Quote: 

"Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it."

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)

Sneak Peak: Take a Look at Beck's Evolving New Texas Studio (Plus - Get Ready for Monday Night Announcements!) 

Many of you were able to watch Glenn Beck broadcast on GBTV last week from his new studio in Texas. Week 2 will feature a lot of changes!

On Monday evening's program Beck we'll be making some key announcements about new initiatives and programs.

You will also see some major changes in the studio that Beck will be using for the next phases of his GBTV program and mission development.

Consider this...your sneak peak!

'Really?': Chris Christie 'Shouts Down' Occupy Protesters at Romney Rally With Anti-Obama Tirade 

On Sunday night in Exeter, it was official: There just might be no politician in America better at shouting down protesters than Chris Christie.

"Really?" said Christie, as soon as protestors interrupted him, the second outburst of the night from the group, who had already gone after Romney. "You know, something may go down tonight, but it ain't going to be jobs, sweetheart."

Read More . . .  

Today, our college graduates face the highest unemployment rates in history.

American 15-year-olds rank 35th out of 57 industrialized countries in math and literacy.

Americans shouldn't rank 35th in anything!

Join Americans for Prosperity Foundation, Dick Morris and other special speakers Saturday, January 28 for a free town hall to "Restore American Exceptionalism" at 2:00 p.m. at the The Hershey Lodge (325 University Drive) in Hershey. Reserve your free tickets here (http://schoolchoicehershey.eventbrite.com/)!

Let's work together to support the future workforce of America.

Don't miss the chance to ask Dick Morris and our other speakers your questions, Saturday, January 28.

GENERAL ADMISSION IS FREE -- BUT you must reserve your free tickets here (http://schoolchoicehershey.eventbrite.com/)!

Restoring American Exceptionalism is not a Republican issue or a Democrat issue. It's an American issue -- our future depends on it! I hope to see you there!

Sincerely,

Jennifer Stefano

Pennsylvania State Director

Americans for Prosperity Foundation

www.putkidsfirst.org (http://www.putkidsfirst.org/)        

Americans for Prosperity Foundation (AFPF) is a nationwide organization of citizen-leaders committed to advancing every individual's right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFPF believes reducing the size and intrusiveness of government is the best way to promote individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. AFPF educates and engages citizens to support restraining state and federal government growth and returning government to its constitutional limits. AFPF is more than 1.8 million activists strong, with activists in all 50 states. AFPF has 34 state chapters and affiliates. More than 90,000 Americans in all 50 states have made a financial contribution to AFP or AFP Foundation.

For more information, visit http://www.americansforprosperityfoundation.com 

DEAR PATRIOTS,

THERE WILL BE NO JANUARY Valley Forge Patriots Tea Party MEETING !!!

MEETINGS WILL RESUME IN FEBRUARY

 3rd WITH A FORUM ON THE PA SENATE RACE TO UNSEAT BOB CASEY.  SAM ROHRER,STEVE WELSH,AND MARK SCARINGI HAS CONFIRMED  ATTENDANCE.  MORE INFORMATION TO FOLLOW.

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

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

Obama's NLRB 'Recess' Appointees Circumvent Background Checks 

What the New Obama Labor Board Means for Workers and Employers  

Online Chat on SOPA 

Obama's New Defense Strategy: Less of the Same 

GM Recalling Volts, White House Headed to Detroit to Celebrate? 

QUICK HITS

The Obama Administration is planning on a change to the nation's immigration rules that would allow undocumented immigrants to remain in the United States while applying for citizenship.

Was classified information leaked to filmmakers about how Osama bin Laden was killed? Representative Pete King (R-NY) says the Defense Department and the Central Intelligence Agency are investigating, according to The Hill.

Twenty-five people were killed and dozens were wounded in Damascus, Syria, after a suicide bomber attacked a busy intersection. The explosion is the second attack in the Syrian capital in two weeks, The New York Times reports.

Ready for a "gas-pocalypse"? The Los Angeles Times reports that record-high gas prices are headed even higher due to expensive oil and changes in refinery operations.

RedState Morning Briefing

For January 9, 2012

1. What a Big Government Conservative Looks Like

I'm rather tired of all the people who don't like Romney trying to claim Rick Santorum is not a big government conservative, or not a pro-life statist. I would support him before I would support Romney too, but I have no intention of giving up ideological and intellectual consistency in the name of beating Mitt Romney.

Rick Santorum is a pro-life statist. He is. You will have to deal with it. He is a big government conservative. Santorum is right on social issues, but has never let his love of social issues stand in the way of the creeping expansion of the welfare state. In fact, he has been complicit in the expansion of the welfare state.

Suddenly we're all forgetting what a big government conservatism is. The term was coined by Fred Barnes in defense of George W. Bush's "compassionate conservative" agenda. Bush intended to use domestic social welfare policy for conservative ends. In the process, he expanded the welfare state to do so through No Child Left Behind, the prescription drug benefit, etc. Rick Santorum was a willing participant in this.

Santorum is a conservative. He is. But his conservatism is largely defined by his social positions and the ends to which government would be deployed. But he has chosen as the means to those conservative ends bigger government. We see big government conservatives most clearly when they deviate from the tireless efforts of people like Mike Pence and Jim DeMint and the others who were willing to oppose George W. Bush's expansion of the welfare state. Rick Santorum was not among them.

I and some friends, none of us Romney fans, have set about exploring Santorum's record since Wednesday morning. Here now is a non-exhaustive list of what we have found. It does not even include his support for No Child Left Behind, Medicare Part D, debt ceiling increases, funding the bridge to nowhere, refusing to redirect earmark allocations to disaster relief along the Gulf Coast post Katrina, etc.

This is not the record of a man committed to scaling back the welfare state or the nanny state. Had he been up for re-election in 2010 instead of 2006, this is the record of a man who the tea party movement would have primaried. The only real justification for supporting him now is he is not Mitt Romney, but I still believe we can do better.

Consider, if you will, this contrast. Ronald Reagan said, "The basis of conservatism is a desire for less government interference or less centralized authority or more individual freedom." Rick Santorum, in 2008, said, "This whole idea of personal autonomy, well I don't think most conservatives hold that point of view. Some do. They have this idea that people should be left alone, be able to do whatever they want to do, government should keep our taxes down and keep our regulations low, that we shouldn't get involved in the bedroom, we shouldn't get involved in cultural issues. You know, people should do whatever they want. Well, that is not how traditional conservatives view the world and I think most conservatives understand that individuals can't go it alone." I can handle Santorum's view of social conservatism and the need for cultural integrity. But he goes off the rails when he blends it with a version of fiscal conservatism that is anything but conservative and which fuels the leviathan of government that, as it expands, takes away freedoms and susidies a bureaucracy made up of entrenched progressive civil servants.

2. Politics As Entertainment, Endless GOP Debates Edition

We live in an entertainment culture. The lives of many in this country revolve around the consumption of media and entertainment. Sports is almost an object of worship to some, and events such as the BCS Championship and the Super Bowl are virtually national holidays, surrounded by endless attention in the news/sports media and other popular culture outlets. Given that media consumption is now so ubiquitous, with flat-screen digital TVs, smartphones, satellite TV, streaming video, iPads and other multimedia sources, is it any wonder that politics has now taken on a similar flavor? 2012 is an election year and along with it, politics as entertainment has come to the fore. Even Entertainment Weekly has a "Politics As Entertainment" page! But the biggest proof point for this is the seemingly endless series of debates between GOP candidates. This may make for good entertainment, but does it make for good politics?

3. The Late Term Abortion of a Conservative Resurgence

In 2009 we began a conservative resurgence. We had just witnessed a stunning economic intervention from the Bush administration, and were now facing an expansion of government. President Obama, with a complicit Congress, had charted a course that included giveaways to every left wing pipe dream couched as stimulus. Conservatives and libertarians formed a loose coalition and took to the streets to seek redress.

As the movement gained strength and popularity, the Obama administration decided to flex its muscles and force even greater socialist schemes on the people of this nation. The passage of Obamacare, while an absolute defeat for smaller government, served as a rallying cry that strengthened our resolve.

In 2010 we put down the protest signs and picked up campaign signs. We made errors, but more importantly, we took back the House. Unfortunately, we didn't change our leadership. Betrayals and half measures served to squash the optimism that had been prevalent.

As we began pondering the 2012 GOP candidates, there was a palpable pessimism. The field was unworthy of the conservative resurgence that had returned the House to our control. We were all awaiting a champion.

Pence declined, Palin declined, Daniels, Christie, Jindal, Ryan, none would step forward.

Then, something happened. Governor Perry heard the call and threw his hat into the ring. For a moment, we were optimistic about our primary.

4. Mitt Romney Got Arrested

It is such a silly thing, but it plays right into the left-wing attack on Mitt as an out of touch elitist.

All the way back to 1981, Mitt Romney got arrested.

It was no big deal.

Still, the Obama campaign is rapidly building a John Kerry narrative against Mitt Romney. You and I may think the whole 99% vs the 1% crap is in fact crap, but the average joe doesn't like elitists.

And this isn't the only time Romney has had encounters with law enforcement that got nasty when things didn't go his way.

5. The Biggest Mistake of the Worst Debate

Let's face it: the ABC News New Hampshire debate was the worst debate of the entire election cycle. And that is saying something, considering the sheer volume of debates. How many years and election cycles will it take before Republicans learn to turn to conservatives as moderators for presidential debates, instead of washed up Democrat hacks disguised as journalists?

Now, to the extent that such a pathetic debate is worthy of any analysis, the clear winner was Mitt Romney. Watching the debate, you'd think Ron Paul was the frontrunner. All of the verbal altercations played out between Ron Paul and one of the other candidates. Romney was able to sit pretty throughout the entire debate, except for one monologue from Santorum at the end of the debate. Undoubtedly, the platform for the debate, along with the inane questions, wasn't exactly conducive to attacking Romney's liberal record as governor. However, they all had an opportunity during the opening salvo of the debate. They failed miserably.

6. Vast Majority of ObamaCare Waivers Go To Union Workers In Latest Round

Tell a joke:  

Q: How can you tell when a liberal politician is lying?

A: His lips move.  

 Start a rumor:  

Ingrid Newkirk, founder of the animal rights extremist group PETA, wasn't just blowing off empty rhetoric when she said, "When it comes to feelings, a rat is a dog is a pig is a boy. . ." Her eco-friendly home is powered entirely by her "family" of adopted pigmy children whom she has rescued from the war-torn Congo. In return for her generous hospitality, each child spends no more than five hours a day in her basement "fun-running" on the giant hamster-style wheel that powers her turbine generator. It used to be eight hours, but she found that on a compulsory vegetarian diet the kids tended to flake out from exhaustion.  

Join a liberal reading group  

Propose as your first book choice The Bell Curve by Richard J. Herrnstein and Charles Murray.  

 1. 2 pictures worth 2,000 words  2. MUST WATCH VIDEO: "Unholy War" Christians under attack by Muslims in the UK [Threats to families, threats to chop off their heads...] Coming soon to the U.S.A.?
3. VIDEO: All 8,000 Chevy Volts being recalled. Each car has been subsidized by the federal government for $250,000.
4. VIDEO: 'She Looked Guilty': $4,500 Wedding Ring Found Inside Family Dog
5. Modern dancers, bed-bug battlers, earth worshipers get EPA 'environmental justice' grants
6. VIDEO: O'Reilly interviews America's top sniper, Navy Seal Chris Kyle with 150 kills.
7. VIDEO: Lawsuits Against Obamacare "Frivolous" Because of Commerce Clause [President's pick to run the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau]
8. VIDEO: Palestinian TV to kids: Jews would have killed Muhammad had they known the foretold prophet was an Arab and not a Jew
9. VIDEO: Rep. Allen West on his vision of America 

Sunday Worship | Story of Amazing Grace
Jan 08, 2012 01:01 pm

The Ugly Truth in the Jobs Report
Jan 08, 2012 05:00 am

Barack Machiavelli
Jan 08, 2012 02:09 am

The Paul Phenomenon
Jan 07, 2012 06:46 pm

Right Side News Recommends the Following Links to Our Readers
Jan 07, 2012 04:31 pm

Obama Skirts the Democratic Process
Jan 07, 2012 02:09 pm

What Is the Separation of Powers?
Jan 07, 2012 01:32 pm

Incomprehensibly Stupid Army Regulation Killing Americans in Afghanistan
Jan 07, 2012 01:07 pm

FBI's Top Ten News Stories for the Week Ending January 6, 2012
Jan 07, 2012 12:56 pm

Muslim Brotherhood Realities New and Old
Jan 07, 2012 12:42 pm

Education: Waiting For Lewis Black
Jan 06, 2012 02:15 pm

BENADOR: As 2012 begins, Quo Vadis, America...?
Jan 06, 2012 11:13 am

Empowering Patients as Key Decision Makers in the Face of Rising Health Care Costs
Jan 06, 2012 01:42 am

Top Five Priorities for Homeland Security in 2012
Jan 06, 2012 01:29 am

The One True Anti-Romney
Jan 05, 2012 05:48 pm

The Arab Spring: An Obituary
Jan 05, 2012 05:39 pm

Dealing with Life
Jan 05, 2012 05:32 pm

The True Conservative: A Popular Pipe Dream?
Jan 05, 2012 02:30 pm

Propaganda, Terror, and Mass Communication Part 2
Jan 05, 2012 11:25 am

Abuse of Power
Jan 05, 2012 11:11 am

Sunday, January 8, 2011

To: Friends & Supporters

SPECIAL ALERT

From: Gary L. Bauer


Santorum For President!

After careful consideration and prayer, I have decided to publicly endorse Senator Rick Santorum today in Greenville, South Carolina, for the Republican presidential nomination.

As you know, my intention had been to avoid an endorsement this cycle. However, in recent days it has become obvious that the GOP electorate is deeply divided about who should carry the banner for our values into the 2012 election against Barack Obama. I have been receiving an increasing number of questions from our grassroots supporters around the country seeking guidance on which candidate they should support. I felt it was imperative that I take the lead now.

As you know, I believe virtually all of these candidates are men who would be fantastic presidents compared to Barack Obama. My endorsement of Rick Santorum is in no way meant to be critical of the others. But I believe Santorum can best articulate the Reagan conservatism that has defined my political life and holds the best hope for the future our children and grandchildren will inherit. Rick Santorum is unambiguously pro-life and pro-family.

The election of our next president in 2012 will be the most important election of my generation. Campaign for Working Families will continue to build a war chest to defeat Barack Obama in November. I believe the candidate best able to do that is Rick Santorum.

But let me assure you that we will deploy our resources for whoever is selected as the nominee. There is only one candidate we must stop and his name is Barack Obama.

Thank you for all you do to empower my work in Washington, D.C.
 

Friday, January 6, 2012

To: Friends & Supporters

From: Gary L. Bauer


COUNTDOWN TO VICTORY: 305 DAYS TO THE 2012 ELECTIONS


Obama Targets Defense

While the nation is struggling with record debt, Barack Obama finally found a government agency he wants to slash -- the Pentagon. Yesterday Obama unveiled plans to cut $500 billion from the Defense budget. In his remarks at the Pentagon, Obama said he was "turning the page on a decade of war." He could also be inviting a new decade of aggression.

Obama plans to abandon America's long-standing policy of being able to fight two major conflicts at once. His cuts will take us back to a pre-9/11 military, just as Iran is ramping up its nuclear weapons program, as the rotten fruit of radical Islam spreads from last year's Arab Spring and as China continues its massive military buildup.

But as the editors of National Review noted:

"At its Cold War peak, U.S. military strategy called for the peacetime ability to simultaneously fight and win two major theater wars and a 'brushfire' conflict. The years after the Soviet collapse saw that capability pared down in the name of the 'peace dividend,' just in time for the 9/11 decade to deliver . . . two major theater wars and a series of 'brushfire' conflicts, from counterterror ops in Yemen to air support in Libya, that stretched our forces thin even as we increased them."

Every time Republicans try to cut bloated social programs and income redistribution programs, Obama and the media immediately counter that they are going to kill jobs. (Top administration officials and leading Democrats have even tried to convince us that unemployment insurance actually creates jobs!) But then Obama goes to the Pentagon and announces massive cuts that will eliminate hundreds of thousands of jobs.

In fact, earlier this week Boeing announced 2,000 layoffs at a Kansas plant due to Defense cuts announced last year. According to Boeing there just wasn't enough work to keep the plant open. Conservative politicians who were upset at Boeing should have directed their anger at Obama.

Government spending is about picking priorities, and the first obligation of government is the defense of this nation. But liberals always see the defense budget as the first thing to cut. The first priority of every conservative must be defeating Barack Obama in 305 days.


Ron Paul: No Reagan Republican

I've made no mystery of my disdain for Ron Paul's destructive foreign policy views. They are the exact opposite of Ronald Reagan's. As I have already mentioned, Obama has made a proposal that would deeply hurt America's national defense, and I have no desire to see both parties committed to weakening America internationally.

That's why I have joined with the Emergency Committee for Israel, led by my good friends Bill Kristol and Rachel Abrams, to produce an ad that urges Republican voters to reject Ron Paul's isolationist and conspiratorial approach to foreign policy. You can view the ad here.


The Persecuted Church

Religious persecution around the world continues to quicken. Radical Muslims burst into a Nigerian church and murdered several worshippers yesterday. Today nearly two dozen more Nigerian Christians were murdered. These attacks follow on the heels of the Christmas day bombing of a Catholic church that killed more than 40 people.

Not surprisingly, Nigeria ranks high on a list of nations where religious persecution is prevalent. North Korea tops the list of the world's worst violators of religious freedom. But, according to CNSNews.com, "Islamic states dominate the rankings, accounting for nine of the top ten and 38 of the full 50-country list."

There are major differences between America, Israel and other western nations built on religious tolerance and Islamic countries built on the Koran. As we have seen from the shocking headlines out of Egypt and Saudi Arabia recently, women and religious minorities are rarely treated fairly in the "Muslim world." When our Founding Fathers declared that all men are created equal and endowed with certain inalienable rights, they were clearly referring to the God of Abraham, not the god of the Koran.    

Fellow patriots,

One of the ways Islamists dupe the rest of us is that they use the same words we do, but attach completely different -- sometimes opposite -- meanings from what we're accustomed to.  Some examples:

• "Freedom" means freedom to practice Islam without hindrance, which of course imposes Shariah's laws against blasphemy and apostasy on everyone else because Muslims are empowered by Islam to act as vigilantes.
• "Religious tolerance" means that non-Muslims will be tolerated (barely) as long as they submit to Shariah's laws for them, which means that they must pay special taxes, have no influence on the laws that rule them, and have no power to testify in court on their own behalf against a Muslim's testimony.
• "Justice" means being in accordance with Shariah Law, whose laws are often the antithesis of justice.
• "Peace" means submission to Allah via Islam
• "Charity" takes the form of Zakat, which can include financing jihadists.
• "Law" means Shariah, because no other laws are worthy of the term.
• "Religion" means Islam, because all other religions are false and hence unworthy of the term.
• "Persecution" is preventing a Muslim from practicing Shariah.  For example, forcing Muslim women to have photo ID licenses with their head coverings removed, or forcing Muslim taxi drivers to pick up blind people with seeing-eye dogs.
• "Hate speech" is saying anything that defames Islam or Muhammad -- in other words, hate speech is quoting the Koran and Muhammad accurately in a way that can make people think unfavorably about Islam.
• "Terrorism" is what happens whenever non-Muslims oppose Muslims.

The article below is an application of that last definition.  This is the kind of inverted vocabulary we can expect to encounter if Islam gains traction in the West.

Dave

AFP - Getty Images

Gen. Ilker Basbug, center, arrives at a courthouse in Istanbul, Turkey, on Thursday. ""We can say it is really tragicomic to accuse somebody who commands such an army of forming and directing a terrorist group," he reportedly told the court.

msnbc.com news services

updated 1/6/2012 3:37:31

ANKARA, Turkey - A former military chief was jailed Friday, accused of leading a terrorist organization and plotting to bring down Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government, his lawyer said.

 

Gen. Ilker Basbug was arrested and placed in a prison near Istanbul overnight after seven hours of questioning by prosecutors investigating allegations that the military funded dozens of websites aimed at discrediting the Islamic-rooted government in 2009.

Friday Afternoon Roundup - You Never Know

 

ON THE BLACKBOARD

I have gotten the occasional request to read an article or two in a podcast, but while I never got around to acting out one of my articles, Glenn Beck did. For anyone who wants to see one of my articles acted out with props and cameras, watch the video. It's nice to see my work up on that blackboard and to know that it influenced the political process.

GBTV: Glenn analyzes Ron Paul's record

The original article, Ron Paul's Soros Defense Plan, appeared here and at Front Page Magazine, and was mentioned at websites like Noisy Room. It's nice to see that it made its further into the pipeline and may have even changed some minds.

The research isn't new, and I had commented on it in a Friday Afternoon Roundup a year ago, and would mention it from time to time, but two weeks ago I picked it up again, dusted it off, did more in depth research and decided it deserved to be an article of its own.

Read more:
 

Saudis, Gulf states on war alert for early US-Iran clash

DEBKAfile Exclusive Report January 5, 2012,

The armies of Saudi Arabia and fellow Gulf Cooperation Council states stood ready Thursday Jan. 5, for Washington to stand up to Iranian threats and send an aircraft carrier or several warships through the Strait of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf. Riyadh has been leaning hard on the Obama administration not to let Tehran get away with its warning to react with "full force" if the USS Stennis aircraft carrier tried to reenter the Gulf or Iran's pretensions to control the traffic transiting the world's most important oil route.

Wednesday night, the Iranian parliament began drafting a bill prohibiting foreign warships from entering the Gulf without Tehran's permission.

debkafile's Washington sources report that Saudi Arabia has warned the Obama administration that Iranian leaders mean what they say; their leaders are bent on provoking a military clash with the United States at a time and place of their...

Read the whole entry »

The coming war with Iran

By Reza Kahlili, The Washington Times

Iran's tyrannical leaders, determined to make the Islamic regime a nuclear-armed state, are preparing for war. That's exactly what the United States and Israel might have to deliver, and soon. @-Text.rag:Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ordered the Revolutionary Guards in May to speed up the regime's nuclear-bomb program and arm its missiles with nuclear warheads. Now, sources reveal, Ayatollah Khamenei has ordered the guards to prepare for war.

In a recent meeting of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, it was decided that the possibility of an attack by Israel or America in 2012 is real and that the country's forces need to prepare several contingencies for war. It also was concluded that in case of war, the regime could be victorious, though the cost would be high, but it would emerge as the one and only champion of the Islamic cause in the world.
...

