912 Patriots of Lower Bucks - Your Daily Updates ALL in ONE Place!
May 14, 2013
Quote:
"The germ of dissolution of our federal government is in the constitution of the federal judiciary; an irresponsible body, (for impeachment is scarcely a scare-crow) working like gravity by night and by day, gaining a little today and a little tomorrow, and advancing its noiseless step like a thief, over the field of jurisdiction, until all shall be usurped from the States, and the government of all be consolidated into one."
~ Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Charles Hammond, 1821
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Obama Gave Benghazi Stand Down Order: Congresswoman Ann Wagner
Friday, May 10, 2013 5:55
According to Congresswoman Ann Wagner from Missouri on the Dana Show (video below) in comments that have gone almost completely un-noticed by the mainstream media (wonder why?!), ONLY Barack Obama could have given the Benghazi stand down order. Will Barack Obama NOW be held responsible for the deaths of the American citizens killed there? The fact that ONLY Obama could have given the stand down order is confirmed in the 2nd video below with Lt. Gen. McInerney, who claims that Obama and our top leaders should all be held in 'dereliction of duty' for their inaction on 9/11 in Benghazi.
Congresswoman Ann Wagner was asked by talk show host Dana Loesch, "Because you have been an ambassador, you have been overseas with similar responsibilities and similar missions - who gives such an order to stand down? Where does that come from?"
"The President of the United States," responded Wagner.
The White House has been scrambling to avoid the question of who gave the stand down order ever since whistleblower Greg Hicks, who was number two to Ambassador Chris Stevens, testified that US special forces were ready to board a plane in Tripoli but were prevented from coming to the aid of those under assault inside the consulate.
ICE Whistleblower Drops Bombshell: La Raza Running Obama's Immigration
Saturday, May 11, 2013 21:11
In this shocking interview, ICE (Immigration Customs Enforcement) Union President Chris Crane was invited on to the Mark Levin Show Thursday night to explain how the Obama administration has been 'cooking the books' on immigration enforcement. What he had to say was startling. ICE, given the task of protecting Americans and America, are unable to do so and to hear a man like Crane speak out shows what we are up against: Immigration enforcement is run by La Raza.:
I'm writing because Anastasia shared your email addresses with me. I've heard from one of you so far (thank you!) and wanted to reach out to everyone else.
I'm a PhD student at Georgetown, writing a dissertation on the Tea Party. My hope is to write something that takes seriously the principles and work of citizens in the Tea Party movement. Specifically, I'm interested in how citizens have helped build the movement, and how the Tea Party has shaped national politics.
Anastasia invited me to come to your next meeting on May 30th, to see what your group does, and to talk to some people one-on-one. I will be staying Thursday May 30-Friday May 31, and would love to get as many perspectives as possible! Please let me know if you'd be available to meet either of those days, and what times. If you know of anyone else who'd like to talk about their experiences, please send them my way.
Thank you so much for your time! I look forward to hearing from you,
Rachel Blum
CITIZENS FOR CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT
Tuesday, May 14, 6:30-8:30pm
Quakertown Library, 401 W. Mill St, Quakertown
Follow-up on Common Core Standards (CCS)
"Why is Common Core Bad for America" Video by Emmett McGroarty of The American Principles Project
Update on Harrisburg and Common Core from Americans For Prosperity
Organizing into Action groups to expose and stop Common Core
What can YOU do to prevent this federal grab for our children: Join one of our Action groups.....
Publicize through media: Letters to the Editor, feeding information to reporters
Educating the public school educators - public school administrators, teachers, School Boards, parents
Educating the private school educators incl. parents
Educating the homeschool educators
Informing the legislators: visits (sign up on our schedule of team visits to your legislators), letters, calls, emails
Empowering our conservative youth: preparing them to be the watchdogs and influencers in our schools
This event is FREE & open the public. This is not about any political parties, this is about saving our country. Please RSVP!
[WHEN] Wednesday, May 15th [TIME] Meeting starts promptly at 7pm, doors open at 6pm. [WHERE] Giacomo's Restaurant 368 E Main St Norristown, PA 19401 (610) 277-7277
There is no greater threat to the long-term security and prosperity of the United States today than the out-of-control, secretive Federal Reserve.
The Federal Reserve is a private, unelected group of banks that was created by congress in 1913 and was given the previously congressional responsibility of money creation. Ever since, the dollar has declined in value by 95%. The Fed does this by inflation, or expansion of the money supply. This acts as a hidden tax that requires you to pay more dollars for every product and service to recoup that loss in purchasing power. In addition to this the fed artificially sets interest rates, funds the bailouts, the wars, and picks economic winners and losers.
2013 symbolizes the 100th anniversary of the Federal Reserve. It's time to End The Fed!
AGENDA:
* Jackie Piotrowski will speak about local & state issues..
* Steve Piotrowski will give his monthly Liberty Report.
* Dave Giordano, our special guest speaker will talk about America's Economic Meltdown, The U.S. Constitution, Sound Money and the Federal Reserve.
* Open Discussion: This will be your opportunity to be heard!
Following this meeting will be a nationwide End The Fed Rally happening Saturday May 18, Noon, at the Federal Reserve Building, 10 North Independence Mall West, Philadelphia, PA 19106
END THE FED Rally Promo Video 5/18/13
Philly END THE FED Rally Promo 5/18/13
We hope that you can make it to these upcoming events. These are two great events that you're not going to want to miss! There is no greater threat to the long-term security and prosperity of the United States today than the out-of-control, secretive Federal Reserve. #RestoreTheConstitution #EndTheFedPhilly
[When] Saturday, May 18th [Time] High Noon - Rally Starts, 1pm Speakers, Afterwards We March [Where] Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia 10 North Independence Mall W, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Cable provider Comcast is actively supporting Obama's radical leftist agenda to fundamentally transform America.
The news programs at NBC and MSNBC, run by Comcast CEO Brian Roberts, reflect total agreement with the Obama agenda. These "news" organizations even adopted the Obama re-election campaigns "Forward" slogan. Is this what Comcast subscribers and American voters need?
Brian Roberts has close ties to Obama - he was selected to serve on the President's Jobs and Competitiveness Council, he hosted an intimate reception for the President at his vacation home in Martha's Vineyard during last year's election campaign, and he openly supports ObamaCare.
On May 15, Let's show up and protest Comcast at their annual shareholder's meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. If you've been waiting to tell MSNBC boss Brian Roberts that the government doesn't own your kids, like they claimed in a recent commercial, now is your chance! RSVP here to lend your voice.
When: May 15 starting at 8:00 AM Eastern
Where: The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts Perelman Theater 300 S. Broad Street Philadelphia, PA 19102
We will leave from the Doylestown Parking lot at 6am
If we get enough interest we will get a bus. Please respond to thekitchentablepatriots@gmail.com
BUCKS COUNTY TEENAGE REPUBLICANS
DICK MORRIS
LIVE IN DOYLESTOWN
THURSDAY, MAY 16TH, 7:00PM 115 N BROAD STREET $20.00 GET YOUR TICKETS NOW WWW.BCTARS.COM
Join freedom-loving activists in protesting the liberal agenda of Comcast outside of the Kimmel Center in Center City Philadelphia during the Comcast Shareholder Meeting!
May 15th 8:00 - 10:00 am
Protest outside of the Kimmel Center! Bring your signs and your voices! Let Comcast know you are not going to stay silent about their liberal agenda!
Comcast employees contributed nearly $80,000 directly to Obama for America and roughly $200,000 to the Obama Victory Fund, a joint account benefitting both the Obama campaign and Democratic National Committee, through the first half of 2011. President Obama has recently spent time with top Comcast executives, attending an intimate fundraiser at the home of Comcast executive vice president David Cohen in Philadelphia in June and a private "social reception" at the Martha's Vineyard estate of Comcast CEO Brian Roberts earlier this week.
May 12, 2013, 5 PM
Dear Members and Friends,
In a rather peculiar and ill-timed statement issued this past Friday, a mid-level IRS administrator publicly admitted that the agency has been harassing Tea Party and Patriot groups who filed for 501c tax-exempt status by forcing them to undergo additional burdensome scrutiny above and beyond the standard application process.
As many news outlets reported, IRS intimidation of conservative groups has been ongoing since 2010.
Association Editorial
None of this is news to the Independence Hall Tea Party Association.
Due to our concerns over the Obama Administration's control of the IRS, the Association decided not to file for tax exempt status. In addition, unlike most Tea Party groups across the nation, we formed a federal PAC to handle political endorsements and activities--thereby making it less likely that we would become potential government targets.
However, a left-wing, anarchist group called Anonymous did manage to hack into both of our websites during the 2012 primary--taking over the sites for a 24-hour period and posting pornographic images/racial slurs on our home page.
We believe the Anonymous attacks were directly related to our hosting an event with Governor Mitt Romney at the Franklin Institute in which we refused to admit members of Occupy who were threatening to disrupt the Governor's speech.
(Because of our limited resources, both the Association and the PAC decided only to report the matter to local authorities and to focus our efforts, instead, on our respective educational and political missions.)
As for the IRS, the Association, like everyone else, is waiting for the Inspector General's full report--which is expected early this week.
The Inspector General's report, we insist, should signal the beginning of a more thorough investigation--not the last word on this highly explosive scandal.
Internet Sales Tax
As we reported last week, the Internet Sales Tax bill, known as the 'Marketplace
Fairness Act,' cleared the US Senate in lopsided vote 69-27 vote--but we're still hoping it will never see the light of day in the US House.
Please continue to call the Capitol Switchboard @ 202.224.3121 and ask to be connected to your Congressman/woman. Tell your Representative to oppose the Internet Sales Tax bill!
Then, use the same number to call Speaker John Boehner and Majority LeaderEric Cantor. Tell them not to move the bill forward.
Next, call House Judiciary Committee Chairman, Congressman Bob
Goodlatte (R-VA). He and fellow Republicans on the committee can deal a lethal blow to the tax bill. Tell them to bury the bill in committee!
An Immigration Bill to Match ObamaCare
Again, as we reported last week, the US Senate began serious debate on the Immigration bill proposed by the 'gang of eight' Senators--an enormous 844-page tome described as a comprehensive bill.
For starters, we believe the only matter for Congress to consider after the 2013 Boston Massacre is how to prevent terrorists from gaining access to our land.
We note that the Boston Jihadist brothers were here legally!
Our entire immigration process is broken--and the sooner we focus on securing our nation from would-be terrorists and Jihadists--the safer we will be.
The most often heard retort to 'comprehensive' immigration reform is 'let's secure our boarders first.' So, Congress, let's secure our borders now! As the following article suggests, a majority of Americans are united on this front:
Secure borders, like 'energy independence,' has been an illusive goal for decades--but if our nation can send spacecraft to the far reaches of the Milky Way and beyond, we can certainly achieve other, less lofty, objectives.
Please call 202.224.3121 and ask to be connected to the offices of your US Senators (DE: Carper, Coons; NJ: Lautenberg, Menendez; PA: Casey,
Toomey). Tell them to oppose the 844-page "comprehensive" Immigration bill and to secure our boarders before passing any additional legislation!
Pot of Gold Money Drop
Our April/May Pot of Gold Money Drop has passed the half-way mark!
We hope to continue our efforts to restore limited government and free market principles--despite the IRS, President Obama, and his allies--but we need your help!
Many thanks to those who have already "dropped a donation!" So far, we have raised $3,000! If each of you gave just $5, we would surpass our goal many times over.
$5000
As an extra incentive:
* Those giving a $25 donation will receive an Independence Hall Tea Party t-shirt as our thank you.
* Those giving a $50 donation will receive one Independence Hall Tea Party golf shirt or two t-shirts as our thank you.
* Those giving a $100 donation will receive two Independence Hall Tea Party golf shirts as our thank you.
The next airing of the PBS series will be Tuesday, May 14 at 8 PM (EST). Let us know your thoughts regarding PBS's presentation of the our beloved Constitution. We certainly hope it receives the reverence and respect it deserves.
Five Great May Events: From Lectures to Save the 2nd Rally
There are a number of terrific events in the coming weeks--including a Pro-Second Amendment rally on Independence Mall, Saturday, May 25.
Saving Saturday, May 25 for the Gun Rights Across America rally is the perfect answer to this past Saturday's anti-Second Amendment rally which began in Trenton, NJ and ended at a park in Morrisville, PA where Little League children ordinarily assemble to play baseball.
Many of the children's games were cancelled after some pro-Second Amendment supporters promised to openly brandish weapons--near the baseball fields--in a counter protest.
Of course, we do not condone the tactics of either side. The anti-Second Amendment group should never have used a children's park for the staging of a political rally during Little League season.
By the same token, the pro-Second Amendment group should not have planned an in-your-face confrontation with their opponents at the same location--all the while threatening that some supporters would openly carry weapons in a demonstration of their legal rights.
(Sure enough, images of gun-toting Second Amendment supporters appeared in
subsequent news coverage. Is this how we win the hearts and minds of the general public? Do folks on our side not understand the concept of public relations?)
We certainly hope no Second Amendment supporter openly carries a weapon at Independence National Park during the Save the 2nd rally. It's doubtful the National Park Service woud tolerate such displays.
Next, our friends at the Mathew J. Ryan Center are recommending an event taking place this evening, May 13, at the National Constitution Center.
Dr. Richard Beeman, the John Welsh Centennial Professor of History at the University of Pennsylvania, will be unveiling his new book, Our Lives, Our Fortunes and Our Sacred Honor: The Forging of American Independence, 1774 - 1776. (Dr. Beeman will be featured in at least one upcoming episode of the Constitution USA with Peter Sagal.)
The following night, Tuesday, May 14th, Dick Morris will be prognosticating the future political course of the nation--also at the National Constitution Center.
On Sunday, May 19, we will join the Zionist Organization of America in a Parade celebrating 65 years of Israeli Independence.
Later that week (Wednesday, May 22), Drexel University College Republicans
will be hosting Brooke Goldstein -- author, filmmaker, and human rights attorney. Ms. Goldstein's documentary, The Making of a Martyr, will be shown prior to her talk.
And finally, last but not least, the Independence Hall Tea Party will sponsor its 5th Annual July 4th Celebration on Independence Mall. This year's theme: Preserving America's Heritage.
1. Dr. Beeman: Our Lives, Our Fortune, Our Sacred Honor
When: Monday, May 13, 7 PM
Where: National Constitution Center, 6th and Arch Streets, Philadelphia
Cost: Adults $10, Students, $7.
2. A Conversation with Dick Morris
When: Tuesday, May 14, 7 PM
Where: National Constitution Center, 6th and Arch Streets, Philadelphia
Cost: Free and open to the public.
Sponsored by WPHT 1210 AM.
3. Israel 65 Parade with Pat Ciarrachi and the Avalon String Band
When: Sunday, May 19, 11 AM
Where: Center City Philadelphia
The Celebration continues at the Pennsylvania Convention Center immediately following the Parade. For more information, call ZOA @ 610.660.9466
4. Drexel CR's Present: Brooke Goldstein and The Making of a Martyr
When: Wednesday, May 22, 6-8:45 PM; Cocktail Hour, 5-6 PM
Where: The Skyroom, MacAlister Hall, 3250 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia
Cost: Free and open to the public.
Sponsored by Drexel University College Republicans.
6. Preserving America's Heritage--Independence Day 2013
When: Thursday, July 4, 1-3 PM
Where: Independence Mall, 5th and Market Streets
Free and open to the public. Many more details to follow.
Hope to see you soon!
On behalf of the Association Board,
Teri Adams
Shalom ZOA Members, Friends and Supporters of Israel,
Philadelphia is having a parade to celebrate the 65th anniversary of Israel's re-establishment on May 19 and ZOA will be one of the groups taking part.
March with ZOA through the streets of Philadelphia. Display your Israel pride and ZOA pride. We will have special T-shirts for the occasion.
The parade will wend its way through the heart of Center City from the Benjamin Franklin Parkway to the Pennsylvania Convention Center, stepping off at 11 a.m.
This is a great opportunity for young and old - and all of those in between - to come out to celebrate Israel.
If you've always wanted to take part in a parade but never had an opportunity, this is your chance! Let's show Philadelphia that support for Israel is stronger than ever!
The annual Israel Independence Day Festival will take place after the parade inside the Pennsylvania Convention Center at 11th and Arch Sts. ZOA will have a booth at the festival, and we will need volunteers to help us.
Please RSVP about participating in the parade either by email or phone - 610-660-9466.
If you are able to volunteer during the festival from noon to 5 p.m. (for all or part of the afternoon) please let us know as well.
Thank you.
See you on May 19!
$25 OFF Bus if you register before April 22 $25 OFF Participation if you register before April 22
On Thursday, May 30, the organization Friends of Israel will celebrate its 75th anniversary of helping Jews and the Jewish State of Israel with a gala in Voorhees, N.J. We hope you will attend their reasonably priced dinner as a show of support and unity.
As you will note, this Christian Zionist group began its mission 10 years before Israel was re-established. They were originally known as "The Friends of Israel Refugee Relief Committee." To this day they continue to be advocates for Israel throughout the world and lead an annual mission to Israel. Though this group is international in scope, it is based in South Jersey.
Friends of Israel leadership have attended our Philadelphia ZOA Gala each year and last year we honored its immediate past executive director, William Sutter, and his wife, Annette. We see Bill (who is still quite active) and his successor, Jim Showers, at nearly every pro-Israel event in the region. They truly are, as their name indicates, "friends of Israel."
Tickets are just $45. The event takes place at The Mansion on Main Street, on May 30, beginning at 5:30 p.m.........
Kosher meals are available
Please call me at our Office for all of the details at 610-660-9466. I hope you will be able to attend.
Thank you,
Steve
THE UNION LEAGUE PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE and
PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM CENTER
present
Michele
Bachmann
United States House of Representative for Minnesota
Friday, June 7, 2013 at 11:30 AM (EDT) at the Union League of Philadelphia.
WITH TRADITONAL VALUES, STRONG CONVICTIONS & FAITH IN OUR CONSTITUTION, HEAR MICHELLE BACHMANN'S VISION FOR OUR NATION.
In 2006, Congresswoman Michele Bachmann became the first Republican woman to be elected to represent Minnesota in the U.S. House of Representatives. As a self-proclaimed "Constitutional Conservative" she is committed to fixing Washington's broken ways by advocating for America's adherence to the Constitution. As a believer in the traditional values upon which this country was founded, Bachmann consistently defends America's religious liberties and the importance of family as the first unit of government. As the federal government continues to grow under the current administration, Bachmann was honored to establish the Tea Party Caucus in July 2010. She is proud to stand with the Tea Party to call for lower taxes, renewed focus on the Constitution and smaller government.
Reception: 11:30 am * Luncheon/Speaking Engagement: Noon
Price: $50.00 inclusive
For additional information please call 484-380-2549 or log on to www.phillyfreedom.org.
Announcing the 2013 National Conference
& Legislative Briefing!
June 19 - 21 we will convene at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC for our fourth annual National Conference & Legislative Briefing.
And here's some really great news: This year's registration fee is only $229! Register by April 15th and you'll receive our "Early Bird" rate of just $189!
We also offer again this year special benefits for Patriot Eagle and Patriot sponsors.
We have some exciting new wrinkles planned for this year's event, and our list of confirmed speakers already includes:
Steven Emerson - Journalist, author, and the Executive Editor of the Investigative Project on Terrorism. A. M. Rosenthal, late-managing editor of The New York Times, described Emerson as "one of the nation's best national security correspondents."
John Guandolo - Former FBI agent and one of America's leading authorities on the Muslim Brotherhood and its inner workings in America. Guandolo spoke at our conference in 2011 and received rave reviews from conference attendees!
Ezra Levant - Canadian lawyer, author, newspaper columnist with Sun Media, and former publisher of the Western Standard. Hauled before a Canadian "human rights commission" because he published the Danish cartoons that satirized Muhammad, Levant's personal account of a politically correct government inquisition is something you won't want to miss!
The National Conference & Legislative Briefing will begin on Wed. evening, June 19th, and conclude on Friday, June 21st at noon, with additional optional training sessions Friday afternoon.
It will again feature our very popular Capitol Hill Awards Luncheon and our signature gala banquet-and of course, our Legislative Briefing, where Members of Congress will brief you on various issues and answer your questions.
So make your plans now to join us in our nation's capital for what promises to be our best National Conference & Legislative Briefing ever!
More details to come!
Hey there,
I just wanted to inform you of a few things going on...
My friend Michael Heise was visited by the FBI over facebook comments. This is a reality check, a wake up call, why is the FBI visiting activists homes? Intimidation? How long before they come for you? He was talking about the Federal Reserve & Gun Rights on his page. If they can target him for speaking about that, they can target you. They have files on activist leaders as well as protest organizers, so believe me. They are watching us all the time. 1984 is here, and my answer to that is 1776. We need a modern day revolution. I do not mean to scare you, but I do mean to prepare and encourage you to stand up and continue to fight against this "police-state" and unconstitutional government.
"Open Carry March on Washington,"
Everyone must read this. OPEN CARRY MARCH ON D.C on Independence Day 2013 will be the beginning of the peaceful revolution. 1776 is Rising. Will you join us in the fight for our independence from our elected tyrants and global elites that want to destroy our U.S. Sovereignty and create a one world government?
Radio host and activist Adam Kokesh plans to lead an armed march from the Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia all the way to the White House and back.
According to a Facebook event posted by Kokesh, titled "Open Carry March on Washington," he plans to lead a peaceful march July 4th "across the Memorial Bridge, down Independence Avenue, around the Capitol, the Supreme Court, & the White House, then peacefully return to Virginia across the Memorial Bridge." On Monday, Kokesh joined Alex on his nationally syndicated radio show to discuss what the march aims to peacefully accomplish:
As Israelis celebrate their 65th Independence Day this year, we should all take time out to reflect on the miracle of Israel's independence. We must also ask ourselves the question, "What can I do to ensure that this miracle of Israel survives and thrives?"
We announced earlier this week that we'll be headed to New Orleans the first weekend in August for this year's RedState Gathering. As a member of our RedState family, we'd like to extend exclusive Early Bird registration and pricing to you (just use the promo code EARLYBIRD on the registration page).
The 2013 RedState Gathering will be held August 2-3 at the Westin Canal Place in New Orleans, LA. We'll have two full days of speakers and activities and you can expect a good mix of elected officials and potential candidates for the 2014 cycle (we'll keep you informed as additions are made).
The Gathering has always been a unique event, in that all speakers, even the most in-demand and influential, pay their own way and make their own travel arrangements. This helps keep our costs low, a savings we are happy to pass along to our conference attendees. Additionally, we strive to get you up close to the speakers, ask them to take your questions, and we take care of nearly all your meals during the conference. Bottom line: fewer frills, more thrills and access.
We are thrilled to once again be joined by Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, who will be hosting a reception for all attendees and appear at the Gathering podium as a keynote speaker. A huge hit in 2012, we're looking forward to Gov. Jindal playing an even larger role this year as he welcomes us to his home state.
Now, more than ever, true conservative activists must come together to exchange ideas and strategize for the future. That's what this year's Gathering is all about. We hope you'll join us.
P.S. Don't delay! You'll receive 20% off if you register today - just use the promo code EARLYBIRD. Click here.
From a trusted friend:
As some of you may know, I am associated with Coventry Christian Schools as a parent of a graduate (2010) and as member of the Board of Trustees. Last October we spent a wonderful evening honoring Mark Niehls at our revitalized Founder's Dinner and celebrated our shared heritage in the remarkable community that is Coventry Christian Schools. Our vision for future Founder's Dinners is to inspire and inform not only our alumni and current CCS families but to inspire and inform the Tri-County Area and even our region by hosting speakers and artists who can uniquely assist us in celebrating the heritage, core values, and mission of CCS while also lifting our vision for an even greater future built upon the foundation of our past. The caliber of our speakers and guest artists should provide us with wonderful opportunities to share our CCS story with new partners in Christian education. Proceeds from the dinner will be applied to our annual Coventry Kids Fund for CCS scholarships.
This year we are proud to announce that our distinguished guest and speaker is Dr. Benjamin Carson, and our dinner's theme is "Faith of Our Fathers: The Role of Faith in American Schools." Please join us as we welcome Dr. Carson to the Tri-County Area and celebrate the great things God is doing at CCS!
Dr. Carson is a highly regarded neurosurgeon and motivational speaker who has addressed various audiences across the country. He is one of the most honored and recognized physicians in the world and holds more than 60 honorary doctorate degrees along with hundreds of awards and citations. He is a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States. He is the author of five books and is the founder of the Carson Scholars Fund. The 2009 award-winning movie entitled Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story, starring Cuba Gooding, Jr. as Carson, premiered on TNT and is based on his memoir. Dr. Carson is an authentic disciple of Christ, has been married to his wife Candy for more than 37 years, and is the father of three sons.
The 2013 Founder's Dinner, which will once again be a part of our Homecoming festivities, will be held at the historic Sunnybrook Ballroom in Pottstown on Sunday, October 13th, 2013. Doors will open at 4:30pm, followed by dinner at 5:15. Dress will be business/professional. Tickets will be priced at $100 until May 15th, then will be $125, so reserve your tickets for the reduced price.
Due to Dr. Carson's international reputation and recent prominence in the media, including his recent speech at the 2013 National Prayer Breakfast, we fully anticipate that this event will sell out quickly once advertised to the public. Tickets go on sale to the public April 15. If you are interested in attending, tickets can be purchased online. I will send the link out to those who wish to go on April 15
th
. While online reservations are preferred because they facilitate efficient event planning, you may also complete a paper order form, which I can forward to you as well.
All of us at Coventry Christian Schools, look forward to sharing this very special evening with you and acquainting you with the school and its mission!
Blessings,
Christine Gordon
Sponsorships are available as well and are as follows:
Gold Sponsor $3,000
Two tickets at Speaker's Table
Two tickets at Headmaster's Table
Listed as sponsor on school website through 12 months post event
Listed as sponsor on pre-event print marketing
Mentioned by name at event
Full Page ad in Dinner Program
Silver Sponsor $1,500
Two tickets at Speaker's Table
Listed as sponsor on school website through 12 months post event
Half page ad in Dinner Program
Bronze Sponsor $500
Two tickets at Headmaster's Chairman's or Founder's Table
Listed as sponsor on school website through 12 months post event
·Quarter page ad in Dinner Program
Heritage Foundation weighs in on Common Core
By Rachel Sheffield April 11, 2013: Policy Analyst, The Heritage Foundation (courtesy of Citizens' Alliance of Pennsylvania)This coming school year, Pennsylvania public schools will begin implementing the Common Core education standards. Like many other states, Common Core standards are quickly making their way into the classroom. While proponents of the standards continue to champion their predicted benefits, there is significant cause for concern.First, the standards represent a massive federal overreach. The Obama Administration jumped on board from the get go, promoting national education standards, via policy and federal taxpayer dollars, as part of their education agenda. Billions of federal dollars have gone towards and are continuing to fund, the promotion and implementation of these standards nationwide. The federal government's involvement with the standards should be alarming. Pushing state and local leaders away from classroom curriculum is not only a breach in federalism but gives parents, teachers, and communities less say over what children learn in school. Education experts have also raised alarm over the quality of the standards. Sandra Stotsky, Professor of Education Reform at the University of Arkansas, has particularly expressed concern over the English Language Arts. Common Core's ELA standards reduce emphasis on literature by promoting the study of "informational texts." Stotsky says
, "A diminished emphasis on literature in the secondary grades makes it unlikely that American students will study a meaningful range of culturally and historically significant literary works before graduation. It also prevents students from acquiring a rich understanding and use of the English language. Perhaps of greatest concern, it may lead to a decreased capacity for analytical thinking."
Common Core goes SOCIAL MEDIA!!! Please share with everyone you know and help us make this a huge success. MARK YOUR CALENDAR!!! Not a TWITTER person.....grab a kid and have some fun.
Parent-Led Reform (@ParentLedReform) will host a Twitter Rally on April 16, 2013 which will start will go from 12:00p-2:00p (EST). We will discuss how the Common Core State Standards effect your family, community and schools? We invite you to participate.
There will be an expert panel and several organizations that will discuss#StopCommonCore. So far I know the panel will consist of:
I'll update with a live link for the Twitter Rally (or you can just follow the hashtag #StopCommonCore) and as the expert panel is finalized.
Update: Be sure to RSVP with the Facebook event invite, this will help keep you up to date with pertinent info.
The whole story on Common Core
Read the sourced and footnoted response to the National Review Online and get all the facts you need to know about Common Core HERE. Compiled by American Principles project and Glenn's research team.
Common Core is the new set of federal education standards being pushed by the Obama administration and several leftist organizations but it's even seeing some support from some conservatives.
defending Common Core, and Glenn gave the definitive response on radio today."Common Core is something that we didn't really get for quite some time and again it's something we've learned from the 9/12 project and concerned parents all around the country that have been bringing this to our attention. When we started in on this work, we thought it was pretty bad. The more we do, the worse it becomes," Glenn said.
Below are some of the points made by the National Review Online in defense of Common Core, followed by Glenn's response.
Today on radio, Glenn gave the definitive response. See that and get all the sources to back it up HERE.
Students in some Albany High School English classes were asked to participate in the unthinkable this week as part of a persuasive writing assignment. The objective? Prove why Jews are evil and convince the teacher of their loyalty to the Third Reich in five paragraphs or less. See the actual lessonHERE.
A concerned parent tipped off TheBlaze to the disturbing fact that NY public schools are teaching the U.N.'s Socialist-leaning Universal Human Rights. We also discovered that the schools are delivering this indoctrination using videos made by the Church of Scientology. Learn what our investigation revealedHERE.
TheBlaze has been at the forefront in uncovering the disturbing details of the nationalized curriculum standard known as Common Core. One of the most troubling aspects of this federal program is that government bureaucrats are currently mining sensitive and highly personal information on children through Common Core's tracking system. Watch the powerful segments from The Glenn Beck Program HERE.
What information is being collected on your kids through Common Core?
TheBlaze TV subscribers can watch past episodes covering Common Core and CSCOPE. The March 14th episode focused on Common Core and the March 7th episode focused on CSCOPE. Not a subscriber? Sign up HERE.
Glenn has spent a lot of time over the past few weeks exposing some of the education initiatives in states across the country that are indoctrinating kids into the radical progressive agenda. Today, Glenn discussed an issue tied into Common Core that many people aren't aware of: data mining.
"We cover many important stories and topics on this program, but I don't think any could be more important than what we are covering tonight: the progressive takeover of America's schools,"
OK....when they look at you like you have a tin foil hat on your head......take some of this information with you. It is 126 pages. I have not read through the entire document (YET) but what I have read is enough to blow off the top of your head. I have highlighted some stuff. KIPP (Charter Schools) has a CHARACTER REPORT CARD on Page 39. So for now start on page 39 and work your way through to page 45. Remember FERPA laws were changed last year and I am sure not one parent is aware that permission to share information about our children no longer requires parental consent. Obama just slipped all these new changes in and I don't believe any parents were ever asked their opinions about these changes. And where was our Republican Congress when this happened???
AGENDA 21 is: The complete control and inventory of every human activity. After your friends read some of this information ask them if they still believe A21 is not real. Chapter 36 of A21 document is devoted to education.
Our government forgets there are still people alive that can think and see through their garbage.
Print this document and get a highlighter...........then start visiting your neighbors, school boards, elected officials and start screaming. GET COMMON CORE AND THE GOVERNMENT out of our class rooms. I think it is time to start a MASS movement for Home Schooling. I know Home Schooling will not be spared. This should be a movement to bring education back to the local level and DESTROY the Federal Department of Education. If our kids are not in school it will create an uprising at all levels. We should not settle for shutting down Common Core because they will masquerade it....they are already doing this in VA. VA supposedly never signed on to Common Core but GUESS WHAT........they ARE implementing Common Core and disguising it from the citizens in VA....of course they aren't doing a good job of hiding it and people in VA are catching on. Our schools have been in the process of a government take over (in earnest) for more than 20 years. If we don't shut down the Department of Education it will never stop. We have to cause a citizen uprising!!
Here is the U.S. Department of Education - Office of Educational Technology document:
"The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government - lest it come to dominate our lives and interests"- Patrick Henry
To fix "THE SYSYEM" We must become "THE SYSTEM" - k. bracken "The change we seek has always required great struggle and great sacrifice." - Barack Hussein Obama "The man who speaks to you of sacrifice, speaks of slaves and masters. And intends to be the master." - Ayn Rand
We all know how tough it is to maintain your morals in today's media world. Here are two gifts from the AFA to you, each meant to help you navigate your way through media today:
The article discusses how far TV has fallen in recent years and outlines some practical steps you can take to protect your family.
And the free movie guide is a great way to find movies for family night that the whole family can enjoy.
I hope these tools are a blessing to you!
Sincerely,
Tim Wildmon, President American Family Association
America needs a history lesson
Sign up now for Hillsdale's newest online courses - available FREE to every American!
Did you know that over 500,000 other students have already registered for one of our free online courses?
As Ronald Reagan once said during a speech delivered on our campus in 1978, "Hillsdale deserves the appreciation of all who labor for freedom...Your creative outreach on national issues enables little Hillsdale to cast a long shadow."
As a school of only 1,400 students, we reach over 350 TIMES that number with our online courses on the Constitution and America's founding principles.
Now is your chance to join with your fellow citizens!
Register now for this free "American Heritage" online course so you can better understand - and defend - the principles of liberty. This is the type of education America's Founders thought necessary to preserve our republic. Lectures in this not-for-credit online course are delivered by members of Hillsdale's history department faculty, and readings are drawn from the American Heritage Reader used in the American Heritage core course taught on Hillsdale's campus.
Course Schedule
Approximately 40 minutes in length, lectures will be released each Monday according to the schedule below. Once available, each week's materials can be viewed at your convenience.
The critically-acclaimed film, The Third Jihad - Radical Islam's Vision for America educates about the nature of radical Islamic ideology. Law enforcement agencies across the country have used the film in their counter-terror training.
Understanding the threats of terror is the first step in preventing deadly attacks.
Please consider supporting our efforts
"This fantastic documentary is both entertaining and educational" - Dove Foundation
Rev. C.L. Bryant's documentary Runaway Slave has been a runaway hit! The film recently won the Crystal Dove Seal, and has been making waves across the country.
Runaway Slave is the story of C.L. Bryant, a former NAACP Chapter president who realized that the Democrat Party and progressive movement was hurting Africa-Americans and keeping them stuck on the government dole. Rev. Bryant discusses the impact of progressivism on the African-American community and how freedom works with a host of leaders including Dr. Alveda King, Herman Cain, Allen West, Dr. Thomas Sowell, and many others.
The Crystal Dove Seal award is given to films that are family-friendly and provide wholesome, educational content. Runaway Slave is an important movie for all audiences, and it has a message that should be heard if we want to achieve a society where character is king.
Congratulations to Rev. C.L. Bryant and the Runaway Slave team on their achievement!
National rates of gun homicide and other violent gun crimes are strikingly lower now than during their peak in the mid-1990s, paralleling a general decline in violent crime, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of government data. Beneath the long-term trend, though, are big differences by decade: Violence plunged through the 1990s, but has declined less dramatically since 2000.
Compared with 1993, the peak of U.S. gun homicides, the firearm homicide rate was 49% lower in 2010, and there were fewer deaths, even though the nation's population grew. The victimization rate for other violent crimes with a firearm-assaults, robberies and sex crimes-was 75% lower in 2011 than in 1993. Violent non-fatal crime victimization overall (with or without a firearm) also is down markedly (72%) over two decades.
Nearly all the decline in the firearm homicide rate took place in the 1990s; the downward trend stopped in 2001 and resumed slowly in 2007. The victimization rate for other gun crimes plunged in the 1990s, then declined more slowly from 2000 to 2008. The rate appears to be higher in 2011 compared with 2008, but the increase is not statistically significant. Violent non-fatal crime victimization overall also dropped in the 1990s before declining more slowly from 2000 to 2010, then ticked up in 2011.
Despite national attention to the issue of firearm violence, most Americans are unaware that gun crime is lower today than it was two decades ago. According to a new Pew Research Center survey, today 56% of Americans believe gun crime is higher than 20 years ago and only 12% think it is lower.
The new form will require disclosure of a taxpayer's personal identifying health information in order to determine compliance with the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate.
As confirmed by IRS testimony to the tax-writing House Committee on Ways and Means, "taxpayers will file their tax returns reporting their health insurance coverage, and/or making a payment".
So why will the Obama IRS require your personal identifying health information?
Simply put, there is no way for the IRS to enforce Obamacare's individual mandate without such an invasive reporting scheme. Every January, health insurance companies across America will send out tax documents to each insured individual. This tax document-a copy of which will be furnished to the IRS-must contain sufficient information for taxpayers to prove that they purchased qualifying health insurance under Obamacare.
This new tax information document must, at a minimum, contain: the name and health insurance identification number of the taxpayer; the name and tax identification number of the health insurance company; the number of months the taxpayer was covered by this insurance plan; and whether or not the plan was purchased in one of Obamacare's "exchanges."
This will involve millions of new tax documents landing in mailboxes across America every January, along with the usual raft of W-2s, 1099s, and 1098s. At tax time, the 140 million families who file a tax return will have to get acquainted with a brand new tax filing form. Six million of these families will end up paying Obamacare's individual mandate non-compliance tax penalty.
As a service to the public, Americans for Tax Reform has released a projected version of this tax form to help families and tax specialists prepare for this additional filing requirement. Taxpayers may view the projected IRS form at www.ObamacareTaxForm.com. On the form, lines 3-4 show where taxpayers will disclose their personal health ID information.
Here is a fantastic read about how citizens in Indiana made a difference and stopped Common Core in its tracks. This is must reading for all on how one state did it. Two moms vs. Common Core. Keep your chins up and march forward. We can do it here too.
HOUSE BRIEFING TUESDAY You can view the Tuesday, May 14th 9:00 AM "briefing" to the PA House Education Committee on the one-size-fits-all national education standards known as Common Core by viewing here. Secretary of Education Tomalis will present his version of why Pennsylvania should adopt these standards for every school in the Commonwealth, rather than supporting local control of our children's education. Coincidentally, Secretary Tomalis submitted his resignation to Governor Corbett this week after receiving hundreds of emails and phone calls critical of his support of Common Core. There are rumors swirling around the Capitol that the Governor is unhappy with Tomalis' handling of Common Core since it has now grown into a hot-button campaign issue.
If you would like to express your desire that the Commonwealth put a halt to implementation of Common Core, the first phone call and email should be directed to your local Representative or Senator. Other key players to contact are House Education Committee Chair Paul Clymer at 717-783-154 or 215-257-0279 pclymer@pahousegop.com and then go here to find phone numbers and emails of the remaining members of the Committee. Please also consider contacting House Majority Leader Mike Turzai who apparently sees nothing wrong with another Big Government solution to what should be a local issue at 717-772-2470 and mturzai@pahousegop.com
SENATE HEARING TO BE HELD On Wednesday, May 15, the PA Senate Education Committee will hold a hearing on Common Core. The Senate public hearing on the Common Core Standards will be held at 1 PM in Hearing Room 1, in the North Office Building to the right of the Capital Building and opponents of Common Core are encouraged to attend and then meet with their local Senators and Representatives. We have arranged the following outstanding speakers to represent the citizens of Pennsylvania at the Senate hearing:
Meanwhile, it is reported that Senate Democrats plan a news conference to express outrage that Common Core is being implemented with no legislative approval or authority.
Please continue to promote the Pennsylvanians Against Common Core on-line petition and Facebook page. We would like to be able to attend the May 15 Senate hearing with a petition with more than 10,000 signatures and we need your help in reaching out to your friends and contacts to make that happen.
RedState Morning Briefing
For May 14, 2013
Before I begin the morning, I want to draw your attention to this morning's sponsor.I've been critical of outside groups using the names of third parties while having no relation to those individuals.Often, these groups provide little to no support to the candidates themselves.Today's RedState Sponsor, Elect Sheriff Joe Arpaio, is the official campaign committee for Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
Thanks,
Erick
1.The Waste of Republican Donors
The GOP needs to stop acting like because it lost the battle of 2012, it lost the war. The war continues and Barack Obama's side just gave the GOP some major new weapons to use against his destructive policies.
How many hundreds of millions of dollars were wasted by Republican donors in 2012 to prop up Newt Gingrich or Rick Santorum or Mitt Romney? How much money was wasted?
Much of it was sent to groups run by former Bushies and Romney 2008 veterans who made a killing off of rich Republican donors with nothing to show for it. Nothing.
Now, many of these donors are yet again squandering their money on stupid intra-party fights like immigration, giving their money to the same people who ripped them off before, or they are sitting on the sidelines.
Meanwhile, the unpopularity of Obamacare continues to rise. Imagine if Republicans had spent $400 million attacking Obamacare in Campaign 2012 instead of trying to get the progenitor of the law elected President.
Why the heck haven't the Republican mega donors started up multiple organizations to run nonstop sustained ad campaigns in swing states against Obamacare? Are they just that stupid? This is a no brainer.
The ads write themselves. Consider this - the IRS is now involved in a scandal over improper targeting of conservative, constitutional, and Jewish groups. Obamacare expands the IRS to be in charge of your healthcare. . . . please click here for the rest of the post →
2.A Verdict Doesn't End the Gosnell Story
The horrors that unfolded in the clinic of Dr. Kermit Gosnell have rightly shocked and appalled the nation. Such were the atrocities committed in his office that even abortion advocates have recoiled in horror. And today, a Philadelphia jury finally brought Dr. Gosnell to justice, finding him guilty of first degree murder.
This monstrous individual-to call him a doctor is no longer fitting-got what he deserved.
But the Gosnell ordeal shouldn't slip quietly from the national conscience. On the contrary, it should be a wakeup call.
There's no need to recount his brutality; by now, we know the facts. And the fact that authorities ignored or overlooked his practice (which had a license!) for almost two decades raises the question: How many other Gosnells are out there? . . . please click here for the rest of the post →
3.Enter the non-President and his un-Administration
So... what, exactly, does Barack Obama "preside" over?He claims to have learned about the IRS scandal by watching the evening news last Friday.He's got no idea what those crazy rogue operatives in the State Department and intelligence community were doing when the Benghazi consulate was attacked, or during the crucial news cycles that followed.He's got nothing to do with the economy - he wishes for jobs with all his heart when his head hits the pillow each night, but they never come.The sequester he insisted on suddenly became a conspiracy to short-circuit his beloved super-government by trimming a few bucks off future spending increases.Why, Mr. Obama was even helpless to keep the White House open for tours!
Reporting on the Benghazi and IRS scandals, NBC News correspondent Peter Alexander wailed, "Some observers are already asking if Mr. Obama is falling victim to the second-term curse."Falling victim to a curse?Leaving aside for a moment the inconvenient detail that Benghazi happened at the end of Obama's first term, the idea that he's some hapless doomed victim of malicious second-term evil spirits is pathetic.He's a bystander to his own presidency now.It's a crappy reality show he watches on TV. . . . please click here for the rest of the post →
4.PPP on the Brown-Warren Senate Race: A Polling Post-Mortem
Polls are back in the news, with the release of four public polls and an internal Gabriel Gomez campaign poll in the June 25 Massachusetts special Senate election to replace John Kerry. 3 of the 4 public polls show Ed Markey with a distinct but still surmountable lead, an average of 6 points; the fourth shows him up by 17 and looks like an outlier, adding 2.7 points by itself to Markey's lead in the RCP average. The Gomez campaign's internal poll shows Markey by 3; if you use the general rule of thumb that a campaign conducts multiple internal polls and will only release its most favorable internal, that's consistent with this currently being a 5-7 point race. Which is not a bad place for a Republican to be in Massachusetts five weeks before the election - it gives Gomez a puncher's chance in a special election - although you'd clearly still put better than 50/50 odds on Markey.. . . please click here for the rest of the post →
The System Worked? May 14, 2013 An arrest made this weekend at Detroit Metro Airport raised few eyebrows from the media, the government, or well, anybody. More
Premeditated Rape by Ariel Castro May 14, 2013 What is the punishment for raping a village of girls repeatedly? And are we willing to mete it out? More
'Bleak' outlook for Detroit May 13, 2013 Detroit is a train wreck that is so horrific it is hard to take your eyes away from watching as it happens. More
Monday morning, Congressmen Steve Scalise and John Fleming-both Republicans representing districts in Louisiana-sent a letter signed by 59 Members of the U.S. House of Representatives to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel at the Pentagon, demanding answers regarding Pentagon officials meeting with an anti-Christian extremist.
This story began two weeks ago when Breitbart News reported on at least one such meeting. Since that time it has become a growing controversy, as Breitbart News reported additional disturbing details. Now Congress is weighing in.
The dam really is breaking on Benghazi with even reliable Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein offering criticism of the administration on "Meet the Press" Sunday.
Lawmakers -- including Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.), Rep. Phil Roe (R-Tenn.) and Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-Texas) -- sound off to PJM about Benghazi and UN Ambassador Susan Rice's "cock-and-bull" talking points.
With light years between the House budget plan, authored by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), and the Senate package offered by Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid pressures Republicans for meetings unlikely to yield agreement.
The left's hypothetically noble vision of human redemption "is founded in the child's need for reinforcement and protection, propelling the fledgling spirit into the orbit of the magistral savage or mentoring autocrat and their faux-therapeutic nightmares."
Abortionist Kermit Gosnell has been found guilty on three first-degree murder counts for infanticide. He was also convicted on scores of other charges, including involuntary manslaughter and conspiracy.
Benghazi: What's Next?
It's a busy news day in Washington with a lot to digest. The Obama Administration is on its heels -- defending itself against two scandals with tremendous implications and each one striking at the administration's credibility.
This is the time to turn up the heat! American Values, my public policy organization, has put up a new web video about why Benghazi matters. Please share it with friends and family. If you would like to see this ad on TV, click here to make a tax-deductible gift to American Values.
After last week's hearings, many are wondering "what's next?" Here are some things to watch for.
Friday's White House press briefing by Jay Carney has been described as a "resurrection" for the media. After years of covering for Obama, major media players are conceding that the Benghazi story is real.
The New Yorker, a left-wing publication, wrote, "For a long time, it seemed like the idea of a coverup was just a Republican obsession. But now there is something to it." Liberal columnist Maureen Dowd wrote that the Obama Administration's response to Benghazi is like Clinton-era déjà vu: "It's not true, it's not true, it's not true, it's old news."
I think some reporters are genuinely embarrassed by their lack of professionalism over the past five years. I'm betting some will continue to press for answers.
Republicans in Congress have been emboldened by last week's testimony and subsequent news coverage. Obama has been in the driver's seat for years, and especially so since his reelection. But last week's whistle-blower testimony was a rare occasion in which congressional Republicans were on attack and Team Obama was headed toward a foxhole.
I hope Speaker Boehner does not conclude that this is all that needs to be done. Pressure is growing, as it should, to form a select committee to investigate glaring unanswered questions. Questions like: Who ordered U.S. forces to stand down? And where was the president and what was he doing on the night when Americans were dying?
Washington is rife with rumors that more government officials are telling congressional investigators that they want to come forward as whistle-blowers too. Rep. Mike Rogers (R-MI) said his committee has been contacted by officials wanting to testify.
What makes his statement intriguing is that Rogers is chairman of the House Intelligence Committee. It would be particularly dangerous for the White House if there are folks at the CIA wanting to tell their side of the story.
Think about this: We know the CIA immediately told the State Department it was Al Qaeda-linked terrorists who attacked the consulate. But we now know that the State Department and the White House were telling the CIA, "You can't say that!" So, U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice went on five national talk shows and blamed the attack on a video.
When that ridiculous lie fell apart, the White House said, "That's what the CIA and intelligence community told us!" When caught lying, they lied again and blamed the CIA for giving them bad intelligence!
Perhaps what the White House fears most is public testimony under oath from former CIA Director General David Petraeus. In November, Petraeus told members of Congress during closed-door testimony that he "knew almost immediately" that the attack on the consulate was carried out by Ansar al Sharia, an Al Qaeda group in Libya.
It has been reported that he was furious with the watered-down talking points. While it is true that Petraeus left the CIA as a result of a personal scandal, the White House continues to insist that the CIA under his leadership provided bad information that he knows is not true. If Petraeus comes forward with new details, the Benghazi scandal could escalate dramatically.
At a press conference today with British Prime Minister David Cameron, President Obama could not avoid the Benghazi scandal. But his petulance came out again when he seemingly scolded a reporter for asking whether his administration had misled the American people. Like Nixon, Obama doubled down, dismissively saying, "The whole issue of the talking points has been a sideshow."
Is he serious? Let's see how reporters handle that one! That's almost like Gary Hart challenging the media to follow him -- and we know how that turned out.
The IRS Scandal
Dumping bad news on a Friday afternoon is an old Washington tactic for releasing embarrassing information when many folks aren't paying attention. This administration has made the practice a matter of routine. Friday proved to be no exception when it was revealed that the IRS has been targeting groups with "Tea Party" or "Patriot" in their names for extra scrutiny.
We were initially told that probes were conducted by low-level officials in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 2012. It was a big mistake, but no one else in the chain of command knew about it. The IRS is really sorry. But just like the Benghazi talking points, by the end of the weekend it was clear that the news dump on Friday was filled with lies.
Not only had IRS officials engaged in unacceptable behavior (the kind of stuff that forced Richard Nixon out of the White House), but there is now evidence that top officials at the IRS did know conservative groups were being targeted. Instead of 2012, the investigations started in 2010. And the scope of the targets was very broad -- including pro-Israel groups, organizations concerned about government debt and taxes and those "educating on the Constitution and Bill of Rights." (See item below.)
Not surprisingly, congressional Republicans are furious and demanding investigations. This could be huge. Keep in mind, friends, that this is the same agency charged with enforcing Obamacare. No other administration in recent memory has so dramatically expanded its power.
The Rotting Fish
Remember Frank VanderSloot? He was an Idaho businessman "outed" by the Obama campaign for supporting Mitt Romney. Within weeks, he was subjected to an IRS audit and a Labor Department investigation. VanderSloot's story never got into the mainstream news. The IRS was clearly being used to punish Obama's enemies, but the media didn't care.
Soon after Obama took office, the word went out to operatives throughout the government, "Keep an eye on people educating about the Constitution and bill of rights." It didn't take long before the Department of Homeland Security was on the lookout for "right-wing extremist activity." The military is telling troops to look out for extremists like "Evangelicals" and "Catholics."
Does anyone think this is a coincidence? There is a phrase that applies: "A fish rots from the head down."
Even if you can't establish direct orders, all these people put into place by Obama know what he wants and they know who he sees as the enemy. As Newt Gingrich put it this morning, this is an administration that refuses to profile terrorists but is profiling patriots!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Aaron Clark
Tuesday, May 13, 2013 215-579-8102
Fitzpatrick: The IRS Shouldn't be Playing Politics
LANGHONRE, PA -Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick (PA-8) released the following statement Tuesday
concerning the revelation by Inspector General that the Internal Revenue Service was improperly
targeting conservative groups for over two years:
"I was shocked to hear of the IRS targeting of law-abiding Americans simply because of their beliefs.
Fairness is neither partisan, nor political. This morning I helped to introduce the Taxpayer
Nondiscrimination and Protection Act of 2013. This legislation increases the penalties for IRS employees
who discriminate against a group or individual based on protected statuses. It also expressly states that
political speech and expression are protected statuses and protect all political speech- not just that of
conservative groups.
This legislation is important in the wake of new information that shows that high ranking IRS officials
knew about the inappropriate targeting of conservative groups in mid-2010 - nearly a year before
then-IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman told a Congressional Committee the agency was not targeting
conservative groups.
Just as troubling is the fact that the President told Americans today that he just learned of the IRS
targeting through media reports last Friday. How is it possible that the President only learned of this
two days ago?
It is critical to learn what everybody in the Administration knew and when they knew it- that's why
I'm calling on the White House to assist in the investigation immediately.
If you feel your group has been unfairly targeted by the IRS, don't hesitate to contact my office for
assistance."
###
Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick is serving his third term in the U.S. House of Representatives. He represents
Pennsylvania's 8th district which includes all of Bucks County as well as a portion of Montgomery County.
He serves as the Vice Chairman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
*** URGENT LEGISLATIVE ACTION ALERT *** IT'S TIME TO "LIGHT THE BURNERS" AND GET TO THE BOTTOM OF THE BENGHAZI ATTACK. by Lisa Piraneo, Director of Government Relations
Recently, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney noted this about the September 11, 2012, attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi: "Let's be clear, Benghazi happened a long time ago."
We concur. It happened a long time ago. But we still don't have answers.
As much as Jay and others in Washington, DC, hope it will go away-the Benghazi issue is here to stay until those answers are provided.
Why? Because the American grassroots, led by ACT! for America, have kept this issue front and center. They have spent the last 8 months calling and visiting their federal legislators asking for a real investigation into the attack.
As you may know, earlier this year, Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) introduced H. Res. 36, legislation creating a select, short-term committee to investigate what happened in the Benghazi attack that killed four Americans including U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens. From the very beginning, ACT! for America's grassroots have been instrumental in educating their federal legislators about this legislation and, further, in asking them to cosponsor it. In fact, we've been so effective that Rep. Wolf recently sent a personal letter to Brigitte Gabriel thanking our members for their efforts.
And a lot of legislators have listened, but others have not-including the Republican leadership in the House of Representatives.
Over the last few weeks, we have seen an incredible momentum in support of H. Res. 36-from the grassroots, the media, and Members of both the House and Senate. Click HERE to read a recent Wall Street Journal editorial endorsing Rep. Frank Wolf's efforts to see a select committee on Benghazi convened in the House of Representatives.
The legislation now has the support of 146 cosponsors (click HERE to see if your Member of Congress is one of them).
However, House Speaker John Boehner still does not think the issue rises to the level of requiring a special investigative committee-even after the explosive revelations made during last week's congressional hearing by heroic whistleblowers who risked both their careers and reputations in order to do the right thing (Click HERE to watch the riveting testimony during the hearing if you missed it).
After last week's hearing, Rep. Wolf sent a letter to Speaker Boehner once again asking him to convene the Special Committee. In his letter he notes, "After eight months, we can't wait for more time to pass. Questions would remain unanswered, procedures unchanged and accountability unrealized. That is until another attack occurs and another life is lost. And then, shame on us if we, who have been entrusted with public service, have done nothing to prevent it."
We wholeheartedly agree. Enough is enough.
As Brigitte Gabriel says repetitively, "If our legislators don't see the light, we must make them feel the heat."
Well folks, it's time to light the burners.
** Important Action Item **
Today, we are asking you to call and e-mail YOUR member of the U.S. House of Representatives to register your strong support for H. Res. 36 and to ask that he/she personally ask House Leadership to bring H. Res. 36 up for a vote before the FULL HOUSE-THIS WEEK.
Let them know that it's time the Benghazi attack receives the attention it deserves. At this juncture, doing anything else demonstrates continued weakness to our enemies.
The overall message is this: The Benghazi attack deserves the attention of a Special Committee and House Leadership needs to convene such a committee NOW.
Click HERE to locate contact information on your Member of the House of Representatives.
Please relay the following message respectfully, but firmly, and in your own words. In addition, please pass this request on to everyone you know.
[Sample Script. Please modify as appropriate for call or e-mail.]
As a constituent, I am [calling/writing] to ask that Congressman [insert name] immediately contact House Leadership demanding that H. Res. 36 be brought to the House floor for a vote THIS WEEK.
H. Res. 36, legislation introduced by Rep. Frank Wolf, creates a special, short-term committee to investigate the Benghazi attack on the U.S. consulate.
It has been more than eight months since the attack. The five individual committees of jurisdiction have had ample time to investigate. As the recent congressional Oversight hearing has shown, this issue is much too complicated to be split between multiple committees. It must be investigated by one Special Committee devoted solely to the Benghazi issue.
We hope you will do the right thing and relay this message to House Leadership today. The world is watching.
Thank you.
REMEMBER, YOUR VOICE COUNTS! IF EACH OF US DOES JUST A LITTLE, TOGETHER WE CAN ACCOMPLISH A LOT!
The Washington DC-based Newseum, a museum dedicated to the media, will beholding a ceremony to honor those journalists who have been killed in the last year in the course of covering the news.
Included in this list of 84 names are Mahmoud Al-Kumi and Hussam Salama.
Back in November 2012 during Israel's Operation Pillar of Defense, the IDF targeted Mahmoud Al-Kumi and Hussam Salama.
Faced with serious accusations of Al-Aqsa TV's connections to terrorism, the head of the network, Mohammad Thouraya, denied that Al-Aqsa was the voice of Hamas - a hard fact to deny, since the channel is financed and controlled by Hamas - but he did admit that his employees were "all part of the resistance."
Being "part of the resistance", in other words, could mean that those carrying a camera during the day could be carrying rockets at night.
Morning Jolt. . . with Jim Geraghty
May 13, 2013
No Kidding: The IRS Has Had a Vendetta against Conservatives Since 2011
Let's see here . . . the Benghazi hearings and reporting about the "editing" of the talking points indicate that the Obama administration covered up the truth about what happened. Then we learned one of the Boston bombers sought out jihadists while in Russia in 2011 and listened to Internet sermons of al-Qaeda fan/cleric Anwar Awlaki, while collecting public assistance. Then we learned disclosures from the IRS prove that the federal government targeted groups based upon their political views. Hell of a week for the fears we once dismissed as paranoia, huh? This afternoon we get Elvis's reappearance and Thursday is scheduled to feature the truth about the aliens at Roswell.
Naturally, today Obama will deal with these shocking headlines in his traditional manner: going to a bunch of Democratic fundraisers in New York City.
The Internal Revenue Service's scrutiny of conservative groups went beyond those that had "tea party" or "patriot" in their names-as the agency admitted Friday-to also include ones that raised concerns over government spending, debt or taxes, and even ones that lobbied to "make America a better place to live," according to new details of a government probe.
The investigation also revealed that a high-ranking IRS official knew as early as mid-2011 that conservative groups were being inappropriately targeted-nearly a year before then-IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman told a congressional committee the agency wasn't targeting conservative groups.
The new disclosures are likely to inflame a widening controversy over IRS handling of dozens of applications by tea-party, patriot and other conservative groups for tax-exempt status.
The details emerged from disclosures to congressional investigators by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. The findings, which were reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, don't make clear who came up with the idea to give extra scrutiny to the conservative groups.
The inspector general's office has been conducting an audit of the IRS's handling of the applications process and is expected to release a report this week. The audit follows complaints last year by numerous tea-party and other conservative groups that they had been singled out and subjected to excessive and inappropriate questioning. Many groups say they were asked for lists of their donors and other sensitive information.
One point to keep in mind: Sometimes no organizational boss has to explicitly say that there's a great incentive to target a particular political foe. Sometimes these sorts of illegal and unjust incentives simply resonate throughout the culture of an organization. If everyone within a particular office culture (i.e., Internal Revenue Service employees) believes that a particular group is particularly bad (conservatives) and another group is good (liberals), there will be enormous psychological incentives to pursue the "bad" groups, both out of personal beliefs and out of reinforcing groupthink.
There's a simple, direct method for changing the culture, of course: Fire anybody involved.
Don't Let Anyone Make Excuses for the Media's Way-Too-Delayed Interest in Benghazi
On Reliable Sources this weekend, Howard Kurtz alluded to the theory, and Margaret Carlson concurred, that the media didn't pay as much attention to Benghazi since the fall, because some on the Right overhyped the Benghazi story, and turned it into a crusade.
"Because the right wing went so far on this story - 'it's Watergate, it's impeachable' - we couldn't hear Stephen Hayes and The Weekly Standard - it took a meat-and-potatoes reporter," Carlson said.
As you'll see on the video, I more or less jumped down the throat of Carlson, a generally nice woman, whose sweet and adorable granddaughter was watching in the green room.
Nonetheless, this is a ridiculous cop-out on the part of bright media voices who should know better. You can always find some loon out there who can tie a current event to a vast conspiracy theory. The presence of that loon, or even a bunch of loons, doesn't mean that the news event isn't worth covering or examining. "Well, some voices on the right are overhyping the story" doesn't mean you stop covering it.
Get ready for another week of potentially big headlines regarding Benghazi:
House Republicans on Monday plan to take another step in a widening Benghazi investigation, by asking leaders of an independent review board to agree to be questioned about their investigation of last year's attacks in Libya.
The formal request, to be submitted in letters on Monday, comes as GOP lawmakers move to discredit the investigation by the Accountability Review Board, a panel appointed under federal law last year by then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to size up the adequacy of U.S. security measures and preparations at the diplomatic mission that was overrun in the Sept. 11, 2012, terrorist assault.
[Issa] said he planned to send letters asking that the two leaders of the review board, longtime diplomat Thomas Pickering and retired Adm. Mike Mullen, agree to depositions to answer questions about the panel's work. . . .
The panel met with Mrs. Clinton near the end of its investigation, but didn't exhaustively question her, Mr. Pickering said. "I don't believe that it was necessary to do that," he said. "I don't think that there was anything there that we didn't know."
Just to clarify, this is the ARB that declined to interview Mark Thompson, deputy coordinator for operations in the agency's counterterrorism bureau, even though he asked to speak to them. They didn't use a stenographer, only note-takers (meaning there are no verbatim transcripts of their interviews). And as we recall, the ARB report put all of the blame on the career Foreign Service staff, and none on the political appointees - a particularly convenient allocation of blame on the lower levels.
A Public-Health Concern That Weighs Heavily On the Cause of Limited Government
I read it this weekend, and I came away appreciating it a lot more than I expected to - in part because Brzezinski begins by addressing a likely widespread first reaction head-on: No, she's not fat, but that doesn't mean she thinks she's a role model. In fact, she confesses she's unhealthily obsessed with looking sufficiently thin on camera, and she wants us to recognize that someone who does not have a visible weight issue can still have an unhealthy perspective on eating and weight. One can appear physically healthy without being mentally healthy.
I suspect skyrocketing obesity rates and the resulting costs on our health-care system are issues that we on the right are going to have a tough time addressing. Most of us don't think this is something the government ought to be involved with, and we rightfully point out that some recent efforts to address this have a distinctly Orwellian tone, like Mike Bloomberg's war on large sodas. (Brzezinski calls Bloomberg "her hero.")
And it's tough to dismiss the notion that sometimes these efforts represent lawmakers working out their personal self-esteem and body issues through invasive legislation:
He dumps salt on almost everything, even saltine crackers. He devours burnt bacon and peanut butter sandwiches. He has a weakness for hot dogs, cheeseburgers, and fried chicken, washing them down with a glass of merlot.
And his snack of choice? Cheez-Its.
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has become New York City's nutritional nag, banning the use of trans fats, forcing chain restaurants to post calorie counts and exhorting diners to consume less salt. Now he is at it again, directing his wrath at sugary drinks in a new series of arresting advertisements that ask subway riders: "Are you pouring on the pounds?"
But an examination of what enters the mayoral mouth reveals that Mr. Bloomberg is an omnivore with his own glaring indulgences, many of them at odds with his own policies. And he struggles mightily to restrain his appetite.
Freedom means the freedom to make the wrong choices. Unfortunately, the wrong choice can have really bad consequences, and you wonder how self-destructive a choice must be before others are allowed to intervene to try to steer people away from those bad choices. If your eating habits are near-certain to create health-care costs later in life that you will be unable to afford, racking up huge costs to the Medicare system, is it still your business alone?
In the book's most gripping chapter, Brzezinski discusses an intervention with her friend and co-author Diane Smith about her weight, one that nearly ended the friendship. If you see someone battling obesity, are you helping them by ignoring it? On the other hand, almost everybody who's overweight knows it - they're the ones who have to look at themselves in the mirror - and they dread the moment someone calls attention to a part of their lives that they're ashamed about.
Every time I try to go low-or-no-carb for a while, I become intensely aware of how ubiquitous my temptation of choice is. I'm not an expert on addiction, but surely ease of access to the addicting material must be a major factor in the addict's ability to overcome it. Illegal and prescription drugs are (thankfully) not ubiquitous; booze still requires a bit of an effort to encounter (go to the bar, restaurant, liquor store, grocery store). But food - man, that's everywhere, being consumed by literally everybody. And when I'm trying to avoid carbs, it feels like every commercial break is filled with ads for Papa John's, Dunkin' Donuts, T.G.I.Friday's with their latest Deep-Fried Appetizer with Creamy Dipping Sauce. (Did you know that a cinnamon-chip scone at Starbucks has 480 calories? That's only slightly behind a Big Mac.)
And the opportunity to lose control comes at least three times a day. Your body doesn't need cocaine or alcohol, but it needs food. You couldn't go cold turkey if you tried. In fact, just by using that cliché, a bunch of us are now thinking, "Mmmm . . . turkey."
In the book, Chris Christie makes the point, "do you think I could get where I am in life without self control?" Our explosion in obesity probably doesn't mean that we've suddenly become a nation without willpower. It's a combination of sedentary lifestyles removing most of the exercise from our daily routines and the widespread availability of cheap food that is providing more of what we don't need (carbohydrates, in my experience) and less of what we need (energy, vitamins, etc.).
Anyway, anybody left, right, or center who's worried about their own weight or someone else's will probably find Obsessed eye-opening.
ADDENDUM: I hope Tim Carney is right: "Theory: Realization they wrongfully dismissed Benghazi making liberal/MSM journalists more aggressive on IRS story."
NRO Digest - May 13, 2013
Today on National Review Online . . .
THE EDITORS: There must be a full investigation and legislative reforms to bring the IRS to heel. An Outlaw Tax Collector.
JAMES PETHOKOUKIS: Obamanomics has spurred distrust in government - and that was before the tax scandal. The IRS and Big Government.
ROBERT VERBRUGGEN: The think tank should have defended Jason Richwine. Heritage Was Wrong.
ELIANA JOHNSON: Kentucky's libertarian senator makes a national pitch to social conservatives and skeptics of his foreign policy. In Iowa, Rand Paul Looks to 2016.
MARK NEWGENT & JIM PETTIT: Maryland's StateStat omits data that could shine light on the worst prison scandal in state history. Martin O'Malley's Empty Data.
ANDREW STUTTAFORD: The United Kingdom Independence party continues to surge, mainly at the expense of Tories. An English Spring?
ISLAMIC JEW-HATRED: 'MOUNTING EVIDENCE' THAT BOSTON JIHAD BOMBERS SLIT THROATS, MURDERED 3 JEWISH BOYS
I have been posting on the unsolved triple murder of three young Jewish men (two devout) on September 11, 2011, the tenth anniversary of jihadi attack on American soil. When I first heard that the older jihad bomber, Tamerlan, knew him, it sickened me. The media called one of these Jewish victims the "bomber's only American friend."
I knew better. Beheading Jews on on September 11? It had to be devout Muslims. Islamic Jew-hatred -- it's in the quran. Tamerlan was a devout Muslim who opposed the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. He read websites and literature claiming that the CIA was behind the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and that Jews controlled the world.
I tried to hire a private investigator to look into the case, but no one would touch it. It was white hot and active. What took the police so long? If they had solved this murder, there would have been no bombing.Under Islam, slaughtering Jews is the most "righteous" of all kuffar murder: "I killed my Jew!"
While Hamas-CAIR whines and moans about mythical "anti-Muslim" backlash or a photo of the World Trade Center left on the grounds of a mosque, let me be perfectly clear. This is a hate crime. Jihad is a hate crime.
Raphael Teken (left with friend) was one of three people along with Erik Weissman (right) and Brendan Mess who were murdered in a Boston apartment in September 2011
Every new story omits the most crucial fact in the case as to motive. These boys were Jewish and that is why they were practically beheaded by these Muslim supremacists. Islamic Jew hatred - Jews the world over (and most assuredly Israel) know it well -- for 1,400 years.
ABC news: Law enforcement officials tell ABC News that some crime scene forensic evidence provided a match to the two Tsarnaev brothers. The officials also said records of cell phones used by the Tsarnaevs appears to put them in the area of the murders on that date. Several officials confirmed the new findings but declined to be identified because they are not authorized to comment on the ongoing investigation.
A top Republican on Sunday said he expected more witnesses to step forward with information about last year's deadly attack on a U.S. mission in Benghazi and how President Barack Obama's administration responded to the unfolding events.
"I do think we're going to see more whistle blowers. I certainly know my committee has been contacted," Representative Mike Rogers, chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said in an interview on "Fox News Sunday".
Last week, Republican charges that White House covered up details of the Sept. 11, 2012 attack gathered more steam after former U.S. diplomat Greg Hicks told lawmakers he believed more could have been done to stop the assault by suspected Islamist militants.
Top Story The Wit and Wisdom of Herbert Romerstein By Cliff Kincaid | May 13, 2013 Five months before Barack Obama was elected to his first term as president, Herbert Romerstein and I finished a Washington, D.C. briefing on "The Stealth Candidate"-Barack Obama-and his communist connections. I opened it up for questions. "I'm Dana Milbank from The Washington Post," said the questioner. "So what's the upshot? Do you think that Barack [...] From the AIM Blogs Washington Post Tweets Expose Liberal Bias on Benghazi By Don Irvine | May 10, 2013 Guest Column Jonathan Karl Exposes the Role of Victoria Nuland and Jay Carney in the Spreading of Lies By Ron Radosh | May 13, 2013 Brave mainstream media journalists are finally doing what they always should be doing: report the story and let readers and viewers decide the truth for themselves. Today, ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl released their top story - the headline says it all: "Exclusive: Benghazi Talking Points Underwent 12 Revisions, Scrubbed of Terror Reference." Karl obtained from his sources [...] AIM Newswire Obamanomics: Obama to tour Texas to plug job creation
Late-term abortionist Kermit Gosnell, who was found guilty on three counts of murder, was allowed to maintain his "house of horrors" style abortion clinic with no oversight. He mutilated women and fully developed pre-born babies in what the Grand Jury report identified as a "regulatory collapse." Pro-abortion advocates have long resisted any regulations on abortion clinics, claiming they would hinder "women's health." This gruesome situation highlights the need for regulations to protect women's health.
Two different Committees of the House of Representatives have sprung into action to ensure that such a "regulatory collapse" does not occur again.
Last week, the House Judiciary Committee sent this letter to all 50 state attorneys general asking questions about efforts to protect the civil rights of newborns and their mothers. State officials have until June 1 to provide responses to questions presented by the committee as well as copies of official written procedures or guidance that relate to the gathering of information on, or the prosecuting of, newborn homicides.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee sent this similar letter to health officials in all 50 states asking questions about the licensing and monitoring of abortion clinics. State officials have until May 22 to provide information relating to 7 different, in-depth inquiries from the Committee.
We need you to take a moment and e-mail your State Attorney General's office to urge them to answer the Congressional Committee's requests and to do all they can to ensure that abortion clinics maintain proper health standards.
Video: Barber: Obama Is Trying To Purge Christians From The Military
May 13, 2013 01:05 pm
The beginings of "Don't ask, don't tell" for Christians in the military Related posts: Barry Bars The Door: Christians Have No Escape From Obama's New, Gay Military Psychological warfare is a vital component of any war. Breaking... An Example Of How Obama Provokes Conservatives And Christians I have found the presidency of Barack Hussein Obama [...]
Tom Brokaw: "It's time for action" Related posts: IRS Apologizes For Targeting Conservative Groups WASHINGTON - The Internal Revenue Service inappropriately flagged conservative political... Conservative Hidden Camera Sting Targets NPR Conservative activist James O'Keefe, whose deceptively edited hidden camera videos*...
May 13, 2013 12:45 pm Liberal Media brings up the "I-Word" Related posts: Barack Obama's Impeachable Offense Reading the headlines the past few weeks has been like... Obama Maximizing Sequester's Impact An Impeachable Offense? Obama is intentionally inflicting pain onto the American People!... Continue...
Senate Finance To Investigate IRS Targeting Groups
May 13, 2013 12:40 pm WASHINGTON - Sen. Max Baucus says the Senate Finance Committee will investigate the IRS targeting conservative political groups, joining a growing list of congressional panels looking into the matter. The Finance Committee would be the first in the Democratic-controlled Senate to announce an investigation. The Montana Democrat is the panel's chairman. In the House, the [...]
Video: Regulation Nation - No Money & Going Out Of Business?
May 13, 2013 12:35 pm
In Milwaukee, you'll need a license Related posts: Video: Regulation Nation, How The EPA Kills Business ... Continue to Post... Proof Massive Regulation Hurts Small Business A study done by the Small Business Administration (SBA)...
May 13, 2013 12:30 pm "The bigger the baby, the more he charged." That was abortionist Kermit Gosnell's pricing plan. So when one woman came to him about seven or eight months pregnant, Gosnell charged her $2,500, according to the grand jury report. "Sue," as the grand jury report calls the mother, came to Gosnell's gory abortion clinic at 9 [...]
Brokaw, Scarborough, Todd: Liberal media finally dog-piles on Benghazi Related posts: Obama Confronted On Benghazi - Stutters Through Response! Obama was confronted the other day by Ed Henry from... Former US Attorney General Criticizes Obama Response On Benghazi Former US Attorney General Michael Mukasey appeared on Fox News...
The Mainstream Media Lies To Protect Their Comrades
May 13, 2013 12:20 pm For those of us who study the media and what they deem newsworthy, it comes as no surprise that incidents are scrubbed from reporting, for no other apparent reason than that certain incidents reflect badly on the prevalent ideology of those within the media. It therefore is no surprise that hardly anyone in the nation [...]
Video: I've Got "Real Concerns" About ObamaCare - Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE):
May 13, 2013 12:15 pm
Implementation of socialized medicine is not going to be clean or easy Related posts: Obamacare Copies Socialist Germany Those who think socialized medicine is just an "all good"... Deconstructing Obamacare The stated objective of Barack Obama's socialized medicine law is...
Republican Senator Hints At Impeachment For Obama Over Benghazi 'cover-up'
May 13, 2013 12:10 pm The specter of impeachment proceedings against President Barack Obama over an alleged Benghazi cover-up has been raised for the first time, with a conservative senator and a liberal political columnist both hinting that 'the "I" word' could be in play. Oklahoma Republican Sen. Jim Inhofe said Thursday on the Rusty Humphries radio show that what [...]
IRS Targeting Americans For Questioning The Government Related posts: Obama The First President "Who Does Not Love America" Christian radio host Mat Staver says that, for the first... America: Love It As Founded Or...Leave America was founded some 230 years ago on the promises...
May 13, 2013 12:00 pm WASHINGTON - The Republican chairman of the House oversight panel is asking a veteran diplomat and a former chairman of the Joints Chief of Staff for sworn testimony about their investigation into the deaths of four Americans at a diplomatic outpost in Benghazi, Libya. Rep. Darrell Issa, chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform [...]
May 13, 2013 11:55 am LONDON - Two respiratory viruses in different parts of the world have captured the attention of global health officials - a novel coronavirus in the Middle East and a new bird flu spreading in China. Last week, the coronavirus related to SARS spread to France, where one patient who probably caught the disease in [...]
May 13, 2013 11:50 am It would appear that America has finally had enough of the lies and deceit that have been perpetrated by the Obama regime. Even with now proven regime ties to ABC, CBS, CNN and MSNBC, the regime can no longer stop the cat from getting out of the bag. It has become abundantly clear that the [...]
May 13, 2013 11:45 am Now that I know that the Sunday Morning talk shows are pure propaganda, it's sort of entertaining to watch them make stuff up. I raised three teenagers who had an excuse for everything. I feel the same way when I watch David Gregory. The minute I see face, I think "I wonder what he's selling [...]
Census Bureau Surprises In 2012 Presidential Election Final Report
May 13, 2013 11:40 am The Census Bureau's final report on the 2012 presidential election which was just published last week contained enough surprising information to draw delight from liberals and dire warnings from conservatives. Although the total voter participation rated declined only slightly between 2008 and 2012, from 63.6 percent to 61.8 percent, the voting rate by blacks exceeded [...]
GOP Lawmaker: Boehner 'complicit' If Benghazi Panel Blocked
May 13, 2013 11:35 am Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) came under increased pressure Thursday to create a select committee to investigate the Benghazi attack. A day after three State Department whistle-blowers criticized the administration's response to the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.) suggested the Speaker risked becoming "complicit" in a cover-up if he [...]
Steven Crowder gets "educated" by Andrew Klavan about the Benghazi hearings of last week and then interviews some ignorant college students... Related posts: Benghazi-Gate: Obama's Lax Security Led To Four Dead Americans On June 6, the Libyan consulate was attacked with an... Benghazi-Gate: Lawmakers Demand Answers The "Benghazi Accountability Report" issued by the Obama administration [...]
May 11, 2013 07:24 pm "True revolutionaries do not flaunt their radicalism. They cut their hair, put on suits and infiltrate the system from within."- Master Saul Alinsky/pupil Barack Hussein Obama "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light."- 2 Corinthians 11:14, KJV On the heels of the Benghazi exposé (on the crimes of this [...]
Fox News' Eric Bolling shared a campaign ad that he said was up for grabs for Joe Biden, Chris Christie, Rand Paul or Marco Rubio to use in 2016. Related posts: Too Early? Republicans Audition For 2016 Election OXON HILL, Md. - Florida Sen. Marco Rubio implored fellow... Paul Says He Is Considering 2016 Presidential [...]
We're printing petitions to the BSA, make sure yours is included
May 13, 2013
Dear ##FirstName[AFA Supporter]##,
In nine days, the American Family Association will hand-deliver nearly one-quarter million petitions to the national office of the Boy Scouts of America.
Our petition is simple...Don't change your policy.
Our printers are running full blast to make sure every petition is ready, but we have time to print a petition from you. Sign today!
The stakes are too high for you not to get involved. On May 23, 1,400 delegates to the annual BSA meeting will be asked to vote on a resolution that will allow openly homosexual and transgender teenage boys to join the ranks of scouting.
The Boy Scouts have been bullied relentlessly by intolerant homosexual activist groups. Your petition will serve to let the Scouts know you believe in their oath to remain "morally straight."
NOTE: Only your name and zip code will be included on the petition to the BSA. Any other personal information you share will be kept confidential to AFA.
2. Please use the link above to "share" this alert with your Facebook friends. Urge them to sign the petition too!
Sign your petition to the Boy Scouts of America now!
It is very important that you forward this alert to your friends and family members.
Sincerely,
Tim Wildmon, President American Family Association
When South Carolina's Republican Senator Jim DeMint resigned to head the Heritage Foundation most "outside the Beltway" conservatives were at first apprehensive about the net effect it would cause. The thinking on DeMint's move slowly evolved to "Jim can do things outside of the system he can't do/say while in the Senate." It sounded reasonable - after all this was Jim DeMint.
Since he took over Heritage DeMint has been an irritant to the Gang of Eight as they fight to destroy America by erasing our borders, but time has shown that alas he is not the "all in" warrior for our safety we assumed he would be. The abrupt "resignation" of Jason Richwine, a Harvard trained PhD, from his position as a Heritage Foundation analyst/writer tells us a different story about DeMint.
"Wherever the real power in a Government lies, there is the danger of oppression." --James Madison
Essential Liberty
IRS tax target
"[A] top IRS executive admitted Friday that, beginning in 2010, the agency had specifically targeted for possible audits conservative groups with the words 'tea party' or 'patriot' in their names. Then over the weekend, we learned that that the IRS also targeted groups that 'criticize how the country is being run.' In March 2012, then-IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman told Congress that the IRS was not targeting conservatives in any way, a claim contradicted by the Associated Press, which reported that senior IRS officials were notified about the targeting of conservative groups back in 2011. ... Obama's two biggest second term agenda items are: 1) the implementation of Obamacare, which will largely be done by the IRS and the Department of Health and Human Services; and 2) passage of immigration reform, which will require convincing conservatives that the federal government will implement border security after the 11 million illegal immigrants currently in the country are granted amnesty. Both items were a tough sell before last Friday. Now they are even tougher." --Washington Examiner's Conn Carroll
Political Futures
"On Friday, an Obama administration with an already appalling track record of scandals added an equally egregious revelation to the list. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) apologized for what they characterized as an 'inappropriate' targeting of tax-exempt conservative organizations, whose names included 'Tea Party' or 'Patriot,' during the 2012 election campaign. ... In other words, the Obama administration has another burgeoning scandal on its hands. Yet if one couples the administration's penchant for political calculation with a media determined to protect Obama and company at all costs, another scandal may be exactly what is needed right now. At the precise moment when the Benghazi atrocity is reaching critical mass, the public is forced to pay attention to yet another seeming abuse of power. As one scandal piles on top of another, including the green energy scandal, and the Fast and Furious gun running scandal, the White House intel leaks, the Benghazi coverup and now an abusive IRS -- all of which have engendered stonewalling from the White House, as well as ongoing investigations -- a pattern emerges. At this point, however, one can only hope the public has not reached 'information overload' and is not tuning events out on account of so much malfeasance occurring in such rapid succession. One can rest assured, the Obama administration is counting on this public uninterestedness. Obviously, such cynical calculations would have to be based on an almost unprecedented level of contempt for the public by the administration and its media water-carriers. There is little doubt that both the administration and the left-wing media establishment are more than up to the task." --columnist Arnold Ahlert
Justice Department secretly obtained AP phone records
Published May 13, 2013
Associated Press
The Justice Department secretly obtained two months of telephone records of reporters and editors for The Associated Press in what the news cooperative's top executive called a "massive and unprecedented intrusion" into how news organizations gather the news.
The records obtained by the Justice Department listed outgoing calls for the work and personal phone numbers of individual reporters, for general AP office numbers in New York, Washington and Hartford, Conn., and for the main number for the AP in the House of Representatives press gallery, according to attorneys for the AP. It was not clear if the records also included incoming calls or the duration of the calls.
In all, the government seized the records for more than 20 separate telephone lines assigned to AP and its journalists in April and May of 2012. The exact number of journalists who used the phone lines during that period is unknown, but more than 100 journalists work in the offices where phone records were targeted, on a wide array of stories about government and other matters.
In a letter of protest sent to Attorney General Eric Holder on Monday, AP President and Chief Executive Officer Gary Pruitt said the government sought and obtained information far beyond anything that could be justified by any specific investigation. He demanded the return of the phone records and destruction of all copies.
Monday morning, MSNBC host Joe Scarborough tore into the federal government over the IRS�s targeting of conservative groups. In addition to calling the admitted actions �mind-boggling,� Scarborough asserted that �this government is using the Internal Revenue Service to target people with whom they disagree.� Watch the segmentHERE.
The first question at the Monday press conference in the White House got right to the bubbling issue of the IRS intimidation. Watch a clip from President Obama vowing to investigate the IRS's admitted targeting of conservative groups HERE.
Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight made national news after being released from nearly a decade in confinement. The details of their incredible and horrific story continue to emerge, as newly-available cell phone video uncovers the dramatic police rescue that inevitably freed them from alleged captor, Ariel Castro. See the video showing police breaking through the locked door that held the women captiveHERE.
Washington Insider Comes Out of the Shadows With Shocking Announcement
He has been the secret man behind some of the biggest movements and most successful companies in America today. But for over a decade he has made a point to stay behind the scenes� That is until now� Today, something so big has begun to happen in America that he's decided to come out of retirement and reveal his true identity for the first time on this scale. And in this controversial video he will tell you about the coming event that is going to change your life.
The U.K.�s Daily Mail has demonstrated why some lawmakers were so concerned about 3D-printed weapons. The media outlet created a replica in less than two days and succeeded in carrying it through a transportation security checkpoint. Get the entire story HERE.
Opponents of President Obama�s health care overhaul have long warned about the cost of the program but on a national and personal level. But now, even the Associated Press is acknowledging that some of the most ill in our society� whom many thought would now have �free� or dramatically cheaper coverage� may be hit the hardest. See the shocking projected cost increases for some of the sickest people in the countryHERE.
A birthday card found in a Chicago novelty shop has the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) fuming because of its implication that a hijab-wearing doll is a suicide bomber. See the card and let us know if you agree with the Muslim group HERE.
Jibril Rajoub, a senior Palestinian Authority official who is frequently characterized as a �moderate� in both the Western and Israeli media, was seen on Lebanese television saying that if the Palestinians had a nuclear weapon they would have nuked Israel �this morning.� Watch the videoHERE.
International Space Station commander Chris Hadfield has become a bit of an Internet celebrity for his videotaped exploits in zero gravity. Hadfield's latest clip features David Bowie's classic hit "Space Oddity." Watch the Bowie-approved video HERE.
Dr. Candida Moss, a professor at the University of Notre Dame, captured attention earlier this year with the publication of her book, �The Myth of Persecution: How Early Christians Invented a Story of Martyrdom.� From the title alone, you can discern that the subject matter is controversial. Moss, a practicing Catholic and an expert on Christianity, contends that the early church �exaggerated, invented, and forged stories of Christian martyrs.� TheBlaze contacted Moss to gain more information about her perspective. Read the interviewHERE.
When Ronnie White (of Smokey Robinson and the Miracles) brought Steveland Morris over to the Motown offices in Detroit in 1961, Berry Gordy was at first unimpressed. After Morris sang the Miracles' "Lonely Guy" and performed on piano, harmonica and bongo, Gordy signed signed the 11-year-old boy to his label. According to Nelson George's Where Did Our Love Go?, "Berry, in one of his more inspired name changes, decided [Morris] would hereafter be called Little Stevie Wonder." The "Little" was the traditional honorific indicating that the a prodigy. The "Wonder," well, that spoke for itself.
His first hit was "Fingertips-Pt. 2," a one-of-a-kind, chaotic live cut recorded at Chicago's Regal Theater during a Motown Revue show in 1962. The title alludes to his blindness. The performance showed both the good humor and the infectious musicality that became his trademarks. After a break from recording while his voice changed, he resumed his career with "Uptight" in 1965.
When he turned 21, Wonder renegotiated his contract with Motown to secure the kind of artistic freedom that Marvin Gaye had enjoyed in producing the groundbreaking What's Going On album. Wonder's great 1970's albums followed in due course, with titles that alluded to his blindness as a metaphor for the music: Music of My Mind, Talking Book, Innervisions, and Fulfillingness' First Finale. The classic double album Songs in the Key of Life served as a kind of summation.
Among the decade's highlights are many lovely, affirmative and haunting songs. To pick just a few of the superb lesser-known tracks from the succession of albums beginning with Where I'm Coming From, consider "If You Really Loved Me," "Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer," "'Until You Come Back To Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do)," "Happier Than the Morning Sun," "Blame It On the Sun," "Lookin' For Another Pure Love," "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing," "Heaven is 10 Zillion Light Years Away," "They Won't Go When I Go," "Knocks Me Off My Feet," "As," and "Another Star."
In the video above, Wonder performs "Until You Come Back To Me" with Aretha Franklin. What a beautiful, perfectly characteristic song from the Wonder songbook, even if Aretha is a little vague on the lyrics at this point. In the video below, Stevie gives a playful extended performance of "Knocks Me Off My Feet," one of my favorites. Great line: "I don't want to bore you with it, but I love you." Leading the audience in this performance, he adds for good measure: "There's nothing wrong in celebrating love, in celebrating life, in celebrating God."
Today Wonder turns 63. He remains an engaging live performer even if his creative fires have dimmed a little, and even if his optimistic spirit is out of tune with the times. (First posted in 2005.)
President Obama tried today to catch up with the IRS scandal, condemning the IRS officials who targeted conservatives. Obama clearly perceives the threat this scandal poses to trust in government, and hence to his project of vast expansion of governmental power. It's possible too that he feels genuine outrage about the IRS's targeting of conservatives.
But neither presidential outrage nor condemnation can mitigate the central concern that this scandal reinforces - that the federal government is dominated by leftists who, quite apart from what the executive may desire, are eager to use their power to promote liberalism and harm liberalism's opponents.
Those who share this concern should oppose on principle all expansions of government power that put bureaucrats in a position to advance liberalism through the exercise of discretion, or that rely on them to curtail their liberalism by faithfully following the law. Obamacare is a clear case in point. As Seth Mandel writes:
[W]ith few exceptions, Democrats don't see ObamaCare as a means to improving health; they see it as a massive expansion of government empowered to transfer wealth and play favorites. Expanding government's power and reach-if possible, without a related increase in transparency or accountability-is the central ideological component of the modern Democratic Party's worldview.
When Republicans warned of "death panels," the overheated rhetoric was describing an entirely realistic scenario: ObamaCare putting unaccountable bureaucrats between patients and their doctors. And the line of attack resonated because the Democrats' plans were so baldly undemocratic and invasive.
Immigration reform is another example. The Schumer-Rubio legislation puts enormous trust in bureaucrats - both to follow the law and to exercise in good faith the vast discretion the law provides them. We are asked to trust the bureaucracy when it comes to guessing whether impossible-to-calculate border security metrics have been met; when it comes to processing applications for upgrades in status, up to and including citizenship; and so forth.
We know that federal bureaucrats are willing to violate the law and/or the public trust by acting viciously against conservatives. Clearly, bureaucrats will be more than willing to violate the law and/or the public trust by acting humanely (as they see it) to maximize immigration into the U.S and to increase the number of left-leaning voters.
The Washington Post editorial board falls well short of its usual standards in this superficial and intellectually dishonest piece of partisanship attacking Republicans for opposing Tom Perez's nomination for Secretary of Labor. The Post characterizes Republican opposition as driven purely by policy disagreements:
Democrats highly regard Mr. Perez, a former secretary of labor in Maryland, for his aggressive action on voting rights, police abuse and fair lending cases. Republicans dislike him for the same record.
Actually, when it comes to voting rights, Republicans dislike Perez mostly because he failed to take aggressive action when the voting rights of whites have been at stake - as in the New Black Panther Party case.
Moreover, the reasons for opposing Perez extend well beyond policy. For example, Perez gave false testimony to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission about the New Black Panther Party case. Under oath, Perez said that no "political leadership" at DOJ was involved in the decision not to pursue that matter. But federal district court judge Reggie Walton found that internal Justice Department documents "contradict" this testimony.
The Post's editors are also disingenuous when they cite Republican policy disagreement with Perez about fair lending cases as a source of opposition to his nomination. Republicans don't oppose Perez because he favors applying disparate impact analysis to fair lending cases. They oppose him because, in a quid pro quo deal with the City of St. Paul, he gave away a lawsuit seeking damages in a whistleblower case in exchange for the City's agreement to withdraw an appeal to the Supreme Court that would have tested the use of disparate impact analysis in fair lending cases. Perez also made false statements in an attempt to cover up his involvement in the quid pro quo.
The Post knows this very well, but fails to so inform its readers. Instead, without mentioning the quid pro quo, the Post mocks Republicans for (in the Post's view) only pretending to care about the federal program to protect minorities that was at issue in the St. Paul whistleblower case. The Post thus compounds its intellectual dishonesty by resorting to ad hominem attacks, even as it hides key facts.
The Post concludes by vouching, without any analysis, for Tom Perez's "high ethical standards." But it precisely because his ethical standards are in serious doubt that Perez shouldn't be confirmed.
It's difficult to find humor in anything related to the murder of our ambassador to Libya and his colleagues in Benghazi, but the Accountability Review Board convened by Hillary Clinton has seeds of of comedy in it. As scandal management, the Accountability Review Board (report here) amounted to something like performance art.
Joseph diGenova and Victoria Toensing represented two of the three whistleblower witnesses who testified before the House committee last week, including Gregory Hicks. The ARB somehow missed Hicks in their investigation. Toensing fails to see the humor, but she has written a good column commenting on the ARB report for the Weekly Standard. It would be easy to miss Toensing's column at the Standard's online site, but it deserves attention.
How did the estimable men of the ARB miss Gregory Hicks in the information gathering phase of their work? The ARB harks back to Richard Nixon's desired resolution of the controversy over production of the Watergate tapes: The Stennis Compromise. In lieu of producing the tapes, Nixon proposed, bring in some eminent but hearing-impaired older man to check out the tapes and report back. The Stennis Compromise was laughed out of consideration. Only Democrats can get away with something like that.
The ARB also missed Hillary Clinton. That's hard to understand. ARB chairman Thomas Pickering cleared that apparent oversight up yesterday in a round of appearances that echoed the stupidity of the infamous talking points that Susan Rice was peddling on behalf of the White House this past September 16. Ambassador Pickering explained: "We knew where the responsibility rested."
"They've tried to point a finger at people more senior than where we found the decisions were made," Pickering said of Clinton's critics. On the other hand, according to Pickering, they also found it unnecessary to chat with her because she had already accepted "the full responsibility."
BOB SCHIEFFER: But let me understand what you're saying. You had Secretary Clinton but you didn't ask her any questions? And why not?
AMBASSADOR PICKERING: Because in fact, we knew where the responsibility rested. She had already stated on a number of occasions, she accepted as a result of her job, the full responsibility. On the other hand, legislation setting up our board made it very clear that they didn't want a situation in which a department or agency had accepted responsibility and then nobody looked at where the decisions were made. And how and what way those decisions affected performance on security. And whether people where thus responsible for failures or performance. That's what we were asked to do and that's what we did.
BOB SCHIEFFER: Well, do you think in retrospect it might have been a good idea to question her? And some of these other ranking officials?
AMBASSADOR PICKERING: I think that we knew and understood because we had questioned people who had attended meetings with her. What went on at those meetings and how they were handled. What was relevant. I don't believe that it was necessary to do that. I don't think that there was anything there that we didn't know.
Where is Inspector Clouseau when really you need him?
Eliana Johnson reports on Rand Paul's visit to Iowa, which soon will be followed by visits to New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina. As Eliana's report makes clear, outreach to social conservatives was a main purpose of Paul's trip to Iowa. The front page of today's Washington Post also contains a story, albeit less insightful, about Paul's outreach efforts.
Paul exaggerates, but is on to something, when he says "politics is always the art of fusion, bringing people together who don't agree on every issue and trying to find some common theme." Finding a common theme between his libertarianism and the social conservatism of evangelicals is a daunting task.
But Paul is wise to make the effort. Republicans need to attract young voters, but would be crazy to blow off the socially conservative base. Attempts at fusion beat the take-it-or-leave it approach one senses from Mike Huckabee, on the one hand, and Chris Christie, on the other. But then, Huckabee and Christie do not (yet?) seem focused on a presidential run.
How does Paul propose to effectuate the fusion? Eliana reports:
Paul treads carefully on the issues that matter most to social conservatives. He says he's "100 percent" pro-life, but maintains there are many exceptions to the rule that abortion is wrong. He personally opposes same-sex marriage, but insists the matter should be left up to the states.
Whether his federalism on the question will pass muster with a broader audience of social conservatives remains to be seen, but this group of Evangelical pastors appears receptive to his message about broadening the GOP. "If you think everybody in the Democratic party agrees with each other . . . " one lunch participant interjects. "I mean, you think all these union guys are for homosexual marriage? I guarantee you, they aren't!"
Good point.
If Paul wants to keep the traditional Republican coalition together, he must also "fuse" with Republicans who favor a strong national defense and a foreign policy of engagement with the world (and not just through trade). This part of the fusion project is less urgent politically, and Paul need not, for political purposes, fuse with neoconservatives (as that term has come to be understood).
Eliana notes that in a February speech at the Heritage Foundation, Paul urged Republicans to look to the Cold War-era policy of containment to combat radical Islam and even, perhaps, a nuclear Iran. Although this approach failed to gain traction, there may be considerable merit to the part about containing radical Islam in general.
I don't see myself supporting Rand Paul for president. Indeed, unless this fusion thing works out, I'm not sure I could even vote for him in a general election. But I'm not the voter Paul needs, especially, to worry about. And Paul does deserve credit for thinking hard about how to broaden the Republican Party's appeal without losing large portions of the base.
Anti-Christian war raging at Pentagon
What on Earth is going on inside the Pentagon concerning prosecuting Christians for sharing their faith?
All of America is buzzing about the revelation Barack Obama's IRS targeted conservative and tea-party groups during last year's election because of their politics.
But why the admission NOW?
One of the biggest names among conservatives and tea partiers has the eye-opening answer.
After a series of school choice victories across the nation, the Louisiana Supreme Court issued a disappointing ruling this Tuesday when it upheld a lower court's ruling invalidating the state's school voucher program.
With a 6-1 vote, the higher court declared the funding mechanism for Governor Bobby Jindal's (R) 2012 private school tuition voucher program violated the Louisiana constitution on grounds that the funds used were earmarked for public education only. The ruling jeopardizes the educational opportunity of the 5,000 children who currently receive vouchers to attend a private school of choice.
Indiana Governor Pence Signs Voucher Expansion Bill
Gov. Mike Pence has signed into law an expansion of Indiana's private school vouchers.
Number of the Week
66% According to a recent national survey, 66 percent of mothers with school-age children are in support of vouchers for all students to obtain the best education possible.
Read the full article at The Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice.
Quote of the Week
"The bottom line is that our kids only get one chance to grow up, and we are committed to making sure choice is alive and families can send their children to the school of their choice."
-Governor Bobby Jindal (R-LA)
Don't Miss
Union Joins Opposition to Common Core
The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) has joined groups like the Republican National Committee, the American Association of Christian Schools, the Home School Legal Defense Association, Tea Party groups, public policy organizations, and parents across the country in expressing concerns about Common Core national standards.
About The Heritage Foundation Founded in 1973, The Heritage Foundation is a research and educational institute -- a think tank -- whose mission is to formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong national defense.
The Internet sales tax passed the Senate, but a growing chorus is pointing out that it would hurt many to help the tax man.
The Senate passed the misleadingly named Marketplace Fairness Act last week by a vote of 69-27. But House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) said that he is unlikely to support it-and other House Members said they want to take a thorough look at it through the normal committee process.
"Moving this bill where you've got 50 different sales tax codes, it's a mess out there," Boehner said. "You're going to make it much more difficult for online retailers to be able to comply."
The MFA is anything but fair, because instead of leveling the playing field, it would tilt it decidedly against online retailers, particularly small ones. Brick-and-mortar stores would still have to collect sales taxes only where they are physically present. Online retailers would have to collect sales taxes from the nearly 10,000 sales tax jurisdictions around the country where their customers live. That is not an equal burden.
For someone running-or thinking about starting-a small online business, trying to deal with tax codes for all of the states that charge sales tax is a huge deterrent.
Yet the Senate rushed this bill through. Americans for Tax Reform's Grover Norquist said the rush itself was one of the reasons the Internet sales tax made it this far.
"It's only passing the Senate because they took it out of regular order," he said. "Why did they want to rush it through without amendments? Why did they do that? Because if people looked at it too long, it wouldn't pass easily."
The House is going to consider the bill through the normal committee channels, giving Members more time to review it and ask questions.
This also allows time for more facts to enter the debate and misconceptions to be exposed. Share this with your friends and family to spread the word.
Read the Morning Bell and more en español every day at Heritage Libertad.
Quick Hits:
Representative Mike Rogers (R-MI) said yesterday that he expects more Benghazi whistle-blowers to come forward.
"At various points over the past two years, Internal Revenue Service officials targeted nonprofit groups that criticized the government and sought to educate Americans about the U.S. Constitution," reports The Washington Post.
Vice President Joe Biden says he believes a number of Senators "have seen the Lord" on the issue of gun control.
To get an idea of what some conservative House Members are thinking on the Internet sales tax, check out this video.
British Prime Minister David Cameron is meeting with President Obama today. Here's what they will likely talk about -- and what they should talk about.
Senate Judiciary to Take Up Gang of Eight Guest Worker Provisions
The Senate Judiciary Committee plans to continue "marking up" (amending) the Gang of Eight amnesty bill tomorrow at 10 a.m. On Friday, Chairman Pat Leahy (D-VT) decided the Committee would begin amending the bill's guest worker and other nonimmigrant visa program provisions.
Lax Border Security Provisions Remain in Gang of Eight Bill
During the markup of S.744, Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) consistently voted with the Senate Judiciary Committee's 10 Democrats to block changes to the bill's core "border security" provisions. As a result, the Committee failed to pass any meaningful reforms to the Gang of Eight's nearly 900-page bill.
Senate Homeland Security Committee Examines Gang of Eight Bill
Last Tuesday, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee held a hearing on the border security provisions (Title I) of the Gang of Eight's "comprehensive" immigration reform bill (S.744) and reached bipartisan agreement that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) needs to improve its border security efforts.
CO Taxpayers Get the Shaft as Legislature Grants Financial Aid & In-State Tuition Rates to Illegal Aliens
After rejecting bills to grant in-state tuition to illegal immigrants six times over the past decade, Colorado's Gov. John Hickenlooper signed SB 33 into a law. This bill will allow illegal aliens to receive taxpayer-funded financial aid & in-state tuition rates at Colorado colleges and universities.
Out of Touch By Rich Galen The increasingly dangerous civil war in Syria moved into a new phase over the weekend when two car bombs killed 46 people in Turkey in a town along the Syrian border.
Glenn drops the 'I' bomb: It's time to appoint special counsel to explore impeachment
The lies from this administration have been so egregious, especially in regards to the Benghazi attack, that Glenn feels it's time to stop giving Obama a pass. He places the blame for everything (except taking credit for catching Bin Laden) on some so-called 'low level staffer' who messed up . The buck does not stop midway up the ladder - it stops at the top. Glenn calls for impeachment hearings on radio today.
The definition of 'TyrannB
The President laughed off the idea that government tyranny could be right around the corner - only a week later his dismissal appears to be premature. First, ABC uncovers Obama's lies on Benghazi. Then, the IRS admits it was unfairly targeting the Tea Party, 9/12 Project and other conservative groups. Is Obama eating his words? Glenn explains 'tyranny' on radio today.
Benghazi: What will it take for the press to care?
How many lies must one administration be caught in before the press cares? Apparently the threshold is pretty high because this administration is building a mountain of lies surrounding Benghazi. They're piling one on top of the other - is the press willing to go down with the ship? Glenn goes over the latest Benghazi deceptions on radio today.
Media playing catch up: TheBlaze reported IRS scandal in early 2012
On Friday, the IRS decided to unload a news story that was just a tad massive: an admission that the IRS had been inappropriately targeting conservative groups and making it harder on them than others. Quite a stunning admission: but why now? Glenn has the details on radio today.
ACLJ: We are drafting complaints against IRS agents, federal governmentMORE
Whoa: Glenn in strange Man in the Moon photo shoot. PHOTOS
Apparently the UN thinks bugs are an "earth" friendly snack....and Jeffy agrees. WATCH
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Watch On Demand: For The Record
Episode 2 of For The Record is now available on demand! Two shocking stories you won't won't believe the mainstream media isn't talking about are exposed: the horrifying persecution of Christians in Egypt and unbelievable stories of human trafficking inside our own borders. We need your help to get these stories out. Watch For The Record on demand -- only on TheBlaze.
It's the man, not the gun
The mainstream media wants you to believe that gun crime originates with the gun. It doesn't. Debunk the progressive myths, the talking points, and arguments with #1 New York Times bestseller CONTROL. Backed by hundreds of sources, Glenn's latest book gives everyone who cares about the Second Amendment the indisputable facts they need to reclaim the debate, defeat the fear, and take back their natural rights. Get your copy HERE.
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OK....when they look at you like you have a tin foil hat on your head......take some of this information with you. It is 126 pages. I have not read through the entire document (YET) but what I have read is enough to blow off the top of your head. I have highlighted some stuff. KIPP (Charter Schools) has a CHARACTER REPORT CARD on Page 39. So for now start on page 39 and work your way through to page 45. Remember 
National rates of gun homicide and other violent gun crimes are strikingly lower now than during their peak in the mid-1990s, paralleling a general decline in violent crime, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of government data. Beneath the long-term trend, though, are big differences by decade: Violence plunged through the 1990s, but has declined less dramatically since 2000.
Here is a fantastic read about how citizens in Indiana made a difference and stopped Common Core in its tracks. This is must reading for all on how one state did it. Two moms vs. Common Core. Keep your chins up and march forward. We can do it here too. 
COMMON CORE NEWS
In nine days, the American Family Association will hand-deliver nearly one-quarter million petitions to the national office of the Boy Scouts of America.
Glenn drops the 'I' bomb: It's time to appoint special counsel to explore impeachment 
