Click on the headphones/title to hear Bruce delivering the article.

Defeat on Energy and Global Warming

In the midst of all the mess the Democrat congress has created during the past 18 months there is finally some sanity.

Senate Democrats have hoisted up the white flag on their job killing cap and tax legislation.  They appear to now be focused on creating oil spill legislation and incentives for natural gas vehicles.  Both measures would be supported by most Americans and likely will receive a bipartisan support.  This is good news.

The left is not happy about this news.  They say the President has abandoned the global warming movement.  Environmentalists have already started attacking congressional leaders.  This could lead to another over reaction by the administration to appease their base by ordering the EPA to impose cap and tax on the country without congressional approval.  Doing so would cause a thunderous electrical response from the rest of the country who cannot afford more job loss and the higher taxes which will surely follow.

The Obama administration has now admitted defeat on energy policy and global warming.  All of this makes the upcoming congressional election even more important.  The only way to block the extremist energy and environmental policies or this president is to change leadership in congress this November are you listening Gabby?  Me puedes oir Raul?

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  No Se Puede

A good friend asked me why Republicans were opposing the extension of unemployment benefits.

Actually nothing could be further from reality.  Republicans and most Americans favor helping newly unemployed but not for over two years and not if doing so further balloons the deficit.

 The President has promised jobs, jobs, jobs but all the American worker has received from his rhetoric are higher taxes, banks that won’t loan money to small business, Cap & Trade as well as card check.  Now, since stimulus worked so well the President promises more pork but hardly any new private sector jobs while African American and Hispanic unemployment is over 3 times the national rate of unemployment some help the stimulus.

 The only way to create new private sector jobs and get our country back on the road to prosperity is simple – keep taxes low, increase foreign trade export of our goods and services, say “no” to card check, create more abundant and safe American energy, reduce government red tape and unleash a growth agenda.  Instead of Obama’s “no se puede strategy” let the free enterprise system go back to work.

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  Mr. Obama heed the words of Arizona Governor Jan Brewer:

“Badges?  We don’t need no stinking badges!”

Judging by presidential indifference to the plight of Arizona it is very clear Barack Obama does not get what is really going on with illegal immigration.  We ask for federal protection and all we get are a few desk jockeys.  Get us more badges and boots on the ground.

Mr. President – rather than sending out some sign makers to tell us the southern half of our state is infested with drug cartels and human smugglers (something which is abundantly clear to any one living here) what is your plan to solve this festering security issue besides your so called comprehensive immigration reform?

So far you and your administration have referred to Arizonans as outliers.  You have threatened lawsuit against us and even sanctioned the President of Mexico to infer SB1070 is racist.  It is hard to believe but you have also suggested maybe Grijalva’s boycott was a good idea.

The citizens of Arizona are good people.  When your people say SB1070 violates civil rights – how about our civil rights?  Mr. Obama heed the words of Arizona Governor Jan Brewer:

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  Even a Broken Clock

Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

The editors of the Arizona Daily Star have declared, “The day when City Hall could have it’s way with the Rio Nuevo district are over.”  The Democrat run city council has repeatedly acted in bad faith.

 Most Tucsonans agree.  The council has squandered over $200 million on wasted Rio Nuevo projects including $15,000,000 on plans for a hotel that should never be built.  The Mayor and his city manager have ginned up one phoney baloney study after another to show the hotel will be profitable.  The simple truth is the city government owned hotel does not pencil out.  The mayor doesn’t care.  He’s trying desperately to create a legacy….. but that might be municipal insolvency. 

If the city is serious about improving our downtown then surely now is the time to heed the advice of Councilman Steve Kozachick to pause for reflection and collaboration. 

Taking a breath before making another $200 million dollar mistake, I believe now is the time to seriously consider the 2 hotel plan by HSL Properties at 1/10^th the costs of the current scheme.  Or look at collaboration with an Indian casino attraction.  Why not wait for the results of the Rio Nuevo audit and then see if anyone on the council has the political capital to execute such a risky enterprise.  Think about that Ms. Scott and Ms. Uhlich as you consider your chances to become Mayor in 2011. 

If the city council wants to go it alone on the hotel just be sure it isn’t like Thelma & Louise flying off the cliff with all of us sitting in the back seat.

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  Barack and the Oil Spill

Barack Obama’s mis-managed handling of the Gulf oil spill shows not only big government is incapable of dealing with a national disaster.  More important, it highlights the incompetence of Mr. Obama’s leadership.  Americans increasingly view Barack Obama as this generation’s Jimmy Carter.

The President’s latest oval office address will one day be viewed like Carter’s “Great American Malaise” speech.  Funny due to the left and environmentalists we’re still talking about the same failed energy policy today as Carter did in 1979.

President Obama’s hail Mary approach to energy policy throws oil and coal under a bus in favor of new, undeveloped, untested, non existent “green” technology.  Most Americans embrace a move to a more carbon free economy but in the meantime if we cut our domestic energy development now what happens the day after tomorrow?  Walk to work?  Light a candle?  Fedex turns into Pony Express?  The President wants to take cruel advantage of a crisis once more only to serve his own political agenda but at what economic and social cost to all of America and the world?

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  Obama and Our Border

Barack Obama begrudgedly granted Arizona Governor Jan Brewer a whole 30 minutes I suppose to discuss his half cocked plan to deploy too few National Guard desk jockey’s to the border. 

As Mr. Obama wagged his famous presidential finger in the Governor’s direction he still refuses to restart construction of the double and triple fence.  He refused to confirm or deny his Attorney General would litigate SB1070 or Arizona’s employer sanctions law.  He refused to address Arizona’s fiscal and law enforcement issues that result from the dereliction of his constitutional duty to protect our borders.

While the President and his Attorney General consider we Arizonans an obstacle to his dream of “so called” comprehensive immigration reform all of us back at home support comprehensive border security.  We expect that our elected officials including Mr. Obama uphold the oath they took to support and defend the constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that he would bear full faith and allegiance to same, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion and that he would faithfully discharge the duties of his office.  Jan Brewer takes her oath seriously why won’t Mr. Obama?

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  Woody Allen

Remember former stand up comic Woody Allen?  He used to be funny – in a neurotic sort of way.

The one time father – now husband of his step daughter told Spanish language magazine La Vangardia the current U.S. President could, “accomplish so much more if all of the nasty and disorderly people would stop being so critical.”

Allen told the magazine he is, “Pleased with Obama.  I think the Republican party should get out of his way and stop trying to hurt him”.  Do you hear that Michael Steele?  Woody Allen says stop hurting the President.

But Mr. Allen, the former in crowd favorite also said, “It would be good if Obama could be a dictator for a few years because he could do a lot of good things quickly.”

Really Woody?  Do you mean like all of those good things he’s already done like ObamaCare?  Take over auto companies?  Control salaries? Cap & Tax? The Stimulus?  Abandon our allies and apologize for America?  Woody, Woody, Woody – time for you to take your clarinet and play Hail To The Chief for your lefty pals.

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  Big Labor

Big Labor has plenty to crow about!

Coming on the heels of the auto buy out, the stimulus and the mother of all entitlements ObamaCare now the Labor bosses want more.  Their goal is to sneak card check into federal law – any way they can.

After Stalwart SEIU lawyer Craig Becker’s nomination to the National Labor Relations Board was blocked in congress the President made Becker a recess appointee and today the board is decidedly pro union.  Now emboldened Mr. Becker has said the NLRB can re-write union election rules without congressional approval – including the elimination of secret ballots.

AFL-CIO boss Rich Trumka has said that he will shove card check into any bill they can attach it to.

The 2008 Big Labor election investment is paying off.  Unions now control GM & Chrysler.  Fat stimulus contracts going to union friendly contractors.  Huge tax breaks under ObamaCare.  Union dirty tricks will cripple companies at the expense of American jobs and free enterprise.

Will Big Labor stop at nothing to gain more political power?  Card check?  That maybe just the beginning.

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  VAT Tax

The V.A.T. tax is a costly and job killing hidden tax the President and his advisors have been testing over the past few weeks to finance the Democrat’s crippling budget deficits.

The V.A.T  is a form of national sales tax applied at every stage of production and carried through to the final price paid by consumers. 

The typical VAT rate in Europe is 20%.  That’s about what the tax would have to be to balance the U.S. budget.  The VAT is a toxic tax that will inflate the cost of nearly everything we consume in addition to local, state and federal taxes already imposed on citizens.

Now comes Senator John McCain who introduced a sense of the Senate that stated “The VAT is a massive tax increase that will cripple families on fixed incomes and only push back America’s economic recovery”.  While the liberal media barely noticed; McCain’s resolution received broad bi-partisan support when it passed 85-13.  The President ought to take notice that even most democrats are opposed to a national sales tax.

The Value Added Tax is a stealth tax which is why McCain is against it, the administration likes and the Americans overwhelmingly oppose it.

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video by Glenn Clemmons

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  Congressman Raul Grijalva  - anti Arizona

Our hometown, anti Democracy, open borders, pro terror, anti Israel Congressman Raul Grijalva has now become - anti Arizona.

Joined by radical Cardinal Roger Mahoney Raul Grijalva has called for an economic boycott of Arizona.

To fuel their anti Americanism Grijalva and Mahoney have unleashed their urban terrorists thugs from California on the State Capitol.

Imagine, Grijalva supports anti American protestors here but last summer when pro Democracy marchers in Tehran were murdered he was mute.  When Hamas lobbed thousands of rockets on defenseless civilians statesman Grijalva petitioned his President to sanction Israel (our ally) and support Hamas.  Has Grijalva’s so called progressivism become a mental disorder? 

The fundamental duty of government is to protect it’s citizens.  Everyone in Arizona (except Mr. Grijalva) knows the Arizona border is not safe.  Everyone in Arizona knows illegal immigration is not only a national security issue it is a personal security problem.  How much longer will we allow Raul Grjalva to be Arizona’s problem?

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 Democrats and our Banks

The Democrats are at it again.  After messing up the nation’s mega banks now they want to screw up your main street bank.

The President is proposing new taxes, restrictions and regulations on your bank which will make it more difficult to get a loan and will kill jobs.

They want a “Credit Czar” to control banks and tell you and I what financial products should be offered without regard to our free market system.  Do we really need another “Czar?”.

Republicans have offered plans to help banks keep interest low and get more dollars flowing to support business and create jobs.  Bankers help create jobs – not government “Czars”.

Republicans want to fix Fannie and Freddie to avoid another financial crisis.

Republicans want to stop the reckless Obama bank bail outs and have proposed helping borrowers.

The President, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Gabby Giffords and Raul Grijalva refuse to listen to any GOP plans.  Sounds like the Democrats are the real party of no.

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Americans are Angry

It’s easy to understand why Americans are angry and why we have become fearful of our government.

Our government spends too much, the deficit’s too big and we borrow too much.

 It’s taken only a week to learn more than we wanted to know about what’s bad about Obama Care.  If you are over 62 call your doctor.  See if he’ll still take your Medicare.

Hey…. Wanna hear what the President did while he thought we were distracted by the Obama care debate?  He federalized the student loan program.  Millions of college students now depend on the otherwise worthless Department of Education for their tuition.  There’s already talk about making new loans interest free.  Don’t you love how these guys think?  It’s only our money.

All of this makes Americans angry and when Mr. Obama and his fellow travelers tell us to tone it down/don’t make this a race thing they all miss the point.

 Our anger is about your reckless ideas,  your disregard for the Constitution.  But most of all we object to your disrespect of our traditions and our opinion. 

Think about this Mr. President, if you do not listen to us now we will speak with a collective and thunderous voice this fall which will be deafening.

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Nuts!

After Obama Care was passed a Democrat friend of mine asked why Republicans were so negative and said it was time to, “lay down your arms and give up.”

He warned me that Republican opposition would be seen negatively by a majority of moderate Democrats and Independents.  He said that resistance would lead to a Republican defeat this November.

My friend said get ready for more big F*&^king deals like Comprehensive Immigration Reform (amnesty), The

Employee Free Choice Act (card check) and Cap and Tax (Cap and Trade).  My friend then echoed the words of the President (Obama – “This is what change looks like.”).

Finally when I had enough do you know what I told him?  “Nuts!”  That’s right – “Nuts.”

 Give up?  Lay down our arms or our principles?  “Nuts.” 

Allow a leftist President and radical Democrat congress to resist the will of the people and spit on the constitution?  Allow our economy to be weakened with oppressive debt?  Turn doctors into mechanics, hospitals into factories and insurance companies into public utilities run by faceless bureaucrats?

 Give up?  “Nuts.”  We must fight in the Town Halls, in our legislature, in the Congress and in the courts.  We must never give in.

 

 

Gabby Giffords' Swing District

The political pundits call Arizona’s CD8 a “swing district”.  Know what a swing district is?  It’s when a House member from that district votes the wrong way and the election door swings hard back in her face and Gabby Giffords falls right on her keister in the 2010 election.

Gabby promised change and yes change is what she has repeatedly voted for – Obama care, cap & trade, the stimulus, pork projects and card check.  All unpopular issues in her swing district.

Gabby doesn’t care she has helped pass the unpopular Obama care which won’t decrease health care but will actually increase costs 13% next year according to the CBO.

Gabby doesn’t care her support of Obama care will federally fund abortions and health care for illegals.

Gabby doesn’t care her support of Obama care will lead to higher taxes to working families and small business while giving tax breaks to public employee unions.

Gabby doesn’t care if she will cut ½ trillion in already paid in medicare premiums for seniors.  How shameful.

Yeah Gabby.  You go girl.  That election swing gate doors slam hard.  Don’t let the door hit ‘ya on the rear when you get thrown out this fall.

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Jim Bunning and the “Good ‘Ol Boys”

All hell broke loose in the U.S. Senate when Kentucky Republican Senator and Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Bunning broke the Senates “Good ‘Ol Boy” rules and said he objected to unanimous consent for a $10B spending bill to extend jobless benefits and fund road projects until his colleagues could find a way to pay for such an important measure somewhere in the government’s $3.5T budget.

 

For this Mr. Bunning has been labeled “crazy and senile.”  Richard Durbin claimed the Kentucky Senator was “Hold(ing) the Senate hostage.”  “Unfair” sobbed Jay Rockefeller. 

And the horror – President Obama attacked Bunning for “Playing political games.”  Wow – Imagine that.

 

Mr. Bunning merely asked the Senate to live up the “Pay as you go” rules the President himself ordered just one month ago.  For his courage Senator Bunning has been caste as an “Obstructionist” for playing by the rules and compelling his colleagues to find the money for the bill somewhere in their already bloated federal budget.

 

Jim Bunning pitched a perfect game for the Phillies in 1964 but this might have been his finest hour.

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Obama's Hearing Test

Barack Obama had a chance to score big at the health care summit but he failed.

He failed to make an argument for the federal government’s take over of our healthcare system and ¹/₆ of the nation’s GDP.

He failed to listen because he was too busy talking and defending a failed concept to even appear to be Bi-Partisan.

He failed to act presidential when he disrespectfully sparred with a very capable and honorable John McCain.

But most importantly he has failed to rally any new public support for Obama care.  It would have been easy to do - bring a white board.  Stand up and acknowledge all Americans want interstate competition for lower insurance premiums, portability (the ability to take health coverage when we change jobs), a little tort reform and a break on pre existing illnesses.  All this is still do able if the President stops talking and begins listening.

If the President is listening to America he will stop trying to cram Obama care down our throats.  Mr. Obama do you need a hearing test to be able to listen to what America’s saying?

 

Congressman Raul Grijalva

Congressman Raul Grijalva is at it again.

Southern Arizona’s “Stealth Congressman” has long served as the congressional champion for the terror group Hamas and has tacitly supported their war against the people of Israel by his misguided policies.  How shameful.

His latest support of warfare against innocent civilians comes in a letter to Barack Obama.  Co-signed by arguably 37 of the most radical members of the Democrat majority who obviously favor terror over security for Jews and Muslims alike.

Mr. Grijalva supports lifting of sanctions against Iran’s ally Hamas.  I suppose Mr. Grijalva’s strategy is if the Iranians don’t drop a nuke on Tel Aviv they’ll bleed our Israeli allies to death using Hamas as their proxy.

Watch soon for Grijalva’s first “fact finding” trip to the Middle East sponsored by pro Muslim 54 group.  My guess he returns to the House sporting a red and white kefiah and three day Arafat stubble beard. How fashionable.

Wake up Raul. Sanctions do work.  Sanctions save lives.  Sanctions prevent war.  For once sir shed your naïve and failed philosophies.  Support sovereignty and security for Jews and Muslims alike.

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Democrats Have Squandered Senate Strangle Hold

It’s no wonder the president suddenly wants to meet with Republicans on T.V. later this month.  Sure – Democrats have squandered their Senate strangle hold.  Now he wants to talk.  America has turned against Obama’s hope and change fallacy.

Obama is sure to use the media tête-à-tête  as a vehicle to charm the pants off congressional Republicans.  Not going to happen.  Wouldn’t be prudent.  The meeting ought to be used to bring real reform to health care coverage – like allowing for portability.  Free market competition.  Tax credits rather than entitlements.  Options for the uninsurable that won’t break the bank.  Common sense tort reform all without killing jobs, raising taxes or cheating Americans out of their paid for medicare benefits.

The president is just starting round 2 of the Obama Care rumble.  Time for the knock out punch.  Republican men and women:  stay focused.  Tell Giffords and Grijalva to abandon their federal take over our health care.  Support our Republican elected leaders who stand firm and fight for our conservative health care reform plan.

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Happy 99th Birthday President Reagan

On February  6^th we remember the 99^th birth date of President Ronald Reagan.

Today as we witness the de-construction of our great republic by Barack Obama it is valuable to here what Ronald Reagan might have to say about:

On the economy – “I did not take this oath of office with the intention of residing over the dismantling of the world’s greatest economy.”

On government effectiveness – “One way to make sure crime does not pay would be to let the government do it.”

On the wisdom of congress – “What would the ten commandments look like if Moses had run them through congress?”

On national security – “Peace is not the absence of conflict.  It is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means.  Trust but verify.”

On taxpayers – “That is someone who works for the federal government without taking a civil service test.”

On God – “Without God, democracy will not and cannot long endure.”

On the world – “America cannot play an innocent in a world which is not innocent.”

 

Scott Brown becomes our 41^stVoice in the Senate

The triple victories this winter in Virginia, New Jersey and most recently in Massachusetts send a clear message – the Obama, Pelosi, Reid legislative onslaught has been halted.

Cap and trade – over.  Card check – dead.  Stimulus II – cancelled.  Amnesty for illegals – forget it.  The people of Massachusetts and Americans from coast to coast are also telling the smarty pants in Washington – scrap Obama Care.  Some Democrats – worried about their electoral future are telling the President the same thing.  The President is a smart man but I question his wisdom and if he knows when to quit.

A fellow driving a pick up truck has unified Massachusetts Republicans, Democrats and Independents to oppose the Obama, Pelosi, Reid legislative juggernaught and stopped it cold.

Just as in revolutionary times the American people have spoken with their biggest weapon – the vote and our message is stop the reckless spending.  Reduce the debt. Protect America and don’t mess with our healthcare.

Scott Brown becomes our 41^st voice in the Senate but none of us can afford to give up our fight until we take back our country.

Obama Care Bribes

Imagine if you or I offered a thousand dollar bribe to a US senator to influence their vote on the bill being debated?

Imagine how fast the US Marshals would show up at our door and the hard time we’d face in a federal prison.

I suppose when Barack Hussein Obama – who promised transparency and honesty – sends his boy Harry Reid to offer $400 billion in bribes (more like blood money) to buy the votes of the two senators to pass Obama Care all is forgiven.  Is this how hope and change goes?

Democrat Mary Landrieu was an early and easy sell out.  She’s from Louisiana and understands Obama’s crony politics. 

I gave Ben Nelson too much credit for his pro life beliefs.  This Democrat cracked under the pressure all the President’s men placed on him.

Not exactly a chapter from “Profiles In Courage” is it?  Obama is a cunning politician who has exercised his will over weaklings in congress.  So did Hitler as he corrupted Germany in the 1930’s.  We must not allow Obama to destroy our values, our freedoms, our great wealth and our country to promote his perverted vision of America’s future.  Stand up and be counted.

Obama's Christmas Present

Barack Obama, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi have a special trillion dollar Christmas “present” for Americans this year.  Their little Democrat elves in the senate are putting the finishing touches on our special “present” right now.  Oh… did I tell you?  They want you to pay for their special Christmas “present” to America.  Obama care 

Our “present” will include taxpayer funded abortions, free health care for illegal aliens and jail time for anyone who doesn’t buy their health policies.  Are we getting into the Democrat “Season of Giving” yet?

Their “present” is so special they want to steal half a trillion dollars from medicare to pay for it.  I wonder how they’ll break the news to my 87 year old mother-in-law she’ll lose her in home nursing benefits and her ability to live independently as will million of others who paid into Medicare. 

Oh well, Obama and his elves are doing something historic so I’m sure my in-laws will understand.

We must not wait until Christmas morning to have buyer’s remorse on Obama care.  Call Barack Obama at (202)-456-1111 and tell him to keep his disastrous Obama care. Again… spend a buck and call Barack Obama at (202)-456-1111 and let him know we reject his cruel Christmas present.

Obama's Afghan Surge

One of the most memorable events of my childhood was the Cuban missile crisis in 1962.

In that international crisis – cold warrior John F. Kennedy – a liberal, youthful, charismatic, Harvard trained President – stared down the evil of Nikita Kruschev’s missiles 90 miles off the Florida coast.

From the 14^th to the 27^th of October 1962 Kennedy along with his military and civilian advisors quickly headed off Russian aggression at our door step.  No mixed signals from Kennedy.  No apologies and no advance signaling of American intentions.  Stopping nuclear missiles in Cuba pointed at America was in our vital national interest. 

Kennedy was Commander in Chief and he avoided nuclear war.  He was rewarded with renewed confidence in his Presidency as well as long term nuclear security for all of us.  The President stood up to evil with the threat of massive retaliation.

Now that President Obama has finally announced his Afghan surge let us hope the months of indecision are in the past.  Pray for the success of our President to show the resolve to face down evil and pray for the safety and success of our brave troops.

US Congressman Mike Pence of Indiana (CD6) is a strong advocate for our free enterprise system, American values , the Constitution and our great Republic. Read his recent comments at a dinner sponsored by The American Spectator :

The Evening Keynote

By Rep. Mike Pence on 11.23.09 @ 6:09AM

Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Congressman Mike Pence, Chairman of the House Republican Conference, delivered the following remarks last Thursday night at The American Spectator's  Robert L. Bartley Dinner:

(Remarks as delivered)

I stand before you today at an historic moment for the conservative movement and for this great country. The coming weeks and months may well set the course for this nation for a generation and beyond. How we as conservatives respond could well determine whether America retains her place as a beacon of hope in the world, or whether we slip into the abyss that has swallowed much of Europe in an avalanche of Socialism.‪

While some are prepared to write the obituary on capitalism and conservative values, I believe we are in the midst of a great American awakening. And it is breaking out all across this land, in townhalls and tea parties, coffee shops and church halls, in New Jersey and Virginia, and in the hearts and minds of everyday Americans, who are fed up with runaway federal spending, bailouts and takeovers by both parties and are saying with one voice: enough is enough.‪

The American people know what makes sense and what doesn't.

On the foreign stage, the American people know that weakness arouses evil. They know that bowing and kowtowing to foreign dictators only diminishes our standing in the world. And they know that standing idly by while the Ayatollahs in Iran crush innocent civilians, clamoring for free elections, is totally inconsistent with our history of standing with those who stand for freedom around the world. Ronald Reagan didn't stand before the Brandenburg Gate and say, "Mr. Gorbachev, that wall is none of our business." The American cause is freedom and in that cause we must never be silent again.

And the American people know that trying terrorists like ordinary criminals puts international public relations ahead of public safety and makes a mockery of American justice. This administration's decision to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and his cohorts in our civilian criminal courts is the most naïve and dangerous decision I have ever witnessed the United States government make. We should not be granting terrorists their wish to be tried at the scene of the worst enemy attack in American history.

We should not tell terrorists around the world that they have more rights if they kill Americans on our soil than if they kill Americans on the field of battle. The Obama administration must overturn this wrongheaded decision and try these enemy combatants in a military tribunal where they belong.

And on the home front, the American people know we can't borrow and spend and bail our way back to a growing economy. And they know that one bailout after another, and one government takeover after another, will undermine our national character and relegate our national economy to the permanent economic decline.

The freedom to succeed must include the freedom to fail. Even as Ben Bernanke told me this week, capitalism without bankruptcy is like religion without hell.

When you look at the failed Democratic policies on stimulus, cap and trade and healthcare, it looks like their recovery strategy is, "the beatings will continue until morale improves." Democrat policies in Washington, D.C. are taking our economy from bad to worse. The unemployment rate in this country reached a 26-year high, 10.2 percent, the worst since 1983, and the national debt reaches 12 trillion dollars.

And where was President Obama this week? In China visiting our money and being lectured on monetary policy by communist dictators. But seriously, the image is striking: a President of the United States, flying on one more foreign junket, to one more glamorous capital, as our nation continues to struggle in the city and on the farm and unemployment rises to record levels.

To get this administration to focus on creating jobs, maybe the president should spend less time at the Great Wall of China and more time at Wal-Mart!

The American people know what works and what doesn't. We know the time-honored path to recovery is fiscal discipline in Washington, D.C. and fast-acting tax relief for working families, small businesses and family farms. And, to borrow a line from a great American, more and more Americans realize every day that a recession is when your neighbor loses his job, a depression is when you lose your job, and a recovery is when Nancy Pelosi loses her job.

Clearly we've had it. But we see here tonight and at town hall meetings, tea party rallies across this country, and in the march on Washington in Washington, D.C., it is not the orchestrated theater of liberal special interest groups. It's authentic and it's powerful and it's real and it's American. And the American people know this is not just about dollars and cents, it's about who we are as a nation.

That became very clear to me about one year ago this weekend. It was in the aftermath of that Wall Street bailout vote. Along with a majority of House Republicans, I opposed that bailout not once, but twice. I just thought it was wrong to take $700 billion from Main Street and transfer it to Wall Street to pay for the bad decisions that had been made there.

You remember how it went. We stopped that bill once but the White House passed it over in the Senate, brought it back and rolled us. After it passed, I got on a plane to fly back to Indiana. Now you can probably tell that I'm a pretty upbeat guy, but that Saturday morning I was a little bit down. I was heartsick about what I'd seen our country do. But I had promised to speak at a Boy Scout jamboree in New Castle, Indiana, and I meant to keep that promise.

You know the scene. It was a cold October Saturday morning, a line of Boy Scouts, ties pulled to the side, one shirttail out, standing up straight. I gave them my best speech about American history and then a few adults waited to talk to me afterwards. A lot of them talked about the bailout vote from the day before, about where the economy was headed.

But there was one man standing off to the side, modestly dressed. And when the other adults dispersed, he walked up to me, hat in hand, and said words I'll never forget. He said, "Congressman, I'd seen in the newspaper that you were going to be out here. I lost my job yesterday, but I came out here to thank you for voting against that Wall Street bailout." I looked at him and I said, "Well, I'm sorry for your trouble, but I have to tell you, I admire your stand." And that American looked me in the eye that cold October morning and said words that are now chiseled on my heart. He said, "Congressman, I came by to thank you because I can get another job, but I can't get another country."

That man got it and he said it better than I ever could. The agenda of the left is about changing the very nature of this country, from a culture of independence to a culture of dependence on the state. As President Reagan said in his famous 1964 speech, it's "about whether we abandon the American Revolution and confess that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capital can plan our lives better for us than we can plan them for ourselves."

In 1999, Thomas Sowell predicted that the American left would attempt a "quiet repeal of the American Revolution." So what was the American revolution and is it possible to abandon or repeal?‪

For the answer, we need look no further than the writings of one of our founders, President John Adams. In response to a public debate that was raging over the origins of the American Revolution, John Adams wrote a series of letters over a period of several years, describing his views on the coming of the Revolution. In a letter addressed to Mr. Niles, written in Quincy on 13 February 1818, John Adams wrote:

But what do we mean by the American Revolution? Do we mean the American War? The Revolution was effected before the War commenced. The Revolution was in the Minds and Hearts of the People… The People of America had been educated in the habitual Affection for England as their Mother-Country; and while they thought her a kind and tender Parent (erroneously enough, however, for she never was such a Mother,) no Affection could be more sincere. But when they found her a cruel Beldam, willing, like Lady Macbeth, to "dash their Brains out," it is no Wonder if their filial Affections ceased and were changed into Indignation and horror. The radical Change in the Principles, Opinions, Sentiments and Affection of the People was the real American Revolution.

According to our second President, the real American Revolution was a revolution of self-reliance and independence, casting off dependency on the crown, in the hearts and minds of the American people. It was a rejection of the spirit of dependence in favor of a society of free and independent people.

As Thomas Sowell wrote, "What the American Revolution did was give the common man a voice, a veto, elbow room, and a refuge from the rampaging presumptions of his 'betters.'" And, I submit, it is that revolution of independence and self-reliance that liberal elites are seeking to overturn. Barney Frank recently said, "We are trying on every front to increase the role of government." Not just the size but the role.

With the role of the federal government tightening every day on our economy, our finances, our natural resources, and our everyday lives, the common American values of life, liberty and limited government are being trampled by the urgency of the moment and the judgment of people who "know better" than everyday Americans.

The late Jack Kemp said words in 1996 at the Republican National Convention that speak to our time about the politicians and the political elites here in Washington. He said: "They don't have faith in people. They're elitists. They have faith in government. They think they know better than the people, but the truth is, there is a wisdom and intelligence in ordinary men and women far superior to the greatest so-called experts."

Washington, D.C. is overrun with such politicians -- people who consider the ideals of our Founding Fathers as quaint artifacts, as out of style as powdered wigs. Well, consider me quaint and out of style. I hold fast to the principles that minted this Republic: the unalienable rights to life, limited government, individual liberty, private property and due process of law. I took an oath to protect and defend these ideals. I vowed to bear obligation with true faith and allegiance. And if that's not quaint enough for you, I've even got a little of that powdered wig thing going.

And I'm happy to report that House Republicans are fighting to turn things around. But the reality is we just don't have the numbers. But there is a force in America great enough to redeem our national government and reaffirm our revolutionary ideals -- a minority in Congress, plus the American people, equals a majority.

Our 16th president knew that as well. Passing through my home state of Indiana, Abraham Lincoln stopped at the Clay Pool Hotel on 11 February 1861. Headed to Washington to assume the presidency, he said words that are now chiseled in a modest bronze plaque, and I quote: "I appeal to you, to constantly bear in mind that it is not with politicians, it is not with presidents, it is not with office seekers, but with you is the question: Shall the union and shall the liberties of the country be preserved?" Lincoln went on to say, "It is your business if the union of these states and the liberties of this people shall be lost, and it is your business to rise up."

So what is our part to play? What is your role in this unfolding drama? It is to rise up. To do freedom's work.‪ Like a great patron of conservative causes, the late J. Patrick Rooney of Indiana.‪

At this dinner in 2005, featuring Justice Scalia's remarks, I sat with the late J. Patrick Rooney. We had an exchange at the table that has never left me. I told my mentor, and friend, that I admired him for staying in the fight when he could be on a golf course or on a beach instead of working the halls of Congress for school choice and health savings accounts. Pat scowled at me and said, "We are not put on this earth for our amusement or enjoyment, we are put on this earth to do our d--n duty.'

Now comes the time for all of us to do our duty in this battle to preserve all that makes America great. If you can give, give. If you can speak, speak. If you can write, write. If you can run, run. But do all you can. Now is the moment.

The Bible says, "If the foundations crumble, how can the righteous stand?" The foundations of this country are found in our Declaration of Independence, and in the spirit of personal responsibility and equality of opportunity that beats in the heart of every American.‪

Through the work of The American Spectator, you have done your part to preserve that foundation. Now we must do more. And we will not fight alone. Winston Churchill said before Congress in 1941, "He must indeed have a blind soul who cannot see that some great purpose and design is being worked out here below, of which we have the honor to be faithful servants." There is a great purpose being worked out and, as President Bush said so many times, the Almighty's purpose is freedom.

You have a role to play; a duty to fulfill. You are to be the faithful servants of freedom in this hour. You've gathered in this nation's Capital to take your stand for what makes this country great. A Capital filled with memorials to America's heroes, men and women whose faces are carved in bronze, whose names adorn monuments, and just across that river, whose remains lie quietly as testament to their heroism for our freedom. In their time they did their part. Now it's your turn.‪

Let us do as generations of Americans have done before, let us stand for what has always been the source of American greatness: our faith in God and our freedom. And if we hold that banner high, I believe with all my heart, the good and great people of this land will rally to our cause. We will take this Congress back in 2010 and we will take this country back in 2012, so help us God.

The Obama Care Debate

The Obama Care debate has gone from ridiculous to dangerous.

The President’s hand picked so called blue ribbon medical panel has opined women under 40 and those over 75 should not receive mammography exams because these geniuses have decided it is “not cost effective.”  This is a thinly veiled attempt to ration diagnostics which has the effect of putting a dollar value on a human life.

Rationing access to doctor’s and health care – especially to the vulnerable young and old is Obama’s plan.  How unfair!

Obama Care is filled with accounting mumbo jumbo.  So called “doc fix” will cost $250 billion and isn’t counted in the Senate bill.  How convenient!

The President will tax all Americans starting immediately.  For Obama Care but no one will receive benefits until 2014.  That makes no sense!

A new Medicare commission of unelected bureaucrats will ration care to seniors.  How wrong?

Tax payer dollars will fund abortions.  How cruel

The Democrat’s dangerous government run health care experiment must be stopped and we the people must continue to oppose it.

Fiscal McCarthyism

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TUCSON CITY COUNCIL TO FIGHT ARIZONA LEGISLATURE 

 

Tucson City Council ( led by it's RINO mayor ) is again acting like a bunch of gangsters as they flaunt AZ law the same way they have repeatedly violated Prop 109 and the will of the voters during the past 3 1/2 years.

Now Trasoff and Uhlich are prepared to spend HUGE amounts of OURmoney to try and protect their fannies on the Charter revision..

They are WRONG on the Charter revision and seek to blame others for their incompetence the same way .............

They are WRONG on the trash fee and now have increased the fee instead of eliminating it as they promised.

They are WRONG on Rio Nuevo and wasted hundreds of millions of our dollars with zero to show for their efforts.

They are WRONG about the Rialto and have become so entrenched they now even ignore neighborhoods they claim to support.

They are WRONG on public safety and endanger life and property.

They are WRONG on TPD and crime is on the increase.

They are WRONG about allowing kids to create graffiti.

They are WRONG to seek increasing taxes for working families and businesses.

They are WRONG on spending and continue to expand the scope of local government despite deficits.

They are WRONG to suckle up the way they do to their BIG LABOR masters whenever they can because they are beholden to their bosses.

They are WRONG about the miserable state of our roadways and endanger motorists.

They are WRONG the way they treat small business even in tough times.

They are WRONG about economic development and our children must leave Tucson to find quality jobs.

They are WRONG about the way they lied to the Colorado Rockies and have lost MLB Baseball.

They are WRONG about the way they meddle in affairs they have nothing to do with but lack the competence to control what they do have domain over.

They are WRONG about just about EVERYTHING they do and deserve to be sent packing after this election to whatever miserable hole they crawled out of in the first place !

They have made Tucson a worse place to live under their reckless governance.

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Uncovered Video: Obama Explains How His Health Care Plan Will ‘Eliminate’ Private Insurance
 

http://www.breitbart.tv/uncovered-video-obama-explains-how-his-health-care-plan-will-eliminate-private-insurance/

 

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Click here: YouTube - 'One Small Step For Man, One Giant Leap For Mankind' - 40th Anniv - Commentary by BRUCE ASH

 

Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin

(That’s one small step for man & one giant leap for mankind)

It hardly seems possible that 40 years ago Neil Armstrong & Buzz Aldrin along with all   mankind soared to the Moon.

While some scoffed about JFK’s goal of landing a man on the moon by 1969 & returning safely to earth. The citizens, the engineers, the contractors & the astronauts turned an age old dream into reality. Landing a man on the moon was also one of our first great triumphs of the Cold War as well as a science breakthrough.

Forty years after landing on the Moon we face as daunting a scientific and national security issue & its energy.  The United States must harness new technologies to power our cities as well as run our vehicles.

This is a national security crisis which if successful will lead not only to a more peaceful world but energy is one of the keys to the resurgence of our economy.

Biodiesel, hydrogen, wind, solar, nuclear, as well as using rich natural gas and oil resources as we develop new technology. Do it all, with America leading the way to an energy revolution, we guarantee a golden future.

(Tranquility Base Here …. The Eagle Has Landed)

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Each American and every human has a natural right of self defense. The Circuit Judge's answer ought to scare the hell out of any one who watches her obfuscation and lack of humanity to just answer "yes" or "no" to Senator Coburn's simple and basic question rather than hiding like Oz behind her leftist legal facade.

Bruce Ash

National Committeeman

 

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Obama's failed foreign policy tests

Posted: July 14, 2009
1:00 am Eastern

By Larry Greenfield
© 2009 

The 3 a.m. wake-up calls Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warned about as a candidate have been ringing the Obama White House red phone off the hook. The international tests predicted by new Vice President Joe Biden have also come fast and furious.

North Korea launches missiles and tests nukes. The Swat Valley in Pakistan falls to the Taliban. Iranian mullahs and the Revolutionary Guard steal an election and shoot at demonstrators. Honduran officials arrest and deport President (and dictator to be) Zelaya.

Unfortunately, President Barack Obama is dropping the calls, failing the tests and blowing his chance to promote American interests, or even, on his own terms, to "re-assert America's moral standing" and rebuild alliances he claimed had been frayed during the Bush administration.

We all know about the shameful apology tours on foreign soil, from Mexico to the Middle East, the mugging with dictators, the bow to the Saudi king, the silly (and mistaken) early reset button with Russia, among other low moments of the Obama World Tour '09.

All of this pandering has not yielded much, by the way, in terms of foreign troop commitments to Afghanistan, global warming consideration from China, or Russian acquiescence to increased economic sanctions on Iran.

Are we headed for a Nazi-style totalitarian abyss? Find out in "Defeating the Totalitarian Lie: A Former Hitler Youth Warns America"

Mr. Obama gave early offense to the British (sending out of the Oval Office the bust of Churchill, a gift of former Prime Minister Tony Blair and the British people after 9/11, giving improvised DVD presents to current Prime Minister Gordon Brown that did not work, and Michelle Obama's manhandling of the queen).

Obama also offended the Canadians and upset relations terribly with Colombia, ignoring their reasonable requests for friendship and trade, and their superb efforts to combat narco-trafficking and enhance the quality of life of their citizens.

On the issue of human rights, in China, Darfur and Iran, Obama has chosen not to promote liberty or universal freedom and has been criticized across the political spectrum for his weakness in defense of those struggling under oppressive regimes.

In Turkey and Cairo, Obama gave loud speeches that let down dissidents and reformers and showed himself to be comfortable with authoritarianism and state power over the individual. He even seemed to side with those who put the burka over the faces of women in the Arab world. Think American women approve of life behind the veil?

But it gets worse: In Poland, Israel and Honduras, Mr. Obama is actually siding with the enemies of our allies, pressuring our friends and ignoring American national security interests.

Poland and the Czech Republic received requests from the United States for third site missile defense interceptors and radar installations. They then negotiated and worked through political issues at home and in complex discussions with a Europe that has shown little backbone and fortitude as it fears the Russian Bear.

So what has Mr. Obama done? He has worked overtime to assure Russia that he would prefer a grand bargain with Putin and may sacrifice missile defense to get it. Poland is betrayed and nervous. Anybody remember the Russians rolling into Georgia last summer?

Russian authorities crush freedom of the press and are running a czarist autocracy. Yet Obama is engaging with Russia, giving it prestige and power, and quickly offending our pro-American friends in New Europe.

While Obama seeks to talk softly, softly with the tyrannies of the Muslim world, who are building nuclear weapons, maintaining power through force and aligning against the United States repeatedly at the United Nations, he has certainly come down like a ton of bricks on our only democratic ally in the Middle East, Israel.

Pressure on Israel over settlements (no building of second-story apartments?) has defined Obama's idea of even-handed balance between our ally and its enemies. The nomination of Israel-basher Charles Freeman, the appointments of harsh Israel critics like Susan Rice at the U.N., Samantha Power at NSC and others, and joining in the anti-Israel Durban II planning process, all have made Mr. Obama deeply detested in Israel and among Israel's strongest Christian supporters in the U.S.

Obama's Cairo address was particularly obnoxious. He ignored 3,000 years of Jewish history and declared the raison d'etre of the Jewish state was the Holocaust. He then compared the annihilation of European Jewry to Palestinian suffering, ignoring the Arab world's irredentism and rejectionism, suicidal lack of support for Palestinian compromise or democratic development, and the Arab Nazism that has defined pro-Palestinian terror and policy from Haj Amin al-Husseini through Arafat to today's Hamas.

The recent Honduran episode continues this pattern. Sixteen U.S. senators have joined Sen. Jim DeMint in sending a letter to Secretary of State Clinton asking her and President Obama to reassess their stance on the situation in Honduras and urging them to meet with democratically elected members of the Honduran Congress currently visiting the United States.

The arrest and deportation of the president was not a coup; it was the constitutional removal of a would-be Hugo Chavez-style dictator, and Obama has once again sided against American interests and against people standing for freedom and democracy.

The Obama foreign policy agenda was built on lies. Mr. Obama protested that the United States had lost its alliances. But nation after nation had elected center-right governments that were friendly to the United States (Australia, Japan, India, New Europe, Germany, Italy, France, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, etc). The world did not hate the United States. Obama's leftist friends did.

Mr. Obama talked about rule of law, but he unilaterally decided to smear the Guantanamo Bay Military Facility as a human rights blight, and announced its closure without any idea where to put the detainees. Gitmo is a highly professional, appropriate and even (too) compassionate facility for the worst of the worst battlefield detainees.

Finally, Obama has criminalized policy differences with the prior administration and advertised to our most dedicated and vicious enemies how to prepare for interrogation. By castigating the waterboarding of three enemies of America as torture (these techniques were practiced repeatedly on our own military trainees, and they were lawyer-approved, doctor-monitored, congressionally informed and used not to coerce guilt or as punishment but to reveal ticking-time-bomb plots), Mr. Obama has virtually guaranteed that huge numbers of American casualties in the future will blame him for diminishing the efficacy, meaning and power of our intelligence gathering.

Almost all of the Obama national security and foreign policy campaign rhetoric has collapsed. He promised swift cooperation from allies on thorny issues like Iranian proliferation and climate change

. Not so much.

As advertised, especially by his own Democrat party opponents during the 2008 presidential campaign, Obama is weak, inexperienced and surrounded by foreign policy ideologues who side against our friends, and instead fancy the United Nations, international law, adoring crowds of socialists in Europe and engagement with dictators.

Welcome back, Carter.

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Obama Care

The big question about nationalized Obama Care is whether the government plan will be NICE and I say I hope not.

What?  If the President gets his way with Obama care he will propose to set up his own version of Britain’s National Institute of Clinical Excellence (N.I.C.E.) whose sole purpose is to ration health care and their primary tool is to screw seniors.

If you think I’m wrong just ask any British senior who has been denied use of modern Alzheimer’s drugs, denied use of a drug to prevent macular degeneration as well as denied use of various arthritis and anti-cancer drugs.  All denied by the N.I.C.E. people.

Friends the answer isn’t nationalized Obama care with it’s lack of choice and numbing cost. 

For America to continue providing the finest health care in the world we must increase choice, foster more competition, create portablility, reduce tort liability which will end defensive medicine, open a high risk pool to protect those with pre existing conditions and create a health tax benefit for all Americans that actually lowers government spending and reduces taxes.

Obama care is just plain dumb.  It means ruining quality health care for all Americans.

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Friends..........Remember when you pay an electric bill, when you fill up your gas tank, when you buy a airline ticket , when you buy a car , the next time you plug in a light bulb or walk into a restaurant you can thank Gabby Giffords who voted for CAP & TRADE which equals a big fat tax on just about everything we consume which will be paid for by you and I. 

 

Remember who helped create higher un employment by passing the BIGGEST TAX INCREASE in the history of the United States. Gabby Giffords voted with 211 of her democrat colleagues to create a carbon tax which will kill jobs in the middle of a recession. All this done under the premise of helping prevent global warming. All of this done as a scheme to finance Obama health care. Not too smart. 
 

Is this change we can trust? Now , more than ever before friends .........CHANGE CAN'T WAIT !!

 

Bruce Ash

National Committeeman

www.AshForArizona.com

 

MAKE NO MISTAKE: "CAP-AND-TRADE" IS A TAX The Hidden Costs: Obama's Energy Scheme Means Higher Prices, Fewer Jobs ______________________________________________________________________      Obama: "[The bill is] paid for by the polluters who currently emit dangerous carbon emissions." (President Barack Obama, Remarks On Energy Legislation, The White House, 6/25/09)   THE TRUTH: SO-CALLED "CAP-AND-TRADE" SCHEME A HARD-HITTING TAX ON ALL AMERICANS   CBO Says National Energy Tax Will Hit Consumers, Not Corporate Profits. "Under a cap-and-trade program, firms would not ultimately bear most of the costs of the allowances but instead would pass them along to their customers in the form of higher prices. Such price increases would stem from the restriction on emissions and would occur regardless of whether the government sold emission allowances or gave them away." (CBO Senior Advisor Terry Dinan, "The Distributional Consequences of a Cap-and-Trade Program for CO2 Emissions,"Testimony Before The Subcommittee On Income Security And Family Support House Committee On Ways And Means, 3/12/09)   Even Obama Admits Plan Would Make Energy Prices "Skyrocket" For Consumers. Obama: "When I was asked earlier about the issue of coal, you know, under my plan of a cap and trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket. Even regardless of what I say about whether coal is good or bad. Because I'm capping greenhouse gases, coal power plants, you know, natural gas, you name it, whatever the plants were, whatever the industry was, uh, they would have to retrofit their operations. That will cost money. They will pass that money on to consumers." (Sen. Barack Obama, Interview with San Francisco Chronicle Editorial Board, 1/17/08)   New York Times' Thomas Friedman: "Cap-And-Trade" Supporters Use Proposal To Hide Fact That It's A Tax. "Advocates of cap-and-trade argue that it is preferable to a simple carbon tax because it fixes a national cap on carbon emissions and it 'hides the ball' -- it doesn't use the word 'tax' -- even though it amounts to one." (Thomas L. Friedman, "Show Us The Ball," The New York Times, 4/8/09)   Chicago Tribune Editorial: Every American Affected By National Energy Tax. "Democratic leaders need to slow down. This proposed legislation would affect every American individual and company for generations. There's a huge amount of money at stake: $845 billion for the federal government in the first 10 years ... This requires careful study, not a Springfield-style here's-the-bill-let's-vote rush job." (Editorial, "Too Big, Too Fast," The Chicago Tribune, 6/25/09)   Denver Post Editorial: Costs Of "Cap-And-Trade" Will Be Passed On To Consumers, Hurt America's Global Economic Competitiveness. "The debate on such a transformative issue ought to continue and broaden. How is it possible the 1,200-page American Clean Energy and Security Act is being rushed through Congress in a repeat of what happened with the stimulus package? Has anyone read this one? ... Fashioned to avoid appearing like a new tax, the measure nevertheless would work like one, as the higher costs of meeting the caps get passed on to consumers. The measure risks hurting our competitiveness globally without effectively lowering global greenhouse gases." (Editorial, "Cap And Trade Is Wrong Solution," The Denver Post, 6/26/09)   Congressman John Dingell (D-MI): Cap-And-Trade = "Great Big" Tax. "Nobody in this country realizes that cap and trade is a tax.  And it's a great big one." (Rep. John Dingell, House Energy and Commerce Committee and House Science Committee, Joint Hearing, 4/24/09)   Warren Buffet Says National Energy Tax Will Hurt Poor Americans. "I think if you get into the way it was written, it's a huge tax and there's no sense calling it anything else.  I mean, it is a tax.  And it's a fairly regressive tax.  If we buy permits, essentially, at our utilities, that goes right into the bills of the utility customers and an awful lot of people in Iowa, in Oregon, and Utah, and places where we are, very poor people are going to pay a lot more money for electricity ..." (Warren Buffett's Live Lunch Interview on CNBC, CNBC's Power Lunch, 6/24/09)   Rep. Parker Griffith (D-AL) Knows National Energy Tax Will Hurt Energy Providers, Constituents."This legislation would cripple Alabama utilities with high and swift taxes, forcing them to choose between going out of business or passing the cost onto Tennessee Valley consumers." (Rep. Parker Griffith, "Griffith Votes No On Energy Bill," Press Release, 6/26/09)   HOW HARD WILL AMERICANS BE HIT BY NATIONAL ENERGY TAX?   "Cap-And-Trade" Would Cost Each American Household $899 Next Year Alone. (Douglas Elmendorf, "More on the Estimated Costs to Households of a Cap-and-Trade Program," Congressional Budget Office's "Director's Blog," Blog, 6/25/09; U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, 2008 Annual Social and Economic Supplement)   CBO "Estimates That The Equivalent Cost Of Allowances And Offsets Would Be Roughly $105 Billion In 2010." (Douglas Elmendorf, "More On The Estimated Costs To Households Of A Cap-And-Trade Program," Congressional Budget Office's "Director's Blog," Blog, 6/25/09)   U.S. Census Bureau Estimates There Will Be 116,783,000 U.S. Households In 2010. (U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, 2008 Annual Social and Economic Supplement)   Brookings Institution Says "Cap-And-Trade" Will Cause Job Losses. "A report issued by the left-leaning research organization said that if Congress passes something similar to President Obama's or the House's proposed plan, the economy would take the biggest hit around 2025. ... the net job loss would be 0.5 percent over the first 10 years that the legislation is in effect." (Amanda DeBard, "Study: Cap And Trade Would Hurt Economy,"The Washington Ti mes, 6/9/09)   National Black Chamber of Commerce Finds National Energy Tax Will Harm Economy, Cause Unemployment And Reduce Wages. "[C]ap-and-trade system outlined in bill would: reduce national GDP roughly $350 billon below the baseline level; cut net employment by 2.5 million jobs (even after accounting for new 'green' jobs), reduce earnings for the average U.S. worker by $390 per year." ("NBCC Study Finds Waxman-Markey Reduces GDP by $350 Billion: New study finds Waxman-Markey could cost 2.5 million U.S. jobs by 2030 and reduce earnings," Press Release. National Black Chamber of Commerce, 6/24/09)    PDF Format A Product Of The RNC Research Department Paid for by the Republican National Committee. 310 First Street SE, Washington, D.C. 20003 -  (202) 863-8500 - www.gop .com Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

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Trasoff and Uhlich

Do Nina Trasoff and Karen Uhlich wear giant “kick me” posters on their backsides?

Why else would they both have voted to spend $820,000 for a crummy 15 minute video to an east coast company and another $8.6 million to an out of town architectural firm to design the so called Origins Heritage park?

Why would these two have voted to authorize spending millions of our tax dollars on a project that will never be more than a ditch on the wrong side of the tracks? 

Stupid is as stupid does and we’ve been schnookered again by Trasoff and Uhlich.

In the midst of their incompetence public safety and first responders suffer.  Our streets are crumbling.  Taxes have sky rocketed.  City services have been reduced.

But in recent Arizona Daily Star news article Ms. Trasoff used the Sgt. Shultz defense for the high cost of the video (“I know nothing”)

Oh brother…. do we need change!

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Israel

·          The State of Israel and its citizens are confronted by the greatest peril in the nation’s history.  Iran and its proxies, Hamas and Hizbullah, seek to “wipe Israel off the map.”  A world so bored with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, has succumbed to the most specious moral equivalency, makes no distinction between the inexcusable, indiscriminate violence of terrorism.

·          TV images are framed not in terms of the survival of Israel or the security of the state but of self-determination for the Palestinian Arabs, with Israel seen as the bully oppressing the underdog.  The truly brutal reality is that Palestinian maps still do not show the State of Israel.

·          When President Obama speaks about daily humiliation of Palestinian Arabs, he ignores that Jewish schoolchildren have to be protected by perimeter fences and armed guards; that guards are required in cafes, restaurants and movie theatres.  Arab villagers do not need to have guards at their shops, cafes or restaurants.

·          It is extraordinary that a gullible world now regards Israel as rejectionist, yet it is Arab leaders who have rejected every proposal by Israel over the decades.  Arab leaders have used the West Bank territory they control into a launching pad for an intifada that killed more than 1,000 Israelis.

·          The conduct of PA leaders has turned upside down the priorities of the Roadmap for peace.

 

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Government Run Healthcare

 

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Friends..........

Government run health care is on the table. 

If Americans lose this battle we are in for real trouble. 

The government that cannot run Social Security, Medicare, the US Post Office, AMTRAK,FANNIE MAE & FREDDIE MAC , The Department of Agriculture &The Department of Energy now wish to tell Americans where they get their healthcare? Sort of like going down to the DMV to get a doctor? Sorry , that doesn't work in England, Canada or most anywhere else and it probably work in America. If you think the deficits are awful now ; If you are opposed to the way we have become mortgaged to the hilt by the Chinese you haven't seen anything yet folks ! For anyone who still believes government run health care will be good for America please read the following:

WHAT COULD POSSIBLY GO WRONG? Democrats Hope To Expand On Government's Dismal Management Record With Your Healthcare ____________________­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­_____________________________   DEMOCRATS SEEK TO EXPAND GOVERNMENT'S ROLE IN HEALTH CARE ... The Cost Of Obama's Health Care Overhaul Could Exceed $1 Trillion. "Obama and congressional Democrats are considering an overhaul that could exceed $1 trillion over 10 years, and spending cuts will get them only so far. That means some people will take a tax hit. The hot target at the moment: levying a tax on health benefits provided through employers, which currently aren't subject to taxation." (Carrie Budoff Brown, "Barack Obama's Health Plan Takes Shape," Politico, 6/1/09)   Top Democrats, President Obama Moving Toward Government Mandate That All Americans Buy Health Insurance. "[I]n a letter to two top Democratic senators released Wednesday, the president said he understood that two Senate committees are moving toward mandating that individuals have health coverage and that employers help pay to provide it. 'I share the goal of ending lapses and gaps in coverage that make us less healthy and drive up everyone's costs, and I am open to your ideas on shared responsibility,' the letter said." (Janet Adamy, "Obama Shifts On Coverage Mandate, The Wall Street Journal, 6/4/09)   ... DESPITE LONG RECORD OF MANAGEMENT AND INTERVENTION FAILURE   GENERAL MOTORS: The Government's Ownership Stake In GM Came Only After It's Initial $19 Billion Bailout Failed To Keep The Company Out Of Bankruptcy. "The plan, laid out in an SEC filing, would give the government a 72.5 percent stake in a new GM, but the administration said it could cost taxpayers another $30 billion, reports CBS News correspondent Anthony Mason. Washington has already invested more than $19 billion to keep GM's motor running. But people familiar with GM's plans said the automaker would still file for bankruptcy protection on Monday." ("Report: GM Set For June 1 Bankruptcy," CBS News, 5/28/09)   FANNIE MAE & FREDDIE MAC: Housing Giants Fannie Mae And Freddie Mac Had To Be Placed In "Conservatorship" To Prevent "New Wave Of Failures Among Banks." "The Bush administration yesterday prepared to take over the troubled housing finance companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, after concluding the companies don't have enough capital to continue to play their crucial role funding home mortgages. Under the plan, engineered by Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr., the government would place the two companies under 'conservatorship,' a legal status akin to Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Their boards and chief executives would be fired and a government agency, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, would appoint new chief executives. ... Moreover, regulators are trying to prevent Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's problems from tr iggering a new wave of failures among banks, which hold vast reserves of bonds and preferred shares issued by the two firms." (Zachary A. Goldfarb, David Cho & Binyamin Appelbaum, "Treasury To Rescue Fannie And Freddie," The Washington Post, 9/7/08)   THE STIMULUS PLAN: The Associated Press' Analysis Challenges The Administration's Claim That Stimulus Money Would Create Jobs In The Areas That Have Been Hit The Hardest. "The early trend seen in the AP analysis runs counter to expectations raised by Obama, that road and infrastructure money from the historic $787 billion stimulus plan would create jobs in areas most devastated by layoffs." (Matt Apuzzo and Brett J. Blackledge, "Stimulus Watch: Jobs, But Not Where Needed Most," The Associated Press, 5/11/09)   According To A USA Today Review, The Federal Stimulus Money Has Yet To Reach States Where Unemployment Has Hit Hardest. "Nationwide, federal agencies have awarded nearly $4 billion in contracts to help jump-start the economy since President Obama signed the massive stimulus package in February. But, with few exceptions, that money has not reached states where the unemployment rate is highest, according to a USA TODAY review of contracts disclosed throu gh the Federal Procurement Data System." (Brad Heath, "Stimulus Projects Bypass Hard-Hit States," USA Today, 5/28/09)   MEDICARE: "Last year the Government Accountability Office estimated that no less than one-third of all Medicare disbursements for durable medical equipment, such as wheelchairs and hospital beds, were improper or fraudulent." (John Steele Gordon, "Why Government Can't Run a Business," The Wall Street Journal, 05/21/09)   "From April 2006 through March 2007, CMS estimated that Medicare improperly paid $1 billion for DMEPOS supplies--in part due to fraud by suppliers." ("MEDICARE: Covert Testing Exposes Weaknesses in the Durable Medical Equipment Supplier Screening Process", U.S. Government Accountability Office, 07/2008)   AMTRAK: Despite Billion Dollar Deficits, The Government Continues To Pour Money Into Amtrak. "The legislation authorizes $2.5 billion a year for Amtrak, almost double its current federal funding level. The money would cover operating and capital expenses, including equipment purchases and railroad repairs. About $1.4 billion would help pay down Amtrak's more than $3 billion in debt. ... Lawmakers have long debated whether taxpayers should continue to subsidize the nation's intercity passenger rail network, which ran a $1 billion deficit in the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, 2007." (Josh Mitchell, "Senate Approves $13 Billion Amtrak Funding Bill," Dow Jones Newswire, 10/2/08)   POSTAL SERVICE: Over A Six Month Period, Postal Service Investigation Found Over $1 Billion In "Inefficiently used Funds," $248 Million In "Questioned Costs." "In a recent Semiannual Report to Congress, which covered the six-month period between April and September 2007, USPS Inspector General David C. Williams identified over $1.35 billion worth of inefficiently used funds and over $248 million in questioned costs. The report also made 86 recommendations that could save the Postal Service $1.6 billion if enacted." (Robert R. Schrum, "Postal Inspector General Delivers Valuable Results," The Lexington Institute, 1/24/08)   TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION: In 2007 Security Tests, Transportation Security Administration Screeners Missed 60% Of Simulated Bomb Materials At Chicago O'Hare International, And 75% At Los Angeles International. "Security screeners at two of the nation's busiest airports failed to find fake bombs hidden on undercover agents posing as passengers in more than 60% of tests last year, according to a classified report obtained by USA TODAY. Screeners at Los Angeles International Airport missed about 75% of simulated explosives and bomb parts that Transportation Security Administration testers hid under their clothes or in carry-on bags at checkpoints, the TSA report shows. At Chicago O'Hare International Airport, screeners missed about 60% of hidden bomb materials that were packed in everyday carry-ons -- including toiletry kits, briefcases and CD players." (Thomas Frank, "Most Fake Bombs Missed By Screeners," USA Today, 10/22/07)   Private Security Company Screeners At San Francisco International Missed About 20%. "San Francisco International Airport screeners, who work for a private company instead of the TSA, missed about 20% of the bombs, the report shows. The TSA ran about 70 tests at Los Angeles, 75 at Chicago and 145 at San Francisco." (Thomas Fra nk, "Most Fake Bombs Missed By Screeners," USA Today, 10/22/07)   ENERGY UTILITIES: As Of 2005, Despite Market Advantages, Tennessee Valley Authority And Department Of Energy's Power Marketing Administrations Had Over $10 Billion In Default Loans. "[T]hese entities are exempt from federal taxes, giving them a big competitive advantage over [Investor Owned Utilities]. They also qualify for a variety of federally backed loans at below-market interest rates and with favorable payment terms. Moreover, over $10 billion of this debt is in default, and the American taxpayer will ultimately pick up the tab." (Ben Lieberman, "Time To Pull the Plug on Federally Subs idized Electricity," The Heritage Foundation, 11/7/05)   FARM SUBSIDIES: The USDA Had Distributed Over $49 Million Dollars In Farm Subsidies To Ineligible Recipients. "The GAO report found that payments went to thousands of individuals who may not have met the income eligibility requirements under the 2002 Farm Bill. GAO also concluded that it is likely that 'under the 2008 Farm Bill, even more individuals will exceed income eligibility requirements and still receive payments.' GAO found that "of the 1.8 million individuals receiving farm payments from 2003 through 2006, 2,702 had an average adjusted gross income (AGI) that exceeded $2.5 million and derived less than 75 percent of their income from farming."  This should have disqualified them from receiving farm subsidy payments.  Altogether, USDA paid at least $49 million to these wealthy individuals." (John Frydenlund, "USDA Makes $49 Million in Payments to Ineligible Individuals," Citizens Against Government Waste, 12/08)

Bruce Ash

National Committeeman

www.AshForArizona.com

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I always figured sooner or later  Barack Obama would wake up one morning and ask himself. " Why are we supporting Israel?"  I never dreamed that he would wake up so soon.

Obama's proclamation yesterday that somehow Iran possessed energy concerns and "legitimate" nuclear aspirations leads me to the conclusion that he is either signaling an end to America's  relationship with her strongest ally --Israel OR that he is the most naiive and dangerous president in the past three decades . Yesterday's proclamation is the latest in a long line of subtle , nuanced movements in American foreign policy that erodes the US-Israel alliance as well as sets peace requirements so high as to weaken and isolate Israel without any benefit to our ally. 

Over a year ago Benjamin Natanyahu stated , "it is 1939" in regard to middle east security. I respectfully disagree. It isn't 1939 but it may be 1938 when Great Britain signed the Munich Agreement with Germany and gave Hitler  "permission" to take the Sudaten Land in exchange for peace. When America fails to recognize the evil that Iran intends to use it's nuclear power capabilities to develop weapons of mass destruction in return to find peace in the region Mr Obama makes the same delusional mistake Neville Chamberlain did when he declared ,"Peace in our time." 

The Iranian leadership is evil and has evil intent. That our country is ignorant to this and seeks to further down size our diplomatic influence in the region is baffling but seems to be part of a larger strategy of weakening American resolve to be the world's number #1 super power . It also cedes hegemony to perverse powers such as Iran, North Korea and other rogue states and their irresponsible leaders. 

The lesson from WWII ( and most recent conflicts ) is that when world leaders don't stand up to the evil intentions of strongmen like Ahmadinejad what follows is un necessary conflict which creates destruction and misery for mankind. America ought to be doing everything in it's power to isolate Iran economically, diplomatically and politically while at the same  back up our efforts with a credible threat of force in the event Iran fails to fall into line. Strength is power in the middle east region. Mr Obama may feel his recent comments will make friends around the world with his apologist

thinking . He is wrong. Ahmadinejad has only contempt for the west and seeks to take advantage of this ill informed young American president whose idea of change in foreign policy is not change for the better. 

This is a time for strong American leadership in the world. Mr Obama should be using the bully pulpit of the US Presidency to forge alliances that will protect the world and not weaken it. America should work harder to strengthen it's long standing alliance with Israel . American voters should vote for candidates in 2010 and 2012 who will devise a proper foreign policy and defense for our nation.

"LEGITIMATE" CONCERNS  Does Barack Obama Know What Iran's Concerns And Aspirations Really Are? ______________________________________________________________________      President Obama: "Without going into specifics [about the nuclear program], what I do believe is that Iran has legitimate energy concerns, legitimate aspirations." ("Obama Interview: The Transcript," BBC, 6/2/09)   So What Are Iranian President Ahmadinejad's "Legitimate" Concerns And Aspirations?   Ahmadinejad: "American Empire In The World Is Reaching The End Of Its Road." ("Ahmadinejad: 'American empire' nearing its end," CNN.com, 9/24/08)   Iran Continued Testing Missiles In April. "Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad announced Wednesday that his country had successfully test-fired a medium-range solid-fuel missile apparently capable of striking Israel and U.S. bases in the Persian Gulf region." (Thomas Erdbrink, "Iranian Missile Launch Confirmed; Ahmadinejad Ties Test To Nuclear Program," The Washington Post, 5/21/09) Ahmadinejad: Weapons Test and Nuclear Capabilities Linked. "In the nuclear case, we send them a message: Today the Islamic Republic of Iran is running the show.  We say to the superpowers, 'Who of you dare to threaten the Iranian nation? Raise your hand!' But they all stand there with their hands behind their backs."  (Thomas Erdbrink, "Iranian Missile Launch Confirmed; Ahmadinejad Ties Test To Nuclear Program," The Washington Post, 5/21/09)   Senator Joseph Lieberman: Iran "Sponsored Terrorist Attacks That Have Killed Hundreds Of American Soldiers." "The Iranians have supported Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in the Palestinian territories, and Shiite militias in Iraq. They have sponsored terrorist attacks that have killed hundreds of American soldiers and thousands of innocent Muslims throughout the region. They have also exploited the plight of the Palestinians in a cynical attempt to put a wedge between moderate Arab governments and their people." (Joseph Lieberman, Op-Ed. "There's No Room for Partisanship on Iran," The Wall Street Journal, 5/30/09)   The Washington Post Editorial Board: Iran "Still Stonewalling International Inspectors" On Weapons Work. "The government of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is still stonewalling international inspectors trying to investigate evidence that Iran has secretly worked on nuclear bomb and missile warhead technology. This summer, it rebuffed the latest Western effort to open negotiations -- one whose only precondition was that Iran agree to a six-week pause in adding centrifuges to the 3,800 it has already installed in a uranium enrichm ent plant... The board of the International Atomic Energy Agency gathered yesterday in Vienna to hear a stern report about Tehran's continuing refusal to answer key questions about the program." ("Iran Slips Away," The Washington Post Editorial, 9/23/08)   Ahmadinejad Called For End Of U.S. Ally Israel. "[Israel] has reached the end of its function and will soon disappear off the geographical domain." (Frances D'emilio And Ariel David, "Un Chief: Food Production Must Rise 50 Percent By 2030," Associated Press, 6/3/08)   Ahmadinejad Called Israel "Dirty Microbe." "World powers have created a black and dirty microbe named the Zionist regime and have unleashed it like a savage animal on the nations of the region." ("Ahmadinejad in new attack on 'savage animal' Israel," AFP, 2/20/08)   Ahmadinejad Denied Holocaust. "They have invented a myth that Jews were massacred and place this above God, religions and the prophets." ("Iran Plans Holocaust Conference", CNN, 1/15/2006)   Ahmadinejad: "The West claims that more than six million Jews were killed in World War II and to compensate for that they established and support Israel. If it is true that the Jews were killed in Europe, why should Israel be established in the East, in Palestine?"  ("Ahmadinejad Quotes," The Jerusalem Post,5/16/2006)

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With GM's bankruptcy being precipitated by Barack Obama this morning we see a slight different slant to the quote that ," What is good for General Motors is good for the country." My how times have changed..............What is bad about GM IS bad for our country.


 

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Sonia Sotomayor

Barack Obama has declared war against American gun owners and the Constitution with this nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court.

Despite the landmark D.C. versus Heller decision Judge Sotomayor issued an opinion that the 2^nd Amendment did not apply to the States.  This fits her personal view point that judges should make policy.

The White House and their mass media spin masters want America to buy into Ms. Sotomayor’s personal history.  Fair enough but personal stories no matter how compelling are not the issue. 

Her judicial record is what matters and Sotomayor wants to grab our guns.

 I won’t argue her qualifications to serve any more than Barack Obama did when he said Samuel Alito was “qualified” to serve on the High Court but later led a filibuster to oppose his nomination because Alito was too conservative.  How disingenuous.

Judge Sotomayor has already put in writing what she thinks of the 2^nd Amendment and the last thing we need is a radically anti Constitutionist Justice like her to join the court.

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Republican men and women............

The tsunami of liberal/socialist policies coming from the White House and Congress has been overwhelming but need not lead to the drowning of our party or our principles. Now is the time for the Republican party to pick their battles and preserve the greatness of America.

I suggest we pick up the banner and fight for THREE issues that will help us properly define who we are, what we stand for and what we are willing to fight for in 2009 and beyond to the 2010 elections:

1.         Free enterprise--Stand up for capitalism and against Obama's rampant tax and spend policies that are destined to bankrupt America. Higher taxes in a bad economy are a bad mix.

2.         Health care reform--Stand up for choice, portability and cost effective delivery of  open market health care  for more Americans. Our society will be changed forever (and not for better) if we go the route of failed European socialism. 

3.                  Cap & trade--Stand up for new energy policies that make sense in the 21st century that promote energy security and national security. Cap & trade as it has been proposed is merely a government financing scheme for the democrats universal health care policy and does NOTHING to develop clean & secure energy.

Isn't it time we pick our beach head and begin the Battle of America?? Now is the time for Republicans to unite in a cause that is right and good.

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Butt out Gaby

Last Summer Gabby Giffords said she was against illegal immigration safeguards, like E-Verify, before she changed her mind and took credit for extending E-Verify.

Now she’s back to her flip flopping open border ways saying that despite over whelming support of Arizona’s employer sanctions legislation she thinks the law is “burdensome” and wants to usurp the will of Arizona’s voters as well as the state legislature.

Ms. Giffords, it appears you and Janet Napolitano may have missed the news that your home state has a rather messy illegal immigration problem? 

Making it easier for illegals to work in Arizona won’t make the problem better any time soon either.

Since the Feds still don’t seem to have the stomach to enforce immigration law why should anyone believe your new law will be an improvement?  I suggest you simply butt out.  You have to wonder why is Giffords taking the side of unscrupulous businesses who hire undocumented workers and why should we support her open borders policies?

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 Pelosi's Little CIA Problem

 

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After we close Guantanamo.....what comes next? A fair question to ask. Please watch this 30 second message:

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Renters' Tax

Renters in Tucson face an unfair tax being imposed by the Democrat majority on the City Council.

Sounds familiar doesn’t it?  More taxes and higher spending courtesy of liberal Democrats!  This time the Democrats aren’t just socking it to the man – they want to impose an unfair tax on working class and poor families – the same people they profess to have compassion for.

The reason for their hypocrisy?  Simple – They say renters don’t vote so sock a new tax on Tucson’s most vulnerable population …. In the middle of tough economic times.

Well shame on the Tucson City Council.  Yeah yeah.  This is the same Democrat majority who promised an end to the trash tax four years ago but has done nothing to reduce the tax burden on Tucson families as they spend liberally on their special interests and foul up Rio Nuevo.

Had enough?  Call City Hall at 791-4700 and let them know how you feel about taxes.   

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America Does Not Support Obama

 

Polling Analyses

 

Resurgent Republic will conduct periodic national surveys, supplemented by focus groups, on critical issues facing the nation.  The first national survey focuses on the the economy/federal budget and energy/climate change.  Subsequent surveys will explore health care, national security, and immigration among other concerns.

Independents Side with Republicans on Obama Budget and More

Published on April 29, 2009

Overview

This first Resurgent Republic survey of 1000 registered voters, conducted April 13-16, 2009, shows that President Obama remains quite popular, with 61 percent approving of his job performance and 32 percent disapproving so far.  That is comparable to President George W. Bush’s job approval of 62 to 29 percent in the Gallup Poll on April 20-22 of his first year in office.  President Obama’s job approval is somewhat higher than both President Clinton’s (55 percent) and the first President Bush’s (58 percent) in April of their first year, but lower than President Reagan’s in April after the attempt on his life (67 percent).

A wide partisan gap of 67 points exists in President Obama’s job approval, with 92 percent of Democrats approving versus only 25 percent of Republicans.  Independents fall exactly between Democrats and Republicans on this measure, with 59 percent approving of the President’s job performance.  Independent support for the President is a key indicator to monitor.

This survey verifies that America remains a center-right country.  Voters prefer a smaller government with lower taxes over a larger government with higher taxes by a three-to-one margin. By a two-to-one margin, they think government should promote opportunity by fostering job growth, encouraging entrepreneurs, and allowing people to keep more of what they earn, rather than promote fairness by narrowing the gap between rich and poor, spreading the wealth, and making sure that economic outcomes are more equal.

Not surprisingly, concerns about the economy eclipse all others right now, with 57 percent citing it as the most important issue facing the United States.  A majority of voters opposes President Obama’s proposed $3.6 trillion budget with its $1.4 trillion deficit, even as they believe he is responding to problems he inherited.  They are deeply skeptical about the amount of money Mr. Obama proposes for the government to spend, tax, and borrow for bailouts and other spending programs that produce few private sector jobs.Independents, who hold the balance of power in this electorate, are closer to Republicans than to Democrats on these fiscal issues.  Moreover, 84 percent of voters think the maximum federal income tax rate should be below its current rate of 35 percent, with more than two-thirds believing the maximum rate should be 20 percent or lower. 

Republicans are on favorable ground resisting the amount of spending, taxing, and borrowing in the President’s proposed budget and will draw independents away from Mr. Obama’s camp by doing so.

As is often the case however, the more liberal argument fares better when it comes to specific spending proposals.  Mention of education, energy, and health care “investment” to bring the country out of recession is more resonant than the argument that this Administration is taking advantage of the recession to make massive increases in government spending that will hurt our economy in the future by nearly tripling our debt.

On the debate over climate change, a substantial majority of American voters, including an overwhelming majority of independents, thinks climate change is happening and human activity is a significant cause. However, they think addressing the problem with any proposal that could raise energy prices during a severe recession is a bad idea. Recognizing that climate change is a problem is important, but voters want a solution that strengthens rather than hurts the economy. Cap-and-trade advocates have made significant progress on the “green jobs” argument. Those opposed to cap-and-trade will need to make a more persuasive case that such policies will shift more jobs abroad than they will create at home, and that the onus of the cost will fall on consumers rather than companies.  Voters are dead set against a bait-and-switch strategy that would justify higher prices for gasoline and electricity to pay for health care reform.

An overwhelming majority of American voters supports President Obama’s decision to send 17,000 additional troops and 4,000 more trainers to Afghanistan, even though 41 percent of Democrats are opposed.  Sixty-three percent of independents and 71 percent of Republicans back President Obama on this issue. 

On the other hand, a strong majority believes the Guantanamo Bay prison helps protect America rather than undermines our moral authority.  Independents are, again, much more like Republicans than Democrats on this issue. As is seen repeatedly in public opinion research, national security remains the Republicans’ strongest relative advantage over the Democrats and a major issue on which independents and Republicans hold similar views.

One social issue tested was the proposal to repeal conscience clause regulations that allow health care providers and workers to refrain from engaging in practices that are legal but personally morally objectionable, including abortion.  Overwhelmingly (61 percent), voters believe “health care workers should not be required to perform procedures they oppose on moral grounds, such as abortions.”

President Obama is personally popular, enjoying a 61 to 32 percent favorable-unfavorable rating that is driven by an identical rating among independents.  Congressional Democrats and Republicans fare less well however, particularly among independents, with “Democrats in Congress” having a 45 to 42 percent favorable-unfavorable rating (39 to 45 percent among independents), and “Republicans in Congress” having a 37 to 47 percent favorable-unfavorable rating (32 to 47 percent among independents).

Republicans have far more to work with in the current environment than many suspect. The key to rebuilding a majority coalition is regaining the support of independents.  Particularly on the overall philosophy of government and on national security, Republicans show signs of gaining ground.

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Friends--Whether you attended a tax day tea party or not undoubtedly you heard about the event.

The real benefit of the Boston Tea Party in pre revolutionary days was not the event itself but the history that was made from it . The same might apply to these 2009 Tea Parties. While these were far more civil than the original tea party in Boston Harbor many feel the results could be just as dramatic.
Please listen to my newest addition of "Something To Consider......"

The sense I felt at the Tucson Tea Party and what I get when I attend GOP meetings is that we are where the democrats were in 1995 or 2005. More and more Republicans signing up as precinct committeemen and women. More and more people showing up to Republican clubs and legislative meetings. Apathy and complacency before the 2008 election started to change to fear of the new administration has now become commitment to make a change in how our city, state and nation are governed in the upcoming elections.

While some well meaning people believe government should play a greater role in the life of all Americans we don't agree and believe we should live free and benefit from the merits of capitalism and hard work.

While some Americans feel taxes are too low we feel that all Americans should keep more of their hard earned money and that the government acting as a middle man will never do as good a job taxing and spending our money as the American public can.

Tea parties across America have signed up thousands of new voters and activists. Excitement is building and change may not be far away. Working together in unity we have an opportunity to prevail.

I look forward to any comment you might have on the Tea Party. Congratulations to all of the Tea Party organizers.

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Democrat Barack Obama has completed his world apology tour and bows to the Saudi King he praises. 
The foes of freedom laugh at his naiveté.

Democrat congressional leaders continue their assault on capitalism and reason.  How far will this cancer grow?

Democrats in the Arizona legislature actually propose a budget to continue the failed spending policies of Janet Napolitano.  They don’t care that she drained the State Treasury.

And finally Democrats who run the City of Tucson have run our town as if it were their little Fiefdom.  We’ve become Detroit.

Many ask, “What can I do to make a statement that enough is enough?”

Friends, let’s begin to reclaim our City, take back our State and National Government by standing up for ourselves and attending the Tucson tea party on tax day April 15^th in El Presidio Park in the shadow of City Hall.

It’s time to tell the Democrats we’ve had it.  It’s time to hold Democrats accountable for the damage they are doing to Tucson, our State, America and the world over.

 

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Mike Hein was the victim of a coup  by 4 manipulative & conniving people. While Mike Hein was far from perfect his firing is an obvious diversion from the micro managing and bad decision making democrat council members have consistently engaged in. It will be their ultimate downfall in the fall election. Unfortunately, for now the citizens and business people of Tucson are the ultimate losers in this political pissing match.

How will this council find a new city manager who would put up with the vast amounts of crap dished out by these folks? They might as well make it a world wide search. Someone will either have to agree to be the council's tool OR a fool to consider taking this job.  This council believes in a strong Council style of government and not our chartered strong City Manager form. They continue to have dis regard for this and many other rules they are required to live under. In the meantime these bad actors will continue to run the city into a ditch. In the midst of this crisis this council must also find a new police chief and pass a balanced budget that finds $80,000,000 of savings fast. They have failed at doing this so far and show no signs of being able to pull this off anytime soon.

There has been a fire burning in City Hall for 3 years. That fire has now gone out of control. We need 2 more new and good people to stand up and run to defeat Trasoff, Ullich and the open seat in Ward 5 where Fimbres will presumably be the candidate. Will our party be the answer?

Are we going to stand up and help our city or will we continue to cower under the rule of the current regime? Besides Steve Kozachick do we have the will to prevail in the upcoming election? What are our plans? Hein's firing gives us renewed chance to win in 2009.

To paraphrase what a famous person said recently, " We can benefit from this crisis."

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April 7, 2009

 

“Lightning Bug and Lightning”

By U.S. Senator Jon Kyl

 

The President recently hailed a “new era of fiscal responsibility” and said that “the best way to bring our deficit down in the long run is ... with a budget that leads to broad economic growth by moving from an era of borrow and spend to one where we save and invest.”

 

That’s true, but the Democrats’ budget recently approved by the Senate doesn’t deliver.

 

It borrows and spends more than any previous budget, its new taxes will affect every American family, and its deficits will burden our children and grandchildren for years to come.  In these tough economic times, families and small businesses are making sacrifices and trade-offs in their own budgets.  This new budget makes clear that the President and his Democratic colleagues have no intention of doing the same. 

 

This $3.9 trillion budget makes no hard choices about how to rein in out-of-control government spending. It also marks a nearly 20 percent growth in non-defense spending since the end of 2008.  Moreover, much of this new spending, contrary to the claims of the President, is not what a well-run business or the Internal Revenue Service would count as an “investment” (like equipment or other tangible assets).  Most of the new spending would be for services whose long-term value is difficult to measure.

 

The President has said he will cut taxes for 95 percent of Americans, but his budget would raise taxes by $1.4 trillion over 10 years. It not only lets some of the existing tax rates expire – thus raising taxes – but implements a new $646 billion energy tax that is estimated to increase energy costs for every family by $3,168 annually. And it’s described as a “down payment,” meaning there’s more to come.

 

It is also important to understand that extending expiring income-tax relief for individuals is not a new tax cut.  When an Arizona family thinks of a tax cut, it assumes it will pay less in taxes from one year to the next. The administration has declared that if you don’t pay more in taxes, you are receiving a tax cut.  This difference, to borrow a phrase from Mark Twain, is like the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.

 

Finally, this budget will place a staggering burden on future generations.  The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projects a $1.7 trillion deficit in 2009, a trillion dollars greater than last year’s deficit.  In five years this budget will double the public debt, and in 10 years it will triple it.  Simply put, there will be more debt under this one budget than in the entire history of America from 1789 to 2008.

 

This excessive borrowing also increases our dependence on creditors in countries such as China and Japan. These two countries now hold more than a third of our foreign debt.  When other countries hold a large amount of our debt, they have leverage to influence our currency, trade, and potentially, our national security policies.

 

President Obama’s budget grows the government, not the economy.  The new programs and policies it would establish also mean the government will have much more control over our health care, education,  energy, and other aspects of our everyday lives.  The increased debt burden that will result from the plan will substantially affect our quality of life long after this recession is over. Bottom line: it spends too much, taxes too much, and borrows too much.  It’s a bad deal.

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Obama's "Aha" Moment

Barack Obama had his “Aha” moment last week – the same one as Lyndon Johnson had in 1964.

 Obama now owns the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.  He refers to Afghanistan as “America’s War” and says he wants to focus on fighting Al Qaeda there with about 40,000 troops (too few) which he says will have “narrow objectives”.  Sounds like Korea and Vietnam to me.  How soon before the War on Terror becomes a “police action?”

 To prosecute the President’s war he’ll need to:

(1) Fight Al Qaeda into their sanctuary of Pakistan – our ally

(2) Perform nation building in Afghanistan – something he’s criticized President Bush of doing in Iraq (3) Speaking of Iraq – while he shifts troops to Afghanistan keep enough strength in Iraq to provide sufficient support to the young government there if trouble breaks out (4) Do all of this fighting in Afghanistan with the prospect of presidential elections there in August?

Not an easy strategy for the inexperienced President.  Obama will need a coherent battle plan and perfect luck to win the peace, establish stability and safely bring our brave fighting forces back home.

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Due to an intermittent problem with YouTube, you may have difficulty viewing this video.  If so, try this
link which might work better. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tz1yeX8Fh30&fmt=18

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A Bonus?

The way everyone has been wagging their tongues you’d think that AIG executives were the only people in America who were being rewarded for bad behavior and failure. Actually though, they aren’t the only ones expecting a bonus – just look at City Council members Nina Trasoff and Karen Uhlich.

These two are looking for a “Tucson style” bonus as reward for their failure to honor their campaign promises, their lack of honestly, their deceitful governance and their outright contempt for the taxpayers.  Trasoff and Uhlich actually expect Tucsonans to ignore their broken promises and reward then with a second term.  We aren’t that stupid – are we?

Tucson has suffered these fools as they spent us into an $80 million hole.  Both supported bonding TIF funds to pay for their Rio Nuevo abuses and nearly invaded the City’s self insurance fund – endangering our municipal bond rating.  Both promised to eliminate the trash fee and now support not eliminating it but increasing the fee.  Both have ignored a binding contract with the Colorado Rockies and endanger spring training in our fair city.

Heard enough?  Had enough?  Do Trasoff or Uhlich deserve a second term.  I say no.

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Obama Lied

95% of Americans were promised by Barack Obama they would not see their taxes increase by “a single dime.”

Obama lied.

When Obama played his sleight of hand tricks with the Stimulus and the Omnibus spending bills he also proposed a new very inconvenient Cap and Trade tax on energy producers which will end up being paid for by consumers as a hidden climate change tax.  Unfortunately, the lion’s share of these climate change revenues won’t help fund alternative energy research.  Instead these taxes will be used to finance the collectivist agenda of this president.

The prospect of nearly $650 billion in new revenues has Democrat appropriators Charlie Rangel and Henry Waxman salivating.  Not only because it means they create more people dependent upon their cancerous largesse but better yet it also becomes a source of tens of millions in new Democrat campaign contributions from affected companies.

Obama says we’re supposed to be living in a new era of fiscal honesty.  How about starting with Cap and Trade?  Margaret Thatcher said, “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money.” 

Cap and trade taxes dump more taxes on everyone.  It’s bad policy.

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SIGN THE FREEDOM FROM FEAR PETITION

The top legislative priority for organized labor and their allies in Congress is the so-called Employe
 labor bosses that would strip workers of their right to decide by private ballot whether to join a union,
and their right to freely negotiate their contract. Instead, workers would be asked to publically sign cards in front of union organizers, potentially subjecting them to harassment or intimidation. EFCA is a threat to workers’ rights.

Our effort is not anti-union; our effort is anti-EFCA.

Our internal polling shows that the American people are firmly on the side of supporting a worker’s right to a secret ballot election. In fact, the tri-partisan agreement to defend this right is overwhelming, as 77% of Republicans,
82% of Democrats, and 79% of independents believe in protecting private ballots. Support for private
ballots is so broad it also spanned union households and every subgroup examined, including majorities
of every age, race, geographic group and both genders.

Join us here to sign our online petition to promote “freedom not fear” in the work place.

We, therefore, petition the U.S. Congress to ensure that every worker has the right to a secret ballot
when deciding whether to organize a union, as well as the right to ratify the contract terms of their
employment, rather than be forced to accept a contract through binding arbitration.

Please follow this link and sign our online petition…send it to your friends and neighbors and help
save jobs in America.
http://clicks.electionemail.com/v/?u=69f5c4c2e5cd875aaf108dc6d2dc2cc9&g=87&c=2412&p=72b50c6501ea7fdf0afe8bca0aab519f&t=2

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Last week and this week I wrote and spoke along with many other bloggers across the country against the appointment of Chas Freeman to the National Intelligence Council Chief. He is a Chinese coddling , Israel bashing "diplomat" who has been taking orders from foreign operators for many years. Now that he has pulled away from the nomination perhaps Obama will earnestly attempt to find a replacement who will advocate for US national security and the security of our allies.

Freeman has a long reputation of not playing straight with democracy being President of the Middle East Policy Council (funded by the Saudi Wahabists) and he serves on the international board of advisors to a  Chinese Government owned oil company.

You know...........when I speak in front of various GOP and conservative groups I am frequently asked , "what can I do to help? What can we all do to speak up against the "main stream " media. Here's the secret on how we will begin to win in 2010 and beyond............we use the internet, the radio & comment in media. We send messages and speak to our friends and we continue to educate those who are not our friends. We keep doing it . Repetition. Repetition. Repetition.

Please listen to this op ED.........  (available under "Bruce's Radio Editorials link)

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POLITICO MAFIOSO: BRUCE ASH ON THE $410B OMNIBUS PORK BILL                 http://politicomafioso.blogspot.com/2009/02/bruce-ash-on-410b-omnibus-pork-bill.html

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Barack Obama's Sleight of Hand

Did you watch Barack Obama’s speech in front of Congress the other night?

It was one of the greatest sleight of hand tricks performed in many years.

Obama actually said he didn’t believe in big government!  Excuse me?  In addition to the recent spending and earmark (I mean stimulus) bill which totaled nearly $800 billion.  A bill which dramatically increased the size and scope of the Government.  Now Obama wants to cram a $410 billion omnibus (read pork) bill containing over 9000 earmarks which is 8.5% higher than last year’s budget.

Oh …. did I mention taxes are going up and national defense spending is going down?

Speaker Pelosi describes the bill as “The unfinished business …… of the American people.”  All this coming on the heels of the President’s economic responsibility summit.  How cynical.

Do you think America needs Hawaiian canoe trips? The Ted Kennedy Senate Institute?  Here is the best one - $1.7 million for swine odor and manure management research.  I’d love to point out more greasy pork but like the Stimulus Bill the details are under wraps and not even the Democrats will likely see them before they vote.

Republican men and women…… elections do have consequences.  How many  pork bills, tax increases and insults to our values will it take to get you mad enough to fight for regime change?

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Ms. Trasoff

Ms. Trasoff has announced she wants to selectively revise the Tucson Land Use Code.

Bully for her.

But it is time to COMPLETELY revamp the antiquated Tucson Land Use Code and not perform some selected minor elective surgery.  Ms Trasoff you are wrong – again!

A total revamp of the code is what is needed to create a brighter future in Tucson.  But revamping the code will be a dangerous task for her to accomplish and the reason Trasoff and Company do not wish to pursue this endeavor is because their neighborhood special interest group allies do not want this to happen. 

These are the same folks who help elect Trasoff and her Democrat crew along with BIG LABOR.  That is why she has been so unwilling to make any substantive changes to happen and only reluctantly suggests some tinkering with the code.

Is it in Tucson’s best interests to continue to elect council members who are beholden to special interest radical neighborhood groups and BIG LABOR who lead our City Council around the nose on issues which are so important to ALL Tucson?

Rio Nuevo was to be Ms. Trasoff’s jumping off point to run for mayor of Tucson. 

She had hoped for success with the project and so did each of us who also wanted there to be a vibrant downtown.  That is why local community leaders and myself worked so hard and sacrificed our personal reputations at the Arizona Legislature to expand the TIF only to be embarrassed by her and the council.

Trasoff, the rest of the council and her supporters squandered the most positive business cycle in half a century flopping around like a fish from one failed concept after another.

Further, Ms. Trasoff sanctioned selling $80,000,000+ of bonds at the worst possible time in an effort to threaten the Legislature against cutting off the TIF expansion. 

When the bonds were sold Trasoff said this was one the greatest developments for Rio Nuevo.  Trasoff says she “owns” Rio Nuevo.  If she does then let her sink with this stinker.

This week Ms. Trasoff will announce she plans to seek re election.  Her bid MUST be rejected.  She is an amateur who is in charge of millions of our dollars and while she would believe our tax dollars have been well spent she and her friends are delusional.

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The Stimulus Bill

I’ve said there were 850 billion reasons to oppose the stimulus bill.  Here’s a few more.

First – we learned during the Great Depression that big government and social engineering did little to fix a sick economy.  This big fat pork laden oinker won’t fix a thing either.  In fact it may only make things worse.  The current recession was caused by unpaid debt.  Now the President wants to add nearly one trillion more unpaid debt?

Any questions about Obama’s failed collectivist ideology have now been answered.

The stimulus bill also creates protectionist trade issues for America and the world economy. 

Another lesson this group of liberal democrats ignore from the 1930’s.

Another not so good long term effect of the stimulus bill will be inflation because in a global downturn the Fed will have to print tons more money to meet our obligations.  Remember the good old 70’s – this will be stagflation on steroids.

Bad government helped create the financial crisis.  Barack Obama is betting our future that more bad government can spend our way back to prosperity.  He’s wrong.  I trust free markets and the American people – not big government.

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Gabby's Against It!

Did you know Gabby Giffords voted against giving tax relief for the bottom two tax brackets of working Americans?  She also voted against middle class families when she voted against eliminating the onerous alternative minimum tax.  Hard to imagine?  There’s more.

Giffords constantly claims she supports tax relief for working families but the very first time she had a chance to help she ended up shafting them instead by opposing the Republican suggested home buyer credit, unemployment tax exemption, health insurance premium deduction and an extension of unemployment benefits. 

Is this change we can trust?

Gabby Giffords must figure since she’s been elected twice that she’s got a lock on her 2010 re-election.  But when you vote against working families and vote for a pork laden stimulus bill that needlessly burdens future generations with debt your swimming against a rising tide of disgust with high taxes and the heavy hand of government.

What do you think?

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Pelosi and the Stimulus Program

We hear many liberal voices supporting President Obama’s $850 billion so called stimulus package but the most absurd comes from house speaker Nancy Pelosi who boldly defended an effort to add birth control funding to the Stimulus Bill claiming “contraception will reduce cost to the states and federal government.”  Did I hear right?

 

When pressed to explain how spending hundreds of millions on family planning would provide economic stimulus Ms. Pelosi opined further that contraception services (I assume including abortions) will reduce health and education costs to the state and federal government seeming to imply babies have become a burden on the government. 

 

Can we also assume Pelosi supported the President’s executive order allowing contraception funds to foreign countries last week for purposes of economic aid?

 

I don’t know about you but Pelosi’s argument in favor of government “family planning” on economic grounds sounds creepy and hauntingly Orwellian to me.

 

I already had 850 billion reasons to oppose the President’s economic stimulus program but now I have 850 billion plus one reasons.  How about you?

 

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January 20, 2009

 Dear President Bush:

Thank you for the leadership you have given to our country during your eight years as President of the United States.

You have shown unwavering support for liberty around the world.  Your decisions were made without help from Gallup polls, focus groups or members of Congress who often lacked your determination and grit.  You kept your pledge to keep the homeland safe after the 9/11 attacks.  Our military has proudly served under your command and you met the challenge of fighting threats to America and our allies.

You kept your campaign promise to keep taxes low and trusting Americans to spend their money smarter than the federal government.

People in America appreciate your generous support for education, the elderly and veterans.  The world applauds what the United States has done to fight hunger and disease in Africa during your presidency.

Did you make mistakes?  Yes.  Did we always agree?  No.  But you never complained when the press and your critics opposed you and never rushed to seek credit for the successes of your administration either.

Did you make the “shining city on the hill” a better place?  Let historians reflect on that.  For now you will return to Texas, reclaim your privacy, enjoy your family and get ready for the next chapter in your life. 

God bless you sir and God bless America.

Sincerely,

Bruce Ash

National Committeeman for Arizona

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Tucson, Arizona | Published: 01.12.2009

Stuart Mellan is the president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Southern Arizona

"Israel will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it."
— from the Hamas covenant

Opinion
Guest Opinion
Israel wants peace; Hamas stands in way

Six weeks ago I stood, with 50 Tucsonans, on the border of Gaza, in a beautiful Israeli village called Netiv Ha'asara, part of our Jewish Federation's Partnership Region of Hof Ashkelon. This farming collective found its current home when its residents left Sinai 25 years ago as part of Israel's peace agreement with Egypt.

Those original residents will tell you that it was painful to be uprooted from their homes, but that the move was full of hope as well — a hope that the sacrifices would lead to peace.
Three and a half years ago, Israel pulled its citizens out of Gaza, and also relocated many of them into our Partnership Region, once again in its quest for peace. Sadly, Israel's hopes and dreams remain unfulfilled.

Since the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in August 2005, more than 6,300 rockets have been fired from Gaza into Israel — 400 during the supposed six-month "truce."
These rockets were not fired at army bases, airstrips or industrial targets. They were fired at the homes, schools and synagogues of Israel's southern communities — with the aim of killing and terrorizing civilians.

The children of Netiv Ha'asara told us during our visit how they have lived in fear for three and a half years amidst the sirens and 15-second mad dashes to bomb shelters — a reality of living with terror that is discounted by Israel's critics.

The current media images from southern Israel and Gaza are overwhelming, as innocent lives have been lost in both Israel and Gaza. But the loss of lives on each side does not mean that each side is equally to blame. Israel is reacting to a situation forced upon her by years of unremitting rocket fire.
Some accuse Israel of being indifferent to the safety of Gaza's citizens. The fact is that Hamas had been using the Israelis' love of life and disdain for war against them — taunting Israel with missiles, strategically using Palestinian civilians as human shields and then asking for cease-fires. Hamas defines cease-fire as "less missiles." What other nation would put up with this? Finally, Israel has declared "Enough!"

Israel continues to work diligently with members of the international community to alleviate the human suffering in Gaza. Israel has facilitated more than 14,000 truckloads of humanitarian assistance over the past six months; and this effort continues even during the conflict.

Our federation and our community stands in solidarity with Israel in its response to daily rocket fire that still continues unabated. We demonstrate our support for the people of Israel in tangible ways, funding the only after-hours emergency medical clinic in the region, the post-traumatic stress counseling that, sadly, so many residents of the area have required in recent years, and other vital services.

We mourn the loss of all innocent life — Israeli and Palestinian, and pray that the violence will soon end. We also reject the notion that supporting Israel's actions is callous and indifferent to human suffering.
I challenge those who make that faulty claim to stand up against the brutal terror campaign of missiles intentionally aimed at Israel's civilians. The moment that terror ends, Israel will return to the negotiating table; and our community will applaud, just as we did when an incredibly brave Anwar Sadat brought Egypt to peace with Israel. It is peace we yearn to support, not war.

After Egypt, Israel made peace with Jordan, and is attempting to make peace with the Palestinian Authority that governs the West Bank. It is our hope that the people of Gaza will reject Hamas' failed leadership and that the path to peace will show itself soon.

Before that day comes, our task is to give Israel our support in its fight against terrorism and its enemies who want Israel obliterated, and to pray for all of the people of this embattled region during this critical time.

Write to Stuart Mellan at stumellan@jfsa.org

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Pretty convincing proof that Hamas is one of the world's most diabolical political/terror organizations in modern history.

As long as Hamas refuses to acknowledge the right of Israel to exist. As long as Hamas would rather starve their own people and deprive them of their God given right to freedom in favor of the destruction of the Jewish State they will be the toxin that must be eliminated in the middle east in order to establish a durable peace and prosperity for a new Palestine and the greater near east region of the world.

Please check out these IDF videos of recent operations in Gaza. As you can see Hamas continues to locate rocket making and storage facilities in mosques,hospitals,schools and residential areas.  Hamas bears the responsibility for all of their losses resulting from over 6500 rocket/mortar attacks on Israel since 2005.

Check here for a number of videos: http://www.youtube.com/user/idfnadesk

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Last saturday January 10th Robert Westerman won the overwhelming support of Pima County Republican activists in the county re organizing elections. Along with a strong executive committee Mr Westerman has the team in place to begin making positive changes to the political scene in Pima County. Bob's remarks strongly suggest he will be a strong leader who will work in unity within his own team as well as other county chairmen , the state party and the RNC .

First Vice Chair Jim Kaucher spoke boldly quoting Samuel Adams, "It does not take a majority to prevail.....but rather an irate , tireless minority , keen on setting the brush fires of freedom in the minds of men." Chairman Westerman's comments are shown below in their entirety .

The opportunities facing the new chairman and his executive committee include--

1. Gain seats on the Tucson City Council
2. Gain voter registration and recruit new PC's.
3. Recruit quality candidates and gain seats in 2010 legislative and congressional elections
4. Support Republican candidates in area "non partisan" elections
5. Raise sufficient resources to fund operations and future elections
6. Raise visibility of local GOP in media and new new face that is ready to challenge the opposition
7. Reach out to develop a wider base of the county party that embraces many new followers not in our current ranks
8. Re build confidence in the Pima County GOP to create the Greater Opportunity Party

Many thanks to Judi White as she passes the gavel. We can look forward to exciting successes for the Pima GOP but it will take Republicans working TOGETHER to create results. Let's support our new chairman and the entire team.

Westerman Campaign Speech for PCRP Chairman January 10, 2009

Good Morning.

During my campaign for the LD 27 senate seat I have had the pleasure to meet many of the long term and committed members of the Pima County Republican Party. There’s no doubt the PCRP owes its existence and thanks to a relatively small number of hard working volunteers that have been here year after year and I understand the trust I must uphold if elected Chairman, but as Ronald Reagan once said “While I take inspiration from the past, like most Americans, I live for the future.” 

It is to party’s future that I am dedicated.  

I believe the future offers a chance to build on our past successes and learn from our mistakes while embracing new ideas, strategies, and tools. My vision is simple: elect more Republicans. Our goals need to support this.

I want our party to make the most of technology, to reach out to the youth, the Hispanics, and all minority communities. I want our party to vigorously recruit new candidates, double the number of Precinct Committeemen, and cultivate new streams of revenue while continuing to earn the support our long-term generous donors.

In today’s environment we cannot conduct business as usual. To achieve success we must be united, but the fact is there remains mistrust among us. An excerpt from the 2008 Republican Platform Chairman’s Preamble reflects my feelings about unity very eloquently:

“Yet we stand united today because we are the one party that speaks to all Americans – conservatives, moderates, libertarians, independents, and even liberals. We welcome all to our deliberations in the firm belief that the principles embodied in this platform will prove to be as compelling and persuasive as they are vital and enduring. We do not fear disagreement, and we do not demand conformity, but we do fight for our principles with confidence that the best ideas will prevail in the end.” 

One question was not on the nominating committee’s questionnaire: “Why am I running for county chairman?”

It’s because I believe the Republican Party needs to return to its core values and exemplify those values.

It’s because I believe the Republican Party needs to be united.

It’s because I believe the Republican Party should take issue against the overwhelming media bias.

And it’s because I believe the Republican Party needs to reach out to all Americans.

Finally, and most importantly, I believe in smaller government.

We must ensure we are a country where government is dependent on the will of the people and not a country where people are dependent on the will of government.

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Looking to the Future

As Republicans look to the future let me suggest that the pundits who say that nationally the GOP must move more to the center or further to the right have it all wrong.

 The right answer is the Grand Old Party must become the Greater Opportunity Party and proceed forward as a movement of ideas, ingenuity and above all conservatism.

It is up to all of us who cherish the American dream to re claim our vision of hope and opportunity.  We were defeated in two national elections not because of ideology but because of hypocrisy.

To be successful in 2010 and beyond Republicans must present strong conservative ideas that deliver 21^st century solutions and a promise of less government, greater freedom and strong national security. 

Let’s get past the debates on process and focus on results again.  This is what all Americans care about and that’s how we’ll craft a new winning coalition.  We will not be successful by merely being the loyal opposition.  By sticking to core values, delivering results, broadening our reach and embracing technology we can start our comeback to show the voters we are the party that keeps promises and solves problems.

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To my fellow  GOP leaders..........

On this date (January 1) in 1909 Barry Morris Goldwater was born in Phoenix, Arizona Territory to Baron and Josephine Goldwater. Raised in Arizona most of his younger life he served in the US Army Air Corps as a pilot in the China Burma Theatre during World War II and helped operate his family business after the death of his father until he was recruited to run for the Phoenix City Council in 1949. He served on the council until 1952 when he defeated popular Democrat  Majority Leader Ernest McFarland in his contest for US Senate whom he defeated again in a bitter re election in 1958.

While there was a "draft" Goldwater movement in 1960 Goldwater was nominated by the Republican Party in 1964 where he lost to Lyndon B Johnson in that historic election. He returned to the US Senate in 1970 where he served with distinction until his retirement in 1986. One of the architects of the modern Conservative movement; Barry Goldwater's words are just as relevant today as they were during the mid 20th century. Senator Goldwater was inspirational as well as controversial even within our own party. In honor of this great figure please take a minute to read his words given from the steps of the Yavapai County Courthouse in Prescott , Arizona on September 18, 1952 when he formally opened his first Senate campaign :

" Now is the time to reaffirm our devotion to those moral principles of honesty, integrity and justice. Now is the time for faith: faith in our own ability--faith in the power of truth-- faith in Almighty God -- and faith in man's destiny as a child of freedom with God given freedom of choice, freedom to choose good over evil, truth over falsehood and peace over war."

As we mark this centennial year of Barry Goldwater's birth I hope we can all be guided by Barry's belief in God, his sense of truth, his courage to stand for what he thought was right, his determination to see the job through, his belief in freedom, his devotion to equality and his sense of the greatness of  the American people and the strength our Republic.

Happy birthday Barry !!

Bruce Ash
National Committeeman

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Please take the time to watch to the newest message from "Uncle" Fred Thompson on the economic crisis and the recent and proposed actions by our federal government to alter the free market system and un naturally increase the size of government as well as the tax burden on future generations.

 

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Myths and Facts About the Real Bush Record

 

By Ed Gillespie

RealClearPolitics Op-Ed

 

As the year draws to an end and President Bush enters his final month in office, there is much commentary about the Administration's record over the past eight years. Unsurprisingly, many of these stories assail and distort the President's record and recycle myths and unfounded allegations that have been leveled for the better part of his two terms. Historical accuracy requires a response to the litany of attacks leveled against President Bush, and while there's not enough space to respond to all of them, here are five of the most egregious:

 

Myth 1: The last eight years were awful for most Americans economically and President Bush's deregulatory policies caused the current financial crisis.

 

Reality:

 

President Bush's time in office is ending as it began, with our economy under stress. The recession President Bush inherited as he entered office ran through the attacks of September 11, 2001, but during the recovery that followed, and due in no small part to the tax relief President Bush worked with Congress to provide, this country experienced its longest run of uninterrupted job growth - 52 straight months, with 8.3 million jobs created.

 

This reflected six consecutive years of economic growth from the Fourth Quarter of 2001 until the Fourth Quarter of 2007. From 2000 to 2007, real GDP grew by more than 17 percent, a remarkable gain of nearly 2.1 trillion dollars. This growth was driven in part by increased labor productivity gains that have averaged 2.5 percent annually since 2001, a rate that exceeds the averages of the 1970s, '80s, and '90s. In the same period, real after-tax income per capita increased by more than 11 percent, and there was a 4.7 percent increase in the number of new businesses formed. The current economic challenges, which the President and his Administration have responded to aggressively, threaten to reverse some of these gains - but the gains cannot be denied.

 

As for the current crisis, the President and his economic team have taken unprecedented actions to stabilize the financial sector and avert a collapse. While there are a number of causes of the housing and credit crises that are at the root of our current economic troubles, deregulation by the Bush Administration is simply not one of them. In fact, one of the circumstances that contributed to the crisis was the failure of the government sponsored enterprises (GSEs) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which President Bush long tried to subject to greater regulation. In April 2001, three months after taking office, the President warned in his first budget that the size of the two GSEs were a "potential problem" that "could cause strong repercussions in financial markets, affecting Federally insured entities and economic activity." In 2003, the Administration began calling for a new GSE regulator, and over the next five years, the Administration continued to call for GSE reform only to be accused by Democrats in Congress of creating artificial fears and advocating for ill-advised proposals. By the time Congress finally acted in 2008 to provide the oversight the President requested, it was too late to prevent systemic consequences. Had the Administration's initial reform proposals been adopted, some of today's turmoil in our financial markets may have been averted.

 

Myth 2: President Bush's tax cuts only benefitted the wealthy and were paid for by sacrificing investments in health care and education.

 

Reality:

 

There are not 116 million "wealthy Americans," but that's how many taxpayers benefited from the President's tax relief. The across-the-board tax cuts provided tax relief to every American who pays income taxes, created a new bottom 10 percent bracket rate, doubled the child tax credit to $1,000, and actually increased the share of the Federal income tax burden paid by the top 10 percent of individual earners from 67 percent in 2000 to 70 percent in 2005. Furthermore, this Administration removed 13 million low-income earners from the income tax rolls completely.

 

The economic growth spurred by tax relief also spurred growth in Federal tax receipts. In fact, the Federal Treasury realized the largest three-year increase of revenue in 26 years, and tax receipts grew more than $542 billion between 2000 and 2007. And yes, much of that money went to investments in health care and education.

 

President Bush provided more than 40 million Americans with better access to prescription drugs by creating the market-based Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit. And it is one of the rare government programs that actually costs less than expected. Projected overall program spending between 2004 and 2013 is approximately $240 billion lower, nearly 38 percent, than originally estimated, thanks to the market-oriented principles included at President Bush's insistence.

 

Despite the heated rhetoric over children's health insurance (S-CHIP) legislation last year, estimates from a 2007 Federal survey show that the number of uninsured children under the age of 18 actually declined by 800,000 from 2001 to 2007. From 2007 to 2008, the number of people covered by affordable and portable Health Savings Account-eligible plans increased 35 percent. Additionally, since President Bush took office, more than 1,200 community health centers have opened or expanded nationwide, which has helped provide treatment to nearly 17 million people.

 

Federal spending on education has increased nearly 40 percent under President Bush. Additionally, Pell Grant funding nearly doubled during the Administration, which is expected to help more than 5.5 million students attend college in the 2008-09 school year, 1.2 million more students than were assisted by Pell Grants in the 2001-02 school year. This financial aid assistance also helps account for the fact that 66 percent of high school graduates from the class of 2006 enrolled in colleges, compared to 63 percent in 2000.

 

Perhaps more importantly, the President's No Child Left Behind Act has delivered tangible results to students. Since the law was enacted, fourth-grade students have achieved their highest reading and math scores on record, eighth-grade students have achieved their highest math scores on record, and African-American and Hispanic students have posted all-time high scores in a number of categories, narrowing the gap between minority students and white students.

 

Myth 3: The President's "go it alone" foreign policy ruined America's standing in the world.

 

Reality:

 

Rarely can one see revisionist history occurring in the present, but this charge is nothing short of that. The United States acted with a multilateral coalition of partner nations to remove Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq after he failed to comply with the will of the international community, including numerous United Nations Security Council Resolutions. To ignore this fact is not only a distortion of history, but it is also an insult to the service members of our coalition partners who sacrificed their lives to contribute to the success we are now witnessing in Iraq. And in Afghanistan, approximately forty countries are currently deployed with American forces, including every one of our NATO allies.

 

The President also created a worldwide coalition of more than 90 nations to combat terrorist networks by sharing information, drying up their financing, and bringing their leaders to justice. To date, we have captured or killed hundreds of al-Qaeda leaders and operatives with the help of partner nations. Furthermore, the Administration established the Proliferation Security Initiative, which now includes more than 90 nations, and other multilateral coalitions to stop the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

 

The President successfully pushed for expanding NATO membership, generated international pressure on Iran to stop it from developing nuclear weapons, and organized the Six-Party Talks, which have resulted in North Korea committing to give up its nuclear weapons and abandon its nuclear programs. Verifying North Korea's commitment will be a challenge, but at the most recent Six-Party Talks meeting, there was strong consensus among the five parties that North Korea must submit to a comprehensive verification regime that accords with international standards.

 

U.S. ties in Asia have been strengthened over the past eight years, and the Administration has built strong relationships with China, Japan, and South Korea, among others. We have signed an historic civilian nuclear power agreement with India, reflecting a fundamental change in our relationship. Pro-American leaders have been elected in Germany, France, and Italy. Eastern European countries such as Georgia, Ukraine, and Kosovo treasure their relationships with the United States, and no president has done more to improve health and security in the nations of Africa. We have also strengthened cooperation with Latin America, including initiatives withBrazil on biofuels and with Mexico and Central America on fighting organized crime. Finally, when the President took office, America had trade agreements in force with only three countries, versus 14 today - with three additional agreements approved by Congress but not yet in force and agreements with three countries that are awaiting Congressional approval.

 

Myth 4: The war in Iraq caused us to "take our eye off the ball" in Afghanistan and with al Qaeda.

 

Reality:

 

Iraq and Afghanistan are two fronts in the same war, and while the success of the surge in Iraq has been visible, we have also had a quiet surge in Afghanistan. The U.S.has continuously and aggressively fought side-by-side with Afghans and our allies to defeat the Taliban and al Qaeda in Afghanistan. The United States has provided nearly $32 billion for security, political, and economic development assistance and the international community has provided more than $55 billion to Afghanistan since 2001.

 

An additional U.S. Marine battalion deployed to Afghanistan in November and they will be followed by an Army combat brigade of about 3,400 troops in early 2009.U.S. forces now total approximately 31,000, and are joined by nearly as many coalition troops. The United States and our allies are working with Afghanistan to help it nearly double the size of the Afghan National Army over the next five years, from 79,000 now trained to 134,000 in 2014.

 

We have also deployed Provincial Reconstruction Teams to ensure security gains are followed by real improvements in daily life, and we have helped local communities strengthen their economies and create jobs, deliver basic services, improve governance and fight corruption, and build or repair key infrastructure such as roads, bridges, hospitals, and schools. More than six million children, approximately two million of them girls, are now in Afghan schools, compared to fewer than one million in 2001.

 

In this Global War on Terror, we do not have the luxury to fight on one battlefront at a time. To defeat the terrorists, we must fight them overseas so we don't have to fight them here at home. Since 9/11, we have successfully captured or killed dozens of al-Qaeda's senior leadership and hundreds of al-Qaeda operatives in two dozen countries, removed al-Qaeda's safe-haven in Afghanistan and crippled al-Qaeda in Iraq, and disrupted numerous al Qaeda terrorist plots against the U.S., including a 2006 plot to blow up passenger planes traveling from London.

 

Myth 5: This Administration has been bad for the environment and ignored the problem of global warming.

 

Reality:

 

Given the liberal media's failure to acknowledge this Administration's true record on alternative energy, conservation, and climate change, it's not surprising this charge has stuck. But here are some irrefutable data points: From 2001 to 2007, air pollution decreased by 12 percent, and fine particulate matter pollution is down 17 percent since 2001. Ethanol production quadrupled from 1.6 billion gallons in 2000 to 6.5 billion gallons in 2007, wind energy production has increased by more than 400 percent, and solar energy capacity has doubled. In 2007, solar installations increased more than 32 percent and the U.S. produced 96 percent more biodiesel (490 million gallons) than in 2006. The Administration also provided nearly $18 billion to research, develop, and promote alternative and more efficient energy technologies such as biofuels, solar, wind, clean coal, nuclear, and hydrogen.

 

This Administration has improved and protected the health of more than 27 million acres of Federal forest and grasslands, protected, restored, and improved more than three million acres of wetlands, and established the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, the world's largest fully protected marine conservation area (nearly 140,000 square miles).

 

Much of the misperception about the President's environmental record is born out of the President's withdrawing the United States from the Kyoto Protocol, which did not include the effective participation of major developing countries such as India and China. Instead, the President worked to address climate change by launching the Major Economies Process, which convened the leaders of the world's major economies, both developed and developing, to work on ways to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy security without harming our economies or giving any nation a free ride. Finally, the President set the country on course to stop the growth of greenhouse gas emissions below projected levels by 2025 and invested more than $44 billion in climate change-related programs.

 

Some other items that are infrequently mentioned about the real record of the Bush Administration but are worth noting: Teenage drug use has declined 25 percent; in 2007, the violent crime rate was 43 percent lower than the rate in 1998; between 2005 and 2007, the chronically homeless population decreased approximately 30 percent; funding for veterans' medical care has increased more than 115 percent; and as of 2005, the most recent abortion rate is at its lowest since 1974.

 

And one last fact: Our homeland has not suffered another terrorist attack since September 11, 2001. That, too, is part of the real Bush record.

 

Ed Gillespie is the Counselor to President George W. Bush.

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George Washington's Christmas Gift

There is a little known Christmas story involving the selfless act of George Washington – his refusal to take absolute power – which may have been his greatest gift to the new Republic.

The war over.  British troops gone from American soil.  A bankrupt Congress sent the army home without pay, pensions or a victory parade.  When Congress slandered the troops greed 300 veterans protested and Congress fled for Maryland.  When General Washington arrived in Annapolis to address the delegates many anticipated scathing rebuke of congressional ingratitude or an attempt by him to seize power.

Rather than denunciation or insurrection Washington elegantly resigned his commission leaving, “The interests of our dearest country to the protection of almighty God.”  His words halting and with tears streaming Washington touched the religious faith which had protected his troops in wartime to now protect the United States.  Washington’s unselfish act had prevented as Jefferson said, “The revolution from being closed as others had been, by a subversion of the liberty it was intended to establish.”

Two days later, on Christmas Eve, Private citizen George Washington returned to his beloved Mt. Vernon having given his country a great victory in war and the gift of liberty in peace time.

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The Tucson City Council is celebrating the holidays and we’re footing the bill.  While we live under the threat of cutting public safety budgets a few favored insiders will enjoy parties with Santa.  Kid choirs.  Atta boy do gooder awards.  Neighbors helping neighbors.  Doesn’t that feel good?

All the while there’s a fire of government incompetence that is destroying Tucson.  Water Harvesting.  Certificate of Occupancy hassles.  Xeriscape.  More and more red tape which does not necessarily make Tucson a better town to make a good living, raise our kids and enhance our way of life.

Marketwatch.com calls Tucson one of the worst places in America to do business.  Of course, we already knew that.  Memo to the Tucson Council – more government isn’t the answer either.  Bloated government who is out of touch with reality is the problem as Tucson has become the Detroit of Arizona.

Isn’t it time we begin electing a City Council who is truly interested listening to local business leaders and not a few neighborhood activists?  Don’t we deserve City Government that will keep our streets safe and relish job creation?  The City elections in 2009 are right around the corner.  Change is up to us.

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Obama and Guantanamo Bay

For years the Liberal media and left have demanded closure of the Guantanamo detention center and have lambasted the President for so called breaches of the Constitution.

Now that Barack Obama has been elected and the NY Times suddenly has discovered the Guantanamo detainees really are bad dudes will the incoming administration rush to close Gitmo or undo the legal architecture set up to house enemy combatants?

How will President Obama square his election rhetoric against the facts that most of the previously released detainees have been either recaptured or killed after they return to the battle field?

How will President Obama deal with sixty current detainees who have been cleared for release and are so dangerous no foreign country will accept them?  By the way no Democrat politician will offer to house any of them in their state and none will.

What we’ll probably find is that all of the loud and irresponsible clatter directed at President Bush’s anti terror policies since 2002 will acquire sudden legitimacy now that the Democrats have managed to wrestle their way back into the White House. 

The Democrats were cunning enough to use George Bush’s anti terror policies as a hammer against him now they’ll use those same policies to claim they made America Safer.

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The 2008 Election

The 2008 election was historic.  Americans are busy discussing the results and impact.  Political scientists will write about the results and impact of this election for years to come.

Despite the victory of Obama and the Democrats in this election Liberals should not become over confident.  The Republican party and Conservative movement are not dead.

Yes, some of our elected leaders have let us down.  America voted on their discontent.

Yes, our national party has lost it’s effectiveness.  As leadership of the party have lost their way so has the passion of the base.

However, the core values of the GOP reflect the center right values of America far more than the results of the national election would suggest.

Looking at the results in Arizona despite overwhelming odds Republican legislative candidates prevailed when some (even in the party) predicted doom.  They prevailed inspite of inter party disputes.  They prevailed because they stand for the conservative principles so many Arizonans share.

Now is the time for the GOP to self examine, reorganize and set a course for the future. 

Conservatism is not dead but we do have much more work to do.

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Barack Obama and Firearms

Barack Obama has worked hard to disguise his radical philosophies but he has never tried to hide his disdain for the 2^nd Amendment or his desire to grab the guns we lawfully own for hunting and self-defense.  Let’s look at his ugly record……

As early as 1996 and again in 1999 he supported a complete ban on hand guns.

In 1999 Obama supported raising taxes on fire arms and ammunition an astonishing 500%.

In 2004 the Democrat candidate said he “Would back legislation that would ban citizens from carrying fire arms."

From 1999 – 2001 Senator Barack Obama served on the board of the anti 2^nd Amendment Joyce Foundation which is the largest source of funding for radical anti gun laws in America.

Earlier this year he not only called for micro stamping all ammunition but also said in spite of the Heller Ruling he still believed the DC gun ban was constitutional.

But the greatest threat to the 2^nd Amendment are the potential Obama/Biden picks to the Supreme Court.  Obama and Biden both voted against Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Alito, who voted in Heller to uphold the 2^nd Amendment.

The 2^nd Amendment will face maximum danger in an Obama presidency.  When you vote in November know these facts and cast your vote for the 2^nd Amendment.

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Gabby Giffords and the World Financial Crisis

Gabby Giffords knows about the world banking crisis.

She ought to because her mentor is none other than Massachusetts Democrat Barney Frank who is also one of her benefactors.

Barney ought to know all about the banking crisis….. because he helped create it by aiding and abetting his corporate cronies who used to run Lehman Brothers and Fannie Mae.

I don’t want to say I told you so but during the 2006 elections I warned what would happen when Gabby’s friend became the chairman of the house of banking committee.

I never imagined things would turn out so badly.

The crisis, that has played out due to Mr. Frank’s abuse of power and his defense of corrupt executives who gutted their companies as well as ruined your life savings, may haunt us for years.

What does it say about Giffords who is a Fannie Mae fellow who has hosted Mr. Frank in Tucson?  What favors does Gabby owe this friend of corporate racketeers for giving her $17,000 and raising even more for her reelection?  You don’t have Giffords talking  about her Fannie Mae connections these days.

Friends, the Democrats constantly complain when we bring up their associations.  But this is one more example of why actions speak louder than words and why change can’t wait.

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Barney Frank, Chris Dodd and the Financial Crisis

When Barack Obama and the Democrats say the current financial crisis was caused by deregulation they are 100% right.

But it was Barney Frank in the House and Chris Dodd in the Senate who blocked over sight of Fannie and Freddie which has brought Wall Street down.

While Fannie and Freddie’s accountants cooked the books Obama’s friends Franklin Raines, Jim Johnston and Jamie Gorelick made 100’s of millions.  Obama voted present.  Is it any wonder he tries to deflect attention from his own connections to the crisis?

The real problem is more insidious.  Democrats have used Fannie and Freddie as a political piggy bank to attract low income and minority votes. 

The result?  Billions in bad loans.  The secondary mortgage market wrecked by Democrat politicians and their fat cat Wall Street pals.  These are undisputed facts.

Can America trust Obama and Democrats to play fair in the future when they have acted in ways that only benefited them personally and politically in the past?  Let Americans like you and I decide on election day.

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Obama, Fannie and Freddie by Bruce Ash

Many investors are nervous because of the current uncertainty in the stock market, and the general lack of liquidity in the financial markets. Now, however, is NOT the time to sell. There are some unique buying opportunities in a market that has lost 20% of its value.  If you can avoid the herd mentality fueled by the same type of speculation that caused this crisis, there are good profits to be gained in the future - if you are prudent and patient. The American economy is still the strongest in the world. Success from Wall Street to Main Street, however, may have something to do with who is elected President in 2008.

The argument put forth by the Obama campaign and his media minions is that John McCain and the GOP have caused the decline in the economy and the stock market. Their endless "blame Bush" mantra seems to apply here. They want you to forget that lower incremental tax rates for individuals and businesses, as advocated by the GOP, have increased revenues to the Treasury dramatically since 2003, and are a worldwide example of successful tax policy.

The Democrats endeavor to inoculate Senator Obama from any connection to any of the current market volatility. They want you to believe that Obama and his liberal economic brain trust will change America for the better and make the improvements needed to correct the economy.  Yet Barack Obama wants to raise corporate taxes and make it more difficult for small businesses to reinvest in their own operations.  Obama’s tax policy will further slow our economy by confiscating more money from investors and decreasing liquidity in the market.

In addition, the failures of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were a result of crooked accountants cooking the books to make their bundled loan packages look like profitable risks to the Wall Street banks.  These same officials got away with their crimes by lavishing money on mostly Democratic legislators, including Obama, who was the second highest recipient of Fannie/Freddie money in Congress. 

Obama looked the other way when these same executives opened their golden parachutes and took off with taxpayer money.  The way he tells the story, it seems like it was everybody else’s responsibility, just not the Democrats in Congress. Now Obama and his friends are trying to cover their tracks and pointing fingers at the one man who called to reign in the government sponsored entities – John McCain.

Senator McCain has advocated for stricter oversight and regulation of both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac -- dating back to 2006. As a cosponsor of the Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005, McCain supported legislation that would have curbed the greed and corruption surrounding the subprime mortgage market.  This bill was killed by Ranking Democrats on the Senate Banking Committee.

Is it any wonder why Obama would try to deflect attention from his own connections to this crisis?   James Johnson, who headed his VP selection Committee, was Fannie CEO and “Subprime Mortgage Queen” Penny Pritzer, Obama's campaign Finance Chair, were both not only involved in this debacle but directly responsible for creating the situations that began the sub prime lending schemes and caused the mortgage collapse.

The real problem, however, is more insidious. Since the mid 1990's, Democrats have used home ownership as a club to gain political advantage from minority groups and low-income voters, with whom they sought to curry favor across America. The Democrats, collaborating with community organizing groups like ACORN, beat up bankers, regulators, and whomever else, in order to drive their dangerous political agenda.

The result was that many hundreds of thousands of loans were made to first time homeowners with no chance of repayment. Bankers across America suffered with excessive delinquency, which resulted in the secondary mortgage industry being wrecked by these politically connected executives selfishly intent on gaining voters for their Democrat candidates. Meanwhile, the Democrats running Fannie and Freddie made untold millions. These are undisputed facts. 

We face an election for the United States Presidency on November 4^th and we’re still faced with serious questions about Obama’s fiscal policy.  Most importantly, can Americans trust the Democrat party to play fair in the future, on the Housing issue, or any other partisan issue, when for over a decade they only played in a way that benefited them personally and politically?  Should Barack Obama be trusted with proposing tax policy, when he has voted nine times against lowering the capital gains tax rate, seven times against implementing tax incentives for small businesses, six times against lowering the estate tax and three times against repealing a more than decade-old increase in taxes on Social Security benefits. 

When you are looking at your 401-K, or IRA, why would you ever entrust your future to Barack Obama and the Democrats?  It’s possible that the rest of the marketplace, now seeing the real possibility of an Obama Presidency, may be bailing from the market. Many observers are beginning to opine that the recent market issues have a lot to do with a lack of confidence in a potential Obama presidency. The handwriting is on the wall, and the future looks grim if Obama wins in November.

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Sweden

With liberal Sweden advocating many new tax policies that reduce tax burden on their citizens perhaps Senator Obama ought to think about how real progressive policy makers use taxes to bolster the economy .

The Obama and Democrat Party tax policy has filtered to my home in Tucson , Arizona where local councilpersons constantly advocate higher taxes inspite of our struggling economy and sagging home values.

We have learned the best way to stimulate revenues to The Treasury is to keep incremental tax rates low. We also know that when the federal government controls expenses & the size of government , promotes fair trade , reduces regulation and encourages entrepreneurship the wealth of the nation is enhanced. Tonite in the second presidential debate it is clear the Democrat nominee Senator Obama stands on the wrong side of all of these important issues. Click here to hear the radio broadcast.

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Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma speaks on the Senate floor about the malpractice of the members of Congress who have not lived up to their oath of office , "to defend & protect the constitution of the United States of America . " 

 

Senator Coburn is a doctor who ought to know something about malpractice and speaks here as our founding fathers might have if they could witness what the Federal government  is doing in the 21st century to the US Constitution. The Hippocratic oath applies to governance as much as it does in medicine , "to do no wrong." 

 

As we go forward and try to fix the financial mess we are in today perhaps we should keep in mind both the pledges "to defend and protect The Constitution " as well as "to do no wrong."

BAILOUT IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL: Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK)

 

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America faces grave financial danger.

This isn’t the first time America and our free enterprise system have faced peril.  We’ll survive this crisis when we start working together to find common ground which protects the interests of all Americans from Main Street to Wall Street.

As a means of starting the discussion why not look at a few ideas designed to reform our financial markets.

First, why not consider revisions to outdated accounting rules including mark to market which has seized up the credit markets.

Next, reduction of corporate taxes from 35% to 25% would not only boost American competitiveness but our economy would boom with revenues to the treasury also increasing dramatically.

Lastly, some thoughtful people have suggested a new investment insurance program to guarantee loans using the US Government as a back stop rather than a $700 billion bail out that only rewards failure as well as bad behavior.

Let’s put the election and partisan politics aside to protect the savings of all Americans and the future of our country. 

Long after the election we’ll only remember we solved the problems of the economy with real American solutions.

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William Kristol: How McCain Wins

To my friends and associates..........

William Kristol is a smart man and has brilliantly ( as well as somewhat painfully ) analyzed the race to the finish line in the 2008 Presidential Election Campaign. This is a short read but important read.

http://politicomafioso.blogspot.com/2008/09/from-bruce-ash-william-kristol-how.html

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Shocking Video Unearthed Democrats in their own words Covering up the Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Scam that caused our Economic Crisis

 

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No one in America is above the law, not even the Democrats and especially not Charlie Rangel and Gabby Giffords.

House Democrat Charlie Rangel is a tax cheat and this is not disputed.  Mr. Rangel just fessed up after being confronted and recently paid the IRS $10,000.

The House Ethics Committee has met to consider charges against the Harlem house member and Chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee on his tax problems, his improper use of rent controlled apartments plus alleged illegal use of his office for fund raising efforts.

While Rangel cannot be bothered by such annoyances because he’s too busy doing the “people’s business” (sounds like Bill Clinton) one of his own party is critical of his behavior and has returned a $5,000 Rangel check.

So far Rangel has contributed $1.2 million to various Democrats including Gabby Giffords. In view of our nation’s financial issues and charges of influence peddling  in DC I call upon Giffords to send her gift back to Rangel or donate it to charity.  Call Gabby at her office – 881-3588. Let her know you want her to give the tainted funds back and that you don’t appreciate her unseemly relationship with this rogue congressman.

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from the Arizona Jewish Post

McCain will be unifying commander-in-chief

BRUCE ASH
Special to the AJP

In less than 60 days, Americans will decide who will lead our nation for the next four years. We face trying times ahead. The Democrat-led Congress is deadlocked, refusing to reconcile with President Bush or put forward a comprehensive legislative agenda. With ongoing commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan, rising energy prices and a slumping dollar, America will benefit from selecting a strong and proven leader with a well-established history of working across party-lines to get the job done.
We need a commander-in-chief who will work to build new coalitions between liberals and conservatives, focusing on what we agree upon, rather than what divides us. Our country deserves a president who will put politics aside and govern in the best interests of the people, not his party or personal ambition. Vast majorities of Americans, Democrats, Republicans and Independents, seek a candidate who can unite our nation and deliver us from this period of hyper-partisanship that has stalled our economic engine and endangered our interests abroad.

John McCain has a strong record of service to his country and bipartisan cooperation that all Arizonans clearly recognize. Having served in the U.S. House and the Senate for close to 27 years, McCain understands the importance of consensus and compromise, lessons learned early in his career from his congressional mentor and close friend, Arizona Democrat Mo Udall. Countless other across-the-aisle efforts mark Sen. McCain’s tenure in Washington, from working with Sen. Russ Feingold on campaign finance reform, championing efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to sharing the chairman’s gavel with his Democratic colleagues during commerce committee hearings.
It was in this same spirit that McCain reached out to first-year Sen. Barack Obama in 2006, asking for his assistance in crafting an ethics reform bill. Obama attended a meeting with McCain and other senators committed to creating a bipartisan task force on ethics reform, and convinced his colleagues, including Democrats Joe Lieberman and Bill Nelson, that he was open to working closely together.
But the next day, Obama backtracked on his commitment to McCain’s non-partisan approach. Instead he wrote an open letter to McCain explaining a new-found preference for competing legislation supported by Sen. Harry Reid, a bill without Republican cosponsors or any chance of passage.  Barack Obama missed an ideal opportunity to prove he was a true reformer, and a man with the courage to stand up to his Democratic bosses and buck the status quo. Little more than one year later, Barack Obama announced he was running for President as a post-partisan reformer and the messenger for  a “new” kind of politics.

Missing from his soaring rhetoric and empty promises of reconciliation and cooperation are any real examples of Obama’s work to cross party lines and build alliances on the other side of the aisle. Barack Obama is not the change we’ve been waiting for. He represents Washington politics-as-usual and a continuation of the far-left Democratic party-line mantra of “Blame Bush” for another four years. Ironically, his core message and critique of McCain perpetuates the same divisions he claims to have the power to heal.

Many of my friends know me as a strong supporter of Israel, a national security hawk and a fiscal conservative. I proudly wear these labels and I don’t pretend to be non-partisan. Disingenuously, Barack Obama has tried to present himself as a post-partisan unity candidate, without so much as one example of his willingness to work with conservatives to achieve our mutual goals of a stronger, more prosperous, safer America.

John McCain doesn’t need to make speeches about healing or reconciliation to prove his credentials. He’s been reaching out to his Democratic colleagues since he was first elected in 1981 and will continue to do so when he is elected president. Sen. McCain knows he must work together with a Democrat-controlled Congress and he has the experience, knowledge and fortitude to govern in today’s highly charged political environment, and build new intra-party coalitions that will move our nation’s policies to the center and away from the far-right or far-left fringes.
Bruce Ash is a local businessperson and a Republican national committeeman.

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If you’re still undecided about who you’ll support for president let me give you 120,000 reasons why it shouldn’t be Barack Obama.

The collapse of Lehman Brothers can also be traced back to the failure of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  While Mr. Obama criticizes John McCain for the housing crisis and economy it turns out Obama received $120,000 and was the number two recipient of all Fannie and Freddie lobbying funds to keep congressional watch dogs off their back.  Pretty cozy?

There’s more….. one of Obama’s VP vetting team was none other than former Fannie Mae CEO Jim Johnson.

While Barack Obama was lining his pockets with Fannie and Freddie cash John McCain was introducing legislation (rejected by most democrats) to regulate the financial services industry.  McCain warned us in 2005, “If congress does not act the American taxpayers will be exposed to the enormous risk the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac pose to the housing market, our financial system and the economy.”

Turns out McCain was right all along and while Obama plays the blame game let’s not forget who is for real reform and who lined up at the trough for big campaign bucks to sell their influence and sell out the American taxpayers.

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Joe Biden has derided Governor Sarah Palin as being naive and not ready for leadership which should prompt closer examination at the wisdom of Barack Obama’s Vice Presidential selection also.

Remember Biden’s claims the war in Iraq was lost? ….. We were in the middle of a civil war? …… and the only way to restore peace was to partition the country along ethnic and sectarian lines?

Despite resistance from Iraq’s leaders Biden actually introduced a resolution in the US Senate that called for implementation of his plan to cut Iraq into three states. 

Clearly, Biden’s plan would have resulted in failure with likely increases in sectarian violence.  His plan would have also resulted in a huge relocation of Sunnis, Kurdish and Turkomen populations.

Iraq commentator Quys Al-Atwani said, “All Iraqi’s…. Agree on rejecting the Biden Resolution that contradicts the will of the Iraqi people.”

Luckily, Biden’s proposal was rejected but it did not stop the vice presidential nominee from taking credit last Sunday for our recent success and stating, “I am encouraged because they’re doing the things I suggested.” 

Really? We ought to be grateful no-one took Biden’s plan seriously and we ought to question which VP candidate is actually ready to lead.

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General Petraeus

 

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Obama is Taxing....Very Taxing!

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Isn’t Michael Phelps the Greatest?  Weren’t we all glued to our televisions rooting for Phelps and his team mates go for gold?  Michael Phelps and all of the US Olympians are visible symbols of what is so great about America.  Their success makes all of us proud Americans

I am not someone who is bothered by the nationalism involved in the Olympics and I’m not embarrassed to admit it.  I think it’s cool.

The dream of representing our country has given many an athlete goose bumps because this is the ultimate honor.

We live in the greatest country in the world.  A nation that has given it’s citizens so many opportunities.  That is why our athletes are awe struck to wear USA across their chest.

Some people will say this attitude is passé. I don’t. 

Phelps didn’t train 10,000 plus yards a day unless he was willing to give all for his country and what it stands for.  Just like past US Olympic athletes from Jim Thorpe and Jesse Owens right up to Tucson’s own Keri Strug.  They all fought for the red white and blue.  None of them were citizens of the world – they were proud Americans.  So am I.

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Last Week Gabby Giffords scored a “hat trick” and we all will suffer as a result.

First, our “current” congresswoman voted to cut e-verify then when even her own party voted against her bill she hurriedly joined Republicans to extend e-verify.  If this flip flop wasn’t insulting enough to the Arizona 8^th she then sent her spin meisters out to report she actually saved e-verify.  Is this change we can trust?

Next she voted against the American Energy Act which would increase energy exploration, promote new technologies, allow new refineries as well as safe nuclear and even provide permanent tax credits for alternative energy she often claims to support.  All this because Nancy Pelosi told her how to vote.

Then she cast the deciding vote to take a five week vacation essentially foreclosing any debate on energy policy. 

This “let them eat crude” mentality makes paying nearly four bucks per gallon even more painful.  Is this change we can believe in?  You be the judge.

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Weren’t you appalled when you read the mayor and city council wasted $77 million on Rio Nuevo?

It’s easy to point fingers but now is the time for clarity, transparency and honesty by our elected city officials so we can restore confidence in local government.

The mayor and council must come clean with the taxpayers – show us all the revenues plus all of the detailed expenses – check by check – dollar for dollar – that we deserve.

Next – reset Rio Nuevo priorities.  Develop an economic engine – convention center and hotel, new retail and restaurants to provide the needed tax revenues to develop museums which should come later to add to downtown attractions.  Get Rio Nuevo in the hands of experts and not self serving, manipulative tin horn politicians.  Do this and just watch confidence grow.

Over the next several days and weeks you will hear lots of spin from the council on Rio Nuevo.  Some will blame the city manager. 

Until they disclose where the money was spent, present a cohesive plan to generate new tax revenues and show us progress don’t believe them.  Elections for Leal, Trasoff, Uhlich are around the corner so hopefully progress or change isn’t too far off.

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When Gabby Giffords ran for congress in 2006 she ran, as many of her fellow travelers in the Democrat party,  as a conservative.

One of Gabby’s conservative values was her opposition to illegal immigration but since her coronation – I mean election – she has consistently voted with her party’s leadership as an open borders, pro amnesty liberal.

Her latest attack on secure borders is her bill to gut e-verify – that is the system designed to permanently close the I-9 loop hole used by illegal workers and unscrupulous employers who hire them.

Apparently ignorant of the severity of the problem in her own congressional district Giffords is sponsoring a bill to replace e-verify even over the protests of the Department of Homeland Security, the Social Security Administration plus members of her own party who are sponsoring competing legislation.  With over $2 million in her campaign coffers -  much of it from special interests who are against meaningful employer enforcement measures – is it any wonder Giffords would so consciously ignore her own constituents who support enforcement of our immigration laws.

When will Giffords live up to her 2006 promise that “Change can’t wait” and why should we believe she’ll do anything different if we re elect her?

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Barack Obama claims he will bring change but so far all he’s done is change his mind.

Case in Pointe – Electronic Surveillance

Last year Mr. Obama stated he “Unequivocably” opposed giving retro active immunity to telephone companies and in February voted against the FISA Bill.

During the primaries Senator Obama pledged to oppose any bill which gave immunity to telephone companies who assist government surveillance of foreign terrorists.

Now that he secured the nomination Obama suddenly switches positions and voted to give immunity to telephone companies?

Thankfully Obama did vote the right way on FISA but the flip flop begs the question – Who is Barack Obama and what does he stand for?

He says he’ll bring “Change we can believe in” but Barack Obama doesn’t seem able to hold on to core beliefs like foreign intelligence gathering, the war, taxes, abortion, companion finance or energy.  How can we trust the judgment of a professional nominee who changes his positions like a chameleon.

Is this change we can believe in? Judge for yourself.

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I recently sent you my most recent radio  OP ED on energy independence . Many of you will probably agree Newt Gingrich is one of the most thoughtful leaders in America. Please click on the icon below to hear his thoughts about how to begin solving our current energy crisis. It is a short piece but very insightful.

Thanks to so many of you who commented on the OP ED I sent yesterday on energy.

 

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Saudi King Abdullah has declared, “Consumer countries will (have) to get used to high oil prices.”

Really?  I have two responses and I’ll bet most Americans will agree that:

1.                  We must go and get more of our own domestic oil and we need to get it now.  Offshore, in the Western slope and ANWR; so we are not dependent on foreign sources any longer.

2.                  America must get on with the development of alternative energy sources now and do it the same way we harnessed the atom and sent Americans to the moon.

Mr. Obama and Congressional Democrats we must stop the debate and begin action to develop our own resources to get us safely through the short run and press the edge of technology to develop nuclear, solar, wind as well as harness hydrogen as a new means of transportation.  Thus placing the US on the leading edge of a whole new economy.

We’re in the middle of a national crisis and America needs leadership in Congress, The White House and private industry. 

Solve the riddle of energy development and America will flourish all through the 21^st century as an economic power house.

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Barack Obama

Actions speak louder than words.  “Senator Barack Obama long ago said he would use public financing and now he’s changed his mind.  This election is about the truth.  No matter how beautiful the words are and how well presented; you’ve got to get beyond the words….. It raises some serious questions about what it is (Obama) stands for.”  My words?  No Senator Hillary Clinton.

By being the only presidential candidate since Watergate to reject public financing Mr. Obama has fallen short of his own ethical standards and opts for unlimited private financing; all the while promoting himself as a new generation politician.  Senator Obama’s decision to reject public financing is disappointing as well as disingenuous.   He cannot have it both ways - supporting the concept while in practice demonstrating  it is unnecessary because of his support by questionable 527’s like moveon.org and Big Labor. 

Obama is just like Hillary Clinton said, “Just another presidential candidate exploiting his advantage as a front runner.”

Obama’s real politics sounds a lot like old politics.  Obama has broken his word and done what’s expedient.  This is not change we can believe in and in the future can we really believe Obama will stand by his promises when it isn’t in his self interest?

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City of Tucson

The city of Tucson is a dysfunctional mess being run by our City Council who has placed failed politics and special interests over the best interests of all Tucsonans.

Case in Point – Voting no increase to police officers on the same day fallen TPD patrolman Erik Hite laid to rest.

Case in Point – More fumbling on Rio Nuevo and the latest was an unprecedented radio attack on businessman Humberto Lopez.

Case in Point – The City Council votes to impose so called neighborhood preservation zone stripping rights of property owners.

Failure to support law enforcement.  Half baked ideas, millions of wasted dollars and attacks on local business.  What’s next?

I offer these suggestions to Mayor Walkup to restore faith in his leadership, transparency in government and the basis to move forward.

·                     Order a full audit of Rio Nuevo Revenues and expenses

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