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, December 06, 2008
Blatant Self-promotion: Follow me on twitter
Dr. Bill Smith, ARRA Editor:This is a blatant self-promotion: Follow me on twitter http://twitter.com/arra. No beating around the bush here, I'm on a campaign to surpass 2,000 followers on Twitter and would appreciate any and all adds!
My twitters offers solid insightful traditional values Conservative ideas, commentary, political updates. My twitter keywords, limited by twitter, are as follows:
Conservative, Limited Gov't, free markets, national security, fiscal & social conservative, military vet, traditional values, Republican, pro-life, news
However, I enjoy following my varied types of people from politicals, free marketers, Christians, media types, conservatives, libertarians, veterans, entrepreneurs, homeschool parents, to just plain interesting fellow tweeters who like to express their free speech. I will return the favor as soon as Twitter lifts the limit on how many people I can follow!
Although ratings change daily, today my twitter is ranked 23 out 533 tracked conservatives on Top Conservative Twitters with some great writers worth following.
And to be truthful, I was encouraged to ask you to follow me via a post by a fellow Indiana Blogger and successful businessman, Steve Dalton, who out ranks me at 7th nationally. Might as well benchmark myself against the best! Tags:ARRA, Bill Smith, conservative, conservative twitters, fiscal conservatives, free market, pro-life, Republican, social conservatives, traditional values, twitter, veteransTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Aaron Marks, NextGenGOP was able to get an exclusive interview with Saul Anuzis, one of the leading candidates for RNC chairman. Exceprt follow:
1) How necessary do you believe it to be for the Republican Party to win over young voters? What new steps, if any, do you believe the GOP should take to accomplish this? ". . . Every program in our party needs to look for ways to reach out to young people. If we are going to be the party of the future, everyone needs to make young people a priority. Much of this will depend on our national candidates and leaders. We can build a base of supporters based on philosophy, but attracting a “movement” will often be based around a candidate. That said we must do more on college campuses to fight for conservative ideas. This means challenging liberal professors, supporting our youth organizations when they stand up against liberal thinking, and speaking to young people where they live: on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc. . . ."
2) If you are elected chairman, what role will technology and the Internet have for you personally during your tenure the RNC? " Well, I launched by RNC chairman’s bid on YouTube and Twitter. I think that illustrates how important the Internet and technology is for me. Technology must be an integral AND integrated part of everyday party operations. I am committed to making that happen. Technology will be front and center during my tenure as RNC chairman. Many of you already follow me on Twitter (@sanuzis) or on my daily blog, That’s Saul Foks, or on Facebook or by reading my daily “Commentary & Articles of Interest” which I e-mail everyday to thousands of grass-root activists, party insiders, media and key influencers around the country. I have always used the Internet to help me reach and connect with Republicans across Michigan and the United States. This will continue when I am RNC chairman."
3) If elected chairman, what changes and/or upgrades will you make to the eCampaign infrastructure at the RNC? "I embrace, support and have endorsed the RepublicanTheParty.com’s “A Plan for the Future.” I encourage everyone to read it and support. It is a blueprint of realistic and attainable goals that will return the GOP to the forefront of using technology to advance our agenda and win elections."
4) Why did Barack Obama and the Democrats win in this election? What components of this success, if any, do you believe Republicans need to take advantage of moving forward? . . . [Read More] Tags:candidate, Republican National Committee, RNC, RNC Chairman, Saul AnuzisTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Liberal Patriotism, is that an oxymoron or just a moron?
H/T to PropagandaBuster -The Dallas Morning News reprinted an article from McClatchy Newspapers. It was about an American liberal who for the past 8 years of Republican President Bushs administration, kept the flag in a closet. . . . Liberals such as the person in the article are the summer soldier a seasonal patriot, while rest of us are patriots for all four seasons.
Tags:American, Barack Obama, Democrat, Flag, George Bush, liberal, liberalism, liberals, patriot, patriotic, patriotism, Republican, U.S.To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Tony Perkins, Family Research Council: The Center for American Progress (CAP), part of the ever-expanding empire of liberal billionaire George Soros, is just three blocks from the White House, but it may be impossible to find an organization closer in ideology to the new administration. Working in unison with the Obama camp, CAP was the driving force behind key policies of Barack's campaign, including his plans for universal health care, energy, troop withdrawal, global warming, and the economy. Now, as Obama prepares to take over the executive reins, the Center's influence appears to be taking shape in the next President's inner circle.
In a city where "personnel is policy," CAP staffers are already starting to populate key posts in the Democrat's administration. John Podesta, who presides as founder of CAP's $27 million operating budget, is one of three people leading the President's transition team. Along with Podesta, Tom Daschle, Obama's choice to head the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), served as CAP's Distinguished Senior Fellow. Several others named to HHS are also CAP alums.
Their advice to Obama is largely contained in CAP's book, Change for America: A Progressive Blueprint for the 44th President, released just a week after the election. Though the organization has been counted on for its recommendations on domestic issues, the group's social agenda is devastatingly pro-abortion. On CAP's website, visitors will find two extra, online chapters from the Change book, which advocate, among other things, the radical Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), taxpayer-funded abortion, "comprehensive" sex education, a repeal of the Hyde Amendment, and a repeal of the abortion ban on military bases. CAP's political arm also spoke against the state marriage amendments and actively worked for the defeat of the state life initiatives on Nov 4th.
This should illustrate just how potent Washington nonprofits can be, particularly when they are functioning in the minority. Now that FRC finds itself in a similar position, rest assured that we are working from within to lead the battle for conservative ideas. To help us build on those efforts, please consider donating to FRC as we regroup for major fights over the future of faith, family, and freedom.Tags:abortion, Barack Obama, CAP, Center for American Progress, Family Research Council, FOCA, FRC, Freedom of Choice act, George Soros, pro-life, Tony PerkinsTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Kerby Anderson, Point of View: What do Americans know about history, government, and economics? Apparently, not very much. More than twice as many American, 56%, know that Paula Abdul is a judge on "American Idol" as know that the phrase "government of the people, by the people, for the people" comes from Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. This is even more amazing when you consider the President-elect Barack Obama used this phrase in his election-night victory speech.
A study by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute found that Americans are nearly illiterate when it comes to basic principles of American history, government, and economics. More than 2,000 people were administered a 33 question test, and 71% of them failed. What was even more remarkable is that there wasn't much difference in scores when you factored in age, educational achievement, or even political involvement. Young Americans failed, but so did the elderly. Liberals and conservatives did about the same. Republicans did slightly better than Democrats and Independents but the difference was not that significant. But the biggest surprise to me was the politicians actually did worse than the average American. So much for electing qualified and well-informed people to office!
Most Americans would fail a typical high school civics test. Less than half of all Americans can name all three branches of government. Only 27% of Americans know that the Bill of rights prohibits the government from establishing an official religion in the U.S. Even a smaller percentage of elected officeholders knew this. A large number (43%) of politicians did not know what the Electoral College does, and only 32% of politicians could define the free-enterprise system, even though many of them campaigned for office pledging to defend it. It's pretty obvious that most of Americans need a civics lesson. Our government depends on it. I'm Kerby Anderson, and that's my point of view. Tags:Americans, Economics, government, History, Intercollegiate Studies Institute, ISITo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: Be sure to catch the conclusion at the end of this post. Congress may not be officially in session but they are still have been "busy bodies." This week we have watched as the Detroit auto manufacturers returned for a second time "hats in hand" to beg for American taxpayer money to bail them out. Not only did they overcharge us in the past for their autos and the repair parts needed over the years, now they wish for us to pay for their poor marketing and engineering decisions, high executive salaries, and the high cost of their union wages.
The Wall Street Journal discussed the challenges facing Democrats as they look forward to running both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue next year. The Journal writes, “One-party rule may sound like a guarantee of harmonious action, but the president and Congress often have different interests, agendas and rhythms. History is full of cautionary examples. President Jimmy Carter inherited a Congress with even bigger Democratic majorities than Mr. Obama’s, but relations were rocky. Bill Clinton, too, came to power with a Democrat-controlled Congress, but quickly bickered with lawmakers over health reform and proceeded to lose the House in 1994. . . . tensions spring from the very nature of Congress and the presidency. Presidents may chafe at Congress’s deliberate pace, which requires numerous hearings for any complex initiative. And committee chairmen tend to guard their turf, resenting intrusions by new presidents. Beyond this, congressional Democrats are hardly a monolithic bloc, and factions are often at odds -- from conservative ‘blue dogs’ to antiwar activists, California environmentalists to coal-industry loyalists.”
President-elect Obama and Democrats in Congress seem to be eager to pass a large government spending package sold as an economic stimulus, but even this reveals potential tensions between the White House and Capitol Hill. Obama has said he wants to cut wasteful spending, but his options for that are limited, as The Boston Globe noted. And, The Globe pointed out, “such savings are relatively small compared to a stimulus program that might cost as much as $700 billion over two years.” Yet Congressional Democrats continue to talk up stimulus legislation. However, The New York Times reported last week that they’ve decided not to call it a “stimulus” any more. It’s now going to be call an “economic recovery program,” since “stimulus” has not proven to be a very reassuring word to the public. Democrats may find, though, that the more challenging words they’ll have to grapple with next year include “deficit,” “debt,” and “priorities.”
In another article, The Wall Street Journal reported, “Democratic congressional leaders, eager to trumpet that change has come to Washington, are looking to enact quickly a series of popular bills in January in such areas as renewable energy, children’s health care and embryonic stem-cell research.” The Journal story goes on to note Democrats are considering attempts to swiftly pass “an array of bills they consider ‘low-hanging fruit’” early next year.
What bills are included in this array? A litany of bad ideas and troubling policies that were repeatedly rejected over the last two years. According to The Journal, Democrats are looking at new attempts to pass a mandate “requiring that electric utilities derive 15% of their energy from renewable sources by the year 2020,” guaranteed to drive up electricity rates, especially in the South, a twice-vetoed bill funding embryo-destructive stem cell research, and, of course, an expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) designed to drive more people into government-run insurance programs.
Why the rush on these questionable bills? The WSJ writes, “Congress’s approval ratings have been at historic lows, and Democratic leaders are aware that if they do not show major achievements quickly, they risk losing a large number of seats in the next election.” Of course, to accomplish all of these things, Democrats will need to remember that Senate Republicans have a voice and they can’t simply steamroll their way to accomplishments.
But another factor has been overlooked recently in all the discussion of President-elect Obama’s first 100 days and the ambitions of Democrats in Congress: Democrats’ historic mismanagement of Congress over the last two years. Since early 2007, Democrats have repeatedly had trouble keeping their own members in line and running Capitol Hill anywhere near smoothly.
Roll Call had a few stories that illustrated the Democrats’ ongoing problems. First, there was a story full of quotes from Democrat Senate aides and Democrat senators discussing the anger that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has provoked by trying to distribute subcommittee chairmanships to newly-elected Democrats. As one might expect, there are a lot of senior Democrat Senators who aren’t enthusiastic about giving up some positions.
Meanwhile, in the House, no one seems to know what will be happening next week concerning loans to domestic auto companies. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer “gave a definitive response of ‘no’ when asked if the chamber would schedule votes even if Democratic leaders are unable to reach a bipartisan agreement on a multibillion-dollar rescue package for auto manufacturers.” However, Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters, “I believe that an intervention will happen . . . .” But there has been no news on any sort of agreement on what to do among Democrats, leaving plans up in the air.
If Democrats really want to “show major achievements,” they’d do well to address some of the problems over the last few years, most notably their mismanagement and poor track record of considering the views of Republicans.
The New York Times reports that Democrats are already planning a key component of their massive spending proposal for next year, a “so-called green-jobs program.” Democrats in Congress spent a lot of time over the last year talking about “green-collar” jobs, though they never really explained what made a job “green-collar” or how government spending created them. Nonetheless, according to The New York Times “The green component of the much larger stimulus plan would cost at least $15 billion a year, and perhaps considerably more, depending on how the projects were defined, aides working on the package said.”
However, the story notes that “[s]ome experts said the record of government’s intervention in energy markets and new technologies was not promising” and goes on to discuss the cost of such programs in the past. The Times asked David Kreutzer of the Heritage Foundation about the idea and he wondered where the money for such programs would come from: “Are you going to take $100 billion from some other part of the economy, are you going to tax some people to pay for it? Are you just going to print it or borrow it? The money has to come from somewhere.”
And of course, even some prominent Democrats are skeptical of the idea. Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), who was critical of Senate Democrats’ proposal for a windfall profits tax on oil companies earlier this year, “said he was wary of big government spending programs without sufficient oversight or expertise,” according to the NYT. Bingaman said, “Just buying smart meters [to monitor and reduce home energy use] for everybody doesn’t really move the ball very far.”
