Publius+Forum

Budget - Chris Slavens - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Government - Liberals - Taxes

Debt-O-Crats Are Spending U.S. Into Depression

July 23, 2011 by

-By Chris Slavens

Should the U.S. government, which has amassed a staggering debt of $14.5 trillion (about $4 trillion of that since President Obama took office), increase its debt limit? The question ought to be rhetorical; $47,000 per citizen is quite enough, thank you. Polls indicate that many voters don’t fully understand the ongoing debt ceiling debate, but even the least sophisticated laborer knows that spending more than he makes will eventually get him into trouble. Big trouble.

The Democratic Party, which still controls the federal government despite Republican gains last fall, seems to have missed the memo. This is hardly the first time they’ve been at odds with reason, but one would think they’d have learned by now. After failing miserably to stifle the Tea Party movement, which sprang up in opposition to excessive taxation, irresponsible
spending, and the unconstitutional expansion of government, frantic Democrats have developed an astonishingly unlikely comeback strategy: Raise the debt limit, raise taxes, and spend more.

During last year’s campaign season, Obama compared the U.S. to an automobile. Put it in “D” to move forward, or “R” to move backwards, he joked. The car is moving forward, all right–towards the edge of a cliff. Instead of changing course, or slowing down to get a good look at the road ahead, Democrats are mashing the accelerator. Those who want to increase the debt limit are comparable to irresponsible consumers who max out their credit cards, and, instead of cutting back, apply for more. The word “unsustainable” is overused in politics, but it is the correct adjective for describing liberal policies.
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Debt-O-Crats Are Spending U.S. Into Depression”

AFSCME - Business - Capitalism - Democrats/Leftists - Jobs - Liberals - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Fatcats: Becoming Rich Means Becoming a Union Boss

July 22, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Working stiffs. That is what most people think about when they think of the word “unions.” But a peak inside the salaries of the union bosses at the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) tells a different tale. In fact, it shows that “fatcats” aren’t just in businesses anymore. It looks like all one need do to become a member of the wealthy upper class is to become a union boss.

I wonder if the rank and file, the real working stiffs — you know, the ones out of work these days? — I wonder if they know how much their own union bosses are making?

Check out these extremely high salaries of the union’s highest officers (and this is just salary, too, not all benefits, double dipped offices, and other compensation):
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Fatcats: Becoming Rich Means Becoming a Union Boss”

Crime - Selwyn Duke

Three-Monkey Authorities Ignoring Another Black-On-White ‘Hate Crime’

July 22, 2011 by

-By Selwyn Duke

Like the three monkeys who see, hear and speak no evil, our authorities seem intent on ignoring the true nature of yet another black-on-white racial attack. In the New York City subway this past Sunday, 29-year-old Jason Fordell was attacked by a group of black men who taunted him for being white. Yet NYC police “are unsure” if the incident is a bias crime.

The problem started when Fordell transferred to a crowded 4 train at 42nd street, where he encountered four black men who began harassing him. The New York Daily News reports on what transpired next, writing:

“People started saying stupid little comments – cracker this, white boy this, f—-t this,” Fordell said. “I told them the only reason they were saying this is there was four of them and one of me.”

…As the train continued into the Bronx, the confrontation became physical, he said.

“I was in a headlock, punched and kicked on the floor,” Fordell said.

Then a passenger decided to join in – declaring, “Oh, I get a few shots, too,” before kicking and punching Fordell in the head, according to cops.

…”Everyone on the train was egging them on,” said Fordell

Fordell suffered numerous injuries, which included head-bleeding, a badly swollen eye and internal injuries, as evidenced by blood in his urine. The assailants also stole a bag he was carrying that contained $2900-worth of handmade leather accessories, which Fordell sells at an East Village nightclub.
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Three-Monkey Authorities Ignoring Another Black-On-White ‘Hate Crime’”

9/11 - Anti-Americanism - Barack Obama - Civil Rights - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - DOJ - Government - Islam - Islamofascism - Judges - Liberals - President - Terrorism - Warner Todd Huston

While We Celebrated, Obama Sneaked Terrorist Into US Courts on July 4

July 21, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Did you know that a suspected Somali terrorist was sneaked into a U.S. criminal court in New York City over the July 4th holiday? Most people don’t. While we were all distracted by celebrating our Independence Day President Obama was sneaking foreign terrorists into our civil court system instead of taking him to Guantanamo.

A few weeks ago, Reuters reported that Somali terrorist Ahmed Abdulkadir Warsame was brought to New York City to face criminal charges in our home-based court system on July 4th, yet.

Warsame was captured in April in the Gulf region and was held aboard a U.S. Naval ship until July being questioned by the military and the FBI.
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While We Celebrated, Obama Sneaked Terrorist Into US Courts on July 4″

California - Children - Education - Larry Sand - Public Employees Unions - Teachers Unions - Unions

National Teachers Unions Intensify War on Reformers

July 21, 2011 by

-By Larry Sand

NEA and AFT ramp up attacks on non-existent teacher bashers, while vilifying those who are trying to reform a failing system

In her address last week at the American Federation of Teachers TEACH conference, AFT President Randi Weingarten came out swinging. In an emotional speech to the faithful, she said that education reform should come from teachers and their communities, rather than from people “who blame teachers for everything.” While the teachers unions have been hammering away at this “blame the teacher” myth for some time now, the rants seem to be intensifying.

Invariably, what is labeled “teacher bashing” is nothing more than anger at the teachers unions for blocking every type of education reform imaginable, as well as the unions doing their level best to block school districts’ attempts to fire bad and even criminal teachers. So to be more specific, these phenomena should be called “teacher union bashing” and “bad teacher bashing.”

Education writer RiShawn Biddle does an excellent job of poking holes in the teacher bashing argument, claiming, among other things, that Weingarten “is just using a rhetorical trick often deployed by teachers unions and other education traditionalists to oppose school reform. They declare that any criticism of the unions and any effort to overhaul teacher quality are forms of ‘teacher bashing.’ And such proclamations end up forcing reformers onto their heels when they should actually take these critics to the woodshed.”
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National Teachers Unions Intensify War on Reformers”

Capitalism - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Electric - Energy - Federalism - House of Representatives - Liberals - Nanny State - President - Republicans - Warner Todd Huston

Temporary Limit on Lightbulb Ban Passes House

July 20, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

In a small step in the right direction, the House of Representatives passed a provision to defund the 2012 Energy and Water Appropriations Act, denying the government the funds to enforce the new lightbulb standards that would have levied a defacto ban on incandescent bulbs.

Of course, the problem is that this is a temporary, stopgap measure not a full solution. This defunding process will have to be repeated every year or the lightbulb standards will slip into effect anyway. This amendment does not eliminate the new EPA standards, but it does give manufacturers of the bulbs and retailers of the same another year to sell their product without the weight of Big Brother coming down upon their heads.

The amendment to the 2012 Energy and Water Appropriations Act was put forward by Rep. Michael Burgess (R, Texas) and passed on a voice vote on Friday morning, July 15.
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Temporary Limit on Lightbulb Ban Passes House”

Budget - Children - Crime - Democrats/Leftists - Education - Elections - Government - Liberals - Michigan - Public Employees Unions - Taxes - Teachers Unions - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Michigan Public School Illegally Uses Robocall System Against GOP Governor

July 20, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

News has emerged that a Michigan public school illegally used its automatic phone calling system to call the homes of every student to urge parents to join the recall effort against Republican Governor Rick Snyder last month. To imagine that they can illegally use public school facilities for a partisan, left-wing political effort, this is the arrogance of left-wingers in our mis-educational system writ large.

It is certainly illegal for a school to put it’s telephone alert system for partisan political use, but that is what happened nonetheless. Here is what the message said:

This is a message from the Lawrence Public Schools (inaudible) alert system. This is an informational item and not directly associated with the school. Concerned parents interested in cuts to education . . . we’re here to inform you that there is information about the problem. Also, be advised that there is a petition to recall Governor Snyder. If you want, stop by Chuck Moden’s house right by the school June 7th/8th between 3:30 and 4:00 pm. Thank you. Goodbye.

(To hear a recording of the message, click here.)
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Michigan Public School Illegally Uses Robocall System Against GOP Governor”

Alan Caruba - Budget - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Government - Liberals - Taxes

Flatlining the Economy

July 20, 2011 by

-By Alan Caruba

As is well known, I am an expert on practically everything. This is why I am obscenely wealthy, sought after by the major media, and am an object of desire even in my early 70s. And! I have a bridge to Brooklyn to sell you!

Despite my shortcomings, I can and I will share with you a bit of economic forecasting that takes no great genius to detect. The U.S. economy is going to flatline all the way through the next election in November 2012. It’s going nowhere and prospects thereafter are dim as well.

Millions of Americans, including those so deluded to think that a guy who had never run a business in his life could actually run a nation, put him in the White House. Let me rephrase that. He has run a nation…right into the ground.
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Flatlining the Economy”

New York City - Sports - Warner Todd Huston

Sports Fan Might Be Ripped Off By IRS

July 20, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

This story has so much to hate, it’s hard to figure out where to start. It has sports, it has a nice guy (not to be hated) and it has the idiots at the IRS… or maybe just speculation from a newspaper about the idiots at the IRS.

Anyway, some of you that follow sports might have seen that baseball great Derek Jeter made his 3,000th hit at Yankees Stadium in New York a few days ago. A fan named Christian Lopez caught the thing and after the game, this nice young fellow gave the ball back to Derek so that he’d have a memento of his big achievement.

Now, this is part of the story that is not to hate. This young fan did not have to give back the ball. Further more, this ball could have been worth quite a bit of money on the odious sports collectibles market. By being a nice guy and giving the ball back to the player he might have gipped himself out of a bunch of money.

So, in the other part of the story not to hate, the Yankees ball organization gave the young man around $32,000 worth of free stuff because he was nice enough to give the ball back to Jeter.

And now all the stuff to hate…
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Sports Fan Might Be Ripped Off By IRS”

Budget - Congress - Conservatives - Democrats/Leftists - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Illinois - Joe Walsh - Liberals - President - Republicans - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Rep. Walsh Tells Obama to ‘Quit Lying’ About Soc. Sec.

July 19, 2011 by

Illinois Republican Representative Joe Walsh takes it hard to President Obama. Mr. Walsh says that Obama is lying and he wonders if the president even has any clue about how the country works.

Walsh asks, “Have you no shame sir?” …

It’s about time someone in Washington talks straight about this budget mess.

Joe Walsh represents the current 8th District.

http://walsh.house.gov/

Barack Obama - Business - Democrats/Leftists - Government - Liberals - NLRB - President - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Public Hearing: Protesting the NLRBs New Rules

July 19, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

On Sept. 18th and 19th in Washington DC, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is having open meetings for public comment on its proposal to slash the amount of time that it takes for prospective unionization of employees to occur. If you are at all interested in preventing this wild powergrab by Obama’s union-sold NLRB, you should try to attend these meetings.

The NLRB had proposed rules changes that will severely shorten the amount of time between when a union requests a vote of employees for a business to become organized that is not currently unionized. It used to take four or five weeks or more for this process to wind through the NLRB, but the rules change would shorten that to less than 21 days.

This shortened consideration period will prevent prospective members from having enough time to fully learn about the union that is attempting to gain their trust not to mention that businesses will have little time to reply to the charges leveled against them by union representatives.
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Public Hearing: Protesting the NLRBs New Rules”

Barack Obama - Budget - Democrats/Leftists - Government - Liberals - NLRB - President - Taxes - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Obama’s Labor Board Now Threatening the Dead

July 19, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Imagine the gall of Gordon L. Wray Jr. to die without first getting Obama’s permission! I mean, it takes a real yutz to die before The One waves his royal hand in forbearance, ya know? So, to punish the dead, Obama sent his National Labor Relations Board goosetepping to threaten the man… the, the dead man.

“Every week the NLRB publishes a summary of NLRB decisions,” LaborUnionReport latest weekly summary, there was one decision summary that seemed rather unique…”

As it happens the “unique” decision that the NLRB made was that dying wasn’t enough of an excuse to get out of answering to Obama and his union-bought-and-paid-for regulatory agency.
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Obama’s Labor Board Now Threatening the Dead”

Budget - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Government - Liberals - Michael Bresciani‏ - President - Taxes

America’s ‘Other’ Rising Deficit — Which We Also Can’t Afford

July 19, 2011 by

-By Rev Michael Bresciani

Is America merely a Plutocracy that can be whipped into line by juggling the wealth or as the Obama administration supposes; redistributing the wealth, raising the debt ceiling? Oh, that it were all that simple.

If a nation is the sum of its economic successes or even a Plutocracy (Ruled by the wealthy) the question would be a cinch to answer. But a country is so much more than its wealth alone. Men and women of character do not cease to be what they are the minute they go broke. In fact, it is then that their character can be seen more clearly, and their character is what actually sustains them during times of scarcity or difficulty. America seems to be losing sight of the sound principle contained in this maxim. Dare we ask why?

It is for some, a complete mystery that Jesus Christ called his own generation ‘perverse.’ (Mt. 17: 17) It raises a question that only the bravest would attempt to answer; if his generation was indeed perverse, how do we describe this generation?
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America’s ‘Other’ Rising Deficit — Which We Also Can’t Afford”

Anti-Americanism - Democrats/Leftists - GOP - Government - IRS - New York City - Sports - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Sports Fan Might Be Ripped Off By IRS

July 18, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

This story has so much to hate, it’s hard to figure out where to start. It has sports, it has a nice guy (not to be hated) and it has the idiots at the IRS… or maybe just speculation from a newspaper about the idiots at the IRS.

Anyway, some of you that follow sports might have seen that baseball great Derek Jeter made his 3,000th hit at Yankees Stadium in New York a few days ago. A fan named Christian Lopez caught the thing and after the game, this nice young fellow gave the ball back to Derek so that he’d have a memento of his big achievement.

Now, this is part of the story that is not to hate. This young fan did not have to give back the ball. Further more, this ball could have been worth quite a bit of money on the odious sports collectibles market. By being a nice guy and giving the ball back to the player he might have gipped himself out of a bunch of money.
Continue reading “

Sports Fan Might Be Ripped Off By IRS”

Budget - Business - Climate Change - Congress - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Energy - Environment - EPA - GOP - Government - House of Representatives - Liberals - Nanny State - Republicans - Warner Todd Huston

Nanny State Wins: Light Bulb Ban Repeal Fails in House

July 18, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

If the House Republicans can’t even get rid of one of the most odious examples of nanny statism in the age of Obama, what exactly are they worth? On Tuesday, Rep. Joe Barton (R, Texas) failed in his effort to repeal the incandescent light bulb ban idiotically signed into law by Nanny G.W. Bush.

Barton failed with his The Better Use of Light Bulbs (BULB) Act (HR 2417)on a 233-193 vote. A two-thirds majority was needed for passage.

Only five Democrats crossed ideological lines to vote in favor of the bill to repeal the idiotic light bulb ban. Worse, ten Republicans joined the Democrats.
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Nanny State Wins: Light Bulb Ban Repeal Fails in House”

Budget - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Frank Salvato - Government - House of Representatives - Taxes

The False-Flag of the Debt Ceiling ‘Crisis’

July 18, 2011 by

-By Frank Salvato

I suppose I will have to come out publicly to ‘east crow,’ as it were. I have often berated the Obama Administration’s assertion that it is the most transparent administration in US history. Evidently it is. You see, I was looking at it all wrong before; silly me. I was expecting the declaration of transparency to be applied to the inner-workings of the Obama Administration, you know, open meetings, accessible information; a transparent process of government. What I hadn’t understood until now is that this wasn’t the context of the declaration at all. The transparency Mr. Obama was talking about in his run up to the Presidency was one of “watch what I can do right in front of your face and get away with” transparency, and we are getting that transparency in spades.

Never before has an administration so transparently and blatantly lied to the American people. Yes, dishonesty, exaggeration and spin have become the standard operating procedure for almost every politician, lobbyist and special interest operative inside the beltway and the 50 government complexes, but the Obama Administration’s degree of expertise in this area is nothing short of Olympian and the perfect example of their proficiency comes to us in the form of the debt ceiling debate.

When President Obama, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid or House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi take to the many media outlets to profess the dire situation our country faces should we not grant this spendthrift administration the ability to incur more debt by raising the $14.3 trillion debt ceiling, they are lying – bald-faced – to the American people; they are creating a crisis where there is none. It’s a simple as that. If you don’t believe me just take a look at the Daily Treasury Statements published by the US Treasury Department and execute some elementary math calculations.
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The False-Flag of the Debt Ceiling ‘Crisis’”

Congress - Conservatives - GOP - House of Representatives - Republicans - Warner Todd Huston

Count Down Begins Until We Are Rid of Ron Paul

July 17, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

“Big News,” folks. Ron Paul has decided to retire from his 18-term House seat to “focus” on his next futile run for the GOP nomination for the presidency.

This morning, on his Facebook page, Rep. Paul made the following announcement:

Big news! I have decided not to seek re-election for my House seat in 2012 and will focus all of my energy winning the Presidency. My hometown newspaper The Facts will be running the exclusive story very shortly.

Paul has decided that his run for the White House needs to take precedent… or he just really wants to retire. He is 75-years-old, after all. He likely realizes that he will come no closer to winning the nomination than he ever has before. I mean, can he be so stupid as to imagine he really has a shot?
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Count Down Begins Until We Are Rid of Ron Paul”

Anti-Americanism - Catholicism - Christianity - Democrats/Leftists - Ethics - Government - Illinois State Government - Liberals - Lisa Madigan - Religion - Warner Todd Huston

Illinois Government Attacks Freedom of Religion

July 17, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

First Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan tried to have published for public consumption all the names and addresses of every gun owner in her state. Apparently she meant to harass the legal gun owners in her jurisdiction. Now she has launched an effort to harass religious adoption institutions and on the thinnest of pretexts, too.

As to the gun owners, back in March Madigan thought it would be a good idea to publish all the names and contact info of the law abiding Illinoisans who followed the law and registered their ownership of guns with the state police. You see you can’t own a gun in Illinois without a Firearms Owner ID card (FOID). Madigan wanted to publish all that information so that anyone could identify any Illinois gun owner.

Fortunately, she failed because the state legislature jumped into gear and added a section to the state’s gun laws to make it illegal to expose to the public all the personal info of the state’s firearm owners. Even the Democrats in Illinois couldn’t stomach Madigan’s attempt to “out” every gun owner and leave them open for harassment and to be targeted by thieves and gangs looking for free guns.
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Illinois Government Attacks Freedom of Religion”

Journalism - Media - Media Bias - Selwyn Duke

Media Matters Takes another Shot at Stirring Up Anti-Truth Outrage

July 17, 2011 by

-By Selwyn Duke

It really is a shame when a media watchdog has a twisted nose that mistakes putrescence for floral aroma – and vice versa. In a piece published Monday, self-proclaimed media watcher MediaMatters (MM) criticizes Fox News for running the supposedly “misleading headline”: “Cambridge, MA set to Pay Gay Employees More Than Straight.” MediaMatters takes issue with Fox because the headline doesn’t explain that the reason for the measure is to compensate homosexuals for a tax that married couples don’t have to pay.

Of course, a headline is a hook, designed to draw readers in, not an explanation. But Fox offered no such explanation – at least that’s what MM leads its readers to believe. The attack dog writes that Fox “excerpted an article from The Daily Mail, which has a similarly misleading headline. However, the Daily Mail article clearly explains that the city is offering gay employees a stipend to offset a federal tax that does not apply to straight employees.” The Daily Mail “clearly explains” this, so, obviously, Fox doesn’t.

Except that it does.
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Media Matters Takes another Shot at Stirring Up Anti-Truth Outrage”

Christianity - Daniel Clark - PCism - Religion - Society/Culture - Western Civilization

The ‘Reason’ Excuse: FFRF Practices Political Religion

July 16, 2011 by

-By Daniel Clark

If you’ve been reading the papers lately, you’re probably aware that the Freedom From Religion Foundation is becoming increasingly busy. The Wisconsin-based atheist organization has backed an unsuccessful attempt by one of its honorary board members, Michael Newdow, to remove the words “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance. It has also been trying to ban national and state Days of Prayer, and was involved in a controversy when one of its anti-God billboards was, apparently inadvertently, placed on church property.

In one episode that borders on self-parody, FFRF succeeded in having a plaque that said “Only God can make a tree” removed from a tree in a county park. Just how grotesquely has the First Amendment been warped, that “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,” is now taken to mean that religiously influenced poetic allusions are banned from public places? Is FFRF aware that Joyce Kilmer’s poetry can also be found in public libraries? Fahrenheit 451, here we come.

The atheists at FFRF like to flatter themselves as “freethinkers” who are guided by “reason,” as if their godlessness had been derived through a factual analysis. There are some questions that human beings simply lack the wherewithal to factually answer. Evidence to support the various hypotheses about the origin of life, for example, is so scarce that reason cannot compel a belief in any one of them. The conclusion that any of them is correct requires a belief in something for which there is no proof — which is to say, faith.
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The ‘Reason’ Excuse: FFRF Practices Political Religion”

Christianity - Michael Bresciani‏ - Religion

Selling Christian Junk While Making Shipwreck of Our Faith?

July 15, 2011 by

-By Rev Michael Bresciani

In the 1960’s I was onboard an 800ft long vessel that entered the Bermuda Triangle. She sailed along with ease in the calmest seas until clouds began forming on the horizon directly in the path of our heading. The storm that arose tossed that huge ship around like a mere toothpick in a Jacuzzi and when the swells lifted the bow, then suddenly dropped away, the ship would come down with a loud bang and shock waves reverberated down the entire length of the hull.

If the ship couldn’t bear the shock wave, it would break in half and sink. Many ships have met their doom this way. I ignored orders of the captain to stay inside. I mounted the top deck of the aft section and there held on for dear life while witnessing the most powerful show of nature s fury I have seen to this day.

If I had to describe the social scene in America, I would have to say that it is like my day in the Bermuda Triangle, and this ship I know as my native country, is in danger of breaking in half. The storm in the triangle lasted about forty minutes then disappeared and I hope that the storm that is tossing in our nation today is as short-lived. It could be, if we choose to take action and steer clear of these present dangerous waters.
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Selling Christian Junk While Making Shipwreck of Our Faith?”

Budget - California - Children - Education - Larry Sand - Public Employees Unions - Taxes - Teachers Unions - Unions

AB 114: A Blatant Attack on California’s Schools

July 14, 2011 by

-By Larry Sand

The California Teachers Association and Democrats in the legislature join forces to victimize school districts, children and taxpayers

In Sacramento, on Tuesday night, June 28, school districts, children and taxpayers were essentially mugged by a gang of Democrat legislators at the behest of their bosses in the California Teachers Association. Governor Jerry Brown, also in the pockets of CTA, was a willing accomplice.

AB 114, a one hundred page monstrosity, was rammed through both houses of the state legislature late on the 28th and was not published until the following morning. Governor Brown signed it into law the next day. As the Sacramento Bee reported, there were no committee hearings and no chance for the public to scrutinize the bill, which became public less than an hour before it was approved for passage.

AB 114 does several things, all of which imperil local school districts by imposing a mandate upon them that many will not be able to carry out. Educated Guess writer John Fensterwald says there are three ways that AB 114 steals power away from the local district.
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AB 114: A Blatant Attack on California’s Schools”

Al Gore - Alan Caruba - Anti-Americanism - Barbara Boxer - Budget - Business - Cap and Trade - Capitalism - Climate Change - Coal - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Electric - Energy - Environment - Government - Liberals - Natural Gas - Nuclear Power - Oil - President - Taxes

The Greens Just Love Us to Death

July 13, 2011 by

-By Alan Caruba

The vote to end the $6 billion in subsidies to ethanol producers reminded me how much Greens love us all. Surely only love could inspire taking corn and turning it into moonshine, and then mixing it with gasoline. The result caused food riots in far off nations while raising the cost of a gallon of gas every time we fill up at the pump. The ethanol mandates actually reduced the mileage a gallon will provide.

At some point, even the Greens grew disenchanted with ethanol and signaled their permission to end this costly boondoggle to our fearless leaders in Washington, D.C.

You may recall they got off to a strong start when the Environmental Protection Agency was established in 1970. Its first act was to ban DDT and the result of that has been the needless death of millions who could and should have been protected against malaria. The nation these days is experiencing a bed bug population explosion that could be stopped in six months if the EPA would only authorize a pesticide to kill the critters. They won’t.
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The Greens Just Love Us to Death”

Budget - California - Children - Democrats/Leftists - Education - Government - Liberals - Los Angeles - Public Employees Unions - Taxes - Teachers Unions - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

Sizing Up Classrooms

July 12, 2011 by

-By Larry Sand (Originally posted at City Journal)

It’s time to expose the “smaller-is-better” myth

Summer is in full swing, and teachers’ unions are going on the offensive. Perhaps hoping to build on the public-relations bonanza that was California’s “State of Emergency,” union activists and their progressive allies plan to rally in Washington, D.C. and around the country later this month as part of the “Save Our Schools March and Call to Action.” The public will hear from writers like Jonathan Kozol and Diane Ravitch about the indignities schools have purportedly been forced to endure in the wake of the economic downturn. One of their key themes will be the “class-size crisis.”

Teachers like smaller classes, and understandably so. The advantages include fewer papers to grade, students to manage, and parents to deal with. The teachers’ unions like smaller classes, too. Smaller classes mean more teachers and more union dues. And parents like smaller classes because they believe that their children benefit from more individual attention. Everyone agrees that smaller classes are better, right?

In a word: no. Much of the rhetoric supporting small classes is demagogic and runs afoul of the research. Let’s begin with the oft-heard union claim that classes are getting larger. Not quite. A U.S. Department of Labor chart, courtesy of teacher-union watchdog Mike Antonucci, tells the tale. Since the mid-1950s, the number of public-education employees — including teachers — has risen steadily and inexorably nationwide. Brief hiring disruptions occur only during recessionary times, which result in a minor diminution in personnel. Immediately following the downturn, however, the hiring resumes with gusto. The result is that since the mid-1950s, the U.S. student population has increased by 60 percent, while the number of public education workers, including teachers, administrators, and other non-certificated staff, has exploded by 300 percent. (For every new member in California, the union pockets more than $600 a year in dues.) Antonucci has reported on this phenomenon for years. When the economy inevitably contracts, the bellyaching and the hand-wringing about laying educators off begin anew.
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Sizing Up Classrooms”

Barack Obama - Budget - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Elections - Government - House of Representatives - Liberals - President - RightPundits.com - Senate - Taxes - Warner Todd Huston

Obama 2009: Don’t Raise Taxes in a Recession/Obama 2011: We Need to Raise Taxes

July 11, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

There has come a great marker of Obamaism that holds that everything he says has an expiration date and that he simply has no integrity because of it. How many foreign policy ideas (especially about the wars) has he presented that he’s done a 180 on? Well, here is another one, this on taxes. Just in 2009 Obama was saying that we shouldn’t be raising taxes during a recession, yet only two years later all he wants to do is raise taxes even though we are still in that self-same recession.

In 2009, just ahead of the 2010 midterms, Obama was happily telling NBC that he wasn’t raising taxes because we were in a recession. In 2009 Obama said…

Read the rest at RightPundits.com.

Anti-Americanism - Communism - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Education - Foreign Countries - Liberals - Selwyn Duke - Socialism - Venezuela

Noam Chomsky Gets Half a Clue

July 11, 2011 by

-By Selwyn Duke

Of all idiots, none is so useful as he who can masquerade as a genius.

MIT linguistics professor Noam Chomsky recently denounced Hugo Chavez, accusing the Venezuelan strongman of making an “assault” on his nation’s democracy and of cruelty with respect to a female judge he imprisoned for issuing an unwelcome ruling. The criticism made headlines, as the “renowned scholar” had long given aid and comfort to Ego-and-Mouth Chavez. In fact, when the leader denounced President Bush in an infamous 2006 U.N. address, it was Chomsky’s book Hegemony or Survival: America’s Quest for Global Dominance that he waved and used as a prop. And Chomsky often praises Venezuela’s socialist revolution, most recently saying, “It’s hard to judge how successful they [the Venezuelan socialists] are, but if they are successful they would be seeds of a better world.”

Well, socialism has only failed every time it’s been tried, but I guess Chomsky’s renowned intellect has finally figured out a way to do the same thing over and over again and achieve different results.
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Noam Chomsky Gets Half a Clue”

Budget - Democrats/Leftists - Education - Government - Larry Sand - Liberals - Public Employees Unions - Taxes - Teachers Unions - Unions

Wrestlers of the World, Unite!

July 10, 2011 by

-By Larry Sand

Only on Planet Teacher Union can obnoxious American wrestlers and a potentially cataclysmic political situation in the Middle East be utilized to advance the teachers unions’ agenda.

My never ending quest to find something good that teachers unions do for children or taxpayers has led to some pretty strange dead ends, but lately we have hit on a couple of items that even the most jaded among us can’t quite digest.

The first story has made a few ripples in the blogosphere, but overall not exactly a big splash. On April 29th, the Creative Coalition and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) issued a press release to announce that they were partnering with the National Education Association. The Creative Coalition is a typical progressive arts activist outfit, which as a registered 501(c)(3) must officially be “nonpolitical.” This is the type of organization that you’d expect NEA to align with. However, that NEA has entered into a formal partnership with WWE is something that left even one as cynical as I, with mouth agape.

NEA has a very progressive social agenda, fighting against real and imagined isms – heterosexism, feminism, etc., while promoting others – socialism, egalitarianism, etc. Of late, NEA’s favorite cause célèbre has been anti-bullying. However, if you have spent more than 3 seconds watching WWE garbage, you know that bullying (“Do you fear me? I like that.”) is just what they promote — with more than a little misogyny (“Trish get on your hands and knees like a dog.”) thrown in…and seasoned with a dash of homophobia for taste (effeminate men mincing and kissing each other in the ring) – all things NEA professes to abhor.
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Wrestlers of the World, Unite!”

Barack Obama - Capitalism - Congress - Democrats/Leftists - Economy/Finances - Government - House of Representatives - Jobs - Labor Law - Liberals - NLRB - President - Regulation - Right To Work - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

VIDEO: Autoworker Testifies About Union ‘Harassment’

July 9, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

Larry Getts testified before Congress on what a bad idea the new laws are being proposed by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The proposed rules change will speed up to only a few weeks the process of newly unionizing the employees a business. Currently it can take more than a month for that process.

Business advocates claim that this rules change would fast track unions and prevent prospective members from being able to learn all sides of the issues so that they can cast an informed vote to join a union.

Budget - Chris Christie - Democrats/Leftists - Government - Liberals - New Jersey - Republicans - Senate - Taxes - Unions - Warner Todd Huston

VIDEO: God Sides With Chris Christie, Lightening Zaps Dem That Threatened to Punch Guv

July 9, 2011 by

-By Warner Todd Huston

New Jersey’s Senate President is a vile, sort of loud-mouthed kind of cretin. Not long ago, in keeping with the Democrat’s New Tone (™) in politics, Stephen Sweeney threatened to punch Governor Christie “in his head.” Well, apparently God has added his thoughts to Sweeney’s preoccupation with violence…

Yep, that was Sweeney almost getting fried by the big guy upstairs for all his lies and nonsense.

Chris Christie, 1, Sweeney, 0.

Now if we can start zapping union members, too! Ha, ha.
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VIDEO: God Sides With Chris Christie, Lightening Zaps Dem That Threatened to Punch Guv”

2nd Amendment - Alan Caruba - Anti-Americanism - Congress - Constitution - Democrats/Leftists - Government - Guns - Liberals - President

There is No First Amendment Without a Second Amendment

July 9, 2011 by

-By Alan Caruba

When we celebrate the Fourth of July, let’s keep in mind that the first Americans won their independence from England with the force of arms. It was, in fact, a British effort in 1775 to confiscate military arms they believed were stored in Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts that sparked the war.

The Founding Fathers were so aware of the need for an armed citizenry that, after ensuring freedom of religion, speech, press and the right to peacefully assemble in the First Amendment, the Second guaranteed their right to bear arms.

Wherever authoritarian regimes were established in the last century, they took away this right and then proceeded to kill those deemed enemies of the state.

At this point in American history, the Obama administration constitutes a threat to the Constitution in general and the Second Amendment in particular.
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There is No First Amendment Without a Second Amendment”