Read the whole entry »

Muslim Brotherhood Realities New and Old

by Steven Emerson, IPT News
January 5, 2012

  The votes still aren't fully counted in Egypt, but the Obama administration has seen enough to reverse long-standing and well-rooted policies to shun the theocratic, global Caliphate-minded Muslim Brotherhood, whose philosophy spawned terrorist movements from Hamas to al-Qaida.

High level meetings between American and Brotherhood officials reflect a "new political reality here , and indeed around the region," the New York Times reported in a front-page article Wednesday, "as Islamist groups come to power."

What is astounding and dangerous about the new U.S. recognition is the fact that Brotherhood leaders became more openly radical and militant once Mubarak was thrown out, issuing incendiary speeches calling for "martyrdom" operations against Israel and aligning with Hamas and other terrorist groups. Yet as...

Read the whole entry »

The Guardian smears alleged Jewish power in US

How pejorative characterization of U.S. supporters of Israel crept into Guardian essay about Rick Santorum

by Adam Levick, CIF WATCH

Dan Savage's report in CiF America (Rick Santorum's homophobic frothing, Jan 5) was ostensibly about the anti-gay politics of Republican Presidential candidate, Rick Santorum.  However, as with so many critiques of American conservatives in the Guardian, Savage couldnt' help contextualize Santorum's views without an unrelated pejorative characterization of Christian Zionists.

While I'm personally sympathetic to Savage's views on the rights of the LGBT community - and, without question, one of the many moral advantages Israel has over its neighbors is the legal protections afforded to its sexual minorities - there is a passage in his essay as gratuitous as it is bigoted.

As with other Guardian reporters and contributors, Savage's a priori assumption is that support for Israel couldn't merely reflect a moral and rational decision...

Read the whole entry »

WILDERS: JORDAN IS PALESTINE

Saudis, Gulf states on war alert for early US-Iran clash

DEBKAfile Exclusive Report January 5, 2012,

The armies of Saudi Arabia and fellow Gulf Cooperation Council states stood ready Thursday Jan. 5, for Washington to stand up to Iranian threats and send an aircraft carrier or several warships through the Strait of Hormuz into the Persian Gulf. Riyadh has been leaning hard on the Obama administration not to let Tehran get away with its warning to react with "full force" if the USS Stennis aircraft carrier tried to reenter the Gulf or Iran's pretensions to control the traffic transiting the world's most important oil route.

Wednesday night, the Iranian parliament began drafting a bill prohibiting foreign warships from entering the Gulf without Tehran's permission.

debkafile's Washington sources report that Saudi Arabia has warned the Obama administration that Iranian leaders mean what they say; their leaders are bent on provoking a military clash with the United States at a time and place of their...

Read the whole entry »

Spain's Jew-Hating Majority

"Germans Were Wrong Not to Burn Them All" 
by Anna Mahjar-Barducci, STONEGATE INSTITUTE

"The levels of anti-Semitism in Spain are among the highest in Europe," wrote the Spanish daily, El Pais. According to a poll, presented on November 30 during the Fourth International Seminary on Antisemitism hosted at the Caja Navarra Foundation in Madrid, 52% of Spanish students declared that they would not like to have a Jewish classmate sitting next to them, and 58% of adults thought that Jews have too much power and that they are all too rich.

The organizers of the Madrid conference said they were sad an bewildered that anti-Semitism "is a problem that is often denied in the country." The Federation of the Jewish Communities in Spain (FCJE) also stated that although surveys indicate that there are high levels of "hostility" towards Jews, "most leaders and media persons believe there is no prejudice whatsoever against...

Read the whole entry »

Why Anti-Semitism Is Moving Toward the Mainstream

In the mid-eighties, Ernst Zundal was prosecuted in Canada for Holocaust denial. For the prosecution to succeed, it had to prove that the holocaust did exist or more specifically that millions Jews really to get exterminated. Many survivor s were called to testify. To his credit the Judge obviously concluded that the holocaust did in fact occur but he went even further. He took "judicial notice" of the fact. This meant that in Canada, the Holocaust is accepted as fact and need not be proven. Ted Belman

by Alan M. Dershowitz, Stonegate Institute 
For the first time since the end of World War II, classic anti-Semitic tropes-"the Jews" control the world and are to blame for everything that goes wrong, including the financial crisis; "The Jews killed Christian children in order to use the blood to bake Matzo; the Holocaust never happened-are becoming acceptable and legitimate subjects for academic and political discussion. To understand why these...

Read the whole entry »

The Pentagon to Send US Troops to Israel. Iran is the Unspoken Target

See also: US commander visits Israel to finalize missile drill  

Global Research 
January 2, 2012. Jerusalem. In one of the most blacked-out stories in America right now, the US military is preparing to send thousands of US troops, along with US Naval anti-missile ships and accompanying support personnel, to Israel.

It took forever to find a second source for confirmation of this story and both relatively mainstream media outlets are in Israel. With one source saying the military deployment and corresponding exercises are to occur in January, the source providing most of the details suggests it will occur later this spring. Calling it not just an "exercise", but a "deployment", the Jerusalem Post quotes US Lt.-Gen Frank Gorenc, Commander of the US Third Air Force based in Germany. The US Commander visited Israel two weeks ago to confirm details for "the deployment of several thousand American soldiers to Israel." In an effort to respond to recent Iranian threats and...

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The New Austrian Fascism

Laura: An Austrian housewife is the victim of the new European fascism. The wretched, cowardly Austrian authorities have bowed to their islamic supremacist masters and are enforcing islamic blasphemy laws on their own citizens. An appellate court has upheld the conviction of Elisabeth Sabaditsch-Wolff on charges of denigrating religious belief because she had the audacity to criticize islam. The OIC is pressuring our own State Department to make criticism of islam a crime in America. I don't expect the American people to put up with what the Europeans are allowing. Western civilization needs to regain the self-respect and confidence to exert and uphold our rights within our own nations, to proclaim unapologetically our cultural superiority and the superiority of our values.

"A Black Day for Austria"

by Soeren Kern
December 26, 2011 at 5:00 am

http://www.hudson-ny.org/2702/sabaditsch-wolff-appeal 
An Austrian appellate court has upheld the conviction of...

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Thousands of US troops land in Israel. Aircraft carrier coming soon

January 6, 2012,

Thousands of US troops began descending on Israel this week. Senior US military sources told debkafile Friday, Jan. 6 that many would be staying up to the end of the year as part of the US-IDF deployment in readiness for a military engagement with Iran and its possible escalation into a regional conflict. They will be joined by a US aircraft carrier. The warplanes on its decks will fly missions with Israeli Air Force jets. The 9,000 US servicemen gathering in Israel in the coming weeks are mostly airmen, missile interceptor teams, marines, seamen, technicians and intelligence officers.

The incoming American soldiers are officially categorized as participants in Austere Challenge 12, the biggest joint US-Israeli war game ever held.

The maneuver was originally designated Juniper Stallion 2012. However, the altered name plus the comment heard from the exercise's commander, US Third Air Force Lt. Gen. Frank Gorenc, during his visit...

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To be or not to be - that is the question

By MARTIN SHERMAN, JPOST

Into the Fray: It is time to have a clear-headed, hard look at reality: The two state solution is dead. 

"The maximum any Israeli government can offer is less than the minimum any Palestinian leader can accept. The real gap between both sides is much greater than perceived, and that gap is growing" - Maj.-Gen. (res.) Giora Eiland, former head of the National Security Council, 2009

The land-for-peace idea has now collapsed. We have to find another way, and a new concept is urgently needed - Maj.-Gen. (res.) Uzi Dayan, former head of the National Security Council, 2007

"It is time to have a clear-headed, hard look at reality: The two state solution is dead. Where do we go from here?" - Prof. Carlo Strenger, columnist for Haaretz, 2011

It doesn't get much clearer than that. Even if one strongly disagrees with his ideological predilections, Jerusalem Post columnist Gershon Baskin was nonetheless correct in assessing the...

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51 REASONS TO IMPEACH OBAMA

The Gunny was going to post this tomorrow but in light of Obama now appointing THREE Obomobots to the NLRB, in conjunction with the appointment of Cordray, it should be posted NOW!

1. Obama and unrepentant terrorist William Ayers misappropriated over 300 million dollars in donations meant for the education of Chicago's minority students. They routed the money to Obama's community activist buddies who then tried to turn the students in radicals. The program was a total failure.

2. Obama, as an Illinois State Senator, redirected tens of millions in Illinois tax dollars to Valerie Jarrett and Tony Rezko, to provide housing for low income families. They returned the favor with political donations. The housing units were built with cheap materials and labor and are uninhabitable after a mere 10 years of use.

3. Obama accepted millions in illegal campaign contributions from foreign credit cards after the credit card...

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U.S., E.U. Spearhead Islamic Bid To Criminalize Free Speech

The US is now embracing the MB and other Islamist groups. In order to do so for reasons only know to Obama and his close assocdiates, it is necessary to curtail verbal attacks on his bed mates. The EU likewise. Ted Belman

by Soeren Kern, STONEGATE INSTITUTE 

The European Union has offered to host the next meeting of the so-called Istanbul Process, an aggressive effort by Muslim countries to make it an international crime to criticize Islam.

The announcement comes less than one month after the United States hosted its own Istanbul Process conference in Washington, DC.

The Istanbul Process - its explicit aim is to enshrine in international law a global ban on all critical scrutiny of Islam and/or Islamic Sharia law - is being spearheaded by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), a bloc of 57 Muslim countries.

Based in Saudi Arabia, the OIC has long pressed the European Union and the United States to impose limits on free speech and expression about Islam.

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NY Times exculpates M B and Hamas while tarring Netanyahu

Leo Rennert..American Thinker..

Unlike many other media which reported in some detail the meeting of Israeli and Palestinian officials in Jordan on Jan. 3, the New York Times used the occasion to delve into various regional forces that impinge on progress - or lack thereof - in the peace process.

In a purported "news" article spread across six columns, Jerusalem bureau chief Ethan Bronner sets out to plumb new Mideast realities shaped by the emergence of "political Islam as a potentially transformative force in the region." ("As Israelis and Palestinians Talk, the Rise of Political Islam Alters the Equation" page A6, Jan. 4).

The question, of course, is whether the rise of Islamist parties in Egypt and elsewhere bodes ill or well. What exactly will be the agenda of the Muslim Brotherhood and its Gaza offshoot, Hamas?

Bronner resolutely steps forward as bearer of good news. When it comes to political Islam, "there are...

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Saudi Hacker Targets Israel

Laura: This saudi hacker says he wanted to hurt Israel. A pathetic attempt at that. So what else is new? He is representative of the pathological obsession on the part of the arab-muslim world to destroy Israel rather than focusing on bettering their own miserable lives. Saudi arabia is a backward, barbaric, seventh century fiefdom which executes women for adultery and practicing witchcraft, chops off heads and limbs as punishments and outlaws the practice of religions other than islam. All of their wealth derives from oil which westerners discovered and extracted. Saudi arabia's only other export is global terrorism. The country produces nothing in the realms of industry, science and technology or agriculture. On the other hand Israel is a miniscule strip of land with no natural resources. The Jews took a barren dessert and created a productive and successful nation which has emerged as a world leader in science, technology and medicine.

Let the muslim Arabs wallow in their...

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Plain and Simple: Anti-Zionism Is Anti-Semitism

By David Solway, PJ Media 

It is easy to see that many critics of Israel are unquestionably anti-Semitic in outlook and feeling and are merely using a political argument to camouflage a religious, racist, or ethnophobic sentiment.Under cover of "legitimate criticism of Israel" and the condemnation of Zionism as an invasive colonial movement, anti-Semitism has now become safe. Plainly, the distinction these new anti-Semites like to draw between anti-Semitism as such and anti-Zionism is intended only to cloak the fundamental issue and to provide camouflage for vulgar ideas and beliefs.

This is a very shrewd tactic and is most disconcerting not only in its vindictiveness but in its frequency. Jewish philosopher and theologian Emil Fackenheim has outlined three stages of anti-Semitism: "You cannot live among us as Jews," leading to forced conversions; "You cannot live among us," leading to mass deportations; and "You cannot live," leading to genocide. Amnon Rubinstein,...

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Why Is an Anti-American Islamist, Obama's Favorite ME Leader?

By Barry Rubin, RUBIN REPORTS 

For the first time in forty years, Israel is not the American president's favorite Middle Eastern ally. Instead, that role is played by Turkey's government.

This would not be such a bad thing if we were talking about the "old" Turkey, the secular republic. Unfortunately, President Barack Obama's favorite advisor among the regional leaders is Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Pretend all you want but Obama really dislikes-hates?-Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and truth be told Netanyahu has done nothing to deserve that treatment.

The fundamental problem with Erdogan is despite being embraced by the United States, he is an enemy of the United States, the West more generally, and Israel. He is on the side of radical, anti-American Islamists who want to wipe Israel off the map. So angry and passionate is Erdogan's loathing of Israel that the leader of the opposition mockingly but pointedly asked if the prime...

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Club for Growth's Evaluations of Current Republican Presidential Candidates  

SUMMARIES of the Club for Growth's assessments of the current Republican presidential candidates.  You might or might not be totally in line with the Club for Growth's political and/or economic views, but it is interesting to read their evaluations of the candidates.  Only SUMMARIES (in alphabetical order) are provided here; more complete information can be obtained by clicking on the links to obtain the complete pdf files.  There is absolutely no editorializing in this E-mail; information is given only for educational purposes.  

NEWT GINGRICH

Newt Gingrich - http://www.clubforgrowth.org/assets/files/FINAL-Gingrich-White-Paper.pdf

SUMMATION

As a historical figure, it is undeniable that Newt Gingrich has played leading roles in some of the most important battles on behalf of economic growth and limited government in the last quarter century. His opposition and momentary defeat of the 1990 Bush tax increase, his leadership of the 1994 Republican Revolution, and his spearheading of the provisions of the Contract With America are major league achievements. His consistent support for pro-growth tax reform, free trade, Social Security reform, tort reform, and political free speech also evidence a clear and impressive understanding of the fundamentals that underlie the free enterprise system that has made America prosperous.

Unfortunately, the problems in Speaker Gingrich's record are frequent enough and serious enough to give pause. On two of the most important recent issues that confronted limited government conservatives (creating the new budget busting Medicare drug entitlement, and the Wall Street bailout), Gingrich was on the wrong side. His advocacy of an individual health care mandate is problematic. His penchant for tinkering with rewards for favored industries and outcomes shows a troubling willingness to use federal power to coerce taxpayers into his preferred direction. And his occasional hostility toward conservatives who do not share his desire to support liberal Republicans or to compromise on matters of principle is worrisome.

The totality leads one to be rather unsure what kind of president Newt Gingrich would be. Past is often prologue, and in Gingrich's case there is an enormous volume of past on which to base a judgment. One could reasonably expect a President Gingrich to lead America in a pro-growth and limited government direction generally, possibly with flashes of real brilliance and accomplishment, but also likely with some serious disappointments and unevenness.

JON HUNTSMAN

Jon Huntsman - http://www.clubforgrowth.org/assets/files/FINAL-Huntsman-White-Paper.pdf

SUMMATION

Governor Huntsman is often a frustrating political figure. He pushed for and passed significant pro-growth tax policies, but promoted and passed large increases in state spending. He's demonstrated a clear understanding of the benefits of global free markets, but is lukewarm on school choice. Governor Huntsman also supported a bigger stimulus bill, TARP, and was a leading advocate of cap-and-trade.

In a 2009 interview with Politico, Governor Huntsman laid out his vision for the Republican Party as compared to the Tory Party in the United Kingdom, saying: "They were a very narrow party of angry people. And they started branching out through, maybe, taking a second look at the issues of the day, much like we're going to have to do for the Republican Party, to reconnect with the youth, to reconnect with people of color, to reconnect with different geographies that we have lost. How do you win back the intelligentsia? How do you win back some of the editorial boards of major newspapers that Richard Nixon used to carry?" We are concerned that Governor Huntsman chooses policy positions based on what the so-called "intelligentsia" believes, and too often, that happens to be the anti-growth position. For example, cap-and-trade, more stimulus, and bailouts were all anti-growth positions supported by the editorial board of the New York Times, as well as Governor Huntsman.

In addition, we find Governor Huntsman's statement that "health care is a right" to be simply flabbergasting. We're not sure what part of the United States Constitution Governor Huntsman was referring to when he made that statement, but he certainly needs to explain what he was thinking. In the end, it is Governor Huntsman's spending record that is inexcusable. There is now widespread recognition that the next President must address the enormous threat posed by federal spending that threatens national bankruptcy. Huntsman's failing grades on controlling state spending raise serious questions about whether he would be equal to that task.

We believe that pro-growth conservatives looking for a kindred spirit in Governor Huntsman will probably find common ground on trade and taxes, but they will most likely be disappointed overall if he is elected President.

RON PAUL

Ron Paul - http://www.clubforgrowth.org/assets/files/FINAL-Paul-White-Paper.pdf

SUMMATION

When it comes to limited government, there are few champions as steadfast and principled as Representative Ron Paul. In the House of Representatives, he plays a very useful role constantly challenging the status quo and reminding his colleagues, despite their frequent indifference, that our Constitution was meant to limit the power of government. On taxes, regulation, and political free speech his record is outstanding. While his recent pork votes are troubling, the vast majority of his anti-spending votes reflect a longstanding desire to cut government down to size.

But Ron Paul is a purist, too often at the cost of real accomplishments on free trade, school choice, entitlement reform, and tort reform. It is perfectly legitimate, and in fact vital, that think tanks, free-market groups, and individual members of Congress develop and propose idealized solutions. But presidents have the responsibility of making progress, and often, Ron Paul opposes progress because, in his mind, the progress is not perfect. In these cases, although for very different reasons, Ron Paul is practically often aligned with the most left-wing Democrats, voting against important, albeit imperfect, pro-growth legislation.

Ron Paul is, undoubtedly, ideologically committed to pro-growth, limited government policies. But his insistence on opposing all but the perfect means that under a Ron Paul presidency we might never get a chance to pursue the good too.

RICK PERRY

Rick Perry - http://www.clubforgrowth.org/assets/files/FINAL-Perry-Rick-White-Paper.pdf

SUMMATION

When evaluating members of congress, it is somewhat informative to look at the partisan nature of their congressional district in the case of a House member or their state in the case of a Senator. When evaluating a Governor, it is even more instructive to judge performance in the context of the political climate of their state and the partisan and ideological composition of their legislature. Working in the environment in which a Governor finds him or herself, the operative question is often whether he or she improved or worsened the climate for economic growth.

The Texas tax and regulatory climate Governor Rick Perry inherited from Governor George W. Bush was already among the best in the nation. Further, during Perry's entire long tenure as governor, the Texas Legislature has had conservative Republican majorities. So the bar for judging Perry's performance should be set high. It is quite clear that Perry did not move his state in reverse, or on the wrong course. In many instances, he merely maintained a positive status quo. In others, such as tort reform and regulations, he improved the Texas economic climate. Still, his support for taxpayer-subsidized funds to lure jobs away from other states shows he has at times an interventionist streak rather than consistent free-market principles. His semiapology for the big government interventions of President Bush suggests a similar inclination.

Should Rick Perry become President, he will inherit a far worse economic climate than he has in Texas, as well as a less hospitable Congress than he has in the Texas Legislature. It is quite likely that Perry would seek to move the country in a much more pro-growth direction. Almost any movement in the direction of the Texas approach would be welcomed. However, given some actions in his record, it is questionable whether Perry will maintain his steadfast fiscal approach when faced with a less favorably inclined legislature than he is accustomed to.

RICK SANTORUM

Rick Santorum - http://www.clubforgrowth.org/assets/files/FINAL-Santorum-White-Paper.pdf

SUMMATION

On the whole, Rick Santorum's record on economic issues in the U.S. Senate was above average. More precisely, it was quite strong in some areas and quite weak in others. He has a strong record on taxes, and his leadership on welfare reform and Social Security was exemplary. But his record also contains several very weak spots, including his active support of wasteful spending earmarks, his penchant for trade protectionism, and his willingness to support large government expansions like the Medicare prescription drug bill and the 2005 Highway Bill. As president, Santorum would most likely lead the country in a pro-growth direction, but his record contains more than a few weak spots that make us question if he would resist political expediency when it comes to economic issues.

MITT ROMNEY

Mitt Romney - http://www.clubforgrowth.org/assets/files/FINAL-Romney-White-Paper.pdf

SUMMATION

Today's Headlines:  Friday, January 06, 2012

Gingrich on Romney: 'It's a Joke for Him to Call Himself a Conservative. It's a Saturday Night Live Skit'

Pelosi on Obama Nullifying Constitution's Confirmation Mandate: 'I'm Proud of What the President Did'

Constitutional Scholar: White House Entirely Ignoring Article 1, Section 5

After Bypassing the Senate, Obama 'Looks Forward to Working With Congress,' Spokesman Says

Only Media Research Center exposes and neutralizes the liberal media agenda. Please help us with a tax deductible gift today.   Democratic Lawmakers Accuse House GOP of Putting 'No Major Job Agenda' Forward

HHS Plans 'Cultural Competency' Training for Health Professionals Dealing with Homosexuals, Transgenders

Romney Campaigns in S.C. With McCain, Who Misspeaks: 'President Obama' Will Turn Things Around

Obama's Chevy Volt, Fiat 500 Among Biggest Flops of 2011

Santorum Shrugs Off Reports of Vote Count Errors in Iowa

South Africa Calls for U.N. Probe Into NATO's Libya Mission   

China Urged to Respond to U.S. Defense Cuts by Strengthening Long-Range Strike Capabilities

Nigerian Christians Shot, Killed While Praying in Church

IRS Is Auditing More Wealthy People

COMMENTARY:

Santorum vs. the Meat Grinder
By L. Brent Bozell III
Journalists have mercilessly savaged every conservative alternative to Mitt Romney who's ascended to the top of the polls: Palin, Bachman, Cain, Perry and Gingrich. Now it's Rick Santorum's turn to step up to the liberal media guillotine.

Four More Years -- of This?
By Patrick J. Buchanan
If President Obama plans to barnstorm the nation savaging Congress for a full year, where does that leave the country?

Obama's Super-Czar Is on the Loose
By Michelle Malkin
Barack Obama the demander in chief stands with arms akimbo, issuing daily edicts to his Constitution-subverting minions with an imperious wave of his hand. His entourage of insatiable usurpers never rest.

