The Marriage Penalty in Health Care

by Phyllis Schlafly, Eagle Forum: Hidden in Obama's health care bill is a huge marriage penalty. Both the Senate and House bills would set up yet another federal program to provide financial incentives to subsidize marriage avoidance and illegitimate offspring. Even though all evidence shows that marriage is the best remedy for poverty, lack of health care, domestic violence, child abuse, and school dropouts, federal welfare programs continue to discriminate against marriage and instead give taxpayer handouts to those who reject marriage. This isn't any accident; it is a central part of the Democrats' political strategy that produced 70% of unmarried women voting for Obama for President in 2008.

Conservatives have been exchanging email for weeks about the shocking fact that Obama's health care bill discriminates against marriage while financially favoring unmarried couples living together. This fact is finally getting national attention, at least in the Wall Street Journal and on Fox News.

Here is the cost in the House bill for an unmarried couple who each earn $25,000 a year (total: $50,000). When they both buy health insurance (which will be mandatory), the combined premiums they pay will be capped at $3,076 a year. But if the couple gets married and has the same combined income of $50,000, they will pay annual premiums up to a cap of $5,160 a year. That means they have to fork over a marriage penalty of $2,084.

The marriage penalty is the result of the fact that government subsidies for buying health insurance are pegged to the federal poverty guidelines. Couples that remain unmarried are rewarded with a separate health care subsidy for each income. When the Wall Street Journal reporter quizzed the Democratic authors of the health care bill, they made it clear that this differential was deliberate. The staffer justified the discriminatory treatment because "you have to decide what your goals are."

Indeed, the Democrats have decided what their goals are. They know that 70% of unmarried women voted for Obama in 2008, and the Democrats plan to reward this group with health insurance subsidies. The House staffer told the Wall Street Journal reporter that the Democrats can't make the subsidies neutral towards marriage because that would give a traditional one-breadwinner married couple a more generous subsidy than a single parent at the same income level. Horrors! The Democrats certainly are not going to allow traditional marriage to be preferred over couples who just shack up!

Obamacare will thus ratchet up the federal welfare spending that already produces many financial incentives to remain single. These include the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), housing benefits, food stamps, child support enforcement, and the entire Great Society welfare apparatus. Daniel Patrick Moynihan famously and accurately explained the disastrous results of welfare back in 1965. The welfare system created a matriarchy with millions of children lacking their father in the home.

It's no wonder illegitimate birthrates are soaring and unmarried mothers now give birth to 4 out of every 10 babies born in the United States. Prior to 1970, most unmarried mothers were teenagers, but by 2007 women in their 20s had 60 percent of all babies born out of wedlock, and women over age 30 had another 17 percent. Means-tested welfare programs already cost taxpayers close to $1 trillion a year (twice as much as national defense and nearly the size of the federal deficit), and Obamacare is projected to >add another $2.5 trillion after all its provisions take effect. There's no end in sight to the increasing costs of these entitlements.

Greenberg Quinlan Rosner, a liberal firm that consults for clients such as Bill Clinton and John Kerry, admitted: "Unmarried women represent one of the most reliable Democratic cohorts in the electorate . . . leading the charge for fundamental change in health care." It used to be that a husband was responsible for the financial support of his wife and children, but the feminists' agenda calls for replacing husbands with Big Brother Government. The feminists call their movement "women's liberation," and Obamacare is one more way to help them achieve their goal.

Feminists keep tightening their control over the social policies of the Democratic Party, and Obamacare will be his third payoff to this group. The first bill Obama signed as President, the Lilly Ledbetter Act, enables women to sue employers years many years after any alleged workplace discrimination (when no one is still alive to defend against allegations), and the second payoff was getting Obama to give the majority of taxpayer-paid Stimulus jobs to women even though men have suffered the big majority of job losses in the current recession.

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Tags: Eagle Forum, government healthcare, marriage, marriage penalty, Phyllis Schlafly To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Coakley has Obama - Brown has the People Who are Freezin for a Reason

In the US Senate special election in Massachusetts there are many contrasts. One of then is that in the final days of the campaign, Martha Coakley has President Barack Obama taking time out of being the president of all the American people and instead campaigning for her.

In contrast Scott Brown has the people helping him campaign for the "people seat." Below is a picture of a couple of those fine folks. They are going door-to-door in Massachusetts --- "brrrrrr." Sacrifice comes in many forms.

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Tags: Massachusetts, Senate, Senate race, We the People To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

51% In Massachusetts Oppose Dem Health Plan; Still Time For Dems To Vote No

Do you recall learning about the separation of powers under the U.S. Constitution? Congress (all members - not just one party) develops bills under the authority granted them by the Constitution. The bills they approve are sent to the President for  approval or disapproval (veto). If there is a veto, Congress can then consider overriding the Presidents veto. In countries with dictators, the Dictator or his staff calls in the legislators and says here is the bill I want - do it!. We are Constitutional Republic not governed by a Dictator. But as you read the following, you may find your hair standing up on your neck.

As Democrat leaders race to come to an agreement on a final health care bill behind closed doors at the White House, a stunning poll out of Massachusetts shows that even voters in Massachusetts apparently don’t like the health care reform being pushed through Congress. This comes in the wake of other polling this week showing that opposition to the Democrat health care bills continues to grow.

A new poll from Suffolk University and 7 News in Boston report some astounding numbers on how voters in the Bay State view the Washington Democrats’ health care reform proposals. While the poll notes that 54% support Massachusetts’ own health care plan, a majority, 51% actually oppose “the proposed national health care plan.” Some of the opposition may be due to the fact that 61% “believe the federal government cannot afford the proposed national health care plan.” Given the sea of debt the federal government is swimming in, this in an understandable reaction. Democrats are poised to raise the debt ceiling past $13 trillion

Even with voters in Massachusetts and the rest of the U.S. souring on their health care bill, Democrats are scrambling to reach an agreement on a final product. The Washington Post reports today, “Gripped by a building sense that its window of opportunity could be closing, the White House on Thursday broke the last major logjam blocking enactment of far-reaching health-care legislation, cutting a deal with organized labor on how to tax high-cost insurance policies. The agreement, forged in a marathon negotiating session that included White House officials and seven prominent labor leaders, would exempt union members from a proposed surtax on expensive insurance plans until 2018, five years after the legislation would take effect.”

But as Democrats attempt to move closer to a final bill, the unsavory deals being struck just frustrate Americans even more over a bill they already don’t like. In The Wall Street Journal today, Kimberley Strassel points out, “This week's Quinnipiac poll has 34% of respondents ‘mostly’ approving the bill. A token 26% of independents back it. In November, House Democrats were being reassured by a relatively popular president. Gallup this week has a mere 37% of Americans approving of his handling of health care.”

Strassel explains that these numbers should remind observers that the health care bill is not yet a fait accompli. When the House passed its version of health care by a margin of only 3 votes in November, Strassel notes “House Dems hadn't been presented with the mind-blowing sight of a Republican Senate contender running openly against health-care reform—in a state that went 26 points for Mr. Obama—and getting somewhere. ‘There are a lot of [Democrats] asking the question: There’s a need for health-care reform, but our constituents just don’t want this, and who are we to say they are wrong?’ said one Democratic staffer for a member from a more conservative House district.”

Today, we’ve learned that not even the people of Massachusetts seem to support this monstrosity of a health care bill. This poll and the national polls this week should be a wake-up call for every Democrat in Congress that their leadership is rushing them off a cliff in order to enact this health care plan. There is still have time for the Democrats to stop and listen to the majority of Americans and then to VOTE NO on this bill and the sweetheart deals being used to speed its passage.

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Tags: conservative democrats, Massachusetts, nationalized health care, The White House To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Fact ##33: Marriage of Inconvenience

Tony Perkins, FRC Washington Update: As the House and Senate Democrats workout their difference over their respective healthcare bills in secret, one area where there seems to be agreement is imposing a major tax penalty on married couples. Both the Senate and House have anti-marriage provisions. The Wall Street Journal breaks it down this way: "[F]or an unmarried couple with income of $25,000 each, combined premiums would be capped at $3,076 per year, under the House bill. If the couple gets married, with a combined income of $50,000, their annual premium cap jumps to $5,160--a 'penalty' of $2,084. Those figures were included in a memo prepared by House Republican staff."

Representative Geoff Davis (R-KY) is currently circulating a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) for his Hill colleagues to sign, explaining to the Speaker that "government policy should not be constructed in such a way that either discourages individuals from marrying or provides an incentive for couples to divorce." The many versions of health care we have seen have been anti-life, anti-freedom, and anti-conscience. Will the final version be anti-marriage as well?

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Tags: Family Research Council, FRC, government healthcare, Tony Perkins To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Arkansas Rep. Vic Snyder Will NOT Run in 2010

The Washington Post: Arkansas Democratic Rep. Vic Snyder (D) released a statement this evening making clear that he would not be a candidate for an eighth term, the fifth Democrat representing a competitive district to announce his retirement in the past two months.

"I have concluded that these election-year forces are no match for the persuasive and powerful attraction of our three one-year old boys under the leadership of their three-year old brother, and I have decided not to run for re-election," Snyder said in a statement.

What he did not mention was the fact that for the first time in recent memory, Republicans had fielded a serious candidate -- former U.S. Attorney Tim Griffin (R) -- to run against him. Griffin had drastically outraised Snyder in 2009 and a poll conducted for a liberal blog and released earlier today showed the challenger with a healthy lead over the incumbent . . . [Full Story]

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Media Bias in Jonesboro, Arkansas?

Correction  1/16/09: The Director of Arkansas AFP has identified that the Jonesboro Sun ran an article on John Stossel speaking in Jonesboro. Also, KAIT-TV attended the Hot Air Balloon event but we could not determine if they ran a story on the event.
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Bill Smith, Editor: Arkansas has been part of the National focus on health care, cap-in-trade and the failure of blue dog democrats to represent their constituents. Some Arkansans are asking, "When does the traditional media decide it is important to report on a local event?" The following identified city offers a glaring example for review. In the Jonesboro, Arkansas, home of Arkansas State University and the largest city in the North Eastern section of Arkansas, some of the citizens believe the media is clueless and / or biased.

Debbie Pelley, a retired teacher and conservative Tea Party supporter, shared the following examples of her frustration with the media in Jonesboro, In summary, the latest proverbial straw, was that that neither the Jonesboro Sun nor KAIT-TV reported on the announcement by Jim Holt for US Senate. Pelley said, "There were 89 people present. Jonesboro was one of five major cities in Arkansas visited by Holt to officially announce his candidacy for the U.S. Senate." Six years ago, Holt was the Republican candidate opposing Sen. Blanche Lincoln. Although Holt was defeated, since then Sen. Lincoln's favorable numbers have plummeted.  Her support of the Democrat's radical socialist agenda and continuing spending and placing unfunded mandates on Arkansas have resulted in low polling numbers and national Democrats calling for her to retire.

Pelley related, "Both the Jonesboro Sun and KAIT-TV were called and emailed a press release of the event. Neither attended the event. Did they feel the event was unimportant or were they totally biased? By comparison, in Little Rock at least four reporters attended Holt's event." The Democrat-Gazette reported, "Jim Holt is the highest profile Republican candidate to join the race so far." Prior to Holt's announcement, Lincoln trailed all of the "unknown" announced Republican candidates. So, it does appear that an unbiased media would have covered former Arkansas State Senator Jim Holt's announcement and asked him some meaningful questions.

On Oct. 29th, noted reporter and analyst John Stossel visited the Hilton's Statehouse Convention Center in Jonesboro and spoke to more than 550 people as part of the American for Prosperity (AFP) “Hands Off My Health Care" speaking tour. Pelley said, "Both the Jonesboro Sun and KAIT-TV ignored reporting on this event. These media sources also did not report on a previous AFP events at the city's courthouse or on the Virginia based AFP visiting Jonesboro via a Hot Air Balloon." The visit was part of AFP's National Hot Air Balloon tour addressing the pending legislation on Cap and Trade and Senator Blanche Lincoln's position on this legislation.

Pelley then related, "Media bias was very evident when both the Jonesboro Sun and KAIT-TV reported on 15 people visiting Senator Lincoln's office to encourage her to vote for the health bill earlier this year. In fact, the paper put it on the front page."

Media bias has been claimed in other parts of the state. However, I often wonder if this situation which appears biased isn't media laziness and possibly marketing ignorance. When the media ignores more than 500 people gathering to listen to a former ABC co-anchor of "20/20" and now Fox News contributor in their community, they are ignoring a "golden opportunity" to report on an event in their community of national significance.

Then to report on 15 people visiting Sen. Lincoln's office while ignoring the gathering of thousands who are have the opposed position in various locations in Arkansas, calls into question their ability to be trusted or to report the "complete" news. Finally, failing to report the news about on a candidate flying in to the community to make his announcement for the U.S. Senate running against the incumbent  whose numbers are so unfavorable that members of her own party are circling like buzzards, is a wasted news opportunity. In conclusion, you decide: Is there media bias in Jonesboro, Arkansas?

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Tags: Arkansas, Bill Smith, Debbie Pelley, Jim Holt, John Stossel, Jonesboro, Jonesboro Sun, KAIT, media bias To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Somewhere Behind Closed Doors a Shameful Deal is Being Made

American Solutions: As candidate in 2008, President Obama promised repeatedly to have health negotiations out in the open and broadcast on C-SPAN. He even said that Americans should not "underestimate the degree to which shame is a healthy emotion and you can shame Congress into doing the right thing if people know what is going on." Despite President Obama breaking his promise, we agree with his views on shame, which is why this video points to the shame of the Pelosi-Reid Congress negotiating health care in secret. After Senate Majority Leader Reid made sure Senator Landrieu got a special $300 million deal for Louisiana and Senator Nelson got $100 million deal for Nebraska in return for their votes for health care, nobody should be surprised that Governor Schwarzenegger withdrew his support for the health care bill last week, and condemned it as a "trough of bribes". American Solutions is against bribes and corruption, which is one reason why this bill must be stopped and a different approach to health reform must be undertaken.

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Tags: American Solutions, bribes, closed doors, corruption, deals, government healthcare To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Harry Reid: I Have A Dream

By William Warren:

Harry Reid: "I have a dream that we will NOT be judged by the content of our character but by the POLITICAL PARTY to which we belong!"

Media Bias: "See it's OK . . . He's a Democrat!"

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Tags: Harry Reid, political satire, William Warren To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

This Fight Ain't Over

Washington, DC - U.S. Congressman Mike Pence (R-IN), Chairman of the House Republican Conference, issued the following statement:

"As Democrats struggle to put together a government takeover of health care behind closed doors, House Republicans have one message for the American people: This fight ain't over. The President of the United States should keep his word to the American people and ensure the public's right to know and bring the CSPAN cameras into these backroom negotiations immediately. It is simply wrong for legislation, that will not just affect 20% of our economy, it is simply wrong for legislation that will affect 100% of the American people for generations to come to be cobbled together behind closed doors by one party, one White House and a group of special interests. The American people deserve a seat at the table and House Republicans are determined to fight for the public's right to know.

"But beyond that, we're calling on the American people. The holidays are behind us. The challenges to our security that emerged on Christmas Day, we're dealing with. But right now is the moment for every American who cherishes freedom, who cherishes the ability to choose their own doctor, who still believes that we can create health care reform that will lower the cost of health insurance without growing the size of government, to let their voice be heard. House Republicans will take to the floor, will take to committees, will take to the airwaves and will take to our districts to encourage every American to let their voice be heard. This fight ain't over."

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Tags: government healthcare, House Republicans, Indiana, Mike Pence, US House, Washington D.C. To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

America Rising: An Open Letter to Democrat Politicians

Update 1/14/10: It's been only seven days since we joined others in posting the accompanying video in the original post. However, under pressure the original video was removed from YouTube. However, another user posted a "similar" video which is used below until they pull this video - view it while you can.
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You were elected by people who believed your promise of hope and change. We the People regret it. In 2010, we are taking the country back. Blue collar democrats, independents, conservatives. We love our country. We are proud of our founders. And we will fight to protect our traditions.

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Tags: 2010 Elections, Barack Obama, Democrats, federal spending, government corruption, Harry Reid, Independents, Republicans To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

The Religion Of Peace?

Gary Bauer, Campaign for Working Families: Speaking in Cairo, Egypt, on June 4, 2009, President Obama told a cheering audience that “Islam has a proud tradition of tolerance,” then went on to assure them that Muslims in the United States enjoy full religious liberty. Of course, the problem has never been the inability of Muslims to worship in America. The problem is the inability of Christians, Jews and persons of other faiths to worship freely in majority Muslim nations.

A cursory examination of recent news stories shows that in fact Islamic intolerance and violence toward other faiths is increasing, and the Obama Administration seems singularly uninterested.

• In Malaysia this week, three churches and a Catholic school were firebombed by Muslims upset because Malaysian Christians had used the word “Allah” for God. The protesting Muslims contended that only Muslims could use the word “Allah.”
• In Egypt, Coptic Christians celebrate Christmas on January 7th. This year’s celebration was marked by an attack on the Mar Yohana Church in which eight Christians, most of them in their 20s, were gunned down as they left services. A few months earlier, a Muslim mob burned and looted businesses owned by Christians in Farshoot, Egypt.
• Christian churches have also been attacked by followers in of the “Religion of Peace” in Algeria and Indonesia in recent weeks. And in Pakistan, 65 Christian women and children were attacked by a Muslim mob.

There are dozens of American organizations that claim to speak for Islam and regularly assure us that they renounce violence. Yet I have been unable to find any statements by these groups condemning the violence by Muslims against religious minorities around the world. Perhaps President Obama could raise the issue at next year’s White House Ramadan dinner.

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Tags: churches, Egypt, Gary Bauer, Indonesia, Islam, Malaysia, religion of peace To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Harry Reid Tanking In Nevada

Nevada Senator Harry Reid continues to decline in the polls. A new Rasmussen Reports poll shows that Reid, known as “Dirty Harry” to his critics, is still trailing three declared Republican opponents. Two of them have opened up double digit leads. Conservative businessman Danny Tarkanian leads Reid 50% to 36%, while conservative Sue Lowden leads Reid 48% to 36%.

Reid’s liberal allies, including the big labor unions, are already running ads in the state, desperately trying to save him. But so far their efforts are having no effect. Before the year is out, the Democrats will throw everything they can into this battle, and we will do everything we can to add the senator to the ranks of those newly unemployed by the “Obama recession.”

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Tags: Danny Tarkanian, Harry Reid, Nevada, polls, Rasmussen Poll, Sue Lowden To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Polls Show Americans Not Buying It Dubious Jobs Numbers From White House

The White House released a new report today claiming “[t]he $787 billion economic stimulus package has created or saved between 1.7 million and 2 million jobs,” as The Washington Post described it. Christina Romer, chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, said “The most important bottom line is to say that close to 2 million jobs have been created or saved by the close of 2009, a truly stunning . . . effect of the act.” According to the AP, Romer even told reporters on a conference call, the stimulus “has done exactly what we have anticipated it would do.”

But this is the same economic team that assured Americans that the stimulus would help the economy avoid double-digit unemployment. Not only that, Romer predicted that unemployment would peak at 8%. Yet unemployment in December was 10%.

Today’s report also cites a number the administration released last fall claiming the stimulus had “saved or created” around 640,000 jobs. But in October, both the AP and CBS News looked into the report and found it not very accurate. The AP wrote at the time, “An early progress report on President Barack Obama’s economic recovery plan overstate[d] by thousands the number of jobs created or saved through the stimulus program.”

And just this week the AP put out another study of stimulus spending, finding that “[a] federal spending surge of more than $20 billion for roads and bridges in President Barack Obama’s first stimulus has had no effect on local unemployment rates . . . .” The Las Vegas Review-Journal editors have heard enough, and pointed to the AP report in blasting the administration for the stimulus. The Review-Journal explains, “Here in Nevada, unemployment surged from 10.1 percent last February, when the stimulus bill passed, to a record 13.3 percent in August, even as $201 million in federal road funding began streaming into the state. Meantime, the number of construction jobs in Nevada continued to drop, from 90,000 last February to 82,500 in November . . . .”

Americans just aren’t buying the Obama administration’s spin on the stimulus and the economy. A new Quinnipiac poll finds only 41% approve and 54% disapprove of the president’s handling of the economy (and 58% disapprove on health care). And a new poll from Gallup finds similarly that only 40% approve and 56% disapprove of his handling of the economy. Gallup notes, “[Obama’s] current 40% approval rating on the economy and 37% rating on health care are the lowest of his presidency to date.” Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute observes, “These ratings on the economy and health care probably are why more voters say they don’t share Obama’s views on the issues they care about.”

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Tags: jobs, polls, The White House, unemployment To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Unions Strike A Deal With Pelosi - They Don't Pay But You Could!

Congressional Daily reported that: Unions tentatively struck a deal Tuesday to exempt collectively bargained health care plans from a tax on high-cost plans expected to be used to help raise revenue for the health care overhaul.

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, Service Employees International Union President Andy Stern and United Auto Workers President Ron Gettelfinger met with House Speaker Pelosi Tuesday, a day after labor leaders met at the White House to express their opposition to the excise tax.

House and Senate Democratic leaders are to meet with President Obama this morning at the White House to discuss health care. House Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel said he hopes there could be an agreement on the excise tax as early as today after the White House meeting, but then conceded: "That's stretching the word `hope.' "

Exempting collectively bargained plans would appease unions that often offer expensive health plans in lieu of higher wages. The deal could also help Obama avoid breaking his promise not to tax those earning less than $200,000. Obama recently expressed a preference for the excise tax. . . .

Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., co-chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said the deal was not enough to bring him on board to support the excise tax on high-cost plans. "It's setting up a divide-and-conquer situation here where some people are going to feel they're paying for other people, and they're all working," Grijalva said. "That politically is possibly the most dangerous thing Democrats can do is create that division." . . .

Meanwhile, Republicans who say they are upset over the continuing closed-door nature of the talks are planning to file a discharge petition today to force a House vote on a resolution requiring public access to the House-Senate negotiations on the health reform bill. The "Sunshine Resolution" was introduced by Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., in October. He and Minority Leader Boehner will file the petition.

"With so much at stake, any conference committee or meetings held to determine the content of sweeping national health care legislation should be held in full public view, not behind closed doors," Buchanan said in a statement Tuesday. . . . Full Story

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Tags: AFL-CIO, excise tax, government healthcare, labor unions To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Harry Reid: Exit Now, Stage Left and Get Some Help

Bill Smith, Editor:  It is time for Harry Reid to step down as Senate Majority Leader. In addition, his family should be very concerned about  Harry's mental health.  Retiring may be his best option.  After 30 years in Washington, Reid is showing signs of dementia and thus, a decreased capacity to serve his constituents and the American people properly.

His poll numbers are so low that we can say that they are "in the toilet." He is seen by a majority as incompetent, a buffoon or the administration's court jester.  By some, he is seen as a latent racist with his latest comments about Obama being "light skinned" and being able to turn off his "negro dialect." I wonder what the First Lady thinks of Reid's comments. Reid's comments are being dismissed by the President who needs Reid to help deliver the unpopular government health care bill.

Those following events in Washington, D.C. have noted Reid's increasing mental lapses and "foot-in-mouth" episodes. In fact, Reid may have passed the point of being just the blunt of political jokes by members and their staff on both sides of the aisle. He may well be in need of our compassion, because he is showing signs of some form of dementia. Possibly the stress of the political intrigue in his capacity as Senate Majority Leader has exacerbating his declining ability to reason properly. It is time for Harry to retire and to use the Cadillac medical benefits to care for himself in his remaining days of lucidness before slipping further over the edge into total lunacy.

The following excerpts (and the image) from the ALG News Editorial are supportive of the above position:

The weekend news that Reid attributed much of Barack Obama's political success to his being a “light-skinned” African-American who spoke with “no Negro dialect unless he wanted to have one” reveals a man who in an earlier day and age may have been kindly referred to as “in his dotage.” Others may have a more descriptive term for Reid’s bizarre behavior. But, “dotage” seems sufficient. And entirely accurate.

[I]in early August angrily accused those protesting this socialized medicine bill as “attempting to sabotage the democratic process.” To the crotchety Reid, theirs were “nothing more than destructive efforts to interrupt a debate.”

Reid went so far as to invent his own chilling term for those who dared dissent from his dogma. To him, they were “evil-mongers,” spreading “lies, innuendo, and rumor.” Gently reminded that no such term actually existed, a strangely euphoric Reid exclaimed, “It was original with me!”

In early November, while introducing his Senate version of government health care take over, he cryptically proclaimed that the measure would “guarantee” the American people “the right to live free from the fear of illness and death.” Even the Good Book doesn’t promise that.

In early December, when the new $621 million Capital Visitors Center opened, Reid applauded the opening with embarrassing observation, “My staff tells me not to say this, but I'm going to say it anyway. 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."

In late December, as the debate over health care reached its peak, the increasingly moody Reid displayed a shocking disregard for the most basic rules of the Senate. When Sen. Tom Coburn objected to a request that an amendment be accepted by Unanimous Consent, Rule XV, paragraph 1, of the Senate parliamentary guide required that the amendment be read in its entirety. Ignoring the body’s own rules, a petulant Reid overrode 200 years of Senate tradition.

Back as April 2007, Sen. Reid's exhibited a singular strange behavior that was written off off as politics. Remember when he declared, "The War in Iraq is Lost." His statement stunned everyone including his fellow Democrats except for possibly the "code pinkos." At the time, it appeared that he had indeed drunk their "pink cool aide."

Politico has summarized a few of Reid's memorable gaffes with supporting comments. Below is only a list of the gaffes:

• On the Iraq war: “This war is lost.” (April 2007)
• On Alan Greenspan: “One of the biggest political hacks we have in Washington.” (March 2005)
• On the death of Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA): “I think it’s going to help us.” (August 2009)
• “You know, Joe, I can’t stand John McCain.” (August 2008)
• On President George W. Bush: “I think this guy is a loser.” (May 2005)
• On Capitol tourists: “You can always tell when it is summertime because you can smell the visitors. The visitors stand out in the high humidity, heat, and they sweat.” (December 2008)
• To a Las Vegas Review-Journal executive: “I hope you go out of business.” (August 2009)
• On Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff: “Incompetent.” (June 2007) The fallout: The comment stoked GOP criticisms that Democrats were anti-military, but Bush eventually replaced Pace.
• On town hall protesters and agitators: “Evil-mongers.” (August 2009)
• On Senate opponent John Ensign: Ensign “shouldn’t be interpreting the Constitution,” because he’s a veterinarian. (1998)

Harry Reid may be some "the crazy uncle under the stairs." Compassion and faith require me to pray for him. My duty as a citizen and author of this article is to shout: Harry Reid: Exit Now, Stage Left, Keep Going, And Get Some Help!

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Tags: crazy, Harry Reid, incompetence To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Harry Reid: Open and Transparent

by William Warren

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Tags: Harry Reid, political cartoon, Scandal, transparency, William Warren To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

The Couple That Sneaked Into The White House Without any Credentials . . .

were caught on camera. Cover-up of investigations expected . . .

This is serious - Stop the laughing!

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Tags: political humor, The White House To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Today in Washington D. C. - Jan 12, 2010 - Bad News on Reid, Health Care and the Economy

While the US House is back in session the US Senate is still on recess. On January 20th, the Senate will reconvene for legislative business and begin consideration of the nomination of Beverly Baldwin Martin to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. This does not mean the Senators have not been meeting. Of course the Democrats led by Pelosi and Reed have transformed the activity of the Congress into backroom parlor sessions where the Republicans are barred from attending unless they were to sell their souls.

As posted elsewhere, Senate Majority Harry Reid is not only very unpopular with a majority of American voters, but he finds himself in the news for harboring racism. Reid's comments are being dismissed by President Obama who needs Reid to prove his worth by delivering the unpopular government health care bill. Reid's latent racism is explainable after his years of mentoring by Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV), a former KKK member whom Reid has openly praised. Byrd is known for his effort with other Democrats filibustering the Civil Rights Act of 1964. While Byrd has with old age has reportedly sought redemption, Reid has continued his stellar career of unprovoked derogatory comments.

CMS Report: On Friday, the Office of the Actuary at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the agency that oversees Medicare and Medicaid run by the Obama administration, released a new analysis of the 2,700 page health care bill that Democrats rammed through the Senate at Christmastime. The analysis finds once again that despite Democrat rhetoric the bill will increase federal health care spending, could hurt existing coverage, and finds that Medicare and Medicaid access could be hurt.

The New York Times summarizes that CMS “found that the Senate version of major health care legislation would increase total national health spending from 2010 to 2019 by $222.3 billion, or 0.6 percent, more than projected under current law. . . . A sharp increase in demand, the report said, could lead to even higher health care prices than currently anticipated and could encourage some health care providers to accept more patients who have private insurance, with higher payment rates and fewer patients covered by Medicare or Medicaid, which pay less.”

Concerning Medicare, the CMS report finds, “[P]roviders for whom Medicare constitutes a substantive portion of their business could find it difficult to remain profitable and, absent legislative intervention, might end their participation in the program (possibly jeopardizing access to care for beneficiaries).”

Further, the report notes that more than half of the newly insured under the bill will be on Medicaid, but “it is reasonable to expect that a significant portion of the increased demand for Medicaid would be difficult to meet, particularly over the first few years.” The Time's noted on Friday, “Both House and Senate bills would pay the states’ share of the cost of the new patients over the first two years and up to 95% after that. But states would still face an enormous new financial obligation.” Democrat Tennessee Governor Phil Bredeson said, “It is a huge load on the states at a time when we are still climbing out of the recession.” And The Sioux Falls [SD] Argus-Leader reported, “The Senate’s Christmas Eve health care bill will cost South Dakota at least $53.7 million during the next nine years by expanding the state’s Medicaid population by 45 percent, [Republican] Gov. Mike Rounds said Thursday. . . . [I]n his criticism Thursday, Rounds joined a chorus of other governors - both Democratic and Republican - who say the bill will saddle the states with large, unfunded mandates. The governor also criticized the Senate bill because it doesn’t account for inflationary increases in Medicaid and because its passage was greased with special deals.”

With a steady stream of reports like this showing the health bill does not live up to Democrats’ promises, it’s little wonder that Americans in swings states such as Colorado and Nevada continue to be skeptical of the bill. According to The New York Times, “People [interviewed in Denver and Fort Collins] from both sides of the political spectrum — and apolitical consumers — said they were deeply skeptical about the health care bill being put together by Congress and the White House.” And a new poll from the Las Vegas Review Journal found that “[s]upport for the health care reform package moving through Congress continues to drop among Nevadans . . . .” Only 1% think their health care premiums will go down (58% think they will go up) and only 6% think the quality of their health care will increase (50% think it will decrease. And 77% think their taxes will go up if the bill passes. Overall, 54% of Nevadans disapprove of the Democrat health care bills, while 60% disapprove of the efforts of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) to pass them.

The CMS report confirms what Republicans have been saying all along about the problems with the Democrats’ health care bills. As summarized by Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell: “Republicans uniformly, without exception, believe that cutting a half a trillion dollars out of Medicare, raising a half-trillion in new taxes, and an actual increase in health insurance premiums for everybody else is not reform.” Americans seem to agree.

CBS Poll: A new poll from CBS News, which is not very conservative and has been part of the Obama cheer leading section, released last night shows once again that as Democrats continue to wrangle over health care reform, Americans’ support for those proposals continues to drop. The CBS poll finds that only 36% approve of President Obama’s handling of health care, down from 42% just last month, which is a new low in this poll. Fifty-four percent disapprove of the president’s handling of the issue. Only 29% approve of how Democrats in Congress have handled health care, while 57% disapprove. Given Senate Democrats’ back-room deals with taxpayer money, midnight votes, complete lack of transparency, and disregard for public opinion on health care reform, they may be lucky that the disapproval isn’t even higher.

On Obama’s approval ratings, CBS writes, “Domestic issues appear to be driving the President’s approval rating downward. Just 41% now approve of his handling of the economy, the nation’s most pressing issue; 47% disapprove. And his marks on handling health care, with reforms still under debate in Congress, are even lower – just 36% approve, and 54% disapprove. Both of these approval ratings –- the economy and health care -- are the lowest of Mr. Obama’s presidency.”

Frustrated Americans: Two newspaper editorials today give some insight into why Americans are so frustrated with the policies of the Obama administration.

On health care, The Wall Street Journal points to the latest CMS report on the Senate bill, writing, “Among the astonishing things about the ObamaCare debate—or lack thereof—is that Washington is inundated with warnings about the destructiveness of this plan, and it doesn’t matter. The agency that runs Medicare rung the latest alarm bell on Friday, and good luck finding any media mention. Richard Foster, the chief actuary for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, reports that under his analysis national health spending will rise under the bills by $222 billion over the next 10 years. In other words, ObamaCare really does ‘bend the cost curve’—up.”

On the economy, The Detroit News writes, “Policies have more impact on job creation than pronouncements. President Barack Obama promised over the weekend to be "unrelenting" in putting Americans back to work, a pledge that should have encouraged the 10 percent of the country’s workers who are unemployed. But the policies of his administration often work against that goal.” The editorial goes on to point out costly EPA mandates and regulations and restrictions placed on lenders. The editorial also notes, “It’s hard to see how higher taxes on job creators fits into the strategy of job growth.”

Asked about health care reform at a press conference this morning, Sen, Mitch McConnell (R-KY) responded, “The polls continue to recede in support for this proposal. I have great hope that enough Democrats are going to wake up and say, ‘We should not thumb our noses at the American people and cram this down their throats no matter what they think.’ . . . I think the majority gets it. I think they know how unpopular this is. I think they know how much the American people don’t want to do it. And so I have some hope that they will have difficulty ramming this massive restructuring of one-sixth of our economy, that cuts Medicare by half a trillion dollars and raises a half a trillion in taxes down the throats of the American people.”

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Tags: CBS, CMS, government healthcare, poll, 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!

Harry Reid Must Resign!

Frances Rice, Chairman, National Black Republican Association: Wielding a sharp racial sword, Democrats ruthlessly destroy the careers of Republicans on racial matters, accepting no apologies. Yet, using a glaring double standard, those same Democrats quickly give a pass to any Democrat, such as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid who again displayed egregious racism.

Hardly a ripple of protest was made in 2004 when Reid shamelessly slurred Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas as an incompetent Negro who could not write good English. "Slap at Thomas stinks of racism," was the headline of the New York Daily News' December 7, 2004 editorial.

Now, Reid has described then-Senator Barack Obama as "light skinned" and "with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one." With this racial slur, Reid denigrates not only Obama, but also the entire population of black Americans as being uneducated Negroes who cannot speak standard English, the same type of disgusting remark he made over five years ago about Justice Thomas, a graduate of Yale Law School. A tribute to Justice Thomas that includes details about his stellar career is posted on the NBRA website.

Any American with an ounce of decency would not tolerate the type of disgusting racial epithets hurled by Reid at black Americans. If Reid had a scrap of politesse or common decency, he would apologize immediately to all black Americans, not just President Obama, and resign. It says a lot about his character and his innate disdain for blacks that he has refused to do so.

Obama's readiness to give Reid a pass is in sharp contrast to how Obama reacted in 2002, wasting no time issuing a challenge to the Republican Party to repudiate Republican Senator Trent Lott's remarks about Senator Strom Thurmond and seek his resignation as the Republican senate majority leader. The article "Obama in '02: 'The Republican Party itself has to drive out Trent Lott'" by John McCormack uncovers the following quote from Obama that was printed in the December 12, 2002 issue of the "Chicago Defender".

"It seems to be that we can forgive a 100-year-old senator for some of the indiscretion of his youth, but, what is more difficult to forgive is the current president of the U.S. Senate (Lott) suggesting we had been better off if we had followed a segregationist path in this country after all of the battles and fights for civil rights and all the work that we still have to do," said Obama. He said: "The Republican Party itself has to drive out Trent Lott. If they have to stand for something, they have to stand up and say this is not the person we want representing our party."

In the arsenal of excuses for Reid not resigning, as did Lott, is the claim that Reid's racist comments were not of the same caliber as Lott's remarks made on the occasion of Thurmond's 100th birthday. Lott was criticized and later apologized for his favorable comments about Thurmond's life's work that encompassed his ill-fated 1948 presidential bid when Thurmond was a racist Democrat, and Lott was only seven years old. Thurmond died in 2003.

The fine line of racial calibration afforded Reid is never permitted any Republican under any circumstances. Resign! That's the universal cry from Democrats to Republicans, regardless of the nature of the charge of racism, and even when the charges are false. Further, Democrats are not shy about embracing or speaking well of their aging leaders who have engaged in horrendous acts of racism.

Democrats who called for Lott's resignation were silent when Democrat Senator Christopher Dodd praised former Klansman Democrat Senator Robert Byrd as someone who would have been "a great senator for any moment". Unlike Byrd, Thurmond was never in the Ku Klux Klan that was the terrorist arm of the Democratic Party. After he reformed on racial issues and joined the Republican Party - the party of freedom and equality for blacks - Thurmond defended blacks against lynching and the discriminatory poll taxes imposed on blacks by Democrats.

Egregiously Byrd, in March of 1968, while referring to the fact that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. left Memphis, Tennessee after riots broke out where a teenager was killed, called Dr. King a "trouble-maker" who starts trouble, but runs like a coward after trouble is ignited. This motivated Dr. King to return to Memphis a few weeks later where he was assassinated on April 4, 1968. Byrd was also a fierce opponent of desegregating the military and complained in one letter: "I would rather die a thousand times and see old glory trampled in the dirt never to rise again than see this beloved land of ours become degraded by race mongrels, a throwback to the blackest specimen of the wilds."

In the early 1970's, Byrd pushed to have the senate's main office building named after a former "Dixiecrat," Democrat Senator Richard Russell who was Senator Byrd's mentor and leading opponent of anti-lynching legislation and other civil rights laws of the 1950's and 1960's that were championed by Republicans. Recently, in 2001 Byrd was forced to apologize for using the N-word on television. During Byrd's last bid for re-election to the senate, Obama wrote a letter of support for the racist Byrd, and not one murmur of indignation was uttered about the fact that Obama was honoring a former Klansman. Democrats showed no shame when they heralded Byrd as "the conscience of the senate." Can we say hypocrisy?

Why is there omitted from most discussions about racism all the racists words and deeds of numerous other Democratic Party leaders, including President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, former President Bill Clinton and former President Jimmy Carter? Instances or racism on the part of these and other Democrats are detailed in articles posted on the NBRA website.

The new book by Wayne Perryman "Whites, Blacks & Racist Democrats" provides details about the origin and depth of the contempt Democrats have always had for black Americans, starting in 1792. In his book on page 184, Perryman reports what Democrat President Lyndon Johnson said to his closest friend, Democrat Senator Richard B. Russell of Georgia. Historical documents show that Johnson told Russell the following:

"These Negroes, they're getting pretty uppity these days and that's a problem for us since they got something now that they never had before, the political pull to back up their uppityness. Now we've got to do something about this, we got to give them a little something, just enough to quiet them down, but not enough to make a difference. For if we don't move at all, then their allies will line up against us and there'll be no way of stopping them.... It will be Reconstruction all over again..."

Until and unless we hold Democrats to the same standard of racial purity imposed on their political opponents, we will never end the Democrats' use of racial tactics designed to keep our nation divided along hyphenated lines.  The resignation of Senator Harry Reid would signal an end to the Democrats' era of race mongering for partisan political gain.

However, all signs show that Reid will not resign, and the Democrats will never loosen their race-baiting grip around the throat of America. So, it is up to the people of Nevada to vote Reid out of office during the November 2010 election, and the rest of us to kick the Democrats out of Congress, since they are determined to tax and spend our nation into a long socialist winter.
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Frances Rice, a retired lawyer and US Army Lieutenant Colonel, is chairman of the National Black Republican Association and may be contacted at: NBRA.info

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“Dirty Harry” Does It Again - Displays "Foot in Mouth"

Gary Bauer, Campaign for Working Families: Senate Democrat Leader Harry Reid has done it again – he’s opened his mouth and demonstrated why he’s trailing three declared GOP opponents. During an interview for a book about the 2008 presidential election, Harry Reid said that he believed America was ready to support a candidate like Obama, who was “light-skinned” and spoke “with no Negro dialect, unless he wanted to have one.”

I don’t need to tell you how media and political elites would have reacted if any Republican had used the word “Negro.” Trent Lott was run out of town just for wishing Strom Thurmond a happy 100th birthday. Reid issued the obligatory “apology” and Democrats spent the weekend rallying to Reid’s defense, noting that he was speaking approvingly of Obama’s candidacy. Really?

Reid saw an opportunity for his party to gain power through Obama’s rhetorical skills and by exploiting the nation’s desire to put the “race issue” to rest. Ever the calculating politician, Harry was eager to exploit Obama’s potential. It’s not surprising -- the Democrat Party has a history of exploiting the black vote. And Harry Reid has a history of making outrageous comments. I don’t know what is in Harry Reid’s heart, but we now know what is in his vocabulary. Perhaps in Reid’s case, his mouth is a window to his soul.

Republicans were quick to pounce on the revelation of Reid’s remarks. RNC Chairman Michael Steele and Senators Jon Kyl and John Cornyn demanded Reid resign as Senate Majority Leader. Reid is refusing to go quietly, and that’s just fine with me.

In fact, I hope Harry hangs on – at least for another 295 days – if for no other reason than the pure entertainment value of watching him try to salvage his political career. After all, it was Harry Reid who told us that the Iraq War was “lost.” It was Harry Reid who called concerned citizens worried about socialism and out-of-control spending “evil mongers.” And it was Harry Reid who showed off his humanity by saying that Capitol Hill tourists stink.

No, “Dirty Harry,” it’s not the American people, but your leftwing socialism that stinks! [We] will do everything possible to make sure you don’t have to smell the tourists on Capitol Hill after November!

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Tags: Campaign for Working Families, Gary Bauer, Harry Reid, left-wing, socialism To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

How long did it take YOU to realize the system failed?

by Jenn Sierra, Fort Hard Knox: It took me about 30 seconds…how about you? It took the Obamessiah about 100 hours. This is the latest ad from Keep America Safe (Liz Cheney, Deb Burlingame, and Bill Kristol).
(Hat-Tip, Maggie’s Notebook)
Keep America Safe: "100 Hours"

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Tags: Fort Hard Knox, Islamic terrorism, military, national security, system failure, war To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Obama’s TSA Nominee Worries About Those Who Are ‘Christian Identity Oriented’

Erroll Southers is President Barack Obamas nominee to head the Transportation Safety Administration — the TSA, that organization that screens passengers getting on airplanes. He worries about the "majority" of American citizens who are Christians and lumps people who have been radicals in the past as having a "Christian Identity Oriented." Wow - we can't address Muslims as terrorists but we can address Christians as terrorists. Southers is another of Obama's Political Correct guard who should not be approved!

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Disapproval of President Obama Continues to Grow

Rasmussen Report:
Presidential Tracking Poll for Jan 11, 2009
Voters Opinion of Way that Barack Obama is performing as President:
26% Strongly Approve
41% Strongly Disapprove
Presidential Approval Index rating of -15

Only 17% believe health care costs will go down if Congress passes the health care legislation.
40% favor the health care plan - 55% oppose!
Overall President's performance:
46% of voters somewhat approve - 52% disapprove!

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Tags: job approval, President Barack Obama, Rasmussen Reports To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Obama's Transparency Is A Transparency Of Lies

Bill Smith, Editor: Yesterday, we posted It's Frightening to Follow Obama’s Logic and shared the expressed concerns that "Barack Obama 'is an amateur.' Barack Obama may be POTUS but he appears 'Lost in Space' when it comes to dealing with terrorists and many other issues. Campaign rhetoric and promises do not fill the needs of making correct decisions once one becomes POTUS. And Obama's amateur performance and logic are frightening." Steven Foley the founder of The Minority Report called my attention to the following Op-Ed which was also posted yesterday. It flushes out what we know to be true about Barack Obama and his administration after almost one year in office.
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by Ken Taylor, Op-Ed on The Minority Report: Last year during the campaign, Barack Obama was all over the map about transparency. He was going to be the number one show on CSPAN. Everything that his administration and the Congress who bowed under him was going to be broadcast on the cable channel. He stated that his would be the most transparent administration in history.

Well he has kept one portion of that very hollow promise. Obama’s administration is the most transparent administration in history but it is a transparency of lies. One lie right after another beginning with the fact that rather than being transparent this is the most secretive administration and Congress in history. I’m not even sure that the secrecy of the Nixon administration compares with all that has been hidden behind closed doors since last January under Obama.

All of the negotiations for every piece of legislation that has come before this Congress at the behest of Obama has been done in secrecy with Rahm Emanuel, Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi and a chosen few Democrats who could help ram legislation through a lock step Democrat majority that follow what they are told like zombies. That is except for the few who only vote as a result of million dollar bribes.

Bills with a massive impact such as the trillion dollar stimulus package and the health care debacle were crafted in secret and kept from being read by both members of Congress and especially the American people in this, “transparent,” administration. Yet at every turn Pelosi, Reid and their dear leader Obama have whined before the cameras about their utter transparency thinking that they can dupe the American people into believing their lies.

Obama also promised a totally bipartisan approach to governing like never before in our history bringing with it a new, “tone,” in Washington. Yet at every turn Republicans have been blocked from any participation with all of their legislative initiatives ignored and not once have GOP members been allowed to be part of any negotiations for any legislation.

But before the cameras Democrats accuse the GOP of being obstructionists, blocking all of their legislation while both chambers of Congress have large enough majorities to pass anything they like without any GOP participation. The obstructionist claim is nothing more than a snow job to the American people to try and hide the inner bickering between Democrats as they craft their bribery schemes to buy votes from those who fall in line only after being paid for their prostitution services.

I will admit that there has been some actual transparency in the Obama administration. A transparency which has not only harmed America but threatens the security of the American people. In his move to change American policy about terrorism from an act of war to the pre - 9/11 mentality of being nothing more than a criminal act, Obama has been very transparent in revealing to the enemy our interrogation procedures and screening procedures for airline passengers.

Earlier this year in an obvious move to try and set up the Bush administration for prosecution by the Attorney Generals Office for anti-terrorism policy under the former President, Obama allowed the transparent release of detailed information of who and how intelligence information was gathered and used in combating terrorism. All to the advantage of the enemy as the entire world became privy to our procedures and other important intelligence gathering operations.

In response to the Christmas Day attack to blow up an airliner bound for Detroit the Obama administration in an attempt to cover their tail for the massive failure in preventing this terrorist attack released detailed procedures of how passengers are screened before boarding a plane including how the system and the equipment works making it completely transparent to our enemies so that they could see exactly how to beat our security.

Assisting our enemies in finding ways around our intelligence gathering and our security has been the ONLY transparent thing that has taken place since Obama took office last January. Transparency in governing which was one of the hall marks of his, “hope and change,” campaign for the Presidency has been nothing more than an long series of lies to the American people.

The very things that should be available to the people by our government are hidden and performed in secret while only a smitten of information is given by the inept Robert Gibbs in vague and laughable press conferences. And almost all of what Gibbs says is questionable at best aggravating even the very liberal Helen Thomas among others in the press corps.

Nothing that this inexperienced and under qualified pretender to the Presidency promised during the campaign has taken place. Even the ridiculous promises such as the closing of GITMO one year after he took office has happened though Obama is still pushing for this asinine move even after we have been attacked on the Homeland three times since he took office by the same type of people who are securely held in Cuba.

One of Obama’s favorite catch phrases is, “make no mistake,” which he uses in almost every speech as an attempt to sound resolute and strong. His administration has been a mistake from the very beginning and even the lefties who voted for him are seeing the light as they are abandoning the, “hope and change,” theme for one, that at least for them is more, “fear and despair,” as true leftist liberalism is being shown in all of its failure by the Obama administration and the Reid, Pelosi circus in Congress.

Eloquent speeches and perceived charm do not a President make. The glimmer of both have long worn off with Obama and the American people are getting more and more fed up with his dog an pony show with each passing day. Yet this Chicago thug and his Windy City mafia in The White House continue with their form of business as usual with the like minded assistance of Pelosi and Reid who can’t even stand before the cameras in pressers with our making complete fools of themselves.

Never has their been such a display of arrogance by any administration and this arrogance is being called transparency. It is Obama’s arrogance which makes him believe that all he need do is stand before a camera and say, “make no mistake,” and the awe and wonder of his over blown presence will inspire the American people and the world into believing his lies. Those days are long past but Mr. Arrogance has no clue that his no substance persuasion no longer works. The Flim Flam Man is no longer getting away with his scam.

The whole debacle he calls an administration and the circus that Reid and Pelosi call a Congress both of which would not know transparency if it was thrown directly in front of them, is so pathetic it would be laughable were it not for the fact that it is destroying our country and weakening our security to the point that we are once again as vulnerable as before 9/11.

This is the real danger of what these amateurs and children are doing to our country and the major problem in this is that in their arrogance it has become obvious that they could care less about the ramifications of their actions and their policy. The agenda and their ideology is all that matters and the demise of the Nation and the safety and security of the American people is of no consequence.

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Tags: amateur, Barack Obama, bribery, lies, Obama administration, Obama Lies, terrorism, transparency To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Breaking News: Sarah Palin signs on with Fox News

by Howard Kurtz, The Washington Post: Sarah Palin, who regularly rips the media, is becoming a television pundit at a place where she's likely to feel at home. A Fox News executive says the network will shortly announce that the former vice-presidential nominee is signing on as a contributor.

Palin, who resigned as governor of Alaska last summer, will appear as a commentator on various Fox shows. She will also host an occasional program that will examine inspirational tales involving ordinary Americans. Palin will join Mike Huckabee as a Fox contributor who was also involved in the 2008 campaign. The exposure can only help Palin if she decides to pursue a 2012 presidential bid.

At the moment, Palin makes pronouncements mainly through her Facebook page. The Fox connection would give her a platform on the nation's top-rated cable news channel. . . . [Full Story]

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25 Million Dollar Turtles

AFP's "Common Sense": 25 Million Dollar Turtles (California) - oh - that is only 25 Turtles at $1 million dollars each.

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Tags: AFP, Americans for Prosperity, Bureau of Land Management, California, domestic drilling, energy, environmental laws, environmental policy, land, turtles, video To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

It's Frightening to Follow Obama’s Logic

Bill Smith, Editor: Erick Erickson at Red State points out what a majority of us have thought and many of us have decided to be true, Barack Obama "is an amateur." Barack Obama may be POTUS but he appears "Lost in Space" when it comes to dealing with terrorists and many other issues. Campaign rhetoric and promises do not fill the needs of making correct decisions once one becomes POTUS. And Obama's amaturer performance and logic are frightening.

We could begin a long litany of Obama failures in which he attacks our own people (unless they are liberal Obama administration hacks) while he goes about providing excuses for the terrorists. Why? Well let's discuss that another day. For now lets please read the following terse comments by Erick Erickson this week:

According to Barack Obama, Al Qaeda keeps attacking us and recruiting new terrorists because GTMO exists.

Unfortunately for Obama, Al Qaeda says the recent attack on the CIA was actually because of our drones.

If we follow Obama’s logic that the existence of GITMO causes terror attacks, we must conclude that Obama will now shut down the remote drone program.

Of course it is frightening to follow Obama’s logic.

According to him, GITMO is used as a recruiting tool in the Arabian world. Al Qaeda recruits terrorists who want to come to America to kill us because their brethren are in GITMO.

Do not … REPEAT … do not ask Barack Obama how moving the GTMO prisoners to a prison on domestic soil will somehow cause Al Qaeda to say, “Yo, we’re cool now.” In fact, if GITMO causes Al Qaeda to want to come to America to kill Americans, how much more so will a prison in Illinois incite them to come here and not only kill us but also free their brethren.

This guy is an amateur.

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Tags: al Qaeda, amature, Barack Obama, Bill Smith, Gitmo, POTUS, Red State To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Thieves and Scalawags Meet in Southeast Arkansas

Gillett, Arkansas, a small rural community with a population of 883, is located in the tri-rivers country where the Arkansas and White Rivers flow to the Mississippi. Gillett is abundant in water, wildlife, and productive farm land, which produces its major crops of rice and soybeans. Gillett is also the home of the noted Coon Supper. This legendary and much celebrated event has spanned over fifty years and is one of the cornerstones of a proud community. The Gillett Farmers and Businessmen's Club, established in 1947, is responsible for the event. The nonprofit club uses proceeds from the Coon Supper to assist in Gillett community services and Gillett High School sports and academic programs. Sports these days has not been doing well.
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by Harvey Edwards, Topix Editor: What do US Senator Blanche Lincoln, Congressman Marion Berry, Senator Mark Pryor, Arkansas Governor Mike Beebe, and  host of other Liberal Democrats have in common with the tiny Delta Town of Gillett Arkansas? The Delta is dying and so are the careers of the above mentioned band of scalawags. This didn't stop all of them from converging on this tiny town and taking over a school and community dinner for the annual Gillett Coon Supper.

The evening started for the Politicians and as many staffers as they could bring in all meeting at Congressman Berry's farm outside of town. This occurs every year at this time. Democrats only need attend. The Liquor flows and the backslapping continues until it is time for them to go slumming with the local townsfolk. Marion actually has someone guard his Sign and direct the other Liberals down the graveyard road to the Berry Barn for drinks, real food and lies.

The coon supper begins with the principal of Gillett elementary school discussing the purpose of the event. The Coach, who no longer has a team, gets up and makes a plea for people to please move to Gillett so that he can maybe have a team someday. A local comic gets up and talks local stories with a good jab or two at the politicians. The local pastor gets up and gives a great sermon as Berry staffers stare around to see if anyone is watching them. This is where the local aspect of this dinner ends, wait not quite. Miss Arkansas gets up and sings two Broadway tunes.  Because local folks respect, I want to separate her from the politicians and the Political derailment coming next.

Our hometown US Congressman Marion Berry gets up and from thereon whenever a politician's mouth moves, a lie is told. Berry touts how the people in the Delta are surviving the recession better than most. What he does not say is that we have had practice at living poor due to his and other's plantation politics. Lie number one: since Berry can get Riceland Foods and others big farming subsidies, it must mean we are all doing fine. While the farmers are getting disaster relief this year to make it through the winter, the actual working class doesn't even get a crumb and most dont get their bonuses.

Berry must have heard the school folks talking but he just wasn't listening or caring. Gillett can't even get a charter school because Governor Beebe and others will not allow for it. He touted the efforts of State Representative Tiffany Rogers for working for higher education. That is a joke. If the people here could afford a higher education, they would ALL have to leave the area afterwards to find a job.

Congressman Berry then introduces the biggest ruination of the Delta since the Civil war - Senator Blanche Lincoln, the one who lied to all of Arkansas and the Country and made it possible for Obamacare. She gets up and since she has been warned in advance not to discuss anything relevant, she begins patting her own back for being on the Agriculture Committee, and how proud her daddy would be of her. As a matter of fact ,all the scalawags patted Lincoln's back.

Governor Mike Beebe got up and said how Gillett was one of his four favorite places in Arkansas. I hope he remembered to wipe his mouth afterwards. Berry Got back up and told all in attendance that Mike Beebe was the best Governor that Arkansas has ever had, Stating that he would say that even if Bill Clinton were there. We're getting mushy now.

Senator Mark Pryor then gets up to speak.  Now all the lies began to blur into one, or was it the hot air or maybe smoke being blown up our rears. I began looking for the exit as I was beginning to perspire. It was noticed by the delegation from Maumelle; they were the only genuine folks I met there and I sat across from them speechless.

No one there could explain why the richest agricultural region of the world has the most poverty ridden and unsupported folks in the Country. Governor Beebe cannot get up and say that he will give tax breaks to businesses that will come to the region to keep us working and spending. That's how an economy grows; it does not grow by taking every federal dollar thrown at Government programs run and dictated over by Government bureaucrat.

By the time Mike Ross got up, it was becoming a blur to the point that I got up got my souvenir coon supper glass and with my granddaughter in tow made my way out to the frigid cold air for a breath of fresh air. My Granddaughter needs her rest as she will be spending all her working life paying for what these Liberal Criminals are stealing from her today.  . . . [H/T and Full Story at Boot Berry]

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