Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: We received word from Jeannie Burlsworth, Chairman, Secure Arkansas that "the Secure Arkansas ballot initiative was again turned down by the Attorney General McDaniel today, but it appears that he will work with us to get it approved. It is being resubmitted in the morning, we are looking for a favorable reply and we will have those petitions ready to sign very soon."
Based on Mrs Burlworth comment, we are temporarily withholding comment on Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel's second turn down of the Secure Arkansas ballot initiative. We have already reported on his questioned independence to decide fairly on ballot initiatives. If the ballot initiative is again denied, many Arkansans will be investigating, questioning and reporting on McDaniel's action and on the linkages between the people who oppose permitting the voters the right to vote on this initiative.
For those who missed previous articles, the Secure Arkansas Ballot Initiative if approved by the voters would require the state and local government to verify the lawful presence in the United States of any person 14 years or older who applies for a federal, state, or local public benefit. Benefits that would require proof of legal presence include; applications for business licenses, in-state college tuition, and scholarships. The initiative would further require government agencies to document the types and dollar amounts of benefits provided to persons who are found to be in the United States unlawfully and submit an annual report of the provided benefits and costs. Previous Post: Arkansas AG McDaniel's Independence Questioned
Tags: Arkansas, Attorney General, benefits, Dustin McDaniel, government transparency, illegal aliens, illegal immigrants, Keep Arkansas Legal, public money, Secure Arkansas, transparency To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Speaker Nancy Pelosi is Out of Touch
| by Joe Eule, Chief of Staff, Freedom's Watch: In a 2006 press release, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi claimed that Democrats had a common sense plan to bring down skyrocketing fuel prices. The average price for a gallon of gas when Democrats took control of congress that November was $2.25 - a price that Pelosi and other liberals claimed amounted to "price gouging". The average price of a gallon of gas today is now up to a record $3.61, and in Speaker Pelosi's home Congressional district in the California bay area, the price tops $4 a gallon. |
Rising fuel prices don't only raise the cost to fill our gas tanks, but they affect the prices we pay for almost every other product - including necessities like food, and Congress is doing nothing to alleviate the strain on Americans' wallets. After viewing the video, call Speaker Pelosi's office at 202-225-0100 and remind her that America does need a common sense plan to bring gas prices under control.
Tags: Democrats, Freedoms Watch, gas prices, House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, US Congress, US House To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Obama Expresses 'Outrage'... Wink, Wink
by Bobby Eberle: Sen. Barack Obama has finally had enough. His former pastor, Jeremiah Wright, has been conducting a multi-event tour over the weekend, culminating in a speech on Monday to the National Press Club in Washington, DC. Over those days, there were many outrageous statements said by Rev. Wright. Some were new, and some were repeats of past comments. Obama had plenty of time to come forward and blast Wright for the outrageous, anti-American rhetoric that pours from his mouth. Did the senator from Illinois do that? No. He waited until Wright said something personal about Obama. Only then did Obama organize a press conference to express his "outrage". The outrage fell flat, and it again calls into question Obama's judgment and beliefs. . . .Rev. Wright is truly the gift that keeps on giving. He gave a speech talking about how black brains and white brains were different and cited research to "prove it." Imagine if a white researcher had made similar claims! Oh wait, they have, and they were branded as racists. Wright also didn't step back from his comments about America deserving the attacks on 9-11 or his statements that the U.S. government invented HIV to wipe out blacks. In this barrage of garbage, he also added one other noteworthy comment. He said that Barack Obama's denunciation of Wright's comments was "political posturing."
. . . Obama said, "The person that I saw yesterday was not the person that I met 20 years ago." Later in the press conference, Obama said, "What we saw yesterday out of Reverend Wright was a resurfacing and, I believe, an exploitation of those old divisions. Whatever his intentions, that was the result." Obama keeps referencing "yesterday" as if Wright suddenly woke up the other day and decided to be an anti-American racist -- that Wright's comments of recent days are somehow different than what he's been preaching for years. Give me a break! . . .
For Obama to claim that Wright is now a different person, that Obama doesn't recognize this hate speech, is flat-out unbelievable. Of course Obama knew what Wright believed. He heard it over and over again. . . . Obama doesn't have a record to go after. He has no legacy of legislative accomplishment. He has made this campaign about his judgment and vision for America. If that is all he is running on, then he is in trouble, because his judgment regarding Rev. Wright calls into question his judgment in other areas as well. . . . [Read More]
Tags: Barack Obama, Bobby Eberle, Democrat, Election 2008, GOPUSA, Jeremiah Wright, presidential candidate To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
England's Call to Repeal Our Declaration of Independence
by Phyllis Schlafly, Eagle Forum: It's a good thing that British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's U.S. visit was upstaged by the dramatic reception Americans gave Pope Benedict XVI. Brown might have been booed if he hadn't delivered what aides called his "signature" speech within the cloistered walls of Harvard's Kennedy Center. Brown's tedious, hour-long speech impudently demanded that we issue a "Declaration of Interdependence" in order to submit to global governance. That's another way of calling on us to repeal our Declaration of Independence.. . . Brown rejected the traditional concept of national sovereignty, which means an independent nation not subservient to any outside control, telling us to replace it with "responsible sovereignty," which he defined as accepting what he calls our global "obligations." . . . Brown admitted that his "main argument" is that we must accept "new global rules," "new global institutions," and "global networks." Brown's global rules include massive U.S. cash handouts and opening U.S. borders to the world. . . . Brown warned us that his vision of the globalist future is "irreversible transformation." He wants to "transcend states" and "transcend borders" as he builds the "architecture of a global society." . . . Brown wants to increase the power of the United Nations to become the source of "an international stand-by capacity of trained civilian experts, ready to go anywhere at any time," and even be able to exercise "military force." . . .
Brown refused to allow the British people to vote on whether or not they want to accept the European Union (EU) constitution. He acquiesced in the plot of the constitution's author, Valery Giscard d'Estaing, to put the EU constitution into effect by calling it a treaty so it did not have to be voted on by the people. . . . The EU constitution, now called the Treaty of Lisbon, requires all signers to surrender their sovereignty and democracy to unelected bureaucrats in Brussels and judges in Strasbourg. The EU constitution takes away England's right to pass its own laws, forces England to surrender more than 60 UK vetoes of EU decisions, and gives the EU bureaucracy and tribunals total control over England's immigration policy. Instead of a self-governing nation whose democratic system was developed over centuries, England is now ruled by what Margaret Thatcher called "the paper pushers in Brussels." Brown made his globalism speech emphatic by repeatedly invoking the words "New World Order." . . .
Gordon Brown invited us to march forward to globalism "where there is no path." He's correct that there is no path on which we can expect globalism to lead us to a better world; in fact every path toward global government is a surrender of our liberty and our prosperity. Gordon Brown should go back home and study up on how Americans refused to accept orders from King George III. [Read Complete Article]
Tags: England, globalism, Gordon Brown, Phyllis Schlafly, UN, United Kingdom, United Nations, United States To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Today in Washington D. C. - April 30, 2008
On The Floor: Senate reconvened at 9:30 AM today and resumed consideration of the FAA reauthorization bill (H.R. 2881). The Senate will recess between 10:40 AM and 12 PM for a Joint Session of Congress to receive Irish Prime Minister of Bernie Ahern.
From Senate & News Sources - Gas Prices: “War Over Gas Prices Explodes” is the headline in Roll Call today, which writes, “[B]oth parties and President Bush ratcheted up the blame game Tuesday and scrambled to propose an ever-expanding list of possible salves.” Remember that more than two years ago Senate Democrats and their Senate candidates were saying, “Talk is cheap, gas is not,” and were promising that if they were given control of Congress, they would act to alleviate high gas prices. Well? Two years later, Gasoline is $1.25 more, on average than it was when the Democrats took over Congress. Sen. John Cornyn recalled: “Two years ago, Speaker Pelosi said that if Democrats were given the majority, they would produce a common sense plan for reducing the pain at the pump. Well, we’re still waiting for that plan.”
Politico reports today, though, that Democrats are actually working on proposals, but that they are apparently more interested in scoring political points against Republicans and demonizing oil companies than doing anything to address the real issue of energy supplies. Their ideas apparently range from bad Carter-era retreads like windfall profits taxes to demanding price gouging investigations that have turned up nothing in the past.
Roll Call noted, “Republicans said there was no mystery to rising prices — supply isn’t keeping up with rising demand.” Indeed, Republicans yesterday reminded reporters that Democrats have repeatedly scuttled GOP proposals to increase domestic energy supplies. As Sen. McConnell said, “[W]e’ve had an opportunity to build more refineries, and the Democratic majority voted it down. We’ve had an opportunity to open up additional parts of the outer continental shelf, even in a place like Virginia where you had one Democratic senator and one Republican senator in favor of it, and the Democratic majority voted it down. It’s clear that on the production side of the equation, this new majority is not interested in doing anything.” Sen. Jon Kyl added that President Clinton vetoed a Republican plan to drill for oil in ANWR years ago, which could now be producing quite a bit of oil.
Republicans have proposed basic steps Congress could take to increase domestic energy supplies, but Democrats have repeatedly opposed them. It’s unfortunate, but unsurprising, that in the absence of constructive suggestions, Democrats are looking instead to score political points.
Tags: Irish Prime Minister, Bernie Ahern, gasoline prices, US Congress, US Senate, Washington D.C. To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
From Senate & News Sources - Gas Prices: “War Over Gas Prices Explodes” is the headline in Roll Call today, which writes, “[B]oth parties and President Bush ratcheted up the blame game Tuesday and scrambled to propose an ever-expanding list of possible salves.” Remember that more than two years ago Senate Democrats and their Senate candidates were saying, “Talk is cheap, gas is not,” and were promising that if they were given control of Congress, they would act to alleviate high gas prices. Well? Two years later, Gasoline is $1.25 more, on average than it was when the Democrats took over Congress. Sen. John Cornyn recalled: “Two years ago, Speaker Pelosi said that if Democrats were given the majority, they would produce a common sense plan for reducing the pain at the pump. Well, we’re still waiting for that plan.”
Politico reports today, though, that Democrats are actually working on proposals, but that they are apparently more interested in scoring political points against Republicans and demonizing oil companies than doing anything to address the real issue of energy supplies. Their ideas apparently range from bad Carter-era retreads like windfall profits taxes to demanding price gouging investigations that have turned up nothing in the past.
Roll Call noted, “Republicans said there was no mystery to rising prices — supply isn’t keeping up with rising demand.” Indeed, Republicans yesterday reminded reporters that Democrats have repeatedly scuttled GOP proposals to increase domestic energy supplies. As Sen. McConnell said, “[W]e’ve had an opportunity to build more refineries, and the Democratic majority voted it down. We’ve had an opportunity to open up additional parts of the outer continental shelf, even in a place like Virginia where you had one Democratic senator and one Republican senator in favor of it, and the Democratic majority voted it down. It’s clear that on the production side of the equation, this new majority is not interested in doing anything.” Sen. Jon Kyl added that President Clinton vetoed a Republican plan to drill for oil in ANWR years ago, which could now be producing quite a bit of oil.
Republicans have proposed basic steps Congress could take to increase domestic energy supplies, but Democrats have repeatedly opposed them. It’s unfortunate, but unsurprising, that in the absence of constructive suggestions, Democrats are looking instead to score political points.
Tags: Irish Prime Minister, Bernie Ahern, gasoline prices, US Congress, US Senate, Washington D.C. To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Orphans of the Corn: Stop the Massacre
Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: Friend, fellow blogger and Grizzly Groundswell contributor, J.G. at Hoopy Frood Dude posted the following story that in the end summarizes the failures of government. The truth of the article is painful but forces one to see that seldom does government consider the future consequences of their actions: Just a few days ago I gave my rant about biofuels, and included an article by Arnaud de Borchgrave. As it looks, neither Arnaud's or my article were far off track. Actually, they were pretty dead on. That Biofuels were of particular fault in the economic and humanitarian crisis being felt around the world.Thank you J.G. Although there is nothing new under the sun, government actions and / or inactions still continue to boggle our minds with its failures. Instead of focusing on providing more corn and other food products to fight world hunger, liberals would instead have us focus on converting these crops to operate our vehicles. Instead of using these crops to sustain life, they would have consume them materially on ourselves. Why? Because liberal do not value human life. Their definition of nature includes land, water, plants and all animals except for humans. To liberals, humans are the problem. Starving a few hundred millions is not as important to them as keeping the caribou from ever seeing an oil pipeline and is not as important as building a few more refineries in the Unites States. I could continue but then it would get even more depressing and you get my drift.
As it looks, the failed mandate by Congress to eventually replace fossil fuels with biofuels such as ethanol, are causing problems the world over. It's hit such a point that the World Bank has called on the G7 to increase emergency food assistance as 33 countries around the world are facing civil unrest due to high food prices and shortages.
And the way it's coming out, the proponents of biofuels are to blame. Period. Elizabeth Stuart, a spokesman for the Oxfam anti-poverty group has said, "’Half of the increase in the demand for major food crops was due to the move to biofuels,’ she said. ‘These have dubious environment benefits, and by driving up prices, are crippling the lives of the poor. ... The [World] Bank, with other international institutions and the G7, must come up with a joint plan to tackle this crisis.’”
Even the U.N.'s Right To Food independent expert Jean Ziegler has called for the five year moratorium on biofuel production to come to a halt as the growing practice of converting food crops into biofuels is "a crime against humanity.'' I normally don't put much stock in the U.N. But when it involves humanitarian problems, I at least lend ear to it. Then make my decisions.
Not only is it the subsidization of corn (and other food staples such as wheat, sugarcane, rice, etc.,) to be used for biofuels that's hurting the poverty stricken areas. But the increased fuel and energy costs to simply deliver it has added to the burden. Lawrence Kudlow (a former Reagan economic advisor) has said, “…The continued decline in the value of the dollar … has permitted the global commodities boom (energy and corn) to leak into higher U.S. inflation. Bulging commodity costs have depressed the profits of non-financial domestic businesses...”
All this goes to show a few things; First is, there's NOTHING that the government can't screw up. Second is, these are all things that government could have prevented by not getting involved, from the ethanol mandate to increasing the money supply. Thirdly, less (smaller) government allows for less interference. And lastly, it proves yet again the government which governs least, governs the best.
Tags: America, biofuels, crisis, government, government failures, Humanitarian, Starvation To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
King of Pork John Murtha Squealing
Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: The Pennsylvania (PA) Secretary of State has not official certified last Tuesday's primary elections. However, Republican candidate William "Bill" Russell is reporting a victory in his efforts to get on the ballot as the Republican nominee for Pennsylvania 12th Congressional District.Russell, a Lt. Colonel and decorated Desert Storm and Iraq War combat veteran and who was at the Pentagon on 9/11, returned home to run against Congressman John "Jack" Murtha. However during the filing period in PA, a candidate must submit a petition signed by enough voters to show that he is a viable candidate. Although Russell submitted enough signatures to be on the ballot, a legal challenge by two republicans allegedly beholden to Murtha resulted in Russell being denied the right to be on the primary ballot. Without a contender, Murtha, known as the "king of congressional pork," would have returned to Congress again without competition.
But fortunately in Pennsylvania, there is a big difference between signing a petition subject to review and criticism by "King" Murtha and the sanctity of the secrecy in the voting booths. Russell an experienced combat veteran did not give up. He launched a campaign for voters to write-in his name during the primary as the Republican candidate for 12th District US Representative. In PA, Russell needed at lease 1000 write-in votes from his fellow voters to be certified as the Republican candidate for the November elections.
The Russell campaign reports that unofficially over 4000 voters in the Republican primary wanted a choice in November and wrote -in William Russell's name as their candidate of choice. In addition, almost 1000 Democrats displeased with "King" Murtha also wrote in William Russell's name in the Democrat primary. With several National races on their primary ballot. PA County officials cannot certify the election results until 10 days have past to comply with the Federal law permitting additional time for absentee military ballots to be received and counted. Do you suppose those military absentee voters preferred Murtha who called them murders or Russell who served with them in honor?Even with this outpouring for a write-in candidate, the Pennsylvania Secretary of State media relations office could not confirm today the current estimated number of write-in ballots in the 12th Congressional District. Until release of the official results, one can only wonder what devious plots are underway by Porker Jack Murtha and his squealing cronies to protect his bacon.
Tags: Bill Russell, Congressional Pork, Congressional race, John Murtha, Pennsylvania, Porker of the Year, veterans, William Russell To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Today in Washington D. C. - April 29, 2008
On The Floor: The Senate reconvened at 10 AM today with a period of morning business and will recess for weekly policy lunches between 12:30 and 2:15 PM. The Senate will resume consideration of the motion to proceed to the FAA reauthorization bill (H.R. 2881). A vote on the bill itself could occur later today when language is finalized. Yesterday, the Senate voted 88-0 to invoke cloture to proceed to the FAA bill.
Senate & News Source Comments on Excessive Rising Gas Prices: In opening remarks on the floor today, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell warned the Senate not forget that Americans are most concerned about the dramatic increase in the price of gasoline over the last year. McConnell added a commonsense warning: “[W]e should be able to stipulate at the outset that raising taxes as a way of addressing that problem isn't even worth our consideration.” Fox News reports that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has asked Democrats to come up with ideas for a bill to address gasoline prices. However, “a senior Democratic leadership aide” said of the bill, “It’s become a kitchen sink. They’ve been trying to put this thing together for awhile, and there’s still no agreement.”
It certainly doesn’t appear Democrats will have any ideas to put forward this week, two years after they promised their “commonsense plan” on gas prices. Senate Democrats have repeatedly shown that they have little to offer other than bombast. Majority Whip Dick Durbin took to the floor today to express his usual outrage over the profits of oil companies instead of offering actual solutions. Durbin took his rhetoric to an absurd level, stopping short of accusing oil companies of siphoning money from consumers. There are a number of policies Congress could adopt to increase domestic energy production and begin to help consumers, but Democrats will need to show a preference for commonsense solutions over demagoguery and tax hikes.
A short time later, President Bush spoke to reporters about specific things Congress could do to boost energy production in the United States. The president noted that Democrats have been vocal in demanding oil production increases from other countries but have repeatedly blocked exploration in the U.S. He also emphasized that no new refineries have been built in the country for over 30 years and reminded reporters that Democrats have also blocked nuclear power proposals for years.
Tags: FAA bill, gasoline prices, US Congress, US Senate, Washington D.C. To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Senate & News Source Comments on Excessive Rising Gas Prices: In opening remarks on the floor today, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell warned the Senate not forget that Americans are most concerned about the dramatic increase in the price of gasoline over the last year. McConnell added a commonsense warning: “[W]e should be able to stipulate at the outset that raising taxes as a way of addressing that problem isn't even worth our consideration.” Fox News reports that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has asked Democrats to come up with ideas for a bill to address gasoline prices. However, “a senior Democratic leadership aide” said of the bill, “It’s become a kitchen sink. They’ve been trying to put this thing together for awhile, and there’s still no agreement.”
It certainly doesn’t appear Democrats will have any ideas to put forward this week, two years after they promised their “commonsense plan” on gas prices. Senate Democrats have repeatedly shown that they have little to offer other than bombast. Majority Whip Dick Durbin took to the floor today to express his usual outrage over the profits of oil companies instead of offering actual solutions. Durbin took his rhetoric to an absurd level, stopping short of accusing oil companies of siphoning money from consumers. There are a number of policies Congress could adopt to increase domestic energy production and begin to help consumers, but Democrats will need to show a preference for commonsense solutions over demagoguery and tax hikes.
A short time later, President Bush spoke to reporters about specific things Congress could do to boost energy production in the United States. The president noted that Democrats have been vocal in demanding oil production increases from other countries but have repeatedly blocked exploration in the U.S. He also emphasized that no new refineries have been built in the country for over 30 years and reminded reporters that Democrats have also blocked nuclear power proposals for years.
Tags: FAA bill, gasoline prices, US Congress, US Senate, Washington D.C. To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Monday, April 28, 2008
Wright Is Wrong
Gary Bauer, Campaign for Working Families: Barack Obama’s former pastor Reverend Jeremiah Wright is speaking out publicly in defense of his controversial views. To my great disappointment, Wright was the honored speaker at a major NAACP event this weekend, with 10,000 people paying $150 each to validate his hate. After decades of affirmative action, can race relations in America really be that bad? How can the NAACP, which bills itself as a “mainstream” civil rights organization, honor a supporter of Louis Farrakhan? Does the NAACP endorse Wright’s wild conspiracy theories – like his suggestion that the government invented the HIV virus to kill black people? Does the NAACP believe, as Wright has suggested, that America deserved the 9/11 attacks? I refuse to believe that such views are embraced by a majority of black Americans, and I am astonished that the NAACP would give Wright such prominence.Today, Rev. Wright spoke to reporters at the National Press Club and his remarks were not as well received there as they were by Bill Moyers of PBS. According to one commentator, Wright again defended Louis Farrakhan. He defended his allegation that AIDS was a government plot. He defended his comparison of U.S. Marines to Roman soldiers who crucified Jesus. And he suggested his church had supported the communist Sandinistas in Nicaragua. Roland Martin, a black radio talk show host, said on CNN, “I think Rev. Jeremiah Wright, based on the question-and-answer session today, actually blew it. …I felt his tone was inappropriate and also the behavior there.” David Gergen, a policy advisor to Republican and Democrat presidents, said, “I think that this has been narcissistic almost beyond belief. And this publicity offensive has been destructive for the Obama campaign.”
Politics aside, as Rev. Wright spoke to the National Press Club, I was struck by the contrast between this angry and bitter man and another black pastor. Decades earlier, not far from the National Press Club, Dr. Martin Luther King expressed not his hatred, but his love for America. Dr. King implored all Americans to embrace their fellow countrymen and to include black Americans in promises of our Declaration of Independence. In the years since, I believe we have made significant strides. The greatest problem affecting the African American community today, I believe, is not racism, but the breakdown of the family, and some of my proudest moments in Washington have been working with black pastors in defense of traditional marriage and family values. But the liberal solutions offered by Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and the Democrats, just like the comments of Rev. Wright, are flat-out wrong.
While Sen. McCain has been hesitant in the past, I’m pleased to report that he indicated over the weekend that Rev. Wright and his bizarre comments were legitimate issues. That’s good because Wright repeatedly suggested that Obama really didn’t distance himself from Wright or his obscene comments, and only “did what politicians do” when he supposedly repudiated them. It seemed to me like Obama’s pastor was questioning his sincerity. Wright also said that he told Obama, “If you get elected, November the 5th I’m coming after you, because you’ll be representing a government whose policies grind under people.” In other words, this man expects to have “President Obama’s” ear on important policy issues.
Tags: Barack Obama, Election 2008, Gary Bauer, Jeremiah Wright To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
What They’re Saying About McCain’s Arkansas Visit
by Selby Bush, RPA Communications Director: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: “The Senator from Arizona and presumptive GOP presidential nominee will end his week-long tour through mostly impoverished areas with a brief afternoon stop in Little Rock. The tour has been portrayed as McCain’s effort to reach out to Democratic and independent voters. And it has given him a platform to continue trumpeting lower corporate taxes, an attack on government waste and likely cuts in nonmilitary spending.” (Matthew S.L. Cate, “Shaping his GOP identity, McCain to visit state today,” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 4/25/08)
“John McCain makes last stop in Arkansas on ‘forgotten’ places tour”:
The Morning News: McCain’s visit to Arkansas was the final stop on his “Time for Action” tour of regions that McCain has called “forgotten parts of America.” Earlier in the week he visited poverty-stricken areas of Alabama, Ohio, and Kentucky, as well as New Orleans’ Ninth Ward, devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.” (John Lyon, “McCain Visits Arkansas,” The Morning News, 4/25/08)
Texarkana Gazette: “John McCain makes last stop in Arkansas on ‘forgotten’ places tour.” (4/25/08)
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette: “McCain said his plan for a summertime gas tax holiday would help motorists cope with soaring gas prices, even if for a short while…’I’d love to tell you that money is well spent. But a lot of it’s not,’ McCain said. With his tax break, he said, maybe more Americans could ‘take a vacation. School’s out. Maybe a chance to take a little trip.’” (Matthew S.L. Cate, “McCain on LR visit gains cash, barbecue,” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 4/26/08)
“Rivals No More: McCain, Huckabee do the rounds”:
CNN: “Senator John McCain, on the last leg of this week’s your of economically struggling regions, was campaigning alongside former rival Mike Huckabee on Friday.” (Ed Hornick, “Rivals no more: McCain, Huckabee do the rounds,” CNN.com, 4/25/08)
Arkansas Business: “McCain said the former Arkansas governor, always quick to laud the Arizona senator during his own campaign, will travel as a surrogate to rally voters not only in the South.” (Arkansasbusiness.com, 4/25/08)
Texarkana Gazette: “McCain comes to a state where he finished second in the Feb. 5th presidential primary to Huckabee, who served as Arkansas’ governor for 10 ½ years.” (Texarkana Gazette, 4/24/08)
“Straight Talk at Arkansas Baptist”:
The Morning News: “At historically black Arkansas Baptist College, McCain met for about 40 minutes with students in the Our Kids Program, which fosters partnerships between police, schools, churches, students, and community members to provide positive role models for young black males. McCain said he wanted to end the tour with a ‘great success story.’” (John Lyon, “McCain Visits Arkansas, The Morning News, 4/25/08)
Arkansas Times: “McCain called Arkansas Baptist "a great American success story" for bouncing back after almost losing accreditation in 2006.” (John C. Williams, “Straight Talk at Arkansas Baptist,” Arkansas Times, 4/25/08)
Local Voices:
McGehee District Judge Gibbs Ferguson: “I was going to holler at him and tell him he had two votes.” (Matthew S.L. Cate, “McCain on LR visit gains cash, barbecue,” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 4/26/08)
Brittney Cozart Of Little Rock, Arkansas: “I really like his beliefs, a lot of candidates today do not have the old-world conservative beliefs that I believe in. And he does.” (Matthew S.L. Cate, “McCain on LR visit gains cash, barbecue,” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 4/26/08)
University of Central Arkansas President Lu Hardin: “I saw a side of John McCain I hadn’t seen today, because he was very relaxed and funny.” (John Lyon, “McCain Visits Arkansas,” The Morning News, 4/25/08)
Former State Senator Doyle Webb: “He was very engaging and humorous, he shares a patriotism and a vision, and one of the stories he told brought tears to my eyes, and I thought that’s what we need as president.” (John Lyon, “McCain Visits Arkansas,” The Morning News, 4/25/08)
Other online McCain support places to visit and to join:
Arkansas for John McCain Facebook Group
Arkansas for John McCain Google Group
Arkansas for McCainNow.com Group
Contribute to the John McCain Campaign
See Also: Huckabee & McCain "Straight Talk" in Arkansas - video!
Tags: Arizona, Arkansas, Election 2008, GOP, John McCain, Mike Huckabee, presidential candidate, press, Republican To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Tags: Arizona, Arkansas, Election 2008, GOP, John McCain, Mike Huckabee, presidential candidate, press, Republican To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Huckabee & McCain "Straight Talk"
Mike Huckabee and John McCain gave an interview to reporters on 4/25/08 from McCain's Straight Talk Express Campaign Bus. Huckabee strongly endorsed McCain. They discussed the current state of the campaign. You can hear the voices of wives Cindy McCain and Janet Huckabee as well as the CNN reporter. Is there a possibility that former Gov. Mike Huckabee is being considered for Vice President by the presumptive Republican Party presidential nominee Sen. John McCain?
McCain & Huckabee on the Campaign Bus (3 part series) 4/25/08
Tags: Arizona, Arkansas, Election 2008, GOP, John McCain, Mike Huckabee, presidential candidate, Republican, videos To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
McCain & Huckabee on the Campaign Bus (3 part series) 4/25/08
Tags: Arizona, Arkansas, Election 2008, GOP, John McCain, Mike Huckabee, presidential candidate, Republican, videos To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Cost to Americans for Delay of Columbia Free Trade Agreement
Bill Smith, ARRA News Service: The below tickler estimates the amount of tariffs imposed on American companies by Colombia since the Free Trade Agreement came into being. Columbia pays no tariff (0%) for the following goods imported into the U.S.: Bananas, Coffee, Carrot's, Fresh-cut Flowers. However, U.S. manufacturers must pay tariffs to Columbia for goods they sell to Columbia thereby reducing profits for their companies and reducing potential benefits for their employees. Examples of American exports to Columbia and the tariffs imposed on American goods: Apples (15%), Farm Equipment (10-15%), Fertilizer (15%), soft drinks (Pepsi, Coke, etc. - 20%).
If the new Columbia Free Trade Agreement is approved by Congress these costs to American manufacturers will be eliminated. Although it is expected that this agreement will be approved overwhelmingly in the US. House, Democrat Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has changed the House rules and delayed a vote on this agreement in hopes of advancing her own personal agenda. One wonders what "under the table" deals she is getting for this delay! It is actions like Pelosi's that cause jobs to be lost in the U.S. If good are not exported by the U.S. to countries like Columbia, then eventually jobs will be exported as America business owners opt to build in companies in countries where they reduce both export and import fees. Another example of Speaker Pelosi not understanding Economics 101.
Tags: Columbia, Economics, Free Trade, Nancy Pelosi, the economy To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
If the new Columbia Free Trade Agreement is approved by Congress these costs to American manufacturers will be eliminated. Although it is expected that this agreement will be approved overwhelmingly in the US. House, Democrat Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has changed the House rules and delayed a vote on this agreement in hopes of advancing her own personal agenda. One wonders what "under the table" deals she is getting for this delay! It is actions like Pelosi's that cause jobs to be lost in the U.S. If good are not exported by the U.S. to countries like Columbia, then eventually jobs will be exported as America business owners opt to build in companies in countries where they reduce both export and import fees. Another example of Speaker Pelosi not understanding Economics 101.
Tags: Columbia, Economics, Free Trade, Nancy Pelosi, the economy To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Today in Washington D. C. - April 28, 2008
On The Senate Floor: The Senate will reconvene at 2 PM today. At 5:30, the Senate is expected to vote on cloture on the motion to proceed to the FAA reauthorization bill (H.R. 2881). If the Senate agrees to take up the bill, the chamber will likely spend the bulk of the week on it.
Gas Prices: House and Senate Republicans are both focusing on the glaring absence of Democrat plans on gas prices. Two years ago, Democrats held press conferences and photo ops next to signs displaying gas prices declaring that they had plans to address the high price of gas. Today, prices are even higher and truckers have come to Washington, DC, to register their frustration. The Democrats’ “commonsense plan” on gas prices remains a mystery, though. On the other hand, Republicans have long proposed opening domestic reserves of oil to exploration, including ANWR, oil shale in the West, and drilling offshore. Unfortunately, Democrats have blocked such proposals for just as long. So how high do prices have to go before Democrats show an interest in developing resources we have here in America?
Columbia Free Trade: Republicans in Congress will also continue to make the case for the Colombia Free Trade Agreement, which will help American workers and companies, not to mention assist a critical ally in South America. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) in an op-ed on Colombia in the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram today writes that although Colombia already enjoys almost no tariffs on its exports to the U.S.,
Iraq & Afghanistan Supplemental Bill: While Democrats have done little in the way of legislating recently, they have managed to keep themselves busy arguing with each other about the supplemental spending bill for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette chronicles the latest twist in this saga, noting that Blue Dog Democrats would like to limit domestic projects (stop pork from being added) in the bill, though there are many other Democrats looking to add congressional pork.
Tags: Columbia, FAA, Free Trade, gas prices, military funding, tariffs, US Congress, US House, US Senate, Washington D.C. To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Gas Prices: House and Senate Republicans are both focusing on the glaring absence of Democrat plans on gas prices. Two years ago, Democrats held press conferences and photo ops next to signs displaying gas prices declaring that they had plans to address the high price of gas. Today, prices are even higher and truckers have come to Washington, DC, to register their frustration. The Democrats’ “commonsense plan” on gas prices remains a mystery, though. On the other hand, Republicans have long proposed opening domestic reserves of oil to exploration, including ANWR, oil shale in the West, and drilling offshore. Unfortunately, Democrats have blocked such proposals for just as long. So how high do prices have to go before Democrats show an interest in developing resources we have here in America?
Columbia Free Trade: Republicans in Congress will also continue to make the case for the Colombia Free Trade Agreement, which will help American workers and companies, not to mention assist a critical ally in South America. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) in an op-ed on Colombia in the Ft. Worth Star-Telegram today writes that although Colombia already enjoys almost no tariffs on its exports to the U.S.,
“American businesses and producers are still obligated to pay tariffs on exports to Colombia. The U.S. trade representative estimates that, since negotiations on the trade pact were completed in 2006, American products have been taxed nearly $1 billion in tariffs paid to Colombia. By eliminating this inequity, producers in the U.S. will have greater access to this lucrative market.”The U.S. Trade Representative has debuted a Colombia Tariff Tracker to tally how much American companies have paid in tariffs since the Colombia agreement was signed that would be eliminated if the pact was approved by Congress.
Iraq & Afghanistan Supplemental Bill: While Democrats have done little in the way of legislating recently, they have managed to keep themselves busy arguing with each other about the supplemental spending bill for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette chronicles the latest twist in this saga, noting that Blue Dog Democrats would like to limit domestic projects (stop pork from being added) in the bill, though there are many other Democrats looking to add congressional pork.
Tags: Columbia, FAA, Free Trade, gas prices, military funding, tariffs, US Congress, US House, US Senate, Washington D.C. To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Election Idea
There are less than eight months until the election, an election that will decide the next President of the United States. The person elected will be the president of all Americans, not just the Democrats or the Republicans.To show our solidarity as Americans, let's all get together and show each other our support for the candidate of our choice. It's time that we all came together, Democrats and Republicans alike. If you support the policies and character of John McCain, please drive with your headlights on during the day. If you support Obama or Hillary, please drive with your headlights off at night.
Tags: Democrats, Election 2008, political humor, Republicans To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
No Intellegence - Democrats Win
From a reader who asked if we knew who did this Wizard of Id cartoon and when. We researched and determined the cartoon was by Brant Parker in 2004. Unfortunately Parker died at the age of 86 almost exactly one year ago on March 17, 2007. Parker was insightful and enjoyed by many conservatives. The Beat reported on his death that "The Kingdom of Id" started in 1964 in a New York hotel room when Brant Parker joined together with Johnny Hart who passed away a week before Parker. Parker drew the cartoon and Hart came up with the "gag" words. Tags: Democrats, political cartoon, Brant Parker, Johnny Hart To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Saturday, April 26, 2008
North Carolina GOP Takes on Liberals
Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: The North Carolina GOP released the below ad taking on the liberal positions of candidates in their state who align with the beliefs of Barrack Obama and his associates. This ad entitled "Extreme" opposes Bev Perdue and Richard Moore for Governor. While the ad has been opposed by John McCain and others, the ad has nothing to do with John McCain or his campaign.N.C. Republicans are not being clones for presidential campaigns or the RNC. Look at the results! North Carolina Republicans are in the forefront of the news. The ad, which speaks the truth trying to be ignored by the liberal media, is helping the North Carolina Republican Party raise large amounts of money. Everyone is pay attention. And the N.C. GOP is showing other state republican parties how to raise big money!
North Carolina Republicans comprehend that their back yards are truly the front lines and their efforts help all conservatives. They understand that to rally support in opposing advancing liberalism, you cannot continue to go along with the moderate agenda of others. Personally, I like their "elephant stampede ad." Running over a few liberals and an occasional RINO is okay be me. It helps to keep the political landscaped a little more balanced.
GOP state parties would do good to recognize that they are not going anywhere by sitting idle by waiting for crumbs of approved information or for money from either the RNC or national candidates. It would be good for state parties to recruit local party activists to work their behalf while keeping out of their party leadership those that have agenda to obtain from candidates future political positions in the RNC, Washington, D.C. or their state government.
The N.C. GOP political ad "Extreme" evidence a truth known to active conservatives and liberals alike. Today's local and state elected leaders will be the national leaders in the future. Liberals beget liberals. Conservatives beget conservatives. Rinos align more with liberals than with conservatives. And with these thoughts in mind, consider . . .
"Extreme"
Tags: conservatives, GOP, liberals, North Carolina, political video, Politics, Republican, RINO, Election 2008 To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Hucakbee Supports McCain Against "Hillary R. Obama"
Former rival Mike Huckabee campaigned together with Sen. John McCain on Friday. Per the AP: Huckabee joked that they were so civil as opponents they don't have to "unsay" any bad things. McCain said that early in the GOP campaign, they had a lot of time to get to know each other when both were dismissed as the longest of long shots. Chatting with reporters on the Straight Talk Express campaign bus, McCain recalled the days when they were relegated to the most distant ends of the podium in the early Republican debates, drawing few questions from the moderators. "Governor Huckabee and I had lots of time to chat with each other," McCain laughed. "We became friends on the campaign trail."
Asked about McCain's support among social conservatives, Huckabee believed they would rally around McCain because the stakes are so high. Huckabee identified the most Republican voters are worried about "Hillary R. Obama." McCain and Huckabee were together with their wives and attended a closed GOP fundraiser and visited a men's leadership class at Arkansas Baptist College, a traditionally black private college. McCain's visited the college as part of his "time for action" tour because the college is an example of a success story to be celebrated. Note also: Arkansas: McCain Leads Clinton, Overwhelms Obama [Photos via egopnews.com]Tags: Arkansas, Election 2008, John McCain, 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!
Friday, April 25, 2008
The Blogger Protection Act of 2008
Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: Many years ago, I had the wonderful opportunity while serving our county to live in Montana. The words "Big Sky Country" not only expresses the natural aspects of the state but it also expresses a sense of freedom. With a "Big Sky," there is lots of space for people to live, to do and to speaks as they wish. Today, I send a "Big Sky" Hat tip to Craig Sprout, of Montana Politics for offering Congressman Denny Rehberg a place to post comments on the important legislation to protect bloggers (H.R. 5699, the Blogger Protection Act of 2008).
Bloggers are on the cutting edge of stories in their communities. The majority of bloggers are not beholden to a group or an employer who has the power to limit what they can do and say. If it weren't for the freedom that bloggers have, many of today's "dead tree" print reporters would not have a place to go to garner material for their stories. It is critical in a free society, that bloggers, along with other media types, be able to share thoughts, opinion, ideas, etc. freely. Our forefathers risked everything . Out freedoms were extended to us by their labors and service in casting off tyranny for a free Republic. We should not now or in the future fear of our governments (at all levels) attempts to limit our free speech. We are not like the Canadians, who having remained under the control of the crown were never granted a right to "free speech." While Canadian bloggers face criticism and control by their government agencies, in the United States, bloggers still have free speech. Unfortunately, some are trying to remove or limit this freedom.
As detailed by Congressman Rehberg:
Tags: blogger, bloggers, free speech To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Bloggers are on the cutting edge of stories in their communities. The majority of bloggers are not beholden to a group or an employer who has the power to limit what they can do and say. If it weren't for the freedom that bloggers have, many of today's "dead tree" print reporters would not have a place to go to garner material for their stories. It is critical in a free society, that bloggers, along with other media types, be able to share thoughts, opinion, ideas, etc. freely. Our forefathers risked everything . Out freedoms were extended to us by their labors and service in casting off tyranny for a free Republic. We should not now or in the future fear of our governments (at all levels) attempts to limit our free speech. We are not like the Canadians, who having remained under the control of the crown were never granted a right to "free speech." While Canadian bloggers face criticism and control by their government agencies, in the United States, bloggers still have free speech. Unfortunately, some are trying to remove or limit this freedom.
As detailed by Congressman Rehberg:
A 2007 report (pdf) found that, in 2006, almost one out of three Americans – more than 60 million people – used the Internet to get political news and information and to discuss campaign races. Over half of Internet users say that they use it because of the amount of information and perspectives that are available – something not easily or cheaply available through more traditional forms of media.Contact your representatives and your senators, and encourage them all to support the H.R. 5699, the Blogger Protection Act of 2008. This one law that should be above partisan bickering and should be passed quickly.
. . . . Whether I agree with them or not, it’s always important to remember that these blogs are . . . the Voice of the People. It’s important we protect that freedom. One way I’m doing this is by supporting H.R. 5699, the Blogger Protection Act of 2008, a bill which would protect . . .. bloggers from the unnecessary intrusion of Washington, DC bureaucrats. In 2002, Congress passed Campaign Finance Reform which some opponents feared would curb free speech. While the bill didn’t specifically mention regulation of the Internet, the law of unintended consequences resulted in a 2004 Federal Court ruling (pdf) which ordered the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to begin regulating speech on the Internet. . . . .As a result, bloggers faced a threat of FEC investigations which would have resulted in a public disclosure requirement and expensive litigation, providing hindrance to the work you all do.
Thankfully, in 2006, at the urgent request of Congress, the FEC passed a rule (pdf) exempting blogs and their authors from this destructive intrusion of federal authority. We argued the Internet is unique because the consumer, not the producer, decides what’s worth reading. Unlike traditional media, speech on the Internet is not constrained by scarcity of space and production. Internet content is only as effective as the choices of the audience to view it. Exempting Internet speech from FEC regulation was right thing to do, but the fight isn’t over. As easily as this rule was created in 2006, it can be removed by a new Administration. That’s why the Blogger Protection Act is necessary. . . . [Complete Article]
Tags: blogger, bloggers, free speech To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Today in Washington D. C. - April 25, 2008
In the Senate: The Senate recessed yesterday until Monday at 2 PM. They are then expected to vote at 5:30 on cloture on the motion to proceed to the FAA reauthorization bill (H.R. 2881). Yesterday, an amendment by Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) to the veterans’ bill (S. 1315) that would have taken money the bill will spend on pensions for Filipino veterans and used it for U.S. veterans was defeated. The Senate subsequently passed the veterans’ bill and later passed the Genetic Nondiscrimination Act (H.R. 493). The Senate passed with unanimous consent a bill (H.R. 4286) co-authored by Sens. Mitch McConnell and Diane Feinstein to award Burmese democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi with the Congressional Gold Medal. Also passed by unanimous consent was a resolution honoring the 60th anniversary of Israel’s independence (H. Con. Res. 322).
Senate Democrats again felt the need to take aside time yesterday afternoon to accuse Republicans of “filibustering” numerous pieces of legislation, despite the fact that two bills had passed just before that. Earlier in the week, DSCC Chair Chuck Schumer told reporters that Republicans filibustered “the bill implementing the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission; the intelligence authorization bill; the court security bill; the water resources bill; the Clean Energy Act; the CHIP reauthorization; the economic stimulus package; the CPSC overhaul bill; the highway technical corrections bill; and just yesterday, the veterans health bill.” Of course, Schumer neglected to mention that every single one of those bills has passed the Senate, and most have become law.
In the House: House Democrats are blocking two vital pieces of legislation: revisions to FISA that the intelligence community has needed for over a year and the Colombia Free Trade Agreement. Granted, Democrats in the House are busy… they’re squabbling with each other over how to handle the supplemental funding bill for Iraq and Afghanistan. Roll Call reported yesterday, that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is beginning to put together a plan to address the conflicting demands of her caucus: “
Tags: FISA, Colombia Free Trade, Genetic Nondiscrimination Act, US Congress, US House, US Senate, Washington D.C. To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Senate Democrats again felt the need to take aside time yesterday afternoon to accuse Republicans of “filibustering” numerous pieces of legislation, despite the fact that two bills had passed just before that. Earlier in the week, DSCC Chair Chuck Schumer told reporters that Republicans filibustered “the bill implementing the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission; the intelligence authorization bill; the court security bill; the water resources bill; the Clean Energy Act; the CHIP reauthorization; the economic stimulus package; the CPSC overhaul bill; the highway technical corrections bill; and just yesterday, the veterans health bill.” Of course, Schumer neglected to mention that every single one of those bills has passed the Senate, and most have become law.
In the House: House Democrats are blocking two vital pieces of legislation: revisions to FISA that the intelligence community has needed for over a year and the Colombia Free Trade Agreement. Granted, Democrats in the House are busy… they’re squabbling with each other over how to handle the supplemental funding bill for Iraq and Afghanistan. Roll Call reported yesterday, that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is beginning to put together a plan to address the conflicting demands of her caucus: “
That still-developing strategy involves advancing three separate legislative vehicles: one to exclusively provide emergency funding for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan; another aimed at stimulating the economy through a mix of domestic spending measures; and potentially, a third that would advance some sort of language on troop withdrawals. . . . Such a strategy would at least theoretically address the conundrum faced by House leaders: how to pass a war spending bill when anti-war Democrats oppose any new funds without a change in Iraq policy. Further complicating matters, fiscally conservative Democrats could oppose a supplemental that is too heavily laden with domestic spending items and does not have to abide by pay-as-you-go budget rules.”CQ Today notes an interesting statement by anti-war appropriator Jim Moran (D-VA). Moran is apparently interested in a flexible bridge fund for the war into 2009 which could “allow the next president upon taking office to shift large amounts of money away from Iraq to Afghanistan or pay for troop withdrawals." [Note" There are no links to Roll Call & CQ Today items because they are subscriptions services.]
Tags: FISA, Colombia Free Trade, Genetic Nondiscrimination Act, US Congress, US House, US Senate, Washington D.C. To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Pelosi’s "Fictional" Bible Verse
Hat Tip to Orlando at FHK: Nancy Pelosi was caught fictionalizing a verse in the Bible. The verse, it turns out, does not exist. As CNS News reports: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is fond of quoting a particular passage of Scripture. The quote, however, does not appear in the Bible and is "fictional," according to biblical scholars.More, on Malkin: Nancy Pelosi’s Lost Biblical verse
In her April 22 Earth Day news release, Pelosi said, "The Bible tells us in the Old Testament, ‘To minister to the needs of God’s creation is an act of worship. To ignore those needs is to dishonor the God who made us.’ On this Earth Day, and every day, let us pledge to our children, and our children’s children, that they will have clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, and the opportunity to experience the wonders of nature."
Tags: Bible, Earth Day, liar, liberal, Nancy Pelosi To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Questions For The Democrat Party . . .
As Senator John McCain makes his way to Arkansas tomorrow to talk about the real issues facing voters in this state and nationwide, the Democrat Party of Arkansas is attempting to mislead voters about his record, character, and policies. Ironically, the Democrat Party still hasn’t determined which liberal Senator they plan to nominate for November, and voters still have plenty of unanswered questions about their candidates’ records on the issues:- Question 1: Why have both Democrat presidential candidates proposed raising taxes on hard-working families, while John McCain has promised to keep taxes low? Learn more about the Democrats’ plans to increase taxes.
- Question 2: Why have both the Democrat candidates promised to siphon off funding for our troops in Iraq, while our commanders on the ground have warned against an immediate withdraw? Learn more about the Democrats’ promise to choke off funding for our soldiers.
- Question 3: Why won’t both Democrat candidates renounce their National Party Chairman’s comments about John McCain, when they claim to repudiate negative campaigning? Learn more about the Democrats’ failure to renounce negative campaigning.
- Question 4: Why is the Democrat Party on the brink of nominating one of the most anti-gun candidates in Democrat history? Learn more about Obama’s lack of support for Second Amendment rights.
Tags: Arkansas, Barack Obama, Democrats, John McCain To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Obama's Elitism Has Blue Dog Dems Howling
Pete Kirkham, Executive Director, NRCC: The Democrat Party is very nervous these days. DNC Chairman Howard Dean was on CNN last week, insisting that the 300 uncommitted superdelegates make up their minds and rally around one candidate, lest the wounds and divisions between the campaigns of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton prove too deep to heal.An increasingly firm Howard Dean told CNN again Thursday that he needs superdelegates to say who they're for -- and "I need them to say who they're for starting now. . . . 'We cannot give up two or three months of active campaigning and healing time,' the Democratic National Committee Chairman told CNN's Wolf Blitzer. 'We've got to know who our nominee is.'" (CNN, April 17, 2008)Of course, we know what Dean really means (but won't say) is that he wants those superdelegates to rally around Obama so they can push Hillary off the stage and avoid a complete catastrophe at their national convention in Denver. But that won't be so easy, thanks to Obama's repeated statements that people seek refuge in religion only after Washington has failed to meet their needs, or that they cling to their guns because government has let them down. Elitist beliefs like Obama's are scaring away moderate Democrats in conservative congressional districts.
For all the hype about Obamamania, one thing remains true: America is not a left-of center country. We are a right-of center country that values tradition, religion, and all the rights bestowed upon us by the Constitution -- yes, Obama, even the 2nd Amendment. Stuart Rothenberg, a non-partisan political analyst who evaluates congressional races around the country has this to say about the Obama effect in congressional races this year:
"...Obama may not be the asset that he was once regarded by House Democrats. True, he will likely bring out younger voters and attract more independents than his New York opponent, but he's well on his way to being tagged a liberal, and that will undermine him as an asset for his party.It doesn't matter who Democrats choose as their presidential nominee. Obama and Hillary are both out of touch with middle-class families in America. There is too much at stake in this campaign to fall behind now. The future of our economy, our quality of life and our national security all depend on the outcome of the 2008 elections.
"Obama's great mistake was not in calling some small-town voters 'bitter.' Instead, it was in treating support for gun control and religion as negatives, as well as in equating 'anti-immigrant sentiment' and support for trade with religion.
"Obama's comments ought to worry Southern and rural Democrats about what their party's attitude might be toward them if and when the party elects a president in November. So long as Democrats have been focused on winning majorities, party leaders have been tolerant of their conservative Democratic colleagues. That could well change if Obama finds himself in the Oval Office." (Roll Call, April 17, 2008)
Republicans have a fighting chance this election year to reclaim House seats that went Democrat in 2006. Unless we defeat them, the radical liberal Democrats will continue to raise your taxes, give amnesty to illegal immigrants, initiate a government takeover of health care, roll-back welfare reform, and push for passage of their entire special interest dictated laundry list of left-wing programs. But in order to regain our Republican territory back, the candidates need supporters and workers - they need Your help!
Tags: Barack Obama, elitism, NRCC, US House To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Card Check, Colombia: Unions Running the Show
Bill Smith, ARRA Editor: Yesterday, being at the Little Rock Capitol, I could not participate in a discussion with Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) who met by conference call with a group of bloggers to share about the U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Act and the House leadership's decision to prevent an up-and-down vote on the agreement. However, I am thankful that Carter Wood from the Nat'l Assoc. of Manufacturers posted the following summary and audio on the meeting:
Tags: Bob Corker, Card Check, civil unions, Columbia, Free Trade, Senator, Shop Floor, Tennessee, union activism To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) traveled to Colombia in March, where he found a country more peaceful than in years past, growing economically, and embracing progress. . . . Alvaro Uribe is an impressive leader, an ally, and a man working to protect union leaders. The opportunities for U.S. exports to Colombia are impressive. And the Colombia FTA is a great deal for the United States, since Colombia already exports to the U.S. duty free under the Andean Trade Preference Act. Corker expressed strong sentiments about the politics that have disrupted the agreement's consideration in Congress, the unions demanding allegiance just as they did with the Employee Free Choice Act, or card check.Sen Bob Corker (extract of comments): Let me just say bottom line, I’ve never seen anything that’s just so brazenly a genuflect, if you will, by House leadership to unions. Card check, to me, it’s hard for me to believe that people really believe in this country that card check is a good thing, where basically union leaders go out and one on one should pick people off to bring a union into existence in companies. I’ve experienced first hand some of those types of tactics. Years ago, as a young man, I was a card-carrying union member. And again, it’s hard for me to see…it’s hard for me understand the tremendous tilt that this leadership has toward the unions. But this Colombia free trade agreement is absolutely inflicting pain on the very people that are being represented.
Today, per the Andean free trade preference agreement, Colombia can ship goods into our country tariff-free, for the most part. Very few things have tariffs on them. This agreement would allow us, our employees, our companies, our workers here in America to ship goods to Colombia tariff-free.
This is solely, solely bowing to union pressure. To me it’s an embarrassment to our country. This president has been our friend; Colombia as a country has been our friend in a part of the world where we need friends, where we need people who care about democracy, who care about freedom, who care about commerce, who want to be stable contributors, if you will, to the world. He has done that, and here we are, holding him hostage, holding their country hostage, holding our workers in this country hostage to the fact that the AFL-CIO and other unions are trying to lever this to some other end. I really mean it. I have never seen anything so blatant, so blatant of nothing, if you will, of kowtowing to union officials in our country.
If the House members are allowed to vote their conscience, Corker said, he's convinced the measure would pass by a large margin, just as it would in the Senate. . .[Meeting:MP3 Audio]
Tags: Bob Corker, Card Check, civil unions, Columbia, Free Trade, Senator, Shop Floor, Tennessee, union activism To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Today in Washington D. C. - April 24, 2008
On The Floor: Yesterday, the Senate failed to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to the Ledbetter bill (H.R. 2831) which would have removed the statute of limitations on wage discrimination lawsuits and therefore promoted a boom for trial layers to file more law suits.
The Senate reconvened at 9:30 AM today. They will resume consideration of the veterans’ bill (S. 1315). Around noon, the Senate is expected to vote on a substitute amendment offered by Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), ranking member on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee. The Burr amendment would take $221 million over ten years that the original bill would spend on pensions for Filipino veterans and put it to use for U.S. veterans. After voting on the Burr amendment, the Senate will vote on final passage of the bill. The Senate will then begin consideration of the Genetic Nondiscrimination Act (H.R. 493). Following two hours of debate, the Senate is expected to vote on final passage of the bill.
From Senate & News Sources: Pressure continues on House Democrats over the Colombia Free Trade Agreement. Earlier this week, President Bush, Canadian Prime Minister Harper, and Mexican President Calderon were all critical of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s maneuver to freeze the Colombia agreement. Yesterday, Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) expressed his frustration with House Democrats’ bowing to union pressure on this issue. This afternoon, Republican Leaders: Sen. Mitch McConnell, Rep. John Boehner, Rep. Roy Blunt, Sec. of Commerce Carlos Guitierrez and other GOP ranking members will hold a press conference to criticize House Democrats for blocking the Colombia pact. Politico reports that Pelosi told Boehner that she prefers to hold the trade deal hostage for a big-spending economic stimulus bill.
Meanwhile, Roll Call reports today that Senate Democrats have decided to use the schedule to push issues demanded by the Democrats’ left-wing base: “Democrats . . . are pushing bills favored by gay groups, women’s organizations and labor unions while denouncing insurance companies.” Yesterday’s vote on the Ledbetter bill was being pushed by liberal women’s groups, unions, and trial lawyers. When the bill failed to get 60 votes, the Senate Democrats' campaign arm quickly issued news releases attacking Republicans up for re-election.
Of course, Democrats are not just following liberal groups’ lead on domestic issues. Senate Democrats have recently been trying to claim that the war in Iraq has something to do with the economic slowdown which even MoveOn.org called “political dynamite” in a fundraising email. DSCC Chair Chuck Schumer has held partisan hearings in an effort to to falsely link economic troubles to spending in Iraq. However, when it comes to funding the war, Democrats can’t seem to figure out what they’re doing. Roll Call and Politico both report on different factions pulling House Democrat leadership in a number of competing directions. Clearly, political considerations are driving Democrats on all of these issues. In contrast, Republicans simply want to stand by our allies in Colombia and Iraq and fund our troops without loading up on domestic spending.
Tags: Columbia, Democrats, Free Trade, liberal activists, liberalism, Republican, US Congress, US House, US Senate, Washington D.C. To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
The Senate reconvened at 9:30 AM today. They will resume consideration of the veterans’ bill (S. 1315). Around noon, the Senate is expected to vote on a substitute amendment offered by Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC), ranking member on the Veterans’ Affairs Committee. The Burr amendment would take $221 million over ten years that the original bill would spend on pensions for Filipino veterans and put it to use for U.S. veterans. After voting on the Burr amendment, the Senate will vote on final passage of the bill. The Senate will then begin consideration of the Genetic Nondiscrimination Act (H.R. 493). Following two hours of debate, the Senate is expected to vote on final passage of the bill.
From Senate & News Sources: Pressure continues on House Democrats over the Colombia Free Trade Agreement. Earlier this week, President Bush, Canadian Prime Minister Harper, and Mexican President Calderon were all critical of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s maneuver to freeze the Colombia agreement. Yesterday, Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) expressed his frustration with House Democrats’ bowing to union pressure on this issue. This afternoon, Republican Leaders: Sen. Mitch McConnell, Rep. John Boehner, Rep. Roy Blunt, Sec. of Commerce Carlos Guitierrez and other GOP ranking members will hold a press conference to criticize House Democrats for blocking the Colombia pact. Politico reports that Pelosi told Boehner that she prefers to hold the trade deal hostage for a big-spending economic stimulus bill.
Meanwhile, Roll Call reports today that Senate Democrats have decided to use the schedule to push issues demanded by the Democrats’ left-wing base: “Democrats . . . are pushing bills favored by gay groups, women’s organizations and labor unions while denouncing insurance companies.” Yesterday’s vote on the Ledbetter bill was being pushed by liberal women’s groups, unions, and trial lawyers. When the bill failed to get 60 votes, the Senate Democrats' campaign arm quickly issued news releases attacking Republicans up for re-election.
Of course, Democrats are not just following liberal groups’ lead on domestic issues. Senate Democrats have recently been trying to claim that the war in Iraq has something to do with the economic slowdown which even MoveOn.org called “political dynamite” in a fundraising email. DSCC Chair Chuck Schumer has held partisan hearings in an effort to to falsely link economic troubles to spending in Iraq. However, when it comes to funding the war, Democrats can’t seem to figure out what they’re doing. Roll Call and Politico both report on different factions pulling House Democrat leadership in a number of competing directions. Clearly, political considerations are driving Democrats on all of these issues. In contrast, Republicans simply want to stand by our allies in Colombia and Iraq and fund our troops without loading up on domestic spending.
Tags: Columbia, Democrats, Free Trade, liberal activists, liberalism, Republican, US Congress, US House, US Senate, Washington D.C. To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Jimmy Carter Returns
With the return of Former President Jimmy Carter from his "citizen" visit to the Middle East, we surveyed some people for their reaction to Carter visiting with terrorist groups and supporters. A significant number said, Carter is a . . .
Tags: Jimmy Carter, Middle East, tour To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Tags: Jimmy Carter, Middle East, tour To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
The Pelosi Premium?
Tired of paying the Pelosi Premium at the pump?
Hold Democrats accountable for their broken promises.
Gary Bauer commented the above video today:
Tags: broken promises, Democrats, food riots, Gary Bauer, gas prices, liberalism, Nancy Pelosi, United Nations To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Hold Democrats accountable for their broken promises.
Gary Bauer commented the above video today:
| Did you notice the breaking news today? According to various reports, Sam’s Club and Costco stores are taking steps to limit the amount of rice and possibly other products that consumers can buy as food prices are spiking worldwide. Another article reported that Japan has virtually run out of butter! Food riots are popping up all over the world. Some officials are calling it the “Silent Tsunami.” As usual, government isn’t the solution, but it is a big part of the problem—especially environmental mandates in Europe and America related to bio-fuels, particularly ethanol, which converts corn into gasoline. The global food crisis is so bad, the Associated Press reported, that U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon “warned Sunday that the world must urgently increase food production to ease skyrocketing prices…” Did you get that? To bring prices down, we must increase production. Surely he meant to say we should raise taxes on food producers. What about immediate investigations of Kraft and Nestle? Shouldn’t we just tell people they must control their demand and cut back on food consumption? Of course, I’m being sarcastic, and hunger is no laughing matter. But neither is America’s energy crisis, and the solution is the same: We must increase production. Government bureaucrats and liberal activists need to get out of the way and let common sense and free markets work. We must stop turning food into fuel, encourage domestic production of oil and natural gas and permit the construction of new refineries and power plants. I’m pleased to report that House Republicans are taking on the Democrats with a new web video that highlights Nancy Pelosi’s 2006 promise to lower gas prices if Democrats were given control of Congress. Well, they won, Pelosi is Speaker of the House and gas prices are higher than ever. Liberal solutions don’t work! |
Tags: broken promises, Democrats, food riots, Gary Bauer, gas prices, liberalism, Nancy Pelosi, United Nations To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Today in Washington D. C. - April 23, 2008
On The Floor: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has again demonstrated Democrats’ mismanagement of the Senate. Democrats began this week pushing to use the veterans’ bill to extend benefits to Filipino citizens who fought in the U.S. Army in World War II. Republicans had no problem with most of the bill, but preferred the money to be used for Filipino vets to be spent on American vets. Note Yesterday's post on this topic. Yesterday, the Senate did vote 94-0 to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to the veterans’ bill, S. 1315.Reid complained that Republicans were stalling a veterans benefits package and then decided to postpone the start of the debate and delay the start of the Senate today until 5 p.m. in order to accommodate the schedules of his Senetors Obama and Clinton. Senate will reconvene at 5 PM today and resume consideration of the motion to proceed to H.R. 2831, the Ledbetter bill. At 6 PM, senators will vote on cloture on the motion to proceed to the Ledbetter bill.
Apparently, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton would like to cast their symbolic votes for the Ledbetter bill, but Reid was faced with a dilemma: under Senate rules, a cloture vote on the Ledbetter bill would have to come one hour after the Senate reconvened today, but Clinton and Obama have campaign events during the day. So Republicans refused to allow a delay on the vote, “angered by Reid’s days-long procedural message assault,” which resulted in Reid’s decision to leave the Senate shuttered until 5 PM.
From Senate & News Sources: With regard to the bill to reverse last year’s Ledbetter v. Goodyear Supreme Court decision. The White House said, “this legislation effectively eliminates any time requirement for filing a claim involving compensation discrimination. Allegations from 30 years ago or more could be resurrected and filed in federal courts.” However, this bill is important to a number of powerful Democrat constituencies, including unions, women’s organizations, and others. As Roll Call notes, “While [Ledbetter] is a popular measure with Democrats and liberal interest groups, Republicans have more than enough votes to block it Wednesday, making the vote a largely symbolic one.”
Tags: civil unions, Democrats, Filipino, US Congress, US Senate, veterans, Washington D.C. To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Apparently, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton would like to cast their symbolic votes for the Ledbetter bill, but Reid was faced with a dilemma: under Senate rules, a cloture vote on the Ledbetter bill would have to come one hour after the Senate reconvened today, but Clinton and Obama have campaign events during the day. So Republicans refused to allow a delay on the vote, “angered by Reid’s days-long procedural message assault,” which resulted in Reid’s decision to leave the Senate shuttered until 5 PM.
From Senate & News Sources: With regard to the bill to reverse last year’s Ledbetter v. Goodyear Supreme Court decision. The White House said, “this legislation effectively eliminates any time requirement for filing a claim involving compensation discrimination. Allegations from 30 years ago or more could be resurrected and filed in federal courts.” However, this bill is important to a number of powerful Democrat constituencies, including unions, women’s organizations, and others. As Roll Call notes, “While [Ledbetter] is a popular measure with Democrats and liberal interest groups, Republicans have more than enough votes to block it Wednesday, making the vote a largely symbolic one.”
Tags: civil unions, Democrats, Filipino, US Congress, US Senate, veterans, Washington D.C. To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!
Aren’t Fuel Prices High Enough?
by Grover Norquist, Americans for Tax Reform Taxpayer Protection Pledge) would stifle investment, and the domestic energy it produces. One chief target of the left is the destruction of Section 199 of the tax code, which would chase away capital now being invested here at home by America's oil and natural gas producers. The right way to promote the use of alternative energy is not limiting access to new domestic energy sources of oil and natural gas, or imposing new taxes on the U.S. oil and gas industry. Such an approach will not help supply stable and affordable energy to satisfy the demands of American families, especially at a time when Americans are already struggling in today's economic slowdown. What it will do is help push the economy over the precipice into deep recession by driving up the costs of driving our cars, heating our homes and creating jobs.In addition, raising taxes on domestic energy makes U.S. oil and natural gas exploration projects less competitive globally, discouraging new U.S. production and increasing our reliance on imported oil. As if that weren't damaging enough, almost all large oil and gas companies are publicly-traded entities, whose shares are owned by millions of investors through their 401(k) plans, IRAs and pension funds. Taxing away the retirement earnings of these millions of Americans won't help anyone except the taxman. Take Action Now: Tell your member of Congress to oppose energy tax hikes!
Tags: Americans for Tax Reform, ATR, energy tax, Grover Norquist, tax increases To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!