a solitary reference to ‘the first American plane,’ he never described one of the greatest American operations of the postwar period as an American operation at all. He spoke only of ‘the airlift,’ ‘the planes,’ ‘those pilots.’ Perhaps their American identity wasn’t something he cared to stress amid all his ‘people of the world’ salutations and talk of ‘global citizenship.’... Sixty years later, it is a very different kind of Democrat who is running for president. Obama may have wowed ‘em in Berlin, but he’s no Harry Truman.” [Full article: Missing From That Berlin Speech]

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Tags: Barack Obama, Berlin Airlift, Harry Truman, Jeff Jacoby, The Patriot Post To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

House members who signed petition to increase U.S. oil

Washington, July 25, 2008 - U.S. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland has challenged all 435 members of the U.S. House to sign a petition that reads "I will vote to increase U.S. oil production to lower gas prices for Americans."

Below are the 192 members and counting who have signed:

Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-Ga.) Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii) Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.) Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.) Rep. Rodney Alexander (R-La.) Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-Minn.) Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.) Rep. Gresham Barrett (R-S.C.) Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas) Rep. Judy Biggert (R-Ill.) Rep. Brian Bilbray (R-Calif.) Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) Rep. Rob Bishop (R-Utah) Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) Rep. Jo Bonner (R-Ala.) Rep. John Boozman (R-Ark.) Rep. Charles Boustany (R-La.) Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas) Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.) Rep. Henry Brown (R-S.C.) Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite (R-Fla.) Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.) Rep. Mike Burgess (R-Texas) Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.) Rep. Steve Buyer (R-Ind.) Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.) Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.) Rep. John Campbell (R-Calif.) Rep. Chris Cannon (R-Utah) Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.V.) Rep. John Carter (R-Texas) Rep. Mike Castle (R-Del.) Rep. Don Cazayoux (D-La.) Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) Rep. Howard Coble (R-N.C.) Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) Rep. Mike Conaway (R-Texas) Rep. Ander Crenshaw (R-Fla.) Rep. Barbara Cubin (R-Wyo.) Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) Rep. John Culberson (R-Texas) Rep. David Davis (R-Tenn.) Rep. Geoff Davis (R-Ky.) Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.) Rep. Nathan Deal (R-Ga.) Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.) Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) Rep. Thelma Drake (R-Va.) Rep. David Dreier (R-Calif.) Rep. John Doolittle (R-Calif.) Rep. John Duncan (R-Tenn.) Rep. Vern Ehlers (R-Mich.) Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.) Rep. Phil English (R-Pa.) Rep. Terry Everett (R-Ala.) Rep. Mary Fallin (R-Okla.) Rep. Tom Feeney (R-Fla.) Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) Rep. Randy Forbes (R-Va.) Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.) Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-N.C.) Rep. Vito Fossella (R-N.Y.) Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.) Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Calif.) Rep. Scott Garrett (R-N.J.) Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-Pa.) Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.) Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) Rep. Virgil Goode (R-Va.) Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) Rep. Kay Granger (R-Texas) Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) Rep. Ralph Hall (R-Texas) Rep. Doc Hastings (R-Wash.) Rep. Robin Hayes (R-N.C.) Rep. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) Rep. Wally Herger (R-Calif.) Rep. Dave Hobson (R-Ohio) Rep. Peter Hoekstra (R-Mich.) Rep. Tim Holden (D-Pa.) Rep. Kenny Hulshof (R-Mo.) Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) Rep. Sam Johnson (R-Texas) Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.) Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) Rep. Ric Keller (R-Fla.) Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) Rep. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.)

