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, August 13, 2011
Can Washington Learn From The Post Office?
2009 Political Cartoon Evidences
Failure USPS Problems Have Continued
The Post Office desperately wants to modernize. Internal reorganization memos obtained by the Washington Post paint a bleak picture. "The Postal Service is facing dire economic challenges that threaten its very existence." The same could be said of the entire country. In view of its financial imbalance, the Post Office has realized that it needs to -- GASP! -- downsize.
In the past four years, this bloated bureaucracy has lost $20 billion. It now wants to close 3,700 post offices and hundreds of mail processing facilities. It wants to reform its pension and healthcare benefits. And it needs to cut 120,000 workers.
But it can't. Why not? Because of Big Labor and collective bargaining rights. The Postal Service is now begging Congress to step in. In its conclusion, the memo states:
"If the Postal Service was a private sector business, it would have filed for bankruptcy and utilized the reorganization process to restructure its labor agreements to reflect the new financial reality. Because this option is not available to the Postal Service, we believe that this extraordinary request is a key to securing our future…"
One of the biggest problems confronting the Postal Service is technology. Mail volume is down as more people use e-mail and pay bills online. Big Government bureaucracies do not adapt well. They generally stifle innovation and resist change.
Liberals will argue that the Post Office is fine -- it just has a little revenue problem and should raise rates. (Maybe Obama will give it another bailout.) But raising rates will only drive more people away, resulting in less revenue, just like raising taxes also changes personal behavior.
The Post Office's predicament is an example of what is confronting the country -- the need to cut spending and reform entitlements. And like Governor Walker in Wisconsin and other governors across the country, Democrats and Republicans alike, the Post Office sees reining in Big Labor as a key to future economic success.
------------- 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:Gary Bauer, Campaign for Working Famiies, Debt, USPO, USPS. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Democratic Party Chair, Debbie Wasserman Schultz famously stated last May that “We own the economy. We own the beginning of the turnaround and we want to make sure that we continue that pace of recovery, not go back to the policies of the past under the Bush administration that put us in the ditch in the first place,” Well, the first part of that was true! They own the economy! And they have since America foolishly entrusted Congress to the leadership of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid back in 2006!
We’ll discuss the remainder of Wasserman Schulz’ statement in a moment… but first let’s establish a little historical background.
George Bush took office in January 2001 with a National Debt of 4 Trillion Dollars. The economy was riding the bubbles of the tech explosion and the easy money in the housing market. Less than a year later, we experienced the dot-com bust and the attacks of 9-11. . . .
How many times have you heard how military spending and Bush’s wars have bankrupted us? Undoubtedly so many you can’t put a number to it! But let’s examine the facts.
Remember the 87 billion dollars that John Kerry balked about… voting for it before voting against it back in 2004? That was to fund those 2 wars for a year! Is 87 billion dollars a lot of money? Hell yes! But we spent less on both wars in a decade than Obama’s stimulus cost us in one year! So a little perspective, please! . . .
How many times have you heard how military spending and Bush’s wars have bankrupted us? Undoubtedly so many you can’t put a number to it! But let’s examine the facts.
Remember the 87 billion dollars that John Kerry balked about… voting for it before voting against it back in 2004? That was to fund those 2 wars for a year! Is 87 billion dollars a lot of money? Hell yes! But we spent less on both wars in a decade than Obama’s stimulus cost us in one year! . . .
The economy took a hit after 9/11, and our deficit climbed. By 2003 it had soared to 420 billion dollars. While a deficit that size would be a major blessing today, at the time it was historically large! So what did George Bush do? TAX CUTS!
And the left went nuts. But the tax cuts did what tax cuts always do; revenues increased! The deficit fell each of the following 3 years until, in 2006 the deficit was reduced from a high of 450 billion in 2003 by more than 2/3 to 120 billion. . . .
Then we handed the reins of Congress, and the purse-strings, to Pelosi and Reid. Bush had 2 years of his term remaining. And yes, we were driven into the ditch during those 2 years. But it wasn’t Bush that was driving… it was Pelosi and Reid!
In their first year, they tripled the deficit to 450 billion… 30 billion more than Bush’s worst deficit with a GOP congress. And in their 2ndyear they tripled that to 1.3 Trillion dollars! (more than 10 times the 2006 deficit!) They added 3 trillion to the debt in just 2 years, so Bush left office with a 9 trillion dollar debt.