NEWSPAPER ROUNDUP:

Proposed Obama rule would let illegal aliens stay while applying for green card
Buffalo dies at Golden Gate Park after chased by small dog
Pro-Romney group hits Gingrich with attack ads in NH and SC
Romney's hometown paper, Boston Globe, endorses Jon Huntsman for president
Apology follows email referring to Michelle Obama as 'Mrs. YoMama'
Rangers fan beaten after game in Philly is Iraq war veteran
Pa. judge has unruly defendant's mouth taped shut
200 students are believed to have cheated on English final last month
CIA, DOD probing whether bin Laden secrets were leaked
Iowa officials dismiss report of problems with vote count in caucus
Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) stalls Obama pick for federal appeals court
Politico: House GOP weakened, divided
Palin will keynote CPAC
Wisconsin Gov. Walker: Unions 'want me dead'
Pudgy Newt: Will anti-fat bias affect the 2012 election?
Michele Bachmann raises the fashion bar for female politicians
Tiger Woods' ex-wife demolishes $12 million home

Digest · January 6, 2012

The Foundation

"The aim of every political constitution is, or ought to be, first to obtain for rulers men who possess most wisdom to discern, and most virtue to pursue, the common good of the society." --James Madison

Government & Politics

What to Make of the Iowa Caucuses

Tuesday's Iowa caucuses provided a clear storyline for the Republican primary. The problem is, everyone has a completely different clear storyline. Perhaps the most important one is that Iowa is a greatly over-hyped circus thanks to the media, which benefit from ratings and advertising.

To recap, Mitt Romney won but by just eight votes (of 122,255 cast) over Rick Santorum, who surged in the last week to capture a political, if not numeric, victory. Both had 24 percent of the vote. Ron Paul took third with 21 percent (almost double his 2008 result), Newt Gingrich finished a distant fourth with 13 percent, and Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann brought up the rear, with 10 percent and 5 percent respectively. Jon Huntsman took 1 percent, but had written off the state to focus on New Hampshire. From there, it's all spin.

Bachmann dropped out Wednesday morning, seeing that there was no way forward for her. The Minnesota congresswoman and Iowa native won the Ames straw poll in August, but that was her high-water mark. Her last-place finish, in spite of having been the only candidate besides Santorum to visit all 99 Iowa counties and working tirelessly in the retail politics for which Iowa is famous, pretty well sums up her candidacy. In fact, she received only 7 percent of the votes in her home county. Look for her to endorse one of the "Not Romneys" in the coming weeks.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry at first said he was headed back to Austin to "reassess" his campaign, but he soon followed up with an announcement that he was moving on to South Carolina and would not be quitting just yet after all. He still has money in the bank, and it's possible that he could still revive his campaign.

One word describes Gingrich after his precipitous fall in Iowa: angry. Newt led the polls in December by a significant margin, only to see massive amounts of negative ads from his opponents cut his numbers by almost two-thirds. Gingrich refused to congratulate Romney on his win, and signaled that he would be running no-holds-barred against the "Massachusetts Moderate," who is rich. Oddly, he meant that as a contrast: "I'm not rich," he said, despite his earning $1.6 million from Freddie Mac and having a six-figure line of credit at Tiffany's. Class warfare isn't becoming of a supposed conservative.

Ron Paul called his third-place finish "nothing to be ashamed of," and says he's "ready and raring to move on to the next stop, which is New Hampshire." Indeed, Paul has millions in the bank -- certainly enough to keep him going for some time. We're quite fond of his defense of the Constitution and principled stands for Liberty, and we hope that voters come around to his views on most domestic policy. On the other hand, we reject the blame-America foundation for his foreign policy and, as a result, have a hard time seeing him as commander in chief (Treasury secretary, anyone?). That said, Paul's views are not isolationist, and it's intellectually lazy to call them such -- a way to write him off without debate. For example, he supported military action against al-Qa'ida after 9/11, and he advocates free trade, among other examples that argue against the isolationist charge. Unfortunately for Dr. Paul, this perception, as well as blemishes like the incendiary newsletters published in his name two decades ago, means his ceiling is probably the 21 percent he garnered in Iowa, and he is arguably the least likely GOP candidate to beat Barack Obama.

"Game on," said a triumphant Rick Santorum after taking a close second Tuesday. The former Pennsylvania senator ran the race as the tortoise, visiting every Iowa county and doing the all-important retail work. Many see Santorum's showing as a big win for the underdog, though there are reasons to question this storyline. Santorum did nearly defeat Romney, but he also concentrated his entire candidacy on winning Iowa, taking months to earn the win, while Romney largely ignored the state until December. Then again, if Romney's ceiling of 25 percent continues, Santorum could capitalize by unifying the other 75 percent. As a strong social conservative, Santorum has the same evangelical appeal Mike Huckabee had in 2008. His challenge will thus be to shed the all-too-appropriate label of "big government conservative" for his votes in Congress, particularly on spending, including earmarks, and the Medicare prescription drug benefit.

Mitt Romney won the vote numbers, but he has a very real problem appealing to conservatives. He lost the Tea Party vote badly, and he will need it to beat Obama. That said, although it's far from inevitable that Romney will be the nominee, the reality of it is looking more likely all the time. He will almost certainly win New Hampshire going away, and he will compete in South Carolina, Nevada and Florida. For six months, conservatives have had flings with all the other candidates save Huntsman and have found them lacking in some significant way. Given the field, Romney may win by default -- not exactly a satisfying way to choose a presidential nominee in a year as important as this one.

Who should be the nominee? Who will be the nominee?

This Week's 'Braying Jackass' Award

"[O]ne of my New Year's resolutions is to make sure that I get out of Washington and spend time with folks like you. Because folks here in Ohio and all across the country -- I want you to know you're the reason why I ran for this office in the first place. You remind me what we are still fighting for. You inspire me." --Barack Obama

Here's the official Patriot Post translation: My New Year's resolution is to get re-elected. Unfortunately, that means getting out of Washington to mingle with the great unwashed masses -- bitter clingers like you. Yet your votes inspire me because, well, it is all about me, after all.

No wonder the audience laughed.

News From the Swamp: New Year Same as Last Year

Barack Obama didn't get in as much golf as he wanted during his holiday vacation in Hawaii, but he still managed to break a record in 2011 by hitting the links a total of 34 times. Surely he would have gotten to play more had it not been for his being stuck in Washington before Christmas, waiting to sign a two-month extension of the payroll tax cut. Despite early opposition, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) had held out for a full-year extension, which was what Obama had originally called for, but the Democrat-controlled Senate and the president flip-flopped to conspire against it. They touted the righteousness of their two-month tax cut, but small business owners, large corporations, payroll companies, and working men and women now have to contend with this 60-day farce that may or may not be extended beyond February.

Heading into the New Year's holiday weekend, Obama indicated that one of his resolutions for 2012 will be to continue spending and leave Americans with the bill. He briefly called for a $1.2 trillion extension in the debt ceiling, which would add $4,000 to the slice of government debt owed by every American citizen. It might be hard to cover that with the relative pocket change that came from the tax cut. The president delayed his request, however, when it became clear that Congress wanted to deliberate the issue when it reconvenes later this month.

Debate hardly seems worthwhile. No matter what Congress does, an automatic hike is scheduled as part of the prior debt deal, and for all the posturing in Washington in 2011 about reining in runaway spending, absolutely nothing was accomplished. The federal government currently overspends by $4 billion every single day. Every year Obama has been in office has brought trillion-dollar-plus budget deficits. Federal outlays in fiscal 2012 are projected to be $3.65 trillion, up from last year's $3.6 trillion. The August debt agreement trimmed only $7 billion in spending, and just 28 programs were cut out from among the thousands of items in the budget. All the while, Democrats continue resolutely to reject any meaningful cuts or reforms to the entitlements that are driving America's fiscal nightmare.

Hope 'n' Change: Recess Appointment

Barack Obama's attempt to make an end run around Congress may just lead to a constitutional showdown. As part of his strategy to demonize Congress, or more specifically Republicans in Congress, he made four recess appointments this week, three to the National Labor Relations Board, and one to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The problem is that Congress is not technically in recess, which means constitutional problems for the president. Since the Constitution states that neither chamber of Congress can adjourn for more than three days without the consent of the other chamber, Republicans have engaged in a pro forma session to prevent the type of recess appointments that Obama believes he can make.

Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), and a number of Democrat lawyers maintain that the president can make recess appointments regardless of the pro forma session. Of course, they held the opposite view during the Bush years, when Obama and his fellow Democrats held their own pro forma session to keep recess appointments at bay. The option to challenge Obama's actions may rest in the private sector rather than with Republicans. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has long opposed the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's unchecked powers, and once new chief Richard Cordray starts ripping and tearing at American banks as expected, the Chamber is likely to be the group that steps forward with a lawsuit against Obama's extra-constitutional activities.

This Week's 'Alpha Jackass' Award

"When Congress refuses to act, and as a result hurts our economy and puts our people at risk, then I have an obligation as president to do what I can without them. I've got an obligation to act on behalf of the American people. I will not stand by while a minority in the Senate puts party ideology ahead of the people they were elected to serve. Not when so much is at stake. Not at this make-or-break moment for the middle class. I refuse to take 'no' for an answer." --Chairman Obama

New & Notable Legislation

Barack Obama signed the $662 billion National Defense Authorization Act during his Hawaiian getaway. He included an 1,800-word signing statement that outlined several objections he had with some of its provisions, such as the treatment of suspected terrorists and the penalties against Iran's central bank to hinder that country's pursuit of nuclear weapons. Obama tried to have it both ways with the defense bill by signing it into law and then picking it apart for the benefit of his base. What he succeeded in doing was reminding us all of his hypocrisy by engaging in a practice that he castigated in his predecessor. Remember this gem from the 2008 campaign trail? "I taught the Constitution for 10 years. I believe in the Constitution and I will obey the Constitution of the United States. We're not going to use signing statements as a way of doing an end-run around Congress." Oh well, never mind.

From the Left: Democrats Head for the Exit

The DNC haughtily claims that the Donkey Party is capable of retaking the House in 2012, but Democrats closer to the action seem to believe otherwise. In recent weeks, a number of long serving congressional Democrats in relatively safe districts have announced their retirement at the end of this term. Barney Frank is calling it quits after 30 years, walking away from his role as ranking member of the Financial Services Committee. Dale Kildee of Michigan, who is the second most senior member on the Natural Resources Committee, is retiring after 18 terms. Jerry Costello of Illinois, an early supporter of the community organizer from Chicago, has served in a relatively safe district since 1989, but that didn't stop him from announcing his retirement. Even Mike Ross, co-chair of the supposedly fiscal conservative Blue Dog Coalition, is retiring after seeing his group's numbers decimated in 2010.

Alexandra Pelosi, daughter of the House Minority Leader, even hinted that her mother is considering retirement, but Nancy's office denied the claim. Pelosi is likely to wait until after the election before making such a decision about her future. Unlike her colleagues in the leadership who are getting out while the getting is good, Pelosi seems to be holding out hope that Obama or some other element of her leftist coalition can pull off one more victory in 2012.

Economy

Around the Nation: Employment Numbers

According to the U.S. Labor Department, the private sector added 212,000 jobs in December, while the public sector shrank by 12,000. The headline unemployment rate is now 8.5 percent, the lowest since February 2009, though November's rate was revised up to 8.7 percent -- an indication for December as well. More important than the number is that many of the jobs added were temporary couriers and so forth related to the Christmas season, meaning January will absorb some losses. Furthermore, if the workforce was as large as it was in 2009, the headline unemployment rate would be nearly 11 percent. Some 7.5 million people have dropped out of the market since January 2007. As it is, real unemployment is north of 15 percent.

