Quote: 

The Patriots of Lower Bucks wishes you a Merry Christmas, a Happy Chanukah and a very happy and healthy New Year!  We will be off until next Wednesday. 

Ronald Reagan Christmas address (12/23/81)

In a world of political correctness and Christmas culture wars, Reagan's national address is almost unbelievable! It is a breath of fresh Christmas air! What happened to the politicians like him who are not afraid to hold fast to the Christian faith despite what others think or say about their Christmas beleifs? God help us by sending more like him back into our country! The challenge: will you speak like this the next time you are given opportunity to speak about your faith?

Patriotriotic Battle Hym of the Republic ... by school students k to 12

Beautiful and patriotic presentation...must hear school students

TRULY AN INSPIRATION.....................  

Click here: Battle Hymn

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)

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 . . .   

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)

Monday 3-4pm "Bordering on Insanity" - Sue Payne and Frosty Wooldridge

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

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

Friday 10-11pm "Veterans' Weekly Forum" - Rich Davis and David Bellavia   

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

The Case Against Obamacare: Health Care Policy Series for the 112th Congress

For Tea Parties, this can be used as basic ammunition for letters to the editor, columns for your local news outlet, handouts at public events, emailing the pdf to our elected reps as well as to members, friends and neighbors.

This appears to be an excellent resource; let's make use of it.

Lou Flanagan

The General Wayne Tea Party

The first contests in the race for the Republican nomination are just around the corner. To better inform you, we looked beyond the rhetoric to the candidates' actual records on the issues important to families.

This voter guide outlines candidate stances on issues that are important to the family. We researched the candidates' statements and votes on the ten issues that best give voters an understanding on if the candidates match your values. Please use this resource as you think about who you would like to see be the nominee to challenge President Barack Obama.

Download the free guide and be sure to share this resource with your friends and family before the 2012 primary season begins next month.

A values voter is an informed voter.

Sincerely,

Tony Perkins
President

Wanted: editorial board members

Posted: Friday, December 23, 2011 12:15 am

The Intelligencer's annual search for community members to serve on our editorial board has begun. If you read the newspaper regularly and want to help shape our editorial opinions, you're invited to apply by telling us a little bit about yourself and why you think you could make a positive contribution.

The board generally gets together on Mondays from 2-3 p.m. at our Doylestown office but does meet at other times during the political season and to accommodate special guests. We ask a minimum commitment of three months, although some board members serve considerably longer.

Applications can be emailed to akerr@phillyburbs.com; please include "INTELL edit board" on the subject line. Applications can also be mailed to Editorial Board, c/o Alan J. Kerr, The Intelligencer, 333 N. Broad St., Doylestown, 18901.

New board members will be chosen the first week of January.

RedState Morning Briefing

For December 22, 2011

1. Lack of Principle Got Them In This Mess. Principle Gets Them Out.

The payroll tax holiday has become a mess for Republicans. I am beginning to believe raw sewage has greater political acumen than the Republican leadership in Washington. At least raw sewage can pick the path of least resistance when flowing through the bowels of Washington, D.C.

Not so the Republicans.

They have gotten themselves into this mess for three reasons.

First, House Republicans were going to vote on their bill and leave town, but decided to play nice with the Senate Democrats. So instead, the Senate did to the House what the House had planned to do and then did not do. The Senate passed its plan and fled.

Second, House Republicans let the Senate Republican Leader call the shots. Let us not forget that in the government shutdown against Bill Clinton in the 90?s, House Republicans were betrayed by Senator Bob Dole, the then Republican Leader, who announced the Senate was going back to work when the House expected to stay shut down.

Third, and most importantly, the GOP lost - and they did lose, here being clubbed to death like a baby seal - because they abandoned long held Republican principles.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

2. The Ron Paul Newsletter and His Jeremiah Wright Moment

If you've been under a rock somewhere recently you may not know that Ron Paul published a bunch of crazy, racist newsletters in the late 80?s and early 90?s.

Ron Paul, ten years ago, took responsibility for the content, even admitted at one point that he had written some of them.

Today, Ron Paul claims he knew nothing about them even though they generated around a million dollars in income for him.

The newsletters were the "Ron Paul" newsletters and each was written in the first person as if from Ron Paul, without an author's byline, conveying that the views expressed were Ron Paul's.

No one doubts that someone other than Ron Paul wrote them, but they were written as if they were from Paul and he profited handsomely and at one point took responsibility for writing some of them himself.

One of the newsletters claimed that gays were going to donate blood en masse in hopes of infecting the American blood supply with AIDS.

Let's presume Ron Paul did not write that.

But I know many Ron Paul supporters, including some in my church, who cast aspersions on Barack Obama for attending Reverend Jeremiah Wright's church for 20 years. They don't believe Barack Obama didn't know Rev. Wright believed the CIA invented AIDS to kill black men. They will give Ron Paul a pass, but they will not give Barack Obama a pass.

Why?

Please click here for the rest of the post.

3. Ron Paul Hates Republicans and Everything They Stand For

Most people already know that Ron Paul refused to endorse John McCain in the 2008 general election. While I don't necessarily agree with that decision, especially from a contender for the GOP nominee, I can certainly understand it. Lord knows I hated every nice thing I had to say about John McCain and wasn't entirely pleased about pulling the lever for him (which is a dramatic understatement). Most people assume that Paul endorsed Libertarian candidate Bob Barr in 2008, which is partially true. However, that is not the entire story. Paul also endorsed three other candidates.

The first of those was Chuck Baldwin. I don't really know a lot about Baldwin except that he has been on record early and often in support of the proposition that the South should have won the Civil War. This sort of thing would ordinarily disqualify most normal people from endorsing Chuck Baldwin, but Ron Paul is not most normal people. And given what most Ron Paul supporters seem willing to forgive, a little Confederate sympathy (or even a lot of Confederate sympathy) seems like small potatoes.

The second was Cynthia McKinney.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

4. Coburn Details $7 Billion in Waste from 100 Dumb Projects

At some point we will need to go beyond merely cutting waste, fraud, and abuse. We will eventually have to wind down the welfare state and close government departments and agencies. However, there is no reason we shouldn't demand an immediate bipartisan effort to eliminate programs that are just plain dumb, even according to Democrat socialist ideology.

Nobody has been more assiduous and instrumental in identifying silly government projects than Senator Tom Coburn. Yesterday, Senator Coburn released his annual "Wastebook" profiling 100 "unnecessary, duplicative, or just plain stupid projects spread throughout the federal government." The total cost of these programs is $6.9 billion. Cutting these programs would only account for roughly 40 hours of our debt, but why spend a penny on this stuff?

Please click here for the rest of the post.

5. Why Do People Keep Asking Newt Gingrich About Meghan McCain's Drivel?

I have a serious question: Why do people keep asking Newt Gingrich about the latest dumb thing that has fallen out of Meghan McCain's mouth? Politico notices that Newt has zinged McCain yet again over her latest ridiculous criticism of his candidacy. This time, it was Laura Ingraham confronting Newt with McCain's claim that Callista is "icy" and doing damage to his campaign. By my count, this is the fourth or fifth time a major media figure has thrust a microphone in front of Newt and asked him his opinion of something Meghan McCain has said.

Am I the only one who sees what is wrong with this picture?

Please click here for the rest of the post.

Heritage Hotsheet

Experts on the Day's Hottest News

Items for December 22, 2011

**Happy Holidays! The Hotsheet will return January 2, 2012**

Prime Minister Puts Power-Sharing at Risk in Iraq

The New York Times

James Phillips

James Carafano

   

That silly little centimeter makes it a crime The Washington Times

Andrew Grossman

Paul Larkin

Latest Heritage Research:

WEBMEMO
An Unacceptable Squeeze on Defense Modernization

WEBMEMO
Online Piracy and SOPA: Beware of Unintended Consequences

WEBMEMO
A National Education Standards Exit Strategy for States

WEBMEMO
How Medicare Price Controls Have Contributed to Drug Shortages

Major Jewish donors stick with Obama

I am not surprised. Jewish Americans want peace for Israel more than they want more land for Israel. Obama is pushing for peace not land and they agree. Obama also has embraced the Muslim Brotherhood in both foreign and domestic affairs. American Jews are all for inclusion so they agree with him. Obama has pulled out of Iraq and is now negotiating to get out of Afghanistan. Jews support that. In the US he sticks to his liberal agenda. So do the Jews. The way I see it, there is very little daylight between Obama and the Jews in America. Ted Belman

Yitzhak Benhorin, YNET   

WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama is enjoying a 50% approval rate, according to a Washington Post-ABC poll published on Tuesday. The president should also be satisfied as top-level Jewish fundraisers from his 2008 campaign are sticking with him in 2012, Jewish newspaper Forward reported.

