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)
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Obama Pick For CIA Will Gut Our Intelligence-Gathering Capabilities
The Traditional Values coalition (Jan. 7, 2009): President-Elect Barack Obama has chosen former Clintonoid Leon Panetta to head up the Central Intelligence Agency. Panetta has no experience in the field, but former CIA operatives are convinced that he will gut the agency’s intelligence-gathering capabilities and will purge the CIA of effective operatives in the war on Islamic terrorism.
Panetta has been opposed by liberal Senator Diane Feinstein, who said: “My position has consistently been that I believe the agency is best served by having an intelligence professional in charge at this time.” Former CIA operative Mike Baker is seriously concerned about Panetta as head of the CIA. In an editorial posted on Fox News, January 7, Baker said it makes as much sense to appoint Leon Spinks to head the CIA. According to Baker, it is likely that Panetta will usher in a new era of “risk aversion” that existed under Bill Clinton – and our intelligence-gather efforts will be hampered.
Dick Morris, a former Clinton advisor who worked with Panetta, says Obama picked him to tear the CIA apart! According to Morris: “Panetta is too inexperienced, too weak and too liberal to make an effective CIA head. And, surrounded by people who know even less than he does about national security issues, it is a truly terrifying appointment.” Tags:Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Central Intelligence Agency, CIA, Leon PanettaTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
by William Warren Tags:Barack Obama, Bill Richardson, Blago, Hope, political cartoon, Rod Blagojevich, terms and conditions, the economy, unemployment rate, William WarrenTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Program Dates: June 6 - August 14, 2009 The online application is now available. Apply Now!Application Deadline: January 31, 2009 The program offers two tracks. Choose the one that most interests you or apply for placements in both:
Tags:Charles G. Koch, 2009, fellowship program, internship, liberty, State Policy NetworkTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: As President-elect Obama and congressional Democrats propose various ideas for a potential $1 trillion stimulus bill, the Congressional Budget Office released its economic outlooktoday projecting that the deficit for fiscal year 2009 will be $1.2 trillion, 8.3% of gross domestic product. The Wall Street Journal notes that Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH), ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, pointed out that the deficit has not reached such a high percentage of the GDP since World War II.
The Washington Post expresses concern about the deficit level and how much new spending proposals could add to the already massive national debt. The Post writes, “At $775 billion over two years, the package under discussion would represent a massive and risky expansion of the federal debt even if the government were not already running an annual budget deficit of more than $400 billion. This endeavor is not to be undertaken without due diligence and appropriate debate.” The Post editorial cautions about “angling for pet projects” in the infrastructure spending proposals and says, “Spectacular waste would undercut both the economic effectiveness and political sustainability of a stimulus program. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has constructively suggested converting some or all of the infrastructure money into federal loans which would give governors an incentive to take only what they could actually use.”
The Wall Street Journal also reports on a new proposal from Obama to require states to cover part-time workers with unemployment insurance and subsidize health insurance for laid-off workers. “But the proposal, along with others to subsidize health insurance for the laid-off and expand Medicaid to out-of-work Americans, are sparking bipartisan concern over the potential, long-term impact on a federal budget deficit that is expected to hit $1 trillion this year, even before the stimulus plan,” according to the WSJ. “Republicans and even some Democrats said some of the items show too little concern for the long-term impact on the national deficit,” The Journal notes that even Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-ND) says new “pending proposals that have a permanent nature to them” give him pause. All of these concerns demonstrate the need for the “due diligence and appropriate debate” on these huge new spending proposals.
In considering a $1.2 trillion deficit, are you concerned, frustrated or even angry at Congress or the Government in general? Please, take a moment to reflect and to ask yourself, "Did I contribute to this problem?" Were you one of hundreds of millions of people pushing to get "your fair share" and maybe even cheering the receipt of funding for some local pet project (although worthy in your eyes) funded by Federal taxes or grants (a euphemism for tax money). I am not talking required roads, etc. But what about the funding for all those state and local area "pork" projects. You may not have thought about them as "pork" because you wanted them, and you wanted someone else to pay for them. And, your elected Congressman was willing to help and to take credit when your area received the money.
How about funds for a new college or university building hidden within a veteran bill, or a local museum, or "historical" building, or a local walking trail, or a local library? How about the studies on the sex life of "whatever creature"? Each of us seem to be able to recognize "pork" projects funded in another state or neighborhood. But what about the "pork projects" in your own state, and your own county and communities? While a project may be good and local citizen's may well opt to fund a project, but that project becomes a "pork project" when the funds come from other people's money who have no say or interest in your area, or when it is borrowed against the future of other people and their children outside of your region, or when the funding is despicably hidden within or added to a bill in return for some payoff from or favor to another elected official.
John F. Kennedy said, "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man." One of the greatest freedoms we have in America have and hopefully will have in the future is the freedom to make our own choices. The freedom to spend our own money after the Government takes its share. We even have the freedom to experience failure and to make mistakes and to sometimes find ourselves in debt. But using our freedom to in partnership with "big government" and our elected officials to seek, to accept, and to use funds taken from others or borrowed (debt) against our children's future to fund our "local pet projects" is neither honorable or morally right.
The consequence: has been an inherent cheering on by society of the creation of the $1.2 Trillion deficit. Some may want to argue what about the cost of "the war." We could debate this another time. But consider this: The funding of the military and the war (and we hope peace) are within the scope of the functions to be carried out by the Federal government as authorized by the people in the Constitution. But funding a "road to nowhere," or funding a local university building with an elected person's name on the building, or funding government agencies who continue to further invade and limit the free choices of individuals and businesses are not required functions of the Federal Government. And the cost of these actions and agencies have driven the cost of government to a $1,200,000,000,000 deficit. Are you / we now ready to heed President Kennedy's words and to realize it is time to stop asking "what your country can do for you." Tags:$1.2 Trillion Deficit, Congressional Pork, deficit reduction, government inefficiency, government waste, pork-barrel spenders, stimulas bill, Barack Obama To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
From the front lines of Europe, Rob Piccoli in his Wind Rose Hotel reported yesterday on the planned radical efforts of Muslims in Europe. The photo speaks a thousand words as we see Muslims march into and block the Christian Cathedral in Milan. As detailed in Rob's report, "This is not simply a prayer, this is a challenge more to our democratic and cultural system."
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By Rob Piccoli: Last Saturday thousands of people marched in cities across Europe to demand a halt to Israeli bombing in the Gaza Strip. In Paris, for instance, more than 20,000 demonstrators, many wearing Palestinian keffiyeh headscarves, marched through the city center chanting slogans such as “Israel murderer!” Expectedly, groups of protesters clashed with police, some cars were set alight and some others overturned by demonstrators, etc.
They seemed quite routine events, but they weren’t, at least not all of them, not what happened in Milan and in Bologna, Italy. In Milan the protesters, mostly young Arabs and Muslim families, had gathered in Porta Venezia, obviously waving banners and flags, and chanting slogans such as “Bush, Barak, assassins.” Normal. Ah, I forgot, they obviously set fire to some Israeli flags. Perfect. So what? What’s new? Well, the demonstration came to an interesting end when the protesters reached Piazza Duomo, in downtown Milan, and held a collective prayer session right in front of the cathedral. Even the parvis was occupied, so that the cathedral turned out to be closed.
What happened in Milan was very similar to what happened in Bologna at the same time: thousands of Muslims gathered right in front the Basilica di San Petronio, Bologna’s great cathedral, to hold an analogue collective prayer session.
Are the two events connected? What’s their real meaning? When asked in an interview with Il Resto del Carlino newspaper about the meaning of the event, Assistant bishop of Bologna monsignor Ernesto Vecchi, said:
This was a signal to ponder upon. This is not simply a prayer, this is a challenge more to our democratic and cultural system than to the basilica. […] From what happened in Bologna, but also in other cities, we received confirmation that here is a project piloted from the outside. What is it all about? What is it aimed at? They want to Islamize Europe.
This recalls a Friday Sermon by Hamas MP and cleric Yunis Al-Astal, which aired on Al-Aqsa TV on April 11, 2008. . . . some excerpts from the address:
Allah has chosen you for Himself and for His religion, so that you will serve as the engine pulling this nation to the phase of succession, security, and consolidation of power, and even to conquests thorough da'wa and military conquests of the capitals of the entire world. Very soon, Allah willing, Rome will be conquered, just like Constantinople was, as was prophesized by our Prophet Muhammad. Today, Rome is the capital of the Catholics, or the Crusader capital, which has declared its hostility to Islam, and has planted the brothers of apes and pigs in Palestine in order to prevent the reawakening of Islam – this capital of theirs will be an advanced post for the Islamic conquests, which will spread through Europe in its entirety, and then will turn to the two Americas, and even Eastern Europe.
I believe that our children or our grandchildren will inherit our Jihad and our sacrifices, and Allah willing, the commanders of the conquest will come from among them. Today, we instill these good tidings in their souls, and by means of the mosques and the Koran books, and the history of our Prophets, his companions, and the great leaders, we prepare them for the mission of saving humanity from the hellfire on the brink of which they stand.
All the pieces of the puzzle seem to fit together. Don’t they?
--------------------- ARRA Editor: Rob's blog is a 2008 finalist for "Best European Blog." If you appreciated this story, you can vote for Rob blog here. Tags:Europe, Islamist, Italy, Muslim, radical muslumsTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Tony Perkins, FRC Action Update: So much for a spirit of bipartisanship. While President-elect Obama pledged to make the government "open" and "transparent," House Democrats are making it virtually impossible for him to keep that promise. Today, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) kicked off the 111th Congress by stripping Republicans of any input in the legislative process. By a vote of 242 to 181, Democrats reversed a set of fairness rules that dated back to Newt Gingrich's Contract with America. As a result of the vote, House Republicans can no longer offer substantive alternatives, propose certain amendments to Democratic bills, or force a free and open debate.
This is a significant development given the big ticket items on Obama's agenda that will cost taxpayer's trillions of dollars and potentially chart a new cultural course for the country. By shutting down the opposition, Democrats will have a blank check to fast-track some of the most controversial policies of our day. Although minority leaders strongly protested the changes, they were powerless to stop them. As the GOP leadership wrote to Pelosi in an open letter yesterday, reverting to "undemocratic one-party rule" is especially dangerous now, as the government is experiencing an "unprecedented expansion of federal power and spending." Liberals may see this as reprisal for their unpleasant stint in the minority, but playing a game of political keep-away affects millions of Americans who deserve a voice in the legislative process.
Publicly, the Democrat's have tried to position themselves as uniters. This latest move by Speaker Pelosi would suggest their spirit of cooperation was nothing more than campaign rhetoric designed to dupe voters into handing over the keys to Congress to a party with no appetite for accountability. Contact Speaker Pelosi at (202) 225-4965 and remind her that Democrats were sent to Washington to represent popular interests not partisan ones. See Also:Rep. John Boehner: Democrats Change Rules to Make House Less Transparent, Protect Old Guard Committee Chairmen Tags:conservative democrats, FRC, Nancy Pelosi, Tony Perkins, US HouseTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
by Pat Toomey, president of the Club for Growth and a former Pennsylvania congressman: The nation's most powerful labor unions have been lobbying heavily for a law, misleadingly named the Employee Free Choice Act, that would take away workers' basic rights to a secret-ballot vote on union representation. It would allow unions to organize through a poorly regulated "card-check" process instead.
Many politicians have been falsely characterizing the card-check law as an essential part of an economic-recovery program. In reality, it would deepen the recession. Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter is the only Republican who has joined the Democratic senators voting to advance the legislation. That isn't the kind of leadership a state with a broad industrial base needs.
By stripping workers of their rights, the act would undermine businesses and workers, causing further declines in American employment and productivity in an economy that desperately needs both. Labor unions can play a constructive role as bargaining agents for workers, provided they are accountable to their members through a democratic process. But compulsory membership, monopoly privileges, and unchecked power can harm the workers whom unions are supposed to help.
The Big Three car companies are a case in point. Unfortunately, if card check becomes law, some of the factors behind the collapse of Detroit's automakers may help ruin the employers in your town, too. The Employee Free Choice Act actually would take away employees' choices by essentially forcing them to unionize. Despite the claims of this legislation's advocates, it is a relatively simple matter to form a union under current law. If there is authentic employee support for unionizing, then organizers need only win a majority of votes in a private balloting process.
The legislation at issue would replace the freedoms protected by fair elections with the intimidating, divisive card-check policy. Workers could be directed to sign authorization forms in public - in front of coworkers and union officials. The opportunities for intimidation and coercion are obvious. As Americans, we know that the right to a secret ballot is a cornerstone of a democratic society. Any proposal to deny voters a secret ballot in presidential, congressional or local elections would be considered ludicrous. So why should workers voting on their fates in the workplace be denied the same fundamental right?
Once this card-check procedure puts a union in place, mandatory dues would be deducted from workers' paychecks. Surely, middle-class families can't afford to lose more of their hard-earned income against their will. The law also would invite more of the kind of government overreaching we have seen in Detroit. For instance, it calls for government arbitrators to resolve contracts without votes by workers.
That's one of several ways in which our communities would be increasingly manipulated by outsiders under this legislation. Forget about small local unions with deep ties to local workers and businesses. With the lack of accountability that card check would bring about, directives would come top-down from national and international labor unions. Local unions could be subsumed by their national headquarters, which may be ignorant of local economic conditions, regional growth, or job creation.
That's one of the basic problems with the Employee Free Choice Act: It treats all businesses and all communities the same, regardless of the nature of local economies or the needs of local workers. The card-check legislation takes what the private sector does best - job creation - and puts it in the hands of people who have never created a single job. Jobs aren't created by government arbitrators or union bosses; they're created by the small businesses and local entrepreneurs who would be hit hardest by this law.
Even though most Americans - and even a majority of union members - think fair workplace elections conducted by secret ballot are preferable to card check, Congress doesn't seem to be listening. And given the economic crisis, this is precisely the wrong time to be sacrificing the interests of American businesses and workers.
The government will likely step in to save the auto industry because of the prevailing belief that it's too big to fail. But if the auto industry can be brought to the brink by big labor, what about America's small businesses? By definition, they are small enough to fail, leading to lost jobs and investment. That's why stopping the Employee Free Choice Act is an important part of any economic-recovery plan. Let's hope Congress realizes that before it's too late. Tags:Card Check, Employee Free Choice Act, fair elections, labor unions, Pat Toomey, Pennsylvania, small business, US Congress, voting rightsTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
by LaDonna Hale Curzon, Alexandria, VA: Former Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele, an accomplished speaker, and former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, not well known for dazzling performances, each repeatedly drew sustained applause and appreciative laughter during Monday´s debate among the six candidates for the Republican National Committee chairman post.
"Ken Blackwell talked about a revolution today, and we're going to see some of that happening because we've lost our way as a party," said North Dakota GOP Chairman Gary Emineth.
Carolyn Meadows, a former RNC member from Georgia, said: "I thought Steele and Blackwell both hit it out of the park." She also expressed a view shared by others at the National Press Club: Michigan GOP Chairman Saul Anuzis, South Carolina GOP Chairman Katon Dawson and former Tennessee GOP Chairman Chip Saltsman were off their stride in the debate, showing they knew how to make the national party apparatus hum but not displaying the flair needed for public outreach.
Only about 25 members of the 168 voting members of the RNC were in attendance, along with a few dozen reporters, political activists, campaign consultants and C-SPAN's cameras. The debate began with a carnival-like atmosphere as people mingled on the ground floor and balcony of the Press Club Ballroom, which was decorated with white-lettered blue signs for "Steele" - indicating a strong show of support among his peers.
The aim of the candidates was to use television and RNC members to influence the rest of the committee when it assembles to vote on a new national chairman at the end of this month. The debate produced more entertainment value than any national party chairman contest in recent memory.
Candidate Robert M. "Mike" Duncan, the incumbent national chairman, shocked the audience when he said "the Iraq war and its prosecution" was the worst mistake of the Bush administration in an answer to moderator Grover Norquist's inquiry. Republicans have been generally loath to criticize the expansionist, military interventionist foreign policy of the Bush administration for fear, some acknowledge privately, of appearing soft on the war against terrorism.
In response to Mr. Norquist's question, Mr. Anuzis said, "spending and deficits," while Mr. Saltsman agreed but added "communications." Mr. Steele started on a litany of mistakes - "the war, Katrina, the bailouts" - then stopped himself, which drew laughter. Mr. Dawson was emphatic in saying the Bush administration's biggest failures were to deliver on the promise of Social Security reform and immigration.
Many RNC members were mum on who they thought won the debate. "I think it weeded it out some," said Joyce Lyons Terhes, national committee woman from Maryland and a Steele supporter. "It definitely narrowed the field." Mrs. Terhes would not say who she thought underperformed during the debate.
Mr. Duncan shot down allegations by some members that he could not be an agent of change after leading the party through major losses in the past elections. "It's not incongruous for me to be an agent of change," Mr. Duncan told The Washington Times after the debate. "I'm a loyal soldier," he added, explaining his work carrying water for the Bush White House during the past two years.
After Mr. Dawson finished touting his electoral success in his opening statement, Mr. Blackwell, dripping irony, said with a smile: "We all know how difficult it is to win elections in that swing state of South Carolina." The audience along with the other candidates, including Mr. Dawson, laughed.
A handful of questions focused on the party's attempts to reach out to key voting blocs that voted for Democrats in the last election: young voters and minorities. Every candidate agreed that outreach to those groups was essential, but Mr. Steele knocked his colleagues for not taking action in the past. "The bottom line is 'yakkety-yak' then nothing," said Mr. Steele, one of two black candidates for the job, to applause from the crowd.
Candidates tore through a series of lightning rounds, most with answers they could all agree on, including who their favorite Republican president was: Ronald Reagan. "OK, everyone got that one right," Mr. Norquist said. When Mr. Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, asked whether each candidate owned a gun and if so, how many, only Mr. Steele said none. The others named their firearms, the number, the caliber and where they stored them.
First day of the 111th Congress, Washington D. C. - Jan 6, 2008
Today marks the first day of the 111th Congress, with the new House and Senate convening at noon to swear in members. And, the Democrats leadership is already showing it's ineptness via the various fiasco related to seating the certain Democrats. One example being Roland Burris, a legally appointed black man with clean record of service, who would be the only black Senator in this Congress replacing former senator and Pres-Elect Barrack Obama. Word is on the street that Sen. Harry Reid, a Democrat from Nevada, has tried to use his influence in the Senate because he wanted Illinois to appoint "a white woman." So, Reid likes interfering in the appointments by other states and has led the effort to not seat Burris arguing mute points that everyone can see through and making a laughing stock of his leadership. And Reid was successful at least for today. Even Senator Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois, is licking the boots of Sen. Harry Reid. Would be funny if it were not so disgusting. Thank you Harry Reid!< Though Democrats enter this year enjoying larger majorities, Republicans have already had some success in moving the debate in a more conservative direction on a proposed stimulus package. After the election in November, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said that he was looking forward to working with the new president-elect on “issues on which Republicans and Democrats can agree” such as tax relief for Americans. Republicans, then, were pleased to see news reports this weekend indicating that Barack Obama "intends" to follow through with his pledge to cut taxes. Sen. McConnell said at a press availability yesterday, “I think there will be widespread Republican enthusiasm for having a significant percentage of the package be tax relief. The best way to stimulate the economy, obviously, is to put money directly in the pockets of taxpayers.” House Republican Leader John Boehner agreed: “I think we’re glad that the president-elect believes that tax cuts are, in fact, stimulative and will, in fact, help get our economy moving.”
At the same time, Republicans have expressed their concerns about the size of the proposed spending package reaching $1 trillion, a number The Wall Street Journal noted as a possibility in December. Democrats seem to be scaling plans back a bit, with Obama reportedly looking at $775 billion, according to.
Don't you love it when the Democrats fleece America by setting forward large spending programs and work up the frenzy of concerned citizens, definitely conservatives, and most of the elected Republicans. Then the Democrats get what they originally wanted by agreeing to a lower figure. Oldest negotiating trick in the book. Now, current Republican sources, although they agree that this "is still a massive amount of money," are heartened that Obama and Democrats appear to be moving away from last fall’s pattern of proposing an even larger price tag seemingly every week.
Of course, when it comes to the substance of the bill, it won’t be just about differences between Republicans and Democrats, asThe Wall Street Journal reminds readers today, “There are serious obstacles [for Democrats], starting with the party itself, which is hardly unified. Some Democratic congressional factions, like the more-conservative Blue Dogs, are deeply suspicious of expanded federal spending.” Although Blue Dogs have continually failed in supporting their own alleged opposition to increased spending, at least without more taxes, they and other Democrats may also be cautious about letting the bill be loaded up with dubious projects like "Mob museums and waterslides.” Tags:Dick Durbin, economic stimulus, government spending, Harry Reid, Roland Burris, US Congress, Washington D.C.To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
60% of Servicemen Wary of Obama as Commander-in-Chief
WorldNetDaily: A recent Military Times survey of active-duty service members found 6 of 10 U.S. soldiers polled said they were "pessimistic" or "uncertain" about Barack Obama serving as commander in chief of America's armed forces. In follow-up interviews reported by the Army Times newspaper, respondents cited Obama's inexperience in leading soldiers, his plans for accelerated removal of troops from Iraq and his pledge to overturn the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding homosexual service members as reasons for their cautious outlook. . . .
The sixth annual Military Times survey asked over 30,000 subscribers to Army Times, Air Force Times, Navy Times and Marine Corps Times newspapers, "How do you feel about President-elect Barack Obama as commander in chief?" A total of 5,181 active-duty, National Guard and reserve and retired military subscribers responded to the email invitation issued from Dec. 1 to Dec. 8.
Of the 1,947 active-duty soldiers that responded, a third answered that they are "optimistic," while 25% answered "pessimistic" and 35% admitted to being "uncertain." The "uncertain" response differs from "no opinion," which garnered 8% of the vote. Other survey results found that nearly 80% of the respondents support the war in Afghanistan and nearly the same amount favor increasing troop strength there, though 30% believe it may take more than 10 years of military presence in Afghanistan to achieve American goals.
The majority of active-duty service members also oppose Obama's campaign pledge to end the "don't ask, don't tell" policy and allow homosexual soldiers to serve openly in the armed forces. 14% said they would consider ending their military career after serving their obligated tours of duty if the policy was repealed. . . . 71% of respondents in the survey, however, said they would continue to serve even if the policy was overturned. . . . Tags:Barack Obama, Commander-in-Chief, military, SurveyTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Tags:Caroline Kennedy, New York, William Warren, you knowTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Part 1 Israel’s Two Wars by Gary Bauer, Campaign for Working Families: Israel continues to hit Hamas hard in Gaza in an effort to uproot the terrorist group and stop its daily rocket attacks against Israeli cities. Hamas is a brutal enemy, dedicated to a “world without Jews” and bankrolled by the Hitler “wannabe” Ahmadinejad in Iran. It routinely hides its fighters and war-making materials in mosques, schools, nurseries, hospitals and homes. It uses women and children as shields, then cries “War crimes!” when inevitable civilian casualties take place.
As Israeli forces advance further into Gaza, they face the prospect of brutal door-to-door fighting in Gaza City, where Hamas will enjoy great advantages. The cost is likely to be high. But, as brutal as Hamas is, it is the second war front where the long-term danger to Israel is greater. The front I refer to is the one being fought for world and American public opinion.
Here Israel faces a willfully clueless media, which constantly distort news from the battlefield. They grotesquely turn Hamas terrorists into “freedom fighters” and obscenely present Israel as the aggressor. All weekend, CNN’s headline was “Israel’s War On Gaza.” Not once in the last two years, as rockets blasted Israel daily, sending thousands of people into bomb shelters, did CNN run a headline, “Hamas’ War on Israel.”
The media are joined by the United Nations diplomats and the “peace now” crowd, who have infinite tolerance for dead Jews, but no tolerance for Israel defending itself, as any sovereign nation would do under similar circumstances. These diplomats turn a blind eye to genocide in Africa, nuclear weapons in the hands of maniacs and repeated barbaric terrorist atrocities by Islamofascists. But if an Israeli soldier shoots an enemy combatant, they rush to call emergency meetings of the Security Council to condemn the Israelis.
I have no doubt Israel can win this war in Gaza. And if it does, the world, including Barack Obama, should thank it for doing the dirty work of defending civilization. I am more worried about whether Israel can survive its other enemies -- those who manipulate the facts and distort reality in an effort to undermine Israel’s right to self defense.
Part 2 Hated of Jews / Israel by Dr. Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: How many rockets from Mexico, Cuba, etc into populated areas of the U.S, would it take before we launched retaliatory action? If we knew the source of the rockets to these countries, how long before we would act to punish the offending countries? Hypocrisy reigns in the liberal media.
I feel for the Palestinian people not just because they are in the midst of another war, but because they were so abused by the other Arab Nations as far back as when the 1947 UN Partition Plan which was accepted in part by Jewish leaders but rejected by Arab leaders. Instead the Arab leaders of other countries sought to destroy the Jewish people and in doing so also persecuted and drug the Palestinian people into the war.
It was hate by the Arab leaders of the countries surrounding Israel that has established the pattern that still exist today. While Israel has time and again tried to make peace with its neighboring countries and the Palestinians, the hatred fueled by people in one or more of the surrounding countries has been damaging to both the Palestinian and the Jews and others who peacefully have tried to live in Israel.
How can a people so poor have money to acquire rockets? They can't? The rockets and weapons are obviously being provided by others who hate the Jewish people and in fact do not care if Palestinian are also destroyed in the process. Continue to pray for the Peace of Jerusalem and for all the innocent caught in the middle of the war. Pray that the evils and deceptions of the enemies of Israel will be made embarrassingly clear to the whole world. Tags:Bill Smith, Gary Bauer, Hamas, hatred, Israel, MediaTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Richardson withdraws bid to be Secretary of Commerce
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson says he is withdrawing his nomination to be President-elect Barack Obama's commerce secretary amid a grand jury investigation. Obama said in a statement Sunday that he accepted Richardson's withdrawal. (more)
Questions: Does that mean if pres-elect Barack Obama were in the same position with his campaign contributions that he would withdraw from being president? What about Hillary Clinton? Interesting others go down for the same allegations associated with others. Former Gov. Bill Richardson was a Democrat candidate for his parties nomination; it's mind boggling. Appears like the Bill Clinton era revisited. Tags:Barack Obama, Bill Richardson, campaign fundsTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
The Senate is scheduled to convene for the first session of the 111th Congress at noon tomorrow, beginning with the swearing-in of senators. On Thursday, the Senate is scheduled to count the electoral votes from the presidential election in November.
From Senate & News Sources: A major focus of the The 111th Congress will be the economy. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell spoke with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos yesterday about proposals by President-elect Barack Obama and Democrats in Congress for a spending bill in the neighborhood of $1 trillion. Last month, Democrats were saying they wanted to have this proposed spending bill passed before January 20th. Sen. McConnell noted this, saying, “What I worry about . . . here is the haste with which this may be done. This is an enormous bill. It could be close to a $1 trillion spending bill. Do we want to do it with essentially no hearings, no input, for example, in the Senate from Republican senators who represent half of the American population?”
Democrat leaders seemed to be attentive to this point yesterday, with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) saying he didn’t want “to have some false deadline” and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) saying he didn’t think a bill would be ready that early. Sen. McConnell also discussed some of the proposals being floated for the spending package, “We want to make sure it’s not just a trillion-dollar spending bill, but something that actually can reach the goal [of stimulating the economy] that [President-elect Obama] has suggested. I think nobody thinks we ought to be spending this money on things like Mob museums and waterslides.”
McConnell pointed to an area of agreement with the president-elect on middle-class tax cuts: “Republicans, by and large, think tax relief is a great way to get money to people immediately. A possibility would be to take a look at the 25% rate currently applied to the middle class, lower it to 15%.” However, Sen. McConnell also offered cautions on a couple of proposals. Obama has said he’d like to create 3 million new jobs, with 20% of them in the public sector. “That would be 600,000 new government jobs,” Sen. McConnell pointed out. “That’s about the size of the post office workforce. Is that a good idea?”
He also expressed his concern with ideas about “big, systemic changes” being part of any such bill. Sen. McConnell said to CNN, “I think we ought to make sure that we follow the admonition of the Speaker last year in talking about stimulus packages. She said they ought to be timely, temporary and targeted. In other words, we ought to try and avoid the temptation to use this stimulus package as a basis for systemically increasing spending.” Senate Republicans have signaled their willingness to consider a number of things to stimulate the economy, but it’s important that Republicans be part of the process given the size of this proposed package and the basic fact the GOP senators represent half of the country.Tags:economy, federal spending, stimulus, US Congress, US Senate, Washington D.C.To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Guest Opinion by Lowell E. McCoy, Sherwood, AR: As I write this, it is all of 23 days until Obama’s inauguration and the abortionists have already made their appeal to him to fulfill his promised support for their cause. Perhaps you saw on the Internet that "A major abortion provider wants taxpayers to fork over more money, even while the economy is down." Over 50 other groups have submitted a 55-page wish list to the incoming Obama administration. Jim Sedlak of American Life League’s (ALL) Stop Planned Parenthood, or Stop International, has tallied the cost. They want unfettered abortion – the government paying for all of its programs. All of this totals $4.6 billion in 2009.
"According to an ALL press release, the document requests $700 million to fund Title X, $900 million for international ‘family planning’ programs, and additional millions for STD and sex education programs. Putting it under a microscope, Sedlak says the request is shocking when there are people on the streets looking for an income." Sedlak continues, "We have to remember that last year, Planned Parenthood got $356 million in government money and $114 million in profits." He suggests the wish list represents a request to support an agenda, rather than a genuine need."Here is mykey question.If the abortionists expect the government (taxpayers) to pay for all their abortions, why shouldn’t all the rest of us (who outnumber the abortionists) have equal right to expect the government (including the taxpaying abortionists) to pay for all the births in America?
I am sure you are all aware that the homosexuals are really angry over the passing of Proposition 8 out in California. They insisted that the vote overruled the law and that the people had no right to do that. The people had already voted by a significant margin to not allow gay marriages. In spite of the vote, the courts then overruled the vote and declared gay marriages legal. What right did they have to do that? Then the people, in a second vote, by another significant margin, overruled the courts. The homosexuals were furious! A protest arose all over the country to the vote. Later, the Republican governor decided to favor them. What right did they have to do that? Who overruled whom?
If I remember correctly, it is figured that homosexuals compose only about 2% of our population. How can that small number dictate to or control the 98%? Who are the ones actually creating the problem? Who do they think they are? Here in Arkansas, the ACLU is seeking to lead in overruling the vote against allowing homosexuals and single people living together unmarried to adopt children or become foster parents. They are saying the proposition was not written clearly enough and was confusing. That certainly is hogwash! There was plenty of discussion and explanation given from both sides, upholding their respective points. The vote was clear and decisive! The ACLU, as its practice is, has simply taken the side of those who want to set it aside.
On the other hand, a vast number of voters lost on the proposition of the lottery. Why should we not have just as much right to make a big public protest and appeal to the court to overrule that decision? It is despicably obvious that those who shout the most about the need for tolerance are the most intolerant? This is displayed repeatedly in our society.
Millions of Americans lost in the presidential election for voting in accordance with our convictions of what we believe are sound Biblical and Constitutional truths, pertaining to governments. So why should we not have the right to attempt to go to court and set the election aside? We are thoroughly persuaded that many of the promised changes are wrong morally,legally, socially and economically, but does that justify public disruptions, rather than teaching and persuading?
In God’s call of Jeremiah to be a prophet, Jeremiah objected that he knew not how to speak; he was only a child. But the Lord said unto him, "Do not say, I am only a child. You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you, declares the Lord. Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, Now, I have put my words in your mouth. See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant" (Jer. 1:7b-10). God makes it very clear that he is in charge of nations and it is up to him when nations rise and fall. It depends upon what they do with respect to his will. This is no less true of our nation than any other nation. See essentially the same point in Jer. 18:1-12. The people of the world have no interest nor desire to obey or promote the prophets’ words. It is up to Christians to do that. He is counting on us and we must not fail. It will require our utmost diligence. We will always have stiff opposition! The devil never takes a vacation!
--------------- Lowell E. McCoy at 80 is retired from preaching after 50+ years. However, he writes and works in the Sherwood, AR. Yes, this Mr. McCoy is the father of Gene McCoy whose article also appears today and whose works have appeared in prior editions of the ARRA News Service.Tags:abortion, adoption, Arkansas, foster care, homosexual activismTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Guest Editorial by Gene McCoy, Mountain Home, AR: The new administration will officially launch its agenda on January 20. Personal politics aside, Christians must prepare for the imminent collision. We can see only the tip of the iceberg. An issue analyst at Focus on the Family wrote, “it will soon be difficult for . . . Christians to stand up for God’s created intent for sexuality, gender, marriage and the family.” Mr. Obama promises to unite and heal. The very constituency that put him in power, however, is thwarting this objective.
California, Arizona and Florida voters resoundingly approved measures to preserve traditional marriage. Mr. Obama, in the name of unity and national healing, selected a preacher who supported this decision in California to pray at his inauguration. Both of these decisions met with a firestorm of protest and litigation by the militant homosexual community, which alleges that the support of traditional marriage constitutes “hate speech.”
Christians who cannot support the social agenda that violates the clear teaching of Scripture cannot be tolerated by the most vociferous proponents of tolerance! In other words, anyone who advocates Biblical teaching relating to sexuality, marriage, and life issues is regarded as an enemy of national unity and healing — even though peaceful measures provided for in our Constitution (i.e., voting) were employed to set policy and establish laws.
We are seeing only the tip of the iceberg. The new administration has promised to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and to pass the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA). These will undermine and reverse laws that reflect God’s design for marriage and the sanctity of human life. We must prepare for and respond to this collision according to Biblical precept and apostolic precedent.
The Bible enjoins us to pray for kings and all who are in authority so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity (1 Tim. 2:1,2). It also teaches us to submit for God’s sake to governing authorities, being ordained and established by God (1 Pet. 2:13-17; Romans 13:1-7). Prayers for our elected officials and government should be to the end that we may honor the Lord in worship and service in a peaceful and tranquil context. To pray for authorities does not require us to support them or their policies when they oppose God’s expressed will.
Jesus and the apostles provide a model we may emulate when government collides with Christianity. Jesus challenged the high priest when He was being treated illegally and unfairly (John 18:19-24). The apostles refused to be intimidated by the authorities (Acts 4:13-22) who threatened them. Charged not to speak in the name of Jesus, the apostles defied the ruling and refused to comply, boldly proclaiming that they answer to a higher authority. The principle they followed is succinctly stated by Peter in Acts 5:29, to wit, “We must obey God rather than men.”
There is a seismic shakedown occurring in our culture, and the government is being manipulated by the strong-arm tactics (e.g., shameless extortion) of evil forces. Advocates of truth and righteousness, like the apostles and the Lord, Himself, are accused of bigotry and homophobia, insensitivity and intolerance. Should the policies of our president-elect become law, it is likely that some preachers and teachers you know may follow in the steps of their apostolic forebears, who were imprisoned and persecuted.
In your prayers regarding our governmental leaders include this prayer from the lips of our first-century brothers: “And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond servants may speak Your word with all confidence (or boldness).” (Acts 4:29) And remember the words of Jesus to comfort and reassure His disciples who were facing persecution: “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage: I have overcome the world.” (Jn. 16:33)
-------------- Gene McCoy is an active advocate for life. He is the past-president of the Baxter County Right to Life and is a preacher at Memorial Christian Church in Mountain Home, Arkansas. Tags:Barack Obama, Christians, Gene McCoy, hate speech, social conservatives, traditional family valuesTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
As 111 Congress Begins, Four Senate Seats in Question
Paul Kane, Washington Post: As the gavel quietly fell yesterday on the final session of the 110th Senate, officials in several states sought to cut through the confusion surrounding a quartet of chamber seats whose future occupants remain undetermined amid succession fights and election recount disputes.
In Colorado, Gov. Bill Ritter (D) is expected to announce today that Michael F. Bennet, the superintendent of Denver's public schools, will succeed Sen. Ken Salazar (D) once Salazar is confirmed as interior secretary this month. In New York, Gov. David A. Paterson attempted to knock down reports that he has decided on Caroline Kennedy as his appointee to replace Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D) after she is confirmed as secretary of state, even as key state party officials continued to push for Kennedy's appointment.
In Illinois, Roland W. Burris, the selection of embattled Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) to succeed President-elect Barack Obama in the Senate, filed another legal motion yesterday to try to force state officials to recognize his appointment, which would allow him to take his fight to the Capitol in time for Tuesday's start of the 111th Congress.
Senate Republicans, meanwhile, declared that under no circumstances would they agree to seat Democrat Al Franken of Minnesota, who is clinging to a 49-vote lead in the recount of his race against Sen. Norm Coleman, if Coleman files a legal challenge. "It is the height of arrogance for any political leader in Washington, D.C., to tell the people of Minnesota whose vote should count and whose vote shouldn't count," Sen. John Cornyn (Tex.), chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said in a conference call with reporters. . . .
When the new session begins Tuesday, the Senate is expected to have 98 members, without those from Illinois and Minnesota. One of those being sworn in to a new term will be Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-Del.). In addition to winning the vice presidency on Nov. 4, Biden was also elected to a seventh term, requiring him to begin the new session that his replacement [Edward "Ted" Kaufman] will soon take over for the next two years. . . . [Full Story: As 111th Senate is Set to Begin, Four Seats Still Up in Air] Tags:Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, New York, US Congress, US SenateTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
ARRA News Service has posted numerous prior stories about the former fugitive and infamous political fundraiser for the Democratic Party Norman Hsu. now it seems that president-elect Barack Obama's name be brought up at Norman Hus Ponzi Scheme fraud trial.H/T to eGopNews for letting us know about the following post by The Smoking Gun:
As if being linked to one high-profile criminal case weren't enough, President-elect Barack Obama's name may soon pop up in another federal prosecution, this one involving a massive Ponzi scheme (no, the other massive Ponzi scheme). In addition to the Rod Blagojevich pay-for-play probe, Obama could figure in the upcoming fraud trial of Norman Hsu, the disgraced Democratic fundraiser who was charged last year with operating a $60 million pyramid scheme. According to investigators, Hsu, a major Hillary Clinton fundraiser, pressured investors to donate money to political candidates with whom he was aligned. In a letter last week to U.S. District Court Judge Victor Marrero, Hsu's lawyer, Martin Cohen, requested a 60-day delay in the start of Hsu's trial, scheduled to open January 12 (Cohen cited the "extraordinary level of negative publicity" generated by the recent arrest of alleged Ponzi schemer Bernard Madoff). In his December 22 letter, [linked here] , Cohen also noted that Hsu was already notorious for his political activities" and that it was "inevitable" that his client's "connections" to Bill and Hillary Clinton "and other democratic notables--including perhaps the president-elect--will be introduced at trial." Before becoming a key fundraiser for Hillary Clinton's presidential bid, Hsu co-hosted a 2005 California fundraiser for Obama's political action committee and introduced the Illinois Democrat to Marc Gorenberg, a Silicon Valley venture capitalist who later joined the Obama campaign's national finance committee. Prosecutors allege that Hsu directed his investors to donate money to specific candidates, and then reimbursed them in violation of federal campaign laws. Unswayed by Cohen's argument, Marrero declined to delay the trial, which will begin a week before Obama's inauguration.
Tags:Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Marc Gorenberg, Norman Hsu, Ponzi schemeTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
by Michelle Malkin: If you think the bad economy has "solved" America's immigration problems, welcome to your end-of-the-year reality check. It's certainly true illegal crossings from the south are down and that many foreign workers are returning to their native lands as work dries up. But border chaos, haphazard enforcement, massive backlogs and deportation negligence remain the order of the day.
A half-million citizenship applications have been pending for more than nine months. Some 700,000 illegal alien absconders -- fugitives from deportation like Barack Obama's aunt Zeituni Onyango -- are free. An estimated 4-5 million illegal visa overstayers from around the world remain in the country. Both Big Business and left-wing ethnic groups have colluded to prevent an employer verification program for workers' citizenship status from getting implemented nationwide. And the borders are still largely borders in name only.
In June, the White House pushed through a $1.6-billion border security spending plan ... for Mexico and Central America. While our own border fence remains incomplete, taxpayers shelled out for helicopters, surveillance equipment, computer infrastructure, expansion of intelligence databases, anti-corruption initiatives, human rights education and training, and anti-money laundering programs for our southern neighbors. So, how's the so-called Merida Initiative working out?
As terrorized citizens of Mexico will tell you, all hell has broken loose. Corrupt police officials and narco-insurgents have left a horrific trail of beheaded and bullet-ridden bodies in their wake on both sides of the border. Mexican Army incursions into U.S. territory are a regular occurrence. . . . Such lawlessness, Mexico has apparently realized, is a grave threat to its people. Without order, there can be no peace. And chaos, as I've argued endlessly since September 11, is an invitation for those with far more nefarious intentions. . . . One hopes the incoming Obama administration can learn from our neighbors to the south the hard lesson Washington has abandoned since 9/11: Immigration control is a national security issue. Blood-stained reality clarifies the mind. [Full Story] Tags:border control, Mexico, Michelle Malkin, open bordersTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
by William Warren, "Happy New Year (anyway)!" Our friends at the ALG News Bureau" Tags:ALG, Americans for Limited Government, economy, political cartoon, US Congress, William WarrenTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
by Chris Welch, CNN:Sen. John Cornyn, the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, is weighing in on Minnesota's close and still unresolved U.S. Senate race, saying Friday that no one should be seated until a winner is made official by both the Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie and Gov. Tim Pawlenty. Currently, Democratic challenger Al Franken holds a slight lead of about 50 votes over Republican incumbent Sen. Norm Coleman, but this number does not reflect what could be more than a thousand improperly rejected absentee ballots still to be tallied, which would sway results. Tags:Al Franken, Harry Reid, John Cornyn, Ken Blackwell, Minnesota, Norm Coleman, US SenateTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Cornyn, a Republican from the state of Texas, said a filibuster may be in order if Franken were seated before an official certificate is signed by Ritchie and Pawlenty. "There will be no way that people on our side of the aisle will agree to seat any senator provisionally or otherwise," he told reporters on a conference call. The new Congress will be sworn in Jan. 6, and it's unlikely a certificate would be signed by then. Speculation over what could happen in the interim included the possibility that the Democratically-controlled body would provisionally seat Franken if he remains in the lead. The Coleman campaign is hoping the Minnesota Supreme Court will intervene over the issue of the improperly rejected absentee ballots because they say there is no uniform standard for local officials and the campaigns to review and count them.
It's also possible for an election contest to be filed after the Secretary of State certifies the results. The Coleman campaign has hinted at the increasing likelihood that they'd again go to the high court, which could mean a resolution would still be weeks away. The secretary of states office is scheduled to tally improperly rejected absentee ballots this weekend and could have a result as early as Monday, though the meaning of any such result without a governor's signature remains to be seen. . . . [Full Story]
by David A. Patten, Newsmax: GOP leaders reacted angrily Wednesday to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's tactic of all but projecting Al Franken the victor over incumbent GOP Sen. Norm Coleman, even as Minnesota election officials continue to count the votes. "At this stage, it appears that Franken will be certified the winner by the State Canvassing Board,” said a statement Reid’s office released Tuesday. “We're keeping abreast of the situation and will make a decision with regard to Senate action at the appropriate point in the process."
Former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell, a leading contender for the chairmanship of the Republican National Committee, blasted Reid for politicizing the recount. "The American people will see right through Harry Reid’s crass partisan power grab,” Blackwell tells Newsmax. “He wants to manufacture a filibuster-proof majority to push through his liberal agenda. Americans expect fairness, but Reid is offering political games. There are over 1,300 disputed ballots in Minnesota that must be resolved before anyone is seated.” Adds Blackwell, "This is just another example of the sleazy political boss antics that has Harry Reid at risk of losing his own Senate seat in Nevada." . . . [Full Story]
Phyllis Schlafly Endorses Ken Blackwell for RNC Chairman
Washington, D.C.- Eagle Forum President and Republican National Coalition for Life National Chairman Phyllis Schlafly today endorsed the candidacy of Ken Blackwell for chairman of the Republican National Committee. Schlafly said,"Ken Blackwell is a solid social and fiscal conservative who is dedicated to the principles that brought the Republican Party to power in 1980 and can do so again. He has 13 successful campaigns under his belt. He has run for office himself and knows how to win.
"Ken Blackwell was first elected to the Cincinnati City Council and then as Mayor. He was the first African-American to win statewide office when he was elected Ohio State Treasurer. Subsequently, he was twice elected Ohio Secretary of State, later winning the Republican nomination for Governor of Ohio. He has managed and run large state agencies with many employees in a fiscally responsible manner. Ken Blackwell would bring to the office of RNC chairman a level of campaign experience unmatched by any other candidate.
"Ken Blackwell understands the many challenges facing our country both at home and around the world, having served as an undersecretary at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Commission.
"His replies to National Committeeman Morton Blackwell's questionnaire were comprehensive and impressive.
"Ken Blackwell served as vice chairman of the 2008 Platform Committee. He assures us that he fully supports the 2008 Republican National Platform and will work to see its principles implemented in public policy, adding that he is 'very proud of the document we adopted.' We are proud of the Platform and Ken Blackwell's commitment to it, and proud to support his candidacy for RNC chairman."Phyllis Schlafly has worked on Republican campaigns since 1946 and was a
Delegate to eleven Republican National Conventions. Tags:endorsement, Ken Blackwell, Phyllis Schlafly, Republican National Committee, RNC ChairmanTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
More than a dozen families filed a lawsuit Tuesday challenging a new Arkansas law banning unmarried couples living together from becoming foster or adoptive parents. The Arkansas chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union filed the lawsuit on behalf of the families in Pulaski County Circuit Court seeking to overturn Act 1, which was approved by voters by over 56% in last month's general election.
The group filed the lawsuit on behalf of 29 adults and children who claim that the act's language was misleading to voters and that it violates their constitutional rights. The lawsuit was filed against the state of Arkansas, the attorney general, the Arkansas Department of Human Services and its director, and the Child Welfare Agency Review Board and its chairman.
Jerry Cox of the Arkansas Family Council, a conservative group that campaigned for the ban, said the council's president, said he had expected a lawsuit to be filed if the measure passed. "We are confident this lawsuit will fail and Act 1 will remain on the books," Cox said. The law will affect heterosexuals and homosexuals equally. Tags:ACLU, adoption, Arkansas, Arkansas Family Council, gay activistTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Atheists sue to take 'God' out of Obama inauguration
Audrey Barrick, The Christian Post: After failed attempts to remove prayer from George W. Bush's inauguration ceremonies, Michael A. Newdow, along with other atheists, has once again filed a lawsuit to take God and religion out of the upcoming swearing-in ceremony. The lawsuit was filed Tuesday by Newdow and 17 other individuals and 10 groups representing atheists who want the words "so help me God" and other religious references out of the president's oath of office, invocation and benediction. . . .
American Humanist Association, the Freedom from Religion Foundation and atheist groups from Minnesota, Seattle, Washington and Florida are among the groups that band together for the lawsuit. They are suing Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., who will administer the oath of office to President-elect Barack Obama in January; several officials in charge of inaugural festivities; megachurch pastor Rick Warren, who will deliver the invocation; and the Rev. Joseph E. Lowery, who will deliver the benediction. Obama was not named in the suit. . . . [Full Story]Note: President-elect Obama has chosen to be sworn in with his hand on the Bible used for the inauguration of the first Republican president, Abraham Lincoln. See also:Fox News: Atheist Group Files Lawsuit Against Prayer at Presidential Inauguration Tags:God, lawsuit, Michael Newdow, oath, presidential inaugurationTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
This would have been at the very top of my Christmas wish list! But fortunately, there is an anniversary is coming soon.
NEW from DeWalt: 16-D Rapidfire Nail Gun Description: New Nail Gun, made by Dewalt. It can drive a 16-D nail through a 2 X 4 at 200 yards. This makes construction a breeze, you can sit in your lawn chair and build a fence. Just get the wife and kids to hold the fence boards in place while you sit back, relax with a cold drink. When they have the board in the right place just fire away. With the hundred round magazine, you can build the fence with a minimum of reloading. After a day of fence building with the new Dewalt Rapid fire nail gun, the wife will never ask you to fix or build anything else. Tags:humor, nail gunTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
If Caroline had been one of my students, she would not have passed! Just a minute, how much money does she have -- I mean could she pay for an C; I mean an A? Hat tip Cuffy at Perfunction -"You-Know!"
Tags:Caroline Kennedy, you knowTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Currently, individual rights may be more at risk as we address the potential of terrorist threats against the United States. The effects of the infamous terrorists attacks on 9-11 continue to ripple through our country. For example, in 2006, the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007 passed and was signed into law. The Act included a section titled "Use of the Armed Forces in major public emergencies." This section provided that "The President may employ the armed forces to restore public order in any State of the United States the President determines...." However, in 2008, Congress while passing the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act, restored the restrictions of Posse Comitatus. President George Bush signed the Act into law but he also attached an Executive Order identifying that the Executive Branch does not feel bound by the changes enacted by the repeal of the use of armed forces to restore public order in the United States. As previously presidents have done, Bush signaled that he does do not feel bound by Posse Comitatus.
We are now brought full circle to the announcement of the assignment of an Army brigade as well as other service units to enforce the will of the President and or the Department of Defense with regard to homeland security. Even if military units are not used for several years to respond to domestic threats and are not used in any way for several years to restrict the rights of Americans, the result will still be the continued implied transference of authority as troops continue to be assigned to a domestic charter and the leaders of these units develop a comprehensive doctrine designed to cope with domestic situations. Historically, the year 2008 may become identified as the year that the doctrine of Posse Comitatus ceased to have authority.
As detailed in the following new article, my warning and the warning by other new media "free" reporters appears to be making an impact. However, the present public appears focused on the potential actions of a new administration and the current potential economic crisis. They may still not be fully aware of the treat of our bothers and sisters in the military being requested and / or forced to threaten individual freedom and rights of American citizens.
by Carolyn Harris, Info Wars: The commander of NORTHCOM, Air Force General Victor E Renuart Jr., recently held a press conference regarding the deployment of troops in America. This new mission has made many in America not only concerned but worried and the General tried to dispel those fears. . . .
General Renuart explained that the new task force is “designed” to respond to chemical, biolocal or nuclear attacks and is “not meant to authorize the federal government to enforce martial law.” Such a statement may placate some but note the language - troops on the ground do not authorize martial law, the President does. And the President has not only Public Laws (Military Commissions Act and the John Warner Defense Authorization Act) on the books but Executive Orders under which he can declare an “emergency” and initiate martial law. [Full list of all Executive Orders here.] The General told the press, “It is not a force designed to go in and enforce laws. The national guard is empowered to do that through the states. This force is designed to go and render assistance and aid, as opposed to create security.” This is the not what was clearly stated in the Army Times article. See hereand here for additional information on deployment of troops under NORTHCOM and how theNational Guard is being assimilated into the federal military.
Despite his platitudes to the press and assurances to Congress that it would not require significant new funding from Congress, it is clear that the new task force’s deployment in the homeland most certainly is here to restore order in the event of civil unrest due to “unforseen economic collapse.” Unforseen? They are clearly here to prepare for widespread dissent and food riots due to the economic collapse. . . .
That the military would feel the need to backpeddle, despite the fact that the reports in mainstream media have pushed the approved talking points, shows that they monitor the alternative media and what information is being provided to warn the populace on this issue. It also shows their concern about the increasing number of people who are not comfortable seeing military in full battle gear in their town, as well as the groundswell of people who are buying out the gun shops around the nation.
The military brass are clearly concerned about how the homeland missions are being perceived and that their public relations campaign is not going as well as planned. Look for major incidents in the near future to justify their presence. Many in law enforcement and the military are deeply patriotic and are not aware of why they are being federalized, much less that it is universal and that they are becoming part of the control grid. One thing that patriots can do to educate the military that you know or happen to see is to give this incredibly powerful document: Operation Vampire Killer (.pdf). It is written by police for police and military and educates them not only about the New World Order, but exhorts them to think deeply about whether or not they will obey the command if and when they are told to disarm or fire upon fellow Americans. . . . [full article: Military Backpeddles on Troops in America ]
Tags:Posse Comitatus, military, Unites States, DOD, local law enforcement, military force in United States, NorthCom, police, police state, President, US Government To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
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The Traditional Values coalition (Jan. 7, 2009): President-Elect Barack Obama has chosen former Clintonoid Leon Panetta to head up the Central Intelligence Agency. Panetta has no experience in the field, but former CIA operatives are convinced that he will gut the agency’s intelligence-gathering capabilities and will purge the CIA of effective operatives in the war on Islamic terrorism.
