Quote: 

 "I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death." --Thomas Paine, The Crisis, No. 1, 1776

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)

U.S. using Libya to Aid the Ascendancy of Islamic jihadists and the Muslim Brotherhood  

Frank Gaffney: Obama's Middle East Fast & Furious?

 It seems President Obama has been engaged in gun-walking on a massive scale. The effect has been to equip America's enemies to wage jihad not only against regimes it once claimed were our friends, but inevitably against us and our allies, as well. That would explain his administration's desperate, and now-failing, bid to mislead the voters through the serial deflections of Benghazigate.

 

Frank Gaffney, former deputy assistant secretary of defense under President Reagan, is the founder and president of the Center for Security Policy in Washington.   

Mark Levin Has Had Enough: This Is A Full-Fledged Cover-Up!!

I hope you are having a Happy Halloween tonight. I wanted to take a moment to personally invite you to join FreedomWorks President Matt Kibbe and top activists from around the country on our Election Day 2012 Strategy Call this Saturday at 10am ET. This call will rally the freedom movement and launch our final push to Election Day on Tuesday.

CLICK HERE TO RSVP! 

We've got just six days to Take America Back. That's why we've created Get-Out-the-Vote walking maps and an online phone banking system so you can have an impact electing strong fiscal conservatives. You can learn more about these tools and find out what we're doing in key battleground states by joining us on this conference call. RSVP here and we'll connect you to the call at 10am ET on Saturday.

I know you're tired. But we are so close to Election Day. I hope our conference call will give you the energy to keep fighting over these critical last days.

I hope you can make it on this important call.

For Freedom,

Russ Walker
National Political Director, FreedomWorks for America

ELECTION WEEK ON THEBLAZE TV!

TheBlaze TV is the network that you are building, with the Election Coverage that you need to see. Beginning THIS THURSDAY, TheBlaze TV will bring you special election programming. You aren't going to want to miss any of it!

As a subscriber to TheBlaze TV Plus, you will get EXCLUSIVE news and analysis and in-depth coverage of the election -- including the premiere of The Machine, Glenn's "America at a Crossroads" special, and MUCH more.

Grab on to the truth with this Election Week special programming, exclusively for TheBlaze TV Plus subscribers.

ATTENTION ALL PATRIOTS!!

THE VALLEY FORGE PATRIOTS MONTHLY MEETING WILL BE HELD ON FRIDAY,

NOVEMBER 9^TH AT THE PHOENIXVILLE COUNTRY CLUB STARTING AT 6PM

We sincerely hope that this will be a victory celebration.

Either way we must continue our mission for liberty and freedom in America

and your help is needed!

VFP is honored to have former PA Congressman Sam Rohrer as our speaker.

Sam now heads up the PA Pastor's Network, a project of Let Freedom Ring.

Stay tuned for  more details in future emails.

Also, OPEN MIC NIGHT.

Tell us your war stories about the election, GOTV, and what you would like the VFP to do in 2013.

Bring your friends and family.

PLEASE PUT THIS DATE ON YOUR CALENDAR AND JOIN US!!

Free Parking, food and drink available for purchase.

SECOND ANNUAL

NATIONAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE

FOR VICTIMS OF ILLEGAL ALIEN CRIMES

TO GIVE VOICE TO THE VOICELESS

NOVEMBER 4, 2012

2 P.M.

IN FRONT OF THE

NATIONAL CONSTITUTION CENTER

525 ARCH STREET

PHILADELPHIA, PA

Would you please invite your pastor to this PA Pastors' Network Effort?

Just forward this email

Join with the PA Pastors' Network in 'Stand in the Gap' Pulpit Sunday

to Preach, Pray and Fast for America November 4-6, 2012

The PA Pastors' Network is engaging in a focused effort to preach, pray and fast for America and the Presidential election. For 48 hours from 6 p.m. on Sunday, November 4, 2012 through 6 p.m. on Tuesday, November 6, 2012 the PA Pastors' Network and affiliated churches will cover our nation in prayer, urging all to turn from their sin and to ask God to heal and forgive our nation. There are thousands of Christian churches in PA and we pray that at least 500 pastors will join us in this challenge. Once you register at www.papastors.net, you will receive a beautiful, leather Patriot's Bible, a Certificate of Faithfulness and be listed in PPN communications. Join us to Preach, Pray and Fast!

PPN is asking you and other pastors to do these 3 things:

• Preach on the importance of prayer and repentance on Sunday, November 4, 2012 as the solution to the spiritual and economic troubles facing America. Connect God's promises of blessing to the obedience of His people.

• Lead your congregation to "stand in the gap on behalf of the land" (Ezekiel 22:30) by entering into 48 hours of prayer and fasting from Sunday evening to Tuesday evening.     
• Seek a 90 percent voter turn-out among your congregation.

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

(James 5:16, KJV)

   PA Pastors' Network   603 Fairway Drive   West Chester, PA 19382  

www.PAPastors.net 

Sam@PAPastors.com 610.584.1096 

 Florida Family Association's webmaster American Family Online has produced the following remarkable product to protect children and adults from explicit material on cell phones and tablets.

( You can find more information please see http://mobilewebguard.com )

According to our research at AFO, the largest growing group of smart phone users is the 12-17 year old age group.  Unfortunately, also according to research, the largest viewership of pornography from the Internet on smart phones is 12 to 17 year old children.  The impact is catastrophic.  Desensitization, failed relationships, abuse of women are the results, nothing good.

Although there are other so called parental control functions and filtered browser apps available, none give the protection and full functionality of MobileWebGuard.  We are most proud of the intelligent content scanning and the lock down so that it cannot be easily removed or deactivated.  A filter that can easily be removed or bypassed is a placebo and will do more harm than good if a parent thinks the phone is filtered and it is not.

This app works on most Android and Apple (iOS) devices including smart phones and tablets!  These are the fastest growing segments in consumer technology and thus the most exposed to the dark side of the Internet.  For peace of mind online, a parent must insure their child has a protected mobile device.

Related Scripture Verses

1 Corinthians 6:18 Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.

Romans 1:24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.

2 Corinthians 12:21 I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged.

Philippians 4:8^- Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.

1 Peter 4:7-10 The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. ⁸ Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. ⁹ Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. ¹⁰ Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.

Features

Compatible with most iOS (Apple) and Android devices and includes ...

  You can find more information please see http://mobilewebguard.com

Yes, it's true: You can support ACT! for America-at no cost to you!     An important message from
Guy Rodgers, Executive Director  

The next time you make an online purchase of almost anything, you could be helping ACT! for America-at no cost to you.

Sound too good to be true? It isn't.

All you have to do is sign up for "iGive"-a program that's been around since 1997.

The concept is as powerful as it is simple.

  And with the holidays just around the corner, you could be helping ACT! for America with every gift you buy!

The concept isn't new. In the mid-1990s many supporters of non-profit organizations signed up with long distance telephone programs where a percentage of their bill was donated to their charity of choice.

But our investigation of iGive has convinced us that this program has an ease of use and sophistication that we find remarkable.

  In other words, every time you make a purchase of merchandise you would buy anyway, you would be financially supporting ACT! for America!

All you have to do is log on below and follow the directions to create your account and download the iGive "button." (Note: downloading the "button" is key).

Get Started Here!

When I was first informed of iGive, I was skeptical. I've seen these ideas come and go. Often, they're too good to be true. Or there are all kinds of glitches and problems.

So I spent hours researching.

I looked at online customer reviews (which were very good). I read all of iGive's fine print, such as Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. I signed up and even emailed two tech support questions to see how good their tech support was.

  As you know from our Patriot Partner program, we're all about encouraging a lot of people to each do a little-to do something. When everyone does a little, together we accomplish a lot.

So consider what could happen.

  What's more, that 1.5% figure might be low. Many of the merchants offer percentage donations that are much higher. One printer inkjet company I looked at offered 13%!

Every merchant website you visit tells you right at the top what percentage of your purchase price will be donated to ACT! for America.

Just think what we could accomplish with an extra $15,000, $50,000 or $75,000 in our fight against radical Islam!

Get Started Here!

  I know there are many people out there who would love to support ACT! for America, or give more than they're giving, but in these tough economic times they simply can't.

Well, here's a way that everyone who believes in our mission can easily support what we're doing-at no cost to them.

It doesn't get any better than that.

Guy Rodgers  

Dear Friend,

We have an exciting new project, and with your help, we believe it can impact the future of this country.

We have just produced an exciting new 6-minute 'mini documentary' video based on my recent New York Times bestseller, No Higher Power, that we are distributing to as many national media outlets, bloggers, political organizations, and religious organizations as we can in the next few weeks.  We realize that most Americans do not have time to buy and read my book, but by watching this 6-minute video, Americans can learn about President Obama's war on religious freedom and our Judeo-Christian heritage, and understand 'how' he is accomplishing it. This is important information that Americans need to understand NOW!  

NO HIGHER POWER 'mini documentary' video

The video is produced, ready to go, and I need your help in three important ways . . .

1. Watch the video and learn what Obama is doing, and how he is accomplishing his secular agenda.  The more Americans know and understand what is taking place, the easier it will be to inform others and fight against his anti-religious agenda.
2. Send this video to as many people in your personal network as you can ...
• Post it on your Facebook page
• Email the video link to your entire list of friends, family members, and those in your personal network
3. Make a Contribution - Donate a gift to help us with this campaign, and with our election efforts - any gift is appreciated. But if you can give a gift of $50 or more, we will send you your own personal copy of No Higher Power.  This book reveals many of the important anti-religious activities of this administration that there is simply not time to include in a brief video; it will prepare you to share the truth with others.

We CAN make a difference in these next few weeks, but I can't do it alone.  With your help we can inform the public, and set the stage for grass roots victories against this anti-religious agenda in the future.  Please join me, and help us wage this battle today.

                                                          Faithfully,

                                                          Phyllis Schlafly

While the Progressive movement seeks to divide Americans-by income, race, or creed-we believe in an ideal that transcends any differences and unites all people: Freedom.

When FreedomWorks Foundation helped fund the powerful documentary Runaway Slave, the story of a former NAACP Chapter President turned Tea Party leader, that was the story we wanted to share.

Runaway Slave stars FreedomWorks Fellow Rev. C.L. Bryant, who discovers in the film that by buying into the entitlement mindset of Progressives, the black community has traded one form of tyranny for another.

Thanks to the outpouring of support for Runaway Slave, I'm pleased to share with you that this exciting film is now available through Video On Demand. Click here and watch Runaway Slave now!

Our friend C.L. is not only an electrifying speaker-one that has impressed FreePAC audiences around the country-but also a fantastic storyteller. If you are unfamiliar with Runaway Slave or his story, I encourage you to watch the trailer below:

"It's time conservatives take on Liberal Hollywood.
You must see Runaway Slave, it's great!" - Glenn Beck

As we fight to reclaim our country we must restore the cultural heritage of America by supporting films, books, and songs that express our ideals. This is how we reach more people with our message and it's the reason Runaway Slave is such a critical project. Please click here now and get Runaway Slave through Video On Demand.

The film is also still available in limited theaters. Click here to see where it's playing.

Thank you.

In Liberty,

Matt Kibbe 
President and CEO, FreedomWorks

I am excited to announce that the new, highly acclaimed documentary "The Hope and The Change" will be broadcast on multiple cable and broadcast TV networks  - beginning tomorrow night, Tuesday, September 17th, on HDNet Movies at 7pm ET (click here for information on checking your local listings for the channel and schedule.)

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." 

With those immortal words, our Founding Fathers declared our independence from Great Britain. In doing so, the 56 courageous men who signed the Declaration of Independence pledged to each other "our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor."

Are we today a country that recognizes that level of commitment and sacrifice to the American ideal of liberty?

In Our Sacred Honor, former presidential candidate and Senator Rick Santorum asks this very question. The film presents a journey into our past that explores the meaning of our founding documents, the intentions of the drafters and signers, the origin of our rights, the differences between the French and American revolutions, and the relationship between the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

Through reenactments, interviews with historians, experts, and on-location shooting, viewers are taken back to the time of our founding to better understand the principles of government set forth in America's founding documents and how they enabled us to create the greatest nation in the history of the world.

Buy Our Sacred Honor on DVD right now at our website www.OurSacredHonorMovie.com!

During the presidential campaign, Senator Santorum often quoted the two founding documents that bind our nation together - The Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.  Our Sacred Honor goes into great detail about what those sacred documents truly mean and so it is appropriate that we begin the full promotion of this film on Constitution Day. 

Senator Santorum will be appearing on Fox News' Fox and Friends on Monday, September 17th, at about 7:15am ET. Please turn in to hear him speak about this important movie!

This smartly produced documentary walks through the pivotal moments that led to our nation's independence and explains how, out of many, we formed a more perfect union. It was a pleasure making Our Sacred Honor with Senator Santorum, and I know patriots everywhere will enjoy it.

Our Sacred Honor is available right NOW on DVD - be the first to own this compelling historical documentary by ordering TODAY!

Sincerely,

David N. Bossie
President of Citizens United

Today we are excited to announce that "Occupy Unmasked"  will be made available on Video on Demand (VOD), on the heels of its successful limited theatrical release. "Occupy Unmasked" must be seen to be believed and now you and millions of others will have that opportunity right in your own homes.

The VOD providers carrying "Occupy Unmasked" include iTunes; Amazon; Charter; Comcast; Google Play; DirecTV; Playstation3; Suddenlink; Time Warner; Verizon FIOS; VUDU; Xbox Zune; AT&T UVerse; Cablevision; Cox; and Dish Network.

For more information on how to watch on VOD please click HERE.

"Occupy Unmasked," takes viewers into the Occupy Wall Street camps across the country in New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Portland, Denver and Oakland for an up-close look at what's happened there and who's at the heart of the movement. Exclusive footage and first-hand eyewitness accounts tell the story of the criminal activity and raw brutality in the camps - much of which has not been reported by the mainstream media.

Featuring the late conservative icon Andrew Breitbart, as well as former leftist radicals turned patriotic citizen journalists Brandon Darby, David Horowitz, Pam Keys, Anita MonCrief, Mandy Nagy, and Lee Stranahan, among others, this film delves beneath the surface of the Occupy movement to show its anarchist roots.

Please check your local cable provider to see if "Occupy Unmasked" is available on demand on your TV or download and watch the film online.

Sincerely,

David N. Bossie

Memorial Lecture 

Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013 

7:30pm 

The Annual Jay Michael Swartz Memorial Lecture: An Evening with Michael Medved For Men and Women Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013 7:30pm *Pre-lecture dinner 6:15pm At the Glazier Jewish Center | 25 N. State St. Fee: $36   *Pre-lecture dinner with Michael Medved (includes lecture): $100 AMERICAN JEWS AND CHRISTIAN EVANGELICALS: IRRECONCILABLE ENEMIES OR INEVITABLE ALLIES? Michael Medved is a nationally syndicated radio talk show host and bestselling author. His daily show is heard by over 3.75 million people across the country. Born in Philadelphia, Michael won admission to Yale at age 16 as a National Merit Scholar. He majored in American History and graduated with honors, before attending Yale Law School, where his classmates included Bill and Hillary Clinton. Michael wrote his first bestseller at age 26 - "What Really Happened to the Class of '65?" - a skeptical reconsideration of the "counterculture" of the 1960's that became a weekly TV series on NBC. Many American Jews distrust and even fear the rise of the evangelical Christianity. They see this religious movement as a threat to the survival of Judaism in the United States and to the continuance of a society that values pluralism and religious liberty. On the other hand increasing numbers of American Jews view evangelicals as natural allies, not just when it comes to support of Israel, but on a range of social issues here in the U.S. In this provocative presentation, Michael Medved will explain where Jews and Christians already agree, and where they can never agree, in their participation in the ongoing battles shaping American society.

Dear Fellow Conservative,
 
Registration for CPAC 2013 is now open!  The American Conservative Union's legendary annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) is scheduled for March 14-16, 2013 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center.    

Register Now for CPAC 2013
Don't miss your chance to help take our country back to the right.  To register now and reserve your space, visit conservative.org.

Join the Celebration
In honor of CPAC's 40th Anniversary, we look forward to joining conservatives from across the nation for CPAC 2013, celebrating the accomplishments of the movement while also energizing the next generation of conservatives.

New Location
CPAC 2013 boasts a new location at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center.  Complimentary CPAC shuttle busses to and from the Gaylord Center will be available at convenient locations across the National Capitol Region.  Details will be released in the coming weeks; please visit conservative.org for updates.

CPAC Past & Present
The ACU has hosted CPAC in the Nation's Capital since 1973, and it now stands as the largest annual gathering of conservatives in the country. Additionally, the ACU this year hosted two regional CPACs designed to energize and mobilize Midwest and Mountain West conservatives, giving them the tools needed to defeat the liberal agenda in 2012 while also highlighting rising conservative stars and issues in the region.  Stay tuned for details on 2013 regional CPAC locations!

Interested in Sponsoring CPAC 2013?
National and local partners are critical to achieving a successful event. CPAC 2013 provides an excellent platform to promote your message and network with the leaders and activists who are on the frontlines of the conservative movement. We invite you to review the special opportunities available to join the action at CPAC 2013 by visiting conservative.org.

See you at the National Harbor!
 
 
The American Conservative Union
 
Questions regarding CPAC 2013 may be sent to cpac@conservative.org.

Join Us on Fridays and Take a Stand for Israel:    

The Great Betrayal: Obama's Wars and the War in Iraq

Jul 18th, 2012 

Daniel Greenfield's new Freedom Center pamphlet, The Great Betrayal: Obama's Wars and the War in Iraq, is an effort to understand the politics of the "war on terror" which has now reached a final punctuation point with the U.S. decision to speed its withdrawal from the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan (where success was once deemed so crucial to national security), and to practice an incoherent form of regime change in Libya while ignoring more serious threats in Syria and Iran.

The war on terror began, Greenfield shows, as an admirable bipartisan commitment soon after the tragedy of 9/11-an effort to transcend party lines not only to punish those who attacked our country but also to interrupt planning for further attacks and try to stop the international spread of the Islamic jihad behind the attacks. But the Democratic Party, with the honorable exception of a few individuals like Richard Gephardt and Joe Lieberman, turned its back on a war soon after authorizing it, and did so at a time when American troops were facing hostile enemy fire.

Although Senate Democrats on the intelligence oversight committee had been granted access to every piece of data available to the White House, they now accused President Bush of tricking them to secure their approval. In fact, their own about-face was entirely dictated by political considerations when a Sixties antiwar activist, Howard Dean, surged ahead in the Democratic primary polls and it appeared for a moment that Americans were on the side of retreat and capitulation.

Although regime change in Iraq had been official U.S. policy since Bill Clinton signed the Iraq Liberation Act of 1998, Democratic senators such as John Kerry who only months earlier had supported the war effort now launched demoralizing attacks on the American commander-in-chief and his troops in the field, stigmatizing it as "the wrong war in the wrong place at the wrong time." If the truth was the first casualty of their war against the Bush administration, the second casualty was the principle of bi-partisanship that had guided foreign policy debates throughout the Cold War, the principle that "politics stops at the water's edge." Now partisan politics trumped security.

The unrestrained attacks on the Iraq War as illegal and unjustified went largely unanswered by Republicans who failed to call the Democratic saboteurs of the nation's war effort to account or to decry the risk their cynical attacks posed to American servicemen and women on the battlefield. As Greenfield demonstrates, the Democrats' partisanship had consequences not only in Iraq but elsewhere in the region: the paralysis that resulted from their "anti-war" campaign led straight to the destruction of Lebanon and the installation of a terrorist army, Hezbollah, there as a regime within a regime. And it emboldened an overtly Islamofascist regime in Iran not only to supply the IEDs responsible for most of our troop fatalities in Iraq but also to proceed with a nuclear program aimed directly at Israel and the West.

The Great Betrayal shows that Barack Obama's abandonment of Iraq is a betrayal of all the Americans and Iraqis who gave their lives to establish freedom in that country. And the result of his policies in Afghanistan has been as disastrous. While the President presented his rationale for pursuing war there as the pursuit of al-Qaeda, after abandoning his "surge" (which resulted in two thirds of all America's Afghan casualties there and the resurgence of the Taliban allies of al-Qaeda), he blithely prepared for withdrawal as if national objectives had been met.

Order your copy of The Great Betrayal today by clicking here.  

Go here:  

"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.

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   

I made up the following and have been distributing this to seniors.  This is based on the above article.  

Seniors better wake up to the dangers of Obmacare.

Carlo

From Forbes.com 9/27/2012 by Peter Ferrara

Why Senior Citizens Should Prefer Ryan's Medicare Plan to Obama's

• "...Obamacare funnels $716 billon out of Medicare to pay for a new entitlement we didn't ask for..."
• "...Medicare's Chief Actuary Rick Foster reports that by the end of this decade, Medicare will be paying less to doctors and hospitals for health care for seniors than Medicaid pays for health care for the poor..."
• "...Under Obamacare, soon enough seniors will be lined up behind welfare mothers in trying to find doctors who will see them, and hospitals that will admit them..."
• Because of the cuts "...In a few short years, hospitals that serve seniors in particular will begin closing, and retirees will have increasing difficulty obtaining access to care..."
• "...And this does not even count any further cuts that may be adopted by Obamacare's Medicare death panel, the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB). That Board will be composed of 15 unelected, appointed, Washington bureaucrats with the power to adopt still more Medicare cuts that would become effective even without the approval of Congress..."

There is only one way to stop Obamacare and preserve Medicare for seniors :

VOTE OBAMA OUT and ROMNEY IN

September 2012 

Matthew J. Franck
The Witherspoon Institute

Individual, Community, and State: How to Think About Religious Freedom

MATTHEW J. FRANCK is the director of the William E. and Carol G. Simon Center on Religion and the Constitution at the Witherspoon Institute and professor emeritus of political science at Radford University. He received his B.A. from Virginia Wesleyan College and his M.A. and Ph.D. from Northern Illinois University. A regular contributor to the Washington Post, First Things, and National Review, he is the author of Against the Imperial Judiciary: The Supreme Court vs. the Sovereignty of the People and Strict Scrutiny: Sense and Nonsense on the Supreme Court (forthcoming).

The following is adapted from a lecture delivered at Hillsdale College on September 11, 2012, during a conference on "The Supreme Court: History and Current Controversies."

THERE IS A GROWING awareness among Americans that religious freedom in our country has come under sustained pressures. In the public square where freedom of religion meets public policy, it becomes clearer all the time that there is a high price to be paid for being true to one's conscience. This is no tale of Chicken Little-although a chain of chicken sandwich restaurants based in Atlanta is part of the story. Let me give you a few examples.

In our universities, those citadels of toleration, we find that toleration can be sharply limited. At the Hastings College of Law in San Francisco, the student chapter of the Christian Legal Society was denied any status on the campus because it would not abandon its requirement that members commit themselves to traditional Christian norms regarding sexual morality. The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 5-4 ruling in 2010, held that the student group's rights were not violated by a "take all comers" policy. Following this lead, Vanderbilt University has rewritten its student organizations policy and effectively chased every traditionally Christian student group off campus, denying them regular access to campus facilities. And at the University of Illinois, an adjunct professor of religion, hired to teach a course on Catholicism, was let go because a student complained about his patient explanation of the Catholic Church's natural law teachings on human sexuality. (He was later restored to his teaching duties, but at the expense of the Newman Center, not on the state payroll.)

Read more: 

October 2012 

Norman Podhoretz
Former Editor-in-Chief, Commentary

Is America Exceptional?

NORMAN PODHORETZ served as editor-in-chief of Commentary magazine from 1960-1995. He was a Pulitzer Scholar at Columbia University, earning his bachelor of arts degree in 1950. He also holds bachelor's and master's degrees from Cambridge University, England, where he was a Fulbright Scholar and a Kellett Fellow. In addition, he has a bachelor's degree in Hebrew Literature from the Jewish Theological Seminary. He has written for most major American periodicals and is the author of twelve books, including My Love Affair With America and Why Are Jews Liberals?

The following is adapted from a speech delivered on September 20, 2012, in Washington, D.C., at Hillsdale College's third annual Constitution Day Dinner.

ONCE UPON A TIME, hardly anyone dissented from the idea that, for better or worse, the United States of America was different from all other nations. This is not surprising, since the attributes that made it different were vividly evident from the day of its birth. Let me say a few words about three of them in particular.

First of all, unlike all other nations past or present, this one accepted as a self-evident truth that all men are created equal. What this meant was that its Founders aimed to create a society in which, for the first time in the history of the world, the individual's fate would be determined not by who his father was, but by his own freely chosen pursuit of his own ambitions. In other words, America was to be something new under the sun: a society in which hereditary status and class distinctions would be erased, leaving individuals free to act and to be judged on their merits alone. There remained, of course, the two atavistic contradictions of slavery and the position of women; but so intolerable did these contradictions ultimately prove that they had to be resolved-even if, as in the case of the former, it took the bloodiest war the nation has ever fought.

Secondly, in all other countries membership or citizenship was a matter of birth, of blood, of lineage, of rootedness in the soil. Thus, foreigners who were admitted for one reason or another could never become full-fledged members of the society. But America was the incarnation of an idea, and therefore no such factors came into play. To become a full-fledged American, it was only necessary to pledge allegiance to the new Republic and to the principles for which it stood.

Thirdly, in all other nations, the rights, if any, enjoyed by their citizens were conferred by human agencies: kings and princes and occasionally parliaments. As such, these rights amounted to privileges that could be revoked at will by the same human agencies. In America, by contrast, the citizen's rights were declared from the beginning to have come from God and to be "inalienable"-that is, immune to legitimate revocation.

Read more: 

In the 8th, what do Boockvar and Fitzpatrick really believe?

PHOTOS: P.C. MARX

In the race for a congressional seat - and with "independent" an important concept - Kathy Boockvar seems to hew to a standard Democratic line, and Mike Fitzpatrick may seems to have tilted more to a tea-party outlook.

Dear Activist,

I hope this email finds you well and that you and your family were able to ride out Hurricane Sandy with minimal disruption and damage. Here in the southeastern part of the state, my family and I are among thousands of people still living without power (I was able to type this email thanks to a friend with a generator -- God Bless good friends). Mother Nature certainly unleashed her wrath on us all.

But the damage from Hurricane Sandy is small compared the enormous damage done to Pennsylvania and our country by President Obama. While I watch the work of FEMA and emergency management agencies at the state and local level, I see the government functioning in its proper role. But President Obama grew everything but the basic functions of government during his time in office. His failing agenda of big government hasn't helped us at all, but instead has infringed on our lives and livelihood.

What is worse is that we have elected officials in Pennsylvania like Senator Bob Casey Jr who not only failed to stop President Obama's agenda, but actually joined him in unleashing economic hell on our state and on our families.

Click here to tell Senator Casey to stop voting for policies that hurt Pennsylvania families! (http://www.kintera.org/c.6oJCLRPAJhJUG/b.6646115/k.8B5D/Action_Center/siteapps/advocacy/ActionItem.aspx?c=6oJCLRPAJhJUG&b=6646115&aid=518955)

Senator Casey Jr. was sent to Washington to represent the interests of Pennsylvania families. Unfortunately in his six years in the U.S. Senate, Casey Jr. has repeatedly failed us.

Since joining the Senate, here is what Senator Casey Jr.'s has delivered to Pennsylvania with his votes:

*Higher Taxes

*Increased Spending

*Attack on Coal that led to increased energy costs and a loss of Pennsylvania jobs

*A failed stimulus that wasted taxpayers' money

Americans for Prosperity rates every member of Congress on its Congressional Scorecard on the most important votes for economic freedom. Casey Jr.'s grades show how his policies are failing the Commonwealth.

110thCongress: "F"

111thCongress: "D-"

112thCongress, Mid-Term: "D"

Send Senator Casey a message NOW. Click here to take action now and send a message to Senator Casey to stop voting on policies that hurt Pennsylvania families. (http://www.kintera.org/c.6oJCLRPAJhJUG/b.6646115/k.8B5D/Action_Center/siteapps/advocacy/ActionItem.aspx?c=6oJCLRPAJhJUG&b=6646115&aid=518955)

Here are the specifics of Senator Casey Jr's failing agenda:

Higher Taxes: On multiple occasions, Senator Casey Jr. voted to raise taxes on Americans who are already sacrificing to make ends meet in this weak economic recovery. He voted to increase the death tax, which impacts many family-owned businesses and for the 20 tax increases in the President's disastrous healthcare law.

Increased Spending: During his tenure in the Senate, Casey Jr. has voted to increase spending to astronomical levels. He voted for the $800 billion stimulus and record spending.

Health Care: Casey Jr. voted to pass the President's flawed health care law. This law spends $1.68 trillion over the next ten years and increases taxes by over $500 billion while creating boards like the Independent Payment Advisory Board to disrupt the doctor-patient relationship.

Energy Policy: Casey Jr. has waged an all out war on coal. He has failed to stop the Environmental Protection Agency's assault on energy production in Pennsylvania. Casey Jr. refused to stop the EPA's attempts to regulate greenhouse gases and its Cross State Air Pollution Rule. He also refused to stop the costly Utility MACT rule that will lead to higher electricity prices and cost the Commonwealth thousands of jobs. He also voted to raise taxes on oil and gas companies, while giving green energy companies special tax breaks.

Click here to take action now and send a message to Senator Casey to stop voting on policies that hurt Pennsylvania families! (http://www.kintera.org/c.6oJCLRPAJhJUG/b.6646115/k.8B5D/Action_Center/siteapps/advocacy/ActionItem.aspx?c=6oJCLRPAJhJUG&b=6646115&aid=518955)

It's time to tell Senator Casey he works for Pennsylvania families and not President Obama and Washington D.C. special interests. Click here (http://www.kintera.org/c.6oJCLRPAJhJUG/b.6646115/k.8B5D/Action_Center/siteapps/advocacy/ActionItem.aspx?c=6oJCLRPAJhJUG&b=6646115&aid=518955) to send your message now.

Good Bless and Good luck as you continue to dig out from Hurricane Sandy and thank you for your continued activism on behalf of our state and our country even in the face of true adversity.

In Liberty and Solidarity,

Jennifer Stefano

RedState Morning Briefing

For November 2, 2012

1. Obama Campaign Staffer Arrested For Sexual Assault

Heritage Hotsheet

Experts on the Day's Hottest News

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Items for Friday, November 2, 2012

Holding Pattern Prevails in Jobs Market  Wall Street Journal

James Sherk

Rea Hederman

Election May Hinge on Latino Turnout
Wall Street Journal

Mike Gonzalez

Israel Ortega
  FEMA comes to the rescue in wake of Sandy -- but will it need saving?
Fox News

Matt Mayer

Alison Fraser

Sources, emails point to communication breakdown in Obama administration during Libya attack
Fox News
 Steve Bucci

Jim Phillips

Peter Brookes

James Carafano

Helle Dale

Morgan Roach

Majority of Americans Say Government Spends Too Much on Welfare  The Foundry
  Rachel Sheffield 

  Latest Heritage Research:

November 2, 2012   

Benghazi Reveals Obama-Islamist Alliance

11-01-2012 02:04:20 AM

The nature of the Benghazi disaster is now clear. Ambassador Stevens was engaged in smuggling sizable quantities of Libyan arms, and our country has been revealed as a traitor to its allies....»

Uninstalling Obama 1.0...94% Complete

11-01-2012 02:04:20 AM

There are many different reasons to uninstall programs from the operating system. Any one of the criteria is enough arrive at the uninstall decision. But when all of the criteria are met, such as with Obama 1.0, the program simply cannot be removed quickly enough....»

Obama Just Does Not Like People Very Much

11-01-2012 02:04:16 AM

In a few days, Americans will have a chance to express their feelings for a man who has so little feeling for them....»

Obama Is No Friend of the Middle Class

11-01-2012 02:03:00 AM

It's not really "the rich" who Barack Obama wants to pay more in taxes....»

Gay Marriage and the Curse of Rumpelstiltskin

11-01-2012 02:02:50 AM

Almost all religious faiths warn against carnal impurity because they see a danger in being trapped in one's urges. Gay identity politics chose to base selfhood on submission to urges rather than mastery of urges....»

Amnesty and Pandering Not Key to Hispanic Vote

11-01-2012 02:02:15 AM

It is true that Republicans have to grapple with the Hispanic electorate, but simply supporting amnesty will not solve the problem....»

Obama's Loss: Inevitable for Years

11-01-2012 02:01:40 AM

The pundits and the pollsters can argue political gravity all they want -- and they certainly have for the majority of the past four years -- but truth does not require validation from those who refuse to acknowledge it. Truth is...period....»

Why a Typical Honest Russian Immigrant Hates Obama

11-01-2012 02:01:30 AM

I did socialism already. I -- and those like me -- don't want to do it again....»

The Hope and the Change: A Review

11-01-2012 02:01:20 AM

Sextober Surprise? Dominican Prostitutes Confirm Senator Menendez Paid Them for Sex This Year

President Obama Trashes America in Europe... Again

OBAMA'S A TRAGEDY (parody of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody")

Sean Hannity on Benghazi Slaughter Audio Tapes: "I've Heard They Are Damning"

HIDDEN CAM PRANK!Obama's Halloween!

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

EFF Demands Answers About Predator Drone Flights in the U.S.   Nov 01, 2012 11:02 am

Stealth Islamist Charter Schools Under Investigation   Nov 01, 2012 10:41 am

30% of Kids Drop Out -- Does the Education Establishment Care?   Nov 01, 2012 10:00 am

The Real 'El Chapo'   Nov 01, 2012 09:43 am

Sixty Percent of US Muslims Reject Freedom of Expression   Nov 01, 2012 09:24 am

Obama: Lose or Be Impeached!   Nov 01, 2012 09:11 am

Blackout   Nov 01, 2012 08:49 am

Eric Cantor and The Imperial Presidency, A Report of Barack Obama   Oct 31, 2012 04:52 pm

Immigration Reform News and Impact on US Homeland Security October 31, 2012   Oct 31, 2012 03:01 pm

Supreme Court Justices Address the FISA Amendments Act   Oct 31, 2012 10:35 am

Extremist Imam Holds Fundraiser at Florida Hilton   Oct 31, 2012 09:43 am

The attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi that resulted in the murder of four Americans has become a huge issue. But with Election Day just a couple of days away, the mainstream media continue to give little or no attention to it; instead, they are focusing on the horse race and the latest political polls.

At PJ Media, we're devoted to covering this important story. Our Middle East editor, Barry Rubin, provided a short guide to the Benghazi issue that explains what it is really all about. In the guide, Rubin analyzes the enduring themes raised by the tragic event. Click here to read his article.

PJ Columnist Michael Ledeen's most recent post on Benghazi addresses the Obama administration's failure to take some action to save the men on the ground: "The big reason is fear of failure, a big public failure. It was easier to live with tragedy and even a perception of indecisiveness-verging-on-cowardice than with an AC130 gunship going down in flames." You can read the full article here.

Ledeen also appeared on PJTV to discuss what the media are not talking about when they do talk about Benghazi. Click here to watch the video now.

So who's to blame in all this -- the failure to act and the resulting cover-up? Fingers will point in every direction, but as we all know the fish rots at the proverbial top or, more politely, the buck stops with the president. Obama admitted as much. That's why I wrote an article titled, "If Reelected, Obama Should Be Impeached Over Benghazi." Click here to read it, and leave a comment to let me know what you think.

PJTV's Trifecta with Scott Ott, Stephen Green and Bill Whittle also addressed the possibility of impeachment over Benghazigate. As Scott Ott put it, "Mr. President, you have utterly failed in what you knew, or didn't know -- in what you did, and neglected to do. Only the verdict of the voters on November 6th should spare you from impeachment." Click here to watch this episode of Trifecta now.

Details about Benghazigate are continuing to trickle out, but they remain cloudy at best. That's why we have established an email address -- Benghazi@pjmedia.com -- to receive hitherto unpublished information about the events in Libya on September 11. Read this post for more details.

And stay tuned to PJMedia.com and PJTV.com for more coverage of Benghazigate.

Sincerely,

Roger L. Simon

NOVEMBER 1, 2012
  Some Muslims celebrate Hurricane Sandy's destruction  

On 9/11, many Muslims around the world celebrated the destruction of the World Trade Center.

Today, some Muslims are celebrating the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy. While this of course is not representative of all Muslims, it is sad nonetheless. When natural disasters strike the Muslim world, America is there to help.

Here's one example of Muslims celebrating.

A Muslim man posted the following question on a popular Islamic website:

  Sheik and Dr. Nasser Alomar issued a lengthy response at http://www.elmokhalestv.com/index/details/id/43779.

Here are some excerpts from that response, translated into English:

Only racism can explain Obama's low poll numbers says the left

Nov 01, 2012 06:13 am | Coach Collins

by Doug Book,  staff writer

"I think it's a statement against the white people to talk like this," moaned MSNBC's Chris "Tingles" Matthews about the racist Sarah Palin having accused Barack Obama of a "shuck and jive" attempt to dodge the Benghazi issue. (1) A typical member of the far left, Tingles doesn't believe white voters could be displeased with Obama's policies and actions as president. His lagging poll numbers MUST therefore be the result of racism. 

Obama spent two weeks lying about the Benghazi mission story, all for the purpose of protecting his Regime's fabrication of a glorious and peaceful Arab Spring.  After the Democrat-hyped killing of Osama bin Laden, Barack boasted that al Qaeda was "on the run" and Middle East terrorism a thing of the past. Perhaps he believed the mainstream media would protect him from the real story of the Benghazi mission attack getting to the public. But emails have now been ... Continue Reading:Only racism can explain Obama's low poll numbers says the left

comments | read more

Polling information could become scarce thanks to Sandy

Oct 31, 2012 01:00 pm | Coach Collins

by Doug Book,  staff writer

"Gallup will suspend its daily national polling on account of the storm and many voters in the battlegrounds of Pennsylvania, Virginia and New Hampshire could be out of reach of pollsters just days before the election." (1)

Hurricane Sandy is certain to affect polling throughout the Eastern states, perhaps right up to Election Day. Coach is Right will provide a number of national and statewide poll results and updates through the rest of the week and on Monday. Links will be provided to pertinent Rasmussen internals and crosstabs.

Rasmussen: Romney leads in the 7 day tracking poll (October 22-28) by a margin of 49-46. Romney leads in Ohio 50-48. The generic poll for congress has Republicans up 49-46. For both the national presidential and the congressional preference polls, Rasmussen polled 3500 likely voters and used a +4 Democrat sample 40/36/24. (2)

Gallup: Gallup has reported a 52-45 Republican advantage ... Continue Reading:Polling information could become scarce thanks to Sandy

comments | read more

Administration Ignores Law, Delays Exposing New Regulations

After three years of hyper-regulation, the Obama Administration has noticeably slowed its rulemaking in recent months. A variety of major rules have been parked in prolonged "review" by the White House, while the regulatory agenda required by statute has failed to materialize-twice. This flouting of the law is disturbing enough, but it's made worse by the mounting regulatory uncertainty that has ensued.

Congress mandated a regulatory agenda from each agency in 1980, under the Regulatory Flexibility Act. The statute calls for release every April and October of a summary of all rules likely to have a "significant economic impact" on a substantial number of small firms. Subsequent executive orders extended the requirements to all regulations under development or review by some 60 departments, agencies, and commissions.

President Obama has ignored both the April 2012 and October 2012 agenda deadlines. The last agenda from the Administration, with 2,676 regulations, was published in fall 2011. The President's neglect of the law contradicts his promise of an "unprecedented level of openness in government transparency."

Notice of upcoming regulatory actions is an essential tool of government transparency and accountability. The agenda enables citizens to participate in the rulemaking process, businesses to plan, and Congress to engage in oversight. The stakes are especially high now because of the hundreds of rules yet to be finalized relating to the Dodd-Frank financial regulation statute and Obamacare.

The Administration has postponed action of late on some of its most ambitious regulations. For example, stricter standards on ozone emissions have been shelved until 2013. The original proposal by the Environmental Protection Agency would cost $90 billion or more annually and, potentially, jeopardize millions of jobs.

Also on hold are various regulations to control power plant emissions of so-called greenhouse gases that would dramatically increase energy costs, as well as the designation of coal ash as a "hazardous substance"-estimated to cost $79 billion to $110 billion and thousands of jobs in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Missouri and Ohio.

There is ample reason to believe that this recent "draw-back" of rulemaking portends a regulatory tsunami in the coming year. Of particular note is the large number of proposed regulations that are piling up at the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), the department within the Office of Management and Budget which reviews rules before they are published in the Federal Register.

According to OIRA data, a whopping 78 percent of the 151 regulations awaiting review have been pending at the office for more than 90 days-thus exceeding the maximum time allotted under executive order.

Among the most costly:

• A Department of Transportation rule to require a rear-view camera and video    display for all new cars and trucks, at an estimated cost of up to $2.7 billion.

• Revisions to the so-called Boiler MACT rules that impose stricter limits on industrial and commercial boilers and incinerators. The EPA pegged the cost of its original proposal at $9.5 billion, but independent analysts estimated the cost to be as much as $20 billion.

• Energy conservation standards for walk-in coolers and freezers as well as commercial refrigeration, which would apply to virtually all equipment used in retail food stores. This is estimated by the Department of Energy to increase manufacturing costs by $500 million over four years.

• Department of Labor restrictions on worker exposure to crystalline silica (fine particles of sand common to mining, manufacturing and construction). One analysis submitted to OIRA by engineering and economic consultants estimated compliance costs would be $5.5 billion annually, the loss of 17,000 "person-years" of employment, and $3.1 billion of economic output each year.

It would be good news for both the economy and consumers if the rulemaking delays are a result of more thorough cost analysis or consideration of regulatory alternatives. But there's no indication that the Administration has embraced a newfound skepticism toward red tape. The evidence instead suggests that a multitude of major rules are simply awaiting release next year.

No one knows for certain, of course. But that very uncertainty is itself damaging to the economy. That is one important reason Congress requires the Administration to disclose its regulatory intentions in semi-annual agendas. President Obama should follow that law.

Read the full report: Obama's Regulatory Agenda: Calm Before the Superstorm

Today's Headlines:  Thursday, November 01, 2012

CDC: U.S. Birth Rate Hits All-Time Low; 40.7% of Babies Born to Unmarried Women

Obama Administration Mandates Oil Firms Hire Sea Turtle Observers

FEMA: In Event of Fire, Get Out First, Tweet Later

Only CNSNews.com brings you the news the liberal media ignores! Please help us with a tax deductible gift today.
  Report: 27 Cadets Injured in Brawl at U.S. Air Force Academy 
Black Pastors: Pro-Gay-Marriage Ad 'Manipulating the Black Community'

Some Americans Voting for President of the 'Untied' States

Russia Accuses U.S. of Hypocrisy Over Foreign Election Observers

Michigan Taxpayers Spend $928,677,050 Per Year on Illegal Aliens 
State Dept. Has 'Great Respect' for Islamic Charity, But Declines Terrorist's Offer of Help for Storm Victims

EPA Determines That Pollution Is Okay in an Emergency

Catholic Bishop: Joe Biden 'Ought Not to Be Receiving Communion' 
Napolitano: 'We Are Moving Heaven and Earth'

Biden Says Romney Millionaire's Tax Cut Would be $1.6 Trillion, then Says $2 Trillion Plus

Harris Poll: Americans Rank Energy Over Environment, 'Green' Issues Dead Last

COMMENTARY:

What Did Obama Do, When on 9/11/12?
By Terence P. Jeffrey
President Barack Obama's schedule for Sept. 11, 2012 - the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks - was designed to present a man with deep empathy for terror victims. The plan didn't allow for another terror attack.

A Tale of Two Countries
By Ben Shapiro
The Democratic Party and the Republican Party are no longer arguing over means. We are arguing over ends. Fairness lies at the root of the Democratic agenda. It's a leveling agenda, not a growth agenda. Strength and prosperity for everyone lie at the root of the Republican agenda.

Arf!
By Rich Galen
With days to go in the Longest-Election-Season-In-The-History-Of-The-World nothing gets in the way of politics, not even a superstorm. No wind, nor rain, nor flood, nor fire, nor gloom of night can stop the candidates and their staffs from looking for ways to continue campaigning even while appearing not to.


NEWSPAPER ROUNDUP:

Thursday, November 1, 2012

To: Friends & Supporters

From: Gary L. Bauer


COUNTDOWN TO VICTORY: 5 DAYS TO THE 2012 ELECTIONS -- 59 DAYS TO TAXMAGEDDON


Left Behind In Benghazi

My Super PAC, Campaign for American Values, has produced a new web video going after Barack Obama on Benghazi. Responding to Hurricane Sandy, Obama did what he does best -- he gave a speech. But jaws around the country dropped when Obama said, "America is tougher, and we're tougher because we pull together.  We leave nobody behind." 

Mr. President, you left four Americans behind in Benghazi!

Click here to watch this brief video. And please share it with friends and family members. Post it to your Facebook pages. Tweet it. This election is going down to the wire and, like the race in 2000, it could come down to just a few hundred votes in one state. See the next item for the latest developments in the Benghazi-gate scandal.


Consulate Feared Attack

Fox News released another exclusive report yesterday on the Benghazi debacle. According to an August 16th cable, security officials warned Washington that the Benghazi consulate likely could not be defended against a coordinated jihadist attack.

The consulate had convened an "emergency meeting" the previous day to evaluate the deteriorating security conditions in Benghazi. The primary concern was the growing presence of known Al Qaeda and Islamist militias in Benghazi. The cable warned, "the Benghazi militias have become more brazen in their actions and have little fear of reprisal from the (government of Libya.)"

The Fox report is yet another damning indictment of Obama's inexplicable and incompetent foreign and national security policies.

Ambassador Stevens repeatedly asked for additional security, and this administration did nothing. Officials responsible for the consulate's security warned it was largely unprotected and Al Qaeda was swarming in the area, and this administration did nothing. When the consulate and the ambassador came under attack and urgently requested reinforcements, this administration did nothing.

My friends, there is something you can do. VOTE!

On November 6th, vote for candidates who will take the threat of radical Islam seriously.

Vote for candidates who will make sure our men and women in uniform have the resources they need.

Vote for candidates who don't apologize for America and who will defend our values!


Another Democrat Prostitution Scandal

Why is this administration and its Democrat allies haggling with prostitutes?

First, we learned that Secret Service agents charged with protecting President Obama on a visit to Colombia refused to pay the full fee for the services of a "high-priced escort." Now Democrat Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey is accused of seeking prostitutes in the Dominican Republic.

The allegations against Menendez have only become public because he reportedly did not pay the full price. Two women are accusing Menendez of paying just $200 when they had agreed on $500. Senator Menendez is up for reelection this year, but has a wide lead in the polls. It is unlikely that this story will end his career.

But there is some irony here because Menendez was very vocal in calling for the Secret Service agents to be fired, and he was a big supporter of the Lilly Ledbetter Act legislating equal pay for women. Yet when it comes to certain women, Democrats evidently don't want to pay what they are demanding.


Christie Campaigns For Obama?

My heart goes out to the people of New Jersey. I can only imagine the pressure that is on Governor Chris Christie to get his state back up to speed after the devastation of Hurricane Sandy.

But in the middle of a campaign that is going to determine the future of our country, Governor Christie seems politically tone deaf. He is going out of his way to heap praise on Barack Obama.

At worst it makes you wonder whether he's trying to undermine Mitt Romney or thinking only about himself. Remember Christie's keynote address at the GOP convention? It was heavy on self-promotion and barely mentioned Mitt Romney until the end.

The media are having a field day with headlines like "Jersey Bromance" and "A Sandy Love Story." There is speculation that Christie is looking to the future.

He's up for reelection next year. If he is assuming that Mitt Romney will lose next week and he wants to be a serious contender in 2016, he can't do it as the defeated former governor of New Jersey. Embracing Obama won't hurt his chances at reelection in blue New Jersey. But conservative Republican primary voters aren't likely to forget it ether. I certainly won't forget, nor will other conservative leaders.

Whatever Christie's motivations, here is my unsolicited advice to Mitt Romney: When you win Tuesday, do not put the governor of New Jersey on your short list for cabinet appointments.