News Blog for social, fiscal & national security conservatives who believe in God, family & the USA. Upholding the rights granted by God & guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, traditional family values, "republican" principles / ideals, transparent & limited "smaller" government, free markets, lower taxes, due process of law, liberty & individual freedom. Content approval rests with the ARRA News Service Editor. Opinions are those of the authors. While varied positions are reported, beliefs & principles remain fixed. No revenue is generated for or by this "Blog" - no paid ads - no payments for articles.Fair Use Doctrine is posted & used. Blogger/Editor/Founder: Bill Smith, Ph.D. [aka: OzarkGuru & 2010 AFP National Blogger of the Year] Contact: editor@arranewsservice.com (Pub. Since July, 2006)Home PageFollow @arra
One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics
is that you end up being governed by your inferiors. -- Plato
(429-347 BC)
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Unintended Consequences of Wind Energy
Morning Bell, Heritage Foundation: Unintended consequences of the federal government’s energy policy are nothing new. Think about ethanol. The United States is now committed to using 9 billion gallons of ethanol in 2008, which will rise to 36 billion by 2022. No one thought it would be responsible for pushing 30 million people into poverty. No one thought of the adverse effects ethanol policy would have on the environment.
Now, Americans are quite literally feeling the unintended consequences of wind energy. While wind is often touted as a green, renewable source of energy, Dr. Nina Pierpont of Malone, N.Y., asserts that wind has its downsides, too. She calls it wind turbine syndrome. According to Pierpont’s medical research:
[L]ow-frequency noise and vibration generated by wind machines can have an effect on the inner ear, triggering headaches; difficulty sleeping; tinnitus, or ringing in the ears; learning and mood disorders; panic attacks; irritability; disruption of equilibrium, concentration and memory; and childhood behavior problems.
Is this a legitimate threat? . . . [Read - Unintended Consequences of Wind Energy] Tags:Heritage Foundation, Morning Bell, wind energyTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
by Phyllis Schlafly, Eagle Forum: President George W. Bush, in China attending the Olympic Games, responded promptly to Russia's invasion of Georgia with the caveat that "territorial integrity must be respected." We're still waiting to hear the Bush Administration's response to this month's invasionof Arizona's territorial integrity by the Mexican military. More than 40 times this year, the Mexican military has crossed our border. The Mexicans even held one of our border guards at gunpoint.
How long are we going to put up with Mexican impudence and federal neglect of duty? One of the most emphatic duties set forth in the U.S. Constitution is that the Federal Government "shall protect each of them [every State] against Invasion." Some pretend there is a "misunderstanding" about exactly where the border is. But border guards say there is a barbed wire fence at the point where the Mexicans entered the United States.
Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) immediately pointed out that if the Bush Administration had built the double fence that Congress ordered, the Mexican vehicles would not have been able to invade U.S. territory. The open-borders crowd claims that a fence is useless because people can easily climb it, but a Mexican army truck can't do that. Nor can the Mexican vans loaded with illegal drugs climb a fence. All the talk we hear about our "war on drugs" is totally hypocritical so long as no fence is built to keep out the drug-laden trucks.
It's not just Mexican military vehicles that are invading our space. Again this month we read about an SUV packed with illegal aliens that evaded detection by our border patrol and then rolled over on a highway southeast of Phoenix, killing nine people and injuring the other ten on board. They were crammed into two bucket seats in front and three seats in the back of a speeding Chevrolet Suburban. A border patrol spokesman commented, "The smuggler doesn't care if their cargo lives or dies" because he's already been paid. But we care about the law, about highway safety, and about the cost. . . .
The House of Representatives voted against the entry of Mexican trucks by411-3 on May 15, 2007, followed by a second voice vote on July 24. The Senate voted likewise by 75-23 on September 11, and this law was signed by President Bush on December 26, 2007. When will the Bush Administration stand up for the territorial integrity of the United States against foreign military vehicles, vans with illegal aliens, truckloads of illegal drugs driven by professional drug dealers, and unsafe trucks and drivers that don't meet U.S. standards? . . . [Who Will Protect Us Against Invasion? ] Tags:border security, Eagle Forum, invasion, Mexico, Phyllis SchlaflyTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Gallup Daily: If the election were held today, registered voters would be equally likely to vote for John McCain (44%) or Barack Obama (44%), according to the latest Gallup Poll Daily tracking update. Tags:Barack Obama, Election 2008, Gallup Poll, John McCain, presidential candidatesTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Huckabee to Support McCain Regardless of His VP's Abortion Stance
CBS News' Michelle Levi: Former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee said he hopes John McCain will pick an anti-abortion rights running mate but that he would support the party's nominee regardless of his vice presidential pick. "I hope that Senator McCain selects a pro-life running mate," the former Arkansas governor said at a press conference with evangelical leaders. "If he doesn't I will take some comfort in him being pro-life and hope that he would make sure that whoever his running mate may be would commit also to not changing any of the policies." . . . [Full Article: Huckabee Vows to Support McCain Regardless of His Veep's Abortion Stance] Tags:Election 2008, John McCain, Mike Huckabee, pro-life, vice presidentTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
The John McCain Campaign released its latest television ad, "Taxman." The ad highlights Barack Obama's agenda to raise taxes that are a "recipe for economic disaster." In addition to higher taxes, Barack Obama's plans will lead to higher gas prices and break your family's budget.
