July 30, 2007 The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer
Tags: Bill Richardson, debate, healthcare, Iraq War, Mike Huckabee, video To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link".
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Richardson (D) vs Huckabee (R) Debate [Video]
July 30, 2007 The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer
Tags: Bill Richardson, debate, healthcare, Iraq War, Mike Huckabee, video To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link".
Who Will Be The Nominee?
The ARRA commends Truth in Arkansas Politics for clearly defining the consequence of failing to select the GOP candidate who can win:
So, we ask who will be our {GOP} nominee? The Truth sees this election as possibly the most critically important election of our lives. If Hillary or Obama were to become President, we would have the single most liberal President in the history of America. . . . [Read More]
Tags: Arkansas, Election 2008, GOP, truth
So, we ask who will be our {GOP} nominee? The Truth sees this election as possibly the most critically important election of our lives. If Hillary or Obama were to become President, we would have the single most liberal President in the history of America. . . . [Read More]
Tags: Arkansas, Election 2008, GOP, truth
Fred Thompson Fund Raising More Powerful Than AnticipatedFredHeads waiting in the wings to help!
Dr. Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: 
Thompson raised nearly $3.5 million in his first month. Some pundits are discounting this amount by comparing it to the total money raised to date by active candidates. This $3.5 million was raised in one month; July's report has not been reported because Thompson doesn't have to report the amount because he hasn't officially declared. To put Thompson's fundraising in context, here are some appropriate comparison to the others candidates' first month of fund raising:
(1) In his first exploratory month, Thompson raised well over $3.5 million - more than 10 times what Giuliani did in his first month and about 3 times what McCain raised. Here’s the comparison to the other top three Republican candidates during the initial exploratory month (from the time they started taking money):
· Giuliani - total raised in first month (Nov. 15-Dec. 15): $258,660
· McCain - total raised in first month (Nov. 14-Dec. 14): $1,130,351
· Romney - raised more money in his first month, but largely because he organized his big-dollar donors ahead of time to give himself a bit splash and he loaned his committee at least $850,000 weeks before filing his statement of candidacy on Jan. 3.
(2) Under FEC rules, a candidate is not allowed to raise funds “in excess of what could reasonably be expected to be used for exploratory activities”. Thompson has raised an appropriate amount for an exploratory phase. Considering these rules, it is interesting that . . .
· One month ago, the DNC attacked Thompson (in the Politico) for potentially raising more money than he’d need for the exploratory period and said they’d “argue aggressively” against him. A piece at Daily Kos claimed that Thompson was “Raising Funds Beyond What You Need To "Explore"” and the liberal activist outlet CREW said Thompson “appears to have raised far more money than necessary…”
· After being attacked for raising “too much” money, Thompson is now being attacked for not spending his entire Exploratory focus on raising money.
(3) An inquiry to the Fred Thompson campaign revealed that they have not even used any direct mail or telephone fundraising and their expenditures have been very low meaning that an estimated 80% of funds will be available for the primary.
Again, the above figures do not include the numerous national fundraisers in July that were help to encourage Fred Thompson to run. Naysayers trying to play down Thompson's first month appear to be "blowing smoke" and making themselves look rather stupid. While the other GOP candidates work diligently on their campaigns, unlike the political pundits, they know that Fred Thompson campaign fundraising ability cannot be dismissed. Which begs the question: What happen when the campaign turns the committed Fredheads lose to help go after smaller grassroots donations via phone banks and the mail?
Tags: campaign funds, Fred Thompson
Thompson raised nearly $3.5 million in his first month. Some pundits are discounting this amount by comparing it to the total money raised to date by active candidates. This $3.5 million was raised in one month; July's report has not been reported because Thompson doesn't have to report the amount because he hasn't officially declared. To put Thompson's fundraising in context, here are some appropriate comparison to the others candidates' first month of fund raising: (1) In his first exploratory month, Thompson raised well over $3.5 million - more than 10 times what Giuliani did in his first month and about 3 times what McCain raised. Here’s the comparison to the other top three Republican candidates during the initial exploratory month (from the time they started taking money):
· Giuliani - total raised in first month (Nov. 15-Dec. 15): $258,660
· McCain - total raised in first month (Nov. 14-Dec. 14): $1,130,351
· Romney - raised more money in his first month, but largely because he organized his big-dollar donors ahead of time to give himself a bit splash and he loaned his committee at least $850,000 weeks before filing his statement of candidacy on Jan. 3.
(2) Under FEC rules, a candidate is not allowed to raise funds “in excess of what could reasonably be expected to be used for exploratory activities”. Thompson has raised an appropriate amount for an exploratory phase. Considering these rules, it is interesting that . . .
· One month ago, the DNC attacked Thompson (in the Politico) for potentially raising more money than he’d need for the exploratory period and said they’d “argue aggressively” against him. A piece at Daily Kos claimed that Thompson was “Raising Funds Beyond What You Need To "Explore"” and the liberal activist outlet CREW said Thompson “appears to have raised far more money than necessary…”
· After being attacked for raising “too much” money, Thompson is now being attacked for not spending his entire Exploratory focus on raising money.
(3) An inquiry to the Fred Thompson campaign revealed that they have not even used any direct mail or telephone fundraising and their expenditures have been very low meaning that an estimated 80% of funds will be available for the primary.
Again, the above figures do not include the numerous national fundraisers in July that were help to encourage Fred Thompson to run. Naysayers trying to play down Thompson's first month appear to be "blowing smoke" and making themselves look rather stupid. While the other GOP candidates work diligently on their campaigns, unlike the political pundits, they know that Fred Thompson campaign fundraising ability cannot be dismissed. Which begs the question: What happen when the campaign turns the committed Fredheads lose to help go after smaller grassroots donations via phone banks and the mail?
Tags: campaign funds, Fred Thompson
NEA begins massive drive to promote homosexuality in public schools
AFA Action Alert: Without allowing members to vote on the matter, the executive committee of the National Education Association (NEA) decided to advance aggressively the homosexual agenda. The decision was made at the association's annual meeting in Philadelphia.They continued their financial support of homosexual groups. Click here for report from OneNewsNow.com. Click here for the report of the NEA Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Caucus. It matters little to the NEA that Johnny may be unable to read and write, as long as he learns to support same-sex marriage.
Poll - Is it time for a school voucher program? Given the opportunity, would you favor giving a voucher to students, allowing them to choose the school of their choice? Because the voucher would be given directly to the student, there would be no violation of the church and state issue.
Click to take the Poll!
Tags: AFA, homosexual activism, National Education Association, NEA, polls To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Boozman Condemns Democrat Whip Clyburn's Reckless CommentsCalls for Apology to the American military & their families
Late Monday, House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-SC), the third-ranking member of the House leadership, told the Washington Post “that a strongly positive report on progress on Iraq by Army Gen. David Petraeus likely would split Democrats in the House and impede his party's efforts to press for a timetable to end the war,” further adding that a positive report from Petraeus would be “a real big problem for us.”
Today, U.S. Rep. John Boozman (R-AR) condemned those remarks. “These comments are reckless, and should be disavowed at the highest levels of the Democrat leadership. Any Member who would equate military success in Iraq to an inconvenient truth for his party’s political stance should be ashamed. The mistake is compounded by the fact that a senior member of the majority leadership was the source. Reckless comments made to the detriment of American servicemen and women are the ‘real big problem,’ not the fact that our military is doing the job they were asked to do.
“While I respect differences in opinion on how to solve the issue of Iraq, Congressman Clyburn’s comments show a clear disconnect with the American people, who wish the best for our men and women in harm’s way. These remarks are ones I cannot respect, nor condone. The American military deserve better than this. It would be best for Speaker Pelosi and her leadership team to offer a sincere apology to the members of the American military and their families.” No word yet from Rep. Clyburn on an apology.
Tags: Arkansas Democrat Gazette, Democrat, Iraq War, James Clyburn, John Boozman, military, US Congress To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Today, U.S. Rep. John Boozman (R-AR) condemned those remarks. “These comments are reckless, and should be disavowed at the highest levels of the Democrat leadership. Any Member who would equate military success in Iraq to an inconvenient truth for his party’s political stance should be ashamed. The mistake is compounded by the fact that a senior member of the majority leadership was the source. Reckless comments made to the detriment of American servicemen and women are the ‘real big problem,’ not the fact that our military is doing the job they were asked to do.
“While I respect differences in opinion on how to solve the issue of Iraq, Congressman Clyburn’s comments show a clear disconnect with the American people, who wish the best for our men and women in harm’s way. These remarks are ones I cannot respect, nor condone. The American military deserve better than this. It would be best for Speaker Pelosi and her leadership team to offer a sincere apology to the members of the American military and their families.” No word yet from Rep. Clyburn on an apology.
Tags: Arkansas Democrat Gazette, Democrat, Iraq War, James Clyburn, John Boozman, military, US Congress To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Monday, July 30, 2007
Examining Two Hate Crimes - Bibles verses Korans
Is our society going crazy - you decide!First situation from FRC: Going the Extra Mile - In the Wrong direction! Officials in Key Largo, Florida were apparently living by the old adage of "going the extra mile" (Matthew 5:41). In January, two Gideons were arrested for distributing Bibles on a public sidewalk outside a local elementary school. They were charged with trespassing. With the help of the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), which represented the men, the charges were dismissed a short time later. However, the men were then notified that other charges were being filed--this time under a different statute which prohibits anyone from being within 500 feet of school property without permission. As ADF's statement suggests, "Does the state [believe] that its citizens will be safer if 'protected' from Bibles? In a country founded on religious freedom, the actions of the state are a disgrace." As were the actions of the local police, which allegedly mocked the Gideons after handcuffing them, saying, "Now you can pray to Jesus all the way to jail." Thanks to ADF, common sense prevailed in court and, for a second time, all charges against the Gideons were dropped. See also: ADF successfully defends religious freedom for Gideons When did law enforcement official stop respecting and start mocking their elders and men of God who peacefully care enough for children to share the word of God by passing out Bibles.
Second Situation from FRC: First Amendment - Flushed Away by Hate Crimes? While some men were arrested for distributing religious books, another has been charged for flushing one. In a bizarre case at Pace University, former student Stanislav Shmulevich has been accused of taking two copies of the Koran from a "meditation room" and throwing them in toilets. While no one could legitimately defend his actions, it likewise seems indefensible that University officials bowed to demands by the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) and charged Shmulevich with a hate crime in addition to the initial charges of "criminal mischief." The Islamic community has every right to be express disdain for Shmulevich's actions, but not to insist on extra criminal punishment for his thoughts, which is what "hate crime" laws provide for. Supporters of the proposed federal hate crime bill defend it as targeting only acts of violence. Yet New York's law apparently targets vandalism as well. See also: Hate-crime arrests in Quran desecrations at Pace Univ. How long will it be before mere speech expressing disapproval (be it of Islam, or of homosexuality) is also criminalized, as in several other countries? This is the slippery slope of the "hate crimes" mentality, and we shouldn't take even one step down it. When Andres Serrano submerged a crucifix in urine and called it "art," Christians condemned the act--but demanded only that the taxpayers not pay for it, not that he be jailed for a "hate crime."Tags: ADF, Alliance Defense Fund, Bible, CAIR, Council on American-Islamic Relations, Gideons, Hate Crime Bill, hate crimes, Koran To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Tell Congress to Oppose Efforts to Limit Domestic Exploration
United for Jobs: This week Congress will take up an energy bill that includes dangerous provisions to limit domestic oil and gas exploration in western states. Limiting domestic production will only increase energy prices. With gas prices at an all time high, what America needs now is MORE energy, not less. Less U.S. oil also means that we will have to import more foreign oil. Thousands of good paying jobs depend on the U.S. oil industry; limiting domestic production means those jobs will be lost.America's dynamic economy depends on one thing more than any other – affordable energy. It feeds industry, keeps the information bits flowing, transports our goods, promotes our mobility and enables Americans to enjoy the highest standard of living in the world. Over the decades, as technology has improved and become more available, energy production and consumption has become cleaner and more efficient. Despite these gains, though, some environmental groups continue to attack America’s energy consumption. Several radical measures have been proposed that would not merely curb emissions but restrict energy use and slow economic growth.
Take action and tell your member of Congress to oppose efforts to limit domestic exploration and production. Go to United for Jobs Go to United for Jobs to send a letter challenging them to provide reasonable energy prices, keep American jobs where they belong, and secure our energy supply.
Tags: energy, jobs, US Congress To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Senators Worried About TV 'Train Wreck'
On Feb. 18, 2009, tens of millions of televisions that are not equipped to receive digital signals will become useless pieces of furniture. The government is spending $5 million to let owners know so they can do something about it -- not enough, critics say. . . . ''These consumers will be confused, frustrated and angry that this important information and entertainment source in their home is no longer operational, through no fault of their own,'' said Nelda Barnett, a member of the board of the directors of the 39-million-member AARP. After the first of the year, the government will be making available to each household two coupons worth $40 each that can be used to buy two converter boxes. Congress has set aside $1.5 billion to pay for the coupon program. Initially, $990 million will be used to pay for coupons and cover administrative costs, which are capped at $110 million. An additional $510 million may be allocated, but those coupons are reserved for households that have only over-the-air television . . . [Read More]
Tags: digital, TV To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Tags: digital, TV To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
'Abortion rights' and the moral threat to freedom: Part 9 of 'The Crisis of the Republic'
by Alan Keyes: When I was working in the State Department, someone described one of my superiors as the sort of person who would always be persuaded by the last person who talked to him. This meant that if you wanted a favorable decision, you had to be the last one through the door before it was made. Timing was everything. This turned out to be pretty good tactical advice, but it indicated that the official in question suffered from a dangerous flaw when it came to the best interests of the United States. He apparently lacked an overall understanding that would have provided the basis for a sense of priority in his decision-making . . . [Read More] Tags: abortion, Alan Keyes To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Socialized medicine through the back door
by Wes Vernon: The Senate has been wrestling with legislation that the media echo chamber has framed as "helping sick kids," but which in reality is a step toward universal government-run health care. Furthermore, there is every reason to believe that those who are enabling this slow train to socialized medicine know exactly what they are doing.In England, there are people who have been waiting in line for so long to get vitally needed medical attention from the government-operated National Health Service that some have actually taken to threatening physical harm to doctors and nurses. In Canada, where seeking private medical care is a criminal offense, the backup is so severe that while government-favored political backers of the public health system can get an MRI in 24 hours, the rest must wait or become physically worse beyond the possibility of recovery. According to a report in the Washington Times, Canada's health minister labeled a lawmaker as "disgusting" for daring to suggest a constituent get emergency treatment. . . .
Yet the pressure mounts for America to "join the world" and turn over our very lives to bureaucrats who would deal with our health problems in a government-mandated impersonal assembly-line fashion.Heaven knows, our health system is not perfect, and yes, we do need to contain costs. But the U.S. health system can be defined in much the same way Winston Churchill once described democracy — i.e., the worst in the world "except for all the others." . . . [Read More]
Tags: Election 2008, Hillary Clinton, Hillary-care, SCHIP, Socialized medicine, State Childrens Health Insurance Program, Wes Vernon To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Edwards' Double Speak
Robert "Mike" Duncan, Chairman, RNC: The leading 2008 Democrat presidential candidates all seem to agree on one thing: the United States should immediately begin to withdraw from Iraq. The Democrats' eagerness to abandon the mission in Iraq - the central front of the War on Terror - is puzzling, since they all claim to be committed to rooting out terrorism wherever it exists.In May of this year, Democrat presidential candidate John Edwards said it is "obvious" that al Qaeda is trying to establish a base in Iraq that they can use to plan future attacks.
- CNN's Wolf Blitzer: "But do you dispute that al Qaeda has a presence in the al-Anbar province, in other provinces in Iraq, that they're trying to establish a base there from which to do their evil deeds?" Edwards: "No, of course I don't dispute that. That's obvious." (CNN's "The Situation Room," 5/2/07) [Video]
- In June, he pledged to fight terrorists abroad so we would not have to fight them at home. [Video]
- Edwards: "As President of the United States I will do absolutely everything to find terrorists where they are, to stop them before they can do harm to us, before they can do harm to America or to its allies." (Former Sen. John Edwards, CNN/WMUR/Union-Leader Democrat Presidential Candidates Debate, Manchester, NH, 6/3/07)
- Edwards' recent remarks echoed his 2004 Vice Presidential nomination speech, where he said that he and John Kerry would send an "unmistakable message" to terrorists. [Video]
- Edwards: "[W]e will have one clear unmistakable message for al Qaeda and these terrorists: You cannot run. You cannot hide. We will destroy you." (Former Sen. John Edwards, Remarks At The 2004 Democratic National Convention, Boston, MA, 7/28/04)
Barack Obama has also voiced concerns of a terrorist threat. [Video] Obama: "We have genuine enemies out there that have to be hunted down. Networks have to be dismantled." (Sen. Barack Obama, MSNBC Democrat Presidential Candidates' Debate, Orangeburg, SC, 4/26/07)
Even Hillary Clinton agreed that those who have attacked us must be destroyed . [Video] Clinton: "[L]et's focus on those who have attacked us and do everything we can to destroy them." (Sen. Hillary Clinton, MSNBC Democrat Presidential Candidates' Debate, Orangeburg, SC, 4/26/07)
If Democrats acknowledge that al Qaeda is in Iraq, and say that we should destroy terrorists wherever they are, why are they willing to risk Iraq becoming a safe haven for our enemies? Keeping our nation safe requires more than words. It requires principled leadership and a commitment to fighting terror that these candidates simply do not demonstrate.
Tags: Barack Obama, Democrat, doublespeak, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, presidential candidates To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Thompson Supports FairTax
FairTax News: Former Senator Fred Thompson came to Houston to attend a fundraiser as he considers throwing his hat into the ring for the 2008 presidential primaries. A small rally was held at the airport for his arrival, and FairTax supporters were out in some force. FairTax.org is determined to put the FairTax on the national agenda during this election cycle, and to that end, supporters are asking each candidate and potential candidate "The Question": "If Congress passed the FairTax Act and you were President, would you sign the bill into law?" Despite an enormous amount of jostling from the crowd and media people, we were able to get his answer on videotape - Absolutely! Click here to watch the video.Where the other candidates stand on the FairTax:
Q: If the FairTax were passed by Congress and you were President, would you sign the bill into law? Answers:
Republicans:
Sam Brownback - No
Rudy Giuliani - Probably not
Mike Huckabee - Yes
Duncan Hunter - Yes - Sponsor HR 25
John McCain - Yes
Ron Paul - N/A [What ever that means]
Mitt Romney - No - haven't had time to consider it.
Tom Tancredo - Yes - Sponsor HR 25
Fred Thompson- Yes (hasn't filed)
Tommy Thompson - Yes
Democrats:
Mike Gravel - Yes
All other Democrats - Unknown [ARRA Comment: Based on Campaigns: No]
Tags: FairTax Plan, FairTax, Fred Thompson, presidential candidate, Republican To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Hawaii moves toward second 'ethnic' government
NewsMax: In a move that critics call a direct threat to the U.S. Constitution, federal legislation is moving forward in Congress to create a second, separate government in Hawaii solely controlled by ethnic and indigenous Hawaiians. Proponents of the so-called Akaka bill -- named for its primary author, Hawaii Democrat Sen. Daniel Akaka -- say it would give native Hawaiians home rule and control of lands and other assets now being managed in their name by various state and federal agencies.The Akaka bill appears poised for final votes in both the U.S. Senate and House, despite opposition from the Justice Department and the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, and growing pressure on the White House to veto the measure. Nearly identical versions have cleared committee hurdles in both chambers and now await only final floor action. Supporters say the ethnic Hawaiian government would be similar to those established by numerous American Indian tribes. But opponents suggest the Akaka bill is more sweeping than those pertaining to current tribal governments and maintain it would create a race-based government that assigns unequal privileges that are simply unconstitutional. . . . [Read More]
Tags: Daniel Akaka, Hawaii, US Constitution To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Global Backlash Against Globalization? -- Duncan Hunter seeks Congressional Oversight of NAFTA Super Highway
by Patrick Wood: . . . In the FT/Harris poll, the question was posed: “Do you think globalization is having a positive or negative effect in your country?” Less than 20 percent of citizen respondents in the UK, France, Spain and the U.S. viewed it as having a positive effect. Germany and Italy were a bit higher.Still, well over 50 percent of all respondents voted “No” to globalization. Another shock to the pro-globalization elite is the overwhelming passage (362-63 on July 24, 2007) of the Duncan Hunter Amendment (H.R. 3074) to the Transportation Appropriations Act, “prohibiting the use of federal funds for participation in working groups under the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP), including the creation of the NAFTA Super Highway.”
“The proposed NAFTA Super Highway presents significant challenges to our nation’s security, the safety of vehicle motorists, and will likely drive down wages for American workers,” said Congressman Hunter. “Much like NAFTA, the super highway is designed to serve the interests of our trading partners and will lead to neither security nor prosperity.” Congressman Duncan Hunter, also a presidential candidate, told his fellow congressional colleagues, “This 12 lane highway, which is already under construction in Texas, will fast-track thousands of cargo containers across the U.S. without adequate security. These containers will move from Mexico, a country with a record of corruption and involvement in the drug trade, across a border that is already porous and insufficiently protected. Unfortunately, very little is known about the NAFTA Super Highway. This amendment will provide Congress the opportunity to exercise oversight of the highway, which remains a subject of question and uncertainty, and ensure that our safety and security will not be comprised in order to promote the business interests of our neighbors” . . . [Read More]
Tags: Duncan Hunter, globalization, NAFTA, NASCO, presidential candidate, Republican, Security and Prosperity Partnership, SPP, Superhighway To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Voting machines breached in 'top-to-bottom' review'The veneer of security has evaporated'
WorldNetDaily: Teams of computer hackers sanctioned by California Secretary of State Debra Bowen were able to hack without difficulty into various vendors' touch-screen voting machines during a "top to bottom review" of every system certified by the state, according to a University of California study released yesterday. The report concluded the machines could be manipulated using "tools that can be found in a typical office and could be executed by a very low-skilled attacker." Voting equipment for the timed test included devices from Sequoia, Hart InterCivic and Diebold. Election Systems and Software failed to submit its equipment for the review prior to the deadline, but Bowen said she has "the legal authority to impose any condition" on use of the vendor's equipment in the state. . . . As WND reported in January, a hacker, using a photograph of keys to a Diebold touch-screen voting system available on the company's website, successfully duplicated two that were capable of opening the electronic balloting device now used in many states for elections. Concerns over the security of Sequoia's voting systems increased last October when it was revealed the federal government was investigating whether anti-American Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez controlled Smartmatic, owner of Sequoia Voting Systems, the company that operates electronic voting machines in 17 states. UC researchers in the California test "were able to bypass physical and software security in every machine they tested," said Bowen. . . . However, Seiler, a former Diebold sales representative, said the study did not go far enough and insisted researchers did not look for malicious code already embedded in the software that could be used to change votes. Ken Karan, co-founder of Psephos, a voting-rights advocate group long critical of San Francisco's use of Diebold's equipment, felt vindicated with the new findings.
"It appears to me the veneer of security has evaporated," he said. Despite the review being conducted under favorable conditions for the hacker teams, Bishop said he was surprised by the voting systems' weak physical and electronic security measures. His researchers were able to find their way into the systems through high-tech equipment in election headquarters and through the machines in the polling places. "The vendors appeared to have designed systems that were not high assurance (of security)," he told the Chronicle. "The security seems like it was added on." . . . [Read More] Editor Comment: Thanks for the lead on this story from RicGator's Blog
Tags: elections, fraud, voting, voting machines, voting rights To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
On Federalism - how it pertains immigration, education, prosecution / law enforcement, welfare, etc.
Fred Thompson, Potential GOP Presidential Candidate: The Framers drew their design for our Constitution from a basic understanding of human nature. From the wisdom of the ages and from fresh experience, they understood the better angels of our nature, and the less admirable qualities of human beings entrusted with power.The Framers believed in free markets, rights of property and the rule of law, and they set these principles firmly in the Constitution. Above all, the Framers enshrined in our founding documents, and left to our care, the principle that rights come from our Creator and not from our government. We developed institutions that allowed these principles to take root and flourish: a government of limited powers derived from, and assigned to, first the people, then the states, and finally the national government. A government strong enough to protect us and do its job competently, but modest and humane enough to let the people govern themselves. Centralized government is not the solution to all of our problems and – with too much power – such centralization has a way of compounding our problems. This was among the great insights of 1787, and it is just as vital in 2007.
. . . Federalism is not an 18th century notion. Or a 19th century notion. It retains its force as a basic principle in the 21st century, because when federalism is ignored, accountability, innovation, and public confidence in government at all levels suffer. It is as true today as it ever was: the closer a government is to its people, the more responsive it is to the felt needs of its constituencies. Too often, however, state and local leaders have to answer to federal bureaucrats first and their constituents second.
. . . Beyond specific policies, what's needed are some basic rules to restrain the federal rule-makers. A good first step would be to codify the Executive Order on Federalism first signed by President Ronald Reagan. That Executive Order, first revoked by President Clinton, then modified to the point of uselessness, required agencies to respect the principle of the Tenth Amendment when formulating policies and implementing the laws passed by Congress. It preserved the division of responsibilities between the states and the federal government envisioned by the Framers of the Constitution. It was a fine idea that should never have been revoked. The next president should put it right back in effect, and see to it that the rightful authority of state and local governments is respected.
It is not enough to say that we are "for" federalism, because in today's world it is not always clear what that means. What we are "for" is liberty for our citizens. Federalism divides power between the states and government in Washington. It is a tool to promote freedom. How we draw the line between federal and state roles in this century, and how we stay true to the principles of federalism for the purpose of protecting economic and individual freedom are questions we must answer. Our challenge – meaning the federal government, the states, our communities and constituents – is to answer these questions together. . . . [Read More]
Tags: conservatism, conservative, Federalism, Fred Thompson, local government, presidential candidate, Republican To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Huckabee resonates with Iowa GOP crowdGov. Mike Huckabee, WHO Radio [Video]
By Kiley Miller, The Hawk Eye: . . . "Because my son didn't know what a dash was, he made up his own definition," Huckabee said. "I worry sometimes that we're on the brink of redefining -- of coming up with our own definitions -- of what life means, of what marriage means, of what freedom means." That statement alone could serve as a fair synopsis of Huckabee's full speech, a speech in which he laid out his conservative credentials and called on fellow GOP members to hold fast to the "principles that caused many of us to become Republicans." Judging by the captive looks and attentive stillness, the message resonated with many in the crowd, . . . Between the jokes and anecdotes, Huckabee touched on several key national and international issues. First and foremost, he said Congress and the next president must acknowledge that the greatest threat facing the United States comes from "Islamic jihadists" bent on destroying the nation. He also spoke about the importance of halting illegal immigration and maintaining a strong military, his commitment to the pro-life cause, and his belief the federal government should be kept small and efficient, with the most control in the hands of state and local officials closer to home. [Read Article]
Gov. Mike Huckabee, WHO Radio - on Education: Gov. Mike Huckabee appeared on Jan Mickelson's talkshow On Friday, April 27, 2007. Courtesy of WHO Radio in Des Moines, Iowa.
Tags: abstinence education, Arkansas, Iowa, Mike Huckabee, presidential candidate, Republican, video To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Gov. Mike Huckabee, WHO Radio - on Education: Gov. Mike Huckabee appeared on Jan Mickelson's talkshow On Friday, April 27, 2007. Courtesy of WHO Radio in Des Moines, Iowa.
Tags: abstinence education, Arkansas, Iowa, Mike Huckabee, presidential candidate, Republican, video To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Liberal Activists Step Up Campaign Against FOX News
FoxNews: Liberal activists are stepping up their campaign against FOX News Channel by pressuring advertisers not to patronize the network. MoveOn.org, the Campaign for America's Future and liberal blogs like DailyKos.com are asking thousands of supporters to monitor who is advertising on the network, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. Once a database is gathered, an organized phone-calling campaign will begin, said Jim Gilliam, vice president of media strategy for Brave New Films, a company that has made anti-FOX videos . . . [Read More]Tags: Fox News, free speech, freedom of speech, liberal activists To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Think No Evil
by Janet Levy: A proposal for federal hate crime legislation is currently wending its way through Congress. H.R. 1592, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007, has already passed the House of Representatives, and is now pending in the Senate. Yet, in these over-heated and volatile times, broadening hate-crime laws is unwise. Such laws magnify and criminalize thoughtless, petty actions, exaggerating their importance, and prosecute those doing nothing more than exercising their personal opinions. Some recent incidents demonstrate how this occurs . . . [Read More]Tags: Hate Crime Bill, Hate Crimes Act, thought crime bill To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
FCC Chair: Fairness Doctrine Not NeededStop Liberal Censorship [Video]
By Jim Abrams, AP: The Federal Communications Commission has no intention of reinstating the Fairness Doctrine imposing a requirement of balanced coverage of issues on public airwaves, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said. Martin, in a letter written this week to Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), and made public Thursday, said the agency found no compelling reason to revisit its 1987 decision that enforcing the federal rule was not in the public interest. Several Democratic lawmakers suggested that Congress take another look at the doctrine after conservative radio talk show hosts aggressively attacked an immigration reform bill when it was on the Senate floor, contributing to its defeat. Martin, in his letter, said government regulation was not needed to ensure public access to a wide range of opinion. "Indeed, with the continued proliferation of additional sources of information and programming, including satellite broadcasting and the Internet, the need for the Fairness Doctrine has lessened even further since 1987," . . . [Read More]
NRSC: Liberal Democrats are at it again. This time, they're calling it "fairness." Democrats want to revive the so-called "Fairness Doctrine" because they think talk radio doesn't represent their liberal views. Also, visit our website at StopLiberalCensorship.com where over 12,000 Americans have signed up to send a message to Democrats to keep their hands off their airwaves.
Tags: censorship, Democrats, Election 2008, fairness doctrine, FCC, GOP, John Ensign, liberal, NRSC, Republican, Senator, talk radio, US Senate, video To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
NRSC: Liberal Democrats are at it again. This time, they're calling it "fairness." Democrats want to revive the so-called "Fairness Doctrine" because they think talk radio doesn't represent their liberal views. Also, visit our website at StopLiberalCensorship.com where over 12,000 Americans have signed up to send a message to Democrats to keep their hands off their airwaves.
Tags: censorship, Democrats, Election 2008, fairness doctrine, FCC, GOP, John Ensign, liberal, NRSC, Republican, Senator, talk radio, US Senate, video To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
More Democrat Wasteful Spending [Video]
NRSC: Democrats are clinging to power by a razor thin majority of just two seats in the United States Senate. We must bring Republican principles back to the Senate. Help the National Republican Senatorial Committee in our fight to take back the Senate.
Tags: Congressional Pork, Democrats, Excessive spending, NRSC, pork, US Congress, video, Waste, Wasteful To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Tags: Congressional Pork, Democrats, Excessive spending, NRSC, pork, US Congress, video, Waste, Wasteful To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Friday, July 27, 2007
Senate approves $3 billion for border security Arkansas Senator Pryor - main Democratic sponsor of the bill
Stephens Washington Bureau: - The Senate on Thursday voted to spend $3 billion to beef up border security by hiring thousands of federal agents and constructing a 700-mile border fence. The funding would pay for 23,000 full-time border patrol agents in an effort that Sen. Mark Pryor (D-AR) claimed would "help restore American confidence in our immigration system."The measure reflects Republicans' efforts to pass parts of an immigration reform plan backed by President Bush. The broader immigration reform legislation died in the Senate last month. Pryor, the main Democratic sponsor of the bill, said the funding would give the United States "full operational control" over its border with Mexico. The bill passed the Senate 89-1 as an amendment to the 2008 Homeland Security appropriations bill. . . . The funding would be used for four unmanned airplanes, 105 miles of ground-based radar and camera towers and 300 miles of permanent vehicle barriers. It also would be used to purchase 45,000 detention center beds to effectively end the practice of capturing immigrants entering illegally and releasing them back into Mexico. [Read More]Tags: border control, border fence, federal funding, Mark Pryor, US Senate To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Reading, Writing, and Ramadan
Tony Perkins, FRC: While some American schools are rushing to ban "Christmas" parties and Bible clubs, others are going out of their way to promote prayer in schools. That is, if the prayers are to Allah. In a world where the ACLU is suing Christian students faster than you can say "10 Commandments," it may surprise some that there's a new movement of religious tolerance afoot. Unfortunately, as USA Today points out, this type of religious expression seems to be a one-way street open only to Muslims. As part of this wave of preferential treatment, at least 17 universities have made special arrangements to build foot baths and prayer rooms for Islamic students. In San Diego, an elementary school created an extra recess for Muslim children to pray. The University of Michigan has gone so far as to provide facilities for Islamic students to wash their feet before prayer--all at taxpayer expense! In California, another school hosts a curriculum called "Becoming a Muslim" as part of world history class. Yet when the families of these seventh graders sued the school for violating the ban on religious establishment, they lost. Sadly, this is all part of broader paranoia in America, in which people are more concerned about offending someone than they are about violating the law. This same fear is one of the driving elements in the "hate crimes" debate. ACLU's silence on the matter exposes their anti-Christian agenda. The group, which is all too willing to sue when a Christian student prays silently, seems completely unfazed when another public school uses taxpayer dollars to ensure that Muslims can pray openly on school time during class. America may be the Mecca of diversity, but when it comes to certain schools promoting true religious tolerance, one thing's become clear--the Christian faith need not apply. See also: Some say schools giving Muslims special treatmentTags: ACLU, FRC, religous freedom, Tony Perkins To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Liberal Stonewalling Begins Anew On Bush’s Judicial Nominees
by Andrea Lafferty, Traditional Values Coalition: Senate liberals are back to their old tricks in trying to block every qualified judicial nominee that President Bush sends to the Senate for a vote. The latest target is former Mississippi Judge Leslie H. Southwick, who is an Iraqi war veteran. According to media reports, Senator Patrick (Obstruction) Leahy, head of the Senate Judiciary Committee, opposes Southwick for numerous reasons. Among them is the fact that he’s a white southerner. Leahy claims there should be more racial diversity on the federal bench, but he and his leftist allies raged against Judge Janice Rogers Brown, a conservative Christian African-American when she was nominated by President Bush to serve on the DC Circuit Court. The fact is that liberals only want leftist, activist judges on the federal bench – regardless of their race. If they can’t find corruption or incompetence in a nominee, they’ll distort their record or lie about them. That’s the typical strategy used by groups like People for the American Way . . . [Read More]Tags: Andrea Lafferty, federal judges, Leslie Southwick, Tradional Values Coalition, TVC To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Hazleton immigrant law voided by judge - Do you agree with Hazelton or the Court?
A federal judge on Thursday struck down Hazleton's tough anti-illegal immigration law, ruling unconstitutional a measure that has been copied around the country. The city's Illegal Immigration Relief Act sought to impose fines on landlords who rent to illegal immigrants and deny business permits to companies that give them jobs. Another measure would have required tenants to register with City Hall and pay for a rental permit. Based on testimony from a nine-day trial held in March, U.S. District Judge James Munley ruled that the act was pre-empted by federal law and would violate due process rights. . . . [Read More] See also: Judge strikes down Hazleton's illegal immigrant law & Judge overturns Pa. city's illegal immigrant ordinance
Your Opinion - leave your comments!
A couple public comments so far:
- Anna Arias, president of the Hazleton Area Latino Assoc: "It is a bittersweet victory. It is sad in the sense that we should be spreading love and unity, and not hatred and division as this has created. This has divided the community."
- Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta: "Sadly, today's decision sends the wrong message to elected officials in Washington and elsewhere. We, the American people, want our cities secured, our borders protected and our citizenship respected. This battle is far from over."
- Fred Thompson, potential GOP presidential candidate: "Think about what this ruling means. Congress has preempted the field, so state and local governments are powerless to act. Then, Congress and the federal authorities do next-to-nothing to prevent illegal immigration, burdening the states and local communities around the country. But those communities cannot act because Congress said they couldn’t. What sense does that make? None. Congress could not have meant to prevent state and local governments from exercising their traditional police and regulatory powers over businesses and landlords to address the problems caused by uncontrolled illegal immigration. [Full Statement]
Tags: Hazleton, PA, Mayor, Lou Barletta, illegal aliens, immigration reform, Pennsylvania, District Judge, James Munley To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Your Opinion - leave your comments!
A couple public comments so far:
- Anna Arias, president of the Hazleton Area Latino Assoc: "It is a bittersweet victory. It is sad in the sense that we should be spreading love and unity, and not hatred and division as this has created. This has divided the community."
- Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta: "Sadly, today's decision sends the wrong message to elected officials in Washington and elsewhere. We, the American people, want our cities secured, our borders protected and our citizenship respected. This battle is far from over."
- Fred Thompson, potential GOP presidential candidate: "Think about what this ruling means. Congress has preempted the field, so state and local governments are powerless to act. Then, Congress and the federal authorities do next-to-nothing to prevent illegal immigration, burdening the states and local communities around the country. But those communities cannot act because Congress said they couldn’t. What sense does that make? None. Congress could not have meant to prevent state and local governments from exercising their traditional police and regulatory powers over businesses and landlords to address the problems caused by uncontrolled illegal immigration. [Full Statement]
Tags: Hazleton, PA, Mayor, Lou Barletta, illegal aliens, immigration reform, Pennsylvania, District Judge, James Munley To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
‘Factory Farms’ Take Heat - Lincoln (D-AR) sponsors bill to exempt manure from Superfund
by Aaron Sadler, Times Record, Ft Smith: Large-scale poultry operations in Arkansas generate health and environmental problems that outweigh any benefits, an environmental group claimed in a report released Tuesday. The state ranks third in the number of farms with 500,000 or more broiler chickens sold each year. Two northwest Arkansas counties - Benton and Washington - are in the top 10 counties nationwide, according to USDA data analyzed by the nonprofit Food and Water Watch. The private group lambasted the “factory farm” structure in rural areas across the nation. It claimed manure from large livestock and poultry operation pollutes air and water and poses a significant health risk to neighbors. . . .Factory farms rely on poorly educated immigrants as workers, he said. “They end up straining the social services of the local community,” he said. “When you drill down and really look at the economic impact of industrial agriculture, it turns out to be a bit of a mirage in that there are costs that are not captured when you look at crude employment figures or overall economic productivity.” Food and Water Watch called for the Environmental Protection Agency to place a moratorium on construction of new factory farms.
The group opposes an effort in Congress to prevent animal waste from being considered a hazardous material under the federal Superfund law. Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) is sponsor of a bill in the Senate to exempt manure from Superfund. She maintains that without the exemption, family farms could be subject to damaging lawsuits, and that research and development of manure as fuel might be held back. . . . [Read More]
Tags: Arkansas, Benton County, Blanche Lincoln, farming, Washington County To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Republicans on the Rise!
Robert "Mike" Duncan, Chairman, RNC: The eight most recent public polls show the President's job approval is rising while approval of Congress is plummeting. The four polls that measured job approval for both the President and Congress show the President's ratings are higher. Surveys show Americans give high marks to the economy and that the GOP is regaining its lead on taxes while voters reject Congressional Democrats on earmarks and pork.Polls show that on Iraq, voters reject Democrats' calls for immediate withdrawal, clearly recognize the consequences of defeat, and are waiting for General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker to report in September. As voters see signs that the surge is working in Baghdad and Anbar, optimism is increasing with more people believing the war was the right thing to do and that the war is going better. Click the following links for their corresponding polls: Presidential Approval and Opposition to Withdrawal from Iraq.
The more people see the clear differences between the policies of Republicans and Democrats, the stronger our position. On Iraq, Republicans want decisions made on recommendations of our military commanders based on conditions on the ground. Democrats seem to pay more attention to the strategic judgments of MoveOn.Org, Cindy Sheehan and Michael Moore than they do our military commanders in battle. Republicans have offered a plan to balance the budget by freezing growth in discretionary domestic spending to less than 1% and with no tax increases, resulting in a surplus by 2012. Democrats want $205 billion more in spending over the next five years and the largest tax increase in history.
Republicans are working hard to confirm judges who will uphold the Constitution by strictly interpreting the law. Democrats have fallen into their old pattern of obstruction, delay and opposition to the highly qualified conservative judicial candidate the President has nominated. Republicans are working to make certain the nearly 700,000 poor children not covered by the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) get health care coverage, supporting a 20% in funding for SCHIP. Democrats want a 140% increase in spending to move children and families with private health insurance onto government-run health care and would shift the focus from poor children to adults with incomes of up to $83,000 a year. Having failed to have the Federal government take over the health care system all at once, Democrats are now holding approval of SCHIP hostage so they can begin having Washington take control of your health care one big chunk at a time.
Tags: Democrats, Mike Duncan, RNC, US Congress To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Oklahoma City mayor washes hands of North American Union'It was a pretty stupid thing to get involved with'
by Jerome R. Corsi, WorldNetDaily: Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett has repudiated his signing in 2004 of a document described as "The Declaration of North American Integration." "I do not favor the North American Union," Cornett told WND . . . "It was a pretty stupid thing to get involved with three years ago. I don't necessarily remember what I was thinking at the time, but I can speak for now and I do not favor a North American Union" . . . Cornett told WND that Oklahoma City was not taking any steps to integrate with Mexico and Canada and that Oklahoma City has not declared itself an "inland port" targeted for warehousing containers from international trade coming in through Mexican ports on the Pacific Ocean, as has Kansas City to the north and San Antonio to the south of Oklahoma City. "Oklahoma City is not an inland port for containers coming from China," Cornett stressed. "I am opposed to the extension of the Trans-Texas Corridor into Oklahoma if the whole point is to make it cheaper to transport containers from China coming through Mexican ports." . . . WND asked Cornett if he agreed with Oklahoma Republican state Senator Randy Brogdon that Oklahoma ought to withdraw from the North American SuperCorridor Coalition. "I don't know enough about NASCO to comment," Cornett told WND. Brogdon told WND in a telephone interview that, "I am extremely pleased to know that Mayor Cornett is opposed to the North American Union and the NAFTA superhighway. Cornett is the mayor of Oklahoma City and the NAFTA Superhighway is designed to come right through the middle of Oklahoma City." . . . [Read More]Tags: NAFTA, NASCO, NAU, North American Union, Oklahoma, Superhighway To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Guard numbers on border to be halvedSupport mission to end entirely by Sept. 2008
by Brady McCombs, Arizona Daily Star: The number of National Guard troops along the Arizona-Mexico border will be trimmed in half by the end of next month.As the presidentially mandated Operation Jumpstart mission begins its second year in support of the U.S. Border Patrol, the number of troops is being reduced as planned. It will be trimmed from 6,000 to 3,000 nationally and from 2,400 to 1,200 in Arizona . . . Since arriving in June 2006, National Guard soldiers have helped free up agents to patrol by manning radios and control rooms, and repairing vehicles, roads and fences. They have also provided extra eyes and ears on the border with observation posts called entrance identification teams stationed along the border on hills or peaks. [Read More]Tags: Arizona, border control, Border Patrol, Mexican Border Issues, National Guard To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
House moves to free Border Patrol agents convicted of shooting Mexican drug dealer
Free Republic (AP): The House on Wednesday approved a move by conservative Republicans to try to set free two Border Patrol agents convicted of shooting a Mexican drug dealer. After a long, emotional debate, the House voted by voice to block the Bureau of Prisons from keeping former agents Ignacio Ramos and Alonso Compean in federal prison. Ramos and Compean are serving 11- and 12-year federal prison sentences, respectively, for the 2005 shooting of Osvaldo Aldrete Davila on the Texas border near El Paso. Ramos is serving time at Yazoo City Federal Correctional Complex about 40 miles northeast of Jackson, Miss. He was severely beaten by other inmates at the prison in February. The case has caused a furor among conservative lawmakers and on talk radio across the country. . . . The move came as House lawmakers debated a bill funding the Justice Department for the budget year beginning Oct. 1. The underlying measure is likely to pass the House later this week, but the Senate has yet to take up a companion measure. . . . [Read More]
Tags: Alonso Compean, border guards, Ignacio Ramos To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Tags: Alonso Compean, border guards, Ignacio Ramos To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
AgJOBS: The Senate has another AMNESTY in store
NumbersUSA Action Alert: MANY SENATORS STILL DON'T GET IT Despite the public outcry that helped defeat the Senate's giant amnesty bill in June, several senators are determined to pass a number of smaller amnesties. THE LATEST AFFRONT: AgJOBS AMNESTY. Senators Diane Feinstein (D-CA) and Larry Craig (R-ID) are telling everyone that they will offer an "AgJOBS" amnesty bill, which would grant amnesty to millions of illegal aliens who work in agriculture.They have been joined by a chorus of senators determined to ram this amnesty down the American people's throats.Don't their cries of "fruit rotting on the vine" fool you. The H-2A guestworker program provides the agricultural industry with all of the temporary labor it needs. But the H-2A program has wage requirements. The AgJOBS amnesty would relieve employers of that requirement, allowing them to set the wages for the indentured, formerly illegal workers at any level they wish, down to the minimum wage.Since aliens will have to perform agricultural work in order to become permenent residents, they will have no choice but to work at whatever wages and working conditions employers choose to offer.
Once again, the Senate is trying to force an amnesty on the American people for the purposes of driving down wages! Please call your senator on this note today at (202) 224-3121 and drive the message home that they should have learned after the "grand bargain" amnesty bill that rewards for illegal workers and their employers are NOT acceptable to American voters. SAY "NO" TO AgJOBS AMNESTY!
Tags: AgJobs, amnesty, Dianne Feinstein, illegal aliens, Larry Craig, NumbersUSA, US Senate To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
No Left Turns
by Mitt Romney: We can all agree that we need change in America. America’s strength depends on change and innovation. I’m convinced that America is going to change course. The question is which way it is going to go? Are we going to take the sharp left turn Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards represent, or are we going to move forward with the American values that have always made us the strongest nation on earth? I believe we'll do the latter, but it’s going to take a fight. The Democrats’ solutions for change are Big Brother, big taxes and big government. That’s not the right answer, it’s frightening. We need change, but not that kind of change. Stand with me against big government, on the side of the American people, and we’ll be on our way to bringing real conservative change, not Clinton-style big government to Washington.Tags: Election 2008, Mitt Romney, presidential candidate, Republican To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Newt flirts with ThompsonGingrich is Newt Inc. -- one part provocateur, one part entrepreneur
by Jonathan Martin, Politics '08: Publicly, Gingrich has been sending signals making clear that a presidential candidacy for him is becoming less likely. Privately, he and some of his closest advisers have been meeting with -- and, in at least one prominent case, going to work for -- the lobbyist-actor and former Tennessee senator. "I've always said it was unlikely I would run," Gingrich said . . . if Thompson "runs and does well, then I think that makes it easier for me not to run." The same day that Gingrich made his comments, his former communications director, Rich Galen, disclosed that he had signed on as an adviser to Thompson's campaign in waiting. . . . Galen termed the coincidence "an unfortunate confluence of events," denying that there was any link. But that was not the only evidence of a possible Thompson-Gingrich alliance in 2008. Gingrich and his wife, Calista, had dinner with Thompson and his wife, Jeri, at the former senator's home in McLean, Va., on July 16 . . .Still, if he is trying to avoid getting in the race and looking for somebody to get behind, it's not clear why Gingrich continues to keep the possibility of a presidential bid open. One explanation: Keeping speculation churning during the remaining months before the primaries begin is good for business. Since his unceremonious departure from the House in 1998, Gingrich has become Newt Inc. -- one part provocateur, one part entrepreneur, who stirs debate in his party and in journalistic circles, gets Sunday talk show invites and draws audiences on the lecture circuit. A presidential flirtation helps Gingrich further raise his profile, push his ideas and sell his books. . . . Were he to get in, though, Gingrich would face considerable hurdles . . . conduct as speaker, both public and private. . . . he'd likely find himself bogged down in answering questions about the 1990s. "Newt Gingrich would be an immensely polarizing candidate among Republican primary voters," said Emory Univ. professor Merle Black, and in "the extremely unlikely event of a Gingrich nomination, Democrats would relish his candidacy as the second coming of Barry Goldwater." . . . But even if Gingrich doesn't get in and instead throws his support to Thompson (or doesn't endorse at all), his knack for delivering a good quote is likely to keep him in the news . . . [Read More]
Tags: Election 2008, GOP, Newt Gingrich, Republican To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
For Those Who Serve [Video]
Our new friends at Ft. Hard Knox assist politically-conservative bloggers, social-networkers, and citizen journalists to navigate the wild, wild world of Web 2.0 more effectively and are promoting ARRA on their website. Check them out! They have collaborated on several quality videos and Ft. Hard Knox is dedicated to our troops and the following is their way of saying thank you for our troops service to our country:
For Those Who Serve!
Tags: support troops, video To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
For Those Who Serve!
Tags: support troops, video To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
On The Global War On Terror -- Basic facts on Al Qaeda in Iraq
President George Bush, at Charleston Air Force Base (7/24): . . . A good place to start is with some basic facts: Al Qaeda in Iraq was founded by a Jordanian terrorist, not an Iraqi. His name was Abu Musab al Zarqawi. Before 9/11, he ran a terrorist camp in Afghanistan. He was not yet a member of al Qaida, but our intelligence community reports that he had longstanding relations with senior al Qaida leaders, that he had met with Osama bin Laden and his chief deputy, Zawahiri. In 2001, coalition forces destroyed Zarqawi's Afghan training camp, and he fled the country and he went to Iraq, where he set up operations with terrorist associates long before the arrival of coalition forces. In the violence and instability following Saddam's fall, Zarqawi was able to expand dramatically the size, scope, and lethality of his operation. In 2004, Zarqawi and his terrorist group formally joined al Qaida, pledged allegiance to Osama bin Laden, and he promised to "follow his orders in jihad." Soon after, bin Laden publicly declared that Zarqawi was the "Prince of Al Qaida in Iraq" -- and instructed terrorists in Iraq to "listen to him and obey him." It's hard to argue that al Qaida in Iraq is separate from bin Laden's al Qaida, when the leader of al Qaida in Iraq took an oath of allegiance to Osama bin Laden.
According to our intelligence community, the Zarqawi-bin Laden merger gave al Qaida in Iraq -- quote -- "prestige among potential recruits and financiers." The merger also gave al Qaida's senior leadership -- quote -- "a foothold in Iraq to extend its geographic presence ... to plot external operations ... and to tout the centrality of the jihad in Iraq to solicit direct monetary support elsewhere." The merger between al Qaida and its Iraqi affiliate is an alliance of killers -- and that is why the finest military in the world is on their trail. Zarqawi was killed by U.S. forces in June 2006. He was replaced by another foreigner -- an Egyptian named Abu Ayyub al-Masri. His ties to the al Qaida senior leadership are deep and longstanding. He has collaborated with Zawahiri for more than two decades. And before 9/11, he spent time with al Qaida in Afghanistan where he taught classes indoctrinating others in al Qaida's radical ideology.
After Abu Ayyub took over al Qaida's Iraqi operations last year, Osama bin Laden sent a terrorist leader named Abd al-Hadi al Iraqi to help him. According to our intelligence community, this man was a senior advisor to bin Laden, who served as his top commander in Afghanistan. Abd al-Hadi never made it to Iraq. He was captured, and was recently transferred to the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay. The fact that bin Laden risked sending one of his most valued commanders to Iraq shows the importance he places on success of al Qaida's Iraqi operations. According to our intelligence community, many of al Qaida in Iraq's other senior leaders are also foreign terrorists. They include a Syrian who is al Qaida in Iraq's emir in Baghdad, a Saudi who is al Qaida in Iraq's top spiritual and legal advisor, an Egyptian who fought in Afghanistan in the 1990s and who has met with Osama bin Laden, a Tunisian who we believe plays a key role in managing foreign fighters. Last month in Iraq, we killed a senior al Qaida facilitator named Mehmet Yilmaz, a Turkish national who fought with al Qaida in Afghanistan, and met with September the 11th mastermind Khalid Shaikh Muhammad, and other senior al Qaida leaders.
A few weeks ago, we captured a senior al Qaida in Iraq leader named Mashadani. Now, this terrorist is an Iraqi. In fact, he was the highest ranking Iraqi in the organization. Here's what he said, here's what he told us: The foreign leaders of Al Qaida in Iraq went to extraordinary lengths to promote the fiction that al Qaida in Iraq is an Iraqi-led operation. He says al Qaida even created a figurehead whom they named Omar al-Baghdadi. The purpose was to make Iraqi fighters believe they were following the orders of an Iraqi instead of a foreigner. Yet once in custody, Mashadani revealed that al-Baghdadi is only an actor. He confirmed our intelligence that foreigners are at the top echelons of al Qaida in Iraq -- they are the leaders -- and that foreign leaders make most of the operational decisions, not Iraqis. . . .
Here's the bottom line: Al Qaida in Iraq is run by foreign leaders loyal to Osama bin Laden. Like bin Laden, they are cold-blooded killers who murder the innocent to achieve al Qaida's political objectives. Yet despite all the evidence, some will tell you that al Qaida in Iraq is not really al Qaida -- and not really a threat to America. Well, that's like watching a man walk into a bank with a mask and a gun, and saying he's probably just there to cash a check. You might wonder why some in Washington insist on making this distinction about the enemy in Iraq. It's because they know that if they can convince America we're not fighting bin Laden's al Qaida there, they can paint the battle in Iraq as a distraction from the real war on terror. If we're not fighting bin Laden's al Qaida, they can argue that our nation can pull out of Iraq and not undermine our efforts in the war on terror. The problem they have is with the facts. We are fighting bin Laden's al Qaida in Iraq; Iraq is central to the war on terror; and against this enemy, America can accept nothing less than complete victory. . . . [Read Complete Speech]
Tags: al Qaeda, Iraq War, President George Bush To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!