Bush had added 2 trillion with a GOP Congress in his first 6 years. And 3 trillion more (a 50% increase in debt) in his last 2 years under the Pelosi/Reid 110thCongress. In 2006 all of government spending was right around 2 trillion dollars. Pelosi/Reid swelled the budget to 3.5 trillion in their 4 years!
Barack Obama took office, and the democrat triumvirate of Obama/Pelosi/Reid went on a spending spree. The debt increased by another 5 trillion in 2 years. Under a GOP presidency with a GOP congress, after 5 years of war, our debt was 6 trillion. After 4 years of Pelosi Reid, it is over 14 Trillion… and 5 trillion of that added in Obama’s first 2 years. Remember that it took 230 years and 42 presidents to bring our debt to 5 trillion. And the democrat triumvirate managed to raise our debt by 5 trillion in 2 years. Interest payments on the debt have more than doubled in 4 years.
Yes. Democrats own the economy.
And the downgrade?
Consider a family with a household income of $21,700 a year. They have been spending $38,200 a year and added $16,500 to their credit card balances in the last year. Their cards are at limit. They are $142,710 in debt on their cards. They sat down to make a budget, and managed to find $385 in cuts they could live with. You’re the bank. Do you give them another loan?
Don't add 6 zeros to the "family" budget to get to the Federal... Add 8 zeros. That’s our federal government.
[Edited the prior sentence 8/15/2011 - due to correction request by Doug Edelman, the author of this article.]
But what about the remainder of Wasserman Schultz’ comments: “We own the beginning of the turnaround and we want to make sure that we continue that pace of recovery…” Yeah, what about that? Tags:Democrat Downgrade, Own the Economy, Democratic Party Chair, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Florida, Democrats Own Economy, Doug Edelman, St. Louis Conservative Examiner, Lisa Benson, cartoonistTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
11th Circuit Strikes Down ObamaCare Individual Mandate
Doctors / others rally in Washington, DC in 2009 Against Obabacare - AFP Article
The Washington Post: Summary - A federal appeals court has struck down the requirement in President Obama's health care overhaul package that virtually all Americans must carry health insurance or face penalties. A divided three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday struck down the so-called individual mandate, siding with 26 states that had sued to block the law.
Congressman Tim Griffin (R-AR-02) issued the following statement: “I welcome today's ruling that strikes down the individual mandate provision, the cornerstone of President Obama's health care law. The Court reached the same conclusion as many Arkansans: ObamaCare is unconstitutional at its core and invalid. We need health care reform but not this sort of reform. ObamaCare is a job-killer, and that's one reason why my colleagues and I in the House passed a bill repealing it. The Senate should do the same and work with us to replace it with market-based health care reform that increases access, lowers costs, limits government, promotes job creation and, above all, is Constitutional.”
Arkansas Lieutenant Governor Mark A. Darr (R) released the following statement: "I am pleased with the 11th Circuit's ruling, which found that Congress exceeded its authority by requiring Americans to buy coverage for healthcare. I, along with 70% of Arkansans, feel that President Obama's Healthcare Reform Act is unconstitutional. I am hopeful that the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, in which I recently filed an amicus brief regarding this same issue, will reach the same conclusion. As a small business owner, I fully understand the ramifications of this law and what it will do to hinder job creation in this state. "
U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT), a former Chairman and current member of the Senate Judiciary Committee: “Today’s ruling is a victory for both personal liberty and the U.S. Constitution. Never before has the federal government forced the American people to purchase something they do not want. The decision by the 11th Circuit is a strong step forward in restoring the American people’s choice.” [Hatch was the first U.S. senator to publicly state that the individual insurance mandate is unconstitutional.]
U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY): I welcome the 11th Circuit's ruling against the individual mandate. Forcing Americans to buy health insurance approved by the government was an unprecedented, unwelcome, and unconstitutional expansion of federal power, and today's decision only strengthens and adds more momentum to the efforts of those of us who are working to repeal it.
