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)
Monday, April 07, 2008
RIP Charlton Heston - Dead at 84
Charlton Heston known to all of us for his epic films died Saturday at his home in Beverly Hills, California at the Age of 84. Although a Democrat for many years, he became a Republican after Democrats in the Senate blocked the confirmation of Judge Robert Bork, a conservative, to the Supreme Court in 1987. Mr. Heston had supported the nomination and was critical of the Reagan White House for misreading the depth of the liberal opposition. Mr. Heston frequently spoke out against what he saw as evidence of the decline and debasement of American culture. We hope he is has both found peace and is continues to be full of life in the Eternal Arena.
See Also:Charlton Heston, Epic Film Star and Voice of N.R.A., Dies at 84- appeared in some 100 films in his 60-year acting career but remembered chiefly for his monumental, jut-jawed portrayals of Moses, Ben-Hur and Michelangelo . . . The same quality made Mr. Heston an effective spokesman, off screen, for the causes he believed in. Late in life he became a staunch opponent of gun control. Elected president of the National Rifle Association in 1998, he proved to be a powerful campaigner against what he saw as the government’s attempt to infringe on a constitutional guarantee — the right to bear arms. In Mr. Heston, the N.R.A. found its embodiment of pioneer values — pride, independence and valor. In a speech at the N.R.A.’s annual convention in 2000, he brought the audience to its feet with a ringing attack on gun-control advocates. Paraphrasing an N.R.A. bumper sticker (“I’ll give you my gun when you take it from my cold, dead hands”), he waved a replica of a colonial musket above his head and shouted defiantly, “From my cold, dead hands!” . . . [Read More] Tags:Charlton Heston, Christian Conservative, gun rights, movie, NRA, RepublicanTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
As Hillary Clinton came under increasing scrutiny for her story about facing sniper fire in Bosnia, one question that arose was whether she has engaged in a pattern of lying. The now-retired general counsel and chief of staff of the House Judiciary Committee, who supervised Hillary when she worked on the Watergate investigation, says Hillary’s history of lies and unethical behavior goes back farther – and goes much deeper – than anyone realizes.
Jerry Zeifman, a lifelong Democrat, supervised the work of 27-year-old Hillary Rodham on the committee. Hillary got a job working on the investigation at the behest of her former law professor, Burke Marshall, who was also Sen. Ted Kennedy’s chief counsel in the Chappaquiddick affair. When the investigation was over, Zeifman fired Hillary from the committee staff and refused to give her a letter of recommendation – one of only three people who earned that dubious distinction in Zeifman’s 17-year career.
Why? “Because she was a liar,” Zeifman said in an interview last week. “She was an unethical, dishonest lawyer. She conspired to violate the Constitution, the rules of the House, the rules of the committee and the rules of confidentiality.” . . . [Read
More]
Also check out:8/19/1999 NY Post article Hillary Rodham's 1974 Watergate "Procedures were Ethically Flawed" Jerry (Jerome) Zeifman [Person cited above] Tags:Election 2008, Health and Human Services, HHS, Hillary Clinton, President George Bush, pro-life Jerry Zeifman, liar, Richard Nixon, WatergateTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Tony Perkins, Washington Update: When it comes to education, more parents may consider themselves pro-school-choice after reading the sobering new report about U.S. dropout rates. The America's Promise Alliance found that less than half of the students in 17 of the nation's 50 largest cities graduate from high school. In Detroit, the number of graduates is almost non-existent. Only 24.9% receive their diplomas in the Motor City, followed by 30.5% in Indianapolis and 34.1% in Cleveland. And the number of "dropout factories" is growing. In the words of former Secretary of State Colin Powell, "When more than one million students a year drop out of high school, it's more than a problem-it's a catastrophe." While the report should serve as an indictment of the public school system, many in the educational establishment refuse to see it for what it is-the greatest justification for real school choice. In Saturday's Wall Street Journal, Jason Riley chronicles the success of the charter school movement and refutes the notion that it would be better to "de-emphasize choice" in favor of improving the current system. "The reality," writes Riley, "is that the former fuels the latter... School choice is clearly making a difference for the better, which justifies expanding it-not abandoning it." To read the entire piece about the importance of empowering parents, click the link below. See Also:School Choice - Now More Than Ever [Wall Street Journal] Tags:dropout, high school, Public Schools, school choice, Tony Perkins, Washington UpdateTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: Some background: After crude oil costs, taxes are the second largest contributor to the price paid at the pump. Together Federal and State excise taxes on fuel account for an average cost of approximately 62 cents per gallon (cpg) . Rates include Federal excise taxes 18.4 cpg for gasoline and 24.4 cpg for diesel. Arkansas charges 40.2 cpg for gasoline and 47.2 cpg for diesel. In addition, Arkansas also charges a .3 cpg environmental assurance fee for underground storage tank fund. While Arkansas is by far not the highest, they have just passed an increased severance tax on natural gas to be used to help funds Arkansas highways and roads.
The four House members from Arkansas on Thursday called for congressional hearings into the high cost of diesel fuel that is harming top trucking firms in the state. The written request to top Democrats on the House Energy and Commerce Committee comes as diesel prices hover near a record $4 per gallon. . . . "As businesses across the country are forced to absorb the cost of surging diesel prices, it can be expected that the burden will ultimately fall on the consumer," the lawmakers wrote. " . . . It is imperative that Congress examine the ripple effects caused by record high diesel fuel prices."The delegation's action follows a March decision by the Arkansas Trucking Association to press for congressional hearings on the impact of high diesel prices.The trucking association represents 84,000 Arkansans and more than 300 corporations. They include J.B. Hunt Transport Services, ABF Freight System and USA Truck.
Yes, the high cost of diesel fuel is affecting the economy. Does anyone remember when diesel prices were lower than gasoline prices? The Congressmen's concerns can also be applied the high cost of gasoline. High gasoline prices are impacting the economy because citizens are paying more for gas and have less on discretionary money to by goods and services, travel to and with family, participate in recreation or trips, etc. In addition, low income wage earners and people on fixed incomes are significantly affected!
It is time for Arkansas' four "concerned" Congressmen to do something for their constituents that could quickly impact prices at the pump within Arkansas. They could join together and call for public meetings in Arkansas with state officials starting with with Arkansas Governor Beebe. With the significant increases in excess revenue generated by a myriad of Arkansas taxes, it is time for an emergency (even if temporary) reduction in the Arkansas taxes collected on gasoline and diesel fuel. We need relief -- now!Tags:Arkansas, diesel fuel, gasoline, gasoline tax, Representative, the economy, US Congress, Bill SmithTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
This week Army General David Petreaus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker return to testify to Congress about military and political progress in Iraq. On The Senate Floor: The Senate will resume consideration of H.R. 3221, the vehicle for the housing bill. A substitute amendment containing compromise language worked out by Sens. Dodd and Shelby is the basis for debate. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has filed cloture (scheduled for Tuesday) on the Dodd-Shelby substitute amendment and on the underlying bill.
From Senate & News Sources: Sens. Lindsey Graham (R) and Joe Lieberman (D) have a must-read op-ed on Iraq in The Wall Street Journal emphasizing the security improvements and political reconciliation that the surge has fostered.
On security improvements: “Al Qaeda in Iraq has been swept from its former strongholds in Anbar province and Baghdad. The liberation of these areas was made possible by the surge, which empowered Iraqi Muslims to reject the Islamist extremists who had previously terrorized them into submission. Any time Muslims take up arms against Osama bin Laden, his agents and sympathizers, the world is a safer place.”
On the political reconciliation: “In recent months, the Iraqi government, encouraged by our Ambassador in Iraq, Ryan Crocker, has passed benchmark legislation on such politically difficult issues as de-Baathification, amnesty, the budget and provincial elections. After boycotting the last round of elections, Sunnis now stand ready to vote by the millions in the provincial elections this autumn.”
On reflexive opponents of the surge: “Unable to make the case that the surge has failed, antiwar forces have adopted a new set of talking points, emphasizing the ‘costs’ of our involvement in Iraq, hoping to exploit Americans' current economic anxieties. Today's antiwar politicians have effectively turned John F. Kennedy's inaugural address on its head, urging Americans to refuse to pay any price, or bear any burden, to assure the survival of liberty.”
Unfortunately, Democrats seem determined to deny all these achievements. The AP said Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joe Biden (D-DE) “declared last year's troop buildup in Iraq a failure.” However, The Washington Post today quotes Biden admitting, “The biggest mistake we could make is politicizing this, looking at this in terms of political advantage.” CQ Today notes the litany of Democrat criticisms prepared for Gen. Petraeus which range from denying there has been progress at all, to ignoring important benchmarks being met, to moving the goalposts in complaining that laws passed have yet to be implemented.
Meanwhile, the White House is likely this week to submit the Colombia Free Trade Agreement to Congress which begins the countdown clock for consideration and a vote in the House and Senate under fast-track trade negotiating rules. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates have op-eds today explaining the importance of the Colombia agreement from a security, economic, and political perspective. Also, Kenneth Duberstein, former Reagan White House chief of staff, and Thomas McLarty, former Clinton White House chief of staff, have an WSJ op-ed on “the need to restore a bipartisan consensus in favor of free trade” and the Colombia agreement. Tags:Columbia, General David Petraeus, housing assistance, Iraq War, US Congress, US House, US Senate, Washington D.C.To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
"Sacrifice" details how John McCain, like so many Americans who have answered our Nation's call in combat, understands that glory belongs to the act of being constant to something greater than yourself, to a cause, to your principles, to the people on whom you rely, and who rely on you in return.
Tags:Election 2008, John Mccain, military service, political video, SacrificeTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Bill Clinton Tax Returns Reveals Third World Type Greed
by Steven Nikitas, Ft. Hard Knox: . . . release of tax information that showed that Bill and Hillary Clinton earned a whopping $109 million in the years 2000 through 2007. . . . In the tax filing, it is reported that Bill Clinton has earned more than $51 MILLION in speaking fees alone since he left office. Does anyone remember the absolute explosion of indignation when Republican Ronald Reagan gave one speech in Japan after he left office for $75,000? No, that doesn’t jog the memory.
Bill Clinton reported more than $30 million from book sales, most notably from his cut-and-paste autobiography My Life, while Hillary had book revenues of $10 million. Add up speaking fees, book sales and all their extraneous incomes like Hill’s US Senate salary and Bill’s prez pension and it comes to… $94 million. Which doesn’t quite add up to $109 million. So what is going on here?
What is going on is that Billary are hiding $15 million in income, a tactic strangely reminiscent of the evil rich Republicans that Democrats like the Clintons have been warning us about since they left small-time corruption behind in Arkansas and headed for the big show in Washington and beyond. And most troubling is that the Clintons’ hidden income reportedly is tied to his dealings with billionaire American supermarket magnate Ron Burkle and the oil-rich Middle Eastern nation of Dubai. And this convenient threesome simply represents Bill Clinton (again) selling out his political influence for millions while the usual media ‘wealth watchdogs’ will remain silent. After all, it is their wealth we are talking about now.
What we are witnessing with the Clintons is a third-world form of greed, part of a big movement in “wealth appropriation” to people on the political left. Here in America, as jobs are shipped overseas, as our energy supply is restricted by environmentalists, and as the economy shrinks, socialists are making life more and more difficult for new “wealth creation” by imposing more and more taxation, regulation, enviro restrictions, union demands and bureaucracy on new capitalist enterprises. Meanwhile, Clinton and his friend Al Gore, and thousands like them, are getting richer and richer as the people of America get poorer and poorer. . . . [Read More] Tags:Bill Clinton, Ft Hard Knox, income tax returnsTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Poverty in Arkansas but Government saving US with Liberalism
"I grew up in the Delta and I need to start reminding folks of the truths of why we are so Economically distressed. Yes it does fall back onto Fat Cat politicians protecting their farm labor force, ie cheap regulated workforce in maintained poverty." - Harvey Edwards Excerpt of article by Harvey Edwards, Stuttgart, Arkansas: We are the poorest of poor with the richest of rich politicians. Therein lies the coorelation of our delima. Big Government has formed a feel good program administered by Congress in the form of The Delta Regional Authority. All aspects of their program involves rhetoric rather than action. Their own website has such feel good statements as “The Delta Regional Authority is involved in numerous efforts to improve the lives of the people it serves” and one of my favorites “The authority has launched a major diabetes awareness and prevention program, serving people in all 240 counties and parishes of the region.” . . .
It is obvious to see that the Government should get out of these feel good programs and rely on the business sector to put folks to work. If a person needs funded diabetes awareness programs, it is still because too many have been left behind and don’t even have proper nutritional habits. They just cant afford good nutrition. . . . We are an Agricultural region that depends on cheap or illegal immigrant workers to even turn a profit on the farms. The Farmers cant be blamed, they are at the mercy of price controls on their seeds and chemicals to the point that they are lucky to break even in a good year. Many Farms are folding as we speak. Without our economic muscle , the manufacturing and textile and other small business we are doomed to failure no matter how much so called grants or Subsidies go into the region. Subsidies are another word for Welfare since it is tax dollars going to prop up a failing business.
When will we let developers have some incentive to come in and build our economy. No, we had rather tax large and small business to the point that they would rather go somewhere, anywhere else. Our Government has made their exit easier with NAFTA and other trade agreements. The Official line is that this is good for America. Bull, Tell that to the rice farmer who cant sell his rice to Mexico but has to buy chemicals and seeds manufactured by American Companies in Mexico and other countries.using other than American Labor. . . .
Our State level Government at the Senate and House along with Mayors and Governor need to take a step back, yes back. See what part they are taking in continuing our backwards development and open their eyes to what they can do in spite of their special interests. Its simple, Incentives to Small and large business to stay and grow in Arkansas or other affected areas and to NOT tax them as a way of welcoming them. Put American people to work . Give them back some of the self respect that Government has taken away. . . . [Read More] Tags:Arkansas, Arkansas Delta, big government, Mississippi Delta, povertyTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
A PA judge sentenced 4 young men who committed armed robbery to learn English, get GEDs and get jobs. According to an immigration attorney, having to learn English is "absolutely un-American" and a "really onerous task".
Please notice, everyone talks about poor robbers having to go to jail if they don't learn English.
Going to jail would NOT be for not learnig English -- IT WOULD BE FOR HAVING COMMITTED ARMED ROBBERY!
Plus, not taking up the judge on the very generous bargain!
Tags:armed robbery, English, illegal immigrants, robbers, videoTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Contrary to the claims last year of Sen. Barack Obama, it was never the financial services industry (in my experience) that lobbied for easier lending terms. Rather it was politicians who sought easier lending regulations so more constituents could borrow. Community activists (Mr. Obama’s occupation before becoming an elected official) also put on the pressure.
And as Heritage scholar Ronald Utt details, the government’s drive to increase homeownership rates is at the heart of the current financial crisis. After mortgage lenders lowered their standards so credit-impaired borrowers could afford larger loans (usually including no down payment, interest-only payments and negative amortization), homeownership did soar from a historical average of 64% to 69% in 2004. But along with the increased homeownership came a ballooning of the share of “subprime” loans in the overall mortgage market. In 2001 these loans accounted for just $330 billion or 15% of all residential mortgages. By 2006 there were $1.4 trillion of these loans accounting for 48% of all residential mortgages.
Things started to go south for subprime borrowers when housing prices began to fall. As many subprime borrowers found their house worth less than what they owed the bank, the percentage of delinquent borrowers soared to 17%. Many are hopeful that the bottom has been reached and that the market will soon revive, but this seems unlikely. As a consequence, the homeownership rate is likely to fall from its record levels near 69% to something closer to the long-term historic norm of 64%. Under the circumstances, government policies should focus on cost-effective ways to facilitate the transition to a sustainable housing market of fewer homeowners and/or lower home prices, as opposed to a costly exercise to prop up the inflated and unsustainable market that characterized 2004 to 2006. The sole role of government in this process is to ensure that markets are functioning, that full and accurate information is available, and that contracts are honored . . . [Read More] Tags:Barack Obama, Heritage Foundation, home ownership, Morning Bell, subprime, the economy, The FoundryTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Tags:campaign ad, economy, Election 2008, John McCain, political video, presidential candidate, taxesTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Two Muslum countries, Indonesia and Pakastan, have already taken action to block YouTube, for making available the anti-radical Islamic film, Fitna, by a Dutch politician Geert Wilders. The 16 minute film includes a mix of images of terror attacks, verses from the Koran, and menacing quotes by radical clerics and others. The film has also drew criticism from the Arab League and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). As well as banning Wilders’ film, hardline Muslims called for the death of the Dutch legislator for producing a film critical of their faith at a protest in the outside the Dutch embassy in Jakarta. The film, Fitna, the Arabic word for “religious discord”, accuses the Koran of inciting violence. It appears, Wilders has clearly made his point by the reactions of the governments and the actions of individuals. Today, it was reported in Brussels, Belgium that Malaysian supermarkets have begun a boycott of Dutch products following the recent release of the film. Also See:The Film Vs. The Faith and Terrorism -- Radical Islam’s Faith-Based InitiativeTags:Arab League, Fitna, Geert Wilders, Indonesia, Islamist, Muslim, Pakistan, YouTubeTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
On The Floor: The Senate Resumed consideration of H.R. 3221, the vehicle for the housing bill. A substitute amendment containing compromise language worked out by Sens. Dodd and Shelby is the basis for debate. Amendments to the bill by Sens. George Voinovich (R-OH) and Mary Landrieu (D-LA) were accepted. Senate rejected the Durbin amendment which would have allowed bankruptcy judges to modify mortgage agreements. Amendments by Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) to add another $100 million for housing counseling to the bill and by Republican Whip Jon Kyl (R-AZ) to index for inflation the capital gains tax exclusion for selling a primary residence both failed on budget points of order.
Senate approved a resolution honoring the sacrifice of those killed in service in Iraq and Afghanistan.
From Senate & News Sources: Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, Sens. Dick Lugar (R-IN), Thad Cochran (R-MS), Tom Coburn (R-OK), Mike Crapo (R-ID), and Johnny Isakson (R-GA) unveiled the recommendations of the Fiscal Reform Working Group yesterday. The Heritage Foundation has posted the group’s report. According to The Hill, the plan was not received well by leading Democrats. Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Robert Byrd (D-WV) “excoriat[ed] the plan.”
In advance of next week’s testimony on Capitol Hill by General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker, the AP reports that a new National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) “says there has been significant progress in security [in Iraq] since the last assessment was delivered in August.” Unfortunately, Democrats apparently aren’t interested in hearing about political and military progress in Iraq. Though the NIE cites “significant progress,” Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE), Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, told The Washington Post that he “was discouraged” by the new NIE. Politico reports that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi “warned Army Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker on Thursday not to ‘put a shine on recent events’ in Iraq when they testify before Congress next week. Are Democrats really saying they can’t handle positive news from Iraq? Tags:fiscal reform, General David Petraeus, housing assistance, Iraq, Ryan Crocker, US Congress, US House, US Senate, Washington D.C.To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Blogs 4 Borders! 033108: 100% Preventable! Americans continue to pay the bloody price for open borders. When will the madness end? And kidnapping: a defeated crime in America revived by our cheerful invaders.
Tags:Blogs for Borders, crimes, illegal immigrants, kidnappers, videoTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
by Tony Perkins, Washington Update: The military follows congressional orders. Unfortunately for Defense Secretary Robert Gates, the House leadership does not. Earlier this year, the Pentagon refused a request by Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) to bring her lesbian partner on a military flight to Europe. Under House rules, only a legal spouse (or, in some instances, an adult child) is eligible to travel with members of Congress when space permits. Baldwin, who claims to have "married" Lauren Azar in 1998, insists on registering her girlfriend as a "spouse" on government forms even though her own home state doesn't recognize same-sex marriage. Secretary Gates insisted that he was following Congress's own protocol in blocking Azar from the transport, but that didn't prevent Pelosi from contacting his office and demanding that he make an exception. According to Pelosi, former Speaker Dennis Hastert authorized similar trips. His former aides, however, disagree, saying that in at least one instance Hastert wasn't informed that Azar was on a trip "until it had already begun." Gates too was unaware of any prior exceptions but said that he would honor Pelosi's request if she issued an official letter approving it. Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell points to the irony of the Speaker wanting to waive her own rules to create gay-friendly exceptions. "This is not an issue of DOD regulations," Morrell says. "Secretary Gates honored a request from Speaker Pelosi but that's really as far as it goes. This should not be viewed as a precedent." Tell that to the Speaker of the House. Although the matter was temporarily resolved, the dispute is ongoing. There is more behind this than a seat on a military plane, this is about hijacking the meaning of marriage. It is clear that the Speaker's actions are in direct conflict with the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)--a law that Congress passed and former President Bill Clinton signed. Call the Speaker's office at 225-0100 and ask her to respect the government's policy on marriage: Congressional Directory Tags:DOD, DOMA, House Speaker, lesbian, military, Nancy Pelosi, Robert Gates, Tony Perkins, Washington UpdateTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
CNN: Citizen's Against Government Waste Congressional Pig Book.
Congress is still involved in billions of pork barrel spending. The Pig Book, a report by Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) exposes the worst abusers in 2007 who apparently believe that government which governs best is government that earmarks most. Over 11,610 pet projects were squeezed into spending bills last year. The final cost to taxpayers is around $17.2 billion!
Tags:CAGW, Congressional Pork, earmarks, pork-barrel spenders, US Congress, videoTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Hat Tip to Bob Parks for his report on this media fraud: The liberal blogs are all in a collective, but cautious twitter over the UK Independent's edition which calls our current economic recession "USA 2008: The Great Depression". I've been saying for weeks now that leftist politicians, punditry, electorate, and media are talking down the economy purely for political advantage this November.
But there's more to the rise in food stamp acquisition and usage that the Independent failed to check before creating all this drama.
The increase—from 26.5 million in 2007—is due partly to recent efforts to increase public awareness of the programme and also a switch from paper coupons to electronic debit cards….
The photo (which should have been marked as "file") is meant to imply that America's poor are now standing in line for food stamps, soup, and a warm place to lay their heads for the night. However, according to the Done With Mirrors website, A little poking around on the Getty archive Web site, and I found an identical photo here. It has this caption:
New York Mayor Hands Out Coats To The Poor- People wait on line to receive donated coats at the kickoff of the 17th annual New York Cares Coat Drive a the Bowery Mission November 30, 2005 in New York City. Bloomberg helped give out coats to residents of the Mission and the coat drive hopes to collect and distribute 80,000 coats to needy New Yorkers by New Years. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
. . . [Read More] Tags:Bob Parks, fraud, leftist, Media, Outside the Wire, punditryTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
by Bob Parks, Outside the Wire: In the case of the oil companies it's not clear who should receive more pity. The corporations, or us. In the case of "Big Oil", our knowledgeable congressmen issued a very public tongue-lashing to the CEO's of America's major oil companies earlier this week. Purely for show, our elected representatives dressed down the leaders of a profitable enterprise, purely because it is profitable. . . .
Introspection is a trait seldom seen on Capitol Hill, that is, unless one of those politicians is issuing some kind of scripted mea culpa. We are all feeling it at the pump, but these congressmen and senators seldom ask what have they done to contribute to the high prices that amount to higher profits for the oil companies?
Food for thought. Thanks to environmentalists and the politicians that suck up to them, American oil companies haven’t been allowed to build a new oil refinery here for over 30 years, while the demand for gasoline has greatly increased since. Thanks to environmentalists and the politicians that suck up to them, American oil companies haven’t been allowed to drill for new oil reserves domestically, while the demand for gasoline has greatly increased since. It’s kind of disingenuous to talk about “energy independence” while doing everything possible to keep us dependent on foreign, sometimes hostile, sources. . . . Biting the hands that make our cars go is stupid, that is, unless you’re a congressman with a taxpayer-funded travel allowance . . . [Read More] Tags:Bob Parks, gasoline, gasoline tax, Outside the Wire, US CongressTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Mi Blog Es Tu Blog saw the ad in the current issue of Quien magazine."In an Absolut World anything can happen including getting the US-Mexico border straight once and for all."...You may become so drunk you might even imagine you're inAztlan.
Contact: The Absolut Spirits Co., Inc., Jeffrey Moran, Director of Public Relations & Events, 1370 Avenue of the Americas, NY, NY 10019; Ph: 1 212 641 87 20; E-mail
“We can have no "50-50" allegiance in this country. Either a man is an American and nothing else, or he is not an American at all." - Teddy Roosevelt Tags:Aztlan, La Raza, Reconquista, Teddy RoosevelTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
On The Senate Floor: The Senate begins debate on a compromise housing bill worked out by Sens. Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Richard Shelby (R-AL). The New York Times provides a summary of the bill's provisions. Fortunately, the compromise omitted Majority Whip Dick Durbin's proposal to allow bankruptcy judges to adjust mortgage rates, a policy that would undoubtedly lead to higher mortgage rates on responsible homeowners and borrowers. However, an amendment to restore this provision will be the first to be considered today.
Also in the Senate, the Banking Committee is holding a hearing with Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and the CEOs of JP Morgan Chase and Bear Stearns. Also, the Senate Judiciary Committee began a markup and is expected to vote later on the nomination of Catharina Haynes to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. CQ Today notes that Republicans on the committee will take the opportunity to press Democrats on the glacial pace of confirmation hearings.
From Senate & News Sources: Later today, Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell will hold a press conference with members of the Fiscal Reform Working Group: Sens. Dick Lugar (R-IN), Thad Cochran (R-MS), Tom Coburn (R-OK), Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Johnny Isakson (R-GA). They will unveil recommendations for reforming the earmark process. The New York Times reports the panel will “recommend a change in Senate rules to require that all earmarks be set forth explicitly in the text of spending and tax bills, not buried in committee reports.” Roll Call reports, “the proposal will include new disclosure requirements such as requiring all earmark requests to be posted in a searchable format online 48 hours before the Appropriations Committee begins work on the bill and expanding conflict of interest disclosure rules that would require staff members to disclose any benefits they or their family members would receive from an earmark. A ‘full justification’ provision would require Members to identify the primary beneficiaries of an earmark as well as explain why the recipients are worthy of receiving federal funding and to disclose whether the funding will be used in a competitive bid process.”
Also, The Washington Post and The Washington Times have good editorials on Iraq. The Post discusses the fighting in Basra, writing, “the decision by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to launch an offensive by government forces to seize control over the vital port city of Basra ought to have been welcome. Those who portray every development in Iraq as negative described the fighting as proof of worsening sectarianism or as a negation of the improved security achieved in the past six months. In fact, it was neither.” Tags:earmark reform, housing assistance, Iraq, US Congress, US House, US Senate, Washington D.C.To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaign released yesterday a new web ad. The ad, entitled "American Heroes," tells the story of John McCain's Episcopal High School teacher and football coach, William B. Ravenel, who had a profound impact on his life. The ad details the honor code John McCain has faithfully lived his life by, taught first by his parents and reinforced by Mr. Ravenal in high school.
Tags:American Heroes, Election 2008, heroes, John Mccain, presidential candidate, videoTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Gary Bauer: Congress "huffed and puffed" yesterday, April fools day no less, in a hearing called to bash the executives of U.S. energy companies. Desperately looking for someone with lower approval ratings than themselves, congressional Democrats spent several hours railing against "Big Oil." But alas, at the gas station this morning, there was no change in the price of a gallon of gas. Why? Because gas prices aren't "set" by Exxon or Shell, no matter how much virtually all liberals believe they are. And no matter how much hot air comes out of Ted Kennedy, high prices are likely to continue to put a hit on family budgets.
Here are some of the reasons we won't see significantly lower prices anytime soon. First, billions of people in India, China and elsewhere are entering the economic mainstream. As their incomes rise, they want what you and I want --T.V.'s, air-conditioners, microwaves, automobiles and more food. These demands put upward pressure on all energy prices.
Second, the same liberal Democrat politicians who are pointing fingers at U.S. oil companies have systematically restricted access to U.S. energy supplies. Oil companies have been blocked from drilling in parts of Alaska, significant parts of the Outer Continental Shelf and elsewhere. And it isn't just oil. We haven't built new nuclear power plants or refineries in decades because of environmental pressure. Coal, which America has an abundance of, is under attack by Al Gore and his friends. So far, only natural gas has escaped the energy bashing. So, of course, prices are going up as demand increases and as liberal policies stifle supply.
Third, a big part of the cost of gas is the cost of Big Government. The federal gas tax plus the average state gas tax costs consumers nearly fifty cents per gallon. Residents of California, Connecticut and New York are paying sixty cents or more. Perhaps we should have an investigation of Big Government, too!
The result is that more and more of our oil comes from very unpleasant, hostile places in the world - the Middle East, Venezuela, Russia, etc. Governments, including our own, are stockpiling oil for fear that a future war or terrorist attack could severely restrict supplies. Put it all together, and it translates into the ugly prices you see at the pump.
The truth is that if we didn't have companies like Exxon discovering oil and bringing refined gasoline to us, we would be paying a lot more. And no liberal politician I am aware of has ever discovered oil or fueled anything, except perhaps his or her own ambition. There is one way guaranteed to get prices down fast - a deep U.S. or global recession. People without jobs to go to certainly use less gasoline. And if Democrats in Congress follow-up on their threats to raise taxes and continue to bash the capitalist system that has given our country great wealth, a deep recession may be exactly what we get. And when that happens, I doubt any of us will be applauding the lower prices at the pump. Tags:big government, foreign oil, Gary Bauer, gas prices, gas tax, liberals, oil companiesTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Tony Perkins, Family Research Council: While most companies have started to feel the squeeze of our sagging economy, business has never been better for Planned Parenthood. Although the organization couldn't be more controversial, its profits have never been higher, according to the group's 2006-07 annual report. For the first time in history, Planned Parenthood has surpassed the $1 billion mark in annual income, a milestone made possible by $336 million of your tax dollars.
Despite the rash of bad publicity, Planned Parenthood received a $31.4 million pay raise in taxpayer funds--a 10.8 percent increase in the "nonprofit's" government revenue. Adding to the windfall, Planned Parenthood's clinics worked overtime for an extra 24,707 abortions in 2006, six times the number of casualties from the entire Iraq war. All together, its abortion mills put 289,650 unborn babies to death in the year 2006 alone. This is an increase of more than 20,000 aborted babies from the year before. All from an organization whose supporters say they want to make abortion rare?
Planned Parenthood also makes a tidy sum sowing its wild oats in the next generation of abortion customers. The group sold more than 1,400,000 "emergency" contraception kits, in many instances making transactions without as much as a medical exam.
While the public is increasingly skeptical of Planned Parenthood's operation, it has yet to put a dent in the organization's bottom line. For that, we need your help. The majority of Americans wouldn't invest in a company that conspires in sexual crimes against children, accepts racially-motivated donations, promotes pornography to kids, devotes millions to the election of pro-abortion politicians, and uses unsanitary equipment to treat patients. Unfortunately, through Medicaid and Title X, the federal government is forcing taxpayers to do just that.
Please sign the petition to President Bush, which FRC will deliver to the White House, asking him to approve new Title X regulations that will ensure no federal money goes to subsidize the abortion facilities of groups like Planned Parenthood. Ask the President also to ensure that legitimate clinics are not forced to refer for abortions. Please share this alert with all your friends. Click to Sign FRC PetitionSee also:New Evidence of Racism at Planned Parenthood Tags:Family Research Council, FRC, petitions, Planned Parenthood, abortions, Tony PerkinsTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
NRCC is experiencing financial mood swings. On the good side of the equation, according to Politicolthe National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) is expected to announce this week that it has paid off every last cent of its estimated $19 million in debt from the last election cycle. In a letter to members, NRCC Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) announced it had paid off the balance of an $8 million Wachovia loan from 2006, as well as an additional $10 million in back payments that were still owed to vendors for work done in the final months of that year. According to Rep. Cole, “Going forward, every penny you give the NRCC from your campaign account or raise for our events will be spent only on specials and the 2008 elections.”
On the reverse side, information continues to come out about the thefts by the former NRCC Treasurer. Today, the Washington Post reported that "three more political committees run by House Republicans have accused a former treasurer of diverting campaign funds. . . . In February, after his dismissal from the National Republican Congressional Committee [Christopher] Ward returned $4,200 to Hensarling's PAC and $3,500 to Dent's committee, FEC records show. The NRCC has accused Ward of diverting at least "several hundred thousand dollars" from committee coffers into his personal accounts. The FBI is investigating." See prior report:Former Treasurer Embezzled NRCC Funds Tags:FEC, fund raising, NRCC, Republican National Committee, RNC, election 2008To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
"This is no longer about past preferences or differences. It is about what is best for our country and for me that means that Republicans should close ranks behind John McCain," Fred Thompson. You are invited to sign the Roll Call and comment at Vets4McCain.com
Tags:Election 2008, John McCain, presidential candidate, Roll Call, veteransTo share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
On The Floor: The Senate resumed consideration of the motion to proceed to H.R. 3221, which will be the vehicle for the housing bill. Yesterday, the Senate voted 94-1 to move forward with consideration of housing legislation after Reid and McConnell agreed to let Dodd and Shelby try to write a compromise bill. While the Senate Banking Committee works on housing, the Joint Economic Committee is holding a hearing with Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke this morning. Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee Chairman Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Ranking member Richard Shelby (R-AL) are currently working on putting together a bill which Majority Leader Harry Reid would like to have on the floor later in the day.