According to the paper, despite reports that Obama faces a loss of Jewish funders due to his Middle East policy,...

Read the whole entry »

TIME TO ATTACK IRAN

Why a Strike Is the Least Bad Option   

By Matthew Kroenig, FOREIGN AFFAIRS

In early October, U.S. officials accused Iranian operatives of planning to assassinate Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States on American soil. Iran denied the charges, but the episode has already managed to increase tensions between Washington and Tehran. Although the Obama administration has not publicly threatened to retaliate with military force, the allegations have underscored the real and growing risk that the two sides could go to war sometime soon - particularly over Iran's advancing nuclear program.

For several years now, starting long before this episode, American pundits and policymakers have been debating whether the United States should attack Iran and attempt to eliminate its nuclear facilities. Proponents of a strike have argued that the only thing worse than military action against Iran would be an Iran armed with nuclear weapons. Critics, meanwhile, have warned that...

Read the whole entry »

Hanukkah for Dummies Dhimmis

by Bill Levinson

Hanukkah is often called "the Jewish Christmas" because it takes place at about the same time of year. There is in fact a very strong connection between the two holidays; had it not been for the events that Hanukkah commemorates, there would be no Christmas. Hanukkah is about standing up to those who menace one's home, family, or way of life as opposed to singing Kumbaya with them.

We have often pointed out that science fiction and fantasy societies are based on real human societies, and the one in Battlestar Galactica is no exception. We suspect that it is an alternate history in which Michael Lerner of Tikkun.org and Eric Yoffie of the United "American" "Hebrew" Congregations (now the Union for "Reform Judaism") were in charge of the Jewish people when the Greeks demanded that the Jews worship the Greek idols. As stated by Yoffie at the Million Mom March rally in 2000,

We're going to find out...

Read the whole entry »

US commander visits Israel to finalize missile drill

GOOD TIME FOR A JEWISH SPRING

By YAAKOV KATZ, JPOST 

Israel is moving forward with plans to hold the largest-ever missile defense exercise in its history this spring amid Iranian efforts to obtain nuclear weapons.

Last week, Lt.-Gen. Frank Gorenc, commander of the US's Third Air Force based in Germany, visited Israel to finalize plans for the upcoming drill, expected to see the deployment of several thousand American soldiers in Israel.

The drill, which is unprecedented in its size, will include the establishment of US command posts in Israel and IDF command posts at EUCOM headquarters in Germany - with the ultimate goal of establishing joint task forces in the event of a large-scale conflict in the Middle East.

The US will also bring its THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) and shipbased Aegis ballistic missile defense systems to Israel to simulate the interception of missile salvos against Israel.

The American systems will work in conjunction with Israel's missile...

Read the whole entry »

Did the US sober up?

YNET

In response to Panetta's new tune, Elliott Abrams says

"Whatever steps are necessary to stop it" is very strong language with very little wiggle room. Perhaps Panetta or others in the administration came to realize the foolishness, indeed the danger, of having the Iranian regime believe it can pursue its goals unhindered by the U.S. Perhaps they came to realize that any chance of a negotiated resolution with Iran was undermined if the ayatollahs came to believe there was no real military option "on the table." Perhaps this has been the administration's bottom line all along, and an Iranian nuclear weapon is truly "unacceptable" to the president. Whatever the explanation, this is the way our secretary of defense should be speaking in public about Iran.

'Military option against Iran is executable,' says Dempsey

U.S. Chief of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey is formulating a plan for a U.S. military attack on Iran, he told CNN in an...

Read the whole entry »

Islamic Attack on Hare Krishna Temple in Denmark

Laura: We need to ask Ron Paul and his supporters what the Hare Krishnas did to provoke the muslims into attacking their temple. Surely they must have done something to anger them since we know that islam is a peaceful religion which has nothing in its doctrine calling for the subjugation of infidels. So it can't be the fault of the muslim attackers.

I'm very disturbed by the fact that it is being suggested that they change the way they are dressed outside the temple. Isn't Denmark supposed to be a free country? Why are civilized people compelled to alter their appearance and submit to islamic supremacism rather than punishing the hateful, intolerant brutes? This is giving in to barbarism and turning a once civilized nation into mob rule.

 Muslims attack Hare Krishna temple in Denmark

Europe News

Uriasposten December 15 2011

The Hare Krishna temple in Western Copenhagen was recently assaulted by a group of young Muslims, throwing stones and breaking windows. To...

Read the whole entry »

VIDEOS * TODAY'S HOT PICKS 

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

Negotiating With the Devil

Amil Imani 

An Uncertain 'Gift'

Hopes & fears on North Korea

Peter Brookes 

The Muslim Brotherhood Unmasked

Herbert London 

A Medal and a Christmas Gift

Military History, W. Thomas Smith, Jr. 

Today's Hot Topics

We choose, you peruse.

Tom Friedman's Losing Battle

Caroline Glick 

Violence and Bloodshed in Egypt Disturb Secretary Clinton

Jim Kouri, CPP 

Alabama's Jobless Rate Falls - A Product of State Immigration Law?

Immigration News Update 

Thou Shalt Not Question UN "Experts"

Kelvin Kemm

The Light That Burns

A candle is a brief flare of light. A wick dipped in oil burns and then goes out again. The light of Chanukah appears to follow the same narrative. Briefly there is light and warmth and then darkness again.

 

120 years after the Maccabees drove out the foreign invaders and their collaborators, another foreign invader, Herod, the son of a Roman Idumean governor, was placed on the throne by the Roman Empire, disposing of the last of the Maccabean kings and ending the brief revival of the Jewish kingdom.

The revived kingdom was a plaything in the game of empires. Exiled by Babylon, restored by Persia, conquered by the Greeks, ground under the heel of the remnants of Alexander's empire, briefly liberated by the Parthians, tricked into servitude and destroyed by Rome. The victory of the Maccabean brothers in reclaiming Jerusalem was a brief flare of light in the dark centuries and even that light was shadowed by the growing darkness.

Israel was free only to the extent that the prowess of the Maccabees had made it too expensive to properly reconquer. Playing off the Syrian-Greeks against Rome allowed a temporary independence that ended when one of the players dropped out. Even as Rome's power was growing, its headlong collapse into decadence led to heavy spending, corruption and barbarism.

The fall of the Roman Republic made the end of Israeli independence inevitable. The civil wars of the new empire, its uncontrollable spending and greed made it hopelessly corrupt. Caesar repaid Jewish loyalty by empowering the Idumean murders of Jewish kings, which made the Jewish crowds weeping over his death in Rome all the more pathetic. After Caesar's death, his successors saw the Jewish state as a way to bring in some quick money by squeezing the populace. Out went the Jewish kings, in came the son of Rome's tax collector, Herod.
 

There is one fundamental element that is absolutely necessary for an isolationist foreign policy. Isolation. Isolationism without physical isolation is as much good as belligerence without an army to back it up.

 

American isolationism might have been feasible during WW1 when its neighbors were either friendly or no threat, there was no danger from the Pacific and a fleet crossing the Atlantic seemed unlikely. Though it wasn't so unlikely even then.

As far back as 1897 and long before any American involvement in Europe, Operational Plan Three called for shelling New York and seizing parts of Virginia, as a staging base for attacks on Washington and Baltimore. Plans were drawn up in Germany for the occupation of Boston and Philadelphia.

Vice-Admiral August Thomsen wrote, "At the moment every thinking German officer is occupied with the consequences of a belligerent conflict between Germany and the United States of America."

No American politician was thinking the same thing. America had not intervened in any European wars and had no interest in Germany. But that didn't matter. The Kasier wanted to seize parts of the hemisphere and that meant breaking the dominant power in the region. America's weak fleet made it seem like an easy target.

That is the most important part of the equation that isolationists fail to include in their calculations. Regardless of our foreign policy, we are still a target. Whatever our calculations are, potential enemies may have calculations entirely different from our own. They don't just react to what we do, they have their own plans and agendas. Passivity isn't a defense for the ostrich or for a nation.
 

Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood Leaders Caught on Video Calling for Killing of Jews
Dec 22, 2011 11:11 am

Between Responsible and Irresponsible Isolationism
Dec 22, 2011 10:38 am

Kim Jong-un to Share Power
Dec 22, 2011 10:25 am

It Begins? Anti 'Money Power' Lawsuit Filed in Canada ...
Dec 22, 2011 10:10 am

Russia's Predicament and Putin's Problem
Dec 22, 2011 09:45 am

The Egyptian Military - Last Obstacle to Cairo-Hamas Alliance
Dec 22, 2011 01:36 am

BENADOR: Happening Silently: Islam Aggressive Invasion of America
Dec 21, 2011 12:15 pm

Three New Horrendous Decisions by Obama
Dec 21, 2011 03:12 am

Muslim Brotherhood Calls for a "United Arab States" with Jerusalem as its Capital
Dec 20, 2011 06:27 pm

Unlimited Muslim Entitlement
Dec 20, 2011 05:27 pm

No, Israel Isn't Turning Into Iran
Dec 20, 2011 04:47 pm

Beware the Coming Bailouts of Europe
Dec 20, 2011 04:14 pm

Congress Acted Within Its Authority in Enacting the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act?
Dec 20, 2011 02:38 pm

Congressman Steve King Supports Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio
Dec 20, 2011 12:56 pm

Ron Paul Next To Be "Creamed" By GOP
Dec 20, 2011 11:51 am

Fire at Iran refinery prompts state of emergency

Malfunction in Isfahan refinery, the second largest in Iran, results in black out, burning of gas, oil residues

Dudi Cohen

Read more: 

We know Biden is dumb, but can he really be THIS dumb?

Dec 21, 2011 05:13 am | Coach Collins

By Kevin "Coach" Collins

Since 2001 over 1700 of our American war fighters have been killed and almost 15,000 have been wounded in Afghanistan. It has been a brutal slug fest with our forces squaring off every day against one particular enemy: The Taliban. 

In August the Taliban shot down a Chinook helicopter costing the lives of thirty members of the elite Seal Team Six. The feeling in the Intelligence Community was that this attack was carried out with help from spies on the ground and it was "payback" for the team's involvement in the killing of bin Laden. How did the Taliban know Seal Team Six was the unit that killed their hero? Our idiot Vice President Joe Biden told them so.

Shortly after the bin Laden kill Idiot Joe said this at a formal ceremony, "Let me briefly acknowledge tonight's distinguished honorees.  Admiral James Stavridis is a, is the real deal.  He ... Continue Reading:We know Biden is dumb, but can he really be THIS dumb?

comments | read more

American Minute for December 20th

Dec 20, 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

Ronald Reagan stated in his Christmas Address, DECEMBER 20, 1983: "Sometimes, in the hustle and bustle of holiday preparations we forget the true meaning of Christmas...the birth of the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ...During this glorious festival let us renew our determination to follow His example." Franklin Roosevelt said in his Christmas Message, 1942: "I say ... Continue Reading:American Minute for December 20th

comments | read more

Hiding the truth: Obama is doing much worse than reported in his 12 must have states

Dec 20, 2011 01:13 pm | Coach Collins

By Kevin "Coach" Collins

The results of a USAToday/Gallup survey of thousands of registered voters in Barack Obama's twelve MUST have states presents some very bad news for him and his Party. Unfortunately, true to form for the Democrat cheerleading media the worst of the news was buried. Initial on line versions left it out and the truth was only available in the newsstand version of the article.   

Not surprisingly Republicans are more engaged in watching the ongoing political flow of issues, but the spread between Republicans and Democrats who are paying attention and to the issues of next year's election Democrats is a stunning 20 points at 68/48.

Experience tells us the more engaged voters are in the process, the worse it is for Democrats and the better it is for America.  As new Party registration data underscores, voters are turning away from the Democrats in these swing states.  Since 2008 those identifying as ... Continue Reading:Hiding the truth: Obama is doing much worse than reported in his 12 must have states

comments | read more

Ron Paul joins sides with the traitor Rosenbergs' son, calls WikiLeaks traitor Manning a "patriot"

Dec 22, 2011 05:13 am | Coach Collins

By Kevin "Coach" Collins

Iowa caucus voters pay close attention.

 Do you really want to vote for a man who would join with the son of executed Communist spies Julius and Ethel Rosenberg to declare the traitorous Bradley Manning a "hero" a  "patriot" and a "whistle blower?"

Paul, who switched parties from Libertarian to Republican because he knows he could never get elected wearing his true colors, declared Army soldier Bradley Manning, the person who purposely gave WikiLeaks thousands of sensitive secret documents about how America conducts war operations, a hero and a patriot!  

Robert Meeropol whose parents were fried in Sing Sing's electric chair for passing Atom bomb secrets to their Soviet Communist masters is the spokesman for the Bradley Manning Support (BMSN) Network. The BMSN which published a November 5 article about Ron Paul's praise for their hero has a Board of Directors that includes Code Pink, Daniel Ellsberg and ... Continue Reading:Ron Paul joins sides with the traitor Rosenbergs' son, calls WikiLeaks traitor Manning a "patriot"

comments | read more

American Minute December 21

Dec 21, 2011 04:13 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

    "Amazing grace! How sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see." These were the words of John Newton, a former slave ship captain, who died DECEMBER 21, 1807. At age 11, his mother died and he went to sea with his ... Continue Reading:American Minute December 21

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Eric Holder had plenty of experience with cover-ups prior to his work on Fast and Furious

Dec 21, 2011 01:13 pm | Coach Collins

by Doug Book,  staff writer

"You need to know that Eric Holder...played a key role in covering up the torture-murder death of my brother, Kenneth Michael Trentadue."  (1)

This is what Salt Lake City attorney Jesse Trentadue wrote in December of 2008 to prospective incoming chairman of the Senate Justice Committee, Patrick Leahy. The newly elected Barack Obama had made Holder his choice for Attorney General and Trentadue was going to do everything in his power to stop this shameful appointment from going forward.

Kenneth Trentadue was killed in Oklahoma City on August 21st of 1995, four months after the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah building. He had been taken into custody by the FBI and placed in an isolation cell at a federal facility in El Reno, Oklahoma.

The official government report on cause of death presented to Trentadue's family stated that Kenneth had hanged himself in his cell. But massive ... Continue Reading:Eric Holder had plenty of experience with cover-ups prior to his work on Fast and Furious

comments | read more

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Fellow patriots,

Master war strategist Carl von Clausewitz once famously observed that "war is simply a continuation of politics by other means."  I'd like to add a corollary:  In this period of unconventional warfare, where the West is faced with Islamic war tactics that it has difficulty recognizing, let alone doing anything about, we can also observe that "Economics is simply a continuation of war by other means."

We've seen economic war tactics work quite effectively in the past, particularly in the case of South Africa, where a boycott of South African products brought down the apartheid government.  While it has been a long time coming, the United States is positioning itself to both reduce demand for oil and become an oil exporter, deflating OPEC as an American supplier, as well as a supplier to Europe and China.

We are looking at a two-pronged approach to destroying OPEC's power to manipulate the West:

1. Use modern techniques to access vast oil and natural gas resources in the United States, Canada, and Brazil, as discussed below.  One of these techniques is fracking, which has gotten a fair amount of flack from environmentalists, as the USA Today article below discusses.  I have personally heard environmentalists ask the question, "Is it really worth it to pollute the environment just for the sake of creating some jobs?"  My answer to this question is: You're taking a ridiculously narrow view of the problem.  First of all, refusing to use fracking technology does not reduce the demand for energy; it simply moves the production of oil and natural gas to wonderful places like Nigeria, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq, which have far fewer controls over pollution.  Therefore, by chasing fracking out of the U.S., where it can be regulated to ever tightening standards as the industry matures, the American environmentalists are creating a far worse pollution problem on a global scale.  Secondly, by dramatically increasing the global supply of oil, the price of oil will decrease and hence reduce the flood of Western wealth filling the coffers of Muslim extremists who are using that money to buy influence and build Salafist and Wahhabist mosques and madrassas around the world.  In doing so, the funding for global terrorism and other forms of Islamic aggression will reduce.  Finally, by creating Western alternatives to Middle Eastern oil, it becomes possible to simply cut the Islamic world out of the global economic system if necessary, rather than have to entangle ourselves deeply in the murky and dangerous world of Middle Eastern politics.  All of these changes would reduce the likelihood of another HOT war in the Middle East, which, as those who remember when Saddam Hussain set his oil fields on fire, is the most environmentally destructive human activity of all.
2. Federally approve open fuel standards, which set general pollution requirements independent of fuel source rather than restrict fuels to specific types.  As the second article reveals, this can quickly lead to vehicles that run on non-petroleum fuels such as methanol, which shows much promise and can be produced domestically in abundant supply at little cost without competing with food crops.  It's amazing to think that flex-fuel vehicles are essentially ready to run on methanol, which is cheaper per mile than gasoline and doesn't depend on corn crops.

By increasing domestic oil production and making it easy for vehicles to run on fuels other than gasoline, we have the ability to completely turn the tables on OPEC and the Mid-Eastern Islamic expansionists.  Please support these efforts to increase domestic oil and natural gas production and expand the use of flex-fuel technology with the aid of the Open Fuel Standard.