Tags: Barack Obama, Election 2008, higher taxes, John Mccain, political, videoTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Dr. Bill Smith & Haydee Florez: The Republican Party has always defended the right to life. Our presumptive nominee, Sen. John McCain, has supported the right to life both in all stages of life from the preborn to the final stages of life. The man or woman chosen for the vice presidency of the United States needs to be ready to lead the country at a moment's notice. Also, he or she must uphold the most dearest principle of respect to life at all stages. Those two qualities should be consider of utmost importance in the selection of a vice presidential candidate. Tags:Election 2008, John McCain, Republican Party, vice presidentTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
What Would Jesus Do? Well, it depends on who you ask. According to Dr. Marc Lamont Hill, the Son of God and Author of life would be in favor of suctioning viable babies from their mothers' wombs and killing them. On last night's interview with Bill O'Reilly, the Obama supporter claimed that God's Son would be "even more radical" than Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) on partial-birth abortion. Hill tried to rationalize his wildly implausible claim to a skeptical Bill O'Reilly, who ended the interview with a challenge for Obama to explain this position. Hill, an Associate Professor of Urban Education and American Studies at Temple University, made this pronouncement when O'Reilly asked him to reconcile Obama's faith with his distinction as America's most pro-abortion politician. Like many in the political arena, Hill has it backwards. Instead of bringing his political views under the authority of Scripture-as God calls us to do-he's seeking to make Christianity conform to his liberalism. As such, the interview speaks to a much broader problem in modern politics. Leaders like Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) have tried for years to redefine Christianity so that it's compatible with their anti-life, anti-family agenda. Many, like Obama, have turned the Bible into a theological smorgasbord where people are free to pick and choose their convictions. When you untether Jesus from His Word, as Hill has done here, you can turn Him into an advocate of almost anything. What matters, however, is not what Hill says, but what the Bible says. In Jeremiah 1:5, we read, "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you." Psalm 22:10 says, "...from my mother's womb you have been my God." And perhaps most importantly, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life." (John 14:6) [Source: FRC Action]See also:Newsbusters: Obama Supporter On FNC: Jesus Would Be O.K. With AbortionTags:abortion, Bible, Bill O'Reilly, FRC, Jesus Christ, Marc Lamont, News BustersTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Kerby Anderson, Point of View: While Congress is in recess, it might be good to catalog what it has done. A recent article in Time magazine set forth the disappointing results. They found that Congress did pass 260 laws, but they also pointed out that this is a thirty-year low. It is even more discouraging when you realize that approximately thirty percent of those laws were responsible for the naming of 74 post offices. Oh, and I might mention that Congress did designate July as National Watermelon Month.
It shouldn’t surprise you to find out that only 9 percent of Americans, in a recent Rasmussen poll, thought that lawmakers were doing a good or excellent job. When the congressional approval rating is in single digits, you would think members of Congress might be in trouble. But the saving grace is the ignorance of the American people. The article was titled, “Throw the Bums Out.” But it appears that a large percentage of the voters don’t know who those bums might be. The same poll found that 40 percent of voters think that Republicans are still in charge of Congress.
If you think about it, maybe a do-nothing Congress isn’t all that bad. After all, sometimes when Congress passes laws, they do more harm than good. Congress doesn’t necessarily have a responsibility to pass laws. But the Constitution does say that Congress (and particularly the U.S. Senate) does have a responsibility to confirm judicial appointments. And senators in the 110th Congress have not been doing their job.
The Committee for Justice created a list of U.S. Senate low points when it comes to the issue of judicial confirmations. They say that there has been a complete shutdown of the judicial process unmatched since 1848. They list the attacks on certain nominees and an unwillingness to even have an up-or-down vote on other nominees. In fact, many senators seem to be playing a game of “running out the clock.”
All in all, the current Congress does deserve a failing grade. They have done little to address critical issues in society (such as oil prices and health care), and they have failed to even vote on judicial nominees that are needed in our federal courts. Voters need to remember all of this in November. I’m Kerby Anderson, and that’s my point of view. Tags:Kerby Anderson, Point of View, US CongressTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Tell Congress NO to Gang of Ten Drilling Surrender... No Compromise
Center for Individual Freedom: The American people are telling our elected officials: "Drill Here and Drill Now!" But five Republicans-in-Name-Only (RINOs) are siding with the NO NEW DRILLING CROWD in Congress and basically betraying American families suffering severe financial hardship because of the high price of gasoline at the pump.
Five RINOs are trying to strike a deal with the devil and they're calling it a "compromise." [ARRA Reported on this ... full story] But like last year's so-called attempted "compromise" on amnesty for 12-20 million illegal aliens... it is NO SUCH THING! In actuality, it's a complete and total surrender... a capitulation to liberals who see record energy costs as a political football and tell you "inflate your tires," "we can't drive our SUVs" or we can't "eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees."
If you listened to Rush Limbaugh on Friday, you already know some of the sordid and DECEPTIVE details of this proposed SURRENDER:
"Essentially there is a Gang of Ten senators, five Republicans led by Lindsey Graham, John Thune, Saxby Chambliss, Bob Corker, and Johnny Isaakson. They joined five Democrats to craft an energy bill in the Senate that is exactly what Barack Obama wants. It is an utter disaster." [Emphasis Mine]
"It's a Democrat giveaway. ... The regulatory hurdles are huge. They have expanded. They are higher. PETA has a role. The ACLU has a role. The bill bars drilling within 50 miles of the United States coastline. That puts off limits some of the most productive areas -- even if the states allow it -- including in ANWR. Well, you can only drill in four states anyway under this bill, but no -- you can't drill any closer to 50 miles of the coastline... This deal would allow drilling if -- if and when -- the EPA and PETA and states and cities and counties and the ACLU clear the way."
In other words, we CAN drill as long as we drill only when PETA and the ACLU and the EPA say it's okay to drill! That's NOT "compromise!" That's essentially the same scam liberals have been perpetrating on the American people all along! And make no mistake, RIGHT NOW, at this very minute, these ten Senators are advancing their treacherous case... attempting to drive a stake into the heart of the grassroots movement to force Congress to "Drill Here and Drill Now!"
We can't let that happen! Contact President George W. Bush, Senators Graham, Thune, Chambliss, Corker and Isaakson and each and every Member of the Republican Leadership of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. Tell them that this ill-hatched plan from Graham, Thune, Chambliss, Corker and Isaakson MUST NEVER SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY! ARRA Contact Congress Info! Tags:action alert, Center for Individual Freedom, CFIF, Gang of 10, oil drilling, Republican, RINO, Senators, US SenateTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
GOA: You may not have been watching the battle that is brewing over concealed carry in the Hartsfield-Jackson airport in Atlanta, Georgia, but it may end up affecting you where you live. Because of what's happening in Atlanta, the Transportation Security Agencycould decide to allow airports across the country to ban firearms in areas that currently allow for self-defense.
It all began when Georgia passed a new law allowing permit holders to carry guns onto state parks, into restaurants that serve alcohol, and onto mass transit (such as the non-surveillance areas in airports). The Hartsfield-Jackson airport responded by defying the state law and banning firearms throughout the entire airport, including areas where drivers pick up passengers. This has resulted in a court battle, where presently, a federal judge ruled in favor of the airport's ban. Now, the TSA may step into the fray by permitting airports across the entire country to ban firearms in those locations that are outside of the boarding areas.
Federal law prevents passengers from bringing firearms past airport checkpoints. But in many states, passengers are allowed to bring guns and knives into areas such as the pick-up points and the main terminal. This is what could change very soon. "Any decisions we make that affect (Atlanta) could affect every other airport in the country," said TSA spokesman Christopher White to USA Today (8/7/08).
What's at stake here is not the ability to take guns past surveillance points. What's at stake is the right of self-defense outside of these areas -- especially where drivers are either dropping off or picking up passengers. In other words, drivers who have permits are the ones who would be affected the most because they would now have to leave their guns at home -- thus contradicting the very reason they got a concealed carry permit in the first place... the fact that they wanted to carry their guns outside of the house.
ACTION: Please urge President Bush to put the squeeze on the TSA. This president should certainlyunderstand the bad-politics of imposing a gun ban right before an election. You can visit theGun Owners Legislative Action Center to send Pres. Bush the pre-written e-mail message. Tags:action alert, airport, Atlanta, concealed gun rights, Georgia, GOA, Gun Owners of America, gun owners rights, TSATo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
ARRA Editor: We are not ignoring the Russia aggression against Georgia as important, but that news is being reported by most traditional news network, whereas the following may are not on the front burner for the news but worth noting: NTI - Global Security News: North Korea Rejects Nuclear Verification Demands - North Korea has rejected components of a U.S. plan to verify the Stalinist state’s claim regarding its nuclear programs, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported today. An agreed verification plan would be the next step in carrying out the 2007 deal in which Pyongyang pledged to give up its nuclear program in exchange for economic, security and diplomatic benefits. North Korea would likely achieve its goal of being removed from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism after accepting a plan, but Washington says any program must cover the regime’s suspected uranium enrichment and nuclear proliferation operations alongside its known plutonium program . . . Full Story
Al-Qaeda Grows in Strength, U.S. Says - Al-Qaeda’s ability to strike the United States has grown in the past year and the organization has enlisted and prepared “dozens” of operatives to infiltrate Western nations to conduct possible attacks, a high-level U.S. terrorism expert said yesterday . . . Full Story
U.S. Imposes Sanctions on Five Iranian Entities - The U.S. Treasury Department yesterday announced new restrictions on business with five Iranian groups said to be connected to the Middle Eastern state’s nuclear and missile activities, Agence France-Presse reported . . . Full Story Tags:al Qaeda, global security, Iran, North Korea, nuclear, terrorist threat, threat assessmentTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
by Kerby Anderson, Point of View: In the last few weeks you have probably heard about the proposed bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Most of us don't know much about these entities, but we should learn about them quickly since this action is likely to be one element of the presidential campaign.
Fannie Mae is the Federal National Mortgage Association, and Freddie Mac is the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation. They are stockholder-owned corporations and referred to as government sponsored enterprises, known as GSEs. The two of them are considered the largest financial companies in the world with liabilities of approximately $5 trillion.
The bailout has been controversial for a few reasons. First, these two GSEs are private companies which the government wants to help with taxpayer money. Economist John Lott believes "this whole approach is pretty dubious. If you subsidize risk, you get more of it. If you don't have to bear the cost of the risk, why not shoot for the moon?" Former House Majority Leader Dick Armey says we are "privatizing gains while socializing losses." Stockholders of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac already receive higher interest rates than Treasury securities because of higher risk of repayment. He suggests that the government repay 90 cents on the dollar rather than 100 percent.
Stephen Moore points out that the primary beneficiaries are: the Chinese, the Russians, and oil nations in the Gulf region. He says, "Why Democrats and Republicans think it's good economics, let alone good politics, to put the interests of the Chinese and Russian governments ahead of their own constituents is a question members should be asked over and over between now and the election." This is certain to become a campaign issue. Already, John McCain's economic advisor, Steve Forbes, has suggested that we break up Fannie and Freddie into a dozen companies, sever their ties to government, and make them compete in the mortgage market. I believe this would revive the housing sector and benefit the taxpayers. I'm Kerby Anderson, and that's my point of view. Tags:Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, government failures, Kerby Anderson, Point of ViewTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Jeannie Burlsworth, Founder and Chairman of Secure Arkansas, is hosting two town hall meetings in Northwest Arkansas which are open to the public and will focus on the impact of illegal immigration on the taxpayers of Arkansas. The first meeting will be held at the Rogers Public Library Monday, August 18 at 6:30 p.m. in the RPL Community Room. The second meeting will be at the Jones Center for Families in Springdale on Tuesday, August 19 at 6:30 p.m. in the Chapel. Jeannie Burlsworth said, "Are you tired of illegal aliens unfairly benefiting from the privileges of citizenship in Arkansas? Then bring your family and friends and voice your concerns. These meetings will be a great opportunity for you to educate yourself on this important issue, learn what you can do to make a difference, and find out what the future holds for Secure Arkansas."For more information please contact Stephanie Vaughn at 479-502-9119 or visit Secure Arkansas. Tags:Arkansas, Secure Arkansas, Springdale, TownhallTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Tony Perkins, FRC Action: For all of his stirring speeches, even Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) can't talk himself out of the controversy that's emerged over his position on the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act (BAIPA). The legislation, which protects newborns who survive an abortion from infanticide, became a federal law in 2002. In Illinois, Obama actively opposed an identical piece of legislation as a committee chairman, stating later that he would have endorsed it had the bill contained the same language as the federal version. When it surfaced that he voted against the BAIPA, Obama lied in several interviews, including this one with Chicago Tribune in 2004 in which he told reporters that "had he been in the U.S. Senate two years ago, he would have voted for the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act." This week, the National Right to Life Committee uncovered new documents proving that the Illinois version of the Act was taken verbatim from the congressional bill, which means that the man running for president has been lying about his position on the issue for six years. The deception continues on his website, where a June 30 "fact check" claims that the Illinois and federal bills "did not contain . . . exactly the same language." Is it any surprise that a man who referred to babies as a "punishment" would vote for the killing of innocent children who survive abortions? As David Limbaugh writes in yesterday's column, "Are pro-life Obama supporters so selfishly hooked on a feeling... that they'll back Obama and his party in the most immoral crusade since slavery? It appears so." See also:David Limbaugh: The 'Making Abortion Rare' Hoax & Jill Stanek: New documents show Obama cover-up on born-alive survivors billTags:abortion, BAIPA, Barack Obama, Born, Election 2008, FRC, infantricide, Tony PerkinsTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
by Chuck Baldwin: I am often asked about the people in history that I revere or otherwise hold in high esteem. Today's column is an attempt to answer that question. Bear in mind, this list is by no means complete. I know I am omitting several people that should truly be included. However, time and space limitations require me to condense my list. So, here goes.
I'll begin with Old Testament history. David, Nehemiah, and Elijah are my heroes here. Despite his one moral lapse, David's heart and character are unsurpassed. Along with Abraham and Moses, David is one of the three greatest men of the Old Testament. And he is my personal favorite. Nehemiah is the personification of leadership. The Book of Nehemiah is the quintessential textbook on leadership. Nothing written since equals it. Elijah is the personification of courage. He faced down 850 false prophets. His like was not seen until the arrival of John the Baptist.
A lesser-known Old Testament man by the name of Jehonadab is probably the greatest father in the Bible. His children and grandchildren, for many generations, remained loyal to his instruction. His familial example has never been equaled. In the New Testament, my heroes are Peter, John, and Paul. Paul was probably the greatest intellectual of his day. He did more to bring Christianity to the world than any other single individual. Only King David had a heart equal to John's, and only Elijah had the spirit and courage to match Peter's.
The Reformers hold a dear place in my heart: John Wycliffe and John Hus come to mind. Add, of course, Huldrych Zwingli, John Calvin, Martin Luther, and John Knox. Of these, I think Zwingli is my favorite. And while my attention is on European history, I confess to a strong sense of appreciation for the great Scottish freedom fighter, William Wallace.
I also confess to a strong penchant for American heroes. In this respect, I regard all of America's Founding Fathers as heroes of the highest order. My favorite in this group might be Patrick Henry, but George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Jay, John Adams, Sam Adams, and James Madison must also be included. Daniel Webster also makes my list. I must also include great colonial preachers such as John Leland, John Witherspoon, and Jonathan Edwards in my list of heroes. And the nineteenth-century Baptist pastor in London, England, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, is no doubt my all-time favorite preacher. I have tried to read everything he ever wrote. . . . [My Heroes Of History] Tags:American Heroes, Chuck Baldwin, heroes, United StatesTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
While some folks still hope that Mike Huckabee could be selected as the Vice President candidate by John McCain. As reported previously, when Huckabee signed with Fox News to report on the remainder of Election 2008, Huckabee seemed to be sending a signal that he would not be the VP candidate. The New York Post has reported that Governor Huckabee will be hosting a show on the Fox News Channel set to debut in the fall.
When asked what he would do if Sen. McCain won the election and offered him a cabinet post, Huckabee responded, “Why would I want to do that? I’m gonna have a good life out here in the private sector. Why would I go back to telling everybody in the world how much money I make and … barely surviving to have some obscure cabinet post and have some 20-year-old from the White House telling me what I’m gonna do?”
Huckabee shouldn't be too quick to pass up a cabinet position because he needs to learn more about many areas of including foreign policy and national security. He is not going to learn these being a talk show host. A cabinet post would help give him credentials and experience to be a candidate in the future. Regardless of what was reported by the New York Post, Politico's Michael Calderone got the followingstatement from Fox News: "[C]ontrary to what was reported in today’s NY Post — Mike Huckabee has not shot a pilot for Fox News Channel. We are in discussion about developing a show with him in the future, but remain in the early planning stages."
Regardless, Huckabee has been in discussions and has a vision for the new show that he would like to host. If a cabinet position is not in his future, we hope former Governor Mike Huckabee finds a home at Fox News and maybe even a run in 2010 at the seat held by Sen. Blanche Lincoln. Tags:Arkansas, Fox News, Mike Huckabee, NY Post, PoliticoTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Blogs 4 Borders! 081108 You Do The Math: Do employers know they’re hiring illegals? We investigate.
MJ responds to a charge of…sexism?
100% Preventable! Americans continue to pay the bloody price for open borders. When will the madness end? Tags:Blogs for Borders, employing illegals, illegal immigration, MJ, open borders, sexismTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Gary Bauer:Where We Are
Columnist George Will gave us something profound to ponder in his column today. With a “peacenik” ready to enter the Oval Office and assume the duties of commander-in-chief while Soviet tanks are rolling through a defenseless democracy, Will had this to say about where we are in history and reminded us about where we have been:
“For only the third time in 72 years (Berlin 1936, Moscow 1980), the [Olympic] Games are being hosted by a tyrannical regime, the mind of which was displayed in the opening ceremonies featuring thousands of drummers, each face contorted with the same grotesquely frozen grin. It was a tableau of the miniaturization of the individual and the subordination of individuality to the collective. Not since the Nazi’s 1934 Nuremberg rally, which Leni Riefenstahl turned into the film “Triumph of the Will,” has tyranny been so brazenly tarted up as art.
“A worldwide audience of billions swooned over the Beijing ceremony. Who remembers 1934? Or anything.” On November 4, 2008, will America choose a Chamberlain or a Churchill? A Carter or a Reagan? That is the choice we will face just 83 days from now.
Window Dressing On Abortion
Yesterday, CBN’s David Brody reported that members of the Democrat Platform Committee have sought input from evangelical leaders to moderate their party platform on abortion with the intent of making the Democrat Party more attractive to people of faith. According to Brody, Pastors Joel Hunter, Jim Wallis and Tony Campolo were involved in the effort.
So, what did they come up with? Here’s the proposed new language: “The Democratic Party strongly and unequivocally supports Roe v Wade and a woman’s right to choose a safe and legal abortion, regardless of ability to pay, and we oppose any and all efforts to weaken or undermine that right. The Democratic Party also strongly supports access to affordable family planning services and comprehensive age-appropriate sex education which empower people to make informed choices and live healthy lives. We also recognize that such health care and education help reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and thereby also reduce the need for abortions. The Democratic Party also strongly supports a woman’s decision to have a child by ensuring access to and availability of programs for pre and post natal health care, parenting skills, income support, and caring adoption programs.”
How “moderate” did that sound to you? I’m curious to know exactly what scriptures guided Pastors Hunter, Wallis and Campolo in their efforts. I certainly doubt that strong and unequivocal support for the abortion-on-demand regime of Roe v. Wade will in any way entice pro-life voters. The promise of taxpayer-funding for abortions will turn off many moderates who may not want to ban it but surely don’t want their hard-earned dollars paying for it. Will Christians be drawn to vote Democrat by the idea that little Susie and Johnny will be taught to use condoms in the first grade? I don’t think so.
The sad fact is that the DNC could adopt the strongest pro-life language that Jim Dobson and I could come up with and it wouldn’t matter. It wouldn’t matter because Barack Obama is the most extreme, pro-abortion candidate ever nominated for president.
He promised Planned Parenthood that the first piece of legislation that he would sign as president is the Freedom of Choice Act. That bill would repeal the federal ban on partial-birth abortions and every pro-life state law, from parental notifications to waiting periods. Obama has also promised to appoint ACLU radicals to our courts, liberal judicial activists like Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer. . . .Tags:abortion, Democrat Platform, Gary Bauer, OlympicsTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
ARRA News Service is pleased to present the following guest editorial . The video provided is not from the author of the editorial but has been included by us as it is germane to the topic.Guest Editorial by an "Unnamed" Congressional Staff Member: House Republicans are continuing to maintain their floor protest this week and are likely to continue it up to the beginning of the Democrat National Convention on August 25th. They object to Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s decision to close down debate in the House and leave town without holding a vote on legislation to lower gas prices.
House and Senate staff members are constantly asked for our opinion. Unfortantely, our voices must remain anonymous. Addresses below is both a relevant question and drilling myths. First, is the pressure from the American public and Congressional Republicans finally having an impact on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s at times vehement opposition to allowing a vote on new offshore oil drilling? Let's hope so; let's examine some recent signals from press to see if Pelosi is moving off of her extreme "drilling is not in my DNA" position.