Forty four (44) Senators had filed an amicus brief May 11th, 2011 with the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of the bipartisan, multi-state challenge to the Democrats’ health spending law. They were: Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO), Sen. John Boozman (R-AR), Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA), Sen. Daniel Coats (R-IN), Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS), Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID), Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), Sen. Michael Enzi (R-WY), Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Sen. Dean Heller (R-NV), Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND), Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Sen. Mike Johanns (R-NE), Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL), Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ), Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN), Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS), Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH), Sen. James Risch (R-ID), Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS), Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL), Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Sen. John Thune (R-SD), Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA), Sen. David Vitter (R-LA), Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS). Tags:Federal Appeals Court, healthcare mandate, unconstitutional, Obamacare, responsesTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Karen Brooks, NewsMax - Reuters reports: Nearly 250 new immigration laws and resolutions were enacted in 40 U.S. states during the first half of this year, indicating frustration with the federal government's handling of the issue, according to a new report.
The laws range from hiring restrictions to voter identification and allowing in-state tuition for illegal immigrants, according to the report released Tuesday by the National Conference of State Legislatures. . . .
"States are reacting to the federal government in inefficiency and they're trying to figure out how to deal with it -- good, bad and ugly," said Wendy Sefsaf, director of communications at the American Immigration Council, a Washington think tank. Immigration impacts every policy issue there is, and people are trying to figure out how to manage it, for better or for worse, because the federal government won't." . . .
* Ten states enacted legislation requiring businesses or contractors to use the government E-Verify program to ensure the legal status of workers.
* Five states -- Alabama, Georgia, Utah, Indiana and South Carolina -- enacted omnibus laws inspired by Arizona's 2010 law, which gave police the power to enforce immigration. All have been challenged in court. (Editing by Greg McCune) . . . [Full Story] Tags:immigration legislation, laws, states, 2011, illegal immigration, e-verifyTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
ARRA News Editor: Folks The following article is great news. But let's also review some modern Kansas political history which is also interesting. Recall that Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius (BIG-D-OBAMA-SUPPORTER) was the former Governor of Kansas from January 13, 2003 – April 28, 2009 before she climbed aboard the Obama train wreck in Washington as a key ObamaCare advocate.
Her seat as Governor was filled (April 28, 2009 – January 10, 2011) by then Democrat Lt Governor Mark V. Parkinson who had been a RINO and had served as Chairman of the Kansas Republican Party (1999 to 2003). In May 2006, Governor Kathleen Sebelius announced that Parkinson had switched to being a DemocRat and was her running mate for her reelection campaign. Interestingly, Parkinson had previously called Sebelius a "left-wing liberal Democrat" and claimed that any Republicans who supported her were "either insincere or uninformed." However, overcome by the object of his disaffection or at least some kool-aid, Parkinson joined femme fatale Sebelius.
Kansas having had enough of Benedict Arnold Parkinson, the Kansas voters replaced him with Republican Gov. Sam Brownback, a former Kansas US Representative and Kansas US Senator. Now the "worm turns" as detailed in the following article. Gov. Brownback has rejected DHHS Secretary and former Kansas Governor Sebelius' grant of #31 million to implement ObamaCare in Kansas. Kansas is also part of a 26-state federal lawsuit to overturn ObamaCare.
Thank you Kansas, Oklahoma and the other State Governors who have done what needed. The Untied States is broke! We do not have $31 million for Kansas, $54.6 million for Oklahoma and billions for all the other state to implement Obamacare.
Unfortunately there are a number of governors, like Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe BIG-D-OBAMA-SEBELIUS-SUPPORTER), who need to wake-up to the fact that mandating the purchasing of insurance is in itself unconstitutional. ObamaCare need to be repealed! by Karla Dial, Citizen Link: After receiving $31.5 million from the Obama administration in February, Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback announced it would be returned, saying there were too many strings attached.
The grant was awarded to Kansas as one of six “early innovators” that were developing insurance exchange models other states could follow when ObamaCare — the federal law requiring consumers to buy health insurance or pay a penalty — is fully implemented. But Brownback — who voted against the bill in the U.S. Senate and campaigned for the governor’s office saying he’d block it — said Kansas would be better off developing its own.
“There is much uncertainty surrounding the ability of the federal government to meet its already budgeted future spending obligations. Every state should be preparing for fewer federal resources, not more,” he said. “To deal with that reality, Kansas needs to maintain maximum flexibility. That requires freeing Kansas from the strings attached to the Early Innovator Grant.”
Pressure is growing among Republicans to block the federal health care law’s implementation. Kansas is part of a 26-state federal lawsuit to overturn ObamaCare.
