912 Patriots of Lower Bucks - Your Daily Updates ALL in ONE Place!
May 16, 2013
Quote:
"No longer could we reflect, with generous pride, on the heroic actions of our American forefathers ... if we, but for a moment entertain the thought of giving up our liberty."
Tell Me Again Why U.S. Used Jihadists to Guard Benghazi?
Diana West - May 15, 2013
"I want to ask a couple of questions about the February 17 Martyrs Brigade," said Rep. Blake Farenthold.
The Texas Republican was addressing the three State Department "whistleblowers" who testified before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee about the attack in Benghazi that killed four Americans, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens. The three witnesses were Mark Thompson, acting deputy assistant secretary of state for counterterrorism; Greg Hicks, former deputy chief of mission in Libya; and Eric Nordstrom, former regional security officer in Libya.
When Farenthold introduced this crucial subject into the hearings, he also opened a window into Benghazi that shone light not only on disastrous Western support for "Arab Spring," but also on the core crisis in U.S. foreign policy.
Farenthold: "Mr. Nordstrom, can you tell me the role of February 17 Martyrs Brigade in protecting the consulate in Benghazi?"
Nordstrom: "Certainly. That was the unit, for lack of a better term, that was provided to us by the Libyan government."
This already was news to me: The Libyan government provided known jihadists to guard U.S. interests?
On second thought, there is nothing fantastic about this when - or, rather, if - we consider that the U.S. government supported an army of known jihadists in its revolution against Libya's anti-jihadist former leader Moammar Gadhafi. I say "if" because I don't expect even the members of the committee to see the "Arab Spring" this way. Uncle Sam's open support for jihad is an epic scandal that is never even acknowledged.
'Stunner': Congressman Claims AP Phone Scandal Involved House of Reps. 'Cloakroom'
The Blaze | Becket Adams | May. 16, 2013 1:21am
Congressman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) said Wednesday during an interview on the Hugh Hewitt Show that the Justice Department's investigation of the Associated Press involved obtaining phone records from the House of Representatives cloakroom.
Here's how the conversation went down [h/t Hot Air]:
HH: The idea that this might be a Geithner-Axelrod plan, and by that, the sort of intimation, Henry II style, will no one rid me of this turbulent priest, will no one rid me of these turbulent Tea Parties, that might have just been a hint, a shift of an eyebrow, a change in the tone of voice. That's going to take a long time to get to. I don't trust the Department of Justice on this. Do you, Congressman Nunes?
DN: No, I absolutely do not, especially after this wiretapping incident, essentially, of the House of Representative. I don't think people are focusing on the right thing when they talk about going after the AP reporters. The big problem that I see is that they actually tapped right where I'm sitting right now, the Cloak Room.
HH: Wait a minute, this is news to me.
DN: The Cloak Room in the House of Representatives.
HH: I have no idea what you're talking about.
DN: So when they went after the AP reporters, right? Went after all of their phone records, they went after the phone records, including right up here in the House Gallery, right up from where I'm sitting right now. So you have a real separation of powers issue that did this really rise to the level that you would have to get phone records that would, that would most likely include members of Congress, because as you know...
'Audit This': Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman Evan Mathis's Protest of the IRS May Shock You
The Blaze | Becket Adams | May. 15, 2013 9:20pm
Evan Mathis. (NFL via Getty Images)
We didn't think it could happen, but it looks like the Internal Revenue Service has managed to make itself even more unpopular with Americans that it already was - if that's even possible.
For instance, Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman Evan Mathis on Wednesday decided to express his disgust for the fed agency by posting the following photo to his Instagram account:
Yes, that's a picture of him "urinating" (we're not sure if he's really doing it) on the IRS building. And, yes, the picture is captioned, "audit this."
IRS Stalled Conservatives While Giving Liberals a Pass on Tax Exemptions
Wednesday, May 15, 2013 10:50 AM
By: Sandy Fitzgerald
Evidence is mounting that the Internal Revenue Service gave far better treatment to left-wing groups than those on the right, with data showing the agency approved dozens of liberal and progressive organizations as tax-exempt while leaving conservative groups hanging.
No tea party applications were approved in a 27-month period beginning February 2010. But numerous applications from liberal and progressive groups were given tax-exempt status during the same period, USA Today reported.
Liberal Organization With Ties To George Soros Got Documents From IRS
George Soros? I haven't written about him in awhile. When you understand a simple concept it makes understanding the world a whole lot easier. Money talks. That's it. Even the "do gooders" at ProPublica.org require money and George Soros is always willing to write a check for a good progressive cause. This IRS scandal is bigger than anyone can imagine. It has Obama's prints on it as well as those of George Soros. Whether or not they are guilty of giving any orders, you can not deny that they are both well connected to those who were doing the dirty work.
dropped a bombshell on Monday evening. For those who have not heard, they admitted to receiving confidential documents, at their request, from the IRS.
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
115 N BROAD STREET $20.00 GET YOUR TICKETS NOW WWW.BCTARS.COM
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.
Zionist Organization of America in a Parade celebrating 65 years of
Israeli Independence.
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
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!
2013 RedState Gathering -- Early Bird Special
Dear RedStater,
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.
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!
I look up, and find about 2,700 of you have "liked" yesterday's Morning Jolt lead items on Facebook. Thanks much. You may not realize how much that helps spread these ideas and arguments and news to folks who might otherwise never encounter it.
May 15, 2013
BOOM: The Implosion of the Obama Excuses for the Scandal Parade
Just how bad has it gotten for the Obama administration?
Former Obama White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs - now an MSNBC contributor - explained to Andrea Mitchell this afternoon that President Obama made White House Press Secretary Jay Carney's job more difficult due to his passive response to the scandals surrounding his administration
Carney would have had an easier time defending the president, suggested Gibbs, if the President had spoken out on the IRS scandal over the weekend.
"The problem is this - the tenor of this briefing would be different if the president had spoken about this on Saturday or Sunday and not on Monday," Gibbs explained shortly after Carney struggled to answer reporters questions in the White House Press Briefing.
Gibbs added that President Obama sounded like he was "losing patience" with the issue "which is what I do with my 9-year-old."
Gibbs explained that Obama should have used "more vivid" language and proposed a tough commission to look at the issue while waiting for the Inspector General to release his report on the scandal.
Well, at least Obama still has Mr. Leg-Tingle himself, Chris Matthews, who - wait, what?
Matthews: President Obama has got to stop taking advice from sycophants who keep telling him he's right and only they can be trusted. He needs to act. He needs to fire people. He needs to grab control of his presidency. He needs to surround himself with people who are ready to fight on every front, because the three problems he faces now, Benghazi, the IRS and the FBI are less likely to be two problems by this time next week than there are to be four and counting. Why? Because, as I said, it's not just that he's under attack. It's that he's vulnerable. And that is obvious to everyone this side of the White House gates.
Who's going to denounce the president next, Joe Biden?
What we saw in Tuesday's White House press briefing, where the press corps appeared ready to break out the pitchforks and torches and go French Revolution on Jay Carney's dishonest tush, is what happens when a very comfortable, very confident administration suddenly finds that none of the traditional scandal defenses work.
Dennis Miller: "Carney blows more smoke than a Rastafarian's death rattle."
Tuesday afternoon, Ace of Spades came up with the idea of a scandal-excuse prediction game in the form of an NFL-style draft, and Twitchy collected some of the best.
Ace began with Low-level employees, took Obama gives a historic speech in the second round (overrated, I would argue, that player peaked a few years ago and has really seen less playing time in recent years) and concluded the third round with a very versatile selection who gets a lot of playing time, Some procedures may need review/Procedures have let us down again.
My first-round selection was the offspring of the Hall of Famer that everyone remembers from the breakout 1998 season, The real story here is the shadowy network behind our critics making these baseless accusations.In the second round I went with a player who has been on the field almost constantly since the start of the 2009 season, If you look back to the Bush administration . . .
It's easy to predict these because anyone who has followed the news during more than one scandal has seen them before. There is a playbook in these sorts of matters: It wasn't me, it was that other figure/local office over there. I was out of the loop. I was in the loop, but the concerns were never adequately communicated, in violation of established procedures. I knew about it, but I didn't approve of it. There's an ongoing review, I can't comment. All of this happened a long time ago, you're obsessed with ancient history. This is a distraction from the real business of the country. Finally, don't you understand that my political enemies are behind this?
All of the above lines are meant to get you to focus on something besides what happened, who's responsible, and who should be held accountable. All of this is mean to persuade us that their decisions and actions aren't the problem; the problem is with us, for asking questions about it.
The IRS targeting of conservative groups is far broader than first reported, with nearly 500 organizations singled out for additional scrutiny, according to two lawmakers briefed by the agency.
IRS officials claimed on Friday that roughly 300 groups received additional scrutiny. Reps. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., and Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said Tuesday that the number has actually risen to 471. Further, they said it is "unclear" whether Tea Party and other conservative groups are being targeted to this day.
The lawmakers disclosed the additional information in a letter Tuesday to Lois Lerner, the IRS official who first disclosed the inappropriate practice.
The Republican congressmen also revealed that the IRS itself determined their effort was biased against conservatives more than a year ago.
"The actions of the IRS are unconscionable and appalling," they wrote.
Given the advance knowledge of the program, Issa and Jordan voiced serious concerns about the honesty of top IRS officials and the lack of disciplinary action. The lawmakers said they've learned nobody has been disciplined and that one employee at the Cincinnati office where this program was supposedly started "received a promotion or 'career enhancement.'"
Obamacare, Like Winter, Is Coming.
You know that chill you've been feeling down your spine lately? It's not because of the cold snap here on the East Coast. It's your subconscious, sensing Obamacare creeping closer and closer.
Gallup finds that 48% of small business owners think the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) "is going to be bad for their business," while 39% don't think it'll have an impact. Fifty-five percent of those polled think the health care law will increase their health care costs, while only 5% think they'll pay less.
Internal cost estimates from 17 of the nation's largest insurance companies indicate that health insurance premiums will grow an average of 100 percent under Obamacare, and that some will soar more than 400 percent, crushing the administration's goal of affordability.
New regulations, policies, taxes, fees and mandates are the reason for the unexpected "rate shock," according to the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which released a report Monday based on internal documents provided by the insurance companies. The 17 companies include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield and Kaiser Foundation.
The report found that individuals will face "premium increases of nearly 100 percent on average, with potential highs eclipsing 400 percent. Meanwhile, small businesses can expect average premium increases in the small group market of up to 50 percent, with potential highs over 100 percent."
Democrats anticipate glitches in ObamaCare's implementation and are anxious about the potential political fallout, Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said Tuesday.
Hoyer, the Democratic whip, fiercely defended President Obama's 2010 healthcare law, arguing that public support will swell as more benefits kick in. But with the central reforms set to be installed within the next year, the Maryland Democrat also conceded that stumbling blocks are inevitable and Republicans will likely pounce on each one.
"We're concerned about the implementation," Hoyer said Tuesday during a press briefing in the Capitol.
"It's going to be difficult to implement without glitches and I think it would be a surprise if there weren't some glitches. And, yes, I think the Republicans will try to make as much hay of any glitches that may occur as they possibly can," Hoyer added. "But ... the election last year was essentially about the Affordable Care Act and their [the Republicans'] desire to repeal it. ... And Obama won a very handy election."
Hoyer's comments strike a different tone than those offered last week by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who expressed no concern that some of the most sweeping changes under ObamaCare are set to take hold just months ahead of the 2014 midterms.
"We're very pleased that we're coming to a place now where we're going into implementation," Pelosi said Thursday. "It's going to be something so remarkable in terms of prevention and wellness; it's going to be something so great in terms of technology and ... electronic medical records."
NoLiberals: "Keep in mind that IRS is the enforcement arm of Obamacare. If it denies political groups non-profit status, what about your kidney transplant?"
Hoyer dismissed that concern by saying that there was "no link" between the IRS targeting conservatives and its administration of health care. But that's willful denial to argue that a government agency caught abusing its power in one area would never abuse its power in another.
CHARLES MURRAY: The Heritage scholar's resignation is emblematic of a corruption that has spread throughout American intellectual discourse. In Defense of Jason Richwine.
CHARLES C. W. COOKE: Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not after you. In Praise of Paranoia.
ANDREW STILES: Tea-party groups describe what it was like to be ensnared by the IRS's targeting of conservatives. The IRS's Liberal Dragnet.
JONAH GOLDBERG: The president's half-right: The talking points aren't the real issue. Benghazi's Smoking Gun.
CONRAD BLACK: The attacks in Libya were a searing indictment of Obama's foreign-policy failure, but don't rise to the level. No Impeachment on Benghazi.
NINA SHEA: As Pope Francis gave the Church 800 new saints, Christians were being persecuted around the world. The Martyrs of Otranto.
HILLEL FRADKIN & LEWIS LIBBY: In 2009, Obama anointed Turkey's prime minister as leader of the Middle East. It hasn't worked out. Erdogan's U.S. Visit.
The national news media haven't discovered it, but the issue that is bringing out hundreds of citizens who never before attended political meetings is Common Core (CC). More precisely, it is the attempt of Barack Obama's Department of Education to force all states and schools to adopt specified national education standards for each grade level that will dictate what all kids learn and don't learn.
We are all - all of us - attracted to shiny objects. Oftentimes we fixate on the shiny object and never see past the shine to what the object actually is or what it can actually do for us or whether it is even a distraction.
The IRS scandal is the latest shiny object on which the GOP will fixate. But if, instead of fixating, we take advantage of it - elected officials, activists, and donors alike - we can use what the Obama administration did via the IRS to our advantage.
Of course I am talking about Obamacare. Barack Obama wants to expand the number of IRS agents to manage Obamacare. In a scandal all its own, the IRS is facing a class action lawsuit for inappropriately accessing and taking the medical records of more than ten million people.
The IRS is improperly dragging out the review of 501(c) applications, inappropriately probing the political beliefs of organizations, and auditing those who would complain.
Conservatives have new and massive grounds to show the American people that what they've said all along was right - the government cannot be trusted to do the job. Heck, just yesterday David Axelrod said on television that the government was just too vast for the President to oversee.
Obama's favorite henchman, David Axelrod, deployed the famed Incompetence Defense on behalf of the embattled President during an MSNBC appearance on Wednesday.That's the hot new line from Obama apologists: he's so incredibly inept that he can't be held responsible for anything his Administration does.He golfs, he raises money, he takes a lot of vacations... there's not much time left over for management.He learns about the crazy misadventures of his subordinates by watching TV news, like the rest of us.
What an amazing transformation!Once upon a time, Barack Obama was the Czar of Czars, the genius super-president better qualified to run any industry than all of its CEOs put together.The diverse wisdom of 300 million Americans was nothing compared to his central planning genius.He knew what kind of energy we really needed, no matter how loudly we clamored for the fuels that work.He knew more about medicine than any doctor.He couldn't discuss any subject without referring to himself several times per minute.He would transform us into an entirely different nation through his force of will.He didn't always choose to drink beer, but when he did, he preferred Dos Equis. . . . please click here for the rest of the post →
3.Embattled Eric Holder Promises Gun Control
Eric Holder may be under intense scrutiny for his department's part in wiretapping AP phones, seizing phone records, allowing IRS persecution, and gun-running, but that doesn't mean his goal of gun control is in the backseat. During an interview with NPR, Holder reiterated his desire for gun control by focusing on impeding access and drying up supply . . . please click here for the rest of the post →
4.IRS Persecution Is A War On Women
Forget "binders full of women" - the IRS's persecution of hundreds of tea party groups is the real war on women. I co-founded the movement in my hometown of St. Louis and have travelled the country with various tea party groups and I've seen it first hand: the tea party movement was predominately led by women. It isn't a slight to our men; in speech after speech I mentioned how the nation's men have been neutralized in this fight by the left's ridiculous identity politics and bunk sexism claims. I've opined more than once "My husband can't hit a girl, but I can." It's the truth - and it's why women raised up from around the country to lead the charge.. . . please click here for the rest of the post →
5.Star Trek Into Darkness
Yes, a movie review from your Editor.
I went to Star Trek: Into Darkness tonight. I liked it in the way you might like a good piece of escapism, but it left me a bit empty. The JJ Abrams concept was supposed to be a reboot of the Star Trek franchise - a way to restart with the characters we love, but with a clean slate to new adventure.
Instead, Star Trek Into Darkness gives us a recycled piece of Star Trek lore that ranks so highly there was no way this was going to come close. Let me stop there and admit I'm a Trek fan. I've loved the series. But it isn't completely fair to review the movie, that should be viewed as a reboot, through the eyes of someone who has seen the old stuff.
The Mainstream Media Obama Psychodrama Thomas Lifson Do not underestimate the psychological shock currently being processed by many members of the mainstream media and the low-to-medium information voters who rely on them for political analysis. More
Time for Legal Fees from Lawbreaking Government Mark J. Fitzgibbons Government protects its lawbreaking -- because it can. Victims of bureaucratic lawbreaking are deprived of real due process of law. Bureaucrats know this, which can make them contemptuous of following the law. More
The Burden Is on Us Matthew May The Obama administration is drowning in the tsunami of its lawlessness. It is we who have to see to it that he and his ilk are held to account. More
The Magic Gosnell Moment Tom Trinko The Magic Gosnell Moment (MGM) occurs at that instant when a blob of cells that's part of a woman's body suddenly turns into the woman's daughter. More
Syria: A Case of Humpty Dumpty Rabbi Daniel M. Zucker Syria today is a nation-state that is in the midst of a terrible civil war. It is crucial for Western nations to soberly assess how to proceed. More
It depends on what the meaning of 'Islam' is May 15, 2013 Has there been a bizarre "harmonic convergence" on Islam between Daniel Pipes, the historian, and unabashed Zionist, and the late Israel-negating, Palestinian polemicist, Edward Said? More
The Still-Forgotten Obama Lie May 15, 2013 Hey, media dinosaurs, now that we have your attention, we have a hot tip for you: there's one big Obama lie that's two years old that you completely missed. More
Round up the usual suspects: guns May 15, 2013 Just who are these evil doers that routinely commit atrocities across America, especially urban America? Ummm, guns of course! More
Their uncle, Ruslan Tsarni, described both young men as "losers." Russian intelligence described the older brother, Tamerlan, as a suspected Islamist extremist.
The potential traumatic stressors involved in abortion are many. For most, they involve perceiving the pregnancy as a human being and the abortion being experienced as a traumatic death event.
In a case reminiscent of NPR's firing of Juan Williams, the Belgian television meteorologist Luc Trullemans has lost his job after posting angry and abusive comments upon his Facebook page concerning Muslim immigrants.
"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same." ~ Ronald Reagan
Top Story A Filmmaker on Obama's Enemies List? By Cliff Kincaid | May 14, 2013 The revelations about the IRS targeting voices opposed to Barack Obama's political agenda came of no surprise to filmmaker Joel Gilbert. His private financial accounts were hacked into and the information used by a George Soros-linked journalist, Seth Rosenfeld, before the presidential election. Gilbert wants to know who provided Rosenfeld with his private bank records. [...] From the AIM Blogs Fortune Teller Jay Carney Said in 2006 that He Wouldn't be a Very Good Press Secretary [Video] By Don Irvine | May 14, 2013 Guest Column Tell Me Again Why U.S. Used Jihadists to Guard Benghazi? By Diana West | May 15, 2013 "I want to ask a couple of questions about the February 17 Martyrs Brigade," said Rep. Blake Farenthold. The Texas Republican was addressing the three State Department "whistleblowers" who testified before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee about the attack in Benghazi that killed four Americans, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens. The three witnesses were [...] AIM Newswire GOP lawmaker expects more Benghazi whistleblowers to come forward
Assuming they are the ones who leaked to CNN an email written by Ben Rhoades (a Deputy National Security Advisor close to the President), the White House might have been too clever by half Tuesday. An act that was obviously meant to pour water on the Benghazi fire started by an ABC News report, has only ended up being gasoline. Now both CNN and ABC have joined conservative media in calling for the White House to release all the emails surrounding the editing of the CIA talking points.
Friday, in a bombshell report that blew the long-simmering Libya scandal wide open and right into the arms of the mainstream media, ABC's Jonathan Karl reported that an email written by Rhoades specifically mentioned the State Department's concerns about the CIA talking points. Here is how Karl transcribed the Rhoades' email.
Boehner On IRS Scandal: Who Is Going To Jail? More
GOP'er Louie Gohmert Trashes Eric Holder For Ignoring Islamic Radicals While Targeting Christians
Published on May 15, 2013
5/15/13 - Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) tore into Attorney General Eric Holder during Wednesday's congressional hearings in relation to what the Department of Justice knew about Boston Marathon bomber, Tamerlan Tsarnaev. Gohmert insisted that the Justice Department has refused to investigate Islamic radicals in the United States while targeting Christian groups for undue scrutiny.
Gohmert began by asking Holder how deeply federal investigators looked into information provided by the Russian government regarding Tsaranev's trips to Chechnya and the radicalization he underwent there. Gohmert asked why the FBI "blew the opportunity to save people's lives by accepting the Russian information."
Gohmert insisted that Tsarnaev attended a mosque in Boston that was founded by a person who is currently imprisoned for his involvement with terrorism.
"There were problems," Holder began, "that were not of the FBI's making with regards to.."
"They should not have had to give anything else whatsoever," Gohmert interrupted. "But, because of political correctness, there was not a thorough enough investigation of Tamerlan to determine this kid had been radicalized."
"On the one hand, we go after Christian groups like Billy Graham's group -- we go after Franklin Graham's group -- but then we're hands-off when it comes to possibly offending someone who has been radicalized as a terrorist," Gohmert insisted.
Holder began to challenge Gohmert's assertions when he was interrupted again. The Texas congressman insisted that Holder had called his knowledge of the facts into question.
"Unless somebody has done something inappropriate, you don't have access to the FBI files," Holder told Gohmert. "I know what the FBI did. You cannot know what I know."
Gohmert insisted that Holder had "challenged my character." He was told that his characterization of Holder's objection was not an appropriate reason to demand personal privilege to seek redress. Holder insisted that Gohmert could not know what he was talking about unless he was provide, "inappropriately," FBI documents to which he was not entitled.
Rep. Jim Jordan - Benghazi Hearings
This video outlines how Gregory Hicks was instructed to not cooperate with a Congressional investigation led by Rep. Chaffetz on the Benghazi attack.
Posted by Daniel Greenfield @ the Sultan Knish blog
The media, in one of its bursts of manufactured moral panic, has turned its eye on the teenage girls tweeting and tumblring away in support of Boston Marathon bomber, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. Serial killers have always had their fan clubs. Before the Boston Marathon bombings spawned the #FreeJahar crowd, there were the Holmies, who adored James Holmes, who murdered 12 people at a screening ofThe Dark Knight Rises.
Even if Adam Lanza hadn't committed suicide, it's doubtful that he would have his own Lanzies fan club or a #FreeAdam hashtag. It's not that he killed children. Dzhokhar Tsarnaev murdered Martin Richard, an 8-year-old boy. James Holmes murdered Veronica Moser-Sullivan, a 6-year-old girl. Murdering children is not a turnoff for serial killer groupies, but Adam Lanza's drawn gnomish face and bowl haircut would be.
Charles Manson had an entire cult around him. Some members like Squeaky Fromme went on worshiping him and trying to kill in his name even once he was behind bars. If Fromme were a teenage girl today, she would have a Tumblr and #InLoveThereIsNoWrong would be a hashtag.
But let's not pretend that there's much of a difference between New York Timesreporters and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's groupies.
SAUDI ARRESTED WITH PRESSURE COOKER AND ALTERED PASSPORT AT DETROIT AIRPORT, LIED TO BORDER PROTECTION AGENT
A member of the Boston jihad fan club no doubt -- is he any relation to al Harbi? Speaking of al Harbi, where is he?
Saudi arrested with pressure cooker at Detroit airport May 13, 2013, FoxNews.com
A Saudi man was arrested at Detroit Metropolitan Airport with a pressure cooker, less than a month after a bomb using one of the kitchen devices was used to kill three and injure hundreds.
Hussain Al Kwawahir was charged in federal court with using an altered passport and lying to a Customs and Border Protection Agent about the pressure cooker, according to The Detroit News. Al Kwawahir arrived Saturday from Saudi Arabia, via Amsterdam, according to a criminal complaint filed Monday in federal court. He told investigators he was here to see a nephew who attends the University of Toledo.
Customs officials noticed a page missing from his passport, then found the pressure cooker during an examination of his baggage, according to authorities. Al Kwawahir said he brought the pressure cooker for his nephew because the devices are not sold in the United States, according to the complaint.
He later changed his story, saying his nephew had bought a pressure cooker in the U.S. but it was broken.
News from The Hill:
Senate panel to vote on arming Syrian rebels By Julian Pecquet
A Senate panel is expected to vote next week on arming vetted Syrian rebel groups, The Hill has learned.
The vote by the Senate Foreign Relations Committtee would mark the first time lawmakers have voted to approve arming Syrian rebels, and could increase pressure on the Obama administration to take action in the 26-month-old civil war.
White House releases Benghazi emails By Ian Swanson
The White House on Wednesday released more than 100 pages of inter-agency e-mails intended to bolster its argument it did not try to hide the fact that last year's attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya was terrorism.
The e-mails show the back and forth discussions between officials at the White House, State Department, CIA and other involved agencies in the days after the September 11 attack.
Steven Miller, the acting Internal Revenue Service (IRS) commissioner, resigned Wednesday over his role in the agency's singling out of conservative groups, President Obama announced at the White House.
Miller's resignation - which Treasury Secretary Jack Lew requested on Wednesday - makes him the first IRS official to lose their job in the uproar over the agency's actions, which were first disclosed publicly last week.
LibertyNEWS TV - "IRS Bombshells Rock Obama Regime"
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
To: Friends & Supporters
From: Gary L. Bauer
Obama's Unfair IRS
The IRS scandal is gaining traction. Many pundits, including liberals, are arguing that it could be more politically damaging to the Obama White House and to Democrats than Benghazi.
At first glance that might seem odd given that lives were lost in Benghazi. But on complex matters of foreign policy and security, Americans tend to give a lot of deference to the presidency.
On the other hand, as Sen. McConnell put it, "Everybody understands the IRS and how powerful they are." Anyone who lived through the Nixon years is especially sensitive to IRS abuses.
Barack Obama likes to talk about "fairness" a lot. One thing Americans demand from their government is fairness -- that the same rules apply to everyone. But when it comes to Obama's IRS, there were very different rules for those favored by the administration and those it opposed.
For example, USA Today reports that while conservative organizations were tied in knots and had their non-profit status applications delayed for years, liberal and progressive groups were essentially rubber-stamped for approval. And a group run by Obama's half-brother got approved in what could be record time.
The scope of what the IRS inquisitors demanded from conservative groups is absolutely breathtaking. Consider this excerpt from Politico:
"The Internal Revenue Service asked tea party groups to see donor rolls. It asked for printouts of Facebook posts. And it asked what books people were reading. ...the agency wanted to know everything -- in some cases, it even seemed curious what members were thinking."
Here's another example: An organization in Tennessee called Linchpins of Liberty (I am not familiar with the group) formed to help to educate students about various issues such as free-markets and limited government. IRS operatives sent the organization a list of 95 intrusive questions and, among other things, demanded the names of every student it had trained. The organization's founder asked rhetorically, "Can you imagine my responsibility to parents if I disclosed the names of their children to the IRS?"
IRS Targeted Billy Graham Too!
Perhaps the most startling revelation so far is news of the IRS jihad against the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan's Purse. According to a letter released yesterday by Reverend Franklin Graham to President Obama and Vice President Biden, IRS agents were dispatched to the offices of both organizations last October.
While they were ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing, Graham writes that "precious resources" were wasted "servicing the IRS agents in our offices." Why did IRS agents descend on the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan's Purse?
As Rev. Graham recounts in his letter, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association ran ads supporting North Carolina's marriage amendment and later ran ads encouraging Americans to "vote for Biblical values" in last year's presidential election. Simply exercising their First Amendment rights led to IRS agents occupying their offices.
This is truly frightening, my friends. Every pastor in America should be outraged by this shocking example of Big Government being used to intimidate men and women of faith. And something like this does not happen by accident.
The Nixon Administration was well-known for its "enemies list." Clearly the Obama IRS had its own "enemies list" too. Unbelievably, it evidently included Billy and Franklin Graham.
"Who's Going To Jail?"
President Obama was asked about the IRS scandal at his Monday press conference. He claimed to be outraged, but qualified his anger several times by saying, "If, in fact, IRS personnel engaged in the kind of practices that had been reported on..." and "if you've got the IRS operating in anything less than a neutral and non-partisan way..." IF?
Does Barack Obama have any idea what is going on in his own administration? He is the president after all. The buck does stop with him. But as Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank noted, "[Obama] responded as though he were just some bloke on a bar stool, getting his information from the evening news."
Addressing the growing IRS scandal today, Speaker John Boehner didn't mince words. Boehner said: "The IRS admitted to targeting conservatives, even if the White House continues to be stuck on the word 'if.' My question isn't about who is going to resign. My question is who's going to jail over this scandal?"
The Problem With Big Government
David Axelrod took to the airwaves today to defend Obama and his alleged lack of knowledge about the various scandals now threatening to engulf the administration. Here's the best excuse he could come up with: "Part of being president is there's so much beneath you that you can't know because the government is so vast."
That is precisely why conservatives want smaller, limited government -- so it can be managed efficiently and so abuses like this are far less likely to happen.
But government has grown massively under this president, including the IRS. The IRS said it would need more than 1,000 new agents and employees to enforce Obamacare's 47 different tax provisions.
By the way, the IRS is currently facing a class action lawsuit in California for seizing the medical records of 10 million patients.
The House of Representatives will vote tomorrow on legislation to repeal Obamacare. But as long as Barack Obama has veto power it won't happen.
Nevertheless, this is a good opportunity for conservatives in Congress to keep the focus on the IRS. Introduce legislation that removes the IRS from having any role at all when it comes to our healthcare. Target the IRS provisions in Obamacare and make liberals in the House and Senate vote in favor of giving the IRS more power in the middle of this scandal!
Suspicious Seven Busted Near Boston
Seven foreign individuals, five men and two women from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Singapore, were arrested yesterday by Massachusetts authorities. They were caught trespassing at the Quabbin Reservoir. The reservoir provides water to much of the state, including the city of Boston.
When asked by the police why they were on property marked "No Trespassing," some of the men said they were chemical engineers who recently graduated college and were curious about the reservoir. That is a very curious explanation given that they were arrested after midnight! What exactly were they looking for in the dark?
In Case Capitol Hill Burns To The Ground...
May 15, 2013 01:58 pm The historian Suetonius wrote that Emperor Nero was responsible for the fire that devastated Rome in 64 AD. Suetonius claimed that Nero watched the fires from a tower as he played an instrument and sang of the devastation of Troy. The story is immortalized in the phrase "fiddling while Rome burns." I often think of [...]
May 15, 2013 01:55 pm PHILADELPHIA - A Philadelphia abortion doctor was sentenced Wednesday to a third life term for killing an aborted baby that he described as so big it could "walk to the bus." Dr. Kermit Gosnell was convicted this week of first-degree murder in the deaths of three babies born alive, then stabbed with scissors. He was [...]
Now that Benghazi appears to be destroying the political career of Hillary Clinton and taking air out of the Clinton dynasty, we are beginning to hear rumblings once again about a third Obama term... Related posts: Bombshell: Clinton Ordered More Security In Benghazi, Obama Denied Request Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ordered additional security for [...]
Gosnell Verdict Exposes Inhumanity Of Obama And Democrats
May 15, 2013 01:51 pm WASHINGTON - Congressman Steve Stockman released the following statement Monday afternoon: A court has formally declared what people with consciences have long known. Abortionist Kermit Gosnell is a murderer. Gosnell killed his adult patient and an unknown number of children both pre-born and born alive. The courts call it murder. Democrats call it "health care." Kermit Gosnell's [...]
And we're gonna keep them!! Related posts: Obama Going For The Guns How can one NOT refer to Obama as a dictator?...... Obama: People Shouldn't Be Able 'To Own Guns' Laura Ingraham interviewed gun rights advocate John Lott, who recounted...
May 15, 2013 01:40 pm For the past five or so years now, all we have received from the Obama regime is lies and deceit. Many thought that the mainstream media was just giving him a pass because he is the first black President, but now it has been revealed that the media's love for him is far deeper than [...]
May 15, 2013 01:37 pm Case No. 1120465 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF ALABAMA HUGH MCINNISH, et al., Appellants v. BETH CHAPMAN, SECRETARY OF STATE, et al. Appellees. APPEAL FROM THE CIRCUIT COURT OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY CV 2012-1053 AFFIDAVIT OF MICHAEL ZULLO L. Dean Johnson L. DEAN JOHNSON, P.C. 4030 Balmoral Dr., Suite [...]
Video: O'Reilly: If Obama Behind IRS-Gate, He Will Be Impeached
May 15, 2013 01:27 pm
Bill O'Reilly has time for the truth after all? What about Obama's birth certificate? Related posts: Can Obama Be Impeached? One of the interesting points made at the last and... 'Obama'd Be Impeached By Now For Drones If He Was Bush' Newsweek's Tina Brown points out the obvious on Bill Maher's...
Gay Student Claims Discrimination In Failed Prom Queen Bid
May 15, 2013 01:26 pm The left has tried for decades to redefine gender; and to a large degree, they have been successful. Evidence of the extent to which traditional gender roles have been disregarded is on display in a complaint recently filed by a high school student in Kyle, Texas. Coy Villasenor is a gay male and wants [...]
Judging by all the scandals facing Obama, sure seems so!! Related posts: Rand Paul: Obama Is Drunk On Power Rand Paul talked about the 3 scandals facing Obama...... Continue... NRA President Keene On President Obama's Use Of Executive Powers A second term of Barack Obama could very likely mean...
Judging by all the scandals facing Obama, sure seems so!! Related posts: Rand Paul: Obama Is Drunk On Power Rand Paul talked about the 3 scandals facing Obama...... Continue... NRA President Keene On President Obama's Use Of Executive Powers A second term of Barack Obama could very likely mean...
May 15, 2013 01:09 pm The terrible ten year rape/ kidnapping ordeal suffered by three innocent Cleveland women at the hands of Ariel Castro, a registered Democrat (look it up), may yet put the baby killing crowd at NARAL and NOW in a web of their own evil lies. Their captivity included daily rapes and the predictable pregnancies that followed. [...]
Video: Castro And Obama Signal Their Divine Status
May 15, 2013 01:01 pm
At the 10th anniversary memorial of the 9/11 attack, Obama recites a carefully-selected Psalm that allows him to hint that he is God... Related posts: Obama Lamenting His Diminished Status In Second Term On MSNBC, Chuck Todd, Kristin Welker, and Nia-Malika Henderson discuss... Castro, Obama, And The Rule Of Law This week we had the [...]
Video: Castro And Obama Signal Their Divine Status
May 15, 2013 01:01 pm
At the 10th anniversary memorial of the 9/11 attack, Obama recites a carefully-selected Psalm that allows him to hint that he is God... Related posts: Obama Lamenting His Diminished Status In Second Term On MSNBC, Chuck Todd, Kristin Welker, and Nia-Malika Henderson discuss... Castro, Obama, And The Rule Of Law This week we had the [...]
May 15, 2013 12:57 pm WASHINGTON - Congressman Steve Stockman Tuesday asked two House chairmen to investigate allegations individuals reported to a White House email address for criticizing Obama's health care reforms were targeted with Internal Revenue Service audits. During the debate over adopting ObamaCare the White House encouraged liberal activists to report Obama's critics to a "Flag@WhiteHouse.gov" email address. At least [...]
May 15, 2013 12:54 pm A key tenet of Barack Obama's grand design to radically transform the country he did not grow up in is to corrode Americans' confidence in their revered institutions. The Supreme Court. Private enterprise. The national capitol complex. Big business (except for its political donations to him). Congress. Especially Congress, even when it does his bidding. [...]
Video: Did Obama's Half-Brother Receive Preferential Treatment From IRS?
May 15, 2013 12:49 pm
The hosts of Fox and Friends dug into a story this morning, which alleges that Obama's half-brother received preferential treatment from the Internal Revenue Service and was able to quickly secure retroactive tax-exempt status when he applied for it. Related posts: Lawsuit Alleges IRS Gives Churches 'Preferential Treatment' The godless left consistently ignores the unique [...]
Here's the story of a dysfunctional Democratic majority that's costing American jobs, and the one president who had no choice but to make it worse. Related posts: Pastor Arrested For Reading The Bible Reading the Bible is now a crime. Soon it will... Obama's ATF Seals The Records Of Illegal Alien Arrested At Border Agent's [...]
May 15, 2013 12:37 pm Liberals and conservatives should unite to oppose federal spying on the Tea Party and allied groups. Today, it's their party; tomorrow, it could be yours! Related posts: How To Start A Conservative Third Party With the news coming out of DC that many "conservatives"... This Tea Party Leader Should Be VP Nominee For GOP Hearing [...]
Video: MSNBC Guest: Obama's Chickens Coming Home To Roost
May 15, 2013 12:20 pm
On Morning Joe yesterday, National Journal's Ron Fournier talked about the Obama scandals and said that the Obama admin's chickens are coming home to roost. Related posts: Obama's Chickens Have Come Home To Roost Barack Hussein Obama's strategy in dealing with radical Islamists around... MSNBC Bans Daily Kos Founder Markos From Guest Appearances When you're [...]
May 15, 2013 12:10 pm WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Republican National Committee says Attorney General Eric Holder should resign over the decision by the Justice Department to secretly obtain two months of telephone records of reporters and editors for The Associated Press. RNC chairman Reince Priebus (ryns PREE'-bus) says Holder has "trampled on the First Amendment" by allowing [...]
Video: NAACP: Tea Party The "Taliban Wing Of American Politics"
May 15, 2013 12:03 pm
Julian Bond, the head of the NAACP, was on MSNBC to talk about the recent IRS Scandal and the IRS probe of the NAACP in 2004. He also referred to the Tea Party as "a group of people who are admittedly racist" and "overtly political." Funny, one could say the same thing about the NAACP [...]
Video: Are Saudi Diplomats Using Slaves In Virginia?
May 15, 2013 11:58 am
Immigration officials are "investigating" a complaint at one of the many Saudi-owned mansions in McLean, Virginia, where domestic workers were allegedly kept in conditions of slavery. Related posts: Obama Sees No Saudi Evil Saudi Arabia's notorious religious police, known as the muttawa, charged... Stop The Torture Of Christians In Saudi Arabia William J. Murray, the [...]
May 15, 2013 11:56 am A look at events leading to the disclosure that the Internal Revenue Service placed conservative groups under special scrutiny for 18 months before the 2012 elections, a practice that has prompted congressional inquiries and a Justice Department criminal investigation: 2010: March-April: IRS agents begin giving extra attention to tax-exempt applications from groups associated with the [...]
Video: West Wing Of WH Authorized IRS-Gate Targeting
May 15, 2013 11:48 am
ABC News' Trey Hardin appeared on the "McIntyre in the Morning" radio program to reveal this startling information... Related posts: ForgeryGate: Sheriff Joe And Trump Teaming Up? Sheriff Joe Arpaio is interviewed on the Trey Ware morning... Allen West: Hillary Clinton Caught 'Benghazi Flu' Col. Allen West appeared on Fox and Friends yesterday morning...
It is a dangerous game to spit in the face of God, and the United States had better wake up fast. Related posts: Obama Health Law Anniversary Finds 2 Americas WASHINGTON- Three years, two elections, and one Supreme Court decision... "Peaceful Secession" Movement Won't Give Us Two Americas, But What's The Downside? If secession could [...]
May 14, 2013 04:36 pm A Philadelphia abortion doctor convicted of killing three babies who were born alive in his grimy clinic agreed Tuesday to give up his right to an appeal and faces life in prison but will be spared a death sentence. Dr. Kermit Gosnell, 72, was convicted Monday of first-degree murder in the deaths of the babies [...]
What is commonly referred to as the IRS scandal consists of several distinct, although obviously related, elements. The scandal was brought to light by the revelation that the IRS, in evaluating nonprofits' applications for 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) status, discriminated against Tea Party and other conservative groups. The IRS would routinely hold up such applications, sometimes for years, while often making irrelevant inquiries of the applicant, e.g., asking for the names of donors. At the same time, the IRS quickly and easily approved similar applications from liberal groups.
The IRS was in a position to do this in part because of the nature of the relevant tax laws. A 501(c)(4) organization, for example, can engage in political campaign activity, but that must not be the main focus of the organization. Application of these statutory standards inherently opens the door to discriminatory enforcement.
A second aspect of the IRS scandal relates to targeting conservatives in the audit process. Conservatives, especially high-profile donors to conservative causes, have long believed that they are likely to be singled out for harassment by the IRS. Anecdotally, it seems that there is considerable evidence to support this belief. Where the conservative is a wealthy businessman with a complicated tax return, it is hard to prove that an IRS audit was motivated by political malice. But what other explanation can there be for a case like that of Professor Anne Hendershott, who was targeted for an audit in 2010 after she wrote a series of articles, mostly in Catholic publications, that were critical of Obamacare. The IRS summoned Professor Hendershott to a meeting to discuss the "business expenses" associated with her writing. Hendershott reports that the IRS agent wanted to know "who was paying her" and barred her husband from attending the inquiry, even though the Hendershotts file joint returns. Hendershott says that she was so traumatized by the experience that she stopped writing about political topics, which presumably was the intended effect.
Other than motive, discriminatory audits have little or nothing to do with the agency's review of 501(c) applications, which was the sole subject of yesterday's Inspector General report.
A third aspect of the IRS scandal is illegal or improper leaking of confidential tax data. As we noted here, we already know that the IRS leaked pending applications for 501(c) status to a left-wing media group, that then publicized them. Yesterday another credible claim of an IRS leak emerged, when the National Organization for Marriage alleged that the IRS leaked confidential NOM data in order to injure Mitt Romney's presidential campaign:
NOM, a pro-traditional marriage organization, claims the IRS leaked their 2008 confidential financial documents to the rival Human Rights Campaign. Those NOM documents were published on the Huffington Post on March 30, 2012. At that time, Joe Solmonese, a left-wing activist and Huffington Post contributor, was the president of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). Solmonese was also a 2012 Obama campaign co-chairman.
Both the Huffington Post's Sam Stein and HRC described the leak as coming from a "whistleblower." The Huffington Post used the document to write a story questioning former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney's support for traditional marriage. The document showed Romney donated $10,000 to NOM. ...
In early April 2012, NOM published documents which it said showed this leaked confidential information did not come from a "whistleblower" but "came directly from the Internal Revenue Service and was provided to NOM's political opponents, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC)." ...
NOM announced Tuesday that it will sue the IRS for this alleged leak.
We also know that in 2010, Austin Goolsbee, who directed Obama's Economic Recovery Advisory Board and later chaired his Council of Economic Advisers, smeared Koch Industries on the basis of IRS data which, if Goolsbee had accurately reported it, could only have been obtained illegally.
And there may be further aspects of the IRS scandal that have yet to emerge. In any event, if the scandal were confined to the 501(c) issue that was the subject of the original disclosures, it would be much easier for the Obama administration to get past it. That particular problem can be addressed and perhaps solved. But new revelations about discriminatory audits and leaks are likely to continue for some time, keeping the IRS scandal alive in the minds of voters.
Hadley Arkes of Amherst College (since 1966!) would make the top of the Power Line 100 Best Professors list if we went either by alphabetical order or any kind of semi-objective scoring system. Hadley is the Edward Ney Professor of American Institutions at Amherst, and is also affiliated with our friends at the Claremont Institute's Center for the Jurisprudence of the Natural Law, whose fine blog, right-reason.org, is worth bookmarking.
I'll skip over a recitation of his several fine books, as well as a description of his two online offerings on "First Principles and Natural Law" available on Audible.com, and get to the heart of the matter-his skillful presentation of the most serious themes of moral reasoning in our time. There's a story told about the student who, upon showing up for the first day of Prof. Arkes's class on "Political Obligation," objected to his opening remark that merely restated the title of the course. Prof. Arkes discovered that this student had been instructed that if he let go the very first thing Prof. Arkes said, he would never be able to work his way out of the argument. Yes, he's that good.
For example, one of his typically original and erudite discussions of the vexing question of abortion (in First Things, chapter 16) begins thus:
Anyone in America who writes these days about abortion must take account of the landmark decision of the Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade; and in estimating the "quality of mind" manifested by the Court, he would have to regard that profundity which stands near the beginning of Justice Blackmun's opinion for the majority: "Pregnancy often comes more than once to the same woman, and . . . if man is to survive, [pregnancy] will always be with us." One becomes aware instantly that one is in the presence of no ordinary mind.
BOOM!-as Jon Stewart would say.
So here are two videos well worth your time, the first an excerpt from a Princeton lecture on natural law (scroll ahead to the 5:50 mark of this first video; the second two installments can be found here and here), and the second, an hour long, is an interview with Hadley by Christopher Wolfe of Marquette University, wherein Hadley explains the trajectory of his career. Worth the time; it is a fascinating tale.
Last week, Bret Baier's Special Report program on Fox News featured interviews with Marco Rubio and Jeff Sessions about the Rubio-Schumer amnesty legislation. The interviews were given separately. Although Baier tried his best to make it into a point-counterpoint kind of affair, it couldn't really be a debate because Rubio and Sessions didn't appear together.
I understand that Baier, naturally enough, would have preferred to have Sessions and Rubio on together. And I am reliably informed that Sen. Sessions wanted to appear with Sen. Rubio for a genuine (and if possible, an extended) true point-counterpoint discussion. Unfortunately, Rubio would not agree to appear with Sessions.
It's easy to understand why. Rubio is a decent debater, but he's been getting away with murder in non-debate formats where he can misrepresent the contents of his bill - perhaps (to put things in the most favorable light for Rubio) because he doesn't fully understand what it says.
In a debate with someone of Sessions' caliber, Rubio couldn't pull this off. That's why he confines himself to interviews with hosts who, if not sympathetic to his legislation, are sympathetic to him personally, and who deal with him in the capacity of host, not adversary.
Unfortunately, for Rubio, the this respectful treatment will end rather abruptly if he runs for president and thus must appear in real debates. Unfortunately for most conservatives, by then it may be too late to escape from the handiwork of Rubio and Chuck Schumer.
Key elements of the Republican establishment insist that Republicans must support amnesty and a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants in order to make major inroads with Hispanic voters. But an analysis of the Hispanic vote in the last nine presidential elections does not support this claim. It shows, instead, that other considerations help explain how Hispanics vote.
During this 32 year period, the total Hispanic vote grew from about 1.5 percent of the electorate to nearly 12 percent.
Immigration (much less amnesty) wasn't a significant issue in most of these elections. When it was, no clear pattern demonstrates its significance as a driver of the Hispanic vote.
In 1986, President Reagan signed an amnesty bill into law. In the next election, his vice president received only 30 percent of the Hispanic vote down from the 37.5 percent Reagan had averaged in the pre-amnesty days.
Less than two months before the 1996 election, President Clinton signed the Illegal Immigrant Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIR). Among other things, IIRIR tried to increase border security and deal more harshly with immigrants found to have entered the country illegally or to have overstayed their visa.
Hispanic voters did not punish Clinton in 1996 for signing IIRIR into law. In fact, the Republican share of the Hispanic vote dropped to 23 percent, its lowest during the nine-election period. It should be noted, though, that Clinton had threatened to veto punitive measures that would have barred the children of immigrant children from public schools. Republicans may also have felt some backlash among California's Hispanic voters for supporting Prop 187 two years earlier.
It seems, than, that in the 1996 election Hispanics weren't indignant about the passage of measures to combat illegal immigration, but were offended by measures they saw as purely punitive.
In 2004, President Bush hit a high-water mark with 43 percent of the Hispanic vote. He did so, to my knowledge, without supporting amnesty or other measures for the benefit of illegal immigrants.
In 2008, John McCain, who had sponsored a bill that would have granted amnesty, received only 32 percent of the Hispanic vote. This represents both the median and, roughly, the mean share for Republicans in the last nine races.
Finally, last year Mitt Romney received just 28 percent of the Hispanic vote. Romney had opposed amnesty and had taken a punitive-sounding approach to illegal immigrants during the primary season.
This mixed bag of history hardly supports the notion that the road to success (or less pronounced failure) with Hispanic voters in presidential elections can be found in amnesty. Rather, it suggests that immigration debates and/or legislation are not the key to understanding how Hispanics vote.
What are the keys? The biggest, frankly, is party affiliation. Since 1980, Republicans have nominated all sorts of white male candidates. None has come close to receiving half of the Hispanic vote. Rarely has any received much more than one-third of it.
The point is so obvious that it shouldn't have to be stated. I make note of it only because important elements of the Republican establishment are hell-bent on vastly increasing the size of a vote Republicans never come close to winning.
The second key to how Hispanics have voted is whether an electable incumbent president is running. The two times the Republicans had such an incumbent - 1984 and 2004 - he averaged 40 percent of the Hispanic vote. These two years were the best and third best performances by a Republican presidential candidate.
When the Democrats had an electable incumbent in the race, Republicans were routed among Hispanics. In 1996, their share was 23 percent; in 2012 it was 28 percent.
Each party had one election in which it ran an unelectable incumbent. The Democrats did so with Jimmy Carter in 1980. That year, the Republican received 38 percent of the vote in a three-way race - the second highest of the period.
The Republicans ran an unelectable incumbent, George H.W. Bush, in 1992. He received a 29 percent Hispanic share (albeit in a three-way race).
The six elections that featured an incumbent therefore show that electable incumbents do relatively well with Hispanic voters while their unelectable counterparts do poorly.
Being a minority group member also seems to attract Hispanic voters, although the sample is small. The Republican share in races against Barack Obama, the only minority candidate, averaged around 30 percent. In races against other Democrats, Republicans averaged around 34 percent.
Finally, I would speculate that Republicans fare better with Hispanics when they don't nominate candidates who tend to come as patricians. Our two "patrician" candidates (by my reckoning) - George H.W. Bush and Mitt Romney - failed to surpass 30 percent of the Hispanic vote.
Republicans are better off with Hispanics when they nominate candidates with a common touch, such as Reagan and George W. Bush. And, of course, Republicans are well-advised to reach out to Hispanic voters, as "W" did, and to avoid even the appearance of being punitive.
But the results since 1980 do not suggest that Republicans need to pander by supporting amnesty and a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants.
Obama presents himself as detached from the events giving rise to the controversies that now beset his administration. He's just the president.
Obama has found this a useful pose in the face of the exposure of the IRS as the handmaiden of his efforts to help friends and harm enemies. He has touted the IRS as an independent agency. How can he be responsible for the shenanigans of agents that happen coincidentally to benefit him?
The structure of independent administrative agencies in the executive branch wielding congressionally delegated power to make law and adjudicate disputes is confusing enough. The Wall Street Journal helpfully reminds us, however, that the IRS is not exactly such an agency (a point, incidentally, that has not escaped the New York Times):
The IRS is many things, but "independent" isn't one of them. It is formally part of the Treasury Department and is headed by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, who is appointed by the President. The Commissioner is accountable to the President reporting through the Treasury Secretary.
The White House has also been at pains to stress that former Commissioner Douglas Shulman, who told Congress in 2012 that there had been no targeting of political groups, was appointed by George W. Bush. So the Commissioner is accountable to the President, as long as he's the former President? Or what?
This attempt to distance Mr. Obama from any control of the IRS is especially rich in light of the Administration's recent attempts to bend other genuinely independent agencies like the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to its will via non-recess recess appointments. The Administration is currently petitioning the Supreme Court to hear its appeal of the D.C. Circuit's decision declaring its NLRB recess appointments unconstitutional.
So let's look at how the U.S. legal code describes the varying standards of Presidential "accountability": The IRS Commissioner "may be removed at the will of the President." A labor board member "may be removed by the President, upon notice and hearing, for neglect of duty or malfeasance in office, but for no other cause." At the CFPB, the President "may remove the Director for inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office." The IRS job is not like the other two.
We are inundated with pretentious nonsense by the Obama administration. It's enough to make you think these folks have something to hide.
"That no free government, or the blessing of liberty, can be preserved to any people but by a firm adherence to justice, moderation, temperance, frugality, and virtue, and by frequent recurrence to fundamental principles." ~ George Mason
Obama's Disingenuity
More IRS Abuses Of Power Against Conservative Groups By John Hayward HumanEvents.com The hits just keep coming for the Internal Revenue Service, as the dam of revelations bursts wide open.
Oh, Lovely: Iran To Preside Over United Nations Arms-Control Forum Later This Month TownHall/HotAir.com Every year, the oh-so-august body of international leaders at the United Nations put on a Conference on Disarmament-- "established in 1979 as the single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum of the international community"--which has in the past has produced international treaties on nuclear non-proliferation, chemical-weapons prohibitions, and etcetera.
Military Sodomite Abuse: The Untold Story By Judith Reisman WorldNetDaily Why is the best-kept military secret that most soldierly sexual assaults are now definitively homo, not heterosexual, male-on-male sexual exploitation?
Ooops ... Hot Mic Reveals Lawmakers Intent To Confiscate Guns By Doug Hagmann CanadaFreePress.com Every American gun owner, regardless of the state in which you live, is presently or will be the target of gun confiscation.
When a Tennessee lawyer asked the IRS for tax-exempt status for a mentoring group that trained high school and college students about conservative political philosophy, the agency responded with a list of 95 questions in 31 parts, including an ultimatum for a list of everyone the group had trained, or planned to train.
'Provide details regarding all training you have provided or will provide,' the IRS demanded. 'Indicate who has received or will receive the training and submit copies of the training material.'
'Can you imagine my responsibility to parents if I disclosed the names of their children to the IRS?' he asked MailOnline.
It's 'an impossible question to answer fully and truthfully,' he said, 'without disclosing the names of anyone I ever taught, or would ever teach, including students.'
Before we get into the meat of this story, let's do a quick recap of the Obama administration's most recent scandals:
Testimony provided last week by the Benghazi whistleblowers has raised serious questions about the Obama administration's actions before, during, and after the Sept. 11, 2012, terrorist attack on the U.S. Consulate in Libya
The Department of Justice was caught Monday with at least two months worth of the Associated Press' phone records
Needless to say, it'll take an incredible amount of concentration and political savvy for the Obama administration to make it through the next few weeks (months maybe?).
Could things get any worse for the president and his cabinet? Maybe.
Conservative groups seeking information from the Environmental Protection Agency have been routinely hindered by fees normally waived for media and watchdog groups, while fees for more than 90 percent of requests from green groups were waived, according to requests reviewed by the Competitive Enterprise Institute.
CEI reviewed Freedom of Information Act requests sent between January 2012 and this spring from several environmental groups friendly to the EPA's mission, and several conservative groups, to see how equally the agency applies its fee waiver policy for media and watchdog groups. Government agencies are supposed to waive fees for groups disseminating information for public benefit.
"This is as clear an example of disparate treatment as the IRS' hurdles selectively imposed upon groups with names ominously reflecting an interest in, say, a less intrusive or biased federal government," said CEI fellow Chris Horner.
Most green groups, including EarthJustice, The Waterkeeper Alliance, and Greenpeace, saw their fees waived. In fact, according to the report, 92 percent of requests from green groups were waived by the EPA.
But of the requests that were denied, "the EPA said the group either didn't respond to requests for justification of a waiver, or didn't express intent to disseminate the information to the general public," Conger reports, citing documents obtained by the Examiner.
And here's where things could become a headache for the Obama administration:
Marion Bower is an Ohio woman who founded her own Tea Party group in 2010. When Bower applied for the group�s tax-exempt status, the IRS actually asked her for information regarding the books she and her colleagues read. The IRS requested a summary of their book list. Marion Bower decided to just send the agency copies of the book. See exactly what she sent themHERE.
On Wednesday, Dr. Anne Hendershott, a devout Catholic and a noted sociologist, professor, and author, told The Blaze exclusively that she believes she may have been one of the IRS�s targets.According to Hendershott, the IRS audited her in 2010 and demanded to know who was paying her and �what their politics were.� Get the full storyHERE.
The left-leaning Media Matters group actually put out talking points for those who want to defend the Justice Department for secretly obtaining two months� worth of Associated Press phone records. Check out the talking points that made the people at the Huffington Post stand up and exclaim "wow"HERE.
CNN has refuted a key point from ABC's bombshell report from last week about the edits to the Benghazi talking points � specifically, they are refuting the role of a key White House figure wanting to protect the State Department�s interests. But, is there an explanation? Find out HERE.
Police in Baton Rouge, Louisiana report that a white family getting gas was attacked by three people who said the family was in the �wrong neighborhood.� Reports indicate that the attack has not yet been categorized as a hate crime, but it remains under investigation. Watch the local news storyHERE.
The scandals of the Obama administration appear to be piling up: the Benghazi coverup, the IRS intimidation of conservatives and people of faith, as well as the DOJ's intrusion into the Associated Press. Now you can add another scandal to the list. Learn how the fees imposed by the EPA are treating certain organizations more favorably than otherHERE.
An investigation by a local news station in Tampa Bay, Florida, has revealed that the length of yellow lights in some areas were shortened, resulting in more tickets being issued by the dreaded "red light cameras." See how reducing the time of the yellow lights could increase ticket revenues by more than 50%HERE.
Wednesday morning, MSNBC�s Joe Scarborough had a fiery exchange with former Obama senior adviser David Axelrod over the Justice Department�s seizure of Associated Press phone records. The angry anchor accused Axelrod of peddling a �bogus argument� and misstating Scarborough�s past remarks. Watch the rare occuranceHERE.
It might look like this upside down helicopter is flying out of control, but the pilot is actually more in control than ever. The video linked here has raw footage showing a Red Bull helicopter displaying some of its tricks above San Diego�s Bay. Watch the thrilling videoHERE.
Two doves owe their freedom, including a soaring flight over St. Peter�s Square, to Pope Francis. Appearing before an audience on Wednesday, the leader of the Catholic Church spoke explicitly about the Holy Spirit, making the use of doves a fitting inclusion. See the photos showing the Pope setting the birds freeHERE.
"All men having power ought to be distrusted to a certain degree." --James Madison
Editorial Exegesis
"President Obama famously joked in a college commencement address in 2009 that he could use the IRS to target political enemies but of course he never would. It appears that people at the Internal Revenue Service didn't think he was joking. That's become clear since IRS Director of Exempt Organizations Lois Lerner admitted on Friday that the agency targeted conservatives for special tax-exempt scrutiny during the 2012 election season. ... We've also learned that IRS officials knew about this earlier than they have let on. News reports suggest that Ms. Lerner knew about the targeting of conservatives in June 2011, and perhaps as early as 2010. That's a long time before IRS Commissioner Douglas Shulman flatly denied any political targeting when he testified at a House Ways and Means subcommittee hearing in March 2012. ... Some Democrats took to the airwaves on the weekend to suggest that while the IRS shouldn't have been targeting conservatives, no one was harmed. ... The harm is in fact real, if hard to measure precisely, because any missive from the IRS is enough to chill political spending and speech. ... Oppose the Obama Administration or liberal priorities, and you too can become an IRS target. We're glad to see Congress mobilizing in response, including hearing plans by Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus and the House Ways and Means Committee that asked the IRS about this in 2012 and received denials. The subpoenas need to fly as thick as those IRS questionnaires." --The Wall Street Journal
Upright
"Jay Carney, whose unenviable job is not to explain but to explain away what his employers say, calls the IRS' behavior 'inappropriate.' No, using the salad fork for the entree is inappropriate. Using the IRS for political purposes is a criminal offense. ... Liberals, whose unvarying agenda isenlargement of government, suggest, with no sense of cognitive dissonance, that this IRS scandal is nothing more sinister than typical government incompetence. Five days before the IRS story broke, Obama ... warned Ohio State graduates about 'creeping cynicism' and 'voices' that 'warn that tyranny is ... around the corner.' Well." --columnist George Will
"Can we not at least agree that the Obama administration has established a culture conducive to the type of stereotypical thinking that could lead to this? Didn't the Department of Homeland Security under this administration list right-wing groups as extremists and potential terrorists? Hasn't President Obama himself referred to tea partyers as 'tea baggers'? Haven't other Democrats deliberately depicted tea party groups as violent extremists who are a hair trigger away from armed revolution? Liberals have been trying to vilify conservative talk radio for years now, suggesting that its strong political opinions lead to violence. That is preposterous, but if we were to apply the same type of standard to Obama, we could say that he has personally fomented a climate of hate against conservative groups, such that the IRS targeting was completely foreseeable. Surely, it's fair to hold the president to his own standard." --columnist David Limbaugh
"With lies, as with potato chips, it is hard to stop with just one. ... The problem with telling a lie, or even a succession of lies, is that a very small dose of the truth can sometimes make the whole thing collapse like a house of cards. The State Department's own foreign service officer Gregory Hicks was in Libya during the [Benghazi] attack, so he knew the truth. When threats were not enough to silence him, it was then necessary to try to discredit him. After years of getting glowing job evaluations, and awards of honors from the State Department for his work in various parts of the world, Mr. Hicks suddenly began to get bad job evaluations and was demoted to a desk job in Washington after he spoke with a Congressman about what he knew. The truth is dangerous to liars." --economist Thomas Sowell
"We may be disgusted and horrified by Kermit Gosnell, but we should not be shocked by his crimes. Thanks to the misguided social entrepreneurship of the Supreme Court, abortion is protected as a constitutional absolute, and late-term abortions, grisly as they are, enjoy substantial protection as well. What that looks like in practice is Gosnell's slaughterhouse. We should not pretend that this evil does not extend past the Philadelphia city limits. If you would have an unlimited abortion franchise, then you will have all that goes with it, including the pitiless knife of Kermit Gosnell." --National Review
Just because the IRS has no friends doesn't mean that the administration's most reliable allies in the media can't engage in some pushback against the narrative emerging about harassment and bullying of conservative groups by the tax agency. And leading the media charge is the president's most ardent supporter, the New York Times.
After Obama was elected, I faced my first IRS audit shakedown after decades of filing income tax returns. Coincidence? Given the headlines of the past 48 hours, perhaps not. My audit experience was a headache, as anyone who has experienced one can attest. When it happened, a former IRS lawyer with whom I associated in private practice told me - "it's no accident you were audited."
Proponents of comprehensive immigration reform like to emphasize that America's immigration system is broken, and they are right. But you don't fix it by rewarding lawbreakers.
Our first instinct when we see a crime that lets the mask slip and shows us the true face of evil can be to imagine how the hidden-in-plain-sight sex slave prison could have been prevented with a little more attention from authorities or neighbors. But preventing gruesome crimes like Ariel Castro's isn't as easy as passing more laws.
The scandal raging through the Internal Revenue Service isn't just about the rough treatment given to Barack Obama's political opponents. There was also concierge service for liberal groups, who flew right through the system with speedy approval for their tax-exempt applications, after minimal scrutiny.
And if a liberal group was directly connected to Barack Obama - say, it was run by his half-brother, or former White House employees, or Obama 2012 campaign operatives - well, then those crack IRS teams of enhanced scrutinizers really rolled out the red carpet. Such groups could expect approval within a month... even if they were breaking the law at the time of their application.
Even as the IRS tries to explain how all this was supposedly the work of a few rogue low-level individuals, the agency has been hit with a lawsuit for improperly accessing the health care records of 10 million Americans, with damages potentially running into hundreds of billions of dollars.
The IRS is, of course, the enforcement arm of ObamaCare, which expands the agency's power like nothing else in recent memory. Perhaps HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius can shake insurance industry executives down for more cash to finance a settlement.
The treatment of liberal groups, especially those tied directly to Barack Obama, was very different from what conservative and Tea Party groups experienced. | READ MORE »
While they pretend to champion privacy rights, top left-wing operatives have routinely ransacked and plundered through the private documents and personal records of conservative groups, business owners and public figures. | READ MORE »
As with the IRS scandal, conservative groups requesting information from the Environmental Protection Agency were treated very differently from liberal groups. | READ MORE »
Despite the man-made global warming fear movement's clarion call of alarm, many scientists are dismissing the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere as a non-event. | READ MORE »
The terrible ten year rape/ kidnapping ordeal suffered by three innocent Cleveland women at the hands of Ariel Castro, a registered Democrat (look it up) may yet put the baby killing crowd at NARAL and NOW in a web of their own evil lies.
Their captivity included daily rapes and the predictable pregnancies that followed. The startling evidence shows Castro's depravity extended to stomach punching pregnant victims to cause miscarriages thereby murdering at least five innocent babies.
That Castro's crimes are revolting and demand the death penalty is a widely held sentiment; but what will women's organizations do or say?
Because women's organizations are, by definition liberal, calls for such retribution might not come from the likes of NARAL and NOW. Both organizations could end up either saying nothing about these horrific crimes or potentially joining in a fight to keep Castro from being convicted ... Continue Reading:Cleveland's kidnapper/rapist animal will put baby killers at NARAL in a web of their own making
Part of membership fees and profits used to advocate same-sex marriage, homosexual adoption, repeal of DOMA and special rights for immoral behavior.
May 13, 2013
Dear ##FirstName[AFA Supporter]##,
AARP uses member resources to advocate same-sex marriage and pro-homosexual military policy.
AARP membership cancellation information provided below.
Click here to send your email to oppose AARP's LGBT advocacy.
Page 38 of the July/August AARP bulletin contained an article titled "Pride Is Ageless" which announced AARP's plans for "advocacy efforts in the LGBT arena."
Above photo posted from AARP pride page.
The article stated "AARP has created a new online home for the older lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community." The page links to news stories on such hot topics as same-sex marriage, gay adoption and the repeal of the military's 'don't ask, don't tell' policy, as well as articles on personal finance, travel and other issues of interest. In addition, the site clarifies AARP's positions and advocacy efforts in the LGBT arena. Check out the page at aarp.org/pride.You may read this AARP section for yourself by clicking here.
Take Action
Please forward this article to anyone that you know who may be an AARP member including friends whose parents or grandparents may be members and encourage them to consider cancelling their membership, otherwise their money may be used to promote the homosexual political agenda.
AARP members who would like to cancel their membership and receive a refund for their unused membership time may do so by:
Sending an email to members@aarp.org with name, address, date of birth and membership number and request to cancel. Please make sure that an email confirmation of cancellation is received within two days.
Call 1-888-687-2277 with membership number in hand and follow the automatic prompts.
Across this great land, patriotic Americans are behaving subversively.
We're quoting from our pocket Constitutions, starting reading groups to discuss our founding documents, even gathering together to "petition the government for a redress of grievances."
Uncle Sam is not amused.
As leaders of tea party groups have been painfully aware for years, the Internal Revenue Service has given "special" attention to conservative groups.
Heritage sounded the alarm on the Obama Administration's hit list nearly a year ago. Idaho businessman Frank VanderSloot was singled out by the IRS and the Labor Department after making a sizable donation to Mitt Romney. Who ordered his investigation?
The IRS admits that in recent years it has zeroed in on organizations with "tea party" or "patriot" in their names. Further, The Wall Street Journal reports the IRS has also targeted groups that say they are "worried about government spending, debt or taxes, and even ones that lobbied to 'make America a better place to live.'" Fox News adds that organizations interested in doing "education on the Constitution and Bill of Rights" made the list.
The goal was clearly to reduce the amount of anti-government speech by making it more difficult for these groups to achieve tax-exempt status. And it worked. Just look at these examples from four different states:
ABC News reports that Jennifer Stefano of Pennsylvania wanted to start a tea party group, but dealing with the IRS "was frightening and that's why I shut it down. I shut my group down."
The IRS ordered an Ohio group to answer 35 detailed questions, including to "provide a listing of all your past activities. Indicate the percentage of your time spent conducting the activity (total of all activities should equal 100%) and the percentage of your funds spent conducting the activity (total of all activities should equal 100%)."
In Tennessee, Kevin Kookogey was trying to start an educational group called Linchpins of Liberty to teach the economic principles of Milton Friedman and Adam Smith. When he inquired with the IRS in 2011 about the delay in his tax-exempt status, he was told: "We have been waiting on guidance from our superiors as to your and similar organizations." He is still waiting.
In Virginia, it took Richmond Tea Party President Larry Nordvig two and a half years to get tax-exempt status. He tellsThe Washington Post the wait had "a very chilling effect" on how much money his group could raise, and thus on how much speech it could generate.
How many groups are under scrutiny? That remains to be seen. President Obama said yesterday that the IRS's actions were "intolerable and inexcusable" and that "regardless of how this conduct was allowed to take place, the bottom line is, it was wrong."
Our federal government was designed to be a neutral arbiter between competing private interests that would protect our liberties. Instead, it has morphed into a permanent interest group of its own.
In some ways, it's almost as if we've disappointed our government by questioning it. As Bertolt Brecht quipped about the late, unlamented East Germany:
The people Had forfeited the confidence of the government And could win it back only By redoubled efforts.
So here's a charge to all tea partiers, and indeed all "patriotic" Americans of any political bent: Let's redouble our efforts-to limit government and promote freedom.
Doing so may anger Big Brother, but it will protect the liberty of all Americans.
MAY 15, 2013
IRS-Gate Grows More Bizarre
Over the weekend, various news organizations got a look at a still-unreleased report by the Inspector General (IG) for tax administration at the Treasury Department.
According to the report, IRS official Lois Lerner knew about the problem by June 2011; yet in March 2012, IRS commissionerDouglas Shulmantold Congress "that the agency was not targeting conservative groups that applied for tax-exempt status as 'social welfare' groups."
But, according to the IG report, the IRS was not only targeting tea party organizations; it was going after "groups focused on government spending, government debt, taxes, and education on ways to 'make America a better place to live.'" It also started targeting groups criticizing the government or educating Americans about the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
Just as outrageous are the revelations that the IRS may have gone after some Jewish groups for political reasons. TheJewish Press is reporting that a pro-Israel organization was told by an agent that it was being subjected to additional scrutiny because it was "connected with Israel."
Its application (along with other Jewish groups) was assigned to "a special unit in the D.C. office to determine whether the organization's activities contradict the Administration's public policies." One Jewish organization was required to state whether it "supports the existence of the land of Israel" and to describe its "religious belief system toward the land of Israel."
None of these issues has anything to do with whether a nonprofit should be granted tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code. As the IRS itself explains, this section covers social welfare organizations that "operate primarily to further the common good and general welfare of the people of the community." While they can't participate in political campaigns, they can "engage in some political activities, so long as that is not [their] primary activity."
Whether or not you agree with the Administration's policies or whether you criticize the expansion of government or its excessive debt are not a consideration under the Revenue Code to qualify for tax-exempt status. Apparently, the IRS finally realized that, because according to theWashington Post, it changed its tactics in May 2012 to focus on "organizations with indicators of significant amounts of political campaign intervention." Despite that change, dozens of conservative organizations are still waiting to receive their tax exemptions.
The use of the IRS to target political opponents is one of the greatest dangers of the tremendous power of this federal agency. That is why federal law prohibits any employee of the executive office of the President and Vice President, as well as Cabinet secretaries, from requesting "directly or indirectly" that the IRS investigate "any particular taxpayer with respect to the tax liability of such taxpayer."
It's unclear who in the IRS or elsewhere supported or condoned the wrongful conduct at issue, but it is important for the rule of law and the interests of justice that Congress aggressively pursue its oversight function to get to the bottom of this scandal and, most importantly, who instigated and authorized it.
On May 7, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit struck down a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) rule that required more than 6 million employers to post notices at work informing employees of their rights under the National Labor Relations Act. While notifying employees of their statutory rights may not sound all that bad at first blush, the NLRB's rule would have undercut employers' free speech rights to "engage in noncoercive speech about unionization."
The Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at The Heritage Foundation
Founded in 1973, The Heritage Foundation is the nation's most broadly supported public policy organization. Heritage created the Center for Legal and Judicial Studies in 2001 to educate government officials, the media and the public about the Constitution, legal principles and how they affect public policy.
The Heritage Foundation | 214 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002 | 202.546.4400 | heritage.org
On May 7, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit struck down a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) rule that required more than 6 million employers to post certain types of notices at work informing employees of their rights under the National Labor Relations Act.
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.
In June 2008, presidential candidate Barack Obama said, "If we continue to let our trade policy be dictated by special interests, then American workers will continue to be undermined, and public support for robust trade will continue to erode." That's exactly what's happening with respect to energy trade. Special interests want to block the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline and block opportunities to export natural gas.
About The Heritage Foundation Founded in 1973, The Heritage Foundation is the nation's most broadly supported public policy organization. Heritage created the Center for Legal and Judicial Studies in 2001 to educate government officials, the media and the public about the Constitution, legal principles and how they affect public policy.
On Friday the IRS admitted to targeting conservative groups for extra scrutiny in their applications for tax-exempt status. The agency claimed the practice was initiated by low-level workers and did not result from political bias.
Then over the weekend, it was revealed that the IRS targeted "groups focused on government spending, government debt, taxes, and education on ways to 'make America a better place to live.'"
Heritage Foundation expert Hans von Spakovsky says that any explanation other than political bias would be hard to believe, because "the only relevant or substantive thing these organizations have in common is that they are all conservative politically."
Whether or not you agree with the Administration's policies or whether you criticize the expansion of government or its excessive debt are not a consideration under the Revenue Code to qualify for tax-exempt status. Apparently, the IRS finally realized that, because according to The Washington Post, it changed its tactics in May 2012 to focus on "organizations with indicators of significant amounts of political campaign intervention." Despite that change, dozens of conservative organizations are still waiting to receive their tax exemptions.
So why did the practice go on for so long without interference from the higher-ups? There should be a thorough investigation, von Spakovsky argues.
The Senate immigration bill contains language that would provide substantial federal funding for special interest groups and expose the government to legal fights - at taxpayers' expense.
In addition to costing American taxpayers, granting funding to immigrant advocacy groups "could expose the government to costly litigation going forward," Heritage Foundation expert Hans von Spakovsky explains.
The legislation establishes a $50 million grant program for nonprofit organizations to assist applicants for legal residence. "These grants can be used for legal assistance and effectively commit the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to providing grants for lawsuits against itself," von Spakovsky explains.
In addition to these grants, the proposed bill includes very broad language granting legal services to aliens.
These costs are in addition to the long-term costs associated with amnesty, detailed in a report released last week.
Good ideas can win the day. And Heritage President Jim DeMint's expansion of The Heritage Foundation's "'can do' approach offers conservatives the hope that empirical evidence and good ideas can actually win the day, so right reason can find its way into law," columnist Quin Hillyer writes in the American Spectator.
DeMint went on to explain how we can help the conservative movement, "Heritage can become more of an emissary, so to speak, of those policies. We will be doing more to energize the grass roots."
Last week, Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) told Bloomberg Television that he would "probably not" support the Marketplace Fairness Act, an Internet sales tax bill that passed through the Senate by a 69-27 margin. Boehner's reasoning for not supporting the bill? "Moving this bill where you've got 50 different sales tax codes, it's a mess out there," he said. "You're going to make it much more difficult for online retailers to be able to comply."
Many small business owners are already frustrated by the complexity and high costs associated with the Internet sales tax. The Heritage Foundation has put together this infographic to highlight some of their concerns, click here to see it.
A basic civics lesson for pseudo-historians. They're everywhere.
Federal supremacists apparently find the whole "civics lesson" theme clever. I have to admit - it does effectively create the impression that nullification supporters wander around in ignorance among the illiterate and uneducated. But the mockery would prove even more effective if the writers actually knew what in the hell they were writing about.
Here's the problem: these amateur historians actually think the three things they leaned in their government school sixth-grade civics class make them some kind of experts. They might want to move on from pre-civics to basic civics before they try demeaning those of us who actually know the historical and the philosophical basis for nullification.
For one group in Iowa, the IRS required every board member to sign a statement testifying that they do not protest outside of Planned Parenthood before the group could obtain tax exempt status.
A representative of the National Abortion Federation inspected Gosnell's "house of horrors" but did not turn him in to Pennsylvania health authorities.
"When you show them love instead of condemnation, when you show them peace and joy instead of anger and judgment, that will begin to break down the walls," David Bereit told an overflow crowd at the youth conference on Friday.
Pope Francis will have his first real opportunity to speak to the sacredness of human life at the upcoming weekend celebration of Evangelium Vitae (the Gospel of Life), June 15-16, 2013 in Rome.
The study "is one of only a few able to demonstrate a strong link between early childhood father absence and teenage girls' risk of depressive symptoms," said the study authors.
I'm overjoyed that there was some justice in the Gosnell case. I just wonder what it will take to get justice for the rest of the more than a million babies who died that year, most of them legally.
"We are just animals," Brewer said. "You can't have lambs running around with five legs and two heads. It would be put down, smashed against the wall and be dealt with."
Republican State House -- Check... Republican State Senate -- Check... Republican Governor -- Check.
Pro-gun reforms in Pennsylvania - In your dreams!
Yes, I know saying that probably makes you mad.
But the truth is, lawmakers -- in one of the most supposedly "pro-gun" climates Harrisburg has ever seen -- may be about to do exactly SQUAT when it comes to restoring your right to keep and bear arms.
Worse, with your U.S. Senator, Pat Toomey, beating the war drum for Barack Obama's gun control agenda in Washington, I'm afraid every Republican closer to home will be willing to follow his lead. Right now, there are several anti-gun bills in the Pennsylvania legislature just waiting to infringe on your rights.
For starters, House Bill 1010 would require ALL firearm sales in Pennsylvania to take place in front of a licensed importer, manufacturer, dealer or county sheriff -- complete with a 48-hour waiting period.
With your radical anti-gun Attorney General Kathleen Kane foaming at the mouth to get this bill up for a vote -- I'm afraid that lawmakers will cave-in.
What's worse, HB-1010 is SPONSORED by THREE Republicans, Paul Clymer (R-Perkasie), Thomas Murt (R-Hatboro), and Todd Stephens (R-North Wales) a lead member on the House Judiciary Committee.
Marg, this bill was introduced just a few weeks ago, and with the setback the anti-gunners were dealt on the national level, they are now even more hell-bent on pushing things in your back yard.
HB-1010 is just the tip of the iceberg.
If the ball gets rolling on that, you bet they'll try to rack up as much anti-gun language as they can.
We're talking about things like:
*** HB-239 Complete FIREARMS REGISTRATION, letting the state police catalog you like a common criminal with everything from mug shots to your social security number.
They even want to require you to tell them the make, model, and caliber of every single gun you own!
*** HB-519, Draconian lockup-your-safety "trigger-lock" requirements to
*** HB-521, Forcing you to buy ONE MILLION DOLLARS of liability insurance for every single one of your guns.
*** HB-517, The so-called "Assault weapons" ban, outlawing popular rifles by name, as well as banning rifles, pistols, and shotguns based on cosmetic details.
*** SB-189, so-called "Mental Health" legislation allowing the statists to deny you your rights WITHOUT DUE PROCESS for even the having the slightest treatment.
*** SB-432, GUN CONFISCATION if you are just accused of a crime.
Now you may be thinking Republicans are in control -- that you just elected the "good guys." Marg, I hope you don't make that mistake.
All across the country Republicans -- especially at the state level -- are folding, and backing anti-gun schemes, even when they have solid majorities in both chambers.
All in the name of sounding "reasonable" to the cliques they meet with, after school, in their booze-it-up suit-and-tie "clubs."
Now there is some good news.
With YOUR help, there is a chance -- and a good one -- to not only STOP anti-gun legislation in Harrisburg, but PASS pro-gun legalization.
Let me tell you about THREE pro-gun bills that would make Billionaire-playboy New York City Mayor flaming mad:
*** SB-584. It would let you renew your concealed carry permit without having to cough up personal "references" for the government to interrogate.
This would draw a line in the sand against Government bureaucrats in the Attorney Generals office and the State Police who love to make up their own "rules" without legislative approval.
*** HB-475, the Firearms Freedom Act, which tells the Federal Government that their draconian gun control is not welcome in Pennsylvania.
*** HB-671, Better known as Constitutional Carry.
Introduced by State Representative Rick Saccone (R-Jefferson Hills), this true pro-gun reform would simply allow any citizen who is legally able to own a firearm, to carry it concealed for self defense.
No government-permission slip necessary.
Imagine, NOT having to go to your county sheriff and beg to be allowed to carry the gun you already legally own.
That's how it's done in Arizona, Vermont, Wyoming and Alaska -- and surprise, surprise, the sky didn't fall.
Marg, It's up to you to set things right.
Quite frankly, there is no excuse for squandering this once in a generation opportunity to enact pro-gun reforms like Constitutional Carry.
But so far Constitutional Carry and the other pro-liberty, pro-gun bills, have been ignored for MONTHS in in committee, and now the gun-grabbers see their turn.
That's why I need your help.
Please do the following THREE things right away.
1.) Contact the House Judiciary Committee chairs right away.
Rep. Thomas Caltagirone Phone: (717) 787-3525 E-mail: Click Here.
Rep. Ronald Marisco Phone: (717) 783-2014 E-mail: Click Here.
URGE THEM to bring HB-671, Constitutional Carry, to a vote and pass it at once.
Then INSIST they pledge, publicly and unambiguously, to KILL HB-1010 and all of the anti-gun bills.
2.) Give Republican Rep. Todd Stephens an earful for sponsoring anti-gun legislation!
He can be reached at: (717) 260-6163
3.) Contact the rest of the House Judiciary Committee Members tell them that you want HB-671, Constitutional Carry.
INSIST they OPPOSE all anti-gun legislation including HB-1010.
Urge all of your State Legislators not to squander this chance to pass meaningful pro-gun reforms in Pennsylvania.
Thank you for taking action right away.
For Freedom,
Dudley Brown Executive Vice President
P.S. Lawmakers in Harrisburg are on the verge of squandering an opportunity to enact pro-gun reforms.
Call them today to let them know that you expect them to use their once in a generation majorities to protect your rights.
Contact the members of the Judiciary Committee and tell them to pass Constitutional Carry without delay.
Also, please consider chipping in $10 or $20 to help the National Association for Gun Rights keep up the fight for pro-gun legislation and against anti-gun schemes in Harrisburg and Washington.
Here's that 'dynamic scoring' you asked for, Senator
Dear Fellow Conservative,
The Heritage Foundation recently issued a comprehensive report showing that Sen. Marco Rubio's plan to instantly legalize 11.5 million illegal immigrants would add $6.3 trillion to the nation's budget deficits over the next 50 years. Heritage assumed there are 11.5 million illegals, but other estimates put the number at 33 million, which would mean adding another $18 trillion to the deficit. To put that in perspective, the largest U.S. budget deficit in history was $1.4 trillion in 2009.
Currently, the average illegal alien gets about $24,721 in taxpayer-funded benefits and pays about $10,334 in taxes. After full legalization, they will be eligible for a whole new panoply of government benefits such as direct welfare payments, Obamacare, Social Security and Medicare. Heritage concludes that the total government benefits to these former illegal aliens will then rise to about $43,900 per household, while the taxes paid by them will increase only modestly to around $16,000.
Obama Administration Has No Respect for Freedom By Terence P. Jeffrey Would an administration where the IRS targets tea party groups, and where the Justice Department sweepingly seizes the phone records of The Associated Press, put Catholic bishops in jail for holding true to the ancient and unchangeable teachings of their faith?
Obama's Legacy? Scandal By L. Brent Bozell III Obama laughably claimed to be above politics, above partisanship and dirty tricks - when the facts are proving he's really the dirtiest pool player in today's politics. It's Chicago-style politics, day and night.
A Brief History of Slimy Dem Snoops and Dumpster Divers By Michelle Malkin When Democrats get caught red-handed abusing government powers and bullying their political enemies small and large, nobody at the top knows nuttin'. The buck stops ... in the janitors closet or something.
Insult Laws By Rich Galen Zambia's insult laws are similar to libel and slander laws except (a) they don't exist in the law, (b) they are enforced unevenly and (c) a journalist can find him/herself in hot water for for anything a (typically) public figure believes might have been offensive.
He makes a list and checks it twice. He gives to the naughty what he takes from the nice. He drives from house to house in an armored truck. He is St. Dick, Santa's twin brother.
Awestruck taxpayers greet him with chronologically ordered receipts lest they lose their first dependent. St. Dick wishes them many returns and disappears with their checks until the next jolly tax season.
And here's another heartwarming story of St. Dick and his little helpers, the progs, keeping the spirit of Taxmas™ alive.
Bad News: Benghazi, IRS, & the AP - Obama's transformation is here
Benghazi, IRS & the AP scandals all have a common thread: transformation and arrogance. This administration seems to believe the fate of the world rests in their arms alone, and Glenn explained this arrogance on radio this morning. Glenn goes through the details of each scandal -- see the similarities HERE.
Sec. Donald Rumsfeld: Obama is leading from behind
On radio this morning, Glenn interviewed former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld about the latest scandals to rock the White House and his new book. Having served under four different administrations, Rumsfeld knows a thing or two about how things work in Washington, and even he is calling some of the these latest developments "inconceivable." How does Rumsfeld feel about President Obama's leadership skills? WATCH
#OSCANDALNAMES: Name these scandals
Glenn challenged the radio audience this morning to come up with a catchy name for the scandals currently rocking the White House. The media normally comes up with a catchy name but curiously this time they aren't going out of their way to "scandal brand". See which name won HERE.
You asked, we listened! Read & share news from TheBlaze.com directly in TheBlaze App!
TheBlaze iOS App is your direct portal into "the network that YOU are building". Get access to live and on demand video from TheBlaze TV, listen to TheBlaze Radio Network, and much more! Plus, with the new TheBlaze newsreader, access to breaking news from TheBlaze.com is easier than ever! Download TheBlaze iOS App HERE.
TheBlaze: Catholic Prof. audited after criticizing Obama
TheBlaze reported today the stunning story of a prominent Catholic Professor who criticized the Obama administration. The professor went on to say she was 'frightened' by how the IRS was going after her. Read the chilling story that's unfortunately part of a growing trend - MORE.
Amnesty? Not for the Romeike family
The Obama administration seems to go out of its way to keep illegal immigrants here in America. But when it comes to one German family, who fled to America because homeschooling in Germany is illegal, Obama wants them out. Glenn talks with the family lawyer on radio today for the latest update on the story -- is there any way to stop deportation? WATCH
Take a stand for religious freedom with 1791
While the Obama administration pushes for sweeping immigration reform, they're deporting a German family seeking asylum for religious freedom. The Romeike family fled to America to homeschool their children, so they didn't have to have a God-less education in Germany's public schools. Make your voice heard that you support religious freedom with the 'Freedom of Religion since 1791' t-shirt. Order yours HERE.
Take the high road -- don't stoop
Yesterday on radio Glenn, like many conservatives, really wanted to rub it in the faces of those who mocked & ridiculed the right for warning about big government overreaches. Glenn explains that despite the urge to do so, refrain and welcome those whose eyes have been opened with warmth and grace. It's time to work together with those who are waking up -- not scold them. MORE
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.
Tonight's primetime lineup on TheBlaze TV
5pm ET - The Glenn Beck Program: 'Bullying...Fear...Intimidation' - the latest on the scandals surrounding the White House.
6pm ET -Real News: Coverage of 'Scadalpalooza' continues.
7pm ET - Wilkow!: Holder is corrupt. It's time for him to leave office.
~ If you come across an issue or story that you think would be of interest to the group, forward it to this email address so we can include it in the daily newsletter. Please include any links to the associated story with your email so that we can source it for the newsletter. J
You have received this mailing because you subscribed to our mailing list or signed up at a meeting. If you have any problems with this mailing, please reply to this posting. Thank you for your support.
Congressman Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) said Wednesday during an interview on the 
Bad News: Benghazi, IRS, & the AP - Obama's transformation is here