In other news, Roll Call reported that thanks to GOP Sen. Saxby Chambliss’ win in Georgia on Tuesday, Democrats likely will not be able to take a three-seat majority on Senate committees in the next Congress. A senior GOP aide told Roll Call, “Obviously, when you get to the point where we’re at now, which is in excess of 41 [seats], it forces the majority to be much more reasonable in their requests.” A smaller majority for Democrats on committees means they’ll have to be more responsive to Republican ideas about legislation and will have a more difficult time pushing controversial bills through to the floor.
WRAP-UP FOR THE WEEK: While many prominent Democrats insist that they will do something about the domestic auto industry, news reports today make it clear that they remain in complete disarray on this subject. The Hill reports today, “Lawmakers have yet to reach a compromise on the rescue package requested by the Detroit companies and [Democrat Sen. Chris] Dodd, the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, painted a dismal portrait of their progress . . . .” And Michigan Sen. Carl Levin complained, “It’s very cumbersome for Congress to act. There were so many different approaches thrown out there.”
The AP examined the competing pressures on Democrats yesterday in an analysis piece about the rift between big labor and environmental groups on money for Detroit, noting “[t]he intramural fight helps explain why President-elect Barack Obama has stayed vague on his views on the details of the bailout and Democratic leaders have seemed uncertain about whether to push one through.”
Writing in The Detroit News, Henry Payne observes that this battle is showing up in rifts between California Democrats and their Michigan counterparts. Payne points to a letter California Sen. Diane Feinstein wrote to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid opposing a plan backed by Levin to use $25 billion in existing money automakers have available for earth-friendly retooling. Payne wonders if this is because California lawmakers are looking out for struggling alternative car makers like Tesla Motors.
All of this makes it unsurprising, then, that Democrats would much rather avoid divisions and difficult decisions and dump the whole issue on President Bush. Politico reports that yesterday “House and Senate leaders released a letter to President Bush again urging him to intervene in the auto crisis by using funds available to the Treasury under the financial markets rescue fund enacted this fall.” Why? according to Politico,“This is the safer political course for Democrats given the voter antipathy to more bailouts.”
Of course, what to do with the auto industry isn’t the only thing Democrats can’t seem to agree on. There isn’t even consensus as to whether both chambers will even participate in next week’s planned lame duck session. While Reid has scheduled the Senate to return Monday, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said the House wouldn’t bother having votes unless there is agreement on a package for auto makers. Meanwhile, Roll Call notes that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is considering working on yet another version of a stimulus package next week, even though no one on the Senate side has suggested such a thing.
AGAIN - confusion and disarray reign as the Democrats’ mis-management of the 110th Congress continues all the way to the very end. It doesn’t look very encouraging for the prospects of the 111th Congress. Tags:auto industry, bailout, bailouts, Democrats, Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Republicans, 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!
Democrats continue to toy with so-called Fairness Doctrine
Jennifer Mesko, Editor CitizenLink: Congressional Democrats long have threatened to reinstate the so-called Fairness Doctrine, which would force radio stations to "balance" opinions on controversial issues. A post-election poll shows very few Americans want such government censorship of the public airwaves. ATI-Zogby International found 96% of Republicans oppose the censorship scheme, as well as 75% of those who voted for President-elect Barack Obama. Nearly 9 in 10 independents oppose the government intervention. See More:Most Americans Oppose Government Censorship of AirwavesTAKE ACTION:The Media Research Center is working to mobilize 500,000 Americans to bury the Fairness Doctrine for good. Tags:CitizenLink, fairness doctrine, free speech, Media Research Center, radio station, talk radioTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Bishop Paul Loverde's bold defense of life - #abortion #pro-life
Addressing the danger of FOCA, Arlington Bishop would say: "I’m not closing this hospital, we will not perform abortions." ARLINGTON, Virginia (LifeSiteNews) - Bishop Paul Loverde of the diocese of Arlington weighed in on the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) last week, saying that if he oversaw a Catholic hospital he would neither close the facility nor allow it to perform abortions if FOCA were to become law. Though there are currently no Catholic hospitals in the Arlington diocese, the bishop spoke defiantly against FOCA, which would force all health care providers to procure abortions at any stage of development, regardless of their moral or religious objection.
“I would say, ‘Yeah, I’m not going to close the hospital, you’re going to arrest me, go right ahead," Bishop Loverde told a group of mostly young adults at a diocesan event, according to a CNS report. "You’ll have to drag me out, go right ahead. I’m not closing this hospital, we will not perform abortions, and you can go take a flying leap.’”
At a 2007 Planned Parenthood conference, Obama promised that one of his highest priorities as president would be to pass FOCA, rendering illegal all state and federal limits on abortion. This would include abortion clinic regulations, parental notification requirements, bars to taxpayer abortion funding, and the partial–birth abortion ban, in addition to laws protecting doctors' rights to conscientious objection. “It’s quite a title, let me tell you,” Bishop Loverde said of the Freedom of Choice Act. “It’s a misnomer, it’s neither free nor choice, so I don’t know where they got the name of the act, because it’s just crazy, because it has no freedom, and it has no choice.”
Catholic and pro-life voices have raised the alarm on the unprecedented danger the bill represents for unborn Americans, with Catholic officials particularly concerned that U.S. Catholic hospitals will be forced to close en masse in the face of mandatory abortion. Chicago Cardinal Francis George, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), issued in November a statement on behalf of all Catholic bishops warning Obama that "aggressive pro-abortion policies, legislation and executive orders will permanently alienate tens of millions of Americans, and would be seen by many as an attack on the free exercise of their religion." One unnamed senior Vatican official recently told TIME magazine that the passage of FOCA would mean "the equivalent of a war" between Mr. Obama and the Catholic Church.Tags:abortion, Bishop Paul Loverde, Catholic, church, FOCA, Freedom of Choice act, pro-lifeTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
FRANKFORT, Ky. — A group of atheists filed a lawsuit Tuesday seeking to remove part of a state anti-terrorism law that requires Kentucky's Office of Homeland Security to acknowledge it can't keep the state safe without God's help. American Atheists Inc. sued in state court over a 2002 law that stresses God's role in Kentucky's homeland security alongside the military, police agencies and health departments.
Of particular concern is a 2006 clause requiring the Office of Homeland Security to post a plaque that says the safety and security of the state "cannot be achieved apart from reliance upon almighty God" and to stress that fact through training and educational materials.
The plaque, posted at the Kentucky Emergency Operations Center in Frankfort, includes the Bible verse: "Except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain."
"It is one of the most egregiously and breathtakingly unconstitutional actions by a state legislature that I've ever seen," said Edwin F. Kagin, national legal director of Parsippany, N.J.-based American Atheists Inc. The group claims the law violates both the state and U.S. constitutions.
But Democratic state Rep. Tom Riner, a Baptist minister from Louisville, said he considers it vitally important to acknowledge God's role in protecting Kentucky and the nation. "No government by itself can guarantee perfect security," Riner said. "There will always be this opposition to the acknowledgment of divine providence, but this is a foundational understanding of what America is." . . . [Atheist: No God Allowed in Kentucky Homeland Security] Tags:Athesist, Court, God, Homeland Security, KentuckyTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Little Green Footballs reports on Egyptian cleric Hassan Abu Al-Ashbal has a message for Barack Obama: convert to Islam, or else. We’re eager for death, yadda yadda, you know the drill.
Following are excerpts from an address delivered by Egyptian cleric Hassan Abu Al-Ashbal, which aired on Al-Nas TV on November 27, 2008.
Hassan Abu Al-Ashbal: Let me take this opportunity to address the leader of Europe, and the leader of America, who is the leader of the world, the recently-elected Obama, who is the leader of the Byzantines – he is like the Byzantine leaders in the days of Prophet Muhammad.
My message to him is three-fold. First, I invite him to convert to Islam. This is the call of the Prophet and of Allah. Oh Obama – convert to Islam, and you will be saved. I hope that Allah will reward you twice: Once for converting to Islam, and another reward for all those who will convert in your footsteps. If you want glory – you will find it in Islam. If you want honor – you will find it in Islam. In religions other than Islam there is utter humiliation, even if you are the president of the entire world. [...]
You, Obama, are among those who have pledged before Allah – Allah who created you, sustained you, and brought you to this position – to be a Muslim who believes that Allah is the one God, especially since you have some kind of roots in Islam. Convert to Islam, and you will be saved. All glory and honor lie in following Allah and His messenger Muhammad. Know that the true religion is the religion of Islam, and all other religions are fabricated religions, which are null and void – religions that were abrogated by the shari’a of Muhammad.
If you refuse to return to your [Islamic] origins, to the way Allah created you, withdraw your huge armies and military bases from the lands of the Muslims. Know that all your predecessors have ended up in the garbage bin of history, and that America’s black and bleak history in the land of the Muslims and the Arabs constitutes an evil omen for you, your predecessors, and your successors. Know, Obama, that America, with all its size and might, will know no peace, as long as a single Muslim child lacks food, drink, medicine, or housing. If you refuse, Obama, and insist on remaining in Muslim lands, know that Allah still plants in [Muslims] obedience to Him, and they are willing to wait for Paradise, which is closer than their own shoelaces.
Know, Obama, that in the lands of Islam, there are people who seek death, and are eager for it, even more than you and your people are eager for life – any kind of life, even a life of humiliation.
Tags:ABC News, Barack Obama, Eqypt, global threats, Islam, MuslimTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: The below photo and post made today by Covertess points up an issue on which the ARRA News Service has opted not to report on previously because of limited access to verifiable information. It is true that there has been lots of supposition on the Internet. The issue is the questioning of President-elect Barack Obama's birth certificate. But now, this issue may be addressed by the Supreme Court via a case brought by a Democrat. Obviously, one must ask, why not just show us the birth certificate and remove all doubt on being a "native" born citizen. As for the second issue regarding Senator Clinton's appointment to be Secretary of State, there is a constitutional bar to her being appointed appointed to a position on which she voted to increase the salary to that position. However there is historical precedence by which Congress could vote to lower the salary back to the level it was before Clinton is appointed. Clinton would be wise to agree quickly to this resolution to avoid a Constitutional challenge.
"Whatta ya say we just nix the Constitution right off the bat, eh sweetie?"
The Supreme Court plans to decide Friday whether to hear a case that could determine whether President-elect Barack Obama ever becomes the nation's full-fledged president.
The Supreme Court judges' conference today will consider the lawsuit filed by New Jersey attorney Leo Donofrio. He contends Mr. Obama is not a "natural born citizen," as the U.S. Constitution requires. -- Washington Times
Hillary Clinton's appointment as US Secretary of State has been challenged as unconstitutional. In fact it conflicts with Article 1, Section 6 of the Constitution which states: "No Senator or Representative shall, during the time for which he was elected, be appointed to any civil office under the authority of the United States, which shall have been created, or the emoluments whereof shall have been increased during such time." -- Telegraph
Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: There are 59 members of the House Appropriations Committee. We think it is time to have at least one Committee member who doesn't take earmarks and who doesn't support pork-barrel spending. I am joining the efforts of Freedom Works to help get Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Arizona) on the Appropriations Committee for the 111th Congress. "With Roger Wicker being named a United States Senator, there is an opening on the Appropriations Committee for the U.S. House of Representatives. The Republicans get to fill the seat. The Republican leadership has a great opportunity to prove that it is serious about earmark reform and a conservative approach to spending. It's time to put some action behind their rhetoric.
"In four terms in Congress, Mr. Flake has never sought a special bridge, courthouse, parking lot, or teapot museum for his district. Republican leaders were so incensed at his role in exposing GOP earmarks in 2006 that they booted him off the Judiciary Committee." -- Wall Street Journal: The Anti-Appropriator, Jan. 8, 2008
You too can also join in the effort to place at Jeff Flake, one (1) congressman who has not taken an earmark, on the Appropriations Committee to speak for all of us. It is easy go to "Make It Flake" Campaign and pick from a list of options: adding your name to an Open letter to Minority Leader John Boehner, sending an email to the Republican leaders in Congress, calling the members of the GOP Steering Committee, and more. Do it today!["Three groups spend other people's money: children, thieves, and politicians. All three need parental supervision.." -- Dick Armey] Tags:appropriations, earmark reform, earmarks, Jeff Flake, US HouseTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Voters oppose replacing the secret ballot with card check 59-34
They oppose EFCA's binding arbitration provision 54-39
63% say that if EFCA becomes law, 63% say unions would "use deception, harassment, and even coercion to get employees to sign a pro-union card.