Oklahoma rejected its $54.6 million grant in April. Tags:ObamaCare, Affordable Health Care Act, DHHS, grants, Kathleen Sebelius, Kansas, Okahoma, Arkansas, To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Thank the Lord for conservative women taking a stand in Congress. It is too bad that they have had to step forward to help save America from the Liberal Progressive Obama Travesty and the failures of men to do the right things to protect our American heritage. - Ozark Guru Video posted by Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-WA:
Tags:US House, Conservative, Republican, Women, excerpts, floor speeches, BBA, Balanced Budget Amendment, cutting spending, prioritizing spendingTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Senator John Cornyn, Chairman, National Republican Senatorial Committee: Truthfully, I never thought I’d hear Barack Obama say anything more outrageous than his empty campaign promise of “hope and change.” But that was before I heard the six words he uttered to a room full of fellow Democrats the day after closing the debt-ceiling deal:
Read his lips:"We’re not Even Halfway There Yet.
Notice: The liberal progressives are not even halfway there.
Obama and the Democrats have presided over one of the most staggering spending binges in American history, ramming through an astonishing 21.4% in federal spending increase in two years...doubling the deficit...growing the national debt from 40% to 70% of the economy (a debt bigger than China’s entire economy)...ramming through ObamaCare...flushing away $821 billion in “stimulus” money...
And what do President Obama and the Democrats have to show after spending nearly 25% of GDP for two years running? An anemic growth rate of 1.7%...an economy staggering toward a double-dip recession...and an unemployment rate of 9.1%. The only President in history with a worse job creation record is Herbert Hoover.
And they say they’re only halfway done.
I respectfully disagree. I think they’ve done plenty, thank you. And as Chairman of the NRSC, it is my job to make sure they are done...and my duty to ask you to click this link right now help me complete that job.
There is no question that we need to ensure that Barack Obama is a one term President. But equally important, we must remove the road block of Harry Reid and the Democratic-controlled Senate. Under their “leadership,” the road to rebuilding and restoring our nation will be blocked every inch of the way.
In short, we need a clean sweep in 2012. To accomplish this task, we just need to win 4 of the 23 seats that will be up in 2012. So while the odds are on our side, we absolutely cannot take anything for granted.
The President and the entire Democrat Senate caucus know they have a tough fight ahead. In fact, they’re already in full campaign - and fundraising - mode. And that is the one thing they’re very good at. So it’s not going to be an easy victory for us. Or a cheap one. They’re going to fight for their political lives.
But we cannot fail in this task. The President and his Senate Democrat friends are already promising to follow through on their threat to raise taxes. (Maybe that’s what they mean by being only halfway there!)
We must stop them. We cannot allow them to complete the “second half” of their campaign to bankrupt America. Contact the NRSC if you wish to contribute or help. Tags:Barack Obama, six words, threat, We’re not Even Halfway There Yet, Senator, John Cornyn, National Republican Senatorial Committee, NRSC, To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
ALG News Network:The amount of Americans who are without work or are underemployed is staggering. We did the math and you will be floored by what we came up with.
See for yourself.
Tags:Jobs, Unemployment,
New York City, New Mexico, Chicago, Butte, Montana, Idaho, Los Angeles, Houston, Obama, Underemployment, jobs, American Samoa, Nashville, Grand Ole Opry, San Diego, Liberty Bell, Philadelphia, TexasTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Formula for Total Destruction of the United States
Bill Smith, Editor: For all who still do not grasp the damage that third party candidates will do to America, the below cartoon my Tony Branco clearly illustrates the point. I challenge all who are lulled by those advocating alleged 3rd Party conservative candidates to look at both the people and the funding behind the proposed messaging for the candidate.
George Soros and the democratic progressive damage machine are actively working to splinter conservatives so as to assure a victory the incumbent failed president. Obviously, they are not openly advertising their effort. However, they will find people to do their dirty work sometimes without these people even knowing that they are being used. Many are unaware and distracted by the noticeable attack dogs. Remember the "devil comes as an angel of light" or at least in a form that will deceive others.
Populism is rampant. While independents and others may rightly argue that the GOP in the past has not always put forth the best options, where were these people in the decision making and support? Obviously, it was easier to let others take action. But, to focus on the past would only result in finger pointing right back. Let's just agree, thank God for an awakening especially via the groups like the TEA Parties.
While we are overrun with consequence of the Alinsky agenda and find it is difficult to focus on these numerous problems, we cannot lose track of the most critical issue. That critical issue is the complexity of the option for the 2012 presidential election: Obama or "Not Obama."