Rep. John Kline (R-Minn.) Rep. Joe Knollenberg (R-Mich.) Rep. Randy Kuhl (R-N.Y.) Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Ill.) Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.) Rep. Tom Latham (R-Iowa) Rep. Steve LaTourette (R-Ohio) Rep. Bob Latta (R-Ohio) Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.) Rep. Ron Lewis (R-Ky.) Rep. John Linder (R-Ga.) Rep. Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) Rep. Dan Lungren (R-Calif.) Rep. Connie Mack (R-Fla.) Rep. Mary Bono Mack (R-Calif.) Rep. Don Manzullo (R-Ill.) Rep. Kenny Marchant (R-Texas) Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) Rep. Mike McCaul (R-Texas) Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mich.) Rep. Jim McCrery (R-La.) Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) Rep. John McHugh (R-N.Y.) Rep. Buck McKeon (R-Calif.) Rep. Charlie Melancon (D-La.) Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) Rep. Candice Miller (R-Mich.) Rep. Gary Miller (R-Calif.) Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla.) Rep. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-Colo.) Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-Pa.) Rep. Tim Murphy (R-Pa.) Rep. Sue Myrick (R-N.C.) Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R-Texas) Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) Rep. Steve Pearce (R-N.M.) Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) Rep. John Peterson (R-Pa.) Rep. Tom Petri (R-Wis.) Rep. Chip Pickering (R-Miss.) Rep. Joe Pitts (R-Pa.) Rep. Todd Platts (R-Pa.) Rep. Ted Poe (R-Texas) Rep. Jon Porter (R-Nev.) Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-Ohio) Rep. Adam Putnam (R-Fla.) Rep. George Radanovich (R-Calif.) Rep. Ralph Regula (R-Ohio) Rep. Dennis Rehberg (R-Mont.) Rep. Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.) Rep. Tom Reynolds (R-N.Y.) Rep. Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) Rep. Cathy McMorris Rogers (R-Wash.) Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.) Rep. Ed Royce (R-Calif.) Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) Rep. Bill Sali (R-Idaho) Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.) Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio) Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas) Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.) Rep. John Shimkus (R-Ill.) Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho) Rep. Adrian Smith (R-Neb.) Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) Rep. Mark Souder (R-Ind.) Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) Rep. John Sullivan (R-Okla.) Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.) Rep. Lee Terry (R-Neb.) Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-Kan.) Rep. Pat Tiberi (R-Ohio) Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.) Rep. Tim Walberg (R-Mich.) Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) Rep. Jim Walsh (R-N.Y.) Rep. Zach Wamp (R-Tenn.) Rep. Dave Weldon (R-Fla.) Rep. Jerry Weller (R-Ill.) Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Ky.) Rep. Heather Wilson (R-N.M.) Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.) Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.) Rep. Bill Young (R-Fla.) Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska)

Members who said "No" to the petition:

Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-Md.) Rep. Allen Boyd (D-Fla.) Rep. Ben Chandler (D-Ky.) Rep. Travis Childers (D-Miss.) Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) Rep. Mike Ferguson (R-N.J.) Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-N.J.) Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-Md.) Rep. Bob Inglis (R-S.C.) Rep. Tim Johnson (R-Ill.)

Rep. Nick Lampson (D-Texas) Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R-N.J.) Rep. Jim Ramstad (R-Minn.) Rep. Dave Reichert (R-Wash.) Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) Rep. Jim Saxton (R-N.J.) Rep. Chris Shays (R-Conn.) Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) Rep. Gene Taylor (D-Miss.)

NOTE: If your member is not listed, his or her office has been contacted but has not responded.
[In Arkansas, Marion Berry (D-Ark.), Mike Ross (D-Ark.) and Vic Snyder (D-Ark.) have not signed. Ducking the public? Hum - Didn't Mike Ross say he was part of a gang of 20 trying to get off shore oil drilling?]

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Tags: diesel fuel, gas prices, gasoline prices, oil drilling, oil production, U.S. House To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Kumbaya Falls Flat In Berlin

Star Parker, article for GOPUSA: The headline on the website of German magazine Der Spiegel about Barack Obama's speech in Berlin: "Huge Crowds Left with Mixed Feelings." . . . CNN's Candy Crowley reported an "absence of euphoria" at the event. As Senator Obama went global with "Yes, we can" and "Change we can believe in" he left at least some of the horde in Berlin scratching their heads. . . .

Obama spoke not just as a "proud citizen of the United States but a fellow citizen of the world." His message: "The walls between races and tribes, natives and immigrants, Christian and Muslim and Jew cannot stand. These now are the walls we must tear down." At least some of the Germans listening to Obama surely sensed there was something problematic with what he was saying. His analogy . . . was obviously fractured. . . .

Unlike in the United States, where you drive coast to coast and hear one language, where national culture is at least as influential and pervasive as regional differences, Europe consists of different countries. When you get to national borders, languages and cultures change. For Obama, differences seem to be what cause the world's problems. We endlessly hear the story of his mixed-race background and his translation of his personal history into a message of the meaninglessness of difference.

It may come as a surprise to Obama, but for Christians, for Muslims, and for Jews, their differences do not amount to barriers to a better world but sources of meaning that define themselves and the world. They want to be Christians, Muslims, and Jews. They just want protection. They want to be able to be who they are and live peacefully and securely. Those disturbing this security are the problem. Not the differences.

Which gets to Obama's very problematic idea about freedom. He does not seem to grasp that the beauty of freedom is its respect for differences and creation of conditions, legal and political, which allow them to exist, flourish, and provide benefits to all. In fact, politicians with agendas to "unify," who think they know who and what everyone should be, are invariably those who threaten freedom. . . .

What every American should demand from Obama is clarification of what, if anything, he sees unique about the America that he claims to loves so much. For a man whose ideal seems to be the global village, with no barriers or differences, is there anything special about the United States that makes it distinct from other nations -- that defines it as uniquely great? What is the distinction between the "proud citizen of the United States" and the "fellow citizen of the world." Those in Berlin heard none and many went home legitimately confused. [Star Parkers full article]

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