Quote: 

"The instrument by which [government] must act are either the AUTHORITY of the laws or FORCE. If the first be destroyed, the last must be substituted; and where this becomes the ordinary instrument of government there is an end to liberty!" 

~ Alexander Hamilton, Tully, No. 3, 1794  

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

Subject: YOUR IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED    Jan Rogers    

Important legislation going on in Washington;   

Remember,  not getting involved is actually a vote of approval for congress to do what they whant , whenever they want.

  Senate Vote To Defund EPA Corps Wetlands Regulations
  Forward this e-mail to your entire e-mail list. Very important.

Tell Both Your Senators To Vote Yes On "Barrasso Heller Amendment" to Defund EPA Corps Jurisdiction expansion.

Call both your Senators at (202) 224-3121.

The EPA and Corps have published new regulations expanding the term "Navigable" so it could cover a bird feeder in your back yard. Don't let the EPA and Corps get away with expanding their own jurisdiction and undermining the limits Congress placed on them by limiting their Jurisdiction to "Navigable Waters" in the Clean Water Act. The EPA and Corps actually want to control all waters of the United States and all activities affecting those waters. You do not want the EPA and Corps in your back yard.

Senate Vote Coming Soon To Defund the new EPA and Corps of Engineers Clean Water Act Regulations. Please make your calls now! Keep calling through the week and after until you hear that the Senate has voted. Call, and call again. Keep calling. Call your friends.

The Senate will likely vote in the next two weeks on an Appropriations Bill Amendment sponsored by Senators John Barrasso (R-WY) and Dean Heller (R-NV) the Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill for fiscal year (FY) 2012 that would Defund the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (Corps) attempt to expand its jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act (CWA) through guidance documents and/or regulation.

-----This is a full Senate vote.

Action Items:

-----1. CALL BOTH YOUR SENATORS now to urge them to vote YES on the BARRASSO/HELLER CWA (Clean Water Act Amendment) (EPA Corps Wetlands jurisdiction). Call any Senator at (202) 224-3121. Ask for the staff person who handles Clean Water Act issues. Tell them the vote will be scored by the League of Private Property Voters.

-----2. Forward this message quickly as widely as possible. This is very important.

-----3. Do not assume your friends and allies know about this vote. You must get everyone you know to call.

-----4. If one or both your Senators are Democrats it is especially important that you call, fax and e-mail them. Get your neighbors, friends and business associates to call.
                            Background:

In May of this year, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Corps proposed a "guidance" document that attempts to expand their jurisdiction under  the Clean Water Act (CWA) to include almost all waters across the country.

The guidance has not been finalized yet, but the agencies are quickly moving forward to a rulemaking redefining the term "waters of the United States." It is likely the agencies may send the proposed rule to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) within the next two weeks, which is the last stop before a regulation is officially proposed or finalized.

The agencies intend to have a final rule by January 2012. American Land Rights expects the proposed rule to contain much of the language from the CWA guidance and would therefore expand the types and number of waters subject to regulation under the CWA.

More waters falling under "waters of the U.S." would expand the permitting universe under the entire CWA, including Sec. 402 NPDES permits, Sec. 404 Dredge and Fill permits (wetlands), and Sec. 311 Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure plans.

The Amendment would do two things: (1) prohibit the Corps from finalizing the guidance and (2) prohibit the Corps from promulgating a rulemaking redefining "waters of the U.S."
                                       *Below are talking points for your phone calls:*

* The guidance uses broad language to define things such as "tributaries" that could lead to almost any roadside, agricultural ditch or intermittent stream being subject to EPA and the Corps' jurisdiction.

* The guidance defines "traditional navigable waters" as any water that supports one-time recreational use (one trip in a canoe down a stream would qualify a water as a "traditional navigable water"). In the history of the Clean Water Act, the term "traditional navigable water" has only been used to describe major rivers that can float commercial vehicles like barges.

* Under this guidance, waters do not have to have a surface connection to a larger body of water that actually moves goods in interstate commerce to be subject to EPA/Corps' jurisdiction. The water body does not even have to have actual water in it for much of the year to be jurisdictional.

* It allows the agencies to "aggregate" similar types of waters  (small streams, adjacent wetlands, ditches or isolated waters) within a watershed. This means the agencies only have to make a "jurisdictional determination" on one water body to then get jurisdiction over numerous others without considering them individually.

* The guidance goes beyond both the Supreme Court decisions in SWANCC and Rapanos because it takes the court's narrow opinion on wetlands and applies it to all types of waters.

* The amendment would prevent the Corps from finalizing this guidance, and would also stop the Corps from initiating a rulemaking that would more broadly define "waters of the United States."

  Please forward this message as widely as possible. The more people who get this document the better chance you have to compete with the greens.

Thank you in advance for your support.

Chuck Cushman
Executive Director
American Land Rights Association
(360) 687-3087
ccushman@pacifier.com <mailto:ccushman@pacifier.com>

*Social Networking Update: * The American Land Rights Association has a Page on Facebook. Please send us a Friend request. If you like our page or information, check the Like box too. Also Executive Director Chuck Cushman is on Facebook.com.

You can also find American Land Rights Association and Chuck Cushman on LinkedIn.com. ALRA is especially active on LinkedIn.com so send an invitation to connect and join up.

American Land Rights is on Twitter as AmLandrights. Chuck Cushman is also on Twitter under ccushman98604.

Nullify Now! Philadelphia

THE INTERFAITH TASKFORCE FOR AMERICA AND ISRAEL (ITAI)

123 S. Broad Street, Suite 1832, Philadelphia, PA 19109

HOLD THE DATE

ITAI is pleased to invite you to attend our program titled "Christians in the Middle East: Endangered Species."

With Samir Asad (an Egyptian Coptic-Christian), Wafa Mikhail, and Joseph Puder, and Charles Kahn Jr.,

Our panel will discuss the current situation in Egypt, the Palestinian Authority and Gaza, and more...

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18, 2012, 7:30PM

At

St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church

1989 Rt. 70 East, Cherry Hill, NJ

Admission is free, tax-deductible contributions to ITAI are encouraged.

LISTEN LIVE TO REPATRIOT RADIO

"BETTER THAN EVER"

(all times are eastern)

Remember January 3rd, 2007 The Day The Democrats Took Over!

December 2011 

Larry P. Arnn
President, Hillsdale College

The Unity and Beauty of the Declaration and the Constitution

An Interview with Larry P. Arnn

LARRY P. ARNN, the twelfth president of Hillsdale College, received his B.A. from Arkansas State University and his M.A. and Ph.D. in government from the Claremont Graduate School. From 1977 to 1980, he also studied at the London School of Economics and at Worcester College, Oxford University, where he served as director of research for Martin Gilbert, the official biographer of Winston Churchill. From 1985 until his appointment as president of Hillsdale College in 2000, he was president of the Claremont Institute for the Study of Statesmanship and Political Philosophy. In 1996, he was the founding chairman of the California Civil Rights Initiative, the voter-approved ballot initiative that prohibited racial preferences in state employment, education, and contracting. He is the author of Liberty and Learning: The Evolution of American Education and The Founders' Key: The Divine and Natural Connection Between the Declaration and the Constitution and What We Risk By Losing It (forthcoming February 2012).