If you like the "change" that has occurred under Obama, vote for Obama, don't hide behind a 3rd Party candidate vote. If you disapprove of what has happened under Obama, understand that even if more people oppose Obama than support him in the 2012 Election, it will not matter at all if the "Not Obama" vote is fractured by third party candidates. The real result will be Obama wins.
Be assured, I support being conservative! But being conservative means different things to different people because the positions of many conservatives are based on outcomes and results verses a philosophy of principles and beliefs. That is why we have social conservatives, fiscal conservatives, economic conservatives, free market conservatives, smaller government conservatives, liberty conservatives, national defense conservatives, etc.
But being a conservative should not mean being stupid. And stupid is what the liberal progressives envision conservatives to be or hope that they will continue to be. They understand that conservative are sincere but they also know how to stroke the desired results when the conservative has no underlying principles or beliefs. They also believe that conservatives will most likely be unwilling o lay aside their differences to unite in a common effort to stop Obama. Yes, they know conservatives will focus on the negatives of the Obama agenda, but believe they lack the fortitude to unite to stop Obama. Notice how they even stir up issues on Fox News by pushing libertarian verses non-libertarian issues. They seek to separate conservatives by labeling results. If they are right, we are doomed.
Thus, the Democratic Progressive Liberal machine will continue to work to control their supporters while encouraging the rise of other splinter parties and candidates among conservatives. The supportive liberal news media will build up candidates and then tear them down in an effort to keep people from backing specific candidates in too large of numbers. While stopping conservative viewpoints on the liberal media, they have actively penetrated the "fair and balanced" cable news with liberals to promote their message and to mock conservatives. The goal is frustration and discouragement. Their liberal progressive agenda is to provoke conservatives to do what they have proven best at doing: to focus on their differences verses their common enemy.
Note how "the big money" today is currently tracking Obama and not other candidates. This is not because Obama is the best for America or that Obama is the most popular. The reason is because Obama is the incumbent and the very wealthy do not yet smell a loss in the winds for Obama. It is a situation which has played out many times in American history especially when people focused on populism verses principles. Barring George Soros efforts to be a king maker, the wealthy tend to back the person whom they perceive will be the winner.
Conservatives and independents are fractured. Conservative tribalism is destructive. As noted in history, the Native American Indians remained fractured, avoided and fought each other. As a result, small numbers of American military were able to penetrate and defeat them. It is more than obvious that Conservatives must be united if Obama is to be defeated.
Let's refocus on the most important point. The person who controls the entire Administration of the Federal Government is the President of the United States. Our current president does not evidence a love of America but instead seeks to reduce its stature as the greatest nation in the World by pushing the progressive liberal agenda which destroys individual freedom and liberty. Should Obama continue as president? If not, then we had best comprehend the truth summarized in the "Formula for Total Destruction" of the United States pictured by A.F. Branco:
Tags:3rd Party, GOP, Media picks the republican, Obama, Obama campaign, obama; deception; seduction; constitution, conservatives, Bill Smith, A.F. BrancoTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Credit Downgrade Should Remind D.C. Politicians That They Are Mere Mortals, By Adam Bitely – The political class in Washington got a wake up call late Aug. 5 — they are just as mortal as the rest of humanity. For some strange reason, many of the political elite were astounded that Standard and Poor’s would downgrade the U.S. credit rating. What seems so obvious to so many people, appears to be a foreign concept to those in D.C..
When a nation has over $14 trillion in debt, and increases their borrowing limit by over $2 trillion over a year and a half, and only vows to cut about $1 trillion over a decade, it’s no wonder that a credit ratings agency would downgrade the U.S. credit rating. But what is most important here is the lesson that some politicians might finally learn from this incident — and that is that the political elite in Washington have to abide by the same rules as everybody else. . . . Read more
Rick Santelli: If Not For Tea Party, U.S. Would Be Rated BBB "You know what leadership means? It means that it doesn't really matter what S&P says. We all know deep inside that no country is the same as it was 5 years ago. And the market seems to be okay with it. And as for stocks going down we were already Ralph Cramden (of Honeymooners) on thin ice. Now an infant jumped on our shoulders. It’s just even more weight.