Never fear, however; Obama has a plan. Earlier this week, he announced a new summer work opportunity for young people. Read: Get out the youth vote 2012. A White House statement declared, "Today's announcement is the latest in a series of executive actions the Obama administration is taking to strengthen the economy and move the country forward because we can't wait for Congress to act." The program ostensibly will create 180,000 "work opportunities" in the private sector, some 70,000 of which are actually paid positions. That should do the trick! In reality, this program and the unemployment numbers are all working together in Obama's re-election year to boost his numbers in November.

Regulatory Commissars: Conoco's New Drilling Permit

It can hardly be called a black gold rush given how long it took to happen, but after years of stalling, the Obama administration has at last issued a permit to allow ConocoPhillips to develop a commercial oil well in Alaska's National Petroleum Reserve. Conoco originally applied to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for a permit in 2005 but withdrew the application in 2008 due to logistical disagreements with the Village of Nuiqsut and the North Slope Borough. With consensus reached, Conoco reapplied in 2009 but was denied the following year due to objections from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), both of which are eager to block any path toward energy independence that might lead over a river or through a wood.

Eager at least to appear to promote domestic oil production, however, Obama's Interior Department announced support last year for Conoco's project, and, late last month, FWS and the EPA dropped their objections. This doesn't mean Conoco's path is completely clear. Along with the permit came 22 "conditions" designed to minimize environmental and public-interest impacts. Yet with Iran's threatening to blockade the Strait of Hormuz and the roughly 35 percent of the world's seaborne traded oil passing through it, it's good to see some movement -- albeit slow as molasses -- toward domestic oil production.

Income Redistribution: Electric Chevy Volt Is a Dud

There's not a lot of juice in Chevy Volt sales figures. After audaciously predicting the sale of more than 10,000 units in 2011, GM was surely disappointed to announce that sales fell a little short of the mark: 2,329 units short to be exact. Even more troubling to "Government Motors" was the fact that many of these units were sold as part of fleet purchases by various governmental organizations and companies; for example General Electric plans to buy 12,000 Volts over several years' time.

Yet falling that short of the optimistic estimate is still close enough for government work. Indeed, the slow sales are probably a good thing since a study by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy found just how heavily taxpayers were subsidizing the Volt, perhaps to the tune of $250,000 per unit.

Still another factor in the Volt's lack of success -- besides the price tag barely under $40,000 for a car otherwise comparable to the Chevy Cruze, which retails for less than half the price -- is the recent revelation that battery fires have occurred in Volts after crash testing. GM has now issued a recall on the roughly 8,000 units sold in the last two years to strengthen the structure around the batteries in hopes of preventing fires. Fisker Automotive is likewise recalling 239 vehicles for battery fires after having received a $529 million federal loan to make the cars in Finland. That's Hope 'n' Change.

Despite all this, Ford and Toyota, which have already gone into the hybrid market with some success, are moving forward with their own boutique all-electric models. Forget fires and dismal sales -- those government subsidies will do a lot for those respective companies' bottom lines.

Enlightened Retailers Still Sell 100-Watt Bulbs

In an interesting twist to the forced conversion of American consumers from incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent (CFL) or LED bulbs, late last year Congress managed to pass a provision that forbade the Department of Energy from spending money to enforce the ban on the sale of 100-watt incandescent bulbs that took effect on Jan. 1. Unfortunately, conservatives in Congress couldn't wipe the silly ban itself off the books, so this was the next best thing. Enforcement, we suppose, will be on the honor system.

Retailers can legally finish selling their supplies of 100-watt incandescent bulbs, provided they weren't made or imported after Jan. 1, but many consumers have been stockpiling the beloved invention of Thomas Edison for some time. Next year, the ban steps down to 75-watt models, with the standard 60-watt and 40-watt bulbs phased out in 2014. All this is thanks to the "Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007," a bill that provides neither independence nor security but was a priority for a then-newly elected Democrat majority in Congress. One of President George W. Bush's many mistakes was signing it into law.

How many light bulbs have you stockpiled?

Security

Department of Military Readiness: 'Smaller and Leaner'

Barack Obama made a rare visit to the Pentagon Thursday to announce a shift in military strategy, one that is "smaller and leaner" and reflects "turning the page on a decade of war." We hope that doesn't mean merely weaker, but Obama's history and ideology certainly suggest it. Obama declared that he will cut half a million troops and said that the U.S. can no longer fight two wars simultaneously. Obviously, millions of new food stamp recipients are eating into national defense, not to mention the big three entitlements and ObamaCare. "We'll be able to ensure our security with smaller conventional ground forces," he promised, adding, "We'll continue to get rid of outdated Cold War-era systems so that we can invest in the capabilities we need for the future."

There is no doubt the military needs to upgrade and could probably stand to be "leaner," but we offer this history lesson: Thanks to Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan spent eight years rebuilding our military capability, and thanks to Bill Clinton, we were unprepared for the events of 9/11. We fear that Obama is bent on repeating history rather than learning from it.

What should the military look like going forward?

Warfront With Jihadistan: New Year Roundup

As Obama continues to withdraw U.S. forces from fighting the Long War overseas, echoes of the war continue to reverberate around the nation. According to a new biography, current CIA Director and former General David Petraeus almost resigned as U.S. commander of the Afghan war over Obama's decision to withdraw his surge forces quickly. Instead of resigning, Petraeus ultimately decided that it would be a "selfish, grandstanding move with huge political ramifications" and that now was "time to salute and carry on." Not to second-guess Petraeus, but "political ramifications" should not come into play in a commander's war decisions; only the nation's war aims should. Nevertheless, Petraeus' surge turned around the Iraq war, and he always had his troops' safety in mind. One of Petraeus' first acts was to lift his predecessor's restrictions on the use of force if civilians were nearby. "There is no question about our commitment to reducing civilian loss of life," Petraeus told his staff, but there was "a clear moral imperative to make sure we are fully supporting our troops in combat."

We hope that moral imperative is brought to bear during the current court-martial of U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sergeant Frank Wuterich, the last Marine charged in an alleged massacre of Iraqi civilians in Haditha in 2005. Seven other Marines charged in the killings have been exonerated. The civilian deaths were certainly tragic, but they are inevitable in urban warfare.

As for Obama, not one to let anything escape his political aspirations, he now hopes that returning veterans pay him back with votes for bringing them home. "You stood up for America," Obama recently told returning troops at Fort Bragg, N.C. "America needs to stand up for you." Expect that pitch to continue, as Obama, knowing that many veterans and military families live in states crucial to his re-election, highlights his alleged efforts to promote jobs and benefits for returning veterans. Leave it to the shameless Left, which despises the military, to try nevertheless to exploit veterans for his political gain.

Obama Finally Gets Around to Remembering Pearl Harbor

For most of us, particularly the rapidly dwindling survivors of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, its 70th anniversary made us pause for reflection and remembrance. Barack Obama, however, constantly in search of the photo op, waited until the week after Christmas while on his taxpayer funded vacation on Oahu to lay a wreath in a brief ceremony at the USS Arizona Memorial. The event was, predictably, sandwiched between relaxing at the beach and several rounds of golf.

So what did Obama do on Dec. 7 itself? His schedule that day included meetings with Democrat Senate leadership and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and, of course, a fundraiser. While we wouldn't necessarily want him to make a special trip to Hawaii on our dime just to lay a wreath at the USS Arizona Memorial, a few words at the World War II Memorial in Washington would have been more appropriate than commemoration when convenient.

Security or Security Theater?

"The Transportation Security Administration isn't just in airports anymore," reports the Los Angeles Times. "TSA teams are increasingly conducting searches and screenings at train stations, subways, ferry terminals and other mass transit locations around the country." The TSA conducted more than 9,300 such unannounced checkpoints or search operations last year using 25 "VIPeR" teams -- which stands for Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response -- costing $110 million. That's compared to $5 billion for airport security, yet it has critics wondering about the cost for security theater that could violate privacy by searching citizens without probable cause.

According to the LA Times, "TSA officials say they have no proof that the roving viper [sic] teams have foiled any terrorist plots or thwarted any major threat to public safety. But they argue that the random nature of the searches and the presence of armed officers serve as a deterrent and bolster public confidence."

Culture

Second Amendment: Tragedy and Rescue

Every time some unhinged lunatic commits murder with a gun, the Left reflexively attacks the Second Amendment. See for example The Washington Post's editorial on the shooting at Mount Rainier National Park. Tragically, Park Ranger Margaret Anderson was murdered at a road blockade when Benjamin Colton Barnes opened fire. Anderson, wife of another park ranger and mother of two, was just 34 years old. Barnes served a tour of duty in Iraq in 2007, but he was discharged two years later for drunk driving, and he likely suffered from post-traumatic stress. He was later found in the park dead from exposure, so some answers may never be known. To the Post, however, "easy access to firearms" is to blame. Others blamed the law allowing citizens to carry firearms in national parks. Wrong again.

Looking to Oklahoma, we find an illustration of why guns are indispensable for self-defense. There, on New Year's Eve, an 18-year-old mother shot and killed an intruder to protect the life of her three-month-old baby. The baby's father had died of cancer less than a week before. The intruder had appeared on the day of the funeral, claiming to be a neighbor wanting to say hello, but she refused him entrance. He came back with another man and a 12-inch hunting knife, and both tried to force entry.

She retreated to the bedroom and called 911. "I've got two guns in my hand," she told the dispatcher. "Is it okay to shoot him if he comes in this door?" The dispatcher replied, "I can't tell you that you can do that, but you do what you have to do to protect your baby." Moments later, she shot and killed one assailant, while the other fled and turned himself in to authorities. "You're allowed to shoot an unauthorized person that is in your home," said Det. Dan Huff of the Blanchard police. "The law provides you the remedy, and sanctions the use of deadly force." Try telling that to the anti-Second Amendment fanatics on the Left.

Village Academic Curriculum: Occupy Columbia

Who doesn't remember fondly their days in college, when they could philosophize about the ills of the world (both real and as propagated by professors), all on borrowed dime? Well, the students of Columbia University will have the opportunity to revel in their own moral superiority when they analyze and participate in Occupy Wall Street.

The Anthropology Department of the Ivy League school will soon offer "Occupy the Field: Global Finance, Inequity and the Social Movement" as an honest to goodness course offering. The professor, Dr. Hannah Appel, spent a few glorious nights with her Occupy comrades in Zuccotti Park, site of the original OWS movement. Students will spend half their time in the classroom, learning the rhetoric of the "movement"; the other half will be spent in the "field," likely interfering with the rest of us as we try to be productive members of society.

There are several ironies here, including the fact that many Columbia students are undoubtedly part of the wealthy "1 percent" that OWS is protesting. Another is that students who have borrowed money to attend Columbia presumably did so to attain a certain level of professional success. Yet they are now using that money to learn about and imitate people who advocate camping out in parks and complaining about life. Wouldn't classes that actually taught them a skill be a better use of that money?

In related news, the Heritage Foundation has a don't-miss Top 10 Education Stories of 2011 that's worth the read.

What do you think of this college course?

And Last...

We worried earlier about the effect Barack Obama's military plan will have on U.S. national security capability, but then we stumbled upon this story that reassures us that everything's going to be okay. The Examiner's Beltway Confidential reports, "American dance groups will further Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's 'smart power diplomacy' for the second year in a row, the U.S. State Department announced, by touring countries in Asia, Africa, and [the] Middle East, performing primarily before poor children in those areas as part of DanceMotion USASM." The State Department issued a statement saying, "DanceMotion USASM ... embraces the full use of diplomatic tools, in this case dance, to engage people and create opportunities for greater understanding." See what we mean? It really starts the New Year off right to know that our influence in the world is dependent on "Dancing with the Diplomats."