The following is adapted from an interview by Peter Robinson of the Hoover Institution for his show "Uncommon Knowledge." The interview took place on October 3, 2011, at Hillsdale College, and it can be viewed in full at hoover.org/multimedia/uncommon-knowledge/96901.

Peter Robinson: Larry, I am quoting from you: "You can read the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution in a few minutes. They are simple. They are beautiful. They can be understood and retained." Place the documents in their historical context. Why did they matter?

Larry P. Arnn: There are three incredible things to keep in mind about the Declaration. First, there had never been anything like it in history. It was believed widely that the only way to have political stability was to have some family appointed to rule. King George III went by the title "Majesty." He was a nice and humble man compared to other kings; but still, when his son wanted to marry a noble of lower station, he was told he mustn't do that, no matter what his heart said. That was the known world at the time of the American Founding.

Second, look at the end of the Declaration. Its signers were being hunted by British troops. General Gage had an order to find and detain them as traitors. And here they were putting their names on a revolutionary document and sending it to the King. Its last sentence reads: "And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor." That is how people talk on a battlefield when they are ready to die for each other.

RedState Morning Briefing

For December 13, 2011

1. 3 Weeks And Counting. Are We In a Suicide Pact?

As you wake up this morning, however hard it may be to believe, we are actually three weeks away from the first votes being cast in Campaign 2012. Three weeks from today, in the Iowa cold, people will gather and support their man.

And three weeks out is perhaps the perfect time for me to ask this. Have conservatives entered a suicide pact? Has the Republican Party, as a whole, done the same?

We got a preview of Mr. Obama's campaign strategy in Kansas. He intends to make the moral case for government and wealth redistribution. The campaign will be about the morality of government picking winners and losers and will be presupposed by a belief that the free market has failed.

Scoff all you will that this will be successful, but know that lots of people in the great mass of the undecided are not so sure Obama isn't right. They may not like him, but they aren't sure the Republicans are the people who can fix the problems.

2. The Omnibus: 3 x 24 = 72

The House is set to pass a trillion dollar spending bill. Sources say we can expect the bill to be posted online soon (if not around midnight last night). I have no doubt that the bill will include all kinds of hidden earmarks and spending gimmicks. But the clever bill writers will make these hard to find. This is why it is so important that the public and Members of Congress have a chance to read the bill before it comes to the House floor.

In the much ballyhooed Pledge to Nowhere, the House promised to post all bills online for three days prior to consideration.

Jo Maney of House Rules Committee clarified that three days does not mean 72 hours. According to my math, 3 x 24 = 72. But thanks for the clarification.

OK, so maybe the rule doesn't specifically say 72 hours, even though that is what everyone understood it to say - everyone including the Speaker of the House. Here is Speaker Boehner himself promising "a 72 hour review period for all major bills"

3. Colt Firearm's Florida Move Has UAW Job-Killers In Connecticut Worried

As Connecticut continues to shoot itself in its foot (so to speak), job creators are rightfully beginning to look elsewhere for locales that do not view businesses as cannon fodder.

Colt Firearms appears to be one of the many Connecticut companies looking for a less hostile home.

To clarify, Florida is a Right-to-Work state and Connecticut is not. Which may be why the UAW is so concerned about keeping jobs in the anti-business state.

4. Mitt Romney Knows Deprivation

There are few things more ridiculous than wealthy men trying to convince everyone they know what economic deprivation feels like. Even when the stories are possibly true, such as when Paul O'Neill and aged Klansman Robert C. Byrd dueled over who had the most authentic PWT background, the spectacle is demeaning and degrading to everyone involved: participant or spectator.

When the man involved is fabulously wealthy and from a prominent family with privileged upbringing it is just insulting.

Still stinging from his rather bizarre offer to gift Governor Rick Perry $10,000 during the last of the interminable debates - I say gift rather than bet because Romney's book did get the Soviet May Day picture treatment before his latest attempt to become a professional politician - the Romney campaign has now set out to make Mitt v 467753.1: Romney the common man.

Kite surfing spurs solar energy breakthrough

By Karin Kloosterman, Israel21C 

Israel's Etenergy can get 40 percent more power from the sun with lightweight solar energy trackers based on the principles of kite surfing.

A kite surfing engineer from Israel has found a way to turn his passion for the sea into more power from the sun. Eyal Dror's company Etenergy has developed a new kind of solar panel tracker, the Etracker, to help solar photovoltaic (PV) power plants soak in more energy from the sun.

PV solar panels that are fixed to the ground collect the most amount of energy when the sun hits them at a 90-degree angle. This usually happens at high noon, only once a day. Trackers that can move on one or two axes according to the angle of sun help optimize collecting the sun's rays, but they tend to be expensive.

Dror's new invention, inspired by a "eureka" moment when kite surfing, aims to collect 40 percent more power from the sun on a daily basis, with an investment that costs about...

Read the whole entry »

What Newt and Golda have in common

Why Newt Gingrich Is Right on Palestine

Benyamin Korn

What do Golda Meir, lifelong socialist and prime minister of Israel, and Newt Gingrich, lifelong conservative and current presidential candidate, have in common? The courage to tell the truth about "Palestine."

Gingrich stirred up a hornet's nest last week when he remarked that "The Palestinians are an invented people." Golda made the same point when she told the London Sunday Times on June 15, 1969 that "There is no such thing as a Palestinian people."

What could have possessed the Prime Minister of Israel and the former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives to say such a thing?

Simple: an appreciation of history. Gingrich has a Ph.D. in the subject. Golda lived it.

Golda left her home in Milwaukee in 1921 and moved to a country that had been known since biblical times as the Land of Israel. The Roman occupation forces, in 135 CE, had begun calling it "Palaestina" in the hope of snuffing out its...

Read the whole entry »

Antisemitism is ubiquitous and on the rise

Resisting the Obvious

By David Solway

In much of my recent work - books and articles - I have addressed the issue of antisemitism in the contemporary world. That the beast is once again slouching, not only towards Bethlehem as in the Yeats poem [1], but towards Oslo, Paris, London, Stockholm, Malmo, Copenhagen, Vienna, Berlin, Warsaw, Washington, Toronto, Sydney, Caracas, Brussels, Amsterdam, and many other cities and regions around the globe, should come as no surprise. From biblical times to the present moment, in their own homeland or "scattered among the peoples," [2] Jews have never been safe. This is precisely what distinguishes the Jewish people from the rest of humanity, the specific nature of their "chosenness." Wherever they may find themselves they are always at risk, whether actively or potentially, targeted for slander, exclusion, or extinction.

In developing this argument in such books as The Big Lie [3] (2007) and Hear, O Israel! [4] (2009), I have...

Read the whole entry »

Soros is pushing Democrats to the left.

HAARETZ uses this incendiary headline Democrats: Republicans 'playing with fire' by turning Israel into partisan issue yet could only offer this in the article,

The current partisan atmosphere concerning Israel is "very dangerous" and "like playing with fire", according to Democratic Congresswoman Nita Lowey, a veteran pro-Israeli lawmaker who is the ranking Democrat on the House Committee that deals with foreign aid.

"I've never seen such partisanship," she said, declaring that "Israel should not be used in order gain a political foothold."

Shifting Democrats on Israel 

By Richard Bhaer, Israel Hayom

In the real world of Washington politics, there are more serious developments in these attempts to pull those in the mainstream Left away from their traditional support for Israel, one of the very few policy issues today on which there is still some agreement between the two political parties.

Last week, the Senate voted 100-0 to...

Read the whole entry »

Jews, Christians barred from Temple Mount."It seems freedom of religion in Israel is only for Muslims."

  The Israeli government is currently banning all non-Muslims from ascending the Temple Mount, considered the holiest site in Judaism.

"It seems freedom of religion in Israel is only for Muslims and not for Christians and Jews," Danny Danon, deputy speaker of the Knesset, told KleinOnline, referring to the new restrictions.

Read full story here.

Occupy's "nerve center" staffed by Soros activists: Professional radicals caught red-handed. Running so-called "leaderless" movement.

  The so-called leaderless Occupy movement has just been caught red-handed operating what appears to be a nerve center staffed by professional agitators deeply tied to groups funded by billionaire activist George Soros.

Those same groups, most prominent among them being the Tides Center, have been involved with Occupy since the anti-Wall Street movement's inception.

These radical connections have been largely missed by the general public. CNN, the only news media outlet to receive exclusive access to Occupy's alleged headquarters, did not fully identify the activists found running the reported nerve center.

Monday, December 12, 2011

To: Friends & Supporters

From: Gary L. Bauer


COUNTDOWN TO VICTORY: 330 DAYS TO THE 2012 ELECTIONS


Three Weeks to Iowa

The first real vote leading to 2012 takes place in the Iowa caucuses on January 3rd. Last week I asked our friends around the country who they support for president. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich had the clear lead with 43% of the vote. Former Senator Rick Santorum and Congresswoman Michele Bachmann were tied for second with around 17% of the vote. Texas Governor Rick Perry weighed in with 10%. Congressman Ron Paul was close behind with 8%, and former Governor Mitt Romney was the first choice of only 5% of you.

The big GOP Presidential debate on Saturday reflected our poll results. Everyone went after Newt Gingrich as the new front runner. Santorum and Bachmann competed to emerge as solid conservative alternatives. Perry tried to recover his momentum and gave one of his best debate performances. Romney was smooth as usual, but he has to be worried that the conservative base still seems skeptical. But perhaps the most important person on the stage was Ron Paul - see below.


Kamikaze Ron Paul

Last week Ron Paul hit a new low. He told a college audience in Iowa, "Just think of what happened after 9/11. Immediately, before there was any assessment there was glee in the administration because now we can invade Iraq."

It is beyond outrageous for Paul to claim that anyone in the Bush White House was feeling "glee" after 9/11 about anything. President Bush did not come into office hoping to be a war president. I knew dozens of top level foreign policy officials in the White House. There wasn't glee. There was an overwhelming sadness that 3,000 innocent Americans had been savagely murdered. And there was a resolve to try to "drain the swamp" in the Middle East, where a radical Islamist culture was daily giving birth to homicide bombers and terrorists.

When some on the radical left after 9/11 suggested that the Bush Administration was complicit in the attack or was glad it happened, all people of goodwill, including the conservative movement, condemned such comments. Ron Paul's statement last week drew yawns.

Columnist George Will this weekend issued a warning that should chill the heart of every conservative. He suggested that Ron Paul's real intention is to run on a 3rd party ticket in 2012. Will's analysis suggests that Paul's candidacy would virtually guarantee Barack Obama's reelection. When Paul is asked whether he would entertain a 3rd party candidacy he very carefully hedges his words and leaves the door open. With voters deeply split in Iowa, Paul could very well win the caucuses. It is time for the other candidates to "take the gloves off" and expose Ron Paul's unacceptable foreign policy views that increasingly resemble the rhetoric of Al Qaeda rather than the rhetoric of a Republican in good standing.


"Jihad" Against Lowe's

After numerous complaints, Lowe's Home Improvement announced last week that it was pulling its advertising from a cable TV show called "All American Muslim." Critics of the show felt that it was pro-Islamist propaganda in the guise of entertainment. Lowe's made a legitimate business decision to take its advertising dollars elsewhere. That should be the end of the story - but not in "politically correct" America.

Lowe's now finds itself in the bull's eye of both Islamic and left wing outrage. The Michigan Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said that Lowe's is engaging in "capitulation to bigotry." He suggested Lowe's should be boycotted. Leftwing California State Senator Ted Lieu went further. He accused Lowe's of being "un-American" and threatened legislative action if Lowe's doesn't apologize to Muslims and reinstate its ads. Apparently Senator Lieu thinks it is "American" to force a company to sponsor a TV show it no longer wants to sponsor.

All over the world Christians are suffering severe persecution, violence, murder and mayhem at the hands of radical Islamists. I can find no evidence that the CAIR or Senator Lieu has ever said one word to condemn such persecution. But they are prepared to crucify Lowe's. I think Lowe's would love to hear that millions of Americans applaud their decision not to promote thinly veiled Islamic propaganda. You can thank them by calling 1-800-445-6937 or emailing here.
 

An Invented People Despite Some Doubters »

VIDEOS * TODAY'S HOT PICKS 

1. VIDEO: Soldier Surprises Daughter at Soccer Game
2. VIDEO: Iran may sell U.S. drone to China, Russia etc.  3. VIDEO: CBS: 75% believe country headed in wrong direction
4. VIDEO: Sesame Street Muppet Pitches Government Dependence: Free Food at School  5. Internal DOJ Email: Kagan Was Brought Into Loop on Mark Levin's Obamacare Complaint
6. Pledge of Allegiance in Spanish at California Schools Sparks Controversy
7. VIDEO: FSM's National Security Advisor - on Hannity
8. Fatwa banning Muslim women from touching bananas and other penis-shaped foods makes Internet rounds  9. VIDEO: Occupy the North Pole  10. VIDEO: PBS Examines Why Conservatives Are 'Happier Than Liberals' 

"Palestine": History and the Eye of Newt

Frank Salvato 

Lee Atwater's 'New Majority' Among Us

Frank Hill 

Killing Bin Laden: What Didn't They Tell Us, and Why?

Roger Aronoff 

Insane Dogma: "Islam Will Protect America"

Ashraf Ramelah 

Afghanistan Takes the Cake for Corruption

Gregory D. Lee 

U.S. General Invites Libyan "Officers" to U.S. War Colleges

Diana West 

Jordan: The Blue Eyed King

Darlene Casella 

Israel: Democracy Strikes Back

Caroline Glick 

Holy Chutzpah: 3 Jewish Heroes of 2011

Stella Paul

Peter King: U.S. Military is No. 1 Islamic Terrorism Target

Jim Kouri, CPP 

Scandal and Insanity at Penn State, Durban and the IPCC

Paul Driessen 

Why I'm Optimistic About the Future of the Middle East

Ryan Mauro 

1.      U.S. proposes unmanned border crossing with Mexico [BREITBART]

2.      Syrian Violence Spills Over Into Jordan, Leaving At Least 2 Diplomats Hurt in Embassy Attack [FOX]

3.      Islamists gain backers seeking help, not oppression [WT]

4.      Week Ahead: Crunch time for Congress [THE HILL]

5.      OWS teach faked docs [NYP]

6.      Supreme Court Considers Taking on State Immigration Laws Cases [FOX]

7.      High school students forced to listen to Islamic supremacist Reza Aslan [JIHAD WATCH]

8.      Netanyahu to Host Regular Bible Study Groups at Official Israeli Prime Minister's Residence [THE BLAZE]

9.      Syrians vote as violence rages through country [TELEGRAPH]

10.    Dinner with terror ringleaders: $2,500 [DAILY CALLER]          

Middle Eastern Terrorists Plan U.S. Attack From Mexico
Dec 12, 2011 05:00 am

Norway Massacre Breivik Facts : What He Liked and Disliked
Dec 12, 2011 01:11 am

WAPO Slanders U.S. Military in Iraq
Dec 11, 2011 11:29 pm

High School Students Forced to Listen to Islamic Supremacist Reza Aslan
Dec 11, 2011 06:35 pm

Rashid Ghannoushi: John Esposito's Islamist in Tunis
Dec 11, 2011 05:53 pm

Secure Communities by the Numbers, Revisited
Dec 11, 2011 05:32 pm

The Prisoner
Dec 11, 2011 05:19 pm

Republicans Move on U.N. Funding and the Second Amendment
Dec 11, 2011 02:19 pm

5 Myths About Pro-Lifers, And How To Refute Them
Dec 11, 2011 11:45 am

A Badly Invented People

In the post-news environment, media no longer exists to report, it exists to disseminate glib talking points that sound good at first, but don't stand up to examination. Fact checks, one of the latest media gimmicks, have become another vector for disseminating talking points. So have media blogs which began repeating the same ridiculous thing over and over again.

 

Take the response to Gingrich's accurate statement that the Palestinian Arabs are an invented people. Aside from all the hysterical "sky is falling" nonsense, is the comparison between the Americans as an invented people and the Palestinian Arabs.

Let's look at how wrong this is and in how many ways. To begin with the American colonies did not demand their independence based on some spurious ancient history. If they had then Washington would have dressed himself up as an Indian and instead of the United States of America, there would have been the Indian States of Iroquisville. 

Americans are not a self-invented people, they are a self-evolved people. The American revolution was a struggle between a colony and the mother country that ended in a break and the creation of a new country that still used the language and much of the culture of the mother country, but at the same time the colonies had been slowly evolving their own unique identity.

The "Palestinian" Arabs on the other hand are an invented people, and not even a self-invented people. That dubious honor fell to some comrades in Moscow and the Arab nations who found it convenient to have terrorist militias that could launch attacks across the border, supposedly on their own initiative, but in reality answering to them.

Their whole claim to a state is the bizarre insistence that they are the region's original inhabitants who were driven out by the actual original inhabitants, the Jews. When they are actually the descendants of the Muslim conquerors who drove out or subjugated the native inhabitants. It's as if George Washington had not only put on an Indian costume but began claiming that his ancestors were there for thousands of years before the Cherokees drove them out.

Palestinian identity is just so much gibberish. The official definition of that identity encompasses only those parts of the Palestine Mandate which Israel holds today.
 

Obama Administration Coordinating With Left-Wing Groups on Voter Fraud? 

Posted: 12 Dec 2011 02:51 PM PST

(John Hinderaker)

I wrote yesterday about the lightly-attended march in New York, ostensibly on behalf of voting rights, which was sponsored by a broad coalition of left-wing groups and was addressed by several Democratic politicians. While the number of participants was small, the affair had all the signs of a semi-official Democratic Party initiative. Sure enough: Nation magazine notes that Eric Holder will deliver a "major speech on voting rights" tomorrow, and links Holder's speech to yesterday's march:

Tomorrow Attorney General Eric Holder will gave a major speech on voting rights at the LBJ presidential library in Austin. According to the library, "Holder will discuss the importance of ensuring equal access to the ballot box and strengthening America's long tradition of expanding the franchise."

Holder's speech could not come at a more critical time. Over the last year we've witnessed an unprecedented GOP war on voting, with a dozen Republican governors and state legislators passing laws to restrict voter registration drives, require birth certificates to register to vote, curtail early voting, mandate government-issued photo IDs to cast a ballot and disenfranchise ex-felons who've served their time. ...

On Saturday, in conjunction with UN Human Rights Day, thousands of activists and concerned citizens in New York City held a march and rally to protest these restrictive new laws. ...

"The march on Saturday was an indication that Americans will not go backwards," said Judith Browne-Dianis, co-director of the Advancement Project. "We will keep up the momentum to end voter suppression by taking to the streets, to the legislatures and to the courts. We won't be silenced by those who want to undermine democracy."

The Advancement Project has helped gather 120,000 signatures asking the Justice Department "to oppose any discriminatory laws that will disenfranchise voters." The Justice Department has that authority under the Voting Rights Act.

So you can see how this will all come together. The Democrats will use their constituent organizations to whip up a frenzy of opposition to "voter suppression," while DOJ launches, or threatens to launch, legal challenges to selected state statutes. This will energize the Democrats' base by pretending that Republicans are trying to disenfranchise voters. It also may succeed in increasing the illegal votes that Democrats rely on at the margins of close elections.

Democrats want felons to vote, because an overwhelming majority of them will vote Democratic. They want illegal aliens to vote for the same reason. And they want loyal Democrats to vote more than once where they are able to do so. Where there is no voter security, these abuses will increase. So, either through legal rulings or through intimidation, the Democrats want to disable the states from protecting the integrity of the ballot box. It appears that Obama's politicized Department of Justice will be in the forefront of this effort.

I can't find any reference to Holder's visit on the LBJ Library's web site, but the library is releasing a Voting Rights Act Media Kit tomorrow. That's probably not a coincidence.

Myths of the New Deal 

Posted: 12 Dec 2011 11:49 AM PST

(John Hinderaker)

This video by the Center for Freedom and Prosperity does a good job of exploding the key myths that have surrounded the Great Depression and the New Deal for decades. It is remarkable that the facts this video sets forth are starting to become well known, after many years of obfuscation, due to the work of Amity Shlaes and others:

Mid-Day Monday Observations 

Posted: 12 Dec 2011 10:35 AM PST

(Steven Hayward)

So as we might expect, opinion is divided about whether Romney committed a "gaffe" with his proposal for a $10,000 bet with Gov. Perry in the debate on Saturday.  Hugh Hewitt thinks it will blow over quickly, while others think it reinforces Romney's weakness as a rich dude.  I incline to this opinion; it calls to mind a singular moment of the 1982 race for governor of New York, a close contest pitting Mario Cuomo against businessman Lew Lehrman.  In a TV debate, Cuomo reached over, grabbed Lehrman's arm and made a big deal of Lehrman's fancy gold watch, as a means of showing that Lehrman was an out of touch rich dude, or something.  I can similarly imagine Obama letting fly with sarcastic line in a fall debate about "So, Mitt, are you going to challenge me to another bet, or can we arm-wrestle?"

Meanwhile, as my pal Ben Boychuk (he of the splendidly-named Infinite Monkeys blog and podcasts) points out that among refined gentlemen, the proper amount to bet is $1.  I'm guessing Romney didn't actually want Perry to take the bet, since it would then involve parsing out the various editions of his book, but instead wanted to suggest in a subtle way that Perry is less than manly in the Texas understanding of manliness.  (Think Chuck Norris.)

Second: Maybe he was thinking of Freedonia?  Gov. Perry has done it again.  He criticized Obama for making a loan guarantee to "the country Solyndra."  I know Perry has it in for both foreign aid and the UN, but this is more than a little ridiculous.

Last, a few commenters on my "left and right" series this morning say they missed my "Progressive versus Progressive" series from back in the spring, so for folks who missed it, or who just want to refresh themselves with its yumminess, here they are:

Part 1: Introduction

Part 2: TR and "Socialism"

Part 3: Constitutionalism

Part 4: The Courts

Part 5: Virtue and the Family

Part 6: Imperialism

Part 7: The Idea of Progress Itself

Part 8: Epilogue

New Power Line Series: The Basis of Left and Right, Part 1 

Posted: 12 Dec 2011 06:15 AM PST

(Steven Hayward)

The very long original draft last spring of my contentious and controversial "Modernizing Conservatism" essay in the Breakthrough Journal included a long digression about the deeper, philosophical ground of disagreement between liberalism and conservatism, and also a discussion of the many confusing ways the two sides of the political spectrum also overlap.  Although the editors and I decided to omit this entire section, I think parts of it might make a good series here on Power Line, like my multi-part series last winter about Progressivism 100 years ago and today.  I know that some Power Line readers like these excursions into political thought, and others don't, just as some Rush Limbaugh listeners dislike his forays into football and golf.  (If you want, you can think of these offers as "The Power Line Institute for Advanced Conservative Studies"!)  If you're not interested in some freewheeling political philosophy, please do skip over these.  For everyone else, here's Part 1:

Eurocrash Update #2 

Posted: 12 Dec 2011 05:20 AM PST

(Steven Hayward)

Thus far in this incipient series I've written about some of the political and constitutional aspects of the Eurocrisis, but at the end of day this is mostly a matter of dollars Euros and cents sense.  The weak agreement reached last Friday is surprisingly similar to the weak climate agreement reached almost at the same hour down in Durban-large on sentiment, but lacking meaningful specifics or an enforcement mechanism.  The debt hole that needs filling is somewhere north of $1 trillion, but the bailout fund is only about $230 billion-how's that going to work?

Herb Titus: Born In Hawaii Does Not Make Obama Natural Born Citizen

Clinton Impeachmet Hand: Why D.C. RINOs Won't Impeach Eric Holder

Video: Obama Blames Bush Again, "We've Been Spending the Last Three Years Cleaning" Up GOP's Mess

Video: Obama, Fixing the Economy is "Probably Going to Take More than One President"

Is Eric Holder Hiding Private E-mails About Fast and Furious?

Emails: ATF 'Sting' Just An Excuse For Gun Control

Your Tax Dollars At Work: EPA Funds Organic Gardening And Mother Earth Worshipping Radicals

Video: The "Break Up" - We've Had Enough of Obama's Policies

$2,500 Will Buy You for a Dinner with Obama's Terrorist Pal Bill Ayers and His Wife

Issa Cranks Up Investigation of Obama's Fuel Policies

December 12, 2011

 

obama on 60 mins: 'i didn't overpromise'
President Obama's one-on-one interview with Steve Kroft from '60 Minutes' aired last night and is generating significant discussion from the president's supporters and detractors. Watch the clip and read the analysis HERE.

ows plans to close west coast ports
Just because their tents have been swept from plazas and parks across the country doesn't mean that OWS is going away. Today the movement has plans to shut down ports in cities from Alaska to Southern California. Get the details HERE.

HOW MUCH $$$ MAKES YOU 'RICH?'
A new poll that asked people about how much money they would need to earn in order to be considered rich, shows some surprising results. Before you click on the story, put a number in your own head, then compare your answer to the survey HERE.

MITT IN HEATED EXCHANGE WITH VIETNAM VET over gay marriage
A typical campaign stop in a NH diner turned into a tense encounter between Mitt Romney and a recently married Vietnam Vet. The issue in question is Romney's stance on Gay Marriage. Get the details on a question deemed to be "too hot" HERE.  

SHOULD SCHOOLS PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH?
Teachers in a predominately Hispanic California public school are disturbed and complaining about a longstanding policy that requires students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in both English and Spanish. Is this a good idea? Read the story HERE.

VIRAL VIDEO - SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE SKEWERS AL SHARPTON'S MSNBC SHOW
As a service to you, Blaze editors watch Saturday Night Live and cull the sketches that actually made us laugh. This past weekend, Kenan Thompson delivered a spot-on Al Sharpton impersonation. Watch the segment HERE.  

MUSLIMS AND JEWS APPROVE OF DENVER BRONCOS QB TIM TEBOW'S FAITH DISPLAYS
One of the most talked about topics in the world of sports is Tim Tebow's public and unabashed devotion to his Christian faith. This past weekend, Tebow lead his team to another improbable, last-second victory. Watch the video and get inspired HERE.  

Southern NH 9.12 Project 

& Temple University Students for Intellectual Freedom (TUSIF)

This is a really good chart with all the candidates positions on issues....note especially, please, those that support agenda 21   

Get the PDF Document Here . . . 

Random thoughts on the condition our condition is in

Dec 12, 2011 05:13 am | Coach Collins

By Ron Reale, staff writer

It is nice to see people finally coming to realize that "Fast and Furious" was nothing but an assault on the Second Amendment. The other day Rush, (who opened my eyes in 1991), was bragging about mentioning that possibility in July. I posted "Isn't Murder A High Crime Or Misdemeanor?" in March.  

A Breitbart contributor, named Hawkins, addressed the issue of Hillary Clinton's involvement in "Fast and Furious" last week. I posted "What Did Hillary Know, And When Did She Know It?" at here and my on blog in October.   

I was a big fan of Newt Gingrich in the 80s and 90s. His advisers at the time included the brilliantly prescient Alvin Toffler, author of "Future Shock", written in the 60s and published in 1970. I only lost interest in him with his acceptance of Americans having to pay a health-care mandate and his believing in the now-more-than-ever ... Continue Reading:Random thoughts on the condition our condition is in

comments | read more

American Minute for December 11th

Dec 11, 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

   Alexander Solzhenitsyn was born in Russia, DECEMBER 11, 1918.
He was arrested for writing a letter criticizing Joseph Stalin and spent 11 years in prisons and labor camps. He began writing and eventually received the Nobel Prize for Literature.
Solzhenitsyn stated on June 30, 1975, in Washington, D.C.:
"At the height of ... Continue Reading:American Minute for December 11th

comments | read more

Barrack Obama, a Modern-day Antiochus?

Dec 11, 2011 01:13 pm | Coach Collins

By Debbie Leininger, staff writer

        During his first week in office President Barrack Obama declared America was no longer a Christian nation. During his 2011 Thanksgiving address to the American people he reflected "how truly lucky we truly are." Instead of offering thanksgiving to the provision and guidance of the Lord God Almighty, President Obama declared the true meaning of Thanksgiving as "Americans drew strength from each other."

 Recently the White House held a two-week early celebration of the Jewish Festival of Lights to "cement America's support and commitment to the security of Israel." However, did the President actually use this occasion to once again desecrate a religious observance?

     Hanukkah was established to commemorate the great military and spiritual victories of the Jewish Maccabees against Antiochus IV's attempts to assimilate Jewish beliefs into a one world culture. Following the death of Alexander the Great, Antiochus IV assumed one of two thrones of a divided ... Continue Reading:Barrack Obama, a Modern-day Antiochus?

comments | read more

The Foundation

"Were we directed from Washington when to sow, and when to reap, we should soon want bread." --Thomas Jefferson

Re: The Left

Obama makes the case for re-election: Food banks

"In the first month of his presidency, Barack Obama averred that if in three years he hadn't alleviated the nation's economic pain, he'd be a 'one-term proposition.' When three-quarters of Americans think the country is on the 'wrong track' and even Bill Clinton calls the economy 'lousy,' how then to run for a second term? Traveling Tuesday to Osawatomie, Kan., site of a famous 1910 Teddy Roosevelt speech, Obama laid out the case. It seems that he and his policies have nothing to do with the current state of things. ... Responsibility, you see, lies with the rich. ... For Obama, these rich are the ones holding back the 99 percent. ... A country spending twice as much per capita on education as it did in 1970 with zero effect on test scores is not underinvesting in education. It's mis-investing. ... In Kansas, Obama lamented that millions 'are now forced to take their children to food banks.' You have to admire the audacity. That's the kind of damning observation the opposition brings up when you've been in office three years. Yet Obama summoned it to make the case for his reelection! Why? Because, you see, he bears no responsibility for the current economic distress. ... This is populism so crude that it channels not Teddy Roosevelt so much as Hugo Chavez." --columnist Charles Krauthammer

How do food banks help Obama's re-election effort?

Government

"So what do the Republicans leave out in their rebuttal to the grim Democrats? They leave out that they have an economic model that is proven. It's called supply-side economics. According to the model, one does not raise taxes on anyone, certainly not in times of economic unease. The very rich might be slobs or they might be living saints, but like everyone else, their taxes are not to be raised because they spend their money or invest their money in economic growth. They cannot help themselves. The way they spend or invest is always more efficient than the government. Money spent by the rich (and the middle class) leads to growth. Money spent by the government rarely leads to growth, and the following year the government has to come up with more money again. ... Government is not a reliable source of funds. Ask a citizen of Greece or of Italy." --columnist R. Emmett Tyrrell

Insight

"There is just one condition on which men can secure employment and a living, nourishing, profitable wage, for whatever they contribute to the enterprise, be it labor or capital, and that condition is that some one make a profit by it. ... It cannot be done by law, it cannot be done by public ownership, it cannot be done by socialism. When you deny the right to a profit you deny the right of a reward for thrift and industry." --President Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933)

For the Record

"If we were to eliminate just 5 million barrels of our current daily 9 million barrels of imported petroleum, the annual savings could reach nearly $200 billion per year. Eventually, the new gas and oil could add another 1.6 million new jobs and add up to nearly $1 trillion in federal revenue. ... Of course, there are sizable interests opposed to the new American gas and oil finds -- not all of them foreign governments, but instead reflected in the current Obama administration policy of halting new pipelines, placing moratoriums on offshore drilling, and putting lucrative federal lands off-limits. ... For the American poor and unemployed, how liberal is it, really, to keep energy prices high while stalling millions of high-paying private-sector jobs that would both lower government costs in entitlements and empower the working classes? In the current presidential campaign, three issues dominate: national security, fiscal solvency and high unemployment. Development of America's vast new gas and oil finds addresses all three at once." --historian Victor Davis Hanson

Opinion in Brief

"If a person without health insurance finds himself in need of costly medical care, let's investigate just how might that care be provided. There are not too many of us who'd suggest that we get the money from the tooth fairy or Santa Claus. That being the case, if a medically indigent person receives medical treatment, it must be provided by people. There are several possible methods to deliver the services. One way is for people to make voluntary contributions or for medical practitioners to simply treat medically indigent patients at no charge. I find both methods praiseworthy, laudable and, above all, moral. Another way to provide those services is for Congress to use its power to forcibly use one person to serve the purposes of another. ... I'd personally find such a method of providing medical services offensive and immoral, simply because I find the forcible use of one person to serve the purposes of another, what amounts to slavery, in violation of all that is decent. ... I share James Madison's vision, articulated when Congress appropriated $15,000 to assist some French refugees in 1794. Madison stood on the floor of the House to object, saying, 'I cannot undertake to lay my finger on that article of the Constitution which granted a right to Congress of expending, on objects of benevolence, the money of their constituents,' adding later that 'charity is no part of the legislative duty of the government.' This vision of morality, I'm afraid, is repulsive to most Americans." --economist Walter E. Williams

Essential Liberty

"Jeffersonian liberty, the bedrock of America's founding, rests on the idea that individuals are means to their own ends, never the ends of others; that individuals should be free to engage in voluntary acts of mutual agreement with each other; and that they deserve that which they produce. Progressivism represents the antithesis of these simple concepts. It's dawning on the American polity during the turn of the nineteenth century brought about structural changes that gave rise to iniquitous lobbying that dominates politics even to this day; to the administrative state that continues to circumvent natural economic forces; and to a fundamentally new and perverted definition of liberty and America's founding philosophy. President Obama has endorsed this Progressivism, and should be held accountable for those ideas." --columnist J. K. Gregg

Calling All Patriots

As of this morning, we have raised about 65 percent of the funds for our 2011 Year-End Campaign. There are only 19 days left in this critical campaign, and we have only $127,000 to raise in order to meet budget.

Our mission and operations budget is a small fraction of other influential conservative organization budgets. (View our expense graphic here.) We are able to do this in large part because our dedicated staff members are motivated by mission, not the modest wages they receive.

Please, if you're able, make a secure online donation today to The Patriot Post's 2011 Year-End Campaign. If you prefer to support us by mail, please use our printable donor form.

Thank you!

Nate Jackson
Managing Editor

Political Futures

"For 30 years, from 1933 to 1964, the Democrats pushed programs designed to help the working class: Social Security and Medicare, FHA home mortgage loans, support for labor unions. But since the middle 1960s, when antipoverty programs took center stage, Democrats in Washington and big cities have pushed welfare programs for the poor and lenient measures against crime. The Democrats' shift produced vote gains in some segments of the electorate. Blacks, who voted 62 percent for John Kennedy, have voted about 90 percent Democratic starting in 1964. ... Obama lost among noncollege whites by a 58 percent to 40 percent margin [in 2008]. And in the 2010 House elections, non-college whites went Republican by 63 percent to 33 percent. So maybe it makes sense for Obama to write off the white working class. Yet he is doing it in an odd way, by enacting New Deal-like programs and expending great energy on raising taxes on high earners. Historically, that was the way to win working class votes. But it plainly isn't doing so now, and it seems poorly calculated to enthuse the top half of the top-and-bottom coalition. Class warfare is a dubious strategy when you've written off the working class." --political analyst Michael Barone

Faith & Family

"For most people, marriage is a sacrament with 'rules' firmly established by God and when followed these rules benefit married couples, their children and society. ... Divorce has become widely accepted (though not to the Author of marriage) as a sometimes 'necessary evil,' but adultery remains for most people what it has always been: a betrayal. It's not just a religious concept. Ask a person who is married but does not believe in God how he or she would feel about a cheating spouse and you most likely would get the same response you would receive from one who does believe in a higher power: anger and profound disappointment. ... Ultimately, what voters must decide is this: Does a presidential candidate's personal flaws rise (or fall) to a level that inhibits his ability to do the job of president? Put another way, if you are about to have surgery, do you care if the doctor is a cad, or do you care more whether most of his patients are alive and well? With the multiple challenges Americans face and with the choices presented to us, if the country is to be made well, voters may just have to sacrifice the ideal for the pragmatic." --columnist Cal Thomas

The Gipper

"This spirit of love, as simple as a spoken greeting and as profound as a changed heart, seems so full that it ceaselessly looks for ways to express its power. We respond to it best when we share it with family, friend or stranger -- when we recognize that, under the sheltering evergreen branches of God's love, all are family and no one is a stranger. When we do these things, when we visit the lonely or help those in need, when a family is reconciled, Christmas is real and present, and that is truly what makes it 'the most wonderful time of the year.'" --Ronald Reagan

Culture

"Last week in Boston, a seven-year-old boy named Mark got into a fight with a bully. The bully put his hands around the boy's throat and began to squeeze. That's when Mark fought back; he kicked his aggressor right in the family jewels. In a normal society, we'd celebrate Mark. Throw him a ticker tape parade or something. ... But in Boston, Mark was charged with sexual assault. ... [The left] treat all violence as equal ... and so they recommend counseling and training, as though a little classroom instruction can solve boys' basic biological urge toward aggression. ... The left has instead come up with an alternative solution: eunichism. ... We will teach them that fighting bullies is the same as being a bully. ... Jerry Sandusky wasn't going to stop raping little boys based on taking a few seminars -- but Mike McQueary was going to avoid reporting that rape to police if he was trained into spinelessness by the surrounding culture. ... The fact is that males' aggressive instinct is good for the world, if channeled properly. Without it, Hitler goes unpunished. Without it, millions continue to starve in the Soviet Union. The key to the aggressive instinct is training it to act along proper moral lines, not eradicating it." --columnist Ben Shapiro

Reader Comments

"Without you guys, where would we find the truth? I've donated $52 dollars, which is stretching the budget. Yet I am becoming frustrated with those who benefit from the truth but have not invested in its continuance. Readers and Patriots; don't let the purveyors of lies and deceit overcome us and silence the truth!" --Terry

"In response to Mark Alexander's essay Obama Has Found Jesus!, Obama worships himself. He is for himself, everything he does is for his self profit and everything he thinks and says it motivated to his selfish advantage." --Scarlet

"I'm as critical as anyone when it comes to Obama's political and social views and his actions before and after he became president, but you are on shaky ground when you openly challenge another man's Christian beliefs. Let's stick to judging him as president and let God judge his heart." --Keith

Alexander's Reply: "Judge not, lest ye be judged" is often taken out of context by even the most well-intentioned Christians, and used to argue not only should one not judge others (indeed, the authority for judgement is God's alone), but also to suggest at the same time one should not discern between truth and untruth, between right and wrong. This essay is about discernment, not judgement, and the two should not be confused.

Footnote: On Sunday, following the publication of my essay Obama Has Found Jesus!, Obama made a photo-op hop to church. This was the first time he has attended church in eight months since his last "faith" photo-op for Easter.

"Let's get real. The 'temporary' cut in S.S. payroll taxes and unemployment benefits extension did virtually nothing to help the jobs situation. It only hurt the Social Security Trust Fund and increased the deficit." --Jim

"As for the administration's classification of the Fort Hood massacre as 'workplace violence,' the planes on 9/11 were places where the crew worked. They flew into buildings that were places where others worked. Evidently 9/11 was 'workplace violence.'" --Lin

The Last Word

Note: The following is satire.

"[L]ook at [Barack Obama]: He's a bright, Harvard-educated man who's not only been to other countries but has actually lived in them -- he knows cultures and viewpoints beyond the narrow ones we have here. ... Look at what Obama did to try and get our economy going. He had this big, hundreds of billions of dollars stimulus that was designed by all the great economists who work in his administration -- the top minds. It should have worked. ... Obama did everything he possibly could, but apparently Americans just aren't very good at running businesses and creating jobs. ... Is that what we want for ourselves and Obama? Though Obama has slipped and insinuated it a few times, he's just too concerned about our feelings to come out and say what's now quite obvious: We're a waste of his time. Plus I know I can't take it anymore seeing the disappointment in his eyes every time he looks at us after the new jobs numbers come out. It's unfair to keep him as our president only to make him watch us fail while tarnishing him in the process. In 2012, we really should just go with some dumb 'me want cut taxes' Republican -- we deserve no better -- and let Obama go on to bigger and better things." --humorist Frank J. Fleming

LEGISLATIVE ACTION ALERT
  CAPITOL HILL SUPPORT FOR OPEN FUEL STANDARDS GROWS:
CONGRESSMAN ALLEN WEST ADDS NAME AS COSPONSOR

ACT! for America is doing it again. We are slowly but surely moving the ball down the field on one of our high priority issues-breaking OPEC's domination of worldwide oil.

November was a banner month on Capitol Hill when it comes to gaining support for this goal and, in doing so, sending a clear message to hostile Islamic regimes across the globe that they will no longer be able to use oil as a weapon.

Over the following days, Lisa met with additional Members of Congress on this issue. She was joined by former National Security Advisor Robert (Bud) McFarlane, Anne Korin of the U.S. Energy Security Council, and Robert Stein, director of the OFS coalition. Once again, these meetings were tremendously productive and it was clear that our elected officials are beginning to see the light.

The continued push up on Capitol Hill-on the one side by Brigitte, Lisa, and the coalition-and on the other through your voices from back home via your letters and e-mails-has resulted in growing support for the Open Fuel Standard Act. The most recent victory? U.S. Congressman-Allen West, who recently added his name to this critical legislation as a cosponsor. Great news, indeed!

Congressman West understands that this legislation is a simple and common sense approach to finally severing our ties with OPEC and to putting a stop to our own financing of Islamic terrorism every time we fill up our gas tanks.

****ACTION ALERT *****

Have your elected officials seen the light yet? See here to check the latest co-sponsor list for H.R. 1687, the House version of the legislation and here for information on S. 1603, the Senate's version.

Whether they have or not, please take a moment now to send an e-mail to your Members of Congress about the Open Fuel Standard Act. (Our system will even automatically send a "thank you" note, if your Member of Congress is already on the bill). Click HERE to reach our Capwiz site and click on the "Open Fuel Standard Act" alerts to send your message to the Hill.

After our last OFS Legislative Alert, close to 3,000 e-mails by ACT! for America members reached the Hill-in only 2 days! That's a powerful voice! Let's DOUBLE that amount today.

Finally, a few important reminders about this issue:

REMEMBER, YOUR VOICE COUNTS!
IF EACH OF US DOES JUST A LITTLE, TOGETHER WE CAN
ACCOMPLISH A LOT!

FOR THE WEEK OF DECEMBER 12, 2011

• Supreme Court to Take up Arizona SB 1070 
• Alabama AG Recommends Repealing Parts of HB 56 
• Feds to Review Student Visa Program in Wake of Human Trafficking Bust 
• Immigration Subcommittee Examines Weaknesses in Visa Waiver Program 

Urge Newt Gingrich to Rethink His Immigration Stance as Illegal Aliens Receive Billions in Public Assistance

Rampant illegal immigration continues to be an enormous financial burden on American taxpayers. U.S. citizens and legal residents in all 50 states continue to foot the bill for public services received by illegal aliens. In fact, public services to illegal aliens cost state and local governments around $85 billion a year! This is money directly from our pockets!

Giving welfare benefits to illegal aliens only encourages these individuals to stay in the U.S., and even encourages more people to enter illegally. It is important that Newt Gingrich realize this position as he continues his bid for the Republican presidential nomination. His support for some form of an illegal alien amnesty goes against the sensible enforcement-based immigration policies that a majority of Americans support, and adds tremendously to our growing national deficit.

Please don't delay. Send this critical message to Newt Gingrich today, urging him to do more to protect vulnerable Americans from the cost of illegal immigration.This is a completely free service. There is no cost to you.

Today's Headlines:  Monday, December 12, 2011

Justice Kagan Recuses Herself From Case Involving Arizona Immigration Law

Internal DOJ Email: Kagan Was Brought Into Loop on Mark Levin's Obamacare Complaint

Tea Party Patriots Founder Jenny Beth Martin says: "Brent Bozell and the Media  

Research Center have been true warriors in defending the Tea Party movement against the relentless attacks and distortions by the liberal press." Please make a tax-deductible gift to MRC today!

Santorum: 'You Either Care About Social Security and You Want to Fund It - Or You Don't'

'Republicans Around the Country' Like My Ideas, Obama Says 
Gingrich: 'Unconstitutional' Insurance Mandate 'Started As Conservative Effort to Stop Hillarycare'

GOP Rivals Don't Dispute Substance of Gingrich's 'Invented Palestinian People' Remark, But Question Its Wisdom

War on Christmas Hits Korean Peninsula

Rangel: Government Has 'Moral' Obligation to Avoid Budget Cuts

Romney Dismisses $10K Debate Bet, Criticizes Obama

DHS IG: Border Patrol Agent Training, Weapons 'Have Not Kept Pace with Increased Violence' They Face

COMMENTARY:

Des Moines Des Bate
By Rich Galen
The thing about telling you that I watched the GOP debate that took place in Des Moines, Iowa Saturday night is I have to admit I had nothing else to do Saturday night. Here's the shorthand version of what I think happened.

MTV, Both Sleazy and Sour
By L. Brent Bozell
A new study finds that young viewers of "reality" television are getting non-stop scenes of drinking and premarital sex as well as an overwhelming dose of insulting negativity.

NEWSPAPER ROUNDUP:

 December 12, 2011

On Monday's Program  

Tonight on GBTV: Bring it on big government progressives - The GOP establishment is after Glenn for his comments over the weekend, he responds tonight only on GBTV! Get more details HERE.

Hilarious: Brian Sack reaches out to voters in the latest episode of "The B.S. of A."

On the latest episode of "The B.S. of A.", phone bank operators for all the different candidates were reaching out to voters to get people behind their candidates. Of course, there were some...unexpected results. WATCH. If you missed Friday's all new episode you can watch it on demand on GBTV Plus!

Bachmann: I will stand up on stage & shred Obama's policies to pieces

Not a good week to be around Glenn Beck in NYC

The clock is ticking and Glenn is counting down the days till Texas - with this being the final week in the city it's not exactly a good idea to be hanging around Glenn. One NYC left-leaning couple found this out the hard way, as they fell victim to Glenn's wicked sense of humor. What happened when one couple got a little too nosy at Glenn's lunch? Find out HERE.

Why does Congressman Allen West support the National Defense Authorization Act?

Glenn wanted to find out why someone he respects as highly as Congressman Allen West would support the National Defense Authorization Act. This bill has created much fear and concern as the bill has been interpreted to mean that the U.S. Government could detain citizens - even those on U.S. soil and not charged with a crime - indefinitely. That doesn't sound good - is it true? Why does Congressman West support the bill? Find out on radio today. WATCH

Tim Tebow & the Broncos do it again

Today's Markdown: Markdown.com has an extraordinary toy from KnuckleStrutz. Today's deal is a 340 piece construction set any child will absolutely adore. With the KnuckleStrutz set, your child has the ability to create and build as far and wide as their dreams will allow! Visit Markdown.com for details.

Anti-butter? On today's 4th Hour Stu and Pat try to get people to sign their petition against drilling for butter - WATCH.

Obama on 60 Minutes: Yeah, it's as agonizing as you think it was