Quote: 

"If we did not have such a thing as an airplane today, we would probably create something the size of NASA to make one."

My Name is America by Todd Allen Herendeen- The Official Patriotic Anthem-Super!

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)

Activate: How to turn the 2012 election from a close call to a mandate

• I want to make sure I'm registered to vote and adopt a schlub friend. CLICK HERE
• I commit to registering FOUR schlub friends CLICK HERE
• I commit to be a part of the global Tea Party movement the week of Restoring Love: FreePac &Constitutional Conference
• I want to join a team - 9/12 Project, FreedomWorks, or a local Tea Party

Last night, Glenn focused on the importance of commitment. He was the first to admit, a lot of last night's show was something you had heard before - but it's important to start at the beginning and to make sure you know what you believe before you get put into action. And tonight, Glenn revealed ways for you to really get moving! 

Tonight, the focus of the show was "Activate" - and it was all about the election and how you can make sure that one way or another - 2012 is a year for a mandate for or against the progressives. And if you think it doesn't matter just take a look at what is happening right now in Wisconsin. Progressives and unions are doing everything they can to make sure that Walker loses. It's a microcosm to what is happening around the country, and Glenn thought it was so important that he recapped it on tonight's show (in under three minutes!):

DHS Warns Al-Qaeda Is Planning Large-Scale Wildfire Attacks 

The Department of Homelands security is warning that terrorists are planning large-scale wildfires attacks near densely populated areas across the country.

June 14, 2012 

An image from the most recent issue of Inspire magazine, which is reportedly produced by Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. Several articles in the magazine advocate the use of wildfires as a terrorist tactic.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security and fusion centers around the country are warning that terrorists are interested in using fire as a weapon, particularly in the form of large-scale wildfires near densely populated areas. A newly released DHS report states that for more than a decade "international terrorist groups and associated individuals have expressed interest in using fire as a tactic against the Homeland to cause economic loss, fear, resource depletion, and humanitarian hardship." The report notes that the tactical use of fire as a weapon is "inexpensive and requires limited technical expertise" and "materials needed to use fire as a weapon are common and easily obtainable, making preoperational activities difficult to detect and plot disruption and apprehension challenging for law enforcement."

LIVE SMART - NEWS TALK

Will the last conservative to leave WPHT please turn out the lights. 

Robertson, along with co-host David Toy, Jim Seigfreid, Allen and Peggy as we confront the issues of the day with Constitutional solutions to the problems we were warned about by the Founders of this, the greatest nation to ever shine a light on the world. Our guests include some of the best and the brightest commentators and Patriots around. 

www.blogtalkradio.com/teapartyorg   

ANNOUNCING THE VALLEY FORGE PATRIOTS MONTHLY MEETING

CCG July 10th Meeting - SAM ROHRER speaks on Conservative activism in an unprincipled political world

Dear Patriots,

        Please save the date for the second Tuesday in July, July 10,  when Sam Rohrer will address questions many conservatives have been asking themselves:  how can a principled conservative stay actively involved in the political process when so much of politics seems to be about compromise, connections, power, money, and downright corruption?  Is there any hope to effect real change in the GOP?  in Harrisburg?  in D.C.?  Do we just need to "throw them all out"  as so many frustrated Tea Party folks exclaim?  

      Most importantly, why should and how can principled conservatives get involved in this 2012 election when the only candidates close to our position who have a prayer of winning are a Romney, a Smith, and Congressmen like Fitzpatrick or Dent - each of whom has compromised conservative principles in some areas of practice or policy?   From the perspective of a man of proven conservative principles who battled these issues for 14 years from inside the Capitol in Harrisburg, a discussion of this challenging dilemma should prove interesting and enlightening.

      Please bring your thoughts and questions, invite your conservative friends who are ready to "throw in the towel" and give up the fight - and join us a week from Tuesday at the Quakertown Library.  The proposed agenda is as follows:

 6:30 Open discussion 
 6:50 "Constitutional Literacy" (Michael Farris) 20 minute video
 7:15-8:20  SAM ROHRER - Q&A discussion
 8:20-8:30  Wrap-up: Action Points

      PLEASE PASS ON THIS INVITATION.     For liberty, Jaime

Hey, everyone,

We went to this new tea party group for YOUNG people in Conshohocken the other night and it was filled with energy! Lots of young people were there and they are psyched to stop the train wreck of socialism. If YOU are angry and feel helpless and want to do something about it in addition to praying, please get connected with this group (below) on Facebook! They are networked across the entire country with all the other tea party groups, "912 groups," and other freedom-loving people--many who have grandparents who fought and died in World War II and other battles.  There are many more younger tea party groups springing up as it dawns on teens and 20-somethings that THEY will be the ones living under mandates . . . endless new mandates.  We haven't even discussed the fact that we do NOT have the money to pay for ObamaCare!!!  

These young people GET IT--it is them that will suffer under socialism, under the crushing debt, under devastating unemployment, and under a horrible NO-WORK ethic creeping across our country. Socialism will kill the spirit of our citizens. This group is committed to making a huge difference, right here in Montgomery County.

Also, we met Perry Bentley, the 22-year old Field Director for the MontCo Victory Center to UNELECT OBAMA.  Perry said that on July 7 there is a kickoff for anyone who is interested to help in lots of ways to get rid of Obama: phone calls, door knocking, and much more. Call 717 686-2219 to sign up and help get rid of Obama. To do nothing at this point is to allow tyranny, plain and simple. The time for watching t.v. is OVER. Your future children and grandchildren will ask you:  what did you do to stop tyranny?   

Michele

P.S.  On the Communist Party USA website today, there was an article that said:  "America will accept socialism peacefully without violence."  Will that be you or will you FIGHT it???

Join Us on Fridays and Take a Stand for Israel:    

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

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 and share it with others.  It has already been seen by over 2,100,000 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

"Losing our Sons": Documentary looks at domestic Islamic radicalization and jihadization

Charles Jacobs at Americans for Peace and Tolerance announced today the release of a trailer for their upcoming documentary, "Losing Our Sons", featuring Melvin Bledsoe - father of domestic terrorist Carlos Bledsoe aka Abdulhakim Mohamed who gunned down US Army recruiter Pvt. William Long at an Army-Navy recruiting center in Little Rock, Arkansas in June 2009. Melvin Bledsoe testified at the House Homeland Security Committee hearing earlier this month.

The upcoming documentary discusses how Bledsoe was radicalized by the Muslim Student Association in Tennessee and sent to terrorist training in Yemen with the written recommendation of the imam of a Nashville mosque. It also discusses how the agents of radicalization in the Nashville Muslim community have been aided by collaborators in the establishment media, politics and the so-called "interfaith" community.

The U.S. Constitution

A Reader 

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.

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

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

Read more: 

PHILADELPHIA REPUBLICAN CIY COMMITTEE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:     Matt Wolfe

Phone:       215-387-7300

Email:        PhillyRCC@yahoo.com

New Philly GOP Chairman Hellberg Takes on City Council's "Blame Game"

On June 21^st of 2012, the City Council of Philadelphia adopted resolution 120622, formerly 120284, which called on the U.S. Congress to redirect military spending to domestic services and education. The partisan resolution called on only the congress to take action, while the prior resolution 120284 called on President Obama to take action as well.

Hellberg insisted "This is partisan politics at its apex." "Councilwoman Quinones-Sanchez removed the President's name from a resolution in the 23^rd hour for the sole purpose of political expediency amidst pressure from her colleagues. " added Hellberg

According to the Council, Philadelphia faces a $269 million budget shortfall next year and a $2 billion shortfall over the next 5 years. What is their solution? This week it appears to be raising business taxes and lecturing the U.S. congress on spending.

Their logic: We're broke. We can't manage our budget. We're going to tell you how to manage your budget. That way you can give us money for our budget.

"Meaningless resolutions aimed solely to assuage the guilt of City Council's continuous fiscal mismanagement," explains Chairman Hellberg "is not only irresponsible; it is the kind of leadership which calls into question the need for such a large and fiscally burdensome City Council to begin with."

Hellberg goes on to decry local leadership as "tone deaf, utterly tone deaf." In an era where real issues are here to be solved, the "City Council of Philadelphia continues to blame its shortfalls on others when we all know that the first place we need to trim fat is in our own offices and within the bureaucracy of City government."  

"We mismanaged the School District. It is our fault we are failing our children. It is our fault we are failing financially. Passing a resolution that instructs a redirection of federal funds from military spending will not fix our problems. It is more than ineffective. It is dangerous and irresponsible" laments Hellberg.

The resolution notes the current, horrid state of the Philadelphia economy. It also highlights the growth in military spending over the last decade. "I'm uncertain what the two have in common," states Chairman Hellberg. He continues by pointing out that "the domestic services that our Council has called for re-appropriation to are services traditionally provided at the state or local level."

The chairman states "Our generals know what financial resources the military needs to succeed. The City Council of Philadelphia does not. The aimless statement by our council threatens the livelihood of our troops. It suggests budget cuts without the performance of due diligence. What will the affect of this cut be? Are we willing to take that risk?"  

He added "Instead of calling on the United States military to tighten its belt, let's tighten ours first. We're responsible for the state of Philadelphia's economy. We cannot afford to waste time lecturing others on how to perform their jobs. We need to perform our job. Our future depends on it."

In regard to the prudence of the resolution, Hellberg stated "The United States House Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Appropriations are responsible for discovering and eliminating military waste. The City Council of Philadelphia is not. A 5^th grade student of social studies is well aware of this reality"

"Want to save some money? I think Council should reimburse the City of Philadelphia and its taxpayers for the time and paper that was wasted on this nonsense." - said Hellberg enthusiastically

It is the dawn of a new day for the Philadelphia GOP. Once known as the party of 'hear nothing, see nothing, do nothing', Chairman Hellberg is on a mission to make a two-party Democracy a reality once again in the City of Brotherly Love. "Here's my advice to Council" remarks Chairman Hellberg - "Get to work for a change!"

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 July 2, 2012

1. For Conservatives, August Begins and Ends in Florida

At the end of August, Republicans will gather in Tampa, FL to nominate Mitt Romney for President. But at the beginning of August, Conservatives will gather in Jacksonville, FL for the RedState Gathering.

We're going to have RNC Chairman Reince Priebus, Florida Governor Rick Scott, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, Senator Ron Johnson, former Georgia Secretary of State Karen Handel, along with a number of candidates including Joe the Plumber, Ted Cruz, and more.

There'll also be a few big names attending who we will announce in the coming week. We're also going to throw in, free of charge, activist training from American Majority. It is, bar none, the best training you can get as we try to take back the Senate and White House.

You are not going to want to miss it. I'll be there as well.

Remember, unlike any other conference, the RedState Gathering happens because the politicians and candidates want to meet you. There is no fancy stage. There is no big divide between you and the candidates. Every person who speaks is required to take 15 minutes of their time to answer your questions. The candidates and politicians pay their own way and answer your questions because they value the authentic grassroots conservatives who make up the RedState readership. It helps us keep your costs down and your access up.

But time is running out. You only have a couple weeks left to get a super deal on the hotel and a discounted registration rate. Go here now to register for the 2012 RedState Gathering.

2. More Proof We Need More Conservatives in Congress

Every Republican swears up and down that he/she supports limited government, a balanced budget, and free markets. Yet, once again, only a fraction of Republicans in Washington were able to stand for those ideals. The House and Senate passed the Obama highway bill/student loan stimulus on Friday with overwhelming majorities in both houses of Congress.

3. Repeat after me: THE OBAMACARE 'MANDATE' WAS ACTUALLY A TAX.

And that affects profoundly the question of how to get rid of it. Mickey Kaus is correct, and Ryan Lizza & David Frum are wrong on this: the only reason that Obamacare was not cast down was because the US Supreme Court decided 5-4 that the so-called 'individual mandate' was constitutional if it was considered to be a tax. The US Supreme Court also decided, 5-4, that the so-called 'individual mandate' was not Constitutional if done under the Commerce Clause. So anyone who wants to argue that the Obamacare health tax is not actually a tax must also admit that Obamacare is unconstitutional. Supporters of Obamacare do not get to have it both ways. The Supreme Court has ruled that Obamacare's centerpiece is a half trillion dollar tax hike on the middle class. This is a thing that has happened. And it means, among other things, that the Democrats' threat of a filibuster is an empty one when it comes to repealing it next January. We have a Senate majority, we can remove the health tax. Simple as that.

4. The Supreme Court's Disappointing Tax Ruling

The ruling that Obamacare's individual mandate exceeded Congress' power under the Commerce Clause showcased the Supreme Court at its intellectual best: the fruits of years of detailed and heated scholarly and judicial debate, intensive briefing and vigorous argument were reflected in the various opinions. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the Court's opinions on the alternative ground - the taxing power - that Chief Justice Roberts and the Court's four Democratic appointees found to be an alternative basis for the mandate. Critics on the Right have assumed that Roberts is wrong about the taxing power, and the cheerleaders on the Left are simply pocketing the result, but neither the various opinions nor most of the commentary have bothered to explain a theory of what Congress can and cannot constitutionally do through its power to tax.

5. Arkansas Democrat Puts On A Weird Show

I just ... I don't even ... wut? The above video shows Democrat State Senator Gene Jeffres, who is running for Congress in Arkansas against Republican Tom Cotton, answering a question about healthcare. The first weird thing Jeffres did was get down on his knees in front of a woman, like maybe he was going to whisper the secret 11 herbs and spices to her. The second weird thing he did was assert that Germany has provided for the healthcare of their citizens for "centuries". No wait, sorry. The first weird thing he did was to choose to wear that suit.

6. Holder's Contempt Citation Could Give New Meaning to "House Arrest"

I'll give you two disclaimers here: 1) I am nowhere near as well-versed on the Fast & Furious events as folks here like Moe & Jeff, so this piece won't help anyone understand the events behind that, and 2) I Am Not A Lawyer...and there's a lot of lawyerly stuff here.

Heritage Hotsheet

Experts on the Day's Hottest News

Items for July 2, 2012

Ohio among storm states to benefit from FEMA liaison officers   

Examiner.com

House could arrest Holder with inherent contempt power   

The Washington Times 

Can Mexico's incoming government make the needed reforms?   

The Washington Post

A bad UN idea on arms deals   

The New York Post 

Obama Spanish language ad blitz aims to wrap up Latino vote   

Politico

Latest Heritage Research

ISSUE BRIEF:
U.S. Should Respect Paraguay's Decision to Remove President Lugo 

July 2, 2012   

Supreme Court Helps Obama Fulfill Dreams from His Communist Mentor
Paul Kengor
Thanks to the current actions of the Supreme Court, Frank Marshall Davis is no doubt smiling from his grave. More

The Supreme Court Is Not Our Friend
Bruce Walker
The relationship between conservatives and the Supreme Court is rather like that between Charlie Brown and Lucy Van Pelt in autumn. This is nothing new. More

Arrest Eric Holder
Selwyn Duke
It turns out that the House could encourage immediate cooperation by arresting Holder. Such a move would be based upon something called "inherent contempt," a process well-established by precedent. More

Forget Immigration. It's Big Government Hispanic Voters Want.
Tara Servatius
If we are to believe the polls, Hispanic voters love big government. Just adore it. They want more of it. Lots more. And they will vote to make that happen. More

Is Obama's Support Weaker Than Poll Numbers Appear?
Chad Stafko
There is a compelling divergence regarding President Obama's reelection chances when we consider what the poll numbers are telling us versus what the boots on the ground are indicating. More

Roberts Hands a Poisoned Chalice to the President
Christopher Chantrill
Whatever you think of Roberts' decision, his message was unequivocal. If you don't like ObamaCare then you'd better vote it down in November. In this he gives conservatives real clarity. More

Thanks, Cher
Jeffrey Folks
Thank you, Cher, for revealing what Hollywood liberals really think of America. More

American Thinker Blog

The Smoking Gun at Penn State
July 2, 2012
The case for JoePa is no longer plausible. More

A Cautionary Tale
July 2, 2012
Friday afternoon the day following SCOTUS' ruling on ObamaCare, I spoke with a friend whose business is high end construction work for smaller projects. More

Taxes: 'Heresies of the Obvious'
July 2, 2012
The theory versus the practice of budget balancing More

Obama, Our Illegal Immigration President
July 2, 2012
We have entered a new era when it comes to illegal immigration. We can thank the Obama administration. More

Fatal attraction: The politics of celebrity culture
July 1, 2012
I am a Registered Nurse and a Tea Party member. I find it appalling that the majority of my coworkers know all about American Idol and Dancing with the Stars, but are unable to name their Senator or Congressman More

 Conservative history:

Explode another liberal myth: abolitionist "hero" John Brown wasn't one of the good guys, he was a murdering psychopath. At the 1856 Pottawatomie Creek Massacre, he and his fanatical followers dragged five innocent men-none of them slave owners-from their beds and slaughtered them in front of their screaming families. "But like you Stalinists say, you can't make an omelet without breaking eggs, right?"  

Ask a liberal to guess who came up with this marvelous, well-meaning program:  

We ask that the government undertake the obligation above all of providing citizens with adequate opportunity for employment and earning a living. The activities of the individual must not be allowed to clash with the interests of the community, but must take place within its confines and be for the good of all. Therefore, we demand:... an end to the power of the financial interests. We demand profit sharing in big business. We demand a broad extension of care for the aged. We demand... the greatest possible consideration of small business in the purchases of national, state, and municipal governments. In order to make possible to every capable and industrious [citizen] the attainment of higher education and thus the achievement of a post of leadership, the government must provide an all-around enlargement of our entire system of public education... We demand the education at government expense of gifted children of poor parents... The government must undertake the improvement of public health-by protecting mother and child, by prohibiting child labor... by the greatest possible support for all clubs concerned with the physical education of youth. We combat the... materialistic spirit within and without us, and are convinced that a permanent recovery of our people can only proceed from within on the foundation of the common good before the individual good.

Yep, it was the Nazi Party, Munich, February 1920.  

Obama's Victory Speech Translated 

After the Supremes approved Obamacare yesterday, the President gave a speech. I think it needs de-coding.

Obama: Today's decision was a victory for people all over this country...

De-coded: It's a victory for central planners, not "people". One thing I've learned in 42 years of reporting is that centrally planned bureaucracy kills innovation, increases costs, and undercuts personal liberty.

If you're one of the more than 250 million Americans who already have health insurance, you will keep your health insurance...

Unless your insurance company, like Principal Financial, leaves the business, because you've made it bad business. Then people lose their policy.

This law will only make it more secure and more affordable.

It's impossible to do both.

Because of the Affordable Care Act, young adults under the age of 26 are able to stay under their parent's health care plans...

That will make insurance cost more.

...A provision that's already helped 6 million young Americans.

And made insurance cost more.

And because of the Affordable Care Act, seniors receive a discount on their prescription drugs - a discount that's already saved more than 5 million seniors on Medicare about 600 dollars each.

Even rich seniors get a handout. According to Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), ObamaCare will cost taxpayers $2.6 trillion in the next 10 years. 

These provisions provide common-sense protections for middle class families, and they enjoy broad popular support.

True, because people like "free" stuff.

If you're one of the 30 million Americans who don't yet have health insurance, starting in 2014 this law will offer you an array of quality, affordable, private health insurance plans to choose from.

There were already plenty of options for them, including Medicare and charity. But we in government are only happy if it's all centrally planned.

Now, you'll get to "choose" from a whole "array" of mandated expensive and mediocre healthcare "options."

They won't be able to charge you more just because you're a woman.

That's right. They'll just charge everybody more in higher premiums and higher taxes.

But that's nuts! Women visit doctors more than men. Women consume more healthcare.

Not charging women more for health insurance is like not charging Charlie Sheen more for property insurance. People who incur higher costs pay higher insurance rates or insurance doesn't work.

If you're sick, you'll finally have the same chance to get quality, affordable health care as everyone else.

Quality? Affordable? Without a market, how would we know? Quality and innovation come from market competition. That pretty much stops with central planning. Canadians get "free" healthcare, and they have the privilege of waiting 23 hours to see someone at the ER, as opposed to the 4 hours Americans have to endure.

And if you can't afford the premiums, you'll receive a credit that helps pay for it.

And you will be taxed for that. The bill raises premiums by up to 50% -- that's $1,500 for individuals, and $3,300 for families -- according to a study by Blue Cross Blue Shield (BSBA).

Today, the Supreme Court also upheld the principle that people who can afford health insurance should take the responsibility to buy health insurance.

Should take responsibility? No. The Supreme Court ruled that the you must buy insurance because the Feds say so. That's not "should take responsibility", that's force.

...If you ask insurance companies to cover people with preexisting conditions, but don't require people who can afford it to buy their own insurance, some folks might wait until they're sick to buy the care they need...

We still will. The penalties cost less than insurance. This will drive private insurance companies out of business. Then we will be stuck with government care. Maybe that was the intention all along.

In fact, this idea has enjoyed support from members of both parties, including the current Republican nominee for President.

True. Although he imposed it only on one state. We have 50. Experiments at the state level at least allow comparison. And some freedom. Also, when Obamacare passed, there was not "support from both parties." No Republicans voted for the law and Mitt Romney promises to repeal the law if he gets elected.

...I didn't do this because it was good politics. I did it because I believed it was good for the country.

I believe you. Statists think that big intrusive complex government micromanagement is a good thing.They think that government can solve our healthcare problems. I say, "No They Can't."

---

---

 

In A Few Years China Will Likely Be the Second-Most Important Country for Israel   Jun 30, 2012 12:11 pm

Alleged CIA Report That Predicts End of Israel by 2022   Jun 30, 2012 11:57 am

Muslim Persecution of Christians: May, 2012   Jun 30, 2012 11:03 am

Limiting the General Welfare Clause   Jun 30, 2012 10:44 am

Health Care Law Budget Buster, Bad For Jobs   Jun 30, 2012 10:29 am

Friday Afternoon Roundup - Steal their Thunder   Jun 30, 2012 10:08 am

DONT TAX ME NO MORE! Supreme Court Awakens American People   Jun 29, 2012 10:38 am

PBS: Re-Educating America's Schoolchildren, Thanks to Your Contributions   Jun 29, 2012 10:00 am

Obama Administration's Breathtaking Arrogance on Questions about Inviting a Terrorist to ...   Jun 29, 2012 09:59 am

The Jihadi Threat Within   Jun 29, 2012 09:08 am

New START: Same Baseless Arguments   Jun 29, 2012 06:38 am

FBI Breaks Ground for New TEDAC Laboratory   Jun 29, 2012 06:28 am

Mandate Constitutional, Roberts Saves Obamacare   Jun 28, 2012 02:11 pm

Insurgency and the Protracted War   Jun 28, 2012 10:30 am

Court: "Irreparable Harm" if Non-Citizens are Allowed to Vote   Jun 28, 2012 09:23 am

The Biggest Scandal in U.S. History   Jun 28, 2012 09:20 am

The Ball is in Our Court   Jun 28, 2012 09:05 am

Supreme Disconnect

By Frank J. Fleming On June 27, 2012

So right now we're in this asinine situation where we're waiting for the Supreme Court to get back to us and tell us whether it's okay for the federal government to force us to buy stuff whenever it feels like it. To the average American, who learned in school that the Constitution is a document that defines and constrains the power of the federal government, the notion that the dimwits in D.C. can start making spending decisions for individuals is patently ridiculous. But the left and "constitutional law scholars" are freaking out that anyone is even questioning the government's power to do this. Obviously, there is a bit of a disconnect here.

Some people have recently coined the term "originalist." That's a fancy term meaning "you read the Constitution like it actually means something." You don't see this term applied to many things other than the Constitution.

"This road sign says, 'Wrong Way,' so we probably shouldn't go down this street."

"Oh, so you're one of those simplistic road sign originalists."

By default, most Americans are originalists, because they have this wacky habit of reading words as if there were meaning to them. They assume this philosophy applied to the Constitution when it was written, because if that document didn't actually mean anything, how in the world was it supposed to hold back the powers of the government?

But there are many people who read the document as if it doesn't hold meaning, if they read it at all. I'm not sure what the term is for these people. I think it's "jackasses." Instead of the text of the Constitution, they study "case law" and "precedent," though a more accurate term for this stuff would be "constitutional fan fiction." The only thing in the Constitution universe that is canon is the actual text of the Constitution, but they have all these made up stories they'd rather pay attention to. And while it's pretty obvious that nothing in the text of the Constitution allows the federal government to make us buy stuff, in all the fan fiction about constitutional law, it's super obvious that the government can always do whatever it wants if it is really, really, super certain that it's about something important.

Digest · June 29, 2012

A Busy Week for the Court Leaves a Lot of Work for Liberty

Today we take a look at several big rulings handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court. These include the travesty of a decision upholding ObamaCare, the assault on the sovereign state of Arizona, the ever-evolving definition of "cruel and unusual punishment" with regard to the sentencing of minors, and campaign cash in Montana. The Court was all over the place, but we've got it covered.

A Date Which Will Live in Infamy

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld ObamaCare Thursday, following Congress and the president in abdicating their oaths of office. In what no Leftmedia outlet will describe as a "narrow majority," the Court upheld the constitutionality of this onerous and unpopular law by a 5-4 vote. The result is both devastating and a call to action. Patriots across this nation absolutely must rally to restore Rule of Law through the ballot this November.

Read and comment.

The BIG Lie

"It should be pretty clear by now that I didn't do this because it was good politics. I did it because it was good for the country." --Barack Obama, whose only aim is the "fundamental transformation" of the United States

Tellingly, he made no mention of the word "tax" in his post-decision remarks.

This Week's 'Braying Jenny' Award

"I knew that when [Ted Kennedy] left us he would go to heaven and help pass the bill. Now I know he was busily at work until this decision came down, inspiring one way or another. And now he can rest in peace." --House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)

Ted Kennedy went to heaven?

Don't Give Up -- We Sure Won't

Thursday's Court ruling may be discouraging, but we can't let that keep us down. We must persevere in the fight for Liberty. We at The Patriot Post pledge to do so and ask you to stand with us today.

We have all enjoyed the fruits of prosperity that our forefathers purchased at great sacrifice, many with their lives. With the current unprecedented assault upon Liberty, each and every one of us is called to make our own great sacrifices, now and throughout the remainder of this election year. Future generations deserve no less.

Please take a moment to make a secure online donation to our 2012 Independence Day Campaign. If you prefer to support us by mail, please send your check with our printable donor form to the address on the form.

We have just 5 days to raise the remaining $175,000 for our campaign, and we're still 14 percent behind to date.

Government and Politics

Judicial Benchmarks: Arizona and Immigration

On Monday, the Supreme Court ruled on four provisions of Arizona's controversial immigration law. The results were mixed. The Court struck down three of the four provisions it considered, siding with the Obama administration in a 5-3 vote, but by 8-0 (Elena Kagan recused herself) upheld the "heart" of the bill, which is the authority for law enforcement to verify the immigration status of individuals at a traffic stop or under arrest.

Read and comment

Judicial Benchmarks: Juvenile Sentencing

The Supreme Court continues its "race to the bottom" on matters of criminal punishment. In Miller v. Alabama, a 5-4 majority used the cases of two minors convicted of murder to invalidate the rule of 28 states and the federal government, which prescribed a mandatory sentence of life-without-parole for all minors convicted of aggravated murder.

Read and comment.

Judicial Benchmarks: Campaign Speech

Justice Anthony Kennedy's swing vote aided constitutional conservatives as the Supreme Court summarily reversed a decision of the Montana Supreme Court, which held that the U.S. Court's Citizens United decision did not apply to Montana.

Read and comment.

Judicial Benchmarks: 'Stolen Valor'

The Supreme Court struck down the Stolen Valor Act in a 6-3 decision. The law made it a crime to lie about having received a military decoration or medal, but the Court found that a false public claim to have received those honors isn't a crime. As Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote for the majority, the law's "sweeping, quite unprecedented reach ... puts it in conflict with the First Amendment."

According to Tejinder Singh, writing at the Court's blog, "The Court concluded that the Stolen Valor Act is unconstitutional because the Government had not shown that the statute is necessary to protect the integrity of the system of military honors -- the interest the Government had identified in support of the Act."

Regardless, those who make fraudulent claims to military honors are deserving of our deepest contempt.

News From the Swamp: Holder in Contempt

The House voted 255-67 Thursday to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress for his refusal to cooperate in the investigation of Operation Fast and Furious. Most Democrats walked out on the vote in protest, but 17 of them joined Republicans in acknowledging the obvious. Unfortunately, the vote amounts to little more than a political slap on the wrist for Holder -- he likely won't face any tangible consequences for his obstruction of justice.

Earlier in the week, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) sent a letter to Barack Obama challenging his assertion of executive privilege over documents related to Fast and Furious. Issa said that either the White House was involved in sending misleading and false documents to the committee or is deliberately obstructing justice. Holder has long maintained that the White House was not in any way involved in the ill-conceived gunwalking operation that led to the death of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry. If that were truly the case, then Obama cannot invoke executive privilege, because the communications and decisions enacted by the Justice Department occurred without consultation or direction from the White House. However, if the White House was involved, then Holder lied to Congress. Either way, it doesn't look good for Obama or Holder.

Hope 'n' Change: Obama Campaign Lowlights

The Obama campaign set up an event registry on their website this week asking supporters to register their weddings, anniversaries and other events in order to convince their friends and family to make contributions to the Obama-Biden campaign instead of sending gifts. This latest campaign gimmick is a bizarre new low for the Obama team in that it makes every significant event in people's lives about Obama.

Obama has also been wallowing in self-pity, warning supporters that he "will be the first president in modern history to be outspent in his re-election campaign, if things continue as they have so far." He claims that while a majority of his donors gave less than $1,000 apiece, most of Mitt Romney's supporters are high-end donors pledging well over that amount. Obama audaciously criticized Romney's recent retreat that featured a number of policy discussions with donors and potential VP candidates, stating, "I've got other responsibilities I'm attending to." Those responsibilities included a two-day, seven-fundraiser blitz, bringing his total number of such events this year to 100, three times as many as George W. Bush at the same point during his re-election campaign.

The Obama campaign is working at gaining more support by extending government handouts to American citizens. In one such effort, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is spending up to $3 million on an ad campaign to encourage even more people to take food stamps. There are already more than 46 million people receiving food stamps, and enrollment has expanded significantly since 2004. Can we survive another four years of that kind of Hope 'n' Change?

From the Left: Democrats Cut Back

The Democratic National Committee is continuing to make significant changes to the September convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. This week they announced that the Sept. 3 kick-off event has been moved from Charlotte Motor Speedway to the downtown business district. They claim the move is for logistical reasons, but only if by "logistical reasons" they mean a significant fundraising shortage. The DNC's self-congratulatory ban on corporate donations, combined with a general lack of enthusiasm among traditional Democrat supporters, has left the nominating convention $27 million short of their goal.

The DNC already reduced the convention from four days to three, and they are now contending with a growing list of congressional Democrats skipping the whole affair. Senators Claire McCaskill (MO), Jon Tester (MT) and several other member of Congress from states and districts where Obama is unpopular have announced they won't attend the convention. Add to this the fact that the convention is in North Carolina, a state that is increasingly hostile to Obama's policies, and it becomes reasonable to assume that the DNC party planners may be less than optimistic about a replay of the 2008 Denver love fest.

Judge Okays Florida Voter Purge

U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle ruled Wednesday that Florida could continue with its purge of ineligible voters from its rolls. The Obama Justice Department had sued the Sunshine State on the grounds that removing non-citizens and other ineligible people from voter rolls was racist and against federal election law. Hinkle ruled, however, that federal law prohibits states from removing eligible voters near an election, but not from blocking people from voting who had no business casting ballots in the first place. Voter fraud is a key part of Democrat election strategy, so we understand why this ruling would be upsetting.

Economy

Income Redistribution: Losing the War on Poverty

It costs us nearly $1 trillion a year between federal and state entities, but the vast redistribution of wealth that is government's preferred solution for equalizing outcomes is doing nothing of the sort. Instead, it's created two distinct but politically powerful groups: 1.) A permanent underclass comprising a vast group of indentured servants who pay little to nothing in taxes but who get just enough handed to them by the American sugar daddy to stave off rioting in the streets, and 2.) The government employees and contractors who hand out the largess.

Since the so-called "Great Society" was launched under President Lyndon Johnson, the poverty rate has fluctuated in a relatively narrow range between 10 and 15 percent. As a whole, Americans are far wealthier with more material goods than they were at the start of Johnson's "War on Poverty," but those at the lower end of the income scale are still deemed to be in need of assistance by those who believe they know best. According to a recent Cato Institute study, government spending on poverty programs now amounts to nearly $20,000 per person. This means that, on the average, a "poor" family of four benefited from almost $80,000 in government spending last year -- certainly enough to qualify as a middle-class income if it were earned.

Of course, America's poor aren't living in a manner one generally envisions as indicative of a middle-class income. The various forms of welfare that federal and state governments distribute pass through many hands before finally reaching recipients. This creates a long list of those who like the programs and want to see them expanded. And since Barack Obama has turned many millions of Americans into government dependents, making any sort of meaningful cut will be a politically dicey prospect should Mitt Romney win this November.

From the 'Non Compos Mentis' File

This one didn't exactly promote the narrative of the "recovery summer" the Obama campaign has tried to tell for the last three years:

"My grandpa used to say, from Scranton, he'd say, 'Joey, when the guy in Dunmore -- the next town over -- when the guy in Dunmore is out of work, it's an economic slowdown. When your brother-in-law is out of work, it's a recession. When you're out of work, it's a depression. It's a depression for millions and millions of Americans." --Joe Biden, stealing a line from Harry Truman and Ronald Reagan

Recall that The Gipper went further, pointing out that a recovery was when Jimmy Carter lost his job. May history repeat itself.

Share some words of wisdom with Old Joe.

Regulatory Commissars: The Populist Screed Against Lenders

The Left always slams banks for their "greed," but since the mortgage fiasco, banks now face heavier regulations than ever before. For example, they are forced to lower interest rates, forgive principal on mortgages, make loans to low-income borrowers with little prospect for payback and buy Treasury bonds to maintain prescribed liquidity. Yet these actions to satisfy a radical Obama regime are damaging these banks' ability to raise their own funds. As a result last week, Moody's downgraded five American banking behemoths to near-junk bond status once they realized the banks' finances were built on the shifting sands of federal debt. The not-so-fab five include Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan Chase.

The Obama administration is also cracking down on credit card companies by letting anyone with a grudge damage the companies' reputations by making complaints public. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is beta-testing a program that allows anyone with a computer to see complaints placed against credit card companies, regardless of merit. Can you say class-action lawsuits?

Yet Richard Cordray, the former Ohio attorney general that Obama appointed to lead this new agency, claims this release "promotes the advancement of the free-market system." But making complaints public will only create the perception that credit card companies are in the same league as the banks already demonized by the administration. It's in the best interest of financial institutions to have satisfied customers, but the government is positioning itself to be the only customer for which satisfaction is demanded.

EPA Regulations Upheld

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia ruled this week that the Environmental Protection Racket, er, Agency is justified in regulating industry and vehicle emissions via the Clean Air Act. The court said the agency is "unambiguously correct" that such emissions endanger public health.

"The court's decision should put an end, once and for all, to any questions about the EPA's legal authority to protect us from industrial carbon pollution through the Clean Air Act," said former White House climate adviser Carol Browner, who is now a senior fellow at the hard-left Center for American Progress. "This decision is a devastating blow to those who challenge the overwhelming scientific evidence of climate change and deny its impact on public health and welfare." That would be the same evidence that's so "overwhelming" that even ecofascists such as James Lovelock, the inventor of the "Gaia" theory that Earth is a single organism, now admits that "we don't know what the climate is doing." We do, however, know what the EPA is doing -- throttling energy producers, automakers and others at the expense of us all.

At least the White House finally issued a permit for a section of the Keystone XL pipeline. Baby steps.

Around the Nation: Bullet Train Derailed

It's always fun to watch a leftist caught in the trap of his own policies, and California sets the latest stage. Democrat Gov. Jerry "Moonbeam" Brown was ready to drive the construction of a high-speed rail line, funded in part by billions from the president's "stimulus" package. The only problem is the stimulus dollars come with strings that say construction must commence before Dec. 31, 2012. Yet standing in the way of this deadline are environmental requirements that could take years to meet -- regulations that Brown himself has a long record of supporting. As the state's attorney general, Brown certainly amassed a good deal of experience filing environmental lawsuits.

So, what's a guy to do when he road-blocks himself? Request an exemption from the rules, of course. And that's just what Brown tried. As you can imagine, this went over among environmental groups like a plastic bottle in an aluminum-can receptacle. So, under pressure from said groups, Brown reneged on his plan, indicating last week that he will not attempt to circumvent the rules after all. Of course, this probably means the high-speed rail line is rocketing toward oblivion. Kind of like the rest of the economy of California, which ranks worst in the nation for business, thanks in part to burdensome regulations. We're sensing a theme here.

Security

The Future in Egypt

As expected, the "moderate" Muslim Brotherhood won Egypt's nationwide election last weekend, as the MB candidate Mohammed Morsi garnered about 52 percent of the vote. Sadly, once again it appears that an anti-West, anti-freedom group of Middle Eastern thugs has used the democratic process to secure power, impose Sharia law and curtail the freedoms that brought them to power. Some Egyptian clerics rejoiced, calling for a march on Jerusalem in order to restore it as their capital. No doubt that will bring peace to the always-troubled region.

One of the most important players in this drama, the Egyptian military, won't allow any group to come to power that threatens their still-substantial might and national prominence. They already took steps to reduce the power and influence of Egypt's parliament prior to the election, correctly predicting the election's outcome. They know that any conflict with Israel and the U.S. would devastate Egypt and sap their power, so there is no doubt they will attempt to rein in the MB. Unfortunately, the wild card is the continuing rise in popularity of radical Islam and Sharia law across the Middle East, which could eventually overtake even Egypt's military. Should that occur, all bets are off.

Naturally, our clueless Dear Leader called the MB to congratulate them on their victory, saying it was a "milestone" on Egypt's transition to democracy and that he looked forward to working with them on the "many shared interests" between the U.S. and Egypt. Left unsaid was any clue as to what those shared interests may be. If anything, this election is just another reminder that democracy in and of itself is no guarantee of Liberty, as the people can vote in the most heinous, tyrannical criminals if so desired. Only a culture of life and constitutional Rule of Law that chains the government down can secure Liberty.

Warfront With Jihadistan: Carter Criticizes

Barack Obama was a frequent critic of the Bush administration's terrorist detention policies. As the Nobel Peace Prize-winning commander in chief, Obama has solved this little problem by simply killing terrorists with drone attacks rather than doing the hard work of figuring out what to do with captured ones. This unilateral action isn't sitting well with some of the president's allies.

Fellow Nobel laureate Jimmy Carter took to the pages of The New York Times with some stern words for the one who should join him as a one-term failure. Carter lamented that Obama's drone strikes amount to the sanctioning of "widespread abuse of human rights," and he accused the current administration of "clearly violating" 10 of the 30 articles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In a Catch-22 of sorts, Carter also slammed the Obama White House for failing to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay.

Carter charged that the "United States is abandoning its role as the global champion of human rights." Indeed, he continued, "Instead of making the world safer, America's violation of international human rights abets our enemies and alienates our friends." It's ironic that Carter's abdication of America's role as global leader contributed, in part, to his landslide defeat at the hands of Ronald Reagan. Perhaps history is about to repeat itself.

What does Carter get right, if anything?

And Last...

Editor's Note: We will not publish a regular Digest next Friday due to the holiday. Have a blessed and safe Independence Day!

Generally speaking, Barack Obama had a good week. He can at least claim a partial victory against Arizona, as well as a major triumph with ObamaCare. But that wasn't all -- a poll commissioned by the National Geographic Channel revealed that nearly two-thirds of Americans think Obama is better suited than Republican rival Mitt Romney to deal with an alien invasion. No, not illegal aliens streaming across the southern border -- Obama has already abdicated that responsibility -- but aliens from outer space. Why would he handle it better than Romney? We don't know. Maybe it's his ears. We just hope that if aliens do show up, they take Obama with them.

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

(To submit reader comments click here.)

(Please pray for our Armed Forces standing in harm's way around the world, and for their families -- especially families of those fallen Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen, who granted their lives in defense of American liberty.)

Join the Fight to Repeal Obamacare

Fellow Americans,

Like you, I am disappointed by the Supreme Court's Obamacare decision. The Court misread and rewrote Obamacare in order to save it. Such contortions are not the proper role of judging. Most Americans are with you and me and deeply dislike this law.

We believe, however, that this is far, far from a time for despair. This decision will energize freedom-loving Americans to once again take matters into their own hands. Our republic has survived and flourished for more than two centuries because men and women-brave, determined, and deeply committed to the cause of freedom-were willing to stand, to march, and to make whatever sacrifices were necessary so that their children would know the blessings of liberty, the hope and opportunity that flow from living in "the land of the Free."

They will receive this ruling as a clarion call to action. Once again, the people will have to rise to defend a fundamental American concept: that the power of government over individuals must be limited.

First, let's acknowledge what was good in the decision. The Court recognized that there are limits to what Congress may do under the Commerce Clause. Big-government forces have for too long abused this clause's grant of congressional authority, but the Court's decision reaffirms that there are limits on their actions.

There's also the fact that the individual mandate has acquired the official constitutional status of a "tax"-and if it is indeed a tax, then that is even more reason for the U.S. Senate to repeal it with the 51-vote threshold available under the Budget Act's reconciliation process. It is a revenue provision. No filibuster problems there now.

Calling it a tax, of course, doesn't make the heavy-handed policy in Obamacare any better for those who now have to buy a product they don't like. And yesterday's opinion makes clear that President Obama enacted a massive new tax on the middle class, breaking one of his repeated promises.

We must resolve to check this dangerous expansion of power.

The first step is to work harder than ever to fully repeal Obamacare. Now that the Supreme Court has had its say, Congress becomes the arena in which we can fight for relief and restoration of constitutional limits.

Congress can and must reassert its constitutional authority. Indeed, the House of Representatives has already acted. We congratulate the lower chamber for having voted to repeal Obamacare.

Now it's the Senate's turn to do what's right: Repeal Obamacare, and force the President to sign its repeal.

The American experiment is predicated on the idea that government exists to serve the people, that it derives its power from the people, and that the people retain all powers they do not specifically grant to government. Obamacare turns that fundamental idea on its head.

Ours is still a government "of the people." And the American people have spoken clearly. Indeed, the people's antipathy toward the law keeps growing. Just this month, a poll conducted by The New York Times and CBS News found that more than two-thirds of Americans wanted the Supreme Court to strike down Obamacare as a whole or in part. Only 24 percent would keep the law in place. While Court decisions obviously should not be driven by polls, the poll clearly shows the people's dissatisfaction with the bad policy in Obamacare.

So many aspects of Obamacare are appalling. Once all its provisions kick in-conveniently, after the November election-millions of Americans stand to lose their current coverage. Already, it saddles individuals and families with higher premiums, higher costs, and higher taxes-and even steeper increases loom on the horizon. It has sparked a host of other loathsome mandates, like the HHS mandate that requires charitable religious organizations to provide coverage that violates the tenets of their faith.

But why should we expect government to respect the constitutional right to religious freedom if we allow government to ignore fundamental restraints on its power to regulate the lives of its citizens?

This year will mark a pivotal point in American history. The American people now must make a critical decision: We must choose between constitutional, limited government on the one hand and arbitrary, unlimited rule on the other.

We at The Heritage Foundation, as always, will stand in defense of our nation's founding principles. We are eager to lead the fight to overturn this Intolerable Act-Obamacare-and we are grateful for your support of our efforts to save the American Dream for the next generation.

Join our fight: Become part of the mission to repeal Obamacare and create a better America.

Sincerely,

Ed Feulner
President, The Heritage Foundation

This week on GBTV!

This week on The Glenn Beck Program: Glenn is joined by some of the biggest names in the conservative media this week - Jonah Goldberg, Monica Crowley, Kevin Jackson and many more. Glenn and his guests will discuss everything from the 2012 presidential election and the latest power grab by the Muslim Brotherhood, to the decision on Healthcare coming from the Supreme Court later this week. LIVE at 5pm ET or available on demand - don't miss a single show!

This Thursday on Real News: The Supreme Court is all set to release their decision on the Constitutionality of Obamacare this Thursday. Real News will be there to break down the decision, how it will impact you, and the effect it will have on our healthcare system.

Friday on GBTV: At 5pm ET on The Glenn Beck Program, Glenn is joined by Matt Kibbe of FreedomWorks, CBN's David Brody, and Texas Senate candidate Ted Cruz to discuss the global Tea Party movement and FreePAC, the big event being hosted by FreedomWorks the week of Restoring Love this summer in Dallas, TX.

SEASON FINALE of The B.S. of A.!
Brian and the gang set off on a journey to Atlantic City for an EPIC season finale. Make sure to watch this Thursday at 7pm ET (or on demand) to find out who Brian leaves behind and a cliffhanger that is going to have you on pins and needles until the start of the next season!

The all new "Invite Friends" program! 

 Big announcement: GBTV merging with TheBlaze.com
Glenn has promised from day 1 that the left would one day wish he was back on cable news. Last week Glenn's announcement validates his original commentary - GBTV will be merging with The Blaze and The Marketplace to form one multi-platform news and information media company. Get Glenn's announcement and click HERE for all the details that will surely drive the left nuts.

GREECE 2012: AVERTING DISASTER?
Last week on Real News, the panel recapped the results of the Egyptian presidential runoff election and the 11th hour military dictatorship - WATCH.

Standing Up to Big Government: "an ordinary American citizen" demands answers about Obama's birth

Jul 01, 2012 06:13 am | Coach Collins

 By George Spelvin, Staff Writer

Will Florida's Robert L. Quinn be America's answer to the anonymous Tank Man of China who stood up in front of a column of tanks ordered by the Communist regime to clear Tiananmen Square of peaceful citizen protestors?

 His frail body holding back the menacing war machines became an iconic photo of the Twentieth Century signifying an ordinary citizen standing up to unrelenting governmental power which just had declared martial law to quell its own Chinese citizens!  Quinn, a septuagenarian, who identifies himself as an ordinary American citizen, sent a deeply moving, poignant letter to FBI Director Robert Mueller in defense of his country and in protest to what Barack Obama and his administration are doing.  Mueller is asked to investigate Obama's birth documents.

"This oath requires you to defend the Constitution, not a person sitting as President and Commander in Chief of our Military forces and especially one whose ... Continue Reading:Standing Up to Big Government: "an ordinary American citizen" demands answers about Obama's birth

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American Minute June 30

Jun 30, 2012 06:13 pm | Coach Collins

By Bill Federer, staff writer

The first European settlement in North America was Fort Caroline at St. John's River in Florida, founded by French Christians known as Huguenots.
On JUNE 30, 1564, they set a day of Thanksgiving and offered the first Protestant prayer in North America:
"We sang a psalm of Thanksgiving unto God, beseeching Him that it would please Him to continue His accustomed goodness towards us."
Rep. Charles E. Bennett sponsored a bill, September 21, 1950, establishing the Fort Caroline National Memorial.
In 1989, Rep. Bennett recited the history:
"The 425th anniversary of the beginning settlements by Europeans...renamed from Fort Caroline to San Mateo, to San Nicolas, to Cowford and finally to Jacksonville in 1822...
Three small ships carrying 300 Frenchmen led by Rene de Laudonniere anchored in the river known today as the St. Johns."
Charles Bennett continued:
"On June 30, 1564, construction of a triangular-shaped fort...was ... Continue Reading:American Minute June 30

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Russian Bear Growls

Jun 30, 2012 06:13 am | Coach Collins

by Jim Emerson,  staff writer

In the last couple of weeks in a little reported incident Russian bombers held an exercise in the Arctic region near Alaska.  Operating from forward bases in Siberia the Russian Bomber flew simulated nuclear strikes against strategic and air dense targets in the Last Frontier state.  The Russian exercise began while both Presidents Putin and Obama were barely tolerating each other's presence during the G-20 summit in Mexico. (1)

Nothing new

Russian strategic forces have been performing strike exercises in the arctic region since the cold war but the timing and scale aircraft of aircraft this year is sending a message. The bear is letting Americans know that it is still a global power. If the Russians really sent their largest nuclear Bomber, the Tu-160 Blackjack to participate this year that would send a powerful message to Obama. American and Canadian fighters have been busy intercepting the bombers as they violated ... Continue Reading:Russian Bear Growls

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American Minute June 29

Jun 29, 2012 06:13 pm | Coach Collins

By Bill Federer, staff writer

 "I would rather be right than President," stated Henry Clay, who died JUNE 29, 1852.
The son of a Baptist minister, Henry Clay was elected Speaker of the U.S. House 6 times, having served in Congress over 40 years with Daniel Webster and John Calhoun.
The State of Kentucky placed Henry Clay's statue in the U.S. Capitol's Statuary Hall.
Struggling to hold the Union together prior to the Civil War, Henry Clay stated in 1829 to the Kentucky Colonization Society in Frankfort:
"Eighteen hundred years have rolled away since the Son of God...offered Himself...for the salvation of our species...
When we shall...be translated from this into another form of existence...we shall behold the common Father of the whites and blacks, the great Ruler of the Universe."
In an obituary address upon his death, Representative John C. Breckinridge recalled Henry Clay as saying:
"The vanity of the ... Continue Reading:American Minute June 29

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Obama has started this war on our freedoms now We The People have to fight it and win it

Jun 29, 2012 01:13 pm | Coach Collins

By Kevin "Coach" Collins

Virtually at the moment Barack Obama was elected he plunged us into a state of war to save our freedom.  We have been under attack by the very people forward looking Americans like Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan warned about.  Now we must face and defeat our enemies. This is not a movie; this is our generation's World War II.  

Beating the Axis powers was tough, but we fought hard and eventually won. The difference between fighting the Axis and fighting Obama's attacks on our freedoms is that early on we knew we would win. We can't say that now. We can't say "I'll take today off - the fight will go okay without me." Each of us has to say "If not me then who?" and mean it.  If you don't do something, every day that something won't get done. If you don't knock on that extra door or make the one more ... Continue Reading:Obama has started this war on our freedoms now We The People have to fight it and win it

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Obama's dreams come true: Muslim Brotherhood drags Egypt back to the 7th century

Jun 30, 2012 01:13 pm | Coach Collins

By Kevin "Coach" Collins

In the midst of a terrible month Barack Obama has finally gotten some good news. As a furtive Muslim his dream has always been to further the spread of a worldwide Caliphate which would administer Sharia law to a world under submission to Islam.  Last Saturday that goal took a big step forward with the election of a Muslim Brotherhood president in Egypt.

Make no mistake about how this came about. Barack Obama helped grease the skids so Egypt's longtime President Hosni Mubarack could be ousted thereby paving the way for this quite predictable outcome.

Now a terrorist group whose motto is, "God is our objective; the Quran is our constitution, the Prophet is our leader; Jihad is our way; and death for the sake of God is the highest of our aspirations" runs a country with a modern well equipped military a seat in the United Nations and the Arab League, in other words ... Continue Reading:Obama's dreams come true: Muslim Brotherhood drags Egypt back to the 7th century

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Chief Justice Roberts gets tax decision WRONG, provides Congress with unlimited power

Jun 29, 2012 06:13 am | Coach Collins

by Doug Book,  staff writer

 John Roberts is said to be quite concerned about the way in which history will view his tour of duty as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Well he doesn't have to worry any longer, for his remarkable decision allowing Congress to impose a tax improperly and in a previously unconstitutional manner will secure his place in Court history for all time.

Very few-including Obama himself-believed the scheme of presenting the individual mandate penalty as a tax would pass constitutional muster. The DOJ included a "the penalty is actually a tax" argument in an ObamaCare brief to the Supreme Court, to be sure.  But that was a typical lawyers' game of "throw everything against the wall and see if it will stick." It was upon the Commerce Clause powers of congress-and to a lesser extent, the Necessary and Proper clause- that the DOJ and Solicitor General Donald Verrilli depended to convince ... Continue Reading:Chief Justice Roberts gets tax decision WRONG, provides Congress with unlimited power

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American Minute June 28

Jun 28, 2012 06:13 pm | Coach Collins

By Bill Federer, staff writer

The Constitutional Convention was in a deadlock over how large and small states could be represented equally.
Some delegates gave up and left.
Then, on JUNE 28, 1787, 81-year-old Benjamin Franklin spoke and shortly after, the U.S. Constitution became a reality.
As recorded by James Madison, Franklin stated:
"Groping as it were in the dark to find political truth, and scarce able to distinguish it when presented to us, how has it happened, Sir, that we have not hitherto once thought of humbly applying to the Father of lights."
Franklin continued:
"In the beginning of the Contest with Great Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayer in this room for Divine protection.
Our prayers, Sir, were heard and they were graciously answered.
All of us who were engaged in the struggle must have observed frequent instances of a Superintending Providence in ... Continue Reading:American Minute June 28

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Obamacare a win for the Democrats? Hardly this will push TEA party enthusiasm sky high!

Jun 28, 2012 12:02 pm | Coach Collins

By Kevin "Coach" Collins

The TEA party movement was born of the threat Obamacare posed to us. It will send the enthusiasm on our side sky high. It will do very little to excite the Left - hey they won didn't they?   

The Supreme Court's Obamacare ruling has placed the weight of pulling America's wagon on middle class people. In the short run Democrats will be delirious and their cheerleaders in the media will be insufferable - in the short run.   They will all act as if they have forgotten what happened in the elections of 2010 - but we will remind them in November.

In 2010 when Obamacare was originally passed with no Senate votes from Republicans, it became the driving force that propelled millions of Americas to stand and fight. We converged on Washington from all over the country demanding that something be done  "to fix this."  When it became clear that the way to ... Continue Reading:Obamacare a win for the Democrats? Hardly this will push TEA party enthusiasm sky high!

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CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS' FOLLY

NATIONAL REVIEW 

In today's deeply disappointing decision on Obamacare, a majority of the Supreme Court actually got the Constitution mostly right. The Commerce Clause - the part of the Constitution that grants Congress the authority to regulate commerce among the states - does not authorize the federal government to force Americans to buy health insurance. The Court, by a 5-4 margin, refused to join all the august legal experts who insisted that of course it granted that authorization, that only yahoos and Republican partisans could possibly doubt it. It then pretended that this requirement is constitutional anyway, because it is merely an application of the taxing authority. Rarely has the maxim that the power to tax is the power to destroy been so apt, a portion of liberty being the direct object in this case.

What the Court has done is not so much to declare the mandate constitutional as to declare that it is not a mandate at all, any more than the mortgage-interest deduction in the tax code is a mandate to buy a house. Congress would almost surely have been within its constitutional powers to tax the uninsured more than the insured. Very few people doubt that it could, for example, create a tax credit for the purchase of insurance, which would have precisely that effect. But Obamacare, as written, does more than that. The law repeatedly speaks in terms of a "requirement" to buy insurance, it says that individuals "shall" buy it, and it levies a "penalty" on those who refuse. As the conservative dissent points out, these are the hallmarks of a "regulatory penalty, not a tax." read more... 

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WHY JOHN ROBERTS UPHELD OBAMACARE 

CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER

WASHINGTON -- It's the judiciary's Nixon-to-China:  Chief Justice John Roberts joins the liberal wing of the Supreme Court and upholds the constitutionality of Obamacare. How? By pulling off one of the great constitutional finesses of all time. He managed to uphold the central conservative argument against Obamacare, while at the same time finding a narrow definitional dodge to uphold the law -- and thus prevented the court from being seen as having overturned, presumably on political grounds, the signature legislation of this administration. Why did he do it? Because he carries two identities. Jurisprudentially, he is a constitutional conservative. Institutionally, he is chief justice and sees himself as uniquely entrusted with the custodianship of the court's legitimacy, reputation and stature.  Read More... 

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NOW WE'VE GOT OBAMACARE SUPPORTERS

RIGHT WHERE WE WANT EM'

AMERICAN SPECTATOR

There has been some counterintuitive analysis suggesting John Roberts is an evil genius and today's health care ruling is a hidden conservative victory. Here's one example from Jay Cost on the right:

First, the Roberts Court put real limits on what the government can and cannot do. For starters, it restricted the limits of the Commerce Clause, which does not give the government the power to create activity for the purpose of regulating it. This is a huge victory for those of us who believe that the Constitution is a document which offers a limited grant of power....

Conservatives have a shot at getting the best of both worlds: having the Supreme Court use Obamacare as a way to limit federal power while also using the democratic process to overturn the law. I didn't think we could have one without the other, but nowmaybe we can.  Read More...

TAX IMPLICATIONS

HEALTH REFORM IS CONSTITUTIONAL: 

HERE ARE THE TAX IMPLICATIONS 

FOX BUSINESS

In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court upheld the president's signature health-care reform in a 5-4 decision. The court ruled the most controversial aspect of the law, the individual mandate, as constitutional, labeling it a tax and within lawmakers' power. So now that the legal uncertainty surrounding the Affordable Care Act has been eliminated, it's time to delve into the tax implications and when they go into effect. Refundable tax credit: This is intended to be a form of assistance with the cost of premiums paid under a qualified health plan. Eligible individual's incomes must exceed 100% but not more than 400% of the poverty level. The Treasury Department is tasked with prescribing rules for calculating the poverty level. Dependents aren't eligible, and if married, you must file jointly otherwise you don't qualify. This credit takes effect after Dec. 31, 2013.

Excise tax: This 2.3% tax on manufacturers, producers or importers on the sold price of a medical device is intended to help cover the cost of the sweeping legislation, but some experts worry it will create more paperwork and increase the costs of the goods. The tax goes into effect after Dec. 31, 2012. Read more:  

WAITING TO HEAR JUDGE ANDREW NAPOLITANO'S REMARKS. 

Dear friend,

On Thursday, the House found Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress by a vote of 255-67 for refusing to produce documentation related to the Operation Fast and Furious scandal.

Operation Fast and Furious involved a coalition of federal agencies facilitating the sale of more than 2,000 firearms to known Mexican drug cartel straw purchasers. At times, federal agents ran interference for cartel weapon smugglers, thwarting local law enforcement. The operation collapsed when a number of agents came forward as whistleblowers following the murder of Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry on Dec. 15, 2010. Agent Terry died following a shootout with a cartel group led by an FBI informant.

PJ Media has been reporting Operation Fast and Furious (also referred to as "Gunwalker") since early 2011. You can see a collection of stories that present the key facts about the scandal by clicking here.

In cases of corruption, we're often told to follow the money. On PJTV, Bill Whittle's latest Afterburner video follows the ideological motives behind Fast and Furious. He concisely explains the scandal and sums it up by calling it "Watergate with 300 dead bodies."

Neal Boortz said this video is one you don't want to miss, and that he's in complete agreement with Bill's viewpoint.

On HotAir.com, Ed Morrissey writes, "Bill castigates the media outlets that have ignored Operation Fast and Furious, scolding them with the famous exhortation, 'Have you no shame?'"

Twitter also has been abuzz with tweets about the video:

• @OffACough: "@PJTV's Bill Whittle unchained. Always a favorite, his most important video yet."
• @shepherd_book: "Bill Whittle is not happy about Fast and Furious, or its tepid coverage in the media. Good for you, Mr. W!"
• @joepalive: "MUST WATCH: Another brilliant commentary by @PJTV's @BillWhittle. It's indeed all about ideology with @barackobama."

This story has been ignored by the mainstream media for too long. Americans need to know and understand what happened. That's why we have been reporting on it for more than a year.

Click here to watch Bill Whittle's video now, and be sure to share it with your friends.

Sincerely,

Roger L. Simon

http://PJMedia.com

http://PJTV.com

News from The Hill:

House passes deal on highways, student loans
By Pete Kasperowicz

The House on Friday approved legislation that will extend federal highway programs through 2014, a low interest rate on student loans for one year, and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) for five years.

Members voted 373-52 in favor of the bill, which was supported by every voting Democrat, while 52 Republicans opposed it.

Read the story here.

Supreme Court immigration ruling: A win for Arizona, a call to action for Congress   The ruling handed down Monday by the U.S. Supreme Court regarding Arizona's SB 1070 raises as many questions as it answers.
Full Story

Supreme Court Upholds Law Enforcement Provision of SB 1070  "An important victory for the people of Arizona and citizens everywhere."
Full Story

Rep. Gutierrez Plays "Who's an American?" on Taxpayers' Time  Maybe Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D - Illinois) should quit his day job as a congressman and pursue his dream of hosting his own game show.
Full Story

Illegal Aliens Will Collect Unemployment Benefits Under Obama Amnesty  If you are a Colorado employer expect your unemployment assessment to go up.
Full Story

Bloomberg's Immigration Poll Misses the Mark  Media outlets provided Americans with only half the story last week when they reported widely on Bloomberg's latest immigration poll.
Full Story

Today's Headlines:  Friday, June 29, 2012

Chief Justice Roberts: It's Not A Tax, It Is A Tax; It's Law, But It's Not 'Unlawful' to Break It

Next Battle: Catholic Bishops Unanimous 'In Our Vigorous Opposition to This Unjust and Illegal Mandate'

Please support CNSNews.com to ensure you get THE TRUTH for a long time to come.

Rep. Gohmert: 'It's Time for the American People to Get Outraged'

Obama, Romney Square on Supreme Court's Health Care Ruling

Archbishop Gomez of L.A.--in Spanish-Language Column--Says Attacks on Religious Liberty in U.S. Driven by 'Anti-Christian' Forces

Pelosi on Obamacare: I Knew Ted Kennedy 'Would Go to Heaven and Help Us Pass the Bill'

Rep. Allen West: 'Life, Liberty & Pursuit of Happiness Got Struck Down' by Supreme Court

Scalia to Ginsburg: Sorry, Health-Care Market is an 'Unwanted Suite of Products' for Many

No Mention of 'Tax' in Obama Reaction to Supreme Court Obamacare Decision

Denver Post: Colorado Solar Panel Maker That Got $400M Federal Loan Guarantee Goes Bankrupt

Rep. Ruppersberger: 'I Didn't Tell My Constituents It Was a Tax'

Your House Office Building Isn't Even Compliant with ADA, Disabled Woman Tells Lawmakers

China, Iran's Biggest Oil Customer, Gets Last-Minute Sanctions Exemption From Obama Administration

Tempers Flare at U.N. Human Rights Council As Speaker Criticizes Cuba and Aspiring Member Venezuela

COMMENTARY:

HBO's Arrogant 'Newsroom'
By L. Brent Bozell III
HBO should really try a new slogan for its original programming. Indeed they already had one courtesy of Aaron Sorkin's acid pen in the debut of his ridiculous new series "The Newsroom." That slogan is "Speaking Truth to Stupid."

Rating and Ranking Our Presidents
By Patrick J. Buchanan
In 1948, Arthur Schlesinger Sr. wrote for Life magazine a controversial article listing the consensus of our academic elite as to which American presidents had been Great, Near Great, Average, Below Average and Failures. In "Where They Stand," Bob Merry offers his own assessments. Buy his book, take it to the beach, and bring the subject up with the after-dinner drinks. A long and loud discussion should ensue.

Democrats' New Motto: Never Let a Wildfire Go to Waste
By Michelle Malkin
Did you know that President Obama has been incommunicado with Colorado's governor for more than two weeks as the nation's worst wildfires rage across the state? After an embarrassing Beltway press briefing revelation about our out-of-touch White House, the administration finally decided to divert the campaigner in chief from his nationwide fundraising frenzy for a quick look-see at our devastated city on Friday. He may be slow on the uptake to respond to national crises, but when it comes to exploiting them, he's an industrial-grade accelerant.

The Chief Justice of the United States
By Rich Galen
At his confirmation hearing in June 2005, Roberts said: "Judges and justices are servants of the law, not the other way around. Judges are like umpires. Umpires don't make the rules; they apply them. The role of an umpire and a judge is critical. They make sure everybody plays by the rules."

NEWSPAPER ROUNDUP:

"Wisconsin will not take any action to implement Obamacare," Gov. Walker says
Federal appeals court: NYC taxis needn't be wheelchair accessible
New York Times editorial:  A moderate ruling with risks ahead
Democrats demand House reprimand Issa over 'Fast and Furious'
Ruling helps Romney haul in $3 million in one day
Conservative Va. AG Cuccinelli finds solace in aspects of ruling
Health-care ruling motivates Romney supporters
Washington Post: Ruling secures for Obama a larger place in history
Sunscreen forbidden at schools and camps
KRAUTHAMMER: Why Roberts did it
GEORGE WILL: Conservatives' consolation prize: Restricting the Commerce Clause
Man shot, killed 30-year-old over a fight for cigarettes
Arizona voting-law request rejected