Meet the academics who are trying to redefine pedophilia as 'intergenerational intimacy'

Read more: 

January 06, 2012         

DID SANTORUM REALLY WIN IN IOWA?  Controversy is swirling around Mitt Romney's razor-thin win in Iowa. Less than two days after the caucus results were announced and Mitt Romney claimed an 8-vote victory margin, problems are popping up. Were the votes properly counted? Get all the details HERE.

CAN THE GOVT UNLOCK YOUR COMPUTER?  Is your computer's hard drive an extension of your mind? If it is, can it be something you can keep private from law enforcement? A Federal Judge is expected to rule today ona subpoena that is trying to force a woman to reveal her computer's password. Get the details on this fascinating case HERE.

SCARBOROUGH CONFRONTS A COHORT  Another day, another attack on Rick Santorum and how he reacted to the death of his newborn son. Last night on the Rachel Maddow Show, MSNBC contributor Eugene Robinson called Santorum's reaction to the death of the infant, "weird, really weird." Earlier today on MSNBC's Morning Joe, the host Joe Scarborough confronted Robinson. Watch the uncomfortable exchange HERE.

See Sick Taxpayer-Funded Video on "Raw-Dogging" Sex

Jan 06, 2012 02:04 am


Watch the Video and Comment: See Sick Taxpayer-Funded Video on "Raw-Dogging" Sex
     

Will Republicans Finally Impeach Over "Uncertain" Recess Appointment?

Jan 06, 2012 01:56 am

President Obama may have gone too far even for the tastes of the Beltway one-party system, when he made a "recess" appointment while there was no Congressional recess. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the appointment of Richard Cordray to serve as director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and three pro-union members of [...]

Read More and Comment: Will Republicans Finally Impeach Over "Uncertain" Recess Appointment?
     

Obama Tells H.S. Students "You Inspire Me"; Ohio Teens Laugh at Him

Jan 06, 2012 12:40 am

Rebounding from the Iowa Caucuses, Barack Obama took to the road, selling his campaign message to a group of intellectual equals at an Ohio high school. Obama told teens in Shaker Heights, Ohio - a Cleveland suburb and one of the wealthiest cities in the state - that, in the words of the band named [...]

Read More and Comment: Obama Tells H.S. Students "You Inspire Me"; Ohio Teens Laugh at Him
     

Obama Can't Slither Away from His Record

Jan 06, 2012 12:12 am

Being a man of his word, our beloved president has set out with a passion to keep one of his widely-ignored-by-the press campaign promises. He is laying the groundwork for his EPA to cause our energy prices, exactly as he planned, to "necessarily skyrocket." Along with climate change apologists and medical mandate pushers Mitt Romney [...]

Read More and Comment: Obama Can't Slither Away from His Record
     

Video: Reporter Asks Obama Spokesman, "What About 'Hope and Change?'"

Jan 06, 2012 12:00 am

Watch the Video and Comment: Video: Reporter Asks Obama Spokesman, "What About 'Hope and Change?'"
     

Democrats Who Called for Bush's Attorney General to Quit: Where Are They Now?

Jan 05, 2012 11:58 pm

Where are the Democrats demanding Eric Holder's resignation for lying to Congress about the Fast and Furious investigation? They are nowhere to be found. Democrats always use a double standard when they whine about Republicans. They try to investigate every Republican they can on the flimsiest of charges specifically to make all investigations look petty [...]

Read More and Comment: Democrats Who Called for Bush's Attorney General to Quit: Where Are They Now?
     

Ya Don't Say? Fed Probe Finds "Significant Weakness" in Border Security

Jan 05, 2012 11:57 pm

More than a decade after the deadliest terrorist attack in U.S. history, federal agents in charge of protecting the nation's ports of entry are not qualified to perform their required duties and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) fails to keep track of officer proficiency. If this wasn't documented in a federal probe, it would [...]

Read More and Comment: Ya Don't Say? Fed Probe Finds "Significant Weakness" in Border Security
     

Iowa Votes

Jan 05, 2012 11:39 pm

More to read:

Why has there Been a Heightened Focus in the South on Legislation to Combat Illegal Immigration?
Because of new patterns in where immigrants go.
Full Story

DOJ Investigation of Arpaio Comes Down to Electoral Politics
Seeking support from Hispanic voters.
Full Story

Chicago Corruption Reaches New Lows
Murder suspect flees after release.
Full Story

ICE Launches Illegal Alien Hotline FOR Illegal Aliens
Phone line for detainees
Full Story

LA Arson Spree Probe Focuses on Immigration Connection
German man suspect in fires.
Full Story

 
T'is the Season for Misplaced Compassion
Being compassionate with other people's money.
Full Story

Rubio in letter to Obama: You are turning America into a 'deadbeat nation' 

01/06/2012  

Rick Santorum: His Views

Source:   http://www.ontheissues.org/Rick_Santorum.htm 

Rick Santorum on Energy & Oil

Republican Jr Senator (PA)

Sagging economy caused by stop sign on oil drillingQ: [To Santorum]: Gov. Pawlenty laid out an economic plan in which he said you could grow the economy 5% a year. Is that too optimistic?

SANTORUM: I think we need a president who's optimistic, who has a pro-growth agenda. I'm not going to comment on 5% or 4%. What we need is an economy that's unshackled. And what's happened in this administration is that they have passed oppressive policy and oppressive regulation-Obamacare being first and foremost. Throw on top of that what this president's done on energy. The reason we're seeing this second dip is because of energy prices, and this president has put a stop sign again-against oil drilling, against any kind of exploration offshore or in Alaska, and that is depressing. We need to drill. We need to create energy jobs, just like we're doing, by the way, in Pennsylvania, where we're drilling 3,000 wells this year for gas, and gas prices are down-natural gas prices are down as a result.

Source: 2011 GOP primary debate in Manchester NH , Jun 13, 2011

Voted NO on disallowing an oil leasing program in Alaska's ANWR.To remove the establishment of an oil and gas leasing program in the Alaskan Coastal Plain. The original bill allows for an oil and gas leasing program in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Voteing YES on this amendment would remove that section, hence barring leasing in ANWR.

Reference: Bar Oil and Gas Leasing amendment; Bill S Amdt 2358 to S 1932 ; vote number 2005-288 on Nov 3, 2005

Voted YES on $3.1B for emergency oil assistance for hurricane-hit areas.To provide for appropriations for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Vote on a motion to waive the Budget Act in order to adopt an amendment that appropriates federal funds for the LIHEAP program. A 3/5th vote is required to amand a budget bi

Reference: Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program appropriation; Bill S.AMDT.2033 to HR 2863 ; vote number 2005-250 on Oct 5, 2005

Voted NO on reducing oil usage by 40% by 2025 (instead of 5%).Amendment to improve the energy security of the United States and reduce United States dependence on foreign oil imports by 40% by 2025. The amendment seeks to reduce usage by 7.6 million barrels of oil a day, out of a total usage of 20 million barrels of oil a day. The bill without amendment seeks to reduce usage by 1 million barrels of oil a day. Opponents of the amendment said, "It would be disruptive of jobs if you set a 78 mile per gallon CAFÉ standard for cars, a 185-percent increase; a 60 mile per gallon standard for trucks, light trucks, a 174-percent increase. [The unamended version] is more in keeping with President Kennedy's "man on the Moon" goal. [The amended version] is a "man or woman on Mars" goal, and maybe we will get there one day, but it is unrealistic today."

Reference: Energy Policy Act of 2005; Bill S.Amdt. 784 to H.R. 6 ; vote number 2005-140 on Jun 16, 2005

Voted NO on banning drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.Vote to adopt an amendment that would strike a provision in the concurrent resolution that recognizes revenue from oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). The amendment says: "To ensure that legislation that would open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, other federal lands, and the Outer Continental Shelf to oil drilling receives full consideration and debate in the Senate under regular order, rather than being fast-tracked under reconciliation procedures; to ensure that receipts from such drilling destined for the federal treasury are fairly shared with local jurisdictions; and does not occur unless prohibitions against the export of Alaskan oil are enacted."

Reference: Arctic National Wildlife Refuge anti-drilling Amendment; Bill S AMDT 168 to S.Con.Res. 18 ; vote number 2005-52 on Mar 16, 2005

Voted YES on Bush Administration Energy Policy.Vote to pass a bill would overhaul the nation's energy policies, reorganize the electricity system and make available approximately $15 billion in energy-related tax incentives. It also would direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to establish a new CAFE standard within 15 months to two years. It would support the use of alternative energy and call for utilities to increase their dependence on renewable fuels.

Reference: Energy Policy Act of 2003; Bill HR 6 ; vote number 2003-317 on Jul 31, 2003

Voted YES on targeting 100,000 hydrogen-powered vehicles by 2010.Dorgan Amdt. No. 865; To require that the hydrogen commercialization plan of the Department of Energy include a description of activities to support certain hydrogen technology deployment goals. Part of S 14 Energy Omnibus bill; this vote would pass an amendment that would call for the Department of Energy to set targets and timelines to maintain the production of 100,000 hydrogen-powered vehicles by 2010, and 2.5 million vehicles annually by 2020. It also would call for the department to set targets for the sale of hydrogen at fueling stations. The bill would require the Energy secretary to submit a yearly progress report to Congress.

Reference: Bill S.14 ; vote number 2003-212 on Jun 10, 2003

Voted NO on removing consideration of drilling ANWR from budget bill.Boxer Amdt. No. 272.; To prevent consideration of drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in a fast-track budget reconciliation bill. S Con Res 23 Budget resolution FY2004: Vote to pass an amendment that would strike (remove) language in the resolution that would permit oil drilling and exploration in part of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska. [Voting No favors drilling for oil in ANWR].

Reference: Bill SConRes 23 ; vote number 2003-59 on Mar 19, 2003

Voted YES on drilling ANWR on national security grounds.Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Murkowski Amendment No. 31323; To create jobs for Americans, to reduce dependence on foreign sources of crude oil and energy, to strengthen the economic self determination of the Inupiat Eskimos and to promote national security. Would allow gas and oil development in a portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge if the president certifies to Congress that production in the area is in the nation's security and economic interests (qwhich Prsident Bush would). If the cloture motion is agreed to, debate will be limited and a vote will occur. If the cloture motion is rejected debate could continue indefinitely and instead the bill is usually set aside. A yea vote for this bill was one in favor of drilling in the reserve. Three-fifths of the total Senate (60) is required to invoke cloture.

Reference: Bill S.517 ; vote number 2002-71 on Apr 18, 2002

Voted YES on terminating CAFE standards within 15 months.Levin Amendment No. 2997; To provide alternative provisions to better encourage increased use of alternative fueled and hybrid vehicles. Vote to pass an amendment that would remove the Corporate Average Fuel Economy standard (CAFE) and instead establish a new automobile efficiency standard in 15 months. Congress could veto any CAFE increase and would be allowed to increase the standard if no changes are made with 15 months. The bill would overhaul the nation's energy policies by restructuring the electricity system and providing for $16 billion in energy-related tax incentives.

Reference: Bill S.517 ; vote number 2002-47 on Mar 13, 2002

Voted YES on preserving budget for ANWR oil drilling.Vote to preserve language in the Fiscal Year 2001 Budget Framework that assumes $1.2 billion in revenue from oil exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge [ANWR] in Alaska.

