HAS HARRY REID GONE NUTS?

by William J. Murray, Religious Freedom Coalition: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has just plain gone wacko. In all the years I have worked on the Hill I have never seen anything like this. The man is swinging from side to side on major issues within days and sometimes hours. He claims to have confronted President George W. Bush and told him the "war in Iraq is lost." But I know witnesses at the meeting that said he did not make that remark at all. Just after his meeting with the President he had said it was "constructive." Within a day he changed his story to "the war will be lost." That is three versions of the meeting in less than 24 hours! Secondly, on Dec. 17, 2006 Senator Reid recommended sending more troops to Iraq and now he says the President is wrong for following his (Reid's) advice to conduct the "surge." Thirdly, as I reported last week Reid voted for the Partial Birth Abortion Ban and then criticized the Supreme Court for upholding the law he himself had voted for! His office then made a statement that his criticism of the conservatives on the high Court was general in nature and that he did in fact support the partial Birth Abortion Ban. That, combined with the screaming into microphones, makes me wonder what exactly is going on in this man's head.
See also: "Losers" by Oliver North: "Since Reid announced "this war is lost," I have heard from dozens of the soldiers, sailors, airmen, Guardsmen and Marines . . . None of them agree with Reid's assessment."

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Tags: Harry Reid, Oliver North, Religious Freedom Coalition, Senator, William J. Murray To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Earmark stench is getting worse

The Washington DC Examiner Newspaper: Senators who haven’t yet gotten their earmark requests tucked into the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services and Education appropriations bill were no doubt gladdened to hear yesterday that the deadline has been extended. That happy news came in an e-mail circulated on Capitol Hill yesterday from Senate Appropriation Committee aide Jeff Kratz. Now lawmakers have until May 4 to get those juicy pork barrel projects funded in the 2008 Labor/HHS/Education spending bill. . . .

Remember right after the November elections when the Senate’s longtime “King of Pork,” Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) promised an “earmark moratorium” on 2007 spending? The moratorium was supposed to give the new Democratic majority time to pass the promised legislation that would shine needed light on the thousands of anonymous spending measures slipped into bills by senators and congressmen. Since Byrd was about to become Appropriations Committee chairman and was well-known for directing billions of dollars in earmarks to his home state, the moratorium was seen by many congressional reformers as an encouraging sign. Now we find that not only has the moratorium on 2007 spending bill earmarks been forgotten, senators are in the process of larding up 2008 bills as well. Both the Senate and the House have passed earmark reforms, but the Democratic leadership in both chambers is taking its time in resolving differences between the two measures. . . . [Read More]

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Tags: Democrats, earmarks, pork, US Congress To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

New bills would gives special preference to homosexuals

American Family Association: A new bill, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), has been introduced in the House of Representatives by homosexual Congressman Barney Frank. The bill (HR 2015) would force organizations such as the Boy Scouts, Veterans of Foreign Wars, day care centers, Christian business owners, adoption agencies, public schools, municipalities and a host of other businesses and organizations to hire homosexual applicants. ENDA would make it illegal to fire, refuse to hire or refuse to promote an employee based on his or her sexual orientation or "gender identity." Such acts would be considered crimes subject to severe penalties. For a list of the co-sponsors of ENDA, click here.

The same day that ENDA was introduced, another bill — commonly called the Hate Crimes Act (HR 1592) — cleared committee for a full vote by the House. The Hate Crimes Act criminalizes a vast array of state and local acts and threatens religious leaders with criminal prosecution for their thoughts, beliefs, and statements. The intent of the Hate Crimes Act is to give special status to homosexuals. Republicans tried to expand the “protected class” in the bill to include senior citizens, pregnant women, prior victims, children under 18, the unborn, court witnesses, the military and more. Democrats defeated all amendments, projecting the welfare of homosexuals above other classes of citizens. The House Judiciary Committee then passed the bill on strict party lines —20 Democrats for and 14 Republicans against.

Take Action:

• Send an e-mail to President Bush asking him to veto ENDA (HR 2015) and the Hate Crimes Act (HR 1592) bills.
• Call your representative and ask him or her to vote against ENDA and the Hate Crimes Act. You can reach your representative at 202-224-3121. If you don’t know your representatives name, simply give the operator your address and you will be given his or her name and connected with his or her office.
• Forward this posting to your pastor, family and friends. Ask your pastor to urge members to send this e-mail and to call your Representative.

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Tags: American Family Association, Employment Non-Discrimination Act, ENDA, Hate Crimes Act, homosexual activism To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Conservative Black Pastors Fight Bill on Hate Crimes

by Hamil R. Harris, Washington Post: A coalition of conservative African American pastors is lobbying Congress to vote against a bill that would extend federal hate-crimes laws to cover gays, saying they fear it would prevent them from preaching against homosexuality. Several pastors last week urged House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers Jr. (D-MI), a sponsor of the bill, and other members of the Congressional Black Caucus to vote against the proposed Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

They say it would pin the hate crime label on their sermons against homosexuality, which they consider a sin. "This bill will offer a status for gays, lesbians and transgender people under the equal protection status that can muzzle the black church," said Bishop Harry R. Jackson Jr., pastor of Hope Christian Church in Lanham and founder of the High Impact Leader Coalition. "This law can be applied in the way that can keep the church from preaching the Gospel." . . . Among the groups opposing the bill are the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, the Family Research Council and Exodus International, a coalition of formerly gay Christians. The Unitarian Universalist Association, Integrity USA and the NAACP support the bill. . . . [Read More]

Todays Comments by Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council: This week the House of Representatives will vote on H.R. 1592, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007. This legislation seeks to federalize certain violent crimes - but only if you qualify for one of the categories they have created. The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states that every U.S. citizen should be granted equal protection under the law. H.R. 1592 establishes a system where victims would be treated differently based on the "actual or perceived" class or group with which they identify. Merriam-Webster defines a caste system as "a system of rigid social stratification," whereas some are given privileges and priority over others. The very concept of a caste system in the United States should be loathsome; however that is what this bill seeks to create. Under this legislation if a man who defines himself as bisexual is attacked it will automatically be assumed the local authorities are inadequate and he will have access to millions of federal dollars to help in the investigation. In contrast, if a member of the military or a pregnant woman is attacked they have no federal outlet to turn to. I wholeheartedly condemn violence against anyone, but if all Americans are to be treated equally this caste system cannot be allowed to become law.

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Tags: FRC, freedom of speech, Hate Crime Bill, religous freedom, Tony Perkins

1st Democrat Presidential Candidate Debate: Hillary loses

by Star Parker: The first debate of the 2008 presidential campaign was an unimpressive affair. Poor management of the event by MSNBC didn't help. Certainly, to try and be understanding, conducting a meaningful discussion with eight candidates, at least one of whom should not have even been up there, is not easy. . . . If I were any Republican candidate, I'd be feeling good about my prospects after watching this field of Democrats. The views of the group were almost monotone in their uniformity and lack of freshness, originality and boldness. Among this underwhelming crew, I think Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton distinguished herself as the clear loser. I say this because I think the senator from New York was the only candidate whose inconsistencies were particularly glaring.

Clinton's script on her vote supporting the invasion of Iraq has been that if she knew then what she claims she knows now, her vote would have been different. Nevertheless, she has not, like former Sen. John Edwards, expressed regret about that vote. Yet, when Clinton was asked how she would follow up on new terrorist attacks on the United States, she said that she would attack the perpetrators (assuming that they could be clearly identified) but that she wouldn't be "starting up" with others. . . .

Aside from disingenuousness and inconsistency in Clinton's views on Iraq, I was appalled by her comments about Wal-Mart. When asked by Williams if Wal-Mart is good or bad for the country, Clinton responded that it's a "mixed blessing." Could anyone imagine Clinton having said that Wal-Mart was a mixed blessing when her husband was governor of Arkansas? . . . [Read More]
Star Parker is president and founder of CURE, the Coalition on Urban Renewal & Education, and is author of "Uncle Sam's Plantation," where she offers five simple yet profound steps that will allow the nation’s poor to go from entitlement and slavery to empowerment and freedom.

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Tags: debate, Democrat, Hillary Clinton, presidential candidate, Star Parker To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Huckabee Releases Internet Videos - Addressing Campaign Issues

Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee Exploritory Committee released Internet videos this week . Huckabee is a candidate seeking the 2008 Republican Presidential nomination. In these videos, Huckabee speaks to all Americans on why he is running for President and addresses on the record his position on a number of campaign issues.

Other Topics:
National Security/Foreign Policy; Health Care; Education;
Immigration; Sanctity of Life; Same Sex Marriage;
Israel; Faith & Politics; Taxes/Economy

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Tags: Arkansas, economy, education, healthcare, immigration reform, Israel, marriage amendment, Mike Huckabee, Politics, presidential candidate, Republican, Sanctity of Life, taxes, video

Tom Tancredo on CNN & Fox News [Videos]

Congressman Tom Tancredo and candidate for the Republican Presidential 2008 nomination was on both CNN's Headline News Prime with Glenn Beck and FOX News' Your World with Neil Cavuto discussing jailed border patrol agent Ignacio Ramos and Jose Campean. He also discussed the Salvation Army's firing of non English speaking employees and the Government suing this private nonprofit organization. Also discusses current situation of border agents in prison.

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Tags: CNN, Fox News, Glenn Beck, Ignacio Ramos, Jose Compean, Neil Cavuto, presidential candidate, Republican, Tom Tancredo, video To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Letters to the Editor On Federal Hate Crime Bill

The following two letters were received by the ARRA Blog editors today. They were also sent to the to the Arkansas Democrat Gazatte, We do not know if the "Voices" page editor will be print them -- but we will:

1st Letter to Voices:
San Francisco’s US Ninth Circuit Court recently ruled that the terms "natural family," and "family values" could be considered hate speech and can be censored. Lest one think that this could happen only in California, note the recent letters to Voices that slammed columnist Mike Masterson for strongly disagreeing with this court’s opinion. One of them even suggested this paper drop Masterson’s column.

These writers accuse Masterson of being filled with hate for homosexuals in the same breath that they are spewing out venom toward Masterson and using these descriptive terms for him and others: “bigoted Biblical babblings”, ”vile words”, “abomination”,“far right”, “fascist Christians”, “self-righteous”, “wicked”, “pious Pharisee”, “prejudiced”, “Nazis” “gay bashing bullies,” In other words, they passionately hate anyone who disagrees with them, or gets in the way of their agenda. They think they have every right to use names like these for those who disagree with them - but “natural family, and “family values” are hate speech! How illogical can people be!

One letter praises the court for supporting gays. But who is going to support and defend the Christian’s right to proclaim truths that are proclaimed in the Bible, truths which are much more derogatory toward homosexuals than the words censored by the California court? And just what court is going to rule that terms used by these letter writers are “hate speech”

Thanks Masterson, for agreeing with everyone who believes in freedom of speech by disagreeing with the court and for facing this onslaught of hate.
Debbie Pelley, Jonesboro, AR

2nd Letter to Voices:
A hate crime bill by Senator Wilkins was recently defeated in Arkansas. Liberal lawmakers are now pushing the US hate crime bill by John Conyers (H.R. 1592) because of intense political pressure from the homosexual lobby.

Citizens should keep in mind that the number of hate crimes committed in US (FBI report) is very insignificant in comparison to other crimes. In 1997, 2,087 children were killed and 101,000 children sexually abused. In 2005 there were six murders related to hate crimes out of a total of 16,692 murders. "In about half of hate crimes, the victim was threatened verbally or assaulted without either a weapon or an injury being involved," according to FBI reports. In other words, speech was the violent hate crime.

As pointed out in a recent letter to Voices, a three-judge panel of the 9th U. S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco recently ruled the terms “natural family” and “family values” hate speech and could be censored. These extreme views of hate crimes are not limited to California. Arkansan homosexual sympathizers wrote letters to this paper defending the court's decision and railing against Mike Masterson - with a string of detestable terms - for his article in which he disagreed with the court's ruling.

Shouldn't we be putting our emphasis and money (the hate crime bill requires federal assistance and grants) on protecting our innocent children where there is truly an epidemic of crime rather than on a particular class of adults like homosexuals?
Pam Manard, Paragould, AR

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Tags: freedom of speech, Hate Crime Bill, hate speech, homosexual activism, House Judiciary Committee, religious freedom, US Congress To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Fred Thompson supports helping Iranians overthrow leaders

David Koenig, AP, reports: "Fred Thompson, the politician and actor considering a White House bid, said Friday he favors helping the Iranian people overthrow the government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad if the chance arises.... Many Iranians don't like their government, "and I think we ought to capitalize on that," Thompson told The Associated Press. "There is a chance they may mobilize themselves, and we need to assist them if that happens." Some public opinion polls show Thompson registering in the double digits even though he hasn't announced his political plans. ..." [Read More]

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Tags: Fred Thompson, Iran, presidential candidate, Republican To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

PETA wants reporters to identify animals as he or she

FoxNews reports that PETA — People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals — has a message for the editors at the Associated Press: Fido's a "he," not an "it." The organization, known worldwide for championing animal rights, is now taking its campaign to the written word, calling on Norm Goldstein, editor of The Associated Press Stylebook, to revise its guidelines, which currently characterize animals as inanimate objects.

In a letter written to Goldstein, the animal activists ask the AP to "take a progressive step and give animals the respect that they deserve by revising AP style guidelines to reflect the usage of personal pronouns for all animals."
Click here to read the full PETA letter. Anna West, the group's director of communications, pointed out to Goldstein that "the American legal system recognized that nonhuman animals deserve legal status beyond that of mere 'property' and that abusive treatment of animals is more than simple vandalism." No word on whether the AP also was asked to refer to Spot in second reference as Mr. Spot

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Tags: animal rights, PETA To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Brownback rescinds support of amnesty bill

Washington Times: Republican presidential hopeful Sen. Sam Brownback said yesterday he no longer supports the immigration overhaul bill that he helped pass in the Senate. "I would not vote for the same bill," Mr. Brownback told reporters yesterday morning, saying that after the bill passed the Senate he had a chance to study its effects and decided it led to too much immigration. It's a major reversal for a man who is listed as one of seven original sponsors of the bill, . . . He said the bill would lead to too much "chain migration," allowing immigrants to sponsor family members to join them in the United States. Brownback said he supports sponsorship of spouses and children, but that thinks siblings should be excluded. The immigration issue has Republicans spinning, particularly those running for president, as they try to match their rhetoric to the beliefs of conservative primary voters. . . . [Click for more]

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Tags: chain migration, GOP, immigration reform, presidential candidate, Republican, Sam Brownback

Mexico opens new Mexican consulate in Arkansas

By Rob Moritz, Arkansas News Bureau: The state's first foreign diplomatic office - a Mexican consulate - officially opened its doors Wednesday . . . The consulate, Mexico's 47th in the United States, will not only serve as link between the U.S. and Mexico, but it also will offer services to the growing Mexican population living Arkansas, Mississippi, and Oklahoma . . .

Arturo Zarukhan, the Mexican ambassador to the U.S., told a crowd of more than 300 that he hopes the consulate will "deepen and widen the relationship" between Arkansas and Mexico. Our bilateral relationship has a direct, immediate and tangible impact on the economic, social and well being of our two peoples, and in this vibrant relationship ... this consulate plays a key role," he said. . . .

When asked . . . whether the consulate would get involved in federal immigrations sweeps or other immigration matters, Zarukhan said, "There's a limit to what the consulate can do." "We cannot interfere with the application of the law in the United States," he said. "But certainly the consulates do get involved when the rights of those individuals who have been detained, have been violated, or when you have instances of families that are torn asunder and parents are deported and the kids stay here. "The ambassador said the consulate would make sure Mexican citizens have access to their documents, and passports, and it will address labor disputes and human rights issues. (Andres Chao, the new consul) said the consulate would not be a way station for illegal immigrants to enter the country. He said his office would issue special identification cards, which are accepted by some banks for opening of checking accounts. [Read More]

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Tags: Arkansas, Mexican consulate, Mexican Government, Mexico

McCarthy-Dingell HR 297 Threating Gun Owners

GOA Alert: All the gun haters (who have been keeping silent for a while) are now coming out of the closet and into the open. Take the notoriously anti-gun senator from New York -- Chuck Schumer. He has been very,very excited this week. Recent events have given him a platform, and the excuse, to push legislation that he had sponsored years ago --legislation that never got through Congress.

The McCarthy-Dingell HR 297 would require the states to turn over mountains of personal data (on people like you) to the FBI -- any information which according to the Attorney General 's unilateral discretion would be useful in ascertaining who is or is not a "prohibited person." Liberal support for this bill points out an interesting hypocrisy in their loyalties: For six years, congressional Democrats have complained about the Bush administration's efforts to obtain personal information on suspected terrorists without a Court Order. And yet, this bill would allow the FBI to obtain massive amounts of information -- information which dwarfs any records obtained from warrantless searches (or wiretaps) that have been conducted by the Bush Administration on known or suspected terrorists operating in the country. HR 297 would allow the FBI to get this information on honest Americans (like you) even though the required data is much more private and personal than any information obtained thus far by the Bush administration on terrorists. And all of these personal records would be obtained by the FBI with no warrant or judicial or Congressional oversight whatsoever! Get the picture? Spying on terrorists is bad... but spying on honest gun owners is good.

After all, this horrific intrusion on the private lives of all Americans is presumed to be "okay" because it's only being used to bash guns, not to go after terrorists and criminals who are trying to kill us. This information could include your medical, psychological, financial, education, employment, traffic, state tax records and more. We don't even know the full extent of what could be included because HR 297 is so open-ended (view HR 297) . It requires states to provide the NICS system with ALL RECORDS that the Attorney General believes will help the FBI determine who is and who is not a prohibited person. Certainly, an anti-gun AG like Janet Reno would want as many types of records in the system as possible. The provision that would probably lead to the greatest number of' fishing expeditions' is that related to illegal aliens. Federal law prohibits illegal aliens from owning guns. The bill requires all "relevant" data related to who is in this country illegally. But what records pertaining to illegal aliens from the states would be relevant? Perhaps a better question would be, what records are not relevant?

ACTION: Please take a moment to communicate your opposition to HR 297 . Visit the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center to send your Representative a pre-written e-mail message or call your Representative toll-free at 1-877-762-8762.

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Tags: GOA, gun control, Gun Owners of America, gun rights, McCarthy-Dingell To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Arkansas Teacher Honored at the White House

This morning, Rep. Boozman (R-AR) joined Springdale, Arkansas teacher Justin Minkel at the White House where President George Bush and First Lady Laura Bush recognized the finalists and the 2007 National Teacher of the Year. Justin, a second-grade teacher at Harvey Jones Elementary, was a finalist for the award, after picking up the 2007 Arkansas Teacher of the Year honor. Later this afternoon, Rep. Boozman met with Minkel to discuss Minkel's thoughts on how we can improve the No Child Left Behind Program.

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Tags: Arkansas, D.C., John Boozman, Justin Minkel, Springdale, teachers, White House

Liberals (Barney and Friends) launched an attack on family values& Lays groundwork for silencing Christian viewpoint on homosexuality

Liberals launched a full-blown attack on family values yesterday, introducing and debating bills that could significantly change America's criminal and employment codes. In the House Judiciary Committee, the mark-up on thought crimes legislation went on well past 9 p.m., in part because of Republican attempts to include amendments; all amendments were rejected. The Committee then passed the bill (H.R. 1592) on strict party lines--20 Democrats for and all 14 Republicans against. The version that now heads to the House floor violates the Commerce Clause and the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Amendments. It federalizes a vast array of state and local crimes and threatens religious leaders with criminal prosecution for their thoughts, beliefs, and statements.

Adding insult to injury, Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) introduced the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) yesterday, which would make it illegal to fire, refuse to hire, or refuse to promote an employee based on his sexual orientation or "gender identity." Several corporations have joined Frank in his attempt to elevate sexual practices to civil rights status, including giants such as Coca-Cola, Gap, General Mills, Hewlett-Packard, Levi Strauss, Microsoft, Nationwide, and Nike.

Don’t be deceived: while “hate crimes” and “nondiscrimination” laws sound noble and high-minded, they aim to normalize homosexuality and “transgenderism” in all arenas of society – and to silence and punish all opposing viewpoints. Read the excellent article by Peter Sprigg of Family Research Council, “What's Wrong with Thought Crimes ('Hate Crimes') Laws?” This bill mandates a separate federal criminal prosecution for state offenses – with the possibility of life imprisonment – for crimes motivated by actual or perceived “sexual orientation” and “gender identity.” Significantly, HR 1592 doesn’t even define what the term “sexual orientation” means!

H.R 1592 paves the way to religious persecution – with “hate crimes” laws inevitably leading to “hate speech” laws targeted specifically at Christians and other faith groups who hold traditional beliefs on homosexuality. Already this has happened in Canada, Sweden, Belgium, France, Spain, Ireland, Scotland, England, and New Zealand. Even here in the United States in Philadelphia, Christians have been arrested and jailed under a state “hate crimes” law.

Let’s face it: homosexual and transgender activists know full well that the church is one of last bastions in Western culture that has yet to cave in to the demands of a radical agenda that seeks to redefine fundamental concepts such as marriage, family and gender. Here’s the bottom line: If this Thought Crimes law passes, your right to share politically incorrect parts of your Christian faith could, in fact, become a federal crime.

Take Action: Take a few moments to call your U.S. Representative and urge him or her to vote against HR 1592 and preserve the "First Freedoms" of all Americans. For a telephone number and talking points, Click Here. The main switchboard number for your House member is 202-224-3121.

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Tags: Barney Frank, Employment Non-Discrimination Act, ENDA, Hate Crime Bill, homosexual activism, House Judiciary Committee, religous freedom, US Congress To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Speaking out for Truth, Doctrine and Faith

Tony Perkins, FRC: In a powerful call to conscience, the Vatican's second-highest doctrinal official delivered a speech yesterday that decried the impact of cultural decay. Archbishop Angelo Amato, secretary of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, made his remarks in response to Italy's debate over homosexual "rights." Pointing to media stories as one example of society's moral collapse, he said the news "often seemed like a perverse film about evil," which "remains almost invisible" because odious deeds are portrayed like "expressions of human progress." Calling abortion "terrorism with a human face," he condemned the politically correct terminology used for modern ills. "For example, abortion is called 'voluntary interruption of pregnancy' and not the killing of a defenseless human being. [A]n abortion clinic is given a harmless, even attractive, name: 'center for reproductive health' and euthanasia is blandly called 'death with dignity,'" he said. At a time when churches are threatened for speaking the truth, we applaud Archbishop Amato for his leadership and honesty. We should all be emboldened and encouraged to follow in his example.
See Also: Senior Vatican Official: Abortion Clinics are “Slaughterhouses of Human Beings”
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Tags: abortion, Archbishop Angelo Amato, Church doctrine, euthanasia, FRC, Tony Perkins

Attorney General Gonzales to meet with Sen. Pryor on resolve dispute

by Aaron Sadler, Stephens Washington Bureau: Attorney General Alberto Gonzales will meet with Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR), today in an effort to resolve an ongoing dispute over whether Gonzales lied to the senator about a U.S. attorney vacancy in Arkansas. Pryor called for Gonzales' resignation last month, saying in a Senate speech that publicly released Justice Department e-mails contradicted what the attorney general told him in a Dec. 15 telephone conversation. Testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee last week, Gonzales denied lying to Pryor. On Tuesday, Pryor said he agreed to meet with Gonzales . . . [Read More]

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Tags: Alberto Gonzales, Arkansas, Attorney General, Mark Pryor, Senator To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Presidential Candidate Huckabee addresses issues in Rogers, Arkansas

Former Governor Mike Huckabee just off the campaign trail in Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina, spoke to reporters and bloggers on various issues in Rogers, Arkansas. Huckabee identified that the big issues in the presidential primary are traditional Republican ones: pro-life, pro-family, lower taxes and strong support of the Second Amendment, which guarantees the right to bear arms.
Huckabee identified that illegal immigration is another big issue with voters. He identified that border security is important and shared his experience at the airport with security as an illustration: "Every time I go to the Little Rock airport, which is several times a week now, I have to show ID. They know me and call me by my name, but get my ID. We need to know who's coming into the country, whether they have any communicable diseases, a criminal background or on a terror list whether they're from Guatemala or Sri Lanka."

Huckabee did relate that there are needs for foreign workers and said. "There's no need for seven years of paperwork. There is a need for people who will do jobs after our citizens have had first crack at them."As for those who are already in the United States illegally, Huckabee said, "I don't believe in amnesty. There does need to be restitution, and a way to make sure they don't jump in front of people who have been trying to get into the country legally." Huckabee also said he was opposed to any time line for withdrawal of troops from Iraq and would rely on the advice of military leaders and a commitment to the troops in making decisions.

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Tags: Mike Huckabee, presidential candidate, Republican To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Silencing CriticismThe history of sham arguments for McCain-Feingold.

by James Bopp Jr.: There is a perennial impulse among governing powers to make political dissent illegal. The Framers of our Constitution, well acquainted with this impulse, squarely countered it by vesting the powers of government with the people. This principle firmly established that it was perfectly within the rights of the people to criticize their government. The American government was to be an act of self-government by the people, and the First Amendment was to ensure the people’s participation in their own government by protecting the “four indispensable democratic freedoms” of speech, press, assembly, and petitioning the government. Thus, the First Amendment was intended to deprive the government of the power to silence criticism of official actions. But the temptation to use government power to silence opponents is a powerful one ... [Read More] - {James Bopp, Jr. is lead counsel for Wisconsin Right to Life. He is the principle attorney at Bopp, Coleson & Bostrom in Terre Haute, Indiana, and serves as general counsel for the James Madison Center for Free Speech.}

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Tags: dissent, FEC, Federal Election Commission, free speech, McCain-Feingold, Right to Life, US Supreme Court, Wisconsin To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Karl Rove to Speak at Washington County Lincoln Day Dinner

Robin Lundstrum, Chair of the Washington County Republican Committee Lincoln Day Dinner, has announced that Karl Rove will be their special guest speaker at the Washington County Lincoln Day Dinner at 7:00 on May 12 at the Springdale Holiday Inn Convention Center. The dinner tickets are $40, $70, and $100.

Karl Rove is a Republican political strategist and President George W. Bush's top advisor, earning him the nickname "Bush's Brain." He was appointed as Assistant to the President and Senior Advisor to the President by Bush during his first term. He is currently Assistant to the President, Deputy Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor.

Washinton County plan a very special night to salute the local troops. They want to buy every soldier and his or her guest dinner and honor them that night! The following contacts will help you purchase tickets, honor a solder, buy an ad for your business, or donate to the silent auction. Purchase your tickets early - Ticket Sales: Anne - 479- 442-8280; Reception Tickets for a Reception at 6:00 pm: Robin - 479- 935-9858; For information - call Robin - 479- 935-9858.

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Tags: Arkansas, Carl Rove, GOP, Lincoln Day Dinner, Republican, Washington County

Sticker Shock: Student Suspended for Duct Tape Message

Tony Perkins, FRC: Try as they might to smother the pro-family message, school officials across the country had a difficult time silencing the 7,000 students in 49 states who participated in the Alliance Defense Fund's (ADF) "Day of Truth" last week. In one instance, a Maryland high school told student Beth Otradovec that she couldn't post signs or distribute fliers about the alternative to homosexuals' "Day of Silence." After receiving a letter from ADF legal counsel outlining Beth's constitutional rights, the school quickly changed its mind. In Allendale, New Jersey, conservatives had similar success. While endorsing the liberal "Day of Silence," North Highlands Regional High School banned students from participating in a counter-event--that is, until ADF brought suit against the school. Unfortunately, the issue has not been resolved in Muskegon, Michigan where David Gardiner was suspended for wearing a piece of duct tape on his shirt that said, "I'm straight." School administrators considered the message offensive yet protected the rights of other students to put duct tape across their mouths to endorse a lifestyle of sexual deviancy that undermines personal health and undercuts moral norms. ADF's project unites real compassion with real courage - to speak the truth in love.

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Tags: Alliance Defense Fund, FRC, homosexual activism, Tony Perkins To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Vermont wants to impeach the Prez/Veep

by Mark A Kilmer (as posted on his weblog): Perhaps stoned on the Maple syrup, Vermont’s State critters want to impeach Bush/Cheney:
"The Vermont state senate passed a symbolic resolution on Friday calling on the U.S. Congress to impeach U.S. President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney over their handling of the unpopular Iraq war. The resolution, passed by a 16 to 9 vote, urges Vermont’s representatives in Washington to introduce a resolution in Congress requiring the U.S. House Judiciary Committee to start impeachment proceedings against Bush and Cheney. Vermont’s congressional delegation has shown no serious interest in the idea, and the new Democratic-controlled Congress has also steered clear of the subject. . . . Vermont, known for its colonial inns, maple sugar, autumn foliage and century-old dairy farms…" A great place to visit, but don’t drink the water.

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Tags: Dick Cheney, Impeachment, Mark Kilmer, President George Bush, Vermont, vice president To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Border agents reject leadersRamos-Compean, 'amnesty' cited in unanimous no-confidence vote

WorldNetDaily: Citing the case of imprisoned former agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean among other complaints, all 100 top leaders of the National Border Patrol Council have endorsed a no-confidence resolution against Chief David V. Aguilar. The union, which represents 11,000 of the U.S. Border Patrol's nonsupervisory field agents, pointed to Aguilar's willingness to believe the "perjured allegations" of criminal aliens over his own agents, in a statement issued today, first reported by the Washington Times. [Read More]

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Tags: amnesty, border control, David Aguilar, Ignacio Ramos, illegal aliens, Jose Compean, National Border Patrol Council To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Your Religious Freedom Is In Jeopardy! US House Judiciary Committee fast-tracking so-called hate crimes bill

by Rev Louis Sheldon, TVC: The House Judiciary Committee is fast-tracking the so-called hate crimes bill, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007 (H.R. 1592). It will be voted out of the committee this week.

• Tomorrow -Tuesday, April 24 -- House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security will markup (amend) the bill and vote it out of subcommittee.
• Wednesday, April 25 -- full House Judiciary Committee will markup (amend) the bill and vote it out of committee. It could reach the floor early the next week.
• H.R. 1592 will make homosexuals or gender confused individuals federally-protected classes under federal law! If this happens, homosexuals, drag queens, transsexuals and other “sexual orientations” can claim protected minority status!

The passage of H.R. 1592 is a serious threat to religious liberty. It will be used to lay the legal foundation and establish a framework to investigate, persecute and prosecute pastors, business owners or anyone else whose actions are based upon the truths found in the Bible, which have previously been protected by the First Amendment. This will result in a chilling effect on religious freedom. We urge you to contact members of the Subcommittee and the full Committee and ask that they vote AGAINST passage of H.R. 1592. Their names and phone numbers below.

No Epidemic Of Hate Crimes Exists! The FBI statistics for the past ten years show that hate crimes are declining every year. H.R. 1592 falsely claims in Section 2, without any evidence, that “the incidence of violence motivated by the actual or perceived race, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, or disability of the victim poses a serious national problem.” FBI statistics from 2005 (the latest available) reveal that there is no national epidemic of hate against minority groups or against homosexuals.

According to the FBI, in 2005 there were only 5,190 hate crimes directed against all persons. Of this figure, only 1,171 were sexual orientation bias crimes. Out of this 1,171:

• 301 were listed as “intimidation.”
• 333 were listed as “simple assault.”
• 177 were listed as aggravated assault! There was one forcible rape and no murders based on sexual orientation in 2005.
• 1 forcible rape; 30 robberies; 10 burglaries; 27 larcency-theft; 2 motor vehicle theft; 1 arson; 275 damage/vandalism; 3 other; 5 crimes against society.

Nationwide there were 862,947 aggravated assaults against all persons. (Source: FBI Crime in the United States 2005, Aggravated Assault) Out of 862,947 cases of aggravated assault, only 177 were motivated by sexual orientation bias. This is 0.000205 percent of all aggravated assaults in 2005. In a nation of 300 million, this is no epidemic of hate against homosexuals and gender confused individuals that need federal involvement in local law enforcement. (Source: Tables 2 and 4, FBI Hate Crime Stats, 2005)

List of House Judiciary Committee Members.
DEMOCRATS
John Conyers, Jr. (MI) (202) 225-5126 -- Howard L. Berman (CA) (202) 225-4695
Rick Boucher (VA) (202) 225-3861 -- Jerrold Nadler (NY) (202) 225-5635
Robert C. Scott (VA) (202) 225-8351 -- Melvin L. Watt (NC) (202) 225-1510

Zoe Lofgren (CA) (202) 225-3072 -- Sheila Jackson Lee (TX) (202) 225-3816
Maxine Waters (CA) (202) 225-2201 -- Martin T. Meehan (MA) (202) 225-3411
William D. Delahunt (MA) (202) 225-3111 -- Robert Wexler (FL) (202) 225-3001 Linda T. Sanchez (CA) (202) 225-6676 -- Steve Cohen (TN) (202) 225-3265

Hank Johnson (GA) (202) 225-1605 -- Luis Gutierrez (IL) (202) 225-8203
Brad Sherman (CA) (202) 225-5911 -- Anthony Weiner (NY) (202) 225-6616
Adam Schiff (CA) (202) 225-4176 -- Arthur Davis (AL) (202) 225-2665
Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL) (202) 225-7931 -- Keith Ellison (MN) (612) 522-1212
REPUBLICANS
Lamar S. Smith (TX) (202) 225-4236 -- James Sensenbrenner (WI) (202) 225-5101
Howard Coble (NC) (202) 225-3065 -- Elton Gallegly (CA) (202) 225-5811
Bob Goodlatte (VA) (202) 225-5431 -- Steve Chabot (OH) (202) 225-2216
Dan Lungren (CA) (202) 225-5716 -- Chris Cannon (UT) (202) 225-7751
Ric Keller (FL) (202) 225-2176 -- Darrell Issa (CA) (202) 225-3906
Mike Pence (IN) (202) 225-3021 -- Randy Forbes (VA) (202) 225-6365
Steve King (IA) (202) 225-4426 -- Tom Feeney (FL) (202) 225-2706
Trent Franks (AZ) (202) 225-4576 -- Louis Gohmert (TX) (202) 225-3035
Jim Jordan (OH) (202) 225-2676
TAKE ACTION: Call your U.S. Representatives if they are on the Judiciary Committee. If not, email your Representative through CapWiz and urge them to vote NO on H.R. 1592. Your religious liberties are at stake. Act today and send this your friends. Urge them to contact their Representatives immediately!

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Tags: religious freedom, Hate Crime Bill, Louis Seheldon, TVC, U.S. House, US Congress To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

The inside story of the Soviet downfallThe Crusader: Ronald Reagan & the Fall of Communism

by Wes Vernon: Bit-by-bit there has emerged a large body of evidence that this "amiable dunce [as one powerful fixture of Washington's Georgetown establishment called him]" had worked through back channels around the world in a series of events that led to the end of the Cold War. Comes now The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism , the first time so many of the pieces to the puzzle of the wiley Gipper's back-channel maneuvering have ended up between the covers of one book. This is not to denigrate previous offerings with some of the same information (other books and a 1998 TV documentary). But this is by far the most complete account. And author Paul Kengor, a political science professor at Grove City College has done some serious digging, including new information and interesting angles that put previously known facts in clearer perspective. The secret plan gets underway ... [Read More] Check Out: The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism

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Tags: book review, Paul Kengor, Ronald Reagan, Soviet Union, The Crusader, Wes Vernon To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

The Ginsburg Worldview

by David Limbaugh: Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's dissenting opinion in Gonzales v. Carhart illustrates the moral depths and quagmires of irrationality to which the political and cultural left in this country have descended. In Carhart, the United States Supreme Court upheld the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003, a limited congressional ban on partial-birth abortion that was shot down by lower federal courts. What stands out in Ginsburg's opinion is not her condemnatory legal critique of the majority opinion, but her philosophical/political assertions. . . .

Much of Ginsburg's opinion reads like a feminist manifesto straight from the National Organization for Women. One gets the sense that she believes what is really at stake in the abortion debate is not the vindication of "some generalized notion of privacy." No, this is purely and simply a power struggle on behalf of women pursuing their presumably unrealized quest for complete equality. Ginsburg and those of like mind obviously regard any restrictions on abortion as threatening to women. . . . Apparently, . . . an open acknowledgment of the unborn's humanity must not even be permitted because it might somehow reverse their gains. No, we can't allow little details like the life of the unborn to encroach on "the destiny of the woman [to] be shaped … on her own conception of her spiritual imperatives and her place in society." So extreme and inflexible is the Ginsburg position on a woman's right to control her own destiny that she writes, "the notion that the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act furthers any legitimate governmental interest is, quite simply, irrational." . . . [Read More]

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Tags: David Limbaugh, partial birth abortion, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Supreme Court Judges

Former Enemy of the U.S. Details the Damage Done DefeatismReid Should Resign as Senate Majority Leader

By Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) spoke the following words of defeatism this week (4/20/07) at a news conference in Washington D.C. during a summit on the Iraq war: "I believe myself that the secretary of state, secretary of defense and - you have to make your own decisions as to what the president knows - (know) this war is lost and the surge is not accomplishing anything as indicated by the extreme violence in Iraq yesterday."

He and other defeatist today are aiding the enemy just as defeatist have done in the past as evidence by a statement by Col. Bui Tin, North Vietnamese Army who said; “The American antiwar movement was essential to our strategy …. Every day our leadership would listen to world news over the radio at 9 a.m. to follow the growth of the American antiwar movement …. America lost because of its democracy; through dissent and protest it lost the ability to mobilize a will to win.” [From: The American Legion's Resolution 169 booklet, Page 14. Note: Former Colonel Bui Tin served on the general staff of the North Vietnamese Army and received the unconditional surrender of South Vietnam on April 30, 1975. He became the editor of the People's Daily, the Official newspaper of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Disillusioned with the reality of Vietnamese communism Bui Tin now lives in Paris.]

Our enemies today are also tuning into the world news and following the anti-war movement and the defeatism by members of our Congress. Reid spoke his defeatist words as Senate Majority Leader after voting previously for funding and sending military to Iraq. Reid should resign immediately as Majority Leader of the Senate. He is not leading the Senate. Harry Reid is creating barriers to bipartisan actions in the Senate.

Input Just In -- April 23, 2005: Arkansas Federation of Republican Women (AFRW) Press Release: "Such dishonor of our military should not be excused or tolerated. Senator Reid should be held accountable for his words and should face the consequences of his cut and run position. Senator Reid’s comments comforts terrorists determined to kill our service men and women serving throughout the world. We ask all citizens to stand with our military and call for the immediate resignation of Senator Harry Reid, Democrat-Nevada, as Democratic Majority Leader in the United States Senate." President Anne Britton, AFRW

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Tags: Bill Smith, Bui Tin, defeatism, Harry Reid, Senate, US Congress To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Huckabee Hailed in South Carolina

Spartanburg County, SC - Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee beat out Republican competition Saturday by more than 400 points at the Spartanburg County convention, reflecting growing momentum for his possible 2008 White House bid in South Carolina. Huckabee pulled in 3522 points, followed by Rudy Guiliani with 3161. Huckabee also came in second place in a straw poll in Greenville County with 111 votes. Mitt Romney placed first with 132. “My authentic conservative message is clearly resonating in South Carolina, which represents the core of the Republican Party,” Huckabee said. “We’re gaining significant momentum in South Carolina. I’m confident it will carry us through the early primaries.”

“Greenville and Spartanburg are the two biggest counties and most politically active in all of South Carolina,” said Mike Campbell, who heads up Huckabee’s efforts in the Palmetto State. “You can’t win South Carolina without winning Greenville and Spartanburg.” “Greenville and Spartanburg represent the core of South Carolina Reagan-Bush country. It is evident that it’s fast becoming Huckabee country,” he said. “This is a wonderful – and significant – political development for Mike Huckabee that affirms my strong belief in his values and leadership qualities. I’m very pleased, but not surprised, with these results,” said Mrs. Iris Campbell, honorary chairwoman of Huckabee’s South Carolina presidential campaign.

See also: - Huckabee bests Giuliani, others in Saturday poll - Savanna Morning News

- GOP hopefuls focus on Iraq, court at event - The State

- Huckabee on FoxNews Video: You Decide 2008

Pelosi-Murtha Preemptive Surrender Bill

by Rod Martin: Democrats have voted to cut funding for the war; strip the President of war-making authority; cut off reinforcements for our troops; and set a deadline for U.S. retreat from Iraq next year. This bill is H.R. 1591. We call it the Pelosi-Murtha Preemptive Surrender Bill. What it means is simple: terrorists win, we lose. The House passed it on March 23, the Senate on March 29. The bills are not identical so they will have to come back for another vote. The margins are narrow enough that we may have a chance to defeat it next time. President Bush has vowed to veto this surrender bill, but the Democrats will try to override his veto. It is up to us now. The American people must rise. We must make our voices heard.

The Pelosi-Murtha bill will kill American troops and crush morale. It will tell the terrorists we have lost all will to win. It will tell our allies they can't trust us, driving them into our enemy's arms. It will tell our enemies if they just hold out one more year and kill more Americans, we will cower in fear, and we will give Iraq to them. But we can still stop them. Everyone needs to sign the Al Qaeda “Thank You” card. We're going to take giant versions of this card to Capitol Hill and present them to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, other Democrat leaders and freshman Democrats who voted for surrender. We mean to shame them into better behavior. Add your signature to this Al Qaeda “Thank You” card. A giant version of this card bearing your signature -- along with thousands of others -- will be presented to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, other Democrat leaders and freshman Democrats who voted for surrender.Click here to sign

See also: Reid Declares Defeat in Iraq

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Tags: Democrats, John Murtha, Nancy Pelosi, Rod Martin To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Big Foot, Unicorns, and Pro-Trade DemocratsAre they fantasies after all?

By Daniel Ikenson, Assoc. Director, Center for Trade Policy Studies, Cato Institute: Democratic leaders have been asserting that, despite the hostile rhetoric of their rank and file, they view trade openness and engagement as indispensable to U.S. economic and security objectives. That with some accommodation of Democratic priorities on labor and environmental issues, the administration and Congress can work together to advance a bipartisan trade agenda. The credibility of those assertions is about to be tested. The recently concluded but yet-to-be ratified U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement will reveal whether the Democratic congressional leadership can be trusted to continue the time-tested tradition of promoting economic growth through liberalized trade. South Korea is one of the fastest growing markets for U.S. exports, the seventh-largest U.S. trade partner, and the world’s tenth-largest economy. Its citizens enjoy a per-capita income of $24,000, placing them among the world’s richest. A free-trade agreement would increase U.S. national income by an estimated $17 billion to $43 billion per year.

But already opposition is building among Democrats, despite the fact that labor and the environment are virtual non-issues. ... Spearheading the opposition is House Ways and Means subcommittee on trade chairman, Rep. Sander Levin (D-MI). Levin’s opposition is predicated on the agreement’s failure to incorporate an absurd proposal that he, House Ways and Means chairman Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY), and 13 other members - hailing mostly from Michigan - foisted upon the U.S. trade representative in the waning weeks of the negotiations. Over the past couple of years, U.S. exports to Korea have been growing fast, while U.S. imports from Korea have been falling. U.S. goods exports to Korea increased by over 23 percent, to $32.5 billion in 2006 from $26.4 billion in 2004. During the same period, U.S. goods imports from Korea declined to $44.7 billion from $45.0 billion. On a per capita basis, Koreans are already buying far more from Americans than the other way around. American businesses are doing quite well in the Korean market. ... Now is the time for pro-trade Democrats to prove that they exist. . . . [Read More]

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Tags: Daniel Ikenson, Democrats, Free Trade, South Korea To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!

Promises Made: “Adios” to PAYGODemocrat Position: Good for America Unless It's Bad for Democrats

by Rep. John Boozman Press Office: It took 105 days, but PAYGO is now not worth the paper it was written on. Remember last month when the Democrat Leadership pulled the DC Voting bill off the floor after Republicans offered an amendment to repeal the DC gun ownership ban? (Never mind that it would have restored the 2nd Amendment rights to people who Democrats said demanded the right to vote.) The fact that parts of the bill came under the PAYGO rules allowed the GOP to amend the bill.

... In order to prevent the GOP from amending the bill, House Democrats have waived the PAYGO rules, ... much heralded by Democrats in last year’s campaign.... Normally, the rules of the House of Representatives would require that the bill be subject to a PAYGO point of order on the House floor. However, the Democrats are eliminating the possibility for Members of Congress to question their waiving of PAYGO in order to pass the bill.

Rep. Boozman voted for PAYGO, ... with a bipartisan majority ... “as a common-sense step to require the House of Representatives to pay-as-we-go when it comes to money matters ... The American people demanded we begin down the road to fiscal responsibility, and this rule is a good first step.” . . . Some of the rhetoric about PAYGO spouted by members of the Democrat Leadership:

• Speaker Nancy Pelosi: “After years of historic deficits, this new Congress will commit itself to a higher standard: pay as you go, no new deficit spending. Our new America will provide unlimited opportunity for future generations, not burden them with mountains of debt.”
• Majority Leader Steny Hoyer: “Democrats propose a new direction on the economy that includes a commitment to fiscal discipline. We would restore common sense “pay as you go” rules that say any increase in spending or decrease in revenue, such as tax cuts, must be offset by decreases in spending elsewhere or increases in revenue. Democrats believe that fiscal responsibility will help put America back on the right track”
• Ways & Means Chairman Charlie Rangel: “It’s not good for me to have pay-go, but it’s good for the country. At this point, nobody . . . has convinced me that there should be exemptions from pay-go.”
• Democrat Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel: “I worked for an administration that had pay-as-you-go rules. It created discipline not just for Republicans, not just for Democrats. For the government. For the American people’s money.”

The new Democrat position on PAYGO: Good for America unless it’s bad for Democrats. See Also: House Violates Constitution ...

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Tags: Democrats, John Boozman, PAYGO, U.S. House, US Congress

New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch (D) Supports Civil Unions

FRC: Despite the best efforts of pro-family groups, the New Hampshire state senate is moving forward quickly with its political agenda to legalize civil unions. According to a web survey by the Manchester Union Leader, a majority of residents (53.5%) expressed their opposition to the bill. In the face of growing statewide resistance, Gov. John Lynch (D) yesterday announced his intent to sign the legislation should it pass the senate in next week's vote. "I believe it is a matter of... preventing discrimination," Lynch told reporters. Asked why he opposes same-sex "marriage" but supports civil unions, he said, "I still think marriage is between a man and a woman." In an effort to appease both sides, the governor is deliberately misleading voters.

The reality is, civil unions are same-sex "marriage." The only difference between the two is the name. While the term "civil union" may seem more palatable, make no mistake--this legislation confers all of the rights and legal standing to homosexual couples that marriage does. If the senate succeeds, the Granite State would become the fourth to approve civil unions--but the first to do so without waging an initial challenge over same-sex "marriage" in the courts. A defeat in New Hampshire would be a significant setback for the sanctity of marriage in New England, which already counts Massachusetts, Vermont, New Jersey, and Connecticut among its disappointments. See also: Gov. Lynch will sign civil unions bill & Bay State to Impose Same-Sex ‘Marriage’ on Nation

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Tags: civil unions, FRC, homosexual activism, New Hampshire

House Violates Constitution & Votes to give D.C. a seatThree Arkansas Congressmen Display Ignorance of the Constitution

Washington Times: The House yesterday approved congressional voting rights for the District of Columbia, granting the D.C. delegate a vote for the first time in the nation's history and adding a seat in Utah to increase the size of the chamber to 437 members. In a 241-177 vote on H.R. 1433, the House approved a bill that Democrats call a long-awaited victory for 600,000 District residents and many Republicans derided as "trampling on the Constitution" . . . most Republicans and the Bush administration argue the bill is unconstitutional because the Constitution says that Congress members must be elected "by the people of the several states." "The District of Columbia is a federal city and not a state," said Rep. Patrick T. McHenry, North Carolina Republican. "The new Democratic majority is trying to pad their numbers on the floor." Mr. McHenry and others say a fairer plan would give portions of the largely Democratic District back to neighboring Maryland. . . . [Read More] [Note: Previously, sections of the District of Columbia provided by Virginia were returned to Virginia.] See also: No D.C. Voting Rights! - Posting and Comments

ARRA Comment: What part of the Constitution can we rely on or now even violate? Who gets to decide? It is disappointing that three of our Arkansas' Congressional delegation voted to violate the U.S. Constitution to grant Washington D.C. a voting representative. This action is clearly a violation as evidenced by both the constitution and by previous actions taken by the Congress. They understood the constitutional limitation and offered an amendment to the constitution for a voting representative which defeated by the States. Again, D.C. is not a State. It was to have no representation. Congress could return parts of D.C. to the contributing states who provided the land for the District of Columbia. Jurisdiction over land given by Virginia has already been returned to them. Land that is primarily residential and commercial and is property given by Maryland could be and probably should be returned to Maryland. The three Arkansans who voted to violate the constitution were Marion Berry, Vic Snyder and Mike Ross! Voting with the majority this time does not vindicate or assuage their actions.

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Tags: Arkansas, constitution, D.C., Marion Berry, Mike Ross, Vic Snyder, voting, voting rights