"In the end, in the end we need to address problems we know exist. A Treasury Secretary or a President should be out here not fighting S&P, not grabbing the other coach and slapping him around, taking the umpire behind the barn. He should be getting the team psyched to overcome.
"See I remember I had a professor in college. I wrote a great paper. Could never please this guy. But it made me better. Okay? We’re better than this. Don’t get caught up in the minutia. All this BS. We’re better than this. We need to prove it. We’re off the track. Whether we're better than some other country or not, the real issue is we're on the wrong path.
"Blame the Tea Party? Geez, no wonder Kerry did so well in an election. If it wasn't for the Tea Party, they would have passed the debt ceiling thumbs up, we would have been rated BBB." Tags:Credit Downgrade, Democrats, Political Cartoons, Sanity Downgrade, Tea Party Movement, U.S. Credit Rating, William Warren, Washington, wake up call, Stand and Poor, Rick Santelli, videoTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
by the Looking Spoon: Obama Teams Up With Dow Jones To Restore Certainty To Private Sector.
Tags:Barack Obama, Dow Jones, Looking Glass, political cartoon, To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Question for The Huffington Post: Where are copies of Barack Obama's College Transcripts? Gary Bauer, Contributing Author: There is a very revealing report in Politico today. Obama's reelection campaign is growing increasingly desperate. The hope is gone. And Obama is no longer the change candidate, but the status quo candidate. The 2012 campaign will be about fear and the politics of personal destruction.
The Obama team is assuming that former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney will be the eventual GOP nominee. Their campaign strategy is simple, and the story's headline says it all -- "Obama plan: Destroy Romney." Consider this excerpt: "Barack Obama's aides and advisers are preparing to center the president's reelection campaign on a ferocious personal assault on Mitt Romney's character and business background… The dramatic and unabashedly negative turn is the product of political reality. …And so the candidate who ran on 'hope' in 2008 has little choice four years later but to run a slashing, personal campaign…"
As I have warned for months, Obama's reelection campaign is going to be brutal and ugly. Everyone recognizes that America is at a crossroads. Difficult decisions will have to be made in the next few years, and the left is desperate to maintain power. It will do anything to reelect Obama.
It doesn't matter who the GOP nominates. Take that paragraph above, remove Romney's name and replace it with your favorite candidate. We are living through Jimmy Carter's second term. With that kind of a record to run on, Obama's only hope of reelection is to destroy his opponent with "ferocious personal assaults" in a "slashing campaign." Whoever wins the nomination will face a billion-dollar "fear and smear" machine. The left plays hardball.
While Obama gave rousing speeches and did his best to appear moderate, his political allies were slinging mud from the gutter. Remember the New York Times hit piece that falsely accused Sen. John McCain of having an affair with a lobbyist? Remember how the Tea Party movement was accused of racism for opposing ObamaCare and more recently of "financial terrorism"? We know how the media treated Sarah Palin, and we can see how they are savaging Michele Bachmann now.
Last week the Huffington Post published Rick Perry's college transcripts. Governor Perry isn't even a candidate yet, but somehow his transcripts became public information. Perhaps in the interest of journalist integrity and balance, the crack investigative team at the Huffington Post will find Obama's transcripts! I won't hold my breath. Tags:Barack Obama, smear machine, tea party downgrade, leftist agenda, Gary BauerTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Obama Administration Again Sidestepping Congress, This Time On Education
SAMUEL ADAMS
by Sam Adams MMIV: Politico reports yesterday, “Seeing ‘no clear path’ toward reauthorizing the “No Child Left Behind” education law, the Obama administration will unilaterally issue waivers to states, exempting them from some of the law’s regulations. . . . The announcement comes months after President Barack Obama called on Congress to deliver legislation to his desk by September that fixed the Bush-era law. But as the calendar moves closer to Obama’s deadline, the House and Senate have moved on separate paths at a pace the White House says is not nearly fast enough.”
This announcement from the Obama administration is yet another example of a troubling trend from this White House where they decide to simply ignore or sidestep Congress when it doesn’t approve their policy preferences.
Back in April, a draft executive order leaked from the White House would have allowed the Obama administration to implement parts of the partisan bill written to stymie political speech, the DISCLOSE Act, after it failed to get through the Senate. As a source for former FEC Commissioner Hans von Spakovsky’s report observed at the time, “It really is amazing — they lost in the Supreme Court, they lost in Congress, they lost at the FEC, so now the president is just going to do it by edict.”
As Sen. John Thune (R-SD) said in May, these are all “examples of regulatory agencies that are trying to pursue agendas that they can't get accomplished through the political process here on Capitol Hill.” The Obama administration agenda has been leaning toward establishing a dictatorial state verses living within the guidelines established for our Republic. And while the agency pursues these efforts, the President lectures and derides the American people attacking
---------- Sam Adams MMIV is the pen name for an un-named beltway source. While receiving information from many sources, this Sam's words sometimes need to be credited. Thanks to all the Adams patriots who speak up for America. Tags:Sam Adams MMIV, Obama Administration, overstepping, rights, process, procedures, laws, executive orders, sidestepping Congress, education, No Child Left Behind, waiversTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
The following image is being passed around the Internet. Received a copy today from a faithful reader. It was both too good to pass up posting. Today, it represents the situation created by the Obama Administration for the United States.
Tags:illustration, satire, Obama Administration, no cash, no hope, Ronald Reagan, Bob Hope, Johnny CashTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
But I refuse to be pessimistic. America has what it takes to rise above her current difficulties. We need to let loose the free enterprise system by instituting pro-growth policies to get people to believe in America again. A growing economy will spur businesses to invest and hire more workers, build consumer confidence, and boost tax revenues to reduce the national debt.
We know what policies are needed. In the July issues of Commentary, historian John Gordon Steele offered solutions to anemic economic growth and job creation
First, we should develop the tremendous natural resources available in the U.S.:
Opening up exploration and drilling in areas where it is now forbidden would create hundreds of thousands of jobs, significantly increase economic growth, and do wonders for the country’s balance of trade, reducing oil imports dramatically. The Bakken tight-oil field in North Dakota has already given that state the lowest unemployment rate in the country.
Second, we must stop lawsuit abuse:
Reforming the American legal system to promote growth, instead of lawyers’ incomes and special-interest-group agendas, would have a highly positive effect on GDP growth and job creation.
Third, we must reduce stifling taxes and regulations.
For more pro-growth ideas, last week, Chamber President and CEO, Tom Donohue listed "five steps officials in Washington should take immediately to spur faster hiring in America’s private sector."
Let me conclude with Steele writing, "there is really no alternative to pursuing policies that encourage economic growth through private action by liberating the forces of the free market." The economic signs are as plain as day. Our leaders need to make economic growth a priority and advance the right policies to accomplish that. Tags:Washington, D.C., United States, economy, economic growth, jobs, free markets, To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
One Commentator's View: "Look on the bright side, now that American has been downgraded, Iran no longer calls us the “Great Satan” just and “Average Satan.” Tags:A.F. Branco, political cartoon, downgrade, Obama, U.S. Credit Rating, Obamageddon credit To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Tinkering around the edges won't solve the problem. Clearly, we need to try something bolder. Even the Italians, with bigger debt problems than ours, are moving to amend their constitution to require a balanced budget. It's time the U.S. did the same. We need to cut more, cap lower, and send a Balanced Budget Amendment to the states for ratification.
Americans are over-taxed and out of work, but Washington continues to spend more than it takes in while hindering American job creation and economic growth. The uncertainty caused by our debt problems has dampened our economy, but it's not the only thing holding back job creation. Our tax code needs reform to make us more competitive in the world market. We need a pro-American energy policy that makes use of the resources at our disposal. We also need regulatory relief. In July alone, the Obama administration proposed 229 new rules and finalized 379. These additions to the growing mountain of federal regulation will have an economic cost of $9.5 billion and countless jobs.
We have to get Washington out of the way to get the economy moving again. The way forward is clear -- cut spending, cut red tape, and force Washington to balance its budget. Tags:RSC, Republican Study Committee, Jim Jordan, national credit rating, jobsTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
RNC Delegates Oppose NPV Efforts to Change Electoral College
Bill Smith, Editor, ARRA News Service: The founders of our country and the creators of the US Constitution, understood that one of the major dangers to the Republic was mob rule. They also helped to protect protect states with less populations from being overpowered by states with larger populations.They di so in part by establishing the Electoral College system for selecting the President of the Unites States.
The Electoral College is administered by the National Archives and Records Administration. The Electoral College is "not a place but a process." The Electoral College was established by the founding fathers as a compromise between election of the president by Congress and election by popular vote. The people of the United States vote for the electors who then vote for the President.
In an effort to water down and change the Constitutionally established Electoral College, liberal progressives have been advancing a notion alled the National Popular Vote which would result in states surrendering their Electoral College vote. As detailed in a prior article last year, "A group called National Popular Vote (NPV) is pushing state legislatures to enter into a compact that calls for them to allocate their electoral votes in a particular presidential election to the candidate who gets the most votes nationwide rather than to the contender who gets the most votes in their state. NPV argues that the legislation "would reform the Electoral College so that the electoral vote reflects the choice of the nation's voters" for president."
In another ARRA News Service article, it was identified that Arkansas dallied with this proposed item and fortunately it died in the Arkansas Senate after being passed by the Arkansas House. At that time, after 135 years of political control in Arkansas, Democrats were willing to surrender the people's votes to the East and west coast liberal agenda. . . .
As an example, if Bill Clinton had won the majority vote in Arkansas for President but had not won the most votes nationwide, then Arkansas electoral votes would NOT have been voted for Bill Clinton. In the last presidential election, the peoples of Arkansas voted in the majority (58.72%) for John McCain and 38.86% voted for Barack Obama and 2.42% voted for other people. Arkansas casts it electoral college votes for John McCain in accordance with the majority vote. However, under the proposed bill, the electoral college votes would have been awarded to Barrack Obama because he won California, New York and other highly populated states. . . .
It was never intended for the President to be elected by popular vote but that the votes by the states should be weighted (thus the electoral votes) thus providing a more fair playing field to represent all of the people of the United States. Only four times in history (1824, 1876, 1888 and 2000) has the electoral college vote not also resulted in the same outcome as the general national popular vote; when more of the people in a larger geographic areas of the US supported a different president than those voting from the highly dense populated areas. The electoral college worked. Much of the reaction to change the electoral college by the democrats is in reaction to the failure of Al Gore to win the presidency. But even in the 2000 Arkansas election, Gore in spite of the fact that President Clinton campaigned in Arkansas for Gore. Bush received 51% of the vote, Gore 46%, Others 3%. . . . This proposed action has been one of the major actions items at the Democratic National Committee . . . .
On Friday, August 5th, members of the Republican National Committee met in Tampa, Florida. In addition to their usual agenda items overseeing the direction of the RNC and reviewing the national activities of the National Republican Party, they were confronted by the discussion advanced by a limited number of left of center Republicans concerning the National Popular Vote initiative. To address this situation, a resolution opposing the National Popular Vote initiative was put forth to the committee. No members voted in support of the NPV agenda. All members voting, except one, voted for a resolution opposing the NPV. One member voted present. And, the chief advocate who precipitated the need for the resolution opposing the NPV discussion skipped out on the vote as detailed latter.
"The popular vote initiative is an attempt to solve a problem we don’t have, but it will create problems we don’t want,” said Tennessee RNC member John Ryder.
Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus and other officials said their aim was to send a message to state legislatures around the country that that the GOP is dead set against switching to a national popular vote to elect the president and unalterably opposed to ditching the Constitution’s mandate for an electoral college vote count to decide presidential elections.
It was disturbing to learn that a past candidate (twice defeated) for the RNC chairmanship, Saul Anuzis, was behind the effort pushing for the RNC to support NPV. "Michigan RNC member Saul Anuzis, identified himself as the leader of a small group on the national committee who supported the popular vote change." He told the The Washington Times "that he and five others on the national committee had 'expressed that support and at least 20 were open and undecided, but not willing to take any hits for something they didn’t care that much about.'" No names just innuendos were identified by Anuzis. He did not make his vote public but instead opted to leave before the resolution was voted on.
According to The Washington Times reporter Ralph Z. Hallow, Anuzis "left the Marriott Tampa Waterside ballroom before the vote on the resolution, telling people on his way out that he had a plane to catch." He later claimed in an email that, “It’s [NPV's] now on everyone’s radar and that’s good.”
Saul Anuzis has twice tried to gain the Chairmanship of the Republican National Committee. Anuzis is now on "everyone's radar and that's good." Anyone, including Saul Anuzis, who supports inane populism concept right out of the progressive playbook, has no place being the RNC Chairman. Tags:RNC, RNC Committee, Reince Priebus, Tampa, Florida, NPV, National Popular Vote, Electoral College, liberal agenda, Saul AnuzisTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
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