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2-2-2011 GROUND HOG EDITION: OBAMA IS NULLIFIED; WE DON’T HAVE TO FOLLOW HIM!
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" THE SYNTHESIS " 2-2-2011 GROUND HOG EDITION: OBAMA IS NULLIFIED; WE DON’T HAVE TO FOLLOW HIM! (for emails that truncate https://docs0.google.com/document/d/1KTnz7OL-BH3XjpYzY1AkwzYk1AyPfQ8ognja90YfBLo/edit?hl=en#)
If the Supreme Court doesn’t rule against Obama, will we add $9 trillion more to the deficit by the end of his 2012 term that never should’ve been to begin with!!!
by: AJA BROOKS, OFFICIAL INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM VOLUNTEER FOR THE BLACK RIBBON OFFENSIVE CAMPAIGN AGAINST MEDIA BIAS AND FORMER 2009-2010 GA LOBBYIST FOR “LIFE AND LIBERTY”, NOW EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE TEA PARTY.
WHAT IS "THE SYNTHESIS"? (THE MOST BOOTLEG POLITICAL NEWSLETTER IN THE WORLD!) The synthesis is an objective analysis of political journalism, an assessment of the perception of the facts, a political digest for the common man. DISCLAIMER: IF YOU'RE IGNORANT, A HYPOCRITE, OR NOT A FAN OF RAW JOURNALISM, THIS MAY NOT BE FOR YOU, AND YOU SHOULD JUST STOP READING NOW AND DELETE THIS, NOT SEND ME AN EMAIL BACK WHINING ABOUT IT, BECAUSE YOU'RE JUST GOING TO GET IT FORWARDED BACK TO YOUR OWN BOX --- just ask Carolyn Cary of "The Citizen" Fayette Edition! There are no spam laws in GA, and just because I use my freedom of speech in a way that challenges you doesn't necessarily mean anything in a court of law, or by you threatening to send me a summons in the mail just because your sensibilities are different than mine: it doesn't make me "scum"; it just makes your political philosophy as stale and decrepit as your existence and attitude....(if you're curious, see the archive at the end of this edition.) I have even found that those in law enforcement are seemingly oblivious to our current laws and how the laws are supposed to be interpreted properly by and through the Constitution, so I encourage you to exercise your rights, before they disappear from American culture. You don't have to write a newsletter like this one, but you surely can forward it to your friends, and you can even talk about it around the water cooler!! This publication is brought to you by people like us, who seek out the truth, an online collaboration of discussion topics for your perusal. *If you're being threatened with legal action for telling the truth, you're on the right side of the law*.
WASHINGTON – Did Barack Obama write his own books, and is the story they tell true?
Those two questions are the focus of a new book by WND columnist Jack Cashill, and the definitive and persuasive answer to both is a resounding"no way."
In "Deconstructing Obama," veteran author and filmmaker Cashill builds on his voluminous columnist work on the subject of who wrote Obama's books – especially his autobiographical "Dreams of My Father."
"I've written two books," Obama told a crowd of teachers in July of 2008. "I actually wrote them myself."
The teachers exploded in laughter. They got the joke: Lesser politicians were not bright enough to do the same. During the 2008 presidential campaign, Obama supporters pointed tothe first of those two books, the 1995 memoir, "Dreams from My Father," as proof of Obama's superior intellect. Time magazine called it "the best-written memoir ever produced by an American politician." The Obama campaign machine traded on the candidate's literary reputation, encouraging volunteers to "get out the vote and keep talking to others about the genius of Barack Obama."
(Story continues below)
There was just one small flaw, as writer and literary detective Jack Cashill discovered months before the November 2008 election: Nothing in Obama's history suggested he was capable of writing either "Dreams"or his 2006 No. 1 New York Times best-selling book, "The Audacity of Hope."
In fact, as Cashill continued his research, he came to the shocking conclusion that the real craftsman behind "Dreams"was terrorist emeritus Bill Ayers.
"This was a charge," David Remnick admits in his definitive Obamabiography, "The Bridge," "that if ever proved true, or believed to be true among enough voters, could have been the end of the candidacy."
"Deconstructing Obama" tells the story of what happens when a citizen-journalist discovers a game-changing reality that the media refuse to acknowledge.
Despite their rejection, Cashill expanded his research into Obama's literary canon. As he came to see, if "Dreams" serves as sacred text, the poem "Pop" is the Rosetta stone, the key to deciphering Obama's shrouded past, his fragile psyche, and his uniquely cryptic political life. In unlocking that past, Cashill discovered the story Obama has been telling all his life varies from the true story in ways big and small. In fact, much of Obama's life story appears to be a wholly constructed fabrication, one that Jack Cashill "deconstructs" to show the world just who Barack Obama really is.
"This is the best newbook on Obama," says WND Editor andChief Executive Officer Joseph Farah. "It is a must read, whether you love Obama or loathe him. You will never look at the presidency the same way again after reading 'Deconstructing Obama.'"
Read more:If you think you know Obama ...http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=255861#ixzz1Ccoi14ze
Aja Brooks
THE AXE IS LAID TO THE ROOT: REPEAL OBAMA, MAKE HIM FORFEIT THE OFFICE IF HE DOESN'T RETURN THE $9 TRILLION HE'S P-SSED AWAY....
Pawlenty in Iowa: Obama swung and missed on spending cuts | Iowa Independent
iowaindependent.com
ANKENY, Iowa -- Appearing at a book signing at a Christian bookstore Sunday, former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty criticized President Obama for not significantly addressing spending cuts during his State of the Union address last week.
17 minutes ago · Like · Comment · Share
Aja Brooks
BRIGHT IDEA: LET'S JUST ALL SUE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR OUR PORTION OF SOCIAL SECURITY -- MINE IS UP TO $60,000.... go buy that house and car they say I owe them now, when in 13yrs. I haven't charged it on the government tab of unemployment faulty mortgage, car repossession. I've lived a pauper's life, and they won't accept my pauper's affidavit at the Ethics Office to be exempt from the lobbyist badge fee!!
for appropriations and related legislation: just email me creativeinnovations2010@gmail.com.
November 29 at 7:32am via Mobile Web · Like · Comment
Aja Brooks Walked a 5mi. perimeter around the Jackson Prison grounds. I feel very safe: everyone in the area is very aware of their surroundings-I was stopped 4 times, once at the gate, and 3 people who asked who I was here to see, 2 giving me the nod onward after telling them who I was visiting. The last C.O. took down my identification as a security precaution, advising me that visitors are only permitted on the walking trail only/can't use the main entrance or waste water connectors. Beautiful lakes and wooded areas though/very clean and well maintained, nice people who are on the ball.
November 29 at 10:38am via Facebook Mobile · Like · 1 person
Aja Brooks Things worth funding that the eye can readily see (no cameras or recording equipment w/o express prior permission): 1) Jackson Prison needs a facelift-roads need paving and a fresh coat of paint would improve the appearance to reflect the image of it being taken seriously as a DIAGNOSTICS. 2) We can create jobs by having a GUARD at the front gate (there was no one there by 9AM) and by having GUARDS patrol the grounds on foot with dogs, just people riding around in state trucks that is a waste of gas/tax dollars. 3) I saw no prisoners getting "FRESH AIR" requirement on the grounds or from the front tower area: tsk-tsk! I only saw a road crew of 6 or so leave. *following state guidelines=more funding! I don't think this is 24 or 23hr. lockdown facility.
November 29 at 10:58am via Facebook Mobile · Like
Aja Brooks Tonight I will meet and discuss with employees how they feel and what the state of GA can do to make their jobs better; albeit more funding/raises, and where we can get the money from without compromising security with budgetary problems/state debt.
*What about the area of 200 prisoners that can't be locked down?? FIX IT!
Thank you for your input.
Confirmation Number: 2010126235266Z9TO3
Please retain this number for any future communication.
Please print this page for your records.
General Contact Information
Inmate Info & Records: 404-656-4661
Office of Public Affairs: 478-992-5246
Purchasing: 478-992-5965
Thank you for attending to these matters expediently,
Ms. Aja Brooks
Aaron Coalson
Summary of GBI, Judicial Council, Corrections, DJJ, Dept. of Law, Dept. of Defense testimony before the GA House Appropriations Public Safety Subcommittee: "If you cut 'our budget' criminals will run the streets and everyone will die!"
37 minutes ago · Unlike · Comment
Nullification Of UnConstitutional Laws
January 31, 2011 by Bob Livingston
Nullification, the idea that States don’t have to follow laws that are unConstitutional, is a growing movement in the United States. Legislators in as many as 11 or 12 states have either introduced nullification measures or plan to once their State legislatures are in session.
Many of these states are among the 25 that have sued the Federal government over the mandates in Obamacare — the unConstitutional and farcical legislation that would require Americans to purchase healthcare insurance whether they want it or not.
Now the zombie talking heads and pundits in the mainstream media are using lies and tired arguments to try and “educate” the populace that nullification is a losing proposition. (Watch the video to see a response to the zombies and their mindless questions.) Their points? The Federal government is supreme. Nullification equals racism. Nullification equals slavery. Only Neo-Confederates would get behind such a thing. Say it enough and the sheeple will believe it… and comply.
From a Jan. 26 story by The Associated Press:
“The efforts are completely unconstitutional in the eyes of most legal scholars because the U.S. Constitution deems federal laws ‘the supreme law of the land.’ The Idaho attorney general has weighed in as well, branding nullification unconstitutional.”
And:
“‘There’s nothing in the Constitution to suggest that the states are superior to the federal government," [David Gray] Adler [a Constitutional scholar who directs the University of Idaho's McClure Center for Public Policy Research] said. ‘We have a long string of Supreme Court decisions that reject their theory.’”
And:
“Nullification has been invoked several times over the years — to no avail.”
Lies, lies, lies.
Nullification has a long and storied history in the country, and it stems from the idea that “the United States consists not of a single, aggregated people, but of particular people, organized into distinct states,” writes Thomas E. Woods Jr., in his book Nullification: How to Resist Federal Tyranny in the 21st Century.
This idea, called the compact theory, is supported by the very fact that the states voted separately to ratify the Constitution, and that the Constitution was not ratified by a single, consolidated vote of all individuals in the original 13 states, according to Woods.
This, of course, is the opposite of what most children — educated in public schools that propagandize the supremacy of the Federal Government and centralized authority — are taught. They are taught the nationalist theory.
Woods writes that the nationalist theory stemmed from the arguments made by Joseph Story in his Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States, published in 1833. In this view, the U.S. is just another modern unitary state, in which a monopolistic central authority is the source of all power, and any lesser bodies (in this case, the states) derive their own power and privileges from this central authority.
That’s the pabulum foisted on our children in government re-education education camps. It is designed to promote fealty to almighty government.
Neither Thomas Jefferson nor, more importantly James Madison, subscribed to the nationalist theory. And they made their point early on — in the “Principals of ’98.”
In 1798 the second president, John Adams, signed legislation that made it a treasonable activity to publish “any false, scandalous and malicious writing.” This was one of the laws that became part of the Alien and Sedition Acts. As a result, 25 men, most of them Republican supporters of Thomas Jefferson, were arrested and their newspapers forced to shut down.
One of those arrested was Benjamin Franklin’s grandson, Benjamin Franklin Bache, editor of the Philadelphia Democrat-Republican Aurora.
In response, Jefferson, then the vice president, secretly wrote the Kentucky Resolutions of 1798. In them he argued that the Alien and Sedition Acts were acts of usurpation — that the Federal government had overstepped its bounds and was exercising powers which belonged to the States.
After all, the 10th Amendment states: “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”
He saw the Constitution not as a document that restrained the people, but as one that restrained the Federal government. And he believed that was a good thing. As an aside: Obama has stated just the opposite. He has said he finds it unfortunate that the Constitution contains the restrictions on Government that it does.
Jefferson corresponded with James Madison (known as the father of the Constitution) about the Kentucky Resolutions and Madison drafted similar Resolutions for Virginia.
Both Kentucky and Virginia adopted the resolutions which essentially said that when the Federal government assumes undelegated powers — those not enumerated in the Constitution — those acts are “unauthoritative, void, and of no force.”
In subsequent years, nullification was employed by the New England states to oppose everything from an embargo on exports to tariffs to military conscriptions to opposition of the fugitive slave act. And nullification continues today.
It was Connecticut Governor Jonathan Trumbull who said in 1809, “Whenever our national legislature is led to overleap the prescribed bounds of their constitutional powers, on the State Legislatures, in great emergencies, devolves the arduous task — it is their right — it becomes their duty, to interpose their protecting shield between the right and liberty of the people, and the assumed power of the General Government.”
And nullification continues today, as evident by California’s defiance of Federal drug laws, laws that restrict Federal law enforcement agencies from making arrests without first informing local sheriffs and measures passed by States that exempt firearms and ammunition from Federal oversight as long as it is sold in-state.
Yes, rogue U.S. Supreme Courts have ruled that Federal law supersedes State law. But that is because Supreme Court justices are employees of the Federal government — just as Congresspeople are employees of the Federal government — and they have long shown a proclivity to rule in favor of more government. They have become the despotic judicial oligarchy Jefferson feared when he wrote, “You seem… to consider the judges as the ultimate arbiters of all constitutional questions; a very dangerous doctrine indeed, and one which would place us under the despotism of an oligarchy.”
Finally, the idea that “There’s nothing in the Constitution to suggest that the states are superior to the federal government” completely disregards the 10th Amendment — an amendment as important to those approving the original Constitution as the other nine.
Many went to the polls in November seeking to remove progressives from Congress. And in many cases, the effort was a successful first step in slowing the growing leviathan of Marxism that has pervaded both the Democrat and Republican parties. Unfortunately, the idea that the Federal government is supreme is too entrenched throughout the three branches of government and the populace to depend on elections as the final remedy.
Nullification of unConstitutional laws, and a return to the Constitution and the America envisioned by the Founders, is the only way for Americans to take their government back. And it’s got to happen one state at a time.
Debt-limit vote 'opportunity' for House Repubs
GOP reps can stop federal spending, force dramatic cuts with 1 vote
WASHINGTON – With the federal government rapidly approaching its statutory debt limit, as soon as March, House Republicans have a historic opportunity to force major historic budget cuts by simply voting"no" on a vote to raise it, proclaims the organizer of a campaign to pressure members to do just that.
"There is simply no rationale for Republicans to negotiate with Democrats for budget cuts that will never be implemented," says Joseph Farah, editor and chief executive officer of WND and the organizer of the "No More Red Ink" campaign."Republicans ran on a platform of no-more-business-as-usual, and acceding to Democrat demands to raise the debt limit will ensure just that."
The U.S.governmentis on track to hit its $14.294 trillion statutory debt limit as early as March 31. Votes in the Senate and House to raise it, enabling more deficit spending, are expected before then. But the new Republican majority in the House has the power to stop it – without any help from Democrats.
Congress sets a ceiling that limits the amount of public debt that the Treasury can issue. This authority was first enacted in 1917 when United States began borrowing heavily to finance its entry into World War I.
(Story continues below)
The campaign is enlisting Americans to do two things:
"Few are recognizing what an opportunity the House Republicans have to force Washington to downsize," says Farah. "If Republicans in the House unite around this idea, there is nothing the White House or the Senate can do to exceed the debt limit. This is a golden opportunity for real change in policy that must not be frittered away in favor of deals with the Democrats."
The second phase of the "No More Red Ink" campaign allows Americans to send a "red ink" letter to every member of the House majority urging them to vote "no" on raising the debt limit.The letters are individually addressed to each member, with guaranteed delivery by Fed Ex for a cost of just $29.99. It would cost an individual more than $100 in postage alone to send the 242 letters with no guaranty of delivery and certainly nowhere near the impact.
A similar campaign organized by WND last year delivered more than 9 million "pink slips" to members of the House and Senate. Farah is hoping a similar response by Americans in the next few weeks will persuade House Republicans to oppose raising the debt limit.
Farah says some in House leadership are already suggesting they will support raising the debt limit in March in exchange for the promise of budget cuts by Democrats.
"By definition, a vote to raise the debt limit permits the Democrats to spend more money than Washington collects," says Farah. "Why Republicans would go along with that makes no sense. Republicans would, in effect, give Democrats license to keep overspending and increasing debt by approving a debt limit increase."
On the other hand, Farah says, all Republicans in the House have to do to force Democrats to cut spending radically for the first time in decades is to stick together in opposing a hike in the debt limit.
Sens. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., and Pat Toomey, R-Pa., are already on record as opposing an increase in the debt limit. Rep. Michelle Bachmann, R-Minn., has also advocated the plan.
"There is a lot of pressure on House Republicans to simply negotiate a deal with the Democrats on budget cuts or a balanced budget in exchange for a vote to raise the debt limit," said Farah. "Republicans, by merely voting as a bloc in the House alone, can force bigger cuts in the budget than they will ever get in any deal with Democrats. Why would they trade that nuclear option. Republicans in the House hold all the cards. This is what they were elected to do last November – for a time such as this."
Farah urges Americans to sign the petition to the House Republicans in droves as well as to participate in a program to inundate House Republicans with "red ink" letters that explain they hold all the cards in balancing the budget this year – without any help from the Democrat-controlled Senate or House Democrats or Barack Obama.
"We've got to get their attention right now," he said. "We have only weeks to ensure they get the message.Voting to raise the debt limit will be business as usual. It will give Democrats and Obama license to keep spending, to enact Obamacare, to keep bailing out the wealthy and to ensure the economic train wreck is bigger and worse than we can imagine. Opposing the raising of the debt limit represents the first major step back from the economic brink for America."
It's a two-step process that can rein in Washington's spending this year, explains Farah:
Previous reports:
'House Republicans alone can downsize Washington'
Don't raise the debt limit!
The Republicans' nuclear option
Oxymoron: 'Fiscal conservative'
Read more:Deb-limit vote 'opportunity' for House Repubshttp://www.wnd.com/?pageId=255873#ixzz1CSJj0OQc
China invades U.S. with 'free-trade zones'
Will nation demand American assets in return for subsidizing Obama deficits?
Editor's Note: The following report is excerpted from Jerome Corsi's Red Alert, the premium online newsletter published by the current No. 1 best-selling author, WND staff writer and senior managing director of the Financial Services Group at Gilford Securities.
China has decided to invade the United States, not with tanks and airplanes, but with an army of workers to develop what are being called "free-trade zones" within the U.S.,Jerome Corsi's Red Alert reports.
Officials of the China National Machinery Industry Corporation have suggested developing a technology zone occupying 10,000 to 30,000 acres south of the Boise airport for industry, retail centers and homes.
(Story continues below)
A key argument of Corsi's book, "America for Sale: Fighting the New World Order, Surviving a Global Depression, and Preserving USA Sovereignty," is that China will not long continue to subsidize the Obama administration's trillion-dollar annual federal budget deficits without demanding U.S. assets in return.
"This ambitious, long-term proposal would start with a manufacturing and warehouse zone tied to the airport, and could signify a shift in the economic relationship between the two superpowers," the Idaho Statesman's Rocky Barker reported.
Other Chinese companies are already active in Idaho, according to Barker.
Simomach has sweetened the deal by offering to finance the development of the fertilizer plant with Chinese-government provided funds.
"Simomach officials met with Boise city and airport officials – including Mayor Dave Bieter – to discuss developing a first phase for the technology zone that would set up a base of operations for Chinese companies doing business in the United States," Barker reported.
Simomach has sent delegations to Ohio, Michigan and Pennsylvania to talk about setting up research and development bases and industrial parks.
Corsi noted that the U.S. government has created 257 foreign trade zones, or FTZs, throughout the United States, designed to extend special U.S. customs treatment to U.S. plants engaged in international-trade-related activities.
The FTZs tend to be located near airports, with easy access into the continental NAFTA and WTO multi-modal transportation systems being created to move free-trade goods cheaply, quickly and efficiently throughout the continent of North America.
"There is nothing in the U.S. government's description of FTZs that would prevent a foreign government, like China, from operating a shell U.S. company that is in reality owned and financed by the Chinese government and operated through a Chinese government-owned corporation," Corsi wrote.
For more information on China's role in developing "free-trade zones" within the U.S., read Jerome Corsi's Red Alert, the premium, online intelligence news source by the WND staff writer, columnist and author of the New York Times No. 1 best-seller, "The Obama Nation."
Red Alert's author, who received a doctorate from Harvard in political science in 1972, is the author of the No. 1 New York Times best-sellers "The Obama Nation" and (with co-author John E. O'Neill) "Unfit for Command." He is also the author of several other books, including "America for Sale," "The Late Great U.S.A." and "Why Israel Can't Wait." In addition to serving as a senior staff reporter for WorldNetDaily, Corsi is a senior managing director in the financial-services group at Gilford Securities.
Disclosure: Gilford Securities, founded in 1979, is a full-service boutique investment firm headquartered in New York City providing an array of financial services to institutional and retail clients, from investment banking and equity research to retirement planning and wealth-management services. The views, opinions, positions or strategies expressed by the author are his alone and do not necessarily reflect Gilford Securities Incorporated's views, opinions, positions or strategies. Gilford Securities Incorporated makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability or validity of any information expressed herein and will not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this information or any losses, injuries or damages arising from its displayor use.
For full immediate access to Jerome Corsi's Red Alert, get your free subscription now.
Protesters launch campaign to expose abortion 'profiteers'
'Sick beyond words that businesses make money from collecting murdered children'
Stericycle picking up abortion clinic waste (Repent America photo)
A Christian organization with the politically incorrect name Repent America has launched a campaign that chief Michael Marcavage says could be the one to bring the abortion industry in the United States to its knees.
How?
Expose those companies that are making money off the abortion of unborn children by supplying abortion entities such as Planned Parenthood with services.
In the spotlight in the campaign is Stericyle,which RA reports is a major contractor hauling away the "medical waste," or the bodies of aborted infants.
Read about the fight: "Struggling for Life: How our Tax Dollars and Twisted Science Target the Unborn"
Of course in the news in recent days has been the horrific case of jailed Pennsylvania abortionist Kermit Gosnell, who along with his wife and eight other suspects was named in an indictment for the deaths of eight – one mother and seven infants.
The indictment includes photographs of the horrors investigators found, including pickled feet in jars, bodies of babies frozen in a cooler and bags of "waste" piled in the basement.
Most abortion clinics, however, would not be able to convince women to experience such conditions to obtain abortions and Marcavage told WND part of the impetus behind the campaign is to pressure suppliers into halting their services.
(Story continues below)
"There's no question. The reality of the situation is if we can cut off their ability to do abortions, the whole industry would collapse," he said in a recent interview.
"It is sick beyond words that businesses like Stericycle are profiting from collecting murdered children and incinerating their bodies with the trash. What's more is the abominable child killing that has been tolerated in our nation for 38 years," Marcavage said.
"While many have focused their efforts on overturning Roe v. Wade by putting their trust in corrupt judicial systems and politicians, they have neglected the necessity of pursuing those that enable abortion mills to operate in the first place," he added. "Without Stericycle and companies like it, the abortion industry would collapse."
Contacted by WND, officials at Stericyle said they would respond with a comment on the campaign, but later did not return calls.
Repent America is centering its campaign around a Campaign to Stop Stericycle website, which includes information about the campaign, the information on "blood money profiteers" and evidence, including recordings that have been made with Stericycle officials confirming their work with abortion businesses.
Stericycle picking up abortion clinic waste (Repent America photo)
In one, StericycleSQ Group Account Manager Mara Villalobos, who formerly managed Stericycle's contracts with "multiple regions of Planned Parenthood" – confirmed that Stericycle does indeed accept fetal remains.
In a recording, she explains how the fetal remains go into one box for pickup and disposal, and the other materials, such as blood-soaked towels or gloves, go into another.
"She explained the detailed packaging guidelines for abortion mills, in which fetal remains are placed into red 'soft waste' bags, then into secondary boxes, which are labeled with 'incinerate only' stickers. The fetal remains are then taken to Stericycle's incineration plant in Haw River, N.C., where they are burned into ash," the report states.
"Stericycle, whose profits total over a billion dollars in annual income, generates a portion of their sales revenue from services provided to abortion mills. One of Stericycle's largest clients is Planned Parenthood, which maintains a national account with the medical 'waste' service," the organization reports.
"In recent years,Stericycle has acquired countless medical waste companies until it has become the premiere 'waste' collection service to abortion mills nationwide. Consequently, the war on abortion has consolidated to the point where stopping this one giant could deliver a gigantic blow to the abortion industry," it said.
"Stericycle must be called to account for their willful involvement in the furtherance of the abortion holocaust," the report said.
The campaign also outlines the trucking companies that lease vehicles to Stericycle.
"Penske Truck Leasing has now prohibited Stericycle from using their trucks to service abortion mills," the report said. "In fact, Penske Truck Leasing president and EO Brian Hard vowed in an e-mail to the campaign, 'We have been, and you have my word that we will continue to be, proactive in stopping Stericycle from using our trucks to service abortion clinics.'"
"We are committed to aggressively pursuing and exposing Stericycle, its officers, suppliers and investors until this Goliath stops furthering the abortion holocaust in our nation," Marcavage said.
The website lists a number of action points for those who choose to get involved, including contacting the company, signing a petition and others.
Health Judge Uses Obama's Words Against Him
Tuesday, 01 Feb 2011 09:19 AM
Article Font Size
In ruling against President Obama‘s health care law, federal Judge Roger Vinson used Mr. Obama‘s own position from the 2008 campaign against him, when the then-Illinois senator argued there were other ways to achieve reform short of requiring every American to purchase insurance.
“I note that in 2008, then-Senator Obama supported a health care reform proposal that did not include an individual mandate because he was at that time strongly opposed to the idea, stating that, ‘If a mandate was the solution, we can try that to solve homelessness by mandating everybody to buy a house,’” Judge Vinson wrote in a footnote toward the end of his 78-page ruling Monday.
Judge Vinson, a federal judge in the northern district of Florida, struck down the entire health care law as unconstitutional on Monday, though he is allowing the Obama administration to continue to implement and enforce it while the government appeals his ruling.
The footnote was attached to the most critical part of Judge Vinson‘s ruling, in which he said the “principal dispute” in the case was not whether Congress has the power to tackle health care, but rather whether it has the power to compel individual citizens to purchase insurance.
Judge Vinson cited Mr. Obama‘s campaign words from an interview with CNN to show that there are other options that could pass constitutional muster including then-candidate Obama‘s plan.
During the presidential campaign, one key difference between Mr. Obama and his chief opponent, then-Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, was that Mrs. Clinton‘s plan required all Americans to purchase insurance and Mr. Obama‘s did not.
Congress eventually included the individual mandate in the bill it passed, and Mr. Obama signed that into law in March. Since then, he and his administration have defended its constitutionality, arguing the mandate is the linchpin that brings in more customers to insurance companies, which in turn allows those companies to expand the availability and lower the cost of coverage.
Much of Judge Vinson‘s ruling was a discussion of how the Founding Fathers, including James Madison and Thomas Jefferson, saw the limits on congressional power. Judge Vinson hypothesized that, under the Obama administration‘s legal theory, the government could mandate that all citizens eat broccoli.
White House officials said that sort of “surpassingly curious reading” called into question Judge Vinson‘s entire ruling.
“There’s something thoroughly odd and unconventional about the analysis,” said a White House official who briefed reporters late Monday afternoon, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Read more on Newsmax.com: Health Judge Uses Obama's Words Against Him
Senate Ethics Panel Hires Counsel to Probe Ensign
The Senate Ethics Committee has appointed a special counsel to review allegations against Nevada Republican Sen. John Ensign, the panel announced Tuesday.
Attorney Carol Elder Bruce, a partner at K&L Gates, will serve as special counsel in what the committee described as a “preliminary investigation.”
“The purpose of a preliminary inquiry is to determine whether there is substantial credible evidence that a violation within the Committee’s jurisdiction has occurred,” Chairwoman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Vice Chairman Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) said in a statement.
The committee did not specify the allegations, but Ensign has faced allegations that he tried to cover up an affair with the spouse of his former top aide. Ensign first acknowledged the affair with Cynthia Hampton, a campaign staff member married to administrative assistant Doug Hampton, in June 2009.
Both the Justice Department and the Federal Election Commission declined in late 2010 to pursue the allegation against Ensign.
More Ethics
Mousavi Declares Support for Egypt Protests
Posted by Matthew Avitabile on January 29th, 2011
Iranian opposition leader Mir-Hossein Mousavi is lending his support for the Egyptian protests. The former Iranian Prime Minister under the Ayatollah Khomenei is also condemning the clerics in the Iranian Islamic Republic.
“The Middle East is bracing for big events likely to influence the fate of the region and its nations and even the world,” he said in a Persian-language statement posted to his website Kalemeh.com. ”What is underway is aimed at changing the tyrannical order gripping a large number of nations in the region and doubtlessly, whatever we are witnessing in the streets of Tunis, Sana, Cairo, Alexandria and Suez take their origins from the millions-strong protests in Tehran in June 2009.”
Hopefully this will lead to new protests, but this time on the streets of Teheran, Shiraz, and Qom. Of course, Mousavi is not the best role model, but he opposes the rule of Ahmadinejad.
Related posts:
ElBaradei Calls on Mubarak to Resign
Posted by Matthew Avitabile on January 29th, 2011
Opposition leader and former chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency Mohammed ElBaradei has called for the Egyptian dictator, Hosni Mubarak to step down. ElBaradei did so in a speech carried by al Jazeera.
Key opposition figure Mohamed ElBaradei says in speech: “We are seeking a change of regime. President Mubarak should step down. We should head towards a democratic state through a new government and free democratic elections…The whole world should realize that the Egyptians are not going home until their demands are realized…We are talking about taking down the Pharaonic dictatorship.”
Fate of Coptic Christians in post-Mubarak Egypt worries some
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Former U.N. Ambassador John Bolton warns Egypt’s ancient Coptic Christian minority could become increasingly endangered should the protests against Egyptian strongman Hosni Mubarak drive him from power.
The rioting against the Mubarak regime began on Jan. 25, in the wake of the Jan. 15 overthrow of Tunisian dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, with the publicly stated goals of ousting Mubarak from power and protesting Egypt’s high unemployment and rampant corruption, among other issues.
[ For complete coverage of politics and policy, go to Yahoo! Politics ]
The rioting claimed the ruling party headquarters Friday and pushed the Mubarak regime to shut down Internet and cell phone communications in an effort to clamp down on opponents, and the regime sent the army into the streets Saturday to confront demonstrators as Cairo fell into near anarchy.
Bolton points out Egypt’s outlawed Muslim Brotherhood, which promotes the Islamist ideology employed more violently by Hamas and other terror groups, stands to gain despite being a late comer to the revolt.
“One thing I want to say about all of these young people and all of these university students is what they’re learning in the universities is very similar to what the Muslim Brotherhood preaches,” Bolton said. “So we have to worry about the radicalism among the students is very, very high.”
Consequently, conservatives are mistaken thinking anti-Mubarak forces will replace the current regime with a Western-style democracy because Mubarak represents the lesser of two evils when compared with the opposition, according to Bolton.
“The overthrow of the Mubarak regime will not by any sense of the imagination lead to the advent of Jeffersonian democracy,” Bolton said. “The greater likelihood is a radical, tightly knit organization like the Muslim Brotherhood will take advantage of the chaos and seize power.
“It is really legitimate for the Copts to be worried that instability follow Mubarak’s fall and his replacement with the Muslim Brotherhood.”
The Copts, who constitute between 10 and 20 percent of Egypt’s population and whose church traces its founding back to St. Mark the Evangelist, have been increasingly targeted by Islamic extremists in recent years and have suffered intense persecution.
Copts complain Muslims are able to get away murdering them with impunity much like whites did in the South under Jim Crow, and the government discriminates against them by placing restrictions on the building and repair of churches while not imposing a similar rule on mosques.
“The Coptic problem is that of pressure on a minority, intolerance towards others and a lack of acceptance of pluralism. The more Egypt is influenced by the Wahhabi interpretation of Islam, the worse it is for the Copts, ” Tarek Heggy, a leading Coptic intellectual, told the Italian press agency ADNKronos International last November while speaking about the Muslim Brotherhood’s relationship with the Copts.
Their plight became painfully apparent to the world after an al-Qaida affiliate bombed of a Coptic church in Alexandria, killing 20 worshippers and wounding 100 others. But this terror attack has been one of several carried out by Muslim extremists to hit the Coptic community over the past decade.
Although the Brotherhood condemned the New Year’s Eve attack, many Copts, particularly outside Egypt, worry their situation could grow worse should Mubarak fall.
“The Copts I know are scared,” said Amir Makkar, a Copt who lives near Lancaster, Pa. “It’s a dangerous proposal with what is happening in Egypt because the problem is there is a lot of uncertainty and it is impossible to tell what is going to happen amid the chaos situation because anything could happen.”
Makkar, who pays close attention to the happenings in his homeland, believes Egypt could have a chance for democracy if someone like Mohammed ElBaradei replaces Mubarak.
But Copts fear the possibility the Brotherhood could use its strong organization to fill a power vacuum left by Mubarak.
There would be a lot for the Copts to worry about should the Brotherhood come to power because they likely would establish Islamic state that would impose a harsh interpretation of Islamic law on non-Muslims, as has happened in other Muslim nations in the region, Makkar said.
Pope Shenouda III, the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church, and other church representatives have called on Copts to refrain from participating, but evidence shows many Copts have ignored their church and have joined the revolt.
Washington Institute scholar Dina Guirgis, herself a Copt and an observer of Egyptian politics, cautions against jumping to alarmist conclusions about what could happen to the Copts should the Mubarak regime collapse.
Guirgis believes although the Muslim Brotherhood likely would play a part in a post-Mubarak government, it would not be the driving force.
“It would probably be some sort of national unity government comprised of various political forces, but all within the rules of a democratic regime, which the Muslim Brotherhood would have to subscribe to as well,” Guirgis said. “I don’t think we need to exaggerate fears of the transition from the Mubarak regime, especially because conditions were very poor for the Copts under the Mubarak regime, so it’s not as though things were rosy.”
Muslims and Christians will need to work side by side for Egypt’s future to put the three decades of the Mubarak regime behind them, according to Guirgis.
“People should not fear and not exaggerate,” she said.
The Copts have a chance to participate in a democratic government should one emerge because the anti-Mubarak movement is diverse and “largely secular,” according to Guirgis.
But Bolton counters that the experience in other majority Muslim countries where militant Islamic groups have come to power shows the Copts need to be concerned.
“Whatever you want to say about the military government for 60 years is it’s been secular,” Bolton said. “It’s aMuslim government, but it doesn’t operate under the tenet of sharia legal tenets that the Brotherhood would impose on Egypt.”
Live-blog: The Egyptian Revolt – Day 6 – Beginning of the End?
EXCLUSIVE, FEATURED, LIVE BLOGGING, MUST READ, OPINION, POLITICS | 30. JAN, 2011 BY DAVE SIAVASHI | 1 COMMENT
dig
IMPORTANT NOTE: This is a live-blog report on protests and unrest in Egypt and Lebanon on January 30, 2011. The information and videos in this report are sourced from various social media outlets, with Twitter being our primary source. We will do our best to interpret the events, but the situation is chaotic and information is difficult to confirm. Please note that the timestamps represent when we posted something, not necessarily when the event itself occurred.
7:26AM GMT
Al Jazeera just reported that vehicles exiting from Interior Ministry dumped corpses into the street and opened fire upon protesters!
7:20AM GMT
Multiple reports of lack of police present in the streets in the morning, but military presence can be seen — tanks and armored vehicles.
7:15AM GMT
Al Jazeera English’s live feed is providing very good coverage of the situation in Egypt.
7:05AM GMT
Pyramids have been closed off with tourists being turned away.
Overnight, looters broke into Egyptian Museum, damaging precious historic artifacts, including some mummies found with heads severed.
Mubarak’s wife and sons have fled to London.
7:01AM GMT
Protesters are marching towards Tahrir square. Thousands ignored curfew announced by the government and army and for the most part the curfew was not imposed. Sporadic clashes and trouble-spots in Cairo and Alexandria.
6:55AM GMT
There are reports of shots fired at protesters at the Interior Ministry.
Reports of crowds of people in the streets, a mix of protesters, vigilantes, volunteer neighborhood watches with people carrying bats and knives patrolling the streets.
6:45AM GMT
After taking a closer look, I have doubts about the authenticity of the picture, and whether it is from the recent protests in Egypt. In the comments below the picture, significant doubts are raised. At least one commenter states it may by from the Iran Election uprising from June of 2009, another says the police uniforms don’t look right. But when I look at the picture closely I see some women without chadors, something that is mandatory and enforced in Iran.
6:31AM GMT
We cautiously take note of the current situation in Egypt, and with caution in mind we would say that President Hosni Mubarak and his government are in serious trouble only six days after protests erupted in #Egypt on #Jan25, 2011.
It’s no joke when the U.S. mainstream media starts to report on any uprising the way @CNN has been reporting on it. This is because they are usually really slow to start reporting on anything of this level of importance in the world (sorry @CNN — but it’s true — despite the fact that you’re an internationally known news outlet, the truth of the matter is that — for the most part — you’ve failed for several years now on any breaking news of the magnitude of what we’ve seen in Iran, Tunisia and Egypt).
When the mainstream U.S. media — @wolfbliztercnn — refers to Muhammed Elbaradai as “opposition leader” instead of former IAEA Ambassador who monitored Iran’s nuclear program, and airs audio from @reuters of him denouncing Mubarak sayings, “I hope he will understand the message before things will get ugly”, followed by video of U.S. President Obama saying, “People of Egypt have rights that are universal, that includes the right to peaceful assembly and association, the right to free speech, and the ability to determine their own destiny. These are human rights, and the united states will stand up for them everywhere,” you know that Mubarak is in serious trouble.
We start our live-blog for what will, without a doubt, be another potentially monumentous day in the history of the new decade, and century for #Egypt and the new world, with this amazing, powerful video of the protests. If you are watching it, and can translate into English, we would greatly appreciate it if you would take the time to provide us with a translation of the chants and slogans, especially at 2:07 in the video where the crowd lifts a man carrying a loudspeaker and he begins leading the crowd in chanting slogans:
We just came across this picture (source)
Can anyone confirm if this is indeed from the protests in Egypt, and if so, when and where it was shot?
Read more related articles ...
Dutch Iranian woman hanged in Iran.
Jan 29, 2011 9:56am by Silvana
How much more are the citizens of that country going to put up with!
Amplify’d from ca.news.yahoo.com
Iran hangs Iranian-Dutch woman detained during protests after 2009 election
TEHRAN, Iran - An Iranian-Dutch woman detained after participating in protests against Iran's disputed presidential election in 2009 has been hanged.
Zahram Bahrami's execution appears to have been punishment for a conviction on other charges. State television says she was hanged Saturday for possessing and selling drugs.
The report said that initially she was arrested for committing "security crimes," but it did not say what became of that case.
The protesters who took to the streets after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election said the voting was marred by fraud and that opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi was the rightful winner.
Read more at ca.news.yahoo.com
Looters Destroy Mummies in Egyptian Museum
Saturday, 29 Jan 2011 09:06 AM
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CAIRO, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Looters broke into the Egyptian Museum during anti-government protests late on Friday and destroyed two Pharaonic mummies, Egypt's top archaeologist told state television.
The museum in central Cairo, which has the world's biggest collection of Pharaonic antiquities, is adjacent to the headquarters of the ruling National Democratic Party that protesters had earlier set ablaze. Flames were seen still pouring out of the party headquarters early on Saturday.
"I felt deeply sorry today when I came this morning to the Egyptian Museum and found that some had tried to raid the museum by force last night," Zahi Hawass, chairman of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, said on Saturday.
"Egyptian citizens tried to prevent them and were joined by the tourism police, but some (looters) managed to enter from above and they destroyed two of the mummies," he said.
He added looters had also ransacked the ticket office.
The two-storey museum, built in 1902, houses tens of thousands of objects in its galleries and storerooms, including most of the King Tutankhamen collection.
Read more on Newsmax.com: Looters Destroy Mummies in Egyptian Museum
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Newsmax Cairo Source: Thugs Taking Over
Saturday, January 29, 2011 11:53 AM
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With the gradual disappearance of Egyptian police forces in Cairo, the country is – for the moment – falling to thugs and burglars, a Newsmax source in Cairo says.
“There is absolutely no security in this country right now,” said Ahmed, who has been able to speak to Newsmax via landline since the Egyptian government has shut down most Internet and cell phone communications. “The police have completely disappeared and with no security, there are a lot of thugs, burglars. That is what is making the people afraid; we’re closing our houses. But we just don’t know what is going to happen.”
Newsmax is withholding Ahmed’s full name to avoid any chance of reprisals from his speaking to the media.
With as many as 50,000 reported to have taken to the streets again on Saturday, Ahmed said he drove to downtown Cairo and felt that things were “fine” despite what he said were efforts by strongman Hosni Mubarak’s propaganda machine to discredit the largely peaceful protesters by reporting events that didn’t happen – like the Egyptian museum had been attacked.
“That simply isn’t true, it did not happen. They make this big propaganda for themselves,” Ahmed said.
The Army has been called to keep calm, and protesters appear to largely be ignoring a 4 p.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Sunday local time curfew but “they will not fire on the protesters,” Ahmed said.
“I refused to leave Egypt, because it is my country. And now I have to defend my property and I don’t have anything to defend my property. I never thought I would be in this situation,” Ahmed said.
As of early evening, Mubarak had named the first vice president of his president, Omar Suleiman, a former head of intelligence, state TV reported. Suleiman lead major foreign policy issues in Egypt such as the Palestinian-Israeli peace process.
Mubarak's efforts Friday and Saturday to offer reforms have done little to appease demonstrators, who continue to ignore curfews and are often seen asking members of the Army to join their cause. Dozens of Egyptians have died in the clashes with police, and hundreds have been injured.
While Mubarak's Cabinet officially resigned Saturday morning, the 82-year-old embattled president seems to be flying under the radar, giving no hope to demonstrators that he will step down anytime soon. He has held on to power for 30 years.
In downtown Cairo, angry and frustrated protestors over the country's weakening economic situation, high unemployment and food prices, and the corruption they see from the ruling classes descended on al Tahrir Square and continued calling for Mubarak to leave. Al Jazeera reported that at least 50,000 people were in downtown Cairo Saturday.
Ahmed, who is the owner of a high-tech business, said his family is living in fear in a nice area of Cairo –which is he says is a target for thugs-- despite the fact that he is on the side of demonstrators.
“I have lived here all my life. I’ve lived doing my best, being honest, being so patriotic and now because we succeeded in our business we are seen as we must belong to the corruption. It is so sad. This is the worst moment of my life.”
He worries for his family’s future.
“This man (Mubarak) doesn’t seem to want to leave so far. People are thinking only of their own survival. We can’t go out and buy food. Even if we survive today and the next day, what are we going to do tomorrow? Egypt will never be the same.”
(Reuters) - Egyptians armed with sticks and razors have formed vigilante groups to defend their homes from looters after police disappeared from the streets following days of violent protests.
Banks, junctions and important buildings previously guarded by the police and state security were left abandoned on Saturday and civilians have quickly stepped in to fill the void.
"There is no police to be found anywhere," said Ghadeer, 23, from an upscale neighbourhood. "Doormen and young boys from their neighbourhoods are standing outside holding sticks, razors and other weapons to prevent people from coming in."
She added: "The community is working together to stop this and protect ourselves."
Police withdrew from the streets when the army was sent in to take over security in Cairo. Witnesses have since seen mobs storming supermarkets, commercial centres, banks, private property and government buildings in Cairo and elsewhere.
Egyptians have called for army intervention to bring back law and order. On Saturday, many protesters changed: "No to plundering and no to destruction."
Dozens of shops across Egypt have painted display windows white to hide contents and discourage looting. A cash machine was broken in an upscale neighbourhood, witnesses said.
"They are letting Egypt burn to the ground," said Inas Shafik, 35.
Several government buildings were set ablaze during days of protests against President Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule. They were often left to burn without the intervention of authorities.
LOOTING SPREADS
State television said army reinforcements were being sent to sites across Egypt to protect public and private property.
Islamic leaders have in the meantime called on people to join vigilante groups to protect their homes themselves. Yet, scenes of looting appeared to spread from upscale parts of Cairo to downtown and poorer areas as well.
"Our jobs are done and over. There are thugs everywhere, ransacking our shops," Saleh Salem, a shop owner in central Cairo. "Since the government is not doing it, we are sending down our boys to create human shields to fight the criminals."
Rumours were rife with reports of escaped convicts running through the streets. State television reported at least 60 rape cases during the unrest. It also reported that the country's cancer hospital for children had been stormed.
"They are torching down the prisons. Our lives and property are at risk. Get out of the way," one shopper shouted, echoing the anxieties of many as they raced to stock up at supermarkets.
O’Reilly: Moran’s Comments on Race 'Disparaging'
Saturday, 29 Jan 2011 09:03 AM
Article Font Size
By Hiram Reisner
When Rep. James Moran, D-Va., told an Arab-language television network that reaction to President Barack Obama’s race was key to the GOP’s overwhelming 2010 election victory, he actually was playing to his very ethnically mixed and liberal home constituency, Geraldo Rivera said on Friday’s “The O’Reilly Factor.”
Bill O’Reilly countered the remarks were nonetheless extremely “disparaging,” because he was talking to an Arab audience, and though there remains a racial component in the way people vote, Moran’s comments made no sense, because “70 percent of the American public supported President Obama on his inauguration day.”
Speaking on the U.S.-funded Alhurra network, Moran said the GOP trouncing happened in reaction to Obama, “because a lot of people in this country don't want to be governed by an African-American, particularly one who is inclusive, who is liberal, wants to spend money on everyone, and wants to reach out and include everyone in our society.”
Rivera noted that Moran has been repeatedly elected in a predominantly liberal and very ethnically mixed congressional district.
“Let me just say that Moran was to an extent speaking to his district It's a Washington, D.C. suburb. 40 percent of it is Muslim, Hispanic or black. Half of the others are yuppie liberals,” Rivera said. “He has never lost. He has won seven or eight times in a row by more than 60 percent. So he is talking to the hometown audience.
“I think he could have characterized it far more gracefully,” Rivera added, but “I think that when you get to the bar, and you get to the third beer, and you listen to people giving their impression of American politics, they will all sound like Congressman Moran.”
Read more on Newsmax.com: O’Reilly: Moran’s Comments on Race 'Disparaging'
Michelle Obama wants America fit like the Military
By Britt Hanson
On Thursday, January 27, 2011, Michelle Obama visited Fort Jackson in South Carolina and met with Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling. The Lt. Gen. has been working to change the Army’s diet and exercise programs in order to improve the fitness our military men and women. According to news reports, Ms. Obama told the Lt. Gen. that she “was fascinated by the project” and reiterated her oft-repeated statement “that lack of fitness is ‘not just a health issue but a national security issue.’”
First lady: Military could make U.S. fit
FORT JACKSON, S.C. — First lady Michelle Obama said Thursday that the military’s push to turn recruits into health-conscious warriors could be a model for making people across the U.S. more focused on fitness and nutrition.
Obama, who has made battling childhood obesity one of her signature causes as first lady, visited the Army’s largest training post at Fort Jackson outside Columbia to see what the Army has done, from more rigorous training drills to fat-free milk in its mess halls.
She told Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, who has worked to overhaul both the soldiers’ diets and exercise programs, that she was fascinated by the project.
A lack of fitness is “not just a health issue but a national security issue,” she said.
The St. Paul Pioneer Press, Friday, January 28, 2011, pg. 12A
So, has Michelle Obama now decided that the reforms pushed through by Executive Order and hidden within the Food Safety bill and Healthcare Reform are not enough – that now she must work with the military to enforce those reforms and add to them? Will the next statement coming from the Office of the First Lady be this: “The State is to care for the elevating national health by . . . the encouragement of physical fitness, by means of the LEGAL establishment of a gymnastic and sport OBLIGATION, by the utmost support of all organizations concerned with the physical instruction of the young.”? How far does the First Lady plan to go?
LET ME SAY THIS BEFORE YOU READ THIS BIASED ARTICLE: A 13YR. OLD, ALREADY ENDURING THE TRAUMA OF STATUTORY RAPE, IS THEN DESECRATED BY HAVING HER WOMB RIPPED OPEN, TO THE SATISFACTION OF SELFISH/SELF-RIGHTEOUS ADULTS...
The House GOP's Plan to Redefine Rape
— Flickr/Steve Rhodes (Creative Commons).
Drugged, raped, and pregnant? Too bad. Republicans are pushing to limit rape and incest cases eligible for government abortion funding.
— By Nick Baumann
549 Comments | Post Comment
Fri Jan. 28, 2011 3:00 AM PST
Rape is only really rape if it involves force. So says the new House Republican majority as it now moves to change abortion law.
For years, federal laws restricting the use of government funds to pay for abortions have included exemptions for pregnancies resulting from rape or incest. (Another exemption covers pregnancies that could endanger the life of the woman.) But the "No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act," a bill with 173 mostly Republican co-sponsors that House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) has dubbed a top priority in the new Congress, contains a provision that would rewrite the rules to limit drastically the definition of rape and incest in these cases.
With this legislation, which was introduced last week by Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), Republicans propose that the rape exemption be limited to "forcible rape." This would rule out federal assistance for abortions in many rape cases, including instances of statutory rape, many of which are non-forcible. For example: If a 13-year-old girl is impregnated by a 24-year-old adult, she would no longer qualify to have Medicaid pay for an abortion. (Smith's spokesman did not respond to a call and an email requesting comment.
IT SEEMS AS IF LEGALLY, SHE SHOULD BE ABLE TO OPT FOR ADOPTION, SINCE SHE CAN’T PROVE HERSELF FIT. WHY ENDURE THAT PHYSICAL TRAUMA AFTER SUCH EMOTIONAL TRAUMA, HAVING TO LIVE WITH THAT THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, FEELING IT’S YOUR FAULT A BABY DIED TO BOOT, AND ABORTION AT THE AGE OF 13 COULD STERILIZE YOU THE REST OF YOUR LIFE???
I SAY IT TAKES 25-30 YEARS, IF NOT A LIFETIME TO REGAIN WHO YOU ARE, TO HEAL FROM SEXUAL ABUSE, AND IF YOU LOSE THE ABILITY TO HAVE CHILDREN, THEN THE ABUSER TOOK FROM YOU WHAT THEY WERE TRYING TO TAKE TO BEGIN WITH: YOUR INNOCENCE AND YOUR PURPOSE FOR EXISTING, WHICH IS A DUAL DEATH !!
Given that the bill also would forbid the use of tax benefits to pay for abortions, that 13-year-old's parents wouldn't be allowed to use money from a tax-exempt health savings account (HSA) to pay for the procedure. They also wouldn't be able to deduct the cost of the abortion or the cost of any insurance that paid for it as a medical expense.
There used to be a quasi-truce between the pro- and anti-choice forces on the issue of federal funding for abortion. Since 1976, federal law has prohibited the use of taxpayer dollars to pay for abortions except in the cases of rape, incest, and when the pregnancy endangers the life of the woman.
But since last year, the anti-abortion side has become far more aggressive in challenging this compromise. They have been pushing to outlaw tax deductions for insurance plans that cover abortion, even if the abortion coverage is never used. The Smith bill represents a frontal attack on these long-standing exceptions.
"This bill takes us backwards to a time when just saying no wasn't enough to qualify as rape."
"This bill takes us back to a time when just saying 'no' wasn't enough to qualify as rape," says Steph Sterling, a lawyer and senior adviser to the National Women's Law Center. Laurie Levenson, a former assistant US attorney and expert on criminal law at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, notes that the new bill's authors are "using language that's not particularly clear, and some people are going to lose protection." Other types of rapes that would no longer be covered by the exemption include rapes in which the woman was drugged or given excessive amounts of alcohol, rapes of women with limited mental capacity, and many date rapes. "There are a lot of aspects of rape that are not included," Levenson says.
As for the incest exception, the bill would only allow federally funded abortions if the woman is under 18.
The bill hasn't been carefully constructed, Levenson notes. The term "forcible rape" is not defined in the federal criminal code, and the bill's authors don't offer their own definition. In some states, there is no legal definition of "forcible rape," making it unclear whetherany abortions would be covered by the rape exemption in those jurisdictions.
The main abortion-rights groups despise the Smith bill as a whole, but they are particularly outraged by its rape provisions. Tait Sye, a spokesman for Planned Parenthood Federation of America, calls the proposed changes "unacceptable." Donna Crane, the policy director of NARAL Pro-Choice America, says that making the "already narrow exceptions for public funding of abortion care for rape and incest survivors even more restrictive" is "unbelievably cruel and heartless."
"This bill goes far beyond current law," says Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), a co-chair of the congressional pro-choice caucus. The "re-definition" of the rape exception "is only one element" of an "extreme" bill, she adds, citing other provisions in the law that pro-abortion rights groups believe would lead to the end of private health insurance coverage for abortion.
"Somebody needs to look closely at this," Levenson says. "This is a bill that could have a dramatic effect on women, and language is important. It sure sounds like somebody didn't want [the exception to cover] all the different types of rape that are recognized under the law."
Nick Baumann covers national politics and civil liberties issues for Mother Jones' DC Bureau. For more of his stories, click here. You can also follow him on twitter. Email tips and insights to nbaumann [at] motherjones [dot] com. Get Nick Baumann's RSS feed.
Wal-Mart concedes to Civil War preservationists
Retail giant will relocate megastore away from historic battlefield
After a three-year fight, the new "Battle of the Wilderness" is over, at least for now.
Major U. S. retailer Wal-Mart says it is no longer seeking a permit to build a Super Center on a site adjacent to the site of the 1864 Civil War clash known as the "Battle of the Wilderness."
The site about 10 miles west of Chancellorsville, Va., and about 70 miles southwest of Washington, D.C., is at the intersection of two main Virginia highways, which made it a primelocationfor the store.
Wal-Mart spokesman Bill Wertz said several factors influenced the decision to look for another site.
"I can't point to any single factor that caused us to make this decision at this time. Obviously, the project had been quite controversial. Both we and the county had attempted to design a project that would balance the need for economic growth and jobs for the county with historical preservation for future generations," Wertz stated.
"We continued to have many internal discussions about this project as the trial approached, and early this week, after one of these discussions, decided the right thing to do, all things considered, was to preserve the property rather than to develop it," he said.
Orange County Virginia Board of Supervisors Chairman Lee Frame said his panel is disappointed.
"We were certainly shocked by Wal-Mart's decision," he said.
Frame added that the location at the strategic intersection of two highways was an excellent choice.
(Story continues below)
"It was a prime location that would have been good for the company and for Orange County. Not only that, it represented some excellent strategic planning," Frame said.
The chairman of the board of supervisors said that he and the board are committed to helping Wal-Mart find another spot.
Listen to an interview with Campi:
"We're going to try to help them relocate, but we don't think they'll find another location that is as good," Frame said.
In contrast, Civil War Preservation Trust spokesman Jim Campi said his group is delighted, even though it's taken a few years to reach a resolution.
"We're very pleased with the decision. It's been nearly three years since we first approached Wal-Mart about considering an alternative site away from the battlefield. So we're very pleased that they came to the conclusion that it would be best to move elsewhere," he said.
"Their spokesman today noted the historic significance of the property and that it's best not to build on that site, so it's good news to us. We're very pleased," he added.
Wertz said that his company also reached the conclusion to move the store site amid the potential for litigation.
"The county had been sued by a number of preservation groups and a few residents of Orange County, challenging their decision to give us a permit to build the store," Wertz explained.
Wertz says the controversy will help sharpen his company's interest in historic preservation, although he said Wal-Mart has always desired to show sensitivity to local concerns.
"I think we've always had a commitment toward historical preservation as well as other concerns that are often raised with respect to stores that we build whether it's environmental concerns or just traffic and parking and that sort of thing," Wertz asserted.
"We've always tried to work closely with local residents and other concerned parties so that whatever store we build is a welcome addition to the community," he said.
Listen to an interview with Levengood:
The Civil War Trust spokesman admitted that the presence of the battlefield is a detail that made the area attractive.
"Major roads and key intersections that are important for commercial purposes today were strategically important during the Civil War. This particular intersection was very important for the armies back in 1864," Campi explained.
"Of course now it's attractive for development. This is one of the reasons Civil War battlefields tend to be so vulnerable to development. They fought these battles far from population centers. They fought them on roads, on railroads, and things that were important for the army," he said.
Campi said that the same factors that make the Wilderness battlefield attractive also make other sites such as Gettysburg vulnerable to developers.
Wertz believes there has to be some balance between commercial need and historical preservation.
"These factors are something you have to look at on a case-by-case basis. Our original project site was designed for a property that had been zoned commercially for more than 30 years and had already been the site of quite a bit of commercial development," Wertz stated.
"It was adjacent to a bank, a fast food restaurant, a service station and other commercial businesses. Both we and the county believed that this site was appropriate and did reach that balance," he said.
"When you look at a state like Virginia and many others that were heavily involved in the Civil War, much of the state is on or near a spot where a battle or some significant activity in the war took place," Wertz said.
Campi said any corporation that has an interest in preservation is positive, because the Civil War Trust wants corporate partners in the preservation effort.
"We have every intention of working with Wal-Mart to see that the site's preserved and to help them achieve their goals in the county," Campi said.
Virginia Historical Society President Paul Levengood said the public attention from the legal fight over building the Wal-Mart is good for another reason.
"The Virginia Historical Society is not an advocacy group nor a preservation group. We collect evidence of the past. We collect books, documents, artifacts, maps, furniture, you name it – anything that documents the past," Levengood explained.
"I don't have a position on the preservation of that particular piece of land. What I would say is the decision being made at the beginning of the 150th anniversary of the Civil War is a great opportunity for people to understand how pivotal a period that was in our history," he said.
"Anything that brings that significant point a little more public attention is welcome and is welcome not just by my institution but by anyone in the history field," he stated.
Levengood explained that the controversy over the Wilderness campaign is increasing educational opportunities for the historical community.
"It's good for the field of history in general and for public awareness of the importance of history. I think it's a great reminder," Levengood remarked.
Listen to an interview with Wertz:
Wertz added that Wal-Mart is "actively exploring an alternate site." Campi acknowledged the company's desire to relocate but is grateful they're looking at another Orange County site.
"They said that they're not going to build on the present site; they want to see it preserved, that they do want to have a Super Store somewhere in Orange County. They're looking along Route Three, and that's essentially what we've been advocating for several years," Campi observed.
Levengood turned his attention to the battle itself and he says that while the Wilderness Campaign may not have been pivotal in the war, it is important to America for other reasons.
"What the Battle of the Wilderness points to more than anything else is the absolutely incredible destruction that the war occasioned," Levengood said
"The Battle of the Wilderness was a fierce and nasty battle. It did not just involve people shooting at each other and blowing each other up. The underbrush of this area called the Wilderness was a heavily forested, scrub area. It was dense and thick spot on the map," Levengood said.
"The underbrush caught on fire and so people literally burned to death in enormous numbers as they are engaged in combat. So as much as anything, it's perhaps outstanding as a battle in terms of the horrific outcome, more than the tactical advantage gained by either side," he added.
The Historical Society President added that Ulysses S. Grant had just taken over the Union Army and decided to make the war one of attrition.
"The death toll of this and the other battles in this period were so enormous that they brought huge outrage in the press in the North, but in the end, it was the Union's ability to accept these casualties that was one of the factors for Union victory. Grant realized he had the numbers on his side," Levengood observed.
Levengood said that the time period is difficult for Americans to imagine.
"The Vietnam War Memorial has almost 60,000 names on it in Washington. Were that to reflect the dead from the Civil War, it would have to be 10 times the size it is now. If you made that proportional to the population, it would have to be much, much larger than that," he pointed out.
"So anything that brings a reminder of the sacrifices by Americans North and South made in this war and the terrible toll it took on human life and property, it's worth remembering," Levengood stated.
Read more:Wal-Mart concedes to Civil War preservationistshttp://www.wnd.com/?pageId=256921#ixzz1CSKOc71E
Congressional review sought of 'forced unionization'
Obama-run board set to overturn vote will of workers, again
A report to be published next month by the Capital Research Center in Washington will call on Congress to investigate what it describes as the "forced unionization" of workers in the United States, and how "Big Brother" government is playing a role.
The report was assembled by Barbara Comstock, a former counsel for the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and founder of Comstock Strategies, which deals with labor union issues.
A copy was provided to WND in advance of publication by the CRC.
"In November 2010, Delta Air Lines Flight Attendants voted against unionization. This was the third time that the employees have defeated the Association of Flight Attendants in the past decade," the report says. "Yet the union continues to challenge the votes and the will of the Delta employees and insists on holding up the integration of the merged company (Delta Air Lines and Northwest merged in 2008)."
It continues, "If they can't get a union by the voting process, the unions are demonstrating that they will use their political muscle to push for unionization by regulation and bureaucratic fiat."
(Story continues below)
The report cites the votes in 2002 and 2008 that defeated union efforts to sign up 13,000 dues-paying members.
"In 2010 they tried again, and there was much more at stake. By this time, non-union Delta Airlines had merged with union Northwest Airlines. By calling for the election, AFA stood not only to gain those 13,000 new members, but if the union lost, it would have to relinquish 7,000 pre-merger Northwest flight attendants that it had represented," the report said.
Voters, again, handed the union a defeat.
But, Comstock writes, all was not lost even yet for organizers.
"The union now seeks back door help from the Obama administration to force unionization on the flight attendants by using an obscure government board to overturn the votes and the will of the employees and order a new election," the report said. "We are essentially living in a world where the unions are saying, 'It's not over until we say it's over.'
"Such undemocratic action deserves the serious investigation and review of our elected officials in Congress," the report said.
It was referring to the National Mediation Board, which can wield a sledgehammer in such situations.
"Last fall, the [board] issued a rule change on how union elections are held for airlines and railroads, which it clearly hoped would tilt the elections in favor of the union. The rule change was directly requested by the AFL-CIO in a private letter to the board," the report explained.
What the government change means is that a majority of those who vote in a union election can make a determination – not a majority of those inthe union. For example, in a workforce of 20,000, 2,501 votes would make the determination if there were 5,000 votes cast.
Even with this "thumb on the scales" routine, the unions have been unable to claim victory, and nowt he union organizers are alleging "frivolous" claims in the dispute, including a claim that the airline communicated "too high a volume of campaign materials" to workers, even though such communications are protected by law and the union actually had more communications with voters, according to the report.
"The attempt to restrict the volume of employer speech is a very real threat," the report said. "It also is offensive to the very purpose fo the First Amendment…"
The report said among the benefits used by the union for its publicity were print and electronic communications, websites, newsletters, Facebook pages, rallies, happy hours, open houses, town halls, volunteer days, leafleting and paid union leave time.
WND messages left with the Association of Flight Attendants were not returned.
"The AFA also conducted an unrelenting attack on Delta management, repeatedly attacking Delta CEO Richard Anderson and Delta President Ed Bastian, falsely accusing them of insider trading, of padding their 'stock options and expense accounts,' and comparing them to the leaders of 'financial services' companies who took generous bonuses," the report said.
Also the union leveled accusations of "interference," and under NMB rules, if that is determined, the board can disregard the election results and rewind the process for the union.
And in addition to rerunning the election, the AFA is requesting the list of home addresses for workers, the report said.
"The new Congress should exercise its oversight duties: looking at how the threat of forced unionization by regulation imposed by obscure government agencies would be a good place to start," the report said.
According to the Associated Press, another division of the government, the National Labor Relations Board, also recently threatened to file lawsuits against four states – Utah, South Carolina, South Dakota and Arizona – over state constitutional amendments that would assure workers a secret ballot in union elections.
The board claims federal law allows employers to recognize a union if a majority of workers sign cards – a system called card check – which has critics because it puts workers' decisions in the public where they would be subject to pressure from co-workers or organizers.
Voters in those four states, however, have required secrecy for ballots.
Sponsored Link:Is this the End of America as we know it? Very few Americans are prepared for a day that will likely occur in the next 12 months, and will change our country forever. Eye-openingvideoexplainsthe full story...
Abercrombie's buddy promises to grill guv on birth certificate
'I am going to call him,' radio personality confirms
Radio personality Mike Evans, who says he was mistaken when he told a radio station that Gov. Neil Abercrombie said there is no birth certificate in Hawaii for Barack Obama, now says he's going to be grilling the governor on the issue, if he can get hold of him.
WND reported earlier this week when Evans said in an interview with 92 KQRS Morning Show in Minneapolis, "Yesterday, talking to Neil's office, Neil says that he's searched everywhere using his powers as governor at the Kapi'olani Women's and Children's Hospital and Queens Hospital, the only places where kids were born in Hawaii back when Barack was born and there is no Barack Obama birth certificate in Hawaii – absolutely no proof at all that he was born in Hawaii."
At the time Evans, a long-time Hawaii resident, explained that Abercrombie, whom Evans has known for decades, gave up his search for Obama's nativity records because the governor was unable to find in Hawaii's vital records Obama's long-form, hospital-generated birth certificate.
His comments are here:
After WND's report, however, Evans backtracked. To FoxNews, he said, "Only this I can … tell you is 100 percent fact: that Neil never told me there was no birth certificate. I never talked to him."
Order your copy of Jerome Corsi's upcoming blockbuster, "Where's the Birth Certificate? The Case That Barack Obama Is Not Eligible to Be President," autographed from the WND Superstore and be among the first get this historic book when it is released this spring.
"I was on 34 radio stations that morning. That was the only station where I said, instead of saying 'the hospital said there's no birth certificate' I misspoke and said Neil said that," Evans told Fox. "I misspoke and I apologize for that. I apologize to Neil."
(Story continues below)
However, Evans claim to get information from Abercrombie also was made on 945 KOOL FM radio in Phoenix, where a podcast reveals Evans saying, "Yesterday I talked to Neil … said he has searched everywhere using his power as governor … there is no Barack Obama birth certificate."
"I asked what does that mean," Evans says. "He says it could be a big controversy when the election takes place."
Further, in a radio interview with 590 KLBJ in Austin, Evans also stated that he had talked to Abercrombie.
"Former United States congressman from Hawaii Neil Abercrombie has been a friend of mine for decades. When I spent time with Neil during the Obama inauguration in Washington, D.C., Neil told me that he was going to run for governor of Hawaii. Neil also told me when he was in college in Hawaii he was a friend of Obama's dad… and he remembered Barack, he called him Barry, when he was a kid. He's actually a very, very good friend of the president.
"Neil promised that when he became governor he was going to cut through all the red tape and get Obama's birth certificate and once and for all and end the stupid controversy," Evans said.
"Yesterday I talked to Neil. Said that he searched everywhere using all of his power as governor. Looked at Kapi'olani Womens Childrens Hospital and Queens Medical Center where children were born back in that day. And he said, 'Mike, there is no Barack Obama birth certificate,'" Evans said.
The KLBJ audio of the conversation starts about seven minutes into the podcast:
Listen to Mike Evans:
Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie
Evans was asked on the Peter Boyles show on Denver's KHOW 630 AM radio station yesterday about the conflict in his statements. He eventually promised that he would try to reach his friend and find out the true story about Abercrombie's hunt for Obama's birth certificate.
Also at the microphone there was Jerome Corsi, author of the soon-to-be-released "Where's the Birth Certificate? The Case That Barack Obama Is Not Eligible to Be President."
On the program, Evans said, "I said I talked to Neil's office. I didn't say I talked to Neil."
He continued, "I was never able to get hold of the governor."
Peter Boyles' interview with Evans and Corsi:
Evans explained he was trying to reach Abercrombie following publication of a story in which a former Hawaii election official signed an affidavit that he was told there was no Obama birth certificate in Hawaii.
"I was calling Neil to see what he thought about that. I never got through to him," he said.
However,the radio statements came on Jan. 20, and Evans was referring to his conversation of the day before, even though the story wasn't published until Jan. 24.
Pressed by both Boyles and Corsi on the issue, Evans promised, "I am going to call him. … I'm going to apologize to him, and also [say that I] wish I would have been able to reach him when I read this story."
"I definitely am going to call him," Evans promised.
In an interview broadcast on C-SPAN that Evans conducted in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 21, 2009, the day after Obama's inauguration, Abercrombie also stated that he first remembered seeing Barack Obama Jr. when Obama was old enough to walk around Hawaii as a child, together with his grandfather, Stanley Dunham.
Here is a key section of the C-SPAN interview transcribed:
EVANS: What wast he first time you set eyes on Barack Obama?
ABERCROMBIE: Well that, of course, [laughs] was after he was born [laughs]. Barack Sr. had met his mom [Barack Obama Jr.'s mother, Ann Dunham], in a Russian class. She was just scarcely out of high school, really. And, they got married and, with statehood essentially, within a year or so of statehood, Barack Obama was born. Barack Hussein Obama was born.
EVANS: Do you remember him growing up?
ABERCROMBIE: No, I remember him as a little boy, with his grandfather. Because his mother and father separated. That story's pretty well known. And, the father, Barack Sr., went on to the mainland to go to school, and then back to Kenya. And, his mom went on, married again. In the process, I would see "Little Barry," as his grandfather called him, Little Barry and his grandfather mostly, all over. They walked everywhere. Stan Dunham, his grandfather, took him everywhere and they met everybody and knew everybody … I mean it's Hawaii, right? It was easy. You want to be friendly, you want to see people and know people? You can do it. And he [Stanley Dunham] did and Little Barry went with him everywhere.
There is nothing in the C-SPAN interview that suggests specific memories Abercrombie has of noticing the infant Barack Obama Jr.
Nor did Abercrombie seem aware that Ann Dunham left Hawaii with her child some three weeks after the baby's birth to go to Seattle to attend the University of Washington, and that Ann Dunham did not return to Hawaii with Barack Obama Jr. until after Barack Obama Sr. left the islands to attend graduate school at Harvard in June 1962.
In a interview published by the New York Times on Dec. 24, 2010,Abercrombie distinguished that he did not see Barack Obama Sr. and Ann Dunham at the hospital with their newborn son, but he remembered the couple bringing the baby to social events.
The New York Times did not press Abercrombie to describe any specific social events where he could remember seeing or being with Barack Obama Jr. in Hawaii with the parents.
Obama objects to Issues Found in Immigration Rally (updated)
By Proud American
The President repeatedly gives well prepared speeches against the name calling and labeling found in speeches and rallies being found all across the United States these days. Some of which are grass roots attended and funded, and others are funded by high level groups that bus in their attendees. This video makes light of his speeches while showing the extremist structure of the Atlanta, Georgia Immigrant Reform Protest that took place this past weekend. Events just like this one took place all across the country this past weekend. Some of which caused a great deal of destruction as angry protesters let their destructive nature surface.
The funding behind these protests continues to be exposed as groups supporting a socialist agenda and union organizations. To learn more about who continues to fund and fuel the anti-American sentiment I recommend tuning into Glenn Beck‘s FOX News program.
Michelle Malkin reported on the events with her, “The May Day angry mob you won’t see“, article.
The ultimate gift for Sarah lover on your list
Your choice of dolled-up bobblehead or Palin the hunter
Love her or hate her, everybody's got an opinion about Sarah Palin.
Maybe that's why her bobblehead dolls are among the hottest in the country.
The WNDSuperstorehas new supplies of two of the most popular:
Is there a Sarah Palin fan on your gift list this year?
Maybe one of these choices, both real collector's items, will be the perfect choice.
The dolls are shipped securely in custom boxes to prevent damage. They are approximately 7 inches tall – handpainted and sculpted.
(Story continues below)
There's something for everyone at the WNDSuperstore– unique gifts and collectibles, not just books and DVDs.
Do you have a Ronald Reagan fan on your gift list?How about a picture showing him on Mount Rushmore?
The late Jack Kemp called it: "Beautifully done, an inspirational work of the highest quality in every aspect – a truly fitting tribute."
Sarah Palin bobblehead
Craig Shirley, author of "Reagan's Revolution" and "Rendezvous With Destiny," said about this collector's item: "Every Reagan admirer should have one. I have two – one hangs in my office, the other in my home. Conservatives love it – and it drives liberals nuts."
Reagan on Rushmore has to be seen to be believed – you would swear he's actually up there where he belongs with fellow giants of American history George Washington,Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt.
Your gallery quality photographicart collector's item is custom printed by one of America's premier professional photography services – Kessler Color – on state-of-the-art color presses.
Each image utilizes an innovative new format – digitally "virtually" double-matted; protected with UV fade guard; and mounted on strong extruded plastic.
Display it as is – or easily slip it into an "off the shelf" frame. No costly mats to buy. No additional backing necessary. Even use of glass is unnecessary.
Can't get enough of the Gipper? There's more.
The WNDSuperstor ecreative team has designed a unique Reagan banner for display on your home or office wall. It's a takeoff on the old Uncle Sam poster, this time with Reagan pointing out:"I Want You to Fight Socialism."
It's another gorgeous and unique collector's item – two feet by three feet in poly-satin.
Elizabeth Farah, WND co-founder and director of marketing, conceived of a line of products based on the original design.
"President Reagan dedicated his life to battling the lies of socialism and communism," she said. "Though the establishment never gave him the credit he deserved, his steadfast commitment to strength and liberty resulted in the breakup of the Soviet Union, the fall of the Berlin Wall and freedom spreading across Europe. Can you imagine if he could see today how Americans have elected these failed policies for our future? He would be heartbroken – and he would call on freedom-loving Americans everywhere to stand up and stand against this insanity. This is a striking way to do just that."
The same design is available as a pin – the perfect stocking stuffer for your Reagan-loving kids and grandkids.
Look for more great gift ideas this season in the WND Superstore. Remember, it's more than a bookstore.
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"I Want You to Fight Socialism."
Sarah giving her unforgettable speech at the 2008 Republican National Convention.
The "You betcha hunting" bobblehead with Palin armed and donned in camouflage.
Ronald Reagan, on Mount Rushmore?
Ben Nelson, Lugar Begin Cycle With Healthy Cash Totals
Sen. Dick Lugar (R-Ind.) began 2011 with more than $2 million in the bank and Sen. Ben Nelson(D-Neb.) had more than $1 million, according to year-end fundraising reports that began to trickle in ahead of Monday's filing deadline
Lugar, who is expected to face a tea-party-backed challenger in the Republican primary, had $2.4 million on hand at the end of December. Lugar has not had a competitive race in years, but he has said he's running for re-election and has already been holding fundraisers this year. Tea party leaders in Indiana hope to rally around one candidate to oppose him.
The top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was first elected in 1976. He was unopposed in the 2006 Republican primary and had no Democratic opponent that year.
Roll Call Politics rates the Indiana Senate race Likely Republican.
Nelson, meanwhile, is considered the most vulnerable incumbent up for re-election in 2012. He had $1.5 million on hand at the end of 2010, a sum that could go far in a relatively inexpensive state.
Nelson has already attracted a top-tier GOP challenger in Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning, and the conservative American Future Fund is running a radio ad against him. The Senator ran his first ad of the 2012 election cycle before the 2010 elections even took place.
Roll Call Politics rates the Nebraska Senate race a Tossup.
Earlier this week, Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) reported she had $1.2 million on hand as of Dec. 31. Snowe, like Lugar, faces more competition in the GOP primary than in the general election. The tea party has also indicated it wants to find a challenger to Snowe.
Year-end fundraising reports are due to be postmarked by midnight Monday, providing the first glimpse of the financial health of the 33 Senators who are up for re-election in 2012.
Rogue Atlanta Cops Sodomize Men During Traffic Stop
Posted on 29/01/2011 by jnlaemLEAVE A COMMENT
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Here is another example from the “dirty dirty”, of when a tort meetsemergency medicine. This story by one of our contributors from back east, shows how easily a tort, in this case sodomy against police suspects, can cause the need for a personal injury lawyer, as well as a psychologist and medical doctor. Enjoy this crazy story.
By: Peter Egan Jr
January 28, 2011
ATLANTA, GA – A group of Atlanta cops from the department’s scandal-ridden “Red Dog” unit have landed themselves in hot water amid allegations they sodomized two innocent men during a traffic stop in broad daylight on highly-trafficked Fulton Street.
The rogue cops used narcotics as a ruse to strip the men naked and have their way with them. No drugs were found on either victim, and the police had no valid reason to suspect the men were in possession of contraband.
Brian Kidd, one of the victims of the assault, said that Atlanta’s finest pulled him over and forced him to completely remove his pants in broad daylight and in full-view of both other motorists and pedestrians. However, what the officers did to Kidd’s passenger Shawn Venegas is even more grotesque.
Like Kidd, Venegas was forced by the Atlanta police to publicly strip naked. Officers then took turns touching, poking, prodding and massaging Venegas’ anus, rectum and genitals in full-view of the public.
“I feel molested, and I feel like I was raped,” said Venegas, who was so traumatized by the incident that he was forced to move to another state.
It is not uncommon for victims of sexual trauma to experience an litany of mental health problems in the wake of their assaults. Victims of sexual violence often find themselves suffering from such things as insomnia, humiliation, low self-esteem,anxiety and depression, just to name a few.
Two of the three officers involved in the assault were named in the infamous Atlanta Eagle bar raid, in which Atlanta police stormed a gay bar in downtown Atlanta and forced the patrons to lie on the ground while officers touched them inappropriately — some of them at gunpoint. The city recently settled a lawsuit stemming from the raid.
Atlanta’s “Red Dog” unit specializes in providing a police presence in areas that are frequented by narcotics dealers and other Atlanta residents who are addicted to drugs and alcohol.
This incident is hardly the first time the members of the department’s Red Dog unit abused their power for their own sexual gratification. Officers from the Red Dog unit have apparently made a habit of stripping, fondling and using fingers to penetrate random men at gunpoint.
“I’ve heard many stories from citizens who were stripped in public by Red Dog,” said Dan Grossman, was the lead attorney in the Atlanta Eagle case.
“The Atlanta Police Department is in the process of concluding the internal investigation into this matter. There is evidence to suggest that some of the officers’ actions during this traffic stop were inappropriate,” department spokesman Carlos Campos said. “As a result, Chief Turner intends to move swiftly to discipline some of the officers with actions – up to, and including, dismissal.”
It is not clear if the officers involved will be charged with sexual assault, sexual battery and/or aggravated sexual battery — charges that would require the criminal cops to register as sex offenders if convicted.
Also unclear is whether or not the two victims have retained attorneys, and whether or not they plan to pursue litigation against the corrupt cops.
Cop's right to protect gospel preachers asserted in court
Officer refused order to 'push' Christian evangelists off public college campus
Photo from Facebook page "Kutztown University Students Against Repent America Demonstrations"
Does a police officer have the right to disobey an ordert hat would cause him to violate thec onstitutional rights of, say, a Christian open-air preacher at a public university?
Alliance Defense Fund attorneys today argued a case before the U.S.Courtof Appeals for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia, one step below the Supreme Court, that could establish the legal precedent that police officers have the same right to disobey illegal orders as members of the military.
"Armbruster v. Cavanaugh is an important case," said ADF Senior Counsel Tom Marcelle. "A police officer takes an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution. If he has that obligation, he also has a right to refuse to uphold orders that cause him to violate the very Constitution he is sworn to defend.
"Whether you're talking about the Nazis at Nuremberg or police officers at Kent State, courts have recognized in certain circumstances a police officer has a duty not to obey an unlawful or unconstitutional order. The difference is, at Kent State life was at issue. We argued that life is protected by the Constitution, but liberty is also. An order to deprive someone of liberty is no different from an order to take someone's life," he said.
"If a soldier or a police officer performs in an unlawful way, he can never tell a judge, 'I did this because I was ordered to do it.' Following orders is never a defense. Therefore police officers have a right to disobey orders that are not constitutional and not fear retribution from superiors," he said.
(Story continues below)
In April, 2007, Kutztown University campus police officer Steven Armbruster refused to obey an order from his chief to "push" a peaceful group of evangelists off campus.
Approximately 15 members of Repent America, a Philadelphia-based evangelical Christian ministry, came to KU that day as part of the group's annual "Pro-Life Evangelism Tour" of nearby college campuses.
"Our tour travels through Pennsylvania to educate students about the realities of abortion and to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ," said RA Director Michael Marcavage. "We talk to students and display signs. While we were setting up we were immediately met by some aggressive students who were acting very irrationally."
Marcavage told WND that RA was not aware the school was also celebrating a pro-homosexual "day of silence."
According to ADF's fact sheet, "About 300 protesters from several organizations and clubs appeared on the scene and loudly opposed the message, causing KU President F. Javier Cevallos and the chief of the KU Police Dept., William Mioskie, to insist the Christian group leave campus."
Michael Marcavage
"The students upset with the message were demanding that we leave. Because the police didn't affirm our right to be there it became quite the scene," said Marcavage. "Armbruster had been ordered to 'push' us off the campus by the chief of campus police. The president of KU demanded it. He told the chief he didn't want us on the campus."
"Armbruster explained to Mioskie that he believed such action would violate the group's civil rights," according to ADF. "Mioskie immediately relieved Armbruster of his duties and told him to leave the scene while other officers executed his orders."
Armbruster was suspended without pay for five days, and warned he could be fired "if he made a similar decision in the future."
"Steve stood up for our right to speak freely in a public forum on a public campus," Marcavage told WND. "It takes an honorable man to do such things, to stand for our right to speak in spite of what his supervisor, the chief of police, was trying to do. I'm greatly blessed and thankful that we have men willing to stand for our right to preach thegospel."
Marcelle expects a decision from the Third Circuit Court within 60 days. He added ADF is prepared to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary.
The First Amendment right to preach the gospel and to speak frankly about issues like homosexuality and abortion continues to meet resistance on U.S. college campuses.
At KU, a student reacted to RA's campus visit in October 2010 by creating a Facebook page called "Kutztown University Students Against Repent America Demonstrations." The page quickly attracted more than 200 members.
"This group is not to promote or deny a woman's right to choose an abortion, nor is it to support or denounce the right or wrongness of our homosexual students," says the page. "The group is here to stand out against the vicious verbally threatening assaults on Kutztown."
"I don't know what that last statement concerns," Marcavage replied. "Our dialogue is not to threaten or do what they're saying there. We have found that people will lie about us and our ministry. We come wanting to have a good discussion with the students. There are always going to be those who are angry and throw temper tantrums because they're not having their way and someone is saying they have to repent of their sins. That's the natural response of sinful man. At Kutztown, the president sends out an e-mail every year to students disfavoring us, saying we have a right to speak but discouraging the students from talking with us."
Last fall,WND reported about a group of students from a Minnesota university who invaded the worship service of a pastor in retaliation for his evangelistic visits to campus.
Repent America has also met resistance from the U.S. Department of Justice.
A May 2007 RA news release claims that a DOJ spokesman characterized RA as a "fundamentalist hate group" while teaching a class for the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, a network of 14 publicly owned universities including Kutztown. The class, "Mediation and Conflict Resolution Skills for Law Enforcement," taught campus police officers to mediate a hypothetical conflict between evangelists and upset homosexuals by "removing the Christians, instead of affirming their constitutional rights to be on a public campus."
As reported by WND, members of the DOJ Civil Rights Division attending a homosexual rally in Philadelphia in October 2004 "advised police on the scene" who arrested 11 RA members preaching the gospel. The "Philadelphia 11" were charged with "hate crimes," but the charges were eventually dismissed.
Read more:Cop's right to protect gospel preachers asserted in courthttp://www.wnd.com/?pageId=256457#ixzz1CSIuOT4T
WHAT DO CHURCH, POLITICS, AND COPS HAVE IN COMMON? A LOT THESE DAYS, IT SEEMS....
Police quell Fletcher church fight
By Gary Glancy
Times-News Staff Writer
Published: Monday, January 31, 2011 at 4:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, January 30, 2011 at 11:26 p.m.
A morning of worship at a church in Fletcher turned violent Sunday when a series of fights broke out after a late-morning service.
About 30 law-enforcement officers from five agencies in Henderson and Buncombe counties responded just after noon to Greater New Zion Baptist Church on U.S. Highway 25, after a sheriff’s deputy who was on the scene for routine security patrol called about a fight that had broken out, said Capt. Jerry Rice, public information officer for the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office.
Rice said the incident is under investigation and it was not immediately known what started the initial fight. No arrests had been made as of Sunday night, and there were no injuries reported.
Rice said that, because there was such a large crowd of people — about 75 — on the scene, the fact that as many as 30 officers responded was a “fairly appropriate response.”
“There were children there, and other parishioners,” Rice said, “so our primary concern was their safety and getting them away from the altercation.”
Responding officers were from the Henderson and Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office, Fletcher Police, Asheville Police and the N.C. Highway Patrol.
Rice said Sunday night it was unclear how many people were actually involved in the altercations, which were captured by TV news cameras.
(PHAROH: LET ALL EGYPT GO!!!)
Rising Food Prices Can Topple Governments, Too
by MARILYN GEEWAX
Audio for this story from Weekend Edition Sunday will be available at approx. 12:00 p.m. ET
EnlargeHassene Dridi/AP
Tunisians wait outside a bakery to buy bread in Tunis earlier this month.
text size A A A
January 30, 2011
Political unrest has broken out in Tunisia, Yemen, Egypt and other Arab countries. Social media and governmental policies are getting most of the credit for spurring the turmoil, but there's another factor at play.
Many of the people protesting are also angry about dramatic price hikes for basic foodstuffs, such as rice, cereals, cooking oil and sugar.
FAO Food Price Index, 2006-2010
Compared to average food prices between 2002 and 2004 (valued below at 100), the global price of food has been rising in the years since.
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Credit: Nelson Hsu/NPR
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations says its global food price index is at a record high, above even where it stood during the last food crisis three years ago. In early 2008, rising prices caused riots in dozens of countries — several of which are now seeing uprisings once again.
The problem is one of the top concerns among economists, political leaders and corporate executives at their annual gathering in Davos, Switzerland. At the event, which ends Sunday, participants expressed worries that rising crop and meat prices will further contribute to political instability in developing and impoverished countries.
Rising prices are "leading to riots, demonstrations and political instability," New York University economics professor Nouriel Roubini said during a panel discussion. "It's really something that can topple regimes, as we have seen in the Middle East."
And, the Davos experts warn, higher prices could hurt consumers and derail the economic recoveries under way in wealthier countries.
What Causes Food Prices To Rise
In large part, the food-price crisis reflects the simple law of supply and demand. The supply of food has been diminished by bad weather in many crucial crop-growing areas of the world. Russia, Ukraine and Argentina have had severe droughts, while Pakistan and Australia have had massive flooding.
At the same time, demand for food has been rising as people in fast-developing countries, such as India and China, have been buying more groceries.
In addition, production and transportation costs have been driven up by the rising price of oil. Other factors involve currency fluctuations, food trade policies and financial speculation in commodities markets. Energy policy also plays a role, because ethanol makers are using more corn to produce fuel.
In the United States, these factors have not significantly pushed up consumer prices — yet. The USDA released a new study that showed U.S. grocery store prices rose less than 1 percent last year.
U.S. Food Prices Insulated For Now
The reason for the tame price environment in this country is that the cost of food itself is a relatively small part of what U.S. consumers pay at the cash register, according to Homi Kharas, senior fellow for the Global Economy and Development program at the Brookings Institution, a Washington-based think tank.
He says that when a U.S. consumer buys a box of cereal or a cup of Starbucks coffee, she is mostly paying for the packaging, marketing and attractive store fixtures. So the shopper is not greatly affected by the underlying commodity price the way poorer people are in other countries when they buy, say, a simple sack of rice.
"Take corn flakes," Kharas says. "Very little of the price of the box reflects the corn inside."
Also, U.S. food companies often lock in lower prices by using futures contracts, so the price of ingredients they are using today may have been set a year ago, before bad weather drove up crop prices, he says.
Still, the impact of higher grain, dairy and meat prices eventually will filter down to U.S. consumers, he says. The USDA is predicting grocery prices to rise between 2 and 3 percent this year.
Supplying The World's Food Demand
Around the world, political leaders are looking for ways to slow price increases. In some poorer countries, government officials already have imposed price caps.
In the long run, economists say the only real solution will be to increase the supply of affordable food. They are urging governments in poorer countries to invest in roads and irrigation to support local agriculture and to reduce agricultural waste. More controversial proposals involve increasing the use of genetically modified seeds, controlling population and opening up more markets to global trade.
Massive crowds across Egypt demand Mubarak ouster
More than a quarter-million people flooded into the heart of Cairo Tuesday, filling the city's main square in by far the largest demonstration in a week of unceasing demands for President Hosni Mubarak to leave after nearly 30 years in power.
Better in than out: African country set to make breaking wind a crime
By COLIN FERNANDEZ
Last updated at 10:36 AM on 28th January 2011
Causing a stink: The government of Malawi, led by Dr Bingu wa Mutharika, are planning to outlaw breaking wind
Breaking wind is set to be made a crime in an African country.
The government of Malawi plan to punish persistent offenders 'who foul the air' in a bid to 'mould responsible and disciplined citizens.'
But locals fear that pinning responsibility on the crime will be difficult - and may lead to miscarriages of justice as 'criminals' attempt to blame others for their offence.
One Malawian told the website Africanews.com: 'My goodness. What happens in a public place where a group is gathered. Do they lock up half a minibus?
'And how about at meetings where it is difficult to pinpoint 'culprits'?
'Children will openly deny having passed bad air and point at an elder. Culturally, this is very embarrassing,' she said.
Another said: 'We have serious issues affecting Malawians today. I do not know how fouling the air should take priority over regulating Chinese investments which do not employ locals, serious graft amongst legislators, especially those in the ruling party, and many more.'
The crime will be enforceable in a new 'Local Court' system which will also have powers to punish a range of other crimes in the bill set to be debated in the country's parliament.
These include insulting the modesty of a woman, challenging to fight a duel, and trespassing on a burial place.
It also outlaws pretending to be a fortune teller, according to local press in the country.
Opposition leaders complain the new courts will be 'kangaroo courts'.
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One Case Down, Guantanamo Still Far From Closing
by DINA TEMPLE-RASTON
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January 29, 2011
One subject was conspicuously absent from President Obama's State of the Union address this week: There were no new pledges to close the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Guantanamo is not a good news story for the president. One of the first things he did when he came into office was sign an executive order that promised to close the Guantanamo Bay prison within a year. And as the Obama administration starts its third year, administration officials say they think it is unlikely they will be able to shutter the facility before his term ends.
"Closing Guantanamo has turned out to be much more complicated than the administration thought it would be," said Matthew Waxman, a law professor at Columbia University who advised the Bush administration on Guantanamo. "It was easier to campaign on. And now they realize there are some really bad individuals down there that no one knows how to deal with."
Plenty Of Obstacles To Shutting The Prison Camp
To be sure, everything has worked against officials in the administration who have tried to close the facility. Third countries have been slow to accept detainees who have been accused of terrorism. Special military trials, known as military commissions, had been deemed unfair — so the administration put them on hold while they tinkered at the edges of the rules that governed them.
And then, in December, while Democrats still controlled the House, Congress passed a law that effectively bans the transfer of Guantanamo detainees to the U.S. — which, by extension, puts the brakes on any further civilian trials. The law is in force until the end of the fiscal year in September.
That's why, in spite of the administration's best intentions, there are still nearly 175 detainees languishing down in Guantanamo.
The Ghailani Case
Just hours before the president spoke to Congress this week, Ahmed Ghailani, the first Guantanamo detainee ever to be tried in a U.S. civilian court, was sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Back in November, a New York jury found Ghailani guilty of helping al-Qaida carry out the 1998 East Africa embassy bombings, in which 224 people died and thousands were injured.
Ghailani was brought to New York to stand trial long before Congress voted to block detainees from trials in the U.S. And he was brought to Manhattan to stand trial in a federal court for a very simple reason: A New York court had already found four other men who had been part of the embassy bombings guilty of the crime back in 2002. They are all serving life sentences here in the U.S.
Ghailani's case, because of the earlier trial, was supposed to be a lay-up. But the passage of time and complications stemming from Bush-era interrogation techniques ended up making the case a closer call. The New York jury acquitted Ghailani of more than 280 counts of murder and conspiracy, and found him guilty of a single count of conspiracy. The verdict was nothing if not controversial.
Critics of bringing detainees to the U.S. to stand trial pounced on the result. Republican Rep. Peter King of New York told reporters afterward: "This tragic verdict demonstrates the absolute insanity of the Obama administration's decision to try al-Qaida terrorists in civilian courts."
The Ghailani case proved more difficult to try than expected because it was riddled with extenuating circumstances, not the least of which were allegations that before Ghailani arrived at Guantanamo, he had been tortured while in CIA and U.S. government custody.
His trial provided the first opportunity for a civilian court to deal with the issue.
The Question Of Torture
Torture allegations have cast a quiet pall over potential trials for a handful of the Guantanamo detainees, including the alleged mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. The thinking had been that torture could be seen by federal judges as a grounds to dismiss a case or acquit a defendant. No one was quite sure how to deal with the issue.
In Ghailani's case, torture made its presence known largely in terms of admissible evidence.
A confession Ghailani allegedly provided to authorities was barred because there was some question as to whether it was obtained through torture. A witness who claimed to have sold Ghailani the TNT needed for the embassy attacks also didn't testify. His name allegedly came up under harsh interrogation.
Federal Judge Lewis Kaplan dealt with the issue of torture directly during sentencing. He said that even if Ghailani had been tortured, it did not diminish the severity of his crime.
"Mr. Ghailani knew and intended that people would be killed as a result of his own actions and the conspiracy he joined," the judge said in sentencing Ghailani to life in prison without parole. The offense was "so horrific," he added, "it far outweighs other considerations."
While the process of getting Ghailani to prison was messier than the Justice Department would have liked, the end result was what prosecutors were looking for. He essentially got the same sentence he would have received had he been convicted on all of the counts originally leveled against him.
Trials, Review Process For Detainees
In the end, Ghailani's sentence — because it was so tough — could help pave the way for more civilian trials in the U.S., although it is still a hard slog. In the meantime, the administration has set in motion other ways to deal with detainees. Military trials, known as military commissions, are poised to begin again, under new rules that provide more protections for detainees.
In the coming weeks, President Obama is also expected to sign an executive order that sets up a review process for Guantanamo detainees. The order cuts two ways. On the one hand, there will be a process by which detainees can object to their confinement, but on the other hand, the review will essentially codify indefinite detention.
It says to detainees, essentially, the U.S. government is not sure when you are going to trial or even if you are going to trial, but the U.S. has set up a process that will allow you to contest the reasons the government says it is holding you. It is unclear exactly how it will work.
Attorney General Eric Holder keeps saying that civilian trials are still in the mix, but how that will work is unclear, too.
GOP Legislators Support Work-Site Raids On Undocumented Immigrants
January 31, 2011 by Personal Liberty News Desk
Republican lawmakers are calling for more aggressive measures in an attempt to preserve American jobs.
The Immigration Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee (HJC) held its first hearing under GOP leadership on Jan. 26. Republican members called on President Barack Obama's administration to reinforce workplace raids on undocumented employees, which was an aggressive approach adopted by George W. Bush in the final years of his presidency.
According to the Los Angeles Times, work-site raids for immigration-related offenses have decreased by about 70 percent since Obama took office. Representative Lamar Smith (R-Texas), the chairman of the HJC, said that this practice should not be ignored with the national unemployment rate exceeding 9 percent.
"It is hard to imagine a worse time to cut work-site enforcement efforts by more than half," said Smith, quoted by the news provider. "Citizens and legal immigrants should not be forced to compete with illegal workers for jobs."
According to United States Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE), it costs taxpayers about $12,500 to deport each illegal immigrant. Frank Sharry, executive director of the America's Voice Education Fund, said that lawmakers should focus their efforts on getting these undocumented workers to register with the government and pay taxes, as opposed to charging Americans millions of dollars for mass deportations.
Forget federal government, we'll build fence ourselves!
Plan makes illegal immigrants pay for states to secure U.S. border
A Mississippi legislator has caught on to an idea that if the federal government won't complete a border fence separating the United States from Mexico, the states will – and he's planning on taxing illegal immigrants to fund it.
Republican State Sen. Joey Fillingane has filed S.B. 2255, which would charge a fee on all money transfers wired out of the United States, then count the amount as a credit on Mississippi citizens' tax returns. The result: Only illegal immigrants sending money abroad would ultimately pay the fees, since they cannot file tax returns to receive a refund.
The net revenue from the non-refunded fees, S.B. 2255 specifies, would then be sent to states like Arizona and Texas for construction of a border fence.
Get the facts on the threat to America coming across its own borders, "In Mortal Danger: The Battle for America's Border and Security"
"It's a very novel idea and certainly a departure from the thinking that the border is the federal government's responsibility," Fillingane told southern Mississippi's Sun Herald. "I think this is the kind of idea, if it takes root, it takes time to educate people on it and then let them marinate on the idea. Just because we have never done something before, certainly doesn't mean we can't or shouldn't."
Fillingane admits the idea wasn't even his originally, but was presented to him through a tea-party group called the Mississippi Patriots.
A video explaining the bill, produced by the Mississippi Patriots and including a radio interview with Fillingane, can be seen below:
Are you eating food sacrificed to idols?
American pastor sounds alarm on supermarkets, restaurants
Whole Foods is among the growing number of U.S. companies offering Islamically permissible "halal" products at its stores.
When you bite into a delicious pizza, succulent sandwich or luscious lamb chops, are you possibly eating food that has been sacrificed to idols?
An outspoken American pastor says yes, and he's sounding the alarm for Christians to be aware of the Islamic influence he calls "backdoor Shariah" now nibbling its way across the fruited plain.
At issue, says Mark Biltz of El Shaddai Ministriesin Bonney Lake, Wash., is eating food that's"halal,"in other words "lawful" or "permitted" for the Muslim diet.
Muslims join many Jews and some Christians in avoiding the consumption of certain animals such as pigs and birds of prey, but those of the Islamic faith also have their meat blessed in the name of their god, Allah.
"From the Christian standpoint, Allah would be an idol," Biltz told WND.
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In a sermon last weekend which he posted online, Biltz explained, "In order for it to be halal, they have to slaughter the animal facing Mecca ... and they have to say this prayer about Allah is great and greater than all other gods. Muslims can only eat food that is halal, that has been sacrificed to their idol, Allah ... and with Allah's name prayed over it."
"You could be eating beef, chicken, etc., offered up to Allah and not even know it. I can just imagine at a Passover Seder the caterer unbeknownst to anyone is serving halal meat! It could be on your pizza without you knowing it, or at your favorite restaurant. People don't realize they could be eating meat sacrificed to idols!"
He notes New Testament instructions specifically warning Christians:
"Stay away from food that has been offered to idols (which makes it unclean), any kind of sexual sin, eating animals that have been strangled, and blood." (Acts 15:20, New Century Version)
"As for the Gentile Christians, all we ask of them is what we already told them in a letter: They should not eat food offered to idols, nor consume blood, nor eat meat from strangled animals, and they should stay away from all sexual immorality." (Acts 21:25 New Living Translation)
(Story continues below)
Biltz quotes directly from a Muslim-run site titled, "The Islamic Guidelines to Slaughtering Animals" to let Christians know some of the procedures involved in making sure meat is halal. According to author Mufti Muhammad ibn Adam:
Some evidences regarding the necessity of pronouncing the name of Allah when slaughtering:
a) Allah Most High says: "Eat not of (meats) over which Allah's name has not been pronounced. That would be impiety." (al-An' am, V. 121)
The above text is clear in determining the necessity of taking the name of Allah when slaughtering, and the unlawfulness of the animal when it is left out, as the major Qur'anic commentators explain.
b) Allah Almighty says: "They ask you what is lawful for them (as food). Say: Lawful unto you are (all) things good and pure and what you have taught your trained hunting animals (to catch) in the manner directed to you by Allah. Eat what they catch for you and pronounce the name of Allah over it." (al-Ma'idah, V.4)
Biltz is also publicizing a Muslim website called Zabihah.com which bills itself as the world's largest guide to halal restaurants and products. Consumers wondering where they can purchase halal food simply need to click on their geographic location.
Costco is among the growing number of American retailers offering halal food to the public.
"This is coming to a store near you. This is all over," says Biltz, who is especially concerned about restaurants serving halal meats.
"At a restaurant, you're not going to know [if the food is halal] unless you ask," he said. "I think we need to be aware of these things because they don't want Christians to know because they just want to sell it and get it out there. ... A lot of people don't want you to know it's going all over the world. Christians are upset as they're finding out about this because Christians are saying, 'How come you didn't tell me?'"
The Chicago-based Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America, or IFANCA, agrees everyone should be properly informed about food classification, but its spokeswoman said she's taken aback when she hears some of the rhetoric about Muslims.
Maria Omar
"Of course it bothers me personally that my own religion is not portrayed very positively in the media," said Maria Omar, IFANCA's director of media relations.
"Naturally, [Muslims] don't believe they're worshipping idols. It is unfortunate that some organizations malign [halal]. I want to change this perspective. It's just a food market need for certain people, and if Americans can benefit by providing this need, all the better."
Omar says part of the ignorance problem regarding the status of meat has to do with the global marketplace and the countries of origin for food.
"A lot of times, when you are importing food from large meat-producing regions such as New Zealand or Denmark, these meats are already slaughtered in the Islamic guidelines," she said. "A lot of their trade is with the Middle East, and they don't know where everything is going. All meat they export is halal standard. If it happens to go to the U.S. or England, nobody knows, since it's not always advertised or labeled."
Omar added: "Perhaps what should be talked about more here is less about halal, and more about food-industry standards for labeling food properly. Certainly, if someone does not want to have halal, they should be clearly informed that the food product is halal. All consumers deserve the right to be informed of what they are eating."
If someone is shopping in a supermarket, there are numerous symbols that help consumers know if a product is indeed certified as halal-compliant, some of which can be seen here:
Numerous logos inform consumers if a product is halal-certified.
Connecticut-based Subway, which has more than 23,000 sandwich shops in the U.S. and nearly 34,000 worldwide, is proud to be offering halal food in communities where there's a demand for it.
Sandwich giant Subway is heavily promoting its halal-certified meats in the United Kingdom, where there has been greater demand compared to the United States.
Subway spokesman Les Winograd told WND: "The way we look at it from a business point of view is here's a group of individuals who traditionally cannot eat out. They cannot eat your average name-brand fast food. When they travel, they have to bring their own food. They're consumers, they're buying things. We want to be able to tell them, 'There's a safe place for you to eat.' That's definitely worth something in their eyes. Here's a brand that cares about me, too. It's kind of an untapped market, so building brand equity is a good thing."
Winograd says he can think of only two franchises in America, both in New Jersey, that have offered halal food, and says, "I really haven't seen any complaints here in this country."
He explained there's a much greater demand in the U.K., where there are more than 100 halal locations out of some 1,000 total franchises.
Winograd says those outlets go out of their way to make sure customers know halal food is being served there.
"Everything is identified," he said. "Each store has a seal in the window, so you know when you're walking in that everything is halal."
Pastor Biltz is not the only one raising concerns.
Bryan Fischer
Bryan Fischer, director of issue analysis for government and public policy at the American Family Association, said Americans need to look at what's been taking place in Britain when it comes to the expansion of Islamic food standards.
"Folks in hospitals, schools, and pubs across the U.K. have been eating food that has first been blessed in the name of the demon-God Allah but know nothing about it,"Fischer wrote in a column last fall.
"So Christians in the U.K. have been eating meat over which Islamic rituals have been pronounced, and most of the lamb sold there has had an Islamic prayer said over it at the point of slaughter. ... The prayer? 'Bismillah Allah-hu-Akbar,' which means 'In the name of Allah, who is the greatest.' Some chicken butchers in the U.K. slaughter chickens using an automatic circular saw while a tape recorder intones the Islamic prayer. I kid you not."
In 2009, Domino's Pizza enraged many British customers when it completely removed pork from its pizzas in favor of halal-only meat at three of its branches in Birmingham, Bradford and Blackburn. By August of last year, the firm pulled a U-turn and went back to its original menu due to poor sales.
Tim McIntyre, vice president of communications for Domino's, says it was a small experiment that didn't work, and no Domino's franchise in America is considering going the halal route.
"We don't have plans at this time," he told WND. "It's not really something that has been on our radar screen, to tell you the truth."
He noted cost is a major concern, explaining, "You'd almost have to have side-by-side stores since things can't touch other things. Things can't be baked in the same oven as other things. There's not enough of a demand for us to consider that."
Last October, after categorically denying it used any halal meat, fast-food giant McDonald's admitted selling halal chicken in the U.K. without telling its customers. The poultry was used in popular menu items such as Chicken McNuggets and the McChicken Sandwich in its 1,200 British outlets.
McDonald's told the Mail on Sunday it was accidental, saying, "some halal chicken has entered our supply chain without our knowledge, and we apologize to our customers for this."
According to the Associated Press, the worldwide market for Islamically permitted goods has grown to more than half a billion dollars annually, and it notes that in the U.S., McDonald's and Walmart have now begun selling halal products. Last summer, Whole Foods began selling its first nationally distributed halal food item, frozen Indian entrees called Saffron Road.
The Campbell Soup Company also caused a stir when it recently launched an expanded line of vegetarian soups all certified as halal.
Laura Lee-Blake of Campbell Canada said the products were developed with heavy input from company employees, and she hopes wellness and diversity efforts become a foundational filter for everything the company does rather than being "programs" provided for employees.
"It is just how we do business," she said in a report titled, "Nourishing Our Customers."
Interestingly, the animals acceptable for Muslims to eat are in accordance with numerous Scriptures from the Christian Bible, which also classifies creatures such as pigs, shellfish, those with paws and all reptiles as "unclean," with God using terms such as "abomination" in Leviticus 11and "abominable thing" in Deuteronomy 14 to describe them.
Many Christians and Jews are unaware that according to Genesis 7:2, the animals brought aboard Noah's Ark came aboard in pairs of seven for the "clean" animals, those fit for eating, for a total of 14 each. The "unclean" animals, those not fit for eating, had only a single pair, with a male and female of each species.
Today, Christians are divided on whether or not the food instructions of the Old Testament are still meant to be observed, with some believers abstaining, and others having no problem eating pork products, lobster, shrimp and alligator.
While there are biblical warnings telling people to avoid eating food sacrificed to idols, the apostle Paul also addressed the subject this way:
Should we eat meat that has been sacrificed to idols? Well, we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God and no other. According to some people, there are many so-called gods and many lords, both in heaven and on earth. But we know that there is only one God, the Father, who created everything, and we exist for him. And there is only one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom God made everything and through whom we have been given life.
However, not all Christians realize this. Some are accustomed to thinking of idols as being real, so when they eat food that has been offered to idols, they think of it as the worship of real gods, and their weak consciences are violated. It's true that we can't win God's approval by what we eat. We don't miss out on anything if we don't eat it, and we don't gain anything if we do. But you must be careful with this freedom of yours. Do not cause a brother or sister with a weaker conscience to stumble.(1 Corinthians 8:4-9, NLT)
Biltz stresses he's not against halal food, halal stores or Muslims, but says "Christians may want to know that they're eating halal food. It's not so much a religious thing, but an awareness thing."
Ground Zero imam: 'True' Muslims implement Shariah
Tells faithful they must pay 'ultimate price' to see paradise
"True" Muslims who enter the highest levels of Muslim paradise are those who pay the ultimate price of sacrifice for the goal of implementing Shariah Islamic law, declared the imam who has become the new face of the proposed Islamic cultural center near Ground Zero in New York City.
In a recent mosque sermon obtained by WND, Imam Abdallah Adhami opens with an Islamic prayer declaring the supremacy of Allah over the universe.
Adhami stated the message of the Quranic figure Muhammad "is the continuity and the culmination of all the messages of all the prophets before him, from Adam to Noah to Abraham and Moses and Jesus and everyone in between."
"And that message is the supremacy and the total dominion of the lord [Allah] of the world," he stated.
Audio of Adhami's comments can be heard below:
In his sermon, Adhami discussed Islamic oral tradition regarding "true" Muslims worthy of entering "Jannah," or the Islamic paradise.
Stated Adhami: "You have to pass all your tests, and the only time that you know you are truthful in implementing the change that Shariah sought for you to implement is when you have paid the ultimate price of sacrifice."
Audio of Adhami's comments can be heard below:
(Story continues below)
Later in the lecture, Adhami states Muslims have more of a right than do Jews to the biblical prophet Moses.
"We love Moses more than them. We are more worthy of loyalty to Moses, more than they are. We love him more than they do," he stated.
Audio of Adhami's comments can be heard below:
This seems to be a theme for Adhami.
Two week ago, WND broke the story that Adhami declared in a separate lecture that Muslims have "more of a right" than Jews to the biblical prophet Moses.
In the same lecture, Adhami urged Muslims to "compete" with other religions.
Meanwhile, others have been scrutinizing Adhami's background.
Writing at the NewsReal blog writer Joseph Klein revealed Adhami was a guest speaker at the annual convention of the Islamic Association for Palestine in 200o. T he theme of the convention was "All Palestine is Sacred!"
Adhami was reportedly joined at the speakers' rostrum by Dr. Sami Al-Arian, who pled guilty in 2006 to conspiracy to contribute services to or for the benefit of the Palestine Islamic Jihad.
IAP went defunct in 2005. It was established in 1981 by Hamas political operative Mousa Abu Marzook.
Like the ISNA, the IAP was named in a May 1991 Muslim Brotherhood document— titled "An Explanatory Memorandum on the General Strategic Goal for the Group in North America" – as one of the Brotherhood's 29 likeminded "organizations of our friends."
Also,the Atlas Shrugs website, run by blogger and activist Pamela Geller, found Adhami has expressed appreciation for Islamic cleric Siraj Wahhaj, who was named as a possible co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.
Adhami has called Wahhaj "Our Beloved Imam" and the "voice of the spirit of Islam in America and its pride."
Also, Adhami'swebsite, Sakeenah, hailed Wahhaj for his "devoted leadership to the community" and his role "as a pioneer in the American Muslim experience."
"Since the 1970s, Imam Siraj has tirelessly laid the foundations for many scholars and leaders that would follow him," the website stated. "From activism to challenges, to the Nation of Islam to revolutions, follow Imam Siraj as he retraces the footsteps of his life."
Read more:Ground Zero imam: 'True' Muslims implement Shariahhttp://www.wnd.com/?pageId=257665#ixzz1CcsKqJsv
'Jihad Jane' to change plea to guilty
Colleen LaRose of Pennsylvania, who used the online name 'Jihad Jane,' is expected to reverse last year's not-guilty plea to charges related to a suspected plot to kill a Swedish cartoonist.
By Abby Sewell, Los Angeles Times
January 29, 2011, 4:35 p.m.
A Pennsylvania woman accused of plotting to kill a Swedish cartoonist who depicted the prophet Muhammad with the body of a dog appears set to change her plea to guilty.
Colleen LaRose, 47, pleaded not guilty last March to charges including conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and conspiracy to kill in a foreign country. A court document released Friday shows she is set to change her plea at a hearing in Philadelphia on Tuesday.
LaRose never publicly professed faith in Islam at home in Pennsburg, 35 miles north of Philadelphia — not even to her live-in boyfriend. But online, authorities say, she went under the name "Jihad Jane" and "Fatima LaRose," posed for herMySpace photo in a burka, and wrote about her desire to become a martyr for Islam.
According to the federal indictment against her, LaRose "recruited men online to wage violent jihad in South Asia andEurope" and recruited women to support them.
She traveled to Europe in August 2009, allegedly with the intent to find and assassinate cartoonist Lars Vilks. She took her boyfriend's passport when she left the United States with the intent of providing it to militants, according to the indictment.
LaRose was arrested by the FBI in October 2009. The case did not become public until March, when the indictment against her was unsealed, following the arrest of seven other people in Ireland in connection with a suspected plot to assassinate Vilks.
Attorneys representing LaRose could not be reached for comment Saturday. Defense attorney Mark Wilson told CNN that his client had decided to enter a guilty plea.
A second American woman, Jamie Paulin-Ramirez of Colorado, was among those arrested last year in Ireland. According to the indictment, the two women had been in touch online. The day after Paulin-Ramirez arrived in Europe, she married another suspected plotter, a man she had never met in person.
Paulin-Ramirez was released by Irish authorities and returned voluntarily to the United States, where she was arrested and charged.
CAIRO – Egyptians woke up to a dawn of uncertainty Sunday with several key buildings still smoldering in the capital and thousands of anti-regime protesters remaining camped out at the city's main square in defiance of an extended nighttime curfew.
President Hosni Mubarak, clinging to power with promises of reform and a new government, had named his intelligence chief as his first-ever vice president on Saturday, setting the stage for a successor as chaos engulfed Cairo. Soldiers stood by — a few even joining the demonstrators — and the death toll from five days of anti-government fury rose sharply to 74.
Overnight and as police melted away, residents set up self-styled checkpoints and barricades at street corners and intersections of their neighborhoods, armed mostly with clubs and sticks to protect their homes. By dawn, the city was eerily quiet, with armored military vehicles encircling main government buildings in the downtown.
Sunday marks the start of the working week here but banks and the stock market will remain closed, as will schools.
Saturday's fast-moving developments across the north African nation marked a sharp turning point in Mubarak's three-decade rule of Egypt. Residents and shopkeepers in affluent neighborhoods boarded up their houses and stores against looters, who roamed the streets with knives and sticks, stealing what they could and destroying cars, windows and street signs. Gunfire rang out in some neighborhoods.
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A Federal Gravy Train May End
Five People Killed During Protests in Egypt
Porn Stars and 'Briefcase Full of Cocaine' Contribute to Charlie Sheen's Hospitalization, Report Says
Tanks and armored personnel carriers are fanned out across the city of 18 million, guarding key government buildings, and major tourist and archaeological sites. Among those singled out for special protection was the Egyptian Museum, home to some of the country's most treasured antiquities, and the Cabinet building. The military closed the pyramids on the outskirts of Cairo — Egypt's leading tourist site.
But soldiers made no moves against protesters, even after a curfew came and went for the second night.
"This is the revolution of people of all walks of life," read black graffiti scrolled on one army tank in Tahrir Square. "Mubarak, take your son and leave," it said, in a stark message to the president and his son and potential successor.
Police protecting the Interior Ministry near the site opened fire Saturday at a funeral procession for a dead protester, possibly because it came too close to the force. Clashes broke out and at least two people were killed.
A 43-year-old teacher, Rafaat Mubarak, said the appointment of the president's intelligence chief and longtime confidant, Omar Suleiman, as vice president did not satisfy the protesters.
"This is all nonsense. They will not fool us anymore. We want the head of the snake," he said in the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria. "If he is appointed by Mubarak, then he is just one more member of the gang. We are not speaking about a branch in a tree, we are talking about the roots."
The crackdown on protesters has drawn harsh criticism from the Obama administration and even a threat Friday to reduce a $1.5 billion foreign aid program if Washington's most important Arab ally escalates the use of force.
Thousands of passengers were stranded at Cairo's airport as flights were canceled or delayed, leaving them unable to leave because of a government-imposed curfew. Several Arab nations, meanwhile, moved to evacuate their citizens.
The cancelations of flights and the arrival of several largely empty aircraft appeared to herald an ominous erosion of key tourism revenue.
The protesters united in one overarching demand — Mubarak and his family must go. The movement is a culmination of years of simmering frustration over a government they see as corrupt, heavy-handed and neglectful of poverty.
Egyptians were emboldened by the uprising in Tunisia — another North African Arab nation, and further buoyed by their success in defying the ban on gatherings.
At the end of a long day of rioting and mass demonstrations Friday, Mubarak fired his Cabinet and promised reforms. But the demonstrators returned in force again Saturday to demand a complete change of regime.
The appointment of Suleiman, 74, answers one of the most intriguing and enduring political questions in Egypt: Who will succeed 82-year-old Mubarak? Another question is whether his appointment will calm Egypt's seething cities.
Mubarak appointed Suleiman shortly after the U.S. said he needed to take concrete action to achieve "real reform." Suleiman is well known and respected by American officials and has traveled to Washington many times.
As the army presence expanded in Cairo Saturday, police largely disappeared from the streets — possibly because their presence seemed only to fuel protesters' anger. Egyptian police are hated for their brutality.
On Friday, 17 police stations throughout Cairo were torched, with protesters stealing firearms and ammunition and freeing some jailed suspects. They also burned dozens of police trucks in Cairo, Alexandria and Suez. On Saturday, protesters besieged a police station in the Giza neighborhood of Cairo, looted and pulled down Egyptian flags, then burned the building to the ground.
There were no clashes reported between protesters and the military at all, and many in the crowds showered soldiers with affection.
Some 200 inmates escaped a jail on the outskirts of the city, starting a fire first to cover their breakout. Eight inmates were killed during the escape.
On Saturday, feelings of joy over the sustained protest mingled with frustration over the looting and Mubarak's refusal to step down.
"To hell with Mubarak; We don't serve individuals. We serve this country that we love, just like you," yelled a soldier to protesters from atop a tank scrawled with graffiti that said: "Down with Mubarak!"
Like Mubarak, Suleiman has a military background. The powerful military has provided Egypt with its four presidents since the monarchy was toppled nearly 60 years ago. He has been in charge of some of Egypt's most sensitive foreign policy issues, including the Palestinian-Israeli peace process.
Suleiman, additionally, is widely seen as a central regime figure, a position that protesters were likely to view with suspicion.
Mubarak also named his new prime minister Ahmed Shafiq, the outgoing civil aviation minister and fellow former air force officer.
Both appointments perpetuate the military's overriding role in Egyptian politics.
Suleiman's frequent trips to Israel could be held against him by a population that continues to view the Jewish state as a sworn enemy more than 30 years after the two neighbors signed a peace treaty.
With the two occupying the country's most important jobs after the president from the military, Gamal, a banker-turned-politician, appears out of the running for his father's job.
A leaked U.S. diplomatic memo said Gamal and his clique of ruling party stalwarts and businessmen were gaining confidence in 2007 about controlling power in Egypt and that they believed that Mubarak would eventually dump Suleiman, who was seen as a threat by Gamal and his coterie of aides.
Gamal launched his political career within the ranks of the ruling National Democratic Party, climbed over the past 10 years to become its de facto leader, dictating economic policies and bolstering his own political standing.
Gamal's close aide and confidant, steel tycoon Ahmed Ezz, resigned from the party on Saturday, according to state television. Gamal and Ezz are suspected of orchestrating the rigging of the last parliamentary election in November, making sure the ruling party won all but a small fraction of the chamber's 518 seats.
Nineteen private jets carrying families of wealthy Egyptian businessmen with ties to the Mubarak family left Cairo late Saturday, most of them bound for Dubai, an airport official.
"There is nothing short of Mubarak leaving power that will satisfy the people," Mohamed ElBaradei, the country's leading pro-reform activist told The Associated Press on Saturday. "I think what Mubarak said yesterday was an insult to the intelligence of the Egyptian people."
Buildings, statues and even armored security vehicles were covered in anti-Mubarak graffiti, including the words "Mubarak must fall," which by morning had been written over to say "Mubarak fell."
The military extended the hours of the night curfew imposed Friday in the three major cities where the worst violence has been seen — Cairo, Alexandria and Suez. State television said it would begin at 4 p.m. and last until 8 a.m., longer than the 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. ban Friday night that appeared to not have been enforced.
The Internet appeared blocked for a third day Sunday, an effort to hamper protesters who use social networking sites to organize. After cell phone service was cut for a day Friday, two of the country's major providers were up and running Saturday.
in Friday night's looting, hundreds of young men had carted away televisions, fans and stereo equipment from the ruling National Democratic Party, near the Egyptian Museum. Others around the city looted banks, smashed cars, tore down street signs and pelted armored riot police vehicles with paving stones torn from roadways.
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AP reporters Sarah El Deeb, Maggie Michael, Margaret Hyde in Cairo and Hadeel Al-Shalchi in Alexandria, Egypt, contributed to this report.
State of the Union Fails on Foreign Policy
Friday, 28 Jan 2011 09:17 AM
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By Judith Miller
Sometimes, less is more. And sometimes, less is, well, just less.
In "SOTU 2," as the president's annual State of the Union speech was known in Washington, foreign policy was literally an afterthought.
President Obama didn't get around to even mentioning foreign policy until about eight minutes before the end of the address.
In a quick survey of the globe tacked onto a speech that was intently focused on America's economic and international competitiveness, President Obama discussed the nation's foreign policy challenges in 12 short paragraphs at the end of his pedestrian, but politically effective speech.
There were no surprises, no new announcements on the foreign policy front, as the White House clearly intended. But the absence of foreign policy themes was somewhat surprising, given the tumultuous events that have been rocking the world.
While the President lauded the 10 million Tunisians for overthrowing their government — "the will of the people proved more powerful than the writ of a dictator," he said — no mention was made of the gross corruption of Tunisia's dictator about whom his diplomats had complained candidly and vigorously in secret cables published earlier this year by Wikileaks.
Moreover, although President Obama reiterated his determination to continue taking the war on terror "to al-Qaida and their allies abroad," he did not even mention the shocking terrorist attack at Moscow's international airport the day before he spoke. Some 35 people were killed and over 125 people were wounded in that attack.
President Obama mostly restated his well known foreign policy positions, especially on America's wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. As he had pledged as a candidate, "the Iraq war is coming to an end" and 100,000 American troops had left the country "with their heads held high," Obama said.
As for Afghanistan, the president reiterated his determination to prevent the Taliban from "re-establishing a stranglehold over the Afghan people" and to "deny al-Qaida the safe haven that served as a launching pad for 9/11."
He also vowed to work with 50 countries to transition to an Afghan lead in that war. Finally, he repeated his pledge to begin bringing "our troops home," starting in July.
Compare this to the state of his war survey that America's Afghan commander, Gen. David Petraeus, unveiled on the day of the president's address.
In his status report on Afghanistan, Petraeus said that while "impressive progress" had been made in a mission of "enormous importance" not just to America and Afghanistan, but to the region and the world, the Taliban and "other enemies of security" in Afghanistan would continue to "fight hard."
"There is much hard work to be done in 2011," he said. Insurgent advances in the north and mountainous northeast had to be "halted and reversed."
While he referred to the "commencement this year of transition of security tasks in select areas to Afghan forces," he said the pace of that transition would be determined by "conditions on the ground."
Petraeus, unlike the president, never mentioned a troop reduction in July.
Read all of Judith Miller's columns on Pundicity.com
Read more on Newsmax.com: State of the Union Fails on Foreign Policy
Tagged
WHY OBAMA IS LBJ IN BLACK FACE:
by Aja Brooks on Tuesday, February 1, 2011 at 12:31am
Why Obama is LBJ in black face; his failed economic policies & race relations, especially when it comes to Iran and Ahmedinejad, and Mubarak with Egypt. And I quote LBJ, in describing Ho Chi Minh (who was an America-hating communist revolutionary, trained and funded by Moscow, but to LBJ, Ho was a reasonable man; a man he could deal with). "If only I could get Ho in a room with me, I'm sure we could work things out."
Diane Sawyer and MSNBC really got it wrong last night.
The Obama administration continues to turn up the heat on Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, after two years of quietly monitoring human rights abuses by his regime and doing nothing.
The rapid response of the White House to the protests in Egypt contrasts starkly with the Obama administration’s total silence during the first two weeks of the Green Movement protests in Iran in June 2009, even though the Iranian protesters openly called for U.S. support in their struggle to over-turn the re-election of president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
At the time, Obama said the United States did not want to give the impression of interfering in Iran’s domestic politics.
Mubarak
"It is up to Iranians to make decisions about who Iran's leaders will be,” Obama said after millions of Iranians defied the government for more than four days in massive street protests demanding that their votes be counted. “We respect Iranian sovereignty and want to avoid the United States being the issue inside of Iran.”
The administration displayed no such restraint in responding to the massive street protests in Egypt this past week, and even seemed to time its statements in such a way as to spark additional protests.
“I’ve always said to him that making sure that they are moving forward on reform — political reform, economic reform — is absolutely critical to the long-term well-being of Egypt,” Obama said in a YouTube forum. “And you can see these pent-up frustrations that are being displayed on the streets.”
The very next day, millions of Egyptians received their marching orders during Friday prayers at mosques in Cairo and other major cities, and poured out into the streets in massive demonstrations that have rocked the Egyptian regime.
On Saturday, Mubarak announced that he was promoting his long-time intelligence chief Gen. Omar Suleiman as his vice-president, a move that was coordinated between the White House and top Egyptian military officers who met with President Obama the day before in an effort to manage a peaceful hand-over of power.
Just hours later, the State Department dismissed Mubarak’s efforts, undercutting the very officers who thought they had struck a deal with the White House.
“The Egyptian government can’t reshuffle the deck and then stand pat,” State Department spokesman P.J. Crowly said in a Twitter message. “President Mubarak’s words pledging reform must be followed by action.”
The flurry of U.S. government statements against Mubarak and in favor of the protesters in Egypt have been described by some commentators as a clever attempt to convince the Egyptian people that the United States supports their struggle for civil and political rights, easing the transition to a pro-Mubarak government while retaining Egypt as an ally.
But even some of the administration’s strongest supporters have warned that Obama is playing with fire.
The administration’s support for the protesters “is a slide toward the unknown,” former New York Times editor Leslie H. Gelb wrote in Newsweek on Sunday. “Senior officials have no idea of exactly who these street protesters are, whether the protesters are simply a mob force incapable of organized political action and rule, or if more sinister groups hover in the shadows, waiting to grab power and turn Egypt into an anti-Western, anti-Israeli bastion.”
Most observers fear that the U.S. efforts to encourage the protest movement will lead to a behind-the-scenes takeover by the Muslim Brotherhood, the long-outlawed Islamist movement responsible for the assassination of Mubarak’s predecessor, Anwar Sadat, and that spawned Ayman al-Zawahri, No. 2 of al-Qaida.
Such a takeover in fact may be Obama’s intention, just as his intention during the post-election protests in Iran was to support the regime in place because he saw it as a potential partner in resolving the Iranian nuclear crisis.
The Obama administration has taken numerous steps over the past two years to convince the Muslim Brotherhood that this White House no longer views them as an enemy.
Two months before Obama’s June 2009 speech in Cairo, where he offered a “new beginning” to Muslims in their relations to the United States, he welcomed two members of the Egyptian group to the White House for quiet political consultations, according to the Egyptian army newspaper, Al Masry al-Ayoum.
He also lifted a ban on travel to the United States on Tariq Ramadan, a prominent Islamist scholar who is the grandson of the founder of the Brotherhood, and went out of his way to invite Muslim Brotherhood members of Egypt’s parliament to attend his Cairo speech.
During the April 2009 White House meeting, the unnamed Muslim Brotherhood leaders reassured Obama that a Muslim Brotherhood government in Egypt would “abide by all agreements Egypt has signed with foreign countries,” according to the Egyptian newspaper account. They also said they favored democracy and would support the U.S.-led war on terror.
But similar statements by Muslim Brotherhood in the past have regularly been parsed to mean the exact opposite of what they appeared to mean on the surface.
For example, the Muslim Brotherhood does not recognize Israel as a country, so their pledge to abide by Egypt’s agreements with “foreign countries” does not apply to Egypt’s peace treaty with Israel.
Similarly, the Muslim Brotherhood does not consider groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah to be terrorist organizations, and calls al-Qaida attacks on U.S. servicemen in Iraq and Afghanistan acts of legitimate resistance against a foreign occupier.
Statements in favor of free elections do not transform the Muslim Brotherhood into a democratic group, says a former top Israeli military intelligence analyst, Dr. Mordechai Hadar.
“Democracy is not just about elections,” Hadar told congressional staffers last week in Washington. “It’s also about rights — women’s rights, minority rights, freedom for gays and lesbians."
Hadar had warnings for the Israeli Embassy: “If the Muslim Brotherhood takes over in Egypt, it means the end of the peace treaty [with Israel], and the life expectancy of the Israeli Embassy in Cairo will be calculated in minutes."
Opposition leader Mohamed El Baradei, the former secretary general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, confirmed that he is working hand in glove with the Muslim Brotherhood on CNN’s “GPS” program with Fareed Zakaria on Sunday.
“I have been reaching out to them, that we need to include them, that they are a part of Egyptian society,” El Baradei said.
Read more on Newsmax.com: Muslim Brotherhood Throws Support to ElBaradei.
El Baradei tried to downplay the Brotherhood’s radical agenda, and dismissed any hint that Egypt would go the way of Iran in 1979, when the former shah’s regime was replaced by an Islamic dictatorship.
Even if the Egyptian army agrees to allow El Baradei to head some form of transition government, “he is likely at best to be an interim figure — putting a face acceptable to the West on a government he doesn’t control — until either the army or the Brotherhood takes over,” says Shoshana Bryen, senior director for security policy at the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs in Washington, D.C.
An unidentified protester in Egypt stands before a fiery background (courtesy: Al-Jazeera)
TEL AVIV – Islamists, in particular the anti-Western Muslim Brotherhood, seem poised to take power throughout the Middle East as a result of riots that have already toppled one Arabregime and are threatening others, in what some are calling only the latest wave of an Islamic"tsunami" sweeping the globe.
In Egypt, members of President Hosni Mubarak's family reportedly have fled the country as a flood of violent, fatal street protests threatens the stability of this most populous Arab nation, a longtime U.S. ally and the only Muslim nation with a long-lasting peace agreement with Israel.
The White House has been championing the protests, calling for a transition to democratic rule in Egypt, where the Muslim Brotherhood formed the main opposition to Mubarak.
Learn Islam's global agenda to secure all nations under its only religious law: Get "Islam Rising" on DVD
The Obama administration's support for the unrest is strikingly reminiscent of Jimmy Carter's support of the Islamic Revolution in Iran in 1979, which marked the birth of modern Islamist expansion now seemingly sweeping the Mideast.
In fact, some Muslim clerics are already calling the riots in Egypt simply an extension of 1979's Islamist conquests.
"Thirty-one years after the victory of the Islamic Republic, we are faced with the obvious fact that these movements are the aftershocks of the Islamic Revolution," said Iranian cleric Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, as reported by Iran's Radio Zamaneh. "The fate of those who challenge [our] religion is destruction."
Speaking of media and government leaders, Khatami added, "They want to highlight the labor, liberal and democratic issues, but the most important issue, which is the religious streak of these protests, [is] being denied."
The leader of Jordan's Muslim Brotherhood, Hammam Saeed, warned that the unrest in Egypt will spread across the Mideast until Arabs succeed at toppling leaders allied with the United States.
"The Americans and Obama must be losing sleep over the popular revolt in Egypt," Saeed said at a sympathy protest held outside the Egyptian Embassy in Amman. "Now, Obama must understand that the people have woken up and are ready to unseat the tyrant leaders who remained in power because of U.S. backing."
And on the Internet, the Middle East Media Research Institute reports, prominent Salafi cleric Abu Mundhir Al-Shinqiti issued a fatwa in the website Minbar Al-Tawhid Wal Jihad encouraging the protests in Egypt, claiming Islamist jihadis are now on the verge of a historic moment in the history of the Islamic nation, an "earthquake" he likened to the Sept. 11 attacks in New York City.
(Story continues below)
As the clerics are accurately noting, Egypt is only one of many recent cases whereIslamicunrest has surged in theMiddleEast and North Africa.
In Tunisia, President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was toppled following rioting and street protests and widespread looting.
In Yemen, last week witnessed the largest protests in years against Yemen's leader, Ali Abullah Saleh, who is considered a crucial ally in the U.S. fight against al-Qaida in his country and in the MiddleEast. The protests further escalated yesterday.
Banners wielded by protesters in Yemen demanded the country's president abandon changes to the constitution that would grant Saleh another 10 years in power.
Algeria, Jordan and Morocco are taking note, fearing similar outbreaks.
In Pakistan, even the "peace-promoting," so-called "moderate"Islamic Barelvi sect is organizing rallies demanding the release of a policeman who confessed to the assassination of Punjab governor Slaman Taseer, a liberal politician who criticized federal blasphemy laws.
In Lebanon, the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia seems to be hijacking the country's government using legal means.
Earlier this month, Hezbollah used its veto power to topple the government of the Western-oriented prime minister, Saad Hariri. Hezbollah feared Hariri would use security forces to arrest members of its militia following indictments expected to be issued in the near future against Hezbollah for the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri.
Last week, the Hezbollah-backed candidate for prime minister, Najib Mikat, seemed poised to form the next government, sending Hariri into the opposition amid the threat of sectarian clashes.
Hezbollah members reportedly deployed on the streets of Beirut this week in a clear signal intended to deter Hariri backers from rioting.
The news media largely have painted the revolts in Yemen, Tunisia and Egypt as popular unrest, citing the use of social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter to make the arrangements for the demonstrations.
White House championing
The White House itself has been almost openly championing the unrest.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton today called for an "orderly transition" to democracy in Egypt, where the Muslim Brotherhood is the main opposition group.
Obama himself reportedly voiced support for an "orderly transition" in Egypt that is responsive to the aspirations of Egyptians in phone calls with foreign leaders, the White House said.
Deputy National Security Adviser Denis McDonough, speaking in a White House webcast, also urged the government and protesters in Egypt to refrain from violence.
Egyptian officials speaking to WND, however, warned the Muslim Brotherhood has the most to gain from any political reform.
The Brotherhood seeks to spread Islam around the world, in large part using nonviolent means. Hamas and al-Qaida are violent Brotherhood offshoots.
An Egyptian security official noted the Muslim Brotherhood was directly involved in protest organization.
Similarly, it is Islamists allied with the Muslim Brotherhood who stand to gain in Pakistan, Jordan, Tunisia and Yemen. Already, the Shiite fundementalist Hezbollah organization is poised to exert enormous influence over Lebanon.
WND reported the Egyptian government suspects elements of the current uprising there, particularly political aspects, are being coordinated with the U.S. State Department.
A senior Egyptian diplomat told WND the regime of Mubarak suspects the U.S. has been aiding protest planning by Mohamed El Baradei, who is seen as one of the main opposition leaders in Cairo.
El Baradei, former International Atomic Energy Agency chief, has reinvented himself as a campaigner for "reform" in Egypt. He is a candidate for this year's scheduled presidential elections. El Baradei arrived in Cairo just after last week's protests began and is reportedly being confined to his home by Egyptian security forces. He is seen as an ally of the Muslim Brotherhood, the main opposition force in Egypt.
Last week, El Baradei gave an interview to Der Spiegel defending the Brotherhood.
"We should stop demonizing the Muslim Brotherhood. ... [They] have not committed any acts of violence in five decades. They too want change. If we want democracy and freedom, we have to include them instead of marginalizing them," he said.
Just today, the Muslim Brotherhood said it was in talks with other anti-government figures, including El Baradai, to form a national unity government without Mubarak.
David Rubin, former mayor of the Israeli town of Shiloh and author of the book "The Islamic Tsunami," however, warns that the Obama administration cannot continue to ignore the Muslim Brotherhood's and other Islamist groups' greater goals.
"There is a plan to take over Western civilization," Rubin told The Washington Times, "and we need to recognize it for what it is."
"Confronting the growing threat to Western civilization first involves admitting the problem exists, something President Obama not only refuses to do but strongly denies," a Times editorial on Rubin continues. "The administration has censored any discussion of the problem in these terms within the government, preferring to focus on ill-defined 'violent extremism' when the real extremist threat is only partly violent and wholly Islamicist."
Muslim Brotherhood declares war on U.S.
Multiple prominent U.S. commentators have also been claiming the Muslim Brotherhood is a moderate organization and denying any Islamist plot to seize power.
On Friday, President George W. Bush's former press spokeswoman, Dana Perino, told Fox News, "Don't be afraid of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. This has nothing to do with religion."
Bruce Reidel, a former CIA analyst and advisor to President Obama, penned a Daily Beast article in which he claimed, "The Egyptian Brotherhood renounced violence years ago. … Its relative moderation has made it the target of extreme vilification by more radical Islamists."
Reidel's assertion the Brotherhood renounced violence, however, is contradicted by the Brotherhood's own statements in recent months, including a call to arms against the West.
In November, the Brotherhood's new supreme guide, Muhammad Badi, delivered a sermon entitled, "How Islam Confronts the Oppression and Tyranny."
"Resistance is the only solution," stated Badi. "The United States cannot impose an agreement upon the Palestinians, despite all the power at its disposal. [Today] it is withdrawing from Iraq, defeated and wounded, and is also on the verge of withdrawing from Afghanistan because it has been defeated by Islamist warriors."
Badi went on to declare the U.S. is easy to defeat through violence, since it is "experiencing the beginning of its end and is heading toward its demise."
Barry Rubin, director of the Global Research in International Affairs Center, noted Badi's speech evidenced "the likelihood that more Brotherhood supporters in the West will turn to violence and fund-raising for terrorism."
Frank Gaffney, president of the American Center for Security Policy, takes it a step further.
"In short, the Muslim Brotherhood – whether it is operating in Egypt, elsewhere in the world or here – is our enemy," he wrote.
Frederic Post Creates a Book on the Designs Used on Ecstasy Pills
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“Anonymous Engravings on Ecstasy Pills” is an interesting picture book by artist Frederic Post. This unique novel features illustrations of ecstasy pill engravings found by the author.
In the book, Frederic Post has redrawn the over 500 signs on the ecstasy pills he has found in a larger view. He also includes 1:1 scale embedded pages that mimic actual ecstasy pills. This book surely isn’t for everybody, although many might find this drug art rather interesting.
Terrified of tea
Jonathan Allen – Thu Jan 27, 8:40 pm ET
When Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann was named to the House Intelligence Committee earlier this year, one of her Republican colleagues responded this way: “Is that a punchline?” Another simply said, “Jumbo shrimp. Oxymoron.”
Neither dared to attach his name to his comment.
Bachmann’s Republican critics may be sick of her grandstanding, but they’re more terrified of her tea party following.
[ For complete coverage of politics and policy, go to Yahoo! Politics ]
In just her third term, she has developed a fan base like 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin’s: Energized, fiercely loyal and capable of making a critic’s life miserable with threats of political retribution. She’s also a huge media draw — whether it’s MSNBC, which lampoons her, Fox News, which promotes her, or CNN, which aired her entire State of the Union rebuttal Tuesday night. All that’s missing is a Saturday Night Live spoof. (See: Bachmann poses challenge for GOP)
It’s enough to make most Republicans think twice before crossing her — or at least wish they had.
Take Rep. Jason Chaffetz. Hours after POLITICO published his comment knocking Bachmann’s rebuttal to the State of the Union address, the second-term Utah Republican issued a statement, through Bachmann’s office no less, walking back his criticism. (See: Chaffetz apologizes to Bachmann for criticism)
“My primary concern with Congresswoman Bachmann’s speech was the timing of it relative to Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) official response to the President’s State of the Union address. I felt at the time the proximity of her speech was too near Chairman Ryan’s official response,” Chaffetz said. “I have since learned that the timing of Congresswoman Bachmann’s address was not simultaneous to Chairman Ryan’s official response. … Now understanding the true order of events, I would not have made the same comments to the media.” (See: Bachmann's turn)
That’s a far cry from his original assessment: “To try to upend Paul Ryan was just wrong.” (See: Ryan's rebuttal: Cut and shrink)
Chaffetz knows well the power of conservative grassroots movements, as he won his seat with a right-flank challenge to then-Rep. Chris Cannon in 2008 and is now looking at a primary challenge to Sen. Orrin Hatch. Though he didn’t mention Chaffetz or Bachmann, the top strategist for the Tea Party Express said in a Thursday National Review Online story that Hatch won’t be targeted by the group in 2012.
Not everyone in the GOP is jittery about crossing the line into criticism when it comes to Bachmann or Palin.
Freshman Rep. Joe Walsh, a tea party favorite in Illinois, isn’t backing down from his judgment that Bachmann miscalculated, even though he’s gotten some angry calls from her backers.
“She was out of line. She had no business stepping on the official Republican response to the State of the Union,” Walsh said in an interview with POLITICO. “I can say that to you saying I’m a fan of Michele Bachmann’s. She and I think the same on virtually probably every darn issue.”
But he said he understands why some other lawmakers may be less willing to go on the record with their gripes.
“She’s got a huge movement. She’s got a huge following,” he said. “I am sure that many politicians and elected officials do not what to upset that huge movement and that huge following.
Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.) — who has a long conservative voting record — said he learned the power of Palin’s following the hard way after suggesting she stay out of Georgia’s Republican gubernatorial primary on a radio show.
“There was a firestorm in the office for about 24 hours,” he said, with people “questioning my Republican conservative credentials” in phone calls. “To Sarah Palin’s credit, you have a national network of very energized fans.”
Friends and critics alike say Bachmann’s trending toward Palinesque status in terms of her ability to generate attention and build a following. She raised more than $13 million for her last re-election campaign, roughly tripling an opponent whose $4.2 million haul would typically be considered prolific.
For any Republican who fears a primary challenge — or would like help for a general election — there’s no percentage in getting on the wrong side of Palin or Bachmann.
“The base loves them and if you want the base to love you, you have to love them,” said Republican strategist John Feehery, a former House GOP leadership aide. “If you don’t care about the base, then you can say whatever you want.”
But the reality is most Republicans do care about the base — and fear the consequences of crossing their stars.
High Honors: Living Soldier Awarded Medal of Honor for Afghanistan Service
Army Sgt. Salvatore Giunta is the first living soldier to be awarded the Medal of Honor since the Vietnam War. The following are images from the ceremony, his service in Afghanistan and his family life.
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Bristol Palin Has A New Boyfriend, Moves On From Levi
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Following her stint on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars and moving on from her former boyfriend Levi Johnston, Bristol Palin has revealed that she has a new boyfriend. During an interview on “Bob & Mark” radio show on Friday, Bristol revealed that she was happy with her new man. She did not, however, name the man but there’s a rumor that Bristol’s new man is an Alaskan pipeline worker.
Bristol said that, “I’m seeing a guy and he’s really great and Tripp loves him and we’re having a really good time and we’re really good friends. Let’s go with that.” Bristol has a son with former boyfriend, Levi Johnston. Bristol’s pregnancy was a major talking point during her mother’s bid to become the vice president of the United States during the 2008 elections. As if the pregnancy was not embarrassing enough for Sarah Palin, Johnston revealed his plans to strip down for the adult magazine, Playgirl.
That decision caused a major rift between Sarah Palin and Johnston. The relationship between Bristol and Johnston eventually ended in March 2009. That was a huge relief for Sarah Palin until the pair came back together again in July 2010. They got engaged shortly and after just three weeks, the relationship was called off again. Bristol reportedly wants to distance herself from Levi now.
Hawks’ Williams suspended two games for punch
2:52 pm January 29, 2011, by Ken Sugiura
Hawks forward Marvin Williams has been suspended for two games without pay, starting with Saturday night’s game against the Dallas Mavericks. Williams was suspended for his involvement in a fight in the Hawks’ Friday night game against the New York Knicks. With less than a minute to play in the 111-102 win, Williams pushed and threw a punch at the Knicks’ Shawne Williams, earning him an immediate ejection. The Knicks’ Shawne Williams was also ejected and suspended for one game.
NBA rules dictate that any player who throws a punch will be ejected, suspended for at least one game and fined. The amount of Williams’ fine was not available. Williams will also miss Thursday’s home game against Toronto and be eligible to return for the Saturday home game against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Williams made the trip with the team to Dallas, but will not be allowed in the arena for the game. It will be the 16th game that Williams has missed out of the Hawks’ 47 games thus far this season.
The Hawks could use Williams against Dallas, which is 30-15 and has won its past three games.
- Ken Sugiura, Hawks writer
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1-25-2011 EDITION: THE 2011 STATE OF THE TEA PARTY ADDRESS https://docs3.google.com/document/d/1cuNaMf2I9K08ntMgXlN5h0XXVX7Oo42rnqZRLPykn-8/edit?pli=1&hl=en#
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