912 Patriots of Lower Bucks - Your Daily Updates ALL in ONE Place!

December 7, 2011

Quote:

"I have come to a resolution myself as I hope every good citizen will, never again to purchase any article of foreign manufacture which can be had of American make be the difference of price what it may."

-Thomas Jefferson

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Margaret Sanger, Planned Parenthood's Racist Founder

The Smithsonian is honoring one of the 20th century's most notorious eugenics proponents, Margaret Sanger. American Life League exposes Sanger's racist plan to create a "master race."

Margaret Sanger, Planned Parenthood's Racist Founder

Report: Obama, UN to tax US for Green Climate Fund

The Washington Examiner | by Joel Gehrke | Dec. 5, 2011

President Obama's team of negotiators at the United Nations Climate Change Conference may agree to a tax on foreign currency transactions, designed to pay for a "Green Climate Fund," that would fall disproportionately on American travellers and businesses, according to a group attending the conference that is skeptical of the UN position on global warming.

CHRISTMAS
PARTY

Saturday, December 17

3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Liberties Bar

705 North 2^nd Street

Philadelphia PA
$20 - includes free Draft Beer, Wine and Hors d'oeuvres

Please R.S.V.P. by December 10 to
Pamela Warren - pamelawarren1@comcast.net

Nullify Now

Nullify Now! Philadelphia

January 14, 2012. 10a-6p
-SPONSOR THIS EVENT - CLICK HERE
-Click here to like this event on Facebook

Crowne Plaza, Liberty Ballroom
Philadelphia Downtown
CLICK HERE for tickets

*******
-Speakers
-Event Overview
-Event Agenda
-Venue Information, Parking, etc

Thomas Jefferson: "Whensoever the general government assumes undelegated powers....a nullification of the act is the rightful remedy."

But what IS nullification? How does it happen and work? Since September 2010, the Tenth Amendment Center has been hosting a national tour to educate and activate people on this topic. People are learning the constitutional basis, when it's been used in history, and how it is happening around the country and how YOU can stop DC right in your own state.

Go here for more information:

LISTEN LIVE TO REPATRIOT RADIO

"BETTER THAN EVER"

(all times are eastern)

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

December 7th, 1941 - Pearl Harbor Remembrance!

The 7 December 1941 Japanese raid on Pearl Harbor was one of the great defining moments in history. A single carefully-planned and well-executed stroke removed the United States Navy's battleship force as a possible threat to the Japanese Empire's southward expansion. America, unprepared and now considerably weakened, was abruptly brought into the Second World War as a full combatant.

Eighteen months earlier, President Franklin D. Roosevelt had transferred the United States Fleet to Pearl Harbor as a presumed deterrent to Japanese agression. The Japanese military, deeply engaged in the seemingly endless war it had started against China in mid-1937, badly needed oil and other raw materials. Commercial access to these was gradually curtailed as the conquests continued. In July 1941 the Western powers effectively halted trade with Japan. From then on, as the desperate Japanese schemed to seize the oil and mineral-rich East Indies and Southeast Asia, a Pacific war was virtually inevitable.

By late November 1941, with peace negotiations clearly approaching an end, informed U.S. officials (and they were well-informed, they believed, through an ability to read Japan's diplomatic codes) fully expected a Japanese attack into the Indies, Malaya and probably the Philippines. Completely unanticipated was the prospect that Japan would attack east, as well.

The U.S. Fleet's Pearl Harbor base was reachable by an aircraft carrier force, and the Japanese Navy secretly sent one across the Pacific with greater aerial striking power than had ever been seen on the World's oceans. Its planes hit just before 8AM on 7 December. Within a short time five of eight battleships at Pearl Harbor were sunk or sinking, with the rest damaged. Several other ships and most Hawaii-based combat planes were also knocked out and over 2400 Americans were dead. Soon after, Japanese planes eliminated much of the American air force in the Philippines, and a Japanese Army was ashore in Malaya.

These great Japanese successes, achieved without prior diplomatic formalities, shocked and enraged the previously divided American people into a level of purposeful unity hardly seen before or since. For the next five months, until the Battle of the Coral Sea in early May, Japan's far-reaching offensives proceeded untroubled by fruitful opposition. American and Allied morale suffered accordingly. Under normal political circumstances, an accomodation might have been considered.

However, the memory of the "sneak attack" on Pearl Harbor fueled a determination to fight on. Once the Battle of Midway in early June 1942 had eliminated much of Japan's striking power, that same memory stoked a relentless war to reverse her conquests and remove her, and her German and Italian allies, as future threats to World peace.

More Material Here . . .

Philadelphia Tea Party Patriots

1) This from Americans For Prosperity about REINS act:

The Constitution entrusts our elected representatives in Congress with legislative power, but in recent years much of that power has been delegated away to unelected, unaccountable federal bureaucrats.

This week the House of Representatives has an opportunity to fix this. On Wednesday, the House will vote on H.R. 10, the REINS Act, to make it clear that Congress makes the laws in this country, not agency bureaucrats.

Click here to urge your Member of Congress to support the REINS Act and restore the proper balance of power in the legislative process!

The Small Business Administration reported recently that it cost American businesses $1.75 trillion to comply with federal regulations in 2008, more than individual and corporate income taxes combined. With such significant costs, clearly something has gone awry in the process.

The REINS Act helps correct this problem. Whenever an agency seeks to finalize a new "major" regulation - one with an economic impact of $100 million or more - the House and Senate must first vote to approve it, and the President must sign it before it can take effect. Sound familiar? This is how the Framers intended the legislative process to work!

The REINS Act won't stop every costly federal regulation or solve our existing regulatory problems, but it will ensure that when a new regulation takes effect every citizen will know exactly who voted for it and will be able to hold them accountable. We'll soon find out how many Members of Congress are willing to accept that responsibility.

Congress should make the laws in our country, not unelected and unaccountable bureaucrats. Click here to take action!

Sincerely,

Americans for Prosperity

2) Meeting Thursday Dec 8 from 7-9pm at the Rock, 857 Main St Harleysville PA

Aside from some Tea Party business, we will also simply gather and enjoy the Christmas and Channakuh spirit. Please try to bring something to eat, this is a potluck. Doesn't have to be special.
a) Tim is planning on talking about the current redistricting status and/or the electoral college
b) Matt can do a quick tutorial for the new website forum he set up for us. This will be very useful for our group. Get a sneak peak / register at our website.
c) Bill and Donna can hopefully summarize the PA Grassroots Coalition conference call.
d) We will show a bit of the video of the Constitution class we are starting up.

Thanks,
-Jim for Pam and Tim

Check out this website for proposed legislation and its impacts (thanks Bill J):

http://www.downsizedc.org/

Updated With Video: AFL-CIO to Air Pro-Casey TV Ads

By Keegan Gibson, Managing Editor

Update: The ad is indeed the product of the Pa. AFL-CIO, President Rick Bloomingdale confirmed to PoliticsPA. A copy of the ad is below.

"We decided to do the ad because Bob Casey has been fighting hard for workers," Bloomingdale said. "Some times he operates quietly and not out on the forefront and we thought it was time people recognized the good work he's doing."The ad began today and will air through Friday.

According to a Republican media consultant, the AFL-CIO will spend over $170,000 to air television ads in support of Democratic Senator Bob Casey. The spots are scheduled to begin Monday.

The ad buy was discovered during a routine survey of political advertisements on Pa. TV stations. It will air in each of the state's 6 major television networks on a mix of broadcast and cable.

Casey currently has a record of voting with the labor group 98 percent of the time, according to the most recent AFL-CIO scorecard.

Republicans have been on the attack against Casey lately. They sought to tie him to President Obama, whose numbers in Pa. have flagged over recent months. For example, the Senator took lumps last week during and after a visit by the President to Scranton. There were votes in the Senate that day and he did not attend the speech.

Here are the details we have via our GOP media consultant source, broken down by media market:

Philadelphia: $35,409 (Cable only)
Pittsburgh: $11,149 (Cable only)
Harrisburg: $45,852 (Broadcast: $30,155, Cable: $15,697)
Johnstown-Altoona: $18,728 (Broadcast: $10,830, Cable: $7,898)
Wilkes Barre-Scranton: $27,100 (Broadcast: $16,400, Cable: $10,700)
Erie: $33,570 (Broadcast: $30,270, Cable: $3,300)

Cable schedules will air on CNN, Headline News and MSNBC, with AMC also used in a few smaller markets.

LINK: http://www.politicspa.com/afl-cio-air-pro-casey-tv-ads-updated/29888/

Kitchen Table Patriots

The issue of bringing school choice to Pennsylvania has been brewing for a long time and has come to a boiling point now that Governor Corbett has made this a legislative priority for this year.

The arguments against this legislation coming from the left are fairly obvious - this will actually start making public schools accountable to market forces rather than the bureaucracy that is in the pocket of the teachers union.

The arguments against the current school choice legislation from conservatives, some of which we will rebut point-by-point below, is that the legislation does not go far enough in providing school choice to all students.

As we will elaborate upon in our rebuttal, the best arguments for supporting school choice basically boil down to the following points:

The status quo is not acceptable - children are trapped in failing schools and the failure of the current school choice legislation will condemn them to a future of mediocrity (or worse) at the expense of future PA taxpayers.

Universal School Choice, though an admirable and worthwhile objective, WILL NOT PASS EITHER PA LEGISLATIVE CHAMBER. It has not passed in any other state. It has always started small where there is the highest need and built upon it: it's called incrementalism. Our lobby efforts have convinced us, after speaking to a majority of PA Senate members and many in the PA house, that there is absolutely no chance such legislation would pass, let alone even be given a hearing. THESE ARE FACTS. (By the way, in PA the law requires that if you spend 20hourslobbyinginanyquarter, you must register as a lobbyist. More information available in this report: Mowing Down the Grassroots: How Grassroots Lobbying Disclosure Suppresses Political Participation by the Center for Competitive Politics http://bit.ly/sNHYBg)

The Kitchen Table Patriots and a host of other grassroots groups across the state are only in favor of taking this incremental approach to getting school choice because it will actually start the process of releasing the teacher's union stranglehold on public education, not because we are particularly in favor of limiting access to vouchers. Ideally, we would like to have all children to have the ability to choose whatever school they would like to attend. But we are also realists. We like to use the analogy of the abortion issue: If you cannot get a total ban on abortion, does that mean that efforts for parental notification or informed consent are a capitulation to the abortion issue? We think not. It begins the process of slowing and reversing the rate of abortion.

The Kitchen Table Patriots are supporting the effort to pass the governor's educational reform agenda along with other influential conservative organizations in Pennsylvania like the Commonwealth Foundation. They are handing out 17 white roses to PA legislators that represent the fact that "One violent incident occurs every 17 minutes in Pennsylvania's worst performing schools. That adds up to over 10,000 acts of violence between 2008 and 2010, including sexual assaults, robberies, thefts, and vandalism."

"Over 80,000 kids are trapped in Pennsylvania's failing and violent schools, awaiting the lifeline our legislators must throw to them. We have the chance now to save these children, to provide parents with a choice to find the best and safest learning environment for their children. We cannot wait while these children are sentenced to another year in these schools. Tell your representatives to act now to save Pennsylvania's kids."

Now to address the arguments made by UNITEPA and the Independence Hall Tea Party regarding the Senate Bill 1:

SAY NO TO SB1

SB1 EXCLUDES THE "WORKING POOR" AND "MIDDLE INCOME" FAMILIES WHILE CREATING A PURE ENTITLEMENT PROGRAM BY 2018

____________________________________________________

SAY NO to an absolute entitlement program; the "near poor" and "middle income families" are explicitly denied access to academic freedom.

Page 115 - (2) BEGINNING IN THE 2018-2019 SCHOOL YEAR AND EACH

SCHOOL YEAR THEREAFTER, A PUBLIC ELEMENTARY OR SECONDARY

SCHOOL WITHIN THIS COMMONWEALTH IN WHICH 50% OR FEWER OF ITS

STUDENTS SCORED PROFICIENT OR ABOVE IN MATH OR 50% OR FEWER

OF ITS STUDENTS SCORED PROFICIENT OR ABOVE IN READING ON THE

ASSESSMENT ADMINISTERED IN THE MOST RECENT SCHOOL YEAR.

Essentially, the SB1 language was reworded to hide the expanded entitlement program. By 2018, the majority of all low-income students will be given vouchers, denying the middle income and "near poor" families academic freedom. Many of our legislators have not even read this amendment. (THE FISCAL NOTE DOES NOT EVEN PROJECT 2018 or 2019.)

Rebuttal: The current school choice legislation does have income eligibility requirement; however, the language referenced above makes NO reference to income, only to the effectiveness of schools based upon performance. The presumption is that this "new entitlement" will only benefit the poor, but it would benefit any student that is in a bad school. Schools right now have virtually no accountability. As a matter of fact, the worse they do, the more money they get and the teacher's union demands even more money to perpetuate their thievery and abject failure. The objective of school choice is it to take away this incentive for failure.

And by the way, there is no new entitlement - all children in Pennsylvania already have a constitutional entitlement to an education. It just makes sure that the money being spent results in a good education. It gives poor families choices and protects our tax money by no longer letting large bureaucratic school districts waste our tax dollars (which they have continued to do for decades).

Remember this - the education bureaucracy is interested in empowering and enriching the bureaucracy, not providing an effective education environment. If they were, they would be outperforming the private schools that outperform them with half (or less) of the cost of the government schools.

SAY NO to a system which invites fraud.

Page 116 - " PARENT . " A COMMONWEALTH RESIDENT WHO IS A PARENT HAVING LEGAL CUSTODY OR GUARDIAN OF A SCHOOL-AGE CHILD. THE TERM SHALL ALSO INCLUDE ANY COMMONWEALTH RESIDENT WHO KEEPS IN HIS HOME A CHILD OF SCHOOL AGE, NOT HIS OWN, AND SUPPORTS THE CHILD GRATIS AS IF THE CHILD WERE HIS OWN.

This opens the door wide open for potential fraud.

Rebuttal: This is a completely disingenuous attack on the legislation. The vouchers are just that - vouchers. The parent or guardian, regardless of how you define it, is still the one who must send the child to school. No money goes to the parent, but they have the power to direct the voucher to a school.

And what is the fraud that UNITEPA and the Independence Hall Tea Party are worried about that could possibly be worse than the fraud, theft and incompetence that are the normal operating environment of the Pennsylvania Public School system. DO these "conservatives" fear that faux guardians will set up fake schools to send fake children to in order to run away with vouchers which they will not be able to cash in? Really?

SAY NO to a program which prevents an established private school from conducting existing placement testing; ironically this measure would ensure discrimination against

non-voucher students by having two standards.

Page 117 - (2 ) THE NONPUBLIC SCHOOL DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE IN ITS

ADMISSION POLICIES OR PRACTICES WITH RESPECT TO OPPORTUNITY

SCHOLARSHIP APPLICANTS ON THE BASIS OF MEASURES OF

ACHIEVEMENT OR APTITUDE OR STATUS AS A HANDICAPPED PERSON,

PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT AN APPLICANT MAY BE REQUIRED TO MEET

ESTABLISHED ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR PARTICIPATION IN MAGNET

SCHOOLS.

Lobbyists are pushing private Catholic Schools and other distinguished Private

schools to say yes to vouchers. However, most schools have not read the language that prevents them from using their own placement testing. Income based affirmative action: vouchers require different standards for different economic backgrounds.

Rebuttal: So let's see how this argument works: schools that accept only academically exceptional students would be forced to take underperforming students that come to them with vouchers? Is this is what UNITEPA and the Independence Hall Tea Party is worried about - elite schools that already discriminate would not be able to discriminate?

This is another straw-man attack. Assuming that these schools exist, there is no requirement that all private schools accept vouchers. As a matter of fact, public schools are not required to accept vouchers.

The real issue here is that there are private schools that are clamoring for the opportunity to educate these "bad students". Most of these troubled students underperform because of the violent, drug infested environment that is their public school now. Given an alternative, these children will excel in their studies. To assume otherwise is genuine bigotry.

SAY NO to a voucher program which rewards some and punishes others.

Page 118 - (II) DURING THE 2013-2014 SCHOOL YEAR AND EACH SCHOOL YEAR THEREAFTER, THE OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM SHALL BE AVAILABLE TO LOW-INCOME CHILDREN WHO QUALIFIED FOR THE PROGRAM FOR THE 2012-2013 SCHOOL YEAR UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) AND TO LOW-INCOME CHILDREN WHO WILL RESIDE WITHIN THE ATTENDANCE BOUNDARY OF A LOW ACHIEVING SCHOOL AS OF THE FIRST DAY OF CLASSES OF THE SCHOOL YEAR FOR WHICH THE OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIP IS TO BE AWARDED.

If you currently pay for private school, the government says you no longer have to make that sacrifice if you are low-income. But if you are a middle income or "near poor" taxpayer then you are out of luck.

Rebuttal: The main reason for the low-income requirement is to keep the cost of the scholarship program to a minimum and afford the opportunity to those students least able to escape the failing schools. This is not fair, but neither are failing schools. The objective of the legislation is not to reform the schools. These schools asked for more time and more money to reform themselves and the same schools that were failing 15 years ago when this effort was last tried are still failing.

This goes to the heart of the issue. Legislators do not have an appetite to completely reorganize the public educational economy without other significant reforms. The power of the teacher's union should not be taken lightly. They compel teachers to join the union, require the school districts to collect their dues (which they have increased by 11% to fight any reform effort) and either threaten to withdraw their financial support to legislators or threaten to run a union-backed candidate against them in the next election with millions of dollars available to defeat any candidate that challenges their absolute power over the direction of education. The cost to legislators who support even this modest reform have been told that they will be the target of an unrelenting and distorted campaign to smear these representatives and senators as evil and wanting to destroy education and ruin the lives of children.

If the current school choice legislation fails, it will be another generation or more before any attempt is made to reform education. If it passes, efforts such as eliminating teacher strikes, making Pennsylvania a right-to-work state and empowering school districts to make the reforms needed to make them competitive and effective will begin to move forward. Once the voucher program is a proven success (and it has been in every other state and locality that has instituted it), there will be the proof that legislators will need to expand the program to a broader range of students.

Here is the bottom line for us: We believe that that it is fundamentally irresponsible for conservative grassroots organizations like UNITEPA and the Independence Hall Tea Party to encourage folks to vote with the unions. Voting down the current school choice legislation plays into their hands and will increase their power. EITC money is will be available for those in other income brackets and, once railed upon by the left and the unions, is now an accepted and widely supported program. The UNITEPA and the Independence Hall Tea Party newsletter use the language of the left to scare people. Having a voucher will help more people. What they have to say about the kids and their parents & guardians make them look greedy and small. They should be ashamed of themselves for using such divisive and derogatory arguments.

The opposition will be relentless from the left that wants what all teenagers want - all the privileges of being an adult with none of the responsibilities of being one.

It is about time we have an adult and pragmatic discussion on this issue and avoid the absolutist approach of "all or nothing" because nothing is what we will get. A child will only have one shot at 5th grade. Robbing them of this opportunity would be a genuine tragedy.

Let's not make this about the adults but the kids.

Yours in Liberty,
The Kitchen Table Patriots

Web: TheKitchenTablePatriots.org

RedState

RedState Morning Briefing

For December 7, 2011

1. My Confession

The problem with Mitt Romney is the inconsistencies in his record. The problem with Newt Gingrich is the consistency of his record.

I will support either of these men against Barack Obama. Either would be better. (Quick: My new favorite website)

I support Gingrich over Romney because Gingrich fights and I don't ever have to doubt where he stands on an issue. I trust Gingrich even if I don't agree with him.

But I don't know that I can support Gingrich. I really don't. That is my confession. In Romney v. Newt, I support Newt. But in Newt vs. the rest?My problem is very basic.

In all honesty and candor and recognizing we all fall short of the glory of God, I do not know that I can support a man who is on his third wife having cheated on his two prior wives. It is very much more the adultery than the marriages. Many of my friends have marriages that do not work out.

But, if a man cannot be faithful to his vows made before God related to his marriage, how can he be faithful to the constitution he swears to God to uphold?

2. Obama Says It is Good to be in Texas While in Kansas

Were it Rick Perry or Michele Bachmann, all we'd hear about for the next week is that they went to Kansas and said it was "Good to be back in Texas." Except it wasn't Perry or Bachmann. It was Barack Obama not using the teleprompter.

Like the 57 states.

Except Barack Obama is a genius.

3. Expectedly, AFSCME Endorses Obama, Vows To Spend $100 Million On 2012 Election

A few weeks ago, you were provided with a PowerPoint overview overview of the battle ahead in 2012 and what must be done to become a Force Multiplier.

With the Obama re-election campaign in full swing since January when ex-SEIU political director Patrick Gaspard left the White House to help run the campaign through OFA, union bosses have expectedly begun lining up their endorsements.

4. Debunking the Election Myths of the Republican Establishment

Ramesh Ponnuru, one of the more respected pundits of the establishment right, recently penned a widely-circulated article that took issue with the notion that Republicans lost their way during the Bush years to their political detriment. He argued that conservatives have created a false narrative, based on a bad reading of history, that "ideological purity, especially on spending, had caused those [electoral] losses," in 2006 and 2008. As a result, the party continues to lose more than it should and is failing to focus on the "real problems" facing the country.

This is an odd bit of revisionist history coming from someone known to be on the right, especially since the implicit lesson for Republicans is to be less ideologically pure and move to the center. Yet, it is interesting that Ramesh claims that "this consensus still moves the party." It doesn't.

5. GOP Should Launch Offensive in Payroll Tax Fight

After decades of monstrous lies about Social Security, Democrats have finally blown the cover off their stratagem. They have always proclaimed that our payroll taxes were held securely in a trust fund in order to purvey retirement checks for each pay roll tax contributor. Moreover, they emphatically promised that as much as $2.6 trillion in unspent tax revenue had accrued in the trust fund. Now, with their push for a defacto permanent payroll tax cut, they are shedding all effort to conceal their Social Security mendacity.

6. Obama Administration Uses EPA to Buy Favor and Harm Cars

I've said before that when the Democrats propose a tax credit it's called a "business incentive" and when a Republican proposes a tax credit it's called a "loophole." This game of semantics only works because of a complicit media which is more than willing to apply the Democrat designated classifications to ensure the correct narrative.

In reality, all sides are using fancy words to avoid the one word that best describes what is happening: subsidization.

Subsidies aren't necessarily inherently bad. There can be subsidies that work in favor of economic growth or better opportunities for the disadvantaged. But more often than not, subsidies are used as a way to prop up industries that serve other agendas. Like elections for instance.

Give a gift.

Celebrate the "13 Days of Glory" that mark the siege of the Alamo (February 23 to March 6) by bringing your liberal friend a gift basket of thirteen John Wayne westerns, including, of course, The Alamo.

SultanKnish

The Winter of Our Economic Discontent

What do the United States, Russia and the Middle East have in common? They all have unpopular regimes run by out of touch kleptocrats who faced popular uprisings. The opposition groups in all those place don't have much in common, but the governments do.

Obama might have sneered at Mubarak or Putin, but for all the pretense of democracy he was sitting at the top of his own kleptocracy, doling out fortunes to supporters out of the emergency bailout and stimulus plans. The Tea Party was the outraged and vocal response of a working middle-class that was seeing its taxes and its children's future being squandered to feed the appetites of the oligarchy.

The media elite might bemoan the Tea Party as the second coming of the Klu Klax Klan, but it was a far more honest expression of economic discontent than OWS, which limited its manufactured anger to the junior partners in the kleptocracy, while giving the men in power a pass.

Russian voters who watched Putin build palaces for himself while their roads decayed did the unthinkable by challenging his cult of personality at the polls, and despite the massive voter fraud, dealt a severe blow to his grip on power. As long as Putin holds executive power, the repression will double and the suicides, violent assaults and criminal trials against critics will continue-- but it's clear to everyone that he has lost any popular mandate to rule.

Obama lost his popular mandate in 2010 and no matter what happens in 2012, his rule has already ended. Like Putin he wields executive power, but without the support of the public. It's ironic that he played such a key role in removing Gaddafi, when he had more than a little in common with him. The vain showboating, the flagrant corruption and the constant speeches are a feature of both regimes.

There's also plenty of political DNA overlap with Putin. The shirtless photos and the cult of personality is a common element of both men. For now Obama hasn't resorted to having his aides plant animals for him to kill, but there have been plenty of equally cynical stunts. The Putin and Obama machines both sought to conceal their abuses of power under the illusion of mass popularity. But no amount of stunts, shirtless photos, dead animals or showgirls have salvaged Putnism and the Obamanation won't be saved by another trip to the beach or another ObamaGirl.

Act! for America

December 6, 2011

Negative attitudes towardsIslam on the rise in Europe

A recent study in Europe found that half of Europeans now believe Islam is a religion of intolerance (see story below).

This is revealing, because for decades European countries and Great Britain have bent over backwards to accommodate Muslim immigrants and increasingly unreasonable demands from Islamic leaders and organizations.

Pushback by Europeans has resulted in the Swiss passage of a referendum banning the construction of minarets and the growing strength of Geert Wilders' political party in the Netherlands.

It appears that, as more and more Europeans have seen the intolerance of radical Islam, they are understandably reacting negatively to that intolerance.

This is what leaders like German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister David Cameron were referring to last year when they said, speaking of Muslim immigration, that "multiculturalism" had failed. Cameron went so far as to say it was time to stop being tolerant of intolerance.

The same trend is happening in America, with polls showing negative attitudes towards Islam on the rise. From the Ground Zero Mosque controversy to the rise of homegrown terrorism, Americans are waking up to the threat of radical Islam.

Groups like CAIR and ISNA will continue to claim this is all about worldwide Islamophobia. They claim that people have negative views of Islam because they aren't exposed to "genuine" Islam.

But the mounting evidence argues that the more people in the West are exposed to Islam, the less they like what they see. Reformist Muslim Tawfik Hamid is correct-it's time for the Muslim world to stop pointing fingers of blame at the West and start examining itself.

EU: Half of Europeans say Islam is a religion of intolerance

http://europenews.dk/en/node/50157 The Friedrich-Ebert-Foundation published a study on intolerance and prejudice in Europe. The study "Intolerance, Prejudice and Discrimination" is available in German and English. I bring below the section relating to Muslims.

After statistical testing, three statements were used to produce the anti-Muslim attitudes mean scale (Table 7, items 18 to 20). These cover the general impression that there are too many Muslims in the country, the charge that Muslims make too many demands, and broad-brush criticism of Islam as a religion of intolerance. Four further statements were surveyed in a random half of the sample. These cover a positive attitude that sees Muslims as an enrichment and the idea that there are great cultural differences between the majority society and Muslims, especially concerning attitudes towards women. We also surveyed the idea that Muslims generally support and condone terrorism.

In most of the countries a majority believe Islam to be a religion of intolerance, with agreement just below 50 percent only in Great Britain and the Netherlands. In almost all the countries more than half of respondents said that Muslims make too many demands; Portugal was the only exception with about one third. The statement that there are too many Muslims in the country is affirmed by just over one quarter in Portugal and by about one third in France. In Germany, Great Britain, Italy and the Netherlands more than 40 percent of respondents complain that there are too many Muslims in their country, in Hungary about 60 percent.

Interviewees were also asked to respond to four further statements covering perceived cultural differences and supposed affinity of Muslims toward terrorism (Table 7, items 22 to 25). Despite correlating closely with anti-Muslim attitudes these items represent separate constructs and were therefore excluded from the scale measure.

The figures for those who say that Muslim culture is compatible with their own range from 17 percent in Poland and 19 percent in Germany to about half the population in Portugal and France. A majority of more than 70 percent of European respondents find that Muslim attitudes towards women are incompatible with their own values. Overall in the surveyed countries about one third think that Muslims treat Islamist terrorists as heroes, although somewhat fewer believe that terrorism finds moral support in the Muslim community (ranging from under 20 percent in Germany and the Netherlands to nearly 30 percent in Hungary).

The scale created from the first three statements clearly illustrates the extent of anti-Muslim attitudes in the studied countries (Figure 5). It is conspicuous that Europeans are largely united in their rejection of Muslims and Islam. The significantly most widespread anti-Muslim attitudes are found in Germany, Hungary, Italy and Poland, closely followed by France, Great Britain and the Netherlands. The extent of anti-Muslim attitudes is least in Portugal. In absolute terms, however, the eight countries differ little in their levels of prejudice towards Muslims.

Family Security Matters

VIDEOS * TODAY'S HOT PICKS

♦ CHECK OUT FSM'S NEW HOT PICKS' FEATURE: "WHAT DOES PAM THINK? "♦

1. U.S. Military to Rescind Policy Banning Bibles at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
2. VIDEO: Teacher Makes 3rd Graders Write School Board To Protest Budget Cuts 3. Clinton Collected $50K Per Month From MF Global - Former president's new firm Teneo Strategy was hired to boost John Corzine. 4. VIDEO: "Wall Street On Trial"
5. VIDEO: NewsBusters SATIRE: Who says Conservatives have no sense of humor? (12-02-11) 6. VIDEO: Anti-Semitism on College Campuses Due to Islam
7. VIDEO: Former Game Show Host Chuck Woolery Launches 'Un-Occupy Movement' 8. VIDEO: Pat Condell: Name That Poison. Islamic rape of Euro-women
9. VIDEO: Missing You - The Incandescent Light Bulb Song 10. Qaradawi, the "Arab Spring" and The Treason of the Intellectuals

Without American Exceptionalism, U.S. Influence Wanes

Presidential Policy: Does It Make the Grade?, James Jay Carafano, PhD

In Pakistan, the consequences of a bad U.S. drone strike open tensions, that are then exploited by Russia.

Time for a Domestic Anti-Radicalization Program

Steve Emerson

U.S. authorities are not doing enough to sideline Islamist groups operating in our own back yard, who promote the false "War on Islam" narrative which inspires terrorism.

Suppose You Were an Idiot...

Frank Hill

On current projections, by the end of next year, on paper the budget deficits could be a quarter of what they are now. But that will only be an illusory, and temporary, blessing.

Israel and U.S.: Allies No More?

Caroline Glick

As anti-Israel Islamists gain victory in Egypt, Obama says it is a victory of "democracy." Clinton makes snide comments against Israel. For Israel, has the close relationship with the U.S. ended?

Today's Hot Topics

We choose, you peruse.

Hamas Terrorists Invited to Turkey

The Global Muslim Brotherhood Daily Report

A Muslim Brotherhood fundraising and terrorist group claims that Turkey's prime minister invited terrorist group Hamas to Turkey, where the Brotherhood has growing influence.

Climategate 2.0: Junk Science 101 With Michael Mann

James Delingpole

Michael Mann, the climatologist whose controversial "hockey stick" graph from 1999 indicated the world was heating at an alarming rate is now on the warpath against his critics.

California Offers Opportunity and Prosperity to Illegals

Immigration News Update

The California Opportunity and Prosperity Act will allow nearly a million undocumented immigrants the right to live and work in the state with little chance of deportation

How Should the U.S. React to the Kidnapping of Warren Weinstein?

Ryan Mauro

A Jewish American aid expert was kidnapped from Pakistan in August. He is now in the hands of Al Qaeda, who are threatening to kill him if their demands are not met...

In Defense of Afghanistan Night Raids

by Gregory D. Lee

The Afghan president wants to end U.S.-led night raids upon suspected insurgents, but Greg Lee, who spent a year in situ examining counterinsurgency tactics, disagrees.

Frontpage

Salafists Surge in Egypt

By Ryan Mauro
One-fourth of voters choose Islamist totalitarians.
Read more »

Putin Rebuffed

By Jacob Laksin
Despite a rigged election, Russian voters deal a setback to Putin and his party.
Read more »

After the Arab Spring

By Jamie Glazov
How Islamists hijacked the Middle East revolts.
Read more »

Toward 2012: The Election of Our Lifetime?

By Frontpagemag.com
A panel discussion that recently took place at David Horowitz's Restoration Weekend.
Read more »

Is Newt Electable?

By Ben Shapiro
He's better than Romney, but can he win?
Read more »

All-American Muslim: The Perils of Propaganda

By Daniel Greenfield
The viewers flee, the lawsuits begin and the show nears it end.
Read more »

Muslim Brotherhood Confessions

By Raymond Ibrahim
Firsthand testimony of how ordinary Muslims are radicalized.
Read more »

The Glazov Gang: Obama's Destructive Agenda

By Frontpagemag.com
A distinguished panel joins Jamie Glazov's new television program to discuss the president's deadly designs for America.
Read more »

Israel's Mona Lisa Weapon

By Steven Plaut
Meet the most effective countermeasure against the Western campus bashers of Israel, the anti-Semitic professors, and the jihadi wannabes.
Read more »

The Defense Secretary Gives Israel a 'Turn of the Screw'

By Bruce Thornton
Setting the Jewish State up for the same fate as Czechoslovakia.
Read more »

Obama's Chutzpah on Israel

By Joseph Klein
Shameless deceptive pandering to Jewish donors.
Read more »

Andrew Klavan: Wall Street On Trial

By Frontpagemag.com
How much is Wall Street really to blame for our current economic difficulties?
Read more »

Join Bosch Fawstin on The Jamie Glazov Show, Tuesday, Dec. 6, 8-9pm Pacific

By Frontpagemag.com
The Eisner Award nominated cartoonist appearing on Frontpage's blog talk radio program for the full hour.
Read more »

Muslim 'Rape Wave' Reported in Oslo, Ministers Blame Israel

Report: 45 of 48 rapes in Norway's capital recently were by Muslims, but Norwegian ministers think this is just pro-Israel propaganda..
By Gil Ronen, INN

Norway is suffering from an unprecedented wave of rapes that are largely being perpetrated by Muslim immigrants against local women, according to Yehuda Bello, an acclaimed Israeli blogger whose special interests include Norway.

Bello, who understands Norwegian and has Norwegian contacts, reported that from January to late October, 48 rapes were confirmed to have been carried out in Oslo alone, 45 of them by Muslims. In the first six months of 2011, 208 Norwegian women complained of rape and attempted rape in Oslo alone. In all of Norway, 929 rapes and attempted aggravated rapes were reported since the beginning of the year, he added.

Bello notes that Norway is "the most advanced country in the world in granting rights to women." However, he adds, the "politically correct rot" prevents the rape...

Read the whole entry »

Harry Potter and the Islamization of America

by Bill Levinson (originally at American Thinker)

The success of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series is
due largely to the fact that the story contains elements for sophisticated
adults as well as teenagers. The latter can enjoy the magical creatures and
battles between wizards, while far older readers and viewers can relate to the
very real historical events that apparently influenced Rowling's writing. The
series' theme is anything but fictional because it happened once and it is
happening again.

Britain's experiences prior to and during the Second World
War seem to have influenced Rowling's writing significantly. Her characters
believe that the First Wizarding War had ended the menace of Lord Voldemort
forever, while the First World War was purportedly the war to end all wars. The
First World War also maimed an entire generation of European manhood and made
it psychologically impossible to contemplate...

Read the whole entry »

Right Side News

BENADOR: Muslim Invasion Update - Muslim Rally in the Heart of NYC
Dec 06, 2011 11:45 am

Egypt and the Idealist-Realist Debate in U.S. Foreign Policy
Dec 06, 2011 05:00 am

Agenda 21 and the Threat in Your Backyard
Dec 06, 2011 01:57 am

Israel Will Be Targeted with Full Force by Hizbullah, Hamas, Iran
Dec 06, 2011 01:27 am

Hunting Is Safer Than Golf and Most Other Activities
Dec 06, 2011 01:14 am

25 House-Passed Jobs Bills Stuck in the Democratic-Run Senate
Dec 06, 2011 12:54 am

Ninth Circuit Gets It Right, Deregulates the Bone Marrow Market
Dec 06, 2011 12:45 am

Australia Going Solar - Gonna Cost Ya, Mate
Dec 06, 2011 12:34 am

Media Whitewash Barney Frank's Scandalous Legacy
Dec 05, 2011 07:09 pm

At the Table with Barry, Leon and Howard
Dec 05, 2011 05:40 pm

Obama Administration's Threefold Slap in Israel's Face
Dec 05, 2011 05:27 pm

Wall Street's Darkest Hour, Then and Now?
Dec 05, 2011 05:09 pm

U. S. Legislative Immigration Update December 5, 2011
Dec 05, 2011 04:51 pm

BENADOR: Maspik! Israel belongs to G-d and Not to the Erev Rav...!!!
Dec 05, 2011 11:50 am

Raising a New Generation of Anti-Americans
Dec 05, 2011 10:00 am

The Patriot Update

Govt Says Hunters, Extreme Couponers are Potential Terrorists?

December 5, 2011

How much does the government fear its own citizens? So much so that guidelines for spotting potential terrorists include anyone who has more than seven days of food in his home, anyone who is missing fingers, and anyone who posses multiple firearms or weather-proof ammunition. These criteria are so broad they put every hunter, sportsman, and extreme couponer in the United States on par with Osama bin Laden.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-KY, revealed the government's newest definition of potential terrorist activity on the Senate floor:

Having Over 7 Days of Food Makes You a Terrorist Suspect..

Obama - The Anti-Israel President

JWR Insight

It's stupid to treat an enemy as a friend. It's despicable to treat a friend as an enemy

By Jack Kelly

http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | It was Pliny the Elder who, in his 37-volume "Natural History," first said the ostrich, when it feels threatened, will bury its head in the sand.

Such a maneuver would, of course, do little to protect the ostrich from a predator. But, the theory goes, it made the ostrich feel better, because it could no longer see the doom descending upon it.

Pliny triggered a myth which, 2,000 years later, is still going strong. He was wrong. Ostriches don't bury their heads in the sand when a predator threatens. (Mostly they run away; sometimes they kick.)

Well, half wrong. Because among the bird-brains in Washington -- where ostriches vastly outnumber hawks and wise old owls -- the most common response to a threat is to pretend it doesn't exist.

Pretending a threat isn't threatening does not, alas, diminish the threat. Most of us realize how dangerous it is to ignore the early warning signs of cancer. The same is true of threats to national security. If detected early and dealt with promptly, usually they can be averted or ameliorated without war. But if left to mestastize, war becomes all but inevitable.

WND Breaking News

Donald Trump casts even more doubt on Obama

Read the latest now on WND.com.

Plus!

With a presidential election year around the corner, every candidate has his or her own website, with many supporters creating their own support sites.

But one presidential candidate has something the others don't have - an active site set up independently that solicits prayer for her and her family.

Click here for details.

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Carney on congressional vote: 'Let's get serious'

Twilight zoning: More government, fewer jobs

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Michele Bachmann's 2nd surge

Brokenhearted but not broken

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Patriotic rock band barred from performing

Shocking confession: 'I was going to kill my child'

'Bethlehem' like you haven't seen it before

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Christmas showdown: Retailers vs. reverent Americans

Mark Twain lives again!

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WND RADIO: America and the Euro crisis: 'Why do we care?'

Do you remember why 69 million Americans voted for Obama? ...

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Daily Blessing

Your daily dose of spiritual inspiration
Today's Scripture reading from Book of Psalms

Joke Of The Day

S-O-S
Ship

Today's Poll

What is Donald Trump's real motive in questioning Obama's birth certificate?

Deals Of The Day

Finding true happiness in an insane world
An in-depth look at overcoming fear, anger, stress, depression, hopelessness

Why we elect liars as leaders
In latest blockbuster, David Kupelian explains the unexplainable

Michele Bachmann: The rest of the story
Discover why conservatives call her the 'real deal' in 'Core of Conviction'

Campaign for Working Families

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

To: Friends & Supporters

From: Gary L. Bauer

COUNTDOWN TO VICTORY: 336 DAYS TO THE 2012 ELECTIONS

Newt's Turn & Pelosi's Threat

New polling data shows Newt Gingrich continuing to lead the GOP field in the key early voting states of Iowa and South Carolina, while Mitt Romney holds an advantage in New Hampshire. Gallup's latest national poll finds Gingrich's support nearly tripled in the past month. According to Gallup, Gingrich leads Romney 37% to 22%. No other candidate earned double-digit support.

While this is Gingrich's turn to shine, it is also his turn to experience the withering barrage of negative scrutiny that comes with being the GOP front-runner. And he is taking hits from the left and the right.

Yesterday Nancy Pelosi led the charge, suggesting that "when the time was right," she would leak information from a House Ethics Committee investigation of Gingrich. "One of these days we'll have a conversation about Newt Gingrich. ...I know a lot about him. I served on the investigative committee that investigated him," Pelosi said.

Once again we see how willing the Democrats are to engage in the politics of personal destruction to smear and destroy their opponents.

Gingrich immediately fired back, thanking Pelosi for an "early Christmas gift" to his presidential campaign. Gingrich added:

"I think it tells you how capriciously political that committee was that she was on it. It tells you how tainted the outcome was that she was on it. And I think what she said to you today should explain a great deal about what happened in the ethics process when Nancy Pelosi was at the heart of it, and is now prepared to totally abuse the House process.

"So I regard it as a useful education of the American people to see what a tainted, political ethics operation Nancy Pelosi was engaged in. And I would hope that the House would immediately condemn her if she uses any information that was gathered while she was on the ethics committee because that would be a total violation of the committee."

Former Republican Congressman Joe Scarborough said this morning that party leaders he is speaking to are panicked by the realization that the race has seemingly come down to Gingrich and Romney, with some even talking about a brokered Republican National Convention. It's no secret that Scarborough is no fan of Newt, and the fact that his show is on MSNBC makes Scarborough's conservatism suspect.

The Drudge Report featured this banner headline today, "IOWA BLITZ: RON PAUL GOES FOR NEWT'S THROAT." Paul's campaign launched a blistering ad against Gingrich that almost implies he has done something criminal. Whether you like Gingrich or not, this is the kind of negative ad that can only have people at the Obama White House smiling.

Folks, this race isn't over. It is too early to predict who will be the nominee. One month ago, Newt Gingrich was in third place, 14 points behind Herman Cain. A month from now, the voters of Iowa could completely upend the race, just as they did in 2008 when a junior senator from Illinois named Barack Hussein Obama finished first, while Hillary Clinton finished third.

Muslim Radicalism In The Military

Congress' approval ratings are low. Many of you think the GOP House could be doing more to advance the conservative cause. But consider what is happening this week on Capitol Hill.

Tomorrow Rep. Peter King (R-NY), chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, is holding a joint hearing with Sen. Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) to examine radicalization of Muslims in America. This will be King's fourth such hearing, and will focus exclusively on radicalization within the American military.

These hearings are necessary because the Obama Administration is turning a blind eye to a very real danger. It was reported in late October that the administration had ordered law enforcement and national security communities to "eliminate all references to Islam" in their counterterrorism training materials. The action was reportedly taken in response to complaints from CAIR and other Muslim groups. Even the Pentagon has been dragged into this politically correct charade.

In addition to the King/Lieberman hearing, Attorney General Eric Holder will be testifying before the House Judiciary Committee Thursday on Operation Fast and Furious -- on the same day former Senator and Governor Jon Corzine (D-NJ) is set to testify about his role in the MF Global scandal.

None of these hearings would be taking place if Nancy Pelosi were Speaker of the House today.

Priorities

The Associated Press reports that Barack Obama issued a memorandum today ordering the State Department to use your hard-earned tax dollars "to promote rights for gays and lesbians abroad, including combating attempts by foreign governments to criminalize homosexuality." According to other reports, the Obama Administration may condition foreign aid on a country's gay rights record.

So while the administration is downplaying Christian persecution overseas, it is elevating homosexuals to a protected class. I'm sure promoting the idea of men "marrying" other men will win over many converts in the Middle East, especially as the Islamists seem to be taking over one country after another.

The Obama Administration is also considering putting abortion-inducing drugs on the shelves of local grocery stores. I know it seems outrageous, but you don't have to take my word for it. Consider this excerpt from today's Washington Post:

"The federal government is grappling with the explosive question of whether to let anyone of any age buy the controversial morning-after pill Plan B directly off drugstore and supermarket shelves without a prescription. ...[making] the pill as easy to get as toilet paper and toothpaste..."

With the nation mired in debt and unemployment still unacceptably high, why is the Obama Administration focused on these issues? That tells you all you need to know about Obama's priorities. As Obama writes off white working-class voters, he is once again pandering to his left-wing base in advance of the 2012 elections.

Firewall/The Blaze

December 06, 2011

BECK ASKS NEWT THE TOUGH QUESTIONS The first thing Glenn Beck listeners heard on today's show was an interview with Newt Gingrich unlike any interviews the candidate has faced in the past. Glenn asked Newt about big government, health care mandates, global warming and more. Get the details HERE.

IS CONGRESS GUILTY OF INSIDER TRADING? The short answer to the question in the title is, YES. However, Congress has also exempted themselves from the same laws that prevent the rest of us from profiting on insider information. Find out why this story is important HERE.

8-Yr-Old CONFRONTS MICHELE BACHMANN Last weekend, during a promotional appearance for her new book, Michele Bachmann met a young man whose mom sent him to deliver a special message to the Congresswoman. What did the little guy say? Watch the video HERE.

THE FDA APPEARS TO BE READY TO MAKE 'MORNING AFTER PILL' AVAILABLE TO ALL The controversial "morning after pill" known as Plan B is currently sold as an over-the-counter drug to anyone over the age of 17. That may change very soon. The FDA has until Wednesday of this week to decide if the pill will become available to all ages. Get the full story HERE.

CHICAGO CROOK PICKED THE WRONG VICTIM - mma fighter pummels thug A would-be crook in Chicago made the worst decision of his life when he pulled a gun and tried to rob a man who makes his living as a Mixed Martial Arts fighter. The failed robber ended up with two black eyes and was shot in the ankle. See the pictures and read the details HERE.

VIRAL VIDEO - IS THIS ONE OF THE WORST COMMERCIAL YOU HAVE EVER SEEN? The attached video clip is a TV commercial from Norway's 1888 telephone directory company (think Yellow Pages). Is it funny? Is it creepy? Watch and decide for yourself HERE.

blaze exclusive - meet the 5TH GRADER who COMPARed A TV ANCHOR TO OBAMA As previously reported, 11-yr-old Grayson Thomas told a friend that he thought a local TV anchor who visited their school resembled President Obama. That one statement caused young Mr. Thomas to be kicked out of the Stevenson Ranch Elementary School. Watch the exclusive interview with Grayson and his family HERE

Published Tuesday, December 6, 2011

In a story that just broke in the last hour or so, Jim Matthews, the brother of highly partisan leftist host Chris Matthews of MNBC's Hardball, has just been arrested on perjury charges. Matthews is a "RINO" (Republican in Name Only) County Commissioner in Montgomery County in suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

According to an NBC Philadelphia story by Teresa Masterson:

After an 18-month grand jury investigation, Montgomery County Commissioner Jim Matthews has been arrested on charges of perjury, District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman. [sic]
Matthews is in custody awaiting arraignment Tuesday, according to Ferman.
The arrest is a result of an investigation that Ferman called "Breakfastgate" a year ago, reports the Inquirer. At the time Ferman said that they were investigating whether the state Sunshine Law was violated at breakfast meetings attended by the country's three commissioners.

According to Montgomery County's Times Herald (which came out with the story before NBC Philadelphia

Continue reading on Examiner.com Chris Matthews's RINO brother (a Montgomery County Commissioner) arrested - Philadelphia Jewish culture | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/jewish-culture-in-philadelphia/chris-matthews-s-rino-brother-a-montgomery-county-commissioner-arrested#ixzz1foRRUYRW

City Limits Cooperation With Federal Immigration Officials at Rikers

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

By Mirela Iverac

Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed a new bill into law Tuesday that limits the city's cooperation with federal immigration authorities on Rikers Island.

The law will prevent the Department of Corrections from turning over immigrants with no criminal convictions upon their release, who are not known gang members or who are not on the terror watch list to Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said it was an historic day for the city and immigrant communities in New York. "We are sending a strong and unified message that this city will no longer allow innocent immigrants who pose no threat to be unfairly detained and deported due to an antiquated immigration system," she said in a joint statement with council members Daniel Dromm and Melissa Mark-Viverito.

The Heritage Foundation

New Common Sense Applying First Principles to the Issues of Today

At Heritage

Churchill saw it coming: The creeping soft despotism of FDR's New Deal.

Question of the week: What is the administrative state, and why should Congress rein it in?

Around the Country

Making a list and checking it twice: Ilya Shapiro rates Obama's top ten constitutional violations.

Direct dysfunctionality: California "celebrates" the 100th anniversary of the initiative, the referendum, and the recall.

Quick Thoughts

Scientists gone wild: Steven Hayward on the latest Climategate scandal.

Ending income inequality? Walter E. Williams on how LeBron James and J. K. Rowling became the 1%.

From the bookshelf: Still don't have a gift for your father-in-law, stocking stuffers (that aren't socks), or a good book to survive that four-hour layover in Atlanta? Check out the top ten books on our First Principles gift list.

Who REINS in Washington Anyway?

Congress rarely considers a bill that would change the way Washington works. But this is exactly what the Regulations from the Executive In Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act would do. In preparation for Congress's vote this week, New Common Sense sat down with Robert Moffit, Senior Fellow at the Center for Policy Innovation at The Heritage Foundation to discuss what the REINS Act means for the future of republican government.

NCS: Bob, what is the REINS Act, and why should Americans care?
Moffit: The REINS Act would require Congress to approve all "major" regulations-those costing $100 million or more annually-before they take effect. This bill would make Congress directly accountable for the biggest federal rules and regulations-such as health, energy, and environment-that affect the lives of all Americans. That is reason enough for ordinary Americans to care.

NCS: How would this act change the dynamics of the administrative state?
Moffit: It would derail those dynamics. Here is how the process currently works: Congress passes laws with overly broad, or intentionally vague, statutory language. That language empowers the Secretary of this department or the Administrator of that agency to promulgate regulations to fill in the missing details, clarify the various provisions, or, in some case, fulfill high-minded congressional aspirations. Then these administrators and their staffs write the regulations, post the draft rules for a notice and comment in The Federal Register, and review whatever comments come in to the mailroom over, say, a 60 or 90 day period. Special interest groups dominate this process, ensuring that the final rule preserves or advances their financial interests. Most ordinary Americans have little or no contact, let alone familiarity, with this byzantine process. They don't read The Federal Register with their morning coffee.The REINS Act, by making Congress vote on the rules before they go into effect, would therefore reverse these dynamics and restore democratic accountability to where it belongs: Congress.

NCS: This bill then tackles the bigger question of how we are to be governed?
Moffit: Exactly. Article I, Section 1 of the Constitution gives the House and Senate the legislative power. But Congress has abdicated that role over the years and delegated its legislative authority to the executive branch and independent agencies. Federal courts have routinely approved these delegations. The result: Americans are being increasingly governed as the subjects of a powerful administrative state, rather than as citizens of a democratic republic. If you take seriously the fundamental American proposition that government should be based on the consent of the governed, you must take seriously the REINS Act.

NCS: Why would Congress empower these administrative agencies to make the rules in the first place?
Moffit: Members of Congress delegate their power because (a) they do not know how to write the appropriate legislative language to accomplish their stated objectives; or (b) they do not want to make any of the tough decisions that law-making entails. Delegation enables Congressmen to escape the responsibility for law-making and blame the administrators for any bad outcomes.

NCS: Surely Members of Congress won't admit that they like evading responsibility. So, what are the typical arguments against the REINS Act?
Moffit: Some may argue that the REINS Act would undermine the efficiency of government. Congress's reviewing and approving the major federal rules will make the entire regulatory process more cumbersome and drawn out. This lost time, they say, is not worth the price of congressional consideration (or worse, rejection).

Ideologues, intent on using this process to advance an unpopular agenda, and those with great faith in central planning will oppose the REINS Act vigorously. At the risk of oversimplification, their ideological argument against the REINS Act is as follows: Modern society and its problems are increasingly complex, and the "progressive" resolution of its problem-doing "good" things-requires a deep understanding of that complexity. Elected representatives simply cannot have the knowledge and judgment to make competent decisions over those maddeningly mind-numbing details of public policy-such as health care, energy, environmental policy. We need experts. Therefore, democratic decision-making in a legislative body must give way to administrative decision-making, properly informed by scientific and technical expertise.

But here's the problem with this argument: The REINS Act will permit the provision of technical expertise in public policy, but it enables the elected representatives in Congress to balance whatever good is incorporated in that regulatory initiative with other goods such as job creation and a robust and growing economy. This is nothing less than the prudential balancing of other goods. At the end of the day, regulations have the force of law. In a free society, law-making is ultimately the responsibility of the elected representatives of the sovereign people.

NCS: What beyond the REINS Act should be done to restore limited government?

Moffit: One bill is not going to solve the problem. American politics is evolutionary, not revolutionary. The growth of the administrative state has been the product of several steps, some small, some large: New Deal regulatory initiatives of the 1930s were succeeded by Great Society programs of the 1960s, and the Republican Nixon administration advanced economic regulation beyond anything the Democratic Johnson administration ever contemplated.

Therefore Americans opposed to the growth of the administrative state should embark on a multi-pronged offensive against it, taking discrete steps to reduce its power and restore accountability to elected officials, whether many of those elected officials want it or not. Restoring the requirement of formal rule-making for major rules, with public testimony before an administrative law judge, and the presentation of evidence for and against a rule would help restore transparency to the federal regulatory system. That kind of sun light would make the entire process more equitable, and at least tame rent-seeking among Washington's power players.

8th District Newsletter - December 6, 2011

Reducing Regulatory Burdens

This week in Washington, the House passed two new bills which aim to bring accountability to the regulatory process and promote economic growth through the prevention of onerous and ineffective regulations. In addition to the REINS Act, the House has also now sent the Regulatory Accountability Act (H.R. 3010) and the Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act (H.R. 527) to the Senate for their consideration.

I am proud to support these important pieces of legislation. Rather than removing existing regulations, we must first ensure that any proposed rules receive proper oversight. As we work to create an environment in which small business can expand and drive our economic recovery, we must place limits on the unprecedented and unsustainable growth of regulations on small businesses being handed down from federal bureaucrats.

H.R. 527, the Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act of 2011 requires agencies to analyze the impact of new regulations will have on small businesses before adopting the regulation just as they must consider how they will affect the environment.

H.R. 3010, the Regulatory Accountability Act of 2011 updates and reforms the rulemaking process by setting mandatory rulemaking principles, thereby providing greater transparency and accountability to the process.

A Reminder from the Federal Emergency Management Agency

Bucks County residents who have suffered losses as a result of Hurricane Irene or Tropical Storm Lee have just one week left to apply for individual disaster assistance. The registration deadline for individual assistance is December 14, 2011. The deadline to submit an application for a disaster loan to the Small Business Administration is also December 14, 2011.

FEMA's toll-free number is 1-800-621-FEMA(3362). Operators are available seven days a week from 7a.m. until 10p.m. You can also register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov.

If you have any questions, you can contact my office at 215-579-8102.

Extended Office Hours

This month, my staff will be available at our normal extended office hours to provide residents of the 8th District with information regarding federal heating and energy assistance programs, as well as assist with any issues you may have with a federal agency. With questions, or for more information, contact my office at 215-579-8102.

The office hours this month are:

SATURDAY, DECEMEBER 10

Time: 9:00 A.M.-12:00 P.M.

108 North Main Street

Doylestown, PA, 18901

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7 & 21

Time: 6:00 P.M- 8:00 P.M.

Bristol Borough Municipal Building

250 Pond Street, Bristol, PA, 19007

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17

Time: 9:00 A.M.-12:00 P.M.

108 North Main Street

Doylestown, PA, 18901

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13

Time: 6:00 P.M-8:00 P.M.

Quakertown Borough Hall

35 North Third Street

Quakertown, PA, 18951

Sincerely,

Mike Fitzpatrick
Member of Congress

The Foundry

Morning Bell: Illegal Aliens, In-State Tuition and the Law

Mike Brownfield

December 6, 2011

Consider it an illegal fringe benefit for illegal immigrants. Today, 12 states allow individuals who are in the United States illegally to pay the same in-state tuition rates as legal residents of the state without providing the same rates to others in the country who are here legally. And those states are doing it in direct contravention of federal law.

In a new paper, Heritage's Hans von Spakovsky and Charles Stimson explain that in 1996, Congress passed-and President Bill Clinton signed into law-the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act. Under Section 1623 of the law, state colleges and universities are prohibited from providing in-state tuition rates to illegal aliens "on the basis of residence within the State" unless the same in-state rates are offered to all citizens of the United States.

"By circumventing the requirements of § 1623 these states are violating federal law, and the legal arguments offered to justify such actions are untenable, no matter what other policy arguments are offered in their defense," von Spakovsky and Stimson write. Which states are on the list? The offenders include California, Texas, New York, Utah, Washington, Oklahoma, Illinois, Kansas, New Mexico, Nebraska, Maryland, and Connecticut.

Despite these violations, the federal government is doing nothing about it, all while the Justice Department has brought action against Arizona and Alabama for assisting in the enforcement of federal immigration law. Meanwhile, President Obama's U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement department announced over the summer relaxed standards for pursuing and dismissing immigration cases.

Heritage Action for America Why We Fight

December: Big Spending Challenge

'Tis the season for big spending, budget gimmicks, subsidies, and debt. And while Washington hopes you'll ignore a last minute flurry of bad policy, we're here to find and stop the bad ideas.

>> Click here to see the issues facing Congress before the end of the year.

The biggest issue is still spending. Our government is operating under a temporary spending measure, instead of an actual budget and prescribed appropriations process. It's been over 900 days since Senate Democrats bothered to pass a budget and Congress hasn't completed the appropriations process on time since 1994. Funding for a portion of government activities runs out on December 16th. Ignoring the threat of runaway spending, big government liberals call this a dangerous shutdown.

Behind closed doors, Congress is drafting a massive omnibus spending bill, which will keep the government up and running until September 30, 2012. But this omnibus, nearly a trillion dollars, is not the only fight on the horizon.

>> See the issues: "doc fix," payroll tax, higher tax rates, and unemployment insurance.

With $15 trillion of national debt, the fights will center on the massive levels of spending big government liberals want. Conservatives must hold the line on spending, and not be distracted by class warfare rhetoric.

Heritage Action is here to hold the line. Stay tuned to our action alert emails and help Congress make the right decision.

Thanks for all you do,

Michael A. Needham
Chief Executive Officer
Heritage Action for America

HumanEvents.com

Claim: Clinton Collected $50K Per Month From MF Global
by Neil W. McCabe

12/05/2011

A former MF Global employee accused former president William J. Clinton of collecting $50,000 per month through his Teneo advisory firm in the months before the brokerage careened towards its Halloween filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Teneo was hired by MF Global's former CEO Jon S. Corzine to improve his image and to enhance his connections with Clinton's political family, said the employee, who asked that his name be withheld because he feared retribution.

"They were supposed to be helping Corzine improve his image as a CEO-I guess you can tell how that went," he said. Corzine resigned as CEO and chairman November 4.

Before Corzine joined MF Global in May 2010, the firm was a smart and well-run commodities broker, a culture that was turned upside-down by his leadership style, he said.

Coach Is Right

Gingrich town hall in bellwether Staten Island reveals two kinds of "passion" about his candidacy

Dec 06, 2011 05:13 am | Coach Collins

By Kevin "Coach" Collins

Saturday afternoon just after Herman Cain's announcement that he had to drop out of the GOP presidential primary field, the Staten Island TEA party held a town hall meeting with Newt Gingrich.

While most "experts" fail to recognize it, Staten Island's demographics,( New York City's only generally Republican area), make its Congressional district (13th CD) quite representative of many suburban districts across the country. Staten Island's presidential election votes are rarely more than a few points off the nationwide final count.

There was high energy in the filled to capacity room as evidenced by the standing ovation Gingrich got when he entered. Discussions with attendees revealed that many were not really interested in looking backwards and were angered at what they perceived as the "here- we- go- again" successful smear attack on Cain. The consensus among the upbeat and excited crowd seemed to be "What happened in the past is in the past; what are ...

Continue Reading:Gingrich town hall in bellwether Staten Island reveals two kinds of "passion" about his candidacy

American Minute for December 5th

Dec 05, 2011 03:13 pm | Coach Collins

Coachisright.com is pleased have American history scholar; nationally known speaker and best selling author William J Federer's American Minute column as a part of CiR's team.

Bill Federer is a tireless and meticulous researcher whose daily history lessons reflect the relationship between God and our nation. Bill is a regular guest on radio and television shows when getting American history right is essential.

We're sure you will enjoy Bill's daily columns and want to share them with your friends and families. Bill Federer is an American patriot whose message needs to be heard by all.

By Bill Federer, staff writer

A signer of the Constitution licensed to preach?

This was Hugh Williamson, delegate from North Carolina, born DECEMBER 5, 1735.
At age 24 he studied theology in Connecticut, was admitted to the Presbytery of Philadelphia and preached two years, visiting and praying for the sick, till a chronic chest weakness caused him to seek another ... Continue Reading:American Minute for December 5th

DOJ cover-up of Fast and Furious coming apart at the seams

Dec 05, 2011 12:13 pm | Coach Collins

by Doug Book, staff writer

The Department of Justice cover up of Operation Fast and Furious, begun literally hours after the December, 2010 shooting death of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry, is coming apart at the seams. In yet another Friday evening document dump, the Obama Administration provided Congress and an increasingly interested American public "...documents detailing how the [DOJ] gave inaccurate information to a US senator in the controversy surrounding Operation Fast and Furious."

In short, after spending months in all out deny and obfuscate mode, stonewalling congressional investigators and depending upon nearly universal media silence to make the issue go away, the AG Eric Holder-led Department of Justice has begun to offer up damning, self-incriminating information to its principle antagonists-Senator Charles Grassley and Representative Darrell Issa. And that means just one thing-Holder and the DOJ no longer have a choice!

On February 3rd, ATF Agent Gary Styers addressed a memo to top officials of the Bureau. ... Continue Reading:DOJ cover-up of Fast and Furious coming apart at the seams

White House Watch

Must-See Video: Trump on the Birth Certificate, School Records, and Bill Ayers Writing Obama's Autobiography

Dec 06, 2011 05:02 pm

Sean Hannity interviews The Donald, "Ron Paul has a zero chance of winning" 12/05/2011

Liberal Logic: Arresting Fewer Illegals Proves the Border is Secure

Dec 06, 2011 05:01 pm

For a conservative, observing the average liberal mind is an exercise in disorientation. In the photo lab of reason, they appear to have gotten only the negatives. Although we believe in civility and dialogue, speaking with a doctrinaire left-winger often proves meaningless unless you intend to write dialogue for Bizarro World. Now, another such moment [...]

Read More and Comment: Liberal Logic: Arresting Fewer Illegals Proves the Border is Secure

DOJ's Fast and Furious Cover-up Coming Apart at the Seams

Dec 06, 2011 04:07 pm

The Department of Justice cover-up of Operation Fast and Furious, begun literally hours after the December 2010 shooting death of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry, is coming apart at the seams. In yet another Friday evening document dump, the Obama administration provided Congress and an increasingly interested American public "documents detailing how the [DOJ] gave [...]

Read More and Comment: DOJ's Fast and Furious Cover-up Coming Apart at the Seams

Darrell Issa Investigates Whether Obama's DEA Laundered Drug Money

Dec 06, 2011 04:06 pm

Matthew Boyle, The Daily Caller House oversight committee chairman Rep. Darrell Issa announced late Monday that he's expanding his probe into the Justice Department's questionable gun-walking programs to include drug money the Drug Enforcement Agency reportedly helped smuggle into the hands of the drug cartels in Mexico. The New York Times reported on Sunday that [...]

Read More and Comment: Darrell Issa Investigates Whether Obama's DEA Laundered Drug Money

Obama Gives Homeland Security Grants to Mosque, Abortion Clinics

Dec 06, 2011 04:05 pm

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has distributed $19 million to nonprofit establishments in urban areas that are considered at high risk of a terrorist attack, including abortion clinics and an Islamic center. The idea is to give the groups the necessary resources to improve security and make them less susceptible to an attack. The [...]

Read More and Comment: Obama Gives Homeland Security Grants to Mosque, Abortion Clinics

The Growing IRS Mess

Dec 06, 2011 04:00 pm

Boy, is our tax system in a mess. The mess began in 1913, when the 16th Amendment was passed and Americans were forced to pay federal taxes on their income. People who made more than $3,000 - a lot of dough in those days - had to pay 1 percent to the feds. The top [...]

Read More and Comment: The Growing IRS Mess

Cartoon of the Day: Mitt Romney Finds a Winning Strategy

Posted by Ben on December 6, 2011

Powerline

Stephen Hunter: Soft Target

Posted: 06 Dec 2011 02:45 PM PST

(Scott Johnson)

Today is the official publication date of Stephen Hunter's new thriller, Soft Target. Steve is the Pulitzer Prize-winning former film critic of the Washington Post and one of our favorite writers. Glenn Reynolds concisely comments: "Love him, and his books."

Steve has graciously accepted our invitation to bring his new book to the attention of our readers. Steve writes:

Some books write themselves. Some don't. The former are beloved as
labors of love. The latter are labors of, er, labor, and are the
unwanted step-children of the writing business.

My novel Soft Target started as the latter. At a certain point, I think it was trying to kill me. It was the Thing in the Office, reeking of malevolence. It stank of mediocrity, infantility, and sheer inertia.

It plain sucked. Reading it was like pulling teeth. Writing it was like pulling teeth with a hammer.

Why? It was, after all, my own idea, and it was a good idea: On Black
Friday, a group of heavily armed terrorists take over a mall very like
that big one in Minneapolis. After a few dozen sport killings, they
herd a thousand hostages into the amusement park at the center of the
building, and dare the authorities to attack. Eventually, the authorities do attack. The whole thing takes place in real time,
flashes from here to there and back again for maximum dramatic effect.

It combines two American obsessions: mass murder and shopping. It has
SWAT teams, cool guns, cool gunfights, heroes, shirkers, fools, knaves
and other assorted colorful types. Plus you get to see someone
machinegun a really big box store, and who doesn't want to see that?
And all this says nothing about roller coasters, log flumes, lots of
radio speak (like, "Dog-one, in pos for assault, commencing now')
Kevlar, snipers on the roof an 300 media helicopters above them.

However, I didn't give a damn about it and for a while, as I say, I
thought it was trying to get its fingers around my neck and crush the
life out of me. It had everything but soul.

A writer needs soul. By that I mean something deep in the project that
profoundly provokes the imagination, that enables the thing in
gestation to become a thing in life. You can't buy this stuff, or I
would have. Maybe soul isn't the right word. 'Heart' doesn't quite work either. "Zeitgeist" is too trite, raison d'etre too cornball. Go back to MacLeish and turn it on its head: "A poem does not mean but be."

But a novel does not be, it means. It has to have that leverage on
policy or emotion or issue or whatever: a moral center. That's sort of
it: I had to find a way to let it, er, 'mean'

Enter, stage left, Barack Obama. Remember how he preened when Osama
got killed. He seemed to push out the actual door-kickers who did the
deed aside, and turned the thing into a celebration of the self. Lord,
I hated that. You don't claim another man's bravery. It just isn't
done.

And so it occurred to me that I could change my book into a kind of
allegory of the war on terror, with a publicity-hungry suit running the show for the cameras and claiming all credit, while the actual tactical people were pushed aside and warned to keep their mouths shut. Their risking, fighting and dying meant nothing compared to the ego and ambition of The One.

Somehow that conceit galvanized me. Food tasted good again, the
stairs weren't as steep, the seat so hard, the keyboard so sluggish. From that point on, the book ust ripped along. So I give you, in the
end, the war at America, the Mall, and you will sense that it's the war at America, the country. Was I fair? Of course not. Will it cost me readers? Of course.

But as Pike says to Dutch, or maybe Dutch to Pike, I wouldn't have it
any other way. Enjoy.

Welcome to Texas!

Posted: 06 Dec 2011 02:07 PM PST

(John Hinderaker)

Campaigning in Kansas today, President Obama momentarily forgot which of the 57 states he was in:

But that was just a slip of the tongue. The really dumb thing he said is that the internet is causing unemployment:

Layoffs too often became permanent, not part of the business cycle. And these changes didn't just affect blue collar workers. If you were a bank teller or a phone operator or a travel agent, you saw many in your profession replaced by ATMs and the internet.

This is one more reminder-as if we needed it-that President Obama has no understanding of the economy. He is, at heart, a Luddite. He doesn't understand that when work is made more efficient, as by the internet, our economy becomes more productive and we are all better off. The internet has been responsible for creating countless jobs, as well as making many more jobs more efficient and therefore more profitable. Conversely, when inefficiency is created-as, for example, by wasteful "stimulus" spending or pointless regulations-wealth is destroyed, we all become poorer, and jobs are scarcer.

Obama's reference to "phone operators" is revealing. Years ago, I read that early in the development of the telephone, some sage calculated that there could never be more than a certain number of telephones in use in the United States, because at that point, every young woman in America would be employed as a switchboard operator. In the event, that turned out not to be the constraint on telephone usage. But from Obama's perspective, it would be a good thing to smash all that telephone equipment so that we could reduce unemployment among women to zero by putting them to work as switchboard operators. I truly believe that Obama has no understanding of why that would be a bad idea.

This Week's Applied Hayek: Why Sound Economics, Like Political Philosophy, Begins with Socratic Ignorance

Posted: 06 Dec 2011 10:12 AM PST

(Steven Hayward)

Hard to believe, but my fall course for the Ashbrook Center at Ashland University on the political economy of a free society held its last class session last night. Where did the semester go? Over the course of the semester the class dilated four core concepts, and related derivatives, over a wide variety of case studies and circumstances: Hayek's "knowledge problem"; Bastiat's "broken window fallacy"-or the importance of having an intuition for "what is unseen" in economic matters; the crucial role of property rights and incentives; and the several postulates of public choice theory.

The main "takeaway" is simple, however, and is lifted straight from Hayek's last book, The Fatal Conceit:

"The curious task of economics is to demonstrate to men how little they really know about what they imagine they can design."

A good axiom to recall in the age of Obamacare, Dodd-Frank, etc.

We spent time in the last class session on Hayek's Nobel Prize lecture from 1974, "The Pretense of Knowledge." A close reading of some key passages shows that Hayek's insights really apply to the social sciences as a whole, and especially to political science, perhaps the most pretentious but paradoxically the least applicable of all the social sciences. In this first excerpt, Hayek makes reference to one of his classic underappreciated books, The Counter-Revolution of Science:

It seems to me that this failure of the economists to guide policy more successfully is closely connected with their propensity to imitate as closely as possible the procedures of the brilliantly successful physical sciences-an attempt which in our field may lead to outright error. It is an approach which has come to be described as the "scientistic" attitude-an attitude which, as I defined it some thirty years ago, "is decidedly unscientific in the true sense of the word, since it involves a mechanical and uncritical application of habits of thought to fields different from those in which they have been formed."

Hayek goes on to observe that the phenomena studied by the physical sciences are comparatively simple compared to social phenomena. This might seem bizarre to people who try to follow the difficult mathematics of quantum mechanics, or who puzzle over string theory or dark matter. Here's Hayek's presentation:

Unlike the position that exists in the physical sciences, in economics and other disciplines that deal with essentially complex phenomena, the aspects of the events to be accounted for about which we can get quantitative data are necessarily limited and may not include the important ones. While in the physical sciences it is generally assumed, probably with good reason, that any important factor which determines the observed events will be directly observable and measurable, in the study of such complex phenomena as the market, which depend on the actions of many individuals, all of the circumstances which will determine the outcome of a process, for reasons which I shall explain later, will hardly ever be fully known or measurable.

Perhaps a simple example may suffice: we can build the Large Hadron Collider to smash up some atoms to observe whether the Higgs Boson particle exists or not, but we can't, despite all our cleverness, build an observation machine that can accurately simulate the economy or validate any predictive models of future economic performance. Physics and chemistry are simpler than economics-or politics-even if the math is harder.

One of the insights of the Austrian school, especially Von Mises work, is that the main study of economics is human behavior-Human Action, as Von Mises called it in his largest and most famous title-and although some aspects of human behavior can be quantified objectively, there is simply too much of human behavior that is "irrational" or "subjective," which the classical authors understood as the passions.

And so here is Hayek's all-important conclusion to his Nobel lecture:

To act on the belief that we possess the knowledge and the power which enable us to shape the processes of society entirely to our liking, knowledge which in fact we do not possess, is likely to make us do much harm. . . The recognition of the insuperable limits to his knowledge ought indeed to teach the student of society a lesson in humility, which should guard him against becoming an accomplice in men's fatal striving to control society-a striving which makes him not only a tyrant over his fellows, but which may well make him the destroyer of a civilization which no brain has designed but which has grown from the free efforts of millions of individuals.

Behold, the concept of Socratic ignorance-"I know that I know nothing"-the beginning of philosophical wisdom, applied to economics, perhaps the best and certainly the most practical of the social sciences, but still vulnerable to the defects of all social science. One can read this dominant strain of Hayek's work as a close analogue to Allan Bloom's teaching about Socrates' message of moderation in The Republic. But as you step back, you can see that Hayek's body of thought transcends mere economics, and why he deserves to be regarded as a political philosopher.

Parting thoughts: Perhaps it's not a mere coincidence that I have learned that Hayek served with Leo Strauss on at least one dissertation committee (for Eugene Miller) while he was at the University of Chicago, though I've never heard anyone remark on a possible overlap in their perspectives. And though this semester's class is over, I'll probably keep posting more Hayek gems here, as I've recently ordered several volumes of Hayek's collected works and am making my way through some of his more obscure or overlooked writings.

America's Vast Energy Resources

Posted: 06 Dec 2011 08:19 AM PST

(John Hinderaker)

For a long time, the Left has gotten away with underselling America's energy resources. The old chestnut that the U.S. uses 25% of the world's oil but only has 2% to 3% of the world's oil reserves has been repeated endlessly by Barack Obama and many others. This claim fooled millions of people who didn't understand that in the U.S., "reserves" means petroleum that is 1) legally available for development, and 2) profitably extracted at current prices. So if Democrats would stop preventing drilling, we could vastly increase our "reserves," as legally defined, overnight.

Happily, the publicity that has recently been given to massive shale oil and natural gas deposits in North Dakota, Pennsylvania and elsewhere has awakened many Americans to the fact that our energy resources are truly vast-greater, in fact, than any other country's. The point is driven home by a new report that has just been released by the Institute for Energy Research. IER describes the problem (and the opportunity) bluntly:

Access to affordable, abundant energy is, fundamentally, a means of freedom. But for those seeking to create a crisis that provides an opportunity to direct the way we live, work and act, affordable, reliable, abundant, domestic energy is a threat. In a very real sense, the more energy we have, the less power they will have. Energy abundance ends the justification for central energy decision-making.

The report is worth reading in its entirety, but here are a few graphics that sum up the bottom line. First, North American oil; click to enlarge:

Natural gas:

And coal:

This graphic compares North America's recoverable oil with the world's total "proved reserves."

There is much more, but let's end for now with this beautiful map of America's shale gas resources:

The IER report pinpoints the obstacle to millions of new jobs and the creation of vast wealth that will be shared by all Americans in the form of lower energy costs:

As it turns out, many of the problems of energy scarcity and rising costs in the United States have been caused by the government itself. In 2004, the U.S. Department of Energy issued a report that outlined many of the policy and regulatory constraints that impact domestic energy production. While the report focused on natural gas specifically, many of the laws and procedures also represent roadblocks to any form of safe and responsible energy production. The list of energy barriers included the following policies, all of which can limit access to U.S. resources, increase delays related to exploration and production, and/or increase costs of development:

The list of statutes and other legal impediments that follows is three pages long. Only liberal politicians stand between the American people and development of our vast energy resources.

STEVE ADDS: John-how could you leave out my star turn in the video our IER pals did to accompany the report?

JOHN responds: Heh. Sorry! I forgot to watch the video.

What price Ayers?

Posted: 06 Dec 2011 05:48 AM PST

(Scott Johnson)

The Illinois Humanities Council is a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities; frequent subject Jim Leach presides as chairman of the NEH. The NEH provides almost all the funding for the IHC, but the IHC is looking for more. It has posted the Public Square's tenth anniversary online fundraising auction with 12 items up for bid. The bidding opened yesterday and runs through December 19.

Item 2 is dinner for six with Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn, the unrepentant terrorists and former friends of Barack Obama. You can buy it now for $2,500; so far it has attracted one bid of $350. Consider the priceless opportunity to walk down memory lane with the celebrity couple over dinner, revisiting their life and crimes in the Weather Underground, or to ask the author of Fugititve Days to compare his memoir with "Barack Obama's" Dreams From My Father. Jack Cashill, get your checkbook out!

But wait. There's more! Item 6 offers the opportunity to "experience a Cubs game" with Dohrn. So far it has attracted two bids. With a winning bid, you can talk with Dohrn about life on the lam or draw her out on her comments about the murders of actress Sharon Tate and Leno and Rosemary LaBianca by the Manson gang in 1969. In a speech during the December 1969 War Council meeting organized by the Weathermen, attended by about 400 people in Flint, Michigan, Dohrn famously observed: "First they killed those pigs, then they ate dinner in the same room with them, then they even shoved a fork into the victim's stomach! Wild!"

The IHC has set a high bar for next year's auction. What next? Breakfast with Umar Abdulmutallab? A moonlight cruise with the Unabomber? You might almost begin to wonder why taxpayers continue supporting the NEH, the IHC et al.

Grasstops USA

Is It the Curtain for America?

Iron Curtain Begins Descending onto the United States of America
By Sher Zieve
CanadaFreePress.com

As Barack Hussein Obama's real (internal) poll numbers continue to plummet into oblivion, Obama and his increasingly complicit Congress secretly pass laws that will enslave, incarcerate and even murder their fellow Americans-for the explicit purpose of those who are currently in power remaining in power. It is now becoming clearer and clearer that both the Marxist-Democrats and their RINO brothers and sisters may not allow the 2012 elections to occur.

Read the Full Story

Obama's Role In The One World Government Agenda

Are major developments such as the Arab Spring, the absolute chaos in the European Union with the bankruptcy of Greece, Italy, Portugal and the emergence of the
Vatican backing Germany as the one country that the European Union is dependant on for its survival totally unrelated?

Read More

Breaking: Trump Still Doubts Obama Eligibility

Trump Doubts Obama Eligibility
WorldNetDaily.com

The mainstream media are "protecting" Barack Obama's "unconstitutional" tenure in the White House, refusing to investigate allegations that he fails to meet the Constitution's requirement that a president be a "natural born citizen," according to flamboyant billionaire Donald Trump. Trump also warns that he could launch an independent bid for the presidency should the GOP pick someone he thinks will not win. "A lot of people agree with me and find it amazing," Trump said of the eligibility controversy. "It's miraculous how this birth certificate just appeared."

Read The Full Story

Progressive Education: Recombinant Mediocrity

"Indoctrination" -- A Must Read For Parents, Taxpayers and Everyone Else
By Larry Sand
CAPoliticalReview.com

To a large extent, the progressives have taken over American education, are transforming it and are doing it in plain sight.

Read the Full Story

Video: Say Goodbye To Worthless Gadgets And Weight Lose Scams
If you really want the straight scoop on how to lose that pesky belly flab, then take a few minutes to watch this free video which was produced by Mike Geary, a fitness guru who has over 710,000 followers in over 170 countries. This video won't be up forever, watch it now

Watch The Video

TSA Bunglers Cannot Tell A Gun from a Purse

TSA Detains Teen for Decorative Gun Purse
Breitbart.tv

"Federal offense because it's in the shape of a gun."
See the Video

Linda,

Next month, National Right to Work Foundation attorneys will appear at the U.S. Supreme Court taking on a corrupt SEIU forced-unionism scheme.

Mark Mix asked me to make sure you saw his recent message about this critical battle. If you haven't already, I hope you'll read Mark's message below.

In addition to this case, Foundation attorneys have recently asked the Supreme Court to hear a challenge to a scheme enacted by Illinois Governor Pat Quinn and his disgraced predecessor, Rod Blagojevich, aimed at forcing in-home care providers into union ranks.

If you can, please chip in with a tax-deductible contribution of $10 or more today to help the Foundation provide free legal aid to compulsory unionism victims in crucial cases like these.

Sincerely,

National Right To Work Legal Defense

In just a few short weeks, National Right to Work Foundation attorneys will be confronting union lawyers at the U.S. Supreme Court...

...and the union bosses of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) are on the run.

In fact, they're desperate to avoid an embarrassing loss that would put a major crimp in Big Labor's ability to misuse workers' forced dues for politics across the country.

You see, in June, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case of eight California civil servants, challenging a forced dues for politics scheme by an affiliate of the radical SEIU.

Now union officials want the Supreme Court to vacate the case and prevent them from delivering a crucial blow to an increasingly common Big Labor political fundraising tactic.

The union bosses' cynical maneuver has forced the Foundation to throw extra resources into the case at a time when our strategic litigation program is already stretched thin due to the aggressively biased Obama National Labor Relations Board and union militancy on display from Wisconsin to Florida to California.

That's why I need your continued help, but first let me explain what the Knox case is all about.

Back in 2005, California State Employees Association (CSEA) union chiefs demanded members and nonmembers alike pay a "special assessment" for a union political fund.

Specifically, union bosses seized workers' money to defeat ballot measures that would have limited their ability to force employees to pay for Big Labor's politics.

They said they had to have these "extra" millions to defeat the ballot initiatives...

...which they succeeded in doing.

That's because these ballot initiatives would have limited union bosses' monopoly power over government workers and their stranglehold on California taxpayers.

It was a classic forced dues for politics scheme -- an obvious move to skirt around established precedents won by Right to Work Foundation attorneys protecting workers from these kinds of compulsory-unionism schemes.

The Supreme Court had already ruled in the Foundation's Hudson case that government sector union bosses must provide employees with an audited breakdown of the union's expenditures and an opportunity to opt out of paying any forced dues or fees used for politics.

But CSEA union bosses simply ignored the law with regard to the "special assessment" and denied workers any chance to opt out.

So Foundation attorneys filed a class-action lawsuit for eight California government workers, including two former union members, as representatives of more than 35,000 non-members forced to pay the political assessment.

A federal district court ruled against CSEA union bosses, ordering them to send a notice specifically about the assessment and refund any monies spent (plus interest) on union boss politics to non-members who exercise their right to refrain from subsidizing the union's political fund.

But union lawyers appealed to a Big Labor-friendly Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals panel, which rubber-stamped the forced-dues scheme.

But then the U.S. Supreme Court granted the Foundation attorney's request that it hear the case.

Because they fear that the Supreme Court will overturn the Ninth Circuit's decision, SEIU union chiefs have now taken the unusual -- but telling -- step to offer the more than 35,000 California state employees the opportunity to get a refund of the entire "special assessment" with interest.

And they've asked the Supreme Court to dismiss the case as moot.

The Big Labor hierarchy fears that a Foundation victory in the Knox case will invalidate all future schemes imposing "special assessments" for politics without giving non-members an opportunity to opt out.

Union bosses want to make this case go away.

Just take a look at Wisconsin. Earlier this year, Governor Scott Walker signed a bill into law curtailing the ill-gotten monopoly bargaining powers of government sector union bosses.

The new law also protects the Right to Work for most state and local government employees in Wisconsin, cutting off forced dues that prop up the union bosses' political power.

The union bosses fought back with angry protests and a recall campaign that ultimately failed to restore a forced-dues majority in the State Senate.

Now they're trying to recall Governor Walker himself and have sued in federal court.

It just goes to show you the lengths Big Labor will go -- and how much it will spend -- to protect its power over workers and taxpayers alike.

The Knox case is no different. We caught CSEA union bosses red-handed.

But while a refund of all illegally-seized dues to the victimized California state workers is an important victory, we can't back down now.

You see, even if the union bosses relent and return every dime plus interest, the fact remains that they shouldn't have taken the money in the first place.

The union bosses took the money to spend on politics, which they did. Independent-minded workers who objected to the union's political activity may find some solace in getting their money back, but the illegally-subsidized political speech can't be unspoken.

That's why they desperately want to avoid a ruling.

Big Labor's duplicity is a clear signal that we've got it running scared.

Of course, no one can be certain what will happen. But this case is clear, and our argument especially powerful.

However, the sudden rush of events has forced me to devote crucial staff resources to the new developments in this important case.

You know I am a careful steward of the trust you place in the Foundation when you contribute.

Your Foundation wins cases that no other group in America can or will undertake.

And that's why I count on you to help today by chipping in with a tax-deductible contribution of $10 or more.

A favorable U.S. Supreme Court ruling is vital to end this noxious union boss power play.

But it will take continuing action to kill off the scheme --root-and-branch -- in every county and state.

That's why I hope you will make every effort to chip in with a tax-deductible contribution of $10 or more.

Thank you for the trust you continue to place in me and your Foundation.

Sincerely,

Mark Mix

P.S. I expect that Big Labor's scheme to issue a "special assessment" to force state government workers to subsidize union boss politics will be derailed by Foundation attorneys at the U.S. Supreme Court.

And once the U.S. Supreme Court rules, your Foundation will rip out similar schemes from coast to coast. Please support this critical project and all our legal aid cases by chipping in with a tax-deductible contribution of $10 or more.

The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization providing free legal aid to employees whose human or civil rights have been violated by compulsory unionism abuses. The Foundation, which can be contacted toll-free at 1-800-336-3600, is assisting thousands of employees in nearly 200 cases nationwide. The Foundation's mailing address is 8001 Braddock Road, Springfield, Virginia 22160. Its web address is www.nrtw.org/.

To help the National Right to Work Foundation grow; please forward this to a friend.

To view as a web page, please click this link: view online.

CNS News

Today's Headlines: Tuesday, December 06, 2011

Gingrich: 'House Should Immediately Condemn' Pelosi If She Uses Ethics Panel Materials Against Me

Gallup: Real 99 Percenters Twice as Likely to be Conservative as Liberal

Iowa Poll: 24% Say Ron Paul Is 'Most Principled' Candidate; 17% Say Bachmann; 14% Say Romney

Bernie Goldberg says: "The Media Research Center folks don't give the media hell; they just tell the truth and the media think it's hell." Please make a tax-deductible gift to MRC today!
Ending 'Racial Isolation' in Schools Is Crucial, Obama Administration Says

Vietnam Benefiting From Closer Ties With U.S. Despite 'Continued and Worsening Crackdown' on Dissent

Atheist Leader: Officers Shouldn't 'Dishonor Commands' by Praying Before Missions

U.N. Human Rights Chief Urged to Shun NGO Accused of Links to Gaddafi Regime

Trump: 'I'm a Very Serious Person'

FAA Chief on Leave After Drunken Driving Arrest; Police Won't Release His Blood Alcohol Count

Romney to Be Endorsed by Former Vice President Dan Quayle

COMMENTARY:

Did FDR Provoke Pearl Harbor?
By Patrick J. Buchanan
Today, 70 years after Pearl Harbor, a remarkable secret history, written from 1943 to 1963, has come to light. It is Hoover's explanation of what happened before, during and after the world war -- that may prove to be the death knell of the West.

Free To Die?
By Walter E. Williams
If a person without health insurance finds himself in need of costly medical care, let's investigate just how that care might be provided.

Spending More has Never Worked
By Alan Caruba

Despite a huge national debt and deficit, the federal government just concluded its biggest spending year with its second biggest annual budget deficit.

NEWSPAPER ROUNDUP:

Budget hawks say National Guard deployment on U.S.-Mexico border is a waste of money
FDA weighs putting Plan B morning-after pill on drugstore shelves
Prenatal NonDiscrimination Act would ban abortions done on the basis of gender or race
Issa expands Fast and Furious probe to include alleged money laundering
Gingrich emerges as clear front-runner in Iowa
Obama tries to channel Teddy Roosevelt with speech in Kansas
White House says it spent a month planning and choosing this location
AFL-CIO launches website to showcase stories of the unemployed
Clinton says Egyptian elections must not set back democracy
Illinois sequestration project is first in U.S.; the CO2 is byproduct of ethanol
Drone that crashed in Iran may give away U.S. secrets
Romney: Obama's idea of 'hands on' is 'getting better grip on golf club'
Jon Huntsman: I won't kiss Donald Trump's ring

CNSNewsTV: Check out our latest videos!

Patriot Humor

Jim Carrey Sings White Christmas

He's got a tin ear: Watch Video »

Organ Fail

Ah, Christmas music! Wait for it... Watch Video »

O Holy Night

This is by no means an endorsement of South Park (which is a crass, vulgar, and morally reprehensible show that no Patriot should ever under any circumstances whatsoever find AT ALL FUNNY), but except no this clip is nonetheless hilariouswatchthis: Watch Video »

And if that's not a funny enough rendition of this Christmas classic, check out this version. If it doesn't leave you in stitches, something is wrong with your Christmas spirit.

The Incandescent Light Bulb Song

Man mourns the impending loss of the beloved incandescent light bulb with a song set to familiar music: Watch Video »

Glenn Beck December 06, 2011

On Tuesday's Program

Tonight on GBTV: Beastiality comes up in the Press Conference (really); and is the press finally coming around to Glenn Beck level outlook on the economy? That plus Glenn's Gingrich interview that's all over the news today -- and more with Michele Bachmann live on set. Don't miss it tonight at 5pm only on GBTV!

The interview: Glenn v. Newt

More accurately, it was Newt vs. Newt as Glenn played a series of past Newt quotes on the issues and the current frontrunner had to answer for them. He's known as an intellectual who enjoys a good debate -- did he acquit himself from himself? Take a listen and decide for yourself if Newt is a big government progressive or the right man for the job. WATCH

Don't miss Glenn's BIG ANNOUNCEMENT THIS THURSDAY 12/8! Preview it HERE.

Bachmann: Newt is a 'frugal socialist'; responds to "homophobe" accusations

It was a busy day on radio as Michele Bachmann stopped by for another in studio visit. Glenn played one of Newt's earlier answers to get Bachmann's reaction - the result even stopped Glenn dead in his tracks. 'Did you just call Newt Gingrich a socialist?' Glenn asked Bachmann, to which she replied that Gingrich was a 'frugal socialist' and explained it a little further. You can hear that answer plus how she responds to the calls that she's a homophobe at GlennBeck.com - WATCH.

A tale of skulduggery from the Revolutionary War: George Washington recruits a spy in the war against the British - WATCH.

From GBTV last night: Insider Trading in Congress? WATCH.

More on Trump: "Not a conservative"

Even Karl Rove is lashing out at Donald Trump's scheduled debate for December 27th. He's already come out and said he's leaning towards one candidate and will make his decision about who he supports shortly after the debate. Is this guy so shameless that he's willing to hawk his endorsement as bait for people to watch? 'Ohh! Honey, gather the kids round the TV! This is the debate where everyone tries to convince The Donald!' Who cares? Trump isn't even close to a conservative anyway. See Glenn's rant on Trump HERE.

4th Hour: Pat's wide array of impressions on display once again - Enjoy in this free clip from today's 4th hour available only on GBTV Plus!

Give the Gift of Driving a NASCAR racecar!

Give someone the adventure of a lifetime with this chance to drive a real NASCAR racecar! You'll be putting them behind the wheel at speeds of up to 170 mph.The 3-hour experience includes a meeting with the Crew Chief, training and instruction, a graduate certificate with the top speed and a souvenir racing license! Get the details at Markdown.com!

HOMEWORK: President Obama spoke a short while ago in Kansas, channeling the original progressive Teddy Roosevelt. Watch the speech and be prepared for what surely will be an epic Glenn reaction to a truly agonizing speech. Minimum wage was what America was founded on? The wealthiest 1% average income is $27 million per year? (it isn't) among other wonderfully ear bleed inducing comments. Tune in to GBTV tonight and radio tomorrow morning for more...

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Linda Rosen
9/12 Patriots of Lower Buck County
215-274-5415

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CHRISTMAS PARTY

Nullify Now! Philadelphia

(all times are eastern)

1) This from Americans For Prosperity about REINS act:

2) Meeting Thursday Dec 8 from 7-9pm at the Rock, 857 Main St Harleysville PA

Updated With Video: AFL-CIO to Air Pro-Casey TV Ads

More to read:

Govt Says Hunters, Extreme Couponers are Potential Terrorists?

Chris Matthews's RINO brother (a Montgomery County Commissioner) arrested

City Limits Cooperation With Federal Immigration Officials at Rikers

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Reducing Regulatory Burdens

A Reminder from the Federal Emergency Management Agency

Extended Office Hours

SATURDAY, DECEMEBER 10

Time: 9:00 A.M.-12:00 P.M.

108 North Main Street

Doylestown, PA, 18901

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7 & 21

Time: 6:00 P.M- 8:00 P.M.

Bristol Borough Municipal Building

250 Pond Street, Bristol, PA, 19007

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17

Time: 9:00 A.M.-12:00 P.M.

108 North Main Street

Doylestown, PA, 18901

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13

Time: 6:00 P.M-8:00 P.M.

Quakertown Borough Hall

35 North Third Street

Quakertown, PA, 18951

Morning Bell: Illegal Aliens, In-State Tuition and the Law

Must-See Video: Trump on the Birth Certificate, School Records, and Bill Ayers Writing Obama's Autobiography

Liberal Logic: Arresting Fewer Illegals Proves the Border is Secure

DOJ's Fast and Furious Cover-up Coming Apart at the Seams

Darrell Issa Investigates Whether Obama's DEA Laundered Drug Money

Obama Gives Homeland Security Grants to Mosque, Abortion Clinics

The Growing IRS Mess

Cartoon of the Day: Mitt Romney Finds a Winning Strategy

Today's Headlines: Tuesday, December 06, 2011

Jim Carrey Sings White Christmas

Organ Fail

O Holy Night

The Incandescent Light Bulb Song

CHRISTMAS
PARTY