Thank you,

Dave

Oil boomlet sweeps U.S. as exports and production rise

Chronicle · December 21, 2011

The Foundation

"States, like individuals, who observe their engagements, are respected and trusted: while the reverse is the fate of those who pursue an opposite conduct." --Alexander Hamilton

Editorial Exegesis

"When President George W. Bush included North Korea in his 'Axis of Evil' along with Iraq and Iran, he was greeted with snickers from those to whom evil is a foreign and unnecessarily provocative concept. Yet evil exists and will continue to be a threat even if its poster child, Kim Jong Il, is dead. ... North Korea developed nukes and the missiles to carry them while its depraved leader drank imported cognac and his people literally ate the bark off trees. Dear Leader's cognac bill was estimated at $500,000 a month. Despite one of the longest and costliest emergency international food relief efforts in history, North Korea's artificial famine has had a proportionately higher death toll than any in history -- worse even than Stalin's Russia or Mao's China. In remote locations not far from the borders with China and Russia, a gulag not unlike the worst labor camps built by Mao and Stalin holds 200,000 men, women and children accused of various crimes against the state. The North Korean Freedom Coalition estimates that between 400,000 and 1 million have perished in these death camps. After Kim Jong Il suffered a stroke in 2008, his third son, Kim Jong Un, estimated to be about 27, was designated as the tyrant-in-line. Kim Jong Un was made a general despite having no military experience. ... The uncertainty all this presents begs for a response better than the fuel oil and food diplomacy conducted in the past to buy time and kick the can down the road. We remember former President Jimmy Carter's naive and dangerous pilgrimage to North Korea. Carter praised North Korea's mass-murdering dictator as a 'vigorous and intelligent man.' Of this habitat for inhumanity, Carter stated: 'I don't see they are an outlaw nation.' ... China, Pyongyang's No. 1 supplier and benefactor, could have long ago helped us rein in this rogue and belligerent regime, but preferred to leave it as both a threat and annoyance to U.S. interests. Now, with the death of Kim Jong Il, uncertainty and instability make North Korea arguably a threat to both nations. As with our policy toward Iran, the other surviving member of the Axis of Evil, it should be clear that further appeasement of tyranny and evil may appear to buy time but only postpones the day of reckoning." --Investor's Business Daily

How will North Korea's future impact U.S. national security?

The Demo-gogues

Hubris and bad news: "[I] would put our legislative and foreign policy accomplishments in our first two years against any president -- with the possible exceptions of Johnson, FDR, and Lincoln -- just in terms of what we've gotten done in modern history. ... [B]ut when it comes to the economy, we've got a lot more work to do, and we're gonna keep on at it." --Barack Obama

Blaming the Republicans: "[E]ven though Republicans and Democrats in the Senate were willing to compromise [on the payroll tax extension] for the good of the country, a faction of Republicans in the House are refusing to even vote on the Senate bill -- a bill that cuts taxes for 160 million Americans. And because of their refusal to cooperate, all those Americans could face a tax hike in just 11 days, and millions of Americans who are out there looking for work could find their unemployment insurance expired." --Barack Obama

Over the top: "I consider leaving Americans without unemployment insurance for January and February a crime. I consider not extending the payroll tax cut ... a crime." --Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX)

Gravely mistaken: "I am confident that the vision that we believe in so deeply and that we've worked so hard for is the vision that is truest to our history and most representative of the core decency of the American people. " --Barack Obama

Government as savior: "Many people aren't aware of the fact that the federal presence and federal employees in their community is vital and performs a life-saving kind of function that is highly revered and valued. And we need to get that narrative out there in every congressional district and in every state in the union to turn the tide in terms of this negative [Republican] narrative." --Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA)

Lecturing: "[House Democrat Whip Steny] Hoyer made it very clear to the Republicans that when bills come over that do not have policy riders attached to them, poison pills, that we can cooperate and vote together on them and we did so. ... And so it took sometime to talk them out of them, to show them the wisdom of getting rid of those unwise riders. Mr. Hoyer and I, and [Assistant Democrat Leader James E.] Clyburn, we're all appropriators, we're from that culture, we respect the appropriations process, and it is not to be a vehicle to put things on that could never get a presidential signature or pass the House and Senate unless they were on what Mr. Hoyer calls a 'must pass bill.'" --House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)

Should Congress pass the payroll tax cut extension?

Village Idiots

Revisionist history: "Jesus was an Occupier, born under a death warrant, a Jew by religion, born in poverty under Roman occupation. Gandhi was an Occupier, Martin Luther King was an Occupier, [Nelson] Mandela was an Occupier." --"The Reverend" Jesse Jackson

Delusional: "[C]ommunism [is] a great concept. On paper it makes perfect sense." --TV talker Whoopi Goldberg (She forgot the part about how it's a total disaster in practice.)

Spin zone: "[W]e never said the taxpayer was going to get paid back. We put $82 billion in the car industry as a whole. We will get back all but $14 billion, plus or minus, of it. But in return for that we saved two million jobs in the Midwest and two great American companies." --Steven Rattner, Obama's car czar

Fast and furious race card: "This is a way to get at the president because of the way I can be identified with him. Both due to the nature of our relationship and, you know, the fact that we're both African-American." --Attorney General Eric Holder accusing his critics of playing the race card because of accusations of incompetence involving the botched "Fast & Furious" scandal

Upright

"The more Attorney General Eric Holder proved contradictory in his recent statements about his knowledge of Fast and Furious, the more I expected that at some point, to save his tenure, he would play the race card. Apparently, he just has. ... Now, in extremis, when a growing chorus wants him gone, we get [accusations of racism] from Holder about his legislative critics. ... Holder should have resigned weeks ago, but at least he serves as a portent of what we can expect in the national dialogue of 2012." --historian Victor Davis Hanson

"There's a basic rule in business: If you tell people that a product is free, they treat it like it has no value. We've spent the last 70 years in this country telling our poor that money and property are free. Of course, they don't attribute any value to money or property, then. Of course, they treat others' property as though it's valueless, to be stolen or taken at whim. The liberalism of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Lyndon B. Johnson and President Obama hasn't turned thieves into sudden lovers of big-band swing. It's turned more and more Americans into thieves. Don't blame poverty. Blame morality. And blame a government and a society that have abandoned the notion of responsibility for juvenile delinquency." --columnist Ben Shapiro

"The payroll-tax-cut debate is not really about the payroll tax, which is a very weak-kneed economic stimulant and a lackluster job creator because of its temporary nature. Without permanent incentives at lower tax rates, these rebates don't do anything for growth and jobs. Instead, the key to understanding the payroll-tax debate is to grasp President Barack Obama's leftist vision of taxing successful earners (the millionaire surtax) and his obsession with clean energy at the expense of fossil fuels. These are ideological positions. They support the Obama vision of class warfare and his attachment to radical environmentalism." --economist Lawrence Kudlow

"Whether it's for two months or a year, a payroll tax cut extension is bad policy. ... In the context of comprehensive Social Security reform, it might make sense to tamper with the payroll tax. But as a half-hearted, gimmicky gesture to pander to the middle class, it doesn't. That is, it makes political sense -- but not policy sense. To me, this entire episode epitomizes the problems with Washington. Politics seemingly always trump principle." --blogger Tina Korbe

Insight

"Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas." --President Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933)

Dezinformatsia

False premise and misinformation: "During the Great Depression the government did create big programs to get people back to work. Why shouldn't they do that right now, why shouldn't there be that kind of action? ... In 2007, the nation's top one percent took home more after-tax pay than the total bottom 40 percent. And now, new reports show that at least one in 15 Americans are living in extreme poverty. So the gap between rich and poor is widening. Shouldn't the government do something to address that?" --ABC's Christiane Amanpour

Stirring the pot of class envy: "There is that great concern about income inequality in this country. In the course of the last three weeks, I've been all over America, 19 cities altogether. And I've had a lot of high-income people come to me and say we really do have to do something about income inequality because that could trigger a class war in this country. And the consequences are not very pretty to contemplate." --former NBC anchor Tom Brokaw

A good question: "Time's 'Person of the Year' was unveiled this week, and as you probably heard, it's not one person. It is instead 'The Protester,' a symbol of those who challenge the autocratic regimes in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, as well as the Occupy Wall Street movement here at home. But was that just a gimmick to avoid honoring a human being?" --CNN's Howard Kurtz

Of course they do: "Don't you want to run against a do-nothing Congress?" --Fox News' Ed Henry to Obama campaign strategist David Axelrod

Newspulper Headlines:

Alternate Title: 'The Road Not Taken': "Jon Huntsman's Path to Victory" --New York Times website

Questions Nobody Is Asking: "Will Gingrich Disown Himself?" --Commentary website

We Blame George W. Bush: "Kerry Blames GOP for Failure of Supercommittee" --Telegram & Gazette (Worcester, MA)

We Don't Believe It: "Study: Most People Still Don't Trust Online Info" --Associated Press

News You Can Use: "How to Not Kill Your Co-Workers at the Holidays" --CNBC.com

(Thanks to The Wall Street Journal's James Taranto)

The Gift of Liberty

For last-minute shoppers, there is no better gift than the gift of Liberty. Help ensure that your loved ones will continue to enjoy the blessings of Liberty that our Creator has bestowed upon us. So that we may effectively battle the enemies of what you hold dear, 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. We have $100,800 yet to raise in just 12 days!

Thank you!

Nate Jackson
Managing Editor

Short Cuts

"Speaking of Obama, I realize that back in 2008 he was called The One. Now that we know him so much better, I'm having a hard time deciding on a more appropriate moniker. A few that I've considered are Nanny Barack, the Preacher, the Great Pretender, the Scolder-in-Chief and Chairman Obama. But, here's hoping that after January, 2013, we'll be able to simply refer to him as the Dearly Departed." --columnist Burt Prelutsky

"It's a shame Kim Jong-Il died before Obama ever got a chance to bow down to him or to even apologize to him. It's the one guy that Obama didn't get to apologize to or bow down to. How did our State Department ever let that happen? ... Obama did promise -- I'm not making this up -- Obama did promise that he would meet with Kim Jong-Il during one of the 2008 debates. Maybe Kim died holding his breath waiting for that to happen." --radio talk-show host Rush Limbaugh

"In a new HBO series, Jane Fonda will play a cable news CEO who manipulates news stories for her personal gain, no matter who gets hurt. Not very creative. She already did something like that back in '72." --former senator Fred Thompson

"In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it 'Christmas' and went to church; the Jews called it 'Hanukkah' and went to synagogue; the atheists went to parties and drank. People passing each other on the street would say 'Merry Christmas!' or 'Happy Hanukkah!' or (to the atheists) 'Look out for the wall!'" --humorist Dave Barry

"The FDA is now warning people not to eat raw cookie dough this holiday season. Is that how fat we're getting in this country? Our ovens are too slow now?" --comedian Jay Leno

Alexander's Essay - December 22, 2011

Our Founders Were Forthright About Faith

America's Christian Heritage v Season's PC

"The Commander in Chief directs that divine Service be performed every Sunday at 11 oClock in those Brigades to which there are Chaplains; those which have none to attend the places of worship nearest to them. It is expected that Officers of all Ranks will by their attendence set an Example to their men. While we are zealously performing the duties of good Citizens and soldiers we certainly ought not to be inattentive to the higher duties of Religion. To the distinguished Character of Patriot, it should be our highest Glory to add the more distinguished Character of Christian. The signal Instances of providential Goodness which we have experienced and which have now almost crowned our labours with complete Success, demand from us in a peculiar manner the warmest returns of Gratitude and Piety to the Supreme Author of all Good." --George Washington, General Orders, (May 2nd, 1778)

Washington at Valley Forge

Each year, our family observes with due respect and reverence six national days of recognition: Patriots Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Constitution Day, Veterans Day and Thanksgiving.

However, the most hallowed religious observance in our family, and the one with the most deeply rooted traditions, is Christmas. It is not a commercial feeding frenzy for us, but a quiet and reverent time of rest and celebration of the birth of Christ, punctuated by extended family festivities.

Unfortunately there is a perennial societal tension now associated with Christmas. If not for its dire implications for the future of Liberty, the seasonal contortions over "non-offensive greetings" would be humorous. The Left insists the word "Christmas" violates the phony "Wall of Separation" doctrine if a government employee deigns to utter it within earshot, and that it is too ethnocentric for corporate use.

Some years ago, The Patriot Post coined the greeting "Happy Christmahanakwamadan." We did so in response to the fashionable PC crowd's ludicrous demands for "inclusive faith neutral" greetings. We also published our legal department disclaimer outlining the terms of acceptance for the greeting as a counterpoint to retailers vying for your business who have instituted policies discouraging or outright prohibiting any mention of "Christmas." We do not challenge private sector employer's right to dictate corporate policies on such matters.

Do you believe that restricting public expressions of faith threatens Liberty? Post your opinion.

However, the ongoing campaign to censor Christmas from public forums is another matter.

For example, this year there were disturbing new guidelines advising members of Congress and government employees that it would be unethical and even illegal to use specific religious greetings in conversation and correspondence with constituents and service recipients. While Virginia Rep. Scott Rigell recorded his rejection of those guidelines, this is an ominous development and foreboding precedent.

Ironically, it's often these same censors who take shortcuts such as wishing folks "Happy Holidays" or "Merry Xmas." Perhaps they're unaware that the word holiday is derived from "Holy Day," and that Xmas is derived from combining the Greek letter "chi," denoting "Christ," with the Old English word for "Mass."

Meanwhile, over in the Executive Branch, Barack Hussein Obama recently found Jesus when dedicating the 60-foot-tall 2011 Capitol Christmas Tree. Of course, this was only in response to polls indicating that Christians give Obama his lowest job approval ratings. Turns out that Jesus Christ is conspicuously absent from the Capitol Christmas Tree in the form of any ornaments. The tree is adorned, however, with prominently placed handmade ornaments paying adoring tribute to Obama. When our colleagues at Media Research Center inquired about the lack of Christian ornaments, the Architect of the Capitol office responded, "There may be ornaments like those you describe near the top of the tree, or they could have been obscured or moved due to wind or weather."

No question there is a lot of "wind" around the White House these days.

For the record, civilian Inspectors General and military JAGs cause a lot of heartburn for millions of government and military personnel, who must constantly check their comments because they will lose jobs or advancements in rank because of any public remark that might be construed to advocate a particular theological viewpoint. However, there is no basis in our authentic Constitution for such stringent expurgation, and that would be the same venerable document that outlines the Liberties both civilian and military government employs pledge to "support and defend."

Our Founders, the framers of our Declaration of Independence and Constitution, had no such concerns about public expressions of faith, as none was warranted. Conversely, they were bold about promoting Christianity and speaking about their own faith.

Historian Peter Lillback, author of "Sacred Fire," an exhaustive scholarly treatise on George Washington, notes that it is only in recent years, with the searchable digital publication of our Founders' writings, that we get an accurate picture of their faith, and expression of same.

Lillback writes, "Washington referred to himself frequently using the words 'ardent,' 'fervent,' 'pious,' and 'devout.' There are over one hundred different prayers composed and written by Washington in his own hand. He described himself as one of the deepest men of faith of his day when he confessed to a clergyman, 'No Man has a more perfect Reliance on the alwise, and powerful dispensations of the Supreme Being than I have nor thinks his aid more necessary.' Although he never once used the word 'Deist' in his voluminous writings, he often mentioned religion, Christianity, and the Gospel. He spoke of Christ as 'the divine Author of our blessed religion.' He wrote of 'the blessed religion revealed in the Word of God.' He encouraged seekers to learn 'the religion of Jesus Christ.' He even said to his soldiers, 'To the distinguished Character of Patriot, it should be our highest Glory to add the more distinguished Character of Christian.'"

Believe it or not, Washington did not need to consult pollsters or focus groups, as General or President, before issuing proclamations of faith. He spoke them from his heart, just as most of our Founders did.

Here follows, in alphabetical order, a small sample of how other notable Founders expressed their faith.

John Adams: The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity. I will avow that I then believed, and now believe, that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God. ... The Christian religion is, above all the religions that ever prevailed or existed in ancient or modern times, the religion of wisdom, virtue, equity and humanity.

Samuel Adams: I [rely] upon the merits of Jesus Christ for a pardon of all my sins. ... I conceive we cannot better express ourselves than by humbly supplicating the Supreme Ruler of the world ... bringing in the holy and happy period when the kingdoms of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ may be everywhere established, and the people willingly bow to the scepter of Him who is the Prince of Peace. ... We may with one heart and voice humbly implore His gracious and free pardon through Jesus Christ, supplicating His Divine aid ... [and] above all to cause the religion of Jesus Christ, in its true spirit, to spread far and wide till the whole earth shall be filled with His glory.

John Hancock: That the spiritual kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ may be continually increasing until the whole earth shall be filled with His glory.

Patrick Henry: Being a Christian ... is a character which I prize far above all this world has or can boast. ... The Bible is a book worth more than all the other books that were ever printed. ... This is all the inheritance I can give to my dear family. The religion of Christ can give them one, which will make them rich indeed.

