It’s bad enough that the U.S. spends $3 billion every year on subsidies to prop up American cotton farmers. Such payments enrich agri-businesses at taxpayer expense, hurt consumers while causing cotton prices to rise, and stand in the way of free trade and the free market.
But did you know that the U.S. also spends nearly $150 million of your taxpayer dollars each year to pay off Brazilian cotton farmers? It’s all part of an absurd scheme detailed in our recent blog post: U.S. Pays Off Brazilian Cotton Farmers to Prop Up U.S. Cotton Industry
Special handouts to cotton farmers—both abroad and here at home—are just a few of several examples of wasteful subsidies that should be on the chopping block, and fortunately Congress will get a chance to take a swing at them summer.
Every five years Congress reauthorizes the various farm subsidies paid out by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in one giant bill—a grab bag of handouts to big agri-businesses and special interests. Given that the last “Farm Bill” was enacted in 2008, debate over the next one will be heating up on Capitol Hill in the coming months.
Eliminating ill-conceived farm subsidies not only takes the government’s heavy hand out of our economy, but it can also save significant amounts of taxpayer money. One proposal by Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) would cut back on these special handouts and save $136 billion over the next decade, all while maintaining a safety net for farmers.
Whether it’s in “green” energy or in agriculture, picking winners and losers has never proven to be a wise use of taxpayer dollars. Keep an eye on Congress as they debate the Farm Bill this year—voices like yours demanding an end to wasteful subsidies could make a huge difference.
Americans for Prosperity® (AFP) is a nationwide organization of citizen leaders committed to advancing every individual's right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and scope of government is the best safeguard to ensuring individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. AFP educates and engages citizens in support of restraining state and federal government growth, and returning government to its constitutional limits. AFP has more than 2 million members, including members in all 50 states, and 34 state chapters and affiliates. More than 90,000 Americans in all 50 states have made a financial investment in AFP or AFP Foundation. For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org
Showing posts with label 111th Congress. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 111th Congress. Show all posts
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Friday, February 10, 2012
Why Congress should reject the highway bill
We're expecting debate to start on Monday or Tuesday in both the House and Senate on the infamous Highway bill. The legislation is how Congress plans to inefficiently fund transportation projects all across the country over the next few years, and it's a decidedly inept process.
The Club for Growth has been all over this from the beginning. They have issued Key Vote Alerts against BOTH the House and Senate versions.
Republican leaders in the House are claiming that their bill is a positive step forward because it doesn't include earmarks, but it's still remarkably inefficient. It contains no spending cuts and is paid for by dubious and uncertain offsets. It's also a bailout, paid for by you and me, for all of the poor funding decisions made in the past. The Senate version was written, in part, by Sen. Barbara Boxer, so you know it's not a recipe for limited government. One of the dumbest provisions, thanks to Sen. Max Baucus, would use auto import tariffs to pay for more spending. If that passed into law, the floodgates would open for new tariffs to pay for new highway spending!
Why Congress Should Reject the Highway Bill
Washington Examiner, Andy Roth
February 9, 2012
Everyone knows that if you take the bacon off a greasy cheeseburger, it’s still packed with tons of calories and saturated fat. So why do members of Congress think cutting pork from the 2012 Highway Bill should suddenly make it appetizing to fiscal conservatives?
The Highway Bill — the last one expires at the end of March — traditionally uses gas tax receipts to fund highway construction and maintenance, but it also finances “enhancement projects” like bike paths, transportation museums, and the infamous “Bridge to Nowhere.” Just over the past seven years, reckless spending on pork projects like these have caused the federal government to bail out the Highway Trust Fund three times to the tune of nearly $30 billion, according to the Heritage Foundation.
GOP leaders are claiming that fiscal conservatives should support the current bill because it does away with these projects. They’re even including expanded oil drilling as a sweetener to the deal, even though it has nothing to do with the Highway Trust Fund. But the bill is still a huge waste of money. It doesn’t cut any spending. It still requires higher-than-market wages that are a sop to labor unions. Worst of all, it perpetuates a system based on central planning from Washington.
CONTINUED:http://washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/op-eds/2012/02/why-congress-should-reject-highway-bill/253041
The Club for Growth has been all over this from the beginning. They have issued Key Vote Alerts against BOTH the House and Senate versions.
Republican leaders in the House are claiming that their bill is a positive step forward because it doesn't include earmarks, but it's still remarkably inefficient. It contains no spending cuts and is paid for by dubious and uncertain offsets. It's also a bailout, paid for by you and me, for all of the poor funding decisions made in the past. The Senate version was written, in part, by Sen. Barbara Boxer, so you know it's not a recipe for limited government. One of the dumbest provisions, thanks to Sen. Max Baucus, would use auto import tariffs to pay for more spending. If that passed into law, the floodgates would open for new tariffs to pay for new highway spending!
Why Congress Should Reject the Highway Bill
Washington Examiner, Andy Roth
February 9, 2012
Everyone knows that if you take the bacon off a greasy cheeseburger, it’s still packed with tons of calories and saturated fat. So why do members of Congress think cutting pork from the 2012 Highway Bill should suddenly make it appetizing to fiscal conservatives?
The Highway Bill — the last one expires at the end of March — traditionally uses gas tax receipts to fund highway construction and maintenance, but it also finances “enhancement projects” like bike paths, transportation museums, and the infamous “Bridge to Nowhere.” Just over the past seven years, reckless spending on pork projects like these have caused the federal government to bail out the Highway Trust Fund three times to the tune of nearly $30 billion, according to the Heritage Foundation.
GOP leaders are claiming that fiscal conservatives should support the current bill because it does away with these projects. They’re even including expanded oil drilling as a sweetener to the deal, even though it has nothing to do with the Highway Trust Fund. But the bill is still a huge waste of money. It doesn’t cut any spending. It still requires higher-than-market wages that are a sop to labor unions. Worst of all, it perpetuates a system based on central planning from Washington.
CONTINUED:http://washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/op-eds/2012/02/why-congress-should-reject-highway-bill/253041
Friday, January 20, 2012
Americans for Prosperity: 112th Congress Mid-Term Review Key Vote Scorecard
Americans for Prosperity just released its Mid-Term Review Key Vote Scorecard grading Members of Congress on what AFP feels were the most important economic votes in 2011.
We looked at the 17 top free-market votes in the Senate and 15 in the House. The issues included votes to repeal the President’s new health care law, halt the EPA’s onerous greenhouse gas regulations, and cut federal spending in the budget and appropriations bills. AFP also includes the signature of our No Climate Tax Pledge in the scorecard.
Five senators and thirty-nine representatives earned a perfect A+ score, voting with AFP’s free-market position on every issue in 2011. See how your Members of Congress voted!
When we were analyzing the scores, a few interesting trends emerged. First, there is a lot of work left to do to promote economic freedom. While 44 lawmakers had a perfect score, a whopping 128 of them received a score of zero, voting against AFP’s position on every issue.
Second, President Obama claims that his agenda is being stifled by an intransigent and ideologically-rigid block of Republicans swept into office by the 2010 elections. However, (to our dismay) the actual voting records do not support this. Almost half of the House GOP received a B grade, failing to support the free-market position between two and four times last year. In reality, Democrats put up the most “ideologically pure” scores, especially in the House, continuing a trend reaching back to at least the 110th Congress.
We hope you find our scorecard to be a useful tool in holding your elected representatives accountable for their votes on economic freedom.
Americans for Prosperity ranks Members of Congress based on their votes on the most important free market issues. Click the links below to explore current and past congresses:
http://americansforprosperity.com/scorecard?tr=y&auid=10169858
We looked at the 17 top free-market votes in the Senate and 15 in the House. The issues included votes to repeal the President’s new health care law, halt the EPA’s onerous greenhouse gas regulations, and cut federal spending in the budget and appropriations bills. AFP also includes the signature of our No Climate Tax Pledge in the scorecard.
Five senators and thirty-nine representatives earned a perfect A+ score, voting with AFP’s free-market position on every issue in 2011. See how your Members of Congress voted!
When we were analyzing the scores, a few interesting trends emerged. First, there is a lot of work left to do to promote economic freedom. While 44 lawmakers had a perfect score, a whopping 128 of them received a score of zero, voting against AFP’s position on every issue.
Second, President Obama claims that his agenda is being stifled by an intransigent and ideologically-rigid block of Republicans swept into office by the 2010 elections. However, (to our dismay) the actual voting records do not support this. Almost half of the House GOP received a B grade, failing to support the free-market position between two and four times last year. In reality, Democrats put up the most “ideologically pure” scores, especially in the House, continuing a trend reaching back to at least the 110th Congress.
We hope you find our scorecard to be a useful tool in holding your elected representatives accountable for their votes on economic freedom.
Americans for Prosperity ranks Members of Congress based on their votes on the most important free market issues. Click the links below to explore current and past congresses:
http://americansforprosperity.com/scorecard?tr=y&auid=10169858
Freedom 21--Henry Lamb: Where is the Tea Party?
By Henry Lamb
Democrats rarely miss an opportunity to denounce the Tea Party, and are quick to announce that the Tea Party is over. Still in shock about the effectiveness of the Tea Party in its effort to take control of the House of Representatives from Nancy Pelosi, Democrats
are trying to convince themselves that the 2010 mid-term election was a fluke. They just can’t believe that the Tea Party could do it again in 2012.
Where is the Tea Party? It is not “occupying” public parks and leaving mountains of trash that must be cleaned up at public expense. The Tea Party is not “occupying” California ports, disrupting the flow of commerce by forcing working people to lose days of work. The Tea Party is not shutting down restaurants and blocking streets to congregate in tent-cities where drugs, sex, and filth identify the “occupiers.” The Tea Party is going about its business, organizing and learning to be even more effective in achieving its goals.
The Tea Party exists because ordinary people realized that government was out of control and Congress was unable or unwilling to fix the problem. The Tea Party exists to return the federal government to the limitations of the U.S. Constitution, to end the out-of-control deficit, and to force the government to work within a balanced budget.
Democrats consider these goals to be extreme. Democrats go ballistic when Tea Party-supported Representatives refuse to rubber-stamp Barack Hussein Obama’s demand to spend money the nation doesn’t have - in order to reward his supporters in the green energy industry, or to expand largesse to the democratvoting, dependent segment of society who believes government owes them a living.
The Tea Party is maturing, evolving, coalescing with 9.12 groups and existing property rights, and tax-reform groups. The Tea Party is growing into a genuine Freedom Movement. Instead of “occupying” public space, Tea Parties, and the organizations with which they are coalescing, are holding weekly and monthly meetings to study issues at the local, state, and national levels.
They are learning about sustainable development, and Agenda 21. They are learning how the 17th Amendment removed the states from participation in the national government. They are learning why and how to repeal this amendment. They are learning how domestic policy is influenced by Global Governance. They are working with other organizations to learn how to influence state legislation. And they are holding conferences and seminars everywhere.
CONTINUED:
http://www.freedom21.org/Newsletters/NL-2012/nl-012012-1.pdf
Democrats rarely miss an opportunity to denounce the Tea Party, and are quick to announce that the Tea Party is over. Still in shock about the effectiveness of the Tea Party in its effort to take control of the House of Representatives from Nancy Pelosi, Democrats
are trying to convince themselves that the 2010 mid-term election was a fluke. They just can’t believe that the Tea Party could do it again in 2012.
Where is the Tea Party? It is not “occupying” public parks and leaving mountains of trash that must be cleaned up at public expense. The Tea Party is not “occupying” California ports, disrupting the flow of commerce by forcing working people to lose days of work. The Tea Party is not shutting down restaurants and blocking streets to congregate in tent-cities where drugs, sex, and filth identify the “occupiers.” The Tea Party is going about its business, organizing and learning to be even more effective in achieving its goals.
The Tea Party exists because ordinary people realized that government was out of control and Congress was unable or unwilling to fix the problem. The Tea Party exists to return the federal government to the limitations of the U.S. Constitution, to end the out-of-control deficit, and to force the government to work within a balanced budget.
Democrats consider these goals to be extreme. Democrats go ballistic when Tea Party-supported Representatives refuse to rubber-stamp Barack Hussein Obama’s demand to spend money the nation doesn’t have - in order to reward his supporters in the green energy industry, or to expand largesse to the democratvoting, dependent segment of society who believes government owes them a living.
The Tea Party is maturing, evolving, coalescing with 9.12 groups and existing property rights, and tax-reform groups. The Tea Party is growing into a genuine Freedom Movement. Instead of “occupying” public space, Tea Parties, and the organizations with which they are coalescing, are holding weekly and monthly meetings to study issues at the local, state, and national levels.
They are learning about sustainable development, and Agenda 21. They are learning how the 17th Amendment removed the states from participation in the national government. They are learning why and how to repeal this amendment. They are learning how domestic policy is influenced by Global Governance. They are working with other organizations to learn how to influence state legislation. And they are holding conferences and seminars everywhere.
CONTINUED:
http://www.freedom21.org/Newsletters/NL-2012/nl-012012-1.pdf
Monday, December 26, 2011
WallBuilders: Free to Speak—Religious Freedom Sunday
From time to time, WallBuilders is involved with a number of groups and cooperates with them in worthy culture-changing efforts. Here is one such upcoming event: Religious Freedom Sunday.
Parents, educators, youth group leaders, and students, this is your chance to speak up by joining the movement to keep faith in public schools! Religious Freedom Sunday (January 15, 2012) is a day to honor teachers and educate students and parents regarding the rights of religious expressions in the public schools.
Religious Freedom Sunday is a preparation for Religious Freedom Day, declared to be January 16th since 1993, when a resolution passed in Congress set this day apart, purposely choosing January 16th to honor The Virginia Act For Establishing Religious Freedom. This act was written by Thomas Jefferson and passed by the Virginia legislature in 1786.
http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=24ff978071728b002d42f126f&id=85f997c3b9&fblike=true&e=82b2973156
Parents, educators, youth group leaders, and students, this is your chance to speak up by joining the movement to keep faith in public schools! Religious Freedom Sunday (January 15, 2012) is a day to honor teachers and educate students and parents regarding the rights of religious expressions in the public schools.
Religious Freedom Sunday is a preparation for Religious Freedom Day, declared to be January 16th since 1993, when a resolution passed in Congress set this day apart, purposely choosing January 16th to honor The Virginia Act For Establishing Religious Freedom. This act was written by Thomas Jefferson and passed by the Virginia legislature in 1786.
http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=24ff978071728b002d42f126f&id=85f997c3b9&fblike=true&e=82b2973156
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
TPP Legislative Update & Newsletter: December 5, 2011
Passion to Action
Call your Representative and ask them to support the REINS Act today!!!
Federal Budget & Spending
Today is the 951st day since the Senate has passed a budget under the leadership of Harry Reid (D-NV).
Federal spending has increased 5% in the first nine months of this year alone, contrary to claims that Congress or the President has cut spending.
What do you think of this line-item veto proposal by Rep. Paul Ryan, who says it will help control wasteful spending? Read more about his “Legislative Text of H.R. 3521 - The Expedited Line-Item Veto and Rescissions Act of 2011.”
Senate Democrats are trying to roll a payroll tax break extension into an increased tax rate for wealthier Americans, known as a ”millionaire surtax.” Republicans have now released their payroll proposal. Read about it here. What do you think?
Eric Cantor is working to rescind the automatic cuts to defense that are scheduled as a result of the so-called “Super Committee” failing to agree on a deal. He’s offering House Democrats a deal that would pass their payroll tax break extension, an extension of jobless benefits, other spending measures that Democrats want, and a Medicare reimbursement rate for physicians in exchange for fewer cuts to defense.
Obama and the Democrats are upping the ante with their class warfare rhetoric. Watch out for this and think about how you can go on the offensive against this divisive and dangerous strategy.
Regulations & Jobs
Check out the Mercatus Center’s research summary titled, “Ready, Fire, Aim!': A Foundational Problem with Regulations.” You might also want to look at their Regulatory Report Card.
The REINS Act, a bill that seeks to restrain the overreach and unbearable cost of regulatory adventurism, is the result of one Tea Party Patriot who decided to do something. Read about this tea party victory here.
REINS Act — This week the House will consider H.R. 10, the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act—offered by RSC Member Rep. Geoff Davis (KY). The bill would restore Congressional accountability for the regulatory process, requiring Congress to take an up-or-down, stand-alone vote, and for the president to sign off on all new major rules—those with an annual economic impact of $100 million or more—before they can be enforced on the American people, businesses, or state and local governments.
The Republicans in the House have passed 25 bills to help job creators start creating jobs. All 25 of these bills are stuck in the Senate, left there to die by Harry Reid.
Obamacare
Over the last couple of weeks, the following states have accepted federal money to implement the Obamacare exchanges:
o Alabama, $8.5 million
o Arizona, $29.8 million
o Delaware, $3.4 million
o Hawaii, $14.4 million
o Idaho, $20.3 million
o Iowa, $7.7 million
o Maine, $5.8 million
o Michigan, $9.8 million
o Nebraska, $5.4 million
o New Mexico, $34.2 million
o Tennessee, $1.5 million
o Vermont, $18 million
o Rhode Island, $58.5 million
GET READY FOR DEATH PANELS. Read about what this caller told Mark Levin. The basis of this is that government is going to be writing strict policies that do not take into account each individual. When government has to create universal policies for the entire country, there will be a lot of dehumanizing effects. This is the exact same thing that England has done since the 1940's to save on costs since it is a government-run system.
Obamacare incentivizes employers to shove sicker employees off of private insurance and into the taxpayer subsidized exchanges. Make sure to frequently check out the Galen Institute for great up-to-date information about Obamacare.
An Obamacare “bomb” exploded on December 2 when the HHS rule went into effect that requires private insurance companies to spend “80% of the consumers’ premium dollars they collect — 85% for large group insurers — on actual medical care rather than overhead, marketing expenses and profit.” Private insurers will not be able to sustain this sort of business model and will implode under this ruling. So while Obama may have removed the “public option” from the final legislation, this was his backdoor method of destroying private health care.
Education
Read: How Replacing the Worst 7% of American Teachers Could Improve Education.
Think back to your own school days when that extra special teacher had such a great influence on your life. Did that teacher inspire you to try harder and to reach for the stars? More and more studies are demonstrating a direct link between excellent teachers and improved student performance.
At TEA for Education, we believe that the failure of public education is nothing less than child abuse. Competition through school choice will help weed out the worst teachers and reward those who truly care about the kids. Parents should have a full menu of options and opportunities from which to choose: school choice = freedom.
Want to help? Contact Bruce Gardner at bruce@teaforeducation.com or Beverly Elliott at beverly@teaforeducation.com
or visit our website at http://www.teaforeducation.com/ today!
Agenda 21
Read about how the threat of coal mining shut downs are becoming a reality due to the EPA.
Volunteers still needed in the following four counties in Tennessee to fight against Regional Smart Growth/Agenda 21 takeover: Meigs, Sequatchie, Bledsoe, and Marion. Please contact Karen Bracken at karenbracken5@gmail.com to volunteer.
Rep. Joe Walsh has drafted a bill that would block US funding to the United Nations if the UN seeks to impose gun control on US citizens. No bill # yet.
Information about the unconstitutionality of the International Baccalaureate program.
The Labor Department is changing the rules about child labor on farms, making it impossible for farm children 16 and under to work on family farms.
Watch out for a “Community Bill of Rights” initiative in your area next year. One leftist group has put out a template for Occupy groups to rally around and utilize in initiatives during next year’s elections. Here’s the template, here’s the Google doc, and a PDF. These are very bad, so stay on alert in your local community.
Heritage Foundation writes about the threat of Agenda 21 here.
Illegal Immigration
Remember, if you are interested in participating in the Tea Party Immigration Coalition’s weekly phone call, please send an email to berksteaparty@berksteaparty.org, expressing your interest.
House of Representatives
Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act — Last week, the House approved H.R. 3094, the Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act, by a vote of 235-188, pushing back on yet another overreach of Big Labor and the Obama Administration.
Eliminating Taxpayer Financing of Presidential Elections and the Election Assistance Commission — Also last week, the House passed H.R. 3463 by a vote of 235-190. The bill eliminates the Presidential Election Campaign Fund (PECF), terminates public financing of presidential campaigns, and returns PECF funds to the general treasury for deficit reduction.
Regulatory Flexibility — Also last week, the House approved H.R. 527, the Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act, by a vote of 263-159. This bill closes loopholes that agencies are exploiting to avoid the requirement that they analyze the effect new regulations would have on small businesses.
Regulatory Accountability — Again, last week, the House passed H.R. 3010, the Regulatory Accountability Act, by a vote of 253-167. The bill defines “major rule,” “high-impact rule,” “guidance,” and “major guidance” to broaden the definitions of rules that will be impacted by the bill.
Farm Dust — This week, the House will consider H.R. 1633, The Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act—offered by RSC Member Rep. Kristi Noem (SD). The bill would prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from issuing any new National Ambient Air Quality Standards for coarse particulate matter (aka dust) for at least one year from the date of enactment of the legislation.
FROM THE RSC: With two weeks of session left before Congress adjourns for the year, a number of items remain outstanding. Some of the items you may be interested in include:
o A “megabus” spending bill will likely be on the floor the week of the December 12, reportedly containing the nine remaining un-passed spending bills. Many conservatives believe that we should not spend more than the House-passed budget level and that any spending package should at least include policy provisions that protect life, defund Obamacare, and remove barriers to economic growth.
o It is also likely that a package that includes an unemployment benefits extension and a payroll tax cut extension will be on the floor that week.
o We may also consider an extension package of expiring tax provisions (AMT patch, expiring credits/deductions, etc.) and the “Doc Fix” (which adjusts the way that physicians are reimbursed under Medicare). If not considered in 2011, any package considered in 2012 would likely be retroactive.
Senate
The Senate has votes planned on five judgeship nominees. The schedule for the remainder of the week is less clear, as senior lawmakers work behind the scenes to reach agreement on year-end spending and revenue measures.
Call your Representative and ask them to support the REINS Act today!!!
Federal Budget & Spending
Today is the 951st day since the Senate has passed a budget under the leadership of Harry Reid (D-NV).
Federal spending has increased 5% in the first nine months of this year alone, contrary to claims that Congress or the President has cut spending.
What do you think of this line-item veto proposal by Rep. Paul Ryan, who says it will help control wasteful spending? Read more about his “Legislative Text of H.R. 3521 - The Expedited Line-Item Veto and Rescissions Act of 2011.”
Senate Democrats are trying to roll a payroll tax break extension into an increased tax rate for wealthier Americans, known as a ”millionaire surtax.” Republicans have now released their payroll proposal. Read about it here. What do you think?
Eric Cantor is working to rescind the automatic cuts to defense that are scheduled as a result of the so-called “Super Committee” failing to agree on a deal. He’s offering House Democrats a deal that would pass their payroll tax break extension, an extension of jobless benefits, other spending measures that Democrats want, and a Medicare reimbursement rate for physicians in exchange for fewer cuts to defense.
Obama and the Democrats are upping the ante with their class warfare rhetoric. Watch out for this and think about how you can go on the offensive against this divisive and dangerous strategy.
Regulations & Jobs
Check out the Mercatus Center’s research summary titled, “Ready, Fire, Aim!': A Foundational Problem with Regulations.” You might also want to look at their Regulatory Report Card.
The REINS Act, a bill that seeks to restrain the overreach and unbearable cost of regulatory adventurism, is the result of one Tea Party Patriot who decided to do something. Read about this tea party victory here.
REINS Act — This week the House will consider H.R. 10, the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act—offered by RSC Member Rep. Geoff Davis (KY). The bill would restore Congressional accountability for the regulatory process, requiring Congress to take an up-or-down, stand-alone vote, and for the president to sign off on all new major rules—those with an annual economic impact of $100 million or more—before they can be enforced on the American people, businesses, or state and local governments.
The Republicans in the House have passed 25 bills to help job creators start creating jobs. All 25 of these bills are stuck in the Senate, left there to die by Harry Reid.
Obamacare
Over the last couple of weeks, the following states have accepted federal money to implement the Obamacare exchanges:
o Alabama, $8.5 million
o Arizona, $29.8 million
o Delaware, $3.4 million
o Hawaii, $14.4 million
o Idaho, $20.3 million
o Iowa, $7.7 million
o Maine, $5.8 million
o Michigan, $9.8 million
o Nebraska, $5.4 million
o New Mexico, $34.2 million
o Tennessee, $1.5 million
o Vermont, $18 million
o Rhode Island, $58.5 million
GET READY FOR DEATH PANELS. Read about what this caller told Mark Levin. The basis of this is that government is going to be writing strict policies that do not take into account each individual. When government has to create universal policies for the entire country, there will be a lot of dehumanizing effects. This is the exact same thing that England has done since the 1940's to save on costs since it is a government-run system.
Obamacare incentivizes employers to shove sicker employees off of private insurance and into the taxpayer subsidized exchanges. Make sure to frequently check out the Galen Institute for great up-to-date information about Obamacare.
An Obamacare “bomb” exploded on December 2 when the HHS rule went into effect that requires private insurance companies to spend “80% of the consumers’ premium dollars they collect — 85% for large group insurers — on actual medical care rather than overhead, marketing expenses and profit.” Private insurers will not be able to sustain this sort of business model and will implode under this ruling. So while Obama may have removed the “public option” from the final legislation, this was his backdoor method of destroying private health care.
Education
Read: How Replacing the Worst 7% of American Teachers Could Improve Education.
Think back to your own school days when that extra special teacher had such a great influence on your life. Did that teacher inspire you to try harder and to reach for the stars? More and more studies are demonstrating a direct link between excellent teachers and improved student performance.
At TEA for Education, we believe that the failure of public education is nothing less than child abuse. Competition through school choice will help weed out the worst teachers and reward those who truly care about the kids. Parents should have a full menu of options and opportunities from which to choose: school choice = freedom.
Want to help? Contact Bruce Gardner at bruce@teaforeducation.com or Beverly Elliott at beverly@teaforeducation.com
or visit our website at http://www.teaforeducation.com/ today!
Agenda 21
Read about how the threat of coal mining shut downs are becoming a reality due to the EPA.
Volunteers still needed in the following four counties in Tennessee to fight against Regional Smart Growth/Agenda 21 takeover: Meigs, Sequatchie, Bledsoe, and Marion. Please contact Karen Bracken at karenbracken5@gmail.com to volunteer.
Rep. Joe Walsh has drafted a bill that would block US funding to the United Nations if the UN seeks to impose gun control on US citizens. No bill # yet.
Information about the unconstitutionality of the International Baccalaureate program.
The Labor Department is changing the rules about child labor on farms, making it impossible for farm children 16 and under to work on family farms.
Watch out for a “Community Bill of Rights” initiative in your area next year. One leftist group has put out a template for Occupy groups to rally around and utilize in initiatives during next year’s elections. Here’s the template, here’s the Google doc, and a PDF. These are very bad, so stay on alert in your local community.
Heritage Foundation writes about the threat of Agenda 21 here.
Illegal Immigration
Remember, if you are interested in participating in the Tea Party Immigration Coalition’s weekly phone call, please send an email to berksteaparty@berksteaparty.org, expressing your interest.
House of Representatives
Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act — Last week, the House approved H.R. 3094, the Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act, by a vote of 235-188, pushing back on yet another overreach of Big Labor and the Obama Administration.
Eliminating Taxpayer Financing of Presidential Elections and the Election Assistance Commission — Also last week, the House passed H.R. 3463 by a vote of 235-190. The bill eliminates the Presidential Election Campaign Fund (PECF), terminates public financing of presidential campaigns, and returns PECF funds to the general treasury for deficit reduction.
Regulatory Flexibility — Also last week, the House approved H.R. 527, the Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act, by a vote of 263-159. This bill closes loopholes that agencies are exploiting to avoid the requirement that they analyze the effect new regulations would have on small businesses.
Regulatory Accountability — Again, last week, the House passed H.R. 3010, the Regulatory Accountability Act, by a vote of 253-167. The bill defines “major rule,” “high-impact rule,” “guidance,” and “major guidance” to broaden the definitions of rules that will be impacted by the bill.
Farm Dust — This week, the House will consider H.R. 1633, The Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act—offered by RSC Member Rep. Kristi Noem (SD). The bill would prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from issuing any new National Ambient Air Quality Standards for coarse particulate matter (aka dust) for at least one year from the date of enactment of the legislation.
FROM THE RSC: With two weeks of session left before Congress adjourns for the year, a number of items remain outstanding. Some of the items you may be interested in include:
o A “megabus” spending bill will likely be on the floor the week of the December 12, reportedly containing the nine remaining un-passed spending bills. Many conservatives believe that we should not spend more than the House-passed budget level and that any spending package should at least include policy provisions that protect life, defund Obamacare, and remove barriers to economic growth.
o It is also likely that a package that includes an unemployment benefits extension and a payroll tax cut extension will be on the floor that week.
o We may also consider an extension package of expiring tax provisions (AMT patch, expiring credits/deductions, etc.) and the “Doc Fix” (which adjusts the way that physicians are reimbursed under Medicare). If not considered in 2011, any package considered in 2012 would likely be retroactive.
Senate
The Senate has votes planned on five judgeship nominees. The schedule for the remainder of the week is less clear, as senior lawmakers work behind the scenes to reach agreement on year-end spending and revenue measures.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
CCTA FEDERAL Watchdog Report- November 15, 2011
Lynn Childs—Federal Watchdog Report/Tea Party Report
Coastal Carolina Taxpayer Association
November 15, 2011
Beaufort Observer: Walter Jones votes "no" of Vets' job bill. One of only 6 no votes. Palombo blasts Jones' vote-- November 14, 2011
The Committee released this video: http://www.beaufortobserver.net/Articles-NEWS-and-COMMENTARY-c-2011-11-14-256985.112112-Walter-Jones-votes-no-of-Vets-job-bill-One-of-only-6-no-votes-brPalombo-blasts-Jones-vote.html
Rep. Walter Jones, of North Carolina's Third Congressional District vote against H. R. 2433. Jones was one of only six representatives to vote "no."
On November 10 the Senate passed the VOW Act. to review the key provision of the VOW Act. Frank Palombo, Jones' opponent in the May Republican Primary, said: "It is inexcusable that Jones opposed the Veterans Opportunity to Work Act," said Palombo after his interview. "Veterans in eastern North Carolina deserve a Congressman who leads for their benefit," continued Palombo. "Instead we have Jones, who after 16 years in Washington, isn't influential enough to work on this very important bill for his constituents."
"After serving two tours in the Air Force and then building relationships with wonderful veterans while serving in law enforcement, I will be the strongest advocate in Congress for our military heroes and their families. Jones' vote against the VOW Act is another example of how his votes are harming eastern North Carolinians. After 16 years in Congress, Jones has lost touch with the citizens of eastern North Carolina."
RESPONSE FROM WALTER JONES OFFICE—Glen Downs, Chief of Staff:
First of all, “The Beaufort Observer” actually hosted Frank Palombo’s campaign website when he first launched his campaign. We most definitely consider alternative media to be legitimate news sources. But the Beaufort Observer is something else altogether – they are advocating for a candidate.
If he was a real news source, he most likely would have gone and checked our news release from October 13 (see link below), “JONES VOTES AGAINST $1.6 BILLION IN MORTGAGE FEES FOR VETERANS”, and learned his rationale. http://jones.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=268954
“This bill would force veteran homeowners to pay billions more in mortgage fees and then use that money to help other veterans find work,” said Congressman Jones. “Picking the pockets of some veterans in order to help out other veterans is a false choice, and this Congress can do better. To pay for these new work incentives, we should have cut funding for Obamacare, or foreign aid, or any number of other wasteful Washington spending programs, not take money from other veterans. “
Anyway, thanks for checking in to get the facts! Please share the word with other leaders that we are always happy to talk to Tea Party, Liberty, and Tax Payer leaders directly. They can express opinions or concerns, or ask questions, directly with us – no filters!!
============================================================================
WEBSITE: HOLD THEIR FEET OT THE FIRE-- Feet to the Fire was created to be a one-stop-shop for conservatives seeking a clear view of what our members of Congress actually do, as opposed to what they say. To accomplish this, the site presents a clear and concise ranking showing which representatives adhere to the core values of the Tea Party movement. All bills, amendments, and votes from this session of Congress are easily accessible and are updated regularly throughout the day. Further, the site includes tens of thousands of frequently updated news stories related to members of Congress and to specific pieces of legislation. All of these items are easily searchable.
http://feettothefire.org/
SUPER COMMITTEE UPDATE:
The Hill: GOP wobbles on no-new-taxes vow-- Republicans are beginning to wobble from their categorical opposition to raising taxes, opening the possibility of a deficit-reduction deal by the beginning of next week.
Ten days until the supercommittee’s absolute deadline (counting today) ... six days until the CBO needs to know what it’s scoring if there’s going to be a deal ... and still no glimmer of a bipartisan bargain remotely in sight no matter what co-Chairman Jeb Hensarling says. In fact, Clyburn says his fellow Democrats on the panel are getting more and more itchy to get off the same page, and the Republicans in the group are getting ready for a fusillade of criticism from the rank and file — especially House members returning from a week back home — for their offer to raise $250 billion in new revenue (without actually raising tax rates), which would get one-fifth the way toward the panel’s $1.2 trillion minimum target.
The boomlet today is for the idea that the deal would do nothing more than set reconciliation instructions for a net-revenue-rasing tax overhaul (size not yet determined) to be written next year — and with the same up-or-down-vote/no-filibuster process that’s supposed to help the supercommittee now. It’s the last plausible escape hatch left for the supercommittee to wriggle through, especially because the lawmakers can say their move would be more than kicking the can down the road — it would be facing the reality that rewriting the tax code in a few days would be nearly impossible, because of the prospect that a single misplaced comma could mess things up seriously down the road.
The talk of dismantling the punishment trigger — the across-the-board sequester cutting both military and civilian programs in the absence of a deal — is getting louder again today, mainly because Obama over the weekend made clear that he opposes the idea but pointedly did not use the word “veto” in discussing how he would react to a bill that would disarm the trigger.
2nd Amendment Alert: H.R. 822 is scheduled for a floor vote today!
H.R. 822 is scheduled for a floor vote today, and it is imperative that you call Rep. G. K. Butterfield at (202) 225-3101 and let them know that the federal government has no business messing around with your concealed carry permit.
As you know, I’ve been vocal about my opposition to H.R. 822. I’m worried it will open the door to MASSIVE federal overreach and intrusion into the concealed weapons permit process.
The LAST people we want involved in setting concealed weapons policy are the federal government.
In fact, one of my biggest concerns about concealed carry permits -- the lists of gun owners a permit process creates -- should send shivers down your spine: Imagine Eric Holder and the BATFE with a national database of concealed carry permit holders.
It’s bad enough to have those lists exist at a state level. Once Eric Holder and his cronies find a way to request that list from a state, they’ll do it -- all the in the name of “implementing H.R. 822.” See post on our blogspot!
SUPREME COURT AGREES TO HEAR OBAMACARE LAWSUIT IN MARCH 2011! The Supreme Court said Monday it will hear arguments next March over President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul – Focused on the heart of the 2010 law, a requirement that individuals buy medical insurance starting in 2014 or pay a penalty--a case that could shake the political landscape just as voters are about to decide if Obama deserves another term.
The decision to hear arguments in the spring allows plenty of time for a decision in late June, just over four months before Election Day. This sets up an election-year showdown over the White House’s main domestic policy achievement.
The justices announced they will hear more than five hours of arguments, an extraordinarily long session, from lawyers on the constitutionality of a provision at the heart of the law. The provision in question is the requirement that individuals buy health insurance starting in 2014 or pay a penalty, and other related questions about the act.
CAUTION: ELENA KAGEN still refused to recuse herself—while uber-liberal left and lamestream media try to discredit Clarence Thomas because his wife is Tea Party Supporter—so, if you disagree with Obamacare you can’t hear the case
TEA PARTY PATRIOTS ALERT: Deal in the District--ALERT--November 17, 2011, 12pm-1:00 Local Time -- URGENT! This Thursday, thousands of Tea Party Patriots from across the nation will visit their Representatives’ local offices to tell them…
No more gimmicks. No more lies. Make REAL CUTS and prioritize. Note: Please visit the office at any time on Thursday if you can’t go at noon. More information on our blogspot: http://cctaxpayers.blogspot.com/2011/11/tea-party-patriots-alert-deal-in.html
TEA PARTY WIN: My inspirational friend Helen in Cary, has been working the phone on the Occupy Wall Street Movement (and helped kick start the eviction in NYC). The plan is we tea partiers would like to camp out and live rent and tax free on government lands and has a tax free organizations set up to help feed and provide us. And while we are at we can cure the homeless problem and move all the homeless to the cities! See The Blaze and our blog for more information on the OWS efforts!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Our regular website is http://cctaxpayers.com/
Be sure and read today’s on CCTA Blogspot at http://cctaxpayers .com
And read Lynn’s Daily’s News Digest at http://cctaxpayers.blogspot.com/p/lynns.html
Respectfully,
Lynn Childs
Federal Watchdog and Tea Party Chairman
Coastal Carolina Taxpayer Association
November 15, 2011
Beaufort Observer: Walter Jones votes "no" of Vets' job bill. One of only 6 no votes. Palombo blasts Jones' vote-- November 14, 2011
The Committee released this video: http://www.beaufortobserver.net/Articles-NEWS-and-COMMENTARY-c-2011-11-14-256985.112112-Walter-Jones-votes-no-of-Vets-job-bill-One-of-only-6-no-votes-brPalombo-blasts-Jones-vote.html
Rep. Walter Jones, of North Carolina's Third Congressional District vote against H. R. 2433. Jones was one of only six representatives to vote "no."
On November 10 the Senate passed the VOW Act. to review the key provision of the VOW Act. Frank Palombo, Jones' opponent in the May Republican Primary, said: "It is inexcusable that Jones opposed the Veterans Opportunity to Work Act," said Palombo after his interview. "Veterans in eastern North Carolina deserve a Congressman who leads for their benefit," continued Palombo. "Instead we have Jones, who after 16 years in Washington, isn't influential enough to work on this very important bill for his constituents."
"After serving two tours in the Air Force and then building relationships with wonderful veterans while serving in law enforcement, I will be the strongest advocate in Congress for our military heroes and their families. Jones' vote against the VOW Act is another example of how his votes are harming eastern North Carolinians. After 16 years in Congress, Jones has lost touch with the citizens of eastern North Carolina."
RESPONSE FROM WALTER JONES OFFICE—Glen Downs, Chief of Staff:
First of all, “The Beaufort Observer” actually hosted Frank Palombo’s campaign website when he first launched his campaign. We most definitely consider alternative media to be legitimate news sources. But the Beaufort Observer is something else altogether – they are advocating for a candidate.
If he was a real news source, he most likely would have gone and checked our news release from October 13 (see link below), “JONES VOTES AGAINST $1.6 BILLION IN MORTGAGE FEES FOR VETERANS”, and learned his rationale. http://jones.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=268954
“This bill would force veteran homeowners to pay billions more in mortgage fees and then use that money to help other veterans find work,” said Congressman Jones. “Picking the pockets of some veterans in order to help out other veterans is a false choice, and this Congress can do better. To pay for these new work incentives, we should have cut funding for Obamacare, or foreign aid, or any number of other wasteful Washington spending programs, not take money from other veterans. “
Anyway, thanks for checking in to get the facts! Please share the word with other leaders that we are always happy to talk to Tea Party, Liberty, and Tax Payer leaders directly. They can express opinions or concerns, or ask questions, directly with us – no filters!!
============================================================================
WEBSITE: HOLD THEIR FEET OT THE FIRE-- Feet to the Fire was created to be a one-stop-shop for conservatives seeking a clear view of what our members of Congress actually do, as opposed to what they say. To accomplish this, the site presents a clear and concise ranking showing which representatives adhere to the core values of the Tea Party movement. All bills, amendments, and votes from this session of Congress are easily accessible and are updated regularly throughout the day. Further, the site includes tens of thousands of frequently updated news stories related to members of Congress and to specific pieces of legislation. All of these items are easily searchable.
http://feettothefire.org/
SUPER COMMITTEE UPDATE:
The Hill: GOP wobbles on no-new-taxes vow-- Republicans are beginning to wobble from their categorical opposition to raising taxes, opening the possibility of a deficit-reduction deal by the beginning of next week.
Ten days until the supercommittee’s absolute deadline (counting today) ... six days until the CBO needs to know what it’s scoring if there’s going to be a deal ... and still no glimmer of a bipartisan bargain remotely in sight no matter what co-Chairman Jeb Hensarling says. In fact, Clyburn says his fellow Democrats on the panel are getting more and more itchy to get off the same page, and the Republicans in the group are getting ready for a fusillade of criticism from the rank and file — especially House members returning from a week back home — for their offer to raise $250 billion in new revenue (without actually raising tax rates), which would get one-fifth the way toward the panel’s $1.2 trillion minimum target.
The boomlet today is for the idea that the deal would do nothing more than set reconciliation instructions for a net-revenue-rasing tax overhaul (size not yet determined) to be written next year — and with the same up-or-down-vote/no-filibuster process that’s supposed to help the supercommittee now. It’s the last plausible escape hatch left for the supercommittee to wriggle through, especially because the lawmakers can say their move would be more than kicking the can down the road — it would be facing the reality that rewriting the tax code in a few days would be nearly impossible, because of the prospect that a single misplaced comma could mess things up seriously down the road.
The talk of dismantling the punishment trigger — the across-the-board sequester cutting both military and civilian programs in the absence of a deal — is getting louder again today, mainly because Obama over the weekend made clear that he opposes the idea but pointedly did not use the word “veto” in discussing how he would react to a bill that would disarm the trigger.
2nd Amendment Alert: H.R. 822 is scheduled for a floor vote today!
H.R. 822 is scheduled for a floor vote today, and it is imperative that you call Rep. G. K. Butterfield at (202) 225-3101 and let them know that the federal government has no business messing around with your concealed carry permit.
As you know, I’ve been vocal about my opposition to H.R. 822. I’m worried it will open the door to MASSIVE federal overreach and intrusion into the concealed weapons permit process.
The LAST people we want involved in setting concealed weapons policy are the federal government.
In fact, one of my biggest concerns about concealed carry permits -- the lists of gun owners a permit process creates -- should send shivers down your spine: Imagine Eric Holder and the BATFE with a national database of concealed carry permit holders.
It’s bad enough to have those lists exist at a state level. Once Eric Holder and his cronies find a way to request that list from a state, they’ll do it -- all the in the name of “implementing H.R. 822.” See post on our blogspot!
SUPREME COURT AGREES TO HEAR OBAMACARE LAWSUIT IN MARCH 2011! The Supreme Court said Monday it will hear arguments next March over President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul – Focused on the heart of the 2010 law, a requirement that individuals buy medical insurance starting in 2014 or pay a penalty--a case that could shake the political landscape just as voters are about to decide if Obama deserves another term.
The decision to hear arguments in the spring allows plenty of time for a decision in late June, just over four months before Election Day. This sets up an election-year showdown over the White House’s main domestic policy achievement.
The justices announced they will hear more than five hours of arguments, an extraordinarily long session, from lawyers on the constitutionality of a provision at the heart of the law. The provision in question is the requirement that individuals buy health insurance starting in 2014 or pay a penalty, and other related questions about the act.
CAUTION: ELENA KAGEN still refused to recuse herself—while uber-liberal left and lamestream media try to discredit Clarence Thomas because his wife is Tea Party Supporter—so, if you disagree with Obamacare you can’t hear the case
TEA PARTY PATRIOTS ALERT: Deal in the District--ALERT--November 17, 2011, 12pm-1:00 Local Time -- URGENT! This Thursday, thousands of Tea Party Patriots from across the nation will visit their Representatives’ local offices to tell them…
No more gimmicks. No more lies. Make REAL CUTS and prioritize. Note: Please visit the office at any time on Thursday if you can’t go at noon. More information on our blogspot: http://cctaxpayers.blogspot.com/2011/11/tea-party-patriots-alert-deal-in.html
TEA PARTY WIN: My inspirational friend Helen in Cary, has been working the phone on the Occupy Wall Street Movement (and helped kick start the eviction in NYC). The plan is we tea partiers would like to camp out and live rent and tax free on government lands and has a tax free organizations set up to help feed and provide us. And while we are at we can cure the homeless problem and move all the homeless to the cities! See The Blaze and our blog for more information on the OWS efforts!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Our regular website is http://cctaxpayers.com/
Be sure and read today’s on CCTA Blogspot at http://cctaxpayers .com
And read Lynn’s Daily’s News Digest at http://cctaxpayers.blogspot.com/p/lynns.html
Respectfully,
Lynn Childs
Federal Watchdog and Tea Party Chairman
Monday, September 5, 2011
Sun Journal Letter to the Editor: CCTA Treasurer, Gary Lindsey
Bad future outlook, unless ...
9/3/11
I regularly attend the aldermen and county commissioners’ meetings and no matter which side of the political spectrum you are on, it is time to take the blinders off and question what they are telling us, especially from the national politicians about the state of our economy. Now instead of owing $14.3 trillion, we as a nation will owe $17 trillion in a few years. The accountant in me realizes that all the promises of giveaway programs they make to get reelected are not in the best interests of the working citizen.
With the global economic meltdown, we cannot trust the data released by the government officials. Per the current administration’s agenda that we all have economic equality, the reality is the standard of living will go down steeply and we will be closer to a banana republic status. Citizens, wake up. There is not enough money that can be printed, that retains its value, to support all the social programs established here in the USA. This is what the current administration will not tell you, because they do not think you can handle the truth. Please prepare for the worst. Buy extra food for long term storage and a way to provide yourself and family with clean water. And hope for the best, which will only happen when we elect better people to Congress.
Gary Lindsey
New Bern, NC
© Copyright 2011 Freedom Communications. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy
User Agreement
Site Map
9/3/11
I regularly attend the aldermen and county commissioners’ meetings and no matter which side of the political spectrum you are on, it is time to take the blinders off and question what they are telling us, especially from the national politicians about the state of our economy. Now instead of owing $14.3 trillion, we as a nation will owe $17 trillion in a few years. The accountant in me realizes that all the promises of giveaway programs they make to get reelected are not in the best interests of the working citizen.
With the global economic meltdown, we cannot trust the data released by the government officials. Per the current administration’s agenda that we all have economic equality, the reality is the standard of living will go down steeply and we will be closer to a banana republic status. Citizens, wake up. There is not enough money that can be printed, that retains its value, to support all the social programs established here in the USA. This is what the current administration will not tell you, because they do not think you can handle the truth. Please prepare for the worst. Buy extra food for long term storage and a way to provide yourself and family with clean water. And hope for the best, which will only happen when we elect better people to Congress.
Gary Lindsey
New Bern, NC
© Copyright 2011 Freedom Communications. All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy
User Agreement
Site Map
Friday, May 6, 2011
TELL CONGRESS TO HALT OBAMACARE IMPLEMENTATION!
Friends,
I wanted to make sure you saw this important email from our President & CEO Heather Higgins about our best chance to halt ObamaCare: the newly launched petition in support of the "Save Our States" Act.
It is vitally important that Congress passes the "Save Our States" Act as soon as possible. We simply can't afford the cost — literally billions of dollars — that would be wasted implementing this unwanted and unpopular government take-over of our health care decisions when the Supreme Court is likely to find it unconstitutional and strike it down anyway.
Help us send a message to Congress loud and clear. If you haven't already, please sign the petition to put ObamaCare's implementation in a well-deserved time-out today.
http://www.therepealpledge.com/take-action/petition-to-halt-implementation
Thank you!
Carrie Lukas, Vice President
Independent Women's Voice
I wanted to make sure you saw this important email from our President & CEO Heather Higgins about our best chance to halt ObamaCare: the newly launched petition in support of the "Save Our States" Act.
It is vitally important that Congress passes the "Save Our States" Act as soon as possible. We simply can't afford the cost — literally billions of dollars — that would be wasted implementing this unwanted and unpopular government take-over of our health care decisions when the Supreme Court is likely to find it unconstitutional and strike it down anyway.
Help us send a message to Congress loud and clear. If you haven't already, please sign the petition to put ObamaCare's implementation in a well-deserved time-out today.
http://www.therepealpledge.com/take-action/petition-to-halt-implementation
Thank you!
Carrie Lukas, Vice President
Independent Women's Voice
Monday, March 28, 2011
HR 119: Leave Act (Loophole Elimination and Verification Enforcement).
H.R.1196, which is a comprehensive immigration enforcement bill that would require the use of E-Verify for all employers nationwide, end the practice of birthright citizenship, prohibit states from granting in-state tuition benefits to illegal aliens, increase the number of border patrol and immigration and customs enforcement agents, and assist local municipalities in the enforcement of federal immigration laws, among other things.
Sponsored by: Rep. Gary Miller [R-CA42]. Rep. Miller is a long-time champion for reducing overall immigration levels and was identified as a "True Reformer" during the mid-term elections. He also helped create the Reclaim American Jobs Caucus with House Judiciary Chair Lamar Smith (R-Texas) and Rep. Sue Myrick (R-N.C.). The LEAVE Act was introduced with three original co-sponsors, including Rep. Myrick, Rep. John Campbell (R-Calif.) and Rep. Kenny Marchant (R-Texas).
The LEAVE Act (H.R. 1196) would:
• Prohibit dealings that assist or encourage an illegal alien to cross the border or remain in the United States.
• Increase alien smuggling penalties including 3 and 30 year prison sentences, depending on the type of offense.
• Uphold identification security by specifying what forms of identification may be accepted by the federal government or financial institutions. Accepted forms of identification include a Social Security card with a photo ID, a REAL ID Act compliant identification card, a passport, or a USCIS photo identification card.
• Require federal agencies to coordinate with states to develop an electronic birth and death registration system, which would reduce the number of stolen identities and help prevent Social Security fraud.
• Mandate new fines and penalties for passport fraud. Make E-Verify (Basic Pilot program) permanent. Require all employees to be verified with the E-Verify program after four years of enactment.
• Prevent illegal aliens from working in the U.S. Capitol Complex by prohibiting the House of Representatives and the Senate from awarding contracts to any contractor or subcontractor who does not participate in the E-Verify program.
• Close the self-employed subcontractor loophole by withholding funds to a state or local government that does not require all business license applicants to comply with E-Verify. A company can currently hire a subcontractor to provide goods and services, bypassing the E-Verify process.
• Prohibit states from issuing driver’s licenses unless they first verify citizenship or lawful immigration status. Require the SSA (Social Security Administration) and IRS (Internal Revenue Service) to share information related to the investigation and enforcement of no-match letters.
• Prevent children born to illegal aliens in the United States from obtaining birthright citizenship. Prohibit an illegal alien from renting or owning a home, and make them ineligible for public and Section 8 housing. Specifically, applicants would be required to present an accepted form of identification such as a Social Security card accompanied by a photo ID, a REAL ID compliant identification card, a passport, or a USCIS photo identification card in order to obtain a mortgage or apply for housing benefits.
• Prohibit Social Security totalization agreements that benefit illegal aliens, including the 2004 agreement between the United States and Mexico. Prohibit illegal aliens from receiving Social Security credit for illegal work in the United States.
• Prohibit financial and nonfinancial institutions from accepting Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITIN) or any other foreign-source of identification from an illegal alien, such as a Matricula Consular card. Forms of accepted identification include a Social Security card with a photo ID, a REAL ID compliant identification card, a passport, or a USCIS photo identification card. These requirements also apply to the U.S. Postal Service’s “Dinero Seguro” program and the Federal Reserve’s “Directo a Mexico” program.
• Prohibit states from granting in-state tuition to illegal aliens while U.S. citizens and nationals are excluded from the same benefit.
• Reinstate the Secure Fence Act by requiring two-layered fencing along the Southwest Border by July 31, 2011. This amends provisions of the FY 2008 Omnibus Appropriations bill that has hindered construction of the border fence.
• Add an additional 8,000 Border Patrol agents and 3,000 ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents by 2015.
• Affirm the right of state and local authorities to enforce immigration laws in the course of carrying out routine law enforcement activities.
• Require the DHS (Department of Homeland Security) to provide immigration enforcement training for state and local law enforcement officials.
• Reimburse states and localities for costs associated with immigration enforcement by making grants available for equipment, technology, facilities, and other products that directly relate to investigating, apprehending, arresting, detaining, or transporting illegal aliens.
• Make the Institutional Removal Program available to all states, which would expedite the deportation of criminal aliens after incarceration.
• List all immigration violators in the (NCIC) National Crime Information Center Database.
• Expand the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) to include illegal aliens that have been convicted or charged with a crime.
• Prevent the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture from impeding border enforcement activities on public lands.
• Prohibit the DHS and DOJ (Department of Justice) from making funds available to cities that provide sanctuary to illegal aliens.
STATUS: Mar 23, 2011: House Natural Resources: Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.
ACTION: THIS IS IMPORTANT, contact your U.S. House of Representative member and tell them to co-sponsor, support and vote for The LEAVE Act of 2011 (H.R. 1196). It’s time to stand up for America first! H.R.1196: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:H.R.1196:
Sponsored by: Rep. Gary Miller [R-CA42]. Rep. Miller is a long-time champion for reducing overall immigration levels and was identified as a "True Reformer" during the mid-term elections. He also helped create the Reclaim American Jobs Caucus with House Judiciary Chair Lamar Smith (R-Texas) and Rep. Sue Myrick (R-N.C.). The LEAVE Act was introduced with three original co-sponsors, including Rep. Myrick, Rep. John Campbell (R-Calif.) and Rep. Kenny Marchant (R-Texas).
The LEAVE Act (H.R. 1196) would:
• Prohibit dealings that assist or encourage an illegal alien to cross the border or remain in the United States.
• Increase alien smuggling penalties including 3 and 30 year prison sentences, depending on the type of offense.
• Uphold identification security by specifying what forms of identification may be accepted by the federal government or financial institutions. Accepted forms of identification include a Social Security card with a photo ID, a REAL ID Act compliant identification card, a passport, or a USCIS photo identification card.
• Require federal agencies to coordinate with states to develop an electronic birth and death registration system, which would reduce the number of stolen identities and help prevent Social Security fraud.
• Mandate new fines and penalties for passport fraud. Make E-Verify (Basic Pilot program) permanent. Require all employees to be verified with the E-Verify program after four years of enactment.
• Prevent illegal aliens from working in the U.S. Capitol Complex by prohibiting the House of Representatives and the Senate from awarding contracts to any contractor or subcontractor who does not participate in the E-Verify program.
• Close the self-employed subcontractor loophole by withholding funds to a state or local government that does not require all business license applicants to comply with E-Verify. A company can currently hire a subcontractor to provide goods and services, bypassing the E-Verify process.
• Prohibit states from issuing driver’s licenses unless they first verify citizenship or lawful immigration status. Require the SSA (Social Security Administration) and IRS (Internal Revenue Service) to share information related to the investigation and enforcement of no-match letters.
• Prevent children born to illegal aliens in the United States from obtaining birthright citizenship. Prohibit an illegal alien from renting or owning a home, and make them ineligible for public and Section 8 housing. Specifically, applicants would be required to present an accepted form of identification such as a Social Security card accompanied by a photo ID, a REAL ID compliant identification card, a passport, or a USCIS photo identification card in order to obtain a mortgage or apply for housing benefits.
• Prohibit Social Security totalization agreements that benefit illegal aliens, including the 2004 agreement between the United States and Mexico. Prohibit illegal aliens from receiving Social Security credit for illegal work in the United States.
• Prohibit financial and nonfinancial institutions from accepting Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITIN) or any other foreign-source of identification from an illegal alien, such as a Matricula Consular card. Forms of accepted identification include a Social Security card with a photo ID, a REAL ID compliant identification card, a passport, or a USCIS photo identification card. These requirements also apply to the U.S. Postal Service’s “Dinero Seguro” program and the Federal Reserve’s “Directo a Mexico” program.
• Prohibit states from granting in-state tuition to illegal aliens while U.S. citizens and nationals are excluded from the same benefit.
• Reinstate the Secure Fence Act by requiring two-layered fencing along the Southwest Border by July 31, 2011. This amends provisions of the FY 2008 Omnibus Appropriations bill that has hindered construction of the border fence.
• Add an additional 8,000 Border Patrol agents and 3,000 ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents by 2015.
• Affirm the right of state and local authorities to enforce immigration laws in the course of carrying out routine law enforcement activities.
• Require the DHS (Department of Homeland Security) to provide immigration enforcement training for state and local law enforcement officials.
• Reimburse states and localities for costs associated with immigration enforcement by making grants available for equipment, technology, facilities, and other products that directly relate to investigating, apprehending, arresting, detaining, or transporting illegal aliens.
• Make the Institutional Removal Program available to all states, which would expedite the deportation of criminal aliens after incarceration.
• List all immigration violators in the (NCIC) National Crime Information Center Database.
• Expand the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP) to include illegal aliens that have been convicted or charged with a crime.
• Prevent the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture from impeding border enforcement activities on public lands.
• Prohibit the DHS and DOJ (Department of Justice) from making funds available to cities that provide sanctuary to illegal aliens.
STATUS: Mar 23, 2011: House Natural Resources: Referred to the Subcommittee on National Parks, Forests and Public Lands.
ACTION: THIS IS IMPORTANT, contact your U.S. House of Representative member and tell them to co-sponsor, support and vote for The LEAVE Act of 2011 (H.R. 1196). It’s time to stand up for America first! H.R.1196: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:H.R.1196:
Monday, March 21, 2011
Californians for Population Stabilization - ALERT! New bill in Congress to secure border!
ALERT! New bill in Congress to secure border!
A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found that only 44 percent of the southwest border is under operation control, and only 15 percent of the border is airtight. In other words, 56 percent of our border with Mexico is unsecured!
In response, Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Alpine, CA), has introduced The Unlawful Border Entry Prevention Act, HR 1091, which would authorize an additional 350 miles of fencing along the border.
Under existing law, the DHS was given until December 2008 to identify specific locations on the border for construction of infrastructure. This bill would give legal authority to DHS to build additional infrastructure where needed. It would also require DHS to report to Congress if apprehensions increase in any border sector by 40 percent in one year and then to submit a plan for gaining operational control of that sector.
ACTION NEEDEDTell your Representative that we must secure the border against illegal immigration. Send a fax or an e-mail by entering your ZIP Code and clicking "Go!" http://capwiz.com/caps/issues/alert/?alertid=36732521
A Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found that only 44 percent of the southwest border is under operation control, and only 15 percent of the border is airtight. In other words, 56 percent of our border with Mexico is unsecured!
In response, Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Alpine, CA), has introduced The Unlawful Border Entry Prevention Act, HR 1091, which would authorize an additional 350 miles of fencing along the border.
Under existing law, the DHS was given until December 2008 to identify specific locations on the border for construction of infrastructure. This bill would give legal authority to DHS to build additional infrastructure where needed. It would also require DHS to report to Congress if apprehensions increase in any border sector by 40 percent in one year and then to submit a plan for gaining operational control of that sector.
ACTION NEEDEDTell your Representative that we must secure the border against illegal immigration. Send a fax or an e-mail by entering your ZIP Code and clicking "Go!" http://capwiz.com/caps/issues/alert/?alertid=36732521
Joe Biden: ‘Framers Intended to Grant Congress Power to Initiate All Hostilities, Even Limited Wars’
Rewriting the Constitution?
After studying the constitutional language governing the use of military force and the debates that the Framers had on the issue, Joe Biden determined that the Founding Fathers had vested the power to authorize even the limited use of military force in the Congress not the president---unless it was necessary for the president to act swiftly to repel an attack on the United States or to rescue U.S. citizens.
THE ARTICLE ON CNSNEWS: http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/flashback-joe-biden-framers-intended-gra
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Nullifying Tyranny
By George C. Leef
Campaign for Liberty, March 17, 2011
Nullification: How to Resist Federal Tyranny in the 21st Century
by Thomas E. Woods Jr. (Regnery, 2010); 309 pages.
One of the big mistakes made by the drafters of the Constitution was their omission of any provision that says what is to be done if the Congress or president acts unconstitutionally. Although the Constitution places limits on their authority, nowhere does it specify the course or courses of action open to citizens or states who want to block the offending action. That omission has plagued the nation almost since its beginning.
Americans are used to one course of action available to challenge the legitimacy of government action, namely review by the judiciary. There is no language in the Constitution stating that courts have the power to declare laws unconstitutional and therefore unenforceable, much less that judicial review is the remedy.
Why shouldn't state governments have at least as much authority to overturn unconstitutional acts as the courts? The states, after all, came together to form the compact called The United States of America. Moreover, state governments are more accountable to the people than are judges serving lifetime appointments on appellate courts. (Government accountability is a weak reed, but at least it is possible to vote out governors and state legislators.)
Does it make any sense to have one branch of the federal government be the sole judge of the legality of acts of the other branches of the federal government?
CONTINUED: http://www.campaignforliberty.com/article.php?view=1371
Campaign for Liberty, March 17, 2011
Nullification: How to Resist Federal Tyranny in the 21st Century
by Thomas E. Woods Jr. (Regnery, 2010); 309 pages.
One of the big mistakes made by the drafters of the Constitution was their omission of any provision that says what is to be done if the Congress or president acts unconstitutionally. Although the Constitution places limits on their authority, nowhere does it specify the course or courses of action open to citizens or states who want to block the offending action. That omission has plagued the nation almost since its beginning.
Americans are used to one course of action available to challenge the legitimacy of government action, namely review by the judiciary. There is no language in the Constitution stating that courts have the power to declare laws unconstitutional and therefore unenforceable, much less that judicial review is the remedy.
Why shouldn't state governments have at least as much authority to overturn unconstitutional acts as the courts? The states, after all, came together to form the compact called The United States of America. Moreover, state governments are more accountable to the people than are judges serving lifetime appointments on appellate courts. (Government accountability is a weak reed, but at least it is possible to vote out governors and state legislators.)
Does it make any sense to have one branch of the federal government be the sole judge of the legality of acts of the other branches of the federal government?
CONTINUED: http://www.campaignforliberty.com/article.php?view=1371
Friday, January 21, 2011
The House Repealed Obamacare. What Next? HERITAGE FOUNDATION reports
The Heritage Foundation
Thursday, January 20, 2011 5:14 PM
Last night, the House of Representatives, the legislative chamber of Congress closest to American popular opinion, voted to repeal Obamacare—the increasingly unpopular law which led directly to a change in the control of Congress just three months ago.
Many will tell you that yesterday’s bipartisan vote of 245 to 189 was an exercise in futility—an empty, symbolic measure. Liberals in Congress, the White House and their echo chamber in the media all insist, as NPR has duly reported, that “this measure will go no further.”
Don’t believe this for a single minute. The vote last night was an important step in the democratic process of protecting and conserving our constitutional freedoms.
Our country, it is increasingly clear, has arrived at a pivotal moment – perhaps the pivotal moment – in its history. Together, we face a choice between two futures. One is a collectivist future where the federal government claims ever increasing shares of our income and grants itself the authority to make decisions affecting virtually every aspect of our daily lives. The other future is built upon the idea that individual freedom trumps government authority, and that in those rare cases when solving a problem requires government, the government that governs best is the one that is smallest and closest to the people. That is the future that we should seek – reaffirming our individual liberty, strengthening private markets, shrinking the size of governments, and making decisions wherever possible at the local level rather than in Washington.
No issue joins this debate more dramatically than the question of Obamacare, and what to do about it. It’s not just about health care. The law redefines our centuries-old understanding of the reach of federal authority, indeed whether there are any limits at all to the government’s ability to intrude upon individuals, families, business owners, physicians and other health providers, and state and local governments. Little or nothing will be allowed outside the new regulatory scheme – no alternative state programs, no individuals or businesses that choose not to participate, no truly private market alternatives.
The debate boils down to one big question: Shall we govern ourselves, or let unelected bureaucrats rule us?
Behind this question are the many other specific ones about health care:
And these are but the most obvious concerns raised by last year’s law. But what comes next, you ask?
First, it is incumbent on the Majority leader of the Senate, Harry Reid (D-NV) to allow a vote on the floor of that chamber. A bipartisan majority in one half of Congress has just repealed the most ambitious expansion of the federal government in many decades following a major electoral reversal for his party. For Mr. Reid to prevent this vote from coming to the Senate floor would be to thumb his nose at the will of the American people. Senators must be allowed to vote on this question so that repeal legislation might go to the president for his consideration.
In the meantime, Heritage Distinguished Fellow Ernest Istook (who sat on the Appropriations Committee for 14 years) and Government Relations Director Brian Darling say that an incremental strategy is critical. To start the de facto repeal of Obamacare, lawmakers should focus on dismantling the key provisions that form the very foundation of the law’s architecture. This means, for example, going after the pillars of the law through a variety of means like de-funding its critical aspects, engaging in aggressive oversight of the consequences of the law and enacting legislative triggers to delay or block its implementation. All these approaches will contribute to Obamacare’s implosion.
While that important national debate is taking place, the House of Representatives can move to defund provisions of Obamacare through either a rescissions package or funding riders. Congress is not required to fund this law or the myriad of new programs that it spawned. Like every other federal program, the current Congress can adjust – or even zero out – the level of funding for the implementation of Obamacare. Special provisions in the health care law will complicate the process, but the propriety of de-funding is unquestionable. As noted by the Congressional Research Service (CRS), “Congress is not required to provide funds for every agency or purpose authorized by law.”
De-funding is a legitimate use of the power of the purse that the Founding Fathers wisely granted to Congress. It won’t be easy. Obamacare was designed to be the governmental equivalent of kudzu – growing everywhere. However, Obamacare is not a fait accompli, no matter what the Left is telling you.
After a clean repeal we can move on to debate what good ideas on health care can be adopted in the future, as Heritage health care expert Nina Owcharenko does in her report, “Repealing Obamacare and Getting Healthcare Right.”
The House of Representatives acted wisely last night. Now the debate opens again. It’s a national debate we need to have, and we need to have it now. Don’t listen to those who want to stifle this debate, or close this controversy. There’s nothing uncivil about standing up for your freedoms. This is no time for summer soldiers and sunshine patriots.
None of our work on Obamacare would be possible without the dedicated support of our 710,000 members from around the nation. Support us as we keep the momentum going for repeal.
Sincerely,
Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
President
The Heritage Foundation
Thursday, January 20, 2011 5:14 PM
Last night, the House of Representatives, the legislative chamber of Congress closest to American popular opinion, voted to repeal Obamacare—the increasingly unpopular law which led directly to a change in the control of Congress just three months ago.
Many will tell you that yesterday’s bipartisan vote of 245 to 189 was an exercise in futility—an empty, symbolic measure. Liberals in Congress, the White House and their echo chamber in the media all insist, as NPR has duly reported, that “this measure will go no further.”
Don’t believe this for a single minute. The vote last night was an important step in the democratic process of protecting and conserving our constitutional freedoms.
Our country, it is increasingly clear, has arrived at a pivotal moment – perhaps the pivotal moment – in its history. Together, we face a choice between two futures. One is a collectivist future where the federal government claims ever increasing shares of our income and grants itself the authority to make decisions affecting virtually every aspect of our daily lives. The other future is built upon the idea that individual freedom trumps government authority, and that in those rare cases when solving a problem requires government, the government that governs best is the one that is smallest and closest to the people. That is the future that we should seek – reaffirming our individual liberty, strengthening private markets, shrinking the size of governments, and making decisions wherever possible at the local level rather than in Washington.
No issue joins this debate more dramatically than the question of Obamacare, and what to do about it. It’s not just about health care. The law redefines our centuries-old understanding of the reach of federal authority, indeed whether there are any limits at all to the government’s ability to intrude upon individuals, families, business owners, physicians and other health providers, and state and local governments. Little or nothing will be allowed outside the new regulatory scheme – no alternative state programs, no individuals or businesses that choose not to participate, no truly private market alternatives.
The debate boils down to one big question: Shall we govern ourselves, or let unelected bureaucrats rule us?
Behind this question are the many other specific ones about health care:
- Should the federal government control America’s $2.5 trillion health sector, fully one sixth of our economy?
- Should government bureaucrats decide what form of health coverage is “acceptable”?
- Should these bureaucrats be given the legal authority to require all Americans to purchase government-designed health plans and levy penalties on those who don’t comply?
- Should the federal government require the States to devote scarce resources to the creation of federally designed health exchanges that State lawmakers may feel inadequately address the unique needs of state residents?
- Should the federal government expand the Medicaid program so dramatically that States face a Hobson’s choice – either shoulder billions in new fiscal commitments (on top of an already unsustainable budget mess) or withdraw from the program entirely?
And these are but the most obvious concerns raised by last year’s law. But what comes next, you ask?
First, it is incumbent on the Majority leader of the Senate, Harry Reid (D-NV) to allow a vote on the floor of that chamber. A bipartisan majority in one half of Congress has just repealed the most ambitious expansion of the federal government in many decades following a major electoral reversal for his party. For Mr. Reid to prevent this vote from coming to the Senate floor would be to thumb his nose at the will of the American people. Senators must be allowed to vote on this question so that repeal legislation might go to the president for his consideration.
In the meantime, Heritage Distinguished Fellow Ernest Istook (who sat on the Appropriations Committee for 14 years) and Government Relations Director Brian Darling say that an incremental strategy is critical. To start the de facto repeal of Obamacare, lawmakers should focus on dismantling the key provisions that form the very foundation of the law’s architecture. This means, for example, going after the pillars of the law through a variety of means like de-funding its critical aspects, engaging in aggressive oversight of the consequences of the law and enacting legislative triggers to delay or block its implementation. All these approaches will contribute to Obamacare’s implosion.
While that important national debate is taking place, the House of Representatives can move to defund provisions of Obamacare through either a rescissions package or funding riders. Congress is not required to fund this law or the myriad of new programs that it spawned. Like every other federal program, the current Congress can adjust – or even zero out – the level of funding for the implementation of Obamacare. Special provisions in the health care law will complicate the process, but the propriety of de-funding is unquestionable. As noted by the Congressional Research Service (CRS), “Congress is not required to provide funds for every agency or purpose authorized by law.”
De-funding is a legitimate use of the power of the purse that the Founding Fathers wisely granted to Congress. It won’t be easy. Obamacare was designed to be the governmental equivalent of kudzu – growing everywhere. However, Obamacare is not a fait accompli, no matter what the Left is telling you.
After a clean repeal we can move on to debate what good ideas on health care can be adopted in the future, as Heritage health care expert Nina Owcharenko does in her report, “Repealing Obamacare and Getting Healthcare Right.”
The House of Representatives acted wisely last night. Now the debate opens again. It’s a national debate we need to have, and we need to have it now. Don’t listen to those who want to stifle this debate, or close this controversy. There’s nothing uncivil about standing up for your freedoms. This is no time for summer soldiers and sunshine patriots.
None of our work on Obamacare would be possible without the dedicated support of our 710,000 members from around the nation. Support us as we keep the momentum going for repeal.
Sincerely,
Edwin J. Feulner, Ph.D.
President
The Heritage Foundation
Monday, January 17, 2011
Editorial By Howard Galganov
Bad Government Is On Us
I wish Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords the very best, as I do all those others who were shot at, and traumatized on Saturday January 8, 2011, when a lunatic killed six while wounding fourteen at Tucson Arizona.
BUT – ENOUGH ALREADY!
I don’t want to hear every time Giffords moves her pinky, wiggles a toe, or follows a moving object with her eyes. Like I said, I wish her well, and am sorry for what happened to her and the others. BUT . . .
We’ve now heard about an execution style hit on a White New Jersey Cop by a Black Teen on Saturday January 15, 2011. The cop is dead.
IS THE MURDER OF THIS COP A NATIONAL TRAGEDY?
It is indeed a tragedy to his fiancé, his family, friends and co-workers, but I doubt very much if anyone else is going to lose a moment’s sleep over his TRAGIC death.
Will Congress suspend the House for a week? Will there be 24/7 wall-to-wall network media coverage of this poor Cop’s life? His loves? His accomplishments?
Will all of his friends and family be interviewed to the point of distraction? And will the President make a personal eulogy at an election-style rally?
Will the shooter be psychoanalyzed? Will the Conservatives BLAME the LEFT for making him do this because they just can’t get their heads around crime, punishment and personal responsibility?
Is this Cop’s life worth less than the lives of the others, whom just a little over a week ago, were gunned down in Tucson?
I hope I’ve made my point.
Now let’s talk about a REAL national tragedy in both of our countries (Canada and the United States of America) that is already having an enormous effect on all of us, which sooner rather than later, will become a national threat to EVERYTHING and EVERYONE.
The impending national tragedy is government debt and unfunded liability entitlements, namely in Public Sector Salaries, Bloated Bureaucracies, and UNAFFORDABLE Public Sector Pensions.
Here’s a personal reality check for all of us in the Private Sector:
1 – Do you have TENURE, meaning that you CANNOT be fired from your job unless you commit a super egregious act . . . and maybe NOT even then?
2 – Are you guaranteed automatic raises and pay adjustments in scale with the rising cost of living, especially if your employer is doing poorly?
3 – Do you receive a salary that is somewhere between 33% to 50% MORE than the national average?
4 – Are you guaranteed PAID sick-days whether you take them or not?
5 – Can you retire at age 55 collecting your full pension?
6 – Can you collect multiple pensions from your employer?
7 - When you retire, will your pension be more than what most working families earn while doing their jobs, or just enough to maybe keep some food on the table?
If you’re in the Private Sector, you already know the answers to all the above.
The size of government and government guaranteed pensions, jobs and salaries are so huge, that there is no amount of money that can be dragged out of the Private Sector in taxes to meet the obligations.
Think about the next generations in our countries, especially amongst so many of our immigrants.
Unlike the immigrants who came to Canada and the United States in huge numbers from European and Anglo countries until the mid 1980’s, too many of our current immigrants have figured out the FREE-RIDE. They’ve also become accustomed to the under-the-table economy, taking pay with one hand and tax-paid government assistance with the other.
Then there are many of our children who don’t really want to work, especially at things that might dirty their hands, or make them sweat, or are in their own minds jobs that are too demeaning for them to do.
Starting this year, the BOOMERS are beginning to pack it in, claiming their own pensions while living off of their own already taxed savings and assets they’ve accumulated over their working years. And whatever taxes they’ll be paying from here-on-in, their impact will be from zero to negligible.
And then there’s another issue that cannot be ignored - While we’re living longer, we’re contributing less.
SO . . . WHO’S GOING TO BE PAYING FOR ALL OF THIS?
Where’s the government going to get the money to pay those OUTLANDISH Public Sector Salaries?
Where is the money supposed to come from to pay those OBSCENE Public Sector Pensions and guaranteed private pensions like the ones guaranteed by the government for the Auto Workers?
Then there’s welfare and every other type of “social assistance” that has become a near religious entitlement. Who’s supposed to pay for those when there aren’t nearly enough people who contribute?
And what about the size of government? Do you think we actually have politicians with the gonads to gut it the way it must be gutted?
I DON’T BLAME THE POLITICIANS. They’re just mostly the incompetent bad actors WE voted for.
I DON’T BLAME THE PUBLIC SECTOR. Who wouldn't take a privileged FREE-RIDE when it’s available for the taking?
I blame every person in our supposedly FREE society who voted for politicians who bribed them with their own money.
I blame voters who voted without having a clue as to what and whom they were voting for, and accepting liars as our politicians.
I blame WE THE PEOPLE, who are either too stupid, or too lazy to become informed about those in whose hands we entrust our nation(s).
I blame EVERYONE who owns and runs a business, especially BIG BUSINESSES who acquiesced to the ridiculous demands of UNIONS, which care not one whit for the benefit of the nation, or even all that much for the real issues they were first created to address, in terms of defending workers from abuse.
We, who allowed all of this to happen because we abdicated our responsibility to intelligently choose and monitor the government’s and politicians we’ve elected are responsible for the mess in which we now find ourselves.
AND WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?
Best Regards . . . Howard Galganov
http://www.galganov.com/editorials.asp?id=1284
I wish Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords the very best, as I do all those others who were shot at, and traumatized on Saturday January 8, 2011, when a lunatic killed six while wounding fourteen at Tucson Arizona.
BUT – ENOUGH ALREADY!
I don’t want to hear every time Giffords moves her pinky, wiggles a toe, or follows a moving object with her eyes. Like I said, I wish her well, and am sorry for what happened to her and the others. BUT . . .
We’ve now heard about an execution style hit on a White New Jersey Cop by a Black Teen on Saturday January 15, 2011. The cop is dead.
IS THE MURDER OF THIS COP A NATIONAL TRAGEDY?
It is indeed a tragedy to his fiancé, his family, friends and co-workers, but I doubt very much if anyone else is going to lose a moment’s sleep over his TRAGIC death.
Will Congress suspend the House for a week? Will there be 24/7 wall-to-wall network media coverage of this poor Cop’s life? His loves? His accomplishments?
Will all of his friends and family be interviewed to the point of distraction? And will the President make a personal eulogy at an election-style rally?
Will the shooter be psychoanalyzed? Will the Conservatives BLAME the LEFT for making him do this because they just can’t get their heads around crime, punishment and personal responsibility?
Is this Cop’s life worth less than the lives of the others, whom just a little over a week ago, were gunned down in Tucson?
I hope I’ve made my point.
Now let’s talk about a REAL national tragedy in both of our countries (Canada and the United States of America) that is already having an enormous effect on all of us, which sooner rather than later, will become a national threat to EVERYTHING and EVERYONE.
The impending national tragedy is government debt and unfunded liability entitlements, namely in Public Sector Salaries, Bloated Bureaucracies, and UNAFFORDABLE Public Sector Pensions.
Here’s a personal reality check for all of us in the Private Sector:
1 – Do you have TENURE, meaning that you CANNOT be fired from your job unless you commit a super egregious act . . . and maybe NOT even then?
2 – Are you guaranteed automatic raises and pay adjustments in scale with the rising cost of living, especially if your employer is doing poorly?
3 – Do you receive a salary that is somewhere between 33% to 50% MORE than the national average?
4 – Are you guaranteed PAID sick-days whether you take them or not?
5 – Can you retire at age 55 collecting your full pension?
6 – Can you collect multiple pensions from your employer?
7 - When you retire, will your pension be more than what most working families earn while doing their jobs, or just enough to maybe keep some food on the table?
If you’re in the Private Sector, you already know the answers to all the above.
The size of government and government guaranteed pensions, jobs and salaries are so huge, that there is no amount of money that can be dragged out of the Private Sector in taxes to meet the obligations.
Think about the next generations in our countries, especially amongst so many of our immigrants.
Unlike the immigrants who came to Canada and the United States in huge numbers from European and Anglo countries until the mid 1980’s, too many of our current immigrants have figured out the FREE-RIDE. They’ve also become accustomed to the under-the-table economy, taking pay with one hand and tax-paid government assistance with the other.
Then there are many of our children who don’t really want to work, especially at things that might dirty their hands, or make them sweat, or are in their own minds jobs that are too demeaning for them to do.
Starting this year, the BOOMERS are beginning to pack it in, claiming their own pensions while living off of their own already taxed savings and assets they’ve accumulated over their working years. And whatever taxes they’ll be paying from here-on-in, their impact will be from zero to negligible.
And then there’s another issue that cannot be ignored - While we’re living longer, we’re contributing less.
SO . . . WHO’S GOING TO BE PAYING FOR ALL OF THIS?
Where’s the government going to get the money to pay those OUTLANDISH Public Sector Salaries?
Where is the money supposed to come from to pay those OBSCENE Public Sector Pensions and guaranteed private pensions like the ones guaranteed by the government for the Auto Workers?
Then there’s welfare and every other type of “social assistance” that has become a near religious entitlement. Who’s supposed to pay for those when there aren’t nearly enough people who contribute?
And what about the size of government? Do you think we actually have politicians with the gonads to gut it the way it must be gutted?
I DON’T BLAME THE POLITICIANS. They’re just mostly the incompetent bad actors WE voted for.
I DON’T BLAME THE PUBLIC SECTOR. Who wouldn't take a privileged FREE-RIDE when it’s available for the taking?
I blame every person in our supposedly FREE society who voted for politicians who bribed them with their own money.
I blame voters who voted without having a clue as to what and whom they were voting for, and accepting liars as our politicians.
I blame WE THE PEOPLE, who are either too stupid, or too lazy to become informed about those in whose hands we entrust our nation(s).
I blame EVERYONE who owns and runs a business, especially BIG BUSINESSES who acquiesced to the ridiculous demands of UNIONS, which care not one whit for the benefit of the nation, or even all that much for the real issues they were first created to address, in terms of defending workers from abuse.
We, who allowed all of this to happen because we abdicated our responsibility to intelligently choose and monitor the government’s and politicians we’ve elected are responsible for the mess in which we now find ourselves.
AND WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?
Best Regards . . . Howard Galganov
http://www.galganov.com/editorials.asp?id=1284
We live In A Topsy-Turvy World. The United States Of America is a Giant amongst international Lilliputians, and very often finds itself torn in every direction searching for its place upon this planet. Canada is sometimes stranger than fiction, and the strangest part of it seems to be how we so readily accept the political and social absurdities of our leadership at all levels.
What Galganov Dot Com is all about - is about cutting through the fog.
Galganov Dot Com wants to play our part in unmasking the phonies who sit atop their ivory towers in institutions such as the United Nations. We will identify and expose tyrants and thugs. And we will call to task the hypocrites worldwide who do so much damage.
We will also strive to lay bare the dishonesty in much of the News Media. And we will hold to account the Do Nothing Do Gooders, who would sell their own down the river to be seen as the moderate good guys.
The Great "Climate Change" Taxpayer Rip-Off of 2011
Mon, January 17, 2011
The Great "Climate Change" Taxpayer Rip-Off of 2011 By Alan Caruba
Unless I am seriously mistaken or misinformed, the rate of unemployment in the U.S. remains high and the foreclosure rate on homes is approaching the level of the Depression years. Two major bond rating companies, Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s just warned that, if the federal government doesn’t stop spending and borrowing, America’s Triple-A highest ranking will be down-graded.
Along with all the other things in the federal budget wish list for 2011 are millions to be spent on climate change.
It helps to understand how obscene this is if you pause to consider (1) there is not one damn thing anyone can do about climate change, (2) climate change has been researched and studied since the late 1980s, enough to fill an entire wing of the Congressional Library to hold all the reports, and (3) the only climate change Americans really need to know about is what the weather will be tomorrow.
With a tip of the hat to Climatequotes.com and the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s (AAAS) report on “research development, fiscal year 2011”, let me share just a few of the ways the Obama administration intends to squander your money.
The magic number is $2,481,000 and it represents specific amounts devoted to "climate change" research or other programs requested for the 2011 budgets by an alphabet soup of federal agencies that include the Environmental Protection Agency, NASA, Department of Energy (DOE), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of the Interior (DOI), and the Department of Agriculture (DOA).
The figures cited all come from chapter 15 of the AAAS report and you can access it via Climatequotes.com
NOAA’s total budget request is for $5.6 billion, an increase of 17%. It intends to devote $437 million for climate research funding, an increase of $77 million over last year.
Over at the National Science Foundation (NSF), its budget of $7.4 billion (that’s a lot of science!) includes a request for $480 million for Atmospheric and Earth Sciences, $765.5 million for NSF’s Science, Engineering and Education for Sustainability program and $19 million for a joint program with DOE “to promote education in clean energy research. An additional $10 million would fund “Climate Change Education” in the nation’s schools. It’s not education, it’s indoctrination.
The Department of Energy which currently is projecting that permits for deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico won’t be forthcoming until, maybe, June. DOE seems oblivious to the fact that the price of oil is set to hit $100 a barrel and higher costs will hit everyone driving anything using gasoline or diesel fuel. Fuel oil prices will rise and any business that uses oil or anything made with oil will be forced to raise its prices. In short, everything.
DOE, however, is in no hurry and, of course, the Obama administration is dead set against ANWR or off-shore exploration and extraction of the BILLIONS of barrels of crude oil projected to exist.
However, DOE is set to receive $28.4 billion in 2011 and that includes $4.6 billion for research and development in its Office of Science and $2.4 billion for energy research and development. Its Office of Biological and Environmental Research is devoted to atmospheric science, including “climate modeling”, which would be allocated $627 million. Last time I checked, oil, coal, and natural gas were not found in the “atmosphere”, but rather were extracted from deep within the Earth.
The entire global warming hoax was and is based on “climate modeling”, all of which consistently found that the Earth was warming at an alarming rate. Except that the Earth is NOT warming. It has been cooling since 1998. And DOE intends to waste $627 million on more modeling. It is worth noting that the most sophisticated models of the National Weather Bureau still cannot predict with any confidence what the weather—not the climate—will be next week.
The Environmental Protection Agency, gearing up to regulate all utilities that produce carbon dioxide and all other industries that do the same, has zero authorization to do so under the Clean Air Act. It is CO2 that is designated by the warmists as the chief culprit for the global warming that is NOT happening.
Despite this, EPA has requested $169 million “to reduce greenhouse gas emissions”, with $43.5 million in new funding for “regulatory efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions” through the Clean Air Act. And it wants $22 million for its Global Change Research Program. It is time to shut down this rogue agency before it totally destroys the economy.
Even the Department of Agriculture wants $159 million for “climate change research”, an increase of 42% and $179 million for renewable energy, to “help farmers.” Farmers are heavy users of fossil fuels to operate the machinery needed to till, plant, and harvest crops. They need reliable energy, not "renewable" energy.
The Recovery Act of 2009 has managed to blow more than $600 million on climate change research and billions on greenhouse gas mitigation.
This is just the tip of the ‘climate change’ rip-off in terms of billions wasted or soon to be wasted on “research” that can only be deemed an obscene diversion of taxpayer money that will not benefit a single taxpayer, generate any new jobs except for those in government agencies, and further bankrupt a bankrupted nation about to have its credit rating reduced.
The “scientists”, “regulators”, and “administrators” feasting off this federal largess should be handed a shovel to earn a living on one of those “shovel ready” projects we were told about.
Beyond that, if Congress was really intent on cutting back on spending, they could begin by defunding or shutting down the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy, and all the other federal grifters with their snouts rooting around in the climate change trough.
© Alan Caruba, 2011
http://www.cnsnews.com/commentary/article/great-climate-change-taxpayer-rip-2011
The Great "Climate Change" Taxpayer Rip-Off of 2011 By Alan Caruba
Unless I am seriously mistaken or misinformed, the rate of unemployment in the U.S. remains high and the foreclosure rate on homes is approaching the level of the Depression years. Two major bond rating companies, Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s just warned that, if the federal government doesn’t stop spending and borrowing, America’s Triple-A highest ranking will be down-graded.
Along with all the other things in the federal budget wish list for 2011 are millions to be spent on climate change.
It helps to understand how obscene this is if you pause to consider (1) there is not one damn thing anyone can do about climate change, (2) climate change has been researched and studied since the late 1980s, enough to fill an entire wing of the Congressional Library to hold all the reports, and (3) the only climate change Americans really need to know about is what the weather will be tomorrow.
With a tip of the hat to Climatequotes.com and the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s (AAAS) report on “research development, fiscal year 2011”, let me share just a few of the ways the Obama administration intends to squander your money.
The magic number is $2,481,000 and it represents specific amounts devoted to "climate change" research or other programs requested for the 2011 budgets by an alphabet soup of federal agencies that include the Environmental Protection Agency, NASA, Department of Energy (DOE), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of the Interior (DOI), and the Department of Agriculture (DOA).
The figures cited all come from chapter 15 of the AAAS report and you can access it via Climatequotes.com
NOAA’s total budget request is for $5.6 billion, an increase of 17%. It intends to devote $437 million for climate research funding, an increase of $77 million over last year.
Over at the National Science Foundation (NSF), its budget of $7.4 billion (that’s a lot of science!) includes a request for $480 million for Atmospheric and Earth Sciences, $765.5 million for NSF’s Science, Engineering and Education for Sustainability program and $19 million for a joint program with DOE “to promote education in clean energy research. An additional $10 million would fund “Climate Change Education” in the nation’s schools. It’s not education, it’s indoctrination.
The Department of Energy which currently is projecting that permits for deepwater drilling in the Gulf of Mexico won’t be forthcoming until, maybe, June. DOE seems oblivious to the fact that the price of oil is set to hit $100 a barrel and higher costs will hit everyone driving anything using gasoline or diesel fuel. Fuel oil prices will rise and any business that uses oil or anything made with oil will be forced to raise its prices. In short, everything.
DOE, however, is in no hurry and, of course, the Obama administration is dead set against ANWR or off-shore exploration and extraction of the BILLIONS of barrels of crude oil projected to exist.
However, DOE is set to receive $28.4 billion in 2011 and that includes $4.6 billion for research and development in its Office of Science and $2.4 billion for energy research and development. Its Office of Biological and Environmental Research is devoted to atmospheric science, including “climate modeling”, which would be allocated $627 million. Last time I checked, oil, coal, and natural gas were not found in the “atmosphere”, but rather were extracted from deep within the Earth.
The entire global warming hoax was and is based on “climate modeling”, all of which consistently found that the Earth was warming at an alarming rate. Except that the Earth is NOT warming. It has been cooling since 1998. And DOE intends to waste $627 million on more modeling. It is worth noting that the most sophisticated models of the National Weather Bureau still cannot predict with any confidence what the weather—not the climate—will be next week.
The Environmental Protection Agency, gearing up to regulate all utilities that produce carbon dioxide and all other industries that do the same, has zero authorization to do so under the Clean Air Act. It is CO2 that is designated by the warmists as the chief culprit for the global warming that is NOT happening.
Despite this, EPA has requested $169 million “to reduce greenhouse gas emissions”, with $43.5 million in new funding for “regulatory efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions” through the Clean Air Act. And it wants $22 million for its Global Change Research Program. It is time to shut down this rogue agency before it totally destroys the economy.
Even the Department of Agriculture wants $159 million for “climate change research”, an increase of 42% and $179 million for renewable energy, to “help farmers.” Farmers are heavy users of fossil fuels to operate the machinery needed to till, plant, and harvest crops. They need reliable energy, not "renewable" energy.
The Recovery Act of 2009 has managed to blow more than $600 million on climate change research and billions on greenhouse gas mitigation.
This is just the tip of the ‘climate change’ rip-off in terms of billions wasted or soon to be wasted on “research” that can only be deemed an obscene diversion of taxpayer money that will not benefit a single taxpayer, generate any new jobs except for those in government agencies, and further bankrupt a bankrupted nation about to have its credit rating reduced.
The “scientists”, “regulators”, and “administrators” feasting off this federal largess should be handed a shovel to earn a living on one of those “shovel ready” projects we were told about.
Beyond that, if Congress was really intent on cutting back on spending, they could begin by defunding or shutting down the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy, and all the other federal grifters with their snouts rooting around in the climate change trough.
© Alan Caruba, 2011
http://www.cnsnews.com/commentary/article/great-climate-change-taxpayer-rip-2011
Friday, January 14, 2011
An Important Message on Obamacare from Liberty Counsel
Thu, January 13, 2011
Cooking the books to prop up ObamaCare.
Our sources tell us the ObamaCare repeal vote could come as early as next Wednesday. No matter when the vote takes place, when Members of Congress return on Monday they will be greeted by thousands of
faxes with a resounding message of "Repeal ObamaCare... Now!" Please read my urgent update below - Mat.
As you doubtless know, House Republicans introduced a resolution called the "Repealing the Job Killing Health Care Law Act" as their first order of business in the 112th Congress. Liberty Counsel's powerful Fax Barrage to support the repeal will resume on Monday when Congress returns.
Last Friday afternoon, before the tragedy in Tucson shocked the nation, Speaker of the House John Boehner was gaining good momentum toward passing the repeal, and the Liberty Counsel team shared in that progress.
We have already delivered more than 10,000 targeted faxes into key congressional offices demanding that our elected officials listen to the voice of the American people and repeal ObamaCare! But we need to keep the pressure building right up until this historic vote.
That is why I need you to join with me now in scheduling your faxes to Congress! Liberty Counsel's highly effective Fax Barrage will deliver YOUR reminder to our elected representatives to do what we elected them to do: Repeal, defund, and/or replace the so-called healthcare "reform" bill.
(You can use their system or send faxes on your own!)
Tell Congress to REPEAL OBAMACARE. Everything you need to fax Congress and make your voice heard is contained in the link below. It only takes a minute. Click here to schedule your faxes now: http://www.libertyaction.org/r.asp?U=36289&CID=327&RID=26990766
Your faxes will be scheduled to be delivered with thousands of other citizens' messages in time to greet the returning legislators on Monday! Click here now to support the repeal of ObamaCare:
http://www.libertyaction.org/r.asp?U=36290&CID=327&RID=26990766
Cooking the books to "sell" a national disaster.
A recent op-ed piece by Representative Joe Pitts (R-PA) refers to the financial accounting of ObamaCare as
"cooking the books."
ObamaCare supporters call the Health Care Reform Act "deficit reducing," based on a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report that showed a $230 billion deficit reduction over 10 years. But those of us opposed to ObamaCare know that the CBO can only determine their assessments based on the quality of the financial information fed to them, in this case by Barack Obama, Harry Reid, and Nancy Pelosi.
Here are a few indisputable facts from Joe Pitts' article:
* "ObamaCare is a massive new law, spanning thousands of pages. The bill itself authorizes hundreds of billions of dollars to run new programs. What the bill doesn't do is provide the Department of Health and Human Services with any money to implement these programs. CBO's cost estimate does not include the $115 billion it will require to actually run these new programs. If Congress does not appropriate this money in the coming years, the promised benefits will never be paid out."
* "Most of the ObamaCare programs that pay out benefits will start up in 2014. However, the taxes start right away. Ten years of revenue coming in, and only six years of benefits being paid out. In the first 10 years of the program, $1.4 trillion will be spent, but in the next 10 years $2.6 trillion will be paid out. This is perhaps the easiest accounting gimmick to understand."
* "When you add in gimmicks like double-counting Medicare savings and ignoring the cost of the Medicare doc fix, ObamaCare actually increases the deficit by $701 billion in just the first 10 years. That's some pretty powerful book cooking."
Past experience with such "estimates" has been alarming! If you recall, the actual cost of Medicare wound up being 13 times greater than the CBO estimated in its first decade! Here are a few additional counterpoints to the sales pitch the Obama Administration and their friends in Congress are making:
* Representative Paul Ryan (R-WI) conclusively showed during the health care "summit" that the 10-year cost of the President's plan was in reality at least $2.3 trillion. He was, of course, completely ignored.
* In the single "socialized medicine laboratory" we have in the nation, Massachusetts, premiums are the highest of any state. And per capita health expenditures there are fully 27 percent higher than the national average.
* Imposing one of the highest tax increases in history in the middle of a recession will most certainly NOT turn out to be "deficit neutral."
Americans know that ObamaCare is a scheme that will socialize and damage our world-class healthcare system, destroy our liberty, and undermine the sanctity of human life. And the only way the socialist Obama/Pelosi/Reid team found to pass ObamaCare was to disrespect the rule of law through deception and gross abuse of the legislative process.
Congress must be made to hear our voices immediately!
In the few remaining days before the House vote, we MUST support Boehner's and Cantor's initiative and send a powerful, focused message to each of our own Representatives, wavering Members, and pro-life Members of the House.
We could see this crucial vote take place next week! Please don't let your guard down. We can be certain that Members of the House will be pressured to keep ObamaCare moving toward full implementation. That's why I'm asking every member of the Liberty Counsel team to press hard on targeted Members of the House and Senate with our powerful Fax Barrage. Go here to schedule your targeted faxes:
http://www.libertyaction.org/r.asp?U=36291&CID=327&RID=26990766
If you prefer to send your own faxes, we have provided all the information you need to reach your Members of Congress: http://www.libertyaction.org/r.asp?U=36292&CID=327&RID=26990766
ALSO, please CALL your Representative starting Monday and tell them what you think about repealing ObamaCare! This will likely require patience, so please don't give up if you get a busy signal or are placed on hold for an available line. Here's the number: Rep. Jones 202-225-3415
We already know that ObamaCare will adversely affect every American. But we, as pro-life Americans, MUST stand against the anti-life provisions in the ObamaCare. I am calling for thousands of pro-life citizens to take a bold stand and tell Congress to REPEAL the anti-life ObamaCare bill!
This healthcare bill funds abortion, limits our freedom, and will bankrupt America. We MUST do everything possible to STOP ObamaCare from progressing any further and imposing more federally-funded abortions and socialized medicine upon our nation!
Liberty Counsel team members have already sent hundreds of thousands of faxes to Congress over the course of this eighteen-month-long battle. At some points we have had tremendous triumphs and at other times have seen our voices totally ignored. But we have remained strong in opposing a bill this nation simply cannot afford from either a fiscal or moral standpoint! The important fact is that we have been faithful to do what was required of us as God-fearing, patriotic Americans!
Now, we have a much stronger contingent of legislators committed to stopping the implementation of ObamaCare by repealing it. Please, click below to send your faxes, even if you have already done so many times in previous months:
http://www.libertyaction.org/r.asp?U=36293&CID=327&RID=26990766
Thank you in advance for supporting this vital effort to repeal ObamaCare!
God bless you,
Mathew Staver, Founder and Chairman
Liberty Counsel
Cooking the books to prop up ObamaCare.
Our sources tell us the ObamaCare repeal vote could come as early as next Wednesday. No matter when the vote takes place, when Members of Congress return on Monday they will be greeted by thousands of
faxes with a resounding message of "Repeal ObamaCare... Now!" Please read my urgent update below - Mat.
As you doubtless know, House Republicans introduced a resolution called the "Repealing the Job Killing Health Care Law Act" as their first order of business in the 112th Congress. Liberty Counsel's powerful Fax Barrage to support the repeal will resume on Monday when Congress returns.
Last Friday afternoon, before the tragedy in Tucson shocked the nation, Speaker of the House John Boehner was gaining good momentum toward passing the repeal, and the Liberty Counsel team shared in that progress.
We have already delivered more than 10,000 targeted faxes into key congressional offices demanding that our elected officials listen to the voice of the American people and repeal ObamaCare! But we need to keep the pressure building right up until this historic vote.
That is why I need you to join with me now in scheduling your faxes to Congress! Liberty Counsel's highly effective Fax Barrage will deliver YOUR reminder to our elected representatives to do what we elected them to do: Repeal, defund, and/or replace the so-called healthcare "reform" bill.
(You can use their system or send faxes on your own!)
Tell Congress to REPEAL OBAMACARE. Everything you need to fax Congress and make your voice heard is contained in the link below. It only takes a minute. Click here to schedule your faxes now: http://www.libertyaction.org/r.asp?U=36289&CID=327&RID=26990766
Your faxes will be scheduled to be delivered with thousands of other citizens' messages in time to greet the returning legislators on Monday! Click here now to support the repeal of ObamaCare:
http://www.libertyaction.org/r.asp?U=36290&CID=327&RID=26990766
Cooking the books to "sell" a national disaster.
A recent op-ed piece by Representative Joe Pitts (R-PA) refers to the financial accounting of ObamaCare as
"cooking the books."
ObamaCare supporters call the Health Care Reform Act "deficit reducing," based on a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report that showed a $230 billion deficit reduction over 10 years. But those of us opposed to ObamaCare know that the CBO can only determine their assessments based on the quality of the financial information fed to them, in this case by Barack Obama, Harry Reid, and Nancy Pelosi.
Here are a few indisputable facts from Joe Pitts' article:
* "ObamaCare is a massive new law, spanning thousands of pages. The bill itself authorizes hundreds of billions of dollars to run new programs. What the bill doesn't do is provide the Department of Health and Human Services with any money to implement these programs. CBO's cost estimate does not include the $115 billion it will require to actually run these new programs. If Congress does not appropriate this money in the coming years, the promised benefits will never be paid out."
* "Most of the ObamaCare programs that pay out benefits will start up in 2014. However, the taxes start right away. Ten years of revenue coming in, and only six years of benefits being paid out. In the first 10 years of the program, $1.4 trillion will be spent, but in the next 10 years $2.6 trillion will be paid out. This is perhaps the easiest accounting gimmick to understand."
* "When you add in gimmicks like double-counting Medicare savings and ignoring the cost of the Medicare doc fix, ObamaCare actually increases the deficit by $701 billion in just the first 10 years. That's some pretty powerful book cooking."
Past experience with such "estimates" has been alarming! If you recall, the actual cost of Medicare wound up being 13 times greater than the CBO estimated in its first decade! Here are a few additional counterpoints to the sales pitch the Obama Administration and their friends in Congress are making:
* Representative Paul Ryan (R-WI) conclusively showed during the health care "summit" that the 10-year cost of the President's plan was in reality at least $2.3 trillion. He was, of course, completely ignored.
* In the single "socialized medicine laboratory" we have in the nation, Massachusetts, premiums are the highest of any state. And per capita health expenditures there are fully 27 percent higher than the national average.
* Imposing one of the highest tax increases in history in the middle of a recession will most certainly NOT turn out to be "deficit neutral."
Americans know that ObamaCare is a scheme that will socialize and damage our world-class healthcare system, destroy our liberty, and undermine the sanctity of human life. And the only way the socialist Obama/Pelosi/Reid team found to pass ObamaCare was to disrespect the rule of law through deception and gross abuse of the legislative process.
Congress must be made to hear our voices immediately!
In the few remaining days before the House vote, we MUST support Boehner's and Cantor's initiative and send a powerful, focused message to each of our own Representatives, wavering Members, and pro-life Members of the House.
We could see this crucial vote take place next week! Please don't let your guard down. We can be certain that Members of the House will be pressured to keep ObamaCare moving toward full implementation. That's why I'm asking every member of the Liberty Counsel team to press hard on targeted Members of the House and Senate with our powerful Fax Barrage. Go here to schedule your targeted faxes:
http://www.libertyaction.org/r.asp?U=36291&CID=327&RID=26990766
If you prefer to send your own faxes, we have provided all the information you need to reach your Members of Congress: http://www.libertyaction.org/r.asp?U=36292&CID=327&RID=26990766
ALSO, please CALL your Representative starting Monday and tell them what you think about repealing ObamaCare! This will likely require patience, so please don't give up if you get a busy signal or are placed on hold for an available line. Here's the number: Rep. Jones 202-225-3415
We already know that ObamaCare will adversely affect every American. But we, as pro-life Americans, MUST stand against the anti-life provisions in the ObamaCare. I am calling for thousands of pro-life citizens to take a bold stand and tell Congress to REPEAL the anti-life ObamaCare bill!
This healthcare bill funds abortion, limits our freedom, and will bankrupt America. We MUST do everything possible to STOP ObamaCare from progressing any further and imposing more federally-funded abortions and socialized medicine upon our nation!
Liberty Counsel team members have already sent hundreds of thousands of faxes to Congress over the course of this eighteen-month-long battle. At some points we have had tremendous triumphs and at other times have seen our voices totally ignored. But we have remained strong in opposing a bill this nation simply cannot afford from either a fiscal or moral standpoint! The important fact is that we have been faithful to do what was required of us as God-fearing, patriotic Americans!
Now, we have a much stronger contingent of legislators committed to stopping the implementation of ObamaCare by repealing it. Please, click below to send your faxes, even if you have already done so many times in previous months:
http://www.libertyaction.org/r.asp?U=36293&CID=327&RID=26990766
Thank you in advance for supporting this vital effort to repeal ObamaCare!
God bless you,
Mathew Staver, Founder and Chairman
Liberty Counsel
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
GRNC Alert 01-11-2011: Republicans Preparing to Sell Out Gun Owners
Grass Roots North Carolina, P.O. Box 10684, Raleigh, NC 27605
919-664-8565, www.grnc.org, GRNC Alert Hotline: (919) 562-4137
GRNC Alert 01-11-2011:
Republicans Preparing to Sell Out Gun Owners
First let us apologize for sending a second alert today. We thought the deck was clear with the previous one, but then the following piece of finely crafted lunacy popped onto our radar.
Politicians are so much like children. You try to raise them right, give them money they need to reach their goals and as soon as they reach them... well - pausing to find a non-violent metaphor - they sell you out and side with those who hate you. That seems to be the case with RINO Republican Peter King of New York. In an effort to be a part of "never letting a good crisis go to waste," King has introduced a prize winning piece of gun control legislation.
King's bill would make it illegal to knowingly carry a gun within a thousand feet of "certain high-profile" government officials... whoever they may be. We suppose this may lead to a bureau to determine a classification for "certain high-profile government officials." Of course that would probably be only natural from a politician from a state so fond of registering things, but we digress.
At the end of the day, we in North Carolina can only look after our own. We must make sure that our elected Congressional representatives remember why we sent them there. They must be reminded (unfortunately frequently) what we sent them to do and most significantly, what NOT to do. Let them know that you will not tolerate ANY gun control out of them and that they should use their influence to pull RINOs such as King over to the right side of the equation.
As we noted earlier, Democrat Heath Shuler put in a nice plug for the importance of the Concealed Carry law which GRNC engineered passage of. So don't forget to encourage the so-called Blue Dog Democrats to stand with real Americans for real American rights.
IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED
Contact ALL of our representatives, paying special attention to Republicans and Blue Dog Democrats:
* G. K. Butterfield (D - Dist. 1): Phone: (202) 225-3101, Fax: (202) 225-3354, http://butterfield.house.gov/index.c...ctiontree=3,68
* Howard Coble (R - Dist. 6): Phone: (202) 225-3065, Fax: (202) 225-8611, http://coble.house.gov/Contact/ZipCheck.htm
* Renee Ellmers (R - Dist. 2): Phone: (202) 225-4531, Fax: (202) 225-5662, https://ellmers.house.gov/contact-me/email-me
* Virginia Foxx (R - Dist. 5): Phone: (202) 225-2071, Fax: (202) 225-2995, https://foxx.house.gov//index.cfm?se...tiontree=3,187
* Walter Jones (R - Dist. 3): Phone: 202-225-3415, Fax: 202-225-3286, https://jones.house.gov/ContactForm/default.aspx
* Larry Kissell (D - Dist. 8): Phone: (202) 225-3715, Fax: (202) 225-4036, https://forms.house.gov/kissell/contact-form.shtml
* Patrick McHenry (R - Dist. 10): Phone: 202.225.2576, Fax: 202.225.0316, http://mchenry.house.gov/Contact/zipauth.htm
* Mike McIntyre (D - Dist. 7): Phone: (202) 225-2731, Fax: (202) 225-5773, http://mcintyreforms.house.gov/Contact/
* Brad Miller (D - Dist. 13): Phone: (202) 225-3032, Fax: (202) 225-0181, http://bradmiller.house.gov/index.cf...ctiontree=9,17
* Sue Myrick (D - Dist. 9): Phone: (202) 225-1976, Fax: (202) 225-3389, https://myrick.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=69
* David Price (D - Dist. 4): Phone: 202.225.1784, Fax: 202.225.2014, http://price.house.gov/contact/contact_form.shtml
* Heath Shuler (D - Dist. 11): Phone: (202) 225-6401, Fax: (202) 226-6422, https://shulerforms.house.gov/contact/
* Mel Watt (D - Dist. 12): Tel. (202) 225-1510, Fax (202) 225-1512, https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
---------------------
You may find your NC STATE representative by going here: http://www.grnc.org/contact_reps.htm
You may write your FEDERAL congressman by going here: http://www.house.gov/writerep/
You may write your FEDERAL senators by going here: http://www.senate.gov/
919-664-8565, www.grnc.org, GRNC Alert Hotline: (919) 562-4137
GRNC Alert 01-11-2011:
Republicans Preparing to Sell Out Gun Owners
First let us apologize for sending a second alert today. We thought the deck was clear with the previous one, but then the following piece of finely crafted lunacy popped onto our radar.
Politicians are so much like children. You try to raise them right, give them money they need to reach their goals and as soon as they reach them... well - pausing to find a non-violent metaphor - they sell you out and side with those who hate you. That seems to be the case with RINO Republican Peter King of New York. In an effort to be a part of "never letting a good crisis go to waste," King has introduced a prize winning piece of gun control legislation.
King's bill would make it illegal to knowingly carry a gun within a thousand feet of "certain high-profile" government officials... whoever they may be. We suppose this may lead to a bureau to determine a classification for "certain high-profile government officials." Of course that would probably be only natural from a politician from a state so fond of registering things, but we digress.
At the end of the day, we in North Carolina can only look after our own. We must make sure that our elected Congressional representatives remember why we sent them there. They must be reminded (unfortunately frequently) what we sent them to do and most significantly, what NOT to do. Let them know that you will not tolerate ANY gun control out of them and that they should use their influence to pull RINOs such as King over to the right side of the equation.
As we noted earlier, Democrat Heath Shuler put in a nice plug for the importance of the Concealed Carry law which GRNC engineered passage of. So don't forget to encourage the so-called Blue Dog Democrats to stand with real Americans for real American rights.
IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED
Contact ALL of our representatives, paying special attention to Republicans and Blue Dog Democrats:
* G. K. Butterfield (D - Dist. 1): Phone: (202) 225-3101, Fax: (202) 225-3354, http://butterfield.house.gov/index.c...ctiontree=3,68
* Howard Coble (R - Dist. 6): Phone: (202) 225-3065, Fax: (202) 225-8611, http://coble.house.gov/Contact/ZipCheck.htm
* Renee Ellmers (R - Dist. 2): Phone: (202) 225-4531, Fax: (202) 225-5662, https://ellmers.house.gov/contact-me/email-me
* Virginia Foxx (R - Dist. 5): Phone: (202) 225-2071, Fax: (202) 225-2995, https://foxx.house.gov//index.cfm?se...tiontree=3,187
* Walter Jones (R - Dist. 3): Phone: 202-225-3415, Fax: 202-225-3286, https://jones.house.gov/ContactForm/default.aspx
* Larry Kissell (D - Dist. 8): Phone: (202) 225-3715, Fax: (202) 225-4036, https://forms.house.gov/kissell/contact-form.shtml
* Patrick McHenry (R - Dist. 10): Phone: 202.225.2576, Fax: 202.225.0316, http://mchenry.house.gov/Contact/zipauth.htm
* Mike McIntyre (D - Dist. 7): Phone: (202) 225-2731, Fax: (202) 225-5773, http://mcintyreforms.house.gov/Contact/
* Brad Miller (D - Dist. 13): Phone: (202) 225-3032, Fax: (202) 225-0181, http://bradmiller.house.gov/index.cf...ctiontree=9,17
* Sue Myrick (D - Dist. 9): Phone: (202) 225-1976, Fax: (202) 225-3389, https://myrick.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=69
* David Price (D - Dist. 4): Phone: 202.225.1784, Fax: 202.225.2014, http://price.house.gov/contact/contact_form.shtml
* Heath Shuler (D - Dist. 11): Phone: (202) 225-6401, Fax: (202) 226-6422, https://shulerforms.house.gov/contact/
* Mel Watt (D - Dist. 12): Tel. (202) 225-1510, Fax (202) 225-1512, https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml
---------------------
You may find your NC STATE representative by going here: http://www.grnc.org/contact_reps.htm
You may write your FEDERAL congressman by going here: http://www.house.gov/writerep/
You may write your FEDERAL senators by going here: http://www.senate.gov/
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Love him or hate him ... Limbaugh Nailed This One
Tue, January 4, 2011
A sad state of affairs! I bet you didn't know this, but it is factual and sad at the same time. Our men and women in the service of their Country deserve better. I am sure you will agree when you read this. Love him or loathe him, he nailed this one right on the head..........
By Rush Limbaugh:
I think the vast differences in compensation between victims of the September 11 casualty and those who die serving our country in Uniform are profound. No one is really talking about it either, because you just don't criticize anything having to do with September 11. Well, I can't let the numbers pass by because it says something really disturbing about the entitlement mentality of this country. If you lost a family member in the September 11 attack, you're going to get an average of $1,185,000. The range is a minimum guarantee of $250,000, all the way up to $4.7 million..
If you are a surviving family member of an American soldier killed in action, the first check you get is a $6,000 direct death benefit, half of which is taxable.
Next, you get $1,750 for burial costs. If you are the surviving spouse, you get $833 a month until you remarry. And there's a payment of $211 per month for each child under 18. When the child hits 18, those payments come to a screeching halt.
Keep in mind that some of the people who are getting an average of $1.185 million up to $4.7 million are complaining that it's not enough. Their deaths were tragic, but for most, they were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Soldiers put themselves in harms way FOR ALL OF US, and they and their families know the dangers.. (Actually, soldiers are put in harms way by politicians and commanding officers.)
We also learned over the weekend that some of the victims from the Oklahoma City bombing have started an organization asking for the same deal that the September 11 families are getting. In addition to that, some of the families of those bombed in the embassies are now asking for compensation as well.
You see where this is going, don't you? Folks, this is part and parcel of over 50 years of entitlement politics in this country. It's just really sad. Every time a pay raise comes up for the military, they usually receive next to nothing of a raise. Now the green machine is in combat in the Middle East while their families have to survive on food stamps and live in low-rent housing. Make sense?
However, our own US Congress voted themselves a raise. Many of you don't know that they only have to be in Congress one time to receive a pension that is more than $15,000 per month. And most are now equal to being millionaires plus. They do not receive Social Security on retirement because they didn't have to pay into the system. If some of the military people stay in for 20 years and get out as an E-7, they may receive a pension of $1,000 per month, and the very people who placed them in harm's way receives a pension of $15,000 per month.
I would like to see our elected officials pick up a weapon and join ranks before they start cutting out benefits and lowering pay for our sons and daughters who are now fighting.
"When do we finally do something about this?" If this doesn't seem fair to you, it is time to forward this to as many people as you can.
A sad state of affairs! I bet you didn't know this, but it is factual and sad at the same time. Our men and women in the service of their Country deserve better. I am sure you will agree when you read this. Love him or loathe him, he nailed this one right on the head..........
By Rush Limbaugh:
I think the vast differences in compensation between victims of the September 11 casualty and those who die serving our country in Uniform are profound. No one is really talking about it either, because you just don't criticize anything having to do with September 11. Well, I can't let the numbers pass by because it says something really disturbing about the entitlement mentality of this country. If you lost a family member in the September 11 attack, you're going to get an average of $1,185,000. The range is a minimum guarantee of $250,000, all the way up to $4.7 million..
If you are a surviving family member of an American soldier killed in action, the first check you get is a $6,000 direct death benefit, half of which is taxable.
Next, you get $1,750 for burial costs. If you are the surviving spouse, you get $833 a month until you remarry. And there's a payment of $211 per month for each child under 18. When the child hits 18, those payments come to a screeching halt.
Keep in mind that some of the people who are getting an average of $1.185 million up to $4.7 million are complaining that it's not enough. Their deaths were tragic, but for most, they were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Soldiers put themselves in harms way FOR ALL OF US, and they and their families know the dangers.. (Actually, soldiers are put in harms way by politicians and commanding officers.)
We also learned over the weekend that some of the victims from the Oklahoma City bombing have started an organization asking for the same deal that the September 11 families are getting. In addition to that, some of the families of those bombed in the embassies are now asking for compensation as well.
You see where this is going, don't you? Folks, this is part and parcel of over 50 years of entitlement politics in this country. It's just really sad. Every time a pay raise comes up for the military, they usually receive next to nothing of a raise. Now the green machine is in combat in the Middle East while their families have to survive on food stamps and live in low-rent housing. Make sense?
However, our own US Congress voted themselves a raise. Many of you don't know that they only have to be in Congress one time to receive a pension that is more than $15,000 per month. And most are now equal to being millionaires plus. They do not receive Social Security on retirement because they didn't have to pay into the system. If some of the military people stay in for 20 years and get out as an E-7, they may receive a pension of $1,000 per month, and the very people who placed them in harm's way receives a pension of $15,000 per month.
I would like to see our elected officials pick up a weapon and join ranks before they start cutting out benefits and lowering pay for our sons and daughters who are now fighting.
"When do we finally do something about this?" If this doesn't seem fair to you, it is time to forward this to as many people as you can.
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