When presented with neutral language that describes the two main components of the Employee Free Choice Act, solid majorities of those who voted in this year’s elections oppose the proposed llegislation. A couple of important themes arise in this survey data. First, the more familiar voters are with the Employee Free Choice Act, the more opposed they are to it. Secondly, voters do not see this as a partisan or ideologically driven issue. Both a majority f Republican and Democratic voters oppose the Employee Free Choice Act, as do conservatives and liberals alike. Additionally, voters in the political middle – the battleground states where McCain and Obama won with less than 55% of the vote – oppose this legislation by very significant margins. And, in a clear warning sign to those newly elected (and re-elected) Democrat U.S. Senators, a solid majority of voters in your states oppose both components of the Employee Free Choice Act.
This data shows that Americans have a strong attachment to the secret ballot process. Among the few voters who support unionizing their employer, the overwhelming majority say they would want to decide the issue with a secret ballot process and not a card check system. Why? One reason that can’t be taken lightly is the very real concern voters have that a card check process would lead to increased worker intimidation by union organizers.
A few of the Survey's Key Findings: When presented with neutral language describing the key provisions of the bill, voters surveyed opposed both facets. They strongly oppose a card check system and instead support the secret ballot process and they oppose changing the bargaining process. The poll found that 59% of all voters oppose the elimination of the secret ballot in union organizing elections and 53% oppose binding arbitration in contract negotiations.
In fact, when asked their preference if a union tried to organize in their workplace: 81% preferred a secret ballot, with only 14% preferring the card-check process. The survey found that even most union households oppose both key components of the Employee Free Choice Act with fully 53% of union households opposing the elimination of the secret ballot and 555 opposing binding arbitration.
Voters have serious concerns about worker protections should the Employee Free Choice Act become law. Nearly two out of three voters (63%) say that if the Employee Free Choice Act passes they are worried that union organizers would “use deception, harassment, and even coercion to get employees to sign a pro-union card.”
It appears obvious to all that there is strong and broad based opposition to the bill. EFCA will be a very divisive issue for the new Congress to pursue and the Congress needs to be focused on the economy verses Union paybacks. With the Big 3 auto industry struggling, even Union's will be affected by the ripple affect of significant decreased membership created by auto companies downsizing. The UAW membership may be meaningless if the Big 3 are forced to close their doors because of astronomical Union labor rates and employee benefit packages when compared to the cost of labor and benefits at other auto manufacturing plants in the Unites States and foreign countries. Forced unionization of workers without the workers secret vote evidences that union management desperate attempt to save their own jobs. Union employees should be concerned with their "union managed" pensions. Tags:Card Check, EFCA, Employee Free Choice Act, exit polls, SurveyTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Hard to believe, but not everyone in politics wants a free lunch.While some governors are begging Capitol Hill for a bailout from their beleaguered budget deficits, others are calling for tough medicine for the several states, as noted below:
by Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX) & Gov. Mark Sanford (R-SC), Opinion Journal, The Wall Street Journal: As governors and citizens, we've grown increasingly concerned over the past weeks as Washington has thrown bailout after bailout at the national economy with little to show for it. In the process, the federal government is not only burying future generations under mountains of debt. It is also taking our country in a very dangerous direction -- toward a "bailout mentality" where we look to government rather than ourselves for solutions. We're asking other governors from both sides of the political aisle to join with us in opposing further federal bailout intervention for three reasons.
First, we're crossing the Rubicon with regard to debt. One fact that's been continually glossed over in the bailout debate is that Washington doesn't have money in hand for any of these proposals. Every penny would be borrowed. Estimates for what the government is willing to spend on bailouts and stimulus efforts for this year reach as much as $7.7 trillion according to Bloomberg.com -- a full half of the United States' yearly economic output.
With all the zeroes in the numbers, it's no wonder Washington politicians have lost track. That trillion-dollar figure is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to checks written by the federal government that it can't cash. Former U.S. Comptroller General David Walker puts our nation's total debt and unpaid promises, like Social Security, at roughly $52 trillion -- an invisible mortgage of $450,000 on every American household. Borrowing money to "solve" a problem created by too much debt seems odd. And as fiscally conservative Republicans, we take no pleasure in pointing out that many in our own party have been just as complicit in running up the tab as those on the political left.
Second, the bailout mentality threatens Americans' sense of personal responsibility. In a free-market system, competition and one's own personal stake motivate people to do their best. In this process, the winners create wealth, jobs and new investment, while others go back to the drawing board better prepared to try again. To an unprecedented degree, government is currently picking winners and losers in the private marketplace, and throwing good money after bad. A prudent investor takes money from low-yield investments and puts them in those that yield better returns. Recent government intervention is doing the opposite -- taking capital generated from productive activities and throwing it at enterprises that in many cases need to reorganize their business model.
Take for example the proposed Big Three auto-maker bailout. We think it's very telling that each of the three CEO's flew on their own private jets to Washington to ask for a taxpayer handout. No amount of taxpayer largess could fix a business culture so fundamentally flawed.
Third, we'd ask the federal government to stop believing it has all the answers. Our Founding Fathers were clear and deliberate in setting up a system whereby the federal government would only step in for that which states cannot do themselves. An expansionist federal government of the last century has moved us light-years away from that model, but it doesn't mean that Congress can't learn from states that are coming up with solutions that work. In Texas and South Carolina, we've focused on improving "soil conditions" for businesses by cutting taxes, reforming our legal system and our workers' compensation system. We'd humbly suggest that Congress take a page from those playbooks by focusing on targeted tax relief paid for by cutting spending, not by borrowing.
In the rush to do "something" to help, federal leaders would be wise to take a line from the Hippocratic Oath, and pledge to do no (more) harm to our country's finances. We can weather this storm if we commit to fiscal prudence and hold true to the values of individual freedom and responsibility that made our nation great.
Tags:bailouts, Governor, Mark Sanford, Rick Perry, South Carolina, State, TexasTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
by William Warren Tags:auto industry, bailout, Santa Claus, US Congress, William WarrenTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Bill Smith, ARRA Editor:Ed Driscollshared his insights in "Harry Reid's History Of The World Part I." Can't wait for Part II. In fact, with Sen. Reid being up for re-election in 2010, the best news would be Reid and his nose for "body odors" not returning to the Senate. Of course maybe Utah sent him to Washington, D.C. to keep him out of their way. It worked for Arkansas, with Bill & Hillary Clinton. "They never returned, no they never returned" except for an occassional stayover at the Clinton trailer, e.g., library! After Bill's twists through the White House, Hillary didn't want to return to Bill's homegirl team, She wanted to be with the libtards of New York, sent Bill to Harlem to play and the New York voters immediately recognized Hillary values and sent her to Washington D.C. to play with Harry Reid. Although her party rejected her as their presidential candidate, Hillary has plans to be the First Former First Lady Secretary of State. Apprarently, even she could not stand the "body odors" of taxpayers visiting the Capitol. You will understand the "body odor" comments when you read Ed Driscoll's comments[Warning: While Driscoll is funny, Reid is not!]:
In Mel Brook's History of the World Part I, there's a scene in which Mel, playing the King of France, has this memorable exchange:
Count de Monet: It is said that the people are revolting. King Louis XVI: You said it! They stink on ice!
France lost its Ancien Regime in 1789, but Harry Reid (D-NV) sounds like he's been drinking in a little too much from the House of Bourbon for his own good:
As AllahPundit writes, "Comedy gold from the unerring political instinct that brought us a Congressional approval rating lower than Bush's. Behold, the ultimate Kinsleyan gaffe:"
"My staff tells me not to say this, but I'm going to say it anyway," said Reid in his remarks. "In the summer because of the heat and high humidity, you could literally smell the tourists coming into the Capitol. It may be descriptive but it's true."
But it's no longer going to be true, noted Reid, thanks to the air conditioned, indoor space.
Allah asks, "What did the Senate chamber smell like before A/C?" I have no idea, but it is a reminder that Big Government needs Big Air Conditioning to prosper, as Jonah Goldberg wrote a few years ago:
In the 18th and 19th centuries a congressman wouldn't be caught dead in Washington during July. Well, actually, they might be caught dead, because they wore all those clothes and were so fat that they might have died while trying to get out. The British Embassy, for example, moved the entire kit and caboodle to Maine every summer.
The idea is: Ban air conditioning in Washington and you would cut the "productivity" of the government by more than a third (say from late May to late September) and return the United States to the limited government the Founders intended. D.C. is still full of members of this school of thought.
For such a powerful guy, Harry's an awfully delicate soul. Before he was getting the vapors from having to smell the peasants, he was having other health issues:
With 96% of Georgia's precincts reporting in the runoff election, Sen. Saxby Chambliss with 57.5% of the vote, returns to the U.S. Senate by defeating Democratic challenger, Jim Martin. The win ended the Democratic hopes for a 60-vote majority in the Senate that would make it difficult for Republicans to filibuster in the Senate. The Democrats had hoped to bypass Republicans elected to office and to implement their agenda without considering the position of the minority party, in this case the Republicans.
Chambliss, age65, campaigned as a pro-business conservative and on the principle platform of limiting President-elect Obama’s ability to pass legislation in a Democratic-controlled Congress. Calling himself the “41st senator,” Chambliss told a cheering crowd of supporters in his victory speech that the runoff was the first race of 2010, signaling a new wind for Republicans: “You have delivered tonight a strong message to the world that conservative Georgia values matter. You have delivered a message that a balance of government in Washington is necessary, and that’s not only what the people of Georgia want but what the people of America want.” Tags:Georgia, Saxby Chambliss, US Senate, Victory 2008To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
by Jennifer Mesko, Editor of CitizenLink: The Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. For most of those years, it did not champion abortion rights. Yet, CEO Dr. Lorraine Cole now is claiming her group has "always been pro-choice" and even supports the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), CNSNews.com reported. FOCA could nullify virtually every state, local and federal pro-life law. The YWCA adopted a pro-abortion position in 1967 and reaffirmed that position in 1988, CNSNews reported. Read More:Organization with Christian roots embraces the overreaching Freedom of Choice ActTags:abortion, CitizenLink, FOCA, Freedom of Choice act, pro-life, YMCATo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Alabama 1901, Preamble We the people of the State of Alabama, invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish the following Constitution. Alaska 1956, Preamble We, the people of Alaska, grateful to God and to those who founded our nation and pioneered this great land. Arizona 1911, Preamble We, the people of the State of Arizona, grateful to Almighty God for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution. Arkansas 1874, Preamble We, the people of the State of Arkansas, grateful to Almighty God for the privilege of choosing our own form of government. California 1879, Preamble We, the People of the State of California, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom. Colorado 1876, Preamble We, the people of Colorado, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of Universe. Connecticut 1818, Preamble The People of Connecticut, acknowledging with gratitude the good Providence of God in permitting them to enjoy. Delaware 1897, Preamble Through Divine Goodness all men have, by nature, the rights of worshipping and serving their Creator according to the dictates of their consciences. Florida 1885, Preamble We, the people of the State of Florida, grateful to Almighty God for our constitutional liberty, establish this Constitution. Georgia 1777, Preamble We, the people of Georgia, relying upon protection and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish this Constitution. Hawaii 1959, Preamble We, the people of Hawaii, Grateful for Divine Guidance ... Establish this Constitution. Idaho 1889, Preamble We, the people of the State of Idaho, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings. Illinois 1870, Preamble We, the people of the State of Illinois, grateful to Almighty God for the civil , political and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors. Indiana 1851, Preamble We, the People of the State of Indiana, grateful to Almighty God for the free exercise of the right to choose our form of government. Iowa 1857, Preamble We, the People of the State of Iowa, grateful to the Supreme Being for the blessings hitherto enjoyed, and feeling our dependence on Him for a continuation of these blessings, establish this Constitution. Kansas 1859, Preamble We, the people of Kansas, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious privileges establish this Constitution. Kentucky 1891, Preamble. We, the people of the Commonwealth are grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties... Louisiana 1921, Preamble We, the people of the State of Louisiana, grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberties we enjoy. Maine 1820, Preamble We the People of Maine acknowledging with grateful hearts the goodness of the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe in affording us an opportunity ... And imploring His aid and direction. Maryland 1776, Preamble We, the people of the state of Maryland, grateful to Almighty God for our civil and religious liberty... Massachusetts 1780, Preamble We...the people of Massachusetts, acknowledging with grateful hearts, the goodness of the Great Legislator of the Universe In the course of His Providence, an opportunity and devoutly imploring His direction. Michigan 1908, Preamble. We, the people of the State of Michigan , grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of freedom, establish this Constitution. Minnesota, 1857, Preamble We, the people of the State of Minnesota, grateful to God for our civil and religious liberty, and desiring to perpetuate its blessings: . . . Mississippi 1890, Preamble We, the people of Mississippi in convention assembled, grateful to Almighty God, and invoking His blessing on our work. Missouri 1845, Preamble We, the people of Missouri, with profound reverence for the Supreme Ruler of the Universe, and grateful for His goodness. Establish this Constitution... Montana 1889, Preamble. We, the people of Montana , grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty establish this Constitution. Nebraska 1875, Preamble We, the people, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, establish this Constitution. Nevada 1864, Preamble We the people of the State of Nevada, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, establish this Constitution. New Hampshire 1792, Part I. Art. I. Sec. V Every individual has a natural and unalienable right to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience. New Jersey 1844, Preamble We, the people of the State of New Jersey, grateful to Almighty God for civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing on our endeavors. New Mexico 1911, Preamble We, the People of New Mexico, grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of liberty. New York 1846, Preamble We, the people of the State of New York, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, in order to secure its blessings. North Carolina 1868, Preamble We the people of the State of North Carolina, grateful to Almighty God, the Sovereign Ruler of Nations, for our civil, political, and religious liberties, and acknowledging our dependence upon Him for the continuance of those. North Dakota 1889, Preamble We , the people of North Dakota , grateful to Almighty God for the blessings of civil and religious liberty, do ordain. Ohio 1852, Preamble We the people of the state of Ohio, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, to secure its blessings and to promote our common. Oklahoma 1907, Preamble Invoking the guidance of Almighty God, in order to secure and perpetuate the blessings of liberty, . . . Oregon 1857, Bill of Rights, Article I Section 2. All men shall be secure in the Natural right, to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of their consciences Pennsylvania 1776, Preamble We, the people of Pennsylvania, grateful to Almighty God for
the blessings of civil and religious liberty, and humbly invoking His guidance ... Rhode Island 1842, Preamble. We the People of the State of Rhode Island grateful to Almighty God for the civil and religious liberty which He hath so long permitted us to enjoy, and looking to Him for a blessing ... South Carolina, 1778, Preamble We, the people of he State of South Carolina grateful to God for our liberties, do ordain and establish this Constitution. South Dakota 1889, Preamble We, the people of South Dakota, grateful to Almighty God for
our civil and religious liberties. Tennessee 1796, Art. XI.III. That all men have a natural and indefeasible right to worship
Almighty God according to the dictates of their conscience ... Texas 1845, Preamble We the People of the Republic of Texas , acknowledging, with gratitude, the grace and beneficence of God. Utah 1896, Preamble Grateful to Almighty God for life and liberty, we establish this Constitution. Vermont 1777, Preamble Whereas all government ought to enable the individuals who compose it to enjoy their natural rights, and other blessings which the Author of Existence has bestowed on man. Virginia 1776, Bill of Rights, XVI Religion, or the Duty which we owe our Creator can be directed only by Reason and that it is the mutual duty of all to practice Christian Forbearance, Love and Charity towards each other . . . [Yes, this was not the opening line!] Washington 1889, Preamble We the People of the State of Washington, grateful to the Supreme Ruler of the Universe for our liberties, do ordain this Constitution ... West Virginia 1872, Preamble Since through Divine Providence we enjoy the blessings of civil, political and religious liberty, we, the people of West Virginia reaffirm our faith in and constant reliance upon God ... Wisconsin 1848, Preamble We, the people of Wisconsin, grateful to Almighty God for our freedom, domestic tranquility... Wyoming 1890, Preamble We, the people of the State of Wyoming , grateful to God for our civil, political, and religious liberties, establish this Constitution...
Note by the Contributor: After reviewing acknowledgments of God from all 50 state constitutions, one is faced with the prospect that maybe, the ACLU and the out-of-control federal courts are wrong! Tags:constitution, Human Society of United States, preamble, sovereignty,Forefathers, GodTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Bill Smith, Editor: News on the Democrat's New Deal Plans and my reaction. Politico reports, “Democratic leaders have pounced on the announcement that yes, the country is officially, statistically in a recession. . . . [And] are using the economic news to try to create momentum for a major economic stimulus package.” According to the Politico article, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said of Democrats’ spending plan, “So you hear people say this is going to be a project of indicative of the 1930s. No, it isn’t. It’s going to be about innovation and about the future, about creating the jobs of the 21st century.”
It’s not going to be indicative of the 1930s? However, One might be excused for thinking otherwise given all the discussion of Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal from Democrats the last few weeks.
The San Francisco Chronicle reported Sunday, “President-elect Barack Obama has been studying Roosevelt’s quick start - widely viewed as the most productive first days of any U.S. president - as he sets his agenda to tackle the worst financial crisis since the one Roosevelt inherited during the Great Depression.” Obama said, “What you see in FDR that I hope my team can emulate, is not always getting it right, but projecting a sense of confidence, and a willingness to try things, and experiment in order to get people working again.”
I guess looking good and responding quickly even if wrong is worth 10 points while being slower and right is worth for less.
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos recently that a stimulus plan would be “a little like having a new New Deal, but you do it before a depression occurs, not after.” AndPolitico noted last week, “This is the best deal since 1932,” House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) said, noting the increased voter appetite for an activist government.”
Projecting fear and anxiety works for the Democrats. Anyone remember the "recession" of the mid 80s when home mortgage interest rates were 15% to 20%. We aren't their yet and neither is a depression. But again, the word "depression" plays well with the democrats because then they may get to restart Government with their "New Deal." And in the interim, they continue creating an enormous rhetoric smoke screen to cover their responsibility for big spending, using tax money through government programs to build their voter base, forcing on American taxpayers the burden of home loans to people with bad credit and nor money, and of course lining their own pockets and campaign war chests. Tags:Democrats, depression, Excessive spending, New Deal, recessionTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Tony Perkin's, FRC Action: Tomorrow's runoff election between Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) and Democratic challenger Jim Martin should provide some clues as to how much leeway the liberal majority can count on next month to push the new President's agenda. Although a Martin victory would inch Democrats closer to the 60-seat target, the liberal leadership understands that for all practical purposes, they may already have a filibuster-proof majority. With the support of Maine's liberal Republicans Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) knows that with a little prodding, he has the votes needed to pass sweeping reforms on everything from health care to the economy. Meanwhile, Reid's eyes and the rest of the nation's are on Georgia's runoff tomorrow and Minnesota's recount between Sen. Norm Coleman (R) and comedian Al Franken (D) for the same reason -- their significance to key votes on values issues and the upcoming nominations to administration positions. In Chambliss, the GOP has a reliable pro-lifer, who has consistently voted to protect the lives of the unborn and traditional marriage. On the other hand, his opponent supports taxpayer-funded abortion, same-sex "marriage," "hate crimes" legislation, and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). Martin and Chambliss's stark differences, particularly on the life issue, will have an immediate effect on the next session, where Democrats have already outlined broad changes to President Bush's policies. Not only does the new administration plan to expand embryonic stem cell research, but the Senate leadership will further expand SCHIP (State Children's Health Insurance Program) and impose a condom-based approach to the billions in PEPFAR funding. For a complete rundown on where the candidates stand, check out FRC Action's congressional voter guide.Tags:2008 Elections, Georgia, Jim Martin, Saxby Chambliss, US SenateTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Iran Announces Installation of Additional Centrifuges
NTI - Global Security Network: Iran said Wednesday that it was operating 5,000 uranium enrichment centrifuges in a program the United States and other Western powers fear is geared toward nuclear weapons development, Reuters reported (see GSN, Nov. 26). The figure given by Iranian Atomic Energy Organization chief Gholamreza Aghazadeh significantly exceeds a tally of 3,800 running centrifuges that the International Atomic Energy Agency reported from a Nov. 7 visit to Iran's Natanz enrichment facility. Iran was installing another 2,200 centrifuges and anticipated adding 3,000 of the machines beginning in early 2009, according to a U.N. nuclear watchdog report.
"Now we have 5,000 running centrifuges," Iranian state media quoted Aghazadeh as saying. It remained uncertain whether all of the centrifuges were actively processing uranium gas, work that typically begins only after Iran tests the machines for reliability, Reuters reported. Iran insists that its uranium enrichment program is aimed strictly at civilian energy development, and Tehran has rebuffed international calls to halt the effort. "Suspension of nuclear enrichment is not in our vocabulary," Aghazadeh said. "In the next five years we should install at least 50,000 machines." According to one high-level diplomat, "Iran could well have 6,000 centrifuges on line by the end of the year. If you add the number of machines that were in the process of installation as of Nov. 7, you would come close to the number they claim are working today" (Hafezi/Dahl, Reuters I, Nov. 26). . . .
France, Germany and the United Kingdom on Thursday criticized Iran for scaling back its cooperation with the IAEA investigation since September, Reuters reported. "(This has been) two months of utter disrespect for the agency and members of this board," the countries said in a statement to the agency's 35-nation governing board, which met last week. The countries expressed strong concern about Iran's refusal to give the agency design specifications for a nuclear power station planned at Darkhovin and a research reactor already being built. Iran's nuclear program "continues and intensifies a threat to the stability of a troubled region," the statement added (Sylvia Westall, Reuters II, Nov. 28). . . . [Full Story] Tags:Iran, NTI, nuclear, nuclear weaponTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Gary Bauer, Campaign for Working Families: Once again, democratic nations are in shock and mourning as Islamofascists launched a deadly Thanksgiving attack deliberately targeting civilians. The three-day battle in India’s financial center, Mumbai, showed how unprepared major nations still are to confront the Islamic “death worshippers,” who have declared war on civilization. The horrendous event was yet another reminder of an evil ideology whose adherents are willing to violate every rule of war and all societal norms in their quest for power. We have seen their work time and time again – here on 9/11; in the London subway attacks; in Spain, in Indonesia; in Beslan, Russia, where helpless school children were shot in the back; and in scores of other attacks too numerous to list. And always the perpetrators fit the same profile – young Muslim extremists raised on a steady diet of hatred and death lust.
One Indian newspaper quoted doctors who saw the bodies brought to the hospital. One said, “It was apparent that most of the dead were tortured. What shocked me were the telltale signs showing clearly how the hostages were executed in cold blood.” Another doctor said that Jews were treated the worst. He observed that, “Of all the bodies, the Israeli victims bore the maximum torture marks … it was obvious that they were tied up and tortured before they were killed.”
As the terrible events unfolded in Mumbai, CNN media coverage demonstrated over and over why Judeo-Christian civilization and our allies may very well lose this war. CNN commentators repeatedly referred to the attackers simply as “terrorists” or “extremists.” In one three-hour period, the word “Islamic” was used only once. Statements by many world “leaders” were no better. The typical statement merely pledged to defeat terrorism without ever specifying who the terrorists were! Even the Bush Administration has cooperated in this suffocating political correctness, which prevents us from even naming the enemy that wants us all dead. At the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security, decisions were made last year to ban the phrase “Islamic terrorists” and to replace it with terms such as “militant.”
The jihadists who are attacking civilization are educated in madrasses – Islamic religious schools. They cite the Koran as their authority. They follow the teachings of Muslim imams worldwide, who issue “fatwas,” religious decrees justifying the murder of infidels and moderate Muslims. They praise “Allah” as they kill and die. These “clues” make it fairly clear that they aren’t Baptists or Mormons. How sick is it that while our enemy screams who he is, we are more concerned about not being perceived as intolerant? President-elect Obama built his whole campaign on the need for diplomacy and negotiations. I hope he will quickly learn that the Islamofascists couldn’t care less about words and diplomats. Tags:Gary Bauer, India, Islamic terrorist, Jihadist, MumbaiTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Mumbai photographer: I wish I'd had a gun, not a camera!
by Jerome Taylor: It is the photograph that has dominated the world's front pages, casting an astonishing light on the fresh-faced killers who brought terror to the heart of India's most vibrant city. Now it can be revealed how the astonishing picture came to be taken by a newspaper photographer who hid inside a train carriage as gunfire erupted all around him. . . .
But what angered Mr D'Souza almost as much were the masses of armed police hiding in the area who simply refused to shoot back. "There were armed policemen hiding all around the station but none of them did anything," he said. "At one point, I ran up to them and told them to use their weapons. I said, 'Shoot them, they're sitting ducks!' but they just didn't shoot back." . . . The militants returned inside the station and headed towards a rear exit towards Chowpatty Beach. Mr D'Souza added: "I told some policemen the gunmen had moved towards the rear of the station but they refused to follow them. What is the point if having policemen with guns if they refuse to use them? I only wish I had a gun rather than a camera." Tags:American Indian Health, guns, Mumbai, terroristTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
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