John Jay: Condescend, merciful Father! to grant as far as proper these imperfect petitions, to accept these inadequate thanksgivings, and to pardon whatever of sin hath mingled in them for the sake of Jesus Christ, our blessed Lord and Savior; unto Whom, with Thee, and the blessed Spirit, ever one God, be rendered all honor and glory, now and forever. ... The Bible is the best of all books, for it is the word of God and teaches us the way to be happy in this world and in the next. Continue therefore to read it and to regulate your life by its precepts. ... Providence has given to our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the duty as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation, to select and prefer Christians for their rulers.

Thomas Jefferson: I am a Christian in the only sense in which He wished anyone to be: sincerely attached to His doctrines in preference to all others. ... I am a real Christian -- that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus Christ.

James Madison: I have sometimes thought there could not be a stronger testimony in favor of religion or against temporal enjoyments, even the most rational and manly, than for men who occupy the most honorable and gainful departments and [who] are rising in reputation and wealth, publicly to declare their unsatisfactoriness by becoming fervent advocates in the cause of Christ.

I saved my favorite quote on Christmas for last: "How many observe Christ's birth-day! How few, his precepts! O! 'tis easier to keep Holidays than Commandments." --Benjamin Franklin (1743)

My point in listing these snippets of wisdom from our Founders is to make the case plain that the Left's proscription on the expression of faith, censorship that is antithetical to the very existence of our Constitution and Liberty, will not cease until such expressions have been expelled from all public venues and forums. Then, and only then, can the rule of men fully supersede the Rule of Law.

Please join our team in prayer for our uniformed Patriot Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines serving in places far away, and especially for the families enduring their absence, so that we might once again celebrate Christmas as a free people.

We invite you to post a prayer for our country, and uniformed Patriots defending her.

As always, on behalf of our staff and National Advisory Committee, I am humbled to stand with you among the ranks of our Patriot countrymen. We wish peace and God's blessing upon you and your family.

Happy Holy Days and Merry Christ's Mass!

Semper Vigilo, Fortis, Paratus et Fidelis!
Libertas aut Mortis!

Mark Alexander
Publisher, The Patriot Post

December 21, 2011        A FAILED SUICIDE BOMBER SPEAKS  The video attached to this story is both amazing and terrifying. Fox News' Leyland Vittert tracked down a recently-released Palestinian woman who was convicted of trying to blow up a hospital in Israel. The would-be suicide bomber failed, but would like to try again. Watch the chilling interview HERE.    WHO ASKED BACHMANN TO DROP OUT?   As the GOP candidates enter the final campaign phase before the Iowa Caucuses, a story is breaking about Michele Bachmann being asked to drop out of the race. This morning the congresswoman talked about last weekend's phone call asking her to consider stepping aside. The clip is HERE.    FDA WANTS SPERM DONOR DAD TO STOP  A sperm donor in California has fathered 14 children (and has 4 more on the way) has been told by the FDA that he needs to stop. The 36-yr-old thinks he is just being generous, the FDA wants him to "cease and desist." Get all the details HERE.

WHOOPI GOLDBERG SAYS, 'COMMUNISM'S A GREAT CONCEPT'   Last week on The View, Whoopi Goldberg raised a stink when she loudly demonstrated why she is named after the noisy Whoopi Cushion. This week, Whoopi delivers again, proclaiming that "communism is a great concept' that 'makes perfect sense.' Watch it  HERE.   

A CHEAP CAMERA THWARTS A BREAK-IN BY EMAILING PICS TO APARTMENT OWNER   Is this "Geek Revenge?" A motion-activated camera costing less than $50 is credited with catching a crook. Watch the video  featuring an IT Specialist (translation: geek) explaining how his bargain-priced burglar catcher worked HERE.      VIRAL VIDEO DU JOUR - HOLIDAY LIGHTS ON STEROIDS! (SEVERAL CLIPS HERE)
Crazy Christmas lights can be found from coast to coast. Submit yours and then check out some of the over-the-top examples submitted by Blaze readers HERE.

'STUNNING' - CHECK OUT THE GRAND PRIZE WINNER IN NAT-GEO'S PHOTO CONTEST  What does it take to win the title of "National Geographic's Photo Of The Year?" See the $10,000 prize winner HERE.   

 December 22, 2011
 
  RON PAUL STORMS OUT OF CNN INTERVIEW  Congressman Ron Paul was being interviewed by CNN's Gloria Borger yesterday. However, he cut the interview short when Borger persisted on pushing the presidential contender for answers about some controversial pamphlets his company published 22 yeats ago. Watch the encounter HERE.
  watch obama's new campaign ad  The 2012 Presidential election is still over 10 months away, but that has not prevented Barack Obama from rolling out some early campaign ads. See the latest holiday ad that encourages people to "convert" conservative family members to support the President's re-election dreams HERE.
  WAS THAT A UFO IN KANSAS?  A curious, disc-shaped object being trucked through Kansas yesterday ignited a little storm of speculation. Was it a UFO? Was it a new, super-secret military craft? The mystery has been solved. Get the truth on what was underneath all of the shrinkwrap on the back of the truck spotted on US 77 HERE.
  new research claims THE SHROUD OF TURIN was CREATED SUPERNATURALLY     Italian scientists are now claiming that the long-debated cloth featuring an image many consider to be the face of Jesus may be real. Read about the latest findings from Italian researchers HERE.

ARE YOU A BLAZE READER? WE WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT YOU. TAKE OUR NEW POLL!   The more we know about what you like or don't like, the better we can tailor-make The Blaze to fit your needs. We're also using the information we gather to help our sales team target products that are more likely to be of interest to you. Spend a couple of minutes and take our poll HERE.  
  VIRAL VIDEO -  MELTDOWN - TV WEATHERMAN FREAKS OUT LIVE ON AIR!     Los Angeles TV weatherman Henry DiCarlo was not pleased with the time allotted for his live report. But, instead of trying to edit himself to fit the constraints of time, DiCarlo ranted and stormed off out of the shot. Watch the tantrum and subsequent reaction for the news anchors HERE.

Did Ron Paul look Sean Hannity in the eye after the Sioux City debate on Fox News -- and play fast and loose with the facts of his newsletter?

In this video of Hannity interviewing Paul, at the 5:00 marker Hannity begins asking Paul about the newsletters. Paul flatly denies writing them. But never once mentions that he approved them. Instead, he directs Hannity to an article in the Texas Monthly that Paul says deals with the issue.

The Texas Monthly aricle requires registration for readers. But unfortunately for Mr. Paul, over at the site of the Capital Free Press (here) reporter Patrick McEwen registered and reports on what he found. And what he found directly contradicts what former aide Eric Dondero has said in The American Spectator. In the Texas Monthly, Paul steadfastly denies writing the newsletters. But never once hints that he personally approved them -- the charge Dondero is making.

Read more: 

Federal Legislative Update

For the week of December 19th

Please note that Congress will recess for about a month due to the coming holidays. The next legislative update will be issued the week of January 23^rd.

Below is a summary of this week's activity on Capitol Hill. For more in-depth info on current issues, please check out the resources in the "Issues" section of the AFP website.

In Focus: Still No Consensus on Payroll Tax Cut / Unemployment Insurance Package

• On Tuesday last week, House Republicans shepherded through a package containing all three high-profile "extenders" (a one-year extension of the temporary Social Security payroll tax cut, extending funding to provide long-term unemployment benefits, and the "doc fix" which prevents a 27 percent cut in payments to Medicare providers) while paying for it all with off-setting spending cuts. The bill also contained a number of good "policy riders" like the Keystone XL pipeline and a delay in the onerous Boiler MACT rules. The vote was 234-193.

• While they have given up their demand that the bill be paid for by raising taxes on millionaires, Senate Democrats balked on the House-passed package, preferring a short-term extension of the expiring provisions while leadership meets to work out a longer-term deal. So on Saturday morning the Senate passed a bill extending for two months the payroll tax cut, the "doc fix," and unemployment benefits at current levels - paying for these by raising fees for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgages. The vote was 89-10.

• Over the weekend, House Speaker John Boehner heard an earful from rank-and-file House Republicans demanding that they vote down the Senate-passed short-term package, and the House is poised to do just that this evening. They then plan to appoint conferees to meet with the Senate and hammer out some sort of compromise this week. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has expressed opposition to going to conference on this issue, so it is unclear how the Senate will respond. We'll be sure to keep you updated as this develops, but ultimately we still expect some deal to be reached by the end of this week.

Last Week Recap:

• In addition to the action on the "extenders" package, the House and Senate reached agreement on a budget package that will fund the government for FY2012 (October 1, 2011 - September 30, 2012). The measure rolled the remaining 9 appropriations bills together into one $915 billion spending package. This is a cut to discretionary spending of $6 billion, 0.65 percent, when compared to last year, but doesn't even come close to the spending cuts needed to rein in Washington's out of control spending. For this reason, AFP key voted against the measure. In the House, the bill passed by a vote of 296-121 with 86 Republicans opposing. In the Senate, the bill passed by a vote of 67-32, with 30 Republicans opposing.

• Two related funding measures were also considered. The first, which passed both the House and the Senate, increased funding for emergency disaster relief by $8.1 billion. The second, which passed the House but did not clear the Senate, contained $8.1 billion in spending cuts to offset the disaster relief funding. All told, this spending increase out-does the spending cuts found in the larger spending package, and we will see a net discretionary spending increase this year.

Highlights for This Week:

The House and Senate will continue to work out the "extenders" package and then head home for the holidays.

Recent AFP Key Votes and Letters of Support (Full List)

• AFP Leads Conservative Coalition Against U.S.-Funded Euro Bailout
• House Key Vote: Support the REINS Act, H.R. 10
• Letter of Opposition: AFP Rejects the Senate's NAT GAS Act
• Letter of Support: The RSC's Jobs Through Growth Act
• Letter of Support: Rep. Pompeo's Elimination of Inefficient Energy Tax Subsidies

Current Action Alerts (Full List)

• Seriously? 40 Republicans Raising Taxes 
• End Ethanol Subsidies 
• No Natural Gas Subsidies 
• Cut Spending Now! 

Katy Abram

Pennsylvania Director of Legislative Policy

Americans for Prosperity

www.americansforprosperity.org/pennsylvania

Phone: 717.575.6093

Email: KAbram@afphq.org

Twitter: @afppennsylvania

Pennsylvania Voters: 

Voter ID never came out of the Senate Appropriations Cmte.

Guess Pileggi controls Jake Corman:-( Appropriations Chairman) He spoke at the PA Leadership Conference last April.......hmmmm.

Guess Chuck McIlhenney was duped; at least he seemed genuinely excited about the prospects of it passing before Christmas!!

Please call State Senator Pileggi's office and your State Senator to get this bill out of committee and out on the floor for a vote.   

 Follow-up:

I was worried about the progress of HB934, but Christine Costello sounds very positive and I'm spreading the word.

P~

 On Dec 21, 2011, at 1:53 PM, Christine Costello wrote:

 Hi Peg,

 The voter ID bill is going to be voted out of appropriations in the

 first few months of 2012 and voted on by the full Senate after that.

 The legislation will be in place by the Presidential election.

 Do not fret- Senator Pileggi understands this is an important piece

 of legislation and diligently worked on it during this last session.

 Please keep in mind that while Senator Pileggi is the Majority

 Leader, he is by no means the ruler everything. He can put his input

 in but there are 50 members of the Senate and 203 members in the State House   all of whom have their own opinions and viewpoints.

 If you are talking to people please let them know the accurate state

 of this legislation. It will be voted on in the first few months of

 next year and in place by the election. This is in large part due to

 Senator Pileggi's work on the bill.

 Merry Christmas!

 Christine

 Christine M. Costello

 Friends of Dominic Pileggi

323 West Front Street|Media|PA|19063

 484-467-0348

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

To: Friends & Supporters

From: Gary L. Bauer


COUNTDOWN TO VICTORY: 321 DAYS TO THE 2012 ELECTIONS


2012 Update

• The Iowa caucuses have been scrambled once again. A new Rasmussen poll found Mitt Romney leading the pack with 25% of the vote, compared to 20% for Ron Paul and 17% for Newt Gingrich. Rick Perry and Rick Santorum received 10% each. No other candidate was in double digits. Rasmussen also notes that "Paul has a wide lead among non-Republicans who are likely to participate in the caucuses."
• Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum both received major endorsements yesterday. My good friend Don Wildmon endorsed Gingrich, while two Iowa pro-family leaders backed Santorum.
• Former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson will reportedly announce next week that he is ending his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination and will instead seek the Libertarian Party's nomination.
• A new Gallup poll finds that Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney are essentially tied with Barack Obama, with both Republicans attracting 48% support. The bad news is that Obama earned 50% against both Gingrich or Romney. Now, here's the good news: Gallup surveyed registered voters. But Republicans historically perform better among likely voters.
  
  The poll's findings make one thing very clear: With Obama at 50%, we have a lot of work to do, my friends. We can take nothing for granted in the weeks and months ahead!

Justice Targeting Voter ID Laws

Obama's Justice Department declared a jihad against state voter ID laws last week. After the 2010 elections swept Republicans into power, several states passed voter ID laws in response to the ACORN scandal.

Attorney General Eric Holder declared in a speech that preserving ballot access for all voters is a "moral imperative," and for that reason these commonsense protections against voter fraud will face tough scrutiny from the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. Pardon me if I seem skeptical, but this is the same outfit that saw fit to dismiss charges against the New Black Panthers! Holder has zero credibility here. (By the way, 90 members of the House are co-sponsoring a resolution of "no confidence" in Attorney General Holder.)

We have to produce an ID to buy alcohol and other products. We have to produce an ID to drive and to board an airplane. We have to produce an ID to cash checks. Yet the leaders of one party say that it is an onerous burden to ask citizens to produce an ID when they cast their ballots. The American public overwhelmingly disagrees.

A recent Rasmussen poll found that 70% of likely voters support voter ID laws, including 64% of independent voters and even 54% of Democrats. Meanwhile only "22% of voters believe [such] laws ... discriminate against minorities and low income Americans."

So why are Obama and Holder going down this road -- especially as we are about to begin one of the most critical elections in our nation's history? The Democrat Party benefits from this type of fraud. They know they would likely lose many close elections if we got really serious about the integrity of our elections.

Yet they will use this issue in a perverse attempt to convince minority voters that conservatives are racists who don't want them to participate in our democratic republic. As a historical reminder, Jim Crow laws were concocted by Democrats, not Republicans. Moreover, many reform-minded minority politicians actually support voter ID laws!


Solyndra At Sea?

Here we go again. As the Obama Administration does everything it can to prevent the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, it is ordering the Navy to buy so-called "green" biofuels. I say so-called "green" bio-fuels because as Andrew Stiles points out: "A University of Virginia study recently concluded that though such fuels 'offer a higher level of energy output and require a minimum level of land area to develop, the production of such fuels results in significantly more environmental degradation.'"

And while it would be nice to develop domestic sources of alternative energy, it would be even better if they were economically viable. Currently, the Navy buys jet fuel at $4 a gallon. According to Stiles, the biofuels cost $15 a gallon, "That's 375 percent more expensive than the standard JP-5 fuel the Navy uses."

Let me remind you what President Obama's former National Security Advisor, Gen. Jim Jones, said last week about the failure of this administration to develop a serious energy policy:

"If we get to the point where we cannot bring ourselves to do what is in our national interest, then we are clearly in a period of decline... A nation that fails to secure the energy its citizens and its economic engine need to keep functioning leaves itself vulnerable to external contingencies in a dangerous and uncertain world and to the whims of foreign leaders and other actors who may not always have its interests at heart."

Kudos To Rep. Scott Rigell

A controversy has erupted in the halls of Congress in recent days. Evidently, members have been told that they are not allowed to wish their constituents "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Chanukah" in their official correspondence. Thankfully, several members of Congress are working to overturn this ridiculous ban.

Rep. Scott Rigell (R-VA) produced a short video making fun of the Capitol Hill Scrooges. You can watch it here.

I'm pleased to report that Rep. Rigell was one of the candidates who benefitted from CWF's million-dollar ad campaign last year. Thanks to your generous support, we were able to run hard-hitting TV ads against the liberal incumbent Democrat, who squeaked in when Barack Obama narrowly carried the district in 2008. With your continued support, we will end the Obama nightmare and help elect more conservatives like Rep. Rigell who will unapologetically fight for our values!


Thank you

All day long messages of condolence have been pouring in to my Inbox in response to the passing of Carol's brother, Bill Hoke. I can't thank each of you personally, but I want to express my thanks here. Carol and I are deeply comforted knowing that so many good friends are praying for us and the Hoke family. Thank you.    

 Thursday, December 22, 2011

To: Friends & Supporters

From: Gary L. Bauer


Hope And Blessings

Christmas is a time of hope and blessings. But this year it will be punctuated with grief and sorrow in our home. This week, we paid our final respects to Carol's brother, Bill Hoke, who passed away after suffering a massive heart attack. His unexpected death was a stark reminder that our time on this earth is fleeting and that we may be called home at any moment. So cherish your time with friends and family this Christmas.

Carol and I do have the joy of looking forward to a new grandchild in the New Year. The addition to our family renews our commitment to "fight the good fight" for family, faith and freedom. The Scriptures teach us that children are a blessing from God. It has also been said that the birth of each new child is a sign that God has not yet given up on this world.

That was never more true than the night two thousand years ago when the Son of Man was born in Bethlehem; born to bring the hope of salvation and the blessing of eternal life. No headline, no sorrow of life should turn our hearts from the love of God and the greatest gift ever given!

When the Christ Child came into the world, his cry pierced the night and split all of human history in half. I cannot predict what will transpire in the weeks and months ahead, but I know that one day every head will bow and every knee will bend before the King of Kings. The final victory has been won. All that is required of us is that we choose life.

And thinking about the miracle of the virgin birth, each year I can't help but think of Christmas' unique role in the birth of America. It was on Christmas night in 1776 that General George Washington crossed the Delaware River in a daring surprise attack on the Hessian mercenaries. Washington's victory at the Battle of Trenton was a turning point in the American Revolution. Surely God was there, and I believe that the God of Abraham is with us still!

May each of you feel the presence and warmth of the Living Lord this season. As the anticipation of Christmas reaches a crescendo, may we not forget what defines the holiday -- the birth of Christ, God's gift to man, that whoever believes in Him shall have everlasting life.

Merry Christmas, my friends. And may each of you enjoy all of God's richest blessings in the year ahead.


NOTE: Our office will be closed tomorrow and Monday. The "End of Day" will resume Tuesday, December 27th.
   

Read more: 

House Republicans: 'We Are Here in Washington Working Today'

Iran Loses Support at U.N., But a Majority Still Unwilling to Denounce Abuses

More Than 1 in 3 CBP Employees Are of Hispanic Origin

Cal Thomas says: "I don't know what I'd do without the Media Research Center...It's a tremendous resource for me." Please make a tax-deductible gift to MRC today!

After Biden Says Taliban Is Not America's Enemy, Taliban Lashes Out at U.S. 'Occupation' of Iraq

White House: 'What Does $40 Mean to You?'

GOP Senators Urge Obama Not to Make Recess Appointments to Labor Board 
Student Sues School District Over Punishment For Expressing His Religious Views Against Homosexuality

'Sensitive' Santas Cater to Children With Autism

Saudi Dairy Giant Spends $83M on Argentina Farms to Secure Animal Feed

 What $40 Means to President Obama: Treats for His Dog
  'Waa, No Pizza Night': Sad Stories Roll In at Request of Obama White House

Romney: 'Not Planning on Reversing' Don't Ask, Don't Tell

Rush Limbaugh says:  "I can't possibly expose every example of bias and error that emanates from the national mainstream media, but Bozell and his group come as close as anyone can. MRC is a vital national interest." Please make a tax-deductible gift to MRC today! 
Turbulence Ahead, As European Court Demands Climate Fee From U.S. Transatlantic Flights

Obama's EPA Killing Jobs With New Pollution Rule, Coal State Senators Say

US: Mistakes Led to NATO Attack on Pakistani Soldiers

Gingrich Plays Catch-Up in Virginia, Trying to Get on Primary Ballot

Bloodbath in Baghdad: Wave of Bombings Raises Questions About Security

Seattle's New Ban on Plastic Bags 'Pushes People to Less Environmentally Friendly Options'

8 U.S. Soldiers Face Changes Stemming From Suicide of Mistreated Comrade

COMMENTARY:

Manure Makers, Yes; Catholics, No
By Terence P. Jeffrey
Under this administration and this Congress, the right of Catholics to freely exercise their religion is treated with less deference than the presumed right of stockyard owners to fill the skies with effluvia.

The Year of Krugman Thuggishness
By L. Brent Bozell III
Alfred Nobel invented dynamite. New York Times columnist Paul Krugman regularly throws rhetorical dynamite at anything that stands in the way of his radical worldview. He outdid himself in 2011.

'Twas an Occupier Christmas
By Dan Gainor
Twas the night before Solstice, and all through the park, No protesters were stirring, even after the dark. Occupiers were seething, all mad at The Man, 'Tis Wall Street we're blamin' and we're not a fan.

Michelle Obama's Unsavory School Lunch Flop
By Michelle Malkin
There's nothing wrong with encouraging our children to eat healthier. There's nothing wrong with well-run, locally based and parent-driven efforts. But the federal foodie cops care much less about students' waistlines than they do about boosting government and public union payrolls.

Mitt Romney Is Not Conservative
By Ben Shapiro
Throughout the Republican debates, Romney has somehow suckered much of the conservative world into believing that he is a solid fiscal, social and foreign policy conservative.

NEWSPAPER ROUNDUP:

Fort Lauderdale will buy one-way tickets for homeless to leave city

 Obama puts his personal stamp on new EPA pollution rules; Republicans pounce
Straight couples opt for civil unions to show solidarity with homosexuals
Lesbian couple wins Navy's homecoming honors; 'first kiss' on arriving in port
Senators ask labor secretary to withdraw 'misguided' child farming regulations
Ex-President Carter sends condolences to Kim Jong-un
Senate GOP worries payroll tax standoff could cost them upper chamber
Eric Holder's Justice Dept. goes after Arizona's law-and-order Sheriff Arpaio
Obama makes Christmas shopping stop at Best Buy
Extremist teachings remain in Saudi textbooks despite Kingdom's reform claims
DHS internal report claims anti-terrorism program now in jeopardy
Sarah Palin criticizes Obama holiday card -- and the dog
Census: More people moving to D.C.; Jobs, amenities cited for rise

$15 gal. Obama Green Fuel - Another donor hits the taxpayer lotto.

Obama Admin: Taliban Isn't the Enemy, so Let's Fund Al-Qaeda!

Dec 21, 2011 12:50 pm

The bad news is the War on Terror is still a part of daily life. The worse news is our elected leaders are so confused about who the enemy is that we're funding both sides. Leon Panetta became the first U.S. Defense secretary to visit Libya on Saturday. Surveying the government Barack Obama's illegal war [...]

Read More and Comment: Obama Admin: Taliban Isn't the Enemy, so Let's Fund Al-Qaeda!      

Video: Merry Christmas! Gas Prices Hit an All-Time Holiday High

Dec 21, 2011 12:50 pm

Everyone likes to come "Home for the Holidays," but if you're driving this year, you'll pay more than ever. Rob Bluey at the Heritage Foundation, one of the smartest journalists in the game, looked at AAA's gasoline prices. The average cost of a gallon of gasoline is $3.21 - 23 cents higher than last Christmas, [...]

Watch the Video and Comment: Video: Merry Christmas! Gas Prices Hit an All-Time Holiday High

   

Obama is a Traitor!

Dec 21, 2011 12:49 pm

Barack Hussein Obama, our president, is a traitor. Finally, his hatred for our nation and his plan to destroy it are crystal clear. He must be forced from office - legally - before our entire country goes down the drain for the final count! Much has gone on in the last three years to show [...]

Read More and Comment: Obama is a Traitor!      

Stop Obama's Senate Sycophants Before We Slide Into Insolvency

Dec 21, 2011 12:48 pm

More to read:

Today's Markdown! Markdown.com has a great deal with The Blaze Magazine - the new print publication from the same team of writers, journalists, and editors who brought you TheBlaze.com - Glenn's site that has revolutionized online news and analysis. Get 50% off the regular price of a one-year print and digital combo subscription today! Visit Markdown.com for details. 

Worth reading reality at its best.

Dear Abby,

My husband has a long record of money problems. He runs up huge credit-card
bills and at the end of the month, if I try to pay them off, he shouts at
me, saying I am stealing his money. He says pay the minimum and let our
kids worry about the rest, but already we can hardly keep up with the
interest. Also he has been so arrogant and abusive toward our neighbors that
most of them no longer speak to us. The few that do are an odd bunch, to
whom he has been giving a lot of expensive gifts, running up our bills even
more. Also, he has gotten religious. One week he hangs out with Catholics
and the next with people who say the Pope is the Anti-Christ, and the next
he's with Muslims.. Finally, the last straw. He's demanding that before
anyone can be in the same room with him, they must sign a loyalty oath. It's
just so horribly creepy! Can you help?

Signed,
Lost

Dear Lost,

  Stop whining, Michelle. You're getting to live in the White House for free,
travel the world, and have others pay for everything for you.
You can divorce the jerk any time you want. The rest of us are stuck with
the idiot for one more year!

Signed,
Abby