According to The Hill, Pelosi told CNN’s Larry King last night, “They have this thing that says drill offshore in the protected areas. We can do that. We can have a vote on that.” That would certainly be welcome news. Pelosi went on to say,
“But it has to be part of something that says we want to bring immediate relief to the public and is not just a hoax on them.” It’s unclear what, exactly, constitutes a hoax” in terms of relief at the pump in Pelosi’s view. Previously, she’s called offshore drilling proposals from both House Republicans and the White House “hoaxes.” . . . Pelosi had previously said she would allow a vote on drilling and then backed off. On July 30, the last day Congress was in before the August recess, she was interviewed by the Capitol Hill press corps. She was asked if she could envision a vote on drilling in new areas this year, and she answered, ‘Of course.’ But her aides later released a statement saying she was not announcing a change in her stance on a drilling vote.”
How committed Pelosi is to holding a vote remains is yet to be seen. As the summer wears on, opponents of offshore drilling seem to find themselves increasingly isolated. Today, in an editorial titled "Snake Oil," The Washington Postdebunks three mainstay arguments against offshore drilling.
The first argument dismantled is one that Congressional Democrats seem to have set as an Auto Reply: “Drilling is pointless because the United States has only 3 percent of the world's oil reserves.” According to The Post, “This is a misleading because it refers only to known oil reserves. According to the Interior Department's Minerals Management Service (MMS), while there are an estimated 18 billion barrels of oil in the off-limits portions of the OCS, those estimates were made using old data from now-outdated seismic equipment. . . . In short, there could be much more oil under the sea than previously known.”
The Post then takes on what is often referred to as “the 68 million acres” talking point, “The oil companies aren’t using the leases they already have.” The editorial explains that a lease is listed as “producing” only when it meets a very specific government definition. Indeed, Shell has a lease off Galveston, Texas, on which it has “drilled several wells to explore the area at a cost of hundreds of millions of dollars; and started constructing the necessary infrastructure to bring the oil to market,” but the lease is not yet considered to be producing. The Post goes on to write, “The notion that oil companies are just sitting on oil leases is a myth. With oil prices still above $100 a barrel, that charge never made sense.”
The third argument, that “drilling is environmentally dangerous,” is made with particular vehemence by Democrat senators from coastal states. But, The Washington Post points out, “According to the MMS, between 1993 and 2007, there were 651 spills of all sizes at OCS facilities (in federal waters three miles or more offshore) that released 47,800 barrels of oil. With 7.5 billion barrels of oil produced in that time, that equates to 1 barrel of oil spilled per 156,900 barrels produced.” The Post then makes an argument Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has been pointing out: “Besides, if it is acceptable to drill in the Caspian Sea and in developing countries such as Nigeria where environmental concerns are equally important, it’s hard to explain why the United States should rule out drilling off its own coasts.”
Another point used to make the case against offshore drilling is the idea that any new oil production could not begin for around ten years. However in an editorial yesterday, Investor’s Business Daily shares that “[A] Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. report says there’s a lot of offshore oil that could be produced very quickly. . . . ‘California could actually start producing new oil within a year,’ the Bernstein report said, because the oil is in shallow water, and drilling platforms have been there since before the moratoria.”
Wrapping up: The Post editorial emphasizes that “True leadership would emphasize both alternative sources and rational approaches to developing oil and natural gas.” That certainly sounds like the issue being advanced by the House Republicans and already presented by Senate Republicans’ in their “Find More, Use Less” approach. We can only hope that both Speaker Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid will be persuaded to allow voting by the all the members of the House and the Senate on a drilling and access by Americans to all of America's natural resources. Tags:Gas prices oil drilling, Harry Reid, House Republicans, house revolt, Nancy Pelosi, US CongressTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
" . . . His [Obama's] supporters are now suffering a pre-Denver panic attack, watching as John McCain draws incrementally closer in state and national polls -- with Rasmussen's most recent daily tracker showing a statistical dead heat."
The seven worrisome signs for Obama:
1. The role Obama's race will play in voters' decisions; "How much does his race factor into tightening contests in Missouri, Wisconsin, Florida, Minnesota and Ohio? Nobody knows — and that’s the problem." (Note: In the 2006 Senate race, Republican George Allen, who waged a terrible campaign, lost by only 9,000 vote to a "moderate" Democrat with a military background. Race is not an issue for a qualified candidate. But Obama's own words of allegiances to his African family, questionable issues concerning his prior Muslim education, and anti-white racist comments by Obama's associates and pastors may affect him with many voters. The issue isn't race but the "cling-ons" of numerous negative factors. America is ready for president of any race and for female president. However, America may not be ready for a person of color forced upon them when that person is definitely not qualified except for his age. Americans, Democrats and Republicans, are still suffering from after-shock that a female with more qualifications was defeated by Obama primarily because of her last name.)
2. "Obama’s strength in Virginia may be over hyped"; Obama staffers look at the state as a 50-50 proposition, and his odds of winning may be less than that. [If Obama doesn't do very well in the DC suburbs, he will lose VA.)
3. "Michigan's in play for McCain"; the Democrats probably can't win without Michigan. There, "McCain has quietly crept up over the past month and could vault ahead if he anoints ex-Gov. Mitt Romney as his running mate." (Note: Michiganders would have much preferred Hillary Clinton as the candidate.)
4. Difficult times can engender fear among voters, and that could benefit McCain, who is more of a known quantity than Obama. (Note: Economics may not be McCain's strongest suit, but he has proven that he has an understanding of the concept. He knows high gas prices hurt the American people and our economy. But it also doesn't look like an Obama strength.)
5. McCain doesn't have to face the "Ross Perot factor" that helped Bill Clinton greatly in bringing down George H. W. Bush in 1992; Former Georgia Rep. Bob Barr, staging an indie bid from McCain’s right, has little cash and doesn’t seem to be a factor in competitive states. (Note: However, the maverick conservative or libertarian who places his or her own interest above those of the country, may indeed sacrifice their vote in an effort to punish the other conservatives and Republicans for not agreeing 100% with their positions. They may be be a spoiler that advances socialism under Obama. These folks will not win in the long run and unlike Ross Perot helping to elect Bill Clinton with A Republican congress, those supporting Barr are willing to send Obama to the White House with a the Democrats in full control of Congress. Even a major libertarian Republican like Rep. Ron Paul has recognized this danger and has tried to rechannel the efforts of his followers to more reasonable avenues of influence for the future.)
6. Obama is NOT a white Southerner with border-state strength, the only kind of a Democrat who has won the White House in the last 65 years (LBJ, Carter, and Clinton);
7. "Americans may WANT divided government"; as one Democratic strategist puts it, ". . . nobody wants a pair of Pelosis [Nancy and Barack] running things." (Note: not to leave out Reid as part of the socialist liberal trio: Reid, Pelosi & Obama. In addition with "No Will To Drill" America will faced with higher prices for not only gas but for the very basics: food, home/rent, utilities, etc. Transportation costs are going no where but up if this 'trio is in office" together.)
Former Democratic Senator Bob Kerrey puts it this way: People "want change, but I'm not sure that the Democratic agenda has the support of a majority of Americans." (Note: Many, including democrats, know that youth has never proven to be a prediction of success and McCain, a maverick in his own party, has reached across party lines his experienced career when doing so benefited the American people. Having served America most of his life, McCain not Obama should be the run away candidate. But, left leaning biased media continues to promote a younger glamor candidate with no almost no experience candidate over the candidate who is better prepared and qualified to confront the global military and economic dangers already on the horizon for the United States.) . . . [ 7 Worrisome Signs for Obama] Tags:Barack Obama, Bob Kerrey, Election 2008, John McCain, Michigan, Virginia RaceTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Devon Williams, Associate Editor, CitizenLink:Whlie a Australian Report Says Babies Harm the Economy, Family advocates argue, 'Babies are blessings, not burdens.'
Australia's fertility rate is at its highest in 25 years, but the nation's Productivity Commission warned last week that more babies may harm the economy. Nearly 300,000 babies were born last year, and the commission said new mothers leaving the workforce will weaken the economy, aggravate the aging-population problem and deplete the taxation base.
Steven Mosher, president of the Population Research Institute, called the report a gross exaggeration. In fact, he said, people typically contribute hundreds of thousands of dollars more to the economy than they consume in a lifetime. "Babies are blessings, not burdens," he said. "People come into this world not just as stomachs, not just as consumers — they come with brains and hands, and they make contributions." . . . [See:Australian Report Says Babies Harm the Economy] Tags:Australia, babies, CitizenLink, polulation controlTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Michael Reagan, Human Events: Republicans have their backs against the wall, facing a bloodbath on Election Day that will leave the party in shambles and the nation in the hands of the worst conglomeration of demagogues, scoundrels and loony leftists ever put together in our nation's history.
When you're fighting for your life, you have two choices: whimper about your plight while the other side cuts you to pieces, or fight as if your life depends on it, which of course it does . . . Republicans can unite to fight and win. Or they can do what they seem to do best these days, cringe and surrender. ...[Fight or Die Republicans] Tags:Human Events, Michael Reagan, RepublicansTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
On Friday, hundreds of Russian tanks crossed into Georgian territory, and Russian air force jets bombed Georgian airports, bases, ports and public markets. Many are dead, many more wounded. This invasion, which echoes Afghanistan in 1979 and the Prague Spring of 1968, threatens to undermine the stability of the international security system. …
No country of the former Soviet Union has made more progress toward consolidating democracy, eradicating corruption and building an independent foreign policy than Georgia. This is precisely what Russia seeks to crush.
The facts on the ground since Friday support Saakashvili’s claim. Despite the withdrawal of Georgian troops from the disputed South Ossetia territory and Georgia’s offer for a cease fire, Russian tanks are closing in on the central Georgian city of Gori, Russia has bombed Georgia’s capitol Tblisi, and Russian paratroopers in the disputed Abkhazia region have crossed over into undisputed Georgian territory. When asked during an emergency UN Security Council meeting if Russia’s objective was “regime change in Georgia,” Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin replied : “Sometimes there are occasions when, and we know from history, there are different leaders who come to power either democratically or semi-democratically … and they become an obstacle.”
This statement is only remarkable in its frankness. Russia has supported separatists in Abkhazia and South Ossetia for years, even appointing Russian security officers to arm and administer the groups. Moscow even granted the majority of Abkhazs and South Ossetians Russian citizenship, effectively enacting a creeping annexation of these territories. This is a slippery slope designed to redraw the borders of the former Soviet empire. And the effort is not confined to Georgia. Last spring Prime Minister Vladimir Putin spoke about Russia “dismembering” Ukraine, another NATO candidate, and detaching the Crimea, a peninsula that was transferred from Russia to Ukraine when both were integral parts of the Soviet Union.
Georgia has repeatedly sent soldiers to both Iraq and Afghanistan, and the 2,000 troops that were patrolling the Iraqi border with Iran are now being sent back to Georgia with U.S. help. But the United States must do more. America and its allies need to demand that Russia withdraw all its troops from the territory of Georgia and recognize its territorial integrity. . . . the United States, its allies and other countries need to send a strong signal to Moscow that redrawing the borders of the former Soviet Union is a danger to world peace; it cannot be done without violation of international law; and it is likely to result in death and destruction — a price that neither the Russian people nor others should pay. . . . [Article with supporting links] Tags:Christopher Ward, Georgian, Gerogia, Heritage Foundation, NATO, Russia, Russian, Ukraine, United StatesTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Former Governor Mike Huckabee: With less than 30 days to go before we officially nominate John McCain at the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis, I'm writing you today to urge you to do your part to help elect John McCain as our next President of the United States. The race is in a dead heat and the work you and I do today will have a tremendous effect on the outcome of this election.
The differences between John McCain and Senator Barack Obama are clear and the voters in the great state of Arkansas will have a clear choice to make on Election Day. Simply put, John McCain is prepared to lead our country as the next president and Senator Obama is not ready to lead.
John McCain stands on the right side of the issues that matter to you. To make America less dependent on foreign oil, John McCain is in favor of increasing domestic drilling, while Senator Obama wants you to properly inflate your tires instead of drilling for more oil.
John McCain is against raising your taxes, and he wants to keep current tax rates low, and cut others, not because he wants to make the rich richer, but because he knows keeping taxes low not only keeps jobs in America but it helps to create new ones. Senator Obama says he will raise taxes only on the rich but in the Senate, he voted for tax hikes that would have impacted those taking home just $42,000 a year. He has proposed tax increases on income taxes, capital gains taxes, dividend taxes, estate taxes, and Social Security taxes. All of these tax increases are the fine print under his slogans, and they add up to more than a trillion dollars in new taxes over the next decade.
Senator Obama may be great at delivering a speech, but the policies he is proposing will cripple our state. We can't afford to stand idly by and allow him to be elected as our next president.Tags:Election 2008, Mike HuckabeeTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Elizabeth Aymond, RPA: Little Rock, AR –The Republican Party of Arkansas has opened regional Victory headquarters in Washington, Sebastian, Faulkner, and Pulaski counties and have field staff operating throughout the state. Molly Donlin, Arkansas Victory Director, has recruited an impressive group of individuals to lead the charge of Arkansas electing John McCain in November. Jonathan Shuffield (1201 West 6th Street in Little Rock; jonathan@arkansasgop.org), Michael Lambert (802 Front Street in Conway; michael@arkansasgop.org), and Shane Williams (1 Bass Street in Greenwood, 2576 W. Sunset – Suite B in Springdale, and 208 West Walnut in Rogers; shane@arkansasgop.org) each serve as Victory ’08 Field Representatives for Arkansas. They, along with dedicated volunteers, are working hard to turn out the vote for Senator McCain and other state-based Republicans throughout Arkansas. Tags:Arkansas, Republican Party of Arkansas, RPA, Victory 2008To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Tags:Democrats, drilling, money, politics, taxesTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
H/T Wordsmith at Flopping Aces: Tags:Barack Obama, China, Democrat, gas prices, inflation, Nancy Pelosi, oil drilling, Olympics, political cartoon, political humorTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
If YOU voted for a Democrat for Congress in 2006,
YOU voted for higher gas prices!
Happy Now?
Ready for a change? Vote Republican in 2008! Tags:Democrat, gas prices, GOP, US Congress, video, voteTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Hans A. von Spakovsky: In 2005, the U.S. Government Accountability Office found that up to 3% of the 30,000 individuals called for jury duty from voter registration rolls over a two-year period in just one U.S. district court were not U.S. citizens. While that may not seem like many, just 3% of registered voters would have been more than enough to provide the winning presidential vote margin in Florida in 2000. Indeed, the Census Bureau estimates that there are over a million illegal aliens in Florida, and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has prosecuted more non-citizen voting cases in Florida than in any other state.
Florida is not unique. Thousands of non-citizens are registered to vote in some states, and tens if not hundreds of thousands in total may be present on the voter rolls nationwide. These numbers are significant: Local elections are often decided by only a handful of votes, and even national elections have likely been within the margin of the number of non-citizens illegally registered to vote. Yet there is no reliable method to determine the number of non-citizens registered or actually voting because most laws to ensure that only citizens vote are ignored, are inadequate, or are systematically undermined by government officials. Those who ignore the implications of non-citizen registration and voting either are willfully blind to the problem or may actually favor this form of illegal voting.
Americans may disagree on many areas of immigration policy, but not on the basic principle that only citizens—and not non-citizens, whether legally present or not—should be able to vote in elections. . . . [Full Report: Illegal Immigrants Are Voting in American Elections] Hans A. von Spakovsky served as a member of the Federal Election Commission for two years. Before that, he was Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Justice, where he specialized in voting and election issues. . . . This report was produced for The Heritage Foundation. Tags:early voting, elections, Florida, illegal aliens, illegal immigrants, illegal voting, voter fraud, voter id, voter registrationTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
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Morning Bell, Heritage Foundation: Unintended consequences of the federal government’s energy policy are nothing new. Think about ethanol. The United States is now committed to using 9 billion gallons of ethanol in 2008, which will rise to 36 billion by 2022. No one thought it would be responsible for pushing 30 million people into poverty. No one thought of the adverse effects ethanol policy would have on the environment.