Reference: Bill S Con Res 101 ; vote number 2000-58 on Apr 6, 2000

Voted NO on ending discussion of CAFE fuel efficiency standards.Senators Feinstein (D-CA) and Bryan (D-NV) introduced a resolution expressing the sense of the Senate towards ending CAFE Standards. Senator Gorton motioned to table this amendment. [A YES vote is considered pro-business].
Status: Amdt Rejected Y)40; N)55; NV)4

Reference: Gorton Amdt # 1677; Bill H.R. 2084 ; vote number 1999-275 on Sep 15, 1999

Voted YES on defunding renewable and solar energy.In June of 1999, Senator Jeffords (R-VT) was prepared to offer an amendment which would have added $62 million to the Energy Department solar and renewable energy programs. This action was blocked by Senator Reid (D-NV).
Status: Motion Agreed to Y)60; N)39; NV)1

Reference: Motion to table the recommital; Bill S. 1186 ; vote number 1999-171 on Jun 16, 1999

Voted YES on approving a nuclear waste repository.Approval of the interim nuclear waste repository. The repository would be located at Yucca Mountain in Nevada, with an integrated management system for storage and permanent disposal of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste. Voting YES would authorize the President with sole and unreviewable discretion to determine the suitability of the Yucca Mountain site.
Status: Bill Passed Y)65; N)34; NV)1

Reference: Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1997; Bill S. 104 ; vote number 1997-42 on Apr 15, 1997  

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If you're tired of $3.00 to $4.00 a gallon gasoline THAT is the way to go!I Like that policy. It gets OUR OWN energy. It makes us independent.More will be forthcoming.

TESTY EXCHANGE: Santorum and College Students Square Off Over Gay Marriage

See what happened when a group of NH college students booed Rick Santorum for his views on gay marriage.

January 5, 2012

Obama: America's Greatest Asset

21% OF DEMS HAVE LEFT PARTY  By DICK MORRIS
Published on DickMorris.com on January 6, 2012

According to the latest Rasmussen Poll, 21% -- more than one in five -- Democrats have abandoned the Party since Obama's election as president.  While most have become Independents, identification with the Republican Party has also risen not only since 2008 but also even since the GOP's 2010 victory.
 
Rasmussen, who tracks voters' party identification (self-described) every month, shows that Democratic Party identification, has dropped by eight points (or 21%) since Obama's election in November, 2008 while Republican Party identification has risen by three points over the same period.  Despite speculation in the liberal media that the Republicans in Congress have mishandled their mandate since winning the House in 2010, the Republican edge over the Democratic Party has grown from 1.3% in November of 2010 to 2.7% in December of 2011.
 
Changes in party identification are the most fundamental - and important - measure of political opinion in the country.  They are like tectonic plates that shift beneath the surface of the political earth, sending quakes through the system.  A shift of such an order of magnitude will rank high on the political Richter scale in 2012.
 
Read more: 

Bin Laden kill movie shows us the power of Obama's grip on Hollywood

Jan 08, 2012 05:13 am | Coach Collins

By Suzanne Eovaldi, staff writer

Sony Pictures has apparently decided to push back the release of its "Kill Bin Laden" movie to an undetermined future date. Originally set for release on October 12, less than a month before Barack Hussein Obama will be standing for reelection, there is now no indication of when if ever it will be released.

But several odd details are making bloggers wonder just where the real truth about this postponement lies.  For instance, movie makers Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal of "The Hurt Locker" fame "have been developing the project since 2008," with plans to insert the May 2011 SEAL raid into this documentary.  HUH?  How much of the raid, excuse me, movie was "written" back in 2008?

 Blogger Brendan Bettinger reports Sony as saying: "the untitled film focuses on the black ops mission to capture or kill Osama bin Laden which culminated in his death earlier this month during a high-stakes ... Continue Reading:Bin Laden kill movie shows us the power of Obama's grip on Hollywood

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Georgia case could determine whether Obama's name may be placed on 2012 state ballot...ANY 2012 state ballot!

Jan 07, 2012 01:13 pm | Coach Collins

by Doug Book,  staff writer

 Americans have finally made the acquaintance of a judge who is willing to adhere to the demands of the Constitution and the laws he swore an oath to uphold upon taking office.

Georgia State Office of Administrative Hearings Judge Michael M. Malihi ruled this week that, as stated in Georgia law, "every candidate for federal office shall meet the constitutional and statutory qualifications for holding the office being sought." (1)

In his ruling, Mahili stated quite simply that "the court finds that the defendant (Barack Obama) is a candidate for federal office who has been certified by the state executive committee of a political party and therefore must, under Code Section 21-2-5, meet the constitutional and statutory qualifications for holding the office being sought." (1)

The suits which resulted in Malihi's ruling were brought in response to Obama's inclusion on the 2012 Georgia State primary ballot. And one of ... Continue Reading:Georgia case could determine whether Obama's name may be placed on 2012 state ballot...ANY 2012 state ballot!

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Leading From Behind Strategy

Jan 07, 2012 05:13 am | Coach Collins

By Jim Emerson, staff writer

At the Pentagon this week the liberals' biggest fantasy has now become reality.  Barack Obama is cutting the military budget and using the "savings" to fund social programs. In a rare press conference in the Pentagon, he called for a major reduction of the U.S. Armed forces over the next ten years. Obama's strategy is to reduce America's presence in Europe and redirect our Strategic forces towards the Middle East and Asia, leaving the defense of Europe in the hands of NATO.

Obama's plan shifts strategic force to the Asia-Pacific region to counter China's growing military threat. The movement of forces to the Middle East will focus on countering the threat of violent extremism. This strategy sounds good to the liberal press but like any of this Administration's Alinsky inspired plans it lacks detail.  Of course this plan is based solely on budget woes so don't hold your breath waiting to see if ... Continue Reading:Leading From Behind Strategy

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American Minute January 6

Jan 06, 2012 03:13 pm | Coach Collins

By Bill Federer, staff writer

   In 567 AD, the Council of Tours ended a dispute. Western Europe celebrated Christmas, December 25, and Eastern Europe celebrated Epiphany, JANUARY 6, recalling the Wise Men's visit and Jesus' baptism. The Council made all 12 days from December 25 to January 6 "holy days" or "holidays," thus the "Twelve Days of Christmas." The popular song by the same name was possibly inspired by the 1625 song titled "In Those Twelve Days," where a meaning was assigned to each day: "What are they that are but one? We have one God alone...What are they which are by two? Two testaments, Old and New...What are they which are but three? Three persons in the Trinity...What are they which are but four? Four sweet Evangelists there are...What are they which are but five? Five senses...What are they which are but six? Six days to labor...What are they which are but seven? Seven liberal arts hath ... Continue Reading:American Minute January 6

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What now Democrats; save Obama and see 1938 repeated or save the Constitution and your seat?

Jan 06, 2012 01:41 pm | Coach Collins

By Kevin "Coach" Collins

In 1937 Franklin Roosevelt asked his Democrat controlled Congress to help him shred the constitution. He wanted to change the nine member status quo of the Supreme Court and pack the Court with six additional sycophantic judges who would rule in his favor and save his New Deal.  Congress turned him down because it recognized the plan would rip the cover off their all-out socialist plans and feared the electoral beating it would lead to in 1938.   The beating came anyway but historians say it would have been worse had the Congress not stopped Roosevelt.

Will today's Democrats choose self-preservation, as their ancestors did when they stopped Roosevelt's manifestly unconstitutional plans; or will they stand behind Barack Obama and his unconstitutional power grabs?     

Roosevelt's undoing

After losing a unanimous decision in a challenge to the constitutionality of his National Industrial Recovery Act (NIRA) in 1935 (Schechter Poultry vs. United States),  Roosevelt was ... Continue Reading:What now Democrats; save Obama and see 1938 repeated or save the Constitution and your seat?

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Statistics show conservatives have always been right: more guns in honest hands equals less crime

Jan 06, 2012 05:13 am | Coach Collins

By Kevin "Coach" Collins

Headlines announcing record purchases of guns during the Christmas gift giving season must have infuriated a lot of liberals. It's a sign that another one of their tired old arguments is not resonating and they are losing on this crucial issue.    

The very anti Second Amendment Barack Obama and his Party have some impressive and unambiguous numbers to argue against in their attempts to portray private ownership of guns as too dangerous to even consider. 

In spite of what the media and their Democrat masters say, a  twenty seven year study of accidental deaths conducted by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)  places handguns toward the bottom of their list. An accompanying chart shows that with the exception of four years and not since 1993 it has been more dangerous to ride in a car than to be around a privately owned handgun.    

Measured against all types of accidental deaths ... Continue Reading:Statistics show conservatives have always been right: more guns in honest hands equals less crime

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American Minute January 5

Jan 05, 2012 03:13 pm | Coach Collins

By Bill Federer, staff writer

Kidnapped after the Civil War, he was ransomed with a horse. Raised by German immigrants, Moses and Susan Carver, he left home at eleven and attended school in Neosho, Missouri, paying tuition by doing odd jobs. He drifted from Kansas to Iowa, working as a cook and doing laundry. He studied at Simpson College, then received a bachelor's and master's degree from Iowa State. Booker T. Washington recruited him to teach at Tuskegee Institute, where he introduced hundred of uses for the peanut, soybean and sweet potato, revolutionizing the South's economy. This was George Washington Carver, who died JANUARY 5, 1943.

 He addressed Congress, met with Presidents Teddy Roosevelt, Calvin Coolidge and Franklin Roosevelt, was offered jobs by Henry Ford and Thomas Edison, and received correspondence from world leaders, including Gandhi and Stalin. In 1928, Dr. Carver stated: "Human need is really a great spiritual vacuum which God seeks to fill...With one ... Continue Reading:American Minute January 5

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Obama won't be able to slither away from his record

Jan 05, 2012 01:13 pm | Coach Collins

By Ron Reale, staff writer

Being a man of his word, our beloved president has set out with a passion to keep one of his widely-ignored-by-the press campaign promises. He is laying the groundwork for his EPA to cause our energy prices, exactly as he planned, to "necessarily skyrocket."

Along with climate change apologists and medical mandate pushers Romney and Gingrich, Obama is perfectly happy to cripple our economy on two fronts, our health care system and energy industry.

This is not being done in the name of science, it is an agenda created to purposely destroy America and her advanced position in the world, to turn us into a third world country, dependent on the UN and others for our rules and survival.

Once America collapses like Greece, Obama will circumvent our Constitution by the dictates of the IMF and the UN, as Greece has been forced to change.

It is Obama's goal to strip ... Continue Reading:Obama won't be able to slither away from his record

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As a culture columnist, I've commented on the social and political ramifications of the "movement" - now known as "OWS" - whose fairyland agenda can be summarized by one of their placards: "Everything for everybody."

Thanks to their pipe-dream platform, it's clear there are people with serious designs on "transformational" change in America who are using the protesters like bedsprings in a brothel.

Yet it's not my role as a commentator that prompts my parenting question, but rather the fact that I'm the mother of four teens and young adults. There are some crucial life lessons that the protesters' moms clearly have not passed along.

Here, then, are five things the OWS protesters' mothers should have taught their children but obviously didn't, so I will:

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A pro-Israel group is looking to prevent Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul from making any inroads in South Carolina, airing a new TV ad hitting the Texas congressman for his foreign policy views.

The ad by the Emergency Committee for Israel is a minute-long, straight-to-camera spot featuring Gary Bauer, the influential Christian conservative and 2000 presidential candidate who frequently makes the rounds at national conferences such as the Family Research Council's Values Voter Summit. It will air less than two weeks before the Jan. 21 South Carolina primary.

Read more and see ad: