Quote: 

     "Liberty means responsibility.  That is why most men dread it."

Read more: 

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)

By allowing our attention to be focused exclusively on the danger and prevention of terrorism, we ignore the many other ways we are being attacked. Specifically, we are missing what our Islamist enemies call their 'civilization jihad' - a form of warfare that employs manipulative financial techniques, lawfare, infiltration of our civil institutions and government and insidious information dominance. Together, these have the effect of exploiting our liberties and governing structures against us, so that our leaders wind up imposing the very anti-American values that our enemies promote.

Welcome to The Muslim Brotherhood in America: The Enemy Within - a 10-part, web-based video briefing that is designed to explain why and how this is happening.

It addresses a threat most Americans are unaware even exists within our country, let alone the degree of peril it represents.
The threat is the totalitarian, supremacist Islamic doctrine its adherents call "shariah" and the organized, disciplined and increasingly successful efforts by such adherents-- most especially the Muslim Brotherhood-- to bring it here.

We are making this course available in the hope of encouraging, informing and broadening support for national efforts to defeat the insinuation into this country of shariah's anti-constitutional and seditious program.  

Muslim Brotherhood in America: The Overview

PLEASE FORWARD TO OTHERS... There's safety in numbers...

Here's a way you can lend a hand with our continuing struggle to warn the sleeping world about the dangers of radical Islam.

Clarion films, which produced the block busters Obsession, The Third Jihad and Iranium is stepping up its efforts to get these films shown.  I remember how happy I was when Obsession was first released. At last I had a way to reach the people I was trying to educate into a post 9/11 awareness. I distributed as many of the DVDs as I could.

Now you can help Ryan Mauro, a national security analyst on FOX News Channel, educate more people about sharia and jihad. Ryan is with RadicalIslam.org, the Clarion Fund's website. He is spearheading a new grassroots initiative to show these important films to local communities such as churches, synagogues, GOP/DNC/Tea Party groups, national security conferences or any other venue that may be interested.

No speaker's fee is required but travel expenses and a small screening license fee are requested.

I'm sure you will pass this along to all your contacts so we can really make a difference in our country's willingness to protect itself against sharia and jihad.

Here is Ryan's contact info:

Ryan Mauro

ryan@radicalislam.org.

National Security Analyst, RadicalIslam.org / Clarion Fund
Founder, WorldThreats.com

Follow me on Twitter at Twitter.com/RyanMauro

Dave

 

Reply here or send us an email: TheKitchenTablePatriots@GMail.com 

Date: ................ Monday, May 7th, 2012

52 East State Street, Doylestown, PA 18901

VALLEY FORGE PATRIOTS MONTHLY MEETING

FRIDAY, MAY 11, 6:00 PM AT THE

PHOENIXVILLE COUNTRY CLUB

DID YOU KNOW THAT TEACHERS HAVE TO JOIN THE UNION WHETHER THEY WANT TO OR NOT, AND UNION DUES IS TAKEN OUT OF THEIR PAY CHECK BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT?

AND THEN DID YOU KNOW THAT YOUR SCHOOL BOARD HAS TO WRITE A CHECK TO THE TEACHER'S UNIONS TO PAY TEACHER'S DUES?

YOU CAN PROBABLY FIGURE OUT WHAT THIS DUES MONEY IS USED FOR IN HARRISBURG!

GUESS WHO IS PAYING FOR ALL OF THIS? Right, you the taxpayer!

Do you know what can happen when all of this is changed?

Come out and learn more from

Simon Campbell, an excellent and entertaining speaker (yes, even on this subject).

Simon currently serves as Vice President of the Pennsbury Board of School Directors so he knows how it works from the inside. After a 21-day teacher's strike in his district he started a grassroots group, StopTeacherStrikes to advocate for PA to become the 38^th state to make teacher's strikes illegal. Simon also served on the board of Pennsylvanians for Right to Work.

He regularly speaks on the need to end compulsory unionism and other aspects of public sector union political power.

Q&A session and more to follow.

An extremely important movie is coming this summer - Dinesh D'Souza - Obama & 2016

Dinesh D'Souza is author of many New York Times best sellers.  The movie is from Gerald R. Molen, producer of Academy Award Winning Schindler's List.

It explains in plain language who Barack Obama really is, what he stands for, and the dangers of him being reelected for another four years.

Watch this short informative video preview of this movie which came out only yesterday and share it with others.  It has already been seen by over 18,000 people.  Within a very short time it will have been seen by millions!  After you see the preview, listen to what Dinesh has to say about Obama.  Please take the time to hear this and pass it on.

Dinesh D'Souza - Obama & 2016

 Click here to RSVP  

EVENT IS FREE - SEATING IS LIMITED - REGISTRATION IS REQUESTED

Constitution 101:
The Meaning and History of the Constitution

Available to you, your family, your friends,
and all Americans.

Weeks One & Two Now Available - Sign Up TODAY!

Dr. Larry P. Arnn

Over the years, many friends of Hillsdale, those who never attended college here, have said to me: "Dr. Arnn, I wish I could take Hillsdale's Constitution course!"

In response to these requests, this past year, for the first time ever, Hillsdale College offered the "Introduction to the Constitution" lecture series at no charge. Frankly, I wasn't sure what sort of a response a course like this would have.

That's why I was excited to see that YOU and almost 200,000 other people from all over the United States registered for "Introduction to the Constitution."

Thank you very much for registering and participating. I hope you learned a lot from the series.

I was thrilled, not only by the response, but at what it indicates: Americans are willing and eager learn about the Constitution and to defend the principles of liberty that made America so prosperous!

And this re-awakening of national interest in the Constitution comes not a minute too soon.

Now, for the first time ever, Hillsdale College is offering a no-cost 10-week online Constitution course based on the class Hillsdale College students must complete for graduation:

"Constitution 101: The Meaning and History of the Constitution"

This course on the U.S. Constitution is available online at no charge to anyone who wants to understand and defend the timeless principles of liberty upon which our nation was founded!

I am proud to be teaching part of our NEW "Constitution 101" course and hope YOU will be one of my students again!

"Constitution 101" begins on February 20, 2012, and concludes the week of April 30. It will cover such topics as the Declaration of Independence and its connection to the Constitution, how the Constitution is structured to protect individual liberty and ensure good government, the crisis of constitutional government faced by Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War, and modern challenges to the Constitution during the "Progressive" era.

It is my honor to teach the first class, "The American Mind," and the final class, "The Recovery of the Constitution." All of the classes will be taught by Hillsdale College professors - the top teachers in their field and the same ones who instruct our students here on Hillsdale's campus.

Classes listed in Blue have been posted on YouTube and can be viewed by clicking on the link for each class below. 

The U.S. Constitution

A Reader 

Editorial Note: Just received a couple of copies of the reader.   Not just a short course pamphlet this; with the heft of 'Atlas Shrugged', it is well worth getting whether or not you choose to take the course. 

Hillsdale College is a private, coeducational, residential, liberal arts college with approximately 1,400 students. Founded in 1844, the College remains, in the words of its Articles of Association, "grateful to God for the inestimable blessings resulting from the presence of civil and religious liberty and intelligent piety" in our nation, and dedicated to "the diffusion of sound learning" that is "essential to the perpetuity of these blessings."

Hillsdale College is distinguished by its rigorous core curriculum, by its principled rejection of federal and state taxpayer funding, and by the pledge of its Board of Trustees to resists any attempts by the government to regulate its internal affairs.

Hillsdale College promotes the principles of liberty nationwide through its national speech digest, Imprimis, which has a monthly circulation of over 2 million, and through several outreach programs. In 2008, Hillsdale launched its Allan P. Kirby, Jr. Center for Constitutional Studies and Citizenship in Washington, D.C. The College will also launch the Hillsdale Graduate School of Statesmanship in fall 2012.

RJC Philadelphia Chapter

Breakfast with David Freed -  

GOP Candidate for Attorney General  

From July 16 through July 18, 2012, Christians United for Israel will be holding its 7th Annual Washington Summit. We're going back to stand with Israel in our nation's capital. This year - more than ever - we need you to join us!

In the coming months, critical decisions are going to be made about Iran, Israel and the world. Finally, Washington is beginning to focus on the issue of a nuclear Iran. Many of our leaders want to confront this looming threat. But others want to keep kicking the can down the road. The debate is far from over.

• We know that when thousands of CUFI activists arrive in DC and on Capitol Hill, we can change the conversation.
• We can remind our leaders that a nuclear Iran is not only a threat to Israel, but to the US as well. And we can demonstrate to our elected officials that their constituents care enough about this issue to show up at their DC offices.
• We know that we can create a sense of immediacy that's otherwise lacking.
• We know that the more of us who show up and speak out -- the louder our voice and the greater our impact.

We stand at a critical juncture in history. Don't be silent! Don't miss your chance to make a difference! Don't pass up your opportunity to defend America and bless Israel!

Our leaders need to remember that we are watching them and we need to remember that God is watching us.

FREE Training Conference Saturday, August 18, 2012 Washington Dulles Airport Marriott 45020 Aviation Drive * Dulles, Virginia * (703) 471-9500

If you are concerned about the growing threat of radical Islam and Sharia Law to our great land and you haven't seen a plan of action to meet this evil head on, here's your opportunity to join with us for real, measurable results.

Results that make a difference, not just a statement.

Our host team is working hard to deliver a day you won't forget. Plan on being there! Meet me and our growing team of professionals at the Dulles Airport Marriott on Saturday, August 18, 2012. Registration will start at 7:30 AM with the event starting at 8:30 AM and running through 5:00 PM.

Here are a few comments we have received from previous training seminars around the nation:

    You can find out more and register online by clicking here.

Call the number above to reserve your room at the Marriott if you need to spend the night.

Your early registration really helps us plan accurately for materials and supplies needed! Thank you for doing it today!

I look forward to meeting you and looking into your eyes and thanking you for taking this stand with me. We will protect this nation!

Sincerely,


Brigitte Gabriel

LISTEN LIVE TO REPATRIOT RADIO

"BETTER THAN EVER"

(all times are eastern)

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

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

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

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

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

PA gov looks at 401(k)-style plan to curb pension crisis

State House preparing bills that focus on 401(k)-style pension plan

By Eric Boehm | PA Independent

HARRISBURG - Gov. Tom Corbett's opinion on the state's public pension system is clear: "We have to fix it. It's that simple."

Of course, it's not that simple. The state's two major public pension systems, the State Employees Retirement System and Public School Employees Retirement System, have an unfunded liability of more than $36 billion. 

The governor said he was not prepared to recommend any solutions at this time, though he supports a 401(k)-style pension plan.

The House State Government Committee on Tuesday discussed several pension bills, including measures that would move all future state workers, teachers and lawmakers into a 401(k)-style defined contribution plan instead of the existing defined benefit plan.

"Our pension plans are taking on water every single day. We need to plug the hole, and then start to bail the water out, and this begins the process of plugging the hole," said state Rep. Eli Evankovich, R-Westmoreland, the sponsor of one of the proposals.

In a defined benefit plan, benefits are guaranteed based on a formula that includes years of service and salary. A defined contribution plan allows workers to save for retirement and invest as much or as little as they choose.

Pennsylvania is facing much higher contributions to the pension funds in coming years to keep the current plans going. The funds took hits because the state failed to meet its financial obligations for a decade, and the Great Recession brought an economic downturn starting in 2008.  

This year, pensions are consuming $1.1 billion of the state's $27 billion budget. That figure will increase to $1.6 billion next year and more than $4 billion by 2016, according to estimates from the pension systems and the governor's budget office.

"If we do not address this pension issue now, we will be worrying about how we pay for the pensions, and we won't be able to pay for other needed services," Corbett said.

LINK: http://paindependent.com/2012/05/video-pa-gov-looks-at-401k-style-plan-to-curb-pension-crisis/

This is a good explanation of The Property Tax Elimination Bill. (House Bill 1776 )

In my opinion, this seems like a positive approach to eliminate what I think is an unfair burden to property owners.

I encourage you to call State Representative and encourage him or  her to vote for the bill.

 Find contact info at this link http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/find.cfm.

Carlo G.

http://www.repbloom.com/proptaxindepact.aspx?utm_source=Listrak&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=http%3a%2f%2fwww.repbloom.com%2fproptaxindepact.aspx&utm_campaign=Now+is+the+Time+for+Action

Victory Center" on Facebook

-Gabriel Malor

Last week I had the opportunity to get a sneak-peek at the RNC's new Facebook application. Designed, in the words of one RNC staffer to "take our message where the people are," the Social Victory Center app will, among other things, hook users up with campaign news targeted based on their location and preferences (which Facebook already knows, of course), let users join volunteer efforts, distribute voter registration forms, and provide an online phone bank, all without leaving the Facebook website. It will also, if users wish, put those activities on the user's Facebook wall, letting their friends see what they're up to and, hopefully, encouraging them to join in.

It's an attempt to leverage Facebook's popularity in a new way and, at the moment, the Democrats have nothing like it. The Social Victory Center was unveiled to the public yesterday, so if you're on Facebook, check it out. As the general election ramps up, check back for volunteer activities as they're added. Also, like I did in 2008, I'll be pushing online phone banking in the final weeks of the election, only this time the RNC will have done the heavy-lifting that the McCain team wasn't too keen on.

LINK: http://ace.mu.nu/

RedState Morning Briefing

For May 7, 2012

1. Tomorrow, Retire Dick Lugar

2. Conservatives Need to Rally to David McIntosh In Indiana 5

3. Obama Launches Reelection Campaign. Throngs of Adoring Fans Apparently Stuck in Traffic.

4. Obama's failed policies cause millions of Americans to give up

5. Why We Can't Have Nice Things

1. Tomorrow, Retire Dick Lugar

I really do adore Peggy Noonan. I respect her opinion and I love her writing. I take issue with her support of Richard Lugar, however.

Peggy Noonan writes that Indiana should "save the old guy. He has value." She also says Washington needs grown ups and "we need mature folk involved in our governance, people for whom not everything is new."

With respect, Mr. Lugar has no more value. He and his cohorts have given all the value to China.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

2. Conservatives Need to Rally to David McIntosh In Indiana 5

Folks, there are several people running for Congress in Indiana's 5th Congressional district, but only one of them is a real conservative leader. It's not that the others are conservative non-leaders. They are moderate to liberal pro-choice, bailout supporting candidates.

Unfortunately, they've decided to gang up on David McIntosh to ensure a pro-life, fiscal conservative doesn't get elected.

The election is Tuesday.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

3. Obama Launches Reelection Campaign. Throngs of Adoring Fans Apparently Stuck in Traffic.

It seems that it's not only Barack Obama's position of football spiking that has taken a turn in an election year. Apparently the enthusiasm that resulted in huge stadiums full of adoring fans in 2008 has also changed quite a bit.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

4. Obama's failed policies cause millions of Americans to give up

The April unemployment report brought attention to the millions of Americans suffering in silence as a result of President Obama's failed economic policies.

The Romney campaign has released a new video "Silence" highlighting the terribly disappointing April unemployment report.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

5. Why We Can't Have Nice Things

Several media outlets have run stories about a rumored gathering of conservative bloggers, writers, and others last week. You can find pictures on Facebook. You can find a list of names. The words "off the record" seemingly have little value. Much of the information came from invitees.

. . .

While I do not claim to be a traditional journalist or reporter, many of the traditional rules of the media have always applied to blogs since I started and even now as I and others move on to television and radio. Off the record means off the record. If some breach the trust, others should not.

Please click here for the rest of the post.

Sincerely yours,

Erick Erickson
Editor,RedState.com

Heritage Hotsheet

Experts on the Day's Hottest News

Contact An Expert
MEDIA INFORMATION LINE:
Phone: (202) 675-1761 | Email: Broadcast Services

Items for Monday, May 7, 2012

US secretly releasing Taliban fighters report says  Fox News 
James Carafano

Lisa Curtis

Jim Phillips 
Peter Brookes
 

Legislative Lowdown: Will Holder be held in contemt?  The Daily Caller

Brian Darling 

Mike Franc


Inside the Guantanamo courtroom   CBS News    Charles 'Cully' Stimson 
Steven Bucci

James Carafano


French election results have implications for US economy, foreign policy  CNN  
Amb. Terry Miller

Nile Gardiner


Amid Protests, Putin Returns to Presidency in Russia  The New York Times  
Ariel Cohen

ICNA Relief Promotes Jihad Donations   May 04, 2012 06:00 am

The Investigative Project on Terrorism

The charitable wing of a major American Muslim organization is promoting donations to extremist causes, undercutting a nationwide campaign to improve its image. The website link from the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) Relief division hints at deeper connections to extremism and terror, both by the charitable branch and by its parent organization.

Rich Bashing Is Unjust and Vicious   May 04, 2012 06:00 am

The casual manner in which President Obama proposes that various progressive tax measures be implemented against the so-called rich - ones who earn more than two million a year - is indicative of just how deep-seated and widespread is the prejudice against wealthy people in the United States of America.

The Continuing Threat of Libyan Missiles   May 04, 2012 06:00 am

In March 2011, while many of the arms depots belonging to the government of Libya were being looted, we wrote about how the weapons taken from Libyan government stockpiles could end up being used to fuel violence in the region and beyond. Since then, we have seen Tuareg militants, who were previously employed by the regime of former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, leave Libya with sizable stockpiles of weapons and return to their homes in northern Mali, where they have successfully wrested control of the region away from the Malian government.

Why They Still Call Him President   May 03, 2012 01:45 pm

Some still call Barack Obama president out of pure ignorance, but others brilliantly call him President with a very specific agenda in mind. It's all over but the crying now... as Article II of the U.S. Constitution is officially dead.

Obama's Campaign Slogan Is The Historical Marxist Slogan   May 03, 2012 11:49 am

I just do not know how much more it will take to convince Americans that our president is a Socialist, maybe even a communist.

His entire 2008 campaign was based on socialist dogma and his administration is rock solid socialist.  Obama even had a self-described communist serving, openly, in his administration until some Americans raised enough hell that it became intolerable and he quietly left the administration.

BENADOR: Obama creating chaos with Chicago-NATO-Summit May 20-21   May 03, 2012 11:30 am

by Eliana Benador

"In a time of universal deceit - telling the truth is a revolutionary act."   George Orwell 

"An organizer must stir up dissatisfaction and discontent... He must create a mechanism that can drain off the underlying guilt for having accepted the previous situation for so long a time. Out of this mechanism, a new community organization arises....  The job then is getting the people to move, to act, to participate; in short, to develop and harness the necessary power to effectively conflict with the prevailing patterns and change them. When those prominent in the status quo turn and label you an 'agitator' they are completely correct, for that is, in one word, your function-to agitate to the point of conflict."  

Everyone Booze Up and Riot   May 03, 2012 11:15 am

Riots are the exclusive domain of those who view themselves as outside the law. Whether they are outside the law because they are above or below it is a matter of perspective. The rioters may see  themselves as the oppressed who are below the law while their victims tend to think of them as above the law, with the power to rob and kill, without paying any significant price for it. All that is true whether we are talking about Russian peasants killing Jews, Indonesians killing ethnic Chinese or African-Americans killing whites.

Letter to the editor

Dear Editor,

Students for Intellectual Freedom turned three years old in March. During those three years, infamous claims of bigotry, particularly against Muslims, have been assigned - via character assassination attacks - to us by on- and off-campus socialist, communist and Islamic groups. While it has always been exciting for me to defend us against such claims, the truth is far less exciting, as those claims are simply untrue. But, hey, since when has the truth mattered to Leftists? It's their kryptonite. It is only natural - even for cancers - to fight for survival.

The blue-ribbon claim is that we were founded as a David Horowitz-machine. Also untrue. Our first event three years ago was sponsored by his Freedom Center. Every event afterward has been funded solely by Temple, Young America's Foundation, donations I personally raised and my own wallet. Just ask Student Activities. But more on Horowitz later.

Through her events, TUSIF has always fought for the rights of not just non-Muslim minorities - gays, infidels, women, Jews, etc. - but also Muslims themselves, many of whom are prisoners of their lives because they are terrified of their Muslim male and female counterparts harming them for merely questioning Islam's curious elements, or for deviating from the strict, oppressive, murder-promoting code of conduct known as Sharia Law. While these terrifying, inextricable components of Shari'a have been only enigmatic notions to mainstream America, they have become part of the American kitchen-table vocabulary as headlines to national newspapers and cable news. Honor killings in the Western and Central thirds of the country, and a beheading on the Eastern third, are all realizations and materializations of Sharia in America.

Alleged Sept. 11 planners disrupt arraignment at Guantanamo hearing

By Michael Isikoff, NBC News  May 5, 2012

GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba -- Accused Sept. 11 mastermind Khaled Sheikh Mohammed and his co-defendants defied a military judge Saturday, refusing to answer his questions and one of them silently got up and started praying as the long awaited arraignment of the terror suspects got off to a rocky start in a military courtroom in Guantanamo.

Mohammed -- dressed in a white turban and robe -- sat silently, taking off his headphones when Judge James Pohl first addressed him. "One cannot refuse to participate and frustrate the proceedings," a clearly irritated Pohl snapped.

"The reason he's not putting the earphones in his ears is because of the torture that was done to him," his lawyer, David Nevin, told the judge.  

Ramzi Binalshibh, another alleged 9/11 plotter, at one point disrupted the court by standing up and shouting -- first in Arabic and then in English -- that "the era of Gadhafi is over but it continues at this camp. Maybe you aren't going to see me anymore ... there are threats we have seen at this camp. Maybe they will kill us and say we have committed suicide."

When Pohl ordered him to sit down, saying such issues could be raised later, Binalshibh shot back: "The time to discuss these things is now, not tomorrow."

While families of the 9/11 victims watched in the courtroom, and on closed circuit television at seven sites in the United States, the dispute - and other protests by the defendants and their lawyers-- appeared to initially tie up the proceedings in knots.  

Binalshibh earlier brought the court to a halt when he stood up and then dropped to his knees in prayer.

Yet another defendant, Walid bin Attash, sat in court in restraints -- apparently because of a dispute with guards -- and his lawyer said he couldn't participate because his client was "in pain." The restraints were later removed.

With his long flowing beard, Mohammed was a striking presence in the courtroom. But his refusal to utter a word -- despite repeated entreaties by the judge -- stood in stark contrast to previous court appearances where he has chanted Koranic verses, denounced the United States, and taken credit for the terror attacks.

When the defendants declined to wear their headsets so they could listen to translations of the judge's questions, Pohl ordered a translator to repeat them out loud in Arabic. And he plowed ahead, asking each of the defendants detailed questions about their knowledge of the lawyers who had been appointed to represent them and whether they accepted them. None of the defendants responded and refused to even look at the judge.

During a break, the defendants could be seen leaning back in their seats, laughing, smiling and chatting among themselves -- apparently pleased with their ability to frustrate the judge.

Read more...

May 4, 2012     Lawsuit filed against CAIR-Michigan  

Last week the Thomas More Law Center, a powerful force for good against the threat of radical Islam, announced it had filed a civil rights lawsuit against CAIR-Michigan and others. According to a Thomas More Law Center news release (see below, highlights added), an event promoting "American Laws for American Courts" (ALAC) legislation was shut down after complaints by CAIR-Michigan:

  This assault on free speech is shocking. One of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit is Beth Griffin, an energetic, hard-working long-time ACT! for America chapter leader. (To illustrate, Beth was active in the successful effort to stop Obama administration plans to transfer Guantanamo Bay detainees to Standish, Michigan).

People sometimes ask us, "if I already know a lot about radical Islam, should I still attend the ACT! for America National Conference?"

...then the answer to that question is YES!

LOG ON HERE to register or find out more about the conference. The conference starts in just 54 days, and if you want to ensure you'll get a hotel room at the heavily discounted conference rate, you need to reserve your room by June 1. Call 800.843.6664 or reserve your hotel room online HERE.

Still trying to decide? Here's a 57 second video message one of last year's attendees just emailed to us. We hear a lot of concerns from people that America's young people aren't waking up to this threat. Well, here's one of our future leaders!!

National Conference Testimonial

    THOMAS MORE LAW CENTER   24 Frank Lloyd Wright Dr. Ann Arbor, MI 48105
PH: 734-827-2001, FX: 734-930-7160     NEWS RELEASE     For Immediate Release:      April 30, 2012
www.thomasmore.org
    Irony-Police Shut-down Event Promoting U.S. Constitution. Thomas More Law Center Files Lawsuit against Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI); Allegan Officials

ANN ARBOR, MI - In the middle of an event to extol the virtues of the U.S. Constitution and "American Laws For American Courts," the audience learned first-hand how easy it is to lose their freedom of Speech and Assembly.

Amid shouts of "What about free speech?" from the audience, the Allegan Police Department ordered the event shut-down. School officials notified police that they had received a letter complaining about the event from Dawud Walid, Executive Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI). The letter asked the school to disallow the event despite an existing contract. CAIR was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the largest terrorism funding trial in U. S. history, U.S. v. Holy Land Foundation.

As a result, the Thomas More Law Center (TMLC), a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, announced today that the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR- MI), its Executive Director, the City of Allegan, the Allegan Police Department and the School District were named as defendants in a thirty-four page civil rights lawsuit filed in the Federal District Court for the Western District of Michigan, this morning. The claims included constitutional and contract violations. [Click here for copy of federal complaint]

Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Law Center commented, "It's amazing how much clout CAIR has with the political establishment of both parties in Lansing and throughout Michigan and the nation. This, despite the fact that CAIR has its roots in the Muslim Brotherhood, was listed as an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation trial, and the FBI's former chief of counterterrorism, noted that CAIR, its leaders, and its activities effectively give aid to international terrorist groups."

Continued Thompson, "Press accounts make it clear that an indictment naming CAIR as a defendant in the Holy Land Foundation trial was squelched by Attorney General Holder's office despite vehement objections by FBI agents and the federal prosecutors in Dallas."

The TMLC federal lawsuit was brought on behalf of State Representative David Agema; a chapter leader of ACT! for America, Elizabeth Griffin; Allegan County Commissioner, Willis Sage; and Mark Gurley, one of the event sponsors.

The event in question, entitled, "Constituting Michigan - Founding Principles Act" took place on January 26, 2012 at an Allegan High School auditorium which had been rented by Willis Sage.

The purpose of the event was to inform the public about the importance of honoring the United States Constitution, to recognize the internal threat to America posed by radical Muslims and the dangers to our free society caused by the imposition of Sharia law.

At first the Allegan police chief police indicated he shut down the event because of threats to one of the speakers, Kamal Saleem; however, shortly thereafter, the chief admitted to a reporter that there was no specific threat to the event and no real danger at all. In fact, no specific threats of violence relating to the event were received by the City of Allegan, its police department, the Allegan Public School District or Allegan Public High School.

Police gave as their reason, the appearance of one of the featured speakers, Kamal Saleem, a former Muslim terrorist who converted to Christianity. Saleem has spoken at numerous high schools and universities, Christian churches and Jewish temples across the nation. He has also spoken at the U. S. Air Force Academy, Michigan's State Capital, and Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. At no time before the Allegan event or afterwards has an event where he has spoken been shut down by law enforcement.

Sage notified the Allegan police chief ten days before the event and invited him to check out the background of Saleem, which he never did.

Erin Mersino is the TMLC attorney handling the case.

More on Plaintiffs

State Representative David Agema is an elected State Representative for the 74th District serving in Michigan's House of Representatives. He is a sponsor of HB 4769 entitled "Restriction of Application of Foreign Laws Act" (based on the American Laws for American Courts Model Act), which bans the use of foreign laws including Sharia law, by courts and administrative bodies of the State, when those laws conflict with fundamental rights protected by the Constitutions of the United States and the State of Michigan. Defendant Walid, is an outspoken opponent of HB 4769.

Elizabeth Griffin is a chapter leader for the organization, ACT! for America, a non-partisan, non-sectarian organization whose mission is to give Americans concerned about national security, terrorism, and the threat of radical Islam, a powerful, organized, informed and mobilized voice. Griffin promotes the "Constituting Michigan - Founding Principles Act", which would require Michigan public schools to teach the history and Constitution of the United States. Griffin also guides and mentors chapter leaders for various chapters of the ACT! for America organization, as well as educates concerned Americans about the threat of Islamic Sharia law to our system of law in the United States.

Willis Sage is a County Commissioner for the County of Allegan, Michigan. Sage is the author of the "Constituting Michigan - Founding Principles Act," which would require Michigan public schools to teach the history and constitution of the United States. He organized the event and rented the room at Allegan High School where the free speech event was held.

Plaintiff Mark Gurley was a sponsor of the event and paid for the airfare of Kamal Saleem. He is also an advocate of HB 4769, "Restriction of Application of Foreign Laws Act" (based on the American Laws for American Courts Model Act), sponsored by Plaintiff Agema.

Defendants' pretextual claim that the free speech event needed to be shut-down for safety reasons subverts the true cause for halting the free speech event: complying with the demands of CAIR.    

Report: US Muslim Population Nearly Triples in Decade

A 2010 survey shows the Muslim population in the US has risen from 1 million to 2.6 million in 10 years

By Gabe Kahn

First Publish: 5/2/2012

A census of American religions released Tuesday showed the Muslim community in the United States has grown in the past decade.

According to a study carried out by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies, the number of Muslims in America rose to 2.6 million in 2010 from 1 million in 2000, fueled by immigration and conversions.

Muslims now outnumber Jews in many parts of the American South and Midwest, but Christians remain the largest group in every state.

Read more...

Faith 'Stop the Islamization of America': Controversial Campaign Mailer Enrages Muslim Lobby

• May 3, 2012  

Read more: 

Ohio Colleges Partner with Hamas-Founded CAIR

Tuesday, 01 May 2012 03:00 Patrick Poole

A taxpayer-funded program seeks to foster "new perspectives" on the Middle East.

A group of six Ohio colleges in the Cleveland area are working together to help provide "new perspectives" about the Middle East and to confront "misinformation" about the region and about Islam specifically. However, the group has chosen a curious partner to represent the American Muslim community: the Muslim Brotherhood-founded and terror-supporting Hamas front group, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).

On Tuesday, the Northeast Ohio Consortium for Middle East Studies (NOCMES) will be hosting Naif al-Mutawa at the City Club of Cleveland for a talk on "Art, Narrative and Muslim Identity." Later that evening he will appear at Baldwin Wallace College. Al-Mutawa is the CEO of the company that has produced the first series of comic books with Muslim superheroes. The colleges sponsoring NOCMES include Oberlin College, Cleveland State University, John Carroll University, Kent State University, Baldwin-Wallace College, Case Western Reserve University, and Hathaway Brown (an all-girls K-12 private school).

The Tuesday talk is part of NOCMES' "New Perspectives on Muslim and Middle East Societies" program funded by the Social Science Research Council (SSRC), which is funded partially by U.S. taxpayers through the State Department and the National Science Foundation. SSRC's "Islamic Traditions and Muslim Societies in World Contexts" has awarded a grant to NOCMES funded by the Carnegie Corporation.

A video promoting the NOCMES "New Perspectives" project features Neda Zawahri, associate professor of political science at Cleveland State University. She states:

So when people first meet people from the Middle East they're first afraid because, is this person going to be a terrorist or an Islamic fundamentalist? But to actually learn that they're human beings just like them.

It is indeed curious that a video intended to promote a program intended to confront "misinformation" about Muslims and the Middle East would promote such a bigoted and misinformed view about Americans and Westerners in general. (Lest I be accused of taking Zawahri out of context, that statement is the only quote by her that the video itself provides.)

The NOCMES video also features Julia Shearson, identified as executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Ohio chapter. In 2008, Shearson was the most vocal defender of the gender policies at Harvard University which banned men from campus gymnasiums so that Muslim women would not need to have contact with them. Shearson defended the policy during appearances on CNN, Fox News, and other media outlets.

That is not the only connection between NOCMES and CAIR-Ohio. In fact, a flyer for Tuesday's event at the City Club of Cleveland posted on the NOCMES website identifies CAIR-Ohio as one of NOCMES' partners.

Read more...

Attorney in hijab defends call for other women at 9/11 hearing to wear 'appropriate' clothing

Dennis Prager Q & A At University of Denver

Dire warnings as to what is at stake in November elections.

Obama Launches Campaign in Empty Arena

by Alexander Marlow

Barack Obama launched his campaign in unspectacular fashion today at Ohio State University, the largest college in the crucial swing state. A photo posted to twitter by Mitt Romney's campaign spokesman Ryan Williams reveals sparse attendance. The above image, according to Williams, was taken during the President's first official campaign speech.

During the speech, Obama ripped into the presumptive GOP nominee and discussed nation building at home, but the most newsworthy item of the day was not the talking points Obama delivered: it was the crowd... or lack thereof. According to ABC News, the Obama campaign had expected an "overflow" of people. Instead, the arena looked half-empty. The Columbus Dispatch reports that Obama organizers even had people move from the seats to the floor of the gym in order to project a larger crowd on television.

According to the Toledo Blade, the venue for Obama's rally seats 20,000 but "there were a lot of empty seats." Comparatively, Obama drew a crowd of 35,000 at Ohio State when he campaigned for former Governor Ted Strickland in 2010.

The official Barack Obama Tumblr boasts a figure from ThinkProgress that 14,000 attended the event--70% of the stadium's seating capacity.

It's a campaign faux pas to hold an event in a room that isn't full; to promise the media a more-than-capacity crowd then fall this far short of that promise is utter incompetence. In 2008, Obama ran a near-flawless campaign, buoyed by enthusiasm and effective organizing. But it's not 2008 any more, and on day one of the 2012 campaign, Team Obama has already made an embarrassing blunder.

Alexander Marlow is Breitbart News Managing Editor. Follow him on twitter @alexmarlow.

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/05/05/obama-empty-arena

The Prince of Frauds planned to blame the military if kill bin Laden mission went bad

May 06, 2012 06:46 am | Coach Collins

By Kevin "Coach" Collins

When he was asked about his "fears" of being seen as the new Jimmy Carter if the kill bin Laden operation failed the way Carter's Operation Eagle Claw had, Barack Obama didn't hesitate in his answer.
"I thought about it," he "admitted" as he acknowledged there would be "political ramifications" that could ruin his chances of reelection if the bin Laden mission had been a disaster. Nevertheless, the Prince of Frauds stressed, "There were doubts voiced in the Situation Room. But there was no doubt in my head."
According to the "official narrative" Barack Obama was the one who fought off the fears of a political disaster voiced by other "less courageous" Democrats and "did the right thing" without regard for politics. What a man! What a leader! What a liar!
Now he's Ike
As long as we have been plagued with this fake, Obama has tired to convince us he ... Continue Reading:The Prince of Frauds planned to blame the military if kill bin Laden mission went bad

comments | read more

American Minute May 5

May 05, 2012 05:13 pm | Coach Collins

By Bill Federer, staff writer

   President Washington declared a National Day of Prayer after the Whiskey Rebellion, as did President John Adams when France threatened war; and President Madison during the War of 1812.
President Tyler declared a Day of Prayer when President Harrison died; and as did President Taylor during a cholera epidemic.
President Buchanan proclaimed a Day of Prayer to avert civil strife, as did Lincoln during the Civil War.
President Andrew Johnson proclaimed a Day of Prayer when Lincoln was shot, as did President Wilson during World War I.
In 1952, President Truman made the National Day of Prayer an annual event, stating:
"In times of national crisis when we are striving to strengthen the foundations of peace...we stand in special need of Divine support."
President Reagan made it the first Thursday in May, saying:
"Americans in every generation have turned to their Maker in prayer...We have acknowledged both ... Continue Reading:American Minute May 5

comments | read more

2nd Amendment still MIA in Maryland as federal judge refuses to support his own ruling

May 05, 2012 01:00 pm | Coach Collins

 by Doug Book,  staff writer

In early March, Federal Judge Benson Legg ruled unconstitutional the provision in Maryland law requiring a "good and substantial reason" be provided by anyone applying for a permit to carry a concealed weapon. Such a contingency "impermissibly infringes on the right to keep and bear arms" wrote the Judge in his opinion. (1)

The ruling had come down in the case of Woollard v Sheridan. In 2010, Plaintiff Raymond Woollard attempted to renew his permit to carry concealed but was refused because he had not provided to Maryland State Police "...sufficient evidence 'to support apprehended fear'..."   therefore failing the "good and substantial reason" test. (2)

Judge Legg's decision had literally introduced 2nd Amendment rights into one of the most liberal states in the nation. Previously a "may issue" state, meaning a license to carry a concealed weapon "may" be issued according to the mood of the Maryland State Police, residents would in ... Continue Reading:2nd Amendment still MIA in Maryland as federal judge refuses to support his own ruling

comments | read more

Spiking the terrorist is all he has to show for the last three years

May 05, 2012 06:13 am | Coach Collins

 By Jim Emerson, staff writer

 This week marks the first anniversary of the assassination  of the world's most wanted terrorist Osama bin Laden. The work of the intelligence network, the training and execution of the SEAL team was exceptional, they are worthy of all the admiration the American people have for them.

 Spiking the Football

 The Narcissist- In-Chief couldn't help but run a victory lap in the former home of bin Laden by showing up in Afghanistan. He went there to sign an agreement pledging ongoing U.S. support for Afghanistan after American troops leave. He also delivered a campaign speech to the American people back home using military assets as a backdrop. In 2006, the Hypocrite-IN- chief criticized the Republicans for using the War on Terrorism as a political "wedge issue."

 Obama's celebration of the bin Laden mission have angered active duty and former Navy SEALs by selfishly using the mission for political advantage in his 2012 reelection ... Continue Reading:Spiking the terrorist is all he has to show for the last three years

comments | read more

American Minute May 4

May 04, 2012 05:13 pm | Coach Collins

By Bill Federer, staff writer

Selling a million copies a year for over 100 years, McGuffey's Readers were the mainstay of public education in America.
Generations of school children read them, making them some of the most influential books of all time.
They were written by William McGuffey, who died MAY 4, 1873.
A professor at the University of Virginia and president of Ohio University, William McGuffey began one of nation's first teachers' associations.
In the foreword of McGuffey's Reader, 1836, he wrote:
"The Christian religion is the religion of our country. From it are derived our prevalent notions of the character of God, the great moral governor of the universe. On its doctrines are founded the peculiarities of our free institutions."
In McGuffey's 5th Eclectic Reader, 1879, is a lesson by William Ellery Channing, titled "Religion-The Only Basis of Society":
"How powerless conscience would become without the belief of a God...
... Continue Reading:American Minute May 4

comments | read more

Has pouring money down the "re-elect a Democrat Congress" sewer finally bled private unions out?

May 04, 2012 02:13 pm | Coach Collins

By Kevin "Coach" Collins

The Department of Labor classifies almost half of America's private union pension funds as either "endangered" or "critical" because they are so grossly underfunded. Among the unions on this list are the Democrats' favorite piggy banks;  "the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), the International Brothers of Electrical Workers, the Laborers International Union of Northern America, the International Association of Machinists, the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, the International Union of Operating Engineers and the National Plumbers Union."

On average all private union pensions are almost 40% underfunded. In real life terms this means less than 1 of every 160 private union workers has a pension plan that can actually meet its contractually required monthly payouts.  

Drunk with self delusion about the chance to create of a "Socialist Worker's Paradise" since Barack Obama beat a rather weak Republican candidate in 2008 unions, both private and public, have been ... Continue Reading:Has pouring money down the "re-elect a Democrat Congress" sewer finally bled private unions out?

comments | read more

Friday, May 4, 2012

To: Friends & Supporters

From: Gary L. Bauer


COUNTDOWN TO VICTORY: 186 DAYS TO THE 2012 ELECTIONS


The Obama Miracle

The unemployment figures were released today, and they prove once again that we truly have a miracle worker in the Oval Office. The Obama economy is something to behold. It defies reason and rationality. In Obama Land jobs disappear, the work force shrinks but "presto!" the unemployment rate drops. Every month the magician president is able to pull another rabbit out of his hat.

This month's magic would astonish even Houdini. Economists expected the report to show that 165,000 jobs were created. Even that figure would be well below the 400,000 to 600,000 created in the Reagan boom. But alas the Labor Dept. report showed only an anemic 115,000 new jobs - well below what is needed to lower the unemployment rate.

Now here comes the magic part. The unemployment rate declined to 8.1%!!!! How did Obama do it? Simple. Under his policies so many Americans are giving up every month trying to earn a living that the work force is shrinking. In April an additional 522,000 of our fellow citizens were not in the labor force. Only 64.3% of us are working - the lowest rate since 1981! Finally, four-fifths of the decline in unemployment under Obama has been due to the drop in work force participation.

Oh what it must feel like to be Obama. All you have to do is attack enough businesses, grow enough government and raise enough taxes and you can eventually discourage everyone. And since the discouraged people give up looking for jobs you get to celebrate for lowering the unemployment rate. Our president is just not appreciated enough.


Obama's Radical Agenda

My friends, I don't believe it is hyperbole to say that this is THE MOST important election in generations. We have to win!

One of things we have encouraged folks to do is to "adopt a voter." Pick one person -- a friend or family member -- who voted for Obama in 2008, but who may be on the fence this time around. Please don't waste your time with die-hard liberals, but find someone who is persuadable and genuinely open-minded.

I hope these daily reports are useful in pointing out how Obama's policies are bad for America. And in order to help you demonstrate to your friends just how out-of-touch Obama really is, our staff has compiled a list of twelve issues spanning the spectrum from economics to national security to values. On each issue the overwhelming majority of the public sides with our common sense values, not with Barack Obama's. Check it out here. You can also download and print out copies to share with others.


Summit Ministries

About one-third of the 18 million students who will enroll in college this fall claim an evangelical Christian faith. If statistics hold true, the majority of them will have their faith decimated during their collegiate years by an onslaught of cultural influences hostile to Christianity.

  But a small percentage of them will stand strong because they've been trained by Summit Ministries to fearlessly stand for truth. Research shows that Summit graduates are significantly more likely than their peers to love God, engage the culture and defend their faith. They are nine times more likely to hold a Christian worldview than the average American. They read more books, watch less TV, vote, and are more generous with their time and money.

  I'm a member of the Board of Reference for Summit Ministries because I envision a generation of young adults rising above a culture of low expectations. They want to understand the times and become courageous leaders for America's future.

Chuck Colson once said, "Summit has set the gold standard for training students in Christian worldview." Before college, Summit. And don't delay - Summit sessions are extremely popular and fill up rapidly. You can learn more at Summit.org.


Happy Birthday, Jon!

Today is the 40th birthday of Jonathan Will, one of columnist George Will's four children. Jon has been a tremendous inspiration to the Will family and to millions of Americans. I don't always agree with George Will, but some of his best columns have been about his son, Jon. And this week's column about his son's 40th birthday is another home run. You can read his column here.

Happy Birthday, Jon!
    

"We are Preparing for Massive Civil War," Says DHS Informant

Posted by Dominique de Kevelioc de Bailleul on May 03, 2012 

Sen. Schumer Engages in Political Theater Prior to SB 1070 Hearing  Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) attempted to discredit Arizona's immigration enforcement law the day before the U.S. Supreme Court was scheduled to hear oral arguments on it.
Full Story

Arizona Win Would Mean More State Laws  Emboldened by signals that the U.S. Supreme Court may uphold parts of Arizona's immigration law, legislators and activists across the country say they are gearing up.
Full Story

Arguments Provide Insight as to How Supreme Court May Rule on SB 1070  The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the Department of Justice's lawsuit against the State of Arizona over its immigration law, SB 1070. Some of the observations made during the hearing deserve notice.
Full Story

SEIU Files NAFTA Complaint Against Alabama  The Service Employees International Union continued its fight against Alabama immigration law HB 56 on Monday by filing a complaint with the Mexican Department of Labor.
Full Story

Going Home  The Immigration Policy Center (IPC) - apologists for illegal aliens - released a report intended to counter the growing evidence that attrition through enforcement works.
Full Story

The Foundation

"In reality there is perhaps no one of our natural Passions so hard to subdue as Pride." --Benjamin Franklin

Government & Politics

Forward or Downward?

Obama's new campaign slogan recalls that of another socialist

The Obama campaign has announced its new slogan -- "Forward." Despite the fact that his change has nearly crushed hope, he arrogantly decided to double down and press forward, bitterly clinging to failed policies. Sadly, too many voters remain under the delusion that Obama is "winning the future."

The campaign's latest ad recounts numerous "achievements" of Obama's first term, but only after thoroughly blaming George W. Bush for the nation's troubles. Obama stood up to the challenges, even though, as images of the Tea Party flash across the screen, "some said America's best days were behind us." Obama proceeds to brag about how he "saved" millions of jobs with the so-called stimulus, took on the credit and health insurance industries with regulations and "reform," grew green energy with taxpayer cash (though he neglected to mention Solyndra), took over the student loan industry, and socially engineered the military by repealing "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Hilariously, he even boasted of $1 trillion in spending cuts, though we're not sure how that's possible while racking up $5 trillion in debt. Obama is aghast that, instead of going along happily with every desire of his heart, Republicans actually oppose his leftist ideology.

One could be forgiven for thinking that perhaps he chose "Forward" as in "Forward to the next campaign fundraiser!" To date, Obama has held 132 such events, far surpassing his predecessor. In fact, he has already held more re-election fundraisers than the last five presidents combined. For our part, we anticipate seeing his mail forwarded back to Chicago.

In all seriousness, "Forward" seems to be optimistic and to exude progress, but the history of the word lies in the socialist and communist movements, which as Ronald Reagan contended lead nowhere but downward. We certainly don't think this choice was by accident or coincidence, either. Leftists have always fancied themselves "progressives," as if only their policies will move the world "forward." In 1905, Vladimir Lenin, leader of the Soviet revolution in Russia, founded a publication called "Vpered," the Russian word for "Forward." Before that, Friedrich Engels and Leon Trotsky wrote for one called "Vorwaerts," the German word for "Forward." The Communist League featured a biweekly reader by the same name, with which Karl Marx and Engels were involved.

Obama will begin his campaign (officially) on May 5, which just happens to be Marx's birthday.

Obama's policies of taking over industry via regulation and redistribution of wealth are absolutely inspired by and differ only in degree (so far) from those of his socialist, fascist and communist predecessors in Europe. Small wonder, then, that his campaign now features such a prominent mantra of his ideological kindred.

In related campaign news, Obama has devoted much time and energy "celebrating" women, and indeed he should -- because, by a wide margin, they elected him in 2008. More than 56 percent of women voted for Obama versus only 49 percent of men, and women may well be the deciding demographic again in 2012. Check out this 2012 Obama campaign socialist appeal designed to lure female voters with cradle-to-grave Hope 'n' Change. To be fair, Obama should also let each woman know her share of the federal debt. You can calculate yours here.

The fictional "Julia" in the Obama appeal can look "forward" to a life lived at the expense of others, from taxpayer funded school programs to subsidized birth control and single motherhood to retirement drawing from bankrupt Social Security and Medicare. Such a "forward" vision doesn't empower women; it enslaves them to the tyranny of the socialist state. By contrast, the American ideal of Essential Liberty would lead to a Better Life for Julia.

Is Obama leading us Forward, Backward or Downward?

Forward to the Unemployment Line

The Department of Labor released the April jobs report this morning, and it's more of the same -- a dismal "recovery" as Obama moves us "forward." The economy added just 115,000 jobs, once again shy of "expectations," and the headline unemployment rate ticked down to 8.1 percent. The media are working hard on behalf of Obama's re-election campaign by conveying that things are getting better. The truth is, however, the reason the rate is going down is because people are simply leaving the workforce. Some 522,000 people gave up, and labor participation is now at its lowest since 1981. Forward!

No Blue States or Red States, Just Obama States

This week, the president's Twitter feed featured this atrocity. We're hard pressed to imagine a more narcissistic display.

New & Notable Legislation

House Republicans passed H.R. 4628 to prevent student loan interest rates from doubling to 6.8 percent on July 1. Barack Obama threatened to veto the bill because the offset would be paid for by taking $5.8 billion from ObamaCare's "preventive health fund." Never mind that the president wants to raid the same fund to extend Medicare Advantage during an election year. Instead, the president and congressional Democrats claim they should offset the cost of student loan subsidies by raising corporate taxes. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) used the shopworn excuse that Republicans are attacking women by taking money out of the fund. Apparently, men don't benefit from preventive care.

The president's veto threat is a purely political move that he used to the fullest extent campaigning for the youth vote last week. He's trying to set up Republicans as anti-student and anti-woman at the same time. His claim carefully glosses over the fact that the Democrats have already raided the same preventive care fund to cover Medicare reimbursements to doctors and various leftist goodies. Besides, Democrats themselves wrote in the automatic interest rate increase when they controlled Congress in 2007. It's no coincidence that they set 2012, an election year, as the point at which the student loan interest rate would double. In doing so, they succeeded in creating a fight where none existed previously.

From the 'Non Compos Mentis' File

The Government Accountability Office reports that the federal government currently runs 16 "financial literacy" programs and four housing counseling programs through a number of different agencies. A 2009 RAND Corporation study had previously counted 56 such programs across 20 agencies, but the GAO arbitrarily trimmed that number after determining that some of the programs duplicated one another or had conflicting agendas. Keep in mind that there aren't actually fewer agencies than in 2009; the government is just counting fewer of them. The point, however, is that the idea of the federal government teaching the public anything about financial literacy is laughable when the federal debt currently stands at $15.6 trillion.

Second Amendment: Fast and Furious Contempt Citation

House Republicans plan to pursue a contempt citation against Attorney General Eric Holder for his continued stonewalling of the ATF's Fast and Furious gun-walking program. Holder's Department of Justice has blocked numerous attempts to get to the bottom of Fast and Furious, the plan that put some 2,000 illegal guns into the hands of Mexican drug runners and led directly to the death of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry in 2010.

The DOJ claims it has cooperated with the House investigation, which is now entering its second year, but its "cooperation" has amounted more to obstruction than anything else. Holder and several other key Justice officials have testified before Congress, but Holder's statements in particular have been contradictory, raising more questions than were answered. DOJ documents that have been released were so heavily redacted that they amount to nothing more than reams of blank pages. CBS News, which has been conducting its own investigation into the matter, has been repeatedly denied Freedom of Information requests about the Terry murder or the broader Fast and Furious program. The contempt citation, which would use the courts to compel DOJ cooperation, may come within the next few weeks.

Blaming Law-Abiding Gun Owners for Possible Mob Violence

Reaffirming writer Earnest Benn's observation that politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it, misdiagnosing it and then applying the wrong remedies, leftist politicians in Tampa and Charlotte are seeking suspension of the concealed-carry laws outside the respective Republican and Democratic national conventions. (Inside the convention halls, of course, are Secret Service-protected areas, and firearms will be prohibited.) These politicians argue that tragedy might happen because past conventions had to contend with violent left-wing protesters. In other words, leftists want to disarm law-abiding citizens, which would make it easier for left-wing protesters to commit acts of violence and destruction.

Fortunately, Florida Gov. Rick Scott saw things the same way and rejected Tampa's request, saying, "It is unclear how disarming law-abiding citizens would better protect them from the dangers and threats posed by those who would flout the law. It is at just such times that the constitutional right to self-defense is most precious and must be protected from government overreach." As conservatives know, there's nothing like Peace Through Superior Firepower to keep the streets quiet during these conventions. Smart politicians in these cities ought to be looking for ways to encourage the presence of more licensed gun owners for the conventions, not punishing law abiders while giving a free pass to the criminals.

Economy

Income Redistribution: Green Energy Loses Cash, Destroys Environment

The extent of the Obama administration's green energy fiasco has become more evident in recent weeks. Companies that seek to develop wind, solar and other alternative energy sources are headed for tough times, according to a combined report on the green energy industry by the left-leaning Brookings Institution, Breakthrough Institute and the World Resources Institute. In the report, analysts warn of "more bankruptcies, consolidations, and market contraction." The main reason for the fiscal woes of an industry that Obama has touted as pivotal to the American economy is simple: Federal subsidies are drying up.

The report states that the federal government dumped $44 billion in "stimulus" cash on the green energy industry between 2009 and 2011, but that amount is expected to shrink to roughly $6 billion between 2012 and 2014. The money spent so far has done little to boost green energy production in the U.S., and the report suggests that without continued substantial federal subsidies, green tech companies won't be able to stand on their own. The green-tech sector of the energy industry has been incapable of developing a self-sustaining model in part because companies cannot produce renewable energy more cheaply or reliably than traditional fossil fuels. Tariffs against Chinese solar panel manufacturers to protect domestic solar companies and subsidies to keep companies afloat have had the opposite effect.

We're also learning that green tech may be having an undesirable effect on the environment. State University of New York researchers recently determined that in Texas, where four of the world's largest wind farms are located, warming trends have developed due to the effects of expelled energy and turbulence from turbine rotors. Wind energy has long been controversial because no one wants the unsightly turbines in their backyard, and the high cost of development and energy distribution has been prohibitive. If it's true that wind farms actually contribute to global warming, the very thing that they supposedly combat, then there may be no reason to build these gigantic bird-killing Cuisinarts in the first place.

Worse yet, Solyndra, the bankrupt solar-panel producer that was the Obama administration's poster child for a clean energy revolution, has also become an environmental blight. The company appears to be walking away from an undetermined amount of hazardous chemicals stored at its closed plant in Milpitas, California. Solyndra doesn't want to (and can't) pay for the proper disposal of the chemicals, which now sit in barrels in a hazardous storage area.

All this bad news hasn't stopped the administration from moving "forward" with its green energy initiative. Last week, a series of roundtable discussions were held between government officials and private businesses to explore new ideas for clean energy production. One creative concept was to burn chicken manure to create electricity. It appears that Obama remains committed to converting America to his green energy vision, even if he has to use chicken excrement to do it.

What should energy policy look like?

Regulatory Commissars: We Get Results

The New York Times reports, "Al Armendariz, the Environmental Protection Agency official who stirred controversy last week after a video circulated in which he declared that the agency should 'crucify' polluters as a deterrent, has resigned, saying he regrets his comments and does not want them to distract from the E.P.A.'s work." Last week, we noted Armendariz's horrendous comments and said he should either resign or be fired -- and we got results. (Though YouTube removed the video last week, our friends at the Media Research Center still have it.)

Despite his tepid "apology," we think his original comments are representative of the EPA in general. Why trust their current spin now that they're caught? Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), who originally released the video, says he won't stop his investigation just because of the resignation. "After his revelation that EPA's 'general philosophy' is to 'crucify' oil and gas companies, it was only right for Administrator Armendariz to resign today -- but his resignation in no way solves the problem of President Obama and his EPA's crucifixion philosophy," Inhofe said. "In his letter to [EPA] Administrator [Lisa] Jackson, Armendariz again pointed to his 'poor choice of words' as the reason for his resignation -- but Armendariz was just being honest: His choice of words revealed the truth about the war that EPA has been waging on American energy producers under President Obama."

Immigration Front: Subsidizing Illegals

Illegal aliens are taking advantage of the "additional child tax credit" when filing tax returns and they're getting some $4.2 billion in refunds for their small effort. Illegals who work in the U.S. are required to file taxes using an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, and there are two million illegal aliens claiming credits for dependents -- including nieces and nephews -- who don't even live in the U.S., all in order to get thousands of dollars in returns. In one case in southern Indiana, four workers claiming residence in a single trailer claimed 20 dependent children. Those children all still live in Mexico, but the workers still got almost $30,000. When asked about this, one worker said that if the opportunity is there, why not take it? Free money -- what's not to like? The IRS has known about the problem for years, including receiving many warnings from the Treasury Department's Inspector General for Tax Administration, but hasn't done anything to stop it. And why should they? It's not costing them anything.

Security

Warfront With Jihadistan: Afghan Security Agreement

Obama hit the campaign trail this week, traveling 14,000 miles round trip for a brief stop in that key electoral battleground state of Afghanistan. We're sure it was complete coincidence, but the trip occurred on the one-year anniversary of Osama bin Laden's death, which, in case you didn't know, was completely and bravely orchestrated by the Humble One himself. Obama spiked the political football all week. Cheekiness aside, we once again praise the intelligence community and the brave Navy SEALs who actually deserve the credit. Job well done.

As for Obama's Afghan trip, the regime claimed it was to sign the new U.S./Afghan security agreement discussed last week, but in reality it was pure politics. Apparently, since Obama has no other positive foreign policy or economic record on which to run, it looks as if he's going to milk the bin Laden raid for everything it's worth.

Surprisingly, much of Obama's speech from Bagram Air Base about the new agreement wasn't too far off base, with a decent nod to the service of our troops. Unsurprisingly, though, some of the speech was the usual leftist claptrap, such as, "Today, I signed an historic agreement ... that defines a new kind of relationship ... a future in which the war ends, and a new chapter begins." Right. The Taliban greeted that "war ends" naiveté just hours later with multiple attacks in Kabul that killed at least seven people.

Naturally, the Narcissist in Chief just couldn't leave himself out, saying, "[O]ver the last three years, the tide has turned [in Afghanistan]. We broke the Taliban's momentum. We have built strong Afghan security forces. We devastated al-Qa'ida's leadership, taking out over 20 of their top 30 leaders. And one year ago, from a base here in Afghanistan, our troops launched the operation that killed Osama bin Laden. The goal that I set -- to defeat al-Qa'ida, and deny it a chance to rebuild -- is within reach" [emphasis added]. The goal that Obama set? Please. President George W. Bush set that goal while Obama was still voting "present" in the Illinois state senate. Further, during his campaigns for a Senate seat and the White House, Obama promised to undermine and abandon that goal.

Elsewhere in the Long War, U.S. drones killed four al-Qa'ida fighters in Pakistan. These strikes were the first since Pakistan approved new guidelines for the country's relationship with the U.S. Pakistan had insisted that the U.S. stop such attacks as a precondition for normalized relations, but officials now fear these strikes will set back negotiations on reopening the vital NATO supply routes to Afghanistan that Pakistan blocked five months ago. That "future in which the war ends" doesn't seem to be visible from the present, regardless of what Obama says.

Quote of the Week

"Imagine if President Nixon had decided to base his 1972 re-election campaign on the boast that he landed on the moon. His predecessors tried and failed for eight years. It wasn't an easy decision -- what if something went wrong? But that's why you hire a president, to make those gutsy calls. Which path would George McGovern have taken? That's analogous to President Obama's effort to campaign on the killing of Osama bin Laden. His absurd braggadocio is turning one of the few successes to occur under his leadership into a political liability." --Wall Street Journal columnist James Taranto

This Week's 'Braying Jackass' Award

"Let me tell you something else that I have had enough of: I've had enough of using terrorism as a wedge issue in our politics. I've had enough of that! I have had enough of that! You know, I, uh ... I don't know about you, but I think that the War Against Terrorism isn't supposed to crop up between September and November of even-numbered years -- and yet that seems to be the pattern." --then-Senator BO, September 2006

What do you think of Obama's football spiking?

The Fate of Chen Guangcheng

A tense diplomatic standoff is unfolding in China over the fate of dissident Chen Guangcheng. Chen, a blind activist who served three years in prison for speaking out against China's forced abortion and sterilization policies, has been under house arrest with his wife and mother since 2009. He escaped last week and sought protection at the American Embassy in Beijing shortly before Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner's arrival for a meeting with Chinese leaders. The original purpose of the meeting was to discuss cooperation on trade, currency rates, Iran and North Korea. Those talks have now been eclipsed by questions over Chen's fate.

Chen originally hoped to stay in China to continue his work, and U.S. diplomats claimed earlier this week that they had made a deal with Chinese officials to provide medical treatment and relocation to a safe place in China where Chen presumably would not be prosecuted -- or persecuted. The validity of the deal came under question on Wednesday after Chen's arrival at a Beijing hospital. The dissident told reporters that Chinese authorities sent a message to him through a U.S. intermediary, warning they would kill his wife if he didn't leave the embassy. The State Department denies that claim and maintains that the hospital trip was Chen's decision. On Thursday, U.S. officials confirmed that Chen had changed his mind about staying in China and is now seeking asylum in the U.S. with his family. The Chinese now say he can file to study abroad "like other Chinese citizens."

China's long history of persecution and human rights abuses proves that Chen's safety there cannot be guaranteed under any circumstances. The U.S. State Department and the Obama administration would know this if they read their own reports on the imprisonment of Chen and millions of other Chinese human rights activists, political prisoners and religious leaders. The Nobel Peace Prize-winning Obama's lack of leadership on the world stage has repeatedly left democracy activists around the world at the mercy of their repressive regimes. We can only hope his callous political worldview doesn't resign Chen Guangcheng to the same fate.

Another Weekend End Run

It is remarkable how much damaging information and controversial policy comes out on Friday afternoons from this supposedly transparent White House. Knowing that people tune out for the weekend is an important key in how Barack Obama works toward his true goals. Here's the latest such news dump: Last Friday, Obama allowed $192 million in frozen funding to be sent to the Palestinian Authority despite the fact it has reneged on or never agreed to key conditions for receiving the aid. Bypassing a prohibition imposed by Congress on funding the PA is no laughing matter, particularly to our Israeli allies.

The funding spigot was shut off after the PA attempted to get UN endorsement of "Palestine" statehood last September, but Obama circumvented Congress by claiming the money was "important to the security interests of the United States." Yet the $192 million will help to bolster Hamas, an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood that recently joined the PA coalition government and has never accepted Israel's right to exist -- a direct violation of the conditions associated with the PA receiving these funds in the first place.

More troubling than the slap in the face to a key Middle Eastern ally, though, is the cavalier disregard for standing law exhibited by the president as he makes yet another move more suitable for a tinhorn Third World dictator than the chief executive of a constitutional republic.

Culture

The American Spring: It's Hot in Cleveland

Those who bill themselves the "99 percent" promised, after the Occupy movement was uprooted last fall by a combination of the onset of winter and the reassertion of order on public property, that they would be back this spring. They chose May 1, traditionally a socialist worker's holiday, as the date to resurrect the movement. However, aside from a small number of arrests from pitifully small gatherings of thousands around the world, the real excitement came from a band of five self-proclaimed anarchists who plotted to blow up a highway bridge outside Cleveland.

Somehow much of the media missed the admitted connection between this gang of five and the Occupy movement, even though the ringleader admits he's part of Occupy Cleveland and wasn't necessarily interested in nonviolent protest, according to an FBI affidavit. Of course, this isn't surprising given the covert relationship between the Occupy movement, the media and the Democrat Party. These were the same media outlets that were falling all over themselves to blame the Tea Party for the Gabrielle Giffords shooting.

While it's fortunate that the bridge plot was caught in time, people who have been assaulted, raped, or even murdered by the Occupy thugs weren't so lucky. We may be in for a long, hot summer, and, unlike the May Day protests, there may just be more than a little harmless overtime for law enforcement.

Obama Bully Says 'Don't Bully'

Editor's Note: The following story contains some unsavory, if partially redacted, language as we quote an Obama administration lackey.

Call a homosexual "pansy-a---d" and you're a bully. Use the same name for a person of faith, and you're Barack Obama's anti-bullying spokesman. Dan Savage -- homosexual activist, author of a sex column and founder of a pro-LGTB anti-bullying campaign that the Obama administration is openly supporting -- recently turned what was supposed to be an anti-bullying speech at the National High School Journalism Conference into an all-out attack on Christians and Christianity. As many as 100 students walked out during Savage's diatribe as he pointedly mocked the Bible and anyone who believes it, urged the students to ignore the "bull ----" the Bible teaches, and then called those who had exited "pansy-a---d."

Such bullying is nothing new for Savage, who has lashed out at "right wing religious f---ers", obscenely maligned Rick Santorum's name in Internet search engine results because Santorum had the audacity to express his biblically consistent position on homosexuality, and said he wishes "Republicans were all f---ing dead." That's far from his worst. How typical of the Obama administration that the man it has hand-picked as its voice for anti-bullying is, ironically, a bully himself and a pal of the Bully in Chief.

When It's Okay to Ignore Racial Violence

As the story of Trayvon Martin's death has slowly faded from the headlines, there have been numerous unreported instances of black-on-white violence that, were the media actually fair, they would have highlighted. In fact, these aren't really random acts of violence, but the direct result of media hype over Martin's death. In recent weeks, writes blogger Bob Owens, "At least 15 whites have been beaten not just with fists, but with potentially deadly weapons including hammers and lengths of chain. Many of the victims have been hospitalized, some may never fully recover, and one lingers on the verge of death."

Two white Virginian-Pilot reporters were viciously assaulted by 30 black youths. A Baltimore tourist was robbed and beaten by a man who videotaped it and posted it online, claiming, "me an [sic] my boys helped get justice fore [sic] trayvon." Seven whites were injured by a black mob in Grand Rapids, Michigan. A man from Sanford, Florida -- just down the road from where Martin was shot -- was attacked by two black men with a hammer and remains in critical condition. A Gainsville, Florida, man was attacked by a group of black men who shouted "Trayvon" as they savagely beat him. As Owens concludes, "The fact that Martin's admitted shooter, George Zimmerman, is multi-racial indicates the attacks are merely an excuse to resurrect deeply buried grudges and act out on them with violence." And media race baiters lead the way.

And Last...

Radical Elizabeth Warren is the Democrat candidate challenging Republican Scott Brown for his Massachusetts Senate seat. She is also a Harvard law professor who had an interesting background check of sorts this week. During her career at other schools, Warren claimed Native American heritage based on little more than family "lore," supposedly as a means to enjoy minority status and smoke the peace pipe with other faculty members. "I listed myself in the directory in the hopes that it might mean that I would be invited to a luncheon, a group something that might happen with people who are like I am. Nothing like that ever happened, that was clearly not the use for it, and so I stopped checking it off." Indeed, having reached Harvard, Sacaja-Warren dropped the routine, perhaps hoping to shed the aura of the victimized native. Ironically, her questionable claim has now jeopardized her chances of taking the Senate seat once held by another famous Native American, Teddy Chappaqua Dick.

Semper Vigilo, Fortis, Paratus et Fidelis!
Nate Jackson for The Patriot Post Editorial Team

Gallup can imply that Hispanics will help Obama win the Catholic vote but the numbers don't wash

May 04, 2012 07:30 am | Coach Collins

 By Kevin "Coach" Collins

In it's last survey Pew found that among White Catholics Barack Obama is trailing Mitt Romney 57/37. As clear as these numbers are, left alone and not attacked by the Left they portend "game set match Mr. Romney" in November. In the history of such polling no Democrat has ever lost the Catholic vote and won the general election for president. Obviously this is a very dangerous statistic for Democrats and the fact that it is so easily confirmed makes it more so. Enter Gallup.To obfuscate the power of Obama's deficit with Catholics, Gallup has ridden to Obama's recue with its new polling results on the Catholic vote saying "No it's not 57/37 but actually tied at 46/46!"

Wow! Two well established polling companies have talked to thousands of respondents and come up with a twenty point difference in what they see as the Catholic vote - but how can that be?

The ... Continue Reading:Gallup can imply that Hispanics will help Obama win the Catholic vote but the numbers don't wash

comments | read more

American Minute May 3

May 03, 2012 05:13 pm | Coach Collins

By Bill Federer, staff writer

    The Star-Spangled Banner was written while the British bombed the fort named for him. This was James McHenry, who died MAY 3, 1816.
He was a physician in the Revolutionary War, a member of the Continental Congress and a signer of the Constitution.
He was Secretary of War under Washington and Adams, helping to plan the Military Academy at West Point.
As president of the first Bible Society in Baltimore, James McHenry stated in 1813:
"Neither let it be overlooked, that public utility pleads most forcibly for the general distribution of the Holy Scriptures.
The doctrine they preach, the obligations they impose, the punishment they threaten, the rewards they promise, the stamp and image of divinity they bear, which produces a conviction of their truths, can alone secure to society, order and peace, and to our courts of justice and constitutions of government, purity, stability and usefulness."
James ... Continue Reading:American Minute May 3

comments | read more

Police shut down event promoting Constitution on orders from Islamic, terror support group CAIR

May 03, 2012 01:00 pm | Coach Collins

by Doug Book,  staff writer

A Michigan police department has made it clear that freedom of speech and the Constitutional right to peaceably assemble may only be enjoyed upon approval by the terror-promoting, Islamic group CAIR.

On January 26th, Michigan State Representative David Agema and others hosted an event entitled "Constituting Michigan-Founding Principles Act" in the Allegan High School auditorium. The purpose of the event was "...to inform the public about the importance of honoring the United States Constitution, to recognize the internal threat to America posed by radical Muslims and the dangers to our free society caused by the imposition of Sharia law." (1)

As the Michigan House sponsor of HB 4769, "The Restriction of Application of Foreign Laws Act" it is Representative Agema's goal to ban the use of foreign or Sharia law by Michigan courts "...when those laws conflict with fundamental rights protected by the Constitution of the United States and the State ... Continue Reading:Police shut down event promoting Constitution on orders from Islamic, terror support group CAIR

comments | read more

Today's Headlines:  Friday, May 04, 2012

Chinese Rights Activist: 'Hillary Clinton, This Is the Time to Deliver'
  Clean Cookstoves Top Hillary Clinton's Agenda in China on Thursday

Rights Activist: Administration 'Willing to Sacrifice' Chinese Dissident for 'Unimpeded Trade Talks'

Please support CNSNews.com to ensure you get THE TRUTH for a long time to come. 
Romney Indicated 'Openness' to Modified DREAM Act, Rubio Spokesman Says    Romney Tied with Obama in Florida, Ohio

USDA Presses Oil Industry to Support 15-Percent Ethanol Blend

White House Denies U.S. Officials Knew About Threat to Chen's Family

Romney on Chen Case: 'Day of Shame for the Obama Administration'

Holder Announces 107 Arrests Involving $452 Million in False Medicare Billings

Princeton, UPenn, Chicago Now Offer 'Gender-Neutral Housing' for Undergrads

After Russia Threatens Pre-emptive Strike on NATO Missiles, U.S. Stresses 'Cooperation,' 'Common Ground'

Presidential Election May Boil Down to Virginia

Women Outnumber Men in Professional Field But Earn Half the Pay

COMMENTARY:

Comcast Boasts 'Diversity,' On and Off Camera
By L. Brent Bozell III
New York magazine reports NBC programming chief Robert Greenblatt has given the go-ahead for a new sitcom called "The New Normal." NBC's new normal is about two gay men who start a family using a surrogate. Ah, yes, the new normal...

A Decade of War -- for What?
By Patrick J. Buchanan
So, after a decade of war in Afghanistan, what have we accomplished, and at what cost? Al-Qaida was driven out a decade ago but is now in Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, North Africa and Iraq. And if "the time of war" is at an end, as President Obama proclaimed this week, does that rule out U.S. military action in Syria or war on Iran?

Mamas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be 'Julia'
By Michelle Malkin
The nation's storyteller, Barack Obama, has unveiled a frightening new fable on the Internet about the life of an imaginary woman named Julia who simply cannot function without the lifelong intervention of federal patriarchs. The fable is intended to scare women away from supporting fiscal conservatives in November. But the effort has flopped.

Chen
By Rich Galen
Sometimes even the best intentioned deals turn out badly. The continuing saga of Chen Guangcheng appears it might be one of them.

NEWSPAPER ROUNDUP: