News for social, fiscal & national security conservatives who believe in God, family & the USA. We seek to uphold the rights granted by God & guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, traditional family values, "republican" principles / ideals, transparent & limited government, free markets, liberty & individual freedom. The ARRA News Service is an outreach of the Arkansas Republican Assembly. However, all content approval rests with the Editor. While varied positions are reported, our beliefs & principles remain fixed. No revenue is generated by this blog, no paid ads accepted and no payments for articles. Note the posted Fair Use doctrine. -- Editor: Dr. Bill Smith [OzarkGuru] - editor/arranewsservice.com (Published Since July, 2006)
Defying The Will Of The People By Governing by Regulation
The following Washington Examiner Editorial sounds a true warning. While many are distracted with the maneuvering (much of it very important) during the present Lame duck session of Congress, don't lose sight of the critical fact that Barack Obama is still president even when a new Congress is seated in January. Obama controls and will use the Executive Branch with all its Czars, Federal departments and agencies to push his agenda. While Obama has been compared to many other presidents based on his taste for socialism, Obama reminds me of another Democrat President - Andrew Jackson. Jackson used the power of the presidency to "rule over" the people and he did not care who he harmed in the process. Even when challenged in court and the Supreme Court ruled against him, Jackson defied the court and did as he pleased. President Obama may well be heading down this track. But at a minimum, he will "govern by regulation."
Sitting presidents whose agendas are soundly rejected by voters in midterm congressional elections have two options: They can either accommodate the new political reality, as President Clinton did after 1994; or they can use bureaucratic edicts to advance their unpopular programs, as President Obama is clearly doing now.
Given the historic drubbing his party just suffered at the polls, Obama's defiant strategy may prevent a second term for the man who began his first buoyed by an outpouring of good will.
Predictably, Obama's regulatory imperialism focuses on labor and environmental issues, as Big Green activists and labor unions, especially those representing government workers, are the core of support for the Democratic president and his congressional allies.
At the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, for example, Administrator Lisa Jackson is moving forward with a massive new program to subject the entire U.S. economy to an anti-global warming regulatory straitjacket aimed at reducing carbon emissions. Obama warned Congress last year that EPA would do this if the legislature failed to enact an Obama-supported version of cap and trade. Cap and trade passed the House in 2009 but never got out of the Senate because of intense public opposition, especially in energy-rich states like West Virginia. Now Jackson is following through on Obama's threat.
At the Department of Labor, Secretary Hilda Solis wasted no time after taking office last year in gutting long-standing rules requiring unions to disclose important details about how they spend members' dues. Now, Patricia Smith, Obama's Labor Department solicitor general, is working with Solis to implement an unprecedented new enforcement directive designed to put businesses at the mercy of union bosses. The directive provides, according to the Wall Street Journal's John Fund, for aggressive use of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to compel business cooperation through "shaming" and to "engage in enterprisewide enforcement."
The rest of the bureaucratic blitzkrieg will be carried out by Smith's eager staff of 400 labor lawyers. Nathan Mehrens, Americans for Limited Government general counsel, says their agenda includes: » A focus on "cases against employers in priority industries." » Plans to "litigate cases that cut across regions." » Working to "identify and pursue test cases" to "challenge legal principles that impede worker protections; successful challenges will advance workers' rights, as will successful enunciation of new interpretations." » Engaging "in greater use of injunctive relief."
Meanwhile, as Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell wrote in last Friday's Examiner, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is pushing the lame-duck Congress to pass his Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act, a laughably misnamed measure that will force public employee unions on all local and state police, fire and emergency medical technicians. Obama supports Reid's bill, but its passage is far from assured. Nobody will be surprised if, shortly after the Reid proposal fails on Capitol Hill, Obama unveils a new regulatory gambit to achieve the same end. Tags:President, Barack Obama, governing, agencies, departments, regulationsTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
The below by my young friend Erick Erickson caught my attention for two reasons. First the mention of TSA, need I say more. Second, the words "Breast Milk" which many responsible women find to be better for their infant children, and which one of my daughter-in-laws both supports breast milk for her children and she actively lectures on its merits over manufactured formula products. Lots of great reasons which are not discussed herein. Let look at another example of a TSA employees ignorance of the TSA's own guidelines. And, consider while reading that they want to allow TSA employees to unionize. Hum -- another bummer!
by Erick Erickson: Now we have yet another TSA outrage. Something tells me the media would be much more worked up by this if George Bush were still President. Oddly enough, in an era when the press is falling all over itself to highlight bipartisanship, here is an issue uniting the left and right.
In this edition of TSA Outrage, we have a mother who didn’t want her breast milk going through the x-ray machine, which held her up 30 minutes. On her next trip through the airport, the same TSA agents detained her for more than an hour even after she gave them a copy of the TSA guidelines exempting breast milk from the x-ray machine.
Meanwhile, that Assange guy keeps releasing our national security details online. If Barack Obama won’t do anything pro-active to shut him down, maybe we should just send over the TSA. Tags:TSA, breast milk, government agents, mothers, airportsTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Today in Washington, D.C. - Dec 7, 2010 - GOP Largely Dictated The Terms On Obama's Tax Cut Deal; Liberal Democrats "Left Seething"
Liberal Democrats Are Still There and Seething
The U.S. Senate began impeachment proceedings against Judge G. Thomas Porteous, Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. At 5:30 pm, the Senate will go into closed session for deliberations on the impeachment trial.
Last night, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid filed cloture on moving to four bills: a 9/11 responders health bill (H.R. 847), a bill allowing more firefighters to unionize (S. 3991), the latest version of the DREAM Act (S. 3992), and a bill for a one-time $250 payment to senior citizens (S. 3985). Reid just will not get with the program of cutting federal spending and reducing taxes. He is still in an archaic paybacl mode of thinking. What business does Congress have in supporting the unionization of anyone except for under the table graft. Nevada, you failed America by returning Reid to the Senate. Republicans and no progressive radical Democrats should avoid these bills.
Last evening, President Obama announced a framework for an agreement with Republican Congressional negotiators on preventing tax increases next year. What’s striking about this agreement, though, is how far Obama moved toward the Republican position and how much frustration this has generated among liberal Democrats.
The Wall Street Journal outlines the deal. “President Barack Obama reached agreement Monday with Republican leaders in Congress on a broad tax package that would extend the Bush-era income tax cuts for two years, reduce worker payroll taxes for one year and give more favorable treatment to business investments. Other elements of the deal include a temporary reinstatement of the estate tax at 35%—the level favored by most Republican lawmakers—as well as an extension of jobless benefits for the long-term unemployed.”
But the AP gets to the core of what happened, in a story headlined, “Republicans achieve top goal in Obama tax-cut plan”: “Republicans control neither the House nor the Senate — and certainly not the White House. But they largely dictated the terms of President Barack Obama's proposed tax-cut compromise, which disgruntled congressional Democrats want to discuss in closed meetings that are likely to be rowdy. Republicans prevailed on their biggest demand: continuing Bush administration tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, despite Obama's 2008 campaign promise to let them expire for households earning more than $250,000 a year.”
Politico adds, “The deal amounts to a major reversal for Obama — who campaigned for president on a pledge not to allow the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy to continue beyond their scheduled expiration on Dec. 31. The two-year extension means the fight will be waged during the middle of his reelection campaign in 2012.”
National Review Online’s Andrew Stiles reported last night, “Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, tells National Review Online that a tentative tax deal between President Obama and the GOP is ‘a much bigger victory than people see’ for the Republicans. . . . According to Norquist, this GOP victory is really a failure on the part of Democrats, who had every opportunity to extend most of the Bush tax rates (and to take the political credit). Their failure to do so not only exposes the party’s ideological commitment to higher taxes, but puts them on poor footing politically.”
Analyzing the deal, Jennifer Rubin, formerly of Commentary and now blogging at The Washington Post, summarizes, “There really is no other way to say it: the Republicans won, the liberal Democrats lost, and the president sided with the Republicans.” She notes, “[Republicans] won the philosophical point (tax hikes impede economic growth) and, candidly, are more than delighted to have a repeat of this debate for the presidential campaign in 2012.”
Of course, as The Wall Street Journal points out, the deal is not sitting well with many liberal Democrats. “In reaching the deal, whose details still need to be worked out, Mr. Obama brushed past the demands of many in his own party to curb tax cuts for the wealthy. Some liberal lawmakers and activists were left seething, particularly over last-minute concessions to Republicans on the estate tax.” Roll Call adds, “As a final tax package with perks for the wealthy comes into focus, liberal Democrats appear to be the losers in President Barack Obama’s first major post-election deal, a trend that they may have to get used to in the next Congress. ‘We’re still the majority,’ said an aide for a prominent House liberal. ‘If Obama’s doing this to us now, wait until January.’”
A cascade of complaints and recriminations from various Democrats followed the announcement. Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) told the WSJ, “I can tell you with certainty that legislative blackmail of this kind by the Republicans will be vehemently opposed by many, if not most, Democrats.” The Journal writes, “In the Senate, Tom Harkin (D., Iowa) called it ‘an understatement’ to say he was disappointed.” Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) complained to Roll Call, “I don’t like this at all. . . . The president has not put up much of a fight.” And Roll Call also noted Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) “later criticized the president for compromising core Democratic principles in his deal with Republicans.”
The White House shot back, pointing fingers at Democrats in Congress. A senior White House official vented to ABC News’ Jake Tapper, “We wanted a fight, the House didn't throw a punch. . . . The House wouldn't vote before the Senate, and the Senate was afraid they'd lose a vote on it. . . . It was like the Jets versus Sharks except there weren't any Jets. . . . Senator Schumer says he wants a fight? He couldn't hold his caucus together.”
Meanwhile, according to Roll Call, “Liberal activists have launched attacks on Obama over the issue. The Progressive Change Campaign Committee, which boasts a membership of 650,000, sent an e-mail to supporters Monday that quotes former Obama campaign staffers expressing frustration with the president.”
Even The New York Times editorial page recognizes the win for Republicans: “President Obama’s deal with the Republicans to extend all the Bush-era income tax cuts is a win for the Republicans and their strategy of obstructionism and a disappointing retreat by the White House.” Tags:US Senate, US House, White House, Washington, D.C., tax reductions, unemployment, Democrats, Harry ReidTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Your Not Suppose to See This - But Here's The Latest WikiLeak
Related Update:The Washington Post: WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was arrested on a Swedish warrant. British judge has denied bail for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange after he told a London court he intends to fight his extradition to Sweden on sex crime allegations. [Full Story]
------------ by William Warren: My latest cartoon focuses on how Obama’s Big Government policies continue to hurt the US economy while the unemployment rate rises. I also fit in a WikiLeaks dig. Tags:Economy, Jobs, Barack Obama Administration, Political Cartoons, Unemployment, WikiLeaks, William WarrenTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Michele Bachmann: Jesus Had a Right to Life from the Moment of Conception
Depiction of the Annunciation
by 17th Century Spanish artist
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo
(Wikimedia Commons image)
By Terence P. Jeffrey, CNS News: In response to a question from CNSNews.com, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R.-Minn.) said this week that Jesus Christ had a right to life from the moment of conception and that all human beings deserve legal protection from the moment of conception.
Earlier this year, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D.-Calif.) declined to answer [a] question of whether Jesus had a right to life from the moment of conception. Pelosi voted against the partial-birth abortion ban when it became law in 2003.
In May, Pelosi told a Catholic Community Conference in Washington, D.C., that her favorite word was the “Word” as in the “Word was made flesh”—a reference to Jesus Christ in the Gospel passage of John 1:14 that says, “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we saw His glory, the glory as it were of the only begotten of the Father) full of grace and truth.” Pelosi told the conference she had a duty to pursue public policies in keeping with the values of the Word made flesh. “And that Word," Pelosi said, "is, we have to give voice to what that means in terms of public policy that would be in keeping with the values of the Word.”
At a subsequent press conference, CNSNews.com correspondent Jane McGrath asked Pelosi whether she believed the Word was made flesh at the Annunciation, when Jesus was conceived, or at the Nativity, when He was born, and when did Jesus get the right to life. Pelosi did not answer the question. Instead, she said: “Whenever it was, we bow our heads when we talk about it in church, and that’s where I’d like to talk about that.” After that press conference, CNSNews.com sent a follow-up question to the speaker’s press secretary by email: “We’d like to clarify the speaker’s position on this: Did Jesus have the right to life from the moment of conception?” “The speaker answered the question. Thanks,” Pelosi’s press secretary responded.
When CNSNews.com put the question to Bachmann, she answered directly:
Q: “And did Jesus have a right to life from the moment of conception?”
A: “Yes,” said Bachmann.
Q: “Do all human beings have a right to life?”
A: “Yes, they do,” said Bachmann.
Q: “Should there be legal protection for every human being from the moment of conception?”
A: “Yes, there should be,” said Bachmann. Tags:Michele Bachmann, Jesus Christ, right to life, protection of life, Nancy Pelosi,To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
H/T NewsMax: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) directed immigration officers to bypass immigration courts and deportation hearings in an all-out effort to surpass the agency's tally of deportations last year. Reportedly, immigration officers prompted eligible foreign nationals to accept a quick pass to their countries without a negative mark on their immigration record, according to a Washington Post report.
Known in the agency jargon as "voluntary return," the option may have allowed hundreds of immigrants to exit the country — without a stopoff in front of an immigration judge.
Significantly, such a voluntary return doesn't bar a foreigner from again applying for legal residence or travel to the United States.
All-in-all in reaching the record 392,862 deportations, ICE included more than 19,000 immigrants who had exited the previous fiscal year and also gained stats from operating a Mexican repatriation program five weeks longer.
This latter repatriation initiative alone allowed ICE to tally at least 6,500 exits that, without the program, would normally have been credited to the U.S. Border Patrol. Tags:Immigration and Customs Enforcement, ICE, deportations, record, fudging records, illegalsTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
A significant production problem with new high-tech $100 bills has caused government printers to shut down production of the new notes and to quarantine more than one billion of the bills in huge vaults in Fort Worth, Texas and Washington, CNBC has learned.
The total face value of the unusable bills, $110 billion, represents more than ten percent of the entire supply of U.S. currency on the planet.
So, if the government couldn’t waste enough of our tax dollars, they had to make their own to waste and those dollars are worthless. Can things get any worse, or is there something nefarious afoot? Tags:Bob Parks, Black and right, government, $100, bill, money, printing, To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Herman Cain, Contributing Author: My first car as a teenager was an old car with a lot of problems, but at least it was functional. It had an oil leak and I could not afford to get the leak fixed. It was cheaper for me to add oil occasionally to prevent the engine from totally locking up, or worse yet, catching fire.
The president, his administration and Congress are functionally leaking oil, and the American people are nervous about a total government shutdown, or worse yet, economic collapse. We are not too big to fail and as some people seem to believe, and Uncle Sam does not have a “sugar daddy” to bail us out.
Leaking of classified information by WikiLeaks has compromised our national security, and has put our military warriors in and out of uniform at risk. We have yet to see definitive action by the administration to address the issue, even though we have seen and heard a lot of news stories that make us uncertain that the situation is under control.
Economic uncertainty continues to thwart economic growth while Congress and the administration continue to bicker over extending the existing tax rates. Extending all of the tax rates is the right thing to do for the economy, instead of playing class warfare once again to try to gain a political victory.
If Congress and the president do not act, then we will all see tax increases on January 1, 2011. This would be a devastating blow to our economy. A sense of urgency by Washington does not seem to be a priority, as if they have the option to extend the 2010 calendar year. Thankfully, they do not.
In addition to no sense of urgency, there is also no focus in Washington D.C. Rather than concentrate on what most of the voters consider priority issues, such as national security threats and real economic stimulus, the administration and the Democrats are more concerned with passing unnecessary FDA legislation, the unfair so-called Dream Act, and repealing the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.
We are in a war! The economy is stalled! Nearly 15 million people are out of work! We have a national debt crisis, which could become a national security crisis if we do not reduce the spending and stimulate economic growth!
To say that we have a leadership crisis in Washington is an understatement, and it has become obvious to more and more people. National priorities are not clear, and the direction on critical issues is even more unclear.
The Washington political class did not hear the message from the November 2, 2010 election results. Control of the House changed from Democrat to Republican with a 63-vote net pick up by Republicans, while the number of Senate Republicans increased by six. We can only hope that all of these new Republicans act like renewed conservatives.
As Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) and others have stated, Washington still does not get it. The Democrats still do not get it. They did not hear the very loud message of the election results. Stop ignoring the people!
Even at the state level, the number of Republican governors increased by six, and the number of state legislative seats won by Republicans increased by a net 683 across the nation. I gave a keynote speech last week at the American Legislative Exchange Council meeting of over 900 state legislators from every state in the Union. Just prior to my address, the Chairman of the Council asked all members who were attending for the first time to please stand. Nearly fifty percent of the attendees stood up, and most of them were first-time elected state legislators.
The voters get it! And they also know that we may have to continue to shout very loud to this deaf and dysfunctional government in D.C until November 2012. That’s when we will have the opportunity to change the engine in Washington, and replace “position-ship” with leadership. ----------------- Mr. Herman Cain is an American newspaper columnist, businessman, politician, noted speaker, and conservative radio talk-show host. He previously served as chairman and CEO of Godfather's Pizza and previously worked as a mathematician for the Department of the Navy, a business analyst for the Coca-Cola Company, and for the Pillsbury Company, where he became Vice-President of Corporate Systems and Services. In 2004, Cain ran for the U.S. Senate in Georgia. He is a contributor to the a ARRA News Service and heads The Hermanator PAC which is focused on "Taking Back Our Government." Tags:Herman Cain, Barack Obama, Washington, D.C., leaking oil,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. - Dec 6, 2010 - Reid, Pull Your Head Out and Replace It With Your Agenda!
The Senate will reconvene at 2 PM. No votes are scheduled today. On Tuesday, the Senate will convene at 10 AM with a live quorum call to begin impeachment proceedings against Judge G. Thomas Porteous, Jr.
Saturday, the Senate held two cloture votes on Democrat tax proposals. Both plans to raise taxes failed to get 60 votes. The first amendment, offered by Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), which would have raised taxes on those making over $250,000 per year, failed by a vote of 53-36. The second, offered by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), would have raised taxes on those making over $1 million per year and failed by a vote of 53-37.
Also on Saturday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid indicated his continued arrogance against the American people and announced his plans to file cloture on moving to a 9/11 responders health bill (H.R. 847), a bill allowing more firefighters to unionize (S. 3991), the latest version of the DREAM Act (S. 3992), and a bill for a one-time $250 payment to senior citizens (S. 3985). Reid needs to stop thinking that promoting one time payments to seniors is going to lower their anger. Cut the spending, stop raising taxes, and stop messing around with senior's health care. In Summary, Harry Reid, pull your head out and replace it with your agenda!
There’s quite a bit of Democrat angst this week following the defeat of two proposals from Senate Democrats to raise taxes on some Americans over the weekend.
Politico wrote yesterday, “The deal that Democrats, Republicans and the White House appear to be stepping gingerly but inexorably toward to wrap up the lame-duck congressional session is generating some grumbling from Democrats that they won’t be particularly pleased with the likely outcome. ‘We’re only moving there against my judgment and my own particular view of things,’ Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said Sunday on CBS’s ‘Face the Nation.’ . . . While Democrats sounded grudging in their support for such a compromise, GOP senators sounded more upbeat about the direction of the debate. ‘I think it’s pretty clear now taxes are not going up on anybody in the middle of this recession,’ [Senate Republican Leader Mitch] McConnell said on NBC’s ‘Meet The Press.’ ‘We’re discussing how long we should maintain current tax rates.’”
Politico also points out, “In short, Republicans seemed more sanguine Sunday about the direction of the debate and the negotiations than did Democrats. . . . McConnell also signaled that he believed Republicans had won the argument on tax policy. . . . ‘Look, this argument is over, David,’ McConnell said to ‘Meet The Press’ host David Gregory. ‘You and I can continue to engage in it, but it’s over. The Senate voted yesterday. Every Republican and five Democrats said, “We’re not raising taxes on anybody in the middle of a recession.”’”
Articles over the weekend illustrated the harsh truth Democrats who are eager to raise taxes are facing. The New York Times wrote, “The rejection of [Sen. Chuck Schumer’s tax] proposal underscored a harsh defeat for Democrats in both the policy debate and on the political messaging front.” The Washington Post wrote, “The Senate on Saturday rejected two Democratic proposals…a symbolic but bitter defeat that now forces the Democratic majority to compromise with Republicans.” The Christian Science Monitorobserved, “Specifically, two Saturday votes in the Senate did not go well for Democrats.” Reuters noted, “No Republicans backed the Democratic proposals, and a few Democrats voted against them.” The Wall Street Journal wrote, “Republicans unanimously opposed both votes, and some Democratic lawmakers joined with them by voting against the majority.” The AP reported, “Obama has signaled that he will bow to Republican demands for extending tax cuts at all income levels.” And the Los Angeles Times added, “Throughout the week, Democrats appeared to hold the weaker hand as emboldened Republicans demanded a permanent across-the-board extension of tax cuts . . . .”
And apparently, none of this is sitting well with Democrats. Politico observed, “McConnell’s triumphalism seemed to rankle Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.). Appearing on the same program, he complained that Republicans seemed to be heading toward a deal that involved no sacrifice on their part. ‘All he talked about was the need to come to them. All he talked about was if they could do something that makes us comfortable. That’s not how you compromise,’ Kerry said.” This morning, liberal Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY) vented over Twitter, “Memo to our President : Why are we always punting on 3rd down? Let’s get our offense on the field.” And Politico further noted, “Liberal bloggers, columnists and commentators are convinced that the GOP has gotten the upper hand, in part because of a lack of fortitude on Obama’s part.”
It’s unfortunate that so many Democrats appear so committed to raising taxes and so upset at an emerging bipartisan consensus that no American should face a tax hike in the middle of a recession. As Sen. McConnell told NBC’s David Gregory yesterday, “I and my members feel that [the] American people feel strongly that taxes shouldn’t go up. I know our colleagues on the other side don’t see it that way. But look, all of the Republicans in the Senate and a significant number of Democrats feel the same way. It isn’t going to happen.” “In other words,” Sen. McConnell explained, “there bipartisan opposition to raising taxes on anybody at this time.”
House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) expressed it well in his comments when addressing the coming Christmas holiday: "Even the good tidings of the holiday season do not appear enough to keep lame-duck Democrats from being downright grumpy over Republicans’ efforts to stop a job-killing tax hike on small businesses before it can take effect on January 1st. While Democrats fume over bipartisan rejection of their job-killing tax hike, Republicans remain focused on keeping our pledge to America to cut spending and permanently stop all the tax hikes. To get our economy back to creating jobs, we need to cut spending and stop all the tax hikes. The clock may be winding down on Democrats’ hold on power in both houses of Congress, but there’s still time to do the right thing for families and family-owned small businesses, and, of course, to bring comfort and joy." Tags:US Senate, US House, White House, Washington, D.C., tax reductions, unemployment, Democrats, Harry Reid, Chuck Schumer, Max BaucasTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
NEW YORK MAGAZINE: “Fellow Senator (And Regular Guy) Chuck Schumer Took A Stand Against Raising Taxes On Hedge-Fund Billionaires.”(“Flip-Flop Weather,” New York Magazine, 8/13/07)
THE WASHINGTON POST’s Al Kamen: “Sen. Charles ‘Hedgeman’ Schumer (D-N.Y.) -- The Liberal Senator Who Defended Preferential Tax Rates For Hedge-Fund Gazillionaires.” “Cyndi Bauerly, legislative director for Sen. Charles "Hedgeman" Schumer (D-N.Y.) -- the liberal senator who defended preferential tax rates for hedge-fund gazillionaires -- is said to be the pick to be nominated for a Democratic seat on the dentally challenged Federal Election Commission.” (“Campaigning By The Book,” The Washington Post, 8/10/07)
Hypocrite Defined: Sen. Chuck Schumer
Tags:hypocrite, Senator, Chuck Schumer, hedging, taxesTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Saturday in Washington, D.C. - Dec 4, 2010 - Senate Liberal Show Votes On Tax Hikes Defeated With Bipartisan Opposition
Today, the Senate held a Saturday session for what Republican Whip Jon Kyl called “a political catharsis on the Democratic side,” which amounted to holding show votes on two plans to allow taxes to go up in January for some Americans. They reconvened at 8:15 AM today and resumed consideration of the House message to accompany H.R. 4853, the vehicle for tax extensions.
By the time the voting was done. Sen Harry Reid efforts were defeated as Democrats joined Republican to defeat the show votes. The first amendment, offered by Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), which would have raised taxes on those making over $250,000 per year, failed by a vote of 53-36. The second, offered by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), would have raised taxes on those making over $1 million per year and failed by a vote of 53-37.
Neither of the Democrat plans was able to garner 60 votes and both had bipartisan opposition. The first plan, offered by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT), would have raised taxes on Americans making over $250,000 per year. All Republicans and 5 Democrats voted against it. The second plan, offered by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and based mainly on “focus-group and polling data,” would have raised taxes on Americans making over $1 million per year. Again, all Republicans and 5 Democrats voted against it. In fact, according to The New York Times, even the White House opposed Schumer’s plan.
Democrat Sen. Ben Nelson also understood what was going on today. The NYT reports, “Senator Ben Nelson, Democrat of Nebraska, who supports a temporary extension of the tax rates at all income levels, criticized his own party’s leaders for dithering. ‘The truth is, it’s widely believed that neither has the votes to pass,’ Mr. Nelson said of the two proposals Democrats are bringing to a vote. ‘When the dust settles Saturday we’ll probably see no tax cuts for any Americans.’ he said.”
And it’s unfortunate that this is where Congress finds itself with less than a month to go before taxes go up on every American. Following the votes today, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell expressed his frustration with the political show put on by Democrats. “Today's votes were an affront to the millions of Americans who are struggling to find work and a clear signal that Democrats in Congress still haven't gotten the message of the November elections,” he said. “Two years of out-of-control spending and big-government policies have led to record deficits and debt, chronic unemployment, and deep uncertainty about our nation's fiscal future. Meaningless show-votes and anti-business rhetoric won't do anything to make the situation better.”
Sen. McConnell concluded, “There is strong bipartisan opposition to these attempts to raise taxes on small businesses across the country. Americans don't want political posturing; they want jobs. Today’s votes were the clearest signal yet that Democrats in Congress do not take our nation's jobs crisis seriously.”
Newly elected Republican Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) who now fills the seat previously occupied by President Barack Obama gave a vary different message in the weekly Republican address than being offered by the Obama administration and Senate Democratic leadership. In his remarks, he said,
“Last month, the American people sent a clear message to Washington: spend less, borrow less and tax less to put America back to work. . . .
“Unfortunately, too many in Washington want to continue the reckless tax and spend policies of the past. They ignore the warning signs of more debt, taxes and inflation. They embrace wasteful government spending and pork-barrel earmarks. And they think a new massive tax hike on the U.S. economy is exactly what the American people need.
“The current leaders of Congress should not move forward with plans that were just rejected by the American people. These leaders should not raise taxes and risk another recession. Instead, Congress should reduce spending and prevent another tax hike on American taxpayers.
“Americans already pay some of the highest taxes in the world. By raising taxes in order to fuel higher spending, we threaten to restart the recession, pushing millions of Americans out of work. . . .
“Americans already pay some of the highest taxes in the world. By raising taxes in order to fuel higher spending, we threaten to restart the recession, pushing millions of Americans out of work.
“Right now, families and small business owners are scratching their heads asking one simple question – what will my tax rate be next month? Taxpayers don’t know what their personal income tax rates will be come January 1st.
“Family business employers don’t know what the death tax will be. Investors and small businesses don’t know what the capital gains rate will be. Their uncertainty hurts our economy. It’s unfair and short-sighted. . . .
Spend less, borrow less and tax less to put America back to work. That’s what we heard from the American people last month – and that’s what we should expect from our leaders today.
It’s long past time for Democrats to get serious, stop playing political games, and work with Republicans to prevent taxes from going up on Americans in the midst of a recession come January. Tags:US Senate, Washington, D.C., tax reductions, taxes, democrats, show votesTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Gov. Mike Beebe is Left of Barack Obama in Giving Raises to Government Workers
AFP-Arkansas calls Beebe out for being left of Obama
Priorities for bureaucrats seem to outweigh relief for Arkansas families
Little Rock, AR – The Arkansas chapter of Americans for Prosperity criticized Governor Mike Beebe today for increasing state government employees pay, a move that puts him to the left of President Barack Obama. The President recently froze federal government employee pay for two years. “Instead of providing relief for small businesses struggling to keep their doors open or to lighten the load of Arkansas families during what has been a long economic downturn, Governor Beebe put priority on Government bureaucrats,” stated Teresa Oelke, AFP Arkansas State Director.
Thursday, Governor Beebe unfroze state employees’ salary increases that he had put in place in June. Governor Beebe’s promise to freeze salaries lasted less than six months during his re-election campaign making the freeze appear to be nothing more than an election year shenanigan. Private sector workers in Arkansas make 89.63% of what state government workers bring home.
“The Governor says that he would provide tax relief for Arkansans if legislators show him the money,” continued Oelke, “but this task proves to be difficult when he keeps spending the money on growing government.”
---------- Americans for Prosperity (AFP) is a nationwide organization of citizen leaders committed to advancing every individual’s right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and scope of government is the best safeguard to ensuring individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. AFP educates and engages citizens in support of restraining state and federal government growth, and returning government to its constitutional limits. AFP has more than 960,000 members, including members in all 50 states, and 30 state chapters and affiliates. Tags:AFP, AFP-Arkansas, Americans For Prosperity, Mike beebe, barack obama, government salaries, pay raises, ArkansasTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
by William Warren: My latest cartoon poking fun at Obama’s sudden interest in bipartisanship. Tags:Bipartisanship, Compromise, Barack Obama, Obama Administration, Political Cartoons, Republicans, William WarrenTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Today in Washington, D.C. - Dec 3, 2010 - Dems Prioritize Political Show Votes Over Preventing Tax Hikes
Last night, the Senate agreed by unanimous consent to pass H.J. Res. 101, a continuing resolution to fund the government through December 18th. Also, last night the House voted (333-79) to censure Rep. Charles Rangel for breaking tax laws and House rules. His liberal colleagues then applauded Rangel. It is obvious, they do not get the seriousness of Rangel's actions or the reasons why the majority of America voted to change the make of the House in the 2010 elections.
This morning, eleven of the 18 members of President Obama’s fiscal commission voted to support a controversial blueprint to slash deficits by nearly $4 trillion over the next decade -- too few to command a quick vote in Congress. It would have taken 14 votes to move the blueprint forward. The panel has proposed dramatic cuts in military spending, raising the future retirement age and eliminating popular tax breaks. It will now be up to the next Congress to determine which items will be adopted.
Yesterday, House democrats in an effort to divide the country past continuance of the present tax cuts for those earning under $250,000. Unfortuantely, it is people and businesses earning over $250,000 that create and employ people. Today, we learned that November's job growth was far lower than expected and the unemployment rate rose to 9.8%; 15.1 million unemployed. Obama's Big Government plans are failing. It is hoped that the Senate will reject this House bill and vote to extend the existing tax cuts for all taxpayers. House Speaker-designate John Boehner (R-OH) issued the following statement:
“The fiscal commission’s report provides a sobering look at the tough choices that lie ahead, and I thank Chairmen Bowles and Simpson, and the members of the commission, for advancing our national dialogue on this critical issue. As I have said before, we need to have an adult conversation with the American people about the scope of our fiscal challenges, and I believe the commission’s work will help do that.
“I’m especially appreciative of the work of the three House Republicans who served on the panel. Paul Ryan, Dave Camp, and Jeb Hensarling will play leading roles in our new majority’s efforts to keep our pledge to America to cut spending and reduce the size of government.
“Washington’s spending spree threatens our children’s chase for the American Dream. At a time when the federal government is borrowing 40 cents of every dollar it spends, the need for immediate and decisive action to stem the tide of red ink could not be clearer. Democrats and Republicans don’t have to wait until January to start cutting spending. We can get started right now, and we should.”
However, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has yet to get the message and scheduled two political show votes on Democrat tax proposals for Saturday: one on the House Democrats’ plan to raise taxes on those making over $250,000 per year, and Sen. Chuck Schumer’s “focus-group and polling data” generated plan to raise taxes on those making over $1 million per year.
In an op-ed for the Louisville Courier-Journal today, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell writes, “Job number one for Congress is to prevent a tax increase for any American. As the country continues to struggle out of a recession, economists agree that preventing tax increases is one of the most important things we can do to reassure middle-class families and small businesses, and boost the economy. Voters ratified that view one month ago by sending candidates from both parties to Washington who vowed not to raise taxes.”
Today’s disappointing unemployment news—unemployment rose to 9.8% (the 19th straight month of unemployment exceeding 9%) and only 39,000 jobs were created in November—only underscores the importance of preventing tax hikes on any Americans. But as House Republican Leader John Boehner lamented this morning, “Unfortunately, Democratic leaders continue to insist on wasting time with meaningless votes as they try to make it as difficult as possible to stop their job-killing tax hike. Families and small businesses have had enough of politicians in Washington talking about creating jobs while doing everything in their power to kill more jobs. This is exactly the kind of Washington game-playing the American people voted against on Election Day.”
Yet Democrats still don’t seem to have gotten the message. House Democrat leaders held a vote on a bill raising taxes on those making over $250,000 per year yesterday, even though, as The Wall Street Journal reports today, “[t]he legislation is doomed in the Senate.” And Senate Democrats have decided to have Saturday show votes on two of their tax hike plans, the House bill and Sen. Chuck Schumer’s “focus-group and polling data” generated plan to raise taxes on those making over $1 million per year. Of course, neither of these proposals can get 60 votes in the Senate. Reuters’ headline from last night says it all: “Senate to take symbolic votes on taxes Saturday.”
Sen. McConnell expressed his frustration with Democrats’ game-playing last night, telling the AP Democrats need to “stop wasting time on political show-votes and focus on our priorities. It's time to get serious. It's time to extend the current tax rates and fund the government while cutting spending. Every day spent on a political show-vote is another day that Democrats won't be able to debate items that should actually pass.”
Even a growing chorus of Democrats has indicated they’re not interested in raising taxes on anyone in a recession. Still, Democrat leaders persist in a political show, egged on by their liberal base. As Kimberley Strassel writes in The Wall Street Journal today, “The antitax bipartisan majority is hoping these nonsense votes are a means for liberal Democrats to work through their issues, provide themselves a little political cover, and then join the rest of the grownups at the temporary-tax-extension-for-all table. But with these folks, you never know.”
It’s time for Democrats to stop playing political games and seriously address the priorities of the American people. Wasting time on meaningless show votes only serves to demonstrate that Democrats are more concerned about the desire of their liberal base to do harm to their political adversaries than the need to do good for all Americans by stopping their taxes from going up. Tags:US Senate, US House, White House, Washington, D.C., tax reductions, unemploymentTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Bipartisan Majority For Preventing Tax Hikes? Let's Hope!
14 Senate Democrats Have Either Voted Or Said They Would Vote For All The Current Tax Rates Dems Agree: Don’t Raise Taxes On Small Businesses During A Recession
Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE): “I Would Extend Them [Tax Cuts] For Everyone.” “I am committed to extending the Bush tax cuts for 98 percent of Americans for everybody making up to $250,000, but I would extend them for everyone. … I'd be willing to extend them for several years for all Americans, of whatever income, if that also allows us to reach a bipartisan compromise that makes real progress in offering tax relief to small and medium businesses, for the home office exception, for the research and development tax credit.” (ABC’s “Good Morning America,” 10/21/10)
Sen. Joe Lieberman (ID-CT): “I Don't Think It Makes Sense To Raise Any Federal Taxes During The Uncertain Economy We Are Struggling Through. The more money we leave in private hands, the quicker our economic recovery will be. And that means I will do everything I can to make sure Congress extends the so-called Bush tax cuts for another year and takes action to prevent the estate tax from rising back to where it was. In our current economic situation, we cannot risk the economic headwinds that would be caused by tax increases. We need to keep as much money as possible in people's pockets and business's bank accounts.” (Sen. Lieberman, Press Release, 9/13/10)
Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE): “I Support Extending All Of The Expiring Tax Cuts Until Nebraska’s And The Nation’s Economy Is In Better Shape, And Perhaps Longer, Because Raising Taxes In A Weak Economy Could Impair Recovery. Continuing all of the tax cuts could provide certainty for families and businesses in Nebraska and nationwide.” (Sen. Nelson, Press Release, 9/9/10)
Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA): “I Don't Think They Ought To Be Drawing A Distinction At $250-K.” “Sen Jim Webb, D-Va., on Friday questioned the wisdom of extending only a portion of the Bush tax cuts set to expire at the end of this year, joining a growing list of moderate Democrats expressing skepticism or outright opposition to allowing tax cuts for the well-to-do to expire in a recession. ‘I don't think they ought to be drawing a distinction at $250-k,’ Webb told Fox, referring to Bush-era tax rates that are now lower for couples earning more than that amount.” (“Fox News: Another Dem Questions Wisdom Of Extending Only Part Of Bush Tax Cuts,” Fox News, 9/10/10)
Republican Senators Focus Is On The Economy During the Lame-Duck Session
Republican Senators: Despite a Democratic agenda focusing on political items, Republican senators have listened to the people and are continuing to focus on the economy during the lame-duck session. Republicans are working to freeze spending, fund the government, and ensure that nobody's taxes are raised during these difficult economic times. Individual Senators speak out in video below:
Tags:lame duck, Congress, Republicans, Senators, Mitch McConnell, Lamar Alexander, Jon Kyl, John Cornyn, John Barrasso, John Thune, spending, taxes, economy, jobs, private sector, DemocratsTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Congress is in session. Senate Democrats are taking long caucus sessions trying to determine proposed actions - not all are in agreement as detailed later.
Charlie Rangel (D-NY) is scheduled today to stand on the floor of the House and to be censured. He plans to first plead for a lesser action. In the House of Representatives, censure is essentially a form of public humiliation carried out on the House floor. Normally the House Speaker [Pelois - if she has the moxie perform this action against her liberal friend] reads out a resolution rebuking the member for the specified misconduct while the member must stand in the House well and listen to it. Rangel is very fortunate not to be in jail. In the history of the House, censure has been used 22 times ( only 3 of them being since 1966).
House Democrats are intent on forcing through tax legislation which will be DOA in the Senate because enough Senators will oppose the bill. In her last days as House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi is pandering to her liberal constituents and claiming now a desire to protect the middle class while opposing full tax relief and continuance of the present tax cuts for all Americans. Thank your American voters for sending enough Republicans to the US House, to have her removed as Speaker in the next session of Congress.
Democrat House leaders will attempt to force through a procedural motion (“rule”) that would prevent Republicans from offering a proposal to stop all the tax hikes scheduled for January 1st. A “yes” vote on the rule for the Democrats’ House tax bill is a vote to raise taxes and kill jobs. Speaker-to-be John Boehner (R-OH) summed it up as follows, "Instead of putting politics first and taking cues from liberal special interests, Democrats in Washington should think about following orders from the American people for a change."
The New York Times writes today, “Republicans threatened to block any legislation until a deal is reached to extend the expiring Bush-era tax cuts, potentially derailing the Democrats’ busy end-of-year agenda. The blunt threat was made in a letter to the majority leader, Harry Reid of Nevada, and signed by all 42 Senate Republicans. And it was reiterated by the Republican leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, in a speech in which he accused Democratic leaders and Mr. Obama of ignoring the midterm election results.”
The Times notes that “[t]he move put Democrats in a vise” and Politico reports, “Senate Republicans’ aggressive move to block virtually all business in the chamber has created a fresh round of partisan anger, threatening to derail or delay the rest of the Democratic agenda in an already gridlocked lame-duck session of Congress.”
The NYT reports that the “announcement drew howls of anger from Democrats who said it was just the latest evidence of Republican obstructionism. To emphasize their point, Democrats went to the floor and attempted to bring up numerous bills, including a measure to extend jobless benefits and a measure to promote clean energy. On behalf of his colleagues, Senator John Barrasso [R-WY] repeatedly voiced objections, blocking the bills and prompting a furious speech by Senator Claire McCaskill [D-MO].”
Yet Democrats’ anger was all about the liberal wish list of bills they want to move forward on, it had little to do with recognition of the message voters sent a month ago about their priorities: addressing the struggling economy and the size of government.
As Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell explained this morning, “Yesterday we watched a number of Democrat senators come to the floor and express their exasperation at not being able to do what they want to do around here. Astonishing. Let’s face it: Most Americans aren’t particularly interested in the things Democrat leaders have put at the top of their to-do list. They thought they put a restraining order on Democrat partisan priorities early last month. It’s time Democrats put the priorities of the voters first. . . . “In a couple of weeks the lights go out around here unless we do something to stop it. At the end of the month every taxpayer suffers a pay-cut unless we stop it. But Democrats would rather spend the Senate’s limited time on Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and Immigration. They’d rather come down to the floor to talk about filibuster rules. So they still don’t get it — and that’s why Republicans are insisting we put these things aside and finish the most important and urgent legislation before time runs out.”
Indeed, Democrats’ continued inability to listen to what the American people are saying is on stark display with the political show vote on raising some taxes House Democrats plan to hold today. Even The New York Times described Democrats’ strategy as “scrambl[ing] to hold a series of symbolic votes aimed at showing Republicans defending lower taxes for millionaires.”
ABC News reported on the frustration Democrats’ move has generated with Republicans. “Republican leaders in Congress [Wednesday] ripped House Democrats for holding a politically-charged vote Thursday on extending the Bush tax cuts for middle-class Americans but letting them expire for the wealthy at year’s end. ‘I think it’s wrong,’ said House Speaker-to-be John Boehner. “It does undercut the conversations we had just yesterday to continue to play political games. The American people said on election day, “Stop the games. Stop the spending. Stop the looming tax hikes.”’ That argument was echoed by the Senate Republican Leader McConnell. ‘Regardless of what the majority tries to force House Republicans to do, it’s not going to go anywhere. We are going to extend the current tax rates. We’re not going to raise taxes on anybody. The only thing we’re discussing now is just how long that extension will be.’”
Democrats should drop the political games and their liberal wish list and simply focus on the urgent priorities of Americans. As Sen. McConnell said today, “The Dream Act doesn’t create jobs. Filibuster rules don’t create jobs. Wasting time on votes to raise taxes won’t create jobs.” Giving business owners some certainty and preventing a massive tax hike on all Americans is what people are looking for and the right thing to do for the economy. How is it that so many Democrats still can’t understand that the American people have told them to focus on their priorities and not those at the top of the liberal Christmas list? Tags:US Senate, US House, White House, Washington, D.C., House Censure, Charlie Rangel, Democrats, liberal, wish list, tax hikesTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Americans for Prosperity Video: The United Nations Climate Change Conference is meeting in Cancun, Mexico from November 29 -- December 10 2010 where world and US bureaucrats will work to transfer wealth and technology from developed to developing nations by raising the cost of traditional energy.
But before these international bureaucrats get to "work", they decided to throw a lavish party for themselves. Thus the belwo video.
Join AFP as they report from Cancun live on Dec 2, 2010; Visit CostofHotAir.com for more info.
Tags:AFP, Americans for Prosperity. UN, Climate Change conference, Cancun, Mexico, Bureaucrats, Gone Wild, videoTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Bankrupting America Video: Facing a slow economy and competition from India and China, Mike's manufacturing business has struggled to survive. Mike has even personally guaranteed the company's debt, putting everything he owns on the line.
Despite adversity, Mike has begun to hire new workers and recover. The only way he and the dozens of his employees have managed to stay afloat is by investing in capital that makes them more productive. But uncertainty from Washington and an ever-consuming tax structure is making it increasingly difficult to grow...
Watch Mike's inspiring story now:
This video is Part 3 in our series "The Story of Business," a joint project of Public Notice and the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council. Tags:The Story of Business, America, manufacturing, uncertainty, global competition, taxes, Bankrupting America, Public NoticeTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Abolish the Transportation Security Administration
By Chris Slavens: Democrats’ favorite strategy is to blame George W. Bush for everything from high unemployment to Hurricane Katrina, so it should come as no surprise that some on the left are attempting to pin the abuses of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) on the former president, despite the fact that the Obama administration—with the exception of Hillary Clinton, who has political reasons to distance herself from her boss—is fully supportive of pat-down procedures that would, as one protesting passenger correctly noted, constitute sexual assault if performed by anyone other than government employees.
Strangely, however, a majority of liberals (at least those in the media) have chosen not to assign blame at all, and are instead diligently pretending that groping innocent citizens is the niftiest thing since solar panels, patiently reminding the unwashed masses that it’s perfectly acceptable to trade liberty for security.
The TSA was created during Bush’s presidency, two months after the tragic 9/11 attacks, but it was Democrats who insisted that airport security be handled by federal employees, rather than private firms. And, of course, the screening procedures in question were implemented a few weeks ago with the approval of a federal government controlled entirely by Democrats. Republicans have committed their fair share of screw-ups, but can’t be blamed for this one.
Unfortunately, the media has focused on a handful of bizarre mishaps (like the rupturing of a Michigan bladder cancer survivor’s urostomy bag during a pat-down), which distracts from the fact that the procedures themselves are outrageous even when performed properly. Forcing “free” individuals to expose themselves to potentially harmful radiation, or submit to full-body pat-downs which include the feeling of genitalia, is simply unacceptable. Such unreasonable actions justify civil disobedience.
Some lawmakers are listening to passengers’ concerns, like Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX), who introduced the American Traveler Dignity Act. It would revoke TSA screeners’ legal immunity, requiring them to obey the same sexual harassment laws that apply to the general public. Perhaps the new Republican majority in the House, which has reason to fear the withdrawal of Tea Party support if it does not govern as promised, will be more open to Paul’s proposals than past Republican majorities.
Everyone seems to have a different idea of what to do about the TSA. The left, because of its politically-motivated refusal to acknowledge any problems on Obama’s watch, pretends that there is no problem, and some of the faux conservatives on the center-right—the same who supported the unconstitutional Patriot Act several years ago—echo this view. Some argue that profiling (used successfully by the Israelis) is the way to go, which has sent liberal race-baiters into an arms-flailing tizzy. Others think that the x-ray scanners are just fine, and only the invasive pat-downs should be done away with. Or the reverse.
Regardless of the eventual outcome of the debate, an important first step must be taken before new procedures are established: The abolition of the TSA.
The agency was created nine years ago by an act of Congress, and now that it has proven itself to be incapable of providing security while respecting constitutional rights, it can be dismantled just as easily by another act of Congress. Acknowledge the mistake, issue an apology, and move forward. That is how good government works.
But it’s not how the current administration works. By continuing to subsidize security theater, and dismissing the valid complaints of concerned citizens, the Democrats in power are setting themselves up for a disaster in the next election. Did they learn nothing this year?
--------- Chris Slavens is a libertarian columnist. He lives in Sussex County, Delaware. He contributes to numerous conservative sites including ARRA News Service, Conservative Voices, and his own blog, Slavens Says. Tags:TSA, Transportation Security Administration, civil liberties, Ron Paul, American Traveler Dignity Act, Chris SlavensTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Gary Bauer, Contributing Author: I've had enough! The level of uncertainty that is hanging over our country right now is unacceptable. ObamaCare remains a huge unknown -- full of tax increases, regulations and mandates -- with the White House issuing waivers left and right to their favorite unions and non-profit groups. The real unemployment rate is stubbornly stuck in the double digits, and American families and entrepreneurs are 30 days away from one of the biggest tax hikes in history.
(And if you thought things were bad now, global elites -- including top administration officials -- are gathering in Cancun, Mexico, scheming to take us back to the "good old days" of World War II rationing!)
What exactly is Obama, in between basketball games, doing about it? Next to nothing! Yesterday's much-hyped White House meeting on taxes was a failure. Nothing was decided. In fact, one commentator said Obama essentially "voted present" at the meeting -- taking himself out of the equation by delegating future talks with Republican leaders to his budget director and Treasury Secretary.
But the GOP isn't the White House's problem. As I reported yesterday, it's the president's own party that can't agree on what to do about the impending tax hikes.
And to avoid dealing with the issue, congressional Democrats are holding votes on food "safety," trying to force open homosexuality into the military, renaming post offices and wasting time on college football. A modified illegal immigration amnesty bill will probably get a vote before anything is done on taxes. This is outrageous!
The "Walking Dead" is a popular TV show right now -- and not suitable for families. Nor is our current "Walking Dead Congress," with its scores of defeated members, suited to be making so many decisions on issues that aren't nearly as important as preventing a major tax hike in a weak economy. Yet those are the priorities of the current Democrat leadership.
In a rare moment of candor, one Democrat senator was caught on an open microphone expressing his frustration with the process. Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) complained that the lame duck session has been "rigged." I'm betting that millions of Americans share his opinion and would express it in even stronger terms!
Call your elected representatives at (202) 224-3121 and demand that they deal with the impending tax increases before anything else.
------------- Gary Bauer is is a conservative family values advocate and serves as president of American Values and chairman of the Campaign for Working Families. Tags:enough, lame duck, democrats, agenda, Gary Bauer, Campaign for Working Families To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Democrats Still Didn't Hear You - Are They Deaf or Arrogant?
As Tax Hikes Loom, Dems Discuss Filibuster Rules, FDA Reorganization, Immigration, and Judges
AP: “Democrats, on borrowed time as the majority party in congress after a shellacking at the polls, are using their last weeks in power to stroke important voting blocs: Hispanics, gay-rights groups and liberal activists.”(“Lame-Duck Agenda Features Political Votes,” AP, 12/1/10)
With Tax Hikes Less Than One Month Away…
Dems Focus On Filibuster Rules
“Merkley is distributing a memo making this case to colleages, which was sent my way, and I'm told Merkley will bring the idea up at a Senate caucus meeting today. Merkley notes that it's a myth that there's currently a way to force senators to filibuster on the floor, and proposes: The public believes that filibustering senators have to hold the floor. Indeed, the public perceives the filibuster as an act of principled public courage and sacrifice. Let's make it so.” (“One Senator's Modest Proposal: Force Senators To Actually Filibuster,” The Washington Post’s “The Plum Line” Blog, 12/1/10)
They Spent Over A Week On An FDA Bill That “Appears Headed Back To The Chamber Because Democrats Violated A Constitutional Provision”
“A food safety bill that has burned up precious days of the Senate’s lame-duck session appears headed back to the chamber because democrats violated a constitutional provision requiring that tax provisions originate in the House.” (“House May Block Food Safety Bill Over Senate Error,” Roll Call, 12/1/10)
Sen. Harry Reid: “Matters Of Importance” Include “Judges”
SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV): “Mr. President, We must move forward on matters of importance – we have numerous judges that need to be taken care of…”(Sen. Reid, Floor Remarks, 12/1/10)
President Obama “Willing To ‘Spend Political Capital’” On DREAM Act
“Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said he would file a motion Tuesday so the Senate could take up the DREAM Act, setting up a showdown over the bill that would provide some young, undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship.”(“Senate Takes Up DREAM Act,” Politico, 11/30/10)
“Education Sec. Arne Duncan said Monday that Congress can’t afford to wait to pass the DREAM Act, even as immigration allies acknowledge there’s little hope of getting the bill done in the lame-duck session.”(“W.H. Makes Last Appeal For DREAM Act,” Politico, 11/29/10)
“Duncan said Obama’s support for the bill has been ‘unequivocal,’ echoing comments he made to reporters Nov. 18 that his boss was willing to ‘spend political capital’ on the effort.”(“W.H. Makes Last Appeal For DREAM Act,” Politico, 11/29/10)
President Obama's “Fight” For “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” In “Political Endgame This Week”
Tags:Democrats, not listening, higher taxes, filibuster, FDA Reorganization, Dream Act, immigration, judgesTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
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