From Senate & News Sources: In an op-ed for Human Events, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell laid out some of the key issues facing Congress during its two month work period leading up to Memorial Day:
If Democrats want to help homeowners, they need to work with Republicans on proposals that will draw substantial bipartisan support. Republicans have proposed new tax benefits for struggling businesses, new Truth-in-Lending requirements, expanded protections against foreclosure for returning veterans, and FHA reform to help struggling homeowners stay in their homes.
. . . “it’s been nearly a year since the Director of National Intelligence asked Congress to modernize our nation’s electronic surveillance laws. The House had a chance to make the necessary changes before the recess. But it chose an irresponsible path instead, passing an amendment to the bipartisan Senate bill that included none of the things the Director of National Intelligence had called for. . . .
General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker will be here next week, and we owe them a debt of gratitude. Under the leadership of these two men, our prospects for protecting America’s national security interests in the Persian Gulf have improved. Our men and women in uniform have protected the Iraqi people, scattered Al Qaeda, deterred militias, and helped create an environment that has led to progress not only at the tactical level, but in governing and reconciliation.
Unfortunately, Democrats continue to ignore political and military progress in and are yet again trying to figure out how to retreat from Iraq, according to stories by the AP and Politico. All of the Democrats’ various withdrawal plans over the last year were defeated and a majority of Americans still do not support precipitous withdrawal. Democrats would do well to actually pay attention to what Gen. Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker say, instead of simply plowing ahead with more plans to leave. Tags:Federal Reserve, FISA, housing assistance, Iraq War, US Congress, US House, US Senate, Washington D.C.To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Congress returned yesterday but today on April Fools Day many "progressives" prepare to play the fool, or at least attempt to fool the public by advocating legislation with "nice title" but whose content is designed to expand government and to reduce individual liberty and choice. In the Senate: There will be a vote on the motion to reconsider cloture on the motion to proceed to the housing bill. If the motion is agreed to the Senate is expected to take up H.R. 3221, which will be used as a vehicle for the housing legislation, S. 2636. The bill previously failed to get cloture in February because Democrats insisted on pre-approving Republican amendments to the bill.
Senate Republicans are again interested in offering sensible ideas on housing. Sen. Johnny Isakson of Georgia has proposed a one year $15,000 tax credit for people purchasing a foreclosed house. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said the proposal “will raise the value of homes and increase the stability and security of neighborhoods that have been hit hard by foreclosures.” Sen. Reid has called this and other GOP ideas “A good starting point.”
However, there are troublesome provisions in the Democrats’ bill. Particularly problematic is language which would allow bankruptcy judges to rewrite mortgage contracts and change interest rates. Because of the increased risk this would impose on lenders, this provision would force interest rates on mortgages higher. The White House has said it would veto the bill because of a provision that would allow bankruptcy judges to change the terms of a homeowner’s mortgage.
From Senate & News Sources:U.S. News & World Report notes, “[m]ore people would be hurt than Democrats say will be helped—for example, more than 400,000 people in New York state and more than 500,000 people in Illinois . . . .” Las Vegas Review Journal editorialized today, “Who the heck would loan money in the form of a low-interest mortgage, if judges are empowered to unilaterally alter the terms of that contract later on? A stable economy depends on the presumption that the courts will enforce legitimate contracts. President Bush should stand firm in his refusal to endorse this dangerous nonsense.”
In other Congressional news, Roll Call reports today that the Colombia Free Trade Agreement continues to face stiff opposition from unions and many of their Democrat allies on the Hill. Sen. McConnell urged Democrats to allow the agreement to be approved: “The Colombia Free Trade Agreement is more than an act of friendship between allies. It would also strengthen our economy, and it would send a strong signal to Colombia our other Latin American allies that the U.S. stands with those who support strong markets and free societies in the face of intimidation and threats.” Tags:Columbia, Free Trade, housing assistance, mortgages, US Congress, US House, US Senate, Washington D.C.To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
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Charlton Heston known to all of us for his epic films died Saturday at his home in Beverly Hills, California at the Age of 84. Although a Democrat for many years, he became a Republican after Democrats in the Senate blocked the confirmation of Judge Robert Bork, a conservative, to the Supreme Court in 1987. Mr. Heston had supported the nomination and was critical of the Reagan White House for misreading the depth of the liberal opposition. Mr. Heston frequently spoke out against what he saw as evidence of the decline and debasement of American culture. We hope he is has both found peace and is continues to be full of life in the Eternal Arena.
