Cap and Trade Floor Vote on Friday: Take Action!
This is an urgent message from FreedomWorks. By now you’ve probably heard that leaders in the House have cobbled together enough compromises late Monday night to get the dreaded “Cap and Trade” bill to the floor this Friday. More accurately referred to as “Cap and Tax,” the Waxman-Markey climate legislation is an enormous energy tax that would deal a severe blow to our already shaky economy. It is vital that you Take Action now. We are asking that you take some time to do three things.
1. Click here to send an email to your Representative.
2. Call (866) 928-3035 for the House switchboard where you can be transferred to your Representative’s office. Try (866) 928-0525 if you get a busy signal. (Find your Representative here.)
3. Forward this email to your friends and urge them to take action against this harmful legislation.
The effects it would have on our economy and way of life are devastating. At the same time many are losing jobs and struggling to get by on less, the Cap and Trade plan would raise energy rates across the board. That means sky-high electricity rates, and more pain at the pump. The CBO has estimated the bill could mean another 77 cents per gallon of gasoline. Higher electricity and fuel prices add to the over-all cost of everything, like food from farms where growers depend on fertilizers, tractors, and transportation. Independent estimates say that families could pay $3,000 more a year on energy and the entire plan would take $2 trillion from our economy in just over eight years. Numbers like these come at a very real cost, not just in terms of your wallet but in terms of the many, many jobs this legislation gambles with. If you would like more information, please click here to read our Top 10 list. Waxman-Markey’s Cap and Trade is a plan that shoots us in the foot. We can’t afford this bill, especially when it means nothing in return. Please email and call your legislators now.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Is Common Sense Dead?
Here is a video from Glenn Beck. He sends Brain Sack out to a park in NYC (I can't say or wright that without doing the old Pace Picante Sauce commercial in my head) to see if those liberals are really socialist or just ignorant, you know "uninformed." Is common sense dead? You tell me.
Video Comparison of a Great President and a Suit
Here we have President Reagan and his comments on Poland in 1981 compared against President Obama's comments on Iran this past week. See a difference?
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Old Glory and Porky Pig
I am sure most of you have seen this one before. Despite its obvious propaganda all in all it is a good cartoon. I know some will watch this and ask "what propaganda is this fool talking about?" This is the kind of stuff doing your homework does for you. I use to love this cartoon, and still do, but was disappointed to see a few things in it, that I did not catch when I was a kid of course. To keep it short, this cartoon was made in or around 1939 (MCMXXXIX on the bottom). FDR was President at the time and he had several film and cartoon companies making propaganda pieces for him so he could pass his socialist programs, you know like social security. This is one. Notice who the great teacher is, why it is Uncle Sam, i.e. the Government. Uncle Sam also tells Porky that "When George Washington signed that document he laid the foundation for our great democracy." Trying to keep it short here so bare with me. Our Founding Fathers knew what democracies were all about, namely mob rule. Progressives like FDR, and people before him tried to change the game by changing the words they used about America. Instead of Republic they used democracy, in much the same way as today's "liberal" means bigger government, socialist, etc, etc. In FDR's day the term "liberal" meant individual freedom, free markets, and limited government. Watch the video at the link I have under the Porky Pig Cartoon for more info:
Also the Pledge of Allegiance did not include the phrase "Under God" until 1954. Oh and FYI it was written by Francis Bellamy a committed socialist. But that is another story.
But anyway like I said all in all it is a good cartoon. Sometimes I hate informing myself and knowing the truth about things. But they say the truth will set you free.
http://cincinnatus17.blogspot.com/2009/06/great-video-every-american-needs-to.html
Also the Pledge of Allegiance did not include the phrase "Under God" until 1954. Oh and FYI it was written by Francis Bellamy a committed socialist. But that is another story.
But anyway like I said all in all it is a good cartoon. Sometimes I hate informing myself and knowing the truth about things. But they say the truth will set you free.
http://cincinnatus17.blogspot.com/2009/06/great-video-every-american-needs-to.html
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Security VS. Freedom
The nation's most closely watched city
Reporting from Lancaster, Pa. -- This historic town, where America's founding fathers plotted during the Revolution and Milton Hershey later crafted his first chocolates, now boasts another distinction. It may become the nation's most closely watched small city.
Some 165 closed-circuit TV cameras soon will provide live, round-the-clock scrutiny of nearly every street, park and other public space used by the 55,000 residents and the town's many tourists.
Perhaps most surprising, the near-saturation surveillance of a community that saw four murders last year has sparked little public debate about whether the benefits for law enforcement outweigh the loss of privacy. "Years ago, there's no way we could do this," said Keith Sadler, Lancaster's police chief. "It brings to mind Big Brother, George Orwell and '1984.' It's just funny how Americans have softened on these issues."
"No one talks about it," agreed Scott Martin, a Lancaster County commissioner who wants to expand the program. "Because people feel safer. Those who are law-abiding citizens, they don't have anything to worry about."
Hundreds of municipalities -- including Los Angeles and at least 36 other California cities -- have built or expanded camera networks since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. In most cases, Department of Homeland Security grants helped cover the cost.
Full Story: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-spycam-city21-2009jun21,0,3641451.story
Yes it is surprising how many Americans have softened on these types of issues. It is also surprising how many Americans willingly sell out their freedoms for security. And of course these nanny-staters keep using the same tired argument like Mr. Scott Martin above saying: "Those who are law-abiding citizens, they don't have anything to worry about." Don't these fools know the price they are going to pay for getting rid of their freedoms? I believe Benjamin Franklin said it best: "Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both."
Great Old Cartoon
Watch this cartoon it is great. It is called "Make Mine Freedom." I love these old cartoons.
Look for an old Porky Pig cartoon tomorrow, called Porky Pig and Old Glory. It is a great one also if you get over the propaganda. Now watch this one and note: Isn't it funny how the snake oil salesman in this cartoon puts one in mind of President Obama? And I love how Uncle Angus in this cartoon looks well off put gives the guy a coin, and Grand Pappy looks dirt poor and has a mattress full of money. Great Stuff.
Look for an old Porky Pig cartoon tomorrow, called Porky Pig and Old Glory. It is a great one also if you get over the propaganda. Now watch this one and note: Isn't it funny how the snake oil salesman in this cartoon puts one in mind of President Obama? And I love how Uncle Angus in this cartoon looks well off put gives the guy a coin, and Grand Pappy looks dirt poor and has a mattress full of money. Great Stuff.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Marco Rubio Gaining Ground In Florida
Rubio crushes Crist in Pasco straw poll
Marco Rubio got 73 votes to Charlie Crist's 9 in a straw poll last night conducted by the Republican Party of Pasco -- a sign of the governor's poor standing among some of his historically strongest supporters.
"I wanted to see how our Conservative base felt about the U.S. Senate Race," chairman Randy Maggard wrote in a letter to Rubio announcing the result.
Why should this concern Crist, who holds a commanding lead in statewide polls?
Pasco is just one county removed from his home in Pinellas, for one, and the Pasco REC also endorsed Crist early in his 2006 GOP primary against Tom Gallagher. At the 2005 Ronald Reagan Day Dinner in Pasco, Crist told boisterous supporters that he considered the county his back yard and invoked its crucial role in the 2004 election.
"(Pasco) won it for the president," Crist told the St. Petersburg Times. "It's hugely significant to me."
http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2009/06/rubio-crushes-crist-in-pasco-straw-poll.html
Marco Rubio got 73 votes to Charlie Crist's 9 in a straw poll last night conducted by the Republican Party of Pasco -- a sign of the governor's poor standing among some of his historically strongest supporters.
"I wanted to see how our Conservative base felt about the U.S. Senate Race," chairman Randy Maggard wrote in a letter to Rubio announcing the result.
Why should this concern Crist, who holds a commanding lead in statewide polls?
Pasco is just one county removed from his home in Pinellas, for one, and the Pasco REC also endorsed Crist early in his 2006 GOP primary against Tom Gallagher. At the 2005 Ronald Reagan Day Dinner in Pasco, Crist told boisterous supporters that he considered the county his back yard and invoked its crucial role in the 2004 election.
"(Pasco) won it for the president," Crist told the St. Petersburg Times. "It's hugely significant to me."
http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2009/06/rubio-crushes-crist-in-pasco-straw-poll.html
Is The Dollar Dead? Bond Update
After two smugglers were stopped last week with what at first appeared to be $134bn in US state bonds, the tension and paranoia surrounding the fate of the dollar hit a new high.
How on earth did these two men, who at first refused to identify themselves, come to be there, trying to ride the train into Switzerland carrying bonds worth more than the gross domestic product of Singapore? If the bonds were genuine, the pair would have been America's fourth-biggest creditor, ahead of the UK and just behind Russia.
In the event, late last week American officials confirmed that the notes were forgeries. The men, it appeared, were nothing more than ambitious scamsters. But many remain unconvinced. And whether fake or otherwise, the story underlines one important point about the world economy at the moment: that the tension and paranoia surrounding the fate of the US dollar has hit a new high. It went to the heart of the big question: will the central bankers in Japan, China and elsewhere continue to support the greenback even in the wake of the worst financial crisis in modern history, or will they abandon it as America's economic hegemony dissipates?
First came a paper from Zhou Xiaochuan, the governor of the People's Bank of China (PBoC), a couple of months ago, positing the idea of introducing the special drawing right (SDR) – a kind of internal currency at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) – as an international reserve currency. These calls were then repeated, with more force, by the Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev, who last week declared that the world needed new reserve currencies in addition to the dollar.
And this time around, the dollar is most certainly suffering. Since 2002 its trade-weighted strength – calculated against a basket of other currencies – has fallen by more than a quarter, from 112 to 81 points. In the same period, the proportion of dollars held by reserve managers in leading central banks has also taken a dive. According to figures from the IMF, confirmed holdings of dollars in government vaults, from Beijing and Tokyo to London and Paris, fell from 71pc of reserves to 64.5pc between 2002 and 2008.
If there were a textbook list of actions one could take to weaken a currency, the US (alongside most other developed nations) would be following it to the letter. It has cut interest rates to a whisker above zero; it has engaged in quantitative easing, pumping cash directly into the economy; it has committed to spending trillions of dollars on a fiscal stimulus package designed to pull the country out of recession; it has pledged tacitly to support its stricken banks so that no major institution is allowed to collapse. In any normal circumstances, actions like these would hammer a currency.
Neil Mellor, of Bank of New York Mellon, said: "We've got a situation where Geithner is smiling and has no choice but to stress the credibility and stability of the US financial and economic system, while the creditors [such as the Chinese] smile back and say they believe him, while at the same time giving hand signals to their reserve managers to get rid of these things."
How on earth did these two men, who at first refused to identify themselves, come to be there, trying to ride the train into Switzerland carrying bonds worth more than the gross domestic product of Singapore? If the bonds were genuine, the pair would have been America's fourth-biggest creditor, ahead of the UK and just behind Russia.
In the event, late last week American officials confirmed that the notes were forgeries. The men, it appeared, were nothing more than ambitious scamsters. But many remain unconvinced. And whether fake or otherwise, the story underlines one important point about the world economy at the moment: that the tension and paranoia surrounding the fate of the US dollar has hit a new high. It went to the heart of the big question: will the central bankers in Japan, China and elsewhere continue to support the greenback even in the wake of the worst financial crisis in modern history, or will they abandon it as America's economic hegemony dissipates?
First came a paper from Zhou Xiaochuan, the governor of the People's Bank of China (PBoC), a couple of months ago, positing the idea of introducing the special drawing right (SDR) – a kind of internal currency at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) – as an international reserve currency. These calls were then repeated, with more force, by the Russian president, Dmitry Medvedev, who last week declared that the world needed new reserve currencies in addition to the dollar.
And this time around, the dollar is most certainly suffering. Since 2002 its trade-weighted strength – calculated against a basket of other currencies – has fallen by more than a quarter, from 112 to 81 points. In the same period, the proportion of dollars held by reserve managers in leading central banks has also taken a dive. According to figures from the IMF, confirmed holdings of dollars in government vaults, from Beijing and Tokyo to London and Paris, fell from 71pc of reserves to 64.5pc between 2002 and 2008.
If there were a textbook list of actions one could take to weaken a currency, the US (alongside most other developed nations) would be following it to the letter. It has cut interest rates to a whisker above zero; it has engaged in quantitative easing, pumping cash directly into the economy; it has committed to spending trillions of dollars on a fiscal stimulus package designed to pull the country out of recession; it has pledged tacitly to support its stricken banks so that no major institution is allowed to collapse. In any normal circumstances, actions like these would hammer a currency.
Neil Mellor, of Bank of New York Mellon, said: "We've got a situation where Geithner is smiling and has no choice but to stress the credibility and stability of the US financial and economic system, while the creditors [such as the Chinese] smile back and say they believe him, while at the same time giving hand signals to their reserve managers to get rid of these things."
Friday, June 19, 2009
What A Smug, Arrogant Woman
Watch this video. It is from Barbara Boxer to Brigadier General Michael Walsh. I can’t believe the audacity of this woman Barbara Boxer. Where I come from it is polite to call someone by ma’am and sir. I can tell you one thing I would never, ever, not once, even if it was someone I liked, I would not give any of them the respect or pleasure of calling them Senator. Those people stopped being senators when the 17th amendment was passed. You want to restore States rights and give the power back to the states and the people where it belongs then I will call you a senator. Right now I will call you a member of the Upper House of Representatives at best and something not polite at all at worst. Throw all the bums out!
I have a title for you MA'AM, how about BITCH. And that is the nicest one I can think of right now. I am pissed. Oh and her hard work: Her "hard work" included 3 years as a stock broker and about 4 years as a journalist for a newspaper before getting into politics. This women saying I worked hard for that title, and talking to a Brigadier General, to hell with you Barbara Boxer, you bitch. Stand up people, kick her out of office, and show her what hard work is.
I have a title for you MA'AM, how about BITCH. And that is the nicest one I can think of right now. I am pissed. Oh and her hard work: Her "hard work" included 3 years as a stock broker and about 4 years as a journalist for a newspaper before getting into politics. This women saying I worked hard for that title, and talking to a Brigadier General, to hell with you Barbara Boxer, you bitch. Stand up people, kick her out of office, and show her what hard work is.
North Korea Set To Celebrate Our Independence Day; Again
Does anyone remember this story from 2006 on July 4th.
N Korea tests long-range missile
North Korea has test-fired at least six missiles, including a long-range Taepodong-2, despite repeated warnings from the international community.
US officials said the Taepodong missile - thought capable of reaching Alaska - failed shortly after take-off, while the others fell into the Sea of Japan. The UN Security Council is due to hold an emergency meeting later on Wednesday to discuss the developments.
The closed UN session was requested by Japan, which said it was co-ordinating its response to the missile tests with the US and other countries. Read 2006 story Here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5148648.stm
US officials said the Taepodong missile - thought capable of reaching Alaska - failed shortly after take-off, while the others fell into the Sea of Japan. The UN Security Council is due to hold an emergency meeting later on Wednesday to discuss the developments.
The closed UN session was requested by Japan, which said it was co-ordinating its response to the missile tests with the US and other countries. Read 2006 story Here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5148648.stm
I don't know about the rest of you out there but I sure am glad the UN Security Council held an emergency meeting about this back in 2006. Sure does make me sleep better at night knowing the totally competent people at the UN gave a strongly worded warning to North Korea. It could have been horrific for us if they hadn't had that meeting. President George W Bush sent Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill out to the region after this incident, which amounts to nothing obviously. So lets see what happens now.
Now today's story:
Japan warns that North Korea may fire missile at U.S. on Independence Day
North Korea may launch a long-range ballistic missile towards Hawaii on American Independence Day, according to Japanese intelligence officials.
The missile, believed to be a Taepodong-2 with a range of up to 4,000 miles, would be launched in early July from the Dongchang-ni site on the north-western coast of the country. It was announced today that the U.S. has deployed anti-missile defences around Hawaii in response to the threat. U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates said the additional defences around Hawaii consist of a ground-based mobile missile system and a radar system nearby. Together they could shoot an incoming missile in mid air. A new missile launch - though not expected to reach U.S. territory - would be a brazen slap in the face of the international community, which punished North Korea with new U.N. sanctions for conducting a second nuclear test on May 25 in defiance of a U.N. ban.
The missile, believed to be a Taepodong-2 with a range of up to 4,000 miles, would be launched in early July from the Dongchang-ni site on the north-western coast of the country. It was announced today that the U.S. has deployed anti-missile defences around Hawaii in response to the threat. U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates said the additional defences around Hawaii consist of a ground-based mobile missile system and a radar system nearby. Together they could shoot an incoming missile in mid air. A new missile launch - though not expected to reach U.S. territory - would be a brazen slap in the face of the international community, which punished North Korea with new U.N. sanctions for conducting a second nuclear test on May 25 in defiance of a U.N. ban.
Uh oh, look out everybody the U.N. put, are you ready for this. . . "Sanctions" on North Korea. Disaster diverted once again. That was close. Lets see what North Korea thought about that.
North Korea spurned the U.N. Security Council resolution with threats of war and pledges to expand its nuclear bomb-making program.
Wait, what? I'm confused. Seriously to hell with the U.N. I'm sure they would be welcome. When are we going to do something?
Full story here: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1193941/North-Korea-plan-missile-launch-Hawaii-Independence-Day.html
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Must Read: The Letter to Washington
This is a letter written by a women named Janet Contreras. She wrote this letter and sent it to Washington and also to Glenn Beck who read it on the air. This caused a blitz of people wanting Glenn to reproduce the letter so they too could send it to their Congressmen in Washington. With Janet Contreras' permission Glenn put the letter on his website along with a petition to sign and send to our "leaders" in Washington. Here is the letter, followed by the link to go sign the petition. Please take the time to read this and sign the petition.
Thank You,
An American's Voice
GLENN: I got a letter from a woman in Arizona. She writes an open letter to our nation's leadership: "I'm a home grown American citizen, 53, registered Democrat all my life. Before the last presidential election I registered as a Republican because I no longer felt the Democratic Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. Now I no longer feel the Republican Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. The fact is I no longer feel any political party or representative in Washington represents my views or works to pursue the issues important to me. There must be someone. Please tell me who you are. Please stand up and tell me that you are there and that you're willing to fight for our Constitution as it was written. Please stand up now. You might ask yourself what my views and issues are that I would horribly feel so disenfranchised by both major political parties. What kind of nut job am I? Will you please tell me?
Well, these are briefly my views and issues for which I seek representation:
One, illegal immigration. I want you to stop coddling illegal immigrants and secure our borders. Close the underground tunnels. Stop the violence and the trafficking in drugs and people. No amnesty, not again. Been there, done that, no resolution. P.S., I'm not a racist. This isn't to be confused with legal immigration.
Two, the TARP bill, I want it repealed and I want no further funding supplied to it. We told you no, but you did it anyway. I want the remaining unfunded 95% repealed. Freeze, repeal.
Three: Czars, I want the circumvention of our checks and balances stopped immediately. Fire the czars. No more czars. Government officials answer to the process, not to the president. Stop trampling on our Constitution and honor it.
Four, cap and trade. The debate on global warming is not over. There is more to say.
Five, universal healthcare. I will not be rushed into another expensive decision. Don't you dare try to pass this in the middle of the night and then go on break. Slow down!
Six, growing government control. I want states rights and sovereignty fully restored. I want less government in my life, not more. Shrink it down. Mind your own business. You have enough to take care of with your real obligations. Why don't you start there.
Seven, ACORN. I do not want ACORN and its affiliates in charge of our 2010 census. I want them investigated. I also do not want mandatory escrow fees contributed to them every time on every real estate deal that closes. Stop the funding to ACORN and its affiliates pending impartial audits and investigations. I do not trust them with taking the census over with our taxpayer money. I don't trust them with our taxpayer money. Face up to the allegations against them and get it resolved before taxpayers get any more involved with them. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, hello. Stop protecting your political buddies. You work for us, the people. Investigate.
Eight, redistribution of wealth. No, no, no. I work for my money. It is mine. I have always worked for people with more money than I have because they gave me jobs. That is the only redistribution of wealth that I will support. I never got a job from a poor person. Why do you want me to hate my employers? Why ‑‑ what do you have against shareholders making a profit?
Nine, charitable contributions. Although I never got a job from a poor person, I have helped many in need. Charity belongs in our local communities, where we know our needs best and can use our local talent and our local resources. Butt out, please. We want to do it ourselves.
Ten, corporate bailouts. Knock it off. Sink or swim like the rest of us. If there are hard times ahead, we'll be better off just getting into it and letting the strong survive. Quick and painful. Have you ever ripped off a Band‑Aid? We will pull together. Great things happen in America under great hardship. Give us the chance to innovate. We cannot disappoint you more than you have disappointed us.
Eleven, transparency and accountability. How about it? No, really, how about it? Let's have it. Let's say we give the buzzwords a rest and have some straight honest talk. Please try ‑‑ please stop manipulating and trying to appease me with clever wording. I am not the idiot you obviously take me for. Stop sneaking around and meeting in back rooms making deals with your friends. It will only be a prelude to your criminal investigation. Stop hiding things from me.
Twelve, unprecedented quick spending. Stop it now.
Take a breath. Listen to the people. Let's just slow down and get some input from some nonpoliticians on the subject. Stop making everything an emergency. Stop speed reading our bills into law. I am not an activist. I am not a community organizer. Nor am I a terrorist, a militant or a violent person. I am a parent and a grandparent. I work. I'm busy. I'm busy. I am busy, and I am tired. I thought we elected competent people to take care of the business of government so that we could work, raise our families, pay our bills, have a little recreation, complain about taxes, endure our hardships, pursue our personal goals, cut our lawn, wash our cars on the weekends and be responsible contributing members of society and teach our children to be the same all while living in the home of the free and land of the brave.
I entrusted you with upholding the Constitution. I believed in the checks and balances to keep from getting far off course. What happened? You are very far off course. Do you really think I find humor in the hiring of a speed reader to unintelligently ramble all through a bill that you signed into law without knowing what it contained? I do not. It is a mockery of the responsibility I have entrusted to you. It is a slap in the face. I am not laughing at your arrogance. Why is it that I feel as if you would not trust me to make a single decision about my own life and how I would live it but you should expect that I should trust you with the debt that you have laid on all of us and our children. We did not want the TARP bill. We said no. We would repeal it if we could. I am sure that we still cannot. There is such urgency and recklessness in all of the recent spending.
From my perspective, it seems that all of you have gone insane. I also know that I am far from alone in these feelings. Do you honestly feel that your current pursuits have merit to patriotic Americans? We want it to stop. We want to put the brakes on everything that is being rushed by us and forced upon us. We want our voice back. You have forced us to put our lives on hold to straighten out the mess that you are making. We will have to give up our vacations, our time spent with our children, any relaxation time we may have had and money we cannot afford to spend on you to bring our concerns to Washington. Our president often knows all the right buzzword is unsustainable. Well, no kidding. How many tens of thousands of dollars did the focus group cost to come up with that word? We don't want your overpriced words. Stop treating us like we're morons.
We want all of you to stop focusing on your reelection and do the job we want done, not the job you want done or the job your party wants done. You work for us and at this rate I guarantee you not for long because we are coming. We will be heard and we will be represented. You think we're so busy with our lives that we will never come for you? We are the formerly silent majority, all of us who quietly work , pay taxes, obey the law, vote, save money, keep our noses to the grindstone and we are now looking up at you. You have awakened us, the patriotic spirit so strong and so powerful that it had been sleeping too long. You have pushed us too far. Our numbers are great. They may surprise you. For every one of us who will be there, there will be hundreds more that could not come. Unlike you, we have their trust. We will represent them honestly, rest assured. They will be at the polls on voting day to usher you out of office. We have cancelled vacations. We will use our last few dollars saved. We will find the representation among us and a grassroots campaign will flourish. We didn't ask for this fight. But the gloves are coming off. We do not come in violence, but we are angry. You will represent us or you will be replaced with someone who will. There are candidates among us who will rise like a Phoenix from the ashes that you have made of our constitution.
Democrat, Republican, independent, libertarian. Understand this. We don't care. Political parties are meaningless to us. Patriotic Americans are willing to do right by us and our Constitution and that is all that matters to us now. We are going to fire all of you who abuse power and seek more. It is not your power. It is ours and we want it back. We entrusted you with it and you abused it. You are dishonorable. You are dishonest. As Americans we are ashamed of you. You have brought shame to us. If you are not representing the wants and needs of your constituency loudly and consistently, in spite of the objections of your party, you will be fired. Did you hear? We no longer care about your political parties. You need to be loyal to us, not to them. Because we will get you fired and they will not save you. If you do or can represent me, my issues, my views, please stand up. Make your identity known. You need to make some noise about it. Speak up. I need to know who you are. If you do not speak up, you will be herded out with the rest of the sheep and we will replace the whole damn congress if need be one by one. We are coming. Are we coming for you? Who do you represent? What do you represent? Listen. Because we are coming. We the people are coming.
If you want to sign the petition go here.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/8/an-open-letter-to-our-nations-leadership
Thank You,
An American's Voice
GLENN: I got a letter from a woman in Arizona. She writes an open letter to our nation's leadership: "I'm a home grown American citizen, 53, registered Democrat all my life. Before the last presidential election I registered as a Republican because I no longer felt the Democratic Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. Now I no longer feel the Republican Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. The fact is I no longer feel any political party or representative in Washington represents my views or works to pursue the issues important to me. There must be someone. Please tell me who you are. Please stand up and tell me that you are there and that you're willing to fight for our Constitution as it was written. Please stand up now. You might ask yourself what my views and issues are that I would horribly feel so disenfranchised by both major political parties. What kind of nut job am I? Will you please tell me?
Well, these are briefly my views and issues for which I seek representation:
One, illegal immigration. I want you to stop coddling illegal immigrants and secure our borders. Close the underground tunnels. Stop the violence and the trafficking in drugs and people. No amnesty, not again. Been there, done that, no resolution. P.S., I'm not a racist. This isn't to be confused with legal immigration.
Two, the TARP bill, I want it repealed and I want no further funding supplied to it. We told you no, but you did it anyway. I want the remaining unfunded 95% repealed. Freeze, repeal.
Three: Czars, I want the circumvention of our checks and balances stopped immediately. Fire the czars. No more czars. Government officials answer to the process, not to the president. Stop trampling on our Constitution and honor it.
Four, cap and trade. The debate on global warming is not over. There is more to say.
Five, universal healthcare. I will not be rushed into another expensive decision. Don't you dare try to pass this in the middle of the night and then go on break. Slow down!
Six, growing government control. I want states rights and sovereignty fully restored. I want less government in my life, not more. Shrink it down. Mind your own business. You have enough to take care of with your real obligations. Why don't you start there.
Seven, ACORN. I do not want ACORN and its affiliates in charge of our 2010 census. I want them investigated. I also do not want mandatory escrow fees contributed to them every time on every real estate deal that closes. Stop the funding to ACORN and its affiliates pending impartial audits and investigations. I do not trust them with taking the census over with our taxpayer money. I don't trust them with our taxpayer money. Face up to the allegations against them and get it resolved before taxpayers get any more involved with them. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, hello. Stop protecting your political buddies. You work for us, the people. Investigate.
Eight, redistribution of wealth. No, no, no. I work for my money. It is mine. I have always worked for people with more money than I have because they gave me jobs. That is the only redistribution of wealth that I will support. I never got a job from a poor person. Why do you want me to hate my employers? Why ‑‑ what do you have against shareholders making a profit?
Nine, charitable contributions. Although I never got a job from a poor person, I have helped many in need. Charity belongs in our local communities, where we know our needs best and can use our local talent and our local resources. Butt out, please. We want to do it ourselves.
Ten, corporate bailouts. Knock it off. Sink or swim like the rest of us. If there are hard times ahead, we'll be better off just getting into it and letting the strong survive. Quick and painful. Have you ever ripped off a Band‑Aid? We will pull together. Great things happen in America under great hardship. Give us the chance to innovate. We cannot disappoint you more than you have disappointed us.
Eleven, transparency and accountability. How about it? No, really, how about it? Let's have it. Let's say we give the buzzwords a rest and have some straight honest talk. Please try ‑‑ please stop manipulating and trying to appease me with clever wording. I am not the idiot you obviously take me for. Stop sneaking around and meeting in back rooms making deals with your friends. It will only be a prelude to your criminal investigation. Stop hiding things from me.
Twelve, unprecedented quick spending. Stop it now.
Take a breath. Listen to the people. Let's just slow down and get some input from some nonpoliticians on the subject. Stop making everything an emergency. Stop speed reading our bills into law. I am not an activist. I am not a community organizer. Nor am I a terrorist, a militant or a violent person. I am a parent and a grandparent. I work. I'm busy. I'm busy. I am busy, and I am tired. I thought we elected competent people to take care of the business of government so that we could work, raise our families, pay our bills, have a little recreation, complain about taxes, endure our hardships, pursue our personal goals, cut our lawn, wash our cars on the weekends and be responsible contributing members of society and teach our children to be the same all while living in the home of the free and land of the brave.
I entrusted you with upholding the Constitution. I believed in the checks and balances to keep from getting far off course. What happened? You are very far off course. Do you really think I find humor in the hiring of a speed reader to unintelligently ramble all through a bill that you signed into law without knowing what it contained? I do not. It is a mockery of the responsibility I have entrusted to you. It is a slap in the face. I am not laughing at your arrogance. Why is it that I feel as if you would not trust me to make a single decision about my own life and how I would live it but you should expect that I should trust you with the debt that you have laid on all of us and our children. We did not want the TARP bill. We said no. We would repeal it if we could. I am sure that we still cannot. There is such urgency and recklessness in all of the recent spending.
From my perspective, it seems that all of you have gone insane. I also know that I am far from alone in these feelings. Do you honestly feel that your current pursuits have merit to patriotic Americans? We want it to stop. We want to put the brakes on everything that is being rushed by us and forced upon us. We want our voice back. You have forced us to put our lives on hold to straighten out the mess that you are making. We will have to give up our vacations, our time spent with our children, any relaxation time we may have had and money we cannot afford to spend on you to bring our concerns to Washington. Our president often knows all the right buzzword is unsustainable. Well, no kidding. How many tens of thousands of dollars did the focus group cost to come up with that word? We don't want your overpriced words. Stop treating us like we're morons.
We want all of you to stop focusing on your reelection and do the job we want done, not the job you want done or the job your party wants done. You work for us and at this rate I guarantee you not for long because we are coming. We will be heard and we will be represented. You think we're so busy with our lives that we will never come for you? We are the formerly silent majority, all of us who quietly work , pay taxes, obey the law, vote, save money, keep our noses to the grindstone and we are now looking up at you. You have awakened us, the patriotic spirit so strong and so powerful that it had been sleeping too long. You have pushed us too far. Our numbers are great. They may surprise you. For every one of us who will be there, there will be hundreds more that could not come. Unlike you, we have their trust. We will represent them honestly, rest assured. They will be at the polls on voting day to usher you out of office. We have cancelled vacations. We will use our last few dollars saved. We will find the representation among us and a grassroots campaign will flourish. We didn't ask for this fight. But the gloves are coming off. We do not come in violence, but we are angry. You will represent us or you will be replaced with someone who will. There are candidates among us who will rise like a Phoenix from the ashes that you have made of our constitution.
Democrat, Republican, independent, libertarian. Understand this. We don't care. Political parties are meaningless to us. Patriotic Americans are willing to do right by us and our Constitution and that is all that matters to us now. We are going to fire all of you who abuse power and seek more. It is not your power. It is ours and we want it back. We entrusted you with it and you abused it. You are dishonorable. You are dishonest. As Americans we are ashamed of you. You have brought shame to us. If you are not representing the wants and needs of your constituency loudly and consistently, in spite of the objections of your party, you will be fired. Did you hear? We no longer care about your political parties. You need to be loyal to us, not to them. Because we will get you fired and they will not save you. If you do or can represent me, my issues, my views, please stand up. Make your identity known. You need to make some noise about it. Speak up. I need to know who you are. If you do not speak up, you will be herded out with the rest of the sheep and we will replace the whole damn congress if need be one by one. We are coming. Are we coming for you? Who do you represent? What do you represent? Listen. Because we are coming. We the people are coming.
If you want to sign the petition go here.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/8/an-open-letter-to-our-nations-leadership
Finally A Story on The Bonds, Fit For James Bond
Two Japanese men are detained in Italy after allegedly attempting to take $134 billion worth of U.S. bonds over the border into Switzerland.
Are these would-be smugglers agents of Kim Jong Il stashing North Korea’s cash in a Swiss vault? Bagmen for Nigerian Internet scammers? Was the money meant for terrorists looking to buy nuclear warheads? Is Japan dumping its dollars secretly? Are the bonds real or counterfeit?
The implications of the securities being legitimate would be bigger than investors may realize. At a minimum, it would suggest that the U.S. risks losing control over its monetary supply on a massive scale.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&sid=a62_boqkurbI
Are these would-be smugglers agents of Kim Jong Il stashing North Korea’s cash in a Swiss vault? Bagmen for Nigerian Internet scammers? Was the money meant for terrorists looking to buy nuclear warheads? Is Japan dumping its dollars secretly? Are the bonds real or counterfeit?
The implications of the securities being legitimate would be bigger than investors may realize. At a minimum, it would suggest that the U.S. risks losing control over its monetary supply on a massive scale.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&sid=a62_boqkurbI
Jim DeMint endorses Marco Rubio for Senate
DeMint Backs Rubio, Florida Becomes A Battleground state
Rep. Marco Rubio's U.S. Senate campaign in Florida has provided a rallying cry for conservatives, sparked a debate about the future of the GOP and the place of moderates, and pitted National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Cornyn (TX) against some of those passionate conservatives. Today, a prominent Senate conservative jumped on board with Rubio: Sen. Jim DeMint (SC).
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
More Power For The Government and The Fed; Say It Ain't So
An Obama plan would give the government new powers to seize key companies.
Under the plan, expected to be released today, the government would have new powers to seize key companies -- such as insurance giant American International Group Inc. -- whose failure jeopardizes the financial system. Currently, the government's authority to seize companies is mostly limited to banks.
Obama administration officials said it would seek to reduce gaps in regulatory oversight, rein in the use of mortgage-backed securities and other complex derivatives, reduce incentives for companies to take excessive risk and give the government new power to quickly intervene during any future crises.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-financial-regs16-2009jun16,0,4262249.story
Federal Reserve to gain power under plan
The Federal Reserve, already arguably the most powerful agency in the U.S. government (The Federal Reserve is not a government agency), will get sweeping new authority to regulate any company whose failure could endanger the U.S. economy and markets under the Obama administration's regulatory overhaul plan. The final plan is expected to sidestep most jurisdictional disputes and simply impose across the board standards to be applied by all financial regulators, according to administration and industry sources.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jun/16/plan-gives-fed-sweeping-power-over-companies/?feat=home_headlines
Under the plan, expected to be released today, the government would have new powers to seize key companies -- such as insurance giant American International Group Inc. -- whose failure jeopardizes the financial system. Currently, the government's authority to seize companies is mostly limited to banks.
Obama administration officials said it would seek to reduce gaps in regulatory oversight, rein in the use of mortgage-backed securities and other complex derivatives, reduce incentives for companies to take excessive risk and give the government new power to quickly intervene during any future crises.
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-financial-regs16-2009jun16,0,4262249.story
Federal Reserve to gain power under plan
The Federal Reserve, already arguably the most powerful agency in the U.S. government (The Federal Reserve is not a government agency), will get sweeping new authority to regulate any company whose failure could endanger the U.S. economy and markets under the Obama administration's regulatory overhaul plan. The final plan is expected to sidestep most jurisdictional disputes and simply impose across the board standards to be applied by all financial regulators, according to administration and industry sources.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jun/16/plan-gives-fed-sweeping-power-over-companies/?feat=home_headlines
Two Japanese men found with 134 Billion in US Bonds in Italy
Milan (AsiaNews) – Italy’s financial police (Guardia italiana di Finanza) has seized US bonds worth US 134.5 billion from two Japanese nationals at Chiasso (40 km from Milan) on the border between Italy and Switzerland. They include 249 US Federal Reserve bonds worth US$ 500 million each, plus ten Kennedy bonds and other US government securities worth a billion dollar each.Italian authorities have not yet determined whether they are real or fake, but if they are real the attempt to take them into Switzerland would be the largest financial smuggling operation in history; if they are fake, the matter would be even more mind-boggling because the quality of the counterfeit work is such that the fake bonds are undistinguishable from the real ones.What caught the policemen’s attention were the billion dollar securities. Such a large denomination is not available in regular financial and banking markets.
Only states handle such amounts of money.The question now is who could or would counterfeit or smuggle these non-negotiable bonds.In order to stop money laundering Italian law sets a ceiling of 10,000 euros per person for importing or exporting money without declaring it. The penalty for violating the law is 40 per cent of the money seized.If the certificates were real, for Italy it would be like hitting the jackpot. The fine alone would amount to US$ 38 billion, five times the estimated cost of rebuilding quake-devastated Abruzzi region. It would help Italy’s eliminate its public deficit.If the certificates are fakes the two Japanese nationals could get a very lengthy jail sentence for fraud.As soon as the seizure was made the US Embassy in Rome was informed. Italian and US secret services were called in to assist the Italian financial police.Some important international financial newspapers had already reported on the existence of ‘funny money’ circulating on parallel, i.e. unofficial, financial markets.For AsiaNews a few points need considering:1. When it comes to Italy the world press has tended to focus on Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi’s personal problems rather than on stories like the bonds smuggling affair which has been front page on Italian newspapers.2. The fear of counterfeit bonds and securities has spread across Asia with the result that real securities are also considered with suspicion.3. During the Second World War several countries at war printed and put in circulation perfectly counterfeit enemy money. It is also historically established that some central banks, like the Bank of Italy 65 years ago, issued the same securities twice (identical registered number and code). This way they could print more money with legal tender than they officially declared. The main difference though is that 65 years ago the world was involved in a bloody war, which is not the case today.http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=15456&size=A
And on a completly unrelated note: The Treasury Department projects a balance of $134.5 billion of the original $700 billion in the federal TARP program to stengthen ailing banks, according to Dow Jones. The issue emerged as something of a transparency blind spot last week when Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner refused to give an exact figure during testimony on Capitol Hill.
Only states handle such amounts of money.The question now is who could or would counterfeit or smuggle these non-negotiable bonds.In order to stop money laundering Italian law sets a ceiling of 10,000 euros per person for importing or exporting money without declaring it. The penalty for violating the law is 40 per cent of the money seized.If the certificates were real, for Italy it would be like hitting the jackpot. The fine alone would amount to US$ 38 billion, five times the estimated cost of rebuilding quake-devastated Abruzzi region. It would help Italy’s eliminate its public deficit.If the certificates are fakes the two Japanese nationals could get a very lengthy jail sentence for fraud.As soon as the seizure was made the US Embassy in Rome was informed. Italian and US secret services were called in to assist the Italian financial police.Some important international financial newspapers had already reported on the existence of ‘funny money’ circulating on parallel, i.e. unofficial, financial markets.For AsiaNews a few points need considering:1. When it comes to Italy the world press has tended to focus on Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi’s personal problems rather than on stories like the bonds smuggling affair which has been front page on Italian newspapers.2. The fear of counterfeit bonds and securities has spread across Asia with the result that real securities are also considered with suspicion.3. During the Second World War several countries at war printed and put in circulation perfectly counterfeit enemy money. It is also historically established that some central banks, like the Bank of Italy 65 years ago, issued the same securities twice (identical registered number and code). This way they could print more money with legal tender than they officially declared. The main difference though is that 65 years ago the world was involved in a bloody war, which is not the case today.http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=15456&size=A
And on a completly unrelated note: The Treasury Department projects a balance of $134.5 billion of the original $700 billion in the federal TARP program to stengthen ailing banks, according to Dow Jones. The issue emerged as something of a transparency blind spot last week when Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner refused to give an exact figure during testimony on Capitol Hill.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
U.S's A.A.A
U.S. likely to lose AAA rating
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Technical analyst Robert Prechter on Monday said he sees the United States losing its top AAA credit rating by the end of 2010, as he stuck by a deeply bearish outlook on the U.S. economy and stock market.
Despite the government and Federal Reserve's massive rescues for financial companies and securities markets, Prechter expects credit markets to clam up again as they did in the first phase of the global financial crisis and for the U.S. economy to sink into a depression.
Although U.S. banks' recently passed government "stress tests" that assessed the adequacy of their capital levels to absorb losses and have been able to raise some capital in debt and equity markets, "the banking sector is in severe trouble," as more loans turn bad, he said.
The economy "is obviously heading toward a depression," despite the government's efforts to dodge one, said Prechter.
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Technical analyst Robert Prechter on Monday said he sees the United States losing its top AAA credit rating by the end of 2010, as he stuck by a deeply bearish outlook on the U.S. economy and stock market.
Despite the government and Federal Reserve's massive rescues for financial companies and securities markets, Prechter expects credit markets to clam up again as they did in the first phase of the global financial crisis and for the U.S. economy to sink into a depression.
Although U.S. banks' recently passed government "stress tests" that assessed the adequacy of their capital levels to absorb losses and have been able to raise some capital in debt and equity markets, "the banking sector is in severe trouble," as more loans turn bad, he said.
The economy "is obviously heading toward a depression," despite the government's efforts to dodge one, said Prechter.
What Liberal Media?
ABC TURNS PROGRAMMING OVER TO OBAMA; NEWS TO BE ANCHORED FROM INSIDE WHITE HOUSE
On the night of June 24, the media and government become one, when ABC turns its programming over to President Obama and White House officials to push government run health care -- a move that has ignited an ethical firestorm! Highlights on the agenda: ABCNEWS anchor Charlie Gibson will deliver WORLD NEWS from the Blue Room of the White House. The network plans a primetime special -- 'Prescription for America' -- originating from the East Room, exclude opposing voices on the debate.
This event is nothing more than a glorified infomercial to promote the Democrat agenda.
On the night of June 24, the media and government become one, when ABC turns its programming over to President Obama and White House officials to push government run health care -- a move that has ignited an ethical firestorm! Highlights on the agenda: ABCNEWS anchor Charlie Gibson will deliver WORLD NEWS from the Blue Room of the White House. The network plans a primetime special -- 'Prescription for America' -- originating from the East Room, exclude opposing voices on the debate.
This event is nothing more than a glorified infomercial to promote the Democrat agenda.
Obama Fires Inspector General For Investigating His Friend
What's behind Obama's sudden attempt to fire the AmeriCorps inspector general?
By: Byron York
There are a number of unanswered questions today about President Obama's abrupt decision to fire the inspector general of the AmeriCorps program, Gerald Walpin. Obama sent letters to House and Senate leaders yesterday informing them that he was firing Walpin, effective 30 days from the date of the letters.
"It is vital that I have the fullest confidence in the appointees serving as Inspectors General," the president wrote. "That is no longer the case with regard to this Inspector General."
The 30 day requirement is important because last year Congress passed the Inspectors General Reform Act, which was designed to strengthen protections for IGs, who have the responsibility of investigating allegations of waste, fraud and abuse within federal agencies, against interference by political appointees or the White House. Part of the Act was a requirement that the president give Congress 30 days' notice before dismissing an IG. One of the co-sponsors of the Act was then-Sen. Barack Obama.
The Act also requires the president to outline the cause for his decision to remove an IG. Beyond saying that he did not have the "fullest confidence" in Walpin, Obama gave no reason for his action.
There are two big questions about the president's actions. One, why did he decide to fire Walpin? And two, did he abide by the law that he himself co-sponsored?
According to Republican Sen. Charles Grassley, a strong advocate of inspectors general, Walpin received a call from the White House Counsel's office on Wednesday evening. Walpin was told that he had one hour to either resign or be fired. Senate sources say Walpin asked why he was being fired and, according to one source, "The answer that was given was that it's just time to move on. The president would like to have someone else in that position." Walpin declined to resign.
Grassley fired off a letter to the president on Thursday saying that, "I was troubled to learn that [Wednesday] night your staff reportedly issued an ultimatum to the AmeriCorps Inspector General Gerald Walpin that he had one hour to resign or be terminated," Grassley wrote. "As you know, Inspectors General were created by Congress as a means to combat waste, fraud, and abuse and to be independent watchdogs ensuring that federal agencies were held accountable for their actions. Inspectors General were designed to have a dual role reporting to both the President and Congress so that they would be free from undue political pressure. This independence is the hallmark of all Inspectors General and is essential so they may operate independently, without political pressure or interference from agencies attempting to keep their failings from public scrutiny."
Grassley's version of events suggests that the White House first tried to muscle Walpin out of his job without having to go through the 30-day process. It was only when Walpin refused to resign that the White House then notified Congress of the president's intention to fire Walpin.
The bigger question is why the president is doing this and why he is attempting to do it so quickly. Senate sources now believe Obama is firing Walpin over Walpin's investigation of Kevin Johnson, a former NBA star and a prominent supporter of the president.
Johnson, now the mayor of Sacramento, California, started a non-profit organization called St. Hope. The group's mission, according to its website, is "to revitalize inner-city communities through public education, civic leadership, economic development and the arts." As part of its work, St. Hope received a grant of about $850,000 from AmeriCorps.
Last year, Walpin began an investigation of how Johnson's group spent the money. According to the Associated Press, "[Walpin] found that Johnson, a former all-star point guard for the Phoenix Suns, had used AmeriCorps grants to pay volunteers to engage in school-board political activities, run personal errands for Johnson and even wash his car." Walpin asked federal prosecutors to investigate. In April, the U.S. attorney in Sacramento, a Bush holdover, declined to file any criminal charges in the matter and also criticized Walpin's investigation.
That might suggest that St. HOPE was OK, and it was Walpin who was in the wrong. But at the same time prosecutors decided not to file any charges against St. HOPE, the U.S. attorney's office also entered into a settlement with St. HOPE in which the group also agreed to pay back about half of the $850,000 it had received from AmeriCorps.
In his letter to the president, Grassley defended Walpin's performance. "There have been no negative findings against Mr. Walpin by the Integrity Committee of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE), and he has identified millions of dollars in AmeriCorps funds either wasted outright or spent in violation of established guidelines," Grassley wrote. "In other words, it appears he has been doing his job. "
The bottom line is that the AmeriCorps IG accused a prominent Obama supporter of misusing AmeriCorps grant money. After an investigation, the prominent Obama supporter had to pay back more than $400,000 of that grant money. And Obama fired the AmeriCorps IG.
By: Byron York
There are a number of unanswered questions today about President Obama's abrupt decision to fire the inspector general of the AmeriCorps program, Gerald Walpin. Obama sent letters to House and Senate leaders yesterday informing them that he was firing Walpin, effective 30 days from the date of the letters.
"It is vital that I have the fullest confidence in the appointees serving as Inspectors General," the president wrote. "That is no longer the case with regard to this Inspector General."
The 30 day requirement is important because last year Congress passed the Inspectors General Reform Act, which was designed to strengthen protections for IGs, who have the responsibility of investigating allegations of waste, fraud and abuse within federal agencies, against interference by political appointees or the White House. Part of the Act was a requirement that the president give Congress 30 days' notice before dismissing an IG. One of the co-sponsors of the Act was then-Sen. Barack Obama.
The Act also requires the president to outline the cause for his decision to remove an IG. Beyond saying that he did not have the "fullest confidence" in Walpin, Obama gave no reason for his action.
There are two big questions about the president's actions. One, why did he decide to fire Walpin? And two, did he abide by the law that he himself co-sponsored?
According to Republican Sen. Charles Grassley, a strong advocate of inspectors general, Walpin received a call from the White House Counsel's office on Wednesday evening. Walpin was told that he had one hour to either resign or be fired. Senate sources say Walpin asked why he was being fired and, according to one source, "The answer that was given was that it's just time to move on. The president would like to have someone else in that position." Walpin declined to resign.
Grassley fired off a letter to the president on Thursday saying that, "I was troubled to learn that [Wednesday] night your staff reportedly issued an ultimatum to the AmeriCorps Inspector General Gerald Walpin that he had one hour to resign or be terminated," Grassley wrote. "As you know, Inspectors General were created by Congress as a means to combat waste, fraud, and abuse and to be independent watchdogs ensuring that federal agencies were held accountable for their actions. Inspectors General were designed to have a dual role reporting to both the President and Congress so that they would be free from undue political pressure. This independence is the hallmark of all Inspectors General and is essential so they may operate independently, without political pressure or interference from agencies attempting to keep their failings from public scrutiny."
Grassley's version of events suggests that the White House first tried to muscle Walpin out of his job without having to go through the 30-day process. It was only when Walpin refused to resign that the White House then notified Congress of the president's intention to fire Walpin.
The bigger question is why the president is doing this and why he is attempting to do it so quickly. Senate sources now believe Obama is firing Walpin over Walpin's investigation of Kevin Johnson, a former NBA star and a prominent supporter of the president.
Johnson, now the mayor of Sacramento, California, started a non-profit organization called St. Hope. The group's mission, according to its website, is "to revitalize inner-city communities through public education, civic leadership, economic development and the arts." As part of its work, St. Hope received a grant of about $850,000 from AmeriCorps.
Last year, Walpin began an investigation of how Johnson's group spent the money. According to the Associated Press, "[Walpin] found that Johnson, a former all-star point guard for the Phoenix Suns, had used AmeriCorps grants to pay volunteers to engage in school-board political activities, run personal errands for Johnson and even wash his car." Walpin asked federal prosecutors to investigate. In April, the U.S. attorney in Sacramento, a Bush holdover, declined to file any criminal charges in the matter and also criticized Walpin's investigation.
That might suggest that St. HOPE was OK, and it was Walpin who was in the wrong. But at the same time prosecutors decided not to file any charges against St. HOPE, the U.S. attorney's office also entered into a settlement with St. HOPE in which the group also agreed to pay back about half of the $850,000 it had received from AmeriCorps.
In his letter to the president, Grassley defended Walpin's performance. "There have been no negative findings against Mr. Walpin by the Integrity Committee of the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE), and he has identified millions of dollars in AmeriCorps funds either wasted outright or spent in violation of established guidelines," Grassley wrote. "In other words, it appears he has been doing his job. "
The bottom line is that the AmeriCorps IG accused a prominent Obama supporter of misusing AmeriCorps grant money. After an investigation, the prominent Obama supporter had to pay back more than $400,000 of that grant money. And Obama fired the AmeriCorps IG.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Why Would No Othere Country Take Them?
Life in paradise as Guantanamo Four take a dip, eat ice cream, and plan first Uighur restaurant in British territory of Bermuda
These former terror suspects are Uighurs - members of China's Muslim Turkic-speaking minority and have spent the last seven years locked up in Guantanamo Bay. They were detained by the Americans, who eventually determined they were not a threat to the United States. But because no country volunteered to take them and it was feared they would be detained and tortured if they were returned to China, the men were left in limbo. They have traded drab prison jumpsuits for comfortable cotton pants and knit shirts, and razor wire-encircled jail compounds for beach cottages, where they are staying at U.S. taxpayers' expense.
The surprise deal, done behind Britain's back, has angered many of the island's 68,000 people and prompted a call by the opposition for the local Parliament to hold a no-confidence vote in the government. Though Bermuda is semi-autonomous, the British government retains control of the island's foreign affairs, security and defence. Foreign Secretary William Hague said it was 'astonishing' that Downing Street knew nothing of the deal.
Senior MP Mike Gapes, who chairs the influential Commons foreign affairs committee, accused the U.S. of 'riding roughshod' over the UK in securing the deal.
So with another brilliant move we let go four terrorist to live the high life in Bermuda. I call them terrorist because common sense tells me that other countries do not want them for a reason, and more than likely they were picked up on or near a battlefield. Does this make anyone else sick to their stomach knowing that there are people really struggling here in the United States and our government decides to set up four terrorist and give them our money for their clothes, get them a place to live, in Bermuda, and probably enough money to start that restaurant they want? Wonder what kind of front that will be for and where their profits will be sent to? Not to mention the fact that Britain is mad as hell that they weren't even consulted over this.
Today's Headlines
Votes seen lacking for Obama healthcare program
WASHINGTON, June 14 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's health secretary on Sunday pushed for a new government-run healthcare program, an idea facing skepticism even in his own party, and a senior Senate Democrat flatly said votes are lacking in Congress for the proposal.
Full Article: http://www.reuters.com/article/joeBiden/idUSN14133527
So far, June's chill is one for the records
So far this June is running more than 12 degrees cooler than last year, and the clouds, rain and chilly lake winds have been persistent. The average temperature at O'Hare International Airport through Friday has been only 59.5 degrees: nearly 7 degrees below normal and the coldest since records there began 50 years ago.
Full Article: http://weblogs.wgntv.com/chicago-weather/tom-skilling-blog/2009/06/chilly-junes-2009-open-one-for-2.html
Crops under stress as temperatures fall
For the second time in little over a year, it looks as though the world may be heading for a serious food crisis, thanks to our old friend "climate change". In many parts of the world recently the weather has not been too brilliant for farmers. After a fearsomely cold winter, June brought heavy snowfall across large parts of western Canada and the northern states of the American Midwest. In Manitoba last week, it was -4ºC. North Dakota had its first June snow for 60 years. There was midsummer snow not just in Norway and the Cairngorms, but even in Saudi Arabia. At least in the southern hemisphere it is winter, but snowfalls in New Zealand and Australia have been abnormal.
Full Article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/christopherbooker/5525933/Crops-under-stress-as-temperatures-fall.html
WASHINGTON, June 14 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's health secretary on Sunday pushed for a new government-run healthcare program, an idea facing skepticism even in his own party, and a senior Senate Democrat flatly said votes are lacking in Congress for the proposal.
Full Article: http://www.reuters.com/article/joeBiden/idUSN14133527
So far, June's chill is one for the records
So far this June is running more than 12 degrees cooler than last year, and the clouds, rain and chilly lake winds have been persistent. The average temperature at O'Hare International Airport through Friday has been only 59.5 degrees: nearly 7 degrees below normal and the coldest since records there began 50 years ago.
Full Article: http://weblogs.wgntv.com/chicago-weather/tom-skilling-blog/2009/06/chilly-junes-2009-open-one-for-2.html
Crops under stress as temperatures fall
For the second time in little over a year, it looks as though the world may be heading for a serious food crisis, thanks to our old friend "climate change". In many parts of the world recently the weather has not been too brilliant for farmers. After a fearsomely cold winter, June brought heavy snowfall across large parts of western Canada and the northern states of the American Midwest. In Manitoba last week, it was -4ºC. North Dakota had its first June snow for 60 years. There was midsummer snow not just in Norway and the Cairngorms, but even in Saudi Arabia. At least in the southern hemisphere it is winter, but snowfalls in New Zealand and Australia have been abnormal.
Full Article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/christopherbooker/5525933/Crops-under-stress-as-temperatures-fall.html
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Who and What was This? The Answer
This was ancient Rome.
Now where along this time line do you see America?
Want a little homework? Look up Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus, the men that started the fall of the Roman Republic. It is uncanny.
Now where along this time line do you see America?
Want a little homework? Look up Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus, the men that started the fall of the Roman Republic. It is uncanny.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Stop EPA Overreach: Carbon Dioxide is NOT a Pollutant
Since the Obama Administration has taken hold, things have only gotten worse. The EPA is feeling emboldened and have submitted a proposal that would find carbon dioxide "endangers the public health and welfare."
That's right; the essential gas that has always been a critical component of the planet's natural life cycle will now be officially labeled by the U.S. Government as a pollutant.
Click here to take action.
Once this "endangerment finding" has been reached, the EPA will be empowered to advance carbon dioxide regulations to their heart's content. But even if they wanted to take the severe economic impact of this proposal into account, they can't. Once the endangerment finding is final, they would be compelled to work aggressively to eliminate it across the economy.
One lawsuit by a fringe environmental group could bring our economy to a standstill.
But, before the EPA can pass this ridiculous rule, they are required by law to listen to the people.
Click here to take action and tell EPA that you oppose this new regulation.
That's right; the essential gas that has always been a critical component of the planet's natural life cycle will now be officially labeled by the U.S. Government as a pollutant.
Click here to take action.
Once this "endangerment finding" has been reached, the EPA will be empowered to advance carbon dioxide regulations to their heart's content. But even if they wanted to take the severe economic impact of this proposal into account, they can't. Once the endangerment finding is final, they would be compelled to work aggressively to eliminate it across the economy.
One lawsuit by a fringe environmental group could bring our economy to a standstill.
But, before the EPA can pass this ridiculous rule, they are required by law to listen to the people.
Click here to take action and tell EPA that you oppose this new regulation.
Another Obama Tax Hike Scheme
The issue is called “deferral” and it allows U.S. companies to defer income into the future to avoid high marginal tax rates on income. Obama and his liberal cohorts in Congress want to collect this deferral money with a plan that will increase taxes on international American companies by $190 billion over the next 10 years. Why does this matter to the American taxpayer?If the American government makes it significantly more expensive for American companies to bring home money to the United States, then they’ll likely stop and move their operations overseas to more job-friendly climates. That threatens U.S. jobs and infrastructure in very shaky financial times.The President needs to understand that we can’t tax our way out of this economic mess. Even though he likes to call this a “corporate” tax, the proposed deferral tax doesn’t really target big corporations. They will avoid the tax by moving out of the U.S. American workers are the ones who will really feel the pinch if Obama and others have their way with deferral. Take Action Today! Tell your legislators that you aren’t buying Obama’s corporate tax rhetoric on deferral. Urge them to oppose this latest tax hike scheme that would threaten American jobs and the economy as a whole.
Dick Armey
Chairman
FreedomWorks.org
Dick Armey
Chairman
FreedomWorks.org
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