News Blog for social, fiscal & national security conservatives who believe in God, family & the USA. Upholding the rights granted by God & guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, traditional family values, "republican" principles / ideals, transparent & limited "smaller" government, free markets, lower taxes, due process of law, liberty & individual freedom. Content approval rests with the ARRA News Service Editor. Opinions are those of the authors. While varied positions are reported, beliefs & principles remain fixed. No revenue is generated for or by this "Blog" - no paid ads - no payments for articles.Fair Use Doctrine is posted & used. Blogger/Editor/Founder: Bill Smith, Ph.D. [aka: OzarkGuru & 2010 AFP National Blogger of the Year] Contact: editor@arranewsservice.com (Pub. Since July, 2006)Home PageFollow @arra
One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics
is that you end up being governed by your inferiors. -- Plato
(429-347 BC)
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Obama’s Executive Order 13575 and UN’s Agenda 21
Bill Smith, Editor: The issue of Agenda 21 has not been addressed previously by the ARRA News Service on this site and much has yet to be researched on the topic. However, due to recent situations in Arkansas and Missouri rural communities, I have noted that residents are becoming alarmed and many are seeking to be informed about Agenda 21 issues. Thus this topic must be addressed.
What is Agenda 21? The United Nations (UN) Division for Sustainable Development states, "Agenda 21 is a comprehensive plan of action to be taken globally, nationally and locally by organizations of the United Nations System, Governments, and Major Groups in every area in which human impacts on the environment. . . ."
Before proceeding, at least one conservative feels that Agenda 21 is not the problem. Citizen Tom commented on the below referenced article:
"Agenda 21 is a distraction. It’s not the real problem. It just gets us accused of being conspiracy nuts. . . . No plot is required. Government funds NGOs just because it gives politicians someone to point at as an “expert”. Is it an accident such “experts” give politicians excuse for do what they want to do? . . .
Why do we have a threat to private property? Why do we have excessive environmentalism? Why did Obama form that White House Rural Council (WHRC)? The UN made him do it? Don’t be silly. There are enough American busybodies. We don’t need to go overseas to find more. Busybodies will interfere in other people’s lives just because they can. It’s their ego trip. If their interference give them a way to seize power, that just further incentivizes them.
If Agenda 21 is not the problem, what is? Where is this stuff coming from? Because of technological developments, we have a real need to create and protect wild lands. However, because we cherish our freedom, we must also protect our property rights from busybodies. Unfortunately, we let our government, usually by citizens with a natural inclination to be busybodies, educate our children. Do you think politicians want teachers telling students that politicians don’t have the right to run their lives? Of course not. So each generation grows up more ignorant of Christianity and our heritage of liberty. Each generation grows up just a little more comfortable with the idea of being enslaved."
I am not prepared to "debate" anyone on either side of the issue. At this moment, I see that UN Agenda 21 and Obama's Executive Order 13575 "Establishment of the White House Rural Council" play well into the hands of liberal progressive busybodies. These busybodies and other opportunity seekers threaten citizen's property rights. As cited in the executive order, "16% of the American population lives in rural counties." Thus, 84% of Americans do not live in rural areas.
Those living in rural areas in North America (at least north of the Mexican border, are envied by all who are in power, by many of those "piled up in cities," by the members and staffers of the UN, by those who may be "one world nuts," and by a majority of those in other countries. In the United States, we have privately owned land and the resources on and under those lands belong to the owners of the property. Also, the rural areas of the U.S. provide much of the resources needed by the rest of America, and these rural areas feed a significant portion of the world when not distracted by "green agendas."
Based on the history and the agenda advanced by our present administration, we must be alert and become educated as to the threats to rural communities contained within the nuances of documents and the agendas advanced by the busybodies. Focus on the people who rely on the agenda statements in executive orders and UN documents.
Executive order 13575 uses the words "The Council shall work ... to coordinate development of policy recommendations to promote economic prosperity and quality of life in rural America, and shall coordinate my Administration's engagement with rural communities." Why? Why is this needed? It is the cities that are consuming the majority of resources. Why does the Obama administration seek to use and advance words like "sustainable rural communities." Sidetracking for one statement, besides buzz words like "global warming" and "shared sacrifice" be alert when you see the word like "sustainable" and "sustainable living."
During times of economic stress, people in the rural areas are far safer and self sufficient than those who dwell in the cities. Those who own any property need to realize that outside the confines of present U.S law, the UN and lots of "busybodies" do not believe you actually own your land or property. They see you as caretakers, renters, and people that should be globally taxed and who may be removed from your property for the "greater good."
Unfortunately, these agendas have already been advanced in some states, counties and communities and even promoted in colleges and universities. While I am not willing to dismiss UN Agenda 21, I agree with Citizen Tom that we must beware of well intentioned busybodies and agenda driven liberal progressives.
Thus, the following article is shared to initiate future discussion on this topic. H/T LoopyLoo305 For the following article. by Boudica BPI Weblog: Be scared, very scared. Don't depend on someone else to stand against this, you are that someone else and we all must to our share to get the message out and prevent these sustainable living ordinances from passing at the local level. View these two clips and then visit our friend The Mad Jewess and read her post.
President Obama signed his 86th executive order (13575) on June 9, which established the White House Rural Council (WHRC). According to The Blaze, the Executive Order seems to be in line with the United Nations radical Agenda 21, as it is designed “to begin taking control over almost all aspects of the lives of 16 percent of the American people.”
Evidence of this can be found in Section One of the Executive Order, which reads:
Section 1. Policy. Sixteen percent of the American population lives in rural counties. Strong, sustainable rural communities are essential to winning the future and ensuring American competitiveness in the years ahead. These communities supply our food, fiber, and energy, safeguard our natural resources, and are essential in the development of science and innovation. Though rural communities face numerous challenges, they also present enormous economic potential. The Federal Government has an important role to play in order to expand access to the capital necessary for economic growth, promote innovation, improve access to health care and education, and expand outdoor recreational activities on public lands.
As the Executive Order references “sustainable rural communities,” it raises a few eyebrows, since that is one of the key phrases found in the UN plan for sustainable development known as Agenda 21. The order admits that it intends to seize greater power over “food, fiber, and energy,” items that are key to human sustenance.
The mission and function of the White House Rural Council, according to the Executive Order, is as follows: “The Council shall work across executive departments, agencies, and offices to coordinate development of policy recommendations to promote economic prosperity and quality of life in rural America, and shall coordinate my
Administration’s engagement with rural communities.”
The order doesn’t at all camouflage the levels of authority it will achieve. In order to reach the mission set out, the Executive Order states that the council will “make recommendations to the President, through the Director of the Domestic Policy Council and the Director of the National Economic Council, on streamlining and leveraging Federal investments in rural areas, where appropriate, to increase the impact of Federal dollars and create economic opportunities to improve the quality of life in rural America.”
Analyzing the language of the document, The Blaze questions, “is there a hint that a ‘rural stimulus plan’ might be in the making? Will the Federal government start pumping money into farmlands under the guise of creating ‘economic opportunities to improve the quality of life in rural America?’ “
The order also states that the WHRC will “coordinate and increase the effectiveness of Federal engagement with rural stakeholders, including agricultural organizations, small businesses, education and training institutions, healthcare providers, telecommunications services providers, research and land grant institutions, law enforcement, State, local, and tribal governments, and nongovernmental organizations regarding the needs of rural America.”
In other words, the federal government will seemingly control every aspect of rural America.
As observed by The Blaze, “When did outdoor recreation become a conservation-related activity?”
Tags:2012 elections, Agenda 21, America, Barack Obama, Congress, freedom, government, government deception, government failure, government regulation, government takeovers, New World Order, NWO, Obama, politicians, President Obama, Progressive, Treason, tyranny, UN, USA To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
For more information on our plan to avert the US's nearing debt crisis and chart a path of growth and prosperity, visit http://budget.house.gov
The Path to Prosperity (Episode 2): Saving Medicare, Visualized :
House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan: "We can no longer let politicians in Washington deny the danger to Medicare -- the danger is all too real, and the health of our nation's seniors is far too important. We have to save Medicare to avoid disruptions in benefits for current seniors, and to strengthen the program for future generations. House Republicans have put forward a plan to do just that. Democratic leaders in Congress have failed to produce a plan -- it has been 755 days since Senate Democrats even passed a budget. Meanwhile, the President's plan would empower a panel of 15 unelected bureaucrats to cut Medicare for current seniors, while failing to save the program for future retirees.
"This video lays out the clear choice our nation faces on Medicare: Will Medicare become a program in which a board of bureaucrats manages its bankruptcy by denying care to seniors? Or will leaders work together to save and strengthen Medicare by empowering seniors to choose health care plans that work best for them, with less support for the wealthy and more help for the poor and the sick? House Republicans have advanced solutions to save Medicare. Instead of working with us, the leaders of the Democratic Party have opted to play politics with the health security of America's seniors."
Tags:A.F. Branco, political cartoon, comically incorrect, liberals, democrats, classic tactics, Obama, Obama Scare, Medi-scare To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
ICYMI: US House Votes to Stop Ban of Incandescent Light Bulb
In case you missed the good news in yesterday's post on Washington, D.C., "The House passed on a voice vote last night [Thursday evening] an amendment to the Energy and Water Appropriations bill that will block implementation of the ban on standard incandescent light bulbs, which is scheduled to begin going into effect on January 1, 2012. A recorded voted scheduled for this morning was cancelled, so the amendment is now part of the bill that the House will send to the Senate. The voice vote on the amendment offered by Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) comes on the heels of a failed vote earlier this week, which did not reach the two-thirds majority required under special rules, but garnered a clear majority The vote on H. R. 2417, the Better Use of Light Bulbs Act, was 233 to 193." Tags:US House, incandescent light bulb, light bulb, banTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
by Kirby Anderson, Point of View: How much does the federal government spend each day? According to the Congressional Budget Office, the government spends $4 billion every day. It is always
hard to grasp how much money that is, but Newsmax tried to give us an idea.
If you had $4 billion you could buy a number of the most successful teams in history. With that amount of money you could buy the New York Yankees, the Dallas Cowboys, and the Boston Celtics. And you would still have enough money left over to buy hot dogs for every fan at every Yankee games for the next two seasons.
If you had $4 billion in wealth you could get your name in Forbes magazine. You would be listed in the top 100 wealthiest Americans. In fact, you would be tied on the list with Robert Bass of Texas, one of the famous Bass Brothers.
With $4 billion you could own your own plane, float your own boat, own an island, and own the Plaza Hotel in New York. You would have a Gulfstream jet, the Oasis of the Seas (the world’s largest cruise ship), and own an island in the Caribbean or the smallest island near Hawaii.
Perhaps you would like to collect paintings. For $2.2 billion, you could pick up the 20 most expensive paintings in the world. This includes five Picassos, five Van Goghs, two Warhols, and a Pollock. Maybe you would like the most expensive car. That would be the $2.6 million Bugatti Veyron Super Sport. You could buy one for your closest 50 friends and still have lots of money left to build a museum for your paintings and a perfect garage for your cars.
I think you can get the point. The federal government spends $4 billion each and every day. That is a lot of money, and it is hard for me to believe that we cannot find any meaningful cuts in a federal budget that spends $4 billion every day, especially since we borrow nearly 40 cents on every dollar.
Newsmax used a paraphrase the old statement. “A billion here, a billion there, soon you are talking about serious money.” I’m Kerby Anderson, and that’s my point of view. Tags:Kirby Anderson, Point of View, federal spending, per day, 4 billion, billion, dollars, trillionTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Speaker Boehner Responds to President Obama’s Press Conference
House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) today issued the following statement following President Obama’s press conference regarding his request for an increase in the debt limit:
“President Obama has been talking tough about cutting spending, but his deeds aren’t matching his words. Consider all of the government boondoggles he has refused to put on the table for cuts: ObamaCare; the so-called ‘green jobs’ initiative; high-speed rail; and a vast array of other pet projects that are unnecessarily costing taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars. While Republicans have focused on the big problems we face, this White House has focused on protecting the status quo. The same holds true for entitlement spending, where the White House has been talking in terms of nickels and dimes at a time when trillions of dollars in serious reforms are needed to preserve the programs and put them on a sustainable path.
“As Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s have signaled this week, our nation’s economy is literally begging for Washington to take meaningful action to cut spending and reduce the deficit. It is absurd and self-destructive to continue dumping taxpayer money into a ‘stimulus’ philosophy that has consistently failed to support private-sector job creation in our country. The White House must step up and embrace real spending reforms and cuts that will show job creators America is finally serious about addressing the debt. Democrats and Republicans must lock arms together in the days ahead and take real action to stop the spending binge that has put our nation in economic jeopardy.”
NOTE: Earlier this morning, Speaker Boehner and House Republican leaders held a press conference in advance of President Obama’s remarks to announce plans for a House vote next week on “cut, cap, and balance” legislation to address the debt crisis. Debt reduction is one of the key elements of the House Republican plan to remove government barriers to private-sector job growth. The House Republicans jobs plan can be seen at Jobs.GOP.gov. Tags:Speaker Boehner, John Boehner, President Obama, press conference, deficit, debt ceilingTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Kim Strassel: If Obama Is So Committed To His Positions, Let Him Swim In Them
As of 7/1511: National Debt
Now Over $14.5 Trillion
Today in Washington, D.C. - July 15, 2011:
The Senate is not in session today and will return on Monday and will resume consideration of H.R. 2055, the Military Construction-Veterans Affairs (Milcon-VA) appropriations bill, one of the annual appropriations bills that are considered by Congress. On Monday the Senate will vote on the nomination of J. Paul Oetken to be a District Judge for the Southern District of New York.
Yesterday, the Senate voted 56-40 to waive a budget point of order made by Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) against H.R. 2055 that appropriations bills should not be considered until the Senate has passed a budget.
The House passed on a voice vote last night an amendment to the Energy and Water Appropriations bill that will block implementation of the ban on standard incandescent light bulbs, which is scheduled to begin going into effect on January 1, 2012. A recorded voted scheduled for this morning was cancelled, so the amendment is now part of the bill that the House will send to the Senate. The voice vote on the amendment offered by Rep. Michael Burgess (R-TX) comes on the heels of a failed vote earlier this week, which did not reach the two-thirds majority required under special rules, but garnered a clear majority The vote on H. R. 2417, the Better Use of Light Bulbs Act, was 233 to 193.
Today, the House Republican Leadership and the President had dueling speeches this morning on the network. The House Democrats led by Nancy Pelosi also spoke but look dogeared and ragged in their comments. The House Republicans looked professional, committed and confident in their solutions to deal with the government overspending and the national debt.
In a prior article today, Speaker John Boehner addressed that "With Economy in Trouble, It's Time for Dems to Get Serious About Cutting Spending."
In the Wall Street Journal column today, Kimberley Strassel runs down the series of unacceptable choices President Obama and Democrats are trying to foist on Republicans in the debt ceiling debate: She writes, “Instead of blinking, Mr. Obama has stubbornly dug in, committing himself either to whacking the country’s credit or whacking the country’s economy—or both. He’s made clear to Republicans that the only deal he’ll cut will require their help in those ruinous objectives.” . . .
“Option No. 1 is for the GOP to do a $4 trillion ‘big deal,’ in which it gets some cuts, including to Medicare, though only in return for agreeing to significant tax hikes. The president forces Republicans to make a mockery of their own tax promises, and he gets cover for what’s been his goal all along. He also gets to brag to his base about that victory, even as he demoralizes conservative voters.
“Option No. 2 is the smaller, $2 trillion Biden deal. Even here the White House is demanding some tax increases, while Democrats insist a significant chunk of the cuts take place in future Congresses (which can ignore them). The conservative base will deride this as budget gimmickry, and the GOP will get little credit. The president, however, will boast to the rest of America that he has clocked ‘significant’ spending reductions, and he’ll run as a deficit-cutter.
“Option No. 3 is for the GOP to go to the brink and share the turmoil or shutdown that follows default. Ask Newt Gingrich how that worked out for him in 1995. Mr. Obama today owns a failing economy. Republicans are begging for joint custody. Come turmoil in August, the president will lay every unemployment uptick, every poor economic statistic, at the foot of whatever panic or pain came out of the debt-ceiling mess—and the Republicans who helped push it to that point.”
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell on Wednesday proposed a possible forth option. He said, “I proposed a possible fourth option. A last resort if the President continues to shirk his duty to do something about our dire fiscal situation. If the White House continues to insist on either tax hikes or default, then we’d send legislation to the President that requires him to propose spending cuts greater than the debt limit increase he requests. Make the President show in black and white the specific cuts he claims to support. If he refuses, he’ll have to raise the debt limit on his own. But he’s not going to get Republicans to go along with it. That way the President can’t pretend to support cuts when he doesn’t. He’s forced to put up.”
As Strassel writes, “If [President Obama is] so committed to his positions, let him swim in them. Let him own a deficit that’s on track to hit $1 trillion for his third presidential year running. Let him tell America why he’s cut nothing. Let him explain a credit downgrade caused by his failure to get serious about American debt. Let him explain the slowing economy, the high unemployment and his proposals for new taxes—next summer. Let the Democrats up for re-election have to vote (as Mr. McConnell’s proposal requires) to back up Mr. Obama’s profligacy. Let Americans understand, clearly, that this is what they will continue to get if they re-elect him.” Tags:Washington, D.C., US House, US Senate, President Obama, National Debt, light bulbsTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
With Economy in Trouble, It's Time for Dems to Get Serious About Cutting Spending
House Speakert John Boener: This morning, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) made the following remarks at a press conference with Republican leaders regarding the White House request for an increase in the debt limit:
“All year long, we have led on the big issues facing our country. The House-passed budget, written by Paul Ryan and the Budget Committee, I think set the standard for serious debate. We’ve passed or pushed for bill after bill that would create jobs, by easing the burdens of regulations, expanding exports, and increasing the supply of American energy.
“In the debt limit debate, our goals are simple: no one wants the United States to default on our obligations. We won’t see real economic growth without a serious plan to deal with our deficit and debt. Yesterday, at the White House, Secretary Geithner echoed both of those points. Our stand on the debt limit has been clear: there can be no tax hikes because tax hikes destroy jobs; we need real spending cuts and real spending cuts that will exceed the amount of increase in the debt limit; and we need real reforms to restrain the growth of spending in future years, like spending caps and a Balanced Budget Amendment.
“Listen, we’re in the 4th quarter here. Time and time again Republicans have offered serious proposals to cut spending and address these issues, and I think it’s time for the Democrats to get serious as well. We asked the president to lead. We asked him to put forward a plan – not a speech, a real plan – and he hasn't. We will.” Tags:US House, Speaker, John Boehner, debt limit, the economyTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Tony Perkins, Washington Update: As the President works to stoke the fears of Americans about the debt debate, genuine fear is gripping conservative members of Congress. It's fear that this unique moment in history, where we have an opportunity to reform a broken system of government, will be lost. There is growing concern that Republicans may settle for a "deal" that raises the debt ceiling but shortchanges the voters who elected this Congress to fundamentally change Washington. But, there is reason for optimism. In my conversations with a number of conservative members, it's clear that a consensus is building to move forward with a Cut, Cap and Balance bill. Frustrated with the other options on the table, leaders like Sens. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), and Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) are pulling together a concrete proposal to cut the deficit in half, cap spending at 18% of the economy, and balance the budget. Instead of making "cut, cap, and balance" part of the plan to raise the debt ceiling, cut, cap, and balance would be the plan.
"We're going to introduce a [proposal] that would give the President an increase in the debt limit," Sen. DeMint said this morning, "but it's contingent on cutting spending and capping spending over several years, and giving the states the opportunity to decide if we're going to balance our budget in the next decade." Unlike the other alternatives, this measure puts the onus on the President to stop talking about tough choices and start making them. For once, Congress would have a clear path forward to a final agreement that forces Washington to live within its means. Under this proposal, America's credit limit would increase by $2.4 trillion--but only when the cuts and caps are in place, and a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget is approved by Congress and sent to the states for ratification.
This is a better way forward for those who truly want to reform Washington and bring about fiscal responsibility. The Cut, Cap, Balance Act, which would only require 218 votes, is a great first step toward getting 290 members on board to pass the Balanced Budget Amendment. If, instead, the House leads with a vote on a Balanced Budget Amendment before the August 2nd deadline and fails, there will be little political will and even less time to start over with the Cut, Cap, and Balance bill. In the meantime, the media should start pressing the President on his statement that he "can't guarantee" that seniors or the military would get their checks after August 2nd if the debt ceiling isn't raised. While the spin benefits him politically, the reality is, this administration has a whole host of non-essential government programs it could postpone to keep Social Security afloat. (Click here to see some of those options.) ... [More Good Info] Tags:ony Perkins, Washington update, Cut, Cap, Balance, national debtTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Great News, America! Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) Says He Will Lead In Balancing the Budget
Now That Jon Tester Is Promising He ‘Will Lead Efforts To Balance The Federal Budget,’ Americans Are Sure To Get What They Want Don’t Worry – He Promised His Home State He’d Come Through
SEN. JON TESTER (D-MT): "It’s absolutely critical.My folks did not teach me to not have a fiscal balanced budget. It’s absolutely critical… Because I am of the belief that you take care of your own self and you don’t pass your debts on to your kids... Let’s be fiscally responsible. Let’s have a fiscally balanced budget." (Montana Senate Debate, 6/25/06)
FOX NEWS: “Would you favor or oppose a balanced budget amendment -- that is, an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would require the federal government to produce a balanced budget? Favor: 72%; Oppose: 20%.” (Fox News Poll, 6/26-28/11)
Q: “Do you support or oppose an amendment to the U.S. Constitution requiring Congress to pass a balanced budget every year? Nation … Support 65%.” Ibid
“81 percent of Republicans, 68 percent of independents and 45 percent of Democrats support a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution.”Ibid Tags:Senate, Balancing the Budget, John TesterTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies (GPS): Crossroads GPS is a policy and grassroots advocacy organization that is committed to educating, equipping and mobilizing millions of American citizens to take action on the critical economic and legislative issues that will shape our nation's future in the years ahead.
Our goal is to provide a clear road map for concerned Americans on the most consequential issues facing our country, empowering them to set the direction of policymaking in Washington rather than being the disenfranchised victims of it.
It is no exaggeration to say that this is a watershed moment in America's history. Cataclysmic levels of debt, expansive government power, a nationalized health care system, a struggling economy and looming tax increases are all on the brink of reshaping and potentially devastating the great country we've all known.
Meanwhile, enduring American values such as freedom, limited government, low taxes and individual responsibility are being trampled underfoot by Washington's political elite.
Crossroads GPS is dedicated to the belief that most Americans don't support the big-government agenda being forced upon them by Washington -- and that most people, if equipped with the facts and a road map for action, will work to restore the core principles and values on which this country was founded.
ICYMI: Recent Ads Run Nationally By Crossroads GPS:
Tags:Crossroads Grassroots, Policy Strategies, GPS, videos, ads, Wake Up, Shovel Ready, The SystemTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Rep. Joe Walsh (R-IL):President Obama, quit lying. You know darn well that if August 2nd comes and goes there is plenty of money to pay off our debt and cover all social security obligations.
Tags: President Obama, fear, recession, debt, debt ceiling, economy, default, Joe Walsh, Representative, Illinois, Republican, Balanced Budget amentment, spending controlsTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Republicans Push For Balanced Budget Amendment Vote
"[Obama's] tone also hasn't helped achieve a comprehensive agreement. The president's two most recent press conferences, in which he accused the GOP of foot-dragging, convinced Republicans that he was interested in scoring political points and attracting independents, not facilitating a deal. Convening high-profile White House meetings without offering substantive concrete proposals and then having his aides leak madly (and inaccurately) to the press afterward further squandered trust." - Karl Rove, WSJ
Today in Washington, D.C. - July 14, 2011:
The Senate resumed post-cloture consideration of the motion to proceed to H.R. 2055, the Military Construction-Veterans Affairs (Milcon-VA) appropriations bill, one of the annual appropriations bills that are considered by Congress.
Yesterday, Democrats failed to get 60 votes to invoke cloture on Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid's(D-NV) symbolic resolution calling for “shared sacrifice” from millionaires (S. 1323), by a vote of 51-49. Two noted democrats, Sens. Ben Nelson, D-NE and Mark Pryor, D-AR, joined the Republicans in defeating this "hot-air" resolution.
Following that vote, the Senate voted 89-11 to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to H.R. 2055, the Military Construction-Veterans Affairs (Milcon-VA) appropriations bill.
The House passed H.R. 2018 (239-184) to curb the EPA.Clean Water Cooperative Federalism Act, would limit the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s power to enforce water pollution provisions of the Clean Water Act. They also, passed (406-22) a bill to reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program for five years and shore up its troubled finances. The Senate must act by Sept. 30 to prevent the program from expiring.
But the big news yesterday was President Obama walk out. He apparently became frustrated over not getting his way decided to walk out of the debt negotiations with congressional leaders at the White House. As a community organizer, he has been used to ripping into established positions offered by others - he calls it compromise and uses words like "shared sacrifice." However, to date he can't his agenda back on track after loosing the US House last November. He fails to understand that it is his agenda of big government that is killing jobs, consuming valuable resources, and reducing the image of America in the world. Or, maybe he does understand and that is truly a matter of grave concern.
Obama left the room when Republicans identified that there was no more time to participate in the large-scale deficit reduction discussions via higher taxes and no spending cuts. Sources say that the president became upset when House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) told the him that Congress should instead consider a series of debt ceiling votes based on spending cuts that already have been identified. Cantor identified to the President that "Talks could then continue to identify additional cuts for subsequent votes. . . . "The president told me, 'Eric, don't call my bluff. I'm going to take this to the American people.'" Obama then followed union tactics and walked out of the meeting with elected representatives of the American people. The White House press secretary later made light of the situation. Wonder what will be next on Obama's agenda?
Obama had warned on Tuesday that failure to raise the debt ceiling "could mean" that Social Security checks, veterans benefits and other government obligations would not be paid as scheduled in August. Obama was prevaricating, because the situation has nothing to do with being able to pay seniors and veterans the money that is owed thme from established funds that already exist. The President's posturing and pushing the edge of truth evidences his years of street tactic negotiations for organizations like Acorn. Distorting the truth when you know otherwise is not appropriate for the President of the United States. He is not some rogue dictatorship that abuses who abuses the people of their country. He is a "citizen" like everyone else who at the moment sits in the oval office and who apparently is more focused on remaining there for another 6 years.
President Obama now wants all the parties in the discussion to go out to Camp David to continue discussion. What he want to do, have a few beers and chip and dip with the gang? The White House and the US Senate and US House are located where they are for a reason. The Speaker's press secretary, Michale Steel, said "on the record," “The Speaker has told the White House he sees no need to go to Camp David this weekend.”
Speaking on the floor this morning, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said, “It’s time to make it clear to the American people where the two parties stand in this debate. Either you’re with the President and his vision of a government that continues to live beyond its means. Or you’re with those of us who believe Washington needs some strong medicine. . . . And the single most effective way to do that is with a balanced budget amendment. If the President and Democrats in Congress won’t agree to cut back, let’s force them to. Let’s pass a constitutional amendment that actually requires Congress to live within its means. It’s time for the American people to contact lawmakers on the Democratic side and demand it. Republicans are unanimous in their support for a balanced budget amendment. We need 20 Democrats to join us.”
Fortunately, at least 20 Democrats have in the past expressed their support for some kind of balanced budget amendment. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) said in 2006, “I stood up to a President of my own party . . . In support of the balanced budget amendment, in restoring fiscal sanity to our government.” Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) said just a few months ago that “Over the years, I have supported a balanced budget amendment…”. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) said earlier this year, “[T]he balanced budget amendment's very, very important to me and to every governor, to every state, to every household, especially in West Virginia. And if they can do it, they think we can do it also.” In March, Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) said, “I voted yes and support a balanced budget amendment that allows for flexibility in times of war and for natural disasters.” And the last time Congress seriously considered a balanced budget amendment, even Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), now the Majority Leader, said, “. . . I believe we should have a constitutional amendment to balance the budget. I am willing to go for that.” And Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), now the Majority Whip, said that “we need to move toward a Balanced Budget Amendment.”
Shortly, Democrats will have the opportunity to make good on their assurances of support for a balanced budget. The Wall Street Journal reportedthis morning, “The House is voting on a balanced-budget measure next week, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) is expected to force a Senate vote as well. ‘Republicans will spend the next two weeks fighting for the one thing that will ensure that Washington gets its house in order and forces future Congresses to live within their means,’ Mr. McConnell said Wednesday.”
A Mason-Dixon poll in late May found “an overwhelming number of Americans would support an amendment to the U.S. Constitution requiring Congress to pass a balanced budget every year.” Sixty-five percent of respondents supported such an amendment in the Mason-Dixon poll. In fact, the survey found that “81 percent of Republicans, 68 percent of independents and 45 percent of Democrats support a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution.” And a more recent Fox News poll found 72% in favor.
As Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) said recently, “Our unsustainable debt and ever-rising deficits are not victimless practices—they cause uncertainty that is actively killing jobs and threatening to leave future generations stuck with the bill. A balanced budget amendment would end this harmful practice and finally bring accountability to the budget-making process. With a $14.3 trillion debt, Americans understand that Washington must end its addiction to ‘tax, borrow and spend.’ We can no longer afford it, and we owe it to the next generation of Americans to make this right. We do not need tax hikes to pay for Washington’s spending addiction. We need a President and Democrat Senate who will join Senate Republicans in supporting a strong balanced budget amendment that will handcuff out-of-control politicians.” Tags:Washington, D.C., US Senate, US House, Barack Obama, Mitch McConnell, national debt To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Arkansas Right To Life Addresses Planned Parenthood Mega Merger
Imagine: A young woman, pregnant, scared and confused, sitting in front of a computer screen somewhere in Small Town, Arkansas being interviewed by an abortion doctor in Sioux City, Iowa who will push a button to release the chemicals for the woman to self-administer that will kill her unborn child.
"I’ve just described a webcam abortion --- coming to your town soon." - Rose Mimms, Director ARTL
Planned Parenthood "Web-Cam
Abortion" Dispenser
Planned Parenthood of Arkansas and Eastern Oklahoma is scheduled to merge on January 1, 2012, with the Des Moines-based Planned Parenthood of the Heartland – a move that will likely expand abortions in the state and bring webcam abortions to the region.
Rose Mimms, Arkansas Right to Life (ARTL) Executive Director, Wayne Mays, Arkansas Right to Life President and Carol Tobias, National Right to Life President met last week in Springdale, AR and shared their concerns about what this means to women and unborn children in Arkansas.
The National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), the federation of 50 state right-to-life organizations and more than 3,000 local chapters nationwide, is the nation's largest and oldest pro-life group. National Right to Life works through legislation and education to protect those threatened by abortion, infanticide, euthanasia and assisted suicide.
Rose Mimms initiated her comments by describing a webcam abortion and said "This giant affiliate of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America has already overtaken most of the Planned Parenthood clinics in Iowa and recently acquired those in Nebraska and now we learn that they intend to take over Arkansas and Eastern Oklahoma clinics in January.
We know from their past experience that their “plan” includes mega-clinics and the expansion of webcam abortions. With this merger, we can expect this to happen in Arkansas."
Mimms detailed some historical fact about Arkansas Right (ARTL) to Life:
In 1998, Arkansas Right to Life led the opposition that was successful in stopping Planned Parenthood from expanding services in North Little Rock after they received a $20,000 grant from the North Little Rock City Council. After enormous pro-life pressure the board rescinded the grant and Planned Parenthood abandoned their plan.
Ten years later, in 2008 ARTL conducted an educational campaign to stop Planned Parenthood from expanding services in Hot Springs after a Planned Parenthood action board called Choice Hot Springs organized and began aggressive programs in the Spa City. After our campaign Planned Parenthood’s plans were squelched.
Mimms discussed chemical web cam abortion, "ARTL will do everything we possibly can to educate the public of the dangers of the chemical web cam abortion procedure and the activities of Planned Parenthood. To date at least a dozen women have died after taking this powerful chemical cocktail and many more have suffered serious complications. Arkansas Right to Life has drafted legislation and lined up sponsors that will ban the web cam abortion procedure in Arkansas."
Arkansas Right to Life plans to organize resistance to any plan to build a mega clinic in Arkansas cities. ARTL believes that "Planned Parenthood is desperate and scrambling to survive in Arkansas."
Mimms shared that she believes that "Abortion by web cam is the hope and future of Planned Parenthood, granting them the access and availability that they have sought for the last 38 years of legal abortion --- all at the expense of the lives of women and their unborn children."
The heart of Arkansas beats for Life and Arkansas Right to Life will work to protect the women and children of Arkansas against the insidious plans of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland.
Carol Tobias, National Right to Life President, said, "The Planned Parenthood Federation of America has carefully crafted a public image as a protector of women’s health. What people need to understand is that Planned Parenthood is the largest abortion chain in America. Planned Parenthood is fully in the abortion business and its bottom line depends on performing more and more abortions."
According to the 2008-2009 Annual Report for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), Planned Parenthood affiliates performed 332,278 abortions in 2009, which represents about 27.4 percent of all abortions performed in the United States. Those 332,278 abortions were over twice the number that Planned Parenthood affiliates performed in 1998, even as the total number of abortions performed in the United States dropped 25 percent during that period.
Tobias said that "Planned Parenthood misleadingly claims that abortion represents only 3 percent of its services. But in order to make abortion seem like a small part of what it does, Planned Parenthood lists every “service” it does equally. If a woman comes in for an abortion, she may also receive a pregnancy test, an Rh type test, an ultrasound, an antibiotic, a pack of birth control pills, a prescription for “the morning after pill,” and “other tests as needed.” So, statistically, the abortion is dwarfed by the five or six other services provided, even though the abortion is the reason the woman came to Planned Parenthood.
"In fact, 12 percent of Planned Parenthood clients receive abortion services, according to a February 2011 Planned Parenthood factsheet. Therefore, nearly one out of every eight women walking through the door of a Planned Parenthood clinic has an abortion. We do know that of the services Planned Parenthood reported that would have involved pregnant women (abortion, prenatal care, adoption referrals) 97.6 percent were for abortion.
"Planned Parenthood often argues that increased funding will enable it to reduce the number of abortions, but its own annual reports don’t seem to show that. It has an annual income of more than $1 billion. Roughly 1/3 of that comes from federal, state, and local governments. The amount of funding that Planned Parenthood has gotten from different government bodies has been increasing steadily over the past several years, more than doubling since 1998, but abortions done at Planned Parenthood have not gone down. In fact, they have increased dramatically during that same period, rising at a rate that very nearly matches the rate of those funding increases."
The amount of revenue that Planned Parenthood receives from “Government Grants & Contracts” has increased from $165 million in 1998 to $363.3 million in their fiscal year ending June 30, 2009. During the same time, and at roughly the same rate, abortions have more than doubled at Planned Parenthood, from 165,509 in 1998 to 332,278 in 2009. When asked if this increase in government funding led to more abortions, Tobias responded, "Perhaps it wasn’t the cause, but all those additional government dollars certainly didn’t seem to impede Planned Parenthood’s ability to garner an ever increasing share of the shrinking pie of abortion customers."
Tobias concluded with the following surprising information, "Even though PPFA has already doubled the number of abortions performed at its clinics over the past dozen years, the national headquarters has mandated that every affiliate have at least one abortion-performing center by the end of 2013. According to an article in the December 20, 2010, Corpus Christi Caller Times, Family Planning of the Coastal Bend decided to drop its affiliation with PPFA rather than perform abortions.
As pointed out earlier, Planned Parenthood is offering RU486 “webcam” abortions. In 2000 when the FDA approved RU486 for use in the United States, it established a protocol that specified that RU486 was supposed to be administered “under the supervision of a qualified physician.” Planned Parenthood’s massive Midwestern affiliate, Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, is either ignoring or is interpreting this to mean only that a physician be involved somewhere in the process, even if it is only at the other end of closed-circuit computer screen a hundred miles away, or more."
Every abortion stops a beating heart.
Imagine: That same young woman, writhing in pain, bleeding heavily, scared and severely ill, for days ---- maybe weeks. Then after taking the last set of chemicals, and enduring more pain and bleeding, finally completes the abortion and witnesses the tiny child, her child ---- dead in the toilet.
OR imagine that same young woman, experiencing the exact same symptoms yet unable to complete the abortion and needing a surgical abortion. --- OR imagine that same young woman experiencing the exact same symptoms but this time it’s from deadly complications that endanger her own life.
Remember --- the doctor is in Sioux City, Iowa. --- She’s on her own.
"That’s web cam abortion and Planned Parenthood of the Heartland has plans for bringing it to your Small Town, Arkansas soon." - Rose Mimms, Director ARTL Tags:Planned Parenthood, merger, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Iowa, web abortions, abortion clinic, abortions, Arkansas Right to Life, National Right to Life, ARTL, NRTL, news conferenceTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
White House: 'We Do Not Support the Balanced Budget Amendment' Tags:talk radio, White House. Balanced Budget Amendment, BBA, To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Republican Study Committee: Join the Conversation: #CutCapBalance Congress's past failure to produce balanced budgets is a major cause of today's fiscal crisis. It is time that Congress accepts a limit on its runaway spending, and joins the 49 states which govern with a balanced budget requirement. A balanced budget amendment that fundamentally reforms the way Washington budgets and spends must include protections against federal tax increases and a cap on federal spending to GDP.
Tags:Cut, Cap, Cut Cap Balance, Balanced Budget Amendment, RSC,
Republican Study Committee, Debt Ceiling, Debt Limit, Congress, Budget, debt, deficit, AmericaTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Yesterday, the House failed to pass The Better Use of Light Bulbs (BULB) Act. It would have rescinded efficiency standards for incandescent bulbs included in a 2007 energy bill. Vote 233-193 but vote required a supermajority. 285 yea votes to pass. Presently, the incandescent bulbs is on the endangered list!
The Senate resumed consideration of S. 1323, a nonbinding Sense of the Senate resolution offered by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV). S.1323 says people making over $1 million per year should be required to “sacrifice” in resolving the budget deficit.
Later this morning, Democrats failed to get 60 votes to invoke cloture on their resolution about millionaires, by a vote of 51-49. Following that vote, the Senate voted 89-11 to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to H. R. 2055, the Military Construction-Veterans Affairs (Milcon-VA) appropriations bill, one of the annual appropriations bills that are considered by Congress.
Rumblings continue of Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell's position to "Let the President Make the Decision to Raise the Debt Limit."Yesterday, we detailed his reasoning and various initial positive and negative initial responses.
Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell said yesterday he's concluded that no deal to raise the debt ceiling in return for serious spending restraint is possible with President Obama, and who can blame him? We've never thought the debt ceiling was the best leverage for a showdown over the entitlement state, and now it looks like Mr. Obama is trying to use it as a way to blame the GOP for the lousy economy.
This may have been the President's strategy all along: Take the debt-limit talks behind closed doors, make major spending cuts seem possible in the early days, but then hammer Republicans publicly as the deadline nears for refusing to raise taxes on business and ‘the rich.’ . . . The reality is that Mr. Obama is trying to present Republicans with a Hobson's choice: Either repudiate their campaign pledge by raising taxes, or take the blame for any economic turmoil and government shutdown as the U.S. nears a debt default. In the former case Mr. Obama takes the tax issue off the table and demoralizes the tea party for 2012, and in the latter he makes Republicans share the blame for 9.2% unemployment.”
The WSJ editors point out, “This is the political context in which to understand Mr. McConnell's proposal yesterday to force Mr. Obama to take ownership of any debt-limit increase. If the President still insists on a tax increase, then Republicans will walk away from the talks.”
Roll Call noted, which National Review Online’s Daniel Foster highlighted“In the nearly two-hour-long White House meeting Monday afternoon during which leaders reviewed savings found last month by a group led by Vice President Joseph Biden, McConnell asked only one question . . . How much does the Biden plan actually cut from next year’s discretionary spending budget?’ the Kentucky Republican asked the room. Obama’s Office of Management and Budget Director Jacob Lew told him, ‘$2 billion.’ A second source close to the original Biden group confirmed this number.”
Speaking on the Senate floor today, Leader McConnell explained the conclusion he came to based on this situation: “It was at that point that I realized the White House simply was not serious about cutting spending or debt. The only thing they were serious about was putting together a plan that appeared serious but wasn’t. And they wanted Republicans to go along with it. Well, we’re not going to play that game. In the end, the White House gave us three choices in exchange for a vote to increase the debt limit: A massive tax hike, smoke and mirrors, or default. And none of these options is acceptable.
“So yesterday, I proposed a possible fourth option. A last resort if the President continues to shirk his duty to do something about our dire fiscal situation. If the White House continues to insist on either tax hikes or default, then we’d send legislation to the President that requires him to propose spending cuts greater than the debt limit increase he requests. Make the President show in black and white the specific cuts he claims to support. If he refuses, he’ll have to raise the debt limit on his own. But he’s not going to get Republicans to go along with it.”
Reactions:
Jennifer Rubin looked down the road at how things might play out, writing, “There are no tax increases in the plan. The onus is on the president to send a request for a debt-ceiling increase and the cuts to go along with it. If he doesn’t do it or if the Congress disapproves of what he sends up . . . the debt ceiling remains in place. But the Senate Democrats will have the power to sustain a veto (and thereby allow phony cuts to be used to raise the debt ceiling), right? Which 34 senators exactly are going to do this?”
On Fox News yesterday, conservative commentators emphasized that this way, the burden is on Democrats to approve more debt for their profligate spending. Laura Ingraham said, “I think we have to think long term about this. It’s not a bad thing, in my mind, to make them [Democrats] raise the debt ceiling and let the American people see what their priorities are. They want to raise the debt ceiling. Guess what, we’re going to be passing spending cuts. . . . Mitch McConnell knows you have to have a political edge in the PR war.” Dana Perino agreed, “One of the things that the McConnell plan does that we haven’t mentioned is it puts the onus on President Obama that if he wants to raise the debt limit, that is his – it’s on him.” And Stuart Varney discussed “the upside of the McConnell plan,” saying, “Number one, we will get to see the president's plan. It must be on the table. It must be spelled out.”
Appearing on Laura Ingraham’s radio show today to answer questions about his proposal, McConnell elaborated, “We hoped we could use this as an opportunity to do something important for the country, but . . . when we cannot force a result, we need to do the next best thing, and that’s clarify the differences between the parties. The Democratic Party is the party of big government, tax and spend, the party that brought the American people government-run health care. We’re not going to have any part of that. I’m not going to allow [President Obama] to push us into making a bad deal. . . . [W]e had hoped this would present an opportunity to cut spending. . . . But it looks as if it’s only going to be an opportunity for [the president] to try to entice us in to raising taxes. . . . I’m not going to be a part of turning the Republicans into tax collectors for the welfare state. [President Obama] is going to try to keep government spending at this huge level in perpetuity and try to entice us into driving taxes up to try to finance it. And we’re not going to make that deal.”
Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson today released the following statement urging the House to pass a bill cutting hundreds of billions out of the 2012 budget attached to increasing the debt ceiling:
"The House needs to do its job, pass an increase in the debt ceiling attached with hundreds of billions of immediate cuts to the 2012 budget, and send it to the Senate. Then, if there needs to be anyone to blame, it will be Harry Reid if he doesn't pass a bill in the Senate, or Obama if he refuses to sign the bill that ultimately passes. But Republicans need to keep their word and attach big spending cuts to the debt ceiling increase — and pass it. . . .
"We need to cut spending now. The Ryan budget plan that passed the House will not accomplish a balanced budget for 26 years. We don't have 26 years to get our fiscal house in order. Within days of the House passing the well-intentioned Ryan plan, S&P downgraded its outlook on U.S. debt from stable to negative. Soon thereafter, Moody's threatened to do the same. The Social Security and Medicare trustees then reported that the trust funds will be exhausted much sooner than they thought just a year ago. And the debt will still rise to $26 trillion by 2021, with annual gross interest payments well over $1 trillion by then as interest rates return to their historic norm of 5 percent.
"In light of these new facts, Republicans have every reason in the world to be more aggressive. If they capitulate now, they will be surrendering any credibility they have left on this issue. They need to take a stand, and surely the American people will stand with them."
If Obama wants to increase revenue, why does he want to increase taxes?, Obama wants you to eat your peas and pay more in taxes. Tags:Washington, D.C., US Senate, US House, debt limit, debate, politics, federal spendingTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
The First Constitutionalists!
Britain branded them as Traitors.
We know these Kooks as Patriots!
By David Bozeman: One is reluctant to call any tactic in the liberal playbook new, but the latest salvo against conservatives and Tea Partiers could surely qualify as bizarre.
A liberal friend recently remarked that politicians who advertise their affection for the Constitution clearly don’t have the people’s best interests at heart. Ouch! And remember the outcry when the Constitution was read aloud at the convening of Congress earlier this year? Joy Behar of The View wondered if this Constitution-loving was not getting out of hand.
It appears that any citizen who calls himself a Constitutionalist or Constitutional Conservative will be relegated to the fringes of American thought, no less a nut job than a John Bircher. How long before weak-kneed Republicans assure polite society that, “I don’t buy all that Founding Fathers/limited government nonsense”?
According to enlightened thought, the right-wing’s hidden agenda typically consists of theocracy and a roll-back of 100 years of social progress. According to NewsCorpse.com “Tea Baggers are quick to gush their reverence to the original intent of the Constitution — slavery, sexism, and all”. A 2011 Newsweek piece entitled “How Tea Partiers Get the Constitution Wrong” quotes Thomas Jefferson, mocking men who “look to constitutions with sanctimonious reverence, and deem them like the Arc of the Covenant”.
So, not only do “Tea Baggers” and conservatives use the Constitution as a disguise for their sinister agendas, they really don’t understand it, either. True, many Americans, this writer included, don’t grasp the Constitution in its totality, and even Supreme Court justices disagree over its meaning and application.
Still, citizens with only a modicum of education can comprehend the Bill of Rights, fully appreciative that those ten amendments limit the power of the federal government and retain specific rights for individuals and states. That people are embracing the Constitution should swell the hearts of civic activists who are forever promoting greater participatory democracy, but when gun-owners in Mississippi and Tea Partiers in Virginia start horning in on the debate, it’s time for the saner heads to issue dire warnings about heated dialogue and (cue the fright music) hidden agendas.
Liberal regard for the Constitution is far less predictable — they boast of their tolerance when reminding the prudes that the First Amendment protects Hustler’s Larry Flynt no less than your right to rail against ObamaCare.
Conservatives recognize that, while any style of governance must adapt to changing times, the glory of the Constitution is its unwavering affirmation not merely of the rights of American citizens, but the yearnings of human beings everywhere. Social justice was won, yes, by amendment, but also by extending constitutional principles to everyone. How great a document that we didn’t have to tear it up and start all over.
A New Republic piece mentions the “monstrosities” that Michele Bachmann and others associate with ObamaCare, and their desire to reverse the New Deal. And there we have found the liberal equivalent of the Constitution. They want political discourse and action to proceed from their own lofty ideals and noble intentions. They consider the Constitution broad, fluid and evolving, but Social Security and the reformist aims of FDR remain almost sacrosanct.
Liberals tend to hide their agendas (yes, they have them, too!) behind incrementalism, nuance and intellectual finesse. The Constitution, by contrast, is a blueprint for truth and decisiveness now. They are concerned, and well they should be, for the very spirit they seek to stigmatize is not only inspiring, it is contagious. David Bozeman, former Libertarian Party Chairman, is a Liberty Features Syndicated writer. The article was first published on NetRight Daily. Tags:Constitution, Constitutionalists, kooks, Joy Behar, ObamaCare, Tea Baggers, Tea Party Movement, David BozemanTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Michele Bachmann: Business Doesn't Appreciate Obama Telling Them to "Eat Your Peas"
Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), on Fox News The O'Reilly Show, addresses Obama's latest lecture to the American people: "They don't for a minute appreciate Obama talking about the NFL lockout and telling small business to 'eat your peas' and suck it in and have more tax increases." Ignore Bill O'Reilly. He tends to treat women arrogantly and dismissively. However, Bachmann gets her point across. Bravo for her!
Tags:A.F. Branco, William Warren, political cartoon, Barack Obama, Eat Your Peas, Debt Deal, Debt Debate, eat peas, peas, video, Michele Bachmann, Small BusinessTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Groundbreaking Report Calls for Investigation of Nation's Largest Abortion Provider - Planned Parenthood
Bill Smith, Editor: This morning I attended Heritage Foundation's Blogger Briefing. One of the speakers that caught my attention was Kellie Fiedorek of Americans United For Life (AUL) who shared about the report referenced below. The report details evidence of systemic financial irregularities within the abortion giant – which receives more than $363 million in taxpayer funding each year. The entire report can be read by anyone by downloading a PDF copy of the report. Follows in a copy of the press release that accompanied the release of this report.
“Systemic financial irregularities in the abortion industry’s known record demand an investigation into what goes on behind the closed doors of Planned Parenthood clinics across the country,” said AUL’s Dr. Charmaine Yoest.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Americans United for Life released a groundbreaking analysis of the nation’s largest abortion business, following years of AUL legal team research poring over more than 20 years of Planned Parenthood records, law enforcement reports, and other materials. The report details evidence of systemic financial irregularities within the abortion giant – which receives more than $363 million in taxpayer funding each year.
“Americans United for Life is calling for a Congressional investigation and hearings into the nation’s largest abortion provider,” said AUL President and CEO Dr. Charmaine Yoest. “This report provides the intellectual foundation for an investigation of Planned Parenthood as well as revealing gaps in the information available to the American taxpayer, who is forced to subsidize the politically powerful abortion industry.”
“Momentum for defunding the abortion industry comes from the grassroots,” noted Dr. Yoest. “More than 70 percent of taxpayers, whether pro-life or pro-abortion, agree that they don’t want their tax monies subsidizing the abortion industry. This is a bi-partisan budget cut available for Congress and every state."
A number of states have begun the process of defunding abortion providers, though the efforts in Indiana have garnered the most media attention. Those states include New Jersey, Kansas, Tennessee, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Texas and Ohio.
The report is one facet of AUL’s strategic plan to end taxpayer subsidies to the abortion industry, to protect women, and to effectuate legal rights for all human beings. The AUL report documents known and alleged abuses by Planned Parenthood, and is intended to be a tool for use in investigating the nation’s largest abortion provider.
The AUL report substantiates, synthesizes, and gives clear direction for the case against Planned Parenthood, which enjoys one-third of a billion in taxpayer support as a result of its intensive lobbying efforts.
According to the Federal Election Committee, since the 2000 elections, pro-abortion groups have spent more than $205 million dollars in campaign contributions or independent expenditures on behalf of candidates for federal office. In 2010 alone these groups spent over $30 million on federal elections.
Since the 2000 election cycle, Planned Parenthood and its affiliates have disbursed at least $6.8 million through direct contributions and independent expenditures benefiting federal candidates for office. In the 2010 cycle alone, Planned Parenthood and affiliates spent nearly $1.6 million in federal races.
“It is time to find out what happens behind Planned Parenthood’s closed doors and to receive full accounting for the funds taken from American taxpayers to support the abortion industry,” said Dr. Yoest.
For more analysis and information about this project and to download a copy, View the Report. Tags:AUL, Americans United for Life, Report, Planned Parenthood, financial irregularities, abortion industry, abortionsTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
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by Boudica BPI Weblog: Be scared, very scared. Don't depend on someone else to stand against this, you are that someone else and we all must to our share to get the message out and prevent these sustainable living ordinances from passing at the local level. View these two clips and then visit our friend The Mad Jewess and read her post. 
House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) today issued the following statement following President Obama’s press conference regarding his request for an increase in the debt limit:
