Prayer Request

We are asking everyone to say a prayer for "Darkhorse" 3rd Battalion 5th Marines and their families. They are fighting it out in Afghanistan & they have lost 12 Marines in 4 days. IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE the message spread if more could pass it on. God Bless America and God Bless the United States Marine Corps... Semper Fi, Often Tested, Always Faithful, Brothers Forever.

Justin Allen, 23,

Brett Linley, 29,

Matthew Weikert, 29,

Justus Bartett, 27,

Dave Santos, 21,

If you see a story that you believe would be useful and important to our readers, simply respond to this email with a link and a brief description of why it is important.  (Even if it may be obvious)

LISTEN LIVE TO REPATRIOT RADIO

"BETTER THAN EVER"

WiFi 1460AM Shows

Tuesdays 5-6pm ET

"LaRossa & Gallagher" with N.J.State Senator Richard LaRossa and Art Gallagher

WNJC 1360AM Shows

(all times are eastern)

Monday 3-4pm "Bordering on Insanity" - Rabbi Nachum Shifren and Garry Miller

Tuesday 3-4pm "American Freedom Watch" - Karen Schoen with John Estabrooks and Mike Lawson

Wednesday 3-4pm "Patriots Watch" - Billy Baer and Dan Haggerty

Thursday 3-4pm "America's Black Shield" - Ted Hayes and Terrance Lang

Friday 10-11 "Veterans' Weekly Forum" - Ed Rosen and Bob Rosebrock

Saturday 5:30-6:30pm "We Say, No Se Puede!" ("No You Cannot!") - Rita Bonilla and Alice Novoa

WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT

 UN AGENDA 21

aka Local Agenda 21 & "sustainable development"

WILL SHOCK YOU!!!

Do you have a nagging feeling something is wrong, but you don't know exactly what?  Who controls the US?   Who writes our laws?       Is it our elected officials or a higher organization like the UN?  Do you know where our money comes from and how debt affects us? 

Join us Saturday, July 23^rd - 6pm                                              PJ Ryan's  231 Bridge St., Phoenixville - private downstairs meeting room

There will be a discussion about UN Agenda 21 Sustainable Development, Property Rights & our Money.  This meeting may help fill in some of the blanks that the media leaves out.  

Agenda 21 is a plan that calls for international control & regulation of virtually every aspect of human activity that might impact the environment, which is essentially EVERYTHING YOU DO - eat, drink, cook, drive, play, work, and LIVE.

Maurice Strong, UN Secretary General  - 1992  Rio de Janeiro United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) said "...Current lifestyles and consumption patterns of the affluent middle class involving high meat consumption and large amounts of frozen and convenience foods, use of fossil fuels, appliances, home and workplace air-conditioning, and suburban housing are NOT sustainable.  So, what does he mean by NOT Sustainable? http://sovereignty.net/p/sd/strong.html

Translation:  YOU will NO longer be allowed to have them.

J. Gary Lawrence, 1998 UK, UNEP Conference said ..."Participating in a UN advocated planning process would very likely bring out many... who would actively work to defeat any elected official... undertaking Local Agenda 21/Sustainable Development.  So, we call our process something else such as "comprehensive planning," 'growth management' or 'smart growth.'" http://www.unedforum.org/publications/millennium/mill%20paper2.pdf

Translation:  They will lie to you & deceive you so YOU won't know what they are really doing. This meeting is free & open to the public.                                Please come, listen and bring a friend. 

          For more information please contact us via www.theunsolicitedopinion.com

July 10^th Picnic!

Due to complications with the web site and the rsvp count, we need EVERYONE to call us: rsvp even if you have already responded to Punchbowl  

***** DONNA     610-932-2242

***** ALISON     610-869-6504

***** CYNTHIA   610-692-5242

     Chester Co. Liberty Alliance     (CCLA)

hosted by

* Chesco Patriots
* Coalition For
Advancing Freedom (CAF)
* Valley Forge Patriots (VFP)
* West Chester Tea Party

• Sunday, July 10th, 2011 · 2:00 p.m.
• Albert C. Miller Memorial Park
• 220 Miller Way
• Exton, PA 19341

The main dish will be provided. Please call us and tell us what side dish you'd like to bring to share or you may choose to bring picnic supplies (ice, paper products, plastic cutlery, cups, etc.). Bring your lawn chairs and blankets to sit on!  We will have music and games for the entire family.

Getting There From Here

A practical guide for restoring America

Valley Forge Patriots Tea Party Economics Classes

Monday, July 11^th & Tuesday, July 12th

6:00 PM

Franklin Commons

400 Franklin Ave Phoenixville, PA - Class will be in Franklin Hall which is the private larger classroom next to café area.  This room is more easily accessible from both free parking lots on campus.

Loren is back for part two of his economic series.  Please fee free to come one or both evenings to this presentation.   The Valley Forge Patriots will be asking for a $5 donation for room fees.  Loren Spivack will be donating his time and selling some books.    Info on class contact:                                                   

LORENSPIVACK@GMAIL.COM         718-614-4411          OBAMAPARODY.COM

 

HERITAGE FOUNDATION SPEAKER AT JULY MEETING!

If you know the good work of the Heritage Foundation for our cause, you know it is really exciting to have Mr. Knepper as our guest speaker.

    The July 8^th meeting of the Valley Forge Patriots will be held at a new location, the Phoenixville Country Club (PCC). The PCC is located on Country Club Road approximately 2 miles south of Route 23. The room we will be using can comfortably seat over 100 people, so don't hesitate to bring friends. As at previous venues, table food service of appetizers, salads, sandwiches and beer, wine and soda will be available throughout the meeting. Food and drinks are offered at PCC member prices --- cash and credit cards accepted. There is plenty of free parking.  Dress code,   please no hats.  This meeting will be free but we would appreciate donations.

     Along with the usual agenda items, our featured speaker will be Leo Knepper of the Heritage Foundation. Leo is the PA State Director for Heritage Action and he will be speaking on "How to be an effective lobbyist/activist" His talk will cover, Heritage Action, Effective Communication and Preparing for Legislator contact. This is a very timely subject with elections coming up.  Mr. Knepper has been active in grassroots political activity for over 10 years.

         Please join us for our July 8^th meeting (6:00 to 8:00 PM) at a new venue with an interesting speaker.

Patriots,

I wanted to let you guys know AFPF (Americans for Prosperity Foundation) will be hosting an Energy Townhall on Gas Prices on Monday July 18th.  Our CEO Tim Phillips will be speaking, along with Sam Rohrer and Gary R'nel from the Big Talker 1210.  We're focusing on WHY gas is so high, how it is KILLING businesses and working families, we'll focus on regulations, mandates and a lack of energy policy is adding to our financial pain.

Basically, you can have a signs/pamphlets for your group at the event (not sure we can actually hang things on the wall because it is a historic building, but you can bring them incase) and I will happily put your group name in the email we send out too.  I thought it was a good way to get your name out and even network a bit.  No pressure - totally up to you.  And don't worry!  I promise I'll bring AFP/AFPF to other counties in the SE and not just ones that are in driving distance to my home! LOL!  

Also, it's at the David Library of the Revolution in Washington Crossing 1201 River RD. Washington Crossing, PA at 7pm which any real Patriot would absolutely fall in love with in 10 seconds.  So, I think it's worth the ride just for that (oh, and I'll feed you...ok - enticement enough)!!!!

That said, let me know if you are interested!  Also, because seating is limited, let me know if you want to come and bring people...I will reserve your seats (it is an rsvp event because we can only have 120 people).   I am not sure our rsvp website is up yet...so just email me if you are coming and how many.

Jennifer

jenniferstefano@gmail.com

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Read more on Newsmax.com: US Includes Anti-Terror Partner Israel on Terror List  

 Â  Read more:

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Friday Afternoon Roundup - Put Some Teeth In It

DON'T WORRY, BE MUSLIM

Forget all the worrying and fussing over Muslim immigration and terrorism. The future looks bright for Britain. We're probably only days away from the first female Imam and drive through abortion clinics in local mosques. Mecca is going to host its first swimsuit competition on its black rock and Ramadan will unite with Gay Pride Day for a parade that no one will ever be able to forget.

At least that's Islam according to Tony Blair

"Good women are obedient," says the Koran. "They guard their unseen parts." Which in the Muslim world often includes their faces, their voices and themselves, until the whole woman becomes one unseen part. "As for those from whom you fear disobedience, admonish them and send them to beds apart and beat them."

The liberal Britain which long since disavowed, "A woman, a dog and a walnut tree; the harder they are beaten, the better they be", has welcomed it back in as, "A woman, a dog and a palm tree." 

But there's good sound reasons for all that

Jews and Christians tended to court their wives, rather than abduct them and rape them in front of their husbands.

When your wedding canopy is a knife at her throat, and your "meet-cute" was burning her village, there's good reason to fear her disobedience. And when your relationship is based on being the first man to grab her as she made a run for it, there is good reason to keep her inside or cover her from head to toe.

You may be her first rapist, but your cousins and friends will have no objection to being her second and third. When rape is legal, and every adult male around you is a potential rapist, then purdah and headbags are a natural way for fathers and husbands to protect their investment.

There is nothing spiritual about Muslim modesty. It is, as Blair said, "Practical". In a society of rapists...

Read the rest of it in my Front Page Magazine article, "Don't Worry, Be Muslim".

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June 30, 2011

"No God But Allah" Appearing on U.S. Dollar Bills

Bet you thought you'd never see this in your lifetime

A lady in Monte Vista, CO had this dollar bill. This is her story. You don't think we're in a war. What thoughts come to mind! These are starting to show up around our country!

After dinner she took a $1 dollar bill out of her purse and displayed it on the table. Underneath the words "In God We Trust" someone had stamped the dollar bill in red ink---NO GOD BUT ALLAH. We asked her where she had gotten this dollar bill. She said it was part of her change in Alamosa, CO. We took a picture of her dollar bill. If anyone tries to give you one of these dollar bills as change...please refuse it and ask them to give you a dollar bill that has not been defaced.  

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When the "fall guy" won't "fall": Melson will testify before Senate "Fast and Furious" Committee

Jul 01, 2011 06:13 am | Coach Collins

By Doug Book, staff writer

Barack Obama has spent a political lifetime profiting from underhanded deals made with one or another fellow incarnation of the devil.

So in 2009, when Obama appointed Ken Melson to head the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, he once again did what arrogant, would-be dictators do...he made a criminally irresponsible deal with a fellow egotist and power hungry usurper.

Melsom had spent 12 years as a director of the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors/Laboratory Accreditation Board, lecturing throughout the nation on the wisdom of giving his organization absolute authority over procedural, ethical and certification requirements governing forensic labs in the United States.

So upon Melson's appointment to the ATF, Obama created the White House Subcommittee on Forensic Science, designating Melson a co-chair with authority over staffing and agenda. Armed with the power and prestige of a supportive President, Melson could now dictate policy to forensics practitioners across the nation.

And in return for this little fringe benefit, Melson ... Continue Reading:When the "fall guy" won't "fall": Melson will testify before Senate "Fast and Furious" Committee

comments | read more 

President Obama still flaunts the Law calling questions about his Libya war "noise": "Noise"?

Jul 02, 2011 06:13 am | Coach Collins

By Jim Emerson, staff writer

When asked about his personal war against Libya and criticism about ignoring congress in a blatant disregard of the War Powers Act the President brushed both aside as just "noise".  Obama has no intention to seek congressional approval as required by law. The President wants Americans to ignore the fact that the incursion into Libya was supposed to be a US Lead effort to establish a UN mandated "No Fly Zone" and no more.

 He wants us to overlook the fact that this "kinetic military exercise" which started as a  NATO  air operations is now an overt effort to assassinate Libyan dictator Moammar Qaddafi.

Congress strikes back

In an effort to justify the president's contempt for the law, legal adviser to the State Department Harold Koh stated "From the outset, we noted that the situation in Libya does not constitute a war".  Outraged,  Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) shot back ... Continue Reading:President Obama still flaunts the Law calling questions about his Libya war "noise": "Noise"?

comments | read more

  

Gadhafi Threatens Attacks in Europe If NATO Continues Air Campaign

Friday, 01 Jul 2011 

 

TRIPOLI, Libya (AP) - A defiant Moammar Gadhafi threatened Friday to carry out attacks in Europe against "homes, offices, families," unless NATO halts its campaign of airstrikes against his regime in Libya.

The Libyan leader, sought by the International Criminal Court for a brutal crackdown on anti-government protesters, delivered the warning in a telephone message played to thousands of supporters gathered in the main square of the capital Tripoli.

It was one of the largest pro-government rallies in recent months, signaling that Gadhafi can still muster significant support. A green cloth, several hundred meters long and held aloft by supporters, snaked above the crowd filling Tripoli's Green Square. Green is Libya's national color.

Read more on Newsmax.com: Gadhafi Threatens Attacks in Europe If NATO Continues Air Campaign
 

Quakers Now Targeting Israel Via Investments

A prominent national Quaker organization has joined a campaign urging a large retirement fund to divest its holding in companies it says profit from Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories.

The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), a Nobel Peace Prize-winning Quaker group, announced its support of the "We Divest from Israel's Occupation" campaign, which has significant Jewish support.

The campaign asks TIAA-CREF, one of the world's largest retirement funds and manager of AFSC's employee accounts, to divest from companies including Caterpillar, Motorola, Elbit, Veolia, and Northrop Grumman.

Jewish Voice for Peace, which supports the campaign, said in a statement:

"This is the first time a client of the fund has joined the divestment campaign, standing with campaign leaders Jewish Voice for Peace and the more than 40 organizations who have already signed on, including Jewish, Christian, and secular organizations from across the country and Israel/Palestine."

The AFSC board said they were joining the campaign "as a matter of conscience and an expression of our unwillingness to remain complicit with violence and oppression occurring daily in Palestine and Israel, which is contrary to all that we know to be true and right."

In a letter to TIAA-CREF, Arlene Kelly, chair of the AFSC's board of directors, said the board "urges you to refrain from investing in any company that contributes to perpetuating the Israeli military occupation of the Gaza Strip, West Bank, and East Jerusalem, provides products or services to Israeli settlements, or provides products or services that enable violent acts that target civilians."

John K.S. Wilson, TIAA-CREF's director of corporate governance, wrote back that the fund is "unable to alter our investment policy" in response to the AFSC's concerns.

"We are unable to create custom-made funds, which in essence would require all CREF participants to subsidize the cost of a fund that only a small percentage of clients might access."

Obamacare to Boost, Not Reduce ER Visits

Supporters of the healthcare reform legislation passed by Congress claim it will reduce emergency room visits by providing nearly all Americans with the insurance they can use to see a primary care physician.

A new poll says otherwise.

The survey by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) found that 97 percent of doctors every day treat Medicaid patients in their emergency departments because the patients could not find a doctor willing to treat them for the fee Medicaid would pay.

If Obamacare provides insurance that reimburses physicians at Medicaid rates, visits to the ER will likely increase, according to ACEP.

In fact, 89 percent of doctors polled said they believe ER visits will increase under Obamacare.

"This poll confirms what we are witnessing in Massachusetts - that visits to emergency rooms are going to increase across the country, despite healthcare reform, and that health insurance coverage does not guarantee access to medical care," said ACEP President Sandra Schneider.

Hundreds of emergency rooms across the country have been forced to shut down due to financial concerns, increasing the workload at those remaining open, and the healthcare reform law fails to address this issue, Dr. Schneider said.

Nearly half of the physicians surveyed in ACEP's poll said fear of lawsuits is the biggest challenge to cutting costs in emergency rooms, and 53 percent said their fear of lawsuits was the main reason for ordering many of the tests they perform.

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Good News Israel

Compliments of Anglo Saxon Ra'anana Real Estate

STOP PRESS The blue and white duo of Peer and Erlich have won through to the quarters of the mixed doubles at Wimbledon without so much as dropping a set on the way.

What happens when you put Vinegar together with oil? Well if the Vinegar happens to be Shell Oil's remarkable top scientist, Harold Vinegar, then you'll hear things that will make us all happy, things like; the Shfela Basin oil is not only abundant but premium quality as well: "The equivalent of Saudi extra-light." Add such investors as Lord Rothschild (the banker and philanthropist), Rupert Murdoch (the media magnate) and Dick Cheney (the politician) and Israel should be pumping oil within three or four years. And don't forget Myra and Sarah with a 6.5 trillion cubic foot natural gas discovery with possibly more than 150 million barrels of oil just below. And then there's Tamar with 8.6tr m³ and Leviathan with 16tr m³ ... Yes, "the world's newest...

Read the whole entry »

ZOA Criticizes Obama For Recognizing & Legitimizing Islamist, Anti-Semitic, Anti-American Muslim Brotherhood

The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) has criticized President Barack Obama for recognizing and legitimizing the Islamist, anti-Semitic, anti-American Muslim Brotherhood, which is currently a part of the interim Egyptian government. A U.S. official claimed as justification of this move that "The political landscape in Egypt has changed, and is changing... It is in our interests to engage with all of the parties that are competing for parliament or the presidency" (Tim Mak, 'U.S. recognizes Muslim Brotherhood,' Politico, June 30, 2011).

The Muslim Brotherhood - also known as The Ikhwan - was founded in 1929 by Hassan Al-Banna. Before and during World War Two, it collaborated with Nazi Germany. It was...

Read the whole entry »

Abbas headed for disaster

Op-ed: Unilateral declaration of independence will likely lead to Palestinian Authority's collapse

Guy Bechor, YNET

It's hard to understand, but Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas is heading full force into his own collapse, and that of his Authority, in September.

It's already clear that a Palestinian state will not be established. New states are only established through a Security Council decision, and the United States already made it clear in the most explicit way that it would impose a veto on a unilateral Palestinian move, just like Russia did in the case of Kosovo.

Indeed, since 2008 Kosovo is a state in its own eyes, yet it is not a UN member. This week, the Americans sent a special envoy to warn...

Read the whole entry »

Chief Rabbi Lau & Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Meet!

April 27, 2011

Chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau is a tall man who brightens any room with his Torah depth and stature. He is viewed as a someone who has achieved wondrous feats! From surviving the Holocaust and continuing on the Rabbinic dynasty that he hails from, to serving as the Chief Rabbi of Israel and now Tel Aviv-he remains a legendary figure to all of Jewry. On the complete opposite spectrum stands the legendary Lakers Center, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Born Ferdinand Lewis "Lew" Alcindor, Jr., he had a prolific college and NBA career becoming one of the best basketball players of all time. In 1971 Lew Alcindor converted to Islam and changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. To the naked eye it would seem that the only thing he shares in common with Rabbi Lau is that they are both luminous figures.

And yet, these two men-one a Jew and another a Muslim-are eagerly looking forward to meeting one another this July in Israel!

Why?

 

For Rep. Michele Bachmann, staunch support for Israel is a personal matter: Teenage Bachmann spent a summer working on a kibbutz in Israel.

The 55-year-old Minnesota Republican, founder of the House Tea Party Caucus and a candidate for the GOP presidential nomination in 2012, went to Israel in 1974, immediately after graduating from high school. Her mission was sponsored by Young Life, a Christian ministry.

"I always had this love and appreciation for Israel because I was a Christian," Bachmann, who was raised as a Lutheran, said in an interview with Matthew Continetti, opinion editor of The Weekly Standard. "It's the foundation of our faith. All of the Bible is about Israel."

Read more on Newsmax.com: Bachmann Lived on Kibbutz, Staunchly Pro-Israel  

Obama Rejects GOP Budget Talk Invitation; 'Not a Conversation Worth Having'

Post Continues on www.breitbart.tv 
 

Digest · July 1, 2011

The Foundation

"The Constitution ... is a mere thing of wax in the hands of the judiciary which they may twist and shape into any form they please." --Thomas Jefferson

Government & Politics

ObamaCare Upheld, but Administration Abandons 'Secret Shoppers'

Sixth Circuit upholds ObamaCare ... for now

This just in: ObamaCare will go before the Supreme Court. Actually, though the Supremes haven't yet agreed to hear the challenge to the law, this week's ruling by the Sixth Circuit Court virtually assures that it will. There are suits pending in the Fourth and Eleventh Circuits, as well, confirming what we knew all along -- the Supreme Court will be the final arbiter of the constitutionality of the law.

A three-judge panel of the Sixth Circuit rejected an appeal by the Thomas More Law Center and a group of individuals who lost a challenge to the health care law at the district level last year. Judge Boyce F. Martin, appointed by Jimmy Carter, wrote for the majority, joined by Judge Jeffrey Sutton, appointed by George W. Bush. They asserted that Congress had the authority under the Commerce Clause to regulate the non-commerce of someone not buying health insurance. Judge James Graham, a Reagan appointee, dissented, writing, "If the exercise of power is allowed and the mandate upheld, it is difficult to see what the limits on Congress' Commerce Clause authority would be. What aspect of human activity would escape federal power?" That is the question, isn't it?

There is hope that the Sixth Circuit will be overturned. According to the Heritage Foundation, "In recent years, the Sixth Circuit has achieved a growing reputation for not just reversals, but summary reversals at the Supreme Court. In a summary reversal, the Supreme Court unanimously reverses a lower court decision without hearing argument or even having a full merits briefing -- because the decision is so clearly wrong. It is a sure sign of an activist court misapplying the law."

In other ObamaCare news, the White House has announced that it will not, after all, move forward with a "secret shopper" program to identify doctors reluctant to take on new Medicare and Medicaid patients. These so-called mystery shoppers were going to pose as patients in a $350,000 sting operation across nine states to learn whether physicians are taking on new patients with private insurance while turning away those in low-reimbursing government health care programs. The program was first announced two months ago, but the loyal media didn't report it until just this past week when a number of doctors complained that the plan would further strain physicians' resources in an already overstretched market.

Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) called upon the Department of Health and Human Services to release details on the program, though it predictably did not do so. Instead, HHS released a statement claiming, "After reviewing feedback received during the public comment period, we have determined that now is not the time to move forward with this research project." In other words, this "research project," which was meant to silently bully doctors into accepting ObamaCare patients at their own expense, is going back on the shelf -- for now. Once the uproar dies down, it is likely to return. Next time, it probably won't be announced at all.

News From the Swamp: Democrats Double Down

Debt reduction talks have stalled this week with Republicans standing firm on refusing to allow tax increases that Democrats claim are necessary to any agreement. However, Democrats, led by Barack Obama, are insisting on raising taxes. In other words, as Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) put it, "Democrats spent beyond their means, and now they expect a bailout from the taxpayers."

GOP congressional leaders want a multi-trillion dollar debt reduction package that will focus on long-term budget cuts and spending reforms. Democrats want to scrap a series of tax credits for oil companies as well as raise taxes on hedge-fund managers and limit deductions for wealthier individuals in order to reach a $600 billion revenue target. Barack Obama went even further by calling for an end to a tax break on corporate jets, mentioning them not once but six times in his speech and press conference Wednesday. Ironically, that same tax break was introduced as part of his own $862 billion stimulus package in 2009.

Republicans want no part of any plan that will raise taxes on business in this fragile economy, because such a move will slow or reverse any meager economic gains made in the last several months. Democrats claim that they aren't looking to raise taxes, only to close tax loopholes. Only leftists could believe that forcing corporations to pay more in taxes is not in fact a tax hike, but they continue to cling to their twisted logic even as Moody's Investors Service announced that it might downgrade the U.S. government's credit rating if there is no significant progress in the debt-limit negotiations in the next couple of weeks.

There appears to be no end to the stalemate at this point, and the Senate has cancelled next week's recess because of it. McConnell offered to meet with the president to hammer out some details, but White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said that was "not a conversation worth having." (Obama, who once infamously said that he'd meet murderous tyrants such as Castro, Chavez and Ahmadinejad "without precondition" apparently won't sully the office by meeting for lunch with the Republican Senate Minority Leader.) In any case, McConnell should take Carney's advice to heart: Any conversation with Obama isn't worth having.

Finally, Treasury Secretary Tim "Tax Cheat" Geithner is considering stepping down after a debt-ceiling deal is reached. Geithner is Obama's longest-serving economic adviser. Good riddance if the rumor is true.

This Week's 'Keen Sense of the Obvious' Award

"We've spent a lot of money that we don't have. And we've made a lot of commitments that are going to be hard to keep if we do nothing. And like families all across America, government has to live within its means." --Barack Obama at a fundraiser in Philadelphia

The Truth Hurts

"I wanted to characterize how I thought the president behaved [at his press conference Wednesday]. I thought he was kind of a [Weiner]." --TIME magazine's Mark Halperin on MSNBC, who has been suspended indefinitely for telling the truth

In other TV news, Fox News host Glenn Beck aired his final show with the network yesterday. Beck has been instrumental in rallying many Patriots to the Tea Party front and will take his show to his own network.

Support Liberty Today

"Contemplate the mangled bodies of your countrymen, and then say, 'What should be the reward of such sacrifices?'" --Samuel Adams

We have all enjoyed the fruits of prosperity that our forefathers purchased at great sacrifice, many with their lives. With the current unprecedented assault upon Liberty, each and every one of us is called to make our own great sacrifices, now and throughout the remainder of 2011. Our posterity deserve no less.

The Patriot Post is a beacon of Liberty that is made possible by the generous support of our readers. Help us keep it coming by making a secure online donation to our 2011 Independence Day campaign. If you prefer to support us by mail, please use our printable donor form.

We have just 3 days to raise the remaining $86,450 for our campaign.

Thank you, and God bless!

Nate Jackson
Managing Editor

More Ethics Problems for Democrats

Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL) is the subject of a congressional ethics investigation into accusations that he made unwanted sexual advances on a female staffer in 2010. The Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE) is currently reviewing the charges brought in a lawsuit by Judicial Watch on behalf of the staffer. Hastings denies any wrongdoing, but we should take that denial with a grain of salt: In 1988, Hastings, then a federal judge, was impeached by the House of Representatives on bribery and perjury charges. It may take up to three months for the OCE to make any recommendations based on its findings. While this review takes place, perhaps the House Ethics Committee might want to take a look at the charges.

Same Old Illinois Story: Blagojevich Convicted on 17 Corruption Counts

For the fourth time since 1973, an Illinois governor will be going to prison. Former Democrat Gov. Rod Blagojevich was uncharacteristically silent as guilty verdicts were read on 17 of 20 counts against him in federal court, with the most damning being attempted extortion and conspiracy to solicit bribes. These charges stemmed in part from his attempted "sale" of the U.S. Senate seat that Barack Obama previously held, although that was merely the topper of a lengthy investigation. Among the things that sealed his fate was a recording of him stating, "I've got this thing [Obama's Senate seat] and it's f---ing golden, and I'm not going to give it up for f---ing nothing."

Still, the jury took nine days to hash out its verdicts, in part because the former governor charmed them. Blagojevich was first elected as governor in 2002 and was in the midst of his second term when he was impeached and removed from office in January 2009. He now faces up to 300 years in prison, although he's likely to receive far less.

In contrast to the initial federal trial, in which Blagojevich was convicted on just one count, he testified on his own behalf this time. Prosecutors were easily able to use Blago's own words against him on cross-examination, leading the disgraced former governor to quip afterward that he needs "to talk a little bit less." Unless his legal team can get a retrial by July 25, it's likely we won't be hearing much of what Blago says for a long, long time.

National Security

Immigration Front: Administration Enacts DREAM Act -- Without Congress

To true Patriots anticipating Independence Day, the immigration battle offers fresh evidence that the Obama regime is little more than a lawless dictatorship. Obama has bypassed the legislative branch numerous times, most recently with Libya, and it now appears that he will skirt Congress and implement his DREAM Act by executive diktat. The DREAM Act would have provided "conditional residency" -- read amnesty -- to illegal alien students who met various criteria. The bill never passed Congress even when Democrats were in charge. Obama is now going to ignore that inconvenient fact and have Immigration and Customs Enforcement effectively put DREAM into action.

In a memo, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement Director John Morton instructs ICE officials to exercise "prosecutorial discretion" -- that is, no deportation -- for illegal aliens who would have benefited from the DREAM Act. Morton blames a lack of resources for this move, but in reality, this is nothing more than Obama once again trampling on the Constitution.

Yet as Congress has abdicated responsibility and Obama has usurped control, the states are asserting themselves. South Carolina has joined Arizona, Georgia, and other states in passing a new law that sets strict guidelines for illegals and allows police to check the immigration status of anyone they stop and suspect may be here illegally. It also requires employers to use the federal E-Verify system to check an applicant's citizenship status. Unlike the other states, however, a $1.3 million enforcement unit within the state's public safety department with 12 full-time officers gives this state law some teeth.

South Carolina Republican Gov. Nikki Haley gave a strong and pointed defense of the new law, saying, "We are a country of laws, and when we give up enforcing laws, we give up everything this country was founded on." She should know; her parents emigrated from India. Sadly, this law will likely be shot down by the despotic branch.

The BIG Lie

"When I look around this room, I see America's future. Our doctors, our teachers, our nurses, our engineers, our scientists, our soldiers, our congressman, our senators and maybe our president." --Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) to illegal aliens at a Senate committee hearing

Warfront With Jihadistan: Tidbits From the Fronts

The House last week denied authorization for U.S. military action in Libya but also declined to take away funding. On Tuesday, however, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved a resolution authorizing military action. It will go to the full Senate next week. The administration's "time-limited, scope-limited" military action in Libya began more than three months ago and has morphed from being U.S.-led to being U.S.-backed (though our aircraft are still flying hundreds of strike missions over the North African nation), and from merely protecting Libyan civilians from Moammar Gadhafi's regime to the stated goal of ousting the 40-year dictator. Also this week, the International Criminal Court in The Hague issued an indictment of Gadhafi, as well as his son Seif al-Islam and Libyan Intelligence chief Abdullah Sanoussi. This will hardly have any effect on Gadhafi other than to induce laughter.

Meanwhile, the French revealed that they had armed Libyan rebels, the first such admission by a NATO country. According to The Washington Post, "France dropped light armaments, including guns and rocket-propelled grenades, in the Nafusa Mountains in western Libya in early June to help rebel forces." No word on whether they also dropped white surrender flags for the Libyan rebels to wave.

In other news from the Middle East, U.S. drones attacked a Somali organization tied to al-Qa'ida and wounded two leaders. Somalia is now the sixth nation in which the U.S. is conducting drone strikes against al-Qa'ida. Of course, given that Osama bin Laden wasn't running the show after all and al-Qa'ida's leadership is either deteriorating or detonating, the battered and scattered group is in trouble.

Finally, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency (ICE) maintains a list of "specially designated countries" that "have shown a tendency to promote, produce or protect terrorist organizations or their members." Visitors to the U.S. from these nations receive special consideration upon entry. Oddly enough, one of the 36 nations on the list as of May is our ally Israel. North Korea, however, is not on the list. And Obama wonders why we question his commitment to Israel.

Iran Conducts Missile Tests, Readies Nuclear Plant

Iran launched a nationwide missile exercise on Monday, showcasing its missile forces and unveiling missile silos. Iranian media showed the mass launch of various missiles and provided a guided tour inside one silo at an undisclosed location. Revolutionary Guard Corps officials, not known for their nuance, claimed that in the event of a conflict, Iran's missiles could hit 32 American bases in the Middle East. The officials also threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz if Iran were attacked. The exercise, called Great Prophet 6, will reportedly last 10 days and involve attacks on naval targets. Iran's Navy announced on Wednesday that it too will soon hold a large maneuver.

The current and future exercises might have something to do with Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant approaching its initial operational period. Started in 1975 and delayed by a succession of problems, wars and incompetence, the plant will finally begin operating in August, according to Russia's Foreign Ministry. The Russians ought to know, as they have worked hard over the last decade to complete the plant and shield it from UN Security Council sanctions. Whether Iran can operate a nuclear reactor safely remains to be seen.

Saudi Arabia warned this week that it will pursue nuclear weapons if Iran develops them. "We cannot live in a situation where Iran has nuclear weapons and we don't. It's as simple as that," said an official.

Nebraska Nuclear Plant 'Safe' Despite Flooding

It lies two feet under the swollen Missouri River, but federal officials who visited the Fort Calhoun nuclear plant outside Blair, Nebraska, say the plant remains safe. Yet rumors continue to swirl about a meltdown similar to the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan, also caused in part by flooding. However, in Nebraska there was time to prepare as water advanced slowly on the plant. The Fukushima plant was hit by a sudden tsunami after an obviously unexpected offshore earthquake. Even the failure of a temporary berm holding back the Missouri River hasn't adversely affected the plant, which has several varied and redundant power sources to cool its reactor.

 While workers must traverse a temporary catwalk to access the plant, and they need waders and life jackets to conduct exterior operations, flood barriers and pumps are keeping the inside of the complex dry. Moreover, the plant was shut down in April for routine refueling, so no cooling of nuclear material is needed. As Nuclear Regulatory Commission Chairman Gregory Jaczko said, "The risk is really low" of any Fukushima-style event occurring. Workers will have to put up with the catwalk and waders for a while longer, though, as the Missouri River may not fully recede until August.

Business & Economy

Income Redistribution: 'Investing' in Advanced Manufacturing

Building on the "fundamental transformation" of his stimulus, bailout and Summer of Recovery 2.0, Barack Obama has launched yet another initiative that will doubtless leave Americans hoping for no more change. Obama's Advanced Manufacturing Partnership (AMP) will "invest more than $500 million" in "emerging technologies" through public-private partnerships with 11 major corporations and six universities. (Predictably, the White House did not say how these "partners" were chosen.) The biggest bulk of initial spending will be $300 million that the Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Energy, Agriculture, and Commerce, along with other agencies, will "co-invest with industry in innovative technologies that will jumpstart domestic manufacturing capability" and "promote the long-term economic viability of critical U.S. industries." Given that "invest" is Obama-speak for "massive federal spending," his plan is quite disconcerting.

But that's not the whole story. AMP's development was inspired by the president's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), the co-chair of which is John Holdren. In 1973, Holdren co-authored a book advocating the "de-development" of the United States to "brin[g] our economic system (especially patterns of consumption) into line with the realities of ecology and the global resource situation." In short, anti-development ecological crusading is behind this administration's scheme to dole out your tax dollars to select "partners," purportedly to create jobs and increase U.S. global competitiveness.

Consumer Confidence Needs Some Investing

Given the stellar economic competence demonstrated by this administration thus far, consumer confidence fell in June to a seven-month low, dipping to 58.5 from 61.7 in May, according to the Conference Board. Bloomberg reports, "Unemployment hovering around 9 percent, deterioration in the housing market and a drop in share prices may restrain Americans' sentiment, raising the risk that the biggest part of the economy will stagnate."

According to Wells Fargo Securities LLC Senior Economist Mark Vitner, "We have a fairly weak economy with little to no job growth. With consumers so worried about their job prospects, I'm not so sure that we can count on demand picking up. The housing market is dead in the water." With its dismal showing, consumer confidence seems to be keeping company with the president's tanking approval ratings.

Regulatory Commissars: Tougher CAFE Standards in the Future

With gasoline prices hitting $4 a gallon before receding in recent weeks, the market climate is favorable for small, fuel-efficient cars. However, the Obama administration is pushing automakers to accept even more stringent fuel-economy standards than the 39-miles-per-gallon fleet-wide already required by 2016. The administration is now shooting for a standard somewhere between 56 and 62 miles per gallon by 2025.

The bid has backing from a group of 18 U.S. senators, who in April sent a letter requesting consideration of an EPA "technical assessment" that claimed 62 miles per gallon by 2025 was feasible. (All 18 were Democrats except for Democrat-In-Elephant-Suit Olympia Snowe of Maine.)

Meanwhile, a study paid for by the Consumer Federation of America, an umbrella group of left-leaning organizations, claims 62 percent of Americans back a 60-mile-per-gallon standard by 2025. That support allegedly crosses party lines.

Yet the question asked by the group doesn't mention the additional cost to meet this standard. EPA figures calculated last year pegged the toll to be $2,100 per vehicle. There would also be a degradation in safety, as lighter vehicles tend to perform poorly in accidents with larger vehicles.

It appears that environmentally ruinous electric vehicles are in our future, since they grade highest on fuel efficiency charts. Want them or not, only the government knows what's good for us.

Around the Nation: California's Budget

California this week passed a budget that closed the state's $9.6 billion budget gap without raising taxes -- well, almost, since there are plenty of Democrat gimmicks involved. Democrats made cuts to items such as education and local redevelopment that will help in actual deficit reduction, but the budget also assumes revenue that is questionable, including $5.2 billion more predicted by the state finance department in May. June provided a windfall in tax revenue, so lawmakers are banking on that to continue. If it doesn't, though, it will trigger another $2 billion in education cuts (although reductions of that size to the state's number-one budget item are extraordinarily unlikely).

One large problem with the budget is that Democrats assume an additional $200 million in tax revenue collected from Internet retailers. Beginning today, online merchants will be required to begin collecting sales taxes from shoppers. As always, however, taxes change behavior. Amazon promptly terminated affiliate partnerships with 25,000 California websites. Something tells us that $200 million estimate is a bit high.

Culture & Policy

Second Amendment: ATF Fires Whistleblower

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) appears to have retaliated against the agent who blew the whistle on Project Gunrunner. Agent Vince Cefalu, who has been with the agency for 24 years, was fired last week, and he says the move was politically motivated. "Aside from Jay Dobyns, I don't know of anyone that's been more vocal about ATF mismanagement than me," said Cefalu, a senior special agent based in Dublin, California. "That's why this is happening." (Dobyns is an agent based in Tucson.) Cefalu can appeal his termination, but he remains on "paid administrative leave" during the process.

Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) released a report detailing that ATF agents say gun laws need to be tightened in response to this scandal. Apparently, Cummings believes that the answer to a bureaucracy run amok is to give that bureaucracy even greater power to go after law-abiding citizens. As we predicted, the Left is using this episode to push for further gun control.

"These reforms are essential to help law enforcement to stop guns from getting into the hands of the world's most dangerous criminals," Cummings said. "Prosecutors and law enforcement agents should not have to bend over backward to imprison those who provide military-grade weapons to murderers." Apparently, Cummings was absent through the entire hearing process. The whole scandal involved ATF agents facilitating the delivery of semiautomatic (not military-grade) weapons to drug cartels in Mexico. They were bending over backward all right, but to skirt the law, not enforce it.

Judicial Benchmarks: Court Strikes Down AZ Campaign Finance Law

Conservatives in Arizona were vindicated on Monday when the Supreme Court struck down a state campaign finance law that offers government subsidies to certain political candidates. The Citizens Clean Elections Act, which was enacted in 1998 to combat campaign corruption, is voluntary, but those who do participate must limit their solicitation of private funds. The Left championed the law as a means of "leveling the playing field" for candidates with less money.

Five politicians and two advocacy groups challenged the law, saying it infringes on the free speech of candidates who opt out of the program and then have to weigh their spending decisions -- and possibly, limit their message -- for fear of triggering the provision that will subsidize their opponent. The majority, which included Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Samuel Alito, Clarence Thomas, Antonin Scalia and Anthony Kennedy, agreed. "Laws like Arizona's," wrote the Chief Justice, "that inhibit robust and wide-open political debate without sufficient justification cannot stand."

The notoriously leftist and oft-overturned Ninth Circuit Court had previously upheld the law on the grounds that the plaintiffs couldn't point to any specific decisions that were affected by it. The dissenters on the Supreme Court were predictable as well, with Elena Kagan leading the charge. She was joined by Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Stephen Breyer, and Sonia Sotomayor. Kagan claimed the Arizona law prevented "massive pools of private money from corrupting our political system." Really? Someone should remind her that Barack Obama is already campaigning to raise $1 billion in evil private money for his re-election war chest. Should the government subsidize those running against him?

The decision is the latest in which the High Court has sided with conservatives on campaign finance. In January 2010, the majority struck down portions of the McCain-Feingold Act, also on First Amendment grounds.

Faith and Family: New York Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage

Last week, New York became the sixth and largest state to legalize same-sex marriage, though it's only the third to do so through legislation not forced by a court. Homosexual rights advocates hope the "trend-setting" vote will galvanize the movement around the country. However, they are buying into a failing (or self-limiting) situation.

As The Wall Street Journal's James Taranto points out, "Last August, to far less public attention, lawmakers in Albany enacted legislation making New York the final state to institute no-fault divorce, thereby abolishing even the pretense that marriage is a lifetime commitment under the law. Under this regime, marriage is a lifetime commitment only until one spouse decides otherwise." The reasoning was "to reduce long, cutthroat court battles over who's to blame when marriages fail." This was a sign of societal change in "a culture in which divorce is commonplace and marriage for life is no longer the norm."

This Week's 'Braying Jackass' Award

"Government should not tell you what to do unless there's a compelling public purpose." --New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has no problem banning smoking, trans fats or salt, while welcoming the redefinition of marriage by the government

No Time for Reagan Thanks to Gaga

The former Eastern Bloc nation of Hungary unveiled a statue of President Ronald Reagan on June 29 in celebration of his 100th birthday and that country's gratitude for his leadership in causing the fall of European communism. The seven-foot bronze likeness of the Gipper was erected in Freedom Square in Budapest, near the U.S. Embassy. Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was on hand to represent the U.S. at the unveiling.

While it was altogether appropriate for Ms. Rice to be there honoring her mentor, the official U.S. representative should have been Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. We don't know what particular conflict prevented her attendance, but we do know that she bragged about having time to "work a deal" for Lady Gaga to perform at EuroPride, a homosexual-rights festival.

One was a leader who helped bring freedom to millions trapped behind the Iron Curtain; the other is a very disturbed young woman who seeks attention by dressing like a cartoon character. Quite a study in contrasts for the attention of the U.S. Secretary of State.

Investigate Elena Kagan's ObamaCare Lies, 49 Congressmen Demand

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Tim Pawlenty speculates that it might not be all that bad if Minnesota's government shutdown lasted awhile - if only to get a better deal at the end. He made the comment not as a GOP presidential candidate, but as the governor who was in office during the Gopher State's previous government shutdown, in 2005, Politico reports.

Government offices that are considered expendable didn't open today because the shutdown started at 12:01 a.m. after Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton and Republican legislative leaders couldn't agree on a budget plan to close the gap on their billion-dollar differences.

The deadlock furloughed about 23,000 of the roughly 36,000 state employees and pulled the plug on many government services, including state parks and campgrounds - and even the lottery.

Read more on Newsmax.com: Pawlenty: Might Be Good If Minn. Shutdown Lasted Awhile 
 

GEORGE WILL: How Fannie burned down the house

SAN ANGELO, Texas - "The louder he talked of his honor, the faster we counted our spoons."- EmersonWASHINGTON - The louder they talked about the disadvantaged, the more money they made. And the more the financial system tottered.

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July 01, 2011



 IT TAKES 'FIVE' TO REPLACE GLENN BECK
Fox News Channel finally announced their plan for the 5pm hour following the departure of The Glenn Beck Show, it's called 'The Five' and will feature rotating hosts from the Fox News stable. See who is part of 'The Five' HERE.

MINNESOTA IS CLOSED... REALLY. SHUT DOWN.
As of midnight, Minnesota's government had shut down. The impasse between the Democratic governor and the state's Republican controlled legislature has forced all non-essential employees to stay home, while parks are padlocked and campers sent home. Read the details HERE.

24 hours later, msnbc still offending
Exactly one day after Mark Halperin's vulgar insult to President Obama aired live on MSNBC's 'Morning Joe,' the show returned with an offensive clip from Jon Stewart's 'Daily Show.' See the clip HERE.

OPEC RESPONDS TO OIL RELEASE, GEITHNER'S AWFUL LEGACY, 25% TEEN JOBLESSNESS
The cognoscenti often refer to the Friday Morning Must-Reads posted in the Blog section of The Blaze as a 'multi-vitamin for the mind.' We could not agree more. Read the latest brain food HERE. 

US GOVT PROPOSES 'KINETIC MILITARY ACTION' TO PROTECT THE SPOTTED OWL
Despite being a 'protected species' for two decades, the northern spotted owl is still struggling for survival. The government has decided that the stronger and better-adapted barred owl is causing the problem, so they have proposed 'removing' the barred owl. Removing = killing. Read the detailsHERE.

VIRAL VIDEO DU JOUR - FOR YOUR AMUSEMENT, THE TICKLISH BOSTON TERRIER 
What's not to love about a video clip featuring a ticklish pup? See the little fella HERE. 

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Lamar Smith's E-Verify Bill Must Be Amended
by Phyllis Schlafly	July 1, 2011
Phyllis Schlafly E-Verify, a computer process that makes it fast and easy for employers to check the validity of employees' Social Security numbers to ascertain if they are legal, was created by Congress as a voluntary system. It demonstrates its utility by verifying individuals within a few seconds with 99.5 percent accuracy, but only about two percent of businesses actually use it.   Arizona passed the Legal Arizona Workers Act in 2007 to require the use of E-Verify by businesses in that state and to allow the state to revoke the business license of any companies that knowingly employed illegal aliens.   On May 26, the U.S. Supreme Court, in a 5-to-3 decision (Chamber of Commerce v. Whiting), upheld the Arizona law. The Court rejected the pro-amnesty claque's argument that immigration enforcement is exclusively the federal government's responsibility.

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